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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Ilya Kovalchuk Shocks the World, Leaves NHL for KHL.

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Ilya Kovalchuk shocked the hockey world yesterday, when he announced that he and the Devils had come to an agreement that would allow him to more or less retire from the National Hockey League, to pursue a career in the KHL with the team he suited up for during the lockout, SKA St. Petersburg. He was only three years into the controversially long 15 year contract that he signed in 2010 after leaving the Atlanta Thrashers.

Many had hinted for months that Kovalchuk never really wanted to come back to North America after the lockout had ended, and that this decision had been weighing on the superstar for some time... but wouldn't it have been better to announce this before the start of free agency, and allow the Devils to attempt to replace some of his offense? Not to mention the role his contract played in the decision to let Zach Parise walk to the Minnesota Wild.

But can you really say you blame Ilya Kovalchuk? Yes, 77 million dollars is an excessive amount of money, and yes he did have a very publicized battle to keep that ridiculously long contract that he signed just 3 years ago, but there's something to be said for the comforts of home. Throw in the very real money that the KHL can pony up, and wouldn't you do the same thing if roles were reversed? [Pucks and Pitchforks]

Should Dallas Stars fans re-affirm their fears that Valeri Nichushkin very well could jump ship and return to Russia at the drop of a hat, just like Kovalchuk did? I suppose the argument could be made, but I think that would be unfair to Nichushkin, who has shown nothing but a strong desire to play a starring role in the National Hockey League, and for the Dallas Stars franchise that believed enough in him to draft him. Still, Mike Heika takes a look at this debate over on his SportsDay blog. [Dallas Morning News]

While people are quick to compare Ilya Kovalchuk to Valeri Nichushkin south of the border, those north of the border seem to be under the impression that David Clarkson could be the next Wendel Clark for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Similarity in names aside, they both play a physically imposing game from the wing... but in Toronto, for this generation of hockey fans, there are no bigger shoes to fill than those of Big Bad Wendel Clark. [Globe and Mail]

Also over at the Dallas Morning News, Rick Gosselin continues the narrative that our beloved hockey team is simply turning into the Dallas Green Wings, as they collect both personnel and philosophical traits from the hated Detroit Red Wings. As I've said many times before, there are certainly worse organizations to emulate, so I don't see the issue. [Dallas Morning News]

The Carolina Hurricanes have been making news lately by hinting at a mystery free agent catch, that they've supposedly already reached an agreement with, but are waiting to clear salary cap space before finalizing. Supposedly it is a player that came to Carolina, told them they'd take a pay cut and a one-year deal, just to play for the Hurricanes. Some have speculated that it could be newly crowned Dallas folk-hero Jaromir Jagr... but maybe not. [SBNation]

Before I close out links for the day, I've got a message from our very own Trevor Sudbury about two group outings that Defending Big D have put together for next season.

We have the final pricing information for the Defending Big D group parties for the upcoming season. The final price is $100 per person -- This total price includes a ticket to both the Modano number retirement game, and the second game yet to be scheduled. The gate price for a premium game (like Modano night) would normally be priced around $92 for our section, so this is an incredible savings. It essentially means we get seats to a second game for only $8. We will have more details next week once the schedule is released, when we can choose a date for the second game.

Today's video is a bit of nostalgia for hockey gaming nerds like myself. NHL 14 marks the 20th anniversary of the EA Sports hockey franchise's biggest cult hit, NHL 94. In honor of the anniversary, they've put in an entire game mode that pays tribute to the iconic title's simplicity and cheesy fun.


Report: Hurricanes Still Looking To Move A Contract

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According to John Forslund this morning, who was on "Hockey Today", the Carolina Hurricanes are looking to add a free agent defenseman, but still need to move a defenseman contract to do so.

(EDIT: I thought I heard Forslund say move a defenseman, I am told he actually said move a contract. I am sorry about that mistake.)

Last week, Jim Rutherford said that a "big name" free agent was willing to take a one-year deal in order to join his team. Most assumed that he meant a forward, thinking the general manager was pretty much done fine-tuning his blueline.

But apparently, Rutherford is still thinking about changing his defense.

There are quite a few defensemen still on the market, but there might be some argument if any of them could be considered to be so sought after that they would be making a sacrifice to take a one-year deal in Carolina.

Here is a listing of the highest paid defensemen from last season, who are still on the market, (according to Cap Geek):

Ron Hainsey $4.5 million

Tomas Kaberle $4.25 million

Tom Gilbert $4 million

Ryan Whitney $4 million

Filip Kuba $4 million

Roman Hamrlik $3.5 million

Toni Lydman $3 million

Ian White $2.875 million

Tom Poti $2.875 million

From the list above, who would you like to see wearing the sightless eye this season? Many of those players struggled last season and would be looking to turn things around.

Who would the Hurricanes be trying to move out? It would seem that it would have to be someone with a big contract.

We will be talking more about this in the coming days.

In other news:

The Canes announced that Elias Lindholm will meet the press today as they make an announcement during a press conference at 2 p.m. at the PNC Arena. We will have more on the event after two.

The Hurricanes development camp will start tomorrow and we will be there to bring you a variety of information. In years' past, Carolyn, otherwise known as HockeyMomof2, used to prepare information sheets that you could print out and bring with you to the rink, to help you identify the prospects. This season, Elliott James Farrell created a similar roster that you may print and share.

Simply click the following link and print as many as you wish.

2013 Development Camp Roster

Thanks Elliott, nicely done!

Finally, once again congratulations to the winners of Brian's Stanley Cup pickem' challenge. As promised, each winner will receive a handsome Canes Country t-shirt and a Cam Ward puck. We will have other contests in the future and will try to do some game time contests as well this season.

Kudos to Eburges1, Mburgess00, and Keebler Elf. Your prizes are in the mail.

Cc_and_puck_medium

Quick Hits: July 17th Edition

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Red Wings News

Holland: Wings will sign Nyquist, Andersson by training camp | ProHockeyTalk
He better.

Pavel Datsyuk on Red Wings’ future, Winter Classic and making opponents look silly (Puck Daddy Interview) | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
My favorite line: "Of course. Twitter, Facebook, bicycle, car – I am behind the handle of all of those things myself."!

The Left Wing Lock" Blog Archive " Andreas Athanasiou: NHL Ready or Not?
Um... Yeah, no. Have fun spending the next 7 years in Grand Rapids.

Detroit Red Wings agree to terms with D Brendan Smith on 2-year contract - NHL.com - News

I was sleeping last night and my phone lit up with an alert that the Wings had re-signed Smith. Old news.

Can Darren Helm stay healthy? - The Macomb Daily

Can he? Yes. But the current issue does still worry me.

NHL News

The only one: After being drafted No. 4 overall, Nashville defenseman Seth Jones takes to the ice to potentially become hockey's first African-American superstar - SBNation.com
He should have the prime opportunity to shine playing alongside Shea Weber for the next few years.

