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WOULD LEAFS INTEREST CLARKSON?
The Star-Ledger communicates that Devils right winger David Clarkson loves coming home to Toronto.
“This is my favorite place to play,” he said of the town in which he grew up as a Maple Leafs fan.
But will Clarkson, who can become an unrestricted free agent after this season, think about signing with the Leafs to play in his hometown? He gets asked that a lot around here.
“You always have people who’ll ask you things and say things,” Clarkson said. “My focus is winning and doing what we did last year. I leave all that other stuff to (agent) Pat Morris. I just go out and play. Everything else is second to me. I want this team to be successful.
“My focus right now is right here (with the Devils). We’ve got to get this turned around. We have something special in here. I want to win. All those other things will fall into place in summertime.”
But he loves coming home.
“I do. It’s the place I was born and raised. It’s always fun to come home,” Clarkson said. “I grew up watching every one of these games with my dad, so whenever you get to come home and play against the place you’re from is always fun.”
IGINLA KEEPS PLUGGING AWAY
The Calgary Sun points to Jarome Iginla‘s infamous hot and cold streaks and wonders:
How does a player, even with Iginla’s sure-fire hall-of-fame track record, have such swings in his production?
What’s he doing right now that he wasn’t doing before?
“I don’t have the answer,” Iginla said after a hard practice Monday at the Saddledome. “I would say I had lots of really good chances earlier in the year and you don’t always get the bounces. I’ve got good bounces lately. I feel good, when they start going in, you feel better, but I don’t want to over-think it.”
One goal in the first 16 games of the season. Five goals in the last four outings. Historically, Iginla is good for a couple of lengthy hot spells every season. Could this be one of them?
“That’s what the plan is and the goal is,” he said. “It’s important to stay positive, and the tough streaks make you appreciate the good bounces more, for sure.
“It’s easier said than done when you’re going through a tough streak — to stay positive, to keep moving, to keep skating, not over-think things — but when you miss a goal because you hit the post, you literally missed by an inch and a half. I’d love to say you can control your shot by that inch, but it comes down to getting those chances.
“When they do start going in, you do feel better and it starts snowballing in that direction. Whether it’s a good bounce or not, the puck feels better and you don’t press as much.
“But I don’t know if I’m playing a lot different.”
CRAWFORD SILENCES CRITICS
CSNChicago.com believes the questions surrounding Corey Crawford this offseason were intense.
Could he get his game back? Is he good enough to be a No. 1 goaltender? Why are the Blackhawks sticking with him?
The pressure was enormous. The first stumble Crawford made out of the gate, the first bad goal he let in, it was going to get even worse. But all of that never happened. With all the expectations put on him to start this season, Crawford has lived up to all of them. His numbers have left his critics mute and the Blackhawks thrilled.
Crawford knew he’d have to answer for last season, and do it immediately. He altered his pregame preparation this season; instead of playing a little soccer with the guys, Crawford now finds a quiet place, stretches and focuses on the game. But Crawford’s renaissance goes beyond a pregame ritual. His positioning is noticeably improved. The rare times he’s allowed a bad goal, he’s shrugged it off quickly. He’s been quicker, more square in the net, more focused.
“I’m just watching the puck the whole game. I’m just able to bear down, focus on the little things on the sides of the net, making sure not to give up those bad goals that change momentum,” Crawford said. “I’ve been feeling good so far.”
Crawford has answered the questions that surrounded him prior to this season. He got his game back. He’s certainly No. 1-goaltender worthy. The Blackhawks believed he could rebound; he’s proven them right.
“I felt great at times last year,” Crawford said. “I just think consistency has been there this year.”
ELLIS STEPS INTO WARD’S NO. 1 ROLE
The Raleigh News & Observer notes the Carolina Hurricanes have lost goaltender Cam Ward to a knee injury that will sideline him six to eight weeks.
“You’re not able to replace Cam Ward. I think everyone understands that,” Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said Monday. “It’s hard to replace your No. 1 goalie. But we do have confidence in our other two goalies.
“When you have an injury issue in one area of your team, everyone has to step up and help. This injury will heal. Cam will need to rehab it, but he can be back for the playoffs and will be rested. We as a team need to make sure we get there.”
The Hurricanes are expected to recall goalie Justin Peters from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. Dan Ellis, who played in Charlotte during the NHL lockout, takes over as the Canes’ No. 1 goalie.
Peters is 22-12-1 with the Checkers with a 2.29 GAA, .921 save percentage and six shutouts, and was named to the Western Conference team for the 2013 AHL All-Star Classic. “His development has been very good and he’s having his best year as a pro,” Rutherford said. “He’s had an exceptional year in Charlotte.”
On the 32-year-old Ellis, Rutherford said, “He has good experience in the league and we haven’t been surprised by his performance.”
THEODORE NOT THINKING RETIREMENT
The Sun-Sentinel observes goalie Jose Theodore may have played his last game for the Florida Panthers.
Theodore will be out for 5-6 weeks with a torn groin, agent Don Meehan told the Sun Sentinel on Monday.
The season has seven weeks remaining, so Theodore would be available for the playoffs, which seems unlikely with the Panthers currently last in the Eastern Conference.
Theodore told Meehan that the groin won’t require surgery. Theodore, 36, who is in the final year of his contract ($1.5 million), isn’t expected back with the Panthers next season, but he still “wants to play and compete,” his agent said.
Theodore’s injury apparently will signal the beginning of the Jacob Markstrom era.
CONSISTENT BROWN FILLS NEED FOR OILERS
The Edmonton Journal points out that in serious need of more sandpaper in their lineup, the Oilers acquired 27-year-old Mike Brown from the Maple Leafs Monday.
“He’s a tough kid who plays hard every night,” said Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini, who also cited Brown’s skating ability as an asset.
“When you need to get in on the forecheck and get to that first hit, he can do that. He can play that abrasive type of hockey that we’re looking for,” Tambellini continued.
He isn’t expected to want for playing time in his debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
“The inconsistency of our group is, at times, frustrating for us all … You need individuals who bring the same thing every single night. That’s what I heard about him. You know what you’re getting on a shift to shift basis,” said Oilers head coach Ralph Krueger, who will likely slot in Brown on a line with Ben Eager and Chris VandeVelde to start.
“That’s contagious for the skill players, for the other players, when you can have character players like that in the lineup.
“It will be up to him to decide his minutes, but we could use that energy as quickly as possible in the lineup. He will make some mistakes system-wise early on, but if his effort is what everyone is telling us, then let’s get him the minutes.”