NHL RUMORS AND NEWS

Chicago Tribune "There are must-wins, and there are must-wins, and the Chicago Blackhawks encountered the latter in the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday. Beat the Bruins, and the Hawks recapture home ice advantage while making the series a best-of-3. Lose, and it was another 3-1 series deficit, looking even more..." June 20

TSN.ca "Nothing has been set in stone regarding Kris Letang's future in Pittsburgh just yet. Letang's agent Kent Hughes met with Penguins general manager Ray Shero in Boston on Wednesday regarding his client's status with the club and didn't reveal much in what's widely characterized as a pivotal..." June 19

Pittsburgh Tribune Review "Ray Shero starts every conversation about a player's future the same way: He asks whether that player wants to stay with the Penguins. Defenseman Kris Letang recently answered “yes,” but that does not mean he will stay. Letang could play hockey with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for a long..." June 19

Denver Post "If the Avalanche keeps the top pick in the June 30 NHL draft, it won't take the formerly presumptive candidate, defenseman Seth Jones. After a week of internal meetings, Avalanche brass came to a conclusion: Jones won't be their pick. Instead, it could be any one of three forwards: Nathan..." June 19

Michigan Live "More specifics for a new, 18,000-seat, state-of-the-art Detroit Red Wings arena and accompanying entertainment district were revealed at a Downtown Development Authority meeting Wednesday, though Detroit Economic Growth Corporation President and CEO George Jackson said the plans are "framework"..." June 19

TSN.ca "NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director Mathieu Schneider says all competition committee items forwarded from earlier this month have been approved by the league's general managers. Hybrid icing, mandatory visors, shallower nets and video review on four-minute highsticking penalties..." June 19

Dallas Morning News "If you listen to the Stars about their desire to up the competition level of their goaltending position, you automatically start to ponder exactly who might accomplish such a task. A free agent? A trade? An overseas acquisition? Just how will the Stars inject this extra element? Well,..." June 19

Philly.com "The Flyers already have decided to use one of their upcoming compliance buyouts on Danny Briere, as has been speculated for months. But they are less certain about using their second buyout on goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, who would be due $23 million over the next 14 years to not play for the..." June 19

Sportsnet.ca "The Vancouver Canucks could be allowing two of their forwards to hit the free agency market without so much as an offer. J.P. Barry, the agent for Canucks unrestricted-free-agent-to-be Mason Raymond, told Vancouver’s News 1130 Wednesday that he had a brief talk with Canucks assistant general..." June 19

Tennessean "The Predators have re-signed defenseman Victor Bartley to a three-year, $2 million contract. It is a one-way deal. He will be paid $600,000 in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, and $800,000 in 2015-16 according to the team. Last season, Bartley played 24 games for Nashville and notched seven assists...." June 19

Yahoo! Sports "The Chicago Blackhawks say Marian Hossa will be back in the lineup for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final and that the line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Bryan Bickell will likely be reunited. Hossa was a surprise scratch Monday, sidelined with an upper body injury. "He's expected to play..." June 19

New York Post "While the Rangers and Alain Vigneault remained true for a fourth straight day to their apparent mutual vows of silence after agreeing to marry, the putative head coach is believed to be assembling a staff to join him on Broadway. Newell Brown, who worked as Vigneault’s assistant for three years..." June 19

CSN Philly "Cherry Hill’s Bobby Ryan always wanted to play with the Flyers. Maybe his chance comes this summer. Two NHL sources not associated with the Flyers tell CSNPhilly.com that the Anaheim Ducks are quietly shopping Ryan a week before the NHL draft in Newark, N.J., and that the Flyers are keenly..." June 18

Detroit News "Pavel Datsyuk has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Red Wings, he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday morning. “Signed 3 yr. extension. Detroit, glad to be here for 4 more yrs. Thanks to our fans, friends and Ilitch family,” read Datsyuk’s tweet. Datsyuk’s agent, Gary Greenstin, met..." June 18

