King confirms Flames’ interest in Shanahan

Brendan Shanahan.

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KING CONFIRMS FLAMES’ INTEREST IN SHANAHAN

The Calgary Herald spoke with Flames president Ken King Monday afternoon. King not only indicated that the team is looking to add depth to its hockey department, but he also confirms he sat down with Brendan Shanahan last week.

“We had dinner, spent a lot of time together, talked about a lot of ideas,” said King. “That was the entire extent of it. There were no jobs offered nor sought.”

Is Shanahan on a short-list of one?

“It’s not a closed list,” King replied. “It’s a developing list. It’s not one or a hundred. I can tell you that we looked at a very long list and talked about narrowing that to fewer people. And, of course, Brendan and other people are (now) on it.”

Where in the team’s hierarchy might this new hire rank and would he/she be above GM Jay Feaster?

“I’m not going to comment on the breadth or scope or what the addition would be,” King told The Herald. “We haven’t determined what the role will be, so it would be impossible for the scope of that role to be articulated. And anyone who is attempting to articulate it has to be wrong, because it hasn’t been defined yet.”

CANUCKS’ LACK NOT FAZED BY ERIKSSON’S SIGNING

The Vancouver Sun asserts just-signed Joacim Eriksson and fellow Swede Eddie Lack may battle at training camp for the Canucks’ backup job behind Cory Schneider.

Reached Monday in Vancouver, Lack said his rehab is going well and insisted he will be ready to compete for the backup job in September. He also said Eriksson’s signing was not a huge surprise.

“I kind of knew there was one more goalie coming and I kind of put one and one together when I saw some reports in Swedish newspapers,” Lack said. “It didn’t really catch me by surprise that he signed with the Canucks. It’s all right.”

Lack said Eriksson’s signing does not change anything for him.

“It’s going to be like that wherever you play,” he said. “You have to earn your spot and I kind of feel like I have paid my dues in the minors now and it’s time for me to step it up a little bit and show that I can play in the big leagues now.”

BOBROVSKY CONTRACT TALKS TO CONTINUE

The Columbus Dispatch reminds readers that without a new deal, Vezina-winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky can become a restricted free agent on July 5. His agent is expected in Columbus this week to continue talks.

“We don’t want to be pigs at the trough here,” said John Davidson, the Blue Jackets’ president of hockey operations. “I hope they don’t want to be pigs at the trough.

“We’ll find something to make it work. He’s an outstanding goalie with a great passion for the game, and it’s a great fit for him right here in Columbus.”

If Bobrovsky’s contract status is resolved, he plans to arrive in Columbus in late August to work with goaltender coach Ian Clark in advance of mid-September training camp.

PREDATORS SEEK NEW BACKUP GOALTENDER

The Nashville Tennessean relays how Predators GM David Poile indicated Monday the team “might, maybe and in all probability will be looking to see what’s available” among backup goaltenders when free agency begins July 5. The decision has been relayed to Chris Mason, who backed up Pekka Rinne last season.

“It didn’t work out the way we had scripted it when he signed,” Poile said. “First of all, we scripted an 82-game schedule with lots of opportunities to play. Then we get into a 48-game schedule, Pekka gets all the games we thought would be designated to Chris, and we had nothing to show for it. We really put him in a bad position, and he was unable to do his thing.”

Might 22-year-old Preds prospect Magnus Hellberg get a shot?

“That’s another thing we’re talking about within our organization too, is whether he’s had enough experience yet,” Poile said. “I think our druthers would be to see him play another full year down there (in Milwaukee) in terms of his development.”

STARS’ DILLON HOPES TO LEARN FROM GONCHAR

The Dallas Morning News notes Stars defenseman Brenden Dillon was on the Dallas Stars podcast on Monday.

His thoughts on newly-signed Sergei Gonchar: “You can look at his resume up and down and it’s something you don’t see too many bad things on for sure. I don’t know how many games exactly but he’s a guy that can really help the power play, really help moving the puck. He brings a lot of experience, a Stanley Cup and a guy I’m really excited to learn from and kind of bounce some things off and just see how he is. You look at a guy who has been able to last in the league for as long as he has, 39 years old and who is still impacting as much as he has, he’s obviously doing something right. Hopefully he can let me in on some of his secrets.”

RED WINGS’ PROSPECT SHEAHAN MATURING

The Detroit Free Press notes how maturing has been part of the process for center Riley Sheahan, considered one of the Red Wings’ top prospects.

A bizarre fall drunken-driving arrest in Grand Rapids in which Sheahan, then 20, was wearing a Teletubby costume resulted in a one-game suspension and the organization seeking help for him. His blood-alcohol content level was registered at .30, more than four times the legal driving limit in Michigan.

“Coming in from a school where the schedules are a little different and you’re playing with guys your own age, you get a little more leeway to slack off,” Sheahan said of the maturation process. “Here (with the Grand Rapid Griffins), as the season has gone on, I’ve definitely learned a lot.”

WILD EXTEND RFA SCANDELLA

The Minneapolis Star Tribune goes over the signing of restricted free agent defenseman Marco Scandella, who got a two-year deal worth $2.05 million.

Scandella requires waivers next year, so he’s got the inside track to making next year’s squad after spending most of this past season in the minors.

The other key restricted free agents from last year’s NHL lineup are Cal Clutterbuck, Jared Spurgeon and Justin Falk.

WHAT THEY’RE TWEETING ABOUT

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