Things are starting to pick-up in the hockey world, as training camp gets under way in earnest this weekend. But before we take you Inside Hockey (shameless plug!), we must first pay respect to a hockey journalism legend. Author and Boston University professor Jack Falla passed away last Sunday at the age of 62.

Falla, who recently released his latest book, Open Ice: Reflections and Confession of a Hockey Lifer, was loved and adored by many in the hockey world as his former student and Boston Globe Bruins beat writer Fluto Shinzawa penned here. Brian Kennedy and Mike Alloy also wrote about Jack here at InsideHockey.com.

Inside Hockey Editor in Chief Kevin Greenstein and I had the great pleasure of interviewing Jack on the “Inside Hockey Radio Show” last season, and he was just as friendly and intriguing as everyone who knew him claimed he was. Jack was also a huge fan and expert of outdoor rinks, and treasured his time on his own backyard rink, “The Bacon St. Omni” in Natick, MA, part of the inspiration for “Home Ice” and “Open Ice” and you can see his passion for outdoor hockey in this clip...

Rest in peace, Jack. We’ll be thinking of you on January 1 on Wrigley Field in Chicago when the Red Wings and Blackhawks hook-up in the second annual “Winter Classic”!

Speaking of the Red Wings, news broke today that Def Leppard will kick-off the Stanley Cup banner-raising festivities prior to the Wings’ home opener against the Leafs on October 9. Def Leppard? Huh? You’re telling this music aficionado that the home of “Motown” couldn’t get a better act than the band whose claim to fame is probably the best strip bar song ever, “Pour Some Sugar on Me”? That may be suitable across the river in Windsor, Ontario, but this celebration needs some Motown, or if you want the rock kick, how much more "Red Wings" can you get than this line by Kid Rock?

“I’m in it to win it like Yzerman.”

All kidding a side, the real question surrounding the Wings as the new season approaches will be whether or not, the defending Stanley Cup Champions will suffer the traditional post-lockout Stanley Cup Hangover. As I’ve already stated here and will again in my predictions two weeks from today, the answer is no and the reason is Mike Babcock and Marian Hossa. The Red Wings are the Patriots of the NHL in the salary cap era; they have the best coach and they keep getting better!

Former Red Wing defenseman Mathieu Schneider could find himself on a new team by the time you read this and most likely by Monday. His agent Pat Morris announced Friday that the veteran defenseman has elected to not report to the Ducks training camp because they believe a trade is "imminent".

Sources told “Murphy’s Law" this afternoon that the Kings were still very much in the mix for Schneider, with a player GM Dean Lombardi told to stay home from their camp, forward Patrick O’Sullivan, being mentioned in the trade talks between the rival clubs. The hold-up as it is with the other teams supposedly in the Schneider sweepstakes, (the Blues, Canadiens and Coyotes), is that Burke is unwilling to part with a prospect or draft pick in the deal. While we’re not convinced that the Kings would give up this quickly on another promising player as they did with Mike Cammalleri who was dealt to Calgary at the draft in June, talks with O'Sullivan appear to be at a standstill, so anything is possible.

In other Anaheim news, the Ducks signed Teemu Selanne to a try-out contract on Friday, but it’s not a lock that he signs there. Keep an eye on the Canadiens and Coyotes here. Montreal GM Bob Gainey has long coveted Selanne.

Been working on some NHL.com pre-season features on Northeast Division teams this week and had the pleasure of speaking with Senators forward Ryan Shannon, Maple Leafs forward Jason Blake and Habs defenseman Mike Komisarek. Based on these conversations and on others with each respective club members, I’m going to make these predictions:

1. Komisarek will be a monster again this season and compete for the Norris Trophy. With Georges Laraque in the lineup now, Komisarek can focus more on playing his game and not bailing out the not so tough forwards on the team. The Habs will benefit hugely from this and will win the Eastern Conference.

2. The Senators will be better than people believe. Yes their transition game may suffer with the losses of Wade Redden and Andrej Meszaros on defense but they still have Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley and captain Daniel Alfredsson up front. But the real reason they may exceed expectations is because of Head Coach Craig Hartsburg and the team identity he is building there. Shannon told me, “This is the toughest and most fired up camp I’ve ever been to.” That will show on the ice this season!

3. If and it’s a big IF, the Leafs buy into Ron Wilson's up-tempo system, they too could be better, (probably slightly better), than many pundits and fans believe. Unlike the Sens, they don’t have much proven talent remaining, but they do have a guy like Jason Blake, who besides having the worst season of his career, battled treatable cancer and has a new outlook on life. He may be just what the doctor ordered for the young lineup in Toronto.

Another Northeast team made some big news this week when the Buffalo Sabres announced they had re-signed forward Jason Pominville to a five-year contract extension. This follows the team locking up Ryan Miller earlier this summer and is just another sign that Darcy Regier may finally have the green light to secure the future in Buffalo. This has to be good news for Sabres fans that have watched stars like Chris Drury, Brian Campbell and Daniel Briere walk away over the past year. Just as this scribe expects Blake to comeback this season, look for Thomas Vanek to have an even better season in Buffalo and show he is worth the $8 million he will be paid in the second year of a 7-year, $50 million contract he was signed to last season when Regier matched an offer sheet from Kevin Lowe and the Oilers. That, really was the first sign Regier was serious about the future but he was widely criticized for it when Vanek didn't "live up to" his contract.

Did we get through this blog without mentioning a certain Swede that played in Toronto last season? We did, but I’ll mention another one that played for the Bruins. Mark my words P.J. Axelsson will not finish this season as a Bruin. He may not even make it through the preseason.

These last three clips aren’t hockey related but in the spirit of the Ryder Cup, Happy Birthday to Bill Murray:

Also, Happy Birthday to Leonard Cohen, a Montreal legend! Maybe he sings “Oh Canada” at the Stanley Cup Finals in the Centennial season of the Canadiens?

Finally, Yankee Stadium closes it’s gates forever this Sunday and I figure why not leave you with a great Yankee Stadium memory: