News From Around the NHL

NHL Off Season News Reports

 

 

 

Glen Wesley Calls It A Career

 

Reliable stay at home Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Glen Wesley decided to trade in his skates and hockey sticks next fall for a business suit and the comfort of the team’s front office.

After playing in the NHL for 20 seasons, Wesley who was drafted by the Boston Bruins third overall in 1987, has decided to call it a career and spend more time with his family. “I could have played (another season), but for selfish reasons,” he said. “It was time to look the other way and give (family) back in return.” Wesley, who was traded from Boston to the then Hartford Whalers prior to the 1994/95 season, led the team last season with 110 blocked shots while dressing for 78 games. “Glen was, for the most part, put in a position to play against the other team’s best players,” said Canes general manager Jim Rutherford. “His contribution, game in and game out, to me were just as valuable as the guys scoring the (big) goals. Reflecting on the Stanley Cup Carolina won in 2006, Rutherford commented,  “He was one of the difference-makers to get us (the Cup).  

Wesley, who will have his number retired sometime next year, has shown his dependency over the years to not be slowed down by injuries and upon retirement he sits sixth among NHL defenseman in games at 1,457. Next season, he will be sliding into his new post as the teams’ director of development for defensemen.

 

Sami Kapanen Calls It Quits

 

Former Philadelphia Flyer forward Sami Kapenen has decided that it’s time to retire from the NHL and head back home to Finland and play another season or two. “It’s just time to move on,” Kapenen who was a fourth round 1995 draft pick of the Hartford Whalers said last Tuesday. “I want to go out having fun and playing the way I grew up playing hockey.” Playing a major part in the decision to play for a team he partly owns in the Kal Pa Kuopio is the frustration of not having a lot of ice time during the past few years along with suffering nagging injuries that have affected his production. “I don’t want to leave the game on terms of disappointment and bitterness,” he said. “The plan is to play (in Finland) hopefully a couple more years obviously depending on my health.”

During his 12- year career, Kapenen had his most productive years as a Hartford Whaler and Carolina Hurricanes player. In his five years with the Flyers, this speedster mostly played on the third or fourth lines in a defensive role. The highlight of his career is being a three time Olympian having played on Finland in 1994, 1998 and 2002 games.  

 

Stanley Cup Receives A Dent

It only took two days for the Stanley Cup to receive its first off- season dent. During the years, Stanley has had to have various dents and cracks patched up and this summer is no different as the Stanley Cup took a tumble during a party at Cheli’s Chili Bar. On Friday, some players had the Cup and took it to the establishment owned by Wings defenseman Chris Chelios when the incident occurred. It was deemed to be only a minor dent and it will not affect this summer’s Stanley Cup travels. 

 

 

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