Anaheim Ducks Ducks release full preseason schedule

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1 SPORT-SCAN Anaheim Ducks Ducks release full preseason schedule Boston Bruins Three Bruins forwards picked for Canada s camp Mass. governor makes good on hockey wager Buffalo Sabres Adam, Hackett sign with Sabres Calgary Flames Ramo first Flame to earn invite to an Olympic camp, getting nod with Team Finland Calgary Flames goalie Karri Ramo gets invite to Finland s Olympic summer hockey camp Chicago Blackhawks Chicago baby not impressed with Stanley Cup Attendee list for Hawks Convention now available Saad, Leddy get their shot to make U.S. Olympic roster Colorado Avalanche Avs' Burgundy-White game to be held Sept. 15 at Air Force Columbus Blue Jackets Blue Jackets pleased with year without Nash Dallas Stars Lindy Ruff should be able to sharpen skills on defense with Team Canada Former Dallas Stars forward Jaromir Jagr signs a deal with the Devils Stars can use lack of invites to Olympic Orientation camps as motivation Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser gets unexpected call for chance to join U.S. Olympic team Detroit Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader could be the next Tomas Holmstrom Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser thrilled about Olympic camp invitation, looking to gain weight, strength Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader hoping his gritty game will earn him a spot on the U.S. Olympic team Red Wings' Jimmy Howard, Justin Abdelkader, Danny DeKeyser invited to USA Olympic orientation camp Red Wings' Mike Babcock named head coach for 2014 Canadian Olympic team Red Wings' Jimmy Howard: Competition for U.S. Olympic goaltending spots will be fierce Edmonton Oilers For Linus Omark, no news is NOT good news Edmonton Oilers should explore signing up Nugent-Hopkins to a long term deal Florida Panthers Panthers' Bjugstad invited to USA Hockey Camp Panthers retain Colby Robak with 2-year contract Los Angeles Kings Hockey: Kings, Trevor Lewis agree to deal Trevor Lewis Back For Another Year NHL 7/24/2013 DAILY BRIEF Minnesota Wild Ex-Wild coach Richards named assistant for Team USA Parise, Suter expected to be top U.S. Olympic players U.S. Olympic GM: Wild's Zach Parise, Ryan Suter 'our best players' New Jersey Devils Devils Sign Jagr, and Will Be Happy if His Goals Equal His Age Devils Sign Veteran Right Wing Jagr Jaromir Jagr signs with Devils, ensuring he'll stay in NHL for another season Devils sign Jaromir Jagr How will Jaromir Jagr fit into the Devils' lineup? Devils GM Lou Lamoriello offers 'no comment' on report club signs Jaromir Jagr Jaromir Jagr, Devils reportedly agree to one-year deal Devils hope Jaromir Jagr will help compensate for loss of Ilya Kovalchuk Devils goalie (not Brodeur) gets Olympic invite Devils hope Jagr can help fill Kovalchuk void New York Rangers Still a lot of barking in the dog days of summer Ottawa Senators Corey Cowick signs one-year, two-way deal with hometown Ottawa Senators Philadelphia Flyers Laviolette named assistant coach for Team USA under Dan Bylsma The coaching Odd Couple Peter Laviolette named Team USA assistant coach Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins Granato to join Bylsma in Sochi for Olympics Pens assistant Granato named to Bylsma s Team USA staff Starkey: Pens goalie Fleury s star has fallen USA Hockey names Penguins assistant Granato to coach under Bylsma in 2014 Olympics Beau Bennett appears to have a role to play in USA Hockey's future San Jose Sharks Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi invited to Team Finland's camp Tampa Bay Lightning Lightning stars join Olympic camp rosters Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leafs draft Justin Bieber? Vancouver Canucks Canucks: Bure's No.10 going to rafters; GM Gillis says talks with Luongo 'fine and good' Canucks: Time ticking by on Tanev contract talks After turbulent off-season, Canucks in damage control at summer summit Websites NBCSports.com / Lamoriello hopeful to re-sign Henrique soon NBCSports.com / Taylor Hall admits it ll be tough to make Team Canada

2 NBCSports.com / Jagr says it was important to play for Devils after Kovalchuk retirement Devils officially ink Jagr to one-year deal (Updated with salary) NBCSports.com / Sabres re-sign Adam, Hackett NBCSports.com / MacTavish comfortable with Hemsky remaining an Oiler NBCSports.com / AHL legend Helmer calls it a career USA TODAY / Team USA fills out Olympic coaching staff Winnipeg Jets Jets pay a lot to keep Little Eight Jets have Oly possibilities Jets sign Peluso to two-year contract Peluso returns USA Hockey intrigued by Byfuglien's potential SPORT-SCAN, INC Anaheim Ducks Ducks release full preseason schedule July 23rd, 2013, 5:42 pm posted by ERIC STEPHENS Bits and pieces of the Ducks' 2013 preseason schedule have been reported and released but the club officially released their seven-game slate Tuesday, which includes four home games. The Ducks will start their exhibition schedule Sept. 16 with a game against Phoenix at Honda Center. They'll also host the Kings the next night before visiting Colorado on Sept. 18. The Ducks will travel to San Jose for a game against the Sharks on Sept. 20 before returning to Anaheim for a Sept. 22 contest against Colorado. They'll take on the Kings at Staples Center on Sept. 24 before finishing the preseason against the Sharks on Sept. 28. Each home game will begin at 7 p.m. with the exception of the 5 p.m. Sunday night start against Colorado. The road contests against the Sharks and Kings will begin at 7:30 p.m. while their game in Denver will begin at 6 p.m. PT. Individual tickets for the preseason home games are expected to go on sale later this summer. The Ducks will open their 20th regular season against Colorado at Pepsi Center on Oct. 2. Orange County Register: LOADED: Boston Bruins Three Bruins forwards picked for Canada s camp By Amalie Benjamin Globe Staff July 23, 2013 It is a lock that at least one member