Truth & Rumors > NHL

08:30 AM ET 03.14 | Were it true, it certainly would qualify as disheartening news for the National Hockey League: Is Sidney Crosby considering retirement? The Fan590 in Toronto made waves Friday when he reported he had heard Crosby's family was trying to convince him to retire for fear of risking more injury. Not true, said the superstar player's father. "Not at all," Troy Crosby, from his Halifax, Nova Scotia, home, told ESPN. "We're just trying to get him healthy again. However long that takes, that's how long it's going to take." Crosby's agent Pat Brisson also refuted the report.

ESPN.com

> Comment

08:32 AM ET 03.14 | Daniel Sedin may be on the inside track to a Hart Trophy-winning season. Daniel's credentials speak for themselves. He's leading the NHL in scoring by a comfortable margin. Night-in, night-out he's been the best player on the best team in hockey. Players have won this award with a lot less on their resume. But it's when you look at the rest of the field that the case for Daniel gets stronger. Barring a late charge by Alex Ovechkin, his closest competition will likely come from Steven Stamkos and Boston goalie Tim Thomas. Stamkos's numbers are comparable but they've come on a middling (eighth overall) Tampa team. Thomas is having a huge season statistically. But he's played in just 48 games with the Bruins to date.

The Province

> Comment

08:31 AM ET 03.14 | 'Tis the season for college players to consider moving to the show. Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill said today that he expects Maine junior forward Gustav Nyquist to make a decision soon on whether to forgo his senior season and sign an entry-level contract with the Red Wings. "He'll decide over the next week whether he'll turn pro or not," said Nill, who said he saw Nyquist play three times in person this season. "He might have exams. He has to talk with his parents and decide. If he's willing to come out, we'd like to get him signed to turn him pro." Nyquist would begin playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League.

Detroit Free Press

> Comment

08:29 AM ET 03.14 | One significant factor in the Wild not making a deadline deal was a concern it might adversely affect team chemistry. The thing about chemistry, though, is if you remove a couple of chemicals, the entire concoction changes and now you've got a mixture of who knows what. That's what has happened with the Wild. Take Mikko Koivu, Cal Clutterbuck and Clayton Stoner out of the lineup because of injuries, and you have a completely different team and, especially, identity. ... Said Todd Richards: "That affects the energy and character of your team and how it competes. So Mikko, to me, is the main ingredient, but you take out two important ingredients like Clutter and Stoner, too, it affects the way your team plays in a big way."

Minneapolis Star Tribune

> Comment

08:34 AM ET 03.14 | The numbers are staggering, to be sure. A three-horse race has emerged in the battle to gain majority control and ownership of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. ... According to numerous sources with some understanding of the possible future transaction, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is looking to hit a financial home run with the sale of its 66 percent share in the Maple Leafs, Raptors, the Air Canada Centre and other lesser properties, including Toronto FC, the Toronto Marlies and the gold mine sports bar, Real Sports. The teachers have done extremely well with their equity investment in MLSEL and are now looking to determine if they can cash out with at least $1.3 billion for their share in Canada's most prominent sporting company.

Toronto Sun

> Comment