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.

Sports Online:Rangers' questions involve new lines, more pressure

Sports Online:For a team coming off a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Rangers have some big questions hanging over them after a very fluid offseason.

The Rangers lost some of their depth but added 40-goal scorer Rick Nash. Of their 12 regular forwards from last season, five are gone. The blue line will remain almost completely intact, something that is key for a club built on defense.

Can the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Final this season for the first time since 1994? These six questions will go a long way toward answering that one.

The 30-year-old has been among the League's best goaltenders throughout his career, but he was finally deemed the best in the business last season. He went 39-18-5 with a 1.97 goals-against average and .930 save percentage, career bests in all categories, and was awarded the Vezina Trophy.1. Can Henrik Lundqvist do it again?

Expecting a goaltender to repeat a season like that is asking a lot. Lundqvist's lighter workload of 62 games helped to keep him fresh, but so did the fact the Rangers were atop the East for most of the season, giving coach John Tortorella the luxury of resting his elite goaltender more often.

The Rangers added Nash to boost the offense, but if the Rangers don't find a way to score a few more goals and Lundqvist reverts to his inferior, yet stellar numbers of the past few seasons, it could be a problem.

2. How will they handle big expectations?

The Rangers entered last season as a team that nearly missed the playoffs two years in a row. They also came into the season without the services of top defenseman Marc Staal, who missed the first half with concussion issues.

Flying under the radar for the first couple months, the Rangers surged to the top of the standings in November and December and never looked back. This season, the Rangers won't enjoy the cloak of anonymity.

Players talked about how every opponent wanted to give the Rangers their best shot as the NHL's top team over the final four months. The Rangers obviously responded by winning the East, but with the addition of Nash, no team in the East has a bigger target on its back. How the Rangers deal with the label of favorites entering a season, something they haven't had for a long time, will be interesting.

3. What will the line combinations look like?

Marian Gaborik will miss the first six weeks or so as he recovers from surgery on his shoulder. But when the Rangers are completely healthy, how will their lines look?

Of course, with Tortorella shaking up his lines like a child unhappy with his Etch-A-Sketch drawing, they're subject to change from shift to shift. Nash will likely start the season with Brad Richards as his center, and if the two develop a chemistry that Gaborik and Richards failed to find at the start of last season, they could be the go-to top unit.

That would leave Derek Stepan centering the second line with Gaborik. The two worked extremely well together at times last season,and with Stepan and Chris Kreider connecting so often during the postseason, they could make up one of the most potent secondary scoring lines in the NHL.

One bad game and one bad shift can result in the deck being shuffled, but a foundation of Nash/Richards and Gaborik/Stepan seems like a pretty secure one.

The Rangers mainly used seven forwards to kill penalties last season, and four of them (Brandon Prust, Brandon Dubinsky, Ruslan Fedotenko and Artem Anisimov) are no longer with the club.4. Who is killing penalties up front?

Jeff Halpern, who was signed this summer, has loads of experience on the PK, but that leaves just Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan, Stepan and Halpern as reliable options while shorthanded.

Players on the current roster who have an opportunity to fill that role include Richards, Nash and Taylor Pyatt.

Richards was a featured penalty killer through the 2008-09 season for the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning, but hasn't done much of it since. Do the Rangers really want their No. 1 center expending energy on the PK when goals don't exactly come easy to the club?

Nash was killing penalties regularly for the Blue Jackets through 2009-10. But again, how much time does Tortorella want to take away from his most-gifted scorer with Gaborik out to start the season?

Pyatt also has experience in a shorthanded role, but just like Richards and Nash, didn't do it regularly last season. As a third-line forward, Pyatt will likely be one of the first to be asked to fill one of those openings.

The Rangers' PK was fifth in the NHL last season. They will have a hard time repeating that number with the losses they incurred this offseason.

5. Will the Rangers' grinding style grind the Rangers?

Make no mistake about the Rangers' style of play -- they embrace it and used it to win 51 games last season. In a battle of toughness and will, few teams can beat the Rangers at their own game.

