Josh Ho-Sang just wants to play hockey.

The New York Islanders prospect, drafted 28th overall in 2014, has made headlines for all the wrong reasons during his development, most notably showing up late to the first day of training camp last season, drawing the ire of general manager Garth Snow.

But with a new season's camp around the corner, Ho-Sang is channeling everything he's learned from previous mistakes toward becoming a full-time NHLer.

Training at BioSteel Camp in Toronto, Ho-Sang says he's picked the brains of longtime friend Connor McDavid, along with Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin.

"I feel comfortable asking him (McDavid) questions," Ho-Sang told Luke Fox of Sporsnet. I found that when we played together, we do a lot of things similar. He thinks the game the way I do, but faster obviously. What he’s learned can be beneficial to me. I want to be as good as him or better."

"But it’s not just Connor. Tyler Seguin - I talk to him, ask him questions," Ho-Sang added. "It comes from a place of wanting to learn, to take what they know and become more effective. I’m picking apart the mind of one of the best goal-scorers in the world."

Ho-Sang recorded 82 points in 66 games with the OHL's Niagara Ice Dogs last season, tacking on 26 more points in 17 playoff contests. Despite those gaudy totals, he's aware it will take more than point production to patch his damaged relationship with the team that drafted him.

"Right now I’m like the girlfriend who cheated on them," Ho-Sang said. "I’ve got to earn their trust back. I feel I have to do that every day. Keep getting better. Keep showing them what I’m willing to do. There’s no day off. There’s not a practice I leave early. There’s not an optional skate I don’t skate at. It’s optional, but not for me."

"I believe I have the ability to make the team. I have to play well, and it’s not easy, man," he added.

Through all the off-ice controversy, Ho-Sang's says simply lacing up the skates is enough to block it all out.

"I love it. I need it. It’s my fix, my clarity. When I’m on the ice, I don’t think about anything," he said.

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The search for a nickname for the Las Vegas NHL franchise appears to have another serious candidate.

Owner Bill Foley has confirmed the registration of domain names that include "Desert Knights," according to Amber Dixon of NBC Las Vegas.

A report from DetroitHockey.net on Thursday stated the domains lasvegasdesertknights.com, vegasdesertknights.com and desertknightshockey.com were privately registered to Moniker Privacy Services, the same company that registered the domain name NHL.com.

It's important to note Foley isn't saying "Desert Knights" is indeed the team's nickname, and it's entirely possible the domain registrations are merely a contingency plan in the event that options higher on the list fall through.

Earlier in August, Foley confirmed he was considering three "hawks" variations for the team nickname, with "Nighthawks" believed to still be in the mix as of Aug. 12.

A nickname is expected to be announced prior to the start of the 2016-17 regular season.

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Players aren't the only World Cup participants forced to bow out due to injury.

Veteran referee Chris Rooney ruptured his Achilles while running and will be out three-to-five months following surgery, according to John Buccigross of ESPN.

He will also miss a large part of the NHL regular season.

Rooney has been officiating games at the NHL level since 2000, including main events such as the 2010 Winter Classic in Boston and the 2012 and 2013 Stanley Cup Finals.

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Questions in regards to Vladimir Sobotka's planned return to the St. Louis Blues continue to be raised.

A recent report out of Russia quoted Avangard Omsk's general manager as saying Sobotka would be joining the KHL club as soon as he's ready to play, adding "Forget about St. Louises and other nonsense."

According to Blues GM Doug Armstrong, however, all indications are Sobotka will indeed be returning to the Blues following the World Cup.

"I've talked to Petr Svoboda (Sobotka's agent) daily over the last few weeks and nothing has changed," Armstrong said Thursday, per Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "(Sobotka) is getting ready for the World Cup. He's planning on staying here when that's over and coming back to our franchise. He's excited about it."

Sobotka has been playing in Omsk for the past two seasons after walking away from a one-year contract handed down in arbitration. Playing out that deal with the Blues is necessary in order for him to continue on with his NHL career, be it on an extension in St. Louis or elsewhere.

Armstrong admits there will be a measure of uncertainty until Sobotka is seen again in a St. Louis jersey.

"It's one of those ones where I understand everyone's nervousness because he's not here," Armstrong said. "But he's not going to be here until after the World Cup, so I think the questions are going to persist until he gets off the plane at Lambert (Airport) and comes into the (arena). When he does that, this will finally be behind us."

Sobotka is set to play for the Czech Republic at the international tournament in Toronto in September.

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In the dog days of the NHL offseason, a celebration of man's best friend is only fitting.

