Tyler Seguin back on skates following season-ending calf injury

Tyler Seguin is back at it.

The Dallas Stars center, who was limited to one playoff appearance with separate Achilles and calf injuries, has resumed skating with a view towards being at the top of his game come training camp.

Seguin, who finished the regular season with 73 points in 72 games, has also been named to Canada's roster for the World Cup in September.

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NHL suing Players’ Association over Wideman’s reduced suspension

The NHL still wants a piece of Dennis Wideman.

Almost three months after a third-party arbitrator reduced the Calgary Flames defenseman's suspension for cross-checking linesman Don Henderson from 20 games to 10 - and also long after Wideman returned to play - the NHL has filed a lawsuit against the NHLPA, wishing to vacate the ruling.

In its complaint the NHL writes that its ruling was supported by "substantial evidence," and that the third-party review - which it signed off on - is "limited" in its determining of supplemental discipline.

With Henderson having suffered significant injuries from the unsuspecting blow that have prevented his return to officiating, as per the complaint, the NHL's insistence is understandable. The timing, however, is not.

The lawsuit reintroduces a black mark on the season, and the NHL, on the eve of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, and a night in which the Pittsburgh Penguins can raise the Stanley Cup.

Wideman played in three games after serving his suspension before being sidelined for the remainder of the season with injury.

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Report: Blue Jackets receiving ‘aggressive offers’ for No. 3 pick

Things could get quite interesting once Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are plucked off the NHL Draft board.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported Wednesday that the Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks, who hold the third, fourth, and fifth picks, respectively, at the NHL Draft later this month, are listening, or at least willing to listen to offers for the lottery selections.

"I know that there are aggressive offers being made for the Blue Jackets' third pick overall," Dreger told TSN 1260. "I don't believe the Blue Jackets are even remotely close to considering moving that pick, but they have to listen, right?"

He qualified: "But it would take an unbelievable deal for Jarmo Kekalainen to move the third pick overall."

Dreger said that the Oilers and Canucks aren't shopping the selections, but having made it clear they want to ice a more competitive team next season, they could be more inclined to pull the trigger.

"Edmonton is more eager to move. They're not shopping the fourth pick overall, but certainly willing to listen. And obviously they would want a defenseman in return, whoever that might be," Dreger said.

"Vancouver is similar. Vancouver likes fifth overall. They know they're getting a very, very good player, but Jim Benning did not like being part of the non-playoff picture in the National Hockey League. He's going to do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn't happen again."

Jesse Puljujarvi, Matthew Tkachuk, and Pierre-Luc Dubois are the top-rated forward prospects after Matthews and Laine.

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Bettman debunks report Hurricanes could be on the move

A lawsuit involving Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos and his three adult sons has no bearing on the state of the franchise, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman maintains.

Speaking with SiriusXMNHL's Scott Laughlin and Boomer Gordon on Wednesday, Bettman said while the family dispute is unfortunate, it doesn't mean the club is in any jeopardy.

"It's led to unfortunate speculation about the Hurricanes and that speculation is really unfounded," said Bettman. "People are opining on things they don't know anything about. The fact of the matter is that franchise has been in good hands, remains in good hands, and we don't see that changing in the near future.

"And frankly, we don't see the franchise relocating anywhere, which has been part of the speculation. We like the Carolina market, we like the fan support, and they're working very hard to make sure that franchise can be successful."

Bettman's statement comes two days after a report emerged citing two NHL executives who suggested the Hurricanes could be relocated to Las Vegas, putting expansion on hold for the time being.

The commissioner concluded by saying the speculation "just isn't right."

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Blues’ Shattenkirk faces uncertain future with 1 year left on contract

Kevin Shattenkirk is no stranger to the business side of hockey.

Already traded once his career, the St. Louis Blues defenseman - who's set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2017 - is fully aware that he could be on the move this offseason.

"It was a wild year with all the (trade) rumors going on," Shattenkirk told Jeremy Rutherford of the Post-Dispatch. "It might plant the seed of doubt in your head but that's not my decision. I have a year left and this is where I want to be next year, so that's out of my hands unfortunately. It's the nature of the salary-cap league and it's tough.

"You hear (trade) rumors and you wonder what's going to happen and now you get into the offseason and you wonder what's going to happen again. We'll have to see what happens the next few weeks."

Shattenkirk, along with forward Chris Stewart, was acquired by the Blues in early 2011 in a trade involving Erik Johnson. Since that time, Shattenkirk has averaged 0.59 points per game in St. Louis, and will most certainly command more than the $4.25-million cap hit he's carried since signing his current deal in 2013.

General manager Doug Armstrong is expecting Shattenkirk to be part of the team come training camp, but it's certainly not a sure thing.

"I view him as a top player, not only on our team, I view him as a top player in the game," Armstrong said. "But he falls into the jigsaw of the salary cap. Do I expect him back here in September? Sure.

"(But) it's a business decision, and Shatty's going to have to make one and we're going to have to make one. But he's a hell of a hockey player and he's a big part of our team."

Shattenkirk scored two goals and added nine assists in 20 playoff games, with a Corsi rating of 50.2 percent in all situations, according to Hockey Reference.

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Sharks keeping things loose with elimination looming

The San Jose Sharks aren't panicking.

The Stanley Cup will be at the Consol Energy Center on Thursday, but only the Pittsburgh Penguins will have a chance to touch it. Staring the end of their season and their Cup dreams in the face, the Sharks are a relaxed group.

"We're going to the dance with the girl we brought to the dance," head coach Peter DeBoer said. "This is our group."

DeBoer was in fine form Wednesday, as evidenced by his quip about injured Tomas Hertl:

As for practice, the Sharks didn't stray from their routine:

"I think the results are closer than it feels right now, I really do," DeBoer said when asked about his team's deficit.

"This isn't easy. It's a really hard thing to do. It's going to be hard for them to close us out. It's going to be hard for us to show up here tomorrow and win a game in this environment," he added. "I think our guys are up for some heavy lifting. We feel we can get it done."

The lifting won't get much heavier for the Sharks.

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Sharks at their best in Games 5-7 this spring

At this point, the San Jose Sharks will take, well, anything.

While a lead - any lead - in the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins would be nice, down 3-1, the Sharks will look to do what they've done all spring: play some of their best hockey late in playoff series.

The Sharks put away the Los Angeles Kings in the first round in Game 5, winning 6-3 on the road.

In the second round, tied 2-2 with the Nashville Predators, the Sharks won Game 5 handily, 5-1, before losing Game 6 in overtime, 4-3. No matter: San Jose dominated Game 7, winning 5-0.

In another 2-2 series in the third round, San Jose decided it was done with the St. Louis Blues. The Sharks won Games 5 and 6 by a combined 11-5.

The good news for San Jose: They're all elimination games from here.

Game 5 of the Cup Final is Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. If San Jose prolongs the series, Game 6 is Sunday at 8 p.m. in the Bay Area.

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Sweden sets European record for NHL participation, Canada hits record low

Sweden's presence in the NHL is reaching unprecedented levels.

A record 87 Swedish players - or 8.8 percent of the league - played at least one game this season, according to the IIHF.

That's the highest figure ever by a European nation in league history, and the number of European NHL players this season (263) is also the highest of its kind in 10 years.

Canada accounts for 49.2 percent of NHLers, a figure that leads all nations but also represents the lowest Canadian participation level in the history of the league.

There are 241 players from the United States, or 24.3 percent of the 993 NHL players.

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