'Hawks expect plenty from Kane

Patrick Kane is still a teenager, yet the Chicago Blackhawks are already counting on him to spark their dormant offense for many years to come.

His chance could come as early as next season.

Kane, taken by the Blackhawks with the first pick of Friday's NHL draft, was introduced to Chicago yesterday. The 18-year-old player came to town with impressive scoring totals in junior hockey and the belief that he can put up similar numbers on the big stage.

"He's going to be a great player for a long time in this organization," coach Denis Savard said of Kane, a Buffalo native, who threw out the first ball in last night's Cubs-Rockies game.

The Blackhawks are in desperate need of an offensive force after finishing with the second-fewest goals in the league last season.

Kane led the Ontario Hockey League in scoring with 62 goals and 83 assists in 58 games with the London Knights. That plus a strong performance for the United States in the world junior championships were enough to dismiss concerns about his size - 5-10, 165 pounds.

"Numbers don't lie," Savard said of Kane, who had five goals and four assists in seven games for the U.S. "He has a lot of skill. I think overall, he does everything well offensively. The biggest thing with him is how quick his hands are around the net."

Kane, who donned a No. 88 Blackhawks jersey yesterday, welcomes whatever pressure comes with the hype and expectations.

"There's obviously some pressure with that pick, but the way I see it, I'm more of a pressure player and kind of thrive under the pressure situations," he said.

The first one he'll face will be in the fall when he competes for a spot on the Blackhawks' roster.

"From the people that I gathered information from in the hockey business, they tell me he's ready to play," Savard said.

"I would love to make the team," Kane said. "It would be a disappointment if I didn't."

* The Florida Panthers signed goalie Craig Anderson to a 2-year contract, meaning he'll likely enter next season as the primary backup to the newly acquired Tomas Vokoun. Anderson went 23-10-1 with a 2.56 goals-against average with the Rochester, of the AHL, last season, and posted a 1-1-1 mark with a 2.21 GAA in five appearances with the Panthers.

* The Florida Panthers signed goalie Craig Anderson to a 2-year contract, meaning he'll likely enter next season as the primary backup to the newly acquired Tomas Vokoun. Anderson went 23-10-1 with a 2.56 goals-against average with the Rochester, of the AHL, last season, and posted a 1-1-1 mark with a 2.21 GAA in five appearances with the Panthers.

* The Nashville Predators signed goalie Pekka Rinne just days after they dealt No. 1 netminder Tomas Vokoun to the Panthers. Rinne, 24, who signed a 2-year contract, spent last season with Milwaukee, of the AHL.

Chris Mason is expected to take over as the Predators' top goalie next season.

* Penguins top draft pick Angelo Esposito and highly touted defenseman Kris Letang will be among 32 players attending a weeklong team conditioning camp that begins today.

The players will undergo medical and fitness testing, skating sessions and other on- and off-ice training. Esposito, 18, was the 20th pick overall in the NHL draft. Letang was the Penguins' second pick behind Sidney Crosby in 2005. *