Chris Nichols

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

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

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The Nashville Tennessean believes that when Preds Jonathon Blum and Cody Franson are asked questions, their answers are not of the curt, generic variety often associated with athletes their age.

They respond with the thoughtfulness of a hockey player maybe five or six years their senior.

That's what happens when you play your major junior hockey in a large city like Vancouver, full with media and time demands.

Franson, 23, and Blum, 22, played four seasons here with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. With both now entrenched on the Predators' blueline, that experience enables them to display uncommon maturity on a daily basis.

"To leave home at 16 and come up here and be put in a city like Vancouver — a huge hockey market — life changes real quick," Blum said. "You have to be professional."

The Tennessean says that Blum and Franson took different paths to Vancouver.

In some ways, Franson was a local boy, growing up in nearby Sicamous. His first full season with the Giants was 2004-05, during the NHL lockout. He would play in front of large crowds at Pacific Coliseum — the former home of the Canucks — and at times found himself living an NHL lifestyle.

"I had played Junior B the year before and it was just a small rink with 100 people here and there. Then coming here with the lockout, (the Giants) averaged I think it was 13,000 or 14,000," Franson said. "We had a lot of media coverage, so it was kind of surreal to play in that kind of atmosphere, but we had a lot of fun with it."

Blum, a native of Long Beach, Calif., had never experienced such a hockey-crazed environment. His first season in Vancouver was 2005-06, his first of two seasons playing with Franson.

"Friday and Saturday nights we'd get 10,000 plus at a junior game," Blum said. "You're the talk of the town, you're in the paper every day and there's huge media scrums for junior hockey that normally you don't see playing in the states or anything like that."

The two also played for Don Hay, a former NHL coach whose version of tough love broke them of bad habits and enabled them to forge forward as professionals.

"He's going to try to prepare you as best he can for the next level and deal with the ups and downs of pro hockey," Franson said. "He does a very good job of that."

The article points out that Franson and Blum are the first two career Giants to play major every-game minutes on the same NHL team — which makes their time together with the Predators feel that much more comfortable.

"You don't always see two guys from the same junior team on the same NHL blueline," Franson said. "We're having fun with that and it looks good on the organization. We owe a lot to that organization and we try to give back whenever we can."

Fire & Ice reports that Devils left wing Zach Parise said he skated lightly for approximately an hour this morning at Prudential Center.

Parise hadn’t been on the ice since Oct. 30 in Los Angeles because of a torn meniscus in his right knee, which he had arthroscopically repaired on Nov. 2. So, he was understandably excited.

“It just felt good to get back out there,” he told me. “I was definitely a little hesitant at first getting back on the ice, but I think I did a lot better than I expected to. I think I was moving a lot better than I expected to. I was happy with the way it went. It was good.”

Parise received medical clearance to begin skating after his examination Wednesday at the Cleveland Clinic with Dr. Anthony Miniaci, who performed the Nov. 2 procedure. Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said Parise has to skate on his own for a minimum of two to three weeks to build up strength in both of his legs.

The question everyone has is whether Parise will be able to do that and get ready to play before the end of the regular season. Even Parise does not know the answer, yet.

“I think it’s definitely too early to tell,” he said. “But, at the same time, the goal is the same. We’re just trying to safely and comfortably get back, get back to getting used to skating and if after how ever many weeks I feel I can do that and I can play, then I’ll play. If I don’t think I can, then I’m not going to. It’s as simple as that.

“Regardless of the situation, as far as the team and where we are, if I’m comfortable and I think I can play, then I’m going to try to play. If not, then I’m not going to risk it.”

Fire & Ice observes that the carrot at the end of the stick is for Parise to get back to play some games this season. They have only 19 regular season games remaining, so if he does make it back to play in the regular season, it will probably be for just a handful of games. Of course, if the Devils continue their miracle run and somehow reach that playoffs – they are nine points out of a postseason spot – then that would give Parise more of an opportunity.

The Devils are 10-1-0 in their last 11 games and 18-2-2 in their 22. Understandably, Parise would like to join in on the fun.

“Of course that’s the goal and what I want to do,” he said. “I’d love to try to get in there and play in some games and, hopefully, not disrupt any of the chemistry they’ve got going on right now because it’s been pretty good./ You don’t want to mess things up the way they are.

“Again, it’s if I feel that I can play and management and the coaching staff think I can play, then, I guess, we’ll go from there. But we’re going to do as much as we can to try to get me ready to play this season.”

The Toronto Star observes that Kris Versteeg had to hold back a smile when the potential playoff matchup was mentioned to him Thursday morning.

Versteeg and the Philadelphia Flyers will meet the Leafs for the first time since Toronto traded him Feb. 14, but the game could also be a preview of a first-round playoff matchup if the Leafs succeed in their against-all-odds playoff run.

“There’d be a dramatic flare to that for sure, and it looks like it if both teams keep going the way they are, but for now, you leave those thoughts out of your mind,” Versteeg said.

Versteeg has definitely had Thursday’s game against Toronto circled on his calendar, as well as a March 10 contest between the Leafs and Flyers back in Toronto. He is also looking forward to joining his ex-Chicago teammates on March 11 in Washington when president Obama will host the Blackhawks at the White House in honour of their Stanley Cup championship.

The past 12 months have been somewhat of a rollercoaster ride for the 24-year-old. He was traded to Toronto a few months after winning the Stanley Cup with Chicago, then moved to Philadelphia — the team he faced as a Hawk in the final — on Feb. 14 as the Leafs re-tooled their draft pick quota.

The Star writes that the trade from the Leafs took Versteeg somewhat by surprise. While he wasn’t bitter with the move, it was mildly confusing to him to hear Leafs GM Brian Burke say he didn’t fit in with the Leafs as a top-six forward.

“I believed I was a top-six forward, but I can fill whatever role they want me to fill,” Versteeg said.

“I think the top-six, bottom-six thing was the plan (Burke) had. I go the opportunity to play with Phil (Kessel) at first and it didn’t work out the way I would have liked it to. But playing with Armie (Colby Armstrong), I think we were like a top-six line.”

As for rumours that he wanted out of Toronto, Versteeg said he has no idea where the notion came from.

“I never said that,” he said.

“When I was asked, I said I was hoping to be in Toronto (after the trade deadline). I liked it there and I wanted to be a part of that team. But when I did find out about the trade and that it was Philadelphia, I was excited to be going to a team like that.”

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette offered this to The Star: “It’s a matter of him getting settled with new teammates, and a matter of him getting settled with a new coach and new systems. I think he played his best game that last game. And it’s not like the trade (with Toronto) meant that we gave up youth (first and third round pick). Kris is 24 and he fits right into the same age groups as the Richards and the Carters (Jeff Carter), and a lot of our players. We think he was a very good pick up for our team.”

The Miami Herald notes that the Panthers kept goaltender Tomas Vokoun past the trade deadline. Now, with unrestricted free agency approaching, the question is how much they want to keep him beyond this season.

Vokoun, who has a no-trade clause, said he told the Panthers there were three teams he would have been willing to accept a trade to, but Florida never came to him with any proposal before Monday’s deadline.

“You want to play in the playoffs,” he said. “In a way, it is a little bit disappointing. But I like being here, too. It’s not like I asked to leave. I told them I’d like to stay.”

After initially expressing interest in extending his contract, the Panthers announced last month they would not offer any new contracts until the season ends.

Vokoun said the Panthers have not told him if they want to re-sign him, and Vokoun said he’s not sure what he wants to do.

The Herald reports that GM Dale Tallon “said they want to wait until after the season. I respect their decision. I want to see my options, too. Hopefully, I’ll have a lot of options to pick from. I’m not too worried about it right now.”

Would re-signing with the Panthers be appealing?

“We’ll see,” he said. “I can’t say either way. It’s early.’’

Tallon has said Jacob Markstrom is the team’s goaltender of the future, but the sentiment inside the organization is that he could use another year with the Panthers AHL affiliate in Rochester, N.Y.

So it would not be surprising if the Panthers offer Vokoun, 34, a one- or two-year deal after the season. Backup Scott Clemmensen is signed for next season at $1.2 million.

Vokoun, earning $6.3 million, faces an unpredictable market in free agency. For perspective, San Jose’s Antti Niomi signed a four-year, $15.2 million extension this week. He has a slightly better goals-against-average than Vokoun (2.40 to 2.55) but a slightly worse save percentage (91.9 to 92.2.).

