Nichols' Notes
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A source tells Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Dave Molinari that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will have arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist this week. Crosby is not expected to miss any playing time because of it in the coming season and although it's not known when the injury happened, it is believed to have impacted his playoff performance. The source tells Molinari that Crosby "did play with a terrible wrist."
Star Tribune writer Michael Russo examines star Minnesota Wild defensive prospects Christian Folin and Matt Dumba.
“[Folin] is physically mature, he’s big and strong and the other thing with him, he’s not 19 years old,” assistant General Manager Brent Flahr said. “But we’re not putting any restraints on [Dumba]. He got a taste of it last year [by playing 13 games for the Wild]. That was the point.
“Could we use a right-shot guy that could blast the puck? Absolutely. What [Dumba] does well, we really need, but at the same time, we’re not going to rush him. If he’s just going to play seven minutes a night and no special-teams time, well, he’s not going to be here. He’s going to be in Iowa and playing a ton and getting better.”
George Richards of The Miami Herald profiles Florida Panthers prospect Rocco Grimaldi, who left the University of North Dakota to sign his three-year entry level deal.
“He’s such a dynamic player,” said Brian Skrudland, the Panthers’ director of player development, said of the 5-6 forward.
“When I went to North Dakota and was sitting in the crowd, I felt so proud that Rocco Grimaldi was a Panther. People were talking about him, saying in warmups, ‘Watch that little guy, he’s going to light it up.’ He never disappoints. He comes with an effort and has a great attitude.”
If you’re looking for insight into what sort of mindset new Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Doug Lidster is bringing to town, Jason Botchford from The Province has it.
“I was given a bit of advice from Brian Ellerman when I was coaching in junior,” Lidster said. “He said: ‘They don’t care what you know, until they know you care.’
“I don’t think it matters what level you’re at. You have to build that trust (with) players. You have to build that relationship.
“When they know you are out there, and you have the same common goal, and they trust you, that’s where your relationship starts.
“If there’s a message a player doesn’t want to hear, if they know it’s coming from the heart and it’s going in the right direction and it’s meant to help, they’ll respond.”
He continued.
“It works the other way, too,” Lidster said. “I think it’s just as important for us to listen to the players and communicate with them.
“It’s not a dictatorship at all.”
Nice write-up on Toronto Maple Leafs defensive prospect Viktor Loov from The Star’s Kevin McGran.
Loov was a seventh round pick in 2012. European scout Thommie Bergman, who uncovered Anton Stralman, Leo Komarov and Carl Gunnarsson in the later rounds, is given credit.
“Loov is very talented,” said Jim Hughes, director of player development. “He’s graceful on his skates. A big body that plays physical. He’s looking for open-ice hits. He moves the puck, but what separates him is his skating ability.
“He skates on top of the ice. He doesn’t lose any traction. He gains speed. He’s got great power, great explosion, great acceleration. It makes everything in his game easier because his skating is so strong.”
Calgary Flames head coach Bob Hartley likes the depth his team will have this year, as relayed via The Sun’s Wes Gilbertson. Nothing will be handed to the rookies, and the veterans will also know what to expect.
“Looking at the work we did last year, the guys know what kind of training camp they’ll be facing,” Hartley said. “As coaches, we look at our lineup, and I’m sure that players look at the lineup also, and they try to position themselves. Well … the best way that they can position themselves is to be in the gym every day and to be in the best shape of their life. That’s going to be Step 1.
“The veterans that we had last year in the lineup, there was no passengers. Everyone was out there working hard. Those are the standards that we created last year, so there’s no reason that we’re going to change this.
“Even we’re going to be more demanding.”
Winnipeg Jets winger Evander Kane was on Team 1040 Tuesday.
On if he wants to play for the Jets anymore:
"Well, I think I'm a Winnipeg Jet right now and there's been speculation, rumours for the three years since I got there. So, we'll see what happens and we'll carry on as I'm a Winnipeg Jet."
There's not a 'yes' in there. And some Jets fans might say 'Why doesn't he want to play for us' or 'Why isn't he absolutely, fully on board for playing for us?' You're shaking your finger at me.
"No, I think I'm training hard and getting ready for the season and last summer I didn't have a full summer of training due to some surgery I had, so I found it really important for me to start training early and get myself in the best shape possible for this upcoming season. So that's my focus."
What did you make of what the club did in free agency?
