Minnesota's Marian Gaborik is starting to find his way back after a forgettable beginning to the season.
He scored just his fourth goal in Tuesday's 3-3 tie with Nashville and fifth in a 2-2 tie against Detroit on Friday. In 24 games since ending a nasty contract dispute by signing a multiyear deal, Gaborik has five goals and five assists. In his past 55 regular-season games, he has only nine goals.
But Gaborik, 21, who has scored 30 goals each of the past two seasons, recorded five shots against the Predators, and Wild coach Jacques Lemaire left him on the ice for some double shifts.
"It's obviously motivating," the Slovakian right wing said.
New arena has Coyotes excited
Brian Byrnes boasts the Coyotes' new arena, which opened Saturday, could be a showcase.
"I think it will be one of the best buildings in the league," the team's executive vice president of business operations said. "But with the research we were able to do, shame on us if it isn't."
Coyotes management visited arenas throughout the league, concentrating heavily on Toronto and Minnesota. The new Glendale Arena is a hockey-first site and should satisfy fans who dealt with obstructed views at basketball-oriented America West Arena.
It also was relatively inexpensive at $220-million. And with the city of Glendale picking up $180-million, the Coyotes believe they can become more profitable and competitive.
"We're not committed to a Stanley Cup quite yet, but we're hoping we're moving that way," co-owner Jerry Moyes said. "We've gone through a lot of tough situations to get to where we are today, and things look a lot brighter now."
Trading spaces hits minor leagues
At the request of the NHL, the AHL will test revisions to the neutral zone to see if more skating space translates into more offense. With more teams playing variations of the trap, offensive flow has been constricted.
The AHL, hockey's top minor league, will add 2 feet of width to each blue line beginning at the leading edge of the line and going into the offensive zone. One foot also will be added to either side of the red line.
Initial passes will be allowed within the enlarged blue area across two lines without being offsides. That will increase the neutral zone by as much as 5 feet without altering the attacking zone. The new dimensions will be used by four teams in eight games.
Five Questions with Blues coach Joel Quenneville:
Q : Have you ever been fired from a coaching job?
A: No, I haven't.
Q : How have you survived seven years with St. Louis?
A: Just trying to change the message a little bit. But at the same time, it's got to be your message, and it's got to be coming from you. And it's got to be sincere.
Q : How do rumors about your job security affect you?
A: As coaches, we know longevity is not one of our strengths. All you can control is going to work and doing your job the best you can.
Q : Are the Blues playing as well as you've ever seen?
A: We've been really consistent in our game. We've been diligent in how we approach the games. That's the commitment of our top guys doing it. It's filtered down to everybody.
Q : Who is the one of the toughest players you've seen?
A: I've always liked Rob DiMaio, the way he competes. I remember when he first came on the scene a couple of guys didn't know he was a fighter. Next thing you know they're picking them up off the ice.
Around the league
The Roman Hamrlik trade talk continues to swirl. The Lightning has been mentioned as a possible destination for the Islanders defenseman. Dallas also has been mentioned. But the Stars, who are talking about cutting payroll, would have to give up a big contract to make room for Hamrlik, and the Islanders don't want another big contract. ... The Kings expect goalie Roman Cechmanek back from a hip injury soon. Cristobal Huet has been shaky, including a 4-4 tie with Vancouver in which the Kings lost a three-goal lead. ... While the GM in Dallas, Bob Gainey gave Donald Audette a contract that pays him $3-million this season. He realized his mistake and traded him to Montreal. With Gainey now in charge of the Canadiens, Audette has been a healthy scratch three times and is about to go through waivers. ... Vinny Lecavalier isn't the only former No.1 pick being told to shoot more. Boston coach Mike Sullivan continues to harp on Joe Thornton. "We've tried to make him a little more selfish," Sullivan said. "I think it will help his linemates." Thornton was more agreeable than Lecavalier. ... Who needs harmony? Called one of the most dysfunctional locker rooms in the league (so bad that Shayne Corson quit before the end of last season), the Maple Leafs are 14-0-1-1 entering Saturday's game and are celebrating victories with a group hug.
Quoteable
"He's got carte blanche for that. He's been so good, you've got to respect everything he's got to say."
- Panthers defenseman Mathieu Biron on goalie Roberto Luongo, only 24, ripping teammates after a 3-2 overtime loss to Ottawa on Monday and telling them they must be better; Luongo was 9-15-7 but had a 2.36 goals-against average and .931 save percentage entering Saturday.
- Compiled by staff writer Damian Cristodero from personal interviews and information from other news organizations.
