Russian Theme at 2014 Draft

The "Russian factor" wasn't much of a distraction for a dozen teams this weekend at the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. It refers to the consideration made by teams, when drafting a player of Russian decent, of the risk associated with that player deciding to sign and play in the Kontinental Hockey League instead of North America. A team drafting a Russian player who then decides to stay in the KHL effectively has wasted a pick. But 12 NHL teams drafted a total of 13 Russian-born players in 2014, the most in eight years. The Montreal Canadiens kicked off the Russian resurgence with the selection of right wing Nikita Scherbak of the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League at No. 26 on Friday. The Moscow native was No. 15 on NHL Central Scouting's final list of the top North American skaters. He was named Saskatoon's most valuable player and rookie of the year after scoring 28 goals and finishing with 78 points in 65 games in his first season in North America. When he was introduced to the Montreal media, Scherbak was taken by surprise. But his opening comments got the ball rolling for what turned out to be an entertaining chat with the media. He was asked what he knew about the Canadiens.

"Oh my God, a lot of people," Scherbak said. "Oh my God. I know Montreal wins a lot of Stanley Cups."

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin acknowledged that he saw a player with a lot of personality and was excited to have the opportunity to draft him. "He's got an appeal to him; he's got confidence. Montreal's a different market, and from what we've seen so far, we feel he could handle that."

Moscow native and right wing Nikolay Goldobin of the Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League was chosen by the San Jose Sharks at No. 27. Goldobin led the Sting and finished sixth in the OHL with 94 points in 67 games. He had 21 goals and 43 points during a 22-game point streak from Nov. 14, 2013, to Jan. 11, 2014. The Sharks targeted Goldobin and traded with the Chicago Blackhawks; in exchange for San Jose's No. 20 and No. 179 selections, the Sharks gained No. 27 and No. 62 from the Blackhawks.

"He's got great hockey sense; [he's] one of the smartest players in the draft," Sharks GM Doug Wilson told the San Jose Mercury News. "He's got a skill set that can be dynamic, but it's the way he sees the game, the way he thinks the game, is historically what allows players to go from that level and be able to play at the next level with really good players."

Three more Russians were selected in the second round Saturday: forward Ivan Barbashev of the Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League went to the St. Louis Blues at No. 33; Vladislav Kamenev of Magnitogorsk in Russia's junior league was taken by the Nashville Predators at No. 42; and Maxim Letunov of the Youngstown Phantoms in the United States Hockey League was taken by the Blues at No. 52. Armstrong acknowledged that Letunov is a work in progress but said the Blues were glad he was available late in the second round.

"We knew there would be a little bit of the 'Russian factor,' so there was a chance [we could get Barbashev]," Blues director of amateur scouting Bill Armstrong said. "Just based on his determination, effort and the type of player he is surprised us a bit that we were able to get him. We love him and are excited about getting him where we did. He's a big skinny kid (6-foot-2, 155 pounds) and still has a long way to go. He'll spend another year in USHL and then three years in college (at Boston University). He'll get his body in shape and get a lot of work in. He's an honest player and plays a two-way game. He has some upside as a second line center."

The "Russian factor" may have cost a few teams a true blue-chip talent at the 2013 draft when right wing Valeri Nichushkin fell to the Dallas Stars at No. 10. Nichushkin scored 14 goals and 34 points with a plus-20 rating in 79 regular-season games for Dallas. He had one goal and two points in six games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Of all the Russian players, Kamenev would seem to draw the most curiousity. He was the first Russian-born player drafted who was playing in Russia. But the Predators saw enough in him to take a chance in the second round.

"Vladislav is a good, big, powerful forward who has very good skills," Nashville pro scout Vaclav Nedomansky said. "He is very good in tight situations where he uses his body and his long reach to hold off opponents. He's got a very good set of skills to create scoring chances, a very good shot, and he's an offensive threat every time he's on the ice."

One of Kamenev's highlights was his performance at the IIHF Under-18 World Junior Championship, when he served as Russia's captain and scored two goals and seven points in five games.

"As a captain, I had a lot of responsibilities and I had to monitor all fields to support players and get them on ice and have talks with everyone at certain times," Kamenev said. "I like to lead by example more than talking though."

Other Russians selected during the weekend: 6-foot-7 defenseman Nikita Tryamkin (No. 66) of Yekaterinburg to the Vancouver Canucks; defenseman Rinat Valiev (No. 68) of the Kootenay Ice in the WHL to the Toronto Maple Leafs; goalie Ilya Sorokin (No. 78) of Novokuznetsk to the New York Islanders; goalie Igor Shesterkin (No. 118) of Spartak 2 to the New York Rangers; center Pavel Kraskovsky (No. 164) of Yaroslav 2 to the Winnipeg Jets; center Radel Fazleev (No. 168) of the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL to the Philadelphia Flyers; goalie Ivan Nalimov (No. 179) of SKA St. Petersburg 2 to the Chicago Blackhawks; center Alexander Kadeykin (No. 201) of Mytischi to the Detroit Red Wings.

St Louis Make Defensive Trade

The Toronto Maple Leafs liked the pieces they had on the blue line last season, they just didn't think they fit together in the puzzle. General manager Dave Nonis said he feels the Maple Leafs addressed that issue Saturday during the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. The Maple Leafs acquired right-handed defenseman Roman Polak from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for left-handed defenseman Carl Gunnarsson and the No. 94 pick in the draft. Prior to the trade, Cody Franson was Toronto's only right-shot veteran, but he's a restricted free agent. Rookie Petter Granberg is a right-shot defenseman but played one NHL game last season. Gunnarsson and Polak each has two years remaining on his contract. Gunnarsson's contract carries an NHL salary-cap charge of $3.15 million; Polak's contract is worth $2.75 million annually. Toronto reportedly retained $200,000 of Gunnarsson's average annual salary in the trade.

"If you look at how our [defense] was put together, we had a lot of the same, particularly down the left side with Gunnar, [Jake] Gardiner, [Morgan] Reilly … so we felt we could use a different look, a right shot, a guy that plays a little harder, more difficult to play against without giving up anything because we still have those other players," Nonis said. "We had an abundance of one thing and we were definitely lacking in the other. I wouldn't say it's a major overhaul by doing something like this, but it does give us a different element and it's a player we didn't really have. We might have that player in Granberg, but he's one year in, so to ask him to play that way and fit in as a top-six right away might be difficult. If he does, then great, and we have more options there."

Gunnarsson, 27, had 17 points and a plus-12 rating in 80 games last season playing primarily in a top-pair role with Dion Phaneuf, who is a left-shot defenseman playing on the right side. Gunnarsson has 86 points in 304 NHL games, all with the Maple Leafs. Nonis said the trade clears room for Gardiner and Reilly to push for more playing time and potentially join Phaneuf on Toronto's top pair.

"Those guys are going to have to take steps forward," Nonis said. "It might be a lot to ask from Morgan in his second year, but he made some pretty big strides last year and we would expect he'll take some more next year. I think Jake is a good possibility as well. That will be up to [coach] Randy [Carlyle] to see what he wants to do with that, but we feel there are other people that can play that role effectively."

Polak, 28, not only gives the Maple Leafs a right shot, but is big (6-foot, 236 pounds), physical and can skate. Nonis and Brendan Shanahan, Toronto's president of hockey operations, commented on Polak's underrated skating ability and said it was an important feature in the trade. He had 13 points and a plus-3 rating in 72 games last season. Shanahan also said Polak gets a high percentage of his shot attempts on goal and he plays hard minutes because he starts the majority of his shifts in the defensive zone.

"People that don't think he has skating ability haven't been watching," Shanahan said. "In this day and age you can't be a guy that just stands in front of the net. You have to be able to skate and move. That's why other teams were looking for him as well."

"He's a tough guy to play against," Nonis said. "You look at the minutes he plays, he plays against team's top players. He is very physical, very strong. I think there's a perception that because he's very big, he's not mobile. I don't think that's true at all. We think that one of his strengths is his skating ability. He's going to provide a little bit of edge, a tough guy to play against, a decent penalty killer and down the right side that's something we didn't have. We've contacted a lot of different people; we'll be talking to them more on the 1^st. If there's a fit there I wouldn't rule out adding a defenseman and/or a forward, but I wouldn't promise it either. I'm not sure what's going to happen on the 1st, where the money is going to go."

Nonis was clear that he's not even close to being done reshaping the Maple Leafs' roster. He said they may be able to make some trades between now and July 1, when the free-agent signing period opens. He added that Toronto will be active in the free-agent market. Shanahan reiterated that the Maple Leafs would like to re-sign center Dave Bolland, who can become an unrestricted free agent. There is a chance Toronto will be in the market for a backup goalie to Jonathan Bernier; James Reimer is a restricted free agent.

Coyotes Select Well at Draft, Release Ribeiro

The Coyotes selected forward Brendan Perlini from Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League in the first round (12th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Friday. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Perlini registered 34-37-71 in 58 games with Niagara this season. He led the IceDogs in goals and finished second on the team in scoring. He was also named the most sportsmanlike IceDog in 2013-14. The 18-year-old native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. recorded 3-1-4 in seven games and won a bronze medal with Canada at the 2014 U-18 World Championship. Perlini ranked eighth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Perlini wears No. 11 as a tribute to his father, Fred, who played eight games with the Toronto Maple Leafs after being drafted 158th overall in the 1980 NHL Draft.

The Coyotes selected eight players on day two of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft at the Wells Fargo Center from Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday. The Coyotes drafted forward Ryan MacInnis, Kitchener (OHL) with the 43rd selection in the second round. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound MacInnis recorded 16-21-37 in 66 games with the Rangers this season. The St. Louis, Mo. native registered 2-3-5 in six games and won a bronze medal with the United States at the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. The 18-year-old MacInnis is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Al MacInnis who was a seven-time All-Star and Stanley Cup champion in his 23 NHL seasons with the St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames. With the 58th overall pick (second round), Arizona selected forward Christian Dvorak, London (OHL). The 6-foot, 178-pound native of Palos, Ill., registered 6-8-14 in 33 games with the Knights this season. In 2012-13, the 18-year-old Dvorak recorded 35-57-92 in 58 games with Chicago Mission U-18. In the third round, the Coyotes selected forward Anton Karlsson, Frolunda Jr. (Sweden Jr.) after acquiring the 87th and 117th selections from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the 73rd overall pick. The 6-foot, 192-pound native of Lerum, Sweden totaled 12-10-22 in 28 games with Frolunda's U-20 team this season. Karlsson was the youngest player on Sweden's silver medal winning team at the 2014 World Junior Championship. He was ranked 11th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. With the 117th overall pick (fourth round), Arizona selected forward Michael Bunting, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL). The 5-foot-11, 174-pound native of Scarborough, Ont. registered 15-27-42 in 48 games with the Greyhounds in 2013-14. He also posted 5-1-6 in nine postseason games. In the fifth round, the Coyotes selected defenseman Dysin Mayo, Edmonton (WHL) with the 133rd overall pick. The 6-foot, 181-pound native of Victoria, B.C. registered 7-28-35 with a plus-17 rating in 63 games with the Oil Kings this season. Mayo added 3-12-15 in 21 postseason contests. With the 163rd overall pick (sixth round), Arizona selected defenseman David Westlund, Brynas Jr. (Sweden Jr.). The 6-foot-2, 198-pound native of Ostersund, Sweden recorded 5-5-10 in 33 games with Brynas this season. Arizona selected forward Jared Fiegl, USA U-18 (USHL) with the 191st pick in the seventh round. The 6-foot-1, 206-pound native of Parker, Col. recorded 1-4-5 in 37 games with the USA U-18 team this season. Fiegl won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2014 IIHF U18 World Championship. The Coyotes' final selection in the 2014 Entry Draft was forward Edgars Kulda, Edmonton (WHL) with the 193rd overall pick in the seventh round. The 6-foot, 178-pound native of Riga, Latvia recorded 30-30-60 and a plus-34 rating in 66 games with the Oil Kings this season. He finished second on the team in postseason scoring with 10-12-22 in 21 contests while his plus-14 postseason rating was tops among all Oil Kings. Kulda added 4-3-7 in five Memorial Cup games and won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the tournament's most valuable player. The Coyotes will hold their prospect development camp from July 8-10 at the Ice Den (9375 East Bell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260).All on-ice sessions will be from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. daily and are free and open to the public.

Coyotes GM Don Maloney issued the following statement today regarding center Mike Ribeiro. “The Coyotes have initiated a buyout of the remaining three years of Mike Ribeiro's contract. The buyout is in accordance with the NHL/NHLPA Collecting Bargaining Agreement. We wish Mike the best of luck in the future and thank him for his contributions with the Coyotes.”

