Sport-scan daily brief

After all, he said, the team that’s the best at the end of the tournament is going to win.

“That’s a great challenge,” Bylsma said. “That will be part of our message and part of our approach.”

ESPN LOADED: 06.30.2013

683108 Websites

ESPN / As U.S. GM, David Poile in tuneup mode

Scott Burnside

NEW YORK -- Of the many memorable hours leading up to the epic gold-medal game at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 between Canada and the United States, this is one that has stayed with us.

It was a conversation with then-U.S. associate GM David Poile the day before that game.

He had spoken earlier in the process about the importance of the Olympics, specifically the impact a strong showing might have on future generations of U.S. players. About how the 1980 Miracle on Ice team became a beacon for a generation or more of American players as well as -- to a lesser degree -- the U.S. team that defeated Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey championship.

As the gold-medal game approached, it was hard not to be swept up in the emotion of what lay ahead.

“I don't think anybody knew how good we'd be. We didn't know how good we'd be,” Poile said that Saturday. “Let's call it like it is.”

The Americans would be denied a shot at Olympic immortality by the slimmest of margins, a Sidney Crosby goal in overtime, from a bad angle at that.

We were reminded of the legacy -- or at least the potential legacy -- of that team Saturday, when we were swept up once again in the quest for Olympic glory as Poile was formally announced as GM of the U.S. team for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Part of the charm of the Vancouver team was the fact it was the youngest team in the tournament. As GM, Brian Burke was fond of repeating that no one gave the Americans a spit of a chance to earn a medal, let alone battle for gold.

No question the dynamics will be dramatically different in Sochi on a host of fronts.

“In Vancouver, we were turning the page,” Poile told ESPN.com on Saturday.

That team was the first that didn’t hearken to the glory days of Brian Leetch, Chris Chelios and Keith Tkachuk et al. The idea was that if the team had any success at all, it would provide a good base on which to build for 2014.

The Americans’ run to the silver (going 5-1 in the tournament) means they will not sneak up on anyone in Sochi. Not with the past two Conn Smythe Trophy winners on the roster in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Quick. Throw in top-end talent like Ryan Suter, who in our book was the hands-down best defenseman in the NHL this season (finished second to P.K. Subban in Norris Trophy voting), Minnesota Wild teammate Zach Parise, David Backes, Joe Pavelski, Phil Kessel and Dustin Brown and there will be a strong core returning from the Vancouver squad.

Still, trying to handicap Olympic contenders based on results from a tournament four years in the past is a mug’s game. Yes, some continuity is important. Understanding the routines of an Olympic tournament, the media, the schedule and the ebbs and flows of a short, high-drama competition is critical to how a team comes together.

But each tournament represents a different world, and that is where the management structure and coaching staff are so critical to a team’s success.

USA Hockey neatly sidestepped a potential public relations problem early on by structuring its management team in the manner it did. Poile moved up the ladder and will be joined by Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero, who will act as associate. The two worked together for the Nashville Predators and were part of the U.S. management committee that helped put together the 2010 team.

But Burke, the architect of that team, has been kept in the fold as director of player personnel. He will accompany the team to Sochi.

It was Burke who came up with the idea of opening the process of selecting teams for international competition to American GMs. He invited colleagues like Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia Flyers), Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles Kings), Stan Bowman (Chicago Blackhawks), Dale Tallon (Florida Panthers) and former Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell to join in the process.

The openness and inclusiveness established by Burke was universally praised by those involved, and as Poile pointed out Saturday, the validation of the process was in the result -- a silver medal.

That Burke, dismissed from his post as GM and president of the Toronto Maple Leafs on the eve of the lockout-shortened regular season in January, continues to have a strong voice in the building of the 2014 team is an important nod to what he’s accomplished. To have marginalized him would have sent a disappointing message.

“He will have a big part in the formation of this team in 2014,” Poile said.

But a nod to the past is also being balanced by a nod to the future, which is critical given that neither Canada nor the U.S. medaled in the two Olympics held away from North American soil since the NHL began participation in 1998 in Nagano. (2006 in Torino was the other.)

A bigger ice surface, time issues and different cultures will conspire to make life in Sochi exponentially more difficult than it was in Vancouver and, before that, Salt Lake City in 2002, when Canada defeated the U.S. for the gold medal.

The committee, which represents 150 years of NHL GM experience and six Stanley Cup championships, will have to keep all those things in mind, Poile said, when making selections, just as it did in choosing the Pens’ Dan Bylsma as head coach.

