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[DropThePuck]

During its self-imposed exile, the NHL fell even further behind its self-appointed status as one of the "four majors." Behind NASCAR. Behind the PGA. Behind college football. Behind college basketball. Behind poker.
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"You hate that everything that happened the way it did for us to get where we are," Stars center Stu Barnes said, "but it seems like there is a genuine interest and excitement about the season starting. It's refreshing, and we needed it."
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And hockey's return also means that, finally, NHL wives can get some people out of the house.

"No one is happier that the league is back than the wives," Barnes said. "They can finally get rid of their husbands."

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[ahtikullervo]

It is nice that hockey is BACK!

[DropThePuck]

Don't blame the Tampa Bay Lightning for having their collective nose a little out of joint as they prepare for the opening day of training camp Monday.

The defending Stanley Cup champions don't seem to be getting their due as favourites to re-capture the NHL championship.
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The Flyers, who open camp Monday in Voorhees, N.J., will be tough to beat. They've re-loaded with the likes of Peter Forsberg, Derian Hatcher, Mike Knuble, Turner Stevenson and Mike Rathje as well as welcoming talented rookies Jeff Carter and Mike Richards into the fold.
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The Red Wings, meanwhile, open camp Monday with a little less swagger in their step. That Detroit is listed among the favourites in Vegas is probably somewhat of a surprise. The Red Wings had to unload to fit under the $39-million US salary cap, buying out Derian Hatcher, Darren McCarty and Ray Whitney and not picking up Curtis Joseph's option.
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Optimism abounds in training camp. Everybody feels like they have a chance. Veteran winger Luc Robitaille is pumped about his Los Angeles Kings.

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The fun and games will quickly turn competitive because the Sharks are looking to fill a number of roster spots. Seven familiar faces -- Vincent Damphousse, Mike Ricci, Mike Rathje, Alexander Korolyuk, Todd Harvey, Curtis Brown and Jason Marshall, all of whom played in the 3-1 loss at Calgary in the final playoff game -- are gone.

And unlike most teams that dabbled at least some in the free-agent market, the Sharks are looking within the organization -- at least at the outset -- to fill roster spots. Fifty-eight players are expected in camp Tuesday, five days before the opener of a seven-game exhibition schedule.
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"We're very confident some of those guys are going to step up," Wilson said. "This always happens. Your team and your roster always changes and people often fret. Who is going to replace, for example, Teemu Selanne and Owen Nolan? How are you going to replace those goals? We did that and then some."

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"We're going to do our part to maintain that relationship, foster it and help it grow again," Brind'Amour said, "because -- let's face it -- without them, we're not going to exist. So, we've got to make sure they're happy."

Players say Carolina coach Peter Laviolette's decision to name Brind'Amour captain will inspire a small-market team in a league in which the biggest markets have locked up the biggest names.
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Brind'Amour went on to spend eight seasons with the Flyers before being traded to Carolina in 2000. Brind'Amour was upset by the trade. He enjoyed Philadelphia and had been assured he wouldn't be traded. After five years in Raleigh, he has transferred that loyalty and said he may stay after he retires.

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[DropThePuck]

When last we saw the Predators take the ice, Coach Barry Trotz was trying to convince his plucky underdogs they could stand toe-to-toe with the mighty Detroit Red Wings in Nashville's first playoff series.

So is it really possible that a year-and-a-half later, Trotz is guarding against overconfidence as the Predators ready for the start of training camp on Tuesday?
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"But there are other teams that should be better, too, because of all the changes that have taken place,'' Predators goalie Tomas Vokoun said. "You look at the league right now and to be honest, I couldn't tell you who's going to be over 100 points or who would be below 80 points.''

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[DropThePuck]

Quenneville, who turns 47 on Thursday, is aware some Avalanche fans may not be so excited about the coming season, with the losses of stars Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote.

Don't prejudge this Avalanche team, Quenneville says. There is plenty of talent left, and an underdog mentality might not be such a bad thing for a team so used to being the favorite in the past.
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"With the new rules, the puck carrier is going to have more leverage to do what he wants," Quenneville said. "Having puck possession is obviously a great way to play the game. If you don't have the puck, you want to work hard to get it back as quick as you can, and that involves checking hard."

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[DropThePuck]

Caps Return to Uncertainty

Will Peter Bondra, one of the most popular players ever to wear a Capitals sweater, sign as a free agent?

Will defenseman Brendan Witt, a nine year veteran in Washington, be a member of the Capitals on opening night?