Who were the luckiest and unluckiest NHL teams in 2013 season? | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports

Statistics to determine luck? Hmm...

Ference hopes he can help Oilers earn playoff berth | TSN
An improved defense will certainly help their bid but it's still not a lock. The goaltending is still shaky.

Hurricanes sign youngest Staal brother to 1-year, 2-way contract - The Hockey News
So... when are they trading for Marc?

Dustin Penner returns to Ducks after signing 1-year, $2 million deal | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Good pickup for the Ducks. Good contract too.

Report: Contract talks stall between Rangers, Stepan | ProHockeyTalk
They need to sign Stepan. He is their only good center.

Jets, Tangradi avoid arbitration; ink two-year, $1.35M deal | TSN

All of these deals get done before the arbitration hearing.

Kings acquire Daniel Carcillo, move one step closer to becoming ‘Dry Island West’ | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Re-uniting with Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.

Jamal Mayers doesn’t want to retire yet | ProHockeyTalk
I'm sure that the Panthers have some openings.

Let's Go Red Wings!

Day One Of Development Camp In The Books

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Prospects of the Carolina Hurricanes had a busy day on Tuesday. They started development camp out with an early morning physical, then got to spend some up-close and personal time with Pete Friesen, who put the boys through some strength and conditioning testing.

I asked Ohio State goalie Collin Olson what his day was like.

"We went right from our physicals to some strength testing with Pete Friesen which was pretty tough, but it's good to see just where you measure up with these guys and what you need to work on. Then we had a little time to rest back at the hotel and came back here to the rink. As you said, the goalies played during both sessions and it was not necessarily a good practice for goalies, but you just get out there and knock the rust off and see what you're up against."

Many of the drills were skill related, passing, skating, and shooting, so the goalies saw a lot of action.

Olson started skating when he was just three years-old and looked up to his cousin, Mike, who was a goalie. He laughed when I asked him if it was true that goalies were a bit crazy.

"I have always been a goalie since day one. I loved all the gear and everything about it. Everyone says that goalies are a bit crazy, but I consider myself one of the most normal ones," he quipped back.

I spoke briefly with several of the prospects. Here are some highlights:

Surprisingly enough, Elias Lindholm's and Victor Rask's favorite player is Peter Forsberg.

Brock McGinn's favorite is Sidney Crosby. Then McGinn described his game to me:

"My game is mostly a two-way game, a physical game. I try to create space for my linemates. I like to play at both ends of the ice and enjoy penalty killing and blocking shots. I am definitely trying to play a physical type of game."

Invitee Sergey Tolchinsky was invited to the Rangers' and Islanders' camps as well as Carolina's. The winger was not drafted, so he is fighting for a free agent contract.

A bit of a contrast from McGinn, Tolchinsky described his game as well.

"I think I have a good shot. I am a good skater and good stickhandler. I think I am fast enough, but I have to work on my strength and size and I am working on that now and will continue through the summer."

The Russian native gave me several of his favorite players, including Pavel Datsyuk, John Tavares, and Sidney Crosby.

Goalie Daniel Altshuller's favorite player is Patrick Roy.

"My favorite player of all time is definitely Patrick Roy. I wear number 33 because of him. I just loved his passion. He did everything to win, he loved winning and hated losing. So I try to be like him in that respect. Whether its practice or a game, I try to always stay focused and try not to let in any pucks."

Altshuller, who tends net for the Oshawa Generals, said he was learning a lot and was very appreciative of being here.

We will be following camp everyday and will have many more quotes right up until the finale on Saturday.

Wednesday's Coyotes Tracks - Seth Jones' Path to Stardom

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Coyotes News

Phoenix Coyotes prospect Tobias Rieder enjoys 'great experience' at developmental camp - AZCentral.com
"We grew together as a group. It was a great experience for me personally. I really like it here. I think it’s amazing here in Arizona."

Time in AHL beneficial to Coyotes prospect Lessio - AZCentral.com
Lessio is coming another stellar prospect camp.

Laplante drops 'Yan' from name, rises in ranks - The Hockey News
Phoenix draftee Pavel Laplante headlines this week's list of players we can't wait to see in the NHL one day.

Free Agency - Hip Checks
Some thoughts on Phoenix Coyotes free agency by a fellow Coyotes blog.

Loyalty and the Phoenix Coyotes | SportsMongerHockey
Does loyalty help to define the Phoenix Coyotes? Seems like it.

News From Around the Hockey World

The significance of the Tippett and Hitchcock effect on goaltending - Arctic Ice Hockey
Is there any truth to the belief that Ondrej Pavelec would have better numbers if he played behind -- say -- the Boston Bruins? We use statistics to find out.

After Alberta's flood, hockey honcho hopeful cleans up wreckage - The Globe and Mail
George Gosbee is likely to win the Phoenix Coyotes franchise, but for now his attention is on his water-damaged Calgary home.

Who were the luckiest and unluckiest NHL teams in 2013 season? | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports Canada
The Coyotes weren't in the bottom six for the "luck" index.

Does Ron Hextall want Paul Holmgren's job? - Broad Street Hockey
Ron Hextall wants to be a general manager, and his gut feeling is that making a lateral move from Los Angeles to Philadelphia is a good move towards achieving that goal.

Hurricanes Re-Sign Jared Staal To One-Year, Two-Way Contract - Canes Country
Former Coyotes draft pick.

Ranking the desirability of all 30 NHL destinations to unrestricted free agents | Backhand Shelf
Coyotes ranked 26th.

Arbitration dates set; Gagner, Stewart up first | ProHockeyTalk
15 players are currently scheduled for arbitration between July 22 and August 2.

Jets, Tangradi avoid arbitration with two-year, $1.35M deal | ProHockeyTalk
Former Ducks, Pens prospect sticks in Winnipeg.

What Do Players Owe Us? - In Lou We Trust
For the second season in a row, Devils fans have been forced to cope with the harsh realities of sports business, losing the second "face of the franchise" in as many years.

Tampa Bay Lightning re-signs defenseman Mark Barberio - Raw Charge
The Lightning have re-signed defenseman Mark Barberio to a one-year, two-way contract.

Reports: NHL and IIHF reach an agreement on 2014 Winter Olympics - Raw Charge
The inevitable has apparently happened.

Flocking back: Penner re-joins Ducks — one year, $2 million | ProHockeyTalk
Coming full circle.

Daniel Carcillo Traded to Los Angeles for Conditional 2015 Draft Pick - Jewels From The Crown
Former Flyers continue to migrate west.

