from Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun,

- Confirm or deny: One of the reasons the federal government turned down the bid by the Senators and the league to host a Heritage Classic on Parliament Hill was the fact they asked about using the ice for other activities — say an MPs game —and were told by the NHL they’d have to rent it.

- With his club struggling out of the gate, Calgary GM Brad Treliving, will be busy in Toronto next week. The Flames fired coach Bob Hartley and brought in Glen Gulutzan because they wanted to make the next step but haven’t been very good at all. There is huge pressure on Treliving to get this turned around and the talk around the league is he’s been working the phones big time. There isn’t a whole lot of interest in blueliner Deryk Engelland or centre Lance Bouma but you have to try something.

- The Blues are going to do something with blueliner Kevin Shattenkirk and it’s doubtful there will be an extension on the table. If Armstrong wants to shake things up and he doesn’t want to give Hitchcock his walking papers then maybe this is the move that shakes up his roster.

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