But it appeared to take its toll on the Rangers themselves at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs.

The Rangers went 11-9 in their final 20 regular-season games and went 10-10 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their inability to finish the eighth-seeded Ottawa Senators and seventh-seeded Washington Capitals earlier in the series left them with heavy legs in their six-game loss to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Finals.

There wasn't a player who was willing to admit to being tired, mentally or physically, during the postseason, but their play on the ice said otherwise. The Rangers have just as much talent as anyone with the addition of Nash, but maybe a little less grind and a little more finesse will help the club go further this season.

6. What will Chris Kreider bring to the table?

If Carl Hagelin wasn't suspended during the first round of the postseason, it's possible Kreider never would have seen the ice during the playoffs. But that three-game ban opened the door and Kreider barreled through it with five goals and seven points in 18 playoff games.

There were times when Kreider was used on the first line and times when he was benched during the third period of tight games. Tortorella will have a longer leash on the 21-year-old this season, but is it asking too much for Kreider to match or exceed his postseason pace in his first full NHL season?

Kreider's playoff numbers factored out over 82 games would give him about 23 goals and nine assists. It doesn't sound like much based on the reputation he built for himself, but the Rangers will sign up for that as long as Kreider improves his play away from the puck.

Sports Online:ddition of Nash new dimension for Rangers

Sports Online:Rick Nash is the most important addition to the New York Rangers and arguably the best player to change teams this offseason, with no disrespect to Zach Parise or Ryan Suter and the Minnesota Wild.

The Rangers petered out during the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the New Jersey Devils in six games. One reason for them clearly running out of gas was the fact their first- and second-round series went seven games,when an offense that was slightly above average during the regular season (11th, 2.71 goals per game) became a hindrance in the postseason (2.15 GPG).

Nash can play either left wing or right wing, and the 28-year-old has scored at least 30 goals in seven of his nine NHL seasons, reaching 40 twice. At 6-foot-4, 219 pounds and with great speed and hands, he has been creating his offense without the luxury of a top-end center for most of his career. That will change when he's riding shotgun with Brad Richards this season.Adding Nash at the expense of Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon and a first-round draft pick should help alleviate that problem.

"We're happy to have a five-time All-Star on our team and a 40-goal scorer and a guy that's only 28 years old," general managerGlen Sather said. "He's one of the better goal scorers in the National Hockey League and he'll help us immensely."

Along with a new home come new expectations for Nash, who reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs once while with Columbus. The Rangers, meanwhile, came within two wins of reaching the Final and are built to contend again this season.

"I'll embrace it great," Nash said. "I think in 2010, I had the most pressure on me in the Olympics being in our home country. I feel like hockey is truly a passion here where they expect the same championship-caliber team. I think they've done everything they can as an organization to put that together and I think pressure is a great thing if you use it in the right way."

Nash is just one of many new faces for the Rangers, who parted with several key contributors this summer.

Along with Dubinsky and Anisimov, Brandon Prust, Ruslan Fedotenko and John Mitchell have all found new homes. Prust was given a massive raise by the Montreal Canadiens, who signed the gritty forward to a four-year, $10 million deal. Fedotenko signed with the Philadelphia Flyers and Mitchell took his services to the Colorado Avalanche.

To replace Prust, Fedotenko and Mitchell, the Rangers added Taylor Pyatt, Jeff Halpern and Arron Asham.

Asham will take over Prust's enforcer role. Asham, 34, had five goals in 64 games last season and will see most of his time on the right wing of the fourth line.Pyatt left the Phoenix Coyotes to sign a two-year deal with the Rangers. The left wing will turn 32 this month and fills the void left by the departure of Fedotenko. Pyatt had nine goals in 73 games last season.

Last season,Halpern was a member of the Capitals team that lost to the Rangers in seven games in the second round. The 36-year-old center is excellent on faceoffs and could be an upgrade over Mitchell if he can stay healthy.

The big question for the Rangers entering camp will be which forwards will be used on the penalty kill. Dubinsky, Fedotenko, Anisimov and Prust were four of the seven most frequently used forwards while the Rangers were shorthanded last season. Halpern has plenty of experience in this area, but Asham and Pyatt didn't spend a single second killing penalties last season.