Islanders Point Blank "The Islanders may not be content to sit tight with some combination of Evgeni Nabokov, Kevin Poulin and Anders Nilsson in goal next year — and they shouldn’t be. According to Newsday, the Islanders are “in the mix” for Los Angeles Kings goalie Jon Bernier. According to TSN, the Kings have been..." June 18

Philly.com "Is another goalie shakeup in the works for the Flyers? The Los Angeles Kings have talked to the Flyers about trading them goalie Jonathan Bernier, an NHL source confirmed Tuesday. At the moment, the Flyers plan to have Ilya Bryzgalov and Steve Mason battle for the No. 1 goaltender’s job in..." June 18

Philly.com "Many believe Streit's agreement spells the official end to the tenures of Danny Briere and Ilya Bryzgalov. TSN's Bob McKenzie reported yesterday that both Briere and Bryzgalov will be bought out via the new compliance "amnesty" clause in the collective bargaining agreement. Players may be..." June 18

Buffalo News "Terry Pegula says he talks to Darcy Regier more than his own wife. The chats have convinced the Buffalo Sabres’ owner he has the right general manager despite a playoff history that suggests otherwise. “He is a very qualified person,” Pegula said today during an appearance on the Sabres’ radio..." June 18

NHL.com "Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov emerged as a potential star during this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now he has the contract to match. On Tuesday, the Kings agreed to terms with Voynov on a six-year contract extension worth a reported $25 million. Voynov had six goals on the..." June 18

San Jose Mercury News "Center Logan Couture has agreed to a contract extension with the Sharks, though no formal announcement can come before July 5. "Can't say details," Couture responded in a text message when asked for specifics after reports circulated that he had agreed to an extension to his current contract..." June 18

Washington Post "In addition any roster changes they make this summer, the Capitals are expected to tweak their coaching staff as well. Washington has granted Tim Hunter permission to interview elsewhere, and it is unlikely that he will return to the Capitals as an assistant coach for the 2013-14..." June 18

Calgary Sun "The Calgary Flames confirmed Monday they are, indeed, looking to expand their hockey operations department, and Brendan Shanahan is one of the possible hires the club has talked to. However, team president and CEO Ken King insists any such move will be made entirely with an eye on bolstering..." June 18

R-Sport "Russia's Ak Bars Kazan has signed Boston Bruins forward Chris Bourque and Colorado Avalanche forward Tomas Vincour, the KHL team announced on Tuesday. The 27-year-old left wing, the son of NHL hall of famer Ray Bourque, made only 18 NHL appearances last season, spending most of the year with..." June 18

Detroit News "The energy was something to remember, but Damien Brunner will take something else out of his first Stanley Cup playoffs experience. The games truly are different than the regular season. “I don’t think I’ve ever had as many crosschecks in my back and slashes on my calves,” Brunner said of..." June 18

CTV News Ottawa "The Canadian Tire Centre is now the new name for the home of the Ottawa Senators. The announcement was made Tuesday morning by Senators owner Eugene Melynk. The deal includes the building, digital, scoreboard signage and on-ice images. Canadian Tire Centre replaces Scotiabank..." June 18

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel "Panthers phenom Jonathan Huberdeau was still basking in the afterglow of becoming the franchise's first NHL Rookie of the Year when he returned to the team's training complex Monday. "I actually looked at [the Calder Memorial Trophy] before to see the players that won it,'' Huberdeau said..." June 18

Boston Herald "The Bruins inched closer to winning their second Stanley Cup championship in three seasons after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks, 2-0, in tonight’s Game 3 at the Garden. The B’s now have a 2-1 series lead. Game 4, again at home, is set for Wednesday night at 8 p.m. The Bruins did all their..." June 18

TSN.ca "The New York Rangers will name Alain Vigneault the team's next head coach. According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, Vigneault inked a five-year, $10-million deal with the Blue Shirts. On Saturday, TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie reported that Vigneault had an agreement in place with..." June 17

