Los Angeles Kings - 2013-14 Season

After coming up short in defense of their first Stanley Cup championship last season, the Los Angeles Kings are ready to skate a new path to a familiar place this season. The Kings already know how the new chapter should end. It includes a celebration in downtown Los Angeles followed by a summer with Stanley. That's what they experienced in 2012. After coming together as a team following a coaching change in the middle of the 2011-12 season, the Kings rode a hot goalie, a healthy lineup and a consistent approach to the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship. They couldn't write a similar chapter last season, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final. It'll feel that way again if the Kings can't make another Cup run this season. Their roster is similar enough and their championship fresh enough for that to happen. But the Kings aren't planning on similar disappointment. They're congregating at the starting gate. They know exactly where the finish line is and how to get there. They need to stay healthy, something they couldn't do last season, especially on the blue line. Willie Mitchell (knee) couldn't play and Matt Greene (back) was lost on opening day and didn't return until there were five games left in the season. Jonathan Quick has to be on top of his game and remain one of the best goaltenders in the League. His cushion isn't as comfortable as it was in the past, when Jonathan Bernier was his backup. Bernier was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the offseason for forward Matt Frattin and goalie Ben Scrivens. Star players Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty have to consistently be the Kings' best players. Justin Williams has to be among L.A.'s scoring leaders, a dangerous threat paired with Kopitar. Slava Voynov has to continue his development into an elite defenseman. Frattin has to add goals and some grind time. The Kings need an active, aggressive, balanced defense. Secondary scoring is essential.

"It's not so much recapture the feeling [of winning the Cup in 2012]," Kings GM Dean Lombardi said, "it's writing a new chapter."

"Doing what we did in 2012 showed not only the players, but the staff and management, what it actually means and how special it is to win it," Kings captain Dustin Brown told NHL.com, "so the next year when you don't win it, you feel like you've lost a lot more than you did. We've reached the level of winning the Stanley Cup, being in back-to-back Western Conference Finals, so going forward it's not going to be acceptable to lose in the playoffs. That's a high expectation, but that's the expectation that the players have, the group of guys in here now. We know what we're capable of doing."

SUMMER MOVES

IN: Matt Frattin, LW (trade, Maple Leafs); Ben Scrivens, G, (trade, Maple Leafs), Daniel Carcillo, LW (free agent, Blackhawks), Jeff Schultz, D (free agent, Capitals), Mathieu Garon, G (free agent, Lightning)

OUT: Rob Scuderi, D (free agent, Penguins), Jonathan Bernier, G (trade, Maple Leafs), Dustin Penner, LW (free agent, Ducks), Brad Richardson, C (free agent, Canucks)

The Kings' top five scorers from last season are back. The only player from their top-six that is gone is Dustin Penner, who signed with the Anaheim Ducks as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Kopitar, Williams and Brown have formed a dynamic line because of their 200-foot ability, Kopitar's overall skill, Brown's power game and Williams' underrated scoring touch. They combined for 39 goals and 65 assists last season, and were also durable as Williams played in every game, Kopitar missed only the season-opener because of a knee injury and Brown was forced out of two because of a suspension. However, Kopitar struggled in the second half last season. He didn't score a goal in the final 16 regular-season games and had three in 18 Stanley Cup Playoff games. There were rumors that he was battling an injury, but Kopitar said that was not the case. Carter led the Kings last season with 26 goals and his center, Richards, contributed 12 goals and 20 assists. They need someone to step up on the left wing to replace Penner, who was inconsistent, but could be a grueling player to go against and was at times the perfect complementary player to Richards and Carter. Enter Frattin, who despite being a right-handed shot has gotten the first crack to be the left wing with Richards and Carter. The 25-year-old had seven goals and 13 points in 25 games for the Maple Leafs last season. Lombardi said he targeted Frattin as part of the Bernier trade because of his speed, his quick release and his powerful lower body. Jarret Stoll should again center the Kings' third line, but here's where it gets interesting for L.A. Trevor Lewis, Kyle Clifford, Dwight King and Jordan Nolan are options to join Stoll on that line, but Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson are pushing. Toffoli, a right-handed shot, had six points in 12 playoff games last spring. Pearson, a natural left wing, is 20 and entering his second full professional season. They each have top-six potential, but the Kings are deep enough to where they may start in a bottom-six role. However, if Frattin doesn't work on the second line with Richards and Carter, it's possible Pearson or Toffoli get a chance there. It's also possible that coach Darryl Sutter turns to Daniel Carcillo, who was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in the offseason, for that spot. Carcillo could be any number of things for the Kings, a top-six player with Carter and Richards, a role he formerly played for a stretch when all three were teammates with the Philadelphia Flyers, a fourth-line wing or a 13th forward. Colin Fraser figures to center the fourth line again.

"I think it's the first time he's ever had a real big slump," Brown said. "You expect him to get points because that's part of his game, but he is one of the top two-way players in the National Hockey League, and while it was awkward to see him go through a slump like that, it didn't affect his defensive game, the other 90 feet of ice that is so important to our team, with the way he plays."

"Frattin is clearly the main guy that we wanted in that trade with Toronto," Lombardi said. "He's got some things that are hard to teach. We lose Penner's size and we gain some nastiness and a guy that also could play with good players."

