CAROLINA HURRICANES NEWS CLIPPINGS February 6, 2014

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1 More power-play work for Canes By Chip Alexander 5, 2014 A day after the Canes lost 2-1 to the Winnipeg Jets and failed to get a shot on goal on the power play, the Canes predictably worked on the power play. Canes coach Kirk Muller looked at different combinations in practice Wednesday at PNC Arena, moving Jeff Skinner and Elias Lindholm to Jordan Staal's unit, and Jiri Tlusty and Nathan Gerbe to Eric Staal's unit. The Canes worked on breakouts and zone entries and shot angles. Against the Jets, Carolina had 51 seconds of a 5-on-3 in the second period, trailing 1-0. Defenseman John-Michael Liles hit a post but there was nothing put on net. The Canes are tied for 26th in the NHL in power-play percentage at 14.1 percent although tied for 11th in power-play opportunities with 192. Since scoring two power-play goals in a 6-1 win over Toronto on Jan. 9, the Canes have gone 3-for-31 in the past 11 games (6-5-0). "Truthfully, we're really happy with our 5-on-5 hockey," Muller said. "Today we looked at it as what areas do we want to cover and worked on that. You look at last night's game and it was pretty darn good 5 on 5. So we've got to get some different looks on the power play and look at the areas we need to get better at. One area is we need to raise our competition level. We've got to get more shots, get more hungry around the net." The Canes were posting special-teams standings in the Eastern Conference in their locker room, but have made a change. Now the Canes are the only team listed, at No. 1 in power play and penalty killing, with "100 percent" written on the white board. The rest of the slots are blank. Muller at times has used the hockey adage that a total percentage of 100 from the power-play and penalty-killing units is a reasonable goal for most teams. The Canes' penalty killing stands at 79.6 percent, so their total would be The Philadelphia Flyers, for example, are at 19.8 percent on the power play and 83.8 on the P.K. The Flyers are one of the teams the Canes are chasing in the Metro Division. The Pittsburgh Penguins, the Metro leaders, are atop the NHL in both categories percent on the power play and 87.7 in penalty killing. They're the gold standard. "I think the big objective is how we're going to play from here down the stretch," Muller said. "It's a mindset that our special teams have to be in that 100-plus ratio. That's the challenge. "This is the area we've got to crank up. If we've got to work on it more, we'll work on it more. If we have to change the personnel, we have to change the personnel. But at the end of the day we've got to get results." Goaltender Anton Khudobin was not at practice Wednesday as Cam Ward and Justin Peters manned the nets. Muller said Khudobin, who has played in 15 straight games, was given the day off. "He's fine," Muller said. Finding replacement for injured Stamkos is no easy task for Canada The Canadian Press Published Thursday, February 6, :41AM EST SOCHI, Russia -- Hockey Canada can't find another Steven Stamkos, so his replacement won't be a direct duplication. Among the options to replace the injured star, there isn't a player who brings the same pure scoring ability at such an elite level. But coaching consultant Ralph Krueger and Brad Pascall of the management group emphasized that whoever gets the call won't have to slide into the role Stamkos would have filled. "You've got to just forget about him," Krueger said Thursday at Bolshoy Ice Dome. "It's not about Steven Stamkos anymore,

2 it's about the best possible replacement to fit into the group of 14 forwards." Stamkos on Wednesday was ruled out of the Olympics by Tampa Bay Lightning doctors, citing his broken right tibia not being fully healed from the injury suffered Nov. 11. All along it was a long shot for Stamkos to be ready for Sochi, but his rapid progress made it seem possible. Still, until hearing from the Lightning, Hockey Canada didn't know for sure which way it was going. Pascall said it helped to have executive director Steve Yzerman as Tampa Bay's general manager, but even that didn't mean a perfect projection for Stamkos. "We didn't know," Pascall said at Bolshoy. "I think for us to pretend that we knew where he was in his recovery, we really had to wait for the official medical opinion. It's unfortunate, we feel bad Steven. I know how much he wanted to be here." When it became official Stamkos won't be at the Olympics, Canada's staff had what Pascall called "a number of conversations" to figure out the next step of a replacement. The news came out after 1 a.m. Thursday in Sochi, but the time-zone difference didn't prevent communication. Neither Krueger nor Pascall named names or even hinted at who was being considered, saying that everyone on Canada's "long list" that was submitted in October was still in play. More specifically players who didn't make the final roster cut got a heads-up in early January. "From the day we named our team we told everybody, 'Hey you're still in consideration of the long list of players,"' Pascall said. "So whether they believe that they're still in consideration or not, it's more real now. I think there's probably a number of players out there thinking they might get that call." Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers, James Neal of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Marty St. Louis of the Lightning appear to be the most logical candidates to replace Stamkos. Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes and Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks also played on the gold-medal team in Vancouver four years ago and strong recent play could earn them some consideration. Stamkos is a right-handed-shooting centre who figured to play right wing in Sochi, potentially alongside Chris Kunitz and Sidney Crosby. But Pascall said being a natural winger -- like Neal or St. Louis -- was not necessarily a prerequisite in this case, and Krueger said whoever joins the roster won't just slide in where Stamkos was pencilled in. "It's really re-mixing the team and the lineup and then looking at the best possible player for that spot," Krueger said. "There's no bad player left on the long list and there's no bad player on the team. They're all excellent players. It's just which strengths do we feel that we need the most." Despite knowing this scenario was possible and preparing for it, Krueger and Pascall indicated that picking a replacement for Stamkos was not a formality and that the coaching and management staffs were still deliberating. Pascall figured a decision would be announced within 48 hours. "I'd like to say (by) Saturday," he said. "The charters leave Sunday, there's the last NHL game on Saturday, so we want to make a decision by Saturday that we can get somebody on the charter on time." There's IOC paperwork involved, too, in order to do a lateathlete replacement, Pascall said. Because of that, it's possible Hockey Canada informs the chosen player so that he can make travel arrangements to get to either Newark or Atlanta -- where the charter flights are leaving from -- on Sunday but waits until that is complete before making it public. "I want to ensure that that process has done its due diligence," Pascall said. "However long that takes is really unknown." As Sochi beckons, Price keeping focus on Canadiens Thursday, / 3:00 AM / 2014 Olympics By James Murphy - NHL.com Correspondent MONTREAL -- On Tuesday, Canada Olympic coach Mike Babcock told the hosts of "Hockey Central" on Sportsnet radio that he planned to use a different goalie in Canada's first two games at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Feb. 13 against Norway and Feb. 14 against Austria. It's expected those two goalies will be the Vancouver Canucks' Roberto Luongo and the Montreal Canadiens' Carey Price. It just so happens Price and Luongo will face each other Thursday when the Canadiens host the Canucks in each team's penultimate game before the Olympic break. It's a juicy storyline but you wouldn't have known that talking to Price after Canadiens practice Wednesday. "Like I've been saying this whole time, until I leave here my focus doesn't change," Price said. "It doesn't matter who I'm playing [Thursday], my approach is still the same. That [who plays when at the Olympics] will be decided once we get there.

3 I don't know who those two goalies will be yet. I'm sure they have a pretty good idea of how things are going to go but that's obviously not our decision to make." Since Price and Luongo were named to the Canadian squad Jan. 7, and even before that, the always calm and focused Price has kept a strict mantra of not looking ahead to Sochi and staying focused on his duties with the Canadiens, who are battling to maintain a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference standings. "We're not teammates yet," Price said when asked if there was extra meaning to the game Thursday at Bell Centre. "We're both trying to do our job for our team. I knew that [question] was coming but that's exactly what it is. Our two teams are trying to gain points and make a push for the playoffs. There's no other tangibles involved and we're both focused on a single goal and that's to get a win [Thursday]." While those may not have been the answers to Olympicthemed questions the throng of reporters surrounding Price at his locker-room stall desired, it's that calm, zoned-in approach he and Luongo possess that will be crucial for Canada's chances for gold in Sochi. Montreal coach Michel Therrien pointed out following practice it's also why Price has been able to elevate his game to a higher level. "Both goalies play in a demanding market and Carey has matured in that," Therrien said. "He has grown up as a player and a leader in this. There's no doubt he's faced the pressure as a young goalie and always faced tough situations like this. But we're extremely pleased with the way Carey Price has played for us and how he s brought his game to another level. "It's the same thing with Roberto Luongo. But he's got a little bit more experience and he's an older guy. He's a good goaltender. One thing that I know is Team Canada will do really well with Price and Luongo representing them." While Price veered away from Olympic questions as much as he could, he was willing to praise the goalie he'll likely battle with for the No. 1 spot with Canada. As Therrien alluded to, Price and Luongo play in two of the biggest hockey markets in the NHL and maybe the world, and each has handled himself professionally. Price praised his counterpart and soon-to-be teammate for doing just that over what had been a tumultuous past three years in Vancouver. "He [Luongo] is a professional and he handles himself very well," Price said. "He's a veteran and he knows exactly what he's doing. If anybody can handle that type of pressure it will be him. I played golf with him this summer, met him at the All- Star Game a few years ago, but aside from that don't know him too well. Obviously he's a pretty relaxed and pretty funny guy." During the regular season Price struggled with the pressure of playing in Montreal and simply being a young, skilled goalie with great potential. He lost the reins on the starting job to Jaroslav Halak, who took the Canadiens on a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Final. There was plenty of speculation that Price and not Halak -- an impending unrestricted free agent at the time -- would be traded, but Montreal decided to trade Halak to the St. Louis Blues and keep Price with the hope he would become the franchise goalie he's becoming this season. Price learned from that experience and if he is in a similar position as a backup goalie in Sochi he won't let that discourage him. "That was a trying time for me, but at the same time it taught me a lot about being a professional," Price said. "No matter how the scenario plays out I'm going there to try and help the team win no matter what. That was the whole point of that [summer evaluation] camp and trying to earn a spot on that team. You want to try and be the guy, but at the same time you've got to respect the decision of the coaching staff and understand that you need to accept your role no matter what it is and do the best you can to help the team win. That's just common knowledge for every player going to this tournament, I think." Prospector Files: MacKinnon advises 2014 draft class Thursday, / 3:00 AM / Prospector Files By Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon has taken the path many promising prospects hope to follow once all the fun begins after the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on June MacKinnon, who was ranked No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting's final list of the top North American skaters for the 2013 draft, was taken No. 1 by by the Avalanche. Colorado now is reaping the rewards and MacKinnon is living the dream. He leads all rookies in goals (20), points (42), power-play goals (eight) and shots on goal (164) and is tied for the League lead with Tyler Toffoli of the Los Angeles Kings with five gamewinning goals. Is he the top contender for the Calder Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year? "It's too early to talk about Calder," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. "I think Nate needs to focus on one day at a time and what he controls. I don't want him to think more than that. Individual honors are nice, but you know what? [That's] in June. Right now it's about the team." MacKinnon recently provided NHL.com with some insight into what it has been like for him this season. Obviously any advice for a potential 2014 draft pick couldn't hurt. "The biggest adjustment for me was remembering to do the things that got me here," MacKinnon said. "I went away from that early on. It's a tough League, especially early on. You have to figure out what you can and cannot do, but it's also important to stick to what you do well and remain confident. "Only when you have that confidence can you find that success."

