The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.

May 13, 2008

The Hockey News - May-13-08

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ELIZABETH ETUE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-08137/9140395-1-eng-US/f0043-082.jpg" title="f0043-08" width="229" height="229"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>eam USA chose a bumpy road to glory at the 2008 World Championship. After winning its first two games easily, the team endured a shocking 1-0 overtime loss to Finland. Facing Canada in a must-win game delivered a huge challenge to the young squad. &ldquo;It was a test of our character, knowing we had to face our nemesis, Canada,&rdquo; said captain Natalie Darwitz. But desperation drove the U.S. &ldquo;We had our backs against the wall,&rdquo; Darwitz said. &rdquo;It was unleash the dogs, get our body in front of pucks, the net and pressure Canada.&rdquo; That frantic energy and momentum carried Team USA to consecutive wins over Canada en route to the gold medal.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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PROSPECTS UNLIMITED

United stand lands gold medal

<p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he NHL&rsquo;s salary cap will take a substantial jump for a third straight year in 2008-09. The increase is expected to be more than 10 percent, allowing even big-spending teams additional millions to spend.</p><p>2008-09 (PROJECTED) $56.3</p><p>2007-08 $50.3</p><p>2006-07 $44.0</p><p>2005-06 $39.0</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-08257/9138981-1-eng-US/f0033-082.jpg" title="f0033-08" width="70" height="72"></div><p>Miss the game?</p><p><a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a> has video highlights.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p></div>

THE STANDARDS

SALARY CAP ON THE RISE

<div class="byline">&#x2013; BRUCE GARRIOCH</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-02874/9139453-1-eng-US/f0035-022.jpg" title="f0035-02" width="233" height="234"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> GM Bryan Murray has a lot of work to do this summer. Yes, he already signed Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza and Mike Fisher at the start of the season, but the headaches don&rsquo;t stop there.</p><p>Murray has to decide what do with UFAs Chris Kelly, Shean Donovan, Cory Stillman, Martin Lapointe, Randy Robitaille and defenseman Mike Commodore. Blueliner Wade Redden will also be unrestricted, but he has already been written off.</p><p>Kelly is attracting a lot of attention, but if he wants $2 million per year, he surely won&rsquo;t be back because the Sens also need to sign young restricted free agents Antoine Vermette and Andrej Meszaros. The team doesn&rsquo;t have a lot of cash to play with.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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OTTAWA

<p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>hat&rsquo;s keeping you up at night, hockey fans? If you&rsquo;ve got a question about the game, drop us an email we&rsquo;ll give you the inside scoop.</p><p>THN,</p><p>How are bonuses on entry-level contracts determined and when do they count against the cap?</p><p>Alex Fletcher</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-03893/9137774-1-eng-US/f0006-032.jpg" title="f0006-03" width="563" height="426"></div><p>Alex,</p><p>Entry-level bonuses are based on a series of pre-determined criteria set out in the collective bargaining agreement. A player must hit four of those criterion in order to qualify for the bonus, but that actual dollar figure can vary based on the player&rsquo;s contract.</p><p>Some of the criteria include a forward scoring at least 20 goals, finishing in the top-three plus-minus on the team or tallying 60 points. A goalie can be rewarded for having a save percentage or goals-against average above the league median, as another example. No player can earn more than $850,000 in these types of bonuses and they count towards the cap that year, so a team must factor them in.</p><p>There are also bonuses for winning trophies, but the league pays those and they do not count against the cap.</p><p>THN,</p><p>What counts as a scoring chance?</p><p>Perrin Michalyshyn, Edmonton</p><p>Perry,</p><p>Officially, the NHL doesn&rsquo;t record scoring chances; it varies by teams and broadcasters.</p><p>SEND YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS TO <a href="mailto:experts@thehockeynews.com">experts@thehockeynews.com</a></p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-06298/9137767-1-eng-US/f0006-062.jpg" title="f0006-06" width="70" height="72"></div><p>Need more of your questions answered? Read Proteau&rsquo;s &lsquo;Ask Adam&rsquo; column every Tuesday and Friday at <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p></div>

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IN THIS ISSUE

ASK THE EXPERTS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-012083/9137591-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">A DAY AT THE OFFICE Detroit&rsquo;s Tomas Holmstrom is at home battling the Avs&rsquo; Adam Foote for real estate.<span class="photo-credit">(COVER: GETTY IMAGES CONTENTS: DAVE REGINEK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES; AVERY: JIM MCISAAC/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-021594/9137584-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="70" height="72"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Check out <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a> to see photos of the week.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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THE BIG PICTURE

<div class="byline">with Jason Kay</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-012074/9137629-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="713" height="604"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MARK WILSON)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>M</span>Y CALENDAR HAS THE FOLLOWING ENTRIES each and every April: Renew driver&rsquo;s license; file taxes; ramp up caffeine intake for late games; prepare for whining about NHL refereeing to begin&hellip;in earnest.</p><p>Somehow, to a collection of fans, it comes as a surprise that the NHL post-season is dotted with controversial officiating calls. We wonder if these are the same people who pontificate each spring, &ldquo;gee, have you noticed the days are getting longer?&rdquo;</p><p>The more frenzied among their group go so far as to proclaim a crisis.</p><p>For them we have two words: chill dudes. Borderline, could-go-either-way, and yes, blown calls are as much a part of the game as one-timers, 2-on-1s and three stars. They just seem more rampant when the weather warms because we are all more emotionally invested.</p><p>Really, it&rsquo;s about our expectation level. When you get in your comfy chair with your beer and beef jerky and you fire up your 42-inch HDTV, also ready your mindset to help avoid an aneurysm. Tell yourself, repeatedly if necessary, the four striped men on the ice are human beings and may not see everything precisely the way you do. Heck, they may even be dead wrong on a rare occasion.</p><p>This doesn&rsquo;t mean we should accept incompetence. Rather, we shouldn&rsquo;t set ourselves up for a tumble by demanding perfection. If you&rsquo;ve ever sat at ice level for an NHL game, you know how fast the product has become, how instantaneously decisions must be made. More than ever, hockey has become, by far, the most challenging professional sport to officiate.</p><p>And for those who believe judgment controversies are unique to hockey, give your memory a shake. I&rsquo;ve grown beards in less time than it takes to watch some NFL games, matches that meander because of numerous video reviews &ndash; and calls still get blown. In baseball, it seems every game has bang-bang plays that could have gone either way. Heck, we&rsquo;ve even seen foul calls messed up in the playoffs when they have six umpires on the field.</p><p>In the big picture, NHL zebras have earned their stripes. They do a credible job under intense pressure and that&rsquo;s about the best we can hope for.</p><p>BYNG-O: A few issues back, we asked readers to suggest a new name for the Lady Byng Award in order to elevate its status in the eyes of the players. Overwhelmingly, those who responded suggested it should be named for Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; legend Jean Beliveau, an honest player who exuded class on an off the ice. Thanks to all who contributed.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-021753/9137622-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="408" height="218"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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DISPUTED CALLS PART OF THE GAME

<blockquote class="pullQuote">&ldquo;I was happy to have a GM who wasn&rsquo;t willing to sacrifice the future</blockquote><h2><b>DAVE&rsquo;S NOT HERE</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Aquilinis&rsquo; recent firing of Dave Nonis has shown them to be on the same intellectual level as the average Canucks fan. I was happy to have a GM who wasn&rsquo;t willing to sacrifice the future in order to have a weak shot at winning now.</p><p>Frankly, Nonis had poised the Canucks for success for years to come. Now, we lose out on the most sought-after prospect this year (Swedish free agent Fabian Brunnstrom). And I predict Naslund and Morrison will be allowed to walk, teaching the young prospects that loyalty is not rewarded and they should get &ldquo;theirs&rdquo; as soon as possible.</p><p>Bad attitudes are exactly what the &lsquo;Nucks need. Frankly, I think I&rsquo;ll cheer for the Pens or the Blue Jackets until someone with a brain buys Vancouver.</p><p>DENNY PICK, SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT.</p><h2><b>ORIGINAL NINE</b></h2><p>The New York Rangers recently announced they are going to retire No. 9 in honor of Adam Graves. A nice gesture, however it is misplaced.</p><p>With all due respect to Graves, Andy Bathgate is being slighted. The Rangers should have retired No. 9 and honored Bathgate long before Graves was allowed to wear the number. Instead, the Rangers allowed such luminaries as Gene Carr to wear it.</p><p>Bathgate played on some horrible Ranger teams. His contemporaries were Gordie Howe, &lsquo;Boom Boom&rsquo; Geoffrion and &lsquo;Rocket&rsquo; Richard. In 1959, he won the Hart Trophy against this stiff competition. He equalled Bobby Hull in the scoring race in 1961-62.</p><p>Bathgate led the Rangers in scoring for nine successive years, while missing only five games. He played with braces on both knees. His all-round abilities combined finesse as a stickhandler and skater with a devastating slapshot, playmaking and gamesmanship.</p><p>As a subscriber to The Hockey News, I would appreciate you investigating the twisted logic relied upon by the suits at MSG in overlooking the greatest right winger in Rangers history, Andy Bathgate.</p><p>JOHN FENTER, SANTEE, CALIF.</p><h2><b>LOVE LOST FOR MARTY</b></h2><p>I&rsquo;m not a fan of Sean Avery, not even close &ndash; I once had a letter I wrote to the editor in The Hockey News under the title, &ldquo;No Love for Sean.&rdquo;</p><p>But after seeing Martin Brodeur&rsquo;s actions during the series-ending handshake, I respect Avery far more than Marty. For a veteran like Brodeur to not shake a hand due to something that happened during a game is unacceptable. I understand it is the playoffs and there&rsquo;s a rivalry between the Devils and Rangers, but Marty&rsquo;s lack of respect was an embarrassment to the league and the New Jersey organization.</p><p>I think he needs to realize this is still a game and not shaking an opponent&rsquo;s hand is juvenile.</p><p>RYAN HARRISON, CRANBROOK, B.C.</p><h2><b>WINNING TRIAL</b></h2><p>The cover story that put Chris Pronger on trial (April 22) was one of the best articles I have ever read in a media publication.</p><p>I do not personally believe Pronger is the dirtiest player in NHL history, although I strongly agree he is dirty, perhaps even a goon. But I still enjoyed this article more than anything.</p><p>I laughed, I screamed in protest of some points, nodded in agreement with others, and was simply entertained by this piece of writing. Kudos to the staff of THN for the creativity used in this article.</p><p>ALAN BASS, CHERRY HILL, N.J.</p><h2><b>PRONGER&rsquo;S LEGACY</b></h2><p>My mother was the woman Chris Pronger visited with the Cup during her final days and at least for all the people involved in that act, the question of whether or not he is a good person is as relevant as the question of whether or not the Earth is flat.</p><p>MICHAEL SVEINSON, DRYDEN, ONT.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-012072/9137691-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg" title="f0005-01" width="882" height="1019"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JANA CHYTILOVA/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-021495/9137684-1-eng-US/f0005-022.jpg" title="f0005-02" width="158" height="158"></div><h3><b>SOUNDING OFF</b></h3><h2><b>BYTOWN SEND-OFF?</b></h2><p>There will always be debate as to whether the Ottawa Senators made the right decision two years ago to let Zdeno Chara leave and keep Wade Redden. However, as Redden enters free agency, he should be thanked for his years of loyal service to the Sens, playing in more than 900 games, always representing the team with class and style and his involvement in the local community.</p><p>You can sometimes criticize his play, but he has always been an integral player. He will be a hot commodity on the free agent market this summer and a good addition to any lineup. I thank him and wish him all the best.</p><p>MARK J. REED, CHELMSFORD, U.K.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Letters

<div class="byline">WITH MARTIN ERAT</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012296/9137729-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="518" height="483"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ERAT: JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-021533/9137736-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg" title="f0006-02" width="108" height="62"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>What was your &lsquo;welcome to the NHL&rsquo; moment?</p><p>In my second game in the league, I had four teeth knocked out.</p><p>If you had your own theme song when you came on the ice, what would it be?</p><p>Any song by Linkin Park.</p><p>Favorite movie of all-time?</p><p>Right now it&rsquo;s <i>Blood Diamond</i>.</p><p>Worst hotel you&rsquo;ve ever stayed in?</p><p>Buffalo. It was downtown and it was bad. I didn&rsquo;t like it.</p><p>Who is your road roommate?</p><p>Marek Zidlicky. He&rsquo;s been my roommate since my second year in the league. We&rsquo;re both Czech, so it&rsquo;s great.</p><p>Favorite junk food?</p><p>I like the Czech chocolates. My mom brings them over for me.</p><p>Best vacation you&rsquo;ve taken?</p><p>I like Spain. Great weather, great nightlife and great golfing.</p><p>If you could play for any team in history, which would one would it be?</p><p>When I was young, I liked the Pittsburgh Penguins.</p><p>Which current NHLer is a lock for the Hall of Fame?</p><p>Pavel Datsyuk.</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-05425/9137722-1-eng-US/f0006-052.jpg" title="f0006-05" width="70" height="72"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Visit <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a> for exclusive audio from 2 MINUTES IN THE BOX<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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2 MINUTES IN THE BOX

<p>Which potential UFA helped his stock the most in the playoffs?</p><p>Dan Ellis 32%</p><p>Cristobal Huet 22%</p><p>Sean Avery 17%</p><p>Brian Campbell 7%</p><p>Ryan Malone 7%</p><p>Sergei Fedorov 6%</p><p>Marian Hossa 4%</p><p>Mark Streit 4%</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-04550/9137812-1-eng-US/f0006-042.jpg" title="f0006-04" width="459" height="640"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(SEMIN: BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES; ELLIS: DAVE REGINEK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>SPIT IT OUT!</b></h2><p>GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST</p><p>SEND US AN E-MAIL</p><p><a href="mailto:letters@thehockeynews.com">LETTERS@THEHOCKEYNEWS.COM</a></p><p>OR LOG ON</p><p><a href="http://www.thehockeynews.com">WWW.THEHOCKEYNEWS.COM</a></p><p><i>SEND US SNAIL MAIL</i></p><p>Letters, The Hockey News 25 Sheppard Ave. W., Suite 100 Toronto, ON., M2N 6S7, Canada</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-07182/9137805-1-eng-US/f0006-072.jpg" title="f0006-07" width="70" height="72"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><h2><b>BONUS!</b></h2><p>All subscribers get exclusive content on <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a> with an ALL-ACCESS PASS!<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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POLL RESULTS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ADAM PROTEAU</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0007-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-012063/9137850-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ryan Miller <span class="photo-credit">(SPORTS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-021397/9137857-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="164" height="186"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>ITH ALL THE GOALIE-RUNNING that has taken place in the NHL this season, you&rsquo;d think Buffalo Sabres stopper Ryan Miller would have one particular pressing issue in mind as he begins his new role as a member of the NHL&rsquo;s competition committee.</p><p>You&rsquo;d be right in thinking such a thing. However, the issue atop Miller&rsquo;s agenda has nothing to do with goaltending.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to keep the game as open as possible,&rdquo; said Miller, who joins Anaheim&rsquo;s Mathieu Schneider, Tampa Bay&rsquo;s Jeff Halpern, Ottawa&rsquo;s Jason Spezza and San Jose&rsquo;s Brian Campbell as the NHLPA&rsquo;s incoming competition committee representatives. &ldquo;I think it definitely got clogged up a bit this year. Teams switched back to a lot more defense, a lot more 1-4 through the neutral zone&hellip;and not as much freewheeling.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to see that promoted a little more. Get back to calling the little hooks, little holds, clear the ice up. If the puck has a little more chance of getting into the net, it&rsquo;s that much more exciting for the fans and you don&rsquo;t lose anything.&rdquo;</p><p>There were 11.7 percent fewer power plays league-wide this season compared to 2006-07.</p><p>Miller &ndash; whose group replaces outgoing committee members Rob Blake, Jarome Iginla, Trevor Linden and Brendan Shanahan &ndash; doesn&rsquo;t believe the game or its officiating requires a massive shake-up. But he can&rsquo;t help but notice the NHL has a ways to go before it can rightfully claim to put out a completely fan-friendly product.</p><p>&ldquo;Overall, there just needs to be a standard (of officiating) that promotes open ice,&rdquo; Miller said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s all I want to see. There&rsquo;s plenty of open ice out there. The San Jose/Calgary series was rough-and-tumble, but guys still got open. You want to see that throughout the league, but I know the Eastern Conference for sure went to a slow-it-down type of game (this year).&rdquo;</p><p>Miller counts himself as one of a growing group of NHLers with a growing interest in the off-ice and business aspects of the league</p><p>&ldquo;This is our livelihood and it&rsquo;s in our best interests to be involved,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Players deal in a business where we have the ability to make a good living in a short period of time and there&rsquo;s that kind of thinking where, if you have enough money, why are you thinking about (other things)?</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-012196/9137843-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="1270" height="884"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ryan Miller has no problem fielding more pucks in the future if it brings the fans in. <span class="photo-credit">(MILLER: BILL WIPPERT/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a business, though, and you have to get what&rsquo;s fair and what&rsquo;s right. The more involved you are and the more knowledge you have, the more respect you&rsquo;ll get from the parties involved. In our case, that&rsquo;s management and ownership and they have to respect us as a group.</p><p>&ldquo;That doesn&rsquo;t mean (owners and players should be) butting heads. It&rsquo;s about respect and partnership and we can all benefit from the game being more exciting and fun to watch and making each game into a real event people want to come to.</p><p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s really why I want to be involved in the competition committee, because there&rsquo;s parts of the game we can tweak and things we can focus on to make it more of a fan-friendly product. That benefits the owners and the players.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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MILLER SEEKING TO OPEN UP THE GAME

