Let’s look at the major newspapers and find the latest NHL news.

Parise’s Contract Status May Mean No “C”

Bergen Record

Even before Jamie Langenbrunner was traded Jan. 7, Zach Parise was viewed by his teammates and many inside and outside the organization as the likely successor to Langenbrunner as the Devils’ captain. Parise was recovering from knee surgery at the time, and made it back for only one game in April, so there was no need to rush to name him captain last season. At this point, however, it remains uncertain if Parise will be given the “C” before the team’s 2011-12 season opener. If Parise had signed a long-term extension, as both sides hoped, the decision would be a no-brainer. But, because he settled for a one-year contract and remains eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

No Sweatt: Sens’ Free-Agent Pickup Retires Before Camp

Ottawa Sun

Lee Sweatt didn’t even break a sweat with the Senators in training camp before retiring. Scott Norton, the agent for the defenseman who signed a two-year, two-way free-agent contract with the club last month, confirmed Friday his client has informed the Senators he’s decided to call it quits. Sweatt, who turns 26 on Saturday, has decided to pursue business opportunities.

Connolly Ready To Face Challenge Of Toronto

NHL.com

All the players who sweated and laughed through the Craig Charron Memorial Classic on Sunday in Rochester, N.Y., had earned a few swigs of liquid refreshment. A teammate offered a beverage to Tim Connolly, who, slapping his hand on a stomach that was as flat and hard as the stall in front of which he stood, politely declined. “It’s crunch time now, you know,” he said of the real hockey action coming up. “I still have a ways to go. Now it’s about skating and conditioning.” Connolly, at a taut 191 pounds and winded not at all, looked to be the very definition of a player in midseason form

Burke Will Probably Stick With Leafs’ Young Guns

Toronto Sun

Toronto general manager Brian Burke has thus far not responded to unrestricted free agents who are seeking a tryout with the Leafs at next month’s training camp. Homeless veterans such as Owen Nolan and Todd Fedoruk (Vancouver) and goaltender Ray Emery (Chicago) will be getting a chance in those cities and in the past, Burke has extended a hand to players such as Jason Allison and Wayne Primeau.

Clouston: Back Behind The Bench

Ottawa Citizen

Cory Clouston is very clear about his long-term goal: he wants to return to the National Hockey League as a head coach. And he’s happy to admit he unsuccessfully pursued a few assistant coaching jobs in the NHL after he was fired by the Ottawa Senators in April. But for now, Clouston appears pretty pleased with the way things have turned out. For starters, he is no longer unemployed. He was hired last week as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. It’s a good fit for him, he says.

Jets Facilitating Ticket Resale

Winnipeg Sun 

Scam-wary hockey fans who couldn’t get Jets season tickets will soon have a better online purchase option for seeing Winnipeg’s NHL action. An NHL ticket exchange program operating through all other 29 franchises will be up and running for the Jets as well, likely next month. Linked through the team’s official website, winnipegjets.com, fans will be able to see what game tickets have been made available for re-sale by season ticket-holders or others who aren’t using them. Jets spokesman Scott Brown said the service will have tickets sold at their face values, with additional processing fees.

Sabres Sign Gragnani For One Year

Buffalo News

The last of the Buffalo Sabres’ free agents is under contract as the team announced a one-year deal with restricted free agent defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani late Thursday afternoon. Gragnani, 24, was a restricted free agent whose NHL salary last year on a two-way contract was $500,000. Terms of his new deal were not disclosed. Gragnani was named the AHL’s top defenseman last year at Portland after breaking the Pirates’ franchise records for assists (48) and points (60) by a defenseman.

Tom Gaglardi Inching Closer To `Official’ Offer For Dallas Stars

Dallas Morning News

There was a little bit of confusion that sprang from a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article on Wednesday that stated two of the people who are interested in buying the Stars are also inquiring about a possible purchase of the St. Louis Blues. Stars’ stalking horse Tom Gaglardi is not one of those people. My guess is that the two mentioned in the article are Detroit businessman Christopher T. Charlton and local sports entrepreneur Chuck Greenberg. (UPDATE: Greenberg said he is not interested in buying the Blues). Allen Americans owner Doug Miller is from the St. Louis area and is a huge Cardinals fan, but I believe his hockey interest is anchored in Dallas.