Sport-scan daily brief

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.18.2013

714546 Chicago Blackhawks

Dollar daze for Blackhawks, Bears

July 17, 2013, 10:45 am

Chris Boden

To whom will the cash register?

As we temporarily allow the Blackhawks to savor their short summer and anticipate the Bears' first training camp under new head coach Marc Trestman next week, the money matters never go away. The uniform and salary numbers have been issued for each team's upcoming season, and the focus now will, and should, be on seeing on how close this group of Bears comes to the 10-6 record that caused the coaching change. And about the time they line up against the Vikings in Week 2, the Stanley Cup champs will be reconvening for their next camp under Joel Quenneville to begin their 2013-14 Cup-defending season.

The money matters brought up an interesting twist the other morning on 670 The Score. Brian Hanley and Barry Rozner made note of a listener's text message that came in, referencing the two main Blackhawks who'll be unrestricted free agents a year from now. One is Corey Crawford, who is in the final year of a contract that pays him $2.67 million. That's a very good price for a Stanley Cup-winning goalie, and one that won't last long. Yet the size of the payday Crawford has coming involves him having to build on what he's already proven, sustaining that level of play in a contract year, and doing that without his longtime goalie coach after Stephane Waite who moved on to Montreal. But there's also the interesting point the listener brought up: Scotty Bowman has a reputation for not paying goalies big bucks. Would general manager Stan Bowman? He chose not to after Antti Niemi won a Stanley Cup, but he also had Crawford in the wings. If Crawford has another impressive year, it'll be "pay up," or have an alternate plan in place.

Tied into that Niemi decision was the money Bowman instead directed toward Niklas Hjalmarsson that offseason, matching San Jose's four-year, $14 million offer sheet. The second-pair defenseman is entering the last year of that $3.5 million salary and is coming off a strong Cup run in front of Crawford. With the prices just those two may command, do they remain part of this team's long-term core after this upcoming campaign? The question becomes more complicated when you figure that at this time next year, Bowman will be trying to extend the contracts of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane and their current $6.3 million cap hits apiece. They're the centerpieces and faces of a franchise that's won two Stanley Cups in four years, and right now, their salaries are tied for 35th-highest in the NHL entering 2013-14. Only a handful of the 34 ahead of them have won even a single Stanley Cup. And, oh, by the way, Andrew Shaw's a restricted free agent next summer.

After taking care of final bits of money business with Marcus Kruger and Nick Leddy, then trading Daniel Carcillo to the Kings Tuesday, Bowman has the Blackhawks about $2 million below this season's $64.3 million cap, which figures to bump up slightly a year from now.

As for the 'Monsters,' Bears general manager Phil Emery should have himself a hungry group of veterans looking for their paydays, which could create a big headache for him, or make his decisions a little easier come January.

Everyone from Gurnee to Geneva to Mokena knows Jay Cutler's in the final year of a contract that pays him almost $8.5 million, and has a cap hit of almost $2 million more. Will he fulfill expectations under Trestman and force Emery to potentially write a check with double that salary, or write his ticket out of town?

Without a Henry Melton extension from a similar salary to Cutler via the franchise tag, what would another Pro Bowl season create? By choosing not to restructure Julius Peppers and his hit of more than $16 million this season, would another million added to that this time next year mean this could be his final season here? Emery desperately needs Shea McClellin to make significant strides, the way Corey Wootton did a year ago. But then Wootton's a free agent after this season, too.

Then there's the starting cornerback tandem of Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings. Combined, they make more than $13 million this season, after which they're both unrestrcited. Safety Major Wright (who, by comparison, makes a "measly" $1.5 million), is the same after this year, too.

Offensively, Roberto Garza and J'Marcus Webb are the other notables in contract years, but then there's this: the dynamic duo brought in on the opening day of free agency -- Jermon Bushrod and Martellus Bennett -- combine for roughly a $5 million cap hit this season. A year from now, those two will count more than $13 million against the cap, which is only expected to rise by about one million per club.