The Final Howl

The only one: After being drafted No. 4 overall, Nashville defenseman Seth Jones takes to the ice to potentially become hockey's first African-American superstar - SBNation.com

Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop: Cap-Locked Teams Need To Deal

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The C&B writers were chatting via email the other day and an interesting topic came up: the teams who are currently cap-locked and need to make a move to have flexibility. To wit:

DZ:
Rangers: $3.3 million in space ($4.8 million if they send Krieder and John Moore to the AHL) to sign Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello.
Kings: Jordan Nolan, Trevor Lewis, Kyle Clifford all RFA with $2.2 million in space.
Hurricanes: Missing 2/3 of it's 3rd line and a 4th line fwd with only $5.4 million in space.
Coyotes: missing a 1st LW and 3rd LW but will get Mikkel Boedker to sign RFA, leaving them ~$5.5 for 1LW and 2 press box fwds.
Leafs: $9 million to sign Kadri, Komarov, and Franson with Gunnarson and Fraser in arbitration.
JP:
Not to mention teams with their own internal budgets. I can't help thinking the Predators is going to have to shed money based on their history of spending in the low 50s. Probably other teams as well.
DZ:
Consider those, does that make Braydon Coburn, Brian Boyle, Anton Stralman, Trevor Lewis, Joni Pitkanen, David Moss, and Nikolai Kulemin all available for non-roster things?
Which position should the Oilers address in this manner? Who else could be available for the Oilers in the coming weeks? What would you be comfortable moving to snag one of these players? Who would you target?

Everyone Else: totally not the most Desirable City for UFAs

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Yesterday, Sarah went through a few more reasons to sign in Boston as a FA. Sure, Chiarelli said he's done for the month but he also said we got Iginla and that never happe- oh. Well. Maybe he's done for the month as of a few months from now, though. Anyways, if there are any FAs considering offers from multiple teams and Boston is one of them, and you're a good player, here are a few reasons not to sign elsewhere:

  • Anaheim Ducks - Have to play with contact high during home games when Snoop Dogg is in the hizzouse, nephew! Church!
  • Buffalo Sabres - Well, it's buffalo. Lots of good hockey players from there, because they want to get out and there's nothing to do. The only reason the Sabres aren't the most sad-sack organization in town is that the Bills still exist.
  • Calgary Flames - Your locker room was underwater over the summer, and the team might still stink more than it.
  • Carolina Hurricanes - You're nobody during football season.
  • Chicago Blackhawks - Just won the cup so make sure you're signed for more than 2 years if you want a chance of winning it all.
  • Colorado Avalanche - Won't get any local endorsement deals as Peyton Manning has exclusive rights to the state at this point.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets - Will probably make a little more. A the Ohio State football player will probably steal your girlfriend.
  • Dallas Stars - If you sign short-term, you'll end up somewhere else by the end of the year. Have to battle Tyler Seguin for a roster spot.
  • Detroit Red Wings - Mommas, don't let your kids grow up to sell Amway...
  • Edmonton Oilers - "They have a big mall, though!" is the Edmonton Tourism Board's slogan.
  • Florida Panthers - Sometimes your team president flies to Vegas for lunch. If you like getting yelled at by retired Canadian fans, sign right up!
  • Los Angeles Kings - Team-building activities include "coke weekend in Las Vegas" and "Pancake Breakfast" so if that's your bag, I guess that's alright.
  • Minnesota Wild - No cap space to sign you or anyone else after the Parise/Suter signings.
  • Montreal Canadiens - Parlez-vous français?
  • Nashville Predators - If you like the spotlight, see employment elsewhere unless you are Seth Jones. Hope you like country music.
  • New Jersey Devils - What did Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise know that you don't?
  • New York Islanders - They say that free agents stick around after signing there. Do you really want to meet Long Island mobsters?
  • New York Rangers - You will never, ever, ever, ever win a "best dressed" award while Lundqvist is around.
  • Ottawa Senators - Your neighbors will be very good at things like petitioning Canadian congress. Which is cool, I guess.
  • Philadelphia Flyers - Will be traded before your NTC kicks in.
  • Phoenix Coyotes - The only state that holds onto the old Soviet refrain, "Papers please, comrade!"
  • Pittsburgh Penguins - Hope you don't need to catch a cab, ever.
  • San Jose Sharks - Window is closing (closed?). Can get a great deal at Fry's on that video card you've been looking for. Traffic sucks.
  • St. Louis Blues - Cheapskate owner keeps trying to make it work near the cap floor.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning - Team doesn't like funny faces. Paying Vinny Prospal to not play there. Relying on Ben Bishop to provide solid goaltending and he's not facing college players anymore.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs - Phil Kessel is probably leaving after this year, leaving a core that includes Tyler Bozak and David Clarkson.
  • Vancouver Canucks - Play for John Tortorella. Go ahead, ask him why that's bad. This interview is OVER!
  • Washington Capitals - Will be late to practice often, stuck behind motorcades.
  • Winnipeg Jets - Have to live in Winnipeg. God help you if you're not white and/or not from North America.

As you can see, all of those cities and teams suck and nobody should play for them.

Note to the NHL: Fix the Point System

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2013 has brought about a lot of change within the NHL. The biggest change has been league realignment, which will go into effect for the upcoming 2013-14 season. And it's a change that the league royally screwed up.

How is it fair to any of the Eastern Conference teams that they have to battle with 15 other teams over eight playoff spots, while the teams in the Western Conference only need to be battle with 13?

It's not, but that's just how Gary Bettman's NHL seems to run. Imbalance is starting to seem like the rule, not the exception. But if the NHL is still in the mood to change some things, maybe they should rid the league of some of it's imbalance and fix the point system.

Since the NHL introduced the overtime loser point in the 90's, NHL games have varied in the amount of points they are worth on a nightly basis. If a game ended in regulation the game was worth two points, but if it went to overtime, the game became worth three.

The presence of the extra point brought about a lot of nonsense. Teams in the 3rd period were all of a sudden playing for overtime instead of pushing to win the game.As the season wore on , teams were hoping rival's games would end in regulation, so they would only be affected by two points in the standings and not three. Teams were even clinching playoff spots with overtime losses.

I'm not an NHL big wig, but it doesn't seem like rocket science to realize that all 1230 games on the NHL calender each year should be worth the same amount of points. It also doesn't take a genius to realize that the second you clicked on this story, I was going to propose some cockamamie solution to the NHL point system.

Of course I am!

The first thing that needs to be done is to set a concrete number of points a game is worth. For my system to work, each game needs to be worth 3 points. Unfortunately that may allow some super team in the future to approach 200 points in a year. The actual threshold point totals reach shouldn't really be an issue though, so if a team wins the division with 180 points, so be it.

If each game is worth 3 points, then obviously each regulation win is worth 3 points and each regulation loss is worth zero, a la most soccer leagues.

The next issue is overtime outcomes. Again, wins are worth 3 points and losses are worth zero. My reasoning here is fairly simple. If you get beat by a goal scored with a running clock and defenders on the ice trying to stop you from scoring, then you deserve the full 3 points.

The same is true on the other side. If you get beat by an actual NHL goal that counts in a players statistics, then you got beat fair and square and don't deserve any points. Overtime isn't Field Day in elementary school, where all you need to do it show up and you get a ribbon. You want the points? Win the game!

