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BOCA RATON, Florida - NHL GMs took part of the final day of meetings in Boca Raton, Florida to discuss the annual combine that runs in late May prior to the NHL entry draft in June. Antonio Gates . The event puts invited prospects through a serious of fitness tests and allows teams to interview targeted prospects to gain a further understanding into their psychological makeup. But some teams have run team specific combines in the past to further evaluate prospects, which has been seen by several teams as an unfair competitive advantage. As a result, the NHL is contemplating placing limits and restrictions on the amount of players that teams can assemble for further testing. "There was a discussion about that," said Commissioner Gary Bettman. "A change like that would require Board of Governor approval but I think that there was a sense in the room that it might be a good idea." Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray was the loudest proponent against these limitations. For the past three years, the Sabres have held their own combine; this past year bringing in over 75 players for a four day period for interviews and on ice work. "I come from a scouting background," said Murray, who has held scouting positions with the Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers. "I dont want to criticize the combine we have but I want to be able to supplement that with what I want to do. Im looking for athletes and there are certain tests (that we feel are important) versus strength tests." But despite his instance, Murray had little success in persuading his colleagues. "Some of the veteran guys said you fought a great battle but it was a losing battle," said Murray, who is the shortest tenured GM in the NHL right now. "It looks like the majority want to streamline it to one combine and not allow us guys that feel that doing a little more is a benefit. MacT (Oilers GM Craig MacTavish) said to me, it was a great battle, but you couldnt win." The NHL intends to consider options now to enhance the league-run combine in May. Gary Bettman also suggested incorporating an on ice component to the combine in the future would be explored. Other News From Commissioner Gary Bettman - On the potential impact of a weaker Canadian dollar (currently at .90 cents US) on the 2014-15 salary cap. "Im not sure that its a concern, it is what it is. The system accounts for fluctuations in currency which is why we do everything with the computations in US dollars. If the Canadian dollar goes down, then the cap goes down a little bit but the system contemplates that. Its not an issue, its not a problem. It is what it is." - On the projected $71 million cap that was suggested to the Board of Governors in September. "A lot of people were talking about the number that we showed the board in September; that was an illustration because it wasnt based on anything, we didnt have any revenues yet. We said after we get to the end of the regular season, we may be able to better project what it looks like. With the Canadian dollar where it is, maybe youre looking at a million or two million difference in the cap and based on where the cap is likely to be, its not that big a deal." - On penalties for removing helmets priors to fights due to visors and whether an alteration would be made given that visors are now mandatory for all players entering the league. "Wasnt discussed and its not more a problem than youve either perceived it to be or not to be. It wasnt an issue." - On cracking down on fights involving goaltenders. "The rules are what they are and from a whole variety of constituencies including the players, there doesnt seem to be any change in the consensus right now. To effectuate a change thered have to be a change among the constituent groups. Ive been told that if you ask the players, it would be 99-1 that you leave it the way it is. Its something will continue to look at but there is nothing to report." - On potential expansion announcements before the end of the season. "If there would be? I doubt it. Its not anything were contemplating. We have no expansion process that were going through. Its not something that we envision happening anytime soon, if at all. I know theres a lot of speculation and yes, theres a lot of interest, were getting a lot of interest from multiple parties and multiple places but its not anything yet that were prepared to deal with on a formal basis." Brandon Flowers . The teams official Twitter account quoted coach John Tortorella on Friday saying that Kesler "has a sprained knee and is out at least a couple of weeks". Nick Novak Jersey .Y. - Dustin Tokarski stopped all 43 shots he faced as the Hamilton Bulldogs blanked the host Syracuse Crunch 3-0 on Saturday in American Hockey League action.When the Columbus Blue Jackets and Dallas Stars stars last met, the attention shifted from hockey to a decidedly more serious subject in a matter of seconds. On Wednesday, the two teams will get together in Dallas to play the game that was postponed due to a scary incident involving Stars forward Rich Peverley. The initial matchup on March 10 was stopped with 6:23 played in the opening period after Peverley collapsed on the Dallas bench and suffered what was later called a cardiac episode. Peverley spent a few days in the hospital and eventually underwent a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat, but he wont play again this season. Columbus was ahead 1-0 at the time of Peverleys collapse, and although tonights game will be a full 60-minute contest, the Blue Jackets will keep that lead. Although the Blue Jackets and Stars play in different conferences, Wednesdays game is big for both teams. In fact, Columbus can clinch a playoff spot for only the second time in franchise history with a win tonight. The Blue Jackets currently hold the last of two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. With 89 points, Columbus is four ahead of Washington and five in front on New Jersey with three games left for all three teams. The Capitals and Devils are idle on Wednesday. Columbus also is one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the Easts first wild card berth. The Red Wings also have three games remaining and play in Pittsburgh tonight. The Blue Jackets only trip to the postseason came in 2009 when they were swept out of the first round by Detroit. The Stars cant clinch on Wednesday, but they can move four points ahead of Phoenix for the last wild card spot in the West. Dallas has 89 points to give the club two more than the Coyotes, who are idle tonight. Both clubs have three games left and will face each other on the final day of the regular season, as they are set to meet Sunday in Phoenix. The Blue Jackets have won two straight and three of their last four games and are coming off Tuesdays overtime win against the visiting Coyotes. Ryan Johansens goal 3:33 into ovvertime lifted Columbus to the 4-3 win over Phoenix. Ryan Carrethers Jersey. Johansen handled a loose puck near center ice, skated in along the left side and fired a wrist shot that beat Thomas Greiss top-shelf on his glove side. "(Johansens) been a monster for us all year, scoring some big goals," said Columbus Blake Comeau."He thrives in those moments. He wants to be a No. 1 center like he has been for us all year. Youve got to step up and be that guy in key moments, and hes done that this year." Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves for the win and is expected to start again tonight. Tuesdays tilt was the final home game of the regular season for Columbus, which will visit Dallas, Tampa Bay and Florida to wrap up its schedule. The Blue Jackets are 19-16-3 as the road team this season. The Stars picked up their second victory in three games and also won for the fifth time in seven outings with Tuesdays shootout win over visiting Nashville. Tyler Seguin scored the winner in the fourth round of the shootout as the Stars inched closer to a playoff spot with the 3-2 win at American Airlines Center. "We just focused on what we could do," said Dallas head coach Lindy Ruff. "The schedule is demanding and it gets a little bit worse tomorrow. Im a little concerned that our energy was good early and the energy began just slipping away." Jamie Benn and Alex Goligoski scored in regulation for the Stars, while Kari Lehtonen stopped 27 shots. Dallas is 22-10-7 as the host this season and is playing the second part of a three-game homestand on Wednesday. The Stars will welcome St. Louis on Friday before Sundays meeting with the Coyotes. Columbus has won two straight and three of the last four meetings in this series overall and has taken two straight in Big D. Lehtonen could get the call again in net for Dallas. He is 5-5-1 with a 1.91 goals against average and .936 save percentage in his career against Columbus. Bobrovsky is 5-0-1 with a 1.96 GAA and .937 save percentage in six lifetime meetings with the Stars. ' ' ' |
