On the Beat: NJD releases Shanny

Here is what team beat writers are saying this afternoon:

• Habs writer Pat Hickey confirms that third-year stopper Carey Price will get the start for the Montreal Canadiens in tonight’s season-opener versus the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. No big shock here folks. The price should be right all year long for the former Tri-City American as new head coach Jacques Martin has full confidence in the super-talented young goalie heading into tonight’s opening game.
• Eric Stephens has joined the Orange County Register as their newest writer and has an introductory post up on Ducks Blog. Stephens used to cover the Ducks for The Los Angeles Times.
• In a surprising move, the New Jersey Devils have released Brendan Shanahan. This is unfortunate as Shanny is one the classiest hockey players around. He obviously didn’t have the greatest year last year in New Jersey and his struggles continued into training camp but he can surely still add something to a National Hockey League team at this stage of his career.
  
• Sports Illustrated has apparently dissed (disrespected) the Atlanta Thrashers pretty, pretty, pretty bad. Pavel Kubina, Nik Antropov and Maxim Afinogenov were nice acquisitions but the Thrashers will have difficulty finishing third in their own division, let alone eighth in the conference.
• Fluto Shinzawa tells us that David Krejci will play tonight for the Boston Bruins in their home opener against the Washington Capitals at TD Garden. Wow, this is going to be a terrific opening game featuring two of the Eastern Conference’s big (and I stress big) powerhouse teams.  With Krejci in the line-up, the Bruins are absolutely stacked on forward. When your third line is Recchi-Bergeron-Kobasew, you know you’re in a for a great season.
  
• Capitals Insider Tarik El-Bashir is convinced that Jose Theodore will start in net tonight for Washington. Insert Theodore jokes here.
• With the Minnesota Wild season opener only two days away, Star-Tribune writer Michael Russo offers his predictions.
• Joe Sakic, deservedly, has a street named after him in Colorado.