Hockey Rumors

NHL Rumor - May 12 "His left eye is a mess. So is his nose. But Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn said last night that he is a "possibility" to play in Game 3 tomorrow after missing all but about two minutes of last night's 4-2 playoff loss to the Penguins with a facial injury. Coburn needed more than 50 stitches to close a gash around his left eye and near his nose after Evgeni Malkin deflected a shot from Sergei Gonchar under his face shield just 1 minute, 41 seconds into the opening period."Philadelphia Daily News Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 12 "When Vinny Prospal scorched the Washington Capitals for eight points in his first five playoff games, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren turned his thoughts for the offseason into words. "I'll say it," Holmgren said at the time. "We are interested in signing Vinny.""Courierpost Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 10 "Patrick Roy says he's happy here, but it's no surprise that he's being mentioned as a candidate for the Colorado Avalanche coaching job, which became available yesterday when the club dumped Joel Quenneville...But there's good reason to believe that the fiery Roy is near the top of a list that reportedly also includes three-time NHL coach of the year Pat Burns and Paul Maurice, the recently fired coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs."Montreal Gazette Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 10 "The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to meet with former Vancouver Canucks GM Dave Nonis next week, a source confirmed to The Canadian Press on Friday. Nonis was fired by the Canucks on April 14. The Leafs have been looking for a general manager to succeed John Ferguson since Cliff Fletcher took over the team as interim GM on Jan. 22."The Globe and Mail Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 9 "Two promising and qualified candidates for the Panthers' coaching job emerged this week when former Toronto coach and general manager Pat Quinn and current New York Rangers assistant coach Perry Pearn expressed interest in the job. Quinn and Pearn both told The Palm Beach Post that they have enjoyed a close working relationship with Panthers GM Jacques Martin and would relish the challenge of ending the team's eight-year playoff drought."Palm Beach Post Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 9 "That left a conspicuous hole in the Toronto bench, suitable for a right-handed hitter to complement Matt Stairs in the DH spot. The team will face three left-handers in Cleveland alone. The rumour mill was spinning before yesterday's game as observers attempted to figure out who was in the club's sights. The hot tip late in the night was Brad Wilkerson, a left-handed hitting veteran who's better against lefties than righties. Wilkerson was recently designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners."The Toronto Star Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 8 "Washington Capitals management has not yet discussed next season's roster in detail, but the team is expected to pursue a contract extension with veteran Sergei Fedorov. Acquired from Columbus for a prospect at the February trade deadline, the 38-year-old pending unrestricted free agent centered each of the Capitals' top two lines down the stretch. He also played a significant role on special teams and served as a mentor to young forwards Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom."Washington Post Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 8 "That speculation picked up steam a few hours after the Maurice firing was announced, when TSN reported that the Leafs have asked the Vancouver Canucks for permission to discuss the GM vacancy with recently fired Canucks GM David Nonis. But neither the Canucks nor Toronto-based lawyer Gordon Kirke, who has been hired by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to find the Leafs' new GM, would comment on the report. Nonis did not return a phone call either."The Globe and Mail Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 7 "Brendan Shanahan said Tuesday that he knows he's not done. But the 39-year-old winger doesn't yet know whether he'll return for a 21st NHL season next fall. "I'm not at that point now," Shanahan said. "The first thing you have to decide is: Can you, are you physically able to? That part, to me, has been answered. As disappointing as it has been for a lot of us and me personally with the way things finished, it's a decision I'm going to make. It's not something I've already decided.""New York Daily News Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 7 "In his most definitive comments to date, Jaromir Jagr said yesterday that he would prefer to sign with the Rangers next season rather than with another NHL club and indicated that he wants to play two more years before returning to the Czech Republic. "First, I am going to talk to the Rangers," the 36-year-old Jagr said. "That's No. 1 option for me. I feel very comfortable here, with all the people around this organization who are nice to me. They gave me a chance to show everybody I still can play hockey. Everybody doubted me when I was playing in Washington, for whatever reason. The Rangers gave me a chance and believed in me.""Newsday Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 7 ""You have at least four or five very good defencemen that could be there for us, but if they're all taken, we'll have a very good forward," Fletcher said. "I heard that Tampa Bay already has a Stamkos website set up, so you know who they're going to take." Toronto's amateur scouting director Dave Morrison confirmed yesterday that the Leafs have their first pick, Pittsburgh's second (the Hal Gill trade), two thirds (their own and Florida's from the Chad Kilger trade) three fifth-round choices (including one from the Panthers for Wade Belak who signed there yesterday for two more years) and a sixth and seventh."The Toronto Star Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 6 "Hossa will be a question mark whenever Pittsburgh’s season ends. The Penguins have other unrestricted free agents to consider re-signing, including defenseman Brooks Orpik and forward Ryan Malone. They also have to ensure they have future cap room to keep their young players. Malkin will be due for a new contract — presumably a long and large one — after next season. If the Penguins do not have enough money to offer Hossa, who is making $7 million this season, the Rangers may be in the bidding for him. He is a strong two-way player and seems to be the kind of finisher the Rangers could use on a line with center Scott Gomez."The New York Times Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 6 "Wild forward and pending free agent Pavol Demitra was in Vancouver over the weekend so he could check out the city prior to returning to his native Slovakia for the summer. Demitra, 33, can become a free agent July 1 and both he and the Wild appeared destined to part ways after the season. The Demitra visit was confirmed by new Canucks GM Mike Gillis during a radio interview on Vancouver's Team 1040-AM. "Minneapolis Star Tribune Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 6 "After a day off from practice on Sunday, the Red Wings returned to work Monday with Chris Chelios back on the ice, but not Valtteri Filppula. Chelios missed the series-clinching Game 4 against Colorado in the second round with what appears to be a sore left knee. But Chelios practiced Monday and said he'd be ready to play Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday against Dallas."Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 5 ""I don't think I'm going to retire from hockey. I'm going to play somewhere; I don't know where," said the 36-year-old right wing, an unrestricted free agent who had 15 points in the two rounds of the playoffs but came up empty yesterday. "I don't want to make any decisions 30 minutes after we lost the hockey game.""Newsday Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 2 "A question mark continues to float over winger Darcy Tucker's future in Toronto, with indications persisting that he will be the first Leaf to be bought out of his contract once the period for buyouts opens June 15. Tucker remains in the dark about whether he will return for a ninth season in a Maple Leafs uniform this fall. "Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 2 "Before playing golf, Carbonneau said he had made up his mind about who will start in goal tomorrow night, but won't announce until today if it's Carey Price returning or Jaroslav Halak continuing. "I have made my decision, but I haven't had a chance to talk to Carey or Jaro, so I want to make sure they are the first ones to know," said the nominee for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year."Canada.com Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 1 "Talbot and Scuderi are officially day-to-day, and there is no consensus among team officials if either will play tonight in Game 4 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Rangers. Talbot's right foot may be broken, though neither he nor team officials would say - no surprise, given the reluctance of teams to disclose detailed injury reports during the playoffs."Pittsburgh Tribune Review Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - May 1 "The reigning National League MVP, who initially suffered a left ankle strain on April 8 at Shea Stadium, is scheduled to come off the 15-day disabled list Monday when the Phillies are in Arizona to commence a seven-game road trip. He'll need at least four games to rehab so it now appears more than likely his return will be closer to the Phillies' return from the road on May 13 against Atlanta."Courierpost Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - Apr 30 "WHEN MIKE KNUBLE tore his left hamstring in the first round, he looked as if the world had crashed down on his head. He was so upset at missing the rest of the Capitals series - and more games, if the Flyers advanced - that he declined to meet with the media after Game 5 in Washington. Yesterday was a completely different Knuble."Phillyburbs Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - Apr 29 "Peter Forsberg didn't come back just to sit out a series against the Red Wings. Still, the Colorado Avalanche forward is taking the cautious route as he recovers from a groin injury. When asked if he'd play in Game 3 on Tuesday night, Forsberg simply answered, “We'll see.” He's frustrated by the fact he had to watch both of Colorado's losses in Detroit. Forsberg then felt the need to defend his decision to sit out."The Globe and Mail Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - Apr 29 "While Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford continues to digest his team's season before making any big decisions, veteran defenseman Glen Wesley is doing the same. Wesley, 39, said Monday he hasn't decided whether to retire after 1,457 NHL games or return for another season with the Hurricanes...The Canes haven't pressured Wesley to make a decision in the past and won't this summer, Rutherford said. Bret Hedican, 37, is also an unrestricted free agent for whom retirement is an option."Raleigh News & Observer Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - Apr 28 "While his teammates attended a short meeting and enjoyed a day of rest after coming home from Montreal with a split of two games, Mike Knuble was tying his skates. The injured Flyers forward is getting healthy and could play in Game 4 Wednesday night. Admittedly, Knuble sees that as a big if, but if he is not ready for Wednesday he will be for Saturday, barring, of course, an unexpected setback."Philadelphia Daily News Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - Apr 24 "Sergei Zubov had a smile on his face Wednesday. It's been a long time coming. Zubov, 37, has dealt with an injury-plagued year that stretched back to last season's playoffs. Yet, he has returned to the practice ice and said that while he probably won't be ready for Game 1 of the Stars' second-round playoff series Friday, he sees a light at the end of the tunnel."Dallas Morning News Comments (0)

NHL Rumor - Apr 24 ""I felt my AC joint was a little loose and sore," Chara said. "But when I missed that one-time shot, it really felt like there was damage in the shoulder. Ever since then, I was playing with it. It didn't pop out, but it was a weird feeling. Just really sharp pain inside the shoulder." General manager Peter Chiarelli said yesterday he believes Chara will require surgery. Chara said he hopes to avoid it."Boston Globe Comments (0)