Back from vacation, but for reasons I gone over before, still only on the clock when news dictates.
Today, for example, the NHL just released its 2009 10 schedule. And let just say the formal announcement that the Sharks have signed Scott Nichol will be coming within the next few hours no matter what other web sites might have been saying.
And, yes, the Sharks are holding their summer development camp this week. Unlike some teams that open their camps to the public the Blues, for example, encourage fans to attend San Jose has always gone the opposite direction, saying they want players going through drills and skating without any distractions. Outside media access is also restricted, though accommodations sometimes can be made.
Back to the schedule. Here are some of the highlights:
Season opens Oct. 1 in Colorado (can you say Joe Sakic Night?) with games in Anaheim and Los Angeles before the Oct. 8 home opener against Columbus. Those games against the Ducks and Kings are a true rarity only the second time in franchise history that the Sharks will play both of their SoCal opponents on the same trip.
Eastern Conference teams NOT coming to HP Pavilion next season: Atlanta, Carolina, Rangers, Islanders, Tampa Bay and Toronto.
Eastern Conference cities the Sharks will not visit: Boston, Florida, Montreal, New Jersey, Ottawa, Pittsburgh.
Eastern Conference teams the Sharks will play both home and away: Buffalo, Philadelphia and Washington.
There is no All Star game because of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The Sharks will be idle from Feb. 13 to March 2 because of the international competition.
The Sharks go on three separate six game road trips; they have three five game homestands that almost balance that out.
And here the quick cut and paste of what lies ahead.
SharksSharks sign RFA Matt Nieto to one year contractTimo Meier among standouts at Sharks Prospects ScrimmageDylan Gambrell, Noah Gregor to be at Sharks development campSharks Tomas Hertl happy with deal, says he be ready for seasonSharks Tomas Hertl reportedly agrees to two year, $6 million dealSan Jose Sharks holding development camp July 8 12 at Sharks IceTomas Hertl, Matt Nieto, Dylan DeMelo and Ryan Carpenter issued qualifying offersFormer Shark Sergei Makarov elected to Hockey Hall of FameSharks Doug Wilson will likely let in season acquisitions head to free agencySharks select Noah Gregor in fourth round of NHL Entry Draft
10 highlights from the first round of the NHL Draft
Sabres owner Terry Pegula opened the draft ceremonies with an address to the crowd, making Toronto Maple Leafs fans in attendance wait a few extra minutes for Auston Matthews. He welcomed visitors to Buffalo and gave the players a few words of advice. He also let visiting teams know if they have any problems, “just call my wife.”
It was no surprise that the commissioner faced his fair share of booing from the draft crowd. It’s somewhat become a yearly tradition, and Gary Bettman has taken a page out of former NBA commissioner David Stern’s book and taken the treatment in stride.
Bettman dropped some news during his introduction, announcing that the NHL Draft Combine will be returning to Buffalofor another year. The event has been held at the HarborCenter and First Niagara Center the past two years. The extension is not a surprise, since the event has gotten rave reviews from players and other teams’ executives.
Auston Matthews tries on his Toronto jersey after being picked first in the NHL Draft. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)
The boos a few minutes later when the Maple Leafs went on the clock were a bit louder than expected considering all the Toronto fans in attendance.Cheap Jerseys free shipping Once Auston Matthews was selected first overall the cheering increased. The Arizona native is Toronto’s first top selection since Wendel Clark in 1985.
Matthews spent this year in Switzerland, scoring 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games with the ZSC Lions of the National League.
The top three seemed like a lock. Auston Matthews would go first overall to Toronto, with Patrik Laine to Winnipeg and Jesse Puljujarvi to Columbus.
The Blue Jackets threw a wrench into that plan, selecting Cape Brenton forward Pierre Luc Dubois instead. Puljujarvi fell to Edmonton at No. 4.
Dubois is the No. 1 ranked North American skater according to Central Scouting. He scored 42 goals and 99 assists in 62 games with the Screaming Eagles.
6. Davidson’s somber announcement
Before the Blue Jackets selected Dubois, president of hockey operations John Davidson announced minority owner John Wolfe died Friday at 72. Davidson called him “a giant supporter” of the team.
If we learned anything from last year’s draft, it’s that Tim Murray is a man of few words when he steps up to the podium. Once again he only needed two, “Buffalo selects,” before naming Alex Nylander as the Sabres’ 2016 first round pick.
Alexander Nylander walks to the stage to pleased Sabres fans after he was chosen by Buffalo as the eighth pick in the NHL Draft. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)
Not surprisingly, Sabres fans were loud after Murray’s announcement, as they likely would have cheered for whoever the team drafted. He’s another cog in the reignited Sabres/Maple Leafs rivalry. His brother William Nylander is a promising prospect with Toronto.
Nylander is a playmaking winger who scored scored 28 goals and 75 points in 57 games with the Mississauga Steelheads this season. Since he was sent to the OHL on loan the Sabres have plenty of options for him next year. He could play in Buffalo, with Rochester, back in the OHL or overseas.
Nylander is the first Sabre to be drafted in the first round on home turf since Dmitri Kalinin in 1998.
Fans saw a familiar face when Stars general manager Jim Nill deferred Dallas’ announcement to head coach Lindy Ruff. The former Sabres head coach was met with plenty of applause from the fans who stuck around for the last five picks of the night. The Stars selected Riley Tufte, a Minnesota high schooler, with the pick.
One of the main draws of the NHL Draft every year as the multitude of roster moves that usually come with it. Although it was a big quiet when it comes to trades that include roster players, there were a few of note. http://www.cheapnfljerseysonlined.top Chicago sent Andrew Shaw to the Canadiens for two second round picks, a surprising move after the Blackhawks already traded Teuvo Teravainen and Brian Bickell to Carolina to clear cap space. St. Louis traded Lars Eller to Washington for second round picks in 2017 and 2018 and Brian Elliott to Calgary for a second round pick and a conditional third.
