I don’t even know how to start these anymore without mentioning that real hockey is just around the corner. Let’s get through the news so we can get back to daydreaming about Kane brushing the back of that net.
**Another player preview from Tracey Myers. Brandon Saad, we see you. (CSN Chicago)
**The Red Wings finally agreed to a contract with defenseman Danny DeKeyser: two years, $4.375 million. That’s an annual cap hit of about $2.19 million. (The Hockey News)
**Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen looks to be getting increasingly frustrated with Ryan Johansen. “Our success is going to come from being a team, not a bunch of individuals or stars, or whatever. We’re not a star-studded team. To me it’s huge that you go through training camp together and get ready.” Doesn’t sound like the Jackets will be budging any time soon. (Columbus Dispatch)
**The Ducks got developing forward Devante Smith-Pelly to sign a two-year, one-way deal worth $800,000 annually. Now that’s potentially great value for a bridge contract. (CBS Sports)
**Might be time to hop on board Nathan Walker’s bandwagon after these photos of him with kangaroos and koalas (RMNB)
**The Capitals and the Reagans, best of friends (Japers Rink)
**A decision from Daniel Alfredsson on his future will have to wait as he continues recovering from back issues (TSN)
**The NHL is hoping to have a system in place for fining repeat offenders of the diving rules by the start of the season (Pro Hockey Talk)
**Good news out of Canada: “Minor hockey players in Ontario are now able to choose a dressing room based on whether they see themselves as male or female following settlement of a human rights complaint against Hockey Canada. The agreement, which also includes an educational component, is aimed at protecting young transgender players from discrimination and harassment.” (Yahoo! Canada)
**Longtime NHL defenseman Brett Clark has joined the Avalanche as a player development consultant (Denver Post)
**St. Louis already has Ryan Reaves, but that hasn’t stopped the team from inviting longtime bruiser Paul Bissonnette to training camp (Blues)
**The USHL is testing out an interesting new rule: no icing on the penalty kill. We’ll see if it leads to more goals for teams with the man advantage, and whether the NHL ultimately takes any of this into consideration. (Pro Hockey Talk)
**Former Hurricane Sergei Samsonov has joined the team as a part-time scout (Hurricanes)
**Sweet save, Bernhard Starkbaum. (Puck Daddy)
**An update on Ryan Clowe’s recovery from a concussion (Pro Hockey Talk)