Paul Ranger will not be returning to the Lightning for training camp – details here.

Antti Niemi has signed with the Sharks, a one-year deal. I will put up the Tim Kennedy and Niemi analysis shortly.

The Ilya Kovalchuk decision will be delayed until Friday at 5pm. The speculation is that the NHL did not like the new contract, but didn’t want the negativity of rejecting it again – and that they will discuss with the NHLPA a way to tweak the way cap hits work over long-term contracts. Then they could allow the contract, and the cap hit would be different then what the Devils had in mind. This would also affect other cap hits. Again, this is just us dolts bantering back and forth on Twitter. We may have it completely wrong.

My interview is up over at the Cult of Hockey at the Edmonton Journal. Some great insight on my reasoning behind going so high with Eberle and Hall.

Goldie here – oddly enough, I also had something up on the Cult of Hockey blog. I was asked to write a post yesterday in defense of Jeff Deslauriers and took full advantage of the opportunity. Regarding the Niemi news…I’m waiting to see what happens tomorrow before dissecting it. My first reaction? “Poor Greiss.” Stay tuned.

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The Carey Price talks could get messy. With a bit of tongue-in -cheek, Habs Inside/Out reports that according to Canoe.ca, Price may hold out if he doesn’t get $3 million per season. If the story is true, then it’s more than a little disturbing. Not just the senselessness of such a demand, but how it reeks of loss of confidence. Is he afraid that he would be unable to earn a real contract a year from now, so he’s trying to take as much as he can now? Again, that is if the story is true. And I hardly count “very very reliable source” as a legitimate source. But as a Price owner, that is my first thought. Apparently, this “article” has been/or will be debunked by Richard Labbe in Le Presse later today.

Niklas Kronwall has a meniscus tear in his knee and underwent surgery yesterday. This is news that I had over a day ago…and didn’t realize that I did not comment on it here. He’ll miss most of training camp, but not much of the season, if any. Kronwall has his full certifcation in Band-Aid Boyology, complete with piece of paper signed by yours truly.

Aaron Johnson has signed a two-way deal with Nashville. Bah, it’s September 1, what do you want from me?!!

Matt Ellis has signed a one-year deal with Buffalo (again…that September 1 excuse…Zzzzzz…)

Nikolai Khabibulin has been sentenced to 30 days in prison for DUI, as well as a fine. That’s the minimum sentence and if he hopped into a cell right now he’d be out before the season starts. Hell, if he asked for and was granted a transfer to a Canadian prison, he’d be out by Friday. But noooo, he’s appealing. That delays sentencing, which would cut into the season. He got the minimum sentence…so what is he appealing? Was he drinking or not? Actually, I kid. What he’s doing is throwing a Hail Mary pass to get this conviction overturned. Because as it stands now, he may not be able to get into Canada (considered “criminally inadmissable”) and it could take up to a year to get over that particular hurdle.

Toronto has re-signed Christian Hanson. He didn’t get his one-way contract. As I said on Twitter (@dobberhockey) – Leafs were 17-12-3 when Christian Hanson was in the lineup last year. They were 13-26-11 without him. He brings energy. Momentum changer. But he probably won’t be on the team for more than 20 games in the season ahead.

Today we will find out if the NHL approves the Kovalchuk contract. They have until 5pm, but I just know that my media brethren will be manning the phones, Twitter and computers all day long thinking that word will come early. It won’t. It never does. Me? I’ll be out and about, taking care of business, having a cold one. I’ll check in late in the afternoon for the announcement that is sure to come around 4:59pm.

Doug Weight’s contract has finally been made official – a one-year deal with the Isles. His 50-point days are behind him though.

Again, I have re-posted the Draft List. Chinny has added the missing salary numbers (thank you sir!). The Fantasy Guide can be purchased here and the Draft List is included in that purchase – free.

Those of you out in Edmonton, I have some quotes in today’s journal in a piece by David Staples…I’ll toss up the link here if there is one later in the day. He was asking about my thoughts on Eberle/Hall.