- Shelly Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Sidney Crosby still isn’t taking contact, but …
“Everything’s been really good,” Crosby said Sunday. “I haven’t run into any issues so far. It’s been pretty smooth.
“A day at a time, but it’s been a lot of fun being out there and getting back to doing the things you’re used to doing every day as a hockey player.”
Crosby took part in a controlled scrimmage for 20 minutes, though it had many whistles the team working on faceoff and set plays.
- Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: Simmons doesn’t understand Kings GM Dean Lombardi’s stance on Drew Doughty. Without Doughty they are not Stanley Cup contenders. Lombardi said that he can’t afford to overpay him, but Simmons points out that he committed $8 million to Simon Gagne and Dustin Penner. It seems they just don’t want to pay Doughty more. Some Kings people think that this situation has become personal. The Kings don’t want to pay Doughty more than Anze Kopitar (former Meehan client), and now Meehan wants more for Doughty than Kopitar’s $6.8 million.
- Bob McKenzie via twitter: James Wisniewski (CBJ), Staubitz (MIN) have hearings with Brendan Shanahan today, with Jacques (ANA) expected to get one as well.
- Andy Strickland of True Hockey: Blues forward David Perron, out since last November with a concussion, is expected to be a camp today. Perron is still a long ways away but it is a positive step.
- Jesse Spector of the NY Daily News: Rangers defenseman Marc Staal practiced yesterday but he won’t be heading to Europe with the team tonight’s game. There is still a possibility that he makes the Oct. 7th season opener. He has been cleared for contract but the Rangers are being cautious.
“It’s ongoing,” Tortorella said. “We’re not looking for results. It’s an ongoing procedure to try to help him. You guys keep on asking me on results – it’s not result-orientated, it’s just to try to help him. … He will not be on the trip. We’re hoping, as he continues his procedures with the specialists, I’ll probably have an update in four or five days.”
- Jim Diamond of the Examiner: Predators GM David Poile recently said that he’s had continuation talks with Ryan Suter’s agent about a contract extension. Poile added that the timeline to re-sign Suter is in the hands of Suter and his agent. Suter makes $3.5 million this season, and will get a nice raise. Suter has said in the past that he would like to stay in Nashville long term.
- Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer: Flyers forward Scott Hartnell will see a cardiologist on Tuesday after experiencing an elevated heart rate during Friday’s game. He didn’t finish the game and will be held out of tonight’s game as a precaution.
- Dennis Bernstein via twitter: Kings coach Terry Murray said that Viatcheslav Voynov is ahead of Thomas Hickey on the depth chart, but they could carry defenseman to start the season.