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-021656/9137895-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="406" height="408"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(U.S. WOMENS: STR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-05454/9137909-1-eng-US/f0008-052.jpg" title="f0008-05" width="134" height="135"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-06348/9137902-1-eng-US/f0008-062.jpg" title="f0008-06" width="134" height="134"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>GOLDEN GIRLS U.S. women&rsquo;s team guts out two big wins over Canada to take gold at World Championship in China.</p><p>GOLDEN BOYS Canada&rsquo;s under-18 team routs Russia 8-0 to take home its second top finish in tourney history.</p><p>AMERICAN CLASSIC Philadelphia&rsquo;s Ryan Potulny scores in fifth OT versus Albany to end longest AHL game ever.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-031162/9137888-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="407" height="408"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ARNOTT: JOHN RUSSELL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>GOING OVERBOARD Habs&rsquo; first round win sullied by people taking to streets and setting emergency vehicles on fire.</p><p>IT&rsquo;S FINAL Anaheim and Ottawa, last year&rsquo;s Cup finalists, exit in Round 1 this season with barely a whimper.</p><p>WHAT A HEADACHE Alexander Radulov&rsquo;s excessive goal celebration puts Jason Arnott on the shelf with a concussion.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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PLUS/MINUS

<p>10 TOM KOSTOPOLOUS gave the Habs unexpected offense early against the Bruins.</p><p>9 We keep doubting, but MIKE RIBEIRO continues to prove us wrong this year.</p><p>8 Looks like DERIAN HATCHER is back to pre-lockout levels of effectiveness.</p><p>7 Notorious playoff ghost PATRICK MARLEAU has literally bled for the Sharks.</p><p>6 PHIL KESSEL learned from a healthy scratch and lifted the B&rsquo;s with his offense.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-04640/9137940-1-eng-US/f0008-042.jpg" title="f0008-04" width="518" height="404"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(KOSTOPOULOS: ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>5 DAN ELLIS was great in the regular season, but he was incredible against Detroit.</p><p>4 OWEN NOLAN did all he could for Calgary, even though the Flames fell.</p><p>3 The Pens trusted MARCANDRE FLEURY and he rewarded them.</p><p>2 For a rookie, NICKLAS BACKSTROM was one scary entity for the Caps.</p><p>1 Look up at the scoring leaders and you&rsquo;ll find San Jose&rsquo;s RYANE CLOWE.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0008-04

Starting from 10

<div class="byline">- ROB VANSTONE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-011974/9137971-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="787" height="800"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ed Chynoweth and Granby Predateurs captain Francis Bouillon, now with the Montreal Canadiens. <span class="photo-credit">(CHYNOWETH: CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>THE LATE ED CHYNOWETH emphasized a league-first philosophy during 20-plus years as president of the Western Hockey League.</p><p>He urged governors to view the league as a family, instead of focusing too narrowly on the interests of their own teams. That mindset was instilled within his own family, as evidenced by the fact his two sons &ndash; Jeff and Dean &ndash; are major players in the 22-team circuit.</p><p>&ldquo;He believed wholeheartedly a league is only as strong as its members,&rdquo; said Dean Chynoweth, the Swift Current Broncos coach and GM. &ldquo;I remember on many occasions him being extremely proud of this group. He would often say they were fierce competitors on the ice, but partners in the boardroom.&rdquo;</p><p>Chynoweth remained active in hockey until his final months. He died of cancer April 22 at age 66.</p><p>As recently as February, he ran a meeting in his capacity as chairman of the WHL&rsquo;s board of governors. After stepping down as the league&rsquo;s chief executive in 1995, he entered the ranks of ownership and was the Kootenay Ice&rsquo;s president and governor at the time of his death.</p><p>&ldquo;One thing Ed taught Dean and I is &lsquo;think about the league first,&rsquo; &rdquo; said Jeff Chynoweth, who worked with his father as the Ice&rsquo;s vice-president and GM.</p><p>Ed Chynoweth&rsquo;s blueprint made it feasible for small-market teams such as the Ice, Broncos, Moose Jaw Warriors and Prince Albert Raiders to co-exist with franchises in NHL markets such as Calgary and Vancouver. One of his key contributions was the pioneering of an education program that guaranteed each player one year of post-secondary studies for every season he spent on a WHL roster.</p><p>Chynoweth also played an integral role in the formation of the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League &ndash; now the Canadian Hockey League &ndash; in 1973. He became the first president of the CHL (which comprises the WHL, OHL and QMJHL) in 1975.</p><p>&ldquo;Ed Chynoweth is synonymous with the league, in every aspect of the league&rdquo; said WHL commissioner Ron Robison. &ldquo;He has had more influence than anyone else in the 40-plus-year history of this league.&rdquo;</p><p>To recognize those contributions, the WHL re-named its championship trophy the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2007. In 1988, Chynoweth presented the trophy to Dean, then the captain of Medicine Hat.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-01

THE FAMILY MAN

<div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-06394/9138030-1-eng-US/f0009-062.jpg" title="f0009-06" width="134" height="134"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-021371/9138023-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="208" height="257"></div><p>with Ray Emery</p><p>Here&rsquo;s what gives &lsquo;Razor&rsquo; his edge.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-03839/9138016-1-eng-US/f0009-032.jpg" title="f0009-03" width="224" height="189"></div><p>NAME</p><p>Weighty Ghost</p><p>ARTIST</p><p>Wintersleep</p><p>RE: I use different music for different times.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-04639/9138009-1-eng-US/f0009-042.jpg" title="f0009-04" width="224" height="189"></div><p>NAME</p><p>Bury me a &lsquo;G&rsquo;</p><p>ARTIST</p><p>Young Jeezy</p><p>RE: Young Jeezy, he&rsquo;s a good rapper.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-05478/9138002-1-eng-US/f0009-052.jpg" title="f0009-05" width="224" height="189"></div><p>NAME</p><p>Temptation</p><p>ARTIST</p><p>The Tea Party</p><p>RE: I like all kinds of things, rock or rap.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-02

ROCKIN’ OUT

<div class="byline">&#x2013; KEVIN KENNEDY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0010-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-012165/9138061-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Andrew Ference, David Suzuki, Paul Kelly and Eric Lindros team up.</figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>HAT STARTED AS A ONE-MAN initiative by defenseman Andrew Ference to take responsibility for his impact on the environment last season, has exploded to include 523 NHL players.</p><p>&ldquo;Considering the initial goal of encouraging 70 NHLPA members, we are thrilled that over 500 members have chosen to get involved,&rdquo; said NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly. &ldquo;The David Suzuki Foundation deserves credit for developing a program which has resonated with so many of our members.&rdquo;</p><p>The NHLPA Carbon Neutral Challenge is the brainchild of the Boston Bruins blueliner (he was with Calgary last season) who &ndash; after partnering up with Canadian environmental superhero Suzuki &ndash; calculated the carbon footprint of the average NHLer and encouraged players to purchase carbon off sets.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud of the fact so many guys are involved,&rdquo; Ference said. &ldquo;Every single team had more than 15 guys sign up, which was incredible.&rdquo;</p><p>Carbon off sets are credits for reductions in carbon dioxide achieved by products such as wind farms or solar installations.</p><p>The CNC focuses primarily on the environmental impact of air travel by NHL teams. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, aviation accounts for four to nine percent of the total climate change impact of human activity.</p><p>&ldquo;Winter athletes must be aware that the kind of winters that allowed Wayne Gretzky&rsquo;s dad to make rinks in the backyard are far less certain,&rdquo; Suzuki said. &ldquo;Hockey players, many from northern countries like Sweden, Russia, Finland and Canada have a greater chance of knowing that climate change is happening and it&rsquo;s wonderful to see this group willing to do something to compensate for the greenhouse gases they generate during the season.&rdquo;</p><p>The average carbon footprint is 10 tons of carbon dioxide per player, about twice as much as an average North American citizen.</p><p>To cancel their environmental footprint, players can choose from three Gold Standard off set projects including wind farms in Madagascar, biomass energy infrastructure in India and a small hydro-electricity project in Indonesia. Gold Standard carbon off sets are widely recognized as the highest standard in the world of carbon off sets and are officially endorsed by more than 40 international groups.</p><p>The NHLPA office in Toronto is also getting a green overhaul by becoming Bullfrog Powered, that is, receiving power exclusively from clean, emissions-free sources like wind power and low-impact water power instead of carbon-intensive sources like coal and oil.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m amazed and delighted with the buy-in by the NHLPA,&rdquo; Suzuki said.</p><p>He hopes to see the league also accept the carbon-neutral challenge.</p><p>Ference attributes the program&rsquo;s success to solidarity among the players.</p><p>&ldquo;I think the NHL is somewhat unique in the fact there are a lot of tight friendships across the whole league, from playing with each other, to working out together in the summer,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It makes grassroots eff orts like the Carbon Neutral Challenge possible because we are so tight.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-01

GREEN TEAMWORK

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-021569/9138106-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg" title="f0010-02" width="423" height="509"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(HITCHCOCK: JAMIE SABAU/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>THIS WEEK WE ASKED TWO NHL COACHES: One of your players questions you in media; do you confront him or give him the chance to come to you?</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-03986/9138113-1-eng-US/f0010-032.jpg" title="f0010-03" width="84" height="71"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><h2><b>KEN HITCHCOCK</b></h2><p>COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS</p><p>I go to him. The first thing I ask is, &ldquo;Is this what you said?&rdquo; Then I ask how he was feeling at the time and try to resolve it. Ongoing conflict between a player and coach never helps the team.</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-05497/9138099-1-eng-US/f0010-052.jpg" title="f0010-05" width="79" height="68"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-04682/9138092-1-eng-US/f0010-042.jpg" title="f0010-04" width="424" height="509"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(WILSON: DAVE REGINEK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>RON WILSON</b></h2><p>SAN JOSE SHARKS</p><p>You&rsquo;ll laugh, but it&rsquo;s never happened to me. I would bring him in and open a dialogue. He&rsquo;ll likely say he was misquoted, but there&rsquo;s going to be some truth in it even if it was a misquote.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-02

MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY

<div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-06375/9138144-1-eng-US/f0010-062.jpg" title="f0010-06" width="118" height="118"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>C</span>OMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN could have used a tutorial on former NHL players before being interviewed on a New York City-based sports radio show. When the hosts mentioned the tale of tough guy Eddie Shore injuring former Leaf &lsquo;Ace&rsquo; Bailey, Bettman told them the tragic end to the story was Bailey was aboard one of the planes which crashed into the World Trade Center during 9/11. Garnet &lsquo;Ace&rsquo; Bailey was indeed tragically killed at the age of 53 during the terrorist attacks on New York in 2001. But the Bailey the radio hosts were referring to was Irvine &lsquo;Ace&rsquo; Bailey, whose career was ended after Shore&rsquo;s violent attack in 1933. He passed away in 1992 at the age of 88.</p><p>HOW MUCH do things change in the playoffs? Former NHLer Ray Ferraro recalls his first playoff game in 1985-86 with Hartford. &ldquo;It was against Quebec and in the first 10 minutes we didn&rsquo;t touch the puck. They were out-shooting us 10-0 before we woke up. It was like, &lsquo;Hey, we played these guys all season and they weren&rsquo;t this good. Why are they skating so fast?&rsquo; &rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p></div>

f0010-06

SNAPSHOTS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-011874/9138189-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg" title="f0011-01" width="612" height="804"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ABDELKADER: DAVE REGINEK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-021359/9138203-1-eng-US/f0011-022.jpg" title="f0011-02" width="119" height="119"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-03911/9138196-1-eng-US/f0011-032.jpg" title="f0011-03" width="108" height="81"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><h2><b>JUSTIN ABDELKADER</b></h2><p>DETROIT RED WINGS, LW</p><p>DEBUT April 3, 2008</p><p>VS. Columbus (3-1 win)</p><p>ICE TIME 11:20, 16 shifts</p><p>KEY STAT 3 shots on goal</p><p>&ldquo;MY FIRST GAME came at home, which made for a surreal drive to the rink, since I&rsquo;m from Michigan.</p><p>It was also pretty crazy because I had to pick my equipment up at Michigan State and that&rsquo;s when I realized I had played my last game as a Spartan.</p><p>About 15 Michigan State players, coaches and trainers came to my debut and my goal was simply to make smart plays and create energy.</p><p>My linemates were Aaron Downey and Derek Meech, then later on I skated with Dallas Drake and Mark Hartigan. Downey told me to just go out, play my game and assured me he would take care of anyone who tried to mess with me.</p><p>I had a few good chances and really should have scored on one of them.</p><p>After the win, Nick Lidstrom gave me the &ldquo;game puck.&rdquo;</p><p>VS. TWO ORIGINAL SIX TEAMS IN FAMILIAR POSITIONS</p><p>The Habs and Wings finished the season atop their conferences. Here&rsquo;s a quick comparison of the two team&rsquo;s successes.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-04689/9138182-1-eng-US/f0011-042.jpg" title="f0011-04" width="861" height="617"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-05534/9138175-1-eng-US/f0011-052.jpg" title="f0011-05" width="904" height="634"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0011-01

