Hockey Hearsay compiles stories from around the hockey world and runs weekdays, 12 months a year.
AGENT: BUYOUT WOULD BENEFIT CANUCKS’ BALLARD
The agent for defenceman Keith Ballard tells The Vancouver Sun he has not been in contact with the Canucks since the end of the season, so he has no insight into whether or not they will buy his client out of the two years remaining on his contract. His deal represents a $4.2 million cap hit.
“My guess is they are going to push the trade front as hard as they can, probably up to the (June 30) draft, and see where that takes them,” Hankinson said of the Canucks and Ballard.
Hankinson does not think Ballard will have trouble finding work in the NHL if the Canucks do the expected and buy him out.
“It will be good for him if he does get bought out because he’ll get a fresh start somewhere else,” Hankinson said.
RUFF BEST FIT FOR CANUCKS?
The Vancouver Province asserts that by believing the best way to play defence is a strong forecheck and pressure in the offensive zone to wear teams out, Lindy Ruff is in tune with today’s game that relies on speed, size and strength.
That skill-and-finesse game so many teams adjusted to has been trumped by the quick and heavy manner in which the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings take teams out of their comfort zones. It’s the biggest intangible out there.
“With the personnel sitting there in Vancouver, Lindy is a very good fit,” said a high-level NHL source. “You’re not going to teach those horses a new way to play and Lindy’s teams — sometimes to a fault — play on their toes and put a lot of bodies into the offensive zone, and the players in Vancouver would really enjoy that.
“The teams that win, their best players have to be the most competitive.”
STARS BRINGING RUFF IN FOR SECOND INTERVIEW
The Dallas Morning News relays that the Stars search for a new head coach is moving forward quickly, as former Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff is expected to be in Frisco Thursday for a second interview with Stars GM Jim Nill, according to an NHL source.
Nill talked to former Rangers coach John Tortorella as part of his trip to the NHL GM meetings in Boston Wednesday and is expected to speak soon with Grand Rapids Griffins (just-crowned AHL champs) coach Jeff Blashill.
SATHER: RANGERS’ STYLE DOOMED TORTORELLA
Glen Sather spoke with The Daily News during a break from the NHL’s general manager’s meetings Wednesday in Boston and spoke about the firing of New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella.
Sather somewhat danced around the issue of whether or not players had complaints about Tortorella. The 69-year-old GM knew that the Rangers’ style of play needed to evolve to contend with other top NHL teams, or in his words, “the game has changed.”
“If you look at these playoff games (like the Stanley Cup Finals matchup) you’re gonna see tonight, the style that they play, I mean there’s not a hell of a lot of dump-ins,” Sather said. “I mean, (if) you have to dump the puck in, you have to dump it. But there’s a lot of puck control and hanging onto the puck and moving the puck out, and there’s not stopping behind the net to gain control. There’s a lot of things that are done differently than what we were doing. So you have to look at the style of play. That had a lot to do with (the decision to fire Tortorella), too.”
Sather also noted this: “I think you’ve got to remember that people have egos, and they have a strong sense of their own worth when they’re doing their job or they do a good job,” Sather said, giving his perception of why Tortorella may have been shocked at the firing. “And you have seven or eight playoff rounds in a couple years. I mean, he was pretty successful. He’s a good coach. (But) I think the game has changed.”
LUNDQVIST: COACH WON’T IMPACT MY CONTRACT
While we’re on the subject of John Tortorella, franchise goaltender Henrik Lundqvist brushed aside any speculation he was behind the firing of the Rangers’ head coach. In fact, he gave a glowing return on Tortorella. Via email with the New York Post, here’s a taste of Lundqvist offered:
“I know there is some speculation regarding Torts being fired, but let’s be clear on one thing,” Lundqvist said via an e-mail on Wednesday that contained his first comments on the matter. “It’s not my call who the coach should be for the New York Rangers.
“I would never put pressure on the management on decisions like that. I’m just a player. My focus is to play the game and do the best I can on the ice. Whatever [happens] off the ice, I leave to our great staff we have working for this club.”
Lundqvist further clarified his position regarding an extension.
“It has no impact for me on who the coach is when it comes to my contract,” the 31-year-old told The Post. “I love everything about the New York Rangers. I love the fans. I love the organization. I hope we can work something out when it is time to do so.”
