Posts Tagged Phoenix Coyotes

Morning Hits: Kings-Sharks time set, NHL awards, RSE has agreement to purchase Coyotes, Maloney re-signs

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL News on May 25th, 2013

  • Pierre LeBrun: With the Penguins win, the Sharks and Kings will play on Sunday at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET.
  • Stephen Whyno: The NHL will hand out their year end awards the night before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
  • Bob McKenzie: A Canucks candidate for their head coaching position could be LA Kings assistant coach John Stevens.
  • Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona: Multiple sources are saying that the NHL has an agreement with Renaissance Sports and Entertainment (RSE) to sell the Phoenix Coyotes. RSE is headed by George Gosbee and Anthony LeBlanc. Gosbee and LeBlance, along with Gary Bettman and Bill Daly, will meet with city officials on Tuesday in attempt to reach a deal. They’ll have a meeting with Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers, then two meetings with three council members each.

    “Gary (Bettman) told us all along that if the league had three suitors for the team, they wouldn’t come to us until they had selected one that they felt was the best group,” Sherwood said. “That is exactly has happened.”

    RSE may be looking for between $13-$15 million from the city annually to manage the arena. If RSE isn’t able to reach an agreement with Glendale, there could be two other groups that are interested.

  • NHL.com: Coyotes GM Don Maloney signed a long-term contract extension.

    “We are very pleased that Don has agreed to sign a long-term contract extension with the Coyotes,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement issued by the team. “Since joining the team in 2007, Don has done an outstanding job managing his team and building a competitive roster that has produced on the ice, even given less than ideal circumstances off the ice. The NHL remains committed to securing the Coyotes’ future in Glendale under new ownership, and we believe Don’s long-term agreement evidences that he is equally committed.”

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Morning Hits: Roy and Radulov, Stoll, Jets injuries, Bobrosky’s contract, Fleury and other goaltending scenarios

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Free Agents, NHL Injuries, NHL News, NHL Rumors on May 24th, 2013

  • Dan Rosen: If the Senators win Game 5 tonight, Game 6 will go on Sunday at 7:30 pm, moving the Kings-Sharks to 10 pm. If the Penguins win, the Kings-Sharks will be at 8 pm.
  • Josh Cooper: Cooper points out that Patrick Roy and Alexander Radulov had a good rapport when Radulov was in Quebec. The Predators have been unable to trade Radulov for the last year.
  • Jon Rosen: Kings Jarret Stoll rode the stationary bike on Wednesday. He was at the area yesterday but not skating.
  • Tim Campbell of the Winnipeg Free Press: Jets Evander Kane won’t need surgery for his wrist problem and lower leg/foot nerve damage. Tobias Enstrom’s bad back only needs rest. Mark Stuart’s sports hernia doesn’t require surgery. Zach Bogosian missed the final three games of the season with a concussion.
  • Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: The Blue Jackets and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky contract talks have stalled.

    “We’ve talked. We’ve exchanged ideas,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said this week. “But we haven’t made any progress, really. It’s been pretty quiet for a while now.”

    The RFA will be looking for a nice raise from this $1.7 million he made last year. The Blue Jackets will send him a qualifying offer, but he’ll reject it. Bobrovsky could get an offer sheet, with the Blue Jackets having seven days to match.

    “That’s something we can’t control,” Kekalainen said. “It’s obvious what we’re going to do if it goes that far. We have great ownership; committed ownership. We would match any offer there might be, but I’m optimistic we won’t get to that point.”

  • Aaron Portzline: Portzline wonders if the Bobrovsky talks drag into July, would the Flyers try to sign him to an offer sheet.
  • Craig Custance of ESPN: Custance wonders if Marc-Andre Fleury’s days in Pittsburgh could be numbered. GM Ray Shero could trade Fleury and his $5 million salary cap hit through 2014-15, and go with Tomas Vokoun and a young, cheaper goalie. It’s a move that may upset the balance in a close Penguins dressing room.

    “Guys will bleed for him. I wouldn’t hold your breath to think Pittsburgh is going to do something rash,” one NHL source said. “Marc-Andre Fleury has one thing in his corner — that’s called the Stanley Cup. Once accomplished, you know he can get it done.”

