Digital engagement is not a game of luck, it’s a game of strategy.

The way that companies and brands sponsor the NHL is all too familiar – board sponsors, naming rights and all the interruptive “presented by so-and-so” commercials throughout the entire game. These sponsorship spaces have been selling for decades at very high prices and are often viewed as a pretty big investment for the sponsoring company.  The reason why companies continue to invest in these prime real estate spaces is because they place brands front and center for all to see. But another pretty big reason for paying this hefty price is because these companies can now say they are proud sponsors of the NHL. They are now entitled to place their logo on any or all of their communications media as they so please. This brand association is what drives companies into spending thousands of dollars on sponsorship spaces and guess what, it works.

I would never suggest that companies should stop purchasing traditional sponsorship spaces such as these, but as I mentioned in my last post, these spaces for sponsor exposure are archaic. What I am suggesting is that companies start admitting that they need to think of more clever and creative ways to engage with their fans if they really want to increase their revenues. I recently spoke with a friend who works for Toronto FC in Toronto, Ontario. He admitted that sponsorship spaces within in the arena are over saturated and fear it will only increase. I agree, not every piece of furniture in the arena needs to be labeled by a corporate sponsor. Yes, even the community managers are realizing this is a rising issue and yes, they also question the thought leaders of sports marketing and wonder if they have even bothered to think about more creative avenues of sending messages to their fans.

I decided to go home and answer this question myself. Have they bothered thinking of new corporate sponsorship avenues or are brand associations the only possible answer? Before I could come up with an answer, I had to do some research. I had to see what other brands were doing to engage their fans and followers and I had to know what was working and what was not.

Digital Storytelling Trumps

Coca-Cola’s new “Moment Zero” campaign is a good starting point to explain the importance of storytelling in sports marketers’ initiatives in providing pivotal opportunities for fans. Partnering with the NHL, the soft-drink giant has begun to launch a series of videos this year, timed to coincide with major sporting events such as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. The first video features Jordan Eberle from the Edmonton Oilers and focuses on a fictional character named Kevin Wheeler who represents the unsung sports hero whose story becomes a legend among his friends. The story follows the plot of “Moment Zero”, which is the moment you realize a hero is needed and poof, that hero is Kevin Wheeler.

This is not the first campaign of this type though. This idea was taken from Pepsi Max in 2012 when the NBA wanted to feature the 2012 NBA rookie of the year, Kyrie Irving. This video was so successful, that it was the second most popular video on YouTube in 2012.

Peering Into The Lives Of Pro Athletes

A good story is not the only thing that will make your brand stand out in the arena though. The NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves have undoubtedly outwitted any pro sports team I have ever seen in terms of giving fans the ultimate experience. In an effort to thank regular season ticket holders for their continuous loyalty, the team asked a handful of ticket holders to be in a series of commercials with players from the team. These commercials were released on YouTube and portray fans with players in real life conversations discussing topics not related to the sport.

The NBA’s Chicago Bulls also upped their game when they did a two-minute video featuring Carlos Boozer and told the story of how he saw talent in his children’s basketball coach and then hired him to be his own. The story in this video is heart-warming and gives insight to Carlos Boozer on a personal level – just another way to feed fan’s insatiable hunger for sports-related content.

Brand Association Is Not Enough

Here’s what I have come to realize: engaging fans no longer works with a mere brand association. Corporate brand sponsors need to give fans once-in-a-life-time opportunities and incredible experiences if they want to be remembered in the increasingly hostile communications environment. That is how you engage fans in today’s world of digitally equipped and passionate sports lovers. That is how the NHL will fulfill their season-ticket renewal strategy and it’s how they will keep fans from slamming them, individual teams and the players themselves on Twitter and Facebook. If you regularly interact with your fans, they’re less likely to slam you.