Now if this were a true Chris McNally solution, I would completely abolish the shootout. But lord knows the NHL loves its shootout, so for the league's sake I'll keep it intact. The point system for a shootout win and loss would stay the same, two points for a shootout win, and one point for a loss. I don't think it's fair for any team to get completely penalized for losing a game in a skills competition, so that's why the points are divided.

In this system, every game is worth three points, whether you get to overtime or not. It also, at least in regulation, eliminates the ability for a team to play it safe and try to make it to overtime to at least earn a point. Here is the point breakdown again:

OutcomePoints
Regulation Win3
Regulation Loss0
Overtime Win3
Overtime Loss0
Shootout Win2
Shootout Loss1

If you are wondering how this point system would have affected the NHL standings last season, here is a breakdown of what the standings were under the current system (left) and what they would have been using my system (right).

Eastern Conference:

RankTeamPointsRankTeamPoints
1Penguins721Penguins105
2Canadiens632Canadiens86
3Capitals573Capitals81
4Bruins624Maple Leafs83
5Maple Leafs575Bruins83
6Rangers566Rangers78
7Senators567Senators75
8Islanders558Jets73
9Jets519Islanders71
10Flyers4910Flyers70
11Devils4811Devils62
12Sabres4812Sabres60
13Hurricanes4213Hurricanes57
14Lightning4014Lightning56
15Panthers3615Panthers43

Western Conference:

RankTeamPointsRankTeamPoints
1Blackhawks771Blackhawks107
2Ducks662Ducks87
3Canucks593Canucks79
4Blues604Kings83
5Kings595Blues83
6Sharks576Wild76
7Red Wings567Red Wings75
8Wild558Blue Jackets71
9Blue Jackets559Sharks71
10Coyotes5110Stars65
11Stars4811Coyotes65
12Oilers4512Flames62
13Flames4213Oilers58
14Predators4114Predators52
15Avalanche3915Avalanche48

While the difference in the standings isn't drastic, teams that benefited from overtime losses and shootout wins noticeably suffered in the standings under my system.

Is the system perfect? Probably not, but it does address the two major problems with the current system. It allows every NHL game to be worth the same amount of points and it would cause a greater urgency to win late in a tie game.

Wait, the Islanders wouldn't have made the playoffs in my system? Maybe we should just scrap the whole idea. Anybody have a better idea?


Brenden Morrow and Ron Hainsey - Rumors Swirl Around Hurricanes

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Last week our new writer, Jonathan Stout contacted Jaromir Jagr's agent, Petr Svoboda, and confirmed that the Hurricanes were on Jagr's short list of teams that the winger was interested in. The Hurricanes were quick to respond though that Jagr was not the free agent Jim Rutherford was referring to when he spoke of a top free agent wanting to come to Raleigh, earlier in the week.

Early this week, Chip Alexander, the team's beat writer for the News and Observer, sent out a "tweet" that there was "scuttlebutt" that the team was interested in Ron Hainsey. John Forslund confirmed that the team was indeed interested in adding a free agent defenseman during an interview on Sirius Radio a couple of days later.

In today's paper, Luke DeCock wrote an article about how Brenden Morrow would make sense for the Hurricanes this season. In the article DeCock says that Morrow's agent confirmed that the Canes had been in contact earlier in the summer.

While a valid case was made that Morrow would make sense for Carolina in many ways, including team grit, a similar case could be made for Jagr, who could certainly help one of the worst powerplays in the NHL last season. Jagr was scoring about a point a game before the playoffs and still contributed 12 assists in the postseason.

How many games did the Canes lose last season because they failed to capitalize with the man advantage?

Morrow had two goals and two assists in 14 postseason games last season. After scoring 11 points in 25 games for Dallas, he did chip in 14 points in 15 games for the Pens.

Both players earned a bit over $4 million last season, but with most teams facing cap issues, both will probably be needing to take a cut this season. Just how much of a cut is in question.

So who is the mystery free agent that Jim Rutherford was speaking about, who is patiently waiting in the wings while the Hurricanes try to move a contract? We may never find out, because this contract is apparently a tough one to move.

Intensity Picks Up On Day Three

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The coaching staff of the Carolina Hurricanes picked up the pace of prospect camp on Thursday as the boys battled in three-on-three and two-on-two drills for much of the late afternoon practice. This gave many of the youngsters a chance to shine, as they were able to sometimes break away for open moves on the goalies.

The physicality also picked up.

Highly regarded draft pick, Elias Lindholm, ended up hurting his shoulder midway through practice and left the ice to have it examined. It was later reported that the injury was not serious, but the Swede will have to stay off the ice for the rest of camp. He will participate in the other Summerfest activities on Saturday.

Lindholm had the puck a couple of feet from the boards and fell awkwardly into the boards after a shove from a defender.

It was a highly spirited practice which concluded with a shootout in which Austin Levi and Brock McGinn turned out to be the heroes.

Russian invitee, Sergey Tolchinsky opened the shootout with a nifty move and goal. The shifty skater brought many out of their seats earlier when he broke into the clear and made an amazing toe-drag move that drew "ohhhs" and "ahhhs" from his teammates. The move also had some in the press section trying to come up with a suitable nickname.

Levi scored twice during the shootout drill, once as the final shooter with laps on the line and he was heartily congratulated by his mates after the score. McGinn also made his final attempt count, as he was able to get the goalie moving before lifting the puck into the net.

After practice, I asked McGinn about the skill in his game, especially after he just told me the other day he considered himself to be more of a physical player.

"It felt good out there. We practiced the shootout a lot back in Guelph with Scott Walker. It was fun bringing some moves to the game. I had tried those moves before and was successful, so I tried them here as well and had some success as well. I try to show some physicality in addition to some skill and I'm glad I had the chance here."

McGinn went on to tell me about how much he had learned in camp, especially the power skating and physical training aspects.

Levi, who is not necessarily known for his offensive abilities, was getting some ribbing in the room. When asked if those moves were typically part of his game, he replied with a smile.

"I'm not normally called upon in the shootout so this was a lot of fun."

Levi started playing hockey as a youngster growing up in Colorado, and fell in love with the sport as the Avalanche were fighting in the playoffs.

"I moved to Colorado in 1996 and the Avs won the Cup that year. They won it again in 2001, so they were definitely instrumental to my start in hockey. I started playing when I was eight, in 2000, and it took off from there. Then I moved to Plymouth when I was 14 and played for Compuware, and then Plymouth."

Lindholm and Victor Rask will be happy to know that Peter Forsberg is also Levi's favorite NHL player of all time.

The boys will be back on the ice on Friday, with another late afternoon practice scheduled for 5:30.

For Jamie's pics, click here.

2013 Flyers schedule: Welcome to the ... Metropolitan Division?

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After much deliberation over the past few days amongst the folks at the NHL, the Flyers and the rest of the league finally released the schedule for the 2013-14 NHL season on Friday afternoon. You can see the full thing here.

