Anaheim Ducks Chicago Blackhawks Boston Bruins Buffalo Sabres Colorado Avalanche Calgary Flames Columbus Blue Jackets Carolina Hurricanes

Transcription

1 SPORT-SCAN Anaheim Ducks Teemu Selanne is central to Ducks history and can add to it Robidas' new role for Ducks: Informant Selanne basks in the moments with Giguere, Kariya Boston Bruins Bruins bring experience to NHL playoffs Chiarelli praises Red Wings heading into first round playoff matchup Bruins like their odds heading into the playoffs Bruins don't expect Dennis Seidenberg playoff return Bruins Notebook: Everyone s day to day Wings not opposites Buffalo Sabres Sabres face long odds to win NHL Draft Lottery; last-place team has won just six of Sabres' Weber: 'Enough's enough. Joke's over' Myers on last-place finish: 'It can only go up' Myers needs to perform like an elite player all the time Scott says officials kept close tabs on him Sabres notebook: Sulzer recovering from concussion Sabres guaranteed to pick No Sabres must move on with a new attitude Calgary Flames Monahan headed to world championships with Team Canada Report: Flames moving farm team to New York with city of Abbotsford pulling plug Monahan s eye-opening season bodes well for his future now about that twitter account Pending unrestricted free agent Cammalleri would like to speak with Flames, unsure if he ll test market Johnson: Burke jumps into Tortorella-Hartley feud, which grows juicer by the day Flames notes: Club has fourth-best odds for Tuesday s draft lottery Flames coach Bob Hartley gets vote of confidence video Calgary Flames hope for a little lottery luck Calgary Flames boss Brian Burke rips Vancouver Canucks coach John Tortorella Big decisions lie ahead for Calgary Flames free-agents Calgary Flames' Karri Ramo proves his worth Calgary Flames boss Brian Burke doesn't want Flames to be pusillanimous Pusillanimous the new truculence Flames' Giordano and Brodie to miss out on worlds Sean Monahan gives Calgary Flames a solid foundation to build around Carolina Hurricanes Another early end for Canes For Sekera, painful end to a good season Flyers' Hartnell fined $5K for spearing hit on Canes' Bellemore NHL 4/15/2014 DAILY BRIEF Chicago Blackhawks Toews, Kane back on the ice for Blackhawks Blues may target Blackhawks' Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews Jonathan Toews rested, ready for playoffs Blackhawks will be in repeat mode if Toews, Kane are at their best Marian Hossa for Selke Trophy probably not, but why not? Toews content with team s response to Orpik s hit things to watch when NHL playoffs start They re back: Toews, Kane ready to go Sound advice is always welcome Blackhawks prepared for physical series with Blues Getting a Game 1 victory will be key for the Blackhawks Blackhawks: Teuvo Teravainen adjusting in AHL Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews ready to roll for Stanley Cup Playoffs Is there worry surrounding health of Kane, Toews? Is it Stanley Cup or bust for the Blackhawks? Korac: Blues 'kind of got bored' after clinching playoff spot Colorado Avalanche Avs captain Gabe Landeskog greets arrivals to DIA in time for playoffs Colorado Avalanche are 14-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup, Vegas says Colorado Avalanche switches focus to Minnesota Wild as playoff foe Minnesota Wild could be peaking at right time against Avalanche Analyzing the Minnesota Wild vs. the Colorado Avalanche Wild captain Mikko Koivu better appreciates playoff run now Wild rookie Erik Haula does great job filling in for Mikael Granlund Hochman: Avalanche to beat Wild in seven, even with a grade of "C" New Hockey Talk with Adrian Dater Minneapolis Star Tribune s Michael Russo Avalanche back in playoffs, focus on Wild Columbus Blue Jackets Blue Jackets vs. Penguins this season Blue Jackets notebook: Success has buried talk of team curse Michael Arace commentary: Kekalainen has Jackets on right track Around the NHL: Red Wings hand Blues sixth straight loss Blue Jackets vs. Penguins schedule, season-series recap NHL: Blue Jackets seek to stand up to Penguins Blue Jackets say just making playoffs not enough Blue Jackets' James Wisniewski fulfilling his commitment to Columbus What to watch for as Blue Jackets take on Penguins

