Truth & Rumors > NHL

07:16 AM ET 05.24 | The Canucks, all along, believed they had the guys in the room to make great things happen. They believed in the core. They believed in the coaches. The refrain echoed again after the San Jose Sharks series, and you wonder if the new coach may have to be as visible in the room as behind the bench. Constricted by salary-cap concerns and forced to fast-track prospects, the core will have to do more than talk a good game among themselves. "I don't think we need somebody to come in and crack the whip," defenceman Kevin Bieksa said Thursday. ... "I still believe in this team and that the core can win and that we're young enough to win. We're more mature and even-keeled, and maybe (coach's rants) is appropriate on rare occasions, but every coach has his own strategy."

Vancouver Province

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07:16 AM ET 05.24 | The price of watching hockey in the State of Hockey is on the rise. The Wild set its season ticket prices for next season, and there is an average increase of 4.5 percent per ticket. Season ticket per-game prices range from $23 to $92. Prices for single-game tickets won't come until at least August. "We're continuing to provide an improved product, and along with that sometimes comes a price increase," said COO Matt Majka. The Wild signed free agents Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to lofty contracts last summer, and made the playoffs before a five-game exit to Chicago. "We feel that we've stepped up as an organization in a substantial way, but we respect the choices that fans have in front of them and we will continue to work to earn their support," Majka said.

Star Tribune

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03:17 PM ET 05.23 | The Ottawa Senators were trashed by the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference showdown on Wednesday despite hanging with the Pens for two periods of hockey. After the game, Senators head coach Paul MacLean spoke with reporters for roughly 13 seconds about his team's play in Game 4 and his wide-eyed look was proof the beating still hadn't fully sunk in yet. Perhaps the most surprising part of the post-game press conference was how passive MacLean was despite just having the Penguins knock them down and then stomp all over them in front of an Ottawa friendly crowd. Most coaches would go ballistic after such a loss and many have for losses that haven't even taken place in as meaningful a spot as this loss. Ottawa's facing elimination after the 7-3 loss and people around the club won't be as passive as MacLean if the season ends before a sixth and seventh game is reached.

Fansided

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03:30 PM ET 05.23 | The Phoenix Coyotes are finalizing a contract extension with general manager Don Maloney, according to a report of Fox Sports Arizona. Craig Morgan cites sources saying that the Coyotes, in conjunction with the NHL (the team's current owner), are finalizing the details of an extension. The specifics of the contract were not made available. Maloney's current contract will end on June 30. The NHL has had operational control of the franchise since 2009 and has been attempting to sell it since. However, no deal has successfully been finalized. Many believed this would impact the negotiations with Maloney and head coach Dave Tippett, whose contract also expires on June 30. While that might remain the case with Tippett, it appears as though that wasn't a factor for Maloney.

Fox Sports Arizona

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03:23 PM ET 05.23 | With the development of Brad Richards' status as a healthy scratch has come increased speculation about the chances of him receiving a compliance buyout this summer. The Rangers already used an accelerated buyout on defenseman Wade Redden prior to the 2013 season. This leaves the team with one buyout remaining, which they can use this summer or next. Richards will be entering the third year of a nine-year deal next season, that carries an annual average value of $6.6 million per year. Regardless of the salary cap dropping next season, it might be in the team's interest to get rid of the contract. Whether they do so remains to be seen.

New York Rangers Team Site

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