The most important development in this area is the return of Mitchell, who missed all of last season following knee surgery. All indications are that he's fine and should be paired with Voynov. They were together for the Kings' Cup run in 2012. The Kings lost Rob Scuderi in free agency, but the blow of his loss is softened by Mitchell's return and the presence of Robyn Regehr, who was acquired in April and then signed to a two-year contract extension. The other good news is that injuries to Mitchell and Greene last season meant Doughty and Voynov had to take on bigger roles in the overall defensive scheme, including penalty killing. They didn't miss a beat and should be better for it this season. Jake Muzzin was given a chance last season to show what he could do, and he fared well with 16 points and a plus-16 rating in 45 games. The Kings also have Jeff Schultz, Alec Martinez and Keaton Ellerby, giving them nine defensemen with NHL experience. Schultz led the NHL with a plus-50 rating in 2009-10 while with the Washington Capitals. Martinez was regularly paired with Greene two seasons ago. It's unlikely the Kings will carry nine defensemen into the season, but Lombardi and Sutter like the options.

"He's still a pretty big question mark to me," Sutter said. "It's an awful lot to ask someone who missed 15 months to step right back in at age 36 and revert to his same level of play before the injury. He should be fine to start the season ... but it's still TBD how useful he'll be."

"He's just a young player that now needs to learn to be consistent," Lombardi said of Muzzin, "but what he did for our team at a critical time in adding that puck movement and power play with Doughty, he showed he was a pretty good player. I guess we're deep particularly if Willie is healthy, but to me they're like good pitchers; I don't think you can have enough of them. I'll deal with this a whole lot better than I would with a shortage, like I did last year when after one game we lost two in the top six. It's a good problem to have and we'll work through it."

After going through some bouts with inconsistency during the regular season, Quick rebounded and was again his brilliant active, aggressive, agitating, puck-stopping self in the playoffs. He had a 1.86 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in 18 games to help the Kings get to the Western Conference Final for the second straight season. Quick, though, was burned for four goals on two occasions in the five-game loss to the Blackhawks. The Kings could afford to let Quick work through some struggles last season because they had Bernier, who had a .922 save percentage and 1.88 goals-against average in 14 games. Lombardi always knew that he wasn't going to be able to keep both of them for the long haul, and since Bernier was a restricted free agent this summer, he finally had to pull the trigger and trade him, sending him to the Maple Leafs for Frattin and Scrivens. Scrivens doesn't have the same pedigree or potential that Bernier has, but it won't matter if Quick plays the way the Kings expect him to. Scrivens can play 20 or so games to give Quick a breather, especially in back-to-back situations, of which the Kings have 14.

Toronto Maple Leafs - 2013-14 Season

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis went on a spending spree this summer. It's time to find out if he made the right purchases. The type of club Nonis is trying to build and Carlyle wants to coach is one that can push the pace and be aggressive in any building. The Maple Leafs started moving in that direction last season, when they snapped a nine-year Stanley Cup Playoff drought to finish fifth in the Eastern Conference with 57 points. They couldn't close the deal in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Boston despite having a three-goal lead in the third period of Game 7. That's partially why Nonis gave right wing David Clarkson a seven-year, $37 million contract July 5. Nonis and Carlyle think Clarkson can get back to being a 30-goal scorer, which he was two seasons ago for the New Jersey Devils, but he's going to start the season on the sidelines, serving a 10-game suspension for leaving the bench to join an on-ice altercation during a preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres on Sept. 22. He's not eligible to return until Oct. 25, when the Maple Leafs visit the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dave Bolland should be on the ice to start the season despite a nagging groin injury. He was acquired in a draft-day trade from the Chicago Blackhawks. Bolland has thrived in the big moment, winning the Stanley Cup twice with the Blackhawks and scoring the Cup-clinching goal in June. He's also been one of the League's top checking centers. Nonis didn't want to mess with what he thinks is a good thing, so he re-signed center Tyler Bozak to a five-year, $21 million contract. Bozak is Phil Kessel's center and close friend. Kessel, who is suspended for the rest of the preseason as a result of the altercation that led to Clarkson's automatic suspension, is a four-time 30-goal scorer and was on a 30-goal pace last season (20 goals in 48 games). He's in a contract year and the Maple Leafs want to keep him. Signing his center should help. After a long negotiation, Nonis signed center Nazem Kadri to a two-year, $5.8 million contract after Kadri had 44 points in 48 games last season. Nonis worked on the defense by avoiding salary arbitration hearings with Carl Gunnarsson and Mark Fraser. Gunnarsson got a three-year, $9.45 million contract and Fraser a one-year, $1.275 million contract. Nonis also signed defenseman Paul Ranger, who had a solid return to the ice last season after a nearly three-season absence, to a one-year, $1 million contract. Then, on Thursday, Nonis finally was able to make a deal with restricted free agent Cody Franson, who was the team's highest-scoring defenseman last season. According to reports, Franson signed a one-year, $2 million deal. Signing Franson, Gunnarsson and Fraser and signing Ranger were important moves in trying to put together a club that limits chances and goals-against, areas that were problematic last season; Toronto was 17th in goals-against per game (2.67) and 27th in shots-against per game (32.3). A healthy goaltending battle also should help lower those numbers, which is why the Maple Leafs acquired Jonathan Bernier in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings. The hope is that Bernier and incumbent No. 1 James Reimer can deliver Toronto a season-long, Grade-A goaltending competition. Nonis later signed Bernier, who was a restricted free agent, to a two-year, $5.8 million contract. He also gave a one-year, $1 million contract to forward Mason Raymond.

"We have to go out and prove it," Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said "Just because we've added some people it doesn't make the statement that it's this type of club or that type of club. I think Dave Clarkson made a mistake. Now we pay for it. We think both of these players, Clarkson and Bolland, bring elements to the game that are important for our young players. They're veteran guys. They've scored big goals in playoff games."

