The KHL Superstar

In Omsk, the transcontinental gap matters little. With more than 10,000 fans screaming at the top of their lungs, communication is rendered moot. As the final seconds tick by, and both clubs express a level of hustle, stick work and hunger worthy of any match in North America, one man towers above all others: Jaromir Jagr. In Omsk, a black-collar city of 1.2 million souls, where the oil flares burn all night, marking the edge of town and the promise of the future, Jagr, the superstar who until midsummer reigned as the captain of the New York Rangers and a winner of nearly every trophy in the National Hockey League, now rules what he calls “the big ice.”

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Shanny says Good Bye

The waiting is over. And so, too, is Brendan Shanahan's career as a Ranger.

The 39-year-old unsigned right wing who'd been advised for months by GM Glen Sather to "sit tight" in anticipation of both a roster spot and salary-cap space opening up to create an avenue for his return to Broadway, Shanahan is no longer doing so.

Nearly four months after becoming a free agent, Shanahan is putting himself onto the open market.

"I've told Rick [Curran] that I can no longer wait and that it's time to move on," Shanahan, referring to his agent, told The Post this afternoon. "Until now, Rick has been under instructions to tell inquiring teams that my focus was on re-signing with the Rangers New York Rangers , and that I was not accepting any other offers.

"That has changed."

Shanahan, who has been working out and skating on his own daily at the Rangers' training facility, said that he'd had a conversion with Sather, "a week-and-a-half ago in which Glen said to give him another week.

"But really, it doesn't look like much has changed, and there's no indication that it will or when it might. And so Rick spoke to Glen on Tuesday and told him that I couldn't wait any longer.

"When the season started, I set the end of the month as the appropriate time for me to evaluate where I stood. I thought the month of October was pretty much as long as I could go before staying out would become harmful as opposed to maybe being beneficial in terms of playing the season.

"I stayed out of the spotlight, I didn't want to be a drama or a distraction, but my position was also an obvious commitment on my part to stay a Ranger," said Shanahan, who played two years in New York after signing as a free agent in 2006.

"I left Detroit to come here to build something, and I wanted to continue to be a part of that process. I also sincerely believed that I could contribute to this team and help the Rangers get where we all want to go, which is to win the Stanley Cup.

"I have no regrets. Too many good things happened to me in my two years here. I met a lot of very good people. And I do think that I was an important and constructive influence, so it's disappointing not to be able to be here and help finish the job."

Shanahan, who will turn 40 on Jan, 23, was the Rangers' third-leading goal-scorer last season, his 23 two off the pace set by Chris Drury Chris Drury and Jaromir Jagr Jaromir Jagr . Shanahan's 11 PPGs were second to Drury's 12.

Eleventh on the NHL all-time goal-scoring list with 650, Shanahan recorded 52 goals and 56 assists for 108 points in 140 games and two seasons as a Ranger, the first of which was violently interrupted by the Feb. 17, 2007 concussion he sustained in a collision with the Flyers' Mike Knuble.

"I honestly don't know what to expect as a free agent right now; for me, this is my July 1," Shanahan said. "Physically I feel great. I don't think it will take very long for me to be back, but I don't know where and when.

"I'm not ruling anything out. Positive things have always happened to me throughout my NHL career, and that's how I'm approaching this. I'm approaching this as an opportunity.

"I am disappointed that I'm not going to be here, but I'm not bitter at all. I believe Glen was always being honest with me. It just didn't work out. I'm sure it's going to, but it's going to be somewhere else.

"I'm looking forward to getting on the ice and playing."

Bye Bye Burkie

Damien Cox

Brian Burke has, effectively, given the Anaheim Ducks notice.

By not signing the contract extension he's had in his mitts for months, he's made it clear he has little or no intention of signing it without actually saying so to Anaheim fans and the general public.

Meanwhile, by indicating this week that he intends to "make a decision" by Christmas, he's basically told the Ducks that by that date he won't be willing to pretend any more.

He wants out.

The Ducks wouldn't release him as he asked last spring, or at least give him permission to talk to other clubs. But soon that won't be their call any longer.

That, of course, will put the Ducks and team president Michael Schulman in a dicey predicament. When Burke tells them during the holiday season that he won't be agreeing to a new contract – only a major change of circumstances would change that now – Schulman will be left with the problem of having a lame duck GM heading towards the trade deadline and, after that, the draft and free agency.

If the Ducks, even with owner Henry Samueli possibly heading to the big house next summer, are rolling through the Western Conference, that won't be as big a problem.

But what if they're playing the way they are now?

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Seen Sundin?

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

October 23, 2008 at 2:00 AM EDT

TORONTO — Mats Sundin has taken the first step toward a return to the NHL.

The 37-year-old free-agent centre underwent a physical exam at a Toronto hospital yesterday — necessary to begin a rigorous period of training to continue his hockey career.

Sundin, who spent the past 13 NHL seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, returned to the city last week and soon is expected to travel to Los Angeles to begin a two-week on-ice training stint.

It is believed that after those two weeks are up, he will begin talking to NHL teams to determine the best fit for him.

