Hockey Hearsay compiles stories from around the hockey world and runs weekdays, 12 months a year.
MACTAVISH SELLS EDMONTON’S PASSION
The Edmonton Journal rounds up Craig MacTavish’s press conference from Monday, which mapped out his plan as the Oilers new general manager.
On attracting potential free agents: “I’ve been telling this story for quite some time and it’s a compelling story. It’s the whole Alberta advantage. The taxes are a big part of it; the economy is excellent; we’re getting a new building, which adds a lot of excitement to the downtown core. The passion of the fans here. Look at the game Saturday night against Vancouver, the excitement in the building for a team out of the playoffs for a seventh straight season. Passion resonates with players.
“You can go to Anaheim or Florida or Tampa for the weather, but there’s a lot of time to be retired. Coming into a situation here, with a lot of very good young players to grow with … I would say from a self-satisfaction standpoint there’s no better situation for a player than to get in on the ground floor in building a championship team.”
CROSBY READY, SEEKS GREEN LIGHT
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports a visit to the doctor Tuesday should confirm whether Sidney Crosby has the green light to play in Game 1 of the Penguins’ Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the New York Islanders.
Crosby made it clear he feels well enough to play.
“Yeah,” he said, in a serious tone, when asked if he believes he could be back in the lineup.
But he won’t have the final say.
“I see the doctor (Tuesday),” Crosby said. “I try not to have any (expectations). Just going for an appointment. I don’t have any control over it. There’s no point in getting worked up about it.”
Crosby said he’s beginning to feel more comfortable with the full-face mask he’s wearing to protect his jaw. If the Penguins make a substantial Stanley Cup playoff run, Crosby likely will be allowed to play without the mask at some point.
STAMKOS TAKES OWNERSHIP OF LIGHTNING’S NEEDED TURNAROUND
The Tampa Tribune describes how Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman’s retooling is already well underway. But no matter what the changes are, the first part of any turnaround starts with those already in the room.
“We know we have the talent in here, we show it in spurts,” said center Steven Stamkos, whose 29 goals were second in the league behind Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (32). “We know there will be some changes. You never have the exact same guys year after year. And you know you can make changes, but it still falls on the core bunch of guys that have been here the past couple of years from when we were winning and now third to last in the league now.
“The management and ownership and coaching staff, there has been an element of patience that, frankly, I know won’t be there next year. There is no more time to talk about what-ifs, we need this or we need that. It’s up to us in here and I’m definitely part of the group.”
DEVILS’ CLARKSON, AGENT TO MEET
Fire & Ice details how right wing David Clarkson said he doesn’t know what to expect this off-season as he heads toward possibly becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 5.
“It will be new to me,” Clarkson said. “I’m sure I’ll ask guys. I’m going to go and have my meetings here and see what’s said, but wouldn’t say scared. I’m just going to go spend some time with the family now.”
Is Clarkson definitely set on exploring the UFA market to see what other teams are interested or if he would be open to re-signing before then?
“I’m going to have my meeting with Lou and see what happens, I haven’t really even touched on it,” Clarkson said. “I’m sure I’ll have a meeting with my agent (Pat Morris) this week when I get back to Toronto and go through everything. But to be honest with you, I haven’t even sat down with (Morris) once this year. He’s somebody that let me play as well and just wanted to wait until this was over with.
“Unfortunately, it’s earlier than we expected. But I’m sure when I get home in the next week we’ll have some meetings and figure things out a little more.”
SUTER, PARISE HELPING TO LEAD WILD
The St. Paul Pioneer Press indicates as the Wild begin their first postseason appearance in five years, big dollar off-season signees Ryan Suter and Zach Parise are being counted on and Parise said they’ve held team meetings with the duo giving out advice to players as they see fit. But how do you give advice for something as difficult to describe as the playoffs?
“In the playoffs you have to stay in the moment,” Suter said. “It’s easy to get carried away if you have a bad shift and to let it slide into the next one. You can’t do that. If you have a bad game, you have to do better the next one. That’s what playoff hockey is.
“I’m in Minnesota now, so I can’t really say it, but if Brett Favre throws an interception then the next play he goes out and makes a great pass. And that’s the mind-set we have to have.”
THORNTON PRAISES COUTURE’S GAME
The San Jose Mercury News points out that for years the Sharks have been Patrick Marleau’s team or Joe Thornton’s team. With both now 33, the transition is in progress as 24-year-old Logan Couture steps it up.
“Which is great,” said Thornton, the team’s captain. “It’s a good thing that the young guys want to take over and want to lead the team. It’s nice for me and Patty to say, ‘Hey, it’s your turn tonight. Go ahead and see what you’ve got.’ It’s a committee. We’ve said that for lots of years.”
