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Top Line: Injury bug bites mascot; Kane nearly a Flyer; more links

An annotated guide to today's must-read hockey stories:

•First Jordan Staal, then Derek Stepanand now this guy. And you thought it was only celebrity deaths that came in threes.

Red Wings, Rangers, Lightning must deal with early injury issues

Pavel Datsyuk

•Plans already are underway to ensure that the new arena in Detroit hosts a lot more hockey than just the Red Wings. The Memorial Cup, World Juniors and other high-end events could be headed to the building within a decade.

•The contract stalemate between Ryan Johansen and the Columbus Blue Jacketsis bigger than any of the parties involved. By holding the line against Johansen's demands, the team is taking a stand not only for its own budget but for the budgets of other clubs around the league.

•How close did Evander Kane come to being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers over the summer? Very close.

An Englishman's Guide to Ice Hockey might be the best thing you read all week. This introduction for the beginner fan has it all, from suggesting a team to support based on your favorite football team to appropriate attire to a brief explanation of Don Cherry. (s/t Reddit)

Zach Parise has changed his tune on dump 'n' chase hockey. The forecheck may be his bread and butter, but he's now an advocate of puck possession and he hopes that the Wild are on board as well.

•The competition may be friendly, but there's only one starting gig in Anaheim and both Frederik Andersen and John Gibson want it.

•An article on the quiet tyranny of mental illness in the hockey world may have saved one player's life. Terrific read here from Ashley March.

•The Capitals focused their free agency spending on the blueline with the belief that they could find someone internally to fill the hole at second line center. A week into camp, they haven't found the answer.

Outrage about Jordan Subban photo caption in Vancouver Sun

Subban took the high road.

•The Canadiens have essentially trimmed their camp roster down to 27 players and Jiri Sekac, Jacob de la Rose and 2014 first-round draft pick Nikita Scherbak are still in the mix for one of the team's 23 roster spots.

•Upset about “24/7” bolting HBO for EPIX? Don't be, writes Matt Larkin. The show was already dead in the water.

•Looks like the Florida Panthersare serious about taking a financial hit this season.

•Joe Pelletier has a look back at one of my all-time favorite hockey moments: the emotional return of Normand Leveille for The Last Hurrah at the Boston Garden.