According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Ian White will miss ten days with a fractured cheekbone after being hit with a puck during Saturday's game against Dallas. Todd Bertuzzi was placed on seven-day injured reserve yesterday, meaning that both Bertuzzi and White will not be in action against the Sharks at HP Pavilion on Thursday.

Here's Helene St. James with more:

General manager Ken Holland said this morning that White won't need surgery, but he is out at least 10 days. The Wings still have enough healthy defensemen to go around, however, as Mike Commodore has been in reserve.

The team is bringing an extra defenseman to St. Louis this afternoon, using the opportunity to let Brendan Smith burn off the last part of his five-game suspension. There's roster room for Smith because forward Todd Bertuzzi was put on seven-day injured reserve. Bertuzzi has missed the last four games because of a sinus infection and swelling in his ears. Bertuzzi is planning to go on the trip, to avail himself of the trainers and in hopes he can progress to practicing.

>> Detroit Free Press

Winging in Motown thinks that second year pro Jakub Kindl has a good shot of replacing Ian White on the Red Wings top pairing, with Jonathan Ericsson also a possibility for that role. Mike Commodore, who has primarily been a healthy scratch for Detroit this season, will play against St. Louis on Tuesday but will fight for playing time with recently recalled defenseman Brendan Smith.

In other League news, the Anaheim Ducks claimed struggling forward Niklas Hagman off re-entry waivers in an attempt to inject some life into a team that has been in a state of perpetual free fall since mid-October. The Ducks are 2-7-3 in their last twelve games, tied for 27th in the NHL with 15 points to their name, and haven't received the goaltending from Jonas Hiller or the goal support from their lower lines necessary to win hockey games.

A dissapointing start to the year from their top lines hasn't helped either-- Anaheim is a top-heavy hockey club that relies on their impact players to carry the vast majority of the offensive load, but with Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Bobby Ryan each hovering around a 0.6 point per game pace, it's no surprise the Ducks have struggled.

Hagman should help replace the loss of Jason Blake, who was lost for 2-3 months after being cut by the skate of Brent Burns in a game on October 14th, but it remains to be seen how big of an impact he can have on the team in the long run. Hagman struggled immensely in his stint with Calgary, posting 12 goals and 19 assists in 79 games played.

Adding a three-time 20 goal scorer into the mix is a fine play by Ducks General Manager Bob Murray, but unless Anaheim quickly reels off a winning streak, you have to figure more changes could be upcoming for a team that many expected to compete for a low-seed playoff berth.

According to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun, former Sharks forward Kyle Wellwood has signed a contract to play with the Winnipeg Jets next season. The deal is reported to be a one year deal worth $700 K.

Wellwood had a player page on the team's official website earlier in the night as well.

Earlier in the offseason we discussed Wellwood's advanced statistics with the Sharks, stating that despite his weak quality of competition numbers Wellwood played admirably in a third line role. Amongst Sharks forwards who played at least 30 NHL games, Wellwood was sixth on the team in goals per 60 minutes of ice time (0.65), eighth on the team in points per 60 minutes of ice time (1.55), had the best relative CORSI on the team (18.5), was tied for first in shots for on ice per 60 minutes (33.6), first on the team in penalties taken (0.0), fourth on the team in penalties drawn (1.2), and first in +/- per 60 minutes of ice time (an astounding 1.42).

All in all, a very solid pickup for a young Jets team who was wise to jump on a low-risk high-reward player such as Wellwood heading into training camp. The Jets, who returned to Winnipeg following the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers, finished in 20th place last season in goals per game and struggled with offensive consistency all season long.

Although Wellwood isn't a high-profile goal scorer, potting a career-high 18 goals in 08-09 with the Vancouver Canucks, he should bring some needed offensive help to a team that failed to finish the year with a 60+ point player. Considering the second and third leading point scorers last season were defensemen (Byfuglien, Enstrom), adding as much help as they can get up front is a win, especially at a low short-term price.

Expect Wellwood to compete for a second line role in camp next season, with second line power play duty a possibility as well. Those opportunities would clearly not have been given to him in San Jose, especially if the Sharks top six stays healthy throughout the year.

Earlier this summer Wellwood was allegedly considering a tryout with the Sharks during training camp, competing with players such as Andrew Murray, Jamie McGinn, Cam MacIntyre, James Sheppard, Benn Ferriero, and Andrew Desjardins for a roster spot. At this point in the offseason, San Jose looks to be going for youth on their lower lines to begin the year, although a training camp tryout invitation to a defensive-minded veteran player such as John Madden could also be a possibility.

By now you probably have heard of the terrible tragedy that occured in Russia earlier today.

An airplane Yak-42 carrying KHL hockey club Lokomotiv Yaroslavl had a failure as it was taking off, and went down shortly after landing, killing 43 passengers on board. Two more passengers survived the crash, but are in critical condition.  One is a crew member, and another is a hockey player Alexander Galimov. 

