NHL 7/18/2012 St Louis Blues Blues and Oshie seem headed for arbitration, but an earlier deal is still possible

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1 SPORT-SCAN Boston Bruins Torey Krug preparing for first pro training camp Buffalo Sabres Sabres sign pair Nick Tarnasky, T.J. Brennan sign one-year deals with Sabres Chicago Blackhawks Blackhawks add former Kings assistant to coaching staff Joel Quenneville hires former Kings assistant Jamie Kompon Blackhawks hire assistant coach Blackhawks hire Jamie Kompon as assistant coach Detroit Red Wings Report: Mike Modano thinking about NHL comeback Red Wings, Kyle Quincey still talking as arbitration nears Report: Ex-Red Wing Mike Modano mulls comeback attempt GM Ken Holland: Red Wings likely to retain defenseman Kyle Quincey Red Wings, Kyle Quincey close to new deal, likely to avoid arbitration hearing Mike Modano intrigued by NHL comeback after injuryplagued finish with Red Wings Red Wings questions on your mind? Ask Ansar! Red Wings made big pitch for Rick Nash, but Columbus not willing to deal with Detroit Wings close to getting deal done with defenseman Kyle Quincey Los Angeles Kings Player evaluation: Penner Kings re-sign restricted free agents Player evaluation: Nolan Nashville Predators Nashville Predators' Jonathon Blum answers challenge to get in shape Predators sign AHL goalie to one-year, two-way contract Familiarity brings Chris Mason back to Predators Former backup goalie follows lead of other Preds making return trip to team New Jersey Devils Stevens Returns to Devils as an Assistant Coach For Scott Stevens, the time was right to join Devils coaching staff Devils name Scott Stevens and Matt Shaw as assistant coaches Devils hire Scott Stevens full time Devils hire legend Stevens NHL NHL ownership, union philosophies far apart Phoenix Coyotes Shane Doan taking his time; Phoenix Coyotes don't mind Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins make offer to free agent Doan San Jose Sharks New Jersey Devils hire former Sharks assistant NHL 7/18/2012 DAILY BRIEF St Louis Blues Blues and Oshie seem headed for arbitration, but an earlier deal is still possible Toronto Maple Leafs Leafs in pursuit of Bernier? Vancouver Canucks Canucks in tough to land Shane Doan despite multi-year offer Washington Capitals Why Mike Green won t have another 70-point season Capitals sign defenseman Mike Green to contract extension Websites League, union set to meet again Wednesday Sportsnet.ca / Brophy on NHL: Mega-deals are tying hands Winnipeg Jets Pavelec apologizes to fans, Jets in statement on drunk driving Pavelec is sorry, disappointed in himself SPORT-SCAN, INC. (941) phone (619) fax

2 Boston Bruins Torey Krug preparing for first pro training camp By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff Torey Krug hails from East Lansing, Mich. This summer, however, the Bruins' defenseman has relocated to Connecticut. Krug is participating in the four-phase offseason program at Prentiss Hockey Performance, based in Darien, Conn. Some of the NHLers who train under the Prentiss banner include Martin St. Louis and Max Pacioretty. For Krug, St. Louis is a valuable mentor off the ice. St. Louis is known as being a workout animal. He s taking a pretty good beating, said strength and conditioning coach Ben Prentiss of Krug. He s vying for a spot, so hopefully he ll get on that team. Krug will compete for a varsity roster spot when camp opens. The former Michigan State captain appeared in two games for the Bruins at the end of the regular season. This Sunday s Globe will have a closer look at Prentiss s summer program. Boston Globe LOADED:

3 Buffalo Sabres Sabres sign pair Staff Report The Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday announced that they agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent forward Nick Tarnasky and defenseman TJ Brennan to one-year deals. The 6-foot-2, 224-pound Tarnasky joins the Sabres after spending a season in the Kontinental Hockey League playing for Vityaz Chekov. In one season, Tarnasky recorded 12 points and 173 penalty minutes in 36 games. Tarnasky was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 9th round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. In parts of five NHL seasons, Tarnasky has compiled 30 points and 297 penalty minutes in 245 games with Tampa Bay, Nashville and Florida. The 6-1, 214-pound Brennan, the Sabres second-round pick in 2007, appeared in 11 games for the Sabres in Buffalo News LOADED:

4 Buffalo Sabres Nick Tarnasky, T.J. Brennan sign one-year deals with Sabres Written by Kevin Oklobzija Defenseman T.J. Brennan and tough-guy forward Nick Tarnasky signed one-year contracts with the Buffalo Sabres today, solidifying the Rochester Americans roster. Brennan scored 16 goals and added 14 assists for 30 points in 52 games last season. He also scored two goals in the three-game playoff series against the Toronto Marlies. Brennan, 23, just completed his three-year entry-level contract and was a restricted free agent. He must be exposed to waivers if the Sabres want to send him to the American Hockey League. Excluding Brennan, the Sabres still have a logjam at defense, with eight on the NHL roster: Christian Ehrhoff, Robyn Regehr, Tyler Myers, Jordan Leopold, Alex Sulzer, Andrej Sekera, Mike Weber and Adam Pardy. Tarnasky, 27, is a veteran of eight pro seasons and has played 245 NHL games ( , 297 penalty minutes). The 6-foot-2, 224-pound Tarnasky played last season with Chekhov Vityaz in the KHL (4-7-11, 173 penalty minutes in 36 games). Democrat and Chronicle LOADED:

5 Chicago Blackhawks Blackhawks add former Kings assistant to coaching staff Tribune report Joel Quenneville dipped into his stable of hockey buddies to stand beside him on the Blackhawks bench next season. The Hawks hired Jamie Kompon, who previously worked with Quenneville while with the Blues, as an assistant coach Tuesday to replace the fired Mike Haviland. Kompon spent the last six seasons with the Kings and helped guide them to their first Stanley Cup in June. His contract with the Kings expired June 30 and was not renewed. "Jamie will bring us all the great qualities you look for in a coach, most notably his work ethic and a winning resume," Quenneville said in a statement. "We have a great working relationship and I am confident he will be a great fit." Quenneville had been searching for an assistant since firing Haviland on May 8, saying that there was "some dysfunction" in the coaching ranks last season. Kompon will pair with fellow assistant Mike Kitchen, who was also on Quenneville's staff with the Blues, to attempt to repair the Hawks' special teams units. They finished 26th in the NHL with a 15.2 percent success rate on the power play and 27th on the penalty kill at 78.1 percent. "We are excited to add Jamie as assistant coach and certainly welcome the Stanley Cup pedigree he brings," Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said. "He has more than 15 years of NHL coaching experience and some obvious familiarity with our staff, having worked under Joel and Mike in St. Louis, which will help our staff and players with the transition." Chicago Tribune LOADED:

6 Chicago Blackhawks Joel Quenneville hires former Kings assistant Jamie Kompon By ADAM L. JAHNS In the end, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville added one more of his guys to his bench. After a long, extensive search for an assistant coach after Mike Haviland was fired May 8, the Hawks finally named Jamie Kompon as his replacement Tuesday. Haviland was fired after Quenneville agreed with general manager Stan Bowman that there was dysfunction on his staff. When the firing was announced, Quenneville said the hire would be his decision. During the draft in June, Quenneville said there was a long list of outstanding candidates he was considering. But a league source indicated that some candidates were wary of joining the Hawks because of the uncertainty surrounding Quenneville s future in Chicago. Quenneville s contract runs through the season. But after back-toback first-round exits and erratic regular seasons, many around the league believe Quenneville is already on the hot seat. Kompon spent the last six seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, but his contract wasn t renewed after they won the Stanley Cup. He also had served as the Kings director of amateur development. Kompon, who has more than 15 years of NHL coaching experience, was an assistant under Quenneville and alongside assistant Mike Kitchen with the St. Louis Blues. Jamie will bring us all the great qualities you look for in a coach, most notably his work ethic and a winning resume, Quenneville said. We have a great working relationship, and I am confident he will be a great fit with us here in Chicago. The Hawks lackluster power play was a major point of conflict last season, but Quenneville said he wasn t looking for a coach with a specific specialty. Kompon often was faulted for the King power-play struggles, despite their bevy of talent. Quenneville said after Haviland was fired that he and his staff would share the responsibilities of handling both special teams, but he also adamantly defended Kitchen s work on the power play. Last season, the Hawks brass sent in Barry Smith, the team s director of player development and former assistant to senior adviser Scotty Bowman, to help the power play with on-ice instruction. Sources said the move infuriated Quenneville. An argument between Quenneville and Smith ended Smith s participation before the playoffs. Rampant speculation about Quenneville leaving the Hawks soon followed. Since then, Quenneville has said that he wants to stay with the Hawks and that he could have handled certain areas differently and better than he did last season. Stan Bowman, meanwhile, said he still believes in Quenneville. With Kompon on board, Quenneville gains an ally. In a statement, Bowman said Kompon s familiarity with Quenneville and Kitchen will help our staff and players with the transition. Chicago Sun Times LOADED:

7 Chicago Blackhawks Blackhawks hire assistant coach Staff Writer The Blackhawks have hired Jamie Kompon as an assistant coach. Kompon, 45, comes to Chicago after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach with Los Angeles, where he helped the Kings capture the 2012 Stanley Cup. While with the Kings organization, he also served as director of amateur development. Before joining L.A., he spent nine years ( ) with the St. Louis Blues as a video coach and later as an assistant coach, working the bulk of his time under Head Coach Joel Quenneville and alongside assistant coach Mike Kitchen. With Quenneville, Kitchen and Kompon, the Blues set a franchise-record 113 points en route to the Presidents Trophy for the league s best record. In the spring of 2006 he served as a video coach for Team Canada at the World Championships in Latvia. We are excited to add Jamie as assistant coach and certainly welcome the Stanley Cup pedigree he brings, Blackhawks Vice President and General Manager Stan Bowman said. He has over 15 years of NHL coaching experience and some obvious familiarity with our staff, having worked under Joel and Mike in St. Louis, which will help our staff and players with the transition. Jamie will bring us all the great qualities you look for in a coach, most notably his work ethic and a winning resume, Quenneville said. We have a great working relationship and I am confident he will be a great fit with us here in Chicago. Chicago Sun Times LOADED:

8 Chicago Blackhawks Blackhawks hire Jamie Kompon as assistant coach TRACEY MYERS The Blackhawks hired Jamie Kompon to be the team's new assistant coach on Tuesday. The 45-year-old Kompon spent the last six seasons as the Los Angeles Kings' assistant coach. Before that he spent nine years with the St. Louis Blues, first as video coach and later as an assistant coach. Most of Kompon's time with the Blues was during Joel Quenneville's tenure as head coach. Kompon was also video coach for Team Canada at the 2006 World Championships. Jamie will bring us all the great qualities you look for in a coach, most notably his work ethic and a winning resume, Quenneville said. We have a great working relationship and I am confident he will be a great fit with us here in Chicago. Before joining the Blues, Kompton was an assistant coach for the Baltimore Bandits (AHL) for the season. He was co-head coach at McGill University in Montreal in , after spending three seasons as an assistant coach there. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED:

