Sport-scan daily brief

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667793 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers moves to fill in periphery roles long overdue

By Terry Jones ,Edmonton Sun

EDMONTON - Mr. Dithers, Tentative Tambellini, whatever your moniker of preference is for the general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, took until the trade deadline to do it.

The deal he made Wednesday was a deal that should have been made long before only 13 games remained in the season.

The Oilers are dead last in the league in faceoffs at 45%, have no depth at centre, had to use Ryan Smyth out of position for a multitude of games and were left in the laughable position of having two donut lines (no centres) when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins came down with the flu before a game recently.

The failure this season has been the inability of management to give this team the short-term periphery players so obviously missing.

In an interview with your correspondent earlier this season, new senior vice president of hockey operations Craig MacTavish put it perfectly.

“When I left, we were missing the big pieces. We had the periphery players taken care of. Now we have the franchise players who can play here for the next 10 or 15 years. We certainly have four or five of those guys. Now we’re more focused on finding the periphery players,” said the former Oilers’ coach.

Steve Tambellini did do that with the addition of physical winger Mike Brown from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Give him that.

Wednesday he added Jerred Smithson, a 34-year-old, minimal-offence fourth-line centre who will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, from the Florida Panthers for a fourth-round draft choice.

Tambellini didn’t change the chemistry or the mix in the dressing room by trading away a player.

Hardly a blockbuster trade, although it was the biggie of the four deals made prior to the final hour of the deadline dealing yesterday where TSN and Sportsnet had about a dozen trade analysts each per traded player.

The attraction with Smithson, in addition to his 6-foot-3, 209-pound size and his 578-games’ experience over 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators and Panthers, is his ability to win a faceoff.

Smithson’s faceoff numbers have been consistent.

He’s 54.8% this year after putting up 56.1%, 57.4% and 54.9% in the previous three years.

Existing Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a 19-year-old kid. His faceoff numbers are going to improve with experience and strength. He was 37.5% last year and is currently at 41.4%. It’ll come.

Sam Gagner is at 42.5%. He’s in his fifth year under 50%. There’s reason to wonder if that will come for him, but so much else has been coming for Gagner, the face-off wins were going to have to come from now back-from-injury Shawn Horcoff and somebody else short term.

The one deal, the home run deal Oilers fans are waiting for, the one which brings a big, physical, top six power forward, was never going to be a deadline deal.

That’s a free agency deal.

And with the way the Oilers are playing lately and the way their top draft picks are maturing into the legitimate superstars they were projected to become, Edmonton is going to be an attractive destination for such a player.

But the bottom six forwards and the bottom three or four defencemen still need dramatic upgrades while the Oilers watch the young talent in the prime positions develop and gain experience.

The bottom line is that is happening before your eyes and there’s going to be no stopping that talent into growing in to something special together.

The question is whether it is going to be sooner or later. And when it could be nudged a bit sooner by supplying a peripheral player like Jerred Smithson, why it took until the trade deadline to make a move is mystifying.

At least they made the move.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667794 Edmonton Oilers

Centre Jerred Smithson ‘excited’ to join Edmonton Oilers

By Derek Van Diest ,Edmonton Sun

EDMONTON - Jerred Smithson is a busy guy at the moment.

The newest member of the Edmonton Oilers found out he had been dealt Wednesday afternoon as he was leaving the Florida Panthers practice facility.

Later that night he and his fiancée, Jaymie, were scheduled to go to the hospital to induce the birth of their first child.

“Yeah, there’s a lot going on in my world right now,” said Smithson shortly after the trade was announced. “But hockey-wise, I’m excited, I can’t wait to join the group and be part of the team.

“That’s a team that I played a lot of games against during my Nashville days. It’s a team that the direction they are going, it’s pretty exciting. They’re a good hockey club and to get a chance to be a part of it, is very exciting.”

