Anaheim Ducks Ducks have stars Getzlaf and Perry in their sights Ducks begin camp with an eye on future

SPORT-SCAN Anaheim Ducks 649297 Ducks have stars Getzlaf and Perry in their sights 649298 Ducks begin camp with an eye on future Boston Bruins 649299 Bruins thrilled to start 48-game s 649300 Bruins start first official practice 649301 Bruins offer free concessions at January home games 649302 GM Peter Chiarelli: 'You're going to see a good team' 649303 Bruins to open 48-game season with two-game homestand 649304 Tyler Seguin a big piece for Bruins in short season 649305 Tuukka Rask ready for No. 1 role with Bruins 649306 Bruins invite Jay Pandolfo to training camp 649307 David Krejci, Anton Khudobin join practice 649308 Bruins forward Nathan Horton says he is healthy, ready to play 649309 High praise for rookie Hamilton 649310 Sprint, not marathon 649311 Adam McQuaid cleared to play opener Buffalo Sabres 649312 Hecht: Best situation came out by return to Sabres 649313 Sabres take the ice for first time; Grigorenko skating in middle of Ott, Leino 649314 Quick thoughts and breakdowns of the schedule Calgary Flames 649315 Johnson: Hartley holds court on opening day of training camp 649316 Iginla sits out opening day of camp with groin pull 649317 Media no longer allowed to ask Flames about Iginla s contract status 649318 Sage advice for Irving: You never fold. You just keep taking cards 649319 Winchester aiming to parlay pro contract tryout into spot with Flames 649320 Off-ice preparation will be key in shortened season 649321 Camp primer: Things to watch as the Flames get rolling 649322 Flames start shortened season on Jan. 20 against Sharks 649323 Flames open training camp 649324 Winchester looking to crack Flames blueline 649325 McCarthy hopes to earn shot with Flames 649326 Jarome Iginla's contract negotiations with Flames will be quiet 649327 Flames Brodie ups his D with a offence 649328 Roman Cervenka off ice until cleared for blood clot 649329 Flames' Baertschi scores prime seat beside Iginla 649330 Flames back on ice in training camp 649331 Flames given long odds to win Stanley Cup 649332 Flames goaltender Irving battles for backup spot Carolina Hurricanes 649333 Canes deal for Westgarth, trade Stewart 649334 Canes trade Boucher, Alt for Flyers' Pither 649335 A busy first day for the Carolina Hurricanes 649336 DeCock: Fewer questions for Canes, but less time for answers 649337 A busy first day for the Carolina Hurricanes NHL 1/14/2013 DAILY BRIEF Chicago Blackhawks 649338 'Excited' Blackhawks open training camp 649339 Big chance for Hawks' Bolland 649340 Hawks say depth won't be a problem 649341 Hawks eager to win back fans 649342 MORRISSEY: Blackhawks don t need to say sorry for fans to return 649343 Notebook: Blackhawks fans, NHL fans happy to have their teams back 649344 Dave Bolland showing value to Blackhawks in more than one way 649345 Blackhawks start camp with Bolland centering second line 649346 McDonough: We are going to have to earn our way back 649347 Hawks will be on the road... again and again and again 649348 Bolland given opportunity on Hawks' second-line 649349 Blackhawks unlikely to change roster 649350 Blackhawks to institute 'fan initiatives' Colorado Avalanche 649351 Avalanche start NHL training camp with overflow practice crowd 649352 Avalanche's Erik Johnson can't wait to play Minnesota Wild 649353 Matt Duchene a happy camper with Avalanche because of line he centers 649354 Schedule released as Avalanche open camp Columbus Blue Jackets 649355 Blue Jackets notebook: Players show midseason form 649356 Blue Jackets: Flexible roster a story line of camp 649357 Blue Jackets: Frantic week of camp set to start 649358 Blue Jackets notebook: Season to open at Nashville on Saturday Dallas Stars 649359 Heika: Stars face challenges in trying to get off to fast start in shortened season 649360 Stars call up eight players, including two from juniors; have three possible spots 649361 Stars dealing with center issues in practice as Jamie Benn awaits new deal 649362 Glen Gulutzan on lines in Sunday s practice: Write them in pencil 649363 With tough early schedule looming, Stars might start season with three goalies 649364 Stars picking up the pace in practice to prepare for Saturday s opener 649365 Heika: Glen Gulutzan's message to Stars clear: Ice time will be earned at camp 649366 Dallas Stars open camp needing to mesh youth, senior stars

Detroit Red Wings 649367 Red Wings healing: Darren Helm's back MRI negative; Patrick Eaves cleared for contact practices 649368 Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg to be named captain Tuesday; Tomas Holmstrom to retire later in week 649369 They're back! About 2,000 fans watch Red Wings' first practice 649370 Happiness all around for Red Wings players, fans at training camp 649371 What the Red Wings had to say about their first official practice 649372 Henrik Zetterberg would be 'thrilled' to be Red Wings' captain; Tomas Holmstrom's retirement coming 649373 Red Wings' Mike Knuble knows he's longshot on forwardheavy club 649374 Helene St. James: Red Wings camp opens with promise, but hard work ahead 649375 Red Wings' Brunner likes quicker pace of camp 649376 Red Wings start their season 649377 Fans turn out as Red Wings hit the ice for first time this season 649378 Red Wings players, coaches happy to be back 649379 Red Wings back on the ice for start of training camp: 'It felt like Christmas, almost' 649380 Red Wings' Darren Helm gets good news from MRI on back, expects to return soon 649381 Mike Knuble realizes odds stacked against him at Red Wings camp, but tryout could open other doors 649382 Red Wings training camp notes: Henrik Zetterberg's captaincy to be made official on Tuesday 649383 Red Wings training camp 'intense' for Swiss star Damien Brunner, who is adjusting to smaller ice 649384 Red Wings focused on past more than future right now 649385 Tootoo should make impact against former team 649386 Wings open training camp in Plymouth Edmonton Oilers 649387 Oilers Horcoff likely to remain in a leadership role 649388 Krueger pumped as first-year Oilers head coach 649389 Gregor: Whitney ready to be a better player for Oilers 649390 MacKinnon: Dubnyk needs breakthrough season for Oilers 649391 Oilers play old-fashioned game of shinny in Hawrelak Park 649392 Now 40, Edmonton Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin ready for 48-game NHL schedule 649393 Head coach Ralph Krueger realistic about expectations for young Edmonton Oilers 649394 Lockout talking over for Edmonton Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff Florida Panthers 649395 Panthers' George Parros goes from a negotiator back to an enforcer 649396 HOPE FOR HUBERDEAU: Panthers Rookie Looking to Make His Mark 649397 The Panthers released their 32-man training camp roster late Saturday night with one glaring omission. 