Top Line: KHL to lure Alex Ovechkin?; NHL concussion lawsuits; more links
Alex Ovechkin could be returning to Russia before long. (G Fiume/Getty Image)
By Allan Muir
An annotated guide to this morning's must-read hockey stories:
• The general manager of the KHL's Dynamo Moscow said Friday that he'd talk to Alex Ovechkin about returning to Russia. RMNB has the key quotes translated into English and looks at how the NHL might respond if OV, or any other contracted player, tries to head home early.
• Legal experts believe the chances of NHL players suing the league over concussion issues dimmed as a result of a settlement this week between the NFL and more than 4,500 former players. But just because the legal path became more challenging doesn't mean it ends here.
• Adrian Dater isn't buying the Paul Stastny for Ryan Miller trade rumors. Me neither. If (and when) Stastny moves, I think the return has to address Colorado's defense, not their netminding. And on a side note, how cool would it be to have Patrick Roy name you as his favorite goalie?
• Philly forward Matt Readhas ignored the trade rumors that involved him this summer. That's a solid approach. Just ask Bobby Ryan.
• Pavel Datsyuk, Brent Burns and, yep, Roberto Luongo are honored for posting hockey's top tweets for August.
• Paul MacLean says it's time for everyone to accept that Daniel Alfredsson is gone and move on.
• Maybe now that we've seen Alfie in a Detroit jersey, it'll be a little easier.
• Uber-prospect Connor McDavid talks Team Canada, the upcoming OHL season, and the thrill of seeing Steve Downie in this video interview with The Hockey News.
• This is a great story about the 40th anniversary of Borje Salming joining the Maple Leafs and how that impacted both the city and the future of hockey scouting. But if that's not reason enough to click the link, you get the added bonus of maybe helping me identify what the other Leaf in the photo is wearing on his head.
• A Kings official says tickets for the Stadium Series game planned for Dodger Stadium are selling faster than any previous Winter Classic and that some intriguing and innovative ideas to represent SoCal culture are being planned. As long as these guys aren't involved, we're good.
• Peter Chiarelli's tenure in Boston has so successful that fans are willing to overlook the few times he's pinwheeled after stepping on the banana peel. Here's DJ Bean with a take on the best, and worst, decisions of the Chiarelli era. (Warning: contains Brandon Bochenski.)
• Joe Haggerty writes that Chiarelli is the best GM in Boston sports right now. That's really saying something.
• Scott Clemmensen will be the only native of the Hawkeye State in the NHL next season. The Iowa Wildhope to impact that number down the road.
• Cam Charron argues that too many teams already employ a Ron Hainsey-type to want to spend money on another one. He's probably right. As useful as he might be, Hainsey is probably looking at a one-year, $2 million offer, at best, at this point.
• I'm not sure who came up with the fancy stat behind this story, but it's one I can get behind.
• The latest on Dustin Byfuglien's weight? Kinda surprising, right?
• Trips to nearby Lake Placid set the stage at a young age for U.S. Olympic hopeful Zach Bogosian.
• Apparently, Bogo had a chat at the Team USA camp with Kyle Okposo, whose head shot on Apr. 20 left the Winnipeg defender with a concussion. And then, giggles over lattes!
• Does Team Canada have room for a guy like Karl Alzner? If they're looking for a steady, stay-at-home guy, sure. But he'll have to beat out Marc Methot for the part.
• Here's one more reason Jean Beliveau was, and is, so highly revered. Dave Stubbs tweeted later that Beliveau kept up the practice of replying to every single fan for more than 50 years.
• It'll be a lot tougher to push the Carolina Hurricanes around if hard-nosed winger Tuomo Ruutu is as healthy as he claims.