Philadelphia Flyers Daily Clips - July 18, 2014

FLYERS Headlines 1. Philadelphia Inquirer - Surf's up for the Stanley Cup in Sea Isle 2. Philadelphia Inquirer - Stanley Cup shore is popular at beach 3. Hockeybuzz.com - Meltzer's Musings: Mason, Roenick, Quick Hits 4. PhiladelphiaFlyers.com - My first camp... with Travis Sanheim 5. NHL.com - Kings assistant Stevens brings Cup to Jersey Shore NHL Headlines 1. NHL.com - Canucks' Subban hopes to create own niche 2. NHL.com - Islanders' Pulock knows competition stiff on defense 3. NHL.com - Devils re-sign Josefson to two-year contract: report 4. ESPN.com - Patrick Kane: 'We're locked up here' 5. ESPN.com - Fortunes fall into place for Hawks 6. ESPN.com - Tyler Ennis re-signs with Sabres 7. TSN.ca - Sabres Re-Sign Forward Ennis To Multi-Year Deal 8. TSN.ca - Warriors Hire Longtime NHL Assistant Hunter As Head Coach 9. NewYorkPost.com - Rangers plot move for Boston College stud Kevin Hayes 10. The Canadian Press - As head of Hockey Canada, Renney has different task at hand than Nicholson 11. The Canadian Press - Brisebois leaves Canadiens for personal reasons FLYERS Articles 1. Philadelphia Inquirer - Surf's up for the Stanley Cup in Sea Isle Mike Jesen SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. - The Stanley Cup arrived Thursday morning in the back of John Stevens' truck. The Cup had flown into Philadelphia International Airport the night before from its previous stop in Russia. By 11 a.m., the Cup was at Sea Isle's 57th Street beach, a day-tripper (no beach tag required), causing a scene as it rested for a couple of hours on a lifeguard boat. Since every player and coach who wins the Stanley Cup gets possession of the trophy for a day, this was Stevens' time. The former Flyers head coach, now a Los Angeles Kings assistant, said that after the Kings won their first title in 2012, he brought the Cup to his hometown in Ontario, sharing it with his parents and others there. This time, he said, the immediate thought was to bring it to the Shore. "We raised our kids here," said Sandy Stevens, John's wife, speaking of the Philadelphia area. "We lived here for 16 years."

They bought a place in Sea Isle in 2009, so this is still their summer home. This is their beach, Stevens said. On Thursday, it was packed - a line formed halfway to Avalon. Occasionally, a Flyers chant broke out since the line was filled with people wearing Flyers jerseys. This has become one of our more peculiar local rituals: former Flyers, cast out by the organization, bringing the Cup to what they still consider their offseason home. This time Stevens shared it, joining fans who haven't glimpsed it firsthand after a Flyers title in nearly four decades. Nobody was grumbling about its being there. "Are you kidding?" said Len Messina of Skippack, who had skipped the line and gone around to the ocean side to grab a selfie with the Cup in the background. "You never know when Philadelphia is going to win it," said Tom Brown of Westville, Gloucester County, who spent 90 minutes in the line. "I'm glad to see it." Brad Watson, an NHL referee vacationing nearby, stopped by with his family to take a photo. In addition to the Flyers jerseys, there were T-shirts touting Princeton wrestling, Penn State field hockey, Kentucky basketball. Someone in a Kobe Bryant jersey got a photo. A father had a Papelbon Phillies shirt, his son a Lecavalier Flyers jersey. "Touch the Cup, touch the Cup," said Sea Isle City Mayor Lenny Desiderio, part usher, part carnival barker, to Nick Small, a 23-year-old from Yardley. But Small wouldn't touch it as he got his photo. "I'm a hockey player," Small said. "You can't touch it unless you win it. Everybody knows that." It made no difference that Small plays in an adult league. These Stanley Cup traditions are sacred rituals. After the public viewing, Stevens said, he was going to bring it home to lunch with his family. They'd already stopped at the Fish Alley sign for a photo, and had stopped at the Art Museum steps in Philly before bringing it to the Shore. His 20-year-old son, John, had flown in for this. Other relatives were at the beach, too. Stevens planned to bring it to another private get-together Thursday night in Atlantic City, he said, then he would hand it off to Justin Williams, another former Flyer, who would have it in Ventnor on Friday morning, then bring it to his own Canadian hometown for the rest of his 24 hours with it. "Selfishly," Stevens said, "I'd like to take it and lock myself in a room and read [the names engraved on] it all day. But it's so great to share it with people." He mingled with those who had gotten their photos taken with the Cup.

"We're neighbors," one lady told him, pointing to her boys. "They're the ones playing paddle ball, making all the noise." "Let's go find Jeff Carter," a teenager said to a friend after their photo. They'd heard, correctly, that the Kings center and former Flyer also was back in town at his place. Just down the beach from the Cup, Tom and Deb Doyle of Willow Grove and their friends Scott and Jocelyn Schermerhorn of Abington, who pride themselves on big-time and intricate sand-castle building, went with a hockey theme. They did a huge goalie's mask, a stick, and the NHL logo, creating their own tourist attraction. Took them four hours, they said. Just after noon, the mayor knew everybody couldn't get his or her photo by 12:30. The line was still too long. The mayor announced that they would drive the Cup slowly along the line in a four-wheeler so everyone could get a photo. Stevens jumped on the back. Ray Kresge, a young guy from Center City, was next in line when it was cut off. He shrugged and took out his phone to grab a photo as the Cup rolled by. In some ways, Kresge was the most legitimate guy there, since he at least wore a Los Angeles Kings hat. He said he'd become a Kings fan after some of his favorite Flyers players landed there. Kresge held a surfboard under his right arm. "I figured I'd surf while I was here," he said just after the Cup had left the beach. 2. Philadelphia Inquirer - Stanley Cup shore is popular at beach Tom Mahon CHRIS GRAMLICH has seen some cool things while delivering pizza to the beach, including dolphins (the kind that swim) and Ravens (the kind that play football). The 23-year-old West Chester native, who works for Uncle Oogie's restaurant in Sea Isle City, N.J., said he often sees bottlenose acrobats leaping in the surf, and occasionally runs into quarterback Joe Flacco lounging on the sand. But yesterday he saw something truly unique: The Stanley Cup! It's a tradition that each member of a Cup-winning team gets to take the trophy anywhere for a day. Former Flyers coach John Stevens - now an assistant with the NHL champion Los Angeles Kings, decided to bring it to Sea Isle, where he owns a home. Specifically, he brought it to the town's beach patrol headquarters and to the 57th Street beach, where it was put on display in a life boat on the sand.

