Player News

Date: Team: Pos:

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy received just 2:37 of ice time in Game 4 despite Wednesday night's game spilling into overtime.

After the match against the Boston Bruins, head coach Joel Quenneville simply said that Leddy is "fine." He can be cryptic, but the indication is that he's not in a good place. It wouldn't be shocking if he was a healthy scratch in Game 5.
Jun 20 - 1:10 AM

Tuukka Rask yielded six goals on 47 shots in Boston's 6-5 overtime loss to Chicago on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

This is a game that the Blackhawks really needed to have and one in which the Bruins' netminder wish he'd been a little sharper. The netminder was beaten on a few second chances and seemed to be off positionally at times, a result of Chicago's net-front presence. Rask has been on such a tear in the playoffs that his goals-against average only rose to 1.83 and his save percentage slid to .941. Sportsnet's Daren Millard even pointed out that it was only the fifth time in Rask's entire career (regular season and playoffs) that he's given up at least five goals in a game. It was also a rare contest in which the Bruins' defense seemed a bit overwhelmed, too. We have a feeling Rask will bounce back in Game 5.
Jun 20 - 12:08 AM

Patrice Bergeron notched two goals for the Bruins, but they fell 6-5 in overtime in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final versus the Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

With all things even right now and each team's goalie enduring an "off" night, the talented two-way center has emerged as a legitimate Conn Smythe contender. Bergeron now has four goals in the Final, and he's recorded nine goals and 15 points in 20 playoff games thus far. Boston never held a lead in this game, going down by two goals twice. Rich Peverley, Milan Lucic and Johnny Boychuk were the other goal scorers for the Bruins. Veterans Zdeno Chara and Jaromir Jagr each picked up two helpers apiece. Lucic had a game-high eight hits.
Jun 19 - 11:55 PM

Corey Crawford eked out a win despite giving up five goals in the Blackhawks' 6-5 overtime triumph against the Bruins on Wednesday night.

Despite making 28 saves, Crawford did not have his best game in this one, and it's clear that Boston has found a way to beat him on a pretty consistent basis. All five of the Bruins' goals went to Crawford's glove side and, as TSN pointed out, 10 of the 12 goals in the series have beaten him that way. That being said, Crawford certainly made some big saves when he needed to most, especially in overtime when he was five-for-five. Chicago has now made this a best-of-three series.
Jun 19 - 11:46 PM

Brent Seabrook scored the overtime game-winning goal for the Blackhawks in their 6-5 victory Wednesday night against the Bruins.

The Blackhawks prevail in the wildest game of the Stanley Cup Final yet, pulling them even in the series, 2-2. Three of the four tilts have gone overtime, but this one was a totally different beast as offense led the way. These two teams combined for 12 goals in the entire series prior to this game. Chicago got on the board first with Michal Handzus' shorthanded marker, and it then took two two-goal advantages: 3-1 (with goals from Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane) and 4-2 (with a goal from Marcus Kruger). Patrick Sharp netted a goal in the third period to give the Hawks a 5-4 lead as well. Kane also notched an assist. Michal Rozsival picked up two assists and was a game-high plus-three, while Sharp led the way with eight shots on goal. Niklas Hjalmarsson finished a game-low minus-three. We are lucky to be witnessing a tremendous Stanley Cup Final.

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello remains committed to bringing back David Clarkson.

Clarkson, who had 15 goals and nine helpers this season, is set to be an unrestricted free agent. "We’ll do everything we can to sign him," Lamoriello said. "We’re not looking to do anything else."
Source: ESPN.com
Jun 19 - 8:54 PM

Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said the Lightning will "consider" using their buyout options this offseason.

"It’s something to consider. … Given that we finished in 28th place, we should be looking at every possibility of improving our team and what are options are," Yzerman said. "Other than that, I can’t say much." Vincent Lecavalier could be bought out as he is 33 with seven years left on a deal with a cap hit of close to $8 million.
Source: ESPN.com
Jun 19 - 8:49 PM

Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher reiterated his team's interest in re-signing Niklas Backstrom.

Backstrom had a 2.48 goals-against average and .909 save percentage this season. "We’ve had some conversations with his representation, and had a good meeting with Niklas before he went back to Finland," Fletcher said. "I think clearly he would like to come to back to Minnesota. We certainly would like to have him back. So the will is there from both parties. Now we just have to find a way, with respect to term and the cap and how do we manage all of that."
Source: ESPN.com
Jun 19 - 8:42 PM

Jonathan Bernier is eager to be a starting goaltender somewhere.

"I’m still part of the L.A. Kings and it’s been a great ride, but I feel really confident and I want to get to the next level to get a real chance to hopefully be a No. 1 somewhere," Bernier told ESPN.com. "I’m sure the Kings will make the right decision. If I’m staying there, I’m staying there. If not, I’m ready for the challenge." Pierre LeBrun notes the Flyers, Leafs, Islanders, Wild and the Panthers as "in the mix" for the Kings' back-up netminder.
Source: ESPN.com
Jun 19 - 8:38 PM

The Wild are unlikely to re-sign Pierre-Marc Bouchard

Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher told RDS' Renaud Lavoie that it will be a "challenge" to bring the forward back. Bouchard is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The 29-year-old had eight goals and 12 assists in 43 games this season and was once very productive on the power play.
Jun 19 - 8:31 PM

Marian Hossa is in the Blackhawks' lineup Wednesday night.

This just confirms what was expected. Hossa missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury. Jamal Mayers is a healthy scratch.
Jun 19 - 8:26 PM

Miikka Kiprusoff is thought to be leaning toward retirement.

Calgary GM Jay Feaster got that impression after the two spoke last week. Kiprusoff admitted that he was considering retirement during the 2013 campaign. He missed 13 games with a knee injury and didn't post very good numbers in the lockout-shortened season, so it might be a good time to call it a career.
Jun 19 - 6:15 PM

Toronto GM Dave Nonis said that he "would not rule out bringing Clarke [MacArthur] back."

MacArthur can become an unrestricted free agent in July if a new deal isn't reached with the Maple Leafs. He had eight goals and 20 points in 40 games during the regular season and three points in five contests in the playoffs. Nonis added that the Leafs haven't made much progress with any of their potential UFAs and RFAs yet.
Jun 19 - 5:46 PM

Richard Bachman will be a restricted free agent next month, but Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News doesn't think he'll get a qualifying offer from the Stars.

He is guessing that Dallas will allow him to test the market as an unrestricted free agent, but they may offer him a two-way deal if they want to keep him in the fold. Cristopher Nilstorp got a one-year, two-way extension from Dallas this week, but the team may want to bring in another veteran goaltender to compete for a backup job.
Jun 19 - 5:19 PM

Colorado executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic generated a great deal of buzz when he said the team would likely draft a forward first overall at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

That would the team would pass on defenseman Seth Jones, who is believed to be the top prospect by several pundits heading in the draft. Sakic apparently has Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Alexander Barkov ahead of Jones on his draft chart. However, it is also possible that the Avalanche are playing coy and they could be trying to elicit trade offers from teams that want to move up to select Jones with the top pick. Whether this was strategy or honesty, Sakic has certainly made it interesting going into the 2013 draft.
Source: Denver Post
Jun 19 - 5:08 PM



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