Sports Online:Browne Sanders named vice president

Former Buffalo admin. to oversee women’s hoops championships

Anucha Browne Sanders has been selected as the NCAA’s vice president of women’s basketball championships. In this role, Browne Sanders will set the strategic direction for, and oversee the operation and management of, the Division I, II and III women’s basketball championships.

Browne Sanders was previously the Buffalo senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, where she supervised men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, swimming, diving and rowing. She was also responsible for marketing and ticket sales efforts, corporate partnerships,  community relations, event presentation and operations for revenue sports.

“Anucha’s experience not only in basketball, but also in management – as well as her history as an NCAA student-athlete – brings a unique and valuable skill set to this important position,” said Mark Lewis, the NCAA executive vice president of championships and alliances. “Her credentials are impressive and I know that she will bring a clear vision of how to put on exciting championships and continue to grow women’s basketball.”

“It’s an exciting time for the game of women’s college basketball and I am thrilled and honored to have been selected for the challenge of leading the championships into the next phase of growth and development,” Browne Sanders said. “Basketball has provided me with numerous opportunities in my life and I hope to take that experience and build upon it as we enhance the student-athlete experience at all championship levels.”

Browne Sanders will be responsible for the NCAA’s relationship with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), will serve as the primary liaison to the Division I,  II and III women’s basketball committees and provide strategic oversight of the site-selection process for each championship.

“Anucha brings a wealth of experience to the NCAA and the membership. Her background in marketing at the NBA and collegiate level are strong assets that will enhance the growth of women’s basketball,” Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette McGlade said. “But more importantly, she is passionate about women’s basketball and understands its unique place of importance within the national landscape.”

During her tenure at Buffalo, Browne Sanders was instrumental in producing higher ticket, suite and sponsor revenues, as well as spearheading a new community service approach that enabled the Buffalo student-athletes to participate in a variety of impactful service initiatives.

Prior to her service at Buffalo, Browne Sanders was the senior vice president of marketing and business operations for the NBA’s New York Knicks.

In her collegiate career, Browne Sanders was a highly decorated women’s basketball student-athlete at Northwestern, earning all-Big Ten team honors three times and Big Ten Player of the Year twice. Browne Sanders holds the all-time conference records for scoring (2,307 points) and rebounds (951). In 1985, she led all Division I women’s basketball players in scoring average with 30.5 points per game. She was twice named as a Wade and Naismith Trophy Finalist and was a three-time member of the All Big Ten Conference and Women’s Sports Federation All-American teams. Browne Sanders was inducted into Northwestern’s Hall of Fame, and was also named as Northwestern University’s Athlete of the Century No. 4, Northwestern’s Athlete of the Decade and to the Big Ten Conference All Decade Team.

Browne Sanders is a board member of both the Black Coaches Association and the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators. She earned her master’s degree from Florida State.

“Women’s basketball has seen incredible growth through the years and we were looking for someone who could not only continue that positive movement, but also improve the game,” said Carolayne Henry, chair of the search committee and the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, as well as senior associate commissioner and SWA of the Mountain West Conference. “Anucha is a proven leader at understanding basketball at all levels of the game and was the best choice to continue the positive growth of the championship.”

Sports Online:Tough call at QB for Wheaton (Ill.)

Meador, Roberts build on past success, faith in position battle

Garrett Meador posted five 300-yard passing games last year and now is in a battle to be the starting QB at Wheaton (Ill.)

Preseason training camp is always full of decisions for coaches of any sport, but Wheaton (Ill.) head coach Mike Swider will be wrestling with a big one during the next few weeks.

The Thunder does not have just one highly successful starting quarterback.  They have two – seniors Garrett Meador and Jordan Roberts.

Roberts won the starting job as a sophomore in 2010 after competing with Meador in preseason camp, and went on to lead the Thunder to the Division III playoffs and a 10-2 record while setting the school record for completion percentage (66.4). 

Roberts was scheduled to be the starter again in 2011, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in a preseason scrimmage. Meador took over the starting job, and ran with it. Wheaton went 8-2 on the year, and Meador was named College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Player of the Year and North Region Player of the Year, while posting the second-highest completion percentage in school history.  Two weeks ago, Meador was named a preseason first-team All-American by d3football.com. 

Decisions, decisions.

“The bottom line is we have two quarterbacks that can lead us to a championship,” Swider said.  “There are two quarterbacks here that are equally capable and equally experienced, and are coming into compete with the idea they can be the guy … and that is the case.”

The pair also brings two different looks to the Thunder offense. Roberts rushed for 493 yards in 2010, while Meador racked up five 300-yard passing performances last season.

“Jordan is probably a little better runner,” Swider said.  “He probably brings that dimension to the offense.  He throws it, he runs it, he adlibs. When things break down, he has the ability to create and run the football. He is an extremely accurate thrower. Garrett probably has a stronger arm and is more of a pure passer.”

Both signal-callers were highly regarded coming out of high school. 

“Both of them had opportunities at bigger schools, and they both chose Wheaton because of the Christian community and the way they would be encouraged in their faith,” Swider said.

Roberts, a native of Yorkville, Ill., was a two-time all-state quarterback, who owns 14 Illinois High School Association records, including passing yards and passing touchdowns.

“It was a combination of good football, location — my mom loved that,and most of all it was faith-based,” Roberts said. 

Meador, a native of Fishers, Ind., guided Heritage Christian High School to a state runner-up finish and was named National Offensive Player of the Year and was a first-team All-American by the National Christian Schools Athletic Association.

“Within every football team there is a brotherhood, but when you add the Christian element, it’s a double-whammy,” Meador said.  “It makes for a very close-knit group and tight bond.”

One of the ways the Wheaton football program instills that closeness is by organizing annual mission trips during Spring Break. Meador and Roberts have both participated, visiting third-world countries in Africa and Haiti in order to help those less fortunate.

“When you put yourself second to a cause or someone else, you come back a better person,” Swider said.  “There is no question that every one of our players comes back and is absolutely marked.”

“Those trips are absolutely unbelievable,” Meador said.  “When you’re in a third-world country serving people in poverty, and you have a brother to the right of you,you become pretty close when you tackle questions like, ‘Why is this happening to these people?’ ”

That question may be as tough to answer as “Who will be Wheaton’s starter in the season opener?”

“Our players believe in either one of them because they’ve each performed,” Swider said. 

And, there is no doubt both Roberts and Meador are up for the challenge.

“When any true athlete or competitor hears the phrase ‘battling for your position’, that gets you excited because that’s what you want,” Meador said. “You want that competition because that’s also going to make the best player.” 

“If you have someone who is battling with you for the starting spot, you’re going to work that much harder in the weight room, in the film room, out on the field and as being a leader,” Roberts said.

“I’m going to go out there and give it my all. Regardless of the situation, I’ll understand it and know that whatever happens is best for the team. Whoever the QB is for Wheaton, it will be a guy that has the experience of having been successful in his college career.”

Preseason camp opened on Aug. 8, and Swider went into it with an open mind.

“They’re coming in on equal levels and they are going to compete,” Swider said. “You don’t rule anything out. We’re going to feel our way through this thing. As we work our way through camp and practices, we’re going to try to identify a starting quarterback, but if for some reason we think each of them do certain things well, if that’s the best thing for the team we’ll play them both.”

Wheaton opens the season on Aug. 30 as the Thunder hosts Benedictine at McCully Stadium. The Thunder are ranked No. 15 in the d3football.com Preseason Top 25, and was picked to finish second behind North Central (Ill.) in the CCIW preseason coaches’ poll. 

Sports Online:Boise State still team to beat in MWC

Broncos eye another title before joining league’s mass transition

Sports Online:The Mountain West has lost three teams, gained three new ones. It will swap out two schools for two more next season. Four new coaches will take over this year.

With all that jumbling, of course the favorite to win the title won’t be around next season.

Boise State, despite losing six players to the NFL draft, is the overwhelming pick to win the conference title before it heads off to the Big East next year.

“I’m an honest guy; Boise State is the best team in the league,” San Diego State coach Rocky Long said. “It’s going to be tough for the rest of us to catch up and maybe beat them, but they’re not unbeatable. Now you take all the rest of us, put us all in a hat and flip it up and the first one to hit the ground is the winner, that’s the way I see the rest of us.”

TCU, last year’s Mountain West champion, is gone, off to the Big 12. BYU left the conference after the 2010 season and Utah bolted for the Pac-12 last year.The rest of them are what’s left after college football’s massive conference realignment.

Hawaii, Fresno State and Nevada will join the conference this year after leaving the WAC and two more teams, Utah State and San Jose State, will be on board in 2013, when Boise State and San Diego State are expected to leave for the Big East.

Yeah, it’s been a little tough to keep up with and this year’s race, despite the predictions of blue Bronco dominance, could be just as hard to figure.

“The first thing that jumps out at me is just a lot of true parity” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. “When you try to analyze who’s got an upper leg on anybody, there’s truly a handful-plus teams that can do some very good things.”

AIR FORCE – Key players: LB Alex Means, QB Connor Dietz, RB Wes Cobb, RB Mike DeWitt, S Anthony Wooding Jr. Returning starters: offense 3, defense 2.

Notes: The Falcons don’t have many returning starters and will have to replace Tim Jefferson, who has more wins than any other academy quarterback, and two-time 1,000-yard rusher Asher Clark. … Dietz doesn’t pass as well as Jefferson did, which will make Air Force even more predictable. It may not matter, though; the Falcons’ scheme is hard to stop, ranking them among the nation’s top rushing teams pretty much every year since the 1980s. … Air Force was one of the worst teams at stopping the run and will have a new defensive coordinator in Charlton Warren and numerous new starters.

