Dein erstes Forum » Pavelec is an unrestricted free agent after the seas

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With defenseman Hampus Lindholm finally under contract, the Anaheim Ducks will seek their fourth win in five games when they play host to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night at the Honda Center.Lindholm, a restricted free agent, signed a six-year contract worth $31.5 million on Thursday. The agreement makes Lindholm the Ducks highest-paid defenseman after he led the team with 115 blocked shots while scoring 10 goals last season.Im really happy to be back in Anaheim, Lindholm said on a conference call from his native Sweden. Theres where Ive been all my career so Im really happy to be back with the team and everyone.But before Lindholm rejoins the team, the 22-year-old Swede must get a work visa while general manager Bob Murray resolves the salary-cap problems resulting from the deal.Capfriendly.com calculates that Anaheim exceeds the salary cap by $1.4 million, even after placing defenseman Simon Despres and center Nate Thompson on long-term injured reserve. Nevertheless, Murray believes re-signing Lindholm was imperative to maintaining the Ducks status as contenders.It solidifies this organization, Murray told NHL.com. Hampus is a really good young hockey player. Hes part of the future of this franchise. Hes only going to get better.Murray also implied that Lindholms signing represents at least the beginning of the Ducks last stand with their current roster.We wanted to get it at a fair number for the organization so we could try to move forward with this group as best we can, he told NHL.com. I wanted to give this group another shot. Im going to do everything in my power to keep it that way.That includes managing the salary cap while concentrating on winning the teams second Stanley Cup.Its going to be an interesting experience, Murray told NHL.com. But Im going to do the best I can to give this group one last shot at this.Another recently signed restricted free agent, center Rickard Rakell, practiced with his teammates for the first time Wednesday. Rakell agreed to another six-year contract worth $22.8 million on Oct. 14. But Rakell will not be ready for Friday nights game. Center Ryan Getzlaf might miss his second consecutive contest after a shot hit him in the left forearm Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks.Columbus enters the game after Thursday nights 3-1 loss in San Jose. The Blue Jackets 2-3-1 record provides a radical contrast from last years 0-8 start, and reflects a renewed emphasis on conditioning to deal with the NHLs increasing speed.Everybody looks quicker, Columbus forward Nick Foligno told the Columbus Dispatch. To a guy, you definitely feel quicker and lighter on your skates. But its more than that, too. Its the way were playing. Were trying to play faster and think faster and be faster with our heads, not just faster with our feet.Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella believes mental quickness can compensate for physical speed.If youre even a little bit slower than the other teams -- as far as just foot speed -- but you have a mindset of playing quick, I think you can be a quick team, Tortorella told the Dispatch. Were certainly trying to play quick.That quickness begins with the Blue Jackets defensemen sending the puck up the ice more rapidly and avoiding lateral passes. Tortorella described his goal using a metaphorical compass.Were just trying to be as north-south as we can, he told the Dispatch, and try to get away from going D to D and traveling east to west as much.Andrelton Simmons Jersey . LOUIS -- St. Rod Carew Jersey . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/justin-upton-angels-jersey/ . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. Andrew Heaney Angels Jersey . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. Matt Harvey Angels Jersey . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer.A return to the playoffs for the loudest rink in the NHL is a distinct possibility after missing out last season. But in the crazy-competitive Central Division, its going to be nip and tuck for the Winnipeg Jets to get in.It certainly doesnt help that the season begins with talented young blue-liner Jacob Trouba sitting at home after asking for a trade. Its a situation that will hang over the team until it is resolved. Hes not easily replaceable.This is, however, an organization that is beginning to truly see the fruits of a patient, well-orchestrated rebuild under GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.There is loads of young talent on this team, particularly up front, where rookie winger Patrik Laine, the No. 2 overall pick in June, is ready to take the NHL by storm. Is he the next Teemu Selanne? Thats the type of lofty comparison already associated with the Finnish goal scorer.How things play out in goal could also have a bearing on the Jets season, where highly touted youngster Connor Hellebuyck is probably already the best option, but because hes the only goalie who can go to the AHL without having to clear waivers, the Jets might start the season with veteran Ondrej Pavelec and backup Michael Hutchinson. Tough call. The Jets need to get this one right. They cant make the postseason without the best possible goaltending at hand.Best new facesLaine is going to excite fans in Winnipeg for years to come, just a perfect scenario all those years after the city fell in love with another Finnish great in Selanne. It appears Laine will begin the season on the second line with Bryan Little as his center, which is a good place to start. Look for Laine to do a lot of his damage on the power play, too.Kyle Connor has impressed at camp and in preseason and perhaps he might stick around with the big club. Only 19, the 2015 first-rounder had 35 goals and 36 assists with the University of Michigan last season. Is there a spot for him on a third line with Mathieu Perreault or do the Jets send Connor to the AHL Moose for some seasoning? Either way, we should see him at some point this season with the Jets.Biggest unknownsThere many unknowns up front, but thats a positive. This is the kind of situation Cheveldayoff wanted years ago when he took over this franchise, to arrive at camp and have serious competition for jobs among the young and talented players.Aside from Connor, who has been pushing for a job up front, add the likes of Joel Armia, Marko Dano, Nic Petan and Brandon Tanev also fighting for roles, not to mention eventually highly touted prospect Brendan Lemieux will resurface after getting injured in a rookie tournament last month (hell start the year in the AHL but dontt be surprised to see him back up at some point).dddddddddddd.The point being, the Jets have the kind of enticing options they could have only dreamed of a few years ago. Thats the product of excellent drafting and developing.On the flip side, there are unknowns on the back end, but its not for a good reason. Troubas trade request has created a hole in that blue-line corps. I think the Jets would have had Trouba play the left side in a top-four role this season. So now theres a hole there alongside Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers and Toby Enstrom in that top four.Could Josh Morrissey be an option? The 2013 first-round pick (13th overall) is getting a serious look in preseason after playing his first year of pro hockey last season with AHL Manitoba. The left-handed Calgary native can play the left or right side.The Jets are telling teams who have inquired about Trouba that they want a young, left-handed, top-four type blue-liner in return. Its a high asking price, and also rare for teams to want to trade one young blue-liner for another, but thats where things stand. Could Trouba find his way back with the Jets like Jonathan Drouin did with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season after asking for a trade?Finally, theres the unknown of the goaltending situation as mentioned. The Jets need to expose a goalie for the expansion draft in June and presumably thats why they re-signed the capable backup Hutchinson to a two-year deal. The veteran Pavelec is an unrestricted free agent after the season, so nobody will be standing in Hellebuycks way a year from now. The question is, should the Jets be handing the reigns over to the kid this season? Or do you ride Pavelec one last season?Sure thingsWhen Little was injured in mid-February, it created a top line that jelled immediately in Mark Scheifele between Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler. That unit is slated to being the season together and why not, Scheifele putting up 16 goals and 16 assists in his final 25 games last season. Why mess with that kind of chemistry? Scheifele looks like a sure thing as a bona fide No. 1 center. The fact that Team North America trusted him to join Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid on the top line in the World Cup of Hockey is telling, too.PredictionThe Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues are the class of the Central, leaving the Minnesota Wild and Jets to battle it out for fifth place in the division and potentially the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Im giving the nod to the Jets. Fifth in the Central. ' ' '