Souray we doubted you

It was at 10:25 of the first period when Sheldon Souray blasted the shot that moved him into a tie for the lead as the top-scoring defenceman in the National Hockey League.

Three minutes and 44 seconds later, he lost it back to Shea Weber. But in a city where there used to be several statistical subplots in play at the same time season after season, there's finally one to follow.

NO MISTAKE

And 34 games into the season, you'd have to say Souray has proved that Kevin Lowe didn't make the mistake so many people figured he'd made when he gave the native of Elk Point a five-year, $5.4 million front-loaded contract through the 2011-12 season off the one-year phenomenon of having scored 26 goals with the Montreal Canadiens while at the same time having that eye-sore of a statistic - a minus 28.

As the days count down to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Souray has suddenly put himself into a position, along with Weber, of deserving serious consideration for a spot wearing the red maple leaf.

Last year, healthy for only 26 games and scoring only three goals and producing only 10 points, didn't prove anything.

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Heeeerrrrre's Mats!

VANCOUVER -- Mats Sundin has yet to touch down at the Vancouver International Airport, but the local hockey populace is already consumed by where he’ll land on the Vancouver Canucks’ roster once he starts applying his considerable frame and well-rounded game after arriving in town on Saturday.

Trying to project the exact date of Sundin’s debut has the talk-show phones lines lighting up like a Christmas tree for good reason.

As much as the durable Swede is a point-producing machine with 1,321 points in 1,305 career regular-season games -- and he should mesh seamlessly into a dressing room that houses four of his countrymen -- his on-ice transformation may take longer.

Or, it may not.

Sundin hasn’t played in nine months, only recently committing to the remainder of this season, and the 37-year-old even pondered retirement before agreeing to a pro-rated, one-year contract for $5.625 million US.

Once Sundin gets over the jet-lag, gets familiar with the system and gets to know his new linemates, the guessing game will commence.

Is it better to start Sundin off slow and work him into the lineup in a fourth-line role?

Continued...

Bruin Cap Conundrums

General manager Peter Chiarelli has done an excellent job assembling the Bruins roster, using pieces in place from the former regime and acquiring talent via trades or free agency to mold a team regarded as one of the leading contenders for the Stanley Cup.

But the reality of the NHL in the era of the salary cap is that building a powerhouse team is one thing. Keeping it intact is another.

And with the new year soon upon us, Chiarelli faces an interesting number-crunching challenge in trying to get all of his core players safely locked up for the coming seasons.

“There’s only a certain amount of money available,” Chiarelli said recently. “We have to be a little creative.”

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Best of the Week

Sundin a Canuck!!

After six long months, the Mats Sundin saga is finally over as the unrestricted free agent has agreed to a contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

"I am truly excited to be joining the Canucks," said Sundin in a team statement. "Once I made the decision to return to play a few weeks ago, the Vancouver opportunity was simply the best overall fit. I want to thank Mike Gillis and the entire Canucks organization for their professionalism throughout this entire process."

The signing ended months of rumours and speculation around the coveted centre, who was undecided on whether or not he would return to the National Hockey League for an 18th season.

"We are very excited to have Mats join the Vancouver Canucks," said general manager Mike Gillis. "Playing previously in two Canadian markets and consistently being among team and League leaders in scoring, Mats has proven that he can excel under pressure. He adds a wealth of experience, leadership and skill to the Canucks."

The Montreal Canadiens were given exclusive rights to talk to Sundin this past summer in the week leading up to the free agent signing period. The club's negotiating window passed without an agreement and as many as six NHL teams lined up to acquire his services.

Among the teams interested over the last six months were the Canadiens, Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers.

The Canucks had the most lucrative offer for Sundin, with a two-year, $20 million contract that was never pulled off on the table.

Sundin, 37, finished with 32 goals and 46 assists for 78 points in 74 games last season with the Leafs, leading Toronto in scoring for the fourth straight year.

Decision time for Mats

From Bob Mac

Unless someone pulls a rabbit out of the hat at the last minute, Mats Sundin will be, by the end of this week, either a Vancouver Canuck or a New York Ranger.