FRESH LEGS

<div class="byline">with Ken Campbell</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-021645/9138241-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Wayne Gretzky&rsquo;s Oilers set objectives and aspirations for rival teams. <span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT STUDIOS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-012108/9138248-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="187" height="222"></div><blockquote class="pullQuote">&ldquo;The fact is, dynasties make leagues and sports far more compelling</blockquote><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>HE MOMENT THE ANAHEIM Ducks completed their self-destruction in the playoffs, they ensured it will be at least eight seasons between back-to-back Stanley Cup winners, a run of parity that has only been seen once before in NHL history and hasn&rsquo;t occurred in more than 60 years.</p><p>And should the Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings both fail in their quest for the championship, it will mark the first time in NHL history that there have been different Stanley Cup winners in seven successive seasons.</p><p>Yes, the parity-obsessed NHL is getting everything it ever wanted and hey, isn&rsquo;t that just great?</p><p>It&rsquo;s remarkable, really. In the past six playoffs, the defending Stanley Cup champion has advanced beyond the first round only once, none in the past five years.</p><p>Recent history has been even worse. Three seasons after winning the Stanley Cup, the Tampa Bay Lightning has transformed itself into a salary cap mess and the worst team in the NHL. The Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers have proved since 2006 that their appearances in the Stanley Cup final were total flukes and the Ottawa Senators look very much like a team that could have several seasons of disarray in its future.</p><p>Years ago, a dynasty was a team such as the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders or Edmonton Oilers &ndash; teams that not only won consecutive championships, but kicked butt and took names while doing it. That definition of dynasty changed somewhere along the line to the New Jersey Devils/Red Wings model &ndash; a team that is perennially a contender that manages to win the Cup every now and then.</p><p>But in today&rsquo;s NHL, the dynasty is not just dead, it&rsquo;s ancient history and those waiting for its return anytime soon will likely have about as much luck as Estragon and Vladimir did on that country road in <i>Waiting for Godot</i>.</p><p>So is this a good thing for the NHL? Oh yeah, sure, if you like the idea that pretty much as soon as the current Stanley Cup champion gets finished celebrating its accomplishment, it will be in for a world of hurt. It&rsquo;s great, too, if you like the idea of starting each season with no clue which team will seriously compete for the league title.</p><p>It&rsquo;s really good for the local markets, of course, who at least can start the season with some shred of hope. Anyone can win this thing, as the Oilers proved two years ago when they came within one period of winning the Stanley Cup after finishing eighth in the West.</p><p>But is this what the NHL has become? Has the salary cap and the league&rsquo;s maniacal obsession with competitive balance made it all such a dog&rsquo;s breakfast that we can no longer count on any sustained excellence? And if so, what&rsquo;s so darn good about that?</p><p>Undoubtedly, winning the Stanley Cup did wonders for the Ducks, Hurricanes and Lightning. And well, duh, winning it once is far better than not winning it at all. Even though all three have struggled since their victories, their crowds have been strong for the most part and local interest in the teams has spiked. But how good is it for the NHL in these markets when such a run of success is seemingly followed not only by no championships, but also by a nosedive in fortunes so precipitous that some of them are beginning to look like the bottom feeders they were before they became so successful?</p><p>Aren&rsquo;t dynasties good for sports, too? Has any team garnered more interest for its league than the New England Patriots have for the NFL? How can anyone possibly work up a hate for the Ducks or the Hurricanes or the Lightning when they don&rsquo;t give you anything to hate? OK, other than Chris Pronger.</p><p>The fact is, dynasties make leagues and sports far more compelling than a hodgepodge of champions who play the part of Supernovae, brilliant for an instant, then fading off into oblivion. Dynasties not only give everyone else someone to despise, they also give everyone else a model to aspire to. The Oilers of the &rsquo;80s made the Calgary Flames a better team and the result was the Battle of Alberta and some of the most intense, talent-laden hockey ever played. The Philadelphia Flyers&rsquo; back-to-back Stanley Cup wins prompted the Canadiens to prove to the NHL that skill could still win out over intimidation.</p><p>Heck, the Soviets winning every World Championship and Olympics in the 1960s and &rsquo;70s inspired other world hockey powers to improve and provided the motivation Canada needed to try to take back its game.</p><p>What we have now, though, is a bunch of teams just hoping they can capture the magic long enough to win a one-off championship before their &lsquo;best before&rsquo; date expires.</p><p>But knowing the teams that seriously compete for the Cup have so little chance of even coming close to doing it again makes for a league where nobody sets the standard and nobody makes much of a long-term impact.</p><p>And that sucks.</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-031061/9138234-1-eng-US/f0012-032.jpg" title="f0012-03" width="70" height="72"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>For Ken&rsquo;s web-exclusive Campbell&rsquo;s Cuts column, visit <a href="http://THN.com">thn.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-02

GIVE ME A WINNER THAT WILL LAST

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0013-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-011884/9138279-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he quest for the Stanley Cup isn&rsquo;t so much a sprint or a marathon as much as it is a challenge of attrition. The nine weeks it takes for the eventual victor to realize glory is about outlasting the competition; withstanding casualties; and winning the small confrontations.</p><p>In the ensuing 17 pages, we shine the spotlight on some of the key players in the Battle of 2008, from under-recognized foot soldiers to decorated heroes; from hated villains to respected generals.</p><p>For up-to-the-minute playoff information, vist <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0013-01

Quest FOR THE Cup

<div class="byline">BY ADRIAN DATER</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-021566/9138324-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="280" height="208"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-012084/9138317-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="2497" height="1671"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MICHAEL MARTIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>H</span>E WAS ALWAYS SWEDEN&rsquo;S SON and the people of Colorado always respected that. But Peter Forsberg was always the adopted, favored son of Denver, the coolest European import ever who dazzled Colorado Avalanche fans with his skill on the ice and aura off it.</p><p>So, when the news broke on a dark, rainy 2005 Denver day, many truly took it like the loss of a loved one. Forsberg, the shocking reports said, was leaving the Avs to become a Philadelphia Flyer. When images of Forsberg pulling on a Flyers sweater came into Colorado living rooms, the cycle of grief started all over again.</p><p>Some still might not have been over it on the Feb. 26 day when the bolt of news flashed again: &lsquo;Foppa&rsquo; was coming back. It didn&rsquo;t seem real, not until he stood at a podium in Vancouver and pulled another sweater over his head. This time, it had a big &lsquo;A&rsquo; on the front, with the swirling Dairy Queen softie sliding down its front. The response could almost be heard from Denver: Hallelujah!</p><p>For the formerly spoiled Avalanche fans, the world made sense again. And, it seemed, to Forsberg.</p><p>&ldquo;It was great to get off the plane and be back in Denver again that first night,&rdquo; Forsberg said. &ldquo;Sometimes, you don&rsquo;t know how much you missed things until they&rsquo;re gone.&rdquo;</p><p>The response from the fans was a distinct &ldquo;ditto.&rdquo; Even when he played the two years in Philly and Nashville, Avalanche fans constantly talked about Forsberg, always pining for some kind of return. But it seemed hopeless after a while. Even if Colorado wanted to pull off getting him back, the murky medical reports from Sweden always seemed to imply Forsberg&rsquo;s great hockey career was over. There was something wrong with his foot. Or his skate. Or was it both? Nobody seemed to know. All anybody knew was Forsberg wasn&rsquo;t playing for anyone, plus reports said if he wanted to play in the NHL, it would be with the Flyers again, anyway.</p><p>But a late-season Flyers collapse, along with an Avs resurgence thanks in part to other trade-deadline acquisitions of old pal Adam Foote and Ruslan Salei started to make the Avs an attractive looking team again and Forsberg accepted a pro-rated, $5 million offer for the rest of the year.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote">&ldquo;HE LOOKS LIKE THE SAME PLAYER OF A FEW YEARS AGO TO ME, HE&rsquo;S STILL MAKING GREAT PLAYS, STILL SO SMART WITH THE PUCK<br>&ndash; AVALANCHE CAPTAIN JOE SAKIC</blockquote><p>About two months later, Colorado was into the second round of the playoffs, against arch-rival Detroit, Forsberg was looking like his old self again on the ice and Avalanche fans were hoping never to wake up from this wonderfully nostalgic dream.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s gone better than I thought it would, to be honest,&rdquo; Forsberg said. &ldquo;We were a few points out of the playoffs when I signed, but we played real well. But I knew Colorado still had a real good lineup, so it&rsquo;s not a huge surprise.</p><p>Forsberg posted 14 points in his nine regular season games, including three three-point games. He was a big factor in what some called an upset of Minnesota in the first round, assisting twice in a critical Game 5 win.</p><p>&ldquo;He looks like the same player of a few years ago to me,&rdquo; said longtime teammate Joe Sakic. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s still making great plays, still so smart with the puck.&rdquo;</p><p>And, perhaps most surprisingly of all, Forsberg played all six of Colorado&rsquo;s first round games, including back-to-back contests.</p><p>But what about next year, and what about that right ankle? Forsberg, 34, doesn&rsquo;t like to get into specifics about how the ankle finally started to feel stable in his skate &ndash; after upwards of 30 different pairs he tried over the last year, and a couple of surgeries. Only after meeting Dr. Bertil Romanus did it seem the problem started to get solved, although Forsberg said others helped and doesn&rsquo;t like to single anybody out.</p><p>As for playing next year and beyond, Forsberg said it his goal to return. But this is when he uses his pet phrase: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll see.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;That will be something to think about over the summer,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been in kind of a year-by-year mode for a while now, so we&rsquo;ll see what the summer brings. But I still love to play hockey.&rdquo;</p><p>He&rsquo;ll also have to decide where he wants to play, as Forsberg can again become an unrestricted free agent. Some continue to think he might want to complete some &ldquo;unfinished business&rdquo; with the Flyers. But the Avs continue to have the advantage of having him now, allowing the old home environs to keep reintegrating into his life.</p><p>&ldquo;I love Denver,&rdquo; Forsberg said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great city, and I had my best years here. So, there&rsquo;s a lot to like. But that&rsquo;s still too far away to think about, next year or anything. I&rsquo;m just having fun playing again, and doing it in the playoffs. This is what I came back for.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-011857/9138310-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="1256" height="1304"><figcaption class="caption-body">Winning puck battles along the boards is a Peter Forsberg specialty. <span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE KLUCKHOHN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>FORSBERG ON FIRE</b></h2><p>Foppa&rsquo;s production doesn&rsquo;t take a break in the post-season, which is why the Avs love him.</p><p>1.25 REGULAR SEASON POINTS PER GAME 8TH ALL-TIME</p><p>1.14 PLAYOFFS POINTS PER GAME 6TH ALL-TIME *</p><p>*THROUGH FIRST ROUND OF 2008 POST-SEASON<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0014-02

SPOTLIGHT

DENVER’S FAVORITE IMPORT RETURNS

<div class="byline">BY KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0016-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-011862/9138369-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Sergei Kostitsyn, right, is just one gem the Canadiens have unearthed in the late stages of a draft. <span class="photo-credit">(ELIOT J. SCHECHTER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>Y</span>UP, THAT&rsquo;S ALL the Montreal Canadiens need, another promising young player. You can&rsquo;t swing a dead cat around the team&rsquo;s dressing room without hitting a terrific youngster still in his entry-level contract and it turns out they&rsquo;re hot on the trail of another top prospect.</p><p>As of mid-April, the Canadiens were a serious contender in the Fabian Brunnstrom sweepstakes. In case you haven&rsquo;t heard, the 22-year-old Brunnstrom is one of the most sought-after young players on the planet who has drawn favorable comparisons to fellow Swede Daniel Alfredsson and while half the teams in the league have an interest, the Canadiens were one of the frontrunners to get him.</p><p>Should the Habs land Brunnstrom, he would join a stunning array of players who have been drafted and developed by the Canadiens and are making a tangible contribution to a team that shocked the NHL by winning the Eastern Conference regular season title.</p><p>Much of the Canadiens&rsquo; success at procuring talent can be traced directly back to when Andre Savard was hired as director of player personnel in the late 1990s, then bumped up to replace Rejean Houle as GM in 2000-01. Savard placed a premium back on the Canadiens&rsquo; traditional strength of scouting and developing, an area that had been flagging for the organization, and hired Trevor Timmins as his director of player personnel. Both were instrumental in building a bevy of prospects for the Ottawa Senators and since then the young talented players have been coming in a steady flow to Montreal.</p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re not smarter than anybody else, we&rsquo;re not better than anybody else,&rdquo; said Canadiens GM Bob Gainey. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re just working hard and taking our lumps and taking our rewards. We try to do it better than our competitors, but we don&rsquo;t always. There are guys playing on the other team (the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of the playoffs) whom we wanted on our team. But that&rsquo;s life.&rdquo;</p><p>The Canadiens, though, certainly have hit their share of home runs lately when it comes to the draft. And anyone with even a cursory knowledge of how franchise-building works knows there is no team, big-market or small-market, that can have a hope of contending for the Stanley Cup without first doing a good job finding good young talent and bringing it along properly.</p><p>The Canadiens have used 25 players this season and no less than 18 of them were drafted and developed by the organization. (That number includes defensemen Patrice Brisebois and Francis Bouillon, who were both originally drafted and developed by the Canadiens and returned to the organization after playing for other teams.) That is one fewer than both the Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres, but both those teams also employed more players this season.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-021271/9138362-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="1451" height="1412"><figcaption class="caption-body">Maxim Lapierre <span class="photo-credit">(ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>To put it into perspective, the average NHL team has 14 players who have been drafted and developed in-house. This past season, the average team also drafted and developed 46 percent of the players it used, while the Canadiens led the league at 72 percent.</p><p>&ldquo;When you put everything together, I think we&rsquo;ve done a pretty solid job of rebuilding this franchise,&rdquo; Timmins said. &ldquo;I know that when I came and Bob came right after, the cupboard was pretty bare. I think everybody here has done a pretty good job of putting this team back up where it should be.&rdquo;</p><p>Not only have the Canadiens drafted well with their high picks, but they have made the most of late-round selections. Timmins has been on board for five drafts with Montreal and a total of 10 players his staff selected were on the Canadiens roster during the playoffs and just three of those players were picked prior to the 60th selection overall.</p><p>Kind of blows up the notion the draft is a crapshoot, doesn&rsquo;t it? The fact is, the draft is a crapshoot only if you&rsquo;re not good at it. It&rsquo;s kind of like the World Poker Tour. If all it has to do with is the luck of the cards, why do the same people keep winning all the time?</p><p>Here&rsquo;s how, according to Timmins, the Canadiens arrived at each of the late selections during his tenure:</p><p>MAXIM LAPIERRE (61st overall in 2003): The main attribute that attracted Lapierre to Timmins and his staff was the passion and competitiveness he showed right in the Canadiens&rsquo; backyard with the Montreal Rocket of the QMJHL. That, combined with his skating ability and speed, convinced them Lapierre could have a serviceable NHL career.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-011738/9138355-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="1434" height="1294"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jaroslav Halak <span class="photo-credit">(ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><blockquote class="pullQuote">&ldquo;HE SINGLE-HANDEDLY BEAT THE RUSSIANS WITH OVECHKIN IN THE LINEUP.<br>&ndash; TREVOR TIMMINS ON JAROSLAV HALAK</blockquote><p>&ldquo;Not in the top half of your lineup, but in the bottom half of your lineup,&rdquo; Timmins said.</p><p>RYAN O&rsquo;BYRNE (79th overall in 2003): O&rsquo;Byrne has rocketed up the depth chart in the organization since he was drafted and if he maxes out the way the Canadiens think he might be able to, he&rsquo;ll be considered &ndash; wait for it &ndash; a steal.</p><p>O&rsquo;Byrne was drafted out of the B.C. Junior League before it became a major source of players for the NHL. At 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, O&rsquo;Byrne has close to Derian Hatcher size and his skating ability sets him apart from other behemoths who struggle with the NHL game.</p><p>O&rsquo;Byrne was first identified by western scouts Gerry O&rsquo;Flaherty and Elmer Benning and they were pleased to learn he was going to a solid college program at Cornell.</p><p>&ldquo;We liked the size and the speed and the fact he wasn&rsquo;t afraid to engage in a game and to try to develop offense from the back end,&rdquo; Timmins said. &ldquo;The combination of his size and his speed was the most attractive to us.&rdquo;</p><p>JAROSLAV HALAK (271st overall in 2003): Timmins and his staff were sold on Halak after watching him perform in Slovakia&rsquo;s semifinal win over the Russians in the Under-18 World Championship in Kazan that year.</p><p>&ldquo;He single-handedly beat the Russians with (Alex) Ovechkin in the lineup,&rdquo; Timmins said. &ldquo;It went to a shootout and I think Ovechkin went twice and this guy just shut the door on them. He didn&rsquo;t have the size we were looking for, but when we look for goalies we look for guys who win games and he had always been one of those guys.&rdquo;</p><p>Key to Halak&rsquo;s development, Timmins said, was that after drafting him, the Canadiens got him to play for Lewiston in the QMJHL and that gave Canadiens goaltending coach Roland Melanson ample opportunity to work with Halak on his raw skills. And last spring when Carey Price joined the Hamilton Bulldogs for the playoffs, the Canadiens opted to send Halak to play a high level of hockey in the World Championship rather than watch Price&rsquo;s Calder Cup run from the bench.</p><p>&ldquo;He was a raw piece of Play-Doh that I think our guys did a good job of molding,&rdquo; Timmins said.</p><p>MIKHAIL GRABOVSKI (150th overall in 2004): Timmins acknowledges that the Canadiens could have &ndash; and should have &ndash; drafted Grabovski the year prior in 2003 based on his development so far.</p><p>&ldquo;He was on our list and we didn&rsquo;t get to him,&rdquo; Timmins said. &ldquo;We noticed him in the world juniors in Halifax (in 2003) for Belarus and he played with a lot of passion and a North American style game to complement his high skill.&rdquo;</p><p>The Canadiens&rsquo; interest in Grabovski intensified the next year when assistant GM Pierre Gauthier went to the World Championship to watch Andrei Kostitsyn play for Belarus.</p><p>&ldquo;He really took his skating to another level,&rdquo; Timmins said.</p><p>GREG STEWART (246th overall in 2004): Timmins said the Canadiens had some very good information provided to them from amateur scout David Mayville from Stewarts&rsquo; days as a bantam and midget player. Although he has developed into a tough guy, he also had the ability in youth hockey to chip in offensively.</p><p>Stewart saw action in one game this season, the last game of the year, and got into a fight with veteran Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a guy we&rsquo;ve had patience with,&rdquo; Timmins said.</p><p>MARK STREIT (262nd overall in 2004): Streit has developed into one of the greatest very-late draft picks ever and will be rewarded with a large raise when his contract expires after this season.</p><p>Another Gauthier find at the World Championship, Streit impressed the Canadiens with his willingness and ability to be a go-to player for the Swiss national team.</p><p>&ldquo;He was always a leader for Switzerland from the back end,&rdquo; Timmins said. &ldquo;It was always a matter of size and whether or not he could do it at the NHL level.&rdquo;</p><p>Streit is the only one of the Canadiens&rsquo; recent prospects not to have a minor-pro apprenticeship with the organization, but he also came to the NHL at 27 and had played one season in the minors back in 1999-2000 in addition to nine seasons in the Swiss Elite League.</p><p>SERGEI KOSTITSYN (200th overall in 2005): Another player the Canadiens discovered while watching brother Andrei at the world juniors, Sergei Kostitsyn also impressed the Habs with his combination of skill and a robust game.</p><p>&ldquo;He was finishing his checks and playing for his space by going into the harder areas of the ice,&rdquo; Timmins said. &ldquo;If we were really smart, we would have had him rated a lot higher.&rdquo;</p><p>The Canadiens pushed for Kostitsyn to play in the CHL and he ended up the next season with the London Knights, where he played on a line with Knights star David Bolland. And last season he found himself on a unit with Patrick Kane and Sam Gagner. The three combined for 137 goals and 394 points and each one made an impact at the NHL level this year.</p><p>&ldquo;Last year, I actually saw him score a goal killing a 3-on-5 in overtime,&rdquo; Timmins said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never seen that anywhere, ever.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0016-01

LATE ROUND HOME RUNS HELP BOOST CANADIENS

<div class="byline">BY MIKE BROPHY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0020-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-011499/9138435-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">He&rsquo;s no heavyweight, but Sean Avery will do whatever it takes. <span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES))</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>WANT TO MAKE AN NHL GM LAUGH?</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><span>J</span>ust mention the name Sean Avery, but first preface it by saying you are interested in talking about this summer&rsquo;s crop of unrestricted free agents, of which Avery is on course to be a member. Guaranteed to make a grown man chuckle.</p><p>&ldquo;He is what he is,&rdquo; says one NHL GM. &ldquo;There are no surprises. You may not like everything about him, but you can&rsquo;t deny his effectiveness.&rdquo;</p><p>Said another: &ldquo;I think there will be a huge market for Sean Avery. Not us, but there will be lots of interest in him. He is a good player. He&rsquo;s a very effective player in the short term, but he&rsquo;s also sometimes a little tough for some fans to take, the way he demeans other players. He&rsquo;s effective, if he&rsquo;d just shut his mouth. I think he should work out a deal with the Rangers. They seem to love him in New York.&rdquo;</p><p>Both GMs requested anonymity for fear of being accused of tampering. Avery, after all, is still under contract with the Rangers and may re-sign with them before he becomes a UFA July 1. One thing is certain, if the Rangers don&rsquo;t re-sign him or insult him with a low-ball offer hoping to get him on the hometown discount, there will be no shortage of suitors for his services.</p><p>Yes, they love Avery in New York, so much so that a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd chanted in unison recently, &ldquo;Sign Avery! Sign Avery! Sign Avery!&rdquo;</p><p>And as free agent season draws nearer, you can bet his name will be hot on the lips of many GMs. That&rsquo;s because even though he is one of the most controversial individuals in the league, a chatterbox who likes to stir the pot, he is also a very effective player. And with this year&rsquo;s UFA class lacking in quality compared to recent crops, some teams will be willing to pay a premium for a player who skates on the third line, but is capable of comfortably sliding up to play on the second or even first if need be. And he&rsquo;s a player who simply makes his team better when he&rsquo;s in the lineup.</p><p>There is no disputing Avery&rsquo;s importance to the Rangers. They have a 50-20-16 record in the regular season when he plays and are 9-13-3 when he&rsquo;s out of the lineup. Avery made an immediate impact on the Rangers upon joining them last season from Los Angeles. At the time, the Rangers were idling in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. With him in the lineup they went 17-8-4 and passed the Islanders, Toronto, Carolina, Tampa Bay and Montreal to finish sixth. In that span, only two Rangers &ndash; Jaromir Jagr and Michael Nylander &ndash; had more points than Avery.</p><p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s a fluke,&rdquo; says Islanders pro scout Ken Morrow. &ldquo;If you were talking about 10 games, then perhaps it would be. But we&rsquo;re talking about the course of two years now. It&rsquo;s not a fluke.&rdquo;</p><p>Adds Rangers coach Tom Renney: &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s an inspiration. He plays on the edge and because of that, he certainly reminds others, especially those that play on his line, they had better be ready, too. He&rsquo;s an intense competitor who is fiery and deeply engaged in the game.&rdquo;</p><p>To some, Avery is a despicable little pest who has no appreciation for the game that pays him so handsomely. To those people, no matter what good he does, they&rsquo;ll never acknowledge his contributions. To others, the left winger is simply a high-maintenance, if misguided, individual whose shenanigans are made a little easier to swallow because, bottom line, he&rsquo;s a very effective player. Avery was eighth in team scoring this season with 15 goals and 33 points in 57 games. He was second in penalty minutes with 154 and although he is often used in a checking role, scored four game-winning goals. In the first round of playoffs, he scored three times (one game-winner) and had five points as the Rangers dusted their bitter rivals, the New Jersey Devils, in five games.</p><p>It was also in that series where the latest Avery-ism occurred. It was in Game 3, with the Rangers ahead and enjoying a power play when he turned to face Devils goalie Martin Brodeur and began waving his stick in the goalie&rsquo;s face in an attempt to distract him. Rangers teammate Chris Drury appeared to tell Avery to cut it out and so did referee Don Van Massenhoven, who looked quite perturbed. Avery was not penalized on the play, but was roasted by many in the hockey world afterwards. The NHL acted quickly, enacting a new interpretation on a rule whereby players who face a goalie and try to distract him from seeing the puck using unconventional methods will be assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct minor. Call it the &lsquo;Sean Avery Rule.&rsquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-011224/9138428-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="2254" height="2807"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><blockquote class="pullQuote">&ldquo;HE IS AN EXPLOSIVE PLAYER AND A COURAGEOUS GUY WHO KNOWS WHERE THE NET IS AND THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET THERE. <br>&ndash; RANGERS COACH TOM RENNEY</blockquote><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-011385/9138421-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="671" height="707"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-03779/9138414-1-eng-US/f0022-032.jpg" title="f0022-03" width="671" height="820"><figcaption class="caption-body">Avery agitates and irritates, but he has never been suspended by the NHL. <span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>On his next installment of <i>Coach&rsquo;s Corner</i> on <i>Hockey Night in Canada</i>, Don Cherry ripped the Ranger. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s fearless, he has guts, he&rsquo;s a good shooter and he&rsquo;s a good player,&rdquo; Cherry roared. &ldquo;He can do everything, but he has no honor and he commands no respect. He acts like a jerk.&rdquo;</p><p>Others expressed similar sentiments and when the series concluded, Brodeur ignored Avery in the traditional post-series handshake ceremony. Skated right past him.</p><p>When asked about it, Avery could not contain himself.</p><p>&ldquo;Fatso there just forgot to shake my hand, I guess,&rdquo; Avery said. Some were outraged at his comment, others laughed.</p><p>Avery has never been suspended by the NHL, but he was fined once after making derogatory comments about the league&rsquo;s competition committee. He has also been warned by NHL vice-president Colin Campbell to tone things down a few times, although Campbell admits he has had bigger headaches over the years to contend with than Avery.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-021028/9138407-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="1400" height="1016"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ANDY MARLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;If he wants to be remembered as a character and not a player with character, that&rsquo;s fine,&rdquo; Campbell says. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s his prerogative.&rdquo;</p><p>Avery clearly is a New York kind of guy. He loves the limelight, just as he did in L.A. Avery had a long relationship with Hollywood starlet Elisha Cuthbert and has also been linked to actress Mary-Kate Olsen, among others. He loves fashion and has plans to serve as an unpaid intern at <i>Vogue</i> magazine this summer. It&rsquo;s hard to imagine him leaving Broadway for a smaller market, something the Rangers will surely take into account when they begin negotiations with him. That said, the Rangers would be na&iuml;ve to think he&rsquo;ll take the hometown discount to remain in New York if other teams are offering big bucks. He may be crass, but he&rsquo;s not dumb.</p><p>Avery, who has played the past three seasons on one-year deals, is looking for four to five years in the neighborhood of $4 million-plus per year, a jump from the $2 million he made this season. Some suggest giving a loose cannon big money and term could be dangerous. Avery disagrees.</p><p>Although he was not speaking with the media during the playoffs, he made an exception and told The Hockey News: &ldquo;If anything it brings more comfort to your game. I don&rsquo;t have it in me to not go out and compete. That would never be the case. I think, if anything, it gives you stability and makes you want to play even harder for a team to prove they didn&rsquo;t make a mistake in signing you. Why would you not want to play hard for a team that put its faith in you? I have always had to prove myself and that won&rsquo;t change.&rdquo;</p><p>Avery&rsquo;s agent, Pat Morris, believes his client brings a lot to the table, and that is what he&rsquo;ll contend in contract negotiations.</p><p>&ldquo;He agitates, but he backs it up with strong play,&rdquo; Morris says. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got a heart and he&rsquo;s got some character and he&rsquo;s gotten better every year. You watch what teams need to win in the playoffs and those teams that don&rsquo;t get that are missing that to begin with and those teams that don&rsquo;t carry on are missing it. I think he provides that ingredient where he can score, he can agitate, he can hit, he&rsquo;ll fight. He&rsquo;ll do whatever it takes to win, even trying to be creative.</p><p>&ldquo;Because somebody speaks openly rather than the normal clich&eacute;s that you usually get, he tells the truth, that&rsquo;s refreshing to me. It&rsquo;s unique. He&rsquo;s very lively, colorful, imaginative and creative.&rdquo;</p><p>Adds Morrow: &ldquo;I watched him coming up through the minor leagues and he is a player. The guy can play and that was always the enticing thing with him. He skates well, he has the ability to more than chip in offensively, it was just always the antics and the crazy stuff that scared some teams away. On pure hockey ability alone, he&rsquo;s valuable as a secondary scorer.&rdquo;</p><p>Avery, it has been proven, can change the dynamic of your team; he can change the fan draw. There are some teams that need extra incentive for fans and he&rsquo;s colorful enough to keep them interested.</p><p>In the old days, the free-spending Rangers likely would have inked Avery to a big-money, long-term deal by now. But there is this little thing called the salary cap to contend with and Avery isn&rsquo;t the only player they need to re-sign. Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan, Martin Straka, Michal Rozsival, Marek Malik and Paul Mara are also slated to be unrestricted. New York probably won&rsquo;t re-sign Mara or Malik and Straka could retire or play out his career back home in the Czech Republic.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-011232/9138400-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg" title="f0023-01" width="1033" height="1003"><figcaption class="caption-body">Avery&rsquo;s antics prompted a new rules directive and a snub from Martin Brodeur.</figcaption></div><p>Shanahan represents an interesting dilemma because the veteran is one player who can keep Avery in check. But, at 39, he&rsquo;s getting long in the tooth and should he wish to continue playing, it could be in a reduced role at less money.</p><p>One man who would love to see Avery back with the Rangers is coach Renney. He feels the two have a solid understanding of one another.</p><p>&ldquo;Sean is a really good guy when, A) you take the time to get to know him, and B) he gives you that time,&rdquo; Renney says. &ldquo;And that&rsquo;s the trick. He&rsquo;s a busy guy who is always on the go, looking for what is going to excite him next. And I like the diversity he has in his life. He&rsquo;s not consumed by the sport, or sports in general. He has other interests and I think that is important.</p><p>&ldquo;Having said that, I find him to be very open and honest and frank with me in our conversations and he expects the same from me. And to top it off, he is an explosive player and a courageous guy who knows where the net is and the quickest way to get there. He&rsquo;s also a guy who has intelligence away from the puck and he&rsquo;s a conscientious guy defensively.&rdquo;</p><p>Oh, and let&rsquo;s not forget he&rsquo;s a guy who is not always easy to defend, but is worth the eff ort.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0020-01

SEAN AVERY’S BROADWAY BONANZA

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-02894/9138501-1-eng-US/f0023-022.jpg" title="f0023-02" width="302" height="214"></div><h2><b>ESA TIKKANEN</b></h2><p>STANLEY CUPS: 5</p><p>CAREER PIM: 1,077</p><p>CAREER POINTS: 630</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-03673/9138494-1-eng-US/f0023-032.jpg" title="f0023-03" width="303" height="214"></div><h2><b>CLAUDE LEMIEUX</b></h2><p>STANLEY CUPS: 4</p><p>CAREER PIM: 1,756</p><p>CAREER POINTS: 785</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-04500/9138487-1-eng-US/f0023-042.jpg" title="f0023-04" width="303" height="214"></div><h2><b>KEN LINSEMAN</b></h2><p>STANLEY CUPS: 1</p><p>CAREER PIM: 1,727</p><p>CAREER POINTS: 807</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-05368/9138480-1-eng-US/f0023-052.jpg" title="f0023-05" width="303" height="214"></div><h2><b>DALE HUNTER</b></h2><p>STANLEY CUPS: 0</p><p>CAREER PIM: 3,565</p><p>CAREER POINTS: 1,020</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-06296/9138473-1-eng-US/f0023-062.jpg" title="f0023-06" width="302" height="214"></div><h2><b>MATTHEW BARNABY</b></h2><p>STANLEY CUPS: 0</p><p>CAREER PIM: 2,562</p><p>CAREER POINTS: 300</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-07246/9138466-1-eng-US/f0023-072.jpg" title="f0023-07" width="302" height="214"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JIM MCISAAC/GETTY IMAGES; PESTS: ALL GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>SEAN AVERY</b></h2><p>STANLEY CUPS: 0</p><p>CAREER PIM: 1,067</p><p>CAREER POINTS: 167<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0023-02