Nash averaged 39 seconds of shorthanded ice time per game with the Jackets last season, 10th-most on the club.

The Rangers will likely enter 2012-13 with the same defense corps they used for most of last season. The one wild card is Michael Sauer, who missed 63 regular-season games and all of the postseason because of a concussion. Sauer has shown signs of improvement, according to the Rangers, but whether he'll be ready for training camp remains to be seen.

One player who won't be ready for the start of the regular season is Marian Gaborik, who will be recovering from surgery on a torn labrum in his shoulder until November. If the Rangers do not add anyone else between now and the regular season, that could leave an opening for prospects J.T. Miller or Christian Thomas or tough guy Micheal Haley, who was signed to a two-way deal this summer.

Sports Online:Blues sign forward T.J. Oshie to 5-year contract for reported $21 million

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Blues have signed forward T.J. Oshie to a five-year contract.

Terms were not disclosed but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the deal is worth nearly $21 million.

At 25, Oshie is among many young up-and-coming players for the Blues. He tied for the team lead with 54 points in 2011-12. He was third in goals with 19 and second in assists with 35. In four seasons, he has 63 goals and 112 assists for 175 points.

Oshie was a first-round pick (24th overall) for the Blues in the 2005 draft.

Sports Online:Weber agrees to 14-year offer with Flyers

Nashville All-Star defenseman Shea Weber has agreed to an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Flyers announced in a Thursday morning press release.

TSN's Darren Dreger, who first reported the story, says the deal is for 14 years and more than $100 million. Those terms were not confirmed in the club's press release.

Nashville has a week to decide whether to match the offer. If they Predators opt not to do so, it is believed they will receive a package of four first-round draft picks from the Flyers, although compensation depends on the annual average value of the contract. The Flyers' first-round pick has been no higher than No. 20 in each of the past four drafts.

Dreger reported Nashville was working on a trade and it's believed several deadlines passed before the Flyers grew tired of waiting and Weber -- a restricted free agent -- signed the offer sheet.

Weber, the runner-up for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman, has one year remaining before he's eligible for unrestricted free agency. He turns 27 on Aug. 14 and is coming off a season in which he scored 19 goals and added 30 assists for 49 points. He was a First-Team All-Star for the second straight season and barely lost the Norris to Ottawa's Erik Karlsson.

He has played his entire NHL career with Nashville, which picked him in the second round (No. 49) in the 2003 NHL Draft.

The signing comes just two weeks after the Predators lost their other All-Star defenseman, Ryan Suter. He signed a 13-year, $98 million contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 4.

Glendale rejects petitions that sought to put referendum on November ballot on NHL team's deal

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Glendale City Clerk's Office has rejected petitions that sought to put a referendum on the November ballot about the Phoenix Coyotes' pending arena management deal.

City officials said Monday that the petitions missed the July 9 deadline by three days and lacked the required 1,862 signatures.

The two Glendale residents who spearheaded the referendum turned in 1,568 signatures last Thursday.

Ken Jones and Joe Cobb said they wanted to give voters a chance to decide whether to overturn Glendale's 20-year, $324 million lease agreement with potential Coyotes buyer Greg Jamison. The City Council approved the deal last month.

The NHL has yet to finalize the sale to Jamison, a former San Jose Sharks chief executive. But league officials say the deal still is being worked on.

Columbus GM wants forwards for Nash

The Columbus Blue Jackets would want established NHL forwards in any trade for Rick Nash, general manager Scott Howson told TSN on Friday.

Speaking on "That's Hockey," Howson would not confirm that Nash would only accept a trade to the Bruins, Flyers, Penguins, Rangers, Red Wings or Sharks, as has been reported.

"If we do complete a trade, we're trading out a 30- to 40-goal scorer," Howson told TSN's Gino Reda. "Defense is probably the strongest part of our team as we look at it today, so we're looking to get some NHL forwards back first and foremost."

