SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF - NHL.compenguins.nhl.com/v2/ext/media/pdf/09 20 2011.pdf · SPORT-SCAN...

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 9/20/2011

Anaheim Ducks 578747 Ducks’ Foster has surgery, out 2-4 weeks Boston Bruins 578748 Plenty of pros to Clark’s game 578749 Seguin at home in middle 578750 Champs can count on kid 578751 Clark makes case Buffalo Sabres 578752 Sabres notebook: Gaustad line provides spark in win 578753 Sabres' Enroth gets taste of backup role 578754 Live from the FNC: Welcome to the preseason Calgary Flames 578755 Flames play it safe with Iginla’s back woes 578756 Robyn Regehr eager to face old mates 578757 Tanguay eager to fine-tune game in pre-season action 578758 Flames propsect snapshot: Dustin Sylvester 578759 Iginla: I'll be back 578760 Tanguay lends advice to rookies Carolina Hurricanes 578761 Sabres edge Canes 578762 Canes face Sabres in exhibition match 578763 Hurricanes players fight for spots at forward position Chicago Blackhawks 578764 Blackhawks' Smith hopes to build on success in playoffs 578765 Blackhawks set roster for preseason opener 578766 Blackhawks’ Nick Leddy eager to learn from veteran Sean O’Donnell 578767 Alexander Salak in awe of talent during Blackhawks training camp 578768 Experienced O’Donnell ready to pitch in for Hawks 578769 Ray Emery battles for Hawks’ backup goalie berth 578770 Blackhawks set first preseason lineup 578771 Younger Toews trying to make his mark with Hawks Colorado Avalanche 578772 Avs add size, strength to bolster defenseman corps 578773 Swedish veteran Lindstrom gets chance with Avs on Stastny line 578774 Rookies fight in Avs' final scrimmage Columbus Blue Jackets 578775 Jackets to attend party in Winnipeg 578776 Blue Jackets notebook: Carter expected to recover quickly Dallas Stars 578777 Former Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg considers topping $267 million offer 578778 Stars open preseason on Tuesday against Canadians 578779 Stars' first-day motions approved; hearing Thursday to approve bid process 578780 GameDay: Dallas Stars at Montreal Canadiens 578781 Panthers, Predators split a doubleheader

Detroit Red Wings 578782 Johan Franzen nets two in Red Wings scrimmage but hates questions about scoring 578783 Red Wings decide rosters for Red vs. White scrimmage 578784 Wings' Johan Franzen eager for progress 578785 Red Wings: Notebook 578786 Johan Franzen finds scoring touch in scrimmage 578787 Red Wings' goalie Jimmy Howard sits out with bruised foot but doesn't believe it's significant 578788 Red Wings encouraged to see Johan Franzen score twice, even in a training camp scrimmage Edmonton Oilers 578789 Oilers trim training camp roster to 57 players 578790 Oilers may have a diamond in the rough in Russian defenceman 578791 Opponents better keep an eye out for Tyrvainen 578792 Peckham's number comes up. He's now Oilers' 24 578793 Oilers' Eberle, Peckham improve fitness levels in off-season 578794 Smyth hits ice with Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins at Oilers practice 578795 Eberle learned as Oilers rookie 578796 Is this Dubnyk's year 578797 Oilers hurtin' songs Florida Panthers 578798 The real battle for Florida Panthers: making the team 578799 Huberdeau stars in debut to help earn doubleheader split 578800 Panthers, Predators hit the ice for doubleheader Los Angeles Kings 578801 Kings give Westgarth two-year, 1.45M deal 578802 Parse says hip feels `100 percent’ 578803 New, safer look for Stoll 578804 Quick is No. 1, but stay tuned Minnesota Wild 578805 Harding thankful for return to ice 578806 Gillies hopeful his time has come 578807 Wild exhibition lineup Tuesday in Edmonton 578808 Josh Harding is back in goal for the Wild after a year of rehabilitation, doubt Montreal Canadiens 578809 Carey Price finally feeling at home 578810 P.K. Subban is in the building 578811 Trotter goes to great lengths to improve skating 578812 Lighter side of Spacek arrives at Habs camp 578813 Pacioretty feels lucky about rehab 578814 Preseason 'games' are risky business Nashville Predators 578815 Nashville Predators split doubleheader with Florida Panthers 578816 Brentwood brothers fight for college hockey program New Jersey Devils 578817 Petr Sykora throws 'hat' into ring for a spot with Devils 578818 Devils' David Clarkson ready for big season under Pete DeBoer 578819 Sykora looking to stick around with Devils 578820 Sykora makes most of return to Devils 578821 Sykora nets hat trick in Devils scrimmage New York Islanders 578822 Islanders' goalies crowding the net New York Rangers 578823 Staal's setback hurts Rangers 578824 Lundqvist plans to set goals

578825 Rangers' Staal slowed by concussion 578826 Rangers' Prust not cleared for contact 578827 Rangers' Staal suffers setback 578828 Rangers keep ailing Staal off ice NHL 578829 With Stricter Rule on Hits to the Head, Some N.H.L. Stars Are Split on a Full Ban 578830 Mental illness often a byproduct of concussions 578831 'If the Cup could speak, imagine the stories it could tell' Ottawa Senators 578832 Sens first pre-season tilt: Cowen everywhere in losing effort 578833 Senators give Filatov opportunity to redeem himself 578834 Anchor of the Sens: Alfredsson reflects on his lengthy tenure 578835 Top Senators prospects in lineup against Leafs 578836 Senators ink Stone to entry-level deal 578837 Sens' new jersey has bilingual touch 578838 Re-Leaf for Konopka Philadelphia Flyers 578839 Flyers rookie Brayden Schenn hopes to face off against his brother Luke and the Leafs 578840 2 Flyers to face their Leaf brothers tonight 578841 NHL enforcers' deaths raise questions about fighting, drugs, and depression 578842 Bryzgalov keeps things loose in Flyers' locker room 578843 Schenn brothers expect to duel Tuesday 578844 Walker's future depends on camp performance 578845 Pronger cautiously optimistic after practice Phoenix Coyotes 578846 Phoenix Coyotes have a chance to show intensity Pittsburgh Penguins 578847 Penguins addition is ready to protect Crosby 578848 Penguins' Malkin looks sharp in scrimmage 578849 Penguins' Malkin, Staal score 2 578850 Strait is a body of work San Jose Sharks 578851 San Jose Sharks coach gives Joe Thornton credit for last season's turnaround St Louis Blues 578852 Former Sharks Nichol, Huskins know all about the Blues 578853 Rattie building confidence in Blues' training camp Tampa Bay Lightning 578854 Working to deepen talent pool 578855 Star power lacking for preseason opener 578856 Tampa Bay Lightning coaches increase workload as Wayne Fleming fights cancer 578857 Wing Ryan Shannon a newcomer on the rise for Tampa Bay Lightning 578858 Tampa Bay Lightning lineup for preseason opener vs. Blues

Toronto Maple Leafs 578859 Scrivens has a role model in Reimer 578860 Gustavsson gets the start 578861 Leafs down Sens in preseason opener 578862 Feschuk: Third line looks good in Leafs' opening win 578863 Leafs open with 4-2 win over Sens 578864 Leaf third jerseys on way 578865 Liles keeps his motor running, on and off the ice 578866 Leafs off to good start 578867 Gardiner impresses in Leafs' pre-season opener 578868 Bozak scores 2 goals as Maple Leafs top Senators Vancouver Canucks 578869 Canucks hopeful Todd Fedoruk thankful for second chance at life 578870 Canucks' Cory Schneider's time may come ... it just won't be in Vancouver 578871 Not much star-gazing for Canucks fans in early pre-season games 578872 Ebbett small but has energy and strength 578873 Pinizzotto an agitator but has skills too, says Vigneault 578874 Cory Schneider key to Stanley Cup contention for Canucks 578875 New hockey season presents Canucks with a must-win mind game Washington Capitals 578876 Capitals head to Baltimore for preseason game, happy to find more hockey fans 578877 Capitals’ regional broadcast schedule released 578878 Capitals make first round of cuts at training camp 578879 Marcus Johansson, Alex Ovechkin paired together in training camp 578880 Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau hints at Baltimore lineup 578881 Caps’ Boudreau has fond memories of hockey in Baltimore 578882 Hockey was on thin ice in Baltimore 578883 Saving cap space on Poti still hurts 578884 Baltimore preseason game could expand Capitals' fan base Websites 578897 ESPN / Camp Tour: Kings' Philly connection helping Mike Richards with transition 578898 Sportsnet.ca /Colby's mulligan 578899 TSN.CA / Farewell to Earl - a great fan and a great friend Winnipeg Jets 578885 Notebook 578886 Tinker with chemicals before finalizing formula 578887 Times sure change over 15 years 578888 Stars will be in Jets' lineup on Tuesday 578889 Scheifele expects to earn his keep 578890 Big-time team means bigger parking costs 578891 Got grit? Jets think so 578892 Stuart a crowd pleaser 578893 Jets players put positive spin on hitting the road 578894 Jets pre-season opener is gonna get loud 578895 Glass: Plenty of room for fighting in NHL 578896 Jets home lineup to include Ladd, Byfuglien

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 578747 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks’ Foster has surgery, out 2-4 weeks

By ERIC STEPHENS

2011-09-19 21:25:33

ANAHEIM – Kurtis Foster's time with the Ducks is already off to a rocky start as the defenseman is expected to miss 2-4 weeks because of surgery to remove a small metal wire from his left thigh.

Foster first complained of discomfort last week after a skating session and was kept out of practice for the first three days of training camp.

The Ducks' medical staff was able to detect that the wire, which was inserted to hold a rod in his major March 2008 surgery to repair a broken femur, was causing the irritation and subsequent inflammation.

Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said the procedure should correct his ailment.

Foster underwent the procedure at UCI Medical Center. The recovery timetable figures to keep him out for at least the first couple of weeks of the regular season.

Foster, a seven-year NHL veteran acquired from Edmonton for defenseman Andy Sutton on July 1, played in 74 games with the Oilers last season and had eight goals and 14 assists.

Foster, 29, has played in 145 of a possible 162 games in the two full seasons since his injury on March 20, 2008 while he was playing for the Minnesota Wild.

HILLER UPDATE

Jonas Hiller reported himself to be in good condition after participating in the team's intrasquad scrimmage Monday and is eager to get into a game to see whether he has recovered from the vertigo symptoms that plagued him last season.

"You have better days and worse days no matter how you feel or whatever," Hiller said. "I don't worry too much about it. Sure, some days you just feel better than other days.

"At the end, overall, I'm feeling well out there. And that's what counts. ... I'd like to play as soon as possible."

Hiller said he "wouldn't mind not going on the road" but didn't know what the plan was for him with the team playing five exhibition games in a six-day span. The Ducks open with home contests Tuesday against Phoenix and Wednesday against San Jose.

NOTES

Bobby Ryan was held out of the scrimmage but his strained groin muscle has improved to the point where he could resume skating today. "His strength is back," Carlyle said. "He feels much better than he did yesterday." ...

Defenseman Mathieu Carle was shut down a day after crashing head-first into the end boards during a drill. Carlyle said Carle "didn't feel very good today" but didn't know if he has any concussion-like symptoms. ...

Carlyle also said center Maxime Macenauer (groin muscle) was "very close". .... Some veterans confirmed to play in the exhibition opener are Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu and Lubomir Visnovsky.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 09.20.2011

578748 Boston Bruins

Plenty of pros to Clark’s game

By Fluto Shinzawa

Globe Staff / September 20, 2011

Chris Clark has been a professional hockey player for 13 years. In 1998, when Clark turned pro, fellow Bruins camper Alexander Khokhlachev had just turned five years old.

As such, training camp is nothing new for the 35-year-old Clark. Except that this year, for the first time in his career, the native of South Windsor, Conn., is entering camp without the safety net of a contract.

“I still go about camp the same way I always do, trying to get ready for the season,’’ Clark said. “Not having a contract, I’m a little more conscious of everything I can do and replaying little mistakes.’’

The former Clarkson standout, who played college hockey alongside future NHLers such as Todd White, Erik Cole, and Willie Mitchell, is the type of player every coach likes. Through stops in Calgary, Washington, and

Columbus, Clark has rounded out an identity that’s allowed him to stay in the NHL for 607 games - a number he’s looking to extend in Boston.

The right-shot wing’s best year was in 2006-07, when he scored 30 goals and had 24 assists for the Capitals.

But Clark is better known for his grinding, hockey sense, and leadership than his offensive punch.

During his most recent seasons, the north-south Clark has been seeing heavy rotations on the penalty kill. Last year in Columbus, of the 14:38 of ice time he averaged per game, 1:59 was on the PK. Clark ranked second among Columbus forwards in shorthanded ice time per game, trailing only ex-Bruin Sami Pahlsson (2:50). If he earns a job in Boston, Clark would most likely have PK duty.

“Whenever we played against him, I found him to be a hard player to play against,’’ said Bruins coach Claude Julien, who recalled coaching against Clark when he was skating for St. John in the AHL during the late 1990s. “You’re talking about a guy who comes to play hard every night. He’s certainly one of those players.’’

Clark was Calgary’s third-round pick in 1994. Clark played on the 2003-04 Flames club that lost to Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup Final. If Clark makes the Bruins roster, he would become the seventh Flame from that club to wear Black and Gold under general manager Peter Chiarelli’s watch. The others are Andrew Ference, Chuck Kobasew, Stephane Yelle, Steve Montador, Dany Sabourin, and Shean Donovan.

Clark served as the captain in Washington, watching over a roster that included some of the most talented youngsters in the league: Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Alexander Semin.

“I don’t know if it was something about my personality or the way I play on the ice,’’ Clark said of his captaincy. “Maybe a combination of both.’’

Clark wore the “C’’ because of a demeanor that Julien compares with that of Patrice Bergeron. Around the league, the lead-by-example Clark is known for his professional approach.

“When he comes to the rink, he’s all business,’’ Julien said. “Great guy. He’s obviously well-respected by his teammates, having been a captain in the places he’s been. From getting to know him a little bit more, you can see why. That’s why he reminds me of Bergy a little bit, a guy who you can have fun with and is a good teammate. He enjoys coming to the rink. But when he’s on the ice, he’s all about business.

“I’m very interested in seeing what he’s going to be able to show us in these preseason games and see if he can’t earn himself a spot here.’’

Clark is over the wrist, knee, and groin injuries that have eaten away at his durability over the last few seasons. But as he found out the hard way, even the healthiest of players 35 and older can be hard-pressed to land employment.

Clark, who is represented by local agents Mark Witkin and Peter Fish, didn’t get any contract offers this summer. It became clear he would have to try out if he hoped to continue playing in the NHL.

Upon Mark Recchi’s retirement, Clark assumed the Bruins might be seeking a veteran voice. Then on July 1, Michael Ryder, who played most of his time in Boston on the right side, signed with Dallas. With two right wings out of the picture, Clark figured the Bruins’ tryout invitation - he had several other invites - would be his best opportunity.

“Being a captain in Washington, I knew I could come in with those leadership qualities off the ice and on the ice,’’ said Clark. “If that was something they were looking for, I thought this would be a good fit.’’

During the first days of camp, Clark has been the right wing alongside fellow grinders Chris Kelly and Jordan Caron. If Clark hopes to land a contract - it would most certainly be a one-year deal near the league minimum - his best opportunity would be as a third-line wing. Caron and Jamie Arniel are among the bottom-six grinders Clark will be competing against.

“When you look back at his career, I don’t think anybody’s going to argue the fact that he’s got some Bruin qualities in him,’’ Julien said. “He might be a good fit for us.’’

Boston Globe LOADED: 09.20.2011


Seguin at home in middle

By Fluto Shinzawa

Globe Staff / September 20, 2011

For the second straight season, Tyler Seguin could be a right wing, with either Patrice Bergeron or Chris Kelly serving as his setup man.

But Seguin’s natural position is center, which is where he’s been skating for the opening days of Bruins training camp. Seguin has not looked like he’s forgotten how to play the position.

“He’s been very good. I’ve noticed him,’’ said coach Claude Julien. “He seems a lot stronger. He seems a lot more confident. From what I’ve seen these first three days, his skill level has really shown because of the way he’s competing with that confidence.

“I see a guy who’s got a year under his belt. He’s coming in this year and wants to make a difference. We knew all along that he’s got it. Now it’s up to him to show it. His first three days, I think he’s done that.’’

Seguin has been centering Kyle MacKinnon and Nathan Horton. Like he did his rookie season, Seguin has skated dynamically and shot pucks with purpose.

What’s made Seguin among the more explosive forwards in camp has been his competitiveness and his battle level in the danger areas. As a rookie, Seguin wasn’t always willing to use his muscle in the corners, along the walls, and in front of the net.

Last season, Seguin spent most of his time at wing, partly because of the defensive responsibilities required of a center. This year, Seguin could be the No. 2 right wing in place of Mark Recchi. But if Seguin gains more comfort in the middle, he could give the Bruins more offensive presence at center to complement Bergeron and David Krejci. Long term, the Bruins project Seguin as a center.

“Right now, where we are at center is pretty deep,’’ Julien said. “So it depends on what kind of makeup you want your team to be like - whether you want a bunch of high-end centermen, or you want some more reliable centermen on certain lines. We’ve got that luxury right now. We’ve got that option. We just have to figure out how we want to go about it.’’

Eager camper As a four-year forward at Providence College, it seemed only natural that MacKinnon would sign an amateur tryout contract with the pro club in his college town.

Last year, after completing his career with the Friars (he scored 14 goals as a senior), MacKinnon dressed for five games with the P-Bruins, tallying one goal and two assists. MacKinnon, currently under a one-year AHL contract, is participating in his first NHL camp.

“Just trying to use my speed and strength out there,’’ MacKinnon said. “Things are going good.’’

The 23-year-old MacKinnon, an undrafted free agent, projects to be a two-way wing. To open camp, MacKinnon has been skating on the left side with Seguin and Horton. During yesterday’s scrimmage, MacKinnon potted one goal by driving hard to the net.

“Those guys will make anybody look better out there,’’ MacKinnon said. “Just trying to use my speed and open up lanes for them. They can get you the puck when you’re open. I just have to bury my chances.’’

Early exit Zdeno Chara left yesterday’s scrimmage early because of a bruise on the inside of his left leg. Chara was hit by a puck near his knee. After finishing his shift in discomfort, Chara limped off the ice and retreated to the dressing room. “If he needs an extra day, we’ll give him an extra day,’’ Julien said. “If he’s OK tomorrow, then he’ll go. We’ll see. Just a day-by-day bruise - a shot inside the leg.’’ . . . The Bruins will go through off-ice workouts today at the Garden. They will participate in a Black and White scrimmage at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center tonight in Providence. “Some guys want to be evaluated, and that’s a way of doing it,’’ Julien said. “At the same time, having four straight days before your first exhibition game and having had a long season last year, it’s not a bad thing to not worry so much about drills. Giving them a chance to play [tonight] should help everybody get more comfortable with each other as well.’’ . . . Tomorrow’s preseason opener against Ottawa can be heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Boston Globe LOADED: 09.20.2011


Champs can count on kid

Sophomore Seguin earns trust

By Steve Conroy | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Boston Bruins

When the Stanley Cup playoffs began in April, Tyler Seguin was a healthy scratch. By the time the finals rolled around, not only did the injury to Nathan Horton have the rookie in the lineup, but Seguin had earned enough of Claude Julien’s trust that the coach rolled him out for a regular shift in the third period of Game 7.

Is Seguin ready to take another leap forward? Only time will tell, but he’s certainly put in the work to make that happen. Seguin may have had his fun like everyone else in the offseason, but the 19-year-old also put in a couple of months of workouts, which included some time at the BioSteel training camp with a group of NHL players, before arriving at B’s camp.

He’s put on about 10 pounds, up to about 195, and through three days of training camp Julien has already seen the dividends.

“He’s been very good. I’ve noticed him and I think you guys certainly have as well,” Julien said yesterday after the expanded squad’s workout at the Garden. “He seems a lot stronger, he seems a lot more confident from what I’ve seen. In the first three days, his skill level is really showing because of the way he’s competing with that confidence.

“I see a guy who’s got a year under his belt, who wants to come in and make a difference. We all knew all along that he’s got it, and now it’s up to him to show it. In the first three days, he’s done that. Hopefully it keeps going for the rest of the year.”

Seguin, of course, came to the Bruins as the much-ballyhooed second overall pick from the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League. He and the No. 1 pick, Taylor Hall, were billed as can’t-miss kids, and as soon as he arrived at Bruins developmental camp in July 2010, Seguin’s skill level was as obvious as his youth.

Unlike Hall, who went to the woeful Edmonton Oilers, Seguin went to the Cup-contending Bruins. And while Seguin got plenty of playing time, there were nights when he was on the bench for long stretches, and toward the end of the year he was a healthy scratch. He finished with 11-11-22 totals and a minus-4 in 74 regular-season games.

But when he was pressed into action in the postseason — first coming in for the concussed Patrice Bergeron in the Tampa Bay series, and again in the Vancouver series after Horton also suffered a concussion — it was clear he hadn’t been just taking up space in the pressbox when he was scratched. He showed just how much explosive talent he had in Game 2 against the Lightning, when he erupted for two goals and two assists just when the team desperately needed it. But it was his play in Game 7 of both series that really demonstrated how far he’d come as a pro.

“He actually became a pretty reliable player,” Julien said. “When you’re in the finals, every goal means a lot, and somehow you’ve got to have people that you trust that know what to do when you haven’t got the puck. We knew that he was pretty good with the puck, but the biggest part of the game in the NHL is playing without the puck. You play without it a lot more than you play with it.

“I thought he did a pretty good job of identifying on the backcheck and that kind of stuff. Even when he had the puck and he ran out of room, (he) knew when to just chip it in and either make a good change or forecheck. He became pretty reliable that way, and we were able to use him more. His biggest struggle last year was probably consistency and being able to give us what we knew he could give us on a daily basis. That’s just part of the journey.”

Now Seguin, who had 3-4-7 totals and a plus-5 in the postseason, is ready for his next step, and he said his training regimen has made a difference.

“Absolutely. After a whole offseason of working out, you know you’re going to feel better,” said Seguin, who has been playing at center in camp, though Julien said he could return to wing. “I feel better, I feel stronger and I’m excited to go. It feels different (from last year). Having a year under your belt, you’re not coming in blind. You know what to expect and you know how to prepare both mentally and physically.”

And he can look back not only on the hard lessons he learned last year, but also the fact that he thrived in the most pressure-packed situations the game has to offer.

“In my mind, I was going to sacrifice anything just to get the win for all the guys,” Seguin said of playing down the stretch in the Cup-clinching game. “Looking back and realizing I got a chance to play in that game, especially at my age, it just felt good that people trusted me.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 09.20.2011


Clark makes case

By Steve Conroy / Bruins Notebook | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Boston Bruins

The Bruins roster doesn’t have a lot of openings. The lineup is loaded with young veterans who now have a Stanley Cup on their resume.

But with the retirement of locker room sage Mark Recchi, there might be room for another graybeard to stick with the B’s, and Chris Clark hopes he’s just the man for the job.

The 35-year-old native of South Windsor, Conn., who was invited to B’s camp for a tryout, has been slowed by injuries the last several years, but when healthy he was a reliable, character-type of player. He doesn’t have the kind of background of a Recchi — the closest Clark got to winning the Cup was with the 2004 Flames team that went to Game 7 of the finals — but he is well respected around the league and should give Benoit Pouliot, Jordan Caron and the rest of the hopefuls a run for a roster spot.

“If I play the way I can play then I should have a shot, but then again you never know,” said Clark, who roofed a pretty goal in a 3-on-3 drill yesterday. “Young guys coming in always surprise in camp, and that’s something I can’t do anything about. But I can just play as best as I can play.”

Clark, who trains with Boston University strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle in the offseason, knows that stepping onto a Cup champion and integrating himself into the leadership group could be tricky, but he’s willing to give it a shot.

“That could be, but from what I know of the guys so far, they’re very level-headed. The guys have been great to me jumping in here,” said Clark, who scored 30 goals with the Capitals in 2006-07. “When it comes to it, I don’t think there’s going to be much that this team needs. But it’s good to have someone with more games. They’ve done something that I haven’t, but I’ve been around a little while.”

Clark’s good health has rejuvenated him.

“It’s the first full summer I’ve had in two years of pure training, no rehabbing,” said Clark, who played 53 games last year with Columbus. “It’s been great. It was a long offseason for me, five months, but it was pure training and no rehabbing and no worrying about anything.”

Clark certainly has a fan in coach Claude Julien.

“What I liked about Chris was that you knew he was going to play hard every night, and to play against a guy like that, that’s not an easy thing. You learn to respect and like those kind of players,” Julien said. “I’ve always admired that from him, and that’s what he’s shown here again. He’s a pretty determined individual, very focused, mentally strong. He’s a fun guy to be around.

“I think he’s already very well respected by our players on our team because I think they’ve seen the same thing as I did when we played against him. I’m one of those guys that believes he’s going to push really hard and is going to make a real tough decision here. Certainly his

experience, his leadership qualities are something that we can certainly look at. When you lose a guy like Recchi, sometimes you rely on guys in the dressing room to pick it up, but sometimes you also have the luxury of bringing somebody in who can help fill in that gap as well.”

Chara: No puck luck

Captain Zdeno Chara left practice early after a taking a puck on the inside of his left knee, but Julien said the injury looks relatively minor.

Halfway through a 25-minute scrimmage at the Garden, Chara was skating near the boards in the neutral zone when a clearing shot went off his leg. Though the defenseman didn’t go down, he immediately grimaced and hobbled off the ice at the next stoppage in play. He did not return.

“Right now it’s a contusion, and we’ll just evaluate it as we go along here,” Julien said. “This is training camp, and if he needs an extra day, we’ll give him an extra day. If he’s OK (today), then he’ll go. We’ll see. It’s a day-to-day bruise.” .?.?.

The Bruins will play an intrasquad scrimmage tonight (7) at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence.

Boston Herald LOADED: 09.20.2011

578752 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres notebook: Gaustad line provides spark in win

By John Vogl

News Sports Reporter

Published:September 19, 2011, 10:54 PM

Updated: September 19, 2011, 10:54 PM

The Buffalo Sabres expect to be winners this season. It's clear in the way they talk and the way they carry themselves.

In the opening exhibition game, their expectations were met.

The Sabres scored twice early in the third period and added an empty-net goal, rallying for a 3-1 victory over Carolina on Monday in sold-out First Niagara Center. The line of center Paul Gaustad, left wing Nathan Gerbe and right wing Patrick Kaleta combined for all three goals.

"It doesn't matter what game it is -- preseason, scrimmage -- you always want to win," Kaleta said. "That's the competitive part of us being hockey players. It's really important to start off as sharp and precise as you can be out there.

"It's important that you carry on the attitude that you want to win."

The Sabres and Hurricanes used a mix of veterans and prospects, and as expected on the third day of training camp, it took the teams some time to get into game form. The Hurricanes snapped the scoreless tie in the opening minute of the second period.

Zac Dalpe beat Marc-Andre Gragnani to a Buffalo turnover just inside the blue line to create a two-on-zero with Brandon Sutter. Sutter kept the puck and deposited a backhand past Sabres goaltender Drew MacIntrye with 23 seconds gone.

MacIntyre, signed as a free agent, finished with nine saves on 10 shots in 29:03 of work. He gave way to Jhonas Enroth midway through the second period. The Sabres' prime backup stopped 11 of 11 shots, including a dynamic, slide-across-the-crease save on Jamie McBain late in the second.

Brian Boucher played the first two periods in Carolina's crease, turning aside all 14 shots. Replacement Justin Peters allowed goals the first two times he saw the puck.

"Even myself as a veteran coming in, I was still a little bit nervous in my first game," Kaleta said. "As the game went on, we started playing our game more. In the third period, we got some bounces."

On the first, Kaleta streaked down the left side, and just before hitting the goal line threw a backhand pass to the front. Gaustad wasted little time

sending it to the back of the net, tying the game at 1-all with 47 seconds gone.

The Sabres enjoyed the same result on their second shot against Peters. Kaleta dropped a pass to Gaustad near the Carolina blue line, and the center spotted Gerbe streaking down the left side. The pass went just past a Carolina defender to the top of the crease, where Gerbe easily deflected it home with 4:09 off the clock.

Kaleta scored into the empty net as time expired.

The Sabres' next preseason home game is Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The game is sold out, but all fans are invited to see the Sabres enter the Center early. The team will walk a blue and gold carpet through the plaza beginning at 5 p.m.

The Sabres' television crew will soon be getting a new face. Brian Duff, who headlines "On the Fly" on the NHL Network, will join the telecasts as the game-night host for the broadcasts without Rick Jeanneret.

Kevin Sylvester normally handles the pregame, postgame and intermission duties, but he is sliding into the play-by-play role for 25 games as Jeanneret eases his travel schedule. When Sylvester is in the booth, Duff will take his spot downstairs.

Duff, a resident of the Toronto area, did broadcasting work for the Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers prior to joining NHL Network.

The Sabres' radio home, WGR-AM 550, will remain their radio home for an additional four years after the sides agreed to a contract extension Monday. The Sabres and Entercom, WGR's parent company, were entering the final season of a partnership that began in 2005. The new deal will begin next year and run through 2015-16.

The Sabres will begin selling family four packs Saturday for six Silver-priced games. The deal includes four 300 Level II tickets, four hot dogs, four pops and four bags of popcorn for $222, a savings of $74.

The games available will be: versus Florida on Oct. 29; Philadelphia, Nov. 2; Calgary, Nov. 4; Florida, Dec. 9; the New York Rangers, Feb. 1; and Carolina, March 7.

Buffalo News LOADED: 09.20.2011


Sabres' Enroth gets taste of backup role

By John Vogl

News Sports Reporter

Published:September 19, 2011, 10:10 PM

Lindy Ruff could have started Jhonas Enroth in the Buffalo Sabres' preseason opener Monday. The fans fell for the goaltender's skills late last season, so seeing Enroth in net for the opening puck drop might've been a nice treat for those who filled First Niagara Center.

Instead, the coach thought, Drew MacIntyre is new to the organization and the Sabres need to see what they're getting. Besides, with Ruff planning to give work to both goalies, it would be better to have Enroth enter the game cold off the bench. Why?

"Jhonas will come in in relief like he may have to during the season," Ruff said.

The decision made sense because for the first time in Enroth's life, he's definitely a backup goaltender. Any little chance to work him into that role will be taken.

"It's my first time ever as a real backup, and I'm not really sure what to expect," said Enroth, who stopped all 11 shots he faced Monday as the Sabres beat Carolina, 3-1. "Obviously, I know [Ryan] Miller is one of the best in the league, and he's going to play probably 60-plus games or something. I just want to take every chance I get and I want the coaches to really trust me that they can put me in wherever."

The Sabres' goaltending situation seems as solid as it's been in years with the tandem of Miller and Enroth. Miller is a former Vezina Trophy winner. Enroth went 9-2-2 as an injury replacement last season, including 6-0-1 in the final month as the Sabres rallied for a playoff spot.

"I had a good stretch there at the end. That really helped me this year," said Enroth, who entered Monday's game to a loud ovation midway through the second period. "I feel comfortable during camp now, and I'm excited to get everything started again and show myself that I can play those games again."

Ruff admitted he has a comfort level with Enroth based on last season's showing. But -- and there's always at least one "but" when it comes to the Sabres' backup goaltending situation -- the coach is curious to see how Enroth performs as a No. 2 for the first time.

"He was able to succeed initially here just for the fact he was dropped in and there was no expectations," Ruff said. "He got to play night after night, he knew he was playing, and he got himself in a real good rhythm. Part of this backup situation for him is keeping him involved and making sure that he gets the time so we can keep him sharp.

"If you've got a lighter schedule and you've only played three games in 10 days and you go to put Jhonas in and he hasn't played in that amount of time, that hasn't been normal for Jhonas. It's how he handles that."

Enroth, in addition to working with a personal trainer for the first time, spent the summer getting mentally prepared for the new role.

"I think you just prepare every game day as if you're going to play that game," he said. "Even though you're not starting, just prepare as if you're starting. Just try to be sharp in practice, and stay focused and stay ready."

Part of the responsibility for keeping Enroth ready will fall on Ruff. The coach has long ridden his No. 1 guy hard. Dominik Hasek regularly started 65 to 70 games, and Miller has had two runs of 30-plus straight starts. Ruff's goal is to get 20 to 25 starts for Enroth, so the coach will need to rest Miller if he doesn't want to.

"My approach and I think sometimes a coach's approach to the fear of putting a backup in has to change," Ruff said. "Maybe even in a light schedule Jhonas will play some games, but at the same time he needs to play well.

"Part of this backup situation for him is keeping him involved and making sure that he gets the time so we can keep him sharp. ... I'm going to make decisions that if he's playing well we'll keep him going irregardless of the fact that we have Ryan."

Miller and Enroth have spent their time getting to know each other, with each side getting tips from the other. It's the first time Miller has had a younger understudy. Patrick Lalime and Jocelyn Thibault were older, while Martin Biron and Mika Noronen were in his peer group.

"He brings a different perspective, and sometimes that fresh, different perspective is something [that reminds you of fundamentals]," Miller said. "Hopefully, I'm giving him a little bit of perspective where there's things that I've learned that I'm happy to share. We're here to win, and I want him to have a quick learning curve and be ready to roll.

"I want to play, I want to get in a rhythm, but I do want to have time to recover and I want to have time to work on my game. It's going to be important for me to have rest. It's going to be important for the team to have a fresh goalie sometimes.

"Jhonas is hungry, and he's ready to learn and ready to play. It's going to be beneficial for both of us."



Live from the FNC: Welcome to the preseason

September 19, 2011 - 7:02 PM |

Welcome back to our perch high atop HSB. ... Oh. Sorry. ... First Niagara Center for tonight's preseason opener between the Sabres and Carolina

Hurricanes. We're all going to have to get used to that one too. I think PA announcer Jay Moran even took a breath and a hiccup when welcoming fans. I caught the hesitation.

Mike Harrington here on the blog with John Vogl manning the game story and notebook this evening while I do some other duties for our preview section -- which comes out Thursday, Oct. 6. (Get your print copy -- hint/hint). Bucky Gleason will be in his customary columnist role this season. I think it's going to be his 14th season covering the team at The News (might even be 15) in addition to his time spent with the AP.

I know a lot of you are hoping this season runs to June and we'll be with you in print and online every step of the way as long as it goes, all the way to Europe and from sea to shining sea across North America. Even Winnipeg, while our man Vogl continues to mourn the loss of trips to his beloved Atlanta.

We're in preseason mode here so we'll have some random thoughts during the game that will be focused more on who's looking good, playing with whom, etc., rather than the brute game updates our out-of-towners need.

The slugs are gone from the scoreboard, replaced by the classic circle logo and "First Niagara Center" is up on the board. It wasn't there eight hours ago when I was watching practice. Quick work. "HSBC Arena" is gone from the main marquee outside too, replaced I'm sure in the next day or two.

The "We Live Hockey" slogan the team is using got a nice run here on the HD board with a quick video featuring alumni like Jim Lorentz, Danny Gare, Michael Peca, Matthew Barnaby, Richie Dunn and Larry Carriere talking about where they're from and the places they've played in but pointing out how they now live in Buffalo. Cool.

The Hurricanes are not dressing Jeff Skinner or Cam Ward in this one. Brian Boucher -- yep, he of Philadelphia in the spring -- is starting in goal. The Sabres are starting AHL signee Drew MacIntyre and Jhonas Enroth will relieve. Sabretooth still in preseason mode with his repel -- team already on the ice and he nearly took out poor Alex Biega.

Sabres starters: Foligno-Adam-Kassian-Brennan-Biega.

Kudos to the NHL for a touching video remembering all those lost in the Russian plane crash as well as Wade Belak, Rick Rypien and Derek Boogaard. Big round of applause when he was over.

Exhibition season on. Game on.

---Mike Harrington

First Period

14;16 left: I forgot how much I miss TV timeouts to help blog. Patrick Kaleta took his first unnecessary penalty of the preseason, a charging call that was clear retaliation for a hit he took. At least he went off with Anthony Stewart (high sticking). Ville Leino had an impressive opening shift. Great puck control. sick hands while working with Stafford and Ennis. He's an upgrade in the middle.

Big names out for Buffalo include Miller, Vanek, Roy, Pominville, Regehr and Ehrhoff. That's some major money in the stands tonight.

12:00 left: The Canes' first shot is a slapper from Stewart on a 2-on-1. Nice stop by MacIntyre after Biega got caught.

The Buffalo lines: Foligno-Adam-Kassian, Ennis-Leino-Stafford, Gerbe-Gaustad-Kaleta, Whitmore-McCormick-Tropp. Defense: Brennan-Tropp, Sekera-Myers, Gragnani-Weber.

Nice scoreboard greeting from someone I was supposed to know I guess. No graphic so I'm clueless. Vogl, a huge wrestling guy, had to fill me in that it was C.M. Punk. Again, I guess I'm supposed to know him.

7:15 left: Sabres going to their first PP after a tripping penalty on Justin Faulk. Shots are 5-2 for the Canes. Ennis just fired wide prior to the call after a nice drop pass from Stafford. Buffalo killed off a penalty and Stafford was one of the killers along with Gerbe (Kaleta-Gaustad were the other forwards). I'd like to see elite forwards like Stafford and Vanek got more PK time this season. They need to be on the ice, not buried. Let's see if Lindy Ruff hears my call.

4:00 left: Stafford looks really strong with the puck thus far. Gragnani struggled at the point on that PP playing with Myers and the Leino line. The Adam line got PP time with Brennan and Sekera.

2:38 left: Boucher's best save on an Adam snapper. Nice feed from Kassian on the 3-on-2. In a scoreless game, the Canes have a 7-4 edge in shots.

End-1st: Zip-zip. Shots 8-7 for the Canes. Pretty nondescript period. But keep in mind the amount of Buffalo talent not on the ice in this one. Whole new world.

Second Period

Of note: A bunch of you caught me on Twitter saying "Live from the Arena". I told you I was in preseason mode too. ... Leino the only Sabre with two shots on goal in the first.

19:37 left: Canes score first as Brandon Sutter dekes McIntyre on a breakaway after getting a loose puck away from Brennan. Canes lead, 1-0

15:30 left: Ice time and health will be a huge key for Stafford this year. Nice shot there that Boucher made a good save on. Interesting Lindy called Ennis-Leino-Stafford a "paper" line, as in you write it on paper and then see what works. So far, this one looks like it's a shade above paper status. Excellent start.

12:04 left: The Adam line certainly dominated during the Traverse City prospect tournament but it's a little different in the real NHL, even in the exhibition season. Adam is clearly the most comfortable and that stands to reason. Foligno just flubbed a chance for a 2-on-1 when he didn't have his stick on the ice for an Adam pass.

10:57 left: Enroth comes in to big cheers. MacIntyre stops 9 of 10.

8:57 left: Sabres have just two shots in the period and nine in 31 minutes. Not much offense on the ice and it shows.

5:22 left: They just dropped this one on the HD board -- Blue and Gold carpet walk by the players outside Saturday at 5 prior to the Leafs game.

3:00 left: Not a good night for Gragnani. Struggling with the puck on the power play. In the wake of Sekera's $11 million contract, Gragnani is in a tough spot to crack the top six of this club even in the wake of his terrific work in the playoffs in April.

2:00 left: Enroth with the save of the night on Jamie McBain. He looks sharp and crisp in the crease. Get him 22 games this year, Lindy!

End-2nd: Canes still lead 1-0. Shots are 18-14 for Carolina (10-7 in that period). It ended with Justin Krueger nearly topping into the box where Rob Ray reports from, helped by a spin from Gerbe.

Third Period

Of note: Leino leads both sides with four shots. Buffalo has a 16-15 edge in faceoffs. Not a whole lot of intensity until the last couple minutes of the second period. Hardly unexpected. The Sabres' first practice was Saturday. A lot asking them to go right into five games in seven days. Unusual schedule this year. ... Justin Peters takes over for Boucher in the Carolina goal.

19:13 left: Sabres keep their momentum as Gaustad scores on a nifty backhand pass from Kaleta. Game tied, 1-1.

15:51 left: Restoring the laptop from an outage and the Gaustad line is at it against. Gaustad with a sick pass to Gerbe for a tap-in to Peters' right. Sabres lead, 2-1.

12:00 left: Sabres on the PP. As for as unheralded kids go, I like Derek Whitmore's game tonight. Been strong with the puck a couple of times, doesn't seem nervous. He should have a good run with the Amerks.

9:15 left: Don't like on the power play -- too many point shots not getting through. Bet there's been five blocked by the Canes tonight. I'm sure Christian Ehrhoff helps that issue.

8:40 left: Foligno stopped on a 3-on-1 from in tight. A pass to Adam in the slot might have been the better choice there.

6:09 left: I don't care that it's the first preseason game. I like when a team knows it's winning time. Down 1-0 after 40 minutes, Sabres have two goals and an 11-3 edge in shots in the third. Nice.

It's over: Sabres hold on for a 3-1 win with Gaustad and Enroth your key performers. Kaleta gets an empty netter right at the horn. The final shots were 27-21 for Buffalo but the 'T' box on the shot counter boards remained empty. Making me figure those totals quick on the fly. I'd Like that bug fixed by Oct. 13, please.

Kaleta and Gerbe (1-2-3) both with three points in the third period. Gaustad (1-1) with two and he went 8-4 in the circle.

They announce a sellout of 18,690. This place cleared out over the final 10 minutes. You people all going early to avoid a snowstorm or what?


578755 Calgary Flames

Flames play it safe with Iginla’s back woes

By Scott Cruickshank, Postmedia NewsSeptember 19, 2011

CALGARY — Many are auditioning for a job. Jarome Iginla is not.

Many are trying to catch an eye. Iginla is not.

Many are in perfect physical condition. Iginla, alas, is not.

While back spasms continue to keep the Calgary Flames’ captain on the sidelines during training camp, it’s laughable to consider him losing traction on the depth charts.

No one is worrying about Iginla’s capabilities.

“Obviously, it’s a situation where he’s got nothing to prove,” said Flames coach Brent Sutter, whose star winger is 1,106 games and 1,006 points to the good in the National Hockey League. “I just want Jarome healthy so he can have a real good start to the season. There’s no need to have anybody on the ice who’s not feeling up to snuff.

“It’s just something that we have to make sure is medically treated the right way ... (but) he’s one of those guys you have to hold back because he wants to go out there.”

So serious concerns about Iginla’s health?

“No. None,” said Sutter. “Like I mentioned to him, I don’t want him participating in anything on the ice till he’s 100 per cent. There is absolutely no need for Jarome to be on the ice until he’s 100 per cent. Whether that’s tomorrow or the next day or the day after, it doesn’t matter.

“When he’s there (physically), that’s when he’ll be back on.”

In the camp’s opening on-ice session — Saturday — Iginla had departed after only about 20 minutes.

He didn’t skate Sunday or Monday, and, clearly Iginla isn’t suiting up Tuesday night in either of the Flames’ split-squad game against the Vancouver Canucks.

“I think it’s going to be fine ... I don’t think it will be a lingering issue,” said Iginla, 34. “I’m not that concerned, but I can understand that backs are a sensitive thing. When you get a stiff back — for anyone who’s ever had one — all of a sudden, you feel that putting the socks on is hard on certain days.

“I’m feeling better. (Sunday), it was a little sore, a little stiffer than I thought it would be.”

Iginla added that this isn’t the first time he’s had to deal with similar ailments.

“Most hockey players have had something of the sort where you aggravate, tweak something,” he said. “I don’t know if something pinches or what. But it’s improved (Monday), which is a good step. I’m not far off. If it was a different timetable, I might be more aggressive. But right now, with the way it works, I have an opportunity to make sure and get the proper healing time.”

If it were a regular-season game, would he play?

“I’d probably have a shot, but I can’t (say) for sure,” said Iginla. “Definitely during the season you push it a little more, stretch things a little more. But it being this time of year, I guess I look at it as a positive ... day to day and hopefully get back shortly.”

Iginla is a durable sort, having skated in the full complement of 82 games seven times — including the past four seasons in a row.

“I really do want to skate and be out there,” he said. “Everyone’s going and you want to be part of it. That’s the way injuries work. I’m definitely going to take care of it and get back.

“I’ve talked to our trainers, our medical staff, it was just something you can get just picking up the keys after a hard training session. Literally, it was just an innocent play on the ice ... and it just catches wrong, pinches a little bit, and it’s aggravated and you get a little inflammation.

“Hopefully, I’ll keep feeling better the next couple days.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 09.20.2011


Robyn Regehr eager to face old mates

By George Johnson, Calgary Herald

September 19, 2011

The face will certainly be familiar enough when the night of Nov. 4 rolls around and the Calgary Flames pay a visit to First Niagara Center.

The predatory style, too: Gliding back, angling off his prey, waiting to, undetected, unlock the protective T-bar before ushering unwitting patrons into his relocated Tunnel of Death.

But that number across his back . . .

"Actually,'' confesses Robyn Regehr, "I got a phone call from Paul Gaustad, who's been in Buffalo here for I'd say five or six years. And he was nice enough to offer me 28.

"But I just thought with everything new going on . . .

"I wore 24 for three years in Kamloops and I would've taken it when I got to Calgary, but Jason Wiemer - in his first tour of duty with the team, which shows you how old I am - had it then,'' said Regehr.

"So I thought this was a perfect opportunity to switch back to my old junior number, to start fresh. So I'm going to give it a whirl.''

Regehr has just finished Day 1 on the ice of his new life, his second career, as a Buffalo Sabre, out at a suburban rink, North Town Center, as upgrades are being completed at First Niagara.

"I am starting to feel a little more like a Sabre. We came out here early to find a house, a couple months early actually, and do some unpacking.''

''I talked to Rhett Warrener and Jordan Leopold and Steve Montador about the area, living here, and the organization. That helped. And I met most of the guys skating at practice rink. So it started sinking in then.

"Still, everything's new. From trainers to coaches to management to teammates to ownership. It didn't feel odd slipping on the jersey, acutally; the awkwardness occurs when I talk hockey and get the 'we' mixed up when talking about the Flames and 'they' about Buffalo. Old habits die hard, I guess.

"So it's slowly coming together.

"But, yeah, it's still a bit weird.'' Here, too. For the first time since 1999, the Flames open camp and Robyn Regehr isn't anywhere to be seen. That's just downright . . . strange.

"I missed the first little bit of main camp the first year because I was still injured from that motor vehicle accident,'' he recalls. "I came in and was doing my rehab and they kept me around, kept me around, the rehab went well and I started skating, (GM) Al Coates and my agent were able to work out a contract and . I just ended up staying.''

For 12 years, 11 seasons.

The fact may tilt eyebrows upwards, but only skipper Jarome Iginla has hauled a Flames' jersey over his head more often than Regehr, at 827 times.

"Really?'' he muses. "I would've thought Theo Fleury or somebody like that would've had the No. 2 spot nailed down.''

As fortunes began to fade here, the rangy defenceman from Recife, Brazil always seemed the most likely of Calgary's longtime 'core' players to be dealt away. When GM Jay Feaster - caught between actually starting anew and maintaining a reasonable product - announced that neither Jarome Iginla nor Miikka Kiprusoff would be going anywhere over the summer, that all but settled the matter.

All Regehr had to do was waive the no-trade clause in his contract . . .

And so the long speculated happened at last, June 25, Regehr shipped east with the lackadaisical Ales Kotalik and a second-round pick in exchange for Paul Byron and Chris Butler.

"A breath of fresh air. That's exactly the way I'm approaching this,'' says Regehr. "We enjoyed Calgary. We loved the city. But I didn't want to be reaching the end of my career and not have experienced anything else.

"Jay came into a really difficult situation where there wasn't a whole lot of flexibility. So he ended up doing what he thought was best for the team. Now he has a little bit of that flexibility, which you really need in a salary-cap world. When you get up against the cap and have no room to move, 29 other teams aren't going to feel sorry for you and help you out.

"So the time was right. "He was in a tough spot. He was able to go out and get Scott (Hannan). I've played a lot against him. He's a really nice guy who loves being out in the west, a B.C guy, so he'll fit in really well in Calgary.''

The Sabres open the season in Finland and Germany on backto-back nights. By the time Nov. 4 rolls around, irrespective of those 12 years and 11 seasons, Robyn Regehr will feel like a full-fledged Sabre; all ties forgotten. With any luck, he'll even have the 'we' and 'they' issue sorted out.

"When I checked the schedule, it was one of the first things I wanted to find out: When would we be playing Calgary, and where?

"I'm already looking forward to it. It'll be fun to see the guys again.''

After an evening of wandering down that treacherous left side against that familiar-looking face with the odd number stitched across his back, it'll be interesting to find out if the feeling's entirely mutual.



Tanguay eager to fine-tune game in pre-season action

By Scott Cruickshank, Calgary Herald

September 20, 2011 1:05 AM

Left winger Alex Tanguay is ready to get down to business as the Calgary Flames commence their NHL pre-season schedule with a doubleheader against the Vancouver Canucks tonight, with games at the Scotiabank Saddledome and Rogers Arena.

Alex Tanguay is 18. And intimidated. And playing poorly.

Making matters worse? The Colorado Avalanche’s head coach needs to talk to him before the opening pre-season game.

No way can this be good news.

“My first week was terrible,” said Tanguay, recalling the fall of 1998. “Bob Hartley (said), ‘You haven’t been so good, but we’ll give you a bit longer.’ ”

A centreman in those days, Tanguay worked a memorable evening between established wingers Valeri Kamensky and Claude Lemieux.

The result? Two goals, one assist.

“Then I had a great training camp,” said Tanguay. “It was fun. I played a game with (Joe) Sakic and (Milan) Hejduk. I played with Chris Drury and Hejduk — Drury and me both scored three goals in that game. It was nice.”

Now, a dozen seasons later, exhibition matches aren’t necessarily about standing out and sticking. Fine tuning is Tanguay’s priority, starting tonight. The Calgary Flames’ pre-season opens against the Vancouver Canucks on two fronts — here at the Scotiabank Saddledome, there at Rogers Arena.

“It’s a time to prepare yourself,” the 31-year-old said. “I’ll certainly use all of them to get myself ready. I like to play. It’s tough mentally sometimes to find the motivation after having played a lot of regular-season games. But you need (pre-season) games to get into game shape, to get the pace ready, to know the feeling.

“We all have different purposes. It’s a different feeling, I’m sure, for some of those kids.”

So what would Tanguay tell the Flames’ teenagers before puck-drop?

“Have fun. Work hard. Don’t be intimidated by the situation. Those guys are players just like you. They went through the same process.”

For Patrick Holland, this is it — a toe dipped into NHL waters.

“There’s been a lot of milestones in my hockey life so far,” said the 19-year-old, who’ll line up with veterans David Moss and Curtis Glencross in Vancouver. “I’m hoping there’s even more milestones to come, but this is going to be one of the biggest ones, for sure.”

Tanguay’s memories are unmistakably fond. And Brendan Morrison? As a youngster for the New Jersey Devils, he got to take a pre-season draw against Wayne Gretzky.

What will Holland take from his first appearance?

“It’s hard to say what I’ll remember,” said Holland, a seventh-round gem from 2010. “I’m sure I’ll remember coming out at the start. I’m sure coming out to all the noise and seeing all the fans, it’s going to be pretty cool, pretty exciting.

“The green men, maybe I’ll take a penalty and go have a chat with them.”

Holland did say that he hasn’t been intimidated in Calgary. So far.

“I feel really comfortable with the staff, with the older guys,” said the Lethbridge native. “Seeing people like Iginla and Tanguay — you could name any of them — kind of comes on to a surreal level. But at the same time, it hasn’t made me that nervous. You get excited to be standing next to them. But, other than that, I feel really comfortable out here. I think that’s a good thing.”

After the doubleheader, the Flames have only four friendlies remaining — the next being Saturday at Edmonton.

Veteran preference varies.

Some are looking to tinker their way through a couple of nights.

While others want . . . .

“As many as possible,” said Mark Giordano. “But the coaches make the decisions based on different guys getting looks and (providing) rest for certain guys, but you like to get into as many as possible.”

For those stuck on results, it’s worth noting that the Flames danced through last season’s exhibition slate, finishing 7-0-0.

“And then we went out and had a terrible first three months,” said Tanguay. “It’s mostly individual at this time of the year. You have to get yourself individually ready to make sure you do your part once (the regular-season) starts.”

C-NOTES: Scoring in Monday’s intrasquad game — LW Sven Baertschi, C Mikael Backlund, D T.J. Brodie, RW Rene Bourque, D Jay Bouwmeester . . . Tonight in Vancouver, G Leland Irving will start and finish. At the Saddledome, G Miikka Kiprusoff and G Henrik Karlsson are going to split the evening’s chores.

TONIGHT’S GAMES

Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames

7 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome (The FAN 960)

Calgary Flames roster

G Miikka Kiprusoff

G Henrik Karlsson

D T.J. Brodie

D Mark Giordano

D Scott Hannan

D Jordan Henry

D James Martin

D Brendan Mikkelson

C Paul Byron

C Olli Jokinen

C Matt Stajan

LW Lance Bouma

LW Turner Elson

LW Alex Tanguay

RW Rene Bourque

RW Ryan Howse

RW Tim Jackson

RW Tom Kostopoulos

RW Greg Nemisz

RW Lee Stempniak

Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks

8 p.m., Rogers Arena, Sportsnet

Calgary Flames roster

G Leland Irving

G Joni Ortio

D Anton Babchuk

D Jay Bouwmeester

D Chris Butler

D Joe Piskula

D Derek Smith

D Clay Wilson

C Mikael Backlund

C Roman Horak

C Quintin Laing

LW Sven Baertschi

LW Carter Bancks

LW Michael Ferland

LW Curtis Glencross

LW Niklas Hagman

LW Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond

RW Guilluame Desbiens

RW Patrick Holland

RW David Moss



Flames propsect snapshot: Dustin Sylvester

By Scott Cruickshank, Calgary Herald

September 20, 2011 1:02 AM

PROSPECT SNAPSHOT

C Dustin Sylvester

Age: 22

Size: five foot eight, 175 pounds

Home town: Kelowna, B.C.

2010-11 team: Freiburg, Germany

The Skinny: Undrafted after five seasons in Kootenay — 252 points in 308 WHL appearances — Sylvester took his act to Germany’s second-division. To take another step, he knew he had to produce — he did, piling up 60 points in 48 games. The Flames offered the wee pivot an AHL deal. Sylvester jumped on it. Last week’s spin at the Young Stars Tournament in Penticton drew rave reviews from Abbotsford Heat skipper Troy Ward.

Expectations: “Going into (Penticton) I just wanted to go in there and play my game and do what I do,” says Sylvester. “Coming back to North America was a bit of a change with the small ice, so I just wanted to move pucks fast, keep my feet moving.”

Why Germany last season? ‘‘I didn’t really have anything over here,” he says. “I talked to my agent . . . and that’s what came up. I was told that if I had a good year over there, options would open up over here. So I took that and went with it. I focused on going over there and having a good year. Something came up here (an AHL deal with the Flames), so I’m pretty happy about it. The goal for every hockey player is to get that NHL contract. That’s obviously what I’m going to work towards, too.”

Description: “I’d describe myself a playmaker, a guy who tries to put the puck in the back of the next,” says Sylvester, who, in his final season in Kootenay, accumulated 93 points in 68 dates. “It’s kind of what I’ve done my whole junior career and last year in Germany as well. I’m going to keep working the corners down low, try to get the pucks to other guys, try to make offence happen.”



Iginla: I'll be back

Back spasms may be cause for concern

By STEVE MACFARLANE, QMI Agency

CALGARY - The daily Jarome Iginla update crowd grew bigger Monday.

Concern might be growing, too.

Considering this team hasn’t had to do without its biggest star for any real length of time since he joined the Flames full-time in 1996, it’s hard to imagine them without him.

It’s unlikely his minor bout with back spasms that has kept him off the ice for two straight days — and possibly a couple more to come — is a signal the 34-year-old is breaking down physically.

Rumour has it he claimed the title of Fittest Flame once again this year.

But there’s a reason the group waiting for word from Iginla on his current status multiplied.

One day, his time in the NHL will come to a close. And it could be something that starts as a simple as back spasm that triggers it.