Burke built a team that could play an NHL-style game with a blend of hard-nosed forechecking, strong defense and goaltending mixed with opportunistic scoring, but the style of play in Sochi may make some of those qualities less important.

Clearly, skating and puck movement will be at a premium on the big ice surface, which suggests players like Keith Yandle, Kevin Shattenkirk and perhaps Matt Carle or John Carlson may be more attractive than other, more physical defensemen.

What about a speedy, skilled forward like Alex Galchenyuk, who had a strong rookie campaign for the Montreal Canadiens?

“Our philosophy is going to be a little bit different because this is in Europe,” Poile said. “We have to tune up our thinking a little bit.”

One thing Poile made clear is that, while a résumé of strong play has historically been a factor in inclusion on the final roster handed in late in December, getting off to a good start next fall will be key in the committee’s final decisions.

In introducing the management team Saturday in New York, president of USA Hockey Ron DeGregorio suggested that an American team is no longer the stuff of miracles but rather the stuff of expectations.

A fine sentiment, and after Vancouver, it would seem it is true. Now it’s up to Poile and the rest to meet those heady expectations.

“This is the ultimate honor and challenge,” Poile said.

ESPN LOADED: 06.30.2013

683109 Websites

ESPN / Horton out; B's willing to listen on Seguin

Pierre LeBrun

NEWARK, N.J. -- The Boston Bruins appeared ready to shake things up Saturday on the eve of the NHL draft.

All confirmed by sources:

• Nathan Horton's camp informed Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli on Saturday afternoon that the unrestricted free agent winger was leaving the organization.

“Nathan Horton has informed the Bruins that he is going to explore his options via unrestricted free agency," agent Paul Krepelka reiterated to ESPN.com, a statement that he first gave to TSN's Bob McKenzie.

• Tyler Seguin’s name was making the rounds in trade chatter, with the Bruins willing to listen.

• The Bruins would like to move up in the draft.

• And add Boston to the long list of teams that have inquired about UFA center Vincent Lecavalier.

The Bruins have a lot of balls in the air, a rival team executive told ESPN.com, and they are talking to a lot of teams about a lot of things. Chiarelli was spotted at one point Saturday chatting closely with Lightning GM Steve Yzerman. Could it have been about Seguin? Hard to say. Maybe Chiarelli was getting a scouting report on Lecavalier. Or maybe they were making a dinner date.

Meanwhile, Lecavalier and agent Kent Hughes were in the process of reducing their list of suitors. The expectation was that they would have a short list by the end of the night or early Sunday.

Hughes was also meeting with interested teams Saturday. Aside from Boston, other confirmed teams that have expressed varying degrees of interest for Lecavalier include the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues. As reported Friday, some 15 teams have called.

Don't sleep on Dallas. The Stars have serious interest in Lecavalier. They want to make the playoffs next year, and new GM Jim Nill sees Lecavalier as a perfect addition.

But you can scratch the Chicago Blackhawks off that list. A source told ESPN.com on Saturday that the Hawks are not interested. Some fans may have dreamed of having Lecavalier fit in as the team’s No. 2 center, but the Hawks aren’t going to enter the fray, instead focusing on trying to re-sign winger Bryan Bickell. The Hawks and Bickell’s agent, Todd Diamond, have had constant dialogue throughout the week and spoke again Saturday.

The reasoning behind the Lecavalier camp wanting to produce a short list in quick order is that the teams involved need to know as soon as possible. For whichever teams are seriously in the hunt, it could have a domino effect on what needs to be done with the rest of their rosters and potentially in the draft.

So in fairness to that reality, the Lecavalier camp is keen to try to expedite the process this weekend.

He can’t officially sign with a team until July 5, but all the leg work can be done now.

Schneider in play

Saturday got off to quite a bang in NHL circles with my colleague Darren Dreger of TSN breaking the story via Twitter that the Canucks were suddenly putting Cory Schneider in play.

Hello!

“To be honest, it makes sense in a way,” a rival GM told ESPN.com on Saturday after the news broke.

With a lack of trade interest in Luongo, the thinking is that if a team pays big for Schneider, the Canucks can improve and still have a world-class goalie in net.

Another player who generated a lot of calls toward Vancouver is defenseman Alex Edler. His no-trade clause kicks in July 1, but teams are already calling.

Schneider would be a good fit on teams like the New York Islanders, Calgary Flames or Edmonton Oilers.

“He’s definitely in play,” an agent told ESPN.com on Saturday afternoon.

