Tag Search Results for "me"
This season, Calgary fans have seen two teams. The Flames at home and the Lames on the road. For some reason Calgary sometimes comes out flat in a game, and considering the look of their roster, it is unacceptable. The Flames are completely capable of pulling off an upset against The Detroit Red Wings, barring an appearance by the much dreaded Lames. Their last 4 performan...
Forget 2004. The teams are radically different in makeup, coaching, style, what have you. The rules are different. The on ice focus is different. This is 2007.
I didn't have an intro blog. I don't believe in well written accounts, supported by facts and sources. I have my opinion, and I give it straight forward and fast.
We are younger. We are faster. We are ...
My name is David Reddekopp, and I'm a Habs fan. But even more than that, I'm a hockey fan, so while I will talk about my team, I won't always. One thing I can guarantee you though, I am very opinionated and will make my point whether you agree with it or not.
Well, with the introductions out of the way, I'll start my initial blog post with an overview of the first rou...
Yeah that's right I said it, and let me say it again: Women's hockey is crap. It's the same deal every single damn year, Canada and USA in the finals and Canada wins. What the hell is exciting about that? They always win, there is no fun or suspense embedded in the games. I am Canadian, but I always cheer for the opposing teams because I despise Canada's women's hockey tea...
On the eve of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Calgary Flames there are many questions to answer. Can Kipper put this team on his back and take down the mighty Wings in Round 1? Can Jarome Iginla be the superstar he is and light it up against a talented Red Wings Team? Can Calgary outmuscle and outscore the #1 Seed in the West? Can Alex Tanguay be the complim...
buddyoakes writes...
I Wish I Could Be More More Optomistic about the Predators
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
Thanks to Ek and Hockeybuzz for this addition to the best hockey site in the world!
As I sit on the morning of our third trip seaching for the cup I have mixed emotions. As a Preds fan, two months ago I was ready to take on the world with full confidence that we would go all the way.
All that changed on the night of March 31 when we played the most uninspired game ...
Lanny's Moustache writes...
Time to look like an idiot. Here's my fearless hockey picks.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
WEST
[b]Detroit vs Calgary - Calgary in 6[/b]
I think Detroit is too soft to compete with Calgary if they forecheck hard all series. The older D for the Wings will get banged up early, and Hasek will look for a way out after losing 2 of the first 3 games. I would also take Calgary's Superstar players over Detroit's in a tough series. The one problem Calgary may have is...
As the regular season came to an end like a cold Labatt's 18 pack at a Bills game tailgate party, the anticipation for the post season boiled over inside of me at an unbearable rate. The sabres open up the playoffs at home hosting the Presidents cup against the Islanders. The subplots and story lines are obvious with Teddy and Satan coming home and every fan in WNY cannot ...
This morning I took my son Douglas to wal-mart to go shopping and he asked for a flames sweater now this normally its a automatic no but for some reason I decided to do it the main reason why I am writing about this is because of his reaction . He acted like I bought him the Stanley Cup, he mademe realize that life is to short sometimes. We can learn a lot by watching...
Though I didn't watch the last game of the season against the Avalanche, I noticed that McCarty was in the line-up. Ever since this guy's been injured, most Flames fans have been glad that he's stayed out of the line-up for as long as he has. Perhaps for the regular season, I felt this way as well, but come playoff time, this guy could be the difference maker that no one...
For your reading pleasure:
Western Conference
Detroit over Calgary in 6
Anaheim over Minnesota in 6
Vancouver over Dallas in 5
San Jose over Nashville in 6
Eastern Conference
Buffalo over Islanders in 5 (should go with a sweep...but will throw the Island a bone)
New Jersey over Tampa Bay in 6
Rangers over Atlanta in 5
Ottawa over Pittsburgh in 7
Take t...
Eggshmeg writes...
Eggshmeg's Analysis of Andrew Raycroft (Earlier in the Year)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 3
This is one of my blogs from early on during the year (on a different site obviously) about my thoughts on Raycroft. It received some very harsh feedback from Leafs fans. Now that I look back on it, it's interesting to look back at a few of the points I made.
Here it is:
Yes I know it is early in the season, and I do know that players are still getting their legs behin...
Earlier today I was casually reading the lastest edition of the Heralds Hockey section, when I came across something quite intriguing. all The headliner sports writers in the prediction section, including the ones in Calgary picked Detroit in 6 and one lady from Edmonton had them in 7.
To me this is really shocking, im fine with the Flames just sneaking into...
Time to add my two cents into the play-off fray. I love the play-offs, and the addition of play-off pools has only heightened my enthusiasm for this time of year. (I have 7 play-off pools)
I've spent the last few days being bombarded by "experts" picking play-off winners and analyzing every facet of every match up. Its a toss up whether a team is better off with all...
HI everyone and welcome to my blog.
I sometimes have brilliant things to say and sometimes I just muddle on through.
Right now I am suffering through hockey hell; my Flyers not being in the playoffs.
I have moved onto my secondary and tertiary teams the Preds and the Flames.
I am just glad to have Center ice and be able to watch playoff hockey.
I hope...
how can anyone watch a game with that annoying voice of his? It got so bad i had to place my HDTV on Mute because of his voice was so loud. i understand why Vs. ratings are horrible...
[b]THE GOOD[/b]
[b]The Sens intensity level[/b] - they came out strong and dictated play throughout.
[b]The officiating[/b] - there were a lot of penalties called but the officals seemed to be consistent with their calls.
[b]The Sens role players[/b] - good showing by 3rd and 4th line players.
[b]Malkin and Staal[/b] - I thought both rookies were able to play a...
Posted earlier on www.hockey-wire.com ;
This may just be about the most exciting series the playoffs have to offer. With both teams falling victim to the rule, that division winners take up the top three seeds, both squads found themselves a rank lower than what they should have and both with 105 points.
Regardless, these two teams are as close in retrospect and in...
With another great multiple overtime game in the bag, what is your most memorable multiple OT game?
I'll have to side with game 3 in the 2nd round last season with the Sharks leading the series 2-0 heading into the game. This game proved to be the turnaround for the Oil who rolled off 7 consecutive wins after this game.
The bar we were watching at asked us to leav...
So, just got home from the 4OT thriller at the garage tonight, WHAT A GAME. I mean, they stopped selling beer after the 2nd intermission, so I wound up paying $4 bucks for Sprite, but that's all good. Go Canucks Go... and chants of TTTUUURRCCOOO filled the evening excitement as I basically lost my voice and drank ice cubes for 2 OT's. Skytrain was reasonable on the way ...
It all starts at 5:00MST tonight for Flames fans - the dreaded Red Wings are our first round opponent and some fans couldn't be happier.
Sure we beat them in 6 games in 2004 and sure the Oilers beat them last year...but the difference between those 2 Red Wing teams and this one is one man: Dominik Hasek.
I think the Red Wings have more confidence this year than othe...
Can you believe how the Canuck/Star game ended? How many games that go into 3+ overtimes end on a nice goal? I mean really.....Hank is not a very likely hero as he barely scores any goals...but a nice looking goal? Same with the Shark victory over the Preds, great goal in overtime....not common but I am glad it happened.
Lets hope day 2 will be as good!
Well last night I talked about how Versus was leaving me in the dark by showing the Canucks game (a move that paid off well) instead of the Wild game, but really that decision isn't Versus problem, it's the NHL's. This time of the year there is four games every night, it's definetly the most exciting time of the season. The NHL should take advantage of that by showing off ...
What do you do when you've invested 4 hours in a game, its 1:30am and a full workday looms 6 hours away?
There is nothing better than a Stanley Cup playoff game going into multiple overtimes. There is nothing worse than that alarm clock going off anything less than 4 hours after finally falling asleep. Vancouver and Dallas kicked of what I love most about the playoff...
I was doing great watching the games downstairs (On the nice TV). Although the Pens vs. Sens early match up wasn't what I thought it would be, the later games really were starting to heat up. I was riveted by the Sharks vs. Preds game late in the 3rd period. I was thrilled when my old buddy J.P. Dumont tied the game to send to overtime. WOW! Funny, because it almost s...
Even though the Preds are off tonight I will still be watching Versus and the scoreboard from around the league. Here are my PREDictions for tonight’s match ups.
[b]Calgary at Detroit[/b]: As much as I want to predict an upset here I think the Wings will come out on top tonight. I see a low scoring affair…2-1 or 3-2 Wings. (Detroit wins the series)
[b]NY Islander...
Tampa's going to SPOOK the devils tonight. 4-2 probably.
NYR vs. ATL will be as exciting as the build up was for PIT vs. OTT. Then look what happened, the upper seed played like the upper seed. Kovi and crew, do yer thang!
Buffalo -- Score lots, rack up d'em points, my pool entries are count'in on it. Just another day at the office for Vanek and co.
And then t...
10. Don Whittman and his terrible commentary. Bring back Cuthbert, for the love of all that is hockey.
9. The Flames didn't even look like they were that concerned they were being manhandled.
8. As per above, someone did mention to the Flames that they playoffs have started, right?
7. Too many penalties. Way too many. So undisciplined.
6. Simply speaking, th...
Well, we saw those dreaded lames. the F-ing lames at that.
They played the game like it was a recreation league game and they just couldnt wait to go out and grab a beer after. The Flames now really have something to prove sunday as they put forth the worst effort by a team so far this season. I dont think ive ever turned a playoff game off within the first five minutes....
Well, the playoffs are still young, but there are still some interesting storylines that have started to develop.
[b]Senators and Penguins game 1:[/b]
This was not the game that anybody expected. Many people thought that the Sens would take this one, but not in the way that they did. The thrashing that was handed out on Wednesday should not be any indication of how...
Coming off an outstanding performance Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and added an assist as the Wings doused the Flames 4 - 1. People in the media have really written Datsyuk off, but he is out to prove these naysayers wrong. Some belived that Ken Holland made a huge mistake signing the playoff underachiever to a multi-year multi-million dollar deal. However, the game tonight sh...
I was listening to XM-204 tonight on my way home from work and the ice cap boys got me thinking about first round upsets. I think its safe to say after watching tonight game it looks like Calgary isn't going to be the team to knock off a top seed in this year Stanley Cup playoffs.
Detroit as of late has been known for their early exits. Last season the Edmonton Oilers...
...Outhustled, Outskated! Get the picture? This pretty much sums up game one in Detroit. The Wings pretty much won every battle. They worked harder, fought for pucks, made crisp passes and capitalized on scoring opportunities. Kipper played his butt off, but that simply wasn't enough on this night. For most of the game, the Flames couldn't muster up a decent shot and...
The update you have ALL been waiting for...(does anybody even read this thing?). Game 1 was a steam roller of a game for the Sens. There were squashed Pens littering the ice all night long. And yes, this is comming from a LONG TIME Penguins fan. Game 2 presents quite a challenge for our kids...will they be able to respond like we all think they can?
[b]THINGS TO LOOK FO...
This thing will not let me comment. I follow the rules it says to refresh and still it doesn't let me. What is wrong with this thing, it's pissing me off.
I can't believe no one has commented on this yet. After the huge game 7 disappointment, the Chris Pronger kick to the collective groins of Oilers fans, ticket price increase, injury ravaged, non-puck moving D man of a season, Joffre Lupul single handedly gets the Calgary Flames into the playoffs. I know I'm a little late in posting this, but last nights utter snoozfest aga...
You get an incident like a knee-on-knee hit from Hartnell to Cheechoo and you can figure out very quickly where somebody stands. So Hartnell is headed to jail in San Jose and Cheechoo is getting an Oscar in Nashville.
I don’t have any idea why people are so convinced that the sun rises and sets over their home teams. “Real” hockey fans know that there is ebb and...
Today many were wondering will Rick DiPietro play in Game 2 tommorow night at the HSBC Arena. Well we won't find that answer out until tommorow afternoon after the game day skates. Now if i was Ted Nolan i think i would go with the guy that got the islanders in to the playoffs and the hot goalie who would be Wade Dubielewicz. Nothing against the ability of US born Goaltend...
Philadelphia Flyers are my team. They have been my team my entire life and will continue to be the team I love with the most passion.
Any sports days at work where they allow you to wear sports apparel I come in sporting something Flyers. Even this year which was such a long year for Flyers fans I proudly wore my orange and black.
I do have other teams I love as I...
FLAMESTR writes...
PUBLIC APOLOGY PLEASE ANY HOCKEY PLAYERS PLEASE READ
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I have heard it said that players need to give the fans proper respect, while this is true but what comes to mind is a double edge sword, meaning don't the players deserve the same respect. Now don't get me wrong the fans have a right to call how it is if a player makes a mistake call him on it. But what his nationality or I Q or his up bringing have anything to do w...
What a game so far.
The Islanders have turned up the heat
But just when you thought they would turn it up higher.....
HERE COME THE SABRES
Sabres score late to come within one goal of the Islanders
remember [url]sabreschat.com/chat.shtml [/url]
Anyone watch the Ottawa/Pittsburgh game today? Pittsburgh scored a goal (not an important one -- just the game-winner) off the transition -- that was created when Daniel Alfredsson missed a glorious scoring chance. Why?
His piece-of-you-know-what stick broke.
I don't know how many scoring chances for are missed, and how many scoring chances against are created by s...
[b]By D. Smith[/b]:
Remember a couple months ago, way back in the pre-Forsberg dark ages, when media outlets all over North America were calling for the Predators to leave Music City? Supposedly our chronic attendance problems were dooming our franchise, and simply put, our fan support was "lukewarm". We didn't deserve this team. We didn't appreciate the great product t...
Will one fan's search for caloric karma end in enlightenment, or a 3-0 series deficit?
Game 1
Main course: Don't remember.
Result: 2-1 loss
Game 2
Main course: terrible tex-mex.
Result: 3-2 loss
Game 3
Subway
Classic BMT (foot long)
Meatball* (6 inch)
Coca-Cola classic
*In high school, I "played" soccer. Poorly. But my buddy and I had a "luck...
The heart of this city, the passionate Flames fan, is breaking right now. You can feel the rupture resonating down the red mile, through every basement and every bar, and you can see it in every face.
Kipper is playing beyond human, as we're so accustomed to... yet it is not enough. The forwards are not creating chances, are not forechecking hard, and look as though t...
I predicted a Flames win in 7. Well, for that to happen, there needs to be drastic improvement from, oh, about 18 Flames right now...
Kiprusoff is the only reason either of the games appeared close. This reminds me of that series between Winnipeg and Detroit in 1996 when Nik Khabibulin almost stole the series for the Jets. But as in that series, Detroit has simply be...
ForeverFlyer16 writes...
It's About Time Ron Hextall is Given His Due In Flyerland.
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
I watched the Flyers 40th Anniversary DVD to see Ron Hextall's emotions, and have in me feelings rekindled that I had over the entire period that he was with the Flyers... That exuberance that he displayed epitomized what being a Flyer actually means... He, along with Bob Clarke, acted with the raw emotion that I would like to see in every Flyer, every game, every year.
...
Eggshmeg writes...
MLB Honours Jackie Robinson, Should the NHL Follow Suit?
Posted Sunday | Comments 8
Today around Major League Baseball, African-American ball-players were wearing the #42 in honour of the great Jackie Robinson, known for being the first African-American baseball player to break the colour barrier. This got me thinking, should the NHL do the same for the first black hockey player, Willie O'Ree? O'Ree, in case you didn't know, broke into the league in 1958 ...
Dude, wake up, you should ask D-S for some help, or volunteer to leave? Who knows... whatever you're doing, not doing, it's not working.
I mean, it must suck, though for you at the same time, no one wanted you to fail, it's just... your team isn't playing to its potential.
I'm not even a Flames fan, but it's kind of funny...
Dudes on thehockeynews.com figure the...
On a number of fronts...
1. Will Regehr be able to play tomorrow night? it was obvisious that he is currently our best defensmen. With Phanuef a close 2nd.
2. Will McCarty be the answer? If that what the team needs, I hope so! sure he will play sub 10mins, but will the locker room presence be what they need?
3. Has anyone else seen enough of Hale/Warrener in the ...
So, I’m a born and raised Edmontonian that moved to Calgary 10 years ago to work in the oil patch. Living in the heart of the enemy‘s city hasn’t been easy, but for the most part the Oiler & Eskimo’s have done as well or better than their Red Rivals…. That is up until this year.
My defending grey cup champion Eskimos ended a consecutive playoff streak th...
My sources are telling me that early indications point to Sutter firing Playfair.
Details to come.
Sunday's Pens and Senators game was the worst of the series for the Penguins.
They gained some momentum in game 2...and it lasted into game 3...for about 5 minutes.
Game 3 was so disappointing because the Penguins should feel they have a chance to win this series, but they are not playing like it. They should be past the "wow, we are in the playoffs" feeling, and se...
Game 3, in Calgary, down 2 - 0, does it get any bigger than this? No. It's that simple. The Flames must come out with enerygy tonight. Forcheck hard, win battles, be physical and most importantly get the first goal. Tonight, I'm afraid, is do or die. Win this game and we have a series. Lose, and start thinking about the summer and next year!
43 and 51 SOG in th...
I don't think Red Wings fans could have hoped for a better way to start this series. They have dominated the entire 120 mins of this series so far. They have been the more skilled, but maybe more importantly, the more PHYSICAL team. They are initiating the hits, taking it to the Flames, and making a statement that this years Red Wings team is a PHYSICAL hockey team. Th...
It is unknown if Burtuzzi will play in tonight's game...but if he does who sits. It would be hard to sit Filipula, who would have been the obvious choice had this been Game 1. But Fillipula had scored 2 goals and his line had played extremely well with Franzen and Hudler attacking and crashing the net. Hudler is another option, but he is playing on both that line and h...
With the senators in control of this series this is a very important game. If the pens lose today they will be down 3-1 and have no chance to comeback. It is a desperate situation for the pens. It worrys me that during the moring skate the pens looked so relaxed. Maybe it is a tactic that Therrien is using so the pens do not have to think about the pressure they face. The ...
Eggshmeg writes...
The Best the NHL has to Offer, for Non-Hockey Watchers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This blog is for those of you who don't follow hockey all that much but have decided to watch some playoff hockey and you want to know the best games that are out there to watch this round. I'm gonna give you my suggestions of games to watch from the east and west, whichever side you're on. The games I post will be the most intriguing ones I think are out there out there. ...
I love read thoughtless articles from writers across the country that know NOTHING about hockey. they try so so hard to write an article or talk hockey and they cant. let's look at a couple of examples. After Todd Fedrouk,"Fridge" know by Flyers Fans, was smoke in a clean fight by Orr, Gary Bettman made appreence on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia sports news show 'Daily Ne...
Ottawa's winning goal came off the stick of Anton Volchenkov. Not only is this an unlikely hero, but instead he puts the proverbial nail in the coffin. The Penguins are now forced to win three out of four games. The Senators now have a 3-1 lead in the series, with a 2-1 win in Pittsburgh.
Gary Roberts was the lone Penguin to show determination, although some would say h...
Keys to Game 3:
Forecheck.
Play physical.
First to loose pucks.
Win the battles.
Discipline.
Composure.
Period 1:
There's the effort. That's how we really play. Had a few solid chances. Unlucky to not put any in. Iggy looks better. Conny is flying. Kipper looks solid again. Even Stuart is impressing. Warrener is a machine. 4minute penalty killed with ...
The passion. The toughness. The win.
This was Flames hockey. This was the grit we saw in '04. This is what we expected.
We were forechecking. We were winning the battles. We were making short passes and skating. We can beat the Wings. 1 down, 3 to go.
Down 3-1 in the series, the common thought that runs through your mind, as a player or a fan, is "[b]There is NO tomorrow[/b]".
That's the kind of thinking that many will argue is needed in order to beat the odds and win game 5 in Ottawa.
While I believe the intensity level necessary to win game 5 CAN be obtained from that line of thinking, there is also a tremendous...
mojoworld writes...
It's a far cry, but if anyone can do it... I think it's the
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
WILD!!! -- Down 3-1, how do you come back. How can you come back. Are you even supposed to come back? Well duh, you have to try. This is an open invite to everyone to list reasons why the Wild should beat the Ducks 3 more times in a row. I think it's not out of the question yet, obviously if they can win Game 5, people will start thinking it's possible or rather more ...
caveman writes...
A proposal to tweak the standings points for shootouts
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
One of the more visible changes to come out of the lockout was the institution of the shootout to decide the winner of games which remained undecided after a 4-on-4 overtime. This resulted in quite a lot of excitement for fans to be sure, but also let a few rounds of a skills competition play a large part in determining standings points for a team.
The original move to ...
In 2004, a young man (well, if you count 26 as young) got to live a dream of a lifetime and go to a Stanley Cup Finals Game. That young man was me, and being from Newfoundland where the closest NHL team is Boston (it could be Toronto, but I can't stand the Leafs) I never even got close to a pre-season game in my first 25 years of life.
That year, I experienced the grea...
The Minnesota Wild have the most daunting of tasks ahead of them.
We've all heard the constant droning on and on about the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders and their amazing comeback stories. Blah blah blah blah blah. Fact is, even though the Wild exploded for 5 goals in Game 4 (yeah, one was waved off on a bogus call on a rule that is no longer in exis...
The Pens have played better in the last game but are still down 3-1. They are looking for a way to get momentum. Well couldn't it be a huge momentum builder if the pens could pull off a dramatic win in overtime. This type of win could shift all the momentum in a penguins favor and bring the series back to the igloo. I know it may sound far fetched but i believe in the pens...
Tonight Game 4 of the Flames-Red Wings series goes at 7:30MST (9:30EST for the majority of readers on here) and to say something that is obvious - Calgary needs the win. Not only do the need the win, they need to get it in convincing fashion.
Sure they beat the Red Wings 3-2 on Tuesday night but many of the glaring errors the Flames made in Games 1 & 2 are still around...
When this series started, I truy believed the Penguins could compete with the Senators. The teams played such close games during the regular season that it seemed almost impossible for the series not to go 6 or 7 games. (still trying to get my foot out of my mouth from that prediction...)
What happened during the playoffs was plain and simple -- the Senators had an extr...
It was the night of nights. Everyone in town knew that we had to play better, regardless of our victory on Tuesday. The swing game was live or die. No way we could crawl out of a hole going back to the Joe. It was tonight or bust.
We've played consecutively better every game, and believe it or not, I think we still need to get better. Kipper is inhuman. I think he...
My heart constantly pounds like a drum. My fists are sore from being clenched, and sweat occasionally drips from my brow. My playoff beard is itching like hell and my facepaint is all over my Flames Jersey... I couldnt ask for a better time. For the rabid hockey fans, playoffs are considered a religious event and we put players/teams in the spotlight and on a pedestal. It ...
[img]C:\Documents and Settings\Greg\Desktop\gregs ringers\staalhattrick.mp3[img:right][img][/img]What do you think was the best moment of the year for the Pengins? Personally i think Staals overtime goal versus toronto that completed the hattrick was best.[img]C:\Documents and Settings\preferred customer\Desktop\evolution.jpg[/img]
Can anyone see or hear the pic?
I think the Sharks' intensity level was just higher. San Jose was the better team and it showed. San Jose is deeper than ever before, and they are definitely a team to be feared in these playoffs.
Where Nashville lost this series, however, was with the penalties. San Jose's power play was lousy, but the penalties to Nashville just killed their momentum. Thats one th...
[i]O Calgary Flames who skate in the Dome,
Hallowed be the ice upon which you play.
Your power rankings will climb
As your points do over time, at Sportsnet as well on TSN.
Give us this day our special teams skill.
And forgive us our tresspasses as we check those who try to do us ill.
Lead us not to the penalty box and deliver us from unreviewed goals,
For thine are...
And we should give thanks for that. The Flames came out today and played a SOLID first period. If we had played that way the whole game, we would have won. However, we stopped skating after the first period. Not only that, we kept giving the puck away, both in our own zone and at the offesive blueline. How can you expect to win when you do that? How can you even expec...
I hate the wings, but the way the Flames are acting is an embarassment to the league.
[b]WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN LIFE PART 3[b]
When I started watching the game I began to slip and began to get stressed so my wife told me to go for a walk and forget the game. So I put on my coat and went for a walk, while I was walking our beautiful streets of Calgary , I over heard some body swear when Detroit scored there second goal I was walking in a back all...
The Flames have done themselves no favors as they now head into game 6 on Sunday down a game and on the brink of elimination. The Flames started off game 5 fairly well and even outshot the Red Wings for most of the first period. But, it was a second period special teams disaster that marked the beginning of the end for Calgary. Dan Cleary roofed a penalty shot during a Fla...
seriously, people need to take a very,very deep breath about the McLennan slash. come on, real hockey fans will tell this used to happen all the time. I remember Ron Hextall jabbing the forward infront for position to see where the puck. Hextall did slash players and faced the consequences. He would a) face the player (thats call players policing themselves or b) get a fin...
And with that, the Detroit Red Wings have eliminated the Calgary Flames from contention.
As much as I was pulling for the Flames, the Wings deserved to win this series. Kiprusoff was the only guy on Calgary's roster who was showing up to play every game.
A major surprise was the play of Johan Franzen in this series. I barely knew who he was prior to this series, and...
Well, as hard as this is for me, a Flames fan to say, the better team won. Calgary played this game with grit and heart, but so did the Detroit Red Wings. Half of the problem coming into this series was the fact that many flames fans, among others, had it burned in their minds that #8 seeded Calgary could easily beat the #1 seeded Detroit, as the Red Wings have struggled t...
The Flames were eliminated, and the frustrating thing is, this was a very winnable series.
The stats will tell you that Detroit nearly doubled the Flames' shot total. That is misleading. Sure, the Flames did play that badly, but they have the offensive talent and the toughness to compete with Detroit. Kiprusoff held up his end. Did anyone else?
The lack of cohe...
Hey, I'm a Flames fan (you may have already guessed that tho).
I'm a fan of the team that has been lambasted and generally scourged by almost every media outlet for the past 24hrs and frankly I'm tired of it.
Perhaps this is the part where you gasp in surprise that I could even think to disagree that they deserved all this heaping on being done by the media but you k...
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
'Sabres Only' Fantasy Hockey Leauge – Join In for Round Two!
Posted Monday | Comments 1
Sabres Fans… Join in for round 2 of the hometeamhockey.com playoff fantasy league. Below is a short description from the site's creator. I've participated for the past few "divisions" and really enjoy it. You should give it a try.
[quote][i]Fantasy Hockey for the Home Town Fan. Why a fantasy league with just one team? My thinking is this: I like Fantasy sports, bu...
The Wings win in 6 games.
Before everyone gets on my case about this blog, remember one thing - I'm a fan and I'm going to tell it how I saw it. You may disagree but this is what I saw. The reasons we lost this series:
1. Detroit was the better team. Forechecking, passing, defensive play - they played all 6 games the same and lost 2 by one goal which were winnable...
This Thursday marks the beginning of yet another battle of 100+ point regular season teams. New Jersey finished with 107 and Ottawa with 105, with the season series going the way of the Devils 3-1. Despite holding a 3-1 edge is the regular season series, there’s no doubting who the stronger of the two teams down the stretch was, it’s the Senators. That being said, this...
Eklund has his airline ticket to Nashville for the Sharks and Preds game seven but the problem is there won't be a game seven.
For the second year in a row the Preds were handed a 4 games to 1 series loss at the hands of the San Jose Sharks. Seriously...if I see anything teal right now I might just hurl!
This was a physical series (some might even say dirty...but l...
Alright Flames fans, let's forget yesterday or even this whole series ever happened. Let's get down to business for next season.
Here is the list of UFAs for the Flames:
Tony Amonte
Marcus Nilson
Jeff Friesen
Darren McCarty
Byron Ritchie
Wayne Primeau
Roman Hamrlik
Brad Stuart
Brad Ference
Jamie McLellan (G)
Here is the list for the RFAs:
Matthew Lo...
Well, we're a few days out from the sad loss in 2OT to the Wings and the pain of that night has certainly dulled which is nice. It helps to still be able to go to games as our Jr team, the Calgary Hitmen, are playing in the Conference finals right now - beyond most expectations of the team this year (unlike the Flames).
My wish list for the Flames now that we're in the ...
I delayed posting a blog after our overtime defeat because it would be ridden with grief and emotional outbursts. Tears are not rare when it comes to me and my beloved Flames. Needless to say I am struggling to find my way again, as I commit so much to the team and their journey.
However, this blog is for looking forward. I would love to be in Sutter's position right...
Well, the job's open. Who wants it? There are a slew of potentials, even a few that have been vocal (Craig Patrick, Bob Clarke). Ownership will begin the interview process within the week, and hopefully now that some teams have been eliminated, the search can be narrowed. Dave Taylor from LA and Craig Button, formerly of Calgary, are rumored to be the front-runners, and th...
Well after a few days of reflection, I can hopefully put what happened in some sort of perspective now.
I gotta tell you though.. it's been a tough year with a lot more ups and downs than expected.
So. where are we heading? Who's most likely to stay or go? Let's start with the players.
Iggy says he wants to stay in Calgary.. He also says he has more...
> Congratulations to [url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8449545&service=page]Scott Mellanby[/url] on a very good career. Mellanby [url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2007/04/23/mellanby-retirement.html?ref=rss]announced his retirement[/url] after 21 seasons in the NHL. He finishes with 364 goals and 476 assists for 840 regular sea...
After Mr. Sutter met with Media on his state of the Franchise Speech the Media walked away just as confused if not more. He refused to comment on the future of Coach Playfair or on the Contracts of Iggy and Kipper does that mean kipper and iggy are traded and Playfiar fired? Heck no it means that Sutter is not going half cocked and firing Playfair and jumping to any co...
Bill Meltzer had an interesting post today regarding the debate over whether or not the NHL should switch to shootouts in the playoffs:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=7179
I stand with Mr. Meltzer on this, and just want to add a thought I had. The people who are looking for a change in playoff format are clearly not hockey fans, or they would know how rid...
The Rangers win. Yes I know, I know. I was jumping for joy too.
However the road is far from over. The impressive showing they brought on against Buffalo was great. They played their game. They came on tough and really left everything out on the ice and in so were rewarded by a great Rozsival shot to finally end the game in the 2nd OT.
This game had everything. Hits,...
-
[b]The largest, best, and longest running hockey card and memorabilia expo takes place this weekend, May 4 to 6 2007, at the Toronto International Centre. The 32nd Toronto Sport Card and Memorabilia Expo will deliver over 900 tables of rare cards and nonsport items from the world of hockey and other sports.[/b]
The show boasts a heavy line up of autograph guests like...
When I was first hired by the HHOF last summer, the first question I asked was "Will I be working Induction Night?". Thats where I was told all employees work that night. Since then, that was the one night I was looking forward to. However, Induction night wasn't till November 13th, so I still had 2 and a half months to get my feet wet there.
So as I got more experience...
I love the NHL playoffs…I really do but I guess I’m a little preoccupied with the San Jose – Detroit series for a couple of reasons. The first being that San Jose just knocked us (the Preds) out in five games in round one. You get to know another team pretty well during a playoff series. I got to know, for better or worse, these Sharks really well during round one.
...
When the Ottawa Senators take the ice tonight, not only can they put their opponents up against the wall, but take once step closer to silencing the critics. It is well known how the media and fans (both loyal and of other teams) feel about the Senators, but this is the chance they’ve been waiting for since 2003. In 2003, the last time the Ottawa Senators made it to the ...
The Ottawa Senators took a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference Semi-finals series against the New Jersey Devils. The team that was once the template of a team that chokes in the playoffs is finally coming of age. Their great play from the first round against the Penguins(which I think was slightly discredited because the Pens are so inexperienced) has car...
Okay…so I was talking to my dad the other night about the Wings and Sharks (I think it was before game three) and he said something that I found very interesting. He said that he didn’t mind the Wings playing the Sharks because they don’t finish games well.
Hmmm…I thought. Let’s see. The Sharks just beat the wings in Game 1 2-0 and I thought they finished that...
With the Vancouver Canucks season coming to a close many would expect that the blame game would be topic number one around town. In my mind that should not be the focus as the team accomplished well beyond our collective expectations and the only thing that allowed us to toy with the thought of a Stanley Cup parade was our goaltending. Roberto Luongo proved last night, wit...
Focused Senators Will Not Be Rattled!
In a series that has been all but dominated by the Ottawa Senators, it was the future Hall of Famer, Martin Brodeur that was trying to get into the heads of the Senators and attempt to throw them of their game. After letting in two weak goals himself, he tried to deflect any talk of weak play to his counterpart Ray Emery by saying,
...
last night blog was a blog of frustration and being pissed off at the sport i love. plus i had little too much too drink last night in celebatation of cinco de mayo, which explains about everything for last night. Sorry if i oftened anyone.
For now on, im only blogging on the finals, Flyers and Ripping gary bettman to help make a change in this league and I’ll release...
The Medicine Hat Tigers even the WHL Championship final with a 3 - 2 win on Saturday night. The win was rather crucial as the series reverts to the 2-3-2 format is was important that the Tigers had at least a split at home before heading to the west coast for three. The Giants now look to close out the series at home with three games at home and the home ice crowd on their...
First I would like to take this opportunity to say congrats to Sens Fans. Your team was better than mine, and I can accept losing to a better team. Also as a whole you guys have been the classiest group of fans to invade what I am happy to say used to be our arena. Now all I ask of the Sens is they go all the way so I can comfort myself in the fact that it took the Stanley...
HomeIceFan writes...
Sorry Eugene: Either Have Us Full-Time, Or Not At All
Posted Monday | Comments 2
This Ottawa-Buffalo series is going to be an exciting one. Geographically, Leaf fans could easily get their hockey fix being smackdab in between these 2 towns. At the same time, it's easy for Leaf fans to hate both these teams. Do you hate the team that crushed your Cup dreams some years ago, or do you hate the team who brags about crushing your dreams, yet never has? Dani...
It looks like Canucks are making huge atempts for offence. For example:
Paul Kariya - 40% - Would work very well as hometown boy
Scott Gomez - 25% - Would bring some good offence to Vancouver
Anson Carter - 25% - Could work with Sedins, cheaper
Ladislav Nagy - 20% - Would bring good offence
Wes Walz - 10% - Always plays good ag...
The Sudbury Wolves evened the OHL league championship final with a convincing 7 - 3 victory over the Plymouth Whalers on Sunday evening. Andrew Self and Devin DiDiomete led the way for the Wolves with two tallies each while Matt Dias and Nick Foligno both tallied three assists. The four goal spread was rather strange considering the Whalers outshot the Wolves by a convinci...
I thought that I would let people know what the Flames Players are like and why it means so much to me when some get traded .
The year after the lockout the flames had their preseason camp at the Don Hartman arena instead of the Dome. My son and I decided that we would go down to watch them play, and to get some autographs. There is a lot of stories that I could t...
There's almost 36hrs now till the puck drops on the Conference Finals so it's time for some thoughts on life in the off-season for this Flames fan....
[u]Thought #1[/u]
It was very disappointing to see the end of the Rangers - they were the last dark horse left in the playoffs and while I didn't really expect them to make it past the Sabres, I just really miss there be...
Script writers and media people alike, couldn’t have wished for a better, more exciting match-up, that the one being brought by the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres. Not only is their an obvious dislike for one another, but the match-up will also boast two of the most potent offences in the N.H.L.. The two teams do not need any fuel to light their fires, both teams app...
The Lewiston Maineiacs on the strength of three staller goaltending performances are proving to be way too much for Val-dO'r in the QMJHL Championship series. Maineiacs goaltender, Jonathan Bernier was also named the CHL goaltender of the week for posting an 18 save shutout on Friday, followed by a 30 save performance on Saturday and a 26 save effort in game three last nig...
Following terrible showing in game three the Vancouver Giants bounced back in game four of the WHL Championship series. The league championship is now guaranteed to return to 'the hat' for game six as the Giants are just about to clean up the finishing touches on what appears to be a 4 - 0 victory. The game remained tied heading into the third period as the two teams conti...
[img]http://bp1.blogger.com/_oCmYyKF1nYg/RkMyBFMs7FI/AAAAAAAAAKo/2W51rn2Cv0A/s400/detsan.jpg[/img]
[b]
WINGS WIN!! WINGS WIN!![/b]
Game 5 and 6 showed what a champion is supposed to look like.. The Wings never looked liked they were going to lose while the Sharks looked scared.. Really, I can't even say the Sharks looked desperate. That would require SJS to have a pulse...
Conference Finals Predictions
Oh I wanted the Preds to be here…I really thought they would be. Man when we traded for Foppa I could have sworn I overheard a call from the NHL’s official engraver checking to make sure that Tomas Vokoun doesn’t have an ‘H’ in his name. Now I know it was the tee time manager at the Karlovy Vary Country Club asking if would need...
Going to my car Thursday morning I was greeted with the cold, wet blanket that can be Buffalo spring. My initial thoughts were concern about how this was going to affect the ice. I knew it was going to warm up, but would the humidity lift, and if it didn’t were the Sabres going to have problems dealing with slow, choppy ice. No matter I thought, game time was twelve h...
With the Lewiston Maineiacs completion of a four game sweep in the QMJHL Championship series, the attention of the CHL falls squarely on the WHL and OHL finals.
The Sudbury Wolves and Plymouth Whalers face off this evening in game five of the OHL Championship series. The game is just underway and the visiting Wolves scored 1:51 into the first period of play. Plymouth f...
I am 33 years old with a 4 year old little boy and another child just days away.. As a fairly even keeled sports fan (yeah, the trashcan? ancient history) I do not get as worked up as I used to as a 20 something lunatic who would go off after every home team loss.. Keep this in mind when I tell you that I was genuinely NERVOUS in the hours leading up to today's game.. You ...
Last night I decided to spend some time with the fiancé as today happens to be her birthday and well with all this hockey lately, I am sure that you all understand. We watched an pretty good flick, Smokin' Aces, its a typical mob movie but in the end it looks like the directors wanted a 'shoot em up' movie and just threw together a story line.
Enough blabbing already, ...
Hey Pens Fans,
Here is the thhird and final segmet of the team report card.
Nils Ekman
Nils only played in 34 games this injury plagued season. He was -14 and besides a few patches, his play was ineffective. I think we should be able to expect more from him, but this year was a disappointment.
Grade: C-
Josef Melichar
How is he still a Penguin? Every season I ask...
After the Parent trade, wasn't this guy supposed to be the Predators' top defensive prospect?
Well, he sure hasn't shown it in the playoffs.
In 19 playoff contests, Franson has just 3 goals an 4 assists to go wth a solid +8 rating. Those are pretty solid numbers for a defensman under normal circumstances. But these aren't normal circumstances. Franson had 17 goa...
[b]Tigers 3 - Giants 2 - Final[/b]
MH Goal - Brennan Bosch (Glass)
Brennan Bosch scored the game/series/championship winning goal in double overtime to give the Medicine Hat Tigers the WHL crown for 2007. What an unbelievable game, great series, this is bare bones hockey. I feel sorry for those of you who could not watch these kids go end to end, shot for shot. Cong...
Again, the Sabres' special teams are a collective no-show. Senators were in complete control of what little of the game I saw(about the last 15 minute). And, if you'll remember, I called this plus another win yesterday... ;-)
And Thursday night the Buffalo Sabres and Stanley Cup will not be mentioned in the same sentence again until October.
With 10:22 left in the fi...
What in the hell happened here? Three games totally dominated by Ottawa. No “ifs, ands or buts” about it. No excuses. A thorough beating. PERIOD.
So… now I have to come up with a few reasons to make myself believe that the Sabres are on the verge of a monumental comeback. Here it goes.
[b]They can replace Kalinin. [/b]
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a s...
The Vancouver Giants and Medicine Hat Tigers played a Game Seven for the ages last night. This game was everything that game seven in the NHL isn't. Intensity...check...Wide Open...check...End to End Rushes...check...Every last ounce of engery on the ice...check. I brings to debate...which is the better product?
I for one have always contested that the NHL is still the ...
This will be my live blog while watching the game.
First Period:
1:04 - Detroit looks hungry. You know a team is outplaying their opponents when they start getting powerplays, and we are seeing that now. Pronger was just lazy on that last call.
:42 - What a shot by Holmstrom. I disagree with the commentator in this case though. He said that the Anaheim defense...
This is perfect! The stage is set... the Sabres got 'em right where they want 'em! I can already feel the pressure mounting on the Sens for game 6! Keep the faith!
Like I said before… the Sabres are on the verge of a monumental comeback! Are there any other teams you would expect to be in this scenario? Buffalo has been known for comebacks all year... Ottawa is known ...
Well, I think most of us would be surprised to think that in this series a team has a 3-1 lead, let a lone the Ottawa Senators. I think its fair to say that most hockey analysts pegged ottawa as the underdogs, but their play in the playoffs, including the buffalo sabres, should have been otherwise. Ottawa was able to deal with Pittsburgh and New Jersey quite easily in 5 ga...
[b]Welcome to the Memorial Cup[/b]
The Memorial Cup tournament gets underway tomorrow evening with the host Vancouver Giants taking on the OHL Champion Plymouth Whalers. I will preview the game tomorrow afternoon, for now have look see at an overview of each team. If cannot get television coverage of the tournament in your area, I have included each teams website which ...
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/buffaloerie/story/78531.html
A woman and 6 of her friends attended Game 4 of the ECF up at Scotiabank Place dressed in Sabres jerseys and gear. After the game, this lady was pushed down to the ground, punched, and others in her group were injured as someone attacked them.
This is absurd and utterly horrible to hear...not just ...
Okay, first things first. Following yesterday's blog "Memorial Cup Previews" I was questioned as to how I could predict the Giants to be have a fourth place finish in this years tourney. As we all know, it is very difficult to follow a junior hockey club as we are absolutely lambasted with print after print about everything to do with the NHL. Living in a Canuck crazed mar...
[img]http://www2.ottawasenators.com/_static/webUpload/265/228_1.jpg[/img]
Growing up as a child in Ottawa, ON and playing minor hockey for years, the one constant thing that remained the same throughout my childhood was the fact Saturday Night was Hockey Night In Canada. A lot has changed since then, which brings me to my point for writing this article.
With NFL, NB...
[b]Game Review - Giants 4 - Whalers 3 OT/Final[/b]
I will have to admit, I did not see the goal but Kendall McArdle notched the winnner in the early stages of overtime to boos the Vancouver Giants to a 4-3 victory over the Plymouth Whalers.
While watching the first period I was some what baffled at how the Whalers carried themselves. The seemed to want to try to intim...
After reading the passinate blog that TIm Panccio wrote about the hack job by NBC. Maybe TIm and other NHL writers start addressing the real problem in this league..
Gary Bettman
There is only two writers who openly goes after Bettman on his mistakes and that guy is Larry Brooks of New York Post and then Toronto Sun NHL Writer Al Strachan.
Al Strachan knew fr...
[b]Game Review - Tigers 1 - Vs Maineiacs 3 [/b]
I totally missed the game but the Lewiston Maineiacs scored two second period goals and added another in the third to defeat the Medicine Hat Tigers by a 3 -1 margin. It would appear that Jonathan Bernier was at his best (yet again) as he turned asided 30 of the 31 shots that the Tigers directed at the Maineiacs goal.
...
Luongo07 writes...
Now That's Hockey, Giants over Maineiacs, Tigers vs. Whalers
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[b]Game Review[/b]
[b]Giants 2 vs. Maineiacs 1[/b]
This is going to be a quick entry today...
Opps, I did it again! I watched a junior hockey game pretty well from begining to end, meanwhile just glancing at the NHL contest here and there. Not that I could be faulted after the show that the Giants and Maineiacs put on yesterday at the Memorial Cup tournament.
Lew...
They pulled it off! The Plymouth Whalers season will continue for at least one more game and the Memorial Cup tournament just got a lot more interesting.
With the victory, Plymouth is now guaranteed at least a date with Medicine Hat or Lewiston for the tie-breaker game that is scheduled for Thursday evening at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.
The opponent will be...
Tonight the Vancouver Giants and Medicine Hat Tigers renew their rivalry for the 8th time in since May 4th. If this were the Vancouver Canucks meeting the Minnesota Wild for the eight time in less than a month I would be extremely depressed. Fact of the matter is, these two teams hate each other and they love telling each other that they hate playing each other...does that...
The speculation that various Canadian venues in Ontario would be chosen if the Preds were to leave Music City doesn't ask the right question: [b]If the Preds were moved[/b] to Kitchener, Brantford, Hamilton, or even The Soo or Sudbury - [b]the real question is,what conference would they be in?[/b]
Would they automatically become an Eastern Conference team with such a m...
Tonight's game started with the intense vigor that I had expected but in the end...it was dull. I think the coaches really calmed the player's down, the Tigers were able to keep the crowd out of it and the game really lacked the intensity that was expected.
In the end the Tigers scored the lone goal on a late second period power-play and the Giants could not muster much...
[b]Vancouver Giants vs Plymouth Whalers [/b]
[b]Time: 5:00pm PST[/b]
[b]Television: Rogers Sportsnet[/b]
The Vancouver Giants and Plymouth Whalers meet for the second consecutive Friday in the Memorial Cup Semi-Final. The Giants have looked better throughout the course of the tournament but as with every hockey game there are under-lying factors that may play agains...
That noise is the pounding of the Plymouth Whalers by the Vancouver Giants and for the ninth time in the month of May the Giants will face the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Feeling the pressure of the let down with Wednesday's loss, the Giants took it to the Whalers early with Wacy Rabbit beating Michael Neuvirth on the games first shot. Before the first period was out Michal R...
My devotion to the Vancouver Giants of the WHL is new. I’ve come to realize recently that it’s a selfish act, because my new hobby permits me three of my favorite indulgences.
First: It represents yet another excuse to interact with the lively swarm of personalities on HockeyBuzz chat in ways I didn’t think that simple typing allowed. A work-at-home dev...
Sunday afternoon the WHL [b]Vancouver Giants[/b] -- coached by my old friend of more than thirty years, [b]Don "Hayzer" Hay[/b] -- will be playing for junior hockey's ultimate prize, the [b]Memorial Cup[/b], against the Medicine Hat Tigers before a no doubt sold out house at the [b]Pacific Coliseum[/b] in [b]Vancouver, B.C.[/b]. Over the past few months, the Giants have be...
People may ask, how does a guy living in Massachusetts get hooked onto Vancouver Giants hockey. The answer is simple really, I love hockey, and the team at the time had just gotten Wacey Rabbit in a trade from Saskatoon. You see, Wacey Rabbit and Milan Lucic are teammates on the Vancouver Giants, and both are also prospects in the Boston Bruins organization. Once Wacey ...
Is anyone out there watching this? You gotta love it when they let the players play! I will blog later but for now:
Comments on the game?
Well it is a long weekend here in the states. There is not much hockey going on anywhere right now. I couldn't even get people together to play a pick up game.
I am anxious for the Stanley cup finals to start and dread it all at the same time. I am not a supporter of either team. Do I have a favorite? why, yes, but neither team is in my top 10 for NHL teams to roo...
iScoop writes...
All Hail the Vancouver Giants -- 2007 Memorial Cup Champions
Posted Sunday | Comments 4
What a glorious aftrnoon of fellowship and the pure joy of hockey could be found in the [b]HockeyBuzz Chatroom[/b] today! For almost four hours, a diverse group of us HB chatters eschewed family BBQs, a day at the beach, and other recreations of a beutiful holiday weekend Sunday afternoon to huddle by our computers and join, albeit in cyberspace, the crowd of 16,281 that f...
First and foremost congratulation to the Vancouver Giants on winning the 2007 Master Card Memorial Cup, and also a big round of applause to the 3 other teams that competed for the title the Medicine Hat Tigers, Plymouth Whalers and the Lewiston Maineiacs.
For those who do not follow Jr. Hockey the Memorial Cup is a very difficult championship to win. The C...
[img]http://www.sportsnet.ca/images/daily/sat/emery_practice_cup_hor.jpg[/img]
It’s been a long wait for both Senator and Duck fans, but it all begins tonight (May 28th, 2007). This battle should be a good one and the physical prowess of both teams will be shown early on. The epic face off has the Senators big 3 (Alfie-Spezza-Heatley) going up against two Norris Troph...
I'm just listening to Chuck Swirsky on the Fan590, and I hear about this pledge that Toronto's Mayor David Miller, Vancouver's Mayor Sam Sullivan, and Calgary's Mayor Dave Bronconnier, is creating to make Leaf fans, Canucks fans, and Flames fans root for the Senators during this Stanley Cup Finals.
This is absolutely ridiculous! If your a fan of the Leafs you are NOT ro...
I posted the following after the Giants Memorial Cup victory last Sunday:
[i]"What a glorious aftrnoon of fellowship and the pure joy of hockey could be found in the [b]HockeyBuzz Chatroom[/b] today! For almost four hours, a diverse group of us HB chatters eschewed family BBQs, a day at the beach, and other recreations of a beutiful holiday weekend Sunday afternoon to ...
Only a few hours to go now until game 2 starts. I am pumped.
Lots to expect out of this one. Will the Sens be able to fight back or will the Ducks just keep on hitting everyone and wear down the Sens?
I really think that this is the Ducks chance. They have a great opportunity to go ahead 2-0 in the series and forcing the Sens to win 4 in 5 games. They have a lo...
The first two games of this series have been probably the best playoff hockey games I've seen in a while (and I've seen a lot, from the 4OT Buffalo-New Jersey thriller that was probably one of of not THE best 1-0 games ever, to Stevie Y ripping THAT shot over Jon Casey's shoulder in 1996), mostly because for some reason the Galactic Empire (aka the NHL) has allowed its ref...
Montreal 1993 game 2. Marty Mcsorley gets called for and illegal stick..........Result The hockey nation of Canada gets the cup for the last time in the century.
Aniehim 2007 Danny Heatley, Jason Spezza, and daniel alfreedson.......... A once Unstopable force Turns into the highest paid turn over machine in the NHL.
Result...........well probably a Stanley cup.
...
[img:left]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Zacobius/matshor_78503.jpg[/img]So it's all over the news. It looks like Sundin is a lock for a 2 year deal worth 10 to 11 million. I wouldn't really call this news as it has been speculated for a long time. There is seems to be a split amongst the Leafs Nation. I think most would agree that Mats has been amazing in his 1...
Yeah, yeah, Ottawa is behind to an American team, but the link below is the front page news (at least at C N N and E S P N). I guess that it is what's important!
http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/05/31/spelling.bee.ap/index.html
Only second Place! Anything but gold is a disgrace. We better form some committees to re-evaluate our national program. What’s CanSpell do...
Obviously the Spezza- heatley- Alfie trio has been amazing in the playoffs for the sens this season, and to blame one line for playoff failure seems a bit weak. This line has carried the sens throughout the playoffs, and it is up for the rest of the team to step it up. Comrie 2 goals. Schaefer 1 goal. Fisher 4 goals. Of the second line, fisher has been the bright spot, whe...
[i]I received the following email from my old friend of thirty years, Vancouver Giants coach Don Hay, this morning in response to my passing along the congratulations of the HockeyBuzz chatters on the Giants' MC championship:[/i]
Hi Scoop,
Thanks for your support. Joey had been keeping me informed on the two of you emailing back and forth and to still have those old...
I didn't get to see much of Game 3 as I was on a mini vacation on the weekend. Went to Seattle to check it out and had a great time. All that I saw was the last 10min of the first, Coach's Corner and funny enough, the Pronger elbow.
Now I did get to watch Game 4 and another solid game. This has been a very good series to watch and they have all been tight games. T...
[img:left]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Zacobius/nik_51009.jpg[/img] Well lets get this news out of th way. Antropov as been re-signed for 2 years, a little over $4 mil. Not sure what to think. Clearly this puts him as a top 6 forward and his expectations have gone up. His problems have always been injuries. It's a shame really cause you can see his talent whe...
[img:left]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Zacobius/nhl_blog/capt.jpg[/img] Well congrats to the Ducks. What a great playoff run and what a win in Game 5. After all those close games, it was great to see them in a blowout. After watching Cory Perry in London, it was great to see him get that goal (what a shot) and once again, no celebration looks better in sports t...
Here is my quick breakdown of what I expect each team to do this year at the draft. I will show you what each team's weakness is and later I will post who I think each team will draft based on these facts, in the first two rounds. A mock draft if you will. Here is my breakdown:
[b]Anaheim[/b] - May need defensive help, but Brian Burke has a knack to make a good trade...
Here is my prediction of the first round basing it on each team's needs as pointed out in my previous blog. I believe this is the most accurate way you can do a mock draft, and I hope you people enjoy this. Here we go:
1. Chicago - Patrick Kane - RW
2. Philadelphia - Kyle Turris - C
3. Phoenix - Alexei Cherepanov - RW
4. Los Angeles - Sam Gagner - C
5. Washington...
Since the GM meetings were held this week, I have decided to make this post to fit the scenario IF the gms decide to put in bigger nets-
October 4, 2007- The first game of the NHL season in Anaheim has been delayed because they could not get the new bigger net through the zamboni entrance and onto the slushy ice rink. Finally, the game has started at midnight eastern ti...
This is an open question for all the NHLers out there. Unrestricted free agency is almost upon us and a handful of notable free agents such as Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, and Ryan Smyth to name a few, look like they will become UFA's.
So here's the big question. As a top level UFA how do you decide which team you will decide to sign with? For some it...
Here is the continuation of my series of predictions for the upcoming 2007 draft. This will be the final installment seeing as I haven't prepared a third round. I would be happy to make one up if you want me to, but as of right now this is it. Enjoy!
Round 2
31. Buffalo - Thomas Hickey- D
32. Phoenix - Stefan Legein - RW
33. Vancouver - Michal Repik - RW
34. Wa...
NucksFan writes...
Top 10 Signs You Are Going Through Hockey Season Withdrawl
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
[b]10.[/b] You are actually interested in the news that Chelios got re-signed by Detroit.
[b]9.[/b] Youtube is visited daily to find fan videos of the final seconds before The Ducks hoist the Stanley Cup.
[b]8.[/b] Your computer's desktop wallpaper is still your team's logo.
[b]7.[/b] You still sport the car flag of your team as you drive around town.
[b]6....
Note to Preds fans: I don't necessarily want to see the Preds move to Hamilton because I think they have a very solid base of real fans who deserve a better fate, and because their rivalry with the Blues has been intense in the past few years.
However, if they do move, there will be an imbalance in the league and it will probably lead to the addition to 2 new teams in...
As reported on tsn.ca, it appears Mike Keenan could be back in the NHL - as the head coach of the Calgary Flames.
I'm in shock and disbelief. If this is a rumour then TSN got burnt bad but if it's true, God help Kipper!
What do the terms EASTERN, WESTERN, Atlantic, Northeast, Southeast, Central, Northwest and Pacific mean to you?
Unless you are explaining the weather or refering to geographical locations, they don't mean anything to me.
I don't recall the exact year the division and conference names were changed (somenone help me out on that one) but I do remember thinking "WHAT?!!!...
When I found out about the move that versus made last night it made me wonder if the NHL wants this game to flourish in the States. I have often heard that the NHL is a regional game and not national game in the USA, and they should stay that way. Well I am wondering if the NHL is marketing to be a regional sport.
They have their awards show and half the peop...
cfposi writes...
Samsonov: Don't let the door hit you on the way out...
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Another reason why I think Bob Gainey is the best GM in the league! Instead of buying out Samsonov (cap hit of 1.175 over the next 2 years), we have now traded this dissapointment to Chicago in return for Cullimore and Salmelainen (Total Cap hit of 2.65M this year). To make things better, the habs will buyout Cullimore (cap hit of 612,000 over the next 2 years). This is gr...
June 30th is the date when we will find out what the new salary cap is for the 2007-2008 season. In my opinion, it needs to be high. Higher than expected. Some of the numbers being thrown around are 48, 49, and maybe even 50. Eklund stated recently that the cap is set to rise to 52, and I don't mind that. Players want more money (obviously), teams are stuck and are willing...
beerbaron writes...
Mucks, Mega Bucks and something else that rhymes with ucks..
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Yes folks the baron is back after a lenghty battle with kidney stones. Who knew a stone that was 5mm could kick the crap out of someone so badly. Anywho I digress...Lots has happened in the last month. I'm not going to rehash the cup final as that horse has been put to pasture. All I will say is congrats to both Anaheim and Ottawa for making it.
The Sens came out o...
Per TSN, http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=211407&hubname=
In order:
Penalty Shots. Really, this just brings it in line with what all of Canada has been doing for a few years now, and I agree with it. Why should you not be allowed a penalty shot when you get tackled from behind, just because the other team's player didn't wait another two-thirds of a second? A br...
Eggshmeg writes...
Why Is It So Difficult To Put A Franchise In Hamilton?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
We've seen different franchises move before, mainly from Canadian markets to American, and it has gone quite smoothly. Why are we seeing so much talk about the Predators possible relocation to Hamilton? Did the other franchises that moved have to sell 14,000 tickets in advance? No. Then why does Mr. Balsillie have to do it? Yes I know there are many factors why people don'...
Article concerning Emery is posted on [url]www.tsn.ca[/url].
The highlight of the article is that Ray Emery will be out for 2-3 months while rehabilitating his injury. This will cause two interesting wrinkles for Bryan Murray.
1. What to do with Martin Gerber
2. How this affects Ray Emery's contract status
On the first issue, if Bryan Murray can trade Martin G...
Some of you may have followed my predictions for the first two rounds of this year's NHL entry draft. Here are the results of my predictions comparing them to where they actually ended up. They are ordered in how I picked them, the number on the right is where they actually ended up, and the third number is how far off I was:
1. P. Kane - 1 = 0
2. K. Turri...
(A Near Flawless Prognostication Through Slightly Orange-and-Blue Colored Glasses)
So, here we are, less than a week to go before this year’s free agent frenzy. We’ll start to find out who’s going where on Sunday, if not sooner. For the New York Islanders and their fans, it’s hard to start throwing any new names out there at this point, what with very little res...
I think the Flyers have done exceptionally well so far in terms of positioning the team for future success. Paul Holmgren & co are looking like geniuses; but right now the team is entering a most critical stage of this "restructuring", where the next couple of moves will largely determine the fate of this team over the next several years. One of these moves will likely be ...
Per Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
No word on the others yet.
Congrats to a truly deserving guy!
Other deserving players are going to have to wait a year unfortunatley, and three more will hear they are in with Al.
Great news for the Blues family that Al isn't one of those who has to wait.
Way to go Chopper!
beliveau writes...
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Welcome to the 2007 NHL off-season. That would be the new NHL. The cap-era NHL. The fiscally responsible NHL.
The $8-million per year for Scott Gomez NHL.
This would be a good time to re-read the title of this blog.
As they have before and as they always will, NHL general managers will bid all their pretty pennies on the top unrestricted free agents available t...
Predictions on where some of the biggest free agents will land.
Nylander- Sadly, Nylander will leave the best situation of his career for more money, and will be overpaid by Philadelphia after the rest have passed the flyers by. Their disastrous last season will certainly scare away consistent winners like Gomez and Drury.
Gomez- Reigning conn smythe champ and f...
What i've seen today, was the most disgusting thing i ever see in my life... and that day begin with Dan Brière with a 52 millions contract and first year 10 millions... 10 freaking million... Crosby will ask for 300 millions if Briere worth that, comon why we lose a season if they continue to give contract like this...
3.6 millions to Sarich... SARICH is probably a 6...
The day was uneventful, was away at my sons college orientation for the weekend, but I planned ahead I took my Xm-Myfi with me knowing I would be on the road at 12 and for about 3- 3.5 hours, each time I heard a rumour I would think damn we aren't going to get anyone, damn Flyers are making some nice moves, damn Pens might get Kariya, wow East is going to be tough, then be...
Briere to Philadelphia
Wow, remember when these guys were big and scary? Now they're young, fast and iffy (especially between the pipes). But if all goes well Briere will be a great centerpiece for the new look Flyers, and if not, it'll be a long 8 years.
Drury and Gomez to the Rangers
Made the pre-cap Rangers splash with less flash, and more leadership. Sather ...
[b]Buffalo Sabres, you let a lot of us down today. But you can right your wrongs. There is still time.
Don't give up our hopes of a Cup. We are not far away, with the current team - in fact we may be the closest ever - even without Drury and Briere. Get some new guys in here; keep us competitive; give us a reason to continue to support this team.
PLEASE do the rig...
Well somehow it seems fitting that a player named Jed Ortmeyer signed yesterday with the Nashville Predators (let the hayseed, hick and redneck jokes begin!). It's not like we weren't already the punching bag of the league but now we give them more fodder for jokes!
I understand that not all signings can be the Chris Drury's, Scott Gomez's and Paul Kariya's but dee...
My message is to the [b]MEDIA OF MONTREAL[/b]. [b][u]Enough is enough!!![/u][/b] I, and the fans of this great franchise have had it!!! I have said it for years that the media is who manages the team, not the organization. Year in and year out, we see the same trend building, worse and worse as the years go by. This time around, you will not blame Gainey or the rest o...
What has free agency done for us lately?
That's the question that every NHL team should be asking themselves around this time of year. Now, that's not to say that we should do away with free agency, effectively making each player an indentured servant to the team that drafted them; however General Managers standing still on the big name free agents is encouraging to se...
I don't know how any Ranger fan could have come out of the first day of the Free Agency period with anything, but a big smile on their face.
The goal was to sign a center to slot in on the second line behind Nylander. Instead Sather pulls a rabbit out of his hat and snares both Scotty Gomez from the Devils and Chris Drury from the Sabres to solidify the team up the m...
camp writes...
What are the expectations for the Rangers 2007-2008 season?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Last years run in the playoffs was cut short by a heart-stopping, gut-wrenching goal by co-captain Chris Drury of the Buffalo Sabres with 7.7 seconds left in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi's. Scott Gomez was part of the New Jersey Devils team that swept the Rangers two seasons ago in the first round of the playoffs. Now they're both with us. With multiple Stanley Cu...
congratulations NYR you just landed yourself 2 of the top 4 available free agents this year. out of ryan smyth, chris drury, daniel briere, and scott gomez you were able to pick up my favorite chris drury and scott gomez. you have two excellent players who will complement guys like lundqvist, avery, jagr, etc. you have now become in many peoples eyes the new favorite to...
Regardless of what you think about Sutter, one can't help but somewhat admire his vagueness in managing the Flames. Almost every trade or signing comes without warning or anticipation, and he never makes trades for the sake of doing so. I have no idea how he keeps the media out of his office.
With that in mind, as excited I was for the UFA season this year after reading...
What does Renney do if no more moves are made either via Free Agent signings or Trades?
[b]Hossa - Drury/Gomez - Jagr
Straka - Drury/Gomez - Shanahan
Avery - Cullen - Callahan
Prucha - Betts - Hollweg/Orr
Malik - Rosival
Tyutin - Girardi
Staal - Mara
Strudwick/Pock[/b]
I don't know, but I see this as a lineup Renney will put on the ice if the team starts t...
The Rangers are like your family member with an addiction problem. They get better for awhile, long enough that you think they're back to normal, but soon enough, they're back to their old habits. The Rangers addictions are big name free agents. They just can't get enough of them and will pay any amount, no matter how ludicrous to get what they need. After hitting rock...
Uncertainty
This word surrounds the Nashville Predators and its' fans. This state has cost the team Paul Kariya and possibly other Free Agent's this NHL off season. This state surrounds the events in which the Predators ownership situation stands. You could also use this word to describe the upcoming season. It seems as though the entire NHL world and its' media has foc...
According to Toronto Star "sources" the Toronto Maple Leafs signed ex-Brodeur backup Scott Clemmensen to a two-way contract and is likely to be the Leafs third-string goalie and to back up Justin Pogge in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies.
Of course this stirs the pot with the Raycroft rumors, but personally I'm not impressed with letting Racine go as easily as they did...
'Tis the season to speak of free agent signings, and speculation about where the Nashville/Hamilton/Kansas City Predators will end up playing next year. I wish to take a break from this babbling and take on a more serious issue... the players that I (and hopefully after reading) you absolutely HATE. I have found ten players that I loath with every part of my soul. Let's ge...
[b][u]BUFFALO:CONTENDER OR NOT?[/b][/u]
July 7th, 12:44 AM:
Last season, the Buffalo Sabres, made it to the Eastern Conference final, they faced there newest rival the Ottawa Senators. Will it happen again? By the looks of things..No. The Buffalo Sabres so far in this free agency have basically acquired no one, while losing there two best players IMO, Daniel Briere a...
[u][b]By: Jon Cunningham[/b][/u]
The signing of Goaltender Scott Clemmensen by the Leafs has raised a lot of questions. He has reportedly been signed to a 1-Year deal worth 1-Million, the Contract also is reported to be a two-way contract, meaning Clemmensen can be sent down to the Marlies and only a small fraction his contract will count against the cap.
Well, this...
I have always looked at this time of the year with mixed emotions. While it is exciting as a hockey fan to see teams retool, rebuild, or reinvent themselves, it is also a time of frustration, anger, and sadness.
I am frustrated that my Blackhawks may still suck for yet another season because the ownership is cheaper than my little Italian Grandfather. And that is damned...
Eggshmeg writes...
The All Star Game - When Did It Become A Bad Thing?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 4
I sat there last night watching the MLB all-star game (damn you NHL offseason lull!), and I realized that most of the MLB analysts had the same opinion as hockey analysts did earlier in the year about the NHL all-star game. There was no passion, this game has no meaning, what are we doing here? I even heard one analyst say that when he was a kid he absolutely loved watchin...
As most of you already know, the NHL is setting New Years day as the day for an outdoor game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres.
In a league that struggles for tv ratings (although I will admit, beating out the NBA last season was prime) what better way to help these ratings then by putting a game you dub the Ice Bowl on tv the same day colleges arou...
I very much enjoy the idea of having an outdoor game evey year. I would even propose that it would take the place of the all star game. Sscheduling it on January 1st? What are you thinking NHL? If you want to improve the popularity of the sport you don't try to compete with the U.S's most popular sport. If they want to improve the popularity the NHL could choose anyti...
So, it’s Wednesday and I’m thirty minutes into an hour commute home to get to my son’s first street hockey game of this summer season. He’s coming off a winter where he played two separate seasons of inline hockey and went to a skating camp to prep him for ice hockey this winter. I tell you this so that you understand that he’s equipped to play, the money’s bee...
NYHockey writes...
With predictions like this, I should be a Contributor!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I have always thought I had a good head for hockey, but I never knew I should have my own 5 minutes on the MSG network to speculate. Take a look at a collection of my three favorite posts over the past few months. You have to admit, I did pretty well in my statements. My one true errata that I sadly must admit is the fact that Jed Ortmeyer is no longer in the equation, ...
Ok, lots of people seem to think this guy is less then he is... I'm gonna go through a quick analysis of my own... hopefully some of you will see this guy the way I do.
[b]Durability and Injury[/b]
Now... lots of ppl, who cheer for whatever team they cheer for seem to think this guy is easily injured. He isn't.
He has been injured twice, both have been freak injuries....
SabreCrazy07 writes...
A HockeyBuzz Q & A with Sabres Prospect Adam Dennis.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
A HockeyBuzz Q & A with Sabres Prospect Adam Dennis.
[img:right]http://www.letsgosabres.com/images/players/photos/adam_dennis.jpg[/img]
INTRO
SC07: Adam can you spare a couple minutes?
AD: Yeah sure.
SC07: I wanted to ask you a few questions for HockeyBuzz.
AD: Ok.
THE PLAYER
SC07: Who is your favorite player?
AD: Miikka Kiprusoff
SC07: Wh...
When I decided to come to Israel for the summer, I was looking up fun stuff to do around the country. Then I remembered [url=http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=2485] Bill Meltzer's blog from last year[/url] and subsequent [url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=278984]NHL.com article[/url]. Looking up those pages, I was connec...
I'm guessing that it is a safe bet that I wouldn't want to be Timmy P from the Philly Enquirer today. If I was a real bitch, I'd email him (again) and remind him (again) that Roenick's text message retirement announcement was never confirmed.
But I'll be a good girl.
I'll just email him the article from The Hockey News instead.
And it must be a full moon, the Ariz...
I was in Toronto on Monday, mainly to visit the Hall. What a beautiful city, Toronto is, I would've gone up in the tower, but my family and I didn't want to fork over $22 bucks a piece to do something all three of us had already done, even though my parents did it 22 years ago...and I did 6.
The Hall is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL building, inside and out, the archways in ...
In the new NHL and its all so glorious salary cap (which rises each year so far, and we are now back to pre-lockout salaries) comes new challenges for teams. That challenge being a huge one:
Keeping their players under contract and keeping under the cap.
Now the cap this year is around 53 million dollars, and I will assume most teams want some cushion room for trades...
Calgary Flames - C
Key Acquisitions:
Owen Nolan, Adrian Aucoin, Cory Sarich
Question Marks:
Offensive Production, Mike Keenan
One of the best defensive teams in the league got better and deeper on defense this off season. The additions of Cory Sarich and Adrian Aucoin make one of the best bluelines in the league better and solidifies the Flames as one of the ...
I was looking over one of my favorite forums and on there was a map showing the locations of all the teams in the league. This picture awoke me (already knew that it was bad) of how unfair the eastern teams have it.
These are prime examples of advantages out east. Drury moves from Buffalo to New York... He doesn't really have to move. Gomez moves from New Jersey to New...
I just got back from my first ever trip to Metulla, and it was an incredible experience! We'll get my personal stuff aside first: 7 years after first being teased with it, I finally got to skate in Israel! I've been a little homesick for the past couple of months, but no one could stop the giant 25 year old in the Team Canada jersey skating around the small rink with the h...
Since when does a 13 goal, 60 point season merit a player to get a 7 year contract, the first year of which will pay 10 million dollars? How about 18 million in salary going out to 2 centers who combined, barley have more points than 19 year old MVP, Sidney Crosby did? Scott Gomez and Chris Drury were both signed by the New York Rangers to a very large, and equivalently lo...
AlexanderScharf writes...
Drury and Gomez: Good Signings or Same Old Rangers?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Since July 1st there has been much discussion regarding the signings of Chris Drury and Scott Gomez by the New York Rangers. It is true that Gomez and Drury are both very talented hockey players but it is also true that they were overpaid by the Rangers. This begs the question: Was it worth it?
The Rangers needed to add (or resign) two free agent centers in the of...
In the ever changing economics of hockey, one thing has started to become very clear, some play for love and others play for money.
Clearly its easy to see both types of players in the NHL today, but in my opinion, its the ones that play for the money that have caused the biggest problem with salaries in today's NHL.
Let's look at a single statement that we hear ove...
I was a the flames Prospect Camp, here are my favorite Players
27 Andrei Taratukhin
Good Scorer, fast Skater, and good passer. I met him him at the Prospect camp, I liked him a lot really nice guy.
55 Adam Pardy
huge, big body in front, stops goals , great body Checker,
41 Dustin Boyd
Real Good scorer, also a fast skater plays the physical game....
Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray today announced the re-signing of goaltender Ray Emery to a three-year agreement.
In his second full NHL season in 2006-07, Emery played in 58 regular season games earning 33 wins, 16 losses, and six overtime defeats. He finished tied for sixth in the NHL in shutouts (5), tied for seventh in save-percentage (.910) and tied fo...
So Derek Roy's arbitration hearing is set for tomorrow, July 27th. So far this summer, there hasn't been much positive PR coming from HSBC Arena. Locking up Vanek, although a major step, might be the only "positive" thus far. After the initial heartbreak of bad breakups with #48 and #23, I have rebounded to the point of somewhat buying into the "we're going to be allrigh...
I've been kicking a few things around in regards to things that the NHL could do to improve, not only the game, but the state of the league in general. Here's what I've come up with. Enjoy!
1) Restructure Restricted Free Agency. In particular, restructure the offer sheets. I don't tend to think that using them is an underhanded or shady move, mostly because they are...
I took a casual glance at the roster for the Phoenix Coyotes this morning. I realize, of course, that they still have quite a bit of money to spend to fill out that roster. But I also realize that they won't spend it. So this, my friends, this is the roster that we will be working with come October.
In the "promising, up and coming, youth movement" category we have... ...
It all started during the regular season when teams complained to the NHL about Boogie going out and stretching out during the TV timeouts, they said he was trying to intimidate their team so the league asked Boogie to take a seat while the Fans of Minnesota watched other teams tough guys who are 2 inches smaller stretch their limbs at will during all of the TV timeouts. T...
We are currently in the middle of the NHL off season. Instead of looking forward to Camp beginning like we all are. Lets take a moment or two and have some fun bringing back some great Hockey memories.
What is the greatest Hockey game you have ever been to?
Here is mine:
Almost 4 months until my 14th Birthday on April 27th 1994. The Buffalo Sabres were in ...
What Mr. Lowe has done has ended the boys Club. Mr. Lowe has has served notice that all the RFA'S have more options than just to sit around and wait for their gm's to sign them which is not just a bad thing , It has made GM's more aware of the RFA'S which means General Managers have to do thier jobs. I am sorry but that is a nut shell. The main reason the Bur...
Before I even start, I know that most Habs fans HATE the fact that Gainey is signing Brisebois...
I'm not one of those. I am actually excited to have him back and think he could be a great asset for our team. Patrice was chased out of Montreal by the fans and the media, and it was not pretty, that is a fact. However, his homecoming could be better than most expect. ...
PART THREE IS DONE! VIEW IT ON: HTTP://MY.HOCKEYBUZZ.COM/RAGS2RICHES.
HOPEFULLY COMING TO THE HOME PAGE SOON
In part 2 of 10, I will break down Offense Line #1, aka, the Jagr line. I will expound upon the strengths and weaknesses of each player and explain why he fits on the line. I appreciate the input recieved from part 1 and will certainly take the feedback into con...
Top to bottom, the Calgary Flames look like one of the top teams in the league each of the last 2 seasons and including the one upcoming. However, these teams have failed to produce to the hefty standards of the entire city. Having sat in my seat in the 'dome to watch us lose back-to-back playoff series at home I can safely say I miss the grinders of 2004.
I'm not s...
As a fan, and with all fans, we tend to look at our respective teams with rose coloured glasses (yes "colour" is spelled that way up here) so I have tried to limit my expectations of the Calgary Flames and objectivley look at the mid summer squad as it is.
The major aquistions of the off season are:
Iron Mike behind the bench- my thoughts on this guy before he landed ...
Well, there's only one wounded ego here. Mine. Yes, I have dragged myself back to my blog after a long absence. Coincidentally, my departure from my egomaniacal ranting coincides with the night my beloved Flames went out in the 6th game. God I was pissed off.
So what happened? Playfair happened, first of all. I know many of you are eager to shower me with praise f...
The best part about talking to oiler fans now is by far and away the polite smile and nod you get to give them when they talk about their "new oilers".
I love how trading away the captain of a team that was floundering due to lack of heart for a young d who was extremely disappointing is hailed as a good move. I mean, why would they want Jason Smith's "heart and soul" af...
FLAMESTR writes...
Sutter and Keenan Dream or Night Mare? How about Playfair?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I thought I would write a blog on a suggestion from a fellow Poster Flame Head
I hope I got his name right which was the relationship of Sutter and Keenan.
First of all I have been told that Sutter Learned his coaching ability from Mr. Keenan. Which mean there was a history between the two gentlemen and they have mutual respect, also Sutter knows how Keenan coache...
Every year three of my good friends and I take a road trip north to Edmonton for the sole purpose of ruining oiler fan's evenings, and hopefully gloating about a win. So far we have had pretty good luck in terms of our win loss ratio but it does beg an interesting question. Which is a better venue?
The Saddledome although old was renovated back before the olympics in orde...
A month from the start of training camp all of the articles on who fits with who on what line are starting to come up. As opposed to previous years Calgary is in a dilema with center...they have too many! Langkow seems to be the obvious fit with Iginla and Tanguay, that line at times last year gave flames fans something they hadn't seen in years, tick-tac-toe passing plays...
I love Rhett Warrener. He battles every night. He loves Calgary. But the bottom line is; if a team wants to compete in the West, he can't be a top 6 defenseman.
Warrener will hit you hard and often, he'll rough you up against the boards every chance he gets. The problem is, he can't skate, can't pass and can't shoot. It used to work for us because if he got in trou...
After watching Scott Niedermayer Choose the Ducks as the location he wanted to play, although he received phopne calls from several N.H.L. superstars trying to lure him in, the obvious reason was his brother. Growing up, taking turns shooting on net with each other acting as goalie, with each shot being the game 7 O.T. winner for the Stanley Cup, you had to think that the ...
When I look at the Flames' first month in the schedule I at first think it's a touch one until I start looking at the months following it and realize they're all tough.
The season starts out on Oct. 4 against the Flyers and their newest additions, I'd be very surprised if the Brier/Gagne line isn't extremely pumped for that game. This was the worst team Philly fans have ...
hockeyisgd writes...
Top 5 teams I'm excited about for the 2007-08 season
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Hope everyone had a good weekend. Today I want to tell you 5 teams I'm excited to see this upcomming season.
5. St. Louis Blues
After two dismal seasons, the Blues are going to attempt to turn it around this season. After making key additions, I believe the Blues will be headed on the right path this season. GM John Davidson has done a spectacular job of building this ...
This is my first Blog so bear with me. I feel that it is important to talk about the one flame player who I believe is maybe a diamond in the rough. Matthew Lombardi, I believe is a player or two away from Iggy numbers. This off season I thought Sutter might address the Lombo situation, and bring in some young talent to play with Lombardi. But what I can see is that he did...
This blog has little to do with hockey but it has a bit to do with sports and life and our values. In the past few months a lot of things have happened within sports and ties to the real world that have me shaking my head.
Let's take a few examples of our sports stars/personalities, Michael Vick, Tim Donaghy, Mark Bell, Barry Bonds, any cyclist. What's the common t...
Slasher98 writes...
Forecaster: TOP 25 d-men scoring leaders for 2007-08
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Top 25 d-men scoring leaders:
1.Sergei Gonchar PIT: 20 G 76 PTS
2.Nicklas Lidstrom DET: 12 G 74 PTS
3.Scott Niedermayer ANA: 13 G 73 PTS (should he decide not to retire)
4.Lubomir Vishnovsky LA: 21 G 71 PTS
5.Dan Boyle TB: 23 G 70 PTS
6.Chris Pronger ANA: 17 G 70 PTS
7.Tomas Kaberle TOR: 12 G 68 PTS
8.Ryan Whitney PIT: 19 G 67 PTS
9.Bryan McCabe TO...
saneopinion writes...
Flame assests to trade and my take on eklund's trade rumors
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Prior to training camp it seems that the Flames are set in terms of what they have and need to the point where there is an abundance of players and depth that could be acquired from them with out any real damage to the line up.
It's obvious the flames are stocking up at center, as I previously wrote how do you find spaces for Langkow, Conroy, Lombardi, Yelle with Taratuki...
[b]THE CALGARY FLAMES GET IT[/b]
I thought I would write another blog on what is really important in life. Most of these players understand what is really important for the NHL. You see the players understand that no how many records they break, or how many goals they score, it doesn’t matter if there are no fans to watch them! I am going to share some stories that sh...
-Alex Tanguay
-Kristian Huselius
-Anders Eriksson
-Matthew Lombardi
All these players fall onto the same criteria as each other, Soft Players. Players that have splendid talents in other aspects of the game but wont be known for hitting, checking, and outworking the opponent. They also fall under another label; players one would never expect to remain on the hard w...
It's August, the hottest part of the summer is over. The Stampede is here and gone and heck, even the most loyal CFL fan is getting tired of the Stampeders. What better way to spend an evening than talking about 2007-08 Flames Hockey.
[b]The Good[/b]
First off, and others may not agree, the best thing the Flames did off-season was hire Mike Keenan. Last year this ...
John Dellapina reports that Don Meehan, agent for Michael Peca, never recieved an offer from the Rangers.