Will defenseman Josef Boumedienne, a restricted free agent, play in Washington or overseas?

Will McPhee make a move to strengthen the defense?

"What's that guy's name again?" as new players, coaches and staff get familiar with one another.

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[DropThePuck]

Judging by the excitement generated by the wild player movement last month, the influx of budding superstars Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin and simply the game's best suiting up again after a year-long hiatus, the NHL's future appears rosy.

"I think we have to be optimistic, that's why we're back," Anaheim Mighty Ducks defenceman Scott Niedermayer said. "This time of year is all about that.

"Everybody's excited about the new year, their team's chances, their own chances for a good year. I think we should probably have the same feeling towards hopefully the fans coming back.

"I mean, there is nothing better than playing in a rink where the fans are loud and making a bunch of noise. It makes it more exciting, more intense game, ones you like to be part of. How do we know until we get there? I'm optimistic that hopefully they'll be able to forget about the dark days we put them through for a whole year and come back and enjoy it."

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[DropThePuck]

It also includes learning to cope without former Avalanche fixtures Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote, who became unrestricted free agents in August and signed with Philadelphia and Columbus, respectively.

Forty-three players are expected in camp, with newcomers Patrice Brisebois, Andrew Brunette, Antti Laaksonen, Ian Laperriere, Curtis Leschyshyn, Brett McLean, Brad May and Pierre Turgeon.

"It's going to take some getting used to the new faces," second-year defenseman John-Michael Liles said. "I haven't been around as long as some of the other guys, but the guys who have been around for a few years will tell you that every year is kind of a new experience.

"It's not very often that it's the same faces. My rookie year, we had (Paul) Kariya and (Teemu) Selanne and (Jim) Cummins, who hadn't been there before. It's a little bit of an adjustment at first."

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[DropThePuck]

Kris Draper pulled up to the bus at Joe Louis Arena to unpack his gear for Red Wings training camp. He saw Henrik Zetterberg talking to a group of reporters, then said what everyone in Detroit had been thinking last week: "Whew! Thank goodness he's here."
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Coach Dave Lewis was replaced by Babcock in July, and the NHL adopted new rules meant to increase scoring.

"Everyone's going in on a whole new learning curve," Draper said. "Figuring out what the rules are going to be, what the roles are going to be with the new coach, and that's all going to come pretty fast."

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[DropThePuck]

It will pick up even more by Friday, when the Oilers play their first of eight pre-season games. The Calgary Flames will be in town for that tilt.

"There's a lot of uncertainty throughout the league," said Lowe. "What is everyone's team going to look like? What about the rule changes? Our expectations are that it's going to be positive, but until you actually drop the puck you never know. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

"It's just good to get everything going. To get the hockey machine in motion."

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[DropThePuck]

Skeet or pucks, it hardly matters. Gaborik simply loves to shoot.

"I like doing something different," he said. "I don't have that much time outside hockey. It's a chance to relax."

On this evening, Gaborik hit 16 of 44 targets, a strong effort for a relative novice. The Wild can only dream that their sniper will convert 36 percent of his shots from the ice.
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"We'll give him as much as he can take," general manager Doug Risebrough said. "I've always believed from the day we drafted him that Marian had the destiny to accept the responsibility of leading a winning team. I know winning is important to Marian, and he's accepted he has to contribute in a number of ways to help the team win."

A really long and in depth look at Gaborik

[DropThePuck]

Asked about all this Monday, the day the Avalanche reported for training camp, May stuck by his mantra - he's a man of honour and he wants to look toward the future.

"People have been booing me for 15 years," he said. "I don't know if it would be uncomfortable. It would be a different feeling, there's no question about it, to get that at home. But people have different opinions. I only have one thing to say if it happens: I have integrity. I have honor."

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[DropThePuck]

Not only was the NHL lockout a blessing in disguise for Kesler, who added nine points in 14 playoff games for the conference finalists, his improved conditioning and Olympic odyssey offer an edge heading into Canucks main training camp today at GM Place.

"It helped being up in the Colorado altitude and I was thinking, 'It had better be the altitude because I was sucking wind up there.'" Kesler, 21, joked Sunday following a prospects camp session at Burnaby 8-Rinks.

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[DropThePuck]

As Predators Coach Barry Trotz readies for the start of training camp tomorrow, he figures about 90 percent of the opening-night roster is set.
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The biggest questions are probably at center, where Trotz and his staff will have to figure out, among other things, whether Greg Johnson will play a more offensive or defensive role, whether Randy Robitaille has enough of a well-rounded game to earn significant NHL minutes and whether Adam Hall should be shifted from right wing to center — where he played in Finland last season.

