Updates on Sam Bennett, Darnell Nurse, Jake Virtanen, Kasperi Kapanen and Sven Andrighetto, plus the Senators re-sign their farm-team coach.
Flames rookie Sam Bennett feels he still has lots to learn.
CALGARY SUN: Despite having some NHL games under his belt, Flames promising rookie Sam Bennett had no problem attending the club’s rookie development camp. “I’m still only 19 years old,” Bennett said. “So I think there’s tons I still need to learn.”
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Promising Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse seems ready to crack their roster this season.
THE PROVINCE: Promising Vancouver Canucks winger Jake Virtanen was shaken up after taking a hard hit during a drill at the club’s development camp. He was held off the ice as a precautionary measure but was otherwise unhurt.
TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs prospect Kasperi Kapanen, acquired last week from Pittsburgh as part of the Phil Kessel trade, is more willing to speak with the media than the former Leafs star.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe this means if Kapanen one day departs Toronto via trade or free agency, he won’t have a Toronto pundit writing hit pieces about him.
SPORTSNET: Is promising winger Sven Andrighetto close to securing a roster spot with the Montreal Canadiens?
OTTAWA SUN: The Senators have re-signed minor-league coach Luke Richardson to a one-year contract.
Andrighetto already has about a dozen games played with the Habs and that’s his only asset when we compare him to other offense oriented prospects close to make the jump. We will see at training camp if he shows that he’s closer than other guys like Carr or Hudon or Thomas or even some long-shots like Scherbak or McCarron. These 6 prospects will fight for one or two roster spots.
If Nurse is actually ready for the NHL and cracks the roster it puts the Oilers in an interesting situation.
Fayne, Ferance, Klefbom, Reinhart, Gryba, Nitkinin, Nurse, Schultz, Sekera. That is 9 NHL defense man … They want to move Nitkinin out but who becomes the other casualty? Sekera, Fayne, Klefbom, Schultz are locks for the team … You just gave up a ton for Reinhart, Gryba is an affordable 7th d carry if you have to. So do they have to look at moving Team Captain Andrew Ferance?
Yes. Lets all rush to the defence of a guy making 8 mill a year who couldn’t be bothered to skate 8 times during the summer. Well it seems it wasn’t one hotdog a day. I am thinking more like one pizza a day.