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/rangers/
Peca is now down to the Columbus Blue Jackets and possibly another team which is not known. I say this because Blueshirt Bulletin reported that Meehan stated that he had two offers that he would look at and decide on by week...
I'm just going to list the top players from each team and compare, at the end if any oiler fan can tell me on that they can be certain the Oilers are a better team let me know.
top centers:
Sykora 53 points..oops sorry guys couldn't pay him enough to play there either should I move on to Nylander?? EEERRRR my bad, let me start over.
Top Centers:
Horcoff- 16 g 35a 5...
Apparently My HB won't let me reply on my own blog, so I'll attempt to do that to as many comments as I can here. I always make the time to try and reply to anyone who stops by and asks what's going through my head.
[b]1. What becomes of the Ducks if Selanne and Niedermayer retire?[/b]
First of all, I should state, as it wasn't articulated well in this post, that I w...
I think it would be fun to get together with the Buffalo fans from this site in a offical bar/restaurant Hockey Buzz get together. It would be the place where other HB posters/bloggers could get together if they're not going to that particular game (or an away game) and just hang out and watch some hockey. Bring whoever you want with you that you usually get together with ...
OK I will bite on this a little bit.
First to a couple of the other Oilers posters who replied on sanes blog:
1. Tanguay was a good acquisition, especially since the Flames gave up a D-man who played what 10 games last year. I think he played more with Iginla down the stretch and was effective.
2. Second Kipper won't be going somewhere to market himself, the spo...
Ron Guillet writes...
The Fire Burns : Projection Of The Calgary Flames
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Howdy my hockeybuzz fella's! I'm here to bring you another projection of another team, by the name of the Calgary Flames. A team which holds a tiny particle of my heart next to the other particle which is the Buffalo Sabres and the core, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Flames have done some decent moves this off-season: They've added Adrian Aucoin, Anders Eriksson, Owen Nolan...
For all you Flame fans, I'm here to break the news that the emerging offensive Flame defenseman is off to hone his skills in Russia. According to a very close source to the situation, the Flames are opting to go with a veteran line-up and a run for the cup. Giordano a RFA, was offered a two way deal to stay with the Flames for half of the $800,000 he will receive in Russia...
I love hockey for it's crazy and totally unpredictable nature, anyone who's played sports select here in Canada (there's legalized betting here) and tried to bet 12 games in the N.H.L. on any given night knows what I mean. Try and guess four and if you do you'll impress me! Heading into any game are hundreds of intagibles, from injuries to sickness, to back to back games t...
[b]PLAYERS YOU LOVE TO HATE[/b]
This blog is part one of two. The idea came from steal_your_faceoff who will be known here as syf. Each of the friends below has suggested two names of players we love to hate; as usual I will leave my two cents worth at the end.
[b]SYF[/b]
SYF's first pick was Darius Kasparaitis, for that famed hipcheck (legal...yes) on Eric L...
It is the management's responsibility to the owners and to the fans you pay the tickets to keep salary to a minimum, it is the player's agents responsibility to get as much for their clients as possible. If we are to look at the Giordano signing in Russia for a minute and get past the initial shock of it we know a few things, that the flames were offering around just over ...
Once again the hockey season looms in front of us, creating an air of anticipation and excitement. Every year at this time, players are finishing their individual training and preparing for their team's pre-season camp, while fans are left sitting on their hands waiting for the season to start. We pointlessly discuss unimportant topics of where JS Aubin will sign and whe...
I have found a bunch of pictures of about 1/2 of teams new look Jerseys wil or might look like for the upcoming season.
Here are the links to the jerseys. Some look official and some are concepts. Some are nice and some are garbage. Cast your votes for best & worst.
[b]UPDATE(s)[/b] Leafs & Nucks
[b]Leafs Jersey Video[/b]
[url]http://www.cbc.ca/sports/player/index.ht...
A rant
The other day I was at my local druggist, I was in desperate need of a certain ointment! Joking!
The First thing I saw was a great big display for Halloween! HALLOWEEN! I kid you not, the date was August 16th, and they have Halloween displays already! A shiver went from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.
Halloween for me means the beginning of ...
[b]Up next, I looked at the Northwest Division (one of the toughest to pick)
Minnesota Wild[/b]
The Minnesota Wild had a good year last year, perhaps overachieving a little bit. Mainly they were able to take advantage of Edmonton when they were on their spiral down towards the basement of the Northwest Division. The Wild were 6 - 2 against Edmonton and 4 of the wins ...
These are some awesome sayings by Rick. He is a legend in Buffalo for everything he says and for being with the Sabres. He has the most animated sayings in the history of commentating in Hockey. Check these out.
For some reason video is messing up so here's the link to it. It's great, i'm sure you'll like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEfbyrKnKc0
Also c...
Off-Season Winners & Losers.
This off-season has been almost one for the ages, players that we're available name from Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and a fury of other notable players in the league. You could argue that teams like Philadelphia, who added Briere and Biron at the trade deadline should improve on their year previous, where they posted a dismal 22...
It appears Calgary Flames highly touted prospect Andrei Taratukhin has signed a 3 year deal to play in Russia following Mark Giordano's lead. Former Flame Jamie Lundmark is also in Russia for next season. If this is true, it's a huge blow to the Flames as Taratukhin's likely next step was to make the roster for the upcoming season.
Taratukhin is still under his entry-l...
[img:right]http://www.thelavinagency.com/images/bios/iginla.jpg[/img]Since the Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2004, the Calgary Flames have had high expectations since. The organization has struggled during the playoffs since their appearance in 2004, they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in 2006, then the Detroit Red Wings in 2007, both in the first round respectively. Calgary ...
Taratukhin has now signed a three year deal in russia and another bright prospect for the flames is heading to Russia. Why would he bother coming to the states and play a year only to opt out and head back again?? This has happened to two flames prospects but rest assured it will be the beggining of more if a transfer deal with Russia isn't signed.
The Flames' new head c...
They're the same. Anyone suprised?
Look good.
The Hockey News had an interesting article on Mike Keenan and his new head coaching responsibility here in Calgary:
[url]http://www.thehockeynews.com/en/news/news.asp?idNews=25617[/url]
In addition, the Flames Prospect Camp is set to open tomorrow with some fitness testing. The players have been split into two squads and will practice over the weekend with scrimma...
Well the fantasy pools are soon or already up and running and I am letting Hockeybuzz bloggers pick my 2nd round guy! This is a very close knit pool with very knowledgeable hockey guys...
This is a straight forward pool, a point is a point, goalies get 2 for a win, 1 for an ot loss and 3 for a shutout (a shutout win is 5 added together).
Franchise players already selec...
I'd like to start by stating that this blog is not an outlash towards the media, especially the members of this site who are part of the media, but rather a commentary on how everyone can focus on the wrong issues.
In the lifeless lull of the hockey world during the month of September, everyone finds themselves bored, but excited for the upcoming season. Most of the exc...
I bet you're wondering what I am talking about and saying to yourself "No one uses Time on Ice as a strategy for fantasy Hockey...." In my league we have just announced a statistic that will now become a strategy for our hockey team owners. This has been worked out to detail and such but is still actually being worked on to tweak out the bugs.
Who played the most in the...
saneopinion writes...
headline: Archeoligists dig up Oiler Stanley Cup banner...
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It seems when I present an argument or a retort to the Flames vs. Oilers question I am met with one response over and over again, it goes like this.
" yeah...well you ONLY have ONE Stanley Cup banner...".
Yeah, I guess it is true the Flames have ONLY one banner to hang and I won't get into a pissing competition about president banners and conference banners because real...
[b]WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST THING YOU HATE ABOUT THE NHL?[/b]
Today blog question is to name one thing that you hate about the NHL. Notice I said one thing; I am sure everyone could found a lot more than just one.
[b]spiegs13[/b]
One of the things that bothers me with the new rules - although it wasn't that different before - is when a player is on a mini-breaka...
Heart.
When you hear the word, perhaps, the first thing you think of is that organ beating inside your chest.
You also might think of that hard rocking, but IMO god-awful, girl band comprised of the sisters - Ann and Nancy Wilson. Sorry, not a big Barracude fan.
When I think of the word "heart," I immediately think of it in relation to organized sports. Not ...
Much more well contected people than me are reporting possibilities of the Flames bringing in some defensive help in the form of Markov and Sopel. Bruce Dowbiggin ponders this rumor in the Calgary Herald, having said that it seems whenever he ponders something it comes true.
If my opinion was worth anything (and it's not) I'd kind of prefer Sopel, Markov is a better play...
Well its been some time now since I have been able to put up a blog and as I sat here thinking about what to write I began going back over all the great hockey memories I have, especially those of my team, the Canucks. A I went from memory to memory, each one bringing back a moment in time, a picture, an image, a feeling, I realized how much a part this team, and this game...
Anybody else sick of player nicknames these days? The good old days had Flyers with colourful names like Battleship,Hound Dog,Big Bird,Moose and The Hammer. That is great stuff, the fans could relate and loved the players.
Now nicknames consist of adding a y to the end of everybodies name…..BORING. Who needs Jonesy or Richy or Marty? Not me forget it, lets have some ...
I'm reposting this since it originally was lost behind the scenes and I think it will speak to the Hockey dads out there.
So, it’s Wednesday and I’m thirty minutes into an hour commute home to get to my son’s first street hockey game of this summer season. He’s coming off a winter where he played two separate seasons of inline hockey and went to a skating camp t...
Okay, I will rephrase since people are jumping down my throat. I just feel that the Islanders are always at the bottom of everything in the media. Meanwhile, they prove them wrong every time. You think after every time the media gets proven wrong they would change their predictions? But they don't. The New York Islanders have become the least liked team in the NHL. I don't...
saneopinion writes...
The more I hear the more I like about Keenan's style.
Posted Friday | Comments 1
For the first time in a very long time Flames fans were treated to something wonderful, something that they hadn't seen since the early 90's, something every other team hopes to have every year... scoring.
Sutter had made a trade for Tanguay (another steal of a trade from the Zen master) and in addition Huselius had blossomed into his potential giving them two very skill...
The Flames' first scrimmage showed lines that I think will possibly what ends up bering the norm. Keenan is known for his willingness to experiment in his line combos should the chemistry fail but these could very well be the standard lines throughout the year:
Tanguay- Langkow- Iginla
Huselius- Lombardi- Nolan
Primeau- Conroy- Moss
Nilson- Yelle- Godard (this spot c...
[b]ROOKIES[/b]
Steven Boyd played like a monster by far the best skater was great today
Tim Ramholt best day in camp played the best defenisively he has was 10 times better today than the rookie camp Tim showed up today
Leeland Irving Played very well today didn't look rusty at all did a better job controlling his rebounds
Matt Keetly Matt was a super star m...
I thought I would put a small blog up for camp day 2
Aucoin got his legs back
also his shot wow some really good shots back
Craig Conroy was very good, he is a lot faster than I thought
Lombo was with tangs and Iggy, they looked very good lombo was actually faster this year if that an really happen
Langkow with Nolan and juice and Juice left the camp ...
First off I would like to say thank you to everyone who responded to my question on this topic. Fans, members of this site, and others, your input is appreciated. Also an extra special thanks to Ryan Garner for taking the time to lend some input on all of this. So here it goes.
It's that time of year again. The late blooming flowers are beginning to fade, and the leav...
It is time for the second edition in my series of blogs about the new NHL jerseys. For those who still have not seen the new jerseys:
http://www.fartfignewton.com/rbk_edge/
And for those who missed Part 1 of this series:
http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=2407&post_id=2473
This time I am turning my critical eye towards the Northwest division.
[b]C...
Do you hear what I hear? Of course you do. The scratching skates against the ice, the thumping of bodies, the sharp thwack of the slapshot, the rippling of the mesh, the gasps and screams and howls of the fans, the booming voices of coaches screaming out instructions, and the goal horns, oh how could I forget you? Not since the Super Series have I heard you, and have I eve...
Wed Sept 19, 2007
Vancouver Canucks (0-1) vs. Calgary Flames (0-1-1)
7:00 pm - General Motors Place - Vancouver, BC.
Feeling The Burn
The Vancouver Canucks take to the ice this evening, facing off against Mike Keenan and the Calgary Flames. Not only are the Canucks facing the Flames but there are several Canuck regulars that are feeling the burn.
Brenda...
As reported from CalgaryFlames.com
This list not to surprising except that means Krys Kolanos must of been offered a contract also pretty much mean that Adam Pardy is being considered on this team of the Flames.
Gord Baldwin (D)
Kris Chucko (RW)
Brad Cole (D)
Cam Cunning (LW)
Ryan Donally (LW)
Matt Keetley (G)
Krys Kolanos (C)
Kevin Lalande (G)
Tomi...
The preseason didn't hinder the heated rivalry between The
Vancouver Canucks and The Calgary Flames. The tempo was
turned up a notch at General Motors place. If you stepped
onto the ice you knew you were going to be hit.
The Canucks opened the game with a flurry of speed and hits.
They managed to keep pace with Calgary's tenacity and even
excede them. The...
[u][b]Typical Outing[/b][/u]
Tonight's match-up had all the ingredients for a mid-season affair between the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. Take out the fact that Jarome Iginla was in the Flames line-up and several Canuck veterans were enjoying the game from above, tonights game had the typical Vancouver-Calgary atomosphere.
Eric Godard layed out Matt Cooke as...
saneopinion writes...
Prospects might not think they are playing for a spot.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
For the teams who's record is a winning one during the pre-season this time of year signals what is to come for the rest of the year and for those who have a losing record the pre-season is just try outs and doesn't mean anything. The truth is a bit of both.
It's hard to look at a flames squad that hasn't put in two solid vetrem lines in the pre season and say, "hey, this...
Acccording to latest Flame press release at calgaryflames .com
QUAD CITY (AHL):
Eric Nystrom (LW)
I am not sure this is to surpising but Eric Nystom was one of 6 players that got sent down today. I am really surprised that he has not made the team as of yet but I wonder how much longer he has .
Brett Palin (D)
Sold dman still needs time to progreess but he ...
Wondering why we don't give the one-eyed-bandit a chance to boost our PP? I'm down with McGillis, or maybe Berard doesn't want to come up here or is asking too much... anyways... just a thought...
The Canucks own battle of Alberta continues tonight when the Edmonton Oilers come to town. Anson Carter will not play tonight, because of a concussion. Honestly would MacT have even let Carter suit up for this game. Maybe the bad blood between Carter and the Canucks only comes from the fans, but if there was any from the players, Carter would have a rough time tonight.
...
Yesterday I came across an article from the Asssociated Press regarding Jordan Staal and how he's embarrassed about his incident in the offseason. As well he should be.
However, what struck me as odd was that Mr. Bettman and the NHL have chosen not to issue any further discipline on him or Eric for their off ice behaviour. Nor are they going to levee any further discipl...
With the struggles of the Calgary Flames during their first three preseason games, I wondered if this was a sign of things to come as opponents would say, or simply false results caused by a lack of a full veteran roster, as many Flames fans would like to believe.
Do preseason results translate to regular season success? In th 2006-'07 season, the Eastern Conference pr...
[b]MIKE KEENAN
THE GOOD, THE OKAY, THE UGLY
THE LIFE OF A COACH[/b]
The life of a coach can be good, okay, and even ugly. It's no different for the new coach of the Calgary Flames, Mike Keenan.
The Stats were found at two sites http://en.w...
Just a little warning... if you're on board with Keenan and Sarich and Nolan and the new faces of the Flames you may want to stop reading right now.
Pre-season hockey is a chance for us to look at the questions our teams face heading into the season. We get a chance to share our usually high and lofty expectations for our own teams.
When I look at the Flames this ye...
CaptShark writes...
Sharks look to keep Calgary winless, 5 more players cut
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
The Sharks travel to Calgary tonight to take on the Flames. San Jose will be looking to keep the Flames offense watered down and their defense on their toes. Coach Mike Keenan and the flames are still searching for their first preseason victory and will be matched up against a tough San Jose roster. Nabokov will get the start in goal as will Kiprusoff. This game will be a ...
So an article in the Calgary Herald this morning states Kipper wants Iginla type money (let the opposing fans in the NW speak now). I've talked about this before, but with the pay structure of the rest of the team, this is currently not an option.
Based on the site, [url]http://www.nhlnumbers.com/cgy.html[/url], the Flames have 11 current roster players signed to cont...
[b]YOU BE THE GM 2
THE FUTURE FREE AGENTS: TO SIGN OR NOT TO SIGN
[/b]
Today's blog is on Calgary's Unrestricted Free Agents - well actually, the top three possible unrestricted free agents after this season. The question is: To sign or not to sign? You make the call.
Stats thanks to NHLPA.com
[b]
Mikka Kiprusoff[/b]
Mikka's stats from last year were: 74 game...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
SYF's Top 10 List - Players you would like to see this year?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Before moving to the Top 10 list, I wanted to comment on the events that occured last night in the Flyers/Senators pre-season game.
The injury to Dean McAmmond is on the minds of all hockey fans, as it should be. The hit by Flyers prospect Steve Downie was unconscionable and flat out wrong. Irrespective of what Colin Campbell does, Downie should - and will - be punish...
Two youngsters trying to make the Sharks NHL roster suffered setbacks in a shootout loss to the Calgary Flames Tuesday.
In the first period, forward Tomas Plihal was hit along the boards by Flame David Hale. While the severity of the injury of the injury to Plihal's shoulder was not immediately known, he did not return to the game. More to come as it's known, but it's...
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
Fantasy Hockey - With only the Sabres roster!?!?
Posted Friday | Comments 1
Sabres Fans... Join the hometeamhockey.com fantasy league. Below is a short description from the site's creator. I've participated for the past few "divisions" and really enjoy it. Give it a try.
[quote][i]Fantasy Hockey for the Home Town Fan. Why a fantasy league with just one team? My thinking is this: I like Fantasy sports, but I don't have the time to [img:right...
Today blog is on another blog questions. So I force some of my friends to pick
What is your favorite hockey memory while growing up?
ZenSisyphus
Well, this is going to go down as the most common "best" memory, but I have to say the Miracle has to be it. I grew up in Colorado, and at the time our NHL team wasn't televised very frequently (maybe not at all), and ou...
Mark Smith is a Flame.
A signing by Darryl Sutter. Keenan had no decision on the matter. Mark smith a versatile role player who can fill on the top lines. His departure from the Sharks was due to the fact that he would not get much playing time in a team as deep in forwards as San Jose. Mark Smith tried out also with the Ranger who offered him a two way contract.
...
Following the lines from the last two practices, for the most part...
Marleau Thornton Chechoo
Clowe Pavelski Bernier
Michalek Roenick Setoguchi
Rissmiller Goc Grier
McLaren Ehrhoff
Vlasic Murray
Davison Carle
Nabokov
Patzold
For Calgary:
Tanguay Conroy Iginla
Nilsson Smith Huselius
Moss Primeau Yelle
Godard Boyd Peters
Aucion Regehr
Phaneuf Sari...
As promised I am following up my dark horse blog with my predictions blog. Very unique I know. No playoff predictions though, way too early for those. With that said, let’s start in the West.
[b]
[u]Western Conference[/u][/b]
[u]Pacific Division[/u]
1. [b]San Jose Sharks[/b]: Probably the deepest team in the league. Tons of offensive skill led by Joe Thornton, Pat...
Rob Kerr was saying the same things last night; the preseason dousn't mean much, but you gotta be worried. Keenan openly admited the boys havent had much practice time, on some occasions they were NHL veterans getting beaten by minor leaguers.
One can use the excuse that it's just preseason, unfortunately now the bets are off. A record under .500... hell .700 is just u...
So much emphasis was put on the free agent extravaganza over the summer, when the Rangers seemingly signed two players that would put them over the top. Scott Gomez had tormented the team from across the Hudson with the New Jersey Devils and of course Chris Drury who squashed Rangers Stanley Cup hopes with a last second goal in last year's playoff series against the Buffa...
I have no facts. I have no stats. I have no research, quotes, contacts.
All I have is my opinion, but, as most of you know (begrudgingly), that is worth a fair bit.
Did you come here for an in-depth analysis of teams, perhaps hoping for some outside speculation about your home team? If so, leave now. It will spare you disappointment beyond the shame you must feel ...
Hockey is the only thing im any good at thinking about.
Theres something really rewarding, as a goal tender, to feel the sting of the puck hit you. Or playing centre and watching a sweet pass hit the mark and the puck sliding by the opponents keeper. Its about grace. the feel of the ice under you. its about kids laughing about on a tiny rink as you chase after them. It...
[b]THE GREATEST RIVALRY IN THE NHL: THE ALBERTA CIVIL WAR[/b]
This Blog is one of a series of blog suggestions from my friends at HockeyBuzz site
his name was drjsay. I would also love to thank Patrick Hoffman he did a real nice job on editiing my blog thanks again Pat.
[b]EDMONTON OILERS
MOST MEMEORABLE FORWARDS[/b]
I remember the four years that Wayne Gretz...
Actually it wasn't that bad. However, had I wrote this blog last night when I was running around downtown Vancouver, inebriated and cursing Anders Eriksson aloud for the whole world to hear, I would have written a totally different story.
What cost us the game last night? Our defense. Plain and simple. Now, its early, I'll give us that. And aside from the first 15 min...
When you have Dion Phaneuf, Robin Regehr, Cory Sarich, Rhett Warrener or even Adrian Aucoin, why is Anders Eriksson on the ice with less than two minutes to go? The fact that Eriksson decided to pick up the pick and skate towards the mass group of players at the bench didn't worry me. I expected him to have his head up, see the large obstacle and quickly circle back into...
Last nights game from what I saw and heard of it, was a little bit of a lackluster performance by the Sharks. I was a bad Sharks fan and blogger last night because I did not see the game. Wifes B-day was much more important last night. Trust me, if you are married than you understand. Besides there is a whole lot of hockey left to enjoy. Torrey Mitchell from what I have he...
Did anyone see the Canucks and Calgary? Decent game - teams swapping dominance and then fighting it out. My player of the game is Aaron Miller apart from the whole almost-breaking-Luongo thing. He's the Willie Mitchell of '07-08 (but for cheap!).
Hughson said "This game [b]deserves[/b] another five minutes!" and luckily it worked out in Vancouver's favour. Teams in ...
yes you can salvage something from the first two flames' games of the season. two good comebacks, 4 goals for langkow, brief periods of astonishment from kipper, but all in all.. we sucked.
at least the energy was there the second time around. moderately. as an aside, i actually would have found the games more exciting watching them on CBC than being 20 feet from the...
Defenseman Freddy Meyer has been claimed off waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes.
Berard is beleived to be activated tomorrow and play one of the two back to back games later this week.
It was the biggest news of the NHL offseason - The Rangers went out and spent 87 million locking up both Chris Drury and Scott Gomez to long term deals this past Summer. The Rangers, who finished 6th last season in the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive year, immediately declared themselves as contenders to the rest of the NHL. Many experts have them picked at o...
I was born in Brooklyn, but spent most of my time growing up in Staten Island. I remember walking in to a Palmer Video (later bought out by Blockbuster) and seeing an ad on the front counter for a chance to enter to win hockey tickets. The entry box was your average, run of the mill box, but at the top right where the slot is for the form was a picture of Mario Lemieux h...
[b]CALGARY FLAMES
MOST MEMEORABLE FORWARDS[/b]
My favorite Flame player is Hakan Loob. He was the first Swedish born player to score fifty goals in the NHL. He had speed to burn and quick a release on his wrist shot.
The second forward I would like to mention is Joe Nieuwendyk. He was the best rookie the Flames had, scoring fifty goals in his first year. Joe could...
For those of you who remember me from the Checking Line blog site, well, I am back and it's prediction time.
[b]Season Records:[/b]
Wins Predictions :
Actual Predictions:
[i][b]
Games:[/b][/i]
7:00 PM
Ottawa 4
Atlanta 2
Ottawa continues their dominance of the 1st month of the season with an impressive victory over the Thrashers.
[b]Goals:...
The Flames play their third game and first of the season on the road tonight, against the powerful Detroit Red Wings. The Wings have gotten off to a 2-0-1 start and are better than the Flames in almost every statistical category thus far into the season. The Flames have won twice at the Joe Louis Arena in the past 6 attempts, last winning in December of 2005.
The F...
Due to the injury to Johann Franzen (out 3-4 weeks), Mike Babcock has changed up his lines, shortened his bench, and Matt Ellis is in the lineup in a 4th line role. The thing is, the line combinations other than Zetterberg/Holmstrom/Datsyuk seem to be set in quicksand, and even that line gets the "mixmaster" approach every now and again.
In tonight's 4-2 victory ov...
[b]HISTORY[/b]
Have you ever lost your girlfriend to your best friend? Have you ever had your legs waxed? Has you mom asked you “Why can’t you be more like your brother?” Has your boss or your wife told you to get up and go do something?
Think back so you can have an idea on how these two cities feel about each other. I remember in my teens and early twenties...
So I didn't do too bad on the wins over the losses, but I didn't hit one single prediction on the head. It's ok, it was my 1st night, but it feels good to be back. Let's jump right into tonight!
[b]Season Records:[/b]
Wins Predictions : 7-5
Actual Predictions: 0-12
[b]Games:[/b]
7:00 PM
Atlanta 2
Buffalo 5
A battle of playoff hopefuls here in Buf...
The Flames don't show up in the month of October. Kiprusoff is always rusty. Iginla usually starts slow. The Flames just don't come out of the gate hard.
I am sick and tired of hearing about that. It is time to stop being okay with that and actually do something about it. All the players are saying the right things: We need to be better ... we can be better ... w...
Edit: Canucks.com Made it official, Rick Rypien is up and is expected to play.
Canucks are 1-2-0 Edmonton is 2-2-0. The Canucks have just re-assign Ryan Shannon who ha 2 goals but was the leagues worste +/- with -7, according to CDC forums Team1040 sports radio is reporting that we have called up Rick Rypien, Witch Canucks.com has confirmed. I have no clue who the Canucks...
BuffaloMat writes...
My debut article in a local magazine in Buffalo, NY
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Images have been acting funky on here but here's a try... It's the cover of a magazine I write for which is Under the Scope Magazine.
[IMG]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/Mat_Rex/coveroctober.jpg[/IMG]
Well the magazine came out a little less than a week ago. I plugged hockeybuzz in the first sentence. The magazine is called Under the Scope. It's a ne...
I'm gonna go on a long flames blog, so first off, I'd like to say that the Stars played wonderfully. Their transition from skilled offense to stifling defense yesterday is only more of a omen of how far they should go in the playoffs and how deep their team really is. IMO they're only a power left winger away from getting to at least the conference final. Its nice to see R...
Ryan Kennedy had an interesting article "Ice-Girl Dilemma" at the THN.com blog on 10/12/07. It was a surprise to me to learn that 17 NHL teams actually have so-called cheerleading groups. I guess too many women no longer think it demeaning to be hired simply for the purpose of having lecherous creeps oggle them as a prelude to exploiting them. We know this is true becaus...
Rochester is in Hamilton this week, and that means I get a chance to see Sabres' prospect Adam Dennis play. This is installment #1 of my "Amateur Scouting Report" series. I will also report how Jaroslav Halak does, and list some skaters who stood out to me at the end.
[url]http://everythinghockey.blogspot.com/2007/10/amateur-scouting-report-adam-dennis.html[/url]
[im...
Are we really ready to panic in Leaf land already? It seems to be the same old story, especially last night, where the defence continues to break down, third period leads are blown, and bad give aways that lead to penelties and to top it all off, everyone's favorite overpriced D-man McCabe puts in the OT winner on his own net with 3 seconds left. This left me in a sour m...
No Eriksson can't be bad. But at the beginning it looked similar to the Philly game. Down 2-0 primarily due to power plays for the Kings. The Flames had some pressure but couldn't build momentum in that first. They were getting out shot, it was not pretty.
The Conroy trip was an awful call. Fortunately they killed that one off. Aubin gave up a soft one to let the ...
I haven't had the opportunity to watch many Flames games this year while living in Vancouver, but of the games I have watched, this was Calgary's best game.
I slam Dwayne Roloson every chance I get. I feel he's the most overrated goaltender in the league. But he's played well in both of the last 2 games. If he continues to play well, it should allow the Oil to gain...
The Hamilton Bulldogs hosted the Manitoba Moose and Drew MacIntyre this afternoon on "Pink in the Rink" day, to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. It was an overall successful day, except for the fact that the Bulldogs lost 5-1. Jaroslav Halak did not play well at all. His rebound control was not what I have seen it before, and his body language showed that he di...
Prior to the first puck dropping during the first game for the first time this season, all eyes in the Eastern Conference were on these two teams. The Rangers and their offseason shopping spree had the media buzzing to the sounds of playoff contention. The Penguins with their turnaround season the previous year, were also ranked with the Rangers as not only division riva...
What made the person or persons who own the Philadelphia and New York franchises to name their teams the Flyers and Rangers respectively? What possesses you to call your team the Lightning or the Canadiens?
Let's start with the some original six teams, some that still might have some meaning.
[b]The Montreal Canadiens:[/b] Canadiens represented the nationality of th...
Through the first six games of the season, the Rangers had scored 13 goals while surrendering only 15, which is a stark contrast from the prior year, when in the same amount of contests, the team had scored 25 goals and given up 25. Just like 2006-07, the Rangers scored the same of goals - zero - in Game Seven, but this it was against Manny Fernandez, who had given up 10 g...
Today I decided I was feeling energetic enough to write 2 blogs.
With the Flames on a 7-game home stand and playing 6 games in 11 nights and playing pretty decent these days - I thought it was high time I found something that could keep my wife entertained each of those nights.
The first thought was to leave it in the capable hands of my 15-month old son. If anyone ...
Another fantastic Islander win Saturday night, this time in OT against the rival Devils, has Islander nation buzzing with excitement. Personally, I went to bed with a huge smile on my face after Bill Guerin's OT winner, just [i][b]completely [/b][/i]unable to wait for the next game!
This wasn't a back to back weekend, though, so no game Sunday ...
No Islanders to riv...
The two cities in question being Philadelphia and New York--more specifically, their Flyers and Rangers.
[b]
[i]"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."[/i][/b]
Okay, it's not really either, because it [i]is[/i] still early in the season. But, from the vibes you get from each team's fans, you could certainly believe the sun shines on the Flyers while t...
-
Twice a year the largest sport card expo and memorabilia show takes place in Toronto during the spring and fall. Collectors, dealers, manufacturers, and autograph guests come from all reaches of the globe to attend this fabulous event. Being in Toronto, one of the largest hockey markets around, a lot of emphasis is placed on hockey cards and memorabilia. This year Upp...
Apparently, Leafs General Manager John Fergusen Jr has been secretly talking to young Oshawa Generals forward, and future number 1 pick, John Tavares about maybe going pro, and signing a contract to play for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL next season. Is this their last resort at trying to end their 40+ year Stanley Cup drought without having to rebuild like most normal te...
After a long day at work I climbed into my car and was welcomed by hall of fame play by play anouncer Peter Mahr, the Flames Vs. Wild game was just starting. I've been in a bad mood for two days at this point with the lack luster and lopsided defeat to the sharks still very fresh in my mind, I'm hoping against hope that the Flames can overcome the odds and beat the only un...
Alright so previously I had written about the media coverage in the Bay Area, and how it covers the Sharks. I asked many fans and some other bloggers about their take on the topic, and came up with quite a bit. Well a couple of weeks ago Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News got back to me on the subject, and this is what he had to offer on the subject.
He agrees that...
Miikka Kiprusoff was born in Turko Finland in October of 1976. He was just rewarded, for his 31st birthday, with a $35 million dollar contract over the next 6 years. [img:right]http://nhlpa.com/Player_Pics/2873.jpg[/img]
That's quite a lot of money for a player who: hasn't played in 250 games yet, hasn't won more than 125 wins in the regular season, and hasn't won a S...
Just teasing...
He isn't known for his playmaking, but he had some great assists last night. That Shanny goal was purty.
He's also great on the PK, and he backchecks very well. He's the defensive positive of Ortmeyer, but he can actually stick handle.
He's had some bad luck offensively. He was robbed twice by Brodeur, and I think he was also open-net robbed agains...
Chris Mason will be back in goal tonight for the Predators as they face the Calgary Flames at the Saddledome. Tonight begins the first of a stretch of five road games for the Predators and all are against worthy opponents. No off nights here. The Western Canada swing is always a tough one for any team then they follow it up with stops in Chicago and Detroit before he...
The announcement had hardly finished leaving Darryl Sutter's lips, and the jury was already out on newly appointed Calgary Flames head coach "Iron" Mike Keenan, and to no real surprise. Keenan is the poster boy for a roller coaster career, with few other bench bosses experiencing the ups and downs quite like he did. This Flames fan, however, held his tongue. Any reasonable...
Great insight on it, it's going to be a great game to say the least. Expect guys like Nolan, Sarich, and Conroy to stand out tonight. They're the guys who can stick to a Red Wing like glue and keep the forecheck energized.
I attended the Nashville game a couple days ago and I wasn't satisfied with the play of both Nashville and the Flames. Both teams didnt bring any so...
No, that is not a real word but it should be one. Big thanx to Henrik Lundqvist for backing up Friday's blog with another stellar performance against the Devils. He has now given up only 22 goals in 13 starts and seems to be playing the best goal in the NHL along with Pascal LeClaire.
Once again the Rangers had difficulty putting the puck in, scoring only 1 goal in reg...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
Enough of whats wrong with the Devils......
Posted Wednesday | Comments 4
Here is whats RIGHT.....the current and latest owner. Jeffery Vanderbeek has delivered on his promise, got a new beautiful building built that is the class of the NHL ( just ask anyone who has gone, rather than cower in fear at the percieved vision of what they think that part of Newark is like) I liked him from day one when he kept his regular season ticket seats in with ...
It only seems fitting for the once labeled "The Next One" to have his retirement go unnoticed after all of the troubles Eric Lindros experienced in the NHL. As a Flyers fan, I believe that it's quite sad to see Eric go out this way--just last week I had scoped Youtube to find any tape on Lindros, back when he was with the Flyers, back when his future looked so bright.
...
Maybe I don't understand the criteria. The All-Star game is in February. How is it possible that the All-Star Ballot selections have already been made before all the teams have played even 15 games of the 82-game season? If the powers that be can already make selections based upon the evaluation of nominal evidence that all these players named are having all-star years,the...
Right now as it stands the Flames are looking grim, bumping up against the cap with a little wiggle room and sitting at .500, this seems like a great time to make up some trade posibilities and use some facts as well.
Recently there was a rumor circulating that Kovalev was a target of the Calgary Flames for Tanguay, obviously based on the points Tangauy gets and the fac...
I just played NHL 08 for Sabres vs. Leafs and here's your basic rundown:
1st
Mats Sundin scores 1-0 Toronto
3rd
Alex Ponikarovsky scores 2-0 Toronto
Henrik Tallinder scores 2-1 Toronto
Ales Kotalik scores after Tucker just misses empty Buffalo net 2-2
OT
Derek Roy scores 3-2 Buffalo
That one word is all that's needed tonight.
The NHL wanted it. The NHL is closer than ever of getting it.
The NFL says it has it. Then it has the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Where do they fit under parity?
MLB says it has it. Then there's the Boston Red Sox.
NBA says it has it. Yet there's dynasty teams like the San Antonio Spurs.
It's ...
The Rangers plan and system is again showing postive signs this year. Scotty Gomez is taking his foot off the break and showing why he was the breakdown specialist in NJ. Add a little Sean Avery to the Mix and the teams line combinations are starting to take shape. The Rangers have a nice balance of skill and grit on each line, and steady D-men running the points. With ...
The Rangers plan and system is again showing postive signs this year. Scotty Gomez is taking his foot off the break and showing why he was the breakdown specialist in NJ. Add a little Sean Avery to the Mix and the teams line combinations are starting to take shape. The Rangers have a nice balance of skill and grit on each line, and steady D-men running the points. With ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRCmReg2Ms4
Ok all I think the Flyers made a mistake in not including Mike Richards as one of the Flyers for the All Star game. The folks they picked absolutely should also be there but I think Mike should have been named to the ballot as well.
I am campaigning to get Mike Voted in. Please watch and remember to Vote next week Mike Ric...
HunterRules writes...
Isles Call Phoenix Bluff: Meyer back with Isles AGAIN
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
as per isles website..
[quote]Islanders GM Garth Snow reacquired the 26-year-old defenceman Saturday, picking Meyer up on re-entry waivers from the Phoenix Coyotes.
"The injuries we've recently had on our blue line prove you can never have enough depth," Snow said in a release. "We've always liked Freddy. He's an intense competitor and he's a very solid defenceman i...
According to Forbes the Leafs are worth $413 million. The Flyers at 6th overall are worth $244 million and at the bottom of the barrel are the Nashville Preds at $143.
I wonder if the Sedin twins ever switch jerseys during a game and pretend they are each other on the ice, that would be awesome.
Basillie offered over $200 million for the Preds and the NHL forced the ...
[b]JUST FOR CHRISTMAS[/b]
NEW ITEM for Christmas this year is NHL candy cane ornaments! A nice change from your standard ball tree-hanging. Made by Forever Collectibles these great-looking candy canes measure about 5" tall. Not only good for decorating the tree, but for dressing up your wrapped gifts etc.
One problem though, so far the manufacturer only produced them...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/returnoftheking.jpg[/img]
http://new.wavlist.com/movies/093/aod-hailking.wav
Garth Snow hemmed and hawed when he had to figure out a solution to his horde of defensemen at the start of this season. Bryan Berard sat for days waiting as the season started, and all he could do is practice on his own dollar as the Isles looked f...
ExtraB writes...
Heroes and Prospects Cards Fully Loaded: New Tavares Set Too
Posted Sunday | Comments 8
-
In The Game, Inc. began putting out the Heroes and Prospects hockey card set during the 2004-05 hockey season. This set has proven to be a favorite among hardcore and casual hockey card collectors alike. Each year the set delivers a great bang for your buck as it is fully loaded with autograph and game used memorabilia pieces of hockey equipment actually worn by playe...
AlexanderScharf writes...
GAS Line, Fourth Line Heroes, Henrik: Put Rags Back On Track
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First nine: 2-5-1. Last nine: 7-2-0.
That tells the story of the turnaround the Rangers have made in this young season. That proves that the early hiccups that this team experienced were nothing more than growing pains. That when the right line combinations are found and the players learn to play with each other, it will create success. That when the team defense is con...
Every time Al MacInnis appears on the jumbotron in St. Louis, the crowd cheers. Al MacInnis is a class act, and his Hall of Fame status has been bringing back great memories. Because of my age, most of my memories come from his time in St. Louis, so feel free to add any more in the comments. Here I go:
-His Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe in Calgary. I've only really seen t...
Roberto Luongo mockingly threatened to retire if the NHL were to enlarge the size of the goals. In fact, Luongo is indirectly the reason the league is even considering the move.
The league is seeking ways to increase scoring. There are many reasons for the decline in scoring compared to the '70s and '80s. When it comes to goalies, today's netminders benefit from bette...
Oh Yes! After losing six games in a row the Predators have stormed back in dramatic fashion. The Preds have won seven out of their last nine with only one regulation loss in that stretch. The boys have turned a corner and have surprised allot of teams including the Blue Jackets whose coach, Ken Hitchcock, thought that the Preds were done for the year when they were struggl...
Ok, so the Rangers are playing the Devils this evening and I'm pretty amped about it. I haven't been in the Tri-State area for that long but I'm really liking the whole 'Metro Ice Challenge' the Rangers, Devils and Islanders have going on, especially the charity portion of the competition. Apparently the team with the most points and wins is awarded $50,000 to donate to th...
The Rangers continue to get better,especially the young players. With Mark Staal ripping a shot past Marty 499 last nite, I expect his offence to take off too. His defensive game is rounding out nicely . Early in the year he was beaten wide now not only does he shut down the oposing foward but steals the puck and takes off up the ice. I attibute his progression to playing ...
Personally I am sickened but not shocked by the lack of press Martin Brodeur's 500th win gets in the media...To me this is like the 800 goal club, or 700 home run club, a club so exclusive only 2 or 3 people in thier given sport have been able to obtain it....yet the NHL has done nothing special to acknowledge the moment....not even todays "frozen moment"
You can make ...
This blog has been a long time coming. But after reading the ek columns last night regarding the leafs and whether they should clean house or not... then hearing the Flames may be involved if only an e1, doesn't matter, I have to get this off my chest.
I love Darcy Tucker. He's from Alberta, Castor or Byemoor I believe. Anyway, he is a fighter. He's gritty, he can sc...
Over the past two months, it seems as if every Ottawa Senators fan except me has jumped onto the Gerber bandwagon. Nothing I say can seem to bring them back onto the Emery bandwagon. Even hardcore Senators fans who write about them for a living have proclaimed Gerber king. But before you join them in proclaiming Gerber king, let me argue my points of why I believe we shoul...
Ok, so I'm pretty obsessed with this challenge so I took it upon myself to post the current standings. The next game isn't far off so it's definitely going to heat up when my friends and I get together to watch it. One of my college friends almost got in a fist fight with some dude at the bar because the Devils are doing so poorly, Metro Ice Challenge-wise.
My New York...
Here’s a note to all local NY media. DO NOT,DO NOT ,DO NOT, mix the Rangers with the Knicks in the same conversation. With all the turmoil going on surrounding Madison Square Garden, writers and broadcasters are quick to make broad statements lumping them together. I’m not quick to burn Charles Dolan at the stake either. Sure he’s like a glorified fan buying up as ma...
Like a misbehaving toddler, a Flyers player is once again sent to the timeout chair. This time it is Scott Hartnell, and he gets 2 games to think about what he did - which is quite convenient because while he's thinking, he can read the scribblings on the wall left by Randy Jones, who occupied the same chair just a month earlier.
And just like Randy Jones, Hartnell can...
Tonight will be a good one. Colorado has a record on the road like the Sharks have at home, but throw all that out the window. Colorado always shows up to play the Sharks whether it is at home, away, Japan, or Zimbabwe. No matter how you look at it tonight will be a good test of will for the boys in teal.
Colorado will be looking to improve a woeful road record, while ...
Why the NHL won’t expand in Canada?
Canada is the centre of the hockey world. With over 50% of the NHL’s players coming form Canada, we dominate who plays the game, how the game is played but not where the game is played. Everywhere you go in Canada hockey is the #1 sport and we Canadians are more loyal, knowledgeable, and die hard then any country about any sport. ...
That's what the boxscore should read in the paper tomorrow after that nightmare witnessed nationwide in Canada on HNIC. Jarome Iginla looked like the best hockey player in the league tonight. Every time he stepped on the ice, the Flames nearly scored. So much that Flame hater Craig Simpson even brought it up. Then you know it must be obvious.
However, with all that ...
I have to say that I've been a proponent of the shootout since the age of 9. I was playing shootout mode on one of the NHL games for Sega Genesis when I got the idea.
'Why don't they get rid of ties and have a shootout? They're so cool!' I thought. And hey, apparently, the only thing you had to do was shoot the puck just before crossing the blue line every time you cam...
Matt Cullen and the Carolina Hurricanes came into Madison Square Garden last night and throughly spanked my New York Rangers. Still riding atop at Atlantic Eastern Conference standings, the Rangers are still doing well despite the temporary setback.
What really interests me, though, is how everything ends up with the [i]HUMMER 'Metro Ice Challenge'[/i]. Currently the Is...
I'm not going to write a summary of what happened; Shaune did a really nice job of that on the main page, and there is no need to recap it. That being said I would like to share some pictures and thoughts.
[img]http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v152/52/107/602212162/n602212162_501919_2213.jpg[/img]
I was disappointed to see Fleury leave the game as I ...
The last time San Jose and Phoenix met the Sharks delivered the knockout blow with a 6-0 manhandling of the Yotes. For Phoenix it was 3 games in a row against San Jose and was just a disaster. San Jose outscored the Coyotes 15-1 in those three games. The series got chippy and Steve Bernier found himself in the thick of it. It all ended with The Coyotes Nick Boynton getting...
Eggshmeg writes...
My Interview With Bulldogs Goaltender Cedrick Desjardins
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[img:left]http://bp0.blogger.com/_iwrHzC9-ZDg/R1rNLRUzGcI/AAAAAAAAACU/loGd_bEI0D8/s320/Red+eye+fixed.jpg[/img]This morning I had the chance to speak with Cedrick Desjardins of the Hamilton Bulldogs at Copps Coliseum. He was kind enough to answer all of my questions, despite being put on short notice. Cedrick played Major Junior hockey in Rimouski for 3 years before being t...
JARRET STOLL IS HAVING ANOTHER TOUGH YEAR IN
OIL COUNTRY AND I HAVE COMPILED A FEW REASONS THAT
EDMONTON COULD DEAL HIM SOONER THAN LATER.
REASON #1 CONTRACT
STOLL IS A RESTRICTED FREE AGENT AT THE END OF
THE SEASON. THE OILERS NEED TO SPEND THEIR MONEY ON
PLAYERS SUCH AS PITKANEN AND GILBERT WHICH ARE TWO
YOUNG UP AND COMING D-MEN WHO ALONG...
It still hurts to talk about the loss last night. Believe it or not, despite giving up 8 goals, Hannu Toivenan can’t be blamed for the loss. The loss was a total breakdown on all defensive fronts.
How many times was brewer going to be out of position?
How many times was the 6 foot 2 Backman outmuscled on the puck?
How many times did the defense watch Colorado se...
Anaheim had a terrific power play kill throughout the whole game. After the Ducks tallied back in the second period there was a leverage that would be slightly turned once more for the Jackets until Over Time. Special teams for the Ducks was what won them this game, hands down. These teams are wonderful rivals because when they play each other, they tend to have some very...
Now, I know that everybody is aware of problems with the current schedule and that the NHL has taken steps to try and rectify it. However with the Flames current road trip, I was curious about why the league would schedule them to have two separate road trips out to the East coast.
The Flames have to travel for a 6 games in 11 nights swing, including three of the five...
jammer21 writes...
Pregaming with the Blues harder than Edmonton Postgames
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
It’s time to look ahead to the Blues game tonight against the Edmonton Oilers. Be warned, Blues fans. If the Oilers give up an early lead, by the first intermission, the fans will likely call for the firing of a coach, a GM or a combination thereof. Wait, wrong Canadian team. Do we play the Leafs this year?
The last time these two teams met on December 7th, the Oilers...
As I watched the game tonight, I finally got to see the real Kipper, and Vokoun was just as good. The two shared the spotlight with save after save. Kipper made 34 saves out of 35 shots. Meanwhile, Vokoun made 32 saves out of 33 for the Panthers in net.
The best period for the Panthers was the second period they pretty much took it to the Flames. They fired 13 shot...
This is looking a lot like deja vu. If you look at the beginning of last season - Gerber let in soft goals and the team struggled and were losing a lot of games. Emery then stepped in and gave his team a chance to win and took over the #1 job after Gerber was given miles of leash. Fast forward to this season - After a sizzling hot start by an unpressured Gerber, w...
I feel as if the Rangers are gonna take the charity money that's up for grabs (for the HUMMER Metro Ice Challenge taking place between the Devils, Rangers and Islanders) due to their recent play. Currently they're trailing the Islanders by just two points but I think with the upcoming games scheduled, that'll completely change. Additionally, they beat the Devils 1-0 in Ove...
After 29 games this season, the New York Islanders are just a game above .500, the sheer definition of mediocrity.
What's that sound you hear coming from Uniondale, you ask? That collective groan that echoes throughout Islander Nation?
It's the big, fat, "[i]Uggggggghhhhhh[/i]!" of being a fan of a perpetually mediocre hockey team. It's what we've come to expect fro...
The Vancouver Canucks roll into town tonight fresh off a 3-2 win in Anaheim last night. San Jose will look to make the Canucks visit to the tank an unpleasant one. Vancouver like the Sharks, has been bitten by the injury bug. Roberto Luongo, Brendan Morrison, and Brad Isbister will be out of the line up for the Canucks tonight.
Vancouver rookies Jason Jaffray and Mason...
As the hockey season is well on its way, I cannot help but feel as though something is missing. While I do not doubt the intensity and passion that the players possess, I am still finding a void between the way the game is played now and the way it was before the new rules. The so called evolution of the game has made it a super pest’s paradise, a one way street where a ...
Gerber!!! Gerber!!! Gerber!! Well, here we go again! Sens fans, like myself, are jumping back on the Martin Gerber bandwagon. Just last week, he was the ire of most fans. Uh, oh!! Gerber can't stop anything!! Now, he's our guy again. I truly believe that he is, technically, a better goaltender than Rayzor, however, he still loses the puck far too often. Whether he...
It's clear that the Rangers are having problems with their defense. After four or more goals in the past four games, King looks tired ( wrist & flu). Most goalies in the NHL strive to be the #1 keeper,while others are content to be the # 2. Those that are happy playing the backup role need to be real artists. They need to stay sharp,play locker room good guy,and step ...
It's clear that the Rangers are having problems with their defense. After four or more goals in the past four games, King looks tired ( wrist & flu). Most goalies in the NHL strive to be the #1 keeper,while others are content to be the # 2. Those that are happy playing the backup role need to be real artists. They need to stay sharp,play locker room good guy,and step ...
Now I complain about seeing the same division rivals over and over all the time, but I can careless how many times we have to play the Ducks. These are always great games whether San Jose comes out on top or not. Now don't get me wrong the Sharks have been blown out by the Ducks many a times, but it has also gone the other way as well. What I love so much about these games...
Last evening the Flyers dropped a 3-2 decision to the Phoenix Coyotes, after leading 2-0 late in the second.
The Flyers had three costly defensive breakdowns that ended up in the back of their net. That is what happened, but it sells the Coyotes short. This is an excellent young team, full of resiliency and they skate like the wind. The most surprising thing was the amo...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Flyers 101-Season of Giving, The Grinch and Harry S. Truman
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/lights.gif?t=1198113250[/img]
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_santa_waving_cool.gif[/img]
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/lights.gif?t=1198113250[/img]
[u][b]The Season of Giving[/b][/u]
Yes, yule log is on the fire (whatever a yule log is), the numerous fruit cakes fro...
Sidney Crosby flew down the wing with Ryan Whitney on a 2 on 1. As he neared the goalie, Crosby flung the puck past the defenseman and right to the stick of Whitney. A split second later, whitney returned the puck to Crosby at the right post. Wide open net. Goal, right?
Gary Roberts along the right boards. To Erik Christensen had at the right faceoff dot. He spun aroun...
Things are looking up right now in Duckland. The team won last night in San Jose, Ryan Getzlaf is emerging as a leader, Corey Perry surpassed his career high in goals, Bobby Ryan scored again, Scott Niedermayer has returned from his semi-retirement and there are even rumors that Teemu Selanne is skating again in preparation for his return to the Ducks.
While most Duc...
Hey pens fans,
Well, last night the Pens fell to the Rangers 4-0. It was not pretty, so I will not dwell on that.
The Pens have made some moves. Connor James was re-assigned to WBS and the Pens called up Jeff Taffe.
On the injury front, Ryan Malone went in for a medical evaluation on a leg infection.
Also, the holiday trade freeze will go into effect at midnight to...
Congrats on another trip around the sun, Duke!!!
[b]A CHILD WISH LIST[/b]
The day is coming. No matter how much we as fathers do not want it to, I guarantee it is coming. You have heard there are only two sure things in life: death and taxes. Well, I would like to add one more to that list, and that is: the Christmas wish list. Yes, the Christmas wish list; the most dreaded list of all fathers. Come on, guys, yo...
Things are looking up right now in Duckland. The team has won the last two games while earning 5 out of 6 points over the last three. Ryan Getzlaf is emerging as a leader, Corey Perry is becoming the sniper, Scott Niedermayer has returned from his semi-retirement and there are even rumors that Teemu Selanne is skating again in preparation for his return to the Ducks.
W...
Now based on that title you would think dogs can easily beat a fish, well hold on now. The fish have had the dogs swimming in circles 8 games in a row now, dating back to last season. The fish have protected their nets well and have not allowed the dogs in the net in 3 straight games. Have you ever seen a dog on ice? They can't quite keep up and move so well, but if you le...
The Calgary Flames have just finished their most productive road trip in team history. Much has been said about the play of Jarome Iginla who is cementing himself as a top 5 player in the world, (in my opinion, the best and most valuable/marketable player in the NHL due to his play ON the ice and his commitment to the team and community OFF the ice)... and also Huselius a...
Even those who don't follow baseball know who the [b]New York Yankees[/b] are. And these fans and potential fans know what the [b]Yankees[/b] are about - [b][i]winning[/i][/b]. We recall that earlier in the past season the [b]Yankees[/b] were faltering. Some pundits were predicting that, for the first time since time immemorial, the Yanks would not make it to the post seas...
saneopinion writes...
if a tree with a flames logo falls in the forest...
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Does Mcgeough try to screw it??
Someone at sometime has to stand up, against the ridicule suffered by opponents and say, "Mick "blind Mcgoo" Mcgeough has to be let go. Too many times has this very patial referee made a games outcome in favour of a team not from from Alberta.
You know when the game starts and some one who you never met before says, "Uh-oh "Mcgoo" is...
CaptShark writes...
Sharks @ Blues; Keys to the Game, Setoguchi back to Woostah
Posted Friday | Comments 0
*UPDATE
Rookie winger Devin Setoguchi sent back to Worcester of the AHL. The Sharks want him to keep playing but he has not been good lately and was a healthy scratch in the last game.
It has been hard getting back into the swing of things, but I have managed. Tonight the Sharks face off against the Blues in St. Louis. Things have been nothing but good for the Sharks o...
Ray Emery was sent home from Ottawa Senators practice this mroning, just heard this on Hockey Central at Noon. I will update this story as I find out more information on it, updates will appear at the bottom of this page.
Update 12:40pm
So as it turns out Ray Emery wasn't feeling well showed up 5 minutes before they senators were supposed to practice and informed the...
So I was looking at the NHL shop when I came across the All Star Game jerseys and the first thing that popped into my head was "Really?"
[img]http://nhl.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p3904301th.gif[/img]
[img]http://nhl.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p3904347th.gif[/img]
This is the first year of the new RBK Edge jerseys and this is the best color scheme ...
Twas the night before my short vacation to Los Angles and the second day of this new year. So I've decided to come up with a list of New Years Resolutions I believe our New York Islanders should have for the year 2008. If you have more ideas than what I came up with.. please leave a comment on this blog or drop me an email at [email protected]
1. [b]STAY HEALTHY[/b...
I've noticed some oddities about this guy in the WJCs...
- plays with full-face tinted shield, so you can't see his face
- appears in intermission interviews with cardboard blue dot over his face
- Repeatedly is heard saying "I'm not Pelle....."
- First question in post-game press conference is always "Any Habs News?"
- has iPhone sewn into hockey glove
- refers to...
The latest World Junior Championships took place recently, and many eyes were focused on the Czech Republic to see if Team Canada could continue their domination of the tournament. They did indeed win the gold, but the gap perhaps has been closed between itself and the other top nations.
However, myself and the UK hockey fans were looking towards Latvia as GB U20's were...
As a Ranger fan, I am used to disappointment. We have memories of 1997-2004 that I am still trying to repress, but now in 2008, here is the situation that the Rangers are in:
1.) Inconsistency [the facts]
2.) The blame game [the frustration]
3.) Possible solutions [the realism]
[b]Inconsistency[/b]
The Rangers have had both mini and large streaks, be it the abysma...
Love it or hate it, the outdoor game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres brought the NHL a lot of attention from people other than hockey fans. The All-Star game is meant to do the same thing; the league showcases their talent to attract new fans.
So, my question is, why don't we hold the All-Star game outdoors (that is, when it's not in Atlanta)?
Thin...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/glasshalfislanders.jpg[/img]
So, if you've sat and thought about this team this season, have you come to the same conclusion I have drawn? When asked: Is the glass half empty? Is the glass half full? My answer is:
"The glass is half Islanders"
Which is my witticism for neither. Both. Or that giant question mark that slams into our h...
Just thought I'd round up today's top stories;
Scotty Bowman came out today and said that he has no plans on leaving Detroit to join the dysfunctional Maple Leafs should they shake up the front office. As we all know, Bowman appeared in an interview on Hockey Night in Canada this past Saturday where he spilled the beans about MLSE. He said that the MLSE board of direc...
As I write this, John Ferguson Jr. is still the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as far as I know anyways. Of course it is completely possible that Ferguson was fired long ago and MLSE has asked him to hold the position while they search for an interim GM. This would explain why there has practically been no roster changes during this catastrophic slump, w...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Drop Fourth Straight, Inconsistency Continues
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Flames dropped their fourth in a row tonight, losing to Nashville 3-0. For the second straight game in a row, the team was outright hard to watch, as the best scoring chance the Flames got all night was a clanger in the first period by Dion. The only good part of the game was seeing Calgary product Curtis McElhinney play a fine third period in what will likely be his l...
Kelekin writes...
2008-09 Off-Season: Calgary Flames (An Early Look Ahead)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It'll be an interesting off-season for the Flames this year.
To look ahead, this will be a make or break off-season in regards to whether or not the team will be able to compete in the two or three years thereafter.
Currently there is 40 million locked up towards next year's salaries, with about 10 million to spare. The question remains, what will we be able to do wi...
[b]APOLOGY TO THE CALGARY FLAMES FANS[/b]
I noticed as a fan blogger now I have never really laid up on my bashing of the flames. Well that is plain wrong how can I really seriously consider myself a fan of the league if all I do is bash the home team I live in.
Well that is ending today I want to make sure that I am a fan of the NHL which includes well the ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Beat Wild - With Habs Assistant GM Watching.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Flames snapped their four-game losing streak with an important 3-2 shootout win over the division-leading Wild. With the win, Calgary is now one point back of the Wild in the Northwest. Truth be told, they should and would be ahead of Minnesota if it weren't for a quick whistle late in the second that wiped out a Kristian Huselius goal. I don't usually criticize refs f...
Haven't been on here much in the past month what with Christmas and work but I just wanted to comment on a couple of things. I'm not going to discuss the Flames up and downs, simply some of the players performances and thoughts. Pictures however are from ESPN.com.
- Warrener has been a healthy scratch the last two games. Is he worse than Eriksson or Hale? I know Keenan...
For a league that struggles to market to the mythical casual fans without upsetting the die-hard fans, the Winter Classic could not have been more perfect for the NHL.
A cold, blustery day with light to moderate snow in Buffalo provided the perfect backdrop for Pittsburgh's entertaining 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, but the game was about far more than the score....
He looks like Mister Heat Miser. Please Barry Shave it off. You look like a complete bunghole.
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Stomp Kings; Potential Dilemma: Tanguay AND Huselius?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Flames stomped LA 6-1 tonight. The Flames were able to get away with Jarome Iginla not getting any points tonight, as Daymond Langkow got a hat trick and Matt Lombardi got a goal and assist. With the win and Minnesota's loss to Anaheim, the Flames now lead the Northwest by one point. However, Flames fans shouldn't get used to it, as Calgary doesn't play again until Tue...
I'm a little Cantankerous today!
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
I enjoy your feed back.
The Nashville Women's Ice Hockey League is having an open house today with a scrimmage and on-ice demonstrations. If you're a female hockey fan in the Nashville area, go check it out.
You can try on hockey equipment, get a mini-skating lesson, and shoot at the net. Best of all, it's free! ($2 if you need to rent skates)
Registration starts at 1:30, and the festivitie...
So much has been made about Calgary's cap "troubles" coming up next year, so let's actually break it down and see what contracts, and what roster spots are up for grabs next season.
Contracts in place, assuming no trades happen before the 08/09 season, not including potential extensions:
???? - ???? - Iginla (7.0)
Tanguay (5.250) - Lombardi (1.817) - ????
Moss (.5...
millertime writes...
Buffalo Doom & Gloom: Leafs-like situation may blow team up
Posted Monday | Comments 0
All the attention of the Hockey World, it seems, is on the Toronto Maple Leafs, but there's now a disaster just two hours southwest.
Someone told me it's the Curse of the Buffalo Bills that has inflicted this team. The moment they stepped on the ice at Ralph Wilson Stadium, they got a heavy dose of "We find ways to lose" injected into their bodies. Now I don't know if...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
The Phaneuf Questions; Flames Learning To Win Without Iggy
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I'm sure I wasn't the only Flames fan who almost had a heart attack when they logged on to Hockeybuzz to find a Phaneuf trade rumor on the front page. I probably take Eklund's rumors more seriously than most should. I'm still pale skinned and shivering with the possibility. However, the idea of Phaneuf being traded is both more and less possible than some might think.
T...
Hey guys. I just thought that I would bring up a real interesting topic, that may or may not be a major factor in the up coming weeks. It's as simple as this and it's called the Dion Sweepstakes. Quite frankly I feel that maybe this could be above and beyond what Calgary fans want, trading away the Top young D-man in the Leaque. I wonder what we could get in return, surly ...
[img:left]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20061107/DionPhaneuf_43250.jpg[/img]
The idea that Darryl Sutter, the GM of the Calgary Flames and one of the most intelligent, well-rounded and respected GM's in the entire National Hockey League trading away All-Star and possible future Norris Trophy winning defense man Dion Phaneuf is one of the most preposterous rumor...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
10 Reasons to Watch the All-Star Game...the East
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/allstar_645.jpg?t=1201147680[/img]
With no football to contend with, the NHL All-Star Game might actually gain some viewers in the U.S. I hope and pray that Versus does the All-Star Game justice and that neither Timonen or Richards gets hurt.
Without further ado...
[u][b]10 Reasons to Watch: East[/b][/u]
1. ...
monoxide164 writes...
Young Stars Game the bright spot of 2008 Skills Competition
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Three years removed from the NHL lockout and the young talent continues to look better and better with every drop of the puck. The 2007 Young Stars Game was a joke, plain and simple. It was boys, not men, floating around the ice and cherry picking at the oppositions blue line looking for a breakaway.
Yawn.
Quite a different scene displayed by the young talent selecte...
Among the hardest qualities to evaluate in competition are the intangibles of "beauty" and "creativity." This is principally because those not in the creativity business erroneously assume that anyone can make competent evaluations of creativity or artistic merit based solely upon personal opinion, with no objective criteria in place. This is the "I don't know much about...
I've had just about enough of all the talk about "how we can improve the all-star game." Some "experts" have even suggested that we drop the all-star game completely. People always say how the all-star game "isn't what it used to be." The reason is blatantly obvious. All-Star games are for children, and corporate schmoozing. Unless you fit into one of those categories, the...
[b]The first person to tell you he is disappointed [/b]about not receiving the MVP award in the All-Star game will be Rick Nash. Yes, he had a hat trick, and you could certainly make the argument that all three were very nice goals.
[b]The All-Star game is billed as a showcase of talent[/b]- the game's best players on the same stage for one night. Hockey fans cannot den...
Second half of the season starts on Tuesday, and I like the fact that it's so close in the standings. It's ultimately good for the sport to have as many teams as possibly vying for a playoff spot right now and makes up to certain hockey excitement that people only could see in the playoffs.
Another thing that makes more games more exciting to watch is because of the am...
The soap opera know as "The Rays of our Lives" has given us a new episode. As most of you are aware, Ray Emery arrived at the practice facility in Long Island on Monday more than an hour after he and his team mates were required to arrive. Being that this isn't the first offence for the chronologically challenged, practice shirking keeper, he was told to stay off the ice. ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Overtime/Shootout Loss - Time to Lose the Point and Win
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[u][b]The Overtime/Shootout Loss - Time to Lose the Point and Win [/b][/u]
[b]The Good Old Days[/b]
Take a walk with me back to the days of clutching and grabbing, the days of actually being able to clear the crease and the horrid days of ties in hockey. Two teams played 60 minutes, fought hard, left their blood on the ice and end up tied. Overtime.
In this in...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Get Character Win v. SJ; PHANEUF RE-SIGNING IMMINENT
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Flames won an important character game against San Jose tonight, 5-4. Not only did they beat the league's best road team at home, they also beat the second-ranked Sharks for the second straight game. Jarome Iginla remained goalless for the eighth straight game, so the Flames remedied this with a hat trick from...Owen Nolan! It was what you might call Trade Bait Night f...
First, let me start by saying that Alex Tanguay is one of my favourite players - he always has been.
Alex Tanguay is a great NHL hockey player. Before this year, he was a Power Play specialist, had a great shot, great passer and never complained (and still never complains). When the deal was heard that Tanguay was traded to Calgary for Leopold, Calgary was ecstatic.
...
I have to write this blog quickly before Evgeni Nabakov comes in with a poke check and screws it all up, so here goes....
- Leaf fans will be happy to hear that to generate a quick response to a massive clean-up effort, Cliff Fletcher has brought in FEMA....
- You may have noticed that a different goaltender was used for each period of the All-Star Game. When asked a...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Risk And Reward: Evaluating Potential Top Line Centers
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Flames' need, or at least want, for a top line center to play with Jarome Iginla seems to have expanded beyond the realms of fans playing armchair GM. During the second intermission of the Flames-Sharks game on Wednesday, TSN's Darren Dreger reported that, with the issue of re-signing Dion Phaneuf now all but officially out of the way, Darryl Sutter is shopping for suc...
Enjoy my friends.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Personally I've always had it in for Ray Emery. I didn't like him before he became a number one for the Senators, and I didn't like him once he assumed (usurped) the starting role from Dominik Hasek. I didn't like him when he put Mike Tyson on his helmet, nor did I like him when he took the Senators to the Cup Finals. I didn't much care for his road rage incident, and I...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Put Up Pitiful Performance; Drilled By Oilers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Cold on the heels of their close 2-1 home loss to the Stars on Saturday, the Flames got crushed 5-0 in Edmonton tonight, souring CuJo's first start with the Flames. Let me tell you, I didn't watch much of the third period (because Prison Break was on, and also the Flames were down 3-0 after two) but I can tell you that this was the absolute worst I have seen the Flames pla...
Wow after the pounding the Flames took at the hands of the Oilers, this makes me wonder if the cup dream is dissapearing in Calgary. I know it is only one game, but there is a trend when the flames face teams that out match them with speed. It seems to me that the Flames d man really struggle, stopping guys with speed. I think that Sutter should address this problem. I loo...
First things first, I love Huselius, and I think that he is infinitely talented, but I feel that the Flames are going to have to cut him loose for the benefit of the club. Surely the return would be great for Huselius, someone who many claim was robbed of an All-Star game spot, and he could be an impact player for a team that would barely sneak their way into a playoff spo...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Come Back From 3 Down, Get Huge Win Over 'Yotes
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
In one of the best and most entertaining games of the year, the Flames came back from a 3-0 deficit at the start of the third period to beat the Coyotes 4-3 in the shootout. Jarome Iginla finally snapped his 10-game goalless streak in dramatic fashion, first wiring home an amazing shot from the left circle over Ilya Bryzgalov's shoulder with just 9 seconds left to tie the ...
In an effort to answer that, I found the best thing to do is not to try at all. It IS for all intents and purposes probably the most frustrating season in recent memory. Here's the facts- you have a world-class netminder, 2 sure fire hall of famers up front(jags and shanny), 2 very good/execellent centers (dru and gomer) the biggest pest in the league (avery), the total...
It is very tempting to get behind the Sharks when they go on a win streak. It is tempting to start believing that the Sharks are starting to get to that Cup contender form that was predicted before the season.
Are they really, truly playing the way all of us believed they can do?
Or are the Sharks going to go on another skid for a few games down the road?
It is ha...
So it seems the Florida Panthers welcomed back Roberto Luongo by rewarding fans with TV's each time he allowed a goal. Nice. Though it did set the little hamster wheel in my head in motion...
Here, then, is the list of one promo I'd like to see each team offer:
[b]Anaheim Ducks:[/b] After each fight, 10 fans are invited to sit in the Ducks owners' box between Bria...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Can't Break Down Bulin Wall, Lose 3-1 To Blackhawks
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames lost 3-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks tonight, as Nikolai Khabibulin continued his dominance of Calgary with his 19th career win over the Flames. The Flames outshot Chicago 12-6 in the third period, but were unable to tie the game despite several close chances. With the loss, the Flames miss out on an opportunity to take the Northwest divisional lead, as Mi...
With last night's 3-1 victory over Calgary, one streak ends, and another is probably beginning.
Other than a rash of injuries to key players and the emergence of Pat Kane and Jonathan Toews, that's been the story of the Hawks' season thus far: back-to-back-to-back winning and losing streaks of 4-6 games. Those are the hallmarks of a very young team, and a .500 team, bot...
Enjoy.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Any comments are appreciated.
Have a great day
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Down Oil 4-1 On Eve Of Five Game Road Trip
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames rebounded from a relatively lackluster performance against Chicago on Thursday to defeat Edmonton 4-1 at the 'Dome tonight. Owen Nolan continued his strong play, leading the way with two goals. Dion Phaneuf also scored for the Flames, with Jarome Iginla adding an empty netter. The Flames are currently in seventh place, remaining two points back of Minnes...
It is very clear to me that change is needed in Calgary, in order to win a Stanley Cup. Change in Goal, no. but the rest of the team has struggled with consistency. i think we need to address the fact that we only have one true goal scorer in Iginla, the rest are hit and miss. This defence core has struggled in consistency with Sarich looking more like he is playing shinny...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Kiprusoff, Phaneuf, Iginla Beat Sharks 4-3 In OT
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames opened their big five game Pacific roadtrip with a dramatic 4-3 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks. Jarome Iginla scored the winner with 25 seconds left on the clock, one-timing a nice pass from Phaneuf from the left circle. This came after Phaneuf had sent the game to overtime with 49 seconds to go with a wrister from the blueline that found the back...
Alright. Well. In the last two games against the Wild, the Canucks have looked ugly, disgusting, and in all senses of the word, unattractive. It seems fitting that this game falls on VD, which, in addition to being an anagram for Valentine's Day, is also an anagram for something ELSE that may or may not share characteristics with my descriptions of the Canucks' play agains...
tyler_31 writes...
Canadian T-Deadline Gameplan: Part I of IV - Calgary Flames
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching, and Canadian hockey fans everywhere stockpiling the beer and getting the work-escape plans ready, I thought that I would analyze each Canadian teams game plan for trade deadline day, highlighting each teams needs, possible trade bait, and what players they could be targeting. Today, I will begin with the Calgary Flames. Friday:...
tyler_31 writes...
Canadian T-Deadline Gameplan: Part II of IV-Edmonton Oilers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching, and Canadian hockey fans everywhere stockpiling the beer and getting the work-escape plans ready, I thought that I would analyze each Canadian teams game plan for trade deadline day, highlighting each teams needs, possible trade bait, and what players they could be targeting. Yesterday, I will did the Calgary Flames (See Archiv...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Lose 6-3 To LA; Humiliated By Another Bottom 10 Team
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Atrocious, inexcusable and disgusting are three vowel-plentiful words that can be used to describe the Flames' 6-3 loss to the Kings tonight at the Staples Center. For the second time in two weeks, the Flames were humiliated by a team in the bottom 10 of the NHL standings (after the 5-0 loss to the Oilers on February 4). I honestly think this game was more frustrating and ...
If you ask me, right behind our timid, inconsistent offense that has had great difficulty burying the puck this season, this team has been lacking something else from last year that was notable throughout the season. It's not just Jason Blake's 40 goals or the fearless leader in Alexei Yashin....JUST KIDDING! No, it's not baseball swings with hockey sticks or number 3 expl...
Trade deadline is a week from today.
There has been so much discussion on who we (as Flames fans) want to see in a Flames jersey, who we want to see traded or let go, and what players we'd like to swap.
But what's realistic? What's practical? And, knowing Sutter's past moves, what will he likely do before the deadline?
We've heard so many rumored names coming... Sundin...
I’m not Darryl Sutter, though, so I’m just having fun and you can read and comment all you like. Sure, most are wishful thinking and maybe even a bit far-fetched, but have fun anyway.
1) [b][i]Trade Matthew Lombardi, Anders Eriksson, Andrej Taratukhin, and 2009 #2 Draft Pick to Florida for Olli Jokinen:[/i][/b] Flames get the #1 Center they’ve been wanting for yea...
As the trade deadline approaches there is a consensus that there are more buyers than sellers. Thus the price of return goes up, the 5th round pick you'd get for say a Yelle goes up to a 3rd round pick, who wouldn't take that deal? Some might say that a team going for the cup needs that depth to make it, they need to survive for two months of punishment and I agree. The on...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Acquire Jim Vandermeer From Flyers - Analysis
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames pulled the trigger on a minor deal today, acquiring defenceman Jim Vandermeer from the Flyers for a 3rd round pick in 2009.
I've said for a while now that the Flames need some better secondary D, as I have a distaste for Anders Eriksson and David Hale. To be honest though, this trade is puzzling to me.
This is the second straight year that Darryl S...
3-2 Calgary
When I decided to start trying to give the Stars a little more coverage a week ago I wondered why they don't get more coverage. I don't know if anyone reads this, and I don't really assume that this is some landmark effort to cover the Stars on a wide scale, or that it is even worthy of a large readership. The idea for this relatively small coverage ca...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Beat Wings; Why The Flames Shouldn't Trade Tanguay
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Alternate title: Flames Beat Wings; The Stupid Trade Rumor That Just Won't Die.
Miikka Kiprusoff finally got his first shutout of the year, making 38 saves as the Flames beat the Wings 1-0 on Friday night. Alex Tanguay scored the winning goal 12 minutes into the first, stealing the puck behind the net and doing a Steve Smith special, as he sent the puck in front where i...
Have a great week.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Thanks in advance for any comments and opinions.
I've decided that I'm going to try to export some of the Stars updates to blogger.com. I'm going to keep putting them up here, but also there so more people that don't necessarily have a hockeybuzz season pass can keep up with the Stars. The address right now is undecidedname.blogspot.com. I've already moved the hockeybuzz archive over there as well.
Problems:
1. I do...
The HB Chat room is a very interesting place visited by very interesting people. Friday Feb 15, Things got a little punchy, and the latest Peter Forsberg drama had finally gotten to us all.
It all started with an innocuous comment linking Forsberg's negotiations to a soap opera. And then, things went horribly, horribly wrong....
Welcome to "As the Foppa Turns"
Day...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Sutter Stands Pat, And Other Post-Deadline Thoughts.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
To my disappointment, Darryl Sutter did not make any trades today. I had woken up today expecting Sutter to take the only remaining opportunity to improve the Flames, but alas, no dice for the third straight year. I am not going to criticize Darryl, as from everything I've heard it certainly was not for a lack of trying. In any case, the only player I saw as a can't miss f...
I was having a look at the recent list of Norris trophy winners and I realized something (other than the fact new Lidstrom plaques are going to replace old ones soon). Why are there no defensive d-men? How come the men that step in front of 100 mph shots, move people out of the net, and in general go above and beyond their job, while managing to keep themselves out of the ...
On the morning of Trade Deadline Day, XM204 played a clip of [b]Buffalo Sabres'[/b] GM [b]Darcy Regier[/b] discussing how the media places a lot of pressure on GMs to get something done at/by the deadline. He's right about that--to a point. In most cases, that pressure comes as a result of what a GM has--[i]or hasn't[/i]--done to deserve it.
Some GMs were definitely exp...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Fall To Ducks; Evaluating The Flames' Playoff Chances
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Flames' woes against the Ducks in Anaheim continued tonight, as they fell 3-1 in what you might call a valiant effort, although it was in my view a two period effort by the Flames. Mathieu Schneider scored the opening goal only 35 seconds in, getting wide open at the point and wiring a great shot past Kipper's blocker. The Flames never quite recovered from this. Scott ...
This blog is specified between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins -- two teams that have felt the cold and unfair hand of management stamp down on decisions, exiling the General Managers. It is a [i]proces[/i]s which can end a GM's tenure quite easily. The management sees an opportunity, exploits it whether or not the GM sees fit, and the repercussions always ...
Welcome to the definitive guide to a very successful Trade Deadline Day. Over the next few paragraphs, I will describe to you my gameplan.
Brian Burke
[img:right]http://i26.tinypic.com/2w2os2b.jpg[/img]1) Always say you are happy with your team. Announce that you made your moves earlier in the season and do not plan on being active. Of course, you will be active, read on...
- Friday night at Joe Louis Arena, San Jose scored the game-winning goal after the puck had rebounded off the protective netting. In a response, the National Hockey League reminded us all that at Joe Louis Arena, the protective netting, scoreboard, rafters, Sid Abel's banner, that big-ass flight of steps outside and Mickey Redmond's forehead are considered "in play"...
...
I figured a little bit of Phoenix pregame would be in order. Here are a few interesting numbers I checked up on.
Brygalov last 3 years vs Dallas: 2-3 2.25 .927 sv%
at the AAC: 4GP 1.99 GAA .934sv%
Turco vs Phoenix last 3 years: 9-5 2.62 GAA .884sv%
in Phoenix: 4.15 GAA .852sv%
Since 2001
Home: 10-5-2 G...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Fall In OT To Preds. Just Like Tuesday, Except A Loss
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames were defeated in overtime tonight by the Nashville Predators 2-1. Adrian Aucoin gave the puck away deep in Calgary's zone about 2 minutes into overtime to Alexander Radulov, whose shot hit the post and was rebounded in by JP Dumont. Although one might call this a game with a playoff type atmosphere, personally I thought the Flames' effort was uninspiring...
Back in June, I offered [url=http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=827&post_id=1185]my first look[/url] at the tired phrases that make hockey fans everywhere want to gouge out their eardrums with a rusty spork. Some time has passed, and a few more of these little gems have drawn my ire.
[b]"on the outside looking in"[/b]
Perhaps the reason they haven't won more ...
Assuming that everyone's win-loss-otL-soL ratio stays the same, I took the time to calculate how many points everyone will have by the end of the season.
[b]Eastern Conference[/b]
NEW JERSEY DEVILS- 102 Points
Montreal Canadiens 100 Points
CAROLINA HURRICANES- 91 Points
Pittsburgh Penguins- 100 Points
Ottawa Senators- 97 Points
New York Rangers- 96 Points
Boston ...
The Calgary Flames 7-3 victory tonight over the St. Louis Blues featured a lot of the same ol', same ol', including shotty officiating which seems to be the norm of late in the league. But this game had something else too, and I'm glad it did as I gave away tickets to other games down the stretch to ensure my butt was in the seats tonight. Jarome Iginla passed Theoren Fleu...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Whip Blues 7-3 - Exactly What The Doctor Ordered
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
In a historic and uncharacteristically decisive win, the Calgary Flames beat the St. Louis Blues 7-3 at the Saddledome tonight. The spotlight in this game was on Jarome Iginla, who, at 18:27 of the 1st period, passed Theoren Fleury to become the franchise's all-time goals leader at 365, one-timing a pass from Kristian Huselius at the left circle. However, Iginla was not th...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Fall Victim To Ovechkin's Magic, Lose 3-2 To Caps
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames were served a reminder of why it was a good thing they only faced the Washington Capitals every two years this evening, falling 3-2 thanks to two late goals, one at the tail end of the second period, the other with less than two minutes left in regulation, by the incomparable Alexander Ovechkin. After the Capitals' Viktor Kozlov had opened the scoring j...
1-1=2
Wait, what?
Itlan @8-)
Alliteration is the key to any good blog title and I hope it caught your eye.
I often wonder what it would be like to be a Detroit Red Wing fan. They coast along in the regular season, amassing winning streaks and distancing themselves from the rest of the conference. Really, a Red Wings fan never has to worry. Those of them that show up to the games are really going...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Fall Apart In Atlanta. A Critical Collapse
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Last night, after the Flames' one-period effort of a 3-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, I wrote that the next day's game against the Atlanta Thrashers was a must win for the Calgary Flames. And what did they do?
Why, blow a 3-0 lead and lose 6-4 to the 14th ranked team in the East, of course.
It seemed, early on, that the Flames were listening to this 17-year-old'...