Some quick notes:

* The NHL finally released its names for its new four conferences today. Among the two "Eastern Conference" groupings, the Flyers' group (consisting of the entire old Atlantic Division, along with the Capitals, Hurricanes, and Blue Jackets) has been named the Metropolitan Division. Yes, seriously. Meanwhile, the other Eastern Conference group is now known as ... the Atlantic Division. You can't make this stuff up.

* As was expected by everyone, the league will take a 17-day break between February 9 and 25 for the 2014 Winter Olympics. NHL players have been cleared to attend and play for their respective countries, and we'll have more thoughts on that and which Flyers that will affect later down the line. But in the meantime, we know the Flyers won't play a game between February 8 and 27.

* Amongst their division rivals, the Flyers will play the Penguins and Capitals five times, and the Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Blue Jackets, and Hurricanes four times.

* In the new Atlantic Division (I mean SERIOUSLY, NHL), each team there will play the Flyers three times. The Flyers get two home games and one road game against each of the Bruins, Canadiens, Maple Leafs, and Sabres, and the opposite (one home, two road) against the Red Wings, Senators, Panthers, and Lightning.

* They'll face every team in the two Western divisions twice, once at home and once on the road.

* They have 14 sets of back-to-back games.

There's more to dissect here, and we'll look at all of that again soon. But for now, welcome to the new Metropolitan Division.

Red Wings To Visit PNC On Opening Night

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The NHL finally released their schedule today and the Carolina Hurricanes will be opening their season at home against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, October 4. Next up will be the Philadelphia Flyers also at home, on Sunday, October 6.

The team will play more home games in October this year than in the past as the schedule is split, with six games home and six on the road in that pivotal opening month.

Carolina will have 18 back-to-back games, (by my count), which they have traditionally had trouble with. They will also be off for two weeks in February for the Olympics.

In related news, the new division the Canes are in is called the Metropolitan Division.

You can check out the schedule and download it from the following link. We will have much more about the schedule later.

2013-14 Hurricanes Schedule

Carolina Hurricanes.com will have more info.

Red Wings Schedule Breakdown

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After days of anticipation, it's finally here. The Red Wings schedule has officially be released. The highlight of the schedule is obviously the Winter Classic against the Maple Leafs at the Big House, but lets take a look at the schedule month by month to highlight some of the other games to look forward to.

OCTOBER

Oct_sched_medium

HOME: 7

ROAD: 6

BACK-TO-BACKS: 2

It's still weird seeing so many Eastern Conference teams on the schedule. The Wings open up with an Atlantic Division foe, the Buffalo Sabres. Obviously the two biggest games of the season outside of the Winter Classic take place on October 5 and 14. Detroit completes it's trips to Boston in the first two weeks of the season. I will surely be taking work off both those days and traveling to the Garden. Daniel Alfredsson will face his former team for the first time on the 23rd, although it will be at the Joe.

NOVEMBER

Nov_sched_medium

HOME: 8

ROAD: 6

BACK-TO-BACKS: 3

The Wings start November in western Canada before coming home to welcome back Jim Nill and his Dallas Stars on November 7. Two nights later, Steve Yzerman and his Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Joe. If only Sergei Fedorov's CSKA Moscow came to town on the 11th to complete the hat trick of former Red Wing GMs. The Wings get to beat up the Predators on Nov 19. The Wings have two scheduled losses on November 16 and 29.

DECEMBER

Dec_sched_medium

HOME: 7

ROAD: 7

BACK-TO-BACKS: 2

December kicks off with a bang as Alfredsson returns to Ottawa for the first time. The rest of the month is sponsored by the state of Florida. The Wings have 5 total games against the Panthers and Lightning. The Pens come to town on the 14th and the Ducks visit on the 17th for a first round rematch from last season. We also get a little Winter Classic preview on the 21st.

JANUARY

Jan_schedule_medium

HOME: 7

ROAD: 6

BACK-TO-BACKS: 1

January will be a fun month. The Winter Classic starts the festivities on the 1st. Then the Wings head out on a five game road trip going from Dallas to California to New York City. After that it's a season high five game home stand highlighted by the first showdown between the Red Wings and Blackhawks since last season's playoffs. Two nights later the Wings host the Canadiens for the first of four match ups between the Original Six rivals.

FEBRUARY

Feb_schedule_medium

HOME: 1

ROAD: 5

BACK-TO-BACKS: 2

Only one home game in February. The Wings play on my birthday in Florida so chalk that up as a loss. There will be a 17 day break for the Olympics in the middle of the month. USA is the best. Suck it, Graham.

MARCH

March_sched_medium

HOME: 8

ROAD: 7

BACK-TO-BACKS: 3

It feels like there are a lot of games in March and the Wings are all over the place. They play the Devils twice, visit Chicago and hold a home-and-home series with the Wild. From March 20-30 the Wings play 7 games in 11 days and alternate home/road every outing.

APRIL

April_schedule_medium

HOME: 3

ROAD: 4

BACK-TO-BACKS: 2

The Wings begin the final month of the season with four games against fellow Flortheast Atlantic division foes. After that it's a date with the Pens and Hurricanes before closing out the season on the road in St. Louis. Wouldn't it be awesome if the Blues had to win the final game of the season to make the playoffs… and the Wings shut them out?

Ultimately this schedule is full of new faces we don't see often. Only seven games start at 9p ET or later and there are a ton of 7p ET starts. Welcome to the Eastern Conference, folks. This looks like an Atlantic Division winning schedule to me.

Let's Go Red Wings.

Zac Dalpe Signed To One-Year, Two-Way Deal

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The Carolina Hurricanes just announced the signing of Zac Dalpe to a one-year, two-way deal this afternoon. The contract will pay the young forward $550,000 at the NHL level and $125,000 in the AHL, with a guaranteed minimum of $150,000.

This just leaves Zach Boychuk as the remaining RFA yet to re-sign with the team.

The team's press release follows:

‘CANES AGREE TO TERMS WITH ZAC DALPE

Forward signs one-year, two-way contract

RALEIGH, NC – Jason Karmanos, Executive Vice President and Assistant General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forward Zac Dalpe on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will play Dalpe $550,000 at the NHL level, or $125,000 at the American Hockey League (AHL) level, with a guarantee of $150,000.

Dalpe, 23, played in 10 games with Carolina in 2012-13, scoring one goal, earning two assists (3 points) and averaging 12:18 of ice time per game. The Paris, Ont., native also skated in 54 games with the Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers, leading the team in plus/minus (+16) and ranking fourth on the team in goals (21) and points (42).

The Hurricanes selected Dalpe (6’1", 190 lbs.) in the second round, 45th overall, in the 2008 NHL Draft. In 41 career NHL games with Carolina, he has scored five goals and earned five assists (10 points). Dalpe turned professional after playing two seasons at Ohio State University, and has scored 68 goals and earned 71 assists (139 points) in 180 career AHL regular-season games with Carolina’s affiliates in Albany and Charlotte.

Individual game tickets for all Carolina Hurricanes exhibition and regular-season games will go on sale to the general public on Sept. 6. For information on 2013-14 Hurricanes ticket packages, please visit www.CarolinaHurricanes.com, or call 1-866-NHL-CANES.