A slew of NHL and AHL players shared pictures and video of their canine companions as part of National Dog Day on Friday.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar shared a throwback shot of him, the Stanley Cup, and Gustl, his beloved golden retriever-poodle mix.

Gustl, a true master of social media, seemed to enjoy the day despite his owner's absence.

Related: 10 photos of Anze Kopitar with Gustl, his ultra-photogenic dog

We've reached the tail end of the summer, but hopefully this will make it easier for hockey fans to sit patiently until the dog owners' talents are unleashed again.

They may not all be fortunate enough to win the Stanley Cup, but all of these players have their own Stanley pups, as far as we're concerned.

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The Anaheim Ducks have signed Max Jones, their first-round draft selection in 2016, to his three-year entry-level contract, the club announced Friday.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

The 6-foot-2, 206-pound Jones was a member of the Memorial Cup-winning London Knights last year. He scored 54 points in 69 games in the regular season and playoffs combined, but was suspended for most of the club's championship run due to a headshot he delivered to Justin Brack of the Owen Sound Attack.

It's expected that Jones, a native of Orion, Mich., will return to London next season.

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Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland is not interested in a traditional, drawn out rebuild.

Simply put, that may be too much of a knee jerk reaction to the team's recent slump, which has seen three consecutive first-round playoff losses.

While Holland admits that the Red Wings are "probably not" a Stanley Cup contender, he isn't prepared to throw in the towel. The long-time GM believes his team has several young players ready to take on larger roles this coming season.

"As we sit today, we don't have a superstar in his prime. We have lots of good players. I think we have lots of really good players," Holland said. "How far can they grow? I don't know.

"Pavel Datsyuk came over and scored 11 goals and 12 goals in his first two seasons in the NHL. I don't think we have any Datsyuks, but it's an example that people can grow."

A quick glance through the Red Wings roster will draw attention to Gustav Nyquist (26), Tomas Tatar (25), Riley Sheahan (24), and Teemu Pulkkinen (24). And that's not to forget rookie sensation Dylan Larkin, who recently turned 20 and will likely shift to center this season.

There are also some interesting youngsters on the way, namely Anthony Mantha, Andreas Anthansiou, and Evgeny Svechnikov.

If there are no blue chips left in the prospect pool, it could just be a result of the Red Wings' constant success finally catching up to them. High draft picks and cheap talent are the lifeblood of the salary cap NHL, and the Red Wings have not drafted in the top 10 since 1991.

Detroit will look to its young core, plus its offseason additions, to push the scoring pace, after netting just 211 goals last season, ranking 23rd league-wide. It marked the fewest goals Detroit has scored since 1976-77, when that 16-win squad was limited to 183 goals.

The team hopes new faces Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek will help spark the offense. The 32-year-old Nielsen, who signed on for six years, scored 52 points with the New York Islanders last season, while Vanek, also 32, was brought in as a reclamation project after a buyout by the Minnesota Wild.

Following the loss of Datsyuk, who left for the KHL, the Red Wings will surely take on a scoring-by-committee approach this year.

Larkin and Tatar were the only two Red Wings to surpass the 20-goal mark, with 24 and 21 respectively. It was a down season for Tatar, who saw his goal tally drop from 29 the previous campaign, while fellow winger Nyquist also slipped to 17 goals, after reaching 27 and 28 tallies in his previous two seasons.

"Now (Tatar and Nyquist) have three or four years of experience, you factor in their age and experience, you'd like to think they're in the ideal time frame in their career to max out," Holland said.

For a franchise that has qualified for the postseason 25 straight years - winning 4 Stanley Cups over that time - the hope remains that the Winged Wheel can keep the good times rolling.

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Oh, Canada.

File this one in the "You can't make this up" department. The RCMP in Russell, Manitoba, are looking for a burglar who robbed a convenience store of two cases of beer while ... wait for it ... dressed in full goalie gear.

It was Budweiser, in case you were wondering, according to Yahoo Sports, citing the Winnipeg Free Press.

Here's how the robbery was described in the local newspaper:

... Shortly after ... a goalie, yes a goalie, entered the store to assist the first man in carrying away several cases of beer. He was described as having a medium build, wearing goalie pads, blocker and trapper, and carrying a goalie stick. He was ready to play. Too bad there weren't any refs, as they would have thrown this thieving goalie in the penalty box for a while! The RCMP have never seen a disguise like this before.

If you watch the video, you'll see the thief/goalie leaving with two cases of beer while still holding his goalie stick. He was committed, that's for sure.

If you have any information about the robbery, call Russell RCMP. Seriously.

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