Hockey Hearsay compiles stories from around the hockey world and runs weekdays, 12 months a year.
ROGERS, NHL DEAL ENSURES OILERS’ SUSTAINABILITY
Following Tuesday’s landmark NHL TV deal with Rogers Communications, The Edmonton Sun translates the significant impact this move will have on the Oilers’ ability to keep young, core players like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle for the long run.
“It’s the best day,” said Oilers president and COO Patrick LaForge.
“I don’t think any of us would have predicted the aggressiveness and significant commitment Rogers would make. It adds a lot of coin to the game.
“This gives us what the NFL has. The strength of the National Football League has always been its broadcast deal. This deal is not equal in numbers but it’s equal in value to us.
“This ensures sustainability. The Edmonton Oilers are more sustainable today than we were yesterday.
“And it is the right formula for the Oilers to bring a young team forward. It’ll give our fans a lot of confidence that we will be able to keep our players. We can afford them. This assures our fans that our young players will be able to stay here and play through the mid-years and the peak performance years of their careers wearing Oilers colors.
“They certainly love that in the NFL. The fans in Green Bay know that Aaron Rodgers is going to be there through his career. Now Oilers fans can count on that going forward with our star players.”
LECAVALIER’S FATHER’S HELPFUL BUYOUT PERSPECTIVE
Ahead of Vincent Lecavalier facing his former Lightning team Wednesday for the first time since he was bought out of the remaining seven years of his 11-year, $85 million contract, The Tampa Bay Times offers this perspective from Lecavalier’s father, Yvon.
“Definitely very sad for all of us,” he said. “You really thought he would stay (in Tampa) forever.”
It was Yvon who kept reminding his son the buyout was “a question of business, nothing else.”
“We have to understand what it is,” Yvon said he told Lecavalier. “If they can trade Wayne Gretzky, they can trade Vinny Lecavalier. That’s what I told him. We had to move on. No choice, that’s the way life is.”
Vincent Lecavalier, on facing the Lightning: “It’s not about proving anybody wrong. I want to prove (the Flyers) right. (The Lightning) made a business decision. I don’t have anything against them. They do everything the right way. The thing for me was to move on. That’s all.”
OVECHKIN, CAPITALS PLAYERS BACK ERAT
CSNWashington.com collected Capitals players’ reaction to Martin Erat’s trade request, including from captain Alex Ovechkin.
“He’s a very good player and he wants to play,” Ovechkin said. “Of course, he sit on bench as a healthy scratch, it’s not good for a player. Of course, I understand. It happened to him, he’s still a part of our team. Of course, he wants to be traded right now because of his situation in the lineup, but nothing to do with us.
“I’m sure he was not happy right away when he was put on [Jay Beagle’s] line. He wants more ice time and more power-play time. But to us, we are players and tomorrow maybe I’m going be healthy scratch. You never know what’s going to happen. Maybe tomorrow I’m going to get traded. It’s a business. Capitals going to be forever. We going to be here until time is going to be up.
“I don’t think he’s giving up on us. It’s a situation where he want to play. If you look at our lines, where he going to be? I think Oatesy [Adam Oates] talk to him and say, ‘Look, this is why I can’t find a place for you.’ It’s tough to hear it when a coach tell you that to your face.”
TOUGH TIMES FOR DIPIETRO
You may have seen the news that Rick DiPietro and the AHL affiliate for the Carolina Hurricanes have parted ways.
In case you missed it though, The Globe and Mail had this interview with DiPietro Monday night, noting the Charlotte Checkers were recently in Toronto to play the Marlies at the same time the Islanders were there to play the Maple Leafs. The teams stayed at the same hotel. DiPietro kept his distance.
“I’ve talked to a bunch of them on the phone and text messages,” he said of his former teammates, “but it might have been a little bit hard for me maybe, at this point. I don’t know if it’s all actually sunk in yet. I always thought I’d end up with one team the rest of my career, retired, be a part of the organization, all that kind of stuff you dream about when you sign a deal like that. But it didn’t work out.”
As far as what the next stop will be, if there will be a next stop: “It’s something every athlete struggles with – when’s the right time,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever know when the right time is. I said it to my wife the other day: I’d rather someone just tell me when the time is. I know it’s tough to make that decision on your own.”
BABCOCK HAS FAITH IN STRUGGLING HOWARD
According to The Detroit Free Press, Jonas Gustavsson will be in goal for the Red Wings against the Bruins Wednesday – not No. 1 Jimmy Howard.
“It hasn’t gone as good as Howie would like,” coach Mike Babcock said today. “But let’s be clear about this: We’re going as far as Howie takes us. We’ve got an elite goalie who — it hasn’t gone as good. It happens for players when they don’t score.
“When you’re a goalie and it happens for you, the spotlight is on you because it affects everything.”
Babcock said Howard will be given “a breather” to work with goalie coach Jim Bedard, adding that Howard “will be right back in net after that.”
INJURED HORTON BONDING WITH BLUE JACKETS
The Columbus Dispatch reveals that Nathan Horton asked to travel with the Blue Jackets on the longest trip of the season — an eight-day, five-game trek that ended this week.
“People always say it, but the best time for a team to come together is on the road,” Horton said. “I wanted to spend time with these guys, get to know them as well as I can, just build some relationships even though I’m not playing right now.”
His surgically-repaired left shoulder will likely sideline him at least a few more weeks.
“Being on this trip, yeah, it does give you the itch more,” Horton said. “But I’ve gone through this whole process to be 100 percent again. I’m going to make sure it’s 100 percent good to go before I go back in there.”
CANES’ MULLER, RUUTU CHALLENGE EACH OTHER
The Raleigh News & Observer relays how Kirk Muller said he and Tuomo Ruutu met recently at the coach’s request.
“We had a good chat,” Muller said. “We talked and he challenged me and I challenged him, in a good way.
“I said, ‘Hey, we’re in this together. I think you can bring more.’ It was the old player-coach ‘play me more than this and I’ll show you.’ And you know what, I think it’s been great. He’s elevated his game.”
Ruutu offered this of his recent surge: “When I get more of a beating and get a few hits, I usually play better with the puck, too. When I’m on guys and hitting, I’m really moving my feet.”
HOSSA BACK WITH HAWKS
The Chicago Tribune reports Marian Hossa was back with the Hawks Tuesday after missing two games to be in Chicago with his wife, Jana, who was taken to the hospital early Saturday morning with complications following the birth of the couple’s second daughter.
“She was released (Monday) so that’s why I joined the team — everybody’s healthy,” Hossa said. “You love hockey so much but in the matter of family it’s the most important thing for me and I’m sure for everybody here. As soon as something like this happens you want to be there for (your family).”
The veteran winger reclaimed his spot on the top line with Patrick Sharp and center Jonathan Toews during practice.
BLUES’ ALLEN A ‘VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE’
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch indicates Blues general manager Doug Armstrong recently returned from a trip to watch the club’s top AHL prospects play.
On Jake Allen: “He’s been the backbone of that team so far, and it looks like he’s really on the right track. Right from training camp, he got down there, got settled in. He plays a majority of the games down there and has earned that right. He looks very, very comfortable.”
Allen has a one-way NHL contract with the Blues in 2014-15, but Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott are currently in the youngster’s way in St. Louis.
“Jake understands the situation that we’re in here and he’s worrying and controlling what he can control, which is his play on the ice,” Armstrong said. “Every time we see him, we keep saying the same thing: ‘You’re on the right track, keep going. You’re more a victim of circumstance right now than anything. It’s not going to hurt you to play every night down there this year, either.’”
DOWNIE DRAWS PRAISE FROM FLYERS
The Philadelphia Daily News suggests it is no coincidence that the Flyers are on a 5-1-1 run since Steve Downie rejoined the lineup after suffering a concussion in his first game with the team. Downie is skating on a line with Sean Couturier and Matt Read, which has been producing well offensively.
“When we added him to that line, I knew they’d get the offensive chances, because he’s very good with the puck down low,” coach Craig Berube said. “He makes plays, he’s strong, he sees the ice very well. We’re really happy right now.”
Read on Downie: “He’s a very smart player. He knows how to get to open areas. He knows how to support the puck very well, which is helpful with me and Sean, because we’re learning as a line and we’re quickly learning where everyone is on the ice.”
PANTHERS’ KULIKOV MAINTAINS INCONSISTENCY
The Sun-Sentinel points out that 23-year-old Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is now working for his third coach in five seasons, and already Peter Horachek seems frustrated by the affable Russian’s inconsistent spells.
“He’s an extremely talented young man and I think he has to process better,” said Horachek after an optional practice Tuesday. “Whenever he makes mistakes, it’s recognizing his awareness on the ice and recognizing what the situation is.
THEY TWEETED IT