National Post (National Edition)
Swan song for Wings
Zetterberg, Kronwall likely on way out
Two Red Wings stalwarts appear to be headed off into the sunset, the last names on Detroit’s most recent Stanley Cup in 2008.
On the heels of general manager Ken Holland’s strong hint that winger Henrik Zetterberg’s bad back might not hold up to a training camp medical, defenceman Niklas Kronwall is heading into the last year of his contract with no extension in sight.
“If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I’ve had,” Kronwall told nhl.com over the weekend, “and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and Kenny for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career. We’ll see what happens.”
Zetterberg will be 38 in October, while Kronwall hits that number in January.
On the day the Wings signed young star Dylan Larkin to a five-year, Us$30.5million deal last week, Holland spoke of Zetterberg during a conference call.
“I have talked to his agent a number of times over the course of summer,” he said. “I know he’s had a tough summer, hasn’t been able to train anywhere near close to what he’s been able to train in past summers, so there’s a real unknown right now with Henrik.”
Zetterberg is captain, while Kronwall is one of the alternates.
FORMER TOP PROSPECTS SWAPPED
A couple of first-round picks from 2013 changed places in a trade Monday.
Winger Kerby Rychel goes from Montreal to Calgary with the Flames now his fourth NHL organization and his third in Canada, having started last season with the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate.
The son of former NHLER Warren Rychel was swapped for swift forward Hunter Shinkaruk, who had 32 points for the AHL Stockton Heat last year. In 2013, Rychel went 19th overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets; Shinkaruk went 24th to Vancouver.
Rychel, who had a goal and an assist in four games with the Habs last year, immediately signed a oneyear, two-way deal with the Flames. Shinkaruk has played 15 NHL contests, though none last season.
OH BABY!
First a Cup and then a kid. Alex Ovechkin’s wife Nastya Shubskaya Ovechkina gave birth to a son Saturday. The Ovechkins named their first-born Sergei after Alex Ovechkin’s late brother, who died when the future NHL star was 10.
The pregnancy was only revealed after Washington won the Cup in June. The family had been staying in south Florida, where Ovechkin was recently seen training at the Panthers’ practice rink. Sergei will have Russian and American citizenship.
DERMOTT RARIN’ TO GO
Travis Dermott just enjoyed the kind of summer every Maple Leaf hopes for — the shortest holiday possible.
A championship season — with the farm team Marlies after a taste of NHL playoffs — and now back to work with an eye on bigger things this season.
“It feels pretty good, like I never really left,” Dermott said Monday at a west end rink where the Leafs have begun congregating for informal skates ahead of training camp. “There aren’t too many cobwebs for me. It feels like my season just ended a couple of weeks ago.
“Some of us have been out here all summer, Connor Brown, Zach Hyman, Nazem Kadri Mason Marchment and then we have the Ontario Hockey League guys and the prospects.”
Many in the youngest group will play in a rookie tournament Sept. 7-9 in Laval, Que., run by the Canadiens and featuring the Leafs and Senators. The main Leaf camp gets underway in Toronto and Niagara Falls, Ont., starting Sept. 13.
“There are good guys to work out with and we push each other really well,” Dermott said, as he readies for his first full season on the Toronto blue-line. “The trainers push us, too, in the gym and on the ice with (skating coach) Barb Underhill and (skills development consultant) Mike Ellis.
“It’s coming down to (September) right? It’s an exciting time for everyone here. We’re trying to build up in the best way possible to have the best camp you can to be prepared for the season.”
The 2018-19 campaign already has extra hype getting pumped in after the acquisition of free agent centre John Tavares and with it, the increased chances of a sustained post-season run. But first, there’s restricted free agent William Nylander’s contract to settle — not a worry according to both parties this summer — an 82-game schedule to steer through and the challenge of winning just one best-of-seven playoff series, which the Leafs haven’t done since 2004. The 21-year-old Dermott and many other Leafs have yet to have a formal introduction to Tavares, who has kept a low profile since July 1, while enjoying the first few weeks of married life.
Dermott and other Leaf defencemen are waiting to see who else might be added by general manager Kyle Dubas to the camp mix. While coach Mike Babcock has insisted the incumbent group is not as thin as perceived when it comes to the needed depth for spring, the Leafs are adding Russian KHLER Igor Ozhiganov, they’ll give Marlies such as Justin Holl a look and there remains the option of bringing in a free agent on a PTO contract at camp.
OIL STOCKS UP
Edmonton beefed up its blueline Monday, signing 27-year-old Jakub Jerabek to a one-year deal. The Czech spent last season with the Canadiens and Capitals, finishing the year in D.C. with a twogame cameo in the playoffs. Edmonton was down a defenceman after Andrej Sekera had surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon.
ICE CHIPS
The New York Rangers added some goaltending depth Monday, getting veteran Dustin Tokarski on a one-year contract. The 28-year-old has played 34 NHL games in his career ... This being PTO contract time, the Oilers have announced they’ll bring in Fort Mcmurray, Alta., native Scottie Upshall in for a look at camp. He spent the last three seasons in St. Louis and turns 35 in October ... Flames GM Brad Treliving insists he’ll get defenceman Noah Hanifin’s contract settled as soon as possible as September nears for the restricted free-agent defenceman. “It’ll get done, but it’s just not done yet,” Treliving told Postmedia’s Kristen Anderson ... Though he’s yet to break in full time with Toronto or get a chance with any other NHL team, AHL goalie of the year Garret Sparks has his first endorsement deal — a sensible one with Sparx Hockey, which makes skate-sharpening and other related equipment in Acton, Mass.