Leclaire and Blue Jackets still negotiating

From Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch:

Howson had another chat with the agent for goaltender Pascal Leclaire yesterday. A deal does not appear close, but the two sides -- Howson and agent Don Meehan -- remain amicable.

Read more about the Blue Jackets here.

Don Meehan is in a very good bargaining position. The Jackets have added a bunch of significant pieces to their roster and there is hype surrounding the team heading into the 2008/09 season. Meehan clearly knows that and will ask for more money and term for Pascal Leclaire as a result.

Eventually these two sides will meet halfway, but for now, it looks like Meehan is going to use all of the leverage he has.

Negotiations with Pascal Leclaire continue

From Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch:

I spoke to Don Meehan late last night. He's the agent for Blue Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire, a restricted free agent. Meehan wouldn't say too much on the record, but here it is: "We're in the midst of our discussions. I believe (Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson) and I will talk again before the end of the week. It's too early to say what the term or the financials are going to be. We've only just started, really. We've exchanged views, so we know what Scott's objectives and goals are, and he knows what Pascal's objectives and goals are, too."

Read more about the Blue Jackets' off-season plans from Puck Rakers here.

Things are just starting to heat up in the Leclaire negotiations, but I don't see there being too much a stalemate. Both sides realize the importance of getting a deal done.

Negotiations with Pascal Leclaire just beginning

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: "Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson yesterday refuted weekend reports out of Canada that contract negotiations were not going very well with restricted free agent goaltender Pascal Leclaire."

Here is the full article courtesy of the Columbus Dispatch.

I really don't see these two sides not coming to some sort of agreement. Leclaire was terrific last season and really flourished under coach Hitchcock's defense-first system. Scott Howson is a sharp GM and I'm sure the sides will end up agreeing on a three or four year contract.

NHL Morning Papers: The Non-Conference Finals Teams

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers for the teams that are not currently participating in the playoffs:

Southeast Division:

• Craig Custance of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution thinks Ron Wilson may be a leading candidate for the Thrashers head coaching job.
• Hurricanes defenseman Tim Gleason was injured during the World Hockey Championships, but the injury is not believed to be serious.

Atlantic Division:

• No morning papers for the Atlantic Division.

Northeast Division:

• The Bruins re-signed Chuck Kobasew to a 3 year contract on Tuesday and Fluto Shinwaza of the Boston Globe has the details.
• According to Allen Panzeri of the Ottawa Citizen, the Senators have not contacted Craig Hartsburg about their open head coaching position.
• You can cross Wayne Gretzky's name off the list of people interested in running the Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, the Leafs did meet with Dave Nonis yesterday about their vacant GM position.

Here are the Western Conference morning papers for the teams that are not currently participating in the playoffs:

Northwest Division:

• The Avalanche have signed 2007 second-round pick T.J. Galiardi to an entry-level contract.

Central Division:

• Pascal Leclaire has played well for Canada at the World Hockey Championships, writes Tom Reed.
• Former UND Fighting Sioux winger T.J. Oshie is now a member of the St. Louis Blues.
• In Nashville, Steve Sullivan continues his rehabilitation from a serious back injury.

Pacific Division:

• Pat Burns should be the man for the Sharks head coaching gig, writes Tim Kawakami. Regardless of who Kawakami wants for the job, the search begins today.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Email any thoughts, ideas or suggestions to illegalcurve@gmail.com

Pre-Game Report

Here are some roster notes heading into tonight's games:

• Kristian Huselius (healthy scratch) is out for tonight's game against Vancouver.
• Marc Savard (back) is out for tonight's game at Toronto.
• Here are the Hurricanes' projected lines for tonight's game versus Washington.
• Justin Williams (ACL) may be in the line up tonight for Carolina.
• Here is how the Stars lined up at their morning skate.
• Kris Russell (groin) will not play tonight against Nashville.
• Pascal Leclaire (head) is out for tonight's game.
• Tomas Holmstrom (groin) will be out of action for another week.
• Valtteri Filppula (groin, knee) is out tonight.
• Dominik Hasek (flu) did not fly with the team to St. Louis for tonight's game.
• Andrew Ference (leg) is out tonight for Boston's important game versus Toronto.
• Jonathan Cheechoo (head, neck) is out for tonight's game against the Coyotes.
• Patrick Rismiller (lower-body injury) will play for the Sharks tonight.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Afternoon Roster News

Here are some news and notes from around the NHL this afternoon:

• Pascal Leclaire will start in net tonight for the Jackets.
• Chris Simon returns to the Islanders line-up tonight for the first time since being suspended for stepping on Jarko Ruutu's foot.
• Casey Borer has been demoted by the Hurricanes to the AHL.
• The MRI on Nicklas Lidstrom's knee revealed no tear, and the star defenseman will be lost to the Wings for three weeks.
• Niklas Kronwall (shoulder) may return to the Wings line-up this weekend.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.

Nightly Recap: Leclaire Earns 5th Shutout

-As well as Henrik Lundvquist has been playing lately, you can't overlook BEAST of the night Pascal Leclaire. He recorded his league leading 5th shutout of the year, stopping 21 shots tonight vs the Blues. Rick Nash is having a great season as he scored his 10th goal tonight. Columbus is now 5-0-1 in their past six games. Columbus 3 - St. Louis 0.