2 Dallas Stars Heika: '80s teen angst music has a message for playoff-bound Dallas Stars Matured Kari Lehtonen puts early-career playoff struggles behind him, ready to carry Stars Dallas Stars prospect Curtis McKenzie named AHL's Rookie of the Year Stars believe they deserve to be in playoffs Stars are looking up while the Mavericks are trending down Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings' foes, Boston Bruins, bring experience to NHL playoffs Krugs not going to Boston but looking forward to games at Joe Louis Arena Helene St. James: Detroit Red Wings will welcome Henrik Zetterberg to practice, but he won't play just yet Detroit Red Wings 20/1 odds to win Stanley Cup NHL roundup: Underdog Detroit Red Wings have riled Boston Bruins What they're saying about Red Wings-Bruins playoffs series Leafs bring on ex-red Wing Brendan Shanahan to add direction, identity Henrik Zetterberg will skate Tuesday but isn't ready to play Wings youngsters must get up to speed for rigors of playoffs NBC analysts Pierre McGuire, Ed Olczyk respect Red Wings Detroit Red Wings have 20-1 odds of winning Stanley Cup, 10-1 to win Eastern Conference Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg to skate with team Tuesday, but still no timeframe for his return Red Wings' rookie Riley Sheahan a more complete player after developing offensive game in NHL Zetterberg set to return to practice; out for Games 1 and 2 Edmonton Oilers Oilers Gagner: I know it s not good enough Cult of Hockey: Give the Edmonton Oilers a collective D on report card Flames' Brian Burke says Vancouver's Tortorella should "keep his mouth shut" The annual NHL draft lottery is for the worst-picture nominees, Edmonton Oilers report card: Bad Oilers: A world of hurt Might be more than just Ryan Smyth playing last game as an Edmonton Oiler Under the new system, Oilers among 14 NHL teams with a shot at the No. 1 draft pick 2 Florida Panthers Panthers' season in review Los Angeles Kings Kings-Sharks: Possession, possession, possession Kings-Sharks: Weathering the storm March 14 media availability: Darryl Sutter April 14 media availability: Quick, Brown, Stoll Minnesota Wild Michael Russo's NHL playoff predictions NHL playoffs, capsule previews Wild finishes strong after desert summit conducted by leaders A year later, Pominville gives Wild an added playoff weapon Six years later, Parrish is on Wild payroll no more Chart: Wild leaders come up big All in all, Avs happy to play Wild instead of Blackhawks Wild: Captain Mikko Koivu knows how precious playoffs are Jason Pominville just third Wild player to score 30 goals in a season Wild: Haula's been good, but healthy Granlund would get old job back Montreal Canadiens Eight reasons for Hab haters to cheer for Montreal anyway The road to the Stanley Cup is filled with goalie trouble Habs retool ahead of showdown with Bolts Canadiens look to Briere to step up in playoffs after low-key regular season Habs vs. Lightning should be a treat for fans Eller returns as Habs prepare to face Lightning Canadiens focus on special teams ahead of opener in Tampa Nashville Predators Barry Trotz out as Predators coach Predators could turn to former Flyers coach Barry Trotz: 'It's not a sad day but a joyous day' Barry Trotz timeline with Predators What will the Predators look for in their next coach? Offensive failings were common under Trotz Barry Trotz was Predators' fall guy Predators players try to cope with Barry Trotz news A look at Predators roster going into offseason New Jersey Devils Devils GM Lou Lamoriello on bringing Pete DeBoer back: I didn't feel there was a reason to make a change Devils want Jaromir Jagr back; GM Lou Lamoriello will talk with Martin Brodeur Pete DeBoer drama: Questions that Devils GM Lou Lamoriello left unanswered Will Adam Larsson get a chance to be a Devils regular next season? Devils future bright on defense, but tough decisions to come on veterans; Shootout help wanted? Devils Clowe confirms he sustained another concussion; Hopefully it s not long term. I don t know Lamoriello to meet with Brodeur about his future; Signing Schneider to extension top priority Will Devils dial *68 to bring back Jagr for another year?; Carter, Gionta, Bernier hoping to return Devils Salvador optimistic he won t need surgery on ailing hip; Fayne suffered abdominal injury Devils' Ryane Clowe confirms second concussion If Canucks fire Tortorella, he might not get another chance to be a head coach Devils, Islanders will bring back coaches Peter DeBoer, Jack Capuano next season New York Islanders Jack Capuano will return as Islanders coach, GM says Isles captain John Tavares: There is no part of me that wants to leave New York Rangers Maple Leafs Turn to Shanahan to Give Team Identity Canada s Lonely Standard-Bearers in the N.H.L. Playoffs NY Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers playoff matchup brings back memories of Vegas starts Rangers at 20-1 to win Stanley Cup Lundqvist: I don t feel I have to prove I can play in the playoffs J.T. Miller back with Blueshirts Rangers recall J.T. Miller from Hartford A capsule look at Rangers-Flyers series Flyers' Kimmo Timonen says Rangers will be favored NHL, NBC fumble Rangers-Flyers matchup Rangers own slight edge over Flyers in first-round playoff series The Rangers took an unusual and interesting road to get here