Vokoun, who is 20-22-4, “has had his typical consistent year,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “His numbers are good again. He’s one of the premier goalies in the league. But individually, it’s tough to throw a lot of praise around when you don’t have team success. Unfortunately, again, that’s where we’re at.”

“I will take the fans’ applause when I can get it,” new Sens goalie Craig Anderson, who has stopped 145 of 151 shots since joining the team, said of hearing loud applause from the Scotiabank Place crowd when he’s introduced. “The opening welcome from the fans puts a smile on your face and makes you feel like you’ve kind of arrived. For me, it’s just come in here and play the game I’ve played since I’ve been a kid and let the results take care of themselves. It’s my job to make sure the other team doesn’t get the next goal.”

The Montreal Gazette writes that while Habs coach Jacques Martin is still searching for a more consistent performance in evenstrength situations, there is a continuing effort to make the special teams better. For the first time since the beginning of the season, the Canadiens' power play is ranked higher than the penalty-killing unit. The Canadiens have scored four power-play goals in 12 chances over the past three games and rank eighth in the NHL with a success rate of 19.4 per cent.

The latest wrinkle on the power play has centre Tomas Plekanec playing on the point.

"That's something we're toying with," said Martin, who said there were two reasons for the move. The first is that he wanted Plekanec and David Desharnais on the ice at the same time and he also wasn't happy with the play of the defencemen on the power play.

"It's a new thing for me because I've never played there before," Plekanec said. "It's going to take me a few practices to get used to it, but I'm okay with it. If it helps the team, that's good."

Plekanec said he doesn't have a cannon of a shot like James Wisniewski, but he noted the important thing was to find a shooting lane and get the puck to the net.

The Gazette points out that the penalty-killing unit has dropped to ninth with a success rate of 83.6 per cent. Martin blamed the drop on inconsistency.

"The PK in the first segment was very good," Martin said.

"Then in the last 20 games, 10 of those games we didn't get scored on and the 10 others we got scored on several times. We've had some breakdowns."

The Canadiens have successfully killed off nine penalties in the past two games and that success has coincided with the acquisition of Brett Sopel, who has experience on the PK.

"I think that helps," Martin said.

"When you look at our PK, our second (defence) pairing was getting scored on quite a bit so having some new defencemen has helped."

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, experience tells Chris Mason to be ready. Always be ready.

In the NHL a goaltender can go from spectator to combatant in a moment’s notice. Mason finds himself in the heat of battle again.

A wrist injury has sidelined Ondrej Pavelec, who has played 47 of 64 games, for an undetermined period of time. The weight of the Thrashers playoff hopes has recently fallen on Mason’s stacked pads.

“He is probably one of the least guys that I worry about because of his experience, he’s seen it all, done it all at this point of his career and because of his makeup,” Thrashers goaltending consultant Clint Malarchuk said. “He’s learned that you don’t get too high and you don’t get too low.”

Mason will get this third straight start Thursday against Ottawa. Pavelec practiced with the team for a half hour Wednesday.

This is not new territory for Mason. He was called on to carry the load when Pavelec lost consciousness and collapsed minutes into the season opener. Just 2:25 into that first game, Mason traded baseball cap for goalie mask as the bizarre situation unfolded. He played 10 of the next 11 games until Pavelec returned full time. He then watched as Pavelec had one of the hottest streaks in franchise history.

The Journal-Constitution notes it was just the start of an up-and-down season for Mason.

“Playing wise, it’s been tough,” Mason said of his first season in Atlanta. “I played a lot of games at the start and played fairly well. Then I had a couple of bad games and Pavs was just unbelievable. That’s the way it goes. You open the door and he just played amazingly. During that stretch, he was the best goalie in the NHL.”

Pavelec played 27 of the next 34 games. Mason finally got a start on Jan. 15 and lasted just eight minutes for he sprained the MCL of his right knee. Back to the sideline. He missed another 12 straight games until he returned Feb. 19 against Edmonton – an outing Mason said was not his best.

One game later, Pavelec was injured and here is Mason right back in the middle of the playoff run.

Mason, 34, said experience has helped him deal with the trials of the season.

“You have to understand [sitting while Pavelec was on a roll],” Mason said. “Had I been younger going through that, it would have been tougher. You always want to play but I have a better understanding of how the game works and what I have to do when I’m not playing. You have to be ready because you never know when you are going to get the chance again.

“Every year is so different. Every year you set ideals before the season but until you get going you have no idea what to predict. Hockey-wise, it’s been up and down. But I understand the situation. Otherwise, I’ve had a great year here in Atlanta.”

The article points out that being in the middle of a push for the playoffs is also nothing new for Mason. He carried St. Louis into the playoffs in 2009 by starting the final 33 games of the season with a 24-8-6 record which included five shutouts. During the stretch he had a 2.08 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.

“You definitely draw on the experience because any time you’ve done something before you go back to that situation,” Mason said. “That’s what I’m doing. … You never know what’s going to happen when a player gets hurt. Another player is in the lineup. I owe it to myself and my team to be ready.”

With 19 games to go, The Chicago Tribune believes you don't have to own a red No. 19 sweater to consider Jonathan Toews a legitimate contender for the Hart Trophy if he maintains this level of play and the Hawks make the playoffs. The Hart Trophy surely factors in a guy's heart, right?

Not since Stan Mikita in 1968 has a Hawk won the award given the league's most valuable player.

"As a leader of your hockey club nobody's looking for that kind of attention,'' Toews said. "Every team has a player they think fits into that category so I don't really know about that. It would be pretty amazing even to be considered.''

Rest assured Toews will be because it's an open race. Sidney Crosby likely has missed too much time with a concussion. High-scoring Alex Ovechkin has struggled with only two more goals than Toews (23) heading into Tuesday night. Phenom Steven Stamkos of the Lightning, 21, leads the league in goals and will get votes. Daniel Sedin of the Canucks, along with teammate Ryan Kesler, will warrant attention too.

But the Tribune writes that Toews, with a Conn Smythe trophy and Stanley Cup ring hard to ignore, might have more hockey cachet. He commands respect as a consistent two-way player who still ranks 10th in the league in scoring and wins 57 percent of his faceoffs.

"The higher the Hawks shoot up the mountain in the West, the more consideration he'll get,'' CSN analyst Eddie Olczyk said. "Has he raised his game? He's always playing that way but sometimes doesn't get all the bells and whistles like the goals.''

Nobody in the NHL has played better lately than Toews, named Tuesday the league's first star of the month. In 13 games, Toews scored 21 points on 15 assists and six goals — three of them game-winners. He was a plus-13.

Only the city's snowplow drivers had a more productive February in Chicago than Toews.

"It's usually the players who get on the scoresheets and score a lot of goals who get that kind of honor, so I guess it's kind of nice,'' Toews allowed. "I just came back after the All-Star break and worked pretty hard.''

The Tribune suggests Toews would consider it hyperbole to suggest nobody on the Hawks works harder. But, more than anything, his combination of tenacity and talent makes Toews the elite player he is, as Olczyk pointed out.

"The compete level is what separates Johnny,'' Olczyk said.

No single category makes Toews most valuable to the Hawks. There are points nobody tallies but teammates and coaches. Therein lies the real value of a leader whose impact needs no embellishment.

"When things aren't going well, he's the one who sits at his locker and answers every question, and there's a lot to learn from a guy like that,'' Brian Campbell said. "He stands up for our hockey club. When things are going good, he's still at his locker and nobody talks to him. He doesn't get any of the accolades, which he's fine with. And they go to other people.''

It's no exaggeration to suggest that might be changing.

Rangers Rants reports that Marian Gaborik was on the ice for the Rangers’ optional morning skate but said he woke up this morning with a headache and didn’t feel as good as he did yesterday when he participated in practice for the first time since leaving the lineup due to a concussion.

Gaborik had held out hope that he might play tonight. He won’t and says he thinks he’ll travel to Ottawa for Friday’s game against the Senators, though he’s not sure whether he would play.

Also from this morning’s skate, Marc Staal (left knee) said he was good to go tonight against the Wild as he’ll return to the lineup after missing the last three games.

“It felt the same as yesterday, not any weaker,” Staal said this morning after skating for the second straight day. “They’ll tape it up, it’ll be good to go.”

As for his ice time tonight, “I guess we’ll see. You want to be out there as much as possible."

The Washington Post observes that standing in front of his locker Wednesday after his first full practice with the Washington Capitals, Jason Arnott struck an imposing figure at 6-foot-5.

Acquired from New Jersey at Monday's trade deadline, Arnott provides a firm veteran presence and a Stanley Cup ring to a young team that could desperately use the former in its quest for the latter.

The 36-year-old centre knows he is here to get more out of everybody else just as much as he is to provide a scoring boost, and he is already embracing the role of a leader.

"Being an older guy, you're not as shy to speak up and say things," Arnott said. "You don't want to rant and rave the whole time you're in the dressing room, but you just kind of say things when needed and just try to fix things if you think something needs to be fixed."

He's played in 106 career playoff games, is a former captain and made his playoff debut in 1997.

"These guys (Marco Sturm and Dennis Widemen were acquired as well) can tell us advice," centre Nicklas Backstrom said. "He's been in the finals before and winning and everything, he knows what you have to do."

The Post points out that Arnott scored the double-overtime goal that won the Stanley Cup for New Jersey in Game 6 of the 2000 finals, and also played in the finals the following year with the Devils.

On the ice, Arnott is a solid second-line centre who has averaged nearly 28 goals over the last five seasons and can help out on the power play. But on the bench and in the locker room, Arnott said he will stress the importance of doing the little things right.

"It's tough, but I can't hold anything back," Arnott said Tuesday night after his first game with the Capitals, a 2-1 overtime win against the New York Islanders. "They brought me in for a reason, to speak up in the room, and there are certain things we have to address if we want to go forward.

"If that means me speaking up and guys don't like it," he added, "that's what I've got to do."

Heading into the stretch run, coach Bruce Boudreau hopes Arnott's arrival could be part of the difference for a team that has underachieved at times this season.

"Hopefully it brings just a quiet leadership," Boudreau said. "And when the guys are sitting around telling stories about how great winning the Cup is, it might be important."

Jack Bauer, Somewhere in America: "Hey Chris,In the stretch drive in a league that only counts goalie wins(6) and shutouts(+6) and currently sitting in 1st.

I have Miller, Anderson and Pavelec on my roster....so as you can see besides Miller, wins have been hard to come by. Sitting on waiver wire are Ellis, Montaya, and Reimer. I have a roster spot that I can make available without hurting my team, but am unsure which goalie would bring the most reward in terms of wins, so I defer to the christal ball(you) for your expert advice. Which goalie would you take at this point?

Man do I miss 24!"

Chris: You and me both. In terms of the three available goalies, I'd be most inclined to pick Reimer based on your format and as far as who should be playing the most games between now and season's end. Montoya has been sensational and Ellis is a wildcard (and on the best team of the three FA goalies) because we just don't know what's going to happen with Hiller.

I'm assuming based on what you wrote that you can keep Anderson and Pavelec with Miller and still add the fourth goalie. Anderson has been amazing since the trade and maybe he can net you some extra shutouts. Hopefully Pavelec is able to get back quickly, but ideally Reimer can help to grab some points for you in the meantime.

Andrew living vicariously through Charlie Sheen's fantasy (hockey?) world... What about the breathing, the panting, the moaning, the screaming? Fake, fake, fake, fake:

"Hey Chris, 1 year points and PiMs league, no hits, blocked shots or faceoffs. Are Skinner, Stafford and Oshie worth hanging onto?

FAs include Morrison, Purcell, Jones and Connolly.

Chris: Always love the Seinfeld references.

I'm not exactly sure about Morrison's status at this moment after last night's injury, so let's leave him out of the mix. Otherwise his streak would certainly warrant consideration. I'm hearing an interview with Jay Feaster right before publication here and nothing's known yet.

Overall though, I actually think I'd be more inclined to stand pat with those current guys on your roster. I don't necessarily see an upgrade via FA and if you go chasing the next hot streak with players that aren't necessarily of a higher quality than your current guys, you're just as likely to wind up missing the next wave from your current roster guys.

Ken in Holland: "Chris, I need a centre-eligible player and the best FA choices seem to be either Alex Steen or Patrik Berglund. Thoughts?"

Chris: This will obviously partially depend on how the line combos unfold going forward here, but despite the fact that Steen has been pretty good and offers a few more SOG I'd lean toward taking Berglund. This is, naturally, assuming he sticks with Chris Stewart (especially) and T.J. Oshie (bonus).