Around the Rink: NHL News and Notes

Oh, Henrik!

There's plenty of buzz surrounding Henrik Lundqvist, the rookie netminder for the New York Rangers, but according to NHL.com, his time in goal will be short lived once Kevin Weekes heals. Lundqvist recorded his first shutout with a 4-0 win over the Florida Panthers in a nationally televised game Monday night on OLN.

Bigger Not Always Better

When the Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenseman Sergei Gonchar in the offseason, hopes were high that the Pens would be able to snuff out potential goals. But the new, quicker NHL is proving to be difficult for large, slower defensemen such as Gonchar. The former Washington Capital has a +/- rating of -6 and just 1 assist in six games so far this season. Gonchar is in the first year of a 5-year, $25 million contract.

Playing Both Sides

The Minnesota Wild are known for their suffocating defense, and this year it's quite evident on the penalty kill. The Wild is tops in the league, snuffing out 38 of 40 power plays. What's even more striking is the fact that Jacques Lemaire's club is also No. 1 in scoring power play goals. The team has struck gold on 10 of 30 advantages.

"Guys are on the same page on every special team," Wild forward Marc Chouinard told the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune.

Wielding a Shield

Steve Shields could be lacing up his skates for the Atlanta Thrashers in the near future. The Ontario native signed with Atlanta's AHL team, the Chicago Wolves, on Monday, according to NHL.com. Shields, 33, has played for five NHL teams, most recently the Florida Panthers in 2003-04. The Thrashers are a mess in net, with their top two goalies, Kari Lehtinen and Mike Dunham suffering from groin injuries.

Is He Serious?

In his weekly NHL column, ESPN's John Buccigross stated: "(Sidney) Crosby is not horrible in his own end by any means. He's probably already better than Wayne Gretzky ever was, but he could be better." Better than Gretzy after six NHL games? C'mon, John! We know you're in love with Sid the Kid, but let's get real. Besides, The Caps' Alexander Oveckin has the early season edge for best rookie in my humble opinion.

OLN: Must-see TV

There has been a fair amount of criticism regarding the Outdoor Life Network's NHL broadcasts, from its logo that resembles the label on a can of corn, to broadcasting glitches, to poor camera angles, to the circa 1984 production set. But remember: OLN had but a few weeks to put together a twice-a-week broadcast, not several months. I think the studio work by Bill Clement and Keith Jones has been very strong. As the crew gets a few more games under its belt, things should improve. Hockey has always been blue-collar, so I have few gripes about the aesthetics of the program.

Back Off the Ice

Two big names will be taking breathers. The Ottawa Senators' Martin Havlat was suspended five games for kicking Boston's Hall Gill in the groin during a game Saturday night. (Not cool, Martin!) Detroit Red Wings icon Steve Yzerman aggravated a groin injury and just as quickly as he returned to the ice he was gone.

New York Rangers left winger Martin Straka (left) congratulates Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) after Lundqvist shut out the Florida Panthers on Monday in New York./Associated Press photo