3 Ottawa Senators Scanlan: Players seek the spirit of those pesky Sens Fixing defence top priority for MacLean Senators MacLean says cutting back on goals against is team s top priority MacLean's changes didn't work on Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators' Hemsky wants to play for 'good team' Ottawa Senators' Spezza 'not naive' to trade talk Ottawa Senators' seven years of lost promise Ottawa Senators' Z-bad feeling better Philadelphia Flyers Flyers aren't sure if Mason will play Flyers are no Cinderellas Who will play at forward for Flyers in Game 1? things about the New York Rangers Flyers seek their 'A-Number 1' game in N.Y Flyers will try to measure up to Madison Square Garden Akeson could stick around with Flyers for playoffs reasons Flyers should be confident vs. Rangers Flyers-Rangers: Recapping their season series Scott Hartnell fined $5,000 for spear in finale Scott Hartnell fined $5,000 for spearing Jason Akeson may make Flyers playoff roster Flyers ready for new slate against Rangers Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes appear ready to embrace change Coyotes goalie Mike Smith's MCL sprain will heal without surgery, team says Coyotes wrap: Too little hunger, too much complacency Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins notebook: Team calls for playoff `gold-out' in Game Penguins Insider: Depth might be better fit for Stanley Cup playoffs Penguins need several players to step up during playoffs Penguins coach Bylsma's system will be put to test in Stanley Cup playoffs Penguins' playoff games to be on outdoor screen Pens recall goaltender Vokoun Penguins notebook: Playoff's arrival suits team just fine Dave Molinari scouts the NHL playoffs Ron Cook: Orpik isn't ready for goodbyes Penguins not favored to win for a change San Jose Sharks Sharks' Tomas Hertl excited about first playoff game Sharks' Raffi Torres' status unclear for playoff opener Sharks' Scott Hannan says he's OK for playoff opener Sharks not ready to announce who'll be their goalie against Los Angeles Kings Sharks notebook: McLellan not ready to announce starting goalie For Hertl, 'it's personal' as Sharks prep for Kings Sharks starting playoff goalie still uncertain Torres, McLellan mum on Sharks forward's status Pavelski remains on top line as Sharks resume practice St Louis Blues Blues hope return of regulars will boost offense Blues Bytes: First up, fix the psychological trauma Hockey Guy: One game could reverse Blues fortunes Blues face choice on sixth defenseman Blues' tailspin revives bad memories Blues hoping rest and return of injured players will bolster playoff chances Playoffs approaching, Blues need goalie to step up Tampa Bay Lightning Bolts owner Vinik having time of his life Lindback seizes moment as Lightning head to playoffs Fennelly: Lightning follow Cooper s lead into playoffs Lightning's Jeff Vinik a model owner Lightning's Callahan, Canadiens' Gionta to renew friendly rivalry in NHL playoffs Anders Lindback is NHL's first star of the week Lightning's Lindback NHL's first star for week Toronto Maple Leafs Leiweke: Maple Leafs need a culture change Mirtle: Maple Leafs get their end-of-season report cards Shanahan must set a new course for Leafs Maple Leafs: Season-ending penthouse-doghouse Maple Leafs introduce Brendan Shanahan as new hockey president, Carlyle s future up in air Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier to have surgery for hernia Maple Leafs draft outlook features forwards Despite Leafs lost season, these three players stepped up their game Brendan Shanahan set to fight for Maple Leafs Maple Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier to have surgery Shanahan no stranger to being second-guessed Maple Leafs' Bolland hopes to return Leafs' Bernier will be back, what about Reimer? Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri and new president Brendan Shanahan share London roots Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle's job could be in jeopardy Maple Leafs were banged-up bunch down stretch Kessel sputtered along with Leafs playoff hopes Maple Leafs Morgan Rielly and Tyler Bozak could play for Canada at world championship Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis is no stranger to working under a boss like Brendan Shanahan The Beezer ain't buying what the Maple Leafs are selling Maple Leafs fans deserve better: Leiweke Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis happy to have Brendan Shanahan on the team Brendan Shanahan to have full authority as Toronto Maple Leafs president, alternate governor Toronto Maple Leafs Jonathan Bernier to undergo surgery to repair sports hernia Maple Leafs latest saviour, Brendan Shanahan, says all the right things Wounded Maple Leafs clear out equipment and turn focus to healing themselves Vancouver Canucks Canucks prepare for facelift following disastrous season Canucks minus-master Alex Edler: Bottom line is I haven't been good enough Daniel Sedin says he s fine after scary hit in Canucks' final game John Tortorella's last stand with stale Canucks? (with video) Botchford: Torts wanted it both ways, and that just wasn t going to happen Jamieson: Torts gives Kassian his due Johnson: Burke jumps into Tortorella-Hartley feud, which grows juicer by the day Kuzma: Booth is the $4-million question for the Canucks Tortorella says veteran Canucks roster is stale Canucks pack up for summer with many questions left unanswered Tortorella, players have different visions for Canucks' future

4 Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin: I have to take responsibility. I have to take criticism Capitals Notes: Team doesn t have many roster decisions to make Ovechkin says Capitals are in middle of nowhere Websites ESPN / 5 players carrying the freight ESPN / Time for change in Nashville USA TODAY / Western playoffs: Stars seem poised to pull off upset USA TODAY / Barry Trotz out as Predators coach Wall Street Journal / O Canada? This Season Is More Like 'No Canada' SPORT-SCAN, INC