Howson said he has no timetable to make a deal. He said he has talked to "a number of teams."

"We don't have a deadline," the GM said. "Rick's under contract and we'll continue to work at this, we'll continue to keep Rick in the loop … and we'll just hope that we get a resolution to this."

Nash, who has played all of his nine-year NHL career for Columbus, has a no-trade clause. His contract has a salary-cap value of $7.8 million for the next six seasons, according to CapGeek.com.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks are still searching for a No. 2 center and likely will fill the key role internally for the third straight season.

The answer, thus far, hasn't been found in free agency and might not arrive via trade before the 2012-13 season starts. That means they could again go with a combination of undersized forwardsPatrick Kane and Marcus Kruger if no other prospects prove they're ready during training camp.

PATRICK KANE

CENTER - CHI

GOALS: 23 | ASST: 43 | PTS: 66
SOG: 253 | +/-: 7

The Blackhawks have quite a bit of depth at center in the system, including four prospects selected in the first round of the past three NHL drafts: Teuvo Teravainen (No. 18 in 2012), Mark McNeill (No. 18 in 2011), Phillip Danault (No. 26 in 2011) and Kevin Hayes (No. 24 in 2010).

"A few years back, we identified center as a position that we wanted to grow some guys into that [role], and I think we've seen in the last couple drafts we've got some guys who are going to be high-end players," Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said Friday, the last day of a prospects camp featuring all four of those centers. "Some of them aren't too far away, which is a good thing for us. We've seen a few of them even play the wing here just for some different looks, because they can't all play center."

The 17-year old Teravainen can play anywhere up front. He really stood out at center at camp, but needs to add strength and will head back to Finland for another year of development. The 19-year old McNeill, meanwhile, got to sample what it's like playing the wing in his second prospects camp. He even played wing for Teravainen at times and didn't look out of place.

"I had a few games [at wing] here and there in junior, but mostly I played center," McNeill said. "That's the good thing about being here and getting a chance to play wing and learn that role. It's definitely something they want me to take a look at, wing and center ... just to have both of those tools in the toolbox. It'll be good for me down the road."

It would also be nice for Hawks coach Joel Quenneville, who likes flexible forwards to shuffle into different roles while he searches for productive combinations.

Bowman also mentioned Danault and Hayes as players who stood out, so it should be an interesting competition come training camp to see how the young centers stack up.

The Hawks have other options as well.

First is 21-year old Brandon Pirri, a second-round pick in 2009 (No. 59) who had a couple of brief call-ups with the Hawks and is always on the tip of Bowman's tongue when talking about prospects. Then there's 19-year old winger Brandon Saad, who tried his hand at center during his second prospects camp.

NHL INSIDER

Switch to center an 'exciting idea'

NHL.comJames van Riemsdyk on his probable shift to center this season in Toronto: "It is something that will be a good opportunity for me." 

Saad, a second-round pick (No. 43) in 2011, never played center before. However, he's expected to compete for an NHL roster spot this fall up front after starting last season as a winger with the Hawks then returning to play in the Ontario Hockey League. Likely sensing the need for another center on the second unit, Chicago asked Saad to try it.

Saad said the results were pretty good, considering he was just warming up to the position. He might even give it a whirl this fall to see if he's good enough to center star wingers Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa.

"It's something I'm willing to try for sure," Saad said. "Just to be helpful and play as many positions as I can is something I'm willing to do."

Should that happen, it won't be an easy competition.

Last year was Kruger's first full season, Kane looked very good at times playing center, and the pool of prospects knocking on the door are all gunning for the same goal.

Aiding their motivation will be the fact Chicago has given a number of rookies important roles during the past two seasons, including scrappy forward Andrew Shaw, a 2011 fifth-round pick.

Will they dip into the system this time to pull out an effective two-way center for the second line?

The prospects themselves are hoping that's the case.

"That's definitely a goal," said Hayes, who will return to Boston College for his third season if he doesn't stick with the Hawks. "You read about it. You hear about it. I'm just going to stay consistent and hopefully that's something I'll be able to grasp. It's a great competition. I'm great buddies with Danault and buddies with McNeill. I mean, we all want that spot ... but it's only going to be one of us."

The question is, which one ... if any?

In the NHL now, it's not as far-fetched as it used to be for young centers to make a positive impact. Look no further than the New Jersey Devils, who got all the way to the Stanley Cup Final last season with 22-year old rookie center Adam Henrique in a prominent role.

"That's a guy right there ... I want to sort of follow in his footsteps," said McNeill, who at 6-foot-1, 211 pounds is already big enough for the NHL. "[As a prospect], you try to make a jump like that and make an impact on a team as best as you can and show you can help them."

Teravainen shows his time might not be far off

CHICAGO -- Those who attended the Chicago Blackhawks prospects camp this summer might wonder what dynamic 17-year old Finnish forward Teuvo Teravainen would do against older, more experienced players in training camp.

However, any answers about how he'll stack up will have to wait. Teravainen, who doesn't turn 18 until Sept. 11, is headed back to Finland to get stronger while playing another season with Jokerit Helsinki of SM-Liiga.

PROSPECTS

Another Brodeur drafted in Jersey?

Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer
Anthony Brodeur, son of Devils goalie Martin, is ranked as a mid-round pick for the 2013 NHL Draft at Prudential Center in New Jersey. 

Teravainen, however, certainly left a good impression at the Hawks' week-long prospects camp, which featured all four of the center prospects Chicago has selected in the past three NHL Drafts, including Teravainen, the No. 18 pick in 2012.

"I think Teuvo has shown in a short amount of time here that he's got incredible talent, but he's not even 18 years old yet," Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said Friday, the last day of camp. "It's great to see a young kid like Teuvo be as good as he is. He's the youngest kid at the camp here, and I think he's probably been one of the best kids all week."

Teravainen tied for the scoring lead during three scrimmages at the prospects camp by scoring two goals and adding two assists while playing a lot of center. He definitely looked like he belonged with some of the older prospects, many of whom had gone through at least one prospects camp before.

"That bodes well for the future," said Bowman, who happily snagged Teravainen in the first round after a long run of defense prospects caused the Finn to drop from where he was projected to go among the top picks. "He's going to be a special player, for sure, so it's exciting."

The question now becomes: How far into the future are we talking about?

Based on what was said this week, the wait might not be that long for Teravainen or the other top center prospects the Hawks have collected through recent drafts -- Mark McNeill (No. 18 in 2011),Phillip Danault (No. 26 in 2011) and Kevin Hayes (No. 24 in 2010).

"The timeframe on that you don't really know, but it's exciting to see them here," Bowman said. "They've got great talents. Some of them are offensive players, like (Teravainen) is, and then you've got players like McNeill, Danault and Kevin Hayes that are maybe bigger guys who

play a different game. We've got a lot of options there, depending on how you want to play it. I think we've seen in the last couple drafts we've gotten some guys who are going to be high-end players. Some of them aren't too far away, which is a good thing for us."

Teravainen has already put himself solidly among that group, if not right at the top.

Teravainen (5-foot-10, 169 pounds) has said that similarly sized Hawks star forward Patrick Kane is his favorite player, and it showed in his offensive game. Capable of playing all three forward positions, Teravainen played mostly center in three camp scrimmages and excelled.

He's offensively focused, also like Kane, but the skill set is so intriguing, it makes any defensive issues seem less critical in the grand scheme. And for what it's worth, it sounds like Teravainen is intent on improving all areas of his game -- especially his strength.

"It's my dream to play here (in the NHL)," Teravainen said. "It's so much work. I need so much work before (the) NHL is going to happen for me. I think I need to play in Finland (at least) one more year in a big role and with men there. It's a very hard season coming for me and a big season."

It just won't include the Blackhawks, in all likelihood.

"Teuvo's going to go back to Finland, so he's not going to be here (at training camp)," Bowman said. "But he's not that far away from being an NHL player. He's just got to get a little bit of strength, which will come in time. He's a great kid and he's got that special flair for making special plays. He's a lot of fun to watch."