And as it turns out, pro athletes are totally down with engaging their fans more. Slowly but surely, hockey players, basketball players and baseball players are joining Twitter, participating in commercials along side fans and engaging them outside of the arena all because they want to. Pro athletes are realizing they are public figures, role models and someone that is admired. As the role of public relations changes, so will the way these athletes engage their fans through arising new media opportunities.

What I really like about the examples above is they still keep the sponsoring brand front and center, but they also add in a story, which lasts much longer in the mind of a fan than a mere brand association ever could.

Social and digital media is opening the door wide for new revenue streams, but how is the NHL capitalizing on these opportunities? I can’t emphasis enough how the “Scotiabank Game Day” is the most unclever pipeline entry. Out of all the emerging ways to promote sponsors, that’s the one Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment picked?

Thinking of new ways to promote sponsors requires a change in traditional thinking and it’s no secret that marketers continue to be drawn to live events – the playoffs being one of them.

Clearly, brands such as Scotiabank have realized the environment has become hostile to marketing communications and pushing through the clutter has proven difficult. But what kind of image does this name right give the notorious bank of foul plays? The market is becoming limited in terms of potential buyers and therefore, finding ways to stand out is imperative. Yes, Scotiabank stands out, but will the name stick when people talk about it? Unlikely, it’s a mouth full.

The way sponsors are being advertised today is incredibly different then it was even a year ago. Integrated campaigns that include multiple channels such as digital is the short answer, yet it continues to baffle seasoned marketers as they desperately try to grasp the evolution of digital media within the arena. In the past, deals used to be negotiated between marketers and a league or team. Today, negotiations occur between TV executives, media buyers, and players themselves. But, does this strip value for hardcore sports fans?

Because messages come out of every crack and crevasse, more demands have been placed on rightsholders to prove value and return. So I guess the question is, how do you diffuse all the noise and captivate an audience that has become immune to traditional messaging? Unfortunately, paying for your logo to appear next to an NHL team no longer provides the same return on investment. The answer: data marketing and not “over-the-top” naming opportunities. Did you know a new marketing trend is cutting costs and increasing revenue? Big shocker. Digital media opens up a brand new door to do this and here’s why.

As mentioned in a previous post, digital storytelling is the number one trend in social media marketing. In order to effectively break through the clutter in the arena and on the couch, the NHL needs to rely on precision marketing. This means coming up with the right message at the right time and in the right location if they want to fuel a successful marketing campaign.

Let’s break this down even further. Chief of Content Officer’s are becoming all the rage in marketing departments. Consumers are constantly demanding more content, more often. And the quality better be good. I recently read a post on Marketing Magazine’s website written by Michael Barnett. Last week he claimed that data marketing hinders creativity and prevents original ideas from flowing freely. I disagree – data marketing is simply improving the precision in which messages are targeted and then delivered. The truth is that content pieces are booming. This includes mobile apps, documentary films and TV shows – as well as all the simple stuff: blogs, videos on Facebook and Instagram photos. The creativity within all these content types is critical! It’s the channel, time of delivery and location that has become strict, not the message itself. So what can be learned from this?

That enhancing the superfan experience is crucial. Sponsors require more than just a simple brand association; they require depth, intrigue and emotional connection. And achieving these goals requires data. And a lot of it too. Winners of large sponsorship spaces are usually large rightsholders that have broadcast media attached at the hip. They often have a national footprint and appear as high profile brands. Traditional advertising channels offers little more than what the eye can see, but digital advertising channels offers not only a two-way street of communication, but an experience that amplifies all that is good.

In my next post, I’m going to take a closer look at how some teams in the NHL are coming up with clever ways to break through the clutter, enhance their fan’s experience in the arena and on the couch and how social and digital media is allowing teams to engage with their community in ways never seen before.

If you could change anything you wanted about GameConnect or GameCenter app, what would you change or add?

The emergence of digital media has created an uproar for sports marketers everywhere. Die-hard sports fanatics are demanding better experiences with their favorite teams, as they should. Thanks to new applications and the growth of social networks like Twitter and Facebook, fans can engage with these franchises in ways like never before.