NHL Travel Miles: The 2013-2014 Super Schedule is Here!

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For the third time in the six years I've been calculating the total distance traveled by NHL teams during the upcoming season, the San Jose Sharks will log the most mileage in the league, with over 57,000 miles ahead of them on the 2013-14 NHL schedule.

Below you'll find the total travel mileage and number of times each NHL team plays games on back-to-back nights for the upcoming season, along with the two previous full seasons (2011-12 and 2010-11) for a point of comparison. To go even farther back, check out this post from our archives, which contains data going back to the 2008-9. You should be able to click the column headings and this table will re-sort itself automagically:

Team2013-14 Miles2013-14 B-to-B2011-12 Miles2011-12 B-to-B2010-11 Miles2010-11 B-to-B
Anaheim Ducks48,5681450,2961047,83812
Boston Bruins42,3891733,7701135,67317
Buffalo Sabres34,8121335,9112330,34715
Calgary Flames48,9701249,104548,0047
Carolina Hurricanes38,8792038,1142440,87433
Chicago Blackhawks38,6801839,2882040,49821
Colorado Avalanche49,0071048,9451844,19011
Columbus Blue Jackets36,5971742,8311744,60027
Dallas Stars46,6601349,6221746,2449
Detroit Red Wings35,3241542,8652039,79317
Edmonton Oilers45,1921250,0061050,3094
Florida Panthers45,1361452,751843,1448
Los Angeles Kings48,4321455,5911340,43010
Minnesota Wild44,2731342,8601250,80517
Montreal Canadiens39,3271739,1741933,22417
Nashville Predators39,8101539,5341042,37927
New Jersey Devils33,1512228,5972427,15227
New York Islanders29,9331832,4102028,21024
New York Rangers29,8391336,3851129,35518
Ottawa Senators34,8501633,9152032,15723
Philadelphia Flyers34,9291434,1932029,97329
Phoenix Coyotes52,6331249,1921553,84314
Pittsburgh Penguins37,0611733,4391728,94818
San Jose Sharks57,6121043,994556,2546
St. Louis Blues39,3281338,7812041,47323
Tampa Bay Lightning43,1021243,7171240,52210
Toronto Maple Leafs35,9751632,2392133,47027
Vancouver Canucks48,5101746,826251,2135
Washington Capitals36,2501737,9692232,40122
Winnipeg Jets46,4771044,627844,07916
Average41,3901541,5651540,24717

In addition to the totals available here, there is more detailed information which I've published as a Google Spreadsheet, with game-by-game data which includes the distance traveled from one game to the next, along with team-level statistics for that night's opponent, to facilitate a very basic kind of strength-of-schedule analysis if you wish to perform one.

A few interesting tidbits from this year's data:

  • While the Sharks may be jet-setting across North America this season, at least they'll have the fewest sets of games on back-to-back nights (10), along with other major traveling teams Winnipeg & Colorado. In an interesting balancing act, most of the teams with a high amount of travel mileage benefit from having fewer back-to-backs.
  • The Detroit Red Wings should be thrilled with their move to the Eastern Conference, as they can look forward to the easiest schedule they've ever had in the six years I've been compiling this.
  • The cushiest schedule by far goes to the New York Rangers, who not only travel the least but also have very few (13) back-to-back sets of games. So quit your complaining, Larry Brooks, the Blueshirts actually traveled further in many previous seasons, thanks in part to those European openers in which the Rangers were regular participants.
  • While the new divisional alignment & schedule ensures that each team travels to every other NHL city, the average miles traveled by team is pretty much in line with the two previous full seasons. Again, there are no European openers this season, a minor factor reducing overall travel mileage.

Got your own questions, thoughts or analysis on the 2013-2014 Super Schedule? Share them in the comments below, or on Twitter using the hashtag #superschedule!

More from On the Forecheck:


Florida Panthers Release 2013-14 Regular Season Schedule

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The Florida Panthers have finally released their schedule for the 2013-14 season and the club is now officially a member of the Atlantic Division along with the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Cats say goodbye to old rivals the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals, who are off to the Metropolitan Division, and to the Winnipeg Jets, who are heading west to the Central Division.

The Panthers begin their 20th anniversary season with a road game against the Dallas Stars (and their sharp new duds) on Thursday October 3rd. The home opener will be Friday October 11th versus the Pittsburgh Penguins. The season and home finale will be Saturday April 12th against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Cats are slated to make two appearances on NBC Sports Network. The first will come on December 28th against the Red Wings here at the BB&T Center and the second will be on the road March 31st against the New Jersey Devils. The club will also make a cameo on Hockey Night in Canada when the Montreal Canadiens come to town on March 29th.

