Mark Easson

21178 Articles

Afternoon Hits: Stepan, Thomas, Schneider, Waivers, Blues, Lightning and Gaborik

Pierre LeBrun: Derek Stepan's deal with the Rangers is for two-years and $6.15 million. Bob McKenzie: The Panthers and Tim Thomas have a deal in place and the signing will occur after the Panthers ownership change is official. If the…

Mark Easson

Lines and Pairings: Senators, Devils, Hurricanes, Stars, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, Sabres and Blues

Brent Wallace: Senators lines: Stone Smith Conacher; Puempel Zibanejad Hoffman; Dziurzynski Grant Robinson; Kassian O'Brien Lazar. Rich Chere: Devils lines: Clowe-Zajac-Brunner; Zubrus-Loktionov-Bernier; Josefson-Gionta-Janssen; Olesz-Henrique-Ryder; Barch-Jagr-Tedenby. Defensive pairings: Salvador-Zidlicky, Urbom-Fayne, Volchenkov-Harrold, Greene-Larsson. Chip Alexander: Hurricanes lines: EStaal with Tlusty, Terry; JStaal with Dwyer, Gerbe; Nash with…

Mark Easson

Montreal Canadiens 2013-14 Season Primer

Team Outlook from McKeen's Hockey Guide: Montreal went from one of the worst teams in the league in 2011-12 to the Northeast Division winners in the shortened season, but their 2013 campaign still didn’t have much of a happy ending.Goaltender Carey…

Mark Easson

Rangers and Derek Stepan “Getting Closer” on a Two-Year Deal

Elliotte Friedman: The Rangers and Derek Stepan are "getting closer" and "grinding down" to a final number. Elliotte Friedman: Working on a two-year deal at around $6.5 million. The number is not exact, give or take a little on either…

Mark Easson

Free Agent Hits: Franson signs, Thomas and Theodore

Darren Dreger: Maple Leafs and Cody Franson agree on a one-year, $2 million deal. The Leafs wanted a two-year to avoid arbitration next year, but told Franson's camp that they would got to one-year at $2 million or less. Darren…

Mark Easson

Injury Notes: Stalberg, Tropp, Bolland, Red Wings, Jagr, Voracek, Brown, Torres, Handzus, Hornqvist and Horton

Josh Cooper: Predators Viktor Stalberg will be out three to four weeks with a AC sprain in his right shoulder. Elliotte Friendman: Sabres Corey Tropp is out five to six weeks with a broken jaw from Sunday's fight with Jamie…

Mark Easson

Morning Hits: Liles, Wilson and the Capitals, hybrid icing, Commodore, Eminger and Belanger

James Mirtle: Trading John-Michael Liles would obviously help the Maple Leafs cap issues, but if it were possible, Mirtle thinks it would have happened already. Chuck Gormley of CSN Washington: If Tom Wilson makes the Capitals, they will have to…

Mark Easson

Roster Notes: Leafs, Penguins, Wild, Avalanche, Flames, Jets, Ducks and Capitals

Dave Feschuk: Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis said that Morgan Rielly looks "ready to take a job." Nonis added that coach Randy Carlyle needs to be comfortable with playing Rielly 12 to 15 minutes a night, "that's something we feel is going to happen."…

Mark Easson

Ottawa Senators 2013-14 Season Primer

Team Outlook from McKeen's Hockey Guide: Even with Erik Karlsson, Craig Anderson, Milan Michalek, and Jason Spezza missing significant chunks of the 2013 campaign, the Ottawa Senators still somehow managed to make the playoffs for the second straight season. The Senators…

Mark Easson

Roster Notes: Wild, Devils, Panthers, Sabres, Capitals and Oilers

Rachel Blount of the Star Tribune: The Wild reassign 11 to the AHL:  Forwards: Erik Haula, Raphael Bussieres, Zack Phillips, Kris Foucault, Tyler Graovac and Josh Caron. Defensemen: Kyle Medvec, Corbin Baldwin and Colton Jobke. Goaltenders: Darcy Kuemper and Johan…

Mark Easson

Line Combos: Senators, Canadiens, Penguins, Sabres, Hurricanes and Blackhawks

Brent Wallace: Senators lines:  Michalek-DaCosta-Ryan; MacArthur-Turris-Conacher; Greening-Zibanejad-Condra; Kassian-Pageau-Neil. Marc Antoine Godin: Canadiens lines: Galchenyuk-Eller-Gallagher, Moen-Bournival-White, Blunden-Dumont-Tarnasky, Holland-St-Pierre-Thomas. Pittsburgh Penguins: Penguins lines: Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis, Jokinen-Malkin-Neal, Bennett-Sutter-Kobasew, Glass-Jeffrey-Adams. Mike Harrington: Sabres lines: Stafford w/Vanek & Hodgson, Ott-Ennis-Leino, Armia-Grigo-Girg, Kaleta-Larsson-Scott. Michael Smith: Hurricanes lines: Tlusty-E. Staal-Terry, Gerbe-J. Staal-Dwyer,…

Mark Easson

San Jose Sharks 2013-14 Season Primer

Team Outlook from McKeen's Hockey Guide: Another season’s gone. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are a year older and no closer to the Stanley Cup. This wasn’t your typical Sharks campaign though, even if the result was familiar. The team went…

Mark Easson