from Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star,

“I’ve done some pretty intense skates in Brampton and Oakville,” said Sabres centre Cody Hodgson. “It always feels like Biosteel is the next step before camp. It’s good to get things rolling, get into a tense environment. It gets everyone geared up.”

Pittsburgh’s James Neal hopes to get a jump on preparation for next week’s Canadian Olympic orientation camp in Calgary.

“I just want to go in with the right mindset,” said Neal. “It’s a different game on big ice. It’s a big change. You’re going to have to adjust to different roles and do different things. The players that are going to make that (Olympic) team are going to be players who can adjust to new situations.”

Former Leaf Mike Komisarek, who became a dad for the first time in May, is gearing up for a fresh start in Carolina. He signed a one-year deal with the Hurricanes after being bought out by the Maple Leafs four years into a five-year deal.

“It’s amazing when people write you off, put you in a box and put a label on you,” said Komisarek. “It’s exciting to try to prove people wrong. I’ve had a great summer, new one born in May. Puts a different perspective on things.

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