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Viktor Stalberg, RW/LW, Chicago Blackhawks
2012/05/25: Viktor Stalberg came into his own in 2011-12 with 22 goals and 43 points. The winger saw plenty of action as a top-six forward this season as the Blackhawks had some injury woes up front and Stalberg did not disappoint as he was a plus-six and doled out 91 hits as well. He struggled in the playoffs with only two assists in six games against Phoenix but should be a valued member of the Blackhawks in the next few years as he is only 25 years of age. He is worth selecting late in deeper pools next season. (Source: csnchicago.com) |
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Dustin Penner, LW, Los Angeles Kings
2012/05/25: The Kings Dustin Penner is slated to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. While that was considered to be a no-brainer after a poor seven goal, 17 point regular season, the hulking forward has been a huge surprise in the post-season with three goals and 10 points in 14 games including the overtime winner to send the Kings to the Cup Final Tuesday. This playoff run may be enough for the Kings to consider extending him but if not, plenty of teams will be interested in the power forward. (Source: Los Angeles Times) |
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Willie Mitchell, D, Los Angeles Kings
2012/05/25: Willie Mitchell will be playing in his first Stanley Cup final, at the age of 35. Mitchell has come close before, especially with the Minnesota Wild in 2003 on their magical ride, so it will be a special time for him next week, playing for the Cup. "As a kid you play how many road-hockey games playing for it," Mitchell said. "I'm just going to enjoy it. I had a time there where I didn't know if hockey was going to even going to continue for that matter. So I think at this time of year, after going through that, it allows me to enjoy it that much more." Mitchell has been a solid blueliner throughout his career and is a valuable member of the Kings as he is partnering Slava Voynov on the blueline. Mitchell was originally drafted by the Devils in the eighth round of the 1996 Draft. It should be interesting if he gets to face the organization that drafted him in the Final. (Source: Los Angeles Times) |
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Brad Richards, C, New York Rangers
2012/05/24: Unlike the last Eastern Conference final Game 6 against the Devils, the Rangers won't be making any assurances of a win in this one. Eighteen years ago Thursday, captain Mark Messier guaranteed that the Rangers would win Game 6 in New Jersey to force a Game 7. New York is obviously in the same exact situation, down 3-2 to the Devils in this series and needing a victory to force a final game at Madison Square Garden. But that doesn't mean the pre-game script will play at the same way. "We haven't really thought about it," Brad Richards said. "No disrespect to history, but we're worried about ourselves. We want to create our own story and that's what we're here to do." (Source: NHL.com) |
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Roberto Luongo, G, Vancouver Canucks
2012/05/24: Coach Alex Vigneault said that goalie Roberto Luongo wants out of Vancouver. Speaking with French station TVA Sports on Wednesday night on "The Match", the Canucks' coach was questioned about the goaltender and whether he thinks he should be dealt. "First of all, that is what he wants right now," Vigneault said in the translated quote. "What we need to do is what's best for our organization and our team. We have to look at what's best for our organization and Roberto." The Canucks have a No. 1-ready netminder in Cory Schneider, and Luongo, even with 10 years still left on his contract, will likely pique the interest of many teams this offseason. (Source: Vancouver Sun) |
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Ryan Russell, LW/C, Columbus Blue Jackets
2012/05/24: Ryan Russell has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with Columbus. He was acquired from Montreal in exchange for forward Mike Blunden last summer and split between the Jackets and their AHL affiliate in Springfield during the 2011-12 campaign. Russell had two goals in 41 NHL appearances in his first taste of big-league action. (Source: NHL.com) |
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Mike Smith, G, Phoenix Coyotes
2012/05/24: Mike Smith has one year remaining on his current deal, but Phoenix GM Don Maloney appears to be open to locking the goaltender up to a long-term contract. The Coyotes have to re-sign Shane Doan as well, which is reportedly their top priority this off-season as their captain is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent, but Maloney said he would explore the possibility of Smith's future with the club too. Smith silenced his doubters in 2011-12 with a 38-18-10 record, including eight shutouts, a .930 save percentage and a 2.21 GAA in his first season as Phoenix's number one goalie. (Source: Sarah McLellan on Twitter) |
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Martin Hanzal, C, Phoenix Coyotes
2012/05/24: Martin Hanzal had been battling a rib injury during the playoffs. Other players on the Coyotes were suffering from ailments as well, but GM Don Maloney said Hanzal may be the only one that needs off-season attention. He will be further evaluated now that the team's season is over. (Source: Sarah McLellan on Twitter) |
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Michal Rozsival, D, Phoenix Coyotes
2012/05/24: Phoenix GM said that Michal Rozsival is on crutches, but there doesn't appear to be any stuctural damage to his knee. Rozsival wasn't able to put any weight on it after his knee collided with Dustin Brown's in overtime during Game 5 on Tuesday night. He left the ice with assistance and the Kings scored the game-winning goal the next shift to eliminate the Coyotes from postseason play. (Source: Sarah McLellan on Twitter) |
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Mats Zuccarello, RW/LW, New York Rangers
2012/05/24: Mats Zuccarello has declared himself available to return from his fractured wrist. "If they need me, I'll be ready," he said after the team's skate on Thursday. However, it is likely that he will watch Game 6 from the press box unless something unforeseen happens between now and Friday night. He hasn't played since March 23rd and required surgery to repair the damage. (Source: NHL.com) |
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Brad Richards, C, New York Rangers
2012/05/24: Coach John Tortorella is confident that Brad Richards will rebound from his lackluster performance on Wednesday when the Rangers play at New Jersey in Game 6 Friday. He played a postseason-low 16:11 of ice time, while posting a minus-2 rating and four shots, in Game 5's 5-3 loss to the Devils. Tortorella commented that Richards "will find his way. I know his makeup." The team's top center has elevated his game when it has mattered most during New York's playoff run and they'll need him to step up again to force Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Richards leads the team in playoff scoring with six goals and 14 points in 19 games, but he hasn't been able to find the back of the net versus New Jersey so far in the series. (Source: Steve Zipay on Twitter) |
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Ryan Kesler, C, Vancouver Canucks
2012/05/24: Coach Alain Vigneault doesn't believe that Ryan Kesler's shoulder injury was the reason for his struggles in 2011-12. Kesler's agent, Kurt Overhardt, was quick to come to his client's defense though and said, "I am not a doctor, I'm a lawyer, but after having conversations with the player and with the club, anyone who thinks this injury did not affect his play must have fallen off a turnip truck." It is believed that the Canucks center completely tore his labrum, which required surgery to repair earlier this month, and his production did slip considerably afterward. Kesler contributed four goals and 11 points in 28 regular season games after sustaining the ailment on Feb. 9 and he managed to add just three assists in five playoff games. He ended up with 22 goals and 49 points in 77 contests after he generated 41 markers and 73 points over 82 matches in 2010-11. (Source: Vancouver Province) |
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Milan Kytnar, C/RW, Edmonton Oilers
2012/05/24: Milan Kytnar will reportedly play for Slovan Bratislava in the KHL next season. According to Slovan officials, he has agreed to a three-year deal. Kytnar skated in one game with the Edmonton Oilers this past season, while on an emergency basis, but he also played in the ECHL, AHL and the Finnish Elite League. (Source: Edmonton Journal) |
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Alexandre Giroux, LW/RW, Columbus Blue Jackets
2012/05/24: Alexandre Giroux has inked a two-year deal with Dynamo Riga of the KHL. He appeared in 65 games with Columbus' AHL affiliate in Springfield this past season, in which he picked up 28 goals and 54 points, and in nine contests with the Blue Jackets. Giroux led the AHL in scoring during the 2009-2010 campaign, as a member of the Hershey Bears, with 103 points in 69 contests. Giroux has enjoyed plenty of success at the minor-league level, but he hasn't been able to stick around and produce in the NHL. He has 12 points in 48 career appearances with four different teams. (Source: Edmonton Journal) |
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Rob Scuderi, D, Los Angeles Kings
2012/05/24: Robert Scuderi received some "good wishes" from former Pittsburgh teammates in his quest to claim the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings. "There were a couple of messages from Brooks (Orpik) and Sidney (Crosby)," said Scuderi. "Just them saying, 'Good luck.' It's always nice to get a show of support from your friends." He won the Cup as a member of the Penguins in 2009 and joined the Kings as a free agent the following summer. Scuderi has played alongside Drew Doughty during Los Angeles' run to the Stanley Cup Finals this spring, while posting a plus-8 rating, 21 blocked shots and chipping in one assist in 14 games. (Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) |
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