There, people lined up for an opportunity to see it close up. "I called a couple of my buddies to go see it," said Gramlich, a recent Penn State grad who had the day off from his delivery job yesterday. "They didn't want to go, so I went down myself. "The line was long, about four or five blocks. I didn't want to wait in it, so I got as close as I could, about 10 to 15 yards away and took a lot of pictures. The people who waited in line got to touch the Cup and get a picture with it, but I was happy just seeing it. "It was definitely pretty cool. I'm glad I did it." Gramlich hopes to eventually see the Cup again, when the Flyers win it all. That day might not be that far off, according to Stevens. "I think [the Flyers] are an up-and-coming team in the league," Stevens told KYW Newsradio, "so I'd be thrilled to see Philadelphia win a Cup. Because if this is the response from the Cup coming to a local town like Sea Isle, you can imagine what Philadelphia will do." 3. Hockeybuzz.com - Meltzer's Musings: Mason, Roenick, Quick Hits Bill Meltzer Roenick, Mason and the Lazy Narrative Stop me if you've heard this one before: A hockey analyst says that the Philadelphia Flyers lack an upper-echelon goaltender who is capable of taking the team deep in the playoffs. That's what former Flyers' forward Jeremy Roenick said yesterday on CSN Philadelphia's Philly Sports Talk Live . "I like Steve Mason," Roenick said on Philly Sports Talk, "but I don’t think Steve Mason is the answer to winning a Stanley Cup...."I think you need an upper echelon defenseman, I think you need an upper echelon goaltender. The Flyers do not have [either]. I think that’s something that you’re going to have to look at in terms of improving your team." Specific to Mason, Roenick added, "He was a starter at one time [in Columbus]. "He became a backup and has moved a couple of times, and now he’s in Philly as another starter." Let's work backwards here and start by correcting a factual mistake. Mason has moved exactly once in his career, coming to Philadelphia from Columbus at the 2013 trade deadline. He has actually been his NHL team's primary starter for most of his career, except for when he was unseated by eventual Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky in Columbus in what proved to be Mason's final season with the team.

As for the main point of Roenick's comments -- let it be said here that colorful opinions are JR's forte, not any sort of in-depth analysis -- it is merely the latest variation of what I call the "lazy narrative." That's the one that casually trots out as "fact" that the Flyers have perennially had subpar goaltending -- especially in the postseason -- ever since a rookie Ron Hextall won the Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy in 1986-87. It's a lazy narrative, because it's a false one. There have certainly been years where inconsistent or leaky goaltending was one of the primary culprits in the Flyers' falling short of their aspirations in the playoffs. There have been other years where the goaltending more or less ended up being a non-factor in a playoff outcome (Roman Cechmanek vs. Ottawa in 2002, for example). There have also been a couple years where the goaltending has actually been just fine and it has been failings in other areas that cause Philly's playoff ouster. Brian Boucher's stellar rookie run in 1999-2000 was one such year in which goaltending was the least of Philly's playoff concerns. Robert Esche had far more good games than bad one in the 2004 playoffs, as the Flyers came within one win of the Stanley Cup Finals. Martin Biron basically stole the team's 2008 playoff series against Montreal, leading the Flyers to the Eastern Conference Finals. Steve Mason's 2013-14 season was actually one of the more underrated full seasons that a Flyers goaltender has put together in the last decade. He had a few hiccups in December and January along with the entire team. Otherwise, Mason's play was excellent both before December and from February onward. When he returned from an end-of-season concussion suffered on the next-to-last day of the regular season, Mason's play against the Rangers in the playoffs was otherworldly. He was the number one reason that series even got to seven games and virtually the only reason Philly even held close enough in Game Seven to keep the final score to 2-1. Actually, pretty much from the time of his arrival in Philadelphia from Columbus, Mason has rather consistently shown a more mature version of the form that propelled him to the Calder Trophy in Columbus. He experienced severe growing pains after his early success, but the potential was always there to be a fine NHL starting goaltender. He just had to grow up a bit, which is exactly what happened. Over the last couple years, Mason overhauled his mental approach and practice routine. It finally started to pay dividends on the ice. Upon his arrival in Philadelphia, Mason formed an outstanding working relationship with goaltending coach Jeff Reese. He also has good chemistry with backup Ray Emery. As a matter of fact, Mason was so good for the majority of last season that it can fairly said that as long as he stays healthy and performs to a similar level, the Flyers needn't worry about their goaltending being good enough to win. He just turned 26 in May and should be entering the

prime of his career at a position where lengthy learning curves are the rule. Many top NHL netminders do not emerge until their mid-to-late 20s. Team defense is still a major concern. A hot-and-cold offense is a periodic issue. The depth in goal in the event of a prolonged Mason injury is a concern. Mason himself is actually a source of confidence among his teammates and coaches. I seriously doubt that Roenick paid enough attention to Mason over the past year to be able to formulate an informed opinion. He seemed to be going primarily off Mason's underachieving reputation behind mostly bad Columbus teams after his rookie year. This is what I saw from Mason last season (incidentally, a former NHL goaltender and a current NHL goaltending coach agreed this in an accurate summation): When Mason moved back in his crease, he became far more effective in general. Working with Reese, he did a very good job at staying on top of his mechanics and angles, and made some minor adjustments when he hit a midseason bump in the road. Mason moves very well laterally. He has one of the quickest gloves in the NHL and is one of the top-five puckhandling goaltenders in the game today. When he's fully locked into mechanics, his rebound control is good (it's not as good at other times). As he has matured as a goaltender, he has done a much better job of putting a bad goal or a bad game behind him and generally exudes a high degree of focus and confidence that rubs off on his teammates. That was the goaltender the Flyers had most of last season: Mason was a goalie in whom his teammates had a lot of faith. As long as he stays healthy, there is no reason why Mason cannot duplicate or even improve upon what he did last season. However, he could use more consistent defensive support from the team in front of him. His .917 regular season save percentage last year could have been pushed to .920 or higher with a little better team-wide commitment to defense. I liked Roenick as an NHL player. He was colorful and fun player to watch and a competitor who hated to lose. If he fell short, it was never for lack of caring or effort. As a commentator, I find his shoot-from-the-hip style to be entertaining in small doses. However, he'll never be a go-to source for detailed analysis or well-crafted preparation. JR is all about the emotion of the moment and saying whatever comes to mind. As such, Roenick's casual dismissal of Mason's 2013-14 season as a potential long-term breakthrough is neither surprising nor worrisome. He does not have his finger on the pulse of the current Flyers' team simply by virtue of being a former Flyers player. His opinion on the defense is closer to hitting the mark than his Mason assessment. Final point: There have been plenty of goalies in recent history who have gone deep in the playoffs despite "lacking postseason credibility." Antti Niemi was the starter on a Stanley Cup champion. Marc-Andre Fleury, who has had more bad playoffs than good ones, won a Cup in 2009 with a pedestrian .908 playoff save percentage that year. Michael Leighton got the Flyers to

within two wins of the 2010 Stanley Cup. Dwayne Roloson and Jussi Markkannen got the Edmonton Oilers within one win of the Cup in 2006. *********** FRIDAY QUICK HITS * Alumnus Birthday: Defenseman Ted Harris, a member of the Flyers' second Stanley Cup winning team, turns 78. The Flyers acquired a 38-year-old Harris, who had won four previous Stanley Cup rings as a member of the Montreal Canadiens, before the 1974-75 season in a cash purchase from the St. Louis Blues. He went on to dress in 70 games during the regular season plus 16 of the Flyers' 17 playoff games en route to the championship. Harris retired after the season to become a coach with the Minnesota North Stars. After his hockey days ended, Harris owned a New Jersey hardware store for many years. * Alumnus Birthday: Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg turns 33. Drafted by the Flyers in sixth round of the 2001 NHL Draft, Seidenberg developed quickly in Germany's DEL and went on emerge as a bonafide NHL prospect. A converted forward, Seidenberg settled in as a solid two-way defenseman for Adler Mannheim. Coming to North America in 2002, he surprisingly earned a spot in coach Ken Hitchcock's lineup before experiencing the typical growing pains of a young NHL defenseman. Thereafter, Seidenberg shuttled back and forth between the big club and the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms. A broken leg suffered in January 2003 was a setback for his full-time NHL ambitions with the Flyers. However, Seidenberg became a key blueline member for the Phantoms during the team's run to the 2004-05 Calder Cup championship. Seidenberg entered the 2005-06 season with a realistic shot at finally earning a full-time job with the big club. Unfortunately, the German defenseman continued to struggle with a variety of injuries, missing time with a concussion, a fractured wrist and a left knee sprain. As a result, Seidenberg only dressed in 29 more games for the Flyers. With Peter Forsberg shelved due to an ongoing groin problem (which turned out to be related to the congenital foot problems that eventually ended his Hall of Fame career), the Flyers traded Seidenberg to the Phoenix Coyotes on Jan. 20, 2006. In return, Philly received veteran center Petr Nedved. Since leaving Philadelphia, Seidenberg has finally gone on to become a solid regular NHL contributor. Most notably, he was a mainstay on the Boston Bruins' Stanley Cup-winning team of 2011-12. This past season, Seidenberg was limited by injury to 34 games. His prolonged absence ultimately prompted the Bruins to trade with Philadelphia to rent Andrej Meszaros in exchange for the third-round 2014 Draft pick that the Flyers recently used on the selection of defenseman Mark Friedman.

4. PhiladelphiaFlyers.com - My first camp... with Travis Sanheim Staff Report END OF CAMP & BUSY SUMMER AHEAD The scrimmage or mini-tournament we had at the end of camp was a good one. I think all the players had fun with it, or at least I did. It was pretty competitive and just a good feeling to play a game after putting in a lot of hard work in drills all week. All week camp was about learning, absorbing as much information as we could and slowing the whole process down. Playing those games at the end was a good way to see how much of it we absorbed right away and pick up the pace of game action. It also helped me personally because I got to test myself and put all that repetition and knowledge to good use heading into the rest of summer for training. Speaking of the rest of summer -- I have a really busy road ahead of me: I left at 6 a.m. for the airport on Wednesday, which means I got up much earlier than that! Thankfully I'm used to travel and slept on the plane. I went from Philly to Chicago to Winnipeg - then up to my hometown. I have a few weeks at home, where I will train the whole time... well maybe after a day or two to rest... but then I have to go to Montreal for Canada's World Junior Camp starting on Aug. 3. Sam Morin will be there with me as well. After camp, I'll go home to grab my things and head back to Calgary and prepare for the WHL season at the end of August, and hopefully I'll get an invite to Flyers camp here in September. It sounds like it's going to be really busy, but I'm looking forward to it. When I think about it, it's going to be really fun. That's it for me. I can't wait to come back to Philly. It was a great experience all around. From meeting the players, coaches and especially the fans from the area. I'd like to say a big thank you for everyone who came out to watch and support us and Let's Go Flyers! -Travis 5. NHL.com - Kings assistant Stevens brings Cup to Jersey Shore Adam Kimelman ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- When Los Angeles Kings assistant coach John Stevens had his day with the Stanley Cup in 2012, he took it home to Ontario. Thursday, he brought it to his other

