Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello remains committed to bringing back David Clarkson.
Clarkson, who had 15 goals and nine helpers this season, is set to be an unrestricted free agent. "We'll do everything we can to sign him," Lamoriello said. "We're not looking to do anything else."

Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said the Lightning will "consider" using their buyout options this offseason.
"It's something to consider. . Given that we finished in 28th place, we should be looking at every possibility of improving our team and what are options are," Yzerman said. "Other than that, I can't say much." Vincent Lecavalier could be bought out as he is 33 with seven years left on a deal with a cap hit of close to $8 million.

Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher reiterated his team's interest in re-signing Niklas Backstrom.
Backstrom had a 2.48 goals-against average and .909 save percentage this season. "We've had some conversations with his representation, and had a good meeting with Niklas before he went back to Finland," Fletcher said. "I think clearly he would like to come to back to Minnesota. We certainly would like to have him back. So the will is there from both parties. Now we just have to find a way, with respect to term and the cap and how do we manage all of that."

Jonathan Bernier is eager to be a starting goaltender somewhere.
"I'm still part of the L.A. Kings and it's been a great ride, but I feel really confident and I want to get to the next level to get a real chance to hopefully be a No. 1 somewhere," Bernier told ESPN.com. "I'm sure the Kings will make the right decision. If I'm staying there, I'm staying there. If not, I'm ready for the challenge." Pierre LeBrun notes the Flyers, Leafs, Islanders, Wild and the Panthers as "in the mix" for the Kings' back-up netminder.

The Wild are unlikely to re-sign Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher told RDS' Renaud Lavoie that it will be a "challenge" to bring the forward back. Bouchard is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The 29-year-old had eight goals and 12 assists in 43 games this season and was once very productive on the power play.

Marian Hossa is in the Blackhawks' lineup Wednesday night.
This just confirms what was expected. Hossa missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury. Jamal Mayers is a healthy scratch.

Miikka Kiprusoff is thought to be leaning toward retirement.
Calgary GM Jay Feaster got that impression after the two spoke last week. Kiprusoff admitted that he was considering retirement during the 2013 campaign. He missed 13 games with a knee injury and didn't post very good numbers in the lockout-shortened season, so it might be a good time to call it a career.

Toronto GM Dave Nonis said that he "would not rule out bringing Clarke [MacArthur] back."
MacArthur can become an unrestricted free agent in July if a new deal isn't reached with the Maple Leafs. He had eight goals and 20 points in 40 games during the regular season and three points in five contests in the playoffs. Nonis added that the Leafs haven't made much progress with any of their potential UFAs and RFAs yet.

Richard Bachman will be a restricted free agent next month, but Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News doesn't think he'll get a qualifying offer from the Stars.
He is guessing that Dallas will allow him to test the market as an unrestricted free agent, but they may offer him a two-way deal if they want to keep him in the fold. Cristopher Nilstorp got a one-year, two-way extension from Dallas this week, but the team may want to bring in another veteran goaltender to compete for a backup job.

Colorado executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic generated a great deal of buzz when he said the team would likely draft a forward first overall at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
That would the team would pass on defenseman Seth Jones, who is believed to be the top prospect by several pundits heading in the draft. Sakic apparently has Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Alexander Barkov ahead of Jones on his draft chart. However, it is also possible that the Avalanche are playing coy and they could be trying to elicit trade offers from teams that want to move up to select Jones with the top pick. Whether this was strategy or honesty, Sakic has certainly made it interesting going into the 2013 draft.

The Boston Bruins have been suffocating defensively in the Stanley Cup playoffs since their "Jekyll and Hyde" performance against Toronto in Round 1.
They have allowed just 1.84 goals per game which compares favorably to the Los Angeles Kings and their Cup-winning mark of 1.50 goals against per game from the 2012 postseason. "We're all perfectionists on the ice, and we want to be better," defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said. "Playing good defense is about playing the game the right way, and we've been doing that in the playoffs. The forwards are back-checking at every instance, guys are blocking as many shots as they possibly can and everyone is doing their job as well as they possibly can." The Bruins have killed off 27 straight opposition power plays and they have won 10 of their past 12 playoff contests.

NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director Mathieu Schneider said the league's GMs have their stamp of approval on all of the Competition Committee's recommendations during their meeting Wednesday.
Two big chances include the mandatory use of visors for all players entering the NHL beginning in the 2013-14 season and the use of a new hybrid icing rule during the 2013-14 preseason. The players will vote on hybrid icing near the end of the preseason and if they approve then the NHL's Board of Governors will vote on whether to use it during the regular season. All double-minor penalties for high-sticking will be subject to video review and the nets will be four inches shallower. The Board of Governors still need to give their approval of all these changes when they meet on June 27, but they should be voted through.

Nino Niederreiter won't attend the Islanders' prospect camp this summer.
Players are required to attend three times, but after that they can choose not to come and Niederreiter is exercising that option. Niederreiter's relationship appears to be shaky with the Islanders right now. He wasn't invited to the team's training camp and he wasn't part of the Bridgeport contingent that was recalled when the big club made the playoffs to practice as the team's Black Aces squad. Niederreiter's camp was reportedly seeking a trade back in January, but he's still with the Islanders' organization.

Jaroslav Janus is projected to play in the KHL next season.
Tampa Bay assistant GM Julien BriseBois expects Janus to play out the final year of his contract with Slovan HC of the KHL. He posted an 18-16-13 record with a 2.17 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage in 47 games for Slovan last season.