"A lot has been made of the grit and toughness and obviously that's a big part of how Randy likes his team to play, but we want to make sure that we're not one-dimensional, that we have the ability to play a skill game, a grinding game," Nonis said. "We want to be able to play regardless of the opposition.

SUMMER MOVES

IN: David Clarkson, RW (free agent, Devils); Dave Bolland, C (trade, Blackhawks); Jonathan Bernier, G (trade, Kings); Paul Ranger, D (free agent); Trevor Smith, C (free agent, Penguins); T.J. Brennan, D (free agent, Panthers); Mason Raymond, LW (free agent, Canucks)

OUT: Ben Scrivens, G (trade, Kings); Matt Frattin (trade, Kings); Mikhail Grabovski, C (free agent, Capitals); Mike Komisarek, D (free agent, Hurricanes); Leo Komarov, RW (free agent, Dynamo Moskva, KHL); Ryan O'Byrne, D (free agent, HC Lev Praha, KHL); Clarke MacArthur, LW (free agent, Senators); Michael Kostka, D (free agent, Blackhawks); Ryan Hamilton, C (free agent, Oilers)

Prior to Clarkson's suspension, the likely scenario for Toronto's top two lines to start the season had Bozak with Kessel and James van Riemsdyk on the top line and Kadri with Clarkson and Joffrey Lupul on the second line. However, Clarkson's early-season absence means Carlyle will have to adjust. He can use Nikolai Kulemin in Clarkson's spot or potentially Mason Raymond, who earned his one-year contract after coming to training camp on a professional tryout agreement. Even though Carlyle and Nonis think Bolland has an offensive upside that he hasn't shown on a consistent basis in his NHL career, he figures to center the third line. It won't necessarily be a checking line, though, because when the Maple Leafs are whole again with Clarkson back, Bolland could have Kulemin on his right wing and Raymond on his left. Nor do the Maple Leafs see Kulemin as a checker, but his offense has tapered dramatically the past two seasons after he scored 30 goals in 2010-11. He had seven goals in 2011-12 and seven in 48 games last season. A serious back injury has limited Raymond the past two seasons, but he has shown no ill-effects in training camp. Even the Maple Leafs' fourth line can be dangerous if Joe Colborne proves he can make the jump. He's 6-foot-5, 213 pounds and more of a center than a wing, but Colborne will have to make the team as a winger because Jay McClement isn't moving positions. He's too important to the team in the middle, especially because Carlyle uses him for defensive-zone faceoffs and as the lead forward on the penalty kill. Toronto should get added toughness and grit from Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren. Carter Ashton and Trevor Smith are pushing for spots.

"Obviously he's had success at the NHL level in a checking role, but he also scored a lot of points in his junior career playing with Corey Perry," Carlyle said of Bolland. "He has some crazy stats. The one thing we feel is if you put him with skill players he can get them the puck and he's around the net, involved. We don't just deem him a checker; that's not how we view him at all."

"Based on Mason's play in the preseason, we feel he fits in well with our group and will have a significant role on our team," Nonis said.

"[Colborne] has had ebbs and flows and some of them are related to injury, some of them are related to growing into a big body and some are related to just getting used to playing at a high level on a consistent basis," Maple Leafs vice-president of hockey operations Dave Poulin told NHL.com. "We've seen the flashes of it, but at this level it has to be all the time."

Dion Phaneuf and Gunnarsson should start the season as Toronto's top defense pair. They were the top per-game ice-time earners among Toronto's defensemen last season and are expected to be again. Carlyle leans heavily on them, especially Phaneuf, who routinely averages more than 25 minutes per game. He's also in a contract year and said he would be willing to negotiate throughout the season to stay in Toronto. Nonis appears to have further bolstered his blue line as reports emerged Thursday that he inked restricted free agent Cody Franson to a one-year deal worth $2 million. Franson, 26, is coming off the best season of his career, when he had 29 points, including 25 assists. He's a natural second-pair partner for Jake Gardiner, who could be primed for a breakout season. Ranger has the most interesting story of all players in Toronto's training camp. He left the NHL for personal reasons early in the 2009-10 season and is trying to make a comeback. He played well enough last season with the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League affiliate, to earn another chance in the NHL. Ranger formerly was a top defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning. It would be a coup for the Maple Leafs if he could regain the form he had from 2006-08, when he combined for 59 points in 144 games. Franson's absence briefly opened the door for 19-year-old prospect Morgan Rielly, Toronto's first-round pick in 2011 (No. 5). It's possible the Maple Leafs keep Rielly at the start of the season to give them more time to evaluate him before deciding if he should return to the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. Toronto also has Korbinian Holzer and TJ Brennan.

"I really like where our team is at and where we're going," Phaneuf told NHL.com. "We made some real good additions this year and obviously we played some real good hockey last year. I love playing in Toronto. We've got unbelievable fans. Ever since I got here I've really enjoyed the city and playing in front of the fans here. He's a big guy that skates very well and moves the puck well. He sees the ice extremely well. He's got a real good stick defensively and he's just a well-rounded defensemen. He has a real good offensive side to him, a real heavy slap shot. He shoots the puck hard, but he's a real good defender as well. He's a big addition."