Canucks Trade Kesler to Sucks

Ryan Kesler did his research and decided he has a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Sucks than with the Vancouver Canucks. That's the reason, and the only reason, the center waived his no-trade clause to permit a trade to the Ducks on Friday. Vancouver traded Kesler and a third-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft to Anaheim for center Nick Bonino, defenseman Luca Sbisa and Anaheim's first-round and third-round picks in the 2014 NHL Draft (Nos. 24 and 85). Kesler has two years and $10 million ($5 million salary-cap charge) remaining on his contract.Kesler met with Canucks general manager Jim Benning after the season and came away with the feeling the team was not going to be in position to win the Stanley Cup in the near future. That did not sit well with him, so he told Benning he'd be willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to either the Ducks or the Chicago Blackhawks.

"I'm going to Anaheim to win a championship," Kesler said. "That's going to be my sole goal and my team's sole goal. That's basically it. I'm turning 30 [on Aug. 31] and not only do I want to win the Stanley Cup, I want to be a big part of winning the Stanley Cup. I'm not getting any younger. I want to win a championship. With the direction [Vancouver] is going, I think us and management just made a decision that it was time to move on."

Benning said the Canucks tried to get Kesler to expand his list of teams in the past three weeks, but he was steadfast on going to either the Ducks or the Blackhawks. Benning said the Blackhawks were in it until the end, but acquiring Bonino was a key to the trade because the GM said he thinks the 26-year-old can replace Kesler as the Canucks' No. 2 center. Trading Kesler as soon as possible was significant because he didn't want it to fester and become another Roberto Luongo saga, which played out over two years before the goaltender was traded to the Florida Panthers on March 4.

"Bonino was an important piece," Benning said. "Ryan scored 25 goals for us last year. [Bonino] scored 22 goals last year, so being able to replace [Kesler's] goal production for our team next year, and he can play the power play and he's a playmaking center iceman, I thought that was important.[Ryan] just felt he needed a fresh start, and quite frankly we don't want somebody that doesn't want to be here. We're going to acquire high-quality people that are going to come in here and want to work hard for one another, so we didn't give it much thought. We would have liked to keep him, but his mind was made up, so we did the best we could in the situation."

Kesler will be the No. 2 center in Anaheim, as he was in Vancouver, but now he'll be playing behind Ryan Getzlaf on a team that finished first in the Pacific Division last season instead of behind Henrik Sedin on a team that didn't make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"Last year, that season was tough on all the players that play for the Canucks, and me no differently," Kesler said. "I hate losing and that season was painful, to be honest. The fact that they're in a rebuild and looking to get younger and are years away from being a contender, I think it was just time for me to move on and win and hopefully take home a championship."

Anaheim general manager Bob Murray said he tried to acquire Kesler at the NHL Trade Deadline last season but felt the Canucks were not ready to make the move. Mike Gillis was Vancouver's general manager at the time. Murray contacted Benning after the season and said the negotiations were straightforward. The only stipulation Murray had is that he did not want to trade the No. 10 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, which was acquired from the Ottawa Senators in a trade for Bobby Ryan last summer. Murray said it was difficult to give up Bonino, but said he felt the Ducks had to improve at center, particularly after watching the Los Angeles Kings eliminate them in a seven-game series and go on to win the Stanley Cup with Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter as their top two centers.

"It's one thing I told him right off the bat and any other conversations I had with people," Murray said. "So far we have kept [the pick]. After the season in reviewing things, we knew we had to fill that," Murray said. "Not that [Kesler is] a second-line center, but we knew we needed someone behind Ryan Getzlaf. This is a huge move for our hockey team. We're better today than we were yesterday."

Kesler had 25 goals and 43 points in 77 games last season after scoring 13 points in 17 games in 2012-13, when he missed 31 games because of injuries to his shoulder, wrist and ankle. He won the Selke Trophy in the 2010-11 season, when he scored a career-best 41 goals and 73 points, had a plus-24 rating and was second in the NHL with 83 takeaways. He helped the Canucks reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. Kesler scored a career-best 75 points in 2009-10. He has 393 points in 655 NHL games, all with the Canucks, who selected him with the 23rd pick in the 2003 NHL Draft.

"He's a very good playoff player, he's a heart-and-soul guy," Murray said. "We weren't very good on faceoffs all year; he's really good on faceoffs. He's an excellent penalty-killer, can play the power play. Just having those two guys back-to-back, the two Ryans, it makes Mr. Getzlaf's life a little easier right now too. I think we're going to be a harder team to play against right now."

Bonino, who is coming off his best season, is under contract for three seasons with a $1.9 million salary-cap charge. He had 49 points in 77 games and was clutch in the postseason with four goals, including the overtime winner in Anaheim's series-clinching, 5-4 come-from-behind win in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round against the Dallas Stars. Bonino scored the goal that sliced Dallas' lead to 4-3 with 2:10 remaining in regulation. Bonino has 82 points in 189 NHL games, all with Anaheim. Sbisa had six points in 30 games with the Ducks last season. He has 56 points in 266 NHL games, including 227 with Anaheim after being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 26, 2009.

"I've been following him for the last three or four years," Benning said of Sbisa. "He's a good skater. He can make a good first pass. He's physical. I think if we work with him and we add structure to his game, he's a good teammate, sticks up for his teammates, physical, I think we can turn him into a real good player for us going forward."

The Canucks traded the No. 85 pick to the New York Rangers for right wing Derek Dorsett.

"We've been talking about bringing in some good energy guys that are going to work hard and compete hard physically and he's going to do that for us," Benning said.

Penguins Draft Kasperi Kapanen

When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the Penguins were on the clock preparing to make the 22nd-overall pick at the 2014 NHL Draft on Friday evening, the Flyers tools that had packed Wells Fargo Center booed their hated rival. They booed, and booed, and continued to boo even as Pittsburgh’s selection, Finnish forward Kasperi Kapanen, took the stage and donned his new black and gold jersey. And while that certainly could have been intimidating, it didn’t faze Kapanen in the least. That’s because he considers himself a Philadelphian, having spent much of his childhood in the city while his father Sami, an NHL veteran of 831 games, played here from 2002-08.

“I lived here for six years. I consider this my home, so it’s really an honor to be drafted in Philly,” Kapanen said. “It’s kind of a twist going to Pittsburgh, but that’s not a problem. They’ve got a great franchise and I’m really happy to go there. I thought (the fans) were going to boo me so bad, but luckily it wasn’t that bad. I survived,” he smiled.

And despite his ties to Philly and the Flyers, Kapanen couldn’t be more thrilled to be drafted by the Penguins. “You just know that the world’s best players are playing there,” Kapanen said. “Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, they’ve been playing really well these past five years. I’m just really stoked to be there.”