Sundin met with Rangers' GM Glen Sather on the weekend, but sources say the Rangers have yet to formally indicate exactly how much they are prepared, or able (because of the salary cap), to pay Sundin. Once Sundin's agent J.P. Barry gets that information, perhaps in the next 24 to 48 hours, Sundin is expected to make a final decision on where he will play.

Barry has a previously-scheduled meeting with Vancouver GM Mike Gillis on Tuesday, primarily to discuss contract negotiations for Canuck players Daniel and Henrik Sedin as well as Mattias Ohlund, but Sundin is also likely to be discussed at that time.

Sources say the plan is for Sundin to make a final decision before NHL rosters are frozen on Friday (Dec. 19).

It does not appear that any of the other teams that had expressed interest – Chicago, Philadelphia, Montreal and Tampa Bay, amongst others – are either in a position to move forward or have a strong desire to pursue Sundin any further.

So it looks as though it's coming down to the Rangers and the Canucks. The Canucks have no salary cap issues and have already offered Sundin a contract at an annual salary of $10 million. Once Sundin finds out how much less than that he would get in New York -- and it may be significantly less if the Rangers are even able to clear salary cap room for him -– he'll be in a position to compare it to the Vancouver offer and make a long-awaited decision.

In the meantime, Sundin is heading home to Sweden. He has completed his training in North America and plans to keep skating while in Sweden, spending Christmas there before joining his new NHL team immediately after that.

Or at least that is the plan.

Baby Bruins

Defenseman Dennis Wideman, a relative graybeard by comparison at age 25, was talking about the explosive development this season of the Bruins’ Baby Bombers — Phil Kessel, David Krejci, Milan Lucic, Matt Hunwick, Blake Wheeler and even Wideman himself.

“Those guys are all 100 times better than they were last year,” Wideman said, ignoring the fact that his improvement curve is just as steep. “If they keep going like this, and keep getting better and keep working, it’s scary what they could accomplish.”

It’s already frightening to see how far they’ve come just up till now. You can throw Patrice Bergeron into this bunch, too, considering he’s only 23 years old and is showing such remarkable progress in rebounding from that awful concussion of last year.

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Your Calder Candidates

HF

There was a surprising amount of movement from top to bottom in the Hockey's Future staff Calder poll in the past month, as not a single player held down the same position they did in November’s poll and four new names cracked the top 10.

1. Drew Doughty, D (LA)
6’1, 203 lbs. DOB: Dec. 8, 1989
Acquired: 1st round, second overall in 2008

In this season’s crop of rookie defensemen, Doughty is simply a man among boys. The Los Angeles Kings aren’t shy about admitting their first pick in 2008 has been arguably their best player this season, even though he just turned 19. He leads the next closest rookie in ice time by almost three minutes, logs more minutes than anyone on his team and is counted on as the Kings' power play quarterback.

2. Kris Versteeg, RW (CHI)
5’10, 180 lbs. DOB: May 13, 1986
Acquired: Trade with Boston on Feb. 3, 2007

Versteeg is quickly removing any doubt pundits had about his hot start being a fluke. Two months into the season, Versteeg has maintained a near point-per-game pace and is slowly taking on more responsibility in Chicago. He currently leads all rookies in points and leads all rookie forwards in ice time.

3. Derick Brassard, C (CBJ)
6’1, 190 lbs. DOB: Sept. 22, 1987
Acquired: 1st round, 6th overall in 2006

The leading vote getter in the November Calder poll has slipped to third, but the decline has more to do with the elevated play of the two players who surpassed him than it does his own production. Brassard still sits second in rookie scoring with 20 points in 25 games and is tied for the lead on the Blue Jackets in plus/minus with an impressive +8.

4. Steve Mason, G (CBJ)
6’3, 186 lbs. DOB: May 29, 1988
Acquired: 3rd round, 69th overall in 2006

The Jackets seem to have an embarrassment of young, talented riches in their lineup these days. Last month, Brassard and Jakub Voracek were 1-2 in our Calder poll and now Mason has arrived on the scene. Canada’s World Junior hero in 2008 is the main man between the pipes in Columbus right now, at least temporarily. His 2.17 goals-against average is 10th in the NHL.