Just when Reimer thought he might have some assurances after a successful season as Toronto's No. 1 goalie, Nonis acquired Bernier to compete for the No. 1 job. Reimer helped the Maple Leafs get to the playoffs last season with 19 wins, a 2.46 goals-against average and .924 save percentage, but now he has to win back his job from a goalie who finally is getting a legitimate shot to show he can also be a No. 1 in the NHL. Bernier wasn't going to get that in Los Angeles, where Jonathan Quick is entrenched as the starting goalie. He has the chance in Toronto and the Maple Leafs are hoping it sets up as a promising situation and the exact type of dilemma Carlyle wants to have. Drew MacIntyre, a 30-year-old AHL veteran, is behind Bernier and Reimer. The Maple Leafs would love it if he played the entire season with the Marlies.

"Reims [Reimer] had a pretty solid year, but it was only half a season," Carlyle said. "He's a young goaltender still cutting his teeth, finding a way to become a No. 1. The addition of Bernier solidifies our position. If we can create a competition between the two of them, if you win you're in, we think that's healthy for our group."

NHL News

NY Rangers - Center Derek Stepan have reached an agreement on a two-year contract. Terms were not disclosed, but reports indicate it pays Stepan $6.15 million. Stepan, who was a restricted free agent, had been sitting out training camp as contract negotiations with the Rangers were ongoing. He led the Rangers in scoring last season with 26 assists, 44 points and a plus-25 rating in 48 games. Stepan, 23, has not missed a game in three seasons with the Rangers. He has 140 points on 56 goals and 84 assists in 212 games.

Toronto - The Maple Leafs and defenseman Cody Franson have reached agreement in terms for a one-year contract. The deal, according to reports, is worth $2 million. Franson, a restricted free agent, had been sitting out of training camp. The one-year contract allows Franson, 26, to be eligible for salary arbitration next summer. He declined to file for salary arbitration during this past summer. Franson will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in two seasons. The deal appears to be a compromise as the Leafs were looking for longer term during the negotiations and Franson's camp wanted more money annually. Franson led all Maple Leafs' defensemen last season with 29 points, which was tied for sixth among all NHL defensemen. He was fourth among all NHL defensemen with 25 assists. Franson played regularly in Toronto's top four and also saw key time on the power play.

"One year was important to us,” Franson told TSN via text message. "With the current cap situation a two-year deal was very difficult to get at what we felt was fair. A one-year [deal] was the most reasonable way for us to find a middle ground. I want to keep progressing from last year, take on a bigger role, be a consistent go-to guy, and be more productive in all areas of the game."

The signing of Franson, as well as the recent signing of forward Mason Raymond, will likely put the Maple Leafs in a bit of a salary cap bind until further roster moves can be made. Toronto's cap situation is further complicated by the suspension of star forward David Clarkson, who is ruled out for the first 10 games after leaving the bench to join an altercation during a preseason game earlier that week. Clarkson's salary during that time counts against the Maple Leafs' cap. It also presents a possibly interesting dilemma for general manager Dave Nonis this summer as the Maple Leafs could have five defensemen on expiring deals this season. Franson, Paul Ranger, Mark Fraser, Jake Gardiner and team captain Dion Phaneuf are all in the final years of their current contracts.

 

NY Rangers - 2013-14 Season

The New York Rangers made very few changes this summer to a roster that features All-Star talent at every position. But the team did make wholesale changes behind the bench, replacing John Tortorella with Alain Vigneault, who over time installed his own coaching staff, which includes associate coach Scott Arniel. How the Rangers respond to Vigneault and his new system could ultimately dictate whether this club moves forward or backward from the unit that got hot down the stretch last season before losing to the Boston Bruins in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vigneault's open system is expected to be quite a contrast from Tortorella's more conservative approach. And it's something Rangers players admit is going to take some getting used to. The process of acclimating to Vigneault's style will be especially difficult for the Rangers. With Madison Square Garden undergoing the final phase of its renovation, the Rangers will play their first nine games on the road. They also could start the season without their top line, as captain Ryan Callahan and Carl Hagelin are recovering from offseason surgeries and restricted free agent Derek Stepan remains unsigned. There will be some major growing pains for this team, but in an 82-game schedule, they could overcome it.

"Obviously we have a whole new system and guys are coming in and trying to learn it," defenseman Marc Staal said following a 4-1 preseason loss to the Calgary Flames on Monday. "We had a good week of practice and there's a lot we can learn from today and build on. It's not going to come overnight. It's going to take a lot of hard work on our part."

The Rangers made very few changes to their forward unit, with the signing of free agents Benoit Pouliot and Dominic Moore being the major additions. But there could be some big names missing come opening night. Neither Callahan nor Hagelin are expected to dress after both underwent offseason shoulder surgeries. Perhaps more troubling is the absence of Stepan, last season's leading scorer with 44 points. Not being able to work with three of his top forwards only further stunts Vigneault's efforts to integrate his system. But he admits it also provides a unique opportunity to see what some of his top young prospects have to offer. Acquired from the Montreal Canadiens during the summer, Kristo was a scoring dynamo last season as a senior at the University of North Dakota and in training camp has at times played on a line with All-Stars Rick Nash and Brad Richards. If that line finds chemistry, they could be dangerous. But the key ultimately could be Richards, who needs to rebound from a disappointing 2012-13 season in order to improve an offense that ranked 15th in goals per game last season.

"We have a lot of kids, whether it be [Marek Hrivik], [Jesper] Fast, [Danny] Kristo that are catching my attention with what they're doing on the ice," Vigneault said after the loss Monday.

