SNAP SHOTS
Kronwall: It has been quite a thing to be a Red Wing ... Rychel dealt to Flames ... Ovechkin welcomes a son ... Rangers bring in goaltender Tokarski
Two Red Wing stalwarts appear headed 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 on 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 near the opening night of the season, while Kronwall hits that number at mid-season.
On the day the Wings signed young star Dylan Larkin to a five-year, $30.5 million US deal last week, Holland said of Zetterberg on a conference call:
“I have talked to his agent a number of times over the course of summer. 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 team captain, Kronwall one of the alternates.
HIGH PICKS SHUFFLED
A couple of first-round picks from 2013 changed places in a trade on 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 Maple Leafs’ affiliate, the Marlies. The son of former NHLer Warren Rychel was swapped for swift forward
Hunter Shinkaruk, who had 32 points for the AHL Stockton Heat last season. In 2013, Rychel went 19th overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Shinkaruk 24th to Vancouver.
Rychel, who had a goal and assist in four games with the Habs last year, immediately signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Flames. Shinkaruk has played 15 NHL contests, though none in 201718.
O BABY!
First a Cup and then a kid. Alex Ovechkin’s wife, Nastya
Shubskaya Ovechkina, gave birth to a son on 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 revealed only after Washington won the Stanley 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.
OIL STOCKS UP
Edmonton beefed up its blue-line 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 two-game 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 on 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 for a look at camp. He spent the past 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 has yet to break in 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 related equipment in Acton, Mass.