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NHL.com is reporting that the New Jersey Devils are filing for arbitration with highly touted free agent winger Zach Parise.

This essentially means that Parise will be given a one year contract during arbitration and will be an unrestricted free agent a year from now. That is, if the Devils are unable to sign him to a contract extension by then.

The Devils have stated that they will continue to work on an extension with Parise, but made this move in order to give themselves some security heading into free agency.

The American born Parise was a restricted free agent, so he could have been signed by another team willing to give the Devils proper compensation in the way of draft picks. This move ensures that no such situation will present itself.

Though Parise spent most of the season injured, this news is music to Devils' fans ears this evening, as letting Parise go would have been a terrible mistake.

Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils will continue their coaching search and listen offers for the number four overall pick, though a deal is not likely.

What's next for the Devils? 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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The Minnesota Wild have completed the first step towards getting back to the postseason; hire a new coach. 37 year old Mike Yeo, formerly of the AHL's Houston Aeros, is set to join the club as its newest head coach. Yeo was also an assistant for the 2009 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

The decision to hire Yeo is a bit of a bold one given his general lack of experience, but Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is not too worried the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports:

"He is a straight-shooter who will hold players accountable for their actions on and off the ice," Fletcher said.

Hopefully Yeo's attitude permeates to a club that has failed to reach the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and has only made it past the first round once in its existence.

On thing is for sure, Yeo is ready for the challenge.

"I love a challenge," he said. "I love adversity."

The Minnesota Wild and their fans certainly hope so, because this team is on the brink of contention.

Check out who the next piece of the rebuilding project is for the Wild. 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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Well well well, look at what we have here. Jaromir Jagr is coming crawling back to the NHL after a brief stint in Russia's KHL.

According to MLive.com, Jagr's agent has contacted the Detroit Red Wings about a possible contract.

Jaromir Jagr is now 39 years old and not nearly the player he once was, but that's not stopping GM Ken Holland from considering the Czech superstar. Plus, Jagr is likely to come on the cheap, as he is looking for one last run at the Stanley Cup before fading off into the sunset.

Luckily, this saga appears to be nearing a conclusion. Wherever Jagr signs, he will likely be a relatively ineffective role player. This isn't 1995, folks. Jagr isn't walking into any locker room with a fierce mullet and the wrist shot to match. 

Rock out with your mock draft out 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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Who wouldn't want the second overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, with a chance to land Adam Larsson, Gabriel Landeskog, or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?

Well, according to the Denver Post there is, not surprisingly, quite a market for Colorado's pick in next weeks entry draft.

What would it take to pry the pick away from the Colorado Avalanche? GM Greg Sherman weighs in:

"It would have to be something paramount. But I'm not looking to move the pick," Sherman said after the NHL's most recent general managers' meetings in Boston. "There has been interest in the pick. Given the plan that we're on right now, it's not something we're looking to (trade)."

The Avs are wise to field offers for the pick, but it would take a king's ransom for Sherman to pass on the chance to take an elite prospect like Larsson or Nugent-Hopkins. Colorado is an extremely young team, and this draft pick is just another block in the rebuilding of this franchise. Unless they get a deal too good to pass up, the pick should remain in the Mile High city.

So who will the Avs take? 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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When Scott Howson, GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets, said he wanted to make a big move for Columbus this offseason, he wasn't kidding.

According to the Columbus Post-Dispatch, the Jackets are in the market for Jeff Carter and Ales Hemsky, and are willing to move the eight overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft along with Jake Voracek to make it happen.

In an ideal world for the Flyers, they would hang on to Jeff Carter and still be able to sign Ilya Bryzgalov, instead shedding cap space with players like Matt Carle, Scott Hartnell, and Kris Versteeg.

Thus, the Jackets have looked to the Oilers' Alex Hemsky.

Edmonton would love to bring in another top ten pick for their rebuilding effort, giving them three of the top nineteen picks in the 2011 NHL Draft. Hemsky is a dynamo when he's on the ice, but he is often injured and has struggled at times to gel with Edmonton's young core.

We'll see if Columbus is able to pull something off before they are on the clock next Friday night. 

Who will be available with the 8th Pick? 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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It's time for every team to evaluate their roster heading into the 2011 NHL Draft and NHL Free Agency, and nobody does that better than the Detroit Red Wings' front office.

