Alexei Yashin News

The NHL is giving new meaning to the term "mobile defenceman." The phrase used to suggest mobility on the ice, a swiftness of the feet and stick that sparks a rush, kick starts an attack.

Pity Adam Foote. Even though the veteran defenceman has accomplished just about everything imaginable during his NHL career, a small cloth letter has given him some seriously big skates to fill this season.

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Great, These days, it seems that to be great, you have to be awful first.

Leading into the Oct. 1 season openers, Sporting News will preview one NHL team per day, counting backward from our preseason No.

With the salary cap being such an important player in the way teams are managed and talent is paid, it's hard to believe some of the ludicrously long contracts doled out in recent years.

Islanders GM Garth Snow is playing poker again and he is not showing his hand again.The Islanders have signed former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Martin Biron... by Frank Trovato 2 285 reads Sports Islanders GM Garth Snow is playing poker again and he is not showing his hand again.

The worm turns quickly in this town. For three years, Heatley was more or less a golden boy - who doesn't have a fascination with players who can score 50 goals in a season on more than one occasion? That was then.

Alex Kovalev admits he was "disappointed" to leave Montreal, but feels he can be a missing piece of the puzzle in helping the Ottawa Senators rebound from their own disappointing times.

There is little doubt the Dany Heatley affair will get even messier before it is resolved.

We're not really sure what is going to happen today, given that economic/salary cap concerns might make the opening of free agency about as exciting as this year's trade deadline.

The importance of going No. 1 in the NHL draft was more than just a number to John Tavares.

The NHL Entry Draft is back in its original home this year. The draft began in Montreal in 1963 and was held there every year through 1984, before it was held at the Toronto Convention Centre in 1985.

Mike Milbury, a TV expert these days, was the GM of the New York Islanders in the summer of 2000, the last time the Islanders held the No.

Teams have the future in their hands on draft day. A struggling NHL club can potentially selected a franchise player, a dramatic trade could be struck and there is always the potential for disaster as no pick is ever really a sure thing.

Ever since Daryl Katz took over the Oilers, a growing number of their nouveau riche fans have been coming across like Rodney Dangerfield at the Bushwood Country Club in Caddyshack.

Dany Heatley, left, used to be a Sens golden boy while Jason Spezza took the fans' heat.

Dany Heatley has now asked for a trade from the only two NHL teams he's ever played for.

New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow is certain to be gnashing his teeth between now and June 26, when he will finally have to announce his choice with the No.

As a hockey executive, Mike Milbury's credentials are modest. In 10 years in various capacities with the New York Islanders they were consistently lousy , missing the playoffs most years, exiting early when they did make it.

Until recently, Jason Blake had visited Toronto five times in the last four years.