5 Anaheim Ducks Teemu Selanne is central to Ducks history and can add to it Helene Elliott 8:30 PM PDT, April 14, 2014 Were those tears or drops of sweat rolling down Teemu Selanne's face Sunday as he skated around the Honda Center, absorbing and returning the crowd's love after the final regular-season game of his Hall of Fame career? If he wept, he wasn't alone. Selanne's love for Southern California was mutual from the day he joined the Ducks in February 1996, traded here by the financially strapped Winnipeg Jets. One sunny breakfast under palm trees, and he was home. "This is my kind of place," he recalled thinking. He made it his own, and not just with the dazzling speed that earned him the nickname "Finnish Flash," and the quick shot that helped him rank 11th in NHL career goals, with 684, and 15th in points, with 1,457. His prime seasons, with linemate Paul Kariya, exemplified the ultimate that hockey can offer. They did drills together in practice before their teammates, talked after each shift about what they could do better, knew each other's thoughts. Their bond remains so strong that Kariya, retired and reclusive, attended Sunday's game. He was the only former teammate Selanne invited. "I've been very lucky that I've been playing with unbelievable players, pretty much my whole career. But nothing has been even close to playing with Paul," Selanne said. "Everything was so easy. We played the same way. We were thinking the same way about the game. It was just like unbelievable." Selanne, 43, holds the probably untouchable NHL rookie record of 76 goals in a season, won the first Rocket Richard trophy as the NHL's goals leader in , and got his name on the Stanley Cup with the dominant Ducks in After two stints with them he was traded to San Jose in 2001 but returned as a free agent in 2005 following career-saving knee surgery he is central to their history. He can add to it when the Ducks, seeded No. 1 in the West, face the Dallas Stars in a playoff series that begins Wednesday in Anaheim. Beyond numbers, Selanne brought to the rink a luminous joy in what he did. And he carried that goodwill to the many hospitals he visited and youngsters he cheered up, the onetime kindergarten teacher always able to connect with kids. If Selanne did cry Sunday, it's understandable if his tears mingled with the sweat of exertion after he played a season-high 18 minutes 42 seconds. Though set up often, he didn't figure in the scoring in the Ducks' 3-2 overtime victory over Colorado. If the fates were kinder, he would have scored a dynamic goal or two, but those were rare this season. He had nine goals and 27 points in 64 games, a good deal of his time spent on the fourth line. He averaged 14 minutes 7 seconds' ice time and only once played both ends of a back-to-back game sequence. "It's a tough situation," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I think his presence makes our team better just by him being Teemu. When he's passionate and everything it gets the team playing better. "It's not like I'm sitting here saying, 'OK, Teemu's skills have diminished.' I played until I was 38 but I wasn't the same player at 38 that I was at 25. Things change a little bit." Boudreau told Selanne last summer his role might be reduced, and Selanne weighed that heavily. He has taken it year by year for a while but said this was his toughest decision, one ultimately swayed by the lure of representing Finland at the Sochi Winter Games. "The Olympics and the whole package was there but my role was still, you know, I wasn't really, I didn't know. I still don't know," Selanne said last week. Selanne, whose 255 power-play goals are the third-most in NHL history, was most bothered by not playing on the first power-play unit. But the numbers simply weren't there on the power play or on rare occasions he played on the top line. He was energetic to start his shifts but couldn't sustain that in an ever-faster game. Publicly, he was diplomatic. "It has been sometimes a little tough to sit out," he said, "but hopefully it's going to be something which, when we go a long ways, a little bit more extra energy here and there, I think that could be a big advantage for me." He lobbied Boudreau for more playing time after his team's bronze-medal performance at the Sochi Games, where he was voted the tournament's most valuable player and extended his Olympic scoring record to 43 points in 37 games. Boudreau briefly put him with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, but it didn't click. "I feel about him like everybody else does. I love him," Boudreau said, but that didn't stop him from keeping Selanne's line on the bench when he occasionally went down to three lines. "My toughest assignment is to make sure he's getting enough ice and at the same time, he's in a positive ice," Boudreau said. "And understanding I'm just a peon as compared to what he is. I know the icon. You look out there and he scores a goal in practice and the guys are all cheering for him. He's just loved everywhere, and I understand that. There's tough decisions you have to make for the team, for the benefit of 22 other guys. But you're still considering the effect of one. I think we've done an OK job there." No matter what happens in the playoffs, Selanne intends to live in Orange County with his wife and their three sons and daughter, who speak unaccented English. He's not sure what challenge he will take up next, but he has already succeeded at strengthening hockey in Southern California and will leave the Ducks in better shape than when he arrived. "It has been a mission here to try to create the reputation for this organization that free agents and guys like to come here to play," he said. "Before, like when we didn't have a good team, you have to pay so much more to get somebody to come here. But now I think the reputation around the league is that guys want to come here. It's a big difference." A difference he's still creating. LA Times: LOADED:

6 Anaheim Ducks Robidas' new role for Ducks: Informant BY ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER Published: April 14, 2014 Updated: 8:08 p.m. ANAHEIM Stephane Robidas has assumed a key role on the Ducks, which is what they expected when they acquired the longtime defenseman from Dallas before the NHL trade deadline. The available proof lies in the minutes that they re now giving Robidas each night and making him an essential part of their penalty-killing group. And now the gritty veteran has another assignment to handle for them. Informant. In a juicy little subplot for the Ducks first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Stars, Robidas faces the team that he called his for 11 of his 13 full NHL seasons. And in the competitive nature that is the two-month struggle to possibly hoist the Stanley Cup, Robidas has found himself conversing with Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau and sharing whatever intelligence he has about the club that employed him up until March 4. Obviously he asked me a few questions, Robidas said Monday. A little bit about what I know about them. Obviously it s part of the game. Now it is about gaining an edge wherever there is one to be had. In this case, Boudreau has to outwit his counterpart, Lindy Ruff, who after a long run with Buffalo takes the Stars in his first season back to the playoffs to end a five-year absence. The Ducks know who Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are. But maybe there is some additional knowledge to be gained on those two dynamic Stars, whether it s their tendencies or how each reacts in different situations. Or maybe what adjustments Ruff likes to make at certain times in a given game. And that is where Robidas comes in. We ve talked to him, Boudreau said. I think it s prudent of every team to use any asset you can to get better prepared against your opponent. We just happen to have a guy we traded for and who s been in that organization for a while. More important, he was there when the new coach came. We ll use some of the little tidbits that he gave us. Boudreau then cracked that if I knew Lindy s mother would give me information on them, I would use that. It is all part of the preparation that the West s top seed is making for Game 1 on Wednesday night at Honda Center. And ultimately every little piece of info that Robidas shares about any one of their players can only do so much. I think in the end, it s really up to the players on the ice, Robidas said. You can draw a game plan and know everything about a team but in the end, if you don t go out there and you don t compete, your chances to win are not good. The Ducks only focused on their power play during a relatively short practice at Anaheim Ice. It is one small step in their process to prove they re a legitimate Cup contender and not a regular-season wonder that will fold in the biggest moments. Orange County Register: LOADED:

7 Anaheim Ducks Selanne basks in the moments with Giguere, Kariya By ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER Published: April 13, 2014 Updated: April 14, :43 a.m. ANAHEIM The spotlight was on Teemu Selanne all Sunday night and it was literally focused on the beloved winger as he skated around the otherwise darkened Honda Center to his adoring audience. And when he got through shaking hands with Colorado players, Selanne spotted goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere and dragged his former Stanley Cup-winning Ducks teammate onto the ice for a victory lap, arm in arm in an emotional scene. On a Sunday night that was all about him, the Ducks icon again showed his ability to seize the moment. Obviously, (Giguere) has been a very important player for this franchise and these fans also, Selanne said. So happy that I could share this night with him. I knew he had his family and a lot of friends here tonight. Hopefully it was very special for him too. There are the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs to deal with but Selanne got to bask in an evening where he was the center of attention with the Ducks already clinching the Pacific Division and top seed in the Western Conference. The season-high overflow crowd of 17,528 serenaded Selanne with chants of Thank you, Teemu late in the third period, making good on a similarly named social media campaign to stand for every one of his shifts in those 20 minutes and in overtime. Selanne didn t score a point but that didn t matter much to those in attendance. He finished with nine goals in his 21st and final regular season, giving him 684 to sit 11th in NHL history. Obviously it was overwhelming, said Selanne, who is 15th in points (1,450) and 22nd in games played (1,450). And this city and everything they have treated me so well and make this is a very special place for me. It meant a lot. I ve always had a great relationship with them. That was more than I asked. Adding to his night was the rare appearance of his great friend, Paul Kariya, the Ducks first big star and longtime captain. Kariya sat in a suite with Avalanche great Joe Sakic, now the team s executive vice president. Selanne said he talked for an hour with Kariya on Saturday and joked that I don t take no for an answer. I never could have dream about having that kind of chemistry with somebody like Paul, Selanne said. I told him last night, I want you to be there. Even if you come for just one period. Because I know he s going to be there, it s very special for me. This was a definite swan song for Giguere, who got to play what is expected to be his last NHL game in the place where he made his name over nine seasons as the Ducks best goalie in franchise history. Giguere set Ducks goaltending records for most games played (447), wins (206) and shutouts (32) but it is the Conn Smythe Trophy-winning performance in 2003 and his Cup triumph with Selanne that are the defining moments in his career. The Ducks showed their appreciation by honoring him during a stoppage in play, which elicited his own lengthy standing ovation. As players for both teams tapped their sticks, Giguere acknowledged the crowd multiple times. Orange County Register: LOADED:

8 Boston Bruins Bruins bring experience to NHL playoffs By HOWARD ULMAN / AP Sports Writer / APril 14, 2014 BOSTON (AP) The Boston Bruins had the NHL s best record, allowed the second fewest goals and scored the third most. They have four strong lines, three solid defensive pairings and one of the best goalies. And they were 1-3 in the regular season against their first-round playoff opponent. The Detroit Red Wings will be back in town Friday night. They always give us some good games, Boston coach Claude Julien said. The Bruins gave them a terrible one Nov. 27 in Detroit, losing 6-1, their most lopsided loss of the season and one of only five games in which they allowed more than four goals. Everything we did tonight was just a disaster, Julien said then. Most everything they've done since then has been impressive, going For the season, the Bruins outscored opponents by 84 goals while Detroit was outscored by eight. Outstanding goaltending by Tuukka Rask, who led the NHL with seven shutouts, a combination of youth and experience and the all-around brilliance of center Patrice Bergeron make the Bruins favorites. Bergeron played with his usual excellence defensively and scored 30 goals, one less than his career-high in 10 seasons, all with the Bruins. It s the best I've seen him, Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli said Monday. The whole two-way component of his game is so good, it s always good. It s not by accident you hear his name in the Hart Trophy conversation for MVP. Jarome Iginla, a 17-year veteran, also scored 30 goals after signing as a free agent in the offseason. He s fit in seamlessly on a team with 14 of its 18 top skaters, plus Rask, who played in last season s playoffs. If they were coming into the playoffs for the first time, it might dominate their mind all day, like what s it going to be like? Chiarelli said. These players know what they have to do. Many of those players were on the team that won the Stanley Cup in Last season the Bruins made it to the final where they lost in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks. Then they traded Tyler Seguin to the Dallas Stars and received Reilly Smith and Loui Eriksson. They had up-and-down seasons while Seguin tied for fifth in the NHL with 37 goals. We went into that whole venture to improve our team and we have improved our team. So there s no real vindication, Chiarelli said. And there s no secret to the quality of player that we traded. It was not a surprise that he s doing what he s doing. The Bruins are relatively healthy despite finishing Saturday s 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres without three forwards. Chris Kelly missed the game with back spasms, Bergeron left after the second period with a minor injury and Daniel Paille was helped off the ice midway through the third period after a collision with Jake McCabe left him dizzy. Bergeron is expected to play, and Julien said Sunday that Paille was much better. The Bruins defense remained stingy despite the absence of Dennis Seidenberg since Dec. 27 and Adam McQuaid since Jan. 19. Chiarelli said Seidenberg, who had knee surgery, isn t expected to return for the postseason, while the team is being careful about McQuaid s recovery from a thigh injury. Without them, Dougie Hamilton, Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski and Kevin Miller, all 26 or younger, have played regularly. Zdeno Chara and Johnny Boychuk are the other two defensemen among Boston s top six. One of our major themes going into the year was integrating the young defensemen, and I think (Julien has) done a good job, Chiarelli said. We had the luxury a little bit of these players who played the year before in real tense times in the playoffs. Now they must try to stop a team that values puck possession rather than dumping it into the offensive zone and chasing it. But the Bruins are deep with six players scoring more points than the Red Wings leaders Daniel Alfredsson and Niklas Kronwall with 49 and five with at least 20 goals to one for Detroit. The top two lines cancel each other out, so your third line becomes important. You saw that with the year we won, Chiarelli said. And the fourth line of Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton has been together for several seasons. I've liked the look of that line, Chiarelli said. It'll be key to our success. Boston Globe LOADED:

9 Boston Bruins Chiarelli praises Red Wings heading into first round playoff matchup competitors on the other side of the ice, so we ve got to figure out a way to beat them. Boston Globe LOADED: Posted by Jeff Pini, Boston.com Correspondent April 14, :06 PM The NHL regular season is in the books and the Bruins will begin their quest for their second Stanley Cup in four years on Friday, taking on the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs. The Red Wings, playing in their first season in the Eastern Conference, finished the year with 93 points and secured the second Wild Card spot in the East, setting them up with an Original Six matchup that hasn t been seen in the playoffs since They re a classic puck possession team; you can tell they re very well coached, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said on Monday. For a team that moves the puck well, they re strong on the puck, and that s a bit of a trickle down from guys like [Henrik] Zetterberg and [Pavel] Datsyuk who are among the best puck strippers in the league. The Red Wings joined the Atlantic Division before this season and faced the Bruins four times, with Detroit taking three of those meetings, three of which, however, were before the calendar had turned to December. They won the season series against us; [we]played really poorly a couple of games, Chiarelli said. I ve watched them quite a bit down the stretch and they re a good team; they ve got injuries, [but] they ve got young guys who are performing well. It s a different ballgame in the playoffs, but certainly they ve got speed. One reason the Bruins should feel confident helping into their playoff run is the play of their third line, Chiarelli said, which has been phenomenal since the combination of Carl Soderberg, Loui Eriksson, and Chris Kelly got together due, in some part, to injuries causing other lines to be moved around. It s not common that a team has a real strong third line, he said. Often in the playoffs the margins are so thin that the top two lines cancel each other out, so your third line becomes important, you saw that in the year that we won [the Cup]. Everyone talks about secondary scoring, that s what it is; your third line and your fourth line too; we talk a lot about our fourth line. It s important to have that line going; we ve seen that line have some success this year and I like the look of that line and it s been a key to our success. Key injuries are no stranger to the Red Wings, however, and they got an important piece back in early April, as Datsyuk returned to the lineup and propelled them to their 23d consecutive playoff appearance. Zetterberg, who was injured playing for Sweden in the Olympics, may also return at some point during the playoffs. Getting back a healthy Daytsuk; that makes them more dangerous, Chiarelli said. Who knows what will happen with Zetterberg, he s lurking in the wings, and [Detroit GM] Kenny [Holland] and [Coach Mike Babcock] will probably pull him out at some point. They ve had a ton of injuries, and Tatar, Reilly [Smith s] brother [Brendan], Nyquist, Sheahan, all these kids They ve all helped energize them and when you ve got these kids that are fearless and don t really know what the ramifications are they become dangerous as a group, and that s what they are. The Red Wings have been a model of consistency in the NHL over the past two decades, and have plenty of playoff experience and improving their play when it matters most, something that was not lost on the Bruins GM. I have great respect of that organization, great respect for Kenny Holland, Mike Babcock, [and] the Ilitch family. Chiarelli said. I ve followed them for a lot of years Kenny I got to know him a little better during the Olympics he s very bright, he looks at things a lot of different ways, A lot of different angles, to get a solution, and you see that in their development, they like developing people in the minors, but they also find players elsewhere in trades and free agents, and that s what we try to do. I have respect for Mike Babcock, he s a sharp guy I got to sit in on their coaches meetings in advance of the Olympics and during the Olympics, and he s very, very bright. So I have a lot of respect for them, but now they re

10 Boston Bruins Bruins like their odds heading into the playoffs Posted by Eric Wilbur, Boston.com Staff April 14, :32 AM The Boston Bruins head into the Stanley Cup playoffs as the favorite to hoist their second title in four years, according to online gambling site Bovada.lv. Boston is a 7:2 favorite to win the Stanley Cup, followed by St. Louis (6:1), Pittsburgh (7:1), and Chicago (8:1). The Detroit Red Wings, the Bruins first-round opponent, are a 20:1 longshot to win the Cup, along with Montreal and the New York Rangers. Here is the complete list: Boston: 7:2 St. Louis: 6:1 Pittsburgh: 7:1 Chicago: 8:1 Anaheim, San Jose: 9:1 Los Angeles: 10:1 Colorado: 14:1 Philadelphia: 18:1 Detroit, Montreal, N.Y. Rangers: 20:1 Tampa Bay: 28:1 Minnesota: 40:1 Columbus, Dallas: 50:1 Boston Globe LOADED:

11 Boston Bruins Bruins don't expect Dennis Seidenberg playoff return Monday, April 14, 2014 Stephen Harris Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said at a Garden press conference today that the team does not expect injured defensman Dennis Seidenberg to return at any point during the playoffs. The Bruins open their best-of-seven first-round series against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday at TD Garden. Seidenberg suffered a torn ACL and torn MCL in his right knee in December. The veteran defenseman skated for the first time at Ristuccia Arena last Tuesday, but the Bruins have said that is not an indication that he could return this season. "We're not counting on Dennis to be back," said Chiarelli. "We're going to be very cautious with his injury. He has been skating, but that's all I can say. It really hasn't changed." Chiarelli also said the team will be careful with the quad injury that has hampered defenseman Adam McQuaid much of the season. McQuaid has been out since Jan. 19 and reaggravated the injury when he was on the comeback trail shortly after the Olympics break. "We've been doing OK with the 'D' we have, so we're going to be cautious with him," Chiarelli said. Boston Herald LOADED:

12 Boston Bruins Bruins Notebook: Everyone s day to day Tuesday, April 15, 2014 Steve Conroy The 70-plus degree day was one indicator that the playoffs are upon us. Another was the fact Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli declined to give any updates on his injured players, saying he was officially in lockdown mode. So their was no word on Daniel Paille, who was dazed with a big hit in the home finale on Saturday. Nothing on Chris Kelly, who missed the last three games with back spasms. And nothing on Patrice Bergeron, who missed the last four periods of the season with what coach Claude Julien termed as a minor injury. Chiarelli was a wee bit more expansive on defensemen Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid, which should indicate their returns are not imminent. Both players resumed skating last week. Seidenberg has not played since he suffered what is assumed to be a season-ending ACL/MCL knee injury on Dec. 27. We re not counting on Dennis to be back, said Chiarelli. We re going to be very cautious with this injury. He has been skating and that s pretty much all I can say on it. It really hasn t changed. McQuaid s quad injury was not expected to be such a long-term issue but it s been a struggle. He has not played since Jan. 19, and appeared close to coming back after the Olympics break, but he had a setback and did not resume skating until last week. We want to be careful on it, said Chiarelli. It is not a major injury, it is a soft tissue injury and we ve been doing OK with the D we have so we want to be cautious with it. Campaign time Chiarelli did some campaigning for his Big Three to get consideration for postseason awards Zdeno Chara for the Norris Trophy, Bergeron for the Selke and Tuukka Rask for the Vezina. I think (Chara) had a terrific year; he should be in consideration for the Norris Trophy, no question, said Chiarelli. While I m talking about that, awards, I really believe that Patrice has had a terrific year and the impact that he has had defensively and offensively has been outstanding and I think he should be in line for those awards, too. And our goalie (Rask) should, too. So we ve had some good performances. I just wanted to put those out there so that they get some love. Bergeron s game, in particular, took off after the Olympics. He finished on a 13-game point streak, which included 11 goals as he reached 30 for the first time since It s the best I ve seen him, period, said Chiarelli. The Olympics helped us out on a couple of different fronts. Loui (Eriksson) was another one, his pace and his game really took off. Bergy, he started maybe as the 13th forward over there in Sochi, and everyone saw what he can do and he was basically on the top line at the end of the day. It helped his pace, it helped his tempo. You see him shoot the puck better this year. He s had a terrific year. And of course, the whole two-way component of his game is so good, it s always good. It s not by accident you hear his name in the Hart Trophy conversation. That doesn t surprise me at all. But this is the best I ve seen him play. Seguin deal redux It s hard not to notice the year Tyler Seguin had in Dallas. After being traded away with Rich Peverley for Eriksson, Reilly Smith and prospects Matt Fraser and Joe Morrow, Seguin was instrumental in helping the Stars, non-qualifiers last year, into the playoffs with totals, fourth best in the NHL. But so far the deal has helped both sides. The B s had one of their most consistent seasons in recent memory and improved their offensive output by a half a goal a game, from 2.65 to 3.15 this season. There have been other factors involved in that increased production besides Eriksson and Smith, like Torey Krug s involvement on the power play, Chara s placement down low on the PP and Carl Soderberg s emergence. Chiarelli is content with the bold deal he made. I can understand the criticism, said Chiarelli. When we make a trade, we looked to see how we could improve our team. We went into that whole venture to improve our team and we have improved our team. And there s no secret to the quality of player that we traded. It was not a surprise that he s doing what he s doing. On our side of the ledger, it s about improving our team, and we thought we did. Hamilton on rise Chiarelli is pleased with the trajectory of the development of 20-year-old Dougie Hamilton, who has been paired mostly with Chara and thus playing against top lines. The defenseman had totals and was plus-22 in 64 games. You hear me talk a lot, you hear Claude talk a lot about defending, and defending is so important in the playoffs. I think that s an area that Dougie s really improved, and he will continue to improve, said Chiarelli. He s just getting stronger as a young man, he s getting more confident with his body and with his strength and his play with the puck on the offensive side of the blue line has been terrific. His little in-tight plays starting the break-out, which are so important in a smooth breakout, they ve been good and they ve been getting better. He can skate out of trouble. I saw him skate the other game... with the puck, it s the fastest I ve seen him skate, so his skating s been improving. But for me, the biggest thing is his defending and his strength on the puck and it s gotten so much better. It still has to get better because I project him to be a top defenseman, but he s on the right track. Boston Herald LOADED:

13 Boston Bruins Wings not opposites Tuesday, April 15, 2014 Stephen Harris It might be easy to size up the Bruins and Detroit Red Wings as a clash of disparate hockey cultures: The big, grinding, physical B s against the smaller, faster, highly skilled Wings. There is some validity in such a generalization. But in truth, the teams that will meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs starting Friday night at the Garden also have plenty in common: The B s have their own share of speed and skill, and the Wings aren t afraid to battle. I think they re a classic puck-possession team, said Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli, meeting with reporters yesterday as his team got a day off after closing its tremendous regular season with a loss Sunday in New Jersey. You can tell they re very well coached. For a team that skates, a team that moves the puck well, they re strong on the puck. I think that s a bit of a trickle-down from guys like (Henrik) Zetterberg and (Pavel) Datsyuk, who are among the best puck-strippers in the league, Chiarelli added. I think their defense are good. They re a little young; we re young, too, on the (defense). They ve got a good goalie (Jimmy Howard). They won the season series (3-1) against us. We played really poorly a couple of games. I ve watched them quite a bit down the stretch, and they re a good team. They ve got injuries, (but) they ve got young guys that are performing well. It s a different ballgame in the playoffs, but certainly they ve got speed and they ve got some youth. Aside from their considerable talent and lineup balance, the Bruins benefit from their experience, maturity and cohesiveness. This is a team that s been to the postseason dance and knows what it takes to win. Well, it s all about experience, Chiarelli said. I don t know what our average age is (28.5), but there is a group of five, six, maybe eight players that are all in that kind of range that are really key core players. And they have gone through those (previous playoff) years. Even (yesterday) is a perfect example: If they were coming into the playoffs for the first time, it might dominate their mind all day like, What s it going to be like? But these players know what they have to do. They know that you have to have a good practice (today), a good practice the next day, have some rest, eat properly. All that stuff is in place, so it s all about experience. Obviously they have to get it done, and they have gotten it done before, but it s about experience and knowing what to expect and knowing that there are going to be ups and downs throughout the way and to get through it on a level, even keel. Boston Herald LOADED:

14 Buffalo Sabres Sabres face long odds to win NHL Draft Lottery; last-place team has won just six of 18 April 14, :57 PM By John Vogl The NHL has conducted 18 draft lotteries. The last-place team has won it just six times. The Sabres hope to become No. 7. The league will announce the result of the weighted lottery at 8 p.m. Tuesday on NBCSN. Last-place Buffalo has a 25 percent chance of winning the lottery and keeping the first overall pick. Florida, which finished 29th, has an 18.8 percent chance. The odds for the remaining non-playoff teams are: Edmonton (14.2 percent), Calgary (10.7 percent), New York Islanders (8.1 percent), Vancouver (6.2 percent), Carolina (4.7 percent), Toronto (3.6 percent), Winnipeg (2.7 percent), Anaheim, from Ottawa (2.1 percent), New Jersey (1.5 percent), Nashville (1.1 percent), Phoenix (0.8 percent) and Washington (0.5 percent). Though New Jersey is in the lottery, it is not eligible to select first overall as part of its discipline for giving a salary cap-circumventing contract to Ilya Kovalchuk. If the Devils win the lottery, another will be conducted. If the Sabres fail to win the lottery, they will drop to No. 2 in the draft, which will be held June 27 in Philadelphia. The last-place team hasn't won the lottery since 2010, when Edmonton retained the No. 1 pick. The other bottom-feeders to win were Ottawa (1996), Boston (1997), St. Louis (2006), Tampa Bay (2008) and the Islanders (2009). The Islanders have until June 1 to decide whether to give their 2014 or 2015 first-round pick to the Sabres as part of the Thomas Vanek trade. Buffalo News LOADED:

15 Buffalo Sabres Sabres' Weber: 'Enough's enough. Joke's over' April 14, :41 PM By John Vogl Mike Weber knows folks in Sabreland are tired of hearing false promises. The defenseman is tired of hearing them, too. "We re not joking around anymore," Weber said today as the Sabres cleaned out their lockers in First Niagara Center. "There has to be a new standard here. I know that word has been thrown around for a couple years here with talking to all of you guys 'We ve got to change the culture, we ve got to change the standards' but enough s enough. Joke s over. "We re not in this game to get high draft picks, at least I m not. I know that s not the goal for the front office, either. We re in this to win championships and get things on the right track here." The Sabres, who finished last in the NHL with a record, have a lot of work to do. Weber says with new stability -- Tim Murray and Ted Nolan are in place as the general manager and coach, respectively -- the work can begin. "I hope everyone takes it seriously," Weber said. "These types of things, they hurt. I think our fans have been very supportive, but at the same time you don t want to disappoint people. You don t want that feeling walking around town that you ve disappointed people or you re letting people down, especially a hard-working city like Buffalo. "I think to every man, we ve accepted the challenge. You have five and a half months here to get yourself ready for training camp, and I expect training camp to be what training camp should be for a 30th-place team. It should be hard. It should be intense. I know Teddy is making sure every guy knows that." Buffalo News LOADED: