With Simon Gagne(notes) out for six to eight weeks, the Philadelphia Flyers might get a little jumpy when trying to find some quick offensive help, but it appears that Peter Forsberg(notes) isn't going to be a name that fills that need, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.

The word now apparently is that Swedish hockey legend Forsberg could be headed off to play for Russia's Kontinental League. Forsberg is supposedly planning on signing with Ak Bars Kazan for multiple years and megabucks.

The thought in some parts of the NHL is that Forsberg can't keep his right foot and ankle healthy anymore. He told the Colorado Avalanche two years ago that he was healthy. Then he played in 13 games for the team. That cost him a lot in GM offices around the league.

For now, he'll have to stick with the Swedish National Team. Worst case scenario, he'll play again for MoDo, his hometown team.

Source: Philadelphia Daily News

Swedish superstar Peter Forsberg(notes) wants back into the NHL this season and it's looking like he could return to one of his old teams, the Philadelphia Flyers.

Forsberg actually has two former stints in the Philadelphia organization. During one, he was the overseas throw-in in the trade with the Quebec Nordiques for Eric Lindros(notes).

Now the Flyers are apparently thinking they'd like to have Forsberg back again, especially since the team just lost Simon Gagne(notes) for six to eight weeks. According to The Fourth Period, the team is sending scout (and former Flyer great) Ilkka Sinisalo to Europe to check Forsberg out in the Karjala Cup, which starts on Thursday.

Folks from the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, and another Forsberg former team, the Colorado Avalanche, are all expected to be there as well.

Source: The Fourth Period

The Florida Panthers have been falling apart since the team was bought from Wayne Huizenga back in 2001 and now majority owner Alan Cohen wants a little less to do with it. He's apparently trying to sell his majority ownership to his minority owners, Cliff Viner and Stuart Siegel, according to The Inquirer.

Since Cohen and friends bought the team, it's been losing steam - and money. The team has supposedly lost $100 million in that time. Last year, it averaged 15,621 disgruntled fans, 24th in the league. The team also has the infamy of being involved in some lopsided trades in the past few years, including the one that sent goaltender Roberto Luongo(notes) to the Vancouver Canucks.

Source: The Inquirer

The Phoenix Coyotes may finally have someone who is interested in buying it. The owners of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts, Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon, are apparently thinking that they may make a bid, according to the Toronto Globe and Mail.

At least one of the pair will meet with folks in Phoenix next week. They apparently broke off from the Ice Edge group that put a bid in on the team earlier in the process.

They supposedly have around a dozen other financial backers who want to jump into ownership with them.

Meanwhile, the NHL is likely to get approval next week to buy the Coyotes and re-pay its $140 million in debts. Then the league will re-sell the team and the Argonauts owners would apparently like to be the ones who snag it.

Source: The Globe and Mail

The Philadelphia Flyers may have lost forward Simon Gagne(notes) for some time with two small hernias that will likely need surgery so the team's supposed interest in signing veteran free agent Brendan Shanahan(notes) is apparently growing, according to the Cherry Hill Courier Post.

The 40-year-old left wing was thought to be returning to the New Jersey Devils this season but the sides surprisingly parted only hours before the regular season got underway. Shanahan supposedly was the one who actually left camp, saying he didn't think things were a great fit. The Flyers supposedly nearly signed Shanahan last January.

Source: Cherry Hill Courier Post

Philadelphia Flyers star forward Simon Gagne(notes) apparently discovered during an ultrasound on Monday that he has two small hernias in his right groin, according to TSN.ca. That is likely to mean surgery for Gagne.

He's supposedly meeting with the Flyers' medical staff today to figure out exactly what the next steps will be. The 29-year-old already went under the knife earlier this year to remove bone spurs in his right hip.

Gagne must be at least relieved to know what the pain is. He's apparently been suffering since the start of training camp.

Source: TSN.ca

Professional hockey players throughout North America very briefly celebrated when they staged a coup to take over the NHL Players Association back in August, but things rapidly changed and players were unhappy with the new head, Ian Penny.

Now it appears that Penny is getting ready to resign, according to the Toronto Sun. He apparently sent a confusing memo to the Executive Board of the union saying as much.

Guess he's been feeling pretty powerless since young Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby(notes) made him hang up the phone during a conference call the other day so there could be a players-only part of the call.

It remains to be seen who could take over and make this bunch happy.

Source: Toronto Sun

Florida Panthers GM Randy Sexton says that he doesn't want to send forward Nathan Horton(notes) packing but the rumors persist that Horton is on the block, according to the Ottawa Sun.

The problem with dealing Horton has apparently been the $4 million contract that he's got. Horton, of course, has apparently made it clear to the team that he would prefer to not be playing hockey in the Sunshine State and wants to be in a "more traditional hockey environment." He's gotten off to a crummy start (2 goals, 1 assist, nine games) so maybe a change in scenery would be good for him.

Source: Ottawa Sun

Player reps for the embattled NHL Players Association met on a conference call this Sunday and 22-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby(notes) apparently took charge of the meeting and had current union chief Ian Penny wondering if he had just lost his job, according to the Toronto Star.

Penny, of course, led a coup against former executive director Paul Kelly late in the summer that left the union disorganized and confused. Players began questioning the coup and there seems to be a movement now to replace Penny. Crosby apparently told Penny to get off the call at one point so there could be a players-only conversation. Penny initially resisted but finally got off, ceding control to the young Penguins superstar.

Source: Toronto Star

Just before the NHLseason started, Peter Forsberg(notes) managed to get a stress fracture in his right foot while playing in Europe and his chances of returning to North America seemed totally dashed. The word was that he wouldn't be able to play in anymore games in Europe after that point unless he wanted to give up any chance of coming back to the NHL this season.

Well, Forsberg is reportedly all healed up and getting ready to play in a tournament for Sweden that won't count against his NHL eligibility, according o the Denver Post. A slew of scouts will undoubtedly be on hand to see if Forsberg still has it.

The four-team Karjala Cup runs from November 5-8 and has Finland, Russia, and the Czech Republic competing against Sweden. Forsberg is expected to decide after that if he really wants to actually play in the NHL this season or not. Some strong offers might help him make his decision, of course.

Source: Denver Post