649398 TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE: Sunday 649399 Jonathan Huberdeau expected to add speed, scoring to Florida Panthers 649400 Dmitry Kulikov yet to arrive at Florida Panthers camp 649401 Training camp roster 649402 Panthers enter camp with injury concerns Los Angeles Kings 649403 Dean Lombardi, Darryl Sutter to get long-term contract extensions from Kings 649404 Los Angeles Kings return to the ice for short training camp 649405 Los Angeles Kings hockey schedule for 2013 649406 Kings' Anze Kopitar quiet about return 649407 Kings trade Kevin Westgarth to Carolina for Anthony Stewart, two draft picks 649408 Message from LAKingsInsider.com: 649409 Kings Report Jan. 13 Minnesota Wild 649410 What's going on in the head of Wild's Konopka? 649411 With short camp, every minute will count for Wild 649412 The Zenon Konopka file 649413 Chart: Key Wild dates 649414 Wild musings: Konopka's rabbit, airmiles this year; Wild live chat on startribune.com Monday 649415 Minnesota Wild aim to win back fans, fill the Xcel Center 649416 Wild defenseman Ryan Suter: 'I just want to be a good teammate' 649417 Wild forward Zach Parise looking forward to a fast-paced season Montreal Canadiens 649418 NHL short-season dilemma: Play for sizzle or for future? 649419 Canadian clubs to endure quirky NHL schedule 649420 Canadiens set to take baby steps back to contention 649421 Habs embark on pursuit of excellence 649422 Habs send Gomez home for the season; will be bought out over the summer 649423 Fans get free look at Habs 649424 Gomez vanishes without a trace 649425 Time to bring back winning tradition: Gorges 649426 Gomez understands situation : Bergevin 649427 It was a shock, Pacioretty says of Gomez 649428 Pat Hickey: 'Condensed' sked a misnomer 649429 Gomez will watch short season from home 649430 Training camp notes: On Gomez, Leblanc and Galchenyuk Nashville Predators 649431 Nashville Predators begin with big road trip 649432 Nashville Predators name Martin Erat alternate captain 649433 Short Predators schedule includes long road trip early New Jersey Devils 649434 No Kovy, No Parise, No Problem for Devils 649435 Devils Start Working While Waiting for Kovalchuk to Return 649436 Politi: Ilya Kovalchuk damaged his reputation by missing the start of Devils training camp 649437 Mathieu Darche hopes there is a spot for him on Devils' roster 649438 After a hole in one, Devils' Martin Brodeur is ready for hockey 649439 Devils likely will name a captain before season begins 649440 Devils' GM Lou Lamoriello: Ilya Kovalchuk was always coming back to NHL 649441 Mathieu Darche will attend Devils' training camp 649442 As the Devils open training camp, who'll be the next captain? 649443 Devils open training camp; replacing Zach Parise's goal-scoring among questions 649444 Ilya Kovalchuk s lateness is OK with Devils 649445 NJ Devils give Ilya Kovalchuk a pass, allow Russian star to report late to training camp after spending NHL lo 649446 Lou OK with Kovalchuk s late arrival New York Islanders 649447 Isles aim to shore up D 649448 Lubomir Visnovsky remains a topic of conversation as Islanders open camp 649449 Travis Hamonic appears OK after concussion

New York Rangers 649450 First Rangers Practice Finds Tortorella in Midseason Form 649451 Michael Del Zotto re-signs with NY Rangers, avoids training camp holdout by inking two-year deal 649452 Michael Del Zotto re-signs with NY Rangers to two-year deal, avoids training camp holdout in hours prior to fi 649453 John Tortorella praises Marian Gaborik's toughness as NY Rangers winger shows up healthy to camp after injury- 649454 End of NHL lockout enough to make even curmudgeonly NY Rangers coach Mike Tortorella (almost) jump for joy 649455 Michael Del Zotto re-signs with NY Rangers, avoids training camp holdout by inking two-year deal 649456 Del Zotto inks two-year extension 649457 Rangers Gaborik switches sides 649458 Del Zotto signs with Rangers 649459 Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy sign with the Rangers 649460 John Tortorella running less intense camp 649461 Michael Del Zotto signs two-year, $5.1M deal 649462 RANGERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH DEFENSEMAN MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO Ottawa Senators 649463 Senators give breaks to woo back fans 649464 Scanlan: Senators implement operation Win back fans 649465 Melnyk likes Senators chances, suggests many felt team was better than Cup-winning Kings last season 649466 Swede sensation Jakob Silfverberg gets crack at Ottawa Senators top line 649467 NHL fans excited for return of the Ottawa Senators 649468 Shortened NHL season better than nothing, says Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk 649469 Ottawa Senators hold up carrot to try and get fans back 649470 Grueling sked price of a shortened season 649471 Senators owner Eugene Melnyk fired up about new season Philadelphia Flyers 649472 Fans pack Flyers' first practice 649473 Flyers acquire Boucher, Foster 649474 Scott Laughton, 18, looks good to Flyers 649475 Flyers Notes: Brian Boucher returns to Flyers in trade with Hurricanes 649476 Record crowd turns out for first Flyers practice 649477 Flyers talkin' practice and fans are invited 649478 Go home, Scott Gomez 649479 Brian Boucher back with Flyers, again 649480 Kurtis Foster signs deal with Flyers 649481 Short on 'D', Flyers give Foster a shot 649482 Flyers trade to get goalie Brian Boucher back from Hurricanes 649483 Flyers to thank fans with free open practice at Wells Fargo Center 649484 Flyers' schedule: National TV date on Jan 19 vs. Penguins kicks off season 649485 Update: Foster, Boucher in loop at start of Flyers camp 649486 So much for anger... Flyers fans flock to practice facility in Jersey 649487 Brian Boucher finds his way back to Flyers... again 649488 Flyers underwhelming offseason could pay off (With Video) 649489 Kurtis Foster will be key to fixing Flyers power play 649490 Healthy Foster excited to join Flyers at camp 649491 What boycott? Flyers fans flock to camp 649492 Figuring Out the Flyers: Depleted defense 649493 Flyers acquire Brian Boucher from Hurricanes 649495 With roster mostly set, Flyers have 6 days to prep 649496 Flyers off and skating 649497 No comeback in sight for Pronger 649498 Callahan: After lockout, Flyers fans still keeping it real Phoenix Coyotes 649499 Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan a real leader in lockout 649500 Phoenix Coyotes GM Don Maloney shopping around for deal Pittsburgh Penguins 649501 Malkin bobblehead highlights busy promotional schedule 649502 Penguins right to delay Despres 649503 Vokoun focused on playoffs, not Fleury s job 649504 Penguins training camp schedule 649505 Penguins notebook: Players salute patient fans at Southpointe 649506 Penguins to hold open scrimmage, practices 649507 Penguins to open season in Philadelphia 649508 Penguins Notebook: Shero observes, listens on personnel moves 649509 Neal's expectations high in shortened season San Jose Sharks 649510 San Jose Sharks get big welcome from fans at workout 649511 Sharks tune game for the long run 649512 Sharks begin week of preseason practice 649513 McLellan: 'We have to get the players up to game speed' 649514 McLellan's three goals for training camp St Louis Blues 649515 Blues' training camp opens to large crowd 649516 Blues, fans welcome each other back 649517 Bernie: Short hockey season should be long on drama 649518 Blues' 48-game schedule gets busy in a hurry 649519 Blues plan to make the most of their brief training camp 649520 Blues greeted by large, enthusiastic crowd on first day of training camp Tampa Bay Lightning 649521 Lightning faithful celebrate team's return during Fan Fest 649522 Fans in forgiving mood for Tampa Bay Lightning 649523 Tampa Bay Lightning notebook: Connolly OK with decision to remain in minors 649524 Tampa Bay Lightning welcome faithful back during Fan Fest 649525 5 key questions facing the Tampa Bay Lightning 649526 Brett Connolly 'understands' Lightning camp exclusion 649527 Bonding quickly big priority for Lightning Toronto Maple Leafs 649528 Maple Leafs in for defensive makeover under Carlyle 649529 Is Reimer ready for Leafs spotlight? 