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Goals of the Week

Gabby a Goner

By MICHAEL RUSSO,

Marian Gaborik, the only original Wild player on the roster and its career leading scorer with 207 goals and 415 points in 487 games, might not be long for Minnesota.

According to an NHL team executive, Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough has been actively shopping Gaborik around the league and over the weekend offered Gaborik to his team in a trade.

The executive said he was not interested.

Gaborik, 26, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, has rejected multiple contract extension offers from the Wild, and the team has come to the realization that it's doubtful it will be able to sign him, sources say.

Negotiations have stalled, and the two sides haven't spoken in two weeks -- something Risebrough and agent Ron Salcer confirmed over the weekend.

Gaborik, who has a history of abdominal and leg injuries, has missed the past two games because of a "lower body injury." Because there's always a risk of injury with Gaborik, the latest leg problem has convinced the Wild it's important to investigate trading him sooner than later, sources say.

Risebrough declined to comment, but he said last week the team has a plan and "that plan doesn't necessarily need to be revealed on a day-to-day basis."

It's believed Risebrough has had trade talks with Montreal Canadiens GM Bob Gainey and Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi. Risebrough will attend Thursday's GM meetings in Chicago, so talks could heat up with a number of teams.

The Canadiens, in their 100th season and a true Stanley Cup contender, might be the team that makes the most sense. The Canadiens have salary cap flexibility in future years and young talent.

It's believed the Wild is interested in Canadiens defenseman prospect Ryan McDonagh, a former Cretin-Derham Hall star and Minnesota Mr. Hockey who was Montreal's No. 12 pick in 2007 and plays now at the University of Wisconsin. The Wild would also want an established player.

Gretzky meets Tretiak

Very cool video...

Frenemies

By Chris Bradford

A few years ago, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin were the best of comrades back in Mother Russia.

Now? Nyet.

Though the two are cordial and respectful of what the other has accomplished, it’s also clear that the two won’t be going out for vodkas soon. When the Washington Capitals took Ovechkin first overall and the Penguins selected Malkin second, the two were inseparable.

Though they are reluctant to say otherwise, it’s apparent that neither is on each other’s Christmas card list. Only Ovechkin and Malkin really know what happened to their friendship but it’s clearly non-existent now. Either that or Russians have a very funny way of showing it.

As he has done in their last few meetings, Ovechkin was taking runs at Malkin at every turn Thursday night in the first of four meetings between the Penguins and Capitals. And if you’ve seen Ovechkin hit before, you know he doesn’t just try to bump a player off the puck. “Ovie” launches every bit of his 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame into them. Ovechkin is one of the game’s fiercest hitters, but what he did to Malkin repeatedly was reckless.

And deserving of a stronger response.

More infuriating than blowing a three-goal lead before losing 4-3 Thursday night against Washington was letting Ovechkin have his way physically. Crosby crossed paths with Ovechkin as the team’s left the ice.

“Nothing I can say now,” Ovechkin told reporters when asked what was said.

Granted players of Malkin’s ilk seldom, if ever, drop the gloves but he might want to talk to Eric Godard or Paul Bissonnette about self-defense.

“I don’t know why he comes after me,” Malkin said.

The Penguins-Capitals rivalry may have been dormant in recent years, unlike the 1990s when they met seemingly every spring in the playoffs. But it’s certainly on now. It’s tempting to push the Crosby vs. Ovechkin rivalry but the Malkin-Ovechkin thing is clearly what gets Ovechkin’s blood boiling, though he denies singling out Malkin.

“It’s just a hockey game,” said Ovechkin, who beat Pittsburgh for just the second time in a dozen career games. “I try to hit everybody.”

Ovechkin may have been able to do what Mike Gartner, Peter Bondra and Jaromir Jagr were unable to do by putting hockey at the forefront in our nation’s capital but he’s not going to be getting much love in Pittsburgh.

Savard Fire-O-Rama

Despite coming off a 4-1 victory over Phoenix last night the Chicago Blackhawks decided to give the boot to coach Denis Savard. There have been loads of undeserved firings over the years but this one ranks high among them. I understand that with the team having spent a lot of money in the offseason that expectations are high, but only four games in with a 1-2-1 record is certainly no reason to already be pressing the panic button. Last year Savard did a great job turning the likes of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane as well as a very young defence into effective players. This marriage of a young coach and team had great potential to grow into a perrenial contender.

Apart from his coaching performance Savard was also one of the all time greats as a player in Chicago, throwing him under the bus after only 4 games is a blatant slap in the face to a guy who has given a lot to this organization.

In the end if this team ends up missing the playoffs maybe it's time GM Dale Tallon has a look in the mirror. He has done this team no favors by tieing up over 11 million dollars in valuable cap space in two average goalies this year resulting in the loss of their 2nd line center in Robert Lang.

- The Zookeep

High Five

Top 5 moments from last night for your viewing pleasure.

Hollweg=Idiot

Pointless and Dangerous

Damien Cox

So this is the value you get for a fifth round pick and $525,000 US in salary.

Ryan Hollweg. A serial hitter-from-behind.