There will be other challenges as well — finding the right linemates for new addition Paul Kariya and how to most effectively use the talents of bangers like Darcy Hordichuk, Jeremy Stevenson and Jordin Tootoo.

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[DropThePuck]

There was a smile on the big winger's face. He looked relaxed and confident. He joked. He was even the first player to talk to reporters. Less than a month ago Bertuzzi looked nervous, apprehensive, even defensive as he spoke to the media for the first time since being reinstated after his 17-month suspension for punching Steve Moore.

The difference is Bertuzzi has returned to an environment where he feels safe and supported. For him, being back in a dressing room with his teammates is like a wolf returning to the safety of the pack.

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[DropThePuck]

The Sabres were officially together as a team for the first time in 17 months because of the NHL lockout. They reported on Monday for physicals, photos and on ice testing. Lindy Ruff says he's amazed at the shape that the players are in.

Chris Drury and Daniel Briere are thrilled to be rid of Miroslav Satan. Drury says Satan needed a change and they needed a change from him too. He said he's looking forward to playing against him on opening night.

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[DropThePuck]

And there's a new head coach, Mike Babcock, lured from Anaheim to replace Dave Lewis. The former Mighty Ducks coach has a track record of winning with young talent, a plus for a team that will need production from its up-and-comers as well as veterans such as Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan and Kirk Maltby.
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Shanahan said there was a bright side to the lockout: For the first time since age 15, he was home for special occasions such as Thanksgiving and Christmas -- not to mention the birth of a baby last October.

"It was nice to go to all the hospital visits and be there for the birth and not have to worry about running back and forth to the rink or jumping back on a plane to get back in time," he said. "So in a lot of ways we missed the game, but we also did our best to take advantage of the time off."

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[DropThePuck]

Lightning -

With that in mind, Tortorella plans a rigorous training camp. He fears many of the players may have developed poor habits while playing in Europe during the lockout.

"I think the guys who played overseas, and I don't mind saying, I think it's awful hockey," the coach said.

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[DropThePuck]

The Maple Leafs open training camp with only a few roster spots up for grabs, which asks the question, "Why bother?"

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[DropThePuck]

Avery said he "got into an argument" with Mattias Norstrom, the Kings' union representative and said that if he can't be the new union rep, the post should be shared by an older player and a younger player so that the concerns of all would be met.

"I think it's good, first of all, to take a younger guy if he wants to have it," Norstrom said. "If [Avery] wanted to voice his own opinion, he has a lot to learn about representing 23 guys in the room. Also for Sean, it would be great if he wants that role, but he needs to learn how to listen. It's so easy to get a quote in the paper or just speak your mind and you feel good about it but every time you do, as a rep, you're representing your entire team."

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[DropThePuck]

Coach Mike Babcock checks in with the media at training camp, which he says will be rigorous but "a marathon of hope."

What was his message?

"Day-to-day, game-to-game, shift-to-shift accountability," he said.

"It's not a speech, and I mean that sincerely. This is what I believe in. When you go anyplace as a coach, you have to bring what you bring, and that's what I bring. That's what I want to have here, and the players are no different. They want the same thing, to win, and to me, when you look at this organization from afar, what you admire is the commitment of ownership to be successful, and their commitment is unwavering. They expect results."

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[DropThePuck]

Melrose stays at ESPN, even without hockey

Barry Melrose, one of the main faces of NHL coverage on ESPN, is staying with the cable network even though it will no longer telecast games.

Melrose, a former Red Wing, has signed a long-term contract to cover hockey, ESPN announced Monday.

"ESPN is committed to covering the NHL," Melrose said, "and I'm thrilled to be part of it and to remain with ESPN, the greatest sports company in the world."

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[DropThePuck]

Jason Williams hopes that his strong Finnish turns into a strong beginning. Strong play in Finland's top league, SM-Liiga, that is.
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Today, Williams will take the ice for the first day of the Red Wings' training camp at Traverse City's Centre ICE arena.
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Depending on how first-year coach Mike Babcock handles his forward lines, Williams has a shot at getting top-six forward ice time. If Kirk Maltby and Kris Draper are used as two-thirds of a checking line again, that leaves Robert Lang, Steve Yzerman, Henrik Zetterberg and possibly Brendan Shanahan as the only sure things as top-six forwards. Datsyuk would join that group if he signs.