    The Blackhawks may have to consider putting Ray Emery to see if he can spark the Hawks. GM Stan Bowman may look at his goaltending situation in the summer if they lose to the Red Wings. Emery will be a UFA this summer. The Hawks are just over $2 million under the cap for next year with 21 players signed. Other UFA goalies this year: Mike Smith, Niklas Backstrom, Nikolai Khabibulin and Evgeni Nabokov. Emery could be a great fit with the Islanders or Coyotes if they don’t re-sign Smith, possibly the Sabres if they trade Ryan Miller or the Wild if they don’t keep Backstrom.

  • Katie Strang: The Cap Advantage Recapture Rule could really hurt the Rangers, as well as many other veterans. If Brad Richards were to retire in 2017, it would cost the Rangers $5.66 million in 2017, $8.5 million in 2018 and $17 million in 2019.

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Coach and GM Notes: Roy, Maloney, Canucks, Tippett and Tortorella

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL News, NHL Rumors on May 24th, 2013

  • Adrian Dater: The Colorado Avalanche have hired Patrick Roy to be their head coach and VP of hockey operations.
  • Graham Taylor: Coyotes GM Don Maloney has or is close to signing a contract extension.
  • Pierre LeBrun: The Canucks are not in a rush to name a new head coach. They have a broad list of obvious and less obvious names.
  • Bob McKenzie: Coyotes Dave Tippett is a legit candidate for any coaching position. UFA on July 1st.
  • Marc Savard: “Tortorella should get fired right after the game he has ruined all of his players confidence.”
  • Rob Vollman: “Of NHL games coached by former NHL players, only 4.1% were by goalies. And their teams fared the worst. HoF vs non-HoF: no difference.”

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Morning Hits: Wolski, Scott, Brunner, Roy and Hemsky

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Free Agents, NHL News, NHL Rumors on May 20th, 2013

  • Renaud Lavoie: The Sabres signed John Scott to a one-year deal at $750,000.
  • Adrian Dater of the Denver Post: A source confirmed that Patrick Roy is a strong candidate for the Avalanche head coaching position. Roy was offered the position in 2009, but turned it down.
  • Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: Ales Hemsky’s days with the Oilers could be coming to an end. GM Craig MacTavish isn’t going to pay $5 million a season for a second line winger with world-class ability.  His knock is missing too many games due to injury.

    “I don’t think there’s a market for him … I shouldn’t say there’s no market,” said former NHL general Craig Button, who now works for TSN. “But the salary cap is coming down to $64.3 million. He makes $5 million for one more year. Would the Oilers pick up half of that to trade him, 50-50 (with another team)? That would still free up $2.5 million in cap space for the Oilers.

    “I don’t know if they can get something tangible in return for Hemsky. Andrew Cogliano got the Oilers a second-round draft (pick). I don’t know if they can get that for Hemsky,” Button said.

    “He’d be rolling along, on pace for 80 points, and bang, he gets hurt. He’s not reliable (to possible trade suitors).”

    Western Conference teams that might be interested: Predators, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Blues, Coyotes and Jets (moving next season). If the Red Wings lose Valtteri Filppula, Hemsky could be an option if they only have to pay $4 million.

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Morning hits: Stars, Ducks Canucks, Price, Kaberle, Blues, Coyotes bid rejected, Dion’s days numbered?

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Free Agents, NHL News, NHL Rumors on May 14th, 2013

  • Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: Matheson laughing at a fan site suggesting a Loui Eriksson trade to the Islanders for Ryan Strome and Michael Grabner, and with Islanders fans saying they wouldn’t trade either straight up for Eriksson. Matheson does note that Eriksson could be in play for a front-line center. The Stars also have some defenseman that could be on the move.

    The Stars have lots of young defencemen looking for regular work — Jamie Oleksiak, Joe Morrow and Kevin Connauton — which makes trading Trevor Daley or Alex Goligoski certainly plausible.

    Matheson wonders if the Ducks would take a run at Stephen Weiss.

