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“We’ve spent a lot of time with our scouts and our scouts spent the whole year putting their hearts and souls into the list. It’s an exciting time for them and an exciting time for the organization. Sometimes, draft picks can be overvalued and undervalued and you have to look at that.”

The Jets currently hold the 13th pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

While the primary focus is on the draft, there are plenty of calls and meetings regarding potential trades.

“There’s lots of conversation,” said Cheveldayoff. “It goes in both directions, players that we’ve asked about and players that have asked about us. You’re at the draft here, so draft picks are an in vogue conversation. You make different calls to different teams, depending on their situations, where they are in the draft and potentially about moving up and seeing what that price is and what their appetite is.

“You get a lot of groundwork laid to see if anything does come into place.”

Cheveldayoff said he’s met with several of the agents for Jets’ prospective restricted and unrestricted free agents.

“Even at the draft here, we’ve had an opportunity to meet with some representatives,” said Cheveldayoff. “It’s an ongoing process, we’ve had great dialogue going back and forth and again, to try to predict timing and everything like that is premature for me.”

Cheveldayoff also said he hasn’t told any of those free agents that their services won’t be required next season, though he expects some of them to test the market on July 5.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.30.2013

683102 Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg Jets' Toby Enstrom robbed, assaulted

Paul Friesen

June 29, 2013 02:50 PM

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Toby Enstrom suffered minor injuries when he was robbed and assaulted in his native Sweden, Saturday night.

The Jets have confirmed reports at aftonbladet.se and expressen.se that say Enstrom was in the town of Örnsköldsvik when he was confronted by three men with knives.

“Apparently Toby was out for dinner with his family and went to pick up the check, and went to the ATM to get some money and was robbed by apparently three people,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said at the NHL draft in New Jersey. “And supposedly, to the best of our knowledge, those people have been apprehended by police and Toby's fine. He received, I think, a minor cut above his eye and is fine.”

Cheveldayoff said he hadn’t spoken to Enstrom, personally, instead receiving the information from the Jets security person.

Saying Enstrom apparently received stitches, Cheveldayoff expressed relief the results of the incident aren’t more serious.

“They're like your kids,” he said. “When they go away for the summer you're always worried about different things like that. Toby's such a good guy and to have it happen to him is unfortunate, but I think it just goes to show you're never safe. You always have to be on guard.”

Enstrom’s home town is listed as Nordingra, Sweden.

Injuries limited the smooth-skating 28-year-old to 22 games (four goals, 11 assists) last season.

Enstrom goes into next season with a new, five-year contract that will pay him $5.75 million per season.

It’s not the first time a member of the Jets has made headlines in the summer.

Last year, goalie Ondrej Pavelec was convicted of drunk driving after he crashed a car in his native Czech Republic, while prospect Ivan Telegin sliced his hand open, forcing him to miss the Jets’ July development camp.

The year before, defenceman Dustin Byfuglien was charged with impaired boating in Minnesota.

683103 Vancouver Canucks

Lack of prospects heightens’ Canucks draft needs

Ben Kuzma

NEW YORK — Trading a goaltender is of immediate concern to the Vancouver Canucks.

However, with a genuine lack of prospect depth at forward and defence, the club should be concerned about being ranked 27th by Hockey’s Future in an assessment of picks projected to play in the NHL.

The Canucks didn’t even have a player rated in the top 50. Part of that is picking late in five years with general manager Mike Gillis at the hockey operations helm — 26th, 29th, 115th, 22nd and 10th — and part of it is bad drafting.

The best year in the last 10 was 2004, in which Cory Schneider (26th), Alex Edler (91st), Mike Brown (159th) and Jannik Hansen (287th) were selected. With an annual pledge to pick the best player when the Sunday selection process begins in Newark, N.J., it should also come a real need to fill a roster void with picks at Nos. 24, 85, 115, 145, 175 and 205.

The Canucks could lean toward a history of picking by position because they’ve taken 11 defencemen and seven centres the last five drafts. With Derek Roy not back and Maxim Lapierre an unrestricted free agent, they may shore up the middle.

