Canucks Daily: The Dekeyser to Vancouver Story, Capitals Gassed

Professional Try-out (PTO) offers are popping up around the NHL ahead of training camps, including the one the Vancouver Canucks offered left-shot defenceman Danny Dekeyser. The 32-year-old spent his entire NHL career thus far with his hometown Detroit Red Wings after being undrafted out of college hockey at Western Michigan. No better way to learn of the blueliner’s past efforts and thoughts than to hear it from Detroit Hockey Now’s veteran hockey writer Kevin Allen.

The Canucks regulars will continue to skate informally in Burnaby and everyone is expected to be present and accounted for this week.

Pacific Division

Calgary Hockey Now: Just a couple of hours up the highway from Detroit, Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup champion turned Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri donated $1-million to a hospital in his hometown of London, Ontario. He’s putting the big Calgary Flames contract to good use.

I appreciate writer Owen Krepps’s creativity with this one as he combined his puck world in Las Vegas with the very serious water situation affecting Lake Mead and the western United States in general. Think this won’t affect Canada in some way, shape, or form in the not-so-distant future, guess again. It’s “Which Happens First: Golden Knights Win the Stanley Cup or Lake Mead Reaches Deadpool”. I have a bad feeling it’s going to be the latter. Vegas Hockey Now.

North of the Border

Montreal Hockey Now: Jonathan Drouin leaving the Habs for personal reasons last season capped off a difficult couple of years for the 27-year-old winger. He’s changing numbers for a Montreal Canadiens as he looks to get a fresh start.

Sportsnet says the Atlantic Division is only getting better, much better, which will give teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning a run for their money.

Metropolitan

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: It’s PTO time for Zach Aston-Reese and the 27-year-old winger and former Penguin chose Toronto over the Edmonton Oilers in accepting an offer.

Washington Hockey Now: Writer Sammi Silber was at Cap’s practice on Friday and says the boys were gassed after a two-hour workout. The Washington Capitals are working.

Philly Hockey Now: Owen Tippett was part of the big haul from the Florida Panthers for former Flyers captain Claude Giroux last year and he’s hoping to make an impact for the Philadelphia Flyers this season.

More on Canucks coaching shortly. Enjoy the weekend!