Hockey Hearsay compiles stories from around the hockey world and runs weekdays, 12 months a year.
CANADIENS’ GORGES DEFENDS PRICE
The Montreal Gazette reminds readers that Canadiens defenceman Josh Gorges and goaltender Carey Price are good friends; B.C. natives who both call Kelowna home during the off-season.
So when Gorges hears the heckling from fans that once again is raining down on a struggling Price at the Bell Centre, he comes to the defence of a friend and teammate.
“I’ve never understood (booing) in your home building,” Gorges said of knives now out for Price. “The guy’s been standing up for us. He’s been outstanding for us for years. And this isn’t on him, are you kidding me? This is on all of us.
“I take offence to (the heckling) because he’s a good friend of mine, he’s a teammate and I know his character and his pride. He’s out there battling every night to be his best and we let him down.
“One or two goals, sure, (Price) might have liked to have back, but the rest is on the team. For people to mock him, I don’t like that. It doesn’t help us, it doesn’t help him. I understand frustration, we’re upset, too. No one’s happy with this. But mocking someone doesn’t help.”
NUGENT-HOPKINS’ SHOULDER SURGERY A JUDGMENT CALL
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ agent, Rick Valette , spoke with The Edmonton Journal about the main question many Oilers fans are asking: Why didn’t RNH have this coming surgery on his left shoulder sooner?
“We had to make a judgement call. We talked about it all season. The general feeling was that it wasn’t necessary for him to miss games. The conclusion was that he just keep playing and doing his rehab and strengthening his shoulder,” Valette said. “Just before the world juniors we had it checked out a lot. It was determined that his strength was fine, his mobility was fine and his range of motion was good. Yes, he still had a bit of a problem, but he was fine to play.”
Valette told The Journal he spoke with Dr. Miniaci, who will perform the surgery, throughout the season and that Miniaci has seen all the results from Nugent-Hopkin’s MRIs. Valette sounded very confident that now was the right time to perform surgery.
Valette isn’t worried about the Oilers trying to rush Nugent-Hopkins back on the ice.
“We won’t do that. He’s going to be 100 per cent before he plays. His issues are similar to Taylor, but not exactly the same. I spoke to the doctors a lot the past few months and we expect his recovery to be quick and straight forward,” Valette said.
PENGUINS’ MENTALITY IMPRESSES IGINLA
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review observes neither Jarome Iginla nor Brenden Morrow sees this chance with the Penguins as anything less than a lifetime commitment. Meaning the chance of a lifetime.
“Brenden and I know that, however we got here, we’re here now for one reason,” Iginla said recently. “We’re here to win the Cup.”
The final horn in hockey waits for no one. Iginla is 35, Morrow 34. This might not be the last shot they’ll get, but it’s hard to imagine it won’t be the best. And be sure they know it.
“There’s just so much talent here, chemistry … everything,” Iginla said. “What I wanted was to play for the Cup, and I can’t think of a better place to be. It’s got such a great feel to it.”
Meaning?
“You know, what’s maybe made the biggest impression on me is how no one talks about the next game being big. The way I’m used to, we’d circle the next opponent and talk about why it’s important. Here … you prepare, obviously, but the mentality is that it’s just another game you’re supposed to win. That’s neat.”
BOUDREAU SEEKS PLAYOFF WINS
The Washington Times conveys that now years and thousands of miles removed from his glory days with the Washington Capitals, all Bruce Boudreau can do sometimes is prepare and hope. He has Anaheim in the playoffs in his second year behind the bench, but he knows a regular-season turnaround like the one he helmed in Washington isn’t enough.
After four trips to the playoffs with the Caps and just as many disappointing exits, Boudreau doesn’t want to be remembered as a coach whose teams choke when it matters most.
“You know what, I feel that there is a little bit of pressure because I don’t want to get a reputation and keep that reputation,” he said. “I’d be foolish not to think that. That would eat at me.”
He has won a championship in the American Hockey League and ECHL and captured the Jack Adams Award at the NHL level.