Then again, there’s a lack of organization depth at left wing with Mason Raymond expected to also test unrestricted free agency. The Canucks don’t have a second-round choice, having surrendered it along with Kevin Connauton at the trade deadline.

With new coach John Tortorella looking for more bite and the Canucks drafting bigger centres in Brendan Gaunce, Alexandre Mallet and Joseph Labate, they could use the same amount of size and sandpaper on the left side with their 24th pick — if they don’t move up by swapping selections or in a possible Cory Schneider trade.

“We’ve talked to some teams about that possibility and you would always like to,” said Gillis. “You don’t know who’s available at No. 24 until you get into it. You have your list and you’re asking me questions I can’t answer.”

A trio of left wingers could provide that answer.

Kerby Rychel of the Windsor Spitfires in coming off successive 40-goal OHL seasons and Adam Erne of the Quebec Remparts had a 72-point QMJHL campaign. The 6-foot-1, 205 pound Rychel is the son of former NHL forward Warren Rychel, and the Canucks are attracted by the hockey lineage and the fact the Spitfires winger plays a hard, physical game and goes to the net to battle and fight for rebounds and deflections. Skating is said to be an issue, but the Los Angeles native had 87 points (40-47) last season and 94 penalty minutes.

“A typical power forward with a big, booming shot,” said NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr. “He was used a lot on the point on the power pay and is good down low. He protects the puck well coming out of the corner.”

The 6-foot-1, 210 pound Erne has that certain snarl and nastiness that Tortorella would also favour. He’s not only able to drive the net, the New Haven, Conn., native has a good scoring touch and soft hands to bring an added dimension to the left side. A banger and a crasher, he won’t hesitate to hit and agitate. Another consideration is Valentin Zykov of Baie-Comeau in the QMJHL. The 6-foot, 210 pound native of St. Petersburg, Russia had 40 goals and 75 points in 67 games.

If the Canucks are looking at defensive depth, 6-foot-1, 211 pound Brandon Wheat Kings blueliner Ryan Pulock should be of interest. The Grandview, Man., native had 14 goals and 45 points in 61 games.

“He’s probably a little underrated but he has one of the best shots,” said Marr. “He can move the puck and has all the ingredients to be a potential all-star in the league.”

OF NOTE — Gillis will interview former New York Rangers assistant coach Mike Sullivan to possibly team with Torotrella behind the Canucks bench. Scott Arniel is being considered as an assistant.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.30.2013

683104 Vancouver Canucks

Luongo Watch: Canucks considering Schneider trade card

Ben Kuzma

NEW YORK — It was supposed to be about No. 24. It's now about No. 1 and No. 35.

Whoever the Vancouver Canucks were supposed to select with the 24th pick in the NHL draft on Sunday has already been overshadowed by what becomes of those who wear No. 1 (Roberto Luongo) and No. 35 (Cory Schneider). The never-ending Luongo trade watch went off in another direction Saturday morning with reports that general manager Mike Gillis was considering dealing Schneider because of failed attempts to move Luongo's mammoth contract. It was never the plan to trade Schneider, but it could become reality.

The Edmonton Oilers would have obvious interest because Devan Dubnyk has one year left on his contract at $3.5 million US and Nikolai Khabibulin is an unrestricted free agent. The possible return of a first-round draft choice — the Oilers pick seventh Sunday — and a prospect are more than the Canucks would get for Luongo. At the trade deadline, they asked the Toronto Maple Leafs for two second-round picks and goalie Ben Scrivens.

"It all depends on the team and the pick," Gillis said Saturday afternoon. "Things are really busy and I'm getting lots of calls and discussions. You have to listen to what the proposals may be and act accordingly. We'll never say never. Cory is a very good young player and teams are after them all the time."

Two years ago, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets had more than just passing interest in Schneider before settling their situations. And the added intrigue of this draft day is that five teams above the Canucks in the selection process have unsettled goaltending situations. Calgary, Edmonton, Philadelphia, Phoenix and the Islanders pick sixth, seventh, 11th, 12th and 18th respectively, so the Canucks could have two first-round picks Sunday and a prospect in a possible trade.

The crease conundrum is simple math. The Canucks can't tie up $9.3 million in cap space between two stoppers with the ceiling falling to $64.3 million and they're already at that figure with 17 roster players signed for next season. The nine years and $40.5 million remaining on Luongo's 12-year contract — it pays $6.7 million the next five seasons and has a salary cap hit of $5.3 million — is a tough fit for any club.

Then again, Luongo is 34 and not 44 and can handle a heavy workload and will play for many years. Schneider has a bright future as a 27-year-old under contract for two more seasons at $4 million, but it remains to be seen whether he can handle the bulk of an 82-game schedule. Splitting the slate with Dubnyk makes sense and taking over as the starter the following season would be a satisfying scenario in Edmonton.

If Schneider is moved, the Canucks would be more confident in Eddie Lack and Joacim Eriksson competing for the back-up position because Luongo logged 68 games in 2009-10. Schneider played a career-high 33 in 2011-12 which could forced the Canucks to find a veteran presence next season if he stays because Lack is coming off hip surgery and Eriksson is untested against NHL competition. Joe Cannata is the other goaltender under contract and the Canucks may consider adding to their depth Sunday.

Schneider went 17-9-4 in the lockout-shortened season before sustaining a groin strain April 22 in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. However, when Luongo lost the first two games of the Western Conference quarterfinal series against the San Jose Sharks, it was somewhat surprising that Schneider got the call because his injury was kept quiet. He was yanked in Game 3 after allowing five goals on 28 shots but did respond with a 43-save performance in Game 4 as the Canucks lost in overtime to be swept aside. Even so, there was some surprise with Luongo not starting the season finale because it wouldn't be a stretch to suggest that Schneider wasn't 100 per cent healthy.

Schneider's strong regular season is another reason for heightened interest. He was eighth in goals-against average (2.11) and fourth in saves percentage (.927) to prove he has the potential to handle more starts. Luongo was 2.56 in GAA (25th) and .907 in saves percentage (31st). And as much as the past season created a strange situation, trying to come up with a workable Luongo trade scenario has been just as strange. One even had the swapping of big contracts to raise some eyebrows.

With the Islanders expecting Evgeni Nabokov to flee to unrestricted free agency, Luongo could return to a team that drafted him and be the big draw in Brooklyn. The trade has been broached in theory and could work under the right circumstances. The Islanders could get the bonafide starter in exchange for the Canucks acquiring Rick DiPietro's huge contract and then buying it out — If the Islanders also send at least a roster player their way. But buying out DiPietro's at $1.5 million over 16 years and Keith Ballard at $2.6 million over two years may be tough for the owner to swallow. The compliance buyout window closes July 4 and Gillis said Saturday he wasn't sure if he was going to go that route with Ballard.

"We've got a lot of balls in the air and we have to sort through some different proposals," summed up Gillis.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.30.2013

683105 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Draft Day: Trading a goalie overshadows need for left wing depth

June 29, 2013. 9:11 pm

NEW YORK — Trading a goaltender is of immediate concern to the Vancouver Canucks.

However, with a genuine lack of prospect depth at forward and defence, the club should be concerned about being ranked 27th by Hockey’s Future in an assessment of picks projected to play in the NHL. The Canucks didn’t even have a player rated in the top 50. Part of that is picking late in five years with general manager Mike Gillis at the hockey operations helm — 26th, 29th, 115th, 22nd and 10th — and part of it is bad drafting.

The best year in the last 10 was 2004, in which Cory Schneider (26th), Alex Edler (91st), Mike Brown (159th) and Jannik Hansen (287th) were selected. With an annual pledge to pick the best player when the Sunday selection process begins in Newark, N.J., it should also come a real need to fill a roster void with picks at Nos. 24,85,115,145,175 and 205. The Canucks could lean toward a history of picking by position because they’ve taken 11 defencemen and seven centres the last five drafts. With Derek Roy not back and Maxim Lapierre an unrestricted free agent, they may shore up the middle. Then again, there’s a lack of organization depth at left wing with Mason Raymond expected to also tested unrestricted free agency. The Canucks don’t have a second-round choice, having surrendered it along with Kevin Connauton at the trade deadline.

With new coach John Tortorella looking for more bite and the Canucks drafting bigger centres in Brendan Gaunce, Alexandre Mallet and Joseph Labate, they could use the same amount of size and sandpaper on the left side with their 24th pick — if they don’t move up by swapping selections or in a possible Cory Schneider trade.

“We’ve talked to some teams about that possibility and you would always like to,” said Gillis. “You don’t know who’s available at No. 24 until you get into it. You have your list and you’re asking me questions I can’t answer.”

A trio of left wingers could provide that answer.

Kerby Rychel of the Windsor Spitfires in coming off successive 40-goal OHL seasons and Adam Erne of the Quebec Remparts had a 72-point QMJHL campaign. The 6-foot-1, 205 pound Rychel is the son of former NHL forward Warren Rychel and the Canucks are attracted by the hockey lineage and the fact the Spitfires winger plays a hard, physical game and goes to the net to battle and fight for rebounds and deflections. Skating is said to be an issue, but the Los Angeles native had 87 points (40-47) last season and 94 penalty minutes.

“A typical power forward with a big, booming shot,” said NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr. “He was used a lot on the point on the power pay and is good down low. He protects the puck well coming out of the corner.”

The 6-foot-1, 210 pound Erne has that certain snarl and nastiness that Tortorella would also favour. He’s not only able to drive the net, the New Haven, Conn. native has a good scoring touch and soft hands to bring an added dimension to the left side. A banger and a crasher, he won’t hesitate to hit and agitate. Another consideration is Valentin Zykov of Baie-Comeau in the QMJHL. The 6-foot, 210 pound native of St. Petersburg, Russia had 40 goals and 75 points in 67 games.

If the Canucks are looking at defensive depth, 6-foot-1, 211 pound Brandon Wheat Kings blueliner Ryan Pulock should be of interest. The Grandview, Man. native had 14 goals and 45 points in 61 games.

“He’s probably a little underrated but he has one of the best shots,” said Marr. “He can move the puck and has all the ingredients to be a potential all-star in the league.”

OF NOTE — Gillis will interview former New York Rangers assistant coach Mike Sullivan to possibly team with Torotrella behind the Canucks bench. Scott Arniel is being considered as an assistant.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.30.2013

683106 Vancouver Canucks

Luongo Watch: Canucks reportedly considering playing Schneider trade card

June 29, 2013. 8:01 am

Ben Kuzma

NEW YORK — It’s always been the ace up their sleeve, but the Vancouver Canucks have never wanted to play that card.

In attempting to trade Roberto Luongo and his mammoth contract — the nine years and $40.5 million US remaining on his 12-year pact pays $6.7 million the next five seasons and has a salary cap hit of $5.3 million — general manager Mike Gillis continues to talk to four or five teams about moving the 34-year-old stopper. Those talks haven’t produced much because he’s reportedly considering what the market might be for Cory Schneider. It could a matter of kicking the tires, but if nothing comes to fruition with moving Luongo here at the NHL draft — league’s new trade deadline — then the reality of keeping Luongo and trading Schneider has to be at least broached. And Schneider doesn’t have no-movement or no-trade clauses in his current contract.

Simply put, the Canucks can’t tie up $9.3 million in the crease next season with the league’s salary-cap ceiling falling to $64.3 million and already being maxed out with 17 players signed.

The Edmonton Oilers would have rumoured interest in Schneider and the possible return of a first-round pick and a prospect is more than the Canucks are going to get for Luongo. The Oilers own the seventh-overall selection in the 2013 draft on Sunday in Newark, N.J. They have Devan Dubnyk under contract for one more season at $3.5 million and Nikolai Khabibulin is an unrestricted free agent. Other teams would also be interested and this is certainly a means to gauge interest.

If Schneider is moved, the Canucks would have Luongo, Eddie Lack, Joacim Eriksson and Joe Cannata in their stable of goaltenders. Although confident in his stoppers, Gillis may add to that group with seven rated in the first two rounds of this draft. The Canucks pick 24th, but surrendered their second-round pick and Kevin Connauton in the Derek Roy trade-deadline acquisition.