4 MacKinnon is familiar with many of the top players available in the 2014 draft and acknowledged "there are some good players." His advice to them is to remain confident and keep doing the things that have enabled each player to excel at the junior level. "The game is the same for sure; hockey is hockey," MacKinnon said. "Everyone is a good player in this League. In junior I don't know how many plays the third- or fourth-line guys can make, but the third and fourth lines in this League are very talented hockey players and likely lit up juniors. I find that the fast pace is a lot of fun; you don't have to overthink plays." Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who is in his third season, was impressed with MacKinnon the moment he met him prior to training camp. Landeskog was No. 2 on Central Scouting's final list of North American skaters for the top 2011 NHL Draft and then was drafted No. 2 by the Avalanche. "The biggest surprise for me is the consistency he has shown," Landeskog said of MacKinnon. "I remember as a rookie there were so many games. There was so much traveling you would get tired and it was hard to find your game on some nights because you're so tired. But he's found a way to keep that consistent level and that's not easy to do." EAGLES SOAR BEHIND DEMKO Boston College freshman goaltender Thatcher Demko, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm list of the top 2014 drafteligible goalies in North America, had a stellar effort in his Beanpot Tournament debut Monday, making 27 saves in a 3-1 victory against Boston University in the semifinal round at TD Garden in Boston. The Eagles will face Northeastern in the Beanpot championship game next Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET before what is sure to be a packed house at TD Garden. The 6-foot-3.75, 192-pounder is expected to start the final, a game that very well might be the biggest of his career to this point. "He's been a good goaltender for a lot of years, you know, so I don't think it's a surprise that he could handle something like this and play well," Boston College coach Jerry York told sports editor Connor Mellas of bcheightssports.com. "I think Thatcher, as I watch him, he's getting more confident. He handles the puck now; he reminds me an awful lot of Cory Schneider at the same age." Demko, who even earned an assist on teammate Johnny Gaudreau's third-period goal, won his sixth straight game and improved to with a 1.90 goals-against average and.930 save percentage in 12 games. "I thought we played well, but Thatcher, you know, kept them off the boards," York said. "We gave them a 2-on-0 break, there was one save, a remarkable save right around the crease area that they made a tic-tac-toe play and I have to see the tape, I don't know how it stayed out of the net. I think a lot of our good defense, that was the play of Thatcher." Schneider, now with the New Jersey Devils, played in three Beanpot tournaments for York at Boston College but never celebrated a victory. "[Demko's] big, he's square, he makes a great save at the end of the game where just because he's in great position," Boston University coach David Quinn said. "He understands what his strength is and it's his size. He doesn't waste any movement and he doesn't waste any energy." DAL COLLE ADMIRES QB TOM BRADY Despite his Canadian roots, Michael Dal Colle of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey league happens to be a huge fan of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. He acknowledged that like Brady he always is looking to improve in every area. "I like the way he carries himself; he's never satisfied," Dal Colle said of Brady. "He's got the three championship rings and is not satisfied with that. He goes out every game and is still on a quest for the fourth. What I love about him is that he's so dominant in the NFL but he never seems to plateau, just continues to get better even with age. He makes everyone around him better." Dal Colle, who is fourth in the Ontario Hockey League with 73 points (32 goals, 41 assists) in 51 games, is No. 5 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm list of the top draft-eligible North American skaters. "Michael's a big guy [6-1.5, 179], so when you see those big guys with playmaking ability you get excited," Central Scouting's Chris Edwards said. "He skates as well and has a tremendous shot. I've seen him score when he sets up at the top of circle. He's used at the point on the power play and is out there for almost the entire man-advantage. He gets off a good one-timer. I love his hands and playmaking ability." Dal Colle is the featured player for NHL.com's prospect profile this week. TOP PROSPECT PASTRNAK SUSTAINS INJURY Forward David Pastrnak sustained a concussion Saturday and will not participate for his native Czech Republic at the Under- 18 Five Nations Tournament that runs this week in Dmitrov, Russia. Pastrnak, who is a regular playing in Sweden's second division for Sodertalje, played a key role for sixth-place Czech Republic at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship in January. The 6-0, 167-pound right wing played top-six minutes and finished with one goal, three points and eight shots in five games. The Five Nations Tournament, which runs through Saturday, features elite prospects from the United States, Sweden, Russia, Finland and Czech Republic. NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb said it's unknown how long Pastrnak will be out. Pastrnak, who considers his strongest assets as a player to be his hockey sense, offensive skills and mobility, is No. 4 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm list of the top draft-eligible skaters in Europe.

5 Pastrnak, born in Havirov, Czech Republic, came to Sodertalje at the start of the season, made the under-20 team and had 12 goals and 29 points in 32 games in Sweden s junior league. PROSPECTS ON THE RISE 1. Alex Lintuniemi, Ottawa 67's (OHL): Added as a C-ranked player on NHL Central Scouting's February players to watch list, the 6-3, 231-pound defenseman has three goals, 17 points and 14 penalty minutes in 50 games in his first season with the 67's. The native of Helsinki, Finland, was chosen with the second pick of the 2013 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. He served as captain for the Under-20 Jokerit team in Finland's junior A division last season and had four goals, 14 points and 76 penalty minutes in 38 games. 2. Colton Bobyk, Spokane Chiefs (WHL): In his first full season with the Chiefs, the , 190-pound left-shot defenseman has four goals, 10 points and 50 penalty minutes in 41 games. He scored twice and was named the game's second star in a 5-4 loss to the Everett Silvertips on Feb. 1. Bobyk was added to Central Scouting's February players to watch list as a C-ranked player. 3. Kyle Wood, North Bay Battalion (OHL): The , 195- pound defenseman recently was upgraded to a C-ranked skater on Central Scouting's players to watch list. Now in his second season with the Battalion, Wood has one goal, five points and a plus-4 rating in 16 games. Predators' Weber entering Olympics at top of game Thursday, / 3:00 AM / 2014 Olympics By John Manasso - NHL.com Correspondent There are those professional athletes who seek to turn the spotlight on themselves and there are those who find the spotlight painful and seek to deflect attention to their teammates. Put Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber firmly in the second category. With the 2014 Sochi Olympics looming, Weber leads NHL defensemen in goals with 15, and as a right-handed shot could find a natural spot on Canada's first defense pair with lefthanded shooting Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks. Owner of as powerful a slap shot as exists in the world today -- his goal against Germany in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics that went through the twine no doubt will receive its share of replays once the Sochi tournament commences -- Weber might have as good a chance as any player to score the kind of memorable goal that would earn a measure of international fame. If that happened, would Weber, an avid follower of the NFL, indulge in a Richard Sherman moment on camera? The notion makes Weber chuckle. "No," he said. "It's definitely about the team, especially, hockey s a team game. It's not one guy. It's everybody." For Weber, the Predators captain, it is all about the team. And lately he has been carrying his team. In the past 26 games he has 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) to help Nashville get back in the race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs even as they enter their fourth month without No. 1 goalie Pekka Rinne, who is recovering from a hip infection. Nashville, in its past 19 games, entered Tuesday four points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. If a player could be peaking at the right time for the Olympics, then Weber might be it. His nine power-play goals tie him for fifth in the NHL; je and the Boston Bruins Zdeno Chara are the only defensemen in the top 30 in that category. He is tied for fourth in the NHL in points by a defenseman with 38, a total that places him second on the Predators, one point behind center David Legwand. Weber averages 26:42 of ice time per game, ranking him fourth in the League. Since Dec. 10 he has logged at least 29:40 seven times, and five times he's played at least 30 minutes. "It's been good," said Weber, a big man at 6-foot-4, 233 pounds, of his workload. "We've got a lot of guys who are capable of playing big roles and big minutes back here. It definitely keeps you in the game and it's easy to stay into it and ready when you're playing that many minutes." The only statistical blemish on Weber's record this season is his minus-8 rating. He plays for one of the lower-scoring teams in the NHL -- the Predators enter Tuesday 22nd in scoring at 2.47 goals per game -- and since Nashville gets many of its goals from its seventh-ranked power play (which largely is fueled by Weber), his plus/minus suffers. After a 3-2 overtime win Saturday against the New Jersey Devils in which Weber scored twice, including the gamewinner, Predators coach Barry Trotz called his two-time Norris Trophy finalist "our building block" and a "difference maker." "I keep saying: People better pay attention to Shea Weber," Trotz said. "In terms of the plus/minus, don't look at that stat. I think he's having maybe his best year as a pro and no one's even taken notice." Hockey Canada certainly has taken notice. That is why it named Weber an alternate captain for the Olympics, which Weber called "definitely a huge honor." "You look at that dressing room and you see how many captains there are from their respective clubs and you know any one of those guys could have done the job," he said. One curious aspect to Weber's game this season is he's shooting less than he has in the past, something he pointed to when asked if that's why he has been producing so many points recently. He is on a pace for 200 shots this season; between and he averaged 239 per season, and his 124 last season projects to 211 over an 82-game season.

6 Perhaps it's a refinement in his game as he plays with younger defensemen. Since the Predators traded Kevin Klein, 29, to the New York Rangers on Jan. 22, none of their other regular defensemen are older than 23. "When the opportunity does come I'm getting [the shot] there and guys are doing a great job and things are going in," Weber said. With scorers abundant up and down Canada's roster, Weber will not need to shoot much at the Olympics, meaning that change in his game should fit nicely. Despite what is no doubt intense pressure from home Weber was not ready to put Canada into favorite status. "It's hard to say," he said. "In a short tournament like that I think there's five or six teams that legitimately have a shot of winning and it's just going to come down to who plays the best in those games." When it comes to who his defense partner will be at the Olympics, Weber said he does not care since he called it a "privilege" simply to be on the team. His partner could be former Predators defenseman Dan Hamhuis, now a member of the Vancouver Canucks; the San Jose Sharks Marc-Edouard Vlasic; Keith; another lefty shot; or a number of other players (although the St. Louis Blues' tandem of Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo seems a good bet to stick together). The previous time Weber went to the Olympics his partner with the Predators was American-born Ryan Suter, who now is with the Minnesota Wild. Upon returning after the tournament the Predators took a photo of their Olympians, with Weber wearing his gold medal and Suter his silver. North American teams have not fared as well in Olympics outside out of the continent since NHL players began participating in Weber said he doesn't think the European teams will have a leg up with the tournament in Russia. "Obviously a lot of the players play in the NHL which play over here in North America so I don't think there's any advantage," he said. "Everyone's going to be going over at the same time. They may be used to the bigger ice from when they're younger but there's still guys that have played in the NHL for seven or eight years and they're playing on the North American-sized ice." If Canada does bring home the gold and if Weber happens to play a major role in the victory, it's obvious to whom he will give the credit: The team. Family dynamic part of Dal Colle's relentless drive Thursday, / 3:00 AM / Prospects By Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer Not a day goes by that Michael Dal Colle doesn't consider himself fortunate to have an opportunity to do what he enjoys most: play forward for the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Hockey League. It's something he understood early in life and won't ever take for granted. His role model is his older brother, Jonluca Dal Colle, who is autistic. His hero is his mom, Wendy Dal Colle, who seven years ago was diagnosed with breast cancer but fought the fight and has been cleared since "My mom is a huge role model for me in my life after all she's been through, in raising her kids, a special-needs son; it's pretty powerful," Dal Colle told NHL.com. "Obviously, in the back of my mind, everything I do is for her. I hope I can help her even more in the future." Dal Colle has two siblings, Jonluca and a sister, Daniela, who played NCAA Division I hockey at Niagara University. "Jonluca is a great guy and the other role model in my life," Dal Colle said. "He's had it hard, growing up. It's tough, but it has made us a stronger family. It makes me a better person. It's different, but I'm so used to it now and he's someone special in my life for sure; an important addition to the family." What about the rigors of hockey in his draft year? Heck, that's the easy part. "Every day I know I'm blessed with the opportunity I have in front of me in my career," Dal Colle said. "Everyone who plays hockey these days doesn't realize how good they have it. In the back of my mind, I realize I have it pretty easy than some other people." There seems to be this overwhelming opinion about Dal Colle whenever a scout watches him that cannot be ignored. He isn't loud or braggadocios away from the rink; he's mild-mannered, in fact. But whenever he takes the ice and begins that relentless pursuit of the puck and drive to the net, you can sense the fire within. "You can't help but say to yourself, 'Oh boy, there's a [future] pro,'" NHL Central Scouting's David Gregory said. The 6-foot-1.5, 179-pound left-handed shot, taken seventh in the 2012 OHL priority selection by the Generals, has that type of presence on the ice. NHL Director of Central Scouting Dan Marr compared Dal Colle to Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf. "I like to pride myself on my two-way game," Dal Colle said. "I'm not a guy who is geared for all offense, but I like to play all over the ice. I'm best with the puck on the stick, creating my chances off the cycle and using my big body to an advantage." That was rather evident in the BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Jan. 15 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary when Dal Colle was dominant with the puck. Dal Colle, who played for Team Cherry, scored once and had a few other attempts ring off the goalpost. "He gets to open spots, can come off the wall and get to the net," Gregory said. "He has great speed so if he adds more size and strength to that frame, he's going to become a force. I

7 see what he's doing now and know that he will only get stronger, that's why I really like this kid." Dal Colle, who is fourth in the OHL with 73 points (32 goals, 41 assists), was No. 5 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm list of the top draft-eligible North American skaters. What might have been a surprise to some wasn't to the Woodbridge, Ontario native. "To be honest, I try not to look at the rankings too much, but I'm pretty confident in my abilities and there's still more to come," he said. "The remainder of the season and the OHL playoffs will be a big test for me. I want to contribute." In nine league playoff games as a rookie in , Dal Colle had two goals, five points and a plus-3 rating. Oshawa was swept in a best-of-seven series by the Barrie Colts in the Eastern Conference semifinal round. "I was so lucky as a 16-year-old to have an opportunity to play alongside Boone Jenner (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Tyler Biggs (Toronto Maple Leafs), who were great role models for me as a rookie," Dal Colle said. "They definitely helped me adjust to the OHL. They're great guys not only on the ice, but off, and that was a huge part in my learning how to take it to the next level." He's getting plenty of mentoring this season as well, skating alongside Philadelphia Flyers 2012 first-round pick Scott Laughton, who stresses the importance of defense and playing a 200-foot game. He wears jersey No. 71 in honor of his favorite NHL player, Evgeni Malkin. "I just love the way he plays; he's so dominant offensively and can create so many chances," Dal Colle said. "He's a guy who is always determined on the puck, making him a dominant player." And in what areas does Dal Colle think he can improve to become that type of leader on the ice? "I'm always looking to get faster, quicker," he said. "That was my weakness growing up. I was always a little bit sluggish. I still need to get bigger. I'm only 180 pounds, so if I want to be a successful at the next level I need to put on some muscle mass." That's a scary proposition for any team deciding to overlook Dal Colle at the 2014 NHL Draft. Versatility key to Christian's Olympic experience Thursday, / 3:00 AM / 2014 Olympics By Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer Ask any skater representing their country in a short tournament such as the Winter Olympics and it's easy to assume the role they play with their regular team usually is forgotten on an international stage. More often than not skaters on a top offensive line are thrust into a third-line checking role. On some occasions a player serving as a forward for much of his career is given a role on defense. During the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" in Lake Placid, N.Y., Dave Christian was informed by coach Herb Brooks just days before the start of the tournament that he would be moving to the blue line. "I was playing forward for a majority of that year with the Olympic team and around Christmas-time, two months prior the start of the Games, Brooks began asking me if I ever played defense," Christian told NHL.com. "After a couple of weeks of his asking me I finally told him that while it had been a while since I last played on [defense] in high school, I did have some experience." The conversation, according to Christian, ended there. Brooks never again brought up the issue until just before the start of the tournament when "he told me he was moving me back to defense." It would be quite a change for Christian, who had been playing forward at the University of North Dakota for two seasons prior to being selected for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team. The native of Warroad, Minn., had compiled 30 goals and 70 points in 78 games as a center for the Fighting Sioux. And leading up to the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics he had 30 points in 59 exhibition games as a forward for the U.S. Olympic Team. "I played that Olympic tournament as a defenseman," Christian said. "Years later when I would run into Herb, he said, 'You know, if you had ever played for one of my teams I'd have moved you to defense immediately. You played your whole career out of position.'" Truth be told, Christian turned out to be one of the NHL's most consistent players on right wing in the 1980s, finishing his U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame career with 340 goals and 773 points in 1,009 games. "In the Olympics you do what you're told to do, period," Christian said. He ended up leading the team with eight assists in seven games at the Olympics. Six days after Christian manned the blue line for the United States against Finland to clinch the gold medal, he'd make his NHL debut with the Winnipeg Jets as a forward. He scored his first goal 1:07 into his first game and still remembers it well. "We won an offensive-zone draw and the point man took a shot, I got to the net and put in the rebound," Christian said. "I thought to myself, geez this was easy." Christian still enjoys telling tales of the miraculous run he and his teammates went on to win the gold medal. His father Bill and uncle Roger won gold for the U.S. Olympic Team during the 1960 Squaw Valley Games. "I was only 8 months old when my dad and uncle won that gold medal, so much of what I learned was through stories he would share about the team," Christian said. "What I remember most,

8 though, was every single day walking by a gold medal in the family room of our house. You could just pick it up any time, take it to school for show and tell. It made me dream about what could be." Christian was asked if Brooks was portrayed accurately by actor Kurt Russell in the 2004 movie "Miracle." "It was the tame version of some of his speeches; the PG version," Christian said. "But Herb was a great motivator and he had a great sense for who needed a pat on the back, who needed a kick and who he just needed to leave alone. Stamkos won't participate in Sochi Olympics Wednesday, / 11:12 PM / 2014 Olympics NHL.com Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos will not participate for Canada at the 2014 Sochi Olympics after a CT scan Wednesday showed the tibia in his right leg is not completely healed. "After reviewing the CT scan this afternoon, Dr. Gutentag made it clear to me and to Steven that the tibia is not completely healed and therefore he should not be participating in game action at any time in the near future," general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement released by the team. "Although the doctor was very pleased to this point with the healing process, he explained that the callus surrounding the fracture site is not 100 percent consolidated, and Steven will not be cleared to play in a game until that happens. It was a pretty clear cut decision, no gray areas at all." Stamkos will continue his rehabilitation with the Lightning training staff and be evaluated again in 2-3 weeks. Stamkos had been practicing with the team and taking contact, and his goal had been to return for Tampa Bay's game Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings to test out the leg prior to the Olympic break. "Today is obviously very disappointing for me," Stamkos said. "I honestly believe that we did everything possible in order to have my injured leg ready in time for the Olympics, but I realize you can't force healing. I know, in the best interest of my long term health, I cannot represent Canada in Sochi, as much as I would like to. I would like to thank the training staff for their dedication and hard work and I look forward to returning to the Lightning once cleared by the medical team." Stamkos broke his leg less than three months ago, Nov. 11 against the Boston Bruins, when he fell and collided with the goal post. He had 14 goals in his first 17 games and since the start of the season has 103 goals in 147 games. Canada will now have to replace Stamkos on its Olympic roster and among the frontrunners for the spot is his teammate, Martin St. Louis, who has 25 goals and 54 points in 56 games. "He picked a player to call out that would actually rally the other 19 guys. He had a good feel for everybody's makeup." What was Christian's biggest surprise, other than the outcome, in that improbable 4-3 victory against the Soviet Union? "Watching as the Soviet coach pulled [goaltender] Vladislav Tretiak after the first period," Christian said. "In retrospect, and knowing what I know now about Herb and his mannerisms, when we took the lead late in the game it was as if he wasn't surprised at all. His demeanor remained the same and it was as if he really did expect us to be in the lead at some point; there was never any panic." Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux and Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal are also prime candidates. Yzerman told ESPN.com via text message Wednesday evening that a replacement player announcement will take place "within 48 hours." Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who will serve as Canada's captain, said after his team's 5-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday that he was sorry to see Stamkos won't be able to play. "I think we all figured that if there was anyone that was going to find a way to get back, it would be him," Crosby told the media. "I'm sure it's going to be more difficult for him than anyone else. You feel for him." Olympics take center stage on 'NHL Revealed' Wednesday, / 11:00 PM / NHL Insider By Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer With the men's hockey tournament in the 2014 Sochi Olympics set to begin in one week, the episode of "NHL Revealed: A Season Like No Other" that aired on NBCSN Wednesday night featured Olympians from seven teams. The episode will air in Canada on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on CBC. Part of the storyline was that friends and teammates will soon become rivals in Sochi. It's one of the storylines that is at the heart of every international tournament. "There will be no friends during that tournament," New York Rangers and U.S. defenseman Ryan McDonagh said early in the show. For example, Canadian Olympians such as Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry will have to put their friendship with fellow Anaheim Ducks teammate and Finnish forward Teemu Selanne on hold when they get to Sochi. They had to do the same thing four years ago in Vancouver. "We've been able to put those things aside and compete against each other, and at the end of the night we shake hands," Getzlaf said.

9 Getzlaf then issued a warning for Selanne. "I'm going to try to take the puck from him," he said. "He can't," Selanne responded. "He can't catch me." All eyes in Sochi will be on Sidney Crosby, the captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins and for Canada. During a scene in Pittsburgh leading up to the Penguins' game on Jan. 27 against the Buffalo Sabres, Crosby talked about his golden goal from four years ago in Vancouver and how it relates to other historic goals in Canadian hockey history such as Paul Henderson's goal in the 1972 Summit Series and the famous Wayne Gretzky to Mario Lemieux goal in the 1987 Canada Cup. "When I think of all those goals I think the Henderson one is way up there," Crosby said, "but just to be in that conversation, I feel pretty fortunate." This will be Crosby's second trip to the Olympics. "To be part of the Olympics for Canada, a place that is so passionate about hockey, we all dream of being part of that," Crosby said. "We all know it'll be difficult, but that's why we're going there, you want to do it again." New York Islanders captain John Tavares will get a chance to do it for the first time in Sochi. However, last week Sochi was the furthest thing from his mind as he got to experience some outdoor hockey at Yankee Stadium. As special as it was to play in the Bronx, the practice day last Tuesday was perhaps even better for Tavares as he got to skate with his dad, Joe, for the first time in 10 years. Joe Tavares laced up Matt Carkner's skates and went on the ice with his son after the Islanders' practice. It was yet another one of those special moments caught on camera and brought to the home viewer on "NHL Revealed." "I can't believe he's skating," Tavares is heard saying, definite shock evident in his voice. "He hasn't skated in 10 years." Across the continent in rainy Vancouver was Ryan Kesler, the Canucks' center who will soon be wearing the red, white and blue of the United States at his second Olympics. When the cameras caught up with Kesler it was the morning of Jan. 29 and he was leaving his house for a morning skate at Rogers Arena, preparing for a game that night against the Chicago Blackhawks and a roster that features 10 Olympians: Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith of Canada; Niklas Hjalmarsson, Johnny Oduya and Marcus Kruger of Sweden; Marian Hossa and Michal Handzus of Slovakia; Patrick Kane of the United States; and Michal Rozsival of the Czech Republic. However, Kesler's son, Ryker, who the day before went to work with his dad and was able to skate with him after practice, was sick and making it difficult for dad to leave the house. "It's hard being away from them when they're sick," Kesler said. "All they want to do is cuddle and have their mom and dad there, and most of the time their dad is not there, so that's definitely tough." The Canucks lost 5-2 to Chicago, then headed out on a fivegame, 10-day road trip. But Kesler won't be coming home when it's over. He'll be going to Sochi instead. He knows his wife, Andrea, has her hands full at home because of his life as a hockey player. "She's basically a single parent," Kesler said. "I leave [Jan. 30] to go on the road for 10 days and I leave right from the road to go to the Olympics for another two, 2 1/2 weeks. There are 3 1/2 weeks of her being by herself. She really is the glue that keeps the family together." Down the Pacific Coast in Los Angeles, Anze Kopitar is preparing for his first Olympics. Kopitar, the Kings center, will be Slovenia's only NHL player in Sochi. His dad, Matjaz, will be the Slovenian coach. "The suspense is building up leading up to the Olympics, it's going to be a special feeling for sure," Kopitar said. "I played for my dad a couple of times before. It's going to be pretty special for me and for him." Soon the suspense will be over and the hockey will begin in Sochi. The "NHL Revealed" cameras will be there too. The show returns on Feb. 27, four days after the gold-medal game, with back-to-back episodes beginning at 10 p.m. ET on NBCSN and 8 p.m. ET on CBC. Hockey world fondly remembers Brendan Burke Wednesday, / 6:23 PM / Hockey is for Everyone NHL.com The hockey world was stunned and saddened four years ago by the passing of Brendan Burke, the son of current Calgary Flames president of hockey operations and acting general manager Brian Burke. Once a student manager for the Miami University hockey team, Brendan is remembered for his heart and courage as a pioneer who in a December 2009 article by ESPN's John Buccigross revealed he was gay, discussed the acceptance of his sexuality by his family and his team and spoke out against homophobia in professional sports. In tribute to Brendan, Brian and older brother Patrick founded the You Can Play campaign that encourages to judge athletes on talent, heart and work ethic, and not sexual orientation. To this day, Brendan is universally loved and respected, and various names in the hockey community took to social media to honor his memory.