There's no point blasting Cliff Fletcher now for picking up this player in the summer, for it was clear Fletcher was looking at his roster and figured any player with a bit of muscle would help the Leafs.

Apparently not. Hollweg is about to receive his second suspension in a matter of weeks, a three-gamer this time for checking from behind, his favourite hockey play.

Let's be clear. This oaf on skates doesn't score goals, or set up plays, or generate a forecheck or even protect his teammates. Ever since he's been in the league, he has been known as a player who does one of three things every time he's on the ice:

1) Takes about 25 strides and charges an opponent.
2) Leaves his feet to hit an opponent.
3) Hits opponents from behind.

He's a dangerous, dangerous hockey player, and for all the wrong reasons. Everybody knew it before he got here after his years of playing for the Rangers. You might remember him as the player who helped Chris Simon snap last season. Well, snap the first time.

The smartest thing the Leafs could do now with Hollweg is waive him without sending him to the Marlies where he'd then endanger the hockey careers of unsuspecting AHLers. The only Leaf who could possibly be pleased with Hollweg's cheap hit is Matt Stajan, for the incident deflected potential questions on why it was Stajan, brutal in the first two games, who was sent to the press box to make room for No. 44.

The NHL, meanwhile, should tack on 40 games to the three games Hollweg is supposed to get. He clearly doesn't get the message, and he has consistently demonstrated utter disdain for the health of other hockey players.

He just doesn't care.

Actually, what would be most useful would be if the Leafs were to suspend Hollweg themselves after his idiotic and pointless hit on St. Louis defenceman Alex Pietrangelo on Monday that, to a significant degree, cost the Leafs the hockey game in a 5-4 defeat.

You know, like the Argos did with Robert Baker a few years back. It would be a way of Cliff Fletcher, Ron Wilson and Co. making it clear they don't condone the way this guy plays.

That, folks, would show class as an organization.

Look, this is not a hockey club that has an awful lot to be proud about from recent decades.

But that said, Hollweg doesn't deserve to wear this team's jersey. That Fletcher would call the hit "marginal" is just a GM trying to defend a bad trade, and having Wilson say the hit was "debatable" goes contrary to everything he's said so far about making his players accountable, about a no-nonsense approach and tough love to make these players learn to play the right way. The comments of both the GM and the coach make you think they like have a unguided missile around.

The Leafs might need toughness - we can debate that another day - but they don't need this guy. He adds nothing.

Dump him. Now.

RIP Alexei Cherepanov

New York Ranger prospect Alexei Cherepanov collapsed on the bench during Omsk's Kontinental Hockey League game on Monday and died a short time later.

Omsk head coach Wayne Fleming said Cherepanov collapsed on the bench during the third period of the game and did not see anything that happened on the ice that may have contributed to it. He also said medical authorities tried to get Cherepanov's heart beating again after it had stopped.

"They tried to get his heart started again but they couldn't," he explained.

Sources in Russia tell TSN that the ambulance that is normally at all games had already departed and had to be called back.

It is not clear exactly how long it took for Cherepanov to be transported from the rink to the hospital but one source in the arena told TSN it was, "probably 15 or 20 minutes."

There are also questions as to whether defibrillators at the arena were in good working order, though no further details are available.

"We are extremely saddened by the tragic passing of Alexei," said New York Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather in a statement. "On behalf of the New York Rangers organization, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Alexei was an intelligent, energetic young man, with tremendous talent and an extremely bright future."

Cherepanov was drafted 17th overall by the Rangers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

"He was a great kid," Cherepanov's agent Jay Grossman told TSN. "He had a great smile and was an outstanding player with a great future on and off the ice. It's both shocking and devastating news for all of us. "

He had seven goals and 12 points in 14 games played this season in KHL, including the first goal in Monday's game. Cherepanov played 106 games during his career in the KHL/RSL (Russian Super League), all with Avangard Omsk and scored 40 goals with 29 assists over that span.

He set the RSL record for goals by a rookie with 18, beating the previous mark held by Pavel Bure (17 goals), during the 2006-07 season. His 29 points in his rookie campaign was more than Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk scored during their first initial RSL seasons.

Cherepanov also helped lead Russia to a Bronze Medal at the World Junior Championships in 2008, scoring three goals and adding three assists with a plus-three rating over his six games at the tournament.

"The NHLPA is saddened to learn of the passing of Alexei Cherepanov," said NHL Players' Association executive director Paul Kelly in a statement. "Alexei was a tremendous young man and a highly-skilled hockey player whose promising career had no limits. His unexpected passing at such a young age is a great loss for the entire hockey community. The NHLPA extends our condolences to Alexei's family, friends and teammates during this extremely difficult time."

Alberta Cow Pies

As the new season approaches and the many prognosticators submit their team predictions I was surprised to see many selecting the Calgary Flames as Division winners and potential Stanley Cup Contenders. While many were also seeing an improved Edmonton Oilers team this year certain to clinch a 7th or 8th seed playoff spot. I however beg to differ....