MAX DOMI OVERCOMES DIABETES
The New York Times illustrates how London Knights forward Max Domi was told by doctors he had Type 1 diabetes when he was 12. Six years later, Max is set to become a first-round pick at the N.H.L. draft on June 30.
Father Tie Domi, who enjoyed a 16-year NHL career, noted this: “I always believed diabetes wasn’t going to stop him from becoming what he wanted to become. He’s a long ways away from where he wants to get, but he’s put himself in a pretty good position so far.”
The younger Domi also ran into a number of his father’s friends, who are now working for NHL teams, during the recent scouting combine interviews.
“When you get the feedback on how he did in his interviews, I can’t even describe the feeling,” Tie Domi said. “What I can say is it was one of the most emotional, proud moments of my entire life — seeing my son cherish the sport that’s been so good to me and for our family. I think what he’s doing now, as a Type 1 diabetic — it’s tough to describe how to explain it, really.
“I think it’s important to really let people know. It can’t stop you from your dreams.”
SETH JONES IS ‘FRANCHISE DEFENSEMAN’
The Denver Post reports Seth Jones did not return a phone message seeking comment on Joe Sakic’s statement that the Avalanche would be more inclined to take one of the top three forwards available, rather than taking the defenseman Jones.
But one of his former youth coaches, Angelo Ricci of the Colorado Thunderbirds, said this about the situation: “There are four quality picks in this draft, so the teams selecting 1-4 will be getting a very good player. Some might be more NHL ready than others, but I believe they will all be impact players down the road.
“Seth is a franchise D-man. At this point of the process, keeping all options open can be very beneficial for the Avs.”
AHL SUCCESS WILL HELP LIGHTNING
The Tampa Bay Times reflects on how the second straight trip to the finals for the Lightning affiliate — it won the Calder Cup last season playing out of Norfolk — was quite an accomplishment considering everything the team went through.
As if the relocation wasn’t enough, the Lightning in March took coach Jon Cooper and through the course of the season many of the team’s top players for various lengths of time.
As for how this season, and last season’s Calder Cup run, will affect the Tampa Bay organization, Julien BriseBois, general manager of AHL Syracuse and the Lightning’s assistant GM, was adamant.
“The volume of high-level and highly competitive games that our prospects have been able to play will do two things,” he said. “(The players) are going to get to the NHL sooner than they would have had we not had these two runs. I think it’s going to turn them into better players. They know how to close out games. They know how to play playoff hockey and win, and in that context, and that experience, from an emotional and psychological approach, translates whether you’re trying to win at the NHL or AHL level. If you can compete on the ice in terms of speed and execution and skill at the AHL level, what you learn about how to win will translate to the NHL level. It’s an invaluable experience that our prospects went through and it bodes well for the future.”
WHAT THEY’RE TWEETING ABOUT
@BGALLY17 slipped out to the washroom.. And missed #THEBUS pic.twitter.com/n6HNwzr8qP
— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) June 20, 2013
The legend himself Joe Carter! #’93 pic.twitter.com/XWdluDWQ3M
— Michael Kostka (@Kostka85) June 19, 2013
That @NHL handshake commercial gives me goosebumps every single time I see it. #Playoffs
— Sam Gagner (@89SGagner) June 20, 2013
Now this deserves a follow! Awesome!!! “@katcase11: @jameswisniewski pic.twitter.com/qKAZVQ0aos”
— James Wisniewski (@jameswisniewski) June 20, 2013
Happy Birthday to the Man who has taught me everything! Great way to finish the night off. pic.twitter.com/EpBb7a0KcT
— Steve Ott (@otterN9NE) June 20, 2013
James ‘Tony Soprano’ Gandolfini dead. Wow , Im a big fan , very Sad .R.I.P .
— Lappy (@dooda1414) June 20, 2013
Loved watching Galdolfini as Tony Soprano. RIP big guy
— Blake Wheeler (@BiggieFunke) June 20, 2013
Say it ain’t so….the head honcho of the Budda Bing is gone? RIP James Gandolfini, what a great actor! #Tony
— Joel Ward (@JRandalWard42) June 19, 2013
Congrats @krosenb2 on graduating today! So proud of you. Love ya babe #uwo #nursing pic.twitter.com/zHyGMJCZbw
— Casey Cizikas (@zeeker11) June 20, 2013
Whatever you do… don’t go to Bermuda…The Beaches suck… :) pic.twitter.com/dnKTQhuuDr
— Tim Brent (@Brenter37) June 20, 2013