The past couple days in the NHL have been marred by questionable coaching decisions that have cost teams games or at least made things interesting when they shouldn't have been.
Yesterday the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks met in Dallas where the Stars have consistently been able to handle the Canucks behind the netminding of Marty Turco. The Stars were playing on ...
[b]*NOTE*:[/b] I will be writing a series of blogs discussing a handful of teams whose expectations were minimal to start the season or even now. Within these teams, I believe one will take home the Stanley Cup to their franchise. So far, I've I wrote about two of these clubs, the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers.
The Calgary Flames didn't start off with load...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
The Remarkable Northwest; The Needed Games Start Tomorrow
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Ask anyone, whether it be bloggers, journalists, coaches or players, and the universal response to the question "How many points will it take to make the playoffs in the Western Conference?" would probably be 94 or 95 points. The Calgary Flames are embroiled in the tightest points race in hockey, the Northwest Division race, a remarkable logjam of a division that, if it co...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Another Road Disaster; Flames Don't Deserve The Playoffs
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
I have been criticized recently because of my extreme pessimism regarding the Calgary Flames' chances for the rest of this NHL season. Well, I point the optimists in the direction of the Flames' latest disaster, a 3-0 drubbing by the 12th place Columbus Blue Jackets, in which they were outshot by a ridiculous margin of 38-18. There is little that can be said about such a l...
Anyone see the Leafs/Islanders game Tuesday night? Rob Davison of the Islanders scored on a slapshot from just in front of the goal line.
The OTHER goal line. The one 180 feet away.
An embarrassing moment to be sure. But we think Toskala had some valid reasons for allowing what seemed to be such a soft goal...
- Was distracted by blue dot and red comet tail ar...
[b]Coming off their lucklaster performance against the Wild on Monday, Colorado will look to rebound as they get set to faceoff in the Saddledome tonight at 9pm EST/6pm PST.
Calgary, as we all know, is a very skilled team. They have gotten great goaltending from Kipper as of late, even though by all accounts he has struggled this season. Of course, the Flames' D is tou...
[b]It seemed like an easy thing. After an embarrassing 3-1 loss to Minny on Monday I figured the Avs would come out of the gate flying - good rushes, hits, etc. At least there was a fight.
In a CRUCIAL game, the Avs simply did not come to play...AGAIN! They looked a lot better in the third but even then, come on. With a whopping 3 shots in the first, 7 shots in the sec...
[img:left]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070923/pogge_54611.jpg[/img]I had an opportunity to see the Leafs future #1 netminder tonight, as his Marlies visited Hamilton in the first game of a home-and-home, picking up a 3-2 victory in overtime. I say "future #1" with conviction after what I saw tonight. Not that there was any doubt before I got to see him in person, ...
enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Happy holiday weekend.
enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Happy holiday weekend.
enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Happy holiday weekend.
What better way to score your first NHL goal than on one of the greatest goaltenders of all-time, Martin Brodeur? How about the fact it was the game winner with just under a minute or two remaining in regulation that ended a six game skid?
[img:left]http://cdn.nhl.com/islanders/images/upload/2008/03/okposo_032108.jpg[/img] You can tell he felt all that and more with a ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Keep Division Hopes Alive; 2 Down, 3 To Go?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
In a game that looked and felt like a genuine playoff tilt, the Calgary Flames edged out the Minnesota Wild 5-4 on the strength of a natural hat trick by Jarome Iginla and goals by Dion Phaneuf and Matthew Lombardi. Flames fans in the 'Dome were treated to not only this outstanding effort by their captain, but a critically important flash of opportunism by the boys in red....
It's been a long time since Calgary has had THAT defenseman. The guy who was going to score goals and shut down the other team. Robyn Regehr has been a stalwart for years, but his offensive output is limited, relegating him to be simply a shut-down d-man... extremely important, but in a different regard. Dion has shown Calgary Flames fans and the league that he's going ...
[b]Avs 2, Flames 0. Although the score may seem somewhat misleading, the game was much closer. Again, at the start of the game the Avs came out somewhat tentative, though I have to say our passing was much crisper tonight. I thought Calgary really set the physical tone early, especially thanks to Phaneuf. I love this guy, I really do, and I thought he was great tonight (at...
Well the Senators got beat down with its 2nd loss in 2 games. First a squandered loss by the hated Leafs and tonight by the Montreal Canadiens. Obviously the Leaf-revulsion has always been old news, but tonight a new era has dawned as the rivalry brewing between the Habs and the sens has hit a new temperature. I was both impressed and disgusted by the intensity of the Bell...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Get Win No. 40 In Style Over Canucks, Take Lead In NW
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames rebounded from an abysmal first period, a terribly soft goal, and a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 tonight at the Saddledome. With the win, Calgary takes the lead in the Northwest Division with 90 points, one more than Minnesota and four more than the Canucks and Colorado Avalanche. This was a huge win for the Flames, who go into a three...
Enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts
Have a great Sunday.
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Lose Heartbreaker To Oil; Winning Out Would Win NW
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I just did not have the energy to muster a blog post late last night, after the Calgary Flames' 2-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at home. So I'll briefly summarize this huge game before detailing how it affects the Flames' division hopes. This game was, in my view, simply a heartbreaker for the Flames, who outshot, outchanced, and had more puck control for the entire game t...
My family and I just happened to fall prey to the nasty sickness that has been floating around and not going away in a normal timeframe. This one was abnormally uncomfortable as even my bones and teeth hurt. Nothing like waking in the middle of the night after 15 hours of sleep in a soaking wet sweat, but I am wandering off topic.
The bottom line is I missed the "Ne...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Forget The Division, Flames Have To Just Get In Playoffs Now
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The aftermath of the Calgary Flames' 6-2 embarrassment at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks last night (the game itself really requires no explanation or analysis), should be as clear as day, even to the most tragically optimistic Flames fans: far from winning the division, the Flames must now, just as they did last season, focus their efforts and worries primarily on sim...
jesus the northwest is crazy - if calgary beats minny tomorrow, then THREE teams can win the division title with their last game remaining
Option 1 - CGY beats MIN, CGY beats VAN, COL Beats MIN (Calgary wins Title)
Option 2 - CGY beats MIN, CGY loses to VAN, COL Beats MIN (Colorado wins Title)
Option 3 - CGY beats MIN, CGY beats VAN, MIN beats COL (Minnesota wins Titl...
[b] My wife and I were in our basement suite busily trying to decorate the place in pro-Avs colors when in walked one of my best friends (and another buddy)... Canuck fans. With Avs jerseys, scarfs, trinkets, mugs, a blanket and two Canuck fans, the stage was set for the pivotal push for the postseason.
I sometimes have a big mouth when it comes to the Avs. Usually, at ...
The consistent-inconsistency continues, on par with the whole of this season, and all of the last. It's been since the first post-strike season that the Calgary Flames have played with any sort of consistent effort and production. This is a trend that, if not fixed before, or early in the playoffs, will result in another early exit from the post-season. And that's assum...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Wild Beat Flames To Win NW; Oilers Let Flames Into Playoffs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames' divisional hopes officially died Thursday night with a 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild, who clinch the Northwest with the win. More importantly to Calgary, though, was their failure to get the one point needed to clinch a berth in the playoffs. The Flames remain in 7th place in the West with 92 points, just one above the Nashville Predators and four abov...
No Look Drop Pass writes...
One foot out of the Quicksand; Alfie gets his Bell rung
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I want to start with a rarely-if-ever used phrase -- Double Wow! Uhhhh...is that really how I want to start? Does anyone remember Pierre McGuire (if you don't know him, turn off your computer and never mention the word hockey again) yelling "Double Dion!" during a World Junior championship final when Dion Phaneuf corked two guys at once? The entertainment value of McGuire ...
Kaspar already touched on the game last night with the update that the Oil beat the lowly Canucks, ensuring some post-season play for the Flames again this season. Once again, the Flames proved they can't play a complete 60 minutes against a team who wants something just as bad as them. Like I mentioned in my previous blog, you never know which Flames team is going to sh...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Sharks Or Wild For Flames In Round 1, 'Hawks Do Flames Favor
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
With the Calgary Flames finally having an 'x' next to their name in the standings, along with the rest of the West, I can now finally focus a blog post solely on the Flames' playoff prospects.
The Flames were aided by another spoiler team tonight, as the Blackhawks defeated Nashville 3-1 to ensure that the Predators will finish in 8th and the Flames cannot finish lower ...
The final day of the regular season is upon us. This weekend provided some of the most exciting hockey in recent memory. There are still some playoff matchups to be determined, some fine-tuning of lines to be done, some "messages to be sent". (Damn, gotta save that one for my next cliche blog... write that down...)
As I look to Sunday's slate of games, I see some i...
A lack of class? maybe.. a lack of 'real' hockey understanding? probably.
saturday's game between the canucks and flames was not really worth mentioning. both teams were lackluster and without energy. a typical end of season game containing a dejected outsider and a relieved insider.
not worth mentioning? one of the all-time greats in Trevor Linden played what most...
Since this is the time of the year when every sports blogger in sight wants to give you their predictions on the playoffs, I'll spare everyone from simply writing a predictions post. Instead, I'll write an analysis and prediction of the series I'm most interested in (duh): (2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Calgary Flames, to start on Wednesday night at 8.
The Flames drew the ...
First off, I'd just like to say this is my first time blogging.... so bear with me please!
So home ice advantage goes to the New Jersey Devils over the New York Rangers. For the first two games, the Devils have a stronger opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead than the Rangers do, and apparently a stronger opportunity to take the series.
But think about it this way.....
I'm going to get my entire bracket set down instead of going round-by-round. Last year, I was 15 for 15 in predicting the Ducks over Sens; but I actually felt last year was easy to pick... this year, I'll be lucky if I get half right.
Nonetheless, I surge forward... unlike last year, I feel EVERY team, 1-8, in both conferences could beat/upset and move to the second ro...
BluesFan44 writes...
Hockey Humo(u)r: The Hockey Blog version of the NIT
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[i]Since the blogger contest got delayed due to circumstances out of anyone's control, thought I'd put out here what I wrote. I'll be working up a new one by then...[/i]
"The Hockey Blog version of the NIT"
As you all know the fine folks at HockeyBuzz pored over hundreds of blogs submitted for the "Next Great Blogger" contest, and had the tough task of narrowing the...
The playoffs are among us so i thought I would join the train and come out with my predictions for the first round this year.
[b]Montreal (1) vs. Boston (8)[/b]
This series is extremely tough to call as I think the habs do have the upper hand talent wise but if Boston steps it up just a little bit I think they have the potential to take out the habs. What I don't th...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
5 Minutes/37 Saves To Victory: Flames Take Game 1 Over SJ
Posted Thursday | Comments 4
The Calgary Flames pulled off a shocker on the opening night of the playoffs, beating the heavily favored San Jose Sharks 3-2 on the strength of an early 2-0 lead and a 37-save performance by Miikka Kiprusoff. As cynical as I continue to be, and it's certainly true that relying on your goaltender to steal you games is not a winning strategy, I feel that the Flames should b...
Hockey every night for 2 months? My favorite time of the year, and last night didn't disappoint.
Sens vs. Pens: Nothing that I didn't completely expect from the Sens OR the Pens in game one, except I guess I expected Crosby would get on the scoresheet. At the end of the CBC broadcast, Garry Galley, who was doing color for the game alongside Jim Hughson said he couldn't...
gosharks19 writes...
Flames burning; Can the Sharks douse the fire tonight?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I will not get into specifics of last night, everyone knows what happened between the Sharks and Flames.
Calgary came out and played their game I was expecting from Mike Keenan and the Flames. And the result I was afraid of happening did. The Flames looked calm, looked confident, looked loose, and honestly looked tough to beat.
I was quite upset with the game, and wh...
They needed to regain the momentum. They need to prove that their 7 game regular-season winning streak against the Devils means nothing and that their season ending shootout loss to New Jersey means nothing either. The New York Rangers needed to start the playoffs with a clean slate and a fast start. That is exactly what they did in a 4-1 win over their Hudson River rivals...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Penalty Peril: Sharks Tie Series With Shutout Of Flames
Posted Friday | Comments 0
As I fully expected, as uncharacteristically optimistic I am right now, the San Jose Sharks came back and tied their series with the Flames tonight with a 2-0 shutout. It's not a game that requires much analysis, interpretation, or explanation. Simply put, the Flames lost because of one thing: penalties.
As I noted in last night's post, I would have been shocked if the...
Let me preface this blog entry by saying my true feelings: PURE BITTERNESS. Since the schedule was released I made time for this weekend. I made an opening of a weekend to watch the Wild in their first round playoff match. The six hour drive to St. Paul wasn't too much, especially top stop my desire. However, a monstrous snow storm, unseen to the month of April has hit Min...
This is why I don't get the Center Ice package. Too. Many. Games. Would I like to catch South Buffalo native Patrick Kane in a Chicago-SJ regular season tilt? Sure. Do I need to? Not really. With all 82 regular season Sabres games televised, Hockey Jesus Sid Crosby on Versus once a week, and the most important TV program in history, Hockey Night In Canada, on every...
As usual enjoy.
I would love to hear from Caps fans as it seems I am very popular with them right now.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Have a great weekend.
Go Flyers
I am already feeling a bit anxious today due to the 2 day break between games 2 and 3 between the Sharks and Flames.
Thankfully, there is some afternoon hockey to watch between Detroit and Nashville. Does anyone else notice that Detroit is constantly almost interfering with opposing teams goaltenders? Holmstrom is always parked right in front of the net, and as much as ...
Only twice in NHL history has a team come back from a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. Tonight, the New York Rangers will try to put the New Jersey Devils in a position to make history. For the Devils, even winning one game against the Blueshirts seems to be a large task, as they have only accomplished that one time in the 10 matchups this season. If the Rangers win tonigh...
Just a few hours away from hitting the 'dome in anticipation of Game 3 between the Sharks and the Flames. I expect a wild and crazy crowd and I just hope that the Flames don't get over-hyped for the game and take some bad penalties early. I expect another tight game and hope the Flames continue to hit the Sharks and don't try to beat them at a finesse game, regardless of...
I am going to keep this blog short, but after the Sharks went up 3 to 0, they dissapeared. The effort was pathetic, disgusting, and troubling to watch. Tonight the Sharks looked liked the team all season long, letting Calgary get back into the game, not fighting back, and losing the game at the end.
Everyone on the Sharks after the early lead looked uninterested, bored,...
The Flames won tonight, to take a 2 to 1 series lead over the Sharks. They overcame a 3-0 deficit after just 4 minutes of play. I will leave the play by play to Kaspar, since he has a much better writing style than I do, but as I listen to the honking horns on 17th avenue/The Red Mile, I have but two things to say, and they are quite simple:
Marleau: Do your chin stra...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Rally From 3 Down To Take 2-1 Lead; Cujo Or Kipper?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It seemed, at first, to be the road sign pointing towards another cliff in the near distance for the Calgary Flames to drive off of to meet their playoff doom. Less than five minutes after Heather Liscano wrapped up the national anthems, the home team, which had played so well against the number two seeded San Jose Sharks for two games in the Shark Tank, matching them save...
mslepp writes...
"That Hit May Have Changed the Complexion of this Series"
Posted Monday | Comments 3
The title of this blog is a quote that came about 30 seconds after the Cory Sarich hit on Patrick Marleau.
No, it wasn't Don Cherry or Pierre McGuire or any hockey expert. It was my drunken buddy sitting next to me in the 'dome. A die-hard Oilers fan who loves hockey enough to split season tickets to the Flames with me.
I laughed, mostly because he knows that I...
Hooker thoughts and what needs to be done to WIN game 4.
1. Change the top line- I think we need to change the top line period. The Flames know what to expect from that top line. I say send Cheech and Joe to the 2nd and promote Little Joe, Patty and Seto/Clowe to the top line. This then allows the top line (Joe and Cheech) to have a little more space and MAYBE just get...
gosharks19 writes...
Do or Die, Sink or Swim, Get burned or Douse the Fire.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Tonight is Game 4 between the Sharks and Flames with Calgary carrying huge momentum from their game 3 comeback win/Sharks meltdown, depending on how you view the situation.
It doesn't matter whether the hit by Sarich on Marleau was clean or not. (I think it honestly was a clean hit) The Sharks never responded, and let Calgary fight their way for a victory. Complaining a...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
What Was THAT?!? : Sharks Tie Series With Dominating Effort
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It looked like a game I'd played in EA Sports' NHL hockey videogames many, many times. Not only did one team have a ridiculous shot count advantage, the team trailing in that category had a comically low amount of shots. And yet, somehow, the team with less than 15 shots on goal was somehow leading the game because of two good plays. But in the final minutes, the natural o...
Hooker here.
As are all of you in today after last nights big win. How can you be having a bad day??
So some of my thoughts on last nights game (some good, some bad)!!
First I will start off with the good.
Ryan Clowe WOW!!! This guy has really made an impact in this line up. He looks like a shark in the water stalking its next victim (no pun intended). I love...
mslepp writes...
The Momentum Roller-coaster, Big Joe Makes an Appearance
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
So, heading into game 4 of the Flames/Sharks series if there was ever a particular scenario that I would absolutely want to avoid happening...
It would be exactly what happened last night.
Everything that I was afraid of happening, happened.
First of all, the Flames jumped out to an early lead then attempted to try and win the game 1-0. If there's one thing we'v...
So is anyone else thinking Curtis Joseph has a chance to start tonights game for Calgary or does Kipper get the start again? Honestly I think Iron Mike will go with Kipper but how can you not give a chance to Cujo when he deffinatly made the impact of game 4 to let Calgary come back and even the series? What does everyone think? Give Cujo a chance or start Kipper?
The Sharks are coming off one of their biggest win's in franchise history, coming from behind Calgary to beat them 3-2. Game 4 will be remembered by all Sharks fans as the game that truly proved the Sharks have heart, character, determination, and any other adjectives to describe a team that can win the Stanley Cup.
However, nothing is over.
There are still 2 more ga...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
On The Ropes Heading Home: Sharks Take 3-2 Lead Off 4-3 Win
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The endgame has arrived for the 2007-2008 Calgary Flames. Despite arguably their best team effort all series, the Flames fell in San Jose, 4-3, a frustrating loss that has put them facing first-round elimination for the third straight year on Sunday night at the 'Dome. This loss wasn't as disheartening as the Game 4 disaster on Tuesday. But perhaps, tonight's game showed o...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Perfect Home Effort: Kipper Shuts Out Sharks To Force Game 7
Posted Monday | Comments 4
Having already outdone the critics by keeping pace with the heavily favored Sharks for four out of five games, the Calgary Flames have gone the extra mile and forced them to a winner-take-all Game 7 by defeating the Sharks 2-0 at home in a must-win Game 6. And judging from their efforts the past two games, it's genuinely a toss up. I am trying to avoid sounding like Rob Ke...
I think one of the most interesting things to me this year is how much trash people will leave on message boards under various sports site articles. Mostly because their ideas are one-sided and often presented in an abusive matter.
Here it goes:
~ Pens fans...Sidney Crsoby is definately a talented guy, no one will argue you that. The reason no other teams will resp...
[b]Beating a Dead Horse...Again.[/b]
As expected, Nashville Tennessean columnist David Climer played the [i]'same ol' Predators'[/i] card this morning.
Most local Nashville writers have chosen to take the 'glass half-full' approach regarding the Predators Game Six series-ending loss to Detroit, but of course David wouldn't be David if he didn't demonstrate his fair-w...
Ah, well we are back at square one again.
This merry-go-round of good games, and then bad games is incredibly frustrating. There is a 50/50 chance of which team the Sharks decide to be on Tuesday night. Will it be boys or men? Will it be the Sharks of February or March?
Only the Sharks can decide that, and their fate.....
and their future.
Last night, the Shark...
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Wall_clock.jpg/300px-Wall_clock.jpg[/img]
86,400 ticks of the clock before I can breathe again...
86,400 muttered curses as the clock marched mercilessly on...86,400 hopes against hope that a squibber, a deflection off a shin, a seeing eye five holer might turn the tide. Eighty six thousand, four hundred ...
ESPN.com currently has a poll on which sport has the best game 7's.
MLB, NBA, or NHL?
Come on, clearly this has to be NHL.
All, please go to [url]www.espn.com[/url] and submit your vote. Let the sports world know what an NHL game 7 means to us. [b]And in the process, let ESPN know that we want them to keep increasing their hockey coverage![/b]
Currently, the ...
Tonight one of the hottest two teams in the East will be eliminated for sure. The Flyers have failed to bury the Caps in the last two games. The Caps have shown alot of character and fight by outhitting the Flyers in Game 5 and then pulling a great comeback in Game 6 to extend the series.
The Flyers must get back to basics. I know it is a cliche, but it is true. Whe...
I gotta say. I've tried to be relatively fair with my opinion of officiating in this series. Despite calls for "the fix" by ESPN, I tried to believe that things would work out somewhete fairly. There was definately time where the games went in the Flyers direction and we took advantage of it. However, I ahd a serious problem with Scottie Upshall's "diving" penalty las...
There is nothing better than a game 7 in the National Hockey League playoffs. It doesn't matter who's playing. I could barely wait until 5pm MTN yesterday for the Habs/Bruins to start and then listening to that crowd and U2 belting out in the background... how could you not be pumped. I'll start with some tidbits from the other series before I touch on the game 7's.
...
The Penguins clinched their series with the Ottawa Senators early with a sweep.
There hasn't been a Penguins game in an entire week.
All this "down" time has me watching the other series wrap up (GO CAPS and FLAMES in your game 7's) and waiting anxiously for our Round 2 opponent!
It also gave me a chance to catch up on what the Pittsburgh Pirates doing these day...
I have to say, with all due respect to Caps fans, I would rather lose like we did, than lose an absolutely heartbreaking game in OT... at home. Yeah, we all hope for a good game, but a good game means a close game and those are so much harder to get over.
But what makes this pill easier to handle is to watch the way the Sharks handled themselves after the game, in the ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
'08 Flames Post-Mortem, Part 1: It's Everyone's Fault
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Although six games had me in a brief fantasy, in reality, I have been waiting to write this post since mid-March, just as the Calgary Herald's Bruce Dowbiggin is undoubtedly rubbing his hands in glee as he writes his long awaited blasting of Darryl Sutter that I think is a good bet to appear in tomorrow's paper. The Calgary Flames have been eliminated in the first round of...
"...The shot from the point by Timmonen...rebound...THEY SCORE...jOFFREY LUPUL!!! AND THE FLYERS HAVE WON IN OVERTIME IN GAME 7!!! They're going to the next round..."
Thank you Jim Jackson. Thank you Joffrey Lupul.
Thank you Hockey Gods.
What a ridiculously suspenseful game. I laughed. I threw stuff at my TV. I yelled at the refs. And I definately jumped ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
'08 Flames Post-Mortem, Part 2: Let The Rebuild Begin
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
In retrospect, maybe I was a bit too critical, too soon, on Tuesday night. As I read the other Flames blogs, which merely focused on the game in posts of reasonable length and simple bitterness at the Flames blow a Game 7 they had a good chance of winning if they came out with a good effort. And then I went back to my long, rambling post which practically put the game comp...
It's funny how Karma works in sports. For almost two season Glen Sather has had a love affair with Brooks Orpik and Ryan Malone.(two free agents) There were a few times when Slats almost pulled the trigger to bring the nasty D-man and the tuff power forward to NY for Petr Prucha plus.http://www2.sportsnet.ca/blogs/hockey_hearsay/2007/01/14/changes_coming_for_rangers/ I...
Growing up I was addicted to those 60's & 70's Scooby Doo cartoons. The Villains would almost always turn out to be the resident good guy in the episode. At the end the crew would pull the mask off to find out that this good guy was the evil character all along. How fitting, because at the end of last nights Rangers/Penguins game we found out that the possible MVP Malk...
I played in a tournament this weekend called the Wally Cup in Fort Erie, On. In our last game today we had a surprise opponent. Buffalo Sabre Dan Paille played on the other team. We were all shocked. You could really tell that he was going easy, he played defense and didn't take a shot. But he did make a couple amazing passes. I got my Picture taken with him after the game...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I looked it up and believe that the 2003-04 Calgary Flames are the only team to have ever gone to the Stanley Cup Finals by eliminating the 1, 2 and 3 seeds in their conference during the playoffs....
So if the Flyers pull it off against Pittsburgh, which I think they have a real solid shot of doing, they would be the first team in the Easte...
It's still early in the Rangers off season,but never too early to explore off season options. This is a quick post just on some forwards the Rangers could take a run at.
1) Ryan Malone- Not only could the Rangers bring him in but he could also apologize to Chris Drury for costing them the series. He's a hell of a young player with good hands and hulking si...
[b][u]PERIOD ONE[/u][/b]
One of the key problems Philadelphia had was Martin Biron wandering the boards. He coughed up the puck to the Pens more often than he helped his defense, and in fact it cost him a goal which allowed Pittsburgh to tie it at 2.
The second area where they had an issue was one of the keys to this series that I said they needed to pay attention ...
[b][u]PERIOD ONE[/u][/b]
Once again, the Pens come out with the advantage on the scoreboard, with just a 1-0 lead. It was an interesting period, as we shall see.
The last thing the Flyers needed was another defenseman to go down with injury. Already missing Timonen, Braden Coburn was a big minute player, and one who could actually move the puck. Now they are down o...
Once again I took notes through the game and provide my opinions on what I saw here.
PERIOD ONE
Back to Philadelphia we go and the Flyers are down 2 games to 0. It's not how they wanted to be coming home and as this period has gone on, that energizing crowd has been fairly tame. I was expecting to be hearing the roof coming off regularly, and to be fair, the Pens g...
If this rumor of the Rangers exploring the possibility of brining Jay Bouwmeester to NY progresses, than I just want to get some feed back for both fan bases. I think the deal makes a lot of sense for both teams. The Panthers could use some young depth players to mesh with their young rising core. I would hate to loose him but Florida could ask for Brandon Dubinky wh...
It was the X-mas of 91-92 I was 12 years old and already bleeding Red,White,and Blue. Having started watching Ranger games with the names of Kisio,Mallette,Turcotte,Beezer,Jonnie "O",and Mullen in the mix. There was Domi and "Knuckles" Nylan fading out his career,while a fresh kid from team USA named Mike Richter was knocking on the door of greatness. In 89-90 Neil Smi...
Here there be Flyers. My observations and commentaries on Game Four lay within.
[b][u]PERIOD ONE[/u][/b]
This is where it all comes down to effort, to tenacity, to energy. The Flyers need to come out quick and they need to control the game from the outset. Anything less and it'll be over quick.
And they do just that.
Coach Stevens has juggled the lines a b...
I noticed recently that someone posted a blog about the problems Versus has as a TV production, and I was going to simply comment on his blog, but I figured this is info that many people here might be interested in, so why not share it with anyone who cares.
The problem expressed about Versus was that their camera work is shot too tight, and moves too much, which does n...
They were made the second and third highest paid centers in the league. They were rewarded greatly for having accomplished nothing, their salaries coming as major investments into the future of the franchise. They were to step in and become the leaders of the team and take the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup. However, what was lost in all of the fanfare and glory of th...
Once again, and for the final time with this series, my period-by-period take on this Eastern Conference Finals Matchup.
[b][u]PERIOD ONE[/u][/b]
Philadelphia, for wanting to keep this series going, has begun by doing everything absolutely....wrong.
Giveaways in the first two games of this series were killers for the Flyers. Thus far they have turned the puck ...
As a hockey fan in the USA, I've never had television coverage of the Memorial Cup before. Kudos to the NHL network for picking it up!
What a privelege it was to watch Spokane and Kitchener play this afternoon. Both teams showed high level of skill and defensive responsibility, but man was I impressed by the Spokane Chiefs. There's a reason this team went 16-5 in th...
Canada, remember when you would check your rear-view mirrors and you would see the rest of the world well behind? Well check again because they're not there anymore, I would check beside you in your blind spots because they all caught up.
Canada loves to boast about its superior hockey talent, and historically it has been just that. The NHL over history has been domin...
After watching Sundin accept the Messier Award yesterday,I couldn't help but realize why the Rangers aren't mentioned in the " Mats sweepstakes". They will lose a few vets in Shannahan and possibly Straka. Malik and Mara could walk and the cap will increase. After reaping the rewards of the first award recipient ( Shanny) ,maybe the Rangers should follow up with the seco...
Although I bleed Red,White,and Blue for my Rangers, the game of hockey always comes first. My dedication to the game and love for the sport continues to grow as I get older.But being a goaltender, I gain more and more respect for the warriors in the mask. Their helmets and equipment are not just an obsession but their own personal styles and techniques are an art with in ...
grapes17 writes...
Sykora, Gonchar, Ruth, Baun -- this was one for the ages
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This is why we are hockey fans.
Monday night was a game for the ages, and if you do not believe that, consider the names of Bobby Baun and Babe Ruth were invoked sometime around the second or third overtime.
Pittsburgh defenseman Sergei Gonchar left the game early with an upper-body injury -- and this time, it really looked like the entire upper body -- after crashin...
I'll do an introductory blog later. I'm going to have some fun with this first one. I hope you will, too.
Every Playoffs, there is drama. There is no drama in any postseason, IMO, like an overtime goal in a Stanley Cup Playoff game. I was in the crowd for Game 1 of last year's conference quarterfinal between the Sharks and Preds, and I tell you, there's been nothing lik...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Is Langkow Worthy? And Can The Flames Get Olli or Marleau?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
For me, the past 45 days have been spent wanting the playoffs to go on as long as possible, to prolong the inevitably long offseason for the Calgary Flames. Oh, and because it makes for better hockey, but I digress. The offseason is finally here. And my first blog post since the Flames' elimination from the playoffs will focus on two important Flames rumors: Daymond Langko...
I sit here, nursing a bottle of Stella Artois, watching the Belmont, and realize...I wish I had a hockey game to watch.
-A lot of coaching vacancies might be waiting on the approval of the sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Rumor pipe says Barry Melrose will be hired for a staggering $2mm a year. If a guy who hasn't coached in almost 13 years can demand that kind of coin...
Marty Brodeur may have had to have his best season to keep this Devils club stay in mix this year. His defense is a shell of it's championship days ,with two former devils d man winning cups in back to back years. Congrats to Scott Niedermayer and this years champ Brian Rafalski, good job Lou. With the likes of Rangers give away Karel Rachunek and Jonnie O' umm you bet...
For the first time since 2003, the Calgary Flames look like they have a viable 1st round draft pick with #17 in the first round. It looks as if the Flames will be looking for a forward in this slot and if the hype for D comes through, they could be staring at a pretty solid prospect being available when their time comes.
But let's look around the draft for a moment and ...
Whether you think he'll be bought out, then signed as a Free agent or traded willingly, the general feeling is that Darcy Tucker will likely end next season on a different NHL team. Moving him really doesn't free up that much cap cash, but players like Tucker can be game-breakers, and as such, retains a good reputation among NHL coaches and GMs.
So, assuming there are t...
I apologize for not posting this earlier than a few hours before the draft. Better late than never, right?
I used to scoff at those diehards who sat through the entire NHL draft (especially considering that typically, the first 5-10 picks aren't that hard to predict). But this year, the relative desperateness of the Flames' prospect pool - and future as a whole - has ca...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Get Cammalleri, Dump Tanguay: Post Draft Thoughts
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Perhaps I underestimated Darryl Sutter. Minutes after he managed to get a 1st round (AND 2nd round, as I found out later) pick for disgruntled cap eater Alex Tanguay, Gord Miller reported as the Lightning prepared to take Steven Stamkos that there had already been a trade. I assumed he was confirming the Tanguay deal, but no, it was another trade with Calgary at the center...
The Flames made a couple of transactions on the draft weekend that tell me that Sutter is beginning to retool the squad. First of all they traded Alex Tanguay along with their 5th rounder to the Montreal Canadians for first round pick this year and the 2nd next year.
Minutes later, they acquired LA Kings forward Michael Cammalleri and a 2nd rounder in the Conroy acqu...
ESPN analyst Barry Melrose will be introduced as the Tampa Bay Lightning's new head coach at a news conference Tuesday.
Melrose has been an ESPN analyst full-time since 1996. He had previously worked as a studio analyst for ESPN's Emmy Award-winning 1994 Stanley Cup playoff coverage and for ESPN and ESPN2 during the 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Melrose was the he...
Just a follow up to the last blog, you actually CAN get banned for mentioning Eklund's disgusting foreskin.
To be honest, i'm just reporting the truth, something Eklund fails to ever do. What is wrong with this world, people speak the truth and get banned, while a fat greasy bastard bullshits every single day and get peoples hopes up thinking their favourite hockey tea...
So if these latest reports hold water, I will officially want to quit my job and stand in front of all local media outlets looking for a gig. My blog a few months ago had Mats Sundin on the list and many people felt that NY was not in the mix. Now the NY Post has expressed that the Rangers are his first choice to land this summer. If the Rangers are kicking the tires on ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Mullet returns...7th Sign of the Apocalypse??
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/Barrycopy.jpg?t=1214272516[/img]
Isn't Barry Melrose, and his wind tunnel tested hairdo, returning behind the bench one of the 7 signs of the impending Apocalypse? I mean, it has to be right after locusts and rivers of blood, right?
I'm not quite sure of chapter and verse, but I swore I once read something akin to...
Part 2 of my outlook on the Calgary Flames off-season looking ahead to 08-09...
Sure enough, Daryl Sutter's quiet demeanor leading up to the draft was exactly what I thought it was... he was gearing up for a major deal.
As I pointed out in my pre-draft blog, the Flames are going to be up against the cap in a major way this year and desperately need to shed some sala...
I know this may not be a blog in the normal sense, but I am trying to figure out what hockey fans like when they watch NHL games on TV. Obviously everyone wants every game in HD, but in terms of the broadcast in general, what draws your attention? The TV crew cannot create a game, only the players can; however, during the first 5 minutes of the broadcast (called the Open...
After cooling off from yesterday's rant, I decided to come up with a wishlist of players I would like to see come to Pittsburgh. This is just meant to be something fun, since you all know you do the same thing with your own teams. Due to the number of guys that I'd like to see signed, I narrowed it down to 5. NOTE: These aren't in any particular order.
#5 John-Michael L...
Ever since the news of the return of Barry Melrose was announced I can't get it out of my head. I just find it odd. I think Barry made a fine contributor to ESPN's attempt to cover the NHL but there was something about the bloodshot eyes and the Sauve hair product dripping from his mullet that have me wondering if this is the right move by Tampa.
A few questions I have...
***Updated at the bottom of the blog***
The announcement of these 3 players being put on waiver's to start the buy-out process comes as somewhat of a surprise to me, albeit, a very welcome and exciting surprise.
I've written recently that I didn't expect Daryl Sutter to exercise his right to buy out any of the gaudy contracts that were on the Flames books and really ...
The Calgary Flames put Rhett Warner, Anders Erickson, and Marcus Nilson on waivers. This leads me to wonder if there is a major move coming or a ufa signing. Either way, Sutter really had no choice but to do the move to improve their chances for the upcoming season.
The Flames would have had to put up with predictions of doom and gloom if they did not made changes for...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Don't Expect A Big Splash From Flames; My UFA Wishlist
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I'll be plopped in front of TSN on Tuesday for the excitement, but if the Calgary Flames manage to make a big splash, it'll just be a bonus. Although the departure of Rhett Warrener, Marcus Nilson and Anders Eriksson cleared up a bit of cap space, the re-signings of Daymond Langkow, Craig Conroy, Curtis McElhinney and Eric Nystrom make huge grabs on the UFA market very unl...
amidst tundra writes...
Breakin' What Don't Need Fixin': Scoring in the Boring NHL
Posted Monday | Comments 0
There seems to be a belief amongst NHL fans that the game is in a state of disrepair and far be it from me to disagree in some respects. There are far too many power play opportunities in the “new” NHL with much too little constituting a holding or hooking obstruction whilst the leagues marketing department has all the longevity of a kamikaze pilot on payday, but that ...
Today the Flyers have announced the signings of three players: Ossi Vaananen, Glen Metropolit, Nate Currey and Nate Raduns. They also acquired Patrick Hersley and Ned Lukacevic in exchange for Denis Gautheir and a 2nd Round Pick in 2010. Ossi Vaananen, 6'4" 212 lbs, signed a one year deal at $1 million. This signing adds a veteran presence and physical play from the backen...
I think the Flyers are better now, at least on paper, than they were one year ago.
Mike Richards and Jeff Carter coming off of up and down seasons, Joffrey Lupul coming in from a dreadful year in Edmonton, a huge lack of mobility and dependability on the back end, a starting goalie that had never seen a playoff game from the ice....
Now, 12 months later, Richards has...
According to sources close to Curtis Glencross, he has signed with the Calgary Flames. The deal took place around supper time, July 1st. The terms of the deal are reportedly 3 years, 3.2 million and won't be announced until tomorrow. Glencross was tops on my free agent list in terms of players I felt would come to Calgary.
millertime12 writes...
Sabres sign Lalime, but only hope on D is Orpik
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Yesterday the Sabres signed goalie Patrick Lalime to a 2 year 1 million per deal. Lalime played for the Blackhawks last year, but is mostly known for being the starting goalie for the Senators before the lockout.
As for defesemen, the Sabres only chance is Orpik. With Striet signing with the Islanders, Rozival back to the Rangers, and and Commodore to Columbus, ...
Over the last few years the Rangers have made excellent moves in signing veterans.They signed Shanahan and his leadership had proved to be key in the development of the forwards. Shanny also took some of the pressure of Jagr in the locker room,allowing Jagr to concentrate on his Einstein books. The Rangers brought Jason Strudwick back in to the fold last year and his o...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Bye Bye Playoffs?: Evaluating The Flames, 2008 Edition
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As much as I scoffed at the money thrown at players like Cristobal Huet, Jeff Finger, Brian Campbell, Wade Redden and Mike Commodore, I was also very disheartened in the relative quiet on the Flames' front on July 1. Though today's signings of Jim Vandermeer and Curtis Glencross make the situation a little better, their inability to find a viable 2nd line still makes the p...
The Calgary Flames have signed defensemen Jim Vandermeer and his brother, right winger Peter Vandermeer. The Flames did not stop there; they also inked winger Curtis Glencross.
So basically, Vandy will be in the slot of a fourth or fifth defenseman. Peter will be a Quad City roster spot depth move; do not expect him to fill a spot with the big club. Curtis will be...
First of all, I want to thank everyone for all of the comments recently and especially the kind words when I broke the news of the Curtis Glencross signing and terms on July 1st. I appreciate all of the support and love to see as many comments as possible. I will continue to give as much Flames analysis and insight this off-season.
I have addressed what I felt Sutter ...
After going over player rosters and watching some of the Jackets Press conference on the Tyutin trade, I looked at the line up. I saw # 49 Fritsche in the Columbus fowards column.He's not on the Rangers roster anymore either. However there are no updates to his contract status. He was filing for arbitration and I'm not sure if Sather let Dan Walk back to Ohio.
Ok so...
According to TSN.ca, the Calgary Flames have signed recently bought-out RW Todd Bertuzzi to a one-year deal worth 1.95 million. The move comes just a day after the announcement that Owen Nolan has signed a 2-year pact with the Minnesota Wild for 5.5 million.
If anyone has read my previous blogs, they will know what a huge fan I was of Owen Nolan. A lot of people look ...
It seems that Montreal has been tripped up in the free-agent chase early on, with the chase of Mats Sundin. What happens if Sundin continues to take his time?
(1) Alexi Yashin - A big step down from Sundin, but a player with a lot to prove and a desire to return to the NHL. He and Kovalev could be an interesting fit, BUT only if he's willing to swallow some pride and ta...
First off, let's see how I did with my off-season move guesses (http://my.hockeybuzz.com/user.php?user_id=19560) and what Sutter did in comparison to my guesses:
1) [i]Trade Matthew Lombardi, Anders Eriksson, Andrej Taratukhin, and 2009 #2 Draft Pick to Florida for Olli Jokinen[/i]: [b]FAIL[/b]. Ok, so this big trade didn't happen, but that's not to say Sutter didn't try ...
The world has come to an end. Well, not literally, but figuratively, with the signing of Big Burt. The Calgary Flames have signed Todd Bertuzzi to a one-year contract worth 1.95 million buckaroo's (I do know buckaroo's is not a word.)
The factor that makes this interesting is the call for mercy from the Flames. They are asking the fans to give Bert a second chance. T...
Hey, you guys, yeah I'm pointing at you in the media. It's time you stopped writing the same stuff over and over. I've started to get quite annoyed with the Toronto Hockey media the past few weeks because you continue to read the same things, printed in the paper and posted online, every day and every week. Okay, so Niklas Hagman, Jeff Finger and Curtis Joseph are not goin...
[i](WWSYFD is not an acronym for some new, horribly disfiguring communicable disease...at least not yet)[/i]
For those who have not crawled out from under their rock and read Julie's blog...please do so. [url]http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16214[/url]
Not only will it make you smarter, more attractive and almost irresistible to the opposite sex (and some...
I decided to write this blogg hoping maybe that Yelle would read it and return to the Flames. Just kidding, but I know that I would to see him return to the Flames to Center our Fourth line with the kids. Now Sutter I know has mentioned that he wishes Yelle the best, and said he will find a job in the nhl for sure. But I think maybe Sutter should think about resigning him ...
mslepp writes...
Calgary Flames Sign Jamie Lundmark, UPDATED Grant Stevenson
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
In what can only be described as an incredibly surprising move, Daryl Sutter has signed free agent forward Jamie Lundmark.
Lundmark had spent parts of two seasons with the Flames, his first of which after being acquired in the deal with the Coyotes for a fourth round pick. He was expected to add depth to our forwards for a playoff run and add some scoring. He did ju...
CAPMESS11 writes...
FORSBERG FOR X-MAS,COULD RANGERS LAND SWEDISH STAR?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Forsberg For X-mas, it just might happen. If predictions about Foppa's health stand pat, then he will be ready to get going sometime around the Holidays.The Rangers are currently holding out to see if they can land one more vet to accompany their young talent. Either they manage to pull one big rabbit out of a hat and grab Mats Sundin or bring back Brendan Shanahan for...
[b]EK, on his latest blog, was suggesting the Avs have been linked to Pavel Kubina of the Leafs. He also states that the Avs are in the Jay Bouwmeester sweepstakes. Let's take a look at some numbers (per TSN stats):
Kubina, signed at $5M per until 2010:
Age 31, Games-664, Goals-83, Assists-187, Points-270, +/- of -86, PIM-827, Shots-1252
Boumeester, RFA, seeking clo...
Well Shark fans, I know it is summer and the last echoes of the playoffs have trailed off, but there is still news to be had for Sharks fans? I know our bloggers are busy folks, but where have they gone Joe Dimaggio? Our teal nation turns it's lonely eyes to you.. What about camp? What about assistants? The big question is: What the hell is up with Ryan Clowe? All this tal...
The new schedule is out and you can view it on the sharks website. But I thought it might be nice to point out a few select dates and why they might be of interest to Sharks fans.
On October 17th, Eastern Conference powerhouse Philly visits. Sid the Kid (sorry, Captain Kid) and the mighty Pens visit the tank on Tuesday, October 28th in a Halloween preview. After all, ...
The Flames have apparently signed the tough enforcer. This came out of left field. I really thought the Flames were beginning to look like the 04 flames. They said they were going to be younger this season. This is a contradicting to that phillosphy.
This move also adds another 4th liner for the Flames. But there could be another sinister plot in Sutter's mind. Co...
A short blog on today on the first day
Lalande, Kevin
Had a great day, his play has really improved. Kevin's lateral movement from side to side was very good. Still needs to work on his angles giving to much room for the shooter. But he is quicker than last year he looks like he has had a good summer working out.
Keetley, Matt
Looks like the old Matt as us...
As I was wasting more of my life on YouTube today I decided to watch one of the Rangers top, if not the top, prospect Alexei Cherepanov, aka the Siberian Express. Here's the link if you’re interested http://youtube.com/watch?v=KeanH3tLnoM. At one point in this video an analyst mentioned that the Rangers had already stitched Cherepanov in the back of the jersey. Now I'...
[b]DAY 2 THE FORWARD AND DEFENCMEN COME TO CAMP
[/b]
Let me start out like this; I am telling you about this camp through my eyes. It is really hard to judge a rookie by a first day in camp. I can only tell you what I see. This is not a make-or-break statement about said rookies. Now, that being said, let's discuss the observations of camp day 2.
[b]
Group A[/b]
...
Note: I never will claim authenticity of these rumors...because they're rumors.
Well its no secret Vermette is a great Trade chip for the Sens and there as been trade rumors involving him for months, but now they are just getting odd/ridicualous.
First there was that 3-way trade that made no sense for L.A. and little sense for Ottawa. Now the rumor making the rounds ...
[b]DAY 4 PROSPECTS CAMP[/b]
First of all, I am going to try to have a small write up on every prospect except Boyd; he is not really a prospect. I want to apologize for some criticisms, I am just commenting on how they played, not on the person.
[b]GROUP A[/b]
[b]FORWARDS[/b]
[b]75 John Armstrong[/b]
John continues to shine he is beginning to show why we d...
This year the North West division might be the closest and one of the most interesting divisions in hockey. Why you ask? Well because all 5 teams have a legitimate chance of winning the Division but all face certain questions that could make or break there season. But who really knows anyone could be a top three seed come April.
[u][b]Colorado Avalanche[/b][/u]
...
I would like to thank Mr. Spratt Personally he was a great to allow me some time with him. I can tell, what the Flames see in James Spratt you can tell a lot about man by his dad thanks so much again. I will posting another interview with Mr Severen in a couple of days both men deserve equal time.
...
With training camp about 6 weeks away the Calgary Flames sit at about 2.3 million over the salary cap (according to Cap Central). If you count the signing of Andre Roy, which was actually a one-way deal at 550,000, it puts the Flames nearly 3 million dollars over the cap.
GM Darryl Sutter has been seen on Canadian Media and read throughout local papers saying he's done...
FLAMESTR writes...
In Conversation wit a proud Father C.J. Severen's Dad
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[b]Interview with Mr. Severen
CJ's father[/b]
[b]FLAMESTR[/b]: You mentioned one thing yesterday that I want to start out with. He started out at what, four and a half?
[b]Severyn[/b]: He was rollerblading at three and a half, and at four and a half he stepped on the ice. The first time he stepped...
Ok so before Rangers fans panic at the Nedved button understand his invitation is only an insurance policy. In the event that the Sundin train pulls into MSG the club will have to clear cap room. Moving a center like Blair Betts plus to a club like LA who still needs to reach the cap floor is an option. What's attractive to opposing teams is that a few of the Rangers su...
[b]OVERALL IMPRESSIONS OF THE FLAMES PROSPECTS CAMP[/b]
I was quite pleased when I went to this camp. It was really interesting to see the progress of the players. I love the talent; I had no idea of the ability of the prospects. The Flames will have a solid future for many years to come. Especially in the net, where they have plenty of depth.
What made it more fun...
It's fun when the team you cheer for has great propects and great prospect camps because you get to hope that they will crack the line up, this was the case recently in Calgary where some of the young talent made the fans think, "what if?".
"Flamstr" wrote a few great blogs on prospect camp and even interviewed the families of a couple (if you haven't read these it's wort...
CAPMESS11 writes...
RANGERS BEST OPTION FOR LATER COULD BE TO MOVE ROZSIVAL NOW
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It is inevitable that the Rangers will have to move some players to make room for Mats Sundin. I still think they should remain in the hunt,as the Rangers will need another scoring threat to compete in the East.For one or two years the Blue shirts would add much needed size to slow down the attack of the Pens,Flyers and beefed up Tampa.I think a line of Mats,Naslund,and...
There are those who play in NY and those who play for NY. In the NY sports market there are the types who follow the money and not their hearts and crumble under the big lights. But then there are those that blend into the bright lights and become one with the city. From baseball to hockey we have seen players come here only to crash and burn . There was Theo Fleury wh...
Well. It's been a long, long offseason so far, but we're still alive, waiting for our Habs patiently. The waiting is painful, and we're all very hasted to see what our favorites are gonna do this year. Well, at least, there are several entertaining questions surrounding "Les Habitants". Will Sundin sign here? How will Tanguay do? Will Laraque have a good impact on the team...
I love looking back to see what kind of ramifications past trades hold on the present-time NHL. For example, in 1990 the Flames and Devils swapped a number of picks that gave the Flames the 11th pick (Trevor Kidd) and the Devils the 20th pick... which just happened to be Martin Brodeur. Bruins blogger Jesse Connolly wrote about the Cam Neely/Barry Pederson trade that, af...
Well here is a long waited but ultimately slim update on Sens Defensemen Andrei Meszaros. Based on conversations with another Sens D-man and the little tibits I've read around the web, Things at the moment are bleak, Mesz and his agent aren't willing to budge on thier demands for the most part, and Murray isn't buying into thier demands, so unless things start to change Me...
After a great blog by Mslepp on the Gilmore/ Leeman trade I was inspired to point out a few really poor trades in the club's history. You tell me what you think was the worst of the following or if you have one to add, by all means please do so!
First up has to be the aforementioned Trade:
Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress, Kent Manderville, and Rick Wamsley FOR
Gary Leeman,...
Not much hockey to talk about these days???
I'll do my best to keep focused on hockey but my blogs are starting to be very un-hockey related.
Funny how none of the Leafs wanted to move at the trade deadline and now Tucker is gone, McCabe is on his way out and God only knows what's up with Meatball Sundin.
Jose Theodore a Washington Capital, that just doesn't sound...
I'm relatively new on the hockeybuzz.com blog scene, but I am going to try and write at least one a week with the title above; "Is it just me..."
In this, the first installment, I am going to discuss the current Maple Leafs roster, as it stands today, and how it would fair this upcoming season.
Of course, as stated, this is how it stands today, so I am going to exclu...
Continuing the blog as I said I would for all you loyal blog readers, and all comments, suggestions, etc are welcome and appreciated.
For this weeks blog, I want to know; is it just me... or are you as torn as I am as to what you want the Leafs to accomplish next season. Sure, finishing dead last would give us the best odds at drafting highly-touted John Tavares, howeve...
First off sorry for the delay in my blog, I just got rapped up in a big move. Anyways onto the Sens Army.......
The Andrei Mezsaros sitiuation looks like it may have a resolution....unfortunately nobody knows what it is.
From what I gathered from a few people ..Bryan Murray is putting together one last contract offer for Meszaros, sort of a take it or leave deal, rum...
Ok so its' been a few weeks since my last post. The latest rumor has the Rangers moving Scott Gomez to make room for Mats Sudin and about 6 mill per year. If this holds water and the Canucks are looking into picking up the All-star center,they should be prepared to make a realistic offer. For years NY clubs have been exploited and held over the fires when trying to m...
Although NHL training camps officially begin less than a month from now, from where we stand it feels like an eternity. ESPN's E.J. Hradek has found a clever way to pass the time, by going through all 30 teams and listing the franchise's all-time greatest player at forward, defenseman, and goaltender. To date, he has only completed the Pacific Division, so I'd like to do h...
As pre-season approaches we as hockey fans are faced with another aging vet, deciding IF he's gonna play another season and if so at what point of the season he is going to start again.
The ugly truth seems to be that Sundin is going to follow Scotty Nieds. and Teemu's path and delay the start of "thier" season till they decide. All summer J.P. Barry has given us "deadl...
mslepp writes...
Quick Look Ahead, Oilers and Flames, Battle for the NW?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
What a great day for Hockey in Alberta as the joint bid between the cities of Calgary and Edmonton announced as the hosts of the 2012 WJHC, beating out a solid bid from the centre of the universe.
First, the Calgary Flames unveil their 5 biggest acquisitions this off-season at a presser earlier in the week, an email from a friend setting up our fantasy hockey draft da...
Well by now anyone that cares about the sitiuation has heard what transpired at the brief media meeting with Murray at the Bell Sensplex today. If not heres the link to tsn
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=247779&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl
After recieving a phone call about the meeting, I raced down to catch the back half of what was a brief conference.
Rumors...
The past 24 hours have showed a lot of progress and speculation with regards to the Meszaros contract negotions. I'm going to write the two sides opinions(or at least what we know) and my opion of who is right, and than you can comment your opinion.
[b][i][u]Murrary: Bryan murray would like to have Meszaros back. He would prefer to have MEszaros on a short term contract...
This has been quite the off-season for the Ottawa Senators and Andrej Meszaros.
After the Sens completely tanked the regular season and barely put up a fight in round 1 of the playoffs, possibly their top RFA refuses to sign a long-term contract with the club, pushing for as much money as possible.
Now the Ottawa Senators have shipped Andrej Meszaros to the Tampa B...
This morning I managed to watch Ray Emery's KHL debut for Atlant Mytishchi vs. Spartak Moscow. Emery's Atlant lost 6-5 in overtime with the winning goal scored by Stefan Ruzhichka on the power play.
Emery looked a little shaky, he let in a goal from the point with no one standing in front of him and was beaten on a break-away by a tied up forward whose shot seemed to su...
I know what you are all thinking , another blog dedicated to hating on Mats Sundin. Though at times I have , this is not the purpose of my blog.
We are all painfully aware that Mats Sundin has yet to decide if he wants to play or not . We know this as we have had it rammed down our throats since July . But have we not opened our mouths as well, to enable it to be shoved...
hockeyfan89 writes...
Most Improved Teams. #1-30 : From Edmonton to Nashville.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Well I noticed Ek the other day had the top five and five worst teams in the off-season out , and i decided to elaborate on it by creating in my eyes the top 30 . So from first to last here it is.
Remember this is not who has the better team , but rather who has improved signifigantly.
[b]1)[b]Edmonton[/b]-Added another further scoring threat in Cole , cont' developm...
The Edmonton Oilers organization is hosting a prospect tournament in Camrose Alberta for the prospects of the Flames, Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. Last night, in the first meeting the Flames' prospects squeaked out a 1-0 victory over the Oilers Prospects, here is break down of a few of the standouts in my not so humble opinion.
OILERS:
Devan Dubnyk- Goalie: You can ...
My pet self-created rumor for the past three months has caught on the mainstream media. On Sunday, the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson speculated that instead of Mathieu Schneider, the Los Angeles Kings may trade for Adrian Aucoin. Such a trade would give Calgary as much as $4 million in cap space, and give the Kings an experienced, offensive defenceman to aid their young,...
There’s a little bit of the irony in the title because in fact, Christopher Didomenico has rarely been in the spotlight at all during his hockey career. He is the definition of an underdog, and a testament to what hard work and perserverance can lead to.
As a young Toronto native, he was passed over by the OHL draft, after playing just 4 games in 2 seasons with the No...
Schenn will play for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.
I'm as sure of this as I am that Carlo Calaiacovo will get injured. While there is an abundance of defensemen competing for the two available positions (Kaberle, Kubina, Finger and Frogren will form the Leafs' top 4), Schenn will, at some point, stand-out from the majority of the group. Whether it's in training c...
sbkbghockey writes...
Three factors for the organization of low minor leagues
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
I began thinking of this topic after seeing a topic on a hockey forum the other day. In the past few seasons the hockey world has seen the emergence of low level (self proclaimed A leagues). Many criticize theses leagues as nothing more than hyped up beer leagues, but in fact the level of play isn't that bad. Many players have college background, some of the top ACHA DI l...
After initially deciding not to in the early summer, Flames assistant coach Wayne Fleming has left the team to take the head coaching job in Omsk of the Continental Hockey League.
Surprising news, especially this close to training camp. This is a move that adversely affects the Flames, and puts even more pressure on Mike Keenan and his staff.
With Fleming gone, the...
The Iceman Cometh...
No, not this one...[img]http://www.scoobydooweloveyou.com/frozenfright.jpg[/img]
or this one...[img]http://www.virginmedia.com/images/captain-caveman-gal-431.jpg[/img]
or even this one...[img]http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/entertainment/07/05/23_caveman2.jpg[/img]
The surest sign that the ice man is coming, and so to the glorious return ...
Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, Frans Nielsen, Sean Bergenheim, Blake Comeau, Chris Campoli, and Bruno Gervais.
What we have listed here are the members of the upcoming youth movement for the New York Islanders. Some of these names carry pressure filled shoulders, while others are looking forward to making their first real mark in the NHL, but I think it is important tha...
Let me apoloize for horrible writing but my heart was in the right place
TRAINING CAMP REPORT
We went to all of the Group A Session. I did miss half of group B, we left around 2 pm. So in all fairness, my Group B impression might not be as good. I am just writing on the players who made the best showing in the practice to me.
Rhett Warrener
Rhett looks in...
I was out at the Dome today it appears that Backlund will start between Bert and Iggy
the other combos
Presut Nystom Primeau
boyd Lombardi Bourque
Glencross Lundmark Moss I think was the last one
Talked to Curtis McElhinney today told he was starting Matt Keetly to be the backup
other news
Mike Cammalleri got injured at practice was not there today also Lala...
(After a 5 month absence from posting) I went to the game tonight against the Panthers, and these were my thoughts on some individual performances...
[u]The Good:[/u]
[b]Iginla: [/b]
-Looked in mid season form
-Scored a beauty off a Boyd feed
-Just hope he stays healthy and plays a full season *knock on wood*
[b]Boyd: [/b]
-Made a nice play on ...
What I have to say might sound crazy to some. But I'm going to pick my top nine teams in each conference to make the play offs. Top nine you say? Well considering that each season one of the divisions always appears a bit weaker than the others and nearly or completely blocks out a team with a better record.
Western Confernce:
Detriot- Though I think the road for ...
[b]Camp Notes for the Week For the Flames[/b]
The Calgary Flames are 2-1 on the season losing to the Panthers 2-1 and beat the Coyotes twice. But overall, I think you have to be really impressed with the team as a whole. The Flames have surprised me this week by mostly using a veteran line-up.
The real battle is on defense, as Warrener, Erikisson, Pardy, and Vande...
So, I lucked my way into a ticket because my sister in law couldn't go and my mother in law invited me, bless her heart!
So, I will first admit that this was my first Flyers game at the Spectrum and sadly I imagine it will be my last. But, it was an amazing experience. My mother in law has a good friend who has been a season ticket holder since 1969 and apparently has ...
Yesterday was the game between the New York Rangers and SC Bern. I was there covering the event for a German speaking NHL community. The Rangers played solid and avoided making mistakes. After goals from Dan Girardi and Wade Redden the Rangers took a step back and allowed the Swiss club to take some shots on goalie Stephen Valiquette. After Travis Roche’s goal that cut t...
The New York Rangers have won the 1st Victoria Cup. The game against Metallurg Magnitogorsk was played at a very high tempo and a lot of intensity. The team from Russia got the better start when they were up 3-0 after 30 minutes. The Rangers rallied and were able to cut the deficit to 3-1. Thanks to goals from Dan Fritsche and Chris Drury (his second of the night) the Rang...
I know, I know, everyone and their dog is doing predictions (although Bert is quite good at it I hear)...here goes more
Western Conference
1. Detroit
2. San Jose
3. Calgary
4. Anaheim
5. Dallas
6. Chicago
7. Minnesota
8. Edmonton
9. Colorado
10. Columbus
11. Vancouver
12. Phoenix
13. St. Louis
14. Nashville
15. Los Angeles
Eastern Conference
1. Mo...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Three Critical Questions: SKR's (Late) Flames Preview
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I don't care that my season preview is technically late. (I mean, the Europe games don't even count in my fantasy league or the HBSL so...) The pre-season is over and I have no questions about the Flames that I did not have on July 1. I'll recap these critical questions – the factors that will determine whether the Flames can finally get over the hump this year, and expl...
FLAMESTR writes...
Flames Season Preview Like anyone cares about my prediction
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[b]FLAMES SEASON PREVIEW[/b]
Someone asked me how I thought the Flames would do this year. That is hard to predict, because there are so many factors involved this season. The main problem I have with the Flames is the same old problem - not enough scoring. We have several forwards, but in all honesty, we have just too many third and fourth liners. I feel the Flames hav...
Heading into the 4th post-lockout season, I want to take a look at the Calgary Flames from top to bottom. Where do they stand in the NHL? What does the future hold for our team? And, what can we expect from this season?
Back in 2001 the Calgary Flames were mired in a slump that saw the team miss seven consecutive post-seasons. It was horrible. Although there's been...
While ago I wrote a blog on saving the Preds, this is the part 2 of the Series on saving the NHL. Today's Story is on saving the Islanders in the NHL. Please excuse my writing skills by no means am I a good writer, I just say how I feel now on with the Blog. The Flames Blog will later in the Week.
Flamestr
[b]Introduction[/b]
First of all, let me apologize...
True, I've been waiting for this day to come ever since he coughed up the puck to Danny Briere opening night last season in the 'dome.
Anders Eriksson is officially an ex-Calgary Flame.
But I'll get back to that in a second.
First, I'd like to re-post what I wrote about Rhett Warrener when he was initially waived back in June. Sparking the notion that his time wi...
You were thinking it as the Rangers boarded their Europe-bound jet. It was a lesson in how not to run a team, a proof that the core of a team can't be replaced in one season. You were smug or worried, depending on your team loyalties, that the end of the Jagr era in New York was premature and would be extremely detrimental.
The Rangers were also worried. They managed o...
One player during the pre-saeson stood out as a guy who came into camp that was game to play. He wanted a spot on the roster and he got one... just maybe in a little while.
Dustin Boyd, leading pre-season scorer, was assigned to Quad city today...why?? Well the Answer is because Rhett Warrener is on injured reserve and until he can be declared a long term injury where h...
All speculation is over on who is going to make it (the only one of significance in debate was Filatov), who we would lose on waivers (none), and would we pick up anyone (no).
We now have our team built by the architecture firm of H&H Architects. This team screams Hitchcock. With few exceptions, this team is big, strong and fast. All will compete, there will be no excep...
I always enjoy playing out big Sabres games just before they take place on my PS2...sort of "predicting" if you will. I set the rosters up so that they match the Game Day rosters, and I go at it.
Historically, I'd say I pick the winning team about 75% of the time whenever I do this, so it's pretty accurate. In fact, I've done playoff games in the past in which I get the...
First I would like to commend the Canuck organization for the impressive and sincere tribute to the late [url=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2537906452_2730d20d83.jpg]Luc Bourdon[/url]. For those who didn't have the opportunity to see the heart-warming display it began with two massive portraits of Luc on the ice surface. Tom Cochraine and Red Rider performed "Big L...
Yes, it was the first game of the season. And yes, the Flames were playing in a place they'd only won three out of eight contests the previous year despite clearly being the better team. And yes, it was made even harder by the fact the Canucks were dedicating their home opener to the late Luc Bourdon. But no matter when it happens, or under what circumstances, there aren't...
It's a rather atypical day for your hockey season to start. I've gone from freezing at night, wearing my footsie pajamas and electric blankets to wearing a short-sleeved shirt with the A/C running on my commute home from school.
I'm kidding, I don't own footsie pajamas, but I would look damn cute if I did.
But yes, back to the important stuff. Every year I would get...
I wasn't intending to write a post after tonight's game. But considering this was a 5-4 overtime loss that was much more lopsided than the score, and considering this followed a 6-0 season-opening loss to the same team, I figured it was noteworthy enough. Only two games out of 82 may be in the books, but in short, the Flames look even worse than my most pessimistic state c...
So you tuned in to see Stamkos and he only plays 6 minutes, huh? Well, this is why:
I hate to admit it, but he looks a little scared out there. Maybe not scared, but timid. You cant always have the puck in open ice, flying through the neutral zone. He hasn't won battles against the boards, he makes nervous decisions with the puck in his own end, he gets knocked off the ...
Ok Ok, I may be the minority here but...
The goal song really isn't THAT bad.
Personally it was fine. It had some guitar, a few HEY's, a chorus, and no sex offender attached.
BTW, did you know that the Devils have the same EXACT Gary Glitter goal song that we just got rid of? I don't know about you but don't want to have the same song as the Devils.
Kudos for ...
my avatar will not "load" and is only visible in the "MyHockeyBuzz" section
this has been ongoing since site was redesigned, and there seems to be no concern here to fix the problem or offer suggestions via site guru's
I get following error message
[quote]Array ( [avatar] => Array ( [name] => watson.JPG [type] => image/jpeg [tmp_name] => /tmp/phpyQD2IR [error] => ...
Well folks, if the Ottawa Senators goaltending situations of years past have taught us anything, it is that it is never too early for a good crisis.
And why should this year be any different?
After only three games in the 08-09 season, most fans/bloggers/sportswriters have already started their annual [i]OMG, we need a goalie[/i] fiasco.
Relax people…it is [b]WA...
It is entertaining listening to fans as the hockey season starts out. The fans are screaming for Kipper before tonight's game. Before we all jump over, let’s remember that a team loses together and a team wins together.
Now thinking statistically, it's only three games, people, get a grip. Secondly, even if we were in trouble, it is not all Kipper's fault. Last time...
First off, I would like to mention the tragic death of Avangard Omsk forward and New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov. His premature death is devastating to his friends, family and the hockey community. It is a shame that someone with so much potential was not able to fulfill it. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Cherepanov family on the loss of the boy who was,...
Yeah my title was a tribute to Talladega nights Jean Girard and his "formula UN" and my clever segue (or not so clever as obvious) is that tonight's game is going to be a speed race with a lot of collisions...just like the real Talladega. Everyone was aware coming into this game that the Oilers has youth, speed and skill on at their side, if you haven't seen Lubomir Visnov...
The Calgary Flames took way too many penalties and the Oilers made them pay tonight, as the Oil defeated the Flames 4-3. The Flames continue to make bad plays up the middle and play too loose in their zone.
The key point was the Oilers' awesome power play as they ripped three power play goals. The Flames continue their woes with silly penalties, which ultimately cost...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
No Need To Panic..Yet: Postgame Reactions/Week 1 Impressions
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
Apologizing to Flamestr for kind of ripping off his blog title. Think of this as a sort of point/counterpoint thing.
On the strength of three consecutive second period powerplay goals, the Oilers beat the Flames 4-3 tonight in the first Battle of Alberta of the season. Aside from the powerplays alone, the Flames were generally dominated, being outshot 35-29 and being ou...
stljam writes...
Protective netting: focused on fans or just out of focus
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
With the start of a new hockey year and the opening of my hockeybuzz, I thought I would post an old blog of mine from many years ago without any alterations. I think about this blog the first time I walk into an arena during the start of every new season. I welcome everyone's comments on all my blogs and hope that you all find something in my writing. As the demands of...
Todd Bertuzzi keeps his 82 goal pace, Langkow cashes in on another power play as the Calgary Flames made the Oilers pay for penalties in the first period. It was nice for a change to see the powerplay connect tonight. I have to say, I am so pleased with how well Todd Bertuzzi is playing tonight; he looks very good for the Flames. Bert leads the team in goals connecting e...
A lead blown. Three straight goals in the second period. Complete domination in the speed department. It was the same story in a different building tonight, as the Flames fell 3-2 tonight at Rexall Place, losing to the Oilers for the second straight night. I saw this game as simply a one period effort, with little promise shown.
After a 17-3 shot advantage and 2-0 lead ...
Boy, what a game! Our boys came out a little flat and undisiplined. Their legs were laboring a bit and not to mention they ran into eachother a few times but WOW; what a way to gut out a point! This team showed a lot of grit last night!
The first 20 minutes couldnt have gone worse. ATL peppered Lalime with shots from everywhere, and he absolutely stood on his hea...
Boy, what a game! Our boys came out a little flat and undisiplined. Their legs were laboring a bit and not to mention they ran into eachother a few times but WOW; what a way to gut out a point! This team showed a lot of grit last night!
The first 20 minutes couldnt have gone worse. ATL peppered Lalime with shots from everywhere, and he absolutely stood on his hea...
Boy, what a game! Our boys came out a little flat and undisiplined. Their legs were laboring a bit and not to mention they ran into eachother a few times but WOW; what a way to gut out a point! This team showed a lot of grit last night!
The first 20 minutes couldnt have gone worse. ATL peppered Lalime with shots from everywhere, and he absolutely stood on his hea...
Boy, what a game! Our boys came out a little flat and undisiplined. Their legs were laboring a bit and not to mention they ran into eachother a few times but WOW; what a way to gut out a point! This team showed a lot of grit last night!
The first 20 minutes couldnt have gone worse. ATL peppered Lalime with shots from everywhere, and he absolutely stood on his h...
[b] Game Report[/b]
Jarome Iginla and Matthew Lombardi score two goals 1.42 minutes apart in the second period as the the Flames defeated the Caps 2-1. The Flames snapped a 2 game losing streak.
[b]The Good[/b]
The Calgary Flames were perfect on the penalty kill, including a 9 minute power play. Their defensive zone was much better, limiting the Capitals' scoring ...
CAPMESS11 writes...
Cherepanov Tragedy Changes Rangers Plans : RIP # 17
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
With all the Dollars and cents the KHL offers,it makes no sense that the hockey world lost one of its future stars. Regardless of his talents,not a single player should have their life in jeopardy playing pro hockey. With all the hazards the game brings naturally, ( Concussions,puck movement,stick infractions,and skate blades) to fight for your life on the bench seems ins...
Have you ever seen a kid at Christmas or do you remember when you were a kid at Christmas? Well, I got a neat reminder when I was at the Flames practice this morning. I guess you could say the Capitals' practice this morning when my boy and his two best friends were patiently waiting for the Capitals to come onto the ice. Well, they were just waiting for one player in pa...
If someone was to ask me about the performance from the Calgary Flames, I would have to say it was the most impressive victory of the season. Why? because every aspect of the Flames games was at its best. What do I mean? Well, let me explain.
[b]Power Play[/b]
The Flames scored two powerplay goals, it was nice to see Bert score in the first period and Dion score a...
I am a little upset at the selfishness of the Calgary Flames organization, I just want to write some blogs and voice my opinion on how I would change things. I think it is ludicrous they won't give me one thing to write about.
Is it so much to ask to just have the power play fail at least so I can continue my call for new special teams coaching? But nooooo, they have t...
Big Bert has been nothing short of spectacular, this season. He has the strength of an ox. He has great hands, including one of the best behind-the-back passes to Iggy tonight. It was a spectacular, no-look pass. The goal he scored was a great deke on Gigy as he breezed into the Ducks zone. He has great strength and will not be taken off the puck.
The problem tonight is...
Craig Conroy, you are the latest winner on "take a seat!", a game show for players that do there very best to make an individual effort to lose a game for their team! After letting Shane Doan walk past you while you checked for dirt under your nails and after you stopped skating to let Stephan Reinprect walk in on your goalie un-checked you also win... saneopinion making f...
Dustin Boyd practiced with the number one line, and while Keenan isn't known for sticking to one line all game, it does show that the Flames' drafting has improved since Sutter took over.
A quick look at the roster for this current year will show that the drafting done since Sutter took over is helping the team. Nystrom first round 10th overall, Prust third round 70th o...
It seems obvious to me that Craig Conroy is an avid hockeybuzz reader because after I ripped into him after last game he came out and had his best game of the season.
The game tonight had everything you would want as a hockey fan, the second period alone had 5 goals, 2 fights and a massive hit by Sarich. The game had fights, goals, big saves, bad refing...really bad, b...
I am hearing all sorts of panic from the Flames fans. Yes, the sky is falling. Our defense is standing around. Our forwards are back to not helping the defense Kipper is back to being human. Generally, this team reminds me of Dr Jeckell and Mr Hyde. I just do not understand how this team can be so awesome one night and terrible the next.
This phenomenon does not go j...
Say what you will regarding the Calary Flames team defense, the seconday scoring, which is critical this season is heating up. Yes that pun is completley intentional and I do will not apologize for it!
Here's a quick look at the pace of the secondary guys:
Boyd: 30 goals 10 assists
Moss: 10 goals 19 assists
Bourque: 14 goals 29 assists
Conroy: 14 goals 24 assists
G...
The Calgary Flames were frankly an embarrassment tonight. They did
nothing right. They were not skating and not hitting and Kipper was,
well, not good. The forwards continue to stand still. The defense
continues to back up in their zone, they are just panicking every time
they touched the puck. Our defense is slow, plain and simple; we cannot
continue to be caught fla...
After signing a 11-year, $85-million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Lecavalier believed he would be happy in Tampa Bay for the rest of his career.
However, everything changed later during the summer as Barry Melrose became the new head coach of the Lightning after a 13-year hiatus away from an NHL bench.
After yesterday's loss to the Red Wings, the ...
The Tampa bay Lightning have fired Barry Melrose because of a bunch of overpaid, whining, pretty boys who didn't like being called out for making EXTREME amounts of money and being LAZY.
This is a sad day for hockey. Melrose demanded his players skate hard every shift. He stated that they are an incredibly talented team, but that gets you nothing if you don't work har...
HockeyBuzz so far has been great to me. Being able to share thoughts, opinions and other things with fellow hockey fans all across North America and even overseas is awesome. Hockeybuzz also is my first experience in blogging. I have written in and was editor-in-chief for my school newspaper in high school, managing different sections from time to time and eventually, the ...
Over the course of a season, every team wins a few that they shouldn't, and loses a few that they should win. The Avs have already had a few games that they "should" have won, so this 3-2 shootout win evens it out a bit. The shots were only 35 to 32 in favor of the Oilers, but they carried the play for the majority of the game. The Avs were able to generate some chances...
From http://capsstop.blogspot.com
The NHL All Star Game has turned into a joke. This coming year the game will be played in Montreal. The Canadians and their fans are celebrating their centennial and the NHL felt it only right to reward them with the game during such a historic season. The only problem with the whole game is the process for who will start.
Less than ...
After their 6-1 embarrassment at the hands of the Sharks on Thursday, the Flames really couldn't have delivered a better birthday present to this blogger. In their most impressive effort yet, they fired 51 (!) shots at Peter Budaj, who preserved the game until Adrian Aucoin's game winning goal 12:28 into the 3rd. The final score was 4-1, a score far too generous to the Avs...
The Isles shootout victory over the Vancouver Canucks Monday night lifted them to 12th place in the Eastern Conference. Sure, that's right around where this team finished last year, but keep in mind just a few days ago we were sitting at the bottom of the standings with thoughts of Tavares and Hedman swirling around our brains.
It's still a possibility (and a very good ...
Have you ever been beat so badly at something that you couldn't wait for revenge? To put your heart and soul into doing anything to redeem yourself?
... I haven't...
But I imagine that is the way the avalanche feel, their own news outlets in Denver were highly critical of the team for it's performance in Calgary two nights ago as well as some outspoken members of...
[b]Final score: Avs 4 Kings 3 (SO) [/b]
The Colorado turned in a hard-fought but costly victory Saturday night.
Saturday night's game against the Kings saw a return of some of the up-tempo hockey we saw to start the season. The Avs put a lot of shots towards the net (29 shots on net). The Avs passed really well and got some good play from their top two lines.
The ...
There are two teams in the league that most people would agree are the super elite. The Sharks and the Wings. After Calgary was creamed by San Jose in a one sided embarrasing loss they came back and looked to have the right idea but against a practice squad called the Avalanch.
So the talk was about taking what they learned after being spanked by San Jose and the two w...
Connie has his best game of the year. Bourque scores twice, Glencross gets three points - one goal and 2 assists, and Connie bags three assists. The three of them worked like a fine tuned machine, seemingly knowing where each other was constantly.
The Flames were basically all over them the whole game. I loved their legs. When this team skates, they are extreamly danger...
The Flames are facing a huge home and home against their rivals the Vancouver Canucks and lets be clear...it's huge...did I say huge? I meant Godzilla size. Why? That's a great question, it's only a quarter of the way through the season, how big could it be?
Well the Flames have are 4-3-1 against divisional teams this year, barely over .500, the Canucks are 5-0-1 which...
I was looking at the All-Star game voting and have decided that Habs fans need to stop breaking the vote... I know you guys (and gals) are showing your team spirit, but you are ruining any enjoyment other fans can get from watching the All-Star game... the All-Star team carries 12 forwards, 6 defensemen and 3 goalies... that means 21 players... having six guys from the Can...
With what I have read and heard of Burke's intentions,
It's clear the team will be allowed to do a free fall this year in that process we're going to see some guys traded for prospects and young roster players. Here's who I see gone sometime this year(not because I don't like them but because a new manger will put their own identity on this team;
Toskala - Grade A Ro...
The most boring snooze-fest happened this evening in the Pengrowth Saddledome. The game showed very little offense in the first two periods; I think I saw Kipper fall asleep in net a couple of times. The Canucks had two anemic power plays in the first period. The Calgary Flames had a horrible attempt themselves on the powerplay. The only saving grace this game had was that...
Tonight marked the first night the Dallas Stars looked like the Dallas Stars everyone is used to seeing; minus giving up 37 shots on net. And to solve that problem they had Marty Turco at his finest. He stole the game away for the Stars and did not give the home town Flames much all night.
The Flames stuck to their game plan all night, getting pressure on the forecheck ...
The Calgary Flames did not show up to play the Blues, as the Defense stood around and Kipper bailed out the team. The main concern I have is that this team has been like this all year. I thought they were snapping out of it, then they put on a game like this tonight. They were terrible in the first period, a period that was dominated by the Blues, who came out with a 2-0 ...
Michael Cammalleri. Ten goals, eleven assists in 25 games and two game winning markers. The Flames are getting exactly what they asked for in this diminutive forward who has an eye for the net and a rougher side than most people think. He has a rifle of a shot and actually uses it, unlike the number 13 who plays for Les Habitants and used to dawn the Flaming C. He, along ...
FLAMESTR writes...
Flames Blank Rangers Kipper is Perfect but Adam is a Monster
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames played their best defensive game of the of the season. Kipper was outstanding, kicking out all 31 shots. Now you may say it sounds like Kipper stole the game, but the defense really did limit the scoring chances. The forwards really came back to help the defense. When the forwards do their part in the defensive zone, this team can be successful. The best...
It may come as a bit of a surprise to some, but as reported on Chris Botta's blog at Islanderspointblank.com, Jon Sim is officially on waivers and available to any of the other 29 teams in the NHL.
[img:left]http://www.cbc.ca/includes/promos/promo/sports/images/hockey-sim-jon_200.jpg[/img]So far this season Sim has 5 goals and 2 assists for a shallow 7 points. He was ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Drop Heartbreaker; Almost-Mid-December Thoughts
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
What had looked like their best effort of the season turned into the most heartbreaking loss of the year for the Calgary Flames tonight. Despite two two-goal leads, an unexpectedly valiant effort from Curtis McElhinney in net, and the best overall effort of the season, the Flames still lost 4-3 in overtime to the Red Wings.
There are two main reasons I see for this los...
Curtis McElhinney started in his second game of the year and third of his career. He played great stopping 35 shots but it still was not enough to earn him a win in the National Hockey League. Up 3-1 midway through the third period the Flames allowed the high powered Wings to score 2 goals in four minutes of play forcing the game into overtime. The Red Wings come at you no...
Coming out of a 24-goal and 53-point season, Antoine Vermette had improved his scoring numbers in each of his four NHL seasons. With the departure of Cory Stillman via free agency, Vermette was supposed to get plenty of power play time this season, even on the Senators' top unit.
However, after 26 games this season, Vermette, 26, only has 2 goals and 5 points, to go wit...
(Note: For consistency's sake, I will try to put out a blog every week on either Friday or Sunday. Additionally, I would like to use an idea of hockeybuzz.com's Itlan, who links his blogs to a forum in which the comments section is much better. Therefore, my blogs can now be found in the Rangers forum as well as my.hockeybuzz.com. A link will be posted in both locations.)
...
The Flames roll into St. Louis on Tuesday to face the injury riddled Blues. With likes of key players such Paul Kariya , Manny Legace, Andy Mcdonald, Eric Brewer, D.J. King , and Erik Johnson all out of the line up. One would assume Calgary should easily be able to manhandle the basement dwellers of the western conference. St.Louis 's pains are Calgary's gains.
The rec...
Jarome Iginla beat the St Louis Blues tonight. Immediately after he scored the first goal of the game off his elbow (maybe the weirdest goal he has ever scored), Iginla dominated the Blues shift after shift. Winning battles, sharp accurate passes and one laser “Patented Leg Kick” Iggy snap shot over the shoulder of Blues goalie Chris Mason proved to the world again tha...
I know how much all of you guys missed my posts as I was in Hawaii (insert guffaw from my dripping sarcasm here) but I have to tell you what I have been telling everyone else in my life... I'm always right and no one ever listens to me!
After the Wild (are you sure that name handle isn't lame enough?? what about the Minnesota craaaaaaazies!!! or the Minnesota angry bea...
Calgary enters Minnesota after a very strong showing in St.Louis on Tuesday night. A very nice confidence booster for Mathew Lombardi with 3 points on the night and Mike Cammalleri knocking in a goal and an assist. Jarome Iginla with his career stats vs the Blues only got better knocking in 2 goals and assisting on 2 , for a 4 point night. Strong showing from Corey Sarich ...
3:01 Pacific Time: NHL Director of Corporate Communications Michael DiLorenzo posts on Twitter: @umassdilo "sundin to canucks"
3:01 Pacific Time: Radio personality Buzz Bishop posts on Twitter: @buzzbishop "just got the press release. it's official SUNDIN IS A CANUCK"
3:06 Pacific Time: TSN posts a short story saying Mats Sundin is a Canuck with few details
3:06 P...
Look, I keep hearing about how Mats Sundin is going to take Vancouver to new heights and how he will affect the Flames in terms of head to head match ups. Mats is just a little bit better than Daymond Langkow, he's not the best thing since sliced bread, he just consistently good. Over the last two seasons Langkow and Sundin are only about 10 points apart roughly... and Gil...
Lets pose this question not just to Flames fans but also to hockey fans. Dion's defensive play is being over shadowed by [i]Todd Bertuzzi's[/i] horrible +/- rating. Dion has the second worst +/- on the team, now some may say that's because he averages 28:03 in ice time so there is more of chance for goals against. If that was true then [i]Robyn Regher[/i] with his 22...
Just some news that some may find interesting, especially goaltenders. TPS has been bought out, so prepare to see goaltenders who currently wear their equipment switch to other brands. There has been quite a bidding war going on for some of the soon-to-be-former TPS goalies, with Vaughn recently signing Josh Harding to a contract, and extending the current Vaughn wearer St...
In the spirit of the Season I am posting some of the trades I'd like to see happen prior to the playoffs this year. In my opinion the Flames need to address a second line right winger and I think the Canadiens might move Kovalev as he is super under preforming and a UFA next year. You know Keenan would love to have him and he would fit nicely with langkow and Bertuzzi. Goi...
The Calgary Flames gave their fans an early Christmas present with a hard-fought 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night. Of all the efforts from this game, the one that truly has to stand out is that of Brett Sutter, called up by his father Darryl to play on the fourth line, who scored the game-changing goal early in the third period and could not have played a bett...
Was that a smile from Darryl Sutter?
It might have been as his son, Brett Sutter, scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game to tie the Flames with the Ducks 14 seconds after the Quackers took their first lead. Sutter, after shockingly being called up from the minors just days before Christmas, made an impact that few thought possible as he was flying all night and...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all my HB Friends!!!!!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_Peter-Puck-Final_clip.jpg[/img]
May the Blessings of the Season find you and your loved ones well. May this brief respite from the daily grind offer us pause to reflect on those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
And remember...
[img]http://ronanjames.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/bumble1.jpg[/img]
Bumbles...
Two points. That's the stat that matters here. But, as Harry Neale put it, "The Sabres got two points the hard way, when they should've had them the easy way." Everyone at the HSBC Arena thought that Clarke MacArthur was the hero with his goal in the third period, as it gave Buffalo seeming insurance and a 3-1 lead. Key word: they [b]thought[/b] he was the hero....
The Calgary Flames played one of the most dominating third periods of the season as they out shot the Sens 20-9 in the third period The Sens started the game with a 2-0 with goals by Philliips and Spezza.
Then Mr. Bourque took over this game by scoring 2 goals in a little over 60 seconds. Then Roy scores another a minute later as the Sens play as bad as they can to allo...
Pre-Game: Senators vs. Canucks
The Ottawa Senators are looking to avoid one streak and continue another as they face-off against the Vancouver Canucks tonight. The Luongo-less Canucks are 5-4-1 in their last ten games but have fallen short in their last two, including one to the Edmonton Oilers despite sporting a 10-5-1 record at home this season. The Senators are curre...
Spezza to Calgary?
Every year there seems to be someone putting out a rumor that leaves me laughing out loud. Since the lockout every expert panel from TSN to The Hockey News says Iginla needs a number one centre. Now I'm not here to debate if he needs the centre I'm here to debate the rumors. I was at last nights Ottawa vs. Calgary game and could say that...
Renny needs to let out the hot air or before long, he'll float away. After telling the media and the world that he would start benching important players and standing his ground,he send Corey Potter and his bruising size to Hartford again!. His promises are becoming empty,it's like a kid crashing the car into the garage and still being able to go to the party. What mad...
Dan Ryder, who just came back from taking a year off of hockey and was once considered one of the Flames best prospects at center has been suspended again for "violation of team rules and conduct detrimental to the best interests of the team.".
If you are unaware who Dan Ryder is, he is the younger brother of the more famous Michael Ryder of the bruins. But to the organ...
DP is hurt practically just as soon as he comes back from his umpteenth injury; Sillinger keeps bouncing to and from the IR; Martinek continues to hurt himself if he blows his nose too hard; Sutton blocks shots like an animal, but pays a price each year; and Nielsen is missing out on the first year of his NHL contract.
The list can go on and on. It's been hard to watch...
saneopinion writes...
Flames vs. Oilers...who gets the Champagne or just Pain?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
I was hoping the Oilers would have beat the Sens last night, at least they wouldn't have the motivation of being beaten at home by one of the worst teams in the league to go on as they visit Calgary. They have beaten Calgary twice and you'd assume the Flames are looking for payback for the two losses suffered at the hands of their provincial rivals. The Oilers are looking ...
After a disappointing loss to the Ottawa Senators, who are brutal on the road, and a very bitter loss to their arch rivals on new years after blowing three leads the Edmonton Oilers Fans are officially angry.
As I alluded to in my last blog several friends of mine are Oiler fans and I did hear about it on new years with out even having a chance to gloat! I was receivin...
A snapshot of the Ottawa record since the lockout is revealing.
2005-06: 52-21-9, 113 pts, 314 gf 211 ga, 1st place East
2006-07: 48-25-9, 105 pts, 288 gf 221 ga, 4th place East
2007-08: 43-31-8, 94 pts, 261 gf 247 ga, 7th place East
2008-09: 13-17-5, 31 pts, 83 gf 100 ga, 12th place East (after 35GP)
which can be projected as 30-40-12, 72 pts, 194 gf, 234 ga...
[img]http://photoawards.com/05/DigitalEntries/resized/BC_13057_1.jpg[/img]
[b][i]Red Bull Gives You Wings[/i][/b]
Two men have received the majority of the blame for the ineptitude of the 2008-09 Rangers offense. After all, Chris Drury and Scott Gomez do eat up over 14 million dollars of the Rangers cap space, and their production has been far from comparable with othe...
I have had experience playing goal and one thing I can tell you in that your body recovers much more quickly than your mind. If you play night after night you simply will get lapses in concentration and even if you respond quickly you might forget to do the little things that help you make a save like keeping you paddle on the ice in the butterfly.
If you think I'm blam...
Every year there is a consistent trend that the Isles pick up. I'm not talking about the never ending changes to the Isles third jersey, (which actually looks mighty good this year) but the way they start and finish their games.
First they went through this stretch where they would score the first goal and establish a comfortable 2 or 3 goal lead and then blow it eithe...
saneopinion writes...
Forget the Tavares rumors, where is Backlund going?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
There were some pretty high scoring players in this latest world junior, when I looked at Canada and Sweden I noticed something not very talked about. Behind Tavares (8), Eberle (6) and Hodgson (5) the guy with the most goals on the otherside was Flames prospect Backlund (5). Eberle and hodgson each had an empty netter tonight as well.
I think it would be fair to say th...
saneopinion writes...
Forget the Tavares rumors, where is Backlund going?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
There were some pretty high scoring players in this latest world junior, when I looked at Canada and Sweden I noticed something not very talked about. Behind Tavares (8), Eberle (6) and Hodgson (5) the guy with the most goals on the otherside was Flames prospect Backlund (5). Eberle and hodgson each had an empty netter tonight as well.
I think it would be fair to say th...
saneopinion writes...
All Stars or All stuffed? Is the game even necessary?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Listen, There is not even an argument that the first team all Stars should not be first team all stars. It used to mean something to be selected to the starting team, now it means that Montreal fans spend more on texting than Detroit fans.
If you, as a fan that stuffed the box, can really tell me that Toews deserves the starting center over Thornton then I would also a...
I recently posted a blog about the all star game and I wrote the following paragraph:
"The All Star game is meant to show case the NHL's best, even if they weren't named to the first team most will still be there but when they play a meaningless game in an uninspired way it doesn't showcase anything to an American Audience that is, in all honesty, already uncaring."
...
This is the time of year for New Year's resolutions. You know - the one where most people will try to not to eat people for the year. Well, that might be a bad example. I have decided to make resolutions for other people, since I am too perfect and do not need to improve at all. I think it is time someone pointed out some good new year resolutions for the poor misguided h...
Well the eastern roster is out and the habs, thanks to their loyal fans have 4 players in the starting lineup (they would have had 6 if it was not for pens fans). Lets look at the 4 players the habs have in the all star game (cant argue with Malkin and sid for starters)
# Pos Player GP G A P +/- PIM
79 D Andrei Markov 39 6 23 29 8 18
...
He's back in the NHL and playing for the Canucks. He certainly gave Ek a lot of material to work with in terms of being the focus (somewhat) of the hockey universe for the last long while.
I really had been hoping for a larger build up to his return and really didn't get much. Living in the Vancouver area, I was kinda hoping for a little buzz about the guy but didn't g...
Last night was a perfect example of why Real Flames Fans like Iginla.
Everyone has been on his case for not scoring in 6 games. For not scoring against San Jose. Asking questions like "What kind of a leader is he if he isn't scoring?"
Calgary's 5th goal against the Islanders was a perfect example. Iggy brings the puck around the back of the net while all the Islander...
[b] HOCKEY THOUGHTS THE GOOD THE BAD THE UGLY[/b]
[b]THE UGLY[/b]
The NHL again had to deal with one of its wayward sons this week. Poor Mr. Jarkko Ruutu tried to break his fast by chomping on Mr. Andrew Peters’ hand. For some reason, Mr. Peters put his hand in Ruutu mouth. I never thought the NHL would have to deal with the issue of cannibalism. I know, I am makin...
The heavily-anticipated trade deadline is less than two-full months away, and it seems as if the Isles veterans can sense that their terms with the Islanders may be coming to a close. We all know that this year is the start of a long growing process for the younger players that are supposed to be the future of the franchise. The veterans that were brought over the last two...
Sven22 writes...
A letter about the all-star game from an imaginary NHLer
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Every season, there's controversy about the all-star game--who gets to play, who gets to start, who got snubbed, etc.--and to be honest, I'm kind of fed up with it. So, in order to deal with my feelings, I've created a proxy of myself, a phantom NHLer, who expresses my sentiments on the matter.
This phantom NHLer, we can assume, is a deserving but generic Western Confe...
All General managers have the dilemma of looking at their team when they are doing well and ask themselves honestly what they could use to move forward and hopefully take the big prize. When the team is doing poorly it is too hard to trade so when you are doing well is the time to make it happen.
The Flames are doing well.
So the question is what does this team need ...
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:wAngNR2wPZwBEM:http://images.teamsugar[/img]
In a season where everyone either predicted or was warned the Leafs would place bottom 5 in the East, I'm a little surprised the team was booed by the club's faithful fans in a tilt with the Nashville Predators.
As of today, right now, this very second… (this second too) the Leafs...
With Brendan Shanahan signing a 1-year $800,000 deal, of which he will receive $400,000 for playing the second half of the season, Shanahan has officially become a member of the team that drafted him over twenty years ago, the New Jersey Devils. Throughout the first half of the season, the Devils have had four solid lines, even when their lineup was plagued with injuries t...
[b]BEST GAME OF THE YEAR FLAMES BEAT SHARKS[/b]
There are games, and then there is the Flames and Sharks battle on January 15th as the two big guns battled it out. The Sharks score early as Ryan Clowe opens the scoring in the first minute. The Flames actually rebounded after the first goal quite nicely, keeping the Sharks to 1-0 at the end of the period.
The Flames a...
I have to admit I have been really guilty of walking around today and asking everyone if the saw the Flames/ Sharks game last night. So now that Flamestr and Vetter have both written on the subject I'll leave it alone and take a closer look at the North West. This is where I ask you to go read my previous blogs and I get to say I told you so...I love doing that.
I wrot...
This will serve as my technical midseason review, even though the Flames passed that mark two games ago. I'm splitting this post into two parts: first, a general review of the season so far, examining defense and offense, and then I will discuss if anything can - or needs - to be done to improve the team via trades. Now that we're approaching the heat of trade rumour seaso...
Hooligans welcome back, lets’ rock.
I blog about sports mostly and sprinkle in some music and entertainment whenever possible. So I was thinking if hockey players were rock bands or rock stars who would they be.
Ovechkin-Red Hot Chili Peppers He’s everything that hockey players typically aren’t, he’s brash and he’s the King of the NHL, when it comes to tha...
One positive to take from tonight. Lombardi scored.
I know, it seems like something from a fantasy novel, but yes, Lombardi defied all critics and scored a goal. It was a goal that we have all expected the last three years. Will it happen again? probably not, but, he will score again, just like Holmstrom will score again. I am happy for him.
But focusing on the gam...
One positive to take from tonight. Lombardi scored.
I know, it seems like something from a fantasy novel, but yes, Lombardi defied all critics and scored a goal. It was a goal that we have all expected the last three years. Will it happen again? probably not, but, he will score again, just like Holmstrom will score again. I am happy for him.
But focusing on the gam...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames/Yotes: A Big Letdown. Is Kipper Playing Too Much?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
After their best effort of the season Thursday in San Jose, disappointing can only describe tonight's 4-3 home loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. In a nutshell, the Flames looked completely flat for most of the first 40 minutes, did not get the goaltending they need, and got little luck all night.
The Flames looked flat from after David Hale's opening goal for Phoenix to Mik...
In a game that could be described as the answer to the question I posed in last night's postgame blog ("Is Kipper playing too much?") the Flames were whupped 6-2 in Colorado by the Avs tonight with Curtis McElhinney in net. Though this game looked virtually the same as yesterday's home loss to Phoenix, I still pin most of the blame on Curtis Mac, as I blamed Kiprusoff for ...
*I'll be honest, I don't even know what the hell this title even means, but it gave me a chuckle, so I hope I get a cheap laugh out of ya'*
You know what really grinds my gears?
James Reimer has been a forgotten player amongst the Leafs' prospect cupboard.
Take a look at his statistics throughout his career thus far:
[b]Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
[/b]
2005-06: 34 ...
CAPMESS11 writes...
DOC EMRICK DRINKING GAME! EDDIE NO CHECK CALL PENS LOVE FEST
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
So the Rangers lose in Pittsburgh, and all you have to do is ask every other team what they think of the officiating when you play SID. It's almost predictable what happens ( sure the pens had some jump) the Pens get the first few spotted. Then when they have a few on the board the Rangers can have a turn . I hate these NBC Games and anything on VS involving NY. It'...
Florida currently sits in 8th place in the conference with several games in hand over several other rivals for the post-season performance. The Panthers were picked by many hockey experts to finish aroudn the bottom of the league , espeacilly after the controversial Jokinien trade. So up until this point in time , it was mostly thought that Bouwmeester would be dealt to a ...
The Dallas Stars are headed to the All-Star break after a solid 2 periods against the Florida Panthers. They finished the first half on a rare Florida road trip - Monday in Tampa Bay and tonight in Sunrise. The Stars had been stringing some wins and points together, but they blew a 2-1 lead late in the 3rd to the Bolts, and lost 4-2. Then tonight they skated out to play...
[img]http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04S17sY9DY0lo/610x.jpg[/img]
All right grumpy Rangers fans, its time to start pulling on those belts because another stretch run is about to begin and its shaping up to be a doozy. Yes, the Rangers aren't the perfect team, and they have been criticized about their flaws more often than a teenager at a dermatologist.
But in al...
Anyone wonder why we have the All Star game? Really, do we watch it because of the intensity? Do we watch it for the great defensive play? Do we come to watch the players, the big names? Well, maybe if some show up for the game. Unfortunately, the big names are dropping out of the game left and right. In fact, it begs the question: why the heck are we having this game? ...
Or so Mr. Campbell claimed when quoted by TSN. "We've all got obligations to the fans, the rights holders -- this game is being televised around the world."
Well, exactly how many people in the large USA hockey market of greater Detroit will be watching any of the All-Star festivities now with no Wings on the roster? Hope the rights holders and sponsors appreciate the n...
(Bettman on the phone)
"Well, no one seemed to stand out as much as in the past so just make Kovalev the MVP so the fans won't riot....."
(pause as the person on other end of the phone is talking)
"....I know St. Louis had the same stats and a higher plus minus...."
(other end again)
".... Yes, Tim Thomas had the highest save percentage among goalies and mad...
At the All-Star break, I have compiled remarks for all 30 NHL teams, each one being one sentance, and should sum each team up nicely.
Anaheim Ducks- A good solid team that has plenty of time to get it together, or to dismantle their establishment to rebuild for the future.
Atlanta Thrashers- They score a lot thanks to Illya Kovalchuk and Brian Little, but don't do mu...
With John Tavares being the likely candidate to go first overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, there have been various people have been saying how this kid is possibly better than Sidney Crosby and how he may in fact be the true "next one". Bringing a kid like this into the NHL can do wonders for the team that drafts him and for the league. Look what Crosby and Ovechkin did...
The title is very broad. What I am really asking is who is better right now, this season in your opinion. You cannot directly compare Elias and Parise overall for various reasons. Patrik Elias has played in the NHL over a decade, where he has competed in the "old" and "new" NHL, whereas this is Parise's fourth NHL season, all of which he has played in the post-lockout era....
N.H.L. All-Star Game Should Show-Case the Best That Hockey Has to Offer
All-Star Weekend is a chance for the National Hockey League to showcase this great game and all of its aspects. Currently, the All-star game itself is, well, monotonous. As fun as the weekend is said to be, if I were just new to the game of hockey, and the all-star game was the first hockey game I...
It's a question I have been pondering for quite some time. What truly makes a hockey game exciting, and what truly makes a hockey team exciting? The question first dawned after New Jersey's last game before the All-Star break, a 5-2 victory over the Habs. I remember after the game, I had a very happy debate with various Habs fans, along with one or two other Devils fans on...
If there is one thing that I have learned about the Calgary Flames, it is that they can win ugly, boring, exciting; basically they can win any way they can win. Tonight they won with defense, which usually means totally boring. But tonight, there was a touch of exciting, meaning I liked a couple of goals the Flames scored tonight.
Before I mention the goals, let's ta...
I'm from Calgary. I have lived my whole life living and dying with the Calgary Flames. I have seen more hockey games than many people see in a lifetime. I truly am blessed with the exposure I get to the greatest game on the planet. I came out east for University, in London, Ontario, and now am blessed with getting to see Tavares play whenever I want.
Over the weekend h...
Something's happening in Florida. They're winning. In their last ten games, the Florida Panthers have an impressive 6-2-2 record, and have been flip-flopping between seventh and tenth in the Eastern Conference, and 2nd and 3rd place in the Southeast Division. The Panthers currently have an above .500 record of 23-18-8, and in their surge through the standings, have defeate...
It's no secret that the Penguins need to find some help before the March 4 trade deadline. They're currently ranked 9th in the NHL and 5th in the Eastern Conference in Goals per Game at 3.02, which is respectable even for the new NHL (Detroit leads the league with 3.55).
But they also rank 23rd in the NHL (12th in Eastern Conference) in Goals Against per Game with 3.02....
FLAMESTR writes...
IMPORTANT DOCUMENT FOR FATHERS AT GAME MANDATORY TO READ
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
[b]BASIC MANUAL FOR FATHERS/HUSBANDS WHEN TAKING
THE FAMILY TO AN NHL GAME
INTRODUCTION[/b]
This manual is for the use of comings and goings to a hockey game. But you can substitute any other sport or any other function that you are attending. This is all meant in fun and not intended to offend or to portray any person.
[b]ITINERARY
1.0 SPOUSE[/b]
I...
If Philadelphia intends to win the Atlantic Division, much less get a home playoff series...they have to post AT LEAST 14 of the 22 points available in the month of February. Looking at their schedule its possible, but there are some positives and a few negatives that need to be addressed:
1) [i]Philadelphia plays 7 home games in February against Boston, Ottawa, NY Isl...
As the regular season trudges on, as teams compete for division supremacy, as the standings continue to change constantly with teams rising and sinking, with each game becoming just as significant and vital as the previous one, the playoffs inch closer and closer as each day passes, which makes the constant playoff race tighter and more tense. This will go on until every t...
FLAMESTR writes...
My son got Curtis McElhinney's stick from practice and notes
Posted Friday | Comments 5
Curtis comes off the ice and says take that made my son's day wow what a day for the boy.
Now for the report
Hey guys got back from the practice it was an interesting one in that the players were in pretty good spirits. The practice tho short was rather loud they were hitting and hard drills. The lines up were
Bertuzzi Langkow Bourque
Cammy conroy Iggy
pr...
Having completed part one of my team by team speculation in the South East division, for part two I figured I would jump across the continent and hit the North West division.
The North West is arguably the tightest division in terms of competition in the league. There are only 13 points as of tonight separating first through firth in the division, a lead any of the four...
The Calgary Flames dropped their fourth regulation loss in a row at home this afternoon in a frustrating 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Despite the Flames generally having control of the game possession-wise following Bobby Ryan's opening goal, Curtis McElhinney was yet again denied his first NHL win. Even though I am always at least a little pessimistic, I am still not th...
After a positive response to my last blog, I figured I would take another crack at one. And I decided to pick a topic that was near and dear to my heart, goaltending.
Many moons ago, (yes, MANY moons, Lisa), I used to be a decent puckstopper. I used to live for the feelings associated with stopping a breakaway, throwing up an unconventional two-pad stack, a rapid refl...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Officially Concerned? Flames Continue Struggles In Anaheim
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Miikka Kiprusoff came very close, but couldn't quite save the Flames in Anaheim tonight, as they dropped their fifth loss in the last six games, 3-2 in overtime. After Saturday's home loss to Anaheim, I said that despite it being the Flames' fourth loss in a row, I still wasn't worried about the Flames. Now? I see somewhat disturbing trends in the Flames' 5 losses in the p...
I am not writing this to start anything between fans of rival teams. I am not trying to be bias or suck up to anybody. As a fan of a rival team, I am just writing this as a fan of the sport and as a casual observer.
We all know that New York City is perhaps the hardest US city to play any sport in. You are expected to give nothing less than a 110% effort night in and ni...
Many of us who were watching last night's game witnessed Luke Schenn accidently score on his own net. Now this isn't the first time that has happened to the Leafs. Stralman scoring twice in one game on himself, and the most memorable being Mr.McCabe's OT winner, for the Sabres. Now what I was wondering to myself as I watched the replay of the puck slide along the ice throu...
For Devils fans and people who know him, the much anticipated return of Martin Brodeur may arrive as early as the end of the month. Along with his return comes the answers to the common questions that have been asked by Devils fans, analysts, bloggers, critics, and observers of the Devils. How will Brodeur be treated upon returning to the lineup? Who stays in net, who goes...
Despite a resurgent performance from Jarome Iginla, and an unbelievable performance from Miikka Kiprusoff, the Flames lost another heartbreaking game to the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3 in the shootout. When I use the word heartbreaking though, it doesn't necessarily mean the Flames deserved the game. Rather, the Flames lost this game because they threw it away in the third peri...
This year's standings have probably seen a lot of activity in terms of teams moving up and down in their conferences and divisions. Despite the active movement, there are also enormous barriers between certain seedings that give certain teams very comfortable cushions. I think this year's playoffs will be just as unique as the season has been so far. One could say these ar...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Another Big 2 Points In Edmonton, But Injuries Pile Up
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
With two AHL players playing significant minutes, and Jim Vandermeer playing second-pairing defense, the Calgary Flames managed to win the fifth Battle of Alberta in Edmonton, 3-2 in the shootout. Matthew Lombardi roofed a great shot with a screen in front with 1:10 remaining to tie the game, and then Todd Bertuzzi scored the shootout winner with a neat move on the first ...
Recently, things have been eventful for the teams in the Atlantic Division on and off the ice. Here are a couple of thoughts I have for each team.
I just found out a couple of minutes ago that the New York Rangers have fired Tom Renney. I'm sure most Ranger fans would say the wrong guy got fired, but the way the Rangers have been playing, a change was imminent. Sather h...
After a pair of losses, the Flyers look to be a team needing help and solidification to a number of aspects to their game. And while I won't attempt to make excuses for the two losses, it is actually isn't all that surprising that the Flyers lost.
The Flyers lost to Montreal because of a 3 minute lapse in judgement and a couple of crazy bounces. To top it all off, the...
It could have been predicted that Jarome Iginla would get his 400th goal and pass Theoren Fleury to become the Flames' all-time points leader at 831 points tonight. What could not have been predicted, however, was that Iginla's four point night would not be enough to beat the lowly Lightning; that he would be outscored by Mark Recchi, of all people, that Jim Vandermeer wou...
Darryl Sutter has never been much into the hype of Trade Day. He's known for making all his moves in the post-season and doing a fairly good job of it. On trade deadline days, his past has seen him maybe pick up a depth defenseman, a depth forward, and possibly a back-up goal-tender. He’s said before that the available players are not worth the price teams have to pay. T...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Sutter Swings For The Fences With Jokinen And Leopold On TDD
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
After about five years at least of rumours, many dismissals, much skepticism, and about 800 different e-scale ratings, Olli Jokinen is a member of the Calgary Flames. Wow. I still haven't gotten used to the idea; after I expressed varying levels of skepticism for months, I expressed an audible “HOLY ****” when I saw the trade on the front page of TSN around noon. Darry...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Sutter Swings For The Fences With Jokinen And Leopold On TDD
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
After about five years at least of rumours, many dismissals, much skepticism, and about 800 different e-scale ratings, Olli Jokinen is a member of the Calgary Flames. Wow. I still haven't gotten used to the idea; after I expressed varying levels of skepticism for months, I expressed an audible “HOLY ****” when I saw the trade on the front page of TSN around noon. Darry...
The first game with Jokinen is in the books and was a success, that line will not be that great every night but it did look very solid! Having said that, and assuming the Flames will win the Stanley cup (7-1 odds in Vegas right now) then a quick look into the summer might be worth while.
The players that could leave are Cammalleri, Bertuzzi, Roy, Moss, Aucoin and Leop...
Miller who?
Of course, I say that facetiously. Ryan Miller is the key to the Sabres hopes if they can pull it together to get into the playoffs.
But who would have expected Patrick Lalime to step up the way he has in Miller's absence?
He's done exactly what you want from your backup goaltender - step in and give your team a chance to win every single night he pla...
There is time when life is far more important, I mean seriously hockey is just a game. David Moss lost his Grand Father and missed the game on Sunday. Even though I know he is not reading this blog, I for one would like to him to know that his hockey fan thinks enough of him that he is my thought during his time bereavement sometimes hockey is just a game we love ya David...
There is time when life is far more important, I mean seriously hockey is just a game. David Moss lost his Grand Father and missed the game on Sunday. Even though I know he is not reading this blog, I for one would like to him to know that his hockey fan thinks enough of him that he is my thought during his time bereavement sometimes hockey is just a game we love ya David...
The Calgary Flames never showed up and were terrible. Again, the defense and netminding were again suspect. But the forward continued not to come back and there was no hitting, no anything. The defensive zone coverage was adequate, but again they just did not finish their checks. I may sound like a broken record, but when they continue to play the same song, it gets a lit...
I was really deeply saddened when I heard the announcement of Gary Roberts retiring. Don’t get me wrong, it was not the announcement per se, it was the way it came about. Meaning I would have liked Gary to go out on his terms, something he has earned. Being put on waivers without even warning him shows a lack of respect to him. Gary Roberts, being a warrior, should accu...
Hey guys sorry for the report never got home until now after the practice. The players were not in a good mood this morning as Keenan did a bunch of drills. The most interesting one was helping the defense pass the puck out, of the zone and the forwards coming back to help. Doing one on one skating drills, having the players skate after the puck and shoot (with the empa...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Face Huge Mountain To Climb To Prove Themselves
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames caught a fairly big break last night, as the Vancouver Canucks were whipped in Phoenix by the floundering Coyotes, ensuring the Flames keep for the time being their slim three point lead on the Northwest Division. How much does the Canucks blowing an easy opportunity and lowering the magic number by two points mean for the Flames? It helps a small bit, b...
For anyone who cares. I'm and huge Montreal fan and I live out on the far eastern side of Canada. For some history look up Nova Scotia Voyageurs or Halifax Citadels. That is all besides the point as now all we have is a QMJHL team, the Mooseheads (Did not do too well this year). So I bought center ice so I can watch all the Habs games (In English) . This would be a...
Well its that time of year again and the quest for the postseason is heating up. I have yet to see the infamous Brad Ratgen playoff quest blogs so I decided to chip in with my own picks.
Here are the current standings:
Western Conference
1. Y - San Jose 107
2. X - Detroit 107
3. Calgary 90
4. Chicago 89
5. Vancouver 87
6. Columbus 83
7. Anaheim 80
8. E...
I will start out by saying that I have yet to see Kyle Okposo play a game with as much intensity, energy, and fire in his short time spent wearing an Islanders jersey as I did last night against the Wild. All it took was for him to see his linemate Blake Comeau get drilled by one of the Minnesota players and suddenly fans had flashes of Dan Cloutier challenging the Islande...
I stopped counting at zero for seven on the power play. Then I noticed the penalty kill has let two in as well. I started thinking of catchy slogans like, "zero for seven fire Preston!!" or , "Penalty killers are slow let Preston Go".
The fact is in the playoffs there a few things you need to win. You need an incredible goalie to steal games for you, Kipper WILL do that...
With 7 games left in the season, the Avs sit dead last in the Western Conference, coming in second only to the Islanders as the worst team in the league. Most years this would be disappointing, however,with the team lacking any true direction, this situation forces their hand slightly.
The consensus first overall pick is John Tavares, with Viktor Hedman coming in a clos...
[i]As a quick notation; I’ve never met Keith Primeau, he’s never snubbed me or my child and, as a person, I only know what I’ve seen on TV, read in print and heard on the radio. As far as I’m concerned he may be the most wonderful husband, father, brother, son or in-law on the face of this earth and I have no ground to comment on any of that. This is my view of h...
Now, it’s important that we realize where the Flyers franchise stood in the league. They were on their fourth coach in four years having just embarrassingly dismissed Roger Neilson as he fought cancer. In the summer, Lindros was exiled, awaiting a trade that wouldn’t come for more than a year. The Flyers were tagged as the most dysfunctional franchise in all of sports....
Recchi and Primeau were the only two forwards who had off years, dropping 13 and 25 points respectively. It seemed to me at the time he was taking his frustrations out on what he knew was a lame duck coach who had lost his wife less then six months earlier. He dropped his own failures at Barber’s feet. After he inflicted the damage to his coach and with the stipulation t...
[b]The Legend?[/b]
Ken Hitchcock sat in his office and for weeks watched the incumbent Captain of his new team walk quietly by his door. His Captain was a coach killer by his own admission [url]http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/cup/2004-05-13-flyers-hitchcock_x.htm[/url]. Primeau saw the writing on the wall. He was on his way out. A new coach cleaned players like him ...
Practice a lot more attention on detail on how to get the puck out of the
zone.
- A lot of passing drills on passes from tape to tape, especially the receiving
the pass.
- Concentrating on keeping the puck in the offensive zone, defense get the
shot on the net.
- Forwards skating back to help the defense skating drills.
- Went to the point of having groups of ...
FIRST PRACTICE NOTES
- The first note this is the first practice that was a fun one players joking and laughing.
- Keenan and Iggy and Bertuzzi and Kipper were not there.
- They mostly practiced on exiting the defensive zone to the offensive zone.
- Working with Mac on his skills of covering rebounds and on being screened.
- Defense really working on keeping...
FLAMESTR writes...
Heart to Heart Conversation to Canucks and Observations
Posted Tuesday | Comments 8
[b]A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE PAYATT FAMILY[/b]
[b]
When you think of hockey, it’s just a game. Just a game. I, for one, was deeply saddened by the news of Taylor Pyatt losing his fiancé. My heart and condolences go out to Taylor’s family and to all the Canucks fans. We may cheer against them, but that’s just part of the game. God be with you, Taylor, the fans ar...
-Bourque skated very well played with iggy and olli
- Roy Skated this morning also skated with Nystrom and Lundmark
- Boyd back up with Peters and Sutter
- Warrener taking regular shift looks very fresh I think he is ready to go
- Worked on the power play for 30 minuets with top players Moss was on the pp with Bertuzzi and Lanks.
-Spifically power play time...
It seems we have discussed dirty hits and suspension at nauseum, I can't remember a playoffs that didn't involve Marchment with this much publicity about nothing. Mike Cammalleri did not get suspended, partly because he was already punished with a roughing penalty!! Listen, there is a penalty you receive in the N.H.L. for punching a guy in the face and Cammalleri served hi...
Just finished watching the Sharks/Ducks game, and all I can say is wow! It is so nice watching the other teams play where you can enjoy it to it's fullest, but later on tonight will not be the case. The all important Game 4 between New York and Washington. The Rangers have had a couple days to recover from their 4-0 loss in Game 3. Now all Rangers fans can do is ask the sa...
A few things occured to me while I was gnawing on my Devils "terrible towel" during game 4 of this Devils/Canes series.
First off, this is best series being played in the NHL right now. You've got 2 former Stanley Cup champs battling it out with a Hall of Fame goaltender vs probably the best young, most underrated goaltender in the NHL. Stanley Cup rookie MVP anyone?? 3 o...
Last night the Brandon Wheat Kings gave a valiant effort but eventually lost a hard fought effort to the Calgary Hitmen (who are sailing through the W.H.L. playoffs) and are now one game away from being eliminated by the Hitmen. Keith Aulie is their captain, has a goal in this series and is one of Calgary's top defense prospects. At 6'6" and 220 lbs this isn't your normal ...
Game 5 proved to be the pinnacle of goaltending in the playoffs so far. Ward was better than Marty in my opinion, but what do i know, Ive only been a goalie since I was 6. 86 shots, 1 goal. And that goal by Clarkson was maybe his best goal of the year. Clarkson 2 goals, Staal 2 goals, hold on wait, what? Marty made a statement tonight with a career high 44 save shutoot, a...
Lets see, where do I begin. Lets start with Devils/Canes series. Can game 6 possibly be better than the first 5? The answer is yes, but we'll see tonight. We have had everything in this one so far, great goalies, scoring chances, organized hockey, and everything you wanted out of 2 loud arenas. Looks like the captain is in tonight, Holik "The Caveman" out.
Chicago/Calgar...
As Blair Betts lay on the ice yesterday afternoon, again the Gary Bettman Gestapo neglected to make a legit call in favor of the Rangers. It's become, predictable that the officials will miss a Capital crosscheck to the back of Avery. They failed blatantly in game 4 to rescue themselves as Callahan hit the ice with a trip and 18,000 fans managed to witness the crime. B...
The Blackhawks deserved the series win. That is the first thing all Flames fans should admit to themselves and we can not say "only if" or "but the refs called this or that". We can not say if we had Regehr we would have won, as Jim Rome likes to say, "If. if.if. If my aunt had junk she'd be my uncle but she doesn't." The fact is the depth we all thought we had wasn't deep...
The Blackhawks deserved the series win. That is the first thing all Flames fans should admit to themselves and we can not say "only if" or "but the refs called this or that". We can not say if we had Regehr we would have won, as Jim Rome likes to say, "If. if.if. If my aunt had junk she'd be my uncle but she doesn't." The fact is the depth we all thought we had wasn't deep...
Its eerily quiet in Newark this morning as I walk past the arena to work. Im not going to lie to you, I got a little chill thinking what was going to take place later on. A lot of nervous energy.
Game 7 of round 1, who thought there could be this much drama in the 1st round? The Devils need to get straight, quick. Game 7's are about Captains, and Langenbrunner has to hav...
let me gather my notes and thoughts and all the alcohol i have left in my house. a great blog to break down game 7 coming tomorrow no doubt. i was there, i witnessed what happened and its anybody but marty's fault. the guy played his a$$ off. stunnnned.
FLAMESTR writes...
A Fond Farewell to the Flames and Summary of the first round
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Before we discuss the second round, I wanted to talk to you about a discussion between a dad and a son. My son always reminds me that the players are very human and they make mistakes and really they don’t set out to lose. He had to remind me of this over and over again as the Hawks were eliminating my Flames.
I have had conversations with my son reminding me the F...
The 2008-2009 version of the Calgary Flames was very unique. Probably the most talented group of players ever collected in cow town since 1989. So why did they once again get bounced out in the first round? How did they blow a huge lead in the division? Should Rich Preston still behind the bench after the power play went 0 for 40 to finish the regular season? Why was Ander...
MichaelBernard writes...
Worst Loss in Devil's Playoff History, What a Disgrace.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Now that Ive had time to digest last night’s loss to Carolina, I can say this. Worst loss in Devil’s playoff history. No you say? You think the loss to Colorado was worse, you’re wrong. After a great season of chasing Boston for the top spot in the east with a backup goalie in net for most of the season, and records being shattered, it wasn’t supposed to end like t...
Brown's "controversial" hit on Hudler in game 1 of the Detroit vs Anaheim series was legal and clean. It was shoulder to shoulder and Hudler got rid of the puck less than 2 seconds before. It didn't help Hudler that he wasn't paying attention, or was slightly bent over as he was turning up the ice. [b]The problem is that Hudler was skating in one direction, but playing the...
One week after being ousted out of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Calgary Flames have packed up their bags and headed off to their respected off season homes. Let’s talk about the front office and bench bosses for the Flaming C.
Darryl Sutter was brought into the organization in 2002 to be the Flames head coach and General Manager. In his first full season in 03-...
Another disappointing end to what was looking like a promising season. But I have to admit, the effect and anticipation for the playoffs has worn off. I've had to brace myself for early departures in each of the last 3 seasons as it truly seemed inevitable.
My season-long problem was Mike Keenan. He proved early and often that he's about 10 years removed from b...
Can we really hang this years early playoff exit on Sutter? The guy who has brought our beloved Flames to the post season for five straight seasons, and one of them to the Stanley Cup Finals? The guy who created what I think is one of the most talented teams we Calgarians has seen since the 80's? I say no. Here's why.
Our team was performing well up until February. We t...
1) [u]Coaching[/u] – My first engagement in the Flames’ off-season moves would be to make a coaching change. But, unlike most of the outcry from Flames fans and media, I would not fire Mike Keenan as head coach. I know most fans are calling for Keenan’s head I believe that (other than the constant line-juggling and “strong encouragement” to have Kipper play all ...
You have to admit, you're waiting for it.
Yes, Darryl Sutter met for one-on-one's last week with the Calgary media but did little to dispel the one thing we were all waiting for.
The fate of Mike Keenan.
Sutter never came out and openly backed Keenan, but he sure as heck never gave us an inkling of how he really feels on the situation. He's mastered the art of,...
Is anybody really surprised this series is tied at 3 and heading toward a game 7 thriller Wednesday night in DC?
I'm not.
In fact, through 6 games we have seen just about everything we expected to see.
Great offensive playmaking and goals.
Great skill and determination by the 3 best forwards in the league.
Key contributions from 2nd, 3rd and 4th line players...
I've been following the never ending quest of Jim Basille to beg, borrow or steal an NHL franchise to bring back to his hideout in Hamilton. Now I don't really have a vested interest in this soap opera since I'm not a fan of the Coyotes (although it seems that that wouldn't put me in the minority in Arizona), nor am I partial to ensuring a team relocates to Hamilton, Ont....
First of all this is my very first blog so I apologize ahead of time for boring you. I'm gonna state my views on what the Leafs should do with their current roster only.
Jason Blake-trade if you can otherwise keep him. I bet he reaches closer to 40 goals next year.
Devereaux-displayed himself well when the games didn't count. I don't think he'll be back but he's a good ...
[b]The Save[/b]
I wrote a couple of days back that Marc Andre Fleury needed to be in #1 star form for the Penguins to advance in the playoffs. That he had to find a way to play his BEST in game 7.
Fleury ended up being the #3 star in the game...and as it turns out, he really didn't need to be #1 with the way the rest of his team handled the Capitals on Wednesday night...
Another successful [i]regular season[/i], another abrupt [i]playoff[/i] exit. Anyone seeing a trend here? Ever since the Devils won their last Stanley Cup in 2003, the dry New Jersey Devil fan base (which I must say did show up for the playoffs this year), has been treated to the same redundant pattern year in and year out. This year was no exception. The only difference s...
So, here we are. Game Seven. "All of the marbles." "Win or go home." "The whole enchilada" "Play like there's no tomorrow." "Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'."
There are endless cliches you could use to describe the intensity surrounding the Bruins-Hurricanes matchup in Boston tonight (8pm, NESN, TSN, RIS; bonus coverage on Versus following the Wings-Ducks concl...
As we try to cope with yet another early off season, different people find different ways to occupy themselves to pass the time. As someone on a CBS Sports forum said, this is one of the worst times of year. You don't hear any rumors about your team, and for fans of 26 other teams, the only NHL hockey on is the conference finals. Still, fans prowl hockeybuzz, hoping to sal...
amerk626 writes...
What the Rangers, Devils, and Flyers all have in common
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Obviously, the main theme amongst these three Atlantic Division rivals is a solid above .500 season that always results in an early playoff exit for the same and different reasons. You could sit here and blame the referees, one player, or injuries, but good teams play through instances like that and overcome the adversity such obstacles present.
The Pittsburgh Penguins ...
As soon as the last crushing horn sounded on the Calgary Flames' season I immediately started looking, like many others, to next season and what we have coming down the pipe that could hopefully heal some wounds.
The Memorial Cup is usually a great place to check on prospects and to also check in on some of the guys you can look forward to seeing drafted in the followin...
I have thought long and hard about this. It has been something I have been pondering for almost half of a year now.
Yes, the time has come for me to put away the keyboard and retire from my "position" here at MyHockeyBuzz.
Let me explain.
Next year I am going off to college, starting a new stage in my life. With big changes like leaving home and moving into a do...
Yes, it's true.
Over the past week, cloud cover has been increasing in Calgary and area as the whole city waited for some light to finally be shed on a couple different things.
Firstly, the weather's been absolutely horrible. And, working outdoors nearly every day for long hours was beginning to make me crazy. With the exception of some spurts here and there on (Ca...
mslepp writes...
Back to Basics for the Flames? Memorial Cup and Wings/Hawks
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
[b]The Calgary Flame Coaching Carousel[/b]
It wasn't quite as big of a jolt as the hiring of Mike Keenan, but the firing did come as a bit of a surprise. Not because of Iron Mike's firing, but because it was leaked to the media, late Friday afternoon. The timing alone tells you this is not what Darryl Sutter wanted, but the whole Keenan "era" (mess might be a better w...
In all honesty, I have attempted to write this blog more than a handful of times, but I either got frustrated just thinking about it and Xed out, or I could not organize my thoughts properly. Rather start with a tacky intro, I'll get to the point.
Since the lockout, the best way I can describe a typical New Jersey Devil's regular season is like drinking a red bull. It t...
With the firing of Mike Keenan and the letting go of the rest of the coaching staff, the Flames now sit with a vacant coaching staff. In Sutter’s press conference yesterday he mentioned that there are three qualified people in line for the Head Coach position and a fourth, Darryl himself. He stated that he was the best candidate for the position and if he can not find a...
FLAMESTR writes...
COULD THE OIL HAVE THE BEST COACHES ? AND MORE THOUGHTS
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Edmonton Oilers decided to go to with a veteran coach in Pat Quinn, who I think is a great coach. He loves a fluent, offensive game, which fits the Oilers to a tea. Quinn proved himself with the Team Canada. Not only did the Oilers pick a perfect head coach, they found the perfect coach in Tom Renney, who should have never been fired from the Rangers in the first place...
mslepp writes...
Calgary, Get Used to Darryl Sutter: Analysis of the GM
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
I've been waiting for Ken King or the ownership group of the Calgary Flames to come out and publicly back Darryl Sutter ever since the season ended.
If you are one of the folks who, for some reason or another, think that Darryl Sutter should have been on the chopping block for what happened this season, I urge you to give your head a shake.
I am a staunch Sutter su...
Aside from figuring out what free agents he wants to try to sign and re-sign, how to handle the upcoming draft, and what direction to steer this seemingly broken Devils team towards, Devils GM Lou Lamoriello may be faced with another problem if head coach Brent Sutter decides to step down from his post and part ways with the Devils.
I think the hiring of Brent Sutter w...
Today Darryl Sutter confirmed he is keeping the 2009 first round pick, he had the option of giving phoenix this pick or the 2010 pick in the Jokinen deal. This draft is generally considered deeper than next years draft which some are saying could be as bad as the '99 draft but having said that is the 20th over all pick going to be that great?
At number 20 the Flames cou...
2014. It will be critical year for the flames franchise, Iginla's contract will be expired at the end of 2013, same for Regehr, following the 2014 season Dion and Kipper will be UFA as well. One other major piece will be the home they all live in, the Saddledome, will also be expired.
The "'dome", as it is more commonly known, has been a fixture of Calgary landscapes s...
I'm not one that welcomes change. I believe in tradition, sentimental values, and fear taking things in the present for granted, but want to appreciate them when they're not around to appreciate anymore. Change is constant and you have no choice to embrace and deal with it, especially the inevitable changes. When Martin Brodeur was injured for a three month stretch this se...
Ray Emery. Say that name since Comcast Sportsnet's Tim Panaccio broke the news that it's almost a done deal that Sugar Ray is headed to the Flyers and Flyers fans have recoiled like Dracula from garlic. There have even been people who say the thought of Emery in Orange and Black makes them sick.
I am stupefied at this reaction. The Flyers have a history of rolling the ...
Ray Emery. Say that name since Comcast Sportsnet's Tim Panaccio broke the news that it's almost a done deal that Sugar Ray is headed to the Flyers and Flyers fans have recoiled like Dracula from garlic. There have even been people who say the thought of Emery in Orange and Black makes them sick.
I am stupefied at this reaction. The Flyers have a history of rolling the ...
Last year, during the Wings Playoff Series with the Avs, I wrote the following:
[i]"There is [b]NO QUESTION[/b] that the Av's Cody McLeod has foolishly, and dangerously unleashed the [b]CURSE OF THE OCTOPUS[/b]! After the National Anthem was completed, a fan threw the traditional cephalopod onto the Hockeytown ice. Wings fans cheered. But then, McLeod actually skated ov...
With the playoffs drawing to an end, a lot of questions surround the New Jersey Devils as the beginning of the off-season nears. The major questions being asked by fans, bloggers, and analysts are mainly routine questions that come up every year, but there are a few that stand out more than others, whose outcomes can affect this Devils team in different ways.
[b]What is...
Hi! I'm Will! I love hockey!
There's an introduction to me. I'm pretty awesome. So yeah.
Oh, and check out my youtube channel! www.youtube.com/willytheleaf
Thanks all! I'll be writing here as draft day comes closer, and what I think the league, and the Leafs should do! Yay!
This is a pivotal off season for the New Jersey Devils. After another "red bull" season, the Devil's weaknesses were exposed greatly after the trade deadline and in the playoffs. This, along with the need to hire a head coach, handling the upcoming draft, and his annual free agent situation puts a lot on Lou's plate. This off season may be the most important one for the De...
I thought we would play fantasy hockey; pretend that we are all fantasy general managers (in my case it is really fantasy). What would you give up to get the Heater? Is Danny the franchise player, or better yet, does he make the players around him better?
Well, first of all, you can bet the Sens would like to get a top dman and number one prospect. Also, maybe another ...
Just saying it or hearing it said, conveys everything you need to know.
[i][b]It's do or die.[/b][/i]
And in this case...game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals...[i][b]it's the end of the line for BOTH teams.[/b][/i]
After tonight, one team will have the summer to enjoy the hardware...and one team will have the summer to ponder "what might have been".
The Penguins ar...
I will be watching game 7 of tonight's Detroit vs. Pittsburgh game on NBC.
Not CBC.
Yes, it has taken me the entire season to get to this point. But I just can't hack it anymore.
I love Ron MacLean. I LOVE Don Cherry; I mean, I don't always agree with him, but his segments are always entertaining and I appreciate his patriotism and his passion for hockey. He sa...
First things first, congratulations to captain Sidney Crosby and his Penguins for winning the 2009 Stanley Cup. Well done, guys, you put on quite a show. It was a hard fought series, right until the final seconds when goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury had to dive across the crease to rob Detroit captain Niklas Lidstrom of a sure goal. Wondering what Fleury was thinking when all...
The woes of the New Jersey Devils; but doesn't every team have them? Trade this guy, sign that guy, buy him out, waive that guy, fire him, he should retire, blah blah blah. I swear if we the fans dictated what moves our teams made, we'd see more people come and go than on the Apprentice.
Since The Devil's 2008-2009 "Red Bull" campaign ended, the same ideas and opinions ...
This will be the future headline in all the newspapers, tv stations and the internet once the free agent period begins on July 1, 2009. Brian Burke looks to place his own big stamp on the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer and rebuild this team back into a playoff contender this off season when the UFA period begins. The questions many Maple Leaf fans have, myself included is...
For the record, I'm not saying I don't like Jacques Lemaire or think he's a bad coach. Any coach that wins a Stanley Cup and has coached as long as he has is good enough in my book. I just think at this point and time Lemaire isn't the right coach the Devils need, especially if Lou is looking to hire someone long term. He would not be in my top five choices but is not my l...
mslepp writes...
Calgary Flames: Recent Activity and Addressing the Rumours
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[b]Who Will be at the Helm?[/b]
This is the major cloud that's been looming over Calgary for the last couple weeks.
Darryl or Brent?
Sutter or Sutter?
Even with the firing of Dave Tippett in Dallas (which doesn't make a whole lotta sense, but is an issue for another day), the Calgary Flames have been super quiet about what's going on in the search for a head ...
Dear Mike Gillis,
First of all Mr. Gillis I would like to take deep exception to the fact you signed Burrows to an extension that clearly makes sense. As a Calgary Flames Fan I am used to other division General Managers (cough lowe cough cough) making horribly large and exorbitant signings that greatly increase our chances and this clearly goes against everything I was ...
FLAMESTR writes...
Winter Classic In Calgary and Fantasy GM Who wants Hossa
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
ell another week has already passed. I thought I would like to open this blog up by offering my congratulations to the Pens on becoming the Stanley Cup Champions. Simply put, Malkin was awesome in the victory for Pit, he deserved for MVP for the playoffs.
This series was a classic, but I must admit that when the Wings took the game 5 zip, I for one, did not give the Pen...
In the Dark Knight, Aaron Eckhart said "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain". Metaphorically speaking, I think there is a lot of justification behind this quote and of course I can relate it to hockey and my New Jersey Devils. For the better part of two decades, Martin Broduer has been the face of the New Jersey Devils and GM Lou La...
If Barack Obama is the people’s President, Judge Wapner was head of The People’s Court, and The Rock is the People’s Champion, then surely Steve Yzerman is the People’s Captain.
Yzerman had a long, 23-year NHL career. Not all of it was pretty, not all of it was good, but Yzerman left the game in 2006 as one of the most beloved players to have ever laced up a pa...
We all know Sutter likes to make a splash at the draft, we also know in deep drafts he has traditionally traded down for more picks. What makes this draft a little different is that there is no first round pick next year to bank on. The schools of thought being trade down and get two okay guys or trade up and get a sure fire blue chip prospect.
In addition the Flames h...
Moving into the Calgary Flames thirtieth season, we as fans have been given hope for a chance to move forward from a disappointing end to a very promising season. Today at 3PM local Darryl Sutter has announced a new coaching staff for the Calgary Flames, bringing in his brother Brent Sutter, Former flames Dave Lowry and Jamie McLennan, and Former head coach of the Quad Cit...
Does the hiring of Brent Sutter really require another blog?
Probably not. I mean, this is one of those "worst-kept secrets" that gets attached with any story being leaked these days.
But the hiring of Brent Sutter is gonna get a blog.
Why?
Because this may go down as one of the most important moves Darryl Sutter has made during his tenure with the Calgary...
Brent Sutter was introduced as the new Head Coach of the Calgary Flames today; the 4th Head Coach in the past 5 seasons. As well Ryan McGill, Dave Lowry, and Jamie McClennan were named as Assistant coaches. A decision met with a lot of scepticism by the local media and fanbase, the Flames now have 5 Sutter’s working within the organization. General Manager Darryl, Dire...
landsharkhockey writes...
Off Into the Sunset...Players heading out in '09
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
As we look back at the 2008-09 season, it's interesting the note the players that no longer appear on the stats sheet. Let's take a look at the notable retirees, as well as those that you may have missed who have played their last shift in the NHL. (At least until they come out of retirement next year.)
[u]The Hall of Fame Class: [/u]
Jaromir Jagr - We have ...
Please read this drivel before reading on:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/06/25/kelley_sutter_devil/
Let me respond if I may do so.
I'd be a whole lot more comfortable with your reaction if everything you wrote was not an anti Calgary blog or you worked for a network that has a slew of Oiler fans working for it. First of all, and I know this might be hard to ...
July 1st is less than a week away and the NHL Entry Draft is hours away. Rumors seem abundant for 29 other teams in the NHL, while what little news regarding the Devils is scarce and broad. Is this another instance of the Devils living up to their reputation of confidentiality or Lou sitting on his you know what picking his fingernails?
I digress.
We all know who the...
It came as no surprise, Daryl Sutter trading down to the 23rd pick from 20 to pick up an additional 3rd round pick. This is interesting for a few reasons, Calgary already had two 3rd round picks and no 2nd round picks, they must have been comfortable that the guy they wanted would still be there three picks away so they traded. As soon as that trade went down, with guys li...
I am just curious to know how many Canucks fans want the Sedins back and what your thoughts are on them signing a 12 year deal?
Also I still don't believe that Gaborik rumors, he is highly skilled. But Gillis likes grit and Gaborik has been prone to injury.
I have a weird feeling that Sundin will be back next season. I'd really like to see Wellwood back with a 2 ye...
Somebody asked me Why I post the Blogs on the weekend when I get no traffic to look at the blogs. I simply responded because I get no traffic to read my blogs anyways :) Now on with the observations of the weekend.
[b]
The Two biggest trades on the weekend[/b]
Mr. Sutter is at it again, as he trades for the rights of JBO, out of Florida, which cost us Leopold an...
Word is just coming in; Scott Gomez's time on Manhattan is at an end. Gomez was dealt today to the Montreal Canadiens with F Tom Pyatt and D Michael Busto in exchange for RFA Forward Chris Higgins and D Ryan McDonagh and D Pavel Valentenko. The Canadiens were known to be actively looking for a #1 Center and after exploring trade options for Vinny Lecavalier, appear to have...
Since before the March 4 trade deadline the big question has been where will Jay Bouwmeester end up? The 25-year-old defenceman was involved in trade rumors that had him going to Philadelphia, but the deal never materialized. Then the question was with whom would he sign? Then we paused and remembered his rights could be traded at the draft for picks, which is exactly what...
What a difference a day makes, eh? Wow. I am still not really sure how I feel about all of the moves that Bob Gainey made over the last 48 hours. To be honest, I'm not sure what I expected Gainey to do. I guess if there's one thing I've learned over Gainey's tenure, its that you should always expect the unexpected!
Gainey seems to have a knack of zigging when you ...
After comparing the stunning game 7 loss the Devils suffered to the Carolina Hurricanes and the events that occurred...well didn't occur at yesterday's free agency opening, I couldn't figure out when I was more speechless. Like many Devils fans yesterday, I experienced a whirlpool of emotions, emotions that lasted into today. I was frustrated, outraged, upset, stunned, mor...
I remember when only the best of the best could control potential movement. I remember when GMs would fight hard against the agent for a no trade clause and I remember when the media would yell and scream at the GM on behalf of the fans for not caving on the no trade clause.
Fast forward and just about every contract of significant value comes complete with a NO MOVE...
Maybe saying the flames are the next redwings might be a bit of stretch but there roster is looking good for many years. This years line up should contend for the cup and like the wings there team starts with a solid defense. Is boumeester, phanuef and regher, compariable to lidstrom, rafalski and krownwall ? or maybe the question should can they develop into that trio? go...
[b]DANNY HEATLEY SAGA[/b]
NHLPA is standing behind Heatley. Well, technically he is not doing anything wrong. Morally is another story. When it comes to pure talent, I am one of his biggest fans. I love watching Heater play. I am a huge fan of his play, but right now I am not a fan of his attitude. When it comes to a player, I would like to be a fan of the hockey pla...
This is my first blog and I live and breathe flyers hockey so cut me some slack. haha After a disappointing first round exit at the hands of the pens, that saw the flyers get beat defensively and in goaltending, their main goal coming into the offseason was to improve the goaltending and blue line. Like many flyers' fans i was awestruck, angry, and about to start a lynch m...
1. Dustin Boyd:
He's shown he can score, 11G and 11A in a limited 4th line grinder role, Can he play top 6?
2. The Flames D:
Seeing as it is very much stacked...
Nuef-J.Bo
Regher-Sarich
Pardy-Gio
Pelech
Can we afford to trade away Cory Sarich and his big contract? I mean I love the guy, but shedding salary, and maybe picking up a top 6 forward.
3 Lack of of...
Montreal trades Christopher Higgins, Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko & Doug Janik to New York for Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto.
Montreal landed their long sought-after #1 Centre on Tuesday, but it wasn't the Flying Frenchman that everyone expected. GM Bob Gainey felt the price was too high for Vincent Lecavalier and instead settled for an overpaid, underac...
Alright, time to get some frustrations of mine off my mind.
I've been browsing around the Canadiens' facebook groups recently, and I've been noticing people bashing #84.
The arguments about him is that he has not improved in three NHL seasons thus far. Um, last time I checked he was 22 years old, with size and plenty of upside. Give the guy time. Patience seems to b...
RinkLighter writes...
The Biggest Change for the Flames Isn't that New D-man...
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The biggest change this year for the Flames isn't going to be the loss of Cammy and Bertuzzi. Or Aucoin. (And certainly not Vandermeer.) Or the dependence on youngsters due to cap issues.
It isn't even going to be the signing of J. Bo.
It's going to be Brent Sutter.
He's going to (hopefully) bring the structured system and accountability this team has been so...
Blog #3, maybe this one will actually appear on ‘myhockeybuzz’ or on Eric Engals’ page!
Basically, I am here to continue my unfortunate stream of pessamistic emails, and to tell you exactly why I believe that the Montreal Canadiens will not win a cup in the next five years, and why exactly I hated the Gomez trade.
First of all though, I will say that I liked th...
HI everyone Flyers prospect camp fell during my busiest week of the summer.
I had the pleasure to go Friday and Sunday.
Friday the Orange team again beat the very talented black 2-1.
Today the black team won in a shoot out care of Mr Dingle.
Pat Maroon continues to dominate during this camp. He really is a presence there.
Riopel and Morrison did excel...
On May 13, 2006, during the first overtime of game 5, Jason Pominville sped past Daniel Alfredsson while Jay McKee was in the penalty box, and scored on Ray Emery to send the Sabres into the Eastern Conference Finals. However, disaster loomed for the Sabres, as 4 of Buffalo's 6 starting defensemen would become injured during that the series against Carolina.
Now, I'm no...
Checked out the Sabres development camp last week, here's some quick thoughts:
-Myers and Weber were a defensive pairing throughout camp, and both played like, you guessed it, "men among boys". Calm, cool and collective, they looked NHL ready.
-Butler also played very well, and after his call up last season, looks to be an obvious lock for a roster spot next seaso...
With the recent pick ups of Fredrik Sjostrom, Brian McGrattan and now it looks like Nigel Dawes, Darryl Sutter is following his usual routine of sneaky pick ups during the summer season.
Looking at the three less than flashy pickups, as opposed to J-Bo, each one can offer a great upgrade at their position.
Knowing Sutter’s history over the past five plus seasons h...
FLAMESTR writes...
Weekly notes ( Flames, Oilers, Habs, Hawks, Leafs,Panthers)
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[b]Edmonton Oilers
[/b]
To much of my disapproval, the Oilers did not get Hossa , nor has Heatley consented to becoming an Oiler. Which really surprises me, because I really thought that one of those two players would have become an Oiler. The Oilers did pick a solid goalie, though, in Khabby. It was really refreshing to hear a player wanting to go there. The Oilers real...
Rebuilding, back stepping, reloading, call it what you want. It is evident the Devils approached this off season with the intentions of instilling a youth movement and seem to be going through with it. Fans were outraged as players like Brian Gionta and John Madden signed elsewhere, while the Devils stood pat since July 1st. After realizing Lou Lamoriello's plans for the t...
The summer started off with the possibility of the Islanders not selecting John Tavares first overall and taking either Victor Hedman or Matt Duchene. But they did what was right and took the kid who has been watched and predicted for the past four years to go at the top with their first choice. Since then the Isles have been rumored to be in on the Sedin twins, Mike Komis...
A lot of rumors have been swirling lately about the state of the Calgary Flames. With Darryl Sutter making moves left and right this off-season, most notably the acquisition of Jay Bouwmeester, fans and analysts alike have raised the question 'is Dion Phaneuf on his way out of Calgary?'
Now before we jump to conclusions let's review the situation the Calgary Flames are ...
Flames fans are excited again. The excitement flows from the off season moves by the Flames management team and it's acquisition of recognizable names, even if most of the names are just bound for Abbotsford. Some of the questions that we will likely get the answer to soon are:
Q: Is Cammalleri's scoring replaceable on the power play?
A: The hope would be the power pl...
As the off-season winds on we are starting to see more teams signing veteran journeymen to provide organizational depth. Much like the Rangers earlier signing of Tyler Arnason, these moves may not pay dividends to the NHL roster but can provide teams with veteran role players to fill in at the NHL level in case of injury and also offer AHL prospects a veteran mentor to sho...
As reported in the [i]Star Ledger[/i], with no agreement in sight, it looks like the Devils and Travis Zajac are headed for arbitration this Friday. 24-year old Travis Zajac is coming off a career year after tallying 20 goals and 62 points. He's been lauded for his astounding chemistry with Zach Parise, and is rendered as someone who would be in Jersey long term.
How ma...
KevinJames writes...
The Difference Between Lalime and Biron: 400K For 25 Wins
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/ReR310YSOMI/AAAAAAAAAks/x-Gg9gWv0So/s320/MartinBironAction.jpg[/img]
Biron Signs With Islanders, 1 YR at 1.4 M. Sabres Management Caught With Their Head In The Sand
Going into the summer, the Sabres had two glaring issues to deal with:
First, the Sabres desperately needed to acquire a few veteran defenseman. The Sabres took...
One has to wonder, with a defensive corps half signed to long term contracts and a glut of great young defensive prospects, where and when will the Flames fit them in?
Sarich signed until June of 2012
Phaneuf and Bouwmeester signed June of 2014
Regehr signed until June of 2013
That leaves two spots.
Giordano and Pardy, who most would say are two young and good (...
Another off season going by, another opportunity the Devils have passed on to obtain that top 2 defenseman the blue line has lacked. Unless the Devils execute a trade, which is unlikely (just because I have no recollection of the Devils ever making a significant move between now and the beginning of the season), it looks like they'll have to work with what they've got. The...
I think it's safe to say this is the most drab time of year in hockey world. A time when news is scarce, the free agent frenzy has been reduced to leftovers, and the only thing to do is count down the days until training camp starts. Scarce news doesn't necessarily mean there's nothing to talk about because I'm sure you can point out something about each team that's be wor...
I can hardly wait for the season to start so Ive been looking at it on and off and this is how i see our Calgary Flames roster shaping up;
Scoring line:[b]Nigel Dawes ~ Olli Jokinen ~ Jarome Iginla [/b]
Scoring line:[b]Rene Bourque ~ Daymond Langkow ~ Jamie Lundmark[/b]
Energy line:[b]Curtis Glencross ~ Dustin Boyd ~ David Moss[/b]
Momentum line:[b]Eric Nystrom ~ Cra...
Happy August everybody! The 2009 Free Agent Frenzy is a month old today, a month of excitement, frustrations, surprises, and disappointments for the fans of the 30 NHL teams. We haven't watched a live game of hockey since the conclusion of the 2008-2009 season in June, but have been entertained by the Entry Draft, Free Agent Frenzy, and the occasional trade, hiring, or fi...
I recently read the article about the Sabres building the team they have to be competitive. The pieces are there, according the Darcy Regier. There is a comfort level of the roster. I don't deny that the team has talent. It's there. However, for the past two seasons, the team has missed the playoffs with these players. Could a piece be missing?
There is the ability to d...
I know its August 6th, but lets look at October, because really its only 53 days away…
How much does October mean to the Flames? Is the first game of the season really indicative of whether or not they will be raising Lord Stanley’s Mug nine months later? The answer simply is no. But, the first meaningful hockey game of the season is usually the most highly anticipa...
Eric Engels posted ten perfect questions for his Hab followers on Thursday, i thought i would come up with my own ten for my beloved Flames......is nothing original anymore?
1. Who will score more goals this season, Rene Bourque or Daymond Langkow?
2. Which of these categories would you be most [b]pleased[/b] to see Jay Bouwmeester lead the rest of the Calgary Flam...
Flaake took the DNL, Germany's top junior league, by storm this season, finishing as the top scorer with 80 points in only 36 games. He also managed another six points in four playoff games. His 2007-08 season ended up being quite a long one, as he put in time playing for both the U18 and U20 national teams as well as a 30-game introduction to the DEL, Germany's top men's ...
Chris went undrafted in the OHL draft.
DiDomenico is on the small side at 5'11 and only 165 pounds but has overcome his size deficiencies so far with excellent hockey sense. Though his skating is only average, he is excellent on faceoffs and is a good penalty killer. If he is able to add muscle to his frame and continue to play a smart, two-way game he could surprise.
Di...
1. Who will score more goals this season, Rene Bourque or Daymond Langkow?
Bourque. The only issue i am, have or will ever be concerned about is his health. Not sure when the last time was where he did play all 82 games but if he does, he is a force going to the net and would easily score 30 goals each healthy season.
2. What category would you be most pleased to see...
It dawned on me. There are times when I'll be hanging out with friends and the topic of sports comes up in conversation. 9 times out of 10, they talk about baseball, football, basketball, even nascar. Whenever I mention hockey, they look at me like I have 2 heads, or start saying hockey stinks, it's boring to watch, baseball's better, and blah blah blah. Living in New York...
When one is obsessed, when does one cross the line? I wondered if I am a little crazy with my hockey. Can one become to obsessive about hockey? I think not. But pretty please, do not ask my wife; she seems to take things to personally when it comes to hockey.
She seems to think that throwing things at the TV and yelling at the players for days on end seems to be a li...
The more that I surf the web looking for the newest in Advanced Statistics in Hockey, the more I realize how much I really like the Puck Prospectus website and the Behind the Net website. The people at those sites are creative and just plain brilliant. The latest and greatest was offered up by Robert Vollman on Puck Prospectus and it is called Goals Versus Salary (GVS). In...
Stanley Cups, Vezinas, gold medals, broken records...this is the gist of what Martin Brodeur has accomplished throughout his decorated 15-year career. Like him or hate him, you have to admit he's one of the greatest goaltenders to ever play the game and is arguably still one of the best. To say Marty has nothing to prove anymore is a debatable topic that I contradict with ...
gkmkiller writes...
Rangers Add Prospal and Bring Back the Captain....Finally
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Apparently Glen Sather and John Tortorella agreed with me in regards to Vinny Prospal. In a previous post I floated the idea of the Rangers looking at Prospal to address their lack of depth at the Center position. When I first mentioned the idea I met with some comments that gently reminded me that Prospal and Tortorella didn’t necessarily get along in their time togethe...
No question....Mark Messier is one of the most important personalities in the New York hockey landscape.
No question....a lot of players could learn a lot from Messier about playing the game and commitment.
No question.....he'd make a great coach/executive. Well....there may be a few....or more.
Let me preface my thoughts by saying that it is good to have Messier...
I initially thought this was a no brainer, but now have reason to believe otherwise. I speculated the Devil's second line would include Patrik Elias and Nicklas Bergfors at the wings and Brian Rolston giving center another shot. Jacques Lemaire stated in an interview with Tom Gulitti that he felt Rolston played best at wing, but was unclear whether or not he'll try him at ...
Can someone tell me why Brian Propp is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame? He played 16 NHL Seasons, played in 1016 games, 425 Goals, 579 Assists, for 1004 points. In NHL history he has the ,ost points by a left wing in the NHL playoffs (64 goals, 84 assists for 148 points). He played in the Stanley Cup Finals 5 times in those 16 seasons. He is a totally class act that ha...
Today the second annual Cote Carnival was held at the Swanky Bubbles Champagne Bar to Benefit MS.
The day began with a long line in the smoldering sun leaving many Flyers fans hot and sweaty. When the doors opened Riley Cote was waiting to greet the fans after they walked in. Things like that truly show how outstanding Cote is with Player-Fan relations. He is by far th...
Being a small-time blogger has it advantages, as I can pretty much say anything I want and no one cares. I know a lot of the players, but they do not know I am a blogger and do not follow me anyway. So it is not really putting myself out by saying what I wish would happen this season. But what do I know? I am just a small-time blogger, and like I said no-one is really r...
In an apparent attempt to apply pressure the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and more specifically presiding Judge Redfield T. Baum to rule in his favor, Jim Balsillie has submitted an amended proposal to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes. The amended proposal sets a deadline of September 14th for Judge Baum to accept Balsillie’s bid of $212.5 million for the team. He also asks that Ju...
First time blogger. I see a lot of people rip other predictions, so give mine your best shot. Here we go...
Eastern Conference:
1. Washington
2. Boston
3. Philadelphia
4. Pittsburgh
5. Carolina
6. New Jersey
7. Montreal
8. NY Rangers
9. Ottawa
10. Tampa Bay
11. Toronto
12. Florida
13. NY Islanders
14. Buffalo
15. Atlanta
Western Conference
1. Chi...
Here are the top 10 defensemen you should target for your fantasy hockey draft, and why:
[b]1. Mike Green[/b]
Worthy of the #1 overall pick, if your league places any significant value on defensemen. He's a lock in for the top blueliner in 2009, as he has been for the past 2 seasons.
[b]2. Sergei Gonchar[/b]
Say what you must about about Crosby and Malkin, but the ...
Flamstr wrote a blog as well regarding this that I commented on but for some reason hockeybuzz gods don't like when I comment and often leave them blank... hint hint Ek.
Anyway... a few thoughts I had being there...
Crosby and Nash look good together, I'm not convinced Iggy meshes but it seems like Iginla is hard to get chemistry with period.
Nash was incredible,...
With more than a half dozen teams falling further down the hole and a few others making marginal improvements this is what I see happening this year.
1. Washington is going to make a big push this year and become the dominant team of the East and NHL. They have the pieces in place and also have a couple of good runs and are prepared to make the push. In my opinion they...
With the 2010 NHL training camps only a few weeks away, I think that Habs fans are excited about the upcoming season but with all the changes over the summer, left feeling a little lost too. The question is, why? Why was this summer's upheaval so traumatic? Why do we feel like we are floating in the wind waiting for the breeze to deposit us somewhere? I'll tell you why...
CANUCKS
The Vancouver Canucks have signed Roberto Luongo to a 12-year $64 million contract, making him a lifetime Canuck. Unless he gets signed as a 64 year free agent - okay that is little sarcastic, but you get the point. Luongo is a lifetime Canuck, and is one of the best goalies in the League. The Canucks have been a very busy team this week, acquiring two vets on t...
With training camp only a few days away and the Habs rookie camp already underway, there is no doubt that hockey is in the air....and I'm lovin' it! Given that the 2010 season is almost upon us, it got me thinking about the new-look Habs and what their chances of success are, this season. While I'm not brave enough to make a prediction, I think that I can say that I am c...
A few thoughts…
It was actually Brian Burke, the proverbial King of controversy, that said the sooner this Coyotes Bankruptcy saga is all squared away the better it will be for everybody. Burke hit the nail on the head. If this mess is not resolved within the next three weeks than it will drag out over the entire season and not only distract the Coyotes players from c...
Open training camp began on Sunday September 13th at 8:30AM, for the Calgary Flames, one day after completing their fitness testing. There has been a lot of buzz around camp this year for multiple reasons; first there are 57 players attending which is a huge group of players, second there are many new additions (many of whom have 1-way deals) who are fighting for the last ...
Kamal Panesar writes...
5 Keys to Habs' Season - Part 3 - Mike Cammalleri
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Greetings all! Hope eveyone is enjoying my take on what I believe the Habs will need in order for them to have a successful year. For part 3, in this series, I turn my attention to our shiny new sniper, Mike Cammalleri.
[b]Mike Cammalleri[/b]
For a few years in a row now, there has been talk of Gainey fishing for three players around the league; Vinny Lecavalier, Pat...
Kamal Panesar writes...
5 Keys to Habs' Season - Part 4 - Andrei Kostitsyn
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Back again, and in the home stretch with part 4 of 5, in this series.
Training camp is in full effect and the new look Habs hit the ice tonight against Florida, in Montreal. Gomez asks Lapierre if he thinks it will be a sold out tonight.
Hehe.....good one Scott. In a few short hours, you will experience, 1st hand, what it feels like to be a home boy in the larges...
The playoffs are in full swing and the Flames are rocking the Islanders after game one!! What's that? It's the pre-season? You would never know it if you were at the game last night, the crowd was on another level of excitement after hearing that Theo Fluery was playing in addition to J-Bo, Backlund, Jokinen, Dawes and several other players we want to see. The only let dow...
A few days ago, Kyle Okposo was the recipient of a devastating open ice hit in a pre-season game against the Calgary Flames, delivered by none other than Dion Phaneuf. Since then he has returned to New York for further testing for what has been diagnosed as a mild concussion. After watching the hit several times, I will state my opinion: it was clean. Perfectly clean. He n...
It appears as though certain players have been placed on waivers that we are hearing about and it's tough to see as it means some kids who had really good camps will not catch a break this year due to the one way contracts already doled out.
Jamie Lundmark, Colin Stuart and Jason Jaffray
Jaffray in particular I am sad to see go, as far as this pre-season I liked his ...
I will only make one “bold” prediction before the Flames open their season – they will lose their opening game Thursday night at home against the Canucks. Why? Simply because I can’t remember the last time the Flames won their opening game, and they have had a great deal of frustration the past few years with the Canucks, who have taken the mantle of true #1 rival ...
WarHero writes...
Game Day: Montreal - vs - Toronto - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Hockey is Back!! Get out your jersey, put that puppy on and let the battles begin!
My name is Anthony and I'm a Montreal Canadiens fan. As much as I can this year I am going to try live blogging the Habs games. I am quite new to blogging and will gladly accept any feedback. So here we go ...
TV Station: CBC Canada
The Leafs are being announced now, not much of of ...
It has been too long of a summer with too many questions thrown up.
Was trading Sbisa a huge mistake?
Can anyone make up for Knuble on the PP?
How much of the teams implosion was really the fault of the Goalies?
Will Pronger make all the difference?
I really don't expect any of these to be answered in the first game. Some may take a couple years to play out (Sbisa)...
It has been too long of a summer with too many questions thrown up.
Was trading Sbisa a huge mistake?
Can anyone make up for Knuble on the PP?
How much of the teams implosion was really the fault of the Goalies?
Will Pronger make all the difference?
I really don't expect any of these to be answered in the first game. Some may take a couple years to play out (Sbisa)...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Finally Win A Season Opener Thanks To Kipper
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Apologies for the late post…
The Flames won their first season opener in six seasons Thursday with a 5-3 win over the Canucks at home. After a sizzling start led to an early 3-0 lead, the Flames slowed down the next two periods, and eventually Miikka Kiprusoff had to bail out the team in the third period to preserve the win. Nevertheless, there were some good things t...
Just found this great site that list all the free agents for the summer of 2010 with top ten Rankings you should check it out.
Pretty cool site.
[url]http://www.nhlfreeagents.com[/url]
Saying that our fourth line was good for the first game was one thing. The second game, impressive. The third straight game in which the fourth line outperforms the other three is astounding and re-iterates the immense amount of depth on this Flames squad.
Let’s look at the stats for the first 3 games:
Sjostrom- 2 A, and a Plus 3
Nystrom- 2 G, 1A, a plus 5, and 1 f...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 07/10/09: Mtl - vs - Van - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well, I am back from my trip to Waterloo and ready to go folks! The sad thing about being in Waterloo is that I could not watch the Habs game last night due to RDS [b][u][i]NOT[/i][/u][/b] existing in Waterloo.
But I digress ...
This should be a great game tonight folks! I can sense it will be a battle of the goaltenders. Price finally gets the chance to start in hi...
Please read and post your thoughts and what you like/dislike or what you'd change.
Well, it's early... and it's very safe to say that Power Rankings at this point in time in the season don't mean very much. They're mostly a combination of last year's finish and this year's promise.
I like James Duthie's column on TSN.ca about Premature Evaluation, in reference to ju...
So…the Flames go in to Edmonton last Saturday and “steal” 2 points when Khabibulin flubs a clearing attempt and Moss pots the game winner. Fast forward 5 days later. Rene Bourque tips a Jay Bouwmeester point shot with less than 2 seconds left in regulation to send it to extra time, leading to a shootout win. Not to mention the Oilers get a man advantage in the OT an...
Pat Quinn was fined today for his comments after last night's Flames-Oilers game. Quinn called Jarome Iginla's trip on Sheldon Souray a "dirty play." Having watched the video on NHL.com and read the words myself, I can't say I blame the NHL for the decision to fine Quinn for his comments, but I also can't say that what Quinn said was wrong.
Players today are taking more...
A quick hit on this Sunday morning about the state of Calgary’s backup goalie situation. Curtis McElhinney might just not be good enough to play for the Flames. He has a whopping total of one win in the year and a half he has been with the team and constantly disappoints every time he gets between the pipes. He does not make the saves that Kipper does and unfortunately f...
Watching the Flames blow a lead like that should not be surprising for any true Flames fan. We watch year after year, game after game as the Flames jump out to early leads and either wind up blowing them, giving up last minute goals or barely hanging on. And there are some prime examples only six games into this very young season.
The opener against Vancouver where the...
Well, it happened. Why is it the Flames always find a way to do this? They came out like gangbusters and managed to lose the game, in what became the biggest comeback in league history. I'm not going to say I knew they'd blow the 5-0 lead, but one thought did cross my mind after the fifth goal - "Is five goals enough for the flames?" Just as I thought 3 goals wasn't enough...
While maybe not as dramatic as last night, this hockey game was basically the same story. Came out hard and physical and got the all to familiar lead in the first period, only to slowly back off and allow the Jackets back into the hockey game. Missed passes, giveaways, lazy defensive zone play, and penalties spelled the end. Kipper stood on his head again, but the guy need...
Well, a game removed from the biggest collapse in NHL history and the Flames should come out angry as all hell, right? Wrong
The Flames were out shot 33-23 and if it were not for Kiprusoff, this game would have been 6-1. Kipper made several tremendous saves to keep the Flames up 1-0, but finally succumbed to the pressure of a 5 on 3 powerplay and let in two goals in jus...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 15/10/09: Mtl - vs - Col - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
At last folks ... the home opener! How appropriate that we play Colorado with all the recent talk about reserrecting the Nordiques!! For the opening they had all the Habs say "Je Suis" followed by their name. Was nice to hear ... here we go!
1st Period:
20:00 - Start of Period
19:21 - Avs with a chance, Habs with some great defensive work
19:10 - Habs with a chance...
On tap tonight: The Vancouver Canucks.
The Flames have a lot to prove tonight. A big rivalry game should be all the fuel needed to re-stoke the fire under this hockey team, but with this group you just never know. Brent Sutter has been surprisingly calm and collected over the past week and is preaching patience with the new system. If this pace continues, however, you ...
5.25 MILLION
That should buy you a lot in the NHL, a top tier player, a player that is a huge threat and compliments your team. Jokinen is in a contract year, has never really proven himself to be a game breaker and has zero chemistry with Iginla. That doesn't mean that a huge number 1 center doesn't have trade value though, in fact Jokinen could garner a lot of intere...
Another win, and another siting of Jeckyl and Hyde. Giving up 2 late goals to make it close is not really my concern, I am sure the officials had bet the game over allowing 3 straight minors to the Flames. The concern is how come they let off the gas, this is a division rival and a team we fought to the last weekend for that title last season, step on the gas, choke the l...
Well, I believe Mr. Dion Phaneuf must have been reading this blog because he took my advice and gave his body up for the team to save a goal. Good for you “Neon Dion”, you did yourself proud! Not to mention a +2 on the night; a vast improvement from prior games for #3.
In other news the Flames managed to play their most complete game of the season last night, beati...
[img]http://www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Buffalo+Sabres+v+Philadelphia+Flyers+JuXj3BdrXvTm.jpg[/img]
[i][u]Question[/u][/i]: Should Ryan Miller have played for the Sabres last night in Atlanta?
That question is on everyone's mind after a 4-2 loss against the Thrashers Saturday night at the HSBC. While it's important for Miller to get his rest, and for backup goaltende...
The Flames came out firing (no pun intended) on the Blue Jackets tonight. A well rested team hungry to re pay Columbus for a loss one week ago, the Flames took control of the game from the drop of the puck. Except for getting into some penalty trouble at the beginning and end of the second stanza, the Flames controlled much of the 5 on 5 play and came out with a the win.
...
Iggy's Back...A solid effort by the Flames last night, and they were led by their Captain Jarome Iginla. After last game where Iginla played hard and had chances, you knew this was coming. Skating down the right wing and letting go an absolute bomb of a wrist shot top corner right off the bar. Vintage. Classic. Standard. Call it what you want, it was a beauty. Add that to ...
Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Off in the distance…something is eerily descending from the heavens…is that Falcon Heene? Oh no, never mind, it’s actually the sky falling.
Six games into the 2009-2010 Philadelphia Flyers season, doom and gloom has reared its ugly head again. Like the vexatious Republican uncle (every family has one), sentiments from outside the...
What else can you say about another win in the "Battle of Alberta", 3 games vs the Oilers in the first 10 games of the season and another victory. This time there will be no witty retorts from Oiler fans about, Khabibulin handling the puck, last second tying goal. No this time it was a great 60 minute effort by the Flames, who, except for giving up too many penalties and 2...
For the last couple years the Edmonton Oilers had their way physically with the Calgary Flames. Steve MacIntyre would run amok on the ice and bowl over anyone that stood in his way.
Enter Brian McGrattan. Cue one the best fights of the year and McGrattan landing some of biggest bombs you will ever see NOT drop a human being to his knees. A heavyweight tilt that lived u...
First off, another good win for the Habs tonight. Nice to see Hamrlik getting to goal on OT. He's been really stepping it up since Markov's injury.
I apologize for the lack of live game blogs lately and should be back for the next game against the Pens on Wednesday! Prediction: Price get the start.
So ... 11 games down and the Habs are 6-5-0 (12 pts) after winning 4 ...
I am guessing that when the season began not many expected the Colorado Avalanche to have only 1 regulation loss through 11 games and be leading the Western Conference. A team that was scheduled to be occupying the cellar of the west for most of the year has come out of the gate on fire due to some stellar goaltending from journeyman tender Craig Anderson. Toiling in the C...
Nidder14 writes...
Gameday: Northwest Division leaders, Colorado Avalanche
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well, after yet another long break, the Flames are finally back in action tonight against probably the biggest suprise team of the season to date. The Colorado Avalanch are in town, bringing with them a plethora of young talent and the hottest goalie in the league. With a 9-1-2 record the Avs sit atop the NW division, five points up on the Flames, however the Flames ha...
Just a few quick thoughts before I hit my pillow…
The Flames have no problem starting games anymore; it is simply playing the rest of the 60 minute game that they seem to have issues with. Leading 2-0 a minute into the game and the Flames stepped off the gas pedal and idled in neutral for most of the game. They were so close to running Anderson from the net, yet they ...
WarHero writes...
Game 11 - 30/10/09: Mtl - vs - Chi - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Welcome back folks! It's been awhile and I apologize for my absence.
Carey Price is starting for the first time in 5 games. He saw limited action in the 3rd period against Pittsburg and surrendered 2 goals (1 breakaway, 1 pp). This will be a very good test of Prices' mental game as the Hawks are an extremely talented, high scoring, explosive team.
I expect Neime to s...
Wow. What a game. The usual hype of a Saturday night tilt between the Habs and the Leafs played out, in all its spendor last night. While Montreal should probably have won this game in regulation, going to a shoot out made the end all that much more exciting for the 21,000+ fans in attendance - of which I was one!
A few things I noticed/enjoyed about the game:
1 - L...
Well the wigs have been put away, the pumpkin in ready to go to the landfill. Yes Halloween and October are over, the NHL season is 12 games old and the Flames are 7-4-1. I was optimistic that a 5-5-2 start would have been ok considering a new coach and a new system, the 4 regulation losses except for the Dallas game (5-2) were close games that the Flames deserved a bette...
The month of October played out like a typical Flames game. Out of the gate with a bang; 4 straight wins, 3 in the division, and a power play running just under a 50% clip. But, just like they did so many times this month, the Flames wandered off the winning path, and gave some points back to the field. Slowly becoming the team that gives up leads, the Flames gave up numer...
landsharkhockey writes...
Top 10 Unforgettable Playoff Moments of the Decade
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
As we continue with the decade in review, it's time to look back at most memorable moments from the Stanley Cup playoffs over the past 10 years. Here are the plays and incidents that will be remembered for years to come.
10. (2006) - In game 1 of the Cup finals between the Hurricanes and Oilers, the Canes overcame a 3 goal deficit to win the game. Towards the end of t...
Well maybe not the return, but possibly the “Coming out Party” of the Mac. Calgary’s back-up goaltender Curtis McElhinney started tonight’s game after Kiprusoff was sent back to the hotel with the evil flu bug. In a huge statement game for the Flames, after two disappointing home losses, the Flames squeaked out an overtime win over the Dallas Stars on the shoulders...
Two nights, two cities, two goaltenders, two overtime wins. For the second straight night the Flames managed to win an overtime game on the road, due in part to the goaltending they received on both occasions.
Miikka Kiprusoff, who had been battling the flu for the past while, came into the net tonight and shut the door on the St. Louis Blues. Stopping 30 of all 31 shot...
Well the injury bug has finally lost its patience with the Islanders and has decided to bite our d-core right in the ass once again. Islanders fans knew that it was inevitable that Martinek would go down with an injury at some point...unfortunately it will sideline him for the rest of the season.
Freddy Meyer, welcome back to the line-up. He never really deserved to si...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 07/11/09: Mtl - vs - Tbl - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Habs are fresh off their first road win since October 3rd, a shootout over the Boston Bruins, thanks to some brilliant goal tending from Carey Price while the Lighting are fresh off an overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators. Montreal has had trouble finding the net recently due to a sever lack of secondary scoring while Steven Stamkos just keeps filling it. Add in the re...
This is my submission into the Journalism Dream Contest for the Globe and Mail. Go Here and vote for me:
http://journalismdream.theglobeandmail.com/entry_article.asp?id=826
The number 12 jersey slung on over his shoulder pads, the captains "C" prominently displayed over his heart.
All that embodies leadership, courage and the eternal drive to win is present in everyt...
Martin Havlat- This guy is the crown jewel of the Wild offseason signings, meant to bring offense in as the team goes through a new mentality. He has been horrible with 7 points in 14 games, isn't he supposed to be a star?
Olli Jokinen- For a guy who is supposed to be a #1 center his 8 points in 15 games is extremely poor, what makes this more confusing is that it's a c...
With one of the greatest sets of players ever to enter the Hall of Fame last night, it seems like an appropriate time to look ahead at what is to come for the Hall. Recent retirees like Sakic, Sundin (and possibly Roenick) are pretty much a lock when their wait period ends, but what about current NHL players? Which players have already earned their spots and which ones a...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 10/11/09: Mtl - vs - Cgy - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Welcome back!
It' a beautiful Tuesday night here in Ottawa and the Habs are once on good ole' faithful RDS!
Their opponent tonight, the Calgary Flames, are currently riding a 3 game winning steak thanks to the improved play of their captian Jarome Iginla. Iginla has 5 points in the last 3, most of hose goals, and has also stepped up his defensive play.
The Habs l...
This was not a typical 1-0 win, it was exciting with end to end action, great goaltending, hard hits and great action all night long. This was not a Jacques Lemaire 1-0 Minnesota Wild game, even though the Habs retro sweater looked like a Wild sweater, this was a very entertaining game to watch.
Jerome Iginla scored yet another game winning goal, his 9th of the season. ...
Three Star Flames players authored very influential performances Tuesday night in the Bell Centre: Mikka Kiprusoff, Jarome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf.
For the fourth straight game the Flames received great, if not amazing, goaltending and subsequently extended their winning streak to four games. Kiprusoff was simply brilliant between the pipes on Tuesday night stopping ev...
Tonight's 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks is the Devil's sixth consecutive win, tying them for the division lead, while getting them one win shy of becoming .500 at home. The Devils have gone 12-2 since their worrisome 0-2 start, which I acknowledge my frequent bringing up of for good reason. Record aside, it looked as if the two winless games forecasted a long and misf...
Much has been made about Bob Gainey's changes this off-season. From optimistic to apocalyptic predictions about the team, it's all fairly inconsequential until game 82. But who are the Montreal Canadiens?
Currently holding an 8-10-0 record, having played as many or more games than any other team in the East we sit in a pretty dissapointing 11th place, and as much as I l...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 14/11/09: Mtl - vs - Nsh - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Welcome back everyone!! Another beautiful night here in Ottawa!
The Habs are coming off a big win over Phoenix on Thursday and will face the Preds who have been on the rise of late. This should prove to be a good game!
Game Notes:
Game Time: 8:00 (Est)
National TV: RDS (French)
Price will make the start for the Habs. Spacek will be a game time decision after s...
Miikka Kiprusoff, Miikka Kiprusoff, Miikka Kiprusoff, Miikka Kiprusoff, Miikka Kiprusoff. 5 times, because he has been that damn good.
The solitary reason the Flames snatched three of four points over the weekend. The only reason the Flames did not get beat by the 29th ranked Toronto Maple Flakes.
Kipper has been an impenetrable force over these first 18 games this ...
Well the 3 game road trip through eastern Canada (Sorry Buffalo, but alot of your fans live in Hamilton) and with a 2-0-1 record you would think things in Sutterville would be all rosy. BUT they aren't. The numbers in the 3 games look like this;
Montreal 1-0 win, pp 1-3, pk 3-3, Shots for 31 against 25
Buffalo 2-1 SO loss, pp 0-4, pk 3-4, Shots for 26 against 33
Toront...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 17/11/09: Mtl - vs - Car - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
It's 7:22 and my rabbits are going crazy with Hab fever! Welcome back everyone!
Tonight, the Habs will face off against a team who we can actually say is doing worse than the Habs. The Carolina Hurricanes have not been able to find the form that took them to the conference finals in last years playoffs. Couple that with an injury to starting goaltender Cam Ward and a fl...
A battle for first place in the Northwest division turned out to be a bit of a snoozer. Coming off a 3 game road trip in which they secured 5 of 6 possible points, the Flames came out looking tired. Getting beat to numerous pucks, the Flames could never find their groove in a loss to the Avalanche. For the second time this season on home ice, the Flames fell 3-2 to the Avs...
I know I know... one fight with the coach does not not a trade rumor justify. In case you weren't aware several media outlets have blogged (but not reported) on a shouting match Between Dion Phaneuf And Brent Sutter. Some blogs say it may or may not have been Sutter or may or may not have been Phanuef but with a -2 on the night and the shouting about being selfish apparent...
Well the Flames came out looking good against the Hawks tonight…no, let me start again. The Flames special teams were outstanding tonight…wait, lets try it one more time. The Flames stunk up the Saddledome in one of the most humiliating losses on home ice in recent memory. There, that sums it up better.
In a game that was reasonably close through half the game, tu...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Exposed At Home By Hawks; How To Turn It Around?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Any misconceptions “pundits” had about the Flames being a legitimate contender the last few weeks were proven to be so tonight. The bane of their existence, the Chicago Blackhawks, issued a beating that exposed every one of the Flames’ glaring weaknesses, swept under the rug by miracle wins the last few weeks. At a point in the season where the Flames have turned aro...
What the heck happened in Edmonton tonight?
Chicago Blackhawks put together another display of hockey as it was meant to be played. The Oilers put together another display of how not to play the game of hockey. Let's look at the two teams. Chicago, crisp clean short and fast passing, excellent transition game, lots of desire and willingness to go into the dirty areas to g...
On a Saturday afternoon in mid November, Jarome Iginla showed why he is considered one of the most dangerous players in the NHL. Netting his 9th career hat trick in the Flames 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, Iginla dominated from start to finish.
A mere 13 seconds into the contest, as Kings and Flames fans alike were still getting comfortable in their seats, Ig...
For the tenth straight time in the regular season the Flames failed to beat the Anaheim Ducks in the Honda Center. Not sure if it is the mystical aroma or the echo you get when you drop a pin in the stadium, but the Flames have constantly had trouble winning in Disneyland.
Tonight the Flames outplayed the Ducks in the 1st and 3rd periods outshooting them 33-13 during t...
The Flames needed a win at home, and they did exactly that; gaining a decisive 2-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes. Not the prettiest game in the world to watch but a win is a win anyway you slice it.
With two of the better goaltenders going head to head, one could have guessed that this would have been a low scoring affair. Let’s compare their stats after tonight�...
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelynaugh/3092328453/[/img]
Buffalo 4, Philadelphia 2
If these two teams were to meet in the playoffs, what a series that would be.
This was arguably the most entertaining game of the season for the Buffalo Sabres. Maybe that is exactly what they need to get back to winning ways.
After an 8-1-1 start, Buffalo has lost four in...
The Flames went into two arenas that have been quite unfriendly in the past and walked away with 4 points. First, the Flames shut out the two time defending Western Conference Champion Red Wings in Joe Louis Arena, which is no easy task. For the first time since 1977, the Red Wings were shutout twice in a row at home; the Flames being the back half of that equation. The fo...
November; a month that the Flames wished had more days in it. After a respectable opening month of October going 7-4-1, the Flames dominated the month of November going 10-2-2 asserting themselves as one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference. The Flames also hold the best road record in the league going 10-1-3 over 14 games away from the dome. With tonight’s 5-...
Tonight, the Habs took on the Toronto Maple Leafs in Montreal, to kick of the week of celebration in honour of 100 years of the Montreal Canadiens organization. Sadly, the currenty edition of the Habs laid a goose egg and looked like a tired, disorganized and overall bad team in the process. Hey, when the Leafs make your team look bad, you know things are bad.
From the...
This blog will basically break down a bunch of numbers associated with Shawn Horcoff since the lock-out, and look at comparable players/contracts.
[u][b]Horcoff since the lockout:[/b][/u]
09/10: 11P/23GP =0.48P/GP Playing injured, now w/o Hemsky
08/09: 53P/80GP =0.66P/GP Roughly 0.7
07/08: 50P/53GP =0.94P/GP Roughly 1
06/07: 51P/80GP =0.64P/GP Roughly 0.7
05/06: 73...
I'm sorry... I must have misheard. You must be mistaken. 4.3 million cap hit for Savard? The guy is capable of 90 points and he cost less against the cap than Horcoff?
I would like to take this opportunity to let all elite center men know that Calgary would like to sign you for the amazing high salary of 5 million a year. Hell... we'll give you 5.5 million, as long...
Looking at the recent extensions in Chicago, this this make the rumored deals involving Sopel of Sharp coming to the Leafs that much more possible? I wouldn't rule either out. Even though the Leafs are looking better as of late, a lot can still be done to make this team look a lot better, and Sharp is a great place to start. Question is who would the leafs need to give ...
Unfortunately, the amazing run away from home ice had to end sometime. With tonight’s 2-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes, the Flames failed to pick up a point on the road for the first time since October 13th, when they fell 2-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Another streak ended tonight as Miikka Kiprusoff allowed a goal for the first time in 159 minutes and 10 seconds aft...
It’s no news about the intentions general manager Lou Lamoriello had going into the 2009 summer for his New Jersey Devils. He believed it would be in the team’s best interest to part ways with the team’s unrestricted free agent class so certain rookies and young players in the organization to step in, while having the veterans on the team increase their roles. Lamori...
The Flames finished off their six game road trip with two stops in California. On Saturday night, they played a gritty game and came away with an impressive 2-1 victory over the league leading San Jose Sharks. The Flames played a tough road game and pounced on their opportunities, as was evident with Langkow’s game winning goal. Tonight, however, they were not as fortuna...
After the beautiful cenntenial ceremonies and great hockey game, on Friday, I wish I could tell you that tonight's game was one for the ages too. One of those historic, earth shatter games that everyone is talking about for years to come. Sadly, that was not the case. Well, that's not entirely true because this was a historic game in that the shot totals were 15-13 for Ph...
The Flames returned home, after their longest road trip of the season, to face the much improved Atlanta Thrashers on Wednesday night. The Flames did not disappoint their fans as they played a solid game and won 3-1 for their second consecutive win at home, after losing 4 of their previous 5 on home ice. The old cliché of ‘having their best players play like their best...
I am going to break from the usual analysis of games and try to have a good hockey conversation. I am going to ask a series of questions, all of them related to hockey. If any of you who read this can come up with a question that relates to this blog, ask it. What I would like to see is the hockey lore that we can come up with as a hockeybuzz fan base. Should be a lot...
So over the last couple days a rumor has broken out about the Flames, this in itself makes me question it because Sutter (Darryl) is a guy who does not react kindly to leaks, about Dion Phanuef.
The meat of the rumor is that Dion would go to the Islanders for something along the lines of Tavares or Okposo (who he almost killed in an open ice hit in pre-season) or a firs...
Backup goaltender Patrick Lalime was on top of his game as he led the Sabres to a 2-1 win over Brian "Soupy" Campbell and the Blackhawks
Buffalo (17-9-2) vs. Chicago (19-7-3)
Chicago enters the night 5-0-1 against Eastern Conference opponents this season. Friday marked only the second time in seven years the Blackhawks have visited Buffalo. It was also the first time...
The Flames lost to the Minnesota Wild Friday night by a score of 2-1. They lost in overtime. The Flames scored the first goal of the game. All this being said, the Flames were severely outplayed by Minnesota and were out shot 46-23. They failed to register a shot until the 14th minute of play and only mustered 3 shots on net in the first period; the Wild fired 19 Kiprusoff...
Today is the 15th of December and as we hit the official half-way point of the month we also hit the half-way mark of the Habs' 17 games in 28 nights. And how have our beloved Habs fared so far? Hmmmm, looks like a win one/lose one trend, much like the rest of the year has been for them. Sadly, this team could have a lot more points that it currently has (33 in 34 games) i...
In front of a packed house at the Scottrade Center on Brett Hull night, the Blues pulled out a rare home victory on a beautiful late goal by T.J. Oshie. It was a great play set up by the forecheck of David Backes, allowing Paul Kariya to take the puck and feed Oshie with a beautiful pass that Oshie roofed.
Another rarity, the Blues scored a power-play goal. That unit st...
BryanM writes...
More outdoor games and other ideas floating around the NHL
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Here are some ideas that are floating around the NHL right now, and my take on each of them:
[u][b]1.) Another outdoor game[/b][/u]
Gary Bettman spoke with the NHL's Board of Governors about the possibility of another outdoor game for next season. This isn't a new idea, more of a gauging of interest for the league. Over the summer the NHL worked on putting together a...
After three straight losses, the Flames came back and beat, what was statistically, the best team in the Western Conference. Coming off of a mini two game road trip where the Flames failed to earn a point, they were determined to gain some sort of momentum heading into an elongated amount of games on home ice. However, they did not manage to exactly blow the Los Angeles K...
In a rare afternoon affair at the Saddledome, the Flames failed to gain any momentum on their current home stand by falling to the Nashville Predators 5 to 3. Losers of 4 of their last 5, the Flames, seemingly, were still asleep for the first 15 minutes of this game. Looking sluggish and disjointed from the drop of the puck, save Rene Bourque, the Flames were in a hole dow...
Buffalo (21-10-2) vs. Pittsburgh (24-10-1)
Another big challenge for Buffalo arrived on Saturday night. Sidney Crosby and the Penguins were in town to try and defeat the Sabres. Pittsburgh had Friday night off, while the Sabres were busy beating Toronto. Thomas Vanek was unable to play due to an upper body injury. However, Patrick Kaleta was back in the lineup for the f...
Since the big team is not really giving us much to talk about lately I thought I'd check on the up and comers.
Quietly Mikael Backlund has risen to third in team scoring with the Heat with 8 goals and 8 assists after starting the season very slow. It is nice to see his balanced attack is starting to pay dividends, Backlund has a tremendous shot and great passing with v...
Twas the night before Christmas when all through the Dome,
Not a creature was stirring, not even Jarome.
The Jerseys were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Stanley soon would be there.
The Flames were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of hockey pucks danced in their heads.
And Sutter in his ‘kerchief, and King in his cap,
Had just sett...
Twas the night before Christmas when all through the Dome,
Not a creature was stirring, not even Jarome.
The Jerseys were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Stanley soon would be there.
The Flames were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of hockey pucks danced in their heads.
And Sutter in his ‘kerchief, and King in his cap,
Had just sett...
If Ilya doesn't sign in Atlanta and the Thrashers put him on the market there would be interest from a host of teams around the league. The "roomered" asking price (according to Ek) is "a pick, a player that can help Atlanta now, and a top, top NHL prospect".
Now if I'm Darryl, there are only a couple of pure prospects in the cupboard that I could even consider "top, to...
The Calgary Flames are officially in a slump. They are not playing desperate hockey and are not playing well. After a nice three day break where they could take some time to work out some of the kinks that have been bothering them over this stretch, it seemed as if this would be a perfect game to bounce back in. The Blues, after coming off of big wins in both Edmonton and ...
Fresh off a decisive 4-1 win over the slumping Edmonton Oilers to wrap up an 8 game home stand which saw them go 6-2, the Canucks are right back at it in a huge game tonight against the Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome. With a win, the Canucks can vault past the Flames into 2nd in the Northwest and 7th place in the Western Conference. It certainly isn't going to be an ea...
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.16fb2ef16d5f44d7af63e2ec402fdc41.sabres_blues_hockey_motg101.jpg[/img]
Sabres (22-11-4) at Blues (17-15-5)
Sunday marked the only meeting between these two teams. Buffalo edged out a 4-3 victory in their lone meeting last year. The Sabres are coming off of a overtime loss against Ottawa while the Blues beat Minnesota on Sat...
The Calgary Flames are moving in the wrong direction in the Western Conference standings. After tonight’s dreadful loss at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, the Flames now sit in 8th spot in the West, only 2 points up on Detroit. The Flames are falling faster than Tiger Woods bank balance. With only 1 win in the last 7 contests, the Flames continue to play horrifying a...
So finally the Flames get a win in what seems like an eternity and it comes against the Oilers. Getting a win against the Oilers is like getting three wins normally for us fans but even in winning the Flames looked really poor. The Oilers are a team, who like the Flames, have been struggeling lately and on paper the score should have been what it was. The only problem is t...
So the team has been named, the moment Canadians had been waiting for since the last Olympics ended in 2006. Now the debate can begin on who should be there and who shouldn’t be there, why this team will win, why this team won’t win, and all the other fun topics. As it concerns the Flames, the debate will be about whether or not Phaneuf, Bouwmeester or Regehr should ...
Going into tonight's game against the American's there were a few things that Canada HAD to do...
1) Effective PP
2) Little to no individual free wheeling plays
3) Solid goaltending
Let's recap shall we...
1) Canada was 1 for 3 tonight...which isn't really that bad..however against a team where special teams WILL make a difference, they needed. Of course the 1 p...
The schedule finally seems to be wearing on the flames. Last night they looked tired.
To be honest, I don't blame them. Back to back contests are physically draining, and the flames are in the middle of an 11 game stretch that only contains 1 game that is not part of a back to back situation (Jan 2, against the Leafs).
The game on Friday at home against Columbus is...
There is a country full of Canadian men who wish they had been good enough at hockey to have a shot at the NHL...even a shot. Most of us grunts would even say a life of riding buses in the AHL playing hockey and still making okay money would be something else, in fact my best hockey memory is a sweeping glove save I made on an ex-NHL player, a save that made me have dreams...
Buffalo (28-11-4) vs. Colorado (24-15-6)
The Sabres enter the night with a perfect 7-0 record against the Western Conference. Buffalo is looking to extend their current win streak of six games while Tim Connolly hopes to extend his eight game point streak.
Patrick Lalime starts between the pipes for Buffalo, allowing Ryan Miller to rest after making 48 saves last nig...
So Theo has come out and said that Conroy should be held accountable for not scoring in 37 games, and that the Flames should trade Regehr. His most outlandish statement was that "stupid people" run hockey and one could say that he meant the Sutters in Calgary. Personally I'm not offended by what he said, if Conroy was not such a likeable guy and someone you just want to ro...
The Calgary Flames lost tonight to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Stricken by a slew of bad penalties and untimely giveaways, the Flames could not handle the strength and of a better Penguins club. The Penguins are faster, bigger, stronger and compete harder in every battle, and it showed on the scoreboard. Despite being able to outshoot the Pengui...
predram writes...
Preds for real? Burrows thoughts and Flames/Pred preview
Posted Friday | Comments 0
At 28-16-3, the Nashville Predators have held in the playoff hunt much longer than a lot of analysts or "analysts" predicted at the start of the season. There were even some who predicted the Preds to finish as low as 14th in the Western Conference. I predicted the team to finish 10th. My reasoning was that other teams made additions and got better while the Preds sat back...
"Hot" goalies-Just so we are all clear, this is the N.H.L., all of the goalies are good...even the bad ones are really good. If you can't score it's not because you ran into a hot goalie it's because you have been figured out and have not adapted your play. After a few games it gets really hard to hear the Flames didn't score because Fleury was hot or because Ellis was hot...
The Flames lost again last night. The Flames have now lost 5 of their last 6 games. The Flames were shutout last night for the first time all season. They are averaging only 1.33 goals per game over this slide. Iginla is pointless in the last 6 games and a -3 over that span. All in all, there are very few positive things coming out of Flames land these days. About the only...
Embarrassing. Humiliating. Disgusting. Oilers-esque. just a few adjectives to describe what Flames fans are feeling today. Looking at the score you can't help but think of the fish slap dance from Monty Python, it is very fitting and if I was more computer savvy I would have inserted a picture to accompany this blog.
9-1 is a score the best team in the league should h...
Everybody raise your hand if you thought that the 7-1 beat down on November 19th against the Chicago Blackhawks would be low point in the season? I would venture to guess that most everyone’s hands would be in the air. Well, the Flames have shocked us once again with their ability to look like a minor affiliate. 9-1…was that a rouge we scored? Was that a football game?...
Just a quick note, I noticed Conroy is centering Iginla at practice again... are Langkow or Jokinen hurt?? That is embarrassing. Wish they would stop going back to this junk. Conroy is a third or fourth line guy now... that you drag off the bench to take a face off ...period. His first line days are long gone.
--------------------
RFA and UFA issues face the flames this ...
Well, despite a stronger effort the Flames lost for the 6th straight time and the 8th time in 9 outings. This was also the 3rd straight loss to the Blackhawks this season and 7th straight, not including the post season. That was the Flames 5th straight loss at home to boot; the last win coming on January 2nd against the Toronto Marlies. To think, this team should have come...
Conroy is back at centering Iginla again in practice. Hasn't worked in 9 games, might as well stick with it. Lundmark actually looked alright on that line, give the guy some time, Conroy is not an option anymore.
****
When Sutter says he doesn't see how the flames could get Kovulchuk is he kidding? Most armchair g.m.'s know that you have 5 mil off the books if you simp...
Flames have offered the Los Angeles Kings Olli Jokinen for a bag of pucks and their water boy, apparently the Kings are unwilling to make this deal as they think their bag of pucks will find the back of the net eventually more than Jokinen and the water boy at least shows up to work and doesn't have a gay biker handlebar mustache.
>>>>>
In other news the Flames have ...
Question: What is the difference between a falling tree and the Calgary Flames?
Answer: A tree never gets booed out of its own forest.
Lucky consecutive loss number 7 for the Flames tonight, as they were shut out for the 2nd time in 3 games on home ice. They have scored a staggering 2 goals in their last 4 games at the Saddledome. They must be reading the Tiger Woods...
Backlund is the right guy to call up IF:
A) He plays on the power play.
B) He plays on the top two lines.
This morning he practiced with Glencross and Nystrom, if they wanted an energy grinder they should have called up Jaffray.
>>>>>
Lots of comments on how barren the Flames system is and the blame lies with Daryl Sutter, allow me to play devils advocate... W...
Heartbroken. Disappointed. Frustrated.
All words that describe how the Flames must feel right now. The Flames lost their 8th consecutive game tonight despite holding a lead going into the final period. They fought hard in the 2nd, arguably their best period, but let one squeak by them with only 24 seconds left in the period to cut their lead in half. This event, one of...
I heard on the radio this morning Darren Dreger say that the Flames, "..just ran into a hot goalie.." last night in Dallas. Apparently he hasn't read the papers here, the Flames are MAKING goalies hot. Conklin, Auld...it doesn't matter, if you want their confidence up stick 'em in net against the Flames.
>>>>>
After the Burrows incident it becomes really easy to look a...
Slump Busters.....not quite. The big guns for Calgary: Phaneuf, Iginla and Jokinen all scored while others like Lundmark chipped in with a nice assist. It was not enough. Once again, some unlucky bounces did the Flames in. Not making excuses here at all, but when two unlucky goals go in after being up 3-1, for a fragile team like they are now, it's hard to recover. That do...
Outside the box:
Backlund on the top line from here on out, this is why they drafted him, let him do it, just with Jokinen on one wing and Iginla on the other.
Phanuef on the wing, if he wants to go mainly offensive maybe it's time to stop holding him back, a guy named Buyfuglien did this prior so it's not unprecedented. Giordano has proven he is not a fluke, this i...
Well if this is not the perfect time to face the lowly Oilers, I do not know what is. Coming off of 9, yes 9, consecutive losses, the Flames look to ‘bump the slump’ against the worst team in the NHL on Saturday night. The only solace Flames fans have these days is the fact that the Oilers have lost more in a row (12) and occupy the very bottom of the NHL standings (Ou...
Earlier this morning the Leafs made one heck of a move. One that could end up being looked at as an incredibly stupid one.
Brian Burke was able to take Dion Phaneuf away from the Calgary Flames, and move that I was excited about...until I saw what they traded. I was ok with giving up Mayers and Stajan, but Hagman and White are not sitting well with me.
Niklas Hagman ...
To Toronto:
Dion Phaneuf- 7mill
Fredrik Sjostrom- .750 Million
Keith Aulie- Prospect
Total $: 7.750 Million
To Calgary
Niklas Hagman- 3 Mill +2 yrs
Matt Stajan- 1.75 mill-UFA
Ian White-.950 mill-RFA
Jamal Mayers-1.4 mill-UFA
Total: $7.1 Million
When I first heard about the deal I went through a series of emotions from shock, to anger, to curiosity,...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
The Dion Dissertation: Darryl's Downfall? Or His Salvation?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
(I'd put Kotalik in the title but that would screw up my alliteration, plus I'm trying to pretend the trade hasn't happened until the trade call is actually made...)
For the past three weeks, I have been refreshing TSN constantly after every loss, waiting for Darryl Sutter to make a big trade. I felt it was inevitable, to the point where I’ve had a blog in the queue a...
"If Gretzky can be traded, anyone can be traded."- Dion Phaneuf ... Is it just me or did Dion just compare himself with the great one? Hey Dion, you have 10 goals, relax.
>>>>>
Does anyone else find it ironic that Souray got his hand broken fighting Iginla who he was trying to get back at for injuring him earlier?
>>>>>
By my count the Flames are carrying 15 for...
In evauluating the trades, any hockey pundit will tell you that you need to wait for an extended period of time down the road to see who 'wins' a trade.
I on the other hand see a way to evaluate this trade right now, I think there is a simple way to look at this from a Leafs fan perspective and be more than happy with it.
For starters, let me say that I think Phaneuf...
Last Night Daryl Sutter traded Ollie Jokinen and Brandon Prust for Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins, upsetting Flames fans because now we can't bug Olier fans about having a player names alice...er...ales.
>>>>>
The broad side of the barn is upset with Adam Pardy after missing the net last night on a short handed chance five feet in front of the netting claiming, "....
The Flames have officially pressed the panic button.
Losing 10 of your last 11 games is not fun and usually signals change on a professional sports team. To add into the fact that you play in a Canadian fish bowl where every move is over-scrutinized to the extreme, you cannot help but think that the Calgary Flames GM Darryl Sutter made a move that he did not necessaril...
Here we are with a just a few games left before the Olympic Break and the Islanders roster is in a spin-cycle. As of today, Marty Biron has been sent down to Bridgeport for a conditioning stint that will last out for the weekend, Brendan Witt may be close to a return, and Trevor Gillies previously passed through waivers and has returned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Halak shines in Canadiens 3-2 Win over Canucks
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well that was unexpected, don't you think?
The city of Montreal has been buzzing about the Canadiens, recently, and for all of the wrong reasons. While Mike Cammalleri's knee injury - he will not require surgery but will be out for six weeks - has been the talk of the town, it certainly hasn't been the only topic of discussion.
In addition to Cammalleri, the city ha...
As we approach the Olympic break, it's time to start making those last minute tweaks to your fantasy hockey roster to prepare for the playoffs. Often times, one of the toughest decisions facing a GM is letting go of a guy that was drafted high but having a subpar season. Sometimes we'll hang on to him simple because of his name and the foolish hope that surely he has to ...
In a game the Calgary Flames desperately needed to win, they actually came through and delivered beating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Curtis Glencross had a hat-trick and former Maple Flake Matt Stajan scored the other goal as the Flames dominated from start to finish despite loads of penalty trouble. Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff was again on top of his game, helping lead t...
Forget that Stajan got the game winning goal, forget that Mayers provided some spark and that Kotalik didn't fall on his face, forget that White didn't make any massive blunders or "dions" as they call them, forget that Higgins was solid and that Hagman looks dangerous... sorry I forgot where I was going with that.
>>>>>
Backlund is points magic, he doesn't even have...
The Sabres were hoping to snap a three game losing streak against Columbus. The last time these teams met was in 2008, when Columbus crushed Buffalo by a 6-1 score.
First place may be out of reach since Washington is on a 13 game winning streak, but the Sabres only trail the Devils by three points for 2nd place. Patrick Lalime is expected to get the start in net tonight...
The Flames fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime tonight by a score of 2-1. A hurtful reminder of the last time Calgary lost 2-1 in the St. Pete Times Forum. For those who do not know, it was game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, a loss that Flames fans will not soon forget.
Two goals by Ruslan Fedotenko was all the Lightning needed that night, as the Flames ran ...
The Flames ran into a very hot team and two very hot players tonight in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Jason Spezza and Brian Elliott led the way for the Sens who have now won 11 of their past 12 games.
Spezza, for his part, has 12 points in those last 12 games; 10 of them being goals. Brian Elliott, who has won 9 in a row himself before losing to the Leafs on Satu...
If you creep around Flames forums and sites as much as I do, it's not rocket science to notice the majority of Flames fans think there's another major trade coming from the the bizzare mind of Darryl Sutter; if not "major", then at least a few minor tweaks. Let's look at where the Flames are at right now, and where they need to be...
Right now, the Flames are sitting at...
I feel like I am in the F$%&ing twilight zone every time I watch this Flames team play hockey. Every game is the same, regardless of who the opponent is. Every goalie is a Vezina trophy winner and every defence is the second coming of the 1995 New Jersey Devils. This Flames team has such ineptitude to scoring goals; you have to wonder if they could find the net agains...
I don't like to look back and say, "what if" because it becomes a ridiculous exercise and as Jim Rome likes to say, "if if if...if my aunt had a package she's be my uncle...but she doesn't... so there's not point in going down that road."
Having said that, I have a few what if's...
What if Calgary beat Colorado six times instead of the other way around. What if Calg...
The Flames not only won, but they dominated for most of the game tonight beating the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Jarome Iginla led the way scoring back to back goals in the 2nd period; his 26th and 27th goals of the season. Iginla is now rolling with 5 points in his past 3 contests. He rose to the occasion the way a Captain should. He was skating hard, he was shooting the puck with...
Let's be real now...the way things have been going for these New Jersey Devils, the Olympic break couldn't have come any sooner. Since January, the Devils have gone 9-13, losing eleven of those thirteen in regulation, and were shut out four times. Over the course of these twenty-two games, the Devils have barely averaged over two goals a game and save a significantly tight...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Men's Olympic Hockey: Canada Exorcises Demons v. Swiss
Posted Friday | Comments 0
In defeating Team Switzerland 3-2 in a shootout, yesterday, Canada pulled one out of the fire.
While early on, the game looked like it was going to be a repeat of Team Canada's 8-0 thumping of Team Norway only two days earlier, things changed quickly for the hometown heroes.
Making the score 2-0 only 35 seconds into the second on goals by Heatley and Marleau the Can...
Drafting. A first line center. The power play. Scoring depth.
Too many things ail the current version of the Flames to make me really believe that they have a legitimate shot at anything this year. That includes making the playoffs.
If the drafting is atrocious, which it has been only producing grinders and fourth liners, then perhaps it's time to circumvent the conv...
Sutter came out and said he doesn't expect too much activity at the deadline from the Flames. This can also be translated as: Like I would tell you Mr. Journalist if we are going to be busy, i lie to the media about player movement on purpose because I don't give a flying crap about you.
Simply the Flames have too many forwards and logic dictates some have to go. In add...
Oilersfan27 writes...
Canadian womens celebration that brings controversy
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
First off i believe one hundred percent that those who were angered and offended by the beers, and the stogies are just upset they're great american team ran into a canadian squad destined for greatness. It seems like having lost the last three onlympics has soured the fans of the womens olympic squad. this is canada and here we celebrate wins, births, weddings, graduation...
"SILLY SEASON".
Transactions already made:
Thrashers Acquire Evgeny Artyukhin from Anaheim for Nathan Oystrick and a Conditional Draft Choice in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
Oilers have dealt Grebeshkov to Nashville for a second round pick.
Florida trades Jordan Leopold to Pittsburgh for a 2nd round pick in 2010
Matt Stajan has agreed to terms with Calgary Flame...
So if that wasn’t the most exciting, intense, stressful, awesome, amazing, breathtaking, edge of your seat hockey entertainment, I am not sure what is! This tournament provided some amazing hockey and one of the best finishes ever! You could not write a story better than that! Sidney Crosby scoring the overtime winning goal will go down with Paul Henderson’s goal in 7...
I originally planned to post a general post-gold-medal game, pre-deadline blog this afternoon. However, though I expected an epic game, I had no idea just how epic. I genuinely was not expecting Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla to give Canada a truly generational hockey moment.
The goal will be discussed for years; it instantly joined the pantheon of legendary moments i...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Destiny on Ice Fulfilled, as Team Canada Wins 3-2 over USA
Posted Monday | Comments 0
As I sit here sipping my third glass of wine and watching Sidney Crosby skate around the ice surface of GM Place waving an oversized Canadian flag from a pole, I am reminded of how proud I am to be Canadian.
The emotion that surrounded Canada's dramatic overtime win today was palpable over the course of the weekend.
Every person I talked to, every store I went into a...
I know this is a little late but after a game like the Canada-USA game, I had to compose myself before writing about it.
Going into the game one of biggest questions was "who can score first". Throughout the tournament leading up to the final game 26 or the 29 teams to score first won. In any hockey game the first goal is always important, but in this tournament it was ...
The Calgary Flames signed Matt Stajan and Rene Bourque to long contract extensions. In my opinion, both do not make a lot of sense.
As much as I like him as a player, Rene Bourque has been injury riddled since he started his NHL career. Only once has he played over 70 games in a season; his rookie campaign in Chicago when he played 77 games and recorded 34 points. The f...
I'll trade you...
Staios- 2.7. millioncap hit sloted as #6 d . 36 yearls old -22
Toskala- 4 Million cap hit, is 7 and 12, 30 years old -36% win rate
For
Boyd- 650 thousand cap hit, on pace for 10 goals and 14 assists, 23 years old +5
Johnson- 525 thousand cap hit #7 defensman, 26 years old and is even.
Mchelhinney- 500 thousand cap hit, is 3 and 4, 26 years...
The Flames couldn’t have been expected to make blockbusters necessarily, having already made the two biggest trades of the year a month earlier. However, it was fair to at least expect some additional tinkering by Darryl Sutter. He had a large surplus of forwards (albeit, mostly mediocre ones). The team itself was facing a very tight playoff race, with a sense of urgency...
I can see the line-up at the hospital for broken ankles is getting pretty long, as people have been jumping off of the bandwagon at a tremendous pace.
Fresh off one of the worst sets of trades I have ever witnessed, the Calgary Flames lay a massive egg on the ice tonight against the Minnesota Wild. Fortunately I did not have to bear witness to this game tonight so I re...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Montreal-San Jose: Price Shines in Habs 3-2 Loss to Sharks
Posted Friday | Comments 0
They say that a loss is a loss no matter how well a team play. On paper there is no question that last night's 3-2 loss to the Sharks hurt the Habs tremendously in the standings. That being said, there were no shortage of positive and encouraging signs for the Habs but unfortunately you don't get points for effort in the NHL.
Both teams had their chances in the first pe...
So now that the trade deadline is over and there's no more hope for getting any better, the focus now comes on making the playoffs. Most everyone who will read this will know how important making the playoffs is for the Flames, they lack draft picks in the upcoming draft and have essentially put their eggs into the basket of "win today".
Currently the Flames are 13 poin...
They have timing don't they? I write a blog that outlines how little the Flames have scored lately and they come and show me that they have four lines that can score in a 5-3 win over the Devils. I always hope they do well, I am a fan after all, and if I'm going to point out their shortcomings I guess it's fair to give them props for last night. They were physical, went to...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Montreal-Los Angeles: Habs Strong Play Delivers Win v. Kings
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Olympic break seems to have done a lot of good for the Montreal Canadiens.
Not only did they get their walking wounded back from injuries -- with the exception of Michael Cammalleri and Marc-Andre Bergeron -- but they seem invigorated for the stretch run.
Despite losing to the Sharks the other night the Habs played some great hockey against one of the league's po...
Maybe they were listening when everyone in the hockey world was laying into them for the horrible moves they made at the trade deadline and the atrocious game they followed with that night. The Calgary Flames (32-24-9) were a team that could not score. They have suddenly turned on the afterburners with ten goals in 2 games.
Leading the way is Jarome Iginla who recorded...
I haven't seen the Matt Cooke hit and I don't care to. This blog is not about whether or not it was a clean hit.
With that out of the way what I have seen is a lot of people commenting about how dirty the hit was. What I want to know is how many people would be saying that if Savard had stood back up and skated away. I bet most would ignore it. It's just a fact of our l...
8-5-3.
That is what it takes as of today for the Flames to make the playoffs as far as I can tell. I've stated that 94 points historically will get you in so in keeping with that the flames need 19 points however anything less than that could be disastrous. For instance a .500 record here on out would give them a straight 16 points and even though it's just a three poi...
The Calgary Flames won their 4th game in a row tonight for the first time since early January when they strung together 5 straight victories.
Mikka Kiprusoff blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0, for his 4th shutout of the season and his first since November 30th; when he shutout the Nashville Predators 5-0. Kiprusoff was sharp all night long as he blocked all 33 shots the ...
There was a point in the season when #57 would not be seen on the ice, but over a recent stretch that extends beyond the Olympic break, Blake Comeau has been finding a way to make each of his shifts count.
He currently has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points, a new career high in all three categories. Those may not be top-six forward numbers, but Comeau has emerged a...
One play can often be the turning point in a game, but rarely do you see one play possibly be the turning point in a season.
That might have been the case this evening.
Tonight, in front of a sold out crowd at the Pengrowth Saddledome, Curtis Glencross was awarded a penalty shot with 1:30 remaining in the 2nd period. He skated back towards Kiprusoff who was smiling...
Buffalo (36-21-10) at Atlanta (28-29-11)
The Sabres visited the Thrashers Tuesday night as the second game of a current five game road trip. Buffalo was coming off of back to back losses against Minnesota and Detroit.
Just 33 seconds into the game, Nik Antropov put Atlanta in the lead. The Sabres fell behind by a pair of goals in the two games prior to this one, and ...
I guess "frustrated" would be the best way to sum it up right now.
I'm frustrated because the hill to climb seems too steep to make the playoffs, and I'm frustrated because I know this version of the Flames will tease me right until the end of the season, winning a few where they can and getting close.
I'm frustrated because I know they will miss the playoffs by pro...
The score in tonight’s Avs-Flames game was 3-2 for 5th time this season.
It’s as if no other outcome is possible.
However, this time, the Calgary Flames finally beat the Colorado Avalanche on the back of a stand out performance by Miikka...err Vesa Toskala?
Is Calgary the place to go when you are Finnish, a goalie, and not performing how you should? Is Darry...
Under Achievers:
Daymond Langkow: 4.5 million cap hit- In the last 4 years Langkow has gotten 33, 30, 21 and now on pace for 15. At 4.5 million his "all around" game isn't worth it anymore. He's not Calgary's best face off center, he's not the best goal scorer or assist guy. He's not the best +/- center. What is he but expensive? If the trend continues he is going to co...
Continuing with my belief that the New York Rangers’ season is over, today I am going to look at a change the organization should make though most of us as fans don’t believe it will. Glen Sather has had nearly 10 years to set this team straight. He has failed for the most part. Sure, the Rangers are one of only two teams to qualify for the postseason every year since ...
There are 11 games left in the season. The Flames are playing one of the four opponents that they definitely should beat. Miikka Kiprusoff is the Flames MVP and starting goalie. Vesa Toskala, the Flames back-up, starts in between the pipes.
Can someone please explain this to me?
I don’t care about Brent Sutter’s hunches that Miikka can’t play the Wild and tha...
After suffering another consecutive loss and descending to the .500 mark in games played after the Olympic break, my frustrations and concerns have risen for this New Jersey Devils team. This is the second game in a row that the offense has failed to maintain any productive consistency or convert on the power play for the sixth consecutive game. I normally like to abide by...
The Flames did what they had to do tonight beating the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. In the process they once again pulled within two points of the Detroit Red Wings for 8th place in the West.
Driving the Flames to victory was Niklas Hagman who had his coming out party wearing the red, yellow and black. Calgary also had two point nights from Iginla and Bouwmeester for the Flames ...
Many fans will remember this game for a long time. This wasn’t just an ordinary game. The Sabres were in the mix of one of their best regular season performances of all time, a year in which they would win the Presidents Trophy.
The Senators and Sabres have always had a rivalry, but this game was nastier than usual. Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson, two Sabre killer...
Shhhh, don’t tell anyone in Rangers’ management about this. I happened across this top secret document on Craig’s List and traded my old Sega Genesis for it. I’ve done some research and I believe this is the only confirmed copy to escape the tight clutches of the personnel at 2 Pennsylvania Plaza.
For those of you that want to know the secret to Rangers’ legen...
“You're not, you're not good, Al. You stink.”
That was Ty Webb referring to Al Czervik’s golf game in Caddyshack.
He might as well have been referring to the 2009-10 version of the Calgary Flames as they all but sealed there playoff fate Thursday night on the Island with a 3-2 loss to the third worst team in the league.
With only eight games remaining and ...
Inhale...exhale...inhale... scream in frustration...inhale.
I'll be fair, I waited a long time to post this because I wanted to not write while still upset over the Islander loss. I wanted to step back and look at things logically, maybe speak to some people who have an outside point of view, surprisingly some Oiler fan friends of mine are being pretty classy about it a...
Even the most delusional of Flames fans have to have given up by now. Even if the Flames managed to win all six of their remaining games, which the Flames have given no reason to believe they would be able to, they would still only have a 70% chance of making the playoffs (unlike Eklund, I will cite SportsClubStats.com for these numbers). The only thing Flames fans can loo...
According to Sportsclubstats.com the Calgary Flames have a 4.7% chance of making the postseason. A slim, faint, flicker of hope, but hope nonetheless.
The schedule is not very easy but the Flames have no other options than to run the table for the rest of the season, and even then they need help to get into the tournament.
If they win all six remaining games then ...
Last night the Islanders faced off against the New York Rangers for the last time this season at Nassau Coliseum, losing 4-3 in regulation. After a strong start where the Islanders scored a power play goal early and then added to it with another tally before the end of the first twenty minutes, the Isles would come out flat in the second and fail to connect on a 5-on-3 opp...
The Flames won 2-1.
The Avs lost 5-2.
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance!”
With the events of tonight, the Flames now sit only two points behind Colorado with a colossal, gigantic, enormous match-up against those same Avs on Friday night in the Mile High City.
Miikka Kiprusoff single-handedly won yet another game for the Flames, who have leaned on...
saneopinion writes...
uh... Hawks kick the Flames out of the playoffs again.
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It wasn't lack of effort although the 2nd period kind of was a sleep walk. There were a ton of chances, the system provided a lot of opportunity for the Flames to manage some goals. The real issue here is lack of finish and lack of skill.
Mathematically the Flames can still make the playoffs and if you read my blog you'll know that I have stated the Flames will tickle ...
As an avid Flames fan I sit here and wonder why is it all the great and exciting teams today in the NHL have that "it" factor then it hits me no exciting european. (All do respect to Kotalik who really is not that good now that we have seen him play out west) For now we have to wait on Backlund and Hagman who do have upside there no Ovie and Geno or Datsyuk or I hate to sa...
According to Dictionary.com a ‘nemesis’ is defined as an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
Well, the Blackhawks are, by definition, the nemesis of the Calgary Flames.
A team they have not beaten, in the regular season, since the 2007-08 campaign. A team that ousted the Flames in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last year, and...
As a child, which was before YouTube , the NHL channel, and massive communication monoliths such as Comcast and Verizon were around, I used to scour NHL boxscores to see who fought in the previous night’s games.
I was always excited when a new name began appearing regularly in the box scores.
I was always curious to see whether the names of the pugilists read as toug...
After weeks of uncertainty the Calgary Flames are officially eliminated from Stanley Cup playoff contention. This ends days, weeks and months of faint hope and un-needed stress for most Flames fans who still wanted to believe this team was destined for the big dance.
It was the 3rd overall pick in the 2009 draft, Matt Duchene, who officially eliminated the Flames, when...
I have my scalpel, I'm ready to do the post mortem.
8:45 A.M April 7th
My first incision into this body that represents the Flames organization is where I would typically find something wrong, the brains. I'm seeing some slight decay where the contract negotiation cluster is and also some decay in the trade stem.
Conclusion:
Darryl Sutter's 2010 season will go ...
The days of the Penguins playing in the Igloo are numbered.
3 games for sure...1 in the regular season...beyond that, we won't know until we see what kind of playoff team we have this year.
Tonight IS the last regular season game in the "old barn".
Mellon Arena, formerly, the Civic Arena, has been around since 1961. In 1967 the Penguins started playing there, and ...
Here are my deals:
To Boston:
Iginla
Sarich ( Yes Boston has the space to take on this salary.)
3rd pick
To Calgary:
TOR 1st
Wheeler (RFA)
Colborne
Ryder
To STL:
Kiprusoff (they lose mason)
Langkow ( add on)
Irving
White
Moss
To CGY:
Pieterangelo
1st pick
Boyes ( add on)
Allen or Bishop
To COL, WSH or LA:
Regher
Dawes
3rd round pick
T...
Two years ago, in an otherwise completely meaningless Game 82, the playoff-bound Flames met the Canucks at GM Place. Since the Canucks had just been eliminated from playoff contention two nights before, the only thing on the line was Jarome Iginla finishing off his second career 50-goal campaign. The Flames eventually got the captain his 50th in what amounted to a pond hoc...
saneopinion writes...
Sutter's Statements in the Obvious are Frustrating.
Posted Monday | Comments 0
As a testament to how dumb we are Darryl Sutter has now told us, in all of his wisdom, why the Flames did not make the playoffs. Apparently, and unbeknownst to us, the Flames had a bad home record and the goal scorers did not score! In other Darryl news the name of the hockey team is the "Flames" and they play in Calgary. I don't have to be a G.M. to also tell you the powe...
Hey if you're in a pool please, for the love of god, do not talk to me about it unless we're in it together. Do not be fooled, no one wants to hear you talk about your pool, it ranks right behind hearing your warcraft dungeon raid stories and right before your high school football stories.
****
Playoff predictions are impossible and annoying. I heard this mornin...
Well, the season finally comes to an end and the Calgary Flames have missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003. What is wrong? What needs to be done? What has transpired that led to this? Well to diagnose the problem we must go back to the beginning.
The season opened in early October with a much hyped match-up between the Flames and their arch rival Vancouver ...
The media is sometimes a little laughable.
The Calgary Herald headline: "Willing To Waive" with a picture if Iginla
The Calgary Sun headline: "Iggy Believes!"...sound different?
I listen to the question, it was, (I'm paraphrasing here), "Iggy, there has been a lot of speculation regarding you being traded, can you give us your thoughts on that?"
He responded (...
There are some UFA's that are available this summer that would make a fan salivate at the thought of seeing their name on the back of your favorite jersey like the Kovulchucks of the world. Having said that I always like seeing who is RFA, even better yet who is RFA on a team that is cap tight?
The first thing you have to do is identify the cap tight teams for next year...
Is it just me or are there a lot of people in Calgary cheering for the Phoenix Coyotes?
Case in point, I was out on Friday night at a bar on 17th avenue grabbing a couple of beverages after the Hitmen game, while catching glimpses of the Yotes Wings game on the screen behind me. And to my amazement, and less than the time it took for me to order a beer an enormous cheer...
Quick, Rinne, Anderson, Boucher, Halak, Varlamov, Rask and Elliot.
Here is a list of Goalies that are not up for a Vezina yet have their teams in the playoffs, in some cases they even took their team there seemingly by themselves. When asked about trading Jarome Iginla most Flames fans like to think what would be brought back but don't actually want that trigger pulled...
With the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs entering its second leg tomorrow night, I thought it would be interesting to look at some former Calgary Flames that are thriving in this years big dance.
The obvious one, right off the bat, is Montreal forward Mike Cammalleri. He signed in Montreal for 5 years at $6 million per season, after leading the Flames in goals last season wi...
In a search for a number one center, the Calgary Flames might be staring the solution in the face everyday.
Backlund? No, maybe one day though.
Langkow? Too inconsistent and small.
Stajan...hahaha no.
How about Jarome Iginla? Instead of finding someone to play with the most prolific scorer on the team why not find a winger for him! Think it's crazy? Hear me out...
I took French in high school...but was never very good at speaking it and don't remember much of it (I know, some French Canadien is saying to himself "Stupid American!" ). But I do know what the popular culture translation of "Touché" is...
Sometimes, as the saying goes, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em...".
While not exactly what the Penguins did on Tuesday night ...
Coming off of the worst season of his career with the New York Islanders, Martin Biron will be looking for a new contract this Summer. General Manager Darcy Regier wouldn't comment on Biron, but said the Sabres will need a veteran goalie.
It couldn't be better timing. Patrick Lalime's two-year contract comes to an end this year, giving Buffalo a couple of options for a ...
So the Oilers want to go ahead and draft one of the OHL's best players?
Well in what appears to be a smart move, Darryl Sutter has signed Bryan Cameron of the Barrie Colts. Who's Bryan Cameron?
Bryan is a notable signing as he led the OHL in goals this year, not Seguin, not Hall but Cameron. 52 goals. Haven't heard of him? I'm not surprised, neither have I. The prob...
There is no doubt that we are looking at a serious turnover in the stars in the NHL. In the past several seasons, we have witnessed some of the all time greatest players ever to lace up the skates call it quits. Two of the last three years have featured incredible Hall of Fame induction classes welcomed in Toronto. The 2004 class was inducted in 07 with the likes of Ron...
I was going to call this blog..."Just Not As Good As Last Year" when describing what I thought of the Penguins after last night's 4-3 loss in Game 6 to the Canadiens.
But then I looked back over the first two rounds from last year again...and realized that sometimes our minds play tricks on us.
We remember watching the raising of the Cup in Detroit...and then we kind...
I try to justify the Dion Phanuef and Jokinen trades over and over again. I still think Dion was a fair trade, we gave them a player who has a ton of upside (debatable) and we took one of their best d-men and two of their best goal scorers in return. Jokinen returned a former 30 goal scorer and a player who had been maligned by his coach and needed a move.
Now I read th...
The wounds of suffering a third consecutive first round exit aren't as painful as they were a few weeks ago, but still persist. With the team's future, along with general manager Lou Lamoriello's intentions uncertain going into the off season, a lot of question marks surround this Devils team. Some fans still ask what went wrong and what has to be done to snap the Devils o...
I can't believe it, but I am actually...just a little...excited to watch the Flyers play tonight.
As a lifelong Pens fan, I have been down the "HATE THE FLYERS WITH A PASSION" road more than a few times. Especially in my younger years.
Of course, as we get older (and have finally won a series or two against the Flyers)...we supposedly get wiser...and I have learned t...
As I said in my earlier post...[b]FLYERS IN 7![/b]
What an unbelievable comeback. To go down 3-0 in the series, and THEN 3-0 in game 7 and to come back and win is just unreal.
For the Bruins, it is simply unacceptable. This collapse was truly the worst in the history of all of sports.
I don't want to hear the injuries excuse, because the Flyers played the entire s...
I have to wonder why the flames have not made an announcement regarding anything lately.
There is a public perception out there that the evaluation is not just about the on ice personal but also about the office guys, namely King and Sutter. One might take it that a signing of a junior player to a free agent contract is a move, and it is, but is it a significant one?
...
Let me Clarify this I will respond to slander against my Source but if you legit questions I will answer them to my best ability.
Last time I did one of these blogs, I really paid for it. It made me wish I had never done it. Like most of the world (if you have not heard it, where have you been living? Under a ant hill?) I have heard silly Iggy rumours which are pret...
What Kelly Kisio would bring to the Flames is a popular question right now.
The Calgary Hitmen are in the Memorial cup and over the past few years have been perennial contenders in the WHL and there is a very simple reason for that. Drafting and trading. The Globe and mail is reporting that Kisio has a job waiting for him after the Memorial Cup and to be honest I like i...
The truth of the matter is I know how frustrating it is sitting and waiting for the Flames to make some sort reaction to a bitter season, But what is it that we (Flames Fans) want to hear? Really?
Think about it!! Yes Sutter made a couple of knee-jerk deals, But If the Jokinen deal had worked out and say he had scored 40 goals and then they lost out in the playoffs, a...
The Windsor Spitfires won their second straight Memorial Cup on Sunday night beating the host Brandon Wheat Kings by a score of 9-1 in the final; a real barn burner of an affair.
The Wheat Kings qualified for the final by beating the WHL Champion Calgary Hitmen in an overtime thriller. The Wheat Kings qualified for the tournament by having the right address.
The lo...
Jarome Iginla will get 30 goals this year. You heard it here first, it is probably the safest prediction I have made to date considering he's always got 30 in recent memory. My other prediction is that Calgary will not have a number one center for him no matter what.
You may think this is another easy prediction considering the salary cap of the Flames and their inabili...
One consistent problem with the Flames over the course of the past couple seasons is their brutal power play.
What can be done to fix something so basic. In essence the first thing minor coaches will tell players is that there is an extra man out there, find him! The next thing they say is don't stand still because the opposing team will box out and use active sticks...
''What we want to do here is put an end to the death watch; to other people's speculation. We move forward.'' – Ken King, CEO and President of the Calgary Flames-
The ‘Death Watch’ he was referring to was that of Darryl Sutter’s relationship with the Calgary Flames organization and whether or not he would be the General Manager of the team for the upcoming 2010-...
The reflective introspective is done. After meditating in front of their version of Buddha, which is actually just a picture of Gary Bettman in a towel, the Flames have started addressing the shortcomings of their feeder system.
After signing Bryan Cameron, a junior scorer who could not comes to terms with L.A., the flames have now set about replacing Keith Aulie's hulk...
“Ken came out and said that, but it wasn’t important for me to have that publicly. It’s more important what happens internally.”
Darryl Sutter made these comments in response to Ken King coming out last week and publicly endorsing the Flames GM. We all are aware of Sutter’s dealings with the media and how he, how do I say this, would rather eat hot garbage tha...
The Calgary Flames have, for better or worse, decided to stay the ship. And staying the ship means keeping Daryl Sutter. They have decided that radical changes are not needed. In their infinite wisdom, they are not going to trade any of the top players or prospects to get a number one pick. Unless, of course, Mr. Sutter can hypnotize one of the general managers into tak...
Is it possible that the Semin deal involves Calgary and a 'star goaltender most think is untouchable'?
Think about it...
If we could get back Semin, a blue chipper and Varlamov, isn't Kipper and Sarich (or even Regehr) worth it?
There are a few UFA goalies that we could pick up as well...
Monday's can be painful aweful days, days where you look to the week ahead and groan. I just came off a long weekend where I went to Edmonton to watch my Fiancé graduate with her Bachelor of Science in nutrition and food sciences from the Uof A, aside from being super proud of her, it was a nice reprieve from the working stiff world I live in. Then this morning I get a bo...
There's a record in Calgary that has been skipping since Joe Nieuwendyk was traded to the Dallas Stars in 1995.
We need a number one center.....we need a number one center...we need a number one center. It's like the unofficial anthem of the Flames. If an anthem does ever get written it will be something like,"Star Spangled Center" or "O'centermen" or "God save our cent...
What are the chances Patty Kane took a cab home last night after landing in Chicago??? What?? I'm just saying...
Now that the Blackhawks have won the cup, congratulations Chicago fans, they can now look forward to clearing out salary. It's too bad they can't keep this team together but that gaff by Tallon when he didn't get the offers to his restricted free agents in ti...
Sometimes life hands you a perfect solution.
Ian White is really under rated and he knows it, he was 8th in goals by a defenseman last year and 29th in points by a defenseman, no one talks about it but that is really good. As his agent you would look at comparables right? Who also had 38 points and what do they get paid? I'll tell you.
Campbell- $7.1 Million
Kubina...
We all know about the bad press that constantly surrounded the Flames last season. I can understand it, with the Flames not making the playoffs. The last time the Flames did not make the playoffs was the 2003 season. I see two major issues that need to improve next season, one being the offense, and the other being too many defensive breakdowns in their own zone.
So ...
If the Flames had an info-mercial for the draft it would sound like this:
A guy with a "NHL GM" name tag picks up the phone and says, "Gee... I wish I could improve my team right away instead of drafting, I think we can win now but just are missing a few pieces..." sigh.
(appearing out of nowhere and obviously reading off queue cards) D.Sutter, "WELL... fear not my...
With the draft only days away now and July 1st fast approaching I thought it was an ideal time to take a closer look at the Flames overall situation when it pertains to the talent on the ice and what Darryl Sutter needs to do in order to assure that he keeps his job past April of 2011.
First off, Gary Bettman announced that the Salary Cap for the 2011-12 will increase ...
After dissecting the backend and goaltending situation of the Calgary Flames I thought I would conclude by taking a further look into the quagmire of grinders and checkers that are the Flames forwards.
Currently the Flames have 10 forwards signed at $28,954,166. The rundown of players looks like this:
Jarome Iginla –Age 31, $7,000,000
Daymond Langkow-Age 32, $4,5...
What does it mean when Sutter signs Breen and Cameron as UFA prospects? It means that they are his 1st and 2nd round picks in essence.
Cameron had more goals than any other CHL player, more than Hall, more than Seguin, more than Eberle, more than Beach even more than number 10 on the list, and Flames prospect, Ryan Howse.
Flames fans, Cameron IS our first round pick. H...
Somebody should be hired to be a translator for the Calgary Flames General Manager Daryl Sutter. Seriously, we should develop a new language called Suttereze. If we had a translator, then we could understand than what the Flames General Manager means. Daryl has been telling everyone that will listen that he is not trading any of his good players. Does he really mean i...
When talking about Scott Niedermayer, where does one begin. From being drafted 3rd overall, to his 4 Stanley Cups and 2 gold medals (the only player to win that many of each), to being the only player in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup, Gold Medal, World Cup, World Championship, World Junior Championship, and World Cup. He is a workhorse, constantly playing averaging ov...
What a letdown! I am not talking about the result of the finals. I go through this every summer. From October through early June we are conditioned to watch hockey. Almost a game every day and then once we are seriously hooked they start the playoffs and the games get better! Then we get to witness the ultimate an OT goal to win the Cup and the next day we must quit �...
doktordave writes...
Hockey's Shame: Pat Burns Snubbed! Paul Henderson still out
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The title says it all.
Decades of contributing to hockey. More than 500 wins. Many great teams.
A week of hockey that shook the hockey world and shaped an entire generation.
Not worthy of the Hall?
Both men in poor health these days.
Shameful. Clear house with the election committee - they don't know hockey, nor class.
doktordave writes...
Hockey's Shame: Pat Burns Snubbed! Paul Henderson still out
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The title says it all.
Decades of contributing to hockey. More than 500 wins. Many great teams.
A week of hockey that shook the hockey world and shaped an entire generation.
Not worthy of the Hall?
Both men in poor health these days.
Shameful. Clear house with the election committee - they don't know hockey, nor class.
The Penguins have no chance of making the playoffs this year. Next year is a longshot also. They have to much cash tied up to too few players. 3 centers and a Goalie at 22.4 million. Then Goligoski and Kunitz combined cap hit of 5.6 million which isnt bad, but both must produce more this upcoming season.
Not many people like to hear it or even...
Well that was Vanilla.
Calgary has made no significant moves at the draft as of yet after 5 rounds unless you count the acquisition of Henrik Karlsson from san jose, he a huge Swedish goalie, for a late round pick at this draft. He's 26 and you'd imagine he's the top spot for the #2 position in Calgary this year.
The biggest and most mind boggling blunder was when Ka...
With not a single pick in the top 60, expectations could not have been that high for the Flames at this year’s entry draft. The rumour mill buzzed with far-fetched rumours about players like Jordan Staal, Jason Spezza and even Ilya Kovalchuk that some desperate Flames fans (including myself) ate up. But all the Flames came away with after two days in Los Angeles was a po...
Kotalik on waivers, this is a move that says buy out. If my math is correct and it usually isn't:
6 Million x .66= $3,960.000 (2/3 of the contract)
2 years x 2=4 years to pay it out
$990,000.00 over 4 years towards the cap.
in my best comic book guy from the simpsons:
" Worst....trade...ever".
Jokinen would be exactly $0.00 against the cap this year if no...
The one forgotten aspect of Kotalik is that before he was traded to Calgary he had the Flames as one team he didn't want to go to, there was speculation that he would take the trade and go play in the KHL this year which would have been a much better trade for Calgary then. Having Higgins for a couple months is better than having Jokinen for a couple months. We'll see! It ...
I haven't shared my thoughts with the fine readers of Hockeybuzz for quite some time but I've recently been quite impressed with the amount of response given to the Flames bloggers and the great debates and speculation that has taken place.
Unfortunately, I feel that some of the Flames faithful have set the bar too high in their expectations of Sutter during this offsea...
saneopinion writes...
Waiver strategy for Sutter/Ken King let's us in.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
So Dawes, a winger who makes $850,000.00 a year will be bought out if he is not claimed by another team. His cap hit will be $141,667.00 if he is bought out, for two seasons.
This is odd because really he was producing for what his salary was, if not exceeding it.
Ales Kotalik will not be bought out, all signs point to Management saying in not so many words, "You c...
First, how come there's at least 5-6 guys on here that regularly blog for the Flames but the oiler fans are only passionate enough to comment on other people's blogs?? Just saying... I get that you guys got Hall and are making some good moves but one of you wrote on Vetter's blog about the cup... c'mon!!
****
Okay so everyone is all thinking Sutter is all going insa...
I woke up on Canada Day feeling like it was Christmas day as the NHL Free Agent Frenzy was upon us and all sorts of excitement was about to unfold. Some big moves right off the bat that saw Gonchar sign with the Sens. I saw that Vancouver had thrown a pile of money at Manny Malhotra. I had to look twice when I saw that New York gave Derek Boogaard $6.5 million over 4 years...
I don't know if anybody else heard it yesterday... a loud and resonant “WTF???"(Why the face?) emanating from the general Flames fan-wagon. I heard it echo from my living room moments after passing my lips also, but the more I think about it, the more I agree with the move. Sure, Olli Jokinen was overpaid and “underperformed” last year for the Flames, and I still w...
So if Kotalik can be "persuaded" to play in Russia and Langkow can be buried in the IR as to not count against the cap due to his broken vertebrae in his neck...and White re-signs then what does Sutter do with the space he has left? Still too many D!!! It's almost universal everyone wants Robyn "Rocket" Regehr gone now as well as Sarich for the most part. Staios can stay, ...
The Flames gave notice when they waived Kotalik that losing was no longer an option. But in a somewhat surprise move, they put Nigel Dawes on waivers. The Flames inform the media that his contract would be bought out if there was no claim. This move really confused me. Why waste someone with 14 goals? If he would have played full time, he would have scored 20 goals.
...
You are Flames Management, you are at the entry draft and looking for solid prospects to fill your cupboards and you don't have a first or second round pick but you do have a lot of later round picks. One school of thought says that you could draft guys that have shown promise in their first eligible year, like Max Reinhardt who had a terrific last half of the season. The ...
There is a legitimate numbers game going on with the current Flames lineup, no one thinks Sutter is done making some moves but it's hard to tell where he'd move from and what he'd want back. Aside from Cap restrictions the positions are all out of whack if you consider that players are most proficient when playing from their comfort position.
At Center:
Jokinen, Langko...
saneopinion writes...
Flames scouting director goes through the opinion translator
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
So today the Herald finally picked up that the Flames have let go their head of amateur scouting and two other scouts, well for regular readers of my blog you read it here July 2nd. I am not ashamed to tell you when I think I'm ahead of the curve because it only happens a few times a century!
In political, talk to the media type of talk Tod Button, head of scouting addr...
Hmmm... Jay Feaster is the new Flames assistant GM... or is that assistant TO the GM?
Could it be that after swapping out the amateur scouts they've now realized that Sutter is at the very least in need of some "assistance"? Perhaps his first order of business should be to show Darryl where the door is and pass on the old axiom about letting it hit him on the way out. ...
Given my relative age the guys I saw play over the years or read about that really showed me toughness were the following guys:
1. Wendel Clark - he could score lead and fight the best all around player.
2. Doug Gilmour- he would never back down never give up never allowed himself to be beat up.
3. Darryl Sittler- he could score fight and lead both by example and ...
Before reading on i would like to introduce the Calgary Flames Drinking Game, it's pretty simple, every time there is a Flames press conferance you do a shot when Sutter says, "To be honest". Prepare for a hangover my friends....
on to the blog...
I feel confused. At first I thought I have just lost some perception, sometimes it's hard to take a step back and see wha...
Recently Sutter came out and said that he was willing to go to 1 or 2 year contracts, this flies in the face of the Hossa like deals that are ranging 10,12 even 15 years in length. My question is why? If Sutter is only giving out one or two year contracts is that because ownership is only giving him that amount of time to turn this around? Most of Sutter's contracts have b...
When the Flames gave up three or more goals, they only won 10 of 37 games; proof that scoring goals was a serious issue for the team. However, despite the inability of the Calgary Flames to put pucks into the opposing net, rarely did they have too many issues with keeping the puck out of their own net. They ranked 5th in the league in ‘goals against per game’ with 2.48...
The winds of change have finally caught up with the NJ Devils and they have caught the mother of all storms. After years of watching a franchise buck the trend and be successful at playing their game and their system and not succumbing to the ways of the NHL. Captain Lou has finally lost his mind and took the plunge into the abyss and followed the great example of Charles...
In my best Bones McCoy voice: Damn it... I'm a blogger not a journalist!!
What does this mean? It means that A: journalists will not bear my foul stench or even acknowledge my existence and B: I am not even as accountable as them for vetting things. This is basically awesome.
I get to write about my favorite team and make up crazy trades ideas and get smacked down b...
While I hope Sutter does have something up his sleeve for all Flames fans to rejoice over, i really wouldn't mind going into next season with the current line-up. Each line has some size and speed, should be more responsible in their own end and has some scoring touch. I'm also another one who doesn't mind seeing Kotilik in a Flames jersey, when he got into that fight afte...
When D.Sutter came from San Jose he made a habit of trading for players he knew from that system, we all appreciate the Kirpusoff trade but the players that followed like Lynn Loyns, Bryan marchment, Mark Smith and Jeff Friesen indicate that Sutter like to trade or sign what is familiar to him. Darryl is not the first G.M. to trade for what he knows, but it does make us th...
As most of us know, the first 8 games last season played a large role in the eventual further dismantling of the roster by Brian Burke and the team missing the playoffs yet again. With that in mind I figured it would be fitting to take a glance at the first 8 this season, and throw out some predictions.
We'll start by reviewing last seasons first 8.
Game 1 vs Mtl. 4-...
We have heard a lot from our friends to the North about their development camp, how it got sold out because people wanted to see the likes of Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paarvi. You can't disagree the copper and blue have a fair amount of young talent coming up in their system but what about the Flames? It has been said the Flames cupboard is empty and that they ...
I'm ready for the punishment. I can take it. What I'm going to do here is maybe point out why Kotalik should be on the starting roster come October. I know the prevailing thoughts are that he's going to the KHL or maybe being demoted but I will play devil's advocate here and maybe shed some light on why he was traded for in the first place. To be clear I'm not a fan but so...
I have often asked myself, why cant a team ice 4 lines that can score? Well the obvious reason now would be 4 number 1 lines would be a crazy cap hit. The old school thought of 2 scoring lines 1 checking and 1 fighting/energy line scheme is gone (tell that to some gm's...sutter) so what can, or should teams be doing.
Look at what the blackhawks did this last season, no ...
It's interesting how we are judging the prospects after watching them only for an hour at day one in the camp. But as bloggers, that is what we do. I hesitate to judge the prospects too harshly as they go through the motions for the coaches. I sat there watching some of the players this afternoon, trying to figure out which ones to pick out for my blog. I cannot go throu...
This is less of a blog and more of an article on Nyren that I wrote for another website. Thought it had some local flavour and might give some more insight into another potential Flames propspect.
Calgary Hitmen defenceman Giffen Nyren does not belong to any National Hockey League team; not yet at least.
After being invited to the Minnesota Wild camp last summer, he...
Much has been made of Daryll Sutter's strange decision to bring Olli Jokinen back into the fold. Pundits and fans across the hockey world blasted the move, some speculating that he had gone crazy. Bringing back Jokinen may have its pitfalls, but it is not the worst move Sutter has ever made.
That distinction belongs to the decision to let Kristian Huselius walk in favou...
Hello Hockey Buzzers!
Being as as this is my first blog and all, i thought that i would write about something that i am infinitely familiar with: Sports disappointment. After another summer of (mostly) lackluster moves, the Sabres (and dont even mention the Bills) are seemingly not much better than they were last year. I suppose i should prefice this with the following
...
Notes from Day 2
Mikael Backlund
Backlund continues to be the best prospect on the team. He proved it again today. He was awesome today. His skating skills were particularly strong, he was smooth and fast. He has a great shot and terrific speed and vision.
John Negrin
Negrin continued to shine today. His skating skills are best by far among all the defenseman. ...
It's funny when you look at how a few decisions can have a massive butterfly affect on a team. Release a player here, trade a player there, draft this player instead of that player. When the dust settles, sometimes years from a certain move, you either win the Stanley Cup or you draft first.
There have been some major things the Flames organization has done that spring...
To make a long story short, for those who have not seen the summer blockbuster Inception (which I highly recommend you do), a totem is an object that separates reality from dream. The totem distinguishes reality from dream because it takes on different characteristics in a dream state. Therefore, if the owner of the totem knows their totem well enough, they should be able ...
When I saw that Ian White signed, the first thing I read after it was referring to what moves the Flames were going to make to allow this to happen. So to be clear, they don't need to make any. Simply demoting expensive players under the guise that they were outplayed in camp would suffice. In reality having two guys in your minors who are legitimate nhl'rs would be a huge...
It was a rough afternoon at the prospects camp this afternoon. Whether it was the ice or the players themselves, it was real chippy practice. The rookies were put through a light workout, as they were finished about a hour earlier today.
The defence were having some troubles controlling the puck in the offensive zone. But in the defensive zone, a couple of Defensemen...
Check out my post at The Checking Line regarding the New York Islanders most recent trade acquisition in James Wisniewski! Please register and leave comments! It's a great site with a new fan base that could use a few Isles fans that could share their thoughts with hockey fans around the globe!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/wizzing-isles...
In my previous posts I've indicated that I do not think much of a major shake up is going to happen prior to next season with the Flames, unless you call assigning veterans to the minor league a major a shake up. However having said that I'm a fan and like all fans I like to play the what if game with the rumors that are being circulated. The reason Hockeybuzz is fun to me...
New at The Checking Line, I analyze and rank the seasons of the Canadiens top six forwards, assigning each a letter grade and sharing my expectations for each for this upcoming season.
Where did each player land? How good were they? Read the blog to find out at the link below!
[url=http://thecheckingline.com/blog/george-prax/montreal-canadiens/off-season-analysis-t...
NHLNumbers writes...
Best Draft Years Between 1998 - Present (Anaheim to Detroit)
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
Total Games Played and Player Quality Considered - All results are open to debate
Anaheim Ducks 2003 Draft
Rd 1. Ryan Getzlaf
Rd 1. Corey Perry
Rd 6. Drew Miller
Rd 8. Shane O'Brian
Atlanta Thrashers 2000 Draft
Rd 1. Dany Heatley
Rd 6. Darcy Hordichuck
Boston Bruins 2006 Draft
Rd 1. Phil Kessel
Rd 2. Milan Lucic
Rd 3. Brad Marchand
Buffalo Sabres ...
[i]Marty: "Oh, this is heavy, Doc. I mean, it's like I was just here yesterday."
Doc: "You were here yesterday, Marty, you were."[/i]
Remember this? When Marty and the Doc were forced to go back to 1955 to steal back the ‘Grey’s Sports Almanac’ from young Biff so that he wouldn’t become rich and powerful and eventually kill Marty’s Dad George and marry Marty...
