- Randy Youngman of the OC Register: It’s sounding more and more like Teemu Selanne might return to the Ducks next season and put off retirement for atleast one more season.
•”If you had asked me two months ago, it would have been easy to think, ‘This is it.’ But the way we have played since then (23-14-4 in the second half), after I got healthy, it’s been so much fun.”• “Obviously, I’m going to have a lot of time to rest this summer. It’s disappointing, because we had way too good a team to miss the playoffs. But in some ways, the tank doesn’t feel even close to empty.”
•”I feel I can still play. I still have my speed and my strength – those are the skills that make me successful. If they weren’t good enough to play at this level, it would be easy to do something else.”
- Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Slava Kozlov had some parting shots at the Atlanta Thrashers, blaming the coaching staff for the team’s failure to make the playoffs, citing lack of preparation and poor systems. Kozlov was a healthy scratch for 26 of the teams final 31 games. Kozlov had only good things to say about his teammates and organization as a whole, only bashing the coaches. He has a list of 5 or 6 teams that he’d consider signing with this off-season, and if that doesn’t pan out, he’ll head back to Russia and the KHL.
- Eric Stephens of the OC Register: Saku Koivu has said he’d like to remain in Anaheim, and hopes negotiations will start before July 1st, but realizes that management has lots to evaluate with the season just ending.
- Lance Horby of the Toronto Sun: Maple Leafs assistant GM Dave Nonis has held some talks over the last 10 days with Jonas Gustavsson’s agent, Joe Resnick. Talks are moving forward on a multi-year deal.
- Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News: Cowlishaw has heard that players still don’t understand Marc Crawford’s system, even after playing in it for season. The Stars should bring back Lehtinen, but is a good time for Mike Modano to hang up the blades.
- Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun: Brian Burke has said that his coaching staff is safe, and all will be brought back for next year. Coach Ron Wilson will focus more on the sad Maple Leafs power play from the get go at training camp.
- Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: Matt Duchene was on the ice yesterday, and might be ready to go for Avalanche in their series opener on Wednesday. Duchene was wearing an extra chest pad, covering his sternum. He suffered a ‘torse injury’ on Saturday.
- Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer: It is unknown at this point if Ray Whitney and Rod Brind’Amour will be returning to the Hurricanes next season. Whitney is a UFA and might re-sign. Brind’Amour is still under contract for 1 year, but at 39, he might retire.