So who's "money" now? Who'll "be" money between now and a year from now? That'll go a long way into how that money's divided up, for the Bears and the Blackhawks.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.18.2013

714547 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets notebook: Former players among scouts hired

By Aaron Portzline

Wednesday July 17, 2013 5:09 AM

Blake Geoffrion announced his retirement as an NHL player on Monday. Barely 24 hours later, his post-playing career plans were made known, too.

The Blue Jackets announced the hiring of Geoffrion and former NHL journeyman defenseman Bob Halkidis as pro scouts and Marshall Davidson as an amateur scout.

Geoffrion, 25, played in 55 NHL games with Nashville and Montreal from 2010 to 2012 but suffered a depressed skull fracture in a minor-league game on Nov. 9, 2012. He didn’t appear in a game since.

“It’s definitely tough to think about never playing again,” said Geoffrion, a grandson of Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion and great grandson of Howie Morenz — both NHL Hall of Famers. “But it’s bittersweet because I’m excited about this. I’ve always followed depth charts, and I’ve always kept track of the players in this league, what they can and can’t do. It’s definitely a passion of mine, and it’s a great way for me to stay involved in (hockey).”

Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen reached out to Geoffrion this summer when it became clear that his playing career was finished.

“It’s a real advantage when you can deal with people who have actually played against these guys, not just watched them,” Kekalainen said. “Blake is a passionate young man. He knows what we’re looking for, and he has a great head for the game.”

Halkidis played in 256 NHL games for seven teams from 1985 to ’96.

Davidson, the brother of Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson, spent the past five seasons as an amateur scout for the St. Louis Blues.

Schedule and more

The NHL is tentatively planning to release its 2013-14 schedule today, and there could be news before and after its release, too.

The league has yet to confirm whether it will take a break for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, but it’s a poorly kept secret. Team USA already has named Nashville’s David Poile general manager and Pittsburgh’s Dan Bylsma coach. Neither could fulfill his duties if the NHL had games at the same time, so an announcement on the Olympics could come before the release of a schedule showing an Olympic break.

The NHL has also yet to name the four new divisions it created with realignment for next season, but that could come today, too.aportzline@dispatch.com

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 07.18.2013

714548 Dallas Stars

New-look Dallas Stars hope to use training camp, preseason to become 'Team of the Southwest'

MIKE HEIKA

Published: 17 July 2013 10:48 PM

Updated: 17 July 2013 11:23 PM

The Stars hope to use training camp and the preseason to become the “Team of the Southwest,” and their preseason schedule reflects that ambition.

“We have an opportunity because of our ties with Fox Sports Southwest to become a team for all of Texas and really the Team of the Southwest,” Stars president Jim Lites said. “We feel that we can expand our fan base in the future, and we’re pushing to do that.”

The Stars will hold training camp in Fort Worth from Sept. 11-14 and will play two of their seven preseason games at neutral sites that host opponents of their AHL affiliate. Dallas will play at San Antonio against Florida on Sept. 20 and at Oklahoma City against Edmonton on Sept. 27. Those two cities are hosts to the AHL affiliates of Florida and Edmonton. The Stars’ AHL affiliate plays in Cedar Park, Texas.

Dallas also will have some familiar preseason opponents in St. Louis and Colorado. Both are in the Stars’ division this season.

STARS PRESEASON SCHEDULE

Sept. 15, vs. St. Louis at AAC, 6 p.m .

Sept. 18, vs. Florida at AAC, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 20, vs. Florida at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 21, at St. Louis, 7 p.m.

Sept. 24, at Colorado, 8 p.m.

Sept. 26, vs. Colorado at AAC, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 27, vs. Edmonton at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.18.2013

714549 Dallas Stars

New look Dallas Stars play three home preseason games starting Sept. 15

By SportsDayDFW sports

3:15 pm on July 17, 2013 | Permalink

FRISCO, Texas - The Dallas Stars announced today the club’s preseason schedule for the 2013-14 campaign. Dallas plays a total of seven preseason games, including three games at American Airlines Center and contests in San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

Training camp for the 2013-14 season will commence at the Fort Worth Convention Center on Sept. 11 and the Stars will kickoff the preseason schedule at home against the St. Louis Blues on Sept. 15.

