- Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune: The Chicago Blackhawks continue to tweak their lines. At practice yesterday Patrick Kane was on the left side (usually RWer), with David Bolland at center and Marian Hossa on the right side. This line probably won’t be together tonight as Bolland is doubtful with an upper-body injury.
- Chuck Gormley of the Courier-Post: After the Claude Giroux signing, the Philadelphia Flyers have almost $53 million committed to 18 players next season. Flyers potential UFAs are: Ville Leino, Nik Zherdev, Sean O’Donnell and Brian Boucher. Potential RFAs are: Jeff Carter, Dan Carcillo, Darroll Powe and Andreas Nodl. The Flyers would like to re-sign Ville Leino and Jeff Carter but may not be able to fit both in under cap. The longer they are not able to sign either, the more likely that one could be moved at the trade deadline. Holmgren, “I don’t think (Giroux’s signing) affects anything we’re going to try to do moving forward,” Holmgren said. “I’m not going to comment on anything going on, but I’d like to keep our team together as best we can, and we’ll continue to try to do that.”
- Jeff Z. Klein of the NY Times: Fans will vote for the starting 6 all-stars. The captains will then pick the remaining players in a live televised event. Wow, the all-star game will be so exciting now. The GMs shot down Dale Tallon’s ‘coaches challenge’. The GMs are happy with how the players are adapting to the blindside rule.
- James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail: JS Giguere wasn’t too happy with the Leafs effort last night.
“We didn’t compete,” Giguere said. “You knew they were going to be ready, they got beat pretty bad the last game on the road … You’ve got to be aware of these things. I don’t know. I’m a bit lost. I don’t know what to say. We’re just going to have to regroup.” ….
“I don’t understand why it’s not happening. There’s nothing given in this league. It’s a tough league to win in, especially on the road. You need to show up ready. Things might not go your way, that’s understandable, and you’re not going to win them all but after you lose a few in a row like that, you need to start showing something.
“Tonight we didn’t even have a chance.”
- Globe and Mail Audio: Ron Wilson after the Maple Leafs 4-0 loss to Tampa.