5. Patrik Berglund, C (STL)
6’4, 187 lbs. DOB: June 2, 1988
Acquired: 1st round, 25th overall in 2006

Paul Kariya was openly excited about playing alongside Berglund coming out of training camp and now it’s not hard to tell why. The big Swede has quietly, but firmly entrenched himself among the legitimate Calder Trophy candidates after scoring 16 points in his first 20 games. He has far and away the best plus-minus rating on the Blues at +11.

6. Blake Wheeler, RW (BOS)
6’5, 205 lbs. DOB: Aug. 31, 1986
Acquired: 1st round, 5th overall in 2004

It was widely expected Wheeler would need at least part of a season in the AHL to get accustomed to the pro game after three seasons at the University of Minnesota, but the hulking American has quickly proven he’s in the big league to stay. Wheeler isn’t overly physical for his size, but he uses his strength effectively to get space on the ice, proven by his nine goals and 15 points through 26 games. In early December, Wheeler’s +16 rating was best among rookies and on his team.

7. Mikhail Grabovski, C (TOR)
5’11, 179 lbs. DOB: Jan. 31, 1984
Acquired: Trade with Montreal on July 3, 2008

Grabovski’s start in Toronto was beginning to look awfully familiar to his days in Montreal – the talent was there, but he just couldn’t put it together. He didn’t score in his first seven games and he had just two points through his first 11 games, but suddenly things clicked and the Germany-born Belarussian went on the tear many expected he would sooner or later. Grabovski notched 16 points in his next 14 games, silencing critics. His 10 goals lead NHL rookies.

8. Jakub Voracek, RW (CBJ)
6’1, 205 lbs. DOB: Aug. 15, 1989
Acquired: 1st round, 7th overall in 2007

The former Halifax Moosehead got off to sizzling-hot start this season, but in an opposite-to-Grabovski sort of way, Voracek has been cold as of late. He hasn’t registered a point in four straight games and had just one goal and one assist in his past 13 games. Luckily, the young Czech had a solid enough start to keep him in Calder contention for the time being.

9. Luke Schenn, D (TOR)
6’2, 216 lbs. DOB: Nov. 2, 1989
Acquired: 1st round, 5th overall in 2008

Schenn kept up his all-out, defense-first approach and a physical element. Through 27 games, Schenn’s total offensive output was just two assists, but he was still logging top-four minutes on the Leafs and was still ranked second in rookie ice time. Before going down with a lower body injury in December, Schenn was leading all rookie skaters in hits and blocked shots.

10. Alex Goligoski, D (PIT)
5’11, 180 lbs. DOB: July 30, 1985
Acquired: 2nd round, 61st overall in 2004

At the beginning of the season, Goligoski was handed the unenviable responsibility of replacing the offensive presence of Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney on the blueline. A tall task for a 23-year-old rookie, but he has come through for the Penguins so far. Through 25 games, he had four goals and seven assists – including five power play points – and led all rookies in average power play ice time at four minutes, 33 seconds per game.

Coyotes on the Brink

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Coyotes are expected to lose between $25- and $35-million (all currency U.S.) this year and with his primary business under financial duress, owner Jerry Moyes may not be able to cover the hockey team's losses any longer.

That leaves him three choices:

- Renegotiate the Coyotes' arena lease to effectively put the city of Glendale into the position covering some of the losses;

- Put the franchise into bankruptcy;

- Turn the keys over to the NHL, forcing commissioner Gary Bettman to find a new owner.

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A Look Back at Patrick Roy

Bad Blues Trade?

STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
11/24/2008

Winger Lee Stempniak was the rarest of commodities, a real offensive threat drafted and developed by the Blues.

So his departure for underachieving Maple Leafs Alex Steen, a versatile forward, and Carlo Colaiacovo, a rangy defenseman, is a bit of a head scratcher.


Sure, the Blues acquired a natural center to fill an immediate need and a defenseman to add some depth. But isn’t this franchise dedicated to building long-term?

How could the Blues give up on a home-grown shooter who scored 27 goals two years ago and was producing at a point-per-game pace this season?

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Burrrr!

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?

More...

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.

Cool Ads

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

Captain Roberto

The Vancouver Canucks have a new captain and his name is.. Roberto Luongo.

