Lubo to the Oilers

TSN

The Edmonton Oilers have acquired defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for forward Jarret Stoll and defenceman Matt Greene.

The Oilers believe that with Sheldon Souray, Visnovsky helps solidify their powerplay. And with the development of Andrew Cogliano, Sam Gagner and Robert Nilsson, Edmonton had too many forwards.

Plus, Stoll is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next year while Green will be a unrestricted free agents in two years.

''It's never easy to give up a player of Lubo's caliber, but for the direction of this franchise, this exchange allows us to add two players who fit the long-term vision for this team,'' Kings President and General Manager Dean Lombardi said. ''We appreciate Lubo's service and outstanding play these last seven years in Los Angeles. He was not only a great player for us, but a class act.''

With the trade, Edmonton inherits the five-year, US$28-million contract extension Visnovsky signed with the Kings in July 2007. The Kings will owe Greene $1.25 million for 2008-09 season.

Visnovsky, 31, posted 70 goals and 209 assists in 499 games with the Kings since being drafted by Los Angeles in the fourth round, 118th overall, in 2000. He became the first Kings defenceman to lead the team in scoring in 2005-06, tallying a career-high 17 goals and 50 assists.

The 5-10, 188 lbs. native of Topolcany, Slovak Republic, also added on assist in 12 career post season games.

Stoll, 25, tallied 59 goals and 106 assists in 186 games since being selected by the Oilers with Edmonton's second round pick, 36th overall, in 2002. The 6-1, 210 lbs. native of Melville, SK, Canada, also has added four goals and six assists in 24 post-season games with Edmonton.

Stoll was an assistant captain for the club in 2007-08.

Greene, 24, has one goal and 12 assists in 151 games since being selected by Edmonton in the 2nd round, 44th overall, in 2002. The 6-3, 233 lbs. native of Grand Ledge, Mich., has added one assist in 18 playoff games with the Oilers.

Not all is rosy in Pittsburgh

Steve Simmons

For one thing, there is a brewing problem between coach Michel Therrien and some of his players -- a number of them despise playing for him.

No one will choose the Stanley Cup final as a forum to call out their coach but there are far too many whispers out there that too many players can't stand working for -- or with-- Therrien.

If that isn't an issue to be dealt with immediately, it is certainly something that will grow with time. Brooks Orpik, the free agent defenceman who will be coveted by many teams after July 1, has told people he will not re-sign in Pittsburgh if Therrien is the coach. Jordan Staal, the terrific young player who lives in the shadow of Crosby and Evgeni Malkin -- but is poised to bust out as one of the most complete centres in hockey -- is another Therrien complainer.

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Broadway Jags

Jaromir Jage felt the love from Rangers fans during the playoffs. He has been feeling it from Russia for months, what with Anatoli Bardin, the GM of the Omsk-Avangard team, having courted him heavily.

But what Jagr appears to be waiting for is some sort of comparable affection from Rangers GM Glen Sather. Jagr told the Daily News again Thursday that his first choice is to return to the Rangers for next season but he is not sure whether the feeling is mutual.

"Do I have an offer from Russia? Probably," Jagr said, refusing to discuss details of what Bardin promised him when he flew to New York to meet with him and with Sather on March 30.

But when asked whether it was now a case of seeing whether the Rangers would match the offer or come close, Jagr replied: "No, it's not that at all. I just want to know if I feel any interest from New York. That's what I want to know first.

"I told (the Omsk representatives) I didn't want to talk to anybody before I talked to the Rangers. They know that."

Jagr, 36, just returned to New York from a vacation in Mexico. He hasn't spoken with Sather since May 7, when the Rangers broke for the summer. And he hasn't been in touch with his agents, Pat Brisson and J.P. Barry.

"I didn't talk to them in a while - probably they were concerned with (Sidney) Crosby during the playoffs," Jagr said, referring to another of his agents' high-profile clients. "Probably, they're going to talk to Glen right away now."

Still, rumors have been flying about where Jagr will play next season - his contract expires June 30 - and how much Omsk-Avangard offered him. Bardin maintains that reports of a Russian Super League salary cap-busting offer in excess of $12 million per season were greatly exaggerated.

Jagr, however, insists that money is not the issue. He mentioned how much his girlfriend, Czech-born model Inna Puhajkova, loves New York.