“I’m not that concerned. But I mean, I can understand — backs are a sensitive thing,” Iginla said when reminded these types of injuries have, in the past, turned from day-to-day to week-to-week issues. “When you get a stiff back — everyone’s had one — putting socks on are hard on certain days.

“Personally, I think it’s gonna be fine. I feel way better (Monday) than I did (Sunday), which I take as a positive.

“I don’t think it will be a lingering issue. I hope not.”

He’s not alone there.

Despite rumours of Iginla’s descent into mediocrity on the ice becoming as rampant as rumblings of his inevitable trade early last season, the veteran winger put forward one of his best campaigns as an individual while helping the team turn around its fortunes to become one of the most potent squads during the second half of the NHL schedule.

Thanks in part to the return of playmaker Alex Tanguay, Iginla scored 43 times and accumulated 86 points in 82 games — not a single one missed due to injury for the fourth straight season.

Even with promising prospects showing their potential over the last week at the tournament in Penticton and training camp in Calgary, it’s hard to imagine what life will be like without Iginla wearing the Flaming C on his chest, with the smaller version of the logo on the upper section of his jersey representing his status.

The captain leads as much by example on the ice as he does with his words or actions off it.

Every one of the kids that are fighting to one day replace Iginla in the lineup put his name forward as the one they’re most eager to hit the ice with in camp.

So far, they’ve had just 20 minutes of opportunity before the lower left side of his back forced him to call an early end to his practice Saturday.

“It wasn’t any one thing that I can put my finger on, or a certain lift or anything like that,” Iginla said, adding that if it was the regular season, he might be in a bit more of a hurry to return. “You can get it picking up keys after maybe a hard training session. It can be just an innocent play on the ice of just turning, and it catches wrong and just pinches a little bit and gets aggravated and you get a bit of inflammation.

“It’s kind of like when you get a stiff neck. Have you ever had that when you wake up? It’s just in a different part, in my back.

“It was a little sore and a little stiffer than I thought it would be (Sunday). It was improved (Monday), which is a good step. I’m not far off.”

Hopefully, the eventual end of his career — however it comes to pass — is a long way off.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 09.20.2011


Tanguay lends advice to rookies

By STEVE MACFARLANE, QMI Agency

CALGARY - A few young Flames hopefuls will get their first taste of NHL pre-season action Tuesday when the teams play a pair of split-squad games against the Canucks in Calgary and Vancouver.

Veteran Alex Tanguay has advice for them.

“Have fun, work hard, and don’t be intimidated by the situation,” said the 31-year-old winger. “Those guys are players just like you. They went through the same process.

“Try to learn.”

Tanguay learned plenty as a teenager in his first camp by watching the veteran Colorado Avalanche teammates such as Joe Sakic.

Making the jump straight to the NHL as a 19-year-old after finishing his junior career with the QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads, Tanguay still remembers his first camp, which started rough.

“My first week, I was terrible. I felt intimidated,” Tanguay said. “At the time, we didn’t have rookie camp, so we just went straight to main camp, and we were playing intra-squads, and I wasn’t doing so well.

“The first pre-season game, (Avs head coach) Bob Hartley met me before the game. He goes, ‘You haven’t been so good, but we’ll give you a little longer.’”

Apparently that helped. Tanguay scored two goals and had an assist in his first sampling of NHL action.

“The first game and the first week, it’s hard to get yourself (settled down). I was playing with Joe Sakic some of the shifts. Every time I touched the puck, I was so anxious to get it to him — you don’t play your game,” Tanguay said. “But I ended up having a great training camp. It was fun.”

GYM-DANDY BUSINESS

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond’s path to the NHL has been as difficult as trying to say his name in a single breath.

That makes his off-season hobby back home in Quebec City as much a passion as playing the game he loves.

“I own a gym back home, so it’s really spending a lot of time there and making things work. There’s a lot of guys in junior that work out with us. I try to help them out,” Leblond said of his Hard Gym Performance. “I don’t deal with the business part yet. My trainer does that for me. I just enjoy having my own gym, my own place. I always wanted to own a gym.

“I always had to be in top shape when I showed up (to training camps). My trainer back home came up with the idea, and I was really into it. We decided to start something — it’s really for athletes more than anyone else.”

Leblond started his pro career with the UHL’s Adirondack Frostbite in 2005-06 after two seasons in major junior with the QMJHL’s Bai-Comeau Drakkar. He bounced to the AHL’s Albany River Rats, the ECHL’s Trenton Titans and again back and forth between the New Jersey Devils farm clubs for another full season before getting his first crack in the NHL with the big club under then-head coach Brent Sutter. Leblond had to prove himself every year all over again to stick around.

“It’s a tough road. I never had it easy. If I can help a couple of guys make it to the NHL, I’d be more than happy.”

ICE CHIPS

The Flames scrimmaged Monday to get ready for Tuesday’s jump into game action, and Mikael Backlund led Team White to a 3-2 victory over Team Black with a pair of goals. “It’s fun to get out and play a little bit. It’s kind of hard sometimes playing against your own teammates, but guys were running around pretty good,” said the 22-year-old expected to start the season on the top line. “It was intense, I thought.” Backlund had help from 18-year-old linemate Sven Baertschi, who set him up for a one-timer for the first goal. The two will join veteran Niklas Hagman for the split-squad game Tuesday night in Vancouver ... Other goal-scorers were Jay Bouwmeester for Team White and T.J. Brodie and Rene Bourque for Team Black ... Flames G Miikka Kiprusoff and G Henrik Karlsson will split the game in Calgary, with G Leland Irving slated to play the full 60 minutes in Vancouver.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 09.20.2011

578761 Carolina Hurricanes

Sabres edge Canes

By CHIP ALEXANDER - Staff Writer

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- This wasn't a team scrimmage, with goals galore.

Nor was it an NHL regular-season game, with all the built-in tension and points at stake in the standings.

But for the Carolina Hurricanes, their first exhibition against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday was important. It did have some tension to it as a

number of younger players again tried to prove a point to their coaches and to management.

The Sabres won 3-1, getting third-period goals from Paul Gaustad, Nathan Gerbe and Patrick Kaleta to please a sellout crowd at First Niagara Center.

Brandon Sutter's goal 23 seconds into the second period pushed the Canes ahead 1-0. Zac Dalpe had the assist as Sutter flipped a backhander past Sabres goalie Drew MacIntyre.

Brian Boucher, starting in goal for the Hurricanes, stopped 14 shots and shut out the Sabres through two periods. Justin Peters opened the third for the Canes, only to have Gaustad tie it just 47 seconds in and then assist on Gerbe's goal at 4 minutes, 9 seconds.

The Hurricanes played without veteran forwards Chad LaRose and Patrick Dwyer in the third. Both had lower-body injuries and were held out for precautionary reasons. Many of the Canes' top players sat out the first of Carolina's six exhibitions. Eric Staal, Jeff Skinner, Tim Gleason, Joni Pitkanen and others stayed in Raleigh. As a result, Carolina's roster featured 12 skaters who are 24 or younger.

Three defensemen appeared in their first NHL exhibitions -- Ryan Murphy, Justin Faulk and Justin Krueger. It was all new to them.

Neither team used its star goaltender. The Canes' Cam Ward continues to recover from an upper-body injury but did get in some on-ice work Monday at the RBC Center.

Ryan Miller had the night off for the Sabres. MacIntyre was replaced in the second period by Jhonas Enroth, who earned the win.

Faulk, 19, had plenty of ice time. He was used on the power play, killed penalties and was solid enough in five-on-five play.

A year ago at this time, Faulk was beginning the first semester of his freshman year at Minnesota-Duluth. He was trying to set his course load and prepare for a college hockey season with the Bulldogs.

And what a season. Faulk helped the Bulldogs win their first NCAA title, then signed his entry-level contract with the Canes and joined the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League for the Calder Cup playoffs. The South St. Paul, Minn., native also competed for Team USA in the IIHF World Junior Championships.

Faulk played for the Canes' rookie team in the recent NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich. He was invited to Carolina's training camp and now is competing for an NHL roster spot.

"I've been all over the place for while," Faulk said. "Up at school, down to Charlotte ... I've just been all over. But it's exciting. You can't complain."

Murphy, 18, was the Canes' first-round pick in this year's draft and also is pushing for a roster spot. He was paired with veteran defenseman Bryan Allen during Sunday's scrimmage - a 10-7 shootout - and again against the Sabres.

At 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, Faulk is the same height as Murphy but outweighs him by 30 pounds. He's sturdy physically, strong on the puck, has a heavy shot and can man the point on the power play.

"Whenever you have a chance to make a team, especially an NHL team, you have to be excited," Faulk said. "At the same time, you've got to stay calm, go out there and play your game and do your best, and whatever happens happens."

First Period--None. Penalties--Stewart, Car (high-sticking), 5:44; Kaleta, Buf (charging), 5:44; Gragnani, Buf (hooking), 9:30; Faulk, Car (tripping), 12:45.

Second Period--1, Carolina, Bra.Sutter 1 (Dalpe, LaRose), :23. Penalties--LaRose, Car (interference), 5:19; Harrison, Car (tripping), 14:38.

Third Period--2, Buffalo, Gaustad 1 (Kaleta, Gerbe), :47. 3, Buffalo, Gerbe 1 (Gaustad, Kaleta), 4:09. 4, Buffalo, Kaleta 1 (Gerbe), 19:59 (en). Penalties--Z.Boychuk, Car (tripping), 8:04.

Shots on Goal--Carolina 8-10-3--21. Buffalo 7-7-13--27.

Power-play opportunities--Carolina 0 of 0; Buffalo 0 of 0.

Goalies--Carolina, Boucher (14 shots-14 saves), Peters 0-1-0 (0:00 third, 12-10). Buffalo, MacIntyre (10-9), Enroth 1-0-0 (9:03 second, 11-11).

A--0 (18,690). T--2:23. Referees--Greg Kimmerly, Francois St. Laurent. Linesmen--Scott Cherrey, Brad Kovachik.

News Observer LOADED: 09.20.2011


Canes face Sabres in exhibition match

By Chip Alexander - Staff writer

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Brandon Sutter's goal early in the second period has given the Canes a 1-0 lead over the Sabres in the preseason exhibition opener at First Niagara Center.

Sutter scored on a backhander that beat Sabres goalie Drew MacIntyre. Zac Dalpe, who nearly scored in the first, had the assist.

The first period was scoreless as both teams killed off penalties. The Canes had the first power play of the game and nearly cashed in as Dalpe hit the post after a scrum in front.

Defenseman Justin Faulk, playing in his first NHL exhibition, picked up the Canes' first penalty — tripping, at 12:45 of the first. But the Canes killed it off.

Brian Boucher started in goal for the Canes and stopped all seven Buffalo shots in the first. MacIntyre, the Sabres' starter, had eight saves in the first.

Ryan Murphy, the Canes' first-round draft pick this season, was in the starting lineup and paired with Bryan Allen. Murphy battled hard in the defensive zone, although the 5-11, 174-pounder did get bumped inside the net and behind Boucher after a puck battle in front.



Hurricanes players fight for spots at forward position

By CHIP ALEXANDER - Staff Writer

RALEIGH -- They will try their best to make it hard for Carolina Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice.

That is exactly what Maurice wants.

The Hurricanes have a number of young players eager and willing to fill the few open forward spots on the roster. And Maurice isn't mincing words about what he wants out the training camp competition, noting, "I'm going to be sour if we have to make a decision based on what we think might happen two months down the road. Everyone had early notice we had these opportunities. I'm looking for some driving intensity."

Maurice got it Sunday. The goals came early and then often during the team's Red-White scrimmage at the RBC Center, and while Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner found the net, surprising no one, the names being announced after goals also included Riley Nash, Drayson Bowman, Zac Dalpe, Chris Terry and Zach Boychuk.

Nash, Dalpe and Terry each had two goals for the White, which won the fast-paced but often sloppy scrimmage 10-7. Bowman scored twice for the Red team.

"Obviously there's some spots up for grabs and every guy wants it," Bowman said. Maurice "reiterated that to us before we went out. This is our chance. A few guys stepped up and showed him they're ready."

Maurice noticed. It was, he said, the highlight of the scrimmage, which attracted a large crowd from fans attending the annual Caniac Carnival.

"They were the players who took advantage of what is a scrimmage out there, and at times it really looked like that," Maurice said. "Those guys see the value of that and want to get on the board, and I'm sure every time they see one of their competitors put one in the net, they're driving their game up."

Maurice will be looking for more of that drive tonight, when the Canes open their exhibition schedule with a road game against the Buffalo Sabres. Nash, Dalpe, Bowman and Boychuk will be on the trip.

"This year, we're all coming in trying to do our best - perform well in the fitness tests, perform well in these games," Boychuk said. "Every little thing means so much, so everybody is going to be pushing as hard as they can. It's going to be intense and it's going to be a fun battle."

Most of the young forwards spent most of last season with the Charlotte Checkers, the Canes' American Hockey League affiliate.

Dalpe, Bowman and Boychuk got in some NHL games with the Canes, and Bowman was in the lineup for pressure-packed games late in the season as Carolina fell just short of making the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"There's a ton of quality young guys here," said Dalpe, whose two goals came in the third period as the White surged to the win. "I can only control how I play. At the end of the day, if you lay it all on the line and you feel you deserve to be here, you'll see where you stand."

Veteran goaltender Brian Boucher started for the White team and played the first period and a half. He was beaten by Staal, who scored on a steal and breakaway in the opening minute of the game, as the Red bolted to a 3-0 lead in the first six minutes.

Boucher and Justin Peters, who started for the Red, both left in the second period with the score 4-4. Mike Murphy and John Muse, who replaced an injured Cam Ward in the scrimmage, played the final 30 minutes.

Boucher, who will start tonight, said he has been impressed with the collection of young forwards he sees in the room and on the ice, and not just Skinner.

"There's some talent here and guys really fighting for spots," Boucher said. "It will be interesting to see how it plays out."


578764 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' Smith hopes to build on success in playoffs

Forward in battle to earn roster spot

By Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune reporter

9:35 PM CDT, September 19, 2011

What Ben Smith remembers most about the overtime goal the Blackhawks rookie scored against the Canucks in Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinals last April is the feeling that followed it.

"Just pure exhilaration," Smith said Monday at training camp of the score that extended the Hawks' postseason series before they bowed out in Game 7. "That's something I hope to feel again and achieve again. Hopefully, it's with this team this year."

Despite playing a major role in the Hawks' rally from a 3-0 series deficit before eventually being eliminated, Smith is in a dogfight among forwards for a roster spot this season.

"It's what you prepare for all summer, for it to come down to these couple of weeks," Smith said. "I definitely feel a bit of pressure, but at the same time you have to go out there and enjoy the competition and hope that every day you're getting better and every day you're preparing yourself. There are good players fighting for the jobs. I'm just trying to focus on what I'm doing; those guys will do what they do."

That experience against the Canucks not only gave the Hawks hierarchy a glimpse of what Smith brings to the table, it also provided confidence to a player with just six career regular-season games under his belt.

"Having that experience just proves to me that I can play here and that I can contribute," said Smith, who had three goals during that series against the Canucks. "In camp now, it's proving it again and again."

Proving himself is something for which Smith is accustomed. Standing 5-foot-11, the 23-year-old relies on his strength, determination and hockey sense to win puck battles. What he may lack in the height department, Smith makes up for by being among the most physically fit Hawks after an offseason of intense training.

"It's kind of always been my thing," said Smith, who works with a personal trainer in Connecticut during the summer. "It's kind of been the way I've gone up the ranks, working hard off the ice. There were four months for us to put on some weight and some mass, and I definitely tried to take advantage of it.

"I have to be strong and have a low center of gravity because these guys are big out here. I have to play to my strengths … (of) trying to protect the puck and be a bear in front of that net."

Smith will continue his quest to impress coach Joel Quenneville and Hawks brass when he plays in the team's exhibition opener Tuesday night against the Oilers in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

"If you look at his fitness testing and you watch him out on the ice, nobody works harder and nobody's more determined," Quenneville said. "He's one of those kids that you really have an appreciation for because he brings it every day and has a pretty good mind for the game."

Smith, who patterns his game after that of the Rangers' Ryan Callahan, has quietly gone about his business on and off the ice during training camp.

"I've always been pretty grounded," Smith said. "Coming up as a young guy, (I) just try to keep my mouth shut, work hard and keep a low profile. That's definitely my style."

One-timers: The Hawks assigned forwards Mirko Hoefflin and Ludvig Rensfeldt and goaltenders Macmillan Carruth, Johan Mattsson and Kent Simpson to their junior clubs. … Jonathan Toews and his brother, David, are among a mix of veterans and prospects slated to play against the Oilers. … Alexander Salak and Ray Emery are scheduled to split time in goal as they continue their battle for the No. 2 goaltending job. … Tuesday's game will be streamed live on chicagoblackhawks.com.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 09.20.2011


Blackhawks set roster for preseason opener

By Chris Kuc

Tribune reporter

5:26 PM CDT, September 19, 2011

The Chicago Blackhawks announced their roster for the team's first exhibition game Tuesday night against the Oilers in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and it includes many of the prospects in training camp along with a sprinkling of veterans.

"We have a lot of young guys playing our first couple of games," coach Joel Quenneville said Monday. "We'll get a look at most of these guys. We have a young lineup (Tuesday). It will be nice to see these guys play in an NHL game."

Along with the youngsters, mainstays Jonathan Toews, Jamal Mayers, Viktor Stalberg, Steve Montador and other veterans also will make the trip.

One key matchup to watch will be the battle for backup goaltender between Ray Emery and Alexander Salak. The duo is scheduled to split time against Edmonton.

Here is the full roster for the Hawks' game against the Oilers:

FORWARDS: Kyle Beach; Phillip Danault; Jimmy Hayes; Marcus Kruger; Jamal Mayers; Mark McNeill; Rostislav Olesz; Brandon Saad; Ben Smith; Viktor Stalberg; David Toews; Jonathan Toews.

DEFENSEMAN: Brian Fahey; Joe Lavin; Nick Leddy; Sami Lepisto; Steve Montador; John Scott; Ryan Stanton.

GOALTENDERS: Ray Emery; Alexander Salak.

Meanwhile, the Hawks trimmed five players from the training camp roster by assigning forwards Mirko Hoefflin and Ludvig Rensfeldt, and goaltenders Macmillan Carruth, Johan Mattsson and Kent Simpson to their junior clubs.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 09.20.2011


Blackhawks’ Nick Leddy eager to learn from veteran Sean O’Donnell

By ADAM L. JAHNS

[email protected]

Last Modified: Sep 20, 2011 02:12AM

It didn’t take long for veteran defenseman Sean O’Donnell to find himself at the receiving end of a joke with so many “kids” around him every day at Blackhawks training camp.

“Someone asked me the other day when my first year pro was, I said [1991],” O’Donnell said. “I asked Nick [Leddy] when he was born. He said ’91. I think they were setting it up a little bit.”

Yet, there’s a good chance the soon-to-be 40-year-old and the still-developing 20-year-old could be paired on the blue line.

One of the reasons the Hawks signed O’Donnell was to help mentor Leddy and other young players. His relationship with Leddy already is blossoming.

“There are things out there that I do that have kept me playing for a long time,” said O’Donnell, who will turn 40 on Oct. 13. “He’s got a set of skills that I don’t have. I’ve had to do other things to play this long, reading the play, anticipating the play, stick positioning. Things like that. That’s something I can help with Nick because he’s got all the tools to be a great defenseman.”

The Hawks’ revamped blue line has received positive reviews despite the loss of puck-mover and locker-room stalwart Brian Campbell. O’Donnell will bring leadership and rugged play, Steve Montador a right-handed shot and a physical presence and Sami Lepisto some puck-moving ability.

But general manager Stan Bowman and Co. are expecting a lot from Leddy after he played in 46 games last season and all seven in the playoffs against the Vancouver Canucks. At times, Leddy looked like a teenager, but he also showed the patience coach Joel Quenneville likes to talk about.

“Nick is one of those guys who could probably absorb more responsibility and ice time, be it power play or [penalty kill],” Quenneville said. “I don’t think [O’Donnell] is going to be playing a ton, but he’s one of those guys who can help those young guys mature in their game and be comfortable in the defensive part of his game.”

In other words, Leddy’s development, especially with Campbell now with the Florida Panthers, might have a bigger impact than how well some of the new defensemen fit in. Leddy’s skills are held in high regard by the Hawks, which made it easier for them to say goodbye to the similar but more seasoned Campbell.

Leddy, who will play in the preseason opener Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers in Saskatoon, Sask., already has started to pick O’Donnell’s brain.

“He has so much experience,” Leddy said. “It helps out so much. Being on the bench with him and playing with him, say if I make a little mistake, he’ll kind of say something and help me out along the lines of more of the little things you pick up over many years in the NHL.”

O’Donnell doesn’t describe himself as a “rah-rah guy,” saying he prefers to show leadership through one-on-one interactions. He continues to feel his way around the locker room, but he has made an instant connection with Leddy.

“He’s an exciting kid to watch,” O’Donnell said. “He’s one of the guys I’ve talked to a couple times. As cuts get made and the core of the team starts to come together, maybe I’ll impose some of the stuff I’ve learned on some of those guys then.”

There hasn’t been a problem with the 20-year gap between Leddy and O’Donnell, either.

“He’s just another guy in the locker room,” Leddy said. “I like talking to him, and I like how he’s been helping me out.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 09.20.2011


Alexander Salak in awe of talent during Blackhawks training camp

By ADAM L. JAHNS

[email protected]

Last Modified: Sep 20, 2011 02:12AM

Forgive Alexander Salak if he has had some wide-eyed moments during Blackhawks training camp. The rookie goalie says it has been “amazing” to have the opportunity to prevent players such as Patrick Kane from scoring.

“He is amazing. He’s a really good player,” Salak said. “There’s amazing guys on this team. They’re really talented and have really high skills. It’s amazing what kind of players the Hawks have playing.”

Salak will get plenty of attention Tuesday as his battle with veteran Ray Emery for the backup job takes center stage when the Hawks face the Edmonton Oilers in Saskatoon, Sask. Both goalies will play.

A former Swedish Elite League standout, Salak doesn’t appear to be having a tough time dealing with the pressure of trying to win a roster spot.

“During the season, every game is like that,” said Salak, who signed a two-year deal after being acquired with Michael Frolik from the Florida Panthers. “If you’re not playing good, you’re not going be on this team anyway. Every day is the same at this level of hockey.”

So far, Salak has handled the jump from Sweden to the NHL well. He has allowed five goals, including two highlight-reel scores by Kane, in 100 minutes of scrimmage time.

“Everything is bit faster here,” Salak said. “Guys shoot a bit stronger. It’s a good challenge for me to go through this.”

And if Emery were to win and Salak is sent to Rockford?

“I’m not going to be heartbroken. That’s life,” Salak said. “I hope I’m going to be that guy who deserves job No. 2. I think I’ve done my best, but I’m not going to be heartbroken or anything.”

Playing and going

Jonathan and David Toews headline the Hawks’ roster for their first preseason game, which will be carried live on chicagoblackhawks.com in the Chicago market.

Kyle Beach, Phillip Danault, Jimmy Hayes, Marcus Kruger, Jamal Mayers, Mark McNeill, Rostislav Olesz, Brandon Saad, Ben Smith and Viktor Stalberg round out the forwards. On defense, Brian Fahey, Joe Lavin, Nick Leddy, Sami Lepisto, Steve Montador, John Scott and Ryan Stanton will play.

The Hawks also made their first cuts at camp, assigning forwards Mirko Hoefflin and Ludvig Rensfeldt and goaltenders Mac Carruth, Johan Mattsson and Kent Simpson to their junior teams Monday.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 09.20.2011


Experienced O’Donnell ready to pitch in for Hawks

By Tim Sassone

One of the more interesting pairings for the Blackhawks’ three-day scrimmage tournament that ended Monday was on defense, where Sean O’Donnell skated nearly every shift with Nick Leddy.

That’s soon-to-be 40-year-old O’Donnell, a veteran of 16 NHL seasons, and the 20-year-old Leddy, who has all of 46 games under his belt.

“Someone asked me the other day what my first year pro was,” O’Donnell said. “I said ’91. They asked (Leddy) when he was born and he said ’91. I think they were setting me up a little bit.”

O’Donnell was signed as a free agent, as was 38-year-old winger Andrew Brunette, to give the Hawks more veteran leadership in the dressing room that wasn’t there last season after vets such as John Madden and Brent Sopel left.

For years O’Donnell has been one of the more respected players in the league, using a style he calls more 1-on-1 than anything else.

“I’m not a real rah-rah guy who comes in and kicks over the trash cans,” O’Donnell said. “This is a young team, but they raised the Cup a little over a year ago so they know what to do. Obviously with a guy like Jonathan Toews as captain, I mean, he sets examples for everybody.”

As experienced as he is, O’Donnell has been around long enough to know he can’t push himself on his new teammates.

“Right now it’s just getting to know the guys and their personalities,” O’Donnell said. “I’m more to talk to guys 1-on-1 as opposed to getting up and making speeches in front of the whole group. It’s more of a feeling-out process. I kind of like to read the guys before I give my two cents.

“I think as cuts get made and the core of the team starts to come together, maybe I’ll impose on some of the stuff I’ve learned on those guys.”

Certainly one of the reasons O’Donnell was signed was to help influence young players such as Leddy.

“I don’t think O’D is going to be playing a ton, but at the same time I think he’s one of those guys that can help the young guys mature in their game and be comfortable in the defensive part of their game and being a good pro,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

“He has so much experience; it helps out so much,” Leddy said. “Being on the bench with him and playing with him, if I make a little mistake then he’ll kind of say something and he can help me along with all these years he has in the NHL.

“I’m going to try to learn as much as I can from him.”

Leddy said he doesn’t even think about O’Donnell being 20 years older than him.

“He’s just another guy in the locker room,” Leddy said.

O’Donnell sees great potential in Leddy, just as Hawks management does.

“He’s an exciting kid to watch,” O’Donnell said. “He’s got a set of skills I don’t have, so I’ve had to do other things to play this long: reading the play, anticipating the play, positioning of the stick. He’s got all the tools to be a great defenseman.”

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 09.20.2011


Ray Emery battles for Hawks’ backup goalie berth

By Tim Sassone

At one point during the summer it appeared to be a slam dunk that Swedish rookie goalie Alexander Salak would have the job as Corey Crawford’s backup.

Then the Blackhawks invited veteran Ray Emery to camp on a tryout basis.

Game on.

But Emery’s presence hasn’t changed anything in Salak’s mind. He figured he needed to have a strong camp anyway to show coach Joel Quenneville and general manager Stan Bowman he was ready for the NHL.

“In the hockey world every day is different,” Salak said of his reaction to Emery’s late invite. “I didn’t think it was going to be easy. It’s a great opportunity and a good battle. All I can do is work hard.”

The Hawks likely would send Salak to Rockford if he doesn’t beat out Emery even though he has a one-way contract and a $612,000 salary no matter where he plays.

“I hope that doesn’t happen to I’m not even thinking about it,” Salak said.

Emery and Salak will split the goalie duties in Tuesday’s preseason opener against the Edmonton Oilers in Saskatoon.

“Salak has been fine,” Quenneville said Monday after three days of training camp scrimmages.

“You’re watching all the goalies. There’s not a ton of time for us to make a decision, but in practice we’re still watching too. It’s not all just games. You’re watching their every day demeanor, how they fit in and their composure.”

Oh, brother:

Jonathan Toews and younger brother David will be in the lineup tonight against the Oilers.

It will be the first time the Toews brothers have played together on the same team since Jonathan was 6 and David 4.

“I’m sure they played a lot running in the hallways and basements,” Joel Quenneville said. “We’ll have a lot of fun with that.”

Jonathan Toews will be one of the few veterans making the trip. Also in the lineup for the preseason opener will be Jamal Mayers, Rostislav Olesz, Viktor Stalberg, Nick Leddy, Sami Lepisto, Steve Montador and John Scott.

Among the prospects getting a look with David Toews will be Ben Smith, Marcus Kruger, Kyle Beach, Phillip Danault, Brandon Saad and Mark McNeill.

“We’re going to have a young lineup,” Quenneville said. “It’ll be nice to see some of these guys play a game.”

Roster trimmed:

The Hawks reduced their training camp roster to 54 on Monday by sending five players back to juniors: forwards Mirko Hoefflin and Ludvig Rensfeldt, and goaltenders Mac Carruth, Johan Mattsson and Kent Simpson.

Tip-ins: Tonight’s preseason opener against Edmonton will be streamed live at 8 p.m. on chicagoblackhawks.com. ... Patrick Kane scrimmaged again Monday but rookie Jeremy Morin (concussion) did not. Kane had 2 goals and 4 assists in two scrimmages. ... Former defenseman Keith Carney has been hired by the Hawks as player development coach.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 09.20.2011


Blackhawks set first preseason lineup

By Tracey Myers

CSNChicago.com Blackhawks Insider

Brothers Jonathan and David Toews will be teammates and Ray Emery and Alex Salak will split time in goal when the Chicago Blackhawks open their

preseason schedule against the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Other forwards scheduled to play Tuesday are Viktor Stalberg, Rostislav Olesz, Marcus Kruger, Ben Smith, Brandon Saad, Mark McNeill, Jamal Mayers, Kyle Beach, Jimmy Hayes and Phillip Danault.

The Blackhawks will also send seven defensemen: Steve Montador, Nick Leddy, John Scott, Sami Lepisto, Ryan Stanton, Brian Fahey and Joe Lavin.

“We’ll have a young lineup tomorrow,” coach Joel Quenneville said Monday. “It’ll be nice to see these guys play in an NHL game.”

Game time is 8 p.m. CST and will be streamed live on chicagoblackhawks.com in the Chicago area.

Bolland messing with Toews

Dave Bolland was back to being a pest on Monday, aggravating Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews in their afternoon scrimmage. Bolland hooked Toews a few times during the second half of their scrimmage.

“He caught my hand pretty good off the draw and he kept messing with me, so I gave him a whack,” Toews said.

Bolland said he was having some fun.

“I think we all know how Tazer is so it’s always fun playing around with him,” he said. “Everyone’s getting ready for the real games now against some other teams.”

Olesz shines

Rostislav Olesz had two good scrimmages on Monday, lined up mainly with Andrew Brunette and Toews. Olesz had a goal and two assists in the two games.

“He had his best day today,” Quenneville said. “He was more comfortable, had good pace.”

Toews agreed.

“He’s a solid skater, has good hands and he’s one of those strong, skilled European players who doesn’t have too many holes in his game,” he said. “He can play on the power play and PK, play defensively, too, because he’s strong and quick. It’s not difficult to play with him.”

Roster trimmed

The Blackhawks assigned forwards Mirko Hoefflin and Ludvig Rensfeldt, as well as goaltenders Mac Carruth, Johan Mattsson and Kent Simpson to their respective junior clubs on Monday afternoon.

The team roster now stands at 54 active players.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 09.20.2011


Younger Toews trying to make his mark with Hawks

By Tracey Myers

CSNChicago.com Blackhawks Insider

David Toews wasn’t about to give older brother Jonathan any credit.

The Blackhawks newest acquisition missed on a scoring chance on training camp’s opening day. Jonathan said he lifted his little brother’s stick. David saw it different.

“I’m not giving him credit for getting a stick on me,” said David, who did score during Sunday’s scrimmage at Johnny’s Icehouse. “It was my fault I bobbled the puck. I had a good chance there.”

For the Toews brothers, this training camp is a chance to hang out -- David is staying with Jonathan -- and compete against each other on the ice. For David, it’s a chance to find his niche somewhere in the organization; and to make his mark as himself, not Jonathan Toews’ younger brother.

“Obviously there are going to be high expectations,” David said. “There was a loud cheer going out there (on Saturday) and I didn’t make the shot I wanted to. I just have to come back out and work harder and adjust what I can be better at.”

David Toews played with the Brandon Wheat Kings last season, tallying 20 goals -- including nine on the power play -- and 28 assists. His arrival here was met with plenty of excitement, given the last name. But general manager Stan Bowman said Friday that David needs to be judged on his own merit.

“He has the same last name but it’s not really fair to make comparisons” Bowman said. “He’s here to earn a job. He’s still young, still in that group of players; we have a lot in that age category trying to establish themselves in that process.”

Jonathan is enjoying the time with David, including their on-ice competitions.

“We hardly see each other in the winter so maybe this is an opportunity where that’ll change,” Jonathan said. “But it’s just good to have him here, I know he’ll get a good opportunity to show what he can do here.”

Breaking into the Blackhawks’ lineup is certainly daunting this season, given how many veterans they added this summer. But David Toews will do what he can to find his place in the organization.

“It’s a different situation, a little tougher, but you have to be ready for whatever comes at you,” David said. “I’m happy to be here but I’m obviously here for business reasons, too. I want to have a good impression on the people watching.”


578772 Colorado Avalanche

Avs add size, strength to bolster defenseman corps

By Mike Chambers

The Denver Post

Posted: 09/20/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT

The Avalanche was relatively small and unquestionably weak defensively a season ago, but the nucleus of its revamped blue line looks more like the front four of a defensive line in football.

The Avs, who allowed an NHL-high 288 goals last season, are banking on bigger bodies making life easier for new goalies Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere — and coach Joe Sacco.

Defensemen Jan Hejda, Shane O'Brien, Erik Johnson and Ryan O'Byrne — who all were playing elsewhere on opening night a year ago — average 6-foot-4, 233 pounds.

Throw in 207-pounders Kyle Quincey and Ryan Wilson, and that possible six-man corps might even intimidate Detroit's forwards in the Oct. 8 season opener against the Red Wings at the Pepsi Center.

"We're probably the biggest D-corps, or one of the biggest, in the league," said O'Brien, who played 80 games for Nashville last season. "At the same time, I think we can all make that first pass to get the puck to our forwards.

"And I remember playing against Colorado last year. They had no lack of scoring. I think we have a good recipe for success here."

Hejda (6-4, 237) and O'Brien (6-3, 230) were acquired through free agency in July. Johnson (6-4, 232) and O'Byrne (6-5, 234) joined Colorado last season via trades. All four played at least 67 regular-season games a season ago.

"Size is one thing, but the guys we have are dedicated to defense," Quincey said. "It's one of the things we needed to address from last year. It's the No. 1 goal going into the season — to support our goalies better."

Said O'Byrne, "We have some size, some grit and some sandpaper back there right now, and it's going to be a lot tougher to play against us."

Last season, injuries to Quincey and Adam Foote, plus the trade that sent Scott Hannan to Washington for forward Tomas Fleischmann, weakened a blue line that was dotted with smaller players such as John-Michael Liles, now playing for Toronto.

Puck-skating defensemen Matt Hunwick (5-11, 190), Kyle Cumiskey (5-10, 185) and promising 20-year-old Stefan Elliott (6-1, 180) will play this season, but probably not many times on the same line unless coach Joe Sacco is looking to get more speed than strength on the ice.

"When you are playing certain teams you have certain matchups, and maybe you're looking for a couple more mobile guys, smaller guys that can join the attack," Sacco said. "You need a little bit of a mix, a blend. We have that."

The Avs are changing a strategy that saw them emphasize speed more than size in recent seasons. Sacco said big, durable defensemen should help keep opposing forwards out of the scoring triangle (defensive faceoff dots to the crease), help clear rebounds and intimidate players who choose to go after them.

"You can see in the corners, when there are 1-on-1 puck battles, the strength of some of those guys," Sacco said. "It just wears on the opposing team. Not only can they wear you down physically, but they can skate too. They can move, they can check and really help eliminate time and space.

"And if you look at the penalty kill, it's the same thing. You have big guys getting in the way of shots, clogging up shooting lanes."

Ah, yes, the penalty kill. The Avs were the worst in the NHL last season, at 76.1 percent.

"Nothing against our roster last year, but we were a little easy to play against in our own end," Avs forward TJ Galiardi said. "Take it from me or anybody playing against these guys (in training camp). They're not easy to play against."

For Hejda, who played in his native Czech Republic and Russia before breaking into the NHL with Edmonton in 2006, the Avs' blue line reminds him of when he played for Columbus in 2007-08 with Foote and Mike Commodore.

"We had good size, and I know it was kind of scary for forwards on the other team," Hejda said. "We should really be scary to play against here."

It remains to be seen how Sacco and assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre mix their big guys with the smaller ones.

Johnson and Quincey play the point on the power play, as do Hunwick and Cumiskey, and Elliott just completed his third NHL training camp after becoming the all-time leading scorer among defensemen in the Western Hockey League.

Given their options, the Avs probably will keep eight defensemen on their opening-night 23-man roster. Some teams keep just seven.

"I like what our organization did as far as addressing some needs in the offseason," Sacco said.

Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or [email protected]

Burgundy/White intrasquad game

At Cadet Ice Arena, Air Force Academy

Tickets: Sold out, but for possible standing-room only tickets, call 1-800-666-8723.

The big guys

The Avalanche will begin this season with four "heavyweight" defensemen who were playing elsewhere on opening night in 2010. They average 6-foot-4 and 233 pounds:

The new guys

Jan Hejda, 6-4, 237

The durable, dependable 33-year-old from Prague, Czech Republic, is coming off four solid seasons in Columbus, playing in 81, 82, 62 and 77 regular- season games. He signed with the Avs as a free agent July 1.

Shane O'Brien, 6-3, 230

He is a punishing own-zone player who is geared toward producing big hits and making the game easier for his goalie. Only 28, he played in 80 games for Nashville last season. He signed with the Avs as a free agent July 13.

The not-so-new guys

Ryan O'Byrne, 6-5, 234

Acquired from Montreal early last season and played 64 games with the Avs, leading the club in hits (168). He was second in blocked shots (126).

Erik Johnson, 6-4, 232

The 2006 No. 1 draft pick was acquired from St. Louis in February and produced three goals and 10 points in 22 games with Colorado, averaging 24:33 of ice time. Just 23, he is still pegged as a coveted "offensive" defenseman.

Mike Chambers, The Denver Post

Getting bigger on the blue line

Avs' 2010 opening-night defensemen, listed by size:

Adam Foote: 6-foot-2, 226 pounds

Scott Hannan: 6-1, 225

Kyle Quincey: 6-2, 207

Ryan Wilson: 6-1, 207

Kyle Cumiskey: 5-10, 185

John-Michael Liles: 5-10, 185

Predicted Avs' 2011 opening-night defensemen:

Jan Hejda: 6-4, 237

Ryan O'Byrne: 6-5, 234

Erik Johnson: 6-4, 232

Shane O'Brien: 6-3, 230

Kyle Quincey: 6-2, 207

Ryan Wilson: 6-1, 207

Denver Post: LOADED: 09.20.2011


Swedish veteran Lindstrom gets chance with Avs on Stastny line

By Mike Chambers

The Denver Post

Posted: 09/20/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT

Left winger Joakim Lindstrom began Avalanche training camp on the Paul Stastny-centered line with David Jones, and that's where the former Swedish Elite League star finished camp Monday.

"I had high expectations coming into camp, to compete as hard as I can, and it's great to play with a player like Stastny, one of the top centermans in the league," Lindstrom said. "He made it easy for me. I competed hard, and I'm pretty satisfied so far."

Lindstrom, 27, signed with Colorado as a free agent in June after leading the Swedish league in scoring last season. The Avs want to put him in a position where he can produce regularly in North America, where he previously struggled with Columbus, Anaheim and Phoenix.

"I wanted to give him an opportunity with an offensive line, because that's the type of player he is," Avs coach Joe Sacco said of Lindstrom. "I don't foresee him being a third- or fourth-line guy. That's not his role. I thought the line, right from the start, had pretty good chemistry and he certainly played well."

Stastny said he enjoyed playing with the 6-foot, 187-pound Lindstrom, who produced 60 points (28 goals) in 54 games for Skelleftea HC last season.

"He's got that Euro style — good hands, good skating, good edges. And he reads it well," Stastny said. "He reminds me of Hejdy (Milan Hejduk), where he's not forcing plays, and if he's got nothing he kind of comes back and finds that late guy.

"It slows everyone up, but at the same time he's finding (the trailer). To me, there are two different types of (forwards). There are up-and-down skaters, more powerful, and those more skilled give-and-go guys who complement certain guys. It complements me, so I like playing with him."

Footnotes.

The ninth and final scrimmage of the three-day training camp was the most intense and featured its only fight, between rookies Brad Malone and Dillon Donnelly. "Guys just playing hard," Sacco said of the fight, which was basically a draw between a bigger 22-year-old center (Malone) and an 18-year-old defenseman (Donnelly). . . . No significant injuries were reported. . . . Sacco said 40 to 50 players will participate in tonight's intrasquad scrimmage, and the first round of reassignments and cuts will be made soon thereafter. . . . Colorado's preseason home opener is Friday against the St. Louis Blues.



Rookies fight in Avs' final scrimmage

By Mike Chambers

The Denver Post

Posted: 09/19/2011 01:13:15 PM MDT

The Avalanche completed training camp Monday in entertaining fashion. In capping three days of nine combined scrimmages at South Suburban Family Sports Center, the final 45-minute session was the undoubtedly the closest thing to a real game.

"Overall, it was a real productive camp and looking at the game's today, I thought the intensity was real good, especially considering the fact we (were going) on three days in a row, three-hour days," said Avs coach Joe Sacco. "That's a grind.

"We talked about competitiveness and competition out there and you could really see guys laying it on the line out there, especially in that last game."

The 50 players in camp were split among three teams during the three days. Fittingly, the final game was between Team Black against Team Blue: trainers handed out plenty of ice packs afterward, and rookies Brad Malone and Dillon Donnelly each probably received one for their aching heads and fists.

They fought — the only scrap of the camp — during the spirited game, but were the first ones to shake hands after the buzzer.

"Guys just playing hard," Sacco said of the fight, which was basically a draw between a bigger 22-year-old center (Malone) and an 18-year-old defenseman (Donnelly). "I was just looking for guys to compete hard and something that's what happens."

No significant injuries were reported.

The Avalanche will play its annual Burgundy/White intrasquad scrimmage Tuesday night at the Air Force Academy, and then open the preseason Thursday at Dallas.

Sacco said 40 to 50 players will participate in Tuesday's scrimmage, and the first round of reassignments and cuts will be made soon thereafter.

Colorado's pre-season home-opener is Friday against the St. Louis Blues.


578775 Columbus Blue Jackets

Jackets to attend party in Winnipeg

Tonight’s exhibition marks NHL’s return to city after 15 years

By Aaron Portzline

Dispatch Sports Tuesday September 20, 2011 4:38 AM

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The MTS Centre was sold out months ago for tonight’s split-squad exhibition game between the Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets.

Players on both teams are scrambling to get tickets for family and friends, some of whom are driving 10 hours through the Canadian prairie for the game. On Saturday, a Pearl Jam concert in the arena was halted while fans chanted “Go, Jets, Go!” with an assist from singer Eddie Vedder.

The game, which marks the on-ice return of the Winnipeg Jets after a 15-year absence, will be an exhibition in name only.

“It’s kind of cool that we’re going to be the first team in there,” said Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel, who coached Winnipeg’s American Hockey League team for four seasons before coming to Columbus. “I’m sure the ‘Go, Jets, Go!’ chants will start in warm-ups and won’t stop.

“I’ve been in that building where there’s (a capacity crowd of) 15,000 people, and it’s very loud. Guys will have to pay attention to what they’re doing on the ice.”

For the first time, the Blue Jackets will play two games on the same day, a split-squad format rarely seen in the NHL. The Blue Jackets and Jets will play at 7 p.m. in Nationwide Arena and at 8:30 p.m. in MTS Centre.

Outside of Blue Jackets fans, though, all eyes will be on the Jets, who played as the Atlanta Thrashers last season.

“I think it’s going to be awesome,” said Blue Jackets winger Matt Calvert, who grew up in Brandon, Manitoba, a few hours west of Winnipeg. “A lot of fans there have been hungry for hockey for a long time. … I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like out there.”

Calvert was 6 years old when the original Jets left for Phoenix, but he has seen the uniforms, shirts and caps for years.

Not only did Arniel coach in Winnipeg, he played for the Jets from 1981 to ’86 and also during the ’90-91 season. He finished his playing career with the minor-league Manitoba Moose from 1996 to ’99. This will be the Jackets’ only trip to Winnipeg this season.

“I probably wouldn’t have gone if we were going to play there (during the regular season),” Arniel said. “And with realignment next season, we might not see them (in Winnipeg) next year, either. This is a good opportunity. I have lots of fond memories there.”

Arniel brought his Canadian-born assistant coaches with him, Brad Berry and minor-league coach Brad Larsen. Todd Richards, Dan Hinote and Rob Riley, all American-born, will run the bench in Nationwide Arena.

The Blue Jackets’ starting goaltender in Winnipeg, Curtis Sanford, spent parts of three seasons with the Moose.

The Jackets will have a connection on the Winnipeg bench, too. Claude Noel, who squeezed every ounce of joy out of the final 24 games of the 2009-10 season as interim coach, was named coach of the Jets over the summer. He replaced Arniel as the Moose’s coach in 2010.

It will be a night of re-acquaintances. The Blue Jackets will get caught up with Noel, and Winnipeg will welcome back the Jets.

“All of our dads remember the days of the Jets,” Blue Jackets winger Derek Dorsett said. “As a Canadian, it’ll be cool to be a part of this.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 09.20.2011

578776 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets notebook: Carter expected to recover quickly

By Aaron Portzline

Dispatch Sports Tuesday September 20, 2011 4:37 AM

Blue Jackets center Jeff Carter missed practice yesterday because of a bruised right foot, but he is expected to rejoin training camp today in Nationwide Arena.

There was a collective exhale among the Jackets when Carter’s X-rays came back negative.

“(Carter) is feeling a lot better today than he was yesterday,” coach Scott Arniel said, “so that’s a good sign. Sometimes it just takes 48 hours with these things for the swelling to go down. We’ll see how he is (today). No rush here. We want to make sure that he’s feeling good about it.”& amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /p>

Carter was struck by a Rick Nash slap shot Sunday during the preliminary games of the owners’ tournament. He didn’t play in the consolation game because Arniel said his right foot swelled when he removed his skate between games.

The Blue Jackets did not list Carter on the playing roster for either of tonight’s split-squad exhibition games against Winnipeg, and it’s unclear if he’ll play Wednesday in a home exhibition against Washington.

What’s up, bro?

Two sets of brothers will play in tonight’s game at Winnipeg.

The Blue Jackets will have defenseman Kris Russell and forward Ryan Russell in the lineup, the first time the brothers have played together since before they began playing junior hockey at 16 years old.

Meanwhile, forward Aaron Bogosian — targeted to play for minor-league Springfield this season — will go against his brother. Zach Bogosian plays defense for the Jets.

Split-squad radio

The Blue Jackets radio network will broadcast both of tonight’s games vs. Winnipeg on WBNS-AM (1460). How?

The game in Columbus, which begins at 7 p.m., will be called by play-by-play voice George Matthews. Bob McElligot has the call from the game in Winnipeg, which starts at 8:30 p.m. It is hoped that the first period in Winnipeg will mostly coincide with the second intermission in Columbus.

They’ll return to Nationwide Arena for the third period, then back to McElligot in Winnipeg for the completion of that game.

Slap shots

Captain Rick Nash is not scheduled for either game tonight but is likely to play against Washington. … Former Blue Jackets defenseman Ron Hainsey is expected to play for the Jets in Nationwide Arena. … No. 1 goaltender Steve Mason will start against the Capitals on Wednesday and play two periods. Mark Dekanich (in Columbus) and Curtis Sanford (in Winnipeg) will start and play two periods tonight. … Arniel indicated that the first round of training camp cuts — most, if not all, junior players — will be made on Wednesday.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 09.20.2011

578777 Dallas Stars

Former Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg considers topping $267 million offer

SportsDayDFW sports

10:42 PM on Mon., Sep. 19, 2011

Chuck Greenberg remains very interested in bidding for the Stars, the local sports entrepreneur said Monday.

Earlier in the day, a legal representative of Greenberg's reportedly made his interest known in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware that's holding a hearing concerning the Stars' prepackaged bankruptcy plan. That plan, filed last week, finally advances the process of the team's sale.

The court approved all of the Stars' first-day motions that concerned the franchise's ability to continue normal business operations and also scheduled a hearing Thursday to approve the bidding procedures related to the sale of the club.

Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi has already submitted an approved bid of about $267 million to purchase the Stars, but it could be surpassed by higher offers.

If the hearing goes as planned Thursday, Greenberg would have 30 days -- until Oct. 22 -- to submit his bid in competition with Gaglardi's and possibly others.

If things go according to schedule, the auction date for the Stars would be Nov. 21.

Greenberg said he and his advisory team have been studying the Stars for about two months. He was previously approved as a bidder by the NHL.

Greenberg didn't elaborate on his timeline for making a decision, only noting it would be "in the near future."

Greenberg has experience with winning ownership of teams in bankruptcy auction, not to mention with the same creditors involved with Greenberg's pairing with Nolan Ryan last year to purchase the Rangers. The Stars and Rangers were formerly owned by Tom Hicks and Hicks Sports Group.

Greenberg relinquished his role as the Rangers' CEO in March, selling his portion of ownership to the team because of differences with Ryan.

-- Kate Hairopoulos

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 09.20.2011

578778 Dallas Stars

Stars open preseason on Tuesday against Canadians

SportsDayDFW sports

10:44 PM on Mon., Sep. 19, 2011

First-year Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said he loved what he heard from his players Monday during the club's third full day of training camp in Prince Edward Island, Canada -- questions.

"They say, 'Hey, what about this situation?'" Gulutzan told reporters after practice. "That's where the learning really occurs. They're engaged. We'll just refine and modify and get clearer and clearer as we go."

The blending of Gulutzan's style of play, seven free agents and the returning core of the Stars takes another step Tuesday as they open their preseason at Montreal.

It's the first of seven preseason games for the Stars, who open at home Thursday against Colorado. The regular-season opener is against Chicago on Oct. 7 at American Airlines Center.

"The season starts really quick," captain Brenden Morrow said. "You get into exhibition games four days into camp now, where it used to be almost two weeks. You have to do a lot of jelling and bonding in a short amount of time."

Gulutzan said the Stars will spend practice days during the rest of camp working on defensive zone, tracking and forechecking. They'll spend the pregame skates working on the power play and penalty-killing.

-- Kate Hairopoulos


578779 Dallas Stars

Stars' first-day motions approved; hearing Thursday to approve bid process

Kate Hairopoulos / Reporter

12:32 PM on Mon., Sep. 19, 2011

Good news for the Stars in U.S. Bankruptcy court today in Delaware, as all of their first-day motions were approved. That means the club can keep operating as normal - and keep the power on (that's really one of the motions).

It also moves along the process of the sale of the Stars to Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi or otherwise. A hearing to approve the bidding process is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. That would mean that all of the bids to buy the franchise would be due 30 days from Thursday (Oct. 22).

The proposed auction date would then be Nov. 21.

Finally, things are really moving.


578780 Dallas Stars

GameDay: Dallas Stars at Montreal Canadiens

Posted Monday, Sep. 19, 2011

Stars at Canadiens

6:30 tonight

Bell Centre, Montreal

Radio: KTCK/1310 AM

Notable: The Stars should begin to get a feel of what they'll look like and play like under new coach Glen Gulutzan, who replaced Marc Crawford. ... Defenseman Alex Goligoski was a late acquisition last season and might make an impact when the regular season begins ... The buzz around Montreal has been about the return of defenseman Alexei Yemelin, who was part of the Russian team at the 2011 World Championships in Slovakia.

Next: vs. Colorado,

Thursday, 7:30 p.m.,

American Airlines Center

Star-Telegram LOADED: 09.20.2011

578781 Dallas Stars

Panthers, Predators split a doubleheader

Posted Monday, Sep. 19, 2011

The NHL preseason started in most unusual fashion Monday, with the Florida Panthers hosting the Nashville Predators for a doubleheader -- one where no player actually skated in both games.

Nashville won the first game 5-3, a matchup that began at 3:08 p.m. with an estimated 500 or so people in the seats, many of them ardent fans who wore Panthers jerseys.

Nearly seven hours later, Florida finished a 4-3 victory in the nightcap.

So it wasn't exactly a playoff atmosphere. Players didn't seem to mind.

"I think it's a neat idea," said Panthers forward Steven Reinprecht, who had an assist on Florida's first goal of the afternoon game. "And it's definitely created a buzz."

The Panthers called it "Hockey Day in South Florida."

In other preseason games:

Sabres 3, Hurricanes 1: Nathan Gerbe scored 4:09 into the third period to break a tie, and Buffalo beat Carolina in the preseason opener for both teams.

Gerbe, who added two assists, scored on a tip-in from the slot, where he converted a lead pass from Paul Gaustad. Gaustad scored in the opening minute of the third period to tie it.

Maple Leafs 4, Senators 2: Tyler Bozak scored twice in the third period and Toronto began its preseason schedule with a win over Ottawa.

Colby Armstrong opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs with a power-play goal in the first with Bozak drawing an assist. Carl Gunnarsson had the Leafs' second goal on another power play in the second.

Enforcer's extension

The Los Angeles Kings signed Kevin Westgarth to a two-year, $1.45 million deal on Monday, keeping the physical forward under contract through the 2013-14 season.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 09.20.2011

578782 Detroit Red Wings

Johan Franzen nets two in Red Wings scrimmage but hates questions about scoring

By HELENE ST. JAMES

TRAVERSE CITY -- Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen scored two goals this afternoon, leading Team Howe to victory in a scrimmage. That's a good start for a guy the Wings need to score, though Franzen apparently is the last guy keeping count of such things.

Franzen led the Wings with 28 goals in 73 games last season, but five of those goals came in the Feb. 2 game at Ottawa. After that, he scored just twice in the last 27 games.

Speaking to reporters after today's 6-3 victory over Team Lindsay, Franzen was asked whether he feels pressure to scores. He started answering, then said, "I hate these questions. You keep asking them every year. Like, it doesn't matter. I don't care, I just want to play good hockey, and if I score, I score. It's not like I'm counting goals or anything."

Franzen might see it that way, but the Wings invested $43.5 million over 11 years in him in the spring of 2009 because they see him as a power forward. So to see him double up, even in a scrimmage, was a good sign, especially because Franzen suffered an injury to his left ankle in the playoffs that severely hindered his effectiveness in the second round against the San Jose Sharks.

"I thought the Mule, to tell the truth, was most impressive yesterday in practice, the way he skated," coach Mike Babcock said. "I was glad to see that, because any time a guy has been injured and comes back, you really want him to get skating. The Mule can shoot the puck, we all know that. The more he skates, the better off we're going to be."

It should be noted that nothing about the exchange between Franzen and reporters was unpleasant. Slumps are fair subjects to bring up, and Franzen did also say that if he plays well, he usually scores. And Henrik Zetterberg, a fellow Swede and currently Franzen's linemate, said these sorts of questions beat what Franzen would be getting from journalists at home, anyway.

"Actually, I think you guys are nicer than the Swedish media," Zetterberg said, laughing. "I think it's a little different -- I think, in Sweden, they focus more on your private life than they do on hockey, so here, at least you guys focus on what we do on the ice."

Zetterberg added that there's an upside for everyone when Franzen scores. "You want him happy, and he's happy when he scores goals."

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 09.20.2011


Red Wings decide rosters for Red vs. White scrimmage

By HELENE ST. JAMES

TRAVERSE CITY -- Here's the Detroit Red Wings' lineup for Tuesday's Red vs. White scrimmage.

Team Red is highlighted by Pavel Datsyuk's line with Danny Cleary and Patrick Eaves, and Cory Emmerton's group with Drew Miller and Tomas Holmstrom. Ryan Johnson is with Jiri Hudler and Fabian Brunnstrom, and Chris Conner is between Tomas Tatar and Jan Mursak.

On defense, the top four are Niklas Kronwall-Brad Stuart and Brendan Smith-Mike Commodore. Jimmy Howard is in goal, along with Joey MacDonald.

Team White is led by Henrik Zetterberg centering Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen, and Darren Helm's line with Justin Abdelkader and Todd Bertuzzi. The other two lines are made up of minor leaguers.

Nicklas Lidstrom heads up the defense, paired with Ian White. Jonathan Ericsson and Jakub Kindl comprise the second pairing. Ty Conklin is in goal, along with Jordan Pearce.

