Sport-scan daily brief

“The stats we’ve looked at every year is about 1.9 players per draft per team play 80 or more games in the NHL,” Fletcher said. “Basically if you’re drafting two NHLers, you’re treading water, you’re doing what you have to do.

“Our goal has always been to draft three or more. It’s hard. You can’t do it every year. This year without a first, it’ll be challenging, but we have eight picks, we have an extra third, and the second-round pick this year is probably better than a lot. So that’s still going to be our goal. That’s the goal I’ve asked of [assistant GM Brent Flahr] and our scouts.

“We still have to aim high.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.30.2013

683016 Minnesota Wild

Wild's Parise, Suter earn high praise from U.S. Olympic GM

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune

Updated: June 29, 2013 - 10:57 PM

NEW YORK – The roster for the 2014 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team is still very much up in the air, but we know two shoo-ins will be the Wild’s Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

They were two players on the 2010 team that won the silver medal in Vancouver.

“When we put together that team, our hope was that those players would mature, and in 2014, we’d have a good nucleus. That’s exactly the way it’s played out,” said David Poile, Team USA’s general manager who doubles as Nashville’s GM. “Parise and Suter are arguably two of the best players in the NHL.

“Ryan in a 48-game schedule with a no conference crossover was top three for the Norris and arguably if other people would have seen him could have been the Norris Trophy winner. Zach Parise is on everybody’s All-Star team. So those are two good guys to start with.”

Poile, his large management team and Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, who will coach the Americans in Sochi, Russia, were introduced Saturday morning at a news conference in Manhattan.

They made clear that winning gold is the expectation. The Americans won silver in 2002 in Salt Lake City and in Vancouver. They didn’t medal in Nagano in 1998 or Turin in 2006. Poile said the Americans have to put together the proper roster to succeed on the larger 200-foot-by-100-foot international rink.

“In 2010, you heard [then-GM] Brian Burke using words like truculence,” Poile said. “I’m not saying that’s not important, but that may be less important in 2014. Skating is important.”

The United States will hold an orientation camp Aug. 25-29 at the Washington Capitals’ Iceplex in Arlington, Va. The Wild’s Jason Pominville might earn an invite, although Poile wouldn’t confirm. Though born in Canada, Pominville has dual citizenship because his mother is American. He played for the United States in the 2008 world championships.

“We’re going to get to the point where somebody’s going to be offended,” Poile said. “We have to sort it out, but we’re close.”

Bylsma raved about the Americans’ potential leadership. Parise should be in the running for team captain.

First things first, the NHL must agree to officially participate. That could happen as early as Monday. The Americans should have a terrific roster, including the past two Conn Smythe Trophy winners (Patrick Kane and Jonathan Quick). The Americans could be stacked in goal with Quick, Jimmy Howard, Corey Schneider and Craig Anderson vying for three of the 22 roster spots.

Brodin named All-Rookie

Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin, who finished fourth in the Calder Trophy race, was named to the All-Rookie team Saturday. He became the first Wild player to be honored with an All-NHL nomination.

Suter is a likely contender for first- or second-team All-Star, which will be announced early this week.

Last season, Brodin, the youngest defenseman in the NHL at age 20, led all rookies in total ice time (1,044:35) and average time on ice (23:12 per game), becoming only the eighth rookie skater in league history to average more than 23 minutes a game.

Other members of the All-Rookie team are St. Louis goalie Jake Allen, Edmonton defenseman Justin Schultz, Montreal forward Brendan Gallagher, Florida forward Jonathan Huberdeau and Chicago forward Brandon Saad.

Trade talk heats up

The rumor mill was churning fast and furious Saturday.

With the Vancouver Canucks unable to trade goalie Roberto Luongo, the Canucks were shopping Schneider. Edmonton apparently was in hot pursuit.

TSN also reported that with the Bruins working toward extending Patrice Bergeron and Tuukka Rask, 21-year-old hotshot Tyler Seguin, the second overall pick in the 2010 draft who can play center or wing, is on the trading block.

You can bet one team extremely interested in Seguin is the Wild. However, if a current first-round pick has to be part of the deal, the Wild no longer owns its 2013 pick.

Pittsburgh Penguins star defenseman Kris Letang might be in play after reportedly rejecting an eight-year, $56 million contract offer. Other big names reportedly on the block include Toronto’s Dion Phaneuf, San Jose’s Dan Boyle, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, Philadelphia’s Braydon Coburn, Chicago’s Dave Bolland and Tampa Bay’s Ryan Malone.

No Falk offer yet

Agent Craig Oster confirmed the Wild has yet to extend a qualifying offer to potential restricted free agent Justin Falk. The Wild, which has been shopping Falk, has until Tuesday to decide if it wants to retain the defenseman’s rights. If Falk isn’t qualified, he would become unrestricted when free agency opens Friday.

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.30.2013

683017 Minnesota Wild

Chart: Wild GM Chuck Fletcher and draft-day moves

Chuck Fletcher has a history of making trades on draft day as Wild GM:

2009: Acquired first-round pick (16th overall, Nick Leddy), third-round pick (77th, Matt Hackett) and seventh-round pick (182nd, Erik Haula) from New York Islanders for Wild’s first-round pick (12th overall, Calvin de Haan).

2009: Acquired Kyle Brodziak and sixth-round pick (161st overall, Darcy Kuemper) from Edmonton for Wild’s fourth-round pick (99th, Kyle Bigos) and fifth-round pick (133rd, Olivier Roy).

2010: Acquired second-round pick (59th overall, Jason Zucker) from Florida for Wild’s third-round pick (69th, Joe Basaraba) and fourth-round pick (99th, Joonas Donskoi).

2011: Acquired first-round pick (28th overall, Zack Phillips) along with Devin Setoguchi and Charlie Coyle from San Jose for Wild’s Brent Burns and second-round pick in 2012.

2011: Acquired second-round pick (60th overall, Mario Lucia) from Vancouver for Wild’s third-round pick (71st, David Honzik) and fourth-round pick (101st, Joseph LaBate).

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.30.2013

683018 Minnesota Wild

Jonas Brodin makes All-Rookie Team; More on Cal Clutterbuck's future

Posted by: Michael Russo under Rookies, The draft, Wild off-season news Updated: June 29, 2013 - 12:20 PM

Sunday's 2 p.m. CT NHL draft is fast approaching (NBC Sports Network from 2-7 p.m.; NHL Network after 7 p.m.), and the Wild continues to shop Cal Clutterbuck and Tom Gilbert, especially.

Typically, deals like this come down on the draft floor or just before the draft because the Wild is looking for either a first-round pick in the Clutterbuck deal (teams are hesitant to give up firsts right now because this draft is so deep) or a second so it could potentially use two seconds to try to move into the first round.

And often times when picks are involved, the teams involved want to make certain first the player they want to take is still sitting there. For instance, in 2006 when the Wild acquired Pavol Demitra for a first and Patrick O'Sullivan, the L.A. Kings didn't agree to the deal until they were certain Trevor Lewis would still be there.

As you saw in today's story, it is looking increasingly likely that Clutterbuck will be traded this weekend. He has value, he is a restricted free agent and the Wild's cap space is limited. The Wild is looking for a second and prospect, but perhaps the price can go up if there's a bidding war for Clutterbuck.

I do hear that GM Chuck Fletcher would prefer to trade Clutterbuck to the East. As I reported the other day, Fletcher had lunch Thursday with Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis. Boston may make sense, too. In the West, as I reported last week, I hear Edmonton has shown significant interest. But I'd be lying if I said I know all the teams involved.

Again, Gilbert's future is almost certainly elsewhere. If he's not traded, the Wild will likely buy him out and create an extra $4 million of cap space. It'll also be interesting to see if the Wild moves guys like Devin Setoguchi or Kyle Brodziak or Torrey Mitchell. It's listening to offers at least.

As I've reported, with Jake Dowell likely going to be the fourth-line center next season and Mike Rupp also in the fold, Zenon Konopka is also on the block. Fletcher said recently that the Wild have a few guys who play the same role.

I've gotten lots of emails and tweets asking if the Wild's going after this guy and this guy and this guy and, uh, Vinny Lecavalier, in free agency. Again, unless the Wild frees up cap space, the answer to virtually everything right now is, "No." If space is freed, then we'll see then. Remember, if Clutterbuck is traded for a non-roster player and pick, that doesn't add to the Wild's roughly $3.6 million in cap space.