According to reports from Russia, among those who were killed in the crash is Daniil Sobchenko, San Jose Sharks prospect that Doug Wilson drafted in the 6th round just three months ago. Sobchenko was a player with a bright future, according to those who saw him play in the international competition. He was also the first player from the former USSR that Doug Wilson ever selected in a draft as a general manager of San Jose Sharks. 

Words fail me right now as I look at the list of those who were killed in the crash. We've seen many of these players on the ice in NHL and at the Olympics. Sharks organization is impacted too. All of you have to do is look on Twitter and see how many NHL players are reporting they had friends on the board of that plane. 

It's been one terrible summer in hockey today with the deaths of its current and former players. Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, another tragedy strikes - the kind none of us could have even remotely imagine possible. 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of victims. 

UPDATE, 10:30am: Emergency Services of Russia confirm that Daniil Sobchenko was on the plane at the time of the crash. Ruslan Salei, whose presence on the plane was questioned in earlier reports, is also listed as a passenger. These reports are as official as we'll get. 

UPDATE, 2:00pm: David Pollak of Working The Corners talks with Sobchenko's roomate Tommy Wingels and Sharks Head Coach Todd McLellan about the tragic events today.

UPDATE, 3:00pm: Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson released the following statement today concerning prospect Daniil Sobchenko:

"We are very saddened to report that the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry has published a list stating that Sharks prospect Daniil Sobchenko was aboard the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane that crashed today in Yaroslavl, Russia. Daniil attended our development camp this past July and everyone on our staff agreed that he had a bright future with our organization. He was an amazing person with a fun-loving personality and his attitude and energy during his time in San Jose was infectious. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends."

"This is a difficult day for the hockey world. Many people in our organization had existing relationships with other Lokomotiv players, coaches and staff members. We send our sincere condolences to their families as well."

Marco Sturm was drafted by the Sharks with their first round selection in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He grew up with the organization as they transitioned from a mid-90's Cinderella story to a perennial playoff entrant, winning over the hearts and minds of the Sharks faithful with his lightning quick skating stride, affable personality, stellar work ethic, and ability to kill penalties.

As the years went by his scoring touch improved until he was consistently in the running for Sharks leading goal scorer, cementing himself as a fan favorite that the fanbase could be proud of. In many ways he was on the path to becoming revered in the way Patrick Marleau is today-- a homegrown, down to earth, goofy, and talented player who working-class fans can easily identify with.

Today however, Sturm's legacy in San Jose is more of what he did for the team in his departure rather than what he did when he was here. On November 30, 2005 Sturm was traded with Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau to the Boston Bruins in exchange for all-star centerman Joe Thornton, a player whose skill set and presence on the ice instantly made him the face of the franchise. It was the definition of the deals Doug Wilson has become famous for-- non-existent rumors, a favorable return, and yet another piece that put the organization one step closer to the Stanley Cup.

After leaving the Sharks Sturm continued to put up respectable numbers in Boston, scoring 27 goals twice and potting 22 in 2009-2010. But with chronic knee ailments keeping him out of action for the majority of the 08-09 and 10-11 seasons, and injuries a career-long concern, Sturm bounced around the League last year in an attempt to stick. Stints in Los Angeles and Washington were disappointing affairs. Sturm never looked quite right, and at the age of 32, it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to make an impact in the NHL club ever again.

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	@ 9:00 AM
9-6-2, $56.6 MM		3-1-0, $7.7 MM
30th in July 1st signings		1st in robbing GM's $$$

Whew.

We've been quite busy over the last two days previewing the who's who of the 2011 Free Agent class. Players like Joel Ward and Eric Belanger are obviously our highest targets, but ultimately, one can safely assume they are the targets of other teams across the League as well. It's always a wait and see game with San Jose on July 1st (with more waiting involved than many would like), but this year it really seems like San Jose makes a bigger impact than usual on the first day of free agency.

Here is what the San Jose Sharks are working with heading into today's gong show:

• Jamie McGinn signed a one year deal worth $680 K per season.
• Andrew Desjardins signed a one year deal worth $540 K per season.
• Frazer McLaren signed a one year deal worth $570 K per season.
• Assuming McLaren isn't on the opening night roster and McGinn/Desjardins are, the San Jose Sharks have $7.7 MM in cap space. This includes Justin Braun as the sixth defenseman.
  
• Three forwards need to be either signed via free agency or promoted from within the organization.
  
• One defenseman can be signed or promoted from within the organization in order to give the Sharks a healthy scratch or send Justin Braun down to Worcester.

The Sharks have a distinct opportunity to make a huge impact today. We cannot stress this enough. If they stand pat there is no doubt they will be a good team in the thick of the Pacific Division race-- however, the current roster has some notable holes which will make it hard to really hitch your cart to the Hoowa horse throughout the year.

If they make some bold moves and acquire some affordable impact players (of which there are many, too many to count really), the opportunity is there for them to become a premier Stanley Cup favorite heading into next season.

With the amount of cap space San Jose has right now expect them to target their guys early in the day. They aren't looking for any big fish to come in and change the vibe of the franchise. They can be aggressive in snatching up their key acquisitions while other teams wrestle over the higher profile names.

