Sunday's Rumors

Today's rumors start off close to home, so let's have at 'em:

• The Caps will not be buying out Olie Kolzig and plan to bring back veterans Dainius Zubrus, Jeff Halpern and Brendan Witt. Owner Ted Leonsis also expects to spend some money on blueliners, but don't expect the free-spending Leonsis of years past. As the article points out, the Caps' plan "can be summed up in two words: young and inexpensive." [Washington Post]
• Kings young gun Alexander Frolov may stay overseas this year. Says Frolie, "I signed a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk [for 2005-2006]. The club's management offered me very good compensation, and I doubt that the LA Kings would eb able to match this offer. So, most likely, I will spend this season in Russia." Not good for LA and another example of what Alexander Ovechkin gave up to come to play in the NHL.
• The Habs are going to be in touch with Pittsburgh to see if there's any chance the Pens would be willing to trade the #1 overall pick. [Montreal Gazette] Actually, there are two chances...
• Speaking of El Sid and the Montreal Gazette, writer Pat Hickey asks, "What can the Pittsburgh Penguins expect from Sidney Crosby in his rookie season?" and answers "not much." We here at The Rink ask in reply, "What can readers expect from a sour grapes writer who identifies Ilya Kovalchuk's team as the 'Atlanta Flames'?" and come up with a similar answer.
• Man, these Canadian sites really are bitter that a Canadian team didn't win the draft lottery.
  
• Flyers defensemen Mattias Timander and Marcus Ragnarsson will stay in Sweden this year, and winger Radovan Somik also will stay in Europe. [Philadelphia Inquirer]
• Steve Yzerman apparently will be back for one last year in Hockeytown. [Slam!]