Hockey

Boston.com will have a live pregame show at TD Garden at 6 p.m. tonight, featuring Chad Finn and Kevin Paul Dupont previewing Game 4 of the Bruins-Blackhawks Stanley Cup Finals series.

We want readers of both Boston.com and ChicagoTribune.com to tell us why your city has it all over the other. Whitey Bulger or Al Capone? Clam chowdah or deep-dish pizza?

Vincent Lecavalier's agent Kent Hughes has said that he , and his client , will not be surprised if Lecavalier's contract gets bought out. If this does happen, do the Blues go after him in free agency? It is believed that the Blues will go after a center in free agency now that Jori Lehtera has chosen the KHL over the NHL. That was a big let down for the organization and their fans, as many of us were hopeful he would come over and be an impact player the way he was in the KHL. So with the new buyout rule, this could aid the Blues as they are shopping for a center. If Lecavalier is bought out, I personally think he is a good option for the Blues. He is a big play-making center who still shows scoring flashes. I am not saying it will or won't happen, it is just a little thought if nothing else. Vincent Lecavalier's agent Kent Hughes has said that he , and his client , will not be surprised if Lecavalier's contract gets bought out. If this does happen, do the Blues go after him in free agency? It is believed that the Blues will go after a center in free agency now that Jori Lehtera has chosen the KHL over the NHL. That was a big let down for the organization and their fans, as many of us were hopeful he would come over and be an impact player the way he was in the KHL. So with the new buyout rule, this could aid the Blues as they are shopping for a center. If Lecavalier is bought out, I personally think he is a good option for the Blues. He is a big play-making center who still shows scoring flashes. I am not saying it will or won't happen, it is just a little thought if nothing else. Poll Would you like to see Lecavalier in a Blue note next year? Yes. No. 1 votes | Results

For the initiated, Monday night’s game was what one would call… domination. The Bruins stood over the Blackhawks, like the cover art from Straight Outta Compton, in all facets of the game. I am certainly not counting the Hawks out – but right now the Bruins appear to be very much in the driver’s seat of this series. Game three did give us the only “fight” to date, and since we are a blog dedicated to fighting in hockey – let’s talk a bit about the donnybrook in question. Brad Marchand is a super-pest, as is Chicago’s Andrew Shaw. Both can play the game as well and have even shown a willingness to drop the mitts when forced. These two got locked up together with a few minutes remaining in the third, as were Brian Bickell of Chicago and Boston’s Zdeno Chara. Chara and Bickell were involved in a nice shoving match that ended with “Z” on top. When Bickell broke free, he arose sporting the same crazy stare of that kid in my neighborhood who used to wear a sheet for a cape whilst jumping off a tree stump to crack me over the head with a Wiffle Ball Bat. He looked nuts, I tell ya. Anyway, as this was happening, Shaw and Marchand got locked together, sans sticks and gloves. Not many punches were thrown, as Marchand was going for the takedown. Once he got said takedown, Shaw got below the hard deck to break a major rule of hockey pugilism by punching Marshy right in the face, really hard. Allegedly there was an eye gouge in the mix as well. I take a lot of issue with Shaw hitting Marchand when he was down. So as to not be accused of being a homer, I also take issue with Marchand and his penchant for slew footing guys. He has been borderline undisciplined all playoffs and that’s continued into this series. Thankfully, the Blackhawks’ power play makes the Bruins’ PP look downright prolific! Back to Shaw for a moment. Marchand is a pest, we all get that, but that is no excuse to hit him when he’s flat on his back. If you’re going to play the game on the edge like these two guys do – sometimes the gloves need to be dropped. I think it’s best to know the code before engaging. While we’re on the topic of bad power plays, this seems like a nice time to bring up the very poor officiating in this series. Last night was no exception, with the roughing call on Shawn Thornton and the tripping call on Shaw being especially erroneous. It was my thinking that the refs were also the best of the best at this time of the year. On the one hand it’s good neither team can score on the PP. Conversely, it would really suck if either team decided to get the PP in order when playing out some shitty phantom rough, hook, trip, or whatever the hell. Either way, I like the Bruins having the mo, and expect them to continue it this evening in North Station.