BOISE STATE – Key players: WR Matt Miller, RB D.J. Harper, TE Gabe Linehan, T Charles Leno Jr., G Joe Kellogg, CB Jamar Taylor, CB Jerrell Gavins. Returning starters: 5 offense, 3 defense.

Notes: The Broncos have some big holes to fill in replacing QB Kellen Moore and RB Doug Martin, but return most of their offensive line and have a solid group of receivers, led by Miller. … Taylor and Gavins make up one of the conference’s best cornerback tandems, anchoring a defense without much experience. … The Broncos have been hurt by missed kicks in the past and are still searching for someone who can consistently put the ball through the uprights. … Boise State has a difficult opening game, playing at Michigan State on Aug. 31.

COLORADO STATE — Key players: RB Chris Nwoke, QB Garrett Grayson, TE Crockett Gilmore, LB Shaquil Barrett, LB James Skelton, OL Weston Richburg. Returning starters: offense 4, defense 4.

Notes: New coach Jim McElwain gets his first shot at a head coaching job after serving as the offensive coordinator during Alabama’s national championship run last season. … Nwoke is the conference’s top returning rusher after running for 1,130 yards and nine TDs last season. … Nordly Capi, the 2011 Mountain West sacks leader, and LB Mike Orakpo, the team’s leading tackler, were kicked off the team in the spring after being charged with disorderly conduct following an off-campus brawl in April. … Pass protection and run defense are the Rams’ two biggest areas of concern.

FRESNO STATE – Key players: RB Robbie Rouse, QB Derek Carr, WR Rashad Evans, LB Travis Brown, LB Patrick Su’a, S Phillip Thomas. Returning starters: offense 3, defense 4.

Notes: Fresno State should have a different look offensively under new coach Tim DeRuyter, who will switch the Bulldogs from their pro-style scheme to a no-huddle spread. … Carr, whose older brother, David, plays for the New York Giants, is one of the conference’s top NFL prospects after throwing for more than 3,500 yards and 26 TDs last season. … Rouse gives the Bulldogs one of the conference’s best offensive tandems, adding more than 1,500 yards and 13 TDs on the ground a year ago. … Fresno State’s conference title chances will likely hinge on road games against Boise State and Nevada.

HAWAII – Key players: WR Billy Ray Stutzman, RB Joey Iosefa, QB David Graves, LB Art Laurel, LB John Hardy-Tuliau, DL Paipai Falematu. Returning starters: offense 6, defense 4.

Notes: Norm Chow could have a tough first season in his return to the islands. A three-time national champion as an assistant coach, Chow got his coaching start at a Hawaii high school, but faces a rebuilding project with the Warriors in their move to a much tougher conference. … Graves was the front-runner to take over for Bryant Moniz, but wasn’t always sharp in the spring, opening up a chance for transfers Jeremy Higgins and Sean Schroeder. … Chow is known for his offensive schemes, but has put an emphasis on creating more pressure defensively.

NEW MEXICO – Key players: QB B.R. Holbrook, WR Ty Kirk, RB Demarcus Rogers, LB Dallas Bollema, DL Reggie Ellis, DL Joseph Harris. Returning starters: offense 3, defense 5.

Notes: The Lobos have nowhere to go but up after going 3-33 the previous three seasons. Charged with turning the program around is Bob Davie, the former Notre Dame coach who hasn’t been on the sidelines since 2001. … Holbrook, a fifth-year senior, probably won’t face much competition for the starting job, but may have to make some adjustments as Davie and coordinator Bob DeBesse switch to a Pistol offense. … New Mexico is loaded with seniors, but doesn’t have much depth thanks to NCAA sanctions that reduced scholarships.

NEVADA – Key players: QB Cody Fajardo, WR Brandon Wimberly, DB Duke Williams, OL Chris Barker, T Jeff Nady, RB Stefphon Jefferson. Returning starters: offense 5, defense 5.

Notes: QB Cody Fajardo was the WAC freshman of the year after taking over for do-everything Colin Kaepernick last season, throwing for over 1,700 yards and six TDs despite battling injuries. … The Wolf Pack are thin at some of the skill positions, but have some talent back on the offensive line and are always among the nation’s offensive leaders. … Coach Chris Ault, in his 28th season with the Wolf Pack, signed a two-year contract extension during the offseason. … Nevada has played in a bowl seven consecutive seasons.

SAN DIEGO STATE — Key players: QB Ryan Katz, TE Gavin Escobar, DB Leon McFadden, WR Colin Lockett, RB Walter Kazee, DB Nat Berhe, OL Alec Johnson. Returning starters: offense 5, defense 5.