In fact, Catalyst, a sports marketing agency with their main headquarters in New York City, conducted a fan engagement study in 2012, which unveiled some pretty interesting findings. Digital channels such as websites and social media networks have now become the second most trusted source of information, trailing behind television.

So what is your favorite NHL franchise doing to embrace this acquired taste for consumption?

Ever heard of the SocialToaster app? SocialToaster is a gamified app that allows “Superfans” to receive points for sharing a franchises’ digital content with their friends and followers. The really cool thing about this app is these sports teams are giving their Superfans exclusive content, meaning they get content first, before it gets published to the team’s website or Facebook Page.

These Superfans can then redeem their points for game tickets, team merchandise and other really cool incentives that Superfans want. Out of all the franchises in the NHL, only the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres are doing it! What’s up with that? This is why franchises need to get in the Loop.

I don’t know why, but it seems like sports networking stations are in the loop a lot. Just look at theScore app! I’ve only heard from a million people that it’s the best app ever. Omnigon and Fox Sports have literally created The Perfect Partnership. Omnigon Communications, a firm of web-based technologists have partnered with Fox Sports to create the ultimate second-screen experience for hardcore sports fanatics of the MLB and NHL – but let’s focus on the NHL today.

Omnigon places a pretty big emphasis on achieving brand objectives. So when Fox Sports asked Omnigon to create the ultimate second-screen experience for NHL fans, they did exactly that. The creation of an app called “Game Connect” was the result. This app is fully equipped with real-time game data, which allows fans to compare stats against leading players while watching the game, hence achieving the second-screen goal.

Fox Sports Makes A Digital Move Forward

Like all leading technologies, the Game Connect app has more than one purpose. Plus it has ridiculous social elements that allows people to Tweet before, during and after the game and see it charted right in front of them, making it easily readable. It then includes a feature called “Ask the Broadcast” which allows fans to ask the TV broadcast questions live!

The NHL Makes An Even Bigger Play

Launching NHL GameCenter LIVE, the ultimate user experience for NHL games has literally out-done Fox Sports. This app offers live streaming, live broadcasts, live rewind and tons of other terrific benefits available over a variety of devices.

If you ask me though, NHL GameCenter totally missed the nail when it comes to merging social media. Yes, they have a live feed – but its not on Twitter. What an epic fail. It makes me wonder if the people who created it actually did any research on consumer consumption habits. And they charge $50 for the regular season package! That also shows us they don’t understand the future of video streaming. More on this in my next post.

Here’s my question to you.

If you could change anything you wanted about GameConnect or GameCenter app, what would you change or add?

I know I’d tell GameCenter to aggregate Twitter, possibly YouTube and maybe even Facebook, but definitely add Twitter.

NHL Social Media

There are so many social networks for brands to choose from these days. Now you have Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, blogs and a million apps thrown into the mix. The key to finding the right balance is not only finding the ones that work best for your brand, but it’s also about staying on top of the trends.

According to Edelman, North America’s largest public relations firm, the three biggest social media trends today are:

1. Digital storytelling
2. Real-time marketing
3. Brand advocacy and influence

At this moment, digital storytelling is in the lead by a long shot. Brands are continuously trying to nail it on the head – everything from blogging to videos. It’s all about the story.

However, real-time marketing is expected to eclipse digital storytelling’s profoundness by the end of 2013. I also believe brand advocacy platforms have to be seriously considered a lot more then they currently are. Online influencers have a wide readership, viewership or following. They can reach a lot of people, fast! They’re also a trusted source. These days, that’s getting harder and harder to come by. It’s a pretty big win for any company who can leverage the power of these individuals in their social media marketing plan.

The NHL is certainly making their digital footprint in the world of sports entertainment. There are so many different ways to utilize each and every social network. This is where the element of creativity becomes imperative to today’s “best business practices” in terms of social and digital media marketing.