SUPER PESTS

<div class="byline">BY MIKE HEIKA</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0024-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-011334/9138539-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Stephane Robidas donned a cage in Round 1 after suffering his fourth or fifth broken nose. <span class="photo-credit">(RONALD MARTINEZ/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>S</span>TEPHANE ROBIDAS&rsquo; NOSE BENDS IN UNTHINKABLE DIRECTIONS.</b>&nbsp;There is an awkward S-shaped line that runs down the middle of a blob that has been pushed far too flat against his face.</p><p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a great hockey player&rsquo;s nose,&rdquo; said Stars coach Dave Tippett. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s pretty much the symbol of what Robi is right there.&rdquo;</p><p>Just like his nose, Robidas isn&rsquo;t the prettiest of players. But if you look closely, if you appreciate how he has come to be where he is, if you study the bends and breaks in his career, you&rsquo;ll also start to grow a deep appreciation for the 31-year-old blueliner.</p><p>Robidas said he has broken his nose four or five times &ndash; or about as many times as his NHL career has been on rough ice. A native of Sherbrooke, Que., he was a &ldquo;good&rdquo; QMJHL defensemen for Shawinigan for four seasons and was taken by the Montreal Canadiens 164th overall in 1995. He put in his time in the AHL and was again a &ldquo;good&rdquo; player. He finally got his chance in 2000-01 and logged 65 games with the Habs.</p><p>Reports were mixed, but at least Robidas had finally grabbed hold of a spot.</p><p>Or so he thought.</p><p>After he struggled through 2001-02 and registered a minus-25, the Canadiens put him on waivers to start 2002-03. Guy Carbonneau, then a special assistant with the Stars, advised Dallas to find a way to get Robidas. Carbonneau had been an assistant coach with the Canadiens and liked Robidas&rsquo; grit and toughness. The Stars made a deal with Atlanta, and the Thrashers plucked Robidas off waivers and dealt him to Dallas.</p><p>But as hard-working as Robidas was, he didn&rsquo;t seem to find a perfect fit. He was often the seventh defenseman, or he would be inserted as the right winger on the fourth line to add a little forechecking strength. And after a year in Dallas, the Stars decided they needed something more reliable, so they moved him to Chicago for Jon Klemm.</p><p>Once again, Robidas had to pack his bags and move on. He spent 45 solid games with the Blackhawks, was a plus player (plus-6) on a minus team and averaged 20:56 in ice time.</p><p>But once again, coaches and management simply felt somebody else could do the job better. The Blackhawks declined to make Robidas a qualifying offer and he was cast out into free agency.</p><p>The Stars had seen enough of him that they signed him to a contract for $750,000 and they brought him back for another tour.</p><p>&ldquo;I think when you look at what he&rsquo;s fought through and how hard he has worked to get to where he is, I think that really indicates to you what kind of player he is,&rdquo; Tippett said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s just never going to give up.&rdquo;</p><p>One of the reasons is because Robidas takes responsibility for his own play and never stops pushing to be better. His problems in Montreal were his fault, he said. The trade to Chicago? The Stars needed to get bigger. The seemingly foolish decision by the Blackhawks to let him go?</p><p>&ldquo;They had their eyes on Adrian Aucoin,&rdquo; he noted.</p><p>Not once did a team make a mistake with him. If there was failure, Robidas took the blame and vowed to work harder and get better.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s one of the most underrated players I have ever been around,&rdquo; said Stars center Mike Modano. &ldquo;He just keeps working and working and working.&rdquo;</p><p>That work paid off this year when the opportunity presented itself. Both Sergei Zubov (foot/groin/sports hernia) and Philippe Boucher (shoulder/shoulder/hip) were knocked around in injury-plagued seasons and the Stars had no choice but to hand the reins of the defense to Robidas. He responded marvelously, pushing his average minutes up to 25 a game and taking over the power play.</p><p>With three rookies and 24-year-old Trevor Daley in tow behind him, Robidas was the Stars&rsquo; MVP in a first round playoff victory against the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks.</p><p>He broke his nose in Game 5 when he took a puck in the face. Then he came back in Game 6 and had a goal and assist to help the Stars clinch.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote">&ldquo;TO HEAR THOSE ANAHEIM PLAYERS SAY WHAT KIND OF PLAYER, HE IS, THAT&rsquo;S GRATIFYING.<br>&ndash; DAVE TIPPETT DALLAS COACH</blockquote><p>&ldquo;I was last in line during the handshakes and Robi was right in front of me and it was interesting to hear the comments he was getting from Anaheim players about what kind of player he is,&rdquo; Tippett said. &ldquo;He is the epitome of what is great about our game. We all recognize it in our room, but to hear those Anaheim players say that to him, that&rsquo;s gratifying. That&rsquo;s gratifying for me that this guy is part of our game.&rdquo;</p><p>Now if he can just convince his son. Justin Robidas, 5, chooses to wear a Sidney Crosby sweater when he&rsquo;s out skating on the ice. He&rsquo;ll wear his dad&rsquo;s jersey when he&rsquo;s at home games, but when he&rsquo;s on the ice, it&rsquo;s strictly a Crosby sweater.</p><p>&ldquo;He says I don&rsquo;t score enough goals,&rdquo; Robidas said with a chuckle. &ldquo;He wants to be a goal-scorer&hellip; smart kid.&rdquo;</p><p>But maybe the old dad can learn a few new tricks. After going without a goal last season, he had a career-best nine this year. And if his first ever playoff goal is any indication, there&rsquo;s more post-season scoring where that came from. Robidas ended the first round second in defenseman scoring with six points.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not Sergei Zubov and I&rsquo;m never going to be Sergei Zubov, so I just have to do things the way I do things,&rdquo; Robidas said. &ldquo;I was able to play a lot of power play in Germany during the lockout and it helped my confidence a lot. Now, when I&rsquo;m out there, I&rsquo;m just trying to make the simple play. So far, that&rsquo;s working.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>It&rsquo;s working because Robidas has put the work in.</p><p>&ldquo;There are times when opportunities are going to come out of nowhere in this game and you just have to be ready for them,&rdquo; Tippett said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s one thing to get an opportunity, it&rsquo;s another to seize it. Robi has seized this opportunity.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-011194/9138532-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg" title="f0025-01" width="1640" height="2189"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(STEPHEN DUNN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0024-01

ROBIDAS: HARD WORK AND NO EXCUSES

<div class="byline">with Adam Proteau</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0026-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-02967/9138598-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Brian Campbell was exactly the pickup the Sharks needed for the playoffs. <span class="photo-credit">(MIKE RIDEWOOD/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-011345/9138605-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="187" height="222"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>HERE HAVE BEEN far more NHL trade deadline moves that failed to add fuel to teams&rsquo; pursuit of a Stanley Cup than ones that had positive championship consequences. For example, last season, Thrashers GM Don Waddell misplaced his marbles just long enough to deal Braydon Coburn to Philadelphia for veteran Alexei Zhitnik, a trade that will live in infamy everywhere except the Zhitnik and Waddell households.</p><p>However, for every massive mega-flop &ndash; at least, from Atlanta&rsquo;s perspective &ndash; like that one, there&rsquo;s a swap that works out almost to perfection. Such is the case with San Jose&rsquo;s recent acquisition of blueliner Brian Campbell from Buffalo.</p><p>Prior to Campbell&rsquo;s arrival in California Feb. 26, the Sharks were a good, but not great team, and one of many franchises that could benefit from the addition of a young, offensive-minded defenseman.</p><p>Enter the 28-year-old Campbell, a soon-to-be unrestricted free agent who had priced himself out of Buffalo&rsquo;s salary cap picture. Sharks GM Doug Wilson had to give up a first round draft pick (29th overall) and an above-average player (Steve Bernier) to get him, but right from the moment he got there, Campbell paid big-time dividends.</p><p>He finished the regular season with 16 assists, 19 points and a plus-9 rating in 20 games as a Shark. More importantly, San Jose went 16-2-2 the rest of the regular season with him in the lineup, locking up the No. 2 Western Conference playoff seed in the process.</p><p>San Jose&rsquo;s ultimate degree of success will be gauged only by the number of playoff series wins it accumulates. But nobody&rsquo;s begrudging Wilson for bolstering his blueline and that goes whether or not Campbell walks away in the summer for a higher UFA payday elsewhere.</p><p>In part, that&rsquo;s because bringing in a D-man who&rsquo;ll truly make a difference has become tougher than convincing Philadelphia Flyers fans to shave their heads and accept Mahatma Gandhi&rsquo;s principle of non-violence as the only way to live.</p><p>Indeed, the crop of defensemen who will be available to the highest bidder this summer isn&rsquo;t the most banner in league history. But that&rsquo;s not to imply there aren&rsquo;t guys out there who&rsquo;ll be able to help teams next season.</p><p>With that in mind, here, in alphabetical order, are five noteworthy names to look for come July 1:</p><p>RON HAINSEY, COLUMBUS The 6-foot-3, 211-pound Hainsey was Montreal&rsquo;s first pick (13th overall) in 2000, but it has only been in his past two seasons with the Blue Jackets that he has begun to come into his own.</p><p>This year, the Bolton, Conn., native finished with eight goals and 32 points in 78 games, a shade under the nine-goal, 34-point campaign he had in 2006-07. Given that he just turned 27, it&rsquo;s safe to say he has a few more years of those type of stats &ndash; or better &ndash; ahead of him.</p><p>JOHN-MICHAEL LILES, COLORADO Charitably listed at 5-foot-10, Liles saw his assist totals drop for the second straight season (from 35 in 2005-06 to 30 last season and just 26 this year). However, his above-average puck-moving abilities will keep him at least a semi-hot commodity to teams that lose out on the Campbell sweepstakes.</p><p>He&rsquo;s the same age as Hainsey, so there&rsquo;s reason to believe Liles has some room to develop. And that temptation to believe he will is going to cost some owner at least $4 million a year for four years.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-02897/9138591-1-eng-US/f0027-022.jpg" title="f0027-02" width="1046" height="939"></div><p>WADE REDDEN, OTTAWA They all but ran Redden out of Ottawa with torches and pitchforks, twice asking the career Senator to waive his notrade clause before twice being rejected by the 30-year-old.</p><p>Redden almost certainly won&rsquo;t return to Canada&rsquo;s capital, but there won&rsquo;t be any shortage of inquiries for his services. The Chicago Blackhawks in particular could be prime suitors and the relative anonymity that would come in removing himself from a fishbowl existence would give Redden a good chance to reinvigorate his career.</p><p>MICHAL ROZSIVAL, NY RANGERS After recording his third straight season of at least 30 points, Rozsival will be aiming to improve on his $2.1 million salary.</p><p>The Czech native was the Rangers&rsquo; top minute-muncher both in the regular season and in New York&rsquo;s first round series against New Jersey, where he averaged 24:37 worth of ice time per game.</p><p>He also hasn&rsquo;t yet celebrated his 30th birthday, so there&rsquo;s a very good chance he&rsquo;ll get an offer in the neighborhood of four to five years and $15-20 million.</p><p>MARK STREIT, MONTREAL He didn&rsquo;t play his first NHL game until he was 28 &ndash; but two years later, Streit has come on like gangbusters, following up his 26-assist, 32-point showing last season with a 49-assist, 62-point performance this year.</p><p>The Canadiens have committed more than $11 million next season to the defensive duo of Andrei Markov and Roman Hamrlik, so there may not be enough cash left over to satisfy Streit and his agent.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-011279/9138584-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg" title="f0027-01" width="1350" height="826"><figcaption class="caption-body">Michal Rozsival, Ron Hainsey<span class="photo-credit">(HAINSEY: JOHN RUSSELL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES; ROSZIVAL: KEVIN C. COX/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-03654/9138577-1-eng-US/f0027-032.jpg" title="f0027-03" width="1420" height="1909"><figcaption class="caption-body">Wade Redden will be hot commodities come free agent season. <span class="photo-credit">(REDDEN: GRAIG ABEL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-03778/9138570-1-eng-US/f0026-032.jpg" title="f0026-03" width="70" height="72"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>For Adam&rsquo;s web-exclusive Screen Shots column, visit <a href="http://THN.com">thn.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0026-02

BLUELINE HELP WILL BE AT A PREMIUM

<div class="byline">BY JOE STARKEY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0028-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-011332/9138643-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jarkko Ruutu <span class="photo-credit">(ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS are not comprised solely of superstars.</p><p>It just seems that way.</p><p>Everybody knows about Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marian Hossa and Marc-Andre Fleury. Those guys get more headlines than Angelina Jolie.</p><p>Ryan Whitney, Sergei Gonchar and Jordan Staal draw their fair share of attention, as well, though Gonchar remains underrated league-wide.</p><p>But what about the little guys?</p><p>What about the role players?</p><p>Can we throw a little love their way?</p><p>GM Ray Shero sure can. He saw in last year&rsquo;s playoffs how the Penguins&rsquo; lack of depth and low-end defense killed them in a five-game flameout against the Ottawa Senators.</p><p>Coming into this year&rsquo;s playoff s, Shero was confident the situation would change.</p><p>His belief was based on what happened during a regular season in which the Penguins sustained a rash of long-term injuries. The lesser lights &ndash; players such as Maxime Talbot, Rob Scuderi, Tyler Kennedy and Jarkko Ruutu &ndash; shined brightly when they were elevated into more prominent roles.</p><p>&ldquo;We had lots of unsung heroes this year, which is what we&rsquo;ll need in the playoff s,&rdquo; Shero said. &ldquo;We can talk about Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Gonchar &ndash; yeah, we need them to be good; we know that &ndash; but we need our secondary players to have a positive impact. That&rsquo;s how you&rsquo;re going to have success, or not.&rdquo;</p><p>The Penguins had success. They swept the Senators in the first round, with role players chipping in all over the place. Talbot, Kennedy and Ruutu combined for two goals and six points, while stay-at-home defensemen Scuderi and Hal Gill helped throttle Ottawa&rsquo;s power play.</p><p>&ldquo;If you want to be successful and go a long way, you need everyone to contribute,&rdquo; said coach Michel Therrien, whose fine work often goes as unnoticed as a subtle Ruutu shot to the back of somebody&rsquo;s head. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s a recipe that good teams have. You can&rsquo;t always count on three or four guys to bring numbers offensively. In the big picture, it&rsquo;s not going to work.&rdquo;</p><p>Not all the Penguins&rsquo; supporting actors lack for attention, by the way: Start with Ruutu, who has become a fan favorite at Mellon Arena. Fans chant &ldquo;Ruuuutuuuuu!&rdquo; every time he touches the puck or infuriates an opponent, which is often.</p><p>Ruutu, 32, had only two goals in his first 61 games but added four in the final 10 games. He scored the go-ahead goal in Game 4 against Ottawa on a spin-o-rama backhander that beat Martin Gerber.</p><p>But it&rsquo;s Ruutu&rsquo;s abrasive play that makes him a modern-day version of ex-Pens defenseman Ulf Samuelsson, an outlaw-type who riled opponents and helped the Penguins win two Stanley Cups.</p><p>Like Samuelsson, Ruutu is despised around the league, but adored in his dressing room.</p><p>&ldquo;Some guys you hate until they&rsquo;re on your team,&rdquo; said defenseman Brooks Orpik. &ldquo;Then you love them.&rdquo;</p><p>Signed by Shero as a free agent in the summer of 2006, the Helsinki native welcomed a bump in playing time this season.</p><p>&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re given an opportunity,&rdquo; Ruutu said, &ldquo;you have to take advantage of that situation.&rdquo;</p><p>Kennedy can relate. He plays the opposite wing, with Staal in the middle, on the Penguins&rsquo; third line &ndash; the so-called &ldquo;Shero Line.&rdquo; Staal was Shero&rsquo;s first draft pick (second overall in &rsquo;06) as Penguins GM. Kennedy was a fourth round pick (99th overall) back in 2004, under the old Penguins&rsquo; regime.</p><p>Nicknamed &ldquo;Turbo&rdquo; for his speed, Kennedy thrived when Shero gave him a chance this season. He took a lot of the ice time created by the release of veteran Mark Recchi in December.</p><p>Inspired by his manic style, fans immediately began showering him with chants of &ldquo;Mr. Kennedy!&rdquo; in reference to WWE wrestling star Ken Kennedy.</p><p>&ldquo;I had no idea what it was all about or who that guy was,&rdquo; Kennedy said. &ldquo;Fans would do that when they ran into me, but it&rsquo;s just recently that they started to clue me in.&rdquo;</p><p>Talbot, the fourth-line center, came by his nickname, &lsquo;Mad Max,&rsquo; honestly. His only speed is 100 mph. He scored a big goal in the Ottawa series in Game 3, when he found himself on the ice with Hossa. The Senators had just taken their first lead of the series when Talbot took a slick, backhanded pass from Hossa at the Senators blueline. He raced in on Gerber &ndash; yeah, at about 100 mph &ndash; and deposited the puck for his first career playoff goal.</p><p>Back on the blueline, Orpik, Gill and Scuderi have provided the perfect complement to the Penguins&rsquo; array of offensive defensemen.</p><p>Shero sent a 2008 second round pick and 2009 fifth round selection to Toronto to acquire Gill at the trade deadline. The 33-year-old Gill went plus-6 with four points thereafter and gave the Pens some much-needed size (6-foot-7, 250 pounds) and thump.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-011181/9138636-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg" title="f0029-01" width="954" height="717"><figcaption class="caption-body">Michel Therrien is in Pittsburgh to win games, not to make friends. <span class="photo-credit">(GREGORY SHAMUS/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Finally, there is Therrien. All the Penguins have done over the past two regular seasons is ring up more points (207) than any team in the Eastern Conference, so he must be doing something right.</p><p>The best-kept secret about this team is its systematic approach and defensive acumen. This season, the Penguins posted the second best goals-against average (2.58) in franchise history and finished in the top 10 in GAA (10th) for the first time in a decade.</p><p>Therrien joined the Penguins organization five years ago, becoming coach of their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on the recommendation of then-Penguins coach Ed Olczyk. His abrasive style often does not go over well in the dressing room, but the results speak for themselves.</p><p>Therrien&rsquo;s intent, right from the start, was to create bonding among the players, even if the glue had to be a healthy dislike for the coach. That strategy was cultivated during Therrien&rsquo;s days as a junior coach.</p><p>&ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t care if the players liked him or not,&rdquo; recalled Montreal Canadiens defenseman Francis Bouillon, captain of Therrien&rsquo;s Memorial Cup-winning Granby team in 1996. &ldquo;The goal was to win.&rdquo;</p><p>That&rsquo;s still the goal &ndash; and the Penguins need more than just their superstars to accomplish it.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0028-01

PENGUINS PLUMBERS JUST AS CRUCIAL

<div class="byline">BY ANSAR KHAN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0030-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-011339/9138674-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Chris Osgood <span class="photo-credit">(OSGOOD: JOHN RUSSELL/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>C</span>HRIS OSGOOD DIDN&rsquo;T spend the past couple of years re-inventing his game and working to regain his old form just to be the backup goalie for the Detroit Red Wings. He accepted the role because of the stature of the man in front of him, Dominik Hasek. But Osgood never relinquished his desire to be the starter and was well-prepared for the opportunity.</p><p>It arrived midway through the first round of the playoffs against Nashville, when he relieved an ineffective Hasek and bailed his team out by allowing only one goal in a pair of wins that sent the Wings to the second round. At that point, coach Mike Babcock said the job was his to lose.</p><p>&ldquo;You never doubt yourself, you always think you can do it, that&rsquo;s why I&rsquo;ve played as long as I have,&rsquo;&rsquo; Osgood said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t give up, I keep trying to re-invent myself, try to play better. I never liked sitting on the bench in the playoff s.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>Despite being designated as the backup during the regular season, Osgood played in 43 games &ndash; two more than Hasek &ndash; and started the All-Star Game while leading the NHL in goals-against average (2.09).</p><p>He cited some minor mechanical tweaks and a better mindset as reasons for his stellar season.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m more mature,&rsquo;&rsquo; Osgood said. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t get as excited as you used to, don&rsquo;t panic as much. You stay on an even keel, you know what to do, you know how to prepare yourself.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>Regardless of what happens in the playoff s, Osgood is poised to assume the starting job next season. Hasek, 43, is likely to retire and in any event, it&rsquo;s doubtful Detroit would bring him back after his playoff struggles.</p><p>Osgood, 35, signed a three-year contract extension in January. Ideally, the Wings would like to promote top prospect Jimmy Howard from Grand Rapids (AHL) and have him apprentice under Osgood next season. This would enable Howard, 24, to ease into the starting role the year after.</p><p>But Howard must prove himself. The Wings will need to sign a veteran free agent goalie this summer in the event Howard needs more seasoning. If they are not sold on Howard after next season, they might make a pitch for Buffalo&rsquo;s Ryan Miller, a potential unrestricted free agent in 2009.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0030-01

OSGOOD’S MOTTO: ALWAYS BE PREPARED

<div class="byline">BY WAYNE FISH</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0030-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-02909/9138705-1-eng-US/f0030-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Daniel Briere <span class="photo-credit">(BRIERE: JIM MCISAAC/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>SACRE BLEU, A FREE AGENT French-Canadian star chooses not to sign on with the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge?</p><p>Why that&rsquo;s almost enough to start a brawl in Montreal.</p><p>Well, maybe not quite fisticuff s, but certainly a lot of booing whenever the Flyers&rsquo; Daniel Briere is in town.</p><p>When Briere left the Buffalo Sabres last summer, it looked like the two serious finalists for his services were the Canadiens and the Flyers. He chose the Flyers, but thanked Montreal for its interest.</p><p>Habs fans didn&rsquo;t quite see it that way and have made their disappointment known by booing every time he touches the puck.</p><p>&ldquo;I believe in the future of Montreal and as we can see, they&rsquo;re still there playing,&rsquo;&rsquo; said Briere before the teams met in the second round. &ldquo;But in the end I felt like I wanted to play in Philly with my friends Marty (Biron) and Denny (Gauthier) and having the chance to play with Simon Gagne.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>Briere, who led the NHL after one round with six goals, is philosophical about the treatment from Habs fans.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s part of the game,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Look what happened to Ovechkin when he came to Philly. He was getting booed. Same with Crosby. It&rsquo;s part of the game and I&rsquo;m OK with that.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>Briere needed nearly three-quarters of a season to get comfortable in Philadelphia. It wasn&rsquo;t until Vaclav Prospal arrived at the trade deadline that he developed real chemistry with a linemate. Even so, he finished the season with one of the NHL&rsquo;s worst plus-minus (minus-22).</p><p>Briere, who&rsquo;s making top dollar at $10 million, finally started to earn that paycheck in the first round against Washington, coming up with one big goal after another.</p><p>However, Briere knew that with Mike Knuble sidelined for Round 2 with a hamstring injury, the power play would need someone to pick up the slack and that someone would have to be him.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0030-02

BRIERE ACCEPTS JEERS IN FRENCH

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ELLIOTT PAP</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-011233/9138757-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg" title="f0031-01" width="303" height="344"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-03622/9138750-1-eng-US/f0031-032.jpg" title="f0031-03" width="234" height="228"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>HE TWO GREATEST SCORERS IN CANUCKS history &ndash; Markus Naslund and Trevor Linden &ndash; both become unrestricted free agents on July 1, but it only matters in the case of Naslund. Linden, 38, will almost certainly retire after 19 NHL seasons and virtually announced it April 5 with a farewell lap at GM Place.</p><p>Naslund, meanwhile, is expected to move on after failing to lead the Canucks to a playoff spot. He is no longer a $6-million-a-season performer and managed just 55 points while going minus-7 in 2007-08. The soft-spoken Swede, who turns 35 in July, is clearly on the back nine of his career, although he did score 25 goals and will probably sign somewhere in the $3.5-$4 million range, presumably with a team that has a playmaking center.</p><p>Another long-time vet, Brendan Morrison, could join the exodus, but his market value has been diminished by a remarkable string of injuries. After not missing a game for six seasons, he appeared in just 39 this year due to wrist and knee surgeries. He also had surgery for a sports hernia following the &rsquo;06-07 campaign and on his hip after &rsquo;05-06. Morrison will be 33 in August and might be forced to take a one-year deal somewhere, maybe even in Vancouver, to prove he can still be effective.</p><p>The remaining Canuck UFAs &ndash; Aaron Miller, Brad Isbister, Curtis Sanford, Byron Ritchie and Mike Weaver &ndash; aren&rsquo;t likely to be back. New GM Mike Gillis will have lots of salary cap room as the fired Dave Nonis left roughly $20 million in the kitty to spend improving the team&rsquo;s woeful offense. Look for money to be thrown at skilled forwards.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-02824/9138743-1-eng-US/f0031-022.jpg" title="f0031-02" width="1825" height="2736"><figcaption class="caption-body">Markus Naslund <span class="photo-credit">(JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b></h2><p>This edition highlights which free agents will be in search of greener pastures and which ones may stay hitched to their current post.</p><h2><b>JUST THE</b>&nbsp;FACTS</h2><p>64.7</p><p>Number of points Naslund has averaged the past three seasons after averaging 92.7 in the three dead-puck years before the lockout.</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-04479/9138736-1-eng-US/f0031-042.jpg" title="f0031-04" width="70" height="72"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>For daily updates on all 30 NHL teams, visit <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0031-01

VANCOUVER

<div class="byline">&#x2013; DAN WOOD</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0032-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-02876/9138788-1-eng-US/f0032-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Signing Corey Perry is now Priority 1 for the Ducks. <span class="photo-credit">(VICTOR DECOLONGON/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-011316/9138795-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="233" height="234"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> The first player-personnel priority for the Ducks will be re-signing restricted free agent Corey Perry.</p><p>Unable to sign Perry during the year because of NHL &ldquo;tagging&rdquo; rules regarding their salary commitments for next season, the Ducks will certainly work towards that end before anything else. He led Anaheim with 29 goals this season, despite missing the final 12 games with an injury. Along with center Ryan Getzlaf, he represents much of the team&rsquo;s future.</p><p>The Ducks&rsquo; unrestricted free agents of note are Teemu Selanne and Doug Weight. If Selanne decides to play another year, it almost assuredly will be in Anaheim. The Ducks are unlikely to re-sign Weight, but figure to be in the market for a second-line center.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0032-02

ANAHEIM

<div class="byline">&#x2013; CRAIG CUSTANCE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-03638/9138826-1-eng-US/f0032-032.jpg" title="f0032-03" width="233" height="234"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> GM Don Waddell&rsquo;s biggest hurdle in rebuliding the Thrashers is that so many of the club&rsquo;s disappointing performers are still under contract.</p><p>The biggest potential UFA is captain Bobby Holik, and he has all but parted ways with the team. He&rsquo;d only say a return to the Thrashers was &ldquo;an option.&rdquo; A good option? A bad option? &ldquo;Just an option,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>While Holik and his $4.25 million salary are likely gone, the team wouldn&rsquo;t mind working out a deal with backup goalie and UFA Johan Hedberg, who is interested in returning. Starter Kari Lehtonen is restricted and the team is hopeful a deal will get done without arbitration. Mark Recchi, 40, wants to play another season, but it would have to be at the right price.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0032-03

ATLANTA

<div class="byline">&#x2013; MIKE LOFTUS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-04471/9138857-1-eng-US/f0032-042.jpg" title="f0032-04" width="233" height="233"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> The status of Boston&rsquo;s significant UFAs will depend on how well the team feels youth was served this season.</p><p>Depth issues will help defenseman Aaron Ward, 35, stay in the mix. No. 1 on the team in blocks and No. 2 in hits, he&rsquo;s also a valued leader and Matt Lashoff looks like the only prospect close to securing an NHL job. Ward would surely have to accept a cut from $2.75 million per season, though.</p><p>Glen Metropolit will be hurt by depth at center, where Patrice Bergeron is expected to return and rookies David Krejci and Vladimir Sobotka emerged. Goalie Alex Auld won&rsquo;t be helped by the return of Manny Fernandez.</p><p>Restricted free agents Dennis Wideman and Chuck Kobasew will surely get raises.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0032-04

BOSTON

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JOHN VOGL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-05369/9138888-1-eng-US/f0032-052.jpg" title="f0032-05" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> The biggest unrestricted free agent in Buffalo is 39, played one game this season and had open-heart surgery last fall. Yup, that&rsquo;s a long way from last summer when Chris Drury and Daniel Briere walked out of town with $87 million in the opening hours of free agency.</p><p>Teppo Numminen leads a small class of UFAs. The durable defenseman could be back, though, at much less than $2.6 million.</p><p>Dmitri Kalinin will be gone after seven full seasons on the blueline. The 18th overall pick in 1998 is inconsistent, but will have suitors.</p><p>The Sabres, who abhor shopping on July 1, have plenty of cap room ($17 million). They won&rsquo;t have to go near it to sign restricted forwards Paul Gaustad, Daniel Paille and Steve Bernier.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0032-05

BUFFALO

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RANDY SPORTAK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-06312/9138919-1-eng-US/f0032-062.jpg" title="f0032-06" width="234" height="233"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> The core of the Flames is locked up for eternity. The pieces around are not.</p><p>Centers Daymond Langkow and Craig Conroy are UFAs. Langkow is targeted for a long-term deal to avoid Calgary losing its top two pivots, although the time has come for Matthew Lombardi to jump into a bigger role. The jobs of Conroy and Stephane Yelle will become more tenuous with age and they will probably take pay cuts.</p><p>Left winger Kristian Huselius is expected to look for greener pastures as a UFA. Owen Nolan is also eligible to become a UFA &ndash; although the Flames would like to keep him. Same with defenseman Jim Vandermeer. Eric Nystrom, the 2002 first-rounder capable of being a full-time NHLer next year, could also walk as a UFA.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0032-06

CALGARY

<div class="byline">&#x2013; LUKE DECOCK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-07261/9138950-1-eng-US/f0032-072.jpg" title="f0032-07" width="233" height="233"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> Carolina moved quickly to lock up Sergei Samsonov for another three years, solving its biggest free agent dilemma.</p><p>Glen Wesley, 39, and Bret Hedican, 37, are UFAs likely to ponder retirement. Either way, their potential departures opens the door for a retooling on defense, a process that began when the Canes added Joe Corvo in January.</p><p>Potential land mines loom in the form of restricted free agents Tuomo Ruutu and Tim Gleason. Ruutu made $2.25 million last season, a salary that doesn&rsquo;t fit Carolina&rsquo;s budget. Gleason emerged as a top-pair defenseman and will be a candidate for poaching. The Canes also need a backup goalie and AHL goalie of the year Michael Leighton is first in line.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0032-07

CAROLINA

<div class="byline">&#x2013; MIKE HEIKA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-04508/9139012-1-eng-US/f0033-042.jpg" title="f0033-04" width="233" height="233"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> With a total of $42 million committed to 14 players next season, the Stars won&rsquo;t be big movers in the free agent market.</p><p>Defenseman Mattias Norstrom, 36, said he wants to continue playing after his $4.2-million contract expires and Stu Barnes, 37, is a valuable leader. While Antti Miettinen will probably be let go as an unrestricted free agent, the Stars have to see if Niklas Hagman wants Dan Cleary money ($2.8 million) or if he can be signed for less.</p><p>The Stars also have to clear space for emerging young wingers James Neal, B.J. Crombeen and Konstantin Pushkarev.</p><p>Mix that with raises for Steve Ott, Trevor Daley and Loui Eriksson and the Stars will once again be pushed close to the cap.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0033-04

DALLAS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; TIM SASSONE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-011173/9139043-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg" title="f0033-01" width="233" height="234"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> When the calendar turns to July 1 and the race for unrestricted free agents begins, the Hawks don&rsquo;t plan on being left out as in past summers.</p><p>GM Dale Tallon believes the turnaround on and off the ice has made Chicago a prime destination for the top-end UFAs.</p><p>Time will tell, but Tallon has just $29 million committed to next season and the OK from new chairman Rocky Wirtz to spend what it takes to win.</p><p>The Hawks will sign key restricted free agents Dustin Byfug-lien, Andrew Ladd, Adam Burish, James Wisniewski, Jordan Hendry and Rene Bourque.</p><p>As for their own UFAs, Tallon would like Jason Williams, Kevyn Adams and Patrick Lalime to return if the price is right.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0033-01