Notes: The loss of Ryan Lindley, the school’s all-time pass leader, should have been a big blow. Katz, a transfer from Oregon State, could soften it. … The Aztecs will likely spread the ball around on the ground after Ronnie Hillman, the school’s third all-time leading scorer, left for the NFL. … McFadden looks like a future pro, but San Diego State has some holes to fill up front and at linebacker. … The Aztecs had a solid first season under coach Rocky Long, winning eight games and just missing a win in the New Orleans Bowl.

UNLV – Key players: QB Nick Sherry, QB Caleb Herring, RB Tim Cornett, LB John Lotulelei, DE James Boyd. Returning starters: offense 3, defense 6.

Notes: The Rebels have won two games each of the past two seasons and appear to still be in rebuilding mode in coach Bobby Hauck’s third year. … UNLV has been one of the nation’s worst passing teams and has struggled defensively, too, ranking 105th out of 120 teams last season. … Herring was the starting QB last season, but is being pushed by Sherry. … Cornett is a hard runner who averaged 5.6 yards per carry last season. … Boyd made the switch from QB to DE in the spring and was dominant at times.

WYOMING — Key players: QB Brett Smith, WR Chris McNeill, OL Nick Carlson, WR Dominic Rufran, SS Luke Ruff, DL Mike Purcell. Returning starters: offense 6, defense 5.

Notes: Smith was superb as a true freshman last season. He is the top returning passer in the Mountain West after throwing for 2,622 yards with 20 TDs, and also added more than 700 yards and 10 TDs rushing. … Smith has a solid line in front of him and a decent receiving corps, but the Cowboys will need to generate a running game to keep teams off him. … Chris Tormey, a former head coach at Idaho and Nevada, takes over as defensive coordinator and is expected to use multiple formations to help the Cowboys slow teams down.

Sports Online:Middle Tennessee State promotes assistant McGuire to head coach

McGuire

Sports Online|MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee associate head coach Jim McGuire has been promoted to the head coaching position, as announced on Thursday by Director of Athletics Chris Massaro and President Sidney A. McPhee. McGuire has spent the last 20 years serving alongside former head coach Steve Peterson, who retired on July 5 after 25 seasons at the helm.

“I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to serve as Middle Tennessee’s head coach,” McGuire said. “I would like to thank Chris Massaro and Dr. McPhee for giving me this opportunity. Throughout the process, I have been humbled by the outpouring of support from the entire Blue Raider baseball family. I look forward to getting started and building upon the tradition that (former coaches) John Stanford and Steve Peterson established.”

McGuire becomes just the third different Blue Raider coach since 1974, following John Stanford (1974-87) and Peterson (1988-2012). He is the 21st coach since the program began in 1913.

“We had a thorough process that allowed us to talk with some of the most accomplished baseball coaches in the country,” Massaro said. “We were able to develop an outstanding pool of candidates that were interested in this job, which is a testimony to the work of Coach (Steve) Peterson and Coach McGuire.

“From the beginning,I knew the great qualities of Coach McGuire, and he was able to demonstrate them further during the interview process. I am confident he will lead us to national prominence and a trip to Omaha. I am proud to announce him as our next coach.”

McPhee echoed Massaro’s praises for McGuire as the program’s next head coach.

“Jim McGuire is among the most knowledgeable and respected coaches in college baseball,” McPhee said. “He has worked tirelessly for more than two decades to help establish the winning tradition of the Blue Raiders, and I look forward to him taking our program to the next level.”

After eight years as an assistant under Peterson, McGuire was elevated following the 2000 season to associate head coach.

During his tenure,McGuire served as recruiting coordinator for the program and worked with the infielders and hitters. He also has taken an active role in coordinating evaluation visits with professional scouts as well as organizing baseball camps and the annual ‘Boro Bash summer tournament.

He helped Peterson with all three of the Blue Raiders’ major fundraisers the Grand Slam Fish Fry, the Groundhog Day Luncheon, and the Chuck Taylor Golf Tournament, and served as liaison for placing players on summer teams across the country.

After the Blue Raiders’ historical season in 2009, SEBaseball.com named McGuire the Sun Belt Assistant Coach of the Year for his work with the record-breaking offense.

Throughout his 20 years in Murfreesboro, McGuire has been a key ingredient in making Blue Raider baseball known throughout the country. He has been a part of 14 winning seasons,six trips to the NCAA Tournament, seven league championships, and five conference tournament titles. McGuire has helped mold 58 players who have been drafted by the pros and 98 first-team all-conference performers, including six conference players of the year and 10 All-Americans. The Blue Raiders are 626-520-1 during his tenure, a .546 winning percentage.

Before joining the Blue Raider staff in the summer of 1992, McGuire was head coach at Rend Lake (Ill.) Junior College from 1989 to 1992. During his stint there, he compiled a record of 220-116, a winning percentage of .655. During his four-year tenure, McGuire’s teams turned in four second-place finishes in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference. His 1992 squad was Section III champion and Region 24 runner-up.

McGuire served as assistant coach at Rend Lake from 1987 to 1988 and began his coaching career at Missouri-St. Louis in 1986.

McGuire’s playing career began at Illinois State before he transferred to Rend Lake CC. The final two years of his collegiate career were spent under the legendary Woody Hunt at Cumberland in Lebanon, Tenn.

The Belleville, Ill., native played baseball and basketball at Freeburg High School.

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Sports Online:Auburn RB Robinson sidelined while NCAA probes high school transcript

Sports Online|AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn freshman running back Jovon Robinson is being held out of practice while the NCAA investigates allegations that his high school transcript was falsified.

Athletic department spokesman Kirk Sampson said Friday that Robinson’s academic status is being reviewed.

Memphis City Schools said in a statement that NCAA officials contacted the school district Tuesday regarding allegations involving a former Wooddale High School athlete. The statement said schools superintendent Kriner Cash ordered an immediate investigation and that a school guidance counselor resigned after admitting to creating the fake transcript.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal first reported the allegations Friday.

The statement did not identify the counselor or the student.

“Know that the District has clear and strict policies and procedures regarding student transcripts,” the school district statement said. “Academic fraud is not and will not be tolerated and will be dealt with swiftly and accordingly.”

Robinson was one of Auburn’s top prospects, and had a chance to contribute in a backfield trying to replace starter Mike Dyer. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder is easily the biggest of Auburn’s tailbacks and would bring a physical presence to the backfield if he’s eligible.

Messages left by The Associated Press at the school were not returned.

Emails sent to guidance counselors, head coach Keith Spann, assistant football coach Michael Collins and the school principal, Michael Kyle, were not returned.

A phone number listed for Spann was disconnected.

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Sports Online: Zibanejad staying in North America

Sports Online:LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Mika Zibanejad got a short taste of hockey and life in North America last season, after the Ottawa Senators picked him No. 6 at the 2011 NHL Draft.

This season, he'll be on this side of the Atlantic far longer.

Ottawa Senators assistant general manager Tim Murray told NHL.com that Zibanejad will spend the 2012-13 season in North America, either in the NHL with the Senators or with the club's American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Senators.

"He's staying no matter what," Murray said. "Whether its Ottawa or Binghamton, we're not sending him back. So he's here."

Zibanejad, currently here with Team Sweden for the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp, started last season in Ottawa, but was returned to his Swedish team, Djurgardens, in late October.

"We wanted to keep him,that was the intent," Murray said. "Just the longer it went, you could see with him the loss of confidence. The NHL is a tough league for anybody, especially an 18-year-old kid coming from Europe for the first time. I thought he played pretty well. He had some good games. I think it was the right thing to do to send him back. Hopefully that comes through in the next couple years."

Zibanejad, who scored the overtime goal in the championship game at the 2012 World Junior Championship, remains eligible for the 2013 tournament. Murray said there's a chance the Senators could let Zibanejad play in the tournament. It's a similar situation they faced last year with goalieRobin Lehner. The Senators opted to keep Lehner in Binghamton rather than release him for Team Sweden.

"For the World Juniors,obviously then that's not a decision we have to make today," Murray said. "He's obviously on their team. … We'll just have to do what we think is right for him. Is he playing 18 minutes a night in Ottawa? Is he playing 23 minutes a night in Binghamton? Who knows? Potentially he will be back playing in this tournament, but if I had to put odds on it I wouldn't even know where to place the odds."

Sports Online NHL, NHLPA meet for fourth consecutive day

Sports Online:NEW YORK -- Members of the negotiating committees from the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association met for a fourth consecutive day Friday in an attempt to establish a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The sub-committee session on Friday centered on hockey-related issues, including supplementary discipline,training camp and ice conditions.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said it was a productive session and the sides have been able to agree on some of the issues discussed.

The League's owners expect the negotiations to pick up next week, when the Union intends to make its proposal on the core economic issues.

NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr said Thursday that the Union is aiming to make its proposal on the core economic issues when the sides gather in Toronto on Tuesday. Daly said the Union's proposal will determine how far apart the two sides are on the financial issues,which he called the most important element of the negotiating process.

"There are a variety of other issues that are involved in collective bargaining and this Collective Bargaining Agreement that we've also been able to engage on where we do have counter proposals going both ways, where we've exchanged views and ideas on proposals, made movements and had some agreements," Daly said. "It's all part of the big process, but obviously the critical part of this negotiation will come down to the economics.

"We've talked conceptually for a while now about our respective views of the world and the financial condition of the League and clubs, and what we need to make this League healthy -- at least in our view -- going forward. We'll see how far apart we are."

The NHL made its proposal on the core economic issues to the NHLPA on July 13 in Toronto.

The Union's anticipated proposal to the League's owners next week is the focal point of the negotiations now after NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated to the Union on Thursday that the owners are not willing to play another season under the current CBA, which expires Sept. 15.

"We knew that was an option, a choice that they were going to be able to make," said Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ron Hainsey, who spoke on behalf of the Union after the negotiating session ended Friday. "We're focused on getting them our proposal Tuesday and giving them our view of how we see things going forward. That's what we're looking forward to. Obviously,we know that's a choice that can be made on the 15th and they made that clear (Thursday).

"That's not our focus. Our focus is getting them our proposal Tuesday and getting a deal done in plenty of time so that no time is missed."

Hainsey and Daly both expressed optimism in getting a new CBA in place by Sept. 15.

"I think it's absolutely possible to get something done where no time is missed," Hainsey said.

Added Daly, "I truly do believe a deal can be done, but it will require a lot of work. We've got a lot of issues still open. We haven't even heard from them [the Union] on the economic issues yet. And,we have a month.

"It'll require hard work and commitment on both sides, but certainly the NHL is committed and we hope the players are committed as well."

Daly said the two sides have scheduled meetings through Sept. 15. He expects the pace of those meetings to increase.

"Certainly the urgency increases every day," Daly said. "We all want to be in a position where we start the season, and this doesn't affect business and it doesn't affect the momentum we've generated. We're all working toward that goal."

Sports Online：Key questions facing each Eastern Conference team

Sports Online:The calendar says it's still summertime, but that doesn't mean NHL teams aren't already brainstorming to figure out what they'll have to do to be successful in the upcoming season.

As they get ready for 2012-13, all 30 teams have questions. Will that big rookie make an impact right away? Will the free-agent signee fill the hole he was brought in to plug? Will the offense/defense/goaltending/special teams improve?

With that in mind, here's a look at the key question facing each team in the Eastern Conference:

BOSTON BRUINS

Can Tuukka Rask handle the No. 1 goaltending job?

The Bruins' quest to become the first team since the 1998 Detroit Red Wings to repeat as Stanley Cup champs ended with an overtime loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the opening round last spring -- and with Tim Thomas worn down because Rask, his backup in goal, went down for the season in early March with a groin injury. Thomas has decided not to play this season, leaving the No. 1 job to Rask, who signed a one-year contract this summer. With no veteran backup as a fallback, the Bruins need Rask to show he can play as well in 60-70 games as he did in 25 last season (2.05 goals-against average, .929 save percentage).

BUFFALO SABRES

The Sabres will be feistier, but will they be better?

A successful hockey team needs a combination of speed, skill and grit -- and the Sabres have been notably lacking in the grit department in recent years, preferring to try to win with speed, skill and Ryan Miller's goaltending. It hasn't worked; their playoff miss last spring was the third in five years, and they haven't won a playoff series since 2007. General manager Darcy Regier sacrificed some of his skill to bring in a large dollop of sandpaper when he sent slick center Derek Roy to the Dallas Stars for forward Steve Ott (and depth defenseman Adam Pardy). Ott is one of the NHL's busiest hitters and biggest pests -- a player who takes pride in being loathed by the other team. He has enough skill to see third-line time, and more than enough ability as a pest to drive opponents crazy. Ott's arrival signals a major culture change in Buffalo; the question is whether it will be enough to get the Sabres back into the playoffs.

CAROLINA HURRICANES

Which Alexander Semin are the 'Canes getting?

Carolina GM Jim Rutherford came out swinging for the fences after his team missed the playoffs again last spring. He traded for superb center Jordan Staal, who should team with his brother Eric to make a formidable one-two punch down the middle. Rutherford also took a gamble by bringing in talented-but-enigmatic forward Alexander Semin on a one-year, $7 million contract. Semin is one of the most offensively skilled players in the NHL, but he managed just 21 goals last season and hasn't broken 30 since 2009-10. If he plays to his potential, the 'Canes could fill the net -- and get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

FLORIDA PANTHERS

Can the Panthers build on their first playoff berth in 12 years?

Coach Kevin Dineen did wonders with the Panthers last season, taking a group replete with new parts and shaping it into a team that won the first division title in franchise history and ended a playoff drought that stretched to 2000. But Florida lost its first-round series to the New Jersey Devils in seven games after taking a 3-2 lead, and with the teams behind them improving, the Panthers will be hard-pressed to take the next step after mostly standing pat this summer.

MONTREAL CANADIENS

Will Andrei Markov and Brian Gionta be healthy?