of the Bruins coach Claude Julien will be headed to Sochi, Russia, with Team Canada for the Olympics, but there could be a few more Bruins accompanying him. Patrice Bergeron, Milan Lucic, and Brad Marchand are among the 47 players who have been invited to Team Canada s orientation camp, which will be in Calgary, Alberta, from Aug The invitation is not a guarantee that they ll be participating in the Olympics, with 25 forwards on the list for the camp. Bergeron was on the 2010 Canadian team that took gold in Vancouver, and he is considered the likeliest of the three to make the squad. Another Bruin, newly signed 36-year-old Jarome Iginla, was left off the orientation list, despite being on the roster for the last three Games, in Salt Lake City, Torino, and Vancouver, and wearing an A on his sweater for the last two. The Bruins are likely to send a couple of other members to Russia as winger Loui Eriksson (Sweden) and goaltender Tuukka Rask (Finland) have been invited to their countries camps. Defenseman Zdeno Chara (Slovakia) and center David Krejci (Czech Republic) are virtual locks to represent their countries. No Bruins have been invited to the US orientation camp. The Bruins tied for the fourth-most players on the Team Canada list. The Blackhawks led with five invitees, with Pittsburgh and San Jose both getting four. The Kings and Capitals also each had three players invited to Calgary. Julien will be one of three associate coaches to head coach Mike Babcock, along with Lindy Ruff and Ken Hitchcock. Julien replaced Jacques Lemaire on the coaching staff, the other three having been a part of the 2010 gold medal run. The NHL announced last week that it had agreed to send its players to the Olympics, necessitating a 16-day break in the schedule. The NHL will not have games between Feb. 9 and According to a report on ESPN.com, Jaromir Jagr, whom the Bruins acquired in a deadline deal from the Stars, has agreed to a one-year deal with the New Jersey Devils. The club, however, has yet to confirm the deal. Boston Globe LOADED: Boston Bruins Mass. governor makes good on hockey wager Tuesday, July 23, 2013 By:Associated Press CHICAGO Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has volunteered with Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn in Chicago to pay up on their Stanley Cup championship bet. Donning smocks, the two sorted pears at the Greater Chicago Food Depository on Tuesday. Patrick and Quinn had bet on the National Hockey League finals featuring the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins. If the Bruins won, Quinn would have volunteered at the Greater Boston Food Bank. The Bruins dropped the series in six games. Patrick, who grew up in Chicago, says it's a good lesson in the importance of service. But he says he couldn't agree to one term of the bet wearing a Blackhawks jersey. Quinn has made similar wagers with other governors before. He says volunteering is a good way to honor both teams. Boston Herald LOADED: Buffalo Sabres Adam, Hackett sign with Sabres By STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS on July 23, :59 PM Forward Luke Adam and goaltender Matt Hackett signed one-year contracts with the Buffalo Sabres, the team announced Tuesday. Adam, 23, appeared in four games with the Sabres last season, scoring one goal. In addition, the St. John s, Newfoundland, native appeared in 67 games for the Rochester Americans of the American League, collecting 15

3 goals and 22 assists. Over the last three seasons, Adam appeared in 75 NHL games, picking up 25 points (14-11). Adam was selected by the Sabres in the second round (44th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Hackett appeared in three regular-season games with Rochester last season after being acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Wild. The London, Ont., native compiled a record with a 2.59 goals-against average last sseason in the AHL with Houston and Rochester. Overall, Hackett has appeared in 13 NHL games, including one last season (0-1-0). Hackett is with a 2.64 GAA in his NHL career. The nephew of former NHL goalie Jeff Hackett was selected by Minnesota in the third round (77th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Four Sabres, including both goalies, were invited to their country s evaluation camp for the Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi, Russia. Ryan Miller was one of five goalies invited by Hockey USA and the only Buffalo player picked to try out for Team USA, which did invite Buffalo natives Brooks Orpik, a Pittsburgh defenseman, and Patrick Kane, a Chicago winger. Sweden invited goalie Jhonas Enroth and defenseman Henrik Tallinder. Finland invited winger Ville Leino. Russia, the other nation to announce its pre-olympic roster, didn t invite any current Sabres but it did pick defenseman Denis Denisov, who was drafted by Buffalo in the fifth round in 2000 but never came to North America. Jagr joins Devils NEWARK, N.J. The New Jersey Devils replaced their best player with one of the NHL s greatest of all time. Less than two weeks after the stunning return of Ilya Kovalchuk to Russia, the Devils signed two-time Stanley Cup winner and former NHL MVP Jaromir Jagr to a one-year, $2 million contract on Tuesday. He reportedly can earn another $2 million in bonuses. Jagr is 41 and in the twilight of his career, but he gives the Devils a proven scorer who can play on the power play. I watched him play the last couple of years and I have never seen someone work so hard, GM Lou Lamoriello said in a phone interview with the Associated Press. Jagr split last season with Dallas and Boston, scoring a combined 16 goals and 19 assists in 45 games. The NHL s active leading scorer added 10 assists in helping the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup final, but he did not score a postseason goal. Buffalo News LOADED: Calgary Flames Ramo first Flame to earn invite to an Olympic camp, getting nod with Team Finland Staff Writer Calgary Herald July 23, 2013 Finally, a member of the Calgary Flames has been invited to an Olympic orientation camp. After being skunked by the Canadians and Americans, the Flames have seen netminder Karri Ramo summoned to the Finns summer get-together. There, Ramo is in the mix with some heavy-hitters, including Boston s Tuukka Rask, Nashville s Pekka Rinne, Minnesota s Niklas Backstrom, Dallas s Kari Lehtonen, San Jose s Antti Niemi. (And, no, Miikka Kiprusoff did not get the call. Olli Jokinen, however, did.) So far, that s it for the Flames. Winger Lee Stempniak had a shot at the U.S. camp, which features 24 forwards. Only seven American forwards compiled more points than Stempniak s 32 last winter. But invitations are still coming in. Forward Jiri Hudler is a legitimate candidate for the Czech crew, while goalie Reto Berra and winger Sven Baertschi may be asked to join Team Switzerland. Calgary Herald: LOADED: Calgary Flames Calgary Flames goalie Karri Ramo gets invite to Finland s Olympic summer hockey camp By RANDY SPORTAK,Calgary Sun First posted: Tuesday, July 23, :19 PM MDT Updated: Tuesday, July 23, :24 PM MDT Unless the Calgary Flames defensive play improves immensely from last season, Karri Ramo will feel alone on an island at times in the upcoming NHL campaign. The goaltender, who s joining the Flames after spending the last four years in the KHL, is getting an early taste of that life. Ramo is the lone Flames player invited to a summer camp among the big five countries participating in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Ramo, the former Tampa Bay Lightning netminder who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in the 12 trade that sent forward Rene Bourque to the Habs and brought Michael Cammalleri back to Calgary, is a longshot to make Team Finland, which won bronze at the 10 Games in Vancouver. Miikka Kiprusoff, who s expected to retire instead of returning to the Flames, isn t on the invite list. The other goalies invited to Finland s camp are Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota Wild), Kari Lehtonen (Dallas Stars), Antti Niemi (San Jose Sharks), Antti Raanta (Chicago Blackhawks), Tuukka Rask (Boston Bruins), Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators) and Petri Vehanen (Lev Praha, KHL). No Flames were invited to camps for Canada, the United States, Sweden and Russia. Winger Jiri Hudler is a candidate for the Czech Republic team, while Reto Berra are possibilities to play for Switzerland. randy.sportak@sunmedia.ca Calgary Sun: LOADED: Chicago Blackhawks Chicago baby not impressed with Stanley Cup July 23, 2013, 4:00 pm Mark Strotman The Stanley Cup has made its way through the city of Chicago ever since the Blackhawks beat the Bruins in Boston a little more than a month ago. Fans of every shape and size have made an effort to track down professional sports' most famous trophy, the Stanley Cup, to take pictures bearing giant grins...that is, except for one fan. CBSSports.com's Mike Singer snapped this picture of a not-so-happy baby, who posed inside the Cup for the shot with her parents. Singer said the photo was just unfortunate timing, but it's good for a laugh anyways. The photo was taken, ironically, at Stanley's Kitchen & Tap in Chicago. About a half hour later Jeremy Roenick and Patrick Sharp showed up to take pictures with fans. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: Chicago Blackhawks

4 Attendee list for Hawks Convention now available Staff Writer Two months after the Chicago Blackhawks celebrated another Stanley Cup victory, most of the players will be in town this weekend for the annual convention. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp are among the Blackhawks who will participate in the sold-out convention, which is Friday through Sunday at the Hilton Chicago. Others planning to attend are Duncan Keith, Corey Crawford, Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw. There are, however, some absences. Currently, Marian Hossa, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya are not on the attendee list. Brent Seabrook will also be absent. He and his wife are expecting their first child soon, which may be why he s not attending. Several Blackhawks alumni will also attend, including Bobby Hull, Tony Esposito, Stan Mikita, Denis Savard, Eddie Olczyk and Troy Murray. A complete list of current and past players attending is available on the Blackhawks website. Convention panels and events will be announced soon. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: Chicago Blackhawks (Saad s) been on our radar for a while and this was certainly more of a breakout season or him playing high in the lineup for Chicago, Poile said. In some ways, because of (the Blackhawks ) success and his role, he could be ahead of some of the younger guys. In talking about defensemen, Poile mentioned Leddy as one who could challenge. There are a lot of good, young, up-and-coming defensemen in the NHL who have the qualities we re looking for on the U.S. Team in Sochi, he said. Saad and Leddy should be fine with the pressure, as both had to work to crack a deep lineup in their respective first years in Chicago. In recent years, the Blackhawks have been all about giving opportunities to those players who earn them, especially with their play. Saad did it this past season, grabbing a spot on the top line and not letting it go. Leddy has developed and adapted to his role on the blue line, earning special teams time because of it. This is obviously a different kind of audition for Saad and Leddy. It s a chance to play with your country s name written across your chest and there won t be a lot of spots up for grabs. Still, they re there to be had. Saad and Leddy s play earned them chances, and a Cup, with the Blackhawks. Their play this coming October through December could earn them even more. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: Colorado Avalanche Avs' Burgundy-White game to be held Sept. 15 at Air Force Saad, Leddy get their shot to make U.S. Olympic roster Staff Writer David Poile said it over and over again about the U.S. hockey team: the opportunities are there for young players to make an impact, possibly make the U.S. squad for the 2014 Winter Olympics. And a few Blackhawks have as good an opportunity as any to grab that chance. Patrick Kane, Nick Leddy and Brandon Saad were invited to the U.S. Men s National Team orientation camp, which is slated for Aug in Arlington, Va. It s the first invites for Leddy and Saad, who had tremendous seasons for the Blackhawks en route to the team s second Stanley Cup in the past four seasons. The orientation is basically just that: a getting-to-know-you gathering for potential players and the coaches and staff, which was finalized Tuesday. High insurance costs will keep players off the ice. The true tryouts will be from October through December, when players are suiting up for their respective NHL squads and the roster will be finalized in either late December or early January. The orientation total alone shows how much U.S. hockey has grown: 48 players heading to an orientation camp this August, up from the 34 brought in for the 2010 squad. An orientation invite doesn t guarantee a roster spot, not are non-invitees out of the mix. The choices will be tough. But Poile, general manager of the U.S. team, said that s not a bad problem to have. We have our work cut out for us, Poile said via conference call. We re looking at the future proponent we didn t have in 2010 and we re pleased at the depth and quality that we have. For sure, our eye is on But we also have an eye on the future with some of these younger players. There s no doubt Kane will be a part of this team. His resume speaks for itself, from two Stanley Cups to the Conn Smythe he won this past postseason to the silver medal won with Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Poile said if the U.S. team is going to be successful in Sochi, guys like Kane and Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise will have to lead. As for Saad and Leddy, this is a big opportunity. Both have played for Team USA on other levels. Saad won gold with the U.S. team at the IIHF World U18 Championships in 2010 and Leddy was on the U17 and U18 squads for the Five Nations tournaments in the Czech Republic. Staff Writer The Denver Post Posted: 07/23/ :14:15 PM MDT Updated: 07/23/ :15:30 PM MDT The Avalanche will hold its annual Burgundy-White game Sept. 15 at Cadet Ice Arena at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, the NHL team announced Tuesday. This marks the fifth time overall that the Air Force Academy has played host to the event. Air Force welcomed the Burgundy-White game for three straight years from and then again in The Burgundy-White game features all Avalanche players competing in an intrasquad scrimmage of three periods. Fans in attendance will also have the opportunity to watch a shootout at the end of regulation, regardless of the score. Tickets for the game go on sale Wednesday through Air Force's official website at or by calling USAF (8723). Prices range from $15 for military personnel to $22 for the general public. Proceeds from this year's Burgundy-White game will be used by Kroenke Sports Charities to support nonprofit groups, including military organizations. Denver Post: LOADED: Columbus Blue Jackets Blue Jackets pleased with year without Nash By Aaron Portzline The Columbus Dispatch Tuesday July 23, :12 AM It was a saga that threatened to swallow the summer of 2012, an unavoidable trade that worried some Blue Jackets fans sick and served as

5 an advertisement that the Jackets were a franchise for which the most patient of superstars no longer wanted to play. One year ago today it all came to a head when Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets Mr. Everything, was traded to the New York Rangers, fulfilling a request he d made six months earlier. The Blue Jackets acquired centers Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov, defenseman Tim Erixon and a first-round draft pick that was spent on rough-and-tumble winger Kerby Rychel at last month s draft. I know it was a long, drawn-out affair, said John Davidson, the Blue Jackets president of hockey operations who ran the St. Louis Blues when the trade was made. Deals of that magnitude are really hard to put together. There are only so many teams Rick would go to, only so many of those teams that were interested, only so many of those teams that had salary cap space, and only so many that were willing to give up the assets that (former Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson) was asking for. So it s a puzzle that had to fit, and that takes time. When the trade went down, Howson and the Blue Jackets were blistered by many in the national hockey media. This is a disaster for the CBJ, said former Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean, who now works for Canadian TV network Sportsnet. ESPN s Barry Melrose said, I don t think that s enough (in return). TSN s Aaron Ward said, I feel bad for Columbus. Clearly, the Blue Jackets gave up the best player in the trade. Nash is a perennial All-Star, an Olympic gold medal winner, etc. But the trade had a transformative effect on the Blue Jackets, both on the ice and in the room. Dubinsky and Anisimov helped set the tone for what became a much faster, hard-working team. It gave us depth, Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said. We went into the season knowing our strength was our defense, but with Arty and Brandon being able to play so well down the middle, it really stabilized our lineup, gave us more competitive lines, and we used those guys in just about every aspect of the game. Richards said the loss of Nash gave room for others to grow. Anisimov and Dubinsky, much like Jack Johnson months earlier, arrived in Columbus with tremendous attitudes. While others wanted off the bus, the pair wanted to sit in the driver s seat and make the Blue Jackets a winner. Dubinsky has been mentioned by Richards as a potential captain. I ve seen it before, where you have your superstar and Rick is a superstar and everybody defaults to him, you re waiting for him to do something or say something, Richards said. When he s gone, it falls on other guys to step up. Now they have to, whereas before they (might) have sat back and watched just out of respect. Meanwhile, Nash had a solid first season with the Rangers. He led the team in goals (21), was second in scoring (42 points) and had the best plusminus ratio (plus-16) of his career. But the trade wasn t seen as quite so lopsided once the season started. The Rangers had a lot of trouble up the middle, and they found that losing (Anisimov) was a real loss, said Andrew Gross, who covers the Rangers for the Bergen (N.J.) Record. They missed Dubinsky s energy, too. (Former coach John Tortorella) always talked throughout the year whining, really about the lack of depth on the roster, and he didn t hide the fact that it was the Nash trade, to a large extent. Nash is facing immense pressure to win in New York, especially after the Rangers, picked by many to win the Stanley Cup, were bounced in five games by Boston in the second round. He had only one goal in 12 postseason games. With Marian Gaborik traded ironically to Columbus Nash is now clearly the Rangers top weapon. He was not good in the playoffs when they really needed him to be good, Gross said. And when he was asked to assess his play after the fact, he said, Good. That didn t go over great. The fans would have appreciated a little more falling on the sword. But still, if you talk to anyone in the organization, they would make the trade again 10 times out of 10. Richards agreed, from a different perspective. I watched Rick play a lot of games last season on TV, and it was the same old Rick; he was the best player on the ice, Richards said. But there comes a time when you have to move on. For us, we got guys that helped us change the culture. We love the guys we got, and we like where we re going with them. The Blue Jackets and Rangers, now members of the Metropolitan Division, will play four times this coming season. The first meeting is on Nov. 7 in Nationwide Arena. I m looking forward to it, Richards said. It ll add some spice to the games. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: Dallas Stars Lindy Ruff should be able to sharpen skills on defense with Team Canada By Mike Heika / Reporter mheika@dallasnews.com 2:55 pm on July 23, 2013 Permalink New Stars coach Lindy Ruff will be greatly responsible for the defense and the power play for Team Canada at the 2014 Olympics, and that should be sweet music to the ears of Stars fans who have had concerns about both areas in recent seasons. Ruff had the same role in the 2010 Olympics and helped Canada win a gold medal. He has very strong ideas about how to put a defense together and how a defenseman should play, and the Stars can definitely get a boost from that. If you ask any fan what scares them before the season starts, it would have to be that the team changed little personnel on defense. They added 39-year-old All-Star Sergei Gonchar and subtracted youngster Philip Larsen. Yes, Kevin Connauton could come in and make an impact at age 23, but that s a hope rather than a plan at this point. On paper, this defense still will have to be led by Alex Goligoski, Trevor Daley, Brenden Dillon and Stephane Robidas _ and that group has been under fire at times. After all, the Stars in recent years have appeared too small, not physical enough, not fast enough. They have put Kari Lehtonen (and his back-up) in a shooting gallery far too many times. They have simply been a mediocre to poor team on defense. But Ruff has the ability to change that. The Stars are expected to name James Patrick as the assistant coach in charge of defense any day now. There have been complications (he still is under contract to the Sabres even though he has been relieved of his duties) and delays, but Ruff and Patrick will almost assuredly be reunited. Patrick served as Ruff s assistant coach for the past seven seasons in Buffalo, and the two know each other very well. Patrick also played his last six seasons with the Sabres. But no matter who the assistant is, Ruff will have a very firm hand on the defense. He played left wing for most of his pro career, but switched to defense for his last six seasons. He was the assistant coach in charge of the defense on the Florida Panthers for four seasons, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in And he has also that Olympic gold medal sitting at home. Ruff said he has pondered his role since being fired by the Sabres last season, and said he will do things differently with the Stars. I m definitely comfortable with defense, and I think getting back and being an assistant coach is always helpful, Ruff said of the appointment to Team Canada. It s funny, when you have time to think about your career and things you ve done like I have had, you do wonder about changes. I look back and think that I do need to be more hands on as a head coach. I think it s important that you spread your voice around a little, and that you also

6 get direct feedback from the players. That s something I intend to do more (with the Stars). Ruff has already started studying Stars film, and said he liked the components of the defense. He coached Robidas and Brenden Dillon for Team Canada at the World Championships in Sweden, so he has a head start on understanding some players. He spoke glowingly of Robidas ability, and that was reflected in the ice time that was doled out at the World Championships. Robidas played an average of 21:25 in eight games, second highest on Team Canada. In the quarterfinal game where Canada lost 3-2 in a shootout to Sweden, Robidas played 25:28. I definitely think you can look at ice time and see a player that a coach trusts and believes will help him win, Ruff said. Stephane Robidas has been that player for this team for some time. But is it time to start scaling Robidas, 36, back? Could they use more of Brenden Dillon, 23, who averaged 14:54 in the tournament and played just 4:54 in the quarterfinal game as part of an eight-man defense unit? We re certainly going to look to move forward with our younger players, and we re hoping to find the right balance with our pairs and our ice time, Ruff said. New Stars GM Jim Nill said he expects Ruff to gain a great deal of energy from the Olympic experience. Ruff has been in meetings with Team Canada already and will be at the orientation camp Aug in Calgary. When we were in Detroit, we encouraged every player or coach or employee to take advantage of any opportunity to represent your country, because it is a very positive experience, Nill said. I remember Mike Babcock coming back and telling us something new he learned about a player because he was able to coach with him or against him. It s great for a coach. Babcock will be the head coach of Team Canada, while the other associate coaches are Ken Hitchcock of St. Louis and Claude Julien of Boston. Julien, of course, coached Tyler Seguin for three seasons and should have plenty of information to share with Ruff. Hitchcock might be bending Ruff s ear for information on new Blues center Derek Roy or offering tidbits up on coaching an 18-year-old Russian player (he coached Nikita Filatov in Columbus). There s room there for all sorts of positive conversations. It opens the pipeline, said Ruff. I think we re already pretty open, but you get in there and spend some time together, and you definitely learn new things. While there is potential for distraction from the Stars, Ruff said Team Canada is mindful that everyone has a regular job. He said most of the coaching preparation gets done before the NHL season even starts. In when he went to the Olympics in Vancouver, Ruff s Sabres went and won the Northeast Division. I think you can definitely do both, he said. I actually think it helps you with your team. Dallas Morning News LOADED: Dallas Stars Former Dallas Stars forward Jaromir Jagr signs a deal with the Devils Staff Writer By SportsDayDFW sports websports@dallasnews.com 2:41 pm on July 23, 2013 Permalink EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. The New Jersey Devils have signed forward Jaromir Jagr to make up for some of the scoring lost with the recent retirement of Ilya Kovalchuk. Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello announced the signing Tuesday. The one-year contract is worth $2 million. The 41-year-old Jagr split last season with the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins, scoring a combined 16 goals and 19 assists in 45 games. The NHL s active leading scorer added 10 assists in helping the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup final, but he did not score a postseason goal. Jagr has 681 goals and 1,007 assists in 1,391 career regular-season games with Pittsburgh, Washington, the New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Dallas and Boston. He won Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in and as well as the league MVP in It is not known if Jagr will wear his famous No. 68 with New Jersey. The Devils have only ever allowed three players to wear jersey numbers higher than No. 34 in their history Doug Gilmour (93), Alexander Mogilny (89) and Stephane Richer (44). A native of the Czech Republic, Jagr has won five NHL scoring titles. Entering his 20th NHL season, he ranks 34th all-time in games played, tenth in goals, 12th in assists and eighth in points. Among current NHL players, he ranks first in goals, assists and points, and second in games played. Jagr has played for three teams Flyers, Stars and Bruins since returning to the NHL in 2011 after a brief stay in Russia s KHL, where Kovalchuk will play next season after his sudden decision to leave New Jersey. Dallas Morning News LOADED: Dallas Stars Stars can use lack of invites to Olympic Orientation camps as motivation By Mike Heika / Reporter mheika@dallasnews.com 5:58 pm on July 22, 2013 Permalink Team Canada and Team USA released their invites to Olympic Orientation camps on Monday, and the Stars were shut out. No Jamie Benn, No Tyler Seguin. No Alex Goligoski. Sergei Gonchar was invited to Russia s camp and will probably play in his fifth Olympics. Kari Lehtonen is one of eight goalies invited to Finland s camp. But that s it for the Stars. That s tough news for a squad that has seen Mike Modano, Brett Hull, Joe Nieuwendyk, Brenden Morrow, Ed Belfour and Jere Lehtinen (among others) medal at previous Olympics. But Stars GM Jim Nill said he sees the Olympic announcements more as an opportunity than a reason to fret. Honestly, it s great motivation for our players, said Nill. If you really think you should be there, or you really want to be there, you have from September to December to change their minds. It s hard to make an Olympic team, and so you have to prove to them you deserve to be there. Benn and Seguin both will be players to watch. Each was mentioned in the media as potential players on the final squad for Team Canada, so they know they are close. Goligoski has been a loyal World Championships player for Team USA. New Stars coach Lindy Ruff is one of three associate coaches with team Canada (Ken Hitchcock and Claude Julien are the others, while Mike Babcock is the head coach), so he ll have some amount of sway. It s my job to help get Jamie Benn on that team. That s one of the things I can do by helping him perform well during the regular season, Ruff said when asked about Benn being snubbed. It s a great challenge for a lot of players. Just because you re not at the camp doesn t mean you can t make the team. And, even if you don t make the team, you can still have a great season. Seguin was kept off of Team Canada for the World Juniors as an 18-yearold, was motivated by the snub, and went on to have a terrific final season in Plymouth. He then was drafted second overall by Boston. The 2010 World Juniors didn t matter to him much by that time.