Smithson, 34, was acquired by the Oilers from the Panthers in exchange for a fourth-round pick in this summer’s NHL Entry draft. The product of Vernon, B.C., had two goals and five assists in 35 games with the Panthers this season.

At six-foot-three, 209-pounds, Smithson is expected to provide a physical presence down the middle of the Oilers fourth line. Earlier in the day, the club announced centre Eric Belanger was likely out the rest of the season with a groin injury.

“Jerred Smithson is well known for his defensive abilities,” said Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini. “He’s a very strong face-off person. I believe he was over 70% in the playoffs, the last time he was in the playoffs. He just brings us some size and some strength in that face-off circle. He can play centre, he can play wing, he’s a versatile guy.

“The fact that he’s a veteran player is something that we were looking for. He’s played on a couple of different teams and he’s had very good success.”

A former member of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, Smithson was undrafted coming out of junior. He signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Kings, before moving on to the Nashville Predators organization.

Smithson spent nine years with the Predators before being traded to the Panthers for a sixth-round pick midway through last season.

“Personally, I feel good, I feel my game is coming along,” Smithson said. “I know what they want me to bring to this hockey club, and that’s to play the same way I’ve always played, try to be good in the penalty kill, good in the face-off circle, try to be a good team player and help out as best I can.”

The Oilers are not certain when Smithson will be available to them, as he has pressing family issues at the moment.

He was not available for the Oilers’ game against the Calgary Flames Wednesday and probably won’t be in Vancouver for their game against the Canucks.

The Oilers travel to face the Los Angeles Kings Saturday afternoon and are in Anaheim to play the Ducks Monday.

“I’ve talked to some people there and talked about roughly when I would be able to come in,” Smithson said. “To be honest, it’s dependant on how things go with the birth. That’s the main thing I’m focused on right now and once everything is clear, then we’ll go from there.

“I definitely want to get in there as soon as I can, I know the importance of these games and I definitely want to help this hockey club. At this point, it’s family first but I do want to get there as soon as I can.”

Getting traded just prior to the deadline, added to what was already going to be a momentous day for Smithson.It sent his world spinning a little faster.

“I wish I could explain what’s going on in my head right now, but saying that, it’s exciting,” he said. “I have a lot of good things going on in my life, it definitely could be worse. The timing may not be the best, but that’s part of the job, it’s part of the hockey lifestyle. You just have to adapt to it.

“Luckily her mother is in town right now and her father is coming into town (Thursday). So she does have some help, which definitely makes things a little easier.”

derek.vandiest@sunmedia.ca

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667795 Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers bring Nick Bjugstad onboard

Staff

Nick Bjugstad, drafted 19th overall by the Florida Panthers, poses on stage during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft at Staples Center on June 25, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.

Nick Bjugstad, drafted 19th overall by the Florida Panthers, poses on stage during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft at Staples Center on June 25, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.

Wednesday was one of the slowest trade deadline days the Florida Panthers have endured as general manager Dale Tallon made just one minor deal.

The big news, however, came with what Tallon added outside the parameters of the deadline.

Nick Bjugstad, the 19th overall pick of the 2010 NHL Draft, signed a three-year deal with the Panthers on Wednesday and will make his NHL debut Saturday against the Capitals.

Bjugstad, who scored 54 goals during the past three seasons at the University of Minnesota, is scheduled to fly to South Florida on Thursday.

“Nick is going to be here,” Tallon said. “We have 11 games left. This will be a good learning experience for him. If he does well, it will make it that much easier for him at training camp next year. It’s a good chance to evaluate him.”

Bjugstad, a 20-year-old center, recently finished his junior season at Minnesota and won’t wait long to start his NHL career as he is expected to be on the ice for Florida’s practice Friday in Coral Springs.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Bjugstad said from Minnesota. “I just got done playing my final college game, which was a tough one. But it makes it easier knowing I’m jumping into the NHL. It’s very exciting. I’m sure the nerves will be going a little bit.”

