- Helene Elliott of the LA Times: Ducks GM Bob Murray mentioned yesterday that Teemu Selanne “wants to come back and play from a mental perspective,” but it’s up to his surgically repaired knee.
“He is working out on and off the ice and trying to strengthen his knee. It’s not quite where he wants it yet,” Murray said Tuesday via email. “He wants to make a decision prior to training camp.”
Medical tests for the Ducks start on the 16th, and they hit the ice on the 17th.
“I’m optimistic, but certainly understand him not wanting commit unless the knee is straightened out,” Murray said. “I’m going to talk to him again later this week and see how he is progressing.”
- Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune: Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane had offseason left wrist surgery and has said he’s “a little ahead of schedule.” He hopes to be able to get in up to 4 exhibition games.
“I get the splint off the 15th so after that I should be able to do pretty much everything,” Kane said. “I’ve been skating and working out. For a while there, I couldn’t go full equipment with the cast. Once I got the cast off that’s when I started trying to get back into the flow quickly.”
- Adrian Dater of the Denver Post: Avalanche defenseman Kyle Cumiskey still remains unsigned. Cumiskey only made it in 18 games last year, but is 100% healthy according to his agent. His agent, Ross Gurney, wouldn’t go on record regarding why there hasn’t been a contract yet. Dater thinks a deal will get done before the start of camp next Saturday.
- Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: Former Oilers and Blackhawk Fernando Pisani is still looking for a contract. He’s not keen on doing a tryout with a team, competing with guys on a one-way deal. Steve Staios and Bryan McCabe are also looking for work. Jason Strudwick also doesn’t have a contract, and reportedly has had some coaching offers, but he still wants to play.
- Scott Burnside of ESPN: Underachieving Coyotes prospect Kyle Turris also remains unsigned. He has only scored 19 goals in 131 NHL games. League sources are saying that Turris is looking for a 3 year deal worth more than $4 million a season or a 2 year deal at more than $3 million. Turris’ agent told ESPN he won’t discuss numbers.
- Nick Montemagno of Blueshirt Banter: Last year Henrik Lundqvist played 68 games, but if Marty Biron can remain healthy, Montemagno would like to see him play closer to 60 games.
This will keep Lundqvist fresh, mentally and physically, throughout the course of the year, especially in the playoffs. I think we all noticed how fatigued Hank was by the fourth or fifth game of that first-round series against Washington back in April, and I’m sure that had a lot to do with the fact that he was forced to play out the entire final third of the season with Biron out. That will change in 2011-12.
- Harrison Mooney of the Vancouver Sun: Manny Legace, who played in Germany last year, will attend the Canucks training camp on a tryout.