    Matheson thinks with the Canucks at $63.5 million for 16 players for next season, will use their buyouts on David Booth and Keith Ballard. Both have two years left at $4.2 million cap hits. Mason Raymond is likely gone as a UFA.

  • Dave Stubbs: Addressing a Canadiens Carey Price rurmor: “Price asking for a trade would need to travel a million miles just to reach ludicrous.”
  • John Lu: Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said a decision on a compliance buyout for Tomas Kaberle hasn’t been made yet.
  • Jeremy Rutherford: Blues playoff issue. Rutherford knew fans who didn’t buy tickets as they didn’t know when the games were starting soon enough. The Blues didn’t sell out three playoff home games.
  • Norm Sanders of the News-Democrat: (h/t Pro Hockey Talk) Blues GM Doug Armstrong on their need for more scoring.

    “This is a public cry that for any GMs that have 50-goal scorers that they want to send to St. Louis, give me a call,” he joked. “This doesn’t happen, you have to deal in reality. The reality is with free agency the way it is now, teams tie up those elusive top-end goal scorers.

    “They draft them. (Evgeni) Malkin, (Sidney) Crosby, (John) Tavares, (Steven) Stamkos were drafted by those teams.”

    The Blues will send qualifying offers to all of their free agents.

    “We’re going to negotiate to try to sign every player that’s a restricted free agent,” he said. “Ownership understands that the window is open now and we have to take care of our own. I don’t see this being a huge free-agency off-season for us. I see it more as taking care of our own business — and then seeing if we want to rearrange some of the chairs via trade.

  • Scott Burnside of ESPN: The NHL has rejected California investment banker Darin Pastor’s bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes.

    “We have rejected the offer. It didn’t include the elements we had previously discussed were necessary to warrant serious consideration,” Daly said in an email Monday night.

    It was rumored that he was willing to pay upwards of $277 million with $42 million in cash at closing, though that seems unlikely as it would be hard for the NHL to walk away from that.

  • David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail: (h/t Lyle Richardson in the Hockey News) Shoalts piece was written last Thursday after Dion Phaneuf’s pinch that cost the Leafs the game. Shoalts thinks that Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis should move to Plan B and “The plan should include quietly putting Phaneuf on the trade market no later than the NHL draft at the end of June. Nonis will not hit a home run with a trade, nor should he expect to thanks to Phaneuf’s erratic play.” A deal would may only get a modest return, but Nonis should accept it. Phaneuf has a year left with a $6.5 salary cap hit and may not take a pay cut from the Leafs.
  • Tim Wharnsby of CBC: h/t Lyle Richardson in the Hockey News) Wharnsby’s piece was written last Thursday. Wharnsby wonders if Dion Phaneuf’s days in Toronto are numbered. He continues to make the same mistakes he made as a rookie in 2005. Nonis may have to make a decision by draft. The Leafs have organizational depth on the blue line. Nonis would have to feel that Jake Gardiner is ready for a bigger role. Cody Franson may be ready for a bigger role.
  • James Mirtle: On Phaneuf: Mirtle would be surprised if the Maple Leafs didn’t re-sign him.
  • John Lu: Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin on order of positions that mature the fastest: wingers, centers, defensemen and goalies.

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Morning Hits: Sunday’s schedule, West scenarios, Hart nominees, Neilsen, Spezza, Avalanche and Canadiens

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Free Agents, NHL Injuries, NHL News, NHL Rumors on May 11th, 2013

  • Matt Pepin of the Boston Globe: Sunday’s schedule:

    4:30 p.m.: Washington Capitals at New York Rangers Game 6
    7 p.m.: New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins, Game 7-x
    7:30 p.m.: Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 6
    10 p.m.: Detroit Red Wings at Anaheim Ducks, Game 7-x

  • Eric Stephens: “If Ducks win Sunday, it’s ANA-LA and SJ-CHI. If DET wins, it plays CHI and SJ faces LA.”
  • John Shannon: Sounding like there is progress being made between the IIHF, NHL, NHLPA regarding the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The major issues remaining appear to be “logistics in Sochi and cost of travel and insurance and who pays.” If/when an agreement is reached, the NHL will be shut down from February 8th to February 25th, 2014.
  • Arthur Staple of Newsday: Islanders Frans Neilsen left Game 5 against the Penguins in the 3rd period and his status for Game 6 is unknown.
  • Allen Panzeri of the Ottawa Citizen: Sounds like there is a chance that Jason Spezzawill get back into the Senators lineup for round two. He’s been skating with the black aces/reserves.

    “I think that over the weekend, probably, he’ll continue to work hard and we’ll see then.

    “It’ll then be up to Jason and (coach) Paul (MacLean) to decide if he’s going to practise with the team or take a little longer.

    “But there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

  • Colorado Avalanche: The Avalanche did some management restructuring. Josh Kroenke will be the teams president, replacing Pierre Lacroix, who will stay on as an advisor. Joe Sakic will be their Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and Greg Shermanwill remain as the general manager.

    “Greg Sherman will work with Joe in managing the day-to-day business operations of the team as General Manager,” added Kroenke. “I know he is just as optimistic as Joe and I are about the future of our team.”

  • Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: Coyotes coach Dave Tippett’s contract expires on June 30th and would be a home run hire by the Avalanche if they get the opportunity to talk to him. The uncertainty of the ownership situation has left the Coyotes coaching staff and general manager in limbo as they would all like to know where the team may be located before signing deals.
  • Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette: Michael Ryder will be one of the Canadiens top free agents heading into the offseason, but they may not be willing to match the money or term that others may offer. Colby Armstrong and Jeff Halpren will be UFAs. Halpren may be worth bringing back. RFAs include: Michael Blunden, Ryan White, Petteri Nokelainen and Gabriel Dumont.

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Morning Hits: Briere, Smith, Bryzgalov, Elias, Iginla, Laviolette, Byfuglien, Whitney and the Hurricanes

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Free Agents, NHL News, NHL Rumors on April 29th, 2013

  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: If the Flyers buyout Daniel Briere, he could end up in Montreal.Coyotes Mike Smith is looking for $6 million a year and has refused to sign a deal with the Coyotes.

    Smith could be an option in Philadelphia if they buyout Ilya Bryzgalov. Flyers management is split on buying him out now or waiting to see how he does next year, and if it’s not good, then buy him out next spring.

    Garrioch has heard there is about a 50/50 chance that Patrick Elias returns to the Devils. The Flyers, Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Red Wings and Sharks will all be looking for help upfront.

    Jarome Iginla signing with the Stars could be a good bet.

  • Dave Isaac of the Courier Post: Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said you can expect Peter Laviolette back as the Flyers coach next season. They will keep the same system in place, and there won’t be an overhaul of players.
  • Dave Isaac of the Courier Post: Flyers GM Paul Holmgren has said that Ilya Bryzgalov’s eccentric personality isn’t a problem. Forward Daniel Briere understands the situation. If the Flyers buy him out, it would cost them $3.3 million over four years.
  • Derek Van Diest of the Edmonton Sun: Oilers UFA defenseman Ryan Whitney thinks it’s probably in his best interests to get a fresh start somewhere else next season.

    “I think I can still play, I’ve proven that I can,” Whitney said. “Obviously there were some games where I didn’t play well, but there were a stretch of games where I thought I did play well. It’s been a tough couple of years here, I’m just kind of looking forward to a fresh start.”

  • Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer: Hurricanes Tuomo Ruutu will have hip surgery. GM Jim Rutherford likes his core group, but there will be some new faces next year. They have to decide on their UFAs: Chad LaRose, Tim Brent, Joe Corvo, Bobby Sanguinetti, Marc-Andre Bergeron and Dan Ellis. Their blue line will be a priority for Rutherford.