649530 Canadian clubs to endure quirky NHL schedule 649531 Maple Leafs: Dave Nonis, Randy Carlyle lay out blueprint for season as camp opens 649532 Maple Leafs: Dave Nonis adds Mike Mottau to Leaf blue line 649533 Hope springs eternal for Leafs 649534 Leafs to take a collective stand 649535 Leafs get down to business 649536 Maple Leafs' James Reimer must prove his worth 649537 Numbers game for Komarov 649538 Dave Nonis: Maple Leafs roster needs tweaking 649539 Maple Leafs are back at it 649540 Leafs shift focus to building new identity 649541 Former Leafs GM Brian Burke goes out on muted bluster 649542 Leafs moving on from the lockout 649543 Leafs GM Dave Nonis: James Reimer is going to have to be prepared to step in and play on Saturday night 649544 Leafs Mikhail Grabovski jokes that he will punch Joffrey Lupul in the face for criticizing Russian food

Vancouver Canucks 649545 Canucks hoping to see a new picture of Cam Barker 649546 Dan Hamhuis, David Booth miss opening day of training camp 649547 Mike Gillis says he's in no hurry to trade Roberto Luongo 649548 Season ticket-holder to drop puck at Canucks' home opener 649549 Cam Barker eager to stabilize career with Canucks 649550 Canucks sign defenceman Cam Barker to a one-year deal 649551 Canucks lines to start training camp 649552 Imaginative power play will make captain s day in compact schedule 649553 Short training camp is looking like the setting for Luongo s long goodbyes 649554 Kassian, Booth and Hamhuis hurt. Gillis laments no preseason games 649555 With Canucks camp underway, peace offerings to fans 649556 Canucks power play has become too easy to read, says Henrik Sedin 649557 Canucks: Schneider has no questions, no qualms 649558 Canucks sign free agent D-man Cam Barker, who's out to prove critics wrong 649559 Standing fast on line combinations 649560 Expectations remain high for Canucks 649561 Revisiting the Canucks last shortened season 649562 NHL short-season dilemma: Play for sizzle or for future? Washington Capitals 649563 Brooks Laich not quite ready to go 649564 Eric Fehr is happy to be back with Capitals 649565 Brooks Laich not on the ice for the start of Capitals camp 649566 Updated: Caps send Tom Poti to Hershey for conditioning assignment 649567 Washington Capitals open first training camp under new Coach Adam Oates 649568 Time to go for Capitals as training camp opens 649569 Guy Boucher has Lightning bonding in a hurry 649570 Time to go for Capitals as training camp opens 649571 Washington Capitals: How I spent my NHL lockout 649572 Guy Boucher has Lightning bonding in a hurry 649573 Brooks Laich doesn t skate in Caps opening practice 649574 Capitals announce truncated 2013 schedule 649575 Capitals' Brooks Laich held out of first practice 649576 Capitals' Eric Fehr happy to be back Websites 649593 ESPN / Short camp means fast personnel decisions 649594 ESPN / Dallas still working on signing Jamie Benn 649595 All seven rounds 2013 NHL Draft to be held June 30 649596 Game on: NHL and players agree to Memorandum of Understanding 649597 Players Association ratifies CBA 649598 NHL on NBC: Penguins-Flyers, Kings- Hawks highlight opening day broadcast 649599 USA TODAY / Fans jam openings of NHL training camps 649600 USA TODAY / Flyers, Hurricanes are busy as NHL camps open Winnipeg Jets 649577 Winnipeg Jets 2013 schedule 649578 C'mon down, Jets fans 649579 Scheifele wants to dump 'prospect' tag 649580 Top-scoring winger wants that to be crystal-clear 649581 Claude's court back in session 649582 So, with further fan fare... 649583 Hoping small changes make big difference 649584 Winnipeg Jets fans swarm MTS Centre for free practice 649585 Class back in session for Jets' coach Claude Noel 649586 Meech gets chance to show Jets he's worthy of spot 649587 Jets set to welcome Crosby, Ovechkin 649588 Antropov could start season on injured list for Jets 649589 Jets Scheifele displays flair 649590 Jets' Noel won't overwork Pavelec 649591 Jets fans in forgiving mood 649592 Fast pace won't bother Jets' Alexei Ponikarovsky SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

649297 Anaheim Ducks Ducks have stars Getzlaf and Perry in their sights Boudreau placed Kyle Palmieri on the first line with Getzlaf and Perry on Sunday, and said he anticipates a second line of Nick Bonino, Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne to stick. LA Times: LOADED: 01.14.2013 By Lance Pugmire At the Ducks' first organized team practice Sunday at Honda Center, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry were positioned together again on the first line. The question connected to the 27-year-old stars is whether it's one more season and done, or if the relationships have staying power. Ducks General Manager Bob Murray told reporters the day after NHL players officially ratified their new labor deal that he's planning to meet soon with the respective agents for Perry (the Newport Sports Group) and Getzlaf (Steve Kotlowitz) to attempt to extend the players' contracts. Both players will become unrestricted free agents after this season if talks with the Ducks don't produce a deal. "It's my priority," Murray said. "They've been Anaheim Ducks from the start. I love those guys. Both agents will come in during the next two weeks and we'll do everything we can to sign them." Both players saw their point production slump last season, after Perry scored 98 points en route to the Hart Trophy given to the NHL's most valuable player in 2010-11. Right wing Perry's points shrunk to 60, and center-captain Getzlaf's decreased from 76 to 57, with just 11 goals. Perry said after Sunday's skate that he intends to focus more on the season being "fast-tracked" because of the labor stoppage than on his own contract. The Ducks open Saturday in Vancouver and play nine of their first 14 games on the road, making their home debut Jan. 25 against the Canucks. "The time frame is whatever happens, happens," Perry said. "It's not in the front of my mind. I have a job to play hockey." Getzlaf said he has met with Murray "a few times" to discuss the team's direction. "It'll work itself out," Getzlaf said. "I've just got to play my game. We don't have a time frame. I'd like to get something done if we can. I like the direction it's moving in. I'd like to be a big part of this team." Murray added that past talk of left wing Bobby Ryan being on the trading block is now a "non-issue," with the team encouraged by the contributions of new defensemen Sheldon Souray and Bryan Allen. Meanwhile, Coach Bruce Boudreau supervised two practice sessions of 29 players Sunday in front of a crowd of 2,514 that came to watch and enjoy free hot dogs and sodas. Tim Ryan, the Ducks' executive vice president and chief operating officer, apologized to fans "for the four months you lost." "By no means is there any one thing we can do to regain your trust and loyalty," Ryan said. Boudreau drew cheers by saying: "The best way to repay you is to play an extra two months" to reach the Stanley Cup final. The roster will be pared to 23 players by Friday. Among those under consideration is right wing Emerson Etem, 29, of Long Beach, who had 107 points in 65 games last season at Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League. Boudreau praised Etem's and forward Devante Smith-Pelly's skating, adding he believes 18 spots are "etched in stone." "It is more about what we know of the guys than what they do here, but someone could step up and surprise us," Boudreau said. "All the scouts should just hold up those scorecards like in figure skating, a nine or 10, and then we could add them up at the end. "It's one day, let's see how they look" Monday. "And it's not hard after one or two games if they're not keeping up to exchange them."

649298 Anaheim Ducks Ducks begin camp with an eye on future By ERIC STEPHENS ANAHEIM Five days remain in the Ducks' lightning-quick training camp before they set their minds on their season opener in Vancouver, but the focus outside their bubble seems to be on their uncertain future. Specifically, will franchise cornerstones Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry be a part of it? The two stars are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Both have a Stanley Cup on their resumes and one, Perry, is a Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's most valuable player. If they get to July 1 without new contract extensions, Getzlaf and Perry could be the most sought-after free agents on the market. The scenario that Ducks fans fear is the club entertaining a trade of one or the other to get back significant assets instead of possibly losing one or both for nothing. It is Ducks GM Bob Murray's job to not let it get to that point and keep the two with the only team they've been with. "It's my priority," Murray said, addressing the topic on the first day of training camp Sunday at Honda Center. "They've been Anaheim Ducks. I love those guys. I'm going to do everything in my power to sign them." There were talks between Murray and the agents for both forwards, but the sides agreed to wait until after the lockout was settled before resuming discussions. Murray said he plans to bring both camps in soon for face-toface conversations. Getzlaf is represented by agents Gerry Johannson and Steve Kotlowitz while Perry's handlers are Mark Guy and his associates at Ontario-based Newport Sports. Getzlaf and Perry, both 27, are in the final year of contracts that carry identical salary cap hits of $5.325million. The five-year deals they signed in 2007 are structured differently as Getzlaf will make $6.125million this season while Perry, whose highest salary came in 2009-10, will be paid $4.875 million. The two figure to command more perhaps much more. At what number the Ducks are willing to go to retain one or both could be the deciding factor. Perry, who became the franchise's only Hart winner in 2011 with a 50-goal, 98-point season, said he's "just going out and playing hockey." "There's no time frame," Perry continued. "Whatever happens, happens. I'm not going to be thinking about it. It's not going to be on the front of my mind. I have a job here to do first. And that's to go out and play hockey and help this team win." Getzlaf, who makes his offseason home in south Orange County and recently became a father for the second time, was a little more effusive on the subject as he said he has had several conversations with Murray over the team's direction. "Obviously I don't have a time frame on it, but we'd like to get something done if we can," said the Ducks' captain, who slumped to 11 goals and 57 points last season. "If both parties are wanting to do that, then it'll get done. As far as the first formal Ducks' workout, the potential change that jumped out is Nick Bonino skating on the second line with Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne. Saku Koivu skated on a potential third line with newcomer Dan Winnik and Andrew Cogliano. Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau already was working on the power play and penalty killing, something that usually takes place later in a normal threeweek camp. Things are different with everything now condensed and the first game already on the horizon. "Everything's going to be fast-tracked and moved forward pretty quickly here," Perry said. Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.14.2013

649299 Boston Bruins Bruins thrilled to start 48-game s Fluto Shinzawa The Bruins have concluded their first official post-lockout practice. In less than a week, they ll be back on TD Garden ice to kick off the season against the New York Rangers. It s the best day of 2013 so far, Milan Lucic said. I remember last week when the news came that we were going to start with a smile on my face. It s been there pretty much for the whole week and going on into today. The Bruins opted for a one-hour practice. Claude Julien was quick to bark at his players when they didn t execute a drill to his liking. We can t ease into this, Julien said. We ve got to get on top of our game as soon as possible. You probably heard me chirping a little bit more about certain things. This is not about, Hey, this is the first day, we ll take it easy. We ve got to get to work here. There s no time to waste. Chris Bourque will get the first crack at filling Benoit Pouliot s former spot on the No. 3 line. In previous callups with Washington and Pittsburgh, Bourque saw mostly fourth-line duty. I would never make excuses for myself. But when I did play for those two teams, I was always stuck on the fourth line, Bourque said. Not playing with as offensive guys as I would like to. I consider myself decently offensive. It s tough when you re playing 8 minutes tops and not given that great a chance to produce offensively. Adam McQuaid said he felt fine after practice. McQuaid skated with old partner Andrew Ference. McQuaid said if all goes well this week, he expects to play in the season opener. Dougie Hamilton was paired with Dennis Seidenberg. Julien cited Hamilton s poise, skating, and hockey sense as some of his strongest assets. The Bruins will practice at Ristuccia Arena on Monday at 10 a.m. They will return to the Garden for a practice and scrimmage on Tuesday. They will practice at Ristuccia Wednesday through Friday. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649300 Boston Bruins Bruins start first official practice Fluto Shinzawa The Bruins have kicked off their first official post-lockout practice at TD Garden. Here is the lineup: Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Tyler Seguin Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton Chris Bourque-Chris Kelly-Rich Peverley Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton Jay Pandolfo/Lane MacDermid-Ryan Spooner-Jamie Tardif Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk Dennis Seidenberg-Dougie Hamilton Andrew Ference-Adam McQuaid Aaron Johnson-Matt Bartkowski/David Warsofsky Tuukka Rask Anton Khudobin Chris Bourque is getting the first crack to skate on the third line with Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley. Bourque is attempting to fill the hole left by Benoit Pouliot. Based on today s start, Zdeno Chara will not be paired with Dennis Seidenberg. Chara will skate with Johnny Boychuk. Chara and Boychuk are former partners. Seidenberg s task will be to ease Dougie Hamilton into NHL pace. Andrew Ference and Adam McQuaid are old partners. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649301 Boston Bruins Bruins offer free concessions at January home games By Matt Pepin, Boston.com Staff Lockout recovery has begun across the NHL as teams announce plans to make up with fans. In the Bruins' case, the team announced Sunday morning it will offer free concessions to fans at the five home games in January, discounts at the Bruins ProShop and Fan Zones during home games, and giveaways at the home opener on Saturday. The free concessions will be doled out in the form of vouchers to each fan that can be redeemed for three food or non-alcoholic beverage concessions. Fans in January will also receive 25 percent discounts at the ProShop and Fan Zones during games, and the home opener giveaways will include game-worn player jerseys and the chance to fly on the team charter to an away game. Training camp opened on Sunday at TD Garden (1 p.m.), and it is open to the public at no charge. Training camp continues Monday and Wednesday through Friday at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington (10 a.m. each day). On Tuesday, the Bruins will hold a Black and Gold intersquad scrimmage at TD Garden (7 p.m.) that is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets for the Black and Gold game will be available Monday at 11 a.m. on the Bruins' web site or by visiting the TD Garden box office. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649302 Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli: 'You're going to see a good team' By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli doesn t have much work to do in training camp before the season starts next Saturday. The majority of the team is returning, and Chiarelli trusts his coaching staff to use that familiarity to the club s advantage. Everyone s healthy, Chiarelli said. Everyone s excited. We ve got changes in goal. You re going to see a good team. I ve talked about condensing expectations, which magnifies them, I guess. You re going to see a team that s highly, highly motivated. As of 10 a.m. Monday, Tim Thomas will be considered a suspended player. Thomas s $5 million annual hit will count toward the team s cap. Via agent Bill Zito, Thomas informed Chiarelli that he still wants to play in 2013-14. The Bruins can toll Thomas s contract forward one year. It s doubtful the Bruins will welcome Thomas back. Adam McQuaid should be ready to play in Saturday s season opener, Chiarelli said. McQuaid underwent surgery in October to remove a blood clot from the area around his right shoulder. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton can appear in six games before this season counts on his entry-level contract. Chiarelli said he expects Hamilton to make the team and stay on the roster the entire season. The $70.2 million cap is not a hard number. For example, Tyler Seguin s performance bonuses can be included in the cushion. Chiarelli does not expect to make any trades in the short term. Some of the fan benefits following the end of the lockout include three complimentary food or non-alcoholic beverages for all home games in January; 25 percent off merchandise in the pro shop in January; and a raffle on opening night to win tickets to an away game (including chartering with the team and hotel). Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649303 Boston Bruins Bruins to open 48-game season with two-game homestand By Kevin Paul Dupont The NHL late Saturday night finally released its revised 2012-13 schedule, marking the official end of the lockout, and the Bruins will open the season Saturday at TD Garden, facing old Original Six rival New York at 7 p.m. on Causeway Street. The schedule, its release delayed until approximately 10:30 p.m. while the league and its Players Association lawyered the final collective bargaining agreement documents on Saturday, also has the Bruins in the Garden on Jan. 21, facing the Winnipeg Jets in a Martin Luther King Day matinee (1 p.m.). Boston s first road game will be two nights later, on Jan. 23, when it has a rematch vs. the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. In all, the Bruins will play the 48-game schedule over a span of 96 days, an every-other-day pace reminiscent of playoff scheduling. The compressed schedule will be a grueling task for all of the league s 30 teams, but especially so for the two clubs that reach the Stanley Cup playoff toward the end of June. Boston s first game against their No. 1 rival, the Canadiens, will be Feb. 6 at Montreal. The Habs will make their first visit to Causeway Street on March 3. The Bruins will play on back-to-back nights seven times, the first of those pairings coming Jan. 28-29, starting with a visit to Carolina and then a return to Boston to face the Devils. Come season s end, they will have played just about 30 percent of their overall schedule in those back-to-back puck couplets. As expected, the Bruins will play all their games against Eastern Conference teams. The league, in part due to a cost-cutting measure coming out of the lockout, has scheduled only intraconference matches for all 30 teams. The Bruins will make their longest road trip of the season in February while the Garden plays host to a family ice show. After playing the Rangers on Causeway ice Feb. 12, the Bruins will depart for games in Buffalo, Winnipeg, Tampa, Sunrise, Fla. (Panthers), and Uniondale, N.Y. (Islanders) before returning to the Hub to face the Senators on Feb. 28. Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Garden box office and at www.bostonbruins.com. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649304 Boston Bruins Tyler Seguin a big piece for Bruins in short season By Fluto Shinzawa WILMINGTON It was as if nothing had changed. On Thursday, the Bruins were skating at Ristuccia Arena, their usual practice facility. Patrice Bergeron was in the middle. Tyler Seguin was on his right. Brad Marchand was the left wing. It feels great, Seguin said. Bergy and I were a little surprised with how quick Marshy still is, even not playing like we were. He s definitely looking good. It felt like the chemistry was right back where it was. The Bruins will launch their training camp Sunday. Next Saturday, in less than a week, they ll be squaring off against the New York Rangers at TD Garden. There will be little time for coach Claude Julien to fuss over his lines and pairings. Julien will be seeking instant results, which means Marchand, Bergeron, and Seguin will be together. Their bosses will want top-line performance. During the NHL lockout, Seguin and Bergeron played in Switzerland. Seguin scored 25 goals and added 15 assists for HC Biel. He was considered one of the National League A s most dangerous players. Bergeron added 11 goals and 18 assists in 21 games for HC Lugano. Seguin and Bergeron also dressed for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup, the international tournament played annually in Switzerland. It was different, Bergeron said of playing against Seguin. I m used to having him flying down my wing. I had to chase him down. It was good. It was fun. In contrast, top-six wings Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton didn t play during the lockout. Horton hasn t seen NHL action since Jan. 22, 2012. Although David Krejci played for Pardubice in the Czech Republic during the lockout, the center s wingmen will need time to find their NHL legs. Until that happens, first-line expectations will fall upon Seguin & Co. The 20-year-old is ready. For Seguin s first two NHL seasons, the Bruins practiced caution. With Julien serving as the final arbiter of Seguin s duties and ice time, the rookie adjusted slowly from the Ontario Hockey League to the big boys. Seguin s skills were not questioned. But he needed time to learn the awareness, courage, and neutral- and defensive-zone responsibility to be more of a weapon than a liability. Even last year, when Seguin led the team in scoring (29-38 67), Julien had to be firm. On Dec. 6, 2011, Seguin was scratched against Winnipeg for missing a team breakfast and meeting. Seguin has yet to turn 21. He will do so Jan. 31. But the Bruins need him to be a man right away this season. There is no reason to think Seguin can t meet those expectations. Before the Bruins picked Seguin second overall in the 2010 draft, some scouts projected the forward, with time, to become even better than top pick Taylor Hall. That time could already be here. After just one season, Steven Stamkos exploded into the NHL s most fearsome offensive force. Last year, the Tampa Bay center scored 60 goals. Stamkos s moneymaker is his one-timer, especially on the power play. Seguin s go-to tool is his whippy wrister. Stamkos may use a different trademark shot, but Seguin has the skills to make a similar leap to stardom. There are few players in the NHL who can rival Seguin s package of flat-line speed, quickness, hands, and vision. When he s at his peak performance, Seguin is an amplified version of ex-bruin Phil Kessel. Coaches will have to tweak their game plans and deploy the right personnel to neutralize Seguin s offense. Even in a 48-game season, Seguin could threaten the 30-goal threshold. He has at least one teammate s confidence. At the behest of Bruins fan website stanleycupofchowder.com, Andrew Ference has pledged to plant 50 trees (via donations to the Nature Conservancy s plantabillion.org) for each goal Seguin scores. Ference wouldn t mind if his donations lead to another arboretum. If I didn t already have enough motivation, it s a lot more to see Fer planting some trees, said Seguin. Last year, Seguin averaged 16:56 of ice time per game, fifth among Boston forwards after Bergeron, Krej-ci, Marchand, and Lucic. This year, especially early, Seguin should see his shifts increase. He expects to take on more responsibilities on the power play, where the Bruins have pledged improvement. Seguin most likely will be the left-side half-boards shooter on the No. 1 unit. Just improving in all areas, Seguin said of his priorities. I need to get a lot more responsible in all three zones. It just comes with experience. It will take several practices for Seguin to reacclimate to NHL dimensions. In Switzerland, Seguin could take advantage of the wider rink. He had more time to handle the puck and look for scoring chances. Even during informal practices upon his return, Seguin recognized that neither the time nor the space he enjoyed in Switzerland was available. I definitely feel it out there, especially when you get the puck early in the neutral zone, Seguin said. You look up and the D-men are already there. It s a lot tighter space. But I feel a lot faster than I did, just because I ve been skating so much over there. It s such a big ice. This will be the last season of Seguin s three-year entry-level contract, but he already has secured his next deal. On Sept. 11, 2012, four days before the lockout began, Seguin signed a six-year, $34.5 million extension. In 2013-14, Seguin will earn $4.5 million, the fourth-highest salary among Bruins forwards. The Bruins were firm on that number. But by 2018-19, the final year of his deal, Seguin will make $6.5 million. That would make him the team s highest-paid player. By then, when Seguin is 27, the Bruins project the forward will have earned that distinction. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649305 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask ready for No. 1 role with Bruins By Fluto Shinzawa WILMINGTON Among other things, Tuukka Rask s 21-game lockout tuneup in the Czech Republic reminded the goalie to stay patient. In the NHL, when opponents bust loose for a two-on-one rush, Rask knows what his defenseman will do. Be it Zdeno Chara, Dennis Seidenberg, or any member of the Bruins back line, the defenseman will play the cross-ice pass. Because he doesn t have to worry about the far post, Rask can burst off his line, challenge the puck carrier, and reduce the shooting angle. Not so in the Czech Extraliga. Here, you can challenge shooters more, Rask said. You can trust your D to take away the backdoors, in general. Over there, you ve got to cover your angles. You re kind of by yourself out there. Guys tend to pass back and forth. You have to back off a little bit and not be as aggressive. Patience of another kind is a quality that hasn t always come easy for Rask. Rask debuted in the NHL in 2007-08, appearing in four games under firstyear coach Claude Julien. The following season, Rask might have been the team s best goalie in camp. But the bosses opted for the veteran tandem of Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez. When Rask was assigned to Providence before the start of the season, he did not accept the news graciously. Finally, after five years of NHL and AHL preparation, Rask will have his chance to be a No. 1 NHL goalie. Rask s lead-dog status was confirmed by his ex-partner s surprise declaration. Last May, Thomas decided not to play in 2012-13, the final season of his contract. When the season begins on Jan. 19, Thomas will be considered a suspended player. The Bruins will be responsible for his $5 million cap hit unless they can jettison the two-time Vezina Trophy winner via trade or waivers. Tuukka Time will officially begin when the Bruins kick off the 48-game season against the visiting New York Rangers. It has been a long wait for Rask. In hindsight, however, maybe it was the right length. The years you play, you gain experience. You gain confidence, Rask said. You go through these experiences, good and bad, and you learn from them. I think those make you a better player. Everything indicates Rask is ready for the challenge. Toronto made Rask the second goalie selected in the 2005 draft (Montreal tabbed Carey Price with the fifth overall pick) for a reason. The Maple Leafs projected Rask would become an elite puck-stopper. To the Bruins delight, the Toronto bosses changed their minds a year later when they traded Rask to the Bruins for Andrew Raycroft. In 2009-10, both Rask and the Bruins believed he made the breakthrough. Thomas was slowed by an injured hip that would require offseason surgery. Rask grabbed the starting job (22-12-5, 1.97 goals-against average,.931 save percentage) and backstopped the Bruins into the playoffs. Rask started the season opener in 2010-11 against Phoenix in Prague. But Thomas took back the starting job and submitted one of the sharpest netminding seasons in league history. Last season, Thomas couldn t repeat his 2010-11 brilliance. Late in the regular season, with the Bruins failing to gain traction, Rask could have clinched the No. 1 position. But on March 3, 2012, he suffered a groin/abdomen injury and didn t play again. Now, Thomas is a Bruins outcast in Colorado Springs. But his mentorship has not been lost on Rask. The work ethic. Don t take any days off, Rask said of what he learned from Thomas. You become a good practice goalie. You transfer that into games. The Bruins once had arguably the NHL s best netminding tandem. The only rival duos were in Vancouver (Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider) and St. Louis (Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott). Now they have Rask and Anton Khudobin. The No. 2 goalie has made only seven career NHL appearances, including one with the Bruins last season. During the lockout, Khudobin played in 26 games for Atlant Mytishchi of the KHL. He may not see that much action with the Bruins. In 1994-95, when the NHL also rolled out a 48-game lockout-shortened season, Martin Brodeur made 40 regular-season appearances for the Cup-winning Devils. Rask could see a similar workload, although Khudobin pledges to make his case for crease time. Every goalie tries to be better than the other goalie, Khudobin said. I m going to push him. He s going to push me. I think it s normal. Both Rask and Khudobin have new deals for which to play. Rask will be a restricted free agent after this season, Khudobin will reach unrestricted status. Last summer, Rask could have signed a long-term deal. Instead, he chose a one-year, $3.5 million contract. If Rask turns in the type of season the Bruins expect, he can push for a richer extension. Fellow Finn Pekka Rinne currently owns the league benchmark: a seven-year, $49 million contract. Rinne, however, has earned his payday. The Nashville goalie has been an elite, full-time goalie for four seasons. Rask hasn t reached that level yet. But the Bruins wouldn t mind offering Rask a similar deal in future years. The team has a history of great accomplishments when the goaltending is great.... Jay Pandolfo has been invited to Bruins training camp, according to general manager Peter Chiarelli and agent Bob Murray. The ex-boston University star played for the Islanders in 2011-12 with one goal and two assists in 62 games while averaging 10:55 of ice time. Pandolfo had been practicing with the Bruins all week, both at Ristuccia Arena and at BU s Agganis Arena. On Friday, Pandolfo wore a Bruins practice jersey for the first time. When asked about the uniform, Pandolfo said he was given the Bruins sweater to fit in with the rest of the players. The Burlington native played for Julien in 2006-07 with the Devils. The 38-year-old Pandolfo is a defense-first left wing who can kill penalties... Khudobin and David Krejci practiced with their teammates for the first time on Friday. It was the final informal practice prior to Sunday s official opening of camp. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649306 Boston Bruins Bruins invite Jay Pandolfo to training camp Fluto Shinzawa Jay Pandolfo has been invited to Bruins training camp, according to two sources familiar with the decision. The ex-boston University star played for the Islanders in 2011-12. Pandolfo scored one goal and two assists in 62 games while averaging 10:55 of ice time per appearance. The Bruins have an opening at left wing on the No. 3 line alongside Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley. The Bruins traded Benoit Pouliot to Tampa Bay on June 23. Pandolfo could be in the mix. Other candidates include Chris Bourque and Daniel Paille, if the Bruins opt to bump the speedy No. 4 left wing up a line. If Paille skates on the third line, Pandolfo, Bourque, or Lane MacDermid could skate on the fourth line with Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton. Pandolfo has been practicing with the Bruins all week, both at Ristuccia Arena and at BU s Agganis Arena. On Friday, Pandolfo wore a Bruins practice jersey for the first time. When asked about the uniform, Pandolfo said he was given the Bruins sweater to fit in with the rest of the players. The Burlington native played for Claude Julien in 2006-07 when the current Bruins coach stood behind the New Jersey bench. The 38-year-old Pandolfo is a defense-first left wing who can kill penalties. The Bruins considered inviting Pandolfo to camp prior to the 2011-12 season. Instead, the Bruins invited former Washington captain Chris Clark. The Bruins didn t sign Clark. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649307 Boston Bruins David Krejci, Anton Khudobin join practice Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff WILMINGTON David Krejci and Anton Khudobin are on the Ristuccia Arena ice. They are participating alongside their teammates in what will most likely be the final informal practice before the start of training camp on Sunday. We ll see. I don t know, Krejci said when asked if playing in the Czech Republic will help in NHL re-entry. The game s a lot different. There s not as much hitting. It s bigger ice. It s definitely different. We just have to wait and see. All players except for Dougie Hamilton and the six Providence callups (Ryan Spooner, Chris Bourque, Jamie Tardif, Lane MacDermid, Matt Bartkowski, and David Warsofsky) have now skated in at least one practice this week. Also on the ice is unsigned veteran Jay Pandolfo. The ex-boston University star is looking for a job. Pandolfo has been issued a Bruins practice jersey to fit in with the rest of the players. Daniel Paille is the team s NHLPA representative. Paille credited executive director Donald Fehr for guiding the players through the bargaining process. He really kept our heads well adjusted in making sure that guys had their questions answered throughout the process, Paille said. The players have until 8 a.m. on Saturday to vote on ratifying the collective bargaining agreement. The Bruins are not planning to skate on Saturday. It will be their final rest day before Sunday s opening of camp. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013