7 The Stars could actually get a break by having their players rest during the Olympics Feb That said, there still is that pride factor. It s as big as it gets, Nill said when asked about the impact of the Olympics in Canada. It s hard to quantify, because hockey means so much up there. To wear the colors of your country and represent the sport of hockey for Canada it s a great, great honor. Ruff did it in 2010 and won a gold medal, as Canada beat the United States, 3-2, in Vancouver. He said it was one of the best moments of his life. The experience in 2010 was unbelievable, he said. To win gold in Canada, it doesn t get better than that. Now, we have the challenge of going out and trying to do it again. Dallas Morning News LOADED: Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser gets unexpected call for chance to join U.S. Olympic team July 23, 2013 By Helene St. James Detroit Free Press Sports Writer This year, Danny DeKeyser said, is one he knows he ll never forget. As if going from college player to coveted free agent to contributing Red Wings defenseman to Calder Cup champion weren t sweet enough, DeKeyser will be considered for Team USA s Sochi squad for the 2014 Olympics. He was among the many Wings who popped up on various national teams as many rosters were revealed Monday. Joining DeKeyser next month at the U.S. orientation camp will be goaltender Jimmy Howard almost certain to gain a final spot and forward Justin Abdelkader. Pavel Datsyuk was on Russia s roster, and though no Wings players were invited to Canada s camp, coach Mike Babcock will be back behind Canada s bench, hoping to repeat the gold medal he coached Canada to at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Sweden announced its selections last month and naturally went Wingheavy, inviting forwards Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Gustav Nyquist, plus defensemen Niklas Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson. Every player but DeKeyser was expected to be part of early preparation for the teams that will compete for medals Feb in Sochi, Russia. DeKeyser s inclusion was bolder, but indicative of what a favorable impression he made in 11 games for the Wings this past spring, before he was felled by a broken thumb on his right hand. He was lost two games into Detroit s playoffs but healed in time to join the Grand Rapids Griffins and play six games as they culminated a playoff run by capturing the AHL championship. Next: A trip to USA Hockey s Orientation Camp in Arlington, Va. That s pretty cool for me my first time being invited to anything like that, DeKeyser said Monday. It was pretty surprising to me. I didn t hear any talk about it. Any chance to get a chance to play for your country, anybody would take that opportunity. DeKeyser is one of 18 defensemen invited. He s among the longer shots to make the final cut, but his smooth skating and nimble puck-moving skills will help argue his inclusion to a tournament played on the larger Olympic ice. If nothing else, receiving the invitation is a tremendous boost to a young player s confidence, and getting the opportunity to rub shoulders with the likes of Ryan Suter and Keith Yandle will be a thrill. That s going to be a great experience, DeKeyser said. I m going to do my best to make the team. The game that I play is the game that got me here, the game that people recognize. So I m just going to try to play my game as flawlessly as I can. If can continue to do that, that will be my best chance to make the roster. There are some great guys on there. It s a pretty special group to be a part of. I look forward to the experience. Howard s name was a given after a season in which he was widely hailed as the team s MVP, carrying the Wings down the stretch and 14 games into the playoffs. Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, the 2012 Conn Smythe champion, is the early favorite to get the starting job, but Howard is likely to win the backup job over competition that includes Ryan Miller and Cory Schneider. Abdelkader earned his invitation on the strength of a season in which he excelled as a forechecking, puck-retrieving wingman for Datsyuk. Others among the 24 forwards invited include luminaries such as Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad, David Backes, Dustin Brown, Ryan Kesler of Livonia, Phil Kessel, Bobby Ryan and Zach Parise. Detroit Free Press LOADED: Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader could be the next Tomas Holmstrom July 24, 2013 By Helene St. James Detroit Free Press Sports Writer Deep into the NHL off-season, it s time to look at individual Red Wings and assess expectations for the coming season. Forward Justin Abdelkader Looking at numbers: Contributed 10 goals, three assists and 34 penalty minutes in 48 games during the regular season. Followed up with two goals and one assist in 12 playoff games. Looking at money: One year into a four-year, $7.2-million contract that runs through Looking back: After starting the season centering the third line in place of Darren Helm, Abdelkader got a shot at playing next to Henrik Zetterberg. After a handful of games of experimentation in various spots, Abdelkader ended up as a winger for Pavel Datsyuk and found a new home. Abdelkader served Datsyuk well as a forechecker, puck retriever and netfront man. Abdelkader scored a career-best 10 goals in the a lockout shortened season. Looking ahead: Abdelkader s impressive 2013 season has earned him a spot to try out for the U.S. Olympic team that will compete in the Sochi Winter Games. That audition will stretch through the first half of the season, which will benefit Abdelkader as he s sure to be back playing on a line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg come October. In many ways, Abdelkader has emerged as the heir to Tomas Holmstrom, a hardworking grinder who did the dirty work for his star linemates. Abdelkader s new role is quite a shift from where the Wings envisioned he d play when he joined them for most of the season. He was expected to be a fourth-line center, maybe evolve into a third-line middleman. At times, he showed he could be useful as a winger in the bottom-six group. This past season, he showed the upside to what can happen when a team is decimated by injuries: Another player pleasantly surprises. Abdelkader s success springs from hard work, something that shouldn t be a problem for a 26-year-old to continue to match. Standing in front of the net will get him some offensive numbers if not by shooting then by deflecting as Abdelkader delightfully learned in a March game at Vancouver when two of Datsyuk s shots went off Abdelkader. A week later, Abdelkader had the last laugh, using his stick to net his first hat trick. He was one of the Wings best individual stories of the spring and should carry that into the fall. Detroit Free Press LOADED: Detroit Red Wings Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser thrilled about Olympic camp invitation, looking to gain weight, strength

