Truth & Rumors > NHL

07:16 AM ET 05.17 | For Raffi Torres, it may have been a reputation that preceded him. His suspension for the rest of the Sharks' playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings was slightly stunning. Two games seemed the most lenient outcome and four games the most severe possibility, but this could be six. Yet when you consider Torres' track record of previous violations and suspensions, he is in no position to argue. Neither are the Sharks. They signed him knowing this could happen. And now, the stark truth is that Torres may not ever pull on a San Jose Sharks sweater again. If Los Angeles wins the series, Torres will play no more this season. And on July 1, he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Mercury News

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07:17 AM ET 05.17 | Generally speaking, Randy Carlyle is about moving forward -- but Monday's season-ending collapse against the Bruins came with a special kind of sting. [Carlyle] won't be able to let go, just yet. And in the endless loop of the game replayed in his head, the coach admitted at Thursday's season-ending press conference that there were regrets. No. 1 was questioning who he had on the ice when Patrice Bergeron tied the game in the final minute and No. 2: If only he had implored those he did have out there to stay aggressive. ... "The situation we were in right after the game, the frustration -- you are hurt, you are stunned, all the words used to describe living that," Carlyle said. "It's almost like you go into a state of depression."

Toronto Sun

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07:15 AM ET 05.17 | The Rangers have moved on to their second-round series, but their first-round matchup rages on, thanks to John Tortorella and Adam Oates. When asked by Chad Dukes what he thinks about Torts openly trashing his team, he had a response ready to go. "Well, I think he's out of line," Oates said. "He should be worried about his own series. We didn't whine once during the series. I never complained. I don't know, did you guys ever hear me complain about officiating?" "Not you, no," Dukes answered. ... But his response to [LaVar Arrington's] next question really turns it up a notch. Lavar: Coach, I just want to know ... would you beat him up in a one-on-one situation? Oates: Yes. Easily.

CBS DC

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07:21 AM ET 05.17 | The threat of playing for one's country after an NHL season always exists, and the unfortunate has happened in the case of Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal. [Staal] is being evaluated for an apparent knee injury suffered Thursday in the IIHF World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden. Staal, who also is serving as Canada's team captain, took a knee-on-knee hit from Alex Edler of Sweden with 4:14 left in the first period. He fell to the ice in pain, clutching his right knee. Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said Hockey Canada officials called him immediately after Staal left the ice for treatment. Rutherford dd not know the seriousness of the injury, saying Staal was to have an MRI exam administered by NHL doctors in Stockholm.

News & Observer

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07:18 AM ET 05.17 | In advance of a Memorial Cup run, the Saskatoon Blades added a new coach to the staff -- one with fresh NHL experience. One day after being fired by the Dallas Stars, Glen Gulutzan was at the Credit Union Centre Wednesday preparing for his temporary role as a guest coach with the Blades for the tournament. With the Stars firing general manager Joe Nieuwendyk last month, Blades head coach and general manager Lorne Molleken engaged in discussions with Gulutzan to see if he would be willing to assist the WHL team. When new Stars GM Jim Nill fired Gulutzan on Tuesday, the coach came on board. ... Gulutzan said he's just "taking it easy" while between full-time jobs and doesn't want to disrupt the Blades coaching staff.

The StarPhoenix

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