Luongo, who is in the third year of a four-year deal with the Canucks, was named to the post on Tuesday along with alternates captains Willie Mitchell, Mattias Ohlund, Ryan Kesler.

By league rule, the Canucks goaltender cannot wear the 'C', but he can be named captain. Mitchell will be designated as the person who will deal with officials on a nightly basis.

As the longest serving Canuck, Mattias Ohlund will deal with any ceremonial aspects of the position such as faceoffs.

Last season, the Montreal native picked up 35 wins in 79 games with six shutouts.

The Canucks captaincy had been vacated by Markus Naslund after he signed as a free-agent this off-season with the New York Rangers. Naslund had been the team's captain since 2000.

Only six goaltenders have served as team captains in NHL history. The Montreal Canadiens' Bill Durnan was the last goaltender to serve as captain in the 1947-'48 season.

Prior to 1948-'49, the NHL passed a rule prohibiting goalies to act as captain or assistants in what could be called the 'Durnan Rule.'

The Canadiens keeper left his crease so much to argue calls that opponents protested saying that Durnan's actions gave the Canadiens unscheduled timeouts during strategic points in games.

Doan and Jokes

It's like destiny has brought them together, two hockey captains with a bushel of personal achievements but many dreams still unrealized.

Now Shane Doan and Olli Jokinen, unexpectedly thrown together as linemates in a blockbuster deal this summer, hope to use their skills - and unleash years of pent-up frustration - to get the Coyotes into the playoffs for the first time since 2002. To accomplish that task, both will have to be offensive powerhouses.

A trip to the postseason also would do a lot to take the 800-pound hockey puck off their backs. Here are two of their numbers: Jokinen, 723 games played and no playoff appearances; Doan, 396 since his last blip on the playoff radar in 2002.

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A Flaky Return?

NHLPA director: Radulov wants to leave KHL, rejoin NHL

By Greg Wyshynski

Absolute bombshell dropped by NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly on Bill Watters's radio show yesterday up on 640am in Toronto (audio): That Alexander Radulov, the former Nashville Predators winger at the center of a very contentious dispute between the NHL and the KHL, wants to leave the new Russian league only a few games into his career there.

Perhaps all this talk about arbitration is so the KHL can keep a player who wants to leave, rather than the NHL getting back a player who broke his contract ...

From Kelly on the Watters show, regarding whether the Radulov situation will be resolved before reaching court:

"My information is that the player very much wants to return and play in the NHL. I have that on extremely good authority. He's tried the KHL. He's seen what it has to offer for a few games already. He was quite successful last year for the Nashville Predators. I think, long-term, Alexander wants to play in the NHL. I believe there is an outcome which is doable, which will involve some type of an agreement between the NHL, the KHL, the player himself and the Predators."

Even after the KHL named him rookie of the week!

The entire interview segment regarding the KHL is rather revealing, especially the parts involving Radulov. There's even some reason to believe that the NHLPA may not, in fact, be a passive cheerleader for the Russian league's attempts to sign away players from the NHL.

Here's Kelly again:

"We strongly encourage our players that if you make a commitment, if you sign a contract, you ought to abide by the contract. You ought see it through. We will never encourage guys to breach contracts. We have spoken to the player, we have spoken to the agent. This is a fairly unique set of circumstances. This is a very young guy, who has decided to return home for some reasons which were public and some reasons which were personal. This isn't a guy who just breached a contract in any kind of a dismissive way. There are factors that haven't been publically reported.

"Unfortunately, he has become the center of a storm, between the National Hockey League and the KHL and on the international scene. There are consequences and ramifications which will flow from the Radulov situation, which potentially could affect the participation of NHL players in international events. I don't think he ever wanted to place himself in the middle of this tempest, but he's in it. We are trying to assist both the player and the agent to see if we can't find a way out of it, frankly.

Wow. Is this a game-changer in the Radulov controversy? When Kelly speaks of "some reasons which were public and some reasons which were personal," does it remind anyone else of the cloak and dagger/psychological warfare of the Evgeni Malkin saga?

That's something Watters seemed to be alluding to when he asked Kelly if the KHL had targeted Radulov in order to trigger a labor war between the two leagues; something Kelly denied was the case.