Florida Panthers Schedule

OCTOBER 2013
DATEVISITORHOMETIME (ET)TV NETWORK/RESULTS
TICKETS
THU OCT 3, 2013PANTHERSSTARS
8:30 PM
SAT OCT 5, 2013PANTHERSBLUES
8:00 PM
TUE OCT 8, 2013PANTHERSFLYERS
7:00 PM
THU OCT 10, 2013PANTHERSLIGHTNING
7:30 PM
FRI OCT 11, 2013PENGUINSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SUN OCT 13, 2013KINGSPANTHERS
3:00 PM
TUE OCT 15, 2013PANTHERSPREDATORS
8:00 PM
THU OCT 17, 2013BRUINSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SAT OCT 19, 2013WILDPANTHERS
7:00 PM
TUE OCT 22, 2013BLACKHAWKSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
FRI OCT 25, 2013SABRESPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SUN OCT 27, 2013LIGHTNINGPANTHERS
5:00 PM
NOVEMBER 2013
DATEVISITORHOMETIME (ET)TV NETWORK/RESULTS
TICKETS
FRI NOV 1, 2013BLUESPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SAT NOV 2, 2013PANTHERSCAPITALS
7:00 PM
TUE NOV 5, 2013OILERSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
THU NOV 7, 2013PANTHERSBRUINS
7:00 PM
SAT NOV 9, 2013PANTHERSSENATORS
2:00 PM
SUN NOV 10, 2013PANTHERSRANGERS
7:00 PM
TUE NOV 12, 2013DUCKSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
FRI NOV 15, 2013PANTHERSWILD
8:00 PM
SAT NOV 16, 2013PANTHERSAVALANCHE
9:00 PM
TUE NOV 19, 2013PANTHERSCANUCKS
10:00 PM
THU NOV 21, 2013PANTHERSOILERS
9:30 PM
FRI NOV 22, 2013PANTHERSFLAMES
9:00 PM
MON NOV 25, 2013FLYERSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
WED NOV 27, 2013RANGERSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SAT NOV 30, 2013PENGUINSPANTHERS
7:00 PM
DECEMBER 2013
DATEVISITORHOMETIME (ET)TV NETWORK/RESULTS
TICKETS
TUE DEC 3, 2013SENATORSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
THU DEC 5, 2013JETSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SAT DEC 7, 2013PANTHERSRED WINGS
7:00 PM
SUN DEC 8, 2013PANTHERSBLACKHAWKS
7:00 PM
TUE DEC 10, 2013RED WINGSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
FRI DEC 13, 2013CAPITALSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SUN DEC 15, 2013PANTHERSCANADIENS
6:00 PMRDS
TUE DEC 17, 2013PANTHERSMAPLE LEAFS
7:00 PM
THU DEC 19, 2013PANTHERSSENATORS
7:30 PM
FRI DEC 20, 2013PANTHERSJETS
8:00 PM
MON DEC 23, 2013LIGHTNINGPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SAT DEC 28, 2013RED WINGSPANTHERS
7:00 PMNHLN-US
SUN DEC 29, 2013CANADIENSPANTHERS
5:00 PMRDS
TUE DEC 31, 2013RANGERSPANTHERS
5:00 PM
JANUARY 2014
DATEVISITORHOMETIME (ET)TV NETWORK/RESULTS
TICKETS
SAT JAN 4, 2014PREDATORSPANTHERS
7:00 PM
MON JAN 6, 2014PANTHERSCANADIENS
7:30 PMRDS
THU JAN 9, 2014PANTHERSSABRES
7:00 PM
SAT JAN 11, 2014PANTHERSDEVILS
7:00 PM
TUE JAN 14, 2014ISLANDERSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
THU JAN 16, 2014SHARKSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SAT JAN 18, 2014PANTHERSHURRICANES
7:00 PM
MON JAN 20, 2014PANTHERSPENGUINS
7:00 PM
TUE JAN 21, 2014PANTHERSSABRES
7:00 PM
FRI JAN 24, 2014AVALANCHEPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SUN JAN 26, 2014PANTHERSRED WINGS
5:00 PM
TUE JAN 28, 2014PANTHERSBRUINS
7:00 PM
THU JAN 30, 2014PANTHERSMAPLE LEAFS
7:00 PM
FEBRUARY 2014
DATEVISITORHOMETIME (ET)TV NETWORK/RESULTS
TICKETS
SAT FEB 1, 2014PANTHERSBLUE JACKETS
7:00 PM
TUE FEB 4, 2014MAPLE LEAFSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
THU FEB 6, 2014RED WINGSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
FRI FEB 7, 2014PANTHERSHURRICANES
7:00 PM
THU FEB 27, 2014CAPITALSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
MARCH 2014
DATEVISITORHOMETIME (ET)TV NETWORK/RESULTS
TICKETS
SAT MAR 1, 2014PANTHERSBLUE JACKETS
2:00 PM
SUN MAR 2, 2014PANTHERSISLANDERS
3:00 PM
TUE MAR 4, 2014PANTHERSBRUINS
7:00 PM
FRI MAR 7, 2014SABRESPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SUN MAR 9, 2014BRUINSPANTHERS
5:00 PM
TUE MAR 11, 2014COYOTESPANTHERS
7:30 PM
THU MAR 13, 2014PANTHERSLIGHTNING
7:30 PM
FRI MAR 14, 2014DEVILSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SUN MAR 16, 2014CANUCKSPANTHERS
3:00 PM
TUE MAR 18, 2014PANTHERSSHARKS
10:30 PM
THU MAR 20, 2014PANTHERSCOYOTES
10:00 PM
SAT MAR 22, 2014PANTHERSKINGS
4:00 PM
SUN MAR 23, 2014PANTHERSDUCKS
8:00 PM
TUE MAR 25, 2014SENATORSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
THU MAR 27, 2014HURRICANESPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SAT MAR 29, 2014CANADIENSPANTHERS
7:00 PMCBC, RDS
MON MAR 31, 2014PANTHERSDEVILS
7:30 PMNBCSN
APRIL 2014
DATEVISITORHOMETIME (ET)TV NETWORK/RESULTS
TICKETS
TUE APR 1, 2014PANTHERSISLANDERS
7:00 PM
FRI APR 4, 2014FLAMESPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SUN APR 6, 2014STARSPANTHERS
5:00 PM
TUE APR 8, 2014FLYERSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
THU APR 10, 2014MAPLE LEAFSPANTHERS
7:30 PM
SAT APR 12, 2014BLUE JACKETSPANTHERS
7:00 PM

Tolchinsky Scores Twice In Scrimmage

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Carolina Hurricanes fans were treated to a fast-paced scrimmage on Saturday as the team in red took the one in white, 6-5 in a shootout. With the score tied 3-3, Brendan Woods, Adam Brace, and Victor Rask connected on the shootout for the red team to give them the win.

Undrafted invitee, Sergey Tolchinsky scored twice for the winners while Ryan Murphy had a goal and an assist in a strong effort for the white team.

The prospects were split up as follows:

Red: Altshuller, Carrick, Karlsson, Levi, Ganly, Woods, Tolchinsky, Rask, Biega, Rissanen, Francis,

White: Olson, Murphy, Shea, Schmitz, Pesce, Pedersen, Lowe, Sutter, McGinn, Shugg, Pacan

Invited goalie Charlie Millen took turns playing a bit for both teams.

Tolchinsky got things started for red with a nicely placed top-shelf shot on Collin Olson. But Ryan Murphy would tie things up shortly afterward for the white squad.

Murphy would then make a nice pass to Brent Pedersen who scored as he used his size to get inside position.

Brandon Shea made the score 3-1 for white when he broke into the clear and lifted a nifty backhander over Daniel Altshuller.

But the red team did not waste anytime getting back into it as Tolchinsky scored his second of the scrimmage on a nice move, and Trevor Carrick tied the score on a nice feed from Adam Brace.

Pedersen and Brace would each score on the shootout for white.

After the game, head coach Kirk Muller had praise for the prospects. He spoke especially highly of Murphy and of Tolchinsky, whom he called the surprise of camp.

The rosters are not yet set for the Traverse City, but that will be the next step for many of these prospects.

I will have more interviews from the prospects posted next week.

Link to photos



Quick Takes: Canes Will Be "Watching" Tolchinsky

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A few quick takes on Tuesday afternoon:

Peter Ruicci from the Sault Star caught up with Sergey Tolchinsky and spoke to the winger before he left for Moscow about his experience at the Hurricanes camp.

"I showed them what I could do," Tolchinsky said of the six-day Hurricanes camp which concluded Saturday at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., home of the Canes. "I felt pretty good there."

When asked how he fared at the New York Rangers camp, which was earlier, he answered, "I think I played pretty good there, but I played better in Carolina," Tolchinsky said. "I played almost my best hockey there," he added. "I really tried hard to do my best. I played like it was a real game."

The winger went on to say that no one from the Canes spoke to him about signing a contract with the team.

The Hurricanes said "they’d keep watching me," Tolchinsky added. "They’re going to follow me and watch how I play this coming year."

The winger has already committed to play with the Rangers prospects at Traverse City, so the New York brass will undoubtedly be watching him as well. It will be interesting to see who signs him first.

