The first cut is the deepest...

Not really in this case...but we do have our first casualty of training camp. Ben Wright (pictured right) is the first cut of camp according to the Dispatch this morning. Wright is the 4th round pick in the 2006 draft and will return to this Western Hockey League team the Lithbrigde Hurricanes for this fourth season.

More cuts are expected by the weekend.

Plenty of other news from the Dispatch this morning - first we'll start with an injury update:

Defenseman Adam Foote (hamstring) and left winger Fredrik Modin (back spasms) are likely to return by Saturday.

Defenseman Joel Bouchard (food poisoning) could be back today or Wednesday.

Center Kris Beech, who left Sunday's game because of a lower thigh bruise, was back on the ice yesterday.

The Dispatch also re-confirmed that Vyborny will only miss 2-3 days and is expected back by the weekend.

We'll also finally get our first look at Jiri Novotny, the free agent center that we signed to a 2 year contract in July. It lookes like his visa issues are finally cleared up. Novotny figures to play down the lineup in the 3rd or 4th line center role.

Finally we have confirmation that Kris Russell, Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek - who are three of the team's elite prospects - will all play tonight. Brassard and Voracek will be on a line with Jason Chimera while Russell will pair with hard nose OK Tollefsen.

Read more from the Dispatch here.

I'll have another post later today previewing the game against the 'hawks tonight at Nationwide Arena.

-LTL