DETROIT -- Mike Babcock insisted being a lame-duck coach next season for the Detroit Red Wings would not be a problem for him.
Gary Cahill Chelsea Jersey UK . Babcock has one year left on his contract, and told reporters on Tuesday that getting a new deal this off-season is not a priority. "When youre at the stage of my career that I am, Im real comfortable with whatever they want," he said. "I want them to be happy. If theyre not happy, then Im not happy. "I can go year to year." Babcock finished his ninth season as Detroits coach on Saturday at Boston, where the Bruins eliminated the Red Wings in Game 5 of their first-round series. He has won a franchise-record 415 games, a Stanley Cup and a pair of conference championships. He led Canada to a second straight Olympic gold medal earlier this year. "If you put down a list of the best coaches in the National Hockey League, hes on that short list," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. Holland said he has not begun talking to Babcock about negotiating a long-term deal. The Red Wings have Holland under contract for one more year with a team option for another year, and he is "assuming" to have talks with ownership about his future with the franchise this summer. Detroits decision-makers will also have some other topics to ponder, heading into the NHL draft in June and free agency in July. Daniel Alfredsson might be the only unrestricted free agent the team wants to re-sign. The 41-year-old forward chose to chase a Stanley Cup with a one-year deal after spending his entire career with the Ottawa Senators. Alfredsson, though, is not sure if he wants to return or retire. "Its going to be at least a few weeks," he said. "You need time to get away from it. Ill talk to Kenny and Babcock later this week. Both sides want to know what the other side is thinking." Unrestricted free agents David Legwand, Dan Cleary, Mikael Samuelsson, Jonas Gustavsson, Kyle Quincey and Todd Bertuzzi may have to continue their careers elsewhere. The 39-year-old Bertuzzi said he definitely does not want to retire if Detroit decides to let him hit the market. "Id like to keep playing," he said. "I still feel like I can contribute." The Red Wings are counting on their two stars, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, to contribute more than they did during injury-shortened seasons. Zetterberg expects to return 100-per cent healthy after having back surgery two months ago. Datsyuk said he will soon find out if he needs to have surgery on his left knee. "A healthy Pav and Z makes everyone else score more," Babcock said. "Z came back for two games (in the playoffs) and suddenly we have a power play. We didnt have a power play till that. To me those are the guys capable if healthy that can make everyone else around them better."
Nick Powell Jersey UK . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson.
Custom Manchester City Jersey UK . The Ravens werent about to let it happen again. Carleton picked up its fourth straight national mens basketball title, and 10th in the last 12 years, with a 79-67 victory over its crosstown rival on Sunday.CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks are taking a more direct approach to generating offence without injured star forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. So far, its working. Rookie Jeremy Morin scored and set up Patrick Sharps go-ahead goal in the second period, and injury-depleted Chicago held on to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Sunday afternoon for its third straight win. The Blackhawks ground out the victory despite playing without Toews powerful skating and Kanes puck-handling skills for the third game. Forward Brandon Saad was a last-minute scratch. "Weve simplified our game quite a bit," said Sharp, who scored his team-leading 33rd goal. "Were not trying to make as many plays offensively. Were battling hard. "Usually when you battle hard individually and as a team, good things happen. Weve raised our battle level lately, but were just keeping things simple. Getting pucks in, getting pucks out." And some younger players, such as Morin, are getting more ice time and showing just how deep defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago is. "Im just taking it day by day every time Im in the lineup, trying to make the most of it," Morin said. "Were comfortable out there. "Im just playing the game right now and letting things come." Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith also scored for Chicago, which is two points behind Colorado for second place in the Central Division and home ice in the first round of the playoffs. The Blackhawks have three games left. The Avalanche, who lost in a shootout to Pittsburgh on Sunday night, have four games remaining. Toews, Chicagos captain, sat out his third game with an upper-body injury suffered last Sunday when he was drilled by Pittsburgh defenceman Brooks Orpik. Kane, who has resumed skating, missed his ninth with a lower-body injury suffered against the Blues on March 19. Toews and Kane are expected to return for the start of the playoffs. Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Sobotka connected for St. Louis, which lost its second straight and remained two points behind idle Boston for the NHLs overall point lead and race for the Presidents Trophy. Both the Blues and Bruins have four games remaining. Chicagos Corey Crawford made 21 saves and St. Louis Brian Elliott made 31. "We had moments where we did everything to ourselves and gave them opportunities really out of nothing," Elliott said. "Its a wake-up call right now and weve got to figure it out." The Blues skated without two of their top forwards, including leading goal scorer Alexander Steen who missed his third game with an upper-body injury. Vladimir Tarasenko has been sidelined since mid-March with a hand injury.
Cesar Azpilicueta Chelsea Jersey UK. The Blues, who were shut out by Colorado on Saturday, have scored two goals or fewer in eight of their past 10 games. St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said his team is looking a "little bit tired" and needs to "find a way to re-energize" and start skating, buzzing and shooting again in the offensive zone. "Our offensive game is based on offensive energy," Hitchcock said. "When we dont have it, we dont have near enough zone time. "We score by volume (of chances) and when we dont get the volume we dont score. The last couple of games we havent gotten the volume we normally get." Blues defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk agreed. "A lot of our offence comes when were grinding away down low," he said. "When were shooting, theres rebounds and were beating guys to pucks." Chicago dominated territorially in the chippy first period and outshot the Blues 11-3, but trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes. Schwartzs power-play goal at 1:57 of the first opened the scoring. After taking Brenden Morrows pass, Schwartz fired from the left circle, but his shot hit traffic in front of the net and bounded back to him. His second shot got through the screen and beat Crawford low. Crawford made a pad save on Patrik Berglunds short-handed breakaway attempt midway through the first. Elliott stopped several prime Chicago chances in the final minutes of the first as Chicago turned up the pressure. With 1:30 to go, he blocked a point-blank short-handed shot by Marian Hossa, who rocketed in alone past Blues defenceman Alex Pietrangelo. Morin tied it at 1 at 8:34 of the second, when he drove to the net and pushed in a rebound of Bryan Bickells shot. Bickell had picked off a pass at centre ice before cruising back into the Blues zone and firing from the left circle. Sharp put Chicago ahead 2-1 with 27 seconds left in the second when he completed a 2-on-1 break with Morin. Morin carried the puck down the right side, then passed to Sharp who fired a shot past Elliotts stick side from the left circle. Kruger made it 3-1 just 56 seconds into the third. Elliott got a piece of Joakim Nordstroms shot from the right wing, but the puck trickled to the left goal post. Kruger punched it in. Sobotka cut it to 3-2 with 2:02 left when his flipping shot from the left wing knuckled under Crawfords glove. Smith scored into an empty-net with 3.3 seconds left. NOTES: Blackhawks D Johnny Oduya sat out his third game with a lower-body injury. Healthy scratches for Chicago were D David Rundblad and forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Matt Carey. ... Blues scratches were defencemen Ian Cole and Jordan Leopold and F Dmitrij Jaskin.
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