Torres was suspended for what the NHL judged to be an illegal hit to the head on Jarret Stoll. Wilson offered his own rebuttal and said the NHL "made an inappropriate application" of Rule 48.1. $25,000 of Wilson's fine was actually automatic because the NHL doesn't allow teams to make a formal statement regarding a disciplinary decision in the 48 hours that immediately follow the ruling. The other $75,000 was because the NHL felt his comments were inappropriate.
GM Wilson fined $100k for Torres' statement
Todd McLellan | SJ
(May 18, 2013 6:19 PM EDT)
Sharks GM Doug Wilson has been fined $100,000 for his comments following Raffi Torres' suspension.
Source:
LAKingsInsider.com
Jason Spezza is expected to return Sunday
Jason Spezza | OTT
(May 18, 2013 2:07 PM EDT)
Jason Spezza (back) is ready to return to the Senators' lineup.
Look for Spezza to play on the top line in Game 3 on Sunday. The Ottawa Senators are down 2-0 in their second-round series against Pittsburgh, but getting Spezza back will be a huge boost. Although the Senators still might not make it past this round, he will help plenty of fantasy owners in playoff pools in the short term.
Source:
Ian Mendes on Twitter
'Good chance' Martin Havlat returns Saturday
Martin Havlat | SJ
(May 18, 2013 1:27 PM EDT)
San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan said that there's a "good chance" Martin Havlat will play Saturday night.
It is not yet clear what line Havlat will play on, assuming that he ends up playing at all. The Saturday practice lines weren't altered to accommodate Havlat's potential return, but that's because Havlat informed the coaching staff of his availability after the morning skate.
Source:
Helene Elliott on Twitter
Ottawa goalie pulled for 1st time this season
Craig Anderson | OTT
(May 18, 2013 1:05 PM EDT)
When Ottawa coach Paul MacLean pulled Craig Anderson early in the second period Friday night, it was the first time a Senators goalie did not finish a game he started for non-injury reasons this season.
That's a span of 55 games. It just demonstrates how good Ottawa goaltender has been this campaign to this point. That said, Anderson has not looked good in round two against the Penguins and we wouldn't be shocked if he is pulled again if he runs into trouble in Game 3.
Source:
Ottawa Citizen
Eric Staal has sprain no surgery required
Eric Staal | CAR
(May 18, 2013 11:35 AM EDT)
Eric Staal has sustained only a third degree knee sprain of his MCL that will not require surgery.
The MRI results are in and the news is as good as the Hurricanes could have hoped for. Staal will need three months to rehabilitate the injury but will not need to go under the knife. If all goes well, Staal should be good to go once training camp opens in September. All Staal owners in keeper leagues can exhale now.
Source:
Hurricanes.com
Brad Richards has reached rock bottom
Brad Richards | NYR
(May 18, 2013 11:24 AM EDT)
Brad Richards may have reached rock bottom.
Not only has he been demoted to the Rangers' fourth line, he was on the ice for only 9:59 at even strength Thursday night, the least amount of any Ranger skater. It is difficult to determine how Richards has fallen from star to marginal player so quickly. Some believe it has to do with the fact that the 33-year-old pivot did not play during the lockout. Whatever the reason, Richards is not currently relevant from a fantasy perspective.
Source:
NY Post
Habs need to get bigger to compete
Michel Therrien | MON
(May 18, 2013 11:08 AM EDT)
Look for the Canadiens to draft and/or acquire some bigger players this off-season.
The belief amongst Montreal management is that the team is fast enough to be competitive but lacks the size to defeat the bigger and more aggressive teams in the NHL. We expect the Habs will focus their attention on a number of the more physical free agents in the market and perhaps make a deal or two to bring in a power forward who can play on one of the team's top three lines and a rugged top six defenseman
Source:
Montreal Gazette
Sidney Crosby's hat trick powers Game 2 win
Sidney Crosby | PIT
(May 17, 2013 10:20 PM EDT)
Sidney Crosby had a hat trick to lead the Penguins over the Senators 4-3 in Game 2 of their second-round series Friday night.
The Penguins now hold a 2-0 lead in the series. Crosby notched his hat trick by 1:15 of the second period, showcasing his tools with great stick handling and speed, cleverness on the ice and a plus shot. It's not easy to stop the Penguins captain, but the Senators certainly could've done a better job being physical on him. Brenden Morrow potted what is considered the game-winning goal. Paul Martin and Kris Letang picked up two assists apiece. Matt Niskanen finished with a game-high plus-three rating, and he also had a helper. Chris Kunitz, James Neal and Evgeni Malkin also had assists.
Sharks GM: Suspension 'unfair' to Torres
Raffi Torres | SJ
(May 17, 2013 8:26 PM EDT)
Raffi Torres won't appeal his suspension.
Torres was suspended for the rest of Round 2 for his illegal hit to the head of Kings forward Jarrett Stoll. Don't think that this means Torres agrees with the suspension, though; in fact the organization disagrees with it. Sharks general manager Doug Wilson released a statement on it, calling it "abundantly clear that this was a clean hockey hit." He also said it was an "inappropriate application" of Rule 48.1, where the head is the principal point of contact and target of the hit. Wilson said this suspension was "grossly unfair" to Torres.
Source:
Sharks.com
Jason Spezza (back) might return on Sunday
Jason Spezza | OTT
(May 17, 2013 4:04 PM EDT)
Jason Spezza (back) might be available for Game 3 on Sunday.
Spezza reportedly doesn't have medical clearance yet, so there are still hurdles for him to overcome. "He continues to skate on a daily basis and makes progress," said Senators coach Paul MacLean. "We'll go through practice (Saturday) and the pre-game skate and we'll see where it is. If he's available to us, it's Jason Spezza, we're going to have him in the lineup." Spezza was limited to just five regular season games.
Source:
Ottawa Sun