SUMMER MOVES

IN: Dominic Moore, C (free agent, Sharks); Benoit Pouliot, LW (free agent, Lightning); Justin Falk, D (trade, Wild); Aaron Johnson, D (free agent, Bruins); Danny Kristo, RW (trade, Canadiens)

OUT: Ryane Clowe, LW (free agent, Devils); Kris Newbury, C (trade, Flyers); Benn Ferreiro, C (trade, Wild); Roman Hamrlik, D (free agent); Christian Thomas, RW (trade, Canadiens); Matt Gilroy, D (free agent, Panthers)

For a few seasons the Rangers' defensive corps has been a strong suit. A group that includes Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal, Michael Del Zotto and Anton Stralman was bolstered last season by the addition of 22-year-old John Moore. Moore was brought to the team in the trade that sent Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets and immediately became a fixture on the blue line. His long reach and strong skating allowed him to cover a lot of ground and he immediately won the favor of Tortorella. Justin Falk was added to give the unit more depth, but the greatest addition could be a healthy Staal. The All-Star missed the last 27 regular-season games and all but one game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after being hit in the right eye with a puck. But Staal said during the summer that he has fully recovered from the injury. If the defense remains healthy, they should continue to play a large role in the Rangers' success.

They don't come any more consistent in net than Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist will return for his ninth season in the Rangers' crease and has made it clear that, even with the new coaching staff, he doesn't plan on making any changes to the form that has made him one of the world's best goaltenders.

"For me personally, I'll still work with my goalie coach a lot and work on the same details. The change for me won't be as big," Lundqvist told NHL.com. "I'm excited to see how it's going to affect the team. Hopefully in a good way. We try something new. We had a good run with [Tortorella], but it's time to try something else."

 

San Jose Sharks - 2013-14 Season

In the San Jose Sharks organization, finishing is the name of the game. The team wants to start this season the way they finished, with a fast-paced, efficient game, a playoff sweep of the Vancouver Canucks and a narrow Game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Semifinals. If the Sharks can do that, they could be staring down a 10th consecutive postseason appearance, and perhaps the ultimate "finish" that has eluded the team during that decade of success: the Stanley Cup. In hopes of scaling that final mountain, the organization implemented a "reset/refresh" philosophy at the trade deadline last season. The philosophy, which revolved around a north/south, up-tempo style of play, was made possible by deadline trades for Raffi Torres and Scott Hannan, as well as the decision to move Brent Burns from defense to forward. Players who didn't fit the system, among them Ryane Clowe, Michal Handzus and Douglas Murray, were shipped out. The new system paid dividends, as San Jose clinched a postseason appearance, swept the Canucks in the opening round and then pushed the Kings to the brink before falling in Game 7 of that series. This summer, general manager Doug Wilson added another piece to the puzzle with a draft-day deal for Tyler Kennedy, who is just the kind of fast, feisty forward San Jose needs. Wilson also locked franchise faces Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski into long-term contracts, with each player receiving five-year, $30 million extensions. Couture echoed the organization's focus on the finish when asked about the state of the Sharks. In addition to their bolstered attack, the Sharks possess one of the best, and youngest, defenses in the NHL, with even younger prospects coming soon. Add to the mix Antti Niemi, a first-time Vezina Trophy finalist last season, and the Sharks have the tools to mount another deep run into the postseason.

"Our coaches are pretty excited to continue where we left off last year, and we have a clear view of how we want to play," Wilson said prior to the start of training camp. "You know, that north/south attacking game. The players that we've added certainly fit that mold. I think our players are excited about the way we want to play. I was a player, that's how I'd want to play. I think there's kind of an energy and excitement around here of building on how we finished and how we played."

"We just have to continue this season the way we finished the year last year, from the deadline on to the playoffs,” Couture said. "I'm most looking forward to playing a full season with the team we have. … I'm excited to see how we do this season."

Midway through last season, the Sharks were in need of an offensive shake-up. The attack was stagnating and the Sharks, after starting the season 7-0-0, had slipped out of postseason contention. Wilson and coach Todd McLellan didn't hesitate to alter the status quo, shipping out three veterans at the trade deadline in order to implement the preferred north/south game plan. The Sharks brought in Torres to add pace and bite to the attack, and Burns brought a physical edge and was surprisingly productive skating alongside Joe Thornton. In June, Wilson traded for Kennedy, a player used to scoring big goals playing alongside some of the League's biggest stars with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The fourth and final piece of the puzzle, according to Wilson, is 19-year-old Tomas Hertl. The 17th pick in the 2012 NHL Draft is primed to join the Sharks this season after leading HC Slavia Praha, in the Czech Extraliga, in scoring in 2012-13 despite being the youngest player on the team. Wilson told NHL.com that all four additions will prove essential to the Sharks' goal of getting offense from all four lines. What those lines will look like, however, remains up for debate. With Marty Havlat starting the season on injured reserve and TJ Galiardi traded to the Calgary Flames this summer, there are two holes in the top six. McLellan told reporters he would not break up his productive duos of Couture-Patrick Marleau and Thornton-Burns, but both are in need of a third line mate. Pavelski, who will probably continue to center the third line as he did late in 2012-13, is also in need of production-minded wingers. That's where Kennedy, Torres, Hertl and Tommy Wingels come in. All four are out to prove they deserve top-nine minutes and the battles will rage throughout training camp. Torres suffered an ACL injury during an incidental collision with Anaheim's Emerson Etem in San Jose's second preseason game, a knock which will likely see him miss six or more weeks of the regular season.