The game is scheduled for noon at Centre Ice Arena and heralds, usually anyway, the end of camp. But the Wings are doing something different this year, sticking around to do morning skates and practices here and then flying to exhibition games Wednesday and Thursday.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 09.20.2011


Wings' Johan Franzen eager for progress

Ted Kulfan/ The Detroit News

Traverse City— Johan Franzen knew the questions were coming.

When a player of Franzen's stature scores two goals in the final 27 games, goes quiet in the playoffs when his team is eliminated, the questions come from every direction.

Everybody wants to know one thing: Why?

Franzen isn't sure himself.

"I hate these questions," Franzen said. "I didn't even know I had that (deep of a slump)."

The Red Wings don't know the answers either; they just hope Monday intra-squad scrimmage was the first step to a bounce-back season.

Sign of progress?

Franzen had two goals in Team Howe's 6-3 victory over Team Lindsay.

Both goals were Franzen type goals — finding open spots and using his quick release to beat defenseless goaltenders.

"It's only a scrimmage but it always helps," Franzen said. "It helps the chemistry of the line."

Franzen, who led the Red Wings with 28 goals, is skating with Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula, a line that could be very effective.

"It's easy to play with those guys," Franzen said. "They're strong on their skates and with the puck. They hold onto it and I try to get open."

All about attitude

Zetterberg is seeing a different Franzen these days, and hopes it continues.

A fast start, even in camp, could go a long way for Franzen.

"You want him happy, and he's happy when he scores goals," Zetterberg said. "He's good at finding the open spots, and right now it's our job to get him the puck.

"We have good chemistry, us three. Fil and me are working the corners and Mule can be in front of the net or finding those open spots."

Staying unselfish

Many analysts felt Franzen was on his way to a 35- to 40-goal season, especially after scoring five in a game Feb. 2.

But that's when the slump hit.

And then, he had another setback, twisting an ankle when he crashed into the boards in the first round of the playoffs against Phoenix. The Red Wings were ousted a round later.

"When you go into a little bit of a slump, sometimes it's tough to get out of it," Zetterberg said. "He learned a lot from last year. You can't worry about it, just go out and play and the goals will come."

That's how Franzen sees it.

"I just want to play good hockey, and if I score, I score," Franzen said. "But it's not like I'm counting goals or anything like that (or want to) get to a certain number.

"It doesn't matter at all."

Endorsed by coach

Before camp, coach Mike Babcock said Franzen is one of the players the Red Wings need a "bounce-back" season from.

Babcock, too, is hoping Monday's scrimmage was a sign of a different Franzen.

"Mule can shoot the puck, we know that," he said. "The more he skates, the better we'll be.

"We need him to be good, a big-time player. He's capable and he understands that. If Mule skates every day, the rest will take care of itself."

Detroit News LOADED: 09.20.2011


Red Wings: Notebook

Wings prospect Brendan Smith hopes patience pays off


Traverse City— Brendan Smith would have been playing in the NHL last season if he were part of an organization that needed to rush him.

The Red Wings, however, don't have any such problem.

So, Smith was in Grand Rapids, playing big minutes and getting accustomed to pro hockey.

Smith may be ready for the NHL this season, but again, the Red Wings don't need to push him just yet.

"I'm just trying to show I'm ready, that's the biggest thing," said Smith, who is being paired with veteran Mike Commodore during the exhibition season. "It's just the way it is and that's how it was with most of these players. Everyone has gone through it."

The Red Wings likely will keep seven defenseman — Nicklas Lidstrom, Ian White, Brad Stuart, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson, Jakub Kindl and Commodore.

So, bringing Smith to Detroit just to watch isn't an option.

"I want to earn it," Smith said: "I'm trying to earn a job and just showing them what I can do. When I get there I want to be able to stick around there permanently."

Young blood

Johan Franzen had two goals and Todd Bertuzzi one during Monday's intra-squad scrimmage, but it was some of the younger players that caught Mike Babcock 's attention.

"( Gustav ) Nyquist is very impressive," Babcock said of the former Maine star who was a standout during the prospects camp this month. "( Jan ) Mursak was all over the puck. To me, ( Chris ) Conner and Mursak today were on the puck, big-time. They were very good, relentless, chasing, skating."

Getting physical

Bertuzzi is skating on a line with youngsters Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader , which should help him.

"I want Bert to be as physical as he was the last 12 games of last year," Babcock said. "I want him to use his attributes, his size, physicality and skills."

Departures

The Red Wings sent nine players to their junior teams, and released goaltender Evan Mosher .

Sent to juniors were: forwards Zach Franko , Brooks Macek , Alan Quine and Marek Tvrdon ; defenseman Richard Nedomlel , Artem Sergeev , Ryan Sproul and Xavier Ouellet ; and goaltender Petr Mrazek .

Howard sits

Goaltender Jimmy Howard (bruised toe) sat out Monday's workouts.

"It stinks," said Howard, who should be ready in the next day or two. "I want to play."

Ice chips

The Red-White intra-squad game is at noon today.

… Detroit opens its exhibition schedule Wednesday at Pittsburgh.

... Henrik Zetterberg , on the difference between the North American and Swedish media: "Actually you guys are nicer than the Swedish media (laughing). It's a little different. In Sweden, they focus more on your private life than they do on hockey. Here, at least you guys focus on what we do on the ice."



Johan Franzen finds scoring touch in scrimmage


Traverse City — The Red Wings are hoping this is a sign of things to come.

Johan Franzen, who slumped badly the second half of last season (two goals in last 27 games), scored twice in Monday's intra-squad scrimmage leading, Team Howe to a 6-3 victory over Team Lindsay.

"It's only a scrimmage but it always helps," Franzen said.

Franzen's effectiveness in the playoffs was also compromised because of a twisted left ankle.

Franzen appears healthy and focused on turning his fortunes around.

"You want him to get skating again," Babcock said. "Mule can shoot the puck, we all know that. The more he skates, the better we'll be.

"We need him to be good, a big-time player. He's capable and he understands that. If Mule skates every day, the rest will take care of itself."

Goalie Jimmy Howard sat out Monday's workouts because of a bruised toe. Howard took a puck off his skate Saturday, skated Sunday, but said the discomfort was too much Monday to skate.

"It stinks," said Howard, who should be ready in the next day or two. "I want to play."

The Wings also sent nine players back to their junior teams Monday, while releasing goalie Evan Mosher. That leaves the Wings with 56 players.

Sent back to juniors were forwards Zach Franko, Brooks Macek, Alan Quine, and Marek Tvrdon, defenseman Richard Nedomlel, Artem Sergeev, Ryan Sproul and Xavier Ouellet and goalie Petr Mrazek.

The Wings have a Red-White intra-squad game Tuesday at noon, and open the exhibition season Wednesday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.



Red Wings' goalie Jimmy Howard sits out with bruised foot but doesn't believe it's significant

Ansar Khan

TRAVERSE CITY -- Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard didn't practice or scrimmage Monday in training camp due to a bruised left foot. But he doesn't believe it's anything significant and is listed as day-to-day.

“Nothing major, just took a shot off the inside (Saturday),'' Howard said. "I tried to battle through it (Sunday). It was really uncomfortable, so they decided to keep me off the ice today and hopefully it bounces back so I can get back out there tomorrow.''

Howard is scheduled to start for the Red Team in Tuesday's Red-White scrimmage at Centre I.C.E., but general manager Ken Holland said there's no need to push it and the team will proceed with caution.

Howard did not need X-rays or any tests.

"I plan on being out there tomorrow,'' he said.

Michigan Live LOADED: 09.20.2011


Red Wings encouraged to see Johan Franzen score twice, even in a training camp scrimmage

Ansar Khan

TRAVERSE CITY --It was just a training camp scrimmage Monday, but anytime Johan Franzen can score a couple of goals with his tremendous snap wrist shot, it's a good sign for the Detroit Red Wings.

Franzen slumped big-time last season, scoring only two goals in his final 27 regular season games following a five-goal outburst in Ottawa on Feb. 2. He had two goals in eight playoff games but was hampered much of the postseason by a sprained ankle.

He's been a prolific scorer, regular season and playoffs, since March 2008, and it's absolutely vital for the club that the Mule scores.

“It was good to see him score,'' coach Mike Babcock said after practice at Centre I.C.E. “I thought the Mule was most impressive (Sunday) in practice,

the way he skated. Anytime a guy gets injured you want him to get back skating again. The Mule can shoot the puck. The more he skates the better off he's going to be.''

Franzen doesn't like answering questions about his scoring slump.

“I hate these questions,'' Franzen said. “(The media) keep asking them every year. It doesn't matter. I don't care. I just want to play good hockey. If I score, I score.''

Franzen is playing on a line with Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula.

“When you're in a slump that's when the questions come,'' Zetterberg said. “You have to just let it go and keep believing in yourself. You're there for a reason and you will score goals again.''

Told that Franzen didn't like being asked about his slump, Zetterberg laughed and said, “Actually, I think (North American media) are nicer than the Swedish media. I think it's a little different. In Sweden, they focus more on your private life than they do on hockey Here, at least (the media) focuses on what we do on the ice.''

Franzen's Team Howe defeated Team Lindsay 6-3. Tomas Tatar, Chris Conner, Doug Janik and Ian White also scored for Team Howe. Todd Bertuzzi, Nick Oslund and Zach Franko scored for Team Lindsay.

Here are Babcock's impressions of today's scrimmage and practices:

“I think (Gustav) Nyquist is very impressive. I thought (Jan) Mursak was all over the puck. To me, Conner and Mursak today were on the puck, big-time. I thought they were very good, relentless, chasing, skating, moving. To me they were effective.

“The other guy I really thought was excellent today was Big E (Jonathan Ericsson). I thought Ericsson was really poised, big, moved the puck.''

Michigan Live LOADED: 09.20.2011

578789 Edmonton Oilers

Oilers trim training camp roster to 57 players

By Jim Matheson, edmontonjournal.com September 19, 2011

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Oilers sent defenceman Martin Gernat and forward Kristians Pelss back to the junior Edmonton Oil Kings among a number of training camp cuts Monday.

The six-foot-five, 190-pound Gernat, who is from Slovakia, was a fifth-round draft pick in June. The Latvian-born Pelss scored 33 points in 63 games with the Oil Kings last season.

The Oilers also sent back forward Tobias Rieder, a 2011 fourth-round selection, to the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League, and released forwards Colin Smith, Brett Ferguson and Chase Schaber, plus defencemen Tyler Schmidt and Wes Vannieuwenhuizen from their amateur tryouts.

Finnish forward Tony Rajala, who played junior with the Brandon Wheat Kings two seasons ago, was also cut. He will return to Ilves in Finland's elite league.

That leaves Edmonton's roster at 57 players.

Gernat will play in the Oil Kings' top-four defence pairing, likely with possible 2012 first-rounder Griffin Reinhart. Kevin Lowe's son, Keegan, and Oil Kings captain Mark Pysyk formed a pair last year and remain with their NHL clubs at training camp.

Lowe was a third-round selection of Carolina Hurricanes in June. Pysyk, who could be on Canada's world junior team this Christmas, was a first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2010.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 09.20.2011


Oilers may have a diamond in the rough in Russian defenceman

Tulupov was third-round draft pick of New Jersey Devils in 2006


EDMONTON - Players don't often get a second chance to make a first impression, but Kirill Tulupov is hoping to do just that with the Edmonton Oilers.

The 23-year-old Russian defenceman has been wandering the hockey-playing globe since the New Jersey Devils opted not to sign their 2006 third-round draft pick.

The six-foot-three, 220-pound training-camp invite rocked veteran tough guy Ben Eager during Sunday's Joey Moss Cup. Obviously, the blue-liner isn't picking his spots, although he admits hitting Eager was a very risky proposition.

"I didn't want to end up in the hospital. I could have popped my shoulder," said Tulupov, who caught Eager in full stride.

"I was a little bit afraid of that situation ... he is huge, Ben Eager, coming from the middle of the ice. He was really going fast, moving his legs very fast, and I thought to myself it is either me or him. I didn't want to take a chance. I'm sorry the way it turned out, because we were told not to do that (hit)," said Tulupov. "I was going into a dead end, with no place to move and I had to be first on the puck."

Tulupov tried to apologize to Eager, but the rambunctious winger wasn't listening. Not on Sunday.

Did Eager have steam coming out of his ears?

"I don't know. I was trying to catch my breath. It was a hard hit," Tulupov said.

Eager had calmed down by Monday.

"Just one of those things. I wasn't expecting it. I let up a bit, and you can't do that even in a scrimmage. That's the way it goes sometimes," said Eager.

Tulupov is getting an opportunity with Edmonton because Hall of Famer Igor Larionov is his agent and called the Oilers to see if they would give his client a shot. The Oilers already have a raft of signed defenceman, but when Larionov talks, you listen. The Oilers knew he wouldn't be selling them a bill of goods.

Tulupov played two years for a private club in Toronto when he was 16 and 17, then after returning to play in Russia was shockingly drafted 67th overall by the Devils in 2006 after a sparkling world under-18 championship. He spent three years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, playing against Oilers centre Sam Gagner in the September Summit junior series in 2007 with teammates Nikita Filatov, Sergei Bobrovsky and Semyon Varlamov.

He's drifted around the last few years, playing in Slovakia in 2009-10, then last season in Russia and Kazakhstan.

He's built like a tank, can move, also make a play.

Oilers coach Tom Renney is intrigued.

"I'd like to see him against better competition. I'd like to get him into an exhibition game," said Renney.

Tulupov met Larionov in Bratislava, Slovakia.

"He came over and skated with our team. We got talking, and to have him as my agent ... he's a really big light in my life. Having him as a guard for me is really good," said Tulupov, who doesn't know why the Devils chose not to sign him.

It's a thrill to be at another NHL camp, even if he playfully says "I didn't know it was this cold here.

"I wanted to get back to North America," said Tulupov, who loved his time in Slovakia, where he played his first pro season and made the league final.

But he was frustrated in his homeland, moving from team to team last winter - Spartak, the Soviet Wings, Molot in Perm, and in Kazakhstan. He played only a handful of games.

"It is nothing I'd like to speak about. Too many shady moments. It was a really hard experience. There was a moment where I almost gave up, but I had to keep going," said Tulupov, who speaks good English and also learned French when he played junior at Chicoutimi and Victoriaville.

He was one of the Quebec league's better blue-liners, but was hurt in the Devils' second training camp after getting slashed on the leg. High draft picks usually get more chances than Tulupov has received, but maybe he's just fallen through the cracks.

He loves his homeland, but after so many formative years over here, he almost considers himself North American.

"I didn't like leaving because, mentally, I'm more Canadian or American. Staying over in America until you're 20, then you leave ... I missed many things. You get close to the people here, you get girlfriends. Back in Russia, there were many uncomfortable moments," he said.

He shuddered when the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team perished in the plane crash, knowing it could have easily happened to him.

"I've been on the same (Russian-made) plane. We all travel on the same kind of crappy planes," said Tulupov. "I knew a couple of those players, (Alexander) Vasyunov and (Sergei) Ostapchuk. I was really close to them. Vasyunov was also drafted by New Jersey, him in the second round, me in the third. We were at the Devils' camp. We played under-18s. Many other faces I saw in Russia and knew."

When Ostapchuk, who played in the Quebec league, perished, his mother was so overcome with grief, she died of a heart attack.



Opponents better keep an eye out for Tyrvainen

Finnish rookie considered a younger version of Jarkko Ruutu


EDMONTON - If Antti Tyrvainen makes it to the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, it'll be as a younger version of Jarkko Ruutu.

He knows he's never going to have a mutual admiration society tag from the guys he plays against. He's out there to get people mad at him.

"In Finland, I would be playing against him, and the first thing you would see is this," said a laughing Teemu Hartikainen, pantoming a not-so-welcome high elbow.

In Monday's Joey Moss Cup, Hartikainen was on full alert on one shift against his countryman, but Tyrvainen was on his best behaviour.

"We are all teammates here," Tyrvainen said with a shrug. "I don't want to hurt him. It is a whole team game."

Tyrvainen makes no apologies for the way he plays, but says his penalty stats (186 minutes last year in Lahti, Finland) are out of whack.

"In Finland, I would hit somebody and get two and five or 10. That's why (the penalty minutes) are so high. It was very hard to play there," he said. "I think the referees were watching me too much.

"I've always played like this, but I wasn't so good when it was time for me to be drafted," he admitted.

Tyrvainen played in the world under-18 championship in Finland but didn't get a lot of ice time. He didn't stand out as a blue-chipper, or even somebody to take a flier on.

"I'm not sure why he was never drafted. Maybe he wasn't that big. That would be the only reason I can think of," said Oilers chief scout Stu MacGregor.

Tyrvainen, who scored a goal in the Joey Moss Cup, had a fight in the Young Stars Tournament in Penticton, B.C. It'll be interesting to see if he needs somebody to ride shotgun for him in the American Hockey League if he wants to play that antagonistic role on the Oilers farm team in Oklahoma City.

Oilers coach Tom Renney pointed out that Tyrvainen took a roughing penalty on his first shift in Penticton.

"I think he'll play the same way over here (in North America)," said Renney, who agrees that Ruutu is a good on-ice comparison.

"Off the ice, Ruutu is a heckuva nice guy, too."

---

Edmonton product Taylor Fedun, who will play on the Oilers blue-line Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild, has a lot more free time on his hands than he used to at Princeton University.

Fedun was working on his degree in mechanical engineering and building a four-foot by 2- -foot hovercraft as a final school project.

"Here, we're at the rink and we have lots of down time to rest and recover. At school, it was class during the day, practice (4:30-7:30 p.m.), then oftimes, you'd be going until 2 a.m. to get your studies done," he said. "It's nice to have more time to recover; not that I hated doing the school work. They were things that interested me.

"This is a change," Fedun said about his first pro training camp. I can't say I like or dislike this."

Fedun, the captain at Princeton, will be in Oklahoma City to start the season. Other Princeton NHL alumni are George Parros (Anaheim Ducks), Kevin Westgarth (Los Angeles Kings) and Darrell Powe (Minnesota Wild).

The Oilers may be may be looking at Fedun to take over from Kevin Montgomery, who wasn't re-signed after Edmonton got the defenceman in a deal with the Colorado Avalanche last February for Shawn Belle.

---

Defenceman Andy Sutton, who has been absent because he and his wife have a new baby, could tug on an Oilers jersey for the first time Tuesday.

Edmonton acquired Sutton from Anaheim for Kurtis Foster for July 1. Foster was felled by a sore leg before his first practice with the Ducks.

"I've got inflammation in my knee," said Foster.

---

Defenceman Corey Potter, signed on July 1 to a two-way, free-agent contract, doesn't have any player ties to his time at Michigan State, but he does off the ice.

"(Oklahoma City general manager) Bill Scott was our equipment manager when I was there. Funny how it turns out," said Potter, who has a good shot at the No. 7 blue-line spot with the Oilers but could wind up working for Scott in the AHL.

---

Local product Matt Kassian, who is trying to take over the Derek Boogaard protector role with the Wild, will be in the Minnesota lineup for Tuesday's pre-season game at Rexall Place.

Kassian went to Helsinki, Finland, with the Wild last year but was a late cut in training camp.

---

Renney will be behind the bench of the Oilers split squad that's playing the Chicago Blackhawks in Saskatoon on Tuesday.

Presumably, Renney wants an up-close-and-personal look at rookie centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in his first pre-season NHL game.

There's no pressure on the kid.

"I'm looking for a hat trick," said a joking Renney, who said Nugent-Hopkins could play about six exhibition games.

Nugent-Hopkins will have veteran Ryan Smyth and sophomore Jordan Eberle as his wingers. Smyth played junior in the Western Hockey League with Moose Jaw while Eberle played for the Regina Pats. That might help sell a few tickets.

This 'n' that

Oilers new pro scout Duane Sutter was watching the eight teams in the long-standing Traverse City, Mich., prospects tournament while the Oilers rookies were playing in Penticton. Traverse City is a five-hour drive from Detroit and three from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., a resort area. Sutter will split Western Conference duties with Dave Semenko, as well as scouting AHL teams.

Kevin Lowe's son Keegan, Michael St. Croix (New York Rangers) and Oil Kings captain Mark Pysyk (Buffalo Sabres) are still with their NHL clubs.



Peckham's number comes up. He's now Oilers' 24

edmontonjournal.com September 19, 2011

EDMONTON - The No. 24 sat on the shelf last season after Edmonton Oilers' defenceman Steve Staios was dealt to the Calgary Flames.

It was the number Theo Peckham coveted, but he didn't want to push his luck. After all, he was in his first National Hockey League season with the Oilers, and that was Step 1.

This summer, the training staff asked the defenceman if he want to lose the No. 49 and go back to No. 24.

"I've worn 24 for about seven years. I wore it in Springfield and all through my junior years," he said. "I kind of talked to them about it last year, but I was at that point in my career where I was just happy to be here.

"I didn't want to do anything to tick anybody off. When they came to me and asked, I figured it would be okay."



Oilers' Eberle, Peckham improve fitness levels in off-season

Sophomores changed training routines, eating habits

By Joanne Ireland, edmontonjournal.com September 19, 2011

EDMONTON - In days gone by, Jordan Eberle would roll out for a game with the Regina Pats, net a goal or two or three, hop on the team bus, then scarf down a pizza.

Pizza is no longer a menu staple.

Eberle heeded the advice of a nutritionist this past off-season and reported to the Edmonton Oilers training camp with three per cent less body fat and more strength.

Defenceman Theo Peckham, meanwhile, spent the summer in Edmonton rather than Owen Sound, Ont., his usual off-season haunt, and worked out under the watchful eye of team fitness consultant Simon Bennett.

He, too, has seen a difference.

"My fitness test results were higher and my body fat was down," said Peckham, who has dropped just below 12 per cent. "I feel good."

"When you're training," Eberle said, "you can hit a wall three months in. You just don't want it to be the gym. I didn't really have that this time, mostly I think, because my energy levels were great."

It's not that young players haven't heard how much of a jump it is to go from major junior or even the American Hockey League to the NHL, but sometimes they just have to live it.

The other danger, said head coach Tom Renney, is that young players may get through their first year, then coast into the off-season.

"It's amazing the naivety of young people in their first or second off-seasons," said Renney. "What they don't understand is that when the season is over, within the first couple of weeks, they have to be working again.

"For me, the aerobic fitness is your base and, oftentimes, young guys have a tendancy to reward themselves for surviving that first year - never mind having some good numbers - so they do their thing for a month or so, and then they've lost real valuable time for setting their base."

Renney said Peckham and Eberle were among the players who took the right tact and tested better. Overall, the team is fitter than it was a year ago, but if there is one area Renney is intent on shoring up during training camp, it's the fatigue index. To that end, the players have been doing short sprints rather than long skates after their drills.

The objective is to increase their tolerance level for short explosive bursts.

"You have to maintain that intensity for an 82-game schedule," Eberle said. "I know I went through a bit of a lull three quarters of the way through (last season). I think most rookies do.

"You just don't realize how much of a grind it is. It takes a toll on your body, so you have to make sure you're taking care of yourself, that you're physically ready to go when the season starts.

"In the Western Hockey League, we'd play in Prince Albert and drive home, eating pizza on the way back. You get to the NHL and you have people telling you what you should eat. You have access to a lot of knowledge."

Eberle got up to 190-192 pounds but felt too sluggish on the ice, so he dropped back to 185-187 pounds, which he figures is his ideal playing weight.

"I lost a lot of body fat," said Eberle, who went from 12-per-cent body fat to nine. "I dropped that and gained muscle. That was huge for me."

Peckham averaged about 18 minutes a game during 71 games last season after playing just 15 NHL games in 2009-10 and 15 in 2008-09. He was determined to take another step forward during the off-season.

"It was a little bit more intense," he said. "Having somebody there to push you is obviously a lot better. It makes you a bit more honest. I wanted to put myself in that situation."



Smyth hits ice with Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins at Oilers practice

By Joanne Ireland, edmontonjournal.com September 19, 2011

EDMONTON - Ryan Smyth, the 35-year-old veteran who is again at another Edmonton Oilers training camp, rolled out for a Monday morning session alongside sophomore Jordan Eberle and rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Old hands and tender feet.

The year Smyth was drafted, Eberle was four years old, Nugent-Hopkins was one. He played his first regular season NHL game on Jan. 22, 1995, and has played 1,068 more.

That's 1,000 more games than Eberle has on his resume.

"I grew up watching him," said Eberle. "Coming into the league last year, he's one of the players I wanted to play against. Getting to play with him is pretty neat."

Smyth was re-acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in the off-season - for his net presence and for his leadership.

"He's got a presence on the ice. His style, his demeanour and he works hard all the time. You feed off that," said Eberle.

"Everybody loves him here, and for good reason," Nugent-Hopkins said. "I can remember watching him ever since I started watching hockey. It was the way he competed all the time. He's such a hard worker and you can really learn a lot from a guy like that."



Eberle learned as Oilers rookie

By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, QMI Agency

EDMONTON - Like all rookies, Jordan Eberle wasn't ready for the NHL.

Oh, he could deal with the size and strength and speed of the players, but everything else that comes with being a pro? There's no preparing for it until you've actually been through it once.

Even if you couldn't tell from looking, or from his 43 points in 69 games, the big leagues wore him down. The seemingly endless air travel, checking into hotels at 2 a.m., playing three games in three different cities in four days, knowing that at every stop there's another 230-pound defenceman who lists "rookie hurting" as his favourite hobby.

With 82 games in 184 days, no wonder he wondered where his energy went.

"You have to maintain the intensity for an 82-game schedule," he said. "But I went through a bit of a lull three-quarters of the way through the season; I think most rookies do.

"You just don't realize how much of a grind it is. You're on a flight every day and that takes a toll on your body. You have to take care of yourself so you're physically ready to go when the season starts."

So Eberle took about a week off after the World Championships and got right to it. With the help of a trainer and nutritionist, he's reporting to camp leaner and stronger than he did as a rookie.

"When you get a year in the NHL you learn a lot more about how hard you need to train to be at the top," he said. "And you also have a lot of resources."

He dropped about four or five pounds, but the decrease in body fat (from 12% to nine) means he essentially traded fat for muscle.

"I got up to 190, 192 last year and felt heavy and a little sluggish. I dropped down to 185, 187 somewhere around there. It's the weight I feel most comfortable with."

Eberle's awakening is a common one, although it happened sooner than it does for a lot of other sophomores.

"It amazing the naivete of young people in their first, or first two, off-seasons," said head coach Tom Renney. "Nutrition is huge. What they don't understand is that when the season is over, within a couple of weeks they have to be working again. A lot of times young guys have the tendency to reward themselves for surviving that first year, never mind having some good numbers. They do their thing for a month or so and they've lost valuable time in building that base."

Eberle's summer paid off - his training camp numbers were all up.

"More strength, more fit and more professional," said Renney. "And I think more professional is the common denominator."

When a team finishes 30th everybody on the roster needs to take it personally, says Eberle.

"Obviously we need a lot of improvement on this team, we finished last," he said. "We want to move up and it starts with every single guy. You're only as good as your weakest player."

What's does head coach Tom Renney want from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in his first pre-season game Tuesday night in Saskatoon?

"Maybe a hat-trick and a couple of assists would be good," laughed Renney. "No, just navigate the game, play 200x85 with the presence he

does have. Show me that he can play against bigger stronger competition. And that has nothing to do with his size, but with his mental toughness. I'm not looking for him to rack up points, I'm looking for him to be a good play maker, a good two-way guy and I'm looking for him to show me that there's even more to like than I do so far, and give me every reason to keep playing him."

Renney will accompany one of the split-squad Oilers teams to Saskatoon for Chicago game while the other squad hosts Minnesota at Rexall Place.

Expect Nikolai Khabibulin to get a lot of work in the pre-season in his quest to rediscover the top of his game.

"He'll probably play three full games," said Renney. "He's got to play, he's got to get back in the saddle."

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 09.20.2011


Is this Dubnyk's year

By DEREK VAN DIEST, QMI Agency

EDMONTON - If hockey teams are only as good as their goaltending, there will be plenty of pressure on Nikolai Khabibulin and Devan Dubnyk this season.

The two Edmonton Oilers goaltenders will be relied on heavily to help the team climb out of the NHL basement where they've finished the last two years.

Khabibulin is pencilled in as the Oilers' starter heading into this season, but won't have a very long leash with Dubnyk making good progression last year and being touted as the club's goaltender of the future.

Both will be under the gun to provide results this year as the Oilers are hoping to play meaningful games in late March and early April looking to challenge for a playoff spot.

Last season, Khabibulin got the bulk of the starts when the games mattered towards the beginning of the year, then settled into splitting the duties as it became evident the Oilers weren't going to make the playoffs.

This year, it's expected the two goaltenders will be playing a more even role.

"I have an idea of what I want to do there, but I'm going to keep that to myself for now," said Oilers head coach Tom Renney. "Both goaltenders will get ample work. In one case (Khabibulin) one wants to reestablish himself and in the other (Dubnyk) wants to continue to impress with a real future in the game as a goaltender. But I'm not about to divulge my theory on that or any kind of a formula as to why how and when I'll do it."

Here's a look at the Oilers goaltending situation heading into the season and what the Oilers have coming up through the system.

NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN

The Oilers goaltender has yet to live up to expectations since signing a four-year, $15-millon, free-agent contract prior to the 2009-2010 season.

Khabibulin started out well, but then had his first year with the club derailed by a back injury, which required season-ending surgery. The veteran goaltender played in just 18 games for the Oilers that season, posting a 7-9 record with 3.03 goals against average and a .909 save percentage.

Later that year, while recovering from back surgery, Khabibulin was arrested and subsequently charged with impaired driving in Arizona. He was sentenced to serve 30 days in an Arizona correctional facility.

An appeal allowed Khabibulin to suit up with the Oilers last season, where he struggled, finishing with a 10-32 record with a 3.40 goals against average and .890 save percentage. At one point the native of Sverdlovsk, Russia, went 14 games without a win.

This season, having decided to serve his sentence in the summer, Khabibulin is looking to prove he can still be an elite goaltender in the league.

DEVAN DUBNYK

Having been selected in the first round - 14th overall - of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Dubnyk was the second-highest goaltender ever taken by the club. Only Grant Fuhr, chosen eighth in the 1981 draft, was selected higher.

Fuhr won five Stanley Cups and is the Hockey Hall of Fame. Dubnyk, meanwhile, has worked himself up the system and seems poised to take over the Oilers' starting role.

The Regina native was forced into action two seasons ago and shared the goaltending duties with Jeff Deslauriers when Khabibulin went down with his back injury.

A year later Dubnyk beat out Deslauriers for the back-up role behind Khabibulin. He finished last season with an impressive 12-13 record, considering where the team finished in the standings. His 2.71 goals against average and .916 save percentage were also better than Khabibulin's.

Heading into this year, Dubnyk is looking to take on an even bigger role and the opportunity is there for him to establish himself as the team's starter.

It's where the Oilers envision him being by the time the club is considered a contender.

In the system:

YANN DANIS

Having been passed over in the NHL draft, Danis did enough to earn a contract with the Montreal Canadiens after graduating from Brown University in 2004.

Danis played in just six games with the Canadiens in five years with the organization, spending most of his time with their AHL affiliate in Hamilton.

The native of Lafontaine, Que., then signed with the New York Islanders before moving on to the New Jersey Devils organization.

Between the three teams, Danis played in 45 NHL games, sporting a 16-120 record with a 2.72 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.

Last season, he spent the year in Russia playing with Amur Khabarovsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.

Danis signed a one-year contract with the Oilers this off-season providing some goaltending insurance for the club with the departure of Deslauriers and Martin Gerber.

OLIVIER ROY

The Oilers prospect was selected in the fifth round - 133 overall - of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Roy, 20, was a member of Canada's world junior team last year and played with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Roy sported a 29-13 record with a 2.79 goals against average and .911 save percentage. It's expected he'll play with either the Oilers ECHL affiliate in Stockton or AHL squad in Oklahoma City, although he's still eligible to go down to junior as an over-age player.

TYLER BUNZ

Selected in the fifth round - 121 overall - of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Bunz, 19, is expected to contend for a spot on Canada's world junior entry this year. The St. Albert native has spent the past four seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League. Last year, Bunz finished with a 35-18 record with a 2.47 goals against average and .919 save percentage. He's expected to go back to junior this season.



Oilers hurtin' songs

By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, QMI Agency

EDMONTON - There's a reason Abe Lincoln's widow sat in the back row the next time she went to the theatre.

And there's a reason Edmonton Oilers fans are a little nervous that three key veterans aren't quite ready for pre-season games.

When you've been cheering for Team Red Cross the last few years, every little tweak, every little "Hmmmm" from the medical staff, sends a chill up your spine.

And even though they've been assured that keeping Ales Hemsky (shoulder), Ryan Whitney (foot) and Shawn Horcoff (ankle) out of the first few games is strictly precautionary, it's still pretty spooky for an fan base desperate for a break, and not the kind that shows up on an X-ray.

"It's tough because you look at a lot of the injuries, things like pucks to the feet are things you can't really control," said Ryan Jones, who doesn't know why the Oilers have been hit so hard the last few years, just that there's nothing you can do about it but cross your fingers. "If it's groin pulls and muscles, you can say we need to prepare better in the summer, but you look at the injuries we had, shoulder, feet ankles are things that have a lot to do with Lady Luck."

And she hates Edmonton.

Last year the Oilers had 35 separate injuries and lost most of their best players (Horcoff, Whitney, Hemsky, Sam Gagner and Taylor Hall) for the season.

A year earlier, 44 injuries for a crippling 530 man games lost.

The year before that, another parade to the medical room sewered the season.

"Obviously every team is going to face some adversity over the course of the year," said Jones. "But when it just keeps piling on top, over and over like it did for us, it's hard to battle back."

It's been a horrible stretch, but it also leaves open the theory that the Oilers aren't really as bad as they've seemed over the last two years. Any team that loses 530 games to injury, or its three leading scorers and top defenceman for the season, will sink in the standings.

"Last year, we were right there, we weren't that far our of it when all the injuries started happening," said Horcoff, limited to 47 games last season. "I think we were 9th or 10th when I went down the first time.

"The league is so deep that it's imperative for any team to stay healthy. You saw Detroit last year, they had some injuries at the end and they slid down. It happens to the best teams. It's important to everyone."

If they can stay healthy, the Oilers might be half decent this year. The trick, as they so painfully aware, is staying healthy.

"You don't think about it," said Jordan Eberle. "Any time you start thinking about injury you lose that extra step, you start hesitating. Hockey is a game where you have to be 100% fully into the game and if you're not, especially at the NHL level, you're going to get beat."

SAM GAGNER, WRIST

Gagner was reaching for a water bottle on the bench March 9 in Washington when Ryan Jones clipped him with a skate blade, cutting his wrist tendons.

Season done after 68 games.

SHAWN HORCOFF, KNEE/ANKLE

After missing 8 weeks with an MCL injury, Horcoff returned only to be hit with a Magnus Paajarvi slap shot that broke his ankle.


RYAN WHITNEY, ANKLE

Catches a rut in the Rexall Place ice Dec. 28 against the Buffalo Sabres. A few days later, an MRI reveals a dislocated tendon that will require surgery.


TAYLOR HALL, ANKLE

Hall's is playing his best hockey of the season when he drops the gloves with Derek Dorsett of Columbus. He lands awkwardly and ends up with a high ankle sprain


ALES HEMSKY, SHOULDER

Hemsky is hit into the boards by Nashville defenceman Jonathan Blum and tears the labrum in his left shoulder, meaning season-ending surgery.



578798 Florida Panthers

The real battle for Florida Panthers: making the team

By GEORGE RICHARDS

[email protected]

Three forwards trying to bounce back this season and make an increasingly tough Panthers roster to crack got off to a good start Monday afternoon.

Mark Cullen, Angelo Esposito and Steven Reinprecht could all be long shots to make Florida’s opening night roster, but they all plan on making it tough on the Panthers to send them to the minors.

Cullen scored a goal, with Esposito and Reinprecht both notching assists in Florida’s 5-3 preseason loss to Nashville at BankAtlantic Center. Rookie Jonathan Huberdeau scored a goal with an assist in Florida’s 4-3 win in the second game of the doubleheader, not making things any easier on those other three.

“I think it’s great, but it’s just the beginning,” said Huberdeau, the first star in his first NHL exhibition. “I have to work hard if I want to make the team this year.”

Reinprecht has probably the best chance of the trio to make the team, the veteran center having 663 games of NHL experience. But last year was rough on Reinprecht as the Panthers benched him for the first three games of the season before waiving him and eventually sending him out of town.

Reinprecht played 29 games for Florida last year but ended the season in Europe. The Panthers loaned him to a professional team in Germany where he played in 18 games with four goals and 13 points.

“It was a difficult year, yeah, but there’s nothing I can do about it now,” Reinprecht said. “I believe I can still play in the NHL. I want to prove that. I put the team ahead of myself, I just want to help them win. You definitely miss playing in the NHL, miss it a lot. It gives you a real — not that you need more incentive — kick in the butt.”

With coach Pete DeBoer gone, some think Reinprecht is going to have a better chance of making this year’s team. And money could help Reinprecht as well. Reinprecht is in the final year of a three-year pact he signed with the Panthers in 2009. He’ll make $2 million whether he plays for the Panthers, in the minors or back in Europe.

“He’s having a good training camp,” coach Kevin Dineen said. “It’s no message, but if I see someone with jump, why wouldn’t you want them out there? For me, you have to look back to a certain extent, but what you do today is important, what you do tomorrow.”

There’s little doubt Reinprecht is using last year as motivation coming into this season. He’s in great shape and seems to have impressed Dineen.

“Wherever I play, I want to do my best,” Reinprecht said. “It’s a new staff, and I want to show them what I can do. I’m going to work hard and see what happens. I’m under contract and want to earn a spot.”

After the start Cullen had to his 2010-11 season, he seems happy just to be on the ice much less scoring a goal. Cullen ruptured his Achilles’ tendon on the opening day of training camp,and missed most of the season, eventually playing in 28 games in the AHL.

Cullen will more than likely start the season with Florida’s AHL affiliate in San Antonio.

“As far as my hockey career goes, that was the most frustrating thing, to have such a severe injury and never even make it on the ice,” he said after Monday’s game. “It was tough, but I made it through and I feel pretty good. I never felt back to 100 percent [last season], never felt like myself.”

Esposito came to the Panthers in an offseason trade, with Florida sending former first-round pick Kenndal McArdle to Winnipeg. Esposito was highly regarded in the months leading into the 2007 Draft, at one point being the top-rated player. But questions arose about his work ethic and commitment and he fell to Pittsburgh with the 20th overall selection.

Knee and shoulder injuries have limited Esposito to 69 AHL games in the past two seasons. The Panthers like Esposito’s upside and hope that if he stays healthy, he will turn into a solid NHL contributor. Esposito spent less than one full season with the Penguins organization before being traded to Atlanta in 2008.

“He’s an intriguing player,” Dineen said. “He comes from an organization, Chicago of the AHL, that’s full of veteran players. They play to win every night so sometimes prospects don’t get to play that much. His stats may reflect that. I thought he was very solid.”

MONDAY’S GAMES

• Game 1 — Predators 5, Panthers 3: The Predators got third-period goals from Jani Lajunen and Kyle Wilson to pull away from Florida in the opening exhibition game for both teams. Florida got goals from Dmitry Kulikov, Cullen and Greg Rallo in the loss. Brian Foster replaced starter Tyler Plante and gave up four goals on 14 shots.

• Game 2 — Panthers 4, Predators 3: The Panthers rallied from a 3-2 deficit as Mike Santorelli and Tim Kennedy scored 54 seconds apart in the third period. Scott Clemmensen played the entire game in goal, stopping 23 of the 26 shots faced. Eric Selleck and Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for Florida; Nashville got goals from Teemu Laakso, Ryan Thang and South Florida-born Blake Geoffrion. Geoffrion was born at Plantation General but moved to Tennessee with his family when he was 1.

Miami Herald LOADED: 09.20.2011


Huberdeau stars in debut to help earn doubleheader split

Panthers' top pick makes it hard to send him back to juniors with goal and assist in first pro game

By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

10:50 PM EDT, September 19, 2011

SUNRISE —What was billed as "Hockey Day" in South Florida turned into a fun-filled Monday night for playoff-starved Panthers fans as their revamped team split a unique preseason doubleheader at a redecorated BankAtlantic Center.

More significantly, it was a magnifique debut for the Panthers' top draft pick as Jonathan Huberdeau scored a goal and assisted on the tying goal in a 4-3 come-from-behind nightcap victory.

"It was a great day, a great moment for me,'' said Huberdeau, 18, who earned First Star honors in front of a few thousand fans that included his parents, who drove from Quebec in their RV. "It's just the beginning. I've got to work hard if I want to make the team this year.''

After a Panthers "B" squad filled with mostly prospects — many of whom will be sent back to their junior and minor league teams Tuesday as the braintrust pares the 57-man roster to about 43 — lost 5-3 in the afternoon game, the action picked up in Game 2 with several more regulars on the ice.

First-year coach Kevin Dineen got a glimpse into the very near future as the team's last two top draft picks, defenseman Erik Gudbranson and Huberdeau, combined on a power-play goal that Huberdeau deflected in to forge a 2-2 tie early in the second period.

Huberdeau then set up Mike Santorelli on the doorstep for another power-play goal at 8:12 of the third and Tim Kennedy got the game-winner less than a minute later after a goal-mouth scrum.

Huberdeau, the lanky French Canadian teen who notched 105 points in Quebec juniors, dominated the recent rookie tournament with two goals and two assists in three games. He's bidding for one of three jobs available for the opening-night lineup on Oct. 8 against the Islanders, with Gudbranson, 19, apparently occupying one of those vacancies.

Last year, Gudbranson, also the overall No. 3 pick, scored on his first shot in his preseason debut but was sent back to juniors because of a contract squabble that has since been resolved.

Veteran defenseman Brian Campbell, the Pied Piper who ignited GM Dale Tallon's offseason shopping spree, immediately bolstered the league's worst power-play unit with several booming slap shots from the point.

"He's very deceptive, making moves like he gets guys caught off guard,'' Campbell said of Huberdeau. "Gets the puck in his skates sometimes and finds a way to get it to your stick.''

Projected backup goalie Scott Clemmensen got off to a shaky start, surrendering two goals on Nashville's first three shots, before settling down. Jacob Markstrom, the heir apparent, and starter Jose Theodore didn't play. Neither did stalwarts such as Stephen Weiss, Kris Versteeg and Ed Jovanovski.

"There's a lot of competition for jobs and I think our players did a good job of showing what they can do and fill a piece of the puzzle for us,'' Dineen said.

Hoping to make a favorable impression on his new coach was veteran forward Steve Reinprecht, who is back after being exiled to Germany after clearing waivers last New Year's Eve.

"It was a difficult year,'' said Reinprecht, 35, who had four goals and 10 points in 29 games for the Panthers. "There's nothing I could do to change that, so now I'll try to use that to fuel me because I believe I could still play in the NHL and want to prove that.''

In Reinprecht's favor is his one-way contract, which has one year remaining at $2.08 million, a $2.05 million cap hit.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 09.20.2011


Panthers, Predators hit the ice for doubleheader

By TIM REYNOLDS

Updated: 10:26 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, 2011

On an 87-degree, late-summer day in South Florida, the Florida Panthers tried to get people thinking about hockey.

Twice.

The NHL preseason started in most unusual fashion Monday, with the Panthers hosting the Nashville Predators for a doubleheader — one where no player actually skated in both games. Nashville won the first game 5-3, a matchup that began at 3:08 p.m. with an estimated 500 or so people in the seats, many of them ardent fans who wore Panthers jerseys.

Nearly seven hours later, Florida finished off a 4-3 win in the nightcap.

So it wasn't exactly a playoff atmosphere. Players didn't seem to mind.

"I think it's a neat idea," said Panthers forward Steven Reinprecht, who had an assist on Florida's first goal of the afternoon game. "And it's definitely created a buzz. I know there's a lot of talk about the doubleheader. And I think there's a lot of buzz with all the new guys we brought in and everything. So it's nice to be able to showcase most guys in one day. Pretty neat idea."

The Panthers called it "Hockey Day in South Florida," with autograph sessions preceding both games and plenty of reminders everywhere that

the season starts for real next month. Florida home games drew an average of 15,685 last season, meaning 81 percent of the available seats were filled — the 25th-best mark in the 30-team NHL.

But the team hopes a slew of roster changes, along with a new coach and aggressive marketing campaign helps generate more attention, an ongoing battle in some of hockey's nontraditional markets.

"Since they've moved hockey more to the south, it might get people interested," said Nashville's Colin Wilson, who scored the first goal of the day. "We want to make it as exciting as possible so we can get more people in the stands. And obviously if you're playing against the Winnipeg Jets right now, it's going to be filled up. To come to a not-exactly-filled-up barn, it feels a little bit more like tryouts."

To call the crowd for the day game not-exactly-filled-up means Wilson was being more than a little polite. The nightcap drew significantly more people, though the overwhelming majority of seats remained empty.

No matter. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, even though the early game was filled with mostly young players who won't open on their respective NHL clubs. Florida was holding some of its top players off the ice all day, including forward Stephen Weiss, defenseman Ed Jovanovski and newly acquired goalie Jose Theodore.

"I'm staying for both games," retiree Donald Miller, a South Florida transplant from the Buffalo, N.Y., area said early in the afternoon contest. "It's good to be cold again."

The final numbers for the day: 15 goals, 110 shots, 25 penalties, and one fight, all before a generously announced attendance of 7,327.

"It's good for the fans," Florida's Matt Cullen said. "And good for the players, too."

A hockey doubleheader may be rare — no one is sure if it's happened before at the NHL level, even in preseason — but the split-squad notion is going to be fairly common around the league for at least the next couple days. Calgary and Vancouver will send teams to play in each other's home arenas on Tuesday, as will Winnipeg and Columbus. Edmonton is splitting its roster Tuesday for games against Chicago (in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) and at home against Minnesota.

Nashville coach Barry Trotz said Monday's format actually was advantageous for his team's scouts and others involved in deciding which players will go where within the organization.

"I like this better because it ups the ante a little bit, in the sense there's a higher quality of player," Trotz said. "You have the rookie camp and those rookie games and it's peers against peers for the most part. ... This is a step up from that — not NHL quite yet, because it's a mixture of guys. But it forces you to up your ante and your game a little bit and play with pride because you're representing the organization and the sweater."

On Wednesday, more split-squad contests dot the schedule, when Los Angeles and Phoenix divide their training camp rosters. At this point, most teams have well over 50 people in camps. Many will cut down quickly; the Panthers, for example, plan to be somewhere around 45 people in camp possibly as early as Tuesday.

Palm Beach Post LOADED: 09.20.2011

578801 Los Angeles Kings

Kings give Westgarth two-year, 1.45M deal

By The Associated Press

Posted: 09/19/2011 11:19:12 PM PDT

Kevin Westgarth believes he can be more than an enforcer, and the Kings think he is right.

The Kings signed Westgarth to a two-year, $1.45 million deal on Monday, keeping the physical forward under contract through the 2013-14 season.

Westgarth won his first NHL job as the Kings' enforcer last season, recording three points and 105 penalty minutes in 56 games.

He also played in two postseason games against San Jose, and the experience left him hungry to evolve into an NHL regular.

"I'm ecstatic to extend my time here," Westgarth said after a training camp workout. "It's a really special group of people who are going to do some great things in the next couple of years."

The 27-year-old Princeton product signed with the Kings as a free agent in 2007, working his way through the minor-league system before cracking the Kings' roster a year ago. He has developed a friendly rivalry with Ducks enforcer George Parros, who's also a former Princeton player.

Early in the summer, Westgarth married Meagan Cowher, a former Princeton basketball player and the daughter of former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher.

Westgarth said he spent the rest of the summer preparing for camp, reaching new goals in conditioning and strength while working on his "all-around game."

"I feel better than I ever have before, by a long shot," Westgarth said. "It's a lot easier (going into camp) just being around the same group of guys

again. You get to know the guys a lot better and just get a little more confident."

Westgarth has been skating on the Kings' prospective fourth line with Brad Richardson and Trevor Lewis during the first few days of camp.

LA Daily News: LOADED: 09.20.2011


Parse says hip feels `100 percent’

Posted by Rich Hammond on 19 September 2011, 5:25 pm

Nobody needs to tell Scott Parse how important this training camp is for him. Parse, 27, is in the final year of his contract and, for a second consecutive season, has been penciled into the lineup in a key role. Last year, Parse entered camp as the de facto second-line left winger, but played only five games before he was sidelined by season-ending hip surgery. Publicly and privately, the Kings have expressed some concern about Parse’s long-term ability to stay healthy, which is a big reason why veterans such as Ethan Moreau and Trent Hunter will be getting long looks during training camp.

For now, Parse said he feels 100-percent healthy and is playing right wing on the third line, alongside center Jarret Stoll and left winger Kyle Clifford. Parse has 12 goals in 64 career NHL games, so his potential is clear, but can he stay on the ice? Here’s what Parse said today about his camp, so far, and his recovery.

PARSE: “It’s good. It’s good to be back out here and it’s getting better every day.”

Question: And everything is good with the hip?

PARSE: “The hip is good, 100 percent and ready to go, ready to get playing again. It’s good.”

Question: What was that like last season? There had to be a lot of frustration, when you decided to have the surgery…

PARSE: “I just couldn’t skate anymore, and everyone knew. I was going to need the surgery, at the end of last year or during the year or whenever. It wasn’t any good, so I had to get it done.”

Question: You started skating near the end of last season. Was there a time when it really started to feel better?

PARSE: “It’s just been getting better, and I feel absolutely fine, 100 percent on the ice.”

Question: Do you feel like this is an important training camp for you?

PARSE: “Yes, absolutely. I’ve got to show what I can do. I’m confident going in here, so I’m just going to play my game and I’m looking forward to it.”

Question: Have they talked to you about your role, what they expect?

PARSE: “Not really, but I know what I have to do. I’ve been here for a couple years, so I know what he [Terry Murray] expects and I’ve just got to go out there and play.”

Question: That line, with you and Stoll and Clifford, seems like it can be a line with some scoring and some defense as well…

PARSE: “Yeah. I think we’re playing pretty well out here so far. I played with Stolly my first year, and we had some good games there, so I’m looking forward to it.”

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 09.20.2011


New, safer look for Stoll


Jarret Stoll will have a couple new looks on the ice this season, and not just because the Kings have changed jersey styles. Stoll decided this summer to wear a visor during games for the first time in his NHL career, and Stoll will also be making the move to the Kings’ third line, possibly between wingers Kyle Clifford and Scott Parse. Stoll totaled 20 goals last season, his first 20-goal season since 2005-06 with Edmonton, and Terry Murray suggested today that a move from the second to third line could end up benefitting Stoll.

MURRAY: “We have two No. 1 center icemen there with (Anze) Kopitar and (Mike) Richards, and I think this is going to be great for Jarret Stoll, to fit into that No. 3 position. He’s a great checker and I think it’s going to give him more minutes over the long haul, because that’s the look that I go to against the top opposition. So it’s a nice challenge for him. It’s a different challenge and I think he’s going to embrace it.”

Here’s what Stoll had to say today, starting with his decision to wear the visor…

STOLL: “I’ve tried it the last couple summers, and I’ve always taken it off. My mom and girl were all over me, so I thought I better do it. I think I had four good nicks (on the face) last year, around the eyes and nose, and maybe seeing what Manny Malhotra went through kind of opens your eyes a little bit. Hopefully I can stick with it.”

Question: Terry mentioned how your new role might actually end up increasing your ice time. Have you had those conversations with him, about that new role?

STOLL: “We did talk about it during the summer a couple times, when I was around the rink and he was here. Just being in those situations, power play or penalty kill, or being out there for key faceoffs, any of those, that’s going to give you added ice time for sure. But just being a good checker, being on the right side of the puck, offensively and defensively, is going to get you out there. So yeah, we did talk about it. The bottom line is, you’ve got to play well and earn those minutes anyway, but I’m excited about the role. I’m really excited about it, actually. Our line, we’ve been talking a lot, communicating a lot, trying to figure things out.”

Question: If it does end up being you, Clifford and Parse, that seems like a line that can score but also play well in your own end…

STOLL: “We can all play well defensively, I think. It’s all about communicating and talking out there, and we can all shoot the puck, we can all skate. It’s just a matter of getting pucks to the net and just playing well on both sides of the puck and trying to be `plus’ players out there.”



Quick is No. 1, but stay tuned


Jonathan Quick is the Kings’ No. 1 goalie. Terry Murray said so in the summer of 2010, before the start of training camp last season, throughout last season, in the middle of this summer and at the start of this training camp. Then again… Murray added a little wrinkle last week, when he said that Quick would “start the season” as the No. 1 goalie. Murray added yet another wrinkle today when, for the first time, he said he would not map out a strict schedule for Quick and Jonathan Bernier, as he did at the start of last season, and would lean toward playing the hot hand in goal. In other words, Quick is the No. 1 goalie on Oct. 1, but check back on Nov. 1.

This could turn out to be a very interesting subplot to the season. Or, if Quick starts this season the way he started last season — quite brilliantly — it could turn out to be a complete non-story. For now, though, Murray certainly seems to be leaving the door cracked open for Bernier. Last season, Quick finished with a 2.24 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. Bernier clocked in at 2.48 and .913 and, from mid-January on, Bernier allowed two or fewer goals in nine of his 11 starts. Here’s what Murray said today, beginning with when he was asked about having the enviable problem of essentially having “two No. 1 goalies.”

MURRAY: “I have one No. 1 goaltender. Jonathan Quick is the No. 1 goaltender. Jonathan Bernier is a goaltender in waiting. I was real happy with his second half of the year. He played some huge games. In fact, I think he got points in every game that he played after the All-Star break. He’s starting to get his feel in the NHL. He’s moving in the right direction, understanding the shooters and the pace of the game now. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens, but Jonathan Quick is our No. 1 guy.

“Last year, at this time, I had looked at the schedule and penciled in the goaltenders until Christmas. `This is the game you’re going to get.’ I didn’t identify those, sitting down with the goaltenders and talking about it, but I followed my plan. I didn’t do that this year. I think I pigeonholed myself a little bit. I want to get away from that. I’m going in with a plan to play both goaltenders. They’re both, I know, going to be real competitive. They all want to play every night. So we’ll just take it from there and play the games.”

Question: So it sounds like you’re saying that you go into the season with Quick as your No. 1, but you will also go with the hot hand…

MURRAY: “That is what I’m saying. Quick is our No. 1 guy and he came out of the gate last year and he was great. Every game he played, he was outstanding. We know how important every game, every point is in this league. Games in the first quarter as just as important, point-wise, as the second quarter. So I’m going to go with the guy that is playing really well. Quick will be the starting goaltender coming out of the training camp, and that’s how we will deal with it as we move forward.”


578805 Minnesota Wild

Harding thankful for return to ice

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune

Updated: September 19, 2011 - 11:04 PM

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - Almost one year ago, Josh Harding stood in the middle of a quiet, empty locker room.

The Wild goaltender couldn't hide his devastation. Harding was leaning on crutches, and his blank eyes welled moments after being told he tore two ligaments in his right knee.

Only 24 hours earlier, Harding talked excitedly about his exhibition debut in St. Louis -- a game that was supposed to mark a new beginning after hip surgery late in the 2009-10 season.

Then, just like that, Harding felt as if the ice melted under him.

"Like my body was falling apart," said Harding, 27. "I didn't know what my future would be. There have definitely been some days along the way where I thought maybe that was my last game."

The roller coaster has been dizzying, especially after an emotionally draining offseason in which Harding lost his grandmother, Rosemarie, and close friends Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Pavol Demitra.

But after staying committed to rehab and gaining a perspective from a summer of sorrow, Harding will start the Wild's exhibition opener Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers 362 days after feeling he had lost everything.

"The butterflies will be back. There will be rust. I'm not going to lie and say I'm feeling 100 percent comfortable. But the big thing is I'm back. It's taken a lot of hard work," Harding said.

"Some days you woke up and trying to just get out of bed killed me. When you go through rehab, days come to get old and coming to the rink sometimes, you don't even want to be there. Those are the days that challenge your character, and I had a lot of people who helped me along the way."