Ready for another twist? Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford actually drafted Kasperi’s father Sami, in the fourth round (87th overall) in the 1995 NHL Draft when he was the GM of the Hartford Whalers. Rutherford was thrilled to see that the younger Kapanen was still available when it was the Penguins’ turn to pick, as Pittsburgh had him rated much higher on their draft board. Kapanen was listed as No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of European skaters for this year’s draft.

“We had him rated seventh (overall) on our list, and it’s exciting for me because I drafted his dad,” Rutherford smiled. “I don’t know how often that happens, that you draft a dad and his son.”

And in yet another twist, Kapanen, 17, has actually been playing alongside his 40-year-old father for the past two seasons, with KalPa of the Finnish Elite League.

“It was a dream come true, for me and for him,” Kapanen said. “I mean, he’s been my influence in everything. He’s been my coach, my trainer, my fan, my dad all at the same time. So that’s special and I’m really excited that I got to play with him.”

Kapanen describes himself as being more of a finesse player than his father, while Rutherford added that Kasperi is bigger and stronger than Sami.

“I think skating is my biggest strength, and just playing with the puck,” Kapanen said. “Passing, shooting, goal scoring, I think those are the ones that stick out for me. I think defensively, I have to be better if I want to play in the National Hockey League someday. It’s a league for men; it’s the best league in the world. So I’ve got to prepare myself and we’ll see what happens.”

What works in Kapanen’s favor is that he’s already been playing alongside men in the Finnish Elite League. He made history in Finland last year when he made his debut in Liiga, Finland's top professional league, as a 16-year-old and skated in 13 games. He then played all of the 2013-14 season with KalPa, totaling seven goals and 47 points in 47 games.

“I think when you play in the men’s league, you have to bring your A game every game or else you’re going to get benched and you’re not going to play well,” Kapanen said. “So you’ve always got to be ready, prepare, you can’t just kind of show up and kind of give 80 percent. It’s not enough. You always have to go 100 percent and that’s it. I think I matured because of that.”

Rutherford believes that he has. “He’s a great skater. He’s already played with men. So his development has moved along a little more than other players. So this is a really good pick for us.”

While Kapanen wouldn’t rule out playing another season in Finland, he was clear that his goal is to take that black and gold jersey onto the ice. “Well of course, I’m going to try and take a spot on the roster. I mean, it’s the wrong mentality if you think that you can’t do it. It’s what I’m going to try to do.”

Penguins Trade James Neal to Nashville

General manager Jim Rutherford pulled the trigger on his first trade at the helm of the Penguins organization. Pittsburgh acquired forwards Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling from the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward James Neal. The Penguins and Predators have been talking for about a week on this deal. Many other options were discussed, including a deal including more pieces. The two sides decided to make the deal prior to the start of the draft.

“We talked to about 15 teams, those calls were mostly initiated by them. I had a few offers to consider,” Rutherford said. “(Talks with Nashville) had been going on for about a week. We talked about a few other things, making it bigger. We got here tonight and met before the draft and decided we were going to do it.”

Patric Hornqvist – The talented winger is a four-time 20-goal scorer who posted a career-high 30 goals in the 2009-10 season. Hornqvist, 27, plays with grit and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He has a finishers touch and should thrive in a top-6 role playing with a star center like Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.

“Hornqvist plays at the net, goes to the net, works the corners,” Rutherford said. “We like Hornqvist a lot. We think he’s a complete player, an all-around player, a player that plays with an edge. He’ll be good in the playoffs.”

Nick Spaling – The rugged forward will add grit and battle to the Penguins’ bottom-6 forwards. Spaling, 25, is versatile, can play all three forward positions, and plays the game with a ton of heart. His acquisition also adds some depth to the Penguins’ forward position.

“Character, good dressing room guy,” Rutherford said. “It gives us more balance in our forwards. It’s something I talked about when I got the job, I wanted to get more balance 1-12. He’s also a player that can play all three forward positions. So if one of our centers gets hurt he can just slide in there, very versatile player. I think he’s very important to this deal.”

Cap space, The Penguins will save nearly $800k in salary with Hornqvist ($4.25 million) as opposed to Neal ($5 million). That extra space gives the Penguins some flexibility as the free agent period approaches. And Rutherford said he plans on utilizing that extra cash to possibly find a winger to replace Neal for Malkin.

“By doing this, we have a better chance of doing something on July 1st that may be suitable to ‘Geno,’ too,” Rutherford said. “The deal we made helps with our cap space. I’m not going to call out any names (of free agents), but we think we’ll get somebody to fit on his line.”

(Note: Spaling will be a restricted free agent, but whatever his salary ends up being it will likely be offset by current Penguins players entering the free agent pool. The Penguins consider the cap swap of this deal as a straight up between Hornqvist-Neal).

James Neal – Neal, 26, is a six-time 20-goal scorer and topped out at 40 goals in the 2011-12 season. He’s still an elite talent, but the last two seasons he’s missed several games due to injury and suspension. Neal is a hard talent to part with, but to collect pieces of value you have to give up pieces of value.

“We were just trying to change the mix of our team and get a little different type of player,” Rutherford said.

The Penguins identified the types of players that want on their team, the type of players that have grit and character, the type of players that will help them win in the playoffs. Hornqvist plays with an edge, but still has a valuable scoring touch. While Spaling with strengthen the depth and added heart to the lineup.

“These guys play the game hard. They play with an edge,” Rutherford said. “They’re great team guys that we have in our room. Some of the things we talked about, we have two players like that.”

Callahan Signs 6-Year Deal With Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday signed forward Ryan Callahan to a six-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed, but according to multiple media reports it's for $34.8 million, or an average annual value of $5.8 million. Callahan also reportedly receives a no-trade clause for the first four years of the contract. Callahan was acquired from the New York Rangers at the NHL Trade Deadline on March 5 along with draft picks for forward Martin St. Louis. He had six goals and 11 points in 20 regular-season games following the trade. Callahan was held scoreless in four Stanley Cup Playoff games and the Lightning were swept by the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference First Round, but with Steven Stamkos, Ben Bishop and a young nucleus surrounding him, Callahan sees the potential for great things in the future. A fourth-round pick (No. 127) by New York in the 2004 NHL Draft, Callahan has career totals of 138 goals and 265 points in 470 regular-season games for the Rangers and Lightning. He also has 14 goals and 24 points in 63 playoff games.