That cap space doesn't include unsigned restricted guys Clutterbuck, Jared Spurgeon and Justin Falk or unrestricted center Matt Cullen.

In other Wild news:

Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin, who finished fourth in the Calder Trophy race, was named to the All-Rookie team Saturday. He became the first Wild player in history to be honored with an All-NHL nomination.

Ryan Suter is a likely contender for First or Second-Team All-Star. That may come out tomorrow.

Last season, Brodin, the youngest defenseman in the NHL at age 20, drafted 10th overall in 2011, led all rookies in total ice time (1,044:35) and average time on ice (23:12 per game), becoming just the eighth rookie skater in league history to average more than 23 minutes a game.

Brodin, who scored 11 points in 45 games, led rookie defensemen with 18 takeaways and was fourth among all rookies with 60 blocked shots.

Other members of the All-Rookie team are St. Louis goalie Jake Allen, Edmonton defenseman Justin Schultz, Montreal forward Brendan Gallagher, Florida forward Jonathan Huberdeau and Chicago forward Brandon Saad.

--Also, the Wild has yet to extend a qualifying offer to potential restricted free agent Justin Falk, his agent confirmed to me. The Wild, which has been shopping Falk, has until Tuesday to decide if it wants to retain the defenseman’s rights.

If Falk isn’t qualified, he would become unrestricted when free agency opens Friday. I did get an email sent to me regarding a comment on one of the stories where a reader thought Falk was unrestricted already. He is indeed restricted.

More later if news breaks.

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.30.2013

683019 Minnesota Wild

Team USA hockey: Olympic head coach, management announced

By Chad Graff

cgraff@pioneerpress.com

Posted: 06/29/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 06/29/2013 10:17:01 PM CDT

NEW YORK -- USA Hockey didn't try dampening expectations at a press conference here Saturday to announce the management and head coach for the U.S. team leading to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

"Hockey in our country has come to the point where winning the gold medal is not a miracle -- it's an expectation," USA Hockey President Ron DeGregorio said.

DeGregorio and USA Hockey formally announced that Nashville general manager David Poile would serve as the team's general manager, while Pittsburgh's Ray Shero of St. Paul would serve as associate GM and Brian Burke, of Edina, would serve as director of player personnel.

Burke was traveling and not at the press conference.

"It's a great honor to be named associate GM," Shero said. "We're not working for Chicago or Pittsburgh, we're working for the USA."

At the press conference, Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma was announced as the team's head coach.

"We wanted somebody that was a winner and could handle star players," Poile said. "We wanted to get one of the best coaches in the National Hockey League."

Bylsma will likely be coaching the Wild's Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Jason Pominville also has a shot to make the Olympic roster.

U.S. Hockey officials will invite players to an orientation camp Aug. 25-29 in Washington, D.C. The roster will be trimmed from there.

Parise and Suter were a part of the 2010 Olympic team that lost to Canada in overtime of the gold-medal game.

According to the Associated Press, Commissioner Gary Bettman is expected to meet Monday with the players' association, the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation to wrap up a deal to suspend the 2014 season during the Games and allow NHL players to participate.

Poile seemed confident.

"A lot of our guys from 2010 are going to be back," he said. "That's going to be the core."

Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.30.2013

683020 Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild eyeing a deep draft and looking for more picks

By Chad Graff

cgraff@pioneerpress.com

Posted: 06/29/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 06/29/2013 10:53:33 PM CDT

NEW YORK -- The Minnesota Wild enter Sunday's draft without a first-round pick for the first time in franchise history. The reason has been well-documented: They gave up a pair of top prospects, a 2014 pick, and what would have been pick No. 16 Sunday in exchange for Jason Pominville and a later pick at last season's trade deadline.

Wild owner Craig Leipold said one of the reasons the team was willing to do that is a track record of success drafting middle-round talent.

"That's a really valuable point," Leipold said. "Because of Brent Flahr and because of his scouts -- they have been so successful on second-, third-, fourth-round picks that it makes us ... more willing to move that first-round pick because we still feel like we're going to get good assets."