Schneider has two years left on his deal at $4 million per season.

Thing is, dealing away Schneider wouldn’t necessarily solve the Luongo mess. I believe Luongo wants out regardless. Trading Schneider, I don’t think, would change his feelings on that.

Oye, stay tuned ...

Elsewhere

• Hearing positive vibes out of the talks between pending UFA netminder Mike Smith and the Phoenix Coyotes. GM Don Maloney and some of his staff met with Smith in Vancouver last week to have a heart-to-heart session. Still a factor is the future of the franchise, so I wouldn’t expect Smith to be willing to sign until after that July 2 Glendale lease vote. But the re-signing of coach Dave Tippett was an important move in terms of Smith wanting to stay. If he does sign, I believe it will be a six-year deal.

• Hughes, the agent for Kris Letang, was slated to meet with Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero on Saturday afternoon in the N.Y./N.J. area. In the wake of Letang rejecting Pittsburgh’s $56 million, eight-year offer Thursday, sources around the league confirm that Shero made some calls to other teams Friday to lay the groundwork for potential trade talks. But Saturday’s meeting, I think, is being viewed by both sides as a chance to salvage the situation and find common ground on keeping Letang in Pittsburgh. We shall see.

• The Canadiens hold the 25th pick in the first round Sunday. I’m told they would like to move up and have made some calls to that effect. But I think the Habs will wait until the draft has begun and see how it progresses before making a move in that regard. It will depend on whether certain prospects they have circled on their scouting list are still available.

• The Flyers are taking calls on blueliner Braydon Coburn, multiples sources confirm. He has three years on his deal with a $4.5 million cap hit.

• USA Hockey announced its coaching staff for the Olympics on Saturday, and the Penguins’ Dan Bylsma gets the nod as head coach. If the NHL and NHLPA can wrap up the Olympic deal at Monday’s meeting with the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation, the plan is for Hockey Canada to announce its coaching staff shortly thereafter, perhaps within a day or two. As I reported in April, the Canadian coaching staff will have Mike Babcock at the helm again, along with Ken Hitchcock, Lindy Ruff and newcomer Claude Julien (who replaces the retired Jacques Lemaire).

ESPN LOADED: 06.30.2013

683110 Websites

NBCSports.com / NHL to Glendale: July 2 deadline is no bluff

Jason Brough

Jun 29, 2013, 1:12 PM EDT

If Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers thinks the NHL is bluffing about July 2 being the deadline for the city to approve an arena-management deal for the Coyotes, deputy commissioner Bill Daly has a message for him, via Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona.

“He can characterize it the way he wants, but it is what it is,” said Daly. “We either get certainty in Glendale by July 2, or we immediately pursue our other options outside of Glendale. We have already gone past the date we were comfortable accommodating in the first place. I hope for the sake of the Coyotes fans in Glendale that they don’t lose the team because of a miscalculation made by members of the City Council.”

You may recall prior to the Stanley Cup Final when Daly characterized the situation like this: “No decision could be a decision.”

Translation: if the city waffles too long, the NHL will have no choice but to relocate the Coyotes.

NBCSports.com / LOADED: 06.30.2013

683111 Websites

USA TODAY / U.S. hockey team might have different look at Sochi

Kevin Allen

3:02 p.m. EDT June 29, 2013

NEW YORK – Newly named U.S. general manager David Poile believes that the return of Olympic hockey to the larger European-size hockey rink means the Americans have to expand their thinking on the team they should send to Sochi.

"A player who was successful in Vancouver in 2010 may not be successful in Sochi," Poile said.

The Sochi games will be played on the standard 200 by 100-foot international rink, meaning it will be 15 feet wider than the 2010 Vancouver rink.

"(In 2010) you heard Brian Burke talking about words like truculence," Poile said. "I'm not trying to say that's not important, but maybe it's less important in 2014."

The NHL started allowing its players to participate in the Olympic Games in 1998, and the Americans have won silver medals in both Olympic Games in North America (2002 in Salt Lake City and 2010 in Vancouver) and didn't medal in the two Olympics on foreign soil (1998 in Nagano and 2006 in Torino).

"We have not had a lot of luck in Europe," Poile said, making it clear that figuring out why would be a point of emphasis for his new management team.

"It can't be the same type of team," Poile said.

Poile didn't discuss specific players, but he said the expected there would be a large core group of players that will return. That group would include Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, Ryan Suter and Jack Johnson, among others

He said he wouldn't reach any final conclusions about how the team should be different for Sochi, until he has met with his advisory group.