Harding credited the Wild's trainers and doctors, as well as former Wild forward James Sheppard, who accompanied Harding to rehab daily after breaking a kneecap. Harding thanked General Manager Chuck Fletcher, who showed faith by re-signing him when "who knows if another team would have taken the gamble."

But Harding especially is grateful to his father, Tim, who put his own life on hold to move to Minnesota for two months last year.

"He came and stayed with me after he quickly realized I couldn't really carry a glass of water to the couch. He was perfect," Harding said of his dad. "Now I'm back. I'm staying on top of it, getting into a routine by coming to the rink early and hot-tubbing it and stretching and getting rubbed out. Now I just want to get better and help push Backy [Niklas Backstrom]."

A year ago, Harding felt like the unluckiest person in the world. But when he steps onto the Rexall Place ice Tuesday night, scrapes up his crease and stands during each country's national anthem, he says he'll realize what he has again.

"I had a really rough summer," Harding said, referring to his grandmother and three friends dying. "I never had to deal with anything even close to this.

"Boogs hit me hard. It happened a couple days after my grandmother. Just both being from Regina, growing up with him, seeing him everywhere, growing up with the Wild together, seeing from where he started to where he finished, it's just unbelievable. And Ryp, we played together for three years [with the Regina Pats]. He was always a great guy and unbelievable friend. And then Pav, it's like, 'When it rains, it pours.'"

Harding wiped tears from his eyes.

"Bad summer. Bad summer," said Harding, who pays tribute to his grandmother and three friends on his new mask. "Even going through my injury, you realize actually how lucky you have it.

"You get to come to the rink every day, see friends, you get treated great, you're playing a sport that you love. Same with family and friends, sometimes you take for granted that you think they'll always be there. This summer definitely made me say, 'I love you,' to a lot more people a lot more often.

"I don't take for granted what I have now."

Star Tribune LOADED: 09.20.2011


Gillies hopeful his time has come

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune


EDMONTON, ALBERTA - Colton Gillies might be armed with a one-way contract, but he hardly sounds like a guy who considers himself a lock to make the Wild.

After all, his locker-room stall still resides in the room with the minor leaguers, not the NHL players, and, "I'm still [living] in the hotel. I'm not moving until they tell me to, so I don't take anything for granted."

But that one-way deal usually provides an inside track because if the Wild sends Gillies to the minors, it would have to pay him his full $600,000 salary there. And as far as coach Mike Yeo is concerned, he's expecting Gillies to "be on the team."

Gillies, 22, was a horse during the Houston Aeros' run to the Calder Cup Finals last season, the team Yeo coached. So far, Gillies looks like a completely different player than the one who was rushed to the NHL and played 45 games as a 19-year-old rookie in 2008-09.

He's fast, physical and assertive, making his presence felt on the forecheck and looking at the very least as if he should be a fixture on the Wild's fourth line and possibly penalty kill.

"There's a comfort level [with Yeo] because he's put me in situations, he knows what I can handle, he knows what I can do. And I know his systems," Gillies said. "Mike likes to roll [four] lines, too, so this is good."

Gillies realizes now that as tough as it was when General Manager Chuck Fletcher sent him to the minors two years ago, it was well worth it.

"I've come a long way," Gillies said. "All it was is experience and just being in those situations and being in the minors. It's a good league. When I got sent down, I was obviously upset. In the long run, I think it was the right move for me. I'm ready. I feel ready."

Goalie shuffle

With Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding locked as the Nos. 1 and 2 goalies with the Wild -- barring injury, the Wild will have to decide how to handle minor league goalies Matt Hackett, Darcy Kuemper and Dennis Endras.

Fletcher said no decisions have been made. The Wild potentially could have three goalies on the Aeros, assign Kuemper, the Canadian Hockey League Goalie of the Year last season, to the ECHL or return Endras to Germany.

"I'll just say Matt Hackett played really well for us last year, so he'll be part of the Houston equation, and it's fair to say the other two will be competing for ice time," Fletcher said.

Etc.

• Edmonton native Matt Kassian will play his first NHL exhibition game Tuesday night at Rexall Place. Edmonton native Jared Spurgeon will play his first career exhibition game despite playing 53 regular-season games for the Wild last season. Fridley native Jarod Palmer will dress in his first NHL contest Tuesday.

• Backstrom (knee), held out of the scrimmages Saturday and Sunday, did practice for a third consecutive day.

• The Wild clearly is intrigued by WHL Portland tryout center Taylor Peters. As a reward for his training camp, the team brought him to Edmonton for the game. He is expected be in the lineup only if one of the 12 forwards is unable to play.



Wild exhibition lineup Tuesday in Edmonton

Posted by: Michael Russo


Afternoon from high above an empty X, where I'm all alone in a dark press box, too.

Spooky.

Wild coach Mike Yeo announced the roster today for the Wild's first exhibition game in Edmonton. Remember, the Wild didn't win a preseason game last season, other than the game at Ilves Tampere. The Wild won that one 5-1, I believe, with Cal Clutterbuck getting a hat trick. I think Chuck Kobasew and Marek Zidlicky also scored in that game.

I scare myself with the meaningless info I remember.

I also remember accidentally racking up like a $2,000 aircard bill on the bus ride back to Helsinki trying to upload the Clutterbuck video.

The roster Tuesday:

Fowards:

Guillaume Latendresse-Matt Cullen-Pierre-Marc Bouchard

Darroll Powe-Kyle Brodziak-Cal Clutterbuck

Brett Bulmer-Warren Peters-Jed Ortmeyer

Matt Kassian-David McIntyre-Jarod Palmer

Defensemen

Jordan Hendry-Mike Lundin

Clayton Stoner-Jared Spurgeon

Justin Falk-Nate Prosser

Extra, it appears: Tyler Cuma

Goalies:

Josh Harding, making his first start since his exhibition debut a year ago, and Matt Hackett will split the cage.

In today's scrimmage, the green team beat the white team 1-zip, with Dany Heatley scoring the lone goal on a penalty shot.

So yes, in two scrimmages, the Wild didn't score a goal when actual hockey was played. Of course, it's easier to get goals than teach defense, so maybe that's why Mike Yeo seems so confident right now with this team. If the scrimmages were 7-5 each day, that'd be a big sign of work needing to be done.

Again today, the Wild put forth bigtime effort, although there were a boatload of turnovers late in the scrimmage.

The best line clearly was that Cullen line with Bouchard and Latendresse. The line buzzed and buzzed and spent most every one of their shifts in the offensive zone. Their last shift of the game, they absolutely used and abused the Koivu line, pinning the line in the defensive zone for a minute.

Other notables today: Jeff Taffe was very physical. Jordan Hendry was good again, and the tryout earned himself a spot in Edmonton. He previously wasn't slated to play, but Yeo said he warranted it, so Nick Schultz gets to stay home.

As I mentioned, Bouchard was obviously healthy today after missing yesterday with a hammy. Niklas Backstrom practiced today but was held out of his second scrimmage in a row for maintenance.

Monday is Hump Day -- the third day in training camp, which on most teams I've covered is pretty lousy. Usually the players' legs are mush, which makes for sloppy practices and frustrated coaches.

The Wild won't scrimmage Monday. Instead, Yeo will run two longer practices with each practice split by a flooding to resurface the ice. Yeo will work 5-on-5 throughout, everything from the defensive-zone coverage and neutral zone (installed today), forecheck and breakout.

On Tuesday, special teams will be worked on by the group of 21 players in Edmonton with Yeo, Darryl Sydor and Rick Wilson and by the rest of the team back in Minnesota by Darby Hendrickson and John Torchetti.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday Vikings fans



Josh Harding is back in goal for the Wild after a year of rehabilitation, doubt

By Bruce Brothers

Josh Harding says he's trying to view tonight's Wild exhibition game against the Oilers in Edmonton as just another hockey game.

It's not. Not for him.

"All the drama aside, you've just got to go out there," he said of today's 8 p.m. game at Rexall Place. "You're playing the sport for a living, and we're living a pretty good life, and now I'm back playing here, which is a very exciting time for me."

His return to the ice concludes what has been an excruciating stretch away from tending goal for Harding, 27.

After needing surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered in February 2010, Harding rehabbed and worked out diligently over the summer before reporting to Minnesota's training camp a year ago poised - entering the final year of his contract - to demonstrate he deserved a starting job somewhere if not in Minnesota.

In his first exhibition game in St. Louis, however, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate and torn medial collateral ligaments in his right knee.

His season was over.

It seemed, "like a bad dream," he recalled Monday.

"But what do you do about it?" he said. "You've got to forge ahead."

Forge ahead to July 1, when Harding's $1.1 million contract was due to expire. Instead, Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher says it was an easy call to sign the restricted free agent to a one-year contract for $750,000 and have him back up starter Niklas Backstrom.

"He has suffered some tough injuries and had to undergo a lot of rehab, which has

been tough for him. But on the positive side, you know he has had to battle extremely hard to come back," Fletcher said of Harding. "I think it's made him hungry."

Then and now, Harding said he's honored to return to the Wild, the team that selected him in the second round of the 2002 NHL draft. That, he says, is exactly what he was working for throughout the past winter. When he flew to St. Paul in June from his home in Regina, Saskatchewan, to have the knee tested, he passed with flying colors.

"I tried not to give them any reason not to sign me," he said.

Re-signing was a big moment for the 6-foot-2, 199-pounder, who for two months last winter was confined to crutches and unable to carry even a glass of water from his kitchen to his living room. At times he wondered about his future in hockey.

But the familiar and suddenly comfortable Harding has been highly visible at Wild training camp. After a season of trying to stay out of the way of teammates and often feeling like an outsider as teammates prepared for games without him, he's back in his familiar corner of the dressing room sporting an easy smile and a determined look.

His play through three days of camp including two intrasquad scrimmages at the Xcel Energy Center has caught the eye of coach Mike Yeo.

"Not only was he sharp, he made some big saves - but he looked in control the whole time, and I thought that was pretty impressive," Yeo said. "You have to be really encouraged by what you've seen. He has been controlling his rebounds, and he has been in good position."

Harding gave up zero goals in two periods of intrasquad play and has been equally stingy in practice.

"I haven't scored many on him," center Matt Cullen said.

Before the Wild departed St. Paul for Edmonton on Monday, Harding talked about his anticipation and his expectations and the possibility of some nervousness but indicated that, for him, it's time to play.

"Enough talking about it," he said. "It's just about getting back into the net and being a solid netminder for this team."

Pioneer Press LOADED: 09.20.2011

578809 Montreal Canadiens

Carey Price finally feeling at home

Sean Gordon

Gone are the days of trolling Old Montreal's narrow streets to find a pickup truck-sized parking space.

Now Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is a suburban homeowner, which in addition to feeling cozier and more permanent has allowed him to contribute more in the team-building department.

"It makes you feel a little more comfortable for sure, being a guy who's been around for a little while and being able to invite guys over for a barbeque at your place," he said.

"Some guys will be in a hotel for the next two months. So to be one of those guys who can offer a bed or something just to get them out of the hotel for a few days is really huge at this point of the year. I know I've been in the Sheraton for three months at a time and it's just not that much fun."

Beyond making life simpler - "My first three years, just going to get groceries and trying to park my truck downtown, I'd have to search half-an-hour for a parking spot" - the acquisition last year of new digs a short drive from the Habs' practice facility coincided with his breakout season as an uncontested NHL No. 1.

Life wasn't always this good.

While there is much to envy about the modern young NHLer, the good is almost always accompanied by a healthy dollop of deeply unpleasant.

Take the night almost exactly a year ago that Price was lustily booed after giving up four goals to the Boston Bruins in his first preseason start.

On Tuesday, Price will step into the crease at the Bell Centre for the Habs' exhibition opener against the Dallas Stars, but the context will be vastly different.

"A lot of things can happen in a year I guess," Price said dryly.

Gone are the comparisons to erstwhile playoff hero Jaroslav Halak; this team has its franchise goalie, and it's the big kid from Anahim Lake, B.C.

For all the talk about a more physical, higher-octane defensive corps and added offensive depth, the Habs' fortunes will largely hinge on how Price, who started 72 games last year, fares.

And now at least fans know not to expect his best work in preseason.

"I'm still in the same position as I was last year, I still don't feel good, I still need to work on a lot of things throughout these games. [Tuesday] night might not go that great," he said with a laugh.

It seems almost inconceivable that Price, who has both inspired and endured the full gamut of emotions in his 232 NHL games, is still just 24.

He seems a long way removed from the famous "chill out" moment last fall - where Price took on his Bell Centre boo-birds - which teammates call a pivot point in his maturation as a pro.

In the intervening months, the Habs have become Price's team. That's not to say there are no subplots this season.

Price is in the last year of a contract that will pay him $3-million (U.S.) in 2011-12, a relative bargain.

Like other Habs in contract years - forwards Andrei Kostitsyn and Mathieu Darche, defencemen Josh Gorges, Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill - Price has arrived at camp focused and determined to get off to a fast start.

"I want to do everything I did last year and I want to do more," he said.

The Habs don't typically negotiate during the season, and though Price wouldn't mind if they were to make an exception, the focus is on playing well enough to earn the deal he wants.

"Everybody knows I want to play here and I want to sign an extension," he said.

In the meantime, Price will work out the kinks in his game and build a rapport with his new back-up, 29-year-old Slovak Peter Budaj.

When it was put to him that this will be Budaj's first season with the benefit of a full-time goaltender coach, Price smiled mischievously.

"He'll have lots of people telling him what he's doing wrong," he joked.

Toronto Globe And Mail LOADED: 09.20.2011


P.K. Subban is in the building

Sean Gordon

Globe and Mail Update

Posted on Monday, September 19, 2011 12:56PM EDT

There are several hundred people evidently playing hooky on Montreal's south shore today to see the fourth day of scrimmages at Habs camp, and the loudest cheer before today's intra-squad game was for a certain Mr. Subban.

Yes, P.K. is in the building, and he's wearing hockey equipment.

Not only that, he's been splitting time with his old minor league defensive partner Alex Henry, but also with 2011 first-rounder Nathan Beaulieu.

The two of them even combined on a goal scored by the latter.

Beaulieu is still a ways away from the NHL, but he looks awfully good on Subban's left.

Gabriel Dumont, a former 50-goal scorer in junior, scored a hat trick for Subban's victorious white team; non-roster invitee Ben Winnett, a former University of Michigan Wolverine, replied for the reds - it was his third goal of camp.

First cuts will come today in anticipation of Montreal's pre-season kickoff on Tuesday against Dallas.



Trotter goes to great lengths to improve skating

By Pat Hickey, The Gazette September 19, 2011

MONTREAL - Brock Trotter took a one-year sabbatical from the Montreal Canadiens organization last season, heading to Russia and the Kontinental Hockey League with one goal in mind.

To become a better skater.

"If you can't skate over in Russia, you get exposed," said Trotter, a five-foot-10 forward who played for Dinamo Riga during the 2010-11 KHL season. "Every week we worked on it, developing speed and making plays at a high pace. I feel like I made myself into a better player.

"When I went over there I just wanted to get better. I'm still pretty young, so my overall goal was to come back. I'm happy to be back in North America."

Canadiens coach Jacques Martin said the changes in Trotter's game were noticeable on Monday at the team's training camp.

"We can see he's gotten a lot better since his stint in the KHL," said Martin. "He stood out of the bunch this morning. It's going to be interesting to see him play in the exhibition games."

The exhibition games get under way Tuesday night when the Dallas Stars visit the Bell Centre, and Trotter, a 24-year-old from Brandon, Man., will be in the lineup. He and the other hopefuls will get a decent showcase because the Dallas game is the first of six games in seven nights.

While the Canadiens cut a handful of players Monday to reduce the training camp roster to 59 bodies, the ranks are actually thinner because 11 players are nursing minor injuries or are awaiting clearance for contact.

The group includes four players who are pencilled in for regular roles this season: forwards Scott Gomez, Lars Eller, Ryan White and defenceman Andrei Markov.

Martin said he could understand why Trotter made the move last season to the KHL, with its low-tax salaries, free apartments and use of a car.

"It happens a lot with good players in the (American Hockey League), where they've got limited salary. He realized he still had a shot at the NHL and he came back this year. He played well in the (AHL) and I think he's better now."

That sentiment was echoed by defenceman P.K. Subban, who played with Trotter in the AHL two years ago.

"He's doing really well," said Subban. "Brock is a great player . . . There's no doubt in my mind he can play at this level."

Carey Price will start in goal Tuesday and will split the duties with Nathan Lawson. Price said he hoped he wouldn't get lit up like he was in last year's exhibition opener. You might recall that Price was booed but the day after the game he advised fans to chill out, noting that Stanley Cups aren't won in September.

Hal Gill and Yannick Weber are the only veterans on defence while fans will get their first chance to see Europeans Alexei Yemelin and Raphael Diaz in a full game.

Michael Cammalleri, Erik Cole, Andrei Kostitsyn and Tomas Plekanec are the only veteran forwards in the lineup.

In player moves Monday, Etienne Brodeur (Chicoutimi), Robin Gusse (Rouyn-Noranda) and Darren Dietz (Saskatoon) returned to their junior clubs; Dustin Walsh returned to Dartmouth College and Jordon Southorn was released from a tryout.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 09.20.2011


Lighter side of Spacek arrives at Habs camp

By Dave Stubbs, Postmedia News September 19, 2011

MONTREAL - Fifty-eight players in the Canadiens' training camp are younger than defenceman Jaroslav Spacek.

That is, every other man on the roster.

But on Monday, an obviously lean and fit and eager Spacek stood in the team's practice rink dressing room positively beaming, in his best camp shape since he arrived with the team as a free agent in September 2009.

"I tried to drink water sometimes," Spacek said of his off-season fluid consumption, his familiar grin beginning to spread.

"Instead of ...?" the playful question interrupted.

"Gatorade!"

Czech beer isn't world renowned by accident, and clearly the 37-year-old native of Rokycany resisted a litre or two the past few months.

The training camp guide lists the six-foot Spacek's weight at 207 pounds, but it would be no surprise if he was a half-dozen or more shy of that.

The mystery remains, because he wasn't offering the information.

"It's a secret, I can't tell you," he said, laughing. "I'm just happy with what I did."

Which includes winning a bet he'd made with friends about his weight and generous loss of same.

Spacek enters the final season of his three-year, $11.5-million US contract not just without a little excess baggage. He's also lighter his friend and countryman Roman Hamrlik, his regular blue-line partner whose four years in Montreal ended in July upon signing as a free agent with Washington.

There remain many familiar faces around the Canadiens dressing room; the Habs roster wasn't as dramatically overhauled this off-season as it was in 2009, the summer that Spacek arrived with a group that included Brian Gionta, Michael Cammalleri, Scott Gomez, Travis Moen and Hal Gill.

"It's nice to come back after a long summer and see the guys ready and so excited to play again," Spacek said. "We didn't change the roster too much, but it's always nice to see other guys coming."

The prime newcomer on defence would be Russian tank Alexei Yemelin, a wrecking machine in Saturday's first camp scrimmage who a day later showed good puck sense and strong positional play.

With rehabbing Andrei Markov probably doubtful for the Oct. 6 season start, Spacek will likely munch some healthy minutes out of the gate. Even with his ice time certain to be dialed back once Markov returns, he's happy to work with a new role.

Ahead of him on the depth chart would be Markov, Josh Gorges, Gill and P.K. Subban, if not necessarily in that order. Spacek should find himself competing with Yannick Weber and Yemelin for ice time.

"I just want to play steady, good defence and help the guys," he said. "If I have to play with the younger guys, I will, to make them prove they can play in the NHL and be one of the regulars."

A knee injury sidelined Spacek last season for 23 games, from mid-February through early April. He returned for the final two of the regular season and the seven-game playoff round.

The veteran had struggled on the bum joint for a few weeks before finally undergoing arthroscopic surgery on March 4, having been injured Feb. 2 with a knee-on-knee hit against Florida then aggravating it 10 days later against Toronto.

Spacek, who could headline at Just For Laughs, joked at the time that he knew the operation in Florida had been a success when "I woke up with two knees and no big boobs."

With torn meniscus removed and a general cleanup, he was relieved not to be dealing with the torn ACL that sidelined Markov and Gorges.

The veteran understood the importance of arriving at camp this fall in superb shape, the 19-day session - just three days of skating before exhibition games begin - not the month-long marathons he endured a dozen seasons and 834 games ago when he landed in the NHL as a 24-year-old rookie with Florida.

"I was a bit younger when I showed up the first time," Spacek said, chuckling again as he spoke of his first season. "There's more skating and hitting than there was 13 years ago. ... (Camp then) was over four weeks. It was too long.

"Now it's not really a time for practising. We have eight games, a lot, to build a team, and you have to come more ready to play right away than you used to. Then, we'd practise two weeks then play four or five games.

"What's changed are the methods you have to use in the summer to get in better shape."

A little less weight, team strength and conditioning co-ordinator Pierre Allard suggested, wouldn't be bad for the knee.

For Spacek, that meant changing his diet, reducing afternoon and evening food portions, adding afternoon workouts and getting back on skates in early August, two weeks earlier than usual.

Then there was the calorie-burning of fatherhood, trying to keep pace with sons age 8 1/2 and almost 4.

"Lots of stuff with them - biking and running around," said Spacek, who also lifted weights and added new exercises to his routine. "I didn't have much time to sit around. When I went to bed, I was exhausted."

After three days of training camp, he looks as fresh as the whippersnappers.

Now the real business of hockey begins, and it won't begin a day too soon for a valuable defenceman and an excellent teammate about whom "dough" now speaks of salary, not body type.



Pacioretty feels lucky about rehab

By PAT HICKEY, The Gazette September 20, 2011 3:06 AM

Max Pacioretty said he is going to do his part to prevent a recurrence of the horrific accident that ended his 2010-11 season.

"A big part of my game is squeezing through along the boards," said Pacioretty, who was doing just that on March 8 when the Bruins' Zdeno Chara rode him into a stanchion between the benches at the Bell Centre.

"When I skate down the boards, I'm a little bit more aware now, and hopefully players on the other team will be more aware after my situation as well," he said. "I'm always the most competitive person, but sometimes I'm going to have to lay off in that situation and realize that I'm in a vulnerable position and the other person might not really care."

Pacioretty suffered a severe concussion and a cracked vertebra in his neck. He has been cleared for full contact at the Canadiens' training camp, but he said Monday that there are still some steps remaining before he can consider himself recovered.

While Pacioretty said he was looking forward to contact in an actual game, he was happy to report that he took a couple of hits - and gave some - in his second intrasquad scrimmage Monday in Brossard.

"It's good to finally get some physicality going," Pacioretty said. "My neck's feeling great and I'm ready to go."

Pacioretty said he feels lucky when sees players like Sidney Crosby and Marc Savard struggle with concussions because his symptoms didn't last long.

"I don't think I'm in the clear completely, I know some of these players many months down the road have experienced some symptoms," he said. "So I'm aware of that, and I hope to keep getting as lucky as I have been with my situation."

And Pacioretty is aware that the neck injury may pose some psychological problems.

"I'm not going to ask someone to hit me into the stanchion, but I'll take some hits and give some," he said with a smile.

"Obviously, there still is an injury there and I'll have to deal with it probably for the rest of my life, but it's been a lot better than I thought it would be."

Pacioretty has been able to supplement his medical treatment with some firsthand advice from Erik Cole, who joined the Canadiens as a free agent. Cole suffered a similar injury when he was driven into the boards by Brooks Orpik in 2006.

"We talk a lot about the injury and he's helped me with some soft-tissue exercises," said Pacioretty.

Pacioretty's injury fuelled the debate over head shots and, while Pacioretty feels it's important to get dangerous hits out of the game, he's hoping to put the incident in the past and get on with his development as a player. He was on the fast track last spring after head coach Jacques Martin teamed him with Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta. Pacioretty scored 12 goals and had seven assists in 26 games.

"I was just playing with confidence," Pacioretty said. "I was comfortable in my situation playing with (Gomez) and Gionta. I've said it a bunch of times this summer, (Gomez) has taken a ton of heat, but he also made me the player that was successful last year. I hope to pick up where we left off."



Preseason 'games' are risky business

By RED FISHER, The Gazette September 20, 2011 3:06 AM

Here we are barely four days into training camp and already "games" are being played, such as Tuesday night's visit by the Dallas Stars.

Go figure, particularly since it's the first of six games a combination of regulars and a large group of rookies and minor-leaguers wearing Canadiens jerseys have scheduled in the next seven days. Need I mention that the Bell Centre "games" will be played at regular-season prices, as usual?

It's only a guess, but I suspect that even now, so many months before the NHL and the players' association sit down to knock heads over a new collective agreement, the latter group's leader, Donald Fehr, already has made up his mind that a change is needed in that area. Safety first, don't you know, particularly since several big names haven't been cleared for contact and there's no real way of knowing when they will be.

You don't have to be reminded that the biggest name is Sidney Crosby. Reports had him receiving standing ovations when he appeared skating at full speed three hours after scrimmages started on Saturday wearing a white helmet so that black-helmeted players on the ice were fully aware he was not to absorb contact of any kind while he was on the ice.

It's unlikely, however, that any of the repeated ovations Crosby received had anything remotely to do with a startling suggestion the night before on Pittsburgh radio that Ted Carrick, a chiropractic neurologist who has been working with the NHL's best player, said he "is as ready for contact as any other NHL player who reported to camp last weekend."

Say what? That view is 180 degrees opposite that of Dr. Michael Collins, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre-based concussion specialist who has been overseeing Crosby's care.

Closer to home, there's the matter of Andrei Markov being unable to join his colleagues in training camp until he recovers fully from the knee surgery that kept him sidelined for all except seven games last season. And then there's the strange situation in New York, where the Rangers' No. 1 defenceman, Marc Staal, isn't taking part in training camp and won't play in any of his team's three North American exhibition games because of lingering effects from a hit last season by his brother, Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric.

Strange, because Staal missed the next three games after the hit in February, but played the remainder of the season without incident. During the summer, however, Staal started having problems.

Still, not to worry, head coach John Tortorella says.

"He's progressing nicely," Tortorella said. "We just want to be cautious and get him ready for the regular season."

(Translation: the Rangers don't know when Staal will be ready to play.)

Frankly, it boggles the mind that exhibition games start so early after the beginning of training camp.

Get this, though: the preseason actually got underway Monday with four games, the first of which took place at 3 p.m. between the Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers. Even more startling, in a first for the NHL the teams met in the second half of a doubleheader at 7: 30 p.m. However, both teams have enough players available to play two games. Apparently, no players performed in both contests.

Two more games started at 7 p.m. - the Buffalo Sabres played host the Carolina Hurricanes and the Ottawa Senators faced the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Hockey people will tell you that their players are the bestconditioned athletes of all major sports. No argument there.

Years ago, players didn't start skating until the start of training camps. Now, they're working out shortly after a season ends and all the players are skating in early August. However, contact starts immediately in training camp and cranks up, along with fighting, in the first exhibition - as you'll notice Tuesday night against the Stars.

At the very least, it's a risky business in what can charitably be described as little more than "nothing" games.


578815 Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators split doubleheader with Florida Panthers

Josh Cooper

One game was sloppy, one game was clean. One was a win, the other a loss. The Nashville Predators just couldn't find much balance in their first exhibition doubleheader in franchise history.

The Predators won the first game 5-3 but lost the second 4-3 to the Florida Panthers on Monday in Sunrise, Fla.

But at least Predators Coach Barry Trotz got some insight as he tries to assemble the roster for the season opener Oct. 7 in Columbus. That was especially true on defense, where six players are fighting for three spots in Nashville's lineup.

Trotz praised defenseman Mattias Ekholm and said he wasn't completely surprised by the play of Jack Hillen and Tyler Sloan.

"I don't think it gives me total clarity," Trotz said. "But it gives me a better feel for what they can bring to the table."

Trotz was somewhat critical of defenseman Ryan Ellis, the Predators' first-round draft pick in 2009, who played in the first game.

"I thought Ryan Ellis in the first period turned the puck over way, way too much. He really struggled in that first part," Trotz said. "As the game went on he got better. He can do some things offensively. On the power play is where he can help you the most."

In the first game, three of Nashville's five goals came on the power play, although the Predators were outshot 34-21 for the game. Jani Lajunen scored the eventual game-winner 16:49 into the third period to put the Predators ahead 4-3.

"We found a way to win," Trotz said. "I think we didn't play very well. We didn't generate a lot of offense. We scored every time we did."

In the second game, the Panthers rallied with two third-period goals, but Trotz said that game was played with fewer mistakes.

Back in the groove: Forwards Colin Wilson and Sergei Kostitsyn each notched multiple points in the Predators' first game. Wilson scored the first goal of the preseason and added two assists. Kostitsyn notched three assists.

"Going into the game, I was looking and like, 'Oh, geez, it's been awhile since I was hit about 10 times in a session,' " Wilson said. "So I went out there, took some hits, and it just takes a couple shifts to get back in the swing of things. The first period was pretty sloppy, I thought, but after that once the guys got the nerves out and got the flow back a little bit, it helped out."

Back to Baltimore: When Trotz coached the Baltimore Skipjacks of the American Hockey League, Camden Yards was just a novelty. The Baltimore inner harbor was still on its way toward becoming the prime tourist venue in the city.

"It was just starting out," Trotz said.

Today he returns to where his head-coaching career began. The Predators play the Washington Capitals at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore.

Trotz went 28-40-12 with the Skipjacks in 1992-93, the year before the organization moved to Portland, Maine.

"I thought (the arena) was old back when I coached there," Trotz said. "So it's going to be really old."

Trotz and his family don't have too many roots in Baltimore. Many of the Skipjacks' staff moved with the team.

Erat managing back: Forward Martin Erat knows he will continue to have back pain for the rest of his career. The ailment, which caused him to miss 18 games last season, won't go away.

But he believes he can manage it, which is why he worked on strengthening his midsection. He's expected to see his first game action of the preseason today.

"I have to just get stronger and see how it's going to work," Erat said. "First game is going to be a hard 60 minutes."

Last season, Erat led the team in points per game and was tied for the lead in total points.

Spaling skates: Forward Nick Spaling (groin, shoulder) skated Monday with players who did not travel to Florida.

"I'm just skating now and hopefully will get back into action the next couple of days," he said. "I'm still being a little cautious with the shoulder with the contact. Hopefully, that's ready to go by the end of the week, and I can get back into the normal routine."

Tennessean LOADED: 09.20.2011

578816 Nashville Predators

Brentwood brothers fight for college hockey program

Jerome Boettcher

Hockey players rarely get scared.

They can't. In a sport so physical, there is no room for the timid.

Brice and Sebastian Geoffrion know this better than most. The brothers from Brentwood took to the ice for the first time when they were 3 years old. Hockey isn't a hobby for them - it is a lifestyle.

Their great-grandfather, Howie Morenz, made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens in 1923. Morenz's son-in-law, Bernie Geoffrion, enjoyed an 18-year career. His son Dan - Brice and Sebastian's father - spent three years in the NHL (1979-82). Just last year, when Blake Geoffrion - Brice and Sebastian's older brother - made his debut with the Nashville Predators, he became the NHL's first fourth-generation player.

Naturally, Brice and Sebastian, college teammates at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, have followed suit in their dedication to the sport.

"It is basically our lives," Sebastian, a junior, said. "We only take a month and a half off in the summer. We are always training, every single day. Whenever we say hockey is our life, we are not kidding."

Suddenly their lifestyle is being threatened - and that unnerves them.

The UAH program - the only NCAA Division I hockey team in the South - is in danger of losing its status as a varsity sport.

"It could end at a snap of a finger - just like that," Brice, a sophomore, said. "That is what's scary and sad. All the sacrifices and everything we put into this game could end just like that."

The Chargers will have a 2011-12 season, which begins Oct. 1. But beyond that, the future isn't as certain.

Recently, Malcolm Portera, the chancellor of the University of Alabama system and currently UAH's interim president, said in a statement that the athletic department was being evaluated "to ensure that dollars are wisely spent on our 14 competitive sports programs. Money available to operate an athletic program is scarce, so it's crucial that we manage those dollars prudently."

In July, former UAH and NHL player Jared Ross sent out an email first alerting UAH supporters and former teammates that "the existence of the program is greatly threatened." From there, word got out via alumni that $500,000 a year over the next three years was needed to keep the Division I program alive. A website - saveuahhockey.com - was created to spark interest and raise money.

"You would think they [lacked] jobs," Brice said of the supporters. "They have spent so much time saving this program."

At a press conference held by Huntsville community leaders nearly two weeks ago, former UAH hockey player Nathan Bowen said over $525,000 in pledges for the next three years has been raised.

"This is merely a bunch of amateurs sending out emails, rounding up teammates and friends and asking them to give," Bowen said. "... So the community has stepped up. The alumni have stepped up and once they have been asked to get involved and contribute, they have."

The hockey team - the school's only Division I sport - is also in search of a conference after College Hockey America dissolved at the end of the 2009-10 season. The Chargers were then denied membership to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, which currently includes numerous teams from Michigan and Ohio, along with Notre Dame and Alaska.

"The CCHA is a conference that would make the most sense because of the shortest distance," new UAH athletics director E.J. Brophy said. "Some people say [UAH was denied in 2009 because of] geography. Some people say it was the lack of flexibility of the times that we could play matches at the Von Braun Center here in Huntsville. Some people say there wasn't enough room in the inn. It depends on who you ask."

So for the second straight season, UAH will be Division I's lone independent. But Brophy said he has talked with many conference commissioners, athletic directors and coaches about conference alignment. The college hockey landscape - like that of college football - is in the middle of a seismic shift.

In the next couple years, numerous schools will be switching leagues. Three CCHA schools are leaving for the Big Ten Conference. But all eyes seem to be on Notre Dame, which hasn't announced if it will stay in the CCHA or join the Big Ten, Hockey East or the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

The Fighting Irish's decision could affect everyone else, including UAH.

"It seems to me that everybody is waiting on Notre Dame," Brophy said. "That has kind of slowed down the process."

Since the late 1970s, hockey has been a staple at UAH, and Brophy insists that won't change. The status might, though. The Chargers could drop back to the club level, where the program started more than 30 years ago. That doesn't sit well with many UAH fans or the Geoffrion brothers.

"Nothing against club hockey, but there is definitely a huge difference," Sebastian said.

The brothers said they would transfer to continue their Division I hockey careers elsewhere if UAH disbanded its varsity program.

They just hope it doesn't reach that point.

Without the UAH program the last three decades, interest in hockey in a Southern town might have melted a long time ago. Many youth programs feed off the college program.

The Geoffrion brothers fear not having an NCAA hockey program for the first time in 27 years would deter the growth and development of future hockey players in Huntsville.

"It would be devastating for them too," Sebastian said. "We have all those kids that come to our games, and they look up to us. It wouldn't just hurt us. Huntsville [youth] hockey is mostly built around Charger hockey here. It would be a big disappointment for everybody."

Nashville City Paper LOADED: 09.20.2011

578817 New Jersey Devils

Petr Sykora throws 'hat' into ring for a spot with Devils

By Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

It was just a scrimmage. The first, in fact, of the Devils' training camp.

But Petr Sykora served notice today that he is a serious candidate to make the team despite being unsigned and here simply on a tryout.

Sykora score three goals in the scrimmage while playing center for the first time since 1996-97.

"You're trying to make an immediate impression. That's a good impression to leave for the first time I've seen him," coach Pete DeBoer said. "It would be hard not to notice him and how he played. To score three goals in a scrimmage is pretty impressive. You can see why he's scored 40 goals in the league before."

Clearly, Sykora was pleased with his performance centering a line with wingers Dainius Zubrus and Stephane Veillueux. But he also saw a need to improve on faceoffs.

"I'm pretty disappointed with my faceoff percentage today," he said. "I was 2-18, so there's something I have to really work on. If I'm going to be at center I can't lose faceoffs like that. What's on my mind right now is faceoffs."

DeBoer smiled.

"He's getting a little picky. He scored three goals in a scrimmage," the coach said. "We'll live with a few lost draws if he can do that on a consistent basis. I thought he played real well."

Not out of the question if used properly.

"I think the strongest part of my game is my shot," Sykora said. "I think I can really help on the power play. Just get that shot in after rebounds.

"I'm not a great skater. I was happy I had two fast guys out there with me. You kind of let them go first to the corner. Zubie and Veilleux were so good getting on the puck and digging the pucks out. That's how they got me the scoring chances sometimes. I wasn't as lost out there (at center) as much as I thought I was going to be."

Of course, no one wins a job with one strong effort three days into camp.

"It was only the first scrimmage of a long camp and a long process," DeBoer cautioned. "You want to temper your enthusiasm a little bit, but he was good. I don't think we would've brought him here and I don't think he would've come unless he felt he had a realistic chance to make the team.

"A guy in his situation, having played as long as he has, is smart enough to look and see he's not coming here unless he feels there is a legitimate opportunity."

Zubrus was impressed.

"When you're talking about Sykie, he always has that nose for a goal," Zubrus said. "He always knows how to get the shot off quickly to surprise goalies. In the high slot he's as dangerous as anybody. It is only one scrimmage but it was fun."

Sykora said; "I got myself into position three times to shoot the puck. It went in today, but I don't really worry about it going in. I just need to get myself into position to get a shot. I was lucky enough that the puck went in today."

DeBoer called Sykora "a very versatile forward" and indicated he wouldn't necessarily have to make the team as a centerman.

All three of his goals came against veteran goalie Johan Hedberg.

Sykora said he hasn't played much center in the last half-decade.

"I played center until '96 or '97. I played a few games for the Rangers, a couple of games with (Jaromir) Jagr. Nothing for a long period of time," he said. "I think everybody knows I can shoot the puck. I have to do other things, like winning faceoffs. I have to always be on the strong side of the puck an support my 'D' when he pinches in.

"I've never been a top faceoff guy but I didn't go 2-18 like I did today. I just want to break even, I guess, and make sure to win those faceoffs in the defensive zone. I think it's because I haven't played center in such a long time. I was going against two guys and they knew exactly what to do. If I have a plan for faceoffs, I'll be better."

He said opposing Devils centers today were on top of the circle for draws and had it been against players on an opposing team they would've gotten a cross check to the face.

"I couldn't do that now," Sykora said with a laugh. "I learned something today. I'll talk about it with Oatsie. He was one of the top faceoff men for 20 years. Kind of get the inside scoop and I think I'll be fine."

Nevertheless, he was happy to score some goals.

"Of course I'm happy the puck goes in," he said. "I don't care if I'm playing hockey with my son in the backyard. If I score a goal I'm happy."

Former linemate Patrik Elias said of Sykora's performance: "A couple of shots, a couple of goals. It's good."

Bryce Salvador practiced with the group that did not play in the scrimmage.

"I'm not hurt," the defenseman said ."A little sore. We're just being smart about it. It's just day three."

DeBoer said of Martin Brodeur, who did not scrimmage or practice: "He has a little bit of lower body stiffness. I don't expect it to be anything serious, but it's too early to mess around with that stuff.

"Same thing (with Salvador). Nothing significant. We want to make sure we do teh right thing with these guys."

Sykora's three goals led the red team to a 4-2 victory over the whites. They played four periods.

"That's the first time I played a four-period game," Zubrus noted. "In the playoffs, six periods. But it wasn't too bad."

DeBoer said he decided to play four periods because many players are used to getting 20 minutes in a game and it would've been only 13-14 minutes rolling four lines. He said they would prefer more hockey to riding bikes off-ice.

"Really liked the practice, the scrimmage," DeBoer said. "I thought we did a lot of good things. We tried to implement a lot of the things we've been working on. The pace was good. I thought a lot of people looked good."

Star Ledger LOADED: 09.20.2011


Devils' David Clarkson ready for big season under Pete DeBoer

By Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

David Clarkson tries to act nonchalant when asked about the offseason hiring of Pete DeBoer as Devils coach.

The right winger doesn't believe he has any kind of an edge, despite the fact DeBoer coached him for three seasons of junior hockey in Kitchener, Ont. Clarkson was an alternate captain during that time.

Yet there is renewed excitment in Clarkson's voice when he talks about the upcoming season with DeBoer behind the Devils' bench.

"I don't know about an edge. I think he knows what I can do as a player. I'm maybe able to be myself a little more and not worry about making a mistake," Clarkson said. "I can play like myself. I don't think I have an edge on anybody.

"I think it will allow me to play the game I know I can play. I'm happy. I'm excited for him and excited for the team. It's going to be a great season, I believe."

Clarkson, 27, feels it has to be better than last season when he had trouble finding a significant role with Jacques Lemaire after the Devils struggled under rookie coach John MacLean in the first half.

Playing all 82 games, he scored 18 points (12 goals, six assists), but never felt Lemaire was confident in what he could contribute.

"If you're talking about me bouncing around the lineup, that's a coach's decision," Clarkson said. "Jacques had a lot of people in a lot of different

situations. As a player I just had to sit there and deal with the situation. My job is just to go out and play. That's all you can do. You can't control who you play with.

"I felt I had a rough year, but I still ended up fourth on the team in scoring. Was I happy with my year? No way. I still have a lot more to bring. On a personal level and on a team level I wasn't happy. It was the first year I didn't make the playoffs, so it was tough to swallow. I think there are good things ahead here for everybody."

And what was his relationship with MacLean?

"I didn't have a hard time with him. I felt bad for what happened," Clarkson said. "I think we as players blame ourselves because we kind of allowed that situation to happen. Johnny Mac was playing me quite a bit. I actually liked him as a coach."

But there is the potential for something special with DeBoer, who helped Clarkson get to the NHL.

Clarkson played the right side in today's scrimmage on a line with Ilya Kovalchuk and Jacob Josefson.

"It's so early. I have no idea what the lines are going to be. Wherever he puts us, I'm ready to go. You obviously like to play with a guy like Kovy, who can wheel the puck and do things and is such a smart player out there. But who knows what the coach will decide.

"I just have to get around the net and create space so Kovy can make those plays and do those things. I just have to keep playing my game-- hard-nosed hockey, finish my checks and always be around the net. Get back to what I used to do. I don't think I got away from it. It's hard to explain but I'm excited for the season to start."

The Devils had an intra-squad scrimmage today. Goalie Martin Brodeur and defenseman Bryce Salvador were both held out with lower body injuries. General manager Lou Lamoriello said neither injury is serious.

Red team

Forwards: Eric Boulton, Dainius Zubrus, Zach Parise, Petr Sykora, Chad Wiseman, Vladimir Zharkov, Cam Janssen, Patrik Elias, Brad Mills, David Steckel, Stephane Veilleux, Steve Bernier

Defensemen: Anton Stralman, Eric Gelinas, Mark Fayne, Anton Volchenkov, Alex Urbom, Matt Corrente, Matt Taormina

Goalies: Keith Kinkaid, Maxime Clermont,

White team

Defensemen: Jay Leach, Brandon Burlon, Andy Greene, Henrik Tallinder, Adam Larsson, Peter Harrold, Mark Fraser

Forwards: Adam Henrique, Matt Anderson, Mike Sislo, Tim Sestito, Mike Hoeffel, Jacob Josefon, Steve Zalewski, Clarkson, Rod Pelley, Mattias Tedenby, Nick Palmieri

Goalie: Johan Hedberg

Hedberg started vs. Kinkaid.

Lines (LW-C-RW)

Parise-Elias-Bernier

Kovalchuk-Josefson-Clarkson

Janssen-Mills-Boulton

Zubrus-Sykora-Veilluex

Pelley-Sestito-Sislo

Tedenby-Henrique-Palmieri

Wiseman-Steckel-Zharkov

Hoeffel--Zalewski-Anderson

Defense pairings

Fayne-Urbom

Volchenkov-Stralman

Gelinas-Corrente

Leach-Harrold

Fraser-Greene

Tallinder-Burlon

Also Stralman-Taormina and Tallinder-Larsson

First period

Petr Sykora gave the reds a 1-0 lead at 7:54 of the first period. He skated on a line with Zubrus and Veilleux.

Elias centered for Parise and Bernier. Josefson centered for Kovalchuk and Clarkson. Mills centered a tough line with Janssen and Boulton. Pelley skated with Sislo and Sestito. Henrique centered for Tedenby and Palmieri. Steckel centered for Wiseman and Zharkov.

Boulton dropped Anderson hit an open-ice hit.

End of first period: Red 1, White 0

Second period

Tim Sestito tips a Rod Pelley shot past Kinkaid at 10:05 to even the score, 1-1.

Clermont replaces Kinkaid in the red goal at that point.

Sykora scored his second goal of the scrimmage to give the reds a 2-1 lead at 15:41. It was a shot from the right circle that beat Hedberg on his glove side.

Earlier, Sykora had set up Zubrus with a brilliant pass that nearly resulted in a goal.

End of 2nd period: Red 2, White 1

Third period

A misplay around Hedberg's net resulted in a goal that gave the reds a 3-1 lead less than a minute into the period. It appeared that Bernier was the goal-scorer.

Kovalchuk's goal at 6:35 cut the deficit to one, 3-2.

Sykora completed his hat trick with 1:14 left in the period when he drilled a one-timer from above the left circle, beating Hedberg high on his glove side. That gave the reds a 4-2 lead.

End of 3rd period: Red 4, White 2

Fourth period

Yes, they played a fourth period!

Hedberg was removed before the period started and Kinkaid changed teams and is now is goal for the whites. Clermont still in net for the reds.

Tedenby was shaken up and headed for the bench with 12:50 left. He returned for his next shift.

No scoring.

Final: Red 4, White 2

Star Ledger LOADED: 09.20.2011


Sykora looking to stick around with Devils

By TOM GULITTI

STAFF WRITER

NEWARK - Petr Sykora knows he still has a long way to go to earn a job and a contract with the Devils.

The 34-year-old forward took a good step in that direction Monday, however, by scoring three goals in a training camp scrimmage to lead his team to a 4-2 victory.

"You try to make an immediate impression right away and that's a good impression to leave for the first time that I've seen him," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said.

Sykora, a former 35-goal scorer with the Devils and a member of their 2000 Stanley Cup team, is in camp as a tryout and hoping to make the most of what he believes is his last shot at playing in the NHL. He was drafted 18th overall by the Devils in 1995 and was the right wing on one of the most potent lines in Devils' history with Patrik Elias and Jason Arnott.

Sykora has been skating at center so far in camp, though, and that appears to be the position where he has the best shot of making the team. Travis Zajac will be out for at least the first month and a half of the season with a torn left Achilles tendon. DeBoer said Sykora wouldn't necessarily have to play center to make the roster, but his versatility is an asset.

"I don't think we would have brought him here, and I don't think he would have come unless he felt he had a realistic chance to make the team," DeBoer said.

Sykora said he last played center regularly when he was with the Devils in 1996 or 1997. He played Monday on a line with Stephane Veilleux and Dainius Zubrus.

"Because I'm not a great skater, I was very happy that I had two fast guys with me," Sykora said. "You kind of let them go first to the corners and just play your position and be on the strong side of the puck."

Sykora downplayed the importance of his three goals.

"It doesn't hurt," he said. "I think everybody knows that I can shoot the puck. I have to work on other parts of the game to make it ... I have to do little things like winning faceoffs. ... I always have to support my [defenseman] when he pinches in."

BRIEFS: Goaltender Martin Brodeur was held with what DeBoer called, "a little bit of lower-body stiffness." The coach also said, "I don't anticipate it being anything serious, but it's too early to mess around with that stuff." ... Defenseman Bryce Salvador has similar lower-body stiffness and didn't play for the same reason but did practice afterward with the other players who didn't participate. "It's just lower body. I'm fine," Salvador said. "We're just easing back into things. It's only Day 3."

Bergen Record LOADED: 09.20.2011


Sykora makes most of return to Devils

By MARK EVERSON

Last Updated: 2:33 AM, September 20, 2011

After scoring on three outside shots, Petr Sykora is no longer such a long shot to make the Devils.

Perhaps he's finally getting warmed up for hat tricks. He certainly launched his last-chance comeback bid in emphatic fashion, scoring long goals from the right, center and left yesterday in the Devils' first intrasquad varsity scrimmage.

"He was pretty impressive," new coach Pete DeBoer said. "That's a good impression to leave for the first time I've seen him."

DeBoer said Sykora was already a likely candidate to make the team, even before the 10-time 20-goal man served notice yesterday.

"I don't think we would have brought him here and he would have come unless he felt he had a realistic chance to make the team," DeBoer said.

The 34-year-old tryout invitee went 12 seasons and an NHL record 38 two-goal games before he scored his first hat trick in 2008. This one doesn't count, except with those who will decide if he makes the team.

As noted here last week, Sykora is being tried at center, where the Devils need help up front with Travis Zajac idled into November, at least, following Achilles tendon surgery.

"Everybody knows I can shoot the puck," Sykora said. "Of course, I'm very happy the puck went in."

Sykora dwelt on his faceoff difficulties, saying he went 2-18. DeBoer will take the goals.

"He's getting a little picky after scoring three goals in a scrimmage. We'll live with a few lost draws if he can do that on a consistent basis," DeBoer said. "I thought he played really well. It's only the first scrimmage of a long camp and long process so you want to temper your enthusiasm, but it was good."

Sykora played last season in the Czech league and KHL. His last NHL season, 2009-10, was cut short by a concussion. He was the Devils' first-rounder in 1995 and won the 2000 Stanley Cup with New Jersey, albeit in the hospital with a concussion suffered the final game. He has scored 302 NHL goals, including 145 for the Devils, whom he led in scoring in 1998-99.

Martin Brodeur and Bryce Salvador each sat out with what the team called lower body injuries, which they deemed not serious. Salvador missed last season with a concussion. Salvador praticed with the rookies yesterday, while Brodeur rested.

New York Post LOADED: 09.20.2011


Sykora nets hat trick in Devils scrimmage

By MARK EVERSON

Last Updated: 12:52 PM, September 19, 2011

Making an emphatic opening statement in his last-chance comeback bid, Petr Sykora scored a hat trick in the Devils' first varsity scrimmage Monday.

Sykora scored in each period of his side's 4-2 victory over a squad led by Ilya Kovalchuk and Andy Greene, with Johan Hedberg in net. Sykora, who is an unsigned invitee at Devils camp, opened the game with a right boards slap, snapped in his second from the deep slot and scorched Hedberg with a one-time slap from the top of the left circle. Steve Bernier scored the other goal for Sykora's side, while Tim Sestito and Kovalchuk connected for the losers.

Sykora, 34, a 10-time 20-goal scorer, centered Dainius Zubrus and summertime signee Stephane Veilleux. The sides also played a scoreless fourth period at the behest of management.

Martin Brodeur and Bryce Salvador each sat out with what the team called lower body injuries, which they deemed not serious. Salvador missed last season with a concussion.

Sykora played last season in the Czech league and KHL. He was the Devils' first-rounder in 1995 and won the 2000 Stanley Cup with New Jersey, albeit in the hospital with a concussion suffered during the final game. He has scored 302 NHL goals, including 145 for New Jersey, whom he led in scoring in 1998-99.


578822 New York Islanders

Islanders' goalies crowding the net

By ARTHUR STAPLE

Rick DiPietro remembered his first training camp, when he introduced himself to John Vanbiesbrouck in Lake Placid and was "in awe of everything."

That was, remarkably, 11 years ago. DiPietro turned 30 Monday, and now he's one of the old veterans in a six-goalie mix this training camp.

"Older," he said. "I can't say old just yet."

But DiPietro, who has played a total of 39 games the last three seasons because of various knee and hip injuries and facial fractures, is trying to regain his No. 1 status in a wide-open camp with a lot of question marks in goal.

There's Evgeni Nabokov, trying to overcome a lost 2010-11, when he took the money and left the Sharks for the KHL, then balked at coming to the Islanders when they claimed him after he'd signed to go to the playoff-bound Wings. And Al Montoya, who played well after the Islanders acquired him from the Coyotes out of desperation, but now needs to prove he can maintain the focus and confidence to earn time.

There are also three prospects the Isles are invested in: Kevin Poulin, Anders Nilsson and Mikko Koskinen. That means that even competition for work in Bridgeport will be fierce.

"This is the way we like to have it, where everyone has to work hard for their spots," Jack Capuano said. "Competition is good for everyone."

The concern could be whether all the goalies believe they will get a shot to show what they can do. There are only five preseason games to do that; people around the team seem to believe the Islanders will carry three goalies into the regular season, but it's still a battle to stay fresh.

"It's been like this forever now," Nabokov said. "You have young guys pushing you from behind and the other competitors step up from behind. So you don't want to feel too comfortable. You want to feel them breathing on your back and that's what makes everybody better."

That hasn't always been the case with DiPietro, who has had confidence to spare, even through his most trying times the last three seasons. He seems aware that he has to prove himself a bit -- to stay healthy and play at the level he achieved earlier in his career.

"When I feel good, I think the results have been there," he said.

"This is as good as I've felt in a while. Instead of needing time to focus on rehab, I've had time to do things like yoga, other body-maintenance stuff. It should be interesting to see how things go. You can only control how hard you prepare, so that's what I'm focusing on."

Notes & quotes: D Steve Staios participated in the team's first training-camp practice Monday after agreeing to a tryout on Saturday. Staios, 38, spent the last decade of his 15-year career in Edmonton and Calgary. "I think the travel schedule here can help veterans," he said. "I had some other invites to camps, but this is the best fit. I really like this team." . . . D Andrew MacDonald (hip surgery) and C Marty Reasoner (knee) were held out of practice.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 09.20.2011

578823 New York Rangers

Staal's setback hurts Rangers

By LARRY BROOKS


The Rangers' search for a defenseman will become more serious following yesterday's setback that kept Marc Staal off the ice with re-occurring post-concussion symptoms.

After coach John Tortorella reported on Sunday that Staal had been "progressing nicely" after experiencing headaches as late as late last week, the coach said yesterday the first-pair defenseman "just didn't feel good," upon reporting to the rink in the morning and as such was kept off the ice.

"It's an ongoing, fluid situation," Tortorella said of Staal, whose continuing issues seven months after being concussed on a hit from his older brother Eric have alarm bells ringing within the organization. "This is the process we're going to go through as we try to help him through this.

"We're erring on the side of caution here. We're going to be patient with him."

That's certainly the appropriate approach, but it's not as if the Rangers have much of a choice in dealing with the health of their 24-year-old alternate captain.

And as the club prepares to embark on its trip to Europe late next Monday night for the final 10 days of camp that will precede the first two games of the regular season in Stockholm on Oct. 7-8 without assurance that Staal will be in the lineup, the Blueshirts have little choice other than to add a veteran, depth defenseman to a green blue line.

Tortorella made no secret that Staal's situation would add urgency to the organization's search for a defenseman the coach said had been ongoing even prior to Friday's first day of camp.

"Even prior to Marc being up and down we were looking," he said. "Why? Because you always look to try and improve your team."

Tortorella may not be a charter member of Paul Mara's fan club, the coach having overseen the veteran's exit from both the Lightning and Rangers, but the 32-year-old free agent who played 156 games for the Blueshirts from late in 2006-07 through 2008-09, is probably the best option under these circumstances.

Mara, who can play both sides, understands Tortorella's system and would certainly be available at the right price after rejecting an invitation to attend the Islanders' training camp on a tryout. Mara earned $750,000 last season playing for Anaheim and Montreal.

The 11-year-veteran would add experience to a defense corps that, absent Staal and in addition to first-pair shutdown staple Dan Girardi most prominently features sophomores Michael Sauer and Ryan McDonagh; 21-year-old Michael del Zotto, fighting to make his way back onto the roster; and 20-year-old rookie Tim Erixon, who is in his first year in North America.

Sauer, who missed the opening two days of camp and Sunday's first scrimmage because of right knee tendinitis, appears to have come through yesterday's scrimmage without any after-effects. Indeed, Sauer was assertive throughout and absorbed a tough Sean Avery check against the wall (responded to immediately by Brandon Dubinsky) none the worse for wear.

Tortorella said he is looking for the defense to create more offense. Beyond that, he everyone on the club to add onto their games, "including the young guys."

"We were a seventh-, eighth-, ninth-place team for most of last year," he said. "We're not going anywhere if we're pretty good. We have to improve as individuals and as a team if we want to go anywhere."

It will be that much harder for the Rangers to get there without Staal regaining his health.