-After beating Boston at Scotiabank Place last night, Ottawa won tonights rematch from the TD Banknorth Garden. Antoine Vermette scored Ottawa's only goal in regulation, and after scoring two goals last night Chuck Kobasew popped in another tonight. Tough loss(es) for Tim Thomas who stopped 77 of 81 total shots in consecutive nights. Daniel Alfredsson and Vermette scored the Senators two goals in the shootout. Ottawa 2 - Boston 1 (SO).

-Chris Mason ended his seven game losing streak, making 30 saves in the Predators win. Alex Radulov and Jason Arnott had two points each. After losing five of six, Nashville has now won three straight. Nashville 5 - Chicago 2.

Tomorrow's Games (All times Eastern)
7:00pm WSH@CAR, PIT@NJ, PHI@NYR,
7:30pm BUF@MTL, TB@FLA,
8:00pm EDM@MIN,
9:00pm CGY@COL,
10:00pm DAL@ANA

Morning Musings: Bruins/Rangers game moved up

If any of you are craving for hockey later this afternoon, the Bruins/Rangers game has been moved to 4pm EST from 7pm EST in order to avoid a time conflict with tonight's Red Sox/Indians ALCS game six.

On to the morning papers:

• Reports that the Leafs were going to get Kyle Wellwood and Carlo Coliacovo back in the lineup for tonight's game were untrue as both players have encountered setbacks in their rehabilitation. Leafs' coach Paul Maurice doesn't think Vesa Toskala has had an off-game yet writes Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star. It is expected that, once again, the Leafs will be facing a backup goaltender on Saturday night as Patrick Lalime is expected to get the call in net for Chicago.
• The whole hockey world would benefit if the Blackhawks became a team people cared about again opines Damien Cox in this morning's Toronto Star.
• The Canucks can't seem to put a complete game together, and a poor second period cost them against the Kings as Vancouver lost last night's game 4-2.
• According to Lisa Dillman of the L.A. Times a mid-second period save by Kings' goaltender Jason LaBarbara may have been the game's turning point.
• Alexander Ovechkin faces off against Sidney Crosby tonight, but the Capitals are less concerned about the matchup and more concerned about getting their powerplay in order writes Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post.
• The struggling Lightning take on the new-look Thrashers tonight in a divisional matchup.
• The Thrashers have placed goaltender Kari Lehtonen on the IR and he is expected to miss an extended period of time with what is being termed an upper-leg injury.
• The Ducks are heading back out on the road for the first time since returning from their long European road trip to start the season; Curtis Zupke of the Orange County Register has the story.
• As Fluto Shinwaza of the Boston Globe tells us, Bruins' coach Claude Julien is instructing his players to cut down on their long shifts. In other Bruins' news, coach Julien has no problem with the time change of his team's game today versus the Rangers.
• Last night 3-0 loss to Columbus was the Sabres' first time being shutout in their last 95 regular season games.
• The Flames' summer acquisitions get their first taste of the Battle of Alberta tonight as the Oilers visit Calgary in the second half of HNIC's Saturday night double-header.
• Scott Walker injured his torso and moments after he was taken off the ice the Hurricanes surrendered their lead to the Penguins and ended up losing to the Pens 4-3 in a shootout. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have yet to announce who their starting netminder will be tonight as they visit Philadelphia to take on the Flyers.
• Forget the Blackhawks victory over the Avalanche all anyone wanted to talk about after the game was Jonathan Toews and his gorgeous goal. (Illegal Curve's Michael Remis linked the goal through youtube as part of his nightly recap which can be found here)
• Even though they mounted a comeback, the Avalanche feel as though they lost last night's game in the early going writes Adrian Dater of the Denver Post.
• The Blue Jackets' Pascal Leclaire recorded his third shutout of the season last night over the Sabres and he has only started four games. Jackets' forward Dan Fritsche was a healthy scratch for last night's contest.
• Stars' forward Todd Fedoruk needs to get back to his fighting ways in order to move down from the press-box and back on to the ice; Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has the story.
• As Helene St. James of the Detroit Free press tells readers, the Red Wings have loved the play of tough guy Aaron Downey so far this season.
• The Oilers have been continually mixing and matching their lines but may have finally come upon a combination that works. Robbie Schremp was demoted back to the AHL yesterday and after reading Craig MacTavish's comments about the youngster's game, it would probably be safe to say, that barring injuring, he won't be back up in the NHL in the near future.
• Nobody is more excited to face the Senators than Cory Murphy (well, aside from his family) writes Steve Gorten of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The Panthers are not yet sure whether Tomas Vokoun can start tonight's game and will make that decision later this morning says coach Jacques Martin.
• There is no love lost between the Wild and the Blues heading into tonight's contest writes Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It should be a physical game tonight writes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.
• The Penguins were resilient last night coming back on a number of occasions to defeat the Hurricanes 4-3 in a shootout.
• The Sharks have to stop getting bloated egos from listening to all the lofty predictions and start working hard says goalie Evgeni Nabokov.
• When asked what problems the Red Wings present to the Coyotes heading into tonight's contest in the desert, coach Wayne Gretzky responded, "Well, you got enough room on paper?"
• Tonight will serve as a good measuring stick for the revamped Flyers as they take on the one-loss Hurricanes.
• The legendary Red Fisher of the Montreal Gazette has a great article this morning on Alexei Kovalev's controversial comments earlier this week.
• Steve Sullivan's doctors say the X-rays show improvement in his back injury, unfortunately for Sullivan he doesn't feel any better.
• Greg Logan thinks it was the Islanders' penalty killing, not Bill Guerin's hat trick, that was the key to the Isles' victory over Washington on Thursday night.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.