At the trade deadline, the Canucks wanted two second-round picks and back-up goalie Ben Scrivens from Toronto but the Maple Leafs wouldn’t budge. Two years ago, there was considerable interest in Schneider from the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets. Schneider has two years left on his contract at an attractive $4 million salary cap hit. More importantly, at age 27, he would be attractive to pair with a stopper now or be the starter after going 17-9-4 in the shortened regular season before sustaining a groin strain April 22 in a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. With Luongo losing the first two games of the Western Conference quarterfinal series against the San Jose Sharks, Schneider laboured and was yanked in Game 3 after allowing five goals on 28 shots. He responded with a 43-save performance in a 4-3 loss in Game 4 as the Canucks were easily swept aside.

Schneider was 0-2-1 in the series with a 4.62 goals-against average and .880 saves percentage. In the regular season, he was eighth in GAA (2.11) and fourth in saves percentage (.927). Luongo went 0-2-1 in in playoffs with a 2.57 GAA and .915 saves percentage after posting a 2.56 GAA (25th) and .907 saves percentage (31st) in the regular season. Earlier this week, Gillis was somewhat confident that Luongo could be moved as opposed to waivers or a costly compliance buyout option.

“I remain optimistic,” he said. “We’ve been talking to teams like we have for a long time. At the draft, I’m not sure what’s going to happen but we will continue to have discussions with a group of teams and we’ll see how it works out. In this business, you have to be absolutely firm in what you want to do. And that’s what we’ve done.

“There are a lot of moving parts in a Roberto Luongo deal which lots of people want to ignore. He does have a no-trade clause and a contract perfectly legal and ratified by the league at the time. We have to be patient enough to sort through it.”

Gillis will address the media on Saturday afternoon.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.30.2013

683107 Websites

ESPN / Bylsma eager to test international waters

Scott Burnside

NEW YORK -- Dan Bylsma figures there have been a couple of times in his life that he would describe as surreal.

The moment he found out he would coach the U.S. hockey team at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, ranks as one of them.

“When I was first told, there was about a 15-minute period of a lot flashing before your eyes,” Bylsma told ESPN.com on Saturday after he and the rest of the U.S. management team were formally announced.

There were memories of other Olympics, the 1980 Miracle on Ice gold-medal team, his own hockey experiences growing up and a long-held desire to get this kind of opportunity.

“A lot of things that pass in front of you,” said the Pittsburgh Penguins coach.

But if there was one overriding impression upon learning he had the gig, it was that the road to the medal podium in Sochi begins now.

“Daily, the honor this represents gets bigger,” Bylsma said.

There were a number of qualities USA Hockey and the management committee, charged with creating a team that can build on 2010’s dramatic silver medal, were looking for in a head coach.

Ron Wilson was the man behind the bench in Vancouver, but he has not worked in the NHL since being fired by longtime friend and then-Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke in January 2012. The committee, under GM David Poile, was looking for an NHL coach who had won, who exuded passion for the game and who could handle star players.

The fact Bylsma had little in the way of international coaching experience wasn’t a deterrent for Poile and the committee members. Er, scratch that -- not little, none.

“I don’t have any experience, so ‘very little’s’ wrong,” Bylsma said with a smile.

He is the fastest coach to 200 wins in NHL history, has won a Stanley Cup and has handled some of the game’s biggest stars, including Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Bylsma recalled watching the gold-medal game between Canada and the United States in an arena after his son’s youth hockey game. As he saw Crosby gain possession of the puck deep in the U.S. zone in overtime, Bylsma got out of his seat.

“I had a pretty good idea he was going to put that home,” he said.

Bylsma will have some input into who rounds out the coaching staff, and although it’s possible that Tony Granato, one of his assistants in Pittsburgh, may find his way onto the staff, it’ll be hard to ignore new Vancouver Canucks coach John Tortorella, who was an assistant to Wilson in 2010, and Scott Gordon, an assistant in Toronto to Randy Carlyle who was also on Wilson’s Olympic staff and has significant international coaching experience.

Among the many hurdles to clear in forming a contender in a short period of time, Bylsma said, is the challenge of flying halfway across the world and playing meaningful tournament games in the space of two days. If there is a goal, he has said it will be in introducing an atmosphere to which the team can build on a day-to-day basis, reaching for its best when it matters most.