Hockey Notes

End-of-year observations

M. GABORIKShopping season?

By Kevin Paul Dupont

December 28, 2008

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Swept-up ice shavings and a few thoughts off the crossbar and high into the second balcony while waiting for Mats Sundin to lead the Vancouver Canucks to the 2009 Stanley Cup:

Hey, who doesn't like Sundin? The 6-foot-5-inch, point-a-game pivot, no matter what he logs in the game summary, brings class and composure to any lineup. However, the big galoot will turn 38 in February, and he is now about to jump back into the world's fastest league from a standing start. Some of these kids are about 20 years his junior. Sounds like an 8-track in an iPod world to me.

I'm willing to bet that alarms went off and all the doors locked with a jail cell's ka-chink when Sean Avery walked into Victoria's Secret to finish up his Christmas shopping. Think Vogue kept open his internship for summer '09, or will it be time for the glam mag to go, you know, "in another direction"?

The Wild immediately batted down any suggestion they are looking to deal Marian Gaborik, after telling the oft-injured elite forward not to play the club's first two games (this afternoon and tomorrow night) out of the Christmas break. "Ludicrous," said assistant general manager Tom Lynn, responding to trade rumors that ran rampant after the club's decision to rest its star. Maybe so. But keep in mind, Gaborik is on the books for $7.5 million this season and is headed for July 1 unrestricted free agency. If they're not shopping Gaborik, then they at least should have the phone lines open with operators standing by now!

The Capitals are doing a great job, hanging in with the Eastern playoff herd while getting clobbered with injuries. Tells us the power of Alexander Ovechkin, no? However, entrusting the net to the likes of Jose Theodore and Brent Johnson still feels like putting a serial killer in charge of lifeboats. If the Bruins ever act on the itch to trade Manny Fernandez (not an itch I would scratch), look for the Capitals and/or the Red Wings to show interest.

The world junior tournament, now playing in Ottawa, could determine whether star Canadian forward John Tavares or Swedish blue liner Victor Hedman will go No. 1 in the June 2009 draft. Both are labeled "can't miss" prospects - you know, like Alexandre Daigle (No. 1, 1993) and Patrik Stefan (No. 1, '99). Notes columnists are never wrong, of course, so I'd go with Hedman, who is already 6-6, 225 pounds, and plays with a certain surliness. The success this season of Luke Schenn in Toronto and Drew Doughty in Los Angeles once again tells me that the stud D-man is the way to go.

A report out of Canada last week had it that the Coyotes have had to reach into the NHL's piggy bank to ease cash-flow concerns. Not good. Fine idea, desert hockey, but fitting hockey into warm weather is just making everyone work harder than necessary. Step No. 1: Get a franchise back to Quebec City. Step No. 2: Figure out whether Jim Balsillie should own a franchise in Winnipeg or the distant Toronto 'burbs. Step No. 3: Check my meds . . . did I really say Winnipeg?

A couple of days off for Christmas is OK, but a handful would be far better for the players. That said, the NHL is also missing out on a great marketing opportunity by not matching the NBA's action on Christmas Day. Answer: Schedule everyone with a five-day break around the holiday, but each year make mandatory that two clubs must play on Christmas Eve and two others on Christmas Day. Then make certain those clubs get their five-day furlough after serving holiday duty. Asking four teams to take a hit for the good of the game is hardly punitive.

Something has to give in Ottawa, and soon. The Senators have way too many pricey parts and too much talent to be sitting 12th in the East, 8 points out of a playoff berth at the holiday break. And it's fine to talk about dealing overhyped Jason Spezza, due $8 million a year through 2012-13, but his salary and lack of edge make it difficult to engage bona fide trade partners. Upon exiting last season, they felt most of their issues were tethered to malcontent goalie Ray Emery, but it's clear now the issues were more systemic.

The Maple Leafs believe Justin Pogge, who won in his NHL debut last week, is the real deal, which gave them the faith in the summer of 2006 to deal Tuukka Rask to the Bruins. If Pogge plays to his promise, look for the Leafs to attempt a dump of 13-11-5 Vesa Toskala (due $4 million next season before becoming a UFA).

