Here are the national morning papers:
- As Dave Shoalts of the Globe & Mail tells us, the Hurricanes aren’t looking as good as they did early on in the season.
- Jeremy Sandler of the National Post provides readers with some interesting perspectives when it comes to the prospective European Super League.
- USA Today has an interesting Q & A with Sabres President Larry Quinn.
- Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun is reporting that discovery testimony from Todd Bertuzzi, and those associated with his on-ice incident, will be released this afternoon.
Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:
- The Capitals lost 4-3 in a shootout to the powerhouse Red Wings last night, but there were many positives to take from the contest writes Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post.
- Don’t expect the Leafs to trade for a replacement to fill the Bryan McCabe void writes Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. In positive news, McCabe’s surgery was a success and he is still expected to be out the 6-8 weeks that was first reported on Saturday night.
- Shane O’Brien of the Lightning is enjoying his adjustment to the system that John Tortorella has in place in Northern Florida. Carter Gaddis has an interesting article in the Tampa Tribune this morning about Phil Thibodeau the Bolts’ director of team services.
- Michel Therrien likes to juggle his lines at the best of times, but with the Penguins incurring so many injuries, Therrien is being forced to switch his lines up on an almost daily basis. Apparently the Pens and Flyers are considering an outdoor game for next season.
- Flyers coach John Stevens wants his team to cut down on their penalty minutes writes Ed Moran of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Even though he has a hurt foot, with all the injuries the Senators are currently dealing with, Andrej Meszaros vows to play tonight. Senators coach John Paddock loves what Zdeno Chara brings to the table in Boston.
- Katie Strang of Newsday has the details behind Chris Simon’s leave of absence.
- With the Rangers struggling, Tom Renney has shuffled his lines once again, and it appears Scott Gomez will find himself alongside Jaromir Jagr.
- Rod Pelley is really looking forward to playing in front of family and friends on the Devils’ upcoming Western Canada road trip.
- The Habs are starting to turn the corner at even strength writes Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette.
- The Panthers want to make sure they get off to a good start tonight writes Steve Gorten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
- Surprisingly, the Canes are expecting to have Cory Stillman in their lineup tonight when they face-off against the Maple Leafs at home.
- The Sabres are finally getting above-average production from their number one line writes Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News.
- Even though Bruins coach Claude Julien hasn’t announced a starter for tonight’s game, it looks like Tim Thomas is ready to go and will most likely to get the start tonight.
- The Thrashers have split up Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk and put them on different lines. Craig Custance of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders if more changes are in order in his blog.
Here are the Western Conference morning papers:
- As Dan Wood of the Orange County Register tells us, the Ducks believe that other teams get more favorable penalty calls than they do.
- Apparently Jarome Iginla had as much to do with the Flames’ new line combinations as did coach Mike Keenan. Jean Lefebvre suggests that Eric Nystrom has left the AHL behind for good.
- Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune explains the late career move by Hawks’ defenseman Magnus Johansson.
- The Avalanche rode a strong first period to a 4-2 victory at Los Angeles last night.
- Blue Jackets forward Jason Chimera thinks there is more obstruction than there was right after the lockout ended. Micheal Peca is expected to miss tonight’s game with a strained pectoral muscle. Here are the Jackets’ projected lines for tonight’s contest versus Calgary.
- The Stars have demonstrated a different kind of toughness since Brett Hull was brought on as general manager.
- The Red Wings got the victory last night, and afterwards coach Mike Babcock made a point of telling reporters that he was very impressed with the play of the Capitals.
- The energy level is high in Edmonton with the team only one point out of a playoff spot.
- After the Kings lost to the Avalanche last night, coach Marc Crawford said, “We are struggling right now. There’s no doubt about that.”
- Tonight will mark Jacques Lemaire’s 1000th career game coaching and he has had quite a blast along the way.
- The Predators are fed up with their lack of goal scoring and have switched up their lines for tonight’s contest versus the Wild.
- Jim Gintonio has a piece on Coyotes assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson and his love for the game.
- One year ago, all three members of the Blues’ top line were playing in different places writes Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- When Roberto Luongo returns to the lineup tonight to face the Devils, much talk will be about which one of the two goaltenders will be Canada’s starting netminder in Vancouver in 2010 at the Olympics.
For Illegal Curve, I’m Richard Pollock.