Brian Lee (knee) isn't expected to be ready for training camp this fall.
He had to undergo surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament. Lee didn't have a point and posted a minus-13 rating in 22 games with the Lightning before ending up in the minors.

Radko Gudas suffered a strained medial collateral knee ligament during the AHL playoffs.
The injury forced him to miss the first four games of the Calder Cup Finals against Grand Rapids, but according to Tampa Bay assistant GM Julien BriseBois the hard-hitting defender is close to feeling 100 percent. Gudas should be fine for training camp, where he will look to earn a regular spot on the Lightning's defense corps.

AHL Syracuse GM and Tampa Bay assistant GM Julien BriseBois praised the play of Andrej Sustr during the Calder Cup playoffs.
"He played really well," BriseBois said. "He contributed and played in all situations. I thought in the playoffs when the pressure started to mount and we were down three games to nothing, our margin for error was very slim. He didn't wilt under the pressure. He kept being assertive on the ice with and without the puck which I thought was a really good sign." Sustr generated two goals, seven points, 25 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating in 18 games during the AHL postseason. He dressed in two NHL contests with the Lightning this past campaign after signing with the team in March out of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The towering defenseman may not have much in the way of fantasy value, but he could develop into a solid stay-at-home player at the NHL level.

Kris Letang's agent Kent Hughes met with Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero Wednesday.
"We've agreed to have further talks," Hughes told ESPN and TSN Insider Pierre LeBrun. "Not going to say more at this time." These talks could decide what direction the Penguins take with Letang. If they feel that the numbers and conditions don't fit then it is believed that they will look to trade the offensive defenseman.

Patrick Kane is confident that he can get going again offensively.
"You have to be confident in your abilities at this stage," he said. "I feel I've had a pretty good season to date and can do some more out there, too. It's always nice when you feel like you're getting a few chances, but you always feel like you can do more." Kane concluded the Western Conference Finals with four goals in two games, but has just one assist in three contests versus Boston in the Stanley Cup Finals. He is expected to start Wednesday's game alongside Jonathan Toews and Bryan Bickell in an effort to spark the Blackhawks' offense.

Bryan Bickell is projected to start Game 4 on a line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.
The trio helped get Chicago's offense going in Games 4 and 5 against the Los Angeles Kings and coach Joel Quenneville is hoping they can get something going again versus the stingy Boston Bruins. "Yeah, it worked good late in the L.A. series," Bickell said. "We had a couple goals, with Kaner's hat trick to finish up the series. Hopefully it sparks each other and the team." Bickell, Kane and Toews haven't scored a goal yet in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Henrik Lundqvist vehemently denied that he had a say in the firing of Rangers coach John Tortorella.
"I know there is some speculation regarding Torts being fired, but let's be clear on one thing," Lundqvist said via an e-mail on Wednesday. "It's not my call who the coach should be for the New York Rangers. I would never put pressure on the management on decisions like that. I'm just a player. My focus is to play the game and do the best I can on the ice. Whatever [happens] off the ice, I leave to our great staff we have working for this club." He also stated that he had a "great relationship" with Tortorella and he feels bad that he was let go by the organization.

The Los Angeles Kings have inked Brandon Kozun to a one-year contract.
He has hit the 20-goal mark in three straight seasons with the Kings' AHL affiliate in Manchester. Kozun recorded 26 goals and 56 points in 74 games this past campaign. It will probably be tough for him to earn an NHL roster spot with the Kings out of training camp.

Corey Crawford expects his teammates to be ready for Game 4 Wednesday night.
"We've gone through a lot in these playoffs where ... it could have affected us but it didn't," Crawford said. "We bounce back from things. We don't change our game just because something happens. We're able to stick with it and not get our emotions all messed up." He has posted a .936 save percentage and a 1.74 GAA in the postseason and doesn't want to let an opportunity of winning the Stanley Cup pass him by. Chicago will be looking to even up their series with Boston on Wednesday night before heading back home for Game 5.

Jaromir Jagr continues to set new milestones in the 2013 NHL playoffs.
Wednesday's match will be his 200th postseason appearance, which places him 19th on the league's all-time list. Jagr earned an assist in Game 3 Monday night to take sole possession of fifth place on the NHL's all-time playoff points list.

Lindy Ruff will speak with the Dallas Stars again this week regarding their vacant head coaching job.
According to TSN's Darren Dreger, former Rangers bench boss John Tortorella is also in contention for the position.

TSN's Darren Dreger is hearing that Alain Vigneault will officially be named the next head coach of the New York Rangers on Friday.
His hiring was first reported Saturday and he's believed to have agreed to a five-year, $10 million deal after being dismissed by the Vancouver Canucks.

Marian Hossa is expected to play Wednesday night in Game 4 despite missing the Blackhawks' morning skate.
Coach Joel Quenneville said "He's fine." Jamal Mayars practiced on the second line during the session, but he also expects Hossa to play. Hossa has seven goals and 15 points in 19 playoff games, so he'll be a welcome addition to the lineup as Chicago searches for more offense against Boston.

Marian Hossa didn't take part in Wednesday's morning skate.
Coach Joel Quenneville said Tuesday that it was "likely" that Hossa would play, so he may have just received the morning off to rest up prior to Game 4. He sat out Monday's contest due to an upper-body injury.