My goal over this eight-post series is to inspire sports marketers everywhere to become agents of change in sports entertainment. It’s not okay to just do the basics anymore. You have to be innovative, clever and relatable to your audience – as I’m sure every seasoned marketer knows.

To begin changing the pace from “just keeping up” to “taking the lead,” lets for a moment, put a finger on the pulse of the NHL’s online presence.

Twitter Leaves Door Open For NHL Trash Talk

Wow, this subtitle makes Twitter sound like a terrible media outlet for the notoriously ridiculed company on Twitter. In late 2012, Bruce Dowbiggin published an article on The Globe and Mail; NHL Losing The War On Social Media. “Almost everyone concedes that, because of social media, the NHL is running uphill in this PR battle compared to the lost season of 2004-05” (when Twitter didn’t exist) he says. He then went on and listed some pretty bad Tweets he found, all tweeted in the same day:

• 15 Reasons Why Hockey Fans Hate Gary Bettman
• 9 Ideas For NBC To Replace The HNL
• Threats To Boycott NHL Sponsors on YouHaveTwoWeeks.com

At first glance, this seems pretty bad. But do you honestly think that BECAUSE of Twitter, people feel this way? Media is changing, yes, that much we can agree on. The only difference is, people can easily articulate and spread the word about their most frivolous opinions, regardless of how valid they really are. Ever heard of constructive criticism?

For the first time ever, the NHL got a REAL sense of their perception in the eyes of their fans. Now the NHL knows what their fans don’t like and they can do everything in their power to change that and give them exactly what they do like. Maybe a new commissioner for the National Hockey League? I don’t think so, but perhaps Gary can work on his personal public relations issues – if that’s really what the core issue is.

The great thing about social media is there are no filters. You’re getting the whole truth. What a beautiful concept! There is so much you can learn about the way you’re perceived in the public eye by taking a moment to listen to your audience.

After a disappointing season, the Calgary Flames may be geared towards a rebuild. And if that happens, Miikka Kiprusoff could garner great interest form teams looking to bolster their goaltending.

While Kiprusoff has been struggling this season, he could still demand a sizeable return based on previous play.

With his no-movement clause expiring at end of last season, Kiprusoff may not have a say whether or where he goes.

Or maybe not. Nick Kypreos is reporting that the Finnish goaltender has no interest in moving on due to family reasons. And he has already told the club’s management that if his rights are traded, he will not report to his new team. Further speculation has Kiprusoff foregoing the last year of his contract and retiring at the conclusion of this year.

While it’s unclear how much truth there is to Kypreos’ report, but if it’s true it sure is a great way to essentially regain that no-movement clause he lost.

The only way that Kiprusoff may consider a move out of Calgary, is if teams interested in acquiring the veteran puck-stopper offer him a two or three year contract extension.

If the Flames really want to trade their number one goalie, they will have to convince him and possibly work with another team on a sign-and-trade. They do not have any other alternative, aside from suspending him without pay. That is an unlikely scenario to take place.

While there is heavy speculation that the Calgary Flames will explore the possibility of trading long-time Captain Jarome Iginla, the club remains publicly quite about what may or may not happen. So, are Iginla and his agent Don Meehan.

Still, rumors won’t go away that Iginal will be move to a contending team before the trade deadline.

Word is that Iginal himself is ready to move on for a shot at the Stnaley Cup, while the club would like to aquire a number of assets in exchange for him to set themselves up for the future. With the Canadian forward’s resume, and stillset, he is likely to bring in a great return.

Should the Flames move Iginal, it would no doubt spell the beginnig of a — much needed, and long time coming — rebuilding process in Calgary. Along with Iginla, veterans like Mike Cammalleri, Alex Tanguay and Miikka Kiprusoff could also be moved.

One would think that with the surplus of young forwards that the Edmonton Oilers have, the club is sure to explore trade possibilities for struggling forward Ales Hemsky before the trade deadline.

