Quick Hits: Injuries, Lines, Pairings and Goalies
Erik Erlendsson: Ryan Callahan not on ice, so not expecting to play Friday or Saturday. Andy Strickland: Blues Carl Gunnarsson won't play tonight. Joe Smith: Lightning lines: Drouin-Filppula-Stamkos/Palat-Johnson-Connolly/Kucherov-Namestnikov-Brown/Morrow-Boyle-Blunden. Randy Sportak: Flames lines: Colborne-Monahan-Hudler, Glencross-Stajan-Byron, Raymond-Backlund-Gaudreau, Bollig-Jooris-Bouma. Defensive pairings: Giordano-Brodie; Russell-Wideman; Smid-Engelland. Columbus Blue…
Morning Hits: Petry, Nichushkin, Horton, Gudas, Booth and More
Bruce McCurdy: Oilers coach Dallas Eakins said that special teams needs as his driving decision to bench Jeff Petry, but he was their top penalty killing defenseman (SHTOI/G) from the past two seasons. Ryan Rishaug: Since he missed all of training…
Morning Hits: Bettman, Wang, Smith, Pouliot, Maatta and Mayer
Eric Francis: Gary Bettman was named the 2014 Sports Executive of the Year at the Sports Business Awards. Chris Botta: Gary Bettman on the Islanders sale: "Charles (Wang) is still deciding what he wants to do. No decision has been made." Sarah…
NHL Injuries: Rangers, Red Wings, Flyers, Predators, Wild and the Coyotes
Katie Strang: Rangers Chris Kreider suffered his hand injury during the Blue Jackets game. He played two games after that with minimal pain. Pat Leonard: Coach Alain Vigneault said they are still determining what the next step is, if he'll need…
VIDEO: Coyotes Goalie Mike Smith Scores A Goal
Phoenix Coyotes goaltender, Mike Smith, scored an empty net goal against the Detroit Red Wings just before time expired. NHL Humor: Smith now has more goals than 334 players.
Quick Hits: Dupuis signs, Salary breakdown for Smith and Lecavalier, Jones to start with Preds and Avs lines
Will DePaoli of Inside Pittsburgh Sports: Pascal Dupuis signed a four year, $15 million contract with the Penguins. A $3.75 million cap hit. Chris Johnston: Salary breakdown for Mike Smith's six year contract extension with the Coyotes: $4 million next…
Free Agent Hits: Letang, Bickell, Smith, Elias, Bobrovsky, Scuderi, Alfredsson, Lecavalier and more
Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review: The framework of Kris Letang's 8 year, $56 million contract extension is done, but the Penguins have balked at Letang's push for an agreement that he won't be traded before next summer when…
Free Agent Hits: Letang, Smith, Bickell, Leafs, Kennedy, Dupuis, Burmistrov and Leddy
Renaud Lavoie: Kris Letang's contract with the Penguins is 8-years for $58 million, a $7.25 million cap hit. Has a limited no-trade clause to 15 teams. Dave Molinari: Sides "still working" on it but it's very close. Pierre LeBrun: The…
Free Agent Hits: Smith, Letang, Gagner, Duchene, Bobrovsky, Nabokov, Briere, Alfie, Weiss, Pens, Rangers and Devils
Darren Dreger: Mike Smith's contract with the Coyotes is still being finalized, but sounding like it's 6-years around $5.7 million per season. Renaud Lavoie: Kris Letang's camp and Penguins GM Ray Shero talked yesterday. Still no deal. They met again…
Free Agent Hits: Rask, Smith, Letang, Clarkson, Bickell, Mikkelson, Red Wings and Pietrangelo
Bob McKenzie: McKenzie figures Tuukka Rask's new deal will be in the $7 million range. Pierre LeBrun: Positive talks between the Coyotes and Mike Smith. Could be a 6-year deal. The franchises future is still a factor. Pierre LeBrun: Kris…
NHL Rumor Round up on 14 teams and a top trade candidate list
Bruce Garrioch: Trade talk is in full swing. "There is so much talk, and so many names, it's hard to believe that everything that is being talked about could actually happen," said a league executive Thursday. "Lots of teams are…
NHL Trade Hits: Hemsky, Neuvirth, Clutterbuck, Byfuglien, Ballard, Luongo and the goalie market
Bruce Garrioch: There have been no talks between the Senators and Oilers regarding Ales Hemsky in months. Bruce Garrioch: With teams need to cut salary, a league executive said trade talks are heating up, "There is a lot happening right now.…