Sport-scan daily brief

In 2006-07, Anaheim steamrolled to the most predictable Stanley Cup since pastels and mullets after trading for Chris Pronger (No. 2 overall, 1993) and putting him with Scott Niedermayer (No. 3 overall, 1991). The No. 2 seed Ducks took six games to win their second-round playoff series, five games each in the other three series. With their superior skating, puck handling and hockey sense, Pronger and Niedermayer helped Anaheim control long stretches of games.

The 6-6 Pronger has been on St. Louis’ only President’s Trophy (best record) team; Edmonton’s only Stanley Cup finalist since the breakup of the 1980s Oilers; Anaheim’s only Stanley Cup winner; and one of Philadelphia’s two finalists of the past 25 years. All that’s not an accident.

Reports say Colorado, the team that caused Jones to fall in love with hockey during his father’s time with the Denver Nuggets, wants MacKinnon with the No. 1 overall pick. Maybe that’s a smokescreen. NHL folks aren’t above a little shuck-and-jive at the top of the draft.

Panthers general manager Dale Tallon agreed in general that you can’t have too many good defensemen, but said Saturday of their organizational blue-line state, “We have a pretty good depth chart there.”

Tallon said of his philosophy: “Take the best player available that fits your needs the most. If you have a philosophy of strength up the middle or build the back end first, whatever your philosophy is, focus on that.”

True, the Panthers’ season got crippled by injuries up front, exposing the lack of offensive depth. That’s a short-term view, though. Led by NHL Rookie of the Year Jonathan Huberdeau, there’s young offense on the roster and in the system. Besides, the Panthers can find scoring with the other four of their picks that come within the first 98 of a draft Tallon says is likened to the 2003 draft.

Only two first-rounders that year played fewer than 200 NHL games. That first round is considered to trail in quality only the legendary 1979 draft that, because of rules changes on draft eligibility and the death of the WHA, wound up being three and a half draft classes in one.

“The team that won the Stanley Cup had the puck the longest and that’s why they won,” Tallon said. “That’s what I like — puck possession.”

Tallon knows Chicago well, of course, having had a hand in building Chicago’s 2010 and 2013 Stanley Cup winners. The way the Blackhawks moved the puck out of the back, quickly defusing turnover-birthing forechecking, went a long way to helping the puck possession Tallon embraces. That’s another reason Jones works.

This isn’t some mixed-bag Chopped draft that requires getting funky at No. 2. Keep it simple, in concept and name: Seth Jones.

Miami Herald LOADED: 06.30.2013

683009 Florida Panthers

DRAFT DAY DECISIONS FOR PANTHERS: Florida Holds Second Pick on Sunday

George Richards

NEW YORK -- When the Panthers had the third overall pick in 2011, Florida landed forward Jonathan Huberdeau -- now the reigning rookie of the year.

"There were two players we thought were close to Huberdeau,'' assistant general manager Mike Santos said. "We just waited for the picks to be made and he fell into our lap. Looking back, the right guy fell into our lap.''

On Sunday, Florida has the second selection after Colorado. The Panthers hope history repeats itself and another top-end talent heads to South Florida.

Colorado, which won the draft lottery in April to pull the top pick away from the last-place Panthers, says it will select a forward and not top-rated defenseman Seth Jones.

Of course, this could be a bluff in trying to get the Panthers -- or someone else -- to trade up for the top pick.

Jones, after all, not only has ties to the Denver area and the Avs organization but as a defenseman plays a position the Avs could use help in. General manager Dale Tallon says he believes what the Colorado management team of former players Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy are selling.

"Based on their history as players and as people, they are new to the game but I believe they are very truthful,'' Tallon said. "I'm just concerned about what we can do. The top four guys are slam-dunks. We're very prepared and satisfied they all will help us out.''

If the Avs were to take center Nathan MacKinnon, whom it is believed the Panthers higher ups prefer, Florida is projected to select Jones.

Florida, by virtue of finishing the season in last place, will get what projects to be a very good player with either MacKinnon, Jones or forwards Jonathan Drouin and Aleksander Barkov.

