FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

BY: Bruce Berlet

The Connecticut Whale likely will have another young candidate for the blueline this season.

Mikhail Pashnin wasn’t scheduled to play for the New York Rangers in the prospects tournament next month, but that could change after the 22-year-old defenseman decided to continue his career in North America.

The Rangers’ seventh-round pick in 2007 will not renew his contract with CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia, opting to go to New York to pursue his dream of playing in the NHL, according to CSKA general manager and former Rangers forward Sergei Nemchinov.

“Pashnin’s contract with CSKA has ended,” Nemchinov told RIA Novosti. “We offered him a new (contract), but he has decided to (try to) make the NHL. He has an offer from the New York Rangers and is currently negotiating with them. We were glad to have him on our team, but he has made his choice in favor of the NHL club.”

Nemchinov, a member of the Rangers’ 1994 Stanley Cup championship team, stressed Pashnin’s departure was amicable.

“There was no conflict,” Nemchinov said.

Pashnin’s agent, Alexei Dementyev, confirmed he is negotiating a deal that would bring his client to New York this fall.

“We’re currently negotiating with New York,” Dementyev told Sport Express. “Mikhail took part in the Rangers rookie camp this summer and received good reviews. Team management informs (us) that they expect him at their main training camp, starting in September.”

When asked if there was any chance Pashnin could remain with CSKA, Dementyev said, “Nothing can be ruled out.” But he confirmed Pashnin had not traveled to Finland for the start of the team’s training camp.

“The Rangers are very interested in the player, therefore I hope that negotiations will conclude successfully,” Dementyev said.

Rangers assistant general manager/assistant coach/Connecticut Whale GM Jim Schoenfeld said via email that if Pashnin reaches a deal with the NHL team that he “likely” will participate in the prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich. The Rangers’ four games are on Sept. 10, 11, 13 and 14 and will be televised on the MSG Network. The Rangers report for training camp on Sept. 15 and have their first workouts the next day at the Madison Square Garden training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y.

Despite good showings in the Rangers developmental camp the past two years, Pashnin, the first overall pick in the first KHL draft, is expected to need seasoning with the Whale before challenging for a job on Broadway. He hopefully could benefit from help from veteran defenseman Wade Redden, who was beneficial in the development of Ryan McDonagh, Tomas Kundratek and Pavel Valentenko during his first stint in the minors last season after being waived by the Rangers because of his $6.5 million contract.

Pashnin, a native of Chelybinski, Russia, had two goals and two assists in 42 games with CSKA last season. He then helped his junior team to the Minor Hockey League championship, the Kharlamov Cup, with a goal and an assist in 16 playoff games.

If, as expected, Pashnin doesn’t make the Rangers, he would join a Whale defensive corps that could include veterans Redden, Jared Nightingale and Stu Bickel and youngsters Blake Parlett, Jyri Niemi and Kundratek, Valentenko, Michael Del Zotto and/or newcomer Tim Erixon. Del Zotto and Erixon are leading candidates for the final slot(s) on the Rangers’ roster, depending on whether the parent club signs a veteran such as Steve Eminger, who was a solid performer with the Blueshirts last season.

DUBINSKY HAPPY CONTRACT SITUATION SETTLED

After finishing a workout at the MSG training center on Friday, Brandon Dubinsky met with reporters to discuss his new four-year, $16.8 million contract that he signed on Thursday just hours before a scheduled salary arbitration hearing in Toronto.

Dubinsky, the Rangers’ leading scorer last season with career highs in goals (24), assists (30) and points (54), joined center Brian Boyle and former Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer as players to sign deals before arbitration. Former Wolf Pack center Artem Anisimov, not eligible for arbitration, was another restricted free agent to re-sign, leaving only former Wolf Pack right wing Ryan Callahan unsigned. Callahan is scheduled for an arbitration hearing Thursday, but his agent, Steve Bartlett, said he and his client hope to have a deal done before that. Callahan, an alternate captain who is expected to succeed bought-out Trumbull native Chris Drury as captain, is expected to receive a little more than Dubinsky.

Here are Dubinsky’s thoughts on his contract, the past and the future:

On getting his contract signed: “I’m really excited and obviously relieved, but in the end, we knew something was going to get done. But now that it’s over, I’m really excited and happy to be a part of this team for awhile.”