Okay first off, The NHL and the NHLPA both missed the PR boat by not getting the Kovalchuk thing done on TV. They could have has live streaming of who gets to be the arbitrator between Judge Joe Brown and Judge Judy, then they could have had a fan vote and a reality TV program. A show that follows Kovalchuk's wife on a shopping spree when the credit card gets declined, Kov...
The Flames and Roger’s Sportsnet just announced a deal on Tuesday that would see the cable outlet broadcast Flames games until the year 2020. They will broadcast at least 58 Flames games every year and be the clubs Official Television Broadcaster and digitial service provider. It was also announced that fans won’t have to “rely” on Flames Pay-per view for games no...
Craig Conroy signing is actually very interesting on so many levels. The cap level, the number of roster spots level, his performance level. Very interesting. What isn't interesting is that it's Craig Conroy, a 4th line center, it's the ramifications that we all enjoy. I haven't heard if this is two way or not which would be really interesting to know.
Cap Level: This s...
The Flames signed Craig Conroy to a two-way contract today. He will make the league minimum $500,000 if he plays in the NHL.
He is 38 years old and in the twilight of his career. He scored all of THREE goals last season in 63 appearances.
Now, I don’t mind that the Flames stay loyal to someone, but stay loyal to him by making him a coach or a consultant or somethi...
Recently, before the major earth shaking signing of a certain Craig Conroy distracted me, I was being called out a little for putting up the hockey news prediction of the Oilers finishing last. The Hockey News has in the past bashed Edmonton a little, they published a survey that said Edmonton and Buffalo were the two worst cities to play pro hockey in according to the Pla...
O...M...G.... will this off season ever end?. Can we please get a training camp up in here?? When is that prospect camp again? I'm jonesin' hard over here for some real hockey to talk about. Last night I found myself on you tube looking up our prospects and found some cool highlights:
For Backlund: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqGTuS2YjeA[/url]
For Erixon: [ur...
With the addition Wednesday of Michel Goulet as their Western Professional Scout, the Calgary Flames have slowly surrounded Darryl Sutter with some much needed help for the upcoming season.
Sutter has been on the hot seat with many fans, including myself, since the end of the season due to the Flames disappointing finish in last years regular season. With the addition o...
saneopinion writes...
Hockey watching tips dealing with your significant other
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I think it's kind of fun to be able to watch your farm team play a few games here and there for an average fan to really get an idea of what you have in the system. Since the Heat will be on TV a few times, against Toronto every time, we will be able to see what is cooking down there, if anything. If you are lucky you may even catch a Jim Playfair melt down! The problem wi...
This Summer, the National Hockey League has been looking at ways to improve the game. From moving the faceoff circles to eliminating shootouts, NHL officials have targeted a few ideas that could be beneficial to the entire league.
After the NHL lockout, the shootout came into effect and many fans were excited about it, as expected. The shootout was something rarely seen...
Hello Flames Fans, look at your number one center, It's Jokinen. Sadly it's not Savard, but if he recaptures his past form he could be almost as good. Look down, you stepped in something, that's gross. Back up, you're in Edmonton and now you know why there's something on your shoe. Look down, back up, where are you? You're in the Dome looking at Savard playing with Iginla ...
Mattbritton1976 writes...
Lay off the Hate towards The Flames. You don't know Jack
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It is not even what would qualify as the pre season , yet, Everyone from the casual blogger, to the Ultimate Fake who I will not even mention who has a 1 for 5 record in rumors, seem to love harping on the Flames for how things have gone post season.
I though am not among the haters. I love what the Flames have done in the post season.
1) The Phaneuf Trade. We got mo...
flamesfan!! writes...
What to expect from the flames next season? Part 2
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Many flames fans are already giving up on the season. Some are even hoping for the team to tank this season which would spell the demise of Darryl Sutter. Is this approach towards the 2010-11 season justified? Lets look at the various reasons as to why this season is considered to be over before opening night faceoff by the fans
Last I looked at the Ales Kotalik Trade
...
The Blogger vs. Mainstream Media debate continues and still there's no end in sight. Sometimes there's respect and sometimes there's not. Basically the main difference is one gets paid to do a job, one does it out of pure passion. The new debate circles around if bloggers should get media credentials and access to players etc after a game, for the N.H.L.'s position on it r...
WarHero writes...
Montreal Canadiens - Player Points Predictions - Centers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Here we are ... about 40 days away from the drop of the puck.
Is anyone as antsy as I am for the season to start?
It's not that I don't like summer, but watching baseball just doesn't do it for me. But at least there's some Canadian Football to tide me over. Speaking of which, Ottawa is supposed to get a team for next season. But I digress ...
Since the Habs ros...
saneopinion writes...
Kariya/Oilers Goalie Options/Flames who have low socks.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
There was a time around 95-2000 where Paul Kariya was a major pick in our pool, maybe a top 5 at one point. A high quality goal scorer, terrific speed, incredibly classy and now it appears his career might be over due to a head injury. I feel kind of sad about it, I felt the same way when Pat Lafontaine went down with head issues, just so much fun to watch but the eggshell...
Some teams have cap space right now and can make a trade. Having cap space doesn't mean a team will make a trade though. In fact the biggest indicator of a teams willingness to make a trade is expectations. There are few teams with that right combination of cap space and high expectations that have voids that need to be filled...possibly by Calgary who is definitely consid...
Did you ever wonder what it would be like if NHL players and personalities were cast in major movie roles? Well, I’m going to answer that question today by listing some of the greatest movie quotes of all-time and inserting which NHL personality would have been best-suited to be cast in that role, a few perhaps with some minor modifications. Sources say some famous quo...
Hey all, new here and just figuring out how all of this works. I have been reading for a long time, and just now decided to sign up. Avid Ducks, Flames, and somewhat Caps fan, so I will be randomly blogging on one of the three at any given time. Considering there is no Ducks blogger here, I figured I may as well fill the hole a bit. First blog to come eventually, ahaha.
...
Stanley Cup: NJD
Reason: All hinges on Brodeur, but with a more competent backup (The Moose), he will get more rest in the regular season and with the wicked supporting cast NJ has, I can definitely see them taking it all if Brodeur steps up his post-season play.
Presidents: Washington Capitals
Reason: Is a reason needed?
Maurice Richard: Alexander Ovechkin
Reason...
UPDATE: Click link at bottom for King's response to this blog!
It’s the start of September 2010. Summer is over; well, in Calgary, it never really began weather wise but that's neither here nor there.
For the Flames, it was time to give their “Hot House” members (people who are on the waiting list for Flames season tickets) an update on the team.
The Flame...
People who know me or read my blog, understand that I do not care much for Darryl Sutter and the way he has chosen to run this franchise.
Well, Sutter’s comments on Thursday at the Flames Charity Golf tournament struck a chord with me, as they tend to do.
Before I rant though, let’s start with a good quote from the farmer himself:
[i]"This is going to be th...
Darryl Sutter's Cookie-cutter Comments:
It's another year and already its become clear that Flames fans need to brace for more of the same from Darryl Sutter.
After having quite possibly one of the worst seasons a GM can possibly put together without actually [i]trying[/i] to screw up, Sutter is back with the same-old shenanigans.
Late last week an article in the ...
With the season just around the corner, I thought I would run down the roster on the Flames one player at a time and prognosticate, if I may, about what lies ahead for each individual player. I would like to start this 22 part series by looking at the one, the only, Jarome Iginla.
The Captain. The team’s life blood. The franchise.
These are some of the words used ...
It stings right? All that we hear about the Oilers and their youth and even sitting their best three prospects they trounce the Flames prospects.
Sitting Hall, Eberle, and Svensson was a chicken move for a few reasons. One, it's a no lose situation if the oil lose then hey... The big three weren't playing. If they win then it's extra gloat time. Secondly they were shelt...
Last year, the Calgary Flames traded for Jay Bouwmeester’s negotiating rights two days before the free agency period had opened and subsequently signed him to a 5-year deal with a cap hit of $6.68 million dollars per season.
Jay Bouwmeester WAS the biggest off-season acquisition of last summer. A big ticket, free-wheeling defenceman who could quarterback a power play...
#20- Chris Drury- He only played in Buffalo for three seasons,but he was a true captain on and off the ice. He scored that goal when it was needed most. His timely, clutch goals, are why he is on the ice in the last few minutes of a game.
The hit that he received against Ottawa a few years back is what
sparked the Sabres/Sens brawl
. His biggest goal in Buffal...
So I wrote an abbreviated blog from my i-phone, it's difficult to navigate the world of Hockeybuzz, spell correctly and get all of thoughts across so I wanted to elaborate on the last blog.
This is a tournament. You come to win.
I keep hearing, why would they play their best players against Calgary, what if they got injured? It's a legitimate question. I guess then ...
When talking about players who were drafted in the 7th Round of an NHL draft, not many players really stick out at you. Sure, there are the Henrik Zetterberg’s(7th Round in 1999) or Pavel Datsyuk’s(6th Round in 1998) of the world, but for the most part the best a late-rounder will be is a third line grinder or bottom tier defenceman.
Enter David Moss, drafted #220...
Before we get underway with all the prospect/training camp/ fitness stuff I wanted to reflect on the importance of perspective with regards to the game. The Bill Masterton Trophy gets overlooked a lot because it's not as sexy as the Hart trophy or the Conn Smyth. This trophy is "...awarded for dedication, sportsmanship, and perseverance." Now doesn't that sound like the ki...
[b]Primary Staff:[/b] Darryl Sutter (GM) Brent Sutter (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 40W 32L 10OTL 90PTS
[b]Place:[/b] 3rd Northwest, 10th West, 16th NHL
[b]Top Scorer:[/b] Jarome Iginla – 82GP 32G 37A 69P
[b]Captains[/b]: Jarome Iginla (C), Craig Conroy (A), Jay Bouwmeester (A)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES
OUT:[/b]
Chris Higgins (Signed with Florida)
Eric ...
Let’s do some role-play.
Robyn Regehr plays Maverick , Jordan Leopold is Goose, and Dion Phaneuf is the Iceman. Maverick and Goose were a great pair, as documented, but once Goose was blown up (traded) Maverick has never been able to find that perfect wingman.
“You can be my wingman anytime.” Iceman finally accepts Maverick, and vice-versa, at the end of Top ...
Raitis Ivanans and Tim Jackman.
When Sutter made these signings I couldn’t help but scratch my head.
Jackman is 6’4” and 210lbs.
Ivanans is 6’4” and 240-256 lbs, depending on which website you look at.
Jackman had 98 PIM, 4 goals, and 5 assists last year in 54 games, while Ivanans had 136 PIM, 0 goals, and 0 assists in 61 games last season.
Bot...
Make no mistake about it. Alex Tanguay at 1.7 million for 1 season is a solid signing, if not a bargain.
However, let's go back and look at the events that led up to the original trade for Tanguay, his tenure with the Flames and the eventual (or inevitable) falling out.
[b]2005 - 2006[/b]
My first season as a Calgary Flames season ticket holder. I was fortunate ...
"Split Squads" aside from being a really really great porn title it is also the reality for the Flames tonight. Every pre-season they play all of their top guys together, which is great, except they always lose against the opponent's prospect team. Vancouver is a team that I actually think has a great mix of veterans and good prospects, pretty solid defense and overall a g...
The young Leafs need a Killer of a coach not a lame duck. He blames his players but takes no responsibility and from any reporter that covers him he's a prick to boot.
Brought back from the depths of darkness, Alex Tanguay is back in a city he loves and playing with a player, Jarome Iginla, which he dearly missed.
Tanguay spent the last year wallowing away in Tampa Bay, getting ever so slowly pushed out of the team picture. By the time the season ended, it was clear that Tanguay did not want to be in Tampa, and Tampa did not want any ...
This is why you sign three number two centermen! In case two get injured you line up doesn't really change!! I am fearful of one thing though and that is Conroy on the top line, it happens every year and it hasn't worked in several so I'm hoping against hope that Conroy stays in the bottom six where he does his best work. With Stajan's Injury and Langkow dealing with a slo...
Answer: Trevor Kidd, Niklas Sunblad, Cory Stillman, Jesper Mattsson, Chris Dingman, Denis Gauthier, Derek Morris, Daniel Tkaczuk, Rico Fata, Oleg Saprykin, Brent Krahn, Chuck Kobasew, Eric Nystrom, Dion Phaneuf, Kris Chucko, Matt Pelech, Leland Irving, Mikael Backlund, Greg Nemisz, and Tim Erixon.
Question: Name the Calgary Flames first round picks for the last 20 year...
Coming over in “The Trade” from the Toronto in late January of last season, Niklas Hagman was considered to be the most highly skilled player that took the westbound trip to Calgary.
A six foot tall, quick, Finnish forward with loads of unused potential was bound to help the Calgary offence going forward.
The following 27 games didn’t exactly yield the projec...
We're well into training camp and I'm sure I can speak for all hockey fans when I say how excited I am that hockey's back. Although we're in the stages of exhibition hockey, consider it your fix to help ease the anxiety that comes with the anticipation of waiting for October's arrival. After a summer where the New Jersey Devils were among the more relevant teams in the hoc...
Hagman... injured? Apparently Hagman had the flu but came back and played one game in the pre-season, scored a goal and has promptly fallen off the map again. When Langkow hurts his neck we are told, "He hurt his neck". When Stajan Separates his shoulder we are told, "Separated shoulder, out indefinitely". Hagman get injured and we're told ... nothing? Maintenance. hmmm. T...
Just some quick thoughts on the Flames and some of the players.
As for the team itself I think they have to be happy with the result overall yesterday. Tampa Bay dressed a roster that will be close to what they open the regular season with, yet they were clearly outplayed by the Flames and their rookie-laden roster for most of the night. The power-play, although suc...
A back and forth battle ended with Toronto on top. Nikolai Kulemin’s 2nd goal of the night turned out to be the game winner as the Maple Leafs won 5-4.
Nathan Gerbe scored on a penalty shot in the third period, narrowing the deficit to one and allowing Buffalo over eight minutes to tie the game.
With the goaltender pulled, the Sabres weren’t able to draw even. Bu...
The goaltending position in Calgary has never been a worry for the past half decade, and considering Flames fans tend to worry about pretty much everything else, it’s nice to have one less thing. This season, Calgary looks to have its strongest tandem to date in between the pipes with Miikka Kiprusoff and newcomer Henrik Karlsson manning the 4X6.
Kipper for his part,...
Brodie and Pelech. Then there were two. The other obvious up and comer would have been Negrin but he's all heating it up in Abbotsford ( I hope that's their slogan, if it isn't you're welcome.). Brodie the Offensive D-man and Pelech the stalwart stay at home guy who no one likes to go near.
So who makes it? The power play last year sucked and having a guy on hand who c...
flamesfan!! writes...
What to expect from the flames next season? Part 3
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Many flames fans are already giving up on the season. Some are even hoping for the team to tank this season which would spell the demise of Darryl Sutter. Is this approach towards the 2010-11 season justified? Lets look at the various reasons as to why this season is considered to be over before opening night faceoff by the fans
Last I looked at the Ales Kotalik Trade a...
With the news that Olli Jokinen has suffered a minor injury in last night’s pre-season tilt with the Phoenix Coyotes, I thought it was time to look deeper into the man they call the Joker.
If you read my column, and I believe there is maybe one person out there who does (Hi Dad!), you know I have never, how can I best put it, enjoyed having Olli Jokinen troll the ice ...
mslepp writes...
Telling Night for Potential/Past Calgary Flames Backups
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
It was a successful night for the Calgary Flames last night, and has been a successful pre-season thus far.
I had hoped when going to the Tampa game on Saturday night (to check out my new, and slightly downgraded :( seats at the 'dome) that Henrik Karlsson would get the nod so I could see him live and get a good read on his game. But, I never got the chance... fortunat...
It has been a pretty good pre-season thus far. Unbeaten and seeing some surprising faces score is certainly encouraging but enthusiasm for the upcoming season can often put the blinders on reality. For instance it is nice to see Kotalik trying, I did say we should give him a chance a long time ago, however he will not out score Iginla in the regular season. In pre-season h...
“You may say that I’m a dreamer. But I’m not the only one.”- John Lennon
What if...
What if the Flames won the Stanley Cup this year?
What if the Flames don’t make the playoffs this year?
What if Darryl Sutter doesn’t make it through the season?
What if Iginla scores 50 again?
What if Olli scores 40?
What if Olli scores 10?
What if...
All Haters Beware...you will Discover and get used to the Taste of your own Feet. Want Ketchup or Barbecue Sauce with them? I am sure either will improve the bitter taste of De"Feat"
Flames proved in the PRe Season, with their 7-0-0 Record, capped off by a Shut out by Netminder Miikka Kiprusoff, That This Flames Team Can play to win, as a team, and can still win, in spi...
We got a pretty good feel for what the flames will look like come Thursday
Tanugay-Jokinin-Iggy
Hagman-Backlund-Bourque
Glencross-Mayer-for the moment Jackman
Ivanans-conroy-sutter
When was the last time Calgary actually had a legitimate looking to 6? Throw in a healthy Stajan and kotalik and its actually a pretty solid looking top 9. With a bottom 5 of Mayers,...
mslepp writes...
CalgaryFlames: Roster Battles & Subsequent Trade Speculation
Posted Monday | Comments 1
With the announcement of Cam Cunning and Matt Pelech on waivers for the Flames, we now get a real look at the players who have the final shot at making the team for the start of the regular season. Of course - this could all end up being thrown out depending on the injury status' of both Ales Kotalik and David Moss who were to be fixtures on the third line with Glencross....
Brendan Morrison. I sat in the dome in '04, Flames vs. Canucks in a pivotal game 6. If the Canucks won it was going back to Vancouver for game 7 and along with it the home crowd advantage Calgary enjoyed. They turned the beer off after the 2nd period so by the third overtime we are basically hung over. Our seats weren't directly behind Kipper but they were just off center ...
With the regular season on our doorstep my goal of profiling every single player on the Flames roster came up a little short. But with that being said I will run down, quickly, those players I missed and share my thoughts on the signing of Brendan Morrison.
The Rest of the Healthy Forward Core:
Bourque, Glencross, Conroy, and Meyer
Bourque is coming off a career...
The predictions I'm seeing for this year just don't make any sense to me, so I'm going to give this a shot on my own... We'll see how it shakes out at the end of the year.
1. Vancouver Canucks
It pains me to say this, but when I look at the rosters in the West, Vancouver just seems to be the strongest bottom to top this year. The weakness with this team is defense, b...
Will the Calgary Flames make the playoffs?
That seems to be the question I hear more than any other when I watch TSN, Sportsnet, TheScore, or drop in on conversations at the local watering hole.
So, will they?
Well it’s a little more complicated than that. It involves beating out seven other teams in a very, very competitive Western Conference.
I could go...
The season is upon us. In 12 hours time, the puck will be dropped to kick off the 2010-11 season for the flames.
This pre-season has been both a good and a bad one for the flames even though they end it with a perfect 7-0 record.
Positives
- TJ Brodie
He was considered to be one of the better defense prospects for the team, but was also considered to be a year or t...
Game 1 of the 2010-11 season! Game 1 of this season's "Battle of Alberta," it's about time! Hell yeah! Finally, we get to see how these kids are going to perform on the big stage.
I'm particularly interested in seeing how the Oiler coaching staff manages ice time between the top 3 lines that all have to potential to put up some decent numbers. I'm also interested in wa...
What a start to the 2010-11 National Hockey League season for the Calgary Flames.
They looked fast, they looked hungry, and their power play was really clicking. Oh, no wait, that was the Edmonton Oilers. Damn.
I don’t really know where to begin.
How do you describe such a pathetic effort? How do you wait five and a half months to redeem yourself for a disappo...
saneopinion writes...
It's my team pa...give me the gun, i'll put it down.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
That second period last night was awesome!! I don't recall a first or third though...
I have to say Jordan Eberle... my hat is off to you, crazy goal there and I thought the best player on the ice last time the Flames and Oilers met in pre-season.
What as Flames fans can we take from that game last night? I don't want to be just another guys who goes crazy after a ...
The Red Wings pulled another one out tonight, almost in spite of themselves. Taking three penalties late in the third period proved that the Wings have a decent penalty kill, but it's best not to try to give games away. Detroit's boys escaped with another two points against a Central Division rival that may prove critical down the stretch, but it wasn't pretty.
The Re...
It was a good news bad news type of week for the Calgary Flames.
Good news: They recorded their first win
Bad news: They recorded their first loss
Good: They scored a power play goal
Bad: The goal was scored into an empty net and was one of twelve chances in two games
Good: Calgary beat a very good team in the LA Kings
Bad: Calgary was clobbered by the O...
Heading into tonight’s game with the perennial bottom dwelling Florida Panthers, the Calgary Flames are faced with a few interesting decisions.
1. Which veteran defenceman will suit up in place of Adam Pardy: Sarich or Staios?
Well I have to believe Cory Sarich gets the nod here but I have been wrong before. I personally don’t like either option and would rather...
saneopinion writes...
The Jokinen around Sutter's neck/ Morrison vs. Backlund
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Stajan is back so Morrison has moved to the right wing, when Bourque, Moss or Kotalik come back we will find ourselves in an interesting dilemma. Do you keep Backlund or lose him to the minors when Morrison goes to third line center? For me Backlund is the star forward when it comes to turn overs, he's a little Datsyuk out there, it's amazing. Morrison has been given seco...
Toronto fans know this all to well as JF Jr. put them here until possibly this past season . He's not the only one to do this Sather in New york, Nashville (arguably due to Trotz getting the most out of his players), Florida, and Edmonton (all teams which have finished in the middle of the conference but not getting a top 5 pick, consistently.
Flames may enter purgator...
“SHUT UP! Enough already, Ballstein! Who cares about Derek Zoolander anyway? The man has only one look, for Christ's sake! Blue Steel? Ferrari? Le Tigra? They're the same face! Doesn't anybody notice this?” – Mugatu
This is how I feel.
The Calgary Flames are Derek Zoolander. Derek Zoolander is the Calgary Flames. Regardless of the grammatical nightmare that ...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line with a recap and thoughts on the Islanders OT loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins: http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-force-ot-cant-get-w
Register and leave comments in the comments section under the blog!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Like my Facebook p...
I think we've had a reasonable amount of games to discern a few things for ourselves about this Flames team and the individual players on it. After a hard fought win last night it was clear where the weak spots were and where the bright spots were. Rinklighter commented he was in the 300's on Vetter's blog and could see the face off domination. I could see a few things fro...
Kipper got his first shutout of the season as the flames blanked the preds 1-0. A really physical game that saw some big hits thrown by either sides.
The Positives
Kiprusoff
Kipper with an amazing effort blanked the preds with 34 saves on the night. Kipper has been playing tremendously and 5 games in, he seems to already be in midseason form.
Sarich
With a few...
"You don't have to worry about that. He's not going down there to get confidence. But he's an awesome kid. He's a farm kid, and you know clearly what direction he's going.”
-- Darryl Sutter’s comments regarding TJ Brodie and his demotion to the AHL.
The question I pose is this: What is it that makes farm kids such good hockey players? Are they seemingly toughe...
Luongo. There are guys in the NHL who play for the money and those that play to win. I have to wonder where Luongo falls with these guys. He was the captain of the team, that means he must have that drive right? Yet after signing a long term contract he had a noticeable slump in his play, I know Vancouver fans are going to jump on this but if you're happy with his performa...
Another flames win, another two goals for Bourque, another shutout for Kipper another point for Morrisson. The flames are shaking off their inability to score stigma by the buckets. Goals from three different lines and the Glencross line also had some tremendous opportunities.
The Good
Kipper
What a game by Kiprusoff. The guy seems to have x-ray vision in being abl...
Who the hell are these guys and what did they do with the Calgary Flames? You know who I’m talking about right? The team that finished 2nd last in goal scoring last season and was averaging less than two goals a game heading into Friday night -- yeah that would be them.
Well, something happened to change the tides and now the Flames are looking like world beaters ever...
"Whoa Whoa Whoa... Whoa....Whoa... This is not my batman mug."- Peter Griffin (family Guy) interrupting a conversation about something completely different.
I thought about that quote when I hear the conversations going on right now about the Flames. Everyone is talking about how great they are doing and how much they score... They did have a couple of good games on t...
I know, two blogs in one day is overkill but I can't help myself.
D. Sutter has been under heat for a while, this dates back to his Phaneuf trade and the Jokinen trade that brought Kotalik here. I'm not saying that they were great moves but in retrospect we're kind of eating our words aren't we?
On Phaneuf, and Leaf fans you can't reverse facts here. Since going to ...
In what was a pretty interesting game with huge leads and come backs, fights from guys who don't normally fight and teams trying to score on them selves one debatable point has been over looked. Taylor Hall was hip checked cleanly by Marc Giordano, this prompted Colin Fraser to speed over and take on Giordano. The thinking that Hall has to be protected and if you check him...
Well, at least the problem isn’t scoring goals anymore.
The Calgary Flames, after averaging less than two goals for their first half dozen games, have become an offensive powerhouse reminiscent of the 84’ Oilers – averaging nearly four and a half goals per game.
It’s simply ironic that once the Flames start scoring, the defence decides to take a break. They...
Last nights loss was about small things. How many times have you heard Don Cherry say, "Get your sticks outta the way there!!" when talking about defending shots? It's beaten into player from an early age, let the goalie see the shot and take the body. On the winning goal Ian White got burned AGAIN after tipping a pretty harmless shot. He stuck his stick out, the puck defl...
The obvious statement is that a 7-2 loss at home against the Capitals may have been the worst game of Hockey I have ever witnessed. The 2nd period will for sure hold a title of the worst period of all time, maybe of any club.
Getting past the obvious though there may be some things that are more disconcerting. After what has to be a low point in many of the Flames' car...
Every NHL season begins with uncertainty, but if you look at different teams in the league there are always opportunities for new players to emerge. This is particularly important to all fantasy hockey players[http://www.landsharkhockey.com/Home.aspx] and how they are able to ice the best line-up. This season began with New Jersey as a fantasy juggernaut, so far, not so mu...
“In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate.”
Is that Jarome Iginla? Well, it’s entirely possible.
A man who is both chastised for what he doesn’t do, but loved for what he does. It’s a fascinating situation to be in and now that November is upon us it is historically Jarome’s, and the ...
If one looks at the individual stats on the Calgary Flames for the past six NHL seasons ('03-'10), they will find that Jarome Iginla has been the team's uncontested scoring leader during each one. Only twice in those past six seasons has the #2 scorer tallied more than 66 points. Once, in the 06-07 campaign when Alex Tanguay had 81 (followed by Huselius and Langkow with ...
Lots of Iginla talk lately, not by anyone on hockey circles so much but from fans and the media. I think this is a good thing, to mentally prepare ourselves for an Iginla-less Flames team. Iginla has been this teams top scorer for so long it's hard to get used to the idea, how could we win without him right? Well 30 other teams do it every night, and a lot of clubs have wo...
There it is again. The Sabres had one of their betterperformances of the season, but in the end, it’s just another loss. Another one goal loss, too.
Buffalo fell to 0-6-1 at home this year, losing 3-2 to Montreal at HSBC Arena on Friday night. Mike Grier scored his first goal of the season and Jordan Leopold added his fourth. Buffalo had two separate one goal leads, b...
The Flames perennial leader in goals and points, Jarome Iginla is on pace for a measly 12 goals and 37 assists giving him a total of 49 points in the season. Is this just a lousy start for the notoriously slow starting Flames captain? Or is this something else?
It is widely believed that Iginla has had a history of starting slow and finally finding his groove in the mon...
Do you remember the scene from National Lampoon’s European Vacation when the Griswold’s enter a traffic circle and then gets stuck in it and goes around and around and around and around, unable to break through and drive in another direction?
Well, the Calgary Flames are the Griswold’s and are stuck in said traffic circle.
With every gut-wrenching 2-1 loss, wi...
Our poor Calgary Flames.
I'm now on the side that a rebuild in the very near future is inevitable. This year, or next, what's the difference? They aren't contenders. This is an aging team of mostly past-their-prime/underachieving/overpaid vets. I don't see it magically getting better. (But I'd love to be wrong).
I also no longer believe the mythical trade for a 1st l...
What do you think the hottest topic with the Calgary Flames is this season? Everywhere you go, if they are talking the Flames, they are talking Iginila. Whether they are talking what is wrong with Iggy, or about the rumours of Iggy being traded to LA or the Rangers, or saying that Iggy should turn over the torch. Then again, there is talk about how Iggy has always started ...
Newman is on hiatus for about a week, so I'll be trying to fill the daily negative, I mean reality-check based, Flames' blogs that he is so aptly known for.
Last night the Flames gave up the first goal of the game for the first time in as long as I can remember. Maybe we should get back into the Delorean and get it up to 88 mph ... nope, I'll just use the internet. It ...
It's funny when you look at perceived value versus reality. Right now, in reality, Iginla is a serviceable second line winger. His perceived value as a super star is the exact opposite. Iginla has a lot of qualities that make him hyper attractive for a lot of markets. He does still have an incredible shot and can change games when motivated, he can lead and is a huge marke...
Some observations I have seen lately:
As Kessel goes so do the Leafs, it is no coincidence that Kessel's pointless streak pretty much goes hand in hand with the Leaf's losing streak. I think Burke has actually made some good moves with Versteeg and Armstrong, at the very least the Leafs are respectable but that scoring punch is lacking still. Macarthur is a good player ...
44 minutes to puck drop.
The flames take on the desert dogs tonight in Phoenix. The desert dogs last season were the huge underdogs throughout and had a tremendous season crossing 50 win and 100 point plateau.
The coyotes, though, have had a rocky start to the season (much like the flames) and the last year's surprise factor has disappeared. They still have a solid goa...
saneopinion writes...
Silver linings for the Flames after loss to Phoenix
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
If you want to be despondent about last nights game I certainly understand. The negative story lines are more than the positive. Iginla a minus 4 and zero shots, the final score being flattering as the game was out of reach etc...
One thing we can take away is a new legit first line. I have been imploring everyone to shift their paradigm and start thinking that Iginla's...
Hockeycrazed writes...
Iginla is the key to restoreing the flickering flames
Posted Monday | Comments 1
I was going to right earlier today about the exact same crap as before, to old lots of talent even more NTC, at the end of the day the team lives and dies with iggy. I think it can be agreed that this group of players isn't the right group to get it done, and will be together for awhile thanks to the aforementioned NTC's.
I think its time to trade Iginla (gasp unthinka...
In the wake of a wave of unsubstantiated Jarome Iginla speculation, Darryl Sutter decided to distract Flames fans by making another trade to complain about. Ian White and his facial hair as well as Brett Sutter are gone, replaced by Anton Babchuk and Tom Kostopoulos. My immediate knee-jerk biased reaction: it looks to me like an about equal trade in value, but a trade that...
I’m baaaaaaaack!!!!
After spending a week talking about whether Man U could really win the premiership this year or whether the England victory over Australia will really shake the foundation of the rugby world, I am back in North America to talk about the sport we all know and love: ice hockey (or at least that’s what everyone kept calling it over in jolly old Engl...
It was not long ago when Daryl Sutter was regarded as The Saviour here in The Stampede City. It seems that we've all forgotten to thank the man for giving us a competitive hockey team for the last 8 years. We are such a passionate city when it comes to sports, but as soon as the cards fall, we start pointing fingers and demand heads to roll. Together as a city, as a com...
What if. It is a small phrase that usually pre-cursers everything I find annoying. What if Gelina's goal had counted in '04. What if Dion got traded for a 1st. What if they didn't trade a 1st for Jokinen...or trade to get him back again...or trade him for Kotalik. What if what if what if. As Jim Rome is fond of saying, " if...if my aunt had junk, she'd be uncle. But she do...
thought I would do a blog on some news I received. Last time I reported breaking news: well, let's not go there. Most of this news is not new, but it kind of adds to the drama. I have news on three teams: Calgary, Edmonton, and Tampa Bay.
Edmonton Oilers
I tweeted the info earlier. This much I know: the Oilers' names have been leaked in the NJ trade. Cogs, Penner, an...
From satisfaction to utter shock.
What just happened? Did that just happen? Did I just witness that?
Surely, some of the many responses from shocked Flames fans after they blew a late two goal lead in Detroit to lose 5-4 to the Red Wings.
But really, they didn’t do the things necessary to win the game. They took too many bad penalties (see Stajan tackling Filp...
The Calgary Flames lost 2-1 to the New York Rangers tonight.
The Flames had their chances to tie the game, but were stymied by the post, Martin Biron’s pads/glove, or a combination of both.
This is an all too familiar tale.
So what else can I say that hasn’t be said already. Nothing really, and so instead I will look at some individual efforts that have stu...
saneopinion writes...
Staal's Hit Deemed Clean/ Re-build All that Much Worse?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
Matt Stajan got creamed last night by Marc Staal and the hit has been reviewed and was legal. Given Staal's history and the circumstances of the hit I would have been surprised if he received more than a game anyway but with Colin Campbell you have to wonder if he thinks Stajan is "a little faker", guess so. The controversy behind the hit is that Stall doesn't appear to le...
There are 61 games left for the Flames this season. 75% of the season still remains.
A half full type person will tell you that the Flames are 3 games below .500 and because it is so early there is not a lot to be worried about. That may be true.
A half empty person will point out that to make the playoffs you would need a minimum 93 points typically. What that mean...
Today I am doing another part of the Flames Questions. Here are the answers from Brad Windsor, a very good blogger from Myhockeybuzz, who follows the Flames:
Which area do we fix first? You have 3 options
A. Coach - Do we need to send Coach Sutter on his way? Is the system the problem?
B. First Line Centre for Iggy - Do we need a Centre for Iggy? Would he succeed ...
The Flames beat the best the league had to offer, or at least the best in terms of points coming into today, downing the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout.
The win didn’t come without its share of controversy as the Flyers had an apparent winning goal disallowed in overtime due to Chris Pronger doing his best impersoation of Sean Avery. With the Flyers on a power...
Here are some numbers from the five game road-trip the Flames just came back from:
A record of 1-2-2.
Outscored 14-9.
Average of 2.8 goals against per game.
Average of 1.8 goals for per game.
Outshot 161-146.
1 for 15 on the PP or 6.67% completion, including going 0 for 12 in the final four games.
16 for 21 on the PK or 76.19% efficiency
1 -1...
With the win tonight the Flames finished the month of November with a 4-7-2 record – a far cry from last year’s 10-2-2 domination over the month of Moustaches.
For his part, Jarome Iginla continued his November tirade scoring eight goals and adding five assists in 13 games. Not only did he score more, but Iginla began asserting himself more in the play. He was the ...
I think the perfect storm for angry Flames fans is when the Oilers win and are two points back of catching the Flames (with a game in hand) and the Flames get blown out by the Vancouver Canucks on the same night. That is simply like pouring salt and lemon juice on our open heart surgery.
There are fans clamoring for heads to roll however which heads and in what order i...
Just a few things I wanted to touch upon following the Flames 3-2 shootout win over the Minnesota Wild.
Thing #1: Darryl Sutter and his claim that goals against are the Flames big problem
Yes, the Flames rank 24th in the league in goals against per game. But, if you dig a little deeper you will see that these numbers are quickly skewed due to a couple blow out games...
The leadership quality of Devil's captain Jamie Langenbrunner has been questioned since last year's mid-season slide, a trend that's worsened as it crossed into this year's campaign. At this point in the season, Langenbrunner's been as ineffective as most of the players on this team have been with only three goals and eleven points in eighteen games, going a minus ten. As ...
I can't help but see Darryl Sutter's face sloppily super-imposed on the body of Bill Murray as he turns over in his bed to slap his alarm clock at the beginning of another day in the film "Groundhog Day".
[IMG]http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w151/mslepp/darrylgroundhog-1.jpg[/IMG]
That's what it seems like in Calgary, year after year.
Yes - I used to be a stau...
On a day in which Sylvester Stallone got elected into the boxing hall of fame (huh?) and Graham James gets out on bail(you have to be kidding me right?), the Calgary Flames climbed out of last place – at least for the time being.
With the Oilers shootout loss, the Flames sit one point ahead of the junior high school misfits, but unfortunately the Flames have played o...
Oh my. Looks like another loss, which means a win tonight and the record will probably keep skipping. In the meantime everyone is calling for Sutter's head on a platter for putting together a loser team with one of the highest salaries.
Let's look at this calmly though. Sutter was made Executive Vice President this summer. Does that tell you that ownership wants him go...
California dreamin’ or California nightmare?
I’d say the latter was a more apt description of the result of the two game road trip. Two games, one point – simply put, it’s just not good enough.
Despite late charges in both games, the Flames fell short in each game – stretching it to the shootout in Anaheim while falling in regulation in LA.
They fall be...
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames will face off on Thursday night at the Dome.
You would think a game between the 22nd and 26th ranked team in the league wouldn’t exactly be a must see affair, but this upcoming tilt between two cellar dwellers has a little more oomph than your run of the mill basement clash.
Did I mention Dion Phaneuf will be making his ...
It's a date most Flames fans had circled the very day the NHL schedule was released.
My first thought back in July in regards to his return was that Calgary Flames fans will boo Dion mercifully.
When I thought about his return in September when my season tickets were delivered, I laughed again to myself, "oh man, are people gonna boo this guy."
But, today, when ...
In light of the Flames facing off against Toronto tonight, the team they partnered off with to make last year's blockbuster deal, I thought it would be interesting to look at some of the Flames options moving forward.
The Flames have issues. That’s clearly apparent. But fixing those issues -- therein lies the true work of art.
How do you get yourself out from under...
saneopinion writes...
Seven Levels of understanding my team are losers.
Posted Monday | Comments 5342
I wanted to sit down tonight and really try to discern why the Flames are a last place team because there is no way they should be. On paper this team is a good team. I don't want to hear about Kotalik and Jokinen etc. Those guys should get 20-30 goals even being defensively awful. Besides it's not as though shipping one of them would fix this team.
I have to admit I'm ...
“Do you struggle to save the puck? Are you having trouble stopping that little black piece of rubber from going in the net? Do you find yourself riding the pine more than you think you should? If so, we believe we have the answer for you. Come on over the Calgary where the Flames will show you what true hospitality is all about. Their under-achieving band of overpaid hoc...
Even with the loss for the Flames tonight again in Columbus there will be no coaching or general manager change. Sorry if you were expecting it. I have been the ownership is not happy either, but they trust the Sutters. They trust that the rebuild will done right. I know the fans do not like the idea of this team dropping out of the playoff race, but I think its time to re...
Rob McGowan writes...
The Kids Are Alright, Isles Youngsters Aren't The Problem
Posted Monday | Comments 6219
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line, taking a look at the current core of this team and how the 2011 year has been treating them statistically
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/kids-are-alright-isles-youngsters-arent-problem
Register and leave comments! Also be sure to check out Better With Popcorn (BWP) at betterwithpopcorn.com...
FLAMESTR writes...
One on One With Cam Tucker of the Abbotsford Times.
Posted Monday | Comments 6217
The Flames have been under the microscope with their farm system. There have been a lot of negative comments on the Flames' drafting. The Flames' draft history has been under a lot of scrutiny, and rightly so. I have heard over and over again that the only draft pick that has turned out has been Dion. I, for one, have really questioned the Flames' picks. They have always ...
The Flames are on a roll – sort of.
Winners of their last two games, and four of their last five under the Dome, the Flames climbed to within six points of 8th spot in the western conference. Let’s just ignore the fact that the Flames have played more games than pretty well everyone else in the conference save the Ducks.
Olli Jokinen has six goals in his last ni...
Goosebumps can be caused by many things. Being scared, excited, nervous, cold, anxious, etc.
So is it wrong that I had them running down my arms when I heard the news that Darryl Sutter was no longer the General Manager of the Calgary Flames today?
To say I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time would be an understatement. It all happened so fast. One minute...
Before you start making accusations: Yes, Chris Osgood is my avatar. Yes, I'm a Red Wings fan. Yes, that means I'm biased. But I am trying to be fair.
And I do believe that Chris Osgood deserves to be in the hall of fame. Was he ever the best in the world at his position? No, but he was close (much closer, I think, than most people will give him credit for), and his num...
Hello again, friends.
It has long been my contention that, while gimmicks such as the shootout or the "regulation tie/overtime loss point" may (depending on your point of view) make overtime more exciting, the old W-L-T format is the best and most fair way to rank teams during the regular season.
The NHL playoffs do not have shootouts, and you don't get half a win fo...
First and foremost, I wish everyone a happy 2011!
After ending the 2010 year with a modest 3-1 defeat over the Atlanta Thrashers, a year during which the Devils went 30-42-9, they stumbled hard into 2011, getting crushed by the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3. Going into tonight's game (1/4/2011) against the Minnesota Wild, there have been a number of intriguing events that tr...
LeightonH55 writes...
2011 World Junior Canada vs. Russia Gold Medal Game...
Posted Wednesday | Comments 7
This is my first blog here on HockeyBuzz and I was hoping it was going to be about the Canada winning the gold medal at the 2011 IIHF World Juniors in Buffalo, but in stand I'm going to write about how they lost the gold medal.
First - Now I loved the play of Brayden Schenn and Ryan Ellis, but they have so many talented players on that team, like Sean Couturier, Brett Con...
41 games down, 41 games to go – and they are going to be long 41 games at that.
Sitting 14th in the Western Conference, six points back of 8th place, hopes for a miracle run are fading in a hurry. It doesn’t help the situation when a majority of teams ahead of the Flames have played fewer games than them, making it doubly hard to gain any sort of ground.
Did I...
Being an Oilers' Fan for all of my life I must admit that seeing the Flames woes has given me a little bit of satisfaction. I think this is mainly because of the fact that I live in Calgary now and this is the first year since I have moved here that I haven't had to put up with listening to cocky Flames fans going on about how their perennial mediocre team was so great an...
Sabres Hockey Central now features text alerts to keep fans updated on the Sabres action. They are free of charge and can be customized to your liking. You can even be notified when there is a new post on the site.
Click below for more information
[url]http://sabreshockeycentral.com/2011/01/07/text-alerts/[/url]
After an off-season that included two signifigant trades, the 2011-12 Calgary Flames take to the ice in a season full of optimism. Head over to The Sports Roundup to get a glimpse into the future!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/calgary-flames-october-two-thousand-and.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
A very small percentage of making the playoffs, yet the team must still charge forward. Head on over to the Sports Roundup for the latest musings as the Flames look forward to playing the Sens and the Leafs this weekend.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/dwindling-playoff-hopes-for-flames.html
Also check out why a certain blogger at TSR dislikes the Toronto Ma...
Personally, I think the All-Star game should stay for many reasons and here is why. As a die hard hockey fan it is always fun to watch the best of the best from each conference go head-to-head and showcase there talents. It is a fun filled weekend for everybody and it allows the players to let loose for a few days and have fun. I am really excited for the new changes they ...
With the Avalanche sitting in 8th Place, in a tight Western Conference. Meaning, on any given night you could be in 4th place or within a few loses and beeing out of the Playoff Picture and as low as 11th Place.
So, with that said. With the Trading Deadline Fast Approching. The Avalanche havent had any consistent Goaltending all year and the Defense not there on some n...
Feel free to refer ESPN's, TSN's, and CBS's Power Rankings for Week 16, as linked below. If you'd like a much less subjective ranking, however, please continue reading...
[url]http://espn.go.com/nhl/powerrankings[/url]
[url]http://www.tsn.ca/fantasy_news/rankings/nhl/[/url]
[url]http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/powerrankings[/url]
So, last week (Week 15), I took a ...
Despite being down four goals in the middle of the second period the Flames clawed back to gain a very valuable point. Head on over to The Sports Roundup to find out what this means for the surging Flames!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/flames-show-resiliency-in-comeback.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
The Flames got smoked 6-0 by the Minnesota Wild? Are you joking me? Lot of broken ankles this morning jumping off the Flames resurgence bandwagon. Come on over to The Sports Roundup to get a quick look at the what the Flames are facing now. Plus the Flames could have had Fleischmann for Regehr, would you have done it? Post your comments here:
http://www.thesportsround...
Nothing has ever come easy to Jonas Gustavsson in his hockey career. He has had to work for everything that he has achieved and has strived to prove naysayers that he is capable of being a starting goaltender in the NHL.
After displaying a dominant performance in his final season with Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League, which included a 1.96 goals against average, 0....
So because Sutter was so hated we could not wait to have him gone. It was obvious that a whole serious of wrong turns accumulated in his firing. The Jokinen trade for Kotalik, the Stajan deal etc. We all know where he went wrong and we assume that Feaster can see the issues and correct them.
It's being made clear to fans that Feaster is actually of Sutter's mindset.
...
I can't seem to vent enough about this and this isn't as a Red Wings fan. I think they'll be fine either way, and I'd be just as pissed as if this were the Caps, Avs or Tampa signing him only to lose to the Islanders.
The Islanders claiming Nabokov off waivers was flat-out disrespectful to the guy. Say what you want about his stats in the playoffs, but he put in 9 yea...
Name: Carl Dunlop
Born: Calgary Alberta
Thats all you need to know…….
I`ve wanted to do this for some time. Letting my thought be known about what I know best. Two words…….Calgary Flames. Im not saying that everything I say about the Calgary flames is right, but it basically is. Im not going to lie, I love this team. I love sports, its what I know bes...
Here are my NHL Power Rankings for Week 17... Please refer back to my last post for Week 16, and a description of the fields...
[img]http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j354/meckelangelo/Week17.png[/img]
Again, let me know if you have any questions.
As President Obama was finishing up adressing the nation, the Buffalo Sabres were putting the finishing touches on the Ottawa Senators. the 3-2 win in Kanata Tuesday night put the Sabres at 51 points, 4 behind eighth place Atlanta. We have reached the All-Star break, which marks the half way point of the season for most of us. Buffalo can easily catch Atlanta, who has p...
The Flames are rolling into the All Star break with four straight wins and now sit only two points out of a playoff spot. Head on over to the Sports Roundup to read more about the Flames impressive string of play.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/flames-roll-into-break.html
Newman
@TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
HunterRules writes...
NHL Guardian Project.. aka The Guardians of CORRUPTION
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Islander has been put up for vote numbers of times, only to lose out by slim margins, but was the vote actually legit? It Appears the Answer was NO.
The Guardian Website suffered a slipup today and some Islander fans caught their Reveal today of the Islander Guardian, but that is where this story turns to Corruption:
[img]http://i54.tinypic.com/2he991w.jpg[/img]
...
If you haven't gotten the drill by now, here's some information... I'm doing Power Rankings. However, unlike most websites, I don't pull names out of a hat, or collect votes among "experts". I actually use a system. Mathematics. I'm aware that the hockey analysts of the world love numbers, but seem to hate math. Well... Nonetheless, here are the Week 18 Power Rankings.
...
The Flames finally won a game in Atlanta. First time EVER. They keep pace in the playoff chase. Come on over to TSR and read up on the latest from your home town heroes.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/02/calgary-flames-finally-win-in-atl.html
Newman
www.thecheckingline.com
www.thesportsroundup.com
twitter.com/TSRNewman
first of all I have The Hockey news to thank for the idea of a third team but the rest is all my own thoughts.
For the First All Star Team you get ten sports writers to pick their top 21 top players and these are your "First All Stars". I don't mean just anyone either, people like Bob Mckenzie and Mike Milbury will pick this team. So this would be the team to b...
The Flames can't be stopped. They roll past the Sens 5-2 to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race. Come over to the Sports Roundup to read the latest on the home town heroes.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/02/different-strokes-flames-and-sens.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
I am not a fan of brawls. Never have been. They are the ultimate way for a lesser team to equalize themselves with a better team.
But why all the blame on the Islanders? Are they not just another team that has had to compete in a league that is so uncoodinated with discipline and suspensions that it encourages teams to handle things themselves?
After all, the...
Hey, I'm just another armchair GM and fan, but if I'm Calgary's Jay Feaster, I'm really looking to bulk up for a serious playoff push. With the way Calgary have turned their season around since the departure of Darryl Sutter, I suspect Calgary will squeak into the playoffs.
And, I’d hate to be the guy to say “anything can happen in the playoffs”, but… ANYTHING C...
To eliminate myself from any bias, allow me start off by saying I was born and raised a Toronto Maple Leafs fan idolizing Mats Sundin. Based on his contributions to my favourite team, he's my favourite player of all time.
Having said that, the greatest Swede ever is retiring today. Something I calculated on my own time that I think a lot of people overlook is that only ...
I find it quite interesting the resurgence in New Jersey and Calgary.
On one hand, a coaching change. On the other, a GM change. No major personnel changes. Same result. Two of the hottest teams in the league. In New Jersey, the importance of the "right" coach is stressed... in Calgary, the coach is somewhat downplayed.
Bottom line: The players have sucked it...
[b]Heritage Classic[/b]
Let's get something straight right off the bat.
There are two reasons for the Heritage Classic:
1) It makes the NHL a helluva lotta cash. That much we know for sure.
but, more importantly to you and me;
2) The fans LOVE it. And that might be an understatement.
Reading the Globe and Mail this morning, I was quite disappointed bu...
Most of you probably read that headline and thought, "Thanks tips."
Yes, we all know Darryl Sutter left us with very little to go with on the farm in terms of prospects.
And, we all know that we don't have a 2nd or 3rd round pick this year. The 2nd was thrown in on the Primeau/Stralman deal for god knows why and even more mystifying was the 3rd being thrown in t...
Montreal Canadians are moving!
They are in the process of trading Scott Gomez, PK Subban and Louis Leblanc to Tampa Bay, in return they will get Vinny Lecavalier. Rumor says that they will bring down Beliveau #4 jersey from the Bell Center ceiling and give it to Vinny Lecavalier.
mslepp writes...
Calgary Flames: Succesfully Unsuccessful Trade Deadline
Posted Tuesday | Comments 4
Honestly, there's really not a whole lot to address. Jay Feaster went out and did what he said he wanted to do.
Add depth.
To address my headline: Feaster did what he said he would do and it improves the team just a little bit. More importantly, it keep the target on Hagman's back. If he slips, Modin will be in. And, Modin is more than capable of taking up a spot...
I want to take this opportunity to let you know that tiger blood will drip from the Flames chest in their quest for a playoff spot.
Direct Charlie Sheen reference there sorry.
In early January I was on www.sportsclubstats.com checking the chances of the Flames making the playoffs, my memory is fuzzy but I believe it was like 2.7% or something. They would have to win...
The Flames hit a speed bump Wednesday night as they fell to the Chicago Blackhawks. Come on over to the Sports Roundup to read more:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/calgary-flames-hit-speed-bump-in-chi.html#more
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
Come on over to the Sports Roundup to listen in on TSR's inaugural podcast. We talk about Morrison, Iginla's hall of fame chances and the flames post-season chances. Come check it out!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/inaugural-podcast-march-4-2011.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
The Flames are rolling! Thanks to Jarome Iginla and two special teams units that are firing on all cylinders. Come over to the Sports Roundup to read more and stay tuned for a podcast later in the day!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/flames-win-iginla-and-special-teams.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
Come on over to the Sports Roundup to listen to our podcast for March 7, 2011!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/podcast-march-7-2011.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
The Flames keep winning. Is it any surprise that Kipper is playing out of his mind? Come on over to The Sports Roundup to read more!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/flames-beat-stars-on-back-of-kiprusoff.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
thesportsroundup.com
thecheckingline.com
Ok, so he's not really enigmatic. I just like the sound of the title. Makes it seem like I have something profound to say...
I don't.
Anyway, here is the story of the week the Flames traded for Matt "My Wife Is Hot and That's ALL I Have Going for Me" Stajan as seen through my life experiences.
Be prepared. This is long. Oh, but it makes fun of the Leafs AND Oile...
Today we weigh the Flames playoff chances after a tough loss last night to the Coyotes. Come on over to TSR and have a listen!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/podcast-march-11-2011.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
The Sabres were unable to finish off the road trip with a victory, losing 4-3 to Toronto on Saturday night. Buffalo, who were 17-1-2 leading after two periods, allowed the Maple Leafs to score two goals in the third period to win the game.
Buffalo outshot the Leafs 42-29 on the night, but were unable to tie the game in the latter half of the third period. Despite the lo...
As the NHL playoffs are approaching, many teams are still in playoff contention and are battling to move up in the rankings. 16 of the 30 teams will make the postseason, but is it better to be battling for one of the lower spots?
Sabres fans saw what happened during the President’s Trophy-winning season in 2006-2007. Although they had a great team, they were upset by ...
The Flames playoff chances were severely hurt this past week with three straight losses. Come on over and check out my first ever exclusive TCL(The Checking Line) blog.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/flames-playoff-hopes-fading#comments
Also be sure to head over to The Sports Roundup to here the latest podcast! We talk mostly Flames and throw ...
The last time Ray Emery was in the Ponda Center, June 6th 2007, I was standing on my seat serenading Emery and laughing my head off when he scored on himself playing for the Ottawa Senators. (http://videosift.com/video/Stanely-Cup-Game-5-Chris-Phillips-Own-Goal)
We (Anaheim fans atleast) knew that the Ducks were going to with the cup much earlier then this. With Teemus ...
xpdonahue writes...
HARD COR! (from nhl.com. really? who writes that garbage?)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Ducks dont get anything easy. Nashville, Phoenix, LA... they all keep putting points on the standings (even though LA cant put very many goals on the scoreboard. 3 goals in 3 games... just saying.)
Saturday night the Ducks traveled up to LA for a huge Saturday night match. I'll be honest. Those are the two teams I watch the most and I can say without a doubt I see no ...
The Flames have put themselves in a massive hole with 6 losses in their last 7 games. Come over to the The Sports Roundup to see hear more.
www.thesportsroundup.com
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
The Calgary Flames need to win their remaining six games and get some help from both the Ducks and Stars to even have a chance and playing hockey past April 9th. How did this all happen? Come on over to the Sports Roundup and read more. Be sure to follow me on Twitter as well at twitter.com/TSRNewman
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/flames-have-run-out-of-time.ht...
The Calgary Flames playoff hopes are cooked. After an impressive run, they will fall short for the second consecutive year. come over to the Sports Roundup to read more.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/flames-are-cooked.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
What am I? Nuts? So the Flames aren't totally out of it yet. Yes there is little to no hope, but there is still a little which has a lot of fans grasping at straws to cheer this team to the bitter end. Come to the Sports Roundup to read on.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/hope-its-horrible-thing.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
JohnFergusonJr writes...
Game Day Phoenix Coyotes : 80, The Pacific War
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As the season wraps down for these two clubs both are fairly secure in their hopes for a playoff berth. Both the Coyotes and Kings are tied for 5th/6th in the West with 96 points apiece. A win for the Coyotes will seal their playoff dreams and guarantee them a spot. This will be a big game for the Desert Dogs as they will be facing a beaten up LA squad missing their supers...
In case you missed it I was on the CBC Homestretch this afternoon talking about the Flames playoff chances. Come to The Sports Roundup to have a listen.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/tsr-talks-to-cbcs-homestretch.html
Newman
Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/TSRNewman
I've been watching Corey Perry since '05, the post lock out Mighty Ducks of Anaheim but I was much more fixated on watching Scott Neidermayer and his mighty beard dance around the ice.
Year after year I would watch Teemu, Penner, Getzlaf, Kunitz, McDonald, Beauch, Pronger, Pahlsson, Giguere, Bryz, the list goes on (seriously how unreal was the '07 group?) and Perry was...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgYl_v0GfGo
Game 1 of Buffalo and Philadelphia in the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals was pretty tedious. In fact, it got downright boring at times.
Game 2 was neither. It began as exhilarating, and, at least for Sabres fans, eventually degenerated into something infuriating.
The first period took over 51 minutes to complete between a bevy of scrums, ten minor penalties an...
Garth Snow will have his hands full when it comes to retaining the core of his team as there are several RFA's heading into this summer's off-season
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-rfas-who-will-stay
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Two nights after a tough 5-4 loss in Philadelphia, the Buffalo Sabres will be taking the ice at the HSBC Arena, looking to take a 2-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Here are four keys to victory for tonight's game in Buffalo:
- The Sabres must play better defensive hockey.
Sabres' goaltender Ryan Miller has faced...
The Flames season is over. So lets take a look back at what went wrong. Come on over to the Sports Roundup to read more!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/calgary-flames-post-mortem.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
I, like many other Sabres’ fans, was disappointed with the result of the team’s playoff game against the Flyers.
I was not expecting a 4-2 loss in the third game of a playoff series, especially after the Sabres stole one of the first two games in Philadelphia, bringing home a split.
The atmosphere in and outside of HSBC Arena was great. Fans inside were excited f...
Remember when Ryan Miller had a dominant 35 save shutout to steal game one? Well, his performance on Wednesday night may have even been better as the Sabres tied the series at two game apiece.
It was a must win for Buffalo and they came through. Even though it looked like the Flyers were going to tie it, the Sabres found a way to survive, with Miller doing most of the w...
Jay Feaster is the acting GM of the Flames. When will the tag be removed or will it be removed? Come over to The Sprots Roundup to read more and feel free to comment on what you think might happen.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/jay-feaster-acting-to-be-or-not-to-be.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
HSBC Arena erupted Wednesday night as 18,690 fans rose out of their seats in complete unison, awestruck by Ryan Miller’s phenomenal performance.
Chants of “Ry-an Mil-ler, Ry-an Mil-ler” rang out amongst the electric crowd who had once again witnessed brilliance as their franchise goalie stood on his head right before their very eyes.
The sound that roared throu...
I'm divorcing Hockeybuzz... once and for all.
*For anyone from Edmonton who happens to stumble onto this blog accidentally, swan song in this case means my last post (figured I'd save you the google search).*
Quickly, I can't stand the website anymore. It started when Eklund attempted to set up a meeting with me to discuss writing for the site, then, never followed...
For those that read Devils posts on here, I'm the one known as Intern Mike. Sam's been relatively busy as of late so I'll take the liberty of continuing to submit my posts to read.
With the Devil's off-season starting a little earlier than we're used to, they are surrounded by a bunch of question marks yet again. I was fortunate to get some time from my good friend Todd...
The Sabres came out and controlled the first half of the opening period, and Tyler Ennis began the scoring spree with a shot that he banked off Philadelphia goaltender Brian Boucher.
Just a couple minutes later, Thomas Vanek did the same thing from behind the Flyers’ net and Buffalo were out to a fast 2-0 lead. Fans in Philly were already beginning to turn on their te...
"Sorry Mom, I won't be able to make it this Sunday."
A sentence that has today become all too familiar for the mothers of hockey fans all over Western New York.
Today is a very special Saturday, not because it is Easter Eve, but because Buffalo Sabres fans are ecstatic following a Game 5 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers -- a huge win which puts the Sabres up thre...
PickDaddy writes...
You've Got To Assume Luongo is Done in Vancouver After This
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
He won't like that he didn't get the start. That is a huge slap in the face. He is one of the best goalies in the league - how do you not play him?
In big games, you want your best players to rise to the opportunity and win the game for you.
Vancouver didn't give Luongo the chance and you can bet he is taking this personally.
He played net and won a gold medal for...
There’s no reason you shouldn’t be excited for Game seven on Tuesday in Philadelphia. Yes, the Sabres had a chance to finish off the Flyers Sunday afternoon in Buffalo, but blew yet a another two goal lead this season.
Flashback to December, when the Sabres were 10 points out of a playoff spot and struggling to string together wins. If you would have told me that th...
The Penguins are [b]TOAST[/b].
I'm as big a fan as anyone...and I desperately want them to win Game 7 on Wednesday night...but my gut tells me this series is [b]OVER[/b].
After watching them get outscored 12-4 and outplayed by almost the same amount in games 5 and 6, there is nothing I see that tells me this team will win game 7.
Without Sid and Geno...with a rece...
Conroy might be able to provide two Flames players with some perspective this offseason. Come read more at the Sports Roundup!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/05/craig-conroy-common-denominator-for.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
It's 15 minutes to game time, and we know more about how Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan than what's up with Flyers' defenseman Chris Pronger.
Apparently, Pronger is not playing tonight's pivotal Game 2 as the Flyers try to even things with the Bruins before the series shifts to Boston. Asked why by a reporter before the game, GM Paul Holmgren reportedly said "Th...
Despite Peter Laviolette's proclamation that the pressure is now on Boston, those of us based in reality understand the Flyers are truly feeling the heat of an 0-2 hole as the Eastern Conference semifinals shift to Beantown.
This is very different from last year. In 2010, the Flyers were taking an 0-2 deficit to Philadelphia, not on the road. On top of that, they were g...
The Flames new manager actually only has a few things to take care of and any credible G.M. should be able to get these things done.
Let’s touch on the G.M. bit for a second first. The fact Feaster hasn’t been anointed the holy one speaks to the probability of at least a due diligence search for a G.M. That search could involve Jim Nill, the assistant in Detroit. Le...
The Morweena Miracle – By Ty Dilello
A Google search of Morweena, Manitoba does not tell you much. It is a small Mennonite village just outside of Arborg and about 150 kilometers north of Winnipeg with a population of around 150. It is also home to James Reimer, the very humble goaltender who led a late season charge that almost sent the Toronto Maple Leafs to the pl...
Glencross took a hometown discount to stay on a team and in a city that he is comfortable with. Also, Feaster is officially the team's GM. Read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/05/flames-sign-glencross-and-make-feaster.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Rob McGowan writes...
Right Now Commitment Is Key For The New York Islanders
Posted Monday | Comments 6
Check out my latest post discussing which RFA the Islanders should look to sign next as well as a recent run-in with an ex-Islanders defenseman.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/right-now-commitment-key-new-york-islanders
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Since Jay Feaster was announced the active g.m. as opposed to the acting g.m. and a major contract was just signed in Curtis Glencross I decided it was about time to focus...on the draft. Feaster said this is Tod Button's draft which makes me think he had less input than we may have realized previously, in addition the Flames have had their new amateur scouts on the ground...
Looking back on the season, there are so many memorable moments, but we’ve created a list of the top 10 games of the season for your viewing pleasure. Take a look and let us know what you think.
Click below to continue reading:
[url]http://sabreshockeycentral.com/2011/05/19/top-10-games-of-the-year/[/url]
The move of the Thrashers to Winnipeg is all but complete at this point. Since this would mean one more team in the Western Conference than in the Eastern Conference, a division realignment is due.
Instead of taking my preference into this process, I decided to take two objective approaches. The first method I tried to have each division only include one time zone and w...
On Tuesday, (May 31st, 2011) the NHL announced that the Atlanta Thrashers were being bought by True North and that the new owners would be relocating the franchise to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
As someone who has enjoyed NHL hockey for more than three decades, having a franchise in Winnipeg is something I am strongly in favor of. But will it work this time?
Like a lot of ot...
icedog97 writes...
2012 Realignment: Detroit, Nashville, Columbus...Phoenix?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Yesterday Gary Bettman indicated he expects realignment for the 2012-13 NHL season.
With the new Winnipeg franchise playing in the Southeast during 2011-12, a distance of almost 1,300 miles from where the Thrashers played, realignment of this franchise is a necessity.
Since we aren't even finished with the Stanley Cup Finals for 2010-11 yet, I am a little surprised t...
"Going to Winnipeg!" But how long can it last this time. The Rev takes a harsh look at the reality of keeping hockey afloat in a very small market. Also, the Flames lost a coveted prospect in Tim Erixon, but did they even have a choice in the matter? Come to the Sports Roundup to read more on these two topics.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/06/welcome-to-winnipe...
It is the start of summer the flames have traded away a blue chip prospect and a 5th rounder for two 2nd round picks and from what I know of Roman Horak a career AHLer. we all know the prospect is Tim Erixon who's father Jan played for the Rangers his entire career racking up 57 goals and 216 points. Apparently the entire family loves the city and organization which meant ...
As we move closer to the draft, Brian Burke and Dave Nonis are working hard at keeping our team competative and the fans as a side effect are gleaming with hope and pride. James Reimer evoked something that sits inside all leafs fans and up until last year, had been lurking in the depths of our collective stomachs, waiting to be unleashed. As we sat and watched the relat...
Check out this interview at The Checking Line with New York Islanders forward Blake Comeau, as we discuss playoff hockey, the arena proposal and his off-season plans!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/one-one-blake-comeau
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Marinus1103 writes...
An improved NHL - a view from the other side of the Ocean..
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I have loved and followed hockey ever since the ´88 olympics in Calgary.. This is just the best game ever invented.
As a European fan - having lived only 1 year in Toronto - it is hard to get a proper connection and information feed on the most honourable and dynamic professional sports existing, although the internet has brought significant improvements with regards ...
I can't stand them. The other thing that pisses me off is that a lot of people in Calgary including a lot of the bars are supporting them. It makes me so angry but seeing them lose tonight was so great. Come read why here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/06/why-i-dont-like-canucks.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
After the Vancouver Canucks won the first two games of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup Finals, a lot of people were saying things like...
[b]The Canucks have too much talent...
The Canucks are the deeper team...
It's the Canucks year...
[/b]
It was difficult to argue against those comments because in both games it seemed that the Canucks just looked like the better team.
...
Tommrow night or Tonight whatever the time is that your reading this wonderful blog Game 7 the final NHL game of the 2010-2011 season will happen. The Boston Bruins evened up the best of seven Stanley Cup series with a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
My feelings on the game are this I believe Vancouver is lucky to still be playing right now due to the fact that 2...
The draft week is starting off with good news already, the cap is being raised by close to five million for next season and with that the floor is also being raised as well. This has a two fold benefit for our Flames, first it gives the team breathing room to make some important signings or at least be able to pursue one major free agent July first. The second benefit woul...
The Calgary Tower is back! Well it never really left, but you know what I mean. Karlsson re-signed with the Flames for another two years today. Read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
I’m going to put these up for fun and feel free to rip me a new one but in my fantasy g.m. brain here is what I would do given what the Flames have to work with right now. Erixon going to the Rangers for two 2nd round picks changed the game because now they have all of the picks they would have anyway, if there was a silver lining to that fiasco this is it. So armed with...
What a day for hockey fans! Regehr could be headed to Buffalo if he agrees to waive his no trade clause. What does this mean for the Flames? Come to TSR to read more:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/06/bye-bye-birdie-robyn-on-his-way-out-of.html
Newman
twitter/TSRNewman
This blog may come too soon, we may still see a Ryan Smyth trade, we may see more signings or we may even see a new assistant G.M.
To Summarize the weekend I think we have to break it down into a few different categories. They are the Draft itself, the trades, Smyth, and Tanguay's Contract.
The Draft: I do not think anyone really thinks Bartschi at 13 was a bad pick,...
Check out my coverage of this year's Islanders activity at the NHL Entry Draft with a look at 5th overall pick Ryan Strome and more!
http://t.co/T1muBIv
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
It's a hot topic.
Apparently there's a major realignment coming thanks to the move to Winnipeg.
4 divisions, 7 in two divisions (in the West), 8 in the other two (in the East).
How do you think it'd look?
I have it:
[b]Western Conference[/b]
[u]Gretzky Division[/u]
Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
San Jose
Anaheim
Los Angeles
Phoenix* (But for how long.....
Since the NHL's departure from Atlanta to Winnipeg the question has been on everyone's mind as to how the New divisions would look. That answer has been put off one year by the NHL, as the Winnipeg Jets will be playing in the SOUTHeast division with the likes of Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington.
There have been rumors floating around about a new 4 division ...
Robyn is gone. Tanguay is back and the Flames no longer have to worry about Ales Kotalik sucking it up on the ice. Come to TSR where I look at what the impact of the both the trade and the signing mean to the Flames
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/06/regehr-traded-and-tanguay-signs.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Read the latest at The Checking Line with updates from Micheal Haley, Travis Hamonic and Matt Moulson as to their thoughts on Ryan Strome and what they have planned for the summer!
http://t.co/B1X18Ae
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
P.S. I apologize for the multiple posts of the Strome article, my browser was not working properly.
Since the NHL's departure from Atlanta to Winnipeg the question has been on everyone's mind as to how the New divisions would look. That answer has been put off one year by the NHL, as the Winnipeg Jets will be playing in the SOUTHeast division with the likes of Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington.
There have been rumors floating around about a new 4 division ...
I’ve read some blog posts recently and the replies them that seem to indicate a strong feeling that the Flames have no prospects, that other teams have youth on their side and seem to imply that the Flames are destined to be a last place team. There are a couple things to look at here, are the Flames really that old? Do they really have no prospects?
Of the players si...
2011 Devils Draft/ Free Agents Possibilities
RESTRICTED
Parise
Vasyunov
Zharkov
Corrente
Salmela
Taormina
Fraser
UNRESTRICTED
Greene
Hedberg
Mair
Mills
POSSIBLE DRAFT CANIDATES FOR FIRST ROUND
Jonathan Huberdeau C QMJHL
Dougie Hamilton D OHL
Sean Couturier C/LW N/A
**Edmonton will pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
The Devils First Pick was D...
Retirements
Todd Marchant-18 Seasons
Paul Kariya-15 Seasons
Islanders/Buffalo---Ehrhoff for 4th round pick.
Buffalo/Blackhawks---Steve Montador for conditional seventh round pick
!!!!DRURY IS A UFA!!!!
TOP NEWS!
Ehrhoff to Sabres
Rights to Talbot given to “everyone”
Richards to NYR?
Villie Leino back to Philly or LA?
Scottie Upshall to NYI?
...
What a day free agency frenzy must have been for Mikael Backlund hey? With a nine year offer for Brad Richards on the table the flames affectively told Backlund that they did not believe he has the potential to be a number one center. There are a glut of centers but Backlund seemed to have an edge looking at training camp. Langkow is older, hasn't really played on a year a...
[img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/flames/images/upload/2011/07/109844431.jpg[/img]
Today Calgary finally managed to land defenceman [b]Anton Babchuk[/b] back in a 2 year contract worth $2.5 million per year. It is believed that this negotiation was stalled until now because Calgary was trying to keep Cap room for Brad Richards. Saturday night news spread of New York Rangers si...
I’ve heard both sides of the argument about Babchuck. Is he worth 2.5 million a year? Is he the minus 4 player in Carolina or the plus 14 player in Calgary? Is he defensively sound? One of the most compelling arguments I have heard that is that Babchuck played sheltered minutes, Kent Wilson of flamesnation.com brought this up first.
I think what that basically means ...
The Flames decided not to go ballistic this weekend and probably for the best. Feaster, I thought, made some sound moves and really good non-moves. Come read my thoughts and remember to follow me on Twitter:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/07/non-moves-flames-strategy.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Check out what's new at The Checking Line to read about the Islanders prospect scrimmage which included Kirill Kabanov, Nino Niederreiter and Ryan Strome's highlight reel breakaway goal
http://thecheckingline.com/node/4353
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Hey all,
Now, I realize that with a bit of common sense and realistic expectations it's pretty easy to take a stab at what the Leafs will look like next season. Yet I frequently see people making odd guesses/ projections for the team to then defend themselves till their blue in the face...
So I'm just going to write down the lines I believe most likely to be put out...
Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood retired today after 17 seasons in the NHL. Now comes what is sure to be a great and very hostile arguement over Osgoods hall of fame chances. I will give you all my opinion at the end of this blog but I am going to make a list of reasons why he should be in the hall of fame and reasons he should not be. Without further ado here are the ...
The Calgary Flames have made some small moves in the last week or so. But were they good moves and moves they really needed to make? Come over to TSR and read more
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/07/calgary-flames-in-july.html
Also remember to follow me on Twitter at: @TSRNewman
Newman
Is a team about ownership or the fans? This question on if the Jets will honour the jersey numbers retired before them is perplexing in my mind.
If the team came back as The Winnipeg Storm or the Winnipeg Mosquitos (trust me they are terrifying) then I could see why they wouldn’t honour the old Jets. Winnipeg people loved their Jets so much any other name would have b...
With an 82 game schedule this upcoming season for the young Colorado Avalanche here is a look at the big showdowns heading into the 2011-2012 season. As always games will become more important throughout the season based on standings and previous meetings between the clubs.
If you see another stellar tilt on the calendar add some reasons why fans should mark it down and...
Maple Leafs fans we are just a few weeks from training camp, thats right Leafs Nation just a few weeks away from September and another run by our beloved Buds to end this playoff misery that we having been suffering from since the end of the lockout.
The Leafs have made a few changes from the club that ended the season in April:
In: Tim Connolly, Matthew Lombardi, Co...
Stats. Is it just me or are they getting out of hand? I have read more and more articles dealing with “adjusted corsi” dealing with zone starts and different line mate combinations etc lately. I do think there is a place for all stats however all stats are subjective to the million variables that go into an average day in this world. Stats will never tell a whole story...
I have a few predictions, some realistic, some fun and outlandish, for the Leafs from now till the end of next season.
Enjoy!
1) Komisarek is gone, he will be traded. If the asset is a 7th rounder in 2015 I think the Leafs accept, and someone will give up a 5th for this guy in next years draft.
2) Kadri will end up on a line with Kessel and Connolly and have 60 p...
I direct messaged Kent Wilson after I posted my last blog, not to pick a fight, but as a matter of congeniality in a blogosphere that seems to lack respect sometimes. Kent took the time to read my blog and respond in kind here: [url]http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/2011/07/31/common-misconceptions-about-statisitical-analysis/#more-28434[/url]
While I can appreciate his con...
As we start to ramp up for another action packed NHL season we also start to see/hear the many couch experts (myself included) start offering their opinions and projections for the race to April and what it will bring. Who’s going to jump out early.. who’s going to suffer the xmas slump.. Who has all the pieces to go all the way? It is worth noting that it is always su...
I’ve always maintained my opinion is just that, an opinion. Sometimes this opinion break with traditional views, my views can sometimes elicit anger and emotional responses. To be honest there are times I play devil’s advocate just to get us thinking a different way and I invite this sort of response.
The latest couple blogs have had to do with my opposition to a F...
saneopinion writes...
2012 Flames Free Agent Targets/ Summer of change
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
For Flames fans ready for a change 2012 is a year to look forward to. No less than 10 current roster players will be unrestricted free agents in the 2012 season and the free agent pool as it stands has some pretty good depth to it. During the course of the season obviously trades happen, extensions could be signed and injuries could take a player out. The Flames will have ...
The August 1st referendum failed, Blake Comeau has been re-signed, the realm of uncertainty looms about the aging Coliseum and a third jersey has been leaked on the Internet. Read my latest piece at The Checking Line as I report what has been happening on the Island.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-fans-ask-whats-next
-Rob McGowan...
Why so sad Flames fans?
The Flames have been reflecting on their season, hitting the golf course and lamenting on what could have been. It’s obvious to most Flames fans the Flames would have run rough shod over the playoff competition, especially the Canucks. Especially them.
Now we look forward on the next season but I sense from most of you a pessimism in lieu o...
saneopinion writes...
Dollar store of Hockey. Skill vs Pay- Does it matter?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The issue I feel we run into since the new collective bargaining agreement came into effect is that our internal G.M. often argues with the real life scenarios that take place.
I read trade ideas, in fact I am guilty of making them, and hear how simple it would be to fix this team. We Blame Sutter for quite a bit, maybe rightfully, but we also seem to forget what he did...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 4 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Calgary Flames Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.
[/...
The Flames signed Scott Hannan to a one year deal worth one million dollars. It's an okay signing but the Flames are stuck once again doing the exact same thing. Come read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/08/scott-hannan-new-flame-but-same-old.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
It is always a sad in the world let alone Hockey when a young person dies, Rick Rypien clearly was a person who not only fought others but had a big battle in his own head somehow the NHL is failing these guys to find the help they need. It's no secret that tough guys are always put in the spotlight to fight but that pressure more than any other guy is proven to be the mos...
New rules are part of the NHL’s mandate to increase scoring and it’s fan base. New rules make traditionalists cringe and create frustrated feeling in fans that have already bought in. In the end the idea is that the league feels scoring equals entertainment which equals money.
How are the nets? Too big? Too small? Shrink the goalie equipment, enlarge the nets, creat...
Calgary and Buffalo, Buffalo and Calgary just another match made in heaven. Whether trading for Drury or just recently trading for Regher these two teams have come to accommodate each either. Whether it is a mutual hatred for Edmonton or long lost sister cities they getter done. Now it is rumored that they are not finished. What could they be up too?
Everyone in Buff...
This is the first blog I've ever written on the Calgary Flames, so please excuse any factual errors and if my grammar ain't so good.
After five consecutive years of spring hockey in Calgary, the last two seasons have ended prematurely. Many pundits and so-called experts are predicting the same disappointment for the Flames this coming season. However, those of us who wa...
Langkow was traded for Lee Stempniak. What does the move mean for the Flames? Did Jay Feaster make the right move? Follow the link!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/08/langk-you-very-much-daymond-langkow.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Flames GM Jay Feaster has continued his purging of big contracts by shipping out center Daymond Langkow in return for the unpredictable RW/LW Lee Stempniak.
Langkow was acquired during the lockout year of 2004, basically replacing Craig Conroy who then GM Darryl Sutter let walk via free agency. The mantra at the time was "bigger and younger" and Langkow managed to fill ...
dude84 writes...
Review of NHL11 *Demohttp://www.hockeybuzz.com/control_panel
Posted Friday | Comments 1
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
dude84 writes...
Review of NHL11 *Demohttp://www.hockeybuzz.com/control_panel
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
dude84 writes...
Review of NHL11 *Demohttp://www.hockeybuzz.com/control_panel
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
dude84 writes...
Review of NHL11 *Demohttp://www.hockeybuzz.com/control_panel
Posted Friday | Comments 8
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
Last week saw another long time Flame being traded away. This time the name heading out was the veteran center, Daymond Langkow. After a successful comeback to hockey, Langkow finds himself on the Coyotes, being traded by the Flames for Lee Stempniak.
Langkow, one of the leaders in Calgary's locker room, recovered from a freak injury which saw him out of action for ...
Last week saw another long time Flame being traded away. This time the name heading out was the veteran center, Daymond Langkow. After a successful comeback to hockey, Langkow finds himself on the Coyotes, being traded by the Flames for Lee Stempniak.
Langkow, one of the leaders in Calgary's locker room, recovered from a freak injury which saw him out of action for ...
Josh Bailey is the last impending RFA for the New York Islanders that still is without a contract for next season. Will he be reporting to training camp? Or will he be without a job in 2012? Check out my report at The Checking Line.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/baileys-clock-ticking
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitt...
I sat down at my computer last night, excited to watch some hockey. It had been months since the last time I saw the puck drop. After a summer filled with horrible hockey occurrences, it was nice to see some hockey action. Unfortunately, it came in the form of a 6 - 1 drubbing of the Calgary Flames, from the San Jose Sharks at the rookie tournament.
The Flames started o...
With today being the release of EA's NHL 12, and amidst everyone's "top 5 hockey games" lists I'd thought I'd put my 2 cents in as well. For those of you not into video games, skip the next paragraph.
The most underrated hockey video game of all time was NHL Stanley Cup for SNES. Everyone says that about whatever their favorite game was growing up, but that was mine. ...
Prospect camp is on. Generally I like the format and I like seeing how the prospects play amongst guys at a similar development level. I hate seeing incidents like with Kyle Greentree a couple years back where he was challenging to be a late cut but at the prospect tourney gets run from behind by an Oiler plug missing his shot. For what?
So who’s been bad and good? Th...
Following the abrupt ending to what was a dream run, and a fantastic playoff ride for the Vancouver Canucks and their fans, I sat on the sidewalk on Granville Street, Head in hands fighting back tears as I watched my city burn. After a trip to the pub with my good buddy and fellow "browntobure" blogger, where we disccussed all the things that went wrong, what could have b...
With the flames kicking off their pre-season with a doubleheader against the Canucks tonight, the flames faithful are out and about showing off the team colors. The season is knocking on the door, but the question is will the flames answer early or will it be the usual early season woes.
