Live from L.A.: Salary cap set, let the deals roll

 

             ....yours truly landed a couple hours ago, after a sweet flight that arrived 20 minutes early. Spent the time dozing over Kansas, reading David Ebershoff's "The 19th Wife" (No, no, no, I'm on my first and quite pleased), and listening to Rory Gallagher's blues....

                  The annual L.A. Film Fest is dominating the sun-soaked (but 70) L.A. Live village at the Staples Center, where the JW Marriott /NHL HQ is camped. Think this vampire craze has peaked yet? 

                   Rangers GM Glen Sather, meanwhile, is rollerblading on the Santa Monica boardwalk (kidding, kidding I'm told the brass is in pre-draft meetings there). No news on that front yet, except for the word on the salary cap figure for 2010-11, $59.4 million, up from $56.8 mil and $43.4 mil floor. Also, the NYR prospects camp is set from the 28th to July 2.

                   About 20 invitees to the training center so far---not including the upcoming draftees from Friday and Saturday. 

                   They include: three goalies, Scott Stajcer, Cam Talbot and Keith Kincaid; 11 forwards: Ryan Bourque, Evgeny Grachev, Tommy Grant., Danny Hobbs, Roman Horak, Chris Kreider,  Chris McKelvie, Matt Read,  Rick Schofield,  Derek Stepan, Ethan Werek, and eight d-men,  Ryan McDonagh, Tomas Kundratek, Jyri Niemi (former Islander), Dan Maggio, Todd Orlando, Mikhail Pashnin, Blake Parlett and Ken Peroff.  

                  Hope to pull together some more info before tomorrow's live chat at 1 PM Eastern time. Please join in....

                  UPDATE: The Blackhawks, in deep cap waters, reportedly cleared space by sending Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Akim Aliu to the Thrashers for the 24th and 54th overall pick, Marty Reasoner and Jeremy Morin. Thrash still have No. 8 pick Friday.  Chicago has 30th, too.