"This is a guy who's played in the World Juniors, he's played in a men's league against men for several years, he's played in the World Championship," Wilson said. "He's 6-foot-2, 210 [pounds] already. We saw him in our development camp and have very high expectations."

SUMMER MOVES

IN: Tyler Kennedy, LW (trade, Penguins), Mirco Mueller, D (draft)

OUT: Scott Gomez, C (free agent, Panthers), TJ Galiardi, LW (trade, Flames), Tim Kennedy, C (free agent, Coyotes), Thomas Greiss, G (free agent, Coyotes)

With the injury to Torres, who had been slated to join either the Couture or Pavelski line, the door opens for the Sharks to sign Anthony Stewart, who is in training camp on a professional tryout, or call on a top offensive prospect like Matthew Nieto or Freddie Hamilton. Both players have been building their resumes, Nieto at Boston University and Hamilton for Worcester (AHL), and have impressed thus far at training camp.

One reason the Sharks were so comfortable moving Burns, one of their best defensemen, to forward was the tremendous depth and youth San Jose enjoys on the blue line. Four of San Jose's projected top-seven defensemen are 26 or younger, making up a unit that ranked among the League's best in goals allowed and penalty kill in 2012-13. The emerging leader of the unit, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, is becoming one of the NHL's finest shut-down defensemen at age 26. Vlasic joins his partner from last season, Justin Braun, also 26, in the top pairing. Vlasic and Braun will aim to recreate their postseason success, in which they combined to shut down the Sedin twins and then Anze Kopitar. Matt Irwin, who got a chance when Burns moved to forward, joins veteran Dan Boyle in another pairing. Hannan did enough in his short stint with San Jose to earn a one-year contract extension this summer and likely will anchor the third pairing with Brad Stuart or Jason Demers. While these defensive pairings appear more or less locked in, the Sharks proved last season they are not afraid to shake things up. Luckily for them, they've got the prospect pool to do it. Matt Tennyson, Nick Petrecki and Taylor Doherty are all waiting in the wings and have shown in training camp they can jump right in.

"Our coach will play whoever fits what our needs are, and he's always looking for ingredients, and it could be different players at different times," Wilson said. "Todd has never had a hard time putting a young player not just in the lineup but in a role where he can succeed."

Antti Niemi is the unquestioned starter; now it's just a matter of who backs him up. Niemi had his finest NHL season in 2012-13 (and his career includes a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010) and was rewarded with his first Vezina nomination. Niemi clocked more ice time (2,580:46) than any other goaltender, starting 43 of 48 regular-season games, and posted a 2.16 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. The Sharks once again will rely heavily on Niemi this season, but in an 82-game season, the 30-year-old will need his share of rest. With last season's backup Thomas Greiss now with the Phoenix Coyotes, the Sharks are staging a training-camp battle for the backup spot with Alex Stalock and Harri Sateri. Stalock was considered the clear choice before Wilson and McLellan made comments pointing to a training camp battle. It's a competition both goalies know well: Stalock and Sateri split starts with Worcester, the team's American Hockey League affiliate, last season, with Stalock posting slightly better numbers. Stalock is back to full health after almost a year spent recovering from a severed nerve behind his knee, an injury that occurred in February 2010. Wilson said Stalock's attitude during his recovery earned him a lot of plaudits from within the organization.

"We feel that the competition between Harry and Alex is going to be decided by them on the ice, and we believe very strongly in both of them," Wilson said. "That competition will be one to watch, it will be played out certainly during training camp and exhibition games. [During a season] that's compressed during an Olympic year, you're going to need goaltending and goaltending depth, and that's important. He was not going to let that defeat him. Nobody's going to outwork him, and the respect and admiration he earned for that is a big part of his make-up."

Minnesota Wild - 2013-14 Season

The Minnesota Wild spent nearly $200 million in the summer of 2012 to land left wing Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter, the two free-agent prizes on that market. The duo played key roles in ending what was a five-year Stanley Cup Playoffs drought. Their return to the postseason didn't last long, though. By finishing eighth in the Western Conference, the Wild had to play the No. 1 seed Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, and Minnesota lost in five games. With the majority of last season's group back in 2013-14, the Wild will try to build off what they were able to accomplish in a realigned Central Division. Just making the playoffs won't be good enough.

"The shortened season, the new additions, the lack of training camp, it made it challenging in a lot of ways for us," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "But that first step of making the playoffs was big for us and getting that experience … not just getting that experience, but having that feel of coming up short and taking that into next season, for sure it's going to be a good experience for us. Nobody’s feeling too great about what happened last year. Everybody's motivated."

Parise was everything Minnesota could have hoped for in his first season with the Wild. The 29-year-old led the club with 38 points (18 goals, 20 assists) in 48 games and provided leadership as an alternate captain. He's expected to start the season on Minnesota's top line alongside center Mikko Koivu and right wing Jason Pominville, who was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline last season. The No. 2 center position arguably is the biggest question mark in Minnesota's camp. In one corner is Mikael Granlund, the team's first-round pick (No. 9) at the 2010 NHL Draft. Granlund, 21, split last season between Minnesota and the Houston Aeros in the American Hockey League. He had two goals and six assists in 27 games with the Wild. If Wild decision-makers conclude that Granlund isn't ready for the position, Charlie Coyle likely would shift from right wing to center. Coyle, 21, had 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 37 games last season. Should Granlund and Coyle skate on the same line, it's expected they'll be joined by Dany Heatley, who is healthy after undergoing shoulder surgery near the end of last season, an injury that forced him to miss the playoffs. Nino Niederreiter arrives in Minnesota after being acquired from the New York Islanders in June in exchange for popular forward Cal Clutterbuck and a third-round pick. Niederreiter, 21, had 28 goals and 22 assists in 74 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders' American Hockey League affiliate, last season. He could land on the Wild's third line, alongside center Kyle Brodziak and left wing Jason Zucker. Minnesota's fourth line could be one of the more rugged ones in the League this season with a veteran trio of Zenon Konopka, Matt Cooke and Mike Rupp. Cooke signed with the Wild as a free agent after spending the past five seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He'll also fill the void on the penalty kill left by the Clutterbuck trade.