649308 Boston Bruins Bruins forward Nathan Horton says he is healthy, ready to play By Fluto Shinzawa WILMINGTON Nathan Horton hasn t played in an NHL game since Jan. 22, 2012. Like all his union brothers, Horton has missed nearly three months of healthy direct deposits ($4 million annual salary) because of the lockout. Horton is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Funny how a skate with your teammates can render such troubles irrelevant. On Thursday at Ristuccia Arena, Horton participated in his first post-lockout practice. This week s on-ice sessions have been informal. The Bruins coaching staff is forbidden from running an official practice until the collective bargaining agreement has been ratified. But for Horton, the session marked the first time he has skated at full pace with his teammates since suffering the head injury that halted his 2011-12 season. I feel great, Horton said. I ve had a lot of time to work out and get back to normal. Obviously it s been tough for everyone this year. It s not the way anybody wanted it to be. But I feel great. Better than I have in a long time. Horton s latest injury marked the second straight season in which a concussion kept him from playing in the Bruins final game. During Game 3 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, a predatory Aaron Rome hit put Horton flat on his back on the TD Garden ice. Horton didn t play again in that series, although he provided his teammates with two inspirational moments. After Game 4, Horton made a surprise visit to the dressing room and handed off the iconic vintage jacket, which had been in his stall following Game 3, to Rich Peverley. Horton then traveled to Vancouver for Game 7 and poured a bottle of melted Garden ice onto the Rogers Arena sheet. One season later, what appeared to be a tamer hit led to the same conclusion. In the first period of a game against the Flyers, Horton absorbed a check from the broad-shouldered Tom Sestito. Horton instantly felt a headache and didn t return for the rest of the game. Neither Horton nor the team had a clue that it would be his final appearance of 2011-12. Horton attempted several comebacks. He hit the ice for solo skates and was nearly up to full speed in off-ice workouts. But he told his employers that he didn t feel quite right, and on April 11, 2012, the Bruins officially shut down Horton for the season. I got one shot at it the year before, Horton said of playing in the postseason. One taste of it, you just want to keep going. I didn t get to do that. It was pretty disappointing. It was a tough year for me. During the summer, Horton returned to his Fort Lauderdale, Fla., offseason home. He resumed his off-ice workouts and skating sessions, reporting no post-concussion syndrome symptoms. Once the lockout started, Horton opted not to sign with a European team. I didn t think it was going to be this long I don t think anybody did, Horton said. It s definitely tough. But getting back to normal and feeling like myself again, it makes me excited to be back. The Bruins won t know how effective Horton will be until the games start Jan. 19 at TD Garden against the New York Rangers. If all goes well, Horton will be the right-side scoring threat who debuted as a Bruin in 2010-11. Horton, who arrived in Boston by way of the Panthers, skated alongside Milan Lucic and David Krejci on the No. 1 line. As a first-year Bruin, he had 26 goals and 27 assists in 80 games. In the first round of the playoffs, Horton scored the Game 7 overtime winner against Montreal. In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final, Horton netted the only goal of the Bruins 1-0 masterpiece over Tampa Bay. Horton s presence had a trickle-down effect throughout the lineup during the Stanley Cup-winning season. Opposing coaches deployed their top shutdown pairings against Horton s line. That gave the No. 2 line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Mark Recchi more operating space in the offensive zone. Horton s top-line status had an especially important impact on the No. 3 line. On other clubs, Peverley might have been a top-six forward. But with Horton in place and clicking, Peverley skated on the third line with Michael Ryder and Chris Kelly. That threesome gave the Bruins a depth advantage. In last year s playoffs, Peverley had to play out of position because of Horton s absence. In the Game 7 loss to Washington, Tyler Seguin skated with Lucic and Krejci. An injured Bergeron centered Marchand and Peverley. This will be a critical season for the 27-year-old Horton. He is entering the final year of a six-year, $24 million contract. The Bruins currently have approximately $57 million in salary committed to their 2013-14 roster. By placing Marc Savard on long-term injured reserve, they can exceed the $64.3 million cap by the center s $4,083,333 average annual salary. But their first order of business will be to re-sign Tuukka Rask. The goalie will be a restricted free agent after this year. It is difficult to project whether the Bruins will have enough cap space or interest to bring Horton back. Regardless of his 2013-14 destination, Horton is playing for his next contract. And he is happy to be playing, not worrying about his health. I really haven t thought of it, Horton said. I m not even worried about my head. I m not worried about contact, getting in a fight, or anything like that. It s really in the back of my head. I m looking to the future. I haven t thought of it. I feel better than I have in a long, long time. I m just happy to feel good.... Peverley, Daniel Paille, and Aaron Johnson joined the informal practices Thursday for the first time this week. The Bruins signed Johnson on July 18, 2012, to a one-year, $650,000 contract. Last year, the defenseman had 3 goals and 13 assists in 56 games for Columbus. With the status of Adam McQuaid unknown for the start of the season, Johnson is in the mix for a job on defense... Krejci and Anton Khudobin have yet to practice... General manager Peter Chiarelli and coach Claude Julien watched Thursday s practice. They did not attend any of the practices at Boston University this week. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.14.2013