"I know everyone has a slightly different opinion and we have to mold them together," Poile said.

One general theory is that teams need more speed on the wider ice because players have more space to make a move.

Joining Poile on the management team will be associate general manager Ray Shero, the Pittsburgh Penguins GM who previously worked with Poile in Nashville, plus Anaheim Ducks consultant Burke, who was the GM for the silver medal team in 2010. He will be the director of player development in Sochi.

In 2010, Burke developed an advisory council to help him decide who should be on the team and Poile will use the same approach. The advisors will include Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles Kings), Dale Tallon (Florida Panthers), Stan Bowman (Chicago Blackhawks), Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia Flyers) and Don Waddell (Pittsburgh).

Pittsburgh's Dan Bylsma was introduced as the U.S. coach. His assistants haven't been named.

One new wrinkle in the 2014 Games is an increased roster size. Team will be allowed 22 skaters, instead of the 20 they were allowed in 2010.

That would allow the Americans, for example, to take a young skilled player such as Alex Galchenyuk, who could be inserted into the lineup to give the team an offensive boost.

The Americans could also add a ninth defenseman with toughness, just to use in the expected physical game with Canada.

When a reporter pointed out in a question that Bylsma had no international coaching experience, Bylsma corrected him by saying he had no international coaching experience.

But Bylsma has plenty of experience coaching high level players because his Penguins have Sidney Crosby and Malkin.

He joked that he does have inside knowledge on Sidney Crosby that could help the Americans.

"But I'm also a little bit concerned (Crosby) knows me as a coach, my strengths and my weaknesses he's going to bring that to the Canadian team,'' Bylsma added.

One of the themes of the news conference was that Americans believed they were going to Sochi to win the gold medal. Poile said it. Bylsma said it. USA Hockey president Ron DeGregorio called it an "expectation."

Someone pointed out that Burke talked boldly in 2010, offering his assessment of the USA's chances. Poile was asked whether he might provide some odds for American success.

Said Poile: "We can't bet in hockey."

USA TODAY LOADED: 06.30.2013

683112 Websites

USA TODAY / Who are the top Americans at the draft?

Kevin Allen

6:04 p.m. EDT June 29, 2013

NEWARK - The American talent pool can claim the best defenseman in Seth Jones and maybe the best sleeper pick in Jimmy Lodge heading into Sunday's NHL draft.

"(Lodge has) got great hands, phenomenal hands," said USA Hockey's director of hockey operations Jim Johannson.

Lodge is ranked 20th by Central Scouting, and mock drafts don't give him much love as a first-round possibility. But NHL scouts seem to like his chances of sliding into the 25 to 40 range.

The complaint about Lodge, a Pennsylvania native, is that he is skinny, listed as 6-0, 166. He scored 28 goals and 67 points in 64 games with Saginaw (Mich.) of the Ontario Hockey League.

MORE: Kyle Woodlief's mock draft

This is not projected to be a strong year for Americans, at least in terms of first-round selections.

Jones, who played youth hockey in Colorado and Texas, is ranked No. 1 on many lists, although the Colorado Avalanche are suggesting that they will take Halifax (Nova Scotia) forward Nathan MacKinnon with the first overall pick.

Chicagoan Ryan Hartman (Plymouth Whalers, OHL) and Connecticut native Adam Erne (Quebec, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) are projected to go in the middle of the first round. Hartman is a feisty, prickly, scoring winger and Erne is a power forward.

The possible late first-round projections include forward J.T. Compher and defenseman Steve Santini who played with the U.S. National Team Development Program. Compher is a smart, two-way forward and Santini is a rugged, hard-nosed defenseman.

MORE: Expect some trades at draft

Their teammate John Hayden, a center, rose late in the season after he recovered from a knee injury. The 6-2, 220 center is expected to be taken at the top of the second round. He has committed to Yale.

Ian McCoshen, a 6-3 defenseman for Waterloo (Iowa) in the United States Hockey League, could go anywhere from late in the first to the middle of the second round. He had 11 goals and 44 points in 54 games.

"He is thick, sturdy and real competitive," Johannson said.

Another possible second-rounder is U.S. National Team Development Program winger Michael McCarron.

"He's 6-5 and he can skate," Johannson said.

Scouts also like the pedigree and playing style of Ryan Fitzpatrick, a Boston College recruit is the son of respected former NHL player Tom Fitzpatrick. The elder Fitzpatrick is an assistant to general manager Ray Shero in Pittsburgh.