 

 

"I think he's the type of guy that's going to help us play the type of game that we want to play," Yeo said of Niederreiter.

 

"I think most teams have guys where you're aware when they're on the ice," Yeo said of Cooke. "That's a factor in every game. There's no question we need him to be a factor on the forecheck, we need him to be a physical presence. But at the same time, we need him playing his game because he's an effective player."

 

SUMMER MOVES

IN: Matt Cooke, LW (free agent, Penguins); Keith Ballard, D (free agent, Canucks); Jonathon Blum, D (free agent, Predators); Nino Niederreiter, RW (trade, Islanders)

OUT: Matt Cullen, C (free agent, Predators); Tom Gilbert, D (free agent); Cal Clutterbuck, RW (trade, Islanders); Pierre-Marc Bouchard, LW (free agent, Islanders); Brett Clark, D (free agent); Devin Setoguchi, RW (trade, Jets)

Suter stepped onto Minnesota's blue line last season and led the League by averaging 27:16 of ice time per game. He also had 32 points (four goals, 28 assists) in 48 games and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL's top defenseman. The Wild had an idea of what Suter was going to bring to the table, evidenced by the 13-year contract they signed him to in July 2012. It was Jonas Brodin's season that caught everyone by surprise. Brodin, the Wild's first-round pick (No. 10) in 2011, entered the League as a 19-year-old last season and performed as though he'd been there for years. The Swedish defenseman led all rookies by averaging 23:12 and had 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 45 games. Hoping to play a more physical game this season, the Wild signed Keith Ballard to a two-year contract in July. Ballard struggled the past three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and had the remaining two years of his contract bought out. Now, he has a chance to rejuvenate himself in Minnesota, where he'll likely be paired with 23-year-old Marco Scandella. Jared Spurgeon, who signed a three-year contract in July, will be asked to provide some offense from the blue line and will see plenty of time on the power play. He could be paired with Nate Prosser or Clayton Stoner, or perhaps Mathew Dumba, the Wild's first-round pick (No. 7) from 2012 who is trying to avoid another season of junior hockey.

 

 

"He's a young kid that needs to continue to get stronger," Yeo said of Brodin. "The defensive part of his game is very advanced compared to other players at his age. Where we'd like to see him continue to grow and he has the ability in the offensive part of the game, that's a little bit more just sort of a take-charge attitude. He's actually got great mobility back on the blue line, he's got a good shot when he's willing to use it. For a team that's looking to score more goals, he'd be the guy we're looking to help us in that area."

 

Niklas Backstrom returns as Minnesota's No. 1 goaltender after signing a three-year contract less than two weeks before the free-agent market opened. The 35-year-old is healthy after undergoing sports hernia surgery in May. Backstrom helped the Wild make the playoffs by starting 27 of the final 28 games of the regular season, but sustained the injury in warm-ups prior to Game 1 against Chicago. Backstrom went 24-15-3 with a 2.48 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 42 games. Josh Harding returns as Backstrom's backup. The 29-year-old had a 2.94 GAA and .911 save percentage during Minnesota's first-round loss to Chicago.

Ottawa Senators - 2013-14 Season

The Ottawa Senators earned the nickname "Pesky Sens" last season because of a team-wide refusal to believe that their long list of injured star players should prevent the team from winning. With those star players now healthy, and with another big name joining the ranks, the Senators shouldn't need to be quite so pesky in order to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. The departure of long-time captain Daniel Alfredsson during the summer hurt the organization and fan base, but it also put an unfortunate damper on the acquisition of Bobby Ryan from the Anaheim Ducks later the same day. Goal scorers like Ryan don't grow on trees and almost never are traded. The fact general manager Bryan Murray was able to add a talent like that while losing just one roster player in the process should have made for a summer of celebration in the Canadian capital. Ryan never will be able to fill the leadership void left by Alfredsson's departure, but after the Senators finished 27th in the NHL in goals per game last season he definitely should help address a glaring need.

"We probably surprised a few people last year with our injuries and being able to finish the way that we did," Senators forward Zack Smith told the team's website early in training camp. "I think this year there are a lot more expectations from different people, but if we're a healthy club it's going to be exciting to see what we can actually do."

"The puck goes in the net for him," coach Paul MacLean said recently of his new sniper. "He seems to shoot at a way bigger net than all the other guys seem to be shooting at. He brings that pedigree with him; he's scored 30 goals in this League more than one time. So he has that ability and he's certainly showed that through every day of training camp here."

"I don't think we'll be 27th," Murray told NHL.com before training camp started. "But you never know. You start the year and you're optimistic as hell and then something happens. But I think we've got enough offense."

That something Murray is referring to obviously is injuries, which no team can really plan for, especially in the salary-cap era. Having a healthy Erik Karlsson, Jason Spezza, Craig Anderson, Milan Michalek and Jared Cowen all season long, with the additions of Ryan and free agent Clarke MacArthur, should make the Senators a better team than the one that reached the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the spring. But just as the Senators didn't allow injuries to ruin them last season, they will have to prove they can maintain the same level of motivation and execution if that adversity is not present this season.