home near the beaches of New Jersey, where he spent almost two decades as a player and coach in the Philadelphia Flyers organization "I was here for 18 years," Stevens said. "My kids grew up here. We have a home in Sea Isle [City]. We won last time in 2012, we wanted to take it home to my family. It meant a lot to them to see it. I thought if we were ever fortunate enough to win it again we'd bring it here because the kids grew up here. So many friends here that we've known for so many years, we'd love the opportunity to share it with them. That's what we're doing. It means a lot." Stevens spent 18 seasons as a player and coach in the Flyers organization, including four seasons (2006-10) as head coach, so there were plenty of old friends in the area who wanted to see the Stanley Cup. For Stevens, the opportunity to share it with so many of those people was a wonderful benefit to winning. His day started with sunrise family photos with the Cup on the Sea Isle City beach. After that, they caravanned with the Cup around town, stopping at the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol and at the city police department and fire station. Then it was back to the beach in Sea Isle City, where thousands of fans waited in line on the sand for their time with Cup. "They had a Sea Isle boat set up with the Cup in the boat," Stevens said, "and they had several thousand people there that were able to gather around, see the Cup and take pictures with the Cup." The next stop was Harrah's Atlantic City, where a few hundred additional fans got their chance to take pictures with Stevens and the Cup. "To me, the greatest thing about winning is sharing it with everyone," Stevens said. "It's so hard to win. It takes a lot to win. It takes a special group to win. The gratification is being able to share it with so many people, especially the ones that are very appreciative. That's what we've been feeling all day." The night ended with a party at The Deck at Harrah's for family and friends, including Kings forwards Justin Williams and Jeff Carter. It was a long day, but one Stevens is enjoying now as much as he did two years ago when he had it at home in Ontario. "We get private time with [the Cup]," Stevens said. "It makes us happy when we can share it with our family and friends and the community we live in. It's been a really good day."

NHL Articles 1. NHL.com - Canucks' Subban hopes to create own niche Kevin Woodley VANCOUVER -- It didn't take long before the questions directed at Vancouver Canucks prospect Jordan Subban during development camp focused more on his older brothers. It never does. He plays defenseman, the same position as Norris Trophy-winning sibling and Montreal Canadiens star P.K. Subban, so comparisons are inevitable. With middle brother Malcolm Subban coming off his first pro season as a goaltender in the Boston Bruins organization, the questions about family are never far off. To be clear, none of that bothers the youngest Subban. "I am used to it by now," Jordan said, adding most of the questions are about P.K. "He's my brother, so I love to talk about him, and it's great to see him have success, but at the same time I am me." Like big brother P.K., Jordan is a dynamic offensive defenseman with smooth skating and slick puck skills. But there are differences beyond the undersized 5-foot-9 frame that dropped Jordan into the fourth round of the 2013 NHL Draft. If P.K. is trying to shoot it through the net, Jordan is trying to put it in off the bottom of the crossbar. If P.K. is looking to blow up an opposing forward with a big hit, Jordan is trying to poke the puck away with an active, longer than normal stick. It could be said Jordan's game is more subtle and cerebral, but that wouldn't be doing justice to his passion to play and ability to excite. Canucks prospect Brendan Gaunce saw Subban's impact firsthand playing parts of three seasons as his teammate on the Belleville Bulls in the Ontario Hockey League. "He's pretty electric and he loves to play hockey," said Gaunce, who was traded to the Erie Otters in November. "It's important to have guys on your team that are charismatic. You can see how P.K. conducts himself, he's very excited to play hockey and he shows it on the ice and wears his heart on his sleeve, and I think Jordan is the same way. He has the skills to be exuberant on the ice and he likes to bring people out of their seats and he loves to score." Jordan Subban's production didn't dip dramatically on the rebuilding Bulls last season. After scoring 15 goals and 36 assists in 68 games before the Canucks picked him 115th in the draft, Subban had 12 goals and 30 assists in 66 games last season. Belleville went from the top of the OHL Eastern Conference in 2012-13 to second-to-last in 2013-14, sliding 43 points in the standings and trading away top-end talent, including Gaunce.

"You never want to play on a team that loses more than you win, but we had a young team and I think a lot of the young guys learned a lot," said Subban, who has focused on improving defensive play that was questioned by some in his draft year. "I was put in more of a leadership role." It's a role that is expected to expand during a fourth season of junior hockey with the same Belleville team his brothers played on. Subban, 19, isn't old enough to play in the American Hockey League and isn't ready to crack the Canucks defense, but he is preparing physically for the transition to pro hockey after next season. "He's a lot stronger," said Canucks director of player development Stan Smyl. "It's really interesting; he says his bothers grew like an inch since they got drafted and he's at that stage. He's growing and he has leaned out so much more since last year as a player." Some of that comes from the work done at two development camps with the Canucks, and weekly follow-ups from the training staff in Vancouver. But having two brothers already playing pro hockey has helped Jordan find the balance between bulking up and maintaining the speed and finesse that set him apart. Jordan, who works out with P.K at Laylor Performance Systems in Toronto during the summer, estimated he's added "probably 10 pounds at least" since being listed at 175 pounds at the draft. "There's a certain weight you want to get to, but getting there too fast can be more harmful than good," Jordan said. "But with my brothers and having all these opinions around me I'll never get to the point where I put on too much weight and slow myself down at all." Having older brothers already playing pro hockey ensures Jordan has a good example to follow. "It's more the commitment," Jordan said, citing nutrition as an example. "Everybody knows what's good and not good to put in our body, but it's being able to consistently put the right things in your body, and I see my brothers do it and I see they have success, and it shows me the level of commitment I need to have success too." It's a benefit of famous older brothers that might trump having to answer all those questions about them. 2. NHL.com - Islanders' Pulock knows competition stiff on defense Brian Compton UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- No more junior hockey for Ryan Pulock. The offensive-minded defenseman is ready for his next challenge, which he hopes will be NHL competition as a member of the New York Islanders.

