NHL clubs, driven by a desire to control content and own the message, have severely rolled back the time players deal with media members not affiliated with the team. They’ve done it, in part, to make money by driving eyeballs to their websites, and also to coddle players and keep them from divulging too much. The Blackhawks, no doubt, were pleased that Beach didn’t take his story to the media amid that 2010 Stanley Cup run. Now they’re paying a dear price for keeping a lid on things. How’s that owning-the-message thing going?

-Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe where you can read more hockey topics.