MacLean may have one of the most potent top lines in the NHL this season, as he has stuck with the combination of Spezza surrounded by Michalek and Ryan on the wings throughout training camp with the intention of at least starting the season relying on that trio to play major minutes at even strength and on the power play. With Ryan just entering his prime years at age 26, Michalek needing a good season in the final year of his contract and Spezza embracing his new responsibilities following Alfredsson as captain, the line appears to have all the ingredients necessary to succeed. Spezza is one of the NHL's most creative playmakers, and in theory surrounding a player like that with two sharpshooters like Ryan and Michalek should work. If there is one area of concern it would be Ottawa's second line, centered by Turris. MacLean has used MacArthur on the left wing of that line throughout camp, with various players getting auditions at right wing, including Cory Conacher, Mike Hoffman and center Mika Zibanejad. Having a secondary source of scoring often is cited as a vital component for any team. That would appear to put some pressure on the Turris line, however it eventually looks, to alleviate the scoring burden on Spezza's line. Among the bottom six forwards, the main question is whether last season's playoff hero, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, will force MacLean to move Zibanejad or Zack Smith from center to the wing in order to make room for him in the middle. Thus far in training camp, Pageau's play has suggested that his performance in the spring was not a fluke.

Spezza says. "I look at it as an opportunity to play with a great player [Ryan], but if it doesn't work and we don't have chemistry, then he'll have chemistry with Kyle Turris because we're different players. If for whatever reason it doesn't work with me it's going to work with him because it's going to work with someone."

Except MacLean sees it differently. "I hope it's the other way around, that Spezza's line can take pressure off the Turris line. That's what we'd like to have happen. He's playing well, and if he continues to play well he's going to make it very hard. Those are hard decisions. His game has been very consistent and training camp is a long time, we'll see how he can come as you go, but right now he's playing well enough for sure. You just want to keep watching him every day and see how he keeps going."

SUMMER MOVES

IN: Joe Corvo, D (free agent, Hurricanes), Curtis Lazar, RW/C (draft), Ludwig Karlsson, RW (free agent, Northeastern University), Clarke MacArthur, LW (free agent, Maple Leafs), Bobby Ryan, RW (trade, Ducks)

OUT: Daniel Alfredsson, RW (free agent, Red Wings), Andre Benoit, D (free agent, Avalanche), Sergei Gonchar, D (trade, Stars), Guillaume Latendresse, LW (free agent), Mike Lundin, D (free agent), Stefan Noesen, RW (trade, Ducks), Peter Regin, C (free agent, Islanders), Jakob Silfverberg, RW (trade, Ducks)

The Ottawa defense was a strength last season despite missing Norris Trophy-winner Karlsson for most of it. With Karlsson fully recovered from his lacerated Achilles tendon and Cowen getting his contract issue settled by signing for four years and $12.4 million, the Senators' defense should be stronger than it was last season in spite of the loss of veteran Sergei Gonchar. The top pairing of Karlsson and Marc Methot remains intact, but the second pair should see Cowen with Patrick Wiercioch ascending to a role of prominence for the first time in his career. Wiercioch, 23, was signed to a three-year, $6 million contract during the offseason in the hope he could build off a season where he had 19 points in 42 games, tying him in scoring with such stars as the Boston Bruins' Zdeno Chara, Jack Johnson of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ryan McDonagh of the New York Rangers. Wiercioch will be given a chance to play with Karlsson and the Spezza line on Ottawa's top power-play unit as well, so his production should increase this season. Most of the intrigue comes on the third pairing, where there are numerous candidates to play alongside veteran Chris Phillips, including free-agent acquisition Joe Corvo and the rugged Mark Borowiecki. Eric Gryba, who emerged last season as a strong, physical presence defensively, has missed most of training camp with an undisclosed injury, but he also will be in the mix to fill that No. 6 spot. Then there's the longshot Cody Ceci, Ottawa's first-round pick at the 2012 NHL Draft (No. 15). The injury to Gryba could mean he has a chance to stick on the roster to start the season.

"Right now Patrick and Erik will anchor the first unit of the power play and we'll give them every opportunity to show that they can do it," MacLean said. "We anticipate that they're going to be very good at it. I'm not going to say [when Gryba may return], but I do know one man's injury is another man's opportunity, and that hasn't changed since the start of organized sport. If somebody's out, somebody has to take his place, and that's an opportunity for someone."

The Senators may have the best goaltending tandem in the NHL, but the question remains as to just how much of a tandem it will be. Anderson is coming off one of the best seasons any goalie has had in the NHL's modern era, with a 1.69 goals-against average and .941 save percentage, albeit in just 24 games. His backup, Robin Lehner, 22, is one of the top young goalies in the League. Anderson played 63 games in 2011-12, his only full season with the Senators, and if he maintains his level of play, there's no reason to believe he won't have a similar workload this season. But he's fully aware he will have to earn it. Lehner was outstanding in limited action last season, with a 2.20 GAA and .936 save percentage in 12 games. Should Anderson show any signs of coming back down to earth, Lehner will be ready to pounce on the opportunity. Ultimately, it will be the Senators who benefit from the internal competition for the net.

"We're always trying to prove ourselves and everything you do in this game you earn," Anderson said early in camp. "Your ice time you earn, you earn the respect of your peers by going out there and working hard and performing at the level you're expected to."