Dallas will play two neutral site games against NHL clubs in the city of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. The Stars play the Florida Panthers on Sept. 20 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio and will travel to Oklahoma City on Sept. 27 to face off against the Edmonton Oilers at COX Convention Center.

The entire Stars preseason schedule is listed below:

Sunday, September 15:

vs. St. Louis Blues at 6 p.m.

American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

Wednesday, September 18:

vs. Florida Panthers at 7:30 p.m.

American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

Friday, September 20:

at Florida Panthers at 7:30 p.m.

AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX)

Saturday, September 21:

at St. Louis Blues at 7 p.m.

Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO)

Tuesday, September 24:

at Colorado Avalanche at 8 p.m.

Pepsi Center (Denver, CO)

Thursday, September 26:

vs. Colorado Avalanche at 7:30 p.m.

American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

Friday, September 27:

at Edmonton Oilers at 7 p.m.

COX Convention Center (Oklahoma City, OK)

*All Times Central*

Home Games in Bold

Neutral Site Road Games in Italics

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.18.2013

714550 Dallas Stars

Robbie Ross vs. Jamie Benn: Who is the better rising young star?

SportsDayDFW.com

Published: 15 July 2013 06:28 PM

Updated: 17 July 2013 09:46 AM

Robbie Ross, pitcher, Rangers: In his second year in the majors, he was 4-1 with 39 strikeouts, 13 walks and an ERA of 1.93. Ross was 6-0 with an ERA of 2.22 in his rookie season.

Jamie Benn, forward, Stars: Benn led Dallas with 33 points in the shortened 2012-13 season and has 82 goals in his four seasons in the NHL.

Which young D-FW sports star will be the best over time?

Click here for our main tournament page.

The athletes considered the best in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in this era have years of evidence to back up their status.

After seasons of multiple sacks, the Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware is a nationally respected pass rusher. The Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki has a league MVP award and an NBA title to his credit. Adrian Beltre of the Rangers has All-Star selections, Gold Gloves and American League championships on his resume.

But which of North Texas' next age of athletes on the area's big-league teams will be the best? We'd like you to decide.

SportsDay has compiled a collection of 20 young athletes who won't reach the age of 26 this year. In a tournament format, we'll present a matchup of two rising stars each day for you to choose from, and the winner with the most votes will advance to the next round. By the end, we hope to have the area's next best athlete decided.

Please vote in today's matchup below, and join us each week day for other clashes. Thank you for your participation.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.18.2013

714551 Detroit Red Wings

2012 draft pick Jake Paterson shows confidence in goal during Red Wings' camp

July 18, 2013

By George Sipple

The Detroit Red Wings continue to be impressed with Saginaw Spirit goaltender Jake Paterson.

A third-round pick by Detroit in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Paterson wrapped up his second development camp with the Wings in Traverse City on Monday.

Paterson didn’t give up a goal during his time on the ice during a scrimmage with other prospects last week. Wings goaltending coach Jim Bedard said he liked the “level of confidence” that Paterson showed.

Paterson (6-feet-1, 183 pounds) was 25-18-5 with a 3.53 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage in 50 games last season for the Spirit. The Ontario native served as the No. 3 goaltender for Canada in the world junior tournament in Ufa, Russia. He was invited back for the 2013-14 selection camp to be held Aug. 4-10 in Brossard, Quebec, and Lake Placid, N.Y.

“I just think Jake’s got this level of maturity and we’ve worked a lot on his skating also,” Bedard said. “He’s positionally sound. I’d like to see him play out a little bit more and use the fact that he’s such a good skater and play bigger.

“Overall, I’m really thrilled with his progress. I really like his attitude and the way he looks at the game. He doesn’t get all bent out of shape. He’s focused and competes, but at the same time he doesn’t dig himself into the ground by being too intense.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 07.18.2013

714552 Detroit Red Wings

Michael Babcock, son of Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, uses Development Camp to prep for USHL

Brendan Savage on July 17, 2013 at 7:00 AM, updated July 17, 2013 at 9:44 AM

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Michael Babcock's name might have helped him get an invite to the Detroit Red Wings Development Camp but he wasn't here just because of his famous father.

