Hearsay: Lightning’s Bowness craves Cup win

Former Vancouver Canucks associate coach Rick Bowness was anxious to get back to work and seized what he saw as a great opportunity with the Tampa Bay Lightning. (CP)

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LIGHTNING’S BOWNESS CRAVES CUP WIN

The Tampa Bay Times illustrates how after 24 seasons as an NHL head or assistant coach, Rick Bowness still has no problem getting the competitive juices flowing. Add he has never won a Stanley Cup as a coach or a player, and Bowness sees his new position as a Lightning associate coach as part of a quest as well as a job.

“What’s carried me through my life is my passion for the game,” Bowness said Monday after his signing was announced. “The one thing I don’t have is a Stanley Cup and that drives me every day. I’m going (to the Lightning) to help (general manager Steve Yzerman) and to help (coach Jon Cooper) and (owner Jeff Vinik) win a Stanley Cup. That’s why I’m going there.”

The Vancouver Province points out that Bowness, the former Canucks associate coach, will now patrol the bench without longtime confidant Alain Vigneault.

“We’re obviously great friends,” said Bowness. “With Alain, it was comfortable. We were like an old married couple. We’d yell and scream at each other behind the scenes, and then we’d walk out and we’re one voice. It’s smooth and it works and there’s a great comfort zone there.”

He added: “Could I sit here and wait for Alain to get another job? Yes. But I was really attracted to this opportunity. I’m not one of those guys who takes time off. I love being at the rink every day and I was anxious to get back at it.

“Two days after I got fired in Vancouver, I got two calls. I looked at management. I looked at (general manager) Stevie Yzerman. I’ve always been a fan of him as a player and a person. He stayed in the game and paid his dues. I believe he’s going to build a winner.”

HANDZUS CARVING UNLIKELY NICHE WITH BLACKHAWKS

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville tells CSNChicago.com that center Michal Handzus is carving a niche that wasn’t part of the original plan when the team acquired him.

“When we first got him, we figured he’d give us a little more depth. All of a sudden he moved up the ladder where he’s playing in that nice slot for us,” he said. “That’s a big line for us. You have to make sure he doesn’t get too high, too low but he’s very competitive. We’ve got to appreciate his positioning and his awareness.”

Quenneville said the leadership, even at low decibels, comes naturally for Handzus.

“He’s quiet, but at the same time I think he’s aware of everybody’s positioning around the team, what’s going on in the course of the game,” Quenneville said. “He has real good instincts for things like that.”

TOFFOLI DRAWS PRAISE OF KINGS’ VETERANS

LA Kings Insider passes along the praise Tyler Toffoli’s veteran teammates sent his way following Sunday’s Game 2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Dustin Brown: “I think he does the little things pretty well for a young guy. He’s not the biggest, most filled out guy. That will come with him. The one thing that stands out with Toffoli for me is his willingness to battle it out along the walls. Sometimes you don’t see it in a smaller, younger guys. He’s shown he’s willing to do that. That goes a long way in progressing as a professional. That’s probably the hardest part of the game. It’s the will on the wall.”

Justin Williams: “I think Tyler is going to be a phenomenal NHL player for a long time. He’s had some big games for us when he’s been called upon to play. He’s always been ready. That’s what you need to do as a young player. When you’re called upon, show up. He’s done that. Gave us a little bit of life yesterday. I don’t know what the lineup will be, but we’re certainly going to need him to continue his play.”

DEVILS’ DEBOER HUNGRY FOR NEXT SEASON

In detailing how Devils coach Pete DeBoer hasn’t decided on a replacement for departing assistant coach Matt Shaw, The Star-Ledger also notes DeBoer said it’s been tough since the Devils failed to make the playoffs.

“Just watching playoff hockey. It’s not that easy to do,” he noted. “You’re not that far removed from being in the heat of the battle this time of year. It’s disappointing. It just makes you hungrier to get back and get this going in the right direction next year.”

WINGS, WHITE PARTING WAYS

Michigan Live details how the Detroit Red Wings will not be bringing 29-year-old defenseman Ian White back into the mix for next season.

“It’s real disappointing to have it end this way,” White said. “When I came here, and after last year, I thought I might be able to have a long future here.”

He added, “I love playing here, it’s unfortunate that I didn’t get to play (regularly) this year. It’s probably somewhat doubtful that you bring back some guy that you’re not going to play. The most unfortunate part of our business is moving around all of the time and switching teams, but that’s the nature of the game.”

The team will have eight defensemen signed to one-way contracts after it inks restricted free agents Jakub Kindl and Brendan Smith.

WHAT THEY’RE TWEETING ABOUT

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