10 Stunning Numbers: Malhotra s face-off success; Nielsen s shootout dominance By Sean Leahy Stunning Numbers is an occasional look at stats and figures from around the NHL 59.5 The face-off success-rate for Carolina Hurricanes forward Manny Malhotra in his return from a career-threatening eye injury. He's currently fourth in the NHL. 1,050:36, 0 The total amount of ice time through 54 games this season for Ryan O'Reilly of the Colorado Avalanche and the number of penalty minutes he's accumulated. Given how voting goes, this should place him in front of the line for the Lady Byng race. 167 The total number of penalty minutes by NHL leader Tom Sestito in 336:18 minutes of ice time. 11, 0 The number of overtimes played and goals allowed by Ryan Miller. 49 The number of career shootout wins for Ryan Miller. 25 The all-time shootout win total for the Carolina Hurricanes. 5 The number of penalty shots faced by Corey Crawford this season. He's stopped four of them. 2 The numbers of penalty shots faced and penalty shot goals allowed by Henrik Lundqvist this season. 10 The number of wins by the Philadelphia Flyers this season after trailing during the third period, a franchise record according to the Elias Sports Bureau The career shootout shooting percentage of Frans Nielsen of the New York Islanders, best among players with at least 20 career attempts. He's 5-for-10 this season. They don't call his move the "Danish Backhand of Judgment" for nothing. 9.3-percent The power play percentage of the Florida Panthers through 56 games. No NHL team has finished below 10-percent since the Minnesota Wild (9.6-percent)..612 The winning percentage of the Philadelphia Flyers under general manager Keith Allen, who died Tuesday at the age of 90. He helped build the "Broad Street Bullies," who made the playoffs 12 times and reached four Stanley Cup Finals, winning two of them. NHL Three Stars: Crawford blanks Ducks; Havlat helps Sharks By Sean Leahy No. 1 Star: Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks Behind 29 saves from Crawford, the Blackhawks won their second straight over the Anaheim Ducks 2-0, thanks to goals from Marian Hossa and captain Jonathan Toews. Hossa now has points in 11 of his last 13 games. The shutout was Crawford's first of the season and ninth of his career. The win moves Chicago to a point behind Anaheim for the NHL's best. No. 2 Star: Martin Havlat, San Jose Sharks Havlat recorded his first multi-point game since Dec. 17 with a goal and an assist during San Jose's 2-1 overtime victory over the Dallas Stars. In the second period, Havlat tipped home a Scott Hannan shot to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead. Later, in overtime, Havlat helped set up Tommy Wingels' winning goal 1:52 into the extra frame: No. 3 Star: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins captain scored a goal and assisted on another as Pittsburgh routed the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. Crosby's goal came in highlight-reel fashion in the second period after splitting the Buffalo defense before chipping a shot over Ryan Miller's glove: Honorable Mention: Alex Stalock made 19 saves, including this doorstop robbery on Jamie Benn:

11 Not to be outdone by his teammate, Evgeni Malkin also had two points, including this pretty goal: Did You Know? "Todd McLellan coached his 434th game with the Sharks, tying Darryl Sutter for the most in franchise history." (AP) Dishonorable mention: Buffalo has not won in their last eight games at home and is 4-12 in their last 16 meetings with the Penguins... The Ducks have now lost four of five and have been shutout in two of their last three games... Anaheim went 0-for-5 on the power play. Checkers Come up Empty in Abbotsford Created: February 6, :00 am Written by Paul Branecky The Checkers fought back on three separate occasions, but a late goal for the home team proved to be too much. Charlotte dropped a 4-3 decision to the Heat on Wednesday night, ensuring that they would come up empty in a two-game trip to Abbotsford. Danny Biega scored his first two professional goals and Zach Bocyhuk added another for the Checkers, who went on their now-concluded, four-game road trip. In his first start since Jan. 17, Mike Murphy made 24 saves for Charlotte, which now returns home to play its annual Pink in the Rink game against the Oklahoma City Barons on Friday. Charlotte has now lost consecutive games for the first time since Dec , while Abbotsford extended its point streak to seven games (5-0-2) and allowed it to claim the top spot in the Western Conference. Though the result was the same, the game was much more evenly played than Abbotsford s 7-1 win on Tuesday that marked the largest road defeat in Checkers history. With the teams trading goals throughout the night, Abbotsford scored first and last to move to in the season series between the West Division rivals that continues with two games at Raleigh s PNC Arena on Feb. 14 and 16. The winning goal came on a rebound with 3:13 left in regulation, with rookie Corban Knight given too much space to deposit a Ben Street rebound on the doorstep in front of Murphy. Just five minutes earlier, Biega, who entered the game with no goals in his first 38 professional games with Charlotte, had notched his second of the game by driving the net and stuffing a loose puck under goalie Olivier Roy s pads on the rebound. Prior to meeting the Heat for the first time this season on Tuesday, the Checkers had won eight of their last 10 games. They had also won three consecutive games against Abbotsford and were against divisional opponents. Wednesday s back-and-forth scoring began in the second half of the first period, one that started much more brightly than when Abbotsford had jumped out to a 4-0 lead after 13 minutes of play the night before. The