o the AHL less than a month into the season.He went back and forth from the AHL to the NHL until he was recalled in mid-April because of an injury to center Brian Boyle. He was playing mostly bottom-six minutes with the Rangers and never got a chance to showcase his skills on the power play or with players who could help get him the puck in scoring situations on a consistent basis.Kreider played in six straight games with the Rangers to close the regular season, but it was in a fourth-line role and he averaged 10 shifts and just over eight minutes per game. He dressed in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals, played 8:23 and then not again until Game 6.He was in the lineup but barely used until he scored the overtime winner in Game 4 against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Kreider played 16:52 in Game 5, but the Rangers lost and were eliminated. Tortorella was fired two days later.He had three points in 23 NHL games and 23 points in 48 AHL games. Tortorella took heat for not putting Kreider in positions to succeed, but Kreider won't pin any blame on Tortorella for his topsy-turvy season."As I move forward I'm going to take away a lot from him as a coach," Kreider said of Tortorella. "He's obviously a very good coach, that's why he's coaching another team in the NHL. I think I learned a ton and that's pretty much all I can say about it. I definitely improved and progressed."If that's the case then Kreider, who now is 22 years old, should have no trouble showing Vigneault he's ready for a full-time, top-six NHL role."So far what we've talked about, what we've gone over, definitely it's exciting stuff," Kreider said. "I'm really just anxious to play."Vigneault is anxious to see it.---
NEW YORK -- Phoenix Coyotes forward Paul Bissonnette has been automatically suspended without pay for 10 regular-season games as a result of being assessed a game misconduct penalty for leaving the bench on an illegal line change to join an altercation during NHL Preseason Game No. 9 against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday night in Glendale,Men's Nike Free Run 5.0 V4 Grey Black, Ariz.At 12:09 of the first period,Women's Nike Free Run 2 Black White, Bissonnette was assessed a game misconduct under Rule 70.6, which states: "A game misconduct penalty shall be imposed on the player who was the first or second player to leave the players' or penalty bench during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation, from either or both teams."The suspension is mandated by Rule 70.10,Nike Free Run 3.0 V2 Jade, which states: "The first player to leave the players' or penalty bench illegally during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation from either or both teams shall be suspended without pay for the next 10 regular League and/or playoff games of his team."Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and based on his average annual salary, Bissonnette will forfeit $37,820.51. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.Bissonnette will be eligible to return to the Coyotes' lineup on Oct. 24 at Los Angeles.
NHL.com continues its preview of the 2013-14 season, which will include in-depth looks at all 30 teams throughout September.The Nashville Predators will open the season in the new Central Division of the Western Conference with a relatively new look on offense, and a defensive unit that has the potential to rival divisional foe and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.The selection of Seth Jones in the 2013 NHL Draft gives coach Barry Trotz two first-round picks, along with Ryan Ellis, and a three second-round choices -- Shea Weber, Kevin Klein and Roman Josi -- along the blue line in 2013-14.PREDATORS 30 IN 15 RELATED STORIES Predators after an edge entering 2013-14 Beck looking for breakthrough with NashvilleIn order to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Trotz knows the team must get back to basics and its culture as an organization. The Predators finished two games over .500 on home ice and were 5-14-5 on the road in 2012-13."[In 2011-12]