CHICAGO

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ANSAR KHAN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-05425/9139074-1-eng-US/f0033-052.jpg" title="f0033-05" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> Wings GM Ken Holland can breathe easy after locking up Nicklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper, Chris Osgood and Dan Cleary to multi-year deals during the season. But the work isn&rsquo;t over.</p><p>The team would like to re-sign Brad Stuart, but for less than the $3.5 million he&rsquo;s currently making. Andreas Lilja turned down a two-year offer earlier in the season and then lost his job to Brett Lebda in the playoffs, so it&rsquo;s unlikely he will return. Holland will offer Chris Chelios another one-year deal.</p><p>Dallas Drake is contemplating retirement and Dominik Hasek is expected to hang up his pads.</p><p>Valtteri Filppula, an excellent skater who needs to develop his touch, might attract an offer sheet as an RFA. Detroit will try to lock him up by July 1.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0033-05

DETROIT

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ADRIAN DATER</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-02801/9139105-1-eng-US/f0033-022.jpg" title="f0033-02" width="234" height="234"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> It will be a busy summer for GM Francois Giguere. In Avs parlance, there are lots of &ldquo;files&rdquo; to attend to &ndash; players who might not have contracts after July 1. And there is no shortage of big names among them.</p><p>Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote, Andrew Brunette, Kurt Sauer, Jeff Finger and Jose Theodore can all be UFAs. There is little chance Sakic and Foote will be going anywhere, and the way Theodore played entering the second round of the playoffs, the Avs might make a heavy pitch to re-sign him. They might have to pare some payroll (Brett Clark and his $3.5 million per year deal?) to make room for the above names.</p><p>There are also young RFAs Wojtek Wolski and Marek Svatos to consider.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0033-02

COLORADO

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ROB TYCHKOWSKI</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-06369/9139136-1-eng-US/f0033-062.jpg" title="f0033-06" width="234" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> Kevin Lowe got to work early this year. Within a week of the season&rsquo;s end, RFAs Tom Gilbert, Robert Nilsson and Denis Grebeshkov were re-signed, eliminating the threat of potential offer sheets by rival GMs.</p><p>He still has some work to do with other RFAs Joni Pitkanen, Jarret Stoll, Zack Stortini and UFA Curtis Glencross, but he&rsquo;s off to a great start.</p><p>Unlike past seasons, Edmonton doesn&rsquo;t have any high-profile UFAs on the way out. Only Glencross and Marty Reasoner are free to walk away this summer and both want to come back in a big way.</p><p>Lowe, who&rsquo;ll have about $5 million to play with when contracts are done, liked what he saw down the stretch and doesn&rsquo;t plan on throwing money at UFAs in July.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0033-06

EDMONTON

<div class="byline">&#x2013; AARON PORTZLINE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-03631/9139167-1-eng-US/f0033-032.jpg" title="f0033-03" width="233" height="234"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> The Blue Jackets must weigh their desire to make significant roster changes against their ability to attract high-end free agents this summer.</p><p>Defensemen Jan Hejda and Ron Hainsey are both UFAs. The Jackets have made it clear they intend to re-sign Hejda, but their plans are less clear regarding Hainsey, who is in line for a big raise in his first crack at the free agent market.</p><p>The Blue Jackets may gamble, thinking they can do better beginning July 1. They&rsquo;ll have up to $20 million to spend.</p><p>Two UFAs &ndash; defenseman Dick Tarnstrom and right winger David Vyborny &ndash; will not be re-signed. Another, center Michael Peca, is unlikely to return, also.</p><p>Look for Columbus to ink key RFA Pascal Leclaire before July 1.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0033-03

COLUMBUS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; BRIAN BIGGANE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-07318/9139198-1-eng-US/f0033-072.jpg" title="f0033-07" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> While GM Jacques Martin must deal with 13 restricted and unrestricted free agents this off-season, all pale in comparison to RFA defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.</p><p>Martin has been negotiating since last summer trying to consummate a long-term contract for Bouwmeester. If he insists on a one-year deal, he could become unrestricted July 1, 2009.</p><p>The Panthers would almost welcome an offer sheet, as they need only match it to secure the services of their franchise defenseman long term.</p><p>UFAs Steve Montador and Wade Belak are expected to return; Martin has decisions to make on Jassen Cullimore and Magnus Johansson. Branislav Mezei will not be back.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0033-07

FLORIDA

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RICH HAMMOND</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0034-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-02904/9139229-1-eng-US/f0034-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Brian Rolston is done being a bargain for the Wild. <span class="photo-credit">(NICK DIDLICK/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-011327/9139236-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg" title="f0034-01" width="233" height="234"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> In many ways, the Kings are right back where they were 12 months ago: Coming off a bad season and in need of a handful of veterans.</p><p>The future, management says, is bright, with a stable of prospects ready to step in over the next couple years and lift the Kings out of their decade-long doldrums.</p><p>But what about next season? Rob Blake, Ladislav Nagy, Scott Thornton and Brian Willsie are UFAs and only Blake should be returning, on a short-term contract.</p><p>With part-time defensemen Kevin Dallman and Jon Klemm also headed to free agency, the Kings have some holes to fill.</p><p>They have the money to do it, but GM Dean Lombardi must choose &ndash; go all-in with youngsters or do some free agent shopping?<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0034-02

LOS ANGELES

<div class="byline">&#x2013; MICHAEL RUSSO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-03718/9139267-1-eng-US/f0034-032.jpg" title="f0034-03" width="233" height="234"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> The Wild has 10 possible UFAs, the two biggest being Brian Rolston and Pavol Demitra.</p><p>Both want to stay, but there&rsquo;s really only room for one and the Wild is focusing on Rolston, who followed a third-straight 30-goal season with a strong playoff.</p><p>Rolston, 35, is looking for a significant pay bump after being relatively underpaid ($2.4 million) the past three years.</p><p>The Wild must decide this summer whether to sign playmaking RFA Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who had a career-high 63 points, to a long-term deal.</p><p>It also will talk extension with Marian Gaborik.</p><p>He and Bouchard could become unrestricted free agents after next season.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0034-03

MINNESOTA

<div class="byline">&#x2013; HERB ZURKOWSKY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-04575/9139298-1-eng-US/f0034-042.jpg" title="f0034-04" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> It&rsquo;s hard to believe right winger Michael Ryder, one of four significant players eligible to become UFAs in Montreal, has a future with the Canadiens. Ryder was a healthy scratch three times during Montreal&rsquo;s first round series with Boston.</p><p>Although still only 28, Ryder, who earned $2.95 million this season, looks to have become a liability the Habs can do without.</p><p>At the other end of the spectrum, the Canadiens surely will find themselves in a bidding war to keep potential UFA Mark Streit. He will get a big raise from his modest $600,000 this season.</p><p>Montreal has five potential RFAs including forwards Andrei Kostitsyn and Maxim Lapierre, defenseman Josh Gorges and backup goalie Jaroslav Halak.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0034-04

MONTREAL

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JOHN GLENNON</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-05471/9139329-1-eng-US/f0034-052.jpg" title="f0034-05" width="233" height="233"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> The Predators&rsquo; most significant unrestricted free agent is goaltender Dan Ellis.</p><p>The same netminder who had played one NHL game going into 2007-08 wound up posting the league&rsquo;s best save percentage (.924) and did a stellar job in a six-game playoff loss to Detroit.</p><p>The Predators would like to re-sign Ellis, but the team&rsquo;s goaltending situation is complicated. Backup Chris Mason is under contract for two more years at $3 million per season and talented prospect Pekka Rinne will need to clear waivers if he doesn&rsquo;t make the roster out of training camp.</p><p>Most of the Predators&rsquo; money will be spent signing three key restricted free agents &ndash; defensemen Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, as well as right winger Martin Erat.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0034-05

NASHVILLE

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RICH CHERE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-06422/9139360-1-eng-US/f0034-062.jpg" title="f0034-06" width="234" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> Karel Rachunek was one of the Devils&rsquo; two big free agent signings on defense last summer, so it was somewhat surprising he played only six of the last 23 regular season games and then sat out the playoffs.</p><p>He blames rumors that he had signed with a team in Russia for falling out of favor with management. The UFA said the rumors were false, but stated emphatically he would not return to the Devils.</p><p>Two UFA defensemen the Devils will look to keep are Mike Mottau and Bryce Salvador.</p><p>Veteran forwards Jay Pandolfo and Sergei Brylin both want to return. Brylin has a player option and would like a multi-year extension, while the Devils will have to at least double UFA Pandolfo&rsquo;s $836,000 salary to keep him.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0034-06

NEW JERSEY

<div class="byline">&#x2013; PETER BOTTE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-07371/9139391-1-eng-US/f0034-072.jpg" title="f0034-07" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> Stressing he is &ldquo;sick of being average,&rdquo; GM Garth Snow told fans assembled at an off-season meet-and-greet that the only way for the Islanders to become a consistent contender is to rebuild their farm system.</p><p>He then suggested he hopes to supplement the ongoing youth movement by pursuing a &ldquo;true heavyweight&rdquo; free agent.</p><p>The difficulty remains convincing the NHL&rsquo;s elite to consider signing on in a market widely considered hockey purgatory around the league.</p><p>The good news is the Isles will have plenty of cap space to manoeuver, particularly if they cut ties with primary unrestricted free agents such as Ruslan Fedotenko ($2.9 million) and declining winger Miroslav Satan ($4.25 million).<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0034-07

NY ISLANDERS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; LARRY BROOKS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-011244/9139422-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="233" height="234"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> GM Glen Sather will be looking at a lot of tipping dominoes this summer, with Jaromir Jagr the biggest.</p><p>Jagr, whose contract will expire if he does not win the Conn Smythe Trophy, is being courted by Omsk of the Russian Super League. Left winger Martin Straka, 36 in September, is likely to retire.</p><p>The Rangers face a decision on Brendan Shanahan, 40 next January, if he decides to return for a 21st NHL season. And then there&rsquo;s Sean Avery, whose battle to get a multi-year deal in the vicinity of $4 million per will be entertaining to say the least.</p><p>Defenseman Michal Rozsival will be seeking $5 million per while Paul Mara is in line for an exit. The Blueshirts have ample cap space in order to fill vacancies.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0035-01

NY RANGERS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; WAYNE FISH</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-03721/9139484-1-eng-US/f0035-032.jpg" title="f0035-03" width="234" height="234"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> Vaclav Prospal and Jason Smith played integral roles in getting the Flyers into the playoffs, but there&rsquo;s no indication either one will be back to try again next season.</p><p>Their status will be affected by restricted free agents Jeff Carter and R.J. Umberger.</p><p>Carter&rsquo;s stock shot up after a career-high 29-goal season. He&rsquo;ll surely aim for Mike Richards-type money. Umberger had a strong two-way campaign and has arbitration rights.</p><p>The Flyers decided not to negotiate with Carter during the season and that will come back to haunt them if someone tenders a lucrative offer sheet this summer.</p><p>As for the UFA market, Philadelphia knows it needs to add to its defense.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0035-03

PHILADELPHIA

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JIM GINTONIO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-04585/9139515-1-eng-US/f0035-042.jpg" title="f0035-04" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> Although the salary cap is rising, GM Don Maloney&rsquo;s thought process remains the same. He&rsquo;s rebuilding the team step by step and the Coyotes&rsquo; unexpected success in 2007-08 has reinforced his plan. It&rsquo;s certain the Coyotes again will be near the bottom of the salary ladder. Maloney will be analyzing the team and looking at holes to fill, hoping to find an undervalued player who might thrive in a new environment.</p><p>The key UFA is Radim Vrbata, who established career highs in goals (27) and points (56), but had a late-season drop-off. Vrbata made $1.2 million last season and has indicated he would like to stay.</p><p>Daniel Carcillo, the NHL penalty minutes leader who is beginning to show an offensive touch, will be an RFA.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0035-04

PHOENIX

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JOE STARKEY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0036-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-02810/9139546-1-eng-US/f0036-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Cristobal Huet&rsquo;s spring performance drew accolades. <span class="photo-credit">(MITCHELL LAYTON/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-011222/9139553-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg" title="f0036-01" width="233" height="234"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> The farther the Pens go, the higher the price of their pending free agents. That&rsquo;s just life when you&rsquo;re winning.</p><p>This summer won&rsquo;t be easy, though. Marian Hossa and Ryan Malone, for starters, might just price themselves out of Pittsburgh as unrestricted free agents. Malone made just $1.45 million, but how many 6-foot-4, 28-year-old, do-everything power forwards will hit the market?</p><p>What&rsquo;s more, the Penguins want to negotiate long-term deals with Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin this summer. Neither will come cheaply &ndash; particularly Malkin, who can essentially name the terms of his new contract. And let&rsquo;s not forget goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who can become a restricted free agent July 1.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0036-02

PITTSBURGH

<div class="byline">&#x2013; JEREMY RUTHERFORD</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-03667/9139584-1-eng-US/f0036-032.jpg" title="f0036-03" width="233" height="234"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> Center Ryan Johnson wouldn&rsquo;t make many headlines if he signed elsewhere this summer as a UFA, but he was a vital member of the Blues.</p><p>Johnson, who made $800,000 this season, is looking for a sizable raise after taking the Blues&rsquo; penalty-kill unit to the top and finishing with the most blocked shots (105) of any forward in the league.</p><p>With several up-and-coming defensemen, the Blues aren&rsquo;t as eager to re-sign unrestricted blueliner Matt Walker, 28. Martin Rucinsky, 37, will not be brought back and is considering retirement.</p><p>Among the Blues&rsquo; four RFAs, none will receive a Dustin Penner-type offer sheet, but keep an eye on center David Backes, who finished in the top 10 in the NHL with 240 hits this year.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0036-03

ST. LOUIS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; DAVID POLLAK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-04525/9139615-1-eng-US/f0036-042.jpg" title="f0036-04" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> The top-dollar unrestricted free agent in San Jose is defenseman Brian Campbell, who reportedly turned down a three-year, $17.5-million offer in Buffalo before being traded because he wanted a five-year deal.</p><p>Campbell won&rsquo;t talk about next season until this one is finished, but San Jose has an advantage over other teams looking for a mobile puck-mover. He&rsquo;s a childhood friend of Joe Thornton and took an immediate liking to his new surroundings when he arrived in San Jose.</p><p>Other UFAs, such as Jeremy Roenick and Patrick Rissmiller, will be pushed to re-sign. Three other key players &ndash; Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski and Christian Ehrhoff &ndash; will become RFAs and will attract outside attention.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0036-04

SAN JOSE

<div class="byline">&#x2013; DAMIAN CRISTODERO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-05445/9139646-1-eng-US/f0036-052.jpg" title="f0036-05" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> With big needs and little depth with which to trade, the Lightning will be active during free agency, most notably in an attempt to land two top-six forwards.</p><p>The team&rsquo;s potential UFAs are forwards Chris Gratton, Craig MacDonald, Andreas Karlsson, Mathieu Darche and Andre Roy and defenseman Doug Janik.</p><p>Notable RFAs are defenseman Alex Picard, whom the team loves, and center Ryan Craig, who was awarded $850,000 in arbitration and then sat for most of the season with injuries. Neither is expected to be difficult to re-sign.</p><p>The team is also expected to make a hard run to re-sign power forward Evgeny Artyukhin, who spent the past two seasons in Russia after contract squabbles.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0036-05

TAMPA BAY

<div class="byline">&#x2013; TERRY KOSHAN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-06391/9139677-1-eng-US/f0036-062.jpg" title="f0036-06" width="234" height="233"></div><p><b>FREE AGENT WATCH</b> Just one in-house free agent matters for the Maple Leafs in the grand scheme &ndash; captain Mats Sundin.</p><p>The Leafs will learn sometime in early June whether Sundin, who made $5.5 million this season, wants to come back for a 14th year in blue and white. If he does, expect the big Swede to be asking for about $7 million.</p><p>After Sundin, the only regular up for unrestricted free agency is center Dominic Moore. As long as he is not looking for too much more than the $700,000 he made in 2007-08, the Leafs would like to have him back.</p><p>Matt Stajan and Kyle Wellwood are restricted free agents.</p><p>The Leafs definitely intend to be buyers when the free agent gates open July 1.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0036-06