"I couldn't be happier to be part of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization for the next six years and I am excited for this new chapter of my career," Callahan said. "Tampa Bay has been a great place to live and play from the day I got there. As soon as the season ended I knew it was a place I wanted to be. As enticing as free agency can sound, I know me and my family loved it there and I like the direction the team is going. We're building towards something good. It wasn't the playoffs we wanted, but we can learn from it. You realize that you need to go up another notch or two once the playoffs start and we have to use it as a stepping stone. We made the playoffs, which is great. Now we have to win in the playoffs."

Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said of Callahan, "He's proven to be a fierce competitor and outstanding leader who fits very well with our team."

Marian Gaborik Signs Seven-Year Contract With Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday signed forward Marian Gaborik to a seven-year contract extension. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the average annual value is $4.875 million, according to multiple sources. The contract brings to a close a remarkable stretch in Gaborik's career that began when he was acquired by the Kings from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the NHL Trade Deadline in exchange for forward Matt Frattin and two draft picks. Coming off his second deadline-day trade in less than 12 months, Gaborik found his stride in Los Angeles, scoring a League-high 14 goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and leading the Kings to their second Stanley Cup championship in the past three seasons. After he hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career on June 13, Gaborik made it a priority to return to Los Angeles. Had he waited until July 1 to become an unrestricted free agent, he would have been one of the marquee players available this summer. But rather than test the market, he made known his desire to remain with the Kings, even if it meant leaving a considerable amount of money on the table. Gaborik scored 40 goals three times in five seasons split between the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers, but injuries and inconsistency led to him being traded to the Blue Jackets at the 2013 trade deadline. Those same problems plagued him in Columbus, where he scored nine goals and had 22 points in 34 games before being traded to Los Angeles on March 5. He appeared rejuvenated with the Kings, scoring five goals and finishing with 16 points in 19 regular-season games before embarking on the playoff scoring tear that ended with a Stanley Cup championship. Gaborik spent much of that time playing on L.A.'s top line alongside Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown, and he's looking forward to continuing that success for years to come. After being traded twice in a year, Gaborik admitted the long-term security this contract now provides is important. He had originally been looking for at least six years in his next contract and was pleased the two parties could agree on seven. He's now been afforded the kind of security that proved elusive in the past year, but Gaborik acknowledges his new contract, which does not include a no-trade clause, provides only so many guarantees.

"It's been pretty crazy, a pretty hectic time. Obviously I enjoyed it and I'm still enjoying it," Gaborik said during a conference call. "Hopefully I'm going to enjoy it down the road as well. To be a part of this, I'm very happy about it. Hopefully we can just keep this train rolling. All along I wanted to stay here. The organization knew it, the players knew it, everybody knew it, my agent knew it. That was my No. 1 priority, to try to get the deal done here. I know I could get maybe more money if I went to UFA, but it wasn't about money. I wanted to stay here and be a part of a great team. The first day I got here, the guys welcomed me very warmly. Right away I felt comfortable. That's very important. Playing [alongside] one of the top centers in the League, just the way we clicked pretty quickly was great. I'm very happy about that and looking forward to more wins. You can sign for 10 years or however long and you still can get traded. I was signed for five years, I got traded and then I got traded again. Any player can get traded. Of course, to be signed for this long gives you some sort of comfort and security, but at the same time you never know what can happen. Hopefully we can keep going, and hopefully I'll stay healthy and contribute and play well. That's the bottom line."

Penguins Announce Johnston as Coach

The Pittsburgh Penguins ended nearly three weeks without a coach by appointing former Portland Winterhawks coach Mike Johnston to the position Wednesday. Johnston, whose NHL experience comes from his time as assistant/associate coach of the Vancouver Canucks from 1999-2006 and associate coach of the Los Angeles Kings from 2006-08, had been coach and general manager of the Western Hockey League's Winterhawks for the past six seasons. Johnston replaces Dan Bylsma, who was fired June 6.

"As a career coach, you aspire to get to these positions," Johnston said. "And certainly I've been in the National Hockey League before as an associate coach, but to coach at this level is something I've aspired to do. It's been my goal, it's been my dream and I'm really thrilled to be standing here today. When I first started coaching, I coached in a small college in Alberta and four years into my job, I sent a letter to several NHL general managers and I said, 'I've been coaching for four years now … and I'm ready to coach in the NHL.' Just keep it in mind."

Johnston did not pinpoint a reason why it took several years for him to be offered an NHL job, but said it could be due to his lack of NHL experience as a player. He was an assistant coach for Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics, at the IIHF World Championship on six occasions and the World Junior Championship twice. He said his experience with Canada and as an assistant in the NHL will allow him to communicate with key players, such as Penguins forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

"The '98 Olympics, for the first time we had NHL players," Johnston said. "So we were building for the '98 Olympics with the national team and we were given the NHL players. … That was my first experience coaching high-level NHL players. Subsequent to that, I went right into Vancouver … became an assistant and associate coach and we had some great teams in Vancouver. I had a lot to do with handling some of those players."

Johnston said his primary goal is to put the Penguins in a position to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"The bottom-line expectation for me is that from training camp and the first part of the season, everything we do is setting the table for the playoffs," he said. "So the score is relevant, but it's not as relevant as the habits that we're going to have that will make us successful in the playoffs."

Puck possession was stressed during Johnston's introductory press conference at Consol Energy Center. He said the way the Penguins are built, with Crosby and Malkin centering the top two lines, is "tailor made" for his system.

"My basic framework of the system is puck possession, puck management, tempo and pace," Johnson said. "You want your players to have options in a game, so in every part of the game, from breakout getting out of our zone to offensive zone entries, we want to give our players as many options as possible. We want them to use those options and we want to pick the right options. Our defensive habits and the details for our defensive habits will be ingrained, for sure. But I'm more inclined in teams I've coached over the years, to really play a pace game. You hold the puck, you play defensively a lot less."

Johnston named his ability to build an identity as one of his strengths and will aim to establish that in Pittsburgh.

"That's important in any line of work, that the organization has an identity," Johnston said. "There are core things that you will be able to see and you're going to say, 'This is how the Pittsburgh Penguins play.' And that's what I've been able to build in the past. Once you build that template, then you maneuver pieces around within the template, but it is a process."

During his time establishing that template with the Winterhawks, Johnston led Portland to its largest turnaround in team history when it improved by 48 points in his first full season in 2009-10. Portland reached the WHL final in each of the past four years and lost to Halifax in the 2013 Memorial Cup Final. Portland's 2013-14 roster included 10 players drafted by NHL teams, including Penguins 2012 first-round pick Derrick Pouliot. Johnston was suspended for the remainder of the 2012-13 season on Nov. 28, 2012, due to a player benefits violation committed by the Winterhawks.

