theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.In seemingly true St. Louis Blues fashion, the team enjoyed a successful regular season, but was once again unable to capture hockey's ultimate prize.The Blues continue to be one of the most productive clubs in the league, but fail to hit the mark when it counts most.They took a step forward last season by reaching the conference final for the first time since 2001 before ultimately bowing out to the San Jose Sharks.Here are three things to consider as once again the Blues look to finally take the next step:Is Jake Allen ready to take on No. 1 job?The Blues made a bold decision this offseason.The club elected to trade arguably their top performer of the playoffs, Brian Elliott, to the Calgary Flames, handing over the reins to Jake Allen in the process.Allen is certainly no stranger to the net, having actually played in more regular-season contests last year than Elliott. However, over the last two seasons, Elliott posted better numbers during regular-season play.In the playoffs, Allen's been questionable, posting a decent 2.29 goals-against average but a subpar .902 save percentage in 12 games.The Blues' continued success in the regular season and ability to get over the postseason hurdle hinge largely on Allen taking his play to the next level.How will last year's rookies fare in sophomore season?Two young stars have quickly become important contributors to the Blues.Forward Robby Fabbri and defenseman Colton Parayko each jumped into the lineup full time last season, and held their own.Fabbri put up 18 goals and 37 points in 72 games, further proving his worth by finishing tied for the team lead with 15 points in 20 playoff contests. Parayko, meanwhile, came second among all rookie defensemen with 33 points in 79 games.Both are primed to be important parts of the Blues' future - in fact, Fabbri's poised to slot into their top six next season.St. Louis could improve on last season through the continued development of these young studs - as long as they don't fall victim to the sophomore slump.Can Hitchcock go out with a bang?Ken Hitchcock signed another one-year contract this May, asserting that the 2016-17 season will conclude his Hall of Fame career.The fourth-winningest coach in NHL history captured the Stanley Cup in his fourth year in the league as the Dallas Stars' bench boss, and made it back to the final the following season, but has not reached that same level since.Hitchcock can be credited with helping turn around the franchise and make it what it is today. The Blues finished fourth in the division two years in a row before capturing the division title in Hitchcock's debut during the 2011-12 campaign.The team has never finished worse than second in the division under Hitchcock's direction and came within two wins of punching a ticket to the Cup final last season.Mike Yeo is expected to slide into Hitchcock's role when he leaves. The ultimate parting gift for Hitchcock, who's led the team to three of its four best regular-season finishes, would be one last drink from Lord Stanley's mug.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Make USA Hockey great again.The 1996 World Cup of Hockey was meant to be a coming-out party for the American men's hockey program, and while the three-game series win over Canada was followed up in later years by Olympic silver medals (2002, 2010), a fourth-place finish in 2014 and a complete flameout at the 2016 World Cup exacerbated the need to rethink the shaping of the roster in future tournaments.Here, then, is a projected roster for the 2018 Olympics in South Korea - should NHL players indeed be made available for the tournament - with a distinct focus on skill over grit.ForwardsLWCRWJohnny GaudreauAuston MatthewsPatrick KaneMax PaciorettyAlex GalchenyukPhil KesselDylan LarkinJack EichelJoe PavelskiBrandon SaadTyler JohnsonBlake WheelerZach PariseVincent Trocheck

It's coming on nine years since Brad Marchand tried to climb the glass in Pardubice.His excitement hijacking his ability to reason, Marchand hurled himself toward the fans after putting Canada up 4-0 on the United States late in the semifinal of the 2008 World Junior Championship. He lost his stick in the crowd during the minor melee, being forced to wait to join the conveyor belt of hand slaps as security retrieved and then dumped his weapon back over the glass.This was an enduring moment for Marchand in a Canadian uniform, and very much a common trait for his career. There was good, a beautiful backhand deke to fool the American goaltender, and also a little bit of the unnecessary that has stayed with him throughout.Tonight, he provided something else to remember.In a best-on-best elimination game for the first time as a member of Canada's senior team, the pest who was never predicted to be in the position may have saved his country from an early exit at the World Cup of Hockey in Saturday's semifinal versus Russia.After the Russians took the lead late in the second period in a game in which they were being severely outplayed, Marchand was responsible for ensuring the Canadians wouldn't enter the locker room at a deficit, sliding in a cross-slot pass from Sidney Crosby just a little over a minute after falling behind.Then, 76 seconds after emerging from the tunnel for the third, Marchand collected a drop pass from Crosby, held the puck on his stick long enough to find an advantageous shooting lane, and beat Sergei Bobrovsky clean with a precise low wrist shot under the glove.His goals in back-to-back shifts propelled Canada, which scored twice more and eventually won 5-3. The Boston Bruins' agitator, who had long justified his selection as part of the most dominant line at this event, had a national performance to savor for the rest of his life.But just not right now."It's been a whirlwind here," Marchand told theScore. "Playing with a group like this and at this level has been special, but any time you play in a game of that magnitude, and you're able to win, it's an incredible feeling."I'm still trying to take in everything, and it's been a blast so far."Understandably, Marchand hasn't fully unpacked the moment. He hadn't even had a chance to hit the showers yet. But coach Mike Babcock, he of immense international success, has had time to reflect on what the teams he's coached have done at this level.So coach, when Marchand looks back on his performance, how much will this mean?"Well, he's going to wonder why he didn’t shoot the third one into the empty net and get the trick for crying out loud."Alright, coach, jokes aside."If you look back at when he enters the NHL, and he thinks (about playing) for Canada at the World Cup, he probably doesn't see it like that," he explained. "That's a lot of us. You know growing up in Saskatoon, and coaching at Red Deer College, you probably don't think you're going to coach Canada's Olympic team."It was a good night for him, but he's an important player on our team. That's been a real good line in the tournament to say the least."Remaining nothing but true to form, Canada continues on with its blind focus, and will now take that mentality into a best-of-three final versus either Sweden or the European conglomerate.Then, at some point after that, Marchand will uncover perspective from that night he helped rescue Canada.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's hard to ignore how good Brad Marchand looks on a line with Boston Bruins teammate Patrice Bergeron and Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby at the World Cup of Hockey.Marchand is entering the final year of his contract with the Bruins, and can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. As such, the 27-year-old - fresh off a two-goal performance in Canada's semifinal win over Russia - was asked whether a small part of him is willing to wait and see if the Penguins will offer him a contract on the open market.His response was diplomatic."That's a long ways away, but there's championship games here, we got to think about that first," Marchand answered. "But we'll deal with whatever needs to be dealt with down the road. But it's a lot of fun playing with Sid, there's no question about that. But for now, we'll keep that to here."Crosby (three goals, four assists) and Marchand (three goals, two assists) rank first and second in total points at the World Cup. There's been much talk over the years about a lack of star wingers to fully complement the best player in hockey's game.Marchand has excelled alongside Bergeron in Boston for years, and the Bruins have said they hope to reach an extension with Marchand before the start of the regular season.If that doesn't happen and Marchand goes through 2016-17 without a new deal, talk of a move to Pittsburgh may only grow louder, especially if the connection strengthens in the World Cup final.That's where Marchand's focus remains for now, and surely Bergeron won't let his longtime winger out of his sight that easily.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada advanced to the World Cup of Hockey final with a 5-3 win over Russia at Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Saturday.And, save for a somewhat tense second intermission, the result was never really in doubt.The Russians looked good out of the gate and were awarded a power-play opportunity early in the opening frame, but after failing to score on a fairly disorganized man advantage - a trend that's continued through the entire tournament - Sidney Crosby scored on a tremendous individual effort, stealing the puck from the Russian defense and beating Sergei Bobrovsky with a backhand.Russia floundered through another first-period power play and then killed three penalties of its own, but Canada's 1-0 lead after 20 minutes wasn’t all that unexpected. Heading into the semifinals, the host nation had outscored the opposition 8-1 in first periods at the World Cup, while Russia had failed to hit the back of the net in the opening frame.Held without a shot on goal for almost 11 minutes of play, Russia tied the game midway through the second period as Nikita Kucherov wired a wrist shot past Carey Price after deciding to keep it on an odd-man rush. The pace picked up from that point, and Russia - despite being outshot by a wide margin - took a 2-1 lead at the 16:24 mark of the second period, thanks to Evgeny Kuznetsov.Less than a minute later, Crosby set up a Brad Marchand goal to ensure the game sat level heading into the second intermission.Canada kicked off the third period with a quick strike, with Marchand sniping the puck past Bobrovsky off another feed from Crosby. Under five minutes later, Corey Perry wrangled a loose puck out from between his skates and lifted a rebound up and over Bobrovsky to give Canada a two-goal lead. The relentless attack continued, capped by a John Tavares goal scored off a nifty toe drag and fatal wrist shot.Artemi Panarin scored late in the game off an apparent hand pass, but Canada's three-goal outburst in just over eight minutes earlier in the third period was more than enough to fully separate the two sides.Overall, Canada dominated the contest from start to finish.Crosby led all players with three points, while Marchand - who scored a pair - and Shea Weber fired six shots apiece on Bobrovsky to pace all Canadians. Nikita Kucherov fired eight of Russia's 34 shots on Price, the most recorded by a single player in the game.Canada will not play until Game 1 of the final Tuesday, while Sweden and Europe will face off in the other semifinal at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Following the news of defenseman Jacob Trouba missing training camp and requesting a trade, Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff released the following statement Saturday:"We are aware of the statement issued by Kurt Overhardt regarding Jacob Trouba."Over the last three seasons, Jacob Trouba has played a key role for the Winnipeg Jets and in our view still represents an important part of the long-term future of our club. As such, any decisions made regarding Jacob Trouba will be made in the best interest of the Winnipeg Jets hockey club."As an unsigned player, we cannot compel Jacob to report to training camp at this time. However, we will continue to work diligently to resolve this matter. We will have no further comment on this matter until such time as it is resolved."Cheveldayoff's phone is sure to be lighting up with the season approaching, as several teams are sure to show interest in a player of Trouba's caliber if he is indeed on the market.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba has requested a trade and will not attend training camp, his agent Kurt Overhardt announced Saturday.Trouba, 22, is a restricted free agent, and Overhardt states both he and the Jets have been working on a trade for months.“Our client, Jacob Trouba, will not be attending the Winnipeg Jets NHL training camp. Since May, we have been working with the Jets management in an effort to facilitate a trade of Jacob’s rights. Both parties continue to work on this matter," Overhardt said in a statement."There has been no negotiation regarding the terms of a contract between our client and the Jets over the course of the last several months. The situation is not about money; it is solely about our client having the opportunity to realize his potential as a right-shot NHL defenseman."Trouba, who represented Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, said he never desired his situation to come to to this.

The Florida Panthers appear to have dodged a major injury scare.Defenseman Aaron Ekblad is at training camp and back on skates after having to leave the World Cup as a result of an upper-body injury. Originally feared to be a concussion, it was later described as a stiff neck, and head coach Gerard Gallant now seems rather hopeful about a quick recovery."(Ekblad) is going to be fine," Gallant told reporters Saturday. "You see him out there skating already. I think it was a little scare but he feels good. ... Everything looks good."The 20-year-old signed an eight-year contract extension worth $60 million on July 1, and will serve as Florida's top defenseman once healthy.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The World Cup of Hockey took its toll on the Dallas Stars.Most notably, Tyler Seguin suffered a hairline fracture in his heel, while forwards Ales Hemsky and Radek Faksa suffered a groin injury and a concussion, respectively.However, general manager Jim Nill shed positive light on the situation Saturday, saying all three should be ready to go for opening night Oct. 13.Nill said the team will keep Seguin off the ice until Wednesday, to ensure a full recovery. Faksa will return either Monday or Tuesday, per Nill, while Hemsky will be evaluated after returning from Toronto.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forward Frank Vatrano will miss three months with a foot injury suffered while training, general manager Don Sweeney announced Saturday.Vatrano tore ligaments in his left foot prior to Bruins' training camp, and will undergo surgery Sept. 26."Well, obviously, it's a blow," Sweeney said. "Frankie looks at his opportunity, we all did - how that was going to play out remains to be seen. But, he certainly was going to be put in a position to try and grab a hold of it, so he's disappointed and we are as well."The 22-year-old led the AHL's Providence Bruins in scoring last season with 55 points in 36 games, and notched 11 points in 39 contests with Boston.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mikael Backlund is headed back to Calgary.The Swedish forward's time at the World Cup has been cut short as he rehabs a concussion, Swedish coach Rikard Gronborg confirmed Saturday.The injury, suffered Sept. 20 vs. Finland, kept Backlund out of the lineup last game.The 27-year-old scored 47 points in 82 games with the Flames last season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars forward Cody Eakin will miss the next six weeks due to a knee injury, the team confirmed Saturday.Eakin, 25, appeared in 82 games with the Stars last season, scoring 16 goals and adding 19 assists.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone has been sidelined with a concussion, coach Guy Boucher confirmed Saturday.It's believed Stone suffered the head injury during scrimmage action Friday. No timetable has been set for his recovery.Stone, 24, recorded 23 goals and 38 assists last season, finishing second in team scoring.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tomas Fleischmann's short stint with the Minnesota Wild has come to a close.After failing his training camp physical, Fleischmann will not attend main camp, Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher told Michael Russo of the Star Tribune.Fleischmann originally agreed to attend Wild camp on a professional tryout. The 32-year-old split last season between the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks, scoring 25 points in 76 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matt Murray will miss three-to-six weeks after breaking his hand at the World Cup, the team announced Saturday.Murray, 22, was a critical piece in last year's Stanley Cup victory, winning 15 games in the playoffs.The Penguins will turn to goalie Marc-Andre Fleury while Murray recovers.Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford confirmed that Murray will not require surgery.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.The Detroit Red Wings have not missed the playoffs since 1990, but there's a very real possibility that Joe Louis arena will not host a game past the upcoming regular season, thanks in no small part to the premature departure of Pavel Datsyuk.Here's a look at the projected depth chart for 2016-17.ForwardsLWCRWHenrik ZetterbergDylan LarkinGustav NyquistJustin AbdelkaderFrans NielsenThomas VanekTomas TatarDarren HelmAndreas AthanasiouDrew MillerRileySheahanLuke Glendening

A new season means a new opportunity for Buffalo Sabres winger Matt Moulson.The 32-year-old is coming off a career-worst campaign with the Sabres, playing in all but one game and finishing with just eight goals and 21 points.Despite the miserable season, though, the three-time 30-goal scorer is set on reversing his fortunes this year."I definitely have a chip on my shoulder coming in to prove a lot of people wrong who maybe lost a little belief," Moulson told John Vogl of The Buffalo News.Where Moulson fits in the Sabres' lineup is unclear, with the top-six winger slots likely filled by Tyler Ennis, Evander Kane, Sam Reinhart, and new addition Kyle Okposo. He may also need to earn back coach Dan Bylsma's trust, after seeing his ice time drop to 11:54 last season, down from 17:41 the year prior.The veteran winger has three years remaining on his contract, carrying a $5-million annual cap hit.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.The post-Pavel Datsyuk era is set to begin in earnest.The Detroit Red Wings will be decidedly less magical in 2016-17 without the presence of the dynamic Russian center, but life goes on in Hockeytown. Those still on the roster will do their best to make sure Joe Louis Arena sees playoff hockey for the 26th straight year, in its final season hosting the club.Here are three players to watch in Detroit this season.Dylan LarkinNotorious for bringing young, developing players along slowly, the Red Wings appear set to hand 20-year-old Dylan Larkin the first-line center role.Larkin's ascendance has been necessitated by Datsyuk's move to the KHL, but is also well-earned following a 23-goal, 45-point performance in 80 games as a rookie last season.Selected 15th overall by Detroit in 2014, Larkin appears to possess the tools needed to succeed at a high level in today's NHL, and he should produce playing alongside Henrik Zetterberg.Whether the role's responsibilities prove to be "too much, too soon" for Larkin, and whether he can stave off the dreaded sophomore slump, remains to be seen.Danny DekeyserGeneral manager Ken Holland signed 26-year-old defenseman Danny Dekeyser to a six-year, $30-million contract extension this offseason, signalling a serious commitment toward building around the Michigan native.The extension came after Dekeyser recorded a career-high eight goals, but only 12 assists in 2015-16, a full 11-point drop from his previous campaign.As a defenseman capable of munching minutes in all situations, Dekesyer is entering his prime, and is now being paid as someone expected to carry a heavy workload while contributing offensively.With Niklas Kronwall entering the season a little banged up and with Mike Green no longer the offensive machine he once was, Dekeyser will need to start earning that new deal immediately.Thomas VanekThe Red Wings are banking on a bounce-back season for Thomas Vanek, after the veteran was bought out by the Minnesota Wild. Detroit then pounced, signing him to a relatively low-risk, high-reward one-year contract worth $2.6 million.The 32-year-old has traditionally been a consistent scorer, but his 18 goals in 2015-16 marked the lowest output of his career, forcing the Wild to cut bait on a big-ticket deal that wasn't providing expected value.Still, Vanek has averaged 31.7 goals per 82 games since entering the league over a decade ago, and should be motivated to score with increased regularity if he wants stability in his next contract.If the Red Wings are getting back to the playoffs this season, they'll need significant contributions from Vanek.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Bruce Boudreau era has begun for the Minnesota Wild.For the players, the demands will be many. The expectations will be as straightforward as can be. The experience also promises to be a lot of fun.''Sometimes he doesn't even know what's coming out of his mouth when he's talking,'' forward Charlie Coyle said.The rotund new head coach, well-regarded for his regular-season success, well-known for his profane rants and well-liked for his down-to-earth and self-deprecating manner, formally took over Friday for the first two practices of training camp. The squad split into two groups and, in addition to plenty of time with the white board picking up Boudreau's defensive scheme, went through a grueling conditioning test during which skaters had to complete several laps around the rink under certain times.The drills were no joke, but Boudreau made sure to keep the mood light even while barking encouragement to the participants.''We're huffing and puffing,'' Coyle said, ''and he's still making us laugh.''NHL training camps began about a week later than usual because of the World Cup of Hockey, and six Wild players were given a break for the first three days in their transition back home from competition: forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter from Team USA, forwards Mikko Koivu, Mikael Granlund and Erik Haula of Team Finland and forward Nino Niederreiter of Team Europe. Only Niederreiter's team is still alive in the tournament, so he could be delayed further.The learning process won't wait, though.''We want to ramp it up as quick as we can. We want to have a lot of pace in our practice. It's a real mixture, because we have to teach at the same time. It's not going to be like a practice in December,'' Boudreau said. ''At the same time, we don't want anything slow. We want a lot of moving parts.''The first exhibition game is on Monday against Buffalo in State College, Pennsylvania, and the season opener is Oct. 13 at St. Louis. That's less than three weeks away. Hence the hard work on the first day, even though players train year-round these days and don't typically need to get back into shape.''Everyone's just excited to get this thing going and start playing some real hockey,'' defenseman Matt Dumba said.There will be differences in style, for sure.''I think they're still trying to figure me out. `What's this guy like? He seems to be smiling a little too much.' Or, `He's joking around with me. Is he really joking or is he sarcastic?''' Boudreau said. ''I think it takes a little bit of time for guys to get to know me.''Impressions are there to be made for the players, most of whom have never played for Boudreau before.''Everyone's here to get a job and knock people out of their jobs, so everyone came prepared,'' Coyle said. ''It's good to see that intensity and that competition right away.''Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.K. Subban will not be on the ice when the Nashville Predators begin the on-ice portion of training camp Saturday morning.The dynamic defenseman is dealing with an upper-body injury, and will be re-evaluated when the team returns from its preseason opener in Florida on Tuesday night."I've just been a little bit sore lately, so we're just going to take our time and make sure," Subban said Friday, according to Adam Vingan of the Tennessean."I came in a couple days to skate early. Just a little bit sore, so we're going to see how I feel."Subban, who came to the Predators in a stunning one-for-one swap involving former captain Shea Weber, missed the final 14 games last year with the Montreal Canadiens while nursing a neck injury.Nashville will be in Columbus on Thursday for its second preseason game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Brooks Laich has seen top draft picks blossom in the NHL.With the Washington Capitals, he watched Alex Ovechkin burst onto the scene in 2005. Now with the Toronto Maple Leafs some 11 years later, he has a ringside seat for Auston Matthews' debut.The 19-year-old forward, the No. 1 overall pick this summer, turned heads at the World Cup of Hockey on a Team North American line with Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele.''It puts a big smile on your face,'' Laich, a 12-year veteran, said about watching Matthews. ''I see a lot of little things in his game, habits that you don't generally see in young players.''Those include his positioning, the way he competes for the puck and his shot release. From Scottsdale, Arizona, Matthews played last season in Switzerland.Leafs center Nazem Kadri has also seen Matthews play from the Air Canada Centre stands.''(He's) obviously high-level skill,'' he said. ''(He) can skate, he's big. So he's only going to get better. Obviously, with that 82-game season, it's going to be a little difficult but I think he's going to be more than ready for it.''Leafs management already likes what it sees.''There's no question he has a bright future,'' GM Lou Lamoriello said. ''It's just exciting to see him play. But I think the most exciting thing is to know he's ours.''Laich reminded reporters asking about Matthews that the team comes first.''This isn't an individual sport,'' he said. ''This isn't a tennis or a golf where everything comes down to one person. Auston's a great player from what I've seen. But there's also going to be 22 other great players in this room.''So as a young guy, he's got enough pressure on himself. He puts, I'm sure, enough pressure on himself. You don't get to be where he is already without having an internal drive like that. So we don't need to put anything else on him. We want to make him a member of the team, we want to treat him like the other 22 guys.''''The logo comes first. I'm sure Auston will tell you that.''The Leafs begin on-ice activities at training camp Friday in Halifax, Nova Scotia.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Daniel Sedin knows the World Cup of Hockey may be his final chance to represent Sweden at a best-on-best tournament along with twin brother Henrik.With that in mind, there's no shortage of motivation for the 35-year-old Vancouver Canucks forwards heading into Sunday's semifinal meeting with Team Europe.''We realize as we get older there's not going to be a lot of these tournaments moving forward,'' Daniel Sedin said. ''We don't know about the (2018) Olympics yet, but we're enjoying this. We're having a lot of fun and getting a chance to play in the semifinals, it was tough getting here.''We're enjoying every day and we'll have some fun on Sunday.''The last time Sweden won gold at a best-on-best tournament was the 2006 Olympics in Turin. Sweden lost to Canada in the gold medal game at the 2014 Sochi Games.Sweden won its round-robin opener at the World Cup 2-1 against Russia on Sunday and blanked Finland 2-0 on Wednesday before falling 4-3 in overtime to Team North America on Wednesday.The Swedes are hoping to learn from their loss against the Under-23 team moving forward. They were thoroughly outplayed early, quickly going down 2-0 before rallying to force overtime.''I think we can definitely learn (about) being ready when the puck drops, those first 10 minutes were pretty embarrassing from our part,'' said defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson. ''The Europeans have some speed in their lineup as well so we have to be ready when the puck drops. We weren't ready for Team North America, but somehow we managed to a big comeback there.''After losing the first two pre-tournament games by a combined 11-4 score to the North Americans, Team Europe bounced back to defeat Sweden 6-2 in its final tune up game.''They surprised us a little bit in the exhibition game, but they won't surprise us on Sunday,'' Sedin said. ''They wait for you to make mistakes, and then they create offence from that. We've got to be careful on Sunday. We can't just go on offence like we did in that pre-tournament game.''I think our defense was jumping a little bit too much and got too involved in the offense. I think we have to respect their forwards.''Team Europe, made up of players from eight different countries, stunned the Americans 3-0 in the tournament opener and defeated the Czechs 3-2 in overtime before falling 4-1 to the Canadians on Wednesday.European captain Anze Kopitar pointed to the second period of the pre-tournament game against Team North America in Montreal as the turning point for the team of players unfamiliar with playing with one another.''I think the first period in Montreal really opened our eyes and we really showed ourselves how we don't want to play,'' Kopitar said of the second pre-tournament game. ''After that, we kind of realized how we have to play: smart (and) with a lot of patience, there's no flash to it. We're playing a boring style of hockey, but it's turned out to be a pretty successful one so we're obviously proud in doing that and we're going to continue doing that.''The winner of Saturday's Canada-Russia semifinal will play the winner of Sweden-Europe in a best-of-three final beginning on Tuesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tomas Fleischmann might not be in camp with the Minnesota Wild after all.Fleischmann failed his physical, coach Bruce Boudreau confirmed Friday with Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.It's unknown if the failed test is related to the veteran forward's previous cardiovascular issues, and he's continuing to undergo testing, Boudreau said.Fleischmann scored 14 goals and 25 points in 76 games last season split between the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Rick Nash has brought a rookie mentality to his 14th NHL training camp.After a summer as the subject of trade rumors, but in the end no handshake between teams, Nash said Friday that he's treating camp as a proving ground, and an opportunity to convince the New York Rangers that he still belongs."As I get to the tail end of my career, especially after the year I had last year, I have to show I belong on this team," Nash said, according to Steve Zipay of Newsday."I can't speak for other guys, but I truly feel that way. You look at the numbers and you have so many forwards, you know there's going to be big moves that are going to be made. For me, I want to be a Ranger, I want to be in New York, so that's all I'm worried about."Beset with injuries and battling inconsistencies, Nash followed up the 2014-15 season - in which he scored a league-best 29 even-strength goals - with the worst statistical campaign of his career, scoring 15 times and totaling 36 points.Set to earn $7.8 million from New York for the next two seasons, it's possible that even a return to form won't necessarily save the veteran forward, though he does hold a protection clause. The Rangers have been taking steps to recycle their roster and alleviate cap pressures, most notably by trading Derick Brassard to the Ottawa Senators for Mika Zibanejad.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, continues with another World Cup installment. Below are the five players that have impressed us the most.RazorJosh Gold-Smith: Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Johnny Gaudreau have garnered most of the attention for Team North America, but Nathan MacKinnon has unquestionably been one of the World Cup's most exciting players.The 21-year-old forward scored a sublime overtime winner to stun Sweden on Wednesday, showing off his remarkable hands with a series of moves before roofing a backhand past Henrik Lundqvist.Only Canada's Patrice Bergeron had more shots on goal than MacKinnon in round-robin play. The Colorado Avalanche star notched a pair of goals and an assist in three games, and he's proving he belongs among the game's elite playmakers.Johnny HockeyJustin Cuthbert: Everything the United States lacked at the World Cup, 23-year-old New Jersey native Gaudreau provided North America.His outrageous skill, speed, and shiftiness pairing perfectly with MacKinnon's power brand, Gaudreau was the No. 1 option behind the McDavid unit, and responded with maximum impact.The Calgary Flames most certainly wish they'd signed the superstar to a long-term contract before putting him on a flight to Toronto after Gaudreau scored twice in three games and tied for the team lead in points. What's more, he was responsible for so many spectacular moments, including his complete undressing of Lundqvist and the backcheck in 3-on-3 overtime that set MacKinnon up for a goal that was enough to validate the hybrid experiment by itself.USA Hockey's in a rough spot, but there are splendid days ahead with Gaudreau on the come-up.Auston 416Navin Vaswani: Take a minute Friday to remember that Matthews deked the hell out of Victor Hedman from his knees. Victor Hedman! From his knees!In his first competition against the NHL's best, Matthews finished his tournament with two goals and an assist in three games. Only five players had more points through round-robin play, and none had more than four. So, yes, Matthews did finish tied for second in tournament scoring.Playing in Toronto for the first time and on the first line with McDavid, Matthews proved he's got no time for pressure - and that he has some hands on him. The Toronto Maple Leafs have something here. The only question is whether they screw it up.SidCraig Hagerman: Sidney Crosby is doing something he hasn't done in almost six years: producing in a best-on-best tournament.Not since he scored his iconic Golden Goal at the 2010 Olympics have we seen the best player in the world wreak havoc in best-on-best play. Crosby was limited to three points in six games in Sochi, a total he's already surpassed through three contests, and his four points are tied for most in the tournament.Crosby has developed impeccable chemistry with his Boston Bruins linemates Bergeron and Brad Marchand, and together the trio has proven to be one of the more lethal lines in the tournament, combining for nine points.The KingSean O'Leary: Goalies need some love too.New York Rangers fans ought to be excited about the way Lundqvist has started his season, as he's been the difference-maker in two starts for Sweden.He kicked his tournament off with a 36-save shutout versus archrival Finland and, one day later, made 45 saves in an overtime loss to North America that guaranteed Sweden top spot in Group B.The King, now 34, is in vintage form, and looks to have shaken off the rust from an uncharacteristic playoff performance. He's definitely not the flashiest player in the tournament, but he's simply getting it done - the way he always has.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For Tyler Johnson, it was a helpless feeling.The American forward watched as the United States went winless in the World Cup, and that was the problem - he was watching."I wish I could have been there," Johnson said, writes the Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith. "I wish I could have played, but that's their decision."The U.S. braintrust took a lot of heat this week for its roster decisions, emphasizing grit and intangibles over speed and talent, both which Johnson possesses in abundance.Johnson pointed out that the World Cup is a short tournament, anything can happen, especially when the best players in the world are involved. Even though he wasn't on the team, he wanted the U.S. to succeed.Now the focus shifts to the regular season, and Johnson's looking to bounce back. After breaking out in 2014-15 with 72 points, he scored only 14 goals last season, finishing with a career-low 38 points in 69 games.Injuries played a part, but Johnson's looking to have a big 2016-17 and - if NHLers are involved - make a case for himself to be on the U.S. Olympic team in 2018.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Curtis Lazar wasn't at Ottawa Senators camp as it opened Friday, and there's no word on when he'll return:

To see a list of all transactions throughout the summer, visit theScore's NHL Offseason TrackerFour more years.The St. Louis Blues announced a four-year, $23-million contract extension with forward Alex Steen on Friday.

Canada's going with the lineup from its first two World Cup games against the Russians in Saturday's semifinal.Forward Claude Giroux, defenseman Jake Muzzin, and goaltender Braden Holtby will be watching from the press box, head coach Mike Babcock confirmed, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Giroux and Muzzin played Wednesday in Canada's 4-1 win over Europe. Giroux played 15:50, finishing with one shot, three hits, two takeaways, and a 57 percent success rate on faceoffs. Muzzin played 17:42 and registered a hit and two blocked shots.Holtby has watched the entire tournament.You can't argue with the results, as Canada's 3-0 with a tournament-best plus-11 goal differential. And Babcock likes continuity:

Poor Sidney Crosby. He can't catch a break.The 29-year-old, still playing professional hockey at the highest level, highlights Canada Post's "Great Canadian Forwards" stamps series, which was unveiled Friday at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.Crosby, Phil Esposito, Guy Lafleur, Mark Messier, Darryl Sittler, and Steve Yzerman comprise the collection.

The Anaheim Ducks are giving David Jones a look.