Not many teams can make the playoffs without their best defenseman and their captain. The Canadiens certainly couldn't -- the absence of Andrei Markov (knee surgery) for most of the season and the bicep injury that KO'd Brian Gionta in January were just too much. Montreal finished last in the Eastern Conference and 28th in the League. Both players should be healthy this season, giving the Habs a chance to rebound after dropping from 96 points to 78.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Who will make up for the departure of Zach Parise?

Less than a month after coming within two wins of doing victory laps with the Stanley Cup in Newark, Parise headed for home, signing a 13-year deal with the Minnesota Wild and leaving the only NHL team he'd ever played for. The Devils, a surprise finalist last spring, will have to make up for the absence of Parise on the ice (31 goals, 69 points) and off, where he was their unquestioned leader. There's no obvious answer for either category.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Can they keep the puck out of their net?

John Tavares is on his way to being a superstar, Matt Moulson is a three-time 30-goal scorer, and Mark Streit was among the top 10 defensemen in points last season. But the Islanders finished 14th in the East -- largely because only three teams allowed more than the 251 non-shootout goals the Isles surrendered. New York used five goaltenders and 12 defensemen last season, and the chaos often showed. Evgeni Nabokovfigures to be the starter in goal if he can stay healthy, but he'll need more help from his defense -- a group that figures to look a lot younger as some of the team's picks from recent drafts arrive on Long Island.

NEW YORK RANGERS

Is Rick Nash the missing piece?

The Rangers came up two wins short of the Stanley Cup Final largely because they couldn't put the puck in the net -- New York averaged 2.15 goals in its 20 playoff games. GM Glen Sather acquired Nash, a consistent 30-goal scorer, from Columbus this summer in hopes of juicing up the attack. But Nash's scoring numbers have declined in each of the past three seasons, and he's now 28 years old. With 41-goal scorer Marian Gaborik sidelined for the first few weeks of the season following shoulder surgery, the Rangers have to have Nash step up right away and prove he's capable of being a big scorer on a top team.

OTTAWA SENATORS

How good is Erik Karlsson?

In his age-21 season,Karlsson lapped the field offensively on the way to winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman. His 78 points were 25 more than runner-up Brian Campbell of Florida, the biggest gap between the top two scorers on defense in nearly two decades. Karlsson also improved from minus-30 in 2010-11 to plus-16. His improvement was a big reason the Senators qualified for the playoffs last season. For Ottawa to take the next step, Karlsson will have to show it was not just a career year

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Do they have a Plan B for the D?

This was not a summer Flyers GM Paul Holmgren will remember fondly. With captainChris Pronger still feeling the effects of a concussion that cost him most of last season and could keep him out this season, Holmgren lost defenseman Matt Carle as a free agent and saw the Nashville Predators match his 14-year, $110 million offer sheet for Shea Weber. Add to that the Achilles injury and subsequent surgery that will keep Andrej Meszaros out for most of the season, and Holmgren has his work cut out -- three of his projected top-six defensemen from this time last year are gone and there's no sign of an elite replacement on the horizon.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

How many games will Sidney Crosby play?

Crosby is acknowledged as the best player in hockey -- when he's on the ice. That happened only 22 times last season; he missed the other 60 games while dealing with concussion-related effects dating to January 2011. Crosby piled up 37 points in those 22 games and rang up eight more in Pittsburgh's six-game playoff loss to Philadelphia. The Penguins have been able to pile up points without him in the lineup, but they need their captain to stay healthy to remain among the ranks of genuine Stanley Cup contenders.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Is Anders Lindback the answer in goal?

Despite having the NHL's top gun, 60-goal scorer Steven Stamkos, the Lightning were pretty much out of the playoff race by the All-Star break because opponents had little trouble scoring. Goalie Dwayne Rolosonshowed his age (42) and 34-year-old backupMathieu Garon had his ups and downs before missing the last month of the season with injuries. GM Steve Yzerman used some of the draft picks he'd piled up to pluck Lindback away from Nashville, where he was buried behind Pekka Rinne. The 6-foot-6 24-year-old will get the first shot at plugging the gaping hole in net; if he does, the Lightning will look a lot more like the team that came within a goal of making the Stanley Cup Final in 2011, rather than the club that was 30th in the NHL in goals allowed in 2012.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Will the Leafs stick with James Reimer in goal?

Reimer, a half-season phenom in 2010-11, got off to a solid start last season before taking an elbow to the face in late October. He was out for more than a month but was never the same after his return. With Jonas Gustavsson gone to Detroit as a free agent and unproven Ben Scrivens next in line after backstopping the Toronto Marlies to the AHL finals, the Leafs must decide if they're going to stick with Reimer -- something GM Brian Burke says he's prepared to do -- or make a deal for a veteran, perhaps Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Will Adam Oates take them back to the future?