On the Rangers’ commitment to him: “I’ve said from the beginning that this is always where I wanted to be and play. After talking to management, even through the tough times of negotiations, I think both of us expressed that I wanted to be here for awhile and they wanted me here for awhile. I’m just glad that we were able to get it done, and I’m really excited to just focus on my training and to have a great season.”

On why the Rangers can really contend for the Stanley Cup this season: “I think we have so many young players who are going to be a year older and more experienced. I felt last season we played pretty well as a team and were in (nearly) every game if we didn’t win it, and with the additions we made, it’s just going to make our team that much stronger. And guys continuing to get better and continuing their career on the right path is going to make us better, too.”

On the signings of free-agent forward/enforcer Mike Rupp (three years, $4.5 million) and center Brad Richards (nine years, $60 million): “Starting with Rupp, I was surprised to see him signing, but at the same time, I was really excited that he was going to part of the team because he’s one of those tough guys to play against. And from everything that we’ve heard, he’s a great team guy, so he’s just going to come in and fit right in with the way the New York Rangers play and that’s hard and straightforward. So I’m really excited to have him, especially since he can’t score any more hat tricks against us so that’ll be nice (chuckle). With Richie, you know exactly what you get, one of the best center-men in the league and a guy who can help our power play, which has obviously struggled over the last couple of years at times. And he can make plays that we haven’t had guys be able to do the last few years on this team. Hopefully he and Gabby (right wing Marian Gaborik) figure it out together. It might make for one of the most lethal combinations in the league.”

On being ready to take the next step and be a major leader on the team: “Obviously there’s a lot of weight and a lot of expectations that comes with the contract that I just signed, and I think I’m ready to take that step and make sure I play up to those expectations. I think I’m improving and getting better every year, and I don’t think (this) year will be any different. I look forward to building off some of the success that I had last season and obviously trying to work on some of the things that I needed to work on. That’s what the process had been throughout the summer so far, and I’m just looking forward to getting going.”

PROSPAL SIGNS WITH BLUE JACKETS

While Dubinsky is back with the Rangers, forward Vinny Prospal has left for the Columbus Blue Jackets, signing a one-year, $1.75 million contract, plus bonuses.

Prospal had 29 goals and 52 assists in 104 games with the Rangers the last two seasons after signing a free-agent deal on Aug. 16, 2009, but injuries limited him to only 29 games in 2010-11, when he had nine goals and 14 assists.

The signing fills a void left by Krisitan Huselius, who is expected to miss 4-to-6 months with a torn pectoral muscle.

“Vinny Prospal is a proven top-six forward in the National Hockey League and we look forward to him playing that role for our hockey club,” Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said. “We are very pleased to be able to add a player of his caliber to our team at this late date in the free agency process.”

A third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 1993, Prospal has 227 goals and 453 assists in 978 NHL games with the Rangers, Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks and Tampa Bay Lightning. He also has 10 goals and 25 assists in 65 playoff games.

The native of Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, has represented his country in international competition on several occasions, including the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. He also played in the 2004 and 2005 World Championships, winning the gold medal in 2005, and in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He also was in the 1994 and 1995 World Junior Championships.

BOOGAARD’S BROTHER CHARGED

In the “Not Happy To Report Department,” prosecutors in Minneapolis, Minn., alleged Rangers left wing and enforcer Derek Boogaard had been out of drug rehab for only one day before his younger brother gave him an unprescribed narcotic pain pill at the start of an evening of night-clubbing, drug-taking and heavy drinking that led to his death.

A complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court said Aaron Boogaard, 24, told police he gave his brother one oxycodone the night he found Derek dead in their Minneapolis apartment May 13. Derek Boogaard, 28, died of what authorities said was a toxic mix of alcohol and drugs.

Aaron was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, a felony that also applies when narcotics are given away for free. He was also charged with interfering with the scene of a death for allegedly flushing the rest of Derek’s drug stash, a mix of oxycodone and related drugs, down the toilet before police arrived.

“This is a very tragic situation,” Hennepin County attorney Mike Freeman told reporters in a gross understatement. “Most of us know someone who’s had problems, troubles with alcohol or drugs. And most of us know that a person, the day they get out of treatment, shouldn’t receive ro any reason the drugs that put them in treatment in the first place.”

