Since the 2014-15 season ended, the importance of starting the 2015-16 campaign off strong has been hammered home, and the latest to emphasize the point is captain Jamie Benn. He shared his thoughts on preparing for that positive beginning, talked about the additions of Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya, and offered an update on how his rehab is going.
“I’m skating three times a week now — it’s just working on the edges really,” he said. “Workouts are picking up, but it’s still controlled. I get pretty antsy at times, but the trainers remind me that I’ve got plenty of time and just take it slow.”
Benn said he wants to be on the ice opening night, because the team needs to get off to a fast start this season. After stumbling out of the gate last year, the Stars players are committed to a focused beginning in 2015-16.
“I honestly can’t stop thinking about it this summer,” Benn said. “We need to get off on the right foot, we need to be prepared, and we need to build on the things we did at the end of last season. We learned a lot, so we need to remember those lessons.”
For more from the Stars’ fearless leader, head over to the Dallas Morning News. [DMN]
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If you missed yesterday’s news, the Stars revealed their training camp schedule and announced that individual game tickets will go on sale on August 10th.
Also, if you think your wardrobe might need a little more Victory Green (it does, I promise), then you’re in luck.
Take advantage of tax free shopping Friday & Saturday at The Hangar on apparel under $100 and get 15% off EVERYTHING! pic.twitter.com/Xm8CV3ELUS
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) August 6, 2015
More teams are starting to put goalie development first, and Mike Valley talks about why that’s so important. [NHL]
Canada fell to Russia in a shootout at the national teams’ development camp on Wednesday. First-round pick Denis Gurianov suited up for the Russian squad and received this mention from The Hockey Writers.
After not being noticeable in the first game against Canada, Denis Guryanov and Evgeni Svechnikov were two of Russia’s best players, particularly in the third period.
There’s another story over at NHL.com—except you’ll have to ignore the fact that the Capitals apparently drafted Gurianov. [THW]
Being the new guy is never easy, and sometimes players don’t adjust to unfamiliar environments as well as they might hope. Will that be the case for Johnny Oduya in Dallas? [Sportsnet]
Also on Sportsnet: five coaches whose jobs might be on the line in 2015-16, featuring—you guessed it—Lindy Ruff. [Sportsnet]
Good news! You can now sport NWHL gear.
Get your first taste of NWHL gear NOW on http://t.co/v95pvvdlgZ! Super soft tees in men’s, women’s, kids & unisex! pic.twitter.com/FjRxj8GEwp
— NWHL (@NWHL_) August 5, 2015
Both Quebec City and Las Vegas have been invited to phase two of the NHL’s expansion process. [TSN]
Bloomberg’s Kavitha Davidson explores how the league’s new deal with MLB Advanced Media could affect the NHL’s popularity. [Bloomberg]
Los Angeles Kings president and general manager Dean Lombardi has been named the GM for the U.S. for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. [NHL]
In Central Division news, the Avs and goaltender Calvin Pickard agreed to a deal.
Avalanche sign Calvin Pickard to a reported 2-way, $850,500 contract http://t.co/1CfoWbVCeH pic.twitter.com/XMjxAFE6EE
— theScore NHL (@theScoreNHL) August 6, 2015
The agent of former Stars center Derek Roy is surprised his client is still without a team. [Edmonton Journal]
Another year, another outdoor game for the Blackhawks. And while we may be sick of seeing Chicago play in the open air, Gary Bettman says fans “can’t get enough” of the outdoor experience. [Sports Illustrated]
Speaking of those games, the logo and rosters for the Minnesota/Chicago Stadium Series showdown have been revealed. [Wild]
Some records will never be broken, and Grantland’s Sean McIndoe is here to tell you about the weirdest of those unbeatable bests. [Grantland]
Patrick Kane is currently being investigated for sexual assault. No charges have been filed yet, and the actual allegations are as of yet unknown. Please keep in mind that these are currently allegations. It’s a tough situation. Kane is innocent until proven guilty, but his presumed innocence doesn’t overshadow the need to show compassion and understanding to the alleged victim. So if you do want to discuss it please be sensitive to the situation. [Buffalo News]
And finally, we aren’t the only ones who can’t wait for the season to start. Tyler Seguin’s “children” are also eager for hockey to return.
My children are almost ready to go back to Dallas for the season. There starting to miss hockey. pic.twitter.com/tKMQpo9fuc
— Tyler Seguin (@tseguinofficial) August 6, 2015
(You’ll feel better if you just pretend that says “they’re.”)