New York Post "The New Jersey Devils are again skating on very thin financial ice, The Post has learned. The team’s cash-strapped owner, less than six months after restructuring its debt, has missed an interest payment and now risks defaulting on its new loan, a source with direct knowledge of the situation..." June 17

TSN.ca "The Philadelphia Flyers have agreed to terms on a four-year deal with impending unrestricted free-agent defenceman Mark Streit The Flyers acquired the rights to Streit from the New York Islanders last Wednesday, for minor-league forward Shane Harper and a fourth-round pick in 2014. Last..." June 17

Ottawa Sun "The Bank is being turned into The Garage. NHL sources confirmed to the Ottawa Sun on Monday the naming rights of Scotiabank Place have been sold to Canadian Tire and the deal will be confirmed in a news conference with Senators owner Eugene Melnyk on Tuesday. Melnyk has called a press..." June 17

SportingNews.com "Plan B for the Phoenix Coyotes, according to Hockey Night in Canada: Move to Seattle. If the City of Glendale doesn't approve a deal that would pay buyer Renaissance Sports Entertainment a reported $15 million annually to run Jobing.com Arena, there's another group ready to pay $220 million for..." June 17

Chicago Sun-Times "Viktor Stalberg is frustrated — with his situation, with his ice time, with his own play. But he knows the quickest way to getting out of Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville’s doghouse is to force his way out. Play better, and he’ll play more. “I haven’t had the same role I had in the regular..." June 17

Michigan Live "The Detroit Red Wings might already have their sights set on a possible replacement for Valtteri Filppula should the veteran forward sign with another club next season. Elliotte Friedman of CBC reported that the Red Wings are among the teams that have expressed an interest in negotiating with..." June 17

Tennessean "Add a backup goaltender to the Predators’ offseason wish list. That’s what general manager David Poile indicated Monday following a news conference in Antioch to announce new twin ice rinks at the former Hickory Hollow Mall. The Predators “might, maybe and in all probability will be looking..." June 17

Minneapolis Star Tribune "The Wild has re-signed its first restricted free agent. It is defenseman Marco Scandella, who got a two-year deal worth $2.05 million ($1.025 cap hit, 900K salary in 2013-14, $1.15 million in 2014-15). Scandella requires waivers next year, so he's got the inside track to making next year's..." June 17

WEEI Boston "Don Cherry joined Dennis & Callahan on Monday morning, and the CBC Hockey Night in Canada analyst said he is sticking with his pick of the Bruins to win it all against the Blackhawks. “They are going to win the Cup,” Cherry said point-blank. “I picked Boston all the way through.” “It’s funny..." June 17

New York Post "While the Rangers could formally announce the hiring of Alain Vigneault today as the 34th head coach in franchise history, his introductory press conference won’t be held before Thursday. Glen Sather, currently at his home in La Quinta, Calif., is scheduled to fly from there to Boston for..." June 17

NHL.com "Vancouver Canucks President & General Manager Michael D. Gillis announced today that the Canucks have signed goaltender Joacim Eriksson. The 6’1”, 189-pound goalie posted a record of 21-9-0, a 1.67 GAA, a save percentage of .931 and 5 shutouts through 30 games, guiding Skelleftea to the top of..." June 17

ESPN Chicago "Nearly 10 periods of hockey through two games of the Stanley Cup finals and one thing is crystal clear. There’s almost nothing to choose between the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. Five goals apiece and two overtime games, a series many expected to go the distance sure smells like it..." June 16

WEEI Boston "While the Blackhawks were threatening to blow open Game 2 and send the Stanley Cup final back to Boston with a 2-0 lead, it was Tuukka Rask who was the difference. The Hawks out-shot the Bruins 19-4 but had only a Patrick Sharp goal to show for it. Claude Julien was quick to thank his..." June 16