"We're going to get a better-than-normal prospect in this draft,'' said Scott Luce, the team's director of amateur scouting. "We as an organization would much rather be in the playoffs like we were the year before, picking at 23 and getting a guy like Mike Matheson every year rather than going through the top guys in every draft. Our fans deserve that and our staff deserves that.''

Tallon said Saturday that the Panthers haven't decided whom they will take with the second pick and reiterated that Florida could move up in a deal with Colorado or slide down.

This draft is deep in talent and teams covet Florida's position.

"We're going to get one hell of a player,'' Tallon said. "I wish I had more picks. I really do. You try to be greedy, but you only get one kick at the can. You better make sure it's the right one. We're fortunate to be picking where we're picking.''

Said Santos: "If you are picking one, two, three or four, you are getting a player who is a game-changer. Being at No. 2 doesn't change a heck of a lot from being No. 1.''

The Panthers will have plenty of suitors come Sunday although Tallon said Saturday was "eerily quiet" on the trade front.

"Whatever the best option is for us, that's what we're going to do,'' Tallon said. "I had conversation with [Colorado] on a couple of occasions. You have to exhaust every opportunity to get better.

"It would be unfair for me not to ask them if they were thinking about moving that pick. If they move it for something that we had or more we could have given them, it would be very frustrating for our franchise and for all of us. We explore every avenue to make sure we have the best available picks. That's how I've always operated.''

Luce has been watching both Jones and MacKinnon for a long time. Although Jones comes into the draft as the top-rated prospect by NHL central scouting, MacKinnon is a player who has been pegged to be a top pick for the past few years.

Although surpassed by the emerging Jones in the eyes of some scouts -- Jones is approaching 6-foot-5 and can skate as well as anyone in this draft -- many feel MacKinnon is the goods and is a franchise-changing offensive forward.

"With our spot, we feel there are four guys out there who are elite guys,'' Luce said. "We spent the past few months looking at those four guys to determine who is the best fit for our organization. It's still a work in progress. We've had a lot of conversations.''

Because of the lockout that shortened the 2013 second to 48 games, the NHL is cramming all seven rounds of this draft into Sunday.

The first round is projected to take just over two hours to complete with the Panthers kicking off the second round with the 31st selection.

Tallon and his crew are hoping to continue adding to the Panthers depth as Florida holds five of the first 100 picks. Although Florida doesn't have a third round pick -- yet -- it does have three early selections in the fourth.

"Those picks are going to turn into something very positive for us,'' Tallon said. "Either we're going to use them to move up or it's such a deep draft, we'll fill some needs.''

2013 NHL DRAFT

Sunday, 3 p.m.; Prudential Center, Newark, N.J. (NBC Sports Net)

Florida Panthers selections

Round 1 (second overall)

Round 2 (31st)

Round 4 (92nd, 97th, 98th)

Round 5 (122nd)

Round 6 (152nd)

Miami Herald LOADED: 06.30.2013

683010 Florida Panthers

PANTHERS DRAFT NOTEBOOK: Huberdeau All-Rookie; Weiss Talks Continue; Jovo Feeling Good

George Richards

Jonathan Huberdeau received another honor Saturday as he was named to the NHL's All-Rookie team for 2013. Huberdeau recently was named the league's top rookie in winning the Calder Memorial Trophy.

Huberdeau had offseason surgery on his hip and is expected to resume skating in the coming weeks.

"He played hurt. That tells you a lot about this kid,'' GM Dale Tallon said. "He played hurt and extremely well. We didn't have many players due to injuries, so teams focused on him. He's a special kid.''

-- Tallon said he spoke with Stephen Weiss' agent on Saturday in the continued hopes to sign the pending free agent center.

"We're trying to get something done,'' Tallon said. "You only get one shot at being a free agent and we're trying to do the best we can for both parties. If I can come up with the right number, well, that's fine. We'll go through [Sunday] and then make a decision next week.''

-- Ed Jovanovski met with his surgeon on Friday and told Tallon he is pain free for the first time in a long time. Jovanovski was limited to six games last year after having radical hip surgery in April.

Tallon said Jovanovski is expected to begin skating this week although it's not known whether the defenseman will be ready for training camp in September.

Miami Herald LOADED: 06.30.2013

683011 Florida Panthers

LECAVALIER A PANTHER? Florida Wants to Look Into Adding Former Lightning Captain

George Richards

NEW YORK -- Vinny Lecavalier in a Panthers sweater?