He doesn't have the same type of resume as top draft picks like Anthony Mantha or Martin Frk, but the son of Red Wings coach Mike Babcock is an accomplished player in own right.

After completing his high school career at Detroit Catholic Central, where he had 18 goals and 24 assists last season, Babcock plans to spend the next two seasons playing in the United States Hockey League before continuing his career at Merrimack College.

The USHL obviously isn't on the same level as the Canadian major junior hockey leagues but it does produce its share of NHL draft picks every year.

So Babcock attended the Development Camp for the second straight year in preparation of joining the Fargo Force next season.

"I know a bunch of the guys so it's kind of easier that way," Babcock, 18, said of his second trip to the Development Camp at Centre Ice Arena. "You kind of know what to expect. I feel comfortable. I feel just coming here is only beneficial.

"It will definitely help me in the USHL."

Especially since he won't be facing the type of competition in the USHL that he did at the Development Camp, which ended Monday.

Mantha, for instance, played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season and was the only 50-goal scorer in the NHL Draft, where the Red Wings took him with the 20th overall pick.

And Frk helped the Halifax Mooseheads with the Memorial Cup, the top junior championship in Canada.

Babcock not only won't see the same level of the competition in the USHL but he's unlikely to see players as big as the ones at the Development Camp, where eight players are at least 6-foot-4.

"There's a lot of big guys here," said Babcock, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 150 pounds. "I don't know if the size will be there but I'm just looking forward to the opportunity."

Babcock has already got a taste of the USHL, appearing in five games for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders last season – when he also played one game for the U.S. National Development Team – but he spent the majority of his season with DCC.

He helped the Shamrocks reach the Division 1 state championship game before they lost 2-1 to Brighton. Babcock drew an assist on DCC's only goal.

"I was really glad I went back," he said. "I scored a lot more than the previous year and I got the opportunity to be one of the guys who needed to be on the ice for the team to win. It was a good learning experience."

Babcock was one of three Development Camp players whose last names are well known to Red Wings' fans.

Tyler Bertuzzi, nephew of Red Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi, was a second-round draft pick this year and Dean Chelios, son of Red Wings adviser of hockey operations Chris Chelios, is a camp invite who is heading into his senior season at Michigan State.

Babcock didn't speak with either about the burden of carrying a famous last name and the expectations that come with it.

"Not really," he said. "Cheli kind of gets it more just because he's been here more. His dad was a player. My dad is just a coach. I think Dean got it a little bit more. I haven't talked to Bert about it. I think Bert can take care of himself."

And what about his famous father? Was it tough growing up in Hockeytown with the same last name as a Stanley Cup-winning coach, whose decisions are usually questioned on a daily basis by Red Wings' fans after eight years?

"Growing up, guys would heckle you a little bit," said Babcock, who sports a strong resemblance to his dad. "Most of the guys were good about it. You get the occasional heckling. Not too much at the high school level.

"My dad is good about it. I didn't have to be a hockey player. That was my choice. He influenced me a lot."

Babcock, who scored a goal in the post-scrimmage shootout Friday, will play in Fargo next season after being acquired by the Force in a trade with Cedar Rapids. He's eligible for the NHL Draft in 2014 but plans on going to college in 2015.

He hasn't given much thought to what he wants to do in hockey after his career at Merrimack is over.

"All I wanted to do was play college hockey," Babcock said. "I'm playing hockey for six more years. If the opportunity is there (after college), I'll definitely go after it. But it if it's not there, I won't be bitter."

Michigan Live LOADED: 07.18.2013

714553 Florida Panthers

EARLY LEAK: Is This the Florida Panthers 2013-14 Schedule?

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

I received what looks to be a copy of the Florida Panthers' 2013-14 schedule from @xxStein13xx off Twitter today.