Maybe it's the excitement talking but I have a feeling DW is going to turn some major heads today with some quality third line forwards. The Brent Burns acquisition proved he's willing to push the pedal and watch the engine roar.

Big day ahead.

Enjoy.

A day before the NHL Draft and we already have some massive changes in the Western Conference.

The Philadelphia Flyers sent franchise cornerstones Mike Richards and Jeff Carter to the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets respectively, acquiring Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn, Jakub Voracek, and a first and third round draft pick. It was a notable haul in terms of promising young players, but there's no doubt the effects of these transactions will put a damper on the Flyers ability to win next season.

For all intents and purposes it is Claude Giroux's and James Van Riemsdyk's team now. While those are two excellent forwards you can build around, the increasing age of defensive stalwarts Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen make the window for success much closer to now rather than later-- today was a futures move for Philadelphia on the forward front, something that doesn't exactly mesh with the age on their backend.

As for Los Angeles, I don't think there's any doubt they just received a world-class two way forward that is as dangerous defensively as he is offensively. Joining Anze Kopitar and Jarret Stoll down the middle, the Kings now have three players who match up well against the best 1-2-3 center punch in the NHL (Thornton, Couture, Pavelski). And while Pittsburgh's duo of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin is a better 1-2 combo, the Kings are now on par with (if not better than) every other NHL team in regards to their top two centers.

Los Angeles got the number two center they were looking for this offseason. With a deal sending Ryan Smyth to Edmonton reportedly imminent, the Kings should have enough cap space in order to sign Drew Doughty, Alec Martinez, Brad Richardson, Oscar Moller, and Trevor Lewis.

Expect the Kings to contend once again for the Pacific Division title. With the amount of talent they already possess on the backend, they should once again be a Stanley Cup contender provided they can stay healthy down the stretch.

As for Columbus, the acquisition of Jeff Carter allows them to finally give Rick Nash a player to work with in the offensive end of the ice. Whether or not that vaults them into playoff contention remains to be seen with free agency still a factor, but there's no doubt that the Blue Jackets have improved in the short term as well.

The 2011 NHL Awards will be held tonight at 4 PM PST on Versus. Logan Couture is the only San Jose Sharks player nominated for an award this season. He will be competing against New York Islanders forward Michael Grabner and Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner for the 2011 Calder Trophy, which recognizes the NHL's rookie of the year.

According to NHL.com, here is the criteria and voting process:

The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League. The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season and each individual voter ranks their top five candidates on a 10-7-5-3-1 points system. Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL Awards ceremony after the playoffs.

>> NHL.com

As I've said before, I think Skinner is the front runner here due to the fact that he is the only "pure" rookie on the docket and was eighteen years of age during the entirety of the regular season. With the PHWA voting on the candidates, there stands to be some individuals who took games played into account-- the fact that Couture played 25 regular season games in 2009-2010, as well as the fact that he participated in a Sharks playoff run to the Western Conference Finals that same year, isn't doing him any favors unfortunately.

Here are some relevant statistics from all three finalists:

As we can see here, all three of these player's had excellent seasons-- Grabner's goal scoring lead is sure to swing a few votes, Skinner's age, "purity", and points lead is bound to attract a few eyes, and Couture's overall importance to his team in every facet of the game is also something that should have gained him a few votes when the PWHA voted on the award at the end of the regular season.

Whether or not Couture wins the Calder tonight doesn't change how important he was to San Jose throughout the year. He was the de facto Team MVP during the first half of the year, played a huge role on special teams, led all forwards in plus/minus, and was an essential part of a second line that could have been the top unit on many NHL clubs across the League.

He's a franchise player in every sense of the word, and a huge part of the leadership group in San Jose's locker room.

We can't wait to see what he does next season.

In celebration of tonight's NHL Awards we are holding a sale on all of our Couture For Calder shirts in the FTF Online Store. Enjoy.

In news that will come as a pleasant surprise to rosterbationists across the greater San Jose Area, the NHL's salary cap will be even higher than the $63.5 MM estimate Bill Daly offered earlier this month.

In fact, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the salary cap upper limit will be $64 MM next year, good for nearly one more league-minimum player on every team roster across the NHL:

"I'm told the upper limit of the 2011-12 NHL salary cap will be $64 million," Bob McKenzie said over Twitter. "The lower limit, or floor, will be $48 million.

As we detailed in excess here, even with a conservative salary cap estimate of $62.0 MM the San Jose Sharks would be sitting pretty in regards to their ability to pursue an improvement to their team this offseason. With an increase of $2.0 MM however, that already sunny outlook is now resulting in a few third degree sunburns at the beach of boisterous buzz.

As of today, the San Jose Sharks have 14 players under contract that will eat up $51.825 MM of cap space with five forwards and one defenseman needing to be signed. This leaves San Jose with a very cushy $12.163 MM in available funds to be used next year in order to ice a legal roster. In other words, more than enough to re-sign players such as Devin Setoguchi and Ian White and still make a big splash in the UFA market on July 1st.

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