Training Camp

The team changed the starting practice time to 9:30 this morning so I missed the first half hour. 30 players were present. A few core players remained out while a couple returned to the ice. Still absent were Fredrik Modin, Michael Peca, Adam Foote and Fredrik Norrena. Dan Fritsche and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen returned.

Accoring to the Columbus Dispatch, Steven Goertzen was placed on waivers for the purpose of sending him to Syracuse and Derek Dorsett was determined to have hairline fractures in his fibula suffered in the prospects tournament. Dorsett is being assigned to Syracuse to begin his rehabilitation.

Today Coach Hitchcock led the team through various drills centered around the power play and penalty kill. The penalty kill was stingy and the power play struggled (could be why the PK was stingy). Sergei Fedorov rotated on the power play point with Kris Russell, Ron Hainsey and Duvie Westcott.

There were some noticable changes in line combinations most notably with Kris Beech centering the top line. The defenseman were switching up frequently so it was hard to get and idea who was paired with who although Russell was paired many times with Rusty Klesla today. Here is how the lines were set up today.

Nash-Beech-Vyborny
Zherdev-Fedorov-Fritsche
Chimera-Brassard-Brule
Glencross-Novotny-Voracek
Boll-Malhotra-Sestito
Shelley-MacKenzie-Lindstrom

I haven't been overly impressed by Beech but obviously the coaching staff sees something they like. Fedorov was hustling more in practice today than he did in the game Sunday afternoon. Zherdev looked totally uninterested.

There are team building events planned for this afternoon and practice resumes tomorrow at 9:30. Glad I finally got the memo.