Union trying to size up cap

The 30-team tour is complete and all the sealed envelopes have been submitted. The NHL Players Association this week will tally the votes of its rank and file, then consult via conference call with its executive board, and ultimately inform the NHL in the days prior to the Jan. 24-25 All-Star break whether it intends to terminate the collective bargaining agreement after this season.

Paul Kelly, the union's executive director, said Friday that player discussion during meetings consistently centered on a few key issues when pondering whether to terminate. According to Kelly, the issues included the salary cap, the annual amount of player salary held in escrow (increased to 13.5 percent this season), the number of veterans who have become "cap casualties" the last three-plus seasons, and the impact of the ongoing economic crisis throughout North America and internationally.

"Specific to the crisis," said Kelly, summing up the discussion list, "they've asked, is the cap system better for the players or for the owners?"

Similar to the NHL's Board of Governors, the union believes the cap next season isn't likely to move, up or down, more than $2 million, placing it in the range of $54.5 million-$58.5 million. Many of this season's collectable assets can be banked on, said Kelly, but some $400 million of less-predictable revenue (walk-up ticket sales, parking, etc.) ultimately will determine the 2009-10 cap figure.

Over the course of meeting with teams on the CBA, said Kelly, the players voiced strong interest in added penalties being assessed to players who target hits to the head. A number of hits, including the Randy Jones hit on Patrice Bergeron Oct. 27, 2007, triggered the discussion. Kelly and other player representatives intend to meet in January with league officials, including chief disciplinarian Colin Campbell and director of officiating Stephen Walkom, in hopes of having minor and major penalties for "targeting the head" added to the rulebook.

The players also voted on whether to grandfather in mandatory use of visors, which would be similar to how helmet use was implemented in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Keeping close watch

The Bruins last week were in constant contact with concussed center Patrice Bergeron, who remained at his Boston condominium waiting for the cobwebs to abate after colliding head-to-shoulder Dec. 20 with Carolina defenseman Dennis Seidenberg. The concussion, reiterated general manager Peter Chiarelli, was not nearly as severe as the one Bergeron suffered last season on the hit by Flyers blue liner Randy Jones. Meanwhile, Bergeron continues to consult with concussion specialist Dr. Robert Cantu, team physician Peter Asnis, and the club's training staff. "Still no timetable," Chiarelli said Friday afternoon from Ottawa, where he prepared to watch the world junior tournament. "I've talked with him and texted him, but he knows the drill, and I'm not going to bug him every day by asking how he feels. He's feeling better and his mood is good, so those are the positives."

First things first

As for roster moves now that the holiday transaction embargo has ended, Chiarelli isn't inclined to tinker right now. "First, we want to see how [Bergeron] progresses, and we've also got two defensemen close to returning," he said. "I'd want to assess all that first." On the blue line, Aaron Ward returned last night, while Andrew Ference, who skated for the first time post-surgery on Friday, projects closer to the original mid-January return date.

Wear oh wear

The players remain "mixed" on the current mandatory wearing of helmets during shootouts. About 50 percent would be in favor of ditching the lids, said Paul Kelly, while the other half prefers that everyone remain protected. A broadcast incentive could tip the scales, according to the union chief. "If a major broadcaster said it was critical and felt compelled to pay a higher rights fee," said Kelly, "then I think the players would bite for it."

Loose pucks

As of yesterday morning, the Bruins had outscored opponents, 126-77, for a league-best goal differential of plus-49. A call to the Elias Sports Bureau, the keeper of the NHL's stats, found that the 1976-77 Canadiens hold the all-time mark of plus-216 (387-171), while the 1974-75 Washington Capitals own the "underwater" mark of negative-265 (181-446) in their first season. Scotty Bowman coached the Habs, who were then in the midst of winning four consecutive Stanley Cups . . . Your faithful puck chronicler is headed to Chicago this week for the Wings-Blackhawks matchup that will be staged at Wrigley Field New Year's Day. Headed into the weekend, weather.com predicted a game-time (1 p.m. EDT) temperature around 30 degrees, with "some" snow showers. But it is Chicago, where local politicians have made a habit of snowing the public for decades. Just in case, I'm packing for this one. Just a shovel, of course.

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at dupont@globe.com; material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.