We all know the draft is going to dominate the cycle and the discussion so I’m going off the board here for Quick Hits. As always, discuss the hockey-related stuff that suits your fancy.  We’ll have coverage starting later today with the Wings’ first pick in the second round. That starts at 11am ET.

In Red Wings Land

Bassie Shemtov honored by Red Wings and Tigers in Game Changers Series

Through the countless programs available through Friendship Circle, the mission is clear: to create and foster friendship in the lives of individuals with disabilities, while also providing skills, experience and opportunity that translates to community contributions.

This is a really cool idea for a program and I’m glad we have people working towards it.

Around the League

Weber out for Canadiens next season, NHL return in question

“He won’t be back next season, and probably won’t be back for his career.”

Kind of an ICYMI from the previous day but everything else out there is about trades and draft stuff.

Weber has five years left on his deal and is still owed $12,000,000 of his original $110M contract signed first by Philadelphia and then matched by Nashville.  He’s not going to retire because his litany of injuries is legitimate and there’s nothing that the league or the Habs could possibly do to force him to retire as long as he could defensibly argue that he’s TRYING to return to playing shape.

He’s DEFINITELY not going to retire this year because half of that $12M owed to him will be paid this season. Next season that drops to one quarter. The final three years are the fun part: Weber would still have to walk away from a minimum of $1M in salary, but watching the Predators get hit with sudden painful recapture would be hilarious.