"She doesn't say anything," Jagr cracked. But then he conceded: "Probably, she wants to stay here."

Here comes the Off-season

TSN

With the NHL's 2007-08 campaign in the books, the drama now shifts from the ice to the front office as the league's 30 teams begin their mad scramble to prepare for next season.

As of Friday, half a dozen teams are still in need of a new head coach, with the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Atlanta Thrashers, San Jose Sharks and Ottawa Senators conducting searches. And the list of 'free agent' bench bosses is impressive to say the least.

Names being circulated over the last month include recently-fired head coaches Ron Wilson, John Tortorella, Bob Hartley, Paul Maurice and Joel Quenneville, not to mention veterans Pat Quinn and Pat Burns.

Wilson, who was fired by the San Jose Sharks last month, is the front-runner for the head coaching job in Toronto as interim GM Cliff Fletcher has given him a Monday deadline to accept or reject the team's offer. Wilson's old job posting in San Jose could also be filled in soon, as general manager Doug Wilson has already asked the Tampa Bay Lightning for permission to speak to Tortorella. Quenneville has also been mentioned as a potential candidate.

In Florida, general manager Jacques Martin has reportedly pared down his list of candidates, with former Leaf coach Paul Maurice and New York Rangers assistant coach Perry Pearn among the favourites.

All of the aforementioned clubs hope to have their vacancies filled by June 20, when the league conducts the 2008 Entry Draft (TSN, 7pm et/4pm pt).

While the Tampa Bay Lightning plan to select consensus No. 1 pick Steven Stamkos with their top selection, a deep and promising talent pool could rest of the class of 2008 could be up in the air. Other solid blue-chippers include Russian forward Nikita Filatov, OHL blueliners Zach Bogosian, Drew Doughty and Alex Pietrangelo, and Luke Schenn of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets.

"This is a very strong year up top and we've got a tough decision to make, but in the end it's a good problem to have," Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi told TSN. "With 'Stammer' gone, it's almost like we have a No. 1 (overall) pick, and I think we have a lot of good players to choose from. We feel confident we're going to get a good player."

The draft could also provide an exciting backdrop to some trades. The Anaheim Ducks, who hold the 12th overall selection thanks to Edmonton's signing of restricted free agent Dustin Penner, are already looking at multiple scenarios ranging from moving up or down in the draft to dealing a player.

"All I did at the GM meetings (in Detroit) was plant the seeds," Ducks general manager Brian Burke told the L.A. Times this week.

Where other player movement is concerned, the league's free agent signing period - which begins July 1 at Noon et - has almost built up as much attention as the annual mid-season trading deadline. With the eligibility parameters for free agency eased a bit more each year, the league has seen some pretty big names change hands on Canada Day.

This offseason's UFA crop - though not as deep as previous summers - could feature impact players like Mats Sundin, Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone and Brian Campbell, provided that they don't re-sign with their former clubs by July 1.

But thanks to some interesting moves by the Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers over the last two years, the real intrigue could come from an arguably deeper class of restricted free agents. Oilers GM Kevin Lowe and former Flyers GM Bob Clarke raised more than a few eyebrows by signing Penner, Thomas Vanek and Ryan Kesler, leaving everyone in the hockey world wondering if the market for Group II players will be more active this season.

And with this year's RFA list including Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Anaheim Ducks sniper Corey Perry, Flyers centre Jeff Carter and Washington Capitals blueliner Mike Green, it could be tempting for any executive to jump in with the dreaded 'O' word - offer sheet.

General manager Ray Shero, whose Penguins made it all the way to the Stanley Cup final, may be the busiest executive in the league over the next few months, with Hossa, Fleury, Malone and Brooks Orpik hitting their respective markets and Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal entering the last year of their entry-level contracts.

Celebrate with the Red Wings

A Dynasty Perhaps?

You know, the NHL would like everyone to play nice and get along, just like they do in minor hockey. Give everybody a chance to win once in awhile and maybe, just maybe the folks in Nashville and Phoenix and Florida will start coming out to the games.

But the Detroit Red Wings don’t play nice. They win when they have all the marbles and they win when the guys who govern the game make them give some of their marbles away. And judging by the way they won their 11th Stanley Cup in franchise history, they’re not about to start playing for the participation badge anytime soon.

Continued...

Now What Happens?

Right wing Marian Hossa, Penguins

Set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Hossa figures to demand a hefty contract. He will get it, and probably not from the Penguins, even though they are a perfect match for his demeanor. Hossa will never face superstar pressure in Pittsburgh. But the Penguins will not have the cap room to keep him and their core of young talent.

Center Evgeni Malkin, Penguins

His camp and the Penguins can open discussions July 1 on a long-term contract extension. Despite his struggles in the Stanley Cup final, those talks figure to start a lot closer to the new deal signed by Washington left winger Alexander Ovechkin - 13 years, $124 million ($9.54 million per season) - than the extension last summer received by teammate Sidney Crosby - five years, $43.5 million ($8.7 million per season).

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2008 Playoffs Montage

Your 2008 Stanley Cup Champions...

Congrats to the Detroit Red Wings on their cup win. They had one hell of a ride.

The Simpsons

Top 10 Hottest Hockey Celebrity Girlfriends

CHECK IT HERE!!

David Pratt= Hack!

Nice job by David Pratt getting busted for plagiarizing Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly in his column yesterday. Pratt will now be removed from his stint as a weekly columnist for the Vancouver Province. For anyone that has read the column you know you won't be missing much. His articles were short blurbs without any real substance or facts. They were often filled with gooey sentimental drivel complete with plenty of pop culture references that we now find out weren't even his to begin with anyways!

Once a hack always a hack.

Here's his blog if anyone cares. Why he needs to write in caps lock is beyond me. Pratt Blog

Burke Bits

Burke scoffed at the notion that he has a role in the Leafs' pursuit of Wilson, who once coached the Ducks but long before Burke came on board.

"It's an absurd suggestion," Burke said by phone.

He also said he isn't concerned that the speculation is affecting his job with the Ducks, adding that he has been working on potential trade scenarios ahead of the NHL entry draft in Ottawa.

"I don't think people in Anaheim are paying the slightest bit of attention to it," he said.

Burke, 52, said he understands that the only way he can end the speculation is to sign a contract extension, which reportedly has been on the table for him. The Ducks, meanwhile, have not given him permission to talk to any team.

Asked if he expects his status with the Ducks to change after the draft or before July 1, the first day of free agency, Burke said no.

"I think ownership has been very clear," he said. "That's their prerogative. I don't see it changing."

Burke did address some roster issues Tuesday, particularly the future of stars Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne. Both players were given a deadline of June 20, the first day of the draft, to decide whether they will commit to playing the entire 2008-09 season.

"I have not heard from either one of them," Burke said. "I expect to talk to them this week. We're still not up against any deadline that we have imposed."

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It's Official

The Tampa Bay Lightning fired John Tortorella on Tuesday, four years after he coached the NHL team to its first and only Stanley Cup championship.

Tampa Bay finished last in the 30-league this season with a record of 31-42-9 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2002. His coaching record is 227-195-35-35.

It has been rumoured in hockey circles that former Los Angeles Kings coach Barry Melrose is the choice of the Lightning's prospective ownership to take over behind the bench.

Prick

It seems Tiger Woods isn't much of a hockey fan.

Woods, the world's No. 1 golfer, told reporters Monday that he had no preference when it comes to who captures the Stanley Cup, the Detroit Red Wings or Pittsburgh Penguins.

"I don't really care," he said. "Let's talk about the Dodgers.

"I don't think anybody really watches hockey any more."

Woods made the remark on a conference call promoting the PGA Championship, to be played Aug. 4-10 at Oakland Hills Country Club in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Township.

Detroit leads Pittsburgh 3-1 in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup final — the first championship showdown between the two cities since the 1909 World Series, won by the Pirates in seven games over the Tigers.

Goals of the Week

Future of the Pens & Wings

Damien Cox

Given the uncertain state of their roster, however, that might be wishful thinking for the Penguins. In fact, the Red Wings might be better positioned for next season and beyond.

That's not to say the Pens are destined to go down again as quickly as they have gone up. They've still got Sidney Crosby under contract through 2013 and don't have to necessarily worry about losing quality assets such as Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal for quite a number of years.

But even with only about $27 million (U.S.) committed for next season and even with a new arena and new related revenue streams coming on line in two years, Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero has his work cut out if he hopes to string a couple of Cups together with the core led by Crosby.

That's where the difference between the '83 Oilers and these Pens really comes in, for they existed in completely different structural and economic universes.

The Oilers, back then, were able to follow up on their Cup loss to the Islanders largely because they were able to keep their entire roster intact for the next season and the core of the team – Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Kevin Lowe, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr – together for years after that.

The Pens might be able to do that, but it will be quite a trick if they can.

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A McKenzie Moment...

I think Michel 'Call me Mike' Therrien deserves a pat on the back for the moves he made in Game 5 - and I don't think he's gotten too many pats on the back in these playoffs.

The moves weren't huge but they got some good chemistry going. He moved Tyler Kennedy onto a line with Evgeni Malkin and I thought Kennedy played inspired hockey.

But the real move that I liked was putting Jordan Staal, Max Talbot and, at most times, Adam Hall together. Therrien got a lot of mileage out of what looked like a hard-grinding defensive line. It was a lot of the grinding players and the lesser-likes that stood tall for the Penguins on Monday night.

Not often do you see Talbot out as the extra man when the goalies been pulled, but Therrien played a hunch and why not. Talbot played a tremendous game, getting the tying goal. Earlier, it was Talbot who helped set up the goal by Hall which made it 2-0 for the Penguins.

I really liked that line, and I liked the role-players that the Penguins brought to the dance. I also think Therrien deserves a lot of credit for the moves that he made.

Trial By Fire

It's obviously disappointing for the Detroit Red Wings to lose Game 5 in front of their home crowd but this is an organization that has an awful lot of composure.

From the Penguins' perspective, Pittsburgh is getting trial by fire in these Stanley Cup playoffs and Monday's victory was a chance to grow by leaps and bounds.

I don't want to call Peter Sykora 'Petr Klima,' but I'll tell you what; it wasn't far off. A rather unlikely hero, Sykora played 21 minutes and 20 seconds - ninth most amongst the forwards on the Penguins team.

And what about the much-maligned Pittsburgh power play?

I'm sure there's going to be a lot of talk amongst the Red Wings on the goaltender interference calls but there was no questions on Jiri Hudler's high stick in the third overtime.

The Penguins were given a four minute power play and they come up big.

Coach Rumblings

Florida Panthers:

Panthers General Manager Jacques Martin said today that he has received permission to speak with former Toronto coach Paul Maurice about the vacant Florida coaching job.

Martin, speaking by phone just before the NHL general managers meetings in Detroit, said the permission came from interim Toronto GM Cliff Fletcher about two weeks ago, when Fletcher called to inquire about the services of Joe Nieuwendyk.

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Cliff Fletcher confirmed on Monday the Toronto Maple Leafs offered their head coach’s job to someone but did not identify him.

However, the only coach the Leafs spoke to recently was former San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson. The Leafs recently asked for permission to talk to Wilson.

“We’re in negotiations,” Fletcher said before leaving an NHL GMs’ meeting to catch a plane.

He said they have spoken to only one coach about the job.

The Return of Chris Osgood

There is a tendency to put goaltenders into categories: moody, mental, jocular, cream of the crop, big-gamers or pretenders. Osgood may have strayed into each of those categories at one time or another.

And yet, here we are 10 years later, with the Stanley Cup in the house and Chris Osgood looking to deliver the goods for the Detroit Red Wings -- no matter what anyone thinks of him, no matter where people might be trying to pigeonhole him.

There is the game and there is little else.

Continued...

Top Prospects

Huge test for the Pens

Steve Simmons

PITTSBURGH -- When it ended, the painful one-goal loss in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final, Evgeni Malkin sat at his locker, face in hands, not moving.

It was the first visual sign from one of the young Pittsburgh Penguins that this dream season was not to be.

And it wasn't just Malkin. When Penguins coach Michel Therrien sat at the podium to answer questions, the tone lacked his usual bravado and humour.

Simply, he sounded frustrated and defeated.

Tonight, the Penguins have an enormous test against the Detroit Red Wings, not just to score some goals, but to try to win a game on the road and keep the Stanley Cup final alive. The Red Wings, who shut out the Pens in both of the first two games of the series and then allowed only one goal against in Game 4, can win the Cup tonight by defeating Pittsburgh.

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Marleau a Bluejacket?

**UPDATE
So let me add this to the mix: An NHL source — not connected with either team — advises that the Sharks and Columbus are indeed close to a deal. San Jose would send Marleau and another player (unspecified) to the Blue Jackets for their first-round draft pick — 6th overall in the NHL entry draft later this month — and right wing Nikolai Zherdev.

Howson mapping out Jackets' strategy

Player movement likely will occur around draft

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

For nonplayoff clubs such as the Blue Jackets, it has already been a long summer.

Almost two months have passed since the Jackets' seventh season ended with a loss to St. Louis. But the quiet is about to be broken. The Summer of Sweeping Changes is about to commence.

The NHL scouting combine just wrapped up in Toronto, giving general managers and agents a chance to mingle in the hotel lobby while the next wave of hockey talent is poked, prodded and subjected to long, intense interviews. The GMs will meet in Detroit this week -- more time to send out feelers for offseason moves.

Finally, there is the draft June 20-21 in Ottawa, where lots of deals will be rumored to go down, and some of them actually will.

"This is when it starts to get interesting," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said. "You're constantly talking to other teams, right? But this is the time when you start to get more specific, where names come up and deals start to get put together."

The NHL landscape has changed in small but significant ways the past two months. Here is how it affects the Blue Jackets, who are desperately seeking a playmaking center (or two) and a skilled defenseman (or two).

Two clubs, Ottawa and San Jose, might be considering significant changes in the wake of early playoff exits. Both have an abundance of skill they can peddle.

One NHL source said: "(Sharks center) Patrick Marleau is going somewhere by July 1, it's just a matter of where. I could see Columbus, definitely." Marleau has a no-trade clause that kicks in July 1. The Senators are willing to trade center Antoine Vermette and are planning to let defenseman Wade Redden walk away via free agency, NHL sources say.

Some insiders have suggested those teams might have bigger moves in mind, such as San Jose trading franchise center Joe Thornton or Ottawa moving center Jason Spezza.

Another point-producing center, Philadelphia's Daniel Briere, is now less likely to be moved, sources say, than he was before the playoffs. Briere was good in the postseason, when the Flyers reached the Eastern Conference finals.

Will Florida move center Olli Jokinen? Does center Vincent Lecavalier want out of the mess in Tampa Bay? Can Pittsburgh keep winger Marian Hossa? The Blue Jackets have already done lots of work into these matters and others.

Between now and the draft, they'll have an outlined list of several hundred scenarios for how the club can be dramatically altered for next season.

Coach Ken Hitchcock and his staff have been asked to review video of players who might be available this summer then report to Howson.

"It's not an easy list of scenarios to put together," Howson said, "because we have a lot of holes to fill. One scenario has an impact on another scenario, and on and on. We have a lot of work to do, but we'll be ready."

Hainsey will test market

Defenseman Ron Hainsey will test the waters of unrestricted free agency, his agent said.

"We've had very cordial talks with the Blue Jackets," Matt Keator said. "They like Ron. But they want to see what's out there, and that's their prerogative.

"Ron loves it in Columbus, and they've been very fair to him. Scott (Howson) has been great to deal with. But we agreed to go to July 1 and see how it unfolds. We told them we won't sign with anybody after July 1 until we talk to the Blue Jackets first. We made them that promise."

There are only four quality puck-moving defensemen available via free agency -- Brian Campbell, Redden, John-Michael Liles and Hainsey.

NHL sources, using Edmonton's Tom Gilbert as a measuring stick, estimate that Hainsey is looking for a five-year deal worth $4.5 million to $5.5 million per season.

Slap shots

Right winger Blake Wheeler, the No. 5 overall pick in 2004, is a free agent after declining to accept an entry-level contract from the Phoenix Coyotes. The Minnesota Wild is the early favorite to sign the 6-foot-4, 228-pounder. He was born in Plymouth, Minn., and attended the University of Minnesota. But NHL sources say the Blue Jackets will make a push for him. … Kevin Dineen, an original Blue Jacket, won't be coaching in the American Hockey League much longer. His name is popping up for the many vacancies at the NHL level this summer. Best guess: Ottawa.