On Eric Gelinas …
Tom Gulitti: The Montreal Canadians will be bringing defenseman Eric Gelinas to training camp on a PTO.
On Rene Bourque …
Murray Pam: Rene Bourque signed with Djurgardens of the SHL. He recorded 12 goals and 18 points for the Colorado Avalanche last season.
On Will Butcher …
Tom Canavan (AP) in the Denver Post: Defenseman Will Butcher said he chose the New Jersey Devils because he felt good after his meeting with Devils head coach John Hynes and that their up-tempo style fits his game.
“It seemed like a great fit in how I wanted to play, and they saw me being in a better role with what they wanted to do there,” Butcher said of choosing New Jersey. “It kind of reminded me a little bit of how we were going to play with my college hockey.”
Butcher thinks he’s ready to play in the NHL this season.
On the Calgary Flames …
Calgary Flames: The Flames signed defenseman Brett Kulak to a one-year, two-way deal with a salary cap hit of $650,000.
On Danis Zaripov …
NHL PR: The NHL released a statement yesterday in which they announced the Danis Zaripov is eligible to play in the NHL this season. The is appealing his two-year suspension from the IIHF.
Zaripov defended his case to the NHL in a multi-hour video conference with the NHL. He was initially flagged for “pseudoephedrine,” something that isn’t on the NHL’s prohibited list.
Zaripov has never tested positive for anything during his international and professional career and continues to deny that he intentionally took something. He will submit more than usual testing to the NHL when the season starts.
On Free Agents …
Here’s the same thing with UFA defensemen. It’s a very thin pool, though Liles, Franson, and maybe Jokipaka/Gelinas could help. pic.twitter.com/BJZbmgEvsA
— Sean Tierney (@ChartingHockey) August 28, 2017