General manager Chuck Fletcher and assistant general manager Flahr have worked four drafts for the Wild since taking over in 2009. In those drafts, they've made five second-round selections. It's still too early for judgment on 2012 pick Raphael Bussieres and 2011's Mario Lucia, but Johan Larsson, Brett Bulmer and Jason Zucker have shown great promise.

Larsson became a top prospect and was dealt as part of the Pominville deal. Zucker scored the game-winning overtime goal in Game 3 of the Wild's playoff series against the Blackhawks and figures to be a top-six forward for the team next season. Bulmer still needs seasoning in the American Hockey League.

In 2009, Fletcher took Matt Hackett in the third round and used him in the Pominville deal.

"We've got the scouts and the system that they've shown they have been successful in those rounds," Leipold said.

The Wild have eight picks in the seven-round draft but have been actively engaged in trade talks, for two reasons: 1. They need to shed salaries to create cap space; and 2. They want more picks for what is considered one of the deepest drafts in years.

Winger Cal Clutterbuck and defenseman Tom Gilbert are the topics of many trade discussions, and the team is looking for picks and prospects in return, a source said.

"We certainly do feel it's a deeper draft," Fletcher said. "Certainly much deeper than last year. We have our second-round pick, where we expect to get a good player."

Fletcher has pulled off five draft-day trades, and indications are he'll be active again Sunday.

"I would be very surprised if we didn't come out with a few players that we weren't very happy to select," he said. "From there, seemingly every year we've made moves at the draft table, whether we traded to move up or traded back."

The Wild are interested in moving into the first round but also would be happy to acquire another second-round pick.

"There's a lot of things going

on this year which make it a little unique," Flahr said. "I think it will probably be a little more active this year than in past years."

Teams always say they're going to select the best player available with their highest pick. The Wild did it last year, taking blue liner Jonas Brodin, who made the NHL's all-rookie team Saturday, 10th overall. But if their first pick isn't until No. 46, it really does become about picking the best player.

"When you're picking No. 10, you have the novelty of maybe going after a need," Flahr said. "I know we always say we'll take the best player available, but the Brodin draft, we knew we were targeting a defenseman. When it gets to No. 46, it legitimately gets to we're taking the best player."

The deeper draft also means teams are less likely to have similar boards. With a thin prospect pool last year, Flahr said, 28 of the first 30 players taken were in the Wild's top 30. With a deeper draft, consensus is less likely.

"We could potentially get a player we've got (ranked) at No. 20 at 46," Flahr said. "That's the way it worked with Zucker and Larsson. That's the way it was on our list."

Except for possible No. 1 overall selection Nathan MacKinnon (Shattuck St. Mary's), there aren't likely to be any Minnesotans taken in the first round, but a flurry of them might go shortly after that, including Minnetonka's Thomas Vannelli, Eagan's Connor Hurley, Edina's Keaton Thompson, Grand Rapids' Avery Peterson and Teemu Kivihalme, who played for his father, Janne, at Burnsville.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.30.2013

683021 Montreal Canadiens

Habs GM Bergevin stays mum on plans to pursue Lecavalier

Robert Laflamme

SHORT HILLS, N.J. — The Canadian Press

Published Saturday, Jun. 29 2013, 5:57 PM EDT

Last updated Saturday, Jun. 29 2013, 6:22 PM EDT

Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin isn’t giving any hints about his plans when it comes to pursuing hometown star Vincent Lecavalier.

Lecavalier quickly became one of the league’s more coveted free agents after the Tampa Bay Lightning bought out his contract on Thursday.

Bergevin says the possibility of signing Lecavalier depends on a variety of factors and it’s too soon to say what he’ll do.

“It will depend on many different things,” Bergevin told reporters Saturday. “Contracts have been bought out and there will be others. Many things can happen before the opening of the free agent market on July 5.”

Bergevin also wouldn’t say whether he’s working to sign Norris winner P.K. Subban to an extension before heading into the final season of a two-year contract. He said any negotiations would be confidential.

For the moment, the GM says his focus is on the draft.

The Canadiens may try to move up from the 25th spot in the first round, Bergevin said, and even that decision could be made only once the draft gets underway.