GM Ken Holland and his staff reportedly have been holding meetings this week on their offseason plans. Holland had the following to say:

"We have to try to piece it all together," Holland told the Free Press. "We believe in a certain philosophy. We like skill. We believe there are some players who could be good Red Wings. Some players are good players, but they don't fit our system. You try to find players that fit your style of play."

The Wings don't have a whole lot of work to do this offseason, unless of course Nick Lidstrom decides to join Brian Rafalski in retirement. Luckily, the free agent crop looks strong on defense, so the Wings don't have much to worry about there.

Detroit's front office is one of the best in the business, so they'll find a way to put together a competitive roster.

Who are the Red Wings eyeing with their first round pick? 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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After eclipsing the 60 point mark this past season for the Calgary Flames, it's no surprise that Alex Tanguay is set for a healthy raise from his current team.

The Fourth Period is reporting that the Flames and Tanguay are getting close on the terms of a new contract.

Tanguay will undoubtedly see a bigger paycheck than the 1.7 million he received last season, as Flames' GM Jay Feaster has already indicated that Tanguay is a priority for the team this summer.

Alex Tanguay is 31 years old, so he still has some solid years left in him. However, was his rebound season the result of a contract year, or has Tanguay revived his career?

The Flames are desperately hoping for the latter.

Who will the Flames draft next week? 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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Bleacher Report's Tampa Bay Lightning Featured Columnist, JC De La Torre, recently published an insightful piece on the offseason ahead for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Here's a clip:

Lightning Featured Columnist JC De La Torre:

In his first season as general manager, his hockey team posted the second best season in franchise history. What will Stevie Y do for an encore?

To begin with, Yzerman has his work cut out for him.

Over half of his hockey team falls in the category of free agent. The list includes both his goalies, his superstar center and two of the big heroes of the Lightning's postseason run.

While he looks to retain key contributors, Yzerman will also be looking to upgrade the team that fell just shy of playing for the Stanley Cup.

Let's first go through who the Lightning need to retain and who they should jettison from their own free-agent group.

Read the full article here.

Here's my latest mock draft 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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In the final seven days leading up to the 2011 NHL Draft, expect trade rumors surrounding big names and the top picks to run rampant. Today's potential seller; the New Jersey Devils, who own the fourth overall pick in next week's draft.

According to the Fourth Period the Devils and GM Lou Lamoriello. Here's what the GM had to say:

"We've been involved in these situations at different times," Lamoriello told NorthJersey.com. "You really can't say you will or you won't (trade the pick) because you have to have an open mind to anything and everything no matter what it is. You never know what somebody else wants or needs. The whole key is how do you get your team better today and tomorrow? That's the key."

Whether the Devils are looking for more picks ( they currently hold no second rounder), trying to move up or down a few spots, or looking for an impact veteran player remains to be seen.

Strap in folks, the 2011 NHL Draft rumors are just getting started. 

Here's the latest mock draft. 2011 NHL Mock Draft: Projecting All the 1st-Round Picks

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The clock is ticking on Paul Holmgren and the Philadelphia Flyers, as they have until July 1st to sign the recently acquired Ilya Bryzgalov before the trade is rendered useless without Bryz ever suiting up for a single Flyers' game.

The two sides opened up talks yesterday, but Paul Holmgren is withholding comment for the time being. Via the Flyers' official facebook page:

 "Spent the day getting to know Ilya and Jeniya. There will be no comment on discussions that are ongoing."

It's still a mystery as to whether or not the two sides will be able to reach an agreement. Bryzgalov reportedly hit it off with Philadelphia goalie coach, Jeff Reese, but that's minute in the grand scheme of thing.

Bryzgalov is commanding north of five million dollars, maybe even six million, per season for at least five years.

Despite the fact that the Flyers already have tons of money tied up in the long term contracts of Danny Briere, Chris Pronger, Mike Richards, and Jeff Carter, Holmgren is looking for a six or seven year deal for the newly acquired Russian netminder.

It's going to be a long couple of weeks for the black and orange.

Who will the top 50 players in the league be next season? NHL Power Rankings: Picking the Top 50 Players in the League Next Season (Video)