Tuesday . . .

TSN.ca reports that the Los Angeles Kings have signed Seattle Thunderbirds D Thomas Hickey to a three-year entry-level contract. Hickey was selected fourth overall in the 2007 NHL draft and is the first player selected in the first round to sign an NHL deal . . . The Florida Panthers signed Vancouver Giants RW Michael Repik, a second-rounder, on Monday . . . Can't remember NHL teams signing their draft picks so quickly so obviously there is a new strategy of some sort involved here.

The Kootenay Ice announced this morning that Cory Clouston has resigned as head coach. The Ice didn't reveal his destination but he will be named head coach of the AHL's Binghamton Senators later this week. Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth now is looking for a head coach and an assistant coach. Brad Lauer, who resigned as assistant coach last week, won't be considered for the head coaching position. He will be named GM and head coach of the BCHL's Alberni Valley Bulldogs one of these days.

An interesting story out of the east where Sun Media's Ryan Pyette has reported that the agents for Oshawa Generals star John Tavares are attempting to have him declared eligible for the NHL's 2008 draft. Tavares, who is represented by Siskinds Sports Management, has a late birthday (he was born Sept. 20, 1990; the 2008 draft cutoff is Sept. 15) so under present rules isn't eligible until 2009. "We’re talking to the NHL Players Association about it because we believe the Sept. 15 cutoff date is antiquated and doesn’t fit in with the present day player,” SSM director of sports Bryan Deasley told Pyette. “We’re not looking at this as a league vs. PA situation.”

Because the draft and its rules were collectively bargained between the league and the NHLPA, you've got to think Tavares's chances of being declared eligible for the 2008 draft are pretty slim. But this could prove an interesting debate because, of course, there are people who think the whole draft process, no matter the league or the sport, is illegal and would love to see it challenged.