Today I talked to Cheer the Anthem's MightyMikeD about how the series was going, what's up with Hossa, and Frolik's Conn Smythe chances. 1. Hossa was out last game, a last-minute scratch. Did Toews win the Selke for being defensive in the post-game interviews about whether they knew or not? Hardy-Har. I'm guessing they didn't know and it was something that happened in the warm-up (this stuff about "Not wanting to tip our hand about Playoff Hero Ben Smith coming in" from Q is egregious bullshit.) In case you didn't know, the Hawks are notoriously tight-lipped about injuries.. but years of decoding Q-Speak makes me believe that Hossa will be in the line-up tonight. The rumour is that it was a neck injury.. said neck has had Roman Polak and Raffi Torres happen to it over the years, so possibly it was a precaution due to a twinge. But we'll never know for sure. 2. It's deep into a playoff run at this point so you probably know what you have with your team, but have any Blackhawks stepped up in the Final and surprised you with their play? Not really. Mainly because no-one has stepped up. Dave Bolland showed flashes of actually getting involved this year during Game 1, but has gone back to taking stupid penalties and losing faceoffs. I'm more surprised by the lack of production from Shaw and Bickell, both of whom are tailor-made for this sort of series. I'm not worried about the Top-End more-or-less cancelling each other out on both teams, but the offensive depth was meant to be where Chicago have the edge. Post Game 1, we've not seen much of that. If it's the Bruins shutting it down, kudos. Oh, and it's no surprise, based on his play all year, but if the Hawks do win the Cup, I'm going to beat the drum for Michael Frolik as Conn Smythe candidate. 3. Through three games, who's your favorite Bruin? Least favorite Bruin? My favourite Bruin is always going to be Chara. Living in the UK I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of Slovaks and they are wonderful (if completely crazy) people. After Demitra died, I had a lengthy pub conversation with two massive, shaven headed Slovak guys who were weeping like babies over it. So I'm a fan of Slovakia in general (and really glad the Cup is going back there this year, whatever happens) Everything about Chara's story is inspiring and the fact that he's a cycling fan seals the deal for me. He's also very, very good at his job, of course. Bergeron should have won the Selke. He's been excellent. Seidenberg too.. I'm not going to pick Marchand for least favourite because that's a bit too obvious. He's a turd, but if he was wearing a Hawks jersey I'd love him. It'll have to be Rask, I guess. Hopefully he'll channel some Inner-Brian-Elliott soon.. please? Additionally: I'm surprised and pleased that this series has, mostly, been played in pretty good spirit. Two fucking good Hockey Teams giving the League a Final it doesn't deserve after a Lockout. Thanks again for answering my questions, Mike!

Kerby Rychel Position: Center/Left WingTeam: Windsor Spitfires (OHL)Age: 18Date of Birth: October 7, 1994Place of Birth: Los Angeles, CaliforniaHt: 6'1" Wt: 200 lbsShoots: Left 2012-2013 Regular Season Stats: GP G A PTS +/- PIM 68 40 47 87 -21 94 Similar to Max Domi, Kerby Rychel is the son of a former NHL player who blends his father's work ethic with some additional skill the older never had. He has good offensive awareness, a great shot, and an ability to play in front of the net. He doesn't skate overly well, and he's not the best playmaker. But, as his numbers show, he has the ability to the put the puck in the net. Rychel doesn't play the strongest two-way game, but his work ethic and willingness to be physical with his body will serve him well. Rychel is ranked #17 in the final Central Scouting North American Skater rankings. Scouting Reports: Rychel, the son of former NHL player Warren Rychel, has been a productive OHL forward the past two seasons, averaging over a point per game during that span. He has above-average puck skills, good offensive instincts, and a great shot. While he has good skill, I would not define him as a creative player. The Spitfires used him on the right point of their power play, where he was free to unleash his big one-timer. He can be effective in front of the net, as he has good hand-eye coordination, and a quality power game that helps him establish body position. He projects as a good secondary scoring option, with skill and physicality adding to his value. His skating is roughly average; he has some poor mechanics, but decent speed. He also needs to work on his defensive game. - Hockey Prospectus Coming off a 40-goal season, struggled without linemate Alexander Khohklachev prior to return... Possesses NHL size and a knack for scoring goals... Good player in traffic and has a strong net presence... Needs to show a more consistent compete level... Skating an area of development. The Scouting Report Why he'd be a good fit in Columbus: If there's one thing the Jackets have been missing a bit of late, it's someone that is willing to get in front of the net and cause havoc who ALSO has the ability to clean up the trash and score those dirty goals. Rychel can be that kind of player. He also can play in multiple spots on the Power Play, which would help an area of need for the Jackets. He's not the best skater or defender, however, which would be areas he would need to clean up to be an impact player for Columbus. Rychel in Action

DETROIT, MI - The Downtown Development Authority is expected to make a "significant vote" at its 2 p.m. meeting Wednesday, and there is speculation that it could concern plans for a $650 million Detroit Red Wings arena and entertainment district....

Make sure to follow Travis on Twitter! -- I think it's safe at this point to reaffirm that Ottawa's 2012-2013 season was a weird one. The team led the league in even-strength save percentage, even though they missed their starting goaltender for a significant length of time and ranked near the bottom in attempts allowed per sixty minutes, somewhere in the vicinity of thirty per. For as many b...

