COLUMBUS -- What little he knew of the NHL, a 10-year-old Ryo Hashimoto learned from viewing a highlight video at home in Sapporo, Japan.

"I watched a lot of games but it was the same tape over and over again," he said Tuesday through a translator. "Now I can pick up the computer and follow on NHL.com."

Hashimoto got a chance this week to see the NHL firsthand as a free-agent invitee to Columbus Blue Jackets development camp that ended Thursday.

The 21-year-old hopes his efforts eventually lead to a contract with the Blue Jackets, but the Japanese Hockey Federation already has benefitted from his time here.

"People are following him back home," said Yasuhiro Umeta, the vice chief secretary for Asia League Ice Hockey who traveled with Hashimoto and acted as his interpreter.

"I'm so happy he has the opportunity. He thinks he can play here."

ARLINGTON, Va. – In entering the first phase of what was termed an organizational refresh earlier this offseason, it was imperative to Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis that all facets of management were aligned.

"You need to be totally in sync [with new coach Barry Trotz]," Leonsis recalled telling general manager Brian MacLellan upon promoting him in May. "With the players that we sign, the players that we draft, you have to be in total sync."

Two months into the Capitals' new regime, Leonsis has seen his directives carried out to his satisfaction.

"So far, so good on that," he said Saturday. "I think that's a good move in a positive direction to have the organization all singing from the same songbook."

HAZELWOOD, Mo. -- Tim Taylor has gotten to know St. Louis Blues 2014 first-round pick Robert Fabbri quite extensively this week.

The Blues director of player development worked with some of their top prospects during development camp at the Ice Zone, inside St. Louis Outlet Mall.

After watching Fabbri, Taylor understood why the Blues made the center from the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League the 21st pick last month.

"There's a reason why we picked him first," Taylor said of Fabbri, who had 45 goals and 87 points in 58 regular-season games then was named MVP of the OHL playoffs after he had 13 goals and 28 points in 16 games. He capped his season with two goals and four assists in four games while helping the Storm reach the Memorial Cup championship game.

Kyle Turris has experience taking over for Jason Spezza as the Ottawa Senators' No. 1 center and he is confident he can do it again.

"I definitely think I've learned a lot over the past two years from those experiences, from being put into that role when [Spezza] was hurt, and seeing how hard the matchup is," Turris told the Ottawa Sun on Friday. "I just tried to take that mentality and put it into the role I had this past year. … This upcoming year, if I'm put into that role again, I think the experience I have now will work in my favor, to know what to expect and how better to prepare for it."

WINNIPEG -- The path through the Central Division to the Stanley Cup Playoffs does not figure to get any easier for the Winnipeg Jets when the 2014-15 NHL season begins, with or without Evander Kane.

It was March 10 when Dallas Stars forward Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench during the first period of a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at American Airlines Center and was rushed to a hospital for treatment of what doctors described as a cardiac event.

Thursday, four months after the incident, Peverley detailed how he is working toward what he hopes will be a return to the ice.

"Everything's been going really well. I've been taking steps along the way here to see how my heart reacts to ongoing steps that I've been taking," Peverley told "The Musers" radio show on The Ticket 1310 AM in Dallas. "Just been ramping it up as time goes on and as I keep achieving new goals."

COLUMBUS -- Being "that guy" can be a blessing or a curse depending on the circumstances.

For Sonny Milano, fame came long before the Columbus Blue Jackets made the left wing the 16th pick of the 2014 NHL Draft.

Three years ago he made a YouTube video of his stickhandling skills after being inspired by a similar showcase from Tomas Jurco, now with the Detroit Red Wings.

With almost 50,000 views, the video earned Milano an online following, which expanded when he recorded a new set of videos for NHL.com at the NHL Scouting Combine in May.

BROSSARD, Quebec -- A little over a year ago Zachary Fucale was living a dream.

Coming off a Memorial Cup championship with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Fucale was the first goaltender selected at the 2013 NHL Draft. And the team doing the selecting was his hometown Montreal Canadiens.

Life could not have been much better.

What has transpired since the draft, however, could be described as a nightmare.

And Fucale is ready to wake up.

Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson has played in seven NHL games, and won five of them.

It's one he lost -- Game 7 of the Western Conference Second Round to the Los Angeles Kings -- that is sticking with him, in a good way.

He discussed that and his offseason in a Q&A with the Ducks website published Thursday.

"I think we'll all use it for motivation for next year," Gibson said. "I don't think we have to worry about in a negative way, but I think we'll use it as a positive."

After watching the offseason moves made by the Colorado Avalanche, coach Patrick Roy believes his team may be better now than the one that finished first in the Central Division last season.

Speaking with media at a golf tournament in Quebec on Thursday, Roy lauded the acquisitions made by Colorado management, most notably the signing of veteran forward Jarome Iginla, and the trades made to acquire defenseman Brad Stuart from the San Jose Sharks and forward Daniel Briere from the Montreal Canadiens.

"The addition of Iginla for us is very important," Roy said. "I think he's going to help our younger players continue to grow. It's extremely positive. Brad Stuart on defense will provide stability. He's going to play some big minutes and can play with Erik Johnson on the top pair. We're very confident with these additions. I think we improved the team in an important way."