(H/T To Dobber Hockey for the Kelly interview find.)

One more interesting KHL/NHL/International Hockey news bit today. Stu Hackel over at Slap Shot -- does the New York Times have a boner for the KHL or what? -- has a translated interview with IIHF President Rene Fasel that calls out Radulov for acting improperly. But more important are his comments about the NHL signing European talent without a transfer agreement:

"Because despite these differences, we share the main objective - to develop our sport worldwide. That is why the NHL, despite everything, brings their clubs in Europe, cooperating with us in the World Championships, the Olympic Games and now the Victoria Cup. On the other hand, the NHL must understand that by taking so many more players from Europe during this past year without compensation, they are killing European hockey.

"For the development of this game, Europe also needs good players and an interesting level of play in their national leagues. As in the story of the hen and the golden eggs, we are ready to share the golden eggs with the NHL, but if you kill the hen which lays them, no one will have them. The way things are going, pretty soon Europe simply won't be able to deliver as many Sundins, Forsbergs, Ovechkins and Malkins."

Like we've said here since the KHL was born: All of these new European hockey leagues are indirect pleas for the NHL to one day absorb them and create a global league. It's the writing on the wall, whether that wall is in Toronto or Helsinki or Moscow. We could be witnessing the awkward first steps of a history-making moment for the game.

The Franchise

There are challenges that Ryan Getzlaf has faced in his first three NHL seasons, and then there's accomplishing the near impossible.

* Becoming a first-line center and the Anaheim Ducks' leading scorer? Check.

* Winning the Stanley Cup? Mission accomplished.

* Making the All-Star team? All done before the age of 23.

How about fitting his 6-foot-4, 221-pound frame into the back of a diminutive sport utility vehicle? Getzlaf somehow managed that.

"It was not easy to get into," he said with a laugh. "But I did it."

The spot was part of a national commercial Getzlaf filmed that's an example of his ascension from a talented rookie to one of the NHL's brightest young stars.

A large part of the League's marketing strategy following the lockout has been to focus on its 20-something stars. Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, the NHL's most valuable player in 2006-07, has been the central part of that campaign since he was drafted with the first pick three years ago.

Others, like reigning MVP Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes young star Eric Staal have also been featured in the League's commercials. Now Getzlaf has begun to capitalize on the push to illuminate the next generation. He was one of several players featured in the League's "The Cup Changes Everything" spot that ran on its national broadcasts in advance of last season's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

San Jose Sharks forward Jeremy Roenick, who was one of the League's most marketable players early in his career, said Getzlaf has attributes that can make him an effective pitchman for the sport.

More...

Sundin-O-Rama

The pool of teams hoping to sign free agent Mats Sundin appears to have gotten a little more crowded.

According to the Globe and Mail, the Tampa Bay Lightning have expressed interest in the Swedish forward. Sundin was recently in Toronto to play in the Right to Play charity game and skated alongside former teammate, and current Lightning, Gary Roberts and new Tampa Bay owner Oren Koules.

Sundin's agent, J.P. Barry, did confirm to the newspaper that two new teams have joined the pursuit of the veteran. Tampa is already close to the NHL's $56.7 million salary cap and would have to create room for Sundin's salary. However, the Lightning might receive some cap reprieve if forward Jeff Halpern is unable to play this season due to a knee injury.

On Friday, Sundin met with Maple Leafs' GM Cliff Fletcher and assistant to the GM Joe Nieuwendyk.

Sources say Fletcher outlined his plan for the team this season and assured Sundin that Toronto will keep the door open for the 37-year-old captain in the event he decides to resume his career.

"It was a very relaxed meeting," said Barry on AM640 Radio in Toronto. "It was a chance to reconnect since Mats was in town and talk about the changes on the Maple Leafs and make sure Mats was aware of everything that was going on with the team."

On Saturday, Sundin met with Montreal Canadiens GM Bob Gainey.

"I had a nice two hours with Mats Sundin in Toronto [on Saturday]," Gainey told the Globe.

"He's interested. I told him to make a decision. I said: 'If you feel like you want to retire, then retire. But if you're not sure, you should play and the emotion will come.'"