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Roster and Goalie Notes: Callahan, Clowe, Bolland, Emery, Pominville, Forsberg and starting goalies

Posted by Mark Easson in Fantasy Hockey News, NHL Injuries, NHL News, NHL Starting Goalies on April 26th, 2013

  • Andrew Gross: Rangers Ryan Callahan may have hurt his hand blocking a shot last night and is not at practice today. Derek Dorsett is in a non-contact jersey. Jim Cerny: Ryane Clowe is not practicing today. Kris Newbury is practicing.
  • Collene Kane: Blackhawks Dave Bolland and Ray Emery are out tonight and tomorrow. Coach Joel Quenneville said that Carter Hutton and Ryan Stanton could play.
  • Renaud Lavoie: Wild winger Jason Pominville won’t play tonight.
  • David Alter: Maple Leafs lines: Lupul-Kadri-Kessel, Komarov-Colborne-Kulemin, JVR-Grabovski-macArthur, McClement-hamilton-Orr-Frattin-mcLaren.
  • Chris Kuc: Corey Crawford will start in net for the Blackhawks.
  • Rich Chere: Johan Hedberg will start in net for the Devil.

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Morning Hits: Stars offseason, Miller lists townhouse, Oilers could make several moves this offseason and Forsberg to AHL

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Entry Draft, NHL Free Agents, NHL News, NHL Rumors on April 26th, 2013

  • Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News: (from a chat) Heika thinks the Stars could look at a right handed center in the draft or on the right wing. Elias Lindholm will likely be gone by the time they pick. Sean Monahan, Bo Horvat, Frederik Gauthier and Alex Wennberg could be options. The Stars might be willing to move up in the order to get the player they want. At some point the Stars will have to look at trading a defenseman. They may need to turn them into a more physical and/or a right handed defenseman or depth upfront. Defensemen Trevor Daley, Alex Goligoski, Stephane Robidas, Philip Larsen, Joe Morrow and Kevin Connauton are similar players. It may take moving two or three and replacing with one. Stephane Robidas, Trevor Daley or Alex Goligoski could be candidates to be moved. Jordie Benn is a UFA and likely not coming back.
  • John Vogl of the Buffalo News: Ryan Miller has put a for sale sign on his Buffalo townhouse.

    “I don’t know which way it’s going to go, so I’m not going to talk like I’m gone,” Miller said today. “I think I’ve got a lot more hockey in me, so being able to just kind of reflect and enjoy a moment is nice, but it’s going to be another hockey game and I have to prepare and compete.”

  • David Staples of the Edmonton Journal: TSN’s Bob McKenzie said on Wednesday that the Oilers could consider trading their 1st round pick this year.

    “If you’re going to be bold, that’s certainly a bold move. What the Edmonton Oilers really don’t need is another 18-year-old blue chipper. They need some help right now and using that first round pick as currency could get them that help right now.”

    “They may use the pick, but they may try and parlay it into something immediate.”

    McKenzie added that if they keep the pick, they could look for a strong, physical center or a defenseman. Defenseman Darnell Nurse would be one possibility.

    TSN’s Darren Dreger added that GM Craig MacTavish may look to make as many as six changes:

    “He wants to upgrade in all areas, starting in goal.”

    Devan Dubnyk has been OK, Dreger said, “but the Oilers will look to improve.”

    Dreger speculates goalies Ryan Miller, Jonathan Bernier or Mike Smith. On defense they could look at Kevin Shattenkirk, Andrew Ference or Mark Streit. At forward they could look at Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, David Clarkson and Matt Hendricks.

  • Josh Cooper: The Predators send Filip Forsberg to Milwaukee of the AHL.

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Morning Hits: Smith, Sabres, Luongo, Blues, Oilers, Iginla and Kessel

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL News on April 21st, 2013

  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun:  Coyotes Mike Smith, GM Don Maloney and coach Dave Tippett don’t have contracts for next season. Smith is seeking $6 million a season.The Sabres could fire GM Darcy Regier and replace him Rick Dudley. Regier could be kept on in a consultants role.The Canucks won’t amnesty buyout Roberto Luongo. GM Mike Gillis still believes that someone will trade for him. Luongo may have to expand his list. The Oilers made a pitch last summer, but he didn’t want to go there. Same with Toronto.

    Players in St. Louis may be getting tired of coach Ken Hitchcock’s antics. The picking them apart and calling them out is getting old for some.

    Oilers GM Craig MacTavish may look to make a trade that has immediate results. Two players that teams may target are Sam Gagner and Ales Hemsky.