The Philadelphia Flyers are largely the same team they were in 2015-16, when they snuck into the playoffs as the second wild-card team in the Eastern Conference before being dispatched by the Washington Capitals in six games.Brayden Schenn is back on a new four-year deal, and Dale Weise joins the club after being signed as a free agent on July 1.ForwardsLWCRWBrayden SchennClaude GirouxJakub VoracekMichael RafflSean CouturierWayne SimmondsDale WeiseNick CousinsMatt ReadPierre-Edouard BellemareBoyd GordonChris VandeVelde

When it comes to self-deprecation, Josh Ho-Sang's comedic delivery is right on time.The New York Islanders prospect - who was sent back to the OHL on training camp's opening day last year for showing up late - apparently had no punctuality problems this time.

One of hockey's most legendary voices was immortalized by his home and native land Friday.Bob Cole received the Order of Canada in an investiture ceremony at Ottawa's Rideau Hall.The 83-year-old broadcaster was among 46 distinguished Canadians honored Friday, including women's hockey pioneer Fran Rider and author Lawrence Hill.Cole was the lead play-by-play announcer on CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" from 1980 until 2008, and still calls select games for Sportsnet. He revealed to NHL.com's Dave Stubbs on Thursday that he'll be back this season.The native of St. John's, Newfoundland joined the iconic Canadian TV broadcast in 1973.Cole was originally given notice of his appointment to the Order of Canada in December 2014, and was scheduled to receive it last spring, but had to postpone his ceremony because he was calling a game on the same date.The honor, created in 1967, recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's a short tournament.This was the simple rationale behind much of the internal processing among executives and players at the World Cup of Hockey. It's why the Americans misguidedly designed their roster with one opponent in mind. It's why a six-minute stretch of hockey is the reason we'll probably never see Connor McDavid on a line with Auston Matthews again.And it's why Finland failed to ever recover from its embarrassing loss to North America."The first game was like ‘Game Off’ right from the start. North America played great. They won every battle, everything. They scored four goals, but I think they should have scored eight."That was Aleksander Barkov's response when asked what contributed to the Finns being limited to one goal in three World Cup games. One lousy goal, and one hardly worth celebrating, as all it accomplished was cutting down the largest deficit they built for themselves.Barkov didn't have an answer as to why 81 of the team's 82 shots were stopped by opposing goalies, or why moments after Mikael Granlund hit the post behind Sergei Bobrovsky, Vladimir Tarasenko and Ivan Telegin scored 79 seconds apart for Russia to zap what was left of Finland's fight.But the incoming face of the Suomi knew where it all went wrong, harkening back to the nation's loss to North America when asked to assess why the offense never arrived.More often than not, Finland's the wild card in these tournaments. It's a nation that doesn't produce high-end players in limitless quantities like Canada, but one that, without fail, provides fits for teams that look stronger on paper.A quick glance at Finland's roster, and it was natural to reason the same, but it was different this time. The nation has been riding a wave of international success of late, not frustrating teams with tactical organization, but with a juggernaut attack.Patrik Laine and Sebastian Aho, two players who were, in fact, in Toronto this week, led an offense that produced 35 goals in seven games, and scored on better than 37 percent of its power-play opportunities en route to gold at the 2016 World Junior Championship.Then several months later, Finland's World Championship roster, which paled in comparison to its World Cup entry, produced more than four goals per contest before being shut out by Canada in the final game of a tournament in which Laine was named MVP."We just couldn’t find the net," forward Teuvo Teravainen told theScore about Finland's performance at the World Cup. "I think we created a lot of good chances, but it just didn’t bounce (our way) in the tournament for us. We just needed to get that ugly one, maybe, and then we could get more goals."But it's a short tournament, and sometimes you just can't find the net."There it is again.True to form, though, Finland would indeed frustrate in the end.At the end of a game that ended appropriately with Sami Vatanen reluctant to emerge from behind his own net, instead delicately stick-handling the puck until the horn sounded, Finland had earned a small measure of revenge with its impotent effort against the Russians.The loss meant that the North American team that spoiled Finland's bid was now out of contention, too.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The World Cup is almost over. Just like that.With the round robin complete and the semifinals on tap for the weekend, here's what we learned:1. North America foreverA World Cup featuring two select teams - North America and Europe - was a smashing success. So much that everyone's disappointed about a Canada-Russia semifinal. Yeah.At least Europe's through to the semis, and is rallying together as "The Team the World Ignored," while North America put on a show, playing fast, incredible hockey that crowds at Air Canada Centre rarely see. The kids delighted - plain and simple - and the Europeans impressed. What's not to like?The format worked. Europe and North America will be back when the World Cup returns in 2020. Can't wait.2. Canada's so good it's boringCanada's mastered hockey. Congratulations, Canada!The Canadians picked up where they left off in Sochi. In fact, they're even better.They won three round-robin games back in 2014, beating Austria, Norway, and Finland (in overtime) by a combined 11-2 margin. They're also 3-0 at the World Cup, having beaten the Czech Republic, the U.S., and Europe 14-3.Better competition and a better goal differential. And it isn't even bloody close.Team Goal DifferentialCanada+11North America+3Russia+3Sweden+2Europe+1Czech Republic-6USA-6Finland-8One more note: Canada's won 22 straight when some guy named Sidney Crosby's in the lineup.The North Americans - with the second-best goal differential, what a shame - were so exciting because they were so good. The Canadians are a little boring because they're even better.3. Make USA Hockey great again!Twenty years after the United States shocked Canada - and the planet - by winning the World Cup, it fell flatter on its face than it's ever fallen.It's safe to say John Tortorella's probably done as head coach. General manager Dean Lombardi may have to go, too. Nothing should be off the table, because this was an embarrassing showing by the Americans - winless, with only five goals in three games.Ryan McDonagh led the way with two goals. Joe Pavelski, T.J. Oshie, and Justin Abdelkader scored the other three. Ironic, since Abdelkader had little business being on the team.There's an easy lesson to be learned here: Take your best players. Don't overthink it.And don't fixate on Canada. That's pointless. It'll always take a miracle against the guys in red and white. Focus on getting to the place where you'll need it.4. No FinnishWhat the hell happened to Finland?Finnish hockey was on the rise in 2004 - at the last World Cup - when Suomi finished second to Canada. Finland followed up with a silver at the 2006 Olympics and bronze-medal finishes at Vancouver and Sochi. A hockey power, no doubt.Until this past week, when it all fell apart. There's luck involved, for sure, as Finland took 82 shots on goal - a team-high 10 by Patrik Laine - in the tournament and yet scored just one goal. But Finland's best players, well, weren't.Corsi For% 5v5Player Vs. NAVs. SWEVs. RUSBarkov25%42.86%45%Donskoi37.5%47.62%50%Granlund37.14%45.16%46.15%Jokinen40%56.52%47.37%Koivu35.29%38.71%50%Komarov28.57%60%45.45%Laine27.27%44%53.85%Maatta30.95%37.14%61.11%Ristolainen26.32%47.5%42.31%Vatanen31.58%38.89%60.61%For the most part, Finland never had the puck, especially when its best players were on the ice.While it was a winless, disappointing tournament, Finland's still in a better place than the U.S., but its got stuff to talk about, that's for sure.5. Goaltending above allMuch like the NHL, where the best players face off, it's the goaltenders who influence the game the most.The goalies from the four playoff teams were the best in the round robin:Goalie GP SV%Carey Price (CAN)2.968Jacob Markstrom (SWE)1.964Henrik Lundqvist (SWE)2.953Corey Crawford (CAN)1.950Sergei Bobrovsky (RUS)3.948Jaroslav Halak (EUR)3.946Goalies have this whole goaltending thing figured out. Especially the best ones on earth.The beauty of a short tournament is that a goaltender can win it. If Matt Murray finishes with better than an .886 save percentage in two starts, it's North America versus Canada in the semifinal Saturday - not Russia.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The United States bowed meekly out of the World Cup of Hockey on Thursday night, losing its final - and meaningless - game 4-3 to the Czech Republic.Adding insult to injury were fans in Toronto, who sent the U.S. on its way to chants of "Let's go Kessel!" (You have to listen closely, but those are "Let's go Kessel!" chants, yeah.)For a guy who wasn't on the team, Phil Kessel got a lot of press during the World Cup. A lot of that was his own doing, but his return to USA Hockey, should it happen, will be a very interesting one.Related: Kessel's 10 best tweets of all timeIn the end, Kessel scored as many goals as 16 U.S. skaters who saw action in Toronto: None.- With h/t to Puck DaddyCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - The NHL has gotten almost everything it hoped for so far at the World Cup of Hockey.In holding the first World Cup since 2004, the league and players wanted a festival of hockey that showcased the its best players. Two losses and an early exit by the United States isn't what anyone wanted for the sake of interest, but the 23-and-under Team North America put on a show and captured the attention of fans, coaches and players around the tournament.Team North America and the U.S. are out, with Canada and Russia meeting in one semifinal Saturday night and Sweden and Team Europe in the other Sunday afternoon. The quality of play has already been Olympic-level high and should only get better with at least four and potentially five games left.''The winners here have been the fans,'' North America coach Todd McLellan said. ''They've watched some really good hockey in September and that doesn't happen very often.''The NHL was panned initially for the North American and European all-star teams, but the youngsters' speed, skill and scoring won so many people over that merchandise bearing the ''NA'' logo was almost entirely sold out at Air Canada Centre. Europe won people over by winning, beating the U.S. and the Czech Republic to advance.Two-time Olympic champion Canada has rolled, going 3-0 and outscoring opponents 14-3 along the way, and Sweden has leaned heavily on goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. North America's games against Russia and Sweden were two of the most exciting end-to-end games in recent international history.Commissioner Gary Bettman is proud of how the NHL and NHLPA ''revived the World Cup in world-class fashion.''''It's been sensational. It's exactly what we expected,'' Bettman said. ''We wanted this to feel like and be a major event. We predicted that the competition would be better than any international tournament to date, that it would have a big-event feel.''The World Cup achieved big-event status in Toronto, with a mostly full arena and buzz around the city. The same can't be said on U.S. TV, as ESPN reported that approximately 770,000 people watched Canada beat Team USA on Tuesday night, the most watched game so far.Executive vice president of programming and scheduling Burke Magnus called the Americans' disappointing showing ''a lost opportunity.''''That's the beauty of live sports,'' Magnus said by phone Thursday. ''That's what makes sort of the unscripted nature of what we do so much fun. We obviously were counting on them to get out of pool play, but they weren't able to do it. But this is the best players in the world.''Canada looks like it still has the best collection of players in the world, even without North America's Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, who orchestrated a magic show on ice. Even the most grizzled old-school fundamental hockey people had to appreciate the way McDavid, MacKinnon, 2016 top pick Auston Matthews and Co. played.McDavid said North America ''definitely turned heads.'' Canada coach Mike Babcock called it ''a great way to showcase the NHL'' of the future.''The North American kids have been a home run for the NHL,'' Babcock said. ''This North American team is a pump in the arm for hockey. It's fantastic.''Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After being bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Philadelphia Flyers know there's plenty of room for improvement.The biggest offseason goal - securing the services of emerging forward Brayden Schenn for the foreseeable future - was achieved, as the 25-year-old restricted free agent signed a four-year, $20.5-million pact in late July.Still, several questions remain for Philadelphia pertaining to all three facets of the game.Here are three questions the team faces heading into the new season:Can they get better at both ends?The Flyers allowed the eighth-most shots on goal in 2015-16, but their leaky defense was bailed out by a solid goaltending duo that posted the 12th-best goals-against average in the league.Philadelphia wasn't a strong puck possession team, ranking 16th in the NHL in 5-on-5 Corsi For percentage (50.59), according to Corsica.ca.They did generate 31 shots on goal per game - good for fifth in the league - but only averaged 2.57 goals, which put them 22nd in the NHL.The Flyers need to convert more of their offensive opportunities and tighten up on the back end if they hope to make a deeper playoff run.Can Voracek bounce back?After putting together his best NHL season two years ago, Jakub Voracek underachieved in 2015-16.Coming off an 81-point campaign, the winger registered only 11 goals and 55 points. It was his worst season from a points perspective since 2012-13, and his worst goal output since he scored nine goals as a rookie with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008-09.Voracek notched a goal and an assist and while firing 11 shots on net in three games for the Czech Republic at the World Cup of Hockey.Those are encouraging signs, but the Flyers need him to produce consistently over a 82-game slate if they hope to improve their offense as a whole.What does the future hold for the goalies?Both Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after this season, and Philadelphia only has about $1 million in cap space at the moment.Neuvirth outplayed Mason last season, albeit in 22 fewer games.GoaltenderGW-L-TGAASV%Mason5423-19-42.51.918Neuvirth3218-8-22.27.924Mason's cap hit is $4.1 million, and Neuvirth is on the books for $1.625 million.If Flyers general manager Ron Hextall wants to sign one of them to an extension, he'll likely either need to deal the other netminder or make another move to free up space.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The World Cup of Hockey's preliminary round is over, and not a second too soon for Team USA.Czech Republic handed the Americans their third loss of the tournament with a narrow 4-3 victory on Thursday night.The game was meaningless in the standings, as both teams were eliminated from contention earlier in the week, and with nothing but pride on the line, a sparse Air Canada Centre crowd took in a less than spirited affair.Zbynek Michalek got things started for Czech Republic, firing a point shot past Ben Bishop, who made his first start of the tournament.USA quickly answered with a power-play goal from Joe Pavelski late in the first period, and after Milan Michalek and Justin Abdelkader traded goals in the second, Czech Republic found the net twice in 39 seconds to ultimately seal the deal.Ryan McDonagh scored his second goal of the tournament to make it 4-3 at 2:22 in the third period, but it was as close as the Americans would get, as Czech goaltender Petr Mrazek made 33 saves in the victory.Thus ends a disastrous, much-publicized failure for the United States, which amassed just five goals through three games.The Czechs, meanwhile, end their tournament with a record of 1-1-1.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada and Russia will write another chapter in their storied hockey rivalry Saturday, as the Russians earned a spot in the semifinals with a 3-0 win over Finland on Thursday.The two countries haven't met in a best-on-best tournament since the quarterfinals at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, a 7-3 win for Canada.It might not be the North America-Canada matchup so many fans desired, but Russian forward Evgeny Kuznetsov can't hardly wait for puck drop."It's a dream game," Kuznetsov told Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo Sports after Thursday's win. "Most guys don't get a chance to play against Canada. The whole world knows that the best players play here. They're always the favorite in every tournament."The winner of Saturday's contest goes on to play either Team Europe or Sweden in a best-of-three final.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some key members of the Boston Bruins have been given the green light.Defenseman Torey Krug and centerman David Krejci have been cleared to participate in the club's training camp, which opens Friday."Both are fully good to go, to be integrated into practice doing drills," general manager Don Sweeney said Thursday."We'll call it a modified contact situation that we can control a little bit before they get fully ramped up, and then we'll just monitor their progress and how they're feeling throughout, and game by game as to whether or not they play."Krug underwent shoulder surgery in April, while Krejci underwent an operation on his left hip.Both players are on track with their recovery schedules, and are aiming to be in the lineup opening night in Columbus.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leo Komarov's international career may have ended Thursday.The Toronto Maple Leafs forward spoke to the media following his club's 3-0 loss to Russia at the World Cup and admitted that it could have been his final game for his homeland.

Fans yearning to know what the Las Vegas club will call itself will have to wait a little longer.The final name, color scheme, and logo will not be unveiled until early November, majority owner Bill Foley said, according to Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal."We had a webinar (Thursday) with Adidas and the NHL and we're still tweaking the logo and the use of the colors," Foley said. "It probably means we're going to have to push back the big announcement because it's going to take time to get everything printed on the shirts and hats. The jerseys will take a little longer to produce."Those decisions should be completed next week where they will then seek final approval from the league.As for the delay, Foley also insists that another contributing factor is the location of the unveiling."The other issue is Toshiba Plaza," Foley said. "We want to do the unveiling there. But there are very few open dates in October because the arena is being used most of the month. It’s a little more open in November."The wait, however, will apparently be worth it."We're getting real close," Foley said. "But we want it to be perfect."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While he may be this generation's goal king, Alex Ovechkin doesn't believe he'll end his hall-of-fame career at the top of the all-time list.The leader, of course, is Wayne Gretzky, who found the net a ridiculous 894 times.Ovechkin, a six-time "Rocket" Richard winner, currently sits at 525 career tallies, and at 31, "The Great 8" claims he has no chance at catching "The Great One.""I don't think somebody will beat this record," Ovechkin told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. "In this hockey right now, in this league, I think it's impossible."I have to have six seasons with 50 goals, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to skate in six seasons," he said jokingly.Ovi is third among active players in goals, and sits 33rd on the all-time list - for now.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Taylor Hall: Not over it. Not yet, at least.The 24-year-old reported to New Jersey Devils training camp Thursday, and was honest when asked about the trade that saw him leave the Edmonton Oilers, doubling down on critical comments he made in the summer."I would say the same things today," Hall said, according to The Record's Andrew Gross. "I did not step over the line. Just the way everything went down, I still hold a bit of resentment toward (the Oilers)."Hall's looking forward to the change of scenery and excited about what he can accomplish with an underrated Devils squad.General manager Ray Shero is hoping Hall uses the feelings he has for Edmonton as motivation."He's one of the many talented players in Edmonton that haven't made the playoffs. Hopefully, he'll do that."Hall had 65 points last season, which would have led New Jersey in scoring. He's signed through 2019-20 at a $6-million cap hit.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators general manager David Poile would love nothing more than to pay Ryan Johansen an obscene amount of money.Poile outlined his expectations for the 24-year-old, who was acquired last season from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a one-for-one trade for Seth Jones, with Sports Illustrated's Alex Prewitt."To be our leading scorer," Poile said. "To have really good offensive numbers. To be a player who can be used in more situations than last year. I've got really high expectations for him."No pressure, Ryan.The center finished with 60 points last season.Team GP G A PBlue Jackets4282634Predators3862026He added four goals and four assists in 14 playoff games, as Nashville lost in the second round.First things first: Johansen's going to have to score more. He got more comfortable as time went on, after the trade, and he's the club's No. 1 center. A full season playing with Filip Forsberg should help.While he was at first surprised by Poile's comments, he's taking a positive approach."... Why not?" Johansen asked. "It's motivating."Johansen will earn $4 million this season and will be a restricted free agent on July 1, 2017.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mikael Backlund has a concussion.Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving, who employs the Swedish forward in the NHL, confirmed the diagnosis Thursday.Backlund was leveled by defenseman Sami Lepisto during Sweden's 2-0 win over Finland at the World Cup of Hockey on Tuesday.He missed Wednesday's overtime loss to North America and was replaced by Patrik Berglund.Treliving added that he's hopeful Backlund will start skating shortly.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.