However, with hopes of reaching a playoff spot still alive, John Shannon suggests that the Oilers have not put Hemsky available for trade – yet.

However, if they were to move the Czech winger, Shannon believe the Oilers would want a roster player back — not draft picks — preferably someone that can play the same position, but tougher.

If the 29-years-old were to be made available, Shannon believes that the Detroit Red Wings would be a suitor, while Mike Keenan has the New Jersey Devils on the list.

Former Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke

Brian Burke’s much anticipated arrival in Toronto started off with heightened expectations. The Leafs were going to be a hard-hitting team to play against, Burke said, when he delivered his now famous line during his introductory press conference:

We require, as a team, proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence. That’s how our teams play.

But ultimately, he was unable to fulfill the organizations requirements — including a four year playoff absence.

Here is a look at the top 10 moments that define Burke’s career in Toronto. Read the entire list on Sportsnet.ca.

2012-2013 Atlantic Division Roster Preview

With the NHL and NHLPA reaching an agreement in principle on a new CBA, it is now time to examine each team’s roster as they head into a likely 48 game season.

Here is my look at the Northeast Division and the possible questions facing their roster, their cap space, their unrestricted free agents and their restricted free agents. Salary cap and cap space provided by capgeek.com.

The New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, and New York Islanders team previews for the NHL lockout shortened 2012-13 season.

New York Rangers click here
Pittsburgh Penguins click here
Philadelphia Flyers click here
New Jersey Devils click here
New York Islanders click here

2012-2013 Northwest Division Roster Preview

With the NHL and NHLPA reaching an agreement in principle on a new CBA, it is now time to examine each team’s roster as they head into a likely 48 game season.

Here is my look at the Northeast Division and the possible questions facing their roster, their cap space, their unrestricted free agents and their restricted free agents. Salary cap and cap space provided by capgeek.com.

The Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche team previews for the NHL lockout shortened 2012-13 season.

Vancouver Canucks click here
Edmonton Oilers click here
Calgary Flames click here
Minnesota Wild click here
Colorado Avalanche click here

2012-2013 Northeast Division Roster Preview

With the NHL and NHLPA reaching an agreement in principle on a new CBA, it is now time to examine each team’s roster as they head into a likely 48 game season.

Here is my look at the Northeast Division and the possible questions facing their roster, their cap space, their unrestricted free agents and their restricted free agents. Salary cap and cap space provided by capgeek.com.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres team previews for the NHL lockout shortened 2012-13 season.

Toronto Maple Leafs click here
Montreal Canadiens click here
Ottawa Senators click here
Boston Bruins click here
Buffalo Sabres click here

Ottawa Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson

Ask any NHLer how he would like to retire, and he will tell you he would like to go out on his own terms. But that doesn’t necessarily come to fruition for many players. Some are forced to retire because of injury. Some because their skills have eroded. And others because of prolonged labor disputes, perhaps one of the more agonizing ways for a player to go out.

At the conclusion of the NHL’s previous lockout that erased the 2004-05 season, a number of high profile players decided to call it quits. Among them were Stanley Cup winners and/or future Hall of Famers like Mark Messier, Brett Hull, Scott Stevens, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Adam Oates, and Vincent Damphousse.

Will the current lockout force a few players to close out their careers not by their own volition?

Continue reading the rest of the this article on Sportsnet.ca.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman

The Editor-in-Chief of The Hockey News, Jason Kay, tweeted in mid-October that there’s “strong speculation” the league will add a second team in Toronto and one in Quebec City via expansion. While the league denied the report within hours of its publication, there is some evidence to suggest that either, or both, of those markets could get an NHL team at some point in the future.

The city council of Markham, a suburb of Toronto, is still examining plans to develop a $325 million arena, but it’s expected that former chairman of Bauer Performance Sports Ltd. Graeme Roustan and his partners will get the go-ahead on the 20,000 seat building.

Not’s not all. There are other NHL-ready arenas being built in North American cities which do not have an NHL franchise.

Continue reading the rest of the this article on Sportsnet.ca.

We’ll get started within the next week, if not earlier. We’ll get an idea what their thoughts are. We’ll do the same and then get some work done here.

While the club has had some informal talks with Karlsson’s representatives, Murray says it’s time to talk money and term.

We’ve had informal conversations, but that’s all. Now, we’ve got to get going on term and what we think is fair from our point. We’ll have to find out what they think and where we can go dollar-wise.

Garrioch suggests that Karlsson, who has been nominated for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top blueliner, could command a similar deal to the one signed by Drew Doughty with the Los Angeles Kings last September: $7.0 million for eight years.

Allen Panzeri of the Ottawa Citizen suggests that Karlsson could end up with a deal between $6.5-$7.5 million based on contracts signed by other young defensemen.

We have an idea what we think is the ballpark numbers, but we haven’t talked about it so we’re just shooting in the dark. We’ve had conversations with Newport Sports over the years and we’ll both approach it in a professional manner with an understanding that we both have a job to do. We’ll try to do it the best we can for our side.

However, the Senators may not want to go that high. Even if Karlsson had 78 points this season. Murray says that it’s difficult to gauge the value of a player coming out of an entry-level deal with such a successful as the one Karlsson had this year.

We haven’t gone there (as far as money is concerned). I have an idea, looking at comparables and somewhat comparables. He’s a difficult player that way.

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk was a little more direct when asked about what Karlsson’s salary demands may be. The Senators don’t plan on spending to the cap ceiling, so they have to be careful not to overspend.

All we can offer is opportunity, and that is to be part of a great organization with a shot. If you want to be part of that, our doors are open. We can pay you, but it has to be within a reasonable budget.

Don’t let that talk fool you though. The Senators will not let Karlsson go in any shape or form, says Murray.

Everybody knows, from Erik to their agents, that we want to get something done.

That “something” is a long-term contract.

But the Sens will have to work fast. If they go deep into the summer without getting Karlsson’s autograph on a new contract, Garrioch points out that the possibility of some team offering him an offer sheet increases. While the Senators will match any offer on their star blueliner, they could find themselves having cap trouble.

Edmonton Oilers

After selecting forwards with the first overall selections in the past three drafts, Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com wonders if it’s time for the club to select a defenseman. The Oilers once again own the first choice. Stu MacGregor, the organization’s head amateur scout, didn’t tip his hat which way the Oilers would go.

People have talked about how strong a draft this is from a defensive standpoint, and I think that’s true. Still, there are some real good forwards that are still going to be impact players once in the NHL.

If they were to select a defenseman, here are some of their options:

Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets have declined to sign goaltender Mathieu Corbeil — a 2010 draft pick — according to Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch. Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said it wasn’t an easy decision to make.

It was obviously a very difficult decision. We debated it all year, really. It’s fair to say the Memorial Cup wasn’t the deciding factor, but it didn’t push us from where we were, toward wanting to sign him.

Corbeil will be going back into the 2012 draft.

Speaking of the 2012 draft, the Jackets own the Los Angeles Kings’ first round pick — either number 29 or 30, depending on the outcome of the Stanley Cup Final — through the Jeff Carter trade, according to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com. The club has the have until two selection before the Kings’ spot to decide whether to use the pick this year or next year. That decision ha snot been made yet, says director of amateur scouting with the Blue Jackets, Tyler Wright.

We haven’t talked about that yet.

Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres have also parted ways with three players they selected in the 2010 draft, according to John Vogl of The Buffalo News.

Buffalo, who had two years to offer the forward trio of Steven Shipley, Gregg Sutch and Cedrick Henley contract because played in the Canadian junior leagues, declined to offer contracts to the trios.

All three will be available for selection in this year’s draft.