With fourth-line center Jerred Smithson sent to Edmonton for a fourth-round pick on Wednesday, well, the Panthers have an open slot.

Tallon said he is excited to see his entire first-round Class of 2010 on the ice Saturday.

Defenseman Erik Gudbranson, the third overall pick in 2010, made his NHL debut last season; Quinton Howden (25th overall) joined the Panthers on Jan. 26.

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” Tallon said. “This is an exciting time for our franchise.”

The Panthers have been reluctant to rush their top young players, however they are making an exception for Bjugstad.

Although they privately wished he would have started his professional career in the minor leagues this season, the Panthers didn’t want to risk Bjugstad returning to Minnesota for his senior season and becoming a free agent in 2014 without signing with Florida. The Panthers will burn a year of his entry-level contract by bringing him up to the NHL level. It’s a tradeoff they were willing to make.

“We understand what the consequences are,” Tallon said. “He is an asset we wanted to get signed. We wanted to get him in the fold, get him some games. We want him indoctrinated with our team now.”

Smithson, whom Florida acquired for a sixth-round pick from Nashville last season, was told of the news after Wednesday’s practice. Smithson isn’t expected to join the Oilers until after the weekend because he and his wife are expecting their first child this week.

“I feel bad about that, he is a solid pro and a classy guy,” Tallon said. “I have to think about the long-term future of the franchise. That’s the business part of it that happens. Sometimes it sucks. You’re dealing with family and friends. We told him we would do everything we can to help.”

Florida also lost forward Mike Santorelli as Winnipeg picked him up off waivers. Santorelli played 13:05 in Florida’s 3-2 shootout win in Tampa on Tuesday after being waived earlier that day.

Santorelli was slated to be third in the shootout but never took the ice as Jacob Markstrom stopped all three Tampa Bay shots.

Santorelli said he is excited about the opportunity to join a Winnipeg team that currently leads the Southeast Division and is trying to win the franchise’s second division title and first since it took the banner in 2007 as the Atlanta Thrashers.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity Winnipeg is giving me and I look forward to helping them out,” Santorelli said. “It’s an exciting time there. It’s a great place to play. I hope I can help as much as I can.”

With all of Florida’s injuries, there weren’t many chips for Tallon to deal Wednesday. Tallon and coach Kevin Dineen said they don’t feel like the Panthers — who won the division for the first time last season — are in rebuilding mode.

“This is a business. A big business,” Dineen said. “You have to manage your team appropriately not just immediate but for your long-term future. … There is a sense we have some real quality guys who are stepping into more prominent role. We don’t want to go back to being a long-term rebuilding project. There’s still some excitement left this season.”

Tallon expects to have a healthy team come training camp when the Panthers embark on a new challenge of playing in an eight-team division with Tampa Bay, Montreal, Boston, Toronto, Ottawa, Detroit and Buffalo.

“When you’re at the bottom,” Tallon said, “teams just expect you to panic and give up players. That’s not going to happen here.”

Miami Herald LOADED: 04.04.2013

667796 Florida Panthers

Panthers sign C Nick Bjugstad; trade C Jerred Smithson

By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

4:52 p.m. EDT, April 3, 2013

General Manager Dale Tallon stuck to his core philosophy as Wednesday's 3 p.m. deadline expired, and despite overseeing the Eastern Conference cellar-dwelling Panthers, refused to mortgage the franchise's future by trading highly touted propsects for a quick fix.

Certainly not in a bizarre 48-game, post-lockout season in which most of Tallon's bargaining chips are either mending torn ligaments or carrying immovable contracts.

"We're not going to give up our good players to band-aid something to add some late picks,'' Tallon said in the quiet pressbox at BB&T Center. "We kept our calm, our patience, and had a lot of different possible deals on the table. We felt we [should] take our time and do the right thing overall.

