from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

- We’re told that though the Rangers fell out quickly on Patrick Marleau (three years at $6.25 million per with Toronto) once it became apparent that the winger’s term and price had escalated beyond management’s parameters, the Blueshirts did have extended, productive talks with Joe Thornton before the center decided on a San Jose encore.

If the Maple Leafs’ addition of Marleau prompts the club to solicit offers for Tyler Bozak, the 31-year-old center whose average ice time has declined from 20:57 to 16:26 over the past four seasons, expect the Rangers to be among the interested parties....

- Does anyone honestly believe it has been Brooks Orpik’s five-year contract at $5.5 million per that has kept the Capitals from winning the franchise’s historically unattainable Stanley Cup?

Wouldn’t the more likely cause of Washington’s premature demise as Presidents’ Trophy winners each of the past two seasons be Alex Ovechkin’s historical inability to raise his game when matched against Crosby, as he failed to do in consecutive second-round matchups against the eventual two-time champion Penguins?

To that point, is this the summer Ovechkin, who always has played at a million miles per hour and will be 32 when next season starts, trains seriously and gets down to prime weight and into prime condition?

more on Bozak plus other hockey topics too...