Although the Panthers say they haven't recieved a final schedule from the league, this one looks like it could be close to what we're going to see.

And what do we see?

Well, the Panthers will begin celebrating their 20th anniversary season starting Oct. 3 when Florida kicks off a four-game road trip in Dallas. The Panthers will then visit St. Louis, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay before playing their home opener against Pittsburgh on Oct. 11.

Not only is there four divisions instead of six, but each team in the league will play every team at least twice -- once home and once away.

For the Panthers, the Southeast Division is now a memory. Florida and the cross-state rival Lightning remain together in a new division (one still without a name) which is made up of mostly northeastern teams.

Florida and Tampa Bay will compete against Buffalo, Detroit, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Boston -- with 30 of its 82 games this season coming within the division.

The Panthers will play other Eastern Conference teams -- which now includes Columbus -- at least twice this season. Detroit, which the Panthers will play five times, also moves over from the Western Conference.

Florida will also play Boston five times (twice at home) with four games against the other five teams within the division.

This year's schedule also includes a 20 day break as the NHL shuts down so its players can compete in the Socchi Games in Russia. Florida would visit Carolina on Feb. 7 before resuming Feb. 27 against Washington.

Because of the midseason break, there will be no All-Star weekend this season. Columbus, which was supposed to hold the All-Star Game last season before it got cancelled because of the lockout, is expected to host the event in 2015.

The nearly three--week break will also cause teams to have to play a few more back-to-back games. The Panthers will play 14 sets of such games -- with only one set coming on consecutive home nights.

A whopping 18 of Florida's back-to-back games will be exclusively road games.

Here are some other the highlights of Florida's 2013-14 schedule:

-- The longest homestand of the season is six games with Boston, Minnesota, Chicago, Buffalo, Tampa Bay and St. Louis coming to Sunrise from Oct. 17-Nov. 1. Florida has three homestands of five games -- including to close out the regular season.

-- Florida's longest road trip will be a eight-day affair as the Panthers visit Minnesota, Colorado, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary from Nov. 15-22. The Panthers also have four different four-game trips during the season.

-- With the Panthers having to visit all western teams at least once, Florida will have a few trips out to the west coast. The Panthers first western swing comes in November during the five-game swing; Florida then visits San Jose, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Anaheim from March 18-23.

-- As usual, the Panthers are home during the winter holidays when there are plenty of tourists in South Florida. The Panthers have a five-game homestand during Thanksgiving week, with Philadelphia, the Rangers, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and Winnipeg coming to town.

Florida will also be home for Christmas, with Tampa Bay coming on Dec. 23. The Wings play here on Dec. 28 with Montreal (Dec. 29), New York (New Year's Eve at 5 p.m.) and Nashville (Jan. 4) also in Sunrise.

-- The Panthers will visit Stephen Weiss and the Red Wings for the first time on Dec. 7. Weiss' Sunrise Homecoming will be three days later on Dec. 10.

-- The defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks visit Sunrise on Oct. 22.

-- When the Panthers and the league officially release the schedule, I will post it here on a separate entry. I will also have comments on the schedule from coach Kevin Dineen as well as team president Michael Yormark.

Miami Herald LOADED: 07.18.2013

714554 Los Angeles Kings

Preseason schedule released; regular season dates leaked?

Posted by JonRosen on 17 July 2013, 4:36 pm

Via LAKings.com:

The Los Angeles Kings today announced their preseason schedule for the 2013-14 NHL season. The Kings are currently scheduled to play seven preseason games — including two at STAPLES Center on September 15 versus the Phoenix Coyotes and September 24 versus the Anaheim Ducks.

In addition to the two home games at STAPLES Center, the Kings will “host” the New York Rangers (September 27) and the Colorado Avalanche (September 28) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Kings play at Phoenix on September 15 (as part of a split-squad game), at Anaheim on September 17 and at Colorado on September 20.

Tickets for the two Kings preseason games at STAPLES Center are scheduled to go on sale later this summer. Tickets are currently on sale for the games in Las Vegas.