Lundqvist plans to set goals

By LARRY BROOKS


After meeting and indeed surpassing last season's publicly stated personal objective of 10 shutouts with a career-high and NHL-leading 11 whitewashes, Henrik Lundqvist will establish his personal objectives for 2011-12 after talking it over with assistant coach and goaltending instructor Benoit Allaire.

"I'll sit down with Benny before the season starts and do that," The King said yesterday after his second straight sharp scrimmage performance. "You want to have goals where you push yourself,but at the same time you want to have goals that you can achieve also.

"Last year was fun trying to reach something, but you don't want to put too much pressure on yourself."

Lundqvist acknowledged that he learned how to adapt to a lesser workload last season when he started only 41 of the first 56 games before getting the

call in the final 26 games, the last 18 of which came after Marty Biron sustained a broken collarbone in a Feb. 28 practice.

Even so, Lundqvist's 67 starts were his fewest since his 2005-06 rookie season.

"It's important for me not to have [sitting out] as an excuse for not playing well," said Lundqvist, who had an uneven first four months before performing brilliantly during the stretch run to the playoffs. "I have to be ready when they tell me to play.

"I think [the rest] helped me down the stretch. I felt better physically. If you want to be playing at the end of May [and in June], it's very important to feel fresh."

The 29-year-old (already?) may not wish to burden himself with unrealistically high personal expectations, but he welcomes the generally high expectations both surrounding his team and within the room.

"I think people should have high expectations of us, but the question is how high," he said. "We're going to talk as a group as where we should be, what our expectations are of ourselves, where we should be in a couple of months and then at the end of the year.

"I like when people expect things from me. Also it's easier when you have people around who expect you all the time to do well. It sets the tone for everybody that you can't take a day off and you can't have bad games. When you challenge each other, I feel it's a good thing.

"Of course you want to be a top team every year," said the King. "Last year was a great group and we added a couple of pieces. It's so early that we haven't talked about what to expect, but I have a good feeling."

Coach John Tortorella cited defenseman Steve Eminger, who returned on a one-year free-agent deal after being scratched in 13 of the final 30 games and the entire five-game, first-round series against the Caps, for strong work through the first two days of scrimmages.

While no rookie hopeful has duplicated Derek Stepan's breakout first few days of last year, winger Carl Hagelin's speed is impossible not to notice . . . Brian Boyle has been extremely assertive in the scrimmages as has Marian Gaborik, who seems entirely zoned in and ready to go after his seeing-was-still-disbelieving 22-goal season that represented a 20-goal decline from 2009-10.

"I said it before but I think Gabby is going to have a very good year," said Tortorella. "He knows how it went last year and I think he wants to prove something to people and to himself."

Tim Erixon, who has been very smooth while exhibiting innate hockey sense, and Michael Del Zotto are both left-hand shots who play the left side. When asked whether he'd have trepidation moving either to the right side, Tortorella said he'd yet to give that any thought.

Ranger scouts and management personnel, however, believe that one of Erixon's great attributes is that he can play either side.

Forward lines remained intact yesterday, though there could be shuffling for today's scrimmages following which Tortorella and the staff will construct the lineup for tomorrow night's exhibition-game lineup against the Devils in Albany.



Rangers' Staal slowed by concussion

By LARRY BROOKS


The repercussions from the un-brotherly hit Marc Staal absorbed from elder sibling Eric in Carolina last Feb. 22 that caused what the Rangers are now admitting was a concussion are creating headaches for the organization like the ones the 24-year-old defenseman experienced intermittently throughout the summer, and as late as late last week.

Though he was cleared for contact by the medical staff after passing a brainwave baseline test on Friday, the Rangers alternate captain will be held out of training camp scrimmages and at least the three North American exhibition games the club will play before departing for Europe on Sept. 27, as reported exclusively on NYPost.com yesterday afternoon.

And while John Tortorella described the approach as "cautious" and "precautionary," the Rangers coach admitted he is in no position to guarantee Staal would be available for the Oct. 7 regular season-opener in Stockholm, Sweden, against the Kings.

"I can't say, 'Yeah, he'll play,' " Tortorella said of his invaluable first-pair defenseman, who did go through the initial two days of rigorous on-ice testing and participated in all of yesterday's drills. "It's [post-concussion ramifications] out there; it's well-chronicled.

"He's progressing nicely after coming in with headaches, he's felt really good after working out hard, and we've been very encouraged the last couple of days but I want him to feel better consistently. He could have contact, but we're holding him out. We want to make sure.

"We're looking to get him ready to play opening night."

Marc Staal sustained the concussion when he was blasted up high by Hurricanes captain Eric Staal with 50 seconds remaining in the second period of the Rangers' 4-3 shootout victory. The defenseman left the game at the 6:40 mark of the third period with a left knee injury he was said to have sustained on the match's first shift.

Though Staal did indeed incur the knee injury, the organization repeatedly denied he had sustained a concussion. It was only yesterday that Tortorella disclosed Staal had, at the time, been "diagnosed with a concussion."

No. 18 returned to the lineup after missing three games and passing a baseline test. But he was sidelined again for two games for an undisclosed reason on March 20-22 that yesterday was disclosed as post-concussion symptoms.

Staal, who did not address the media yesterday, returned for the final eight games of the regular season after passing another baseline test and played in the first-round of the playoffs against the Caps, in which the Rangers were eliminated in five games.

"But then he was working out in the summer and didn't feel right," Tortorella said. "He talked to [athletic trainer Jim Ramsay]. We had specialists with him.

"What bothers me most is that it re-occurred over the summer."

Staal, who recorded 29 points (7-22) last year, was fourth in the NHL in ice-time at 25:44 per game and averaged 28:01 in the playoffs. He is the club's lynchpin on a defense that is also dealing with Michael Sauer's right knee tendinitis that has set the sophomore back at the start of camp.

"Yes and no," Tortorella said when asked if the Rangers are in the market for blue line aid. "We're always looking, especially at that position.

"We have a fairly young defense as projected, so we'll see how it goes, but my biggest concern is getting Marc healthy."

In other words, a post-concussion headache.



Rangers' Prust not cleared for contact

By LARRY BROOKS


Brandon Prust has not been cleared for contact approximately 10 weeks after undergoing right shoulder surgery. As such, the Rangers' truculent winger will be unable to participate in scrimmages or in exhibition games until late in the preseason.

"The doctors told us that Prustie needs a couple of more weeks before contact," coach John Tortorella said following yesterday's first day of camp scrimmages. "He'll get some exhibition games overseas.

"We'll keep him out of the scrimmages here because he doesn't know how to stop, not get hit or hit someone."

The Rangers will play four preseason games on the bigger ice surfaces in Europe following three exhibition matches in North America. They will play in Albany against the Devils on Wednesday, in New Jersey on Friday and in Philadelphia a week from tonight.

Prust, who famously said last year, "It's only pain," while playing through one of the myriad ailments he sustained over the course of the 82-game grind, laughed when the motto was repeated to him.

"There is no pain," he said.

While Tortorella responded, "You can and you can't, you can't and you can, I'm sorry, you know what I mean?" when asked if anything could be read into scrimmage-line combinations, it is impossible to read anything positive regarding into Sean Avery's status with the club off yesterday's lineups.

For even with Prust unavailable, Tortorella chose to assign Avery to a line with AHL center John Mitchell and junior-bound, first-round draft choice J.T. Miller while using Andre Deveaux, a big AHL free-agent signee, with Brian Boyle and Ruslan Fedotenko.

Avery and the also endangered Erik Christensen were the only two forwards off the 2010-11 playoff roster not to skate with NHL mates. Christensen centered wingers Christian Thomas and Carl Hagelin.

As expected, Wojtek Wolski skated with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik on a unit that had its way with the opposition in the morning scrimmage.

Tortorella said that he will take a look at other left wings on that line regardless of the unit's success.

"I know it's Gabby and Richie, but there are guys that are going to get checked out there," he said. "Whether it's good or bad I still want to see other people."

Derek Stepan skated between Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan while Artem Anisimov centered Mike Rupp and Mats Zuccarello.

Pavel Valentenko -- who would have to pass through waivers in order to be assigned to the AHL Whale -- was paired with Dan Girardi in Marc Staal's absence.

Shane McColgan, the 5-9, 165-pound winger out of Torrance, Calif., was the most noticeable 18-year-old on the ice. The rambunctious McColgan was the 134th overall selection in this past June's entry draft after recording 66 points (21-45) for WHL Kelowna.



Rangers' Staal suffers setback

By ANDREW GROSS

STAFF WRITER

GREENBURGH, N.Y. - The first three days of training camp were good for Marc Staal. Monday was not. And there may be similar days ahead as the Rangers' No. 1 defenseman recovers from a concussion.

Staal was sent home from the Rangers' practice facility and did not skate after reporting he did not feel well.

"We'll see how he feels," said coach John Tortorella, adding Staal could play in the Oct. 7 opener against the Kings in Stockholm, Sweden even if he misses all seven preseason games. "That's how it's going to be. We're erring on the side of caution."

The Rangers revealed Sunday Marc Staal had experienced post-concussion symptoms throughout the summer following a vicious check by

his brother, Eric, of the Hurricanes on Feb. 22 and would not be cleared for contact or play in at least the first three preseason games.

The Rangers' defense corps received a boost Monday when Mike Sauer (right knee tendinitis) was able to scrimmage and scored a goal as his Blue squad beat Green, 2-1.

Still, despite Sauer's return and rookie Tim Erixon's poised showing so far, Tortorella does not deny the Rangers are looking to add a veteran defenseman, possibly through a trade or tryout invitation.

"Even prior to this, with Marc up and down, we're looking," Tortorella said. "Because you're always looking to try to improve your team."

The Rangers have obviously known for a while Marc Staal's health was uncertain, even though he passed a baseline neurological test in order to return three games after Eric Staal's check and again when training camp opened Friday.

Eric Staal confirmed to the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer on Monday that his brother began to experience post-concussion symptoms as he worked out this summer in Thunder Bay, Ont.

"It's difficult," Eric Staal told the News and Observer. "It's difficult for me and difficult for him. It's one of those situations that's kind of scary. You obviously don't want to hurt somebody, especially when it's your own family.

"It [hurts]," Eric Staal added. "It's not fun for him or fun for me."

Eric Staal said the two worked out together this summer and the hit has not strained their relationship.

BRIEFS: Marian Gaborik underwent his fitness skating test Monday after missing it Friday. Sauer will do his today provided his knee is not sore. ...Tortorella said he'll decide who's playing in Wednesday's preseason opener against the Devils in Albany, N.Y. after today's practices. ... Center Brian Boyle suffered a bruised left foot after blocking a shot in Monday's morning scrimmage. But a limping Boyle, who scored his third goal in two scrimmages, was able to continue playing and said he'll be available today.

Bergen Record LOADED: 09.20.2011


Rangers keep ailing Staal off ice

By STEVE ZIPAY

In a worrisome sign for the Rangers, All-Star defenseman Marc Staal was kept off the ice Monday and sent home because "he just didn't feel well," coach John Tortorella said. Staal had headaches this summer and earlier in camp stemming from a concussion he suffered Feb. 22.

The setback came a day after Tortorella said he was encouraged that Staal had been symptom-free for a few days. He passed a baseline neurological test Friday and was cleared for contact, but he also didn't scrimmage Sunday.

"We talked to the trainers and figured we'd just back off. This is a fluid situation," said Tortorella, who declined to specify whether Staal's headaches had returned. The coach said, however, that the club was looking actively for defensive help, with only 21/2 weeks remaining before the regular- season opens against the Kings Oct. 7 in Stockholm.

"We're going to err on the side of caution,'' Tortorella said. "We have time and I'm hoping we can get him in some exhibition games."

Staal, 24, sat out three games last February after being checked by his brother Eric of the Hurricanes. Besides the concussion, the hit also injured Marc Staal's left knee. He sat out two more games in March before playing the rest of the season. He called to report headaches during the summer and saw doctors, the Rangers said.

Replacing the 6-4 defenseman, who averaged 25:44 of ice time per game last season, fourth highest in the league, wouldn't be easy, even in the short term. The Rangers have Staal's defensive partner, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Steve Eminger and Michael Sauer returning from last season. Journeyman Brendan Bell and youngsters such as Michael Del Zotto, Tim

Erixon and Pavel Valentenko also are competing for a job, but the search is on.

"Even prior to this with Marc, the ups and downs, we were looking," Tortorella said. "There's some people out there. You're always looking to try to improve your team. Not so much trading, but if something leaks out of another team that our people like, you have to take a look at that."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 09.20.2011

578829 NHL

With Stricter Rule on Hits to the Head, Some N.H.L. Stars Are Split on a Full Ban

By JEFF Z. KLEIN

The N.H.L. began its preseason Monday with a tightened Rule 48, which outlaws most checks to the head as part of the league's response to the spate of concussions in hockey.

But the N.H.L. did not fully outlaw head contact, as bodies like the International Ice Hockey Federation, the N.C.A.A. and the Ontario Hockey League have done - and as several N.H.L. stars said they would prefer.

In interviews conducted before training camps opened Friday, 17 of the N.H.L.'s top players, in New York as part of the league's news media tour, were asked whether they favored a full ban on head contact. Seven said yes; four said no; six said they were not certain.

"I agree 100 percent," said Steven Stamkos, the Tampa Bay forward who has scored 119 goals in three seasons, when asked whether he favored penalizing all contact to the head.

"We have to be accountable as players for where your shoulders are or where your elbows are when you go to make a hit," Stamkos said. "If a guy's in a vulnerable position, don't hit him. Take the puck, rub him out; you don't have to hit him - hopefully that will prevent some more concussions."

Forward Shane Doan, the captain of the Phoenix Coyotes and a 15-year veteran of the team, was among the dissenters.

"I don't think you can go with a full ban," he said. "You use your body to check people. If you were playing basketball, where it's only your hands, maybe you can eliminate hits to the head. But that's not the way our sport is designed. If you'd have to change the whole sport, well, you have to be careful of what you wish for."

Doan's opinion reflects that of a majority of general managers, who believe that penalizing all contact with the head would reduce the heavy hitting and physicality that characterize the league.

But legal hits that resulted in concussions to Florida's David Booth and Boston's Marc Savard shortly before the general managers' meeting in March 2010 provided the final impetus for change.

At the meeting, the general managers moved to tighten regulations governing hits to the head, or head shots, as they are commonly called, and the players union later added language that made the rule stricter.

Their efforts resulted in Rule 48, installed at the start of the 2010-11 season. It read, "A lateral or blindside hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principal point of contact is not permitted."

After the season, in which more high-profile concussions occurred, a group led by Brendan Shanahan, a league vice president and recently retired star, widened the scope of rules on boarding and on hits to the head for 2011-12. The "lateral or blindside" provision of Rule 48 was removed, making potentially illegal any hit to the head, regardless of the direction from which it is delivered.

But the revised rule still leaves an out for the checker: "In determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position

immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was avoidable, can be considered."

That stands in contrast to the rule in the O.H.L., the league that sends the most players to the N.H.L., which makes illegal "the act of checking an opponent to the head in any manner."

Although all the N.H.L. players interviewed said they applauded the league's efforts to tighten Rule 48 and mete out stiffer suspensions for egregious violations, several said they preferred the O.H.L. rule.

"I think it's at that time where it's definitely necessary," said Chicago forward Patrick Kane, who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 2010. "It might get a little ridiculous at first with a lot of penalties, but as time wears on, it'll definitely help the game, help with injuries and with health. So I think it's something that needs to be done."

Martin St. Louis, the 36-year-old Tampa Bay forward who has won the Hart, Ross and Lady Byng Trophies, said he was in favor of a ban on head contact, "whether it's on purpose or not on purpose."

The Islanders' John Tavares, another advocate of a ban, said: "In junior, we had that rule. You're able to eliminate everything from the head down and still keep things physical."

Devils forward Zach Parise, meanwhile, said he did not think eliminating all head shots would "take the physicality out of the game."

Buffalo defenseman Tyler Myers was guarded in his support for a full ban. "If that's what has to be done to eliminate these head injuries and these head shots, that may have to happen," he said.

The players interviewed tended to be finesse forwards, more often the recipients of heavy checks than the deliverers of them. It is possible that role players whose careers depend more on physical contact lean more toward the league's current rule, which allows some leeway for the deliverer of a check.

But some stars also say the N.H.L.'s current rule is sufficient.

"For me, if it's a clean hit and the person absorbing the hit is not protecting themselves and not aware of their position on the ice, then it's part of the game," Florida defenseman Brian Campbell said.

Toronto defenseman Dion Phaneuf is of a similar mind.

"We have a fast, physical sport - that's what we are," he said. "You can't take that out of the game. If a guy cuts across the middle, he gets hit, he gets hurt, that's a hockey play."

Several other players said they were not sure about where the rule should go. Their position was best distilled by Vancouver forward Ryan Kesler.

"How do you do it?" Kesler said. "You give a two-minute penalty? That's not going to stop head shots. A five-minute major might, but then you're maybe penalizing a team for an accident.

"It's tough," he continued, acknowledging the difficulty Shanahan and the rule makers face. "I'm glad it's not my job."

New York Times LOADED: 09.20.2011

578830 NHL

Mental illness often a byproduct of concussions

James Christie

A concussion from an impact while an athlete is playing hockey can result in life-threatening psychological and psychiatric damage, a Toronto psychiatrist says.

Depression, a form of mental illness, frequently occurs beyond the common hockey injuries of stitches and bruises, Shree Bhalerao said. "But no one's talking about it because there's a stigma attached to it."

Because of the stigma associated with mental illness, depression can drive a problematic injury even deeper, the doctor said. Players in a macho game don't want to be seen as "damaged goods" in the lineup, he said.

Often called an "invisible injury," depression and concussion are cited as conditions afflicting fist-fighting NHL enforcers in their careers. Sometimes they have been connected to untimely deaths and suicides of NHL players.

"I've spent 12 years doing this stuff in an acute setting, but what I haven't seen is articles from the psychiatric point of view," Bhalerao told a conference on Outcomes in Concussion cases, organized by neurosurgeon Michael Cusimano.

Cusimano of St. Michael's hospital here is a pioneer in brain injury management. He said there will be between 15,000 and 20,000 concussive brain injuries across Canada this year.

The conference heard more concussions happen in the first period, when players are charged up aggressively with adrenalin and by coaching pep talks about "owning" the rink. (This is contrary to the belief that injuries occur late in games when athletes are tired and let down their guard down.)

The psychiatrist said he sees depression frequently in concussion patients - 30 per cent of patients exhibit it. They suffer from diminished motivation, impaired sleep, are withdrawn, have anxiety and have unfounded fears.

"They don't want to return to the ice. They have a feeling of panic ... the elements of an acute stress disorder," Bhalerao said. Concussion patients often exhibit personality changes. They are irritable, they have increased impulsivity and can lapse into substance abuse.

"Eighty-seven per cent have cognitive changes in short-term memory and problems in executive functions, encapsulated in the acronym SOAP: sequencing a series of events, organization, attention and planning."

"There's still an attitude out there that brain injury is like a broken arm," Cusimano said. "You can't take your brain for granted."

In the seminar, Michael Hutchison, the assistant coach of the men's University of Toronto Blues and a postdoctoral fellow in injury prevention at St. Mikes, said a videotape study of almost 200 concussions in the NHL from 2007 to 2010 showed most concussions are caused by head shots initiated by the shoulder, elbow or gloves. Only about one in 10 were the result of fights, he said.

The seminar also heard from Karolina Urban, captain of the University of Toronto women's Varsity Blues hockey team, who has had three concussions while playing - the first one from a direct hit to the head (although women's hockey is supposed to have no body checking) and two more which have not been direct head hits. In none of the cases was a penalty called, she said. Toronto's women's team had 11 concussions last winter.

Repeat concussions can happen if a player comes back when not fully healed from an initial concussion, Toronto neurosurgeon Charles Tator said. Kids who suffer concussions may be willing to take their time healing before coming back to play, but there's pressure from parents who are paying money for equipment, coaching, fees and ice time. Second impact syndrome can occur, Tator said, although it is rare. That rarity isn't a good thing: Sometimes players die because of second concussions or are severely disabled by them.

Education of coaches and trainers of what to look for in possible cases of concussion are the key, he said. About half the states in the United States have legislated more education of concussion symptoms for coaches and trainers. "For some reason, we're still thinking this through in Canada," he said. He said coaches and trainers, because they are on the spot at hockey games, should be trained as the first line of defence against serious brain injury.

Cusimano said that part of the problem has been the macho culture of hockey. A few years ago, he said, researchers tried to take the message to hockey coaches "and some of them wouldn't be part of it," he said. The reluctant coaches were fearful they might be urged to take a softer approach to a physical game.

Rob Zamuner, who played 13 years in the NHL and is now a divisional representative for the National Hockey League Players' Association, said NHL hockey was still making spots for enforcers, "who have five years to do it, make the money that is supposed to support the family for their whole lives." Some decide to make a difficult bargain with themselves: They take a high-paying job, but they risk a serious injury and have a short career. "It's what they've grown up to do [play the enforcer role] and they do it well." But he said it's wrong to chastise players who take a lucrative role pro hockey makes open to them as long as it's there.

Cusimano said about one in 4,000 hockey players has a pro career "but about 70 per cent of young mothers are thinking they don't want their young athletes playing hockey. There's an urgency to do something now, not 10 years from now."

The incidence of concussion is serious, he said, noting research that shows that the occurrence of concussion is seven times as common as breast cancer and 30 times as common as HIV.

"What's happening is, it's now possible to talk about TBI [traumatic brain injury] and it becomes more possible to talk about mental illness from injury in the brain," Bhalerao said. Some may have grown up being rewarded for tough behaviour, but some may have learned it.

"It would be interesting to talk to players and see their developmental histories and to see... are their certain enforcers or certain types of players who have a certain background? Do they have aggressive role models or have they had multiple head injuries that have made them that way even before they got to the NHL? Did the NHL create more of that problem?"


578831 NHL

'If the Cup could speak, imagine the stories it could tell'

Bob Mitchell

Never mind Lord Stanley rolling over in his grave. Phil Pritchard, the supreme protector of the Stanley Cup, must sweat bullets every time he lets the NHL's prized trophy out of his white-gloved grasp.

The Cup has often been treated like a used library book throughout its glorious history.

It's been dropkicked and stolen. It's been to bars, strip clubs and backyard barbecues. It's been used in a baptism. Even a dog and a horse have eaten out of the bowl.

"I think that's part of its charm, its lore," said Pritchard, the Hockey Hall of Fame's vice-president and curator. "If the Cup could speak, imagine the stories it could tell. It would be a best-seller."

In his last official duty as a Boston Bruin, forward Michael Ryder (now with the Dallas Stars), stood beside it for a photo-op in St. John's, N.L. in late August, when it tumbled to the ground after a table collapsed.

The bowl was still dented when it travelled to Thornbury, Ont. last week, but has since been rounded out, according to Pritchard. The names of all the players with the champion Bruins were engraved in Montreal by Louise St. Jacques, who also fixed the dent.

Entrusted with engraving professional hockey's Holy Grail, St. Jacques works out of a small silversmith shop in old Montreal.

Born and raised in Quebec, St. Jacques isn't a passionate fan of any team, not even the hometown Canadiens - which is a good thing, since it would be so easy for her to misspell one of the rival Bruins' names before the NHL presents its trophy at Boston's home opener Oct. 6.

But she has misspelled one player's name. Adam Deadmarsh was "Deadmarch" - but she fixed it before it was sent back to Colorado.

She's one of only four people to ever be entrusted with the task of being the Cup's official engraver.

Carl Poul Petersen, a famous silversmith from Denmark who moved to Montreal in the 1920s, was the Cup's official engraver until his death in 1977. His son Arno continued his work until 1979 when their company closed. Eric Boffey and later, his son Doug, then became the Cup's official engravers until 1989.

St. Jacques also creates the 13-inch replicas that are given to players and other team officials to keep.

"It's 118 years old and when we get to be 118 we're going to have some dents," Pritchard said. "Fortunately, it can be fixed."

The Newfoundland mishap likely won't be the last time the Cup will be dented, dropped or fumbled. Unlike in other major sports, the winning team's players, coaches and officials get to take the silver treasure home with them for a couple of days to share their triumph with friends, family, even strangers. Winning teams get the Cup for 100 days following their triumph.

While baseball, football and basketball keep their trophies locked up behind glass - and away from the unclean fingers of general public - the Stanley Cup making the winners' tour is the real McCoy, not a replica. A replica is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame while the real Cup completes its tour.

"That's the great thing. It's 'the one' that players get to travel with," Pritchard said. "Players are amazed when they get to hoist it. It's the same one that Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Maurice Richard and Howie Morenz won and held."

But despite a team's good intentions with the trophy, things happen.

It's been to the bottom of the swimming pools of at least two players. It was tossed around in Mario Lemieux's pool following the Penguins' victory in 1991. As the story goes, it also wound up in Patrick Roy's pool following the Canadiens' 1993 triumph.

Back in 1905, before it became the NHL's top prize, the Cup spent the night in the Rideau Canal in Ottawa after several players with the Silver Seven dropkicked it there.

In 1924, it was left by the side of a road in a snow bank when it was taken out of the trunk of a car so that a flat tire could be changed. The Canadiens players never realized it was missing until it came time to drink champagne. Incredibly, the trophy was still in the snow bank when the Habs returned to where it had been inadvertently left.

It's also been featured on TV: On The Simpsons, Krusty the Clown drank out of it and then vomited back into the bowl. Rangers Mark Messier and Brian Leetch took it on the Late Show With David Letterman following New York's 1994 win, where it was part of the talk show's infamous stupid tricks segment. Messier also took it to Scores, a famous Manhattan strip club.

Toronto Star LOADED: 09.20.2011

578832 Ottawa Senators

Sens first pre-season tilt: Cowen everywhere in losing effort

By Allen Panzeri, The Ottawa Citizen September 20, 2011

TORONTO - Jared Cowen had an eventful night.

Five minutes into Monday's exhibition game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he got mixed up in a odd half-fight, half-wrestling episode with Leaf captain Dion Phaneuf and came out on the bad end of it.

Though it looked as if Phaneuf went after Cowen in the Ottawa zone, Cowen ended up with 17 minutes in penalties (instigating, fighting, and a 10-minute misconduct) to Phaneuf's seven (elbowing and fighting).

"Well, he took a run at (defenceman Tim) Conboy and I just sort of moved toward him," said Cowen.

"I didn't think he was going to drop them that fast, but he dropped them, so I guess I got the instigator but I didn't have my gloves off yet.

"It was fine, though. It was OK. Just rushed me a bit."

But when he came back in the second period, Cowen, the team's top defensive prospect, ended up being Ottawa's unlikely offensive star, scoring twice in 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"Kind of lucky, I think," said Cowen.

"I liked the first goal. The second (a deflection) was kind of lucky. But I was in the right space at the right time and the guys were creating space for me, so I was just shooting the puck."

However those two goals were scored, they represented a good start for Cowen, who is trying to win a spot among Ottawa's top six defencemen.

But it also has to raise red flags.

The Senators figure to be a tough team this season, with players such as Zenon Konopka, Chris Neil, and Zack Smith in the lineup.

They figure to be enthusiastic, with youngish players such as Bobby Butler, Colin Greening, Erik Condra, Stephane Da Costa, and Nikita Filatov.

They may even be decent on defence, as long as Chris Phillips, Sergei Gonchar, and Filip Kuba aren't as terrible as they were last year.

Whether they'll be able to score any goals, that's another question.

Monday's exhibition game looked a lot like the 2010-11 season, when the Senators scored the second fewest goals in the NHL, just 2.32 per game.

They did a lot of good things, and got themselves scoring chances.

Of the forwards on the ice Monday night, there was not a lot of natural offensive ability, save for a few players who may grow into it, like Nikita, who had two assists, Mika Zibanejad, and, maybe in a few years, Mark Stone.

There otherwise wasn't a lot of finish. The Senators were also outshot 30-26.

That has to be a worry for general manager Bryan Murray and coach Paul Maclean, who'll be pulling the hair out of his mustache worrying about goals.

It's figures to be the team's biggest shortcoming this season.

For his first game in an Ottawa uniform, Filatov was easily the team's best forward but he was reluctant to talk about his game.

"I don't really like to say anything right after a game about my game," he said.

"But I felt pretty good out there. At least I had some energy and I think I had a couple of good plays, but I can improve my game and I need to shoot more.

"So I'll try to focus on that part of the game."

Defenceman Erik Karlsson thought the game was OK but that was about it.

"Everybody did their best and there was good tempo out there," he said.

"It's always a different game (the first one) than it will be five or six games from now. But I think we fought well and did our best."

For the Senators, Alex Auld played the first 28:43 of the game, stopping 14 of 15 shots.

Robin Lehner played the second half, allowing three goals.

For the Leafs, Jonas Gustavsson played the first 28:43 of the game, stopping 11 of 12 shots before being replaced by Ben Scrivens for the second half. He allowed one goal.

Tyler Bozak had two goals and one assist for the Leafs, while Colby Armstrong and Carl Gunnerson each had a power-play goal.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 09.20.2011


Senators give Filatov opportunity to redeem himself

By Allen Panzeri, The Ottawa Citizen September 20, 2011

TORONTO - The great Nikita Filatov experiment began for the Ottawa Senators on Monday night, with his first appearance in the lineup in a pre-season game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

While the 21-year-old winger has more or less been guaranteed a spot on one of the top two lines, there are still many questions to be answered - like, for instance, whether his heart is into playing professional hockey.

After picking him sixth overall in the 2008 NHL entry draft and struggling with him for two years, the Columbus Blue Jackets decided it wasn't, and handed him off to the Senators for a third-round pick.

So far Filatov's done everything right with the Senators. He's been in Ottawa for weeks now and has impressed his teammates with his work ethic and desire.

"He's trying hard and he has a lot of skill, so I think he's trying to prove himself," said centre Peter Regin, who was scheduled to play on a line with Filatov against the Leafs.

And if Filatov came to the Senators with a reputation, he's starting his career with a clean slate, said head coach Paul MacLean.

"I think he has more to prove to himself that he can play in the NHL," he said.

"We believe he can play in the NHL, so I guess he has to prove that to us. But I think it's more about him than it is about us. We're giving him the opportunity here to be the player he believes he is, and we think he can be that kind of player, as well.

"He might have a reputation through the league or something. But he's just a young player who's learning how to play in the NHL, and it's a hard league to play in.

"Sometimes it doesn't go your way when you're starting to play.

"But he doesn't have a reputation with me. He's here to play with the Ottawa Senators, and we're trying to give him that opportunity."

The Senators certainly need this experiment to succeed. They were 29th in goal scoring last year, and the lineup doesn't exactly include a lot of top gunners. It's mostly hopes and prayers.

While saying he didn't want to talk about specifics, Filatov says he learned a lot about himself while in Columbus. The key now, he said, is not to make the same mistakes.

"This is going to be a new start for me, so I'm just thinking about ho to show my best game," he said.

"I feel pretty excited. It's the first chance, the first game, so I have to show my best game."

STONE SIGNS

The Senators on Monday signed Mark Stone to an entry-level contract.

The 19-year-old right-winger will head back to the Brandon Wheat Kings for his last season of junior hockey carrying great expectations.

In the 2010-11 season, he finished third in WHL scoring with 37 goals and 69 assists.

This season, he also figures to play a major role for Canada at the world juniors. He attended his first national junior development camp in August and had four goals and four assists in a two-game intra-squad series.

He was Ottawa's sixth-round pick (178th overall) in 2010.

His main shortcoming is his skating but another year in junior hockey will give him a chance to work on that.

"We certainly think he's better than a sixth-round pick," said assistant general manager Tim Murray.

"He's come a long way and if he continues to work hard, he'll play in the NHL someday."

HEAVYWEIGHTS

When he put heavyweights Francis Lessard, Zenon Konopka, and Chris Neil - Ottawa's version of the Hanson brothers - into Monday's lineup, MacLean served notice that the Senators weren't going to be pushed around by the Leafs.

Asked if he expected a rough game from the Leafs, MacLean said:

"Well, historically it's been that way, so I don't anticipate that a game against a provincial rival is going to be any different because it's an exhibition game.

"We're just going to give players the opportunity to show what they can do."

CAN REGIN REBOUND?

He had a miserable 2010-11 season, with just three goals and 14 assists, so everyone's hoping he can rebound and maybe, just maybe, take a spot on the second line.

So does that mean Regin's feeling the heat? Well, not exactly.

"I think there's pressure on everyone," he said.

"There's a new coach, and everybody has to show up and show what they can do.

"And it's the same for me. I'll try to do my best, but I don't feel the pressure that I have to score two goals and four points. I just want to play my game and see how it turns out."

The Senators will be watching closely.

"We just want to see what kind of player he is," said MacLean.

"I remember the player he was a couple of years ago.

"I know he had a tough year with injuries and whatnot last year.

"He just has to play his game and see where it goes.

"They're all in competition for those spots. But he's been here and he's played in the league before, and that's a big difference."

TOP PROSPECTS

After Filatov, four other top prospects were in the lineup against the Maple Leafs: centre Mika Zibanejad, and defencemen Jared Cowen, Patrick Wiercioch, and David Rundblad.

While Filatov and Rundblad have been more or less guaranteed a spot on the team, Zibanejad is battling Stephane Da Costa for the one open forward spot, while Cowen and Wiercioch are trying to grab a spot on defence.

Against Toronto, the Senators were looking to see if Zibanejad, the team's top pick (sixth overall) in June, could step up in class.

"He already showed at the rookie camp that he's a very capable player," said MacLean.

"Now he's going to play against NHL players in an NHL exhibition game.

"We'll see what kind of progress he makes."

Zibanejad was anxious to play in his first NHL game.

"Obviously this is the next level," he said.

"It's going to be tough out there, but I'm going to try not to think about that too much - just enjoy it as much as possible, play my game, and try to build on that."

The group to Toronto also included goalies Robin Lehner and Alex Auld; defencemen Erik Karlsson, Tim Conboy, and Filip Kuba; and forwards Mike Hoffman, Francis Lessard, Mark Stone, Chris Neil, Colin Greening, Peter Regin, Bobby Butler, Zenon Kopoka, Zack Smith, Milan Michalek, and Mark Parrish.



Anchor of the Sens: Alfredsson reflects on his lengthy tenure

By Ken Warren, The Ottawa Citizen September 19, 2011

OTTAWA - Daniel Alfredsson can't help but wonder where the time has gone.

When the Ottawa Senators' all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, points and community relations - the poster boy for just about everything good about the franchise since the mid-1990s - went to training camp with the team last month, he found himself on a line with 18-year-old prospect Mika Zibanejad.

Zibanejad, a fellow Swede, was 14 months old when Alfredsson was drafted by the Senators, and two years old when Alfredsson attended his first Senators rookie camp in Arnprior in 1995.

"It's kind of neat, actually," Alfredsson says, casting back to when he arrived with low expectations after being chosen by the Senators with the 133rd selection in the 1994 draft.

"I remember when I came in, I thought Frank Musil was ancient. He had kids and talked about that and all sorts of things that I hadn't given any thought to."

Musil, a thoughtful stay-at-home defenceman who scored one goal in two seasons with the Senators, was 30 at the time.

Alfredsson is now just two months shy of turning 39, a father of four, and a 15-year NHL veteran whose presence alone demands respect. He has played more than 1,000 games and racked up more than 1,000 points and needs just 11 goals this season to reach 400.

It's no wonder general manager Bryan Murray says "it's critical" that the National Hockey League's longest-serving captain be around to guide the team's new wave of youngsters through the organization's rebuilding phase.

He's seen it all, coming full circle himself within the Senators organization. And along the way, he became The Face of the franchise.

When Alfredsson arrived, the organization was a mess. After posting a record of 33 wins, 165 losses and 18 ties in the opening three seasons, the honeymoon period had passed and fans were beginning to rebel.

Bryan Berard, the club's first overall draft selection in June 1995, bolted from rookie camp, never to return. (He was ultimately traded to the New York Islanders in the package which brought Wade Redden and Damian Rhodes to Ottawa). Alexei Yashin was AWOL, in the midst of one of his countless contract squabbles.

Before the year was out, Senators players had a new general manager (Pierre Gauthier replaced the fired Randy Sexton) and been through three coaches (Rick Bowness, Dave 'Sparky' Allison and Jacques Martin). There were also financial problems and the upheaval - although positive in the long run - of moving mid-season from the cramped Civic Centre to the spacious new Palladium, soon to be the Corel Centre and now Scotiabank Place.

At one point amid the chaos, veterans took him aside to tell him that what he was experiencing would never happen to him again in the NHL. On the ice, though, none of it seemed to bother Alfredsson, who won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year on one of the worst teams in NHL history.

Today, ever the diplomat, Alfredsson suggests that time heals all wounds. In a masterful understatement, he acknowledges there was "a lot of turmoil" in his first year. Yet, at the same time, he says the mid-season arrival of Gauthier and Martin signalled the start of "the turnaround" and that he personally enjoyed "a lot of support."

His patience was rewarded. The top highlight of his tenure with the Senators came the following season, when the city came alive as the Senators stunned the NHL with their successful run towards their first playoff appearance.

"Personally, (my best memory) was my first game," he says. "But as a team, it was making the playoffs in my second season. It was amazing just how far we had come. And that first playoff game. The atmosphere. All the support from the fans."

From there, the Senators climbed and climbed, rising to a perennial Stanley Cup threat. While the names changed and a series of crises raged in the background - including an assortment of Yashin contract soap operas, the team being placed under bankruptcy protection, an ownership change and a rapid turnover of general managers - Alfredsson became the unquestioned anchor of the team. He was the captain, steering the ship through both calm and rough waters.

The pinnacle, of course, came in 2007 when Alfredsson scored an overtime goal against Buffalo, sending the Senators to their only Stanley Cup final. Losing to the Anaheim Ducks was naturally a huge letdown.

His biggest disappointment, however, came afterwards.

"It's the last three years," he says. "We really thought we could keep it going. That's why it was so frustrating."

Alfredsson suggests he might have retired after last season if he'd been able to go out on a high note, rather than endure a back problem that required off-season surgery and a poor performance by the team.

He recognizes that his best chance to win an NHL championship has probably come and gone. At the same time, he's embracing his role in helping a new generation of Senators players eventually reach the top.

"I would have loved to be on a team this year that could challenge for the Stanley Cup, but my approach doesn't change," he says.

"I want to be part of putting the organization in a better spot than it was last year. Look at Edmonton last year, with all those young guys. They made a lot of mistakes, but there was effort. People pay a lot of money ... they want to see that effort. It's important that we handle the tough times and not sulk. We have to get better every day."

As for his own career, he's taking it a season at a time. He's still unclear whether he wants to stay in the hockey world once his playing days are over, but he will continue to lend his support to mental health issues, the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club and Right to Play, the international organization which provides sporting opportunities to underprivileged children.

"I'm not ruling out going back to school for business," he says.

Barring medical problems for his parents and his wife's parents back in Sweden, he plans to remain in Ottawa. Alfredsson and his wife, Bibi, have four sons: Hugo, Loui, Fenix and William Erik and have spent three of the past five summers here.

"We've talked about that a lot," he says. "The kids have started school. We would like to stay here. We love their schools and the community."

Quite the turnaround for a guy who originally thought he would spend a year or two in Ottawa before going back to Sweden for good.



Top Senators prospects in lineup against Leafs

September 19, 2011

A number of key prospects for the Ottawa Senators will get their first chances to showcase their skills in the team's first pre-season game on Monday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Forwards Nikita Filatov and Mika Zibanejad, and defencemen Jared Cowen, Patrick Wiercioch, and David Rundblad will be among the group that travels to Toronto.

Also travelling to Toronto will be Erik Karlsson, Mike Hoffman, Francis Lessard, Tim Conboy, Mark Stone, Chris Neil, Robin Lehner, Colin Greening, Peter Regin, Bobby Butler, Zenon Kopoka, Zack Smith, Milan Michalek, Mark Parrish, Alex Auld, and Filip Kuba.

The Senators will return home to practise on Tuesday before hosting the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.



Senators ink Stone to entry-level deal

By Allen Panzeri September 19, 2011

The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Mark Stone to an entry-level contract.

Stone, the Senators' sixth-round pick (178th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, recently attended his second rookie camp and tournament with the club.

He scored the overtime winning goal in Ottawa's 4-3 win over Toronto on Tuesday to help the Senators capture the tournament title.

The 19-year-old right-winger competed in his third full season of major junior hockey in 2010-11 with the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings, with whom he set new major junior career highs in games (71), goals (37), assists (69) and points (106).

His point total saw him finish the WHL campaign ranked third among all league scorers.

The Winnipeg native participated in his first Canadian national junior team development camp last month and had four goals and four assists over a two-game intrasquad series in Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alta., on Aug. 7 and 8.

Stone, who was selected a first team WHL all-star last season, registered an 18-game point scoring streak from Jan. 26 to March 9, during which he totalled 40 points.



Sens' new jersey has bilingual touch

By Ken Warren, The Ottawa Citizen September 19, 2011

OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators have a new reason to hate the Buffalo Sabres.

Turns out that a box of the Senators' much anticipated new third sweaters - scheduled to be officially launched at a Scotiabank Place open house on Oct. 1 - were inadvertently shipped from a Reebok warehouse in Indianapolis to the Sabres official souvenir shop. After an alert shopper spotted the new duds and posted pictures online, the Senators were forced to acknowledge that they were, in fact, the real deal.

The new-look features a barberpole design, with red, white and black horizontal stripes across the front and a stylized "O" in the middle, a tribute to the original Senators franchise, which won 11 Stanley Cups and was one of the founding clubs when the National Hockey League was launched in 1917. The finished product bears a striking resemblance to several other logos which had popped up on the internet during the past few months.

The third sweater will also feature shoulder patches. The left shoulder reads "Senateurs d'Ottawa," the right shoulder "Ottawa Senators."

"While we are very disappointed to have our new jersey revealed in this manner, we are pleased to see the early comments from fans are extremely positive," Jeff Kyle, the Senators vice-president of marketing, said in a release.

"We believe that this jersey will be a top seller in the National Hockey League this season, especially as fans learn the story behind how it was designed."

Kyle chose to kept many other details secret until the official launch Oct. 1, but he did elaborate on the novelty of the shoulder patches. When the original Senators won the Cup, they proudly wore patches declaring them "world champions." The new patches are the same shape, but the new writing is a testament to the current club being based in a "bilingual city in a bilingual country."

Kyle says the Senators have spent two years on the new design, working closely with a fan before finalizing the look.

"We look forward to telling the story of how a fan helped us develop a uniform that incorporates elements of the early Senators team into what we feel will become a truly iconic symbol of Senators hockey," he said.

Typically, when a team launches a new sweater, it holds exclusive rights to sell the product in its own market for five days. That window was supposed to be from Oct. 1-5.



Re-Leaf for Konopka

By BRUCE GARRIOCH, QMI Agency

TORONTO - Zenon Konopka called it a fitting start.

Signed as an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, the rugged Senators centre had a smile on his face after Monday's morning skate as he prepared to pull on his No. 28 Ottawa jersey for the first time against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"Put it this way: If I had to choose a place to go into, maybe Long Island would be No. 1, but No. 2 would be Toronto," said Konopka before the puck was dropped. "I've watched the rivalry ever since I played junior (for the 67's).

"The Senators were playing the Leafs in the playoffs back then and I saw some playoff games. I'm excited to be part of it and to bring back a real intense rivalry."

Konopka, 30, who has spent time in Anaheim, Columbus, Tampa and Long Island, would like to think he has finally found a home. He joked with a reporter who suggested he'd like to spend the rest of his career in Ottawa.

"I've been in a lot of different places. I think I've been to 46 of the 50 states and nine different provinces," said Konopka. "It's been exciting and I've enjoyed it instead of being frustrated.

"If somebody puts a lifetime contract in front of me I'd say it (Monday)," added Konopka with a smile. "It's great for me to be here and I want to be here for a long time."

NO STONE UNTURNED

The Senators signed C Mark Stone, a sixth-round pick in 2010, but he will return to Brandon to play for former Ottawa coach Cory Clouston. "We thought the best (idea) was to get it done as quick as we could," said assistant GM Tim Murray. "It takes a little bit of weight off his shoulders and he can go back to Brandon to just concentrate on his year." Stone should get a chance to play a major role for Canada at the world juniors. "It definitely was a pleasant surprise," said Murray. "It was great for us we were able to get him in the sixth round and we think he's better than a sixth-round pick. He's come a long way so far and if he continues to work hard he'll play in the NHL."

THIS 'N' THAT

Toronto observed a moment of silence and did a video tribute for former Maple Leafs Igor Korolev, Alexander Karpovtsev and Wade Belak, who all died tragically last summer before the puck was dropped ... A guy who has looked good in the scrimmages: Captain Daniel Alfredsson, who was throwing his weight around Monday. His back doesn't look like it is hurting after off-season surgery. "He's finally healthy," said GM Bryan Murray. "He was telling me he feels good." ... Mika Zibanejad's first: A hooking penalty in the first ... The TV schedule for the pre-season: Wednesday vs. Boston (TSN) 7:30 p.m., vs. Friday vs. Montreal (Rogers 22) 7:30 p.m., Monday vs. Winnipeg at St. John's (CBC) 4 p.m. and Sept. 27 vs. Toronto (Rogers 22).

GETTING A GOOD LOOK

The Senators are going to give top prospects C Mika Zibanejad, C Stephane Da Costa, D Jared Cowen, D David Rundblad and D Patrick Wiercioch a lot of playing time during the pre-season.

While Da Costa, 22, signed as a free agent from Merrimack, was given Monday off against the Leafs, he isn't going to get many more as the club plans to play that group in at least five of the seven exhibition games.

"We want to find out if they can play," said assistant GM Tim Murray. "You can't find that out unless they play. So, they're going to play most of the exhibition games. If they can't play, then they aren't going to be here."

"He's never been good enough to be with one team. Everybody likes him, but nobody likes him enough to keep him. I'm not sure why that is. I'm just

glad we had an opportunity to get him," Senators coach Paul MacLean on Konopka.

THINGS I THINK I THINK

C Peter Regin suited up for his first game since Feb. 19, when he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery after getting slammed into the boards by Joey Crabb. Regin should be the odds-on favourite to be the club's No. 2 centre, but he has to prove it. He's in a battle with Mika Zibanejad and Stephane Da Costa. "They are both great players and good guys. They will play in the league for sure. It's not my decision," said Regin. "I can't focus on those guys and what they are doing. They won't decide where I'll play on the team. That's up to me. If they are good and I am good, I guess we will all be here. So I just focus on myself." ... They tried shallower nets - the ones used at the research and development camp - at the ACC Monday to see if they would create more room behind the net. Just my take: Stop making changes and leave the game alone ... C Bobby Butler made a great save off Mikhail Grabovski in the first. That was set up by a horribled giveaway by Patrick Wiercioch. He wasn't alone in that department as rookie David Rundblad struggled in his own end and in his debut against NHL talent.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 09.20.2011

578839 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers rookie Brayden Schenn hopes to face off against his brother Luke and the Leafs

By Sam Carchidi

Center Brayden Schenn and defenseman Blake Kessel, two rookies trying to make the team, could be facing their brothers when the Flyers open their exhibition season Tuesday in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs' roster includes all-star forward Phil Kessel and defenseman Luke Schenn. The brothers have never faced each other in an NHL game, even in the preseason.

Luke Schenn, who signed a five-year deal for $18 million on Friday, was expected to sit out the Leafs' exhibition Monday against Ottawa then play against the Flyers on Tuesday.

"It will be pretty exciting, pretty cool for us since we haven't played each other" since juniors, said Brayden Schenn on Monday after the third day of the Flyers' camp in Voorhees.

Schenn said he and his brother have been talking about the 7 p.m. game - to be shown on the Comcast Network - "ever since the schedule came out." Schenn added that the meeting "won't change anything for me" and that he wants to play his usual game. "I've got to play him as just any other guy. I'm sure it's going to be a little different at the start, but after a couple shifts I'm sure it will be the same old game."

On Monday, Schenn centered a line with Max Talbot and Wayne Simmonds. Schenn and Simmonds came to the Flyers in the deal that sent Mike Richards to Los Angeles in the summer. Schenn said he has "a little more chemistry" with Simmonds because they played together a bit with the Kings.

While Schenn is favored to win the third-line center spot, Kessel is a long shot to break camp with the team. After playing three years at the University of New Hampshire, he signed a two-year entry-level deal for $1.85 million with the Flyers on Wednesday then scored a goal and added an assist as the Flyers defeated Washington on Thursday, 3-2, in a rookie game.

Kessel's older brother, Phil, scored 32 goals last season. No word on whether Phil will dress Tuesday.

"It'd be nice to finally play against him after being around him so much all my life, and him always trying to help me," Blake Kessel said. "It'd be nice to kind of put my skills to the test against him and see how things go."

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette didn't announce his lineup for Tuesday, but the lines he used in Monday's first group were expected to go to Toronto.

The lines looked like this: Sean Couturier centering Matt Read and Jakub Voracek; Michael Nylander centering Scott Hartnell and Andreas Nodl; Schenn centering Talbot and Simmonds; and Blair Betts centering Jody Shelley and Adam Mair.

After three days of drills, Laviolette is looking forward to a preseason game.

"I think you get your best read on a situation or on players when they're competing against others," he said. "This is our first crack at it, and I think everyone's excited to get going."

Breakaways. Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start in goal. Ilya Bryzgalov and Michael Leighton will not make the trip. . . . Chris Pronger, making a comeback from back surgery, skated briefly with the team and appears to be ahead of schedule. . . . Tuesday's game will be televised by the NHL Network. . . . The Flyers sent 15 players back to their junior teams, including winger Tomas Hyka, who scored in last week's rookie game, and center Nick Cousins, the team's third-round draft pick in June.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 09.20.2011


2 Flyers to face their Leaf brothers tonight

By FRANK SERAVALLI

NOT LONG after Brayden Schenn was dealt to the Flyers in June, on the same day the NHL released its schedule matrix, he decided to circle an important game on the calendar.

For most, it would be a matchup against a former team, like when the Los Angeles Kings come to town on Oct. 15.

For Schenn, that date on the calendar is tonight, when he'll play his first preseason game as a Flyer. And it isn't just any preseason game. It's against his older brother, Maple Leafs defenseman Luke, in Toronto.

"We've been talking ever since the schedule came out and there was a chance we'd be able to play against each other," said Brayden Schenn, a center. "It would be pretty exciting and cool for us."

Tonight, as the Flyers open their exhibition schedule with the first of four games in 4 nights, they could have double the brother trouble, as recently signed defenseman Blake Kessel could also face his older brother, Maple Leafs All-Star center Phil Kessel.

Both Blake Kessel and Brayden Schenn are flying with the Flyers this morning to Toronto. Phil Kessel and Luke Schenn sat out the Maple Leafs' preseason opener last night against Ottawa, increasing the likelihood they will play.

The Schenns last faced off against each other 4 years ago in junior hockey, when Brayden was 16 and Luke was 18. The Kessel boys are less than 2 years apart, but older brother Phil already has five full seasons of NHL service. Luke Schenn just signed a 5-year, $18 million deal last Friday.

That doesn't mean Brayden Schenn wouldn't crush his brother in the corner if presented the opportunity. Both brothers will have the opportunity to play against each other significantly.

"I'm sure it's going to be a little different," Schenn said. "He's an opponent and I've got to play him just as any other guy."

Schenn also recalled facing his brother in daily, backyard rink battles at their family's home in Saskatchewan. The only difference tonight in Toronto is that both Blake Kessel and Brayden Schenn are in far different places than their established, almost veteran brothers.

"It's fun being around here, it's obviously a lot different than LA," Schenn said. "I'm just taking it day-by-day. I've still got a lot to prove. I've got to make the team."

Mair making his case

Along with some of the other, higher-profile newcomers to make their Flyers preseason debut tonight, Peter Laviolette will get his first look at veteran center Adam Mair, who is in town on a tryout.

Mair, 32, has played in 615 career NHL games. That means he isn't putting any extra pressure on himself, as someone who doesn't regularly play in a scoring role, to impress on the scoresheet. He has never posted more than eight goals or 20 points in any of his 11 seasons.

"I play hard, I try to finish my hits and be responsible," Mair said. "I'm pretty sure that they're pretty familiar with the way I play here, that's why they invited me to camp. You still want to show them that you can play day in and day out and skate and fit into their system, their culture and their group of guys."

Despite his reputation as a sound, energy player, Mair is trying to bounce back after finishing a minus-16 in 65 games with the Devils last season. He chose the Flyers over four other teams offering tryout contracts, even though nothing is guaranteed.

"I wanted to be able to compete with an opportunity to win," Mair said. "At this stage in my career, that's really important to me, to be able to compete for the Stanley Cup again."

Slap shots

Chris Pronger skated with his teammates for about 20 minutes yesterday, marking his first appearance in training camp after offseason wrist and back surgeries . . . Defenseman Matt Walker, who appeared in four games with the Flyers last year during an injury-riddled campaign, will travel with the team to Toronto . . . Tonight's game will be televised on the Comcast Network and NHL Network . . . Nine Flyers took batting practice yesterday with the Phillies and hitting coach Greg Gross. James van Riemsdyk was the only one to hit a home run.



NHL enforcers' deaths raise questions about fighting, drugs, and depression

By Sam Carchidi and Frank Fitzpatrick

The recent deaths of three NHL enforcers have caused rumblings that the league should outlaw fighting.

Flyers tough guy Jody Shelley scoffed at the idea, and at the thought that fighting - and the mental and physical toll it places on players - played a role in the tragedies.

So did injured Flyers winger Ian Laperriere, once one of the league's scrappier players. Laperriere, who isn't expected to play again because of post-concussion syndrome, said the league should be more concerned about players abusing pain-killing drugs.

Which raises a question: Are some hockey players abusing drugs because of the pain they are absorbing in fights?

In a joint statement, the NHL and NHL Players' Association said they were "examining the deaths and the factors that may have contributed" to them. Both groups said they want to determine whether "concrete steps" can be taken to help players and "minimize the likelihood" of such events happening again.

Derek Boogaard, 28, died from an accidental overdose of alcohol and the pain-killing drug oxycodone, authorities said. Wade Belak, 35, and Rick Rypien, 27, reportedly committed suicide.

For the three enforcers, punches to the head were common. Belak had eight goals and 136 fights in his career.

Todd Lewis, cofounder of Magee Rehabilitation Hospital's Concussion Center, said "one of the things linked to post-concussion syndrome is depression."

Former Eagles defensive back Andre Waters, who suffered numerous concussions in his career, committed suicide in 2006. A pathologist said Waters' brain tissue was that of an 85-year-old.

Waters was 44 when he shot himself.

Since Waters' death, "there have been efforts to link a history of depression with concussions and suicide," Lewis said. "As far as statistics are

concerned, the jury is still out in forming a true correlation. We need to do a lot more research, but I think there's enough data out there - knowing that depression is associated with concussions - to suggest there is something going on here."

Help for players

Should the recent NHL deaths cause the league to abolish fighting?

"It's very sad those three guys died," Laperriere said, "but I don't think it's related to fighting. To take fighting out of the game would be a real drastic move."

"We think we see a common denominator," said Shelley, referring to the fact that the three players were enforcers, "but we can't be that ignorant to think we know these three guys and what happened."

Laperriere, 37, still bothered by blurriness from taking a puck to the face in 2010, said the NHL needs to address players' addictions to painkillers, and Shelley said the league should provide help for players battling depression.

"I know for a fact it's a bigger issue than people make it," Laperriere said of players abusing painkillers.

He said the problem was not limited to enforcers.

"Every team I've played for had three or four or five guys on that stuff," he said. "And not for the right reason."

In his 16-year career, Laperriere played for St. Louis, Los Angeles, the Rangers, Colorado, and the Flyers.

"Those pills are there for the right reason - if you need it, if you're in pain after a surgery. But [they're] not to get a buzz after a game because you can't sleep, or you have too much pressure, or you have too many things on your mind and you want to numb yourself with that stuff," Laperriere said. "I think it's a bigger issue."

Brantt Myhres, a former NHL fighter and drug addict who is now a substance-abuse counselor, told the Toronto Globe & Mail that hockey enforcers are the primary drug abusers.

"Of the 17 teams I played on, the majority of the fighters were the ones who dove into those substances," said Myhres, who had 169 penalty minutes in 23 games with the Flyers from 1997 to '98.

Shelley is aware that depression reportedly contributed to two of the enforcers' recent deaths.

"If you want to take a stance about something, let's talk about depression. Let's not talk about fighting," Shelley said. "I agree we're still learning about concussions and there are some terrible stories, and there's some depression issues linked to it, from what I hear. But that said, we have to be able to talk about depression and talk about our feelings. You couldn't do that 10, 15 years ago in the NHL or the NFL. You couldn't say you were sad or had problems. In this day and age, as teammates across the league, we have to be able to talk about it and be able to help guys. . . .

"Let's start helping each other deal with things verbally and make it OK to talk about things you don't normally talk about."

Lewis said enforcers are "clearly going to be more susceptible to concussions. What I find hard to accept is that the NFL is finally setting up new rules and guidelines - like kicking off from the 35-yard line, and last year ruling that you can't hit guys who can't defend themselves - to try and protect players more. Yet in hockey it's still widely accepted to have enforcers. I guess they think fans would be disappointed if they went to a game and didn't see a fight. Interestingly, the NHL was one of first pro sports to have impact testing, with baseline cognitive screening. They started to protect these guys. But as far as taking the next step, they still have these enforcers and have done nothing to institute protection for the players beyond that."

Standing and cheering

It's no surprise: Zac Rinaldo says fighting belongs in the game. Rinaldo, 21, who is hoping to earn a spot with the Flyers in training camp and is viewed as one of the franchise's future enforcers, is adamant about his position.

"I think there's 100 percent room for it," he said. "I mean, it's hockey. It's how I was brought up since I was born. In the heat of the moment, things happen."

Fighting, Shelley said, "is a proud part of the game. We're proud to be in a sport that has a way of policing itself. I know the fans in Philly are proud of it."

Shelley, Laperriere, and Rinaldo talked with deep respect about the three enforcers who died this summer. They meant no disrespect to them, they said, by saying fighting belongs in the game.

Rinaldo implied that he thought personal problems had more to do with the deaths than anything that happened on the ice.

"I've had some problems off the ice that were not hockey related," Rinaldo said. "Some people may deal with things differently than other people. It's tragic that it happened, but it's part of life."

Like many before him, Rinaldo's meal ticket is his ability to brawl.

"That's how we make money. That's how Shelley has been making money. That's how I'm going to make money, if I do end up here," he said.

Laperriere, who is mentoring Flyers prospects, said fighting has decreased in recent seasons.

"Fighting is leaving by itself. You don't have those goons anymore that are only there to fight," he said. "There's less fighting every year."

The numbers support him. In 1986-87, there were 2.1 fights per game in the NHL, compared with 0.52 fights per game last season.

Laperriere candidly wondered if the NHL would lose a sizable portion of its fans if it eliminated fighting.

"When a fight breaks out, I don't see everybody sitting in their seats and looking away," he said. "Everybody's standing up and they're cheering; it's part of the game. You don't want to lose those fans; the league can't afford to lose those fans."



Bryzgalov keeps things loose in Flyers' locker room

Wayne Fish

VOORHEES - From Roman Cechmanek to Jeff Hackett to Antero Niittymaki, the Flyers' goaltending corps over the past decade has been, for the most part, a relatively quiet, laid-back bunch.

All that is about to change.

Ilya Bryzgalov, the newest netminder in the Philadelphia spotlight, sounds like he just stepped off the set of "Glee.''

By comparison, he makes outgoing ex-goalie Martin Biron sound like a head librarian.

Bryzgalov is just full of humorous one-liners, cracking up teammates, support staff and media types alike.

In a way, this bodes well for a team full of new faces. With the uncertainty might come a little tension, but Bryzgalov has a way of lightening up the mood whenever he's in the room.

Someone asked him Monday if he's noticed that Philadelphia is more of a hockey town than his last port of call, Phoenix.

"Yeah, they even recognize me in the streets,'' Bryzgalov said. "They say, ‘Hey, Bryz, how's it goin'? That your house? That your coffee? Double price. . .'+''

But seriously, folks, chemistry on this team is an issue and ‘Bryz' could do a lot to make it happen quicker.

"Team chemistry is not easy to find,'' he said. "Chemistry is important for the communication between the players. When you communicate between each other a lot, you get to know each other better. You have a lot of trust with each other.''

Coach Peter Laviolette said: "He has a personality to him. That can be good at times. His personality is vibrant. He's colorful.''

Pronger practices: Captain Chris Pronger, now some 10 days into the skating aspect of his back surgery rehabilitation, practiced with the Flyers for the first time on Monday.

Of course, there's no contact allowed yet but the Flyers are doing mostly skating and stickhandling stuff now anyway, so that's not a big issue.

Pronger won't discuss what his chances are of being ready for the Oct. 6 regular season opener in Boston but if he's able to handle some kind of contact over the next two weeks without any setbacks, there's a possibility he could play.

"I skated with an assistant coach for about 20 minutes before practice just to loosen up and work on a couple things,'' Pronger said. "I tried out practice to see how I felt and loosen up. I feel like I had a good first day.

"It's just really how you feel. How your conditioning is, how your legs feel . Where you're at mentally and all that stuff. I don't know what's next. I had a good day today but we'll see how I feel tomorrow.

"I've had some not-so-good-days. Usually the next day I push through it and I feel better."

Roster cuts: The Flyers made their first roster cuts on Monday. The following players were sent back to their minor league or junior teams: Etienne Boutet, Ricard Blidstrand, Shayne Campbell, Nick Cousins, Campbell Elynuik, Austin Fyten, Sam Grist, Simon Gronvaldt, Michael Houser, Tomas Hyka, Derek Mathers, Jonathan Narbonne, Marcel Noebels, Brendan Ranford, Colin Suellentrop.

Batting practice: Nine Flyers took part in a batting practice session prior to Monday night's Phillies-Cardinals game at Citizens Bank Park.

The nine were: James van Riemsdyk, Max Talbot, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell, Jody Shelley, Matt Carle, Braydon Coburn, Claude Giroux and Braydon Schenn.

Van Riemsdyk was the only one able to hit a home run during the session.

Preseason opens: The Flyers' preseason opens tonight with a game at Toronto against the Maple Leafs. It will be televised on The Comcast Network.


Schenn brothers expect to duel Tuesday

TIM PANACCIO

Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn is not dressing for Monday night’s exhibition against Ottawa in Toronto.

That’s welcome news to his younger brother, Brayden, of the Flyers. Brayden will play Tuesday in Toronto and it’s expected that Luke will as well, for the Leafs.

Big brother and little brother have never played against each other at the NHL level, but there is a rivalry.

“I played him in junior when I was 16 and he was 18,” said Brayden Schenn, who is now 20. “I’m not even sure if he’s playing and I guess I’ll find out later today if he is. That will be pretty exciting, pretty cool for us. We haven’t played each for a while.”

He says the two have chatted on the phone “ever since the schedule came out” about playing against each other.

Brayden said he’ll hit Luke and play him “just like any other guy.”

“I’m sure it’ll be a little different at the start, but after a couple shifts or whatever, it’ll be just another game,” he said.

Who got the better of those battles?

“We’ll call it even,” Schenn said with a smile. “In the back yard rink we used to have a lot of battles. We grew up playing in,. We’ll take it out for real tomorrow night.”

Brayden worked with Max Talbot and his former L.A. King teammate, Wayne Simmonds, on a line Monday in camp and expects to be on that line against Toronto, too.

“So far I am enjoying it and getting more comfortable every day out there,” Schenn said.



Walker's future depends on camp performance

TIM PANACCIO

Matt Walker played in just four games with the Flyers last season.

The conversation between Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren and defenseman Matt Walker wasn’t long.

It came in May after the players packed their bags for the long summer, following a crushing four-game sweep out of the playoffs by the Boston Bruins.

“My meeting with him was … 'I know a few things about you,'” Holmgren recalled. “You are a right shot. I know you’re a big guy, tough, and I know you are a good guy. But I don’t know anything else because of what happened last year – no one has seen you play.”

And no one with the Flyers organization could say just where the 31-year-old from Beaverlodge, Alberta, fit, mostly because of dual labrum surgeries to both hips that limited Walker to just four games last season.

Holmgren told Walker this was a critical summer and his future as a Flyer was on the line in training camp.

“The meeting with him was fine,” Walker said. “Nothing I didn’t know. As disappointing as it was tough ending the season, everyone wasn’t in a real good place and I wasn’t in a good place, either.

“It was a long time to miss and tough sitting on the sidelines. It was frustrating. To say I’m anxious to get going was an understatement.”

The off-season transformation in Walker, from a physical standpoint, is noticeable. He’s leaner and healthy – “I can actually take my shoes off and put them on” – and he’s smiling again because the constant pain in his hip and groin is gone.

When Walker walked out of Skate Zone last May, he went to Vancouver and hired Alex McKechnie, a fitness trainer formerly with the L.A. Lakers, who transformed Eric Brewer with his “Core X” system that the Flyers use as part of their workout routine.

“If you put in the time, the results speak for themselves,” Walker said. “I felt the change affected the way I move and the way I do everything, every day. I feel great. It’s good to finally get out on the ice and get going. I missed so much time last year.

“It’d be nice to get some flow back into my life as far as getting on the ice. It’s a lot of work every day and I feel it’s always going to be that way for as long as I’m [playing].”

When the Flyers signed Andreas Lilja as a sixth defenseman this summer for a reasonable cap hit of $737,500 to replace Sean O’Donnell, that again meant that Walker would face Oskars Bartulus ($600,000) for the role as the seventh defenseman on the team.

Walker initially came to the Flyers in the Simon Gagne deal with Tampa Bay. The Bolts were looking to lose salary and the Flyers wanted more depth on defense. Walker had played on three NHL clubs.

Yet Walker’s cap hit of $1.7 million – with another year left on his deal – makes him vulnerable because the club has roughly $175,000 in cap space. That doesn’t include Walker’s salary – but does include Bartulis.

To keep Walker, the Flyers have to create significant cap space. And this doesn’t even include non-contract players such as Adam Mair or Michael Nylander, who are looking for a roster spot, too. Unless Walker impresses, he’s vulnerable to be waived.

“This is the first time I ever had a multi-year deal,” Walker said. “I would come into camp knowing every year could be my last year. It’s pretty standard for me. [Holmgren] didn’t need to light a fire under me. My season last year was a complete write off.”

He said he made the decision over the summer that he wanted to play another 10 years, but knew he had to transform his body.

“He hired a skating coach, hired a nutritionist and he looks like a new man,” Holmgren said. “We’ll see how he does in training camp. If he can make our team, God bless him. We’ll do what we have to do. He did have a lot of [surgeries] last year.”

Walker’s first chance to show that he belongs on the Flyers comes Tuesday night at Air Canada Centre when the club begins the first of four consecutive exhibition games with a match in Toronto.

“When you are injured, it’s a burden you carry to the rink every day, trying to play through it, and perform at the highest level when you are not feeling 100 percent internally,” said coach Peter Laviolette, sizing up Walker.

Laviolette said the first thing he noticed about Walker in this camp was that he was smiling.

What he didn’t say was the smiles had replaced grimaces of pain.

“He was enjoying practice and enjoying the work and time he put in,” Laviolette. “He made the commitment over the summer to get a healthy body and come back in shape. Like I’ve talked from the start, there’s opportunity. And those opportunities come shortly.”

Walker was paired with Matt Carle the past two days in camp and figures to go into Tuesday’s game that way, as well.

“Every year, there are tons of guys who come into camp and look good,” Walker said. “Very capable players. There is always competition. It’s not like I’m the 1-2 or 2-4 defenseman.

“I’ve always been taught to come into camp every year knowing my position is on the line. “I had a great summer. Did a lot of interesting stuff.”

How does Walker see himself faring?

“To be completely honest, I don’t kook at that or read into it,” Walker said. “I don’t listen or read reports or sports news. I don’t even watch news. I don’t do anything but prepare my body.

“With what I have going on, it’s more of a life change for me than hockey. The work I have to do every day, I know I am capable. I proved it continually throughout my career.

“I know when I go out there, I bring a few unique things to the lineup. I just hope I don’t have a terrible camp. It is what it is.”



Pronger cautiously optimistic after practice

TIM PANACCIO

Chris Pronger joined his teammates for practice Monday for the first time since his off-season surgeries in May.

The newly named Flyers captain skated for about 30 minutes total, but left the ice when the rest of the team switched rinks to continue practice. He's cautiously optimistic about what Monday's skate means for his rehabilitation.

“I had a good day today, but we’ll see how I am tomorrow after partaking a little bit more than the day before," he said.

Pronger worked with Andreas Lilja on the ice. He admitted that there are some good days and some bad days, as he works to be ready for the start of the NHL season.

“I’m looking at you Tim, and that’s a bad day," he said, with typical Pronger sarcasm. "I’ve had some not so good days, a couple days where I have not felt great. Usually, the next day, you push through and feel a little better.

"I felt pretty good today. I didn’t feel great, but it was a good start.”

Jaromir Jagr is not with this group. I wouldn’t read anything into it, except maybe he is not with the group that will go to Toronto. The Flyers play four

games this week in succession and you’d think Jagr would play in Philly on Wednesday against the Maple Leafs.

Also, Jagr comes back to Skate Zone at night to do a separate workout by himself. He told us he wanted to live near the rink because he practices a lot. He wasn’t kidding.

He works out with a 25-pound weight when on his own. Animal.


578846 Phoenix Coyotes

Phoenix Coyotes have a chance to show intensity

By Sarah McLellan

The only thing wrong with the red, black and white jerseys that have been on the ice the past three days at Coyotes camp is that they've been battling themselves instead of a true opponent.

That finally changes Tuesday night when a contingent of the Coyotes travels to Anaheim to take on the Ducks in the team's first preseason game. After that, the Coyotes have a split-squad matchup - one road and one home - with the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

"You're always looking to evaluate your players against other players," coach Dave Tippett said. "You gotta remember teammates, people who are in the same locker room together, it's hard to get the true intensity you need. But when you play against another team, there are some players that tend to stand out in that environment.

"That's what you're looking for."

Expect the majority of the veterans to stay in town for Wednesday's home matchup. All of the coaches will be in Anaheim; Tippett and associate coach Jim Playfair will fly back to the Valley for the game against the Kings.

Higher expectations

No longer on the bubble, left wing Lauri Korpikoski has a concrete place in the lineup.

Korpikoski signed a two-year deal over the summer, barely avoiding the arbitration process.

"I'm looking forward to having a full year of being really a core member and playing big minutes," Korpikoski said.

And despite putting up career numbers in goals (19), assists (21) and points (40) last season, Korpikoski plans to stay true to the style that got him to this juncture and that's being someone who is responsible with the puck.

"For sure I want to take the next step again," Korpikoski said. "It's not all about the goal number or point number. Of course you want to put up better numbers. . . . I think what 'Tip' always wants me to do is be really reliable out there on both sides of the puck."

Traveling man

He's only 25 years old, but goaltender Justin Pogge could already be considered a journeyman.

"I get really good at remembering people's names," Pogge said.

That's because Phoenix is the fourth stop of his NHL career, but Pogge is especially excited about this chance with the Coyotes. After Pogge signed a one-year, two-way deal with the club in July, goaltending coach Sean Burke reached out and expressed his interest in working with him.

"When you got a guy like that with that experience in your corner, it's definitely a big boost of confidence," Pogge said.

He's hoping he's found a home with the Coyotes.

"They've got two big guys that they're gonna take the one and two spots," Pogge said.

"You gotta work for the call-up spot, so that's what I'm trying to do."

Roster moves

The team assigned four players to their junior clubs: Philip Lane (Brampton, OHL), Lucas Lessio (Oshawa, OHL), Harrison Ruopp (Prince Albert, WHL) and Justin Weller (Red Deer, WHL).

Defenseman Dylan King has been released from training camp. There are now 57 players at veterans training camp.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 09.20.2011

578847 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins addition is ready to protect Crosby

By Josh Yohe,

Sidney Crosby still has not been cleared to absorb contact.

Steve MacIntyre doesn't intend on Crosby receiving any hits this season, anyway.

The new Penguins' enforcer, MacIntyre is one of hockey's most feared fighters and possesses a particularly clear understanding of his occupational duties.

Protecting Crosby, who hasn't played since Jan. 5 because of a concussion, is his top priority.

"My job," MacIntyre said, "is to make sure his transition back to hockey goes smoothly."

Point taken.

A veteran of 12 minor league seasons, MacIntyre fought his way into the NHL with Edmonton in 2008. He has amassed 2,388 penalty minutes in his minor league career, along with a reputation for violent knockouts. MacIntyre has played 78 NHL games, recording two goals and 157 penalty minutes.

He is precisely what the Penguins want in an enforcer, a no-nonsense guy willing to protect Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but also someone who is a popular locker room presence.

"Steve was a guy that we have talked about for a couple of summers," coach Dan Bylsma said.

MacIntyre appreciated the Penguins' interest this summer and is excited about the opportunity to protect the game's brightest star.

"They're a little more take-the-bull-by-the-horns here," MacIntyre said of the Penguins, who produced the NHL's second most fights last season. "I like that. It's a good test for me."

After spending more than a third of his life in the minor leagues, the 31-year-old MacIntyre values the opportunity of protecting Crosby and playing with the Penguins. His first practice with the Penguins made MacIntyre feel like a kid.

"I mean, it's Sidney Crosby," he said. "I told a couple of my buddies back home that they'll never guess who my center was in practice. It was one of the highlights of my career. I know it was just practice, but still, it's Sidney Crosby."

With tough guys Eric Godard and Mike Rupp gone via free agency, MacIntyre and defenseman Deryk Engelland figure to confront any player who attempts to rough up Crosby. Engelland, who emerged as one of the league's most noteworthy fighters last year, speaks highly of MacIntyre.

"He's arguably the toughest guy in the league," Engelland said. "Heavy punch. He knows the time to do it. If anyone's going to run around, he'll jump right in."

MacIntyre and Engelland boast similar stories, both playing for years in the minor leagues before making it to the NHL. Now, both have vested interest in making the Penguins among hockey's toughest teams.

MacIntyre is already popular in the locker room and has gotten his coach's attention.

"He scares me when I'm in a room with him," Bylsma said with a smile.

MacIntyre file

Steve MacIntyre, one of the NHL's feared fighters, intends to protect Sidney Crosby this season.

Career record in NHL fights: *14-4

Number of fights since 2004: 90

Career NHL penalty minutes: 157

Career minor league penalty minutes: 2,388

Height: 6-5

Weight: 250 pounds

*—According to www.hockeyfights.com

Tribune Review LOADED: 09.20.2011


Penguins' Malkin looks sharp in scrimmage

By Jonathan Bombulie, FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW

WILKES-BARRE — The Penguins' Black-Gold intrasquad scrimmage Monday night turned into a showcase for the team's top two centers in the absence of Sidney Crosby.

Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal each scored twice, as Malkin's Gold team beat Staal's Black squad, 3-2, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre.

Malkin finished off feeds from each of his wingers, Steve Sullivan and James Neal, and looked sharp as he continues to round into form after February knee surgery.

"I'm glad to play a whole game," Malkin said. "My knee (was) not bad. A couple hits and pressure to my knee, and I felt nothing."

Staal scored on a breakaway in the first period and a tap-in in the second after linemate Tyler Kennedy stickhandled goalie Brent Johnson out of position.

"Me and Geno had a bet: Whoever lost had to untie each other's skates," Staal said. "We ended up losing, which was too bad, so I gotta get down on my knees and untie Geno's skates tomorrow."

Sullivan left the game early, but assistant coach Todd Reirden said the move was precautionary and not related to any specific injury.

Crosby made the trip and was in attendance despite not yet being cleared for contact.

Paul Martin also scored for the Gold team.

While the game decidedly had the feel of an intrasquad affair, it was played at a fast pace with a modicum of physical play and lineups similar to the one the Penguins will dress against Detroit in their traditional preseason opener Wednesday at the Consol Energy Center.

Coach Dan Bylsma said the experience was particularly valuable for young players such as 2011 draft pick Scott Harrington, who has yet to play in a professional game.

"That's a real NHL exhibition game. That's the way it's treated," Bylsma said. "From that standpoint, it's very good on evaluation."

Frankly, though, the Penguins didn't really need to fly their players across the state to put them in an NHL game-type situation.

"I can do the evaluation anywhere," general manager Ray Shero said. "We could have it in Timbuktu."

They played the game in Wilkes-Barre to thank the fans who, by buying tickets to watch the farm team, literally help the organization pay the cost of developing players.

"It's important to let the fans there know we appreciate the support we've always had," Shero said.

Aside from building goodwill, the game helps the Baby Pens in a business sense, too. While the team is still safely inside the top 10 in attendance in

the AHL, it drew 6,270 fans per game last season — down from a peak of 8,337 in 2001-02.

Attendance last night was estimated at more than 7,500, and many of those seats were filled by fans who received free passes because they purchased a season-ticket plan.

"To be honest, if we sold it as a solo event, we could probably make more money because it's one of our bigger events of the year and everyone wants the best seats in the house," Baby Pens CEO Jeff Barrett said. "But it's a perk for our club-seat ticket holders and season ticket holders."

Tribune Review LOADED: 09.20.2011


Penguins' Malkin, Staal score 2

By Dave Molinari,

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- OK, better save a spot for Evgeni Malkin on the Penguins opening-night roster.

Might want to set aside one for Jordan Staal, too.

Malkin scored two goals to lead the Gold squad to a 3-2 victory against Black in an intrasquad scrimmage Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, and Staal got both goals for the losers.

Although Malkin and Staal obviously don't have to worry about their places in the lineup, a lot of other guys continue to compete for a few NHL jobs.

General manager Ray Shero said Tuesday night he expects to reassign some of the 55 players in this training camp by the weekend, although he's "not sure" how many will go then.

Joe Vitale gave Gold a 1-0 lead at 6:07 of the opening period in the scrimmage, when he threw a shot past Black goalie Marc-Andre Fleury from near the left point.

Malkin, who had finished serving a holding penalty just over a minute earlier, ran the Gold lead to 2-0 by taking a feed from Steve Sullivan and flipping the puck by Fleury from along the goal line to the right of the net at 9:49.

Black broke through at 13:24 of the first, when Staal pushed a shot past the right skate of Gold goalie Brent Johnson.

Malkin got what proved to be the winner at 7:55 of the second, as his shot from near in the inner edge of the left circle got through Fleury. Staal countered at 11:15, tapping a Tyler Kennedy feed into an open net.

Fleury stopped 20 of 23 shots before being replaced by Brad Thiessen, while Johnson turned aside 13 of 15.

Neither Thiessen nor Scott Munroe, who replaced Johnson, allowed a goal the rest of the way.

Post Gazette LOADED: 09.20.2011


Strait is a body of work

By Shelly Anderson,

Years from now, Brian Strait will have a good answer when he is asked what he remembers from his first NHL game.

It was Feb. 21, a 1-0 Penguins loss at Consol Energy Center, and Strait blocked a shot by Washington Capitals star winger Alex Ovechkin.

"I saw it was him and I kind of got in the way of the puck," Strait recalled. "It hit me and went into the corner. [The significance of it] kind of donned on me once I got back to the bench."

Others might wish they had scored or gotten an assist. Or maybe at least a shot. Strait had no points that night, no shots, no penalties. He was an even in plus-minus rating. He skated 14 shifts amounting to 13 minutes, 2 seconds.

But a defensive defenseman such as Strait couldn't put a much better notch on his shin pads than coming up with a blocked shot against one of hockey's premier snipers.

PG VIDEO: PENGUINS WINGER MATT COOKE: 'WE'RE GOING TO BE A FORCE'

"That's my goal -- to be a shutdown guy," said Strait, 23, who is entering his third pro season and the last on his contract.

He played in two more games in his only week so far in the NHL, with no points or shots but with a dose of confidence.

He's back in Penguins training camp now, hoping to nudge his way further up a crowded depth chart on defense.

Strait was paired with Matt Niskanan in the Black and Gold scrimmage Monday in Wilkes-Barre.

Strait might do everything the Penguins want in training camp. Maybe he will even exceed their expectations.

He might prove that among a crop of gifted offensive-minded defensemen, he can stand out as a stay-at-home type who can move the puck up to the forwards and is ready to do that in the NHL.

Strait might do all of that and still find himself headed back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the American Hockey League for a third season.

"I understand that," Strait said. "It's part of the process. I understand what their situation is, what my situation is. All I can do is put forth my best effort and make it difficult for them.

"My father always told me, 'Just do what you can, do your best and the chips will fall the way they may.' "

Strait is 6 feet 1, a solid 200 pounds. A third-round draft pick in 2006, he left Boston University to turn pro in '09 after three seasons and an NCAA championship. He also won a gold medal for Team USA at the '06 18-and-under world championships.

In his two seasons with Wilkes-Barre, Strait had four goals, 24 points and was a plus-44.

"Right now he's knocking on the NHL door," said Wilkes-Barre assistant and former defenseman Alain Nasreddine. "He's had a good progression his first two [pro] years.

"If he goes back to Wilkes-Barre, he'll have bigger responsibilities, even though last year they were pretty big. He was playing a lot of [penalty-killing] minutes. But this year he's going to be facing the [opponents'] top lines."

Nasreddine sees a nearly complete NHL player in Strait.

"As far as maturity, I think he's there. Physically, too," Nasreddine said. "He's got to just keep getting experience and then make the most of it when he gets an opportunity.

"I definitely think he has the tools to play in the NHL."

The Penguins already have seven defensemen on one-way NHL contracts returning. Over the summer they signed Alexandre Picard, who has NHL experience. And one of the top prospects in the organization is defenseman Simon Despres.

Strait remains undaunted.

"I feel comfortable with my role and what they want out of me," he said. "The role that I'm in, not many guys in this organization play that same style. It's important for me and it's important to them that I play that role and I bring it every night, be physical, be hard on top players."

He also remains patient.

"I want to show them that I'm ready to be an NHL player and that I can do that on a regular basis," Strait said. "Whether they take me now or whether I have to prove it to them until the middle of the season or the end of the season in Wilkes-Barre -- whatever it may be -- that's what I want to prove this year."

NOTES -- Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who has been out since Jan. 5 because of a concussion, skated hard for the third day in a row as he practiced with those not playing in the scrimmage. ... Defenseman Brooks Orpik (summer hernia surgery) and forward Craig Adams (summer appendectomy) were given the day off from skating. ... Coach Dan Bylsma said special teams will be an emphasis on days and nights of preseason games, with five-on-five play the focus on non-game days.

Post Gazette LOADED: 09.20.2011

578851 San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks coach gives Joe Thornton credit for last season's turnaround

By David Pollak

Maybe it's just coincidence, but the Sharks are coming off a season that very much mirrored the play of their captain.

And while Todd McLellan doesn't blame Joe Thornton for the fact his team had skidded to 12th place in the Western Conference last January -- "That was a collective failure" -- he does give him a lot of the credit for the turnaround that followed.

"After our six-game losing streak and we had a talk, Jumbo made a decision for him personally as well as for the team," McLellan said Monday. "Everybody followed, and we were much better. We decided we weren't going to be outworked. We were going to commit to defense."

With the start of a new season only 18 days away, if there is any question as to which Thornton will be in uniform -- the player who was minus-14 after 43 games, or the one that went plus-18 from that point forward and led the NHL with 114 take-aways, the one whose strong play continued into the playoffs -- there isn't in McLellan's mind.

"I don't question which Joe will show up," McLellan said. "I like to think I know which Shark team will show up, but they still have to play that way."

With hindsight, Thornton describes the turnaround -- his and the team's -- as one borne of necessity.

"We were at a point where, hey, if you don't play hard and compete every night, you're not going to make the postseason," he said. "I think it just came to a point where everybody put his nose down and went to

work, myself included."

These have been times of change for Thornton, off the ice and on it.

Summers used to be spent in exotic places -- climbing pyramids in Egypt, lounging on beaches in Thailand. He and his wife, Tabea, still travel, but now they're taking their 14-month-old daughter, Ayla, to see her grandparents in Ontario and Switzerland.

On the ice, Thornton always had been considered a scoring machine who was capable of playing well without the puck even if there were nights he didn't show it.

But last season his production dropped. After averaging 96 points his previous four seasons as a Shark, he finished with 70 on 21 goals and 49 assists. For the first time since Thornton's arrival here in November 2005, another player -- Patrick Marleau with 73 points -- was the team scoring leader.

Thornton consistently says the only number that matters to him is the one in the win column. And in fact, after Jan. 15 his scoring pace dropped from .95 to .79 points per game, even as the Sharks climbed in the standings.

While McLellan isn't ready to sign off on the trade-off -- "I think Jumbo can still produce points on a regular basis and be a top offensive player in the league and still be committed to doing these other things" -- he agrees in principle.

"He can have three assists and not block any shots or kill any penalties and we still lose," the coach said. "Those three assists won't do us any good."

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson noted that as the Sharks lineup has changed, so has the role Thornton plays.

"How you can help us win is not always just based on points," Wilson said.

"Maybe we have a better team and other players are capable of doing things. The evolution of a player is connected to the evolution of a team."

Some outsiders wondered if Thornton's generally easygoing nature was suited for a second shot at captain, a title he previously held with the Boston Bruins. But teammate Ryane Clowe said that what needed to be said was said.

"A couple times, especially when we were going through that losing streak, he spoke up and was more direct, kind of aggressive with a couple guys," said Clowe, an assistant captain. "He made sure everyone stayed in their place a little more than in the past."

Thornton, on the other hand, said he didn't think he handled things differently.

"I think I've always been pretty vocal," he said. "I can't think of one incident where I was going to speak up just because I was the captain."

Thornton doesn't offer up any deep lessons learned from being bounced from the playoffs in the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive time, just one that's two words in length: "Losing sucks."

And did it make matters worse when Boston, his former team, ended up hoisting the Stanley Cup?

"No," he said. "If you don't win it, you don't really care who does."

Defense dominated the team's training camp scrimmage for a second day as prospect Brodie Reid scored the only goal over a 60-minute period.

Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic made his first camp appearance after battling a viral infection, but did not skate.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 09.20.2011

578852 St Louis Blues

Former Sharks Nichol, Huskins know all about the Blues

By JEREMY RUTHERFORD

In the San Jose locker room before matchups with the Blues the past two seasons, veteran center Scott Nichol remembers Sharks coach Todd McLellan's message to the team.

"Anytime he would talk about the Blues, he would say, 'It's going to be a man's game out there. … Be ready to work and compete,'" said Nichol, who has 10 goals and six assists in 39 career games against the Blues. "That's the way that the Blues play. I think I've had good success against the Blues because I enjoy the style that they play … every game, in your face hockey."

Nichol is not alone in that memory.

"They always played us tough," defenseman Kent Huskins said. "I'm very familiar with this lineup, and how hard they can be to play against."

Now the two former Sharks will find out what it's like to play for the Blues, after signing free-agent contracts with the club this offseason. Nichol, 36, inked a one-year, $600,000 contract, and Huskins, 32, agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal.

After back-to-back trips to the Western Conference finals, both times being denied a chance to play for the Stanley Cup, the Sharks altered the look of their team.

They made two blockbuster deals with Minnesota, exchanging Dany Heatley for Martin Havlat and Devin Setoguchi for Brent Burns, and they allowed a couple free agents to depart.

"It wasn't even just the fourth-line guys," Nichol said. "It was the Heatleys and Setoguchis. I think they realized the formula wasn't there. They went through a pretty good overhaul."

The Sharks' decision to let Nichol and Huskins depart has allowed the Blues to add two more experienced players.

There has been much documented about the signings of Jamie Langenbrunner and Jason Arnott, but Blues coach Davis Payne thinks the additions of Nichol and Huskins might be underestimated.

"It's huge," Payne said. "You watch them go through practice and things are done correctly to their end and at a very high level. It's why these guys have played in the spring. It's why we feel good about adding them to our lineup."

Nichol, who will center the Blues' fourth line, has 52 goals and 118 points in 552 NHL games — with Buffalo, Calgary, Chicago, Nashville and San Jose. He is a face-off specialist, finishing with the fifth-best winning percentage (59.8 percent) among players who took 300-plus draws last season.

"He's a hard-nosed guy, heart-and-soul type player, works his tail off day in and day out," Huskins said. "He sets a good example for the younger guys through his work ethic, the way he conducts himself on and off the ice."

Nichol is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, but he's been cleared for practice and should receive full clearance soon.

"There's no rush," Nichol said. "I've done a lot of work all summer to get it where it is. We all realize what the goal is … to play the whole season and not have a setback."

Huskins played 5½ seasons in the minor leagues before cracking the NHL in 2006-07 with the Anaheim Ducks, with whom he won the Stanley Cup that year.

A stay-at-home defenseman who has played for only Anaheim and San Jose, Huskins has 11 career goals, 49 assists and a plus-minus rating of plus 40.

"He's real quiet, real mellow, but a real smart player," Nichol said. "I think his biggest asset is you don't recognize him out there. He makes the good, safe plays all the time … (puts the puck) on your tape or off the glass. He's a really good, steady influence back there."

Specifically, the additions of Nichol and Huskins might be most helpful to the Blues' penalty-killing unit.

After finishing No. 1 in the NHL in 2009-10 (86.8 percent), the unit dropped to No. 18 last season (81.7 percent).

"I think that's one of the strengths of both of our games," Huskins said. "As we move forward in the preseason, we'll have a better feel for the system and see where we can contribute."

In the big picture, the bonus of having Nichol and Huskins aboard will be penciling two players into the lineup who come from a winning program in San Jose. They each think the Blues are on the verge of becoming a winning program.

"It was a great couple of years in San Jose, but Scotty will tell you, we're totally thrilled to be here and part of this organization," Huskins said. "We've got great potential to do some great things with this group. It's up to us to do the work and follow through on that, but I really think we can do it."

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 09.20.2011

578853 St Louis Blues

Rattie building confidence in Blues' training camp

By JEREMY RUTHERFORD

Ty Rattie said that when he traveled with the Blues to the NHL Prospects Tournament last week, "I was about to throw up before the first game."

The Blues didn't have a first-round pick in last June's draft, so there's a little added pressure on Rattie, who was the team's top pick at No. 32 overall in the second round. Only two months removed from that draft, the right winger was headed to Traverse City, Mich., to play in front of Blues' management and coaches for the first time.

Rattie, 18, didn't disappoint anyone, posting two goals and four assists in four games, as the Blues went 3-1 in the tournament and took third place.

He played on a line with Philip McRae (4 goals, 3 assists) and Jay Barriball (2 goals).

"My success was due to them big time," Rattie said. "I was so nervous and Phil was a huge help. He calmed me down and said, 'Just play your game and you'll be fine.' That was one of my strongest games - that first game - and I owe a lot to McRae."

Rattie called the NHL Prospects Tourament "a big confidence booster" heading into his first main camp with the Blues. Through three days of practice, the 6-foot, 170-pound winger hasn't looked out of place.

"It was his type of day today ... the offensive stuff ... he's got those kinds of skills, he's got those kinds of instincts ... very, very comfortable with the puck on his stick," Blues coach Davis Payne said. "When he gets in some tight areas, he's got confidence to make plays. Some of that stuff is hard to teach. When you've got that poise as an 18-year-old, it's a good start."

Said Rattie: "I worried that I wouldn't belong, but now I have the confidence that if I just stick to my game plan and work with my linemates, I should be able to fit in. Obviously there's a lot of big names, so I'm just trying to soak it all in and see what they do on and off the ice. It's helped me out a lot."

Rattie is on Team Gold, which is scheduled to play in Wednesday's preseason game against Tampa Bay in Orlando, Fla. It's unknown if he'll be in the lineup that night, but in the meantime, Rattie said he'll continue focusing on what Blues GM Doug Armstrong and the coaching staff mentioned to him after the NHL Prospects Tournament.

"After Traverse City, they told me what they liked and what I could work on," Rattie said. "They said away from the puck, I need to get in that open spot for my linemates ... and then get better defensively, which I've heard many times. So that's the major focus for me right now, watching guys like Scott Nichol, who have made a career in the defensive zone.

"I thought that was huge. Anytime you can get face-to-face time with the GM and the coaches, you have to soak it in. I'm using their feedback and I'm trying to apply it to my game here."

Rattie doesn't know when his days in Blues' camp will end, but he says he'll take what he learned back to Portland, where he'll play his third season with the Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League. In two previous seasons, he has 45 goals and 116 points in 128 games.

"It's an unreal experience, any 18-year-old coming to an NHL camp, just learning how to be a pro," Rattie said. "My main goal is to be a Blue as quick as I can, and I know it may not be this year or next year, but as long as I get the experience, it's going to help my confidence."

DELLA ROVERE IN DEMAND

The Blues seemed to have moved away from the philosophy of having a singular enforcer on the roster, but there will always be a demand for an agitator.

Forward Stefan Della Rovere, who was acquired in the 2010 trade with Washington for D.J. King, still hopes to be that player for the Blues.

"It's always good to fit a role," said Della Rovere, 21, a 5-10, 200-pound left winger. "You've just got to go out there everyday and do what you do best. You can't change your game. If you stick to your game, you have the best chance of making the team."

Della Rovere, the Capitals' seventh-round pick in 2008, saw his first NHL action last season, playing seven games in St. Louis, where he had points and 11 penalty minutes. He played 66 games in Peoria, racking up eight goals, 16 points and 110 penalty minutes. He projects to be on Peoria's roster for opening day, with an opportunity to play in St. Louis at some point.

"It's going to be a tough squad to crack," Della Rovere said. "We picked up a lot of good players up front. We're just going to get through training camp - it's going to be a long week - and hopefully I'll get some exhibition games in and do my best. Management is always watching and you can't really think about it too much ... you just have to do your thing."

REAVES GETS A LAUGH

When the video game NHL 2012 was released for Xbox recently, Blues forward Ryan Reaves heard an earful from teammates about the complexion of his character.

"I haven't seen it yet," said Reaves, who is bi-racial, "but I've been told that I'm black as night. I went from a pale ghost (in the 2010 version of the

game) to a Mexican (in 2011) to midnight dark. I think they must have (designed the character) during the summertime when I get my nice tan."

STARTING GOALIE

Goaltender Brian Elliott has been named the starter for tomorrow's exhibition opener against Tampa Bay at Scottrade Center. Ben Bishop will be in uniform, but the Blues say that the plan in the preseason will be to play the same goalie for the entire game.

"The intention is not to split any games," Payne said. "We'd like to see a guy come in, start a game and finish a game. The complexion of the game may change and it may change your evaluation of the performances, so we want to see guys plays in their entirety."

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 09.20.2011

578854 Tampa Bay Lightning

Working to deepen talent pool

By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman inherited a stocked team when he agreed to take the job a little more than a year ago.

Tampa Bay was stacked up front with 50-goal scorers Steven Stamkos and Vinny Lecavalier, along with former MVP Marty St. Louis and promising defenseman Victor Hedman already in the fold.

The talent pool, however, proved rather shallow beneath all the star power. Years of poor drafting proved to be the biggest culprit as a series of Lightning high selections never panned out.

From 2002 until 2007, Tampa Bay made 14 selections in the first three rounds of the draft. Those players have combined to play 228 NHL games, or an average of 16 per player. And of those 228 games, 200 have come from defenseman Matt Smaby (second-round pick in 2002) or current third-year right wing Dana Tyrell (second round in 2007). And only one of those picks includes a player still in college, left wing Alex Killorn (third round in 2007), who remains at Harvard for his senior year.

With such deficient drafting, including whiffing on three consecutive first round picks — defenseman Andy Rogers (2004), defenseman Vladimir Mihalik (2005) and goaltender Riku Helenius (2006) — the franchise gets set back and depletes depth in the organization.

"That's what hurts. Guys that were picked in the first round that didn't pan out. There were three of them and all three defense. That's huge. That totally changes your team. It makes you a contender right away, so now we have to build it up and it takes time,'' Lightning head coach Guy Boucher said.

The past four drafts, however, have begun to help rebuild what were relative bare cupboards. The 2008 draft, which produced first overall pick Stamkos, also brought in center James Wright, who played in 48 games with Tampa Bay in 2009, along with No. 3 goaltender Dustin Tokarski and defenseman Mark Barberio. Others coming up the pipeline include 2009 draftees Carter Ashton and Richard Panik, while Brett Connolly, the sixth pick in 2010, is making a strong impression in his second training camp.

But those players, including 2011 first-round pick Vladislav Namestnikov, are not ready to make an impact on the Lightning just yet. And because of the lack of impact players who have come along in previous seasons, Tampa Bay has to find other ways to build up its organizational depth. That includes signing free-agent college players such as Cory Conacher or bringing in someone like Tyler Johnson, an undrafted junior free agent who played for Team USA at the U-20 World Championships in 2010.

"We have to find players. We have to get out there and there are players out there. Throughout the league, there are a lot of guys who were not drafted or drafted and not signed, go back in the draft or are free agents. We have to look at all those guys,'' Yzerman said. "We have to be diligent, our scouts both pro and amateur out there, find the odd player and that will make a huge difference if we can find one or two guys. So we are going to sign college free agents, juniors, and not all of them are going to turn out to be NHLers, but we have to find some and try to develop some. That's the only way we are going to get ahead.''

When players such as St. Louis and Lecavalier, who have been a big part of the organization for a decade or more, begin to find the later years of their careers, the Lightning need players such as Ashton, Connolly and Namestnikov to make their mark with the big club.

"The biggest weakness in our organization is depth and you can't build that overnight, you have to build it through the draft and we just started,'' Boucher said. "We are doing a good job right now and we want to continue doing that and eventually get to that wheel that teams have, teams like Philly and those teams that have the wheel turning. We don't have the wheel turning yet, but we will.''

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 09.20.2011


Star power lacking for preseason opener

By TBO.COM

The Lightning plan to make a day trip for the preseason opener, flying to St. Louis in this afternoon to face the Blues at ScottTrade Center tonight.

The game starts a stretch of four in five nights to open the preseason for Tampa Bay, including a game Wednesday night in Orlando at Amway Center against the Blues.

Tampa Bay will take a team lacking in star power to St. Louis, instead saving many of the Lightning's top players to make their debut in Orlando.

The line combinations for tonight are scheduled to be Carter Ashton-Dominic Moore-Steve Downie; Mattias Ritola-Nate Thompson-Ryan Shannon; Dana Tyrell-Adam Hall-Alex Picard; and JT Wyman-Mike Angelidis-Eric Neilson.

The defense pairings are expected to be Victor Hedman-Brett Clark; Mark Barberio-Pavel Kubina; and Richard Petiot-Radko Gudas.

Mathieu Garon is scheduled to start in goal, with Jaroslav Janus expected to play the second half.

While winning is always a goal, plenty of evaluation will take place by the coaching and the management staff.

"For me, I sit up there and watch players individually," GM Steve Yzerman said. "Are they fast enough to keep up with the play? Are they physically strong enough? Can they think the game well? I'm watching the game a little bit differently than the coaches who are trying to watch them play the system and if they can fit into that.

"Obviously, you want to win every game, and we are playing a lot of inexperienced guys and a lot of new faces in the lineup. But I watch individuals and see if they are ready to play another preseason game and where would they fit into our lineup.''

Fleming from afar

Yzerman and Boucher remain in contact with assistant coach Wayne Fleming, who is recovering in his hometown of Calgary, Alberta, from surgery to remove a brain tumor in April.

"He's attacking his rehab vigorously and I think he is very encouraged by the setup he has there,'' Yzerman said. "What we miss is, he is an experienced guy who has seen it all and been through it all. He comes out and runs practice and you hear his booming voice on the ice.

"But he watches, he's on top of things and he is antsy, so I'll talk to him on a regular basis. He has the ability to sit there and watch games, rewind and fast forward, you can pick up a lot. So, he's got a good hockey mind, he knows players and he'll be very helpful still from back home.''

Injury updates

G Dustin Tokarski underwent a pair of MRI tests on Monday as the team tries to figure out what is keeping the 22-year-old net minder off the ice. There is concern, Yzerman said, Tokarski's situation is similar to what kept former D Mike Lundin out for a month last season.

The results of the exams were expected late Monday.

Also, D Scott Jackson will be out indefinitely as he recovers from offseason surgery to clean up his left knee. Jackson is expected to resume skating soon, Yzerman said.

D Charles Landry remained off the ice for the second consecutive day after he was injured during a drill on Saturday. Landry did not show symptoms of a concussion, head coach Guy Boucher said, but the team is being cautious with the 20-year-old blue liner. Landry is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Nuts and Bolts

The Lightning reassigned D Adam Janosik (Gatineau) and D Geoffrey Schemitsch (Owen Sound) to their junior teams. The cuts leave Tampa Bay with 54 players in training camp. … The non-game group of players is scheduled to practice from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon.

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 09.20.2011


Tampa Bay Lightning coaches increase workload as Wayne Fleming fights cancer

By Laura Keeley, Times Staff Writer

BRANDON — With assistant coach Wayne Fleming home in Calgary fighting brain cancer, Lightning coaches have had to increase their workloads during training camp.

"Every day I take my breakfast and I eat a quarter of it because I don't have time," coach Guy Boucher said Monday. "The fact is that he's not here. We had some sort of chemistry set in. Now we have to separate the tasks in different ways. It does pile on the work."

Fleming, 61, is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. He also is recovering his motor skills after April brain surgery to remove a malignant tumor.

While there is no timetable for Fleming's return — he will not be with the team for the season opener Oct. 7 at Carolina — GM Steve Yzerman reiterated that he hopes Fleming will watch games on television and contribute insights and suggestions via e-mail and text messages as he did during last season's playoffs.

"He's been around so long that the stuff he says I really pay attention to," said C Nate Thompson, who, along with D Pavel Kubina, has kept in touch with Fleming via e-mail. "He's been with a lot of different teams. He's coached a lot of superstars and longtime NHLers, so whatever he says, guys listen."

"He's fighting," Boucher said. "We have to do the same."

MEDICAL MATTERS: AHL Norfolk G Dustin Tokarski, held out of practice for the second straight day, had two MRI exams to try and pinpoint the mysterious injury that has limited him since April. It was originally believed Tokarski had an abdominal injury, perhaps a sports hernia, but tests could not confirm. Now it is believed he might have pelvic tendinitis. … Norfolk D Scott Jackson has not practiced because of offseason arthroscopic knee surgery to clean up cartilage damaged during summer workouts.

GOALIE ROTATION: With Tokarski's status uncertain, Jaroslav Janus, at least for now, is the organization's No. 3 goaltender.

As such, he will play half games in the Lightning's preseason opener tonight at St. Louis and Wednesday against the Blues in Orlando.

"It's important he sees some ice at this level," Boucher said of Janus, who last season was 12-13-0 with a 3.06 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 27 games with ECHL Florida.

Janus will split time tonight with Mathie Garon and Wednesday with Dwayne Roloson. Garon and Roloson will split Friday's game at the St. Pete Times Forum against the Panthers, Boucher said.

ODDS AND ENDS: Former assistant GM Tom Kurvers was named special adviser to the general manager. Former director of pro scouting Pat Verbeek was named assistant general manager and director of player

personnel. … The camp roster was reduced to 54 when defensemen Geoffrey Schemitsch and Adam Janosik were returned to their junior teams.

St. Petersburg Times LOADED: 09.20.2011


Wing Ryan Shannon a newcomer on the rise for Tampa Bay Lightning

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

BRANDON — Ryan Shannon believes he has the best seat in the house.

With a stall next to Marty St. Louis in the Lightning locker room at the Ice Sports Forum, the right wing daily gets to pick the superstar's brain.

St. Louis, on the other hand, believes Tampa Bay made a terrific move signing as a free agent a player who might be ready to take his game to the next level.

"We're getting him," St. Louis said, "at a time he is hungry."

It is a mutual admiration society, for sure, but the friendship the two forged in a training facility in Darien, Conn., certainly is helping make Shannon's transition to the Lightning easier.

"Marty is very supportive of everybody," Shannon said. "I don't know if I'm getting special treatment. I don't feel like I am, but he's definitely there to help."

Shannon and St. Louis met seven years ago when St. Louis began training in the summer with Ben Prentiss, who already had trained Shannon for three years. Shannon and family live in Darien during the offseason, St. Louis and family in nearby Greenwich.

They are similar in stature.

Shannon, 28, is listed at 5 feet 9, 175 pounds and has 9 percent body fat. St. Louis, 36, is listed at 5-8, 176 pounds and has 8 percent body fat.

In the gym "they are super intense guys," Prentiss said.

But Shannon is "serious," Prentiss said. "Marty has more of a playful side and lightens up when the time is right."

Shannon, who will wear No. 22, wore No. 26 with the Senators because of St. Louis, Prentiss said, and added that St. Louis' encouragement last season helped spark Shannon to seven goals and 16 points in his final 26 games compared with four and 11 in his previous 53.

St. Louis said he and Shannon "talked hockey now and then" but gave Shannon the credit.

"He got put in key situations and proved it to himself," St. Louis said. "If you can prove it to yourself, the things you can do, then you raise the bar. He raised his own bar."

"I started to believe in myself and contributing every night on a consistent basis," Shannon said. "The specific lessons I learned is the approach every day, making sure you are at your best and focused and feeling good about yourself and your game, and if not figuring out what to do to get to that level."

The Lightning signed Shannon to a one-year, $625,000 contract and considers him a skilled player who can play in any situation, makes smart plays and does not panic under pressure.

Shannon also has what coach Guy Boucher called "easy speed. His glide is very good."

Enamored of the havoc three speedsters could cause, Boucher said Shannon could start the season on a line with St. Louis and center Steven Stamkos. The combination will at least be used at some point in games.

Shannon called the prospect "fantastic" but knows, "I need to earn that."

Beginning tonight in a preseason game with the Blues.

"Ryan has potential," general manager Steve Yzerman said. "We think he can take another step given a good opportunity."

St. Louis would agree.



Tampa Bay Lightning lineup for preseason opener vs. Blues

Posted by Damian Cristodero

Here is the lineup for Tuesday night's Tampa Bay Lightning preseason opener in St. Louis with the Blues:

Goaltenders:Mathieu Garon, Jaroslav Janus.

Defensemen: Mattias Ohlund, Victor Hedman, Brett Clark, Mark Barberio, Pavel Kubina, Richard Petiot, Radko Gudas.

Forwards: Carter Ashton, Dominic Moore, Steve Downie, Mattias Ritola, Nate Thompson, Ryan Shannon, Dana Tyrell, Adam Hall, Alex Picard, JT Wyman, Mike Angelidis, Eric Neilson


578859 Toronto Maple Leafs

Scrivens has a role model in Reimer

james mirtle

It was almost exactly a year ago, in preseason, when a young goaltender came in, played parts of two games and, by the numbers, outshone the two netminders who had a lock on jobs with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

That goalie was James Reimer, an unheralded fourth-round draft pick who stopped 26 of 28 shots, good enough for a .929 save percentage that was better than that of Jean-Sébastien Giguère (.913) or Jonas Gustavsson (.902).

Reimer still ended up going to the minors after training camp, but by midseason, he began to take over in goal, eventually earning the No. 1 role and a three-year, $5.4-million (U.S.) deal in the summer.

A year later, Ben Scrivens is hoping he can write a similar Cinderella story.

"What Reims did last year was a big confidence boost for me," Scrivens said. "It shows that anything really can happen."

While his profile remains low, Scrivens sits third on the organization's depth chart after he put up impressive numbers in the minors and climbed from the ECHL to serve as Reimer's backup briefly in the NHL last year.

His play even caught the eye of Leafs coach Ron Wilson, who said this week he wants to give the undrafted former Cornell University star from Spruce Grove, Alta., "a really good look" in preseason.

"He played so well last year in the American league," Wilson said. "We were confident that if anything happened, we could use him."

So while the Leafs goaltending situation may appear set with Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson both under relatively new, one-way contracts, there's room for Scrivens to play the unlikely hero if either of those ahead of him falters at any point during the year.

"I'm just trying to make everyone have to make a difficult decision about me," said Scrivens, who allowed one goal while playing the second half of Toronto's 4-2 preseason win on Monday over the Ottawa Senators. "I'm hoping my play is good enough to earn something, a call-up here or whatever."

For Scrivens, 25, even playing for the Leafs in an exhibition game feels a world away from his time in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, where he was an all-star only five years ago before heading off to Cornell.

He and his fiancé have become close friends with Reimer and his wife, which has helped to ease that transition, as he now has a fairly good idea of what awaits should he continue to have success in the minors.

Even if he still can't quite believe he's this close to an NHL job.

"I don't want to say I'm in awe that I'm at this point - I worked hard and I think I've put in a lot of time," Scrivens said. "But if you would have told me when I was in college, if I thought I would have made it this far, I probably wouldn't have believed you."



Gustavsson gets the start

james mirtle

The NHL's preseason schedule gets going tonight with four games in three cities: Buffalo, Toronto and Sunrise, Fla., the latter of which will host back-to-back games between the Panthers and Predators.

The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, are hosting the Ottawa Senators in their first action, with Jonas Gustavsson set to start in goal and be replaced at the halfway point by Ben Scrivens.

With five preseason games in six nights, the Leafs are going to be four over the minimum required number of veterans (eight) tonight. According to the CBA, here's what constitutes a veteran:

"A Club shall be permitted to dress a minimum of eight (8) veterans for any Exhibition Game. For purposes of this Section, a veteran shall constitute either: (1) a forward or defenseman who played in thirty (30) NHL Games during the previous season, (2) a goaltender who either dressed in fifty (50) or more NHL Games or played in thirty (30) or more NHL Games in the previous season, (3) a first round draft choice from the most recent year's Entry Draft or (4) any Player who has played one-hundred (100) or more career NHL Games."

Here's the lineup for tonight (veterans in bold):

MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin

Kadri - Bozak - Armstrong

Crabb - Colborne - Frattin

Rosehill - Dupuis - Ryan

Aulie - Phaneuf

Gardiner - Liles

Lashoff - Gunnarsson

Gustavsson and Scrivens

The Senators skated in Ottawa before making the flight down for the game, so their lineup remains a bit unknown, even to coach Ron Wilson as of now.

(As an aside, the Philadelphia Flyers are here tomorrow, which means youngsters Brayden Schenn and Blake Kessel should be in the lineup. It's highly likely their brothers, Leafs players Luke Schenn and Phil Kessel, will draw in for that family affair.)

One player who made it clear he's taking preseason seriously this morning was Clarke MacArthur, who talked about wanting his line to continue to stay together and have success after all three had breakout campaigns.

"We had great chemistry last year, but it's a new year and we've got to do it all over again," he said. "I think the best thing we did was those little plays on the ice that made room for each other. We're a smaller line and those little plays, those are what made us successful.

"I think last year I came in having something to prove and trying to stay on the line and I want to come in and do the same thing this year. Nothing's every set in stone. If we're not playing good, you can be sure things will get changed. I want to come in here and play like I'm playing for a job, too."

MacArthur added that the Leafs as a whole have big expectations for the season after they finished last year so well.

"There are no more excuses," he said. "It's a matter of controlling the ups and downs throughout the season. You're going to have injuries, you're

going to lose guys, but that's when you have to come back and rely on your systems and find ways to win games."

Here are a few quotes from Wilson today, with full audio from his press conference at the bottom (which featured a cameo by David Shoalts):

- On the testing of the verification line and shallower nets in the preseason games: "Anything we can do that makes the job easier upstairs is great. And the fact that the net's a little bit narrower gives a little bit more room behind the net for skilled players to wraparound or make plays from the back of the net. I'm all for stuff like that."

- On the team's blueline depth: "Gunnarsson in particular played really well in the second half when he was playing with Luke last year. And it's going to be a battle for all of those guys on the back end. So I have to split people up. Lashoff played really well in his 10 games or so naturally they get into the lineup."

- Wilson added that Nazem Kadri, Joe Colborne and Matt Frattin will play in a lot of the games as they battle for one of the final spots on the team. "If they don't make our team, then it's good experience and they know what they have to work on."

- If you're keeping track, tonight's first line could be the Leafs top line during the season, while their second line is slotted in to be the third line. The third line tonight, meanwhile, may be the Marlies top trio when the season starts.

- And finally, the inevitable "playoff" question Wilson always gets around this time... "It's important to all of us, no matter what year it is, your goal is to make the playoffs. Then you have a chance of winning the Stanley Cup. That's what our goal is: To make the playoffs and then go from there."



Leafs down Sens in preseason opener

Gavin Day

Tyler Bozak scored twice in the third period as the Toronto Maple Leafs opened their pre-season campaign with a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Monday.


Jared Cowen scored both of Ottawa's goals, one in the second and the other in the third as number of regulars were absent from both clubs in their first exhibition game of the season.

After Ottawa picked up two quick hooking penalties early in the first, Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf lit up a relatively quiet 18,556 fans at the Air Canada Centre with a hit on Ottawa's Tim Conboy in the Ottawa zone. That drew the attention of Cowen, who jumped in for a fight with Phaneuf.

Phaneuf got an elbowing penalty for the initial hit while Cowen got the instigator minor and a 10-minute misconduct in addition to fighting majors for both players.

Buoyed by their captain's physical play, the Maple Leafs took the lead at 5:30 of the first period. After taking a cross-ice pass from Tyler Bozak, Jake Gardiner fired in a hard pass to Armstrong, who banged the puck past Ottawa goaltender Alex Auld from close range.

Toronto had chances throughout the first to add to their lead. Just past the 11-minute mark, Auld was caught well out of his net when he tried to play the puck. But Toronto couldn't capitalize and eventually the play was stopped when the net was knocked off.

Toronto came out with the early chances in the second but some hard work by Nikita Filatov led to Ottawa's equalizer at 7:25.

Filatov got the play started with some strong forechecking to pick up the puck in the Toronto zone. After circling behind Jonas Gustavsson in the Toronto goal, Filatov found a wide open Cowen down the middle of the ice and Cowen's shot beat Gustavsson to the glove side.

Auld and Gustavsson were both replaced a few minutes later by Robin Lehner and Ben Scrivens respectively.

Lehner had only been in for a few minutes before Toronto got the puck past him. Just past the halfway mark of the second, Gunnarsson fired the puck past Lehner from the right point on a power play.

Bozak added Toronto's lead just over five minutes into the third period. Bozak skated onto Matt Lashoff's clearance off the left boards before going in alone and beating Lehner with a low shot.

Scrivens, meanwhile, wasn't tested too much but did allow one goal on the 14 shots he faced on a soft shot by Cowen that appeared to take a deflection off Gardiner in front.

Bozak's second came off a rebound in close on Lehner. Phaneuf took a shot from the left side and Bozak put the rebound through Lehner's legs at 13:27 of the third.



Feschuk: Third line looks good in Leafs' opening win

Dave Feschuk

This time last year, Colby Armstrong was already playing with a broken foot. It turned out to be a harbinger of the hurt to come.

Before a forgettable season was done, the Leafs right winger would suffer a detached tendon on one hand, a broken finger on the other. He would weather a scratched cornea that led to a bleeding eye.

And just when he figured he might be out of the infirmary, perhaps to add to the sick symmetry, he'd also break his other foot blocking a shot.

So you'll understand if his smile was genuine and wide on Monday night, after he and his Maple Leafs teammates won their preseason opener, 4-2. Yes, it was a game against the Ottawa Senators in which many of the top-line talents sat out for both squads. And yes, as Ron Wilson, the Leafs' head coach, pointed out, it "wasn't anything close to" a real NHL game.

But it was hockey, and there was an announced crowd of 18,556 at the Air Canada Centre. And certainly it was harmless enough for the beleaguered supporters of the Blue and White to witness some promising signs and blue-sky better days.

How good could the 2011-12 Leafs be, for instance, if they managed to get Monday night's production out of their third line? That'd be the unit, centred by Tyler Bozak and flanked by Armstrong and Nazem Kadri, that accounted for three of the home team's goals.

Bozak, the beefed-up 25-year-old who, according to Wilson, has put on about 10 pounds of muscle since last season, had a pair. Armstrong, healthy again and wearing plastic caps on his skates this season in the hopes of reducing the chance of another pair of broken feet, scored the other.

In a league in which the best teams get notable production out of the third line, certainly the Leafs could use the same.

"It's nice to know we have three lines that can be dangerous offensively," Wilson said. "I think every team would love to have three lines that can score."

Wilson cautioned against overly optimistic forecasts. He pointed out that when Armstrong came into the league in Pittsburgh - he scored 16 goals in 50 games as a rookie - he was often playing with Sidney Crosby.

"He's not playing with Sidney Crosby here," Wilson said, dryly.

Wilson also noted that goal scoring is often a function of ice time. How much of that would the Bozak-Armstrong-Kadri line expect, if they're to stay together?

"If you look at our team, you'd say that's probably our third line. They probably get somewhere between 14 to 16 minutes (a game)," Wilson said. "To say (Armstrong) should score 20, wouldn't be right.

"But he should be able to get between 15 and 20, something like that. (Bozak) would be the centre and (Kadri) looks comfortable with those guys . . . It's hard, in this league, to score 20 goals if you don't play on the power play."

Armstrong scored his goal on Monday night on the power play; the Leafs' first line, centred by Tim Connolly with Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, had the night off. Armstrong, for his part, praised his linemates and spoke of their early-season chemistry.

"They're both fast, gritty, skilled players that can make plays. It's exciting to play with those guys," he said.

It's also exciting, Armstrong said, to play in front of an enthusiastic fan base with a pent-up desire for a winner. To Toronto's playoff drought, which is six seasons old, he can relate. Armstrong, 28, is heading into his seventh season in the NHL, and he has been to the playoffs precisely once, in 2006-07 with the Penguins.

His postseason experience measures all of five games. He'd like to go about changing that in the spring of 2012.

"It's brutal . . . It's something you want so bad," Armstrong said of the Stanley Cup tournament. "I remember that feeling. We played the Senators my first (playoff) series. To have that feeling, the butterflies and that amped-up building, it's something you grow up watching, it's something you want.

"It's tough to sit by and watch it every year. That drive is there, for sure."



Leafs open with 4-2 win over Sens

Mark Zwolinski

As a rookie defenceman making his Leafs debut, Jake Gardiner knew enough to heed any advice offered from veteran John-Michael Liles.

And even though it was a pre-season game, Gardiner opened his ears to every word uttered by Liles, and the results were memorable as the Leafs opened their exhibition schedule with a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators.

"He's (Liles) very vocal," said Gardiner, who notched two assists and looked solid while getting his first taste of the NHL.

"But that makes it easier when there's a lot of fans. It makes it easier for me to do my job, too. The main thing is we got the win, and for me to put up a couple of points makes it better."

With fans - there were 18,556 on board Monday night - looking for early signs of success from their team, the Leafs got off on the right foot. Tyler Bozak picked up a pair of third-period goals to ice the contest, and looked very confident and relaxed on a line with Colby Armstrong and Nazem Kadri.

Armstrong picked up a goal on a five-point night from what should be the Leafs' third line. Carl Gunnarsson had the other Leaf goal while Jared Cowen scored both Ottawa goals.

Gardiner and fellow rookie Jesse Blacker represent the future for the Leafs on defence and will almost certainly be assigned to the Marlies. Their turns at the NHL will come but for now, the Leafs have at least eight experienced NHL blueliners, and a potentially tough decision over which ones to keep when camp breaks in three weeks.

For Gardiner, 21, Monday was the first of what should be three or four pre-season games. It's partly his reward for a solid performance with the Marlies last spring after the Leafs acquired him from Anaheim (Ducks' first-round pick in 2008) in the Joffrey Lupul trade.

He had the perfect mentor in Liles, who broke into the NHL with the Avalanche and had all-stars like Joe Sakic, Adam Foote and Rob Blake, to lean on for advice.

"When I came into the league, Rob Blake was my defensive partner and I roomed with Joe Sakic in my second year," Liles said.

"I took things from all of them, advice and sometimes not so much on the ice as off the ice. One of the best things I was told came from Adam Foote, he told me you're a rookie for five years in the NHL, if you act like that, you'll be in a good spot."

Liles, while impressed with Gardiner's performance, was also looking at the bigger picture of a Leafs team trying to shore up some of last season's problem areas - notably the power play.

Liles himself becomes a key part of the power play - taking over the quarterback duties - and teamed with Dion Phaneuf on the point, the Leafs look to have a formidable pairing.

"Special teams are a key factor, they're something that's been more significant since the lockout," said Liles, after the Leafs went 2-for-6 with the man advantage against the Sens.

"If you're good there, you'll be successful. I thought we moved the puck well and created some chances."

The Leafs also saw several other rookies perform well in what was an energetic game. Joe Colborne, Matt Frattin and Kenny Ryan all saw plenty of ice time, and didn't look out of place.

The Leafs will play five games in six nights this week, and were in game action Monday after only two days of scrimmages.

Phaneuf had a robust first period, decking Tim Conboy, then handling Cowen in a scrap that ensued after the hit. Cowen and the Sens felt Phaneuf's elbow came up too high on Conboy.

Leafs coach Ron Wilson said he had no problem with the hit (Conboy got right up afterwards). Wilson had NHL referees in the Leafs' dressing room Monday morning, and showed the players a video on hits to the head provided by the league as a measure of education on the controversial subject.

"When you watch the video, you know right away the head shots, but then there's a few (hits) with incidental contact with the head," Wilson said.

"I think it will be easier for (the referees) and they'll be more comfortable ... they'll get the rules right. But there will still be big hits and accidental hits and concussions, it's part of the game and the players know it."



Leaf third jerseys on way

Star staff

The Maple Leafs will unveil their third jersey at the regular season opener on Oct. 6.

The cat was let out of the bag, though, by a sports store inside the Buffalo Sabres' rink.

A picture of the sweater was posted on line, much to the chagrin of officials with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

"Yes, the Leafs organization is aware that its third sweater was unexpectedly revealed," Rajani Kamath, MLSE's director of corporate communications, said on Monday. "While our organization is disappointed that we did not have the first opportunity to reveal our third sweater, we are looking forward to 'officially' introducing it to our fans later."



Liles keeps his motor running, on and off the ice

Mark Zwolinski

Any fan of off-roading has almost certainly seen the new Jeep commercial claiming the company's latest 4x4 vehicles will "take you there."

It's a money-making pitch line that pulls you seductively into the fantasy-reality of the vehicle's ability to take you to the heart of the great outdoors, along a remote river, deep into the woods or to the top of a mountain.

John-Michael Liles has been there.

Checking out his online video showing him navigating scenic trails and elevations in Colorado in his nicely-prepped 2006 Rubicon leaves little doubt the Leafs' new defenceman is a Jeep guy and a fan of hard-to-get-to places.

"My first car was a Jeep. I kinda always lived with them and liked them, and this one is my third," said Liles, who was traded to Toronto in June amid considerable fanfare, a record-holding veteran with the Avalanche who made his Leafs exhibition debut Monday night at the Air Canada Centre.

"My first one (Jeep) was my mom's. ... I'd steal it all the time, and when I got older, I took it over. I went to college with it and in my sophomore year I gave it to my brother, and now I have this one."

This one is the '06 Ruby, and Liles needed to get serious with the engineering of the vehicle if he was to satisfy his off-road passion.

Together with his father, John Liles Jr., and a friend-mechanic, the '06 received suspension and body lifts, 37-inch tires, a snorkel for swamp riding, and a host of other suspension modifications. It was the kind of mechanical surgery necessary for the kind of outdoor, off-road ventures Liles likes to take when time permits.

"We'd be at the top of the ski runs in Vail, and I had some buddies up there with me. We took pictures of it all, we were dragging boulders around and ... it was fun looking down from the top of the mountain onto the valley and the highway below," said Liles, 30, who shares an off-road passion with former Avs teammate Scott Parker.

It's a form of self-expression for Liles when he speaks fondly of his Jeep and a new '69 Camaro project that's in the finishing stages. Being from Indiana, the home state of the Indianapolis 500, there was a natural connection to cars and the lifestyle that comes with them.

His father, whom Liles says knows his way around cars, left the police force over 20 years ago and joined a manufacturing company established by his grandparents. The elder Liles now sits in the vice-president's chair. His mother, Janie, majored in nutrition in college, which meant a strong emphasis on eating right growing up.

Liles, following a script familiar to Canadian players and parents, owed a huge debt of gratitude to his parents for his hockey success.

"The parents and coaches we played with wanted to face the best competition we could, so we travelled a lot, to Detroit and Chicago ... to play in good tournaments," Liles said.

"I owe a lot to my dad for driving me to all those places. It was a seven-hour drive each way sometimes, and he'd let me sleep all the way. A lot of kids I played with growing up aren't playing any more because they couldn't do that kind of thing. For me to have parents willing to do that kind of thing was a huge plus for my career."

The family settled into small town Culver, Ind., where the outdoors wove easily into everyday lifestyles. Liles' uncle owned a home on nearby Lake Freeman and Liles spent so much at the lakeside retreat that he eventually moved in permanently. In the off-season, he'll often invite brother Joe, a pilot in U.S. Navy, and sister Jessie, a teacher, for weekend BBQs and wakeboarding on the lake.

Culver is the home of the Culver Military Academy, and Liles, once he took seriously to hockey, decided to enroll in that military-style school and pursue his favourite sport.

"I was in the eighth grade and just seeing so many kids focused on the right things, I told my parents that it was a place I'd like to try and see if I could play hockey there," Liles said.

"It's an academy and it instills leadership, academics, and it had a great hockey program. I still hold it dear to my (heart); I train back there in the off-season. My dad's best friend is the coach and one of my best friends is an assistant. Part of my training is running with the football team. It's a small town, a thousand people, a big lake. ... I love it there."

Liles, an offensively-gifted blueliner from the word go, graduated to the U.S. under-18 developmental program, where current Leafs assistant coach Greg Cronin was head coach.

Cronin, who spearheaded the program with Jeff Jackson from it's infancy in 1996, coached a first batch of recruits for the program from the 1980-81 birth years, and Liles went up against junior hockey toughened prospects like Ron Hainsey, Rick Di Pietro, Andy Hilbert, Freddie Mayer, Adam Hall, and David Tanabe, among others.

The two spoke of the challenge of playing a solid two-way game this week as they were reunited in Leafs training camp. "He's going to be measured by that even today and it takes a lot of work, but John is one veteran who is willing to work at the game all the time," Cronin said.

Liles now takes over as the Leafs' primary puck-moving defenceman - inheriting the mantle held by Tomas Kaberle, though he does not invite comparisons to the former Leaf star.

Life doesn't have to be that complicated for Liles. At the best of times, there's hockey and his passion for cars.

He's been a fan of the Jason Bourne and Transformers movies - his '69 Camaro is painted yellow with black stripes, the same paint scheme used on the Camaro in the Transformers movies.

As for his beloved Jeep, it remains back home in Indiana. There are enlarged photo prints of some favourite moments with the vehicle, that now sit in his parents' home as reminders of his life-long love affair with the famous brand that's been around since they were produced for WWII in 1941.

"I really enjoy off-roading in it," Liles said.

"For me, I just love the Jeep ... it's always been my car. No matter what other cars I'll own, this is the one I don't think I'll ever sell. I grew up with it."



Leafs off to good start

By Lance Hornby ,Toronto Sun

The Maple Leafs didn't need a close-up view of the NHL's new goal verification line to verify where they must go for success in 2011-12.

Toronto, or at least its split squad of forwards, went to the experimental shallow-back nets in force on Monday night out-chancing Ottawa and not relying on just one line to do so.

That allowed it to survive some own-zone breakdowns in a 4-2 win at the Air Canada Centre, the first of eight pre-season games to find an offence comparable to the teams they're chasing for playoff spots in the Northeast Division.

Tyler Bozak, whom many thought would be lost without Phil Kessel on his line, had a three-point night with Nazem Kadri and Colby Armstrong. With Tim Connolly and the new-look first unit taking the night off, Bozak and company were the go-to group from start to finish.

And following coach Ron Wilson's edict to get more involved, the defence produced one power-play goal by Carl Gunnarsson and two Jake Gardiner assists. Gardiner showed flashes of his breakout ability, but was also conscious defensively.

John-Michael Liles, wearing Bryan McCabe's old No. 24, but taking Tomas Kaberle's place as power-play architect, dished a couple of nice pucks and partner Dion Phaneuf, with a second or two to work with, seemed to have his scattergun slap shot under better control in the chances afforded him. Phaneuf added his own assist later. Matt Lashoff's bank pass to Bozak made it five points for Toronto's defence. In the last pre-season, the whole group produced just two goals in nine games.

But giving the green light to the blueliners is easier said than done. If they don't cash in at one end, it can lead to problems at the other.

"Jumping in is a strength of my game, but you have a lot of other guys with that ability here," newcomer Liles said. "Jake played a fantastic game

tonight and at times it felt like I was the (slow) one hanging back. We had to double-check every time to make sure one of us stayed back. We tried to make it through the game without any major flaws.

"It's going to be a learning process, getting comfortable with everybody and building a relationship with Dion on the point of the power play. He had some great shots tonight, even though a couple I fed him weren't exactly in his wheelhouse."

Armstrong noted how loud the defence were in their banter, which aided communication throughout line changes.

"When we were rolling off the cycle or pulling up, we cold find them, they were yelling," Armstrong said. "When you have young guys like Jake coming up, it's exciting. We had good looks with Dion, Gunner and our whole D jumping in."

The Leafs and Senators were in the bottom 10 teams of scoring last season and Toronto put particular emphasis on putting more pucks on goal.

Connolly, expected to make his debut Tuesday, was brought in for $9.5 million US the next two years. He should be better suited lomg-term for the role than Bozak. Having seen the writing on the wall at the end of last season, Bozak spent the bulk of summer getting mentally prepared for a third-line role, beefing up and working out exclusively on a unit with Armstrong and Kadri.

"Summer was too long for sure," Bozak said. "Your confidence gets down pretty low and I hadn't dealt with that a lot in my career.

"We had some extra time to find chemistry between the three of us. Army slows the play down great comes in late and Naz is so skilled. But it's exhibition and this doesn't mean a whole lot. We really have to keep going here."

Armstrong noted he was playing with a broken foot at this time last year, the start of a litany of injuries that helped sour the whole season. But as the veteran on the line, the right winger can do a bit of everything to help the other two.

"They're both fast and gritty," Armstrong noted. "With Bozie, you want a centre man who can read the play like he does. A couple of times I was sloppy with the puck and he was right there with support."

The second line of Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin and Clarke MacArthur started the game, and did a good job setting up a screen for Gunnarsson on his strike.

"If we can have three lines that can score," Wilson ventured, "every team would love that. If this works out in the season, it would be nice to know we have three lines that could be dangerous."

Toronto Sun LOADED: 09.20.2011


Gardiner impresses in Leafs' pre-season opener 0

By Rob Longley ,Toronto Sun

It may not be Jake Gardiner's time yet, but it's coming.

The big, slick defenceman, who is high among the list of Leafs prospects, did his best to fast-track the process with an impactful debut to the pre-season.

Gardiner, who came here from Anaheim in the trade that brought Joffrey Lupul to Toronto, got a pair of power-play assists in the Leafs' 4-2 win over Ottawa and was one of the strongest skaters on the ice.

"It's nice to get that one under my belt. It was tough to sleep last night," said Gardiner, who knows big things are expected of him. "The coaches told me to just keep playing the way I have been. That's all I can do, the rest will take care of itself."

Though he's just getting up to speed as a pro, Gardiner figured the 10-game taste he got with the Marlies last season was a huge help.

There will be no rush to get him to the big team, but Leafs coach Ron Wilson certainly was impressed with Gardiner's NHL debut.

"It's fun to see someone like Gardiner, the way he skates," Wilson said. "He's going to be a really good hockey player. We're just going to have to be patient with him."

But not too patient. The coaching staff encouraged Gardiner not to be too tentative and it paid off. On the Leafs opening goal, Gardiner moved in from his point to get himself in perfect position to feed a pass to Colby Armstrong at the side of the Sens net.

FRONT AND CENTRE

Play of opening night goes to Tyler Bozak, who got in behind the sleepy Ottawa defence for a breakaway, for the game-winning goal (his first of two). Best thing about centring the third line is that Bozak may get his chance to grow into his role. So far in camp he's looked comfortable alongside Nazem Kadri and Colby Armstrong, a line that delivered three goals Monday. "We're still not sure who is going to be playing with who, but right now we're pretty comfortable with each other," Bozak said ... Wilson likes what he has seen of Bozak so far in camp. "He's about 10 pounds heavier. He looks a little more mature, so that helps" ... Even though it's a third line, Wilson likes to think that group could log 14 to 16 minutes a night if they are together when the season starts ... Pretty comfortable in saying that the Leafs have faced tighter defensive efforts in their weekend scrimmages.

GAME ON

On the weekend, Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf made the point that he was ready to hit someone in anger. He didn't wait long, clocking Ottawa's Tim Conboy with a huge hit five minutes in that earned him an elbowing penalty and a scrap with Ottawa's Jared Cowen. "It's part of the game. It seems like any time you hit somebody, it happens," Phaneuf said. "It felt good to get out and (hit someone not in blue and white.) You can only scrimmage and run summer hockey for so long" ... As the fight unfolded, shockingly no one booed and no one left the building ... Perspective from Wilson: "This wasn't anything like (an NHL game)" ... Defenceman Carl Gunnarsson is high on the list of players needing a big pre-season to be around opening night and he got off to the start he wanted. His power-play goal in the second was helped by a nice screen, but he didn't waste any time taking advantage of a nice feed from Mikhail Grabovski ... Gunnarsson, who led all players with five shots on net, just missed getting a second when Robin Lehner robbed him from in tight late in the third.

QUICK HITS

There may not be many jobs available, but that doesn't mean Wilson isn't going to reward strong play during camp. On Monday, he gave Kenny Ryan his first taste of NHL game action. The former Windsor Spitfire, and the Leafs second choice (50th overall) in the 2009 draft, did his best to continue to make an impression, showing a willingness to jump in and block shots, something veterans aren't always so willing to do in the pre-season ... Jonas Gustavsson was damned if he did and damned if he didn't on the Sens' first goal. With Ottawa's Nikita Filatov setting up shop behind the skinny nets used as an experiment, he didn't dare leave his post. But when Filatov fired a puck to a cruising Cowen, Gustavsson was caught too deep in his crease, a problem that has dogged him in the past ... The Monster looked generally steady, if not overly tested, other than the one goal to beat him on 15 shots in a little less than 29 minutes work ... Only one puck got by Ben Scrivens, who replaced Gustavsson midway through the second, was a Cowen shot that was clearly deflected. For the rest of his night, the likely No. 1 goalie for the Marlies looked steady and strong positionally in his crease ... Monday's game was streamed live on the team's website but crashed early in the first because of traffic and continued to have problems throughout the game.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 09.20.2011


Bozak scores 2 goals as Maple Leafs top Senators

(AP)

Tyler Bozak scored twice in the third period and the Toronto Maple Leafs began their preseason schedule with a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night.


Jared Cowen scored both of Ottawa's goals, one in the second and another in the third.

A number of regulars from both teams sat out the exhibition opener.

National Post LOADED: 09.20.2011

578869 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks hopeful Todd Fedoruk thankful for second chance at life

By Iain MacIntyre

VANCOUVER - He knows there was supposed to be some sort of epiphany - a eureka moment that made a drowning man want to swim again - but Todd Fedoruk doesn't remember one.

He cannot tell you the day he realized he had to stop abusing drugs and alcohol, but he can tell you the day he was most grateful that he did: May 13, 2011. Derek Boogaard, Fedoruk's friend and former teammate, was found dead in a Minneapolis apartment after a lethal overdose of alcohol and painkillers.

"Oh, yeah, very easily that could have been me," Fedoruk said Monday on the third day of his tryout with the Vancouver Canucks. "You almost ask yourself: 'Why wasn't that me?' I was filled with this shaking gratitude to be alive, and I felt I had to do something about it. 'Grateful' is too small a word to describe how I felt. Someone died from the same affliction I had. You have to take advantage of the gift you've been given to be sober. I was just happy to be alive."

A week later, Fedoruk travelled from his home outside Philadelphia to attend Boogaard's funeral in Regina. Two months after that, having saved his life, Fedoruk set about trying to save his National Hockey League career.

He had entered the league's substance-abuse program after the Tampa Bay Lightning bought out his contract at the end of the 2009-10 season. Fedoruk has been sober for nearly 17 months.

Tuesday night, he plays his first pre-season game as the 32-year-old tries to earn a contract from the Canucks.

"If I would have kept on the same road, I don't know if I'd be alive today," he said. "Close friends have died from this. I was just lucky enough to get the chance to get on track. Hockey is something I obviously love. But that's addiction - it takes from you the things that you love. I'm glad it was hockey and not my family and not my life."

There is no cheering allowed in the press box. It's one of the media's most sacred rules, up there with "free is better than cheap." But it is hard not to cheer for Todd Fedoruk.

The 239-pound winger from Redwater, Alta., northeast of Edmonton, was drafted 164th by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1997.

Fedoruk said he was an alcoholic by the time he entered the NHL three years later, and although he cleaned up his lifestyle for a while, sobriety did not last.

His substance abuse can be tracked by the frequency with which he changed teams in the second half of the last decade. He had six employers in four seasons, and spent most of 2007-08 in Minnesota with Boogaard, the heavyweight who hit Fedoruk so hard during a fight the previous year that reconstructive surgery was required. To this day, Fedoruk has titanium plates in his face. Boogaard and Fedoruk became friends, anyway. They were roommates on the road.

Two years later, Fedoruk was out of hockey. He said it was a blessing.

It allowed Fedoruk to dedicate himself to sobriety and enter the NHL's substance-abuse program. He was able to reconnect with his family. Fedoruk and his wife, Theresa, have three children: Luke, 7, Sienna, 5, and Sloane, 5 months.

"It came at a time when hockey was the furthest thing from my mind." Fedoruk said. "I really focused on my priorities. First, I needed to work on my stuff. Then I needed to work on stuff at home. I was lucky enough not to have my addiction spill over and affect my family too much.

"I knew I wasn't doing things right and I needed help."

The Canucks are helping him now. The organization offered him a tryout contract in July.

Asked if he were not deterred by Fedoruk's history, Canuck coach Alain Vigneault said Monday: "To the contrary, he took his issues head-on and he dealt with them. He's gotten healthy ... and we're going to give him every opportunity to show what he can do."

This isn't a mercy mission. The Canucks need toughness, but Fedoruk has to be able to play, too.

He was never a three-minute-a-night knuckle-dragger. Fedoruk had 23 points in his best season - with the Anaheim Ducks in 2005-06 - and averaged 8:11 of ice time over 545 NHL games.

Fedoruk needs to be willing to fight, yes, but he has to skate, too, and be responsible defensively.

"We need a guy that can play," Vigneault said. "He's got experience. He's got that physical dimension to his game. Can he still bring it on a nightly basis? I don't know. That's why we have camp. He definitely has something to offer and we're going to give him that opportunity."

Fedoruk thought last winter he was finished with hockey. It was only after watching the Stanley Cup playoffs that he decided to try one more time. Fedoruk has shed 40 pounds since then and said Monday he is nearly back to his playing weight.

"I can't shut the door on my past; it made me who I am," he said. "If I wanted to look for regrets, I could find 1,000 of them. So I can't really go that way or I'd become my own worst enemy. When you do the right thing, you feel the right feelings. That's what I try to do now: do the next right thing."

Maybe Fedoruk and the Canucks aren't the right thing. Maybe he's no longer good enough as a player. But Fedoruk said he is already a better husband and father than he was. And he has a lifetime to keep getting better at it.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 09.20.2011


Canucks' Cory Schneider's time may come ... it just won't be in Vancouver

By Cam Cole,

VANCOUVER - There was a time when Cory Schneider was, oh, 21 years old, that pondering a seat on the Vancouver Canucks' bench from which to watch Roberto Luongo play all the meaningful games in goal was probably instructive, constructive, even entertaining.

Now, he's 25, and the clock is ticking - quickly, it must seem - in career terms; excruciatingly slowly when it comes to the distant expiration date of Luongo's all-but-lifetime contract extension.

Though you'll never hear a discouraging word from the mouth of the big redhead from Marblehead, Massachusetts, via Boston College, this cannot be where Schneider expected to start the 2011-12 National Hockey League season: caddying for Luongo again, destined - if the Canucks don't get what they want for him in a trade - to spend most of another season in full pads and a baseball cap, maybe opening and closing the door to the players' bench (some backup goalies still do that) and providing helpful tips like: "Way to go, boys!"

The Canucks' No. 1 draft pick, seven long years ago, insists he's not growing antsy to be someone's starter, which is the kind of fib you have to tell when your team is entering training camp.

"I signed a two-year contract, so I'm bound to my contract, and I'm going to fulfil it, and show up and work hard, and do what I agreed to do," he said Monday, preparing to divide goaltending duties with top farmhand Eddie

Lack for Tuesday night's home-ice, split-squad exhibition game against a similar semblance of half the Calgary Flames.

"You can't sign a two-year deal assuming you're going to be moved or want to get out of it in the middle of it. I was coming off my rookie deal where I had almost no game experience, so a two-year contract sounded like some good security and a good chance to establish myself in this league, so I don't regret the decision and I'd do it again. It's just how it's played out."

There were teams that could have used a goalie of Schneider's quite evident star potential at the trade deadline in March. A few others who knew for sure by the entry draft in June. Some are still without answers, and will soon see the folly of doing nothing.

A mere province away, the Edmonton Oilers - a young team bursting with raw talent but uncertain what they have in goal with aging, erratic Nik Khabibulin - have any number of commodities they could deal for the goaltender who could help secure their future.

Yet here Schneider sits, knowing there is no future for him in Vancouver, because Canada's gold-medal-winning Olympic goaltender isn't going anywhere.

"It's not something I can control. They've expressed that they like me a lot, and that they don't have any plans on moving me any time soon, so I'm not sitting around waiting for the other shoe to drop," said Schneider, whose 16-4-2 record, with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage - while putting in enough appearances to share the William Jennings Trophy with Luongo - opened eyes all over the NHL a year ago.

The part of his "don't get frustrated" mantra that actually rings true is that goaltenders don't often come into the league and start lighting it up right away. Some do, but the position is plagued by arrested development.

It may stand to reason that if he's still here when his contract expires after this season, he'll know he's got to move on, but Schneider has the counter-argument handy. He's probably been rehearsing it in front of a mirror all summer.

"Look at Tim Thomas. Look at Pekka Rinne. Nick Backstrom, Henrik Lundqvist, guys who were 26, 27, 28 - Jimmy Howard - before they got a starting job, and they're all succeeding and doing great in this league," said Schneider. "And that's one of the positives about being a goalie: you can't panic and get impatient, because your prime years are generally your late 20s and early 30s."

It's true. Mostly. Lundqvist was only 23, but Rinne was 26 when he firmly established himself as an NHL goalie. Backstrom was 28, and so was Cristobal Huet. Howard was 29, as was Chris Mason. Marty Turco and Evgeni Nabokov were both 25, Antti Niemi 26, Miikka Kiprusoff and Manny Legace and Dwayne Roloson were 27, and Thomas - the bulletproof superhero of Boston's Stanley Cup victory over the Canucks - was 32 by the time he was firmly ensconced with the Bruins.

"You may not want to wait as long as Tim Thomas did," a scribe suggested.

"No, you may not," Schneider admitted, grinning. "Obviously, I want to try to advance my career, but I can't get impatient and let things get to me. I just have to bide my time, wait for my opportunity, and when that chance does come, don't let it pass me by."

The loss of the Stanley Cup, and the manner in which the Bruins tilted the ice as the series wore on, no doubt exposed holes in the lineup of Canada's best hockey club that may have convinced the team's tall foreheads that first-rate goaltending, and plenty of it, is going to be the minimum requirement in 2011-12.

Hanging on to Schneider, then, as the ultimate insurance policy - at least until the offer he can't refuse shows up on GM Mike Gillis's desk - makes sense on one level.

How the Canucks think they're going to be able to replace the departed Christian Ehrhoff's 50 points, puck-carrying ability, point shot and power-play presence with what they've got on the blue-line, though, is a mystery to be unravelled as the season progresses. The hunch here is that without letting go of a major asset to obtain another major asset, it's not going to happen.

And the No. 1 disposable commodity the Canucks own is going to be a cheerleader, barring a Luongo injury, three out of every four games.

"It's up to the organization ... they control my fate, and that's part of what a working business relationship is, and what a contract's for," Schneider said.

"So I can't hold any grudges or have ill will, it's not in my nature, and I enjoy the organization, they treat me very well, they've helped me get to the point where I am. And if you're coming back to a team that's done as well as we did and has a chance to win a Stanley Cup, it's not exactly a bad spot to be in. I think a lot of people would consider themselves lucky to be in this situation."

A lot of people would. Maybe not a lot of 25-year-old first-round draft picks. Maybe not Cory Schneider, even, by season's end. We will see.



Not much star-gazing for Canucks fans in early pre-season games

By Elliott Pap

VANCOUVER - The NHL pre-season begins Tuesday on two fronts for the Vancouver Canucks - at Rogers Arena (7 p.m., Sportsnet, Team 1040) and in Calgary - and that means some creative accounting when selecting the split-squad lineups.

According to NHL rules, teams must dress at least eight players who meet the following criteria: (a.) appeared in 30 games during the 2010-11 campaign, including playoffs; (b.) appeared in 100 or more career games; (c.) drafted in the first round in 2011; and (d.) a goalie who dressed for 50 games, or played in 30, in 2010-11.

So that's why 32-year-old hockey vagabond Niko Dimitrakos, who last appeared in the NHL in 2006-07, qualifies to be among the eight "vets" playing Tuesday in Calgary. He has 158 NHL games on his resume.

Netminder Manny Legace, defenceman Anders Eriksson and tough guy Todd Fedoruk, none of whom played a single game in the NHL last season, also count among the chosen eight. Centre Steve Begin dressed for two games last year and will be part of this esteemed group at the Saddledome. All five are on tryouts.

Regulars in Calgary? Only Andrew Alberts spent the entire 2010-11 season in the NHL. Cody Hodgson and Victor Oreskovich, who received some fourth-line minutes last year, will headline the forward group.

Fans attending the home game at Rogers Arena will see a few more recognizable names, including Cory Schneider, Aaron Rome, Marco Sturm, Owen Nolan, Keith Ballard, Chris Tanev and 2011 first-round pick Nicklas Jensen.

For those keeping score at home, there will be no Sedins in either game. Ditto for Alex Burrows, Mikael Samuelsson, Jannik Hansen, Chris Higgins, Alex Edler, Kevin Bieksa, Sami Salo or Dan Hamhuis. Enjoy.

MIDDLE MAN? With Ryan Kesler (hip) out, and Manny Malhotra (eye) in doubt, the Canucks are seeking able-bodied centremen in the short term, which is where Andrew Ebbett enters the fray. The 28-year-old, born in Calgary and raised in Vernon, has been a fringer his entire career. Since 2007-08, he had cups of coffee with the Ducks, Blackhawks, Wild and Coyotes.

Ebbett hopes those days are over. He's on a one-way contract for $525,00 and he'll start auditioning Tuesday between Sturm and Nolan.

"I'm here to make this team," Ebbett stated Monday. "I've worked hard to get that one-way contract, I finally got it this summer and I hope that means one-way in Vancouver all season. My only goal coming into training camp is to be on the Canucks. Hopefully, I can make it happen."

If not, and he is dispatched to the AHL's Chicago Wolves, he'll be subject to recall waivers and available to every other team in the NHL at half price. That's never a good situation for a player. Recall waivers often mean being frozen in the minors. Ebbett has 52 points in 145 career NHL appearances.

"I hope I don't end up down in Chicago," said the 5-9 Ebbett. "I think this a good opportunity for me to find a niche for myself. I've been around a few different teams and kind of see myself as a utility guy. I see myself filling in where ever need be."

According to Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault, Ebbett is not automatically ticketed for the Wolves.

"He's fighting for a spot here considering the injuries we have right now," Vigneault explained. "We've got a pretty good read on him as far as skill set and he's going to get every chance that a player can get to show what he can do."

PARENT TRAP: Defenceman Ryan Parent appears to be the forgotten man on the Canucks' blue-line depth chart. A former first-round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2005, Parent was acquired in the Shane O'Brien trade last October but only dressed for four games and eventually wound up with the Manitoba Moose. He finished the American League season on the sidelines with a sore back.

Like Ebbett, Parent is on a one-way contract ($925,000) and will be subject to recall waivers if sent down.

"Ryan got put into a very unfair situation last year," Vigneault said. "He came in late, we had numbers and we never really got a feel for him. He went to Manitoba and was hurt quite a bit so he's starting with a clean slate. It will be up to him to prove he can be a contributor at this level on a consistent basis."

Parent, a member of Canada's 2006 world junior championship team, has a simple goal for this season: stay healthy.

"Last year was a tough year for me," Parent noted. "The rest I had over the summer helped me tremendously and, physically, I feel pretty good now. The biggest thing is work hard and whatever happens, happens. You never know what's going to go on with your d-men throughout the year. We take pretty big punishment back there and things can change pretty quickly."

QUOTABLE: "I haven't talked to a lot of people back home but I'm sure they're nervous. I'm a Red Sox fan and I'm nervous." - Canucks goalie Cory Schneider on his beloved Bosox stumbling down the MLB stretch.



Ebbett small but has energy and strength

By Jim Jamieson

Andrew Ebbett jumped at the chance to sign with the Canucks at the start of free agency last July, the lure being a one-way contract and the opportunity presented by a team that was intent on recasting its bottom six forward ranks.

As the preseason gets underway on Tuesday, Ebbett's prospects have only increased.

Now that it appears No. 2 centre Ryan Kesler won't be back in the lineup until November and No. 3 pivot Manny Malhotra may not be ready to start the regular season, more jobs in the top-nine now seem to be on the table.

Ebbett, a 5-foot-9, 175 forward who brings speed and energy, has played centre much of his career, but has had to learn versatility the last couple of years. He believes that versatility will serve him in good stead in Vancouver.

He'll get a chance to showcase those traits on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena when the Canucks take on the Calgary Flames as part of their preseason kick-off.

"I've been a natural centreman all my life, but the last two years I've played more wing," said Ebbett, 28, who's slated to play between Marco Sturm and Owen Nolan in what amounts to a No. 1 line in a mixed-bag Vancouver lineup.

"That kind of plays into my strengths, being versatile. I can see myself playing anywhere from the second to the fourth line at any forward position. I don't know where I'm going to play, but right now it looks like centre, especially with Ryan (Kesler) out right now and they're not sure about Manny (Malhotra)."

Ebbett has been type-cast as a fourth-line player the last two seasons, but he showed he can play in the top six three years ago in Anaheim when he he played most of his 48 games there on the Ducks' second line between Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne. He scored eight goals and 32 points in those games.

"Bobby ended up moving up with (Ryan) Getzlaf and (Corey) Perry at the end of the season and we lost to Detroit in the second round," recalled Ebbett. "Then (in the off-season) they signed (Saku) Koivu and Randy (head coach Carlyle), I guess, didn't think I was his kind of mentality and didn't think I could play in the bottom six. He thought I was too small. It's kind of ironic that's where I've played ever since. I've added that to my game where I can play a grinding role. I kind of enjoy it."

Ebbett, who was born in Calgary, but moved to Vernon when he was six, is like a lot of small players who've had to fight the preconceptions about size.

"I've had to prove myself since I was a young guy," said Ebbett, who'll make the NHL minimum $525,000 on his one-year deal. "People said I couldn't play in the BCHL, they said I couldn't play US college. Then they said I couldn't play in the top-six. It's something I've dealt with every season.

"You don't have to be that big. You just play strong and with good energy and you can get the job done."

Ebbett, also an experienced specials teams player, said he's enjoying the transition to a more up-tempo style of play than he experienced last season in Phoenix.

"It's definitely more aggressive than we played in Phoenix," he said. "We were used to sitting back a little more and and playing a bit more of a trap. Here, it's a more aggressive style. I like the speed and I think it definitely plays to my strengths."

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 09.20.2011


Pinizzotto an agitator but has skills too, says Vigneault

By Jim Jamieson,

Steve Pinizzotto says it's been an adjustment to get used to the different systems employed by the Canucks and his previous organization, the Washington Capitals.

His personal style of play? The well-known AHL agitator won't miss a beat.

"I feel I don't have to change too much what I've been doing," said Pinizzotto, 27, who's expected to play left wing on a line with centre Jordan Schroeder and right winger Nicklas Jensen.

"That's kind of what got me here in the first place. They know what I do. I like to get involved and try to create space for my linemates."

Pinizzotto, when pushed, will admit it's a bit beyond that.

"I like to cause a little havoc out there," he said. " Once a guy finishes his check, they're a hard guy to like. Nobody likes to get hit, especially a D-man. I feel like I can skate really well and get up the ice quick. I've put up some pretty good numbers and I'm looking forward to the next step."

Pinizzotto is the quintessential agitator and his in-your-face approach is a key reason why the Canucks signed him last July. His contract is of the two-way variety, but it pays $600,000 in the NHL and a hefty $275,000 in the minors.

The Canucks want to increase their grit quotient and Pinizzotto believes he can help in that department. He also watched the Stanley Cup final and saw Brad Marchand messing with the Sedins with impugnity.

"You just can't have guys taking liberties with your skill players," said Pinizzotto, who worked his way up from the East Coast League and had 17 goals and 42 points last season for Hershey.

"You need those guys out there and scoring goals for your team. I played against (Marchand) in the (AHL) semi-finals in 2009. He wasn't doing that to our big guys then. But that's how he is, he likes to agitate."

Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault agreed that Pinizzotto could address the sandpaper area of a team that lost Raffi Torres and Tanner Glass in the off-season.

"One of the reasons we signed him is because of that element, that physicality, that feistiness," said Vigneault. "What I've seen in the first three days is a better skill set than our scouts had told me about. The way he's

playing right now as opposed to against other teams is obviously going to be different, but he's definitely a player who's on our radar and it's up to him to grab the opportunity."



Cory Schneider key to Stanley Cup contention for Canucks

By Ben Kuzma,

"Trust me that I'll use them the right way."

Alain Vigneault offered that quick summation Sunday when asked if Cory Schneider will again appear in 25 games this NHL season to keep Roberto Luongo razor sharp, more rested and less susceptible to injury.

A plan to balance the workload and work with goalie coach Rollie Melanson to technically tweak their games paid off in a Jennings Trophy last spring for the fewest goals allowed by the Vancouver Canucks duo.

Considering the way the Canucks will limp into the regular season - Mason Raymond sidelined until November with a compressed vertebrae fracture, Ryan Kesler missing camp following July hip surgery and Mikael Samuelsson, Manny Malhotra and Dan Hamhuis using the preseason to rehab from respective surgeries - it might be up to the last line of defence to weather October storms.

Even though the Canucks could have traded the coveted Schneider in the offseason for a skilled forward, the restricted free agent may never be more valuable with a year remaining on his contract at $900,000 US.

That sparkling 16-4-2 regular-season record in 22 starts, 2.23 goals-against average and .929 saves percentage will have to be mirrored if the Canucks expect to get out of the Western Conference and return to the Stanley Cup final.

"Early on, it's going to be huge," admitted Schneider. "Any time you get off to a hot start, that can carry you the rest of the year and Lou and I understand that we're going to be counted on early. We're going to have a big target on our backs this year. We're not going to sneak up on anybody and teams are going to be gunning for us early to make a statement and prove they belong with the best and that's going to make it even harder.

"We've got to be ready and up to the task and we may have to steal a few games for this team early."

If anything, Schneider should be up for the challenge. He made five postseason appearances when Luongo struggled to find his game and that pressure-cooker experience didn't go unnoticed.

"I'd like to think the way I played last year and the confidence they have in me that they would be more willing to put me into games and situations where Lou might need a night off instead of trying to press him," added the 25-year-old Schneider. "Again, he's our No. 1 option and he's going to get his games and my approach is it's a contract year and I've got to play well, whether it's 10 games, 30 or 40 and I need to play well in every one. That approach doesn't change for me.

"I grew and learned a lot last year and hopefully I can carry it over. They told me they like what Lou and me bring together and the tandem we have and what we accomplished last year."

Getting over the Stanley Cup hangover - especially when you come within a victory of the franchise's first championship - might be the toughest test. Climbing that mountain once is an all-for-one effort. Doing it again means mustering some real resolve. If the Canucks learned anything in bowing to the Boston Bruins after holding 2-0 and 3-2 series leads it's that composure is easy to talk about. It's another thing to execute it.

"We learned how much emotional energy it takes," said Schneider. "You can't really ride the ups and downs of every single game and you have to kind of see the big picture and put yourselves in good positions. And just learning how to deal with the pressure and the media. There are distractions. You have to try and learn to zone them out and concentrate on hockey.

"In the finals, we might have got a little off track."

Schneider doesn't hide the fact he's ready to be a starter. But he also understands the process and how important it is to put the team first and keep personal goals on the backburner. Even if it's tough.

"I have to think that way," said Schneider. "While I might not be able to do that [be a starter] in this setting, somewhere down the road I hope it becomes a possibility. I've made huge strides maturity wise and technically."



New hockey season presents Canucks with a must-win mind game

By Ben Kuzma,

It's like going to the doctor for your annual checkup.

If anyone should take the preseason pulse of the Vancouver Canucks, it's the refreshingly frank Mikael Samuelsson. Ask the veteran right-winger a good question and you get a better answer. After all, he won a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008, has logged 707 career NHL games with six teams, is coming off adductor and sports hernia surgeries in May, and his contract expires after this season. On an individual basis, Samuelsson has plenty of incentive but has always maintained that climbing a playoff mountain is tough enough the first time. Doing it again will tax the brain as much as the body because it's hard to argue that a team that led the league in goals, power play, goals against and faceoff percentage while establishing franchise records for wins, points and road victories, won't win the weak Northwest Division by default. After that, who knows?

The San Jose Sharks added needed size on the back end in Brent Burns and Colin White, gave up on Devin Setoguchi and landed Martin Havlat. The Los Angeles Kings added Mike Richards and Simon Gagne, the Chicago Blackhawks added veteran depth in Andrew Brunette and Sean O'Donnell and the Detroit Red Wings, well, they're still the Red Wings. Not the Dead Things.

"The biggest thing is being in it again mentally," said the 34-year-old Samuelsson. "Start now because it's going to be a long season. We have the pieces to do some damage again, but that being said it's not a guarantee. Anything can happen. We should make the playoffs and go from there.

"It's so tough to say there's one favourite. To me, that's impossible. With the salary cap, you're so even. It doesn't matter what the regular season shows. Were we the favourites because we won the President's Trophy? I really don't believe that."

The Canucks want everyone to believe that the second-line situation will settle down once Mason Raymond hopefully returns in November from a compression vertebrae fracture and Ryan Kesler at some point in the next month from hip surgery. That means Samuelsson could be skating with Chris Higgins, Marco Sturm and Cody Hodgson while the Canucks go into survival mode in October where they traditionally struggle with a 31-28-3 record the past five seasons. That's assuming Samuelsson can find his stride again after an 18-goal season in which he struggled and tried to play through constant leg pain. Alex Burrows missed the first 10 games of last season after shoulder surgery and had just one goal in his first 10 games back, so the jury is out on how effective Raymond and Kesler will be when they return. The same can be said for Samuelsson, who could be peeking over his shoulder at the steadily improving Jannik Hansen as a second-line right winger.

"There are going to be some challenges and some guys will get opportunities to show what they're all about," addd Samuelsson. "It was a challenge last year, too, when Burr was injured. We take it as it comes and I think we're a deep team. I feel good and haven't had a setback so far and it's good because I rehabbed every day during the summer.

"No one is going to be 100-per-cent in the playoffs, no matter what it is. You always want to be healthy, but you find out that's not going to be the case. I'm not usually working my core muscles like I've being doing and that's great for me. That's what I needed."

Henrik and Daniel Sedin are the first to take ownership of failings in the Stanley Cup final against Boston. Eight goals in seven games won't win any

series and the twins managed but four points between them against Boston. They were a combined minus-12. Yet after just two weeks off, they were in training again and Daniel had the best VO2 max test results for the transporting and use of oxygen. If anything, Henrik seems convinced there won't be a Cup run hangover because of a continuous drive to get better and quiet the critics once and for all. He knows the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy look nice on a mantel, but realizes they don't cut it in this hockey-mad market. Ditto for Daniel and his Art Ross Trophy after a 104-point campaign last season.

"We still haven't won it all and you've got to prove you can go all the way," stressed Henrik, who had 94 regular-season points last season and led the league with 75 assists. "There are always things you can improve on like shots or the power play or getting out of the corners better or setting picks. When you know the system it's easy to play when you play on instinct."

Which is a way of saying the tools are all there, it's just finding the right toolbox because the Canucks learned some tough lessons in the Cup final. They lost their composure after going up 2-0 and maybe their heads got a little lost in the clouds after going up 3-2. How do you not think about what you're going to do with the Cup in the summer with a Game 6 win there for the taking and making a life-long dream materialize?

"Guys dream about that right now before the season starts," said goalie Cory Schneider. "You've got to have that confidence and swagger. Hopefully, that [Cup final loss] will not haunt us and we'll take the joy in succeeding this year. We're bringing back a team that has 90-per-cent Stanley Cup experience and that's a rare feat."

Maybe left winger Chris Higgins put it best. After suffering a foot injury blocking a shot in the second-round series against Nashville and then playing through pain the rest of the way, he knows the championship window can narrow quickly. Pushed to seven games by Chicago in the first round, the Canucks watched the Bruins win a trio of seven-game series en route to winning it all.

"They had the mental willpower to push through tough times and got the job done," said Higgins, who is also auditioning at centre with Kesler out and Manny Malhotra slowly coming around after two offseason procedures on his injured left eye. "It's not like we're not going to be able to physically do it. It will be the mental side to push through those tough times.

"It's a pretty mature group here but it's easy with the season we had last year to be a little lax. But that's something where the effort has to be there right from the start and build from there. You make each game your better game."


578876 Washington Capitals

Capitals head to Baltimore for preseason game, happy to find more hockey fans

By Tarik El-Bashir,

The last time Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau was on the home bench in Baltimore, he was member of the minor league Skipjacks.

The year was 1985, and his memories of how that season ended aren’t too fond. Down a goal with a minute to go in Game?6 of the Calder Cup finals, Boudreau hit the knob of Sherbrooke goaltender Patrick Roy’s stick on an odd-man rush and the Skipjacks were eliminated.

“The Sherbrooke team that beat us,” Boudreau recalled recently, “I think nine of those guys graduated to the Canadiens the next year and won the [Stanley] Cup.”

On Tuesday night, Boudreau returns to 1st Mariner Arena, formerly known as Baltimore Arena, for the Baltimore Hockey Classic, a preseason game between Capitals and the Nashville Predators. With only a few hundred tickets to be sold, the nearly 11,000-seat horseshoe-shaped arena is expected to be sold out by the opening faceoff, according to team and city officials.

So why are the Capitals hosting a Western Conference opponent 40 miles from home?

For one, there’s no such thing as too many fans for a professional sports team.

The Capitals expect sellouts for all 41 regular season games this season at Verizon Center. Unlike tickets, though, the number of jerseys, hats and posters a team can sell is limitless. There’s also the potential for forging corporate relationships with companies from Baltimore, as well as continuing to build up their audience for television and radio broadcasts.

The Capitals’ television ratings in the Baltimore market aren’t huge in terms of numbers. The amount those ratings have grown, however, is eye-opening.

Based on statistics provided by Comcast SportsNet, the Capitals drew an average household rating of 0.89 (equivalent to approximately 10,000 homes) in the Baltimore area last season, a 123 percent increase over 2008-09. That’s twice as fast as ratings have grown in Washington during the same time period.

“We’ve talked about it for a few years and basically, the decision in the hockey department was, if you can fill the building, we’ll go play,” General Manager George McPhee said. “You don’t want your players playing in front of 3,000 people. We discussed it, and our marketing department felt that we have a strong group of fans up there that likes to follow the Caps, so we felt it would be great to have our product in front of them live.”

He added: “We think it’s really neat that we’re sold out [in Washington] for every game this year and now we can go up to Baltimore on a Tuesday night in the preseason against a nonconference team and sell a building out.”

Both the Capitals and Predators have ties to Baltimore. The Capitals, after all, made their practice home in nearby Odenton, Md., for years, and the Skipjacks served as the primary feeder team for the NHL club from 1988-93.

Boudreau had four goals and seven assists in 17 games as a member of the Skipjacks after signing with the team midway through the 1984-85 season. Meanwhile, Predators Coach Barry Trotz stood behind the Skipjacks’ bench from 1990-93, and Nashville General Manager David Poile was the Capitals’ general manager when the Skipjacks were the local club’s top affiliate. Washington’s head athletic trainer, Greg Smith, broke into professional hockey as a trainer for the minor league Baltimore Bandits from ’95-97.

Since the Bandits left town, though, fans have been forced to travel or watch television to get their pro hockey fix.

“The people in Baltimore are clamoring for the game as much as we are,” Boudreau said.

McPhee wouldn’t specify how many of the Capitals’ star players will suit up in Baltimore — for the preseason games, teams often take skeleton rosters on the road — but he did say, “We’re taking a good team up there.”

The idea of the Capitals hosting the Predators in an exhibition contest at 1st Mariner Arena was cultivated more than ago year by Bernard C. “Jack” Young, the president of the Baltimore city council. At the time, Young was working with the Capitals to bring street hockey to recreation centers in his city.

The game is expected to have a $1 million economic impact on the city from business generated by hotels, shops and restaurants along the Inner Harbor, according to the Maryland Office of Sports Marketing. The agreement is for one season only, but a Capitals official said if all goes smoothly the team would consider participating in the game again next season.

Washington Post LOADED: 09.20.2011


Capitals’ regional broadcast schedule released

By Katie Carrera

Comcast SportsNet will broadcast 71 regular season Capitals games this year. The remaining 11 games will air exclusively on either NBC or Versus, which will be re-branded as NBC Sports Network on Jan. 2.

For those concerned about CSN+, Capitals games will move to the supplemental channel only if there is an NBA season this year. If there is no NBA season, the Capitals will remain on the primary CSN channel, regardless of any scheduling conflicts with other sporting events.



Capitals make first round of cuts at training camp

By Katie Carrera

The Capitals made their first round of cuts today, releasing five players from training camp.

Defenseman Samuel Carrier and winger Mitch Elliot were returned to their junior teams, while forwards Reid Edmondson and Thomas Frazee and defenseman Nick Tabisz were cut as well.

The AHL’s Hershey Bears begin camp on Sept. 25, so expect more cuts before then.



Marcus Johansson, Alex Ovechkin paired together in training camp

By Katie Carrera

As Group A ran through drills Monday morning at KCI, the unfortunate place to be seemed in whatever net Marcus Johansson and Alex Ovechkin were skating toward. Time and time again, Johansson threaded passes to Ovechkin, who finished with a shot that eluded Philipp Grubauer or Michal Neuvirth on most occasions.

It’s impossible not to notice the line combinations that Coach Bruce Boudreau assembled for the start of camp, particularly the top two lines of Group A, even if it’s only the very start of formal practices for the 2011-12 season.

The top lines for Group A were Ovechkin-Johansson-Knuble and Laich-Backstrom-Semin. Those configurations appeared from time to time last season, but they were hardly the most common setup.

On Monday, Boudreau offered some insight on why he opted to put the second-year center with the franchise left wing.

“I just thought a little more speed,” Boudreau said. “At this stage, Alex Semin always seems to have the rookie with him to start the year.”

When top-line center Nicklas Backstrom fractured his thumb last season, Boudreau put then-rookie Johansson alongside Ovechkin. There were some growing pains as Johansson adjusted to having such a prominent linemate, but the more time they spent together, the better the pair worked.

“Marcus played so well at the end of the year and I thought he had good chemistry with Alex at the end of the year, so we just wanted to see how much he grew over the summer,” Boudreau continued. “Not physically or anything, but mentally having that year under his belt. I thought they made a couple pretty good plays out there today, this morning. It will be interesting to see how they play together.”



Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau hints at Baltimore lineup

By Katie Carrera

Update: Looks like we already know that Stanislav Galiev will be suiting up in Baltimore. In practice this morning, Galiev skated on a line with Cody Eakin and either Bourque or Samuel Henley.

While Coach Bruce Boudreau won’t divulge exactly who will be playing in the Capitals’ preseason opener tomorrow in Baltimore against the Predators, he did give a bit of a hint.