Thornton is among those impressed by the breadth of Couture’s game.
“He just does it all,” the captain said. “If you need a shootout goal, you put him in. Blocked shot or a penalty kill — anything. He just continues to get better.”
MCPHEE SAYS CAPS WILL NOT BE ACTIVE IN FREE AGENCY
CSNWashington.com spoke with Capitals GM George McPhee on a number of topics, including:
On why the Caps have no plans to be active in free agency: “It’s not something we’re interested in doing. …It means you’re doing something right. We’ve been drafting and developing and trading well, I guess. And Hershey’s made the playoffs eight straight years. We’ve made it six straight years. Without deviating a whole lot from the plan – draft well, develop well – and I think we’re in pretty good shape. And really pleased about making the playoffs again this year. It’s no easy feat in this league anymore. We missed the division title by a point last year. It would have been nice to win six in a row. But we’re in and we’ll just keep putting good teams on the ice and hope we have some good luck in the playoffs.”
On if the Caps can re-sign Mike Ribeiro: We have a plan in place. “It’s been in place for a while. So you don’t have to worry about where we are with the cap or anything like that because we’re not worried about it.”
SABRES, REGIER REMAIN PARTNERS
The Buffalo News points out the Sabres have missed the postseason during seven of the last 11 years under GM Darcy Regier, including the past two. He points to the team’s Eastern Conference finals appearances in 2006 and ’07 as proof he can build a winner.
“There’s unfinished business there,” Regier said. “I have a lot more insight into an experience, and I’ve learned a lot more in that process. I’m not an old man. My goal is to come to work every day learning something new, and it hasn’t changed, and I am.
“I recognize that you can look at the performance of the team, and it doesn’t reflect it. I can tell you that, just as I told you before, we have gone with more determination in a very distinct direction, which is about the Stanley Cup. So I feel good about it. I love the opportunity.
“I understand what we’re talking about here. I understand our fan base, and I would like to think that people will give up some suffering in order to win a Stanley Cup. I’m willing to do it. I believe our fan base is willing to do it.
“We certainly don’t want to extend it for a long period of time. We want to make it as short as possible, and that’s the goal.”
STARS’ NILL ON CULTURE CHANGE, MORE
The Dallas Morning News has a number of quotes from Jim Nill’s introductory news conference Monday, including what he means by changing the culture:
“Knowing how to win, being accountable to yourself and to your teammates. Everything we talk about has to become a lifestyle. When you come to the rink, there’s certain expectations, when you leave the rink, there’s those same expectations. It’s an everyday thing. When the season is over, that doesn’t mean things change. That has to happen in the dressing room, that has to happen with the players. Your profession has to become a lifestyle.’’
“It sounds easy, but it’s not. It’s young kids, and they need to learn to do that. And that’s going to be instilled in the dressing room.’’
HOLLAND HAPPY FOR NILL’S GM SHOT
Michigan Live has the Red Wings’ perspective from Jim Nill moving on to become the general manager of the Dallas Stars.
“It’s a huge loss, but I’m thrilled for Jimmy,” Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. “He’s paid his dues. When you’ve committed as long a time as Jim has and helped us have the success we’ve had, he’s deserved the opportunity.”
He added: “In the last six or seven years every time there’s been a job opening the team has called to ask for permission (to speak with Nill),” Holland said. “He negotiated for a long time a contract that didn’t allow him to go and he was OK with it. But the last go-round he negotiated an out clause, which told me he was more open to leaving. … You never know when another opportunity is going to come.”
BRODEUR STILL LOVES THE GAME
Fire & Ice notes Martin Brodeur has one year left on his contract with the New Jersey Devils and he isn’t necessarily considering retiring once that deal is up.
Brodeur said he could envision himself eventually sharing the goalie duties more than he does now.
“Yes. When you get to a certain age it’s a little harder to practice, practice and then play. For me the last few years have been more of a challenge to get ready for games,” he said.
“When I went to free agency (last summer) some of the conversations I had with teams was (about) sharing with certain guys. It seemed to be okay at the time. I know it’s going to happen. I’m not playing hockey because I need to. It’s because I like it. I know when it’s out of my life it’s something I’ll miss.”
So he isn’t thinking about walking away even after the 2013-14 season.
“We’ll see if the body holds up. It’s getting harder and harder,” he noted. “I’m going to get there eventually. There’s no doubt about that. The key is people want you to be here. I’m not going to beg for a job, that’s for sure. But if somebody wants you here and you still like it, why not?”