    Jarome Iginla could end up signing with the Kings after July 5th.

  • James Mirtle: It seems unlikely that the Maple Leafs won’t re-sign Phil Kessel before his contract runs out after next season.

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Morning Hits: B’s and Pens, UFAs Smith and Clarkson, Dubinsky, Forensic investigation, Flyers buyout and Brodeur starts

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Free Agents, NHL News, NHL Rumors on April 20th, 2013

  • Pierre LeBrun: NHL announces that the Bruins-Penguins game will definitely be played today at 12:30.
  • Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: The Coyotes uncertainty will play a role in where UFA Mike Smith will end up. He might be interested remaining in Phoenix, but what if they end up relocating somewhere else? A comparable for Smith could be Jimmy Howard, around $5.3 million.

    “From February of last year and through the playoffs, Mike was as good as any goaltender in the league,” said Maloney, one of the NHL’s sharpest minds. “This year, not quite so good. We’re not a cap team and we have to be careful when we’re talking a contract with a five or six in term. We can’t make a mistake.

    “You look at the top goalies, the Lundqvists of the world … They’ve done it for three, four, five years in a row and they’ve attained a certain level.

    “The long and short of it is Mike is a terrific talent, and if you take a snapshot of what he did last season with what he’s done in his career … we have some, I wouldn’t say uncertainty, but there is a bit of caution there.”

  • Daren Millard: Ken Daneyko said that the Devils probably can’t afford to pay UFA David Clarkson $5 to $5.5 million a season. They might have to let him walk.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun:  Senators owner Eugene Melnyk won’t talk about the forensic investigation involving the incident where Matt Cooke sliced Erik Karlsson’s Achillies tendon.

    “Look, it’s got nothing to do with settling down,” said Melnyk. “I’ve committed to not say anything about it until we’ve completed everything we need to do, and speak to the league about it.

    “I’ll do anything I have to do to protect my players. It’s as simple as that, and that’s exactly what I’m doing there, and after that I can’t really comment.

    “It’ll take a couple of months before anything really comes out.”

  • Sasm Donnellon of the Philadelphia Daily News: Donnellon wonders if the Flyers should use an amnesty buyout on Daniel Briere or Ilya Bryzgalov. Briere is due $5 million total over the next two years, but carries a $6.5 million salary cap hit. Briere wants to stay in Philadelphia, Bryzgalov doesn’t seem to care. The 33-year old is under contract till he’s 40. The Flyers have Steve Mason under contract next season at $1.5 million.
  • Tom Gulitti: Martin Brodeur will start in net for the Devils against the Panthers.

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Injury Notes: Salvador, Kovalchuk, Calvert, Gunnarsson, Smith and Korpikoski

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Injuries, NHL News on April 20th, 2013

  • Tom Gulitti: Devils defenseman Bryce Salvador on returning from his bruised wrist: ”It looks like I’m going to run out of time.”
  • Tom Gulitti: Devils Ilya Kovalchuk wants to play again this season, even if they are eliminated. He has had no thought of shutting it down.
  • Tom Gulitti of the Bergon Recond: It’s sounding like Kovalchuk could play today.

    “I felt the best so far that I felt,” Kovalchuk said. “I feel pretty confident. I took a couple of one-timers and a little bit of contact, so it’s good.”

    “I feel much better than even a couple of days ago,” Kovalchuk said. “With that kind of injury, it’s not just ups and downs. It’s always the same and then you make progress. It’s almost four weeks now, so I feel much better definitely, but if I’m going to play or not, you should ask Pete.”

  • Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets winger Matt Calvert broke his finger on Thursday against the Kings. There is no timeline yet, but it could be two to four weeks, according to Calvert.
  • Jonas Siegel: Maple Leafs Carl Gunnarsson hopes to play tonight against the Senators.
  • Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic: Coyotes Mike Smith has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, but he could return today. Smith skated for 45 minutes yesterday.

    “That’s a positive sign,” Tippett said about Smith. “So we’ll see where he’s at (Saturday) morning.”

    Coyotes winger Lauri Korpikoski, who has been out with an upper-body injury, could return as well.

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