While Gainey has said he would be willing to wait on Sundin's decision in the past, Barry suggested that Montreal is hoping to hear from Sundin, either way, soon.

"Gainey simply laid out in detail an excellent case for why Mats should play in Montreal," Barry added. "He also explained that they likely don't have the same latitude to wait too long and would like an answer quite soon, as they have other plans and options in the works."

Demitra Arrives

Wait-and-see for slick Demitra

Skilled Slovak sniper has his eye on offence -- and faith in Mike Gillis's plan

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun

Published: Tuesday, September 09, 2008

If there was a plan afoot to play Pavol Demitra and Mats Sundin together on the Vancouver Canucks, that's obviously gone awry with Sundin's reluctance to take the $10 million and commit to another NHL season.

So where does that leave Demitra? Better still, with whom does it leave him? Even he doesn't have the foggiest notion.

"I've got no idea," Demitra replied Monday after his first skate with many of his new mates at Burnaby 8-Rinks. "I'll leave that up to the coaches. Oh yeah, I'm anxious to find out. Like every other team, they're going to try many options and see who I'm going to click with.

More...

Spector's Training Camp Trade Bait

With NHL training camps opening soon and the start of the 2008-09 season less than a month away, here's a look at the players from each Western Conference team whose names could soon appear in this season's trade rumor mill. (Players in the East will come next week.)

Anaheim Ducks: Mathieu Schneider. Ducks GM Brian Burke hopes to re-sign winger Teemu Selanne, but to do that he must first free up salary-cap space. Schneider's $5.6 million salary for this season appears the prime candidate to be dealt at some point in September.

Calgary Flames: Adrian Aucoin. The Flames need to dump salary and Aucoin's $4 million for this coming season has made him a frequent subject in the rumor mill. He's got a no-trade clause but waived it to go to Calgary and could do so again for the right destination.

Chicago Blackhawks: Nikolai Khabibulin. The Blackhawks' signing of veteran goalie Cristobal Huet this summer means Khabibulin's days in Chicago are numbered. His expensive salary for this season ($6.75 million) could make him a tough sell at this point but between now and the February trade deadline he's likely to be moved.

Colorado Avalanche: Ian Laperriere. His gritty style makes him a fan favorite, but he's also an unrestricted free agent next summer. If the Avalanche are out of the playoff race by February, he could be shopped to a playoff contender.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Fredrik Norrena. He's been a capable backup to Pascal Leclaire, but he could find himself challenged by young netminder Steve Mason. If Mason proves ready to slide into the backup role Norrena, who's also a UFA next summer, could be shopped.

Dallas Stars: Joel Lundqvist. Only 26 but eligible for UFA status in 2009, it's possible he could be moved by the trade deadline if the Stars are unable to re-sign him. Lundqvist could have value to rival clubs seeking checking line depth.

Detroit Red Wings: Derek Meech. General manager Ken Holland recently told the Detroit media he'll need to slash $100K - $300K in payroll prior to the start of the upcoming season. Given his blueline depth, a defenseman is likely to move. With the Wings about to re-sign Kyle Quincey it could be Meech — one of the Wings' least-experienced defensemen — who may be dealt.

Edmonton Oilers: Dwayne Roloson. With Mathieu Garon poised to take over as starting goalie and Jeff Deslauriers knocking on the door, the Oilers may end up carrying three goalies to start this season. That could make 38-year-old Roloson the odd man out.

Los Angeles Kings: Derek Armstrong. At 35, he's now the elder statesman on a young Kings team and is still a very good checking forward. He's also a UFA next summer and could end up shopped by the trade deadline if management feels he no longer fits into their plans.

The Wild want Marian Gaborik around, but if talks don't go well with his upcoming free agent contract, he may be sent to another team. (Scott A. Schneider / Getty Images)

Minnesota Wild: Marian Gaborik. Management doesn't want to lose him after this season to free agency and are currently in talks with Gaborik for a new contract. But they also acknowledge the possibility of examining trade options should those talks reach an impasse. Expect a significant bidding war if the Wild put Gaborik on the trade block.