Trevor Timmins, the team’s director of player development, said the team will be watching eagerly as their first pick approaches.

“Our wish list is ready and we hope that Santa Claus will give us what we want,” he said.

The Habs hold six picks among the first 86 selections. There’s a good chance they use one to get a goaltender, Bergevin said.

Bergevin also revealed that forward Colby Armstrong won’t be back for another year. Armstrong had two goals and three assists in 37 games in his only season with the Habs.

The Canadian have three choices in the second round, including picks No. 34 and 36, which Timmins said were almost as good as first-round picks.

The extra draft picks were obtained in the 2012 trades that sent Andrei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predators and Michael Cammalleri to the Calgary Flames.

The Canadiens also have two picks in the third round. A pick was acquired as part of the deal that sent Erik Cole to the Dallas Stars.

The Canadiens also have selections in the fourth, sixth and seventh round.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.30.2013

683022 Montreal Canadiens

Habs GM focused but not on Lecavalier

Postmedia News June 29, 2013

SHORT HILLS, N.J. — Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin isn't giving any hints about his plans when it comes to pursuing hometown star Vincent Lecavalier.

Lecavalier quickly became one of the league's more coveted free agents after the Tampa Bay Lightning bought out his contract on Thursday.

Bergevin says the possibility of signing Lecavalier depends on a variety of factors and it's too soon to say what he'll do.

"It will depend on many different things," Bergevin told reporters Saturday. "Contracts have been bought out and there will be others. Many things can happen before the opening of the free agent market on July 5."

Bergevin also wouldn't say whether he's working to sign Norris winner P.K. Subban to an extension before heading into the final season of a two-year contract. He said any negotiations would be confidential.

For the moment, the GM says his focus is on the draft.

The Canadiens may try to move up from the 25th spot in the first round, Bergevin said, and even that decision could be made only once the draft gets underway.

Trevor Timmins, the team's director of player development, said the team will be watching eagerly as its first pick approaches.

"Our wish list is ready and we hope that Santa Claus will give us what we want," he said.

The Habs hold six picks among the first 86 selections. There's a good chance they use one to get a goaltender, Bergevin said.

Bergevin also revealed that forward Colby Armstrong won't be back for another year. Armstrong had two goals and three assists in 37 games in his only season with the Habs.

The Canadiens have three choices in the second round, including picks No. 34 and 36, which Timmins said were almost as good as first-round picks.

The extra draft picks were obtained in the 2012 trades that sent Andrei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predators and Michael Cammalleri to the Calgary Flames.

The Canadiens also have two picks in the third round. A pick was acquired as part of the deal that sent Erik Cole to the Dallas Stars.

The Canadiens also have selections in the fourth, sixth and seventh round.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.30.2013

683023 Montreal Canadiens

Goalie sent message to team at U-18 tourney

By Brenda Branswell, THE GAZETTEJune 29, 2013

When goaltender Philippe Desrosiers skated over to Team Canada’s bench during the gold-medal game at the World Under-18 Championship in late April, he had a message.

The United States team had just scored a second goal, and during a TV timeout Desrosiers said he told his teammates: “Don’t worry. I’ll stop the others. Just score and we’ll win.”

Sure enough, Canada went on to beat the U.S. 3-2 at the championship in Sochi, Russia, with Desrosiers making 33 saves.

“It was really magical, especially when we won,” said Desrosiers, 17, a native of St-Hyacinthe who plays for the Rimouski Océanic in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Desrosiers shone during the tournament, posting a .970 save percentage and a 0.80 goals-against average.

“I played the best hockey of my life, so I was very happy after that,” he said this month.

NHL Central Scouting ranked Desrosiers No. 7 among North American goalie prospects eligible for Sunday’s draft in New Jersey. The only goaltender prospect from Quebec ranked higher is Rosemère native Zachary Fucale, who backstopped the Halifax Mooseheads during their championship season capped by a Memorial Cup victory last month. Central Scouting ranked Fucale as the No. 1 North American goalie prospect.

Kevin Prendergast, former head scout at Hockey Canada, told The Gazette last month that he believes Desrosiers is one of the players who really helped himself at the under-18 tournament.