Pulock finished his junior career in 2013-14 as the leading goal-scorer among defensemen in Brandon Wheat Kings history. The Islanders' first-round pick (No. 15) at the 2013 NHL Draft scored 64 goals and 146 assists and played 261 games in four Western Hockey League seasons. He is armed with a slap shot that has been clocked at over 100 mph. Pulock, who turns 20 on Oct. 6, could start the 2014-15 season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the American Hockey League, but he'll head to NHL training camp in September with greater aspirations. He'll be facing some stiff competition this fall. The Islanders already have Calvin de Haan, Travis Hamonic, Lubomir Visnovsky and Thomas Hickey in the mix on their blue line and signed TJ Brennan, the defenseman of the year in the AHL last season, on July 1. Griffin Reinhart, the Islanders' 2012 first-round pick (No. 4), also is expected to push hard for a roster spot. "There's a lot of good other [defensemen]," Pulock said last week while participating in development camp at Nassau Coliseum. "For me, I just want to come in and have a good camp and push for a spot and just do all I can to be on the team and see what happens from there." Pulock had an outstanding season with Brandon in 2013-14, finishing second on the team with 63 points in 66 games, and his 23 goals were second among WHL defensemen. But the improvements Pulock made in the defensive zone have Islanders brass smiling. "I think he's doing a really good job developing his overall game," director of player development Eric Cairns said. "He's obviously an offensive defenseman with a very heavy shot. He's put a lot of time and focus into his play away from the puck defensively. His habits have improved and it's just been a year. He's starting to push his pace a little bit harder, a little bit faster. He is a good skater; he's a very powerful skater. Just in one year I've seen a lot of development in his game." Some of Pulock's production at the junior level can obviously be attributed to his blazing slap shot. Reinhart, who played against Pulock in the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings, is excited by the prospect of no longer having to face Pulock's rockets from the point. "I think everyone in the league was scared of playing against the Brandon Wheat Kings because of that shot from the blue line," Reinhart said. "It's a lot more fun being on his side." When Brandon's season ended, Pulock got his first taste of professional hockey. He played three games for Bridgeport and had one assist and two penalty minutes. It didn't take long for Pulock to see how challenging the transition from junior to pro hockey would be. "Obviously it goes up in all areas," Pulock said. "Guys are bigger, stronger, smarter. The skill level is higher. It's another step and there's another step from there on to the NHL. But it's a good development. I think getting there for a few games will really help me.

"It was a great experience for me. Obviously it was good to get down there and have a taste of the next step and kind of get comfortable with that. I think that definitely helped my development a bit going into [2014-15]." Where Pulock lands in October ultimately will be determined by how he performs in training camp. That's why he's spending the summer in the gym and on the ice honing his skills in an attempt to impress Islanders coach Jack Capuano and his staff. "This summer I'm trying to get bigger and stronger and faster," Pulock said. "My defensive game needs some work. I think it's improved over the years but it's an area for me that I can continue working on." If he needs more work, he'll likely get it in Bridgeport, something Pulock and the Islanders are happy about. "I don't know if you call it relief, but we are happy that he's able to turn pro and be able to accept the next challenge, whatever it is, after training camp," Cairns said. It's a bittersweet time for Pulock, who is excited for what lies ahead but also closing a chapter of his life he will reflect on with fond memories. Last season, he was Brandon's captain and became the fifth Wheat Kings defenseman to amass 200 points, impressive for a franchise that has existed since 1936. "I had a lot of fun playing junior in Brandon. I think it really helped me a lot," Pulock said. "When I first got there as a 16-year-old, I was pretty young and I wasn't sure where my game was going to go. But I think in Brandon I learned a lot over my years and really improved as a player and I think I can thank them for that. [Brandon general manager/coach] Kelly McCrimmon was there for me the whole time, helping me out, pushing me as a player … he's helped me get to where I am now." 3. NHL.com - Devils re-sign Josefson to two-year contract: report Staff Report Jacob Josefson has re-signed with the New Jersey Devils, according to NJ.com, which reports the forward received a two-year, $1.6 million contract. Jacob Josefson JACOB JOSEFSON CENTER - NJD GOALS: 1 | ASST: 2 | PTS: 3 SOG: 21 | +/-: 0 Josefson, 23, had one goal and three points in 27 games last season.

The 20th pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, Josefson has seven goals and 25 points in 118 games over parts of four seasons. He had one assist in six Stanley Cup Playoff games during the Devils' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. 4. ESPN.com - Patrick Kane: 'We're locked up here' Scott Powers CHICAGO -- Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, both top-five draft picks, began their NHL careers together for the Blackhawks in 2007 and have been behind the franchise's resurgence the last seven seasons. Chicago has won two Stanley Cup titles, reached four Western Conference finals and made six consecutive playoff appearances since their arrival. Kane said they never considered exploring what their other options could be outside the Blackhawks. "Even you can see free agents these days, they want to come to Chicago and be a part of not only this team and organization, but the city and the fans as well, obviously the tradition that has been going on here for the past few years of winning hockey games," Kane said. "It was not even a thought to think about continuing your career anywhere else. I think we're both happy we're locked up here for a while." Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said Wednesday he understands there will be salary cap challenges ahead after recently re-signing Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews to identical eight-year, $84 million contract extensions, but it's his job to make it work. The new contracts for Kane and Toews will go into effect during the 2015-16 season. The NHL's salary cap is at $69 million for the upcoming season, but is expected to increase in future seasons. "I don't know if there's any more pressure," Bowman said regarding the salary cap at a news conference at the United Center on Wednesday. "I think that's our job to make it work. It's obviously a puzzle to put together, but we're going to make it work. We've been able to do that in the past. I have a lot of faith in the ability to keep that going. "I have always said the most important thing for us is you can't get star players. Once you do get ones, it's so hard to win. You got star players here who have shown the ability to win. They want to be here. It's not even a discussion point. I'm just thrilled we have two of them. Most teams would die to have one of these players on their team. We have two of them here. We're very fortunate. The rest of the stuff will work itself out. We put a lot of work into finding young players and surrounding these guys with a great supporting cast." Jonathan Toews, left, and Patrick Kane were all smiles on Wednesday as their new twin $84 million contracts were introduced.