Nashville Predators: Greg de Vries. Another veteran player eligible for UFA status next summer, the Predators could try shopping de Vries to playoff contenders seeking blueline experience if they are out of the race by February.

Phoenix Coyotes: Derek Morris. Like several others on this list, he is eligible for UFA status next summer. The Coyotes could try to retain him if they're in the midst of fighting for their first postseason berth since 2002. But if they're out of the race again by February, Morris could hit the trade block.

San Jose Sharks: Kyle McLaren. With the Sharks acquiring Dan Boyle, Rob Blake and Brad Lukowich this summer and with Christian Ehrhoff, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Doug Murray showing improvement, the oft-injured McLaren could find himself the odd man out on the Sharks' blueline this season, making him potential trade bait.

St. Louis Blues: Paul Kariya. He has two years left on his contract and a no-movement clause but also struggled last season on a still-rebuilding Blues team. One shouldn't rule out the possibility he might want to move on later this season if the Blues are out of the playoff chase by February.

Vancouver Canucks: Kevin Bieksa. The Canucks need to bolster their scoring depth at forward and Bieksa is the only notable defenseman on their blueline corps lacking a "no-trade" clause. He's also signed for the next three seasons, which might make him more palatable to rival teams.

AO on the hunt!

Life without the Big 4

ERIC DUHATSCHEK

Mats Sundin may be getting all the ink, but he is not the only established, prominent NHL player unsure of his plans for the coming season.

Without nearly the same interest or fanfare, three of his contemporaries — Joe Sakic, Teemu Selanne and Brendan Shanahan — are all facing a similar predicament.

Call them the 4-S club, a quartet of future Hall of Famers pondering what a life without hockey might be like and not sure whether the time is right to walk away.

How dramatic would their departures be? Consider that with Jaromir Jagr shuffling off to Russia, that group represents four of the NHL's top six active-points leaders. All, except Sundin, have won the Stanley Cup. All are still capable of making a difference on a team, either tangibly on the ice or through their influence as leaders in the dressing room.

MORE...

No Staaling

Playoffs or bust for Staal

Web Posted: 8/14/2008 9:10:43 AM

Eric Staal is not a happy hockey player. His Carolina Hurricanes, just two years removed from a stunning Stanley Cup thriller, faltered miserably down the stretch last season, missing out on the playoffs and sending Staal home much earlier than planned.

Instead he was forced to cheer on younger brothers Marc and Jordan, of the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, as they battled for postseason glory, and in Jordan’s case, came within two wins of a championship.

It’s not the way he wanted to spend his spring, and has the 23-year-old that much more focused on leading the Hurricanes back to the promised land.

“We haven’t been there in two years and it was a tough pill to swallow at the end of this year,” said Staal, who rebounded on a personal level, posting 38 goals and 82 points in an equal number of outings.

“It was a challenging year at times. We had some injuries, but we still felt we should have been there and to me, that’s all I’m focused on, trying to help my team get to the playoffs.”

Staal readily admits the disappointment of an unsuccessful season isn’t an easy feeling to part with, faced with a summer to stew over what might have been had they managed to win the final game on their regular season slate.

“That’s kind of what everyone’s going to remember coming into camp,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of guys raring to go and erase that as quickly as possible.”

One of the guys no longer in that mix is longtime roommate Erik Cole, dealt to Edmonton in a trade that saw former top-four pick Joni Pitkanen brought in to shore up the Carolina blue-line.

It will mean a period of adjustment for Staal, who will have to get used to a new personality on the road as he enters the final $4.5-million year left on his contract, setting him up for restricted free agency status next summer if a new deal isn’t negotiated.

“It’s definitely tough, but for Erik it’s a new start in a hockey market that will be ready for him. It’s part of the business. We know what we’re getting into when you get into the NHL and professional sports. I wish him the best. He was one of my best friends and a roommate for four years. It’s going to be different without him, but I’m looking forward to new challenges for myself.”

The Hurricanes, other than the Pitkanen deal, have been relatively quiet in the offseason, preferring minor tinkering to major overhauls. Staal said general manager Jim Rutherford’s decision to stay the course isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Sometimes when teams do too much, or get too many players, you expect to get there (immediately). For us, we’ve got a good group of players, a good core. We added a little more on defence. We have a great goalie. It’s just a matter of playing that consistent hockey night in and night out. And we have to start doing that as soon as we get out of camp.”