First the Oilers... now don't get me wrong I can see where the optimism stems from with big time additions of Lubomir Vishnovsky, and Eric Cole, and not to mention a full season (fingers crossed) from last years big signing Sheldon Souray. However there is not addition without subtraction, Jarret Stoll, Raffi Torres were key players in the cup run of 2005, and Joni Pitkanen love him or hate him was a very talented D-man. Vish and Souray will pump up the power play and rack up a good amount of points but neither guy would ever be confused with Denis Potvin in terms of defensive play. I expect the Oilers to give up as many quality chances as they are to get themselves this year. What about the kid line of Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano, and Robert Nilsson you ask? With a look at last year these three were thrust into starring roles after Shawn Horcoff and a playoff spot were lost in the wind and with the extra playing time in meaningless games these kids took the ball and ran with it. The question now is with a smaller role in games that are actually important will they be able to take the next step or will a sophmore slump find its way into their seasons?

Last but not least a look at the goalie Mathieu Garon. I like this kid, he played admirably last season in trying times and was fantastic in shootouts. I'm not sold yet on him being a clear cut no.1, he has been inconsistent througout his career and in the fraternity of goalies I see him as a medium tier goalie at best. So in conclusion I want to say I am not hating on the Oilers this year, in fact if they make the playoffs I will be the first one to watch them as they do play an entertaining brand of hockey. I am just not convinced in the stacked western conference they will have the stones to push for a spot this year.


Now to the Calgary Flames, I will try not to be biased here as it is in my DNA to dislike this team but really I don't get it. Playoff team? ok I'll give you that, cup contender? Ha! To start you have Jarome Iginla a fine player and genuine superstar who will again be counted on heavily. My top concern though is at the center position. They are going to come at you with Daymond Langkow who is a 2nd line center at best and then you have Craig Conroy, Mathew Lombardi, and Wayne Primeau. I don't know of any recent stanley cup contenders that looked this bad down the middle. They also lost this offseason a couple of real talents in Alex Tanguay and Kristian Huselius who both had their issues with Mike Keenan. Now Mike Cammalleri is a viable fill in for one of them but Todd Bertuzzi? C'mon now... what is it in the water in Calgary that will make him play any better then he did in Detroit, or Anaheim? Playing with Iginla is going to make the difference? He had plenty of talented guys to play with in Anaheim and Detroit and did nothing with it. Bottom line is he hasn't been the same since the Moore incident, putting your hopes into this guy is a dangerous game as many a fan have found.

On D you have two of the best with Robyn Regher and Dion Phaneuf but after them there is a severe dropoff in talent. An injury to one of these two big studs and the Flames will be in huge trouble. In goal is one of the best in Mikka Kiprusoff but for whatever reason his play has regressed under Iron Mike. The quick hooks and mind games may be taking its toll on the fine finn. So now to make a prediction for you and a very specific one at that I'll say that Keenans act wears thin by midseason and gets the boot, with Sutter returning to the bench this team will claw its way just barely into the postseason.

For the Hockey Zoo, I'm the Zookeeper

Prospects: Josh Bailey and Gilbert Brule

From our friends at Dynasty Hockey...check out their new site!

http://blog.dynastyhockey.net/


Introduction, Brule, and Bailey

Today the Edmonton Oilers sent Gilbert Brule down to the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. To anyone who has been following the Oilers, it is likely not a shock that the young player was sent down but it was an interesting development to me, at least, a person who was at one point extremely optimistic and excited when the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted him. He was due for another year in the WHL after being a very dominant player for the Vancouver Giants as he was not eligible to be sent to the AHL by the Blue Jackets. Fearing that his development would be stunted by being sent down to the WHL again the Blue Jackets kept him with the big club in hopes that he could learn and develop with them.

Sadly he got hurt before having a shot at demonstrating what he was capable of doing and was sent to play with the Giants when he did eventually recover from his injury.

The next season (2006-07) Brule stayed with the Blue Jackets in a limited role, not impressing anyone and scoring a grand 19 points in 78 games. This is hardly impact that one would have hoped for from a player who could dominate in the WHL and once had his match ups versus Sidney Crosby glorified as the meeting of two future stars. Last season Brule did eventually spend time in the AHL playing for the Syracuse Crunch before being shipped off to Edmonton this summer for Raffi Torres.

His being sent to the minors seems to just be a highlight on how far the former 6th overall pick has fallen from grace. Naturally, a lot of people want to speculate on why he hasn't been able to succeed in the NHL. Some suggest that he just was never going to succeed in the NHL because his style of play was not fitting of his size and the shift over from being physical against boys versus being physical against much stronger men would just not work. Others put the blame on the Blue Jackets for rushing his development rather than sending him back to the WHL for another year, and immediately to the AHL as soon as he was eligible. Others still believe that he will still be a great player in the NHL and that his development is just a slow one.

I had a lot of faith that Gilbert Brule would be a star in the NHL and after watching him develop these last couple years I have to admit that I no longer have any faith that he will be able to make an impact. I think that he will still find a way to form his game so that he can maintain a roster spot in the NHL, but a far cry from the franchise player label I felt his talent was going to take him to.