Pat Brisson, who represents both Kane and Toews, said Wednesday the two players could have been worth as much as $13.8 million a year each on the open market. They are set to become the highest-paid NHL players with an annual average salary of $10.5 million each. "They could have demanded $13.8 million each, but at the same time they understand that hockey is a team sport," Brisson said. "The reason why they're also successful as players is based on the environment they're in. I give them a lot of credit for understanding that, which role they can play currently and in the future." Toews said he and Kane agreed on their contracts because it paid them well, but it also wouldn't destroy what the Blackhawks could do in the future with the salary cap. "I think there is a balance there," Toews said. "I think as far as looking at the team that we have, I guess the truths that do exist as far as trying to keep a solid, successful team together with a lot of key parts that go beyond just the two of us. Like we said, we're very conscious of that and the success we've had as individuals on this team has a lot to do with the great teammates we've had along the way. We're very conscious of what goes into that as far as keeping this team together. "On the other hand, you like to see that market keeps going up and up as the NHL keeps growing as a sport. I think at the end of the day you want to look after your family and your own interests as well, but I think we did pretty well at balancing that and we're very happy with the way things worked out. Like we said, we're excited to be a part of this family for another eight years." 5. ESPN.com - Fortunes fall into place for Hawks Jon Greenburg CHICAGO -- Inside a tucked-away club at the United Center, at a long table where the bottled water had the Chicago Blackhawks logo facing out to the cameras, five of the six most important members of the organization (no room for coach Joel Quenneville, who sat nearby) met the media to bask in their own good fortune on Wednesday afternoon. From left to right, it was general manager Stan Bowman, team president John McDonough, owner Rocky Wirtz, captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the star. The occasion was to formally announce the twin eight-year, $84 million contract extensions signed by Toews and Kane that will presumably keep the pair here through their mid-30s. It's money well spent. When Toews (the No. 3 pick in 2006) and Kane (No. 1 in 2007) were drafted as teenagers, the Blackhawks were a shell of a franchise. No crowds, no buzz. Back then, Bowman was a front-office worker bee anonymous to 99 percent of Chicago and the son of a famous man. McDonough was dreaming of a World Series with the Chicago Cubs. And Wirtz was working for the family booze business.

Kane had more hair and less of an Internet rap sheet, and Toews, well, was a younger version of his current self. Now, almost seven years later, the Blackhawks have two Stanley Cups, a season-ticket waiting list and a city full of rabid fans. Time has been good to these men, as they've all grown rich and successful together. "It's crazy to think it's been seven years already," Toews said. "It's amazing to think we're going to have a chance to continue this ride we've been on for another eight years, at least." As I listened to McDonough heap gratuitous praise on Wirtz -- "the humility of a statesman ... the ultimate difference-maker" -- I thought about the macabre subtext at any Blackhawks celebration: that without the death of Rocky Wirtz's father, former owner Bill Wirtz, in September 2007, the team's outsize success probably wouldn't be possible. "The sports landscape in Chicago changed forever when Rocky arrived on this campus in October 2007," McDonough said. Ain't that the truth. The Hawks and their fans can expect to see the these jerseys worn on the ice by their two stars for a long time to come. No one mentioned Bill Wirtz, of course, at this news conference, nor did they thank Dale Tallon, the general manager who drafted Kane and Toews. Tallon is still alive, signing ex-Blackhawks in South Florida. While the Blackhawks executives love to bask in their own reflected glory, it's important to give thanks to, well, no one at all, for the simple good fortune in these two singular players landing in Chicago at the right time. Raise a glass to fate! The faces of the Blackhawks agreed: "I'm just thrilled we have two of them," said Bowman, who housed Kane during his rookie year. "Most teams would die to have one of these players on their team. We have two of them here. We're very fortunate." "I was fortunate enough to come in with [Toews] at the same time," Kane said. "Yeah, you get lucky," Quenneville said. "Sometimes you get lucky. They had some real tough years, some lean years around the United Center. They took some lumps. We're definitely fortunate. Say you didn't get one of them. Who knows how it could've played out?"

It's most important to give praise to Kane and Toews for being really, really good at hockey: the two-way center and the explosive forward with the showbiz celebrations. Sure, it's great they're polite to the media and charitable in the community. But all that stuff comes after what they do on the ice. Hockey players love to revel in the team, the cohesive locker room. But everyone on the Hawks know these two make the team tick. They didn't win the Conn Smythe trophies in each of the Cup years by accident. Yes, Wirtz put the games on TV, the biggest non-decision in the town's history, but Kane and Toews gave people something to watch. The duo, who have the same agent and debuted in the same season, are their own brand now, mused McDonough, whose area of expertise is marketing. "I don't know if it's Kane and Toews or it's Toews and Kane," McDonough said. "But I know [the brand] is powerful and it's really respected." Toews' personal brand is that of the serious leader and a consistent winner. He's got two Cups and two Olympic gold medals. So, of course, someone had to ask him about losing Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings. Throughout that final game, I had no doubt the Blackhawks would win it, just because they had done it so many times before. But they didn't, and that's part of the story now, too. "I watched a little bit [of the Stanley Cup finals], not much," Toews said. "Especially, you watch the celebration at the end, with the Kings hoisting the Cup again. You let that sink in. I think we realized how close we were. "We like to think we were one goal away from getting another chance. You learn a lot when you win; I think you definitely understand how difficult it was the second time around against Boston. But I think you learn even more when you lose, especially when you come that close." That's why Toews said he's glad to get this signing done, so he can focus on next season. Money matters, though. Toews and Kane will take up a decent chunk of the team's salary cap going forward. But they came together in a relative bargain. Asked what these two are really worth, their agent Pat Brisson said they could have easily commanded the maximum average of 20 percent of a team's cap, but they took a little less for the good of the team. "They could have demanded $13.8 million each, but at the same time they understand that hockey is a team sport," Brisson said. "The reason why they're also successful as players is based

on the environment they're in. I give them a lot of credit for understanding that, which role they can play currently and in the future." Don't start wailing about sacrifice quite yet. As of now, they each have the biggest salary-cap hit in the league at $10.5 million per year and are getting very nice signing bonuses. They know they'll say goodbye to more veteran teammates over the next couple of years, but that's the cost of doing business in the NHL. Bowman and his staff have done a solid job filling the organization with young talent. You build around the core. Brisson said he "had certain doubts, perhaps" when these two were drafted by the Hawks. "But I knew Chicago is a great sports town," he said. "I felt there was a great opportunity for them to grow with it." Either his instincts proved correct or Toews and Kane made him seem smart. It's fascinating how much of an effect luck has in the NHL. But, really, in all forms of life, luck is all about putting yourself in the right situation and taking advantage: crashing the net at the right time, taking the shot and hoping for a deflection, planting yourself in front of a goal. Kane and Toews will say they were lucky to come to this organization, and I say this organization is lucky to have them. And everyone is right. 6. ESPN.com - Tyler Ennis re-signs with Sabres Staff Report BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sabres general manager Tim Murray wasn't kidding about how much he wanted center Tyler Ennis to be part of Buffalo's long-term future. The Sabres announced Thursday that they re-signed Ennis to a multiyear deal. A person familiar with the agreement confirmed to The Associated Press early Thursday that the deal is a five-year contract worth about $23 million. Ennis was a restricted free agent after the Sabres retained his rights by tendering him a contract offer last month. He is a speedy, play-making forward who led the Sabres with a career-best 21 goals and added 22 assists in 80 games last season. Last month, Murray spoke highly of how he foresaw Ennis being part of his rebuilding plan in Buffalo. The Sabres (21-51-10) finished last, set a franchise record for losses, and established a post-NHL-expansion-era low by scoring just 150 goals last season.

"I like his approach to the game. I like his compete level. I like his speed," Murray said. "There's a lot of things I like about him, and if we can do a long-term deal with him, then obviously the decision we've made is we'd go forward with him." Ennis was the second of Buffalo's two 2008 first-round draft picks. He is a two-time 20-goal scorer and, overall, has 69 goals and 97 assists in 267 career games over four-plus seasons with the Sabres. Murray has already been busy restocking the Sabres this summer. Buffalo made a splash in free agency by signing forwards Matt Moulson and Brian Gionta and defensemen Josh Gorges and Andrej Meszaros. Center Sam Reinhart, selected with the No. 2 pick in the draft last month, will also have a shot at making the team this season. 7. TSN.ca - Sabres Re-Sign Forward Ennis To Multi-Year Deal Staff Report BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Sabres re-signed centre Tyler Ennis on Thursday to a five-year contract worth about $23 million, addressing one of the final pieces of their off-season rebuilding plan. A person familiar with the agreement revealed the terms to The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Sabres referred to the contract only as a multiyear deal. Ennis was a restricted free agent after the Sabres retained his rights by tendering him an offer last month. Buffalo has now re-signed four of its five restricted free agents, with the exception of forward Luke Adam. Ennis is a speedy, playmaking forward who led the Sabres with a career-best 21 goals and added 22 assists in 80 games last season. Last month, general manager Tim Murray spoke highly of Ennis and how he might help revive the team. Last season, the Sabres (21-51-10) finished last, set a franchise record for losses and established a post-NHL-expansion-era low by scoring just 150 goals. "I like his approach to the game. I like his compete level. I like his speed," Murray said. "There's a lot of things I like about him, and if we can do a long-term deal with him, then obviously the decision we've made is we'd go forward with him." Ennis was the second of Buffalo's two 2008 first-round draft picks. He is a two-time 20-goal scorer and has 69 goals and 97 assists in 267 games over four-plus seasons with the Sabres. Murray has already been busy restocking the Sabres this summer.

Buffalo made a splash in free agency by signing forwards Matt Moulson and Brian Gionta and defencemen Josh Gorges and Andrej Meszaros. Center Sam Reinhart, selected with the No. 2 pick in the draft last month, will also have a shot at making the team. 8. TSN.ca - Warriors Hire Longtime NHL Assistant Hunter As Head Coach Staff Report MOOSE JAW, Sask. -- The Moose Jaw Warriors have hired Tim Hunter as their new head coach. Hunter spent 14 years as an NHL assistant, most recently with the Washington Capitals in 2013. Before that he was an assistant under Ron Wilson with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2008 to 2011. The 53-year-old Calgary native played 815 NHL games with the Flames, Quebec Nordiques, Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks. He won the Stanley Cup as co-captain of the Flames in 1989. This is the first head coaching job of Hunter's career. 9. NewYorkPost.com - Rangers plot move for Boston College stud Kevin Hayes Larry Brooks  

The Rangers have targeted pending free-agent winger Kevin Hayes, the 22-year-old Boston College graduate who was selected 24th overall by the Blackhawks in the 2010 Entry Draft, but who will be eligible to hit the open market on Aug. 16 if he does not sign with Chicago by Aug. 15, The Post has learned.

Hayes, who is continuing to negotiate with the Blackhawks, is expected to be pursued by numerous NHL clubs. Several industry sources report they believe the Rangers will be among a handful of finalists in the bidding for the 6-foot-3, 205-pound left-handed shooting right wing, who played two seasons with Chris Kreider, should he become a free agent.

A finalist for the Hobey Baker award given to the NCAA’s best player, Hayes recorded 65 points (27-38) for the Eagles as a senior while playing on a line with Hobey Baker winner Johnny Gaudreau, the center who joined the Flames for the final game of their season after having been selected 104th overall by Calgary in 2011.

Several NHL talent evaluators told The Post they believe Hayes, who did not attend Chicago’s prospect camp last week after having done so in each of the previous four summers, likely would have been selected between 15th and 25th had he been eligible to re-enter the 2014 draft. He is regarded as an offensive talent perhaps a bit lacking in the ability to grind.

Hayes, who is eligible/required to sign a two-year Entry Level deal regardless of whether he signs with Chicago or becomes a free agent, would have a shot to make the Rangers with a strong training camp. The Blueshirts appear to have vacancies on their third and fourth lines.

Having traded their first-round draft picks in 2013, 2014 and 2015, the Rangers have been aggressive in attempting to sign undrafted college free agents in order to stock their system. Within the last 18 months, they have added defenseman Connor Allen out of UMass-Amherst; defenseman Mat Bodie out of Union College; center Chris McCarthy out of Vermont; and winger Ryan Haggerty out of RPI.

The Blueshirts are continuing to negotiate with restricted free agents Kreider, Mats Zuccarello and Derick Brassard, all of whom have filed for salary arbitration and whose hearings will be held by the end of the month.