If the team has its way, that scenario -- a nightmare for Tampa Bay fans -- could happen next season.

Lecavalier, the Lightning's all-time leader in just about everything, was bought out by the team and is now a free agent. With the Panthers looking for veteran talent, team management said Lecavalier is a player they are interested in.

Both general manager Dale Tallon and assistant GM Mike Santos said Saturday that the Panthers full attention, right now, is on Sunday's NHL draft.

After that, however, the team will look into Lecavalier's interest in staying in Florida -- only a few hours southeast of his beloved Tampa Bay.

Lecavalier, like all unrestricted free agents, can't sign with another team until July 5.

"We're very interested in his leadership, his skill level,'' Tallon said after meeting with draft prospects at the team's hotel near Times Square. "We have young, big centermen who could learn a lot from him.

"We have some interest; hopefully he has some as well. That's the way it starts. It takes two to tango. If he doesn't want to come, so be it. But I think there will be some open dialog there. That would be a benefit to our franchise.''

Lecavalier, who just finished his 14th season, has been the Lightning's captain since 2000 and has 26 goals and 42 assists in 78 games against the Panthers. Lecavalier had 10 goals and 22 assists in 39 games last year -- with two goals and six points in four games against Florida.

"Even the thought of wearing a different kind of jersey is weird in my head," Lecavalier told the Tampa Bay Times on Thursday.

Because of a lowered salary cap -- and Lecavalier's declining numbers -- Tampa Bay decided to exercise its option to buy out the final seven years of the 11-year, $85-million deal Lecavalier signed with the team's previous owners.

So, the Lightning will pay Lecavalier roughly $33 million over the next 14 years and not have that money count against the salary cap.

A tireless philanthropist in the Tampa Bay area, the Panthers are hoping the lack of a state income tax and South Florida's proximity to his Tampa charities may help sway Lecavalier in staying local. Lecavalier was reportedly meeting with Dallas on Saturday.

"You have to have interest in Vinny Lecavalier,'' Santos said. "It's a little premature to see what his price will be in years and money. He's a high character guy with great leadership skills. .-.-. Is he better than what we have at center right now? Probably.

"There are a lot of reasons for him wanting to stay in the state of Florida. Lets face it, there are lots of tax advantages in Florida and the money Tampa is buying himself out with is considerable.''

Miami Herald LOADED: 06.30.2013

683012 Los Angeles Kings

NHL: Kings, Ducks still find value in draft

History suggests both teams will find good talent after first round.

By Elliott Teaford @ElliottTeaford on Twitter

Posted: 06/29/2013 10:29:45 PM PDT

Updated: 06/29/2013 10:32:25 PM PDT

The Kings have 10 selections in today's NHL draft, but none in the first round.

The Ducks have five picks, but their first-round selection isn't until No. 26 overall.

It might seem as if the draft is no big deal for the Kings and Ducks, but the reality is nothing could be further from the truth. Today is the day all 30 teams in the NHL, even the successful ones like the Kings and Ducks, re-stock their prospect lists and hope for better days.

In 2003, for example, the Ducks were coming off their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final. They lost in seven grueling games to the deeper and more polished New Jersey Devils, and there were plenty of reasons to believe their days as a struggling expansion franchise were history.

In fact, their future was about to get a whole lot brighter.

Ten years ago this month, the Ducks took center Ryan Getzlaf of the Calgary Hitman of the Western Hockey League with the 19th overall selection and then picked right wing Corey Perry of the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League at No. 28.

At the time, they were two names on a long list of 18-year-old prospects from around the hockey-playing world. Soon enough, they became Stanley Cup champions, Olympic champions and pillars of a franchise that had the third-best regular-season record in the NHL in 2012-13.

Each player signed an eight-year contract extension with the Ducks last season.

Even if the Kings' roster appears all but set for the next few seasons after consecutive trips to the Western Conference finals and the franchise's first Stanley Cup title in 2012, today is critical to the club's future success. After all, if you're not getting better, you're getting worse.

Or so the theory goes.