In other words, the pieces are in place, it’s just a matter of piecing them together to form the bigger picture.

“I hope it’s less than people think,” he said.

“There are some good teams that miss the playoffs every year when you have only 16 teams making it out of 30. It’s tough, but you need to play good hockey all throughout the season. You can’t have any lulls.”

The Lowdown on Brunnstrom

Les Jackson is all about trust and patience, and that strategy will probably be tested to its utmost by Fabian Brunnstrom.

The 23-year-old free agent from Sweden has a ton of potential, but he is a late bloomer and nobody is sure whether or not he can turn that potential into NHL scoring.

Basically, Brunnstrom's hype has come from a season at the lower level in Sweden where he tallied 73 points (37 goals, 36 assists) in 41 games. That opened the eyes of the elite level teams, and he advanced last season to Farjestads. He had 9 goals and 28 assists for 37 points in 54 games, so it was a pretty good season. Still, he was not considered one of the best players on his team, let alone one of the best players in the league.

So are expectations too high?

Just for comparison's sake, Antti Miettinen was the Finnish Elite League Player of the Year in 2002-03 with 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points in 53 games. He was 22 at the time. Jussi Jokinen had 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists in 56 games) in Finland when he was 21. Both are good players, neither has proven to be a high-level scorer in the NHL.

Now, Brunnstrom is bigger (6-1) and faster, so he has great natural talent, and Jackson and the Stars scouts believe they can develop that talent the way they have with Loui Eriksson.

The key is patience.

Barring a disaster, Brunnstrom will make the Stars out of camp and will take a regular shift with Mike Ribeiro, Brad Richards or Mike Modano. He's a natural left wing, but he can play right wing, and that should help Dave Tippett find the right place for him. But the bottom line is Jackson will push to keep Brunnstrom in the lineup and also push for him to get important minutes. He believes that NHL teams too often get frustrated with young talent, and he believes that can kill a kid's confidence. Jackson is all about pushing confidence, and he'll do that with Brunnstrom.

In a lot of ways, Brunnstrom and agent J.P. Barry may have picked the perfect team. The Stars have three talented centers who can help Brunnstrom find his scoring touch. They also have a philosophy of balanced scoring, so Brunnstrom can have a good season with 15-20 goals. And the media and fans are pretty patient here, so he won't feel the pressure that he might have felt in Montreal or Detroit.

Is Brunnstrom overhyped? Yeah, I think so. But, the base cost is about $1 million and the top end is $2.2 million if he hits his incentives. That's worth the risk right now for a team that needs more skill.

The hype will give Brunnstrom more opportunity than Junior Lessard ever got, so do you think it will pay off or will the Stars be left with another project that didn't pan out?

A preview of NHL '09

...and I quote

“We’re not only going to match any offer sheet, we’ll have enough space to go after your guys. Go ahead and make our day. If you sign our guy, we’re coming back with both barrels firing. You’d better be damn straight that you have the cap space and all your guys are signed.”

-- Dean Lombardi, LA Kings GM

Dave Gagner's Training Center

Mats a Canuck? (translated from Swedish Daily)

"Vancouver is called"

Mats Sundin, 37, has decided. According to Dagens Nyheter, the Swedish star to continue playing in the NHL and then it will be Vancouver.

-- I talked to Vancouver last yesterday (Friday), but that he would be ready is more than I know, if so, "says the agent Claes Elefalk to DN.

Several clubs have shown great interest in Mats Sundin has always said that he has not made up its mind about their careers even to continue. However, according to a source of DN, he has now decided to become the NHL and Vancouver next season.

-- His agent in North America declined by KHL on the grounds that he is fully ready for Vancouver. The fact that he has written on, why would he say if otherwise. He may, of course, a large sum of money in the event of a overgång here, "said the source.
The agent denied

The agent Claes Elefalk confirms the DN that Sundin has talked with Vancouver, but deny that something would be done.

-- I did not even know he had taken the decision to continue playing hockey, he continues.

How hot is Vancouver?

-- They are extremely hot. They want him.