The Rangers will hold a press conference Friday at Radio City Music Hall. While the team has not made an official announcement about the press conference just yet, it will be to introduce Alain Vigneault as the team’s new coach. Vigneault, 52, agreed, in principle, to a five-year deal worth $10 million on Saturday after receiving a similar offer from the Dallas Stars. However, the deal had to be finalized and Glen Sather is currently in Boston for a general managers’ meeting. It will be the first chance for Vigneault to meet the “vaunted” New York media and, no doubt, there will be a heavy Canadian contingent in attendance for the former Canucks and Canadiens coach. But handling large media gatherings should not be an issue for Vigneault after his experiences in hockey-crazy Montreal and hockey-crazy Vancouver. If anything, the Big Apple might seem like a relaxed atmosphere for him once he gets past this initial press conference. Among the key questions for Vigneault will be his staff - there have been reports Ulf Samuelsson might be a candidate to be an assistant - and just how different his presence will be from predecessor John Tortorella, who, ironically, has a chance to succeed Vigneault in Vancouver. ====================================================== Follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/AGrossRecord Follow the Record Sports Staff at twitter.com/TheRecordSports

Jonathan Drouin could be a future dream linemate of Steven Stamkos [photo: David Chan]by Eldon MacDonald Potential Tampa Bay Lightning Picks The purpose of this article is to give readers a feel for what the Tampa Bay Lightning might be looking for in the upcoming 2013 NHL Draft in New Jersey and to provide some idea as to who may be available and picked with each draft selection. To give the reader a fairly wide range of information, we have provided the following: Major Needs Likely Draft Positions and Potential Picks The Major Team Decision Makers The Big Club – Current Roster Top 10 Prospects The Last Three Drafts Join the #TBLightning Girls & @ThunderBugTBL for an #NHLDraft Watch Party on Sunday, June 30th @Champps! Details: http://t.co/EdacQrcIPz — Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 18, 2013 Other Posts in This Series (THW’s War Room Final Rankings) Round 1 – Prospects ranked 1 to 30 Round 2 – Prospects ranked 31 to 60 Round 3 – Prospects ranked 61 to 90 Round 4 – Prospects ranked 91 to 120 You can use these posts to get more information on a player ranked 1 to 120 including the following on most prospects: Nicknames Audio Video Quotes Twitter Stats Major Needs 1 – Replacement for Martin St.Louis – No, Martin is not out of the picture yet but you want someone else in place when he finally slows down. It usually takes even a high-end  draftee two to three years to be ready to take over. You don’t want to keep Steven Stamkos waiting. 2 – Shutdown defenseman with grit – Other than the occasional big hit from Radko Gudas, it is pretty tame on the back end. 3 –Grit on the front-end – Yes, TampaBay has offense but they need some sandpaper up front to make the offense more effective at even strength. 4 – Best player available – Best player available is always a good pick. However, when there are many players of similar value, it is usually the one who has the qualities your team values the most that comes out on top. Likely Draft Positions and Potential Picks “We know we’re getting a good player at the top of the draft. We think there are 5 elite guys & we’re going to get one of them.” -Al Murray — Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 11, 2013 Round 1; pick 3 (The numbers in brackets are my rankings) Preference 1 – Jonathan Drouin (#3) Preference 2 – Valeri Nichushkin (#5) Preference 3 – Aleksander Barkov (#4) Since Jones and MacKinnon are likely gone to Colorado and Florida, TampaBay is likely stuck with the perfect pick for them even if the other two were available. Sure Stevie Y likes his Russians and will likely consider Valeri Nichushkin, it is still inconceivable to me that he will bypass Jonathan Drouin and the 50, 60, 70 goals a year that he could set up Steven Stamkos for over the next 10 to 15 years. 2013 NHL Draft: Seth Jones may be available to Lightning after all http://t.co/SEHzC3xOvc — Raw Charge (@RawCharge) June 19, 2013 Watch Now: #TBLightning scouts preview the top 5 players available in this year's #NHLDraft [VIDEO] http://t.co/VQsn9evE5K — Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 18, 2013 Round 2: Pick 33 – Historical success rate = 33% Preference 1 – JT Compher(#38) Preference 2 – Dillon Heatherington (#43) Preference 3 – Ian McCoshen (#36) Potentially available starting at 27 and ending at 38 are: Madison Bowey, Mirco Mueller, Chris Bigras, Morgan Klimchuk, Robert Hagg, Shea Theodore, Zach Fucale, Ian McCoshen, Justin Bailey and JT Compher – also Dillon Heatherington at 43. There is quite a bit of talent in this group and a team would be lucky with any one of them. However, JT Compher, a small but gritty center, or Dillon Heatherington, a 6’4 maybe 6’5 hard to play against d-man, would be my first choices for Tampa Bay in this group. Name to watch for No. 33: MT @Jerome_Berube: NHL draft tracker: William Carrier | Buzzing The Net – Yahoo! Sports http://t.co/sZYZTqqKXE — Bolt Prospects (@BoltProspects) June 18, 2013 Round 5: Pick 124 – Histori