from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- It’s settled after much discussion: Connor McDavid will live at Taylor Hall’s place for his first NHL season. Funny to think of the 23-year-old Hall as a veteran, but this will be his sixth season in Edmonton. And McDavid is comfortable with him.

- Phil Kessel trained hard this summer, ate right, lost 13 pounds, and did the Gary Roberts thing. The push behind the new Kessel: His personal embarrassment from last season and some words of wisdom from agent, Wade Arnott, that the singular Kessel finally listened to, changing his off-season regimin. Unrelated, on the short list of those who have no use for Kessel: Brendan Shanahan, Randy Carlyle, Ron Wilson and just about anyone who worked media relations for the Leafs over the past half decade.

- Still not certain if Slava Voynov will ever play in the NHL again — and it’s possible he’ll be deported. Meantime, the Los Angeles Kings made a nice signing by bringing in Christian Ehrhoff at a reasonably cheap price.

- According to the Buffalo News, a grand jury will determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial against Patrick Kane. There are all kinds of nervous people around this right now.

read on for notes on Al Arbour...