Two years ago, the Capitals were coming off a season in which they won the Presidents' Trophy and outscored the League's next-best offense by 45 goals. But a first-round upset loss to Montreal sent the franchise into a tailspin from which it has yet to recover -- even though the Caps did upset Boston in the first round last spring, they spent more time blocking shots than taking them. Enter Oates, one of the NHL's great playmakers, who was introduced as the Caps' new coach hours before being named to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Oates likes offense and is coming to a team that has studs Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. The Caps may not play run-and-gun hockey, but don't expect the overemphasis on defense that marked Dale Hunter's tenure as interim coach last season.

WINNIPEG JETS

Will Olli Jokinen fill the hole in the middle?

The Jets' first season in Winnipeg was a rousing success -- fans packed the MTS Centre every night and the team made a spirited push for a playoff berth before coming up short. In the end, the Jets didn't have enough offense, so GM Kevin Cheveldayoff signed Jokinen, a 33-year-old center coming off his best season since 2007-08 -- 23 goals, 61 points with the Calgary Flames. No Winnipeg center had more than 47 points last season, and the Jets are counting on Jokinen to stay productive and help them push for a playoff spot.

Sports Online:Miller, Thomas top list of Rangers prospects

Sports Online:When the New York Rangers were sitting atop the NHL standings in February, it was clear they were a team that could contend for a Stanley Cup. Sure, the Rangers could've used some more offense, but they wouldn't acquire it at the expense of their elite prospects.

Instead of including Chris Kreider in a deal for Rick Nash, general manager Glen Sather refused to part with him. The Rangers fell short of the Cup when they lost in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Kreider's five goals in 18 postseason games showed why the Rangers were so high on the 19th pick of the 2009 NHL Draft.

Do the Rangers have another player in their system who can make an impact this season the way Kreider and Carl Hagelin did last season? With Marian Gaborik missing the start of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery,there could be an opening.

Here's a look at New York's top 10 prospects:The Rangers have lost some of their better prospects in the past couple seasons -- Tim Erixon, Roman Horak, Evgeny Grachev -- but there's still plenty of talent to be excited about within the system.

1. J.T. Miller, C: A product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, the 19-year-old had 25 goals and 62 points in 61 games for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, Miller's first season in that league.

He joined the Connecticut Whale for the American Hockey League playoffs, but was held to one assist in eight games. At 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Miller has the size to play in the NHL right now, but another season of development wouldn't hurt.

2. Christian Thomas, RW: The 40th pick of the 2010 NHL Draft has nothing left to prove at the junior level after seasons of 41, 54 and 34 goals with the OHL's Oshawa Generals. The 20-year-old is just 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, but he has the speed and skill to be a scorer in the NHL.

If Thomas doesn't make the Rangers out of training camp, he'll begin the year with Connecticut.

3. Dylan McIlrath, D: There was some surprise when the Rangers used the 10th pick of the 2010 draft to take the hulking blueliner, but he's proving to be quite the force at the junior level. Now 20 years old, McIlrath had three goals and 20 assists in 52 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League.

McIlrath is 6-foot-5, 220 pounds and projects to be a physical defenseman in the NHL. The Rangers have plenty of depth on the blue line right now, but McIlrath's time will eventually come.

The Rangers will likely want to see another season like that out of St. Croix before getting too excited, but there is potential there.4. Michael St. Croix, C: The 19-year-old has exceeded expectations since he was taken in the fourth round of the 2011 draft. In 72 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League last season, St. Croix had 45 goals and 60 assists.

5. Ryan Bourque, C: The undersized center (5-9, 170) had six goals and eight assists in 69 games with the Whale, his first season at the AHL level. The 21-year-old fits into the Rangers' mold as a gritty player with more grind than flash.

If there's an opening on the third line coming out of training camp with Gaborik out, Bourque is not the most-talented prospect, but he may be the one who fits best in that role.

6. Andrew Yogan, C: The 21-year-old possesses size (6-3, 201) and grit (199 PIMs in 139 games over his past two OHL seasons) the Rangers love. He'll probably get his first full season with the Whale this year.

7. Brady Skjei, D: The 28th pick of this year's draft is a product of the U.S. National Development Team. He's 6-1, 183 pounds and still growing, but remains a long way from the NHL. Skjei will play at the University of Minnesota this season, where he'll be part of a loaded Gophers squad.

8. Jesper Fast, RW: The sixth-round pick in the 2010 draft has been plying his trade in Sweden with Jonkoping. He had five goals and 11 assists in 26 games with the big club last year.

9. Pavel Valentenko, D: The 6-2, 219-pound defenseman had a chance to make the Rangers out of camp last year but failed to impress. He will turn 25 in October.

10. Steven Fogarty, C: A third-round pick of the Rangers in 2011, the 6-2, 195-pound forward had 33 goals and 81 points in 60 games for Penticton of the British Columbia Hockey League last season. He'll be a freshman at Notre Dame this season.