Tip Ins is a weekly update for all the news that happened in the NHL.
Brian Rafalski playing with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades last night. (Naples Daily News)
- Tim Murray was named General Manager of Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. Murray has spent 20 years working in the National Hockey League for five different teams and is the seventh general manager in Buffalo Sabres franchise history. (Buffalo Sabres)
- Every team in the NHL has now been represented by You Can Play teammates. Gabe Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche is adding his voice to the fight for inclusion and equality. This NHL milestone is a step. It’s a worthy accomplishment, and an acknowledgment that some of the toughest players in the world will face a camera and say maybe they’re not who we thought they were– they’re actually sportsmen who care about their teammates and fans, gay and straight alike. (You Can Play)
- On Thursday, the ECHL’s Florida Everblades signed 40-year-old defenseman Brian Rafalski. “He played in the Winter Classic and got the bug,” Everblades coach Greg Poss told the News-Press. “He wants to play in the NHL again.” Rafalski, who retired after the Wings’ 2011 Stanley Cup playoff run has 79 goals and 515 points in 833 career games for the Devils and Detroit. (Tampa Bay Times)
- Back in 1974, the Buffalo Sabres drafted a player from Japan that didn’t even exist. The kicker is, they did it on purpose. Prior to every selection, league president Clarence Campbell phoned each team, then read and spelled out the names of the round’s previous picks. It didn’t take long for the onerous process to wear on the Buffalo Sabres brass. Eventually, scouting director John Andersen perked up. “Wouldn’t it be great,” he said, “if someone would take a player who isn’t eligible for the draft?” Public relations czar Paul Wieland liked the idea, but took it a step further. “Why don’t we just make up a player and draft him?” And so they did. (Sports On Earth)
- The 12 teams competing for gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi — Canada, U.S., Russia, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Norway, Latvia, Switzerland and Austria — have all submitted their 25-man rosters. Many notables were left off their country’s roster. (NBC Sports)
- Reebok’s logo has been on the back of NHL jerseys since 2006. According to Elliotte Friedman, that may soon change. From this week’s edition of 30 Thoughts: Reebok has the rights to make NHL jerseys. Its parent company, Adidas, apparently is considering putting its own name there instead of Reebok. As part of that, we may see an extension of the current contract, which runs through 2016-17. (Sporting News)
- Jack Johnson got his feelings hurt last week. He feels he wasn’t fully supported by his coach and others within USA Hockey. “I read the article that said three coaches unanimously left me off,” Johnson said, referring to a report by ESPN.com’s Scott Burnside. “It’s over now. … Anything that’s said now is empty and meaningless. When I needed the belief and trust, I didn’t get it, and I didn’t get it when it counted from numerous people. I’m not going to sit here and bank on injuries,” he said. “Quite frankly, I’m able now to solidify plans for February, and it’ll be nice to not have to worry about anybody watching you play, just go out and play your season. It’s something I’m just putting out of my mind. It’s over to me.” Sufficiently butthurt. (Blue Jackets Xtra)
- This year’s Team USA better than the 2010 team? The U.S. men’s hockey team was one goal short of the Olympic gold medal in Vancouver in 2010 and current U.S. general manager David Poile likes to say his objective is to be one goal better for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. A couple of reasons why the Americans might be one goal better in Sochi: Fresh faces and quicker paces. (USA Today)
- Fans of the new New York Islanders “NY” logo, which is appearing on their 2014 Stadium Series jersey, will be happy to hear this bit of news. The “NY” will be sticking around in one form or another and be featured on the new alternate uniforms. (Sports Logos)
- Shawn Thornton strolled into the Bruins dressing room with a giant smile on his face. “That’s the last one of those,” said Thornton, having just endured an hour-long on-ice session under the auspices of assistant coach Doug Jarvis. The B’s winger last night served the last of his 15-game suspension for the December 7th incident at the Garden involving Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik. It was the longest ban handed out by NHL discipline czar Brendan Shanahan in 21⁄2 seasons on the job and cost Thornton $84,615. (Boston Herald)
- VIDEO: Everyone’s cashing in on the success of HBO 24/7. So the NHL has created a new mini-series called: NHL Life. The series will follow the life of an NHL; Superstars, Referee, Prospect, General Manager, Veteran, Executive, Alumni, and Coach. (NHL Life)
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