That said, it is important to remember that Brule is still only 21 years old. The fact that he has nearly 2 years experience in the NHL may, in the end, be great for his development. For many players it takes them a number of years to find their comfort zone in the NHL.

The New York Islanders, on the other hand, today released their 23-man roster which included recent 9th overall pick Joshua Bailey. Bailey is expected to be in the lineup for the Islanders on Friday likely holding up a spot on the 2nd line alongside Kyle Okposo and Sean Bergenheim. Despite the fact that 7 of the 8 players picked higher than Bailey in the recent NHL draft are expected to start the season with their respect NHL clubs I think you have to question the reasoning behind this move.

The New York Islanders traded down twice in the recent draft with the intention all along of selecting Bailey. Some time has passed, camps have started, and a lot of the players taken higher are looking fantastic, and a lot of those players were guys that the Islanders could have had but chose to move down while keeping their eye on Bailey. Nikitia Filatov is looking like he will be ready to start the season, an array of defencemen including the likes of Pietrangelo as well as Phoenix Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker. All of these guys have looked great in the camps and pre-season for their teams. Bailey, on the other hand, has played in only 2 pre-season games due to an injury and has not looked better than mediocre and at times looked plainly over matched.

Why the team might have kept him:
1) They genuinely feel that he's ready.
2) They want to justify moving down twice to select him.
3) They don't think they got a good enough look at him in pre-season.
4) They lack intelligence.
5) They don't feel that the OHL will provide him the development pieces that he needs.

Why they shouldn't keep him:
1) He could go back to the OHL and Captain a great squad potentially to a championship.
2) The Islanders suck with or without him.
3) It may hurt his development to rush him into the NHL.

The third one is the interesting one. Is this really something that will hurt the development of players? Are those that suggest this is what killed Brule correct? Did Pittsburgh do Marc-Andre Fleury a disservice by getting him starts so early and ruining his confidence?

Alternatively, did the rush to the NHL help Sidney Crosby develop into the elite player he is today? Would Sam Gagner be regarded nearly as well if he wasn't given his chance to succeed last season? Did that practice help Fleury learn how to develop his confidence?

From my side I think the best thing for Bailey has to be to send him back to the OHL where he can not only be a leader, but he can potentially lead his team to a championship. That experience has to be good for the kid. I can't imagine that spending a year on a pitiful NHL team is really going to help him much more than being the captain of a winner. I'm not expert though, so who am I to say what is right and what is wrong? It seems more like a crap shoot to me.

I have to admit that I am skeptical about the concern regarding young players getting to start the season with their NHL clubs. I think the 9 game trials are a great chance for NHL teams to see how these young guys respond to the NHL style of play. Some players feed off of the challenge, and I imagine others need more time and a gradual development into the NHL just as this true with developing any kind of skill set. I do hope that if Bailey isn't showing the kind of progress that Gagner did early on for Edmonton last year that the Islanders will send him back to the OHL.

Garth Snow and friends at the Islanders are for sure hoping the Joshua Bailey can make them look like geniuses. For so long now it seems they have tried to screw up their team at every possible turn, and as a poolster myself I am hoping that they aren't wrong on Bailey.

TSN's Top 20 Rookies

This year's crop of NHL rookies is strong, ranging from teenage defensemen to twenty-something forwards. For the NHL on TSN preview show this rookies list was trimmed to ten players and, for that reason, didn't have any of the excellent defencemen chosen in the 2008 entry draft.

However, for TSN.ca we've expanded our rookie list to twenty - including five blueliners who are seeking to become the first teen since Jay Bouwmeester in 2002-03 to play a full season.

1) Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay. Lighting coach Barry Melrose is easing Stamkos in by managing his minutes. However, his talent will be showcased and is key to this teams rise from the ashes. In both the preseason and the first two games of the regular season we have seen flashes of why Stamkos was selected first overall in june.

2) Kyle Turris, Phoenix. At second line centre, Turris will also have a spot on the Coyotes power play. At 180 lbs, skeptics question his physical ability to compete, however the Coyotes will try and create as much room for Turris as possible, playing him a line with Coyotes captain Shane Doan and tough winger Dan Carcillo.

3) T.J. Oshie, St. Louis. Forward T.J Oshie comes in at number 3. The 21 year old jumped from the college ranks and the North Dakota Fighting Sioux and combines skill with intensity. Oshie is Berglund's roommate and is expected to vie for the Calder.

4) Patrik Berglund, St. Louis. Star linemate Paul Kariya loves this kid and says Berglund is going to be an impact player. He has size and strength and the Blues believe he is a Calder trophy candidate.

5) Mikkel Boedker, Phoenix. The Coyotes are loaded with good young talent and believe the winger has the ability to score 20 goals and 50 points in his rookie year. Look for Boedker to play the point on the power play, providing further evidence he's ready.

6) Kyle Okposo, Islanders. The 20 year old joined the Islanders late last season and made a strong impression with 5 points in 9 games. Okposo is likely to start the season with Josh Bailey and may benefit from Bailey's ability to create scoring chances.

7) Jakub Voracek, Columbus. Described as a dynamic winger, Voracek spent his offseason in Columbus working out, committed to making the leap from Halifax of the QMJHL.

8) Blake Wheeler, Boston. Bruins' management describe Wheeler as a tireless learner. He's 6-foot-5 and he can skate and will spend most of his time on Boston's 3rd line.

9) Patric Hornqvist, Nashville. The Nashville Predators rookie made the team last season, but opted to return to Sweden. Hornqvist will play on one of the Preds' top two lines. Head coach Barry Trotz says Hornqvist reminds him of Joe Mullen, adding you don't always notice him, but he's always in the right spot.

10) Viktor Tikhonov, Phoenix. The grandson of the legendary Soviet coach is fiercely competitive and known for his second effort. Look for Wayne Gretzky to test Tikhnov in all situations.

11) Derick Brassard, Columbus. Brassard has the ability to be a top six forward, but like most first year players, he will have to work on his consistency. Following a successful season in the AHL, Brassard is deemed NHL ready by head coach Ken Hitchcock.

12) Drew Doughty, Los Angeles. Doughty has earned a spot on the Los Angeles Kings blue line and he's expected to stick in the NHL all season. Doughty is noted for his decision making and patience, both characteristics the Kings acknowledge seeing in training camp and in the preseason.

13) Zach Bogosian, Atlanta. The Thrashers saw more than enough to give the former Peterborough Petes star an extended look. Bogosian has played solid defensively and the Thrashers say they like the way he moves the puck.

14) Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis. Selected 4th, Pietrangelo has embraced the opportunity created by Erik Johnson's long term knee injury. Pietrangelo has shown great poise both with the puck and away from the puck and appears mature beyond his years.

15) Luke Schenn, Toronto. Through training camp and the pre-season Schenn was physical and has steadily improved in adjusting to the speed and pace of the NHL game.

16) Luca Sbisa, Philadelphia. Flyers' general manager Paul Holmgren says he has been impressed with Sbisa's hockey sense and the fact, for a young player he's very strong on the puck. Sbisa was chosen 19th overall in the 2008 entry draft.

17) Fabian Brunnstrom, Dallas. According to the Stars, the 23 year old Swedish forward - who was the subject of a bidding war last spring - has to learn how to battle in the North American game, but he's highly skilled and has decent size to handle the rough going.

18)Josh Bailey, New York Islanders. The Islanders traded down, moving from 5th to 7th to 9th in the 2008 Draft before selecting the Windsor Spitfires centre. Bailey has earned a spot on the Isles opening day roster based on offensive creativity.

19)Wayne Simmonds, Los Angeles. The Kings liked the combination of character and skill they saw in Simmonds when they drafted him 61st overall in 2007. Simmonds has the markings of a good two way player and, along with fellow rookie Oscar Moller, has impressed management enough to have his NHL audtion extended.

20) Nikolai Kulemin, Toronto. The Leafs intend to develop Kulemin as quickly as possible. He plays a sound positional game and is defensively responsible. Once he grows comfortable with the NHL game, Kulemin will play big line minutes.

Tales from Training Camps

The NHL season gets fully underway this week. Let's take a look at some of the top stories and surprises heading into the earliest part of the year.