Boudreau said there’s a “good chance” most of Group A — which includes Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, Brooks Laich, Mike Green, Karl Alzner and Michal Neuvirth — will make the trip to Charm City.

When asked if the team owed it to the fans in Baltimore to play some of its stars, though, Boudreau said he wants to put a strong lineup out regardless of the location.

“They’re fans in our area,” Boudreau said. “I think we owe it to everybody to put a pretty good team on [the ice]. When we go to Columbus [Wednesday] I think we’re going to put a pretty good lineup together. I think we always owe it to paying people to put a good lineup out there.”

It’s been an interesting start to camp for Boudreau, who isn’t accustomed to having a game on just the fourth day of training camp.

“We’re all looking forward to playing in Baltimore, it’s going to be cool,” Boudreau said. “I think every coach would love to continue practicing but I think we’re ready to play.”

— Chris Bourque pulled double duty in practice this morning, participating with both Group B and then Group A. That’s because Bourque could be added to the roster in Baltimore, Boudreau said.



Caps’ Boudreau has fond memories of hockey in Baltimore

By Stephen Whyno

Bruce Boudreau had barely turned 30 years old when he came back to North America after 29 games in Germany. His timing on that return was excellent.

It was February 1985, and Boudreau joined the Baltimore Skipjacks of the American Hockey League, who were just starting something special.

“I think the day I got there, they started on a 16-game winning streak,” Boudreau said. “Everything was pretty cool because you get there, and you’re doing nothing but winning.”

That was the AHL record until the Philadelphia Phantoms won 17 straight in 2004.

But that doesn’t spoil Boudreau’s thoughts of his time with the Skipjacks.

“My memories are nothing but fabulous,” he said. “It was an older team. There was no rookie-type thing. I had an awful lot of friends on the team. When you’re winning and you’re playing with older guys and they’re friends of yours, it was pretty cool.”

Boudreau played 17 regular-season games (four goals, seven assists) with Baltimore and 12 in the playoffs (three goals, nine assists) en route to a Calder Cup finals appearance. The Capitals’ coach remembers the crowds at 1st Mariner Arena being “loud” despite numbering maybe between 3,000 and 4,000 during the season and 5,000 to 6,000 in the finals.

The roster included Bob Errey, Marty McSorley, Andy Brickley and Phil Bourque, who went on to have solid NHL careers.

But that pales in comparison to the group that beat the Skipjacks in the finals, the Sherbrooke Canadiens.

“We lost against a guy by the name of Patrick Roy and Stephane Richer, and the team in Sherbrooke that beat us ended up I think nine of those 10

guys graduated to the [Montreal] Canadiens next year that won the Cup,” Boudreau said. “There was a lot of good Montreal Canadiens that beat us the last year I played there.”

Roy and Richer, Brian Skrudland, Mike Lalor, Randy Bucyk, Serge Boisvert and others made the leap from the Calder Cup to the Stanley Cup. But after being beaten by the best, Boudreau was all smiles talking about his time in Baltimore and happy to be taking his team there for an exhibition game Tuesday night.

Washington Times LOADED: 09.20.2011


Hockey was on thin ice in Baltimore

By Stephen Whyno

Defenseman Yvon Labre, a former Washington Capital, is shown during the 1969-70 season with the Baltimore Clippers. Despite the Capitals playing an exhibition game tonight at 1st Mariner Arena, it's unlikely minor league hockey will return to the city anytime soon. (American Hockey League)Defenseman Yvon Labre, a former Washington Capital, is shown during the 1969-70 season with the Baltimore Clippers. Despite the Capitals playing an exhibition game tonight at 1st Mariner Arena, it’s unlikely minor league hockey will return to the city anytime soon. (American Hockey League)

When Michael Caggiano owned the Baltimore Bandits minor league hockey team in the mid-1990s, he received a letter from a woman who went to a game with her husband and two children.

She loved it, the letter said, but she’d never go back. That’s because her purse was stolen, her car was broken into and her 4- and 6-year-old kids were hassled by homeless people on the street.

Caggiano no longer has the letter, but it’s a fitting symbol of how the sport left Baltimore after decades of successful minor league teams because various issues ranging from the arena to money.

“I believe that there are lots of people who would have an interest in going to a Baltimore hockey game,” Caggiano said. “The issue was not whether or not there was fan interest. We would get fans into the building, but there were some structural issues that prevented us from hitting our stride.”

As the Washington Capitals visit Charm City for Tuesday’s Baltimore Hockey Classic preseason game against the Nashville Predators, much has changed — but still it appears unlikely that minor league hockey will return anytime soon.

Baltimore housed hockey dating to 1932 and the Orioles (Tri State Hockey League). Since then, the Blades (of the Eastern Hockey League and pro World Hockey Association), Clippers (EHL, Northeastern Hockey League, Southern Hockey League), Skipjacks (Atlantic Coast Hockey League, American Hockey League) and Bandits (AHL) came and went.

“Baltimore has a rich tradition of hockey — we had the Skipjacks and the Bandits,” Baltimore city council president Bernard C. “Jack” Young said.

Baltimore’s 1st Mariner Arena, which is the site of Tuesday night’s game, opened in 1962 with a hockey game. The Skipjacks were the longest-tenured AHL team in the city, playing there from 1982 to 1993 before leaving for Portland, Maine. For the next 12 years, the Portland Pirates were the Caps’ top minor league affiliate.

In 1995, the Bandits — an affiliate of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim — were founded to fill the void. Buzz was pretty good, and Caggiano (who bought the team in 1996) was optimistic that the team could draw fans, even if they were going to watch unfamiliar players such as Bobby Marshall, Pavel Trnka and Sean Pronger, the lesser-known brother of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris.

But the “structural issues” that Caggiano referenced were hard to change. Above all else, 1st Mariner Arena also was the home of the Baltimore Spirit (now the Blast) indoor soccer team and could not make many Saturday nights from October to May available for the Bandits.

Caggiano pointed out that one Saturday night is probably worth four weeknights when it comes to drawing fans and making money.

“It’s like waterfront property — everybody wants Fridays and Saturdays,” 1st Mariner Arena general manager Frank Remesch said.

Trying to target families and hockey aficionados — many of whom resided in the Baltimore suburbs — Caggiano and the Bandits struggled with the placement of the arena, which was “less than desirable,” Remesch conceded, back in the mid-1990s before a substantial expansion of the Inner Harbor area.

With no local TV or radio deal, the Bandits relied on corporate sponsorship and ticket sales and fell deep in debt. Caggiano, who now serves as chief operating officer at an accounting firm in the District, said all he wanted to do was break even.

“I ran out of money,” he said. “After putting so much money into it and not seeing the good end to it, I just realized it was a zero sum game at this point.”

The “political winds” just didn’t blow in the right direction for the Bandits, Caggiano said, as attempts to build a suburban arena were dismissed. Young blamed Caggiano and other owners, saying “it’s their fault” minor league hockey never succeeded in Baltimore.

“You should ask the owner of the minor league teams now because 95 percent of the seats [sold for the Baltimore Hockey Classic],” Young said. “There must be some fan base in Baltimore.”

And while Verizon Center revitalized the District’s Chinatown neighborhood because of a strong Caps brand and the NHL, Caggiano believed 1st Mariner Arena wouldn’t be the place to grow minor league hockey.

“I think that’s why it hasn’t worked in the past — you were trying to put a minor league product with a suburban following in an urban setting,” he said. “It’s like trying to take a hummer and drive an IndyCar race.”

Caggiano, who acquired significant debt when buying the team, eventually gave up the dream of making it work, and the Bandits became the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. According to reports, he and the team lost $2 million in two seasons.

No one has attempted a serious foray into a full-time hockey team in Baltimore since.

And it might take a long shot for that to happen anytime soon. Aging 1st Mariner Arena, which has a capacity of 11,111, has drawn rave reviews for concerts — Billboard last year named it the top arena of its size (10,001-15,000) in the U.S. — but a hockey team wouldn’t fit into the schedule, for the same reason the Bandits went west.

“It would probably be highly unlikely,” Remesch said. “We were voted No. 1 because of the amount of money we made — concerts and other events. A minor league hockey team with 40 dates, I don’t have weekends to give them. Without weekends, a minor league team won’t make it.”

The past seven years have been the most financially successful in 1st Mariner Arena’s history, Remesch noted, because of such acts as Bruce Springsteen, Cirque du Soleil and Hannah Montana. Those sellouts are evidence that the area around the arena has improved, officials insisted, but Remesch admitted that if a hockey team made the arena home, he would love to add a scoreboard, update the locker rooms and fix up some “bells and whistles” around the place.

Caggiano’s experiment with the Bandits didn’t work out, but the former owner of minor league baseball’s Potomac Cannons (now the Potomac Nationals) doesn’t think Baltimore is a minor league hockey wasteland. It might take a new facility or renovations, but there’s some hope it could work — even in a city with two major professional teams in the Orioles and Ravens.

“I believe Baltimore today is a different city,” Caggiano said. “With the right amount of money to create a fan base, I believe Baltimore could support a minor league hockey team.”

Philadelphia showed that minor league hockey could thrive in a major league town, thanks to a local connection, family atmosphere and cheap tickets to watch the Flyers of the future. Given that this game is a chance to expand and capitalize on large group of fans in Baltimore, Caggiano, Remesch and Young agreed that a team with a Caps connection could succeed.

One intriguing scenario would be if Caps owner Ted Leonsis wanted to bring a team to Baltimore — if only because he can pour tens of millions of dollars into a new arena or renovations and help build the kind of tradition started by the Clippers, Skipjacks and Bandits. But the Caps’ strong

affiliation with the Hershey Bears was the reason Leonsis gave when saying he’s not considering trying to restart minor league hockey in Baltimore.

“We are ecstatic about our relationship with Hershey. I really can’t imagine a better affiliation between a parent club and an affiliate,” he said in an email to The Washington Times. “So from that perspective, I don’t see us altering our relationship. And I haven’t entertained the idea of purchasing a franchise in another league, such as the ECHL.”

In a hypothetical sense, Remesch said “I would listen — in a New York minute I would listen to anything that man has to say, because he’s been successful.”

Issues regarding the Blast and concerts and Saturday nights wouldn’t be hindrances if a team could get 6,000 to 7,000 fans a game for 40 dates a year.

“I would do that in a heartbeat,” Remesch said.

There are no immediate plans to attempt minor league hockey again in Baltimore, and Young said that would be an issue for the mayor’s office. But one man around the Caps with a connection to hockey in Baltimore doesn’t have a theory for why a team hasn’t been able to stick there.

“I think it’s a great city, I really do,” said Caps coach Bruce Boudreau, who played for the Skipjacks in 1985. “I think hockey should be in the city.”

For now, that’s a one-night deal, and the hope for longer than that is more of a dream than a reality.

Washington Times LOADED: 09.20.2011


Saving cap space on Poti still hurts

By: Brian McNally

Capitals general manager George McPhee made it official Saturday: Defenseman Tom Poti will begin the year on the NHL's long-term injured reserve list. Limited to 21 games last season because of a lingering groin injury, Poti spent the summer rehabbing the muscle. But he still can't push past about 85 percent without suffering a setback.

Poti going on long-term injured reserve is actually a good thing because it gets the Caps under the NHL's $64.3 million salary cap. But it also has a negative side effect. Because cap space is accrued daily, teams under the cap all season build a cushion they can then use at the trade deadline. Washington won't have that luxury if Poti stays on LTIR all season. The Caps can exceed the salary cap by $2.875 million, but they don't bank any cash for a rainy day. That means Washington can't make a trade deadline deal unless it ships out as much salary as it takes on, making McPhee's job more difficult if his club runs into trouble. He would rather just have Poti on the ice.

Washington Examiner LOADED: 09.20.2011


Baltimore preseason game could expand Capitals' fan base

By: Brian McNally

For years, the Capitals have worked to build fan interest in the District and its immediate suburbs, a difficult task at times in a city where hockey has long taken a back seat to other professional sports.

But the unprecedented regular-season success of recent seasons is allowing Washington to branch out to other parts of the region. On Tuesday, the Caps will play the Nashville Predators in a preseason game at Baltimore Arena. The event -- dubbed the Baltimore Hockey Classic -- allows the organization to capitalize on its increasing popularity in

Baltimore, where rising television ratings and merchandise and ticket sales present an opportunity for growth.

"The objective is to be able to perform live in front of people that are supporting us," Caps general manager George McPhee told reporters last week. "Our television ratings and fan interest in Baltimore are really strong. ... Obviously, we're sold out for every game this year [at Verizon Center], and now we can go up to Baltimore on a Tuesday night in preseason against a nonconference team and sell [another] building out."

The Caps have a history with Baltimore. The Skipjacks, who played in Baltimore from 1981 to 1993, were Washington's American Hockey League affiliate from 1988 to 1993. The city later had the Baltimore Bandits, affiliated with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks, from 1995 to 1997. Caps coach Bruce Boudreau remembers Baltimore well. In 1985 he helped lead the Skipjacks to the AHL championship series.

Both Boudreau and McPhee hinted that a number of key players, including star forward Alex Ovechkin, will participate in Tuesday's game. But they wouldn't confirm the exact lineup. Boudreau also admitted that playing a game just three days after training camp started is unusual. Washington will play seven preseason games total before the regular season starts Oct. 8.

"We're all looking forward to playing in Baltimore," Boudreau said. "It's going to be cool. Every coach would love to continue practicing. But I also think we're ready to play."

Washington Examiner LOADED: 09.20.2011

578885 Winnipeg Jets

Notebook

By: Ed Tait

SCOTT Arniel has been here, done that. And he knows probably better than anyone that today's split-squad tilt between his Columbus Blue Jackets and the Winnipeg Jets won't be a garden-variety exhibition game.

"It'll be great for our young guys coming up. It'll be a great atmosphere," Arniel told the Hustler and Lawless radio show. "I'm sure the place will be rockin' and we'll hear that 'Go Jets Go!' chant early on and hear it all game long.

"Sometimes these exhibition games can be snoozers, but this first one back in Winnipeg will be great. It will be great for both teams."

The split-squad Blue Jackets club that takes to the ice here will feature Brandon product Matt Calvert -- he had 99 goals in three seasons with the Wheat Kings -- along with former Manitoba Moose goaltender Curtis Sanford and Aaron Bogosian, the younger brother of Jets' defenceman Zach Bogosian.

"Our coaching staff is split Canadian/American so we decided all the Canadians were going to head north -- Brad Berry and Brad Larsen are going to head north with me and Todd Richards and Danny Hinote and Rob Riley are going to stay back in Columbus and do the game down here.

"This is a tough one for us," Arniel added. "As much as I'd like to come up there with all my big horses and make it a tough night for those Winnipeg Jets, we play here and also play Washington at home on Wednesday. We had the opportunity to allow these young guys we're making decisions on to play this game. We're a little bit younger, but we've got some skill."

NOW HEAR THIS: Troy Bodie can throw 'em, but he wants to make one thing clear -- there's more layers to his game than just playing the enforcer role. The Portage la Prairie product is with the Jets on a tryout after playing 50 games last year with the Carolina Hurricanes -- one goal, two assists, 54 penalty minutes.

Bodie has played in 107 career NHL games with the Canes and Anaheim Ducks after originally being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers.

"I don't want to limit myself to enforcer, I think some guys get stuck in that role and it's tough," said Bodie. "But I'm definitely not afraid to drop the mitts and get in there. I think there's more to my game than just that. I can make plays and get in the zone and show flashes of offence as well as defence. I played some penalty kill when I was in Anaheim. I'm not a jack of all trades, but I think I've got more than just being an enforcer."

More notes on C5

SOUND ADVICE: Andrew Ladd might not get the opportunity, but if he could, he'd offer up this sage counsel to Jets' first-round draft pick Mark Scheifele as his first game approaches:

"There's a few things you can say," said Ladd. "A lot of times it's about taking a step back. You have more time than you think you have, especially for young guys. It's something I went through as a young guy... you get the puck, you get the rid of it, but you don't realize you have a little time to get your head up and make a play or hold onto it a bit more."

ROSTER WATCH: Defenceman Randy Jones was 'banged up' at Monday's practice, according to head coach Claude Noel, and will be replaced on the roster that left for Columbus by Julian Melchiori, the Kitchener Rangers star who played so well in the rookie camp in Penticton... Forward Ivan Telegin and Alex Burmistrov were not at practice on Monday as they had to deal with some immigration issues. Both will be in the lineup Tuesday night at MTS Centre... Kyle Wellwood is still listed as day to day, but should get clearance from doctors to resume playing on Tuesday. He has been practising, but not participating on contact drills.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED: 09.20.2011


Tinker with chemicals before finalizing formula

By: Ed Tait

Welcome to the NHL preseason. Welcome to chatter about the implementation of systems and building chemistry, of power plays and penalty-kill units.

And welcome to a short window of opportunity for all regulars -- the Winnipeg Jets included -- to begin jockeying for positions on certain lines and defence pairings.

The issue of line chemistry came up following the Jets' Monday scrimmages and practices -- portions of it predictably sloppy -- and in advance of their first preseason contests against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

First of all, a hockey definition:

"Chemistry is knowing where your guys are on the ice," explained Evander Kane. "It's reading and recognizing what other guys like to do on the ice in the offensive and defensive zone.

"When you build chemistry it takes time. It's great to be able to play with the same guys for the majority of the season, that way you are familiar with each other and you can definitely build something throughout the year."

Kane, for the record, said he patrolled the wing for the first 35 games in Atlanta last year on a line with Bryan Little and Anthony Stewart, now a Carolina Hurricane.

But he also worked with Stewart and Nik Antropov on a line and, during another stretch, with Tim Stapleton, all en route to 19 goals and 43 points.

"Me and Timmy Stapleton had pretty good chemistry in the few games we played and it kinda came naturally," Kane said. "We'll see what happens. I'm not the coach, so we'll see what happens with the lines."

And therein likes the key: Kane doesn't get a vote on all this. And neither does Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd or Little, for that matter, even though that trio finished the 2010-11 season as Atlanta's top line.

Oh sure, all these men can most certainly influence the result of the vote by their work, but a hockey club is hardly ever held up as a classic example of democracy at work.

No, the Jets are a triumvirate headed by Kevin Cheveldayoff, Claude Noel and Craig Heisinger. Other voices may be heard, but the Big Three cast the only votes on all issues, including line combos.

"Laddy, Litts and I had chemistry right from the first game I was traded," said Wheeler. "That would be great, it would be awesome if we could get that opportunity again."

Asked why it worked -- Wheeler had seven goals and 10 assists in 23 games in Atlanta with Ladd and Little after being traded from Boston -- and the big winger shrugged.

"That's a good question. That's the great unknown, when you have chemistry with guys," he said. "We were all on the same page, that was the biggest thing. None of us were trying to do too much. We worked well as a three-man unit and whenever we were out there it was about making smart plays and getting the puck to the net.

"There wasn't much cute stuff going on out there, but we made nice plays and were able to capitalize.

"It just gives you so much energy and confidence," Wheeler continued. "That's the biggest thing when you're a hockey player: when you're energized and excited and playing with confidence that's when you're playing your best hockey."



Times sure change over 15 years

By: Tim Campbell

COLUMBUS -- Here we go. NHL games between NHL teams with NHL players in NHL cities.

Winnipeg, once again, is in the middle of all of that, 15 years, 4 months and 22 long days since it was last true.

The 2011-12 pre-season proper starts tonight for the new version of the Jets. They, along with the Columbus Blue Jackets, will divide up their camps for a day and play games in both the MTS Centre (7:30 p.m. CT) and here in Nationwide Arena (6 p.m. CT).

Is there some irony that Winnipeg, re-entering the league on what's widely believed to be solid and stable ground, starts out by playing and visiting one of the NHL's latest additions, one that has recently seen the locked safety covers come off the panic buttons?

Columbus was not an NHL location when Winnipeg exited in 1996. That many millions of dollars have bled from the central Ohio franchise in recent years is only a sign of the times, that the league's expanded footprint into the U.S. has not really changed what used to be the case on what is and what isn't a hockey market.

Many other things have changed in this time.

We know Winnipeg has, which is why Mark Chipman and David Thomson pulled the trigger on their deal to buy the Atlanta Thrashers on May 31.

Winnipeg's hockey geography has morphed overnight. So long, Peoria and hello, Nashville, for instance, where the Jets will play Saturday.

Another place the NHL was not 15 years ago.

Winnipeg is changing destinations but travel remains, it occurred to me Monday on the way to the ancient airport.

Many of the rules are different -- don't you dare take a bottle of water through security -- but many of the same folks there are still on the job, like the efficient and smiling Maria at the Delta counter.

And the Free Press continues to cover Winnipeg's hockey just as it did for the last 15 Moose seasons, there for every stride, home and away, for fans and readers.

Travel for the team, though, will be one big difference this fall.

The Jets will take chartered aircraft wherever they go -- it's now an NHL rule, a big change since 9/11 -- and the days of Moose flights to hubs like Chicago or Toronto or Boston or Houston and then multiple bus hops in those regions are a thing of the past.

I will honestly miss some of those stops, Providence, Houston, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids and Portland among them. Others, not so much.

For years, it seemed to me that almost all of those places were on the periphery, tantalizingly close to NHL markets but just far enough away to feel the distance.

What I won't miss is that just about everywhere we have been in IHL and AHL days, hockey was a hard sell. Don't get me wrong; many outstanding people (hello, Bob Kaser) worked long and hard and passionately at that very task. And got results.

Some pockets have their rabid fans, but generally beyond the violence, blood, beer and in some cases themselves, what are they fans of?

The big separator is what generates the most enthusiasm in my day -- star power,.

It is not the nature of the AHL, which rather executes its mission of development in an exemplary way.

Many Winnipeggers admirably bought into that philosophy and now reap their reward, shifting focus to today's stars versus tomorrow's, though surely this year's Jets will provide some of both as they struggle to go up the NHL ladder.

Beyond the philosophical considerations, what else is different?

-- A salary cap, important, at the top of the list.

-- A media universe immensely changed. Not only will every Jets game be easily available on television this season (as opposed to maybe 15 in 1996), kept and available NHL statistics have grown in multiples and the Internet and its wide-reaching tentacles of social media have altered the breadth of coverage and input around all things NHL.

-- There was a brief time in the 1990s where our sports editor required permission to assign two Jets stories in one day. Doubt we'll see that again.

-- Y2K was an overblown scare; the concussion epidemic is not.

-- An NHL moving towards, but not quite there, banning all shots to the head.

-- Shootouts, love them or hate them.

-- Two referees.

-- Two-line passes.

-- Two minutes for shooting the puck over the glass from your own zone.

-- Two of Winnipeg's best voices will be missing, Don Wittman and Jack Matheson.

-- For avid Moose fans, no more doubleheaders.

-- No portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, long may she reign.

-- Some of Winnipeg Arena's music (we hope).

Finally, short-sightedness and disappointments of the past cannot be changed. As Winnipeggers determined to improve the future, may we never forget them.



Stars will be in Jets' lineup on Tuesday

By: Ed Tait

It’s a sneak peek, nothing more, nothing less. It means nothing to the standings and, perhaps, may have very little to do with how the Winnipeg Jets’ opening night lineup is shaped.

But make no mistake, Tuesday night’s split-squad preseason game between the Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets at MTS Centre – there is also a game between the two squads at the same time at Nationwide Arena in Ohio – isn’t your average garden-variety contest.

"It’s going to be fun to get everyone in the building and finally start playing some games," said Jets’ captain Andrew Ladd. "We’ve had a couple of scrimmages, but it’s a little different when you’re scrimmaging against your

own guys. It’ll be nice to get going as a team. I’m assuming it’s going to be crazy in here. It’s the fans’ first opportunity to show what they bring to the table and the excitement they have for this team.

"Looking at those two games, myself I’d rather be playing here than in Columbus. It’s a little more excitement for an exhibition game."

Ladd heads a lineup taking to the ice here in Winnipeg that features 11 players who played at least one game in Atlanta last year and four Manitobans – Troy Bodie of Portage, Winnipeggers Jason Gregoire and Kevin Clark and Shayne Wiebe of Brandon. Among the regulars from last year’s Thrashers club are defencemen Dustin Byfuglien, Zach Bogosian and Mark Stuart, goaltender Ondre Pavelec, winger Nik Antropov and centre Alex Burmistrov.

Also participating will be first-round draft pick Mark Scheifele, who has been so impressive through rookie camp and the first three days of main camp.

The squad playing in Columbus will include Ron Hainsey, Evander Kane, Tanner Glass, Blake Wheeler, Chris Mason and Jim Slater.

"It’s going to be very special," said Bodie. "I’ve got some family and friends coming and playing in this barn here in Winnipeg is going to be great. I kept (the ticket requests) to a minimum. I told everybody I’d just get a couple for mom and dad and my brother and I’ve got to worry about myself. Not to be too selfish, but I’ve got to prepare."

Jets’ head coach Claude Noel said Pavelec will start and play two periods in net for the game here in Winnipeg and be replaced by David Aebischer. In Columbus, Mason will start and be relieved by Peter Mannino.



Scheifele expects to earn his keep

By: Gary Lawless

In the old days of the franchise now known as the Winnipeg Jets, if Gary Bettman shook your hand on the stage at the NHL Entry Draft it meant a direct route to the big club. It won't be that easy for Mark Scheifele.

The last three first-round picks of the Jets franchise, formerly known as the Atlanta Thrashers, went straight from the draft to the NHL. It was a foregone conclusion from the moment their name was called.

Zach Bogosian (2008), Evander Kane (2009) and Alexander Burmistrov (2010) all made the quick trip to the Thrashers and NHL money without any seasoning. To date, the results have been OK, but none has made a major impact as a big-leaguer.

The Thrashers needed to sell tickets and having their young prospects in the lineup was viewed as a way to create energy and buzz.

Scheifele, selected in the first round and seventh overall by the Jets at this summer's draft, won't have the advantage of the organization needing to stir up attention in his bid to make the club.

"I have to show them I can be here and that my body is ready and that I'm mentally ready as well," said Scheifele, 18. "That's a big thing for me, to show I can play against older guys and battle through the tough trenches of the NHL. They want to be strong on development and don't want to push someone too early. But if you're ready, you can play. But it's definitely different than it was in Atlanta. I've been told if I'm one of the top four centres, I'll stay."

It will strictly be a hockey decision where Scheifele is concerned. He'll need to be better than his predecessors were. In a word, Scheifele will need to be unreturnable.

To this point, he's off to strong start. He was the club's best player at the Young Stars tournament in Penticton last week and arguably the best skater on all five teams taking part.

On Sunday, Scheifele scored in the first scrimmage of Jets camp and stood out among his new NHL peers. Keep in mind, however, he's well ahead of the competition in terms of training, as he's been at camp with Canada's junior team and then took part in games at the Young Stars event. Most of the Jets were skating in their first scrimmage of the year.

"It will be based on performance and that will be the key. How he plays in the games. You have to look to see not only how he's going to be in October, but also in January and February. You have to look at more than the moment," said coach Claude Noel. "But the way he's played so far, he's certainly helped himself. He's played real well. He's scoring all the time and he's an effective player. We'll have to wait and see how he does in the games."

Jets management won't have the marketing department looking over their shoulders while making final roster decisions.

GM Kevin Cheveldayoff made it clear on Sunday his team will be picked on what's best in regards to wins and losses and nothing else.

"Everybody on this team will make it just on hockey and not where they were picked," he said. "It's not about rushing anyone and there's no mandate that says 'you must get this player in the lineup.' From my perspective and Claude's, when the player is ready to play, we'll find a spot for him to play."

Cheveldayoff wants the Jets to work off a blueprint and not plan on the fly.

"Ultimately, we would like the luxury of having enough depth in our organization to not be forced. We're going to look to establish a culture and depth in the organization where players have to earn their opportunity and when they do, it's because they're ready and not because there are holes in the lineup," he said.

In the end, the Jets are aiming to make it hard for draft picks to step right into the lineup. Top-end teams have rosters that are too strong and only cracked by the most special of rookies.

Maybe Scheifele is of that calibre.

But he'll have to show it. Freebies are a thing of the past.



Big-time team means bigger parking costs

By: Geoff Kirbyson

If you want to watch NHL hockey, you're going to have to pay NHL parking prices, too.

Unless you're fast enough to get one of the 100 or so spots adjacent to the Windsor Hotel on Garry Street or the Winnipeg Hotel on Main Street, that is.

Kevin Olinyk, assistant manager of the Winnipeg Hotel, said its owners, which also run the Windsor, aren't planning to charge anything for parking when 15,000 rabid hockey fans descend on downtown Winnipeg this fall and winter. There is, however, a method to their apparent madness.

"We've never charged for parking before. We're hoping people will park with us and then go inside and have a beer or two. We're hoping to create some business for our bars," he said.

Olinyk left a little wiggle room.

"Those plans may change," he said.

The vast majority of downtown parking-lot operators are preparing to boost their rates beginning this Tuesday night when the Winnipeg Jets host the Columbus Blue Jackets at the MTS Centre, the first exhibition game of the reborn Winnipeg Jets.

Jim August, CEO of The Forks North Portage Partnership, which oversees 1,200 parking spots under the Portage Place Shopping Centre, said it plans to charge $10 per vehicle for each Jets game.

"It's supply and demand. With greater demand, you can charge more. We don't want to be gouging people but we don't want to be lagging behind the price, either," he said.

"We know that (other operators) will be charging around that number so we want to be in the ballpark of fair market value."

Fans parking at Portage Place will also be able to buy a season's pass for $300, which works out to about $7 per game, and 10-game passes for $90.

It might surprise some people to learn that the more people parking, the more costs parkades incur. Higher traffic means more dirt, grime and garbage and that requires cleaning staff. Additional employees are also needed to process customer payments to minimize the wait time after games.

August said he knows parking rates are higher in larger markets such as Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.

"I don't know if anybody here is going to be charging $15 or $20 for a parking spot," he said.

Many of the parking lots surrounding the MTS Centre are run by Impark and Parking Plus but there are also many smaller lots that are privately owned.

Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement Zone, said parking consultations have been going on with its members near the MTS Centre for about a year. He said there seems to be a general consensus that parking rates need to be higher now that hockey games are going to attract double the number of fans they used to when the Manitoba Moose was the local franchise.

Part of the parking challenge is that many people will come early and park all night long, Grande said. That puts area retailers, not to mention their employees, at a disadvantage.

"We still have shops that are doing business (during hockey games). How do we free up some spaces for the shoppers of MEC, people visiting the Radisson or the office workers that work on the weekend? Everything is being gobbled up by MTS Centre users," he said.

Grande said a 15 per cent vacancy rate at any time for parking spots is optimal in the downtown area.



Got grit? Jets think so

By TED WYMAN, QMI Agency

WINNIPEG - In a roundabout way, Troy Bodie is hoping the Winnipeg Jets are a team that’s lacking toughness, because there’s nothing he’d like to do more than help make up the shortfall.

Bodie, a 26-year-old left-winger from Portage, is in Jets training camp on a tryout basis after getting released by the Carolina Hurricanes in the off-season.

He’s in tough to earn a spot on a team that already has its fair share of hard-nosed players, but if there’s one thing Bodie knows, it’s fighting — fighting with his fists and fighting for jobs in the NHL.

“I fight every single year to prove myself,” said Bodie, who will suit up for the Jets in tonight’s exhibition game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at MTS Centre.

“It’s a very important game for me. I need to show them what I can do, come out and play my game, play rough and tumble. This is my opportunity.”

Bodie, who played 59 games last season with Anaheim and Carolina, has six goals, five assists and 141 penalty minutes in 107 career NHL games.

He jumped at the chance to try out for the Jets and will have family and friends in the stands tonight. Making the team will be another matter.

“The team has already got some guys that play physical, it’s just whether they feel they need more or not,” said Bodie, who had 11 fighting majors last season.

“I don’t want to limit myself to an enforcer role. I’m definitely not afraid to drop the mitts and get in there but I think there’s more to my game than just that. I can make plays and get in the zone and show flashes of offence as well as being defensive. I’m not a jack of all trades but I think I’ve got more than just being an enforcer for sure.”

One of the players Bodie is competing with for a roster spot, left-winger David Koci, is more of a pure enforcer. Koci has three goals and 461

penalty minutes in 142 career NHL games. However, he’s hurt and is not playing in tonight’s exhibition games.

There a chance neither player will make the team. The players who came to Winnipeg from Atlanta suggest there is no lack of muscle and grit.

“You go down the lineup and we have lots of grit, top to bottom,” captain Andrew Ladd said.

“Especially on our bottom-6 forwards, we have a lot of players who get in there and muck it up and really make it hard on other teams.”

Newcomer Tanner Glass, who went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final with Vancouver last season, likes what he’s seen so far, and this is a guy who fought 10 times in 2010-11 and saw plenty of the toughest team in the league — the champion Bruins — in the spring.

“One of the things I’m most impressed with is all the guys who can play physical on this team,” said Glass, pointing to players like Chris Thorburn (77 penalty minutes) and big, strong defencemen like Dustin Byfuglien, Mark Stuart and Zach Bogosian.

Of course, the Jets players are not likely to describe themselves as anything other than gritty. Not when the alternative would suggest a weakness.

“Grittiness will definitely be one of the characteristics we have,” said forward Evander Kane, who had 68 penalty minutes last season. “You need to be a gritty team. You can’t be a soft team because you are not going to win too many hockey games in this league.”

So, there may be room for Bodie when the team breaks camp. Or maybe he’ll have to try to latch on elsewhere.

At very least he’ll have a special memory of suiting up in his home province with the Jets in their first NHL game since 1996.

“It’s very special,” Bodie said. “As soon as I heard the Jets were coming back, I was excited. I thought man, it would be great to someday play for them.”

That day would be today.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED: 09.20.2011


Stuart a crowd pleaser

By KEN WIEBE, QMI Agency

WINNIPEG - Mark Stuart knows exactly what it’s like to have to come in and impress new management.

As someone who was acquired by the Atlanta Thrashers prior to the NHL trade deadline last February, Stuart had a 23-game audition to make his mark.

Now that the Thrashers have transformed into the Winnipeg Jets and management has been overhauled, in some ways Stuart is starting fresh again and jockeying for position on the depth chart.

“I know I’ve put in the work in the summer and I’m feeling confident,” Stuart said in a recent interview. “It’s been a long wait. Competition is good and if you don’t have competition, something is wrong. It pushes guys and we have a lot of competition at every position really.

“I just concentrate on my job, do the best I can and the rest works itself out. Going from Boston to Atlanta, my role didn’t change very much, other than the fact I was one of the older guys.”

Much like his teammate Blake Wheeler, who was picked up in the deal for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik, Stuart had mixed emotions when he watched the Bruins defeat the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.

“To be honest with you, it was probably one of the toughest nights of my life,” said Stuart, who has 14 goals, 29 points and 308 penalty minutes in 306 NHL games. “I was happy because I have a lot of friends on that team.

You’re really sad because you’re not part of it but you have a smile on your face as well when you see this guy or that guy carrying the Cup around.

“It was a very strange situation.”

Having an opportunity to play with Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was invaluable for Stuart.

“That was huge,” said Stuart. “When I first got there, Brian Leetch was there. And all of those guys taught me to be a pro really. With Chara, you saw his off-ice work ethic. You see how fit he is and that’s something I took from him.”

Stuart is known as a guy who can be a physical force.

“He’s one of the best open-ice hitters in the game — he does a great job as far as letting the other forwards know that in the open ice, you better keep your head up. He’s tremendous at that,” said Jets defenceman Ron Hainsey. “The crowd is going to love the way he plays.”

At 27, Stuart quickly found himself a place in the leadership group on a young team.

“He’s just a great presence and a guy everyone looks up to and respects,” said Jets captain Andrew Ladd. “On the ice, he’s the kind of guy who will do anything for his teammates and just plays a tough, rugged game. He’s going to be a big piece going forward.”

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Mark Stuart

AGE: 27

HOMETOWN: Rochester, Minn.

HEIGHT: 6-foot-2

WEIGHT: 213 pounds

POSITION: Defence

SHOOTS: Left

— Drafted by Boston Bruins in first round (21st overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft

— Had 2G, 4A, 6P in 54 GP last season with the Bruins and Atlanta Thrashers

— Acquired with Blake Wheeler in a trade with Bruins for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik



Jets players put positive spin on hitting the road


WINNIPEG - On the surface and with all due respect to Columbus, a trip to Ohio in mid-September seems like an obvious consolation prize when you consider the alternative.

But when you have a split-squad game scheduled for two different cities on the same night, ultimately there are going to be some members of the Winnipeg Jets who won’t be able to experience the first pre-season game at MTS Centre against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

To their credit, those Jets who hit the road on Monday put a positive spin on things rather than worrying about what might have been.

“It doesn’t really matter, as long as I’m in the lineup for that opening night,” said Jets forward Tanner Glass.

“These games are about getting ready and getting to know the systems and getting to know my teammates.”

Although the atmosphere won’t be the same inside Nationwide Arena, the Jets will be putting on the authentic road white jerseys for the first time on Tuesday.

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot this summer,” said Glass. “Once the jersey finally came out, I could picture myself in it. I’m excited to get it going here.”

Jets winger Evander Kane had no issue taking the show on the road.

“It’s good to get a game under your belt before you play in front of the home fans,” said Kane, who was then asked about the reception the Jets were expecting in Ohio. “I’m sure we’ll get the old classic boos. I don’t think they’re going to be any more appreciative because we’re the new franchise.”

Having to wait a few extra days to experience the crowd at a Jets game doesn’t mean the players haven’t already taken note of the support.

“It’s outstanding. You can’t say enough about it,” said Jets winger Blake Wheeler. “The city is just on fire. Everywhere you go and everything you see is all Winnipeg Jets. It makes you feel pretty special to be part of it.”

Other Jets suiting up in Ohio on Tuesday include defencemen Ron Hainsey, Winnipegger Derek Meech and forwards Chris Thorburn, Jim Slater and John Albert, who played his college hockey at Ohio State.

After being part of the one-sided scrimmage in which Group B smoked Group A 4-0 on Monday, Glass couldn’t resist sharing a parting shot before hitting the road to Ohio.

“We were chirping them in the room and saying ‘we’re leaving you here, don’t embarrass us,’” said Glass.

Glass, Carl Klingberg, Tim Stapleton and Spencer Machacek scored for Group B, while Chris Mason and Peter Mannino combined on the shutout.



Jets pre-season opener is gonna get loud


WINNIPEG - This is merely an appetizer but hockey fans in this province are so hungry for an NHL game — even if it’s only the pre-season — that the anticipation for Tuesday’s tilt between the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets is building to a crescendo.

The Jets announced Monday that their home-ice lineup for the 7:30 p.m. puck drop at the downtown arena would include captain Andrew Ladd, defencemen Dustin Byfuglien and Zach Bogosian, forward Nik Antropov, 2011 first-round draft pick Mark Scheifele and goalies Ondrej Pavelec and David Aebischer.

While NHL pre-season games are generally used to shake off the rust, the expected atmosphere even has the Jets players a little more fired up than usual.

“I’m assuming it’s going to be crazy in here,” said Ladd. “It’s the fans first opportunity to show what they bring to the table and the excitement they have for this team.”

The game will be extra special for the four Manitobans in the Jets lineup, including Winnipeggers Kevin Clark and Jason Gregoire, Brandon product Shayne Wiebe and Troy Bodie of Portage la Prairie.

“It’s exciting. It’s the first time the NHL is coming back here and to play in front of a sold-out barn is going to be something else,” said Clark, who spent last season with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. “It’ll be surreal, but you don’t think about how historical it is right now. You just want to do what everyone is trying to do here, which is making an impression.

“Getting into a pre-season game is a baby step toward your goal. Everyone wants to play in the NHL.”

Jets head coach Claude Noel has ties to the Blue Jackets after spending three seasons there as an assistant and eventually interim head coach there, but he wasn’t feeling sentimental going into the match-up.

“Yeah, I am looking forward to the game, seeing our players and stuff like that,” said Noel.

“For me, I want to see our team. It’ll be a fun game.”

Noel said the plan was to have Pavelec play the first two periods and Aebischer take over in the third.

Tuesday’s game will also serve as a homecoming of sorts for Blue Jackets head coach Scott Arniel, the former Moose bench boss who still resides in Winnipeg during parts of the off-season.

“I have lots of fond memories there,” Arniel told the Columbus Dispatch on Monday. “I know that province was jacked when they found out they were going to get their team back. It’s kind of cool that we’re going to be the first team in there. I’m sure the ‘Go Jets Go’ chants will start in warm-ups and won’t stop.

“I’ve been in that building where there’s 15,000 and it’s very, very loud.”

The Blue Jackets aren’t bringing captain Rick Nash or Jeff Carter on the trip, but the veterans in their lineup include Brandon product Matt Calvert, Derick Brassard and defenceman Kris Russell.

Former Moose goalie Curtis Sanford gets the call in goal and is slated to play two periods.



Glass: Plenty of room for fighting in NHL

By TED WYMAN, QMI Agency

WINNIPEG - Even if the days of the heavyweight enforcer are in the past, Winnipeg Jets forward Tanner Glass says there is still plenty of room for players who are willing to drop the gloves.

“(Fighting) is still a big part of the game,” Glass said after Jets’ practice Monday. “It’s not necessarily used as much to police the game as it used to be. I’d like to see it used more. The instigator rule changed the way fighting is used. The days of the big heavyweight enforcer are a bit dated.”

Glass, who fought 10 times as a member of the Vancouver Canucks last season, said players like having fighting in the game because it keeps people honest.

“If a dirty play happens or someone goes after a top player, it’s nice to know that you’ve got a guy on your team that is willing to stand up for his teammates,” Glass said.

As for the issue of fighting causing head injuries, Glass thinks it’s overblown.

“Guys do get concussions from fighting but I think it’s more from those hits where you don’t see a guy coming,” Glass said. “That’s more dangerous. When two guys are going at it on the ice, I don’t think it’s very dangerous at all.”



Jets home lineup to include Ladd, Byfuglien


WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Jets revealed on Monday morning that their lineup for the home portion of the split-squad games with the Columbus Blue Jackets will include captain Andrew Ladd and defenceman Dustin Byfuglien.

“It’s going to fun to get everyone in the building and finally start playing some games,” said Ladd. “I’m assuming it’s going to be crazy in here. It’s the fans' first opportunity to show what they bring to the table and the excitement they have for this team.”

Also suiting up in the 7:30 p.m. CT puck drop Tuesday will be Zach Bogosian, Mark Stuart, Nik Antropov and 2011 first-round pick Mark Scheifele.

Ondrej Pavelec and David Aebischer will be the Jets goalies for the home game.

Forwards Jason Gregoire and Kevin Clark will both be suiting up in their first NHL action here in their hometown, while Brandon product Shayne Wiebe and Troy Bodie of Portage la Prairie will also be playing in Winnipeg.

“It’s really exciting,” said Wiebe, who is in camp on a tryout basis. “Coming into main camp, I wasn’t sure if I’d even play a game or what the situation was. I’m really thrilled to be able to get the opportunity to play, especially in the home province of Manitoba.”

The group going to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets will include Evander Kane, Ron Hainsey, Tanner Glass, Blake Wheeler, Chris Thorburn and Jim Slater.

Chris Mason and Peter Mannino will handle the goaltending duties.

Former Manitoba Moose head coach Scott Arniel will be behind the Blue Jackets bench for the game in Winnipeg, while former Brandon Wheat Kings forward Matt Calvert will be in the lineup.

Also representing the Blue Jackets at MTS Centre are forwards Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, Derek MacKenzie, defencemen Kris Russell, Grant Clintsome and Aaron Johnson. Curtis Sanford will be starting in goal.

It will be a special day for the Bogosian family as Zach’s brother Aaron (a forward) will be suiting up in Winnipeg against the Jets.


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ESPN / Camp Tour: Kings' Philly connection helping Mike Richards with transition

By Pierre LeBrun

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Mike Richards' phone beeped. It was a text from a familiar name asking him to call, sent almost immediately after the forward's blockbuster trade in June.

It was John Stevens, Richards' former head coach in Philadelphia and his new assistant coach in Los Angeles.

Still shell-shocked, Richards obliged.

"I told Mike he would love it here," Stevens told ESPN.com on Monday during a break at the Kings' camp scrimmages. "I told him he's going to love the way we play, he's going to love the city, he's going to love living here. As hard as it was that day to know he wasn't in Philadelphia anymore, I told him there was lots to look forward to. And Mike and I have been through a lot together. I'm really excited that he's here. He's really one of the players that I truly enjoy having."

That immediate bond, that instant relationship he could tap into, cannot be overlooked in Richards' transition. It was a life-changing trade. Richards thought he'd be a Flyer for life.

"There are a lot of emotions when you first get traded," Richards told ESPN.com on Monday at the Kings' practice facility. "John and I had a great relationship in Philly. It was tough when he left Philly. ... It's remained a great relationship. We talk and it's an open-ended relationship where we talk about everything on the ice. Coming into a team where you know the coaches trust you already, that's going to be the biggest thing."

The connections in Philadelphia run deep, which is why it shouldn't surprise anyone the Kings were the club that scooped him up. Kings coach Terry Murray was an assistant coach under Stevens, Kings GM Dean Lombardi was a pro scout in Philadelphia before coming here and, of course, Kings assistant GM Ron Hextall was a Flyer all his life before coming to Los Angeles.

If there was any team in the NHL that was going to get Richards, it was the Kings. They knew what they were getting.

"You always try to do your undercover work [scouting]. This league is a pretty small league, but that being said, there's nothing like having firsthand knowledge," Lombardi told ESPN.com on Monday. "The bottom line with Mike, nobody questions this guy's competitiveness; his leadership comes natural. He's a guy that's won at every level."

Signing Richards' former Flyers linemate, Simon Gagne, was another touch in helping the former Philadelphia captain adjust.

On the ice, Richards wants to erase a painful and frustrating season. He battled a hand/wrist injury all season before having surgery in May. He appeared in 81 regular-season games, but was never the player he could be because of it.

"I just had no strength," Richards said. "As the season went on, it got worse and worse. I couldn't shoot the puck very well, had no strength in battles and was poor at faceoffs. I feel better now. I'm shooting the puck better and there's no pain. It's going to be good."

It's a clean slate.

The Flyers traded Mike Richards to the Kings for Brayden Schenn, winger Wayne Simmonds and a draft pick.

"For me, it's just getting back to playing the way I can," Richards said. "Last year with my hand, it was a frustrating year with a lot of pain and a lot of headache because of it. ... This is an opportunity this year to get back to the top of your game."

Richards is slated to begin the season between Gagne and Dustin Brown. Talk about a line that can do damage at both ends of the ice. And the Kings view the 26-year-old Richards as a burgeoning star who can take yet another step.

"I think Mike is still evolving," said Lombardi. "I think he's only going to keep getting better."

The Kings' GM evoked the name of Steve Yzerman as an example of a star center who took his game to yet another level midway through his career. Richards will have every opportunity to do that in Los Angeles.

"He'll be counted on in all situations here," Stevens said. "I know in Philadelphia, I probably played him a bit too much. He's one of those guys that you want on the ice all the time. If you had to win a game, you had to catch up, you had to protect a lead, he just seemed like the type of player that crossed your mind all the time. He's a guy we really, really trust and I think Mike is the type of guy that wants that responsibility."

Cutting those Philadelphia ties won't happen overnight, though. Richards came out of the locker room Monday wearing a T-shirt from a Philadelphia restaurant. It just so happens he'll get the big game out of the way nice and early -- the Kings face the Flyers in Philadelphia on Oct. 15.

"It's going to be interesting," Richards said with a smile. "I'm not sure what type of reception I'm going to get in Philly, but I enjoyed my six years there. We did a lot of good things there, had a lot of success. I'm excited to get back there. I'm excited to see everyone again, friends and teammates and people in the organization, and playing in front of that crowd again will be nice. I enjoyed that every time I stepped on the ice there and I thought I played my hardest every time I did. It's going to be weird being on the opposite side, but at the same time, I think I'm going to enjoy it."

ESPN LOADED: 09.20.2011

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Sportsnet.ca /Colby's mulligan

Mike Brophy

Colby Armstrong is looking to put last season behind him and make an impact with the Maple Leafs.

Let's call it Colby Armstrong's mulligan. Last season doesn't count. It didn't happen.

The veteran right winger came to the Toronto Maple Leafs with the best of intentions of being one of those grinding, hard-to-play-against guys GM Brian Burke promised to supply Leafs Nation with, but wound up being injured far too often to be a factor in yet another forgettable season.

Now he's teeing it up and ready to make an impact.

"At this time last year I was playing with a broken foot already," Armstrong said, "so my year didn't start off too well. Seven games in I blew my hand apart and had to have surgery and missed almost 20 games. The things started going alright and my eye started bleeding somehow and I broke my other foot at the end of the year. I'm wearing shot blockers now so I hope that cancels out that problem."

Armstrong is healthy and happy. He scored the opening goal in a 4-2 win over the visiting Ottawa Senators at Air Canada Centre Monday night and later added an assist. All things considered, for a pre-season game it wasn't bad.

Armstrong, 28, joined the Maple Leafs a year ago as an unrestricted free agent arriving with a reputation for being something of a shift disturber - the kind of sandpaper player Burke vowed would be employed on his third and fourth lines. Some have suggested $3 million a year for three seasons is a little extravagant for a third-liner, but if Armstrong can stay healthy and find the game that enabled him to score 22 goals and 40 points with 75 penalty minutes two years ago in Atlanta, it will go a long way toward getting the Maple Leafs back to the playoffs.

Oh yeah, the playoffs. Hmm, that's a place where Armstrong has not been to except for once in his pro career. Suffice it to say it eats away at him each spring when he packs his equipment to go home when the real hockey gets underway.

"It's brutal," Armstrong said. "It's tough. I'm not sure what year this is for me; maybe my sixth or seventh, but to have played just five playoff games is tough. It's something that you want so bad. I played against the Senators in my only year in the playoffs and to have that feeling - the butterflies in the ramped up building - it's something that you grew up wanting to experience. It's tough to sit by and watch it every year."

Actually, this will be Armstrong's seventh year in the NHL. Picked in the first round, 21st overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2001, Armstrong spent the first three-and-a-half years of his pro career playing with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League before finally graduating to the NHL midway through the 2005-06 season. He hasn't looked back since.

Teams expect first round picks to be significant contributors. That has not been the case for the personable Armstrong. That said, with the Leafs he has an opportunity to make a difference in what is a very important year for an organization that hasn't been to the post-season since 2004.

Thus far Armstrong has been playing on a line with centre Tyler Bozak and winger Nazem Kadri. Bozak, who a year ago was slated to be the team's No. 1 centre - an illustration of Toronto's lack of depth then - scored two goals against Ottawa. On a night when the Maple Leafs rested their top line of Tim Connolly, Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, the Bozak-Armstrong-Kadri line played a more significant role. And they passed the test.

"I think the potential is there for sure," Armstrong said. "We got standing around a little bit on our cycle, but through camp the first couple of days our cycling game and our quick game was pretty good. It's something we'll work on and get better at doing.

"Bozak is a great player. He's got speed and he can make those quick plays. I like playing wing with him because he's fast up the middle and can make those quick pop plays. He's got good support, good instincts and he reads the play well. We talked about what we could do in camp and although we're trying not to get ahead of ourselves, if we stick together we'd like to look at ourselves as a line that can win games for us; whether it's defensively or as a third line that can produce, too."

But can you top - or at least match - your career best of 22 goals, set two years ago with the now defunct Atlanta Thrashers? Remember, Armstrong also had seasons of 16 and 12 goals with Pittsburgh previously.

"I think I can do that. Playing with Naz and Bozie I think we'll get our chances," Armstrong said. "The year I scored those goals in Atlanta I was playing with Rich Peverley and Slava Kozloz. That was a pretty good line. I think it's much the same right now with the way these guys play and the little plays they can make and the chances we can create. It's exciting to be starting the season like this."

Toronto coach Ron Wilson isn't convinced Armstrong will expand on his career best in goals. Not that he thinks Armstrong is goal-challenged, but for the coach, it's a little matter of reality.

"That's hard because it depends on ice time," Wilson said. "If you look at our team you'd probably say they are the third line and they'll get

somewhere between 14 and 16 minutes per game. To say he should score 20 goals wouldn't be right. The year he scored a lot in Pittsburgh he was playing with Sidney Crosby and he's not playing with Sidney Crosby here. He should be able to get between 15 and 20... something like that."

NOTES: Matt Frattin has taken advantage of every opportunity he has been given to make the Maple Leafs. A finalist for the Hobey Baker Award with the University of North Dakota last season when he scored 36 goals and 60 points in 44 games the 23-year-old right winger looked like a man playing with boys at the team's rookie camp in Oshawa last week. He stood out in the weekend scrimmages and was flying again in the first pre-season game against the Senators. Frattin's greatest attribute in Game 1 was his drive to the net. Another impressive Leafs hopeful was right winger Kenny Ryan who showed an aggressive side and made a nice shot block while killing a penalty in the first period.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 09.20.2011

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TSN.CA / Farewell to Earl - a great fan and a great friend

Darren Dreger

Early Sunday morning, my pal Earl Cook succumbed to cancer. The disease finally overwhelmed his body, but never - not for one second - tarnished his spirit.

For those who follow on Twitter or have watched our periodic updates on the NHL on TSN (or the many stories nationwide), you know Earl was special.

Earl was a fighter - his life was filled with challenges that included Asperger's syndrome, Tourette syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

I met Earl during the 2006-07 NHL season at a Leafs game. His passion for hockey was infectious and we became fast friends.

By this time, his fight with cancer was well underway. A fight that included the amputation of his left leg as doctors worked relentlessly to save Earl's life.

I learned of Earl's surgery through a mutual friend and former colleague Dan Palsson, who asked if I could visit Earl in hospital in Toronto during his recovery.

I remembered Earl was a devout Detroit Red Wings fan. So on my way, I sent text messages to Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock and then-Red Wings executive and former captain Steve Yzerman.

I expected a reply - a quick note I could read to Earl that would brighten his day. Instead, both Mike and Steve reached out and changed the rest of Earl Cook's life.

Mike Babcock was the first to call and spent 15 minutes on the phone with Earl, mostly listening to Earl share his incredible knowledge of Red Wings hockey. Tears streamed down Earl's face as he chatted with a man he idolized. He was so happy.

Minutes after talking with Mike, my phone rang again, Steve Yzerman also wanted to meet and speak to Earl, Detroit's biggest fan.

I will never forget this visit nor the impact it had on Earl, but this day was merely the beginning of a wonderful relationship between Earl, Mike Babcock and the entire Detroit Red Wings organization.

Over the past three years, Earl and his foster mom Debbie Hopkins have been guests at many Red Wings games around the league and Earl quickly became a welcome addition inside the Wings dressing room. The players loved him and he loved them and his inability to be anything but brutally honest. If his pals Pavel or Henrik had off-nights Earl would let them know, but he was always positive the next game would be better.

In his own, unique way Earl inspired...and that was one of his many gifts.

"He served as a fanastic role model for myself and our teams," Babcock said. "He may have passed today, but with the way he lived his life, he never allowed this disease to beat him."

A few weeks ago, Earl and Debbie arrived in Toronto ready to face what would be his 10th surgery, the removal of a cancerous kidney, doctors hoped would prolong his life. However, in pre-op testing it became clear surgery was no longer an option and Earl was released with another round of chemotherapy his only hope.

Rather than sink with the news his time was fading, Earl and Debbie stayed positive and came into my home for what would be my final visit with Earl and a day my family and I will never forget.

"Hi Darren, it's Earl," he would bellow into the phone at the beginning of each of our sometimes daily chats, and then he would tell me what we should be talking about on the TSN panel before explaining how great his day had been.

It was a privilege to know Earl Cook and I will be forever grateful to Debbie Hopkins for allowing me into her family where I learned what true dignity and commitment is all about.

Later this month, Earl will be honoured - posthumously as it were - with the "Ace Bailey Award of Courage," by the NHL Alumni Association. As it became increasingly evident how close Earl was to the end, everybody in his extended family was hoping Earl would live long enough to be at the ceremony.

The award is presented annually to an individual who turns tragedy into triumph.

Earl did exactly that and managed to inspire so many along his 23-year journey.

Rest in peace, pal.

TSN.CA LOADED: 09.20.2011

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