It's the same for the Ducks, whose foundation appears to be as strong as the Kings. Both teams have improved over the years through trades and free-agent signings, and their rosters have been built from the ground up, with draft picks serving as cornerstones in each case.

For the Ducks, it's Getzlaf and Perry in '03 and left wing Bobby Ryan (first round, '05), who make up their top line. There's also defenseman Cam Fowler and right wing Emerson Etem (first round, '10) and outstanding goaltending prospect John Gibson (second round, '11).

For the Kings, it's even more pronounced, with left wing Dustin Brown (first round, '03), center Anze Kopitar (first round, '05), goalie Jonathan Quick (third round, '05), defenseman Drew Doughty (first round, '08) and defenseman Slava Voynov (second round, '08) playing key roles.

There's more to the draft than simply first-round picks, too.

Quick stands out as an example of the Kings' ability to unearth a gem beyond the first round. After all, he was the 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the playoffs after leading the Kings' unexpected march to the Stanley Cup championship.

The Ducks have had success in the later rounds, too. Left wing Matt Beleskey was a fourth-round selection in 2006. Going back a decade earlier Matt Cullen, a center who played last season with the Minnesota Wild, was a second-round pick in 1996.

So, bottom line, there is no such thing as a meaningless draft.

LA Daily News: LOADED: 06.30.2013

683013 Los Angeles Kings

Draft history under Lombardi, rounds 4-7

Posted by Jon Rosen on 29 June 2013, 11:31 am

As promised, here is Los Angeles’ draft history under Dean Lombardi for rounds four-through-seven. I’m about to leave for Kings HQ to speak with several scouts and members of the team’s traveling party – check LA Kings Insider and KingsVision later today for those interviews – before completing the recent history of each particular selection that the Kings will make on Sunday.

For instance, did you know that Matt Martin, who has led the NHL in hits in each of the last two years, was selected with the 148th overall pick in 2008? No? OK. I’ll let myself out.

The Los Angeles Kings have 10 selections at the 2013 NHL Draft, which will take place this Sunday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Those picks are:

Second Round / 57th overall

Third Round / 88th overall

Fourth Round / 96th overall (via Carolina)*

Fourth Round / 103rd overall (via Philadelphia)**

Fourth Round / 118th overall

Fifth Round / 146th overall

Fifth Round / 148th overall (via Montreal)^

Sixth Round / 178th overall

Seventh Round / 191st overall (via Dallas)^^

Seventh Round / 208th overall

*acquired from Carolina in addition to Anthony Stewart and a 6th round pick in 2014 in exchange for Kevin Westgarth on 1/13/13.

**acquired from Philadelphia in exchange for Simon Gagne on 2/26/13. This conditional pick would have been a third round pick had the Flyers made the playoffs.

^acquired from Montreal in exchange for Davis Drewiske on 4/2/13.

^^acquired from Dallas in exchange for the Los Angeles’ 7th round pick in 2012 on 6/23/12.

Los Angeles’ first round draft pick was a conditional first round pick traded to Columbus along with Jack Johnson in exchange for Jeff Carter on 2/23/12. The Blue Jackets had a choice between the Kings’ first round pick in 2012 or 2013 and chose 2013 on the day of the 2012 NHL Draft. The Kings then selected Tanner Pearson 30th overall in 2012.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.30.2013

683014 Los Angeles Kings

Not that it’s a surprise, but…

Posted by JonRosen on 29 June 2013, 8:40 am

…expect to see Jonathan Quick named to the 2014 United States Olympic team in Sochi, Russia.

Nashville president and general manager David Poile will serve as general manager of the United States team, with Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero serving as assistant general manager. Anaheim Ducks consultant Brian Burke has been tabbed as the director of player personnel.

Los Angeles general manager Dean Lombardi will take part in the selection of the team along with Florida general manager Dale Tallon, Philadelphia manager Paul Holmgren, Pittsburgh scout Don Waddell and USA Hockey senior director of hockey operations Jim Johansson.

Pittsburgh’s Dan Bylsma will serve as head coach.

According to Rogers Sportsnet, the long-awaited agreement that would send NHL players to the Olympics is on the verge of being finalized.