The flames find themselves with a lot of options to play in the middle going into the...
Can Roman Horak stick with the big club? And for how long? It's been the surprise of Flames TC. Come over TSR to read more
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/09/roman-empire-horak-looks-to-stick-with.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Rob McGowan writes...
Strome And Pandolfo Earn Contracts With Islanders
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1055
The New York Islanders have signed Jay Pandolfo and Ryan Strome just in time before the start of the 2011-2012 season. Rob McGowan takes a look at the contracts and what they could mean for the rest of the roster.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/strome-and-pandolfo-earn-contracts-islanders
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://...
Realignment 2012 is happening. The board of Governors along with the GM's announced publicly that realignment would be sorted out before the new year and that those changes would be put into effect at the start of the 2012-2013 season. That's all fine and dandy... except for the fact that we have no clue which team will end up in which conference/division come next season....
The Flames are a borderline playoff contender. You can call this a prediction if you want or you can call it total B.S. but it is hard to argue with. Saying they are borderline does not imply that should they reach the post season they couldn’t do some damage, I do think that if the opponent is the right one they could do damage. Borderline just means they will have to f...
Boston's pregame ceremony recognizing their Stanley Cup championship lasted longer than it took the Flyers to trade Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.
A goaltender other teams actually fear between the pipes, wearing orange and black.
Jaromir Jagr sitting on the bench with his familiar "68" across his back - and unfamliar Flyers' crest across his front.
Yes, it's a b...
the Flames were soundly beat last night. Sign of things to come? Or just a prime example of how far the Flames are from being a good team. Read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/10/flames-downed-in-opener.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
By Aakash Gulati
One game into the season. Hockey is back and the Flames are here.
Having previously looked at the flames centre depth, it is time to look at who will be flanking the Flames centres. A consistent theme with all the flames wingers is their consistency issues.
Iginla
With over 900 points and flames top leading scorer for the last 11 seasons, Iginla has ...
Two games into the new look Flyers' season it appears that they seem comfortable with one another.
In fact if you had no clue what was going with the team, you may have thought that they've been playing together for awhile now.
Just two regular season games and two wins have many fans that were feeling doubtful with this summer's moves, having a change of heart.
Thurs...
Flames thoughts:
Turris- There has been mixed opinion on this kid. He hasn’t put up star numbers but has a load of talent and potential. Turris Played the 11 season getting 5 more points than his previous NHL stint in 09 and improving from minus 15 to even plus/minus. He did improve, although marginally. His average ice time was not great so it makes sense his point t...
IanCunninghamTB writes...
Too Early To Assess Bolts; Renovated Forum Ready To Shine
Posted Friday | Comments 0
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
The Tampa Bay Lightning sit below the .500 mark for the first time under Guy Boucher’s tenure as head coach of the hockey club. The team has allowed at least four goals against in the past three contests, the end result being one point of a possible six. This after starting the season with a convincing 5-1 victory over a ...
Flames won their first game of the season against Montreal and that too by a decent margin of 4-1. After two stinking losses against the pens and the blues, finding the win column is definitely a good feeling. Going into Toronto with a win will be a feel good factor. In Toronto we will be up against ex-flames Phaneuf and Lombardi and the game should be a fun one for a Satu...
Ok, I'm at home sick, so I'm gonna leave this blog up for 2-3 days, ask me absolutely anything, and I will answer truthfully.
Edit: and yes, I did get this idea from my hero, Adam French.
Have at it!
*I will post the answers on a separate/maybe the same blog in 2-3 days.*
So Mr. Cherry versus the pukes, eh?†is the main story this week as I start my column off. I have a couple of comments here. First of all, the players deny saying what Cherry said they did. Plus, in my opinion, fighting has not been the problem with the NHL. The fighting issue has taken a second seat to head shots. So far as I am concerned, Cherry's comments on f...
Hmmm.......where do I begin ?
Well, lets start with Bryan Little shall we ? He was.....well......brutal. He was eventually replaced on the top line with Mark Scheifele who was better tonight than he has been in the last two games. Still, there was absolutely no chemistry between any line tonight and although the entire team wasn't very good, some of them were just pl...
The Islanders top line has started to click with Moulson, Tavares and Parenteau finding the back of the net. But will the rest of the team be able to keep up? Head to The Checking Line for a look at the team's offensive depth.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/where-isles-second-act
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.co...
A brutal 1-3 start has lots of fans wondering if we're in for another playoff-less season in Calgary. Should we be worried or is it too early to tell? Come read for yourselves, and I swear I try to be positive...
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/10/should-calgary-flames-fans-be-worried.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
The scene: The Oilers Taylor Hall at a Draft Lottery Party one year after he himself was drafted first over all. The management has thought it a good idea to send him out with the commoners to see what the reaction would be if the Oilers won the draft lottery. As it turns out they did not even win that, a fact almost forgotten. The New Jersey Devils won the lottery however...
The only thing missing from the Avalanche Game was the home team advantage. Sorry but I am going to say it one of the best teams in the league (for the moment) have a horrible fan base. Never in my life have I been to a home game and heard the away team chant... And the worst part was that the home team chants where swiftly overcome by "Lets go Blackhawks." Absolutely terr...
First and foremost, thank you to hockeybuzz for providing a forum where I could write about my opinions and also facts.
Secondly I feel like I need to inform people that in no way do i have any writing experience or formal training (as you will be able to tell through my writing style), I am just a fan of the game and a fan of the Toronto maple leafs, have been since...
In a snoozefest of a hockey game, the Flames dropped their second straight Saturday afternoon. But did they necessarily play that bad? And what about the revised goaltending philosophy in Calgary. These things will be debated...
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/10/no-afternoon-delight-flames-lose-second.html
Newman
Follow me: Twitter.com/TSRNewman
The plan. I have heard this term a few times now from the management and coaches of the Flames. The plan was to have Kipper play less and have the back up come in and win a few. I think we now have enough of a look at Karlsson to make an accurate assessment of his play and that is he is not the right guy. The plan only works when things fall into place and sometimes that p...
The Montreal Canadiens are 1-5-2 as of right now. What the hell is happening right now? bad luck?, no talent? Oh My Goodness, is it too early for a major trade? I know it doesn't work like that but something is going to happen for sure. A step up from a leader, big aquisition who knows, rumours fly everywhere! and from what we hear it's almost never what anybody thought......
While neither goalie has proven themselves to be a top flight NHL starter, there is a twist to the story.
Reimer, once thought to be nothing more but a future backup goalie is the Leafs number one guy.
Monster, once thought to be their future number one goalie is starting to look like nothing more then a possible back up.
My question is, Do you think Monster can s...
The Flames stuck to their guns on Wednesday night and pulled out a much needed win. A run down of the game and a look at what the play of Horak means for the team going forward.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/10/flames-bury-avalanche.html
Newman
Curious as to what is new with top Islanders prospect, Ryan Strome? Well there is plenty, and you can find it all out in my interview at The Checking Line!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/one-one-ryan-strome
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Be sure to "like" The Checking Line's new Islanders Facebook ...
The Flyers attempted to enact a new media policy which would limit access to goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, whose highly self critical rant following the Flyers recent 9-8 loss to the Winnipeg Jets sparked commentary from just about every segment of the hockey media world.
The policy originally would have Bryzgalov available after games, only. Then it was later amended to limit...
I am going to take a look at the Flames last ten years of first round draft picks and tell you if I think it was a bust or not.
Chuck Kobasew 2001 1st rd. 14th overall.
Kobasew wasn’t the only player from the 2001 draft that became a regular NHLer for the Flames. David Moss was the other player but besides those the rest of the draft has become a bust. Kobasew ...
I am going to take a look at the Flames last ten years of first round draft picks and tell you if I think it was a bust or not.
Chuck Kobasew 2001 1st rd. 14th overall.
Kobasew wasn’t the only player from the 2001 draft that became a regular NHLer for the Flames. David Moss was the other player but besides those the rest of the draft has become a bust. Kobasew ...
Lindy Ruff did say he would follow the "schedule" the goalies were given in the beginning of the week before the Philly disaster. So turns out Enroth gets the 4 x 6 tonight and Miller gets the cage in Ottawa tomorrow night. I think this is the right move here by the Sabres bench boss. He may not say he meant for it to go this way but none the less putting Enroth in toni...
With a number of teams struggling between the pipes I thought it would be fun to take a look at the goaltender market. I will look at each potentially available goaltender and the possibilities of them being moved this season. First up in a series of articles is...
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames
We start off in Calgary where the Flames are struggling mightily and ...
andydrmm writes...
2 Games- 4 Points, A Good Hockey Weekend for Buffalo
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I went into this weekend of Sabres hockey rather skeptical after the past few performances of the team. Despite only losing by one goal in a lot of their games, it was not a accurate depiction of the game as a whole. Buffalo was not playing good hockey, and there was no reason to think this weekend would be any different.
However, 2 games and 4 points later, I was plea...
jamesparker_7 writes...
Goaltender Market - Part 3 - Theodore and Clemmensen
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Florida Panthers have a problem in nets, a problem that every team in the NHL wishes they had. Their problem is that their prospect goaltender is NHL ready before they thought he would be. Top goaltending prospect Jacob Markstrom has played in just five games this season but he has played incredibly well posting a 2.05 GAA and a .940 save percentage.
The problem for...
Hagman on waivers. Backlund is back. Byron up, Brodie up. Babchuk and Bmo out. Check out a quick recap of the Flames recent moves and tell me what you think as the Flames just got a helluva lot younger.
Click below:
[url]http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/11/flames-moves-youth-movement.html[/url]
Newman
Blake Comeau was the subject of several trade rumors for the Islanders this summer and has been struggling offensively this season. With certain prospects pushing for roster spots, will Blake Comeau make it to the end of the year as a New York Islander? Rob McGowan reports.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/comeau-gonna-go
Want a chance t...
Lose one. Win one. It's been the story of the season for the Flames. Paul Byron showed some jump tonight. Come read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/11/flames-split-back-to-back.html
Newman
It's over. Hagman is finally leaving Calgary. Come to the The Sports Roundup to find out what it means and a little more about his run in cow town.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/11/hagman-claimed-by-ducks.html
Newman
Evgeni Nabokov appeared to be on the trading block before suffering a groin injury Thursday night that put him on the Injured Reserve. Rob McGowan explains how this may actually increase his value later on in the season.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/nabokovs-injury-may-increase-his-value
I will also be appearing on Hockey This Week ...
So I was watching the Pittsburgh game last night and just got onto thinking of what Dan Bylsma was able to accomplish over the past year and a half, while missing his top 2 players (Crosby and Malkin) for a significant portion of time. It got me thinking how much I would love to have a guy like this running the Leaf’s bench and then it got me thinking even more. Currentl...
You know in the dark cold mornings when you get out of bed to slap the alarm and have to turn on the first painful stinging light? That realization that the snooze button can’t actually delay the reality of having to get up and face the day. It hurts at first but as you grow accustomed to it you can start to look forward instead of looking back. We are at that point in t...
So here we are AGAIN. The trade possibility talk about the Flames top players. I want to be as clear as possible so everyone knows my stance in regards to the top guys everyone talks about.
Iginla- Iginla is the last chance this club has for a massive return, Dion’s trade was a blown opportunity, Iginla has to be traded for something. Management has said he won’t be...
The Flames blew a 3-1 lead with less than 5 minutes left in the third. You wanna hear a rant...well here it is because I'm pissed off!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/12/new-low-flames-lose-to-jackets.html
Newman
Michael_Stuart writes...
10 Bold Predictions for Rangers vs. Lightning Game
Posted Saturday | Comments 4
Last time John Tortorella and Brad Richards were at the St. Pete Times Forum it was a very happy time for the Lightning. Fresh off winning the Stanley Cup and heading into the lock-out, things looked good for the franchise moving forward. That was until the dreaded SALARY CAP…..ugh…..took hold of this team and forced Jay Feaster to rip the team apart. Richards was o...
The NHL announced yesterday that for the 2012-2013 season, the teams would be shuffled into a four-conference league. This is a huge win for the Detroit Red Wings organization and for their fans. For years, Mike Ilitch and Company has been yearning for a ticket into the Eastern Conference, and they thought they might have their chance when Atlanta moved north. They now ...
The NHL and the Board of Governors has approved a plan that will dramatically change the landscape of the NHL regular season and playoffs. With any new plan there are going to be pros and cons. Unfortunately for me I feel that the cons dominate the pros in the new setup.
Here is some of the fallout from the changes:
[b]Creating divisional rivalries:[/b] The sche...
[img]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/2011/11/17/kabs_65373.jpg[/img]
As per NHL.com the Carolina Hurricanes have found a dance partner in Montreal Canadians and managed to trade a problem player for a recently injured player. The deal as reported is just a straight player for player trade involving no picks or other players.
With any luck Kaberle can find some wa...
So, much to my surprise (insert sarcasm), I logged on to write a blog recapping the weekend, and again, Garth has amazed me with his... “wisdom”. Again, Enroth has seen better days, however goalies are as good as the team in front of them. Regardless of who is starting in net, the team in front of Enroth and Miller is pretty pathetic.
I didn’t get to watch Friday...
For once, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, Garth has a decent point. Buffalo brass does need to sit down and have a nice long evaluation of the direction that the Sabres are headed in at this point in the season.
However, I can already tell you the excuse that the brass will use to explain the recent play of the Sabres.
Injuries.
Thats it. I can hear Da...
vowswithin writes...
Gameday in Smashville: Can we keep the streak alive!?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/b9/fullj.5cfadff89c55c7892381ab0fe12523c4/5cfadff89c55c7892381ab0fe12523c4-getty-135478954.jpg[/img]
Well here we are, after having 2 days off in a row the flames are back to the grind. Tonight we get to watch the flames play the Predators on the road. In their last 10 meetings the flames have managed 6 wins against the predators. The...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Talk: Defensemen to Target in Free Agent Frenzy
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
So what is the biggest problem with the Lightning right now? Is it offense, goaltending, defense? Pick your poison if you will. There is room for improvement in all positions. Tonight, we’ll take a look at some of the free agent defenseman available at year’s end to see who I feel would fit in with the Lightning moving forward. You know things are bad with the tea...
vowswithin writes...
Flames Extinguished, Plus Referee Walkom plows Timonen
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.welive2ski.com/20080415_4318-.jpg[/img]
Disappointment!
Well here we are again folks, falling again to a very beatable opponent!
When looking back, the flames gave an alright effort but nothing more then that. When Playing against a team like Nashville with its shut down back end we need to be in the offensive zone most of the time.
Like I sa...
mapleleaf1389 writes...
Leafs-Canes: Leafs show poise, PK still needs work
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I will start this by stating due to personal obligations I missed the first half of the game due to other obligations. Due to the bipolar nature of the media in and regarding Toronto, I can't tell whether this was an amazing game by Toronto which Cam Ward earned the Hurricanes a point, or the Leafs squeaked by with a win. I will stick to the third period of this one.
...
Hey everyone,
As it turns out I will be linking only from here. You can see an excerpt from my blog below and the link adjoing it. I encourage to follow @tsrnewman and @sanehockey for updates on this site.
I have written on the hockeybuzz website for many years now and have been asked repeatedly to change to other sites but have declined mostly or in one case I acce...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Flames/Bolts Preview + A Little "What If?" Scenario
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It’s game day for the Lightning as the Calgary Flames come to town for the only meeting of the year between these two teams. When I look at both teams, I see disasters. Neither team is playing well right now. That being said, at least the Lightning have a future. We have young, talented players who should be able to carry this team for a really long time. In Calgary...
1. Former Head Coach and GM Darryl Sutter has been rumored to be the next Head Coach for the Los Angeles Kings. King’s GM Dean Lombardi recently fired Terry Murray and is seeking a permanent successor. There is an old connection between Lombardi and Sutter, dating back to their days in San Jose that has fueled the speculation of Sutters imminent hiring.
2. Time for a...
[img]http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/1564/eruption5.jpg[/img]
Welcome Back!
Tonight's game is the first game that Jay Feaster will get the play against his former team the Tampa Lightning. It was in 2008 that Jay Feaster decided to resign from his position as GM of the Lightning and he will be looking for the win. As much as I wish I could say this team would be m...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts Squeeze By Flames Thanks to Dominant Second Period
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Was that offense I saw? Wow, how nice it is to see the Lightning score goals and get solid performances from a lot of key sources. It’s like my entire Christmas wish list was answered in one night. Thanks Santa! Alright, so the goals may not have been the prettiest what with all the deflections and all, but a win is a win is a win and this team will take whatever it ...
Chuck_Murphy writes...
Leafs have been excellent defensively 5-on-5 recently
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It's always amusing when the media is really eager to jump all over any negative stat out there, and at the same time ignore some positive ones. Everyone knows the Leafs penalty kill is struggling and regardless if they win, it will make headlines the next day if they allow even a single power play goal – as was the case after Tuesday’s game vs. Carolina.
What's puz...
[IMG]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRE0Z5NGiZAZvUkr5OBYCXq0LXiK7qozOMZFMj61j3NugzfJhV_-g[/IMG]
Thanks to those who have been reading my blogs the past two weeks, I am trying to help fill the void since we only have one official blogger for the Flames this year.
Due to this being an early game this will be a short blog. The Flames find themselves facing off ...
Having taken points from each of their last seven games, the Chicago Blackhawks will look to continue that success against a recently surging Calgary Flames club tonight at the United Center.
The Chicago Blackhawks come into this game with an impressive 20-8-4 overall record and 8-1-1 in their last ten games. The Calgary Flames, however, hold a mediocre 14-14-4 overall ...
vowswithin writes...
GAME DAY/WEEK IN REVIEW: Hoping to end a skid.. SUTTER SIGNS
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2009/04/13/blackhawks-flames-090205.jpg[/img]
Im baccckkkkkk
Well its been a bit of a trying week, first we saw the flames fall at the hands of the Nashville predators, then we saw the Tampa Bay Lightening and Florida Panthers both push Calgary out to only 1 point. What can we take away from this? Well the positive spin...
Last week the Wild won 4 out of 4 road games, playing some of the best hockey they have played all year. What a difference a week can make. The Wild played three games this week, including a road/home back to back against the high octane Jets in Winnipeg and then the streaking Blackhawks back in St. Paul. The week ended on Saturday when the Islanders came to town to play t...
Rob McGowan provides a quick look at how some of the Isles top prospects have been performing so far this season
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-prospect-check-12192011
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
Last nights match, although tough to bear at some points, was one of the more entertaining games I have seen from the Leafs in a while. There were a lot of positives coming out of the game, but the negatives were the same as they have been for the last few years.
I prefer ending on a good note, so let’s start with [b]the bad[/b]:
1) Not my biggest beef with the t...
vowswithin writes...
Game Day: Flames vs Wings, + The Most Awesome BULLDOG!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/390310_10150417679757293_500697292_8615052_2062699810_n.jpg[/img]
Christmas Time!
Sorry for not getting a blog up sooner as I had expected to yesterday at some point. Christmas time is here and I have plenty of shopping still left. I will be traveling to Toronto, Ottawa and Kingston (kind of like a hockey road trip)...
[img]http://www.commongrounds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/santasleigh.jpg[/img]
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Dome
Not a Player was hanging, not even Jarome.
Their equipment was hung in their lockers with care,
In hopes that Jay Feaster would manage them fair.
The players were home with their families in bed,
While thoughts of a playo...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Flyers vs. Bolts Shaping Up to be a Great Game -- Preview
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The holiday break is already over as NHL hockey starts again tonight. It’s funny how long this holiday break feels when you don’t get to see a game for a couple days. It makes me cringe when I think about a season with the possibility of no playoffs. Thank goodness the golfing is good everywhere that time of year. A little too cynical for the holiday season? All t...
Here is an update on the Islanders top prospect, Ryan Strome as he continues his strong play for Team Canada in this year's World Junior's Tournament
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/strome-looks-home-world-juniors
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
[img]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6593768465_4fc6277974_b.jpg[/img]
Christmas time
Let me start by saying Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to you all. I had a great Christmas and spent time visiting relatives all over Ontario, and stuffing my face. The best gift aside from the time with everyone? Box seats, center ice, for the Calgary versus Ottawa game! Now th...
Jerome Iginla is on the verge of getting his 500th goal both in his career and as a flame but the team is out of the playoffs and have missed for the last two years. Iggy as he has come to be known by flames fans was drafted by the Dallas Stars 11th overall in 1995 but was quickly traded to Calgary after the draft for Joe Nieuwendyk the Stars won the cup with Nieuwendyk bu...
They haven't announced the names of the 4 conferences that take affect next season. I think they should go back to the classic Adams, Norris, Smythe, and Patrick.
Or maybe something new: Gretzky, Orr, Hull, and Richard.
What say you?
I’ve been asked a few times as to where Buffalo would go with a new coach. Personally, I think there is only one answer to this, as for this season.
Ron Rolston, as interim coach, to finish the season.
One of the benefits I have is living where I can get to both Sabres and Amerks games on a regular basis. I’ve watched Rochester numerous times this season. They ...
40 games in the season the Flames sit in 12th spot in the west. What's been good so far this season. Read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2012/01/calgary-flames-mid-season-report.html
Newman
[img] http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/377538_10150453288332293_500697292_8764872_728421700_n.jpg[/img]
WJC
It's official Canada gets its rematch against Russia, but this time its not for gold. After coming through the first round of the tournament Canada won every weighted game that they played along the way. Where does this leave us? We received a bu...
vowswithin writes...
Thanks Canada for kicking me in the Nuts! + Flames vs Bruins
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xAsxoR0MHHo/TLzh204kfnI/AAAAAAAAAW0/MOq6AVQoFBQ/s1600/i.jpg[/img]
WJC
Agony! Ahh that feeling of nostalgia. It was just last year that Canada found itself in a very similar place. And yes now it is official, Canada has lost yet another WJC (anyone who isn't first is a loser so lets not talk about the bronze game). I am now starting to k...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Anderson Shines as Sens Steal Two Points from Lightning
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Heading into the game against the Ottawa Senators, fans knew it was going to be a challenge to get the win. The Sens boast some great young players with a lot of skill up front. That said, I’m not sure people expected what we saw tonight. It was the Craig Anderson show as he singlehandedly stole this game from the Tampa Bay Lightning in heartbreaking fashion. Here’...
vowswithin writes...
Calgary shits the bed, Rumors start flying! DOOM AND GLOOM!!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FsjRzf68I0s/TdOxz6uVlTI/AAAAAAAAAzM/QntEDfnHxno/s1600/elephant20shit1.jpg[/img]
With an effort last night that can only be described as "Worse that anything I have squiged out of my Ass", the Calgary Flames managed to drop their fifth game in a row last night 9-0.
I SAID NINE NOTHING!! A shut out vs nine goals.
This is disgus...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast: Bolts Downed by Habs in Montreal
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast. While that may be the tagline for CBS’s popular show, Survivor, it is also exactly what the Montreal Canadiens did to the Tampa Bay Lightning last night. That loss, giving the Bolts a record of 3-3 on my little stretch, all but puts the Lightning out of contention. Unless drastic changes are made, we aren’t going to be seeing playoff hockey...
Jarome Iginla joined the exclusive 500 goal club on Saturday night. Now, there are talks of him once again leaving town. I don't think it's going to happen though. Come over to The Checking Line to read more!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/mr-500-jarome-iginla
Newman
Here is an excerpt from my latest blog:
...Calgary needs a great goalie to be a decent club, not sure if that is an indictment of the system being played but it is safe to say that if Kipper leaves a replacement will have to be found. Irving played decent up here and won against the Canucks which made him beloved by fans but his stats are not great after that Boston gam...
vowswithin writes...
Flames vs Devils: The Devil inside me Gameday + Jarome's 500
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://screencrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/The-Last-Exorcism-The-Wall-Crawler-27-8-10-kc.jpg[/img]
Yesterday The Boston Bruin's Brad Marchand received a 5 game suspension for his hit on Sammy Salo. Finally a few of the bad hits that the Bruins make (like 2 out of 1000) are being called. Sure this is great and makes us feel a little bette...
The Habs got Mike Cammalleri's huge contract off the books on Thursday. The Habs traded Cammy, along with Karri Ramo, who is playing in the KHL, and a 5th round pick to the Calgary Flames for forward Rene Bourque, prospect Patrick Holland, and a 2nd round pick in 2013.
It is interesting to note that this trade happened a little more than 24 hours after he made critical...
[b]Pregame:[/b]
Toronto is about to step into HSBC Arena for the 2nd time this week. There is no doubt in my mind that Buffalo is going to be craving for a win against the Leafs considering the recent slide they have seen in the standings and the fact that the team they used to be able to write off as a win in their schedule, has finally started showing up to play.
...
RyanZabizewski writes...
Montreal Trades Disgruntled Cammalleri For slouching Bourque
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Last night the Habs(16-20-7) lost 2-1 to the Bruins(28-11-1) but that wasn't the main story. less than 24 hours after Mike Cammalleri called the team a bunch of "Losers" he was nowhere to be seen in the 3rd period, the commentators thought he might have been injured. Then tweets from Dave stubbs, Mckenzie, Duthie said possibility that Cammalleri could have been traded.
...
I know this is an old subject, however I have not had the chance to post this as of yet. So here it is.
This is my tribute to one of the best captains, and most talented players in NHL history.
To start off, I’d like to say congratulations to Jarome Iginla, for scoring his 500th goal – a feat performed by only 42 other NHL players. It may not have been the prett...
Over the past few weeks, I've received numerous tweets and emails asking me the same question. "What should Calgary do" and "Should Iginla be traded". This is not an easy question to answer, and therefore I have decided to write about it. The organization will be analyzed as a whole, and I'll give MY opinions on what the Flames' should do.
I think that for the best inte...
The Flames put in a valiant effort tonight against the Sharks but came up just short. Lots of positives to take out of tonight though.
So why don't you head on over to The Checking Line- West to read more! A brand new sub site to The Checking Line that will be your go to for Flames, Oilers, Canucks, and Jets news! Come check it out!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/b...
vowswithin writes...
Flames vs Kings Gameday: + Picture of Halls leather face!!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://nationalpostsports.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/0119hall.jpg[/img]
Taylor Hall was Injured in practice the other night and ended up taking a bunch of stitches. He is out for a few days at least but luckily didn't loose an eye. Scary injury that turned out as good at you can hope. Wishing him a quick recovery!
As you may or may not know the Calgary flames...
After coming out of LA and San Jose with 3 out of 4 points, and taking both games to a shootout, I've come to realize that Feaster does not deserve all of this criticism he is receiving. Feaster and the Flames have impressed me this year.They've battled through adversity, and have showed that the Flames' organization does infact have some NHL-ready prospects.
After the ...
The Flames' get out shot 32-25 against the surging Los Angeles Kings, and again can't score, however the overall game was a solid performance by Calgary. Here are some notes on last nights' game, as well as some others leading up to tomorrows' game against Edmonton.
- Jarome Iginla was a beast last night. Scoring a Powerplay goal, and coming in 2nd on the team for total...
vowswithin writes...
This is for you Oilers! Gameday: The battle of Albeta
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[img]http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/396165_10150496555357293_500697292_8929549_435481295_n.jpg[/img]
When asked to comment on his feelings towards the Oilers, Sullivan felt actions spoke louder then words! This one is dedicated to All Mighty Oil, who I promised I would post more pictures of my dog for.
Why don't we talk about injuries?
Oiler fans...
It's always nice to beat the crap out of the Oilers, and the Flames have done it a lot lately. Come over to The Checking Line -West to get a full run down of the game and where the Flames go from here. Check it out!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/flames-pound-oilersagain
Newman
Well there's another one in the books folks. The Calgary Flames' defeat the young and vibrant Edmonton Oilers, 6 - 2 in what did not look like a 'Battle of Alberta'. Although the shots (23-23) would indicate a fair game, it was far from it.
[b]A few things from the game to note:[/b]
- Lee Stempniak was a monster, scoring 3 G, adding 1 A for a total of 4 points. He a...
The Blues are going to have to cherish their break. Only one guy is going to the All Star Game and that's the "backup" goaler. Everyone else gets to play around, rest up, get healthy, and refocus for the second half of the year. If it was me, I'd be spending some time on my couch....because that couch is going to be lonely the rest of the season. February is pretty spl...
[b]It's NIEMI time!![/b]
What else can I say. Niemi put on a show during the game. Stopping Tanguay on a breakway not once, but twice - along with many other stellar saves. Don't take anything away from Kipper, as he played extremely well too. It was a battle of the goaltenders.
The first two periods of the game were rather equal and quite boring. The third period, ...
The Flames head into the break with the exact same record through 50 games as last season. We all know what happened there. But will this year be any different? Come over to TCL-West and find out!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/flames-shut-out-sharks
Newman
vowswithin writes...
BMO to the Hawks, could this be the first in a series?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[code][ # Comments]
[/code]
Brendan Morrison was just traded to the Chicago BlackHawks for prospect Brian Connelly who is a 5'10 and scored 52 points over the last 80 games. Morrison was a UFA this year and was not going to be resigned. With the number of forwards we have this was the best move since it gives him a chance to win a cup this year. One can only wonder if t...
RyanHolmerB writes...
Morrison to Chicago...Who is this Connelly kid anyways?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Morrison was traded tonight to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Brian Connelly, a name that surely no one has heard of.
After doing some research, and watching some footage, this Connelly kid is quite impressive. At only 5'10, he may not be as intimidating as some defensemen, however with 52 points in 80 games last season, and a AHL All-Star, who according to some...
While Garth is boo-hooing that Pominville was taken too late in the fantasy draft, the rest of us are getting ready for the “game” known as the NHL All-Star Game.
Now, I’m not upset that Buffalo is under represented. There’s not really anyone from Buffalo who deserve to be in the game. Thomas Vanek is the only other Sabre that I could argue should be in the gam...
Have you ever wondered what it is like behind the scenes in the NHL? What would it be like to meet and interview the biggest stars in the NHL? I recently had the chance to find out as I had access to the NHL All-Star media event at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa during the All-Star weekend. Here is an account of my experiences with the biggest names in the NHL.
As I walked ...
RyanZabizewski writes...
After Game Blog Jan 31 Buffalo vs Montreal Update 11:39
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The "Habs" lost 3-1 to Buffalo Tuesday night. So do you want the bad news or the good news? How about both...
[b]Good News[/b]
Now it's hard for anything good coming out of that game but there was a couple things I liked.
[u]Carey Price [/u]
Played amazing tonight making 37 saves on 39 shots but once again overpaid players who can't score and lack of effort made us...
RyanHolmerB writes...
Flame's Lose a Tough one to Detroit : Post-Game Notes
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Flames' struggles for offensive production continued tonight, as they lost 3 - 1 to the Detroit Red Wings. A common theme since the beginning of the season, and for the past few seasons at that. The dump-and-chase system that Calgary has so long employed is stagnant, and has clearly not produced results.
Detroit outplayed Calgary in the first, and was up 1 - 0 headi...
The goal scoring issue is coming to boiling point and the Flames, more then ever, need to start scoring or they can kiss those playoff pipe dreams good bye. Check out the re-cap at TCL-West!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/wings-dispose-flames
Newman
[img]http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/dEhP1eNtUUhJ8RlJ.v25Ow--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnhlexperts/GRABBBBBBs.jpg[/img]
As you might know I decided to get twitter, and its proved to be lots of fun.
Follow me @vowswithinhb
[i]#Update: Well looks like Stempniak will be out for 6 week now,
+ Kolanos will wear #8 for the ...
When will the losing in this stupid city end? They had their chances to end the 13 game losing streak in Anaheim but once again lost to the Ducks. Make it 14 and counting. They needed the points...
Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/flames-dont-disneyland
Newman
There are not many words to describe the frustration that last nights game brought upon me. I've been one of the biggest advocates of not only Feaster, but Sutter. I've defended them countless times. The game in Anaheim was the tipping point for me.
Although Calgary did come back and tie it - it was one of the worst games I've seen them play in a long time. With the exc...
The Detroit Red Wings will head into this weekend with the home win streak of 18 games and the NHL home win record of 20 consecutive games on the line. The current record of 20 consecutive home wins is held by the 1929-30 Boson Bruins and the 1976 Philadelphia Flyers. The record would be a wonderful thing but the Wings may have bigger fish to fry.
By bigger fish, I mean...
The debate rages on about who the greatest NHL defenseman of all time may be. Names like Paul Coffey, Raymond Bourque, and Chris Chelios come to mind. These were all great players in their own right, but the conversation always seems to boil down to two elite players, Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom.
This season Nicklas Lidstrom will move post Alex Delvecchio for tenth o...
The debate rages on about who the greatest NHL defenseman of all time may be. Names like Paul Coffey, Raymond Bourque, and Chris Chelios come to mind. These were all great players in their own right, but the conversation always seems to boil down to two elite players, Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom.
This season Nicklas Lidstrom will move post Alex Delvecchio for tenth o...
The debate rages on about who the greatest NHL defenseman of all time may be. Names like Paul Coffey, Raymond Bourque, and Chris Chelios come to mind. These were all great players in their own right, but the conversation always seems to boil down to two elite players, Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom.
This season Nicklas Lidstrom will move post Alex Delvecchio for tenth o...
Jokinen's time with the Flames has been strange to say the least. With his contract set to expire at season's end, I look at how we got here and what to do with the Flames number one center.
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/olli-olli-oxen-free
Newman
The Detroit Red Wings made history on Tuesday Feb. 14 by winning 21 home games in a row and breaking the NHL record for most consecutive home wins in a single season.
The talking heads are already downplaying the Wings’ accomplishment by pointing out that winning 21 consecutive home games is much easier in today’s NHL because after the NHL lockout the league went t...
The Detroit Red Wings made history on Tuesday Feb. 14 by winning 21 home games in a row and breaking the NHL record for most consecutive home wins in a single season.
The talking heads are already downplaying the Wings’ accomplishment by pointing out that winning 21 consecutive home games is much easier in today’s NHL because after the NHL lockout the league went t...
A huge late goal by Cammalleri last night earned the Flames a much needed point. Come to TCL-West to read more:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/cammalleri-ties-it-late-flames-get-point
Newman
The Flames moved into a playoff spot in Saturday for the first time all season with a 1-0 shutout win. Kipper continues to play out of his mind but the PP is all of a sudden stuck in neutral. What gives? Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/flames-playoff-spot-pp-struggling
Newman
Canadiens' fans worldwide hang and hide their heads in shame as the [i]Circ du Gauthier[/i] continues to embaress our proud organization. There is no doubt that the bottom has dropped out of whatever plan and rebuild Andre Savard had started and we have in fact returned to the days of Houle the Fool and Mario Trembley blindly leading the team through a mine field.
Once...
The Maple Leafs have done a complete 180 degree turn from their usually post lockout performances and that is not a good thing Leafs Nation. The club has gone 4-6-2 since the all star game and an even worse 1-6-1 in their past 8 and as February 24/12 comes around the club looks like they will be sitting in a familiar spot post lockout..... out of a playoff spot.
The clu...
Something that seems lacking in this day and age is accountability. Maybe because it is getting harder and harder to make a buck. The average Joe does his perceived best day in and day out with the odd mistake along the way. Dinging the car beside him...oh, they won't notice. Missing the trash can...the cleaner will get that. They gave me back too much change...that b...
It has come that time of year when everything thinks they can fool the (twitter) world by taking on the persona of different management types. Director of Player Personnel, General Manager, heck even Equipment Manager from time to time show up throughout twitter. But my real question to everyone is this: Do you actually believe what these fakers say? Let's take for example...
The Flames lost their third straight game on Saturday night and second straight in a shootout. What should they do before the trade deadline hits? Should they do anything? Come on over to TCL-West to debate!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/flames-lose-third-straight-trade-deadline-looms
What the hell was that? The Flames looked terrible tonight against a much better Blues team. Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/flames-sing-blues
Newman
The answer is: only the GMs truly know.
I hear a bunch of media people saying, "Oh they're going to get a better deal during the summer" because their answer to everything is "wait and develop", yet I can name a whole bunch of summer deals that didn't pan out for the teams this year, LA and CBJ getting the Philly players within the hour last summer both turned out terri...
"...There is a faction that say as soon as something goes wrong the crazies come out and talk about trading Iginla or Kipper. I respond, why is it crazy when the same club, with the same players, goes through the exact same thing every year and never wins? Why is that crazy? Sutter is historically a coach that either misses the playoffs or goes out in the first round. Tha...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Ready to Take on Senators in Key Tilt on Tuesday
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Eastern Conference standings are so tight right now; a win, tomorrow against the Ottawa Senators, is a must. At the time of writing, the Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets had not dropped the puck in their incredibly important tilt. With a Jets loss today and a Lightning win tomorrow, the Bolts would be sitting in 8th spot. That's right folks, barring the outcome of t...
" ... This summer is shaping up to be a very busy one for the Flames organization.
Should the Flames not make the playoffs as expected then it certainly seems likely that Brent Sutter will be fired, this will be more about his results than his ability. It should be noted that in my opinion no coach will be successful in Calgary until the entire culture of the organizat...
I went with my fiancé last night to take in an Amerks game. Luckily, since the Sabres are now re-affiliated with the Amerks, I can talk her into going a lot more. Buffalo’s farm team is playing very well at the moment, and right now in the middle of a playoff race in the AHL, in case you're not following the Amerks closely. If the playoffs started today, the Amerks are ...
Matt Stajan provided the heroics for the Flames 4:20 into overtime to give them a 3-2 win over the visiting Sharks. It was the team's fourth win in a row, there longest winning streak since December. Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/ragin-stajan-flames-sink-sharks-ot
Newman
[b]Follow me on Twitter for prospects news, analysis and Calgary Flames updates @RyanHB
[/b]
In this edition of my blog, I will look at a Calgary Flames' prospect, in Michael Ferland.
Over the past couple of years I've been watching Ferland play, and develop into the player he is today. I will go over his strengths, weaknesses and projected placement- in a precursor ...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Jay Feaster's hands were tied.
The Flames General Manager tried every possible angle to get defenceman Tim Erixon inked to an entry-level deal but as the 5:00 PM ET deadline crept closer, it became apparent there was nothing he could do to convince the 20 year-old to sign on.
If no deal was able to be made, Erixon would be put back into the NHL Entry Draft this mont...
Quick hit here on my end...
I spent tonight in Rochester watching the Amerks, and plan on having an update on them by the end of the weekend. I'm also going to do a recap of tomorrow nights game against the Wild on Sunday.
That being said, tomorrow night, I will be in Buffalo hopefully watching Buffalo squeeze into 8th place (and maybe even tie Ottawa with points)....
The Calgary Flames lost their fifth game in a row on Saturday afternoon in Dallas 4-1.
The season is all but over.
What's the problem though and why did they go on this slide?
In my opinion, it's a losing mentality that's ingrained in the dressing room starting with the coach.
Read more here: http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames...
Wild weekend of hockey for me the past 2 days. I spent Friday night in Rochester with my family taking in the Amerks vs Binghamton game. Saturday, my fiance and I ventured off to Buffalo for the Sabres vs Wild game, as Buffalo makes a push for the playoffs.
[b] Rochester Amerks [/b]
The Amerks are still looking like a solid squad. They may not have won on Friday nig...
Last June I wrote the following blog about realignment. In it I included some comments concerning the Coyotes and a move to Quebec. I thought I would re-post it now because it seems that it's relevant given the news about the new arena being built in Quebec....and I think only 4 people read the original posting of it...
__________________________________________________...
Three seasons with nothing to show for it. Is Brent Sutter's time in Calgary over? I think so. Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/brent-sutter-bell-tolls
Newman
"... So we start with the overall questions, What’s next? After three seasons of no playoff hockey the Flames fans are mad. We all remember the season after season futility and it seems like those scars are now being opened. The 04 run is now long gone and all good will it generated is depleted. After so long losing there has to be a major shift in culture with the Flame...
What would Calgary want? A first round draft pick would be the obvious starting point, what else that would be added to any potential trade would be totally up in the air. So in assuming that the Flames asking price is starting with a first, anything less would be not worth moving him, who’s first is most attractive? Obviously Edmonton’s but there is no way on both sid...
The Penguins and Flyers are old adversaries.
Over the last couple of years, the battle had seemed to simmer down.
This season, the rivalry has been renewed.
When the Flyers took two players into their fold that have special places in the history of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup winning teams: Jaromir Jagr and Max Talbot – you could almost feel the hand of fate as ...
The overtime loss the Penguins endured to the Flyers last night is painful to think about.
When your team leads 3-0, after one period, you EXPECT them to win.
Even after giving the necessary consideration to the way the Flyers have previously battled back from 2-0 deficits to the Penguins this season, the first period lead seemed like something the Penguins couldn’...
The predictable parting of ways between the Calgary Flames and Brent Sutter happened today. Three years of playoff-less hockey and a team in desperate need of a new identity eventually sunk Sutter. So who's next? Come join the discussion:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/brent-sutter-and-flames-part-ways
Newman
The history of NHL playoff series will tell you that being down 1-0 is not as catastrophic as most people on the losing end of the first game feel it is.
In fact, when the home team loses the first game of series, their chances of winning the series only drop about 4%.
But by the time the second game is concluded, if you haven't earned a tie in the series, your chanc...
Waking up today and realizing that last night's 8-5 loss to the Flyers was NOT just a bad dream is enough to ruin your morning.
Realizing that the loss has your favorite team down 2-0 in the best of 7 series is enough to ruin your day.
Understanding that the team needs to win Sunday - or they will be facing an insurmountable 3 games to ZERO series deficit - is enough...
Nascar........... I cold not care even a little but about... but car crashed.... OOOHHH... let let at my PVR.
This is a time honoured sentiment. Violence, usually mindless, will get our attention faster than a hole in one, an honest QB sack and even that most exciting play in hockey.... the.... the... what was it again? Penalty Shot?
So my point is: How do Ame...
A Google search for the word ‘unraveled‘ shows definition number two as:
Become undone.
While the post game interviews from the Penguins locker room had guys talking about commitment to the team and each other, what happened on the ice sure looked a lot more like a team that has ‘become undone’.
While it may be surprising to some that this team faces elimina...
Four games into the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals match-up between the Penguins and Flyers -- and [b]just about anybody that thought they had a clue how this series would turn out is simply at a loss for a reasonable explanation to what we have seen so far.[/b]
Each game has been it's own little anomaly.
Going into Wednesday night's 'do or die game' for the Pengu...
Vokoun is no longer welcome in Washington. Not because of his play (which has actually been just as excellent as his time in Florida), but simply because it's a numbers game. It should be pretty clear to everyone in the hockey world that Vokoun took a large salary cut to play for a potential cup-winning team instead of sticking it out with his bottom of the heap Florida Pa...
there hasn't been a flames blog in awhile beside the vancouver blogger. So i decided to take a chance and voice my opinion on the change Calgary should do.
Its time to do something in calgary because it has not work for the past five seasons. Calgary has two big asset in captain Jarome Iginla and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.
Kipper would be easier to trade because there ...
Today, Jay Feaster announced the signing of the 26 year old Czech centre Roman Cervenka to a a 1-year contract worth US$3,775,000 including bonuses. The deal had been in place since Thursday, however Cervenka's contract ended on Monday.
Roman Cervenka recently led his team in points, registering 11 goals and 11 assist in 20 KHL playoff games. He is described as having...
saneopinion writes...
All things Flames, Draft, Cervanka, UFA's, Kipper/Iggy
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
.... You read it here first: Iginla and Kipper will start the season in Calgary.
A few more crystal ball gazing ideas come to you when you absorb this information.
The first being that Olli Jokinen will probably be re-signed. I know this flies in the face of what Eric Francis thinks but there are a few factors here to consider when discussing Jokinen. He was the be...
For my first crack at blog writing in some time, I thought I would simply put together a list of my thoughts on the Leafs.
1. Nazem Kadri is in no way the bargaining piece Brian Burke would have us believe he is, nor is he the super star the Leafs need. In fact, I would argue that if he does not piece together the defence side of his game soon - and that includes limiti...
What excitement! At least from my perspective, this was a successful draft day for the Leafs. Not because of the picks, but because no stupid moves were made in order to "upgrade" the team.
Being able to hear Burke actually draft [b]Morgan Reilly[/b] was a relief. I was worried the pick may be traded before hand, as Burke likes to make bold and drastic moves like that....
B_Chapman writes...
Coach Glen Gulutzan: Will He Learn From His Mistakes?
Posted Sunday | Comments 8
[b]When you look back at the 2011-2012 season and try to grade the team and its coach, one thing is easy to pick up on. They missed the playoffs. It is easy to say, “Well, he did great for a while, so obviously he has what it takes to coach in the NHL, right?”[/b]
Yes, you have to assume that because he was able to get his team playing first-place lights out hocke...
Many of you flames fans out there including myself, are feeling very weary about managements goals that are said and un-said. Jay is a great hockey man, and may or may not have drafted the next Nieuwendyk, we'll just have to wait. Now clearly stuff needs to happen before on and after July first, beginning with the trade of failure Jay Bouwmeester. Jay hasn't even come clos...
Many of you flames fans out there including myself, are feeling very weary about managements goals that are said and un-said. Jay is a great hockey man, and may or may not have drafted the next Nieuwendyk, we'll just have to wait. Now clearly stuff needs to happen before on and after July first, beginning with the trade of failure Jay Bouwmeester. Jay hasn't even come clos...
As usual, Fred Shero was not voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
I certainly am not surprised by this since I don't think they'll ever enshrine Fred into the Hall of Fame. I heard there are some people highly opposed to his enshrinement.
I guess it has to do with the whole "Broad Street Bullies" era of the Flyers. I was a small kid at the time and don't remember a l...
“We want the cup” rained down on the Madison Square Garden ice for the final ten minutes of game seven of the Eastern Conference semi finals.
Roman Hamrlik would steal Henrik Lundqvist’s shut out, but while eager fans were hanging on the edge of their section trying not to fall from anticipation, Dennis Wideman was parked on the bench.
Playing a season-low 15:1...
You guys are hilarious. The page I was banned on had two posters calling each other idiots and retards, but I got banned for saying lol @ Flames.
lol @ you.
You guys are hilarious. The page I was banned on had two posters calling each other idiots and retards, but I got banned for saying lol @ Flames.
lol @ you.
rgreco40 writes...
Flames Bring Back Sarich Refusing to Admit the Need to Rebui
Posted Friday | Comments 4
Flames Bring Back Sarich Refusing to Admit the Need to Rebuild
Cory Sarich agreed to a two-year, two million dollar contract to return to the Calgary Flames this morning.
Bringing Sarich back puts some more size at the blue line, but it shows Calgary’s lack of commitment to rebuilding.
They lost prized Swedish defender Tim Erixon to the Rangers in the Scott Gome...
[b]The Stars were one of the few teams that made some moves on day one of free agency. While the Avalenche in my mind not only made the most noise but also made the best moves, the Stars in my summation didn’t do so bad themselves. Let’s take a look at each of the two players they picked up in short order. Starting with the least important piece…[/b]
Aaron Rome is...
Well, I have not posted an article/blog on this site for a while, and am returning. I figured why not return by answering a short question/answer forum.
I asked people via twitter to send in some questions, and I will answer here.
@ChrisBowenYYC asks: "What do you think the make up of the blue line will be come opening night"
- Well its tough to tell right now. Jay ...
[img]http://dildeepsingh.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/backlund.jpg[/img]
As it was just announced several minutes ago that Mikael Backlund has signed a 1 year 1-way contract with the Flames with a Cap hit of $725,000. This is even less then Roman Horak, T.J Brodie and Derek Smith will make this year.
Backlund is nothing but upside at the age of 23, despite his injury...
RyanHolmerB writes...
Flames' Sign Backlund - Opportunity to Prove Himself
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Today, Mikael Backlund was signed to a one-year, one-way deal worth $725,000. Up until yesterday, negotiations had gone nowhere. JP Barry, Backlunds' agent told me "We have not yet made any progress". Just a few hours later, I get a text from him "Progress is being made".
When I checked with him this morning, he said a one-year deal is on the table, ready to be accepte...
[img]http://img.deniksport.cz/img/2/article/416977_sport-hokej-extraliga-slavia-sparta-cervenka-crop-crop-crop.jpg[/img]
There has been a lot of talk about Roman Cervenka and questions as to what he was offered in his contract and what it actually means to the team and cap in real world dollars. The following is my attempt to explain and debunk it.
Roman Cervenka w...
I find it funny how people are saying that Habs gm Marc Bergevin didn`t do enough on Free Agent Frenzy Canada Day July, 1 2012. Bergevin addressed the need of "team guys" and "gritty players" by adding Colby Armstrong, Francis Bouillon and Brandon Prust. Let`s look at what else Bergevin has done since being hired.
A list of hirings by Bergevin since taking office : ...
Scoutski writes...
Calgary Flames: Burning Bright or Being Snuffed Out? (1/7)
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Jay Feaster has come under heavy scrutiny since taking over as “acting” general manager of the Calgary Flames on December 28th 2010, however questions of his direction and lack of stated strategy have fans feeling confused and unsure of where the Flames are headed. The major question then is “Are things getting better or worse for the Calgary Flames hockey club?”.
...
Once an offer sheet is laid out by a team all of the other team’s fans start to wonder why their team is not doing it.
Jamie Benn, Suban, or however you want to talk about are not going to be let go via offer sheet, it’s very rare. If they do get the sheet they don’t move very often, most clubs will match and trade later when they can control the return.
So are...
I'm an American. I like to consider myself more liberal than most of my countrymen. But, I also recognize that there are going to be people that disagree with me about my social and political beliefs. I just want to go on record and say that I believe this is a good thing. We need contention in society, or else nothing can be addressed and improved or fixed.
Along those...
Ice_Hawk writes...
The Flames Direction: Maligned by Many, Understood by Few.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Yes indeed, it was yet another 'dollar short and day late' season for the Flames after missing the playoffs by a mere three wins. The casual observer and even some knowledgeable fans and media members have concluded the Flames’ owners are ‘crazy’ wanting to forego an all-out rebuild keeping their goaltender and captain and the 2012-2013 season will just be more of th...
First of all I would like to respond to the posters who commented on my last blog. I tried to use the comments section but my posts showed up blank.
Hi guys, thanks for taking the time to read and comment on my blog.
@HopintheCordoba. Yeah, that pick caught a lot of people off guard including me. Even though ISS/CS etc. had Jankowski rated lower, Craig Button had hi...
Feaster’s first player acquisition as acting GM was underwhelming and perhaps a token move to show he wanted to bolster the lineup without giving up much. With the Flames’ season winding down and a playoff spot looking less likely with each passing game, Feaster added a ‘broken down’ Fredrik Modin, giving up a seventh round pick at the deadline in 2011. Modin had l...
I am taking a departure from my in depth analysis of Jay Feaster’s first two seasons as the Flames' GM to comment on statistical analysis in hockey. Specifically as it pertains to the Calgary Flames.
The reason I am doing this is because I read a post on another site maligning the Wideman signing quoting (so-called) experts who called the Wideman signing the worst UFA...
In Jay Feaster’s second off-season, he was forced to eat a bit of humble pie when his pre-season guarantee of making the playoffs blew up in his face and the Flames missed out by just six points in an eerily similar fashion to the previous year.
The first dilemma facing the GM was whether or not to re-sign Brent Sutter. To me it was a no-brainer. Sutter may be a good ...
This is my last installment on the examination of Jay Feaster’s tenure as Flames GM. I hope the series has been interesting, informative, entertaining or some combination of the three.
To wind things up I would like to look at the Flames 2012 draft selections. Although Feaster has minimal involvement with assembling the scouting list, it is a product of the scouting s...
Although things could change, the current state of CBA negotiations is pointing to yet another lockout. If so, this would be a natural hat-trick.
Since the NHL owners slotted hired-gun Gary Bettman as their commish, the mood of player/ownership negotiations has gone from somewhat amicable to downright confrontational and even combative at times.
The financial state ...
In the minds of many it seems a foregone conclusion that the Flames will miss the playoffs again if there is a 2012-2013 season. The reasons range from ‘lack of scoring’ to ‘an aging core’ to ‘the Flames will suck until they rebuild’ and pretty much everything in between.
Not so fast. Until the season begins it is impossible to accurately assess a team’s c...
andydrmm writes...
Who's Playing Overseas? Who Were We Supposed to Play Tonight
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
’m reading a lot of stuff regarding how a lot of NHL players are heading across the Atlantic to play hockey this year. That’s great. No, I’m not being sarcastic. I think if the guys have a chance to play, go for it.
Why should we get so excited about it though?
All the players going overseas says 1 thing, and 1 thing only to me.
Get ready for a nice, long, l...
Bettman is oft’ made out to be the bane of the NHL’s existence by some, and by others excused for simply trying to fulfill the owner’s mandate of selling the game in the U.S. market, ending labor unrest, completing expansion plans, and modernizing the views within the ownership groups.
[b]Let’s look at the body of work of Mr. Bettman.[/b]
Since the diminutiv...
andydrmm writes...
Amerks 6- Crunch 5 Season Opener from Blue Cross Arena
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
After a little traffic delay on the I-490, my wife and I have made it home from the Amerks season opener vs the Syracuse Crunch. Needless to say, it was a great game, but there are a lot of concerns regarding the Amerks.
Due to the high amount of traffic coming to the arena (Thanks Gary, thanks for the lock out), we missed the first 3 minutes of the game. Corey Tropp st...
There’s a lot of buzz right now about there being a deal on the table between the NHL and NHLPA. I’ll believe it when they announce “There’s a deal we both agree on, and that we’re starting the season on _______ date.” For now, I’ll leave the speculation to everyone else, and write about something different (as well as a quick hit on Corey Tropp).
I’m no...
If forced to describe Theoren Fleury in one sentence during his NHL career, one would likely use the words troubled, conflicted, gifted and of course, mouthy. Most fans, journalists, fellow players and management couldn't stand Theoren Fleury, particularly Rangers and Blackhawks fans/brass. But one has to wonder, if we knew about Fleury's problems then, would many still de...
After this weeks great negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA, I needed another hockey fix. My wife and I ventured up to Blue Cross Arena to watch the Amerks try to snap their 2 game losing streak against the winless Griffins of Grand Rapids.
I was really glad that throughout the night, I saw the Amerk’s defense join the rush. There was great awareness to recognize w...
First of all I would like to clarify that I was pro-ownership last lockout. Owners had bumped up salaries to the point the league’s finances were in rough shape. However, it was basically a few ownership groups who were driving the pay-escalation, and it was difficult to indict the group as a whole.
Some owners had been victims themselves and had come out and criticiz...
I'm starting to wonder if the NHLPA resents that the NHL had a plan for a full 82 game schedule with a pretty good offer on the table.
In our culture, we seem to have this problem and resentment towards other people trying to make our decisions easier for us for our own good, even if the agenda isn't always pure. Unfortunately, when we start thinking that the helping h...
I took the day off to day because I had a doctor’s appointment this morning. Plus, I didn’t want to go back to work afterwards. My wife and I then began to develop a plan for the day. We knew that the day would end at the Amerks game as they took on the Hamilton Bulldogs. It was another big adventure in Rochester at Blue Cross Arena.
The Amerks went on the power pl...
Last weekend, my wife and I decided to go to tonight’s Amerks game with my parents. We decided that we were going to try to go and reap the benefit of tonight’s Salute the Troops night (my dad is a former Marine).
The following, is the events that transpired in Rochester, NY, at Blue Cross Arena.
We decided to park a few blocks away due the heavy flow of traffi...
I was planning on coming home from work, quickly changing, and hopping on the I-90 to head to Rochester for the Amerks vs Heat game. So why am I writing this? My wife is feeling under the weather, and I’m taking care of her. In the end, that’s way more important than a hockey game. My back up plan? Watch the game on Time Warner Sports Network. Downside with that, they�...
Ask and you shall receive, unless you are an NHL fan. Don’t pout yet hockey fans thanks to the wonderful time that is the World Junior Championship. A time, when the entire nation will hold its breath to watch a bunch of teenagers try and accomplish their Junior Hockey goal. As beautiful as this sounds it has not been enjoyable watching the red maple leaf on the ice ever...
I normally write a lot more. I just have been having a real difficult time coming up with topics right now due to there not being NHL games. A lot of the topics that I’m ready to dive into, I’d rather write about during the season. Plus, there’s real examples there to use, instead of just going back to the past.
It’s tough to write when there’s a lockout goin...
I believe that there is a deal and the owners are not ready to accept it. The owners plan throughout the hole prosses was to cancel as many games as possible. Why do i say this while its simple if the NHL plays at least 60 games they get 100% of the money from there sponsers 41 games or less is 50% that means if the NHL plays 42 games then the NHL gets 75% and ...
It’s Friday night, I’m at home watching... nothing. Well that’s not true. My wife is playing a Wii game while I sit here with a beer typing my blog. I’m reminded once again of the fact that there’s not NHL hockey on my TV, and the pain that it brings hockey fans.
I’m seriously concerned of the long term impacts that it looks like this lockout will have. I�...
The firing of Brian Burke in Toronto should serve as a clarion call to other executives and coaches in the NHL, alerting them to the fact that the natives are restless. As bizarre as the timing of the Leafs removing Burke is, it only serves to reinforce the heightened sense of urgency that many franchises have, not just the Maple Leafs. However, in the case of the Leafs, t...
So now that the season is finally about to get underway, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what the Flyers lines will or should look like. I see Line 1 with Hartnell, Giroux and Voracek because I think they will produce a lot of points in scoring but will balance it out well with some good fights and some quality time in the box. For Line 2 I personally would like t...
How is it that there could be a player making so much money that he couldn’t play in the NHL, and needed to be sent to the minors, and at the same time there could be a player making so much money, that he couldn’t be sent to the minors, and needed to play in the NHL? Well, that’s essentially the description of the more than slightly odd circumstances that Wade Redde...
I started my day off in Rochester at Blue Cross Arena to take in a Martin Luther King day matinee. The Amerks took on the Hamilton Bulldogs and while it wasn’t perfect, they walked away with a 6-3 win.
While the game was entertaining, most of the highlights were in the first period. On the first shot of the game by Kevin Sundher, the Amerks had a 1-0 lead only 13 sec...
Columbus should consider themselves very fortunate to leave Monday night’s home opener with even a point. If not for the stellar performance of Bobrovsky (again) the Wings might have won by three or four goals. But thanks to Bob and some timely PP goals the Jackets were in position to come away with the win and two points in the standings before poor defensive coverage, ...
TheKingsGarden writes...
JVR Nets a Pair as Leafs Spoil Home Opener for Penguins
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Maple Leafs Game Recap
1/23 Maple Leafs 5 @ Penguins 2
Make that a second straight road win for the Maple Leafs, both spoiling the opening night festivities in Montreal and now in Pittsburgh.
As I wrote in my first Maple Leaf entry the other night against Buffalo, many questions will be answered in this shortened 48-game schedule. Tonight, was one game for example,...
Where is the sharks blogger on this?
I like this signing as Gomez will fit on the 3rd line well and for the price (rumored 750K I think) its a good 1 year gamble. I have not seen much of his play as he was back east but his numbers are not bad and I don't see anyone else out there that can add to the sharks as much as Gomez can for this price.
TheKingsGarden writes...
Leafs Getting Softer; New York "Out-Muscles" Toronto
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Maple Leafs Recap:
1/26 @ New York Rangers
I am not going to beat a dead horse from Thursday's game against the Islanders. I didn't get to see much of the game, but saw enough as Scrivens allowed several more easy goals between the legs. Toronto had built a 3-1 lead all to be completely destroyed due to a spotty defensive effort and poor, inexperienced goaltending.
...
The leafs really showed some character last night. they looked as though they were going to give in about halfway through the second period, but they managed to take complete control in the third and won a decisive victory.
The young guns are firing on all cylinders as the goals were scored by; JVR, Kulemin and matt Frattin iced the game again for the leafs. I reall...
I was amazed at Buffalo’s win on Thursday night against the Bruins. I would have written sooner, but I was about ready to fall asleep after I watched it, so I went to sleep. I won’t focus on that game, lets just leave it at that Buffalo beat the Bruins, and picked up 2 much needed points.
What I’d rather do is take a look at the use of Grigorenko and Brennan in B...
#1. The Bryzgalov everyone in Philadelphia expected back in June 2011 seems to have finally surfaced and is putting up solid numbers so far this season (2.27 GAA, .921 SV%). It has been 9 games since Bryz has let more than 3 past him and he has been more solid than the Flyers 5-6-1 record would indicate. On the other side of the ice the James Reimer that Toronto fans saw a...
[b]February 10, 2013[/b]
[i]Maple Leafs 5, Flyers 2; Kings 4 @ Blues 1[/i]
What can I say, the Maple Leafs are on fire right now! And the Kings actually looked like a championship caliber team.
First, let's begin with the Kings who needed a good performance after yesterday's killer defeat.
Darryl Sutter finally played Jonathan Bernier, who helped give incumben...
I’ve felt for awhile that there’s something missing this season. Normally, our home feels very tense come game day. I’m ready for the games, edge of my seat, and pumped up when the game starts. Once the game starts, generally there’s a lot of cheering for when Buffalo scores, and a lot of profanity for the rest of the game.
As I watch the Sabres games this year...
Recently Edmonton’s Arena deal moved forward finally after long and bitter negotiations between the Katz group and The City. The final deal ends up being that the city will get roughly 4 Million a year from the club, which is about double what the currently pay. The total amount of the project is going to be in the vicinity of 600 million dollars, a hefty sum no doubt, a...
[img]http://blog.nj.com/devils_main/2009/03/medium_kip310.jpg[/img]
It has been a scorching rumour and topic in Calgary for the past year or so now in Calgary- What should the Flames do with Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff? As per Capgeek.com, the Flames have five UFA’s and four RFA’s this upcoming off-season. There’s no secret that the Flames are a team cons...
I'm by no means the first person to mention that the Flames would do well to offer sheet O'Reilly and give up their 1st and 3rd for him. This is not a unique idea and the good guys over at Flames Nation have already laid out why it is such a good idea here:[url]http://flamesnation.ca/2013/1/15/outside-the-box-sign-ryan-oreilly-to-an-offer-sheet[/url]
Before I continue i...
[b]The NHL's New Realignment Plan[/b]
Otherwise known as, getting the Winnipeg Jets into the appropriate division and conference!
As of right now the NHL has the following plan to divide the league into four conferences, thus eliminating the East and West as we know it.
Western Conference includes: Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Phoe...
Tonight the Coyotes hosted the Calgary Flames, who just came of a hard fought come from behind victory last night against the Dallas Stars.
The Coyotes were looking to take advantage of that fact when they were coming into this game… and take advantage they did. In less than a minute they grabbed the lead with a rebound goal by Keith Yandle. I got to feel for Calgary...
TheKingsGarden writes...
Kings Conquer Alberta; Leafs Keep Sabres Dull (and boring)
Posted Thursday | Comments 4
[b]February 21[/b]
[u][i]Maple Leafs 3, Buffalo Sabres 1[/i][/u]
I will start tonight with the Maple Leafs victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Air Canada Centre while it's most fresh in my mind...
I had expected for the Sabres to come out with a little more emotion after their long time bench boss was relieved of his duties the night before. Although they got the f...
The Phoenix Coyotes took on the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames on back to back nights this weekend. I will be pretty brief in my explanations of the games because I did not see enough of them to give what I believe to be a high-quality analysis. Also, I am not a huge fan of writing a lot after losses because sometimes there is not much positive to say.
First off, t...
A long time ago I wrote a, “What would Iginla asking price be” for the Flames. Of course it was met with a lot of vitriol. No one wants to think that their best prospect may be included for an aging star like Iginla but make no mistake, if the trade happens the Flames will only do it if the return is an overpayment, otherwise why do it?
Iginla will only go to a team...
It's something that probably should have been done last year, but teams and fans are getting the first look at what could be the new NHL realignment plan. As with every situation and idea, not everyone is going to be happy about it and not everyone is going to be upset. Here is the proposed realignment, courtesy of TSN.ca-
[b]West:[/b]
Pacific- Anaheim, Calgary, Ed...
One of the things that irks me (and most teams in the East) about the new proposed realignment is the fact that the East would have 16 teams, and the West has 14. One prevailing rumor is that there will be two expansion teams added to the league shortly after this realignment. It's not news to most that Seattle is the front runner if expansion happens, but the way this rea...
The young Toronto Maple Leafs look to bounce back from another disappointing effort when they take on the New York Islanders on the island tonight.
There is a lot of talk about the reffing in last nights game against the Canadiens with a terrible call on a Mike Brown hit in the 1st period that saw the Buds down a man for 5 mins, and Brown ejected from the game, as well ...
[b][i]Three Games, Three Cities, Four Nights; Could have been worse...[/i][/b]
[u][i]Maple Leafs 4 @ Philadelphia Flyers 2[/i][/u]
After suffering a bad loss in Ottawa on Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs headed to Philadelphia to take on another 'Jekyll and Hyde' type of team in the Flyers.
Philly continues to struggle in their own zone keeping teams from scoring...
[b]March 4th[/b]
[b][i][u]Maple Leafs 4, New Jersey Devils 2[/u][/i][/b]
For forty minutes, it was men against boys.
James Reimer was sharp, but still was beaten four times; twice by Marek Zidlicky and twice saved by iron.
Forty minutes, it was the defending Eastern champions against the adolescent Maple Leafs, a team who had not made the playoffs since 2004.
...
Kiprusoff- Return and potential partners
My last entry regarding Iginla and his value is being discussed once again on Colin`s blog if you want to head over there and put your two cents in.
You can see that original entry here:
http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=33826&post_id=14517
and you can see Colin`s here:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Colin-Da...
[b]March 6th[/b]
[u][i]Maple Leafs 5, Ottawa Senators 4[/i][/u]
This game came down to goaltending, and clearly James Reimer was the better netminder at his end of the ice, turning aside 38 of 43 Senator shots, helping the Leafs hang on to a 5-4 victory over their provincial rivals.
I recent years since the arrival of Reimer, I am sure all Leafs fans out there are...
I’m starting this with a quote from [i]Moneyball[/i]. Yes, I know it’s a baseball movie. No, I don’t care.
“The problem we’re trying to solve is that there are rich teams and there are poor teams, then there’s fifty feet of crap, and then there’s us.”
Brad Pitt’s character is describing his ball club, the Oakland A’s. Based on this, I propose th...
A season with so much promise, looks bleak now as we near the end of an afwul nine game road trip (thanks Brier). rnrnAs I watch my favorite team night after night, its becoming clear that this team lacks leadership and that may be why they are struggling. There is so much pressure on the kids to carry this team to the promise land and I think they can and will at some poi...
[b]March 10[/b]
[b][i]Thoughts on the 4-2 loss to Boston...[/i][/b]
It has been a very busy last few days for me. My 7th and 8th grade basketball teams that I help coach at the middle school where I teach out in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago were playing in a season finale conference tournament, while at the same time Toronto and Los Angeles both played Thursday. ...
royalgardens writes...
Pavelec, Jets Frustrate Leafs; Holzer AHL Bound?; Iginla?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[b]March 12[/b]
[i][b]Maple Leafs 2 @ Winnipeg Jets 5[/b][/i]
Oh boy, where should I start with this one...?
After witnessing the first two periods, I was about to give most of the credit to Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec, and then build a rant up against the officials from this one, but since the Maple Leafs completely fell apart in the third period, I will just chal...
Writing about the Philadelphia Flyers is almost impossible this year for me. I could list you a complete sheet of all the dismal stats that show how pathetic this team is this year. To cut it short, this team has greatly underachieved thus far this season.
Believe me, I know there is not enough talent on this team to win the Eastern Conference; and they should not have...
royalgardens writes...
Kings Sweep; Iginla? Bernier? Other Ideas...Leafs Strike TBY
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
[b]March 20[/b]
[b][i]Kings Sweep Away Misfit Coyotes[/i][/b]
Before I offer my opinion on the LA Kings trade rumors, I should mention a little bit about last night...
During the two-game home series against the Phoenix Coyotes, we saw a true championship caliber team man-handle and dictate play against a team that thinks they can compete with them, but in reality...
TheHockeyDaily writes...
Does Anyone Care About The Columbus Blue Jackets?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
There are about nine teams in the Western Conference that certainly care about the Columbus Blue Jackets right now. Perennial losers they may be but CBJ are not letting their past stop them from making a serious push for the playoffs this season. Since February 26 the Jackets have gone 6-0-5, earning points in eleven straight games.
The streak has allowed the Jackets t...
royalgardens writes...
Leafs Cough Up Extra Point; Kings Seek 'Heavenly' Revenge
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[b]March 21
[i]Sabres Steal Key Point from Lazy Leafs[/b][/i]
Before I get into this one, I just want to make one thing clear about both of these teams on the ice; all weaknesses were greatly magnified throughout this game.
The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs are two teams going absolutely nowhere this season. Both teams are lazy, they cough the puck up at ...
Tonight the Calgary Flames play head to head with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The rumours surrounding the future of Jarome Iginla as a member of the Calgary Flames make this game a little more interesting than your average epic Flames/Blue Jackets showdown.
Over the next two weeks the Flames and Iginla will receive some very tempting offers that will greatly affect the f...
royalgardens writes...
Leafs Bend, Don't Break vs. Bruins; Kings Return to Chicago
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
[b]March 24[/b]
[i][b]Maple Leafs 3, Boston Bruins 2[/b][/i]
Perhaps the Maple Leafs caught a break facing Anton Khudobin instead of Tukkka Rask? Be as it may, Khudobin came into the game with a 6-2 record and a sparkling 2.14 GAA and a save percentage of 92.5%.
Toronto also may have caught the Bruins at a good time, as Boston played with some inexperience on its ...
Oh Me Oh My, theres a LOT of work to be done this summer. I would like annnounce that this is what I would do, I'm not saying Holmgren will do anything like this. First I'll address the defense, then the upcoming draft, then offense, then .... *Dun Dun Dun Duh* Goaltending. Finally I will give you what my roster would look like.
[b]DEFENSE[/b]
Okay so first I want t...
Follow me on Twitter: @flamesfan1981
With the recent trading of Flames icon and captain Jarome Iginla, there is no doubt that Calgary management have made it clear they intend to rebuild or "retool" as they calling it. Bouwmeester will almost certainly yield a larger return for the Flames than Iginla and here's why
Jay Bouwmeester is arguably one of the best defence...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Feaster Famine: Analyzing Feaster's Tenure As Flames GM
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
Follow me on twitter @flamesfan1981
When I originally began writing this article it was before the recent moves by Feaster in the trading of Flames icon Jarome Iginla and their top defender in Jay Bouwmeester. Some of my opinions will certainly change based off of these 2 moves.
On December 28, 2010, Darryl Sutter resigned as the General Manager of the Calgary Flame...
Miikka Kiprusoff will most likely go down as one of the Flames all time best goalies in franchise history. He's been a solid goalie for the past few years and a workhorse. Despite having a subpar year (could be attributed to not going to play anywhere during the lockout, along with a list of other things) some people think he may have some left in the tank, which he absolu...
I have to agree with what a lot of hockey analyst's are saying.
The Leafs are a team still in re-building their winning ways and striving to make the playoffs in 8 years.
Why risk that and make a trade for Luongo. He is a number 1 goalie but he has those streaks where he STINKS he really STINKS, not to mention the size of his contract.
The Leafs looking to be h...
flamesfan1981 writes...
What should the Flames strategy be moving forward?
Posted Monday | Comments 9
Follow me on Twitter @flamesfan1981
It's no secret that the Flames organization is in need of a full rebuild. By full rebuild I mean a full tear it down completely and rebuild from the ground-up type of rebuild. With the recent trades of Jarome Iginla, Jay Bouwmeester and attempting to move Kiprusoff; all fans were under the assumption the Flames organization were doin...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Flames: Why the Flames need to draft Nathan MacKinnon!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Follow me on twitter: @flamesfan1981
For the past two decades the Calgary Flames franchise has attempted to fill their to center positions with low cost or washed up bandaid solutions that simply weren't the answer. To put this into better perspective, the Flames top 2 scoring Centerman since the 1996 season have been Robert Reichel (354 points in 425 games) and Craig ...
I want to start by saying there are numerous reasons the Oiler's arena has been looking like it wouldn't work. Most people believe it is money and who would pay the money. Others believe it is municiple politics. Both of these play a part and I will touch on that but the final hurdle has been the Calgary Flames.
Let us start with Katz and his role in this. When buyi...
Did you know that $24 Million dollars can buy you a gently used 2007 Gulfstream G450 private jet, or Katherine Hepburn’s oceanfront estate in Connecticut (if you were willing to negotiate a bit), or even the Archduke Joseph 76 carat, D color, flawless diamond (Sotheby’s estimate $15 - $25 Million $U.S.)?
And $24 Million can also buy Charles Wang his freedom from not...
[b]May 19[/b]
Now that my heart and soul has recovered somewhat from the Maple Leafs' monumental game 7 collapse in Boston, I think I can finally chime in with some post-series comments.
First of all, give the Maple Leafs all the credit in the world for bringing out the best in the Boston Bruins. As I originally predicted, I thought Toronto would have been lucky enou...
Hey everybody, in this blog i'm gonna be doing a live blog covering the memorial cup final between the Halifax Mooseheads and the Portland Winterhawks. It's gonna be a good game and I hope you enjoy it.
To start out I'm gonna do a prediction and do a little talking about the 2 teams. In this game we have the projected top 3 picks in this draft (Jones, MacKinnon, Droui...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Flames: Best Case Scenario at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter @flamesfan1981 and please note I will be Tweeting LIVE FROM THE PRUDENTIAL CENTER at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft!
Thanks to the Flames partial fire-sale during the season, they are in a unique position of owning three 1st round draft picks in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft taking place in New Jersey. The draft is deemed by many scouts and hockey experts to ...
Snowmanonfire writes...
Komorov signs with Moscow sign of more domestic players?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
With Komorov leaving for Moscow Dinamo is it now time to increase the percentage of Canadian and American players back in the NHL?
We all know the KHL is a cash league but the hockey lifestyle has a lot to be desired according to most who've played there. But like Komo there are a lot of foreign born guys that want more money this may make way to develop and retain home...
I'd like to see if the Leafs can move up but only time will tell with rumors swirling that in taking a bad contract they may land a late first round pick it'd be intriguing if they did that my hope is that they get a couple of pieces to there puzzle. The Leafs are young and lets see if some of the guys they have now can develop.
I've seen many different mock drafts an...
I'd like to see if the Leafs can move up but only time will tell with rumors swirling that in taking a bad contract they may land a late first round pick it'd be intriguing if they did that my hope is that they get a couple of pieces to there puzzle. The Leafs are young and lets see if some of the guys they have now can develop.
I've seen many different mock drafts an...
I'd like to see if the Leafs can move up but only time will tell with rumors swirling that in taking a bad contract they may land a late first round pick it'd be intriguing if they did that my hope is that they get a couple of pieces to there puzzle. The Leafs are young and lets see if some of the guys they have now can develop.
I've seen many different mock drafts an...
[i][b]June 21[/b][/i]
The first official day of summer brings joy to many.
School is finally out.
The Stanley Cup playoffs are in full swing.
Baseball season is hitting its serious curve.
But yikes, another Toronto Maple Leaf offseason is about to get underway. And from the sound of things, I am getting a bad feeling in my gut.
With the numerous reports ...
Draft Predictions At Number Six (Flames)
Hi everyone, over the last few days I’ve been asking twitter followers of mine who they think the Calgary Flames will pick at number six in their own opinion.
So let’s hear what they said.
Ryan Smiley (@BacklundFan11)
- Im gonna have to say I’d pick Max Domi of the London Knights (OHL).
He’s probably one of ...
Quick Hit Mock Draft top 10
1. Avs- Mackinnon- Because Top tier talent like his at forward with his size is an undeniable play.
2. Panthers- Drouin- Drouinand Huberdeau woul make up their Kane Toews and they know it.
3. Lightening- Barkov- Jones is a huge temptation but they drafted their stud D already, they will need Centre help and scoring with Vinny likely on his ...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Flames: Rounds 1-7 on who the Flames should draft
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter @flamesfan1981
There have been plenty of 1st round mock drafts in which we all have ideas on what player will be drafted in what range.
In this blog I am going to break down all of the Flames picks, from rounds 1 through 7 and determine who should be drafted at that position based on the Flames strategy of "best player available".
Here are the...
dal_johnson writes...
Carolina Wants to Trade the 5th? Flames should go after it.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
If Carolina is looking to trade the 5th pick, as a Flames fan I think that they should go all out to try and get it.
For the Flames, the ideal is to get Nathan MacKinnon. But there is no way that is going to happen. At least not while completely crippling the roster. While MacKinnon will be a franchise somewhere, the steps needed to get to that pick will set the re...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Flames: Who they drafted versus who they should've drafted
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter: @flamesfan1981
The 2013 NHL Entry Draft was probably the single most important draft in the history of the Calgary Flames franchise. Flames brask has made it clear they intend to rebuild the team properly and made the promise to fans they would draft the 'Best Player Available' in order to fulfill the needs of the organization. Did Jay Feaster an...
Along with possible Clowe and Horton deals to New Jersey and Columbus respectively, TSN's Bob McKenzie also says that Ray Emery will sign with the Flyers shortly after noon eastern today. Complete 180 turn from a few days ago when it was reported that he was close to a contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks.
In 29 games with the Flyers in 2009-2010, he was 16-11...
Along with possible Clowe and Horton deals to New Jersey and Columbus respectively, TSN's Bob McKenzie also says that Ray Emery will sign with the Flyers shortly after noon eastern today. Complete 180 turn from a few days ago when it was reported that he was close to a contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks.
In 29 games with the Flyers in 2009-2010, he was 16-11...
andrewhitson writes...
Motown Musings: Development Camp off to a flying start
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It's day two in Traverse City. That means we've seen Red Wings picks from the past few seasons on the ice together for two days. So what have we learned so far?
1) Little Bertuzzi is a pain to play against: just ask Nick Jenson who got into a scrap with the second round pick during day one. Bertuzzi got the best of him and now Jenson is nursing a shoulder tweak and mis...
[b]Twitter : @ProspectReport[/b]
I checked out the Calgary Flames' scrimmage today, and just felt it necessary to post a few thoughts, going over who impressed, and who didn't. It's going to be a quick blog. For those who don't follow me on twitter, I run my own scouting service, and cover the Flames for a few sites - just starting to post here as well.
Mark Jankowsk...
ScottyHuck writes...
Buffalo, Calgary and Columbus First Round Draft Results
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I know it has been a while since the 2013 NHL Draft came to a close, but this is something I have been meaning to comment on for a while and simply haven't gotten around to writing. Since its been a while, here is a list of who picked whom and in which position.
6th Overall - Calgary - Sean Monahan
Center - 6'2"/185 lbs
8th Overall - Buffalo - Rasmus Ristolainen
D...
Every year since 1975 Flyers fans have been stuck asking "is this our year?" or muttering the phrase come spring time "there's always next season." Many times over the years Flyers fans have watched the Orange and Black come so close to reclaiming Lord Stanley but falling short in the end. While factoring in injuries and 'down' seasons I'm going to look at the case for the...
For those who did not attend, I got a huge problem with top prospect Mikhail Grigorenko after what I saw at the scrimmage at First Niagara Center. Mikhail Grigorenko, last year's 12th overall pick, centered the top line on Team Gold and had the chance to stand out amongst the other prospects. That is not what happened. Fellow first rounder Zemgus Girgensons centered the to...
Mason Raymond should not be overlooked when talking about the slim free agent pool left and the forward position. Look for Raymond to be signed almost immediately following the signings of Grabo, Brunner, Morrow. Raymond is rumoured to be considered a backup plan/2nd option for a depth forward behing the previously mentioned forwards. ...
There are arguments to be made for what age range actually defines a players "prime years". The differing opinions on the topic leave us with no concrete definition, only speculation.
The typical range goes anywhere from 24, on the low end, and 32, on the high end, which is spread out through several websites, posts and on-air discussions. The typical labeling stretche...
Sorry for the delay in returning. Taking a much needed holiday has kept me from my blog. Originally I was going to look at Mr. Feaster's possible off-season moves, but I think I pretty much missed the boat on that one.
So now I am going to turn my attention to Junior Camp for the WJC and talk a bit about my impressions of some of Canada's hopefuls, concentrating on Flam...
This is the second of my installments based on the the Junior Development Camp in Lake Placid.
Game 2: Canada:7 Sweden:3
Canada's starting lineup:
Poirier-Gauthier-Jankowski
Horvat-Monahan-Lazar
Domi-McDavid-Hudon
Rupert-Gaunce-Rychel
Mantha
Sweden came out flying in this one. They were undefeated so far in the tournament in four previous starts, and had bee...
Here is my final installement of the evaluation camp from Lake Placid.
Game 3: Canada 1 USA 5
Lines:
Monahan-Gauthier-Lazar
Horvat-Laughton-Shinkaruk
Domi-McDavid-Reinhart
Leipsic-Petan-Wilson
Girardr
USA notables for Flames fans:
Gillies-Goal Sieloff-Defense
This game was a in stark contrast to the previous two Canadian tilts. The previous two teams (Fin...
A lot of controversy erupted when the Flames chose Emil Poirier over hometown prospect Hunter Shinkaruk in the 2013 draft. But after watching the games at the US development camp, I think it became obvious why. Poirier is a more complete player with better size and speed.
But what about Morgan Klimchuk? What if the Flames would have taken Klimchuk ahead of Shinkaruk?
...
The Calgary Flames’ lack of a true #1 center has been the focus of many sports writers and fans for close to twenty years…and rightly so.
The fact that the Flames have not managed to acquire this most basic piece of the puzzle, shows how completely inept the organization’s hockey operations department has been. It has been a disgrace. But at least current manageme...
“I point the finger squarely on (NHL agent) JP Barry, the man who blessed us with the (Dany) Heatley mess.”
Doesn’t it feel like every time the Senators hit center stage in the NHL world Eugene Melnyk is quoted saying something as blasphemous as this?
I mean if it’s not his personal vendetta against Matt Cooke being publicly announced after his top defense m...
Brandon998 writes...
Why James Reimer Will Be Number 1 This Upcoming Season
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The next Maple Leafs season is fast approaching, with only 42 days until the season opener, and a mere 26 days until the preseason, we keep wondering who will be our number one goaltender and be in goal for us throughout most of the season. Here's why Reimer will be number 1, while Bernier is yet again going to take the backup position.
Bernier, with his 1.88 GAA, and 9...
For defensemen to succeed on the big, Olympic-sized ice you have to look for a few main tools- A smooth, fluid skater who is mobile at both ends of the ice so if he makes a mistake he an high tail it back to make up for it- You have to be smart and have good vision to see developing plays and attacks as well as having the ability to break out of your own zone with a blink ...
For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter and Don't know me, My name is Josh Rimer and I'm excited to join Hockey Buzz. I've been in the Hockey Biz since I was 16 years old. Spent half my life in Canada and the other half in the US. I got some great ideas that I'm going to be writing about in this space, and I'm pretty sure that you will enjoy it! My first piece ...
TheWad87 writes...
Do the Leafs Have a Goaltending Controversy Brewing?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 16
When the Leafs acquired goaltender Jonathan Bernier from the Los Angeles Kings this past summer, two things were made clear by this move. One, the Leafs would have one heck of a goaltending duo this upcoming season—and two, the Leafs will more than likely have a goaltending controversy on their hands at the end of all of this.
I've always said its never a bad thing to...
Humans hold grudges. Most of us have a strong desire to hold people accountable for not treating us well. And if you want to not treat another GM well in the NHL, I recommend tendering an offer sheet for one of their RFAs.
Ever since the Oilers swooped in and scooped up Dustin Penner, offering him 10 times his old salary, there has been bad blood between Burke and the ...
Usually at this time of year the main questions in net are for the Flyers, but never have I seen a more convoluted goaltending situation than there is in Calgary.
As I mentioned in my last blog Calgary is in tough at center, with no #1 or #2 center going into camp. As scary as that is, if Kipper retires (nearly assured) Calgary has no proven #1 goalie either.
The Fl...
The Oilers lost another decisive game to Winnipeg tonight 7-2 in the Rookie tournament lending an answer to the question "Who Does the Oiler's Really have for Prospects?" Their defense are suppose to be some of the best non NHL players in any franchise and yet main stream media is picking them apart after the two losses in this meaningless tournament.
The truth is that...
Here is my offering regarding game two of the prospects tourney.
Flames lineup was changed for this game, with more of a ‘B’ team look on both defense and up front with the tryout guys getting a shot:
Reinhart-Jooris-Penner
Ferland-Monahan-Smoskowitz
Hanowski-Granlund-Poirier
Elson-Knight-Baertschi
Kanzig-Culkin
Davies-Wotherspoon
Roy-Ramagern
Ortio
...
This is my first attempt ever to write a blog, errors will be made and all this is my outside opinion, will not have proof for any of my statements just thoughts and point of view from a fan outside of Columbus area.
With 2013 camp opening yesterday I would like to give my insight to which rookies will survive the cut and the dream of becoming an NHL player becomes a re...
I am not talking about color of skin or race but there are some key building blocks.
You have to have a guy from Sweden on there. It is a must. Chicago has more than one. We moved our only guy, Omark to the minors.
Good goalies don't come from Regina, if they are born there, fine but they need to play minor league hockey in Quebec. We all know that. Chicago agai...
[b][i]Update: Stuart will be sitting out tonight per David Pollak.[/i][/b]
The Sharks kick off the 2013/14 season tonight at home against the Vancouver Canucks. The two Pacific Division rivals met twice in the pre-season with the Sharks taking the first game 3-2 and the second 5-0, but as we all know, the pre-season means nothing.
Last season the Sharks were a perfec...
So just a couple things I saw from the Flames tonight:rnrn-Karri Ramo played well, better than I expected. It looked like he was over-committing at times but otherwise was positionally sound. He looked confident in net and I think that he's gonna be a good goaltender.rnrn-The team played very well in the 1st period (clearly) even though Holtby gave up two softies, the Flam...
RyanHolmerB writes...
Calgary Flames vs. Columbus Blue Jackets preview + RECAP
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[b]Twitter:[/b] @ProspectReport
After a long hiatus, I'm back to cover Calgary again.
What felt like an eternity, the summer is finally over and hockey is back. Calgary lost their opening night 5-4 to the Washington Capitals in a hard-fought game. There are a lot of positives to take away from last nights game. Calgary absolutely dominated the first period, and made...
Now that another youth hockey season is about to begin, the annual lamenting about the cost of the game gives rise to the topic of what exactly a young hockey player needs in the area of protective equipment.rnrnHere in northern Minnesota, where ice time is available duiring the winter months on any of the outdoor rinks, many parents bring their kids to the rink to sign up...
Meeqsb writes...
The Good, the Bad and the Outlook on All 30 Teams... Part 1!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
With the season having just started I figured now would be a good time to go through every team in the league and look at how they are doing and how they are headed. So without further ado.
[u]Anaheim[/u]
The good: This team has insane depth at Goalie with 2 nhl starters and 2 of the top rookie goaltenders in their system. The ducks have a lot of flexibility with wher...
A wise man once told me that history is bound to repeat itself. This is the main reason why many Leaf fans have stayed loyal. For us, the loyal Blue and White army, we still believe history has proven we will move back into supremacy. Now I'm not here to begin blowing the horn of victory just yet. But, the masked men in between the pipes have begun to show us the capabilit...
In defeating both the Calgary Flames and Phoenix Coyotes, the Ducks improved to 4-0 at home and 6-1 overall this season. While neither game was the blowout of the previous 2 games, both were hard fought victories for a Ducks team that won't quit.
I was only able to watch parts of the Ducks-Coyotes game (yes, I do have a social life outside of hockey, yes, a part of me w...
The Anaheim Ducks completed their 5 game homestand with a perfect 5-0 record and a 7 game winning streak. They are currently 7-1, the only loss being to Colorado in their home opener. While this is their best start in franchise history, the hunt for the playoffs is far from over. Tomorrow, the Ducks will embark on a 8 game road trip, their longest this season.
When the ...
I thought it would be fun to break the Ducks season up into 10 game increments, and every 10 games make a post about how the team was doing. I'd look at stats over the course of the past 10 games and compare them to the entire season and see how the team was doing. The season being only 10 games old, this 1st entry will obviously have both of those parts be one and the sam...
After starting out their 8 game road trip 0-2, the Ducks have defeated both Ottawa and Columbus to get a .500 record half way through this trip. The game against Columbus has been the 1st game of this road trip that I have been able to watch in its entirety because all of the games on this road trip so far have started either at 4 or 4:30. While it wasn't the Ducks best ga...
The Anaheim Ducks faced the Buffalo Sabres tonight and came away with a 6-3 win. The thing is, for whatever reason, Buffalo has been a mess all season. They have 2 wins and 5 points, they have yet to win at home, and they have only scored the 1st goal in a game only once. To me, that is the perfect recipe for a desperate team that could come out and beat the Ducks if they ...
Last Friday some people headed out to the mall, the movies or simply stayed home to enjoy a relaxing night. Others headed down to the Wells Fargo Center to catch what they hoped would be a good hockey game. A win is always a plus but a good close hockey game is always entertaining. Keeping in mind that Ovechkin was out with an injury and that the Flyers were 3-8, there was...
Always Mighty writes...
Reviewing the Ducks past 10 games (games 11-20)
Posted Thursday | Comments 3
And just like that, the 1st 20 games are on the books. Anaheim has a 15-4-1 record for 31 points, currently leading the league. As I did after the 1st 10 games of the season, I'll look back and see how the team has done over games 11-20, and see where they improved and where they regressed. I'm hoping that by breaking up the season like this I'll be able to get an idea of ...
Was this just a trade made out of necessity or is there more to it? The Leafs traded for Peter Holland and Nick Staubitz today in exchange for Jesse Blacker, a 7th round pick in 2014 (originally from Anaheim, acquired in the Steckel trade) and either a 2nd or 3rd round 2014 pick depending on Holland’s performance. Let’s break this down:
First off, Staubitz is a s...
Hockey fans who fancy fantasy leagues or the L.A. Kings may have found a place in their hearts for a new goaltender. Ben Scrivens has been stellar since arriving in California, starting in only 6 games but allowing only 9 goals. He has been very impressive, recording 3 shutouts so far this season. This is tremendous news for Kings fans, as Jonathan Quick is expected to ...
[b]December 3[/b]
[u]Undermanned Maple Leafs Unable to Sink Sharks[/u]
The first big test of a tough and critical stretch of games for the confidence stricken Toronto Maple Leafs came tonight at Air Canada Centre against the San Jose Sharks, perhaps the best team in the NHL at the moment.
To be quite honest, the Leafs played a strong game despite being dominated f...
for all the best edmonton oilers memes created by my buddy and i like my facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Oilerstroll
https://www.facebook.com/Oilerstroll
https://www.facebook.com/Oilerstroll
https://www.facebook.com/Oilerstroll
https://www.facebook.com/Oilerstroll
https://www.facebook.com/Oilerstroll
https://www.facebook.com/Oilerstroll
https://www.facebook...
No question, games 21-30 was the worst 10 game stretch for Anaheim so far this season. After going 15-4-1 through the 1st 20 games, the Ducks went 3-3-4 for 10 points in their last 10 games. The Ducks did improve their special teams play, but their overall play suffered, and injuries continue to be a huge concern for the team.
As always, I'll 1st start with individual s...
Well, I was finally able to watch most of a Ducks game (some electrical issues kept me blacked out through the 1st 12ish minutes), so I can finally do my next game write up. Last night, the New York Islanders came to the Pond. They had lost 9 straight road games, and the Ducks were coming home from a successful road trip that saw them pick up wins against 2 of the NHL's el...
Jay Feaster is now out as the Calgary Flames GM. As well as assistant general manager, John Weisbrod. The Flames went 92-80-33 under Feaster since the 2010-2011 season, failing to make the playoffs, yet staying over .500. Brian Burke, President of Hockey made the decision Thursday morning, where he then called a meeting for nearly everyone in the organization. Players sai...
Yesterday was another long arduous day at work. I watched the snow fall outside my office and accumulate on the cars in the parking lot. Finally, 5 o’clock came, and I booked it for home where my wife was waiting. She was decked out in her fleece, and several layers, she continued to bundle up. I quickly shed the shirt and tie, and threw on my long johns. After grabbing ...
A new thing i'm going to try is called, My "Team on the Move." This is going to be based on my opinion, of course. So my first team on the move is going to be... the Calgary Flames! Why not? The Flames have already played three games since the firing of Jay Feaster. They have earned at least 1 point in each of those three games. The exact record, 2-0-1. Calgary's leading s...
royalgardens writes...
Leafs "Top Line" Refuses to Play Defense; DET Earns SO Point
Posted Saturday | Comments 3
[b]December 21[/b]
[i]Jekyll and Hyde Maple Leafs Battle Red Wings Down to the Wire[/i]
Happy Holidays all you hockey (Maple Leafs) fans out there!
Let me start with some of the good in tonight's Original Six match up between the Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings at the ACC...
After a horrible first period from the Maple Leafs, a team that played with no energy or ...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks win 10th in a row, extend home points streak to 16
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
After 3 days off, the Ducks were taking on the Phoenix Coyotes coming out of the Christmas break. It was a game that easily could have turned into a loss. The Ducks were 3-0 against Phoenix coming into the game, and earlier this season the Ducks handed the Coyotes their 1st regulation home loss this season. The Coyotes clearly wanted to exact revenge against the Ducks and ...
In the Ducks 1st 10 games of the season, they had 7 wins and 3 losses. I figured that would probably be their best 10 game stretch of the season. Hopefully they would equal that output again later in the season, but I wasn't expecting a better stretch. And then in their 2nd 10 game stretch of the season the Ducks went 8-1-1. Just 10 games later and the Ducks had already pu...
Word out there is that Leafs are coming real close to acquiring Jeff Skinner from the Hurricanes. Leafs may be sending Kadri and Reimer or Kadri and Gardiner in return. IMO, the first deal makes more sense for the Hurricanes as Kadri will replace Skinner and Reimer will help the Canes goalie problem. Although nothing has been set in stone, Carolina's earlier move today fre...
This recent Flyers win in Phoenix was amazing. After digging themselves into a 1-3 hole they pulled off a 5-3 victory. This is huge for Philadelphia because they are now second in the Metro division. They are still 17 points behind the Penguins, but are climbing out of their early season rut. It is good to see some of the Flyers top scorers putting the puck in the net. Sim...
The Ducks have been absolutely dominant at home this season, losing only twice, and never in regulation. The looked to extend that home dominance against the Canucks tonight, but ran into a goalie playing out of his mind, combine that with a terrible 1st period, and the Ducks almost lost the game. But a late goal in the 3rd tied the game, and then a goal with seconds left ...
Always Mighty writes...
Reviewing the Ducks past 10 games (games 41-50)
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
After winning 10 games in a row, I knew that the Ducks would not be able to match that pace over their next 10 game stretch. But, the amazing this is, while they did lose 2 games, they still put up another 8 game winning streak and have won 18 of their last 20 games, easily the best stretch of regular season hockey in Ducks history. Besides the insane number of games that ...
Lets call a spade a spade and let it be known that neither Edmonton or Calgary have a competitive enough hockey club to put a dent in the NHL standings. They are even total opposites as to the blueprint of the team. Lets get these owners in a room and combine forces to make a legitimate team that comes from Alberta that we can both be proud of.
Dont get your panties in ...
It is time for change. How long can this team continue to play .500 hockey. We have seen this before (check last few seasons). The Philadelphia Flyers are just good enough to be competitive and win their share of games, but bad enough to have several losing streaks, be blown out or to be non-competitive. Getting into the playoffs is a struggle and nobody who understand...
Terry Pegula, Terry Murry! pick up it's Mark calling with urgent business! If by any chance the Sabres and Ducks are tickling each others toes if I was Terry, either one I'd be asking about two ducklings by the name of Jakob Silfverberg & Nick Sorenson then I'd be calling Tampa Bay about Adam Erne. Seeing the talent pool is more like a pond in this years draft I'd be fishi...
To be honest the only women's hockey I've heard of was when Tampa Bay had Manon Rhéaume play in goal in the preseason of 1992 and then an exhibition game in '93 against Boston. My eyes were extra wide open when I saw women's olympic hockey this year, these ladies are fast and good. I couldn't stop watching. Being from Buffalo, NY and seeing two new rinks being built in fr...
After winning 18 games in a 19 game stretch, it was clear that the Ducks were going to have a bit of a drop off in play. In today's NHL it is almost impossible to keep a streak like that going for long, and the fact that the Ducks have been able to have lengthy winning streaks this season is a testament to how well they have played this season. Over the last 10 games the D...
When looking at the standings coming out of the Olympic break, there are only a handful of teams that are considered to be sellers at the trade deadline. With so many 3 point games many more teams are in position to make the playoffs, 5 teams in the east 3 points out or less and 4 teams within 4 points in the west . The only teams that are sellers at the moment are the Sab...
Longtime Buffalo Sabre's goaltender Ryan Miller & the ever so pesky Steve Ott are playoff bound in St. Louis. Today Buffalo G.M. Terry Murray pulled the trigger on this blockbuster deal that gave the Sabres highly regarded Chris Stewart, prospect William Carrier a 2015 first round pick and a 3rd round pick in 2016.
Western conference teams are on notice, the St. Louis B...
In just under 3 hours, NHL fans will be treated to another fantastic outdoor matchup. Jonathan Toews and Sid the Kid face-off in what seems to myself and many others as a battle of potential Stanley Cup finalists, as well as maybe the best offensive teams in their respective conferences.
I will say, to some degree it bothers me that this game is all hyped to Sid vs Toe...
Coming out of the Olympic break the Ducks had a 5 game homestand and a real opportunity to pull ahead from the rest of the NHL. Instead, the Ducks went 2-1-2 for 6 points, and in that time the St. Louis Blues have moved into 1st overall in the NHL and the San Jose Sharks find themselves just a couple of points behind the Pacific Division leaders. The Ducks won their 1st 2 ...
Always Mighty writes...
Reviewing the Ducks past 10 games (games 61-70)
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
After going 5-5 into the Olympic break, the Ducks came out strong, winning their 1st 2 games post Olympics, but then stumbled and only won 2 of their next 8 games, going 2-4-2 in the process. Overall, in the Ducks last 10 games the team went 4-4-2, good for 10 points and technically a record of .500, but this was the most difficult 10 game stretch of the season for the Duc...
saneopinion writes...
Lowe Knows Winning- Why Flames Fans Feel Sorry for Oiler Fan
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
“And lastly I’ll say that there’s one other guy in hockey today that is still working in the game that has won more Stanley Cups than me. So I think I know a little bit about winning, if there’s ever a concern.”
Almost one year ago Lowe threw up that line onto reporters microphones, thereby providing ammunition for them and everyone else to take aim at in the ...
[b]March 27[/b]
It has been a while. There really has not been much to talk about, except watching the Toronto Maple Leafs revert to a team who plays with little clue of how to play the game of hockey. The team refuses to keep things simple. They have also tuned coach Randy Carlyle out completely.
It has also become very evident that the seven year extension for pse...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks struggle to find consistency during homestand
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Over the past week the Ducks went 2-1 during a 3 game homestand. Despite the Ducks winning ways all 3 games showed that the Ducks have some serious issues to work out before the playoffs begin. As the regular season winds down the Ducks need to focus on playing well. Not necessarily the best they've been all season, but they do need to be playing well and giving a full 60 ...
Thursday April 10th 2014rnrnBreathe in, Breathe out.rnA Senators fan’s thoughts on what many are calling a disappointing Season.rnrn On Sunday, the 2013/2014 campaign will come to an end for the Ottawa Senators. This season came with great expectations, many of which were not met. From my perspective as a Sens fan, this season was Agony. We were constantly taunted with f...
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Ryan_Miller_skating_2011-10-15.JPG[/img]rn[img]http://twopadstack.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nhl_g_miller01jr_576x324.jpg[/img]rnrnrnrnRyan Miller has a reputation of being an all-star goaltender, and was part of a trade this year that sent him from Buffalo to St. Louis. St. Louis wanted better goaltending in an ...
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Ryan_Miller_skating_2011-10-15.JPG[/img]rnrn[img]http://twopadstack.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nhl_g_miller01jr_576x324.jpg[/img]rnrnrnRyan Miller has a reputation of being an all-star goaltender, and was part of a trade this year that sent him from Buffalo to St. Louis. St. Louis wanted better goaltending in an ...
In anticipation of tonight PIVOTAL matchup between the Rangers and the Flyers I browsed the internet on various views of people leading into tonight's game..
For some reason I kept finding a RESOUNDING notion that the Flyers huge question mark now was ONCE again goaltending and were now at a deeper disadvantage having to rely on the services of Ray Emery....
Are you ...
Since Brian Burke took time to assess Jay Feaster before his dismissal, I thought I would take a while to evaluate the choice. Now that the season is over and a new GM has been hired the time seemed right.
I am not going to analyze every deal, signing and draft pick Feaster and Weisbrod made. That has been done to death, and many of the conclusions people have made are ...
The Flames need _____ (fill in the blank).
It is a pretty easy question, one most G.M.’s or Hockey Ops presidents are aware of the holes in their team.
It could be argued Calgary needs a number 1 goalie however Ramo showed enough to get a shot next year likely. His .911 sv% was comparable to several goalies you would consider #1’s like Hiller and Quick. This was...
After eight years of this. After eight years of false promises, excuses, and mistakes. I think this is the one thing fans need to hear the most. The Edmonton Oilers have been a shining example of mediocrity for almost an entire decade. Yes, we have had the likes of Tambellini, Mactavish, and Lowe stand in front of media and say things like "obviously we aren't where we wan...
The fun for Flames fans is this offseason that is coming up.
Who would make sense for the Flames to pursue? To trade for? To offer sheet? They have Cap, they have some trade bait in Beartschi, Hudler, their 4th overall pick, David Jones and Smid.
Nazim Kadri- Remember when Brian Burke shot down Brian Murray live on TSN in front of the nation at the draft when Murray...
So much talk about how to fix the Oilers but I keep hearing he same ideas. When you have been this bad for this long it is time to think out side the box so here are some suggestions on how to fix this real quick.rnrn1) Hire Mike Milbury as an Assistant GM and let him run development. Since development has not been a strong point for this team for so long, why do it. His k...
So the rumor de jour for Flames fans is that Vincent Lecavalier could land in Stampede city. Tim Panaccio Brought this up recently and is the source of this rumor.
Why it makes sense: Burke identified a number 1 center as part of the off season targets, Lecavalier is now removed from being considered a #1 but as far as Flames skill level there are worse guys out there t...
weirdoh writes...
The Leafs: What they should do and what they will do.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
They should get rid of their mascot. I think Carlton the bear is a terrible mascot. This team is a pushover, and he doesn't help. He should be peddling Coke in a christmas commercial. This one time I was Toys R Us. I had my kids with me, they were younger...probably around 3 yrs for the boy and 5 for the girl. I asked them about these stuffed animals. There was a pol...
I would believe that most Flames fans are hoping for a terrible season, sounds crazy doesn't it? With Connor McDavid going to be the #1 pick in 2015 it would be in the Flames best interest to finish last. How would they do this? First the two names we are hearing locally as players the Flames could use from the draft are Ritchie and Virtanen not Bennett and Draisatl. I wou...
Tim Thomas, Ilya Bryzgalov, Ray Emery. Under talked about and under appreciated potential difference makers in net for many teams. All three of these tenders could use a nice change of scenery, or if re-signed they need a confidence boost from their respected teams. These guys have potential to carry a good portion of the game load serving as back-up for any team, or they ...
thebuds1987 writes...
My 2014-15 Leafs October Roster (if no more TML deals)
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[u][b]2014-15 TORONTO MAPLES LEAFS OPENING NIGHT ROSTER[/b][/u] -------*** If my fantastic format does not work (because based on the previews, it looks like one horribly long paragraph that will generate many negative comments), I apologize because I hate trying to read through that just as much as the next hockey nerd. ***--------- With the 2014 NHL Draft now complete an...
Many different opinions circled around after the Flames draft. Was it underwhelming? Was it a success? A failure? Did the Flames only draft on size? Why a Goalie?
The reality is that despite our individual opinions, these kids are Flames now. So lets look at them and make some comments.
[b]Sam Bennett[/b]:
I obviously watched the videos and read all of the scoutin...
Tim Murray and the Buffalo Sabres made big news on Tuesday, the start of the NHL's Free Agency period. To kick it off they made a trade with the Montreal Canadiens to acquire defenseman Josh Gorges. Gorges, 29, was a former alternate captain on the Canadiens and was being actively shopped. Not many saw this one coming at all, including myself. Gorges had rejec...
Brian Burke dismissed Jay Feaster back on December 12, 2013 for reasons which were purposely left ambiguous. It wasn’t that long ago but a lot has transpired since then, so it might be time to take an early look at what has happened since.
Mr. Burke traded former first round pick, Greg Nemisz, to Carolina for Kevin Westgarth (pending UFA at the time). Nemisz had not p...
Attitude.
This should be the word trending in Buffalo this coming NHL season and it already has been a little. Savvy Sabres fans have either recognized the moves by Murray as mindset changers or at least they are trusting what the GM is saying. Whatever your position is on the moves made this offseason, this season has a different feel to it. No question.
The real qu...
The Leafs adding David Booth was a great success. T.O. needed another left winger, and snagged a decent one at a very modest price tag. Admittedly, Booth struggled to produce with the Canucks, but if he can reach the stats he found during his time with the Panthers he can be a dangerous player for the Leafs deep into their line up.
Reimer re-signing,especially with the ...
With the 2014 NHL draft in the books, and summer development camps at a conclusion as well, I thought I would share my thoughts on the teams that did well at the draft, how the Calgary Flames stacked up against other organizations, and what the Flames came away with, as 6 new prospects were added to the talent pool. I know it’s already been a few months, however I feel s...
30th.
Lowest salary in the league according to capgeek (and maybe their finishing spot in 2014/15). This is new area for the Flames who have been top four a few times in spending.
This is an era where David Jones is the Flames top paid player along with Jiri Hudler. An era where they do not have a strong right winger for the first time in recent memory.
The Flam...
[b]Follow me on Twitter @DailyNHLGRIND
A Glance Back[/b]
I don’t think anybody could have predicted the outcome of the brutally nicknamed metro-terrible division last season. Columbus impressed while the Capitals faltered. The Penguins took a dip in the playoffs while the Rangers surprised many after a rough start. Other teams sort of slotted right into their right...
You can find me at https://twitter.com/DailyNHLGrind
With training camp just weeks away, the amount of big name restricted free agents is seemingly a lot longer than years past. Even though award-winning players such as Ryan O’Reilly and PK Subban have already come to terms, the names highlighting the list of RFA’s this summer still without a contract are valuable t...
As the St. Louis Blues training camp starts, I think we can all agree that, barring an injury situation, the Blues will carry 2 goalies, 7 defensemen, and 14 forwards on the 23 man roster. So who will those seven be?
You have to think there are six complete locks barring a trade with those being right handers Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk along with left hande...
The New Jersey Devils have their goalie of the future. This off-season they committed to Massachusetts-native Cory Schneider when they inked him to long-term contract. This decision came after Schneider poster sensational numbers playing around half of the team's games last year. Now, with Martin Brodeur gone and Schneider looking to fill the void, one question remains ...
ETA: I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of our friends and relatives in Canada a wonderful Thanksgiving. Those of us here in the US are happy to have you as neighbors.
Original: The Flames couldn't handle the Blues Saturday night and showed their youth and inexperience with numerous fumbled pucks and chances.
The Blues jumped out to an early lead ...
Greetings,
If you're reading this, then like me you're a hopefully a Hab fan. I'm not a professional writer, nor am I a statistician. I'm going to call them as I see them, from the perspective of a pure fan.
FYI - the goal will be to post blogs on every single game from here on in.
[b]Game 1 - Habs vs Leafs[/b]
My initial thoughts were of jubilation, nothing ma...
[b]follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/DailyNHLGrind[/b]
The Avs held on for as long as possible in Toronto but we're unable to come away with a victory. On their 40th shot of the night the Maple Leafs came away with a 3-2 overtime win off of Phil Kessels stick
The game started off the right away for the Avs. Right off the opening face off Duchene drew a pen...
The problem with Toronto Maple Leafs “fans” and their rocky relationsihp with Phil Kessel is the vicious circle that’s created by the story-hungry media, and then perpetuated by this overreacting portion of the fan base.
One cross-ice pass that deflected off of Stuart Percy’s skate in the season-opener (he could be very good for a long time, by the way), and th...
royalgardens writes...
Maple Leafs Follies 2014-15; Cody Franson Must Go!
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
More Maple Leafs follies as the 2014-15 season gets off and running here in October! Plenty of new faces, still the same problems...
However, let me start with some of the good: The team did make several smart moves in the off-season to strengthen the bottom six. Adding veterans like Mike Santorelli, Daniel Winnik and David Booth (although injured again) brought in a...
In evaluating a long term plan for a team it is essential, and fairly obvious, to determine your core and players that make sense to build around. For the Calgary Flames and their plans to re-build, it seems fairly obvious they are planning on being in a playoff spot within three seasons after this one. Contract expiry is the biggest clue with only 7 players signed through...
I know there are a lot of people who think Brad Treliving has done a good job as Flames’ GM so far, but I would like to express my thoughts on why I question his performance.
When he was hired, I like many others, didn't know much about him beyond the obvious. I was somewhat wary of the decision to hire a rookie GM, but with seasoned veteran Brian ‘I look like I sle...
Being "game ready" is more than just being physically fit to play hockey. It's about more than just having honed your body, stick-handling, passing and shooting skills. It also consists of being in the right mindset to play the game of hockey to one's best ability, and being motivated to continue to build upon the foundation that a player has already set for himself. You h...
And that's the God damn truth!!!
This past weekend was not a particularly good one for the Penguins. The New York Islanders defeated the Penguins both nights of their home and home series. What was more frustrating to see though was how the Islanders dictated puck possession and shots. The Penguins essentially played the majority of both games in their own end, a recipe for defeat.
With the loss o...
I have noticed a lot of advanced stats guys put way too much stock into Corsi and Fenwick numbers, sometimes to the exclusion of more direct and conclusive metrics. The newly annointed 'advanced stats' are a useful metric, but they are not the be-all-and-end-all of hockey analysis and in my opinion are like +/- in some ways.
Although in previous use, the +/- stat came...
AarifDeen writes...
Avs blow another game in overtime, lose to Calgary at the Sa
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DailyNHLGrind
Calgary scored twice in the third period to win its 17th game of the season. They defeated the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime and their two goals brought their third period total to a league leading 39 goals.
The Avalanche got their starting goalie back tonight but was still unable to play a solid 60-minute effort in...
Thanks For Reading.
I haven't posted one of these in a while so I hope I'm not too rusty. You can follow me @MiikeLuci. I'll try to follow back.
Remember when the Devils started the season 3-0 and the fan's biggest concerns were Larsson not starting the season in the lineup? Well twenty-three games and sixteen losses later, New Jersey's season has made a complete one eighty. The've endured...
[b]FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DailyNHLGrind[/b]
The Avs lost their second consecutive game in overtime Thursday night after Blake Comeau scored the only goal of the game 2:24 into the overtime period. Calvin Pickard faced 48 shots and saved all but one in front of a rowdy crowd in Pittsburgh.
The Avs fought valiantly through 40 minutes exchanging shots...
Well here we are again ladies and gentlemen. Your bellies full of turkey, pajama pants on (or no pants, I don't judge) and watching the World Juniors to get a chance to actually see some wins and decide what players would look good in copper and blue next season.
The Oilers are a train wreck. I think if anyone told you that this team was going to be worse than last year...
It’s hard to believe, but almost half of the NHL season is already in the books. At this moment, the Anaheim Ducks lead the league with 54 points. Tampa Bay leads the Eastern Conference. Montreal is currently #4 in the East, while Toronto is currently in playoff contention in the #7 spot. Winnipeg and Vancouver occupy the #6th and #7th spots respectively in the Western C...
royalgardens writes...
Better Effort, Bad Bounces Almost Unravel Leafs in Beantown
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
[i]Quick hits from tonight's game in Boston:[/i]
• Much better effort, at least in the first forty minutes. At one point the shots were 17-11 before Boston was able to the tie game off two really unfortunate bounces. Bottom line, despite the third period in which the Bruins dominated, Toronto deserved to at least come away with a point, but got two via the shootout. N...
The Flames are in a very strange spot, sitting on the playoff bubble and having a look at the post season for the first time in a very long time. It’s strange not only due to the amount of time since they have had this kind of look but strange because of how they might have to approach this trade deadline.
The issue for the Flames is that they have a few players that...
In the recent past I’ve been spouting the need for the NHL to revise the point system to reflect a more accurate landscape when it come to teams who win in regulation. My idea for a point system would be 3 for a win, 2 for an O.T. win, 1 for a shoot out win, and zero for losers. I did my research on this prior to last night’s games so they’re already outdated but I w...
Former NHL defenseman was found dead at his Mississuaga home this morning. Montador played in the NHL last for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011-12 season but also had stints with the Flames, Panthers, Ducks, Bruins, Sabres and Zagreb Medvescak (KHL). In his 10 seasons in the NHL, Montador recorded 33 goals, 131 points and 807 penalty minutes in 571 games. In the 2011-12 seas...
LazarBeam writes...
Methot Signs Extension, Shane Prince Recalled from Bingo
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Marc Methot made Sens Army very happy today, as it was finally announced he had resigned with the club for the next 4 years.
The deal has a cap hit of 4.9 million per season, worth a total of 19.6 million that keeps Methot here until 2018-2019.
After Karlsson spoke out earlier this week as to how valuable Methot is to the team as well as himself, it seemed like this ...
The Penguins got a huge win Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues, one of the best teams in the National Hockey League. Pittsburgh won 4-2 on two goals from forward Blake Comeau, who, along with all other Pens forwards, was playing with a different line. Comeau played with Evgeni Malkin and Chris Kunitz on the second line, and they were clearly the most productive lin...
LazarBeam writes...
Post-Game Review: Turris' Three Points Lead Sens over FLA
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nhl/florida-panthers/hq5kye/picture10909145/ALTERNATES/LANDSCAPE_1140/Panthers%20Senators%20Hockey%20(3)[/img]
Final Score: 4 -1 Sens
The Sens ended their five game home-stand Saturday night with their third win, going 3-1-1. Over the last five games at home the Senators scored 22 goals, a 4.4 average well above their 2.8 on the...
CanesTR writes...
Trade Deadline Update - Hurricanes Ready to Pull the Trigger
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Amidst wild speculation that the Pittsburgh Penguins were in discussion with the Carolina Hurricanes about a possible deal to bring back Jordan Staal, Hurricanes GM Ron Francis moved quickly to deny any such thing was happening, pronouncing "We are not moving Jordan!" At the same time, Ronnie Franchise was quick to confirm that the disposition of the current UFAs, specifi...
LazarBeam writes...
Hammond, Sens continue to dominate | Thoughts & News
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Boston beat New Jersey tonight in OT and the Sens are now 7 points behind with 2 games in hand and only Florida and Philly between them and the final playoff spot.
Sens beat Kings 1-0, Hammond gets shutout
Since Hammond has come in the Sens have won four straight and look like they could jump a few teams in the standings soon. Our schedule is a few games behind the...
stljam writes...
Blues look to continue taking advantage of friendly Canada
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
As the Blues travel east through Canada, they look to add to their 7-3-1 record against Canadien teams, including a 3-1-0 road record in Canada. They also hope to add to the Oilers two game home losing streak
While the Oilers have improved in the last 10 games, it's like saying your kid improved in school by going from a 45% on their first test to a 55% on their second...
thesnirk writes...
Advance Stats: Making bad look good and good look bad.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Oh the Advance stats. How far they have come. From a bunch of non-jocks writing blogs to the NHL publishing them on nhl.com. Some call it a major advancement. Other say who really cares.
I fall into the who cares side of it. While they might have some use, I think too much value is being put in these number. A good example of this is the Battle of Alberta. I live right...
Seeing the highlights of the Calgary Toronto game last night and the tremendous performance (amid the embarassment that is the Maple Leafs this season) of Sean Monahan and his line, it had me thinking back to the 2013 draft.
The Buffalo Sabres needed forward help in the worst way. The situation was dire, although in hindsight, dire would only be an applicable word to th...
Dearest Oiler fans,
I think this relationship needs some honesty. I know you're not the best at listening to it but I have to try anyway. I miss our battles, I miss when beating the Oilers meant something. I miss have a close head to head win loss count. I miss you being talented. I miss you having courageous fans.
How much does it burn (pun intended 100%) that Johnn...
I was a goalie. In the age of saw dust, horse hair and leather. My chest protector was a glorified catchers chest protector. My arm pats were not much better. My leg pads just rose to the bottom of my quads (and I was considered a cheater for that in my day). In my pads and gear I was about 3 inches wider at the shoulders or across the chest. Fast forward 30 years. ...
First this great comment from a winning coach. My Favorite quote of the year.
"All those beautiful stats, they're not worth nothing once the score is up there and the game is over. That's the most important stat and tonight they got one goal more than us,"
Bob Hartley (as per TSN) after out shooting Columbus 40-26 and loosing in overtime.
Ok with that...
HarrisonHamm writes...
Penguins earn an important victory against the Coyotes 3-2
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist were back in the lineup for a game that was important for two reasons: One was that the Pens had been playing horribly (losing to terrible Carolina on Thursday), and they needed a victory. They got it against another lowly team, the Arizona Coyotes.
Despite not scoring until 7:16 of the third period, when Daniel Winnik scored, the Peng...
The Calgary Flames, clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2009 after beating the defending champions the LA Kings 3-1 last night. They clinched the playoff spot with one game to go in the season. For most of the final part of the season they battled with the Kings and the Winnipeg Jets for 3rd in the Pacific and the final wild card spot. This has been one of the...
[b]Does every NHL team have a drafting identity?? [/b]
When discussing prospects/potential selections I've heard multiple categories used to describe the reasonings for why an NHL team will select who they will select... these include:
1. BPA - Best Player Available
2. Organizational needs
3. Safe pick
4. Transferable NHL skills/size
5. Previous chemistry with othe...
A few weeks ago I posed a question to my fellow flames fans “If the flames make the playoffs does the idea of a rebuild change?” This led to some heated discussions with some people throughout the thread that viewed the idea as completely ludicrous. For those who don’t know me I have a couple of values that I find to be very important, one never say something bad ab...
Reddevil45 writes...
Calgary Flames against Vancouver Canucks:Series Prediction
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Two rivals from Western Canada surprised many by making the playoffs this season. They are the Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames. Both teams haven’t won a playoff series since they made the Stanley Cup. The Canucks made it more recently in 2011 when they lost to the Boston Bruins and the Flames made it in 2004 when they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flames ...
People around the NHL world are, as predicted, crying foul over giving the next generational player to a team already with a glut of forward talent that isn't developing (certainly not beyond expectations, mostly below them). I think I saw this in the Simpsons once, when Homer got lodged in the water slide, so they tried to solve the problem by sending more kids in to try...
[img]http://www.journalpioneer.com/media/photos/unis/2011/07/01/2011-07-01-04-47-01-dave%20sens%20rookie%20camp1.jpg[/img]
Hello everybody and thank you for reading once again. It has been a couple months since I've had a chance to write, but exams ended just in time for me to trek back home to Ottawa for games 3 & 4. I just arrived home from the second OT loss in a row...
[img]http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/96/files/2015/04/bobby-ryan-nhl-ottawa-senators-carolina-hurricanes-850x560.jpg[/img]
Welp. This morning we saw how Dave Cameron will be lining them up tonight when the Sens will avoid the sweep.
MacArthur-Turris-Stone
Michalek-Zibanejad-Ryan
Condra-Pageau-Lazar
Hoffman-Smith-Neil
Its fair to say Hoffman will ha...
[img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/senators/images/upload/gallery/2015/04/470740806_slide.jpg[/img]
Wow.
I've got to start this off with the most important thing that happened tonight: I called that Hoffman goal. It may not be impressive since he is our leading goal scorer, but hey, if it was so obvious why didn't Cameron move him up from the fourth line earlier? Like maybe ...
Well it's been quite the week in Oil Country. Exactly one week ago, morale was about as low as it's ever been at the end of a season. The Oilers finished 28th overall, and while in previous years fans had been dissapointed, the draft was still a chance to look optimistically at the future. This year, even though this draft has been called one of the deepest drafts of the l...
Reddevil45 writes...
Calgary Flames against Anaheim Ducks:Series Prediction
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
After the Flames qualified for their first postseason since 2009 they won their first playoff round since they made the Stanley Cup Final in 2004. Their opponent this time is the Western Conference champions the Anaheim Ducks a team they have not beaten at the Honda Center in their last 20 straight regular season games (0-15-5) and 2 out of 3 in the 2006 playoffs. Both the...
Regular Season Only!!!!
The Flames played well above what was expected of them this season. There are still people who can’t believe how the Flames made it to the playoffs. The Flames had a 44.43 SAT %(Corsi For %), shots on goal + shot attempts that missed the net + blocked shots, was 28th in the league and a 45.74 USAT %(Fenwick For %), shots on goal + shot attempts...
Directly in the midst of the Mike Babcock wildfire, the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to terms with defenseman Yevgeny Medvedev on Wednesday.
Medvedev hails from Chelyabinsk, Russia and has been a member of the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan since 2007. During his eight seasons with the team he was named an All-Star three times and additionally won two Gagarin Cups (KHL’s Stanle...
By now we know that the Flyers have a plethora of options when it comes to defensemen. But what about the last line of defense, behind them?
[b]Steve Mason[/b] is the guy, obviously. When your starter finishes with the 3rd best save percentage in the entire league (.928) and 7th in goals against average (2.25) it’s normally revered to as a pretty successful season.
...
Most Flames fans are salivating at the possibilities of our ever evolving hockey club. Last year, we made the playoffs and actually won a round! With the emergence of John Gaudreau(anyone notice his FB fan page?) as a top flight winger, Sean Monahan posting career highs in goals and points, Sam Bennett delivering some early post season magic, it begs the question, so far, ...
We are now officially less than one month away from the [b]NHL Draft.[/b]
As of right now, the [b]Flyers[/b] currently hold two first round picks, sitting at [b]#7 and #29/30[/b] depending on whether the Lightning win the Stanley Cup or not. While the front office may be looking to shop one of the two, this installment focuses on seven option the Flyers could take with...
ianmcnamara558 writes...
Leafs Looking for Quality, Volume of Prospects in Pipeline
Posted Sunday | Comments 7
Since the departure of Mats Sundin, the Maple Leafs have lacked a true No. 1 centre. Looking at successful clubs like Chicago, Los Angeles, Anaheim and Tampa Bay might make management envious; they can count on Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar, Ryan Getzlaf and Steven Stamkos to hold down their top position year in and year out. Which is why they could understandably feel co...
KABOOM.
Many have speculated and this week starts the changing of the guard in the NHL. The LA’s, Chicago’s, and Boston have run into a huge obstacle… Namely the salary cap. With so many teams rebuilding, retooling and shifting gears this week promises to be the beginning of the most active off season in over a decade. So what can we expect?
Anaheim – One mu...
Now before people go off half cocked just remember all of these teams had a chance to negotiate contracts with these players for fair market value before the day after the NHL draft or file for arbitration.
As soon as an offersheet is put down as an NHL GM i would look at the other RFA's on the team and find the one I like and put an offer sheet down.
So here is how ...
JoeyNarsa50 writes...
Marner, Strome could be Ontario talent for Babcock and Leafs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
If Mike Babcock and the Toronto Maple Leafs are serious about bringing talented Ontario born players to the club, the upcoming NHL Draft could be their biggest opportunity.
Friday in Sunrise, Fla., comes Toronto’s next chance to draft the first key piece to the rebuild and some believe they will concentrate on local talent, a notion that the new Leafs’ bench boss ha...
Welcome to the new era of Calgary Flames hockey. Yesterday, a coup took place in the eyes of most of the hockey world. No, we didn't make a deal for the Oilers lottery pick, we didn't even pry the second pick from the Sabres. What we did was achieve the improbable, if not the impossible. We parlayed, what was a middling first round pick, coupled with two second round picks...
[u][b]Evaluating The Canucks: Defense[/b][/u]
To put it frankly, the Canucks defense is about as mediocre and unexciting you can get. No on the roster can be considered a cornerstone franchise defenseman. They lack a flashy puck mover that can excite the fans. They don't have a prototypical physical shutdown d-man that intimidates the opposition and clears the net on ...
After the draft and a hectic beginning to free agency, teams are starting to settle in and we can get a better idea of what teams will look like going into training camp. The West once again looks ready to be the more impressive conference, with tough competition in both the Pacific and Central divisions. Today I want to focus on the Pacific Division. This year in particul...
I wouldn't normally post a blog like this but given the recent Bryce Salvador article at the players tribune website, remembering the suicides of Wade Belak and Rick Rypien, drug overdoses like Derek Boogard and the addiction problems of Theo Fleury, I wanted to share the following article. I have kept the original author anonymous as requested and changed some of the ide...
One word to best describe the Calgary Flames 2014/15 season is miraculous. Having finished 27th the previous year and no significant roster changes besides for Johnny Gaudreau and Jonas Hiller, the Flames managed to secure a playoff berth with one game to spare.
One of the main talking points of the season was the Flames inability to have the puck on their sticks more t...
To make the playoffs again, the Flames will have a have to compete in not only a tough division but also a tough conference. The Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche are all looking to get back into the playoffs after missing out last season. The Flames will have to beat them to have the best chance to make the playoffs. The Vancouver...
On Wednesday, the NHL announced a new realignment of the NHL All-Star Game for the upcoming game in Nashville, Tennessee.
Here is the new format...(via NHL press release)
*The 2016 Honda NHL® All-Star Game will be a three-game tournament played in a 3-on-3 format with a prize pool of $1 million to be paid in its entirety to the tournament’s winning team.
*...
Over the weekend, it was discussed in a rumor blog that the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Islanders were in serious trade discussions. The apparent rumor is Ryan Johansen and a second round pick for Kyle Okposo, a first round pick, and Travis Hamonic (who would then be dealt to Calgary).
For the pieces the Islanders are giving up, that is a lot to give up...
Lets just say the Flames stay the course and not do anything crazy trade wise and Macdonald or Ortio actually grow into a true NHL number 1 goalie grown in the organization.
After this year I am to hope Monahan signs longish term 5+ maybe 7 even somewhere around $5.25-$4.75 the year after when Johnny is RFA that could be $6? Bennett if he continues to stay and play for ...
Luke D
There is always room for improvement for most players no matter who’s coaching. However, this will be the last chance for certain players to improve themselves under coach Babcock. These players have played under former leaf coaches Randy Carlyle and Peter Horachek but haven’t been able to meet expectations under either one. With that being said, here are the...
First I must commend Bob Hartley on demanding a strong work ethic and compete level in Calgary. These are not easy intangibles to build but with that being said the young Flames need a true tactician. A coach that can take these brilliant hockey minds like Monahan, Gaudreau, Bennett, and Hamilton and take them to the next level.
[b]Current Issues:[/b]
The Flames sit ...
First I must commend Bob Hartley on demanding a strong work ethic and compete level in Calgary. These are not easy intangibles to build but with that being said the young Flames need a true tactician. A coach that can take these brilliant hockey minds like Monahan, Gaudreau, Bennett, and Hamilton and take them to the next level.
[b]Current Issues:[/b]
The Flames sit ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 48- Calgary Flames @ Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
CBJ Game
Bad on road v. Bad at home. What an interesting battle at home tonight for the Jackets as they welcome the Flames as they looking for a start to an awful first half of the 2015-16 season. As mentioned through the first sentence of my blog, the Flames are not a good team away from the Scotiabank Saddledome. As for the second half of the intro, the Jackets have ...
Last night, at home, the Columbus Blue Jackets were defeated by the Calgary Flames by a final score of 4-2.
The Flames got goals by Sam Bennett (2), Michael Frolik, and Johnny Gaudreau. Other players with points include Dougie Hamilton, Mark Giordano (2), TJ Brodie, Mikael Backlund (2), and Kris Russell. Johnny Hockey was my player to watch, and has his 20th goal t...
What may have been a joke turned into a blessing in disguise John Scott. So this is where I came up with a great way to do the all star game. Keep the 3v3 and each division. Very entertaining.
Keep fan voting with a twist - Player must have played minimum 20 games. This prevents Ahlers and injured players. Otherwise fair game because anyone who plays in the NHL deserves...
In an era of prequels and sequels, innovation sometimes comes to not be identified when presented to the masses. Yet it is this same backdrop that fosters the innovative spirit: the drive to create a comprehensive model. rnrn3-on-3 hockey is an amazing innovation. Not only does it add a new dimension (in which the benefits seem to outweigh the negatives) but it has dee...
In an era of prequels and sequels, innovation sometimes comes to not be identified when presented to the masses. Yet it is this same backdrop that fosters the innovative spirit: the drive to create a comprehensive model. rnrn3-on-3 hockey is an amazing innovation. Not only does it add a new dimension (in which the benefits seem to outweigh the negatives) but it has deep ho...
The back-to-back was successful for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they defeated the Calgary Flame in the Scotiabank Saddledome by a final score of 2-1 in regulation. This makes their Western Canada trip a success as they went 2 for 3 against these clubs, falling only to Oilers.
The Flames' lone goal scorer was from Jiri Hudler, who is having a down year similar to Nick ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ-Making A Case For An Outdoor Game In Central Ohio
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
With the recent announcements of outdoor games in 2017, and the recent outdoor games for 2016, is it time for the Columbus Blue Jackets to throw their hats into the ring?
First, let's go over the games for 2016. The Winter Classic was on New Year's Day between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins. Not to down the city of Boston and the people of Massachusetts, b...
As it sits today, the Leafs are in last place and with the greatest chance (20%) of landing the first overall pick for the first time since 1985 (Wendel Clark). Auston Matthews grew up playing in Scottsdale, AZ watching the then Phoenix Coyotes play. Currently the Coyotes are sitting in a position likely to get the 10th overall pick. My question to you is, would the Leafs ...
Don't let the title deceive you, I am a giant nerd and I love advanced stats but let's be honest here [b]Corsi stats have absolutely nothing to do with puck possession. Nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada.[/b]
Corsi and her related statistics such as relative Corsi should be re-branded as shooting metrics simply because that is exactly what they are. They are not poss...
OHL Playoff Predictions Round 2
Series E (East)
1 KINGSTON vs. 4 NIAGARA
Game 1 - Thu Apr 7 7:00 PM Niagara at Kingston
Game 2 - Fri Apr 8 7:00 PM Niagara at Kingston
Game 3 - Sun Apr 10 2:00 PM Kingston at Niagara
Game 4 - Wed Apr 13 7:00 PM Kingston at Niagara
Game 5 - Fri Apr 15 7:00 PM * Niagara at Kingston
Game 6 - Mon Apr 18 7:00 PM * K...
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL Playoff Thoughts: Politics, Fights, and Comebacks Coming
Posted Friday | Comments 6
The 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs have been intense and physical thus far. There are multiple series that are three games to one, followed up with pushing, shoving, name-calling, and fist-flying. However, this blog will discuss the dominating issues in the game that have been trending over the past several days.
The major issue has come from the Chicago Blackhawks - St...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Blue Jackets' Associate Coach Craig Hartsburg Retires
Posted Friday | Comments 64
The associate coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets has retired to spend time with his family. Hartsburg, 52, has enjoyed three seasons in Columbus, including a postseason appearance. Hartsburg coached three games this year when John Tortorella was out with broken ribs, going 2-0-1.
With his retirement, this means Tortorella can go out and get a guy he likes, unless he p...
Match Ups: Round One
Hershey Bears v. Portland Pirates
Toronto Marlies v. Bridgeport Sound Tigers
San Diego Gulls v. Texas Stars
Ontario Reign v. San Jose Barracuda
Lake Erie Monsters v. Rockford Ice Hogs
Millauawke v. Grand Rapids Griffins
Providence Bruins v. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Albany Devils v. Utica Comets
Predictions
Hershey i...
In the NHL, the largest reason team consistently lose games, sign bad contracts and overpay for players, is the massive gap between player’s perceived value and their actual value. This is a major issue in the NHL. In days of the past, there were excuses for making decisions based on the “eye test”. But in reality, the eye test is not only useless, but also actually ...
AHL:
Eastern Conference
Hershey Bears v. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Prediction: Bears in 6
Toronto Marlies v. Albany Devils
Prediction: Marlies in 5
Western Conference
Ontario Reign v. San Diego Gulls
Prediction: Gulls in 7
Lake Erie Monsters v. Grand Rapids Griffins
Prediction: Monsters in 7
OHL
London Knights v. Niagara Ice Dogs
...
Aside from the draft lottery occurring at the end of April, there is still hockey in session in early May.
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
San Jose leads Nashville 2-0
St. Louis and Dallas are tied 1-1
Pittsburgh and Washington are tied 1-1
Tampa Bay and New York are tied 1-1
In the CHL:
Seattle and Brandon are facing off for the WHL Championship, and mo...
Just to start quickly I actually want to see Phil Kessel lift the cup and prove that the leafs really did get ripped off AGAIN and even worse probably somehow screw up Austin Matthews, you would think its impossible I do not anyways!
I think to touch on Hartley getting dropped just like this shows little class based on BT as he gave him a big extension after winning t...
There's speculation that Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Sutter is headed to Calgary to coach the Flames.
Of course, he has to be released by the Kings.
However, the prospect of Sutter going to his home province (Alberta) is real.
Despite winning two Stanley Cups during Sutter's tenure with the Kings, the past two season hasn't been happy times for L.A.
The...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ: Ex-Jacket Defenseman Grant Clitsome Retires
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
The Winnipeg Jets lost one of their bottom pairing defenseman for good. And same with the league. Defenseman Grant Clitsome, a former Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick, has announced his retirement at the young age of 31.
Clitsome was a ninth round draft pick by Columbus in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. In 93 career games with the Blue Jackets, he had 36 points (9-27-36).
...
Over the past couple of years, there have troubles around NHL players and law enforcement and court systems. Seymon Varlamov. Slava Voynov. Clayton Stoner. Sean Avery. Ian White. Aaron Ward. Dan LaCouture. Jack Johnson. Linden Vey. Mike Richards. Jarrett Stoll. Alex Galchenyuk. Devante Smith-Pelly. Garett Ross. Patrick Kane. Evander Kane. And the list continues to grow. ...
Over the past couple of years, there have troubles around NHL players and law enforcement and court systems. Seymon Varlamov. Slava Voynov. Clayton Stoner. Sean Avery. Ian White. Aaron Ward. Dan LaCouture. Jack Johnson. Linden Vey. Mike Richards. Jarrett Stoll. Alex Galchenyuk. Devante Smith-Pelly. Garett Ross. Patrick Kane. Evander Kane. And the list continues to grow. ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Call For Controversy: What Is Wrong With the NHL
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
Over the past couple of years, there have troubles around NHL players and law enforcement and court systems. Seymon Varlamov. Slava Voynov. Clayton Stoner. Sean Avery. Ian White. Aaron Ward. Dan LaCouture. Jack Johnson. Linden Vey. Mike Richards. Jarrett Stoll. Alex Galchenyuk. Devante Smith-Pelly. Garett Ross. Patrick Kane. Evander Kane. And the list continues to grow.
...
While most speculated that the Edmonton Oilers would be in on defenseman Jason Demers and left wing Milan Lucic, today we received confirmation that the two were in town meeting with the organization. Meeting and signing are two very different things and there are other teams also courting these guys (Lucic was just in Vancouver). The Oilers do have a bit of an advantage i...
dizzleskill writes...
The Trade That Almost Changed The Draft And 3 Teams Futures
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
So i was talking to someone with direct knowledge of the situation that there was almost a 3 way trade done on day 1 of the draft just before it began.
They had mentioned that there was a trade in the works that would have sent the 3rd overall pick (clb) to calgary for the 6th overall pick + but that the blue jackets did not want to move to the 6th spot.
Enter the oi...
So where does hurler sign? he's still unsigned, and so's russell. two former flames who got traded at the deadline. but everyone's talking about Russell, so i will ask, where does hurler sign?
I think maybe Montreal.
The Calgary Flames Signed Sean Monahan To A 6 Year Contract For Way Too Much Money!
Sean Monahan re-signing i think is a great move by the flames. he is a great player, but Gaudreau is still unsigned ... but he'll sign, and what's so exciting about an RFA contract? we knew he would re-sign, so it's nothing. it's not really big news at all. we all knew he would sign, and...
In this week’s Fan’s Fronchroom bit, let’s talk a little about the upcoming season. I’m sure you’re all chomping at the bit to the extent that I am, and for that reason, I think we can all use a healthy little bit of hockey analysis. There are a few notable reasons for Blackhawks fans to feel extremely optimistic regarding the upcoming season, and a thorough look...
You can rank them from 1 to 5 for who is more of a hockey fan. you may not vote for yourself, but you can vote. if you are one of these 5 posters on hockeybuzz.com, you can vote for the other 4 in order. each person can only vote once, and anyone other than me can vote.
The winner's prize is the fact that they are more of a hockey fan than the others, and this is how it...
This is a game for people, so you can rank who is more of a hockey fan. each person starts with 5 points, and the point number will change. each person may only vote once, and the first person to get to 50 points wins.
there will be 13 people that you can vote for, and each person can only vote once. you don't have to be in the 13 to vote, and if you are you can still v...
This is a game for people, so you can rank who is more of a hockey fan. each person starts with 5 points, and the point number will change. each person may only vote once, and the first person to get to 50 points wins.
there will be 13 people that you can vote for, and each person can only vote once. you don't have to be in the 13 to vote, and if you are you can still v...
Game Starts Now:
Each player has 2 positive votes and 2 negative votes per day. To vote you must be in the game and i can also vote and so can Eklund if he wants to. other than me and Eklund, you have to be in the game to vote.
So each person starts with 10 points, and if you vote, you have to vote 2 positive votes and 2 negative votes. You can vote -2 for one person...
shawzy_111 writes...
How Russia Exploited Team North America's Exuberance
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
In the midst of seeing countless replays of the McDavid-Matthews connection against Team Russia yesterday, I came to the realization that there is something rather essential lacking in mainstream hockey coverage in this day and age.This missing ingredient is actual tactical analysis of how one team breaks down the other or stifles the opposition offence. At best we see a b...
For more information follow @PesekWill and @NHLPenaltyBox {Twitter}
The Islanders have played majority of their games at home to start the year, and based off their record from last year at home, it was kind of a disappointment to start this year at home. Now after only registering 1 point on the road this year, in a heartbreaking OT loss to the Florida Panthers, they t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 18- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Calgary Flames
Posted Wednesday | Comments 11
The Blue Jackets busy week if games continue where they take on the struggling Calgary Flames.
The Flames are continuing to find a winning way after making the postseason two years ago. This summer, they fired veteran coach Bob Hartley for former Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. They traded Patrick Sieloff to Ottawa. They let a lot of experienced players walk, including goal...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 28- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Calgary Flames
Posted Friday | Comments 1
The Western Canada road trip continues for the Jackets, as they continue their time in Alberta. Tonight, they battle the Flames.
The Flames have been a confusing team to watch this season. They were riding a six winning streak with Chad Johnson taking the reigns as the number one starter. Against Tampa Bay, they lost badly, and yanked Johnson.
The Flames goaltendin...
The Islanders enter play on Tuesday sitting 1 point ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the last playoff spot in the East. After going 3-2-1 in the first six games of the road trip, the Isles remain in Western Canada to take on the Oilers. Goaltender Thomas Greiss has started all six games so far, despite getting pulled versus Columbus and Calgary and he has been superb. ...
After the absolute nail biter against Pitt they play something hopefully a little calmer against Boston tonight. The Saddledome should be completely wild with excitement and anticipation about 11.
Still 15 or so to play but it would be nice to see a battle of Alberta in the first round for the flames to actually get some sort of redemption from all season but most impo...
If we’ve learned anything over the years, you never count out Getzlaf and Perry; and to the Ducks’ daunting d-corps, add in forwards the likes of Silfverberg, Rakell, and Eaves, and it’s only a matter of time until they start paddling – or is it swimming? – their way up the standings. I would expect no less of the Kings, although time is quickly running out on th...
Plenty of Blame... So lets get started.
I am going to take a step back and start with the obvious and the one that you won't hear on TV right now. Chiarelli. Many people will say it is easy to be an arm chair GM and to shout out opinions. Personally I say and I say it to any Oiler fan out there, go right ahead. Shout out what you think, write it, talk about it; sh...
I don't like the Eberle for Strome deal as of today. Full Stop.
The rest of the summer can change my mind but as of right now I view this as a massive step back for the team and in my opinion is an example of Oilers management mishandling their assets.
We are going to ignore the fact for a moment the Strome's best year was 1 point less than Eberle's worst year. We a...
Well as I watched TSN with Free agent day almost a complete total waste of air time, (kinda like trade deadline) The flames did something I believe every day before that for somewhere around 5 days, way to anti climatic BT haha, no seriously I approve how he works totally.
The only issue I have is really mike stone, I feel that might be a touch much value for him, more ...
The calgary flames need a top line RW that's no surprise but where can they find it? Look no further then the ageless wonder, Jaromir Jagr would fit the bill perfectly. He played with young talented players in Florida putting up very respectable numbers for a guy that is in his mid 40's. Whether Jagr is on the flames radar remains a mystery, but one could argue the flames ...
31 teams; 31 reasons to post a random comment. Let's go.
Anaheim Ducks – The Ducks are a conundrum for me. They have a good roster. They’ve won the Pacific Division something like five seasons in a row. There was very little change to their roster this summer. It seems like they can make the final four group in the playoffs on any given season, but ultimately, this ...
In a previous blog I wrote that I expected Edmonton to finish 2nd in the division, behind the Ducks with the Flames a close 3rd. The Battle Of Alberta has gone on for decades but both teams have had very little to celebrate over the past ten years. Chanting "my team is slightly not as bad as yours" doesn't have quite the same ring to it. Both teams have star players that a...
Tonight the Oilers played the Flames in Edmonton and at the same time we had the Oilers playing the Flames in Calgary. I debated on which game I wanted to zero in on and in the end I chose the Edmonton home game to see Strome with McDavid as well as to watch Jesse Puljujarvi. Here are the good and bad things from the game. Everything I am about to say should be preceded by...
After a shorter off-season than usual, the Edmonton Oilers picked up right where they left off and played a nearly perfect game against their southern rivals.
FINAL SCORE 3-0 EDMONTON
Before getting into some notes I wanted to take a moment and say what a classy move it was for the organization for having Constable Mike Chernyk at centre ice before the game began. Th...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Flameout in Calgary, Canadian Media, and Panthers Alive
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 19
Flameout in Calgary, Canadian Media, and Panthers Alive and Well
Debate 1 | The Calgary Flameout
Debate 2 | Canadian Media Criticism
Debate 3 | Florida Panthers Alive and Well
Brad Burud and Blake Friars breakdown the Calgary Flames struggles and discuss the multitude of reasons for their drop in the standings. They...
I have been a casual fan of New Jersey Devils (NJD) since the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Finals push and like to run small analysis on the team every now and then. I also am the fan that argues with friends trying to prove how NJD is better as a team than other teams.
Enough about me, lets dive into the reason why I have this Blog. The Final Push for playoffs. NJD have 15 g...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Inside Edge Hockey News Radio Show - Episode 7 - Flames Fall
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Inside Edge Hockey News Radio Show - Episode 7 -
Flames Fallout, New Taylor Hall, and Season Ticket Drives
The Inside Edge Hockey News Brad Burud discusses the struggles this year in Calgary. Will the Flames make big off-season moves if they fail to make the playoffs. Why is Taylor Hall thriving in New Jersey? How would Regina do with a season ticket drive?
[htt...
The most proven way for building a quality NHL roster while managing cap space effectively is through the draft. Drafted players are controlled for the longest period of time. A team's ability to draft NHL players through multiple rounds of the draft directly correlates to long term success.
For this endeavor I took a look at every roster in the Pacific Division from t...
MaximumBone writes...
Bone's Guide to: Proven Metropolitan division targets
Posted Wednesday | Comments 7
Next up, I'll be tackling proven players from teams in Metropolitan division in an effort to pilfer talent from a host of the deeper teams in the league.
[b]Carolina:[/b]
RD, Trevor Van Riemsdyk
[i]A brilliant example of an under-the-radar “3rd pairing Dman” who was nothing but effective this past season. Excelled in consistent minutes against 2nd pairing-le...
MaximumBone writes...
Bone's (Accelerated) Guide to: The Rest of the League
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Not that anyone gives a damn but, on account of the wholesale failure of my laptop, I'm now gonna fast track the remainder of my [i]Guides to Player Acquisition[/i] in an effort to stay on schedule. As such, I'll cover the remainder of my ideal targets in this blog!
[b]Carolina:[/b]
LW, Warren [b]GODDAM[/b] Foegele
[i]If you've followed my posts in the Oilers th...
I got quite a kick out of the initial reaction to the Hamilton trade on day-two of the draft. Everything from 'Worst trade in Flames' history' to 'Fire Treliving Immediately'. Holy over reaction Batperson!
Dougie's name had been popping up in rumours since the end of this dismal season and it was disclosed after the trade that the teams had been working on the deal for ...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast - NHL Draft Shuffle,
Posted Monday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 29
NHL Draft Shuffle, Flames/Canes Trade and Top Targets
Debate 1 |NHL Draft – Winners and Losers
Debate 2 |Flames/Canes Blockbuster Trade
Debate 3 |NHL Free-Agents and Trade Targets
Its NHL Draft time and Brad Burud and Blake Friars breakdown the winners and losers, and what players moved up and what players fell in...
With the Flames first preseason game in China less than a week away the long wait for the new season is almost over. It is a season that has many fans of the team optimistic about a playoff berth and maybe more. The new look squad will be competing this weekend against the highly regarded Boston Bruins. Although this matchup will feature watered down preseason squads it wi...
Tonight is the first contest of the preseason for the Blue Jackets, and tonight they take on the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo is coming into this season as a younger and stronger team. They made a lot of moves throughout the offseason. They dealt center Ryan O'Reilly to the St. Louis Blues in a blockbuster deal for wingers Patrik Berglund; Vladimir Sobotaka; center Tage Thompso...
October 4, 2018
The regular season for the Blue Jackets opened on the road against the Detroit Red Wings at the Little Caesar's Arena.
The Wings are a team in a full rebuild, focusing on youth as their older players either retire or continue to get injured. The Red Wings lost their captain, Henrik Zetterberg, to a career ending back injury, forcing him to leave his ...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
THE DEBATE Hockey Podcast - Hot Starts and Controversy
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The NHL season is one week old and its time for Brad Burud and Blake Friars to discuss what went down in week one of the season. Who is off to a hot start and who is struggling. Injuries are taking their toll on numerous teams. I think we are all in agreement when we say we are tired about hearing how great the Toronto Maple Leafs are…. we discuss. And, don’t forget th...
October 11 2018---- Sorry for being super busy over the weekend. Other committmnets came in the way from producing any furhter articles over the weekend.
Firstly, I will catch everyone up with the game action, injury news, and then look at the competition this evening, with the return of two former Blue Jackets players.
The Blue Jackets opened the season on the road ag...
Written by Zak October 12 2018
The Columbus Blue Jackets held on to defeat the Florida Panthers by the final score of 5-4, in regulation.
Zach Werenski opened the scoring on the power play with his first of the season. Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson had the assists. Panarin added onto the lead with his third of the season; Pierre-Luc Dubois had the assis...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Player Survey, Calgary Flames, and Dirtiest Player
Posted Friday | Comments 0
INSIDE EDGE HOCKEY NEWS – RADIO SHOW | EPISODE 10
Player Survey, Calgary Flames Outlook, and Dirtiest Player
Brad Burud talks about a NHL player survey done by Kevin Allen of USA Today. What do players think about concussions, surprise teams, expansion, and the potential lockout. The answers may just surprise you. Then Auddie James joins the show to breakdown the C...
October 15,2018
Written by: Zak MacMillan
The Tampa Bay Lightning routed the Columbus Blue Jackets by the final score of 8-2!
AH! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN??? Is it the end? Call for a shakeup! Deal the rentals! No no, stay calm. It's just one game against one of the top teams. First, let's go over the results, then analyze.
Starting in the first, the past came back to...
October 18, 2018
The Jackets are in a gritty metropolitan division battle tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers and Jackets are similar and different in a lot of ways. The Flyers and Jackets have young offensive groups, but they Flyers is stronger; they both have elite young defensemen, with the Jackets more prominent, and the Flyers having more in numbers...
Many hockey insiders believe American Thanksgiving to be the time of year where NHL General Managers sit down, take a hard look at their rosters, and evaluate where they are and where their season could be headed. Most teams have played roughly 20 games by this point, so by this time many GMs have developed a solid understanding of what is working for their club, and what ...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 47
Midseason Shockers and All-Stars Skip Out
The NHL has hit the midseason mark. Brad Burud and Blake Friars talk about the biggest surprises thus far. There are some very interesting ones. Can you believe the amount of goals scored? Then it is time to talk NHL All-Star Game, and players electing to skip out. With Alexander Ove...
rebel_deucer writes...
I Say Keep The All Star Game... Here's Tip To Improve
Posted Sunday | Comments 3
Look I know that many think the all star is stupid, a farce, hurts the league and doesn't belong. Many seem to forget this is mainly an event for kids and hence why the nhl keeps it and continues to try and improve it. Some of it has worked. Lately people seem to get into the 3 on 3 tournament. Here are some ideas I think would improve the game for the fans.
1st - Keep...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 52
Hey! We are fans too…
It is our most selfish episode ever, but a damn good one. Brad Burud and Blake Friars talk about what they love. It is time to talk about their favorite teams. Blake talks about why he is a Vancouver Canucks fan. Talks about his greatest moments as a Canucks fan and tells you why he thinks they wi...
The Instigator |Episode 28
Doughty: Criticism to Boost Your Ego
This week Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty set the hockey world a buzz with this comments prior to a game in Calgary. He praised Mark Giordano, but criticized Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson on their defensive capabilities. He then took aim at Matthew Tkachuk of the Calgary Flames. He claimed that...
Before I write this post, I will ask you to put these concepts in order of importance.
- Flawless Officiating
- Fun to play
- Entertaining
- Profitable
Now you might ask: "why can't we have them all?": but it's known when you try to accomplish everything, you more usually end up accomplishing nothing: see Theresa May's approach to Brexit as an example.
So now...
Rookiefan writes...
Why Jacob Trouba is the Only RFA that NJD Should Offer Sheet
Posted Monday | Comments 20
New Jersey Devils (NJD) did not make it to the playoffs this season (2018-2019). Since then both Taylor Hall and Ray Shero have stated that NJD needs more talent. This prompted a lot of fans to look toward the UFA and the RFA class of 2019 in order to fill in the roster spots.
This article only looks at those few RFA players that the fan base wants to offer sheet. Ther...
10. Patrick Laine
Of all the entries on this list, Laine’s inclusion is a bit of an oddity. It’s not like the young sniper had a terrible season. He still hit the 30-plus goal plateau and finished the year with a more than respectable 50 points. It’s just his numbers could have been so much better.
After a somewhat slow start to the season, Laine went absolutel...
Kudos to George Malik for getting these out http://themalikreport.com/2019/09/05/some-quick-thoughts-regarding-the-red-wings-prospect-tournament-roster/
Although I’ve let it be known that I think there is too much for these prospects in terms of tourney/camp/preseason, I am excited about the actual tournament. Looking at the lineup I see Zadina, Hirose, Veleno, and Ku...
In a show of courtesy and generosity, all the games in Traverse City are being streamed this year. Click on this link: https://www.foxsports.com/southwest/story/watch-dallas-stars-compete-in-traverse-city-prospect-tournament-sept-6-10-live-streams-090519
8 teams including :Detroit, Toronto, Dallas, Minnesota, St. Louis, New York, Columbus and Chicago.
Obviously I�...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit wins the prospects tourney for the 2nd time
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
This was a surprise, for sure. I like the kids we have, and like what’s coming down the pipe. Joe Veleno surprised me, and I was expecting him to be really good. In 4 games he had 7 goals and 1 assist. One goal was an empty net in game 3, but in the other three games he had 2 goals. Good grief that’s consistent. And, it’s impressive. This kid wants a job right now wi...
It has been a short while friends, so let us recap on the pre-season that was, the first couple of games of the regular season, and previewing tonight's upcoming matchup against the Buffalo Sabres at the Nationwide Arena, back at home.
Let's look in the rearview before we do the preview.
Pre-Season: Final Cuts; Dubi Disappearance
The roster dwindled down to two ...
The second week of the regular season has come and gone in the hockey world, and for the Blue Jackets, success has followed. Last week, the Blue Jackets got their first victories of the season, against some of the league’s early success stories.
The Jacket’s first victory of the season came over the Buffalo Sabres, by the final score of 4-3 in overtime. The Jackets ...
In an extremely tight playoff race, the Canucks have managed to find themselves atop the Pacific division with a very unsettling three point lead. The young Canadian team finds themselves with 65 points, followed closely by the Oilers, Knights, Flames, and Coyotes who are all within 5 points of the Canucks. With five teams battling to win the Pacific division, none of t...
After tonight, there is no reason why the Sharks could not make a push into the playoffs. Sure, the division has many competitive teams, but none are taking control of their destiny. The Canucks lost to an outdated Minnesota roster, and to make things worse, Pettersson missed the game due to a lower body injury. Jay Beagle and Jake Virtanen were injured as well, but cam...
The Calgary Flames dropped there third straight decision Thursday night, in a disappointing loss to the Nashville Predators. A Nashville Team that came into the game three points back of the quickly falling Flames, is now a single point back of them with two games in advantage to boot. Calgary is quickly falling behind, and unless they start playing with some urgency and h...
Saturday night went quite well for the Calgary Flames, bulldozing the Vancouver Canucks 6-2 in enemy territory. It’s no secret this season has been tough for the Flames, especially after such a wonderful year last season, that saw them hit first in the Western Conference. They were a team with a killer instinct, and that finally cam alive against their divisional rival. ...
Just a few days past the Flames lost Captain and defensive rock Mark Giordano to a hamstring injury. Currently, he’s week to week so it’s hard to know when exactly he’ll be back and ready to go, but one thing for sure, is the Flames REALLY don’t need anyone else going down with an injury. Especially so close to the seasons end, with so many teams in the race for ...
The Calgary Flames have had hardly any help from their bottom six most of the season. Outside a couple contributors (Ryan/Dube) they haven’t had much, and to say it has been very concerning is an understatement. However, in the past two games that seems to be coming to an end. San Jose was pummeled 6-2 in their own building by the Calgary Flames Monday night, as the Fla...
The Calgary Flames ended their four-game road trip on a high note, beating the Anaheim Ducks 6-0. Despite the score, the Flames didn’t play great by any means, but the fact that the Ducks were terrible helped them out. Still, Anaheim peppered Cam Talbot with 44 shots, all of which he was able to turn aside. Calgary made the most of their chances, despite Anaheim dominati...
Blackhawks beat the Flames (who were channeling their inner Detroit Red Wing), into the Ice with EASE, by a score of 8-4. The entire game the Flames just couldn’t gain any ground. Every time the Flames looked as though they were starting to get back into, a defensive lapse would occur, they would leave someone all alone in front of the net, and would trail AGAIN. This wh...
With the trade deadline just one week away, I’m genuinely curious about what the Calgary Flames will do. On one hand, the Flames desperately need a top six winger. They’ve needed one for a long while and one has to think Brad Treliving will be adding one. Tyler Toffoli seems to be the guy linked to the Flames, but who really knows? Having said all that, one also has to...
JDB writes...
Granlund Scores with .1 seconds. Flames Lose to Predators
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
Once again, the Flames find themselves unable to string together some wins, and once again they lose to a team they NEED to beat. A team that is right behind them in the standings. Once again, the Flames are unable to ring in some consistency and it’s cost them another game yet again. It’s all too predictable at this point with the Flames. They win one or two row and t...
The Calgary Flames marched into Tampa Bay looking to rebound from a disappointing loss to the Nashville Predators a few nights ago. A game in which while they weren’t awful, they weren’t good enough to win. They had some good looks, but with .1 seconds left let the Predators tied up the game. Overtime they went, and the Flames dropped the game. Perhaps they deserved a ...
I believe that the NHL needs to realign the divisions into smaller divisions, similar to the NFL.
Check out my idea for a new idea for NHL Realignment starting with the 2021 - 2022 season. Find out what division your NHL team moves to in the NHL Realignment plan! Also, this NHL Realignment has changes to the schedule structure, playoffs and if Florida and/or Arizona...
Dale Hawerchuk a legend who deservedly walks among the greats from his era, Gretzky, Savard, Yzerman, Bossy, Lemieux, etc...
He was pivotal in Canada winning the Canada Cup in the 80s. He was the guy who setup the goal Gretzky to Lemieux.
Beloved in two cities Winnipeg and Buffalo. Went to the finals with Philadelphia. Came close to winning it all. Calder trophy wi...
CBJ Post-Game Numero Dos — Double Smashed
Once again, the Columbus Blue Jackets were pushed by the Nashville Predators by a final score of 5-2.
To repeat last night, Columbus scores first again, which was a major issue last season, but now seems to be their Achilles heel. Captain Nick Foligno scored the first goal of the evening.
Rocco Grimaldi evened the game...
Teams are working towards the second half push. Those teams who have depended on stick checks and fancy moves will likely win a few, but will be disappointed with some hard losses. I hope to have some insight soon as to who will flourish and who will falter.
The Calgary Flames are quite possibly one of the most frustrating teams to cheer for, just ask any fan. Why? Well, since their cup win in 1989, this team has been on a downward spiral, with bad coaches, bad GM’s and nearly zero playoff success outside of their miraculous run to the cup in 2004 which saw them lose in game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and a trip to the se...
If you have been wondering how to get the best Toca Boca mod for Android, you've come to the right place. This game is a ranah anak's dream with its unique gameplay, graphics, and map. Now, you can enjoy premium features for free, and block the iklan in the game. Download the game to your Android device from the official website or use the mod to get an unlimited supply of...
BarrettGeoffrey writes...
Vector 2 Premium Mod Apk – Escape For Your Freedom
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Action games have never ceased to be attractive. So if you are finding one title, which can bring you thrilling and appealing gameplay, [url=https://apksunny.com/vector-2-premium/]Vector 2 Premium Mod Apk[/url] is an ideal suggestion.
It will test your limits in the dark and deadly atmosphere. Many dangerous traps are waiting for you. Where is the way to escape from dea...
With the Canucks coming off an incredible performance of the teams best player, Andrei Kuzmenko, who happens to be playing for a new high-priced contract, some decisions need to be made.rnWith Kuzmenko and the teams other best player, Luke Schenn, as well as overrated Bo Horvat, all being UFA's, should the team be re-signing these 3, or do you try get something back in ret...
You must be too accustomed to the game Geometry Dash. On the [url=https://geometrydashscratch.io]Geometry Dash Scratch[/url] website, you can access further variations of this game if you're interested. Five video games in this collection were created by Swedish game developer Robert Topala and released by RobTop Games. In this game, you and your character will be forced t...