Morning notes on: Torres, Lidstrom, Alfredsson, Luongo, Red Wings, Roy, Emery, Clifford, Parse and Blues sale
  • Helene St. James via twitter: Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom reiterated last night that a decision on his future won’t be made for several weeks. He’ll eventually meet with GM Ken Holland to,

    “go over things. So I’ll see what he wants to do and what time table he’ll give me to make a decision.”

    Coach Mike Babcock,

    “I think Nick Lidstrom retires when he thinks he’s not a good player any more. But I think he’s been a pretty darn good player. He’s too good to quit.”

  • Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun: Senators Daniel Alfredsson won’t be returning for Game 5. He didn’t practice with the team yesterday, and didn’t fly with them to New York .
  • Jim Jamieson via twitter: Canucks Roberto Luongo said he isn’t reading papers or listening to the radio about speculation surrounding his future. Luongo added that he’s 100% behind Cory Schneider.
  • Darren Dreger of TSN: (mailbag) The Red Wings did have interest in Rick Nash at the trade deadline, but it wasn’t the right timing for the Wings. The cost financially and structurally was also too much for the Wings. If they hit the open marketing, the Wings will have interest in landing one or both of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.
  • Marianne White in the Montreal Gazette: Patrick Roy said yesterday that he hasn’t received a call from the Canadiens yet, “But my cellphone is always turned on.” Roy added,

    “If I receive a phone call, I’m obviously going to listen,” he said.

    “The NHL has been the best thing that’s happened to me in my life and I’m certainly not going to turn down calls from an NHL team. But am I going to make calls? No.”

  • Adam Jahns via twitter: Jahns wonders if the Blackhawks will go with Ray Emery for Game 5 over Corey Crawford.
  • Rich Hammond of the LA Kings Insider: Kyle Clifford didn’t skate yesterday. Scott Parse took part in his first team practice since November. Parse is still weeks away from possibly playing.
  • Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Gary Bettman said yesterday that the sale of the St. Louis Blues could be completed “soon.” Once the lawyers are finished, the NHL Board of Governors will meet with Tom Stillman to give their final approval.

    “We remain singularly focused on Tom Stillman completing his proposed transaction to purchase the St. Louis Blues’ franchise. “The process is progressing positively, and we have no reason to think that it won’t get done in the relatively near future.”