"We're eight points out of first place with a game in hand and we've had 9-10 guys out of the lineup any different night. … I think we have a great future and we're not going to mess with it just because we had a hiccup in a short season.''

Instead of dealing promising youngsters, many who have helped build the Panthers modest three-game winning streak (all in post-regulation, a franchise record), he focused on keeping one in the fold when he signed 6-foot-6 University of Minnesota center Nick Bjugstad to an entry-level contract.

“I came back to win a national championship and things happen. We lost in overtime and that's a tough deal,’’ said Bjugstad, the 19th overall pick by the Panthers in 2010. “I thought this was right for my future, my development, to move onto the next level.’’

Tallon said Bjugstad will practice Friday and play Saturday against the Capitals, so the Panthers will lose a year of control over his free-agent rights. If they didn't sign him by the end of his senior year, the Panthers would've lost his draft rights.

"We wanted to get him signed, under the fold and get him some experience,'' Tallon said. "He's 6-6, 220 pounds, and only 20. Once he fills out and becomes a man [Erik Gudbranson and Quinton Howden fills out] … we're going to have some size, speed and skill.''

Bjugstad decided to forego his senior season with the Gophers where he scored 21 goals this season and 54 in 109 career games to turn pro.

The Panthers did shed some minor payroll while opening roster spots for young players when inconsistent forward Mike Santorelli was claimed by the Winnipeg Jets, and they sent fourth-line veteran center Jerred Smithson to the Edmonton Oilers for a fourth-round pick.

Santorelli, 27, who hasn't lived up to his 20-goal, 21-assist season of 2010-11 that netted him his first big NHL contract (two years for $3.2 million), was pulled from Panthers practice at Saveology.com Iceplex at about noon after coach Kevin Dineen told him he was leaving South Florida for chilly Winnipeg.

It was the third time that Santorelli had been put on waivers since June, and he was sent to the AHL earlier this season in the hope he would regain his confidence and scoring touch.

"Yeah, it kind of sucks the first time it happened,'' said an emotional Santorelli, who has just two goals and one assists in 24 games. "After that my mindset was to roll with it, get back to my game and let everything fall into place.''

It was less than a week ago that Santorelli notched one of his most memorable highlights as a Panther when he scored the winning goal in the 5-4 shootout win over the Sabres. Ironically, if the Lightning had tied the shootout up Tuesday, Santorelli was the Panthers' next shooter.

Smithson, 34, who was acquired from the Predators at last year's trade deadline, had just five points in 35 games, but led the Panthers with a 54.8 faceoff percentage, including 9-of-14 Tuesday. The Oilers, who are one point out of a playoff berth in the Western Conference, are last in the NHL with a 45 percent success rate.

Smithson, in the final season of his prorated $800,000 deal, was told of the trade after practice and just before heading to the hospital where his wife is preparing to give birth on Thursday.

"The [deadline] always go through your head this time of year regardless of who you are,'' Smithson said Tuesday the day before he was dealt. "You try not to let it bother you, not to let it get in your head. You worry about what you can control, that's your work ethic, your play and your attitude. If it happens, it happens.'' …

The Panthers also signed 6-2 defenseman Jonathan Racine, their third-round pick in 2011, to an entry-level deal.

Etc…

Tallon said that team wanted his veteran players such as Tomas Kopecky, Marcel Goc and Dmitry Kulikov but they weren't offering equal value.

Tallon said that he talked with the agent of sidelined center Stephen Weiss on Friday and progress is being made on re-signing the unrestricted free agent this summer.

Tallon also said he is confident that he will re-sign center Peter Mueller (16 points) after the season when his one-year deal expires. …

Forward Jack Skille practiced and is ready to play after missing the last five games with an upper-body injury.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 04.04.2013

667797 Los Angeles Kings

Kings consider Robyn Regehr more than a rental

By Lisa Dillman

April 3, 2013, 4:22 p.m.

With questions clouding the playing future of defenseman Willie Mitchell, the Kings are looking at newly acquired defenseman Robyn Regehr as more than a short-term solution.

The Kings traded for the 32-year-old Regehr from Buffalo for two second-round draft choices Monday night. He had his first practice with the Kings on Wednesday and General Manager Dean Lombardi talked about his impact, especially if Mitchell does not return next season.

"I think there's a good chance we can retain him," Lombardi said of Regehr, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. "This wasn't looked at as just a player for a rental. We're looking at this as a guy that can fit with us for a number of years."

But, for the first time, Lombardi addressed the possibility of Mitchell's future beyond this season. The veteran had two surgeries on his knee, the most recent coming this week. His agent suggested, via email to The Times, that Mitchell could return next season.

"At least we've got some finality that he's not coming back this year," Lombardi said. "... I guess it's safe to say there's a legitimate concern now whether he plays next year. It could be premature but it's possible where I wouldn't thought it possible.

"We always thought, 'OK, if we don't get him this year, this isn't serious.' But apparently some other things might have shown up."

The Kings made their deals before the NHL's trading deadline Wednesday, and this move reunites Regehr with Coach Darryl Sutter. He played for Sutter in Calgary when the Flames reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2004.

"I'm really really happy," Regehr said. "For a few different reasons: Being in a position to win again and with a team that has proven it can do it in the past and wants to do it again. I'm very excited about that. Also familiar with Darryl as a coach and knowing his style and how demanding he is."

He is going from a tough situation in Buffalo to the midst of a playoff race with the defending Stanley Cup champions. This is not quite the Kings team he played against during his Flames days.

"They play a little bit different style," he said. "Back when I was playing for Calgary it was a little bit more of a passive style. Now it's a little bit more of an aggressive, forechecking style. And trying to get all five guys out there, working together and being close to one another in all three zones."

Lombardi talked about the fit being good for the Kings on several levels. Not only is Regehr in the mix but also Matt Greene has resumed skating and could be ready for the playoffs.

"That element he brings is something we need to add to the mix," Lombardi said. "I think you put Greene back in this lineup, and now you have that mix of puck moving and hard-to-play against.

"...This guy's character is off the charts. He is no picnic to play against. This is a guy you'd rather have on your side than to play against."

Regehr jokingly talked about having to reach out to one of the Kings, a former foe, to make amends.

"I remember I separated Justin Williams' shoulder in the corner one game so maybe he's not quite happy with me," Regehr said. "We'll try to work it out. Water under the bridge."

KINGS VS. MINNESOTA

When: 7:30.

Where: Staples Center.

On the air: TV: Fox Sports West. Radio: 1150.

Record vs. Wild: 0-1.

Etc. Minnesota did not sit still on trade deadline day, most notably acquiring captain/right wing Jason Pominville from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for goalie Matt Hackett and forward Johan Larsson on Wednesday.

LA Times: LOADED: 04.04.2013

667798 Los Angeles Kings

Dean Lombardi interview transcript, video

Posted by JonRosen on 3 April 2013, 5:37 pm

On the process of how a trade such as the one for Robyn Regehr comes together:

“Well, fortunately we’re at the stage, unlike in the past, that I think it was safe to say that we were really zeroing in on a certain type of player. So, certainly unlike five, six years ago when we went from basically acquiring draft picks and prospects to maybe a couple of years ago, you start looking for smaller additions, to now, your market really gets kind of finite because you’re clearly looking for a certain element. And even though you have a lot of discussions with people, as a practical matter you essentially zero down into just a couple teams. The one thing about this whole process, too – we were engaged fairly early, obviously, because it wasn’t looking good for Willie Mitchell. Losing two guys like that right away, it’s safe to say that I’ve been looking for this all year. So I mean, you’re looking at two big, physical guys that were clearly part of our identity that have not been in our lineup all year. And we knew it was going to be long term. So you could argue that this process started two months ago. It’s just that again, people aren’t really willing to deal until this time of year.”