The Nashville Predators have signed Victor Bartley to a one-way, three-year deal worth $2 million.
According to the team, he will earn $600,000 in 2013-14 and 2014-15, while getting a bump to $800,000 in salary in 2015-16. In 24 games with the Predators this past campaign, Bartley contributed seven assists, 35 hits and 28 blocked shots. He averaged 19:32 of ice time per contest and played alongside Kevin Klein on what became the team's second defense pair.

Adam Foote will work with the Colorado Avalanche as a part-time coach next season.
He is expected to work with the defensemen, but he won't travel with the team. Foote spent the vast majority of his career playing for the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise, so his addition to the organization isn't surprising.

According to CSNPhilly.com's Tim Panaccio the Philadelphia Flyers have not offered any assurances to goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.
There was a report that Bryzgalov's agent, Ritch Winter, had been told by the Flyers that the Russian goalie would not be bought out by the team, but that appears to be false. GM Paul Holmgren told CSN: "I didn't assure Ritch Winter of anything. When the time comes to do our business we will do whatever is best for our hockey team." Philadelphia is currently in the hunt for another goaltender and if they manage to bring in someone else then Bryzgalov will probably be bought out. However, it's also possible that he will share the crease with Steve Mason in 2013-14.

Pascal Dupuis's agent Allan Walsh and Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero have started discussing a new contract.
Dupuis has re-signed with the Penguins twice since he joined the team via a trade in February 2008 and both times he agreed to a two-year deal. The 34-year-old winger would like a contract that he can retire on, but getting a long-term contract from GM Ray Shero may be tough. The Penguins haven't given a four-year deal to a player in his 30s since Shero received the job in May 2006. Dupuis can become an unrestricted free agent on July 5 if something isn't worked out with Pittsburgh.

According to Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, it looks like the Penguins are willing to deal Kris Letang if his contract demands don't soften.
If he agrees to taking an annual salary of around $6 million with a limited-movement clause then it's reasonable to believe that he will stay in Pittsburgh. However, it is being speculated that Letang is seeking around $7 million per season and a no-movement clause, which could land him elsewhere. It didn't take Penguins GM Ray Shero long to deal Jordan Staal after he rejected the club's 10-year contract and Letang might receive similar treatment. Pittsburgh also has a handful of blueline prospects who aren't far away from being NHLers, so that could soften the blow of losing Letang. Trade talks for Letang could heat up a the general managers' meeting on Wednesday.

Ray Emery will probably attract interest from the Philadelphia Flyers on the free agent market next month.
The Chicago backup can become an unrestricted free agent next month and he would like to go to a situation where he has a chance at earning a starter position. Emery played in 29 games for the Flyers in 2009-10, but his time there was cut short because of a career-threatening hip injury. He returned in 2010-11 and appeared in 10 contests with Anaheim once he recovered from surgery. Emery has played well in his past two seasons with Chicago.

Ottawa GM Bryan Murray is hoping to move up in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
The Senators own the 17th overall pick in the draft and he's already started to talk with organizations about flipping choices or players. "I don't know if anybody will consider that, but I know as you get closer to the draft, if you have a pick very high up, it's very hard to make the decision to move back," he said. "I'm not thinking that will happen, but we at least have to make the calls and to suggest we're open to talk." He should continue those discussion at the general managers' meetings in Boston on Wednesday.

David Ullstrom has signed with HC Lokomotiv, according to the KHL club.
Ullstrom split time between the Islanders and their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport during the lockout-shortened season. He picked up five points in 20 NHL outings and in 33 contests with the Sound Tigers he had 26 points.

Another team that is reportedly in the mix for goaltender Jonathan Bernier is the New York Islanders.
The Islanders are believed to be inching closer to re-signing veteran netminder Evgeni Nabokov, but acquiring a young and talented option in Bernier would certainly fit into their long-term plans. New York has also been mentioned as a possible destination for Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, so it appears as though they are trying to shore up their crease no matter what happens in contract talks with Nabokov. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers are rumored to be in the mix for Bernier as well.

Mattias Tedenby has reportedly agreed to a one-year, one-way contract worth $600,000 with the New Jersey Devils, according to Renaud Lavoie of RDS.
He missed six weeks after being cut by skate and suffering a severe cut to the right side of his face on Feb. 15 during an AHL contest in Adirondack. He was able to return to the lineup on March 30. Tedenby, who was eligible for restricted free agency, appeared in just four games with New Jersey this past campaign.

New Jersey Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek is believed to be close to bringing in at least one minority partner and according to the The Bergen Record, co-chief executive officer of BHP Markets Marc Wade could be brought on board.
There may be as many as three other investors coming in as well, which would help the team's financial issues. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the The Record in an email: "Despite recent reports to the contrary, which are inaccurate, we are not concerned about the Devils' future, or the franchise's ability to achieve long-term success in Newark."

Dougie Hamilton turned 20 years old Monday night, but he remained as a healthy scratch in Game 3 against Chicago.
"I've learned that it's not fun not playing," said the rookie defenseman, who hasn't played since Game 4 against the New York Rangers back in Round 2. "It's been kind of tough in ways, but at the same time, you're just trying to have fun and enjoy it. I think it's a pretty exciting opportunity to start the year in junior hockey and you're two (wins) away from the Stanley Cup." He skated in 42 of Boston's 48 games during the regular season, but has suited up in just seven playoff matches.

Daniel Paille has scored the game-winning goal in the past two games of the Stanley Cup Finals.
He potted the winner in overtime in Game 2 and registered the first marker of the contest in Game 3's 2-0 shutout victory. Paille has been chipping in more offensively, with three points in his past two contests, since being moved up to Boston's third line with Chris Kelly and Tyler Seguin. Gregory Campbell's injury played a role in his promotion as well because if Campbell wasn't hurt in the Eastern Conference Finals then Paille would probably still be with him and Shawn Thornton on the fourth line. Paille has come through with some much-needed secondary offense in the series and has eight points in 19 playoff games.

Zach Bogosian's agent Bob Murray says he has had a few discussions with Winnipeg on a new deal.
The Jets and Bogosian didn't come to terms on a contract until the first week of training camp the last time, so these negotiations could drag for a bit. This could open the door for an offer sheet, but it is expected that the team will match.

Detroit's AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, have won the Calder Cup.
Tomas Tatar was selected as the AHL playoff MVP after scoring 16 goals and 21 points in 24 contests. He found the back of the net twice in the Griffins' Cup-winning game on Tuesday.

Avalanche goaltending coach Francois Allaire is looking forward to once again working with Patrick Roy.
"We were together for 12 years with the Montreal Canadiens," Allaire said of Roy. "One more occasion to work with the best goalie in the world, but now he's a coach and that's going to be brand new for me and it's going to be a lot of fun." Allaire also worked with goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere for close to a decade. The two are going to work together over the summer, along with Semyon Varlamov. Between Roy, Allaire, and Giguere, Varlamov has no shortage of mentors.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is hoping Dave Bolland shows more discipline in Game 4.
Bolland accumulated six penalty minutes on Monday. "Yeah, [it was] one of those nights - tough night," Quenneville said. "Certainly, [you] can't take three [penalties]. I think you got to be smarter about it when you do take one, that maybe you [don't] put yourself in that spot again." Bolland also had a minus-one rating and won just one of eight faceoffs.

Jonathan Toews has now gone 10 games without a goal.
The Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and now Boston Bruins have all seemed to have success shutting down Toews. He had 29 points in 22 games when the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, but has just nine points in 20 contests in the 2013 playoffs.

The Chicago Blackhawks haven't scored a goal since the first period of Game 2.
"I think as we progress, it's tough to get to double-digits (in scoring opportunities)," coach Joel Quenneville said. "It's a tight game and scoring is going to be really challenging. But we've got to be ready to play that kind of game. Let's look to get that first goal and try to sustain it." The Blackhawks feel like they've been making it too easy on Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask lately. Boston has a 2-1 series lead going into Wednesday's contest.

Ben Smith didn't have much time to prepare for Game 3.
Smith was inserted into the lineup when Marian Hossa was ruled out due to an upper body injury. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville knew Hossa might not be available, but he kept Smith out of the pregame warm-up in an effort to avoid tipping his hand. "He didn't really have the typical game-day preparation. I don't know if he had a nap or a decent meal. He just came in, put his skates on and jumped into the Stanley Cup Final," Patrick Sharp said of Smith. "For a guy who works as hard as Benny does, to be rewarded like that, and I thought he played great." Smith is likely to play again if Hossa is unavailable for Game 4.

The Chicago Blackhawks like to unwind with a game of Mario Kart.
That's what they did after their rough 2-0 loss on Monday. "Some of us needed a way to put our gears in neutral," Bryan Bickell explained. He considers himself to be one of the team's top Kart players, along with Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks are down 2-1 in the Stanley Cup Final going into Game 4 on Wednesday.

The Florida Panthers gave Corban Knight the choice of picking between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers before he was traded.
Knight went with Calgary and the Flames sent a fourth round pick to Florida in exchange for the prospect's rights. Knight then inked an entry-level contract with Calgary. "Two things stood out," Knight said. "Obviously, the tradition and the passion that everybody has for the Flames. Being from High River, I grew up around it. I saw it everywhere I went. You don't see that everywhere you go . . . so the fact that I could be a part of that was like a dream come true. And from a hockey standpoint, with Calgary - the talks I've had with management, with coaches - there is a real opportunity to try to build a career here. I'm not an 18-year-old kid who just got drafted. I'm at that stage of my career where I'm physically ready." He had 16 goals and 49 points in 41 NCAA games in 2012-13.

The Calgary Flames are looking to expand their front office.
One potential hire is former NHL player and current disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan. That being said, Flames president Ken King emphasized that he's not looking to replace GM Jay Feaster. "Essentially, we're in an exploratory stage - a long-term process - to add depth to the hockey department," said King. "Jay is involved and engaged in that process. We're gathering some facts, talking to some people. We think we can add some bench strength. We are not looking for a general manager, and Jay is aware of that."

According to Ilya Bryzgalov's agent, Ritch Winter, Flyers' GM Paul Holmgren assured him that Bryzgalov will not be bought out by the team, contrary to a number of recent reports.
The news is a bit surprising considering all indications were pointing towards both Daniel Briere and Bryz being bought out. The Flyers followed through with their decision on Briere, but apparently are leaning towards keeping their much-maligned goaltender. However, there is some reason to be skeptical, as Holmgren also assured Jeff Carter's agent back in 2011 that he wouldn't be traded, only to find Carter on a plane to L.A. a week later. Moreover, with news today that the Flyers are targeting Jonathan Bernier in a trade, Bryz's future in Philly is still up in the air.

Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero and Kris Letang's agent, Kent Hughes, are set to meet in Boston on Wednesday to discuss Letang's potential contract extension.
Letang has just one year left on his deal, and Shero is known for locking his players up before their contracts expire. The prevailing assumption is that Letang is seeking a deal worth at least $7 million per season. Whether the Pens' brass bites on this demand is the question. Stay tuned for any updates on the situation after the meeting transpires.

Joe Sakic told the Denver Post late Tuesday night that if the Avs keep the first overall selection in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, they will select a forward, and not their presumptive top target Seth Jones.
"If we do pick first, we're leaning more toward one of those three forwards," Sakic said. ""We feel those three forwards are just too good to pass up." This comes as a huge shock, as most had pegged Jones to the Avs with the top selection for a number of reasons, including his prior relationship with Sakic and the Avs organization. Whether Sakic is setting up a smokescreen is unclear, but if the Avs do decide to pass on Jones, they will select either Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, or Alexander Barkov, with MacKinnon the likely pick despite already holding a surplus of talent at the center position.

Daniel Briere has reportedly been told by the Philadelphia Flyers that he will be bought out, according to team sources.
He will be given a compliance buyout 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Finals is over, which is when those transactions can start occurring. If the Washington Capitals can't retain the services of Mike Ribeiro, who might be heading for unrestricted free agency, then Briere could be an option there.

Anthony Brodeur, who is the oldest son of future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur, will play for the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL next season.
He posted a 21-5-2 record with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage during his senior year at Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep. He is eligible for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Last summer, he projected as a fourth to a sixth round selection.

According to two NHL sources not associated with the Flyers, CSNPhilly.com is hearing that Anaheim is listening to offers for Bobby Ryan and Philadelphia is interested.
One source said that there's still "a lot to be worked out," but one scenario could see Braydon Coburn and the 11th overall pick in the 2013 draft going to Anaheim for Ryan. It's not uncommon for the Flyers to be mentioned in several trade rumors, but this off-season could be busy for them since they failed to make the playoffs and they have a difficult cap situation.

The Red Wings hope that Darren Helm will be able to take part in the team's development camp in mid-July.
Detroit wants to see how his ailing back has come along after a few setbacks during the lockout-shortened season. If he doesn't show improvement over the summer then he could be a candidate to start the 2013-14 campaign on injured reserve.

Marian Hossa was criticized by former Chicago Blackhawks star Tony Amonte Tuesday on WEEI-FM 93.7 in Boston.
"I think you play until you can't play anymore," said Amonte who used Nathan Horton, who is playing through a shoulder injury, as an example. Amonte said he heard that Hossa told the training staff he couldn't play after testing his upper-body injury during the warmup and it clearly irked him. "You just don't see guys do things like that in the NHL," he said. "It sounds like it came out of nowhere." Hossa is considered "likely" to play in Game 4 though, according to Hawks coach Joel Quenneville.

The Ottawa Senators will call their home building, which was previously dubbed Scotiabank Place, the Canadian Tire Centre after announcing a new eight-year agreement on Tuesday.
"Canadian Tire is an iconic brand and is one of the largest hockey retailers in the world," Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said in a news release. "That represents a unique opportunity for both of our organizations to work side-by-side on a wide range of new marketing and community initiatives that will be good for our business, our hockey team and most of all, our fans."

The Ottawa Senators have talked to captain Daniel Alfredsson about returning for another season, but the veteran forward hasn't made a decision yet regarding his future.
"We have talked, I've talked to Alfie in the past couple of days," GM Bryan Murray said Tuesday. "I told him to take whatever time he needs and come back to me when you can -- as early as you can, that would help me -- but do whatever you have to do to satisfy your family to make sure you're ready to play." Alfredsson can become an unrestricted free agent on July 5, but if he decides to return then a contract should come together quickly with Ottawa.

Brad Marchand and Andrew Shaw mixed it up near the end of the Game 3.
The Bruins agitator accused Shaw of eye gouging in the scrum. "Stuff happens. I've done that [punched a guy on the ice] before," said Marchand. "The eye gouge is what I didn't particularly like, but it's part of the game. I've got a nice little scratch mark on my forehead from the claw marks from the ... you know ... kitty cat." Shaw and Marchand play very similar games, so it's not surprising that they collided during the Stanley Cup Finals. Tempers boiled over late in Game 3, but there's too much om the line to be looking for revenge.

The Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings have discussed a Jonathan Bernier trade, a league source confirmed to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Sam Carchidi.
The Kings drafted Bernier in the first round in 2006 with the intention of making him their franchise goalie, but the development of Jonathan Quick has made Bernier, a pending RFA, expendable. The Flyers have been linked to Bernier before and are currently in the midst of another goalie crisis. As of now, the team plans to have Ilya Bryzgalov and Steve Mason battle for the job, but Bryzgalov appears destined for a buyout. In that scenario, acquiring Bernier and having him battle Mason would make a lot of sense. The Kings have reportedly mentioned young forwards Sean Couturier and Matt Read in talks with the Flyers, which could be a hefty price for Philly to pay.

St. Louis Blues sign Taylor Chorney to one-year, two-way contract.
Chorney played the entire season with Peoria of the AHL before being promoted briefly at the end of the regular season. The former second-round pick of the Oilers scored four goals and 24 points to go along with 37 penalty minutes in 73 games.

The Los Angeles Kings and Slava Voynov have reached an agreement on a six-year contract.
The Kings did not release financial terms, but multiple media outlets reported it is worth $25 million. Voynov was scheduled to be a restricted free agent on July 5 but eschewed the open market and an offer from his hometown team in the KHL to re-up long term with the Kings. The $4.17 million annual salary probably didn't hurt, either. Voynov became a rising star this year amid multiple injuries to the Kings' blueline and stands to be a top-20 defenseman in all formats next season.

Nashville Predators sign Kevin Henderson to two-year, two-way contract.
Henderson's deal will pay him the league-minimum $550,000 at the NHL level. He spent most of the 2013 season in the AHL, registering 17 goals and 29 points in 67 games with the Milwaukee Admirals. Henderson also had one goal in four games with the Predators.

Logan Couture's contract extension with the San Jose Sharks is worth $30 million over five years, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Couture and the Sharks announced the agreement early Tuesday morning. The contract, which starts with the 2014-15 season, can't be officially signed until free agency opens July 5. It's a well-deserved raise for the 24-year-old Couture, who scored 21 goals and 37 points in 48 regular-season games and then added five goals and 11 points in 11 postseason contests.

Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula admitted he's "concerned" about the status of Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek.
Miller and Vanek are the face of the Sabres, yet both appear likely to be traded this offseason as the Sabres try to reboot their franchise. The man in charge of that reboot, GM Darcy Regier, got a full vote of confidence from Pegula, but his concern about what will happen to Miller and Vanek likely means that vote of confidence comes with an asterisk. The problem for Regier is Buffalo has a very difficult time landing free agents without overpaying, but high-salaried deals for players like Ville Leino are part of the reason the Sabres are in this situation in the first place. Truth be told, there's no easy way out of this for Regier, Pegula or the Sabres.

Marian Hossa is "likely to play" in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final Wednesday night, according to Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.
Hossa was a last-minute scratch Monday night, but judging by Quenneville's comments after the game and this afternoon it sounds like he was doubtful to suit up in Game 3. Ben Smith, who took Hossa's place in the lineup, didn't warmup because Quenneville didn't want to tip his hand. If Hossa returns for Game 4, expect Smith to find himself in the press box again.

Corban Knight signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
The Flames traded a 2013 fourth-round pick to the Panthers for Knight's rights earlier Tuesday. The former fifth-round pick just finished his senior season at the University of North Dakota, netting 16 goals and 49 point in 41 games. He'll like compete for a spot on the NHL roster in training camp this September.

The Washington Capitals have given assistant coach Tim Hunter permission to interview with other clubs.
Hunter was hired last summer to provide a veteran sounding board and experience for first-time head coach Adam Oates. It's unclear why Hunter won't return, but the 14-year NHL veteran should be able to land a gig somewhere.

Columbus Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson says Ryan Murray's shoulder is back to 100 percent.
Murray underwent surgery in mid-January and is expected to be ready for "game action" by sometime in early- to mid-July, according to Davidson. The No. 2 overall pick in last June's draft, Murray should be completely ready to go once training camp opens in September, where he'll try to crack the Jackets' NHL roster.

Chris Bourque has signed a contract with Ak Bars Kazan of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.
Bourque is currently traveling with the Bruins' Black Aces squad during the Stanley Cup final, which makes the timing of this report strange. However, Bourque has played in the KHL before and was likely ticketed for the AHL next season after being waived by the Bruins earlier this season. We'll update if anything becomes official.

Florida Panthers trade Corban Knight to Calgary Flames for 2013 fourth-round pick.
Knight was Florida's fifth-round pick in 2009, but the Panthers had difficulty signing the University of North Dakota product and chose to get something for him before Knight became a free agent. Knight had 16 goals, 49 points and 40 penalty minutes in 41 games this season for North Dakota.

Gregory Campbell (broken leg) says he's been given a six-to-eight-week recovery timetable.
Campbell suffered a broken leg in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals and underwent surgery to repair the injury last week. Campbell should be 100 percent in time for training camp.

Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien says Zdeno Chara was cut over the eye in pregame warmups and not the back of the head as reported Monday night.
Chara needed stitches after colliding with teammate Milan Lucic during warmups and there was brief concern he'd suffered a head injury during the pregame skate. The cut clearly didn't bother the Bruins' top defenseman as Chara again led Boston in minutes and again shut down Hawks star Jonathan Toews. Chara and the Bruins will look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead Wednesday night.

Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos believes the Toronto Maple Leafs could trade for Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier because of the presence of new MLSE president Tim Leiweke.
As a former AEG exec, Leiweke had a strong hand in turning around the Kings before leaving and taking the president job at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. With Jonathan Quick firmly entrenched as the Kings' starting goalie, Bernier is expected to be traded this summer. The former first-round pick has already been linked to the Flyers -- who Kypreos cites as the other possible destination -- but the Leafs make a lot of sense, too. The Roberto Luongo rumors in Toronto haven't slowed down in a year and it's clear the Leafs are looking to at least find someone to compete with James Reimer in net. Bernier is obviously much younger than Luongo and would be much cheaper in terms of contract, but the pending RFA would also come at a higher cost in a trade or via offer sheet this summer.

Tomas Vincour has signed a contract with Ak Bars Kazan of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, according to Stars beat writer Mark Stepneski.
Vincour spent the 2013 season bouncing between the AHL and the NHL. The Czech-born defenseman was then traded to the Avalanche at the trade deadline after posting three points in 15 games with the Stars and then played just two games for Colorado and registered one assist.

Pavel Datsyuk tweeted Tuesday morning that he signed a three-year contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings.
FOX Sports Detroit reported Monday night the two sides were close to an agreement and it appears Datsyuk's agent sealed the deal -- so to speak -- in his meeting with GM Ken Holland on Tuesday. The contract is expected to start after his current one ends next summer, which will carry him until he is 39 years old and essentially means Datsyuk will retire as a Red Wing. There were no financial terms announced, but his last contract averaged a $6.7 million cap hit per season. We'll update as soon as we know the numbers.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune writer Michael Russo points out that Dany Heatley's injured shoulder could create cap problems for the Minnesota Wild.
Before getting hurt, Heatley and his $5.7 million cap hit were obvious candidates for one of the team's two compliance buyouts. However, injured players can't be bought out and it's unclear if Heatley will be healthy in time for the first buyout window, which begins 48 hours after the Stanley Cup final ends and stops when free agency opens on July 5. According to Russo, the Wild currently have a little over $6 million to fill out the roster and sign a No. 1 goaltender, which is hardly enough. Russo speculates the team could deal several players, such as Devin Setoguchi, Kyle Brodziak, Cal Clutterbuck and/or Tom Gilbert. There's also a second buyout window later in the summer that could give the Wild some breathing room, but the Wild would need at least one of their two arbitration-eligible players to file for arbitration.

Damien Brunner admitted he tired after playing in Sweden during the lockout and then joining the NHL's Red Wings for his rookie season.
Brunner said he played in a total of 91 games between Sweden and the NHL, which is pretty close to the amount he'd have played in if the NHL season hadn't been cut short by the lockout. "At some point there's going to be games I'd be hitting the wall but only because it was tough to adjust for me the travel and the time difference," Brunner said. "The good thing is I came back after that 15- or 20-game slump and played better hockey in the postseason." Brunner is scheduled to be a UFA and says he'd like to return, but the two sides are reportedly having difficulty agreeing on his value after just one season.

Martin St. Louis turned 38 years of age today.
Happy Birthday, Marty! He's been hard at work preparing in the off-season since the middle of May. "I took two weeks off, and I got right back into it in mid May," St. Louis said. "I was able to train for two and a half weeks before I met my trainer, so my first stage is already done. Usually, that takes three weeks. I did it in 15 days. I've been pushing my workouts along to try to get as many as I can. I'm ahead of the game in terms of where I usually am at this time of year." He feels confident about Tampa Bay's future and he has faith in GM Steve Yzerman. St. Louis proved that he could still skate with the best of them during the lockout-shortened season by leading the league with 60 points and 43 assists in 48 games. He also won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the third time in the past four years this past campaign.

Pavel Datsyuk and the Detroit Red Wings are close to a multi-year contract extension, according to FOX Sports Detroit.
Datsyuk's agent is scheduled to fly to Detroit on Tuesday to talk with Wings GM Ken Holland and Datsyuk tweeted late Monday night, "big day tomorrow. ." A source told FOX Sports Detroit that negotiations have gone very well and the two sides are extremely close to a deal that would keep Datsyuk is Detroit well beyond next season, when his current contract is set to expire. There had been talk after the lockout that Datsyuk would return to Russia after his contract expired, but it looks now like that was nothing more than leverage for contract talks.

Bryan Bickell has yet to score in the Stanley Cup final, which he attributes to trying to do too much.
Bickell was a revelation for Chicago in the first three rounds, with eight goals and 13 points in 17 games before the Cup final. Against Boston though, Bickell has yet to even register an assist through three games. "I need to get back to being more simple," Bickell said Monday night. "There are times when I'm getting too cute and trying to make the better play. . I still feel confident, I just need to stick with my game plan to keep it simple."

Vincent Lecavalier would like to spend the rest of his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he understands that he could be the target of a compliance buyout.
"It's something that's really hard to think about, but you see it all the time in sports and business," Lecavalier said. "Sometimes there are changes. It's something you have to adapt to with your family and the city." Agent Kent Hughes said. "We understand this is a difficult contract. There's nothing we can do to change that on our end given the restrictions incorporated into the collective bargaining agreement. Ultimately, it's a decision the Tampa Bay Lightning will have to assess and make." Lecavalier has $45 million left over seven seasons and he is set to earn $10 million in each of the next three, so it would be an expensive buyout. It's probably more likely that the Bolts will try to trade or buyout Ryan Malone if they want to shed some cap space.

The Blackhawks were 0-for-5 on the power play in Monday night's 2-0 Game 3 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Monday's blanking means Chicago hasn't scored a power-play goal in 20 straight chances this postseason, which is starting to upset some of the players. "It's just time to get a goal," defenseman Duncan Keith said. "There's nothing more to say about it." Coach Joel Quenneville called the Hawks' man-advantage unit "not good" and it's hard to disagree with him or Keither. Chicago consistently had trouble getting pucks even into the zone to set up. Once the Hawks did get into the zone, they often made one pass too many or couldn't keep a bouncing puck in at the line. The absence of Marian Hossa was clearly felt, but it's clearly more than a Game 3 issue.

According to some reports, Philadelphia will buy out the remainder of Ilya Bryzgalov's contract, but that may not happen unless the Flyers have a trade in place to acquire another goaltender.
The Flyers may trade someone, like Braydon Coburn or Andrej Meszaros, if they can't wipe out Bryzgalo's contract and reports indicate that Daniel Briere will be bought out. The team is believed to be interested in Los Angeles' Jonathan Bernier as a an option between the pipes in what is shaping up to be an intriguing off-season in Philadelphia.

Ben Smith said he didn't find out he was playing in Game 3 until after pregame warmups.
Smith was inserted into the lineup when Marian Hossa couldn't go after testing out his upper-body injury in the pregame skate. Hossa's absence forced Joel Quenneville to get extremely creative with his lines. Smith skated with Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland, while Jonathan Toews was flanked by Marcus Kruger and Michael Frolik and Patrick Kane played alongside Brandon Saad and Michal Handzus. "It was kind of a wild night," said Smith. "I was just grateful to be a part of it, to get an opportunity. I just wish we could have gotten the win."

According to source the Flyers were considering trying to trade Daniel Briere prior to the 2013 NHL Entry Draft later this month.
However, according to the source that plan has changed now and Philadelphia appear to be resolved to buying out the remainder of his contract. He has a no-movement clause and would need to approve any trade, so using a compliance buyout is the easier route. The Flyers have to shed some cap space after reportedly agreeing in principle to a 4-year, $21 million deal with defenseman Mark Streit.

Flames CEO/president Ken King says Brendan Shanahan is a candidate to join Calgary's front office but won't replace GM Jay Feaster.
Shanahan admitted Friday that he met with Flames management last week and there was speculation the NHL's czar of discipline was in line to replace Feaster. "This is not a death watch," King said Monday. "I can tell you we are now on a long-term process to add depth to our hockey operations. We want to get back to where we should be, and this is something we think is consistent with that. We have a GM, and Jay is involved in this process." It remains to be seen if Shanahan might be offered a front office position or what sort of role he would have with the Flames.

Philadelphia GM Paul Holmgren didn't confirm the signing of Mark Streit, which isn't surprising.
Announcing a deal would violate the salary cap right now, so Holmgren's official statement was that there's "nothing to report." He added that he continues to have talks with Streit's agent and he "remains confident that we will get something done," but according to reports the two sides have agreed in principal to a 4-year, $21 million contract.

According to a source with direct knowledge of the situation, New Jersey owner Jeff Vanderbeek missed an interest payment and now risks defaulting on its new loan.
A missed interest payment in April of nearly $3 million has the team looking to raise as much as $20 million by selling a minority stake. The Devils declined to comment on the situation and the NHL, which has already aided the club financially twice before, said the story was inaccurate but they declined to give specifics.

Chris Kreider should benefit from a fresh start with whoever takes over as the new head coach of the New York Rangers.
Reports indicate that former Vancouver bench boss Alain Vigneault will take over for John Tortorella, who was also let go after his team's 2013 playoff defeat. Under Vigneault a player like Kreider could thrive because he should get more freedom to create offense off the rush and use his speed.

Quinton Howden will add some muscle this off-season so that he can earn a roster spot out of training camp.
"It was awesome, a big learning step for me," Howden said of his first NHL experience in 2013. "Obviously, the speed of the game is big. They're men and you just can't go around guys anymore. You need strength to make plays." He skated in 18 games with the Panthers, but wasn't able to record a point. Howden ended up with 21 hits, 22 shots and a minus-11 rating.

2013 Calder Trophy winner Jonathan Huberdeau hopes to "get the Hart [Trophy] one day."
"I'm going to work hard for it, but it's the team first and after you get the personal awards," he said. Huberdeau is currently hard at work rehabilitating from his off-season hip procedure and he hopes to add more explosiveness to his skating and strengthen his lower body. He expects to be able to resume on-ice work in August.

Gregory Campbell attended Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
He sustained a broken leg, which required surgery to repair, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus Pittsburgh. Campbell was seen on walking around on crutches, but having him around probably gave his teammates a lift Monday night in their 2-0 victory.

Jaromir Jagr took sole possession of fifth place on the NHL's all-time postseason points list on Monday night.
He picked up an assist in Game 3 versus Chicago to break his tie with Paul Coffey. Jagr has amassed 197 playoff points in 199 games. He has no goal and eight helpers in 19 contests during his latest postseason run with Boston.

Patrice Bergeron was dominant in the faceoff circle in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
He won 24 of the 28 draws he took for a masterful 85.7 winning percentage. Bergeron also registered seven shots on goal and he netted a power-play goal in the contest. His marker was Boston's second in a 2-0 victory Monday night.

Tyler Seguin still isn't having much luck in the goal-scoring department, but he does have three assists in his past three games.
He has collected a helper in each game of the Stanley Cup Finals against Chicago. Seguin is playing well with energy forwards Daniel Paille and Chris Kelly on Boston's newly-formed third line. However, he has only one goal in 19 postseason contests.

Chris Kelly picked up an assist in Game 3 Monday night.
He got his first point of the postseason in Game 2 versus Chicago when he scored a goal. Kelly had been woeful offensively all season, but he's starting to produce in the Stanley Cup Finals. Goals have been hard to come by in the past two games, so getting a point in consecutive contests is something worth mentioning right now. Kelly also won eight of his 11 faceoffs in the match.