short takes

Playoff loss sparks Sharks' change

One year removed from choking up a 3-0 lead to the eventual champion Kings, the San Jose Sharks opened by blowing out Los Angeles 4-0 to put a damper on the banner raising.

Pundits seem to be expecting the Sharks to collapse this season. Sure, they have made it very clear they would love Joe Thornton elsewhere, even stripping off the captain's "C." They can't figure out if Brent Burns is a forward or defenseman (back to defense) and they let Dan Boyle walk.

But this is still a team with Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, Tomas Hertl, Patrick Marleau and Thornton on its top two lines.

Asked if last year's meltdown serves as motivation, defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic said: "I've been here nine years, made the playoffs nine years and haven't won. I can use the last nine years as motivation."

Babcock rumors

Expect a season's worth of rumors out of Detroit that Mike Babcock will be departing as coach. Despite contact talks, the Red Wings coach enters the season in the last year of his deal.

Babcock will be heavily courted if he gets to free agency, and many have him destined for Toronto even though Randy Carlyle was retained.

"Are we going to talk about it?" Red Wings GM Ken Holland said of a contract. "Probably. I don't know where. I don't know when."

No time to chill

What did Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen say after signing first-line center Ryan Johansen to a three-year, $12 million contract right before the season? "Get your butt over here and let's get to work."