Checkers did well to negate a two-man advantage lasting nearly the full two minutes after Biega and Chris Terry took penalties just seven seconds apart, particularly given that the Heat had recorded three power-play goals the night before. Soon after that power-play ended, the Checkers left Heat forward Sven Baertschi alone in the slot to beat Murphy with a backhand deke on a coverage breakdown in the Checkers zone. Biega then responded with his first goal as a Checker on an unconventional four-on-one rush, one that saw the puck go from Boychuk to Biega, then to Brett Sutter and back to Biega for a shot that was partially blocked, causing it to take a strange, slow bounce through the legs of Roy. Abbotsford then capitalized on an unusual odd-man rush of its own, with rookie Markus Granlund scoring for the fifth consecutive game on a three-on-one, shorthanded break after Aaron Palushaj drew a high sticking penalty on the opening faceoff of the second period. That was Granlund s 21st goal of the season, briefly tying him with Boychuk until the Checkers forward tied it at 2-2 with a snipe from the right circle that went off the post and in. Including two recent hat tricks, Boychuk s goal was his seventh in his last five games. He is now just one goal short of tying his AHL career high set last season. Street gave the Heat a 3-2 lead on the only goal of the night that Murphy would like to have back, a spinning, no-look shot of a loose puck that emerged from a battle to Murphy s left with 10:30 to play. Following Knight s winning goal, the Checkers had a few decent looks to tie the game for the fourth time, including a promising one-timer by Terry in the final minute, but ultimately came up short. Charlotte out-shot the Heat by a margin on the night, including a advantage in the final two periods. Roy, the Heat s third-string goalie who had not played a game with the

12 team prior to this week, made 34 saves to beat the Checkers for the second consecutive night. NOTES Boychuk (1g, 1a) and Brett Sutter (2a) joined Biega with multipoint outings Boychuk had a game-high six shots on goal Granlund s goal was the sixth shorthanded goal allowed by Charlotte this season Abbotsford s Brett Olsen had three assists Charlotte went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill but also went 0-for-3 on the power play, dropping it to 0-for-17 on the man advantage in its last four games since going 5-for-7 against Oklahoma City on Jan. 24 The Checkers dressed seven defensemen for the first time this season, with forwards Matt Marquardt and Brendan Woods sitting out as healthy extras Nicolas Blanchard and Jared Staal missed the game due to injury. TODAY S LINKS Florida Panthers OFF TO RUSSIA: Steve Goldstein to Join Tomas Kopecky and Aleksander Barkov in Sochi George Richards In a few days, two members of the Florida Panthers will pack up their equipment and fly thousands of miles from South Florida. Although many of their teammates will spend the upcoming break on a beach or visiting family up north, Aleksander Barkov and Tomas Kopecky will continue playing hockey. In Russia. At the Olympics. "I'm enjoy to enjoy this as if it were my first Olympics,'' said Kopecky, making his second run with Slovakia after competing in the 2010 Vancouver Games. Slovakia lost to Canada in the semifinals and to Finland in the Bronze medal game. "We have a great group of guys and I'm excited to see some other events if I have the time. You focus on hockey but you need to get your minds off things during the off time. I'm excited to go. It should be fun.'' Barkov is no stranger to international competition, but for the 18-year-old center, this will be his biggest stage yet. A two-time member of Finland's world junior team, Barkov wasn't considered a favorite to land a spot on his national team until a hot streak just prior to the selection announcement. Barkov, the second-overall pick of last year's draft, says he's been concentrating on the Panthers but he can't wait to go to the Olympics. Barkov grew up in Finland to Russian parents who hail from the Moscow area. "These are my first Olympics, so I'm 100 percent excited no matter where they are,'' Barkov said. "I was happy to hear [about being selected] and a little surprised about it.'' Those two won't be the only ones with Florida ties in Sochi. Former Panthers captain Olli Jokinen and goalie Roberto Luongo, who both spend their offseasons in Broward, will represent Finland and Canada respectively. Television voice Steve Goldstein is also making the trip as he will do radio play-by-play alongside former Florida defenseman Bret Hedican for Westwood One Radio. Although local stations aren't picking up the hockey games, they can be heard on SiriusXM satellite radio. "The games are going to be awesome,'' said Goldstein, who worked his first of four Olympics back in 1994 at Lillehammer. "I'm really looking forward to Feb. 15 in particular when the United States plays Russia in Russia. That's something historical I get to do. There's so much history there. It'll be nice being somewhere I've never been.'' Although there has been well-publicized concerns about security and readiness of the games, Goldstein and Kopecky say they can't wait to get there. Goldstein said Westwood One already had staffers in Sochi and they were pleased with how things were running. "Our hotel is done and within walking distance of the hockey arena and broadcast center,'' said Goldstein, who will make the 25-hour trip on Saturday. "And the weather is the kind we love here in South Florida. It's 50, 55 degrees. You can wear shorts at the Winter Olympics.'' Kopecky said he's seen some of the Images coming out of Sochi and smiled when he mentioned the infamous bathroom shot as well as the three single beds that some players from Team Canada will share.