from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- So who would win a playoff series, San Jose with Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic on defence or Nashville with P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm on defence? Winnipeg’s road to the Stanley Cup just got a whole lot more complicated.

- Every time I hear about a rookie struggling in training camp I think of Al MacInnis. He was dreadful in his first camp in Calgary. He looked slow and tentative and uncomfortable and out of shape. Some thought he’d never play in the NHL. All he did was make the Hall of Fame.

- At first glance and at second glance, there is so much to like about John Tavares as a Maple Leaf. You don’t ever really know a player until you see him up close, watch him daily, see his habits, interpret his skills.

Tavares is going to help the Leafs in many more ways than scoring goals. He will win key faceoffs. He will kill some penalties. And his ability to operate in tight spaces — watching him through training camp, practices and his two pre-season games to date — is absolutely elite....

more on Tavares and a few more hockey notes...