TORONTO

<div class="byline">&#x2013; PETER KERZEL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-07341/9139708-1-eng-US/f0036-072.jpg" title="f0036-07" width="233" height="233"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>F</span>REE AGENT WATCH</b> Goalie Cristobal Huet&rsquo;s stretch run may have earned him a contract and ended the Caps career of Olie Kolzig. Both are UFAs; Kolzig is 38, Huet is 32. Washington needs a bridge to prospects Simeon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth.</p><p>Acquiring potential UFA Sergei Federov had a noticeable effect on Alex Ovechkin. Fedorov, 37, is undecided on 2008-09, but with no centers high in the pipeline, he&rsquo;s an inexpensive stopgap.</p><p>Among RFAs, Brooks Laich&rsquo;s career year will earn him a raise. Washington will also work to re-sign Boyd Gordon and Shaone Morrisonn. The Caps have started talks with Mike Green for a bigmoney, multi-year deal, but if talks drag, someone could force them to spend Vanek-esque dollars.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0036-07

WASHINGTON

f0037-01

DEPTH CHARTS

<div class="byline">BY KEVIN OKLOBZIJA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-011178/9139784-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg" title="f0038-01" width="889" height="1092"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-02796/9139791-1-eng-US/f0038-022.jpg" title="f0038-02" width="196" height="194"></div><p>HOCKEY, NOT SCHOOLING, brought Chad Kolarik to the University of Michigan.</p><p>Oh, he took the books seriously. The fact he finished his degree in general studies on time with his incoming freshman class is proof of that.</p><p>But he&rsquo;s a hockey player, not a professional student, so graduation ceremonies weren&rsquo;t exactly a big priority. His outlook: Forget about that saunter across the stage with thousands of other students; just give me my diploma.</p><p>&ldquo;I actually was trying to figure out a way to get out of the walk,&rdquo; Kolarik said.</p><p>He found a perfect excuse. And, no, the dog didn&rsquo;t eat his cap and gown.</p><p>He had more hockey to play.</p><p>While an NHL deal with the Phoenix Coyotes is still in the works, the San Antonio Rampage &ndash; Phoenix&rsquo;s AHL affiliate &ndash; signed Kolarik to an amateur tryout contract and immediately inserted him into their lineup for the playoff s.</p><p>Less than a week after Michigan lost in the Frozen Four semifinal, Kolarik and Wolverines teammate Kevin Porter were playing pro hockey with the Rampage.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s definitely a little weird, coming into a playoff run when you haven&rsquo;t been on the team,&rdquo; Kolarik said. &ldquo;Guys that were playing aren&rsquo;t playing anymore because you&rsquo;re here. You feel like you&rsquo;re stepping on toes.&rdquo;</p><p>The speedy center/right winger quickly justified his place in the pros, scoring a hat trick in Game 2 of San Antonio&rsquo;s series with Toronto.</p><p>&ldquo;Who thinks they&rsquo;re going to score three goals in their second career game?&rdquo; said Kolarik, an Abington, Pa., native.</p><p>The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder could be quite a find for the Coyotes. They drafted him 199th overall in 2004. Playing on a line much of the time with Porter, he was the fourth-leading scorer (and third in goals) in NCAA hockey.</p><p>&ldquo;They jumped in and looked like they&rsquo;ve been with us all year,&rdquo; said Rampage coach Greg Ireland of Kolarik and Porter. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re smart, they&rsquo;re real good around the net and what I really like is they&rsquo;re happier to see the other guy do well.&rdquo;</p><p>There is always an adjustment for newcomers, especially in regard to defensive responsibilities.</p><p>&ldquo;But I think I can play a good two-way game,&rdquo; Kolarik said. &ldquo;My freshman year I was a defensive liability, but this year I was plus-26 and one of the main PK guys.&rdquo;</p><p>That&rsquo;s essentially the message Wolverines coach Red Berenson passed along to Ireland.</p><p>&ldquo;He said they have smart sticks, smart heads for the game and they care about the defensive side of the puck,&rdquo; Ireland said.</p><p>That&rsquo;s further proof there&rsquo;s a student in Kolarik, after all.</p><h2><b>CHAD KOLARIK</b></h2><p>San Antonio</p><p>Ht. 5-11</p><p>Wt. 175</p><p>Pos. C/RW</p><p>Age 22</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-03642/9139777-1-eng-US/f0038-032.jpg" title="f0038-03" width="228" height="229"></div><h2><b>AND COUNTING</b></h2><p>3</p><p>Goals in his second AHL game, a playoff contest<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0038-01

SCHOOL’S OUT, SCORING STILL IN

<div class="byline">&#x2013; KEVIN OKLOBZIJA</div><p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>hen St. Louis Blues GM Larry Pleau and Peoria GM Kevin McDonald showed up at Dave Baseggio&rsquo;s office door three days after the regular season ended, he figured they came to talk about prospect progress.</p><p>Instead, they told Baseggio to pack up his belongings.</p><p>Baseggio, 40, was fired following the second non-playoff season for the Rivermen. He has one year remaining on his contract and was offered a scouting position.</p><p>&ldquo;Obviously they had big expectations for our team this year and they weren&rsquo;t met,&rdquo; Baseggio said.</p><p>Peoria went 38-33-4-5 and missed the playoffs by nine points. The Rivermen were 37-33-2-8 last year.</p><p>&ldquo;They didn&rsquo;t give me a reason,&rdquo; Baseggio said. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t see it coming. Hopefully I figure out why or they tell me why.&rdquo;</p><p>Why the Rivermen didn&rsquo;t win was obvious: They never got quality goaltending from Marek Schwarz, Chris Beckford-Tseu or Hannu Toivonen. Peoria gave up the second-fewest shots in the AHL, but their team save percentage was third-worst.</p><p>RARE CROWN Chicago Wolves center Jason Krog became just the third player in AHL history to win the scoring triple crown.</p><p>He led the league in goals (39), assists (72) and points (112) while playing all 80 games.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-04515/9139836-1-eng-US/f0038-042.jpg" title="f0038-04" width="182" height="251"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BRAD WHITE/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE NHL)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>SHORTHANDED GOALS</b></h2><p>JUSTIN MAPLETOFT</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-05412/9139829-1-eng-US/f0038-052.jpg" title="f0038-05" width="225" height="220"></div><h2><b>ON</b>&nbsp;TOP</h2><p>8 SHORTHANDED GOALS</p><p>Jeff Tambellini, Bri 6</p><p>Adam Pineault, Syr 6</p><p>Derek MacKenzie, Syr 5</p><p>Alex Foster, Tor 5</p><p>Greg Moore, Hart 5</p><p>Cal O&rsquo;Reilly, Mil 5</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-06350/9139822-1-eng-US/f0038-062.jpg" title="f0038-06" width="70" height="72"></div><p>For more on hockey&rsquo;s best prospects, check out Ryan Kennedy&rsquo;s Hot List in the feature section on <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p></div>

f0038-04

Baseggio shown the door

<div class="byline">BY PHIL JANACK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-011086/9139874-1-eng-US/f0039-012.jpg" title="f0039-01" width="888" height="1091"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-02703/9139881-1-eng-US/f0039-022.jpg" title="f0039-02" width="196" height="194"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>E</span>NTERING THE FINAL YEAR of his contract, Jared Ross did a lot this season to enhance his chances of getting another one, perhaps at the NHL level.</p><p>The 25-year-old center flourished in his third pro season and first full campaign with the Philadelphia Phantoms, leading the team in scoring and guiding the organization back to the Calder Cup playoffs after a two-year absence.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m hoping my name gets out there a little bit and maybe I get some opportunities for an NHL contract,&rdquo; Ross said. &ldquo;I guess that&rsquo;s the first part of trying to make it to the NHL is having a year like this. I would like to stay (with the Flyers organization), but you never know what&rsquo;s going to happen.&rdquo;</p><p>It&rsquo;s not as if the Ross name is completely unknown in hockey circles. Jared&rsquo;s father, Doug, was a standout at Michigan State who played on the 1976 U.S. Olympic team before coaching at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, including his son, for two decades. Jared&rsquo;s uncle, Tom, ranks first in NCAA Division I history with 138 goals and second with 324 points in 155 games from 1972-76, also at Michigan State. Though he was born and raised in football country, Jared was destined to be a hockey player.</p><p>&ldquo;They say I skated before I started walking,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I never even really thought about playing football. There was one time in middle school, but I was already playing hockey and baseball. Actually, I think I&rsquo;m the first player ever to play pro hockey out of Alabama.&rdquo;</p><p>During the regular season, Ross, an alternate captain, topped the Phantoms with 39 assists and 62 points and was plus-6, with eight of his 23 goals coming on the power play. He was out three weeks after having an emergency appendectomy in late January.</p><p>Ross didn&rsquo;t miss a beat when he returned, finishing with nearly as many points in 67 games as he had in his first two seasons combined. He played 103 AHL games for Chicago, with 17 goals and 52 points, before being acquired last February by the Phantoms, scoring four goals and 14 points in 21 games.</p><p>Listed at 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, Ross isn&rsquo;t the biggest player around, but he has plenty of will to go with his speed and skill.</p><p>Phantoms coach Craig Berube has not hesitated to hand Ross more responsibility and feels he will one day reach his ultimate goal.</p><p>&ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t count him out from ever stepping on the ice in the NHL at some point,&rdquo; Berube said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s been probably our most consistent player up front this year. He&rsquo;s got a lot of heart and that&rsquo;s a big thing. When they&rsquo;ve got a lot of heart and desire, they can go a lot of places.&rdquo;</p><h2><b>JARED ROSS</b></h2><p>Philadelphia</p><p>Ht. 5-9</p><p>Wt. 170</p><p>Pos. C</p><p>Age 25</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-03546/9139867-1-eng-US/f0039-032.jpg" title="f0039-03" width="220" height="206"></div><h2><b>AND COUNTING</b></h2><p>0.93</p><p>Points per game for Ross this season<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0039-01

SWEET HOME PHILADELPHIA?

<div class="byline">&#x2013; PHIL JANACK</div><p class="dropcap"><span>N</span>o player in the history of pro hockey has been penalized more often than Wilkes-Barre/Scranton&rsquo;s Dennis Bonvie. So when the 34-year-old right winger played the final regular season game of his 15-year career, the Penguins gave him a most appropriate parting gift.</p><p>Capping a post-game ceremony to honor Bonvie, who is retiring after this season, the organization presented him with &ndash; among other gifts &ndash; the bench from the penalty box at Wilkes-Barre&rsquo;s Wachovia Arena.</p><p>The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder was also given the captain&rsquo;s &lsquo;C&rsquo; for the game and was announced as the team&rsquo;s most popular player prior to opening faceoff. He got in a third-period fight with Norfolk&rsquo;s Jay Rosehill, who afterward raised Bonvie&rsquo;s hand to a season-high crowd in a gesture of respect.</p><p>League president Dave Andrews was on hand to give Bonvie a framed collage of the player in sweaters from each of his eight AHL stops. The scraper, who played 92 NHL games, ended his 871-game AHL career with a league record 4,493 penalty minutes.</p><p>Bonvie isn&rsquo;t ready to walk away completely yet.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d love to stay in the game,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s all I&rsquo;ve done since I was five. If not, we&rsquo;ll sit down as a family and set a path some other way.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-04453/9139919-1-eng-US/f0039-042.jpg" title="f0039-04" width="182" height="252"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JUSTSPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>POWER PLAY GOALS</b></h2><p>TROY BROUWER</p><p>Rockford IceHogs</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-05377/9139912-1-eng-US/f0039-052.jpg" title="f0039-05" width="217" height="212"></div><h2><b>ON</b>&nbsp;TOP</h2><p>25 POWER PLAY GOALS</p><p>Grant Stevenson, QC 19</p><p>Brian Boyle, Man 16</p><p>Joe Motzko, Chi 16</p><p>Gabe Gauthier, Man 15<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0039-04

Bon voyage penalty king

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ROB VANSTONE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-02408/9139971-1-eng-US/f0041-022.jpg" title="f0041-02" width="254" height="136"></div><p>MOST PEOPLE WITH TIES to Houston think of basketball when the Rockets are mentioned. Tyler Myers is a notable exception.</p><p>The Kelowna Rockets take precedence for Myers, who moved from Houston to Calgary when his father was transferred in 2000.</p><p>Myers&rsquo; hockey career flourished in Canada, to the extent the 6-foot-7, 202-pound blueliner is ranked 11th overall by The Hockey News Draft Preview for the 2008 NHL draft. However, his appetite for the sport was whetted when he was a six-year-old living in Texas.</p><p>&ldquo;My dad took me to an IHL game &ndash; a Houston Aeros game &ndash; and the next morning we were buying hockey equipment,&rsquo;&rsquo; Myers recalled. &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;ve had that (NHL) dream ever since.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>Myers had not played any hockey until attending the game, but that soon changed. There were only two teams in his age group at the time, but the opportunities broadened when he moved to Canada.</p><p>Myers, his father (Paul) and stepmother (Susan) recently became Canadian citizens.</p><p>So what would happen if Hockey Canada and USA Hockey both asked him to play in the World Junior Championship?</p><p>&ldquo;If I was fortunate to have that happen, I think I&rsquo;d go with Canada,&rsquo;&rsquo; Myers said. &ldquo;I feel I owe this country a lot.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>Myers, who had six goals, 19 points and 97 penalty minutes in 65 games this season, is an unusually adept skater for 6-foot-7.</p><p>&ldquo;It amazes me how a guy that big can skate like he can skate,&rsquo;&rsquo; said Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a tremendous skater. He&rsquo;s got a big wingspan. When he gets going, he&rsquo;s a hard guy to handle on the ice. He&rsquo;s like a sponge for learning.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><p>Like most tall players, Myers has to work on the subtleties of skating, such as turning radius and the quickness of his first few strides.</p><p>&ldquo;Once he finishes growing and starts to fill out, he&rsquo;ll be a real package,&rsquo;&rsquo; Hamilton said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s not real aggressive, but he&rsquo;s not afraid to get involved at all. Because he has such a long reach, he doesn&rsquo;t have to get as involved physically because he chips pucks away from people so much. He can be at our blueline and his stick&rsquo;s still out by the red line.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-01663/9139964-1-eng-US/f0041-012.jpg" title="f0041-01" width="704" height="925"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MARISSA BAECKER/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>In that respect, Myers is reminiscent of 6-foot-9 Prince George Cougars alumnus Zdeno Chara.</p><p>&ldquo;Chara was rougher around the edges than Myers is,&rsquo;&rsquo; Hamilton said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no doubt in my mind he&rsquo;s going to be a first round pick. It&rsquo;s just where they&rsquo;re going to step up and take him.&rsquo;&rsquo;</p><h2><b>TYLER MYERS</b></h2><p>Kelowna Rockets</p><p>Ht. 6-7</p><p>Wt. 202</p><p>Pos. D</p><p>Age 18</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-03327/9139957-1-eng-US/f0041-032.jpg" title="f0041-03" width="343" height="82"></div><p>Draft Status</p><p>Ranked 15th overall by ISS for 2008</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-04281/9139950-1-eng-US/f0041-042.jpg" title="f0041-04" width="213" height="216"></div><h2><b>AND COUNTING 10</b></h2><p>Myers&rsquo; age when his family moved to Calgary from Texas<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0041-02

MOVE TO CANADA FUELLED MYERS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; ROB VANSTONE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-05255/9140002-1-eng-US/f0041-052.jpg" title="f0041-05" width="229" height="229"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>B</span>en Wiebe marvels at the success &ndash; even the survival &ndash; of the Swift Current Broncos. &ldquo;I get an opportunity to go into some of the other rinks over the course of the season and I am surprised,&rdquo; said Wiebe, the Broncos governor. &ldquo;I see the number of people in their rinks and their opportunity for raising revenue compared to us is incredible.&rdquo; For example, the Calgary Hitmen play in a rink that could accommodate all 16,000 residents of Swift Current, with 3,000 seats to spare. Despite size disparities, the Broncos have money in the bank and are more than competitive. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got our education liabilities covered,&rdquo; Wiebe said. &ldquo;Beyond that, we probably have half-a-million dollars of surplus cash that we continue to invest wisely.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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May 13, 2008

United stand lands gold medal

SALARY CAP ON THE RISE

OTTAWA

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