Stars close to getting a new owner … Big off-season questions for Ducks … Dubinsky wants a deal ASAP … Erat ready to return

Mark Easson

14 years ago

David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail: Tom Gaglardi is getting closer owning the Dallas Stars as he’s agreed to a price and most of the terms. Gaglardi “will soon enter an exclusive negotiating period of roughly 30 days to complete the purchase of the NHL team and a 50-per-cent share of American Airlines Center. The last hurdle, according to a source familiar with the sale who requested anonymity because the deal is not official, is taking the Stars through bankruptcy court so Gaglardi will not be hampered by any debts left by current owner Tom Hicks.” Though no one is saying what the price for the team and half-interest in the arena is, but it could be in the $250 million range.

David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News: Though it’s not official, it could be Vancouver-Nashville starting on Thrusday. San Jose-Detroit would then likely be Friday and Sunday.

The Globe and Mail: Two of the Ducks biggest off-season questions will be if Teemu Selanne will return next year and if Jonas Hiller can get over vertigo? “I’ve got to be honest, it was so much fun this year, and that’s all I ask,” Selanne said. “It’s not about goals or points. I just want to enjoy this every day. I try to play like I left everything out there, but you can’t just win the Stanley Cup every year.” Lubomir Visnovsky was playing through a serious shoulder injury during the playoffs. GM Bob Murray added, “The decisions this summer are different than just getting players,” Murray said. “The purpose here is, can we win with this core group? That’s what I’ve got to figure out.” Selanne said that he talked to Paul Kariya, who’s fully healthy, but isn’t sure if he wants to return to an NHL that has had so many head issues this year.

Peter Botte of the NY Daily News: Rangers center Brandon Dubinsky is an RFA and coming off a 2 year, $3.75 million deal. “I’d like to get it done as quickly as possible,” Dubinsky said Monday at the team’s practice facility in Greenburgh. “I think the Rangers want me, and I want the Rangers, so at the end of the day we might as well not waste each other’s time and draw it out as long as it was (two years ago). The sooner it’s done, the sooner I can focus on putting all my energy and efforts to this organization.”

Dmitry Chesnokov via twitter: Ilya Bryzgalov won’t be suiting up for Russia at the World Championship as Evgeni Nabokov was given the #1 job, Bryzgalov didn’t want another role.

Katie Carrera of the Washington Post: Capitals Mike Knuble and Dennis Wideman were in full pads at yesterday mornings practice. Knuble stayed on the ice with teammates for the practice, Wideman left after 15 minutes due to feeling lightheaded. Knuble wasn’t assigned a line at practice and is still not sure when he’ll return. “There’s a fine line between coming back and helping and coming back and hurting a team,” Knuble continued. “That’s my main concern, is that you wanna come back and you don’t wanna have to worry about contributing all the time, but just not hindering what’s going on.”

Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News: Red Wings coach Mike Babcock isn’t worried about Johan Franzen’s ankle injury, even if he missed another practice earlier this week. Henrik Zetterberg has taken part in 2 practices recently.

Bryan Mullen of the Tennessean: Predators forward Martin Erat practiced with the team yesterday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury in Game 4 versus the Ducks. Erat would have been able to go in Game 7 if the Ducks had extended the series.

Dmitry Chesnokov via twitter: Former NHLer Donald Brashear is going to give MMA a try, he has a deal to try cage-fighting in June at ‘Ringside 11’ at the Quebec Coliseum.