"I think Perreault, he's a good player. I think he's going to bring a lot more depth to the centre ice position. He's played with good players before. He was in Washington, played with guys like Ovechkin and Backstrom and whatnot. Anaheim, Getzlaf and Perry. They had guys like Bonino. He's played on good teams so, I think he'll bring some playoff experience as well to that group."
Do you think the young guys like Scheifele and Trouba will take big steps this year?
"Yeah, I think so. I think they took big jumps this year and those are guys that hopefully they continue to grow and get better and better. It's only going to make for a more positive experience."
What do you make of the divison you're in?
"Tough. Tough. Everyone's improved. So it's going to be tough, but there's no better thing than a challenge."
Via Joe Smith, Tampa Bay Times:
Anton Stralman has had to earn everything in the NHL, having come in as a seventh-round pick in 2005 with the Maple Leafs. He arrived from Sweden as an offensive-minded defenseman who’d spark a power play.
But after being a combined minus-40 in his first four NHL seasons with the Leafs and Blue Jackets, and leaving a 2011 training camp tryout with the Devils without an offer, Stralman knew he had to change. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Swede signed with the Rangers, and adapted his game to a more defensive style under coach John Tortortella. Stralman was a plus-32 in his three seasons in New York while playing heavy minutes.
“It was hard,” Stralman said. “It was obviously a long process. Lots of ups and downs. But going into New York, and obviously with Torts, I knew the way my game was it isn’t going to work. Not going to be able to play, not going to take this chance I was given. So I worked hard to focus on the defensive part of my game. It took me a while but I think I earned Torts’ trust and that really helped me get even more experience and get some good feedback. I knew I was doing something right.”
Great interview with New Jersey Devils head coach Pete DeBoer from NorthJersey.com's Tom Gulitti, who covers a wide range of topics.
On Martin Havlat: “I really feel this is a motivated guy. This is as bottom as he’s been in his career when you look at his last two or three years and the injuries he’s dealt with and some of the things. The fact that he’s one-year deal, he really wants to prove that he’s the player he was three years ago in Minnesota and four years ago in Chicago as opposed to the one the last couple years in San Jose. I think we’re getting a motivated guy and the fact that he’s going to have a comfort level with some of the offensive players on our team – the Jagrs and Eliases and Zidlickys – will set the table for him to have that type of bounce-back year. He’s just got to make it happen.”
DeBoer goes in depth on potential line combinations (including where Michael Cammalleri and Havlat may slot in) and how the defense might look without Mark Fayne and Anton Volchenkov, but with the normal caveat that it’s only July and things will always change.
On Cory Schneider: “This guy more than anybody in the organization and maybe in the league deserves that opportunity. He’s waited for the opportunity. He’s done all the right things. I’m really looking forward the level he can get to playing 60, 65 games.”
The Pioneer Press has an Associated Press story that the Minnesota Wild will be replacing paper tickets with digital ticketing for season ticket holders for the coming season. They'll get a smart card containing all of their info.
Michigan Live's Ansar Khan indicates the Detroit Red Wings have inquired about Buffalo's Tyler Myers, Edmonton's Jeff Petry, Toronto's Cody Franson, but Washington's Mike Green makes the most sense. Khan believes the Wings and Green "are an ideal fit."
Calgary Flames coach Bob Hartley joined Sportsnet 960 Tuesday morning, discussing the team's development camp and what prospects can glean from it. He also touches on the importance of tempering expectations from guys like Sam Bennett and Johnny Gaudreau since it's only July. He agrees with the assessment that his coaching staff, along with GM Brad Treliving and Brian Burke, are operating in perfect harmony.
Hartley was asked where he thought Deryk Engelland might slot in, which drew this response:
"First, every player that we went to get, talking with Brad, talking with Brian, there was one key component that we were looking - we're not looking to diminish the work that we had put in with our culture. Like the hard work. Adding good people. And that's exactly where we focused.
"So we can talk about Engelland, we can talk about Mason Raymond, about Hiller, about Bollig, like all the guys that we went to get. This is something that we share as management and where they will fit - you know, the beauty of training camp... players decide. Like many people, the way they'll play, the way they'll show up in shape, the way that they'll commit after playing exhibition games and everything, players kind of slot themselves and obviously as a coaching staff and as a management group we make maybe the ultimate decision, but it's based on how the players prepare themselves and how they perform in preseason. And then we all know we get some ups and downs and some guys stay very consistent and some guys, they may have some lows or some ups and that's where their roles might vary during the season. But when it comes to Deryk Engelland, he's an unbelievable leader. He's a standup guy, and he's a tough customer that can move fairly well."