In another understatement, an attorney for Aaron said the family had suffered a tremendous loss.

“We will address the allegations in court rather than in the media, but not that Aaron was and remains devastated by his brother’s death,” attorney John W. Lundqvist said in a statement.

Assuming Aaron has no criminal record, the state’s sentencing guidelines would call for 21 months of probation and no prison time, according to Chuck Laszewski, a spokesman for the county attorney’s office. But the punishment has already been much greater.

Freeman said Aaron’s statements to police made it clear that Derek did not take the pill to relieve pain “but to prepare for a big night out” and that Derek had the narcotics shipped home illegally from New York without a prescription.

Derek, who was one of the game’s most feared enforcers and a fan favorite for the Minnesota Wild before signing a four-year, $6.5 million free-agent contract with the Rangers on July 1, 2010, struggled with pain and addiction.

“It’s our understanding that Aaron kept his brother’s non-prescribed illegal drugs and attempts to parcel them on some kind of limited basis,” Freeman said. “This was not the first time he had been in treatment. … And everyone around him should have known that you just simply can’t give this kind of drugs to a person who’s badly addicted.”

Freeman said Aaron will not face a more serious manslaughter or homicide charge authorities can’t prove the single pill he told police he gave Derek directly caused his death. But, again, he has been punished much more already.

Freeman said the prosecutor said Derek had “a lot” of Percocet, OxyContin and oxycodone in his system when he died and consumed “a lot” of alcohol that night, too much to fairly charge Aaron with more serious offenses given that Derek may have taken the addition drugs on his own.

The brothers shared an apartment in Minneapolis not far from downtown. Aaron found Derek’s body when he returned home after picking up another brother at the airport. Their parents, Len and Joanne of Regina, Saskatchewan, where Derek was buried, did not respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment. On Thursday, the family issued a statement calling Aaron’s arrest unfortunate and painful.

Aaron’s bail was set at $10,000, and jail records show he was released from county jail Friday into custody of another unspecified authority. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis had placed a detainer on Aaron after his arrest. Shawn Neudauer, a spokesman with the federal agency, issued a statement Friday saying Aaron was transferred to ICE custody and granted release under bond, with a notice to appear before a federal immigration judge later.

Aaron was drafted by the Wild in 2004 but only played in several minor leagues. The 6-foot-7, 265-pound Derek, known as “The Boogeyman,” was one of the most popular players on the Wild for his physical play, as what he lacked in skills he more than made up for with his fists. He had three goals, 13 assists and 589 penalty minutes in 277 games with the Wild and Rangers.

Derek had one goal, one assist and 45 PIM in 22 games with the Rangers before his season – and ultimately his career – was ended by a concussion sustained in a fight with the Ottawa Senators’ Matt Carkner on Dec. 9. While working his way back into playing shape, Derek left the Rangers to get treatment for his addiction with the full support of the organization.

Boogaard’s family donated his brain to the Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, which planned to examine it as a part of a broader study of head trauma in athletes for signs of a degenerative disease often found in athletes who sustain repeated hits to the head. It was a thoughtful move in a story that continues to be more senseless all the time. RIP, Derek.

GORGES SIGNS WITH CANADIENS, AVOIDS ARBITRATION

As the Rangers did with Boyle, Dubinsky, Sauer and hopefully Callahan, the Montreal Canadiens avoided salary arbitration with defenseman Josh Gorges late Friday night when they signed the restricted free agent to a one-year, $2.5 million contract.

“He is a very reliable defenseman for our club,” general manager Pierre Gauthier said in a statement. “Josh is recovering extremely well from his knee injury that kept him out of the lineup for half of the regular season and the playoffs, and we look forward to seeing him at training camp.”

Gorges, 26, had one goal and seven assists in 38 games in his sixth season with the Canadiens before sustaining a season-ending injury to his right knee on Dec. 26. Since his NHL debut in 2005-06, Gorges has nine goals and 50 assists in 364 regular-season games and seven assists in 46 playoff games.

Gorges, a native of Kelowna, British Columbia, signed with the San Jose Sharks as a free agent on Sept. 20, 2002 and was traded to the Canadiens on Feb. 25, 2007.