More Things Missed...

A few more updates from around the leagues that somehow slipped through the cracks yesterday:

• Jonathan Drouin will spend at least one more year in Halifax after he was sent down by the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to the close of training camp.  The move gives a struggling Halifax their leading scorer from last season and Zach Fucale, two players that will be expected to shoulder the load with Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Frk, and Konrad Abeltshauser all no longer on the team.  MacKinnon could be back if the Avalanche do decide to send him down, but don't bet on it.
• The Buffalo Sabres named their captains, and no, that is not a typo.  Home games will see Thomas Vanek wear the C while Steve Ott dons the C for away games.  This isn't the first time Buffalo has gone with this arrangement, as Chris Drury and Daniel Briere did it in 2007, the last time Buffalo won a playoff series.  This move is an indicator that the Sabres are willing to keep Vanek around for at least this year and should he be traded, it means the Sabres won't have to go far for a captain, as Ott has been a community fixture since he arrived last season.
• Tampa Bay named a new captain, and it is Martin St. Louis.  In 12 years with the Lightning, St. Louis has been the face of the franchise, and though his career is winding down, he can still contribute, as evidenced by his Art Ross Trophy last season.  He has been a leader in his time with the Lightning, and now, he has the C to prove it.
• In KHL news, Ilya Kovalchuk will miss a month after colliding with teammate Alexei Ponikarovsky during the win at Vityaz last Sunday.  More on that in the SKA report coming soon, as their last game of the week is tomorrow at Ak Bars.
• In a development that has surprised few, the Saskatoon Blades are the worst team in the WHL right now, as they are the only winless team as of this writing.  It was known that half of the lineup wasn't coming back, and with the likes of Lukas Sutter contributing for Red Deer, Dalton Thrower appointed captain of the Vancouver Giants, and new ownership, the Blades are headed for a long winter.