____

Earlier today, Corey Pronman from Hockey Prospectus.com, shared a link on Twitter which showed a sample concussion base line test document.

Sport Concussion Assessment Tool

Ever wonder what a player is going through when they leave the ice after a hit to the head? Probably answering these questions, or some much like this.

____

The mystery concerning Jaromir Jagr is over. The future Hall of Famer signed with the New Jersey Devils today.

Jagr's contract is a bit different. It calls for a base salary of $2 million, but he will be paid another $2 million based upon the number of games he plays.

(If he plays a total of 45 games, he will receive the entire $4 million dollar contract).

I can see positive and negative regarding this type of deal. In principle I can see the logic, but do you want anything less than a fully healthy 41-42 year-old out on the ice? There is little doubt that if there is money on the line, Jagr is going to find a way to play, injured or not, feeling 100% or not.

This puts a lot of pressure on coach Peter DeBoer and his staff to manage the situation.

Do you like this type of contract or no?

Hurricanes Owner Peter Karmanos Jr. To Be Inducted Into U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame

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Peter Karmanos Jr., who went from owning a Detroit-area youth hockey team to eventually leading one of the NHL's nontraditional market success stories, has been chosen to be among five people inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame’s Class of 2013.

Karmanos is responsible for one of the boldest moves in NHL ownership history, relocating the Hartford Whalers to Raleigh, N.C. — a small, Southern, nontraditional market — and rebranding the organization as the Carolina Hurricanes. Since the move, the team has hosted the NHL Draft, the NHL All-Star Game, and won the Stanley Cup, all while helping transform the Triangle into a legitimate hockey market with passionate fans and a growing youth program. He has also owned youth and minor league teams, and has been involved in several charitable causes.

Doug Weight, who joined Carolina prior to the trade deadline during their 2006 run to the Stanley Cup, will also be inducted. Here is the release from the Hurricanes.

KARMANOS SELECTED FOR U.S. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME
Hurricanes owner joins Guerin, Weight, Mason and Curley in 2013 class

RALEIGH, NC – USA Hockey today announced that Peter Karmanos, Chief Executive Officer, Owner and Governor of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, has been selected for induction into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Karmanos joins former NHL stars Doug Weight and Bill Guerin, women’s hockey pioneer Cindy Curley and former collegiate coach Ron Mason in the U.S. Hockey Hall’s class of 2013.

Karmanos has used his business acumen to build an empire of hockey at all levels of the game in the United States for more than five decades, including the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers and the Compuware youth hockey program in Michigan.

With his partners Thomas Thewes and Jim Rutherford, Karmanos acquired the NHL franchise now known as the Carolina Hurricanes on June 28, 1994. After three financially unsuccessful seasons in Hartford, Conn., and after an agreement on a new facility between the team and the state of Connecticut could not be reached, Karmanos announced he would relocate the franchise to Raleigh, NC, on May 6, 1997. Since their arrival in North Carolina, the Hurricanes have enjoyed tremendous all-around success. On the ice, the team has advanced to the Conference Finals three times in the last 11 seasons, capturing Eastern Conference titles in 2002 and 2006 and the Stanley Cup in 2006. Off of the ice, the Hurricanes have become a key component of the sporting landscape in North Carolina, and in 2009 were recognized as the top hockey franchise and second-ranked franchise in all of sports by ESPN in the "Ultimate Standings," a collection of data and survey results that takes into account a team’s on-ice or on-field success, as well as its community impact and overall fan experience. The spotlight shined on the Hurricanes franchise again in January 2011, when the team and city of Raleigh earned tremendous praise for the successful 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend.

As the retired executive chairman of the board for Detroit-based Compuware, Karmanos has sponsored one of the nation’s most successful youth hockey programs of the same name. He also owns the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, which was the first American club to play in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Compuware youth hockey programs, including the Plymouth Whalers, have produced many NHL stars over the years including Pat LaFontaine, Al Iafrate, Mike Modano, Eric Lindros and Kevin Hatcher. Countless youth hockey programs benefit each season through the efforts and sponsorship of Carolina Hurricanes and Compuware. In December 1997, Karmanos was chosen as one of four recipients of the Lester Patrick Award. Originating in 1966, the award is given annually to individuals who are recognized for "outstanding service to hockey in the United States." In 2010, Karmanos received the Ontario Hockey League’s Bill Long Award, presented in recognition and appreciation of an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the OHL, and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. USA Hockey recognized Karmanos with its Distinguished Achievement Award in 2012.

U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductees are chosen on the basis of extraordinary contribution to the sport of hockey in the United States. The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame was founded in 1973. To date, there are 156 enshrined members in the Hall. For information on the members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, visit USHockeyHallofFame.com. The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum, located in Eveleth, Minn., is open daily. For hours of operation and admission prices, visit USHockeyHallMuseum.com or call 800-443-7825.

Quick Takes: New Prospect Rankings And Other Links

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We are linking to Corey Pronman again of the Hockey Prospectus who recently released his listing of Carolina's top 10 prospects. Newly drafted forward, Elias Lindholm is at the top of the list, followed by Ryan Murphy and Victor Rask.

In his overview, Pronman says the following:

Carolina's system is top heavy. They boast an elite prospect in Elias Lindholm, a very good one in Ryan Murphy, and Victor Rask is above average, but there is separation after that. The rest of their system is comprised of safe prospects with average upside, such as Dalpe, Pesce, and McGinn, and players with tools but also question marks, such as Di Guiseppe, Welsh, and Biega.

The addition of Lindholm did not lift the Hurricanesoverall ranking much if any, as they are still sitting in the 25th spot. Hockey's Future has the club at 26th.

_____

Other than the Jagr signing, the free agent market has been very quiet this week. Yesterday, Spector reported in his Hockey News rumors report that Mikhail Grabovski had narrowed his choices to about three to four teams, which included the Jets, Panthers, Capitals, and Flames.

Aaron Ward tweeted today that the forward had indeed narrowed his choice of teams, but the Jets were not on the list. Winnipeg has issues with signing RFA's Blake Wheeler and Zach Bogosian and with arbitration cases looming, it would make sense that they would concentrate on that first.

In the meantime, Carolina's mystery free agent target, (Brenden Morrow, Ron Hainsey, or whomever?), appears to continue to wait patiently.

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The Hockey News also has the top 10 Olympic tryout snubs and Cam Ward is listed at number two. Rory Boylen gives his take:

Sure Ward had a slight off-year exacerbated by injury, but with all the uncertainty around Canada’s goal crease, the 29-year-old, two-time World Championship medalist was considered among a handful of proven, long-time netminders to have the inside track on a job that ultimately would be decided during the upcoming season. You can’t argue against the inclusions of Corey Crawford or Braden Holtby, but Canada usually sticks with those it has used in recent international events.

Ward could still make the team, but he will have to be on his game to start the season and most likely will have to lead the league in wins and save percentage.

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