Chris Nichols

­Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.

Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com

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NHL Free Agents: Western Conference

NHL Free Agents: Eastern Conference

As expected, Alex Kovalev will make his return to the Penguins tonight flanking the only healthy star centre Pittsburgh has left: Jordan Staal. New arrival James Neal will anchor the left side for his second start with the team. This morning he was working the right point on the power play along with Kris Letang, with Neal, Staal and Tyler Kennedy up front.

Here are some Kovalev quotes from The Tribune Review:

He doesn't buy the popular contention that at 38 and coming off a less than eye-popping couple of seasons with the Ottawa Senators he can't immediately be a go-to-scorer for the Penguins.

"I'm still that guy," he said Friday morning, noting that his days as an impact, game-changing scorer are not buried in the past.

"Physically, I'm still strong, and I'm not much slower," he said. "I'm still the same player, but maybe because it was a not good situation (in Ottawa) I couldn't show that. I have a chance to show that now."

He is more confident the Penguins, despite injuries to so many players, still are a team that can win the Stanley Cup.

"Yes, and I'm not just saying that because they picked me up," Kovalev said. "They've shown they are still a tough team to play against, and that impresses me. Most teams would fold, but they've found something in all of this.

"I'm pretty confident they've found a solution to win hockey games, and I'm pretty confident I can be a big part of that right now."

The Penguins are close to his heart and it's also the team with which he would like to finish his NHL career. His contract expires after this season.

"I'd love to be here until the end," Kovalev said. "Looking back as an older guy, the most important thing for me in Pittsburgh was I didn't know what to expect. The Penguins gave me a chance to explore my talent and become a great player. That is the reason I loved it in Pittsburgh.

"Now the Penguins are doing that again, giving me another chance."

I tweeted part of this last night when the story came out, but The Orange County Register writes as he has been throughout his career, Ray Emery was candid about where he is with his game and being thrust into the NHL after having not played at any level until he joined the Syracuse Crunch earlier this month.

The Ducks recalled him this week to back up Curtis McElhinney before McElhinney was traded to Tampa Bay for Dan Ellis.

“My body feels good,” Emery said.

“A year off will give you a bit an edge as far as being hungry and really wanting to work at it. I’m getting better quickly but at the same time I’ve got to continue to do that. You can’t expect anybody to be at the top of their game after only having competed for 10 days or so. I’m getting better and that’s where I’m at right now.”

That was also the sentiment shared by coaches and management at the moment: Emery isn’t far away but he needs to be around NHL shooters to get back up to speed, literally.

The Register notes that Ducks general manager Bob Murray said that Emery needs more games, preferably at Syracuse, before he is ideally ready to play in an NHL game.

But all parties involved are encouraged that Emery is on the right track. He has played all of three games for the Crunch and gone 2-1 with a 2.62 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.

“I felt pretty good,” Emery said. “We won two of them and that’s a good judge of how you did. I felt I played pretty solid. A few things I need to work on, just things you get with experience as far as seeing pucks and being comfortable with pucks hitting you and absorbing rebounds and things like that. But all in all, I feel really good.”

Asked multiple times if he was getting close to being ready, Emery said, “I’ve felt good and (I’m) excited to be here. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I was ready to contribute. If I get a chance I’m going to make the most of it and try to do my best.”

While it might take some more time for Emery to get back on track, The Register believes it won’t take long him long to look like an NHL goalie again.

The mask in his locker Thursday revealed that Ducks logo was taped to the chin. Emery said he’s getting a new mask “any day,” an interesting development consider that Emery once had an image of Mike Tyson on his mask.

Who will it be this time?

Emery smiled.

“It’s a secret,” he said.

Somewhere the “Rocky” theme song was playing.

The Boston Globe says that like grass-fed beef in steak houses or tablet computers in the business world, puck-moving defencemen are the hottest items in hockey. They’re low in supply, high in demand, and even higher in price. Like a player at no other position, the puck-moving defenceman touches the game in the most degrees.

Because they can retrieve pucks and shuttle them out of the defensive zone, their goalies face fewer threats. A puck mover’s partner gets the first pass a second quicker, and the puck lands flat on his tape. In turn, the forwards generate speed through the neutral zone and cross the blue line at full speed, poised for pucks to turn them into scoring chances.

The Globe believes that for two games, the Bruins have welcomed the defensive mobility they’ve been missing all season. Last Friday, the day he was traded, Kaberle traveled from Toronto to Ottawa to make his Black-and-Gold debut. Kaberle played on the second pairing with Dennis Seidenberg and quarterbacked the No. 1 power-play unit in the Bruins’ 4-2 win. On Tuesday, Kaberle played the same role in the Bruins’ 3-1 win in Calgary. Kaberle’s game centres around an elegance and subtlety that are, in contrast, loud and boldfaced in their on-ice result.

“He makes such a big impact on the rest of our D’s,’’ said David Krejci, Kaberle’s Czech Republic Olympic teammate. “Especially in the last game, they were making really, really smart decisions with the puck. I’m not saying they didn’t before. But they didn’t panic. They would hold onto it longer. They had such good patience. I guess just looking at him, they know what kind of player he is. When he’s playing with you, I guess they want to be like him. I think it was a big help. We could see it, especially in the last game. Every D basically looked like Kaberle.’’

The Bruins paid a hard-to-swallow price: 2008 first-round pick Joe Colborne, who projects to be a top-six NHL forward. Their own 2011 first-round pick. Possibly a 2012 second-round pick if Kaberle re-signs or if the Bruins advance to the Stanley Cup finals.

But the price was high because the most basic economic theory of supply and demand applies to Kaberle’s skill set. Dallas learned that earlier this week when it gave up power forward James Neal and dependable defenceman Matt Niskanen to Pittsburgh for Alex Goligoski. Colorado had to fork over Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk, two up-and-coming players, to St. Louis for former No. 1 pick Erik Johnson.

The Globe says that for too long, Zdeno Chara had to handle puckhandling point duties. But distributing the puck and skating it up and down the blue line aren’t Chara’s strengths. Chara’s most dangerous assets are his thunderous one-timer and ability to tiptoe backdoor.

For that to happen, Kaberle will assume primary point duties, which is just fine with all parties. Kaberle’s poise and calmness allow him to keep pucks in and distribute them even when penalty-killing forwards are in his face. In turn, Chara can drift down the right side, freed of most puckhandling responsibilities.

And that’s where Kaberle’s presence will also be felt. Chara will be in better position to score on the power play. Seidenberg, Kaberle’s even-strength partner for now, can be up the ice a step quicker. The forwards can play with more confidence, knowing they’ll be on the attack. The trickle down effect will be significant.

“I always call my D’s quarterbacks,’’ Julien said. “If they move the puck well, our offence is going. If they don’t, our offence loses its edge.’’

The Calgary Herald observes that Jarome Iginla was supposedly on the decline earlier this season. Allegedly in the twilight of his career at age 33. And here he stands with 25 goals and 58 points, leaving him tied with Carolina captain Eric Staal for 10th spot in National Hockey League scoring, prior to Thursday night's games.

Vindication is at hand.

Or is it?

"I don't really think in those terms," the captain said. "People get emotional and always have an opinion. I have opinions of other teams, too. I watch other teams. I watch other sports. I enjoy talking about what this team or that team should do."

So the rumours of Iginla's demise were greatly exaggerated. The same holds true for the whole team. But Iginla is not one for demanding apologies or saying, "I told you so." He just wants Flames fans to share his optimism over the playoff race at hand.

"I don't think it's anything as far as vindication," he said, dismissively. "I just hope it keeps building around the city. People are getting excited. I hope it continues, and the buzz at the Saddledome gets a little bit louder again. It's been getting better.

"But for a while there, we didn't give them as much to cheer about. It wasn't as much of an exciting atmosphere."

The Herald points out that all the while during Iginla's earlier season woes, Alex Tanguay preached calm. Every player endures slumps, Tanguay said. Even a future Hall of Famer like Iginla.

"I had no doubts about that from the start of the year," Tanguay said. "He's a really gifted athlete. He's gifted with the puck. He's working extremely hard."

Iginla credits Tanguay for much of his individual success this season - although he's quick to also thank linemate Brendan Morrison and the entire team, for that matter.

Remember, Iginla went to former general manager Darryl Sutter last summer and specifically requested Flames go after his former setup man.

Through 80 games last season in Tampa Bay, Tanguay scored 10 goals and 37 points. The 31-year-old has already eclipsed those totals this season with 16 goals and 46 points in 59 games.

"Getting Tangs has been huge for our team," Iginla said. "I played with him virtually every game this year. I've really benefited from that.

"He's playing great, and he's starting to heat up even more. I may be a beneficiary of that."

For the first time in three years, The Raleigh News & Observer writes, Cory Stillman skated onto the RBC Center ice with a Carolina Hurricanes jersey on today.

High above him was the "2005-2006 Stanley Cup Champions" banner. Stillman helped put that banner there, of course. Now No. 61 is back, acquired Thursday from the Florida Panthers, to try and get the Canes back in the playoffs and perhaps rekindle some playoff magic.

"It's Day One, it's so overwhelming," Stillman said after the morning skate. "But you come back and you're familiar with the rink, with the dressing rooms and stuff. It’ll be exciting to get back out there tonight."

The veteran winger will play against the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight on the top line with centre Eric Staal and Erik Cole. It's a line that was so productive in 2006 — one stat that surfaced today via Elias was that Stillman had a hand in 34 of Staal's 100 points in the '06 regular season.

"Hopefully I can step in and help them out," Stillman said.

Staal offered this: "I've played a good while with him and obviously I know his game. For me it's exciting. He's a guy who usually looks to pass before shooting. I'm kind of the other way so hopefully he can find me in those areas.

"He has great vision for the game. Not only that but he'll stand in front of the net and be a disturbance for the goalie. There are different options for him on the power play. It's a nice addition."

The News & Observer notes that the Canes are 1-for-30 on the power play in their last seven games. Given that, any addition might be a nice addition.

"I'm not coming into change anything," he said. "I want to come in and be part of the team. Just fit in and do whatever I can to help this team win."

But Stillman will be used on the power play, Canes coach Paul Maurice said.

"He's a lefthanded shot, so it's not a completely easy fit," Maurice said. "But it's somebody else to control the puck and move the puck and find holes.

"We'd like to get more pucks to the net. And I think he should be able to help us control it in the offensive zone better."

"I feel like I've been snakebitten a little bit," Avalanche centre Matt Duchene told The Denver Post of his current slump. "I'm getting three, four shots a game and making plays, and it's funny, the things that were going in 20 games ago aren't going in right now. It's too bad it coincides with this team's slump right now. I could definitely help. But I feel like I'm building every time. Maybe I'm not getting the points or the results, but I feel like I'm still taking steps forward."

Of the team's struggles, he said: "The stupid thing is that if we put five wins together, we're right back in the conversation. I still think we're very capable of doing that. We'll see what happens, but we're trying and we're working hard. In this league, when you get on a downward spiral, it's real hard to get out of it.

"I've never been through anything like this before, and I know there's a lot of guys that haven't. It's new for all of us, and there's an old saying, 'Sometimes you have to lose before you can win,' and maybe that's what we're going through. We want to have a good finish down the stretch."

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that if there's been any good to come out of David Perron's concussion, which has caused him to miss the last four months of the Blues season, it's that he's seen another side of life.

"I started to learn Spanish a little bit ... I'm actually getting better," said Perron, a French-Canadian. "It's quite easy because speaking French is quite similar. I'm also reading books about becoming a pilot.

"In my life, there was only hockey before that injury, and now you realize there's more. I can't say there are too many positives from the injury, because there isn't, but that's one of them. I'm looking at life in a different angle, and it's pretty good. I'm sure when I came back, though, I'll go back to the exact same (hockey) mindset, but you grow as a human."

Perron isn't close to returning to the ice, but he hopes that he's nearing a solution for the concussion-related symptoms that still linger from a hit by San Jose's Joe Thornton on Nov. 4. A month ago, Perron passed a baseline test and began light exercises, mostly riding a stationary bike and lifting about 25 percent of the weight that he normally would. The step forward in his recovery process has not erased the symptoms, but Perron believes that it was worth the effort.

"We were trying to get positive results," he said. "I don't think there was anything negative to what we tried. If anything, it felt good to kind of do something. For someone like me with a lot of energy, I always have to do something. That brought some of my energy back in a way, and that was good. There are still some symptoms, but that's why we're here."

The Post-Dispatch notes that by "here," Perron is referring to Vancouver. He traveled with the Blues to meet with Dr. Don Grant, a concussion specialist who successfully treated center Andy McDonald last month. Perron went through treatment sessions Wednesday and Thursday, but said that it's too soon to evaluate the results. He declined to specify the nature of the care.

"I was blown away by the results with Andy and was extremely happy for him," Perron said. "When he got back, he was almost symptom-free and not too long after that he started skating. I'm not going to say this is going to happen with me, but that's what I'm hoping. I'll just wait and see. There's guys that react differently."

McDonald, who after missing 24 games with his concussion posted 12 points in 10 games before Thursday, is wishful that Perron will benefit from Grant's treatment.

"You're always looking for a way to help your healing and speed it up," McDonald said. "There's a lot of different theories and methods out there. I've had some success going to this individual, so it worked out well. I don't think there's any magic pill that you can take, but if it can give you a little bit of improvement ...then it's well worth it."

Perron insists that while there are only 22 games remaining in the regular season, he has not ruled out playing this season.

"There's no 'I'm done for the year,'" Perron said. "(General manager Doug Armstrong) has never talked to me about that. (President John Davidson) never talked to me about that. Trainers never talked to me about that. And I haven't thought about it.

"I'll keep being positive and getting ready for whatever is next. If it's playing the last 15 games of the season, then that's what it is. If it's playing the last 10 games, I just want to come back and play hockey and be with my teammates again. If it's next year, it's next year, but I'll be ready for it.''

"If you told me we would play in the Stanley Cup finals, my heart would want to play, but my head is not ready. You really have to listen to yourself. Every time I talk to you, it seems like I keep saying that it's getting better. But one of these days I'll be talking to you and I'll say 'I'm good.'"

Watching Teddy Purcell's NHL career has been like sitting in a car on a roller coaster, according to The Tampa Tribune. There are plenty of ups and downs. At times, your sense of excitement is jaw-dropping, but at other times you want to cover your eyes fearing what's next.

After registering his first career hat trick Wednesday night against Phoenix, perhaps Purcell is finally turning the corner.

"I still have a ways to go, but I think I'm taking the next step in my career. And when you take that next step you have to stay at that step, so that's the next challenge for me,'' Purcell said. "Once I stay consistent with that, you want more. So, it's always a learning curve, but I'm happy so far with how it is.

"But there is always room for improvement.''

Since his January 15th healthy scratch night in Carolina, Purcell has been a mainstay on the top two lines, with eight goals and 14 points in his past 11 games. He rebounded from some of those familiar down times earlier this season by getting a better understanding of where his game was really at.

"The coaching staff does a really good job of telling you where you are at all times. Sometimes, you think you are playing well and then you go look at the video, sit down with them,'' he said. "And when I am at those lows I just kind of talk it over with the older guys and the coaching staff and try to maintain that consistency.

"It's something that is real hard to do. … When you don't have it some nights, you just try to find something and be mentally strong. I'm just trying to make a conscious effort in that part of it.''

The Tribune says that during the team's recent three-game winless streak, Purcell started to dip again. Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher made sure that point got across earlier in the week.

"The last two games, his work ethic was getting back to where it used to be. He had a very good stretch, but then he was starting to go back down,'' Boucher said. "So we talked seriously and he answered the bell. Whenever he's on, he's one of those top-line guys. But, for him, the challenge is to stay consistent with that.''

Finding that even keel is something Marty St. Louis discusses with Purcell on a consistent basis.

"Teddy knows it's about every game, it's not one game here or one game there,'' St. Louis said. "I think when Teddy is on top of his game, he is shooting the puck a lot and that's what he has done lately.

"But it is about consistency, especially when you are starting to get success and it's expected out of you. So, you raise the bar and with that comes responsibility and he's starting to understand that.''

Anaheim Andy: "Hey Dr. Puck, Dan Ellis was less than stellar with Tampa Bay which I thought is why they brought in Dwayne Roloson. So if Emery is ready to go, does he become the Ducks' number one guy until Hiller returns or does Ellis take over with Emery as a backup? Thanks."

Chris: It seems to be that Ellis, who has actually picked up his game significantly lately, will start until Hiller is ready to go. Emery will back-up. Emery apparently needs more time with NHL shooters in practice and also, ideally, more AHL starts before he'd start for the Ducks.

Hockey, as you know, isn't played inside of a perfect test-tube situation. It doesn't seem as if Emery will be seeing starts right away, which obviously decreases his value. Who knows though? Maybe Ellis will get blown out, Emery will step in and surprise everyone.

If he gets some starts that's a huge bonus, but for the time being I'd have Emery more in mind for next season as a later round steal depending on where he signs this summer. if Hiller's issue turns into something worse and his return isn't on the horizon, then maybe it's another discussion.