8 By Ansar Khan on July 23, 2013 at 11:01 AM, updated July 23, 2013 at 11:02 AM DETROIT Detroit Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser was born 10 years after the Miracle on Ice, but he's seen the movie about the 1980 U.S. Olympic team's incredible run to the gold medal in Lake Placid. And, like all American hockey players, he has dreamed of representing his country. Just to be considered for a spot on Team USA's roster for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, is quite an honor for DeKeyser, who received an invitation Monday to the U.S. Olympic hockey orientation camp Aug in Arlington, Va. It would be something I would definitely remember the rest of my life,'' DeKeyser said. Growing up as an American kid playing hockey you always watched Team USA playing in the Winter Olympics. It s some great hockey. You look at some of the names that have been invited to the camp and it's a pretty special group to be a part of and just to get a shot.'' DeKeyser is among 48 players, including teammates Jimmy Howard and Justin Abdelkader, invited to the camp. The list features 18 defensemen, including Ryan Suter, Keith Yandle, Kevin Shattenkirk, Zach Bogosian, Cam Fowler, Brooks Orpik and Jack Johnson. The Americans will select eight defensemen for the team in late December. The odds are stacked against DeKeyser, but the 23-year-old from Western Michigan has come a long way in a short time after signing a two-year deal with the Red Wings on March 29. DeKeyser's smooth skating and ability to move the puck quickly and efficiently earned him a regular spot in the lineup ahead of veterans Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo. DeKeyser played in the final 11 regular season games but suffered a broken right thumb in Game 2 against Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs. His recovery from surgery was ahead of schedule, enabling him to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the Calder Cup finals, after the Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs. My head is spinning a bit still,'' DeKeyser said. I m just trying to stay focused, keep my head on straight and keep working hard. Everything that s been going on over the past few months has been great. I know that I need to keep working hard to keep those opportunities coming.'' After taking a couple of weeks off, he has resumed working out in preparation for his first full pro season. His objective is to bulk up his 6-foot- 3, 190-pound frame. They just keep telling me to get stronger,'' DeKeyser said. I need to be as strong as I can to play against some of the bigger players in the league. There are some big guys in the NHL that you have to handle out there. They want me to continue working on my strength and maybe gain a few pounds.'' Michigan Live LOADED: Detroit Red Wings Red Wings' Justin Abdelkader hoping his gritty game will earn him a spot on the U.S. Olympic team By Ansar Khan akhan1@mlive.com on July 22, 2013 at 8:01 PM, updated July 22, 2013 at 8:20 PM DETROIT An Olympic team can't be loaded with only offensive stars, it needs players who can fill other roles, like checking, hitting, penalty killing and providing a net-front presence. Justin Abdelkader is hoping his particular set of skills will earn him a spot on Team USA for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Abdelkader, a Muskegon native, was one of three Detroit Red Wings who received an invitation to attend the U.S. Olympic orientation camp Aug in Arlington, Va. Goaltender Jimmy Howard and defenseman Danny DeKeyser are the others. Hopefully, I bring attributes they're looking for and they see me as someone who can help them out,'' Abdelkader said. USA Hockey invited 48 players to the camp, which will feature no on-ice practices due to the high costs of insuring player contracts. It's an opportunity for the coaching staff, headed by Pittsburgh's Dan Bylsma (Grand Haven), to get to know the players. The players' performance over the first 2½ months of the season will go a long way toward determining if they make the final cut of 25 who'll go to Sochi. Team USA is expected to reveal its roster in late December. It's about trying to get out to a good start,'' Abdelkader said. They'll be watching closely. Just play my game and let the rest take care of itself. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to represent the USA.'' Abdelkader, 26, spent most of the season doing the heavy lifting on Pavel Datsyuk's line playing physical, retrieving the puck, screening the goaltender. He struggled offensively early on, with just one goal and one assist in 28 games. He had nine goals and two assists in his final 20 games. He had two goals, one assist and a plus-3 rating in 12 playoff games. Abdelkader gained valuable international experience playing on the larger ice surface during the 2012 World Championships in Sweden and Finland (one goal, three assists in eight games). They got to see me on the bigger ice surface; just getting that experience under your belt helps,'' Abdelkader said. I enjoyed (the bigger ice 15 feet wider than NHL rinks), it gives you more time and space. The game is different, but speed is big part of my game.'' Abdelkader, who also represented the U.S. in the 2007 World Junior Championships, said he dreamed of representing his country in the Olympics while growing up. It's a huge honor anytime you can represent your country,'' he said. The Olympics brings the country together. You have pride every time you put that USA jersey on. To have an opportunity to make the Olympic team, this is a step in the right direction. I'm thrilled.'' Michigan Live LOADED: Detroit Red Wings Red Wings' Jimmy Howard, Justin Abdelkader, Danny DeKeyser invited to USA Olympic orientation camp By Ansar Khan akhan1@mlive.com on July 22, 2013 at 3:45 PM, updated July 23, 2013 at 8:02 PM The Detroit Red Wings will be well-represented at the U.S. Olympic team's orientation camp Aug in Arlington, Va. Goaltender Jimmy Howard, forward Justin Abdelkader and defenseman Danny DeKeyser were among the 48 players invited to the camp. Team USA will select 25 players in late December to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, from Feb Howard will be competing for one of three goaltending spots on the roster. Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings and Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres, who led Team USA to the silver medal in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, would appear to have the inside track on two spots. That would leave Howard competing with the likes of Cory Schneider (New Jersey) and Craig Anderson (Ottawa) for the other spot. Howard, 29, undeniably was the Red Wings' most valuable player this past season, when he went , with a 2.13 goals-against average,.923 save percentage and five shutouts. He went 7-7 in the playoffs, with a 2.44 GAA and.924 save percentage. Howard and Abdelkader gained valuable international experience during the 2012 World Championships. Howard was the team's main goalie.