NHL Team Reports

Buyer/Seller As the trade deadline nears, NHL teams have to decide whether to make a Cup run or rebuild for the future Pittsburgh PENGUINS GM RAY SHERO didn’t mince words about managing his roster as the March 4 trade deadline approaches: “This year is important, everybody needs to know that,” he said. “So, with anything in terms of improving the team up until the deadline, I’m willing to do that. We have to be a playoff team and our expectations internally are higher than that.” The Pens made a run to the Stanley Cup final last season after the trade deadline acquisitions of Marian Hossa, Pascal Dupuis and Hal Gill. To duplicate that success this season, Shero must dramatically improve a disappointing club. The Penguins went 13-18-3 from Nov. 18 through Jan. 31 to fall from…

BEST OF THE REST

ECHL Unscheduled mayhem Losing teams in Augusta and Fresno in December forced the league to go to an unbalanced schedule and address the resulting post-season implications. Winning percentage, not points, will determine the four playoff spots in the South Division as four teams will play 71 games, one less than Gwinnett. In the National Conference, if the fifth-place team in the West Division has a better winning percentage than the fourth-place team in the Pacific Division, the West team will take the Pacific’s No. 4 playoff seed. Head-to-head points, then victories, then goal differential, then, as a last resort, a coin toss, will break ties. – MIKE MASTOVICH ATLANTIC JUNIOR LEAGUE Luke’s force up for grabs Luke Curadi, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound left-shooting defenseman with the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack, doesn’t know where he’s going. He was…

Inside the Numbers

Fan Shootout

GARY GREWAL FROM ABBOTS-FORD, B.C., ASKS What’s it like playing with Joe Thornton? It’s great. I lucked out right from the start of training camp, playing with one of the best passers in the league. Patty (Marleau) is having such a great year as well, I feel honored to get on the ice every night with those two guys. NIKA HEGYES FROM QUALICUM BEACH, B.C., ASKS How exciting is to play on one of the best teams in the league? I’m sure it beats playing on a team that’s not doing very well. It’s fun to go out every night and play. It’s a privilege, especially with me being a young guy in the league. AMOL VASANI FROM SASKA-TOON, SASK., ASKS What’s your favorite memory of playing for the Saskatoon Blades? Making the playoffs my…