MASON THRILLED TO BE IN PHILADELPHIA
The Philadelphia Inquirer indicates Flyers’ goalie coach Jeff Reese has made some adjustments in Steve Mason’s game.
“Off the rush, I’m not taking as much depth outside of my crease,” Mason said. “I’m just trying to stay back and stay patient and utilize the size I have. At 6-4, I don’t need to be playing outside the crease. I can stay back and give myself every opportunity to get across the other side of the crease in case there’s a cross-ice pass. When you’re able to get back and get set and wait for a shot, it makes it a lot easier to make the save.”
Mason is happy to be out of Columbus and thrilled to be playing in a market where the team sells out all of its home games.
“As hockey players, you thrive to play in an intense environment, and that’s exactly what we have here in Philadelphia,” he said. “The fans are passionate about their sport and as players here, we just want to have a partnership with the fans. There are going to be ups and downs, but we want to do everything we can to win each night.”
BRUINS OVERFLOWING WITH GOALTENDING
The Boston Herald asserts the Bruins right now are blessed with probably their best depth ever in young puck-stoppers, even past the enviable Tuukka Rask-Anton Khudobin duo.
Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli on 23-year-old Swede Niklas Svedberg, when asked if he has an NHL future: “Absolutely. I don’t know when and where. But he’s an ’89 (baby), so he’s coming into the best of his performance curve. We signed Niklas to be an NHL goalie and he’s tracking in that direction. It gives us options.”
On Malcom Subban: “Malcolm is kind of at an early stage. But he was statistically the best goalie in the OHL, maybe the CHL. Every time I’ve seen him play, he’s won — and he’s won by stopping a lot of pucks. His team is good, but he’s had a very good year.”
Read more on why Khudobin could soon become available for another NHL team.
BOYES PROVES WORTH
Newsday notes efforts between Brad Boyes’ agent and Isles general manager Garth Snow to sign an extension didn’t pan out before the trade deadline. But Boyes, who turned 31 Wednesday, isn’t lamenting the fact that he’s without a deal for next season despite being in the top 40 in the NHL in scoring.
“There’s always more questions around the deadline if you’re going to be a UFA, but once we were past that, it wasn’t something to worry about,” Boyes said. “We don’t have much time to think about anything right now except getting in the playoffs.”
Boyes has more than earned his $1-million salary for this season with nine goals and 25 assists while filling the right wing spot on John Tavares’ line that belonged to P.A. Parenteau last season.
“I think I proved what I needed to this season with the deal I took,” Boyes said. “We’ll have to see what happens when this season ends.”
AVS’ O’REILLY SEEKS BIG SUMMER
The Denver Post describes how calling his recent play “embarrassing at times,” Avalanche center Ryan O’Reilly reflected Saturday on a season unlike any other in his career — and vowing better things next season.
“There’s no more excuses, and it starts with us, and it starts off the ice this summer,” O’Reilly said. “I don’t want to jump ahead, because obviously we’ve still got some games to play. But yes, I need to have a big summer and recover from some injuries that haven’t prevented me from playing, but haven’t made me any better. So I’ve got to take care of those and then regroup and come back strong next year.”
O’Reilly’s speed has seemed slower of late, but he wouldn’t elaborate on any of the nagging little injuries he said he’s played with, and said “they’re no excuse either way.”
BABCOCK PRAISES DEKEYSER’S PUCK-MOVING ABILITY
Michigan Live points out that without Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart on defense, the Red Wings have spent more time in their own zone because they’re not nearly as efficient at moving the puck. That is an area in which rookie Danny DeKeyser has helped.
“You hear about some D-man, for example, that blocks 900 shots a year,” Babcock said. “Well, he rims (the puck) up the boards and then he blocks the shot.
“I like the D-man who goes back, gets the puck and stands on the offensive blue line. The guy who never plays any time in his own zone.”
He added: “He skates so good that he just goes and gets (the puck) and plays in the other zone. That, to me, is what you’re looking for when you’re looking at a D-man.