"I was a rookie general manager in the Western Hockey League and on the player benefits side, we made an error in the way we did things," Johnston said. "Subsequently, it had nothing to do with coaching, but since I held a general manager/coach position, that impacted the coaching side."

Former Penguins forward and Tampa Bay Lightning coach Rick Tocchet was named as an assistant coach, which Johnston said will create a balanced staff with Tocchet bringing his experience as a former NHL player to the position.

"I'm excited to get back in the fire," Tocchet said. "I got the opportunity from the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, I'm very pleased. … I kind of cheated a little bit, I read a lot about [Johnston]. His assistant coach Travis Green is a good buddy of mine. He talked for years and years about his systems that Mike and Travis deployed. [Johnston] thinks outside of the box and that's what I like."

Two of Bylsma's assistants, Tony Granato and Todd Reirden, have been dismissed. Jacques Martin will remain in a yet-to-be-determined position, and goaltending coach Mike Bales and video coordinator Andy Saucier will retain their current roles. Johnston said he will add another assistant to his staff. Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said he is pleased with how Pittsburgh's coaching search concluded.

"The style of play and some of the things I was looking for in a coach, was a guy who was capable of making adjustments during a game," Rutherford said. "That's probably [Johnston's] strongest suit."

Read more here: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-sources-penguins-hire-mike-151113870--nhl.html 

San Jose Sharks Looking at Changes

What San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson used to describe as a "reset-refresh" for his team has turned into an all-out rebuilding project, and he hammered home that point Tuesday in a session with the media before the upcoming NHL Draft. Wilson announced that the Sharks have re-signed 26-year-old goaltender Alex Stalock to a two-year contract, preventing him from becoming an unrestricted free agent in a move that shows San Jose is committed to turning the team over to its younger players. Stalock will be given a chance to supplant Antti Niemi, 30, as the Sharks' No. 1 goaltender. The Sharks have ruled out trading any of their young talent or high draft picks. Wilson has spread that message to his veterans, including forwards Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, to San Jose's fans and to general managers throughout the NHL.

"I've had a lot of calls," Wilson said. "A lot of people at the GM meetings, they know where we're going. We now become a tomorrow team. So when you spell that out, it does create a response. Now a tomorrow team, is it one year, two years? Time will tell on how our young players handle the responsibility given to them but also making sure we don't give it to them too soon."

The Sharks also announced Tuesday they have re-signed fourth-line forward Mike Brown, who, like Stalock, could have become a free agent July 1, to a two-year contract, keeping a gritty, 28-year-old player who fits Wilson's plans to build a tougher, faster team. Wilson hasn't backed off on his decision to cut ties with veteran forward Marty Havlat, 33, who has one year remaining on his contract. He said he's still dealing with teams in an attempt to trade Havlat. If the Sharks can't work out a trade, they can use a compliance buyout. The Sharks have seven picks in the NHL Draft on June 27-28 in Philadelphia, including the No. 20 pick and three of the top 53 selections. They have nine picks at the 2015 draft, a number that Wilson could well increase.

"We have 16 picks for a reason," Wilson said. "We didn't trade our first-round pick last year, we're not trading it this year and we're not trading it next year and probably the year after. That's the phase we're in."

After the Sharks lost to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after taking a 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 series, Wilson decided they needed to take a step back in order to move two steps forward. The Sharks haven't missed the playoffs since the 2002-03 season, but Wilson has been bracing San Jose's fan base for that possibility.

"It's the rebuild, and 'the rebuild' is a term that we haven't used a lot recently or probably in a long time," Wilson said. "Historically, every team in the League that has had success has probably gone through that phase. We did start it a year ago. We used that terminology, 'reset-refresh.' It really was a form of rebuild. We know that we haven't accomplished what we want to accomplish. We feel that we've got a good core of young players, almost all of them homegrown, drafted by us or have come up through the system that we feel comfortable to lead the way on that. But that's what we have to do, and you can't commit to it and not do it. We were not going to trade a [Tomas] Hertl or a Mirco [Mueller] or a [Matt] Nieto or a first-round pick or second-round picks in this season because we wanted to commit to it. That's the phase we're in. There's no avoiding it. That's what we need to do."

The Sharks signed Thornton and Marleau during the season each to a three-year contract that includes a no-movement clause.

"I've had players with specific clauses before," Wilson said. "My conversations with those two guys will stay between me and them, but I also have other [veterans]. ... It's all the veteran guys. If a guy's 31 or 32 or 33, and we're going to rebuild, does it fit for them? It might not. ... The rebuild is going to take place regardless. We're committed to it and whatever things we need to do to get to that point. I'll just say people will be treated the way they have been historically: with respect and honesty."

Dynasty in LA?

The Los Angeles Kings are Stanley Cup champions for the second time in three seasons and have a collection of star players who are both signed to long-term contracts and young enough to remain at their current level for at least the next few seasons. General manager Dean Lombardi has cultivated the closest thing the NHL has seen to a perfect roster in the salary-cap era. The Kings have built a champion through the NHL Draft and deft trades, molding the roster while relying on free agency as little as possible. There is little reason to believe the Kings won't be contenders for the Stanley Cup again in 2015 and beyond. There has been plenty of discussion about the "D" word since the Kings moved into position to win the Cup a second time. Dynasties were once the norm in the League, but a lot of factors have made them harder to construct in the past 25 years. The infusion of talent from around the globe has led to there being more great teams on a yearly basis. The evolution of goaltending and defensive systems has made it more likely for teams with inferior talent to upset potentially dynastic ones. And of course there is the salary cap. That's part of what makes the job Lombardi and his staff have done so impressive. There are no cap-crippling contracts on the Kings roster, and given the cap ceiling is expected to rise for 2014-15 and continue going up, the Kings are well-positioned to possibly even improve before next season. Mike Richards costs a lot of money for ostensibly a No. 4 center, but putting him in that role (while still carving out extra shifts/minutes for him throughout games) is part of why the Kings had the deepest roster in the League in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and were a matchup nightmare for other "deep" teams. Jonathan Quick's contract is a potentially problematic one, but the issue is tied more to the length of the deal than the cap charge. He had a .915 save percentage in the regular season and .911 in the postseason, so he could certainly stand to improve in 2014-15, but at $5.8 million he's currently set to be the ninth-most expensive goaltender. There aren't nine goaltenders the Kings would rather have, regardless of the cost.

The Kings are going to have more than $10 million in cap space this offseason, with the final number still to be determined. If Marian Gaborik becomes more than a rental, he will eat up a large share of the space, but he was a perfect fit next to Anze Kopitar for Los Angeles. Beyond Gaborik, Lombardi's top task will be sorting out the back end of the defense corps. Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene are unrestricted free agents. Mitchell came back from a muscle pull and played well for the Kings, slotting in next to Slava Voynov on the second pair. Alec Martinez might be ready for top-four duty next season, but where Robyn Regehr fits in the last year of his contract, and whether or not someone like Brayden McNabb or Derek Forbort can help, is also part of the equation. The Kings remain loaded up front, of course, and a full season for Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson could be a cure for their regular-season scoring issues. A full season of Jeff Carter at center will also help, as would Gaborik's return or a high-priced replacement. Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll are one season from free agency, and Kopitar is two, but the rest of the group is under team control for a long time. Los Angeles has traded away two players who might be top-10 goalies next season in Jonathan Bernier and Ben Scrivens, and the Kings still have Martin Jones as an insurance policy for Quick. The dynasty talk is premature, if only because the same was said and written about the Chicago Blackhawks at this point last year and they aren't going away. The Kings and Blackhawks have won the Cup four of the past five seasons and could spend the next four or five seasons as the two most likely candidates to win again.

Other contenders will emerge, and the Western Conference remains loaded with great teams. The Anaheim Sucks weren't quite as good as their record indicated this season, but they are the franchise currently outside the top two best positioned to chase down Los Angeles and Chicago. There is lots of precocious talent in Orange County, and those young players are going to make the Ducks better, either through their development or by fetching established talent in trades. The San Jose Sharks were a win from ending this incredible Kings run before it ever got going, but what the 2014-15 edition will look like remains in question because of the collapse against Los Angeles. The Colorado Avalanche have plenty of young stars, and another year of development for Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz could be enough to push the St. Louis Blues closer to the Blackhawks and Kings.

What the Kings have established in the past three seasons is they are unique. Darryl Sutter's demanding style of play might not be feasible in other cities with different rosters, but the Kings have embraced it and are machine-like in their execution. The Kings are the best team in the League at playing without the puck in the offensive zone and the neutral zone. They might be the best team in the League at exiting the defensive zone once they have control of it. Both feed into Los Angeles' zest for possession, and the Kings were the best in the League at owning the puck this season, according to advanced-stats metrics.

Beyond that, there is the intangible stuff. The Kings don't spend much time talking about culture or identity or any of those other buzz words other teams sometimes spend their focus. They believe in what they're doing and how they play, and their uncanny ability to erase deficits in both games and series in this postseason was further proof. There is a championship-quality combination of talent and chemistry in Los Angeles. Other NHL teams will spend the summer trying to catch up with more talent, and then hope the other part comes as organically as it has for the Kings. The Kings didn't let the Blackhawks become the salary-cap version of an NHL dynasty in 2014. They will spend next season trying to do it themselves.

NHL News

Buffalo - The Sabres will place forward Ville Leino on waivers Tuesday with the intent of using one of their two compliance buyouts on him, according to multiple reports. Leino, 30, has three years remaining on a six-year, $27 million contract he signed prior to the 2011-12 season. The annual average value of the remaining contract is $4.5 million per season. Leino signed the contract after he set career highs with 19 goals and 53 points for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011-12. He did not have a goal in 58 games this season and had 15 assists. Leino has 10 goals and 46 points in 137 games with the Sabres. The window for teams to offer a compliance buyout to players opened Monday. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams were given two special buyout provisions to be used after the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons that allow them to buy out a player's contract while not having it count toward the salary cap. This would be the first compliance buyout used by the Sabres. Teams have until 5 p.m. ET on June 30 to decide to use a compliance buyout.

"Free agency starts first of July, and we'll go from there," Leino's agent, Markus Lehto, told the Buffalo News, adding Leino was not surprised by the buyout. "His priority is to play in the NHL. He knows he's a very good NHL player. Obviously, the past two seasons have been just average, I would say, but I'm not going to go and try and analyze what happened. I mean, we'll just look forward."

Vancouver - The Canucks placed forward David Booth on waivers Tuesday with the intent of using their second of two compliance buyouts on him, general manager Jim Benning said. Booth, 29, has one season and $4.75 million remaining on a six-year, $25.5 million contract he signed prior to the 2009-10 season while playing for the Florida Panthers. Booth was acquired from Florida early in the 2011-12 season. A 31-goal scorer in 2008-09, he was limited to 28 games the following season because of a concussion. Booth had 16 goals and 29 points in 56 games in his first season with the Canucks but was limited to 10 goals and 22 points in 78 games the past two seasons. The window for teams to offer a compliance buyout to players opened Monday. Per terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams were given two special buyout provisions to be used after either the 2012-13 or 2013-14 seasons that allow them to buy out a player's contract while not having it count toward the salary cap. The Canucks used a compliance buyout on defenseman Keith Ballard following the 2012-13 season.

"We wish David all the success in the future and thank him for his contributions with the Canucks," Benning said in a statement.

Dallas - The Stars on Tuesday used one of their two compliance buyouts on defenseman Aaron Rome after he cleared waivers. Rome, 30, had one year remaining on a three-year, $4.5 million contract. He had one assist and a minus-6 rating in 25 regular-season games for the Stars this season and was scoreless with a minus-1 in one Stanley Cup Playoff game. Stars general manager Jim Nill told the Dallas Morning News on Monday the move was being made with the thought of giving the team's defense prospects a better opportunity to make the roster next season. In eight NHL seasons, Rome has six goals and 28 points in 226 games with the Anaheim Sucks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks and Stars. He went to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final with the Canucks and has one goal and one assist in 19 playoff games. The window for NHL teams to offer a compliance buyout to players opened Monday. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams were given two special buyout provisions to be used after the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons that allow them to buy out a player's contract while not having it count toward the salary cap. This is the first compliance buyout used by the Stars. It will be the only one; Nill said there are no other buyout candidates on the roster.

"We have a lot of young defensemen who are making a good push and we need to create room for them," Nill told the newspaper.

Montreal -  Dale Weise signed a two-year contract with the Canadiens on Tuesday. Financial terms of the contract were not released. Weise could have become a restricted free agent July 1. The 25-year-old right wing had three goals and four points in 17 regular-season games with the Canadiens after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 3. He had seven points in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Of his three playoff goals, two were game-winners. Weise set career-bests with six goals and 16 points in 61 regular-season games this season. A 2008 fourth-round pick (No. 111) of the New York Rangers, Weise has 13 goals and 30 points in 179 games with the Rangers, Canucks and Canadiens. It appears defenseman Douglas Murray will be leaving. According to a report in La Presse, the Canadiens likely will not offer Murray a contract, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Murray, 34, had two assists and a minus-12 rating in 53 regular-season games and got into three playoff games, all in the second round against the Boston Bruins.

"The acquisition of Dale Weise contributed to the success of our team this season," Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said. "A young veteran with a lot of character, Dale is an intense player with a strong work ethic. We're very pleased to have him as part of our team moving forward."

Penguins Weigh Up Coaching Options

The Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to talk to veteran coaches Marc Crawford and Ron Wilson about the vacancy created when they fired Dan Bylsma, according to a report by TSN's Darren Dreger. Crawford, 53, has been coaching in Switzerland since a two-season stint with the Dallas Stars from 2009-11. A Stanley Cup winner in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche, he has a 549-421-78 record with 103 ties in 1,151 NHL games coaching the Quebec Nordiques, Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings and Stars. Wilson, 59, last coached in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2011-12 season. He has coached the Anaheim Sucks, Washington Crapitals and San Jose Sharks. He took the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Final in 1998, his first season with them. He has an NHL record of 648-561-91 with 101 ties in 1,401 games. Since being eliminated by the New York Rangers in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after holding a 3-1 series lead, the Penguins have fired general manager Ray Shero and Bylsma. They hired Jim Rutherford as GM, promoted Jason Botterill to associate GM and Bill Guerin and Tom Fitzgerald to assistant GM, and hired Jason Karmanos as vice president of hockey operations.

The Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes have asked the Los Angeles Kings for permission to interview John Stevens for their coaching vacancies, according to a report by CBC's Elliotte Friedman. Stevens, 48, has been an assistant coach with the Kings since the 2010-11 season, first serving on Terry Murray's staff then Darryl Sutter's, and winning the Stanley Cup twice. Stevens served as interim coach for four games during the 2011-12 season in between the dismissal of Murray and hiring of Sutter. Stevens coached the Philadelphia Cryers for parts of four seasons. He took over for Ken Hitchcock eight games into the 2006-07 season, when the Flyers finished last in the Eastern Conference with 56 points. Stevens led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Playoffs each of the next two seasons, achieving a 39-point improvement in 2007-08. They went to the Eastern Conference Final where they were being eliminated by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Stevens was fired 25 games into the 2009-10 season. His NHL coaching record is 122-111-34 in 267 games.

Los Angeles Kings - Champions Celebrate Again

Jonathan Quick looked like he hadn't slept since Friday night. Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty and Trevor Lewis still had their beards. Coach Darryl Sutter's face was slightly drained, and he could only joke when asked about how much the Los Angeles Kings love playing together. Monday would have been Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Kings and New York Rangers, but instead the city celebrated the Kings' second Cup title in three seasons with a parade and rally. The longest run in playoff history (26 games) ended Friday in Game 5 with the longest game in Kings history, a 3-2 win on Alec Martinez's goal with 14:43 into the second overtime. More than 300,000 fans lined the streets surrounding Staples Center on a bright, mild day downtown, two years to the day of the parade to celebrate the 2012 Cup. This time there was a sense that something truly big is growing here. The Kings have the foundation for a modern-day dynasty, with most of their team intact for the future and their faces and blue-collar ethic now forever engrained in the local sports landscape.

"They don't love it that much because they could have been playing tonight," Sutter responded.

"It was an emotional, exhausting ride," Conn Smythe Trophy winner Justin Williams said. "For us to come out on top after you poured everything that you had into it, and it was good enough, words can't describe it."

"We're starting to become a hockey town," captain Dustin Brown said to the crowd before The Briggs' song "This Is L.A." blared throughout L.A. Live and confetti came raining down.

Luc Robitaille, president of business operations and the public face of the team, said he feels the Kings have further strengthened their bond with the city.

"The parade was very special last time, and I think today was even more special," Robitaille said. "It seemed bigger. When we turned that last corner, it was unbelievable. It was overwhelming. It's pretty special and it's pretty special for those players. A lot of guys come from back East, and they don't know how big they are in this town because L.A. is such a big city. You get into a thing like that and you see that many people, it's pretty amazing."

At the rally inside Staples Center following the parade, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said, "We have the best sunshine in the world, but we own the ice too."

The biggest cheers were for Sutter and general manager Dean Lombardi, who began laying the groundwork for the Cup runs when he arrived in Los Angeles in 2006. The Kings took the path of most resistance each Cup-winning season. They barely made the playoffs in 2012, qualifying as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, and in 2014 became the first team in NHL history to win three Game 7s, all on the road, to get to the Stanley Cup Final. Los Angeles also became the fourth team in NHL history to erase a 3-0 series deficit and win, in the Western Conference First Round against the San Jose Sharks this spring.

Lombardi tried not to get emotional during his speech. "This franchise has now evolved to a different level," he said. "I feel like the luckiest man in the world."

Lombardi has a few roster decisions to make this summer. Left wing Marian Gaborik, who finished the final year of a contract that paid him $7.5 million this season, can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, as can defensemen Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene. Gaborik had 22 points, including a League-leading 14 goals, in the playoffs. Left wing Dwight King can become a restricted free agent. But the bulk of the team will return.

"We're happy with what we've done, but do we feel we have a lot more, and the potential to be a great team for years to come?" Williams said. "Yeah."

Sutter told his players that the path they took in 2012, taking a 3-0 lead in every series, probably won't happen again. He allowed that this season's difficult road was special, but said winning is what he expected when Lombardi called him late in 2011 to offer him the coaching job.

"The team was in 12th place," Sutter said. "I was in the middle of winter, feeding 800 head of cattle, and my family was living four hours away, and I was being paid to do that. You don't say no because somebody offered you a job. I'm not in that position. I was in a position of whether I wanted to win or not, and whether I thought we could. It's not that hard to figure out."

In 2012, the Kings had five days between winning the Cup and the parade. There were two days this time, so players had not done as much touring with the Cup. Lewis tweeted a photo of the Cup at the beach, and more celebratory adventures should follow in the South Bay community where a lot of Kings live. They will take the Cup to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday for a pregame ceremony before the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies.

By then, the Kings might be coming out of their celebratory haze.

"Party a bit. Relax a little bit," Quick said of his past two days. "You get to eat some greasy food. You're not worried about your diet for a few days, which is fun. It's good. It's a good experience."

Greene said he will probably take the Cup back home to Michigan again this summer. Figuratively speaking, though, the Cup might not be leaving Southern California anytime soon.

"You see this baby, right here?" Sutter said as he tapped the trophy. "She's been gone for a couple of years, and we're happy she's home."