Substance Abuse Slows Daneyko

Ken Daneyko, the only member of the New Jersey Devils to play in all 95 of the team’s playoff games, has entered a substance abuse rehabilitation program, team officials said.

Daneyko has not played since Oct. 30 and missed the last three games for “personal reasons.” The defenseman, a 14-year-veteran and one of the senior players on the team, entered rehab on Saturday morning, president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said during a teleconference.

“He did it on his own,” Lamoriello said. “He’s been struggling with a couple of issues.

He wanted to get a clean slate, he wanted to correct whatever problems he might have.”

Lamoriello would not say where Daneyko was getting treatment, or what the specific problem was.

Murray to coach Lightning?

Former Philadelphia Flyers coach Terry Murray will know today if he’ll have a new job with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Murray’s agent, Robin Burns, said Lightning general manager Phil Esposito, who spoke with Murray last week about the team’s vacant coaching post, will call him with his decision.

Call them the Blue Jackets

The owners of the new NHL franchise in Columbus apparently will draw upon Ohio’s American Indian heritage and name the team the Blue Jackets.

Television stations in Columbus reported that the team will go by that name when it takes to the ice in the 2000-01 season. Blue Jacket was a Shawnee leader in the early 19th century.

Around the league

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Dino Ciccarelli has opted to undergo surgery on his right elbow to remove bone chips.

Ciccarelli will have the arthroscopic procedure done in Detroit on Saturday and is expected to be out about 10 days.

The Florida Panthers claimed former Spokane Chiefs wing Ray Whitney after he was waived by the Edmonton Oilers.

At Philadelphia, John LeClair scored his NHL-leading 14th and 15th goals and added three assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers past the Edmonton Oilers 6-2.