Calgary Flames

Another player that went unsigned and will go back into the 2012 draft was Kootenay Ice defenseman Joey Leach, a 2010 pick of the Calgary Flames, reports Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald. The Flames passed on signing Leach because they already inked a pair of 2010 picks, and the blueliner was deemed to be “a longer-term” project by Flames assistant general manager John Weisbrod.

They said just the way the numbers worked, there wasn’t any room for me this year.

Montreal Canadiens

According to RDS the Montreal Canadiens have also refused to offer one of their 2010 draft picks a contract: John Westin. The Swedish forward will be eligible to return to the upcoming draft.

Meanwhile, Canadiens director of procurement and player development Trevor Timmins tells Arpon Basu of NHL.com that him and his staff have focused on the top 10 prospects for the draft since it was clear that the club was going to have a poor season in the standings.

The most important selection is that of being No. 3 overall. Going into the latter part of the season and knowing you’re going to have a high draft pick alters what you do in your scouting the last couple of months. I turned my attention to looking at the top 10 specifically and spending a lot of time on those players.

Winnipeg Jets

According to Tim Campbell of the Winnipeg Free Press, the Winnipeg Jets would like to add a forward via the Entry Draft but may not get to with their pick at number nine if you believe the experts. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff appears more hopefully optimistic that one of the highly-ranked forward in the draft might trickle through.

I think that this year’s draft, it’s going to be really tough to predict. You’ve got a lot of guys who have had injuries throughout the year and missed a good portion of the year. You’ve got a lot of team dynamics, different teams that may want to draft more for position than player. I think you’ll see a lot of players ranked very differently on each and every team.

Campbell lists a number of options for the Jets if they get shut out of drafting one of the forwards they want.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins Director of Amateur Scouting, Jay Heinbuck, tells Josh Yohe Pittsburgh Tribune Review that the club will select the best player available with the 22nd pick.

While Anaheim Ducks pending unrestricted free agent forward Teemu Selanne has talked about retirement, there is no clear indication about what the future will hold for the 42-year-old.

Jeff Miller of the OC Register wrote towards the end of last month that word during the recent World Hockey Championship in Sweden and Finland had Selanne coming back to the Ducks.

Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette suggested that one reason why the Finnish Flash might want to continue his career is because his countryman and long time friend Saku Koivu has re-signed in Anaheim for another season.

As the Duck’s leading scorer, Selanne has proven that he can still play at a high level — even at his age. The only question remains is whether he has the desire to continue playing.

Sarnia Sting forward Alex Galchenyuk.

After the Toronto Maple Leafs’ place in the standings took a drastic plunge in February, the club’s director of amateur scouting Dave Morrison tells Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun that the club had to change the way they approached the draft.

Our draft position was a lot different in the beginning of February than it was a little bit later. We had to change a lot of our plans and go watch a lot of different players, but it has been exciting because you get to watch a lot of the top guys.

Morrison and his staff are said to have “the majority of input in the Leafs’ first-round selection,” but was evasive when asked who they may pick and if that player may be a center.

Is that message going to self-destruct in five seconds, because I can’t answer that.

However, the veteran scout explains that him and his staff won’t select a player based on position, but on talent. Basically, they will pick the best player available.

We have an idea. I don’t think you can ignore a really good defenceman if he is the best player at that spot and you have to take him. If it is a forward, then we take the forward. We are going to take the best player. You have to. You can’t stray from that.

Morrison goes on to say that because this isn’t a particularly strong draft when it comes to “star power,” they will have to do their homework.

We want a guy who could potentially be a core player, and you absolutely have to go with that mindset. I don’t think it is a weak draft, I am just not necessarily sure it offers the star power that is there in other drafts. There are some guys who could potentially be that, it’s not as clear cut. We want to get that guy out of that group. There are a lot of guys (in this draft) who are going to play. It’s getting the ones who are going to take the jump.

Koshan suggests the the Maple Leafs, who have the fifth pick overall, would love to select Alex Galchenyuk — if he is still available by the time their turn comes up.