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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A quick look at the latest buzz from training camps around the NHL:\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Have to believe it\u2019s the end of the line for Sergei Gonchar. The veteran defenseman, who is in Pittsburgh\u2019s camp on a PTO, has struggled mightily with coverage in his own zone\u2014no surprise to anyone who watched him work the revolving door the past two seasons in Dallas and Montreal. Gonchar was on the ice for two more goals-against in Wednesday night\u2019s 7\u20132 loss to Detroit. That, according to beat writer Jason Mackey, means he\u2019s been out there for nine of the 20 that have been scored on the Pens so far in exhibition action while he\u2019s been in the lineup. No doubt Gonchar still has something to offer at the other end of the ice, but that\u2019s not this team\u2019s pressing concern. If he\u2019s a liability defensively, it\u2019s impossible to justify keeping him around.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gonchar\u2019s partner last night, Derrick Pouliot, might not be long for the Pens himself. He\u2019s been on the ice for 11 of the 21 goals scored against Pittsburgh on nights he\u2019s dressed and has been soundly outplayed by Adam Clendening. With Kris Letang, Olli Maatta, Ben Lovejoy, Rob Scuderi, Ian Cole and Brian Dumoulin likely to stick, Pouliot seems destined for assignment.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;One bright spot for the Pens has been the play of Daniel Sprong. The team\u2019s first pick in the 2015 draft (46th) scored one of Pittsburgh\u2019s goals last night to extend what\u2019s been a very strong camp. \u201CHe looked like he belongs,\u201D said one scout who caught the 18-year-old in action recently. \u201CQuick, creative and playing with a lot of confidence. He\u2019s not intimidated by his surroundings the way a lot of kids his age might be. He looks better away from the puck than I expected.\u201D The numbers game suggests he\u2019s still a long shot to make the opening night roster, but Sprong has made an excellent first impression.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 It\u2019s no secret that the Red Wings like to slow cook their prospects, but with the way he\u2019s performed in the preseason how are they going to keep Dylan Larkin down on the farm? The 19-year-old has been dynamic in the preseason, impressing observers with his speed, his determination and his pair of silky mitts. Larkin\u2019s latest beauty came on Wednesday night at the expense of the Pens. He took the puck wide as he entered the zone, then turned on the jets to blow around a defender and went to the middle where he roofed one on goalie Jeff Zatkoff.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But it\u2019s not his finishing touch that will land Larkin a job. It\u2019s his ability to bring veteran poise to every element of his game. It\u2019s how reliably he makes the right decision, and how attentive he is to his details.&amp;nbsp;With Pavel Datsyuk and Darren Helm both out for an extended period, the Wings need help down the middle. Larkin is the answer.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 An undercooked two-way game makes Nikolay Goldobin a long shot to stick with the Sharks, but there\u2019s no denying the team\u2019s first-round selection of 2014 has some serious puck skills. The 19-year-old winger needs to play in the top-six to be effective, and he certainly had his moments during an audition with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski against the Canucks on Tuesday night, but his decision making isn\u2019t up to speed just yet. \u201CHe was a high-risk/high-reward pick,\u201D a scout recently told SI.com. \u201CThe upside is there but he\u2019s got to learn that the moves that worked in juniors won\u2019t necessarily work up here.\u201D\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;Lots of positive buzz out of Vancouver about the play of Jared McCann. The 19-year-old center has averaged a point per game in each of his four preseason appearances and impressed with a complete effort that\u2019s reminiscent of a young Jonathan Toews. \u201CThere\u2019s everything there for Jared to have success at the NHL level,\u201D Sault Ste. Marie coach Drew Bannister told the &lt;em&gt;Vancouver Province&lt;/em&gt;. \u201CHe\u2019s not a prototypical center coming out of junior who has to learn the position. He\u2019s doing things pro players are doing, or having a hard time doing. And there\u2019s a self-awareness about what he can do and where he wants to get to.\u201D\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With Henrik Sedin, Brandon Sutter and Bo Horvat ahead of McCann on the depth chart, the odds are stacked against him breaking camp with the big team. That said, the Canucks are poised for a significant roster overhaul during the next 12 months. If McCann doesn\u2019t get his nine-game look this season, he\u2019s a good bet to stick next year.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Another name to keep in the back of your mind: Brett Pesce. The young defender has played beyond expectations in camp with the Hurricanes. \u201CHe hasn\u2019t given them a reason to cut him, that\u2019s for sure,\u201D one observer said. \u201CThere\u2019s nothing that especially stands out [about his game], but he keeps it simple, limits his mistakes and has been really effective. He doesn\u2019t get rattled. He\u2019s not a star but he could definitely play for this team.\u201D The 20-year-old is likely ticketed for AHL Charlotte to start the season but could earn a quick recall, especially if Ryan Murphy struggles.\r\n\r\n&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hot links&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;The Dallas Stars have allowed 20 goals in five preseason games, which suggests they are still vexed by having to play&amp;nbsp;defense. But there\u2019s time to fix what ails \u2019em, says Mike Heika.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;Things are going&amp;nbsp;fairly well for Auston Matthews in Switzerland. The top prospect for the 2016 draft has five points in his first four games, but that\u2019s hardly the whole story.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;Now&amp;nbsp;THIS is a sweet freakin\u2019&amp;nbsp;jersey!\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;The NHL is crawling with skilled Swedish defenseman this season, and for that we can thank&amp;nbsp;this guy.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;We\u2019re saddened to learn that Larry Orr, the man who dropped the puck for the ceremonial face-off ahead of the Kraft Hockeyville game in North Saanich, BC, passed away on Wednesday. Kevin Woodley wrote&amp;nbsp;a terrific piece about the long-time volunteer ahead of his big moment. The game wouldn\u2019t be what it is without people like Larry. RIP.\r\n&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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