Dustin Brown should be a lock for the United States team; likewise for Slava Voynov and Russia. Anze Kopitar shouldn’t have anything to worry about in regards to being selected for Slovenia’s entry. Expect Drew Doughty to earn a spot on Team Canada, while Mike Richards and Jeff Carter will be in consideration. Richards and Doughty represented Canada in 2010; Carter was a late cut.

Both Brown and Quick were members of the United States team that took home the silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics, losing 3-2 in overtime to host Canada in the gold medal game.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.30.2013

683015 Minnesota Wild

Wild's GM in a dealing mood for draft day

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune

Updated: June 30, 2013 - 12:19 AM

NEW YORK – In the 21st century, it’s all about technology. But Chuck Fletcher likes to keep things simple.

That’s why the Wild general manager rarely goes anywhere without his trusty black Cambridge notepad.

Inside, Fletcher keeps all his trade secrets — literally.

After every single trade conversation Fletcher has with a fellow GM, Fletcher opens up the notebook and jots down the ideas exchanged.

“This way you don’t forget,” Fletcher said. “There are so many variables and moving parts to every conversation you have, you need to have a quick, easy way to keep track. I have conversations in here that I had four or five years ago that I’ll re-read and think, ‘Geez, I didn’t even remember that.’ ”

As Sunday’s NHL draft arrives at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., it is safe to say Fletcher has been sharpening his pencil a lot lately.

The draft is most significantly about adding an influx of 18-year-old talent to the pool of prospects, but it also triggers the start of offseason transactions in the NHL. Fletcher has a history of trades at or around the draft (from moving up and down in the draft to executing blockbusters like the Brent Burns deal to setting up the Martin Havlat-for-Dany Heatley swap).

These days, Fletcher says he’s making as many calls as he’s receiving.

There is a very likely chance Cal Clutterbuck’s time with the Wild ends Sunday. The Wild has gotten a lot of interest for the 25-year-old restricted free agent. The Wild would prefer to trade him to the Eastern Conference (Toronto, Pittsburgh and Columbus, which has three first-round picks, are teams that have expressed interest).

The Wild has dangled other players as well, from defenseman Tom Gilbert to center Zenon Konopka. It also has received calls about Devin Setoguchi and Kyle Brodziak.

Scouts say this is as deep a draft as there has been in 10 years. Because the Wild traded its first-round pick to Buffalo in the Jason Pominville deal, the Wild doesn’t choose first until the 46th pick.

In a package for Clutterbuck, the Wild would love to land another second-round pick so it can try to package two seconds and move into the first round — likely in the Nos. 15 to 30 range. So it can be ready, the Wild has debated and prepared its draft list as if it still has a first-rounder.

“Often two seconds can get you into the first round, or it can be a second and a player. Sometimes it can be a prospect,” Fletcher said. “We’ll see what happens. If we can’t do it, I’m comfortable because this is a deep draft. We have two thirds. Some years it’s a shallower pool and an extra third may not mean anything, but I think this year it’ll be a little more meaning.”

If the Wild can’t move into the first round, it’ll be the first time in history it doesn’t own a first-round pick. That’s why it’s critical to hit on its later picks.

“We pick 46 this year. We picked 46 last year and got [Raphael] Bussieres,” Fletcher said. “We were really happy with Bussieres, but after him, there was a big drop-off. I think this year there will be more options when we pick at 46, and I think that’ll extend into the third round.”

Other than 2000 second-rounder Nick Schultz, the all-time leader in Wild games played (743), the Wild hasn’t hit on many players after the first round. As of now, Clutterbuck (72nd overall in 2006) is clearly the biggest post-first-round home run.

From 2000-08 — under the Wild’s previous regime — the only post-first-rounders to play more than a handful of games for Minnesota were Stephane Veilleux and Derek Boogaard (2001), Josh Harding (2002), Clayton Stoner (2004) and Justin Falk (2007). The Wild still expects 2008 second-rounder Marco Scandella to make an impact.

Things have looked up with the new regime, but it’s still too early to say concretely.

The promising names still part of the franchise include Darcy Kuemper and Erik Haula (2009), Brett Bulmer, Jason Zucker and Johan Gustafsson (2010) and Mario Lucia, Nick Seeler and Tyler Graovac (2011). The Wild also is high on its 2012 draft class beyond first-round pick Matt Dumba.