Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kevin Bieksa spent 12 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks organization before being traded June 30. The 34-year-old took the ice with his new teammates for the first time Friday when the Ducks opened training camp, and there was one familiar face who was happy to see him.

Bieksa's longtime friend, center Ryan Kesler, is beginning his second season with the Ducks after being acquired from the Canucks last summer.

"We grew up together in this league," Kesler said. "To be a year apart was weird. For him to get traded here was awesome. We're both excited and happy to be on the same team again.

"He just brings that leadership, accountability and meanness. He's going to be good for this group."

The Tampa Bay Lightning were without injured goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy (blood clot) and Kristers Gudlevskis (upper body) when they opened training camp on Friday in Brandon, Fla. That left them shorthanded for drills, so public relations director Brian Breseman put on the pads to help out.

Breseman manned one of the goals for the first group of skaters. He played goaltender while growing up, including for the club team at East Carolina University, according to the Tampa Tribune.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn, who is recovering from offseason hip surgery, was on the ice with his teammates Friday for the start of training camp in Cedar Park, Texas.

"Coming off surgery it felt a little different," Benn told the Stars website. "I was wondering how it was going to go out there but I'm pretty happy with how it went. I felt pretty good and I'm just trying to build here each and every day."

Benn, had surgery in late April on one hip and in May on the other. He has been rehabbing all summer.

New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias did not take part in any on-ice work with the team at training camp Friday because of an issue with his right knee.

"Patrik has been having an issue with his right knee over the last week," Devils general manager Ray Shero said. "We both feel that it is best to monitor this. He will continue to work off ice with our training staff and skate on his own prior to joining the team for formal, on-ice, workouts."

Coach Alain Vigneault borrowed a key phrase from "Apollo 13," one of his favorite movies, when he assessed the New York Rangers on Thursday, one day before the opening of training camp.

"There are two phrases in that movie that sort of caught my attention," Vigneault told Blueshirts United. "One of them is, 'Failure is not an option,' when they've got to find a way to bring the astronauts back. That's sort of us. That was sort of us going into last year, and that's sort of us going into this year.

"We believe that we have a team that has the elements to win the Stanley Cup. We firmly believe that, so failure is not an option."

Forward Phil Kessel will make his debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday in their preseason game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Consol Energy Center, coach Mike Johnston told the Penguins website on Thursday.

Kessel, a five-time 30-goal scorer acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, will not play in Pittsburgh's first preseason game, against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Monday.

After an offseason spent in meetings and taking in leadership advice, Nick Foligno is eager to finally take the ice as Columbus Blue Jackets captain.

"I'm more comfortable on the ice, that's for sure," Foligno told the Columbus Dispatch on Thursday. "That's where I can do my leading and be that guy."

Foligno was named the sixth captain in Blue Jackets history May 20. He is the first since Rick Nash wore the "C" for the 2011-12 season.

The Edmonton Oilers can expect to see a faster tempo at practice this season under new coach Todd McLellan.

"I know I would like to have some get-up-and-go in practice," McLellan told the Oilers website Thursday, the opening day of his first training camp with Edmonton. "I'll even talk to the players about moving from drill to drill and not wasting time.

"I like to be quick, precise, get on and get off, or at least allow them time at the end or before to work on their individual skills."

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Kristers Gudlevskis, who sustained an upper-body injury Tuesday in a prospects tournament game, could face shots next week.

"We don't anticipate it being a long thing, and hopefully he's back on the ice and facing shots and ready to go at some point next week," general manager Steve Yzerman said in video posted on the Lightning website.

Gudlevskis left the game Tuesday with an apparent arm injury. He will not play in the Lightning's preseason opener Sept. 22 against the Nashville Predators, but should be available soon after.

Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg will miss the first few on-ice sessions of training camp because of an upper-body injury, Bruins general manager Don Sweeny said Thursday.

"The only issue we have I think is Dennis Seidenberg will not likely skate for the next few days," Sweeny said, according to the Bruins website. "He reported to our trainers on Monday with an upper-body injury from training and our doctors have chosen to take a conservative approach and re-evaluate day-to-day."