Kreider, whose hearing is scheduled for July 23, will get a two-year award that likely will fall in the range of $2.1 million-$2.5 million per season, even as the parties attempt to avoid arbitration by nailing down a two-year contract prior to the hearing.

Zuccarello, whose hearing is scheduled for July 25, and Brassard, whose hearing is set for July 28, are both eligible to become unrestricted free agents next summer. Hence, they would receive one-year awards should they actually go to arbitration.

The Rangers are attempting to negotiate long-term contracts with both that would entail “buying out” years of unrestricted free agency and thus would increase their annual cap hits over what they would command in arbitration.

Zuccarello, who would likely be in the $3.7 million-$4 million arbitration range off his club-leading 59-point season (19-40), is believed seeking a multi-year deal for at least $4.5 million per. Brassard, who would likely be in the $4.5 million-$4.75 million arbitration range off his 45-point (17-28) year, is believed to be looking for a long-term deal worth approximately $5.5 million per.

The Rangers could allow them both to go to arbitration and then attempt to sign them to contract extensions after Jan. 1. That would save cap space for this season, but could prove risky business.

The Blueshirts signed 32-year-old, free-agent depth center Matthew Lombardi to a two-year deal worth $800,000 per season. Lombardi, a skill-oriented pivot who skates well and kills penalties, played last year with Geneva-Servette of the Swiss League, leading the league in scoring with 50 points (20-30) in 46 games.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder began his NHL career with the Flames in 2003-04, getting 20 goals in 2006-07. Lombardi recorded 53 points (19-34) for the 2009-10 Coyotes.

10. The Canadian Press - As head of Hockey Canada, Renney has different task at hand than Nicholson

Stephen Whyno

Tom Renney joked that on his first day as Hockey Canada president and CEO, his first challenge was finding his new office.

Renney, hired earlier this week to lead Hockey Canada, is working out of the same office as his predecessor, Bob Nicholson, but he'll be tasked with doing a much different job.

"When Bob Nicholson took over (in 1998), Hockey Canada needed Bob to turn it into a business, and he did, and he made it a great business," Mike Babcock said. "So now the grassroots program can be more of a focus because Bob looked after the business. They've got to maintain the business, they've got to grow grassroots."

Renney's on-the-job challenges include trying to make hockey more affordable for children to begin playing and for adults to continue. He'll also be counted on to handle the 2018 Winter Olympics, which may or may not include NHL players.

The 59-year-old, who spent the bulk of his professional career as an NHL coach, considers it his "mandate" not to just oversee gold medals but to make hockey enjoyable and protect it as other sports are fighting for athletes' time and interest. He called that "point one" of his regime and specifically emphasized wanting to introduce hockey to Canadian immigrants.

"We have to make the rink a destination," Renney said. "We want to make sure that leadership in every community across the country is sound and value-driven to make sure that the experience is something that will last a lifetime so that we continue to grow the game."

Babcock had Renney on his coaching staff with the Detroit Red Wings the past two seasons and considers him the right man to lead that charge.

"The Canadian game for me is a huge deal," Babcock said in a phone interview. "The more I've been involved the more Canadian you feel and the more you want the game to be Canadian, and in order to do that the grassroots hockey has to be a huge priority. ... Tom can't get enough. In the summer, I go to the lake, I go water-skiing, I go hunting, I do things. I'm sure Tom's working on drills this morning. That's just Tom, he loves it."

In order to get the position, Hockey Canada board of directors chairman Jim Hornell said Renney had to make presentations as part of the interview process. Through that, Hornell said Renney's "passion came through."

Passion is a good start, but Renney also got the gig because of his experience working for Hockey Canada at the branch and national levels.

Spending two decades in professional coaching could also give Renney a leg up as Hockey Canada looks ahead almost four years to the next Olympics and the chance to win gold for a third straight time. There's no agreement yet about whether the NHL will send its players to Pyeongchang, South Korea, and because of that uncertainty Renney — who coached the 1994 Olympic team without pros — said he'd be prepared for either possibility.

"I've had some experience with that at the very least and I feel comfortable with it," he told reporters this week. "I would feel more comfortable if we were to continue to play best-on-best."

After general manager Steve Yzerman said he wouldn't return in 2018, it'll be up to Renney to find someone to construct the roster. The Cranbook, B.C., native has the hockey acumen to do it himself, if need be.

Renney will also have to appoint a coach. Babcock has gold medals from Vancouver and Sochi.

"The other day when he was telling me he was taking the job, I said, 'Tom, don't call,'" Babcock said. "He started laughing and said 'I'll be calling for sure.' I have no idea. ... I really believe you earn the opportunity to coach the Canadian Olympic team, and you earn the opportunity by continuing to be a top coach in the National Hockey League that wins. So three years from now they can decide."

Over the next few years, Renney hopes the "high performance" program continues to churn out gold medals in men's, women's and sledge hockey. But his immediate concerns are more about maintaining participation numbers at all ages and levels.

Babcock pointed out that, on the heels of the World Cup and its immense popularity, it's much easier for kids to put on a pair of spikes and play soccer than it is for his or her family to pay for hockey equipment. That's a challenge Renney is partially responsible for tackling, even as he believes Hockey Canada is doing a pretty good job with programs benefiting the underprivileged.

Renney wants to make hockey valuable enough that it's worth investing in.

"If people have value for their dollar, that's the greatest responsibility of all," he said. "I think people will find the ways and means with which to participate in hockey if they believe in its leadership. And because of good leadership you'll have good programming, because of good programming you'll have participation, because of participation it perpetuates itself. ...

"At the end of the day we'll do everything we possibly can to make sure that those that have trouble accessing the game for funds get an opportunity to access it in some way through a network of finances."

11. The Canadian Press - Brisebois leaves Canadiens for personal reasons

Stephen Whyno

MONTREAL — Patrice Brisebois is leaving the Montreal Canadiens for personal reasons, a source tells The Canadian Press.

Brisebois, who has served as director of player development for the past two years, told general manager Marc Bergevin of his intentions earlier this week, the source said.

The 43-year-old Montreal native played 16 of his 18 NHL seasons for the Habs. Between Montreal and the Colorado Avalanche he played 1,009 career games.

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