1) Anaheim Ducks – Demoted prospect Bobby Ryan to the minors. The 21-year-old was supposed to see second-line action this season, but ended up being a salary cap casualty. He will need to either tear up the AHL or wait for injuries to occur to be recalled.
2) Atlanta Thrashers – Third overall pick in the 2008 draft, Zach Bogosian has cracked the team's roster out of camp. The defenseman possesses a great shot from the point and plays with an edge.
3) Boston Bruins – Blake Wheeler has earned a spot on the Bruins with a great training camp; Boston put Peter Schaefer on waivers to make room for him. The Bruins also appear to have a healthy and dynamic Patrice Bergeron back after a concussion, which should help their offense tremendously.
4) Buffalo Sabres – Tim Connolly says he feels 100% healthy this campaign, after struggling through hip problems in 2007/08. He has appeared in only 50 total games the last two seasons, but has plenty of offensive upside.
5) Calgary Flames – Dustin Boyd had a great training camp, notching one goal and six helpers in five games. He can be sent to the minors, but has earned his spot. The Flames also placed defenders Anders Eriksson and Rhett Warrener on waivers.
6) Carolina Hurricanes – Injuries to top-six forwards Justin Williams (achilles) and Scott Walker (hand) have certainly thrown a wrench into the Canes' plans, as they will miss four to six months and at least six weeks, respectively. Thirty-one year old winger Dan LaCouture made the team on a tryout out of camp as a result of the injury woes.
7) Chicago Blackhawks – The Hawks have sent netminders Corey Crawford and Antti Niemi to the minors and appear set to open the year with Cristobal Huet and Nikolai Khabibulin as their goaltenders. Khabibulin is actively talking to Russia's Kontinental Hockey League for a contract, so he may not be in Chicago much longer.
8) Colorado Avalanche – The buzz in Colorado is all about Joe Sakic's return. The Avs' captain should put up solid numbers this year, pending he stay healthy this time around.
9) Columbus Blue Jackets – The youth movement is in full effect, with Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek expected to make the team. Nikita Filatov will probably start the year in the AHL though, despite displaying some excellent offensive skills this pre-season.
10) Dallas Stars – Fabian Brunnstrom appears to have made the Stars' roster out of training camp, after the team invested so much time, effort, and money into his recruiting process last summer. James Neal will likely begin the season in the minors even though he was much more impressive. Look for Neal to be one of the first callups for Dallas in 2008/09.
11) Detroit Red Wings – Darren Helm, Ville Leine, and Darren McCarty are competing for the final forward spot on Detroit.
12) Edmonton Oilers – Edmonton will carry three goaltenders at the beginning of the 2008/09 season: Mathieu Garon, Dwayne Roloson, and top prospect Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers. Garon is the early favorite to earn the number one job, while Roloson could be the odd man out.
13) Florida Panthers – Youngsters Anthony Stewart, Michael Frolik, and Shawn Matthias are still in the hunt to earn roster spots with the Panthers this season. Stewart has performed very well at camp, offensively and physically, and Matthias and Frolik both own outstanding offensive skills.
14) Los Angeles Kings - Drew Doughty will begin the year in the Kings' lineup. The 2008 draft's second overall pick should provide offense from the back end in Los Angeles. The Kings have also agreed to terms with restricted free agent Patrick O'Sullivan, who should factor largely in their offense this campaign.
15) Minnesota Wild – The media circus that is Marian Gaborik's contract situation will only get more intense as the 2008/09 season goes on. If it does not appear that the Slovak superstar will re-sign with the Wild, and will test unrestricted free agency, a blockbuster deal could be in the cards.
16) Montreal Canadiens – Enforcer Georges Laraques sat out the entire exhibition schedule with a groin injury and is questionable for the season opener. Defenseman Francis Bouillon is projected to start the year on the sidelines with an unknown injury.
17) Nashville Predators - Patric Hornqvist is expected to open the year in Nashville on the team's top line with Jason Arnott and J.P. Dumot. The Predators will look to put the controversy of Alexander Radulov's defection to Russia behind them.
18) New Jersey Devils – Brian Rolston is back in New Jersey and is back at center, on the team's first line with Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta, after spending the last four years on the wing. Rookies Petr Vrana and Anssi Salmela will begin the season in New Jersey, but neither should see significant ice time.
19) New York Islanders – Kyle Okposo is at the head of the youth movement in Long Island this campaign. He is expected to see action this year on the team's first or second line.
20) New York Rangers – The Rangers opened the regular season in the Czech Republic with a two-game sweep over the Tampa Bay Lightning last weekend. Newcomers Markus Naslund and Wade Redden were excellent, posting two points each in the victories.
21) Ottawa Senators – Dany Heatley opened the regular season in Sweden with three goals in two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He should be well on his way to cracking the 50-goal mark this year. Alexander Auld won his first game of the year in impressive fashion, while Martin Gerber struggled in his first game, a loss. The Senators insist there is no goaltending controversy, though, and Gerber is still their man. We will see how long that lasts.
22) Philadelphia Flyers – Ryan Parent may require surgery to repair a possible torn labrum in his shoulder, which would put him out of action for an extended period of time. 2008 draft pick, 19th overall, Luca Sbisa may crack the Flyers' lineup as a result.
23) Phoenix Coyotes – The Coyotes continue to get younger, as rookies Mikkel Boedker, Kyle Turris, and Viktor Tikhonov will all open the season in the desert. Boedker is projected to play on the first line with Olli Jokinen and Peter Mueller, while Turris will play on the second unit with captain Shane Doan and Daniel Carcillo.
24) Pittsburgh Penguins – Long-term injuries to Sergei Gonchar (shoulder) and Ryan Whitney (foot) hurt the Penguins defense corps, especially offensively. Petr Sykora is also nursing a sore groin that kept him out of Pittsburgh's first two games this season.
25) San Jose Sharks – The Sharks have placed rugged defender Kyle McLaren on waivers, while Torrey Mitchell will begin the season on the sidelines with a broken leg.
26) St. Louis Blues – Erik Johnson will miss the entire season with a torn ACL and fourth-overall 2008 draft selection, Alex Pietrangelo will make his NHL debut this season after participating in a solid training camp.
27) Tampa Bay Lightning – The offense and defense will need to improve in Tampa, as they lost back-to-back games to the Rangers by 2-1 scores, while being outshot 80-40. Goaltenders Olaf Kolzig and Mike Smith were sensational between the pipes and they should split action this campaign for the Lightning.
28) Toronto Maple Leafs – Fifth overall pick in the 2008 draft, Luke Schenn, has made the team after a superb camp. Mikhail Grabovski also had a strong camp, after being acquired from Montreal this summer, scoring five goals and three assists in eight pre-season contests.
29) Vancouver Canucks - Jannik Hansen (three goals and five points over five games) and Mason Raymond (three goals in five games) were remarkable for Vancouver at camp. Steve Bernier is also set to play on the team's first line with the Sedin twins. If these three can produce in the regular season like they did in the pre-season, the Canucks may not be as offensively challenged as we thought.
30) Washington Capitals – Despite excellent training camps, Chris Bourque and Karl Alzner will begin the 2008/09 schedule in the minors. Grinder Quintin Laing was placed on waivers.

Making the Big Show

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

10/07/2008

Alex Pietrangelo faced long odds of making the Blues' opening-day roster, but on Monday the 18-year-old defenseman received word that he'll be on the team and perhaps on the ice Friday against Nashville.

"It's tough to explain," Pietrangelo said moments after he got the news Monday night from Blues President John Davidson. "There's a smile across my face, but I think it's more of relief than anything. I thought I earned it through the preseason. ... I thought I played pretty well. ... Hopefully I'll be here longer than a little bit."

Pietrangelo, the fourth overall pick last June, will be with the Blues on opening night, but that doesn't mean he'll be on the roster for the entire season. The Blues can use Pietrangelo in up to nine NHL games before his season counts a full year toward the team owning his rights. If the team doesn't think he can contribute for the entire season, it will return him to his junior club.
"He's earned a spot," Davidson said. "Now it's the next step. Now it goes up another notch."

READ ON...

Vokoun likes what he sees

Tomas Vokoun acknowledged it wasn’t always easy last season.

Admitting last week it was “somewhat of a shock” to him he had been traded from Nashville last June to Florida – from cowboy boots to bathing suits – Vokoun spent a sometimes trying season in South Florida.

He was a bonafide all-star – winning 30 or more games for the third time in four seasons and more than 25 for the fifth consecutive season - but he couldn’t single-handedly lift his team into the post season. He gave the Panthers a shot to win every night, but he was peppered by a league-high 2,213 shots. He was a team leader, but sometimes frustrated by night’s end.

“There were times last year I took things too hard,” he reflected last week. “But that’s the way I am.”

But Vokoun, who has always worn his heart on his sleeve, enters the season more comfortable. He’s settled with his family in Florida, he feels optimistic about the team’s direction, and, more importantly, he returns for his second season with the Panthers looking at a new and improved

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Spot the 'C'

The Euro Wave

Screw the AHL!

Ondrej Pavelec, the top prospect in the Atlanta Thrashers organization, will not be reporting to the AHL his agent told Sporting News.

The 21-year old goalie was sent to the AHL's Chicago Wolves on Saturday by the team after seeing action in only two Thrashers preseason games. He started the first preseason game, earning the win, and came in relief of Johan Hedberg for the third period of Friday night's loss to Nashville. He allowed four goals in the period.

Allan Walsh, Pavelec's agent, said the Thrashers organization didn't keep promises given to the young goalie when he signed with the team, so he wants out.

"When Ondrej signed two years ago, [Thrashers GM Don Waddell] gave Ondrej his word. He sat there at the table and gave Ondrej his personal word that Ondrej would never be held back," Walsh told SN. "Last year he led Chicago to an American League championship. This year he played in the first exhibition game and then the third period on October 3 -- they threw him into the game cold in the third period. That is criminal mismanagement of a young goalie."

Walsh said he wouldn't have had a problem if Pavelec had been given an honest opportunity to make the team and gotten beaten out. But he said the young goalie was never given a fair chance to make the roster, something he said was part of the agreement with Atlanta.

"He will never be part of an organization that doesn't keep its word and treats players in this manner," Walsh said.

The two other Thrashers goalies ahead of Pavelec on the depth chart are Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg.

Entering Friday's games, Lehtonen was 0-2 with a 3.05 goals against average and Hedberg was 0-1 with a 9.00 goals against average. Pavelec is the only Thrashers goalie with a win during the preseason.

Walsh said Pavelec has options, including several interested teams in Russia or he would welcome a trade from the Thrashers.

"We're evaluating where his next step is," Walsh said. "He's most likely going to get on a plane and go home right now."

Last season with the Wolves, Pavelec was 33-16 with a 2.77 GAA and a save percentage of .911. He was the Thrashers' second-round pick in the 2005 NHL draft.

Waddell was not immediately available for comment.

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Hockey In Europe

Why? I don't get it? Is this to promote the game over in Europe? Last year they did the London experiment. Those games, if I recall correctly, were sold out. Full of X-Pats and media, but it wasn't even on the radar with the British public. Talk about pointless. And now they're off to Stockholm and Prague. At least they're two hockey cities.

But what do the NHL expect from all of this? To sell more Jerseys and shirts? I guess I should invest in a jersey/team apparel company. I didn't realize it was that lucrative of a business.

Or is this to generate the interest to create a Euro division? That’d ruin the league if they went there, in my opinion. Do you think Ovy and company would want to play over in the North American division? Or how could that division cope with a very little to no Canadians/Americans playing in the EU division? It’d be like European Football. Teams just sticking to their own countries...with no league in particular the best. Meh no thanks. I want the best of the best.

I know these are only 2 games overseas and it's not that big of a deal. But, really when the season starts over there and there's preseason games going on at the same time over here? That's bush league.

For the Zoo, I'm Blake Johnston