9 Detroit Red Wings Report: Mike Modano thinking about NHL comeback James Jahnke First, Dominik Hasek. Now Mike Modano? The Detroit Red Wings alumni team might not be confined to the Winter Classic next season. Modano, 42, told the Dallas Morning News on Monday that he's contemplating another season in the NHL. The Westland product and new U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer retired in 2011, after one injury-shortened season with the Red Wings. It s been hard to let go, Modano said Monday, according to the Morning News. I ve never really been able to fully close the door on that deal. I think my last year in Detroit was a lot of fun, and I wish it would have ended differently, with the injury and everything. I wish it would have ended better. It still haunts me. "I think in the back of my mind, I would love to see something work out where I could go back for a year, but I don t know... I don t see it. Hardly a definitive statement, but his wheels are turning, for sure. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

10 Detroit Red Wings Red Wings, Kyle Quincey still talking as arbitration nears By Helene St. James The Red Wings are readying briefs to submit Monday in case they're needed, but remain hopeful a deal can be worked out with restricted freeagent defenseman Kyle Quincey. Quincey filed for arbitration July 5, and the sides have a hearing one week from today, though written arguments are due two days in advance. In the meantime, negotiations continue. "We've talked a couple of times, and we'll talk some more," general manager Ken Holland said Tuesday. "We continue to talk about one year, but we've also had conversations about maybe beyond a year. It'll have to play itself out before next Wednesday." It's not uncommon to settle at the 11th hour. Quincey's age, 26, restricts an arbitrator to awarding a one-year deal, which would make Quincey eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer. He is coming off a two-year, $6.25-million deal, with an actual salary of $3.25 million last season. In arbitration, he isn't going to get less -- but the Wings can make an argument he shouldn't get much more. For both, a one-year deal might make sense, as Quincey would have the chance for a bounceback season and increase his value, and the Wings could gauge whether he's worth a longer investment. Solid defensemen are precious in the NHL, and the Wings are confident Quincey can establish himself as such. The Wings acquired him a week before the Feb. 28 trade deadline from Colorado via Tampa Bay. In 54 games with the Avalanche, Quincey had five goals among 23 points; he had three points, two of them goals, in 18 games with Detroit. The Wings had drafted him in the fourth round in 2003 and lost him on waivers in October Quincey spent a season with the Kings before being traded to the Avalanche. His transition back to Detroit was rough, but he arrived in a "perfect storm" scenario, joining a lineup struggling in the absence of its two best players, Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk. "When Kyle joined us, our team was playing the worst hockey of the year. We had lots of injuries. As a player, you need the whole group to be playing well," Holland said. "And he was probably a little surprised he got traded. I thought he was better later in the year. We scouted him, we know him, we know that he's a good, solid NHL defenseman. I think the opportunity for him to start right from training camp and get a comfort level will help this year." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

11 Detroit Red Wings Report: Ex-Red Wing Mike Modano mulls comeback attempt The Detroit News Mike Modano's final NHL season, with the Red Wings in , was a disappointment. He suffered a lacerated wrist in November of that season and missed 41 games, finishing with just four goals and 11 assists. Modano, who grew up in Westland and became one of the most prolific U.S.-born scorers in NHL history, has thought about attempting a comeback. "It's been hard to let go," Modano, 42, told the Dallas Morning News about ending his NHL career. Modano signed a one-day contract with the Dallas Stars in September 2011 to retire as a member of that franchise; the played for the Minnesota North Stars / Dallas Stars for his first 20 NHL seasons. "I've never really been able to fully close the door on that deal," Modano told the Morning News. "My last year in Detroit was a lot of fun, and I wish it would have ended differently, with the injury and everything. I wish it would have ended better, and there's a taste in your mouth about leaving the way it was it still haunts me." Modano signed with the Wings as an unrestricted free agent in August His career totals are impressive: 1,499 games, with 561 goals and 813 assists for 1,374 points. After the Minnesota Wild signed the top free agents on the market this summer, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, Modano wrote on Twitter: "Can I come back and play in Minnesota too?" Detroit News LOADED:

12 Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland: Red Wings likely to retain defenseman Kyle Quincey By Gregg Krupa The Red Wings and free agent defenseman Kyle Quincey appear to be closing in on a deal that would preclude the arbitration session slated for July 25, general manager Ken Holland said. "I talked to his agent and we're both hoping to avoid arbitration," Holland said. Quincey was acquired February 21 from the Lightning. Detroit News LOADED:

13 Detroit Red Wings Red Wings, Kyle Quincey close to new deal, likely to avoid arbitration hearing Ansar Khan DETROIT Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland believes he will get a deal done with Kyle Quincey before the defenseman's arbitration hearing on July 25. We re close,'' Holland said on Tuesday. The sides are required to submit their contract figures by 9 a.m. Monday. Both would like to avoid what can be an unpleasant process. It s good motivation for us to work on this thing, but I m optimistic we ll find a solution prior to going to the hearing,'' Holland said. We ve talked a number of times over the last few days. Based on the conversation we had today, I think we re making progress. See what happens over the next couple of days. I m certainly optimistic.'' They have been discussing one- and two-year deals. A one-year contract would enable Quincey, 26, to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Quincey earned $3.125 million in After Quincey is signed, Holland will shift his attention to forward Justin Abdelkader, a restricted free agent who did not file for arbitration. The Red Wings offered him a four-year deal in June but Holland hasn't talked much to his agent since then. Abdelkader earned $825,000 last season. We had free agency and everyone was busy,'' Holland said. We ll get it done.'' Follow Ansar Khan on Twitter at twitter.com/ansarkhanmlive and like MLive.com's Red Wings page on Facebook. Download MLive.com's smartphone app to get all the latest Red Wings news on your mobile device. Michigan Live LOADED:

14 Detroit Red Wings Mike Modano intrigued by NHL comeback after injury-plagued finish with Red Wings Josh Slagter Less than a week after being selected for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, might Mike Modano be considering an NHL comeback? After 20 years with the Dallas Stars and one season with the Detroit Red Wings, Modano says he's at least pondered the thought. "You look at things and you wonder, 'What's the worst thing that could happen?'" the 42-year-old Modano said. "I mean, I get in better shape. I don't know what's going to happen with the CBA and everything, but I mean, one more year? That kind of intrigues me." "I've never really been able to fully close the door on that deal. I think my last year in Detroit was a lot of fun, and I wish it would have ended differently, with the injury and everything. I wish it would have ended better, and there's a taste in your mouth about leaving the way it was it still haunts me." Modano played in only 40 games and had four goals and 11 assists in his only season in Detroit. A native of Livonia, Mich., Modano is the leading American-born goal scorer in NHL history with 561. His 1,374 career points also rank No. 1 all time among American-born players. Michigan Live LOADED:

15 Detroit Red Wings Red Wings questions on your mind? Ask Ansar! Ansar Khan It has been a long and unusual off-season for the Detroit Red Wings. Their season ended on April 20, following a five-game first-round playoff loss to the Nashville Predators, the third year in a row Detroit has failed to advance past the second round. Then, on May 31, Nicklas Lidstrom, one of the greatest defensemen in NHL history, announced his retirement, leaving a void that can't possibly be filled. Another top-four defenseman, Brad Stuart, departed, as expected, signing with the San Jose Sharks. Tomas Holmstrom, a net-front fixture in Detroit for 15 years, might retire this month. The Red Wings added some complementary pieces on July 1, the first day of free agency, signing forwards Mikael Samuelsson, Jordin Tootoo and Damien Brunner, a Swiss scoring star who'll make his NHL debut, as well as backup goaltender Jonas Gustavsson. But they were unable to land either of the year's premier free agents, defenseman Ryan Suter and left wing Zach Parise, players Detroit had been targeting for more than a year. Each inked a 13-year, $98 million contract with the Minnesota Wild. The Red Wings have made a pitch for power forward Shane Doan, who is in the process of deciding whether he will remain in Phoenix or sign elsewhere. If they are unable to land Doan, they might attempt to sign the offensively gifted but much-maligned Alexander Semin. Beyond those two, there is little left in what was already a thin free-agent market. The Red Wings will try to pull off a trade or two before the season, but the cost is steep for the premier players on the block, forwards Rick Nash of Columbus and Bobby Ryan of Anaheim. And, of course, nobody knows if the season will start on time, as the NHL and the NHL Players Association continue to work towards getting a new collective bargaining agreement, with the current labor deal set to expire on Sept. 15. Michigan Live LOADED:

16 Detroit Red Wings Red Wings made big pitch for Rick Nash, but Columbus not willing to deal with Detroit Whether Howson reconsiders dealing with Detroit remains to be seen. Perhaps he'll feel more urgency as the season approaches. For now, Howson's asking price for Nash is more than any club is willing to give, and Nash-to-Detroit is a pipe dream. Michigan Live LOADED: Ansar Khan DETROIT Detroit, to nobody's surprise, is on Rick Nash's short list of approved destinations. And the Red Wings, naturally, would love to land the high-scoring forward. The Red Wings made "a hell of an offer" to Columbus for Nash, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. But the offer generated no conversation. No counteroffer, no back and forth negotiation, nothing. It is clear Columbus has no intention of trading the face of its franchise to the team it considers to be its top rival, a Detroit club that has dominated the Blue Jackets since they entered the NHL in The last thing Columbus general manager Scott Howson wants to see is Nash being paired with Pavel Datsyuk and his Blue Jackets having to deal with that scenario six times a season. It is not certain what the Red Wings offered. Howson recently told TSN's Geno Reda that he is seeking at least two NHL-ready forwards in return for Nash because he likes his defense. The Red Wings, in need of a top-pair defenseman, would be more inclined to relinquish a couple of NHL forwards in addition to prospects and draft picks. Which forwards might the Red Wings move to get a franchise player like Nash? The two that come to mind are Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula, though it's unlikely Detroit would deal both. Franzen has been wildly inconsistent since the midway point of the season. He has a tendency to score goals in bunches and then experience long droughts. But, he has averaged nearly 30 goals the past four seasons (excluding , when a knee injury limited him to 27 games) and has a modest salary-cap hit of $3.95 million, though he does have eight years and $27.75 million remaining on the deal. As for Filppula, the Red Wings view the highly skilled winger/center as a key part of their future and would like to lock him up to a long-term contract before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer. If Detroit were to offer Filppula in a trade, his value would be limited, unless that team can sign him to a long-term deal. Otherwise, he'd just be a oneyear rental. Again, it's unclear what the Red Wings put on the table for Nash, but if it truly was a hell of an offer'' it wasn't a pair of third-line forwards, a couple of minor leaguers and a mid-round draft pick. In any event, it doesn't appear as if Nash will be traded anytime soon. It doesn't help Columbus that Nash, who has a no-movement clause, will approve a move to only one of six clubs (the New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, San Jose or Detroit), according to the Columbus Dispatch. Also complicating matters for the Blue Jackets is the fact that teams interested in Nash likely have made a pitch for Anaheim's Bobby Ryan, too. They are similar players, with good size and scoring ability. But Ryan, 25, is three years younger and has a more palatable contract (three years left at a salary-cap hit of $5.1 million). Nash has six years remaining at a cap hit of $7.8 million. In addition, teams in the hunt for Nash might be waiting to see whether the $70.2 million salary cap will be significantly reduced when the NHL and the players union settle on a new collective bargaining agreement. None of this likely matters to the Red Wings, since their offer for Nash gained no traction.''

17 Detroit Red Wings Wings close to getting deal done with defenseman Kyle Quincey By Chuck Pleiness DETROIT The Wings and one of their two restricted free agents are close to getting a deal done. Very close. I know we re close, said Wings general manager Ken Holland, of the ongoing negotiations with Kyle Quincey in a phone interview Tuesday. We re hoping to avoid the arbitration process. Quincey s arbitration hearing is scheduled for July 25. Both sides need to have their briefs for the hearing by 9 a.m. Monday. It s good motivation for us to work on this thing, but I m optimistic we ll find a solution prior to going to the hearing on Wednesday, Holland said. Quincey made $3.25 million a year ago and the Wings were hoping to get him at a modest raise, perhaps with a one- or two-year deal. We ve talked a number of times over the last few of days, Holland said. I think based on the conversation we had earlier (Tuesday) that we re making progress and we ll see what happens over the next couple of days. Hopefully we ll avoid arbitration. I m certainly optimistic that we will. When the Wings re-acquired Quincey in a three team trade at the deadline last season it was to fill a void on the blue line for an underachieving Jakub Kindl. Quincey s re-acclamation to the team wasn t a smooth one, scoring just two goals with one assist in 18 regular season games. He wound up being a healthy scratch once and also had to battle through a groin injury. He had two assists in the playoffs. Quincey, who began his career in Detroit before being claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Kings near the start of the season, was dealt from Colorado to Tampa Bay for Steve Downie. Then, the Lightning turned around and sent the 26-year-old defenseman to the Wings for a first-round pick next season and minor-league defenseman Sebastien Piche. In hindsight we should have never let him go, Holland said at the time of the trade. He s 26 years old and we know him and he can play in the top four on the blue line. We ve managed our draft picks for the most part since 2005, Holland added. We felt he s 26 and in the prime of his career. He fits all we were looking for. And he s not a rental. Quincey averaged over 22 minutes of ice time in Colorado. He ll be looked on to average close to that this season on the blue line, which lost Nicklas Lidstrom (retirement) and Brad Stuart (trade) this offseason. You lose Brian Rafalski in the summer of 2010, Holland said. Then you lose Nick Lidstrom and Brad Stuart in the summer of 2012, we can t get those types of players. They re special players. They re unique. We certainly think in Kyle Quincey and Brendan Smith we ve got two NHL players, but our defense isn t as deep as it has been, Holland continued. When you lose the types of players we ve lost on defense those players are special for a reason, they re better than everyone else. Niklas Kronwall, Ian White, Jonathan Ericsson and Kindl are the only others returning, which leaves no depth back there. I think we have six NHL defensemen, Holland said. I would like to make a move on our defense over the next six weeks, definitely. We went into the summertime, July 1, we put a lot of energy into pursing Ryan Suter and I think we got down to a short list of teams, maybe two or three. In the meantime a couple of defensemen we had interest in signed elsewhere. That was a risk at the time we were prepared to take. I m not looking back on that decision because we were pursuing Ryan Suter and we knew it was going to require a lot of money and a lot of cap space. This and that n There has yet to be any progress made on Justin Abdelkader s new deal. He s the other restricted free agent the Wings have, but he didn t file for salary arbitration. We made an offer two and a half weeks ago, Holland said. I m not worried. We ll get it done. The Wings would like to get Abdelkader to sign a four-year deal at just under $2 million a season. n Holland has yet to talk to Tomas Holmstrom regarding his future with the team. I ve got to call Homer, Holland said. I haven t gotten any time set up but I certainly owe him a call. On July 1, Detroit added Mikael Samuelsson, Jordin Tootoo and Damien Brunner up front. n The Wings continue to wait on word from unrestricted free agent Shane Doan, but it s believed they re on a short list of teams he would think of signing with if he doesn t return to Phoenix. Doan, who made $4.5 million last season, has played his entire career for the organization, which moved from Winnipeg after the season. Macomb Daily LOADED:

18 Los Angeles Kings Player evaluation: Penner Rich Hammond DUSTIN PENNER This season: 65 games, 7 goals, 10 assists, minus-7 rating. The good: Where to begin, when discussing the enigma that is Penner? How is it possible to reconcile the fact that Penner had 17 points in 65 regular-season games, then had 11 points in 20 playoff games? For whatever reason, Penner found his game in the playoffs. It wasn t just the goals, although he scored a couple big ones. Penner also, for the most part, worked hard pursuing the puck when it wasn t on his stick. Throughout his up and down year, Penner maintained a great attitude, and that s not hollow praise. When he played poorly, his teammates could have turned on it. Instead, they liked him and pulled for him to improve. The bad: The Kings had high hopes for Penner at the start of the season, and he was most often brutal. At one point, Darryl Sutter publicly called out Penner and indicated that he had reached last-change status, and that if he didn t improve, his spot in the lineup might be gone for good. Penner seemed to respond to Suter, but will it last? Nobody doubts that Penner has an enormous amount of skill. The question is, he can sustain a high level of play for any decent period of time? Going into next season, the Kings are counting on Penner to produce at the level of a top-six forward, but should they? Can they afford to? Going forward: It s easy to root for Penner. He s talented, he s a good teammate and he has a good sense of humor and doesn t take himself too seriously. That only carries a player so far, though. Penner is now entering his third life with the Kings. They gave him one when they traded for him, one last year after he put in a strong summer of off-ice conditioning, and now one based on his excellent playoff run. Penner showed confidence in himself when he agreed to return to the Kings on a one-year contract. Sutter seems to be the type of coach that can bring the best out of Penner, but only time will tell. LA Kings Insider: LOADED:

19 Los Angeles Kings Kings re-sign restricted free agents Rich Hammond The Kings announced today that they have signed defenseman Thomas Hickey, forward Stefan Legein, forward David Meckler and defenseman Jake Muzzin to one-year contracts. All four players had been restricted freeagents. The only other Kings restricted free agent, Justin Azevedo, has agreed to play in Europe next season. Also, the Chicago Blackhawks today announced that they have hired former Kings assistant coach Jamie Kompon as their assistant coach. Kompon worked with current Chicago coach Joel Quenneville in St. Louis, when Quenneville was the Blues head coach and Kompon was a video coach. LA Kings Insider: LOADED:

20 Los Angeles Kings Player evaluation: Nolan Rich Hammond JORDAN NOLAN This season: 26 games, 2 goals, 2 assists, plus-2 rating. The good: With the exception of front-office guru Jack Ferreira, nobody saw this coming. Nolan exceeded expectations in training camp, and reports on him from Manchester were positive, but when the Kings called him up in February, it seemed as though Nolan was only up for a cup of coffee. Except, he didn t leave. Nolan started in a second-line role but settled nicely into a fourth-line role and looked totally comfortable. Nolan features bulk but also has a good skating stride. He plays very much like a coach s son with intelligence and he can do some damage when he hits and when he drops the gloves. The bad: Nolan has a sharp wrist shot and has already showed the ability to bury pucks when he has space in the slot, but it doesn t seem that he will ever be a player who is going to create a lot for himself offensively. That said, if Nolan can continue to fill a fourth-line role, can remain in a rhythm during games even when he gets limited minutes and doesn t regress in his sophomore season, there aren t many negatives here. Like any player who fills this role, Nolan needs to be mindful of the proper times to get involved in physical stuff, and can t become a negative by taking bad penalties. Going forward: Nolan isn t quite as physically imposing as Kevin Westgarth, and isn t quite as skilled all-around as Kyle Clifford, but he does combine Clifford s fearlessness with Westgarth s willingness to protect teammates. That s not a bad combination at all, particularly since, as noted earlier, Nolan can also move his feet well and bury some scoring chances. Nolan had a nice run with the Kings this season, but expectations were low. His challenge now will be to show that he can do it for a full season. If so, there s no reason why he can t continue to hold down the fourth-line rightwing spot on an every-game basis. LA Kings Insider: LOADED:

21 Nashville Predators Nashville Predators' Jonathon Blum answers challenge to get in shape Josh Cooper Working out in Nashville this summer made sense to Predators defenseman Jonathon Blum. In some ways, he had no choice. The previous year, Blum saw himself start on the Predators second defensive pairing and quickly fall out of favor. He spent a majority of the season with the Predators American Hockey League affiliate in Milwaukee, hoping to return to Nashville. And he realized the best way to get here this season would be by training under the Predators watch. That would give him no excuses if he finds he s not on Nashville s roster again. I wanted to be with (Predators strength and conditioning coach) David Good and do his stuff and not have that as a reason why I didn t come to camp in shape, Blum said. So, I m doing their stuff, and I hope it s working out. Blum, a 2007 Nashville first-round draft pick, made a strong impression in his first NHL action following a call-up in February He averaged 17:45 in 23 games played, notched eight assists and was a plus-8. In the postseason, Blum averaged 18:51, had two assists and was a plus-2 in 12 games. He and defensive partner Kevin Klein played mistake-free hockey and gave the Predators a viable puck-moving second pair behind Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. It seemed like Blum, 23, was ready to take the next step in what was supposed to be his first full NHL season in But he faltered early. He was a minus-14 in 33 games and was sent to Milwaukee shortly after the new year. I think Jon is a very talented player, but on the flip side, he s not the biggest, strongest or fastest player, Predators general manager David Poile said. In terms of conditioning, strength, he was in the bottom half of all our players who came to our training camp. That s unacceptable, and that s clearly one of the reasons why he didn t make our team (for the full season) last year. I think Jon is going to do everything in his power to make sure that doesn t happen again. Blum s situation in Milwaukee didn t get much better. He said when he got there, he found himself playing second-unit power plays or missing special teams altogether. An offensive defenseman by nature, the power play is one of the spots where Blum often excels. I wanted to be out there, being a difference maker, Blum said. Being sent down, I wanted to show I could obviously play in those positions. It was frustrating at times. Blum finished his season in Milwaukee with 26 points in 48 games. He was a minus-11. At his exit interview with the Predators before the summer, the message was simple: Get in shape. I told him what he needed to do and where he needed to go, Predators assistant GM Paul Fenton said. The good thing is our coaches bought in. Barry (Trotz) sent the correct message and challenged him, and now Jon has taken the challenge and he has come to Nashville to better himself. Blum said he and Good have worked on overall strength and quickness, as well as keeping a higher tempo. The pace of the NHL is faster than in the minors, and Blum needed to mimic this in workouts. He also said he needs to work on his forward skating in order to become a hair quicker. With All- Star defenseman Ryan Suter now with Minnesota, Blum might have a better opportunity to reassert himself in Nashville s lineup this season. He has great instincts to play the game, and applying those instincts when you re in extreme shape can make you an elite player, Fenton said. When you re not in the top quarter of guys as conditioning is concerned, you re not giving yourself every opportunity to be successful. That s all we want to do with him, is to give him every opportunity to be successful. Weber update: Predators GM David Poile said he talked with Shea Weber s agents, Kevin Epp and Jarrett Bousquet of Titan Sports earlier this week. Weber is a restricted free agent. (Discussions are) ongoing, and hopefully we ll talk later in the week, Poile said. I would say (we discussed) everything about the Predators, where we are and where we re going and what part Shea has with that. Poile believes the rest of the offseason would fall into place, with Weber signed to a long-term contract. Right now, my priority is to see Shea signed and hopefully finalize a longer-term deal with Shea, Poile said. To me, it all revolves around that decision. Erat OK: Predators forward Martin Erat took part in an autograph session at the team s youth hockey school at A-Game Sportsplex in Franklin on Tuesday. Nashville s leading scorer the past two seasons said he was OK in his recovery from a high, hard hit by Slovakia s Libor Hudacek at the 2012 IIHF Hockey World Championship on May 19. It was a little stiff neck and a little stiff back, but I was good, Erat said. The whole season was a little bit painful for us, but that s the way it goes. And we have all summer to heal up and get ready for next season. Thinking of Ryan: In the first public interview since Suter decided to sign with the Wild on July 4, Erat said he had no qualms about Suter s choice. I ve known Sutes for a long time, and he s a great guy and does everything for his family, Erat said. It was his own choice, it was a family decision. I respect that. He was also hopeful the Predators would re-sign Weber. I hope Shea is going to stay, Erat said. We have to show him we have the team that is going to be able to win every single year. Doan interest? There is also one big unrestricted free agent on the market: Coyotes captain Shane Doan. It appears Doan is in a holding pattern as the Phoenix ownership situation gets straightened out, but he would be an attractive option to the Predators if he decides to sign elsewhere. Doan and Predators forward Mike Fisher are good friends. First of all, I m hoping the Phoenix situation gets resolved and he can stay there and finish his career in Phoenix, Poile said. If he decides it s not a fit for him and would like to pursue other opportunities, the Predators would be very interested. Smith re-signs: The Predators re-signed goaltending prospect Jeremy Smith to a one-year, two-way contract Tuesday. The deal pays Smith $660,000 at the NHL level and $65,000 at the minor league level. Last season with the Milwaukee Admirals, Smith, 23, went with a 2.17 goals-against average and.922 save percentage. Tennessean LOADED:

22 Nashville Predators Predators sign AHL goalie to one-year, two-way contract Staff reports Jeremy Smith couldn t get off the ice last year. And on Tuesday the Nashville Predators made sure the 23-year-old goalie stays put for at least one more year. The Predators signed Smith, a restricted free agent, one-year, two-way contract worth $660,000 at the NHL level and $65,000 at the American Hockey League level. He ll most likely serve as the third option behind top netminder Pekka Rinne, who the Predators have on contract for the next seven years, and backup Chris Mason, who was signed to a one-year deal two weeks ago. Last year with the Milwaukee Admirals, Smith led the AHL in minutes (3283:59), ranked second in wins (31) and shutouts (5) and fourth in goalsagainst average (2.17). He was called up three times by the Predators last year and backed up Rinne on Jan. 7 against Carolina. Smith, a Dearborn, Mich., native taken in the second round of the 2007 draft, played four years in the Ontario Hockey League with Plymouth and Niagara. In 2007, he was named USA Hockey s Dave Peterson Goalie of the Year after helping Plymouth win the OHL title and reach the Memorial Cup. Nashville City Paper LOADED:

23 Nashville Predators Familiarity brings Chris Mason back to Predators What else is new? Nashville City Paper LOADED: By David Boclair At 36 years old, Chris Mason decided it was time to do something different. So he joined the Nashville Predators. For the third time. My whole career I kind of was on teams that have been in the rebuilding mode, he said. I just felt you only get so many chances to be on a winning team, a team that s ready to win. I just felt Nashville was at that point, and that really is what my decision was based on. That opportunity was worth enough to him that he rejected a two-year offer to stay with the Winnipeg Jets and accepted a one-year deal with Nashville just hours into the free agency signing period, which began July 1. Two weeks later he remains the team s only significant acquisition of the offseason. The Predators did hang on to center Paul Gaustad and defenseman Hal Gill. They also were disappointed, though, when they lost defenseman Ryan Suter to Minnesota, a decision that did nothing to alter Mason s confidence in his decision. Nashville had an unbelievable season last year, he said. The players they have, the coaches and the organization I just really wanted to be part of that again. It has been three years since the last time Mason was on a playoff team. He hasn t been the winning goalie in a playoff game since 2006, and that was with the Predators, a postseason participant in seven of the past eight seasons and the only Western Conference team to get beyond the first round each of the past two years. Other than that, he could not find a situation that offered more familiarity. He was in the Nashville system during the franchise s first three years of competition and then returned for a four-season run beginning in The vast majority of that time, which included 135 appearances for the Predators, he was a backup to Tomas Vokoun. This time he ll be the No. 2 behind Pekka Rinne, and if things go according to plan, he will play somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 games. The coaches, including head coach Barry Trotz and goalie coach Mitch Korn, management and many of the players are the same as four years ago when he last suited up for them. Coming back to Nashville was really easy because the familiarity with all the staff, and I still know quite a few guys on the team, and just my family s love for Nashville as a city it was a no-brainer for me. he said. It just felt like Nashville was home. In a way, it was. When he left Nashville the last time as a free agent and signed with St. Louis, Mason unsuccessfully attempted to sell his home in Franklin for several months. Finally, someone offered to rent the property, so Mason agreed. He has been a landlord ever since and has no plans to alter that arrangement. He and his wife Courtney last week settled on a place in Brentwood that they will rent for the coming season while the house they own remains occupied. We always kind of talked as a family that maybe we d like to come back, he said. But we never knew for certain. Now going back to play with the Predators is really, really cool, and we couldn t be happier it worked out that way. Somehow, it always seems to work out that way. Nashville first acquired Mason in a trade with Anaheim less than a week before the first game in franchise history. He spent the season in Florida s system, but Nashville promptly brought him back through the waiver draft at the end of the 2003 training camp. This time they got him as a free agent after two seasons with St. Louis and two more with Atlanta/Winnipeg. They like me, and then they don t like me, he said. Right now they like me. So I m happy with that.

24 Nashville Predators Former backup goalie follows lead of other Preds making return trip to team By David Boclair Chris Mason is not the first player to come back to the Nashville Predators after time spent with another franchise. The veteran goalie s recent return as a free agent is unique, though, in that his history with the franchise is extensive. He played 135 games and registered 58 wins in his two previous stints over all or parts of six other seasons. Typically, second chances with the Predators have come only when the player s first go-round did not last that long. A look at others who have had more than one opportunity with Nashville: Francis Bouillon, defenseman ( and ): Claimed off waivers from Montreal early in , he played just four games before the Predators placed him back on waivers and the Canadiens reclaimed him. Nashville signed him as a free agent early in the 2009 training camp, and except for an extended period when he was sidelined by a concussion, he was a stalwart on the blue line over the past three seasons. Greg de Vries, defenseman ( and ): Acquired in a trade with Edmonton nine days prior to the franchise s inaugural contest, he was traded to Colorado 23 days later after just seven appearances. Almost a decade later, he signed as a free agent and played 148 games over two seasons. Jeremy Stevenson, left wing ( and ): After just 12 NHL appearances in two NHL seasons, Nashville allowed him to become a free agent in Five games into the next season, though, the Predators claimed him off waivers from Minnesota, and he played in 88 games before he went to Dallas via waivers in Simon Gamache, left wing ( ): A consistently productive minor leaguer who played just 18 NHL games for the Predators, he was claimed by St. Louis off waivers early in and reclaimed two months later by Nashville, which immediately reassigned him to Milwaukee. Randy Robitaille, center, ( and 2005): He scored 20 goals in 131 appearances over two seasons then left as a free agent. He was resigned in 2005 but did not make the roster in training camp and went to Minnesota via the waiver draft. Nashville City Paper LOADED:

25 New Jersey Devils Stevens Returns to Devils as an Assistant Coach By DAVE CALDWELL Scott Stevens played his last game for the Devils more than eight years ago, but he never strayed too far from the team that he spearheaded to three Stanley Cups championships often with a ruthless, punishing tenacity. Recently, he helped coach the Devils defensemen on a part-time basis. After assistant coach Larry Robinson, another Hall of Fame defenseman, decided to join the San Jose Sharks as an associate head coach, in part, to be closer to his family, Stevens had a phone conversation with Lou Lamoriello, the Devils general manager. Stevens called Lamoriello last week to talk about participating in the team s prospect camp this week, but Lamoriello said it soon became apparent that Stevens, 48, was interested in replacing Robinson. And on Tuesday, he did, joining Pete DeBoer s staff full time. He and Pete had a relationship all year, and there was a chemistry there, Lamoriello said. Scott was a prime candidate, but, quite frankly, he became the No. 1 candidate once we knew he was interested. The learning curve is very limited. Lamoriello then said, I think we all knew how he played the game, his enthusiasm and commitment. Matt Shaw, an assistant coach in San Jose the last three seasons, will replace the former Devils assistant coach Adam Oates, who was named coach of the Washington Capitals last month. Dave Barr and Chris Terreri will continue as DeBoer s assistants. The hiring of Stevens, whose No. 4 jersey was the first one retired by the Devils, is a coup, because Stevens made it clear as recently as two years ago that he did not want to be on the road while his three children were growing up. I ve kept my foot in the door, but I ve been away for a while now and just the way things have transpired with the coaching staff there was an opportunity and it just feels right now, Stevens said. I ve enjoyed what I ve been doing, but I feel like I m ready to jump in full time. It s tough when you re not around full time. After reaching the Stanley Cup finals last season for the first time since 2003 Stevens s last full season the Devils lost the grinding, highscoring forward Zach Parise to the Minnesota Wild as a free agent. But they retained a defensive corps that is as strong as it has been in years. The team acquired Marek Zidlicky in a midseason trade with the Wild, regained Henrik Tallinder late in the playoffs after he missed 58 games with a blood clot in his left leg, then re-signed the free agent Bryce Salvador, who was one of the team s best players in the playoffs. Stevens will replace Robinson as the tutor, of sorts, to Adam Larsson, the 19-year-old defenseman who was the Devils first-round draft pick last year. Larsson, who played in 65 regular-season games and five playoff games, is considered to have enormous potential. We have a lot of good, young defensemen and a lot of size, which I like, Stevens said. I definitely like size on defense. They take up a lot of space and make things difficult on the other team s forwards. So, I like that, and the talent level. One of Shaw s responsibilities will be to work with the team s power-play units, which were average last year, especially when compared to their toprated penalty-killing units. He coached under Jacques Lemaire, a former Devils coach, in Minnesota. I m glad I fit his mold of what he d be adding to the staff, Shaw said of DeBoer. New York Times LOADED: