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The last time that the New York Islanders clinched the playoffs on THE last day of the season, it didn't come without a price. Going back to March 31, 1990; the New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins were all vying for the fourth and final playoff position in the Patrick Division. The Islanders were playing the Flyers and the Penguins were playi...
Everyone knows that the Buffalo Sabres are 1st seed. Everyone knows that the Buffalo Sabres won the Presidents Trophy. Everyone knows that every Buffalo fan says "This is our year!". I am pretty sure the upstart New York Islanders will have something to say about that.
Coming in 8th seed with a thrilling shootout win over the New Jersey Devils, the Isles rode 3rd str...
In a week, you will choke down wings, drink lots of beer, and scream at your television sets. In a week, you will throw your Wii controllers aside, and watch small animals grow from the faces of your hockey heroes and heels. In a week, the season travails will wash away to a giant magnifying glass and pressure-cooker called the [b]NHL Playoffs[/b].
Our blood will boil, ...
Right now it is snowing outside, despite the Global Warming Monster that is stomping unchecked across the country. This snow I take as a sign, some good juju, as it were, for the Minnesota Wild.
This season, the Wild overcame adversity. Their star, Marian Gaborik, was down for what seemed an eternity with a fragile groin. Again. Pretty much every key player was out ...
I am a refugee from ESPN Fantasy Hockey Correspondent purgatory. For the first three years I wrote a column there, I had something like 110K page views. I got email from all around the planet. But since ESPN got rid of hockey, fantasy hockey is the ugly duckling of fantasy sports, and I'm lucky to get one email a month. So I figured I'd give MYHB a shot. I like Ecklund's w...
Well folks, it finally has arrived! The playoffs are here and I couldn't be more excited. A great slate of games tonight with what will probably be one of the most exciting series being Ottawa V. Pittsburgh. So much speed and talent on the ice between both teams and two young upcoming goaltenders. Ray Emery has a lot to make up for from last year's run when he laid a f...
With hockey fever raging through Buffalo unchecked, that can mean only one thing. We are one day from game one. Sabre players have said they are not looking beyond the Islanders and have laid very classy praise on Ted Nolan and his boys from the Island. Are the Islanders equally prepared?
[img:left]http://msn.foxsports.com/id/6198854_36_2.jpg[/img]We have not heard m...
First of all, I'd like to say hello to everyone reading this, my first blog post of many to come. Thank you for taking the time to read my posts!
My name is Jeff Smith, I am a 21 year old SFU student living in suburban neighbourhood of South Surrey, BC. Like most people around these parts, I have been a Vancouver Canucks fan ever since I can remember. I live and breat...
Ditch the razor and hide the shaving cream its playoff time! The time of year when your stomach turns to knots at every odd man rush.
As many players in the Sabres room have said, this is the "Real Season." That is the attitude they have had since dropping Game 7 of the 2006 ECF with a battered blue line.
From training camp to this past Sunday it's been all about ...
Lanny's Moustache writes...
Time to look like an idiot. Here's my fearless hockey picks.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
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...
With the Oilers being out of playoff contention for sometime now, I've been debating who to root for in the playoffs. I thought I'd cheer for the Islanders with Smytty, my favourite player of all time,on the roster. Maybe the Sabres with them being a local team.
Islanders? With my favourite player of all time now on the roster. Sorry, not you Bergy. They beat out th...
With the Oilers being out of playoff contention for sometime now, I've been debating who to root for in the playoffs. I thought I'd cheer for the Islanders with Smytty, my favourite player of all time,on the roster. Maybe the Sabres with them being a local team.
Islanders? With my favourite player of all time now on the roster. Sorry, not you Bergy. They beat out the ...
For the first time in years... For the first time ever, the Wachovia center will be without the thrill and rush that is Flyers playoff hockey. It truly is a sad spring in the Philadelphia area. If anything it makes me appreciate just how good we've been for the past 12+ years. The one thing that makes me excited for next fall is not the core of young guys, or the solidifi...
Thursday evening at 8pm in front of a packed HSBC Arena the Buffalo Sabres will begin the 1st round of Stanley Cup Playoff action against the #8 seed New York Islanders.
Many storylines come to mind when it comes to this series. From Rick Dipietro's mysterious head injury to the well awaited Jack Adams award winning battle between Nolan and Ruff, as the Replacement look...
Who the hell Anointed the Buffalo Sabres Stanley Cup winners? yeah i picked them in first round but come on Buffalo, stop already!
It amazes how every publication and website has buffalo winning cup and people in Buffalo already going to arena to pick out their spot for indoor parade pep rally. Gee, one year every publication picked flyers win the cup and the got sweep...
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...
[img:left]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/48/Flames_1980-1995.gif/150px-Flames_1980-1995.gif[/img]It's not every year you get to see a thrilling 1st vs. 8th series in the Western conference. The majority of the time the 1st place teams tends to take it without feeling any affects of displeasure. But last year, the presidents trophy winner (Detroit) was ups...
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...
I was at my first Wachovia Center Flyers games this weekend. What a great venue for hockey! Even though the Flyers were out of it, the fans were relativley high spirited. The Saturday game against the Islanders was a stinker for 55 minutes, but Finnegan's Wake took my mind off of it. Sunday against the Sabres was more fun. The fans and the game were very entertaining....
The Ducks and Wild performed to expectation in Game one of their matchup. Both teams played stingy defense, both teams had offensive control and quality opportunities, and the game ended with a digging goal and just a 1 goal differential.
Niklas Backstrom is to be commended for his outstanding play. A couple pipes saved his game but he made huge saves when he was need...
This is how I see this game and theseries breakdown!
Special teams throw out what we have done for the year vs everyone else lets go head to head!
Sabres PP 6 of 23
Isles PP 3 of 19
Buffalo also has added 2 Shorties into the mix! Advantage Buffalo!
Breaking down the Centers:
Drury--- Yashin...
This is it Sabres' fans. We have been waiting for this since we watched the Hurricanes raising the Cup last year. I think the team has been waiting for this since THEY watched the Hurricane's raise [i]THEIR[/i] Cup last year.
In my second blog, I wanted to just take a brief look at the series.
I think every publication has already made the world aware that Buffalo ...
psycomkl writes...
Buffalo Sabres vs. Wade Dubielewicz: David vs. Goliath?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
No. Buffalo is not David. The President's Trophy winning Buffalo Sabres take the ice at the HSBC Arena against the "projected longshot" New York Islanders tonight at 8pm. The Islanders know that tonight marks the start of their season.
3rd string goaltender Wade Dubielewicz gets the nod from coach Ted Nolan to face this powerpacked Sabre squad for game 1. Is he worr...
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...
Tonight starts the quest for the Cup
Lord Stanley will come to it's rightful place in BUFFALO, NY
Thomas Vanek will score 2 goals
Other scores: Connolly, Drury, Briere
Tonight starts the Journey that will be finished when Buffalo Wins the Stanely Cup right here in BUFFALO,
Join Sabres fans during the game at [b]www.sabreschat.com/chat.shtml [/b]to talk a...
Well, Game 1 is finally here! The past several days have inched by as I've waited for the playoffs to start. It should be a good game. I think the Islanders will really work hard and battle. The Sabres have waited for this all season, so they better be ready. I expect them to play like they were at the start of the season and during the playoffs last year. At times t...
Mick Mcgeough (sp?) is reffing tonight. Any Calgary, Vancouver, and Edmonton fans will know this guy all too well. I'm interested to know what you Flame fans think of him being given game 1 in a series that is so close it could be decided by refs calling bad penalties?
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...
Sabres are up 2-1 after 2 periods. The Sabres are playing pretty well, but they aren't capitalizing on some chances that they usually would. Roy's giveaway was terrible and led to the Isles only goal so far. If the Sabres can score on the PP at the start of the 3rd, they should be in good shape. Should be a good 3rd period!
So time ticked down as I tore the hair out of my head, and somehow the Rangers eeked out a win in Atlanta.
After playing well the first two periods, the Rangers lost their edge and the Thrashers dominated the third period. Still, throughout the entire game whenever the Blueshirts would extend their lead, it was only a matter of time before they let Atlanta get the goal b...
What a game..... 4-1 score. close to the 5-1 prediction
This was a solid strong performance by the Sabres. Nothing more and nothing less.
Brian "I can score in the playoffs" Campbell brings home two goals and 1 assist.
then you have
Chris "I will lead you to the promise land" Drury who played one hell of a game and had 2 goals
and in goal
Ryan "It's Mi...
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....
The only thing the Islanders did good tonight was save the embarassment. The score (4-1) was a lot better then I thought it would be and still the Sabres crushed them. Dubielewicz was the only player on New York actually keeping his team in the game. The Sabres outshot them, out hit them, out scored them, and simply out played them. It was a well deserved and expected win ...
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...
I've been waiting for this game since the Sabres dropped Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the RBC Center in North Carolina last summer.
Little did I know I would BE at this game.
I gambled a bit and bought my first ever Mini Pack last August, with the assumption that the Sabres would be back and have another great season. More than anything, it was good for...
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...
Watching the Sabres vs. Islanders game last night I made an observation about the Islanders that I wanted to share. I don't get to see them play too often, so I'm making this assessment based only on one game (maybe not a fair thing to do).
Anyway, the Islanders have a lot of talented players, but too few of them are actually good players. Under the heading of [i]Tale...
nickgregory writes...
The Playoffs continued (does CGY know they started?)
Posted Friday | Comments 0
God I love playoff hockey. Right before the playoffs started, my wife gave birth to our first child, a baby daughter named Abby (actually went into labor at the Canes vs. Caps game…I am guessing Abby was a bit annoyed at Johnny Grahame for letting in 3 goals on 6 shots, and wanted to give him a piece of her mind)…well, those that have kids know that the sleep is spora...
Congratulations to the Red Wings beating the Flames 4-1 last night. However, the Flames did not come to play last night and we should be expecting a lot more from them come Sunday and when they are at home. Anyways, with it looking like Bertuzzi is going to be in the lineup Sunday (well hopefully), who is going to sit for the Red Wings? Most look to rookies Jiri Hudler and...
Local reports in the Buffalo News seem to suggest that the NY Islanders may not have been prepared for Game 1. See Tim Graham's article in the Buffalo News at [url]http://www.buffalonews.com/111/story/52798.html[/url].
To quote the article, "[i]Signs of slapdash postseason preparations were troubling. Star winger Jason Blake peeked at the Sabres morning skate and asked...
I did full-game recaps in the past, so how about bringing it back out for the playoffs?
[b]Notable Statistics:[/b] [url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=270412002]Box Score[/url]
Powerplay: Buffalo 2/6, New York 0/3
Giveaways: Buffalo 7, New York 14
Shots: Buffalo 11-11-13 (35), New York 1-9-11 (21)
[b]J's opinion:[/b]
1. [u]Rockin' the HSBC pre-gam...
After reading Garth's blog, the Islanders certainly have a problem on their hands. Ricky D, who you'd have to think when healthy, is far and away the better of the two if not a straight up world class goalie. Dubielewicz is a young, upstart guy with a lot of potential: I really like this kid, he's not afraid of anything and challenges the shooter very aggressively. But nev...
Before yesterday's atrocity, Marty Brodeur had played in 153 NHL playoff games. Out of those 153 games, he had 89 victories, and 21 shutouts. Over that time, he had a 1.88 goals against average.
We on the other hand, had Holmqvist, Denis, and Ramo. Before the game began, they had combined for all of 0 NHL playoff games, 0 wins, and 0.00 save percentage.
Very c...
On Thursday, I took a glance at the list of possible free agent centers who could don the Orange and Black for the '07-'08 season. Here's a look at the defensemen (the Flyers other main need):
[b]Kimmo Timonen [/b](Nashville Predators) - The first thing that jumped out at me when researching Kimmo was his age - 32. Are the Flyers willing to give a four or five-year de...
psycomkl writes...
Return Of The Rick - Is It Just What The Doctor Ordered?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Rick Dipietro, Islanders first overall draft pick, Islanders number one goaltender, and generally all around good guy. Islander Nation was all smiles when it was announced that Dipietro has been cleared to play. That smile, although splitting their faces from ear to ear, was tinged with a little bit of worry.
Dipietro suffered 2 concussions within a week of each other...
Here are how the options stand. (1) DP stands on his head, steals a game for the Isles, and Ted Nolan comes out a hero. (2) DP stands on his head, but Sabres still overpower the Isles as a team, and it's a huge risk with little reward. (3) DP comes out rusty, Sabres run over the Isles, and it's a huge risk with NO reward. (4) DP gets hurt (long- or short- term) and Ted ...
First off, let me say that at the beginning of the season, I said that the Islanders would make the postseason, largely on the coaching of Ted Nolan. What can I say? I love the guy. He coaches a great style of hockey. He put together my favourite Sabres line of all-time in Ray, May and Barnaby the "dog line".
Now, I have to question what Nolan, and Garth Snow are thi...
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]
I guess we're supposed to feel bad for Mike Ribeiro.
After all, according to him in a piece featured in the Montreal Gazette earlier this year, he "was treated unfairly in Montreal." Not only that, he feels that there must have been some sort of conspiracy afoot in the off-season when he was traded to the Dallas Stars as "[the Canadiens] just wanted to get rid of me, a...
Some doubted his size, others his age. Some doubted he warranted the contract he earned with an MVP season in 2004 and whether he could live up to those numbers the contract dictated.
Martin St. Louis has been doubted his entire career - some will never learn.
St. Louis scored a goal Saturday night against one of the best goalies in hockey. It wasn't just any goal. H...
As the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators game nears the end of the first period I still haven't hardly noticed Malkin on the ice. As I think about it, the only real thing I remember him doing in the whole series was getting knocked onto his backside during the his first shift of game 1 and the Senators promptly scoring a goal. I know he was credited with an assist on...
I guess Rick Dipietro was exactly what the doctor ordered after all. Coming off a 3 week hiatus, Dipietro backstopped the New York Islanders to a 3-2 victory over the Presidents Trophy winning Buffalo Sabres Saturday night.
The entire team looked electrified by the return of Dipietro from the drop of the puck. The Islanders shook off game 1's timid attitude and explod...
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...
ForeverFlyer16 writes...
It's About Time Ron Hextall is Given His Due In Flyerland.
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
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.
...
I was looking forward to more behind-the-scenes video podcasts like "All-Star Game, Day 1 parts 1 and 2." What happened to day 2?
It did take Brian Wilson almost 40 years to finish SMiLE.
Well, I am up here in Cape Cod surviving the current Nor'easter. I figured I would have some fun and show Eklund the potential of what his video blogs could be. I whipped something...
So here we are with another Saturday loss. (Don't worry, I'm not panicking over a 3-2 loss anytime soon...) One thing I've noticed over the season was the lack of real grit or passion when playing on Saturdays. I went back through all of the games and the Sabres were a disappointing 10-13-3 when playing on Saturdays (including the loss to NYI)
I'm not a superstitious...
So I'm busy AGAIN tonight, and this would mean missing TWO broadcasts in a row, which I don't think I can handle. Does anyone know if a radio station in New York City plays it? Normally, I listen to all the game on internet radio so I can hear Rick Jeanneret's broadcast. If RJ's play-by-play is unavailable, what is the radio station that has the Islanders' broadcast? I...
In a recent article entitled "How to Rebuild the Flyers", Hockeybuzz blogger Tim Panaccio give his breakdown on the Flyers offseason outlook.
In the piece he says the following in regards to Flyers young defensman Joni Pitkanen:
"They also desperately lack a No. 1 defenseman. [i][b]Joni Pitkanen should have been able to assume that role by now.[/b][/i] Yet his inabil...
Here we are, game three of a series some Sabre fans were calling an easy sweep. With the Islanders 3-2 win on Saturday, the brooms are back in the closet and the game moves to the Island.
Led by Rick Dipietro and a suddenly re-energized roster, the Islanders know that the battle has only begun. Buffalo is known for exploding after a loss and the Islanders need to be r...
I'm going to try something different and if people like it maybe I'll do it again in the future. Live updates to tonight's Sabres game...highlighting key plays and my thoughts as the game is going on. I would love to hear feedback, so please leave comments. Enjoy...
[b]10:14 p.m. EST:[/b] And that's it! Not the prettiest ending, but the Sabres hold on. The Isles po...
The Sabres put forth a much better effort in Game 3, resulting in a 3-2 win and the lead in the series. Finally, the Sabres forwards scored all 3 goals, including goals from Briere and Vanek. Zubrus currently leads the team in points, with 4 (all assists). He was great again tonight, providing good offense and defense along with a strong physical game. Both of the goal...
The Islanders played their best game of the year last nite. Miro Satan says "We've never played any better. We were flying." It appeard to be that the Isles were trying to play Buffalo's game in the 1st and 2nd. They had speedy forwards and their forecheck was phenomenal. Teddy Nolan is putting together a good game plan. "Captain Canada" was a horse, he was all over ...
One of the things that I always look for in the NHL playoffs is how teams play with the expectations leveled on them. Do the top point getters continue with the style of play that got them into the position they are in, or do they grip their sticks a bit tighter, when they get down a goal? Do the teams that snuck their way in, who may consider themselves to be playing wi...
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
Yashin to Iles - Worst trade in the history of the NHL!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
For all the mistakes former Isles General Manager Mike Milbury made during his tenure — where do we begin? — trading for Yashin is the biggest blunder in franchise history.
New York gave up top-ticket defenseman Zdeno Chara and a first-round pick that ended up being Jason Spezza.
And on top of that... he turned around and signed him to a 10 year $90 million co...
Beasts. Everywhere. It's a good thing I have my trusty guide with me. We step out of our vehicle and onto the dilapidated lot in Uniondale, Long Island. Nassau Coliseum stands like some archaic ruin, except the ancient Roman and Greek ruins are far better managed. My guide carries our hidden snacks and drinks in her deep-pocketed coat. The rain bleats down like the hammer ...
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...
I've had the pleasure of being a Wild fan since the begining, and I've seen this team go through a lot. The team started as any new team does as the joke of the league, they've now turned it around to being a good team. However in this year's playoffs they've taken a step back in a lot of people minds not being able to get a win against Anaheim. Tonight will start the come...
mojoworld writes...
Where are we at? + some good playoff lines (unders!) tonight
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Van-Dal: 2-1 Van leads. Good under bet opportunities here for handicappers after game 1. Still say Vancouver will just get it done and win out from here.
Ana-Min: 3-0 Ducks. Wow, really didn't see this coming and I'm not sure why I don't respect the Ducks team play more. In any case, now it's just a matter of if the Wild can make themselves look respectable. Off-season,...
Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards, and Martin St. Louis. The Tampa Bay Lightning's Big 3.
Before the series with New Jersey, one of the best defensive teams in hockey, the story regarding the Lightning was "What's Tampa Bay going to do when New Jersey shuts down their main line - where will the scoring come from?".
Funny thing happend on the way to answering that que...
There isn't much you can say after winning your first playoff game at home in 10 years by a score of 7-0. The denizens of MSG came ready to cheer on their blueshirts, it does help coming in up 2-0 in the series vs. 0-2 without Jagr like last year, and they weren't dissappointed.
32 seconds into the game Nylander scores his first of 3 on the night and the party was just ...
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.
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
Pens or Sens Will Have Nothing Left for Round Two
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I wrote yesterday about how the Sabres need to ratchet up the “physical” play if they expect to make a serious run to the cup. After watching game 4 of the Pens & Sens… maybe the Sabres plan will work out just fine if they meet one of these teams in the ECF.
To put it simply and succinctly, these teams are absolutely KILLING each other. I have to believe that ...
Game 4 between the Sabres and Islanders is tonight at 7:30 in New York.
Buffalo currently leads the series 2-1 and could take both away games along with a commanding lead with a win tonight. Games 2 and 3 were very close games, though I thought the Sabres were much better in Game 3 than in 2. If the Sabres come out to play from the start, I don't think they'll have any ...
10 Reasons the Sabres will win tonight
1 – Sabres skate like the wind, Witt and co. is just too dam slow
2 – Islanders have nothing left after giving max efforts in games 2 and 3
3 - Roy, Afinigenov, Vanek line will dominate
4 – Miller is better than Dipeitro
5 – Mike Schopp says so... and Bulldog agreed (imagine that?)
6 - Chris Drury is a hockey god and t...
6:44
just got off the train and walked one block to the bus station and now I'm heading to the Coliseum. by the time we got to Hempstead, not many people on the train still remained -- most being SABRES FANS, which was amusing, to say the least. on the bus right now, several more. we are packing the arena!
7:07
just got into the arena ... testing it out AND I HAVE ...
The Sabres won Game 4 by a score of 4-2. However, when it was 3-2 Sabres, the Isles put the puck in the net. The refs ruled no goal on the ice and Toronto also ruled no goal. However, was this the right call? I am a Sabres fan, so I want to believe it was the correct call. But there have been too many occasions where the Sabres have been screwed by bad calls for me no...
The War Room in Toronto has gotten a lot of grief lately. But Kudos to the Hockey Operations folks that are bunkered down each night.
Matt Cullen's knuckle-puck bomb did indeed hit the ice inside the goal, millimeters (or millimetres, eh?) past the goal line for the series-sweep-clinching goal. Yeah, it took a while. But they got it right, which was the whole point of...
Well, goal or no goal, it doesnt matter. The Islanders drop 2 straight at home and trail Buffalo 3-1 headed to friday at the HSBC. Was it a goal? Was Miller pushed in by an Islander? It doesnt matter, does it? They are not going to start up the game again or "make it up" to the Isles in game 5. The Isles lost because they didnt bury their early chances.
Hey, remem...
(Trade Day Mishaps)
After last night, the Atlanta Thrashers management team have to be sitting there and wondering; what just happened? After giving up a big part of their future in Glen Metropolit, two first rounder’s (2007,2008), a second rounder (2007) and a third rounder (2008) for Keith Tkachuck, it’s a wonder GM’s chose to give up so much and fail at the gam...
These calls NEVER go Buffalo’s way… EVER!
Vanek’s goal – Common sense tells you it was clearly a goal… however I was fully expecting that to be disallowed.
The Afinegenov powerplay – Max somehow drew 6minutes in penalties with a hard play to the net that we see over and over again. Again, I live in Buffalo, I expected co-incidentals at best.
Game 4 N...
Okay, I just want to make a few things clear. I have now attended three Sabres games in three different arenas: HSBC Arena, Madison Sq Garden, and Nassau Coliseum. Of course, the crowd at HSBC is unbeatable when you're rooting on the home team, so I'll leave that aside. As for the MSG crowd, they were more than friendly and I struck up a good conversation with the guy n...
My evening started typically enough. Stuck in unmoving traffic to get over to JFK. My future brother-in-law was coming in for the game tonight...taking off from work as a chef in a very highly respected restaurant in Florida. I look up, half expecting to see bats, but instead the sky is thickly overcast in the gray fog which has enveloped Long Island since hockey came to t...
...it appears that the puck was indeed across the goal line before Miller got pushed into the net. From all I'm hearing this morning, it appears the league got this one wrong and the goal should have counted. A camera angle from in front of the net shows the puck across the goal line between Miller's pads.
That being said, there's nothing that can be done about that n...
Trotz looked beaten, saying "We're going to have a mourning period for about an hour, and then we'll look forward to the next game."
What? Is this the kind of response you expect from the guy who is supposed to shape the way his team feels and reacts to a loss like this? I don't think so.
The Preds have not played well these past two games of the series and in doing...
To read Part I:
http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=567&post_id=557
[i]We last left our hero, yours truly, with his trusty guide, her brother (the former Islander fan trumpet player) watching Game 4 of the Islander/Sabres series. A man donned in a Ranger jersey has sat in the seats, and bad vibes are back in the Coliseum.[/i]
"Leave it all on the ice"
...
Will consistency bring continued gastric glory or will a repeat sandwich usher in the off-season?
Games 1-3
Main courses: DOESN'T MATTER
Results: DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT
Game 4
Main course: Italian cold cut sandwich, Doritos, Sprite
Result: 5-1* win for the Wild
Game 5
Had this one on stand-by since the final horn on Tuesday night.
Italian cold ...
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...
Enough crying about how mean the Isles fans are, you would be pissed if you got screwed out of two games too. However, let's look at those two games. For one, Vanek's goal was not CONCLUSIVELY across the goal line. I know it was, you know it was in. However any camera angle did not show it to be conclusive, it was assumptive. Which it does not say in the rule book. Flash b...
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...
Before I even get started, I just want to make clear that, even as a Sabre's fan, I feel the Isles got the shaft on wednesday night. Not once, either, but twice; of course, the obvious shaft was the "no-goal" call that, from what I saw immediately, should have been a goal. In all honesty, when they went to the phone, I was sure the referee's call was going to be reversed. ...
Playoff elimination seems so final. Your team is done...there will be no Stanley Cup parade down main street this year.
It's a fact of life for 8 teams after round 1. Then 4 more in round 2. Then 2...then 1...
Yeah, in this crazy cup chase only ONE team gets to raise the hardware at the end of the road...and the other 15 playoff teams get to think about "what might h...
Avenged Sevenfold blasts through my apartment, good thing the other half of my life isnt home. I am a bit more optimistic about tonights game, but believe me. . .I dont expect a win.
Instead of chewing on old soup about refereeing and no-goals/goals/beer bottles/etc, I am going to recap on what has come of our rag-tag group of boys out on Long Island this season.
[b...
So the Rangers decide to sign a few players to contract extentions. Not big news, yes I know. However with the sweep, it's left nothing for Rangers fans to disscuss about our own team. So I figured let's break the ice with a bit of a news round up.
Rangers sign first round pick Sanguinetti to a pro-contract. Sanguinetti has mostly played in the OHL. This past season he ...
Islander Sean Hill has been suspended for 20 games for violating the league's Performance Enhancing Substance Abuse policy.
Hill will not dress for the balance of the playoffs.
This is not overconfidence....anyone who knows me knows i'm as nervous as they come till the final whistle blows but I think the Lightning are in real trouble and here is why....
The Lightnings best players have been thier best players all series and yet the series was still tied, the Devils best players hadn't really showed up yet. Well tonight the Devils best players ...
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 love to hear Chico Reish brag everytime about how brouder is the greatest goalie since rice bread and when he broke Parent solidified Marty as the greatest goalie is total BS.
After going to one of my favorite website, www.flyershistory.com and looking at the both seasons, i came to the conclusion that Marty record is a total fraud as Barry Bonds breaking Home Run rec...
The second round is almost at hand.
The Devils proved that they are a cup contender by defeating the Lightning 4 games to 2 in round 1. But do the Devils have what it takes to beat the Senators?
It would be hard for me to believe that we have seen the "best" the Senators can play -- well maybe we saw it in the first period of game 1 against the Penguins --but after t...
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...
While I might be a Leaf fan, I'm first and foremost a hockey fan and believe the Senators have the game to win the Cup. After watching the first round they simply look like past teams, with similar chemistry and depth, that have won the Cup. More specifically though:
Leadership
The leader is finally being a leader. After years of justifiably being the fan’s whip...
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...
Series is over but verbal jabs are not
I found this article in today's Star and Tribune seems that there is a lot of bad blood between the two teams that will probably boil over into next season. I have posted a few of the incidents from the series.
The Western Conference quarterfinals officially ended Thursday when the Anaheim Ducks bid adieu to the Wild in five g...
When the Islanders acquired both Michael Peca and Alexei Yashin on consecutive days surrounding the 2001 entry draft, it signaled the dawning of a new era for the franchise. Despite paying the high price of Zdeno Chara and the draft pick that would eventually be used to select Jason Spezza (as well as throw-in Bill Muckalt) in return for Yashin, initial reactions were posi...
Game 7 in any professional sport is a true testimate to all players skill but more so it is an extreme test of all players determination and their willingness to compete. On Saturday evening, after losing game 6 and after being held off the scoreboard for the third time in the series, the Canucks coach Alain Vigneault called out his players. Namely, he called out the 'play...
[b]Western Conference
#2 Anaheim vs #3 Vancouver[/b]
[b]Why Vancouver will win:[/b] Roberto Luongo is a candidate for the Hart Trophy, and he was arguably stronger yet in the first round against Dallas. There may be no tougher goalie to face in a best-of-seven series right now. Vancouver’s defense seems to know exactly when to pinch and when to retreat, and they re...
sstrang writes...
Another 2nd Round Prediction Blog...with Chimpanzees
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Okay, I know everyone is tired of predicitions but hey, it's my blog!! And if you don't get the blog title, listen to "Everything to Everyone" by the Barenaked Ladies and you'll get it!
[b]Buffalo vs. New York Rangers[/b]
Buffalo in 6 - they are in playoff mode and I think Miller will be the better goalie.
[b]New Jersey vs. Ottawa[/b]
Ottawa in 6 - They believ...
A blog isn't journalism. However, if you're a professional commenting on an issue in your area of expertise then you should be held to a higher standard, even in a blog. Jim Kelley fails in this respect in his Sportsnet.ca blog "The Dope on Suspensions",
(http://www2.sportsnet.ca/blogs/jim_kelley/2007/04/23/the_dope_on_suspensions/#comments ). I wish he was just being ...
The first round of the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs was very exciting, even with the lack of close series. The matchups we got were outstanding, such as Nashville-SJ, Detroit-Calgary, Vancouver-Dallas, and there was so much passion to go along. How will round 2 pan out?
[b]Buffalo vs. New York Rangers[/b]
I love the Rangers right now, they're playing with a huge amount of...
Without question, the biggest issue surrounding the New York Islanders this off-season will be the efforts to re-sign Ryan Smyth. The Isles, as usual, have many other outstanding issues to resolve before the 2007-08 campaign, including the possible buyout of captain Alexei Yashin, re-signing leading scorer Jason Blake, and whether or not to bring back two suspended players...
This season has seen nearly every team develop their unsung hero(es). It's time again to evaluate who means the most to their team. I've always felt that the Hart should encompass the regular season AND the playoffs, but the Conn Smythe isn't disappearing anytime soon. So, let's look at the candidates:
[b]1. Roberto Luongo, G, Vancouver[/b]
It's a safe bet to say that ...
This season has seen nearly every team develop their unsung hero(es). It's time again to evaluate who means the most to their team. I've always felt that the Hart should encompass the regular season AND the playoffs, but the Conn Smythe isn't disappearing anytime soon. So, let's look at the candidates:
[b]1. Roberto Luongo, G, Vancouver[/b]
It's a safe bet to say that ...
Or so Marty York said today in the Metro freebee. I didn’t even need a morning coffee after reading that headline. Wide awake, I almost screamed out loud ‘Wait a Minute!’ But given that York might have some personal insight into being “on the decline” I persisted.
York states the obvious by writing that Brodeur is a future Hall of Famer but concludes “he...
This has been one Jekyll and Hyde post season for one Martin Pierre Brodeur. He has shown his usual brilliance but in spurts and splashes. One thing he has also shown is an unusual vulnerability to the sharp angle goal in the last series and to the high glove in this series, something that had been a strength of Brodeurs. Till this post-season i don't think ANY book on Bro...
But can they keep it up? Much depends on the availability of Tomas Holmstrom and Brett Lebda. Lebda's replacement, Kyle Quincey is a minus 1 for the series thus far, and steady, reliable defense is required against the Sharks. Unless Lebda returns soon or Quincey steps his game up, the Red Wings have a vulnerability that the Sharks can exploit.
Holmstrom, on the othe...
Did anyone out there notice the frank difference in the way the first two games of the Sabre/Ranger series was officiated? I can't stand to think that a series could be decided on the way certain officials are calling games. The first game, the refs called everything! The second game, the refs were much more leanient. I saw cross checks and punches in game two that would h...
If you aren't yet familiar with Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Nikolai Zherdev, just take these two words as a hint: Alexei Kovalev. Same game, different body. If Zherdev could speak a word of English other than "puck" or "good", we might be talking about some of his comments in the media. But deep inside of the hearts of all Jackets fans, we know "Z" is one confused g...
Would it kill Versus to spare us the scattered commentary and storytelling and just use the TSN or CBC feed for the rest of the NHL playoffs? Last night's SJ/DET was pleasure to watch because the announcers were calling the game and not talking about how one of the players grew up on a small farm in Nova Scotia and played hockey with cattle all day on the backyard pond. K...
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 ...
To see the following story with pictures and better formatting check out [url]http://www.NHLNow.com[/url]!
CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY (outstanding rookie):
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins; Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh Penguins; Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche.
NHL Jeff's Take: Malkin was amazing all season long. Yes, he started out on fire and slowed down a bit as the sea...
Talk about bad calls, when it is assumed Thomas Vanek snuck one around Rick DiPietro it was called a goal, although the video was inconclusive.
Sabres fans: WELCOME TO PLAYING THE RANGERS!
The Sabres are apparently more important than the Isles, and the Rangers are more improtant than the Sabres.
The goal that Briere scored, or "was inconclusive" looked pretty da...
Jon Jordan writes...
You Break My Heart, Dad ... But That's OK (I Guess)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I love my family.
I love my friends.
I love hockey.
Sometimes numbers two and three on this list are in a good, old-fashioned tie. (Sorry, amigos, but you have hefty competition come playoff time. It's not your fault and, honestly, you don't stand much of a chance.)
Hockey and family, for me, have always had a tight connection. I fell in love with the Islanders la...
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...
Nobody can dispute the value of Martin Brodeur. To his team, to the league and to the goaltender position, there is arguably nobody more reliable than Marty. If I wanted to build a team around a goaltender, he'd be my guy and his numbers over the last 10 year can make my case for me. Having said all that, he just does not look right in the 07 playoffs. Goals are being sc...
Ever Drink a nice ice cold [i]glass[/i] of water? Now, ever drinks a plastic bottle of water with that distinct plasticy taste??? And don't even make me bring up the beer in the plastic bottle, Blasphemy! Distinct difference in my opinion and since this is my blog, all you get is my opinion. And since this is my blog, I get to make up words like plasticy. Now imagine ...
Calm down Ducks fans...I didn’t get confused and not give Scott the credit for his game winning goal. I gave credit to Rob because it was his huge hit on Jannik Hansen that not only turned over the puck but caused Luongo to lose his focus for a brief moment...that’s all it took. Ducks win and advance to the WCF.
"My brother got a big hit on their guy and the puck s...
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,
...
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...
Your intrepid author has called 4 of 4 Round 2, calling the exact amount of games 3 out 4. So, yes, I am tooting my own horn. Toot!
My predictions made back on April 26th
[url]http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=7150[/url]
My Pick Was: Ottawa in 6
Result: Ottawa wins in 5
I predicted that Ottawa would beat NJ in 6. They did it in 5, NJ completely unab...
Well another disappointing result for the Sharks. When will I be able to get on board with this team and really consider them a contender? This coming from a Habs fan with obviously no vested interest in this years Stanley Cup Playoffs, for obvious reasons. The Sharks seemingly had the goods to make an extended run, solid defense, good goaltending, #2 PP unit and a number...
So…I guess I showed my true colors last night in the Sharks – Red Wings game. It was the moment (you’ll remember it) when Grier was pursuing Lindstrom and Hasek came out to play the puck. Hasek goes to play it off the boards and Grier intercepts it and goes for a sure thing wrap around just as Niklas “faster than a speeding bullet” Lindstrom comes sailing...
Supernick writes...
Mes prédictions pour la 3e ronde et Lecavalier contre Price?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Sabres de Buffalo vs Sénateurs d'Ottawa
Les sabres on eu un début de séries plûtot ordinaire contre les rangers mais ils se sont bien repris dans les deux dernières parties. ils ont la chance de compter sur 4 bonnes lignes d'attaque, leur seule faiblesse est l'avantage numérique, ils ne font pas grand chose en avantage. aussi il leur manque un jouer de caractère ...
Dave Nonis' intention is to sign Cory Schneider, and have him start in Manitoba for the Manitoba Moose.
Dave Nonis says: "I believe Cory Schneider is one of the top unsigned goalies in the world, if not the top goaltender. If he's good enough to play for the U.S.A. in their system right now at the world championships, it says a lot about what kind of player he is.
...
Lets keep this as straight up as possible, the Flyers have work to do in the offseason. I'm no NHL analysis, but only a hardcore Philadelphia fan since I knew what sports were. With a disappointing season under the belt, it's one of the first times in my recent memory that I have been so excited about the offseason.
Lets get started...
[b]Current Situation[/b]
[u]Fo...
Jsaquella writes...
Under Review??????? Better Than Letting The Ref Decide
Posted Monday | Comments 0
NHL fans are getting a healthy dose of all possible camera angles this off season as the league takes every possible step to ensure that goals are rewarded properly. By and large, I have to say, they have done a good job.
With apologies to Mike Ross of XM Radio, Thomas Vanek's disallowed goal was so blatantly obvious a call that Mick McGeough would have made it-and even...
Remember the 2007 trade deadline and how the Ottawa Senators were ballyhooed for failing to make any "big moves" at the deadline? "How could they miss out on Gary Roberts?" people cried. Everyone seemed to be calling for John Muckler's head at the time. Ottawa wasn't faring too well in the standings, either. A lot of people were after Brian Murray, too. Remember when,...
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...
Fellow fans,
We have waited too long for the NHL to promote its own game. Instead 4 friends got together to show the best of hockey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDSY5-y2BRs
please let us know what you think.
t2MA
It was a tough TV night in my household: 7:30 Tigers game, 8:00 Pistons game, 9:00 Greys Anatomy season finale (for the wife), 10:15 Lost special (for me).. It was an even tougher night on the ice for the Wings.. Lets rephrase that: it was a tough night on the ice for Flop Boy.. 3 goals on 8 shots? While the rest of the team was showing the heart that has become the wings ...
Every hockey web site, message board, forum, or mailing list at this point in the off-season has one Ryan Smyth rumor or another almost daily, so placing faith in any one rumor at this point is just about as sure-footed a strategy as throwing darts at a map of NHL cities. Personally, I've remained optimistic about the Islanders chances of bringing Smytty back, despite much...
Well, I haven't posted a Flyers off-season thoughts blog, yet, so I figured to combat my insomnia, I'd offer my two cents.
Right now, in goal, things seem pretty much set. Martin Biron is the starter. I expect him to play as many as 60 games. Antero Niittymaki, coming off a brutal season, will be the back-up. Biron was a breath of fresh air, on and off the ice, after co...
Yup, it's key, when you stars play like stars. Wade, you rock. I'm so glad you're back and playing well. Just now on the 5on3, you dove and made sure the puck got away. You're my hero and I'm glad you gots yer A-game back! :)
Brett, you better start working on your script for the Stanley Cup Finals. You will be on TV for games 4-7. Try expanding your vocabulary, try eliminating the word TERRIBLE.
Maybe you can write the Ducks off early and whine some more about the Red Wings and why they didn't make it to the finals. They played terrible for two periods tonight. Great game tonight, dominat...
[img]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p217/LeaferSutherland/devsbanner1.gif"[/img]
[b]For every beginning there has to be an end (insert Alpha-Omega reference here). So with all the major players graded....its time to take a look into next year's crystal ball. What could next season have in store for the Devils...what may they or may they not do? Sure it is all s...
"Mad" Mike Milbury is no longer an ISLANDER. MM has stepped down from his position today, and will only be an advisor to Wang's Chineese Hockey Project. But he no longer has reign over anything Islanders Related! Did you hear that, Pierre McGuire? MM is Gone.. we don't wanna hear of any more of his draft picks or trades!
-----------------------------------------
The ...
SmokingChicken writes...
Preds Ink Finnish Enforcer/Some Required Viewing
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Per HFboards- the Nashville Predators have signed Finnish forward Antti Pihlström. An up-tempo player with great speed, a decent shot, and a hard right, Pihller complied 16 goals and 23 assists along with a +11 and 63 penalty minutes in 56 games last season with Hämeenlinna. He's been drawing comparisons to Ville Nieminen and Sami Kapanen.
From what I can gather, this...
It seems everyone in Edmonton is drooling over Wade Redden. Behind Bouwmeester, he is definitely the player Oiler fans want to see manning the blueline in the Big E next year.
Speculation is that because of Redden's contract and the Sens needing to resign younger stars that a Redden to Edmonton deal makes sense. We have the young cap friendly prospects and picks to do t...
Well I am going to start off by introducing myself to the hockey world. I am JDawg and a huge hockey fan, and if there is something that I thrive on it is this time of year. Today I want to talk a little bit about the oilers, now just after reading eklunds blog i understand that there might be some big moves made this year for KL, now as much as I at times dont agree with ...
I cannot believe I even have to say this...but I've just lost all respect for Daniel Alfredsson. In case you think I've always disliked him, simply refer back to almost every playoff blog to see how I've talked about him. What in the world was he thinking? He went completely off the reservation. The shot at Scott Niedermayer was crazy enough...but then he goes and punc...
WHy is there no talk about that bone-headed shot at Niedermayer at the end of the 2nd period. Captain Danny should have to sit game 5 after that classless attempt to injure the Duck's captain, a real captain.
The NHL is just showing another example of how they continue to be a mediocre league and let this headhunting go on. Does the NBA allow players to throw the bask...
And, in the end, after making us sweat it out for a couple of months, they got it right!
Alexei Yashin’s tumultuous tenure as captain of the New York Islanders has finally come to an end. Whatever sales pitch Ted Nolan and Garth Snow threw at Charles Wang worked, though it must have been a tough decision for the Islanders owner. Regardless, as I have written in previo...
Obviously many great stories from this year's playoffs and the finals in particular. Ottawa finally made it to the big dance, but obviously couldn't get the job done when it mattered most. The Niedermayer's got their wish as did Chris Pronger. But one underlying story occurred to me as I was watching Niedermayer hoist the cup; no team with a European captain has ever won t...
I want to say congratulations to the Anaheim Ducks franchise, Brian Burke, Randy Carlyle, the players, staff and fans on their first Stanley Cup championship. Your organization did a fantastic job and proved that "old time hockey" can still be used to hoist that battered old mug.
It was awesome to hear the sheer excitement of the Ducks fans, both during and after the ga...
Leave it to my fellow Habs fans to find a dilemma or crisis at any point of the season. If its not some crisis involving Russians, it [i]has[/i] to be something involving goaltenders...
Much to my delight, I watched Game #5 of the Calder Cup Finals last night. It was the Hershey Bears vs. our very own Hamilton Bulldogs. Much fuss was made about Carey Price being poised ...
As we approach the draft, several teams are looking to free up cap room to either make a bigger trade, or sign a big name free agent (and if you've checked out our top 35 list, there are a lot of tem). With this activity, the rumours are starting to swirl.
The Leafs would love to move one of their two high-priced defenseman. Freeing up the 5+ million that both Kubina an...
Well here we are. We can expect that the ink will be dry on a new contract for Mats Sundin this week. At least before Friday. I still have a mixed feelings about this. I understand that he is in the twilight of his career and that he wants to do everything he can to win with the Leafs. It's a great story but will it happen? Can it happen? I would hope that part of th...
Loyal Readers,
Welcome to my first blog on the Hockey Buzz site. It is that time of year. Sometimes I think it is as much fun as the season. Our beloved Oil have a lot of holes to fill, no untouchables, loads of draft picks and room under the Salary Cap. That is an equation for an exciting off season.
The biggest hole in my opinion is defensemen. The new NHL you n...
Chris Gratton was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2nd round pick in 07, or 08(Florida's option) according to TSN. This deal gives the Lightning some much needed depth at center and clears 1.5 million of cap space for Florida which will further fuel rumors that they are going to make a pitch for a big name UFA.
Sorry, I think another way!!!!!
Well done boys! Great news!
...but Paul Holmgren has just shown how bad of a GM he is. He has drastically overpaid for Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell.
Hartnell, 24, has a great deal of potential, and when he was drafted was pegged to be a captain some day. But in the last two years that has faded away, and he's had numerous head-on collisions with the coaching staff, and most of the locker room ...
It seems that the Predators-Flyers deal, much like the one at the deadline, has opened up the flood gates. Eklund has stated in his blog that the phones are ringing off the hook. Today and the subsequent two days will be quite exciting for many fans. Expect the unexpected unless it involves Bryan Berard.
--------------------------------
And now for the second batch of FA...
Well folks it looks like it will be slow typing for me for a while. While playing in my summer hockey league I broke my right ring finger in two places (a strange thing that could ONLY happen to me). That will be fewer blogs for at least three weeks. However, here is what is running through my head today.
The Oilers offseason plans.
Next to landing a mobile defence p...
Hey pens fans,
The Pens traded WBS Center Stephen Dixon to Anaheim for Center Tim Brent. Brent is 23 years olds, 6' and weighs 197. He played in 15 ames for the Ducks last year.
[/url]http://penshockey.blogspot.com[url]
The Nashville Predators finished off last season third in the overall standings, many people expected them to make it deep into the playoffs, if not win the Stanley Cup altogether. The Predators faced the red hot San Jose Sharks in the first round of the Western Conference Quarter Finals and even with a trade deadline acquisition of Peter Forsberg they lost in a 4-1 series...
During the lockout, NHL pundits often pointed to the NFL as having a salary cap system that works. The difference between the NFL and NHL is that NFL contracts are not guaranteed. If you sign an NFL player to a five year deal, and they stink in the first year, they can be cut. The NFL team is only on the hook for any guaranteed/bonus money that was already paid out. Th...
(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...
(Cross-posted from http://hockey.polemicmag.net)
I thought I was going to take a break from hockey post Cup, but for whatever reason, I didn't. So, I've spent an inordinate amount of time looking at cap numbers, etc., rumors, etc., and I've discovered what the Devils plans are for this summer:
Nothing.
Rafalski re-signing remains likely, Gomez leaving remains a ne...
It seems like the Vancouver Canucks are the only team in the NHL that aren't going to be jumping right into the free agent frenzy come July 1st, simply because of the salary cap. However, this doesn’t mean we won’t see the Canucks make a pitch for a quality scorer by way of trade or even by moving a big player to free up some cap space. Here are some of the big names t...
As reported by RDS.Ca The Phoenix Coyotes have placed 28 year old Defenseman Nick Boynton on waivers.
As everyone knows the Leafs currently have 8 Defenseman signed and would probably ask why i would even contemplate a move involving another defenseman, however this is a move that could not only maintain the competitiveness of the Leafs top 6, which can be argued as one...
I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF TRADING FOR MARLEAU, OR TRADING FOR TANGUAY, BUT, GETTING RID OF RYDER, WILL NOT MAKE ANYTHING BETTER. THERE HAS TO BE AWAY OF KEEPING THIS GUY HERE. HE HAD THE MOST GOALS THIS YEAR, AND WE TREATED HIM BETTER THAN JUST A QUALIFYING OFFER, HE MIGHT REPEAT AND GET MORE THAN 30 THIS YEAR. TRADE A GOALIE, THAT WE HAVE A FEW SPARES, IMO, HUET IS OUR #1, SOR...
I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF TRADING FOR MARLEAU, OR TRADING FOR TANGUAY, BUT, GETTING RID OF RYDER, WILL NOT MAKE ANYTHING BETTER. THERE HAS TO BE AWAY OF KEEPING THIS GUY HERE. HE HAD THE MOST GOALS THIS YEAR, AND WE TREATED HIM BETTER THAN JUST A QUALIFYING OFFER, HE MIGHT REPEAT AND GET MORE THAN 30 THIS YEAR. TRADE A GOALIE, THAT WE HAVE A FEW SPARES, IMO, HUET IS OUR #1, SOR...
Jsaquella writes...
OK Homer, Might Be Time To Get Away From The Big Money Table
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Sunday at noon, the NHL will start an orgy of money tossing. Clubs from New York to Edmonton will be looking to add that big name to sell extra tickets, find that last piece to a hopeful Stanley Cup puzzle or simply upset their fan base, like in the case of Toronto's John Ferguson Jr.
That brings me to my point. Paul Holmgren, GM of the Flyers has already added two key ...
I actually thought of this the night of the draft's 1st round, but couldnt think of anywhere to put it.
Although i'm sure you all remember the details, the Leafs traded a conditional 1st round, a 2nd round and a 09 fourth round to the Sharks for Toskala and Bell. The sharks then traded our 13th pick to st. louis, and opted to select a defenseman (Petrecki) 28th overall w...
[u][b]Ohlund for Ryder[/b][/u]
This trade makes sense to me. The Canadiens are not going to sign Souray (and why would they). Ohlund could come in at a good price and replace Souray. Ohlund is big and has good offensive / defensive abilities. A better package for less money.
Ryder fits the bill of a scoring winger to play with Morrison and Naslund, and probably cou...
I admit, when I first saw the headline on TSN this morning my stomach dropped. Not that I have anything against the people of Nashville, or feel a lot of joy out of ripping a team away from them, but I was hoping that the move to Hamilton would work out because it would be good for the game, for the NHL. Nashville has proven, over the last 10 years that it is not a hockey ...
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...
July 1st in the NHL always gives you the feeling of Christmas, the oilers did there best to fill holes that are open and to improve the tea. The move to trade Jason Smith and Joffery Lupul for Geoff Sanderson and Jani Pitkanen was a great start. Sanderson will add some great veteran experience that is needed since Smith is gone, he will also be a dependable 3rd or 4th line...
HyeDray writes...
Hello...Hello....Hello....anybody alive on Long Island?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Not only do we lose our own top free agents, but apparently we will not be signing any. Can anyone at Hockeybuzz or anywhere else please explain to the 5 remaining Islander fans what the plan is going to be?
Are they going to go with youth and try to build through the next 3 drafts a la Pittsburgh?
Are they going to get a bunch of reclamation projects for Ted Nolan w...
On Trade Deadline Day 2007, the Islanders made a bold statement to their fans and the rest of the league that the organization would no longer settle for mediocrity. Trading former first-round picks Robert Nilsson and Ryan O'Marra, along with their 2007 first-round pick for Ryan Smyth was a loud and clear message that the fans would no longer be asked to look to the never ...
Today (Day 2) of free agency was suppose to be a day for Oiler fans to look forward to possible UFA signings. After a long day of almost all the Tier 2 UFA signed the oilers are left the same as Day 1. The day started off very strange with the deal that was suppose to be done in Nylander turning out to be nothing more then a lost deal with Nylander signing in Washington.
...
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y193/Heymateo/smhockeywoodtopper.jpg[/img]
Lombardi [url=www.lifeinhockeywood.com]wheels and deals [/url]and makes a few steals.
The last two days have just been torturous as a San Jose Sharks fan. I woke up Sunday at 8am (pacific time) with a spring in my step and anticipation on my mind. After watching Vesa Toskala and everybody's favorite whipping boy in San Jose this season, Mark Bell, being shipped off to Toronto, all the talk was the Sharks were setting things up perfectly to sign Chris Drur...
As I sit here, at 4:30 in the morning, not being able to sleep due to numerous reasons, I search my feelings on what has happened over the last 40 hours. "Marketplace, marketplace, marketplace"... I hear it over and over in my head. It's like a bad dream. I have tried, without much success, to look on the positive side of things when it comes to the Sabres situation. As I ...
As I sit here, at 4:30 in the morning, not being able to sleep due to numerous reasons, I search my feelings on what has happened over the last 40 hours. "Marketplace, marketplace, marketplace"... I hear it over and over in my head. It's like a bad dream. I have tried, without much success, to look on the positive side of things when it comes to the Sabres situation. As I ...
Center Radek Bonk is now a Nashville Predator
"For the most part our team is now set up,'' Predators General Manager David Poile said. "We'll still need to fill some depth, but in terms of our major league roster, we're in pretty good shape.
This was what Poile said after the signing of Center Radek Bonk and Defensemen Greg de Vries yesterday to two year deals. Wh...
Patrick Cwiklinski writes...
Schneider Signs, Isbister, Ritchie Join Canucks
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Cory Schneider has officially signed his first NHL contract with the Vancouver Canucks after spending the last two seasons with Boston College and breaking a record for most shutouts in a single season with eight. Schneider will most likely play as a starter for the Manitoba Moose and may very well see some ice time in Vancouver. However, it has been said this could be a m...
After what seemed like an eternity, Lou finally signed a UFA. And I could not be happier. Dainius Zubrus agreed to come play for the Devs today for 6 years at $20.4 mill per. Some may balk at the length, but the dollar value makes this signing worth while. Doing the simple mathmatics that I have aquired at one of the best schools in the nation, IMHO, that comes out to arou...
Lord knows all of the Islander fans that remain—the dozen or so that have been up the last several nights—are upset, angry, frustrated. Not a single tier one or tier two free agent has signed, and the Islanders have little hope of starting little more then a n AHL level team come October.
So maybe this is the Real Plan A?
I have posted on many blogs that if this ...
***This article is featured at newyorkislanders.com as the debut article for the innovative NYI Blog Box!!! See it there at [url]http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=328634&page=NewsPage&service=page[/url] !!!***
All of us throughout Islander nation have been holding our collective breath waiting for a monumental signing since the opening of “Free Agency Frenzy...
July 5th Free Agent Signings:
Tom Kostapoulos: Montreal Canadiens 2 years 900 Thousand per year
Ruslan Fedotenko: New York Islanders 1 year 2.9 Million per year
Grant Stevenson: Calgary Flames 1 year deal
Are the Capitals done signing free agents or trading to get help with their current roster?
I believe M. McPhee is done with the big stuff and will only round-up his lineup for opening night.
Here's a look at our lineup:
Goalies
Olaf Kolzig
Brent Johnson
Frederic Cassivi
We can assume there will be no change in net as Kolzig is still our #1 and no prospect a...
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...
With the recent departures of Co-Captains Daniel Breire & Chris Drury a lot of people have written off the 2007-2008 Buffalo Sabres. Not this fan! Well not anymore atleast.
Let’s take a minute to look back at this time in 2005. Many experts and fans around the league didn’t expect the Sabres to make the playoffs yet reach the ECF. The Sabres fought numerous in...
[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...
[b]Jason Smith : A Steal for the Flyers?[/b]
July 7th 3:42 PM:
Last week, the Philadelphia Flyers traded Joni Pitkanen, Who is a young defenseman who racked up 43 points last season, and Geoff Sanderson, Who is considerably one of the fastest players in the NHL, He racked up 29 points. The Flyers acquired Joffrey Lupul, Who most Edmonton fans believe was a very bad acq...
With all the action surrounding the first week of the 2007 unrestricted free agency season, I decided to take a look ahead to next year to see what's in store for us. Barring any contract extensions (and there will be at least a couple) it appears that next year many teams will finally have their opportunity to acquire an elite puck moving defensemen. The crop of talent ...
killab4061 writes...
Sabres Rookie Camp Day 2/ Bringing HB Sabres fans together
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Todays rookie camp brought about 300 people strong to the Amherst Pepsi Center to see the future of the Buffalo Sabres. Again today there were two rinks going with about 20 players on each. Lindy was there today running the practice and was having the players go through a lot of puck moving and stick handling drills. Drew Stafford was leading the way through most of the dr...
[b]Le Affaire Du Vanek[/b]
As we all know, Thomas Vanek signed a seven year, $50 million offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, which was matched in about 13 second by the Buffalo Sabres.
The surprise is not the offer sheet, the player, or even the amount, really. The surprise is the team making the offer and the reaction it elicited from the Sabres front o...
As many of you are aware, earlier in the summer, the New York Islanders announced plans for the "NYI Blog Box," a consistent feature on newyorkislanders.com, where a select group of Islander fans become actual "correspondents" for the team. The Blog Box itself will be similar to the press box only in that members will be issued credentials for post-game interviews, etc. Ot...
a new coach, a new goalie, a new enforcer, same old Bruins?
Will Claude Julien taking over as Head Coach for The Bruins help turn things around? Julien wants the Bruins to be harder to play against, meaning more defensive minded and more physical, gritty in all areas, finishing checks, hard on the forecheck, driving to the net, basically in your face hockey. Last year t...
Links
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157600720204954/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy3OyB4VZPQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opC6wKLcoVc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMnv7rm-Ws
There is no video from the first session due to battery conservation.
10 am Group
45= RJ anderson, 58= Oskar Bartulis, 61=Josh Beaulieu, 51= Freddie Cabana...
Well, on Friday last week, I was roaming around hockeybuzz noticing that nothing was going on, and I silently wished for some action. Boy, was that a mistake. Next thing I know, I see "Selanne to Philly (e4)" and I curse Ek. I wanted good rumours, not bad. I mean come on Ek, can't you weed them out. I immediately went to the comments and posted a comment that implied that ...
The naming of Bill Guerin as captain of the Islanders today is great news to hear as an Islander fan. Not only does this give the isles a scrappy vet that will be a scoring prescence, but also a natural leader who will stick up for his teammates. It seems apparent that this team is finally heading in the right direction in the years since the Yashin, Osgood, and Peca days....
As most Islanders' fans knew, Snow gambled the Isles future on Ryan Smyth. Not only at the deadline giving up two former 1st rounders along with a future one, but after the season ended with the 8 Year, $40 Million Contract Smyth was reportedly offered. Putting all his eggs in one basket, Snow battled until Ryan signed the dotted line with Colorado missing out on a few key...
Bill Torrey had a difficult job in 1972. He was the General Manager of the expansion New York Islanders, graced with the blessings of several excellent draft years to come. But the difficult part had to be the other 16 GMs burning his ears with trade offers for his early draft choices.
Torrey was smart. He held on to his picks despite the temptations to play "lets make ...
It wasn't long ago when this attachment was thrown my way:
[img]http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/3008/nyi2008hr6.jpg[/img]
My reaction was... well... YUCK!
Before believing that Charles Wang had this baby lined up as the next jersey of the New York Islanders when the league-wide "tight fit" jerseys come into play next season I gave it some thought. The #79 right...
DanNOLA writes...
A new team, a new season...and, well, I just don't know.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This is the first year since 1996 that I just flat out have no idea how the Islanders are going to do. Remember during the wonderful Colgate-and-Stan Fischler looking jersey era the teams that we had? I pretty much knew out of the gate that we were going to suck that year. And remember when we got our real jersey's back the teams that we had ('99-'01)? Man, I DEFINATEL...
[b][i]Vitaly Vishnevski is now a Devil[/i][/b]
The Predators lost another unrestricted free agent yesterday when the New Jersey Devils signed Vitaly Vishnevski to a three year deal worth a reported 5.4 million dollars. This is a player that no one in the organization or fans of the Preds expected to resign.
"Vitaly Vishnevski is a defenceman who brings a physical pr...
Jon Jordan writes...
Guerin Named Captain, so What's Next for the Isles?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
At Monday’s press conference, the Islanders introduced new acquisitions Jon Sim, Ruslan Fedotenko, Mike Comrie and Bill Guerin. GM Garth Snow held the surprise of the day in his hands as he approached the podium, said a few words and handed Guerin his new # 13 Islanders jersey with the captain’s “C” sewn into place. So, the Isles have named the 11th captain in team...
Well,
Since it seems, for now, that all is said and done in Philadelphia, I think it's time for me to get my fingers to work and get my first blog out in QUITE some time. And what a better time to get one out while the world of hockey is dead, the Selanne to Philly rumors have quieted, Sid the Kid has signed an nice extension, and Sheldon Souray is still out of his mi...
The NHL announced that a outdoor game will be played this year. A Pittsburgh newspaper said that the Penguins have agreed to be the away team. The two possible home teams are Buffalo and Detroit. This game will most likley be played at the Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills. This game will be amazing! Sign me up for tickets. As a Buffalonian this will be a cha...
[img]http://www.blazingconcepts.com/img/syd/kinghenrik.jpg[/img]
As I sat in my bedroom in the nude, watching reruns of Miami Vice on TV land and eating some cold pizza my red emergency Dr. Teeth phone rang. I reached over my pile of feathered boas, empty condom wrappers, ruffies and paternity suits I picked up the receiver and belched into it. A loud voice boomed in m...
Every year, one of the days that I look forward to more than any other, is that sweet summer day when the NHL releases its schedule. In a way, for me, my personal fall, winter, and early spring are being scheduled "for me" right before my very eyes. But in what I should now come to expect, every year, this "holiday" turns into a nightmare.
This year, the Islan...
Last season the defense of the Minnesota Wild was the best in the league allowing a league-low 184 goals against, seven less than the nearest team (Detroit). So what could the league's best defense do this off-season? Well the first thing they did do was sign their worst defenseman (Martin Skoula) to a two year deal, giving us two more years of a weak link. Then they add m...
As a fan of the Colorado Avalanche since they moved to Denver, it's easy to know why I hold a special place for Peter Forsberg. How can I forgot Forsberg missing the entire 01-02 season only to return and become arguably the best player in the playoffs? Then there's the magic that Forsberg captured along with Milan Hejduk in the 02-03 where he won the Hart Trophy and helpe...
March 15, 2002: The Atlanta Thrashers trade Ruslan Zainullin to the Calgary Flames for Marc Savard. In 182 games with the Thrashers, Savard went on to score 63 goals and 196 points. After the 2005-2006 season, Savard priced himself out of Atlanta, signing with the Boston Bruins for 4 years, at $5 million per season. Since that point, Thrashers GM Don Waddell has continuous...
I will begin with my opinion on the Leafs/Avs possible trade. Our dear friend, Mr. Eklund reports that the Colorado Avalanche might be asking too much in return for Hejduk. My opinion is that they are not asking enough! (Colaiacovo and Jay Harrison) Here are the players I would be asking to the Leafs if they really want him: Tomas Kaberle & Kyle Wellwood. Too much you wou...
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....
mzator22 writes...
Analyzing Team's Free Agent/Trade Moves - Northwest Division
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Continuing my analysis, here's the Northwest Division:
[b]Calgary Flames[/b]
Major Additions
[b]Cory Sarich (5 yrs, $18 million)[/b] - Sarich is a good physical d-man, but he will not replace the offense of Hamrlik and Stuart. He is a Keenan type player. I think he is a little over payed for what he does.
[b]Owen Nolan (1 yr, $1.75 million)[/b] - Nolan used to ...
DriveForFive21 writes...
Isles ink Johnson and Campoli....Morris or Markov next??
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The islanders continued to make improvements this week by signing two young defensemen with alot of offensive potential. Aaron Johnson, a 24-year-old defenseman, was picked up on Thursday and i am very pleased with this signing. It gives the islanders something they really lacked last year, defensive depth. Think about it instead of our only backup plans being Allan Rourke...
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...
Ok guys this is my first blog, so ill start out by saying i am an 17 year old islander season ticket holder of believe it or not 15 years. Ive been watching the islanders disappointments year in and year out and i really think we have a chance to start to turn things around if not this year in the years to come.
For the first time ever we finally seem to have a couple ...
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 ...
Well, it appears pretty simple to me. However, I'm not the General Manager.
The Leafs lack depth at right wing. Plain and simple.
It's time to bring in a top line right winger to complete the trifecta. Blake, Sundin and .............
Hejduk (4m) and Svatos (1.2m) are obviously being targeted by the Leafs management. After hearing Giguere today, commenting on possib...
With the Vancouver Canucks adding restricted free agent Ryan Shannon into their 07-08 line-up the club appears to be eching every so close to the $50.3 million salary cap.
Shannon's one-year contract of $550,000 pushes the Canucks over $45 million dollars with 20 players under contract. Throw in the expected pro debut of defencemen Luc Bourdon and the more permenant NHL...
After a season mostly remembered for controvery, you'd think the Habs would be a little weary to take on someone elses problems. Rumours they are interested in Nikolai Zherdev however, tell us that nothing has changed.
The 06-07 season started with a lot of promise. The Canadiens were near the top of the league and stronger than they had been in years... until the pr...
Yesterday morning Eklund reported that there was a rumor that the Canadiens are interested in Nikolai Zherdev. Eklund also reported a few weeks ago that the Oilers and the Islanders may also be looking at him as well. Dealing Zherdev could end up profitable if done correctly.
First of all, Nikolai Zherdev is a forward who has butted heads with Ken Hitchcock. Just like a...
With over two months till the season starts, and then 8 more until it ends, its impossible to try and guess the final standings. But, with over two months till the season starts, and nothing else to do, its fun. The following is my prediction, based on the current lineups and my opinions and thoughts about the game.
The atlantic division (in addition to being the one ...
With all the action in the Northeast (Edit - Atlantic), it's going to wind up being a very interesting year.
I suppose these would be some of the bigger questions on one's mind at the moment:
Will the Rangers actually benefit with Gomez and Drury?
Can the Flyers make a move up the ladder?
Will the Penguins be able to rally behind Fleury?
Has Guerin warranted...
Yo I'm TonyBazz. I've been watching hockey religiousally for almost 20 years now, and I'm a diehard Flyers fan. My earliest memory of the Flyers is the 87 Cup Finals where we played Edmonton and went seven games and Ron Hextall won the Conn Smythe trophy. I remember I had this little Gretzky doll and I was beating the crap out of it the whole series. I remember when we...
12-14 years ago I recall Lou Lams shocking me as a diehard Devs fan, he hired Jaques Lemaire and Larry Robinson. I can recall thinking, WOW, what a move to get those types of 'names'. We all know that what happened was an unexpected cup in 1995, and actually what many forget is a 2 goal lead in the first period in the infamous "Guarantee night" in game six of the semi's ag...
12-14 years ago I recall Lou Lams shocking me as a diehard Devs fan, he hired Jaques Lemaire and Larry Robinson. I can recall thinking, WOW, what a move to get those types of 'names'. We all know that what happened was an unexpected cup in 1995, and actually what many forget is a 2 goal lead in the first period in the infamous "Guarantee night" in game six of the semi's ag...
Jsaquella writes...
Welcome Back BOOOOOOOSH!!!!! Flyers sign Giroux, too.
Posted Monday | Comments 0
According to the team's website, the Phantoms have signed veteran goalie Brian Boucher to a contract. No terms were released.
“Brian is a good goalie who will add depth to the organization and solidify our goaltending situation,” said GM Paul Holmgren in making the announcement. Boucher is a decent insurance policy should Antero Niittymaki or Martin Biron falter or...
A lot of people around the league are waiting with fainted breath as arbitration hearings begin this week.
Among the big names up for arbitration are Sabres forward Derek Roy. Roy, coming off a 63 pt season last year, will assuredly get a nice raise from the 650,000 he made last season.
But what are players like him really worth?
Personally, I feel Roy is worth so...
Some random thoughts as I get ready to hit the open road later this week:
[b]Was the lockout a waste of time? Did I miss a year of hockey for nothing?[/b] I am a Flyers fan and I will lay that out first. I love that they signed Danny Briere for a long time and for huge money - because that is what it took to seal the deal. That being said, I do wonder if that lost y...
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...
Before I start, let me just thank all of you out there for all your emails that you sent to me in the recent months.
For those who know me, I don't really have to say much. You know my track record, and I think, from my stand point, that it's a pretty darn good one. For those who are just tuning in for the first time to read my posts, you'll be the judge, and hopefully...
AlexanderScharf writes...
NYR- To Be or Not To Be: Peca, Jovo, Avery, Hossa
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
What are the Rangers going to do next? Although the Rangers should be content with what they have done this off-season, especially considering that they do not have alot of cap room, rumors continue to swirl about a big move that they are planning. I've heard the Rangers are interested in Ed Jovanovski and Michael Peca and they are yet to resign Sean Avery and Marcel Hossa...
[img:right]http://www.habsinsideout.com/061209%20habs%2005.jpg[/img]
Well Sabres fans another trying time has come for us. Does Darcy step up and give Royzie his deserving multi year deal/ Or do they sit across from each other during the arb hearing and though what might have been? I believe in this case the Sabres have no choice to step up and protect the $50 million...
As many of you are probably well aware Derek Boogaard along with his brother Aaron have started the Derek and Aaron Boogaard Fighting Camp. A camp solely designed to, like the name would suggest teach players the basics of how to fight in hockey. Not surprisingly this camp has come under heavy criticism with people claiming that this promotes fighting and encourages young ...
As many of you are probably well aware Derek Boogaard along with his brother Aaron have started the Derek and Aaron Boogaard Fighting Camp. A camp solely designed to, like the name would suggest teach players the basics of how to fight in hockey. Not surprisingly this camp has come under heavy criticism with people claiming that this promotes fighting and encourages young ...
As per Newsday:
[quote]"I managed to survive that long against long odds," he said. "It was an interesting time on Long Island." Of the ownership turmoil, he cracked, "We were leading the league in convicted felons."
That's the kind of funny, edgy line NBC is counting on from Milbury, who essentially will replace Brett Hull, another quote machine who left to work in ...
It has been said that Mr. Holland is still looking at the market. Well who is not? I am feeling very comfortable with the Wings line-up this season. With the coming of age of Johan Franzen, Daniel Cleary and Flip. I think that Johan can replace what Todd Bertuzzi was supposed to bring to the wings grit with the help of aged Dallas Drake. Zetterburg and Datsyuk are definite...
Derek Roy has become the most recent player to agree to a contract prior to his arbitration hearing. He and the Buffalo Sabres have agreed to a 6 year 24 million dollar contract as reported by Garth. He is one of many to avoid a scheduled arbitration hearing this summer as 17 of the 30 players who filed for arbitration have already reached agreements with their respective ...
Speaking to a source close to the Rangers front office, I've been informed that the Rangers are willing to swing a deal for Sens defensemen Wade Redden. I have also been told that if it doesn't happen, the Rangers will look at Jovo again, but will most likely go into opening night as is. Also, watch for Hossa to be moved. The Sharks have made an offer.
I have much more ...
Its been a great offseason for the Rangers. They signed two top tier centers to long term deals and retained their core group of players, with the exception of Nylander and Cullen. But its not too late to botch the job. Critics have already labeled this offseason as a return to the "Same Old Rangers". I dont believe that to be true but that is a dicussion of its own. What ...
With Michael Ryder signing for just under $3 million, The $4 mill Kevin Lowe offered RFA Dustin Penner now looks even more ridiculous. Burke must have had a big fat mile when he saw that.
Both players hit around 30 goals, with Ryder out performing in the assists department. Also, Penner is entering his second NHL year, and while he displays great potential, he hasn't...
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... ...
Many people, including Berger, believe the Leafs D was responsible for the 9th place finish in the east. I however believe many more things contributed to the Leafs woes.
1. Goaltending. This is a 2 part argument. On one hand, not only did Raycroft never steal a game, he on many occasions didn't give us a fair chance to win. Consider his GAA of shots high glove side was...
I was wondering to myself why Brian Murray would come out and admit that he had an agreement to trade Wade Redden. There are several possibilites:
- Murray could be trying to light a fire under Redden in the hopes to encourage him to get back to his former self. This doesn't seem like the smartest move as it is not the GM's job to motivate players and if that was what...
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 ...
Leave your coat at the door, because Psycom is back with some recapping of this long summer out of Islander Country.
On a personal note, I have been hard at work this summer with college classes, work, and the woman who shares my life. I have been watching and waiting for a chance to say what I think about the state of the Islanders and hockey on Long Island. My chanc...
ExtraB writes...
SportKings - One of The Greatest Comebacks in Sports History
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
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[b]The greatest name in the history of trading cards is making a comeback after 73 years. Collectors everywhere will applaud the return of the legendary and revered Sportkings brand![/b]
[img]http://www.hockeyheadquarters.com/images/hockey-cards/sportkings/return.jpg[/img]
The original Sport Kings Gum series was released by the Goudey Gum Company in 1933 and 193...
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...
Taking a look at the current roster, one would think the Islanders can't be done shaping the team for the 2007-08 season. The additions that have been made thus far have been significant, surely, but have a glance at the depth chart (or the way I project it anyway) with me and tell me you don't see a little room for improvement.
For the purposes of this blog, let's simp...
First, an amendment to part 1 on the forwards. From all that I can gather, Sean Bergenheim inked a 1-way contract with the Isles and, thus, will more than likely be with the team post-training camp. (Thanks to psycomkl for the tip.) This is not necessarily a bad thing as, like I said in part 1, I like what Bergy brought to the table before he took his ball and sailed overs...
3 yrs:
Salary Breakdown: 2.5 , 3, 3.5
9 mill total.
Andy adds a little bit of everything both on offense and defense and we really like what he brings to the table,” said Islanders head coach Ted Nolan. “We talk about heart, grit and character and Andy Sutton has a ton of it all. He’s a big guy who plays big and isn’t afraid to do the dirty work. He fills ...
I'm one to say no. Some Canucks fans seem to think that we need to give this team another face lift. Would a top 6 forward be nice? Yes, it would, if you want to get Naslund going again. Can we make the playoffs without a top 6? Absolutely.
We showed last year that even with our scoring dilemma, we won our division. Why is that? Solid, solid defense, and an all star goa...
or, Can "playing the system" work out? I'm curious, what do people think about this?
Over this off-season, for example, the rangers spent nearly 20 mil per year on Drury and Gomez alone. Noone can deny that these are premier players, and these additions have caused talk of the rangers being the powerhouse of the atlantic division. The islanders, on the other hand, se...
SabreCrazy07 writes...
20 Players 18 spots........A look @ Sabres lines for 2007-08
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
With training camp 2007 about a month away lets take a look at some possible line combinations for the Sabres this upcoming season.
1. Vanek - Roy- Stafford
2. Pomminville- Connolly- Afinogenov
3. Hecht- Gaustad- Kotalik
4a. Paille- Ryan- Mair Extra: Peters (Size & Speed)
[i]4b. Paille - Mair- Paetsch [/...
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 ...
I will preface all of this with the fact that this is my first attempt at a blog and also that while yes I am college student my grammar is terrible. But since training camp is about a month away and trade rumors are becoming few and far between, I have decided to give my analysis and predictions of each division over the next few weeks to be capped off with my playoff pre...
IslandDynasty writes...
Islanders Will Make the Playoffs Come Next March...
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I think they will.With the offseason coming to a close in a couple of weeks,you can almost get a grip on which teams are going places,and which teams arent.But what teams look like on paper does [b]not[/b] mean theyre going to preform that way.Perfect example is this past season's Islanders.Were thought to be the worst team in the league going into the season,thought by th...
The $64,000 question for Anaheim fans since Lord Stanleys Cup was ferried around the Honda Center ice by the victorious Ducks back in the first week of June has been whether or not Teemu and Scotty would be back to defend their championship. (Although maybe we should bump it up to $128,000, because it really is two separate questions.)
Scotty is one of the most accompl...
The Halifax Daily News is reporting that Ducks defenseman Joe DiPenta has verbally agreed to a one year contract with the Ducks. While no official announcement has been made by the Ducks the fact that Adam Brady (Director of Publications and New Media for the Anaheim Ducks) posted this to his blog on the team's site is a good indication that it is true.
The question th...
If you're expecting something hockey related, read no further. It's not April yet.
As I'm sure many of you know, Madden 2008's release date is August 14th. As usual, I pre-ordered my copy at the closest Best Buy on Old Country Road and waited anxiously for the midnight release. Last year I was 7th in line, arriving at the Best Buy around 10:00 PM. By midnight the line w...
The San Jose Sharks may very well resign Patrick Marleau before the start of the season , even though the word is the two sides are not talking contract right now. Marleau is up to his usual around here. Running the annual captains practices that have become tradition here in San Jose you would think Marleau feels very comfortable and is expecting the two sides will stay 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...
[img:left]http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/allan_muir/11/07/GM.meetings/tx.forsberg.jpg[/img]I still remember vividly the 02/03 season. The Colorado Avalanche we're still in a dynasty with the likes of Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Milan Hedjuk, Alex Tanguay and Patrick Roy. Forsberg led the league in scoring with a 106 point campaign (29G, 77A), and a league leading +52. F...
I personally think that the canucks have one of the if not strongest defence in the league. With Ohlund-Salo , Mitchell-Bieksa , Krajicek-Miller/Bourdon it's hard not to argue that it is very strong. Their defence in the future looks really good with 1st round pick Luc Bourdon may be cracking the starting lineup and Alex Edler a reliable callup from Manitoba. The Canucks h...
Top 20 goalies in wins:
1. Henrik Lundqvist NYR: 45 wins
2. J-S Giguere ANA: 44 wins
3. Miikka Kiprusoff CGY: 42 wins
4. Martin Brodeur NJ: 40 wins
5. Roberto Luongo VAN: 39 wins
6. M-A Fleury PIT: 39 wins
7. Evgeny Nabokov SJ: 38 wins
8. Ryan Miller BUF: 37 wins
9. Martin Biron PHI: 37 wins
10. Ray Emery OTT: 36 wins
11. Marty Turco DAL: 3...
Paul Henderson scored the game winning goal in the final game of the Summit Series? I do, it was the day that hockey grabbed me by the shorts and is still taking me for a ride this day. I was born and bred in Toronto, and even though I was just growing into a leaf fan I wasn't quite there yet. On September 28th, 1972, my dad and I were waiting on the Long Branch platfor...
Early in the post season Jim Rutherford was very active in trying to acquire one Joni Pitkanen. Obviously he would have like to employ his puck moving abilities and youth to a fairly stay-at-home veteran D-Corps.
As everyone knows, Rutherford did not land Pitkanen, the Oilers did. The man who was on the trading block, Niclas Wallin, remains a 'Cane. It wasn't that th...
A lot has been happening in the hockey world over the past few weeks. Many signings that will set the direction of clubs for some time as long contracts seem to be the off season flavor.
The Islanders have been making waves by signing Guerin, Fedetenko, Sim, Comrie, Sutton, and Vasicek. This is a major overhaul for a club that squeezed into the show last year and is lo...
A lot has been happening in the hockey world over the past few weeks. Many signings that will set the direction of clubs for some time as long contracts seem to be the off season flavor.
The Islanders have been making waves by signing Guerin, Fedetenko, Sim, Comrie, Sutton, and Vasicek. This is a major overhaul for a club that squeezed into the show last year and is lo...
In the past, the Eastern Conference's most feared division was the Northeast division, which consisted of the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, The Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Boston Bruins.
However, due to an eventful free agency, the division of [b]Devils, Penguins, NY Rangers, Islanders, and Flyers[/b] are going to be extremely tough to beat....
Although I don't doubt a single division is capable of locking down 5 of the 8 playoff slots, I tend to think even if so it wouldn't be the Atlantic. Last year, all but the Flyers made a show in the playoffs. The Devs and Pens each finished well up in the standings, while the Rangers and Islanders just slipped in towards the last week of the season.
The hardest part...
Last Friday the Bluejackets got a big surprise. Alexander Svitov had signed an 3 year deal with Avangard Omsk of the RSL. This was after he inked a 2 year extension with the Bluejackets in July.
This really throws a wrench into Hitchcock's plans for the team this year. Up until Hitchcock took over, Svitov never really reached his viewed potential. Once Hitch took over th...
It is nearing September and San Jose still has no back-up for Nabokov. The likely candidates are Thomas Greiss and Dimitri Patzold. The goalie system in San Jose is one of the very best. This year however it seemed to me that the Sharks would sign a veteran back-up. With the loss of Vesa Toskala it seems Nabokov will take most of the load next season. A great end to the se...
duckyjets writes...
Why dont the Oilers play their young talent more.....
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I have been posting this question on other oilers blogs that I have seen recently. I just do not understand why Kevin Lowe and MacT dont play their young talened players more then they do. When I look around the NHL and see teams like Chicago, Buffalo, Anaheim, L.A and many others giving their young players a shot at the big show and the oilers ignoring theirs leaving them...
Nolanitis writes...
2007-08 NY Islanders: A year to prove the hockey world wrong
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I have been on various blog websites and no matter which one I read there seems to be one similarity, write-off the Islanders. This blog will explore why other fans in the NHL (even some Isles fans) are doing so prematurely.
Gone from the team this year are the following players: Yashin (buyout), Blake (FA), Smyth (FA), Kozlov (FA), Poti (FA), Robataille ...
It's getting awful close to training camp time for our beloved NHL teams and there are still teams clamoring to get the guys they need for the latest run at the cup.
For your respective favorite team, what would you do to bolster your chances? What free-agent would you sign, or who would you trade for?
If you are supposing a trade, try to make it realistic. For examp...
naslund91 writes...
Linden Signing not about numbers, but about playing time?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Is it possible that Trevor Linden is delaying this contract status to show to Vigneault that benching Linden for so many games last year was a mistake?
If Canucks fans can remember, Linden was benched lots throughout the season, even after a 2 goal game, even after one of his best games of the season. When he was put with the Sedins, he had many chances, hit the post a ...
Ron Guillet writes...
The Wang Enterprise : Projection Of The New York Islanders
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Alrighty, brotha's and sista's. With the Leafs, Habs, Sabres, Bruins and now Sens done in the projection departement, I thought I'd turn my attention to the Islanders. An orginization which has been the peak of many hockey jokes, kind of the like the Spanish News Team but IMO wrongfully so. They fought the odds last season and shut the door on my lovely Leafs and the clima...
With a simple flick of the wrist, everything on the west coast was settled. For now, Trevor Linden returning to the Vancouver Canucks line-up for yet another season simply eases the pain in waiting for the next debacle as the faithful wait for the arrival of yet another jersey. When training camp begins, Trevor Linden will bring a sense of stability to a line-up that for t...
[img:right][b]IF I COULD TURN BACK [/b][/img]TIME?
Boy, if managers only knew! Every manager has made a bad transaction or trade. For this blog, I polled some of my friends to name the most memorable, horrible trades made by our beloved gm’s. I will be using their quotes with permission and of course putting my two cents worth at the end.
Jbug
That’s real...
[b]IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME?[/b]
Boy, if managers only knew! Every manager has made a bad transaction or trade. For this blog, I polled some of my friends to name the most memorable, horrible trades made by our beloved gm’s. I will be using their quotes with permission and of course putting my two cents worth at the end.
Jbug
That’s really a no brainer. ...
With this being my first blog entry at Hockeybuzz, I figured I'd start by doing a general outline of the Canucks in the offseason and the team at its current state.
The team, even though they finished top of the Northwest Division (Typically considered the most balanced, if not hardest, division in the league. Though I'd have probably given hardest to Pacific), we...
1.) Nicklas Backstrom- Will be playing with Ovechkin this coming season so I see him setting Ovi up for alot of goals. Should get alot of time on the PP so I see him putting up some serious points.
2.) Carey Price- I'm going on a limb here saying that he will make the Canadians this year and will steal the starting role from Huet. After seeing what this kid is capable o...
BuffaloMat writes...
Sabres Roster Nostalgia 91-92 Part 1: Alexander Mogilny
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/buffalo/MogilnyBuf.jpg[/img]
When I think of my childhood with growing up with the Sabres, the best time watching them was when I was about 9 years old. My first memories about watching the Sabres were at a time when they played when I was in bed. My mother would wake me up (Obviously they weren't late games but I was young!)...
ExtraB writes...
Yzerman Was My Role Model But Are Role Models Dead Today?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
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In a previous blog post I talked about the holy grail of sports cards, a 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card, which sold for a record breaking $2.35 million. The holy grail of hockey cards is considered to be the 1911-12 Georges Vezina hockey rookie card which sold for a record breaking $100K. You can read the article at:
http://www.hockeyheadquarters.com/articles/vezina...
Ok, a month or two ago, I was reading that Pete was going to play for his father's league back in Sweden...What happened?
TSN.com is reporting that Ottawa and Vancouver are now in a "race" to pick up this injury-prone forward from his one year stint in Nashville after being dealt away by the Philadelphia Flyers. His career is winding down, and I honestly think that if h...
I've finally returned home to good old Manitoba, it was quite the journey. The flight from Halifax to Toronto was alright, we flew over Niagara Falls. The flight from Toronto to Winnipeg was spectacular, especially the service. Although the day didn't go as planned when it came to getting into Winnipeg waiting for my luggage turns out is was left in Toronto and I never rec...
Well actually yesterday 8/25/07 marked the 2 year anniverasry of the Buffalo Sabres obtaining defenseman Toni Lydman from the Calgary Flames for a mear 3rd round selection in the 2006 draft (C-John Armstrong) . With this acquisition the Sabres were able to form the #1 tandem of Tallinder - Lydman.
Here is a Toni's stats as a Sabre:
[u]Regular season[/u]
142 GP 3 G 33...
Yin and yang, up and down, good and bad, a GM's job is full of contrast. A GM needs to manage winning now without losing in the future. For Philadelphia's Paul Holmgren this is no different. Last year with our beloved Flyers finishing last in the NHL Homer was tasked with getting the Flyers back on track fast without hurting the future of the franchise. Did he do it? ...
Speaking with a few sources in the past day or two, I've been told that the Rangers and Coyotes are talking about a trade that would send Montoya, Malik and Kasper's salary to the Coyotes for Jovo and a top prospect.
At the moment, no one knows which prospects are being talked about, but we know that Rangers are asking for a forward in return.
Folks, I think from th...
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...
With little to discuss between now and the preseason, when hockey begins again, I thought I'd begin a feature called "Video of the Day", which features some great moments from the Leafs 2006-07 season.
The first feature comes from a game against the Ottawa Senators on February 3rd, 2007. The Leafs and Sens, tied 2-2 after OT, go to a shootout. The Sens had been the hot...
I know many Habs fans want to trade Ryder asap and I am not sure I'm unwilling to trade him for the right piece of the puzzle, but consider the following before we ship him off to become a star somewhere else.
From the Habs official site:
MONTREAL - The natural goal scorer. Feared by goaltenders, revered by GMs across the NHL, Michael Ryder has earned his stripes a...
Im going to go ahead a host a two hour chat.
[url]http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=49211&cmd=tc[/url]
click the link, and lets get it started with the questions.
Today seems to be a big day in the NHL with Marleau signing, as well as many other signings. I am hearing that Vincent Lecavalier is now up for trade. I would love to see the Isles try to go for him. Please note this is mostly speculation; it's highly unlikely for it to happen, but I believe its possible. Remember this is coming from me. If the Islanders did want to trade...
I don't know about all of you but I personally am itching for NHL hockey action.
Flyers rookies open camp 9/8, a week from today. That doesn't sound long but right now it feels like an eternity.
I am so anxious to see what this retooled team will look like on the ice. On Paper it looks awesome, but how long will it take it all to gel and run smoothly like a well oi...
IslesNation writes...
Trade rumors heating up again as i reported last week!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Hey guys,
Well it's been a great end of the summer holiday. I went Jet Skiing today, it was a great day for both me and my family. Well, back to the trade rumors i reported last week. It seems that more and more websites are reporting that all the sudden. Well anyway it's good to know we are way ahead of those other sites. Well it seems to be leaked that there is a trad...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Billboards/Bumper Stickers for the 2007-08 Flyers season
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[i][b]*warning - Please check any kneejerk reactions at the door - this is all in good humor*[/b][/i]
I was thinking about the very clever way the Dallas Stars used billboards/bumper stickers to get a new and funny message across to their current and potential fans. I thought it something that the Flyers might want to take to heart and show the fans that they are excit...
Well it's hump day here in good ol' Richmond Virginia and about 95 degrees. The last thing anyone would be expecting to here from Virginia is a blog about hockey, so might as well be the first. I have been a Ranger fan for life and blue and red has always coursed through my veins. I have spent countless days this preseason searching for the latest free agent and trade rumo...
This will end up on the main site, also, but I was tired of looking at my old blog from 6 months ago on this page. So here's a new one...
The new face of hockey lies under the current face of what you may be used to. The new face is not on Versus,, or even TSN. It is certainly not going to be between the few people who tune into NBC this season where we will watch Pie...
I am a Bruins fan from Buffalo and I was thinking about switching from my local cable provider to Satellite so that I can get NESN to watch the Bruins games all season. To my surprise, I looked into it and this is what I found.
Only subscribers to NESN that live in the Boston area can receive Bruins games on NESN. If you live out of the area, games will be blacked out....
Glenn Hall use to miss training camp to paint his barn. I like his excuse better.
Only 4 players have ever had more then 150 points in a season…….Gretzky Mario Yzerman and ?????? answer later in this blog.
I really really like The Plain White Ts good music check it out.
The Yankees were on the other night and my 3 year old Emma says Daddy they wear the same w...
Side note I felt that the vertical strip on the socks make the Flyers look like imperial storm troopers. HEre look and compare.
The storm Troopers
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lil_munki/1352823284/?addedcomment=1#comment72157601938696529
Rookie camp photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157601938292851/
VIDEO!!!! (warning it takes time for youtube t...
dude. is anyone else getting a little annoyed by the mash video panel on the index page? i am unable to stop it even during advertisement. anyone know of a good fix for keeping mash at bay? the blocking of certain cache and cookies has proved unsuccessful so far.
here at work i like to check hb about 3 or 4 times just to get a quick break (if the cigarette smokers can t...
Sorry about the title ... I know it is just plain bad.
I was looking at the Calgary Flames new look defense this morning and wondered what type of offensive prowess they had. This led me to look into how many goals and points they had combined for last year.
The names Aucoin, Eriksson, Hale, Phaneuf, Regehr, Sarich and Warrener as a collective group do not strike ...
It has been a long summer of Canuck and Devils trade rumours—none of which have been realised—but they keep coming up and I'd like to take a stab at why.
I'm guessing that that the Devils are having a hard time with the commandment that says “thou shalt not covet thy neighbours goaltending prospects.”
It's no secret that we need some scoring and the Devils co...
9/16/07 Flyers camp
The links of course....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157602046504581/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuxUNcM1gc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHcp_xthv6M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgMw6QsG07w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf22qswElo8
First I want to thank Hockey buzz’s own Steal your face off, the young man w...
Minor league roster, circus-like uniforms and a plethora of penalties (again) aside, it was nice to see the Islanders back on the ice last night in North York, Ontario taking on the Atlanta Thrashers.
Garnet Exelby's overtime goal ended hopes for a win but the Isles should be encouraged for a handful of reasons.
Freddy Meyer scored a nifty goal, nearly going end-to-...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
New RBK Edge Jerseys....are going to get someone killed!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well folks, after seeing the new RBK Edge jerseys live and in person i give them a very solid thumbs down. Fashion aside (and very few of the uniforms that did change changes for the positive) these things are so flimsy and rip so easy that every fight from now till they are fixed will come down to who can tear his opponents jersey faster . Even if they don't tear they are...
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/BlogBoxHeaderBanner.jpg[/img]
Moncton's motto reads: [b]Resurgo[/b], which I can assure you that it is not a Harry Potter spell. It is latin for [i]I rise again[/i]. And in 'Hub City', who hasn’t had a NHL game in over 30 years, NHL hockey is rising again - as it did when [b]Ted Nolan[/b], current coach of the Islanders, took the Mo...
Jon Jordan writes...
You Break My Heart, Dad (But That's Okay ... I Guess)
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
([b][i]NOTE:[/i][/b] This is a retread of an old post, resurrected (and re-edited) for the launch of the [i][b]NYI Blog Box[/b][/i], which you can find here [url]http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app/[/url]. Enjoy!
I love my family.
I love my friends.
I love hockey.
Sometimes numbers two and three on this list are in a good, old-fashioned tie. (Sorry, amigos, but you h...
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...
I started riding a mountain bike three years ago dropped about sixty pounds and like some of us I tend to get big head when I start having success. Just when I start thinking I’m all that is about when my riding buddies take me out and either seriously school me on a really big hill or they bust a rib laughing at me chipping a tooth on a rock garden I usually ride clean....
It is time for the third edition in my series of blogs about the new NHL jerseys. For those who still have not seen the all new jerseys:
http://www.fartfignewton.com/rbk_edge/
For those who missed Parts 1 and 2:
http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=2407&post_id=2473
http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=2407&post_id=2499
Next up is the Atlanta Divisi...
[b]Tonights Exhibition[/b]
Some quick words on how to watch tonight's game vs. Montreal. Evidently, due to 'broadband limitations' at the Bell Centre, Montreal, it cannot be seen live. Sacre le bleu! Are they kidding? Sadly they are not.
So, you can check Islanders TV on Friday for pre-game analysis. But can only see the game on Saturday to view the complete game an...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Evil Twins for Flyer Fans - Rangers and Devils
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[img]http://images.sportsline.com/images/nhl/logos/NYR.gif[/img][img]http://images.sportsline.com/images/nhl/logos/NJ.gif[/img]
Rangers and Devils. Two of the most hated franchises in hockey to many Philadelphia Flyers fans. If the sound of those two names echoing in your ears doesn't excite you as a Flyers fan - then it's over and you might as well keep walking towards...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Last Night's Game in Montreal, Plus Defensive Assessment
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Last night Montreal beat the Isles in OT.
[b]Jeff Tambellini[/b] had a good game, obviously been jumpstarted by some comments by Ted Nolan. Nolan recently picked him out saying basically he is expecting more from him consistently. Tambs had a goal and had been all over the ice. [b]Jon Sim[/b] has been plugging away like he has the last few games.
[b]Sean Bergenheim[...
Now that the Isles are back at home, several have been sent to Bridgeport. Thus, those player's presence on the waiver wire, as many have noticed. No reports have come in that anyone was grabbed by another team thus far.
Still on the Islander's roster: Jeff Tambellini, Aaron Johnson, Jeremy Colliton, Blake Comeau, Darryl Bootland, Kip Brennan (reported on waiver wire, b...
I watched Detroit and Tampa Bay today. Here are my notes from the game:
- I never got to watch much of the Lecavalier/St. Louis show last year but hopefully that will change this year with my purchase of NHL Center Ice. It is the end of the 2nd and Marty already has 2 beauty goals. Vinny didn't play but the telecast made up for it by showing all of his 52 goals last yea...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Pucks, fists and teeth fly at the first NYI/NYR game
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
It was in the air.
The Rangers had a stinker versus the Flyers over the weekend. The Isles were now back home, facing their nemesis from the big city. And, of course, it was the preseason. No points on the line. Players playing for spots, or just to fit in with the rest of their team.
So, as the game started, it was not surprising to see Andy Sutton give Ryan Callaha...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo - Flyers Preseason 07
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:JeEvEAeZYd1vtM:http://www.geocities.com/mattreigns/Westerns/goodbadugly.jpeg[/img]
Translated from Italian it actually reads The Good, the Ugly and the Bad. Linguistics notwithstanding, Clint Eastwood's performance in the starring role in this 1966 spaghetti western, directed by Sergio Leone, is [u]far and away[/u] the best West...
Perhaps my Islander pal B.D. Gallof will chime in on this issue, but as I simultaneously watched both the Red Wings/Lightning and Rangers/Islanders games last night, I had a passing thought that made more than a little sense (I know ... crazy ... but it does happen sometimes!)
Having lost Dan Boyle for at least the first month of the regular season and in dire need of s...
DoctorTeeth writes...
Preseason Blues, why can't I watch my team on TV?!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
An open letter I sent to the Madison Square Garden Channel and to the NY Rangers
9/25/07
Dear to Whom it may concern,
I'd really like to know why last night's and now tonight's game are not being televised. I mean really, is it that important you guys show the 1978 Harlem Wizards vs. the cast of Fantasy Island on Al Trautwig's "the Vault"?
I know I'm itching...
Yesterday the Ducks traded defenseman Nathan Saunders and Brett Skinner to the Boston Bruins in exchange for center Mark Mowers.
[b]To Ducks[/b]
[i]Mark Mowers 261 NHL GP, 17 G, 44 A, 61 Pts, E[/i]
[b]To Boston[/b]
[i]Nathan Saunders 36 AHL GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 Pts, +8
Brett Skinner 127 AHL GP, 10 G, 39 A, 49 Pts, -4[/i]
The D...
I was disgusted by hearing Steve Downie left his feet to hit Dean McAmmond, I was even more disgusted when I seen the hit on Sportscentre. Dean McAmmond skating behind the net, turning the corner to head up ice, some argue he had his head down, and Steve Downie charges across the ice, leaves his feet to take him out. McAmmond was turning the corner, weather or not he had h...
Took in the FLyers-Sens game last night. *YAWN* pre-season hockey is less than desirable. Even the kids trying to earn roster spots did themselves no favours last night.
Nycholat fit in on the Sens blueline without any problem, he is clearly ready for a roster spot. I would say it comes at the expense of Schubert. I cannot imagine any sens fans complaining about tha...
Here's an oldie but goodie to share with you, originally written Aug 21st.
For the newest expert criticism, see my newest team blog which takes on ESPN and E.J. Hradek: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=9654
[b]The Experts?[/b]
So you are at your local magazine shop, or perhaps you are perusing your usual sports website...and suddenly you see a Hockey fo...
Since the issue seems to have overtaken all else in the hockey world in terms of importance and exposure, I figure the Downie hit is as good of a play as any to spark my first commentary on hockeybuzz.
First off, due to some frustrating technical problems with the NHL Center Ice Online package, I was unable to see the hit live, but I did listen to the audio feed from th...
One has to wonder who paid the most attention to the Anaheim/Ottawa finals - where despite the Senators finally being able to put it together to dispatch a myriad of good to excellent teams, they got run over by a meaner and tougher team who simply shut them down. It was clear on paper and it was even clearer as the games went on.
So now you have to wonder how much GM G...
I miss seeing the Leafs play the Wings.
When the Leafs moved to the east, I knew that I would see less of them but thanks to this wonderful new schedule, I never get to see those two teams play. For me, they are right up there with Leafs/Habs or Leafs/Sens games. Always good regular season games and playoff games. I hope that with the new schedule for next season, ...
Jon Jordan writes...
Isles/Rangers, Round 2: Live on NHL Center Ice Online!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Round one on Monday night featured 10 fights, including the goaltenders squaring off, 6 ejections and 9 goals ... and, oh yeah, it also went to overtime!
Round two happens live tonight on NHL Center Ice Online through Islanders TV!
We're talking Islanders/Rangers, folks and, yes it is still the preseason but if Monday's contest is any indication, this one should be a...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
Ladies and Gentlemen..Let me introduce you to the NEW Devils
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Well folks, here it is, the moment you have all been waiting for. It appears under Coach Sutter this will not be the same old Devils. It will not be a sit back and wait for the opponent to bring the game to us wait for a mistake and pounce Devils. It will be an in your face, up tempo , aggressive forecheck Devils.
Now at first when Sutter said this at the begining of...
Good things to take away from last night's win:
1. Mike Comrie scored with a Bill Guerin assist. They just continue to produce on that first line. Ruslan Fedotenko is the unsung hero of this line, even when not on the stat chart, he does things that help his linemates pass and score.
2. Miroslav Satan scored two goals. We can talk about that 1st line all we want, but...
By Tuesday Afternoon, the Isles are expected to FINALLY release the upcomign roster for the season. Reports coming out now still have Berard unsigned, but Berard has no plans to sign elsewhere, and is willing to wait for Snow and Nolan to sort out the mess of fowards..
The Clock is back on you Snowy.. you got Less than 12 Hours to decide!
[url]http://weblogs.newsday....
It's done. Of course, as I sit and wait for people to get back to me on who is on the ice in Syosset, the Islander's finally announce it:
[b]DEFENSE[/b] Berard waiting for trade to make room there is likely
They are carrying 8 for now
2 Aaron Johnson
8 Bruno Gervais
14 Chris Campoli
24 Radek Martinek
25 Andy Sutton
32 Brendan Witt
44 Freddy Meyer
47 Ma...
I starting thinking about the roster decisions yesterday as I waited with extreme curiosity to what [b]Ted Nolan's[/b] take on the decisions made would be. I, like many of you, did not understand why Hilbert was on the 2nd line. Or why the gaggle of dmen still stood as a gaggle of dmen on the NHL roster. And I began to see it from another angle:
[b]When a 2nd Line isn...
As a general rule, I am done with making predictions as they pertain to the world of sports. This offseason, I had a blog titled, "Ryan Smyth [b][i]WILL[/b][/i] Remain an Islander." I also predicted that the New York Mets would once again run away with the National League East Title. (Ugh.) On the demerits of these two statements alone, I should be permanently banned from ...
[b]Question 1:[/b]
[i]Is Berard on this team or what?[/i]
All signs are to YES. Bryan Berard has been working out with the team, and also on the ice leading the powerplay. So evidently a contract is being hashed out between his agent and the team.
[b]Question 2:[/b]
[i]Trade happening?[/i]
This is unclear right now, even with so many Isles dmen sitting around....
I walk to work with a kick to my step. Not that it's that great of a day. A foggy murk lays about the morning like a Yashin knee-injury. The air is humid. The city is its usual stale self. I walk outside MSG, home of our dreaded rivals. They won their first game, kicking off two lackluster periods where they were being booed by opening night fans. Chris Drury scored the ga...
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...
First off, on my last blog, I lied. The Phoenix Coyotes are not just ready yet for a playoff run. After plenty of thought, I made my decisions. Before I go ranting on about how the season starts, let me publish here and now the season predictions I have going on:
Eastern Conference:
1) Ottawa
2) New York Rangers
3) Atlanta
4) Pittsburgh
5) Buffalo
6) Tampa Bay
...
B.D. Gallof writes...
View From The Blog Box: Isles Home Opener is a Win!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I am sitting in an empty blog box, watching them practice the opening to the Isles home opener. I am jawing with one of the staff, as they work out the kinks with the sequences that includes kid skaters who will be dragging an American flag across the ice.
As I sit here, I can see that Eklund, and now Newsday have already reported that Meyer has been put on waivers. An...
Hey all, I'm back. Wow!!! what a couple of days for the Islanders as they sweep the home and home against Buffalo and shining brightly throughout are our new players, especially Mike Comrie. Comrie is really starting to shine and prove himself as player and I am sensing a breakout year for him due to his incredible skill play against Buffalo, not to mention 4 goals in 2 ga...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Columbus Day: Discover the Isles vs Washington at 2pm
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/BlogBoxHeaderBanner.jpg[/img]
While some celebrate Columbus Day, where he discovered the Americas in 1492. Well, he didn't really. The Vikings and even the Chinese actually might have found these lands long before. But, what is more important is that in 2007-2008 season, the NY Islanders found their first line and some offensive threa...
Did the departure of two good hockey players really make the Buffalo Sabres that much worse? After watching the Islanders sweep Buffalo this past weekend, folks are starting to wonder.
It is only two games, but that is more than enough for some fans to hit the panic button and start throwing the blame around.
The co-captains are gone. The defense is lousy. Miller ...
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...
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/BlogBoxHeaderBanner.jpg[/img]
It was a strange sight to see my name on Sport Illustrated, yet there it was:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/richard_deitsch/10/08/islanders.bloggers/index.html
So, for those checking in to see what it is all about, here are some blogs worth reading that run the gamut from the [b]Island...
The Rant Man writes...
Response to a Response: Ducks' Cup Hangover Blog Post
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This blog post is relevant to everyone in regards to blogging.
I accidently deleted the comment on the post left by duxcup07 on my recent post on my blog covering the issue of whether or not the Ducks will repeat the outcome of the last Stanley Cup Championship team; the Carolina Hurricanes. Duxcup07's comment was a complete retort against my article, and so to respons...
The Rant Man writes...
Response to a Response: Ducks' Cup Hangover Blog Post
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This blog post is relevant to everyone in regards to blogging.
I accidently deleted the comment on the post left by duxcup07 on my recent post on my blog covering the issue of whether or not the Ducks will repeat the outcome of the last Stanley Cup Championship team; the Carolina Hurricanes. Duxcup07's comment was a complete retort against my article, and so to respons...
[i]The Bloggerazzi Peeks Out From Beneath An Article About The Isles Blog Box[/i]
As soon as the Sports Illustrated article hit the wire, I waited for it. That invariable swipe by those in a malleable establishment to judge and pigeonhole the Islander Blog Box. It didn't take long. The bash was led by one who was at the very most top of the hockey blogging food chain....
It may only be one early season game, but it has the opportunity to be so much more - especially for the Islanders.
Sure, they had a doozy of a preseason game but (to borrow a phrase from Major League Baseball's All-Star Game) [i][b]this time, it counts[/b][/i]. (And far more than a mid-season exhibition baseball game, mind you!)
Both teams, really, have a lot riding...
cougar763 writes...
Red Wing Attendance and Better Things to Talk About
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
At this point we all know that the Wings are having some small issues with attendance. However, this is not the end of the world scenario that everyone is making it out to be. They sold out every game for over 10 years, it was bound to happen, and with the situation in the stat right now they are still getting a pretty good showing. With the economy the way it is (the stat...
The Atlanta Thrashers fan base is small. There it is; no arguments here. The team is second fiddle to several other teams in the Atlanta area including college football teams from Georgia and Georgia Tech, the Braves, and even the Falcons (still!). Hockey has yet to grab the sports fans in Atlanta like the True Blue fans wish it did. Atlanta sports fans wanted to jump on t...
mapleleaf92 writes...
The Maurice Gurantee already in danger not Toskala's Fault
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Leaf fans, on October 9th 2007, we have been disgraced 7-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. So early in the season, the leafs defense has collapsed us, and Vesa Toskala.
You may all remember Maurice guaranteeing us a playoff series in Toronto. Last night's efforts made him look bad. It started on William's goal. He was wide open and was able to walk in about 4 feet before sna...
[i]"There are must win games in October."[/i] - Islander captain Bill Guerin.
Yesterday I briefly blogged on how last night's game vs. the Rangers was "statement time" for the Islanders. The 2-1 Isles victory may not have been domination, by any stretch, but the win over the heavily hyped, heavily favored (and heavily paid) rival Rangers was huge for the hard working cr...
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...
Year after year the Toronto Maple Leafs make big off season changes in a hope end the 40 year Stanley Cup drought. This off season was no different. Trading the 1st round pick in last years NHL entry draft for goaltender Vesa Toskala & forward Mark Bell, and signing 40-goal man & unrestricted free agent to a 5-year/$20 Million contract. The Leafs management faile...
Anyone still looking for my cannon past the Bloggerazzi's bow: http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=567&post_id=2810
But, enough on that. Now onto Toronto:
Bury them.
Toronto, a team that should be a winner, in a city that is hockey-crazed. I remember my brother and I heading there and experiencing the Ottawa vs Toronto game, smashed at some bar, along w...
First off, everything I said yesterday and earlier on in the year still applies ... I am still wildly optimistic about this team.
Losses happen.
Even 8-1's happen.
But this "post-Ranger game" thing ... it's gotta stop. And it's gotta stop [i][b]this season[/b][/i].
Why? Because when you muster up a solid game like last night's 2-1 win over your [i][b]hated[/b][...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/enemywithinisles.jpg[/img]
The Isles flew out from LI the other day on a high. A 3-1 record, their only loss outplaying, outshooting, but not out scoring Washington and Kolzig. Everyone was happy, everyone was chipper.
But then something happened on the way to Toronto. A transporter malfunction seemed to come into play, and the plan...
Just days after winning their first game of the season, the Devils headed back to the land of Sun and Fun. This time around, God's waiting room was less kind to the Devils. The Panthers earned their 1st. victory and goosegged the nomads from New Jersey.
Sutter become unhinged after Olesz potted his first on the season. Sutter felt that Stumpel did take down Oduya and...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
Come for the food.......stay for the Hockey!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Well folks just a week plus before the Devils finally open "The House that Marty Built" and let me tell you all, from the sound of things this will be a must see arena experience. Jeff Vanderbeek our newest and most pro-active owner ( since the good Doctor that is god bless his soul) went around the league and to ther places and found parts of other arenas new and old to i...
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...
Sun, 14 Oct 2007 8:44pm
I sit here writing this from my Blackberry, soaking down a brew and smoking a stogie on this brisk autumn eve.I feel a bit like the Isles in that I've had a tough weekend of work, actually hit with three huge deadlines at my job, just as we are understaffed. I won't bore you with the details, just that after giving close to 15 extra hours of my t...
I've seen the replay of the Weller Tootoo dust up about 15 times at least. Here's my opinion for what it's worth and I've been throwing it around since the Sutton hit and no one's paid me a dime.
The Tootoo hit was at least as bad as the Downie hit. Both hits were against a guy coming around the net and not paying attention but Downie stopped skating at the blue line, ...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Who's Line is it Anyway? Guerin to 3rd line. Hunter to 1st.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img:left]http://boredplanet.com/img/whosline.jpg[/img]
Upon a 3-3 start, which isn't bad. But then again, if you hold the "not bad" mantra, than you are not buying into the Isles brass and player expectation to be a playoff team. So, 3-3 is, in lieu of that, not acceptable. Furthermore, some habits and tendencies have been seen and adjustments seem to be being made.
...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens took on the very re-vamped Devils at the Mellon Arena. Unfortunetly, the Devils took the contest 5-4. The game had some very questionable calls and I am sure the oficiating is much debated. I will say that some of the calls were good, some bad, and some were rather close. To be honest, I am trying to avoid official bashing, because som...
20 minutes. That's how much time the Penguins spent inside the penalty box. Ten penalties; 20 minutes. If you really break it down, we practically gave the Devils an extra period to work with.
Both teams combined for 5 powerplay goals, in this penalty-ridden game. The Penguins converted 3 times on 5 attempts, while the Devils were 2 for 7. All in all, a great perfo...
This is the first pivotal game of the year. The one I pointed to on the schedule when it came out and said, “That game is going to speak volumes for the team early in the season.”
The Devils come in 3-3 after winning last night in Pittsburgh. The Devils are six games into a season starting nine game road trip due to the fact that their new arena won’t be availabl...
So, I'm officially [i][b]loving[/b][/i] this whole Billy Guerin, Islander captain thing!
In the preseason, I made a sarcastic comment along the lines of, "[i]Hey, a captain willing to fight! How about that?[/i]" That wasn't so much a tip of the cap to Guerin as it was one more, "Piss off!" to Alexei Yashin (whose name I will now refuse to utter ever again in my blog. In...
The Isles came to Washington last night with a lot of questions, being put back to earth with a .500 record. However, some of those got answered last night with wild game that saw [b]Bill Guerin[/b] tear it up with 3 goals, and a stellar performance by [b]Rick DiPietro[/b] in goal.
By no means was this a one-sided affair. Before Guerin led them to closing the Capitals o...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Sympathy for the Devil(s)...a guy named Marty
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:BV9zNSpOHjtBHM:http://www.nook-market.com/bizzazz_s/rolling-stones_tongue.jpg[/img][img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_hanson2.jpg[/img][img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_NEW_JERSEY_DEVILS_LOGO.jpg[/img]
[b]Please allow me to introduce myself[/b]
Hi...no I'm not the Prince of Darkness, Lu...
People who know me will tell you without hesitation that I go into a slow burn very quickly. My temper is typically not of the yelling and screaming variety but more of an uncomfortable confrontation. Nothing gets me going faster than unmitigated stupidity. That’s what I encountered last night at the Flyers-Devils game.
Some important things to know before we get into...
You know the saying...'desperate times call for desperate measures.' That is exactly what the Preds find themselves facing tonight as they attempt to halt a four game skid against the Sharks.
If there is one team that the Preds know well it's the Sharks. The Preds have fallen short against them each of the last two years in the the playoffs. Pred players probably see ...
No, Im not an Islander fan. This is coming from a die-hard Rangers fan who knows an undeniable fact when he sees one.
The Rangers came off a brilliant second half and playoffs last season and looking poised to make a Cup run. [img:left]http://ordinaryleastsquare.typepad.com/blueshirtbulletin/images/jagrgroin.jpg [/img]In the offseason they added Drury and Gomez and los...
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...
Sidney has a new show debuting on the Versus network on Tuesday, October 23 at 6:30 eastern time before the Pens vs Rangers game
here's a preview of what he has to say about the "new NHL"
[url]http://www.metacafe.com/w/876452[/url]
Just when you were wondering: Why are the Isles carrying so many defensemen?
Just announced by the Isles:
[i]Islanders defenseman [b]Bryan Berard[/b] will be sidelined approximately 2-4 weeks with a groin injury suffered during the team's 4-3 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum.
Berard two goals and two assists for ...
First and foremost, this is my first blog and I will hopefully get the hang of this very shortly. I am a sophomore student at Connecticut College and I am a tremendous New York Islanders Fan. Although I attend college in Connecticut, I still have season tickets for the past 5 years (obviously excluding the lockout season), and I attend an average of 36 games at the ...
-As I stated in my last blog, I have some basic predictions for the output we can expect for some of our players this year. I obviously am making these predictions based on what I have seen thus far, and please feel free to leave your own predictions or comment on mine:
-[u]Forwards[/u]:
Comrie: 36 Goals, 35 Assists
Guerin: 27 Goals, 40 Assists
Fedotenko: 2...
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...
Well, as this long week of no Islander's hockey continues because of a terrible NHL schedule as usual, we can definitely take the time to think about our season thus far. Specifically the injuries to Jon Sim, Bryan Berard, and our offense and defense.
-[u]Jon Sim[/u]: I don't know about the rest of you, but this is definitely one of the most dissappo...
Sometime over the course of this week, I lost it. I shouted from the window at work, as if I was the publishing version of Howard Beale:
[b]'I'm pissed off and I'm not going to take it anymore!'[/b]
Unfortunately, my only reaction was some homeless man cheering, yelling me to jump. Heathens in this town.
What in hell was the NHL thinking? Herr Bettman, I'm goin...
[i]11:45 AM UPDATE: Dan Ellis will start in goal tonight for the Predators...whether or not this is a spot start remains to be seen. [/i]
Thought I would throw out some game day quick hits:
The City is requesting that the new ownership group commits to staying in Nashville for five years if lease concessions are made. I think the city is right on the money request...
The FlyerFly writes...
10/25- Late Defensive Gaff Dooms Flyers To 5-2 Loss In Tampa
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Through the first 8 games of the season, Kimmo Timonen has been the solid defensive presence the Flyers hoped for when he was acquired just ahead of the opening of free agency. But it's safe to say that Timonen wishes he had this one game back. A late miscue in his own zone led to an errant pass attempt to Danny Briere and a turnover that eventually ended up in the Flyer...
-
An Eduoard Newsy Lalonde C55 1910-11 Imperial Tobacco hockey card, graded 3 out of 10, has sold for $100K tying the record for the most paid for a hockey card. In April 2007 the record was set by a C56 1911-12 Georges Vezina rookie card graded in mint condition.
You can read about the Vezina Card Sale at:
[url]http://www.hockeyheadquarters.com/articles/vezina-rc-10...
We are 9 games into the season, and the Rangers are doing the opposite of what we thought.
Those that dislike the organization would say the worst things about our defense, stating that we might score many goals, but due to our "weak" blueline, the games would end up being 6-5, 5-4, etc...
Well... the opposite has occurred. As of today, the Rangers have the lowest go...
I heard from a buddy of mine that Al, John and Larry were all at the practice on Friday and watching intently Eric Brewer, Jay McKee and Christian Backman.
I believe their are preliminary talks involving the Rangers, possibly about Jagr.
Besides that there are a few logical conclusions to suggest that a trade could be taking place soon. It revolves around the fact...
I'm sitting here in Uniondale talking about life, liberty and blogging with my fellow blog-boxer in Kevin Rosenblatt, who has an excellent blog http://islandersoutsider.blogspot.com as the Islanders Outsider. We are commiserating on our career paths, which are a lot alike.
Word has come down on Boston's Patrice Bergeron, who was hit from behind by Randy Jones from Phil...
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...
"I find your lack of faith...disturbing"
- Darth Vader
I feel Gary Bettman's hand around my neck. Or perhaps, like Darth Vader, he's using the force to clamp my ability to breathe. Hockey has been just too few and far between. The schedule this season is just screwy and self-destructive to the game.
2006 11 games:
Oct 5, 2006 AWAY Coyotes
Oct 7, 2006 AWAY Shar...
Ron Guillet writes...
Toronto Maple Leafs : The Fat Kid Who Can't Jump The Fence
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Yes, that's right. The Toronto Maple Leafs resemble that fat kid who can't jump the fence. Why? They try, but fail...miserably. Their defense is horrendous, it's like they don't even have a defensive game plan. We have the most expensive defense in the league and what do we have to show for it? Last in the league in the goals against department. This team is inept with the...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/greatpumpkin.jpg[/img]
[b]The Great Pumpkin, Gary Bettman[/b]
A Thumb-in-Mouth Commentary
B.D. Gallof
Dear Great Pumpkin,
I am looking forward to your arrival on Halloween night. I hope you will bring me lots of presents. For it is another season of hockey. Despite the NHL's pigeonhole into the depths of Comcast's outhou...
I knew it would come, of course ... eventually ... (and I'm not talking about the Islanders next game, though it does seem like, oh, I don't know, ABOUT SIX YEARS SINCE THEIR LAST ONE!) I digress ...
I knew that, inevitably, the first Isles/Lightning game of the year would arrive and that I may have to field all sorts of questions about my allegiance(s) once again. You ...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Sillinger's Night of 1000 Games: Isles Beat Tampa 4-0
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/BlogBoxHeaderBanner.jpg[/img]
So finally, here we are. A game. Tampa comes to town off a bad loss. Hmmm, don't they all come to town this way. Well, the Isles best be ready. Tampa comes in with defensive inconsistency and no top tier goalie. Even Holmquist is not playing. In goal is Marc Denis. But this will be far from a pushover. Ta...
The FlyerFly writes...
11/2 - Richards Provides Spark, Leads Flyers over Caps
Posted Friday | Comments 0
http://flyerflies.com/main/recaps/07-08/07-11-02.html
Before the opening of the regular season, Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Stevens decided to give the alternate captain title to 3rd year center Mike Richards.
Stevens is certainly not regretting that decision early in the Flyers season.
Richards brought the Flyers out of a 1st period funk by winning a ...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/superarbour.jpg[/img]
Legends are hard to come by. Yes we hype the hell out of that flavor of the week/month/year. We heap accolades on them. Especially when a sport has been devoid of that and buzz for years. But they haven't accomplished even a dent to surface of what makes a legend. True legends are those we will talk about d...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens played the Isles on the Island. Malone had the Pens' first goal on the night. Tyler Kennedy's first goal that almost was not definetly stands out as a moment to remember. It also put the Pens up 2-0. The Islanders came back to make it 2-1. In the third Satan tied thae game at 2 for the Isles. Satan scores again to make it 3-2 Isles ...
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...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Al Arbour Night: Magic Sweeps Long Island with Win 740!
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Please read my Hockeybuzz blog:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=10812
In it you have images and words that try to capture the magic that was a special night for Islander fans.
- BD
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Flyers Diversion...What's wrong with Marty??? (Brodeur)
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[b]What's Wrong with Marty?[/b]
I could not agree with Tim Panaccio more...the Flyers are getting beat much worse than the 1-0 score would attest. They look slow, they are getting beat to pucks and are losing the battle of heart and desire. You cannot coach desire. Likewise, it is not easy to just flick a switch when things are not going well with your team when the ...
pensfan17148 writes...
Pens Defeat Devils 5-0 Sabourin Gets his first NHL Shutout
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens defeated the Devils 5-0. Dany Sabourin recorded his first NHL shutout. The Pens goals were, as follows: Crosby (PP) assisted by Sykora, Gonchar; Hall assisted by Orpik and Talbot; Sykora assisted by Malkin; Christensen assisted by Talbot and Laraque; Crosby assisted by Orpik. Tonight, the Pens came out flying and they definetley played...
[b]WHY THE WILD ARE CUP CONTENDERS[/b]
This blog will consist of who I feel are the best the four players on the team. Yes, I feel the Wild could be Stanley Cup Contenders. The thing I like about the Wild the most is the supporting cast of the players. They make these players who they are.
[b]PAVOL DEMITRA[/b]
Pavol has more skill to burn than most players have...
Funky vibes right from the start. First of all, a pitiful crowd for a NYI/NYR game. I see as many Ranger jerseys as Isles jerseys. Here is a prime example of why Isle fans need to show up for their team. Too many ticket were left available. Now, its not empty. Far from it. But NYI/NYR should be sell-outs, don't you think? Filled in a bit more now. Might be 60/40 Isles to R...
I did not have the privelege of catching the game, largely as a result of my van being pulled over for speeding on the way back from school. Nonetheless, the Rangers lost 3-2 after leading by a goal twice in the 3rd period. The Islanders got goals from Fedotenko and Satan to make it 3-2 after alternate scoring by Drury, Hunter, and Mara.
From looking at the stats, I hav...
I have been following the trade rumours regarding the Leafs posted by Eklund daily, I am excited for a trade, and know that we may lose some key players that I love, but I'd rather see them go and have a shot at the playoffs than missing them again this year (as I believe the Leafs will should they not make some roster changes.)
Eklund posted a rumour that according t...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
Enough of whats wrong with the Devils......
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
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.
...
We all know that as fans it seems like there are only 2 emotions in our fan-lives, a giddy rollercoaster of ups and downs, from supreme and utter glory as our team wins to dark, lonely despair as they fail don't.
In some ways it's easier to be a fan of a really good team, like the Wings, or a fan of a struggling team, like the Blue Jackets.
The Red Wings of the pas...
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...
It is [i][b]extremely [/b][/i]rare, in these days of rapid player movement and free agency sweepstakes, for a professional athlete to admit that they made a mistake in signing with a new team. It's just about [i][b]nonexistent[/b][/i], actually. While Toronto winger Jason Blake may not have done exactly that in a recent article in the [i]Toronto Sun[/i], he came [i][b]awfu...
KGBflyers10 writes...
Big Win Against Pens; Flyers Face Devils In New Building
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Flyers win 3-1 in Pittsburgh last night. Good win for the Flyboys, who had dropped four of their last six games. I unfortunately was dead tired last night and missed most of the game, however I was fortunate enough to see them take a two goal lead on some very STRONG forechecking. The way the team played when I got the chance to see them last night was much like how they w...
Simply terrible. The Flyers entered the Prudential Center last night hoping things would be different now that the Devils were no longer playing in the Continental Airlines Arena. Yet, the woes were much the same as the Flyers were dropped by the Devils 4-1.
It wasn't much of a game after the first period. Flyers took the lead with Mike Knuble's deflection off Richards...
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...
I have a report to type up too but here are pics from tonight's game and today's practice. I haven't updated the practice pics yet but take a look. Right now I am off to bed Flyers have practice tomorrow I plan to attend.
Game
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603075918863/
Practice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603067689185/
...
[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...
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_PHI_161.jpg[/img][img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_Penguins-1.jpg[/img]
[u][b]Peco Perfect[/b][/u]
[u][b]PECO[/b][/u]
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:kcwzRy_DHguSQM:http://www.handhonline.com/images/PecoEnergy.jpg[/img]
For those of you not familiar with the Delaware Valley of Penn...
So here we go another year... and another year at that in the shadows of the other various NHL teams. Picked my many so called experts to come in 30th place in the league. Some even went as far as saying "ok 29th at best." But yet another year of the Islanders battling not only for just a playoff spot, but this year it seems the division or home ice advantage in the fir...
This for me is a long time coming. I have been an Islanders fan for as long as I can remember. I was born one day after they last won the cup. My dad says my first game I attended was at the age of one where he caught a puck, i guess i looked like good luck. Well, for the last 24 years I have pretty much nothing but sorrow in my hockey world...that is until Garth Snow ...
[b]Pain[/b]
The Merriam-Webster's dictionary describes the word as follows:
[i]noun[/i]: acute mental or emotional distress or suffering.
We all know the feeling of missing the nail and hitting your thumb with a hammer. We all know the feeling of stepping on a child's toy with an armful of groceries and ending up looking at the ceiling with a swollen ankle. Ya ...
In the summer of 2005, the Gallof boys took a roadtrip to the city of brotherly love. I have been to Philly several times, almost going to college there, but neither of my siblings had ever been there. As we walked the streets on a July 4th weekend, cigars clasped on our maws, looking for a bar with Magic Hat #9 on tap, some local Philadelphian blue-collar man looked at ou...
Yesterday the Islanders found themselves in unfamiliar territory. They were on the road and actually played a game for the second time in a week. All scheduling jokes aside, the team wearing the white sweaters seemed like a very different team that became very used to wearing those home navy blues.
At home in those close battles with division rivals you saw the Isles ...
Scottie Upshall plugged in two goals, and Marty Biron stopped 24 shots as the Flyers roughed up the New York Islanders in more than one way. The Flyers remain undefeated at home this year going 6-0.
Once again the Flyers look fantastic in their transition game. I really haven't seen a bad transition game so far this year, maybe with the exception of the Devils game.
...
Jon Jordan writes...
If He Said It, Sean Avery Deserves Everything He Gets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Howard Berger, you have my utmost support.
Wade Belak, you do too.
If Sean Avery did, in fact, make comments directed at Jason Blake regarding his battle with cancer, bigger questions still remain.
(For the record, I have no reason to believe that he didn't make these comments, considering the source(s) on two levels ... one, it came from Mr. Berger, whose reput...
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...
Tonight, Martin Brodeur is facing off against the Blueshirts in the hopes of getting his 500th div...err.. win! It should be a great game because of the following:
1.) It's against the Rangers.
2.) It's the Rangers first time playing at the Tombstone (little inside joke there)
3.) It's Scottie Gomez's first game on the Devils' ice
4.) Sean Avery and Marty are great p...
In a season so dominated by the hype of stars Gomez and Drury, the other "new" Rangers have given fans a reson to get excited. Rookies Nigel Dawes, Brandon Dubinsky and Marc Staal have provided a total of 7 goals in this young season. And indeed, the season is young as the Rangers have drawn success from their kids more than from the seasoned vets.
The three rookies al...
Howdy Pens Fans! It will be a big night for our men (and boys) in Black and Vegas Gold tonight, as the Islanders come to the Igloo looking to bounce back from a tough 3-2 loss to the Flyers on Monday night.
Tonight marks the first game this season for highly touted defenseman Kris Letang, who was recalled from the baby penguins and he should see some considerable PP...
[url]http://www.tsn.ca/tsn_tal...columnists/darren_dreger[/url]
A quote from the piece:
[quote]It's believed the Flyers would like to add a more defensive minded forward to their mix, a player capable of shutting down the oppositions offensive threats. Carter could be the bait to get just such a player.[/quote]
Someone please tell me this is wrong. For some time, ...
So a little more than 5 weeks into the NHL season,the Islanders are already proving the so-called 'experts' wrong.Expected to finish dead last once again,we are nearly in 1st place in the Atlantic Division,and have 3-4 games in hand.Last night,I was watching Sportscenter.And then comes the NHL round up on the night,with their 'expert' Barry (Lose the F**king Mullet) Melros...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens defeated the Islanders 3-2 at the Mellon Arena. Gonchar and Sykora had the first two goals and Georges Laraque got the game winner. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal and was playing like the Fleury we remembered, that had recently seemed like a distant memory. He needed a good game and he got it. This should do wonders for his confidence. ...
Yesterday the seasons seemed to change here in Pittsburgh straight from summer to winter, and this morning around Pittsburgh we saw our first snow on the ground. So with this change it also should be said that the Penguins showed a new face last night in defeating the Isles.
As I wrote yesterday, I felt that the game versus the Isles would show a different Penguins tea...
Do you know which Ranger is tied with Brendan Shanahan for the team lead in goals. Superstar Jagr? Nope. Speedster Gomez? Nope.
Its actually Michael Rozsival.
Do you know who scored the only overtime goal for the Rangers this season. Mr. Clutch Drury? Nope. Legendary Brendan Shanahan? Nope.
Its actually Jason Strudwick.
Dont forget Daniel Girardi and Fedor Tyut...
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 ...
Question!!!!! When will the Nashvillians remember that they (the taxpayers) paid Bud Adams to bring a football team here that cost 18 times more than what it will cost to keep the Preds here? Refer to the excerpt below.
"A deal between the Houston Oilers and Nashville was announced in November 1995. The stadium would seat 67,000, with 120 luxury suites and 9,600 premi...
Sorry it's been a while. I was on deadline in my glorious job in the world of publishing last week, and then, went away for the weekend.
Check out my newest Battle NY: Sibling Rivalry 2, which is a debate with my Ranger fan brother:
http://islanders.hockeybuzz.com/index.php?post_id=11195
Now, let's get to business . . .
So here we are, upon a Monday night dreary...
The Isles put together another defensive gem to beat the Rangers in MSG last night, giving Rick DiPietro 100th win, and fittingly versus his nearest competitor, Henrik Lundquist.
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/100wins.jpg[/img]
"Isles Beat Rangers at MSG". A simple title to a simple win. Not easy. But, somehow automatic for a team that in the last several years, ...
The more i continue to watch the play of this New York Islanders team, the more respect I earn for Mr. Snow and the Islanders front office.
Who would think that Josef Vasicek (the last islander pick up in the offseason) would not only be leading the Islanders in goals scored with 8, but also be leading the NHL in shooting % with 33. Again Teddy Nolan is proving to be a ...
So says Islander defenseman Radek Martinek.
This was Martinek's response to how he was told to react to Sean Avery's constant yapping, as he experienced last night in the Islanders 2-1 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Perhaps it's something even I should take into consideration.
Martinek has long been a favorite of mine. In fact, I'd call him one of the...
Jsaquella writes...
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly-Flyers deals thru the years
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
This is a David Letterman-esque list of the best and worst trades in Flyers history-at least in my opinion. I hope you enjoy and have some ideas of your own.
Many, many, many thanks to living hockey encyclopedia Bruce "Scoop" Cooper, who provided a lot of the details on these trades.
[b]The Best[/b]
10. [i]Traded Serge Bernier, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Lesuk to the ...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
A chat about NHL History with Martin Brodeur....
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
This is not my own work, its courtesy of this mornings Newark Star-Ledger, but I thought that this was too good not to share with everyone out there, not just Devils fans but fans of the game...
Here is a lesson on hockey history from a surefire future hall of famer.
Which NHL dynasty was the best team: the Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s, the Islanders of the 1980s...
Save for the drubbing against the Hurricanes, DiPietro has kepted his head in the game, and most importantly his butt in the net.
Tonight is sure to bring on a heart stopping match up of the east's most prolific Power Play Team(MON 11-6-3 25pts) and the Team(NYI 11-6-0 22pts) with the 2nd best penalty killing in the east. Lets examine some numbers for the game.
So ...
So here we are, upon a Thanksgiving, with many fans talking turkey about the dreaded post-Ranger malaise, which we now might need an inoculation for instead of the usual Flu shot. You know the drill. Where the Isles come off a big win with a hazy dull outing the very next game.
Now, despite the denials, there will always be a letdown after a big game, but this was the t...
Hey pens fans,
The Pens lost 2-1. Malkin had the only Pens' goal and he was unassisted. This was a tough night for the Pens. Unfortunetly for the Pens, Brodeur played a great game. There were a lot of shots that could have beaten a lesser goalie. The officiating tonight was something that was questionable, at times. I am not one for official bashing, but there were ...
So I was up early this morning. Its been 3 days since the Predators have played a hockey game and I am going out of my mind. Of course it doesn't help that we lost an overtime game on Saturday to the Blues and then got outright beat on Monday by the Blues. So I am up early, all of the family who is in from out of town are starting to make noise upstairs and it won't bel...
It had to happen. After all, there were articles on how the Isles were better than predicted. Lots of revisionist pieces from the same usual suspects who slopped down the usual naive vitriol about the Isles at the start of the season. Lots of opened eyes. Lots of kudos. And then they lost two in a row after big wins versus NJ and NYR.
So the panic monkeys all pushed the...
Don't let anyone ever tell you that hockey is just a physical game. It might be a game of snap decisions on the fly in such a fast-paced flow, but any professional player who has found success has mastered or at least, faced, the mental aspects of competition.
None could tell you a better tale of this process than [b]Andy Hilbert[/b] who hit so many posts, despite his t...
Lightningtaz24 writes...
Predators Economic Impact on Downtown Nashville
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Let's examine the attendance issue of the Predators and the Economic Impact they have on downtown Nashville. Here are the stats. (Taken from ESPN)
(Past 7 seasons, All attendance not just paid attendance, Titans and Preds)
Titans GP Total Attendance
69,143 5 345,715 (thru 5 home games this season)
69,143 8 553,144
69,149 8 553,192
68,901 8 551,208
68,809 8 550,472...
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...
Ottawa rolls onto LI, with a giant mist of doubt for Isles fans.
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/themist.jpg[/img]
It rolls in like a blanket, covering Long Island from shopping mall to shopping mall. It unfurls itself right to Nassau Coliseum, laying right onto the ice. It is doubt and expectation as one of the top teams in the league comes to town.
When...
Jon Jordan writes...
Slaying the Ottawa Monster Would Take the Isles a Long Way
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
12-8-1
25 points
3rd in the Atlantic Division
3 points behind 1st place Philadelphia
7th in the Conference
Should the New York Islanders be happy with this start to the season? [i][b]Absolutely[/b][/i]! Factor in the reality that no team in the entire National Hockey League has played fewer games than the Isles (21) at this point and you'd have to consider t...
For all the bad things in the NHL, the schedule, the T.V. contract, and the not so great promotion of the league, we can rest assured that we have one great aspect; great players who are also great people. Hockey players are some of the most respected athletes on the planet. Out of all major pro sports you can still see the kids in the NHL players. The chance to lift Lord ...
I spoke earlier of the kind of statement the Islanders could have made tonight by beating the Ottawa Senators. Well, they got the 'W' alright, mustering one hell of a collective effort all night long and pulling out a 3-2 shootout victory. But, in the end, the strongest statement of the evening was made by Mr. Rick DiPietro.
So what if Andrej Meszaros scored a couple of...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Live Blog . . . Without a Net as the Isles Beat Ott S.O.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
***[b]RETRACTION TO THE NYI/OTT LIVE BLOG LAST NIGHT:[/b]***
Bergie not the one on crutches as I walked down into the lockerroom area. Your moronic and tired Isles blogger mistook Aaron Johnson.
Anyone who missed my leadup on what this game means and all the doom and gloomers who felt the Isles were going to get torched: [url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
The Great Thing About "Regular-Joe" Ownership.......
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Now don't get me wrong Jeffery Vanderbeek IS more than a regular Joe, but when it has come to hockey and this Devils Team he is without a doubt "one of us". Mr Vanderbeek started out many many years ago as a minority owner of the Devils. Even in the Meadowlands as both a minority owner and the principal owner he became (ironically he was voted in as an owner just before t...
After last nights game we know what side of the line the Sharks are standing on right now. There is no tenacity in this team and the killer instinct does not exist. In fact if these Sharks were actually sharks in the real shark tank called the Pacific ocean not the Pacific division, they would starve themselves to death. San Jose should be feeding on teams like L.A., espec...
Any game against the hated Rangers always carries a little extra [i]umph [/i]for the Islanders but tonight's contest at The Garden has more weight than at first glance and could make a [i][b]huge [/b][/i]difference for the Isles as they continue to move up the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings.
The Islanders, fresh off a 3-2 shootout victory over the Ea...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Rangers Beat Isles, Ricky Needs to Sit, and Stitchgate!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Isles are still amidst a complete powerplay outage. However, luckily, they had nary a chance as they let the NYR practice theirs instead. A tired and out-of-sorts team came to MSG, and got called for a lot of infractions, and somehow didn't get called for a few others, as they struggled against a Ranger team determined to stem the tide.
Ranger coach, Tom Renney, tol...
B.D. Gallof writes...
When Bloggers Trailblaze Themselves Into A Mistake
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I've written quite a few things about the meaning and differences of bloggers to journalists. I have written about the meaning of the Isles Blog Box program, and even had to hammer back at those who used their lofty perches to criticize something before it even had much time, besides one game or two, to establish itself. Well, today is a new tale to tell about the life of ...
To read my latest on bloggers, including my own trials and travails, check it out:
[url]http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=11499[/url]
So here we are. Isles vs the Thrashers. Looks like Dubie starts against a returning Lehtonen. It looks like a better crowd than the shameful fan support for the Ottawa game.
CJ Papa reminds us how poor the Isles PP has bee...
Jaromir Jagr is.. happy.. and that's a great thing for the Rangers. It was evident that he missed Nylander up until Straka got back.
Last year, it was Straka - Nylander - Jagr on our first line. A year prior to that, it was Rucinsky (Straka later in the season) - Nylander - Jagr. Both of these lines had great chemistry, but I think that Straka had a bigger impact than N...
It's frustrating. Two periods into a matchup with the Bruins and I can't take it anymore. Just put the puck in the net already!!
This offensive struggle has the Isles on the verge of losing [i]3 out of their last 4 [/i]and continue to slip in the standings.
This day last season the Isles were 14-9-3 (31 Points in 26 games). Viktor Kozlov netted 4 as the Isles beat th...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Panic on the Streets of Uniondale as Isles Fall to Bruins
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Boston extends the Isles stumbling. Fans boo their team in the Coliseum. People seem to getting a bit panicked.
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/bostonpops.jpg[/img]
Suddenly there is panic on the streets! After all, the Isles have lost 3 in a row. The first time this season, amidst a power outage on offense and the powerplay. The holiday crowds, who were reeled i...
There once was a time when a struggling team could be counted on to make a trade in an attempt to change it's fate. There was a time when teams would swap key players in an attempt to shake up their roster and kick-start them onto the path of success.
That time is gone.
With the end of the lockout fans were promised more player movement along with more parity in the...
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...
Nyi28nhl writes...
The problem isn't only adding... but subtracting as well
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Many Islanders fans are calling for a blockbuster trade where the Isles would land themselves a top line scorer (such as Martin St. Louis, Patrick Marleau, etc.). Not that I would say know to getting a guy like St. Louis, but there is another dilemma that comes up.
[b]Who gets demoted?[/b]
[b]Mike Comrie[/b] and [b]Josef Vasicek[/b] are our #1 and #2 centers. Despite...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/getsmartisles.jpg[/img]
The Isles came out to Atlanta with some pop to their step. Yet, it all turned around quickly when giveaways on the powerplay led to two shorthanded goals. Looking at a 3-1 Atlanta lead, instead of laying down to die, they tied it up. Yes, they lost the shootout, but got a point back instead of nothing due to bungli...
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On November 20, 2007 the popular McDonald’s NHL hockey cards became available through McDonald’s restaurants across Canada and will continue until the end of the year or while supplies last. The last three years the sets were put out by Upper Deck. This year’s set is a definite improvement and one of the nicest McDonald’s hockey card set put out so far by Uppe...
Don't look for me - [i]I'll be hiding[/i].
Another interesting night for yours truly coming up, as I'll attend my first Isles/Lightning game since taking over the Lightning team blogger position for hockeybuzz.com. (I'll be safely tucked away in a luxury suite, borrowing one of Ek's disguises, hiding my face for a plethora of reasons. I'm a pseudo-professional, people. ...
I was sitting back watching the Blackhawks last night and decided to do my daily statistical update for my own personal knowledge. For the first time this year I decided to look and see who is leading this years rookie class in the NHL and low and behold Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are standing above all other rookies in points this year thus far.
I'm sure ...
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/BlogBoxHeaderBanner.jpg[/img]
There is no amount of tweaking and humor that will seem to carry across what I thought was a defining moment to the Islander season last night. Last night's game versus the Florida Panthers was a very important barometer to the Isles fortunes. After a slide, and then a game against the Thrashers they shou...
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...
I haven't posted in some time because I've been busy at work (let's be honest, we all do this at work) but I felt the need to post this one.
[i]The Ducks are about to make a trade[/i]...
While I do not have confirmation from the team the writing appears to be on the wall. The Anaheim Ducks have announced that they have signed Bruno St. Jacques to a one-year deal (...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Isles Pick Themselves Off the Floor on Saturday Night
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
So just when you think it might get worse, the Isles pull one out. Sure, it doesn't mean all is well. But it does show there is some signs of life from the waterslide lately. On Saturday night, Bill Guerin scored. Andy Hilbert scored. And Mike Sillinger, fresh of chewing Campoli's ear off, scored.
It reminds one, at least I have to speak for myself here, that despite s...
Norrena is scheduled to start in net against the Avalanche tomorrow Wednesday December 12th 2007. Norrena hasn't started a game in 11 straight days. Pascal Leclaire is taking a breather while letting Fredrik Norrena takes another crack and starting in net since facing the Flames and winning the game. Let's see if Norrena can pick up where he left off as he allows Lecl...
More at http://pensburgh.blogspot.com
I'd be more accurate doing a fight recap than a game recap.
The Flyers destroyed the Penguins tonight by the score of 8-2. Both Joffrey Lupul and R.J Umberger were in competition with one another to see who could get the most points. Each got a hat trick on the night for the first time since 1985 that the Flyers have had two ha...
[i](I was out sick yesterday so I apologize for no post on the Wings game from Monday night but here are some thoughts on that)[/i]
[b]
If there is such thing as a moral victory[/b] the game against the Wings on Monday was one such game. This was a frustrating game to watch as a Preds fan as chance after chance was stoned by a red hot Chris Osgood. Osgood is in the midst...
The Isles return to Buffalo tonight, back to where this season started. Where two teams passed one another from last season's playoffs. Sure, there are only 3 points between the two teams thus far, and the Isles have been Jekyll and Mr. Hyde oft-times. But Buffalo's struggle in lieu of what a strong team they were last year is sobering for all.
Buffalo's step back can ...
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...
We are not going to rehash last night's game. Most of us saw it. Otherwise, you read about it. Some articles were less harsh, while the Isles broadcast was plenty harsh. But, that all aside . . .
What I'd like to talk about is Nolan's demeanor after this loss, and the steam coming out his ears.
"We just need more and have to have a better effort."
- Ted Nolan
Ted...
I thought Charles Wang was crazy? I thought this would never happen again? I thought this was "bad" for the sport?
Apologies, anyone?
I'll wait ...
[email protected]
The Islanders came out last night like it was October. I saw hits. I saw chaos. I saw hard-work. I saw effort. And from it, things happened. Comrie worked the puck, causing a ruckus. Bill Guerin sat at the doorstep with his stick on the ice, at the ready. Bergie was pinballing and driving the Yotes nuts. Trent Hunter was hitting like he wanted to start quoting Ezekiel 25:1...
Remember all the talk of the new NHL coming out of the lockout a little more than two years ago? The new rules and enforcements of existing rules were supposed to change the game for the better, creating more offense and eliminating strict defensive systems.
For a year, they accomplished their goal.
Does that ever seem like a long time ago now.
In the third season...
A little blogging piece about yours truly for your Saturday afternoon.
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/iamblogger.jpg[/img]
My mother always told me that there would be days like these. Then again, she also told me to wear clean underwear, clean my room, finish my vegetables, remove the cat from the oven, and PLEASE don't run around the house with a live hand gre...
You know, the (1-goal) win over Phoenix did [i][b]NOTHING [/b][/i]for me, in terms of being impressed with this team right now. Tonight's debacle took things a step further ...
A few points from tonight's horrendous effort:
1) Chris Simon [i][b]has [/b][/i]to go.
That was as bush league a move as I've seen in a long, long time. I gave him the benefit of the doubt ...
The Jackets traveled to Beantown last night to face the Bruins in what might be a very silent ride back to Columbus for the Jackets. To get shutout in any sport at
any level is always discouraging to say the least. Many of the Jackets weren't as
down as many teams would be, instead they were thinking positive as this was a
learning experience from a great defense th...
[url]http://youtube.com/watch?v=3hKeVb_G-PI[/url]
[url]http://youtube.com/watch?v=IzUPO3fadkc[/url]
I had missed this play, having had to head down to section 201 to join my fellow Blog Boxers. I had watched the game from seats in section 302, slapped inbetween the second-coming of Rosanne Barr, complete with Lee Press-On nails, and an updated version of Thelma and Lou...
'Tis the season to go shopping Fa la la la la la la la la la.....
Go and get me something funny Fa la la la la la la la la
Buy me now a Flyers jersey Fa la la la la la la la la....
Drink some beer and get real merry Fa la la la la la la la!!!
-Steve Downie is out of control and needs to be stopped!!! He had another incident, this one with the AHL's Philadelphia Pha...
I would like to lead with what everyone is talking about and that is Chris Simon. I personally would have no problem not ever seeing this guy step on the ice again. Players should realize playing in the NHL is a privilege and an honour and he does things to jeopardize his career constantly. Give the guy what he wants and deserves and show him the door.
The Sens look ...
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 ...
This just in, thanks to an Islanders official statement and Newsday.com:
Isles owner Charles Wang:
"[i]The actions of Chris Simon on Saturday do not reflect what the New York Islanders stand for. They were reckless, potentially dangerous and against out team concept of grit, character, and heart. The Islanders are going to provide some time for Chris away from the te...
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 living in L.A. and reading the spordaic L.A. Times Column on the Kings has taught me one thing I already knew, everyone wants Jason back. I pose you this question, why? Yes he was robbed of AHL MVP last year and yes he is the best goalie we have short of forcing a strike in the juniors ending their season early and getting Bernier back. But without we fell to the l...
[b]By Ryan MacLeod [/b]
Most leaf fans can put together a pretty long list of accomplishments stemming from Swedish centre Mats Sundin, but there is a new Swede invading the team’s ranks that I guarantee many know nothing about. That’s none other than prospect defenseman Anton Stralman. The team called him up from the AHL to help fill-in while McCabe is shelved, so ...
Chris Simon and Jarko Rutu are very common names to those who follow hockey, both are well known for being "tough guys", and who have crossed the line on numerous occasions. Chris Simon has been suspended a total of seven times (assuming he gets suspended for this latest incident) in his 15-year career.
1) 1997 - Chris Simon, while a member of the Washington Capitals w...
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...
Somewhere, amid my day, I forgot to upkeep my petulant and crabby laptop. It's been screaming for a drive cleaning. So live blogging is out tonight as my laptop stutters like a 1970's Volkswagen.
Instead, we can chat about all the craziness that has gone on. Between the 30 games earned by Chris Simon to now word...confirmed by the Isles...that their blue chipper, Kyle ...
The Islanders continue to prove that, no matter how hard you may be working and no matter how many of the "little things" you're doing right, if you don't score goals, you just won't win.
I'm as frustrated as anyone when it comes to this team right now, mostly because of the inept offense. When you watch a hockey game, particularly one in which [i][b]your [/b][/i]team i...
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...
Later today, I'll be taping a guest spot on The Hockey Ticket with Noah Borer on mvn.com. Noah had Steven Hindle, hockeybuzz's Capitals blogger, on a recent episode and his show is really beginning to take off.
We'll be discussing all things Islanders, as well as my thoughts on the Tampa Bay Lightning (as hockeybuzz's official Lightning blogger.) I hope to avoid spendin...
Hey all!
I just completed a guest spot with Noah Borer for The Hockey Ticket on mvn.com.
We talked Lightning and Islanders hockey, as well as some general NHL issues during what turned out to be - in my humble opinion, of course - an outstanding conversation!
Some of the things we covered:
Chris Simon
Colin Campbell's slip-up
The Isles goal scoring woes
Kyle...
Martin Brodeur's shutout last night was his 95 All-time which moves him ahead George Hainsworth on the NHL All-Time Shutout Leader List. When I first looked at the top 10 Shutout list, I was surprised that I did not see Patrick Roy on that list since he is the All-Time Wins leader. This got me thinking of the All-Time list Goalies and what percentage of Wins were shutouts....
Bater_91 writes...
Merry Christmas to all! My 2008 Atlanta Thrasher WishList
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Couldn't believe it a Thrasher Jersey for Christmas... what a wonderful gift! You see in Canada you can't find that much Thrashers stuff at local stores, NHL.com or Ebay.com are really the one way to get something like this. One of my Christmas wishes fullfilled, then I got to thinking there are so many wishes that I would love for my Thrashers in 2008, why not make a li...
[img:left]http://cdn.nhl.com/islanders/images/upload/2007/12/balke_jason_n1.jpg[/img]
Every so often, at the mention Jason Blake, an Isles fan will spout off on how selfish he was with the puck. How he was a lockerroom cancer. How he was this. How he was that. What I will always recall of Blake, despite perhaps a mixed-bag of attributes, is that he was a 4th liner who m...
The Kings are flat. I know few of you knew this. While Alexander the Great maybe on the market giving up our best goalie is not an option. There are two players in history I know of who could make the playoffs without a goalie The Great One, and Sid the Kid. Crosby left in five games and Gretzky won the cup with one of the best teams of all time. A.O. can't do it, he ...
So, lets all take a moment to review the trials and tribulations of what 2007 has meant to us as Isle fans. Well, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. The Nolan era has put us in the playoff picture, but it is still fuzzy to see how that Polaroid will develop. It certainly got more in focus when the likes of Alexei Yashin hit the bricks. It also was more in focus when ...
Here are some of my thoughts on who the Red Wings should/could acquire to improve their chances for a long playoff run.
[b]Mark Recchi[/b] Ten points in ten games in Atlanta, he's found new life and would fit good on a second line wing.
[b]Glen Murray[/b] Power forward with some gas left in the tank, would fit good on a line with Zetterberg, probably available if the...
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...
2007 had its share of ups and downs for the Islanders and their fans. From being a team picked to finish dead last, to clinching a playoff berth in the last game of the year, and the anointment of a new captain, there were some great moments this year. Without further ado, here are my Islander awards for 2007:(I'm going by the calendar year 2007. Late 2006 does not count.)...
Once again a slow and rather sluggish start to a game and the Panthers fall behind unable to recover. I am not quite sure what causes this team to play with such sluggishness and lack of energy and or desperation. When playing the Devils it's fairly obvious that they try to control the game and keep things settled and then take advantage of a mistake or two and before yo...
I feel for the Panthers. I just left 80 degree weather for over a week and come back to this weather. That foul wind this morning made me want to turn around and go home. Florida comes into this freezing stretch with a third loss in a row, last one coming from NJ last night. The Isles are looking for their six win in seven games. Wade Dubielewicz performed admirably and on...
Jassen Cullimore ripped a slapshot from the top of the left circle that blew past Rick DiPietro for the Panthers OT victory Thursday night! Cullimore aquired in late October to help provide some veteran leadership on defense has been playing extremely well of late and is one of the few Panthers players with a plus rating.
The former Lightning and Blackhawk defenseman ha...
Isles and Ricky lose to the Panthers in OT. But what becomes a bigger story is the pads the NHL confiscated from DP after the 1st period. DiPietro could face a 2 game suspension. But is it really such a big deal?
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/rickydipietropadsofdoom.jpg[/img]
[b]NHL Rule 11.8: a goalkeeper who plays with equipment that has not been inspected and ...
So here we are at the mid-point of the season (41st game is tonight), and the Sharks are tied for first place in the Pacific Division. I can't complain that they are in first in the division, but I think in the beginning of the season most of us were expecting them to be about where Detroit is these days.
Anyway, my first blog so I thought i'd give my report cards thus ...
AlexanderScharf writes...
Voices In My Head Are Screaming: "FIRE RENNEY OR TRADE JAGR"
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
They could not have made it more clear had they announced it in the middle of Times Square. It has been that apparant from the play of the Rangers during this three game road trip, and a trip is was, that this team cannot and will not play consistantly good hockey. They will find a way to lose ever game, even to lowly Edmonton. After coming off of a solid three game winnin...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Isles Head To Edmonton, Nolan on Nilsson, Okposo to Bridge
Posted Monday | Comments 0
If anyone still was not over the love-affair with Nilsson, who went to EDM as part of the Ryan Smyth trade, one should read Nolan's latest quotes on the subject to prove what has been written about many times here and elsewhere:
Nolan was not a Nilsson fan, and that made him expendable.
Nolan told it plainly to Robert Tychkowski, of the Edmonton Sun:
[i]"Nilsson ...
Steve Downie may have avoided a suspension for his sucker punch on Toronto's Jason Blake on Saturday night, but all eyes will continue to be on him each time he laces up the skates for some time to come. His antics in the infantile stages of his NHL career may just be the tip of the iceberg. If he keeps it up, his run as a pro may end up being over almost before it even tr...
hckyplayazt16 writes...
Isles + Kings = Cup and recap from Isles Road Trip so far
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Just got home from my recent trip to Los Angeles. I spent a few days there, but i kept myself busy to say the least with major highlights being 2 kings games, a lakers game and a stop at Universal Studios Hollywood. The Kings shockingly sold out 19000+ both games I attended which really shocked me since they are at the bottom on the NHL. What shocked me more was the fac...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Serious Questions Need to be Asked as Isles Tank at Oilers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Islanders came into 2008 by nipping a slide at that was from the end of November until mid-December. They came out of Colorado OT loss being railed on for not having their head in the game by the coach and captain. So, if this was still the Isles stepping up, you would have thought that the team would be raring to go at it versus Edmonton. Right?
Instead, they got l...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
"The Code" - Physics, Respect, Fighting and Relevence?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[b]"The Code"[/b]
If you were to look in the Webster's Dictionary of Hockey for a definition, you would probably come up empty. If you were to ask anyone in the game, they might knowingly smile but likely not cough up to much. Some might. Ask a diehard fan what the Code means and he would likely be able to put some walls around it.
[b]Action and Reaction:[/b]
Thos...
It has been rumored for a while that Jaromir Jagr could be on the move from the Rangers. According to sources Pittsburgh was looking into #68 coming back to ride shotgun along Sid. This season JAGGS has looked dynamic at times and far more often, lost at others. One can sense that this is how fires started in Cap city with the foward coming to Broadway for Anson Carter. Ca...
The upcoming Islanders home game on January 19th against the Philadelphia Flyers could turn out to be a very important night in team history. (And, no, not just because I'll be making the trip up for my first home game of the year either!) The Islanders are promoting this evening as "Town of Hempstead Night" and Kate Murray, the Presiding Supervisor of the town of Hempstea...
When the trade deadline does loom and a GM announces we are a seller or a buyer this brings up players you will soon be RFA's of UFA's who I call Rent-a-Players. So when you look at the Kings roster there are few players anyone wants, but then there are a couple who may complete a team in search of the Cup. However, how much money would you fork over for a old Ferrari y...
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...
Unlike the likely telegraphed tear from Hillary Clinton just a few days ago, designed to appeal to the New Hampshire woman voter, the Isles show of vulnerability last night in the first period was NOT the same thing. There was no "plan". No play of the media. Just an absolute flat rollout as one man somehow kept them in the game.
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/DP.jpg[...
TheMike12 writes...
Sens Vs Wings, Prove me Wrong Ray..Prove me wrong..
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I woke up this morning with the kind of giddy excitement you had as a kid, waking up on your birthday or Christmas morning, you just know that today is something special, of course im talking about what I think is the game of the year so far in the BEST of the East vs the BEST of the West, the clash of the titans between the Sens and Wings. Since the start of the season wh...
Well what can I say, this game lived up to all the hype surrounding it, fast paced and edge of your seat action. The Senators showed they are a team to be reckoned with, coming on the good side of a 3-2 win against the First place overall Detroit Red Wings. Captain Daniel Alfredson also put on a show tonight with 2 goals and so many other amazing plays I couldn't possibly ...
[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...
February 26th will mark the NHL Trade Deadline. The day where all GM's take out their microscope and scan their team searching for the tiny or gaping holes that separate them from either a) the Stanley Cup, or b) the playoffs.
In a time where scrutiny is the word best described, one aspect has always got me wondering...the pressure. The weights that are tied to GM's bec...
The feeling going into the Leafs road trip in California was that the Leafs needed atleast 4 points to stay in the realistic playoff picture. The guys went out and got destroyed by the Ducks....of course the organization played the Ducks off as the Stanley Cup Champions and so in their minds the 5-0 loss was completely acceptable.
Then they went out the following night...
[b]Freddy Meyer[/b], god of thunder, strode across the ice, his eyes seeing opportunity. Jason Spezza, of soft hands and softer body, was about to gain the puck from Wade Redden. Meyer crashed into him with a mighty howl that careened off the Ottawa seats and turned cheering Canadian mouths into what resembled Cheerios. Spezza hit the ice, and it was like he and the Senato...
In Ahead writes...
Alexander Ovechkin - Officially the Face of Our Franchise
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Capitals fans (and no doubt the team itself) have dealt with swirling rumors regarding their 22 year old superstar in recent weeks. Fans of teams around the league were concocting outlandish rumors of trades that were supposedly near fruition. We heard Nashville, Columbus, Montreal, and countless other teams were "close" to making a deal for the face of the Capitals' rebu...
Jon Jordan writes...
Now That Was a Hockey Game! / Support the Lighthouse!!!
Posted Monday | Comments 0
From Freddy Meyer's [i]Witt-esque[/i] crunch on Jason Spezza to Rick DiPietro's near-miss empty netter, that was as complete a hockey game as the Islanders have played all season.
Of course, Ottawa fans and Islander haters alike will protest that the Sens were coming off a highly emotional contest against the Detroit Red Wings the night before and that they were without...
Let me first start by saying that this is my first blog, so if it sucks I apologize. I am a die hard Flyers fan, and am thrilled at the prospect of Peter Forsberg signing with the Flyers. Even at 70% I love watching Forsberg at work, and the excitement that I get personally from watching him step on the ice just about every other night is why I am excited about the possi...
Hey guys. Sorry it has been awhile as I have been very busy with some school work, regular work and my own hockey games. Since I have last blogged there has been a lot of good and bad that has been going around the Islander organization.
First from the recent road trip. A bit of a rough start with the OT loss in Colorado and the blowout in Edm, but the Islanders real...
My "sources" tell me Tarnstrom is close to being dealt to the Hawks (A5) =D
We are begining to see the signs that Nicklas Kronwall is becoming the player we all hoped he'd be. He has posted 11 pts in the past 13 games. Playing very well in the defensive zone and getting second unit powerplay time. Looks like Kenny Holland got it right again. Keep it up Nick!
I've been looking over Eklunds rumor page and it lists the Redwings as a team that could trade for Hossa. Although, I would love to see this happen. What would it cost the wings? Atlanta would want a Player with some talent. As a big time Wingnut, I would be afraid of losing some of the young talent the Redwings have. Players like Valtteri Filppula, Juri Hudler and N...
Despite being in a "rebuilding mode,' the Blues are in the midst of contending for a playoff spot in the very competitive Western Conference. Don't expect the Blues to trade away any picks or prospects, but at the same time, John Davidson wants this team to be competitive. So, if I were JD, these are goals I would have for the Blues lineup:
[b]First off: The Tradeable A...
[i]"Control, control. You must learn control!"[/i]
- Yoda
Coach Ted Nolan said words to this effect. As did words come from some players. Keep focused. Don't come home and then come out flat. Be consistent. Be ready. Obviously, they all know what this team sometimes does. Add to this, ,most road-traveled teams tend to come home and stink up the joint. And for the 11,0...
Well, it's coming down to crunch time before the trade deadline and already we have been bombarded with rumours about us getting a guy and them getting a lot of our guys. If you are like me, you have probably thought about what the numbers are and who is in the mix. Well, technically everyone is in the mix (e.g. Vokoun) but, I thought I would give the info on who our UFA...
MVP : Henrick Zetterberg
Best Center : Jason Spezza
Best Winger: Ilya Kovalchuk
Best Defensemen : Nicklas Lidstrom
Best Goalie : Martin Brodeur
Best Rookie : Tobias Enstrom
Best Unknown Rookie : Kris Letang
Best Tough Guy : Chris Neil
Let's hear your picks hockey fans.
Thought this would be fun. Below I give you players that will be UFA's at the end of the season. Next to the players is a Factitious contact. Who would you sign?
Marian Hossa (5yrs - $40,000,000)
Pavol Demitra (2yrs - $8,500,000)
Brian Campbell (6yrs - $37,000,000)
Cory Stillman (3yrs - $13,000,000)
Mats Sundin (2yrs - $12,500,000)
Markus Naslund (4yrs...
[i]"Come inside, the shows about to start
Guaranteed to blow your head apart
Rest assured youll get your moneys worth
The greatest show in heaven, hell or earth.
Youve got to see the show, its a dynamo.
Youve got to see the show, its rock and roll . . ."[/i]
- Emerson, Lake, & Palmer
The Isles went to NJ, and if you watched the pre-game show, you would hav...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Any Given Sunday - Flyers Ice Panthers and Look Ahead
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_079074991201LZZZZZZZ.jpg[/img]
[b]Any given Sunday...[/b]
With all due respect to Oliver Stone, while that phrase obviously related to football, it rings true in all professional sports - with hockey being no exception. On any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team.
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/al...
Hey hockey fans across the US and Canada. Earlier in the week the Isles continued their own version of the pursuit of perfection against the New Jersey Devils. Unlike in their sub par performance against the Habs, the Isles came out to play, immediately stopping a Devils attack. The Isles drew two quick penalties on the same shift and turned that into Bill Guerin's hig...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Call to Arms! Lighthouse Project and more on a big weekend
Posted Friday | Comments 0
For anyone who follows sports or goes to concert on Long Island, they have suffered. It’s not that Nassau Coliseum is a bad place. Just an arcane relic to another time and place. We can sit in its cold embrace and shiver, and then tell people, well its a piece of old time history. But let's be real. It's time for something new. When Charles Wang took over the Isles, he s...
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...
The situation in Leaf's Nation is very interesting. The Rumour of the Toronto Maple Leafs perhaps trading captin Mats Sundin brings butterflies to every Leaf fan in Toronto. The trade was suggested by hockey expert Bob Mckenzie. The trade would be a 3 way deal. The teams involved would perhaps involve the Calgary Flames, the Montreal Canadiens and of course our very own To...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Live: Flyers Comeback 5-3. Nolan Not Happy with Effort
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[i]"No time for love, Dr. Jones"
- Short Round, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom[/i]
What's more important that Hilary beating back Obama in Nevada. Or Romney taking another for the Republicans. It is that I make my return to the Isles Blog Box to kick off 2008. Ok, not that stupendous. But, throw me a bone here.
I met Jon Jordan, our Tampa Bay blogger and fe...
Okay first of all get rid of Sundin I love him at heart and stuff but uh... we havent won a cup in over 40 years hello?? 2nd of all try to get someone like Mat Carle or Steve Bernier a franchise player who can step up... We need someone who can fill the shoes. step up take an A and put points on the board my suggestion Patrick Marleau and Steve Bernier for Antropov and Sun...
The last few weeks in this city have been frustrating; not just for MLSE, but for Leafs fans everywhere. With all the drama, accusations, job scrutiny and calls for the heads of many in MLSE upper management....I think many people forgot that the Toronto Maple Leafs are a hockey team rather than a business enterprise.
Needless to say, it was very calming and somewhat e...
dgutzman writes...
An Honest Evaluation of the Nashville Predators Part 1
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
So as it would be, I am sitting here in Nashville celebrating the XMAS with family and while everyone is still asleep, I thought I would think about putting up a new blog about the Predators. Its been a long time since I have due a new job I took on around last XMAS. But after watching last night loss(Not even going to comment on the offense or lack of effort), I thought...
Well, again not too much to say about last nights game, I said earlier that if the Sens put the same effort on the ice as they did against Tampa, they would get spanked, and they did, 6-1 to a very good, very hot Philly team. Dont be fooled by the shot count in the game, the Sens outshot the Flyers, but this game wasnt even close, all the shots were perimater shots and no ...
That was the story for Coventry on Sunday. After deservedly going one down at the end of the first period, they rallied to score seven goals in the second to ease past thier rivals, Cardiff Devils.
Cardiff are short-benched at the moment, missing their starting NM so were always going to struggle.. but it was the superior creativity and finishing of Coventry in the 2nd...
Matthias, brought up on emergency recall, just might not be sent back down. After recieving a call while interrupting a game of NHL 08 he quickly packed his bags and was on his way to New Jersey. Needless to say it was not long at all before Matthias was impressing the players, Jacques Martin and the fans.
Matthias played a great game in New Jersey although not scoring ...
1,168 miles.
That's the distance from my front door to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The last two times I'd made this trek, the home team had been shut out - once in a disappointing season opener, the other in a horrendous showing that turned out to be Butch Goring's last stand as Islander coach. On Saturday night, Richard Park made sure that wouldn't happen...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNGaMeCjnqo
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603765387115/
Hi everyone sorry this is so late. I was with friends who have people visiting from Finland and I felt it more important to be social.
I got to the game last night early. I wanted to say hi to all my friend going into the Phantoms. I did not go to the Pha...
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_2000yard.jpg[/img]
Tom Lea, a gifted artist and World War II correspondent for [i]Life Magazine[/i], painted a picture that is famous not only for its stark portrayal of battlefield stress on an American Marine during the battle for the island of Peleliu in 1944, but also as a foreshadowing of what we know today as ...
So it has finally happened…..After sitting on what could be compared to death row for months now JFJ has finally been executed. I know that is a little harsh but at the same time it can’t be fun knowing that everyday you go into work it could be your last, having a boss that told the hockey world and anyone else that was listening that he made a mistake in hiring you ...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Isles Finally Beat Carolina 6-3 and Some Defensive Talk
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Two bitter defeats and the news on Campoli had to be on their mind. This team was facing a challenge. Nolan added to this by resting [b]Rick DiPietro[/b] (more on that later). So with Dubie in goal, the Isles went to Carolina in the daunting task to notch a win against a team that beat them twice. Once was a blowout, the second a come from behind win that whitened Isle fan...
Some of us are on the verge of conceding this year as lost cause for the Sabres. If this is the case, it's time to start thinking about putting up the "For Sale" sign at the trade deadline. Here's a look at our tradable assets and potential trading partners.
Our tradable assets (and their approx remaining cap at the time of the deadline)
Maxim Afinogenov (1.3m)
Tim ...
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...
[i]"Charlie, here comes the deuce. And when you speak of me, speak well. "
- Crash Davis, Bull Durham[/i]
We should have known what was coming. After all, Boston had an embarrassing and bitter defeat at the hand of the Montreal Canadians the game before. Meanwhile, their goalie, Tim Thomas was tapped to be an all star and to join Isles goalie Rick DiPietro when Marti...
OK, maybe not in the best taste as far as a headline. But it is time to "clear the air" on a range of subjects and misperceptions surrounding the Blackhawks.
[b]"Tallon should be fired. He isn't acquiring the players we need to compete."[/b]
FACT: There are roughly 25 teams in both conferences "in the hunt" for playoff spots right now. Most of them, by the way, are m...
-Everyone goes out of their way to credit Anaheim's turnaround to the return of [b]Scott Niedermayer[/b]. Why has no one pinned their lousy start on the fact he sat home for the first 20-some games?
-Speaking of which, since veteran players can apparently take off a ton of games at the start of the year, why all the uproar about going to 84 games?
-Which all-star(s) ...
Thank you, Bill Guerin ...
I've been yapping all year long (for years, actually) about how just getting into the playoffs should [i][b]never [/b][/i]be [i][b]any [/b][/i]team's goal. Ties may be gone in the NHL, but mediocrity is also about as satisfying as kissing your sister, so the analogy remains. While I [i][b]am [/b][/i]grateful to have the Islanders qualifying fo...
Here we are, post All Star game, staring at the last 32 games this season. The games that will make us or break us. It will answer the question, are we playoff contenders or pretenders.
Of course, we start this chain of games off with another visit by one of the top teams in the NHL, the Ottawa Senators. The Senators came into the All Star break halting a 3 game skid wi...
The rumour mill intensifies with each passing day. Will M. Gainey pull the trigger? What are the needs of Montreal? What is the price the Habs are ready to pay for a rental? To think that Sergei Federov is everything this team would need seems laughable at best.
Laughable but certainly not unrealistic and even less as bad as it's sound. Let's look as some facts on ...
Hello All, I havent posted anything a little over a week, I decided I didnt want to get going about the Sens last week and really, theres not much to say about the All-Star weekend, it is what it is!!! Im also going to stay away from the Ray Emery saga, all I will say is this kid has to get his crap together, act like an adult rather than a spoiled little kid, and frankly ...
[b]Last Nights Game:[/b] Two things went wrong for the Preds last night. We ran up against a goalie who stood on his head and won that game single handily for his team and the second thing that went wrong was the referee crew. Yes I've read the comments that running into a goalie gives you a free pass most times on retaliating but last night went over the line. Why Chara o...
So, you want to be a playoff team? This has been the Isles wish since back over the summer, when Ryan Smyth evaded their extended grasp, and they were forced to change their free agent direction. It is why the Isles will likely not sell off pieces, making all efforts to achieve a spot and a chance at glory.
So, you want to be a playoff team? They've made strides with th...
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.
...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603832119151/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-RDO4-r3m8
Shout out to everyone I saw tonight; Theresa, Brooke, Karen, Rad and of course the old friends I ran into by chance.
Thank you again to Kristin! It was a bad game but it was still fun hanging out.
Ok Flyers faithful I am to blame for tonight's loss. I had ...
I did some calculating last night.
By my count, the Islanders have now been in rebuilding mode for 15 consecutive years. Since the 1992-93 season, they haven't made it out of the first round of the playoffs. With 2001-02 now nothing more than a minor blip on the radar screen, in terms of regular season success, the Isles have remained stagnant for almost 5,500 calendar ...
Long gone are the days where a team stays loyal to it's players. Heck I understand that the NHL that we are in today, you need wins and you need to do whatever you have to do to win. BUT what the hell happened to Respect.
So many things are flying through my head right now.
But the most obvious is - When we are struggling so much, and having to deal with injurie...
Survivors on a deserted island.
No hope of rescue.
For the next 30 games, they will be tested beyond their limits.
For the Islanders are . . .
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/lostisles.jpg[/img]
Each player joined this club with hopes of success, but also leaving behind perhaps their troubled past of unfulfilled potentials. They gave themselves to a ...
Wade Redden is a highly respected defenceman throughout the NHL and is being paid $6.5 million dollars a year - the going rate for a top line defenceman. Throughout his career he has been very dependable and has always been known for his quick outlet passes to spring the Senator forwards on odd man rushes.
He is admired for his community service committments and will...
Brock was the next big thing. A huge specimen of a man who was NCAA Wrestling champ and best in the country. He, right after college, signed a big money deal with none other than Vince McMahon's World Wresting Entertainment. He was developed, cultivated, and went up the ranks with a huge push right to the top. Brock was champ. He was physically imposing. He was a hilarious...
Watching the Senators of late has been agonizing - how could a team go from being considered a threat to the Montreal Canadiens of the 70's to a .500 team so quickly?
Their play harkens back to that fateful 05-06 season when they exploded out of the gate with a 27-6-3 record by January 1st. That team featured a high octane offense led by Alfredsson, Heatley, Spezza and...
I posted this as a comment in one of the topics in the forum, but I felt it was long and detailed enough to post as my blog as well;
First of all....I would make no major changes to the game itself....maybe just eliminate the instigator penalty.
Some of you guys are arguing that owners would lose too much money expanding the ice surface........ummm.....why the hell d...
In years past, the Blues have virtually stripped their roster at the deadline by trading away veteran UFAs for picks and prospects. From Doug Weight, Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin alone, the Blues received: 3 first round picks (Ian Cole, Patrick Berglund, David Perron), a second and third round pick, Jay Barriball (the former leading goal scorer at the University of Minnes...
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...
Dear Mr Peter Forsberg,
Let me first introduce myself. I am the nice lady who smiles and loves to take pictures at Flyers practices and games. I am a Flyers die hard but don't hold that against me.
Mr Forsberg, the reason I am writing this letter today is that I would like you to remove Philadelphia from the list of teams that you are considering signing with in t...
[i]"It's tough. I'm not going to lie . . . Now is a time when we'll see what sort of character is on this team. We'd like everybody healthy and going, but that's not the case. We have to buckle down and right the ship."
- Ted Nolan[/i]
[i]"There are plenty of teams with guys hurt . . . We have to find ways to win. We can't focus who's hurt. We have to focus on who's h...
Swede writes...
Bruins Playoff Push: The Last 10 Games and Trade Deadline
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I know I am looking ahead, but the next 20 games will go by quickly and then we (as fans) will be looking at the last 10 games to see if Boston can clinch a playoff spot. Lets be honest, it won't happen before this because the race to the playoffs all year has been tighter than (insert joke here).
Here are the last ten games Boston plays, all but 2 against division riva...
[i]*Please take a moment to pray for the people of the south today following last nights horrific storms that have left at least 26 dead in Tennessee alone. In moments like this sport seems so insignificant.[/i]
[b]Great win by the Preds last night.[/b] I was unable to attend as I came down with a severe case of strep throat (yup 35 years olds can catch it too!). My par...
Currently the New York Islander's sit in the 13th slot of the Eastern Conference. Fortunately for them, they are only five points out considering how deep they are in the standings..but this only adds to the frustration and confusion of what the Islander's should do.
If you ask me...(and I know that no one has so far, but I'm going to give my two cents anyway), the Isla...
Following Tuesday's night's loss to the defending Stanley Cup Champs, the news got worse for the Islanders as Miroslav Satan has been declared a no-go for tonight's game against the surging Pens. Despite being without Sid the Kid, the Penguins sit in third place in the Atlantic, just a win behind the top-seeded Devils and a point behind the second place Flyers. With Mike S...
Hockey has always been a very intimate sport. The players humble, the fans knowledgeable, the media low-key. In a way, I almost like that not as many people watch the NHL as other sports, because when I do come across those who are a fan - they know they're stuff. Hockey fans know their sport. In baseball, basketball, and football there are many more casual fans of the gam...
[i]"I got up feeling so down
I got off being sold out
I've kept the movie rolling
But the story's getting old now
I just looked in the mirror
Things aren't looking so good"
[/i]
Here we are . . .
[b]
Feeling Minnesota[/b]
You can almost hear Chris Cornell's throaty growl as you stare at the TV screen or read your morning paper about last night's game. Once ...
Before I go on any further, I just read the article on TSN about Richard Zednik's most unfortunate accident in tonight's game against the Buffalo Sabres. When horrible mishpas like this occur in any sporting event, one cannot find themselves caring about the outcome of any hockey game. Hopefully Zednik will be out of the hospital very soon and have a fast recovery without ...
mojoworld writes...
Trade this, trade that -- The Canucks won't be trading much.
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
THN has some interesting trade suggestions for the hockey world to see, but at the end of the day, I think they're still long shots. The Nagy trade suggestion for a draft pick is pretty useless. We don't have much to give up right now and it really wouldn't profit us to try and make incremental improvements right now to the team by risking more draft picks.
The Sundin...
!!! Dernière heure !!!
Rumeur de transaction chez le John Deer...Selon nos collègues de RDS, le nouveau capitaine du John Deer serait à préparer le retour au jeu du vétéran défenseur Julien Lapierre. Qui aurait l'épée de Damoclès sur la tête. Selon les rumeurs, l'ex joueur-entraîneur Rich "Rocky Rouquin" Pascone écoperait. Sa mauvais attitude, son manque de...
!!! Derniere heure !!!
Rumeur de transaction chez le John Deer...Selon nos collegues de RDS, le nouveau capitaine du John Deer serait a preparer le retour au jeu du veteran defenseur Julien Lapierre. Qui aurait l'epee de Damocles sur la tete. Selon les rumeurs, l'ex joueur-entraineur Rich "Rocky Rouquin" Pascone ecoperait. Sa mauvais attitude, son manque de communicatio...
With the NHL trading deadline 2 weeks away, and the Buffalo Sabres sitting one point out of 8th in the Eastern Conference, its about the time for Darcy Regier to begin looking at how to add to a team just beginning to hit their stride after a rocky season.
here is my list of guys for Regier to go out and look at it in the next 2 weeks, along with the guys who could draw...
The Habs may very well be the most improved team this season. They are the best passing team in the NHL. Their forwards are among the most talented in the League. They have the speed to match their skill in the offensive zone. Their power play is simply awesome, one of the best teams in the League. The Habs have the defense who will and have pitched in for the offense...
On a team full of offensively challenged defenseman we have seen flashes of brilliance from the Swedish defenseman Johnny Oduya. In recent weeks his point production has slowly begun to climb and he has had two very Orr like rushes down the ice, that resulted in Devil's goals. However, not all is rosey in Devils land and Johnny has often found himself watching the games ...
On a team full of offensively challenged defenseman we have seen flashes of brilliance from the Swedish defenseman Johnny Oduya. In recent weeks his point production has slowly begun to climb and he has had two very Orr like rushes down the ice, that resulted in Devil's goals. However, not all is rosey in Devils land and Johnny has often found himself watching the games ...
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...
AlexanderScharf writes...
What The Rangers Are Missing: 2. Determination
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[b]Determination:[/b] [i]Firmness of purpose; resolve.[/i]
There is a famous saying, "Where there's a will, there's a way." If you decide to accomplish something and commit yourself to acheiving success you will reach your goal, however lofty. Conversly, if you do not commit yourself to work hard you will not achieve. Hard work is usually the recipe for success. When th...
So here we are on a gray, dreary, snowy eve. Or as they call it in Buffalo and Toronto . . . [b]Tuesday[/b].
[i]"One game at a time"
- Ted Nolan[/i]
Ted is being interviewed for a pregame where he is talking about the good things in the last two games. And no matter the doom and gloom, they have played far better the last two. The pressure is on tonight. The colise...
For the first time in the New Year, the Islander's have [b][u][i]FINALLY[/i][/u][/b] won a home game. And despite all the talk of trading for the future and forgetting this season...I gotta say this win did feel good. And you know the Isles were feeling it too, watching Park celebrate after the final buzzer as if he had just scored his first NHL goal.
It is pretty depre...
Daniel Cleary was a first round pick in 1997 by the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks would only see 41 games from Cleary before bailing on him in a worthless trade to the Oilers. The Oilers didn’t benefit much from Cleary either as he played four seasons with the Oilers producing 35 points on season but otherwise wasn’t affective. Cleary would play one more season for a W...
[i]"I missed being around the guys and the team," said Simon after practice. "I'm ready to get back out there and help the team. I've learned from my mistakes. I'm going to try and be the best I can be when I come back. What happened in the past is always going to be there, but I look to now and getting ready for tomorrow."[/i]
Luckily when he says tomorrow he means it ...
In past seasons Dallas' main need has always been a goal scoring winger. Last season Ryan Smyth would have been a perfect fit. In July Ryan Smyth would have been a perfect fit also, but that is another blog for another time.
Right now Dallas sits 5th in goals for. Dallas also sits 6th in goals against. You can rule those Marty Turco for Martin St. Louis rumors ...
In case you haven't heard, oft-suspended Islanders forward Chris Simon is back practicing with the team as of yesterday, is eligible to return February 21st against Tampa and will do so immediately, according to coach Ted Nolan:
[i]"I can't see why he wouldn't get right back in the lineup. Other guys get injured and then get right back in. I don't see this as any differ...
It is official!
Blueshirts Goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist has signed a six-year contract extension of $6.875 million per season. No more speculation on free agency after this season, our very own Olympic gold-medal winner can no longer be distracted with contract matters. The Rangers just bought you and we all can now reclaim your old moniker "The King." Or at least, here'...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Philadelphia Flyers: How Long to the point of know return?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[b]How Long to the point of know return?[/b]
[i]I heard the men saying something
The captains tell they pay you well
And they say they need sailing men to
Show the way, and leave today
Was it you that said,[b] "How long, how long?"[/b]
They say the sea turns so dark that
You know it's time, you see the sign
They say the point demons guard is
An ocean grave, fo...
Are you like me, are you constantly checking every and any possible website for possible trade rumors. Are you watching countless hours of sports news hoping to hear it first. To hear that Sundin has waved his no trade clause, or that Tanguay will sadly be shipped away?
With all of these expectations, I'm actually expecting to have a dull and dreary trade deadline. What...
While, I'm not an overly big fan of the no trade clause, it does afford the bearer of such a clause the right to say no, just as Redden did last week. But, let’s make no mistake about it; there is a marked difference in the situation surrounding Wade Redden versus that of Mats Sundin. Wade Redden is much closer to winning a cup in Ottawa than Mats is in Toronto. Redde...
I'm going to be doing a series of these, with a new team each day.
Today we look at the Dallas Stars, who continue their search for a scoring winger to play with Modano. This search has been ongoing for years with very little success.
In the offseason the Stars tried very hard for Jason Blake and Slava Kozlov, only to lose out on both. The Stars hoped to get their wi...
In the "Salary Cap" world of today's NHL, all teams must configure their rosters to fit within the Cap currently set at $50.3M USD. And this system encourages a bargaining chip - the no trade clause.
While general managers employ this for different reasons, it ends up having the same effect. Some will use it to pursue players in the free agent frenzy to assure them of s...
A source has told me that Dan Ellis fully expects to be traded and that the Preds would not be getting a goalie in return but would bring up prospect Pekka Rinne to back up Chris Mason.
Another source close to the team said that this idea did seem feasible because they've heard that the Preds are eager to get Pekka up to the show.
Not sure who the dance partner woul...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/nolansimonempire.jpg[/img]
I like pugilists just like the typical hockey traditionalist. I spy Pierre MacGuire with his mug looking like someone just spilled his Chablis as he is forced by the NBC producers to watch fist fly. It is then that I pray that Mad Mike will then just lose his sanity, a la an Isles trade, and then take a swing...
Ron Guillet writes...
Cutting Your Losses : Marian Hossa and Brian Campbell
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
So Marian Hossa has decided to openly announce that his chances of re-signing with the Atlanta Thrashers are "slim". I'm here to tell you that I've had enough. If I'm a general manager and my player openly says something like this, c'est au revoir mon ami!
GM's and fans alike don't need this kind of attention around their team. The Thrashers are in the heat of battle fo...
With the Islanders once again currently sitting in 13th place in the East, I'm sure Garth Snow is contemplating the best approach on what to do with the Islanders at the deadline. The Isles are only five points away from the playoffs, but also only 4 points away from finishing last in the East.
Five points is not the most difficult task, but with five games remaining un...
Hey pens fans,
The last two games are a bit of a black cloud over the team going into tomorrow's game in Buffalo. Their play previvous to that had been very good, especially when considering all the injuries we have sustained. With the trade deadline approaching, the question is what Ray Shero will do, if anything, to fill these roles?
When it comes to Fleury's in...
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...
1-0 Dallas over Detroit
Dallas is now 8 pts behind Detroit for the presidents trophy lead
Going into the trade deadline I've had two big concerns about the stars: adding a veteran defender and adding a scorer to play with Modano to keep Dallas from being a 1 line team. The young defenders are solid players, but veteran experience can't hurt, and a 1 line tea...
As the Trade Deadline approaches, GM's around the NHL are gearing up for one of the most exciting days of the NHL schedule. It is the day where teams must decide their fate and either give the fans hope or preserve it for the years ahead.
While teams decide their future, so will GM's. It's an emotional, nerve racking affair for them; a last chance at redeeming their mis...
So as a Leaf fan whats one to do, other than speculate on what will occur during the trade deadline? Now I've heard tons of ideas for trades, mostly ludicrous. We as fans tend to overestimate the value of some of our players, and we also tend not to realize the rest of the league knows what position were in, and thats one of weakness. So I figured I'd contribute to endless...
[i]Cage goes in the water, Isles go in the water. Shark's in the water. Our shark.[/i]
Isles are on a three game win streak. Sharks on a 3 game losing streak. Trade deadline, meanwhile, which might be influential to both teams, is just over a week away.
Think this game doesn't mean much?
Au contraire.
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/islesvssharks.jpg[/img]...
millertime writes...
Monday, Feb. 18: The day the trade winds started to blow
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The dominoes are falling and a series of trades are finally just around the corner for NHL fans across North America (and the world).
-The news that [b]Peter Forsberg[/b] will NOT be returning to the NHL this season does away with a distraction that has put all General Managers on hold, as teams waited to see what Peter would do. Now that he's off the market, look for ...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/islesmagic8ball.jpg[/img]
So the Isles have a streak of 4 wins going now. They finally beat the Flyers. TO has fallen. Atlanta went down in flames. The Sharks angrily lost another on the road. How quickly fortunes change in the thick of the close throng in points of the Eastern Conference.
So, step right up and see what the future ho...
Alexander Ovechkin wurde auf einer kleinen Serie vor kurzem Kälte in den letzten beiden Spielen zwar in den sonnigen florida gegen die Panthers und den Lightning.
Er hat bis dreizehn Punkten in den letzten zehn Spiele und mit einer negativen eins plus / minus. Alexander dem Großen ist noch mit der Spitze der Liga achtundsiebzig Punkten, nur einen Punkt vor Malkin, mus...
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...
Don't worry, I'm not implying that the Islanders are going to win 7 games in a row after losing 7 in a row, but they are making one hell of an interesting playoff push. With less than a week to go to the deadline, most fans have been speculating as to what Garth Snow will do. Will he pull the trigger on some firesale deals? Will he make a Stillman + Commodore/Eaves + Corvo...
Rob McGowan writes...
Why Blake Returning to The Isles May Be a Good Thing
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
I've finally decided that instead of continuously posting on the boards about the potential trade of McCabe and Blake back to Long Island, that I'll just rant and rave here for my second post in one day....yes...I sadly do not know where my priorities are...or maybe I do ;) And since my last blog had plenty to say about Bryan McCabe, this one will discuss that speedy cog, ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!! 8th loss in SO = Code Red
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Dammit I am MAD!
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:yava-IZbgYkVgM:http://www.mamakk.com/wp-content/cyclops.jpg[/img]
THIS was the face when I looked in the mirror. I don't know who I am MORE pissed off at - Marty Biron for letting Spezza shoot a beach ball between his pads or Briere for coming up so small in a do-or-die situation that an elite level player li...
SabreCrazy07 writes...
Campbell: All signs point to a one way ticket out of Buffalo
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Attention Real Estate Agents. Soupy's can will soon be ready for showing. ( Bad pun, oh well must be tired)
Lets face it Sabre fans Campbell is as good as gone. Did anyone catch his comments today after practice?[url]http://eod.liquidviewer.com/wgr-od/wgr/20080219_campbell.wma[/url] He is truly a dejected individual. He has been a roller coster of emotions for the past ...
isaiah520 writes...
The Flyers As Sellers... Without Waiving a White Flag (Yet)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
the flyers are getting to the point where they may be sellers with a couple more losses. that's something that will infuriate the fan base all the way up to lukko & snider. there have been so many must games that the term has no meaning any more. [b]this streak and the flyers play of late feels eerily like last yrs futility.
[/b]
...OK...now for the part that will ...
Why This Latest Pulp Fiction Making the Rounds Will Likely Not Be Happening
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/pulpgm.jpg[/img]
GM Garth and former GM, JFJ
Reports are flying around that Cliff Fletcher, the new GM for Toronto and our Garth Snow were discussing McCabe. Let's look a bit more into that and debunk the rumormill which has heated up due to it.
Bryan McCab...
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...
To many Leaf fans, this question has been asked TOO many times. The answer? Well, according to one Matt Stajan, "Stay home if you want us (the Leafs) to lose, just to get positioning in the draft lottery". Of course, there is some paraphrasing in that. I can't find the exact quote, but I saw it on TSN.
I'm one of those Leaf fans though. Why can't we just lose? Honestly...
It might just be me, but I have a feeling that this year's trade deadline will be the least active trade deadline day in recent history.
Seeing as how last year several teams had to mortgage their future (Nashville, Atlanta) only to get a slightly above average hockey players (Keith Tkachuk, Forsberg), I personally believe that GM's around the league will be gun shy. T...
Isles shutout the Lightning, extending the win streak to 6. Simon returns to boos, and the Isles seem surprised? Let's give them a reality check . . .
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/greaselightning.jpg[/img]
There several stories to come out of last night's big win over Tampa. The obvious one is that our streak is now 6 wins. Another is that despite these last cou...
One thing is clear this season, the Sabres are inconsistent. They won 2 straight after dropping a pair. They get points in 10 straight just after not winning in 11 straight. The positive and negative streaks this season are plentiful. Why did this happen, sure we can blame the losses of Drury and Briere or the loss of Teppo on the blueline. Those are valid arguments but no...
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...
Man, do I wish that I DID predict that the Islanders were going to win 7 in a row when I wrote, [i]7 Down to 7 Up[/i]! But what are you going to do? With my luck if I go ahead and say that "you know what" will definately happen, then they won't accomplish "you know what"....confused yet? Okay good.
[img:right]http://assets.espn.go.com/media/nhl/2004/0129/photo/a_hunter...
You know too many players are given no trade clauses when Martin Ruchinsky has one.
You read that correctly. Yes, Marty Ruchinsky hasn't retired yet, and he has a no trade clause in his contract.
There comes a point when the NTC's hamper a team. Just ask the Leafs or the Lightning.
Brian Engblom just wrote an excellent blog on the topic, and it really got my gears...
[b]When the Dallas Stars come calling tonight[/b] to Nashville it could very well be a preview of a potential first round match up. If the playoffs started today the Predators, as the number seven seed, would find themselves playing the number two Stars. What a series that would be.
While I don't like the idea of going against a world class goalie like Turco for seven g...
Well, it certainly looks like Mats has dug in and he is going to go down with his ship. If this were a movie I think we'd all be applauding our hero. So committed, such the "anti-athlete", cares more about the city that has idolized him than winning a championship. Cue the haunting violin now...
SNAP OUT OF IT! This is NOT - repeat NOT - the idealic "[i]Jerry Maguir...
Just a quick opening thought: Michael Ryder is a perfect fit in Dallas, and man I hope this happens if it isn't going to be very expensive. He isn't very good defensively, and needs someone to hit him with a pass to set up his shot according to tsn's scouting profile on him, for what thats worth, but man he could be an asset. My only concern is that Modano isn't playing a ...
So here we are less than four days until the trading deadline this Tuesday at 3 PM and the Islanders are left with much more questions than answers. I have arrived home from my trip along with 89 other screaming Isles fans at "the rock" as the booster club made its first trip to the Prudential Center. We watched and learned that the Islanders are indeed human and can los...
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...
I'm a Bruins fan who is longing for some bonafide scoring help upfront and I'm postive I'm not alone. While they have talent upfront and one of my favorite players ever in Marc Savard, most nights the Bruins just lack that game changer with the killer instinct to ice games away. In this current climate of the 30 team playoff race, two points are crucial...especially when m...
Apparently I should have kept my mouth shut; the Isles looking for their seventh win in a row faltered under a young and weak defense, allowing the New Jersey Devils to win their first game against us in almost a year. It honestly was only a matter of time before the Atlantic Division leading Devils recorded a win against our 5-0 season streak. It was also only a matter of...
What you are smelling is the rotten egg that the Preds laid last night against a very good Dallas Stars team.
[b]Where It Went Right:[/b] The first period for the most part was solid and the Preds played step for step with the Stars. It looked like this was going to be a game decided in OT or by a late goal. Both teams were skating hard and playing a physical game.
...
My Pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603971226293/
Erica's pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickilynn7/sets/72157603977891074/
First THANK YOU! To all the players and their wives. This was a great event. Your time is a valuable thing and it was appreciated that you did this today.
Second shout out to all the peeps.
Brooke and Kar...
Dear Mats Sundin,
I realize that you spend hours in the gym and on the ice every week trying to prepare yourself for the rigours of playing hockey at the NHL level. However, I also know (based on two very reliable sources) that you take the time to read every single comment and post made on this site so I thought I would clear a few things up.
First off, I was...
I was reading through Ek's blog and the comments left by many people concerning Mats Sundin's desire to stay in Toronto and I couldn't help but think so many people are mis guided.
The number of "Mats is selfish", "Mats is not thinking of the team", "Mats is an idiot" etc type replies was very alarming and extremely disappointing to me.
Assuming that what Sundin said...
Mike Heika was just on BaD radio on the Ticket discussing Brad Richards. His sources say Dallas' offer involves Mike Smith and Phillippe Boucher. Fantastic fit
Bob Gainey is also offering Michael Ryder to get Olli Jokinen. This is why Ryder isn't a Star yet.
undecidedname.blogspot.com
Well, Nonis will have another opportunity tomorrow to prove his worth. And in the last of a 3 year deal himself, he's got some proving still to do.
Nonis, like his mentor Burke, doesn't get himself pushed around, but also doesn't sit still. He wants to do a big deal. A big deal that will get him an impact player that will be here for years to come.
With so much ...
For Alex Picard (D) & a conditional pick.................
A Potential Sabre gone.................. I think the Sabres could have matched or beat that offer.
millertime writes...
Russian Roulette: Where will Brian Campbell end up?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Round and round the ball goes...where will it stop? Nobody knows!
Brian Campbell is for sure a hot commodity on the trade market. There's an interesting feeling in Buffalo right now with the whole situation...Most of all, it's the desire for RESOLUTION. The Campbell saga has plagued its ugly face on the team the last several days, especially recently as the Sabres ba...
A quick glimpse into how my brain works around the deadline ...
Last year at deadline day, before the Isles acquired Ryan Smyth, I had a dream the night before that they traded a first round pick to the Florida Panthers for some guy named George Walter (no, I don't know who he is either) and then went on to win the Stanley Cup.
Last night, or perhaps early this morn...
I don't know what they've got cooking, but I know this: they just moved 2 forwards to pick up 1 forward after activating Phillippe Boucher. The Stars still have 8 defenders on the roster. I'd bet they are still looking to pick up a shooter. Is Jokinen possible? They could make the money work...
consider for a second the last draft pick from the judge huston ordeal was zach parise and then think of what that has made us fans feel. now flash forward. salvador not the greatest to play the game but a guy worth more than a cam janssen and yet this is what we got. now last year during the draft the bllues went with in the late rounds peluso instead of picking up the...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Live Blog From The Isles Blog Box: MAB & Simon Dealt
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Here we are. I'm sitting next to Jim Baumbach, of Newsday. He's decided to blog about us blogging about the trade deadline. You might remember him from the hubbub over asking if the Al Arbour game should count. He's been a good sport, despite his baseball background and hockey noob question that caused a ruckus with Isles fans.
His live blog: http://weblogs.newsday.com...
If I wasn't so disappointed in the Non-Trade of Brad Richards to Vancouver, I might actually have been happy to see Matt Cooke finally leave Vancouver.
I've been campaigning since 2004 to trade this guy, and I guess now that his contract is up, Nonis saw an opportunity to keep the useful life of this asset going by trading for a younger player.
Burrows great play of ...
So another trade deadline has come and gone, with alot more trades then was expected on my part, now we will select 3 teams that we see as winners and 3 teams that we see as losers based on todays trades not on what picks might bring you down the road.
[b][u]WINNERS[/u][/b]
[b]Dallas[/b]- The Stars picked up one of the bigger names at the deadline picking up Brad Ric...
Salvador to Jersey..
Richards traded to Dallas..
Campbell to San Jose...
The frenzy is just starting to begin...
And Snow is in his office...ready to pull the trigger on a deal...and it is.......
A 7'TH ROUNDER TO SAN JOSE FOR ROB DAVISON!
Whew...almost worried we were out of the hunt for a second. What a relief. Hey I almost feel as good as when we lost out o...
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...
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/BlogBoxHeaderBanner.jpg[/img]
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/bloggingheathen.jpg[/img]
Today was a big day. Just for me, as a hockey fan. I love the trade deadline. I love the energy and excitement. I was at ground zero of trade happenings in Isles land. Yes, many things did not happen, but alas, we will go more into that.
...
Ok, so I worked for the first time in over a decade on deadline day. Fortunately, I had all the deals sent via text message to me, so I didn't miss anything except the normal glass of Jameson's with one cube and a splash of water and being able to sit around all day in my underwear and not have the wife complain.
Anyhow, I am going to offer some thoughts on the trades:...
Short title, and right to the point
Winners:
Dallas: Seeing that Detroit is slumping due to injuries, Dallas made a huge splash getting Brad Richards. Richards gives them a top flight center and adds some much needed creativity to the lineup. Richards and Modano down the middle make a formidable offensive pair that can also play defense. Holmqvist gives them a solid ...
After a long and suspenseful NHL Trade Deadline, Maple Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher felt the ripple effects from former GM, JFJ. With Bryan McCabe, Mats Sundin, Tomas Kaberle, Darcy Tucker and Pavel Kubina all refusing to waive their respective no-trade clause agreement, "Silver Fox" had to chip away the outer core.
Hal Gill, Chad Kilger and Wade Belak are no longer Toronto ...
millertime writes...
To all hockey fans: Don't Feel Bad For Us Sabres Fans
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I've been hearing a lot of "sorry to hear about Campbell," "I feel for you guys," "it's got to be a tough night for you," etc. from many of my hockey buddies across North America. I'm sure other Sabres fans have heard similar sentiment.
But please, don't feel bad for us. No reason to.
Let me start by putting it this way, this day is NOTHING, NOTHING compared to tha...
A little commentary on the trades. First we will start with the moves that weren't made. First, we will address getting rid of Rucinsky. Honestly, I am sure they tried but just couldn't find anyone willing to give up much for him, especially since he is a FA at the end of the season, teams knew that unless they thought he was a missing piece to a playoff run, he could b...
Flyers quiet on Tuesday... Were in talks with Buffalo about D Brian Campbell and the Islanders about Ruslan Fedotenko, notable among other possibilities. Holmgren balked at both because the price was too high and confirmed both asked for Jeff Carter in return. Being that Holmgren kept Carter, you figure he wants to sign the kid in the summer. Campbell would have fit a s...
While I have been a big fan of David Poile in the past and, truth be told, will continue to be in the future I felt yesterdays moves (if you want to use that strong of a word to describe them) were wasted and not even needed.
The Preds went into the day looking, like many other teams, for a top six forward. What they ended up with, in my opinion, are two role players. ...
Like all trades, yesterday's Lightning/Stars swap primarily involving Brad Richards and Mike Smith will need some time before any fair evaluation can truly be made. Bolts GM Jay Feaster is putting himself on the line in bringing in yet another goalie to fill the seemingly "unfillable" void left when Nikolai Khabibulin departed after capturing the Stanley Cup in 2004. Many ...
NYIsles16 writes...
NYI: Post Deadline Thoughts on the NYI and Other Deals
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
So here we are, February 27th, and the trade-deadline has come and gone. The anticipation is over and we can freely analyze every move that was made, or not made. As always, there is much criticism on Long Island, including some radicals going as far as saying that Garth Snow should be fired and shipped off the Island immediately. Before I analyze the Islanders and why Gar...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157604001443823/
First Thank you to the Fan Club. Tonight's meeting was first rate as always.
Second Thank you Mike Richards! Tonight was very enlightening and entertaining.
Mike Richards talked to the Fan club for about 30 minutes or so.
He was asked a variety of questions. Everything from his thoughts on deadl...
Ty writes...
RANGERS REVIEW: THE DEADLINE and GILL Vs. JAGR NO BIG DEAL
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I know many Rangers fans are disappointed with Glenn Sather’s roster moves, or lack thereof, yesterday. The team went into the deadline with two distinct needs; a puck moving defensemen to quarterback their struggling power play and a crease clearing defensemen to bring character and added toughness to their current inexperienced crop of blue liners. Looking at what the...
How Garth Snow refused to be seduced by easy answers or swayed by buying or selling. Instead, he graduated this season, making careful and difficult considerations this trade deadline. Whether the fanbase agreed with it or not.
((Cue the Simon and Garfunkel))
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/thegmgraduate.jpg[/img]
I'm not sure what everyone expected of this...
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...
Continuing with yesterday’s blog on the Rangers deadline day acquisitions here is my in-depth analysis and opinion on the players the Rangers acquired, gave up and avoided.
TRADE: New York and St. Louis
New York Trades: 2008th 4th Round Draft Choice
- Many people are speculating this year’s draft class is one of the best ever. But even still, by the fourt...
As usual thanks for reading.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Have a great weekend.
We, for the most part, are on the final turn to the yearly horse race of the NHL. This is where either riders and horses pick it up, or fall away into the pack. Right now, the Isles are fading into the pack.
The Flyers had their tough spot a couple games back. A freefall that has them climbing out with now 3 straight wins (i should have been clearer in my yesterdays bl...
So the ceremony begins at 2 o'clock, with a glorious walk of champions. And no, I'm not talking about the bar and grill inside the Marriot. The 17 members that played for all the Islanders' Stanley Cup Championships will walk from the Marriot to the Coliseum, with Lord Stanley's Cup present, in honor of the hard-fought battles they endured during all those playoff years.
...
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...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Familiarity Breeds Contempt - Flyers' Battle to the Playoffs
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
"Vulgare proverbium est, quod nimia familiaritas parit contemptum"
[b]Familiarity breeds contempt[/b]
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/crystal_ballcopycopy.jpg?t=1204518503[/img]
It doesn't take a medium or a seance to know that coming away with points on a nightly basis during the final six weeks of regulation games is of paramount importance. The...
[i]"I think the most frustrating thing is letting four points slip away this weekend"
- Mike Comrie[/i]
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .
There is a line that succinctly embodies a weekend of festivities and games which I had miss seeing in person. Apologies to those who were hoping to meet me there at the Blog Box. My next date there is at...
First off, for any Islander fans interested, I have been writing regularly at http://islesnation.com/matt.htm . In order to expose my blog to more people, I decided to post my latest entry here:
[i]
"I want to be a lion,
Everybody wants to pass as cats.
We all want to be big big stars, but we got different reasons for that.
Believe in me because I don't believe in a...
http://www.eddiesbetter.com/2008/03/recurring-series.html
I'd like to start a few recurring features with staggered starting dates.
1. Ex-Star profile of the month
This would simply be a monthly profile of ex-Dallas Stars. Anyone from Bill Masteron, to Mike Kennedy, to Joe Nieuwendyk would be fair game.
2. Dallas Stars 3 Stars of the month
Like the NHL 3 stars ...
It's less than a week since the trade deadline, and while the Canucks have picked up 2 of a possible 6 points, they are a disappointing 0-1-2 in that spell.
Not only that, the teams top line has gone pointless in those 3 games, and while there has been some secondary scoring, the team seems to be more apathetic as the games go by.
Even Luongo's passion has diminishe...
Today is March 4th, and the New York Islanders currently sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. With a record of 31-29-7 for a total of 69 points, the Islanders are only five points of the final playoff spot. We also sit six points behind the New York Rangers, who have a record that is good enough for sixth in the Eastern Conference. With two games coming up this wee...
Isles at Rangers notes: Dubie in goal again!
Gervais still day-to-day
On Friday, February. 29th, at 8pm, at my swanky apartment in Freeport, was another first for sport bloggers. A blog box cocktail party. A giant leap for blogger kind as they descended his abode for booze, wine, beer, soda, cheese platters, shrimp, veggies, dips, and all sorts of goodies.
There...
Islanders vs. Rangers
Many fans on both sides have been waiting for this re-match. I remember 2 years ago when they decided to have each team play their division rivals 8 times a piece, how excited I was knowing that meant 8 Islander-Ranger games a year. I just can't get enough of these games.
Regardless of playoff positions these games seem to fire up both teams, th...
The Ducks have had consecutive wins and we haven't changed barely anything! Some Ducks fans were hoping for Hossa or Holik all I was hoping for was a simple draft pick! All Burke landed was Begeron, J.S. Aubin and a draft pick! Now I am someone who always loves for my team to rack up on the picks especially in a deep draft like this one.
Maybe we did not land superstars...
I remember a few years ago when Bobby Clarke splashed the water with the whole offer sheet thing, with Ryan Kesler. Little did he know what kind of message that really sent. I believe that the NHL is now in a state of rebuilding, and long gone are the days where a player could just go to the highest bidder. I am going to focus on Kesler here, because of obvious reaso...
I have been following something over the last few years that I am sure that few have also seen or paid attention to, but something that I find interesting in an obscure and potentially meaningful way. When you look at sports leagues, what do players tend to care more about then salaries and winning? Most care a lot about the number on their backs. Some do not seem to ca...
Most Isles fans like myself will be quick to point out most Islander Ranger games are do or die, but non more than the game that took place at the world's most famous arena last night. The Rangers came into the game rolling not losing in regulation nine straight games whereas the Islanders despite working hard over the weekend had only one goal to show for. The odds were...
The Flyers have Danny Briere officially listed as day to day with the right shoulder sprain suffered when he crashed into the boards in the 2nd period Sunday against the Rangers....
But after seeing Briere myself after Tuesday nights game and talking to a couple of people close to the situation, I feel confident to say Briere will definitely NOT dress tomorrow night agai...
[u][i][b]The problem is...[/b][/i][/u]
The date was April 19th. The year, perfectly enough, '99. The image is a hockey classic, not unlike Bobby Orr flying through the air, Patrick Roy throwing his hands up in surrender, or Brett Hull skating in the blue paint. A helmet-less Wayne Gretzky skating off the ice, waiving to the people who supported, loved, and r...
Every year, around this time, a certain goalie is linked with a certain trophy. Year in and year out, [b]Martin Brodeur[/b] is on the list of goalies who deserve the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vezina_Trophy] Vezina Trophy[/url]. He's a fantastic player, and will enter the Hall of Fame without question. One goalie, who has been a rock for his team to build a playoff ...
thechad13 writes...
Toronto's playoff push is just a mirage.....Here is why.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
As we enter mid March the Toronto Maple Leafs have once again put together a run that has seen them tease their fans with the thought of playoff hockey in 2008. Since February 2nd The Leafs have managed to put together a run of 10-5-0-1 and as of the end of play tonight sit six points out of the eighth and final playoff spot with thirteen games left to play. With that b...
[img]http://www.blazingconcepts.com/img/syd/blog/sibrivalry4.jpg[/img]
Two men enter. One man leaves.
Two bloggers from opposite sides of the hockey rivalry sit in the same box. And share the same questionable DNA. Yes, it can only be the Gallofs.
[b]B.D. Gallof, NY Islanders Blogger: [/b]
Well, here we are. Scott follows me like a puppy through the throng ...
Xias writes...
An introduction post; Top 3 Picks to come out of the East!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
First, let me take the time to welcome anyone who happens to click on this post and give me a chance to entertain you through my blog. Although the Rangers are my favorite team and I make no attempt to hide that, my aspirations are to be an objective journalist, not a cheerleader, and I hope my writing will reflect that. Any criticism, constructive or otherwise, is both we...
Once again the Islanders sit in 11th place, nine points from last in the East, and only five points away from a playoff spot. Tonight they play a Flyers squad that has only won four games in their past ten, but holds onto that 8th seed in the east that the Islanders have set their desperate eyes on. All of this just leads me to one question.
[b]Can anyone figure this te...
stoneford writes...
3 Posts in the first period, New Jersey With the Lead
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The first period in Toronto has come to a close and the New Jersey Devils are standing on top with a 1-0 lead. It was mostly an uninspiring 20 minutes for both clubs. The Devils managed a goal on a Zach Parise 2nds effort after Jamie Langenbrunner proved that hard work is worth more than skill. Not that he doesn't have any, but he charged for a loose puck, outworked Bri...
After having tied the game with minutes to go in the third period, the Toronto Maple Leafs get the butt end of the stick on a non call which allowed the New Jersey Devils to score the game winning goal on goaltender Vesa Toskala.
What a dissapointment this is. The Leafs were in position to get a minimum of 1 point and maybe more but due to this poor non call by the off...
This is my first attempt at any type of blog here on HockeyBuzz. I've been a long time reader of the site and read just about every thing posted here. I've been wanting to do game previews and recaps for awhile now and I have finally went ahead and did it! I hope you enjoy it and I hopefully I can improve in the future.
A more graphical version can be found on my n...
It's a huge question many fans have to ask themselves. Do we all want our team to be in the playoffs? Absolutely. What fan doesn't? Do we want our team to win and advance, and hopefully make it to the Cup Finals? Without question. Are these questions feeble-minded? Without a doubt. But how about this one...Does this team deserve to make the playoffs?
Unfortunately, I do...
Five rungs left until the top. The distance can be climbed but there are only 13 chances left to do so. Below, the hordes of enemies are rushing up, the leader just one rung below. Its crunch time. Will the top be reached?
It has been quite a turnaround. Just a few weeks ago, the New York Rangers were substantially lower in the NHL food chain and barely clinging to play...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Monday Morning Playoff Burger and Blues. Hold the Burger.
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Last week, the Isles went to MSG and brought back a hard fought win. It was probably their biggest win of the season due to the timing, rivalry and issues on their plate. It was a win in which we hoped would be the impetus to changing the gut-wrenching inconsistent mess they turned into mid-season.
Well, on Saturday night, they managed their biggest loss against a team ...
It's frustration versus disappointment tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum. Or is it disappointment versus frustration? (Disappointment versus disappointment? Frustration versus frustration?) It's difficult to tell, exactly, which franchise has more of which, though we can be certain that both the New York Islanders and the Tampa Bay Lightning will carry with them a hefty ...
The NHL playoffs race is heating up, folks. With just about twelve games remaining left for the Philadelphia Flyers, crunch time has arrived.
After a terrible month of February, in which the team went on a ten game losing streak, the Flyers have bounced back slightly and remain in the playoff picture. However, their play has become severely inconsistent, and although ...
There are a few reasons this incarnation of the Islanders for the 2007-2008 season failed. It has little to do with buying out Yashin and not going over-the-top to retain Blake. Though, if the Isles had just gone up one more year, he might have been retained. The thought that Blake is over-the-hill and ineffectual now in Toronto is just premature. When TO swept in, evident...
I've been a Habs fan for 20+ years and I can't remember the last time I had goose bumps watching a regular season Montreal Canadiens game.
For those of you that missed it, out of appreciation of what the Habs are doing this year and for overtaking the Devils last night for the Eastern Conference lead, the capacity crowd at the Bell Centre last night gave the home team a...
So much for the Lightning's problem of not being able to close out games!
As the Islanders closed the gap to 5-3 with 9:38 to go last night, I wondered if we were in for another late game collapse. Many others, I'm sure, feared the same. Goals by Vinny Lecavalier (completing a hat trick), Michel Ouellet and Jason Ward quickly - and by quickly I mean in a span of 42 seco...
I've always wanted to offer something different to the standard moderated forum fare. Well, I've always been looking for some different from the standard moderated forum fare. In terms of talking Islanders Hockey we haven't had that in a long time. Probably since the day when YahooGroups were en vogue and people were separated into their own little private communities.
...
[i]"We ask him over and over again not to play the puck as much," Nolan said of DiPietro. "He's one of the best puck-handlers in the league, but you just can't overhandle it. When you overhandle it, you get yourself in trouble a little bit."[/i]
Sounds like Ted Nolan is just a tad bit frustrated with DiPietro making mistakes handling the puck in consecutive games which ...
[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.
The second team I will be writing about is the New York Rangers. They debuted their off-season with a bang last summer, acquiring the likes o...
We all know there is a slight rumble behind the scenes between GM Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan. The discrepancy of DP's status/sitting. Perhaps even the moving of Simon. Sure, an eyebrow or two got raised. But to construe any rumble as the beginnings of large discord seems to be premature. TSN did not help as last night, the braintrust of Bob MacKenzie (who I do love), a...
And the mountain spoke down to Chris Pronger . . . 8 games. Methinks he got off a bit light, but better than the big fat zero flub they made the first time round. Plus, Isles take on Montreal tonight.
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/BlogBoxHeaderBanner.jpg[/img]
Chris Pronger, according to TSN, you know, the guys where they think grainy footages are non-crim...
"It would be foolish to think we're rushing him in any way," Snow said. "He's been one of the best forwards in Bridgeport, averaging just under a point a game.
"He's earned a chance to put on an Islanders uniform and play at the NHL level. At the end of the day, it will be a good opportunity for him to compete. In no way are we rushing him. He's proven he's capable of p...
leafs_slayer writes...
How I think the east will play out, and the meaning of life
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
Hey. Whatsup?
I'm mostly writing this blog as amusment for myself because I am sick today, and my Satelite is broken.
I'm going to predict the standings for the rest of the season, for the whole East, using my magically new-developed formula called guessing with prior knowledge.
Here we go!
Winners in bold
OT loser in italics
[b]Devils [/b]Avalanche
[b]Sa...
With most teams now around the 10-game mark before the playoffs, battles for the top spot are fierce and today's games could see a lot of shifting in the Eastern Conference standings by end of day.
The New Jersey Devils maintained their hold on first place with a 4-2 win against an injury plagued Colorado Avalanche team, in which goalie Martin Brodeur had to be sharp in...
B.D. Gallof writes...
OkposoMania Running Wild as Isles Fall to Montreal Again
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
So after another drubbing upon the Isles, the Official Isles website has 4 stories and features on Kyle Okposo, along with the China story. And nothing about the 3-0 loss to Montreal last night. The game recap is buried. If you watched the game, you watched an ineffectual offense unable to make a dent in Halak, making him look like Hasek. And despite a better effort and go...
All the Isles fans know that Kyle Okposo will be playing his first game as an Isle but is everyone just geting a little to worked up?Don't get me wrong,with the Isles not perfoming as good as us Islander fans would like getting anyone fresh and new who could help this team is a very good thing!
But then I've heard some people say Kyle will be the next Jarome Iginla or M...
Isles have Okposo and 50% off tickets so you can see him. But, they also plead for you not to buy into the hype. A mixed message if I ever saw one. And perhaps a slight schism in the internal politics of sales mechanics versus team dynamics, as a season is awash in disappointment. There is no doubt that people like the coach, GM and VP of Media Relations, Chris Botta (who ...
[i]Wade Dubielewicz gets the start tonight and Joey MacDonald has been recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. Rick DiPietro will have an MRI on his hip this afternoon and the Islanders expect to have results on Wednesday.[/i]
-Taken from the Isles web-site
Isn't that fantastic?! Our star-netminder that is here for another 13 years is having an MRI on...
[b]DP Iced: Gone for Season [/b]
DP is now out for the year, as now his right hip will be operated on. The poorest kept secret in hockey is now done. Rick has likely been hurt since the all star game, and has clearly contributed to his second-half falter. It might also explain his extended sitting after his grandmother passed away.
So, surgery on his left hip after ...
Hockey has been one of the greatest things to ever enter my life. In most generations, kids get into hockey when they're young, very young. Sometimes even at the ages of five or six. I know a lot of people that have played hockey up through the years of middle school and then drop it like a bad habit. But the ones who continue on and play for their high school, play colleg...
OHHHHHHHHH BABY! Man as good as Joe Micheletti has been , man do I miss that phrase by John Davidson. Last night was an OH night as in the Rangers are now 6 and 0 Vs the Devils this year.
The Rangers stayed patient and played there system and with a beautiful Callahan pass to Drury in the slot ,OHHHH what a goal! There are a lot of un canny similarities to the year...
I just wanted to get some feedback from the Fishstick squad. All jokes aside it was nice to team up with my foes last week or so. With the Islanders and Rangers going to war a few of us had to inform the world just how intense the battles are. After seeing the Rangers/Devils last night, god it's great being a hockey fan in the NY area. Hats off to you who took the time...
I am all for the Mapleleafs, and would love to seem them make the playoffs, but it is not going to happen folks, let me explain. Lets consider for a moment that the Leafs win all of their remaining games for a total of 92 Points, now for the sake of argument lets assume all of the remaining teams also win all of their games so we can see how many loses each team will need ...
Eddie Cahill was in the stands tonight at the Flyers game, sitting 2nd row behind the benches. For those of you not familiar with Cahill, you might recognize him as Detective Flack from CSI: NY, Rachel's one-time boyfriend on Friends, or my bet would be you know him as Jim Craig from one of the best sports films of all time, Miracle.
I was able to sit next to Eddie duri...
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 ...
Pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157604220361470/detail/
Thank you Erica! That was fun.
Erica's pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickilynn7/sets/72157604228050714/
Shout out to #23, Jsaq, Sandy and the Fly Ladies, Karen, Brooke, Roseanne, Joyce & Steve, Theresa & Caroline and anyone else I may have forgotten.
My signs for the night (accor...
Alright we are getting down to crunch time. With seven games left in the season this is how it's looking.
Calgary - 3
Colorado - 2
Edmonton -1
Minnesota - 1
I know I have cursed the schedule earlier this year, for those many back-to-back-to-back games or the 5 days off stretches, but this could be the best way to finish the season. Everything is in our hand...
[img:right]http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20070408/capt.sge.nek63.080407234906.photo00.photo.default-512x379.jpg[/img] So the silence has been broken and Wade Dubielewicz has come out to say like many other players heading towards free agency, that Long Island is his home, he wants to stay and remain an Islander, and is happy playing for them.
But when did he actu...
[img:right]http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20070408/capt.sge.nek63.080407234906.photo00.photo.default-512x379.jpg[/img] So the silence has been broken and Wade Dubielewicz has come out to say like many other players heading towards free agency, that Long Island is his home, he wants to stay and remain an Islander, and is happy playing for them.
But when did he actu...
In spite of all the negative attention surrounding the Leafs lately, I thought I'd take a different angle and -- god forbid -- take a look to the future of a possible playoff berth. While the Leafs have their work cut out for them, it’s not impossible for them to attain post-season play. While it may seem improbable considering the teams they must leapfrog, the recent pl...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/neworleanstrip3.jpg[/img]
New Orleans is haunted. They say this as a matter-of-fact. Sure, there is that touristy aura to the French Quarter where drama club dropouts hark silly stories and half truths to Pa and Ma with the kids who have come in from Memphis. That's not the part of the French quarter I frequented. Instead we delved dee...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
They're Baaack - Flyers ice Rags in OT, Holy Grail and Weiji
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/poltergeistFlyers.jpg?t=1206499452[/img]
Just like that creepy little girl, Carol Ann, from "Poltergeist II" said, the Flyers have seriously thrust themselves back into playoff mix with a 2-1 Overtime victory against the Rangers tonight at MSG. Oh, and this one was against Lundy - not the backup. The Flyers very easi...
Hey everybody!
I know that I haven't written in a while, but I'd like to take the time to tell you why the Hurricanes made the trade of the deadline period when they acquired Joe Corvo along with Patrick Eaves from the Ottawa Senators for Mike Commodore and Cory Stillman. As of March 28, 2008, Joe Corvo has 43 points this season. Through 51 games, he had 27 points with th...
I was unable to make the game in the Blog Box. Instead, I elected to watch it with my wife and two heathen Ranger fan brothers at Chez Gallof. We ordered in Sushi. Both my brothers were in the odd position of having to root for the Isles since Philly was right on their tail. Scott seems to feel that the Ranger's best matchup is with Carolina. He might be right, but it gets...
Jeff Tambellini, who was one of the main reasons Chris Simon was moved which thus allowed him a full-time position, has been sent down to the Islanders Bridgeport affiliate once again this season.
I really have to wonder what the organization's feel for Tamby is at this point in his career. He was the first round pick of the L.A. Kings back in 2003, picked at 27th over...
Ok folks I don't have a ton of time until later tonight to post a report.
Here are just pic links for now with more coming later. Enjoy
Devils Game
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157604314558899/
NYC day tripping
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157604314620453/
Islanders game
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157604...
[b]With two games versus the Rangers this week, the Isles stand poised to spoil their playoff party[/b]
As the Isles season comes to a close with young players taking more and more minutes, one interesting thing has developed. The Isles might hold the key to the Rangers fortunes. The Rangers, Bruins and Flyers are knotted up at 91 points. Meanwhile, the Washington Caps ...
Last night, at 11pm, I got the call. I had heard rumors back when I was traversing the French Quarter of New Orleans early last week. But I held off, thinking it would not happen. That it simply could not happen. Could it?
Last night, it did happen.
Alexei Yashin will be returning to the Isles for a 4 year, 16.5 million deal. This was done between his new agent, Bori...
WGR and WKBW are reporting that Teppo Numminen's suspension has been lifted and he could play as early as Thursday. I say, as a fan, I want to see him back and playing. Especially with the current injuries, the Sabres could use some veteran presence (and a right-handed d-man) on the blue line. Teppo gives a team just that. I am not saying that this will give us a smoot...
Rob McGowan writes...
Brodeur and The Devils Aren't Fools This April Fools Day
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Sure, it's a day of practical jokes and funnies, but there was nothing funny about the Devils victory tonight at the Coliseum. Tonight Brodeur captured his 40th win of his career against the Islanders, leading his team once again to clinching a playoff spot for the 11th year in a row against our lowly Islanders. Just add Brody's accomplishment to the list of others that ha...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Some Points to be Made as the Isles Fall to NJ in OT
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/BlogBoxHeaderBanner.jpg[/img]
As you all watch the games and read the same articles, I won't bore you with the usual recap and such. I always assume you all saw what I saw. But I will share some of what I came away with from my last Blog Box Isles game for this season . . .
[b]BD's Game Key Stats [/b]
Matt Spiller getting HUGE...
Yes, the season has been over for a while now for Islander fans. Instead, we've at least been treated to a glimpse of the future. Anyone who has not been able to make a Bridgeport game now gets a good look with the Isles. The kids playing have created a lot of energy on the ice. And, despite the losses, they are still competing and playing hard, which shows Ted Nolan's ski...
This Monday at 8PM we will be able to witness the lottery draft for the first overall pick in what is one of the deepest drafts in years. Right now, although it hasn't been solidified as definite, the Islanders sit in what appears to be the fifth worst spot, prompting the possibility of getting that 1st overall pick.
Sure, many probably figure the odds are not on our si...
Here are some numbers for you:
05-06 22 46 14 244 316
07-08 47 26 08 247 214
The top numbers represent the first year after the strike...Sidney Crosby's first with the Pens. That year the team won 22 games, lost 46, had OTLs of 14...scored 244 goals and had 314 goals scored against them.
The second set of numbers is from the 81 games played THIS year. With 47 win...
Rangers clinch their spot versus the Isles. There has to be nothing more satisfying to them. And that should be a stick in one's craw.
Ted Nolan seemed to satisfied with the Isles effort. Obviously, he is easy to please these days. The way the Isles played this game as compared to the NJ where they competed, is just night and day. And I find it hard to believe someone ...
No Islanders, despite any spin otherwise, was happy with their disappearance at the Coliseum. As the post-game words were apologist effort, not a one sat satisfied with a 3-0 loss at home against their rivals. In fact, it only added to fan disappointment to the team and the season. It did not sit right.
So, last night, they ended it properly. With some respect for the ...
Dan Carcillo is a rare commodity in hockey -- a skilled player who LOVES to get his nose dirty. I have heard on several occasions that Gretzky loves the guy, and after last night's hat-trick against Dallas (the game after he fought two Stars in the same game, dropping one with a single shot) how could you not? I'm sure the 'Yotes hope his goals:fights ratio balances out a ...
For entertainment purposes, hit the link below and crank up the music.
http://jettbarig.imeem.com/music/_zAaoAzZ/saliva_ladies_and_gentlemen/
The playoffs are finally here. The New York Rangers will face off against the New Jersey Devils in a best of 7 series that will decide which team will move on to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This rivalry i...
Western Conference
1. Detroit vs 8. Nashville
Detroit dominated throughout the season, with a rough patch where many of their key defencemen were injured. Nashville made a comeback to clinch the final playoff spot due to clutch goaltending by Dan Ellis. The main concern for both teams will be in the net. Does Hasek have it in him? I say yes.
[b]Winner: Detroit[/b]
2. S...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Lighthouse Project Update and Reasons for Optimism on LI
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
At the Town of Hempteads public meeting on April 8, the Town Board will vote on a resolution to designate itself as Lead Agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act as well as issue a Positive Declaration on the application. These actions lead to the public scoping process, which defines the analysis required for the Environmental Impact tatement.
If possib...
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.....
A few years back, awaiting the first round of the playoffs to arrive, I found myself in the midst of a marathon channel surf. I was waffled on my comfy sofa, with Stanley Cups dancing in my head...Why can’t those playoffs start already!!!!
Then it happened. I came across a French TV show that has marked me ever since. I sat up, eyes focused to the little screen like...
Rob McGowan writes...
The Dust Has Settled, So How Do We Clean This Mess?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
It's been a few days now since the season has ended for our beloved franchise, and once again we are sitting on the outskirts of the playoffs looking in, watching other teams compete. All we had was the draft lottery to look forward too, and the hype faded for me almost immediately. Something about seeing Mike Milbury at a panel near the table that would possibly hold the ...
Man, I am pumped! The opening round of the playoffs in any sport is usually the most exciting time for fans -- games are on constantly and getting your playoff pools in on time is more important than making sure the cover sheet is on your TPS reports ("Ahhhhh...Yeah. It's just we're putting new coversheets on all the TPS reports before they go out now. So if you could go a...
No Look Drop Pass writes...
Sens Punished; Three keys (plus one) to rebounding in Game 2
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Going into last night's game, my heart and I were talking, and Pumpy said "They can do it! The Sens have had 6 full days off to prepare a new PP scheme, settle their PK, and to establish a gameplan for shutting down the Pens multi-headed attack...Go Sens GO!" My brain, however, had a different opinion -- "Pumpy, you are stupid and should shut your dumb ventricles up! There...
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...
Ahhh yes...the playoffs...every hockey fans favorite time of year. Where 16 teams are given that chance to win the sports ultimate prize, The Stanley Cup.
Round one has the Predators traveling to Detroit to face the President Trophy winning Red Wings. The Preds typically play the Wings tough and should provide more than enough for the Wings. Instead of doing my typical...
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...
Much like the words of the Great Ricky Bobby of Talladega Nights, a lot of the Islander skaters were playing for the right to keep their jobs. The season started with Mike Comrie, Trent Hunter, Wade Dubielewicz, Miroslav Satan, Bryan Berard, Josef Vasicek, and Ruslan Fedotenko facing free agency in the 2008 off-season.
You can now add Rob Davison to that list as well, ...
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...
After spending my entire afternoon at a local outdoor roller hockey rink, soaking in the playoff atmosphere of phlegm and teary eyes combined with the hint of summer break on the horizon, I decided it's time to assess what team I want to make the most out of their playoff opportunity.
In the West I have always liked the Sharks, Ducks, Stars, and Calgary. The Ducks in p...
For those of you who did not see the game, here is the YouTube link that shows what the notorious NHL pest, Sean Avery, did during Game 3 in Round 1 of the Rangers' series with the New Jersey Devils.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ec_2oKWe2Gw
This is absolutely atrocious, a joke, and by far an embarrassment. Sure, as a reader you may feel that I am being a biased Islande...
You can usually count on one or the other, but tonight we've been treated to both. Classless Flyer players and fans. Not only have the Flyers decided to run Huet every chance they get, but the fans are at their best with a loud and clear @sshole chant. Even Briere has decided to scum it up. And you wonder why Philadelphia sports fans have a reputation. It's hard to res...
If the visiting team triumphs tonight at Madison Square Garden, the momentum will rest solely on their shoulders. If the New Jersey Devils play the "Comeback Kids" and neutralize their 2 losses at Newark, they will be a train that cannot be stopped. Believe it or not, this Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals means just as much to the Rangers' fate than it does t...
No Look Drop Pass writes...
07-08 mercifully comes to an end...what now?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Sens season came to an end last night after a 3-1 loss to the Penguins. Losing the game/series wasn't unexpected -- at best, Ottawa was picked to lose in 6 games. But the way in which they lost -- swept, at home, while getting virtually no contributions from the big 3 (who, incidentally, may have played their last game together last night) -- put a nice ribbon on one o...
"Average is as close to the top as it is to the bottom, and I'm sick of being average," said Snow. "We've developed a strategy to become competitive every year, which is the key to winning the Stanley Cup. It's called "The Plan." And it involved three parts: drafting wisely, developing prospects and sprinkling in free agents. We're putting in all the resources to bringing ...
Tonight Chris Drury looked to have scored an icing on the cake goal for the New York Rangers putting them up 4-1 in a series deciding game 5. However, New Jersey didn't die out as it seemed they would, they rallied to come within 1. At 4-3 Dubinsky scored in the empty net to clinch the series and put the Rangers up 5-3 in the game. Also securing Chris Drury's 16th GWG in t...
Phantoms tied the series up 1-1
Phantoms won 3-0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157604623962991/detail/
I know there are just a ton of pics cause I sat in the first row. these are my favorite selections
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2424816965/in/set-72157604623962991/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2425613622/in/set-72157604623...
You want find me saying this often, but I stand by Brodeur in his decision to not shake hands with the notorious pest, Sean Avery. The handshake is meant to show respect to one another after a hard fought series of the most demanding games of the year. Personally, I only think you should show respect for someone if you honestly have it. Avery does not respect anyone at all...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Cold Hard Truth for NJ, Isles Futures, Milburied, etc
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Hard Truths in NJ, NYR Carries On, Islanders Focus On Futures, more...
[b]The Cold Hard Truths of NJ's Fall[/b]
NJ has been one of the most consistent top teams in the east for a long time now. And it is probably that fact that seems to blur some harsh realities that they are facing. Lou Lameriello is one of the best GMs in the league. And their scouting and draftpic...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Sillinger on the Mend plus some Lighthouse Tidbits
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Canada's Leader-Post has an article Monday on the recovery of Regina native, Mike Sillinger. The article, written by Greg Harder, talks about how he just resumed walking without crutches after his initial surgery back in late February.
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/local/story.html?id=1ef4f9ad-180e-4be3-b2d4-8510ebedefd0
In the article, Silling...
millertime writes...
Hillary, Philly beat Washington; 2nd Round East Preview
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
I don't mean for politics to enter a hockey website, but did anyone else see the irony in tonight's events?
7 minutes after the Flyers beat the Caps in Overtime, Hillary Clinton - who is fighting for a change in the highest office in D.C. - could be seen on CNN addressing supporters in Philadelphia.
That group Hillary addressed was a rambunctious bunch. I counted at...
I only did the western conference going 2-2. I picked Calgary and they came just a bit short, and Anaheim shocked everybody except Dallas.
Anyways.. Round 2 Predictions. Just noticed that the first, second, fifth and sixth seeds advanced in each conference. These have got to be some of the best second round matchups I have seen in quite a while.
WESTERN CONFEREN...
The Season Series
The Habs owned this one in the regular season, taking 8 out of 8 points in 4 games they played. Carey Price recorded his first NHL shutout on the front end of their February home-and-home with the Flyers and stopped 66 of 67 shots over the two games. Philadelphia went 2 for 22 on the power-play in the season series, while Montreal was a better 6 for 25...
Big fan of former LAK GM Dave Taylor.
In my mind, to be a successful GM of a rebuilding team you need three strong qualities:
1) The ability to build through the draft
2) The ability to make shrewd trades
3) The ability to pick up bargains in the UFA market
In my mind, Taylor has all three of these qualities, and I'll quickly explain why, providing some exam...
When I wrote my first blog for all the hockey fans watching their team on the golf course while other teams competed in the playoffs, I announced that the Washington Capitals were my choice to go as far as possible. Unfortunately that all came to an end two days ago and now I have to sit back in my chair and decide once again.
We're left with Detroit playing the Avs and...
The Avalanche team that we'll see in round 2 is far stronger than their regular season showing. Joe Sakic spent most of the year on IR, Forsberg was signed in February, and Adam Foote was acquired at the deadline. With all that Stanley Cup experience (in Colorado nonetheless) it's safe to say that their springtime presence is invaluable. That being said, we should still...
The following originally appeared at [url=http://www.checkingline.com/2007/01/19/overhauling-video-review/][i]The Checking Line[/i][/url] in January of 2007. Because of a great conversation in the Chat room with Ek, Scoop and others tonight, I've decided to re-post it here.
[quote]So I'm sitting here watching the Vancouver/Buffalo game. An apparent goal scored by Drew ...
With work, school, and final papers/exams, it has been a bit tough to catch a lot of these playoff games, and it truly does disappoint me. Today I just had enough time to only catch the final buzzer of the third period of Game 2 in the Pens/Rangers series, and you can imagine that I liked seeing Avery get what he had coming too him...but there is a lot more to be seen from...
Everyone deals with those common, plaguing questions that it seems everyone must ask you. We've all got a memory of being stuck at a party (unfortunately, not the fun, alcohol driven college variety) and having 20+ people ask the same question. What did you study in school? What are you doing with your life? Have you seen Uncle Joe's nosehair?
At first, those questions ...
The Pittsburgh Penguins look like they have made enormous strides. They have matched the Rangers in two heavy weight matches. In the first they were able to take three blows to the head and then come back with some cheap jabs and then one knockout punch. Yesterday, they held their own in their own corner playing defense until Staal roofed a shot past the King. As muc...
Just saw the Hart Trophy finalists. Can't really say that I'm surprised, nor can I really disagree with the names there. Certainly, Ovechkin, Malkin and Iginla are all very deserving candidates.
But, once again, defensemen are conspicuous in their absence, not just in the list of finalists but from the discussion altogether.
Chris Pronger took home the big trophy in ...
Barring some unexpected, significant Isles news between now and then, I don't plan on doing any Isles blogging until some time in between the entry draft and free agency. I had a blast this year - with the Blog Box and all - but between that, a rough season all around and my Lightning responsibilities here at Hockeybuzz, it was taxing ... and I need a break.
Thanks to a...
First, let's make something very clear. I am happy for Daniel Briere and Martin Biron tonight. I loved them while they were in Buffalo, and I still love them. They're the type of guys I'm going to follow the rest of their careers, regardless of where they play. Also, kudos to the Flyers in general for coming up big when it mattered most in this pivotal game 4.
But.....
I'm not surrounded by many hockey fans where I work...but somehow I managed to get the Pens/Rags game on the tube to help pass time on a slow day. Let me tell ya it was much better than watching baseball...and the fact that the Pens held off the Rangers after erasing a 3-1 deficit made it all the better.
But I cannot ignore to mention the fact that a typical hit from b...
Blamm writes...
Game 6, The Final Four (the NHL remix), and The Great Monkey
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Well, put that one in the books. You can tell the real fans from the "I'm just watching because the Mavs aren't playing" fans this morning by the red, cracked eyes. It took four overtimes in Game 6, but the Stars finally finished off the Sharks at 1:30 am Central with a 2-1 victory. When Morrow scored the game winner, we wondered if they would just review it out of habi...
If there's anything certain in this year's playoffs, it appears to be this: pray you're player didn't do a Stanley Cup promo. If you've watched any hockey this post season, you've undoubtedly seen the spots ending with various NHL stars stating, "and that's how the Cup changes everything." Let's see how these featured players are doing:
Roberto Luongo and his Canucks ...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Blog Box Loses Their Blogfather: Botta Resigns from Isles
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
My first interaction with Chris was way back in 2000 when Wang just assumed ownership. I was just a regular overopinionated fan (like that has changed) and they had asked through the Isles website for questions and feedback. I had always found him pretty open and candid, even back then.
Flash forward to today, as I read the newsfeed at 5:45am where there is an article b...
[b]Money for Nothing . . . and your chicks for free[/b]
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/moneyfornothing1.jpg[/img]
It seems that the Isles are much like beachcombers these days. They have become that old frizzled sun-gnarled guy, complete with one of those metal detectors that used to be a minute fad in the late 80s. You know the sort; the ones who shuffle arou...
We enter that time of the NHL season when I am torn.
You see, now that the playoffs are winding down, the hockey is getting better and better. The games are more intense, and we're just one step away from hockey's Holy Grail. The downside of all of this hockey goodness? Games are farther apart and fewer, and by this time next month, hockey will be pretty much done an...
That's a lyric from the Kid Rock song "Wasting Time". Not my favorite song of his (I am a fan though) but a darn good lyric. And one representative of this year's version of the Detroit Red Wings.
Everyone in Detroit remembers Steve Yzerman lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time. Even if they didn't see it live or weren't old enough to really remember it. The image ...
We're down to the final round before the Stanley Cup. The remaining two teams after the Conference Finals will own some minor bragging rights to the East and the West, but the Cup is what defines it all. It defines every injury that was played through; every broken bone, blood gushing wound, any limp or ache: everything. And now we're only 14 games away from it all, at the...
1) The game is over by 9pm. Wow, what a difference it makes to have an opponent in your time zone.
2) The first two periods had me in "gulp" mode, but I think the Stars were somewhat shell-shocked at the start (though I can't really say why). However, a strong 3rd period showed more of the team we've seen in the first two rounds...so I'm feeling better now. I don't t...
One of the worst things about the offseason is that there is a media blackout. In this cacophony of media silence, there will be slight reprieves as we approach the draft and then the leading up to the UFA period. But, most of us have either found themselves watching the playoffs or frustrating themselves with following baseball. Most hockey teams basically shut down and w...
Jon Jordan writes...
The Coaching Carousel Could Soon Hit Full Spin Cycle
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
***This is a reprint of today's entry from my main page Lightning blog.***
Ron Wilson's ousting as head coach of the San Jose Sharks makes him the latest name to be added to the ever-growing list of NHL coaching candidates. Technically, there are six vacancies at present - Atlanta, Colorado, Florida, Ottawa, San Jose and Toronto - with three other intriguing situations ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Could Blake still be missing LI? Here we go again...
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
As recently reported per TSN, Blake is open to the possibility of being traded this summer.
There's no question that the Leafs had a very poor season and have spent too much money on players that were not worth the cash, Blake being one of them. His 40 goal season from two years ago was not a part of his game play this year, as he finished with 13 goals and 52 points. ...
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...
B.D. Gallof writes...
NY Islanders Creating Dialogue And Accountability With Fans
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Last night, with both Ranger fan brothers in tow to do a dry run on something we will be working over the summer, we went to the sparsely attended, yet extremely insightful and inclusive new initiative of the NY Islanders. The Isles plan on having these meetings every month, the next is likely June 4th. At these meetings, you have the opportunity to intermingle and kibbutz...
Jsaquella writes...
Random Thoughts...Back Burner Rivalries and British Comedy
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I am a fan of a lot of British comedy. Basically, anything from Python, to Fawlty Towers to Eddie Izzard to Benny Hill. I nabbed a copy of "Shaun Of The Dead" on amazon.com for a dollar last week. Great bang for THAT buck. Anyhow....
-Rivalries. They spur the emotions, and get a nice level of blood lust going for fans. One thing I am seeing more and more of is the back ...
[b]Optimist:[/b] Good morning, all! I'm Optimist!
[b]Pessimist:[/b] And I'm Pessimist. Today, we'll be breaking down the remainder of the Dallas / Detroit series.
[b]Optimist:[/b] That's right. On the verge of being swept, the Stars have come back from the edge and have made this a series! What exciting hockey to watch! I hope this series goes to seven games, regar...
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...
I have to say, although I was the one who was duped it was actually pretty clever, and I have to admit, one of the better pranks that I've witnessed. And I will have all of you know that I am not as gullible as you will soon think. I actually am typically the one who is doing the pranking.
For instance, a few years ago I had my friend who was the back-up goalie for my ...
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:KkcU7fWpIVfrVM:http://www.acc-tv.com/images/globalnews/gp_republican_1006.jpg[/img][img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:C9MhQbEeolU42M:http://www.acc-tv.com/images/globalnews/gp_democrat_1006.jpg[/img]
As if we've not been inundated enough with Politics already, there is a new issue looming on the horizon in the Philadelphia Me...
The [i]Pittsburgh Post-Gazette[/i] published a cartoon that showed the giant Uniroyal tire that is near Detroit Metro Airport adorned in Winged Wheel regalia. The air was going out of the tire and the caption was "Deflate the Wings."
In response, the [i]Detroit Free Press[/i] invited readers to submit their own posters to counteract the Penguin attack.
Currently, 28 ...
MrBigglesworth writes...
FLYERS DEFENCE : Free Agency Analysis & Predictions
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[b]Randy Jones will get re-signed for $1.3 mill multi-yr deal.[/b]
[b]I predict Hatcher, Smith and Modry all off the books come next season.[/b] With Hatcher retiring/buyout and Smith/Modry leaving as FA's. Big Hatch does have 1 more yr left on his 3.5m contract, but I will go on a limb and point at Rathje to compare. Youngsters Parent and Kuks both played solid in t...
I think that the Vancouver Canucks might trade to get Steven Stamkos. Whether this includes Sedins or some major Prospects (Schneider, Hansen, Bourdon, Raymond, White) but they will try. If they do get it with the Sedins, then they drop 7.5 million to sign or trade for bigger, tougher guys. But, i can honestly see that their will be a big trade involving Tampa and Vancouve...
Here we go, the last "Outsiders Looking In" Edition of the summer, and with only two teams remaining there should be plenty of us, so let's start talking some Stanley Cup hockey.
[b]The Pittsburgh Penguins vs. The Detroit Red Wings[/b]
A battle of talent that at times is so good it's obscene. Strong, impressive goaltending on both ends, young and rising stars that ha...
Thanks to Larry Brooks stirring the pot just a little, there is now word circulating the internet that Avery could be an Islander come next year. We can all agree he loves being in New York and that he can spark a team, but is it really possible he will go to the Islanders? Many people say that if he doesn't get the money he wants from the Rangers, he could seek to stay in...
It's been a great ride for the Penguins in the 2007-2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
These guys have shown a lot of heart and character over the course of the first 3 rounds...and even through two scoreless games of the finals.
Even so, you can't help but get the feeling that time is running out on the Pens.
Two shutout losses in Detroit have demonstrated how complete a...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Call to Isles Fans: Town of Hempstead Town Hall 7pm Tonight!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=364301
Visit the Town of Hempstead Town Hall on May 27 at 7 pm to join your fellow Isles fan as the Town of Hempstead has it's 2nd Scoping session. This is where towns come out to support, complain or harp about issues. It is a good time for Isles fans to also make their presence known, to...
So the Latest from the NY Post has the Rangers walking away from Sean Avery. Are we missing something? Does Aves have pics of Sather in Marv Albert gear? Did Sather have his heart set on dating the Olsons? Well it looks like the closest Glen will get to one of them, is watching his Full House DVDs on the plane. What makes this situation even worse is that it looks Long Is...
The Series heads back to Pittsburgh for what could be the start of many years of seeing the Pens in the SCF or could be the last time that we see a SCF game played in Pittsburgh for a little while.
I will not go totally negative with the blog (just for you Jules) but history shows that the Pens have a long tough road to travel against these Wings in order to just get ...
Lighthouse Project's scoping sessions seemed to go well. Unfortunately, yours truly could not make these sessions. However, with contacts in the Town of Hempstead and those who are in the know, I've been given a unique eagle eye view of the process thus far. And today I am going to share that by giving you Nick Giglia's observations from both Lighthouse scoping meetings. N...
With the Playoffs underway and the Stanley Cup taking center stage, there hasn't been too much talk in Islander Country of what to expect at the draft or next season. It's been pretty quiet, and I'll admit I've been waiting for some news, good news in particular...and it seems that I'm still waiting.
[b]Wade Dubielewicz will hit the open market[/b]
It was stated in N...
I thought this was pretty cool of the Phillies to have a Flyers night. I saw alot of people wearing Flyers shirts and gear (jerseys etc)
I got to the game and right as I walked in the Flyers were on the field.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2548096666/in/set-72157605406936564/
Biron threw out the first pitch
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/25472750...
Kings have aquired St.Louis Blues 2009 5th round draft pick for 20 yr old T.J. Fast. Fast spent last year in WHL.
Fast, 20, was selected by the Kings in the second-round (60th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He played in 71 games this past season with Tri-City of the Western Hockey League where he recorded 54 points (17-37=54) and 92 penalty minutes.
I think t...
Last night, before we were treated to another barnburner from two of the best in the NHL (I called Detroit in 6, by the way), I joined the Isles for another open house. This time it was the rolling out of the Business Club.
The description on their website nor emails did not quite touch how classy and a treat this would be. This food spread put the [i]Gallof hosted Blog...
Happy Saturday hooligans.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
As usual enjoy.
MrBigglesworth writes...
Trade Analysis : Flyers get Syvret for Potulny
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[b]The gunslinger strikes again.[/b] In typical Paul Holmgren style, the Flyers acquired defender Danny Syvret from the Oilers for center Ryan Potulny. Hockey is business and this trade was about each team believing that they traded-up to what they think could potentially pay off most for them in the future.
[b]From a Flyers perspective, it was just a matter of time ...
With 12 days separating us from the NHL Draft, I believe it's time for the Isles to start locking up some of their key RFA's, but with the exception of Tim Jackman they have yet to do so.
Jackman was a solid fourth liner when called upon, but his role is to serve a spot in the minors. That leaves us with Bergenheim, Colliton, Tambellini, Nielsen, Walter, Regier, Brenna...
So we know what the fans all want. [b]Nikita Filatov[/b]. No matter the site, Filatov seems to be far and away the top choice of Isles fans. Now before all those Russian bashers all come flying in, lets talk about this kid who just turned 18 years of age.
Unlike some others, namely last year's Ranger's draft pick, he is know for a great work ethic. Filatov brings his to...
We are approaching the draft which means many people are anticipating a bunch of trades , and major trades at that so I decided to add my two cents to the things going around.
[b]First off - [/b]The Toronto Maple leafs should not and I highly doubt they will trade for the likes of Malkin, Gaborik or Olli. Why? They need to REBUILD! And while the argument can be made t...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Things to do now that Hockey season is over...
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_Stanley_Cup.jpg[/img]
[b]Things to do now that Hockey season is over...[/b]
Now that the Wings have hoisted, dropped and cleaned the chili out of Lord Stanley's hardware, my thoughts wander as to how hockeybuzzards might [i][b]try[/b][/i] to return to being active, useful members of society, assuming they ever we...
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...
Happy Saturday.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Enjoy or hate as usual!!!
It seems I get more and more who hate the blog each week, I like it.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/eternalyashin.jpg[/img]
(Our hopes, dreams and our future fortunes are only possible if we forget our past. )
Let me all welcome you to the crossroads. The crossroads of where there is two different paths. One path is some hype and hopes, but likely mediocrity. The other is a tougher road ...
Ok,Ok this is just speculation but the Rangers and the Pens have a deep history of making trades. So no one can respond that the Pens would never move one of the best centers in the game to a division rival. But with hints in the air that Malkin may become expendable if Hossa signs back on in the Steel city,it's got to be explored.Looking back on past trades,the two teams...
Here's a switch from traditional thinking - A Canadian team that will accept missing the play-offs this year and a Florida team that MUST win or face potentially franchise threatening woes.
The set-up is there to see some deals done with the salary cap as a factor for both teams, but with needs on both sides that might see a decent fit.
Tampa has continually been loo...
A source [Who is a friend] not to be named out of Boston has emailed this to me:
[quote]Hey [My real Name will not be shown],
I was working last night at the bar, and one of the Bruins walked in!
He was only there for about a half hour but the media that followed stayed longer.
I was talking to one of the media members, and he said he heard a rumor that would send Ke...
[i][b]Criteria[/b][/i]
Under 35 UFA defenceman
[b][i]Legend[/i][/b]
Name age ; current salary/projected salary
[b]Name[/b] in bold are players I like most to sign w/ Flyers
[u][b]TOP TIER over 5mill[/b][/u]
[b]Redden [/b]age31 ; 6.5/6.5
[b]Campbell[/b] age29 ; 1.7/6.5
[b][u]MIDDLE TIER 2-4mill[/u][/b]
[b]Roszival[/b] age29 ; 2.1/4
Stuart age28 ; 3.5/4
...
[b]IF[/b] the Canucks had to trade their 10th overall to get a big player in return would you do it? If it meant the Canucks getting Jokinen should we do it? With Nonis locking up all our big trade bait players to NTC it might just have to be a center piece of a big trade. The big question is would you rather have one of the top ten kids in this draft or have Olli Jokinen?...
Team1040 radio out of Vancouver is reporting that a source in Ottawa is sayin Malkin to L.A for 2nd overall pick and Cammilari.
Why is this canucks rated? Malkin+Kopitar=Force.
Before I get started with what to and not to expect this evening on Draft Day, I feel there are a few hot topics that should be addressed (and I know I'm a little late on these).
First off....Alexei Yashin. It's been causing massive hysteria on our island to think that our so-called youth movement may be quarterbacked on the frail shoulders of our former captain that w...
Flyers slated for #27 selection.
Previous draft comps..
2004 #29 Washington Mike Green
2003 #28 Anaheim Corey Perry
2003 #29 Ottawa Patrick Eaves
2001 #31 Buffalo Derek Roy
2000 #28 Philadelphia Justin Williams
1999 #26 Ottawa Martin Havlat
1998 #27 New Jersey Scott Gomez
1998 #29 San Jose Jonathan Cheechoo
There is a light at the end of the tunnel!
My w...
The draft is at 7pm which can be seen (hopefully) on Versus. Isles draft party doors open at 5:30pm. Two Blog Box members are in Ottawa on-hand. A gaggle of others, including yours truly will be on-hand at the Coliseum tonight. I have not decided if I will be live-blogging or just soaking it all in via camcorder and recorder, and then just doing a wrap-up later tonight or ...
Ron Guillet writes...
Meet the Leafs' Best New Prospect -- Schenn Connection?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
After Cliff Fletcher traded the Leafs' 7th overall pick -- along with conditional draft picks -- to the New York Islanders for their 5th overall selection, I had my suspicions he was after the highly coveted Russian sniper, Nikita Filatov. But nicer words were never spoken after the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Kelowna Rockets (OHL) defenseman, Luke Schenn.
In Schenn, t...
I don't claim to know Sundin's mind, but at the first round of the NHL Draft Fletcher indicated that the Canadiens have been granted "exclusive" negotiating rights until July 1. This suggests at the very least, some sort of gentleman's agreement between Gainey and Fletcher. Sure, Fletch may simply want a few extra days notice if Mats is going to leave....in such a case...
The Flyers picked up young NHL D man, Steve Eminger in a draft day trade with Washington.
[img]http://dcpages.com/gallery/d/33188-4/16_copy.jpg[/img]
The Flyers paid a significant price in giving over a first rounder, the 27th overall pick, to the Caps for the 24 year old, but they did also get a 3rd round pick from them as well.
Though originally drafted a...
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...
So I'm sitting back on a lawn chair outside of the cheap motel my friends and I were staying at out in Montauk. Nothing special, just a nice weekend away with everyone on the beach....bonfires, beers, mallows....good times. As a few of us are sitting back with our cold brews, we listen intently to phone calls from home with updates of what's going on at the NHL draft. It w...
Everyone knows that Rounds 1 and 2 produce the most NHL caliber players.
This blog reveals my personal opinion of the 2008 draft rounds 3 thru 7 sleeper picks...
[u][b]Mr Big's Late Round Sleepers[/b][/u]
_____round 3
#63 Kings -Robert Czarnik (c)
#66 Islanders - David Toews (c)
#67 Flyers - Marc-Andre Bourdon (d)
#72 Islanders - Jyri Niemi (d)
#73 Islanders...
New blog. Old slogan.
This is the [b]Drive for Five[/b].
[img]http://nycya.com/5/images/CupBanners.jpg[/img]
Past, present and future guide to the Islanders
(and their fans) quest for a fifth Stanley Cup.
Stories, tales, lies and exaggerations from an Islanders Country expatriate, living in the heart of arch-enemy territory.
[url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/5[/url]
...
Looking into the Panthers draft day move that brought in two more young defenseman,they may be gearing up for a deal. With Jay Bouwmeester's status as an RFA the Panthers may be smelling a huge offer sheet or looking into dealing his rights for a new team to hammer out a contract. I was surprised they moved Jokinen for a deal involving two more D-men,but they may be co...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Isles Draft Analysis, including Matt Ebbs, from ISS Hockey
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
In days of yore, we'd be recovering from some sort of catastrophic calamity whose reverberations would be lasting years, not just days. Or in this case, one Friday evening. In the past, we'd wave goodbye to Luongo, the pick that was Spezza, the hulking brut of Chara, and sit and try convince ourselves that all would be ok. Even though, somewhere within us, we knew better. ...
[i]Did you feel it too?[/i]
That brief, awkwardly off balance moment. Like taking the extra step in the staircase that isn't there, or lifting the empty milk carton you thought was full.
Filatov! Schenn! Wilson? Filatov!
Trade!
[i]Wait, what?[/i]
Trade again!
[i]Really?[/i]
Josh Bailey!
[i]Who?[/i]
What just happened?
[i]I need to lie down.[/i]
[b]Someone call...
I must begin by saying that this draft may go down in Devils history as the time when seeds were planted for the new era. Quite frankly, it’s about time. Defense alone will win you games, yes, but one needs simply to look back upon the last few playoff series where the Devils were eliminated to know that changes are necessary. In 2007 and 2008, the Devils were knocked ou...
Yesterday the Flyers traded Tristan Grant and a 7th Round Pick in 2009 for 26 year old Defenseman Janne Niskala. This trade is a low risk-high reward deal in my opinion. The Flyers lose a probably AHL lifer and a 7th Round Pick, but gain a defenseman who has loads of international experience and recently had an all-star caliber rookie season in the AHL. With two simple tra...
I had an interesting thought today, and really don't know if it is do-able under the CBA, but would certainly be a bold move...if it were possible.
This is pretty out there. Here's how it would work.
Cliff Fletcher announces this week that Darcy Tucker will be bought out.
Tucker is bought out and gets a nice little sum of $1 million or so a year for a few years. ...
A fellow at YouTube named McKay4429061 (he's a big Randy McKay fan) has an account of 428 videos, dedicated to the Devils' Stanley Cup runs in 1995 and 2000. I'm sure he's working on 2003 as we speak. Here's his page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/McKay4429061
Enjoy!
Say what you want about the season itself, but perhaps the true defining moment of the Devils' 2007-08 season came long before the first puck ever dropped. While July 1, 2007 was a day of glory for some teams, for the Devils it was a day of hopelessness. Despite past offseasons where the shrewdness of GM Lou Lamoriello typically paid dividends, in the summer of 2007 it pro...
With the coming of Eminger, I do not expect the Flyers to land a Campbell, Liles or Roszival type UFA. As much as I'd like to think we could get an RFA like Boumeester, I dont see us signing anyone over 3mill.
--UFA--
UFA [b]Joe DiPenta[/b] - age 26, 6'4", 220lbs. Shoots Right.
6 points and +3 in 23 games, with 16 PIMs and 5 shots on goal, but he averaged ONLY 11 m...
This is a new blog. These are just my opinions. Hope you find it insightful.
[b]Ryan Malone Signs 7/31mil in TB.[/b] In the past 3 years I would have disagreed drastically with this signing but I actually like this for TB. To me this is a good fit for a team that desperately needs top 6 wingers. Malone as shown in Pitsburgh is a nice complimentary player when surro...
That's right. Forget about tomorrow (Tuesday July 1st) as a day that your team will get better. Darcy might try to make a splash by signing a UFA, but his bid will fall far short of what other ravenous teams out there will be offering.
Wait for Wednesday and Thursday to arrive, when the big money is off the table, and the Tier 2 UFA's are still around. I'm forecastin...
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 ...
By this time tomorrow, many Isles fans may be sitting at their computers disappointed with lackluster results on the day of Free Agency...but many may not. Snow has all ready set up the safety net for the strong possibility of his club not signing any marquee free agents. We saw last year's Free Agency period kick start many Isles fans into an uproar, demanding refunds on ...
The Ricky Deez one man show! This looks like it will be a rough one. If we add Weight it will be great (was that like "if the glove doesn't fit".....?). He is a vet presence that will help Neilsen develop and it would give us a secondary threat down the middle. Bailey with Comrie and 2 others a few years from now, we will need someone else over the next couple to step in. ...
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...
Drive for Five writes...
'Streit' Jackets on sale now in the Islanders Store
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://nycya.com/5/images/streitjacket.jpg[/img]
With the recent signing of former Canadiens defenseman Mark Streit, what better way to make a buck off of the fans you've driven completely insane? The Islanders 'Streit' Jacket is here just in time to protect you from yourself and others. Yours for the low price of $71.08, to commerate the signing date of our new powe...
NYIsles16 writes...
NYI vs. NYR: Mark Streit vs. Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As we all know, I am an Islanders fan and I usually write only Islanders blogs, but I felt I should address the signing of Wade Redden as I see it. As July 1st came for the Islanders and the Rangers, I made sure that this year I would be better prepared for the sounds of crickets and mice running through the Coliseum, while also preparing myself to hear announcements all d...
The New York Islanders announced today the signing of Doug Weight to a one year, $1.75 Million contract. It is a bonus laden contract and could add up to $4.3 Million if he is to trigger every bonus. While many fans are already complaining of Weight being extremely past his prime, I will not argue with them in that light, but I will argue that it is a good signing for many...
Many Flyers fans who watched all of the free agent and trade craziness in the last few days are scratching their heads wondering why the Flyers have only made a handful of relatively minor moves.
The answer is...Addition thru Subtraction !
[b][i]Lets examine how this 'Final Four' team has improved in the off-season thus far...[/i][/b]
[u][b]Umberger out ; Giroux i...
The Islanders might finally be doing it right.
In adding defenseman Mark Streit to nurture an ailing power play on a 5-year deal for the [i][b]right[/b][/i] price, Garth Snow did his job well. This addresses a need and doesn't take away from any deserving youngster looking for ice time.
In bringing in cagey veteran Doug Weight to center the top line on a 1-year deal,...
I am as disappointed as any Pens fan and season ticket holder about the loss of Marian Hossa.
You can also probably guess, judging from my name and picture, I am not the biggest Red Wings fan.
Nonetheless, Marian Hossa did something yesterday that is seldom, if ever, seen in professional sports.
At the end of the season, Hossa said that he would take less money to...
I am not going to go crazy about the Islanders draft or their free agent signings to this point because I am somewhat encouraged by what has gone down over the last few weeks. Garth Snow is nothing but honest. He said he would do things to facilitate the rebuilding process and help the club wins some more games. He did, albeit on a minor level. As currently constituted, I ...
In the summer of 2006, the Devils’ attempt to fill out their roster with 2000 Stanley Cup members Alexander Mogilny and Vladimir Malakhov did not exactly work out as planned. Malakhov barely played and was subsequently traded to San Jose the following offseason, while Mogilny was barely a shell of his former self before sustaining an injury which allowed the Devils to wi...
With three days all ready passed since the opening of Free Agency, the Islanders seem to be pretty settled with their signings. With the exception of a few possible signings for their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, it's safe to say the Isles are done.
First off, before I go on any further, I would like to say, did I call the Doug Weight signing, or did I c...
Enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blog/
Have a great weekend.
RyanGarnerSucks writes...
Sharks fans! Help me get Ryan Garner off the middle column!
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
How many Sharks fans love to come on to this great website and get the extra tidbits that the Mercury just doesn't provide? This is mainly what brings me here. Along with the rumors or other news around the NHL that is hard to get anywhere else.
What I run into however is very different... I find myself reading articles that eat at my insides because they tear apart the...
I would have thought that after July 1st, the Marleau going to wherever nonsense would have stopped! But apparently some people have not received the memo that he has a no trade clause in his contract that locked him up for the next two years that kicked in on the 1st of the month. I still keep seeing in multiple places people mentioning the idea of Marleau being traded a...
Now that we're a full week into free agency, some of the contracts handed out still stagger me.
Still, that's not to say that the signings will not help their new teams, just that I feel GM's were fast and loose with the checkbook.
Here's a team by team look at the East and How I grade their FA work:
Atlanta: [b]D-[/b]
Re-signed Johan Hedberg and added Ron Hain...
Wasn't that long ago when Pronger announced he wanted out of Edmonton after just signing a 6 year deal there. Pronger along with numerous other Oilers (Spacek, Peca, Samsanov, etc) formed a mass exodus out of Edmonton, the City, not the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. A team just 4 weeks prior played in a 7th game of the Cup finals. Pronger had his problems personally, his...
So for those of you who get lost sometimes in trades, I've tried to compile a good list of what Buffalo has given up and then gotten through trades in 2008:
[i][b]Trade Deadline Day 2008:[/b][/i]
[b]Sabres give up:[/b]
[20 Games of service from Brian Campbell]
7th round pick in 2008 Entry Draft [later became Drew Daniels (RW)]
[b]Sabres get:[/b]
Steve Bernier (...
For the third summer in a row, the Islanders and Sean Bergenheim continue to be on complete opposite sides when it comes to a contract. Obviously, Sean Bergenheim and his agent Marc Gandler feel that he has proven himself worthy of a long term, lucrative contract, while Garth Snow still feels Bergenheim has some proving to do and should receive either a one or two year, lo...
Today, Flyers forward Patrick Thoreson has announced he is returning to Europe for next season. He will likely end up in Switzerland or Sweden. Before signing with the Oilers he played for Djurgarden and will likely return to play there. He will definitely be in the NHL in two years. He works his hardest on every shift and plays solid defense. If he can learn to bury his o...
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 ...
Drive for Five writes...
Why We Deserve the Winter Classic at Yankee Stadium.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://nycya.com/5/images/wcsnoglobe.jpg[/img]
I can't get the thought of an Islanders Rangers Winter Classic at Yankee Stadium out of my head. I want it. Bad.
Ya know what else? I think we deserve it. All of us. Islanders fans, Rangers fans, hockey fans, baseball fans, New Yorkers, Long Islanders, Earthlings, and my dog.
We put up with a lot of garbage. On the...
QUICK NOTE: Radulov has agreed to opt out of his third year of his current rookie contract to sign with a Russian team.
http://allhockey.ru/news/33166
nreeb21 writes...
Is the Re-build shot? What options do the Leafs Have?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
There has been much crash and bang about the Leafs moves so far this off season. Signings, buyouts and trades, especially of the draft picks involved. Here is my opinion of the moves thus far. Just keep in mind that an opinion is like an anus, everyone has one and you really only care about your own.....Now mine.
Buyouts:
[b]Tucker[/b] - $1 million cap hit for the...
ladynic writes...
Riley Cote/Steve Downie Autograph signings (pics included)
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Mid Summer Flyers updates don't happen a whole bunch take advantage.
If you read nothing else past this point, know that I talked to Riley Cote today regarding the Cote Carnival and he assures me (and several others) that the Carnival is still on and will take place. Please check the website for updates. The only thing that changed is the organizer of the event. You...
Rob McGowan writes...
Quiet on the Island With a Few Rumblings Here and There
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Since the start of free agency not much has occurred in Islander Country, but the media continues to draw attention to the Snow and Nolan rivalry, and it seems that there is definitely something brewing.
The early extension of Brendan Witt definitely raised a few eyebrows. Almost every fan I know was happy about this signing as Witt has been one of our most consistent ...
The Associated Press is reporting Ted Nolan has been fired by the New York Islanders. The team's official Web site has confirmed the move.
General Manager Garth Snow on Nolan's ouster:
"Ted has helped us achieve some success over the last two seasons, however it has become clear that we have philosophical differences and have decided together to part ways," said Snow...
[img]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20080714/nolan_47149.jpg[/img]
Ted Nolan's rocky reign as Islanders coach is now over. According to reports GM Garth Snow and Ted Nolan have decided to part ways. Kudos to Owner Charles Wang and Co. for giving Ted another go at an NHL bench and getting his foot back in the door, and at YoDingDong we wish Ted the best.
This is th...
Think back for a moment to the New Jersey Devils' three Stanley Cup championships in 1995, 2000, and 2003. In each of these cases, several important roster changes needed to be made in order to eventually lead the Devils to the promised land. And with two key free agent signings now under their belts, perhaps the 2008-09 Devils are one trade away from Stanley Cup number fo...
Aside from finishing school and being a free-lance aspiring writer I work at my buddies liquor store part time for some extra cash. We have a "regular" he buys McCormick Vodka, half-pints, daily. And during this past NHL season, knowing we are Flyer fans in the store, he would always ask me and my co-workers "When they gonna bring up Gauthier?" He was so set on it, he thou...
Eric Desjardins has returned to the Flyers after just retiring two seasons ago, not as a player this time, but a coach. "Rico" will be working as a part-time developmental coach. He is expected to work closely with the prospects during the 8-day rookie camp that opens this Friday. With a veteran presence helping the young defensemen the Flyers have like Sbisa and Bourdon, ...
To say I was expecting this would be a tremendous understatement. For the past two weeks I have been saying how we will not be seeing Nolan behind the bench to begin this season. There have been too many problems encompassing our poor Islanders this off-season, and now we've reached the pinnacle.
For a long time now, we have seen this tremendous (and public) debacle th...
[b]Current Events[/b]
So you thought it was going to be just another boring summer? As Isles fans well know, boring it never seems to be. Many Isles fan harp on that the coaching change is just another dreaded blemish to the cavalcade that have traipsed past us over the long and arduous years as Isles fans. Those dubious bruises to our fan egos that have hit us over and...
Points to note: McCabe has not been benched or told to stay home, reporters keep suggesting that it may happen, but Fletcher has so far dealt in good faith. Howard Berger seems to keep bringing it up on Hockey Buzz, but Fletcher so far seems to me to have been avoiding the public bashing that some few fans and media have been employing.
Second point: As a media generate...
Now, depending on who you read and which NHL insiders you trust, the next coach of the Islanders will be someone who is accepting of a massive youth movement. No, wait, he will have to be able to deal with disgruntled veterans. Hold it. That is not it either. I got it. I think.
He willl have to be a little crazy. Why? Besides the obvious reasons like a terrible arena, d...
[b]The Last Word[/b]
Authority. A yoke that fits some, and others not so well. When Ted Nolan and John Muckler clashed in Buffalo, stories littered the landscape in their wake. Hasek vs. Nolan and other more seedier tales that seemed terribly unfair. But perhaps not more unfair as the many years it took for Nolan to return.
When Snow and Nolan crossed swords, there ...
roenickscores08204 writes...
Rumor: Flyers agree to four-year extension with Lupul
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Team 1260 in Edmonton is reporting that the Flyers have reached an agreement with Right Winger Joffrey Lupul. The deal is rumor to be a four-year extension and Sportnet is reporting that it will be about 4.25 million per year. Lupul finished last season with 46 points in just 56 games. He was on pace for well over 30 goals before an unfortunate collision with teammate Deri...
There's not much to say now about the Ted Nolan firing as it's all been taken care of. From my perspective I have to say that I am not happy that we have lost the best coach that we've had since Peter Laviolette. Teddy was one of the only few bright spots on this team, causing a team of underachievers and overrated veterans to actually be a competitive hockey team. But whe...
Lost in the shuffle of a busy offseason in Toronto is the status of Jason Blake. The drafting of Schenn, Sundin saga and the signings of Finger and Hagman have for better or worse received most of the attention of the media. The soon to be 35 year old American had a terrible year in 07/08 on a number of levels. We all know of the cancer scare he received and Jason has do...
Shout outs to
Karen, brooke, #23, Kristin, Donna, Theresa, Jeremy, Eric, and Erica.
They skated these kids very hard. At the end of the whole day several players jerseys were absolutely drenched all the way not in inch left unsweaty.
No one really stood out to me as head and shoulders above everyone else. Plus there was alot of skating drills as the Power Skati...
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'...
While it is not yet the end of July, it's hard not to think about the upcoming hockey season, especially given the current state of the Devils and everything that has happened since last season's disappointing playoff loss. It seems as though the Devils have addressed their most pressing needs, and in just two months time, we finally will get to see how the seeds planted t...
ladynic writes...
7/23/08 Trial on the Isle, Flyers prospect camp event (pics)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Shout outs to Erica, Brenda, Karen, Julie, Brooke, Theresa, Donna, Bill and Scott
Thank you to all the Flyers prospects for a great day.
I missed the opening act for this day due to bad online directions. When I got there the players were doing group shots on the beach.
I believe they may have gotten done sooner then expected.
When talking to Jim McCrossin l...
While listening to HTM on XM radio this morning on my way to work, Ron Rimmer made mention that people were complaining about the Winter Classic. Didn't hear why but it made me think. If this is going to be an every year event, what can be done to spice it up.
First thing I thought was make it an Original 6 matchup every year. We have Det v Chi this year so why not Rang...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Quick Hits: Isles Training Camp, Coach Interviews, Gervais Resigned
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Isles will be doing their training camp once again in Moncton later this summer.
Of course, this year will be without their favorite adopted son, Ted Nolan, who led their Moncton Wildcats before his 2 year stint with the Isles. Nolan has some saying will one day likely return there after being paid off this year.
The Isles sans-Nolan will be interesting for ticket ...
There are polar opinions on the Leafs decision to recognize two former players with a number honouring ceremony this season. Apparently, some hockey fans belive these players to be unworthy of recognition, for a multitude of reasons. I can respect your opinions, whatever they may be, I don't however, agree with them.
I have a confession to make first off. Doug Gilmou...
Happy Saturday Morning
http://flyerflies.com/blog/?cat=109
Cheers
Shout outs to everyone. I think I texted everyone who kept me informed all the days I could not go. I hope that I lived up to the expectations.
Today there was alot of switching back and forth between rinks. It made the time go much faster so that they didn't have to wait for the zamboni to finish.
Today's scrimmage was very high tempo and physical. There wer...
Let me know what you think.. I put forth a few hours of effort into this one:
http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=isleslighthousejerseycoup5.jpg
With the summer coming to a close (as much as I want hockey season back, I hope this next month moves like a glacier) the Islanders are working hard to fill the vacancy left by Ted Nolan's removal.
The potential candidates have been mentioned constantly in the media. I am confident in who I think should be the next one to take the bench, but the list is filled with man...
Hi Folks the carnival is on as I reported previously. Tickets are now on sale. Here is the link to purchase the tickets.
http://www.cotecarnival.eventbrite.com/
Hope to see you there.
Earlier today on NHL Home Ice (XM Radio), they were discussing the five burning questions surrounding the New Jersey Devils as we head into the 2008-09 season. And from those five questions, they derived five incredibly biased answers. I love my XM and couldn’t live without it, but the truth is that they certainly make no attempt to hide their allegience to Leaf Nation�...
It is becoming apparent that Mats really isn't excited about any of the choices being offered. One theory is that he'd really like to take a year off and return to a stronger Maple Leafs team - but after the lockout year, he knows full well the uncomfortable truth about being over 35 and being away from the NHL for a year - if you don't stay in absolute top shape, you fac...
Ok so there is not much pro hockey going on right now. This does not mean that there are not still opportunities to see and support our favorite players.
Yesterday I went to King of Prussia Mall to see Riley Cote at the grand opening on Skin Industries store. For those of you out of town Flyers fans. King of Prussia mall is one of the largest malls in the United Sta...
It was just a few years ago when Maxim Afinogenov was loved by many in Buffalo.
"MAX NATION" was a craze! You heard a loud "ahhhh" take over the HSBC (Hot Sauce, Blue Cheese) Arena every time he touched puck.
Now Max is fading in popularity with his in-ability to play defense which tends to lead him to the BOX. And his mis-conception of how big nhl defensemen really ar...
B.D. Gallof writes...
PuckDaddy Provides Summer Fun with Bettman Photoshop Contest
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Summer post Free Agency and draft is usually dog days to whip up hockey interest. Not on Greg Wyshynski's Puck Daddy blog, on Yahoo. Greg and Puck Daddy contributor, Sean Leahy (also of the excellent Going Five Hole Pens blog), came up with a brilliant contest this summer.
[b]The Puck Daddy Art Contest: Gary Bettman, Portraits in Heroism[/b]
http://sports.yahoo.com/...
With around five weeks until pre-season action kicks into gear, the Habs' talented core is training hard to try and repeat a successful season. Among those players lies an underrated defensive defenseman, one who I believe will get noticed (more so), and feared league wide by the end of next season.
The 7th overall pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft compiled some impressi...
blues fan 257 writes...
Ovechkin vs. Crosby The Great Debate -- Year 3
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It is difficult to make a comparison on the 2007/2008 season with these two superstars due to the injury of Crosby, but here are some key points.
Ovechkin side--
Ovechkin averaged .79 goals per game and 1.37 points pergame to Crosby's .45 goals per game and 1.36 points per game. These statistics are more accurate than total numbers due to Crosby missing several games. ...
Holy smokes batman! The Isles have fired and hired yet another coach!
Yes, for the umpteenth time the Isles have brought in a new vict-...er I mean coach to lead our guys in the blue and orange. However despite my sarcasm, I do believe this is a coach that can lead this team through changes, necessary changes to help reestablish a winning team on Long Island.
Scott ...
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,...
doktordave writes...
Latest Mcabe Rumors - and other possibilities. PART 1
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Well, things have certainly gotten interesting today in Leaf Land with a number of published reports suggesting that Brian McCabe is almost ready to waive his No Trade Clause....some variety in the reports too - one suggests a deal has been sketched out with Florida, another has said that McCabe has green lighted a trade to any one of number of eastern conference teams. S...
I hope all you Flyers fans out there will be supporting this cause.
Many of you know my Aunt Died earlier this year from complication due to her MS. This is a cause dear to my heart. Come out and Support Riley Cote as he champions this cause.
http://www.cotecarnival.eventbrite.com/
I will post a report with pictures but I would highly recommend supporting ...
Can you believe it?
Good ol' Ek posted that a source (no e-rating)....is suggesting Sundin may want to play for the Rangers so baddly that he'll play for as little as $2 million. [my face is still sore from laughing at this one]
Never mind that Mats this week publicly stated that he's still wrestling with whether he want to play in the NHL this year and expects that ...
Video
Brenda fighting Riley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbQqG-ulzD8
Pics
My Full Set
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157606797506365/detail/
Erica's Full set
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickilynn7/sets/72157606793694253/detail/
ok now down to business.
Shout out Sojer, Amanda, Arlene, Brenda, Ryan, Mr Hockey, SuperFan, Joyce, Steve, Rosean...
Ok well taking out my charming lil wheel again and seeing what team it lands on for me to give a run down on .
So on to the spin
..... Tampa Bay it is.
Ok as with my other blog i will give a run down on the ,Offence , defence and goaltending. Once more if i get anything wrong or something doesn't look right , remeber these teams I'm writing on are not teams i am ho...
These are just for fun, and to get discussion going. If you disagree that's cool, just don't bash, as that always seems to happen on these boards.
EAST:
1.Pittsburgh Penguins
2.Montreal Canadiens
3.Washington Capitals
4.Philadelphia Flyers
5.New York Rangers
6.Ottawa Senators
7.Boston Bruins
8.New Jersey Devils
---------------
9.Carolina Hurricanes
10.Buffalo...
With the exception of Scott Gordon becoming the new head coach, Isles news has been pretty dry lately. However there has been one issue that has been on my mind lately, and that is the yet to be announced destination of 2008 first round draft pick Josh Bailey.
Word going around is that Bailey was asked by the Isles to move to Long Island. I haven't seen this published ...
Ok as with before I Spin the Roulette and do a run-down on the team it lands upon as it appears to my inexperienced eye. Onto the Spin!
.......
and we have the Senators.
Ok we all know the Sens were the powerhouse of the East since more or less the lockout. But last season we saw the enormous crash from the standings which resulted in the Sens barely making the play...
The real truth of things would appear to be that Mats Sundin may indeed be leaning towards retirement. With all the press coverage on his situation the last word that I heard was that he still had not begun skating in August. For any NHLer, let alone a 37 year old, not hitting the ice going into the Labor Day weekend is surely considered as a bad sign. A player coming off ...
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...
[i]With his latest Sundin blog, TSN's Darren Dreger cites the Isles as a dark horse. Has Garth stared too hard at Brett Farve from across the street? How does this follow the plan? Well, it doesn't.
[/i]
A quick word on the latest rumor du jour, before I head out for some R&R upstate.
Dreger on TSN: "[i]One thing is certain, Sundin won't be pushed. His future...
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...
There's a reason that of the three Devils Stanley Cups, 1995 is by far my favorite. No, it's not because I was 10 years old and it somehow represents a happier time in my life. And no, it's not even for the better reason that it was the first one and therefore any one of those players will tell you it's the Cup that meant the most to them. It's because of all three Cups, 1...
With Mats Sundin holding the NHL hostage (how do you say "you have one month or I'll sign Yanic Perreault" in Swedish?), news is still at a crawl, so I thought I'd follow up on last week's entry after taking a quick look at the goings-on in Duck world.
The OC Register continues to be virtually the only outlet reporting on Anaheim hockey during the off-season, as its cov...
This merry go round continues with the major question still being: Who will be able to land Mats Sundin? Considered to be the top player in this years free agent pool, Mats Sundin has had not only his agent in a tangle, but the media coming up with all different types of headlines and stories about if and where he might play. In recent rumors that have been stated by TSNs ...
Pucked writes...
Hockey Buzz Chat Room Down For the Count - HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Folks. I'm a little peeved. For the last couple of weeks (and I may be selling this one short), the Hockey Buzz Chat Room is not working as it should. In order to see another person's remark, you need to hit the "refresh button" each time.
As a season ticket holder, part of what I pay for is the use of this room. Often times I can catch some of my favorite people there...
The Bryan McCabe trade finally became official today as the Leafs ended an almost 8 year relationship with the 33 year old defenseman. So much has been written about McCabe in the last couple months but what do we know about the man the Leafs received in return? Mike Van Ryn has been a Leaf for under 12 hours and already people are speculating about his future (or lack t...
Here you go.
http://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/LeafsLunch/Podcast.aspx
While Steven Stamkos' name is being mentioned frequently when speaking of the Calder Trophy, it would be a mistake not to consider the likes of Patrik Berglund, Kyle Okposo, Shawn Matthias, Bobby Ryan, Fabian Brunnstrom and Kyle Turris, among others.
Turris, drafted third overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by Phoenix, is coming off a remarkable season with the Wisconsi...
This morning some scientists cheered, others were thinking we were doomed. Not sure if anyone else has been following the story, but if you check CNN you will find one of the most interesting, and yet, disturbing, scientific stories in quite a while. One of the largest physics experiment ever conceived began just this morning as you were swilling down a Latte. Protons were...
Greetings hockey fans! I'm back from my summer hockey hiatus and ready to get down to the business.
I have to say that I'm sick of rumors about Sundin and don't even mention Forsberg. This time of year prompts a lot of speculation which in the end is generally useless. We're coming down to the wire and everyone wants to get their 2 cents in but there are only a few s...
Early morning hits, I wake up, slowly stretching like a fat old cat lying comfortably in the sun. I sense something is different today but I am too confused and tired to realize why. The smells of coffee and burnt toast fill the air of my place, and as I do every day, I walk over to the kitchen window and stare aimlessly outside at what is the end of another fun filled sum...
Trader Cliff's opinion of the entry draft mirror's this neophytic blogger's feelings towards the constant worry over the logjam on the Leafs' blueline.
There isn't one. Nope. Not at all.
I think the reason for this perception stems from the fact that we've all been overwhelmed by the number of roster changes but a quick glance at the depth chart will alleviate our co...
ladynic writes...
9/12/08 Philadelphia Flyers and Phantoms on ice workouts
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Shout outs to the practice crew
Sami it was very nice to make your acquaintance today.
On the Phantoms side they did some type of testing today. It looked like the type of things I have seen them do as part of Physicals. The players that were on this side going through things were mostly Phantoms players.
The Flyers side of the ice hosted a double feature.
Fi...
[u]Depth Chart[/u]
C
Tim Connolly
Derek Roy
Paul Gaustad
Adam Mair
Jochen Hecht
Nathan Gerbe
Marek Zagrapan
LW
Thomas Vanek
Daniel Paille
Patrick Kaleta
Clarke MacArthur
Philippe Gogulla
RW
Drew Stafford
Jason Pominville
Ales Kotalik
Maxim Afinogenov
Andrew Peters
Mark Mancari
D
Jaroslav Spacek
Toni Lydman
Henrik Tallinder
Craig Rivet
Andre...
Shout outs to my txting buddies for today since it was pretty much just me til rookie camp started.
I guess no one paid attention to my report from Friday but the Flyers are skating on their own and the Monday of Rookie on ice campwas no exception. I arrived @ 745 am to see the vets show their stuff.
Today's participants were
Vaananen, Timonen, Kukkonen, Gagne, Lupul...
It was an honor and a privilege to be selected as an inaugural member of the NYI Blog Box over a year ago. It was an absolute thrill to be asked to pen the debut feature on Ruslan Fedotenko's signing with the Islanders. As the only member of the bunch outside of the state of New York, it was a classy move for the organization I grew up loving simply to include me in the fi...
PuckStoppinDuck writes...
*FINAL UPDATE* Schneider Placed on Waivers, Clears
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This is the scene I imagine took place late last night...
[b]Kevin Lowe[/b]: You may be wondering why I called you all over here. Well, as you all know, my *ahem* good buddy Burkie is desperately trying to clear cap space by moving defenseman Mathieu Schneider so that he can sign Teemu Selanne. Well, you all did a great job with Phase 1 one of Operation: Duck Soup by ...
If the lingering stench of getting nothing in return for Ilya Bryzgalov last season has worn off, then Brian Burke needs another reminder.
In two consecutive seasons, Burke has managed to give away top NHL talent and get ZERO in return. People can discuss all of the backroom negotiations and who offered what, but it will NEVER change the fact that the Anaheim Ducks j...
As repoted on Leaf's lunch on am640 "Schneider Clears Waivers". Now talking to my sources, they say its just a waiting game for LA. They want Schneider, but they want him at half price. When the Ducks bring him back up(which they will) LA will be first in line to grab him.
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...
"At Syracuse, they teach quarterbacks to protect the ball deep in their own end zone!"
Fifteen minutes into my run on the treadmill at the local gym, I was busy trash-talking Tony Romo. The Eagles were closing on the Cowboys in the second quarter of their Monday night game.
Away from Philadelphia for twenty years, I now live in Seattle. This isn't really a sports t...
sbkbghockey writes...
Three factors for the organization of low minor leagues
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
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...
It's time to list the best Calder Trophy candidates among the 2008-09 rookie crop. I hope this list helps you pick a few sleepers in your hockey pools.
1. Steven Stamkos TB C 82 games 32 G 35 A 67 points (Should have a Kane-like season)
2. Kyle Turris PHX C 77 games 20 G 35 A 60 points (Will center the Yotes 2nd line)
3. Nikita Filatov CBS LW 75 games 27 G 30 A 57 poi...
CSullivan10 writes...
Who will lead each of the major scoring categories?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I will update my fantasy top 50 closer to October, so for now I would like to predict the Top 10 scorers in each of the major statistical categories for the season that just seems to be taking forever to arrive. Keep in mind this is just my guess. We all know anything can happen in the NHL and I respect anyone else's opinion on this subject and will accept any criticism an...
Greatlakeswimmer writes...
Why LA passed on Schneider when he was on waivers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Since Schneider was placed on waivers by the ducks and then clearing waivers there has been debate about why some teams, mainly why the Kings did not pick him up. I as well as a few others felt that it was because LA would rather trade for him. I brought up the idea here and elsewhere that it is because if they claimed Schneider on waivers they would not be able to trade h...
[img]http://philadelphia.about.com/library/gallery/lincoln39.JPG[/img]
The Spectrum. The little brown building at the corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia. The home of the legendary Broad Street Bullies. The structure that infected NHLers with the Philly Flu. The place where a blue collar town came to love the ultimate blue collar sport.
[...
Shout outs to
Erica, Sandy, Amanda, #23, Liz, Jessica, Theresa, Donna, Matt, Mike, Jeremy, Roseann, Joyce, Bill, Eric, Joe, Lou, and anyone else I saw and talked to there were so many today.
Special Thanks to Karen and Brooke for my antics during meet the Flyers
Today was very very crowded and it was handled very well. The Flyers staff was ultra prepared and I felt...
The2ManAdvantage and Shawn Arseneault are on the scene, reporting back on day one:
[b]The2ManAdvantage's eyewitness report[/b]
[i]Training camp is a bit different this year. Instead of scrimmages, Scott Gordon is running practices. The drills are focused on speed, driving to the net, quick passing, and transitions. Gordon is fiery. Its great to watch and his energy ...
As the 4th month of the Sundin saga approaches there is still no end in sight. Sundin has displayed an unprecedented inabilty to make a decision if you factor the number of teams that have publicly expressed interest in his services.
He was quoted recently stating "I just can't give you a timeline right now as I still haven't made a decision whether I'm going to play o...
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...
It indeed has been a short summer for the Detroit Red Wings. By know everyone knows that the Wings added Marion Hossa to their lineup. He could have been the steal of the free agents especially since he signed quick and wanted to come play for Detroit. One thing I learned was that Hossa is good friends with Red Wings 4th liner, Tomas Kopecky. I expect this had a lot to...
ladynic writes...
A little off track at the moment Flyers reports updates
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Ok all. I am having laptop issues so thus pictures are behind in being uploaded and reports are way behind on being posted.
Monday when I went to Practice this is what I saw
pp unit
richards, Knubler, gagne, Briere timonen
Upshall, Carter, Hartnell, Coburn, Jones
regular lines
gagne, richards briere
kalinski, powe, Giroux
Cote, Downie, Asham
Upshall, Cart...
Ok well I think I forgot most of what I wanted to write as my report. Now that I am caught up on pictures you will have many things to look at.
9/22/08
Flyers training Camp
the mood here was getting the kinks worked out. There was alot of different drills plus working on some individual things like faceoffs.
This was the first look at PK and PP units
http://...
As reported by Ek and confirmed by the Ducks, Brian Burke has finally found a new home for Mathieu Schneider in "Blueland." The full details of the trade are as follows:
[b]TO ATL:[/b]
D [b]Mathieu Schneider[/b] | Age 39 | Contract: 1 year, $5,625,000
[b]TO ANA:[/b]
D [b]Ken Klee[/b] | Age 37 | Contract: 1 year, $1,250,000
W [b]Brad Larsen[/b] |...
I've been trying to figure out an angle to write about regarding the Philadelphia Flyers recently. All the other blogs have their pre-season predictions, training camp reports, and the "pumped up for the hockey season" blog. Trust me, I could write 15 pages, single-spaced, on how excited I am for hockey to be back - this is the stuff I live for.
But when trying to find ...
First we had the Phantoms.
First thing I notice here is none of the D are in black like for the Flyers. D men are wearing Red and Green. Forwards wore either White or Orange.
Most of the practices earlier in the week were run by Kjell and Neil. today's was run directly by Paddock.
They did pretty standard drills. the one that caught my attention the most had...
Instead of working on a team-by-team preview for the entire league, I wanted to zoom in a little closer, to the division I'm most familiar with. Arguably the most (if not second most) competitive division in hockey, the Atlantic Division enters 2008-09 with lots of unanswered questions, which I will now attempt to answer. I went through the teams in the reverse order of wh...
So the long awaited move has finally happened . Burke managed to unload Schneider to get his team under the cap. The trade looked liek this :
Anaheim aqcuired: Ken Klee (1.250), Brad Larsen (.560), Chad Painchaud(.100)
Atlanta acquired: Mathieu Schneider (5.625)
Now here comes the question . Who do you think won that trade?
We all know Anaheim's one intetion was ...
It was a double does of hockey in Philly yesterday. Both Philly teams won.
While I did not attend both events personally I can still hook you all up with pictures from the Spectrum game.
Erica's pictures full set
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickilynn7/sets/72157607558870088/
Sandy's Pictures full set
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25870841@N07/sets/721576075...
One of the stronger divisions (and arguably the strongest) in hockey last season, the Atlantic sent four teams to the playoffs, three teams to the second round, and two teams to the conference finals. The scary thing is that the division may have gotten better.
[i]Penguins[/i]
Division winners Pittsburgh lost Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, but signed vetera...
I think it's time we take a moment to commend one Kevin Weekes. Next in line in a revolving door of backups to Martin Brodeur, Weekes is by far the most talented of Marty's little helpers, and is also the most understanding and accepting of his situation.
Kevin Weekes is the epitome of class. His predecessor, Scott Clemmensen--now unfortunately a Devil once again--used ...
Today the Islanders picked up Thomas Pock, a young offensive minded defenseman who in 59 games played in the NHL has recorded 7 goals and 7 assists for 14 points. In the AHL of last season, he ranked 11th in the league for assists by a defenseman with 37, tallying 44 points overall.
Not a bad pickup if you ask me. But what is the meaning behind this? We already had 7 de...
What's more disheveled than the status of the US economy these days? How about the Isles defensive core. Sutton is injured from training camp drills. Campoli from a crushing hit in a preseason game. What are those injuries and for how long....your guess is good as mine, because the Isles won't tell due to the newest slab of insular policy-making in the NHL. They don't have...
hockeyfan89 writes...
3 stars for the Habs/What's to be done about Pacioretty?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well I had the rare treat of watching a Detroit -Montreal game last night . Each team didn't play their full rosters yet , but it was still a fantastic game.
Three players stood out for me last night who I think were the 3 stars for the Habs . Alexie Kovalev , Carey Price and Max Pacioretty.
First Alexie. Kovalev last night brought his full bag of tricks and was show...
Going into this season, its pretty clear who will be at the top of the Central Division: The St. Louis Blues....
I kid, I kid...
It'll be Detroit hands down. It amazed methat they were able to re-sign Valteri Filppula to a 5 year deal that pays him only $3 million a season on average. On the free market, a guy like him would've yielded maybe double that or more. Thei...
This is a callout. This is to every Devils fan who is sick and tired of dealing with THE WORST marketing department in all of professional sports. This is to every Devils fan who is tired of seeing Rangers commercials that actually make people laugh and generate interest, instead of a 3 second clip followed by BUY TICKETS MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!
It's the little things that...
Shout out to everyone.
Before the game the Flyers hosted the season ticket holder BBQ. They had TV's set up so that people could watch the Phillies.
I went to the Caps end for warmups cause I was hoping that Either Ovechkin or Green would be playing and I could get some pics of them. No luck.
[url]http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2906637934/in/set-7215760...
Hey Everybody,
This is my first time making an NHL prediction, as I do not really like to throw myself out there, because it is almost a certainty to be wrong. However, I will give it a go this time, and I would like to see what everyone thinks about these picks.
[u]Eastern Conference[/u]
1. Montreal Canadiens
2. Philadelphia Flyers
3. Washington Capitals
4. Ne...
The Blues are now in uncharted territory.
For the first time in a long time, the Blues are drafting and developing their own talent, and we'll start seeing the fruits of their labor.
Prior to the lockout, the last legitimate Blues first rounder that stayed in the organization and developed with the team is Barrett Jackman, drafted in 2000. That was 8 years ago. Whil...
CSullivan10 writes...
Why the Red Wings should trade Lilja and Samuelson.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It is pretty well known that the Wings need to make some kind of a move, if not two moves in order to insure they can be under the cap not only this season but for the next couple seasons. They have an over-abundance of talent on offense and defense and that obviously gives Ken Holland many options with how to get his team there. As a long time Red Wings fan, growing up ju...
These are just for fun, and to get discussion going. If you disagree that's cool, just don't bash, as that always seems to happen on these boards.
EAST:
1.Pittsburgh Penguins
2.Montreal Canadiens
3.Washington Capitals
4.Philadelphia Flyers
5.New York Rangers
6.Ottawa Senators
7.Boston Bruins
8.New Jersey Devils
---------------
9.Carolina Hurricanes
10.Buffalo...
These are just for fun, and to get discussion going. If you disagree that's cool, just don't bash, as that always seems to happen on these boards.
EAST:
1.Pittsburgh Penguins
2.Montreal Canadiens
3.Washington Capitals
4.Philadelphia Flyers
5.New York Rangers
6.Ottawa Senators
7.Boston Bruins
8.New Jersey Devils
---------------
9.Carolina Hurricanes
10.Buffalo...
Well just watching the Sens-Pitts game and enjoying hockey being back. With hockey returning comes a slew of questions that all fans think of : "Who will win the cup? , Who will win the division ? Who is the most underrated player?"..ect ..ect.
So let me ask you one question?
What do you think is the most imperative quality/characteristic a team needs to be succesful...
Ottawa owner Eugene Melnyk has said that European expansion is "...Happening, it's going to happen". He also added that he's in favor of it.
Granted the response was overwhelming-which is exactly what I'd expect. It's not as if Sweden doesn't have a rich hockey heritage of it's own, and a chance to see NHL teams certainly would be a very popular event.
The problems,...
Tampa Bay gets:
Krajicek: A solid D-man who should develop further into a serviceable top 4 defenseman, Krajicek was a good bonus in the Luongo theivery. However he was sloppy and expendable by Vancouver. Let's face it, when it comes to moving assets, the Canucks D-corps is the way to go, but 3 of their top 6 have no trade clauses. Tampa got a guy who can log better...
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...
The Philadelphia Flyers surprised everyone last year with a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and there are a lot of people in Philadelphia who expect more of the same this year. Hell, with the Phillies' season coming to a close shortly (satisfyingly or otherwise) and the Eagles playing awfully at the Linc, the Flyers are going to feel the weight of the city on their ...
Bill Meltzer did a fabulous job describing the game here
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=17111&blogger_id=45
I am not out to recreate that just to share my thoughts and observations.
BIG THANK YOUS TO
Zack Hill for being very awesome.
Scottie Upshall, Scott Hartnell, JS Aubin, Glen Metropolit, Aaron Asham, Steve Eminger, Jeff Carter, Riley Cote...
onemoreastronaut writes...
Honestly, I was excited for the start of the season, really.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I was so excited for the start of this hockey season. Why exactly I cannot say. Season opening the last few years ever since the lockout has been an event I've barely noticed.
Tonight, however, a mild ankle sprain kept me out of the lineup for my rec floor hockey game, which was ok, because the temptation of the raising of Detroit's Stanley Cup banner, the Wings-Leafs g...
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 don't care what year, who is on the roster, or who might be coach. When it's the start of the season, there is an electricity in the air just the same. Even when Mad Mike was spinning us to oblivion like a Texas Twister, I still sat at this juncture with the same bustle and trepidation.
If you think about it, we came from a proverbial desert as sports fans. The late 9...
Paddock had the Phantoms do a pretty aggressive skate for a game day.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2929209009/in/set-72157607916870391/
Aubin skated with the Phantoms
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2929208059/in/set-72157607916870391/
Flyers seemed really really loose at practice. That makes me hopeful for the opener.
http://www.flickr.co...
From The Back Row writes...
Disgusting Proteau Blog, US and Canada Deserve Apology
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Let me make sure I've got this straight:
Adam Proteau accuses Ed Snider and the NHL of exploiting a high-profile event for political platforms and partisan politics...
And then exploits his position as an NHL columnist to excoriate Sarah Palin and the Republican party?
Let me state this again, because I need to see this in front of me, in print, twice, just to mak...
ladynic writes...
10/11/08 Rangers @ Flyers, 10/12/08 Phantoms Phan Club event
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Ok I am behind so only one post.
Thank you everyone I met or ran into last night at the Flyers games that said they saw my pics or thanked me for writing and posting. I guess I didn't realize how many people read and look at my things. It was greatly appreciated.
Flyers game
Warmups are starting to be helmet optional. Not sure where this trend started but it...
Since the turn of the new millenium, Leaf fans have grown accustomed to seeing a late twenties' Bryan McCabe take charge of what was predominantly a veteran laden defense core. We'd often see him bellowing out orders from the bench, sticking up for his teammates even when it probably wasn't in his best interest to do so (getting ragdolled by Chara comes to mind), or displa...
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 ...
10/13/08
It was Kids Day on Long Island, and fans came out as the Isles tripped, clutched, held sticks, grabbed, fought, slashed, roughed, hooked, cross checked and probably did about 80% of it all over again.
Buffalo worked hard with their 7-1 drubbing of the Islanders, but perhaps not as hard as the refs. The refs called a total (at this time..it might still not...
I can't catch up with the last year and a half of non-blogging with all the Sabres news, but I will always have faith in this team, especially in Ruff's decisions and the Regier management, despite on the flak they get. With that said, welcome to the Buffalo Sabres 2008-2009 season of awesomeness.
I mean, is it bad to have expectations for the team? Ahhh well, playoff...
Good logo design is simple. Good logo design is strong. Good logo design quickly conveys an image that identifies a team.
Hockey has quite a few logos that fit that description, among them:
Red Wings
Maple Leafs
New Jersey Devils (clearly the most creative marriage of letter abbreviations and symbolic images representing a devil).
There are also some logos that a...
Last Friday night the season started with the hopes of a shining youth movement getting underway to a successful first game. We saw Okposo make a good attempt on a penalty shot with Joey MacDonald putting on a promising performance in a 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. It wasn't a win, but it left optimism for the following night's home opener at the Coliseum against the...
[u][b]Trends after the Canucks first 3 games:[/b][/u]
[b]Offense:[/b]
-The top line is working. Not only have all 3 put up points, but Bernier is a plus 3 with a spirited fight. Sedins: both have 5 points are are plus 4.
-The 2nd line is not. A collective minus 7 with 2 points. Raymond has missed the net 6 times. I predict that it'll eventually break out; t...
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...
From Notes & quotes: Goalie Rick DiPietro underwent treatment for his undisclosed injury yesterday but is expected to return to practice today ...
Whom do we believe?
The Isles? (Any reason to believe them?)
or Newsday?
I can't begin to explain how good it felt to see the Isles give up a 2-0 lead and manage a win. Yeah I know...how can anyone be happy that their team gave up a 2-0 lead in the third period? It's pretty simple.
Dating back for say the past four or five years the Isles maintained this identity of "roll over and die" as opposed to the "never say die" Isles that they used t...
I wanted to know what was the best stat to look for when determining playoff bound teams. I dug up team stats for the last 3 seasons and broke them down. What I found was not surprising but very intriguing. Defense, defense, defense.
Over the last 3 seasons GAA has been the biggest determination of who made the playoffs.
07-08 13/16 lowest GAA made playoffs ...
What a game What game. Sabres Fab Five is not on:
Thomas Vanek continues to dominate this opposition. One Goal and One Assist. That makes 6 goals in 4 games. Well on his way to the 50 Goal Campaign and leading this team back to the playoffs.
The power play i was tough on them during the first game. Well so far they have been very good in the last couple games.
...
Phantoms lost 5-4 and were out shot by a good bit.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2951710514/in/set-72157608136997054/
It seemed like former Phantom Darren Reid was everyone's favorite target of the night. not even a minute into the game he got pounded by new Phantom Jeff Szwez (I want to be on record that Szwez looks alot like Damon Trebuchet from the soap M...
Phantoms lost 3-1.
This was the debut of the Phantoms new third Jerseys that are all purple.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2952835251/in/set-72157608155866404/
Game was not as chippy as vs the Bears but it has its' moments.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2953734778/in/set-72157608155866404/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2952894009/in/...
With their top lines not producing, their goaltending looking spotty and their special teams non-existent, finding somewhere to lay the blame in Canucks land is pretty easy.
My share of blame would be sent to 2 areas: D and Penalty Killing.
The Canucks have long been one of the best penalty killing teams in the NHL. They were top of the league 2 years ago and did f...
The pest that we all love to hate will be making his return to Coliseum ice this Thursday when the New York Islanders host the Dallas Stars. Last night he made a more notable return to Madison Square Garden to face the Rangers. I didn't expect him to be out of line when playing against his former team, and from the little I saw my prediction was proved correct. But as usua...
Rob McGowan writes...
Tiger Tips: Parrish Plays With Tigers, Not the Islanders?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Islanders traded away Mark Parrish along with Brent Sopel to the LA Kings a few years back in return for Jeff Tambellini and Denis Grebeshkov. That year he missed a chunk of the season to a high ankle sprain but in 57 games with the Islanders he managed to put up 24 goals and 41 points, contributing as one of our more consistent forwards despite him being one of the st...
Full pics set (yes only 11 pictures)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157608279983830/
Luca was very impressive to me. He handled himself very very well.
He gave the group a few laughs too at one point talking about the Old Guys on the team.
He speaks 4 languages. He talked about missing his pets and rooming with the Cote's.
He was a great g...
As they say, every cloud has a silver lining. There was a decidedly sullen mood around Devil-land when Brian Rolston went down with a high-ankle sprain and Bobby Holik broke his finger. In two days time, there it went...all the money we spent over the offseason to make us a better team gone, out the window.
But as I said, there is a silver lining to this injury cloud, a...
Dallas came to town with a thunderous ZZ Top crescendo. The Isles unfortunately channeled Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories as they gave away pucks to the Stars team as if they were going out of style. Add to all this is that Brendan Witt might be out for a spell. He left the game with a "Lower Body Injury" which looked a lot like a knee injury.
Don't let the 5 to 3 score fool y...
A good pass. Of course there are players who score their goals with impressive dekes and flashy moves, but those players are called stars...superstars. Not the Dallas Stars. But last night the Isles got trampled by Mike Rebeiro and his career-high four assists.
This brings me to my point. What does it take to score a goal? We know that the Isles were going to have trou...
After being a frequent reader of Hockeybuzz for months, I've decided to try blogging a bit about the Flyers as well as other goings on around the hockey world. Just a bit of background information: I am currently playing college hockey in Boston and am in my junior season. I was born in Philadelphia and have been an avid Flyers fan for years. I have spent the majority ...
Hello, I am New York Rangers defenseman Wade Redden. For those of you who don't know, I was a 2nd overall draft pick by the Islanders in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. Since then I have played 11 NHL seasons with the Ottawa Senators. My career started well as a promising young offensive-defenseman. I scored 30-50 points in most seasons and my +/- usually hovered around +20. But...
Oh boy... here we go again.
Another player out with a concussion after a great big shot to the head.
For those who havent seen it yet (which is highly improbable, as it's one of the biggest hits of the past couple seasons)....
[code][/code]
After I had a minute to cool down, as any fan would be upset watching their teams top prospect go down in such a way, I st...
These are the 10 worst +/- players in the league:
Player Team GP G A P +/- TOI/G
Kris Draper DET 8 0 0 0 -6 11:46
Fabian Brunnstrom DAL 7 5 1 6 -6 13:18
Chris Phillips OTT 8 0 1 1 -6 21:44
Adrian Aucoin CGY 8 1 0 1 -6 15:43
Nick Foligno OTT 8 2 1 3 -6 13:54
Brent Sopel CHI 7 0 1 1 -6 15:14
Tom Preissing LAK 5 1 2 3 -6 18:29
Bre...
Ah, memories of my youth.
You remember the one I'm talking about. The first time you play with a Rubiks Cube is always the worst, because it doesn't matter what your friend or parents tell you. You think it will be easy. And after 4 frustrating hours, tears and throwing the damn thing against the floor, you hope...pray...that this move will be the one.
And then ev...
[b]POST-GAME[/b]
There were two mindsets in the locker room. One was the Isles were victimized by bad breaks and bounces. it was a close game until near the end. This is true, but good teams make their own luck or overcome.
Isles coach [b]Scott Gordon[/b] and team captain [b]Bill Guerin[/b] had another take: Isles lost when people broke from the system, out of positi...
It told us we still have offense. It showed what happens when we have a decent time in the transition game. BUT...oh yes the but. But in the end Florida was pretty sluggish and did not truly resemble the team I'd seen this season. Their forecheck was not as strong as it usually was and that still means seeing the turnovers throughout the game that the Blues major issue...
After checking the stats of defenseman on NHL.com I decided that the most accurate way to rate the top Dmen are through points, +/-, and minutes played. When we look at the top 20 in each of these categories there are only 4 players who appear in all of them.
Mike Green 8pts +4 27:33
Nicklas Lidstrom 7pts +6 26:04
Brian Campbell 6pts +5 27:09
Andrei Markov 10pts +4 2...
From: http://capsstop.blogspot.com
The Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators battled back and forth like prize heavy-weight fighters in DC on Tuesday night, trading goals on three different occasions. It was Michael Nylander who delivered the knockout blow for the Capitals in the fourth round of a shootout. The Caps never trailed and head to Buffalo with a big two...
The first year I got into hockey and became a lunatic was the 1992-1993 season. I broke my finger on a field trip when I was in 8th grade and refused to let my mother take me to the hospital because the Islanders were playing game 7 in Pittsburgh that night. So, I sat in my room on that Friday night with my hand soaked in ice incredibly nervous but also confident. ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Philadephia Phillies are the 2008 World Series Champs!!!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
(forgive the non-hockey post my puckhead bretheren)
Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!
Been a long time....since 1980. I wasn't sure I was going to see one anytime soon. I was 12 when they last won it and will never forget Tug McGraw slapping the mitt on his leg as the city went into pandemonium.
Fast forward to Brad Lidge as...
Rob McGowan writes...
Okposo Needs To Play - Plus My First Blog Box Experience
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
This past Monday was the first Islander-Ranger game of the season, so I figured, what better a game to get my first taste of the NYI Blog Box? Unfortunately the Isles didn't finish with the expectations that I had hoped, but it was an exciting game that showed areas of promise...and areas of concern.
Joey MacDonald cannot be blamed for the Isles poor start. That has to ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Oh Atlanta, A Touchdown and Flyers Lessons Learned
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[u][b]Oh Atlanta...got to get back to you[/b][/u]
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b3/Little_Feat_-_Feats_Don%27t_Fail_Me_Now.jpg[/img][img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:WeWCWF99sb00fM:https://admin.imodules.com/s/324/images/editor/Thrashers%2520logo%25201.gif[/img]
I bet if you listened closely you could almost hear Joffrey Lupul, Mike Knuble, S...
[b]10/30/08 Isles @ Flyers[/b]
Shout outs to Erica, Roseann, Karen, Brooke, Jess, Amanda, Matt, Eric, HF, Sandy, Theresa, Debbie, and anyone else playing along with Tim Ramholt got traded for Gratton.
Ok I think everyone knows, I have seen the Flyers play the Isles WAY TOO MANY TIMES!
For a while I think that was to the only team in my game plan.
Erica wanted t...
Favor to ask of you kind folks....
.... for any of you that watched the [b]Flyers/Oilers[/b] game yesterday SNET (I think thats the network you have), apparently there was a part of the pre-game show that had a Flyers' [b]Craig MacTavish[/b] jersey on it.
Well, that jersey is mine.
MacTavish has been my favorite hockey player since I was eight and...
So the Isles go into the third period against R.J. Umberger and the Columbus Blue Jackets with a 3-0 lead...very reminiscent of the 4-1 lead the Isles held going into the third against the Montreal Canadiens...but the Isles couldn't blow a 3-goal lead in two consecutive home games...could they?
...yes...yes they could.
And they did. Going into the third period the Is...
I ACTUALLY WENT TO THIS GAME!
Admittedly, not the most exciting game ever. The penalties in the 2nd made the game slow down considerably and the 3rd period was an overwhelmingly defensive period for the Sabres.
[b]Quick stats:[/b]
1. Craig Rivet is back after missing 5 games. This means the last person left on the injury list is Jochen Hecht, who did travel with t...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/electiondaywin.jpg[/img]
There are always a few factions after an election day. Those happy or at least satisfied. Another angry, with bitter canned rhetoric looking for anything that can assuage that sour taste in their mouth. Politics can bring out the best and worst of us.
I think any reaction to the election is valid and true to ...
Rob McGowan writes...
It's a Win, It's a Streak, But Isles Still Look Weak
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
You will never hear me complain of the New York Islanders beating the New York Rangers. Ever. Although the rivalry may have died down on the ice over the years, it has not died down for the fans, and a win is a win however they may come. Despite the Isles being on a two game winning streak after playing back to back games, the Isles were lucky to come out with a "W" after ...
[i]This was written on another forum in response to a discussion that took place on ticketing strategies for teams that fail to fill their arena on a consistent basis. Some of you may know that I am a Rangers fan, and while I wholeheartedly root against New Jersey when the NYR play them, I believe getting more fans into the Prudential Center on a regular basis is of the u...
airtsabes writes...
Goal scoring and the most exciting teams since the lockout.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.frymybacon.com/media/images/articles/article_0138_01.jpg[/img]
The year after the lockout saw the comeback of some wild scoring games with the more wide open gameplay. That season saw 11 players break the 40 goal plateau compared to only 3 the season before the lockout. Games played that year had an average of 6.05 goals scored. Unfortunately for fans the ...
I can't say that every Isles fan wanted a youth movement, but close to the majority did. The result thus far has been tough games with blown leads, merciful losses, and pounding headaches, but I hate to say it, this is what we asked for.
This is not a bad thing. It is what's to be expected. I'll admit, I myself was making those typical claims of 'trade this guy' or 'bri...
On a busy Thursday evening in the NHL an early season quirk in scheduling saw the leagues four bottom feeders come together in what could be glibly dubbed the battle for the wooden spoon. Of course none of the four teams entering their respective pre-thanksgiving matchups would be playing without designs on a playoff place with seventy or so games remaining. Indeed the fur...
B.D. Gallof writes...
IMAGINE: Controversial Shoot Out Loss vs the Penguins
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[i]Imagine if 40 minutes meant anything. Imagine if 5 straight games, the Isles owned more than just the 1st and 2nd periods, Imagine if you could have seen under Dany Sabourin's 1/8 piece of blockers to see the puck which crossed the line for the tying Shoot Out goal.[/i]
The Isles led going into the 3rd period. Therein lied the problem. They have been unable to ment...
Shout outs to Karen, Krisitn, Roseann, Sandy, Jess, Amanda, Matt, Don, Rux, Eric, and all my regulars ;)
First the buzgate. I parked in the wachoia lot because I knew I was going to do my normal thing of waiting afterwards. I ran in to Scoop Cooper and walked over with him.
I could not believe the set up when I got over to the Buzzgate. The folks organizing this d...
It's looking like another November to remember for Canucks fans as the team has won 5 of its last 6, including a 3 win/shutout streak and sit atop the NorthWest division.
After looking great in the first week, the Nuck's settled into a lovely groove of mediocrity and were playing .500 hockey. Luongo looked mortal, special teams were on and off and the Sedins had gone c...
Good god it feels great to see the Canucks on a winning streak. With gas in the tank, goals and a stingy offense the Canucks have been fun to watch and fun to follow.
But remembering again why I'm an armchair GM, one must always be looking to the future.
It is certain that GM MG has been kicking plenty of tires, more so, it seems, than his predecessors. What's more...
Coming from back-to-back wins in New Jersey and New York, where he blocked 77 of the 80 shots he received, Jean-François Drouin-Deslauriers is starting to turn heads.
The young Oilers netminder is slowly making a name for himself and vying for more starts in the NHL's only ménage à trois with Mathieu Garon and Dwayne Roloson.
In 4 games this season with the Oilers...
For the past few games we have watched this Isles squad play an impressive 40 minutes of hockey to conclude to the dismay of many fans with a 2 or 3-goal give-away resulting in a loss.
I was in Connecticut on Saturday and was unable to watch Satan and Fedotenko make their returns to Coliseum ice, but I got a text message from a buddy of mine that said it all in two wor...
Well Devils fans now what? Since Marty has gone done we are beginning to see how valuable he is with our sub-par defense. Don't get me wrong I think Kevin has played well over the past 4 starts but to be honest with you I feel he is truly a back up type of goaltender. Yes he went to the finals with the Canes a few years back, but that was in the old NHL (clutching, grab...
Jason Blake is in the dog house. His play of late has seemed uninspired and his antics may be destroying the moral in the dressing room.
The obvious option is to sit him and hope that lights a fire under his posterior, however that doesn't really solve the problem of him not fitting into the top two lines. Anther more aggressive option is to post him on waivers and then...
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...
The Isles were down early against a struggling Ottawa Senators team last night. Sure, they were under .500 going into the game, but you cannot undermine the power of Heatley, Spezza, and Alfredsson. The early lead had many pundering how bad this game could get, but then the impossible happened...
A "stale" Kyle Okposo, (as described by head coach Scott Gordon), newly pa...
Isles have a shot of a home-at-home sweep of the Senators. More interestingly, Josh Bailey has a shot of sweeping out a vet as a mainstay this season if he performs well in the next handful of games.
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/sweeptheleg.jpg[/img]
Ottawa comes to town probably pretty hyped up over a few things. Their stinker at home in Ottawa where those...
Shout outs to PFFC volunteers, EK, EO and Julie.
This was a great event. Proceeds go to Charity plus it was a long overdue day with Stanley for Bill Clement.
Erica and I arrived at noon. This was the line that we were greeted with
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3032289223/in/set-72157609137296854/
It took us an hour and 15 minutes to get through the ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Mac'in Net: Joey Comes Up Big as Isles Win Two Straight
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Last night's game against Ottawa started off with a fearful barrage of shots from the Sens. Almost 6 1/2 minutes in the Isles were being outshot 7-1, forcing Joey MacDonald to commit with some big saves to keep the game at a scoreless tie. At the end of the first the ice was tilted in the Senators favor. I looked up to the score board to see the Sens were not out-shooting ...
Now I really did not know Pavel Demitra before this year. I knew who he was as a player on the ice and that he was not the healthiest of players. But as this year goes on I am becoming more and more impressed with him as a person. Sure the three assists in his first game back after cracked ribs that kept him out of the line up for 10 games is nice. But the complements this...
I love these ferry rides from Long Island back to school in Connecticut. They allow me to sit down and write up speculation pieces without worrying about having anything else to do. While most of my blogs usually contains facts or fun opinions, these ferry ride blogs are usually speculation pieces simply because I do not have internet, and I like to write down some fun tho...
Ok two reports on post…
11/16/08 Thrashers @ Flyers
My friends and I had some fun with Lupul. We made him these signs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3040202806/in/set-72157609353503805/
This was the reaction
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3039391261/in/set-72157609353503805/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3040230518/in/set-72157609353...
Monday night's game was anything but pretty for the Preds. The inconsistent scoring is starting to hurt this team. One game you get 6 goals, the next you get none, then you get 3 and the next you get 1 (no particular order but games vs CGY, VAN, ANA and SJ).
To make matters worse, Captain Jason Arnott left the game after colliding with Sharks forward Joe Pavelski and eve...
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 ...
I guess a lot of fans in Montreal now miss Mark Streit after his departure via free agency to Long Island.
Montreal had last year’s number one power play in the NHL, but they are now sitting 26th with a poor 14.6% success rate, while the Islanders power play has improved slightly from 29th to 25th overall. Streit has 12 points (he would be the Habs' 5th scorer) in 18 ...
No, this isn't a PSA for the American Red Cross; it's a statement of fact for a hockey team. The Nashville Predators need a transfusion -- fast.
As well as Barry Trotz' crew has played at times this season, there seems to be a fragility to this edition of Nashville's team that must be addressed soon, or there may not BE a team in Nashville in the not-too-distant future....
The Sabres continued their slide after a torrid start in a 4-2 loss Saturday night against the NY Islanders at home. The Islanders were out shot by 11 in the game, but came out on top with a good performance to bring the Sabres to a five game losing streak.
Andy Hilbert had 2 points for the Islanders and Mark Streit played a great game on the numerous power plays for th...
Dateline: Last season
Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren needs to add mobility to his blueline, so he's shopping for a decent veteran guy who can move the rock and be a responsible two way player. The Flyers are playing well after dropping to last place the year before, and Holmgren wants a good playoff run.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired GM John Ferguson Jr, an...
Rob McGowan writes...
Nielsen's Injury Brings Attention to Void In Isles Line-up
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
This is not going to be a typical blog by a fan that will rant about the Isles receiving a lack of justice in regards to the suspension laid upon Mike Mottau of the New Jersey Devils. As far as that subject goes I will say that it does seem a bit odd that Thomas Pock got five games for his hit the head of Ryan Shannon of the Ottawa Senators while Mottau only got two. Shann...
B.D. Gallof writes...
Want to incapacitate a player? Per the NHL... AIM LOWER
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.boredplanet.com/img/aimlower.jpg[/img]
[i]"I know it was to the head. I know Mike Mottau. He's not a dirty player, but it was a dirty hit. Thomas Pock is not a dirty player, but he had a dirty hit against Ottawa and he paid for it."[/i]
- Bill Guerin
When [b]Mike Mottau[/b] slammed into [b]Frans Neilsen[/b], it lit off a bright light on the ine...
Wow.
Lee Stempniak exchanged for Alexander Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo.
I like it, and here's why:
Steen has plenty of potential. Ever since his 45-point rookie season Leafs fans have been anxiously awaiting his top-six winger potential to unleash on the NHL. Many, including myself, predicted Steen to establish himself as a 60-point guy who is responsible in his ow...
Well in my trolling for info on Luongo it appears the actual press conference will be help at 2PM PST and that the prognosis is somewhere from 4 to 8 weeks depending on what source you believe. Both reports so far are coming out of Montreal, so it may be from people connected to Luongo's family. We shall see for sure soon enough.
My two cents is that with the way the ...
It's the Quarter Pole and we're 25% through the season.
Week seven saw the Canucks do what they did in November last year: win. The Canucks are now 7-0-2 in their last 9 including a drubbing of New York and Luongo's annual November shut-out streak.
From an organizational perspective, the Canucks are emerging as an exciting well rounded contender. They are not in ...
Monday, November 24 practice lines:
Filppula-Datsyuk-Hossa
Franzen-Zetterberg-Samuelsson
Hudler-Kopecky-Maltby
Meech-Draper-McCarty
Mike Babcock must salivate each and every time he runs through different line combinations in his head.
Although setting the Wings' depth chart has to be exciting, it certainly can't be easy. Babcock has three all-star centres (Da...
Well for what it's worth they are saying Luongo is week to week. Apparently no tear, which is huge. The fact he is comfortable walking already is a great sign, and I think they have deemed it week to week as he has never had an injury like this before and so they are not sure how long he will be out, except more than one week. In the press conference there was a questio...
To many Vancouver fans, the Luongo injury was/ is bad news, but to those that have been following the team closely, many know that the team is a tight knit united that wasn't going to shake in its boots and collapse. This team had already won 2 games in a row with Sandman in net, and the red hot trio of Demitra and the Sedins has been looking like a fit that won't be broke...
We're 21 games into what has been a very up and down youth movement. This team started off with a 1-1 start, losing a close battle to the New Jersey Devils for a season opener, then winning their first home game of the season against the Blues, before being dismantled by the Buffalo Sabres a few days later. Fans got to see their beloved Isles at the bottom of the standings...
[b]
First of all, I want to give a shout out to the other Avs bloggers on this site - you're all doing a great job, writing nearly every game. It's nice to see some more support than we had last year.
As previously mentioned, it's not real easy for me to get blogs out as I'm currently in South Korea teaching ESL to bratty little children...anyways...it's nice to be bac...
Like most cities in the United States (and I assume Canada), Philadelphia is facing a situation where the available funding for services is being stretched to the breaking point. In this situation, the city faces two choices, either raise taxes or cut services. Raising taxes in NEVER a popular option, and cuts to essential services is always met with public outcry, which...
The Maple Leafs management have grown tired over the team's lack of grit and the inability to fend off the heavyweights, or even middleweights in the league. A Jamal Mayers or a Luke Schenn can only go so far as the Leafs call up Andre Deveaux from the Marlies.
Deveaux, who has just come off a four game suspension, is set to make his NHL debut Thursday night as the Leaf...
pokeyreddick writes...
Top 5 Worst Contracts In The League(in Honor of Jason Blake)
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Inspired by Jason Blake's unmovable contract I thought I'd post the 5 Most untradeable contracts in the league.
5. Ryan Malone 4 more years @4.5 million- This was a toss up between him and Michael Ryder. Malone wins because his team is playing terrible. It doesn't matter if you're a playoff performer if you can't get your team to the playoffs.
4. Sean Avery 3 more y...
That's right, Josh Bailey is checking out. He's played nine NHL games and tonight will be his tenth, sending him packing.
I know you're all saying, "Wait...what?"
Yes...he's packing his bags and checking out of that hotel he's been living in for the past two months to live in a house with Okposo, Gervais, and Thompson since he now rightfully owns a roster spot with ...
Despite being outshot 30 to 19, which is not usually the case - in fact it was their lowest shot total of the season - and the Boston Bruins ran away with a 4-1 victory over the Stanley Cup Champs, Detroit Red Wings. Boston, second to only the Sharks in the current standings, are now holding an 8-1-1 record in their last 10 games, but the record has only been an example of...
It was a Phantoms type of weekend
Shout outs to Brenda, Sandy, Jessica, Cody, Joyce, Karen, Erica, Steph and everyone else who played along....
I had to work Friday that meant no Flyers Phantoms double header for me.
I was hoping the Phantoms would again wear their new third jerseys but no luck.
The Falcons coming to town meant the return of former Flyers...
Essentially I see a lot of comments that talk about Leafs fans overvaluing players... and for the most part thats true... if you were to pick up the public sentiment two years ago, you'd think that Darcy Tucker was on the path to a Rocket Richard trophy before he got injured later in the campaign... if you think that's rough... you should have been in Toronto when Domi was...
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 ...
Your centers are Weight, Thompson, Bailey, and Sillinger...the Isles are up by a goal with less than a minute remaining in the third period with a face-off in their zone. Who do you put out there?
Mike Sillinger. His value on face-offs while with the Islanders has been paramount over the past two seasons and has been greatly missed in his absence. Weight and Nielsen ha...
First and foremost, my name is Justin and I am the Atlantic Division Blogger over at IslesNation ( [url]http://www.islesnation.com/justin.php[/url] ) I am a tremendous Islanders fan, however, I enjoy every minute of hockey that I can watch from every team throughout the league. I write very truthful, unbiased pieces of work, whether it be on the Islanders, the Rangers, or ...
Nothing else to really say about this game, so I'll put it into classic bullet point form.
The good:
Ossi Vaananen had a very strong game tonight. Made the initial save on what turned out to be the Devils first goal. This dude just doesn't make mistakes. Reminds me of a bigger Petr Svoboda. He never gets noticed, just does his job and does it well.
Good game also ...
I know its been a few days since Sean Avery's mouth did a drive-by on the topic of his "sloppy seconds" but I think its good to examine whether he is of good to this league or not. Its a relevant idea considering some analysts have made the bold prediction that Avery will not see NHL ice again.
I definitely am not out here to defend him. His words were utterly disrespec...
I stumbled upon a site that breaks down NHL statistics in some very interesting ways. I have decided to use some of these formulas to decide who this team needs to get rid of. For anyone that’s interested and a source for my breakdown.
http://hockeyanalytics.com/Research.htm
Offense:
Offensive Engagement (OE) measures the degree to which players are involved in t...
The news only got worse for Kyle Okposo yesterday...he was was expected to return to the lineup Thursday night to face Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, but unfortunately he will be out of the line-up for another 4-6 weeks with a sprained right wrist.
Whenever I hear that one of the core factions of the youth movement are going to be out for a significant...
With the announcement of Brian Burke as Leafs GM, the trades are inevitable.
After all, this is not Burke's team, it's Cliff Fletcher's.
That's not a bad thing. In fact, Fletcher's acquisitions have instilled hope to a fanbase in dire of need of it - and I speak for all of Leaf Nation when I say it feels damn good to be building for the future.
That said, Burke's ...
Shout outs to the Phantoms crew
Phantoms won 5-2
Pat Maroon had a hat trick the final goal being an empty netter. He was also the game's first star.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3088068533/in/set-72157610839899392/
It initially looked as if the Phantoms were going to run away with this game. Then the B Sens changed goalies and it shifted the momentum ...
We're about a third of the way through the season, so I figure it's about time I should issue my opinions of the Flyers (version 2008-09). The Flyers are sitting at 13-7-6. They have points in 73% of games, but only 62% of possible points. They also lead the league in overtime games, a stat that is bad for both my blood pressure and the team's chances in April and May. ...
If there were doubts, at least in fans eyes, they were erased Saturday night. Somewhere in a horrific loss to Atlanta, a beacon on light turned on upon a youth who more fits the Isles plans than the young man who went to Bridgeport for a conditioning stint.
There is not a doubt in my mind that Jeff Tambellini simply does not fit the Isles needs whether he blooms or not....
Shout out to the practice crew
There was not alot of spectators there today but I did notice that there seemed to be a very young news crew doing a story and taking footage of Flyers practice. I thought that was kinda cool.
So anyway I always have some story.
Go to practice got in my spot and this lady started putting signs up all around me. Then she walked off...
In today's new NHL the structure of the organization and the quality of the personnel manning the front offices are as important as the players that don the jerseys for the drop of the puck.
A team with meddling owners can wreak havoc to a team's chemistry and the coach's ability to lead the team in a common direction. In the classic example of a conflict of interest...
ladynic writes...
12/10/08 Phantoms practice/ Flyers optional practice
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Shout out to the big crew at practice today!
Thank you Marty Biron for stopping today after practice!
Flyers had an optional practice
It was Parent, Powe, Nodl Carle and I am not sure whom else as I stayed with the Phantoms when someone told me that it was not the full Flyers team on the ice.
HEre are the couple pics I took of them
http://www.flickr.com/ph...
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 ...
The GM meetings just happened in Florida. Much of the groundwork for some winter trades gets laid during these meetings. [b]Garth Snow[/b] knows his team needs some adjustments and tweaks. With [b]Mike Comrie[/b] and others coming back on the horizon, he's going to need to crafty making room since he's chosen to have[b] Josh Bailey[/b] remain on Long Island. Thus, [b]Jon S...
How does one take a bad loss? And I don't mean just any loss. But, a REALLY bad one. The kind that is like a karate kick to the gut after eating a bowl of chili and half an apple pie. The kind that leaves you just plain stumped. Numb. Daffy. Pissed. Furious. All of the above. Or none of the above, and just a bad case of gas.
There is no two ways about it. Last night wa...
I never want to see my team lose as bad as this...but it happens...hell, in Jagr's debut game for the Rangers they lost 9-1 to the Senators and I think Jagr was held to one assist (don't ask me how I remember things like this, I just do). The major problem with last night's loss was that there was no heart in the Isles game. They quit once they were down 3-1. Their shifts ...
[b]The numbers:[/b]
1. Special teams: The Sabres went 2 for 2 on the PP and gave no PP opportunities to the Devils. Unbelievable!
2. Faceoffs: Devils 35, Sabres 21. Zubrus won 88% (15-2) for the Devils while Hecht was 25% (4-12) and Gaustad was 28% (5-13) on the draw. The only Sabre abve 50% was Derek Roy (8-5).
3. Shots: Sabres 34, Devils 22. Buffalo reall...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
December Forever - Reeling in the Years (ok...the Rangers)
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[img]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61fFParYYZL._SS500_.jpg[/img]
[b][u]December Forever:[/u][/b]
[b][i]Dear Flyers' Players.
Please don't be too quick to rip the wrapper off your 2009 version of the team calender!![/i][/b]
I think if Coach John Stevens had his Christmas wish, it would be to play the rest of the year like it was the 12th month of 2008! ...
Shout out to the whole crew at Yesterday's game.
I know quite a few of my crew were complaining about the afternoon game yesterday but sometimes it is nice to see the afternoon tilt.
As requested I took some video instead of doing pictures...
Here is my little bits of video from yesterday's game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SfjaWfUtc4
Anyway I knew it...
I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but next offseason is going to be interesting. With the CAP not expected to move much next year and potentially could go down the following year, GMs have to be carful with their money
[b][u]Forwards[/u][/b]
Next year we have Briere, Richards, Gagne, Carter, Lupul, Hartnell, Metropolit, Asham, and Cote signed to 1-way contracts.
...
I was just watching the TSN panel talk about Burke's moves for next season and one of the guys (Mr. Hockey Insider) was talking about the confirmed and approved trades Fletch got last year but was blocked by NTCs. It was a terrible reminder of how futile Fletch's trade deadline push was. For of you who don't remember or never heard about it:
Sundin Higgins, Grabovski &...
[img:left]http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Mats-Sundin-Photograph-C12544663.jpeg[/img]I can't start heavily criticizing Mats since he is not the first player to do what he is doing: sitting for half a season before deciding where he wants to play. But I have to say, it is completely wrong for athletes to do this.
I'll be the first to admit that I really do not know too ...
C4LL4W4Y writes...
What to do with Zherdev? (Hope to get out of cap hell)
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Nikolai Zherdev has been the Rangers' best forward in 08-09. So far he has 11 goals and 20 assists for a total of 31 points in 35 games. This is a good thing for the Rangers, right? Right now it is.
Zherdev is set to be a restricted free agent at the end of this season. At age 24, he has a bright future and could be the face of the New York Rangers organization for ...
Shout outs to everyone.
This was a big hockey filled weekend.
I took in the Phantoms win Friday night over the Lowell Devils, The Flyers win over the Capitals and the Phantoms shootout loss to the Admirals on Saturday.
First I know you all want to see Randy Jones
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3121297625/in/set-72157611365592117/
http://www.flickr.co...
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/leafs4ever89/hockeycanada2.jpg[/IMG]
It's their final exhibition matchup of the pre-tournament and Canada looks to apply the same pressure they've produced in their first two meetings. Sunday night's game against Finland showed that this team can in fact change on the fly, and I'm not talking about the lines.
Canada's game a...
I originally thought that for this blog I would write a Christmas list to good'ol St. Nick listing all the necessary presents my Isles can use...but then I realized that list might be way too long. I have a list that not only addresses this season, but the years that follow. So instead, I broke it down to the basics, and it all comes down to one issue: this team needs work...
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....
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Briere and Parent/Jones for JayBo? In a NY Minute...
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[u][b]JayBo to Philadelphia? In a NY Minute![/b][/u]
With all due respect to Danny Briere, I would drive the face of the franchise for Homer's 2007/08 off-season acquisitions directly to the airport, speeding past cops on I-95 and waving them on to give me a police escort and give Ryan Parent or Randy Jones bus fare, two bucks for a cup of coffee an old copy of Maxim i...
In a game that would have even Jeff Goldblum studdering, the Avs beat the Red Wings.
It was a wierd game, Saturday night, one that the Avs were supposed to lose. Thanks to Oli Jokinen and a snow blower, the Avs were without Paul Stastny and Joe Sakic, respectively. They had Tyler Arnason taking Paul Stastny's spot. They were starting Peter Budaj, who hasn't played well...
This coming June is going to go a long way in telling us true Leaf fans what we are going to get under this new regime. The way that the Leafs are playing they have no shot at first or second in the June draft. Keep in mind that these scenarios take place if the standings were the same today as they would be at the end of the season. Also let me say that in no way do I ...
Neither the Flyers nor the Phantoms had much success this weekend. Both teams lost Friday and Saturday. Saturday looked like both games might end by the same score but The Admirals seemed to turn and burn and the Phantoms ended up loosing 7-2.
I have faith that both teams will turn things around. Both teams have injuries to key players and the flu making rounds.
...
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...
The Mismanagement of Rick DiPietro
By: Steve Kotchek
Complete and utter frustration and disgust is the only way I can describe the saga that is Rick DiPietro’s 2008-2009 season. At this point, we all know that him backing up Joey MacDonald for the first few games of the season was a desperate public relations stunt gone horribly wrong. Any player who can sit on a ben...
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...
B.D. Gallof writes...
HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES: Why Are There Two Set Of Rules?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
When Mike Sillinger made his return from surgery, he was tested on a Bridgeport stint. The Isles were careful, applying the use of a conditioning stint to do just that, condition a player to the rigors of the AHL as a prelude to a return to the faster, stronger NHL. Bridgeport was then used for Jeff Tambellini to just to gain confidence, under the same idea. It is a tool f...
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...
1. How much money does the Freeman Group really have for the Preds?
2. After 11 years have the Preds fan base shown any significant growth?
3. Do the Preds have the talent in the system to get past the 1st round of the playoffs
in the next 3 years (this year included)?
4. If no was your answer to question 3 do you think the Preds will still be here after
3 years...
This little blog takes involves many NHL teams however most of my proposed trades involve either the Leafs or the Canucks as they are the two teams that I know the most about. It is a pretty interesting read and I did do my research as far as caproom and contracts go.
When I take a look at the current standings it is fairly evident who some of the buyers and sellers...
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...
For comparisons to the rest of the league I took the highest scoring center on each team for a total pool of 30 rather than the top 30 highest scoring centers in the league. So how does Derek Roy stack up?
14G t11th
24A t11th
38pts t8th
+2 t18th
21:45/g 4th
49.7%fo 19th
20PIM 20th
43Giveaways 29th
25Takeaways t15th
So in 5 categories he is in the top...
Brian Burke made his first two moves as Leafs GM -- acquiring Brad May from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a conditional 6th round pick in 2010, and assigning Nikolai Kulemin to the Toronto Marlies.
Minor moves, but perhaps Burke has finished analyzing his team and is ready to reshape the roster to his liking.
With the NHL Trade Deadline fast approaching, just und...
As of January 10, 2009 the Toronto Maple Leafs are in familiar territory- no mans land.
Yknow that place in the standings where you are a ladder rung or 2 away from a playoff spot, but clearly not inept enough to be banking on a lottery pick in the draft. There is, at least a shred of understanding on my part for those who in the past three seasons felt that this was t...
With the Isles off for the next few days, I figured I'd discuss with you my thoughts on what is probably the most intriguing trade rumor that I have read thus far. Again, they are just rumors, and although Hockeybuzz gets these rumors from "reliable sources," they are still just rumors that may not develop into anything more than just food for thought. But here we go.
W...
Last night was a trip to the past. It was October of 2008 in Ottawa, and that was not good news for the hometown Senators. Because their opponent remembered that success was indeed the product of their hard work, and not a gift for the lazy. They remembered that they are more capable of winning low scoring than high scoring games. And they finally returned to their identit...
Coaches Corner maybe becoming increasingly irrelevant as the staunchly patriotic Don Cherry rambles about musings better suited to an age when every player was nicknamed “Butch” and that a Swede was something related to jokes about corners. But as Cherry provides the antithesis to contemporary hockey analysis I once more find myself agreeing with his misty eyed old sch...
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...
I have read some reports that the Bruins are looking for a top 4 defenseman.
We know the Penguins are looking for a goal scoring winger.
It seems to me that the Pens have what the Bruins want and the Bruins have what the Pens want.
Would the Bruins be open to a Whitney for Kessel deal?
Whitney would get to play professional hockey in his hometown...that would h...
Last season I had a big post on what I think the leafs should do and it was pretty decent in predicting reality even though everyone in Leafland thought it appropriate to tear me a new one. Specifically, one of the "crazy" things I said was to trade Toskala and sign huet in his place. Alas that is what we should have done but we didn't and we may be paying for it a bit.
...
Last season I had a big post on what I think the leafs should do and it was pretty decent in predicting reality even though everyone in Leafland thought it appropriate to tear me a new one. Specifically, one of the "crazy" things I said was to trade Toskala and sign huet in his place. Alas that is what we should have done but we didn't and we may be paying for it a bit.
...
March 5th will be a significant date for Anton Stralman.
Why?
He's going to be re-inserted into the Leafs' lineup, and finally serve the role he was intended to grasp as an offensive defenseman in the NHL.
That is, if Burke can manage to dislodge Kaberle and/or Kubina from the lineup.
It's currently unclear whether the duo of defensemen have a long-term future ...
[b]Timonen : A+[/b]
[i]6.3 mill/yr - signed thru 2012/13[/i]
Kimmo is this generations Mark Howe. If he stays healthy, he will outperform his stellar 07-08 season by 10 points. So far this season Timonen leads all Flyers defenders with 28 pts in 42 games (.67ppg). Those numbers rank him 13th overall in the league, keeping stride with elite players like Lidstrom, Campbe...
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...
With the Trading Deadline around the corner I think the following trades would be great for both teams.
Tlusty, Andropov for Jordan Stall and 2nd round draft pick.
(Both Tlusty and Andropov are very affordable)
Tlusty played with Malikin in Russia and both enjoyed great success.
Pittsburgh needs a little shake up with a glut of Centremen and Jordan rotting in th...
This is my first ever blog,
Thanks for Reading.
Based on how Toskala has been playing latly, it is fair to see he should go. I for one never like him and think Raycroft should have been our guy.
That aside, a lot of people would like to see Toskala gone.
In the NHL this year, who needs a decent goal tender, and who can afford him, not to mention what kind of re...
Every Isles fan and hockey fan by now has to have come to a complete understanding in regards to this dismal year for the blue and orange. This season was designed to ignite a maturation process for all the young, inexperienced players; to learn from mistakes, to understand the game, yada yada yada. But in a youth movement, there are supposed to be signs of progress. Each ...
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 ...
When I logged onto Hockeybuzz this morning, I discovered that B.D. Gallof has been completely erased from this site. No more past blogs. Obviously, nothing new. No mention or explanation as to why B.D. and his many blogs have been erased off this site. B.D.'s entire presence has been erased.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out exactly what's going on he...
When I logged onto Hockeybuzz this morning, I discovered that B.D. Gallof has been completely erased from this site. No more past blogs. Obviously, nothing new. No mention or explanation as to why B.D. and his many blogs have been erased off this site. B.D.'s entire presence has been erased.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out exactly what's going on here. ...
Don't look now, but Jason Blake is on pace for 25 goals and 56 points (in 78 games).
And don't give your eyes a rub, that's actually on your computer screen, folks.
While Don Cherry is red in the face over the coaching of Ron Wilson, Blake couldn't be happier. After registering a disappointing 15-goal (although he did have 51 points) campaign in 2007-08, Blake has ...
Ok All I have the most busy hockey schedule ever over the last few weeks and have seen alot of hockey in the process.
First I would like to say my thoughts and prayers are with Garrett Klotz. I am not sure if anyone is aware that he suffered a seizure last night following a fight off the opening faceoff. I encourage everyone who reads this to send some positive ge...
[img:left]http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0201/nhl_g_nantropov_200.jpg[/img]The Leafs and Nik Antropov head into the All-star break in a pretty big slump.
Good thing? Depends on what you think of tanking, but is it a bad thing? No.
Today we are a lot closer to having a successful rebuild then we were a few short weeks into the season. A high 1st round pick in t...
Ring of Fire writes...
Journalism or not journalism? The hockey blog question
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[b]RING of FIRE[/b]
[img]http://www.tuthq.com/images/fire-1.jpg[/img]
#1
I was trying to think of the best way to do my first blog. I mean, what is a blog anyway? Its a bunch of words on the internet, right?
WIKI says
[i]A blog, a contraction of the term "Web log", is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, des...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Just Droppin' Like Flies: Silly Done For Year
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
This week has been a little crazy. My break came to an end and I had to quickly shift gears from being that lazy bum that sat on a couch playing Call of Duty: World of War and NHL 2009 to a student again. So far, it's not going so well. I go to class, but start writing down line combinations in my notebook on what I think the team might look like next year or go over who m...
CAPMESS11 writes...
Fritsche ON WAIVERS, ISLANDERS? ROZSIVAL FOR PRONGER NEXT
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
With the lack of flexibility in the lineup and the Rangers strong need to carry a 7th D-man, Dan Fritsche was placed on waivers. I'm almost positive that a team will claim him and his salary of 875 k isn't a back breaker. I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the Island as Mike Sillinger is done for the year. Dan would get tons of ice time and can play both wing and ...
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....
drock24 writes...
Why prospects are worth more than money for the Leafs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
In the NHL, having money is great, but it doesn't always mean success; well not on the ice that is. Take a look at the whack of free agents Tampa Bay signed in the off season, and look at them now. Anyway, as I sit here and take a look at the class of 2009 free agents; I am less than hopeful in what big splashes the Leafs will make July 1st. That's not to say there ar...
Part of me is a diehard Pens fan and I will cheer for them until the bitter end.
That part won't let me throw in the towel until the final horn sounds.
But...the other part...the rational one...tells me that this team is simply not good enough to make the playoffs.
Last night's 4-3 loss to the Devils was a crusher. Tonight's loss to the Leafs may have been the na...
... and all through the league,
there were plenty of rumors,
for us to enjoy ...
When out of the shadows a blogger appeared,
With laptop in hand and opinions to share!
Well, with that out of the way ... I figured it would be interesting to evaluate the current Leafs on their contributions and performances so far and gauge whether they should be available in Burke'...
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...
I created a new site called PuckDrawn.com and it's pretty much geared towards the design geeks and those who love logo/jersey designs of the NHL. Feel free to stop by and let me know what you think. I'm not really a website/blog design guru, so i'll work out the kinks as I go...
[url]http://www.PuckDrawn.com[/url]
I think now is a good time to address the young defensive players for the Islanders and how they seem to be doing. There are several of young, developing forwards, but really only two main defense-man that stand out with the near future, and a third that may end up as a contributor later in his career: Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais, and Jack Hillen.
[b]Chris Campoli[/b]
...
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....
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...
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...
That was the worst slump I've seen in a while for a team boasting that much talent. Like it or not, the Canucks are no NHL powerhouse, but they are a team with plenty of good players including 4 superstars, half a dozen excellent players and a handful of possible future superstars.
When a team like that goes off the rails the speculation starts flying. The coach takes...
We continue our reviews of prior Leafs drafts with the 1985 draft held in Toronto on June 15, 1985.
Legend: GP=Games Played, G= Goals, A= Assists, PTS= Points,
W= Wins, L= Losses, T= Ties, GAA=Goals Against Average, SO= Shutouts
[b]1st Overall Pick- Wendel Clark (Defensemen)[/b]
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 608 G- 260 A- 181 PTS- 441
Leafs Playoff Stats: GP...
Tonight's shootout loss was a hard fought defeat to the Los Angeles Kings, a team that the Isles should hope to reflect one day. The Kings have a nucleus of young skaters ranging from Kopitar, Frolov, and O'Sullivan to Doughty and Johnson. For the past few seasons they have sat at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, frustrating themselves and their fan base. No...
icedog97 writes...
Penguins Problems...Scoring Goals is NOT the Biggest
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I listen to sports talk shows and read hockey blogs and almost unanimously -- Penguin fans instst we need a scoring winger...or two...to get this team to where it needs to be.
There is no agruing the Pens would be a better team with at least one "more proven" goal scorer on the roster.
But, if you are like the majority of people that think that's why the Pens are h...
Many supporters of Leafs Nation have been truly skeptical of the career of Nik Antropov. It went from the Leafs taking him in the 1st Round, 10th overall, when many believed he would be an early second rounder. But he had a very dominant season in the second tier of then, RSL, and so the Leafs went out of their way to make him apart of their future. He went from being #11,...
The second I saw Doug Weight flex his knee and slam his stick on the ice in frustration I knew right away that Isles fans were going to be hit with bad news once again. All I hoped was that it wouldn't be for an extensive period of time...but then today at work I get a text message from a friend of mine who is constantly sharing the same woes as I do when it comes to this ...
Ok lets break down the Isles roster & see what's left for the 2009-10 season starting at the net & work our way out.
Ricky is our starter & lets say either Joey or Yan is our backup at 500,000. Where set in the net.
On defense, we let Hillen & Pock walk, & are left with these 7 signed & bring up a man from the farm when needed. Streit Sutton Witt Martinek Gervais Cam...
Here are the NHL's top rookies sorted by number of points....
Chris Versteeg(CHI)- 15 goals, 26 assists, and 41 points in 49 games played
Bobby Ryan(ANH)- 18 goals, 17 assists, and 35 points in only 39 games played
Patrik Berglund(STL)- 16 goals 19 assists, and 35 points in 49 games played
Blake Wheeler(BOS)- 15 goals, 18 assists, and 33 points in 55 games played
...
Note: Nitty is out with the flu. Hopefully Marty takes advantage.
[b]1st Period[/b]
Much better start today as the team did not take any penalties and was able to get all lines rotated through their shifts. More energy and better gap control by all units.
Carter is a beast. He looks like a more focused Mats Sundin. He takes every puck to the scoring areas! T...
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...
Sorry for the delay to anyone who was holding their breath in anticipation of the next division analysis, because I'm sure there were plenty of you.
I continue my team by team analysis by focussing my attention on the North East division. Once viewed as the most dangerous in the conference, and perhaps league, it has provided two of the worst teams, to date, league wid...
*The following is an opinion piece regarding the players who, I think, are on their way out of Toronto by March 4th (not the off-season)*
The Leafs are in the midst of, yet again, a mediocre season. Unlike previous years, however, the Leafs have refrained from the up-and-down, "I BeLeaf in 8th place" facade that was commonly grouped with the Leafs during the past few ye...
I'm positive I don't have to explain that the Leafs are going in to the March 4 trade deadline as sellers. As an avid reader and poster here on hockeybuzz, I have seen my fair share of lopsided proposals resulting in high draft picks and stellar prospects for our 2nd and 3rd strings of roster players.
With that in mind, I decided to analyze each team's prospect pool th...
From TSN.ca
No. 3 - Philadelphia prospect James van Riemsdyk. The University of New Hampshire forward, picked second in 2007, has been linked to Atlanta in a deal that would see a goalie going to the Flyers.
No. 2 - Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen is of interest to the Flyers. If Atlanta GM Don Waddell continues to rebuild, swapping Lehtonen for a prospect such as Va...
Last night's 6-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes was a tough pill to swallow, and it's never easy to deal with losing to our LIRR rivals the New York Rangers, but this team is working towards something a little more important than adding points in the win column: this team is working towards building an identity.
Islander-Ranger games, which are always exciting for the ...
Steve Stamkos with the trick last week, welcome to the NHL kid.
Alexi Kovalev sent home for being Alexi Kovalev. Sending him home won't work, Alexi is a flake you just have to deal with it.
Ain't no party like a Kostitsyn brothers party because a Kostitsyn brother party don't stop. Get those two with the Staal brothers and we have trouble.
Have you ever hit black ...
General Manager Garth Snow decided to pull the trigger on a deal yesterday instead of waiting until the heavily anticipated March 4th trade deadline madness. In a deal with the Ottawa Senators receiving young defense-man Chris Campoli and center Mike Comrie, the Isles got back in return left-wing Dean McAmmond and San Jose's first round pick in this year's draft.
With ...
Brian Burke the Leafs general manager finds himself in a very interesting position as he tries to reshape this roster, rumours continue to swirl that he will move just about anyone on this roster but is not only open to taking on big contracts if they include some draft picks but also some key players to help speed up this rebuilding plan. Burke would love to be able to la...
HI everyone it has been a long time since I posted anything. Mostly I have barely had time for me then to even get something in writing and up for you guys too.
Anyway..... I had quite a full hockey weekend.
I saw the Flyers thursday, Phantoms Friday and both Flyers and Phantoms on Saturday in different locations. Then the crown jewel of the weekend was the Flyer...
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...
With the trade deadline just over a week away, there will no doubt be an altered Leafs lineup next Thursday when the team visits the Capitals. Here is my take on the most talked about Leafs and whether they should stay or go.
[b]Jason Blake:[/b] He's playing very well this season, but his contract and attitude make him an anchor. I'd like to see him moved, but it's l...
[img:left]http://images.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=img&q=http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2009/02/03/danis-yann-ap-090203.jpg&usg=AFQjCNF2jQ4J8TjnDJSvhyq6xgplJIE1fw[/img]Yann Danis came to an Islanders team that had two goalies signed with one-way contracts, one of which belonged to Rick DiPietro who is here for the next decade and then some. It was all but ...
robert08 writes...
Fire the Owner, who Hired the GM, who Fired the Coach
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
How many fans have to suffer at the fault of owners that just don't get it? Can any one name the owner of the Atlanta Thrashers? - Exactly! - Its actually a group (the Atlanta Spirit LLC) who is still fueding... In the meantime, Ilya K and the gang and the fans get to wallow in the mire while the Atlanta Spirit LLC figures it out. I'd never want to call for anyone's head,...
Today's trade of Ryan Whitney for Chris Kunitz and prospect Eric Tangradi may have left some Penguins fans asking the question:
[b]This is the scoring winger we are getting to play with Sid?[/b]
While the initial reaction might be to assume Shero expects Kunitz to play on Sid's wing, in a role similar to what Marian Hossa's was, the comments from both Shero and coach...
Tomas Kaberle will be traded on March 4th. I guarantee it.
Kaberle, who's dawned the Leafs uniform for a decade, would be wise to waive his no-trade clause at the NHL Trade Deadline. This would allow him to control his fate, rather than have Burke decide it for him when his contract nullifies his NTC in the off-season due to the Leafs' failure to make the post-season th...
With both teams fighting for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, the Canadiens square off against the Flyers tonight at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. The Canadiens will line up against a Flyers offense that has been scoring at will as of late, and who will only get stronger with the long awaited return of Daniel Briere. Briere will look to seamles...
The Avs faced the Rangers, and wound up taking part in possibly their most embarrassing loss of the season. The game was out of hand from the get-go and unfortunately the return of Paul Stastny to the lineup hasn't been the spark plug fans had hoped for. The question we ask ourselves now is; what now?
With the trade deadline fast approaching, and a GM who has possibly t...
The Avs faced the Rangers, and wound up taking part in possibly their most embarrassing loss of the season. The game was out of hand from the get-go and unfortunately the return of Paul Stastny to the lineup hasn't been the spark plug fans had hoped for. The question we ask ourselves now is; what now?
With the trade deadline fast approaching, and a GM who has possibly t...
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...
There is plenty to discuss when it comes to the New York Islanders lately; tonight they host the all but forgotten 2007 trade deadline acquisition of Ryan Smyth and the Colorado Avalanche; our captain is floating in trade limbo as March 4th approaches; Sean Bergenheim is elevating his game to a potential leadership role; and of course, more trades are probably on the way. ...
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...
An interesting question was posed to me: Why do you bother trying chasing rumors all over the place? I mean, in reality, do we really know what a GM is thinking? The two I find hardest to read General Managers are Sutter and Gainey. Yet we keep trying to do this all year around. The headaches are maddening.
For one thing, I live here in Calgary. Trying to figure out...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Final Countdown & Beasts to Leasts in the East
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[b][i]It's the final countdown...[/i][/b]
[img]http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/n0mem0ry/timebomb.jpg[/img]
You can almost hear the screaming lyrics from the 1980s, Swedish glam rock, [b]Mega-group[/b], [i][b]Europe[/b][/i] (??)
[u]OK...retraction [/u]
How about the one hit wonder group, [i]Europe[/i].(better?)
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/e...
So its midnight, and officially it is deadline day, and that means the Avs should be in for an all night day-er. With the best impending UFA goalie off the market the Avs really need to look into making a trade to secure their crease next year. Raycroft and Budaj are both free agents, but with Budaj being RFA we can retain him and reserve the bench for him, hoping he can e...
[b]The Toronto Maple Leafs acquire a second-round draft pick and a conditional draft pick from the New York Rangers for Nik Antropov.[/b]
Is that it? I will admit that I am totally disappointed by what Nik Antropov brought in trade. I will admit to being curious about what the conditional pick might entail but with the sheer volume of second round picks flying around (9...
[img:left]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m31/tonyjetblue/89and13.jpg[/img]Besides the swap of Comrie and Campoli to Ottawa for Dean McAmmond and San Jose's first round pick, the Islanders were quiet today on the trade front. I'm sure Snow had a few other offers on the table for other players on his roster, but the only deal in which Garth pulled the trigger sent Captai...
[img:left]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m31/tonyjetblue/89and13.jpg[/img]Besides the swap of Comrie and Campoli to Ottawa for Dean McAmmond and San Jose's first round pick, the Islanders were quiet today on the trade front. I'm sure Snow had a few other offers on the table for other players on his roster, but the only deal in which Garth pulled the trigger sent Captai...
[img:left]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m31/tonyjetblue/89and13.jpg[/img]Besides the swap of Comrie and Campoli to Ottawa for Dean McAmmond and San Jose's first round pick, the Islanders were quiet today on the trade front. I'm sure Snow had a few other offers on the table for other players on his roster, but the only deal in which Garth pulled the trigger sent Captai...
I have to say, when I first read about Upshall (and a 2nd) being traded for Carcillo I was pretty upset. Having given things time to digest, I'm not so upset. While I think the Yotes may have gotten the best of Homer on this one, this [i]could[/i] end up working out ok for the Flyers.
While I really loved what Upshall brought to the team and believe he has a higher ce...
[i]The following is a 'review' I wrote of my first (and last) trip to Nassau Coliseum, for the Rangers vs. Islanders game on 3/5/09[/i]
I'm walking up to it from the abomination of a parking lot, and the first thing that catches my eye is that they are pimping the lighthouse project with banners all over the outside of the arena. Smart idea I guess. I walk up to the ...
Its been a few days since the Trade Deadline passed, with nothing to show for the Avs save Montreal's 2nd round pick this year. Giguere sent Leopold back to Calgary on deadline day for a scrub waiver wire pickup, Ryan Wilson..an undrafted defenseman, and Montreal's 2nd round pick. Not exactly the type of package Avs fans would have hoped for since even Brian Burke managed ...
A lot of Leafs fans after looking at what we grabbed on March 4th were disappointed, and thought Burke had failed in what he tried to do.
What did he try to do though? Leading up to the deadline he said that he really liked Kaberle and that he would not want to trade him, yet the media still acted as if he was on the market. He said that Kubina would not be available fo...
With the first selsction in the 2009 NHL draft the Islanders select...Listen guys/gals there is no guarantee that they will obtain the first selection let alone draft the guy you want.I understand its a bitter sweet process having a good chance at selecting first overall, but it also meens you need more help then that one pick can do for you.That being said it looks like ...
That rumble that you have been hearing since last Tuesday, from around 3 pm EST, has been the collective groan of the TANK NATION - those that believe that the Toronto Maple Leafs should be bottoming out in search for one of the top 5 picks in this year's entry draft.
Admittedly, membership to the TANK Nation has, of whom Michael "From Buffalo" Augello is mayor and chi...
I do agree that AHL playoff experience can help some of the eligible players, but I don’t think it’s a good idea - just like Bailey not playing for Canada in the WJC. Some of these guys wont gain anything by playing in the AHL playoffs that will directly translate to NHL success. A player like Jesse Joenssou is a different story, the more competitive hockey he plays t...
Rob McGowan writes...
Okposo vs. Bergenheim...Who Will Lead the Isles In Goals?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Who would've thought that near season's end we would be discussing Sean Bergenheim and Kyle Okposo in a battle for leading the Islanders in the goal scoring department? Of course we can't forget Mark Streit, the very talented veteran defenseman who is only two goals shy from tying the previously mentioned.
Although Streit is a defenseman, he definitely cannot be counte...
On January 17 the Pittsburgh Penguins traded Dany Sabourin, Ryan Stone and a 4th round pick in 2011 to Edmonton for Oilers back-up goalie Matheui Garon. My question was, and still is, why??
Since joining the birds Garon has played one game. He allowed five goals on 21 shots in a loss at Toronto and looked like a quality backup for an AHL or ECHL team. In his defense, Ve...
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say something that many of you will find to be absolutely ludicrous: Glen Sather has done a fantastic job since 07.
Yes, THAT Sather. I will go as far to say that Sather made only two glaring post-lockout mistakes: signing TWO free agent centers in the summer of 07 and inking Redden.
In the 07 offseason, Sather probably shoul...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Giving Fans a Reason to Look Forward to Next Year
Posted Friday | Comments 0
They are winners of five in their past seven; Kyle Okposo leads the team with 16 goals; the original third-string goalie is playing at the level of a number one starter; Bailey, Okposo, Nielsen, Comeau, and Bergenheim are all in the same point range; Gervais is starting to look like a real defense-man playing along Mark Streit; Mike Iggulden comes up and has a very impress...
Like many other hockey fans, I've been considering over the last few days where Martin Brodeur's latest accomplishments place him on the true list of the all-time greats. And as I did the research and put in the thought, an opinion I've long held was reinforced: there's a difference between the greatness of a player and the greatness of a career.
That's not to say that ...
So we are into the nailbiting time of the season. Every game matters. Can we do it? Use this link to follow the preds chances.
http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Western/Central/Predators.html
The one thing I do believe, is that regardless of whether we can make the playoffs, we are not a playoff hockey team. If we make it it, it will be more b/c of what others ...
It seems as if the rest of the Islanders season will conclude without any player donning the heralded "C" over their heart. It's very possible that head coach Scott Gordon will appoint one of the current roster players the captaincy, but with only 12 games remaining, I have a feeling that Gordon is going to see which of his players seem fit to handle the responsibility at ...
I just can’t figure the Sabres out. 13 shots? A 2-0 lead turns into a 4-2 loss? I think what disturbed me more than anything was watching this team suddenly decide with about two minutes left and a 4-2 deficit that it was time to play desperate hockey. This team apparently has no heart or leadership - I can’t imagine how they can seem as disinterested as they have t...
The Islanders seem to be having the time of their lives; having a fun time enjoying playing hockey. Young players have been getting their chance in the NHL. I wonder how they feel about trying to tank every game for the rest of the season. Of late, I have heard fans yelling and being happy about losing a game, with their teams being out of the playoffs. I can understand th...
Let me introduce myself since this being my first blog here, my name is Tom and I'm a hardcore Flyers fan, even more a hockey fan. I hate the Penguins with a passion, one much great to describe yet I [b]hate[/b] Sidney Crosby even more. That's a quick little intro to me.
As it stands right now, my Flyers are standing fourth in the conference - tied with those pansies ...
Bruno Gervais has always been one of the players on the Isles roster that has given his free time to charity and/or social events while also being very vocal and outgoing with the fans. However, after not scoring a goal in 100+ games and at times looking out of position and frustrated on the ice, Gervais was becoming a question mark for the Isles future on the blue line.
...
It's time for Martin Brodeur to step down from his throne. Because of his torn bicep, Brodeur missed most of the season. It would be an insult to the other 59+ goaltenders that have played this year if Brodeur did win his third-straight and fifth career Vezina.
I'm not saying Brodeur is not the best goaltender, but he wasn't the best this year. You can't be the best if ...
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...
In a season that started out with mixed vets and kids heading for a downward spiral to the bottom of the standings pretty much from the get-go, to a release of some "bad apples" and increased reliance on prospects and AHL fill-ins, the year is coming to a rapid close with only seven games remaining. During the usual fun-filled playoffs, 16 teams will compete for a chance t...
At a certain point you have to get sick and tired of people harping on Carey Price. The only reason that everyone gets down on him is that he was made out to be the next great thing. This year the kid will be 22 years of age, and still has ton of potential and could have a great career in the NHL. This is unless our brilliant fans run him out of the building first. ...
There are reports, the Leafs have signed free agent forward Tyler Bozak from the University of Denver Pioneers. The 23 year old Regina native is being compared to Colarado's Paul Stastny
As Reported on AM640 at 7:33am
FLAMESTR writes...
Heart to Heart Conversation to Canucks and Observations
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[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...
Rob McGowan writes...
Not Weighting Around; Doug Extended For Next Season
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Before I begin, I just want to inform my readers that my former username was TopRtLW76. Being that I write for the NYI Blog Box, I felt it would be more appropriate to have my real name displayed instead. Sorry if this has caused any confusion.
But yes, Doug Weight has been extended for the 2009-2010 season. This is a great signing and one that fans should be happy to s...
The playoffs are upon us and the Stanley Cup is up for grabs. It’s surprising when you think about how many teams are legitimate contenders. It used to be that the Sharks and Bruins were huge favorites, but now I am not too sure. That is why we play the game. It’s a fun time to watch.
[b]
THE EAST
[/b]
When you think of the teams in east that could challenge ...
Romano's 2:00 Update
Happy Easter everybody, plenty of hockey to talk about and I am going to start with our under the radar Trenton Devils..
ECHL- The Devils beat the Jackals last night 6-5.Right now the team has 6 point per game players, and 4 players with over a point per game. Now that's what I call balanced scoring. The most noticeable players so far have been T...
Alright Isles fans...take a collective sigh of relief. We've made it through 82 games...82 long, injury riddled games. Some were exciting, some were let downs, and some just plain ol' sucked. But there seems to be a very bright light at the end of the tunnel with the draft lottery tomorrow night on Versus.
I know, we're all salivating over the possibility of drafting J...
Okay I'll admit right away that I have not been able to watch all the games of the post season, but I have seen enough to make me want to write this.
We all know by now that the post season is a time when things get ridiculous in the National Hockey League. Emotions are running high, play gets more physical and tempers start to flare. If you thought the officials had a ...
First off, I would like to thank the New York Islanders for running the NYI Blog Box for a second straight year and allowing me to be a part of it this season. Over the course of the year I have met a lot of great people that helped me get adjusted to something that was very new to me while never making me feel like that "new guy." Despite the season being a long, hard sea...
ladynic writes...
I am alive & why the Phantoms shouldn't go to Glens Falls
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Yes folks I do still live.
I don't have much time these days to myself much less hockey blogging.
Things I know that are wanted.....
Pix of JVR as a Phantom
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3419535875/in/set-72157616534644099/
Future Flyers to watch
Jonathan Matsumoto
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3419536635/in/set-72157604512865050/
Rob...
I didn’t need the first few playoff games to learn that the NHL needs some officiating changes and a better policy on disciplining players. I have said numerous times going back through past instances whether it be Todd Bertuzzi or Alexander Perezhogin, that we need consistent strict rules on suspensions. The memo sent out this postseason was that the NHL did not want ...
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...
Rob McGowan writes...
Let's Back Up Here, MacDonald? Danis? Or Neither?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
For the overwhelming majority of the season the Islanders played their back-up and third string goaltenders, Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis. DP's injury forced him to pretty much sit out the entire season allowing these two net-minders to have a quality chance at proving themselves at the NHL level. But which one will be back next year to serve the role that was initially i...
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...
It recently dawned on me that our former captain will be searching for a new home once his playoff run comes to an end with the Pittsburgh Penguins, whenever that may be. The trade that sent him to the Pens has been finalized with that conditional fifth round pick going from a fifth, to a fourth, and finally to a third with them advancing to the second round of the playoff...
I honestly dont think it matters what happens in the East bracket, [b]the Red Wings are unstoppable![/b]... even by Tim Thomas and the Big Bad Bruins.
This is not an easy pill to swallow, coming from a guy whos inlaws are from Michigan, and whos wife's cousin married a Michigan State hockey fanatic dubbed simply as "the Angry Guy". Beckster and I go out there ever year...
After embarassing themselves yet again in post-season play the question on the table now is what do you change in San Jose. Here are my answers:
[i]1.) Trade Evgeni Nabokov[/i]
Sharks fans will hate me for saying this, and I agree with their love for Nabby. The problem is he just doesn't steal games in the playoffs. In game five he allowed the Ducks back into the gam...
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...
I have never seen that in my life! 2 goals in the final 1:20 to advance to the next round instead of the golf course. Crazy! What effort by Gleason to keep the puck in for Jokinen to tie it ... and Staal has been simply incredible the entire series. TWO teams come back from 3-1 series deficits to win the series. That should change some percentages a bit.
GREAT NIGH...
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.
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...
First, and foremost, please do not judge this article as coming from the opinion of an Islanders fan. I am as unbiased as humanly possible in this aspect, and I truly tell it how it is. It is for this reason that I felt obligated to put together a little piece on the Rangers, and how the toughest part for them, and their management, actually begins now. Granted, they just ...
With 55 days until the one of the biggest drafts in Islanders history, the Islanders were helped out by the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks this week. Last Saturday the Penguins ended the Flyers season guaranteeing the Islanders a third round pick. And Anaheim’s victory on Monday over the San Jose Sharks guaranteed them the Sharks 26th pick in the draft. So while G...
Rob McGowan writes...
First Overall: A Definite? A Gamble? Or Wishful Thinking?
Posted Friday | Comments 4
The Isles have the first overall pick...blah blah blah blah....Tavares or Hedman? Yada yada yada...we all know this by now. So what's with all the talk? The Isles are going to either draft a franchise defenseman or forward...right?
As usual during this time frame, there are a lot of rumors swirling around the pollen infested air to catch our attention and think, hmm, wh...
I wrote this on a now-defunct blog site over two years ago, and re-posted it here about a year ago. After seeing the Chad Larose video review at the end of tonight's Game 2 against Boston, I'm re-re-posting it... .well.... [url=http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=827&post_id=5145]a link to it[/url] at least.....
And just so y'all know, I'm gonna KEEP posting it u...
I don't know why, but it seems like in every playoff game this year I've seen at least one goal called off because the referee was not in position to make the call or seen a team called offsides by a line judge trying to catch up or who got in the way of a clearing attempt.
Tonight it was Detroit's Marian Hossa who scored the game-tying-goal with just over a minute left...
MichaelBernard writes...
Devils Offseason '09: The Shape of Things to Come
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
After one of the most disappointing endings in the playoffs in recent history for the New Jersey Devils, fans may have something or someone to look forward to. The Devils’ website had headlines thanking the fans for the enormous support that was shown this regular season and especially in the playoffs. One thing is for sure though, if the Devils make a big move on the f...
There is a lot of obvious attention being paid to the playoff series' that are at hand, and when it comes to Islander country most are focused on the possibility of obtaining John Tavares. But today I am going to take a look at the impending UFA's on the roster and give my reasons for why they should or should not return.
The first two that I will rule out are Yann Dani...
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 ...
BryanM writes...
League Needs to Assert Itself Now or Lose Control Forever
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Versus showed the aftermath of the Detroit Red Wings-Anaheim Ducks Game 6 during the first intermission of tonight's game 7 between Pittsburgh and Washington. After watching it I can't help but think that the NHL has lost control of these playoffs. Maybe it's just because they have two of the dirtiest teams in the league playing each other, or maybe it's because Colin Camb...
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...
This NHL post-season must be a dream come true for Gary Bettman. His marketing team hasn't had to do any real work to sell these playoffs; they've sold themselves. Look at the excitement of the first round where we watched Boston against Montreal in an original six rivalry match, Pittsburgh against their hated rival Philadelphia, San Jose and archrival Anaheim in the first...
After an exciting second round of playoff action that saw three series go the distance and pitted the league’s top young stars - Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby - against each other. Many thought there would be a let-down after the excitement of the Conference Semifinals, but the four teams that advanced have offered enough storylines to at least keep us mildly inte...
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 ...
First off, I want to explain that I am aware that it has been almost two weeks since I wrote my last blog. Being that we are in the month of May, although that means fans are in store for intense games of hockey during the NHL playoffs, it also means final research papers and exams are due, and I simply did not have the time to write about my beloved Islanders.
But now...
All is quiet in the world of the Devils right now. Fans and players alike have one eye on next season while the other looks back at the year that was with a disgruntled groan of frustration. There has been a distinctly empty stretch since the team cleaned out their lockers, not that this is unexpected. So while Devils fans watch their lesser sports and wait for some news, ...
Since Lou Lamoriello took over as Devils General Manager in 1987, the Devils have earned a reputation as one of the best evaluators of draft talent in the NHL. Between Lamoriello and Director of Scouting David Conte—whom Lamoriello would contend really runs the show on draft day—save for an unfortunate stretch between 1999 and 2002, the Devils have always come through ...
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...
At least they got swept. Holik OUT, Havelid OUT! Im ready for the home opener. Bring on Phaneuf!! Good Call Ek. Rest in Peace Peter Zezel.
Down with the Wings.
This will be short and sweet. I've decided, upon the contemplation of my HB sabbatical and working on my own Isles site, www.IslandersIndependent.com, that for now...that is exactly where I want to be.
I thank Eklund and the many excellent bloggers here for their friendship and support. Everyone was swell, and it was a pleasure being here for almost two years.
I am...
With the finals just hours away it is time for me to weigh on in what looks to be one of the best Stanley Cup matchups since 1984 (the last time the NHL had a finals rematch). Before I tell everyone my pick, here's the way I break down these two teams.
Each category is based on a scale of ten. A score of 5-5 is a push, no advantage for either team.
[b]Forwards[/b]
[...
Wow, no penalty shot! Biggest thing of the night. Detroit got away with one on that when Zetterberg closed his hand on the puck in the crease. And no call!!! It still amazes me how the refs rarely call that.
Biggest complaint for me.....SOMEONE SUSPEND KRONWALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why, why, why, why, why has this guy not been suspended. Keep your skates on the ice whe...
While it is an exciting time to be an Islander because of the tremendous hustle and bustle regarding the first overall pick, you can bet your ass no one is having more fun than Penguin and Red Wing fans. For the second year in a row, the Penguins and Red Wings will be facing off in the Stanley Cup Final, and you can bet that both teams will be even more prepared for each o...
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...
Watching the Stanley Cup Finals now, I can't help but think how it should be us. We should be watching the Devils battle the Red Wings right now, and we very well might be had the team not decided to sit back as if they still had the likes of Stevens and Daneyko to save the day. But now that the offseason is unfortunately upon us, I'd like to try placing myself in the GM's...
This was a really good event and I look forward to going this year. This is for a good cause, to help knock out MS.
Here is a link to my pics from last year
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157606797506365/
This year will be August 23rd at Swanky Bubbles from 12-3.
I hope all of you Flyers faithful will be able to attend.
1) Glad to see that Malkin didn't get suspended. When you have two skaters who don't have their shirts tied down it is hard to label either a "fighter." Although, Zetterberg did serve in the Swedish army for a few months and it looked like he had a pretty good uppercut technique and could have landed a few good ones if the refs had let him. But for what purpose after the ...
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...
If you asked any hockey fan who was going to win the Stanley Cup in February there was only 1 answer: The New Jersey Devils. It was a shock to everyone that the Rock fell silent as Eric Staal capped game 7 and carried his team to the second round and the Devils made an early exit. Thankfully that is all over. 5 thing the Devils need to do:
[b]1. Release Madden and Gion...
It's been a little dry here on the Island, despite the continuous rainfall that has me worried about my upcoming weekend get-a-way to Montauk in two weeks, thus making it a tad difficult to find something to talk about in regards to the Isles.
I typically try to stay away from the Lighthouse talk. I share the same concerns and opinions of most of my fellow bloggers, but...
Support a great cause and help Riley Cote, of the Philadelphia Flyers, knock out MS.
http://cotecarnival.net/
I bought my ticket today. Buy yours and come out for a great time.
Pictures from last years event can be found here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157606797506365/
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...
I have a new blog that I'm waiting on because now is not the right time to publish it. So until that time arrives, I thought I'd fill the gap with a discussion on the Devils and retired numbers.
Now nobody can debate the legitimacy of retiring Scott Stevens' #4. He's either the first or second best Devil of all time, and there is no debating that. Without his leadership...
I did not expect to have to write about this, at least not until the summer of 2010, but the powers that be have forced my hand. Today, Brent Sutter has announced that he has resigned from the head coaching position for the Devils, deciding that he'd rather hang around Alberta and save his dying junior hockey team. Now as a statement on its own, that's perfectly reasonable...
Before the media has a chance to jump off the Red Wings bandwagon (again), I'll put in my two cents on Game 6.
First of all, Detroit was asleep at the wheel in the first period. With the exception of Chris Osgood, the Wings really did look like the older, more exhausted team. The one positive they can take away from the first 20 minutes is that Pittsburgh did not score ...
Rob McGowan writes...
So It All Comes Down to One Game, Plus Some Isles Chatter
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
So after six games we are heading back to Detroit to watch the final game of NHL hockey of the year, with Pittsburgh fighting to win their first cup in over a decade.
Like I predicted, the series has relied heavily on the positive effects of home ice. If it continues to play out as the past six games have, then Detroit will skate away as champions once again. I'm still...
Most Devils fans would like a coach who could stay for 5-6 years behind the bench without Lou firing them or quiting because they are "home sick." There are a few coaching opions who are overlooked that would make good choices. I do not want Lemaire back, he didnt work out for the Wild, I do not want him to come here. Sorry Devils fasn who wanted him back.
Pat Burns: B...
Since the resignation of Brent Sutter, many names have been tossed about as far as prospective replacements, from the expected (John MacLean), to the qualified (Peter Laviolette), to the downright strange (Ted Nolan). But if the Lamoriello-run Devils are notorious for anything, it's going off the board. When everyone at the 1990 draft loved Trevor Kidd, the Devils loved Ma...
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...
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...
Now that the Hockey Offseason has kicked off, I would like to propose some deals that I believe make many teams better. Feel free to post your counteroffers or tell me If you think I am completely out to lunch on any of these trades.
#1 – The Heatley Sweepstakes
With rumours swirling about Danny Heatley wanting out of Ottawa, here is offer I would propose if I am t...
There is no doubt that John Tavares is offensively gifted and has the hands of a magician. But for a team that is in serious rebuild mode, is Tavares the wisest selection for the Islanders to make? As time goes on I'm becoming less sure.
I've always believed the standard for a winner is building from the net out. And with DiPietro lock up for the next 30+ years, it only...
First thing's first, congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins! Once the Devils were eliminated they became my adopted team from the East, and while my adopted team from the West, Chicago, did not make it to the finals, Pittsburgh both made it and won. I'm also happy for a pair of former Devils—Bill Guerin's only other Stanley Cup came here in Jersey back in his rookie ...
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 ...
Paper Champions
Since he entered the NHL, Crosby was destined, anointed, and given the road to the Stanley Cup. As it has been written, he is the youngest captain to ever win the Cup. Bettman has been wanting, and willing this to happen since the day he was drafted. To many this is very sad because the game should be bigger than one person but reality as many of us ...
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...
Look for this years NHL Entry Draft to be a mirror reflection of last years draft (from a leafs perspective). When we all consider the possible moves that Brian Burke can make, one seems to make the most sense. He claims he does not want to give up too much, but we all know the steep price that comes with getting into the top 3. However, another significant jump from 7th t...
There are a LOT of rumours going around that the islanders are gonna draft Hedman..... that they're gonna take Duchene, but in all seriousness, as it stands now, the top 4 draft picks will be picked in that order.... the respective teams cant afford not to.
New York Islanders- They NEED Tavares, he may not be a defensman but he is still a strong player, he is also one o...
Unlike the awards that are given to forwards, which recognize both offensive and defensive aspects of the game, the Norris is the ONLY award given to defensmen. (OK...technically the Art Ross and Maurice Richard awards go to the forward OR defenseman with the most points or goals...but when was the last time a defenseman was at the top in those categories?)
I think it's...
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...
Alot of people have been wondering who the Islanders will select 1st overall in the upcoming 2009 NHL Entry Draft. There have been some rumblings lately that Matt Duchene will be the pick. Should we believe them? I dont think so.
The bottom line is, when the Islanders select a player 1st overall on friday night, that player should be and will be John Tavares. When you a...
The artist formerly known as "The Long Distance Islander" relocated to the main page as your Tampa Bay Lightning correspondent over two years ago.
Please see my work there: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?blogger_id=90
JJ
I've been a hockey fan since the Panthers first season. The '96 Cup run is always going to be considered my favorite batch of memories, watching them take on the Bruins and then surprise both Philly and the Pens to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup.
"Panther fans should enjoy this, they won't always get to savor something this special." Coach said at that time. Man...
As the New York Islanders embark on a tough decision with the first pick in the draft, John Tavares will likely be heading to Long Island. The pressure on Garth Snow, the Islanders GM, will be great. With Snow being questioned about his qualifications to be a GM plus having control of a franchise whose future in Nassau County is up in the air. So the question is....do you ...
As the draft seemingly slowly approaches it is the biggest question in Islanders Country, who will be the 1st overall pick? With rumors of John Tavaras dancing in most Islanders fan's heads and the hope that he will bring a cup to Long Island, it could be clouding what is really behind the exteriors of the "Big 3". Lets take a quick look at each of the "Big 3" in my eyes....
thejerseydevil writes...
An Open Letter to the Future Coach of the New Jersey Devils
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
An open letter to the future coach of the New Jersey Devils
Dear Future Coach,
First of all, welcome! You have just signed on for a job that requires seemingly no good reason to be fired. In fact, no Devils coach has lasted more than three years since Jacques Lemaire stepped down in 1998. Incidentally, if you happen to be Jacques Lemaire, welcome back—and please kn...
gkmkiller writes...
Are the Leafs Really Considering Trading for Redden?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
According to a report in the Wednesday edition of the Toronto Globe and Mail, the Leafs may have an interest in Rangers over-priced Defenseman Wade Redden and also Boston forward Peter Schaefer. The report mentions that the the Leafs have the cap room necessary to accomodate both players and also that the interest in Redden might mean they are close to dealing Tomas Kaberl...
willytheleaf writes...
Just in case... Don't freak out if the Leafs trade down...
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
It is my belief that the Leafs will not be trading up in this draft. The teams in front of them are just too desperate to get a highly touted prospect... The Islanders will go for the option of selling tickets before looking for the future of the franchise, and Tavares will probably go first... Even though to me, it looks like Duchene and Hedman look like they will develop...
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...
Thanks for the welcomes on the first blog. In this one, I will take a relatively brief look at who the Rangers have drafted recently (see Gmkiller’s blog for a more detailed look at the draft over the years) and some prior 19th picks; how our recent selections might impact who we draft this year; possible candidates for the 19th pick and my choice.
[i][u][b]Prior Draf...
Thanks for the welcomes on the first blog. In this one, I will take a relatively brief look at who the Rangers have drafted recently (see Gmkiller’s blog for a more detailed look at the draft over the years) and some prior 19th picks; how our recent selections might impact who we draft this year; possible candidates for the 19th pick and my choice.
[i][u][b]Prior Draf...
This is only my second blog on this site and has to be short and sweet since I do not have much time. I just wanted to share my thoughts about which players the Sharks should keep, as well as hear some input from other Sharks fans.
I think there are only three players that I would be really upset to see go and they are:
1 - Dan Boyle: He is my choice for Captain next...
Tonight the heavily anticipated NHL entry draft will be held with the Islanders set to make their first overall pick. The three top candidates are well-known by now: John Tavares, Victor Hedman, and Matt Duchene.
The order in which they should be listed has been debated over the past several weeks with them shifting over and over again. My personal take is that if we dr...
Tonight at approximately 7:17 Eastern time, the Coliseum erupted. That was because Islanders GM Garth Snow announced to the world that the Islanders were selecting John Tavares first overall in the 2009 NHL Draft. The 10,000 people at the Coliseum shook the Coliseum like it hasnt been shaken in years. However, that was just the first step.
Now its time to get John to th...
Acquiring Chris Pronger seals up the back-end for next season. He is exactly what the FLyers missed this year: someone to clear out the middle and score goals from the point. Holmgren paid a steep price but realize that he did it to win now. Luca Sbisa will be missed, but ultimately was deemed expendable when Homer said he had reached a deal with MA Bourdon. Sbisa was proj...
The Flyers mad a big splash today and landed Chris Pronger in a trade.
Smart move for the Flyers.
Flyer fans will start salivating the moment they hear of this news...visions of Crobsy getting crunched by Pronger along the boards...or Malkin getting hip checked as he tries to cruise through the middle of the ice.
Yep...they certainly have reason to think he will m...
I have to start by saying that the 2009 Draft was the first one where I actually did some research beyond the top five prospects. I went full on, putting together a list of the players that I liked in the order I liked them, as if I was prepared to walk out to the draft table myself. The reason for this, aside from the fact that its summer and I find myself with quite a bi...
I dont see any possible way the Red Wings can retain Hossa without loosing significant assets in the form of Hudler, Fillpula & Stuart and only have 20 names on the roster every night. I am one of these long time Wings Fans that is ready for significant change.
I would like to see Draper and Holmstrom traded, as well as Maltby waived (cause no one would pay for him) an...
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft has the possibility of going down in the record books as a major turning point the turning point for the New York Islanders franchise. For a franchise who’s tank has been running on empty for quite some time, this draft brought along several things that the Islanders needed so direly: excitement, possibility, and relevance. Excitement, in the sen...
It's that dreaded time of the year when the excitement of the draft is over and the anticipation of July 1st for Free Agency day is just starting to kick in.
It should be a day of even more nervousness for Canucks fans, as it could be the end of an era here in Vancouver should the Sedin twins hit the open market and sign with another team. It's suspected that long-time ...
[img]http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/06/27/alg_tavares-cap.jpg[/img]A collective sigh, or booming scream from the 10,000 plus Coliseum crowd, was let out all at once when Garth Snow stood up at the podium to announce that the Islanders have selected John Tavares as the number one pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
From all the years the Islanders have walked up t...
Three seasons ago, it seemed pretty obvious where the best teams in the NHL lived...the Western Conference.
The Ducks had just beaten the Senators in 5 games to win their first cup. They appeared to be a team that could easily repeat. They were physical...mean even...and could score goals to boot.
While the Ducks did not repeat as champions, the Detroit Red Wings fin...
The draft is now over and despite Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark’s belief that the Rangers would need to move up in the draft to secure the player the Rangers were targeting, no move up was made. As it turns out the Rangers didn’t need to move up as the player they were targeting, Chris Kreider, fell to them at #19 overall. The Rangers did make one trade bri...
Rumors coming out of Newark are that Lou has negged Oduya's agent on the first round of offers. Too long of a contract from what I hear. Look for 2.5 to 3 TOPS for Johnny and around 4 years. His agent thinks he is Paul Coffey though, so this might be sticky. Its also been on the hush hush, even in Newark, as to who the Devils are looking to sign once free agency starts. Th...
Just because Detroit lost this year, doesn't mean it won't happen again within the next 5 years with the solid core of players signed through that time period. Hossa needs to quit chasing the dream and settle down with a winning team.
I don't blame him for jumping ship last year on the Penguins. At that time, Detroit was the better team and every player was coming back...
MichaelBernard writes...
Extra!! Extra!! Devils Free Up $16 Million!!!!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Extra Extra!!! read all about it, Devils free up $16 Million!!! Lou has been slow playing the free agent market and I feel a youth movement in the works. Bringing it back to the old school, and making the "no names" New Jersey household names. Gio has been on the decline and I still dont know how Ebay isnt going under with all those extra Gionta jerseys floating around. M...
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...
Though the 2009 NHL free agency period is just a day old, it's already become clear what the Devils' message is going forward.
Every year since the lockout, the trend has been the same. Have an outstanding regular season, clinch a playoff spot, possibly win the division, then proceed to play like garbage in the playoffs, leading to a first or second round exit. It's a b...
With Brashear and Gaborik signed to contracts, as it stands today, the Rangers have about $13.7 million of cap space to work with. This is what should happen with that money if we want to be Stanley Cup contenders.
-Sign the RFA's. This is a reasonable amount for each RFA.
Zherdev-2 years $3.25million per yr.
Higgins-4 years $2 million per yr.
Korpikoski-1 year $...
As I was preparing to write up part two for the Islanders draft recap, I received an email from one of the readers of New York Islanders Net who knows our sixth round pick, Anders Lee, personally. Instead of keeping the draft recap a three part series, I decided to make it a four part series, with this entry focusing only on Anders Lee, and then picking up from there. Here...
With all the hype circulating around the draft, many, like myself, almost forgot that free agency was looming just a few days later. The Islanders were heading into July 1st with one real major concern, and that was finding a suitable back-up goaltender for Rick DiPietro. They did just that with Dwayne Roloson.
At first I was unsure of how I felt with the signing. He's ...
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...
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 MOVEMEN...
Let us take a quick look at the 09/10 Leafs depth chart and possible moves;
Goal
Toskala
Pogge
Defence
Komisarek Schenn
Kaberle Finger
White Exelby
Van Ryn Stralman
Oreskovic Frogren
Forwards
Hagman Grabovski Kulimen
Tlusty Stajan Ponikarovsky
Stempniak J. Mitchell Blake
O...
I conclude the Eastern Conference portion of Off-Season Progress Reports with the Atlantic Division. The Atlantic produced 4 playoff teams and the Stanley Cup Champions last season and once again some of the higher profile off-season moves were made in this division. Here’s my take on the progress of all 5 Atlantic Division clubs to date.
New Jersey Devils
In: Andrew...
Now that the Fourth of July weekend has come and gone, and what a great weekend it was all around, it is time to settle back into the work week, and more importantly, some Islander talk. That being said, let’s take a look at Part III of our Draft Recap: the goaltenders. Part I covered John Tavares and Calvin de Haan, while Part II focused solely on 6th Round Pick Anders ...
Finally, part four of a four part series that has seen us recap the Islanders 2009 NHL Entry Draft. While it was somewhat successful for the most part, the two players we will look at today were somewhat off the charts for the Islanders and many other teams, however, they apparently have tremendous upside. Doesn’t it always seem as if the Islanders are taking the flyer p...
It is very difficult to predict how a team will perform during a season. I think this holds true for the New York Rangers. They were able to rid themselves of under-achieving Scott Gomez and were able to pick up Marian Gaborik and Chris Higgins which were two great moves for the team. These were good acquisitions but the signing of Donald Brashear for $1.4 million ...
Why is Zherdev looking for more money. $3.25 million is enough for an enigmatic forward who plays his hardest for about 1/4 of the games. He should put up with the money the money the Rangers qualified him at. If he refuses to sign for the $3.25 million I and the Rangers won't be expecting him back in Broadway Blue. I'll keep you posted as the Rangers RFA situation slowly ...
The New York Rangers sent qualifying offers to RFA's Dubinsky, Callahan, Korpikoski, and Zherdev. Callahan and Zherdev are scheduled to go into arbitration at the months end. A Swedish source close to the Korpikoski camp said the former 1st round pick was disgusted with the Rangers offer. Disgusted, if anyone should feel this way it is Blair Betts who the Rangers Faithful ...
We are now one full week into free agency and I thought it was a good time to take a look at where the Rangers are at as a team and in what directions they may look to further improve the team. To date, the Rangers have traded high-priced Center Scott Gomez to the Canadiens in a six player deal that landed the Rangers Forward Christopher Higgins and defense prospect Ryan M...
As expected, the John Tavares Press Conference today went rather smoothly and involved very little Q and A with the press. A very pleasing crowd of 350 fans arrived for the first free press conference the Islanders have held, while there was also a fairly large number of media and photographers. Situated right next to the opposing team's bench were Greg Logan of Newsday an...
Although I did enjoy watching the Blackhawks have a great run this year, especially considering I am a huge fan of Patrick Kane, I was still keeping a close eye on the RFA situation that has been playing out over the past several days in hopes that it could benefit the Islanders. I am sure many of you have been doing the same as well. Yes, call me selfish all you want for ...
I tend to be a very stubborn guy typically, one who has trouble reconsidering my opinion once I feel strongly enough about something to have one. Imagine my surprise as that is precisely what I’ve found myself doing over the last couple of days; I’m reconsidering my take on Nik Zherdev. As recently as 3 days ago I was ready to watch Little Nikky leave town with his tai...
HI everyone I hope you are having good summers.
If you are in hockey withdrawal, I would like to suggest attending your local prospect camp. These camps are generally free to watch. You get to see your future players and new draft picks.
Flyers prospect camp as a special event at the Jersey shore. It is called Trial on the Isle.
The players split into 3 grou...
When we look at the projected Islanders line-up for next season, we are able to notice two things: several important overall changes and several gaping holes that still remain. Obviously the addition of John Tavares will be a pleasant change to an offensively starved lineup, as long as he can transcend his OHL scoring abilities to the NHL level. Besides his marketability, ...
Having ended the first seaso nof their glorious control of the Tampa Lightning , in nothing but inglorious failure . Koules and Barrie have it appears seen the light in how to rectify the many failings of thier team .
In the 07-08 offseason , the then brand new Lightning owners , decided upon a hands on approach to hockey , and sought to buy up or trade for every pos...
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...
I just got back from vacation to see the horrid Kotalik signing. Sather just shot the Rangers in the foot (more like heart) with this move. That should have been used to sign a center, not an underachiever.
Now what should the dummy do? We need a center, but that doesn't get through his thick skull. I mean Kotalik has a lethal shot and will fit into the Torts system but...
I apologize for being away from the site all weekend. It was a very nice weekend here on Long Island, and I made sure to take advantage of it to the fullest. While I was gone, I did receive a decent number of emails asking for some opinions on some things related to the Islanders, so I figured instead of answering each one individually; I would answer them through the blog...
By Glen Miller
Today I thought it would be fun to look at some of this week’s UFA signings and how they may impact this coming season. Granted, most of the top signings occurred in the first 3 – 4 days of unrestricted free agency, but there were some interesting signings this week; some that affect the Rangers....
To read the rest of this article, please go to Ne...
I understand the Islanders wanting/needing to rebuild with young talent. The problem is that they have very little young "talent". If you look past Bailey, Okposo and Tavares, there is absolutely no young talent what-so-ever.
Bergy is nothing that we thought he would be, Neilsen is OK at best and Tambo is a complete failure. I don't mind these guys being on the team,...
Garth Snow and the New York Islanders entered the offseason with quite a bang. The anticipation and excitement leading up to the draft party, the draft party itself, the selection of John Tavares, and the signing of a quality netminder in Dwayne Roloson all helped to give Islander fans a sense of rejuvenation and renaissance. However, since then, all has been pretty quiet ...
For the many faithful readers (maybe 2 or 3 in all) of my blog posts I apologize for not reacting to the monumentally critical signing of RW Ales Kotalik by the Rangers immediately upon the announcement. If this addition doesn’t guarantee a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals then I don’t know what else Glen Sather can do as President/GM. This is the player who will set up ...
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...
Enver Lisin is now a NY Ranger. He comes from Phoenix for Lauri Korpikoski, who never hit his stride as a Ranger. Lisin netted 13 goals and put up 8 helpers on a financialy troubled and offensively lousy Coyotes team. In my opinion it is a great move by Glen Sather. Lisin is an RFA and can be used as trade bait to lure in the #1 center to feed Gaborik the puck. I do believ...
By Glen Miller
Today the New Jersey Devils have announced the hiring of Jacques Lemaire to take over the reins of the club that he originally led to their first Stanley Cup, which was won in 1995. This was long rumored since Lemaire left the Wild organization after coaching that program since its inception in 2000 and also since Brent Sutter left his post as Devils head...
Off the top I'd Like to say that I Love the Winter classic and I will watch no matter what teams are playing, but with that said the game should be directed towards the non-typical hockey fans and Markets. The NHL doesnt have the Luxury of having 15 to 20 National games a week, the have 15 to 20 national games a YEAR, so having this game in the National Spot light is hug...
[img]http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs130.snc1/5573_660449596708_15724929_38449161_3910193_n.jpg[/img]
Rule #1: Success Breeds Success
This seems to be a rule that Sabres GM Darcy Regier has forgotten. For the past two seasons, Regier has failed to recognize that veteran leadership is so crucial to the success of a hockey team. The Sabres are a prime ex...
Ah, mid-July. The time of year when its very easy to get away from all things hockey related. Free agency has died down to a trickle, and most players and executives are on vacation. It's the time of year when a mid-scrimmage fight at prospects camp becomes the top headline on a team's website. Except of course, if you're the New Jersey Devils, who still did not have a hea...
LW C RW
Higgins Dubinsky Gaborik
Callahan Drury Kotalik
Grachev Anisimov Avery
Lisin Boyle Brashear
D D
Staal Girardi
Roszival Redden
Gilroy Del Zotto
This ...
LW C RW
Higgins Dubinsky Gaborik
Callahan Drury Kotalik
Grachev Anisimov Avery
Lisin Boyle Brashear
D D
Staal Girardi
Roszival Redden
Gilroy Del Zotto
This ...
LW C RW
Higgins Dubinsky Gaborik
Callahan Drury Kotalik
Grachev Anisimov Avery
Lisin Boyle Brashear
D D
Staal Girardi
Roszival Redden
Gilroy Del Zotto
This ...
http://islesnet.blogspot.com
As you can tell, it has been quite the confusing day or two for Islanders fans in terms of the Alex Tanguay race. As of yesterday morning, there were about ten different opinions floating around the hockey blogosphere as to which teams were still in contact with Tanguay and his agent. I figured it would be an appropriate time to organize the...
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...
Article taken from:
New York Islanders Net - http://islesnet.blogspot.com
Although the dog days of summer are here, it has been quite easy to continue the hockey talk considering the number of free agents that are still available, and the numerous trade winds that all seem to be blowing in the New York Islanders direction. Obviously, as I mentioned in a previous articl...
Today I have to ask you guys what you think we can get out of Nik Zherdev in a trade. I have 10 trade possibilities. Here they are.....
1. Rozsival, Zherdev, Locke, Dupont 2010 2nd round to Dallas for Brad Richards and Stephane Robidas.
2. Zherdev, Roszival, Crowder to Atlanta for Bryan Little and Eric Boulton.
3. Zherdev, Rozsival, Dupont to Florida for Cory Stil...
This is from my blog at hfboards......
"I don't know why the Rangers aren't considering this...... How about Derek Roy? The dude puts up 30 goals a year and has a set of wheels. How about this....
Rozsival, Zherdev, Anisimov, Sauer to the Sabres for Derek Roy(4 mil) and Nathan (1 mil)Paetsch. The Rags shed about $7 million and take $5 million, leaving $6million to si...
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...
Last year, the Islanders led the National Hockey League with more than 500 man games lost to injury. That is a pretty obscene number, taking into consideration the fact that these human beings are professional athletes, and they should be physically prepared for a grueling 82-game season. I will not begin to point fingers at the Islanders strength and conditioning staff, a...
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...
What if the Rangers were to land Dany Heatley? Who would they give up? Ryan McDonaugh was aquired from Montreal because Murray wanted him in exchange for Heatley. Rozsival and Zherdev are the two biggest trade bait as of now and one of them is expected to be dealt. I feel that maybe a three way trade may be going down between the Rangers, Sharks, and Senators. This could b...
With all the hysteria by a few Canucks fans on the Leaf Blogs these past few days, I thought I might try to inject my 7% solution into the potential trade of Kaberle to the Canucks.
First, my take on Kaberle: HOLY CRAP!!! GET HIM, GET HIM, GET HIM, GET HIM!!!!!!!!
Uh sorry, did I say that out loud? Oops. Anyway, about Kaberle: He is not just a 'puck moving defenseman...
Here are 3 deals that will help out the Rangers.....
1. Rangers get: Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg
Blackhawks get: Michal Rozsival, Nikolai Zherdev, Brodie Dupont
2. Rangers get: Matt Stajan, Ian White
MapleLeafs get: Nikolai Zherdev, Dan Girardi, 2nd round pick
The last one is a three way
3. Rangers get: Mikko Koivu, Antti Miettenen
Senators get:...
Michael Lindow
July 20, 2009.
Being a Leaf fan it is impossible not to get emotionally attached to players wearing the blue and white. Jerseys with Palmateer and Roberts names on the back still hang in my closet with Gustavsson about to join the ranks. Salming, Markov, Sittler and Zezel all stir up emotion when their names are mentioned but for the life of me I will ne...
[b]By Glen Miller[/b]
New York Islanders Net
Compared to most teams, the Islanders’ off-season has been very quiet. While that might upset some Islanders fans and would certainly upset the fans of most every other NHL club, this is certainly the best move for the team. After several years of losing and trying to bring in veteran players to boost the club’s fortunes...
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...
So as it turns out, Martin Biron was indeed able to find a home before the end of the off season.....
Unfortunately, he found his home with one of the worst clubs in the NHL...
Yes, the Islanders are in the middle of a "rebuilding phase," but I, for one, am having a tough time trying to reason the signing of a THIRD veteran goaltender to a team that has less than ade...
According to Howard Berger and Eklund, Kaberle is indeed on the block and the Canucks are sniffing around. A peek at some of the comments after Eklund’s blog presented some pretty far-fetched, ambitious –and ultimately delusional—propositions for the Czech’s services. Kaberle would no doubt improve the surprisingly fragile and porous Canucks D, but he is not wor...
Phil [i]Freaking[/i] Kessel!
Could the Canucks actually have a chance to grab Phil Kessel from the Big Bad Bruins?
You betcha we could. We’d just have to be willing to give up a package of prospects (the Bruins can't really afford roster players in their cap situation) starting, but certainly not ending with Jordan Schroeder, for a 22 year old with the potential t...
It feels good to talk about how well run the Redwings are as an organization. You'll find no shortage of praise for Ken Holland or Brian Burke and the like. It's much more fun to rip apart the organizations that just don't seem to get it. So in the spirit of being cruel (summer is tough on a hockey fanatic), here are the Top 5 Worst run NHL franchises.
#5 - NY Ranger...
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...
After quite the busy and hectic weekend, I am very happy to be sitting down and just getting back to what I love to do: discussing hockey.
The hockey world seems to have come to quite the standstill over the past few days, with media outlets and bloggers alike scratching their heads for an idea to write about. These are the days when we begin to see prospect articles on...
Myself, along with many other Flyer fans, are hoping that our boys from Philly will continuously turn on the red light over and over, game after game throughout the upcoming 2009-2010 NHL season.
Realistically, what fan of an NHL team doesn't want that?
When I make proclamation, "Many Goals for the 2009-2010 Season," I am mainly referring to aspects of the Flyer's ga...
New York Islanders Net
http://islesnet.blogspot.com
Do you recall about two to three years ago when a simple look at the Islanders prospects would bring about a nauseating feeling? Between lack of depth and lack of quality, the Islanders were truly a team without any hope to compete in the future. After his first two seasons as general manager were quite unsuccessful...
It has been reported recently that the Flyers, along with a few other NHL teams, are very interested in the possibility of signing unrestricted free agents [b]Miroslav Satan[/b] or [b]Petr Sykora.[/b]
Both players have offensive skill. Both players have great veteran experience. Both players are getting old...
Satan is 34 and Sykora is 32. Both players still have som...
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...
To this point in the summer, the New Jersey Devils have laid out their plans and executed. The gameplan this summer is youth movement, and save for the Cory Murphy signing, that is exactly what's happened. The signing of Murphy gives the Devils 8 defensemen who could potentially play with the big club this season, and that's ignoring the fact that a strong training camp fr...
Why is it that the Flyers LOVE taking penalties?
In previous blogs, I've already mentioned how I don't like the fact that the Flyers love taking penalties. I'm not sure where the obsession comes from, but the Flyers taking a penalty is just as common an occurrence as Sean Avery proving how much of an idiot he is time and time again.
I have also mentioned before how t...
Apparently I am not the only one wondering why the Flyers have not re-signed defenseman Danny Syvret.
http://lfpress.ca/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=271224&x=articles&s=knights
We have seen that Flyers sign quite a few players in the last few weeks and I think that this article that I have linked above brings up the best of the points. Syvret is ours and we don'...
There is a lot of buzz about the Flyers moving Randy Jones. It makes some sense. He is a pretty big cap hit for a 4-5 dman. That is all well and good. Move Jones, make room to bring in "someone". Rumore has it that someone would be Sykora. A winger. Add some scoring back after loosing Lupul and Knuble. Again, makes sense.
Only one problem. If the Flyers move ...
It is a Friday night during the summer and I am watching Sci Fi no surprises there.
My ponderance of the evening is player fan relations in the NHL. I think most of you know me. I am one of the diehards that waits for the Flyers players mostly after games but often after practices too. I have a jersey project the jersey is for me and me alone. I intend to frame it a...
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...
We've reached the end of a decade, so it's time to consider who was the best championship team over the last ten years. But since it's also the start of the 21st century, we can go one step further. So, over the next few posts, we will be working our way towards naming the Team of the Millennium. We've had 9 Stanley Cup champions, thanks to the 2005 lockout, but only...
August is usually a quiet time in the NHL. Most of the relevant free agents have been signed, the big trades have been made and teams are just gearing up for training camp. There are still some interesting story lines out there and I've decided to take a closer look at a few of them. In no particular order:
Heatley to San Jose?
First, confirming a rumor I initially...
Inevitably, as soon as the Rangers decided to walk away from Zherdev the cries from Leaf Nation went up for Burke to complete his last obvious step which was to bring in another top 6 forward.
While the Leafs do have the cap space to absorb another roughly $4million a season for the 24 year old Zherdev...is it worth it?
While many would place Zherdev in the top tie...
gkmkiller writes...
Statistical Comparison: Zherdev, Antropov and Kotalik
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Now that it is official and Zherdev will not be a Ranger in 2009-2010, I thought it would be a good time to analyze and compare the changes that Glen Sather has implemented to the Rangers’ wings. My hope is this comparison will help in determining whether it was wise for GM Glen Sather to walk away from Zherdev’s arbitration award and allow Antropov to walk in favor o...
New York Hockey Net
(http://islesnet.blogspot.com)
Commissioner Gary Bettman stepped to the podium yesterday at the Adam’s Playhouse, received a tremendous ovation from the 1,150 citizens in attendance, thanked the good officiating from the night before for the ovation (a joke, obviously), and then he proceeded to deliver a well-articulated speech. In his speech, Bet...
Repoted done
(Lame title, I know, but you know you like it.)
So Nik Zherdev is officially an Unrestricted Free Agent. And of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs are rumored to be interested in the streaky 24 year-old forward--when are they not rumored to be interested in a specific player? I don't know what the consensus of Leafs Nation is, but this Leafs fan is hoping Brian Burke doesn...
In the last post, we covered round 1 of the Champions from the past decade. Here were the results:
2001 Colorado Avalanche defeated the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins
2002 Detroit Redwings defeated the 2008 Detroit Redwings
2007 Anaheim Ducks defeated the 2003 NJ Devils
2006 Carolina Hurricanes defeated the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning
[b]Round 2:[/b]
[u]2001 Colorado...
jnizza writes...
The Lighthouse Project.....A Long Island Rangers Fan's View
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Potvin may indeed suck.....but not as badly as the economy on Long Island.
Despite being the 8th most affluent county in the United States, Nassau County is essentially broke ([url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest-income_counties_in_the_United_States[/url]). For people not familiar with Long Island, it is a collection of great contradictions. There is almost incom...
It is becoming obvious that the NHL board aren't going to play ball with Balsillie, no matter how much sense it makes economically to give a franchise to a keen business mind, with a passion for the game and a home rink in a strong, under-served hockey market. What is the answer for "Billion-dollar Jim"? Simple....apply to the KHL for a North American expansion team...may...
New York Hockey Net
http://islesnet.blogspot.com
With the great success of the Lighthouse Conference past us, it’s time for the speculative fun to begin. Here at New York Hockey Net, I can tell you that the minds are drying with topics to write about as the hottest days of August arrive. Here, and everywhere around the league, it is a sure-fire bet that you will star...
If you've been playing fantasy hockey for a number of years, you inevitably start to get attached to certain players. You have it stuck in your head that the player is a star and has to be drafted. If you're interested in winning, you sometimes have to forget the past and acknowledge when the dog just can't run like he used to. The trends indicate that these boys are on...
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...
Before everyone jumps on me all at once to kick the crap out of me for providing false hope in regards to the Isles actually making the post-season, let me just say I don't see it happening either. This is just a thought that maybe Garth has higher expectations for this team, or maybe he's just doing some smart planning ahead.
I'd also like to say yes, I am well aware ...
the 2nd Annual Cote Carnival is being held Sunday August 23rd @ Swanky Bubbles.
As of right now guests are Aaron Asham, Ray Emery and Riley Cote.
Admission covers food, drinks and entertainment. There will be player and alumni appearances with the opportunity to receive autographs, and particpate in silent auctions and raffles. A small donation will be required fo...
With the great success of the Lighthouse Conference past us, it’s time for the speculative fun to begin. Here at New York Hockey Net, I can tell you that the minds are drying with topics to write about as the hottest days of August arrive. Here, and everywhere around the league, it is a sure-fire bet that you will start seeing speculative pieces about the thirty respecti...
I know that my posts are usually a bit more introspective than this one is going to be, but it's the middle of August, a period during the NHL offseason where yesterday's Evgeni Artyukin for Drew Miller trade was the top hockey story. Mid-August is when the hockey fan reaches the point where anything that even mentions the word hockey piques their interest. And so, with th...
This Friday I have a caught up DVR accept for ace of Cakes. Amazing what getting injured in hockey tournaments does for your DVR.
The last couple weeks I have covered hockey withdrawal and Player fan interaction.
I appreciate the feedback you all have given. I love hearing everyone’s stories.
The AHL schedule came out this week. I think you all know that i...
Danny Heatley is running out of options. In reality, he has to reconsider his decision to demand to be traded to certain cities. I have heard only rumors on which team he has on his list. But for someone who wants to leave Ottawa, he sure is making it hard on himself. Think about it, don’t you think that if you wanted out of somewhere, you would be as accommodating as yo...
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 ...
Mr_X writes...
Who takes on leadership with Sens - Roster still questioned?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[url]http://s1.zetaboards.com/NHSL/index/[/url]
See Below
So here's something that really gets to me.. Yea I’m not liking what Heatley’s doing, but what was management thinking when they gave him the “A”, permanently?! I remember watching the first or second game since he'd been promoted; with that fancy letter on his jersey he started it off with an undiscipli...
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 ...
Rob McGowan writes...
The 2009-2010 Islanders: How They'll Look and What to Expect
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Although many are holding on to that thin thread of UFA hope where the Islanders will sign an enforcer as well as some type of play-maker/scorer, it seems that the Islanders roster is all but set.
Here are my line predictions. They may look somewhat similar to other bloggers, but I have a few scenarios in mind that may come into play over the year.
(In order)
...
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...
Every summer as camps are about to break, conversation in some circles turns to who will be the most enigmatic rookie performer in the forthcoming season.
Last year's Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason didn't even start playing until after the season had started but made a huge impression by taking his team to their first ever postseason berth and leading the league in s...
The 2nd Annual Cote Carnival was a great success. It was a great day and event for a great cause to knock out MS. Words can’t tell the story better then pictures.
Full set of pix
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157622000579083/
Ray Emery and Pat Maroon
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3850988266/in/set-72157622000579083/
Jeff Carter and ...
I still believe the Rangers are in for another major move. Sather is just lying in the tall grass waiting to strike. Slithering around. Waiting for other deals to fall apart. From what I've read, the hang-up with Dubinsky's deal seems to be term NOT money. Why would they be afraid to give him a 3 or 4 year deal? Shouldn't he be a building block? Despite the cap issues, I ...
Rangers in Talks with UFA D Dennis Seidenberg; is a Trade for Heatley in the Works Then?
According to reports from both Steve Zipay of Newsday and The Hockey News, a story out of Germany says that the New York Rangers are one of two teams engaged in discussions with the agent for UFA Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg on a contract. The other team is reportedly the Florida Pa...
Today I am going to write a general hockey blog avoiding the DP talks, Tavares interests, and disappointing predictions that many have for the Islanders next season. Instead I'm going to write about what I was just doing on my laptop, and it's something I frequently find myself doing when I'm bored. Or when it's the school year, I usually do this when I have to write a pap...
The Devils will wear a different jersey this season? yes, the old school red/green/white jersey from the original season will be worn next season - for one game.
March 17th, while we host the Cup Champion Penguins the jersey will make an appearance.
Great idea but only one game? That is a bit of a turn off as I would have liked to see it more often. Maybe I can get ...
The Atlantic Division proved to be one of the toughest divisions in hockey last year, with four of five teams making the playoffs and one winning the Stanley Cup. This year things don't look any easier for the New York Rangers, with division rivals adding key assets to their teams. Here are my predictions for the Atlantic Division.
1. [b]Philadelphia Flyers[/b]
After...
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 ...
Training camp is just around the corner, and that means it's time to look back at the teams that have been in rebuild mode all summer. Here are some of the best and worst rebuilds of the summer:
[u][b]Best[/b][/u]
Tampa Bay Lightning - Tampa didn't go overboard with changes this summer. Despite an uncertain ownership situation the Bolts managed to hang on to the core...
I don’t know if any of you have caught this blog series on Puck Daddy’s blog
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy?keyword=5+Reasons+I+Love+Hockey
I have been thoroughly enjoying reading why other people love hockey.
I will say that it made me think if I had to knock it down to just 5 reasons what would I put about why I love hockey so much.
1. Eg...
September is right around the corner, so it's time to take a look at what the Atlantic Division will look like for the 2009-10 season. This is written with the knowledge that rosters are not completely set, and rumors are still abound about a few of these teams...but comments are made based on how the teams stand right now. Even though nobody paid attention to it last time...
Heatly - NY Rangers for Dubinsky, Rozsival, Voros, and a 1st
Kessel - Will not move
Kaberle - Chicago for Brian Campbell and a 3rd
Satan - NY Islanders at 2.4 mil over 2 years
Comrie - Ottawa at 1.1 mil over 1 year
Seidenberg - NY Rangers at 2 mil over 2 years
Afinogenov - KHL for a ridiculous amount of money
Zherdev - KHL for even more money
Sundin - Tampa Bay at ...
One question that looms over the Canada hockey right now is, Who will be the Captain in Vancouver? Who will lead the Canadians to Gold? Or better yet, who CAN lead them to the gold?
Let’s look at the list of suitable candidates.
Jarome Iginla: Iginla represented Canada at the last two Olympic games in Turin and Salt Lake City. He wore an “A” in Turin and was in...
ladynic writes...
Flyers Veterans Unofficial Practice/ Flyers Rookie Camp
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Rookie pictures are still uploading to Flickr here is the link for the vets
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157622202651155/
The Veterans looked very good. Backlund was finally there and we saw his new mask
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3905187223/in/set-72157622202651155/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3905967706/in/set-7215762220265...
Since everyone's official team bloggers have begun posting this year's training camp rosters, I'm going to go ahead and post the Devils' roster since it hasn't been done yet.
[b]Goaltenders[/b]
30 - Martin Brodeur
31 - Jeff Frazee
35 - Yann Danis
40 - Mike McKenna
50 - Gerald Coleman
60 - Dave Caruso
70 - Jeff Lerg
[b]Defensemen[/b]
2 - Jay Leach
5 - Colin W...
With training camp set to open soon with the start of the regular season just weeks behind, you would think fans would be gearing up and getting amped to watch Islanders hockey.
For some, that really isn't the case.
I have said it before and I will say it again, I am not one for politics. I am not well-versed in the matter (although I know I should be and have been ...
I was not able to attend on Friday for Veterans unofficial practice and the rookie game. My friend Sandy did here are the links to her pictures
Veterans Practice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25870841@N07/sets/72157622348278282/
Rookie's practice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25870841@N07/sets/72157622348412030/
Winter Classic Jersey unveiling
http://www.flickr....
In my post yesterday I mentioned that I think the Flyers really have the hang of things with training camp here is one of my prime exampled
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3920706599/in/set-72157622247610191/
There was only a fraction of the fans at today's camp session but still a pretty good turn out for a monday.
A few people have asked for some details...
Quick. What do you think of when you hear these names:
Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, NY Islanders, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Mapleleafs.
Teams likely to miss the playoffs? (SJ doesn't quite fit)
Cool Jerseys? (Islanders are kind a lame)
Teams that disappointed last season? (True, though Toronto didn't have high expectations)
If you read ...
Alright...here is my attempt to revive a blog that I lost a few weeks ago. It's my own fault really. I wrote a blog of about maybe six paragraphs about three players I thought fans might want to keep an eye on throughout the year, to hit submit on the tab and realize that my connection to the wireless router was lost. Just freakin' dandy.
So here we go, with a little ad...
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...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Habs training camp: Little guys making big impression...
Posted Monday | Comments 0
So the Canadiens were beaten, 2 - 1, by the Boston Bruins last night, in Quebec City. It is exhibition season, and with player like Glumac, White and Pyatt in the line-up, who really cares what the score was? What was impressive, however, was the little guys: Gionta and Desharnais.
Gionta, is a proven commodity, and Habs fans are going to love this guy. Man is he fas...
Every team needs a great supporting cast, a machine, to do the dirty work and chip in every now and then. These players are best when they are responsible, inexpensive and full of heart. In the past the Sens have had issues with secondary scoring that only was not apparent the year we went to the cup finals. We have always had a plethora of guys to plays the roles, but it ...
I am off all week and will have several reports.
Goaltending coach Jeff Reese worked all 3 goalies before practice with the help of Braydon Coburn, Danny Syvret, Jason Ward and James Van Reimsdyk.
Jeff Reese
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3943210222/in/set-72157622428886754/
Backlund
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3943207356/in/set-721576224288867...
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...
First Kimmo Timonen was not on the ice for today's practice. I am sure the beat writer guys will comment on that
Colors
Dark blue- Gagne, Richards, Pyorala
White- Briere, Carter, Hartnell
Orange- JVR, Giroux ,Asham
Yellow- Maroon, Ward, Laliberte
Green- Cote, Kaspar, Betts
Red- Powe, Lappy, Carcillo
D
Pronger -Carle/Syvret
Parent - Coburn/Syvret
Jones ...
Has anyone noticed the flux in Newsday reporters, I mean hacks, trying to make a name for themselves by bashing the Islanders, isn't newsday a long island paper? Unfortunately instead of reporting they've taken the Post route and are quickly becoming a tabloid......I got use to the Eden Laiken? crap a while ago on her Lighthouse reporting, but in the past few days I've no...
I don't know that I need to rehash the game. Pre season is more about shaking off the rust and I can't complain too much about scoring goals on the Devils.
Maroon
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3952603876/in/set-72157622451556374/
Pronger
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3952599348/in/set-72157622451556374/
Emery
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat...
You won’t find much about hockey in this blog but rather some words of wisdom that may save you the pain we have endured over the last 24 hours.
I hope you all are as lucky as I am to have found a special someone who not only humors your passions in life but truly shares in them as well. Much to my surprise, my bride of more than 10 years suggested that we take a much...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Edmonton? Chicago? Who else would want Sergei Kostitsyn?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Let me start by saying, "I called it!" re: the Sergei Kostitsyn situation. Hooray. Nice for me. Ok, enough patting myself on the back...
After being demoted to the AHL but a) refusing to report to the Bulldogs and b) requesting to be traded, it appears that Sergei 'lil-punk' Kostitsyn's time in Montreal is over. I can't say that I am sad about it but definitely disap...
Hi Flyer fans, thank goodness its finally October and the 2009-10 season has started. All things are good again now that the hockey season is officially upon us! Im really looking forward to this season as this years Flyers team looks strong enough to compete with the rest of the big boys in the East. In addition, the upcoming Olympics in Vancouver promises to be one of th...
Again I don't think that I need to rehash the last preseason game. I am glad that the regular season starts tonight for the league and tomorrow for the Flyers.
Here are my pics including Coburn's fight. Poor Coby
Syvret
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3970782166/in/set-72157622493273780/
Carter
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3970017143/in/set-72...
For those of you reading this, keep in mind I am a fan in the San Diego area, so all of my perspectives are from watching the games on television. Im saving up for the Olympics, therefore will not be able to attend any Flyer games in person this year. Hope you enjoy my take on tonights game:
Well the first game is in the books and we in Flyerdom have to be pretty happy...
I can't remember the last time the Islanders had their first game of the season be their home opener. If my memory serves me correctly, they usually started on the road, but tonight they have the privilege of opening up in front of their home town fans. Lucky for us we get to watch them start against the defending Stanley Cup champs.
The lines are predicted as follows:...
The Iceman writes...
The Games They Play: What Happens If The Islanders Move?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
This is the 1st time I have ever written a blog on this site so bare with me. Being an Islanders fan since I was 4 years old (that being 18 years) I have seen some crazy and stupid things when in regards to what has happened to this once great and feared franchise. Like many of us, we have been increasingly frustrated with what the previous powers that be in the front offi...
Well I have to admit, I did not like the Flyers chances in this game given it was the hated Devils IN New Jersey, it was their home opener, and it was Brodeur's 1000th game. Good thing I was totally wrong. After the first couple of shifts, the Flyers settled down and played a solid game overall.
[b]First Period[/b]
Devils look sharp to start the game. Flyers having dif...
I have been lucky enough to live in the Detroit area since I was 5. Well I don't know how lucky I really am given the economy of the city the last 5 years but one thing is for sure, it has been great being a Red Wing fan.
Growing up there was definitely some down times. I remember my father getting calls from Mike Illitch himself back in the 80's practically begg...
I took the drive this weekend to see the Phantoms new home. It is a classic old AHL barn. It was not a bad place to see a game. Saturday night's game sold out and had a ton of people doing the standing room only thing.
Randy Jones
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3983825432/in/set-72157622400203853/
Mormina
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3983773140...
Rob McGowan writes...
Although They Lost, Isles Home Opener Was A Success
Posted Monday | Comments 0
...and I am not just saying that because John Tavares scored.
The Isles were playing host to the defending Stanley Cup champions, a roster that includes Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fluery, Chris Letang, and so on. After the first period we were tied at one and John Tavares had his first NHL point. And let me tell you, the second that kid touc...
The Rangers are now 2-1 and show a lot of promise. The attacking style of play has shown a lot in the past three games. First, that it will produce goals and opportunities. Second, that the players are buying into the concept. Third, that it does leave openings for the other team. As for last nights 3-2 win over the Devils give the credit to the young guys and Torts.
La...
I think we all know while I could do the game analysis that all of you have rehashed last night's game to death at this point in the day. So let's just do the pictures and call it a day.
The most requested pix in msgs to me today
Richards and Ovechkin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3991864276/in/set-72157622415044485/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325...
Three games into the new season and the Rangers find themselves 2 – 1 – 0 heading into a big early season match-up with the team that knocked us out of last years postseason. I will be watching intently to see how the new Rangers players and the Torts’ style of play compare to the offensive juggernaut that is the Capitals. In last year’s playoffs, the Capitals domi...
After the season opener, the Islanders proved that they were capable of coming out strong. To prove that it was not a home opening fluke, they needed to start tonight's game the same way that they did last Saturday. For the most part that is exactly what the Islanders did; they came out with energy and chances in the first ten minutes or so, but that fell short once the Se...
Thursday night was by and far the worst game I think I have seen the Flyer play this season. They seemed very out of sync with each other and the hockey itself. Hopefully that will remedy itself tonight vs the Ducks.
Giroux faceoff
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3997211783/in/set-72157622554300080/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/3997972484/in/set-721...
Sorry Im a couple days late on writing this blog. Time has been in short supply lately, but here it goes.
First, I have a complaint about Versus. Being a Flyer fan in San Diego, it makes it very difficult to watch the games live. Thank God for the DVR, as I can now see the game when I get home. Usually the time alotted for the game is more than enough as NHL Center Ice ...
I am not here to rehash this game but I will say that it was a shame to have them tie in the final minute and then loose in a shoot out.
Person I blame the guy behind me who with 2 minutes left starts yelling "No Shoot out". Game was not even tied at that point.
Good Signs for a Saturday game with this one being my favorite then the rest....
http://www.flickr.c...
Well it looks like the Flyers failed in their first test to see if they can match up with the Stanley Cup Champion Penguins. The Flyers shot themselves in the foot right from the beginning of the game giving up a PP goal to Malkin within the few minutes. Then once they tie the game and get the momentum, it is quickly given away as Stall scores on the next shift. The Flyers...
It's finally happened. The Sabres have scored more than the Buffalo Bills in a single 60 minute game. The scary thing is, the Sabres are still playing.
Unfortunately, I was unable to actually sit down and watch the Sabres play up until tonight. Aren't weddings wonderful? I saw bits and pieces of the Coyotes game. Other than that, I haven't been able to see a game.
T...
And no, I'm not talking about the amount of work they will have to do IF the Lighthouse Project ever passes.
The Islanders had a typical let down Saturday, scoring three goals in a solid 50 minutes of hockey to watch it fade away in the final 10, losing in the shootout to a team they had all but beaten in regulation.
Monday they had a chance to make up for it with a...
What started out as a great game ended in a frustrating shootout loss that left a stale taste. It doesnt help that the Flyers have to wait almost a full week before their next game. Here are my game notes:
[b] First Period [/b]
Good overall period by the Orange and Black as they lead 1-0 off another power play goal by Mike Richards. It is his 6th of this young season a...
After such a long layoff you had to expect some rust in the Flyer game. Flyers appeared a step behind for most of the night and couldnt execute enough to beat the lowly Panthers. Wish we had another game right away, but the Flyers have to wait another 5 days between games. I would not be surprised to see another similar effort.
[b]First Period[/b]
Aside from a couple g...
Let's put it this way folks; there are only two full weeks left in October and the Isles have seven games left to play. So far they've played six and have done everything but win. Throw in the fact that both goalies have combined to let in 10 goals in the past two games and the same forwards are the only ones contributing on a nightly basis.
TIME TO WAKE UP GUYS!
The...
Finally this season, I was able to get to a Buffalo Sabres game. What's even more incredible is that I talked my girlfriend into going to two games, back to back. I'm not sure she liked me taking notes on my cell phone. SO, here is a recap of two very different games played at HSBC arena this weekend.
New York Islanders, 10/16/2009
This was a great effort by the Buff...
As part of my series of articles reviewing the best and the worst of the past decade, I decided to take a look at the trade deadline deals that have gone down over the past ten years. Here are the "biggest" deals in terms of significance then and the longer term impact. We obviously don't know the full impact of some of the more recent deals, but we'll do our best to gue...
As per Islanders trend each year, the roster currently includes an extra skater for the defensive department. The core consists of Mark Streit, Bruno Gervais, Andy Sutton, Freddy Meyer, Brendan Witt, Radek Martinek, and Jack Hillen. With an extra d-man, Gordon has been sitting Bruno for the past two games in order to get Hillen some playing time. Although injuries always s...
Ever since Alexei Semenov backed out of an agreement with the Rangers to be their 7th defenseman, it was thought that the team would pursue another veteran blue liner to fill that role; whether by trade or free agency. Salary cap restrictions and the lack of quality UFA’s on the market made it a difficult task for Glen Sather and his staff to find the right kind of fit f...
Ek has posted a rumor saying the oil are in talks with preds about a possible deal involving penner or cogliano! well i am gonna say that source who told him that is full of (you know what), Penner is the best oiler so far this year so he is not going anywhere! another reason to count out this rumor is the fact that Nashville has the same needs the oilers do. so this possi...
What's the date? Are we still in October? We are! And the Isles won a hockey game?!
Pinch me, I must be dreaming.
Wait, no I'm not...the Isles still managed to give up a two goal lead late in the third period and went to the shootout, once again.
Being in the Blog Box last night provided for some gut-wrenching moments. One in particular was when John Tavares was...
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...
Given this game was broadcast on the NHL network and not the Center Ice package, I had to resort to watching the game online. I want to send a special thank you to ustream.tv and slimebox for making the game available online for free.
It was good to see the Flyers come out with a much needed win tonight and end the three game losing streak. While the Flyers did not pla...
Big win for Philadelphia tonight as they get closer to playing a full 60-minute game. For the most part the Flyers were up on their skates and initiating contact while pursuing the puck, however, the Panthers looked like they were just trying to get out of town after the big Richards hit on Booth.
[b]First Period[/b]
Back and forth game as both teams have several scor...
The Devils looked GREAT tonight. This was a huge statement win to show that the Devils will continue to contend in the Atlantic. They are now 5-0 on the road and are off to a 6-3 start. Here are some notes from the win:
-The power play looked very, very good. I don't think the second power play line had scored all year, but they moved the puck well, and eventually a...
Once again, Isles fans are getting to see an Islanders team that is incapable of holding a lead. I cannot stress enough that this is a result of having a young squad, but it is also due to the fact that some of these guys should not be playing in the NHL. But of course, fans are starting to point fingers, looking for a scapegoat.
Let's start with the fourth-liners, and...
Well a disappointing loss tonight to the San Jose Sharks as the Flyers played decently, but not well enough to win. San Jose did a great job blocking pucks and being positionally sound all game, especially in the second and third periods as they limited the Flyer chances. Philly never was able to establish its game and the attacks were quite often of the one-and-done varie...
It's not often that a team can pull out a valuable player from the ashes of the waiver wire, but when they do, it's like getting something for nothing. The past decade saw a big switch in how this process works. Prior to the new CBA, there was a waiver draft held each year just before the season started. Now, it's not uncommon to see players being claimed off waivers t...
The news came today that Jay Pandolfo and Paul Martin are both expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Pandolfo's shoulder seems more serious, as although a timetable has been given, GM Lou Lamoriello admits he is not certain when Pando will return. Martin's forearm fracture will really hurt the Devils, as they lose, arguably, their best (defensive) defenseman. Cory Murphy will be ...
Almost two weeks ago, I was at Galleria Mall with my girlfriend, killing time before the Buffalo Sabres game. As I stood looking at something in a store, I heard a voice behind me saying "There must be a Sabres game tonight." I replied that there was. "I know," she stated, "I see a lot of Sabres jerseys.
What that young woman may not have understood, is that it didn't n...
The Devils looked horrible tonight in all possible ways. The score could have been worse than 4-1, as the Devils never got it going tonight at home. They are now 1-4 at 'The Rock'. Some observations from the loss:
-I don't think the Devils were awake when the puck dropped. Buffalo, from the get-go, poured shots on Brodeur, as the Devils struggled to even touch the p...
I attended last night's first Islander/Ranger tilt not as a blogger, but as a fan. At times in the blog box I may shout or slam my first on the table, but for the most part, I try to keep myself contained since I'm representing the Islanders as a member of the media. But as a fan, I get to let loose.
And boy, did I enjoy this one. The perspective you get as a blogger in...
Rob McGowan writes...
Catching Up With Islanders Draft Pick Travis Hamonic
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
This past Wednesday I had the privilege of catching up with Travis Hamonic, the Isles 53rd overall selection in the 2nd round of the 2008 NHL entry draft. He is currently playing for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL up in Canada. Right now he leads the league in scoring as a defenseman. He’s played in 15 games, scoring 7 goals, 13 assists, and is a +3 with 23 PIMs. I th...
The Devs road success continues, as they beat the Bruins in Boston in a thrilling game to improve to 6-0-0 on the road. It was a great contest, and a huge win for the Devils. Here are some observations from this one:
-Finally, the Devils got out to a fast start. And this was before the first goal. From the get-go, the Devils jumped on any opportunities they saw. Th...
I sat down Friday night to watch the Sabres pound Toronto. On paper, it looked very simple. Buffalo, vs Toronto. Buffalo should have run away with this one before it began. Surprise, it didn't happen.
Buffalo had fairly good pressure all night long. However, Gustavsson was impressive, but Buffalo couldn't put it home. Numerous attempts failed, and the evening culminated...
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...
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091105/capt.9b3a594a46c74bba91f2a9b29324310b.islanders_sabres_hockey_nydh108.jpg[/img]
Miller vs. Marty: Round 2
Ryan Miller and Martin Biron faced each other this past Saturday, with Biron getting a 38 save shutout. At the other end, Miller was pulled midway through the game and sat on the bench watching the rest. The Islanders beat b...
Rob McGowan writes...
Streak Comes To An End With A Rough November Ahead
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Last night the Islanders completed a trade with the Buffalo Sabres. A swap of shut-outs between Ryan Miller and Marty Biron as the Isles lost 3-0 in their visit up north.
The Islanders did not play their best game. As a matter of fact, you can see the expression on Okposo's face in the post-game that he was very disappointed with his play, as well as the rest of the te...
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...
Re-visiting a question previously mentioned on Rangers’ posts, would it behoove the Rangers to bring back veteran, play-making Center Michael Nylander? According to Steve Hindle, the Capitals blogger on Hockeybuzz, the team has place Nylander on waivers. This move in and of itself is more complicated than it would seem.
Because of Nylander’s No Movement Clause (NMC)...
As each game passes, the General Manager in me can't help but wonder about the decisions Ron Wilson makes concerning the youth in Toronto. For years, fans have been demanding a makeover, and finally during this offseason, they were granted one. Brian Burke and company made some key moves and changed the face of the organization.
Or did they?
If you were to take a qui...
Rob McGowan writes...
Lift The Puck! Isles Lose to Caps In 11-Round Shootout
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Islanders managed to get a quick 3-1 lead after being scored on within the first eight seconds of the first period against the Washington Capitals tonight. However, the score was eventually 4-3 Caps by the end of the second period. The Isles were granted two late powerplays, the latter resulting in the game tying goal that got the Isles that point that they would have ...
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...
As we continue to look back at the past decade in the NHL, there were a number of rule changes that have significantly affected the state of the game today. Many of these were positive changes, but a few were downright awful. Most of the changes in the last 10 years happened as a direct result of the lockout. Here's a look at the 4 best and 4 worst rule changes over the...
Yeah, I know the Meat Loaf song goes "Two out of three ain't bad," but three out of four is even better.
The Isles started off their road trip with an over-time loss in the shootout, an 11-round one at that, to the Washington Capitals. It was a game in which the Isles let the Ovenchkin-less Caps back in after gaining a 3-1 lead in the first period. Last night the Isles ...
landsharkhockey writes...
Best of the Decade Awards: Vezina, Norris and Hart
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Each year, the experts get together and vote on the best players in the game. As part of my decade in review, I'd like to look back at the last 10 years and award the Vezina, Norris, and Hart Trophies to best candidates, covering their play over the entire decade. Some worthy candidates were passed over in these categories, because they only played a handful of seasons, ...
Rob McGowan writes...
It Wasn't a Hat Trick, But Isles Walk Away With Two Points
Posted Monday | Comments 0
"It's weird!" - This was Matt Moulson's post-game answer when asked how it felt to win a game in regulation on the road.
Well, it should feel weird considering that the Islanders have gone to over-time or the shoot-out in their past three away games. From 3 points, to 4, to now 6 points taken out of a possible 8 and the team moves to 7-2-2 in their past 11 games.
N...
It's been a while since I've written anything on here. It's really been more of a change in lifestyle than a lack of things to say. Since the hockey season started, I've become a part-time student with a full-time job instead of the other way around. As such, my days begin at 7:55 AM as opposed to 2 PM. I'll write when I have time, which is not that often, but I have some ...
The Nashville Predators continue to play their best hockey of the season as they beat the New Jersey Devils 3 to 2 in a shootout.
Santorelli and Erat scored in the shootout to lift the Predators to victory.
The Preds 2 goals in regulation came from Jason Arnott. Including 1 on the powerplay. The Preds finished the night 1 for 2 on the PP. While the PK stopped both...
There are not too many Friday night games for the Islanders, and that's usually a good thing for me. Being that I am 21 years old, I usually like to go out on my Friday's. I also work until 9 and will miss most of the game since they usually start at 7, and being that I work with people who despise hockey, I will not get to watch it on TV.
But I will get to watch tonigh...
The Islanders gave away a win last night that they should have easily held on to. The Wild were playing with a depleted roster that is trying to perform under a new system, much like the Islanders of last year. Despite gaining a 2-1 lead after being down a goal in the first period, the Isles failed to hold on in the final minute as Owen Nolan buried the puck passed Biron. ...
It's a thought that most hockey fans ponder from time to time. What would you do if you owned and operated your own franchise? What if you could buy your favorite team and do things your way? What would you do differently? Being a hockey fan myself, I too have pondered such a question. And here are a few things that I came up with, in that magical fairytale world wher...
So the Islanders have not gained a point on this second leg of their first real road trip of the season. Tonight the Islanders and John Tavares make an appearance in Toronto. And of course, the media is going to have all their attention on JT’s first return to his home on ice.
Hopefully Tavs will put on such a good show that Brian Burke will want to find Garth Snow a...
It's the time of year when you take a minute and reflect upon your life and the things in it that you are thankful for. If you haven't done that already...make sure you do before this holiday is over.
With me...first and foremost...it's my family...and the fact that we are all healthy. You can't really enjoy the other things in life the way you should, without that. It'...
It's not hard to look up and down the rosters in the NHL and identify a handful of contracts that each team would like to take back. This past decade saw a ridiculous jump in the amount of money and term being handed out to players as GMs try to woo the top free agents to their market. While a number of these bad deals ran wild in the era of free spending, the salary cap...
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091121/capt.492a4d93e711443fa9a94c69b22f47d1.islanders_wild_hockey_mnjm102.jpg[/img]
Becoming an NHL goaltender is hard enough. Becoming an elite starting goaltender is even
more challenging.
However, there are always backups. Every team has them, but they don't necessarily prefer to use them. A starting goaltender is expected to m...
[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...
Another day, another injury for the Devils, who, despite the growing list of injured players, have remained at the top of the Eastern Conference. This last one, however, may really come back to hurt them. Clarkson had seven goals and eight assists so far this season, and was doing a great job on the Devs' third line (for most of the year, he was on that line). He is goi...
The Islanders finished the month of November with a 6-6-2 record, bringing them to an overall record of 10-10-7 with 27 points at 11th place, just one point out of the final playoff spot. I’m sure many fans would agree that if anyone said over the summer that the Islanders would be a .500 team on the cusp of a playoff berth by the start of December that they would have t...
As we continue to look back at the best and worst of the past decade, let's consider the top forward lines of the past 10 years. It's not often any more that a team will stick with consistent lines over a period of time, but there are a few notable entries to be found. For the most part, I tried to avoid great duos who were mixed with interchangeable parts, unless the pl...
Rick DiPietro will be playing in net for a professional hockey team for the first time in over a year this coming Saturday for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. All I have to say is ...FINALLY!
It's been a long time since Isles fans have seen Ricky on the ice in game action. Since his absence began, Joey MacDonald, Yann Danis, and the newly acquired pair of Dwayne Roloson an...
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...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Fall to Lightning, DP Makes It Through 40 Minutes
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Last night the Islanders lost 4-0 to a team that had played the night before and did not return until very early Saturday morning after their flight back from New Jersey. It was also a showdown of Victor Hedman vs. John Tavares, two draft picks that that will be debated for many years to come.
It would only be fitting for Hedman to score his first NHL goal when he woul...
Buffalo (16-8-2) vs. New Jersey (19-7-1)
[img]http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/12/26/PH2006122601149.jpg[/img]
Perhaps the goaltender matchup we will see in the Olympics.
Ryan Miller vs. Martin Brodeur
Buffalo had a chance to move back into first place in the division with a win.
Not tonight. The Devils were all over the Sabres. Buffa...
It had been leaked on the Internet that Garth Snow is looking to add a mobile, veteran defenseman to the Islanders thin blue-line. If Snow finds a willing trade partner, he might want to add someone with size, grit and the willingness to stick up for his teammates.
The Islanders lost a tough one tonight, 6-2 to the Flyers. It's never encouraging to see your team let up ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Secondary Scoring Remains As A Major Problem
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
As is the case with most young teams, the Islanders have had many interesting third periods in which they either lost the lead, or fought their way back after being down early. (Ahem…hence the abundance of overtime losses). Last night was a case of the latter, but not all late efforts will be rewarded, and Jason Blake made sure to remind us that with his late goal with ...
I thought I would take a look at the Detroit Red Wings, and how some things never last...
Dynasties in sports are something to behold. The Yankees, the Bulls, and the Patriots all have held this title in their respective sports. The Detroit Red Wings have held this title in the NHL for the better part of the last 13 years. However, the Red Wings are a team on the decl...
In my last blog, I felt the Islanders should give players like Trevor Smith or Jesse Joensuu a chance to play with the big club if they were going to continuously sit guys like Comeau and Tambellini over fourth liners such as Jon Sim. The next day Jesse Joensuu was called up from Bridgeport and played his first NHL game of the season.
"It was awesome. It's part of livin...
I'm here today to address a grave injustice in the league today. Sergei Gonchar gets no respect.
I'm not sure what more this guy has to do to get the kind of respect that other top notch defensemen seem to enjoy. Throughout his career, he has constantly been overlooked. Despite being the leading defensive scorer on several occasions, he has yet to get consideration...
The laundry list of Islanders problems can start at the top of a 12-story building and flow all the way down to the pavement at Charles Wang's feet. It can start from way back when the Islanders chose to trade away players such as McCabe, Chara and the first-round pick that turned into Spezza, to the constant Lighthouse debacles.
This team has been struggling for what ...
I was a fool to take the Flyers win last night against the Bruins as a sign of hope. A sign that maybe the Flyers would turn things around with the roster that got off to an impressive 12-5 start this season.
Oh what a fool I was.
Apparently firing Stevens wasn't enough. Towards the end of the losing streak shortly before his termination, I began to think that yes, g...
SoCalSharksGirl writes...
Should the Sharks Have Traded Vlasic Instead?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I was putting together a poll the other day about who people thought would take home the Norris Trophy, and I came across what was an insane stat to me. Christian Ehrhoff is leading all defensemen in +/- with a +16!?! Not only that, but he has 7 goals and 11 assists for 18 points on the season so far (3 of which are PP points). Most amazingly of all, he has 70 SOG with a 1...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Daily Habs Links - Leblanc, Brodeur, Halak....
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As a new feature on Habs To The Top, I compile all of the links and news stories that I read, about the Habs, in one easy to find location....Habs To The Top! So, if you are looking for Habs news just bookmark http://www.HabsAddict.com, to get your daily Habs news!
http://www.habsaddict.com/2009/12/daily-habs-links-dec-16-2009.html
Who knew, when Brodeur was selected 20th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1990 NHL draft, that he would go on to have such a prolific career. Clearly, he was a good player to have been selected so high in the draft but even at that I don't think anyone would have been able to predict the brilliance that this man has displayed year after year. And in continuing to pa...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Daily Habs Links - Gionta, Hamrlik, Brodeur, Wild...
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The daily links are up. Hamrlik is out for tonight's game, Gionta has started skating again, Weber recalled from Hamilton and the return of Latendresse!
Check it out:
http://www.habsaddict.com/2009/12/daily-habs-links-dec-17-2009-gionta.html
UPDATE:
Just added a great fantasy piece about a potential Halak trade.
K.
Although I didn't write it in a previous blog, I PROMISE you that I believed that the Islanders were going to split the home-and-home series with the Rangers, and that the visiting team would win each game. Yeah, I know that sounds like complete BS since I am speaking in retrospect, but that WAS my prediction.
The first game at the Garden was a well-played game by the I...
Ok I am only home due to snow.
I thought I would share my pictures from the game. I had great seats 6 rows off the ice.
First signage....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/4197576546/in/set-72157623030117206/
Carter
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/4196800157/in/set-72157623030117206/
Richards
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/4196805085/in...
Thanks to everyone that voted. The fans have voted and the result is that 50% of the voters chose Cammalleri to be the next captain of the Habs. Go to Habs To The Top to see complete results:
http://www.HabsAddict.com
K.
Remember to check Habs To The Top daily for all your Habs links!
http://www.habsaddict.com/2009/12/daily-habs-links-markov-isles.html - Daily...
We are seeing a tremendous year of hockey. Tight standings, fun play and a division/conference that is up for grabs. Currently we have three teams that are in a fight for the western conference lead with 47 points apiece, L.A., Chicago, and San Jose. However, Chicago has earned those 47 in just 33 games. Nashville stands alone at 45 points, but stands to move up if they...
[i]OK, first off: I don’t often respond to stupid trade rumors from other hockey “news” blogs – which I realize is a complete redundancy in terms.
But please, stop it with these “Duchene and O’Reilly to Atlanta for Kovalchuk” and “O’Reilly and Liles and Wilson and half the Denver Mint for a couple of underachieving Philadelphia Flyers” rumors.
Repeat ...
pj50 writes...
Oilers, the shame of things that are and that are to come.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Well Oiler fans wasn't that a stinker of a game. Way to go Oilers! That's really showing the pride you have for the logo on your sweater and the city you call home during the season. I hope you are all holding your heads up with pride, after all you must be proud as you keep on cashing in those pay cheques. Now if there was any thing positive to take away from the game I'm...
I had the opportunity to be at the Garage for last night's game and while I enjoyed what went on in the stands, I did not enjoy what I saw on the ice.
I wouldn't say that the Canucks dominated but they were persistent. They did everything the Preds should have done. They got traffic in front of Dan Ellis, they put shots on net whenever they could and they took pucks har...
As I start this blog there are only 28 minutes left on Christmas. The last blog I wrote was a week ago on the 18th and I am actually annoyed at myself for not having a chance to write in the mean time. But I will say it has been a hectic week as I'm sure it was all the other bloggers and readers out there.
During this week, yours truly finished all of his assignments a...
The Islanders lost a rough one to the Flyers yesterday for their matinee game on a Sunday afternoon. It was a tough loss to swallow, especially for Marty Biron, a goaltender looking for just his third win of the season. Although the Isles played hard, it was frustrating to watch them make a pass that should have been a shot or struggle to carry the puck out of their own zo...
This evening, I was blessed to watch a dandy of a hockey game between the rivaling nations, USA and Canada. Right from the outset, the Canadian atmosphere combined with the on-ice action itself made the last junior game of the decade easily the game of the tournament. This game was even better than the New Year's thriller last year. Both teams clearly expressed the desi...
You had to know with the way that the National Anthem was sung that this game was going to be ugly and at times filled with disappointment. Before I even get to the way the game was played, the Islanders might want to start having try-outs before they let just anyone sing on the ice. The woman that sang had such a hardcore accent that it was hard to understand her, and whe...
My support for the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that was once considered one of the top cup contenders for this season, is slowly waning.
After watching a team finish a road trip 4-1-1 where they crushed a division rival 6-0 and then later played another conference rival where they played a terrible first period, pretty great second period and then another terrible third...
HunterRules writes...
Did you miss this? Schremp's Baseball Goal vs Avs
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBcKHrTyG0I[/url]
[img]http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3967/schremp.jpg[/img]
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...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Avoid Snowballs, Robbie Schremp With Goal Of The Year?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Alright...it is a bold argument to make being that 2010 is just a wee seven days old, but if anyone saw Robbie Schremp's goal last night, they would understand why he might have a case for the best goal of 2010.
Over the course of his young career, Schremp has had a very difficult time finding his way onto an NHL line-up. If you watch him play, it is evident that the k...
Everybody makes mistakes. Some are just more prominent, embarrassing, and harmful than other. Looking back on the year in the NHL, there's no doubt certain individuals would like to have a do-over on few of their decisions. On many decisions, it's far too early to tell just how bad (or perhaps good) a move will ultimately be. Inevitably, years from now, we'll look back...
Turco finally showed up (I Think),but this time it was for the last 5 minutes of the game..
The guys from the Islanders TV (MSG) nailed it on the head- Turco is feeling the pressure of a contract season,and he has ZERO confidence..heck Robidas made better saves in the last few minutes.
Rick DiPietro made his first star since Jan 2,2008 and he looked like he did way ba...
gkmkiller writes...
Re-visiting My Preseason Predictions: Eastern Conference
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Interestingly enough, I found myself reviewing my preseason predictions for the final standings in both the East and the West. In several instances, I was dead on; unfortunately, in others, I was way off. That’s usually the case in these matters.
Just for kicks here’s the links to those posts:
http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=65941&post_id=8516
http://m...
Has anyone taken time to notice how effective Dan Carcillo has been playing? Yes he has taken poor penalties at bad times during important games. Yes he needs better discipline.
But he has had a positive impact on this team. When the Flyers were in their APATHETIC fog, Number 13 continued to hustle, finish his checks, and get under other teams skin. LAV even had him on ...
First some of the other topics....
The hit on Pat Maroon if you didn't see it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKDeWpc9ah8
Here is the latest article this kid has a great attitude it is good to see.
http://poststar.com/sports/article_4f26d346-fc11-11de-9bbc-001cc4c002e0.html
Everyone loves Lappy I think that this is your chance to show it. It's all about ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Chris Osgood and Kenny Jonsson Return To The Coliseum
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Being that the Islanders are going to play host to the Detroit Red Wings tonight, I knew right away that Chris Osgood would be in the building. It was then posted on Twitter and Chris Botta's blog at Islanders Point Blank that Ozzie will not be the only former Islander returning to the Coliseum tonight. Kenny Jonsson will be in attendance as a fan to support his former tea...
Everyone has been doing their analysis on team Canada so I decided to do one also. Now that the world juniors is over, congratulations to the USA for winning, all international hockey eyes focuses on the Olympics. Here are my line ups would be and I doubt the fourth line would be used as if playing NHL game where they only used for 5 minutes they would get their fair s...
With the way the Leafs have performed since the lockout...more specifically last season and this season...many people have called for trades of pretty much everyone.
There's some players that just CANNOT be traded. Blake and Finger have contracts that no team in their right mind would take...especially when the Leafs are one of the few teams in the NHL even CAPABLE of t...
Anytime you win a game against an opponent by the score of 6-0, you will obviously have plenty of positives to talk about, but the most important part of this Isles win is that the younger players are owning the score sheet.
Chris Osgood was forced to return in net at the Nassau Coliseum last night. He heard a few cheers from the crowd that remember him from his brief ...
Hey everyone...
As many of you know, the first major trade rumor regarding the Isles has been spread about all over the web, and it involves Ilya Kovalchuk of the Atlanta Thrashers.
If you want to read my thoughts on the subject, go to http://thehockeywriters.com/isles-in-on-kovalchuk/ as I wrote a blog all about it.
As you can see, I have started blogging for The...
What a frustrating game last night.
As I mentioned in my last post, the Bruins are severely undermanned (not in quantity, but quality) and will need to be extremely opportunistic in order to win games. The inconsistency in the lines and the minor league call-ups on defense mean that the Bruins will invariably give up more opportunities than they generate, and when those...
Rick DiPietro made his first return on Coliseum ice last night against the Buffalo Sabres, the second placed team in the East with 64 points and a 29-11-6 record. It took Overtime and a shootout for a decision to be made, but DP shined in a 3-2 win and a shootout that lasted 8 rounds.
It only took a matter of 20 seconds or so before Ricky made his first save of the gam...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Win Four In A Row And Hamonic Visits The Coliseum
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Islanders hosted the 2nd placed New Jersey Devils today at the Nassau Coliseum and won a decisive 4-0 victory for Rick DiPietro's first shutout of the year in only his third game played, putting the Isles to 9-2-1 over their past 12 games.
You can tell that the Isles 15-year man is regaining his confidence in net. At least twice he was seen catching the puck with h...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Fall To Devils In First Loss At Home In Seven Games
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
At this point of the season, every game needs to be looked at as if it is a playoff game if the Islanders hope to make it passed 82 games for 2010. Last night the Devils came back with a point to prove; they are at the top of the standings in the East for a reason, and after being shutout by the Isles 4-0 last week, it had to be expected that they were going to come out st...
The Islanders had recent success against some of their more challenging opponents in the Red Wings, Sabres and Devils over the past week but have been unable to stay on board that train to the end of January. First they lost a tough one to the New Jersey Devils, and last night they were embarrassed by Alexander Semin and the Washington Capitals.
It was a rough one to w...
Forgive me ahead of time if I deviate from the Rangers’ theme a little on this but since we have discussed the merits of buying out the remaining term of Wade Redden’s contract ad nausea in the various threads, I’ve given some thought to the general principle of buyouts.
As I am sure most of us know, the ability to buyout a player’s contract was negotiated into...
So here we are as hockey fans in late January. There are only a few short months of hockey left, and shortly we'll be able to tell if our teams are poised for a playoff run, or for golf season. It's this time of the year that teams must make a good run in order to establish prime playoff position.
The Sabres, for the past couple weeks, have not looked like the playo...
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...
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 ...
The Islanders have had Joel "The Wrecker" Rechlicz sitting in the minors but have felt that he needed time to develop his game, as an enforcer, in the AHL before he could be considered as a legitimate NHL fighter.
Trevor Gillies, an AHL journeyman, has been playing with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season as well. Last year he played in 30 games with the Albany Riv...
1/20/10
Hello Sabre Nation, this is a guide for our trade deadline possibilities. I will do this blog for potential forwards only. Many are very similar, but here are some minor descriptions of their game. Thanks for viewing and I hope you enjoy.
It is more than likely the Buffalo Sabres will look to improve their roster at the trade deadline on March 3rd or bef...
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,...
Before I get started, I want to take a minute to bask in the glory of the deals today by Toronto.
Sure we gave up over 1/3 of our goals for this year, but frankly, with Phaneuf now wearing blue and white, this team is now set up to have one of the top defensive corps 1 through 4 for years to come. In addition, there are three outcomes (all liveable) with Giguere, realiz...
#27.
It's a number that will forever be the cause of simultaneous feelings for fans of the New Jersey Devils. Once sprawled above it, in all capitals, the name of NIEDERMAYER. It hardly fit on the back of the red and black jersey, but in that jersey a hall of fame career was created, and then solidified. Among the best skating defensemen in NHL history, incredible stick...
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.
...
Every Islander fan has seen that Garth Snow is capable of making a shake-up when the time is right. Last year he moved from the bottom of the first round all the way up to the 12th overall pick to select defenseman, Calvin de Haan. The year before that he moved down from the 5th overall pick to the 9th to take Josh Bailey. And in his first year as General Manager, Garth Sn...
I can hear it now:
"Not to be out done in stealing the spotlight, Brian Burke this morning announced that he has signed both Mats Sundin and Peter Forsbeg to contracts for the NHL minimum to end this season."
Naw....never happen. But you have to wonder if GMs out there are looking for ways to top or equal the latest move by the Devils.
There really aren't many big bi...
Is There Any Chance for other Eastern Teams?
With the massive news today of the Kovalchuk to New Jersey trade, I find myself asking an intriguing question: Are there any teams in the East that can compete with the top 3?
Now by top 3, I am not referring to the division leaders in Washington, New Jersey, and Buffalo, I am referring to the Capitals, Devils, and Pengui...
Hey everyone,
Today I attended the Islanders morning skate and had the opportunity to interview John Tavares, one-on-one, after their practice, courtesy of the Islanders PR staff Seth Sylvan and Kimber Auerbach.
If you would like to check it out, head over to this link:
http://thehockeywriters.com/one-on-one-with-john-tavares/
Feel free to leave comments and se...
Nice win for the Blue Shirts tonight! The King was awesome, Gabby got a goal and the Rangers played a pretty solid game on home ice. But guess what, I don’t buy it. It was only 1 of 82 games that will be played this season; the Rangers have struggled for much of the season and have little reason to believe things are going to change drastically despite tonight’s succes...
Rob McGowan writes...
As Isles Start To Sink, Joensuu and Martin Get The Call
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Seven losses in a row, folks. That's how many consecutive games the Islanders have surrendered to their opponents in a stretch where they have only scored nine goals. Secondary scoring has always been an issue with this team, but when the top guys of Tavares, Okposo and Moulson aren't getting the job done, and Josh Bailey is on the Injured Reserve, this team will really st...
Rob McGowan writes...
Matt Martin Makes Most Of Opportunity In Isles Win
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
An Islander forward last night, making his NHL debut, had an immediate impact with each shift he took in the Islanders first win in the past 8 games. Could it have been a case of first-time nerves and adrenaline working it's magic to help the youngster provide the spark this team needs? Possibly. But what we might also be seeing is the toughness and grit this team has lack...
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...
Ny Rangers get Jodi Shelley from the Sharks for a draft pick reports Steve Zippy from Newsday.
Shelley has played in 36 games and has registered 3 assists. I dont really know what to think about this
Rob McGowan writes...
Live Blog From Nassau Coliseum: Isles vs. Lightning
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
For anyone who is watching the Isles/Lightning matinee tilt that is at Nassau Coliseum today, I have been live blogging from the NYI Blog Box in Section 201. Head over to The Checking Line.
The direct link is as follows: http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/live-blog-nassau-coliseum-isles-vs-lightning
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
h...
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...
The Islanders have gone 2-9-0 in their past 11 games heading into the Olympic break, lowering their spot in the standings to a disappointing 13th seed with 58 points, trailing the 8th place Montreal Canadiens by 6 points while only maintaining 3-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes.
"It would have definitely been more enjoyable if we had a bunch of wins before the b...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Olympic Hockey: Anticipation Peaks on Super Sunday
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Can you feel it? Can you taste it? That palpable anticipation and excitement that is building in Vancouver and is echoing across the hockey world?
It’s growing. And with each minute that passes the anticipation will continue to build on one of the biggest, most important days in international hockey history.
With five hours before the puck drops on what is being c...
This is my first HockeyBuzz blog. I couldn't sit quiet anymore.
Marty out, Roberto in please hockey Canada.
I love Martin Brodeur. What honest hockey fan doesn't admire the guy for everything he has meant to the game for the past two decades? Great Job Marty!
But you had a bad game last night.
If they give you another chance, is it possible you turn it around and b...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Ryan Miller Shines, Team USA wins 5-3 over Team Canada
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Thirty years minus a day from the anniversary of the US's 'Miracle on Ice', the 2010 edition of Team USA did their country proud and honored that memory with a 5-3 win over the hometown Canadians.
With three spectacular games on 'Super Sunday', the crown jewel of the day was the Canada-USA match scheduled in the 7:30 PM EST primetime slot. With Russia already having def...
First off let me say what a game between Switzerland and Belarus.I didn't know who was going to be on the menu for USA tomorrow. The Switz beat Belarus in a Shootout making the final score 3-2. Tomorrow is going to be a good one, i have to say USA will not be the underdog here. They are lading the tournament in points, but not to say its going to be a easy game to play. If...
I purposely did not put an "equals" sign at the end of that equation for two reasons. One - I was never good at math and definitely do not plan on solving it or using any algorithm's where I can substitute numbers to come up with an answer; Two - because the end result is yet to be determined, and although DP and KO are not part of this year's winter Olympics, I still hope...
Last night was definitely something NOBODY saw coming. Before the Canada game with Russia I said it was going to be a close game and predicted a 5-4 Canada win...I wasn't alone in thinking it would be close. Most analysts agreed, however it turned out to not even be a contest.
I knew for sure Canada would come out strong on the puck and forecheck hard, but I never imagi...
TRADE RUMORS: "SILLY SEASON" Part 3
Calgary:as i reported the other day they are Very much in on Horton from FLA
Penguins: Back in on Whitney
Rangers:Horton/Booth/possibly colorado Defensemen Liles
.
Bruins:still Dan Hamhuis /Keith Tkachuk/Whitney/Now Souray
LA Kings:Now back on Whitney vs Pens/Bruins
Capitals:Hamhuis/possible a foreign player no names ye...
"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...
First up...
(1) Carolina - With the recent show of great team chemistry and the close proximity to the last play-off spot, combined with the trouble in getting Ray Whitney to waive his NTC for a team who won't offer a major multi-year extension - it is becoming less likely that Whitney may be moved. In fact, Jimmy Rutherford might just pull off a major acquisition if th...
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...
Rick DiPietro is out indefinitely with swelling of his left knee and was unable to practice this morning at Syosset as a result.
Check out my article at The Hockey Writers to read up all about it!
http://thehockeywriters.com/rick-is-out-once-again/
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/RoMac76
A few random thoughts are rattling around my head this Monday morning, as I bask in the everlasting glow of the 2010 Olympics and await tonight's Habs tilt versus the Bruins.
For me, the 2010 Olympic ice hockey tournament was some of the best hockey I have seen in my life.
Exciting, fast-paced competition with shots, hits, incredible passes, highlight reel goals and ...
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...
Any hockey fan looking at what the Bruins were trying to accomplish at the trade deadline would grade Peter Chiarelli’s deadline transactions as incomplete. For Bruins fans, this was a tough pill to swallow. I mean, this has been a disappointing season to date and Bruins fans were hoping to acquire players at the deadline to put their current woes to the side. But loo...
Yes, for fans who were expecting a grand fireworks finale coming off the Olympic high, Trade Deadline Day was a bit of a let down. To the casual fan, not a single trade made yesterday would register more than an "Oh. Is he any good?" However, to the fantasy hockey nut (which I assume you are, since you're reading this), there was plenty of fallout from what did, and wha...
[img]http://media.canada.com/bdbffb02-dc75-420e-8b09-c7871e3d0f7a/2511cory2.jpg[/img]
With the trade deadline now past and the Blues currently on a great five-game win streak, I want to take a brief look back a few days to the trade deadline and a few thoughts I have on the matter.
I can't help but be disappointed about two things the Blues did approaching the deadli...
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...
In an hour the Islanders will be hosting the Boston Bruins, the seventh placed team in the East that sit seven points ahead of the orange and blue. The Isles are only six points out of the playoff race but only have 18 games remaining, including this afternoon's tilt.
Here's the long and short of it: If they play today's game the way they played the Atlanta Thrashers T...
Rob McGowan writes...
Two Points Fly By As Isles Still Have Growing Pains
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
If the Islanders were looking to make a statement, tonight was the night. If the Isles were looking to prove that they were due for a win on the road as they have lost their last seven road games in a row, tonight was the night. If the Isles really wanted to end a 14-game losing streak against the Philadelphia Flyers, tonight was the night. If the Isles wanted to win in an...
I have been saying to anyone that will listen (not many)...for some time now...that it's not hits to the head that are the problem in the NHL, it's the blindside hits that create the most potential for injury.
I'll get to that more in a second...
When it comes to hits to the head, the NHL is in a very difficult spot in terms of making rules that apply specifically to...
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...
As the Isles playoff hopes became more and more of a dream rather than a reality, the team decided to do what's best for one of the most respected leaders in the game. Team Captain Doug Weight will miss the remainder of the season with surgery in his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff. He had been battling the injuries since November.
"If Thursd...
March can be a very troubling month for hockey fans. It's this time of year that roughly 1/4 of fans are placed in the unfair position of outwardly cheering for their team to win, while inwardly, (almost subconsciously) almost hoping they lose. This irks me. And I hate being irked. Especially in March.
So why do we tolerate this? Or the better question may be: Why ...
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...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Send Gold Medalist To The Bench, Silence Media
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Put that as your headline, Vancouver.
Last night the Islanders visited the Canucks and defeated them 5-2, ending their seven game home winning streak. John Tavares exploded with a five point effort, a new career high that paved the way for the win.
The Islanders started the game with a very strong first period, coming away with a 2-0 lead on eight shots. The goals c...
Frustrating. That about sums up how the Isles and head coach Scott Gordon felt after last night's collapse to the Anaheim Ducks. Gordon was so frustrated that when MSG Network's Rob Carlin questioned him about the team's third period let downs throughout the year, he walked away without giving an answer during the live post-game show.
That can be seen as a sign of a co...
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 FACTS
The Penguins currently sit 2 points ahead of the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Atlantic Division.
The Devils have a game in hand on the Penguins.
Without getting into specific scenarios (and assuming the teams play to the same W/L records the rest of the way), if the Devils win that "game in hand" they will win the division based on the NHL ti...
If you had to choose between Miller or Hasek, which one would you want on your team? Let's say both goalies came into the league at the same time, which one would you sign?
As a 21-year-old I don't remember watching Hasek as much as Miller, but I do recall "The Dominator" being an elite goaltender. The 1999 Stanley Cup Finals was when I really watched him excel, but we'...
So I spent about 4 hours today (seriously) obsessing over the playoffs and clinching scenarios, etc. and thought it would be an even worse waste of time if I didn't post a summary of my conclusions.
Here's the dealio, Sabres are at 88 points with 11 games left and can possibly achieve 110 points with a clean sweep of the rest of the season.
Ottawa, 81 points, 9 games ...
“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 ...
The 'we'll be better next year' mantra has already started on Long Island. The season has 8 games remaining on 2009-2010, and the Islanders have almost solidified themselves with either a top-3 or top-5 pick in this year's upcoming draft. Throw in to the mix that Rick DiPietro has yet to play another game, allowing many to assume that his come back year may be shut down pr...
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...
Alright fellow Philly fans. It's time for me to make some rash statements about our favorite hockey club. It's time to make a final prediction for the season and do some speculating regarding roster moves for the summer.
First of all, the Flyers have signed another random 3rd string goalie to make a ridiculous attempt at fulfilling sports' toughest position in order f...
Hockey players are some of the most athletic, flexible and well-built athletes in professional sports. Not only are they trained in strength and endurance, but they also have to have the ability to skate; a skill that is not easy to acquire. Think about it: hockey players add the skills they develop with their hands to the use of a hockey stick, and then combine speed, agi...
Many of you probably looked at the headline and said, "Uh, who?" But many Islander fans know plenty about Michael Haley and are very excited to see him dress in an Islanders uniform for the first time when they face-off against the New Jersey Devils tonight at the Prudential Center.
Haley is a pugilist at 5'11 and 198 pounds that loves to drop the gloves, sticks up for...
Head over to The Hockey Writers to see my blog about the last Islanders home game of the season with a few quotes and opinions about the direction of this young hockey team!
http://thehockeywriters.com/the-isles-have-a-bright-future-in-sight/
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Fingers were crossed and prayers to the hockey Gods were made, but it all came down to the luck of the draw - something the Islanders did not have land in their favor. The draft lottery was conducted last night and the Isles went in with the 5th worst record in the NHL. That gave them an 8.1% chance of moving up to grab the first overall pick. Instead, they ended up standi...
Check out my seasonal review for the New York Islanders at The Hockey Writers!
http://thehockeywriters.com/2010-islanders-seasonal-review/
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Yes, I am FULLY aware that the playoffs are going on right now. About every other blogger on this site is having a field day with playoff blogs - and I don't blame them. Whether or not their respective teams are in it, they are doing a great job providing their perspectives on the most exciting time of the year for the NHL.
I am still rooting for the Hawks, Kings, Coyo...
I don't know if I am more frustrated with the Devils or the officials from game 3. The Devils were graced with 3 PPs in the first 7 minutes and the PP could have put the game out of reach early, but it only struck once. On the road the first goal is key, but it made no difference in this game because the Flyers always seem to score on the PP when they need it. The Flyers s...
Here are my picks for some of the major awards from the 2009-10 NHL season. Each of the awards has three finalists selected by the NHL. The actual winners will be announced over the summer in Las Vegas.
Norris Trophy- Top Defenseman
Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks)- Keith edges out other finalists Drew Doughty (LAK), and Mike Green (WAS) because of his strong defen...
I know this is a little late since the second round has already started...but here is what I think could happen in the second round of the playoffs.
Western Conference
---------------------------
(1) San Jose
vs.
(5) Detroit
[b]Prediction: San Jose in 6[/b]
[i]Synopsis[/i]: Even knowing that San Jose is up 2-0 in the series, I unfortunately think that Detroit'...
Doug Weight is the current captain of the New York Islanders, but for how long?
Weight appeared in only 36 games this year due to injuries to his shoulder that eventually forced him into shutdown mode since his ailments required surgery. In that short time-frame, he scored 1 goal and 16 assists for 17 points. Despite having a solid outing on offense the year before, th...
(6) Bruins
vs.
(7) Flyers
[b]Prediction: Flyers in 7[/b]
[i]Synopsis[/i]: Both teams are dealing with some significant injuries. The Bruins get Savard back, but lose one of their only pure goal-scorers in Marco Sturm. Meanwhile, the Flyers are still without the services of Simon Gagne and Jeff Carter...both of whom would be first line players on the Bruins. The Bruin...
There’s always next year. The infamous phrase heard around Buffalo has been said again this year after the Sabres were knocked out in the first round to end the season.
Fans in Buffalo were disappointed again after what looked like a promising season. The Sabres made the playoffs for the first time since winning the President’s Trophy in 2007, but were then bounced ...
with the playoffs coming near to the end the off-season will begin.the rangers have many decisions to make this year.1.resign prospal?2.bring back the whole 4th line?attempt to move r&r?bring back zherdev?..knowing sather he will do none of these and instead sign or trade for vets that have a yr or 2 left in them...also do you sign sergei gonchar or let him slip away ...
Retire31Pelle writes...
TIME TO OFFICALLY RETIRE 31 FOR THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I just gave my retire 31 petition site a nice facelift!
Please visit and join the on going movement!
We are at 1700 Petition Signatures and Still Going Strong.
[url]http://retire31pelle.tripod.com/[/url]
[img]http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/465464218/1382369218_l.jpg[/img]
Good Evening, Ny Name Is Justin Marion and I am from the Online Campaign Movement t...
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...
As I look back on this season, 2009/2010 can't be called anything but a success. I can't help but look at the Kings and think about the years of prosperity that are on the horizon for this franchise. Look around the NHL at a team like Vancouver (my hometown team) and I see a 2-3 year window for a winning season before the core gets too old. Both the Sedin duo and Luongo...
Have you ever had an inkling or a feeling that something is going to happen to a player? Because I am having one of those today. This really bugs me, because I consider him a friend. Eric Nystrom is in line for a huge pay day. Not only is he a useful third liner, he is a great penalty killer. You want to talk about speed, he has that to burn. So where do I think would be a...
Has there been a better 'owner' of a sports franchise in Philadelphia over the past fifty years than Mr. Snider?
[i]*He had the faith in the city to learn and embrace a sport new to most of them and went out and found the backing and ignored the risks... And made it happen.
*He brought in the right people and for the most part has succeeded to maintain a quality man...
Deal with Buffalo ? - Doubtful. Other than Kassian and Luke, their players and prospects don't really fit the Burke mold. Pick # 23 might be affordable and interesting - especially if it comes with one of the previously mentioned prospects, in a Kaberle deal, but I expect Buffalo will want to shed some salary in a deal, and THAT might kill any offer to Toronto.
Deal wi...
Hey everyone, remember me? Yes, it has been almost a month since I've posted a blog. I got very busy with finals around the end of May. But I will also admit that I have been enjoying some time off to myself to relax a little after completing my first semester of Graduate school. For those interested, I got a 4.0.
It has been relatively quiet in Islander country lately...
As promised, today I interviewed Kyle Okposo over the phone to talk about the World Championships, the Stanley Cup Finals, and more! Check it out here!
http://thehockeywriters.com/one-on-one-with-kyle-okposo/
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Perhaps the most anti-climatic goal in playoff overtime history, but it still counts. The Chicago Blackhawks had an unbelievable ride to the top this past season and they deserved to win the Stanley Cup.
Just a few days later, it's already time to start looking ahead to next season. The NHL draft is only a couple of weeks away, as well as the award ceremony. On June 22n...
Dwayne Roloson answered any question that lingered about who would be the Isles starter by the end of the 2009-2010 season. During last year's off-season, the Islanders signed Roly to a two-year deal to be Rick DiPietro's 1-A back-up that could handle a heavy work load if he were to injure himself for the umpteenth time. However it became clear that Rick wouldn't be ready ...
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...
Annotated Mock NHL Draft 2010
V-3.0
1. EDMONTON OILERS TAYLOR HALL – F
*Halfway between Stamkos and Taveres as an NHL prospect *
Edmonton’s rabid fans are salivating at the ‘idea’ of getting Taylor Hall, and Steve Tamballini is not going to let them down.
Yes, the Oilers really, really need a top line center, but Hall is just too good to pass up...
If you haven't bought your tickets, now is the time...the Islanders draft party is set for this Friday at the Nassau Coliseum with the 5th overall selection solely in Garth Snow's hands. Yours truly, (as usual every year) will be unable to attend due to work obligations...but here is a brief primer of the scenario's that I think might go down on draft day.
In order...
...
This years NHL Draft is one of the most intresting in years. Over the last few years, the number one pick was pretty much a forgone conclusion. Ovechkin in 04, Crosby in 05, Johnson in 06, Kane 07, Stamkos 08, and last year John Tavares going #1, everyone knew that was the pick for the whole season. This year is different as the drama at the top of the board this year of c...
Been a little more then 8 months since I last wrote a blog, and since we are just under 24 hours from the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. I have been keeping tabs on many of the mock drafts and many bloggers predictions on what the 1st round will look like. Most especially the top 10. We all know Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin will be the 1st 2 players selected come friday night, but...
Only a few hours remain until draft and I am having difficulty containing my excitement. I didn't sleep much last night but that isn't much of a big deal. I was reading some of the blogs on here, and Eklund who is the one who updates regularly on rumors regarding FA's, UFA's, and possible trades said in his post late last night to keep a VERY close eye on garth snow and th...
Check out my post at The Hockey Writers talking about the newest addition to the New York Islanders, 2010 5th overall pick, Nino Niederreiter!
http://thehockeywriters.com/el-nino-storms-into-long-island/
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Leafsf4cup writes...
Leafs looking to sign Sweedish prospect D Brandon Aquino
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Undrafted D Brandon Aquino set to ink 3 year entry level contract with the Buds after a stellar season with BK Farjestad in Sweden last season. He will be playing in their AHL affiliate Marlies next season and will hopefully to come up into the Leafs line up late in the regular season.
There were 4 players that most fans felt the Islanders would end up with at the 2010 draft with the 5th overall pick. Every mock draft had the Isles taking one of either Gormley, Gundbranson, Connolly or Fowler. when Garth Snow walked up to the podium at the Staples Center on Friday night, he proved that every mock draft, every fan, (including me) and every pundit was dead...
Yesterday Los Angeles wrapped up its 2010 NHL entry draft with a fizzle, as quickly as it came teams from around the league wheeled and dealed for picks and players after that big question was finally answered. Who comes first? Seguin or Hall? Though both the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins got great players as it was almost a toss-up, other teams had to rely on a bit ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Create Roster Space, Changes Coming July 1st?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Islanders have decided to not tend qualifying offers to Sean Bergenheim and Jeff Tambellini, making them set to become Unrestricted Free Agents on July 1st. Nathan Lawson, Dylan Reese, Dustin Kohn, Rob Schremp and Matt Moulson were tendered their offers, extending the Islanders rights to keep them with the big club. You can expect that they are likely to accept their o...
[img]http://cdn.nhl.com/flyers/images/upload/2009/10/matsumoto_phantoms1028.jpg[/img]
Jonathan Matsumoto, the leading scorer for the Phantoms last season, has been traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for pick #206 (Ricard Blidstrand.) Some people may say the Flyers gave up too quickly on Mats. I am one of those people. Matsumoto was never given a chance to prove himself in ...
Pick #89: Michael Chaput, C, Lewiston (QMJHL)
The Flyers started off their draft by selecting Michael Chaput of the MAINEiacs.Chaput was ranked 81st in The Hockey News Draft Preview. Chaput had a solid season for Lewiston in the Q, with 28 goals and 27 assists in 68 games. He finished 2nd in point and 1st in goals for the MAINEiacs. Chaput put up a good amount of points ...
David, David, David... (tist, tist, tist...) Jonas Andersson, Jonas (FREAKIN') Andersson...
Okay, I'm thoroughly confused. First, you traded Hamhuis (UFA) for Ryan Parent. Basically, 2nd pair defenseman with experience for a 3rd pair defenseman with less experience. Second, you traded Arnott to NJ for a prospect and a 2nd round pick next year. I'm good with that, you...
There is no doubt the rumors now begin that Vancouver Canucks will trade a defenseman now that they’ve acquired Dan Hamhuis, and the name on everyone’s tongue is Kevin Bieksa. This doesn’t really make much sense in a short-term or long-term view.
Mason Raymond is at this time without a contract. It is safe to assume he is probably looking at a 3 year deal worth ...
Breathe in...breathe out....
I have been on several Islander message boards and blogs—and there are some pretty irate, zany, wacky and down-right pissed Islander fans throughout Long Island. Trouble is—I can't quite understand why.
Okay–I know today was July 1, and I know everybody figured the Isles would do something to address the holes in the line-up, but ...
Many Sabres fans, including myself, became furious over the fact the Regier hadn't made any moves on July 1st. With every signing, it seemed like the Sabres chances of improving became slimmer.
Before free agency even began, the only thing Regier did was re-sign Mike Grier, which is a solid move. That still left six unrestricted free agents on the team, leaving around $...
Hello,
My name is Ryan Smith. I am 21 years old and a huge Flyers fan for life. This is my first article writing about the Flyers (and really about anything) so I don't expect much, but I do expect to get better as I go along.
[b]Thoughts on the Free Agency Frenzy:
[/b]
Just before the free agency frenzy began at noon on the 1st of July, it was announced that ...
The Flyers Prospect Camp roster and schedule have been announced. With a few of the Flyers forwards on the trading block look for a young guy to step in as a regular for the big club.
Roster
Forwards
Michael Chaput
Shane Harper
Ben Holmstrom
Dave Labrecque
Tye McGinn
Luke Pither
Brendan Ranford
Zac Rinaldo
Andrew Rowe
Mike Testwuide
Eric Wellwood
Defens...
New post at The Hockey Writers discussing the rumors of Ilya Kovalchuk and a 10-year $100-million deal.
Check it out!
http://thehockeywriters.com/is-kovalchuk-island-bound/
and please, feel free to leave comments there too!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
No sports athlete is really "worth" most of the salaries they are being paid. On that front, we can agree. Not Jeter. Not Tiger. Not A-Rod. No one. That includes Kovalchuk. But I think that you are purchasing a lot more then a single player for the on-ice product for $100 million—that is if indeed, the Islanders should win the Kovalchuk sweeps.
ON THE ICE
Perhaps a ...
Darcy Regier may have surprised many fans with this signing. Rob Niedermayer has agreed to a one year, one million dollar contract with the Buffalo Sabres.
Niedermayer has been in the league for 16 seasons, and is playing for Buffalo in this next one. Although he has a career plus/minus of -115, Niedermayer brings in more grit and experience to the team. He has 450 poin...
Check out my piece at The Checking Line discussing the Isles actions thus far in Free Agency! And if you're not already a member, sign up! It's free and there are plenty of blogs to read covering all topics around the league. Or check out the Fan Forum where you can share your thoughts as well!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/grading-isles...
The Kovalchuk shoe is apparently about to drop and Leaf fans everywhere are waiting for Brian Burke to pick up that shoe and run away with it himself. This is surely not a man who is afraid of making big moves - as has been overly blogged and discussed. All of which has left Leaf nation refreshing computer screens on strict bi-hourly schedules - in July. Things have cert...
Who: Martin Brodeur
From July 09,2010
Martin Brodeur has never been an unrestricted free agent, but the Devils' goaltender thinks he knows what Ilya Kovalchuk is going through.
Like Devils management and most fans, he is anxious to hear Kovalchuk's decision about where he will play next season.
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"I'm sure Kovy is not feeling good about what is goi...
So rumor has it that Ilya Kovalchuk may settle for something less then a billion dollars over 2 years. Apparently, the Flyers have shown direct interest in signing this 50 goal scorer. But with cap issues already a problem, this may be a little more difficult then it appears.
With Simon Gagne rumored to be on his way out, this will bring the Eastern Conference Champions t...
10 year deal.....12 year deal.....15 year deal.....17 year deal.
Which of these deals is related to the New York Islanders? Any and all would be the correct answer in a previous year—but not in 2010.
How many of you fans have come onto these boards and poked fun of, cried, and lamented about how pathetic our team owner—Charles Wang has become. And that lame brain...
Check out my article at The Hockey Writers with quotes from the future stars of Long Island including Nino Niederreiter, Travis Hamonic, Brock Nelson and Kirill Kabanov!
Here's the link: http://thehockeywriters.com/isles-prospects-shine-in-summer-scrimmage/
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
From The NHL Network
Kovalchuk visiting L.A.
07.11.10 /7:40 PM ET
Ilya Kovalchuk is on his way Los Angeles, although he isn't a member of the Kings just yet.
According to TSN and the NHL Network's Darren Dreger, the unrestricted free agent is visiting Southern California for some face-to-face negotiations with Kings GM Dean Lombardi. Rumors are also swirling that...
Article from LA Times By Derrick Lightfoot
The World Cup is over, and I'm not that big into baseball, so the only thing I can cling to sports wise right now is the Kovalchuk saga—but it's safe to say most want this story to end (the New York Post even reported a Canadian national TV outlet has proposed a LeBron-esque one-hour special as to where he will play, but thi...
I for one think so...I think KOVIGREED may be using the devils as a way for other teams to give him more...Honestly we have all known Lou..and Lou doesn't leak stuff out...All the BS that we have heard in the past weeks about 12yr deal 17 year deal by the Devils are probably Kovigreeds/Jaygreeds plan to make the Kings give him what he wants...I for one think Lou should jus...
Darcy Zajac signed two-year deal with Devils' Albany (AHL) team
Darcy Zajac, the 23-year old younger brother of Devils center Travis Zajac, said he had several teams interested before he signed a two-year contract with Albany (AHL) this summer.
Source: NJ.com
John MacLean turned out to be a pushover in his first day on the ice as Devils head
bill-kostrounAP.jpgBill Kostroun/APLarry Robinson was back as an assistant coach as the Devils opened prospects camp.
coach.
He cancelled a scheduled scrimmage as prospects camp opened today at the Prudential Center, but players shouldn't get a false sense of comfor...
jsiha writes...
Is Ilya Kovalchuk moving closer to signing with Los Angeles?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Source NJ.com
Nothing new on the Ilya Kovalchuk front, says Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello.
"Everything is the same as it was the last three or four days," Lamoriello claimed. "Nothing changed. I don't have anything to add to that."
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Actually, the Los Angeles Kings might be moving closer to signing the left winger.
According to the Los Ange...
jsiha writes...
Has Kovalchuck lost his footing with New Jersey Devils Fans?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
After weeks of back and forth a lot of Devils fans are ready to put Kovalchuck back on the shelf and walk to the next item for sale.
Not only have the devils fans been patient with the 27-yr old winger but have shown Kovigreed that they would like for him to remain part of the Devils organization. But after 2 weeks of 12 yr deals, 17yr deals, 6 yr deals and the Kings ...
Mike Morreale NHL.com
NEWARK -- New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias knows the stress that comes as an unrestricted free agent.
To that end, he understands what Ilya Kovalchuk has been going through. Then again, he never thought a decision would take this long.
Kovalchuk, of course, is still unsure where he'll be playing in 2010-11, although the Devils and Los A...
By Eric Marin
Their chemistry produced one of the greatest goals in Devils history, and Patrik Elias hopes Jason Arnott’s second tour in New Jersey proves just as sweet.
It was Elias who set up Arnott’s winning tally in double overtime of Game 6 to clinch the Stanley Cup versus Dallas in 2000. Together, they were two-thirds of the famed “A Line” with Petr...
Another day has passed with lots of speculation but no official word about where Ilya Kovalchuk (pictured at left) will end up or when he will decide where he will play next season.
Thursday will mark the two-week point since the start of free agency and 10 days since Kovalchuk's agent, Jay Grossman, last made a public comment. Grossman said July 5 that the high-scoring...
jsiha writes...
Kovalchuk Looking Less and Less Likely for New Jersey Devils
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Source: http://www.nfl-2010.com/
In what seems very unorthothodox to most people who have followed the New Jersey Devils, GM Lou Lamoriello has remained emphatic that the Devils are still “in the mix” to sign LW Ilya Kovalchuk to a free agent deal. While it seems more and more apparent to all that Kovalchuk likely wants to be a King, it still hasn’t happened tw...
jsiha writes...
Kovalchuk desperately wants to be the highest paid Russian!!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Kovalchuk desperately wants to be the highest paid Russian player and best archrival Alexander Ovechkin’s annual salary of $9.58 million per season.
And while Kovalchuk’s talent is, at times, on par with the “Great No. 8,” it’s likely that the only place that Kovy’s going to get $10 million per season is in the Kontinenal Hockey League, where a club in St. P...
jsiha writes...
Devils don't offer veteran center Eric Chouinard a contract
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Source Nj.com
Veteran center Eric Chouinard, who attended the Devils' prospects camp for four days hoping to get a contract, will be going back to Germany to play hockey this season.
Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said no contract offer was made.
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"He's going to be going back to Europe," Lamoriello said. "He did very well, but we could not at t...
Source NJ.com
The Devils weren't Anton Volchenkov's first choice.
The hard-hitting defenseman, signed as an unrestricted free agent July 1, would have preferred to stay with the Ottawa Senators.
"I would have liked to stay in Ottawa. My next choice was to find a good place for me," Volchenkov said today as he visited the Prudential Center.
So why didn't he re-s...
Source NHL.com
John MacLean has already given the A-Train an A-plus.
The new head coach met one of the newest members of his defense on Thursday when Anton Volchenkov rumbled through Prudential Center for a visit. The Russian blueliner was in town to work out family arrangements for his move to New Jersey.
“Nice kid, looking forward to it,” MacLean said Thursd...
jsiha writes...
Are Ilya Kovalchuk's salary demands tied to Alex Ovechkin?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
By Greg Wyshynski
source: Yahoo Sports
CBC's Elliotte Friedman wrote his final "30 Thoughts" column of the summer today (a temporary loss for all hockey fans, to be sure) and focused on Ilya Kovalchuk's(notes) continued lingering on the free-agent market. It included this interesting bit of scuttlebutt about his demands:
A couple teams called about shorter-ter...
jsiha writes...
Newly-signed Tyler Eckford wants to play his way into a job
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Free agents Anton Volchenkov and Henrik Tallinder got the multi-million dollar deals from the Devils this summer.
Rookie defenseman Tyler Eckford is just hoping for a chance.
The question is whether Eckford, who signed a one-year, two-way contract on Thursday that would pay him $500,000 if he plays in the NHL, is ready to make the jump.
"Of course I'd like to th...
source MSG
By: StanFischler
The poet Robert Browning once wrote something akin to, "Your reach should exceed your grasp; or what's a Heaven for?"
In terms of the New Jersey Devils, boss Lou Lamoriello certainly has reached out to Ilya Kovalchuk.
Nobody knows the true details, but you can assume that the contract offer was -- is! -- long and fat.
Just 10 day...
jsiha writes...
Kings believed they had a 50-50 chance of signing Kovinuts
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
what happen??? we went from very near to this...
The Kings reportedly have been solving differences with Kovalchuk, while one source said the Kings believed they had a 50-50 chance of signing the 27-year-old.
source nj.com
The signing of Ilya Kovalchuk isn't the last big move for the Devils this summer.
Now general manager Lou Lamoriello has to find a way to fit the left winger's salary under the cap. And that may not be easy without making some significant trades.
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"It looks like they're going to be over the cap, so (roster moves) that's the only thing t...
jsiha writes...
Devils' signing of Ilya Kovalchuk puts a smile on John Mac!!
Posted Monday | Comments 0
source nj.com
The best news John MacLean received this summer was getting hired to coach the Devils.
However, the signing of Ilya Kovalchuk today ranks a close second.
"I have a smile on my face," MacLean said.
Now it will be MacLean's job to fit a talented individual into the Devils' team concept.
"We all know that, even looking at him on another team, that...
When I was about 15, My mom let me cut school. My birthday is on December 20th, and so she let me cut school a day before x-mas break to do my x-mas shopping. After getting gifts for everyone (my brother got socks, Muaha!) We went into Models to get some more hockey sticks. While there, I saw it....
Number 12- Simon Gagne
A jersey, sitting on a rack right in front...
jsiha writes...
Dainius Zubrus: signing Ilya Kovalchuk was to shake up the Devils
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Source: nj.com
Much of the hockey world wonders if the decision to break the bank for unrestricted free agent Ilya Kovalchuk was general manager Lou Lamoriello's move or if owner Jeff Vanderbeek stepped in.
It is, after all, an uncharacteristic signing by the Devils.
Nevertheless, veteran forward Dainius Zubrus said he wasn't surprised by what is believed to be ...
We all know that the nightmare is finally over...
Now what??? who will go???
My top Three:
Rolston (Please Please Please)
Zubrus
Salvador
What might happen with trades....just a theory....
Rolston and Zubrus or salvador to LA for frolov
Rolston and Zubrus or salvador for Kaberle
Veteran forward Brian Rolston could be one of the bodies on the move -- he has two years left on his deal at $5 million per season, and his cap hit this coming season is $5.062 million.
"It looks like they're going to be over the cap, so (roster moves) that's the only thing that makes sense," Rolston said to NJ.com on Monday afternoon. "I don't know what my involvement ...
Source: www.inlouwetrust.com
by John Fischer
Apologies for the clumsy headline, but one of the big issues that the Ilya Kovalchuk re-signing raises is the salary cap. Assuming the initial reports are true, and I'm using this post from Tom Gulitti as reference, Kovalchuk's contract will be $102 million over 17 years, or a $6 million/year cap hit. As a result, the...
jsiha writes...
Left winger Ilya Kovalchuk, there is significance to #17
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
If 17 years seems like an odd number, consider that Kovalchuk wears No. 17 in honor of legendary Russian left winger Valeri Kharlamov. He never met Kharlamov, who died in a 1981 car crash at age 33.
Kovalchuck:
"He was my dad's favorite," Kovalchuk told me. "I never saw him play live, but I have a lot of videotapes at home. My dad and I would watch tapes of his games...
I believe the best oppurtunity for the Oilers to trade the disgruntled Sheldon Souray is to the Buffalo Sabres for Tim Connolly. That would be the core of the trade.
The Sabres have over $8million in cap space, so taking Souray's $5.4million would not be disastrous. Souray also gives Buffalo something they desperately need; a top 4 defender, who can play significant pow...
IF the rumors are true (espn and the hockey news both say so) The Kolvy Devils deal has been denied by the NHL.
…
Really now? The NHL, who is still, according to reports, investigating how many licks it takes to get to the center of the CBA, is going to deny this contract. 17 years = too long. 15 Years is ok. Before people start to say, look at the age, I would li...
Probably the most interesting story to all Leaf fans this summer is whether Tomas Kaberle will be dealt or if he will stick with the Buds. More importantly, if he is dealt, what kind of talent will Brian Burke get in return. Now that Ilya Kovalchuk has finally signed a contract (maybe I spoke too soon???), the Kaberle saga should soon come to an end.
Brian Burke has b...
jsiha writes...
Once Kovalchuk's deal is settled, attention to Zach!!!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
source nj.com
After the Devils resolve the current contract situation with Ilya Kovalchuk, they can turn their attention toward locking up their other young superstar: Zach Parise.
Parise, who recorded 38 goals and 82 points last season, is entering the final year of a four-year, $12.5 million pact he signed in 2007. The Devils’ first-round draft pick in 2003, Pari...
jsiha writes...
contracts similar to Ilya Kovalchuk's deal with Devils
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Ilya Kovalchuk’s 17-year, $102 million contract was rejected by the NHL late last night because it “circumvented the league’s salary cap.”
Here are a pair of similar contracts that were signed last season. The NHL investigated each contract, before eventually approving both. The league cited that it could not prove that the contracts were not agreed to upon in g...
I really should have started blogging earlier. I missed out on writing about so much (winter classic, trade deadline, playoffs, and the draft.. for the love of god!!! the draft!!).. but hey, all that means is I get to write about that stuff next season.
It's also too late to talk about the Shelley and O'Donnell signings, or the Meszaros trade. But I'll cover that when t...
The National Hockey League Players' Association has issued a statement in light of last night's rejection of Ilya Kovalchuk's contract with the Devils by the NHL.
Per NHLPA spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon: "The NHLPA is currently analyzing the basis upon which the NHLrejected the contract between the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk.We are evaluating the options avai...
source: NHL.com
New Jersey Devils President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello issued the following statement Wednesday in response to the National Hockey League's rejection of the team's contract with Ilya Kovalchuk:
"We are extremely disappointed that the NHL has decided to reject the contract of Ilya
Kovalchuk. The contract complies with the terms of the Collecti...
Sooooo.... what exactly is going on in New Jersey? Obviously Lou Lamoriello isn't the type of GM who would be giving out 17 year contracts that could hamper the team salary wise going forward, go against the general spirit of the league and set (more like reset) an already poor precedent. Remember this is still the Lou Lamoriello who yes, did have a high payroll back when ...
Ok, once again we are in a situation where Kovalchuk reigns supreme in the headlines. I thought we had finally rid ourselves of this 3 week dog an pony show. Now 17 years and a 102 million dollars on the surface seems no different then Loungo, Zetterberg, Hossa and DiPietro. But here is where you are wrong. This is different and shady all in the same breath.
Yes we ...
Source Vancover Sun:
VANCOUVER — The National Hockey League is clearly trying to draw a line in the sand, but may not have a legal leg to stand on in its rejection of Ilya Kovalchuk's 17-year, $102-million US contract with the New Jersey Devils, one prominent agent said Wednesday.
J.P. Barry of CAA Sports, whose large roster of clients includes Vancouver Canuck...
Lou Lamoriello was not anxious to discuss the NHL's decision to reject the 17-year, $102 million contract signed by Ilya Kovalchuk.
But when contacted Wednesday night, the Devils general manager seemed to suggest the team is not currently reworking the contract but waiting for help from the NHL Players' Association.
"We just have to wait for the process right now w...
Source: Fox Sports
n Tuesday afternoon, the New Jersey Devils held a press conference to officially announce the signing of Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk to a mammoth 17-year, $102 million contract. And just a few hours later, word leaked out that the National Hockey League had rejected the contract on the grounds that it was designed to circumvent the salary cap.
B...
[url]http://kings.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=51&iid=23800&navid=DL[/url]
turdadactyl writes...
NHL's Rejection of Kovalchuk Deal a Line in the Sand
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
With the NHL’s rejection of Ilya Kovalchuk’s deal with the Devils, the debate has broken out as to what constitutes circumvention of the CBA and what’s a fair deal. Hockeybuzz’s Sam Woo sees the rejection as evidence of a double standard in the NHL’s policies and a misstep that casts the NHL as a “Mickey Mouse organization.” Admittedly, any line drawn in th...
As everyone knows, the contract of Ilya Kovalchuk was denied by the NHL which to be honest is no surprise to me and maybe devil fans. With Only around 2 million of available cap space remaining, how would it even be possible for Lou to sign such an elite sniper.
Also, as a gm of a team, i don't believe many players by the age of 44 can still play. Over the years, the d...
All indications are the NHL Players' Association will file a grievance by Monday at 5 p.m. over the league rejecting the 17-year, $102-million contract signed by Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils.
A source told sportsnet.ca that the only way a grievance would not be filed was if the Devils and Kovalchuk restructure the deal. However, the source also said that eve...
Hello ranger fans and well hockey fans in general. My name is Ian and when it comes to hockey especially the rangers i have a lot to say.
Lets get started with talking about the insanely ridiculous contract of Wade Redden. As if giving him 6.5 million dollars a year isn't bad enough, (when watching him 82+ games a year he is clearly worth 1.5-2.4 million area), Sather...
It’s no new news that the NHL rejected the seventeen-year $102 million contract the New Jersey Devils awarded superstar left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, due to allegations that it doesn’t comply with the current collective bargaining agreement and a high amount of skepticism that Kovalchuk won’t be playing until he’s forty-four, which is how old he’ll be when the deal e...
Source NYpost
First, know this about Gary Bettman and his capricious prosecution of circumvention against the Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk -- it's personal with the commissioner, the way it was personal when he and the Board of Governors canceled a season in order to get rid of Bob Goodenow.
It's personal because Bettman had been telling NHL general managers for months ...
Source NJ.com
The NHL Players' Association likely will file a grievance today on behalf of Ilya Kovalchuk, whose 17-year, $102 million contract was rejected by the league.
The union has until 5 p.m. to file the grievance or the Russian left winger will once again become an unrestricted free agent.
Kovalchuk, 27, signed the longest contract in NHL history but the...
Source NJ.com
Are NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello now at war?
Considering that Lamoriello has been a key figure in Bettman's past labor battles against the players, such a war seemed unlikely not too long ago.
But the Devils' decision to hold a press conference last Tuesday announcing the signing of a 17-year, $102 milli...
Decision on Kovalchuk is expected to be made as early as next week. Process of choosing arbitrator started last night and will cont today.
more as i get it
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
...
Its not a matter of [b]if[/b] but [b]when[/b] kovy is offically a devil again. but after kovy signs, what do the devils do after that. do they dump some salery with a trade, or do they look for that 1 more peice of the puzzle. What players can be traded, names being thrown around are rolston, salvador, zubrus, Langenbrunner, Zajac, i even heard marty's name but its highly ...
Now I know that this would be a long shot for the Penguins to pull off but..........why not attempt to trade Alex Goligoski to the Ducks for Bobby Ryan? It looks like the Ducks are not willing to give Ryan the contract he is looking for (somewhere in the range they are paying Getzlaf). With the subtraction of Pronger last season and the retirement of Scott Niedermayer, t...
jsiha writes...
Kovalchuk contract could be restructured by arbitrator
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
When the NHL Players’ Association filed a grievance Monday to dispute the NHL’s rejection of Ilya Kovalchuk’s 17-year, $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils, it ran the risk of having an arbitrator restructure the contract if he or she sides with the NHL in the matter.
One source close to the situation told THN.com that one of the possibilities would be...
Yann Danis has reportedly signed a deal with the KHL's Amur Khabarovsk.
Mark Fraser agrees to a one-year/$500,000 contract with the New Jersey Devils.
Rob McGowan writes...
Whom Should The Isles Target? Are The Isles Finished?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Check out my post at The Checking Line, talking about the Isles current roster and how I see them producing! Register and leave comments!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/your-2011-new-york-islanders
And also, check out my post at The Hockey Writers, taking a look at the remaining NHL Free Agents and whom I think the Isles should target!...
Once again the league is featuring the Penguins in the Winter Classic. If this doesn't show that Bettman's favorite team is the Pens then I don't know what does.
I get the feeling he thinks Cindy is the only marketable player in the NHL because everything he does somehow seems to involve him or his team. I would rather see another Max Talbot "you can call me superst...
jsiha writes...
Newly-signed Mark Fraser vows to be 'mean, physical Player
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Devils signed a pair of veteran defensemen this summer in Anton Volchenkov and Henrik Tallinder, but Mark Fraser is certain he will earn a spot among the top six this fall.
"I really felt I gained a lot of confidence last year," Fraser said. "Overall, I'm really happy with the way my rookie year went. More than anything I'm just anxious to get back and continue wher...
Sportsnet has learned that an arbitrator has been agreed upon by the NHL/PA for the Ilya Kovalchuk case.
The hearing is expected to start as soon as next week, with a decision to come by the end of the week.
Kovalchuk had signed a US$102 million, 17-year contract with the New Jersey Devils earlier in the month.
But the NHL felt the Devils went too far in giving...
The arbitrator - Richard Bloch - is a New Jersey native and finished high school in NJ. I don't think that the arbitrator will be biased but we could get an idea that Bloch will lean toward NJ because he was born here, and because no one could do anything about it! No one is allowed to go against his decisions.
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...
jsiha writes...
Association agree on arbitrator to rule on Ilya Kovalchuk
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Source NJ.com
An independent ruling on whether Ilya Kovalchuk's 17-year, $102 million contract with the Devils is valid will be made late next week now that the NHL Players' Association and the league have agreed on an arbitrator to hear the grievance filed by the union.
Two NHL sources, neither with the authority to speak about the arbitrator or scheduled hearing, c...
It's no secret, the Flyers need an upgrade between the pipes. It's also no secret that the Panthers need a superstar. One way to fill those needs? How about trading with eachother? Here's my hypothetical trade:
[b]Panthers Get:[/b]
Jeff Carter
Brian Boucher
Picks
[b]Flyers Get:[/b]
Tomas Vokoun
Michael Frolik
Picks
Let's look at this from both teams perspe...
Some of you already know this, but the Devils will wear their “retro” red, white and green jerseys during their March 18 home game against Washington.
Although the Devils have been advertising the March 18 game as the “retro” jersey game in season-ticket package sales, they have not announced it otherwise to the public.
During the 2009-10 season, the Devils w...
Check out my blog over at The Checking Line discussing Jon Sim's contract renewal with the New York Islanders! Register and leave comments!! They are ALWAYS appreciated, whether positive or negative!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-take-simple-route
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
[img]http://chievo.theoffside.com/files/2009/05/gabble2.jpg[/img]
Okay now im hearing the decision will come Monday...Ahhhhhhhh!!!!...come on...
Some facts on Bloch:
*experienced in both public and private sector labor arbitration and mediation
*has been involved with the Devils before
*He ruled that Scott Gomez deserved $5 million for the 2006-07 season
*Blo...
Jim Dowd's 13th annual Shore High School All-Star Hockey Game between Ocean and Monmouth will be played Sunday at Red Bank Armory in Red Bank.
Tickets for the charity event, which begins at 5:30 p.m., are $10 and will be sold at the door. Proceeds will benefit the Brick Stars “Special Need” Challengers Ice Hockey program.
Dowd is a former Devils and Flyers center...
Mr_X writes...
Does a deal for Marc Savard make sense w/the Ottawa Senators
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I don’t want to say what both teams should or shouldn’t do, or compare players to see who would get the best deal. To me, this one just makes sense, and it falls into place with the only scenario I can realistically think would work (for both).
Savard already expressed interest in waiving his NTC for both Ontario Teams if the right trade came along. Does it make se...
I thought this one one would be a great for Hockeybuzz...I was reading nj.com and saw this post by a fellow devils fan..mmmmmm.....I for one dont believe it..but i thought id share...
Source NJ.com
NJ.com Devils fan ****** has cooked up an interesting conspiracy theory that couldn't possibly be true, could it?
This may soound strange, but I think this is a set...
Check out my interview with Josh Bailey over at The Hockey Writers! Please feel free to leave comments!
http://thehockeywriters.com/one-on-one-with-josh-bailey/
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
landsharkhockey writes...
Top Fantasy Defensemen Rankings and Draft Strategy
Posted Monday | Comments 0
When it comes to formulating your draft strategy, take some time to carefully consider your approach to defense. More than any other position, defensive scoring can vary dramatically from league to league. Some leagues value scoring by a defenseman higher than forwards, while others lump them together. This can dramatically change your approach in terms of when to draft...
The arbitration decision over Ilya Kovalchuk's monster contract with the New Jersey Devils will be announced Monday, as expected.
It would have been surprising if arbitrator Richard Bloch made his decision public over the weekend but there was a chance, however slim, that it could have come. Now we're left holding our breath for another day.
Bloch must deliver his ru...
This afternoon it was reported that the Detroit Red Wings signed veteran defenseman Ruslan Salei. Ken Holland has been saying he'd look at a veteran for the third defensive pairing, and opted for Salei. Essentially, Salei is a very similar player to Andreas Lilja. He provides little offense - though certainly a bit more than Lilja would - and is a steady player in his own ...
I heard a caller on the radio this afternoon talk about the effect that the Phil Kessel trade has had and will make on the Toronto Maple Leafs. I was a proponent of the Phil Kessel trade but I didn't think Brian Burke needed to give up 2 first round picks to do it since he essentially had Chiarelli cornered with the threat of the offer sheet (I know Burke lashed out at Ke...
yideboit writes...
Why the Leafs would be better off without Kaberle ...
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I'm putting out my official and final prediction that kaberle will NOT be moved ... but here is my reasoning why he should...
First off .. he was a team worst -16 among defenders last season. This team moving forward, in Burke's mold, is a defense first team. In my eyes, in the right situation with the right pairing, Kaberle is adequate in his own end, but I don't feel ...
As already reported “Soviet Sport”, on Tuesday an independent arbitrator found 17-year contract Ilya Kovalchuk with the “New Jersey” at 102 million dollars in illegitimate because of attempts to circumvent the collective agreement.. And the striker once again became a free agent. А So, again, a chance that Kovalchuk will continue career in Russia. В пите�...
Rick Kowalsky, who spent the last four seasons coaching Trenton (ECHL), was promoted to head coach of the Devils’ AHL affiliate in Albany, N.Y.
Kevin Dean will replace Kowlasky as head coach at Trenton while former Devils assistant coach Tommy Albelin will be an assistant coach at Albany.
Vince Williams will remain as assistant coach at Trenton.
“A commitment ...
Source: NYPOST
By MARK EVERSON
Last Updated: 5:18 AM, August 12, 2010
Posted: 4:28 AM, August 12, 2010
It's really what late Devils owner John McMullen meant when he said "You don't want 50-goal scorers. Then you have to pay them." The update is you have a huge cap hit.
It was a nice try, elegant even, and the Devils' attempt to keep Ilya Kovalchuk's cap hit...
Forbes Magazine in the NHL most valuable hockey teams. Not bad for a team stuck between a really tough market.
Metro area population: 19,007,000
Devils local revenue per fan: $14
Rangers local revenue per fan: $22
Islanders local revenue per fan: $9
Figures again from Forbes are based on Stadium and local media revenue generated per person in the metro area...
After reading Jon Walters’ 40th anniversary team on Sabreshockeycentral.com, I was inspired to walk down memory lane and design my own. While many players that I loved made the list (like my all time favorite: Donald Audette) I found myself wondering where players like Rob Ray, Ric Seiling and Gerry Korab were.
So I came up with an idea. Why not make a 40th anniversa...
Check out my new post at The Hockey Writers discussing the teams' contract issues as many of the players on the current roster will be looking for long-term contracts after next season!
http://thehockeywriters.com/garth-snows-toughest-job-lies-ahead/
Please feel free to leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Would the Devils be able to pull of getting Tomas Kaberle and Ilya Kovalchuk? If they did that would cap off an already great free agency for the Devils that the fans of New Jersey aren't used to seeing from their team.
Although the chances seem very slim, nothing is impossible. Rolston, White, and Langenbrunner combine for a $10.86 million cap hit. If the Devils could...
yideboit writes...
Where does it leave the Leafs... and SMALL predictions
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Sure the majority of Leafs fans saw the value of a trade Tomas Kaberle, and dreamed of a top line starring countless players from around the league paired with Kessel and Bozak/Versteeg (depending on said players position), but alas, it wasn't to be, and Kaberle remains a Leaf for another year. Now, the question to be asked, where to the Leafs stand.
In my eyes, the Lea...
More contract rumors are coming up now...the latest 90 million over 10-13 years...
can't confirm just yet
[url]http://www.online-translator.com/site_Translation.aspx?direction=re&from=adv&template=General&autotranslate=on&transliterate=on&flw=1&showvariants=&viewModeSelected=result&sourceURL=http://news.sport-express.ru/2010-08-16/381424[/url]
Ilja Kovalchuk continues to prepare for a season in Moscow while behind ocean the question concerning its future contract is solved...
Check out my post at The Checking Line discussing Rick DiPietro's next step in his road to recovery with the New York Islanders! Please register and leave comments!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/dipietro-shoulders-weight-next-season
Also be sure to check out the article on the front page of the New York Islanders official web-site dis...
Okay here is the latest...
Rumor has it that Lou has submitted a new contract to the NHL its supposdley over 10 years im guessing 13 or 14 max...still trying to confirm
Another day with no news..Actually today was a pretty quite day.....
Lets go down the list:
Rumor that news will come out tomorow about Kovi's new contract...
[b]Thats anyone one guess right now like I said everything has been quite on the front.[/b]
I was asked about the Devils getting fines by the NHL..
I don't believe that the NHL will fine the Devils...t...
New Jersey- The Devils made some great moves in the offseason to already improve a team that finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference last season. The Devils added Anton Volchenkov and former Sabre Henrik Tallinder. Along with those two big defenseman, the Devils also acquired Johan Hedberg, who will backup Martin Brodeur, and Jason Arnott, who is now in his second stint wit...
Source NHL.com
Article By: Mike G. Morreale
What happens when a team expected to make some noise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs instead goes quietly in a third consecutive opening-round upset?
Well, for starters, it's time to buck the trend.
That's precisely what Devils owners Jeff Vanderbeek and Mike Gilfillan and General Manager Lou Lamoriello thought they had don...
Source: [/url]http://www.todayinhockey.com/tag/viktor-tikhonov/[url]
The New Jersey Devils would like to add a puck-moving defenseman if possible. This is just pure speculation, but you have to believe they would be interested in Marc-Andre Bergeron as he is a cheap and productive option.
[b]I haven't heard this one yet...but i thought Id share..[/b]
Okay now the rumors are coming out listen to this one
Former #Devils fitness coach Vladimir Bure told SovSport he thinks the #NJD will move Elias to make room for Kovalchuk.
Source twitter
http://twitter.com/dchesnokov/status/21695062255
Wow if this is true ill be really shocked..I for one dont believe this one for a minute...
On the Kovi rumor about the Dev...
Great article we found on the thought we'd share....
Source: http://thehockeywriters.com
Amidst Silence, Questions Surround Devils in Wake of Kovalchuk Saga
Welcome to The Hockey Writers (THW), one of the most popular hockey sites around. Featuring behind the scenes information, player profiles, draft guides and much more. To stay right on top of our Best Storie...
Some sources are stating that:
Brian Burke Testified Against Ilya Kovalchuk Contract???
Statement by Columnists / Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun
ATLANTIC CITY — Area hockey fans were thrilled to hear these six words: Hockey is back at the Hall.
The New Jersey Devils this season will bring to Boardwalk Hall five minor-league games, which are being sponsored by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority and Caesars Atlantic City. An official announcement will be made at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Boardwa...
jsiha writes...
Patrik Elias could be moved to sign fellow winger Zach Paris
Posted Monday | Comments 0
There hasn’t been a lot of change on this front. Kovalchuk remains an UFA and the New Jersey Devils are still hoping to work out a contract with him. He also supposedly talked to the KHL, but it doesn’t look like he is headed over there.
Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello is not commenting on the situation until a deal is reached.
The End of Elias?
The ...
Framework of deal between Kovalchuk, Devils believed to be finalized. Some in the know hinting deal will be 12-13 yrs in range of $84-$91MM
Devils have Added the following players for the 2010-2011 season
Mattias Tedenby
Jacob Josefson
David McIntyre
Mark Fayne
Dan Kelly
Matt Taormina
[url]http://devils.nhl.com/club/roster.htm[/url]
[img]http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2008/11/05/alg_brodeur.jpg[/img]
Let’s break out the Delorean, dust her off, and put the pedal to the stainless steel floor. We’re cruising at 88 MPH and about to take a little trip back in time to … 2003? Yeah. We’ll go to 2003.
When 2003 began, Eminem was on top of the charts with “Lose Yourself”. Eminem would go on...
Contract said to be 13 years 91 million
[url]http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=228129&position=1&news_type=news[/url]
Source NYPOST
A source said Lamoriello is working hard at dealing worthy defenseman Bryce Salvador, who would be an important member of the team if his lack of a no-trade clause, coupled with his $2.9 million salary, did not make him a target to be moved to gain cap space.
Another source suggested the Stars as a likely destination for Salvador.
Sabrefan28 writes...
NHL Rejection of Kovalchuk’s Deal: Better Late than Never...
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[u]NHL Rejection of Kovalchuk’s Deal: Better Late than Never on Nixing Bogus NHL Deals.[/u]
If you like/dislike this blog post please participate in the forum at my new website below:
[url]http://watercoolersportstalk.weebly.com/#/[/url]
While this isn’t exactly NEW news, I think it’s very important news for hockey fans. The NHL rejected the Devils, 17 ye...
Rob McGowan writes...
Rob Hisey: Potential Goal Scorer Finds Way To Isles
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Check out my recent post at The Hockey Writers, taking a look at Rob Hisey and his value to the New York Islanders line-up! Leave comments!
http://thehockeywriters.com/rob-hisey-potential-goal-scorer-finds-way-to-isles/
Also check out islanders.nhl.com to see featured articles from the Blog Box that were recently written by Dee Karl, Ken Dick and myself!
-Rob McGo...
Well it looks like the NHL is at it again. Frame work for the new Kovalchuck contract was rejected. It looks like that any contract over 10 years will be a no go in the NHL now. Details of the new contract haven't been released yet.
And really this isn't about the Devils and Kovalchuck anymore...I quote dchesnokov via twitter "My personal opinion is that Bloch's rulin...
Source Fire & Ice
The Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk’s agent, Jay Grossman, are back at work trying to find a contract structure that is acceptable to them and to the NHL after the league rejected their most recent proposal—made Monday at the league’s Manhattan office.
When I reached him this morning, Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello continued his stance o...
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman denied reports that the NHL rejected a second attempt by the New Jersey Devils to bring star winger Ilya Kovalchuk under contract.
Kovalchuk
Kovalchuk
The New York Post reported Wednesday that the league rejected a second proposal from the Devils and Kovalchuk's representatives.
"In order for a contract to be rejected, there would ha...
With time now dwindling before training camp, it’s becoming increasingly likely that the Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk will have to play hardball right back at the NHL.
To get the two-time 52-goal scorer back on-ice in New Jersey for the Sept. 17 start of training camp, the Devils might have to attempt to unclench the league’s new hard-line stance through what would amo...
Dmitry Chesnokov reported about 36 minutes ago via twitter:
Nothing new to report, unfortunately, on the Kovalchuk-KHL developments. KHL is still offering 1-3 year contract.
It seems unlikely that Kovalchuck will take a 3 year deal in Russia hes looking for long term
Just a few hours ago the Net blow up with tweets of the devils submitting a new contract to the NHL:
dchesnokov
The latest (last?) Kovalchuk proposal was submitted to the League a couple of hours ago.
Now rumors have it that the NHL has approved the contract.
Contract is said to be 15 years 100 million. Also note: The NHL stated earlier today that the con...
So it looks as if the summer of kovalchuk has at long last coming to an end. After a couple failed attempts to get a deal done with the Kings, a surprise offer from the Islanders for 10 years $100 million dollars that was nothing more then a false rumor that was created by a writer at the LA Times and spread like a virus all through the internet in less then 24 hours. And ...
Check out my new post at The Checking Line discussing who may be the likely candidate to have a breakout season in 2010-2011! Register and leave comments, feedback is always appreciated!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/who-will-be-next-unsung-hero-isles
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
I've also start...
Source NYPOST
It's difficult to fathom, but rumors are floating that Travis Zajac may be among the players the Devils will eventually sacrifice to get under the salary cap if Ilya Kovalchuk's $100 million, 15-year contract is approved by the NHL.
Conventional wisdom suggests Bryce Salvador ($2.9 million) and Dainius Zubrus ($3.4 million) are the obvious candidates to...
jsiha writes...
NHL finally approves Devils’ contract, but Kovalchuk retires
Posted Monday | Comments 0
This is a pretty funny article about the entire Kovi saga...
Source: http://intenttoblow.com/?p=956
The National Hockey League at long last approved a 15-year contract that would send Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils Monday, only to have Kovalchuk retire immediately afterwards at the age of 42.
“It was really exciting to hear we had finally gotten it done...
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...
Source Fire & Ice
After spending Monday reviewing the 15-year, $100 million contract Ilya Kovalchuk signed with the Devils on Friday, the NHL did not announce a decision on whether it was going to approve or reject the deal.
Although a source said the league did not officially inform the Devils of a decision on the contract—that would come in the form of a let...
Interesting rumor surfaced lastnight via twitter. The Devils might be in on Niemi but no confirmation on either. Now this would be really interesting...Again just a rumor...
Follow us on [url]http://fb.me/GTF4jkYf[/url]
Update:
Via Twitter NHL news: According to ESPN, Antti Niemi could sign a contract within 48 hours.
Check out my recent article at The Hockey Writers as Doug Weight's contract is finalized for the 2010-2011 season! Leave comments under the blog, it's always appreciated!
http://thehockeywriters.com/isles-keep-on-the-weight/
P.S. Check out my Facebook fan page for my blogs and add it to one of your pages!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rob-McGowans-Islanders-Blogs/13...
I really don't understand where all the hate for Price comes from. It's always the same story in Montreal, a youngster comes up, he's the savior (i.e. Jesus Price) and after 2 years he's nothing, a piece of garbage, a bust (Latendresse, Pacioretty, D'agostini, Price, McDonagh). What's going to happen if ever Subban has a bad season?!
Young players (especially goalies a...
BuddyBrier writes...
September Predictions for 2010 (Who will make the playoffs?)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Hello
This is the Moose Review and I’m Buddy Brier
Now that it’s September, it’s about time we take a look at the upcoming 2010/11 NHL season
We’ll start with my predictions of the teams that make the playoffs for the end of the upcoming season.
In the west, I’m predicting the standings will look like this:
1st - Detroit
2nd - Vancouver
3rd - Sa...
This piece from one of our admins on our NJ Devils Blog on Facebook...If your on facebook and are a Devils fan you should follow us.
The NHL has proven this summer that they want to stand up for their rules. And they have proven that no matter how poorly the expected publicity paints league officials and the NHL, in their minds any publicity is good publicity. Howe...
All around the I see passionate Devil fans being called "Cry Babies"...Really well lets get one thing straight, were not crying here were just frustated with theis entire process...we are trying to sign one of the top scores in the NHL while trying to make moves to fit his new contract. Also we have to worry about our star player Zach next year....So I don't think the outc...
Source TG Fire And Ice
There have been so many deadline days during the Ilya Kovalchuk saga, I’ve lost track. We’ve got another one coming on Friday. The question is, will it be the last?
After the NHL and NHL Players’ Association mutually agreed to a 48-hour pushback of Wednesday’s 5 p.m. deadline for the league to approve or reject Kovalchuk’s 15-year, $1...
Update Via Twitter: TSN's DarrenDreger Good
discussions Thurs between NHL and PA, but no settlement. Kovy deal is
tied to this, so postponement today seems likely at this point.
Were seeing that more than likely another extension will be announced today. We would be really shocked if the NHL actually has a decision today on the Kovalchuck contract....
Well it looks like from sources around the net that the NHL will probably once again extend the deadline. Why? who knows..
The NHL knows if they reject the contract this time around and it goes before an arbitrator the Devils have a good chance on winning the case. The NHL is running out of time...and they know the Devils and Kovalchuck are too..so why not drag it out a...
Well its 1:30PM and yet no word on the Kovalchuck Decision.
No surprise here...but we have found out that the NHLPA began preparing grievance for Kovy II on Tuesday in case NHL did reject contract.....The question is will the NHL come out on top this time...
And the story continues.....
In the wake of the Quebec governement announcing that they will put forth 45% of the cost for a new arena in in the Quebec capital, I believe it's time for the city to get a team. The first major issue is finding the new Ramparts. The Coyotes, Panthers, Islanders, Predators and Thrashers are all in financial trouble and could all very well be moved. There are many suitors ...
New post up over at The Hockey Writers looking for YOUR predictions as the Islanders head into the 2011 season. Will they make the playoffs? Will they get better production from their offense? What are your thoughts on Rick DiPietro continuing his come back?
http://thehockeywriters.com/nyi-2011-a-playoff-team/
Leave comments under the blog, they are always appreciate...
This is how I think the Kings season will go.
1. Martin Jones, Brandon Kozun, Jordan Weal, and Brayden Schenn all make the Monarchs, earning the AHL affiliate a new nickname: "The 2009-10 WHL All-Stars!"
2. Jones DAZZLES in Manchester, earning himself a call-up.
3. Ersberg is traded for Niklas Hagman, who posts average numbers on a struggling Calgary team. H...
Check out my post at The Checking Line discussing the possibility of Nino Niederreiter making the Islanders roster out of training camp! Register and leave comments to talk about whether or not you think he should make the team!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/will-el-nino-rain-down-long-island-year
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!...
The new Collective Bargaining Agreement that was reached during the canceled 2004-05 NHL season brought with it some new rules and concepts which have changed the way team personnel are managed, and the league was dubbed the “New NHL”. The majority of these rules were financial based and have largely impacted the general managers in the league, limiting the high spendi...
When the second round of the 2010 draft was coming to a close, I kept hearing the talking heads all comment on how Krill Kabanov, a world class talent had slipped so far out of round one, and now what appeared to be round 2. At that moment, I began thinking, here is a player who is destined to be an Islander.
My take on Krill v2.0 and the "incident"
http://hockeyinde...
There is little doubt in my mind that the two Rookie games are more or less meaningless in the grand scheme of the 2010-11 NHL season, the position the Isles will finish, or the state of the franchise as a whole. It would have been nice to win both games, see some more scoring and dominate the “baby bruins.” Though the Islander rooks managed to lose both games — last...
Check out my post at The Hockey Writers discussing who may or may not surprise Islanders fans with a chance to be part of the starting line up at the Islanders home opener on October 9th!
http://thehockeywriters.com/islanders-training-camp-roster-spots-are-open/
Leave comments in the comments section under the blog!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on twitter!
http://tw...
[b]Primary Staff:[/b] Greg Sherman (GM), Joe Sacco (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 43W 30L 9OTL 95PTS
[b]Place:[/b] 2nd Northwest, 8th West, 12th NHL
[b]Top Scorer:[/b] Paul Stastny – 81GP 20G 59A 79P
[b]Captains:[/b] Adam Foote (C), Paul Stastny (A), Milan Hejduk (A)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES
OUT:[/b]
Brett Clark (Signed with Tampa Bay)
Chris Durno (Sign...
2,098. That’s the number of shots Ryan Miller faced last season. 150 of those shots got past Miller and into the back of the net. Miller won the Vezina Trophy as the most outstanding goaltender during the regualar season, but can he do it again this year?
Martin Brodeur will likely be the biggest challenge (again) for Miller. Even though Brodeur is approaching 40, he ...
Check out my post at The Checking Line with predictions for the Atlantic Division for the 2010-2011 season. I'm sure many of you will either see where I'm coming from or completely disagree - and I want to hear it on The Checking Line! Register and leave your comments at the end of my blog!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/atlantic-division...
El Nino to Long Island
A summer mini camp, a rookie training camp and two all-rookie games into his Islander career, Nino Neiderreiter has been signed to an entry level contract by the New York Islanders brass. Upon learning the news this afternoon, it did make sense to me for this signing to occur.
And whats with Charles Wang?
Charles Wang used today’s presser to ...
[b]Primary Staff:[/b] Joe Nieuwendyk (GM), Marc Crawford (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 37W 31L 14OTL 88PTS
[b]Place: [/b]5th Pacific, 12th West, 20th NHL
[b]Top Scorer:[/b] Brad Richards – 80GP 24G 67A 91P
[b]Captains:[/b] Brendan Morrow (C), Stephane Robidas (A), Brad Richards (A)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES
OUT:[/b]
Warren Peters (Signed with Minnesota)
...
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...
There's a new post up at the new and improved "The Checking Line" web-site! If you haven't already, you need to register and get involved on the forums and comment on the blogs of this site as it continues to head in a great direction!
Here's the link to my most recent post: http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/sending-message-kabanov
Leave ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Streit Out Of Luck, D-Man To Miss Six Months Of Action
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Check out my latest post over at The Checking Line discussing Mark Streit's injury and the affect it will have on the upcoming season for the New York Islanders!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/streit-out-luck-d-man-miss-six-months-action
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
This is the time of year, right before the opening of the NHL’s regular season, when every fan indulges in dreams of Stanley Cup glory. It doesn’t matter how improbable or unrealistic said dream is; we still fantasize how our current roster will defy all of the odds and preseason prognostications and bring Lord Stanley’s chalice home to their fans.
As a Rangers�...
jt-nuck writes...
Competitive Camp, a tell-tale sign of a real contender
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
While every team in the NHL begins the pre-season camp and schedule with the goal of putting the best team on the ice not every team is faced with the same realities. Many perenial contenders and former champs of the upper echelons of the NHL have suffered high turn-over in various aspects of their rosters.
Chicago, the reigning cup champ was forced to sacrifice many k...
In just under a week the Islanders went from a team feeling optimistic about their chances of making a serious run at a playoff spot, to a non playoff team and then finally what fans are starting to call a "count the days to the april draft lottery team". Top defenseman Mark Striet will be out till march at the very least with a torn rotator cuff, and a torn labrum in his ...
Check out my recent post at The Checking Line, reporting the latest news on Kyle Okposo and the recent addition of Mike Mottau to the Islanders defense!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/misery-loves-company-okposo-out-indefinitely
Also, check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers that covers injuries, training camp, and the upcoming p...
Last night I got to watch my first hockey game on TV for this season. I was excited.
I watched Sabres vs Sens @ the Hockeyville, in Dundas, Ontario. The Sabres came on strong. Even when on the PK. The newly signed grey beard Rob Niedermayer scored about halfway throught the first, while on the penalty kill. Nieds put on great offensive pressure, and ended up stripping ...
Every year the NHL has individuals that surpass a milestone, like having scored the most goals on Tuesdays in the month of November … on the road in afternoon games. So let’s look ahead and see what kind of movement we’ll see on the all-time lists going into this season.
Martin Brodeur is often referred to as the best goalie of all time. It’s a valid argument to...
Darcy Tucker has officially called it a career. "After spending the whole summer anticipating I would play, it got to a point where I knew it was time."
"I just knew, during workouts I didn't have that same feeling," Tucker told TSN, "and I needed to be fair with my family."
Darcy Tucker had a successful career playing the role of a grinding pest. After beginning hi...
Frazier writes...
My Two Cents: Underrated Rookie of 09-10, and Rookie Preview
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The 2009-2010 season wasn't a very good year for rookies. No star breakouts.
Being a Buffalo fan, I love Tyler Myers. And I believe he did deserve to be the rookie of the year. However, I think that someone that could really have given him a run for his money is (*Cough* Tyler Ennis *Cough*) the NY Islanders' own John Tavares.
Let me break this down into why he's an...
[b]Primary Staff:[/b] Steve Tambellini (GM), Tom Renney (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 27W 47L 8OTL 62PTS
[b]Place: [/b]5th Northwest, 15th West, 30th NHL
[b]Top Scorer: [/b]Dustin Penner – 82GP 32G 31A 63P
[b]Captains:[/b] Ales Hemsky (A), Shawn Horcoff (A)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES
OUT:[/b]
Patrick O’Sullivan (Dealt to Phoenix)
Ethan Moreau (Waivers ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Grab A Waiver Pick Up And Head For Opening Night
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Check out my two most recent posts:
Here at The Checking Line I take a look at the Islanders recent pick up in Michael Grabner. This site has taken off over the past year and has really developed into a solid and entertaining hockey site. Register and become a member so you can enjoy the forum and leave comments on each blog that you read!
http://thecheckingline.com/...
Devs' moves: Salvador on LTIR. Salmela designated as injured non-roster player. Taormina assigned to Albany. Henrique recalled.
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=35&id=77834
Roy with 2 goals, Ennis with 2 assists. 'Nuff said.
Follow me on Twitter: http://Twitter.com/The_Frazier
Tonight the Islanders open their season at home against the Dallas Stars in what starts year 3 of the slow painful rebuild and also year 1 of the remaining 5 years on the lease at the once glorious Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. As we all know owner Charles Wang stated at the Islanders media day last month that he will no longer be silent or keep the media and fans in ...
Losing a 3-2 game...where we had a late lead...and then seemed to fall apart at the seams...is way too familiar when it comes to playng against the Canadiens.
And this time...we can't even blame it on Halak.
But after watching the Penguins through two games...I can't help but think there is something missing.
No...it's not Gonchar...he was there last year when the...
Today I will be doing a live blog for the Islanders/Rangers game today from the press-box at Nassau Coliseum for The Checking Line!
Stop by a little before 1 PM to join in on the chatter! http://bit.ly/9JHL85
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers discussing the Isles recent loss to the Washington Capitals and Nino Niederreiter's first NHL goal!
http://thehockeywriters.com/el-nino-strikes-in-washington/
Leave comments in the comments section under the blog if you think Nino will end up remaining an Islander for the rest of the year!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on...
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...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers that takes a look at how Trevor Gillies and Zenon Konopka are doing what they do best and helping the Islanders win hockey games...leave comments under the blog in the comments section!
http://bit.ly/aAa4lF
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs will play host to the New York Islanders as they search for the fifth straight win to open the season. The Islanders are searching for their first road win of the season and hope to earn it tonight by crashing the Leafs winning party.
Tyler Bozak, who took a Phil Kessel puck to the face at practice yesterday, seems to be fine and will be...
It may seem when things aren't going so well that I am more of a "glass is half empty" than a "glass is half full" kind of guy.
Three games into this season...and after watching some mistake filled play...I was already calling for benching Malkin and Crosby...like that was really going to happen.
I have a tendency, from years of playing sports..and really hating to l...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line discussing the latest injury to the Islanders defense. Register and leave comments under the blog!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/macdonald-out-four-six-weeks
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my recent post at The Hockey Writers discussing John Tavares' first NHL hat trick in the Islanders loss to Florida last night. Leave comments!
http://bit.ly/cwnHL4
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line discussing Parenteau's latest hot streak as he leads the Islanders in points!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/pa-parenteau-finds-success-isles-uniform
Register and leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Stop by at The Checking Line for my Isles/Habs live-blog tonight from the press box at Nassau Coliseum around 7 PM. The Isles look to take a win after being defeated in Montreal, as the two teams will conclude their home-and-home series tonight on Long Island!
Here's the link: http://thecheckingline.com/calendar/habs-isles-liveblog
Hope to see you all there!
-Rob ...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers covering Matt Martin's first NHL goal with my take on why the Isles have hit a 3-game losing streak:
http://bit.ly/9gzWEg
Feel free to leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as I take a look at the recent four game losing streak that has the Islanders in a slump:
http://bit.ly/chvweL
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The trade rumors for Bruins center Marc Savard continued today, specifically pertaining to the Bruins shipping their star center off to the desert with the Phoenix Coyotes. Savard, who easily could never be back to his prime form, has been the Bruins leading scorer each full season since he was acquired after the 2005-2006 season. He has been a leader for the B's and in so...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as I report about Rob Schremp's season debut tonight as they visit the Carolina Hurricanes!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/rob-schremp-returns-isles-line
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-Rob McGowan
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http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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...
This is my first blog on here so let me take a minute to introduce myself to all of you.
My name is Mike and I am a DIE HARD Islanders fan. One of the few remaining since the golden era of hockey here on Long Island.
I tried not to get caught up in all the hype to start the season with the Islanders making a miracle run to start things off. I will be the first to a...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line with a preview of tonight's grudge match between the Islanders and Flyers!
Register and leave comments!!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-will-look-revenge
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers analyzing the Islanders recent seven game losing streak as fingers are starting to point at who is to blame and what should be done:
http://bit.ly/aizxI5
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as the Isles embark on their annual West Coast road trip looking to shake off their seven game losing streak:
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-head-out-west
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-Rob McGowan
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http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Since the Devil's bloggers are nowhere to be found these days, I figured I would fill in. The struggling Devils host the struggling Sabres tonight in what can only be explained as a war of attrition. Tonight's goalie matchup with feature Johan Hedberg and Jhonas Enroth. Miller will be the emergency backup goalie for the Sabres and it is still unclear who will be Hedberg's ...
The third period against the Bruins tonight was exactly that.
For a team that was supposed to have improved defensively since last season, the Penguins seem to have all the same exact problems they had last season when it comes to defending.
Since beating Nashville on October 21 by a score of 4-3, the Penguins have gone 2-5-1 and have given up 27 goals.
The goals...
Head over to The Hockey Writers to read my latest post discussing whether or not it is time for Garth Snow to shake things up as the Islanders losing streak has now hit eight games.
http://bit.ly/aEMWIj
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as I take a look at the Isles goaltending situation and whether or not Rick should play the last game on their current west coast road trip!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/when-does-gordon-bring-back-dp
Register and leave comments at The Checking Line!!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitt...
A few weeks ago I remember reading an article on WGR’s website about how the Bills keep mismanaging running backs in the same way every few years.
It reminded me a little bit a about how the Sabres have functioned with their defensemen, so I did a little digging. Patterns are pretty simple to find when you know where to look.
I will be examining several defensemen ...
Hockeycrazed writes...
Iginla is the key to restoreing the flickering flames
Posted Monday | Comments 0
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...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers discussing Jack Capuano's recent promotion as head coach of the New York Islanders!
http://bit.ly/bZPZNH
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
New Isles post over at The Checking Line! Check it out here as I take a look at the Islanders recent struggles:
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/will-it-reach-12
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-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Rob McGowan writes...
Looking For Help From Within; Isles Call Up Joensuu
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as the Isles have called up Jesse Joensuu in search for offense as they face the Florida Panthers tonight at the Nassau Coliseum!
http://bit.ly/bTtcJa
Also be sure to stop by The Checking Line tonight as I will be contributing to the live blog George Prax will be hosting with updates from the press box at Nassau Coliseum...
Rob McGowan writes...
"We Had A Couple of Passengers Tonight." Isles Lose No. 12
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as the Islanders have now lost twelve straight games in a row and head to Atlanta, looking to avoid loss number 13.
http://bit.ly/coTzRG
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
In an era of hockey that epitomizes the youth movement, Detroit strays from the norm. Maybe its because of their lack of high draft picks, or first round picks at all, maybe its because of the style coach Mike Babcock preaches, or maybe their just getting all the right 30 something year olds. Either way, its working. Boasting a 14 man, 30 and over roster, 8 of which exceed...
Stop by for tomorrow's Isles/Devils matinee game as I will be hosting a live blog, along with George Prax, for The Checking Line from the press-box at Nassau Coliseum! Be there for the start at 12:45!
http://thecheckingline.com/calendar/isles-vs-devils-liveblog-special-1245pm-start
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
For the last few games the Toronto Maple Leafs have been playing quite well, there's no question about that. But they need to continue working hard and developing chemistry to keep up any sort of success.
All the focus has been on Toronto's scoring, how well Luke Schenn has been playing, and the great play of Jonas Gustavsson. But there's something that I've noticed, bu...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as the Islanders have loaned Josh Bailey to their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers...
http://bit.ly/dIGra8
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
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Head over to The Hockey Writers for my latest post as the Islanders have ended the 14-game losing streak with a 2-0 shutout victory of the New Jersey Devils this afternoon
http://bit.ly/hQcuYW
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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 ...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers that takes a look at the Islanders offensive struggles as Jack Hillen and Andrew MacDonald are close to returning to the line-up
http://bit.ly/gGoVL2
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as the Isles prepare to square off against the New York Rangers tonight at 7 PM!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/time-restore-rivalry
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-Rob McGowan
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http://twitter.com/IslesRM
There's the question.. Will the Leafs pick in 2011 be a lottery pick. If so Bruin Fans can thank Mr Burke for single handedly pushing the bears over the top into contention.. 2 top 5 picks in 2 years? WOW.. Thats penguin material, Cap material... Oiler traveled ground... In my time on this earth I cant think of a more helpless time for Leaf Nation. Where would we be if t...
The Iceman writes...
Islanders Lack Offensive Attack, And Protection In Own Zone.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
With the Isles set to concluded there home and home mini series with the Rangers tonight at MSG, they are once again trying to dig themselves out of a hole that they themselves have dug. A sloppy yet gut wrenching 6-5 loss last night at the coliseum can be blamed on turnovers, countless defensive lapses, failure to clear the puck, failure to protect the puck, failure to cl...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as the Isles have completed their home-and-home series with the New York Rangers!
http://bit.ly/eJz3u7
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
projp1 writes...
Patrick Kaleta fight. Sabres vs. Blue Jackets. New Owner?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Did anyone see that fight at about 10 minutes or so left in the 3rd period in the Sabres and Blue Jackets game? Talk about a beating. Kaleta literally made contact on pretty much every punch he took and then after the fight he dusted off his hands and the crowd went CRAZY. Let's just say Buffalo had a good night.
Now if anyone has seen my last blog than you know I am...
Devil fans you tell us who will let go, stay, trade, waivers or let him walk:
Andy Greene
Contract:
Salary: 737,500
Status: UFA in 2011-2012 season(next season), No NTC, NO NMC.
Means: Andy Green can chose to sign with any team. Example (Paul Martin)
So tell us Trade him now, keep him, waivers, let him sign somewhere else.
Devil fans you tell us who will let go, stay, trade, waivers or let him walk:
Langs
Contract:
Salary: 2,800,000
Status: UFA in 2011-2012 season(next season), No NTC, NO NMC.(after this year
Means: Langs can chose to sign with any team. Example (Paul Martin)
So tell us Trade him now, keep him, waivers, let him sign somewhere else.
Jason Arnott
Contract:
Salary: $4,500,000
Status: UFA in 2011-2012 season(next season), No NTC, NO NMC.(after this year
Means: Jason Arnott can chose to sign with any team. Example (Paul Martin)
So tell us Trade him now, keep him, waivers, let him sign somewhere else.
Zajac, Travis »
Contract:
Salary: 3,887,500
Status: UFA in 2013-2014. No NTC, NO NMC.
Means: He still has 3 years under his contract, He could bring back a good D man if traded.
So tell us Trade him now, keep him, waivers.
Parise, Zach »
Contract:
Salary: $3,125,000
Status: RFA in 2011-2012. No NTC, NO NMC.
Means: The current team must extend a "qualifying offer" to a restricted free agent to retain negotiating rights to that player.
Keep him (which I vote for and I know Lou wont let him get away) Trade him, waivers, let him walk
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line with a fun little bet between myself and Mark Trible, the Flyers blogger at TCL, after the Isles lost to their division rivals 3-2 in their Sunday matinee match-up.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/orange-and-black-years-end
Register and leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
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Tonight the Devils take on the red hot Pens. Will this be the big turn around game or will it be a horrible blowout? With all the rumors going around if the devils don't pull a victory out this might also be J Mac last game has devils head coach.
The Penguins are coming off yet another win, the latest in impressive fashion over the listless Blue Jackets 7-2 on Saturday night. The Penguins opponent, the New Jersey Devils are coming off another loss as their early season woes continue. They lost Saturday to the Flyers by a score of 5-3. A video shot of Jamie Langenbrunner at the end of the game could probably sum ...
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 ...
Two years ago Craig Rivet arrived in Buffalo and was given as daunting of a task as there could be for a professional hockey player; Captaining a timid, lost Sabres club that was still reeling from the loss of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury.
It didn’t help Rivet any that he spent the last couple of seasons beforehand on the back lines of the San Jose Sharks, and was ye...
Head over to The Hockey Writers for my latest blog about the Islanders, discussing the effect the lack of a veteran presence in the current line-up can have on the development of the younger players
http://bit.ly/eriC4N
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as the Isles fell last night to the Atlanta Thrashers in a 5-4 loss, but there were some unsuspecting visitors at the Coliseum last night that made the building a rocking place to be...
http://bit.ly/dVtavP
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Stop by tonight around 7PM as I will be hosting a live blog for the Isles/Coyotes game live from the Nassau Coliseum press-box with George Prax from The Checking Line!
www.thecheckingline.com
Don't miss it!
-Rob McGowan
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers discussing the trade rumors that surrounded Dwayne Roloson as the Isles lost in the shootout to the Phoenix Coyotes
http://bit.ly/gtSp18
Leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Well another Christmas Season is upon, it means Santa is loading up is sleigh and bringing Gold Silver & Bronze to Buffalo New York for the 2011 World Junior Championships, Team USA is going to defend the Gold Medal on home ice, after a heart breaking loss in the gold medal game last year the Canadian boys will be lookng for redemption, they will h...
The New Jersey Devils, NHL powerhouse and dynasty, are going to move into the doghouse and become a dud-nasty if they keep going the way they are going. The Devils have the greatest golatender to possibly stand in an NHL crease in Martin Brodeur, they have veterns all through the line up and have one of the most powerful General Managers in hockey, ...
A season that started with so much hope and promise is officially on life support as the New Jersey Devils find themselves just two points ahead of the lowly Islanders for last place in the NHL just days before Christmas.
While it has been difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for their demise one thing that remains evident is the current combination of aging veterans...
There is no doubt in my mind, and in the minds of all Islanders fans, that Dwayne Roloson is playing like an all-star lately. He has had to carry the team for the past few years, and has always been a great fit for this team. What might be very troubling to the fans is the fact that rumors have been surfacing of a possible trade for Rolie. In my honest opinion, trading him...
Read my latest about Josh Bailey's return to the NHL after a succesful demotion to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at The Hockey Writers!
http://bit.ly/h0I1sS
Happy Holiday's everyone!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The blizzard worked in the Islanders favor as they continue to snowball along after a big win against the Montreal Canadiens tonight at Nassau Coliseum...check out my post at The Hockey Writers for more!
http://bit.ly/gNM5ny
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Rob McGowan writes...
The Kids Are Alright, Isles Youngsters Aren't The Problem
Posted Monday | Comments 17
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...
As New Year Day fast approaches, there are many teams and players in the NHL who would like a fresh New Years start.
I'll start out with one of the bigger stories in this NHL season, New Jerseys inability to win. The Devils have been a long time power house in the Eastern Conference, who have always achieved success by playing a strong defensive game. However this year...
Check out my latest post over at The Hockey Writers as the Islanders head into the second half of the season riding a two-game winning streak and having gone 6-3-1 in their last ten!
http://bit.ly/e73mBS
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
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Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as I take a look at Garth Snow's recent move of trading Dwayne Roloson to the Tampa Bay Lightning
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/roloson-dealt-tampa
Register and leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The New York Islanders have became a little younger as Islanders GM Garth Snow sent veteran goaltender Dwayne Roloson to Tampa Bay for 22 year old D-man Ty Wishart.
This deal provides the Lightning with some goaltending stability which the club very much needs. So far Tampa Bay has gone with Mike Smith and Dan Ellis, both of whom have not been able to claim the number o...
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...
Check out my recent post at The Hockey Writers as Kevin Poulin makes his NHL debut with Rick DiPietro sidelined with another injury
http://bit.ly/e2gq1o
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
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The Islanders have extended a one-year contract for one of their defenseman and recalled a familiar face from Bridgeport. Head over to The Checking Line to read the article!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/jurcina-extended-and-colliton-recalled
Register and leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/Isl...
So the fire sale may have been. We traded Langs in order to give kids more playing time. Yet the Devs scratch Mattias Tedenby???!!! What gives?
The time is now for the young players to prove if they are ready. I understand the Flyers are a very physical team. I understand Tedenby gets pushed around and needs to mature and get more physical. But his time is now.
Are ...
Many Rangers fans have been critical of coach Tortorella in the past. We've complained of his constant line changes, his demeanor towards some of the young talent and the way in which the team always seems to start games off slowly. I would argue though that Torts has been spot on since the beginning.
Yes, I would admit he has made mistakes, like any coach will. But whe...
Rangers trade Micheal Roszival to the Phoenix Coyotes for Wojtek Wolski
What do you think of this deal?
Phoenix recieves a young budding defenceman who has the talent to be a playmaker and scorer, and the Rangers recieve a forward who has proven himself to be quite the point producer in past years, but is just having an off-season. With Frolov out for the remainder of...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as the Kevin Poulin is giving Nathan Lawson a run for his money to remain with the team once Rick DiPietro returns to the line-up
http://bit.ly/gLhtTE
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
As our Preds turn the 1/2 pole and start the last half of the season, I can only sit here and think of what could be. As I write this, the Preds currently sit in 5th place in the Western Conference at 52 points, 7 points behind that team from eastern Michigan and 1 point behind the Coyotes for 4th. Should I be happy and content with where we are, especially with all the ...
Check out my latest post at THW discussing John Tavares recent scoring streak
http://bit.ly/eF8wqS
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as Kyle Okposo will make his season debut tomorrow night against the Washington Capitals
http://bit.ly/eLJH3q
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Rob McGowan writes...
What Does Matt Moulson Mean To The New York Islanders?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Check out my most recent post at The Checking Line discussing the rumors that are swirling around Matt Moulson's future with the New York Islanders
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/what-does-matt-moulson-mean-new-york-islanders
Register and leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The Philadelphia Flyers are the beast of the east right now and any team that flies into the Wells Fargo Area gets scared. The Flyers are a very talented team with the likes of Chris Pronger, Jeff Carter just to name a few, nobody ever expected them to make the run they did last season going all the way to a game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final then falling short, to a speedy H...
Head over to www.thecheckingline.com tonight for my live blog as the Islanders will host the Washington Capitals in Kyle Okposo's season debut!
Don't miss it!!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers as the Islanders have claimed Evgeni Nabokov off waivers for the remainder of the season!
http://bit.ly/gUu5Tb
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as Evgeni Nabokov has been suspended by the New York Islanders for not reporting to the team!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/its-official-nabokov-has-been-suspended
Also check out some other great articles with plenty of thoughts on the All-Star game:
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/matt-...
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]
...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as the Islanders have signed Matt Moulson to a three-year contract extension
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/moulson-extended-three-years
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers discussing Josh Bailey's season and what his future may have in store for him
http://thehockeywriters.com/whats-buggin-bailey/
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Let me begin this post by congratulating our very own Michael Grabner on his stellar performance this evening in Carolina. I don't think anyone is shocked by the outcome and like I have said a million times before, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!!
To catch up a little bit, I know I am a few days behind but the blog went live last night so I wanna address some recent headl...
The Islanders kick off the second half of the season against the Atlanta Thrashers on Tuesday night, game #50.
So what should we expect to see from this team in the remaining 33 games?
In my opinion we are going to see the Islanders improve. I think their second half record will be a nice improvement from the first half. I also feel that this second half will be a...
Be gentle, this is my first post on HockeyBuzz EVER!
Its well known that although E-town's rebuild is well underway, but there are a few pressing issues that need to be dealt with and trade dealine is coming so I feel the need to flex my “archair GM” muscles. We need a couple of centre's with size that are over 50% in the circle and that seems to be a tough order t...
First off, WELCOME back Kyle Okposo. He picked up his first two goals of the season. Travis Hamonic also grabbed his first of the year and first of his career. So it was a great night for the first timers.
I will keep this short. It was a great night all around. A few minor breakdowns and 1 fluke goal. I'd say if they keep up this play and this strong effort they will p...
as we know the new york rangers are getting healthier with the returns of dubinsky,callahan and girardi last night against pittsburgh and vinny prospal tomorrow against new jersey,as christensen and fedo are 7-10 days away.we have had trouble getting past 3 goals in recent weeks due to the fact callahan was deeply missed for his timely goals and good forechecking and playe...
So after listening to all the feedback from last nights game I have thought long and hard about what I would say on here today.
I realize a little extra caution is necessary since I am the new kid on the block. So allow me to express my opinion and not use a single vulgar word in the process.......this time.
I am as big of an Islanders fan as anyone out there. I am a...
Check out my latest post at The Hockey Writers, taking a look at Rick DiPietro's season thus far...
http://thehockeywriters.com/?p=24101
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The word is spreading like a wild fire, Rick DiPietro's selfish flashy play once again bites the Islanders in the butt and this time the pain will last 4-6 weeks.
I can't say I am all that unhappy, I am glad Poulin should get the nod as starter.
I have been following the blogs, tweets, and other forums and people seemed to have mixed reviews on the fight the other ...
Head over to The Checking Line as I report about Rick DiPietro's latest injury and the questions it creates for the goaltender's future for this season and the one that follows
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-between-pipes
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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...
Head over to The Checking Line (www.thecheckingline.com) for a live blog of the Islanders/Senators match-up, as well as the Philadelphia Flyers vs. the Dallas Stars, all starting at 6:45 PM!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Head over to The Hockey Writers for my interview with Matt Moulson after the Islanders 5-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators!
http://thehockeywriters.com/?p=24164
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
First I want to apologize for the late post. We were celebrating my 30th birthday and what an ending to an awesome night.
The game was action packed from start to finish.
I was lucky enough to be sitting in section 118, so I got an up close look at Matt Martin pounding Z. Smith of Ottawa.
So during the week people were taking jabs at the Isles saying they lack hea...
mcefalu writes...
Post V-Day Battle vs Florida Teams Must-wins for Flyers
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It's no secret that the Flyers have played strong hockey at a very consistent pace all season long. Only a few times have the Fly-guys come out flat after a long break or struggled to get their game legs moving during the second night of a back to back pair contests. Overall, they have done extremely well against almost every team in the league, hence their conference lead...
Isles suffered yet another goaltender injury, with Kevin Poulin hurting himself during warmups. He will have an MRI tomorrow, and will likely miss the opportunity to play in his hometown, Montreal when the Islanders take on the Canadiens Thursday night. AHLer Mikko Koskinen was forced into the starting role, and if there were any questions about whether this kid was NHL re...
Isles suffered yet another goaltender injury, with Kevin Poulin hurting himself during warmups. He will have an MRI tomorrow, and will likely miss the opportunity to play in his hometown, Montreal when the Islanders take on the Canadiens Thursday night. AHLer Mikko Koskinen was forced into the starting role, and if there were any questions about whether this kid was NHL re...
Hey everyone. I've been following Hockeybuzz for a little while now (used to be mostly on trade deadline days, or weeks leading up to it), but I now find myself visiting at least 3-5 times daily.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Jeremy, and I'm a 29 year old male living in Edmonton, and as most people, I'm a homer. I love the Oilers. Always have, always will.
I f...
Head over to The Checking Line for my latest post as the Islanders have acquired Al Montoya from the Phoenix Coyotes in the absence of Rick DiPietro and Kevin Poulin
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/ring-around-goalie
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Head over to The Checking Line tonight for my live blog from the Coliseum press box as the Islanders and Penguins go head-to-head at 7 PM!
www.thecheckingline.com
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
What a 2 days it has been. I didn't blog about last nights game because my goal wasn't to do a blog after each and every game breaking down the periods. I wanna write about what is happening with this team.
I have said a million times we are building a winner. I have been laughed at, made fun of and insulted. I have tried explaining to people the transition that the tea...
4 video live right now
http://nyi247.blogspot.com/
NYI247 writes...
New Picture of Max Talbot after last nights game posted
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
http://nyi247.blogspot.com/
first pic on right. Check it out, Oh an I added the Pens fans right below it
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line with a full recap of all that transpired in last night's grudge match between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/pummeling-penguins-isles-win-9-3-fight-filled-match
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out the new post. The Pens, their owners and their fans are such little babies and I have fun with that
http://nyi247.blogspot.com/2011/02/21310-pre-game-post.html
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...
This guy has some nerve coming out and BASHING the league and the Islanders for what took place Friday night.
Learning starts at home, and this idiot signs a weekly paycheck to probably the dirtiest player in the NHL.
I don't like what Gillies did. I will say that first. It was careless and tasteless. Had he taken a shot like that at Cooke I would be singing a diff...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line discussing Mario Lemieux's stance on Friday night's game between the Pens and Isles, including Zenon Konopka's reaction
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/lemieux-laces-isles
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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...
With all that has gone on in Hockey Town this season there has been one player who has been a steady force in the Wings Line-up. The contribution is coming from the most unlikely of source... #44 Todd Bertuzzi. Ever since his incident with Colorado, Big Bert has not played like himself or the way he can. Maybe it was nagging injuries or the fit was just not right in Calgar...
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 ...
By now, you've most likely heard about a rather bold move that was made last night by Paul Holmgren in order to add even more forward depth to a skilled Flyers lineup.
Homer has been known to make these kinds of moves, which Flyers fans can certainly appreciate as it's obvious how serious management is about winning the cup this year.
Flyers acquire Kris Versteeg from ...
OK. We knew Beauchemin and Versteeg was top of the trade list for the Leafs, but whose next? Obviously, Burke has to trade Kaberle before the 28th of February or he will lose him for nothing come July 1st. Kaberle is gone then, that's for sure.
So, where's Kab going? Well, pretty easy to guess considering Kab's agent gave Burke only one team to talk to - the Boston Brui...
What an ending!!!!
I am ALMOST at a loss for words right now. 2 months ago this would have been another loss however this new and improved version of the Islanders continues to shock and awe people.
Michael "The Rocket" Grabner scored AGAIN and Josh Bailey notched his first goal in 20+ games.
This team continues to amaze me. I can't say I am all that surprised how...
What an ending!!!!
I am ALMOST at a loss for words right now. 2 months ago this would have been another loss however this new and improved version of the Islanders continues to shock and awe people.
Michael "The Rocket" Grabner scored AGAIN and Josh Bailey notched his first goal in 20+ games.
This team continues to amaze me. I can't say I am all that surprised how...
It’s plain and simple. The Carolina Hurricanes have to make the play-offs this year. And, the good news is …they are knocking on the door.
So, with the trade deadline fast approaching, it is not surprising to hear that Jim Rutherford, the Canes GM, is busy trying to make some moves. Reports suggest the Canes were among three teams that had a real shot at Ottawa’s...
Check out my latest blog at The Checking Line as P.A. Parenteau has been extended by the New York Islanders beyond this season
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/parenteau-pay-off
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Before I launch into my game analysis I just wanna thank everyone who took the time to introduce themselves to me at the game tonight. I also want to say what a pleasure it was to meet the one and only Dee Karl. I also had the honor of meeting Dani, the NY Islanders social media manager. A true professional. Oh and I got to meet Stan Fischler. I even took a picture with hi...
[b]LEAFS LOSE[/b]
Francois Beachemin
Kris Versteeg
Tomas Kaberle
Mikhail Stefanovich
7th Round conditional pick
*It hurts to see Kaberle go, but it was inevitable. Weird to think now, that the longest serving Leafs currently on our roster are Kulemin and Grabovski. As for Kris Versteeg, it was never really working out. He fits a team like cup contender like Philad...
Those of you still holding a bloody stick from beating the dead horse that was the Phil Kessel trade, this is for you. All your talk about the importance of draft picks has finally come back to bite you in the buttocks.
Brian Burke is a fucking magician.
Pardon my french, but did he just get 2 first round picks and a potential second for Kaberle's expiring contract?...
You know how every single time something that you are doing is coming to an end you reflect back and imagine a million ways you could have made it better? Well the 2010-2011 season is coming to a close and looking back at all the ups and downs of the season so far, I have made a top 10 list of things I wish would happen in the 2011-2012 season.
List is subject to chang...
The NHL Trade Deadline is exactly one week away, and already there have been some major moves. The Pittsburgh Penguins became a lot stronger today with the acquisitions of forward James Neal and defenseman Matt Niskanen. But, what does this add for the Pens? Well, at 23, Neal is a strong power forward at the left wing position (a pretty thin scoring spot with Pascal Dupuis...
It's no secret the Toronto Maple Leafs have got a lot thinner on the blue line in the past couple of weeks, shipping out Francois Beauchemin and fan favourite Tomas Kaberle. Beauchemin's value has turned out to be quite good for Toronto, as Lupul has made his presence known on the top line alongside Phil Kessel (assists on Kessel's last four goals). The Leafs can also look...
Over the past few days we have continued to see the Islanders keep their hot pace going. They are slowly creeping up the standings at a pace of 2 points a night. Right now the main focus is on the Devils but keep watching the Islanders, as they have one of the best records in the second half so far.
I was fortunate enough to secure my $20 tickets early however I was on...
There have been some big moves already before the deadline -- maybe the most we've seen this early since the NHL lockout -- and certainly, more to come. It seems the most intriguing targets for most teams are the players that will be UFAs at season's end. And, this off-season boasts some of the biggest names around the league, however, some of them will most likely re-sign...
The Sabres improved to 2-0 under new owner Terry Pegula with a 4-2 victory over Ottawa on Friday. After a 47 save shutout performance in his debut with Ottawa, Craig Anderson earned his first loss as a Senator.
Mike Grier put Buffalo on the board six and a half minutes in, converting on a breakaway. The Sabres went up by two midway through the second period when Cody Mc...
In my travels, I come across a lot of information, and most of it turns out to be wrong. So, in a personal quest to continue the trend of putting out wrong opinions, innuendo and vile gossip, I decided to write my first blog, and give you my opinion on certain issues. Of course, I will not know the answers about what will happen with the Oilers on Trade Deadline day, no on...
Head over to www.thecheckingline.com tonight for a live blog from the Nassau Coliseum press box as the New York Islanders host the Washington Capitals tonight at 7 PM!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Well Long Island wasn't a happy place to be tonight.
I was totally amped up to attend tonights game after the amazing ending to the Philly game on Thursday. I thought for sure the team would come out on fire against the caps who got tossed around by the Rangers last night 6-0.
On Thursday they didn't play their best hockey of the season but their heart and determinat...
It's 6:15 am out here on the west coast, and I'm sitting here with a cup of tea glued to the television flicking channels between Sportsnet and TSN...not much going on so far. But, there have been some key signings over the last couple of days, with Brent Seabrook staying with the Chicago Blackhawks re-signing for 5 years and Chris Phillips is staying in Ottawa re-signing ...
The biggest name at this year's deadline is Dallas Stars center, Brad Richards. According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Richards will only be willing to move his no-trade-clause if GM Joe Nieuwendyk can work out a deal with the New York Rangers. The Kings and Leafs were said to be highly interested in Richards, but obviously the asking price is too much -- it was rumoured that B...
With just under two hours to the 3 pm ET trade deadline, there hasn't been much action around the NHL. A couple of playoff contenders are still looking to add some strength to their roster and prepare for a long playoff push come April. The Edmonton Oilers are expected to be busy today, potentially moving two key forwards off their roster -- Ales Hemsky and Dustin Penner -...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line covering what did and did not happen for the Islanders before today's trade deadline
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/quiet-day-garth-snows-office
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
As new ownership presented itself in Buffalo, I like all Buffalo fans, sat in anticipation as to what was to come on February 28, 2011. However, I was extremely disappointed, and now it's time for me to say what no one else is...
Buffalo is currently smack in the middle of the playoff race, a place that not many expected them to be in, including myself. Buffalo had nume...
Following perhaps the most uneventful trade deadline day in a decade, fantasy owners are left to wonder what impact (if any) will the 16 trades have on the remainder of the fantasy season. As last season proved, some of those low-profile deals can have a huge impact on the stretch, if you can snatch up the one or two players who most benefit from a change of address. Las...
With the addition of Brad Boyes in the roster the Sabres appear to have a very good chance to make the playoffs. Buffalo are just two points out of the eighth spot with two games in hand.
The Carolina Hurricanes are the team that the Sabres are chasing and were pretty quiet at the deadline. The Hurricanes made one move to acquire a solid defenseman in Bryan Allen, but g...
mslepp writes...
Calgary Flames: Succesfully Unsuccessful Trade Deadline
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
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...
Perhaps the best thing that GM Sherman could have done at the deadline is stand pat. He did just that and it seems to be the right move. The amount of tension in the lockeroom has been increasing and due to the slide in the standings it was only increasing as the trade deadine approached. Players like Liles and Stastny were in numerous rumors and with the way that Sherman ...
So the trade deadline has come and gone, and with the Dustin Penner trade pulled off by Steve Tambelini, I think you can start to understand the map outlining the course that is potentially to be the Oilers rebuild. It has been known that the Oilers are set on building through the draft, last year made this very clear.... but the fact that Tambelini did not bring in a NHL ...
Some people seem to think that something good always comes away from something bad.
Well that just may be what happened to the Islanders after Tuesdays tough loss in the winding down seconds of the third period and ultimately finalized in OT.
Holding a 1-0 lead with just a few seconds remaining to the game they gave up the tying goal and later in OT Ovechkin sealed t...
Rob McGowan writes...
Trevor's In Trouble: Gillies Faces Another Likely Suspension
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Head over to my article at The Checking Line to read more!
http://bit.ly/gSK7Cy
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
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Come stop by at www.thecheckingline.com for a live blog from the Nassau Coliseum press-box as I will be covering the Islanders matinee against the visiting St. Louis Blues!
Join in at any time during the game to talk about what's happening on the ice or anything that's going on in the hockey world!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
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New post over at The Checking Line covering the Islanders 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues this afternoon at the Nassau Coliseum
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-defenders-tune-out-blues-5-2-win
-Rob McGowan
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Well another phenomenal weekend in the Islanders world has come and gone.
On Saturday we were witness to the destruction of another west coast team, the St. Louis Blues.
The game started with a highlight reel goal by John Tavares (1G, 1A-2 Points) breaking his 9 game goal slump. Mark my words, that will be a top 10 finalist when they vote for the best goals of the se...
The Philadelphia Flyers have reached a crossroads regarding their identity as a team. This identity involves things like purpose, intensity, drive, pop, those types of things all sort of rolled up together.
Facing a challenge of regrouping after a 4 game skid, the Flyers, as well as their fans, are looking for answers for their incredibly poor play. Many agree that it i...
http://nyi247.blogspot.com/ GOTTA SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT
Rob Niedermayer scores his 2nd is as many games after going scoreless for the entire season and the Sabres have gone up 1-0 against the Pens. Goal was eerily similar to Stafford's OT winner on Sunday. Sabres are driving hard to the net and fore-checking like madmen. Strong start for the newest Eastern Conference 8th seed.
More to come from Pittsburgh.
Sabres just wasted away their first power play of the game by taking a careless penalty after struggling to establish a good shot or scoring chance in the first minute. They can't get the puck into Pitt's zone efficiently, nor can they get off a good shot once they are inside the blue line. This must change before the playoffs begin.
Addendum:
Niedermayer takes a pen...
The Buffalo Sabres, who reached the 8th playoff spot in their last game versus the Minnesota Wild, will have to push a little harder to sustain their position, earning zero points tonight after a loss against the Penguins.
With key players such as Thomas Vanek, Jochen Hecht, Mike Grier, and Patrick Kaleta out with injuries (minus Vanek who has the flu) the team made the...
It was February 6th, 2008, and Western New York was stilllocked in the grip of Winter. Weathermen predicted that a storm would pass through Buffalo that night, but instead of snow, the city was pounded by a blizzard of sheer ice.
While most residents chose to stay off the frozen streets, there were a few that found it better to make their way to HSBC Arena. Rather than ...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line discussing the possibilities and consequences of Garth Snow's ability to sign Devils forward Zach Parise to an offer sheet this summer.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/will-garth-snow-sign-zach-parise-offer-sheet
-Rob McGowan
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http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line covering the Isles/Bruins game last night where the Islanders came back for a 4-2 win
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-come-back-and-defeat-bruins-4-2
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
So as an Oilers fan the one thing we have to look forward to is the upcoming draft, so I figure I would give my predictions. Let me know if you agree or what you would change. I am only going to do the top 10 based on the current bottom 10 teams.
1)EDM: Adam Larsson - huge need for an all around defensive force with huge upside
2)OTT: Gabriel Landeskog - power fo...
As the season comes to a close and the Islanders off season quickly approaches, the issue of the new arena will once again become a talking point. I decided to take a little road trip over to Jersey and check out the new arena.
In my life I have been fortunate enough to visit several Baseball stadiums across the U.S. . In my travels I made it a point to visit Wrigley F...
Despite playing their second game in less than 24 hours, the Sabres didn’t show any signs of fatigue. The Sabres saluted the fans before leaving the ice, pointing their sticks toward the No. 7 banner.
The Sabres honored Rick Martin as all the team wore stickers on their helmets. Ryan Miller got a day of rest on Sunday as Jhonas Enroth received the start in net against...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line discussing the possibilities on whether or not Jack Capuano will return as head coach for the New York Islanders next season
http://bit.ly/eo6AN9
Also keep a look out at The Checking Line (www.thecheckingline.com) for a contest that will be starting tomorrow if you follow our twitter and facebook pages! Prizes will be re...
http://nyi247.blogspot.com/
The Buffalo Sabres were in the midst of one of their most successful seasons in franchise history, and were looking to tie a historical achievement on this night at HSBC arena.
The Sabres jumped out to an early lead on a goal by Derek Roy at 2:14, which was followed by a score for the Islanders by Jason Blake to tie it at one.Thomas Vanek, two goals by Chris Drury and one...
Many Sabres fans, including myself, were a bit premature after Buffalo moved into 7th place last week. I was already thinking about who the Sabres should play in the first round. Well, after a 1-0 loss to Carolina, Buffalo is the team that everyone is looking to beat.
It’s not over until it’s over. New Jersey knows a little something about that this season. Former S...
Rob McGowan writes...
Islanders Agree To Terms With Prospect Aaron Ness
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Check out my latest article at The Checking Line as the Islanders have agreed to terms on a contract with 2008 2nd round pick, Aaron Ness
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/islanders-agree-terms-prospect-aaron-ness
Also be sure to check out the facebook and twitter contest that is going at The Checking Line! Prizes are available!
http:/...
Head over to The Checking Line for my latest piece as Rick DiPietro will likely be starting one of the next two games for the New York Islanders
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/dipietro-ready-return-line
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my blog http://nyi247.blogspot.com/
I spoke with Stu Siegel today, former Long Islander and current owner of the Florida Panthers.
Stu set the bar for NHL owners by donating $10,000 to the Japan relief fund.
follow him on twitter @StuSiegel . Tell him you heard about his donation and send him some love.
I hope my NY Islanders step up.
Lets see w...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as DiPietro made his return to action as the Islanders downed the Panthers 4-3 in the shootout!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-tame-panthers-shootout-win
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Hey guys...I'm looking to help promote The Checking Line, as well as the Islanders blogs that I post there. I am the head Islanders blogger for the site and have a facebook page where I post links to all of my blogs. Be sure to click the link and "like" it so you can keep up throughout the year!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rob-McGowans-Islanders-Blogs/137174856326185
...
Well, I certainly picked the wrong time to get mad at the Red Wings and turn the TV off in utter frustration. The Wings looked real sharp for the first 6-7 minutes, especially the Young Guns, in Helm, Abdelkader, and Miller. I've especially liked Miller's play of late. he's really battling hard to try earn that permanent spot and get out of that dreaded game-by-game rot...
After the Islanders played the Penguins a couple of months back in what is now labeled the fight night on Long Island, I wrote a blog about the game, the outcome (suspensions), and Mario's feedback afterwards.
While I am not a big time journalist or even a well known blogger I still feel that I have a responsibility to my readers to be fair when it is called for.
A...
I know I'm probably the only one thinking about this right now, being 3 weeks removed from the trade deadline, and another three weeks from the start of the playoffs, but it's just been something I've been kicking around lately, especially given the opinions of the some of the other folks I've heard lately.
The Red Wings stood still at the trade deadline, as is their M....
As the 4-1 victory against the Edmonton Oilers was the most disappointing win of the season, last night's fall to the Washington Capitals 5-4 in a shootout was definitely the most satisfying loss this year for the Philadelphia Flyers.
This entire week, with games against Washington, Pittsburgh, and Boston, is pivotal for playoff placement, and we will all see just how...
New post over at The Checking Line that takes a look at Frans Nielsen's season with the New York Islanders that may warrant consideration for the trophy that is awarded to the best defensive forward of the year.
http://t.co/NwesXnd
-Rob McGowan
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I know it’s a little late for a post-game wrap-up, but better late than never, I guess. The Red Wings dropped a heartbreaker to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday and I have a few theories…
The first is a little convoluted. I think maybe the Red Wings have a little stage fright. I haven’t checked the numbers (and maybe I should), but I think the Wings have a lo...
It took only a few minutes for Sergei Bobrovsky to establish himself as the hardest working member of this hockey team.
Everyone else was essentially a no-show last night.
Bob has received tremendous recognition for his ability to bounce back last night against a hardworking Pens team by stopping 30 shots. He has also shown improvement in the shootout, which, despite...
Head over to The Checking Line for my latest post discussing Zenon Konopka's impact on this team and why he should be resigned for next season
http://bit.ly/fF1hJl
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my blog http://nyi247.blogspot.com/
Follow me on Twitter @nyi247
I have been discussing Zenon Konopka's role on the Islanders for a pretty long time now and as the season wraps up there are more and more people discussing his future on Long Island.
There is no denying what he has brought to this team over the past season and how big of an impact he has h...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as the Islanders lost a hard fought battle last night to the Philadelphia Flyers
http://bit.ly/ekBdp8
Also, The Checking Line is working on putting together a team of Isles writers. So far, I am the only Islanders blogger on the site so I am looking to see if anyone else would consider joining our team. Send me a messag...
check out my blog http://nyi247.blogspot.com/
Now that the Islanders are officially out of the playoff race it is time to start looking towards next season and see what improvements need to be made to become a contender next year.
First let me say, I think this season was a huge success. Sounds crazy, I'll explain. As last season concluded, myself and many other fans...
There are rumors going around that Derek Roy will be ready to play if the Sabres go deep in the playoffs. While those rumors may be true, do the Sabres want him back at that point in the season.
The team has improved significantly since he went down, but would brining him back help or hurt the team? What if Roy does come back and further aggravates his injury, forcing h...
This point in the season is possibly the worst time for there to be any doubt about whether or not the Flyers have bought into Laviolette's system.
The Flyers have 7 games left in the regular season. Yes, I agree with many that despite the Flyers recent struggles, they are still in better shape than they were at this time last season, which is commonly accompanied by th...
Let’s start by saying that I really enjoy watching the Red Wings and Blackhawks square up. It seems that there’s a different kind of energy between the two that is brought out only when these Original Six foes square off, even from Playoff hockey. I’m not saying it’s better, it’s [i]different[/i]. It’s one of a kind. Couple that with Nick Lidstrom’s signa...
There is a lot of differences of opinion on who the best goalies in the league are from year to year. I dug deep into the numbers to see who the cream of the crop really has been over the last 5 years. Most of these will be expected but there may be a couple that surprise some. I pulled the stats for GAA and SV% for the last 5 years and averaged out their numbers to find t...
Head over to The Checking Line to see all about the news as Al Montoya will be kept in an Islanders uniform through the 2011-2012 season!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/al-montoya-extended-one-year-contract
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
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Head over to The Checking Line for my latest post that takes a look at prospect Matt Donovan and his first professional contract wit the Islanders
http://bit.ly/fW9rhd
Don't forget to check back tonight at TCL for Daniel Friedman's post-game blog of the Isles Devils game and definitely stop back tomorrow night for a LIVE BLOG for the Islanders/Rangers game, coming to...
Head over to The Checking Line at 7 PM for a live blog of the Islanders/Rangers game at 7 PM coming to you from the Nassau Coliseum press-box!
http://t.co/L1ynuyS
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
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Really?
10-3?
The only thing I want to know is how many busted hockey sticks the custodial staff had to clean up from the visitors' dressing room at Scottrade Center... I hope it was a lot. It's time to get mad....
Head over to The Checking Line for my latest post, taking a look at the Islanders defense and it's depth that has helped the team through it's injury struggles throughout the season.
http://bit.ly/dHnJGk
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
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I am quite aware that I am late to the party (or blogsphere I guess) when it comes to the regards of our much beloved (and maybe maligned) Oilers, but after a majority of a season expressing my views to friends and co-workers; someone finally stepped up and said share your views with people who care. You see I do not live in Edmonton, and as such I am a vast minority here...
Rob McGowan writes...
Could Haley Be Next Year's Konopka For The Islanders?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Head over to The Checking Line (and register and leave comments for your thoughts on the matter) for my take on whether or not Micheal Haley will have Zenon Konopka's job next season.
http://bit.ly/huL2qg
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
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Check out my interview with top Islanders prospect, Nino Niederreiter at The Checking Line!
http://bit.ly/gT1Uun
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Check out my interview with top Islanders prospect, Nino Niederreiter at The Checking Line!
http://bit.ly/gT1Uun
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The Islanders and Penguins had their final meet of the season that ended in a 4-3 SO loss for the home team. Rob McGowan reports.
http://bit.ly/gclFJ2
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The Detroit Red Wings finished up their regular season with a win over the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center yesterday, solidifying their place as the number 3 seed. Next up will be the Phoenix Coyotes, a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Quarterfinals. The season series between these two clubs was split down the middle, with both teams grabbing two out o...
The Islanders season has sadly come to an end, but there are plenty of reasons for optimism heading into next season...and concerns as well.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-2011-end-year-review
-Rob McGowan
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The Detroit Red Wings put to rest any doubts of their ability to perform in the post-season with a convincing win over the Phoenix Coyotes at Joe Louis Arena last night. It seems that the regular season woes are definitely behind not only the Red Wings players, but also the fans as well. The team has been booed off the ice on more than one occasion for the first time in ...
The Flyers played one of their best all-around games in several weeks last night. They were hungry for the puck, won a majority of the battles along the boards and played very solid defense in their own end. The forecheck was aggressive and they avoided costly penalties. Bob played the kind of game that the Flyers need him to play in order to be successful in the post se...
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
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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...
There are three rookies who have scored over 30 goal this season, one of which will be awarded the Calder Trophy. The trophy is awarded annually to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League.
Calder Trophy Nominees:
# POS PLAYER GP G A P +/- PIM PPG SHG GWG
53 C JEFF SKINNER 82 31 32 63 3...
The Detroit Red Wings completed their sweep of the Phoenix Coyotes last night in Glendale by a score of 6-3.
A team on the ropes is always known to put their best foot forward, in desperation or otherwise, and the Coyotes did just that. Despite what has come to be a customary early lead by the Red Wings, Phoenix kept the score tied for the majority of the night, and ...
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...
"I'm going to sleep on it, and probably give you nothing," Coach Laviolette said to reporters after Friday's heartbreaking loss in Philadelphia. The assembled crowd laughed, and then someone said, "So it's business as usual, then," which brought more laughter and a confirmation from Peter Laviolette. "Business as usual," he agreed.
That statement was in reference to...
"I'm going to sleep on it, and probably give you nothing," Coach Laviolette said to reporters after Friday's heartbreaking loss in Philadelphia. The assembled crowd laughed, and then someone said, "So it's business as usual, then," which brought more laughter and a confirmation from Peter Laviolette. "Business as usual," he agreed.
That statement was in reference to...
I thought the Canucks played a good game. Chicago didn't look that great to me. They looked tired, but they got the job done. Good teams know how to win and win games they don't deserve to win, and that is exactly what they did tonight.
Cup winners win games they don't deserve to win, simply because they know how to win.
Thought both goalies excluding Luongo played a...
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...
Congrats to the Canucks for their win. Well deserved. A few high level comments on the game:
1) Why did the Canucks change their style in the 3rd? They started to hang back and let Chicago gain the offensive zone. Chicago could not get into the Canucks zone the first 2 periods. Then in the 3rd Vancouver started to hang back and defend the lead and Chicago started to ca...
It’s 2010 all over again as the Detroit Red Wings will meet the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Semifinals. The seeding remains the same too, as the Sharks secured home ice advantage once again for this series.
The Red Wings have been resting up for over a week after sweeping the Phoenix Coyotes last Wednesday, and have been able to mend their bumps and bru...
The Detroit Red Wings dropped their first game of the Western Conference Semifinals to the San Jose Sharks in overtime by a score of 2-1.
They also answered a few questions which have been flying around the last week. “Will 8 days of rest be too much for the Red Wings?” Not in the end. The Wings started slow, almost sloppy, and it took a penalty kill which allowe...
The Detroit Red Wings head back to Joe Louis Arena down 2 games to the San Jose Sharks after losing 2-1 on Sunday afternoon.
The loss was catalyzed by a complete lack of discipline by one of the least penalized teams in the regular season. The San Jose Sharks must have taken notice of Jimmy Howard’s reaction to Joe Pavelski’s snow shower in Game 1 and decided to tr...
Three of the four remaining playoff series are currently sitting at 2 games to none.
[i][b]Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington all find themselves in the uncomfortable position of having the NONE part of the expression.[/b][/i]
[b]Judging by the way the playoffs have gone so far, none of these teams should be counted out simply because they are down by a couple of g...
Not only is it frustrating, but it’s getting a little eerie too. Exactly like 2010, the Detroit Red Wings enter their two home games down to the San Jose Sharks, and they lose a third period lead and drop Game 3 in overtime. This, of course, after beating the Phoenix Coyotes in the Quarterfinals.
And that’s not all…elsewhere in the League, the Boston Bruins take...
When netminder Sergei Bobrovsky was pegged the starter for the season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, there was a faint hope in the minds of Flyers fans that they had finally found their true, number one goaltender. The young Russian goaltender has needless to say, come out of nowhere. Winning 28 games this season, and having a superb first half of the season (much...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line that takes a look at Sean Bergenheim's recent success and how Josh Bailey's future should be considered when comparing him to the former Islander.
http://bit.ly/iGWFFs
-Rob McGowan
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http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Friday night was a big night for the Detroit Red Wings, as they force a Game 5 by besting the San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-3. The bounces went their way. That's about it. The same reason the Sharks have won the previous three games.
There isn't a whole lot to say besides rehashing the same factors over and over again. Good goaltending, fowards were better on the ...
The Detroit Red Wings clawed their way back from a 2-goal deficit to force a Game 6 in Detroit with a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night.
Through a stellar third period, the Red Wings scored 3 unanswered goals and left the Sharks shocked and shaken. The Sharks dominated play from the opening face-off right up until the start of the third period. Go...
Rob McGowan writes...
Have The Islanders Finally Gotten Their New Arena?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Islanders are holding a press-conference tomorrow with Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano about a plan to renovate the Nassau Coliseum. Head over to The Checking Line to read my take on the news that is at hand
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/have-islanders-finally-gotten-their-new-arena
-Rob McGowan
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The Detroit Red Wings, at one point down 3-0 in its series against San Jose, have forced a decisive Game 7 with a 3-1 victory last night at Joe Louis Arena.
Finally…the Red Wings were able to put together 60 full minutes of solid play from all ends of the ice. Jimmy Howard was solid in goaltending again, only letting in one fluky goal between the pads from Logan Cout...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Fans Will Vote To Decide Fate Of Arena Proposal
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Read my latest post at The Checking Line covering the press conference today from Nassau Coliseum as Islanders fans have been given the opportunity to decide the fate on the new arena proposal
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-fans-will-vote-decide-fate-arena-proposal
-Rob McGowan
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I've been reading just about all the articles I can find regarding tonight's Game 7 between the Sharks and the Wings and I'm seeing a pattern here that makes me wonder.
Most every article mentions how the odds are very long indeed against the Red Wings mounting this historic comeback and winning tonight.
To me, that mountian has already been climbed. Detroit already...
Well…… That didn’t end the way Philadelphia Flyers fans had hoped. Swept in the second round by the Boston Bruins. We’ve all read the stories of what went wrong. The injuries, goaltending issues, coach and captain not talking, lack of leadership etc.
So instead let’s take a look towards next season and let me tell you what i think. Who will be here? Who won’...
The Detroit Red Wings ended their season with a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion last night. It was a very exciting game to watch and both teams played well. The Sharks just played that much better. It seems that the best players from each team stepped up. Just look at the scoresheet…Setoguchi, Couture, Marleau, Zetterberg, Datsyuk. Several articles f...
Rob McGowan writes...
Right Now Commitment Is Key For The New York Islanders
Posted Monday | Comments 0
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
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Evgeni Nabokov's agent has stated that his client will be reporting to Islanders training camp in September. Head over to my post at The Checking Line to read more...
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/will-evgeni-be-ready
Rob McGowan
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The reports are becoming more and more numerous that the Atlanta Thrashers organization will be (or already has been) sold to True North Sports and Entertainment, which would move the team up to Winnipeg. There has been a lot of speculation as to how the Conferences will shuffle to make room for a team going from the Southeast Division in the Eastern conference to (ostens...
Rob McGowan writes...
Islanders Fans Urged To Rally at Tomorrow's Hearing
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Tomorrow the Nassau County Legislative hearing will be held to determine if the arena proposal will be turned to a public referendum on August 1st. Read on more at my post at The Checking Line to learn more
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/islanders-fans-urged-rally-tomorrows-hearing
-Rob McGowan
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electric81 writes...
A Red Wings Fan's Guide to Brian Rafalski and the Sharks
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The last couple of days have been pretty eventful in the hockey world, and for a Red Wings fan, there’s some thought-provoking conversation fodder out there.
So Brian Rafalski has announced his retirement with one year remaining on his contract, and the San Jose Sharks were defeated in 5 games by the Vancouver Canucks on a loopy, lucky, double-OT goal by Kevin Bieks...
Read my latest post at The Checking Line discussing the busy week that just passed for the New York Islanders and what might be the next move made by Isles GM Garth Snow
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/islanders-are-making-noise-early-off-season
-Rob McGowan
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It makes you cringe, as a Rangers fan, just a tiny bit.
It is not even June and the next door Islanders have already made a splash on the restricted free agent market, re-signing core young guns Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo to five year deals. It is even worse when you see that the Islanders - yes those Islanders with the worn down stadium and the uncertain future in...
The Islanders are just weeks away from selecting another top prospect with the fifth overall pick at this year's NHL Draft. Whom might Garth Snow choose? Head over to The Checking Line to find out!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-look-another-big-draft-day
-Rob McGowan
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The Philadelphia Flyers have started the summer a little early. As Per CSNPhilly.com the Flyers on Tuesday acquired the rights to goalie Ilya Bryzgalov from Phoenix for forward Matt Clackson, a third-round pick in 2012 and a conditional draft pick.
Bryzgalov went 36-20-10 for the Coyotes last season with a 2.48 goals against average a .921 save percentage and seven shut...
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!
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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 ...
First off, this is my first blog. Just fyi.
Today, the Flyers made two big deals. Carter too Columbus for a pair of picks and Jakub Voracek. They also sent Mike Richards too the Kings for Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds and a 2nd round pick (overpayment imo). So how do these two trades affect Toronto and there train of thought going into the draft?
The first trade onl...
The Iceman writes...
Pre-draft Trades. Will Isles Make Huge Noise 10 Years Later?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
We are just 15 hours away from the 1st round of the 2011 NHL Entry draft. Already some major moves have been made by the Philadelphia Flyers. Moves that quite frankly shocked myself, and the rest of the hockey world on the eve of the draft. The flyers first traded Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 8th overall pick, Jakub Voracek, and a 3rd round pick. Carter...
Hi everyone! Welcome to my first Hockey Buzz blog post! As a New Jersey Devils fan, you will find that my postings will typically revolve around issues affecting the Devils in particular, and the Atlantic Division in general. But of course as with any huge NHL fan I may stray from time to time!
Anyway - lets begin by talking about the bold move Paul Holmgren just ...
As most of us know by now, Flyers welcomed several new players yesterday in lieu of their blockbuster deals which sent former captain Mike Richards to LA and leading goal scorer Jeff Carter to Columbus.
Here's my rundown:
1. Carter - The guy has a killer wrist shot. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that his scoring prowess will be sorely missed. Despite the fact tha...
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
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.
It's summer time in New Jersey - that means that the New Jersey Devils are probably conducting their almost-annual coaching search!
Some interesting names have been floating around: Ken Hitchcock, Craig Ramsay, Marc Crawford, Mike Keenan, Mike Haviland, Michel Therrien, Bob Hartley, and Mike Eaves to name a few. But one thing we know for sure from past experience - the ...
While the[b] Islanders[/b] made a move. They traded for the [b]rights to Christain Ehrhoff's contract[/b]. Ehrhoff is fresh off of a run to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Vancouver Canucks and the 28 year old Defenseman will be an[b] UFA[/b] on the First of July. The Isles received these rights after giving up their [b]fourth round pick[/b] in the [b]2012[/b] draft to ...
TOP DEFENCEMEN OVER THE AGE OF 35
Roman Hamrlik
Sami Salo
Niclas Wallin
Bryan McCabe
TOP DEFENSIVE
Scott Hannan
Brent Sopel
TOP OFFENSIVE DEFENCEMEN
Ed Jovanovski
Christian Ehrhoff
Tomas Kaberle
FORWARDS
TOP SNIPERS
Andrew Brunette
Erik Cole
Simon Gagne
Jussi Jokinen
Scottie Upshall
“Set Up Artists”
Tim Connolly
Vil...
The Devils have three MAJOR UFAs.
Adam Mair.
Andy Greene.
Johan Hedberg.
When it comes to Mair I'm sure all the Devils fans are happy and thankful to his contributions to the team last year. I myself believe he is a great player but I don't think he is going to be resigned.
Andy Greene I think should definitely be resigned. He is an all around great blueliner....
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...
Upon the retirement of the great Hall of Famer Scott Stevens the Devs have struggled to find a solid captain. They tried Elias, and Langenbrunner and in between, the position was left vacant. When Jamie was shipped off to Dallas at the deadline the position of captain was left vacant once again. The Devils' management wisely decided their were more important things than...
Im sure you have all heard of the rumors of a trade involving Parise. The rumors involve an Eastern Canadian team who is believed to be Toronto. Vancouver. And The Rangers.
Now Im sure the Devils would not give up their star player. Second of all to any of these teams. Toronto (a minor rival) and NYR (A major rival!). But just because of those reasons we cant count tho...
ZACH PARISE/RFA
VLADIMIR ZHARKOV/RFA
ADAM MAIR/UFA
MATT CORRENTE/RFA
ANSSI SALMELA/RFA
MATT TAORMINA/RFA
MARK FRASER/RFA
ANDY GREENE/UFA
JAY LEACH/UFA
JOHAN HEDBERG/UFA
BUYOUTS--ANDREW PETERS/JAY PANDOLFO
www.HockeyBuzz.com
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www.CapGeek.com
www.NHLPA.com
to track your favorite team: www.*teamname*.nhl.com
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Get Reasonable, Sign Marty Reasoner to Two Year Deal
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Check out my take on the Reasoner signing for the Isles this afternoon as free agency continues at The Checking Line
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/%5Bfield_full_story_ref-title-raw%5D/isles-get-reasonable-sign-marty-reasoner-two-year-
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The 2011 free agent class was the weakest group of ufa's that I have seen in a very long time but none the less moves were made and their were still winners and losers which I will give you all my opinion on the moves that all 30 teams made thus far including moves made before the draft. As always comments good and bad are welcomed as I do want your opinion of how you all...
First things first this has been the craziest off season I can ever remember.. That being said alot of people think the Flyers took a Huge step back.... I disagree maybe a small step back but not a big one... Richards and Carter will be missed... however we did get some good pieces back.. Voracek and Simmonds are young and capabale of having Career years this year, now the...
Before I begin I would like to preface this post by saying a sincere to thank you to the Pegula Family, as well as the entire sabres organization for arguably one of the most exciting off seasons in team history. The future of this franchise is brighter than it has ever been.
With that being said. It seems for now that the Buffalo Sabres are re-enacting an old slogan...
Before I begin I would like to preface this post by saying a sincere to thank you to the Pegula Family, as well as the entire sabres organization for arguably one of the most exciting off seasons in team history. The future of this franchise is brighter than it has ever been.
With that being said. It seems for now that the Buffalo Sabres are re-enacting an old slogan...
Before I begin I would like to preface this post by saying a sincere to thank you to the Pegula Family, as well as the entire sabres organization for arguably one of the most exciting off seasons in team history. The future of this franchise is brighter than it has ever been.
With that being said. It seems for now that the Buffalo Sabres are re-enacting an old slogan...
Before I begin I would like to preface this post by saying a sincere to thank you to the Pegula Family, as well as the entire sabres organization for arguably one of the most exciting off seasons in team history. The future of this franchise is brighter than it has ever been.
With that being said. It seems for now that the Buffalo Sabres are re-enacting an old slogan...
psycomkl writes...
New York Islanders = NHL Laughingstock? Only to fans...
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Everyone has heard the jokes about the Islanders, their General Manager, their Owner, the players, building, and so on. The people cracking these jokes are on message boards, in bars, blogs, etc. They are the fans of the NHL, both of the Isles themselves and of other teams. The people not cracking jokes? The coaches and players of other NHL franchises.
"But, if that...
1st Round- 8th Overall
C- Sean Couturier-Drummondville, QMJHL
Getting Sean Couturier with the 8th overall pick is a steal. Couturier, who was named the number one draft eligible prospect by International Scouting Services in December, is a player who is often compared to Jordan Staal. While he had the most points per game of any player in this draft, 1.66, he might n...
As the sixth day of NHL free agency comes to a close the Devils look nearly identical to the team that defeated the Boston Bruins on the final day of the regular season in front of a sell-out crowd full of the Nordique Nation. The Devils watched Arnott sign with the Blues today and they let Eckford sign with the Coyotes.
All Lou has done thus far is resign Defenseman A...
Well I had a lot of feedback about my grades in my last blog which I thank all of you that read or commented on that. Of course in the days after that things have changed. The biggest move by far was the most shocking the San Jose Sharks traded Dany Heatley to the Minnesota Wild for Martin Havlat. This was the second trade between the two teams in 10 days the first was ...
Now that the initial free agent frenzy is over, I'd like to review some contracts that have been handed out in order to assess the value of 3.5 to 4.5 million dollars on the open market. Or more importantly, to see how NHL franchises value that dollar range differently. Below are a list of forwards who have signed AFTER July 1st 2011 to contracts that will have an annual...
Will it be Mark Streit? Kyle Okposo? John Tavares? Or could it possibly be some else? Head over to my post at The Checking Line for a look at who might be next to captain the New York Islanders.
http://t.co/J8juNlB
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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
According to the most important man on Hockey Buzz. Eklund. Peter DeBoer from Florida will be named the Devils' head coach this afternoon. I say at around 5 to 6 PM.
According to the most important man on Hockey Buzz. Eklund. Peter DeBoer former Panthers Coach will be named Head Coach this afternoon. I say 5 to 6 PM
Peter DeBoer has been named HEAD COACH!
Just after I write the blog of Eklund's Rumor DeBoer is named HEAD COACH.
CONGRATULATIONS PETER DONT LET US DOWN!
Forwards:
Eric Boulton--33?
David Clarkson--23
Patrik Elias--26--A
Cam Janssen--25---------HEALTHY SCRATCH
Jacob Josefson--16
Ilya Kovalchuk--17--A
Nick Palmeri--32
Zach Parise--9--A
Rod Pelley--10
Brian Rolston--12--A
David Steckel--25
Mattias Tedenby--21
Travis Zajac--19--A
Vladimir Zharkov--18------HEALTHY SCRATCH
Dainius Zubrus--8--A
Defencemen:
...
Clarkson is now a player who is in the talks of being traded.
Mr. Todd Cordell's blog had talked about this.
Clarkson who is recieving about $3 million seems like the perfect escape.
Most people say "TRADE ROLSTON!"
Well...Rolston has a NTC.
White?!...NTC
Rolston who I think has a hell of a slapshot hasnt been doing much. We are paying him for 25 goals......
It’s really hot here today, like it is everywhere else in the country (I even heard that people in Alaska have actually unzipped their winter parkas). What better way to beat the heat than by talking a little hockey. I haven’t posted at all since the Cup was awarded and there have been a few key happenings since then on which I’d like to comment. So bear with me�...
After 20 Years of announcing...Mike "Doc" Emrick has decided to step down from his position of the Devils' Play By Play announcer.
What does this lead to?
Who will be the guy to replace him? Steve Cangilosi? Matt Loughlin?
We still have former goalie Glenn "Chico" Resch.
But what does the future have in store?
Good Bye Doc.
We will miss you!
Doc Emrick announced earlier today that his 21 year hall-of-fame run as the play-by-play announcer for the New Jersey Devils television broadcast has come to its end. The 64 year old has grabbed the hearts of so many Devil's fans through the years with his distinctive nasally voice and his tremendous ability to keep any hockey game entertaining. What will be missed just ...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line discussing the New York Islanders rally that will soon be held to encourage people to vote yes in favor on August 1st to build a new Nassau Coliseum!
http://t.co/7BFHgix
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Hi All! Hope all of you on the East Coast are enjoying this brutally hot stretch of weather! As I sit here and observe the temperature outside rising to over 100 degrees, I figured this would be a perfect time to try to predict the final standings in the Atlantic Division.
Now granted, it is VERY early and there are certainly still roster decisions to be made by each ...
Matthew_Steven writes...
Blockbuster Deal? Parise to Panthers...Update/Rumor
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Latest from Matthew_Steven
According to my sources, Panthers recordingly have interest in Zach Parise. What I am hearing is that the Devils really like Huberdeau and/or Gudbranson (3rd overall pick in 2010 draft.) Devils seem to also be interested in David Booth and Jacob Markstrom (Panthers #1 goaltending prospect.) With this possibly being Brodeur's last productive se...
With the Leafs currently having only 1 more guy to sign and that signing will be completed in the next month or so, really, there's no rush, Luke Schenn might be the next franchise player, what i mean by that is, players who actually stay with there franchise more than 10 yrs...aka Joe Sakic, Mats Sundin, Steve Yzerman, Ray Bourque types of guys; he seems to love it in Tor...
Kris Draper’s announcement of retirement on Tuesday makes the third such landmark resignation by in the past 2 months. While I was a big fan of Chris Osgood and Brian Rafalski, there’s something about Drapes’s retirement that stands out. I’ve been trying to figure out exactly why…
I loved watching Draper play. No offense to Drew Miller or Patrick Eaves, but...
Forwards:
Eric Boulton--33?
David Clarkson--23
Patrik Elias--26--A
Cam Janssen--35?---------HEALTHY SCRATCH
Jacob Josefson--16
Ilya Kovalchuk--17--A
Nick Palmeri--32
Zach Parise--9--A
Rod Pelley--10
Brian Rolston--12--A
David Steckel--25
Mattias Tedenby--21
Travis Zajac--19--A
Vladimir Zharkov--18------HEALTHY SCRATCH
Dainius Zubrus--8--A
Defencemen:
...
Forwards:
Eric Boulton--33?
David Clarkson--23
Patrik Elias--26--A
Jacob Josefson--16
Ilya Kovalchuk--17--A
Nick Palmeri--32
Zach Parise--9--A
Rod Pelley--10
Brian Rolston--12--A
David Steckel--25
Mattias Tedenby--21
Travis Zajac--19--A
Vladimir Zharkov--18------HEALTHY SCRATCH
Dainius Zubrus--8--A
Defencemen:
Mark Fayne--34
Andy Greene--6
Adam Lars...
Read my latest at The Checking Line as I take a look at the Trent Hunter/Brian Rolston trade with the New Jersey Devils
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/islanders-acquire-brian-rolston-devils
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
All reports are leading to the Winnipeg Jets talking contract with the agent for talented forward Nik Zherdev.
As most have probably read or heard by now Zherdev is a talented forward that can dazzle you with skill one game and not show up the next.
I believe that this is more made up by the media in Philly and New York because zherdev did not fit into the coaches sy...
Read my latest post at The Checking Line as I put aside the political hogwash that takes up most of the talks in regards to the Islanders arena as I share my reasons for voting yes on August 1st.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/were-all-islanders-reasons-voting-yes
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Well the Devils and Zach Parise finally agreed to a 1 year deal. With the Devils opting to file for salary arbitration there was no chance that Parise could entertain an offer sheet, so him coming back was a certainty. The only question was - could they get him signed to a long term deal - and the answer right now is no.
Having said that - barring any trades the ros...
Another week has come and gone and the New Jersey Devils are business as usual. Of course the week started promising with another hearty round of rumor mongering and speculation gone wild. Ultimately leading to the surprising removal of the giant white elephant in the locker room in the form of an inflated Brian Rolston contract, perhaps the worst in franchise history.
...
Taking a look back into last year and the seasons before we have seen some night and day goaltenders, but im taking a close look into team build and how the goaltender has progressed over thier careers. Here is my list ...
[b][u]1. Tim Thomas - Boston Bruins - $5 million cap hit - 37 years old[/u][/b]
08-09 he posted great numbers while splitting duties with Manny Fer...
AdamBanks writes...
Gordon Bombay to Toronto (e4) Clearing up Parise talk
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Parise. Zach Parise. Yes, he signed for only a 1 year deal, which surely means his days as a Devil are numbered.. as a Rangers faithful has repeatedly told me joyfully (as joyful as if Wade Reddens contract never happened...)
Yes, as a die hard Devils fan Parise's long term fate is certainly a concern. To me, Parise is an example of everything a player should be. He do...
AdamBanks writes...
Gordon Bombay to Toronto (e4) Clearing up Parise talk
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Parise. Zach Parise. Yes, he signed for only a 1 year deal, which surely means his days as a Devil are numbered.. as a Rangers faithful has repeatedly told me joyfully (as joyful as if Wade Reddens contract never happened...)
Yes, as a die hard Devils fan Parise's long term fate is certainly a concern. To me, Parise is an example of everything a player should be. He do...
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...
There have been a number of blogs written about Hemsky over the years and very few them have been negative. There’s a reason for that. Ales Hemsky is a good Hockey player. He’s obviously a great talent and his most well known fault is that he is injury prone. How many times have Oilers fans said “If Hemsky was healthy last year he would have scored so many more point...
Looking for sleeper picks in your upcoming fantasy draft or interested in who to look for as possible up-and-comers next season? You've come to the right place. After hours of statistical analysis, I have compiled a top-10 list (featuring video evidence) of rookies/prospects who are likely to breakout next season as bonafide NHLers or even superstars.
For the purposes...
As you might have heard thanks to Todd Cordell... The Devs have signed Peter Harrold.
After seeing this I immediately searched Peter Harrold.
I looked at the normal things like Stats, Bio, etc.
After reading I am a fan of this signing.
Harrold (if he plays) will be a great offensive-defenceman addition.
As you might have heard thanks to Todd Cordell... The Devs have signed Peter Harrold.
After seeing this I immediately searched Peter Harrold.
I looked at the normal things like Stats, Bio, etc.
After reading I am a fan of this signing.
Harrold (if he plays) will be a great offensive-defenceman addition.
The Islanders have made some adjustments to their forward lines but have been quiet when it comes to shaking up the defense. Could Garth Snow make a few changes before the start of the season? Rob McGowan reports at The Checking Line.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/look-defense-island
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitt...
Jeff Woywitka is now a Canadian. Montreal signed the defender to a one-year, two-way deal. Woywitka spent the 2010-2011 season with the Dallas Stars where he had 2 goals and 9 assists for 11 points in 63 games.
The former 1st rounder has been through the AHL and NHL in the past few years. This is a great addition for the Canadians. Woywitka has played 251 career N...
Today Brian Rolston and I discussed his anticipated role with the New York Islanders for the upcoming season, his past experiences with the New Jersey Devils and his thoughts on the possible changes to the game that the NHL is currently considering.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/one-one-brian-rolston
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitt...
You'd be hard pressed to find a Sabres fan who wasn't enamored with Chris Drury during his tenure, and I'm no different. Sure he left on bad terms, as he did with the Rangers but looking back I give him a ton of credit for bringing the Sabres back to legitimacy and teaching the young guys (Pominville, Roy, Vanek, Gaustad) what it takes to win.
Many of you recall his ...
We all know that an earthquake in Virginia was felt throughout Long Island yesterday, but the question on most minds of Islanders fans is if Nino Niederreiter will be cracking the line-up this season.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/will-el-nino-strike-island
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
landsharkhockey writes...
Top 10 Fantasy Hockey Defensemen Rankings for 2011-12
Posted Friday | Comments 0
What to do about defense? The importance of this position, much more so than any other, varies dramatically from league to league. In some formats, defense can win you a championship. In others, it's completely an afterthought. So before worrying about who to rank where, find out how much you should care.
The good news when it comes to this position, is that it's mu...
With one of the greatest minor league affiliates in Hamilton, the Canadiens have a list of great young talent moving forward. There are three that played with the big boys last year that I expect to have breakout years.
Max Pacioretty
Last year, his season was cut short due to a spinal injury but he showed flashes of a positive future with a season that saw him play in...
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 ...
We've heard it before. We reacted the same each and every time.
It may have been a family member, friend, co-worker, or anyone in our lives.
You hear stories about the son of so-and-so who was found hanging in the kitchen, or whats-her-name's dad turned the car on in the garage and went to sleep.
Every time the reaction is the same.
Yet, it keeps happening.
We hav...
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 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 ...
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 ...
jeffgreig writes...
Fantasy Hockey is back!!!! Offering up any advice I can
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
If there is anyone out there having trouble putting together a decent team through a draft let me know and I would be happy to help out. Good luck to all you fantasy nuts out there!! Peace and most importanly GO LEAFS GO!!!
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as former New Jersey Devils forward Jay Pandolfo will be attending the Islanders training camp on a tryout basis.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/jay-pandolfo-gets-try-out-islanders
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Here we go! Tell me your thoughts and why. Please try to be an adult this blog isnt meant to hurt anyone its purely for fun.
[u][b]Western Conference[/b][/u]
1. Van
2. LA
3. Chi
4. SJ
5. STL
6. Det
7. Nsh
8. Col
9. Clb
10. Min
11. Ana
12. Cgy
13. Dal
14. Edm
15. Phx
[u][b]Eastern Conference[/b][/u]
1. TB
2. Buf
3. Pit
4. NYR
5. Was
6. Bos...
rockthered24 writes...
Injury woes haunt the Devs once again as Zajac has surgery
Posted Monday | Comments 0
For a team that managed only twenty-one points over the course of the first 41 games last season, the last thing the Devils wanted was yet another summer that would leave the Devils short on opening night. However, their nightmare became a reality when the Devils released that their star center Travis Zajac will be out of hockey for 8-10 weeks after having surgery. Zajac...
Predicting is never an easy thing because injuries, surprises, disappointments happen all the time. I remember when the oilers went to the cup final, I told everyone I know that Edmonton was going to make it to the cup final that year just as the regular season ended. I predicted it because the oilers never seemed to quit in any game. Under normal circumstances I probably ...
Predicting is never an easy thing because injuries, surprises, disappointments happen all the time. I remember when the oilers went to the cup final, I told everyone I know that Edmonton was going to make it to the cup final that year just as the regular season ended. I predicted it because the oilers never seemed to quit in any game. Under normal circumstances I probably ...
Predicting is never an easy thing because injuries, surprises, disappointments happen all the time. I remember when the oilers went to the cup final, I told everyone I know that Edmonton was going to make it to the cup final that year just as the regular season ended. I predicted it because the oilers never seemed to quit in any game. Under normal circumstances I probably ...
This week in hockey
Well I am going to start a weekly blog outlining the happenings around the NHL. I know that probably no one will ever read this aside from my wife and I but figured what the heck. It has always been sort of a pipedream of mine to become a sports journalist but with life and bills getting in the way it could never become more than that. Hopefully this b...
Tragedy, almost always, makes people reassess their lives.
When something terrible happens we try to understand the 'why' part of the tragedy...and more often than not, we are still left asking the question we started with.
For some people 'faith' or religion helps to answer the 'why'.
For others who might be less inclined to believe in things they don't see, the ...
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!
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The New Jersey Devils are still looking to rebound from one of their toughest seasons in franchise history. Aside from having their fifteen year playoff streak come to an end, the Devils came to realize a devastating reality: Marty Brodeur is getting old. Though he played well in the latter part of this past season, the all-time winningest goalie was shaken by various in...
Glad to see that my predictions for the west was well received. First off, I would like to point out as another user pointed out, Colorado no longer has their first round pick which I had completely forgot. The trade is arguable but Colorado will be improving soon nevertheless despite how Washington will receive such a high pick next year. I remember the leafs trade arguab...
Rob McGowan writes...
Tavares Nets Six Year Contract Extension With Isles
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The New York Islanders have locked up number one center, John Tavares to a six-year contract extension that will keep him with the organization through the 2017-2018 season. Rob McGowan reports.
Head over to The Checking Line to read more!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/tavares-nets-six-year-contract-extension-isles
-Rob McGowan
...
After the conclusion of the Flyers-Caps rookie game, several determinations come to mind:
1. Sean Couturier is not ready for the NHL
The bottom line is that he needs to add muscle to his advantageous frame. If he can get his weight above 200, maybe even 210, I think we'll see a significant improvement in his battles along the boards and in the corners. There is no do...
mat_latourelle writes...
10 rookies to watch during training camp (Part 1)
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[b]Ryan Nugent Hopkins
(Edmonton Oilers)[/b]
Ryan Nugent Hopkins is this year’s first overall and like the many players taken at first overall before him, he plans on making the team right away. In fact, the last first overall pick not to start in the NHL the season that he was drafted was Erik Johnson in 2006. History of course is on his side, but do the Edmont...
mat_latourelle writes...
10 rookies to watch during training camp (Part 1)
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[b]Ryan Nugent Hopkins
(Edmonton Oilers)[/b]
Ryan Nugent Hopkins is this year’s first overall and like the many players taken at first overall before him, he plans on making the team right away. In fact, the last first overall pick not to start in the NHL the season that he was drafted was Erik Johnson in 2006. History of course is on his side, but do the Edmont...
Training camp has started. Wait, that means hockey is right around the corner. Oh, thank God. I don't know if I can stomach any more baseball.
Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson is no stranger to the trade market, and today we're going to look in to whether this has been for the better of the team or not and what to look for as the season progresses. Wilson has long ...
As training camp concludes and the Avalanche inch ever-forward toward the regular season, many doubts still abound in the Rocky Mountains, but could there be hope in the mile-high city?
If you’re among those following analysts around the league, the outlook for the Avalanche this season seems pretty grim. Don’t judge them too harshly, however, as there is ample re...
The 2012 season is just around the corner as the Islanders prepare to embark on the year that will hopefully be different than the previous three of the rebuild. Check out my post at The Checking Line that provides an insightful look at the upcoming season.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/and-islanders-will-finish
The 2012 season is just around the corner as the Islanders prepare to embark on the year that will hopefully be different than the previous three of the rebuild. Check out my post at The Checking Line that provides an insightful look at the upcoming season.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/and-islanders-will-finish
-Rob McGowan
Follow...
To Whom It May Concern,
This is a forewarning to all GMs, owners, and fans who enter the perils of "Player Holdouts". Prepare yourself for a giant letdown. History dictates the player will always win. Not the team or it's fans, the player and his agent always win.
Why does this hold true?
The player has the least to lose. He may not have a salary ...
I love a shutout win as much as the next guy, but I think we can all agree that the Flyers' 4-0 preseason victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight was more about recognizing several standout players for the purpose of evaluating the final roster, rather than the cohesiveness of the team's play as a whole.
The good news is that there is a whole lotta upside to the Fl...
I realize this isn't regarding the Flames, but it's a story that needs to be heard. I recently joined forces with Ritch Winter, a player agent who represents such players as Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky. The site is designed to give the hockey agent community a voice.
He was very close to a couple of players that perished in the Russian plane crash and this is his e...
I realize this isn't regarding the Flames, but it's a story that needs to be heard. I recently joined forces with Ritch Winter, a player agent who represents such players as Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky. The site is designed to give the hockey agent community a voice.
He was very close to a couple of players that perished in the Russian plane crash and this is his e...
I realize this isn't regarding the Flames, but it's a story that needs to be heard. I recently joined forces with Ritch Winter, a player agent who represents such players as Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky. The site is designed to give the hockey agent community a voice.
He was very close to a couple of players that perished in the Russian plane crash and this is his e...
Yesterday the Islanders announced the new captain of the team, but there was also something else to report: a new proposal for the Nassau Coliseum. Head over to The Checking Line to read more:
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-files-new-captain-new-arena-proposal
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
rather than try to retell the whole story ill just assume everyone has heard of this and to those who havnt direct you to espn.com to check it out.
basically a banana was thrown from the stands at Wayne simmonds during a shootout attempt.
This is my first blog and done from my Iphone so cut me some slack. that being out of the way lets jump into this.
first up th...
It's been rainy and thundery in Jersey today and it was rainy and thundery for Ben Smith of the Chicago Blackhawks.
In yesterdays pre-season bout between the Hawks and the Red Wings, second year player Ben Smith tied up the game at 3 a piece but did not get to see the end of the game after he was hit in the head by Brendan Smith's shoulder. Ben made a nice dipsy doodle ...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line as the Islanders have made a few decisions regarding the roster as training camp and pre-season are quickly coming to a close
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-files-inching-closer-season
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Prospects who could be seen this season:
FWDS:
Nathan Perkovich 6'5 215
Adam Henrique 6'0 200
Petr Vrana (recently put on hold from his other team) 5'10 175
DEFENCE:
Adam Larsson 6'3 197
Alexander Urbom 6'5 215
Tyler Eckford 6'1 205
GOALTENDERS:
Mike McKenna 6'3 195
*Palmeri, Fayne, Tedenby, Josefson, and Larsson will all play more than 25 game...
well let me start off by saying this is my first blog so spare me!
I've been wanting to start a hockey blog for quite some time but i couldn't figure out what to start with.. so being a sharks fan, I'm going to start with discussing the sharks moves in the off season and how i think it will impact the team.
so the sharks first big move of the off season which probab...
well let me start off by saying this is my first blog so spare me!
I've been wanting to start a hockey blog for quite some time but i couldn't figure out what to start with.. so being a sharks fan, I'm going to start with discussing the sharks moves in the off season and how i think it will impact the team.
so the sharks first big move of the off season which probab...
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 Red Wings have closed out the regular season with a record of 4-3-1, which of course doesn’t mean much, but it’s the best way I could think of to start this blog.
The Wings roster was rounded out this past week with the signing of Fabian Brunnstrom and Cory Emmerton to their respective posts, filling the holes that were left from Kris Draper and Mike Modano. ...
I spoke about the Red Wings in the last entry, but now it’s time to take a ppek at the rest of the Western Conference. For the most part, the teams seem to be improving. There are a few teams to note though.
Lots of folks have been hanging on San Jose to be the all-out favorite this year, having brought in defenseman Brent Burns and forward Martin Havlat from Minnes...
[img]http://www.newyoungworld.com/images/Nhl_logo.jpg[/img]
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.[/b]
Yesterday, the long awaited opening night of the new National Hockey League season finally got underway. Three great games involving six great teams. The Former Cup Champions and the very team they beat. Two of Canada’s biggest teams went head to head...
Can't make it to the game? Be sure to head over to The Checking Line for a live blog coming to you straight from the Nassau Coliseum press-box at 8 PM, covering the Islanders home opener against the Florida Panthers!
Both Panthers and Islanders fans are welcome, as well as all fans from any team!
www.thecheckingline.com
I will also be on Blog Talk Radio tonight fo...
The Islanders fell short in a disappointing 2-0 loss for their home opener against the Florida Panthers. Rob McGowan reports.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-fall-home-opener-vs-panthers
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
...The Tomas Vokoun signing in Washington appears now to be about as much like the Ilya Bryzgalov signing in Philadelphia as their two salaries are for 2011...which is to say "not much". Initially people compared the two with the idea being that both clubs were obtaining "top" netminders to make them legitimate cup contenders. Washington seemed to get the better deal becau...
The Islanders managed to pull out a win against the Minnesota Wild on Monday but have struggled to get pucks to the net. Rob McGowan takes an in depth look at the Isles offensive struggles.
http://thecheckingline.com/node/4745
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Yes, we're only three games in and, yes, the Flyers have taken six of a possible six points. We're all happy in Flyerville.
But.
Yes, in Philly sports, there is always a but. Right now, it's defensive zone communication. It's a problem I noted in the Flyers' win over Boston, one they seemed to do much better with against New Jersey, but Wednesday night against Vancou...
When the puck dropped to begin the game, many Devils fans put the hands over their face and muttered to themselves "Here we go again". In the first ten minutes of the game the Devils were absolutely dominated. They were out-skated, out-shot, out-scored, and out-coached. Gagne was able to capitalize for the high-powered Kings' offense early in the game and this one looke...
[img]http://wwwcache.wralsportsfan.com/asset/racing/nascar/2008/09/25/3611612/25368-nhl-400x300.jpg[/img]
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.[/b]
We are now 8 days into the new NHL season. We’ve got goals, fights, suspensions (with videos), shutouts, and yes! The first classless act of the season from Mr. Arron Asham (albeit he’s a good guy, and ma...
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!
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From 1997 to 2006, the Vancouver Canucks must have used around a million different netminders, and never found a clear #1 since Kirk Mclean. What I mean by this is they never had a goaltender after that, that was "the guy", well, they did have Dan Cloutier who was probably one of the better regular season goaltenders out there at the time, but at best good for a round in t...
Hey everyone...if you like reading my work at TCL, make sure you like the new official page on Facebook! "The Checking Line - Isles Edition"!
Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Checking-Line-Isles-Edition/189290674480375
Liking the page will bring my work as well as Brian Bock's, Evan Pivnick's and John Madonia's right to your news feed with all your...
P.A. Parenteau has been impressive so far on the season, but what will happen to his spot on the top line when Nino Niederreiter rejoins the Islanders line-up? Rob McGowan takes a look at what might unfold as the season rolls along.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/pa-perfect
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/Isle...
The Islanders have fallen to .500 after losing two straight in Florida. Is it time for head coach Jack Capuano to shuffle up the lines? Rob McGowan takes a look at the Islanders' play over the past six games.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/are-isles-better-500
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Like us...
The Red Wings seem to be just the nicest team in the NHL these days. In two straight games, they’ve to put their own aspirations in the drawer. They stepped aside and allowed Washington to be the lone undefeated team. Last night they also decided that enough is enough, and Columbus should have a victory too. Remember your dinner table manners and that nobody can have...
First let me say this is my first blog on this site, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!
I know it's not even one month into the season, and a lot of fans may be upset reading this, but remember it is only my opinion.
This season is looking more and more like a complete right-off. This team is going nowhere fast, and even if by some miracle we do sneak int...
The season is 8 games old, but issues with the Minnesota Wild are obvious. The transformation into coach Mike Yeo’s system isn’t complete, but skill and grit aren’t related to system, and so far the Wild simply don’t have enough of either.
Just one guys observations:
- [b]Veteran d-man look like they are at the end of their careers[/b]. Zidlicky is the most dis...
While geneticists on Terra Nova hope to head off global warming (oops! Climate change nowadays) by discovering the insidious Luongo genome, NBA owners and players are at an impasse over whether or not Booby Lu is in fact responsible for all of the woes facing pro sports today.
A bit of a stretch you say? Well, considering that callers to Vancouver sports radio shows are...
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 Iceman writes...
Could the rebuild be failing? Was the 08 draft good overall?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
When I look at teams who have gone through the task of tearing it all down and going into the 3-5 year rebuilding program there should be noticeable strides by year 3 and 4. When teams go through the 3 year plan they usually have acquired numerous picks, prospects and other pieces along the way and are usually a top 5 pick or two from being ready to play into late april an...
The Islanders played a full 60-minute hockey game last night but lost in overtime due to a questionable call on Travis Hamonic. Rob McGowan provides the post-game report at The Checking Line.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/islanders-get-hammered-sharks
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Be sure to "lik...
Rob McGowan writes...
Nino Niederreiter and Trevor Gillies Assigned to AHL
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Read my latest at The Checking Line to see the latest transactions made by the New York Islanders
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/nino-niederreiter-and-trevor-gillies-assigned-ahl
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Be sure to "like" The Checking Line's official Islanders Facebook page to keep track all ...
Did you watch the game last night? I did. And yes, I think Mikko Koivu should have definitely been called for his chippy hit on Kronwall. That aside, though, it’s starting to get really frustrating that the Red Wings can’t score. They did garner a point out of the ordeal against the Wild last night, but I’m sure that is no solace to the team who has scored only ...
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
There has been an abundant amount of speculation the past week or so regarding the Tampa Bay Lightning’s goaltending situation. Namely, that a change is needed to keep the hockey club competitive with increasingly difficult Eastern Conference squads. The NHL Standings as of November 1st read more like science fiction com...
4blindmice writes...
Never underestimate the value of a proper NHL snarl!!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Obviously fans and coaches alike appreciate grit and the willingness to go into the tough areas of the ice, but what seems to be equally valuable, even if it is at a sub-conscious level, is the ability to curl the upper lip and stare right through a player as though you’re going to rip his heart out.
More than one NHLer has backed away from Kevin Bieksa after realizin...
Jonathan Bernier was supposed to be the goalie of the future for the Los Angeles Kings, but apparently Jonathan Quick didn’t get the memo.
Quick has proven that he is an above average NHL starting goaltender, and because of that Bernier will probably not get his shot at earning the Kings starting job unless Quick gets injured.
So what does a team do with two goalie...
After a tumultuous start to his New York Islanders career Nabokov showed up to training camp this year and have proved that he is still capable of being a strong NHL goaltender.
Couple that with the emergence last season of Al Montoya and the forever under contract Rick DiPietro and the Islanders have three goaltenders that could be the team’s starter.
If the Islan...
Brian Rolston said he would play better if used on the top two lines; in his first game on the second unit, Rolston scored his first goal of the season and played on the most succesful line against the Washington Capitals last night. Rob McGowan reports.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/time-brian-rolston-revival
Like TCL's Islanders Fac...
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
Three games into November, the Tampa Bay Lightning have managed to secure four of a possible six points, capped off by a thrilling come from behind shootout victory in Florida. Although the Bolts surrendered three points to division rivals Carolina and Florida, the focus at this point in the season is on gathering points, r...
The Washington Capitals should trade Mike Green this season, if he gets healthy enough to string together a few games. Yes, Mike Green is one of the best offensive defenseman ever, I am in complete support of his abilities, my problem is that he is injury prone and the Capitals can spend their money better elsewhere.
I would have never made this argument last year but w...
Rob McGowan takes a look at the current goalie rotation that is currently plaguing the Isles ability to win hockey games.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/montoya-minutes-al-needs-play
Follow us on twitter @TCLIsles (twitter.com/TCLIsles) and like our Facebook page with all of our Islanders blogs and more!
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...
With things all quiet in Hockey Heaven I figured today I'd talk about some other news around the league. First I will touch on the events in Tampa last night. Someone finally stood up to the defensive tactics that are destroying the game. NJ started it and were successful with tactic the Lightning use and so were the Bruins last season. What does the NHL do from here? ...
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...
So I woke up today looked in the mirror and saw Brian Burke staring back at me? Weird, I know, but I figure now that I look like him I may have the chance to scratch one item off my wish-list, which is to be the GM of the Leafs! Now, I don’t know how long this is going to last, so I am going to have to act fast if I want to make a difference. So to cut to the chase, I am...
Rob McGowan reports the latest Isles news at The Checking Line as Nino Niederreiter has been recalled from his conditioning stint with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/el-nino-way
Be sure to read Brian Bock's post-game report for last night's game against the Vancouver Canucks as well!
http://thecheckinglin...
I wanted to wait to post this blog after the results of the hearing on Chris Stewart for his hit on Niklas Kronwall Tuesday night. It certainly was a dirty hit and the immediate response of a major penalty plus a game misconduct was appropriate. It was also announced yesterday that Stewart would receive a 3-game suspension without pay, a little over $46,000.
I di...
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 ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Their Worst Game Of The Season, Isles Lose 6-0 To The Bruins
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Rob McGowan provides the post-game report at The Checking Line as the Islanders were victimized in an effortless 6-0 loss to the defending Stanley Cup champs, the Boston Bruins.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/their-worst-game-season-isles-lose-6-0-bruins
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter....
The Detroit Red Wings boarded Red Bird III last night after beating the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 at the Honda Center. The win garners Detroit 4 points out of a possible 8 on their recent road trip. 4 points is respectable, although I think the Wings would have been a little more satisfied with 5 or maybe 6. A better performance against St. Louis on Tuesday could have given the...
Rob McGowan takes a look at the current state of the New York Islanders as well as providing some suggestions as to what needs to be done for both the long and short term benefits of this hockey team.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/where-have-isles-gone
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.faceboo...
Rob McGowan writes...
Still Without Power On The Island; Isles Lose 1-0 To Devils
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Rob McGowan brings you the post-game report at The Checking Line as the Islanders have been shutout for the sixth time this season
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/still-without-power-island-isles-lose-1-0-devils
-Rob McGowan
Follow our Isles staff on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
So I thought I would get a few thoughts from readers as to who exactly the Jets could do without and who would bring them the most upside in a possible deal.
There are rumours that the Jets have been contacted about Bryan Little and a "D" man for a trade.
Lets break down the current defensive roster for the Jets.
[b]Dustin Byfuglien[/b]
There is no question tha...
Rob McGowan shares his latest on the current situation surrounding Nino Niederreiter and why he might not have been playing the past few games.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/where-world-nino-niederreiter
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
With Ek reporting that these 4 teams may make a pitch for Bobby Ryan. I figured it would be fun to try and make up their offers, and guess at who would win.
[b]Columbus:[/b]
There are obvious reasons why Columbus would be interested in the three-time 30 goal scorer, and it is to get this team that Howson assembled out of the basement. Of course, it is goaltending th...
Stafford, Regher, and Kaleta will return tonight leaving the Sabres with only 6 regulars out. Ennis should be back Friday, Miller will take part in his first full practice tomorrow probably meaning another week or so for him, Weber and McCormick both skated today. As the Sabres get healthier will they start to climb the eastern conference again? I think they are startin...
I know this is a little late, and after a lot of other bloggers have posted their quarter milestone reviews, but I just now got the opportunity. So here ‘tis!
As of today, the Red Wings sit fourth in the Western Conference with 29 point, which is a pace set for 116 by seasons’ end. They are only 2 points behind the leaders, and justifying how their recent swing is...
Is this group better than a 10th place team? You bet it is. This season hasn’t started off as planned for the high powered Lightning. Whether mired in goaltending issues, defensive woes or a 1-3-1 “scandal” or sorts, the Lightning have yet to get on a nice run. Like a lot of teams, consistency seems to be the main issue here; specifically, defensive consistency.
...
The 1-3-1 trap has been used in hockey for decades. While it’s not the most exciting thing to watch, it shuts opponents down and does indeed give the trappers a chance to win. Guy Boucher knows that.
The ugly incident in the Philadelphia game had the entire league talking about the 1-3-1 trap and how Tampa was “ruining the game” and it was “their fault” an...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Yzerman Returns to Detroit as Bolts Challenge Wings
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Lightning continue their mini road-trip tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. This is a real test for the team as it attempts to bounce back from the deflating Minnesota loss. The storyline for this game is intriguing as the Lightning have been unable to beat the Wings in the two teams’ last five meetings.
The wings are red (no pun intended) hot right now as ...
Sabres42 writes...
Hello Inconsistentcy...Miller Clarifys and Bobby Ryan
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Inconsistency seems to be theme in Hockey Heaven these days. After another home loss to the struggling Islanders, with the Sabres putting up 1 goal on Al Montoya it may be time to worry. Roy, Stafford, and Leino continue to be ice cold and struggle. Roy had 2 point blank chances to tie it on a 5 on 3 and was stoned once and missed the net on the second chance. Leino ha...
Rob McGowan shares his latest at The Checking Line, discussing the recent play of rookie forward, David Ullstrom since his call up to the New York Islanders.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/ullstrom-making-most-opportunity-isles
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts Lose to Wings at the Joe in Emotional Game
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Despite losing having lost tonight’s game, the Lightning shouldn’t be feeling too down on themselves. For me, tonight’s contest had a really positive atmosphere starting with the video tribute to Steve Yzerman and the standing ovation given to him. You could practically feel the raw emotion coming from all parties at the Joe. This guy is a legend.
The Red Wings...
Eklund has been heralding a possible move of Alexander Semin the last few days with the Detroit Red Wings being one of the top contenders. A few thoughts…
Semin hasn’t been in his top form since 2009-2010 where he posted 28 goals and 26 assists. He’s been decent enough this season, with 5 and 5. I haven’t been paying too close attention to the Capitals but ob...
Sabres42 writes...
An Early Look at The Potential Trade Deadline Movers
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
It's December 1st and all the Bobby Ryan chatter over the last few days I couldn't help but notice the NHL Deadline is less than 3 months away. Another intriguing factor of this year's deadline is all the potential stars that could be on the move. Parise, Ryan, Iginla, Luongo, Nash, Carter, Weber, Suter, Hemsky, Alfredsson, Spezza, Stastny, Lecavalier, Semin, Bouwmeester...
With the Lightning off for a couple of days, I have time to sit back and enjoy some other hockey games. That being said, there’s always chatter and things going on in the Lightning world so I do my best to keep my readers posted. Here are some news and notes on the Lightning to begin December.
- Guy Boucher is really trying to push speed. An article posted today in...
The Chicago Blackhawks will look to rebound tonight from their previous 4-1 trouncing by the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes when they get ready to face the struggling New York Islanders at the United Center. This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.
Corey Crawford, who is expected to get the start tonight, has somewhat unfortunate statistics i...
Hey All,
I'll be back here ready to go for the Sabres game tonight. Get my take on the game as it unfolds tonight. Stay tuned!
In order to win here, 5 minutes prior to puck drop, Buffalo needs to defend their end aggressively. Zetterberg leads this offense, and pose a serious threat if Buffalo gives them the blue line. Hopefully they have fast break outs of their own...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Why Bolts Must Get Into Bobby Ryan Trade Discussions
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Someone on TSN had a great quote a couple days ago about Bobby Ryan. He said “if you have a guy who 29 other teams want, don’t trade him.” To a certain extent, that’s very true. But all indications have pointed towards the fact that Ducks GM Bob Murray is indeed listening to offers with some intent of shipping off the budding young superstar.
Here at Hockey...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Breaking News: Lightning Make Minor Trade with Panthers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers have made a small trade.
[b]To Florida[/b]
James Wright (F)
Michael Vernace (D)
[b]To Tampa[/b]
Mike Kostka (D)
Evan Oberg (D)
In Oberg the Lightning are getting a developing D-man who has NHL potential. He didn't exactly struggle in Vancouver but his trade was necessary for the Canucks to bring in Chris Higgins....
Hello everyone, welcome to the first installment of Trade Wars: Habsteen26 vs Nucker101! You may already be familiar with this series, as hockeybuzz bloggers Dan Cloutier and Travis Yost did the exact same thing a while ago.
As for the rules, they will be very similar to Travis and Dan's rules. I, will be the acting GM for every team in the Eastern Conference while my ...
Al Montoya has been playing excellent lately, making himself the team's number one goaltender. But with Rick DiPietro's contract keeping him here for many more years to come, how long will Montoya's run last?
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/have-isles-become-montoyas-team
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLI...
We have some big news to deliver to our readers at The Checking Line. Make sure to read this letter as you won't want to miss what is in store for you!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/letter-our-readers
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
[i]You cannot beat them in a box.
You cannot beat them with a fox
You cannot beat them in a house
You cannot beat them with a mouse
You cannot beat them here or there.
You cannot beat them anywhere.
You cannot beat the Rangers, man.
You cannot beat them, Sid or Stamm.[/i]
[i]-Paraphrase of Dr. Seuss[/i]
Ho hum. Another game, another win for the New York Rangers....
Matt Moulson has been named the NHL's First Star of the Week. Rob McGowan reports for The Checking Line: Islanders Edition with that and more!
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/moulson-seeing-stars
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com
www.facebook.com/TCLIsl...
Rob McGowan writes...
Drawing The Line: Isles Will Move To "Conference D" Next Sea
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
The NHL Board of Governors voted in favor of a very dramatic change to the set up of the NHL's Conferences for next season. Rob McGowan reports for The Checking Line on how this may effect the New York Islanders and the rest of the league.
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/drawing-line-isles-will-move-conference-d-next-season
-R...
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 ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Drawing The Line: Isles Will Move To "Conference D"
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Rob McGowan takes a look at where the New York Islanders will fall into the new Conference changes as well as what it might mean for the team and the rest of the league.
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/drawing-line-isles-will-move-conference-d-next-season
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
...
By Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
A 5-1 drubbing at the hands of the league’s lowest scoring team, the New York Islanders, has left the Lightning coaching staff shaking their heads in disbelief. Is this the same team that stymied opponents routinely down the stretch and in the post-season last year? While the personnel have not turned over to any great d...
Rob McGowan writes...
Hit On Nino Warrants Suspsension For Stars Defenseman
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Islanders won a hard fought 5-4 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night, and it can be termed hard fought for many reasons; the Isles saw a three-goal lead get washed away to a tie in the second period; Rick DiPietro pulled his groin, forcing Al Montoya to start the third period; the Stars kept coming back on the score board; and last but not least, Nino Nieder...
Rob McGowan writes...
Hit On Nino Warrants Suspension For Stars Defenseman
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Islanders won a hard fought 5-4 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night, and it can be termed hard fought for many reasons; the Isles saw a three-goal lead get washed away to a tie in the second period; Rick DiPietro pulled his groin, forcing Al Montoya to start the third period; the Stars kept coming back on the score board; and last but not least, Nino Nieder...
Last night was one of the few games of late this season when Blackhawks' team captain Jonathan Toews was not responsible for carrying his team on his shoulder in an effort to come away with two points.
Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa both had a goal and 2 assists a piece en route to a 3-2 overtime win for Chicago over the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum.
Ray...
The Islanders, who are boasting the worst offense in the league with only a dismal 59 goals for (the second worst team is the L.A. Kings with 63), were heavily criticized for one specific thing over the past three months; not scoring enough goals. (Shocking, right?)
After being shutout several times this year, the Isles were becoming a one-trick pony; if the line of Mou...
Michael_Stuart writes...
The 1-3-1 Returns: Flyers Take on Bolts at Wells Fargo
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The game we’ve all been waiting for. It’s game day for the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Normally, this would just be another game, but tonight, things are different. Tonight marks the first match-up for these two teams since the whole 1-3-1 incident.
It will be interesting to see what Peter Laviolette does tonight in his own barn. My guess? Ab...
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...
Hello all,
Most of you have known me on here for quite some time as one of the Islanders bloggers on the site, via My Hockeybuzz. I have very much enjoyed my time posting here, getting to know some of you and exchanging thoughts about the New York Islanders, whatever the topic might be.
However, most of my posts will not be showing up on the main page anymore as I a...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Fall to Flyers: The Slot Looks Like a Drive-Thru
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I’d be lying if I told you that I don’t think the Flyers are a good team. They have offensive depth, solid goaltending and arguably the most complete forward in the game (Claude Giroux). I know I’ll get a lot of heat from Crosby fans for saying that, but I really like Giroux’s game. He didn’t burst onto the scene like Sidney did, but man is he ever good. Even...
Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo, Marty Reasoner and Steve Staios were added to this Islanders team during the off-season to provide veteran stability throughout the line-up; Rolston was acquired for cap room and an added offensive punch over Trent Hunter, Pandolfo and Reasoner were brought in for defensive support on the bottom line, and Staios added grit and experience to a r...
This is my first blog so please bear with me folks.
This season, the Devils have quite the built up system for the first time in many, many years as far as depth goes. We're getting thinner at forward than normal, more talented at defense, and finally and justifiably building up goalie prospects. This is all great news for the near and even far future for call ups with...
The Devils (14-13-1) visit the Bolts (12-15-2), who are reeling in a bad way. This game should be an excellent opportunity for the Devs to get 2 points in regulation for the first time since Nov. 25. The last time these 2 met, the Devils jumped out to a 3-0 lead, I was there and boy was it impressive! The last 10 minutes of the game however were not, as the Devils very nea...
NJD (14-13-1) @ TBL (12-15-2) St. Pete Times Forum 7pm VS/TSN2
Hedberg (300th start of his career!) vs Roloson
(side note, Devils have acquired D Kurtis Foster, and G prospect Timo Pielmeier for C Pelley, D Fraser and a 7th round pick in 2012. A great trade for guys who have been placed on waivers twice, getting a solid blueline shot and 40+ point scorer in Foster as...
It was a bad week for the Rangers, which is hard to say with a straight face. But for a team averaging 1.4 points per game, a 2-1-1 stretch is hardly a success story. However, there are positives to take from the week that are more important than anything you can take out of a 4-0-0 stretch. This was the 3rd time the Rangers went on a two game losing streak. The previous t...
So apparently the game plan was lost in the mail on its way from New York to Philadelphia and then from Philly back to Tampa. Not to worry though, things are going to be fine soon enough. Okay, so that may be a little bit of an optimistic view on things. This post-game wrap up is all about one thing; one VERY big thing.
I have lowered my expectations for this team ...
NJD 15-13-1, 31 points @ FLA 16-9-5, 37 points
Bank Atlantic Center 7:30pm EST MSG+, FSFL (HD)
Martin Brodeur NJD vs Jose Theodore FLA
Acquired yesterday in a trade, D Kurtis Foster will indeed play tonight, grouped with Salvador. Urbom and Palmieri will both sit, and Janssen will play tonight.
I'm very curious how this team will come off putting up 5 goals, ...
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...
The Islanders announced on their home page yesterday that goaltender Evgeni Nabokov was close to making his return to the Islanders line-up.
Per the Isles official web-site:
“Nabby is close,” Islanders Head Coach Jack Capuano said after practice at Iceworks. “He’s been practicing. Yesterday and today, he had good days.”
Read more at The Checking Line - I...
So been bored and decided to browse what some of the recently built arena's cost to be built and what they would cost to build now. As we all know the arena referendum would've given the isles $350 million to build a new arena. And that raises a question. Why that much cash for a arena? Now I was all for the referendum as any die hard would've been, but looking back did we...
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...
1. Jake Gardiner continues to climb the team’s depth chart. In the month of December he is second overall in team average ice time with 23:30 per game. In 27 games he has 8 points, all assists, and has an even plus/minus.
2. The Leafs are undefeated when going into the third period with a lead.
3. Leafs Director of Player Personnel Rick Dudley was scouting the Na...
Yesterday I wrote a missive about the similarities in the evolution of concussion treatment and diagnoses in sports, and that in other areas of medicine and society. Last night shortly after it was announced that Chris Pronger would be sidelined for the remainder of the NHL season and playoffs, agent Allen Walsh issued a very direct verbal attack on the NHL and the lack o...
Rob McGowan reports on the recent accusation against former Islanders GM Mike Milbury; assault and battery on a twelve-year old child
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/former-isles-gm-mike-milbury-accused-assault
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
For the Lightning, the future starts now. Look at the core of this team and it’s pretty obvious. What makes a winner? It’s the ability to draft well, develop players and sign key free agents at the right time. You can bet that Steve Yzerman is doing his best to model the Bolts after the Detroit Red Wings. So, since Yzerman’s own retirement from the Motor City, w...
Many positives can be taken from Minnesota's rise to the top of the league. Among those is the emergence of rookie blueliner Marco Scandella. Scandella is playing his first full season as a member of the Wild after spending time between the Wild and Houston (AHL) in the previous season.
The Montreal native was selected by the Wild in the second round (55th overall) of ...
The annual canadien west coast trip, followed by a revenge game with Nashville to finish the trip. How many points do we need to get for the trip to be a success? I think five is the magic number, any less is a bad trip, and more a gift. Road blues are still a problem this year, hopefully this trip takes care of it.........
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
Good to see the blackhawks lose in regulation, hard to root for the Pens but root I did last night. Another game at hand without them picking up a point, thats the way I like it.
Jimmy Howard will be in goal again, hope he doesnt wear out before the post season, but wow has he been amazing. The last couple of years the Wings won dispite him, this season he has come in...
Read my latest at The Checking Line (Isles Edition) where I take a look at the recent injuries to the Islanders and explain what it might mean for the team as the season moves along.
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-injuries-starting-mount
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook...
Is there any question that Claude Giroux is feeling better? With 1 goal and 3 assists in last night’s contest in Dallas, the young center’s play was as fiery as his hair. If you observed the injury to his head last week, you probably started seeing visions of another Pronger-like catastrophe. During the intermission report, Bill Clement gave some insight on knee to ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Risky Business: Victor Hedman and Other Top-5 D-Men
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It’s early Christmas morning and I have time on my hands. Over the past few weeks I’ve been researching a topic and coming up with stats and facts to back my point of view. As the title of this blog says, I feel like there is a downside to picking defensemen with very high draft picks. It’s a well-known fact that defenseman take longer to develop and often don’t...
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...
My latest post at TCL - Isles Edition takes a look at the play of P.A. Parenteau and how he has been one of the best Islanders skaters so far this season
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/pa-parenteau-isles-unsung-hero
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
Dare I say it; what a game! This tilt had a little bit of everything in it. There was a great deal of animosity, some great goals, solid goaltending from Garon and a whole bunch more. Like my game preview stated, this shaped up to be one of the best games of the year (despite the lack of chances). Of course, from the Lightning perspective, it helps that we kicked off t...
It’s been a long time since I posted anything (which is to say it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to watch a Red Wings game in its entirety). Ironically enough, the last game I was able to watch was December 6 at St. Louis.
It appears the tables have turned in the steadily-heating rivalry against the St. Louis Blues with the Wings taking this battle 3-2. ...
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...
What is four out of five? Four is the place the Flyers sit at, out of the Top 5 teams in the Eastern Conference. Four out of the last five Flyer injuries were “head” injuries. Finally, four out of five represents the current Flyers five game span, four losses. (Before Pittsburgh Game)
Many fans have some concern and are asking questions. Is our defense missing Prong...
It's hard to believe that halfway through the regular season, the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings are just now meeting for the first of six times tonight when the Hawks host the Wings at the United Center.
Over the last ten games, statistically speaking, the Blackhawks and Red Wings share virtually identical stats all around. Both teams have played very well of...
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...
The Isles would go on to win 4-1 over the Edmonton Oilers on Ken Morrow night. The Checking Line - Isles Edition provides you with the post-game coverage.
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-strike-oil-4-1-win-over-edmonton
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
The Chicago Blackhawks are the top-ranked team but GM Stan Bowman is prepared for trade talks anytime now as the trade deadline is soon coming up. Some concern that Bowman has is his secondary scoring.
The Hawks have great players to begin with and they are showing the numbers. Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa always put a good game on and than you have you...
RickDixon writes...
What to expect from the Jets for the rest of the season
Posted Monday | Comments 0
So the Jets finished the year on a positive note with a 3-2 win over the Leafs. A great win to say the least as the Jets are in the thick of the battle for a playoff spot in the very tight Eastern Conference.
Yes the Jets are currently holding a playoff berth in their hands, but many have stated that this is due to the fact that they played a sickening amount of games ...
Always enjoyed this semi rivalry, turco, Hull, Niewendyk, Guerin, Hatcher of the nineties, guys like Modano, Ott, Robidas, ect... have generally made this an enjoyable series. The current stars seem to be lacking a true identity, guys like Morrow and Ericksson are quasi stars, guys like Souray and Lehtonen are filler pickups, they look like they will be fringe playoff te...
So the bench boss went on record with the media by saying that the performance of Eric Fehr has to be better. Noel pulled no punches in his interview and put his point across as a matter-of-factly as one possibly could.
I suppose the ball is now in Fehr's court and many Jets fans are waiting to see what the big forward will do after being singled out in such a manner.
...
The Wings have sent Conner down to get his injured wrist rehabbed, but also it frees up cap space, there is a chance that it is a precurser to a deal. Hemsky for Kindl???
h
I will be the first one to admit that I was a little more than miffed at the Russian tender for saying the idiotic things that he did about Winnipeg. Yes, I can understand why he would say those things, but they were unfounded opinions which he later recanted before his first visit to the Manitoba capital city. At the time he made the statements I thought to myself "scre...
Trade rumors are the dominant discussion in rumor boards, especially on HockeyBuzz. It's always an entertaining topic, but it makes more sense for some teams over others. Frankly, good teams potentially trading away players doesn't make sense to me.
This is why I'm wondering why the Penguins are looking to make trades. I'm going to assume that the rumors I've read ar...
Trade rumors are the dominant discussion in rumor boards, especially on HockeyBuzz. It's always an entertaining topic, but it makes more sense for some teams over others. Frankly, good teams potentially trading away players doesn't make sense to me.
This is why I'm wondering why the Penguins are looking to make trades. I'm going to assume that the rumors I've read ar...
Trade rumors are the dominant discussion in rumor boards, especially on HockeyBuzz. It's always an entertaining topic, but it makes more sense for some teams over others. Frankly, good teams potentially trading away players doesn't make sense to me.
This is why I'm wondering why the Penguins are looking to make trades. I'm going to assume that the rumors I've read ar...
Rick DiPietro was sent home for medical evaluations, despite already being on the Injured Reserve, before the Islanders began their road trip last night in Carolina. Click the link below to read more at The Checking Line - Isles Edition.
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/dipietro-salt-open-wound
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/...
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...
The Chicago Blackhawks just got a little too cautious at the end of the game last night against the Detroit Red Wings leading 2-1 with less than five minutes to play in the third period.
In only their second season matchup against division rival, Detroit, the Blackhawks were looking to break out of a 3 game slump that started on January 2nd, 2012, only to extend it with...
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...
It’s been the story of the Flyers’ life this season. Bad bounces + deflections = a goal past Ilya Bryzgalov.
Nothing changed during last night’s finale of a Home-and-Home series against the Ottawa Senators.
With just 1:11 left in the third, Filip Kuba took a shot from the point that changed direction and went passed Bryzgalov. That was the 2nd time that game ...
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...
14 of the past 19 on the road, an absolutely brutal, brutal stretch, the last three games the Wings havent had their legs, falling behind early by two or more all three times. I nice week at home, games every other day, plenty of rest and home cooking for this years best home team, Datsyuk healing, Jimmy Howard rested up. currently sitting in third place, two points behi...
Dear New York Islanders Players, Organization and Fans-
First, I want to congratulate you on your victory against the Detroit Red Wings last night. A 5-1 score is very respectable against any team in today’s NHL. Also, it’s a great feeling to garner a solid victory at home after a disappointing road trip. Your goaltender seems to have shaken the cobwebs away. Yo...
After readings the comments to my last post, it’s now clear to me that the impression I intended to make was not translated to those who read it. It was never my intention to “bash” the New York Islanders. I was actually “bashing” the Detroit Red Wings. I did not wish to insinuate that, had they played with the intensity they normally do, the Red Wings would h...
[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.
...
PHARLING writes...
Are the Toronto Maple Leafs About to Make a Major Trade?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Leafs GM Brian Burke recently was a guest on the fan590 Prime Time Sports, and On ESPN, and was very candid in response to questions if he was close to making a significant deal. "We are listening to a lot right now, and there is a good chance something will happen…" Burke said. “Am I done making deals…the answer is no. If I can improve this team tomorrow, I’m gonn...
PHARLING writes...
Are the Toronto Maple Leafs About to Make a Major Trade?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
By: Peter Harling
Leafs GM Brian Burke recently was a guest on the fan590 Prime Time Sports, and On ESPN, and was very candid in response to questions if he was close to making a significant deal. "We are listening to a lot right now, and there is a good chance something will happen…" Burke said. “Am I done making deals…the answer is no. If I can improve this team t...
One might say that things are "pretty even" between the Chicago Blackhawks and their division neighbors, the Detroit Red Wings.
They're so even, in fact, that the Blackhawks only hold a slight edge over the Motor City by two points in the standings and Detroit has one game in hand.
The two teams will meet for the third time this season in Detroit tomorrow at 11:30 AM...
After dropping a 2-1 decision to the Devils the Winnipeg Jets brass has to look at their team and decide whether or not they are going to address the issues that currently plague this line up. Namely offense and effort.
For the entire game this team looked absolutely useless offensively. he Jets lone goal was scored by Andrew Ladd on a shot that martin Brodeur is goin...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Frustration Mounts as Malkin and Pens Defeat Bolts
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Once again the alarm clock failed to wake the Tampa Bay Lightning until it was too late. The Bolts found themselves down 2-0 fairly early in the game. It was then that the team woke up. Frustration, disappointment and fight finally made appearances for this group. We saw a team that was pissed off with losing, a team that wanted to win. However, we also saw a team tha...
Last summer, Lou Lamoriello decided to take player Zach Parise to arbitration, which was the beginning of the end of Parise's tenure in New Jersey. The eventual one-year-deal signed left Parise opened to unrestricted free agency next season with 30 potential suitors as he's one of the most coveted forwards in the league. Who wouldn't want this guy in front of their net, ...
Last summer, Lou Lamoriello decided to take player Zach Parise to arbitration, which was the beginning of the end of Parise's tenure in New Jersey. The eventual one-year-deal signed left Parise opened to unrestricted free agency next season with 30 potential suitors as he's one of the most coveted forwards in the league. Who wouldn't want this guy in front of their net, ...
Last summer, Lou Lamoriello decided to take player Zach Parise to arbitration, which was the beginning of the end of Parise's tenure in New Jersey. The eventual one-year-deal signed left Parise opened to unrestricted free agency next season with 30 potential suitors as he's one of the most coveted forwards in the league. Who wouldn't want this guy in front of their net, ...
Last summer, Lou Lamoriello decided to take player Zach Parise to arbitration, which was the beginning of the end of Parise's tenure in New Jersey. The eventual one-year-deal signed left Parise opened to unrestricted free agency next season with 30 potential suitors as he's one of the most coveted forwards in the league. Who wouldn't want this guy in front of their net, ...
Tonight marks a chance for the Buffalo Sabres to try and get back on track. Ryan Miller will be back in net tonight. If he plays like the Ryan Miller of old the Sabres could steal one tonight and lift the burden of this road losing streak off their backs.
Now Miller can play as well as he wants but the forwards and the defense need to give him the support he needs. They...
First off, hats off the the Detroit Red Wings for setting a franchise record 15 straight wins at home.
Now down to business. As the old saying goes, "When it rains it pours." I'd say at this point it is flooding for the Buffalo Sabres. A 5-0 dismantlement of a Sabres team who is finding it impossible to find itself. And by that I mean this Sabres team just doesnt have a...
RickDixon writes...
Strong effort earns shutout in 2-0 Jets win Over Sens
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
After not being able to provide themselves any real scoring chances in a lackluster effort against the Devils, the Jets appeared to come ready to play tonight against the Sens.
Chris mason was not really tested all that much but did provide solid net-minding late to keep the Senators off the board during an inevitable late-game push.
The reason Mason had such an easy...
It has now been made public that the Sabres GM Darcy Regier is shopping forwards Derek Roy, Drew Stafford, and Brad Boyes around to many teams. Which teams, we do not know, but this information comes per ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. Regier is reportedly shopping these top 6 forwards in hope of getting another top 6 forward in return.
Derek Roy is the player I would be the most...
RickDixon writes...
Jets talk...............let the trade discussion begin !!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
There are many Jets fans crying for various heads right now and with the way the team is playing it is completely understandable.
The team is not playing particularly well at the moment with the exeption of the shutout against Ottawa, and find themselves lucky that the teams they are battling with for that 8th-and-final playoff spot are also not putting up wins.
Yes,...
(Disclaimer- I am not an English Major. You have been warned)
So what to do now? The Flyers have played 8 rookies versus the Bruins and it goes to a shootout. 8 Rookies.. 8.. and took the team that is considered one of the toughest to a shootout. This speaks volumes of the heart of one of the best, hardest working blue collar teams (Flyers). With all of that bein...
(Disclaimer- I am not an English Major. You have been warned)
So what to do now? The Flyers have played 8 rookies versus the Bruins and it goes to a shootout. 8 Rookies.. 8.. and took the team that is considered one of the toughest to a shootout. This speaks volumes of the heart of one of the best, hardest working blue collar teams (Flyers). With all of that bein...
Word on the street (New york Post) is that the New Jersey Devil are in talks with the NHL to get a cash advance if you will because they are losing money and losing money fast.
[quote]
"Vanderbeek, who owns 47 percent of the team, does not have the money to fund losses, while billionaire Ray Chambers, who also owns 47 percent, no longer wants to fund the team.
Las...
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...
Jimmy Howard has turned into the modern day version of Billy Smith, intense, focused and God help you if you enter HIS crease. Last year in the playoffs against San Jose I felt he entered his own, even though we lost. Pavelski and his constant snow showers, Howard refused to back down and played a whale of a series.
He is 27, entering his prime. I have to admit I wa...
So as the Jets get set to take on the first-place Rangers this evening many Jets fans are hanging their collective heads over the teams lack of offense. One question.
What did you really expect ?
This team has some potentially good players. Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien (If he were healthy), and Zach Bogosian are all top-notch players. Players like Alex Burmistro...
The Sabres rolled into New Jersey losers of 5 in a row and 12 straight on the road. Advantage Devils right?
But low and behold something we Sabres fans have all be yearning for quite sometime a big much needed W.
Leopold got things started by being Johnny on the spot to tap in Gerbe slapshot that ricochets off the glass and bounced right in the crease for an easy ta...
It is the time for the rumour mill to pump out all kinds of possible trades. Some plausible, others, insane!
As a Hab fan, I really believe that they need to make more changes. I also think that winning against Detroit could be detrimental to them in the long run. Geoff Molson, as much as he says he is hands off and he lets the hockey people run the operation, needs to...
There have been a lot of talk about Parise lately and where he'll end up. We heard from site to site different stories ranging from him resigning with the Devils to being traded at the deadline to almost every team in the NHL. So last night I started thinking, which doesn't happen much at my age, and started to look around the league to find a right partner for Parise if a...
Most Leafs’ fans are getting excited with the possibility of a playoff berth for the first time since the lock-out, and who can really blame them? While I think it is Burke’s intention for the team to make it to the post-season this year, I have also heard the GM mention on several occasions that the cup is his primary target, and a first-round exit is not his goal.
...
Most Habs fans and media believe that the Canadiens should retool at the deadline. I am of the same opinion. I really think this is the time for the Habs to retool, not rebuild.
I would like to see this happen under the watchful eye of a new management team and would love to see Gauthier and Gainey let go. As much as I respect Gainey, I don't think he made the right cho...
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...
This summer, I took part in a charity ice hockey tournament called Checking For Charity. Although it was a painful way to learn just how badly my skills have deteriorated since the last time I played regularly, it was one of the most fulfilling weekend experiences of my life. I discovered the event around the same time that I learned about Defending The Blueline(DTBL), a...
As the NHL trade deadline quickly approaches, trade rumors in Leaf land are at a fever pitch. It is commonly believed Brian Burke is targeting a significant player. A big top line player, in particular a center that has size, skill, and playoff experience. Ryan Getzlaf and Eric Staal are the two players at the top of most Leaf fans wish list. While it is highly unlikely, b...
As the NHL trade deadline quickly approaches, trade rumors in Leaf land are at a fever pitch. It is commonly believed Brian Burke is targeting a significant player. A big top line player, in particular a center that has size, skill, and playoff experience. Ryan Getzlaf and Eric Staal are the two players at the top of most Leaf fans wish list. While it is highly unlikely, b...
As of late the play of Mikhail Grabovski has brought some attention to whether throw him on the trade block or extend him. Either would can bring good value. Another two guys they could put in the mix is Cody Franson and Luke Schenn. Talented young defenders that could bring a nice top six forward to the club. In all honestly though I doubt they will move Grabo at the dead...
As of late the play of Mikhail Grabovski has brought some attention to whether throw him on the trade block or extend him. Either would can bring good value. Another two guys they could put in the mix is Cody Franson and Luke Schenn. Talented young defenders that could bring a nice top six forward to the club. In all honestly though I doubt they will move Grabo at the dead...
Another game, another loss. Give the Avs credit, they played a solid game but the issue of scoring keeps coming up. Right now, the Avs just dont have that extra shooter that can be a difference maker for this team. Mueller's play has been a spark, no doubt, Duchene is still hurt, but even when both come back this teams loaded down the middle but lacking a true sniper on th...
Buffalo surprised their fans last night with a dramatic comeback on the Isle to walk away with 2 points. Over the last 4 games, Buffalo has 7 of a possible 8 points. Things are looking up, but a real test comes up on Wednesday against the Bruins.
Buffalo was in an early hole, due to sloppy defensive play, which, continued all night long. As Garth said, “Miller made 3...
I wonder how worried Deanno is about losing his job if the Kings a)Lose in the first round, or b) don’t make the playoffs?
I don’t know too much about Dean’s tenure in San Jose, but after listening to Craig Button a little while back, it seems as though Dean managed the Sharks the same way as he is currently managing the Kings by not making the right moves, let al...
Feb. 6—The Red Wings dropped a loss tonight to the Phoenix Coyotes. The game was closer than the 3-1 score reflected because of the empty net goal of Martin Hanzal at the end of the game.
Joey MacDonald had a decent game with 22 saves, but there is already talk of shopping for another goalie while all-star starter Jimmy Howard recovers from a broken finger. Evgeni Nab...
The matchup tonight at MSG features a Devils (30-19-3) squad that is now surging with big wins over the Flyers, Penguins, and Rangers and are looking for their first five game winning streak of this season versus the Rangers (33-12-5), who coming off of a strong physical performance against the Flyers on Super Bowl Sunday, and are looking to revenge their shootout loss at...
The Devils were able to escape MSG with a 1-0 victory and earn their second victory in eight days over the Rangers. However just like the previous game between these two bitter rivals the end was not one that many Ranger fans will be able to swallow with ease. This time it was a late goalie interference penalty, that negated the potentially tying goal, on Gaborick which pr...
I read a brief "what if" that suggested Jeff Carter might get traded for Alex Semin.
There are virtually NO RUMORS to support this particular trade...at least that I have seen or heard.
All that we know for sure is that both players have been mentioned as available.
I thought about this for about 2 minutes and realized this is the no-brainer trade that HAS to be m...
Well seeing how Buffalo as of late have been on a winning streak, not to mention all of the trade rumors around Pegulaville; Buffalo is in search of a trade. [b]Here are my thoughts:[/b]
Trade: Roy,Stafford,Sekera,Gragnani, 1st rnd pick, 2nd rnd pick (conditional)
to Nashville for
Weber, Wilson, and 3rd & 4th rnd...
Buffalo has been in the rumor alot lately and here are my thoughts........
[i]Buf trades Stafford, Roy, Sekera, Gragnani, 1st rnd pick & conditional 2nd rnd pick
to Nashville for
Weber, Wilson(their #2 line center) and conditional 3rd & 4th rnd picks[/i]
[b]THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS.......crazy as usual[/b]
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...
He scored a goal last night and got an assist on another.....but I'm getting really irritated by Chris Stewart. He can be fairly lazy out there. The Deveils' second goal was on him. He was flat-footed, lethargic, uninspired in going to Henrique after being picked on his way to the puck. He didn't care. He didn't think anything would happen. Well.....dammit......Henri...
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...
ProphetofHockey writes...
2012 NHL Trade Deadline and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
It seems that every year Toronto is home to what seems like thousands of rumours regarding "big deals", "a top 6 forward", and a "blockbuster deal". This year however seems to be even worse, and more drastic, there is no question that the Leafs organization are still in the re-building process, but Leafs Nation is quite happy with the results this season thus far.
As a...
ProphetofHockey writes...
2012 NHL Trade Deadline and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
It seems that every year Toronto is home to what seems like thousands of rumours regarding "big deals", "a top 6 forward", and a "blockbuster deal". This year however seems to be even worse, and more drastic, there is no question that the Leafs organization are still in the re-building process, but Leafs Nation is quite happy with the results this season thus far.
As a...
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.
Until recently there was no argument. The greatest defenseman in NHL h...
It’s been talked about since captain Chris Pronger went down for the season in December, but now the question resonates louder than it ever has before.
Who are they going to get?
With the February 27 trade deadline quickly approaching, rumors have been swirling as to what the Philadelphia Flyers plan to do to make their promising team a legitimate contender in the ...
One of this seasons biggest surprises has been the St. Louis Blues. With the hiring of Hitchcock, they have been one of the best defensive teams in the league. They have signed backup Brian Elliot to a two year extension giving them two more years of affordable goal tending. There defense at one time was said to be lacking a veteran, but do you mess with the succes...
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...
This is, plain and simple, unacceptable hockey from the Buffalo Sabres. I can’t reiterate this enough, but [b]NO LEAD IN HOCKEY IS SAFE[/b]. I don’t care if you’re up by 2, 5, or 20. All it takes is a split second, and boom, someone’s back in the game.
Now, certain people on here are blind to this... Let’s just be honest. I can love line combinations too, but...
Something is happening this year with the St. Louis Blues. Something is different. Things are changing. A 5-1 victory, in years past, would call for a parade down market. Nothing but good feelings. No matter how the team would have played the score would have dominated the coverage, the reaction from the fans, even the players and how they talk about the game. This y...
Every January, February, and March is painful for Flyers fans like myself. It seems like after every Christmas, this team self-destruct and stumble into the playoffs. Every year they have us folk who bleed orange and black biting our nails, hoping the team holds on to a playoff spot. Every year it's the same case. The goalie is worn out and easily beaten, and the team...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Down Caps + The Competition + Trade Deadline
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It’s tough to argue with results. As right now, the Lightning have narrowed the gap between themselves and the playoffs to a mere six points. There was a time at which the gap was around ten points and Bolts fans would take heat for saying that we still had a chance this year. Now, the Bolts are proving all the critics wrong.....
[b]Read the entire blog over at my...
Let me first premise my analysis on a Leafs-Nash trade by saying that it would take a lot of work on the Leafs part and a whole lot of luck.
That being said I believe that Brian Burke is not interested in making it to the playoffs and losing in the first round, second round or even the conference finals. It is all about winning a Stanley Cup in Toronto and thus if the ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Analyzing the Lightning Trades - Moore and Kubina
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It’s Hockey Day in America and, you guessed it, the Lightning are not playing. After last night’s hard-fought win against the Capitals, and with a couple of days off, it’s time to take a look at the two trades the Lightning have made so far. Expect a flurry of movement as we move closer to the February 27th trade deadline; it should be mighty exciting.....
[b]Re...
As the final seconds tick off the clock at Joe Louis Arena it almost seems a ritual that the Red Wings skate off the ice with a W in the column. What Detroit has been able to do at home is remarkable. Very few teams have been able to be so dominating at home in one season. With their NHL record longest home winning streak hitting [i]23 games[/i] after their victory over th...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Answering the Ryan Malone Conundrum: What's He Worth?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Ryan Malone trade rumors are starting to heat up. For a player with size, soft hands and a knack for going to the net, Malone’s offensive totals should be much greater than they currently are. In fact, it could be argued that Malone’s effectiveness on the ice is at an all-time low. Since arriving in Tampa Bay from Pittsb...
A week to go, decision time is here. Best record in hockey, slowly pulling away from the Blues, eyeballing the nucks for the conference crown, go with what we have or make a deal?
We need one more solid forward, period. I LOVE the Miller, Abdelkader and Helm line, never been a Abdelkader fan but these three have something. They really should be a fourth line though, ...
It almost comes as no surprise really but [b]Ty Conklin[/b] has been placed on [u]waivers[/u] by the Detroit Red Wings. This is coming after Joey MacDonald shocked and stole the hearts of all those in Detroit. He also stole a roster spot as the number two goaltender from Ty. Jimmy Howard is finally back after missing the past 8 games with a broken finger, thus making it ma...
[img:right]http://media.mlive.com/redwings_impact/photo/10581756-large.jpg[/img]
Detroit, who has been unbeatable at home since December took the reigns to the top spot in this week's NHL Power Rankings. They dethroned the New York Rangers who continue to win but aren't dominating like that team from Hockeytown. The Red Wings broke the NHL single season record of most c...
Gonna have Howard back in the lineup, cleary due to return as well. Nice little one day road trip before returning home for the next two. Catching a Chicago team that is trying to right the ship, and looked really good against the Blues a couple of nights ago.
The Wings are well rested. Six game homestand, no back to backs, a nice make up from the schedule makers for...
Just in time for the Red Wings to get goaltender Jimmy Howard and forward Dan Cleary back from injuries news hit hard about superstar Pavel Datysuk getting arthroscopic surgery on his knee this morning. Datysuk, who is leading Detroit with 59 points in 59 games, is expected to miss the next couple of weeks.
General manager Ken Holland said the surgery was "minor" and he...
RobSkorochocki writes...
TAKING IN THE HUMONGOUS BIG GOALIE SITUATION IN PHILADELPHIA
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
When Ilya Bryzgalov signed a 9 year, $51 million dollar contract on June 23, it wasn’t even the biggest Flyers news of the day. The signing of the enigmatic Flyers netminder took a backseat to the trade of Jeff Carter to Columbus and the shocking blockbuster deal that sent Flyers fan favorite and captain Mike Richards to Los Angeles in return for Wayne Simmonds, highly t...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Yzerman Sends Downie to Avalanche - Quick Update
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Steve Yzerman has continued his trade tirade today with moves sending Steve Downie to Colorado in exchange for Kyle Quincey, only to send Quincy to Detroit in exchange for Detroit’s 2012 first round draft pick and Sebastien Piche. Yzerman was not finished there; he then sent forward Matt Fornataro to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Brandon Segal. Here are some q...
It has been a while since my previous write up for the boys in red and black, so there is much to cover!
After tonight's grueling victory in Toronto over the Leafs in Overtime, the New Jersey Devils are on a four-game win streak, and are 35-20-4. Folks, that is a very impressive record for where this team was projected to end up. At this point last season, after 59 gam...
In a very surprising move by Detroit GM Ken Holland, who is known as one of the best in the league, a first round pick and a prospect ( Sebastien Piche) to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defensemen Kyle Quincey.
The move was part of a 3 way trade that involved Tampa Bay Lightning sending forward Steve Downie to the Colorado Avalanche, thus the Avs sending us the young defe...
According to the Detroit Free Press the Red Wings are working on a two-year contract extension with forward Todd Bertuzzi. The contract is expected to be finalized before the weekend.
Bertuzzi is in his final season of his original two-year contract that pays him just under 2 millions dollars a season. The new contract is reported to bump his salary up over $2 million....
Kyle Quincey was the perfect pickup for the Wings. As I see them, here are the reasons...
1. Former Wing, knows the players, the system, wont disrupt chemistry.
2. You can never have enough d-men in the post season. This gives us eight.
3. Insurance with Stuart moving on.
4. Can quarterback the second power play unit, something we desperately need.
5. He paired with...
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...
Like every fan who bleeds blue and white, I want nothing more than an invitation to the post season dance. I find myself dreaming of big trades and drawing up new lines all in hopes of filling the void of playoff absence. Then it happens.... A moment of clarity! I heard it summed up well today, Brian Burke didn't spend the last 4 years re-building this organization with yo...
Like every fan who bleeds blue and white, I want nothing more than an invitation to the post season dance. I find myself dreaming of big trades and drawing up new lines all in hopes of filling the void of playoff absence. Then it happens.... A moment of clarity! I heard it summed up well today, Brian Burke didn't spend the last 4 years re-building this organization with yo...
Like every fan who bleeds blue and white, I want nothing more than an invitation to the post season dance. I find myself dreaming of big trades and drawing up new lines all in hopes of filling the void of playoff absence. Then it happens.... A moment of clarity! I heard it summed up well today, Brian Burke didn't spend the last 4 years re-building this organization with yo...
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...
"Look for the Devils to do something this trade deadline."
Take on a four million dollar contract next season for a player who's worth about one million, given he's an awesome -6, scored zero goals, and racked up a whole 14 assists. Any defenseman can put up fourteen assists in the NHL, all they have to do is ice the puck out of the zone.
Those are about the same nu...
Crash21 writes...
Waivers best route for Sens? Or back to the well in COL?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Ottawa seems to be slightly ahead in their own "3 year" plan, so does it make sense for Bryan Murray to start making deals? Quick answer, No.
Murray was on Ottawa radio this week (before the Anderson injury) and said that in a perfect world he would like to add a depth defencemen and a forward. Things have obviously changed since that radio appearance, and Murray needs...
Jeff Carter was a stud in Philly with multi 30 plus goal seasons. To this day I still think the Flyers shot themselves in the foot getting rid of Richards and Carter. Getting Jeff Carter for Jack Johnson and a pick is a steal. Two years ago if the Kings ever tried to go after Carter while he was with the Flyers, they would have had to pay a steep price for the 30 goal scor...
Your coach calls you out...questions your contributions to the team.
Your team trades for the 'other half' of the Flyers former leadership duo.
Your name gets mentioned in numerous trade rumors...and you are the team's captain.
So what do you do?
Score a natural hat trick and add an assist through 1 and 1/2 periods against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Dustin Brow...
It's that time of year, folks. We are under 24 hours away from the NHL trade deadline. With some big names on the market, and a couple big names now off the market, there will certainly be a flurry of activity as we move towards 3 p.m EST tomorrow. Over the course of the next day or so, I will be updating this blog regularly with Lightning moves, moves that interest the...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Tampa Bay Lightning: Analyzing the Deals of the Day
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Before we get started here, I'd like to thank everyone who read, commented and participated in the interactive, live blog here at TB HB and at HockeyBuzz. It was a lot of fun chatting with you guys as the deals of the day unfolded. Despite being a rather quiet deadline day overall, the Lightning were really busy. Yzerman made some key deals that should benefit this team...
WillGilligan writes...
Burke must be commended for not giving into temptation
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It must have been hard for Toronto Maple Leafs President and General Manager Brian Burke not to concede that the group that has seemingly kidnapped his team and played oh so poorly in their place since their win against Edmonton on February 6th had to be compelled with the power of the trade deadline.
However Burke has managed to see the forest for the trees and has...
WillGilligan writes...
Burke must be commended for not giving into temptation
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It must have been hard for Toronto Maple Leafs President and General Manager Brian Burke not to concede that the group that has seemingly kidnapped his team and played oh so poorly in their place since their win against Edmonton on February 6th had to be compelled with the power of the trade deadline.
However Burke has managed to see the forest for the trees and has...
WillGilligan writes...
Burke must be commended for not giving into temptation
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It must have been hard for Toronto Maple Leafs President and General Manager Brian Burke not to concede that the group that has seemingly kidnapped his team and played oh so poorly in their place since their win against Edmonton on February 6th had to be compelled with the power of the trade deadline.
However Burke has managed to see the forest for the trees and has...
FLAMES...
The Flames announced that they signed right wing Tim Jackman to a two-year, $1.25 million deal.
CANUCKS-SABRES swap...
Cody Hodgson is sent to Buffalo for Zack Kassian. This is certainly one of the biggest two deals of the day. Kassian has the potential to be a top power forward, while Hodgson is more advanced at this stage. He will help the Sabres, who we...
wgilligan writes...
Burke must be commended for not giving into temptation:
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It must have been hard for Toronto Maple Leafs President and General Manager Brian Burke not to concede that the group that has seemingly kidnapped his team and played oh so poorly in their place since their win against Edmonton on February 6th had to be compelled with the power of the trade deadline.
However Burke has managed to see the forest for the trees and has...
Cam Neely played hockey with the Ridge Meadows Hockey Association for the majority of his minor career and has been named to the Maple Ridge honorable people list. After a stellar season with the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League in which he led the team to the Memorial Cup Championship, he was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks ninth overall in the 1983 ent...
Saturday, 06.14.2008 / 11:17 PM / 2008 Draft
Brampton Battalion center Cody Hodgson already is a student of the game of hockey. But he got a master's-level education during the Under-18 World Championships in April when he suited up for Team Canada at the event.
With long-time NHL coach Pat Quinn serving as professor, Hodgson earned high honors. As team captain, he l...
Gunner Staal writes...
From apathy to ecstasy. A Sabres deadline day in review.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img] http://welcometothe716.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/darcy-regier.jpg[/img]
Trade deadline day. One of two days a year where people in the hockey community will actually alter their work and education schedules to take in all the happenings on TSN, NHL Network, and Twitter. A big day from a fans perspective to get something done, anything. Trade deadline day is...
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...
By adding Johnny Oduya to the Blackhawks' roster, Stan Bowman increased the defensive depth of this team. That's exactly what he said he wanted to do heading into the trade deadline. While I personally don't think that Oduya was number 1, or even number 2, on the Hawks' list of desirable defensemen, it is an improvement to what they previously had on the NHL roster. Howeve...
I used to think Dean Lombardi built the Kings without an identity. But, now, I realize that the Kings actually have an identity, one that is of a team that is wimpy, weak, soft, and energy-less. What you see live or on t.v. is exactly the identity Dean has built, and Sutter is an extension of that identity by telling his players not to fight or engage the opponent.
...
megamind writes...
Flyers depth will make them a dangerous team in the playoffs
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Consistency is typically an attribute that most people hope to have.
No matter the subject matter, to be consistent is usually viewed as a positive. That is of course unless you are being consistently, inconsistent.
For the Philadelphia Flyers, the one constant for their team this season has been just that.
However, not in the way that it sounds.
While the team...
As the clock wound down in the waning seconds of the game, the crowd at Wells Fargo Center rose to their feet.
It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence on Thursday night, but it was the final time that they had the chance to do so.
They planned to enjoy every moment of it.
With their Philadelphia Flyers leading the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-0, it proved to be the...
megamind writes...
Everything Is Clicking For The Flyers Going Down The Stretch
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
It’s hard to believe that there are only 16 games left in the regular season.
This is the point where those on the cusp decide their fate, and those locked in begin to look ahead to the postseason.
The Philadelphia Flyers (38-21-7) currently sit in 5th place in the Eastern Conference and will most likely be heading to the playoffs.
Despite a drastically differen...
megamind writes...
Who are these guys and what have they done with the Flyers
Posted Monday | Comments 0
For fans of the Philadelphia Flyers, the last week has been like the world was shifted on its head.
With a group who has struggled all year to stifle an opponent’s offense, the fact that the team has recorded three shutouts in one week is an amazing accomplishment that never seemed possible.
In all honesty, it was actually kind of weird.
To make matters even str...
Earlier this season, the Philadelphia Flyers allowed a lot of goals against.
The reasons for this varied depending upon whom you spoke to or read, but the overwhelming majority blamed Ilya Bryzgalov.
When discussing Bryzgalov, that too had a diverse set of thought processes as to why the free agent goaltender was struggling.
One of the more popular beliefs was tha...
So far this season, the Flyers have struggled mightily while playing during the day.
The team’s 3-8-1 record in afternoon games is proof enough of that.
Looking lethargic at times, the team’s lack of jump in day time hockey has resulted in sloppy play, which has allowed their opponents to outscore them 49-33 in those kinds of games.
Obviously, this is a trend ...
The Philadelphia Flyers are one of the most storied franchises in the history of the National Hockey League.
With star players ranging across every decade that the club has been in existence, the organization has had its fair share of players win a varying degree of individual awards.
However, there is one glaring absence.
No member of the Flyers has ever won the ...
Okay this current Red Wings slide just never seems to end.
After they broke the NHL record for the most consecutive home wins, it seems like an entirely differently hockey, well in most part it is because it is.
Let's take a quick run down of players that have missed a game of late: Pavel Datsyuk, Nick Lidstrom, Jimmy Howard, Todd Bertuzzi, Patrick Eaves, Dan Clear...
megamind writes...
Young Flyers gain valuable experience in playoffstyle hockey
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
For much of the season, fans of the Philadelphia Flyers have grown accustomed to high scoring games.
With a team loaded with offensive firepower in the form of 10 double-digit goal scorers and four 20 goal or more scorers, it hasn’t been uncommon for the team to unload a barrage of offensive firepower against their opponents.
However, those days appear to be in the...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Beat Islanders: Worth Much More than Two Points
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
It’s tough to measure the impact that one win can have on an NHL franchise. Still, last night’s Lightning win against the New York Islanders should be counted as a big one. It’s not a big one because it keeps the Bolts mathematically alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race; it’s a big one because it showed heart and resiliency from a group that could have ea...
Tuesday night, playoff fever had hit Buffalo. Buffalo didn’t just beat the Capitals, they ran them over with a 5-1 win. Buffalo was in sole possession of 8th place, 2 points up on the Caps, with 5 games left for both teams. Buffalo was in control, and just had to keep playing solid hockey to get into the playoffs.
The Caps won on Thursday, making it clear that Buffal...
Hello this is a new series I am starting,YES THE TITLE WILL BE THE SAME IN THE REGULAR SEASON NEXT YEAR!(These trades have nothing to do with other trades ie. Capitals could trade Ovi in 2 trades I list)
Trade 1-
Craig Anderson to Tampa for a 2012 2nd Round Pick
Well Obviously Tampa needs a goalie bad, so there is the reason for them.Ottawa would have Bishop starting ...
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...
famousjon writes...
Predator history from the eyes of a younger brother
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Last night was the most significant win in the young history of the Nashville Predators.
It was not the best game the Predators ever played. It was not an upset or a comeback for the ages. It was not a dominant performance. It didn't include the greatest goals, saves, or hits in Predator history. It wasn't a game that will go down in the NHL history books for anyt...
Last night Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers skated to a 3-2 victory at Scotia Bank Place in Ottawa to force a game 7 in their series with the Senators. The top seed in the East fought back from a deflating shutout loss at home in Game 5 and an early 1-0 deficit in game 6. The Atlantic Division champs had some help from an undisciplined Ottawa team who took several crucia...
Why would Edmonton trade the 1st Overall pick? The second Edmonton won the Draft Lottery everyone started to compare them to the Quebec Nordiques who also got the 1st Overall pick three years in a row. Quebec would win the Stanley Cup five seasons later as the Colorado Avalanche, guess how many of those 1st Overall picks were on that Stanley Cup winning team. If your gue...
Why would Edmonton trade the 1st Overall pick? The second Edmonton won the Draft Lottery everyone started to compare them to the Quebec Nordiques who also got the 1st Overall pick three years in a row. Quebec would win the Stanley Cup five seasons later as the Colorado Avalanche, guess how many of those 1st Overall picks were on that Stanley Cup winning team. If your gue...
Why would Edmonton trade the 1st Overall pick? The second Edmonton won the Draft Lottery everyone started to compare them to the Quebec Nordiques who also got the 1st Overall pick three years in a row. Quebec would win the Stanley Cup five seasons later as the Colorado Avalanche, guess how many of those 1st Overall picks were on that Stanley Cup winning team. If your gue...
Wow, that was an exciting first round with numerous upsets, and plenty of teams having some very close calls over the past 2 weeks. Like you, I’m surprised about several of the teams that are still alive and kicking in the NHL playoffs. Here’s my take on the 2nd round, and predictions as to who is moving on to the Conference Finals.
http://betweenthebenches.com/?p...
For the past 21 years, the Detroit Red Wings have been on a run of tremendous success that very few fans experience in a lifetime. It's been very special that I have been lucky enough to be a fan born into the success of the Detroit Red Wings. I was born in October 1990, and the Wings have made the playoffs every season that has been played since, a streak that has now rea...
A couple days ago, I read Darren Dreger's comments in an interview he gave on Sportsradio 93-7 about the potentiality of trading Evgeni Malkin rather than Jordan Staal during the offseason. Understanding that a new CBA being negotiated could change this development for Penguins GM Ray Shero, this is an interesting and [or] disturbing thought for a few reasons.
Before I ...
Goaltending rumors are everywhere right now. Speak to anyone in Toronto, Chicago, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Vancouver and here in Tampa and it becomes abundantly clear that this could well be the “summer of the goaltender” in the NHL. Names that come up often have been well documented here and by the mainstream media. You have Schneider, Luongo, Bernier, Harding, Lindba...
More and more it’s becoming abundantly clear that the Lightning will be holding onto the 10th overall pick at this year’s NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh. Whether you agree with the move or not, it shouldn’t come as that much of a shock when you consider that Al Murray, the Lightning’s chief amateur scout, has been quoted as saying that Steve Yzerman will be taking ...
Eklund recently posted a blog indicating that the rumors of Roberto Luongo to Tampa Bay are heating up and mentioned that the potential deal could be a Luongo for Lecavalier swap. The VL4/RL1 rumblings have been around for a few years now. Since the departure of Khabibulin, the Lightning have really struggled in the goaltending category. Roberto Luongo’s history in Flori...
I don't usually write a blog that simply mentions another blog but this seems to be very appropriate.
Tim Panaccio's latest:
[url]http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Tim-Panaccio/Flyers-React-to-Elimination/2/44345[/url]
A bunch of comments from the Flyer's players and coach but the things they say, about how different the two series were, are very telling.
The most ...
Conference Final Observations
-Let the 1994 comparisons between the Rangers and the Devils begin. Martin Brodeur is the only remaining player from either of those squads still on the same team. Officially dubbing the Eastern Conference Finals the Penn Station Showdown, but Ghosts of Matteau works too.
-Much is going to be made of Henrik Lundqvist’s dominance agains...
Quickly, as a disclaimer, the above title does not refer to the thorough New Jersey Devils victory from Wednesday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, but more as a plea for New Jersey to stay out of the penalty box. The Devils won 3-2 and surrendered both goals on the power play, another of which came from Rangers über rookie Chris Kreider. The Devils contro...
ISS released their new draft rankings yesterday. There are some surprises and the reason for the changes can be seen. Forsberg moved to the number 2 spot for his finish as top forward in the Under 18 tournament. However with that said Matt Dumba moved up but was ranked behind U-18 Dman Jacob Trouba. Dumba Lead the tournament in points and was selected as the number one...
There is a #91 Tavares Jersey that is framed and hung on Eric Murphy's office wall on the set of HBO's "Entourage." It's ironic, considering the show had it's final season on HBO last year and the Islanders might not be far behind.
In August 2011, a referendum which would have allowed the Islanders to borrow up to $400 million to modernize the Nassau Coliseum failed in...
The Vancouver Canucks need to trade Roberto Luongo, right? He's old, washed up, mentally unstable, carries a contract until infinity, and guess what, Cory Schneider is right there, banging on the door (although some would argue that it is Luongo who is banging on Schneider's door now). Luongo out, Schneider in equals one cup to soothe the rioters, right?
Wrong. Cory Sch...
There are a few questions the Flyers will need to address this offseason and the future beyond the 2012-13 season.
[u][b]Who will be the next Captain?[/b][/u]
Based on the reports lately on Chris Pronger's condition that little improvement has been made, his playing time seems more and more likely, although still uncertain, to be coming to an end. This almost inevitabl...
-Expect two questions to abound for New Jersey throughout the Stanley Cup Finals: 1. Will Martin Brodeur retire should the Devils win the Cup? 2: Where will Zach Parise be playing next season? (although, it's seeming more likely that he will be staying in New Jersey).
-How will the Devils adapt their style of play to Los Angeles after facing the passive approach of the ...
The 2014 Olympics in Sochi will be a new turning point for Canadian professional hockey. A changing of the guards if you will. The team which represented Canada in Vancouver, while praised as one of the best Canadian national teams ever brought together for one event, was old. The captain of that team, Scott Niedermeyer, is gone, and other player's who played serious minut...
Anze Kopitar is hardly the skater a goaltender wants to see bearing down on him in overtime with yards of unimpeded ice. Kopitar's slick hands, put on display during the St. Louis series, waited out Martin Brodeur and snagged Los Angeles a 2-1 victory in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals Wednesday evening, giving the Kings home-ice advantage in the process.
In a physical...
Last season, when the Ottawa Senators still had Brian Elliot and were struggling throughout the year, goaltending was a major weakness for the Sens. Robin Lehner was seen as the goalie of the future as he was playing incredibly well, leading his team a Calder Cup Championship. At the trade deadline, Craig Anderson was acquired in a swap for Elliot, and goaltending seemed m...
Few can argue that Martin Brodeur has had a magical NHL career. Over his brilliant 18 years in the league, he is a three time Stanley Cup winner, four time Vezina Trophy winner, the all time wins leader, and all time shut out leader. He has led Team Canada to Olympic Gold, and has been the the face of the New Jersey Devils Franchise for the better part of 20 years. And has...
Few can argue that Martin Brodeur has had a magical NHL career. Over his brilliant 18 years in the league, he is a three time Stanley Cup winner, four time Vezina Trophy winner, the all time wins leader, and all time shut out leader. He has led Team Canada to Olympic Gold, and has been the the face of the New Jersey Devils Franchise for the better part of 20 years. And has...
With the draft coming up, the thought on most Oiler fans minds is do we take a defenseman (Ryan Murray) instead of Yakupov to fill our need on the blueline. But will it even help?
The thing to consider is that this team is not a contender. We are in year 3 of the rebuild and just starting to climb out of the basement. Therefore, there's no need to do anything drastic. ...
With the draft approaching, there is a lot of talk about what Brian Burke could possibly be up to, in order to better the club for the upcoming season and the future. There have been many scenarios bounced around over the past few weeks and every option discussed seems to have a bevy of supporters, regardless how different the path may be. After watching some of these conv...
The Philadelphia Flyers' defense was an obvious fault in their game, leading to their subsequent elimination by the New Jersey Devils in 5 games in the Conference Semi-Finals. This was a problem during the season, however it was masked by their winning ways, as well as the inconsistent play of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. During the season, the defense would bail him out of ...
Gotta say...I'm more than a little tired of hearing how Burkie dropped the ball in Leafville by not trading off his players for 1st rounders. I implore you...what possible sense would that have made?
Burkie said he had offers for his players. He said 1st rounders were offered. What he DIDN'T say was where those picks were. It's no secret that this is a weak draft. ...
Just a quick hit on this.
Nash for Ryan...straight up! This is one scenario that I have not heard anyone (and I mean anyone) mention as a possibility. Why not? Cap wise it works and each team would get a great player.
Anyone have any thoughts on this that they would be willing to share?
Cheers!
For many seasons, the Flyers have always opted for the "quick fix" mentality. Signing a big name free agent, trading away draft picks and young prospects for more established players often on the back end of their career, and relying on high salaried players to get the job done. This strategy has come close to paying off several times. Trading away a huge chunk of the futu...
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]The Mike Ribeiro trade is a strange situation. Not because it was a surprise or because it was a bad trade for either team.[/b]
It's a strange sitaution simply for the reasons that it had to happen. Normally a team makes a trade because they think they can make their team better through it. Whether that means immediately or down the road during a rebuild. The Dalla...
B_Chapman writes...
Coach Glen Gulutzan: Will He Learn From His Mistakes?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[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 0
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...
As Christmas in July approaches for hockey fans, we anxiously await news of our favorite team signing that player who can turn the franchise around and take our team to the Promise Land. This summer, there are a couple players in an otherwise weak free agent class that can be that player for an NHL team. Here is my list of the Top 20 free agents and the destination I feel ...
With Nicklas Lidstrom off to a retirement home and the Red Wings looking to "rebuild", this off-season could be a big one for Red Wings fans. The Red Wings have a good core group of players and have a lot of cap room to sign some intriguing free agents. Here is what Ken Holland should do, in my opinion:
-Re-sign Justin Abdelkader: three years, $5.4 million ($1.8 mil AAV...
TheJerseyDevil1 writes...
Why the Avalanche Need to Make a Strong Push for Semin
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Hello all,
As it finally turns to open season for UFA hunting, despite the array of recent signings, Colorado still sits with a roster of just 16. So where does Sherman go from here?
The Av's have 8 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 2 goalies signed as of July 1st. There are still a couple notable RFA's who should reach deals like Erik Johnson and Jamie McGinn. With some ...
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Preface: Everyone can feel free to bark and scream at the title to this blog post, but if you manage to read through this long-winded explanation then you will begin to understand (and appreciate) its meaning.
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I'll start by saying this is one of my days of the year (behind Trade-Deadline Day, in which I have been "sick" my fair share to watch the entire ...
Why does every year feel more and more painful as a Leaf fan? I think that after this year the new CBA will work to the advantage of the leafs or at least put the on a level playing field with the rest of the NHL teams. Burke doesn't believe in these long term contracts, and even though it sucks to see big names pass up Toronto year after year, there is a method to his mad...
Tony Dean writes...
MN Wild 2012-2013 Opening Day Lineups Optimal Scenario
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
On the night before #Parisewatch could come to a close I am inspired to lay out an opening game lineup look with explanation. I submit these ideas without the benefit of much information given that it is July 3rd but going to lay it out now.
OPTIMAL OPENING DAY LINEUP
LINE 1
LW-Parise/C-Koivu/RW-Heatley
LINE 2
LW-Cullen/C-Granlund/RW-Setogucci
LINE 3
LW-Coyle/C-...
The sabres fanbase, myself included, has attachments to many players on thw current roster for reasons other than talent. Being from Angola, NY and going to the same high school as patrick kaleta, I obviously love seeing him on the squad. Nathan Gerbe is the personification of perseverance and is known for giving his all every night. But do they fit on the newly minted ros...
So here goes....
I am [b]NOT[/b] an NHL Insider. I don't have any inside sources or unparalleled accesses. If I do post about breaking news or rumors, I guarantee it will be second-hand information.
Here you will [b]NOT[/b] find trade and free agent rumors that you've not heard before, exclusive interviews with NHL Pros and Executives, or behind the scenes photos...
First off, on behalf of all of the province of Vancouver I apologize for the lackluster effort put forth by the Canucks in refusing to win 16 straight games to win their first Stanley Cup for the third time. We can only blame Roberto Luongo for so long for failing to win the cup in 012, 94, or 82 where i heard he actually [i]didn't even watch one game[/i] of the FINALS b...
I was pleased to see the Senators organization extend Chris Neil's contract. I feel this was a no brainer for head office due to the relatively low contract and the influence #25 has in the nation's capital. Bringing a tough guy presence with a 30+ point upside is certainly worth 3 years at 5.75M.
While Ottawa Paul MacLeaned its way into a new era, it is important to k...
[i]“I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don’t care. Move me … because it’s just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you’re going to be the guy moved.” - Bobby Ryan[/i]
Interesting enough, he's clearly on board with being dealt to another team. And why not the Ottawa Senators? A team that is one 4-time 30 goal scor...
[i]“I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don’t care. Move me … because it’s just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you’re going to be the guy moved.” - Bobby Ryan[/i]
Interesting enough, he's clearly on board with being dealt to another team. And why not the Ottawa Senators? A team that is one 4-time 30 goal scor...
[i]“I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don’t care. Move me … because it’s just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you’re going to be the guy moved.” - Bobby Ryan[/i]
Interesting enough, he's clearly on board with being dealt to another team. And why not the Ottawa Senators? A team that is one 4-time 30 goal scor...
[i]“I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don’t care. Move me … because it’s just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you’re going to be the guy moved.” - Bobby Ryan[/i]
Interesting enough, he's clearly on board with being dealt to another team. And why not the Ottawa Senators? A team that is one 4-time 30 goal scor...
[i]“I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don’t care. Move me … because it’s just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you’re going to be the guy moved.” - Bobby Ryan[/i]
Interesting enough, he's clearly on board with being dealt to another team. And why not the Ottawa Senators? A team that is one 4-time 30 goal scor...
[i]“I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don’t care. Move me … because it’s just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you’re going to be the guy moved.” - Bobby Ryan[/i]
Interesting enough, he's clearly on board with being dealt to another team. And why not the Ottawa Senators? A team that is one 4-time 30 goal scor...
[i]“I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don’t care. Move me … because it’s just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you’re going to be the guy moved.” - Bobby Ryan[/i]
Interesting enough, he's clearly on board with being dealt to another team. And why not the Ottawa Senators? A team that is one 4-time 30 goal scor...
3 Years. 7 Months. 14 Days. This is how long it has been since Brian Burke took over the reigns from interim GM Cliff Fletcher. Needless to say, the team Burke inherited on Nov 28 2008 bears little resemblance to the team that ended the 2011/2012 season.
Opinions of what Burke has accomplished with his team, up to this point, are mixed to say the least. I do not preten...
Please take some time to check out this article and all of my Dallas Stars coverage over at www.betweenthebenches.com
Following the heavily publicized rumors that the St. Louis Blues were targetting Morrow for a trade, GM Joe Nieuwendyk came out to Mike Heika from the Dallas Morning News by saying...
“We had a good talk the other day, and I told him I very much bel...
This summer has already dragged on to long. I love the great weather but miss hockey to much. I enjoy the CFL but it is not quite enough to get me through. So far this off season I am happy with what the Montreal Canadiens have done. The office staff is rounding out quite nice, the team is a little tougher. But being stuck with a few bad contracts is really holding them ba...
For most Detroit Red Wings fans, this off-season has been a complete disaster. I even heard an interview on the radio, that suggested it was an absolute meltdown in the front office and Ken Holland should be fired immediately. This is just ludicrous. Sure you could look at it from one perspective, we lost one of the best defenseman to ever lace them up in Nick Lidstrom. We...
dresecondyear writes...
Are the sabres better after offseason moves so far?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I was just thinking to myself about this. Only time will truly tell but just for the heck of it lets debate this.
Offseason acquisitions- John Scott, Steve Ott, Adam Pardy, Nick Tarnasky,
Departures- Derek Roy, Jochen Hecht, Brad Boyes
The players that were brought in without a doubt play a more rugged style of game, but do they add enough skill to boost the sabr...
So it's come to this, folks. We've missed out on the Suter/Parise sweepstakes. We lost Wideman to Calgary (though with the contract, this should be considered a relief), Garrison to Vancouver, and Carle to the greatest man to ever lace up as a member of the Winged Wheel. Ken Holland, it would seem, is running out of options. However, the man is a wizard, and I present this...
This Offseason, the penguins have work to do to get ready for the upcoming season. They've already made some splashes sending Jordan Staal to Carolina for Sutter, Pouliot, and Brian Dumoulin. They signed Tanner Glass who is perfect to fill in for Asham. They traded Michalek and signed some low key guys. . ...
Well hello everyone, my name is Jason and I will try and blog as much I as can. Let me start off by telling you about me, I'm 30, married and have three girls. I have a been a leaf fan for a long time and felt I should start a blog. Since there's has not been a lot of big news for leafs nation I figure I'll talk about the Rick Nash deal. At first I was like a lot of peopl...
First time blogger, enjoy! Follow me on Twitter @PHI_Flyers
Everyone under the sun knows that the Flyers have been one giant "swing and a miss" so far this offseason. We let Jagr go (I don't think he is worth the money he is making in Dallas, so good riddance) We let Carle walk to a big signing in Tampa Bay (I know most Flyer fans really hated Carle, but there would be...
dkroll16 writes...
Why Claude Giroux SHOULD NOT be the next Flyers Captain
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter @PHI_Flyers
First off, in case you didn't hear.. the Flyers sent an official trade offer to the Ducks for Bobby Ryan. Philly would be shipping off Meszaros, Read, Laughton, and a 1st Rd pick in '13. Ultimately, I would be okay with this trade. Matt Read had a great rookie season and I don't see him following in the footsteps of Leino in a product...
Follow me on Twitter @PHI_Flyers
Today I thought would be fun to look at a Flyer in depth. I was thinking Danny B, but lets save him for tomorrow and look at the newest Flyer to resign, Jakub Voracek.
Before the details come out, just by watching him skate this past year, here is his OBVIOUS pros and cons
PROS- very fast, excellent passer, amazing control over th...
The past few days on Twitter have been crazy about the possible moves that teams are making for Anaheim forward Bobby Ryan. The one thing I hate about twitter is you never know what deals are actually true and which are fake. I've heard Philadelphia , Buffalo, and Boston have all made offers to Anaheim for Bobby Ryan, Lets go more in depth on these possible trades.
Let...
dkroll16 writes...
If You Could Have Any Player... Who Would You Choose?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Follow me on twitter @PHI_Flyers
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Okay so I have not blogged in a few days and I thought that it would be fun to blog today about something people could debate and argue for days.
First I want to start with players under the age of 23. If you were the GM of the Flyers and could have ANY PLAYER UNDER 23 YEARS OLD, wit...
MintEdition writes...
The future looks bright for the swedish defense setup!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
In many ways you could say that the future is already here. When Erik Karlsson picked up his first Norris Trophy last season it has gone no less than one year after Lidstrom settled with his last and seventh, one shy of Bobby Orr's record eight. As one living in Sweden I know the Swedish hockey fraternity were all in smiles. Is there a new era of domination for (Swedish) d...
The 2012-2013 NHL regular season is rapidly approaching and the Philadelphia Flyers have failed to make a major splash in the free agent market for the first time in a long, long time. Since Paul Holmgren took over as the Flyers General Manager in 2006 after Bobby Clarke resigned one month into the season, the team has been a major contender for practically every big name ...
Follow me on twitter @PHI_Flyers
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We are only a little more than a month away from the start of pre season action! While there still will be more signings and possibles trades, I thought that today I would make predictions of the Atlantic Division if the season started tomorrow. I will look into the other divisions and con...
First blog in quite awhile for me. But today I am going to be doing my predictions for every notable player on the Flyers roster today. Please note that these are if every player plays 82 games, which will NOT be happening. So give/take 5-10 Goals less! I will also be including the players +/- stat.
[u][b]FORWARDS[/b][/u]
[b]Giroux[/b]: 30 G, 75 A, 105 P, +13
[b]Hart...
[b]For everything hockey - 24/7 news updates, scores, humour, blogs, and everything else in between, please follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/DailyNHLGrind.[/b]
LINK TO PART ONE: [url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=13838&user_id=131735[/url]
Today is day two of a six-day series that will look at the job done by the 30 GM’s around the league. Fr...
Well, with the look of the Flyers roster becoming clearer as we approach opening day, here are my predictions for how the 2012-13 season will shake out for the Flyers. Will be fun to revisit these in June and see how close I got.
1. Paul Holmgren will sign Michal Rosival to a one year deal in an attempt to fill the hole on defense after the injury to Meszaros.
2. And...
Just going to start by saying that this is my first blog so hopefully I dont make a mess of this. :)
Well as im sure we are all aware, Eklund reported a possible rumor between the Sabres and the Oilers. Ill attempt to break it down here.
Sabres: The Rumor suggests that the Sabres would be sending a "significant defenceman." Lets start by saying it wont be Myers or Eh...
Just going to start by saying that this is my first blog so hopefully I dont make a mess of this. :)
Well as im sure we are all aware, Eklund reported a possible rumor between the Sabres and the Oilers. Ill attempt to break it down here.
Sabres: The Rumor suggests that the Sabres would be sending a "significant defenceman." Lets start by saying it wont be Myers or Eh...
cuppacoldtea writes...
Five Reasons to Look Forward to Losing a Year of Hockey
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Here are five positive things I will take away from a lockout, in descending order
5: The New Jersey Devils will save about 3 million dollars every two weeks in player's salaries. This should help them make their loan payments...seeing how four rounds of extra playoff revenue did not seem to to the job.
4: Vancouver have an extra year to work out a deal with Tor...
To me, hockey is my escape. I am underemployed, I am struggling to put myself back through college, I have lost most of the luxuries I once enjoyed but I still had hockey.
Hockey to me is pure.
Imagine an office where 99% of the employees loved their jobs and gave it 100% everyday.
Imagine making hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars doing the job that you...
To me, hockey is my escape. I am underemployed, I am struggling to put myself back through college, I have lost most of the luxuries I once enjoyed but I still had hockey.
Hockey to me is pure.
Imagine an office where 99% of the employees loved their jobs and gave it 100% everyday.
Imagine making hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars doing the job that you...
To me, hockey is my escape. I am underemployed, I am struggling to put myself back through college, I have lost most of the luxuries I once enjoyed but I still had hockey.
Hockey to me is pure.
Imagine an office where 99% of the employees loved their jobs and gave it 100% everyday.
Imagine making hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars doing the job that you...
Corseting writes...
Exceeding Expectations - Fantasy goalies for 2012/2013
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This is Part 2 of my fantasy outlook blog, for those of you who missed Part 1 on [b]players[/b], please check it out here:
[url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=96143&post_id=13915[/url]
Wonderful.
So, just as a refresher, the basis of this blog is to assess those fantasy assets who I see taking a step up in the 2012/2013 season. Although that doesn'...
[b]Evander Kane[/b]- I have been told that Kane is closer to re-signing with the Jets then leaving, but there is some rumble about Pittsburgh throwing there 2 cents into the mix....
[b]Shane Doan[/b]- Doan is looking more and more like hes staying in Phoenix. there are plenty of teams looking for his services. Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philly, and Vancouver are just a few....
For anybody who knows this player... this video will explain why he is my favorite player of all time....
http://youtu.be/Fq1iGxVzNgA
I wanted to get video to pop right up on the page put it was fighting me....
Obviously everyone out in blogger world (for the NHL at least) is igniting this site with lock out news (we all know its looking grim for a normal season). So I figured A different blog could be beneficial to us who still want to discuss possible outcomes for the (hopeful) season.
I believe we Avs fans are on the verge of a season worth the wait considering how tough i...
Obviously everyone out in blogger world (for the NHL at least) is igniting this site with lock out news (we all know its looking grim for a normal season). So I figured A different blog could be beneficial to us who still want to discuss possible outcomes for the (hopeful) season.
I believe we Avs fans are on the verge of a season worth the wait considering how tough i...
Obviously everyone out in blogger world (for the NHL at least) is igniting this site with lock out news (we all know its looking grim for a normal season). So I figured A different blog could be beneficial to us who still want to discuss possible outcomes for the (hopeful) season.
I believe we Avs fans are on the verge of a season worth the wait considering how tough i...
As a follow-up on my recent predictions of the Northeast division, I'll be weighing in today with my thoughts on possibly the best division in hockey. The Atlantic Division contained 4 playoff teams last year, or the number produced by the Southeast and Northeast divisions combined. The fact that the Eastern final was between two Atlantic teams, and didn't feature perenia...
[i]Since I plan on watching every Sound Tigers game I can, even after the lockout (hopefully) ends this season, I thought I’d write about the games here and give my severely amateur views on some of the Isles’ top prospects for Isles fans who are not able to follow the Bridgeport squad. I haven’t watched much AHL hockey before, so bear with me if my observations see...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers put forth a solid team effort from the net out to earn a 4-2 win in their home opener, battling from behind for the second straight night.
Nino Niederreiter scored his second goal in as many nights, and now leads the Sound Tigers with four points. Brock Nelson sits one point behind him after contributing an assist in the game on a shorthande...
The game of hockey that most Canadians and a few Americans love has been been sacrificed on the altar of big business.
A kid dreams of getting to the NHL and would play for free but when he gets there, his agent tells him you can't play unless "you're getting more millions than some other guy who is not as good as you."
The owners fall over themselves handing...
Yes, the NHL is locked out. However, I will still blog about the NHL and, more specifically, the Detroit Red Wings. Since they are not playing any games and I cannot complain about poor performance or how Brendan Smith is the “real deal”, I will discuss other topics relating to the Red Wings of the past. Hopefully the season will start soon with the recent 50/50 propos...
The visiting Bridgeport Sound Tigers never trailed in a game they could have easily lost if not for strong play from goaltender Kevin Poulin and some fortunate bounces at both ends of the ice.
Nino Niederreiter picked up his third goal and team-leading fifth point of the season in the 3-2 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and Poulin turned aside 34 shots ...
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...
While the NHL is disintegrating, some of the Red Wings have taken their talents elsewhere to stay fresh, make a living, or just play the game they enjoy. Thanks to [url]www.hockeydb.com[/url], you can see their stats from the different European leagues. Here is a list of the players who are overseas and their stats in case anyone wanted to know how [b]Henrik Zetterberg[/b]...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers sandwiched a hard-fought shootout win against the Springfield Falcons in between two forgettable losses against the Worcester Sharks this past weekend.
Kirill Kabanov had surgery on his wrist due to an injury sustained in Friday’s 5-1 loss in Worcester. The AHL Live video feed never really showed what happened aside from a brief shot of Ka...
Storm-stricken Bridgeport Sound Tigers fans took some time off from assessing damage, waiting in line for gas and assisting loved ones, friends and even strangers to take advantage of a thoughtful gesture by the organization: free tickets to last night’s game against the Hershey Bears. And the team rewarded the sellout crowd with a solid effort and a victory that includ...
I’ll indulge in some Ilya Bryzgalov-like philosophizing and say that today’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins was perhaps the universe seeking balance.
Last time these two teams met, the Penguins controlled the majority of play, but lost the game due to stellar goaltending from Bridgeport’s Kevin Poulin and some fortunate b...
UIF writes...
Bridgeport Earns 4-2 Win Over Norfolk in Wednesday Matinee
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Nino Niederreiter and Brock Nelson both scored as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers put forth a solid effort in a 4-2 victory over the Norfolk Admirals in a game that began in Wednesday’s a.m. hours.
The contest also saw its share of scraps, with enforcer Brett Gallant getting a fighting hat trick, sandwiching a close loss to former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Jay Rosehill...
UIF writes...
Nilsson Comes Up Big in Bridgeport's 5-2 Win over Manchester
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
For two periods, last night’s game between the visiting Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Manchester Monarchs came down to an impressive goaltender duel between Anders Nilsson and Martin Jones. But in the third, the Sound Tigers scored three of the period’s four goals to give Nilsson a 5-2 victory in his first start of the season.
Nino Niederreiter and Brock Nelson s...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers scored three unanswered goals to complete a comeback against the rival Connecticut Whale, overcoming an early deficit caused in large part by former Sound Tiger Michael Haley.
Bridgeport played much of the home game with just 10 forwards, as Casey Cizikas left the ice hurt in the first period and did not return, and Colin McDonald received a ...
I decided to try to write a weekly blog on here just to vent my opinion. Well this is number 2 since July so I'm off to a roaring start. I wanted to get into it about the weekly games and how I was feeling about the NHL and the Habs. But here I am struggling to hold on to any kind of caring about hockey. I went from being mad at the owners, to being mad at the players to j...
Here is more evidence that hockey players are the best shit-talkers in all of sports.
While I believe that both sides need to make concessions in order to reach a fair deal, you have to give Ian White some credit for speaking his mind and not holding back. White's comments are blowing up Twitter (to the extent that hockey can blow up Twitter). I'd like to see a NHL rep...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers entered last night’s game against the Adirondack Phantoms second in the league in penalties. They did all they could to take first place in that category, and paid for it by surrendering three power-play goals in a lopsided 5-1 loss in Glens Falls.
Bridgeport took seven minor penalties and added three fighting majors on the night. This is...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers head into a three-game weekend in the midst of a three-game losing streak -- their first losing streak of the season.
The team will look for answers beginning tonight when it visits the Hershey Bears, a team Bridgeport beat 3-2 on Nov. 3 in an entertaining game that storm-stricken Bridgeport fans got to see for free thanks to a nice gesture...
Instead of writing about the lockout, which seems to be the default for hockey journalists currently, I felt that I should write about the World Juniors, the most exciting annual IIHF event. So instead of versing in the prose of doom and gloom, I present to you my podium predictions for the 2012-2013 World Junior Championship, which will be held in Ufa, Russia.
1. Canad...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers were unable to end their first losing streak of the season this past weekend, dropping all three of their games by a combined score of 13-6.
The team’s skid now stands at six games, although they earned a point in a shootout loss on Saturday to maintain possession of second place in the Northeast Division.
Winger David Ullstrom was injur...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers dropped their seventh straight game 4-2 last night against the Connecticut Whale, but anyone tuning in via AHL Live experienced only a choppy video feed and audio that cut in and out before it got so bad it virtually stopped working entirely.
I consider this another nail in the coffin for my AHL Live experience; dealing with a service that ch...
With the NHL stuck in an owner’s lockout, hockey fans have had to direct their attention to other leagues in order to scratch the itch for competitive games. The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) has drawn a lot of the fan attention that the NHL would normally consume. Here are some of the studs and duds to watch for in the CHL’s eastern league, the QMJHL.
Topping my lis...
With three minutes left in the first period of last night’s game in Albany against the Devils, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers were trailing 1-0 and had mustered a measly one shot on goal. They ended the first period with three shots, and at the 10-minute mark of the second period, they still had just six shots on net.
[i]See latest entry with better news on yesterday's ...
If you’re going to end a long and ugly losing streak, you might as well do it with an exclamation mark.
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers beat the East Division-leading Syracuse Crunch at home 7-2 and put a stop to their first losing streak of the season at eight games. Recently-announced captain Colin McDonald led the way with four points, and his linemates, Nino Niederre...
Through the first two periods in Portland last night against the Pirates, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers did everything right but score. They finally broke through Portland goaltender Chad Johnson in the third, but that was only good enough to tie the contest after they had yielded a goal earlier in the frame. And in overtime, a familiar foe -- ill-timed penalties -- struck...
UIF writes...
Bridgeport Takes 3 of 4 Points Against Norfolk; Nelson Hurt
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers never trailed the Norfolk Admirals in the two games the teams played this weekend, but both teams exit action with three of a possible four points, with Bridgeport taking Friday's game in overtime and Norfolk taking Saturday's in the shootout.
Bridgeport’s second-leading scorer Brock Nelson picked up a goal and an assist Friday night in Nor...
Two Islanders’ prospects that might have cracked the big club this season had there not been a lockout scored two goals apiece as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers defeated the Albany Devils last night 4-3.
Casey Cizikas scored Bridgeport’s first and third goals while Matt Donovan scored the team’s second goal and game-winning fourth goal. Johan Sundstrom also had a ...
With Eklund breaking the news that the amnesty clause is back in the lastest proposal offered by the NHL, it's time to play who gets the gate.
This is not just for Sabres fans, as it's for any teams fans.
Which player would you amnesty from your favorite team?
You can give two choices, ranking them 1. and 2.
There are going to be obvious choices, like Gomez with ...
I have a bone to pick with the rules.
The situation rose again during the Canada-Slovak game the other day, where Canada had to kill off two five minute majors from trivial calls. Why rose again? Because NJ's season basically ended trying to kill a five minute boarding penalty.
Now when there's an illegal hit to the head, or a boarding, or a bad charging, I understa...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers were sharp Saturday evening in their 4-1 victory over the Manchester Monarchs, building off of home-and-home wins over the rival Connecticut Whale earlier in the week.
Sean Backman scored twice for the Sound Tigers on Saturday, Casey Cizikas put in his ninth goal of the year, and Nino Niederreiter capped off the scoring in his first game back...
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers blew a three-goal lead on New Year’s Eve, but managed to skate out of Glens Falls, N.Y. with two points thanks to stellar goaltending by Kevin Poulin and three shootout goals.
In the team’s previous three games -- two wins against the Connecticut Whale and one against the Manchester Monarchs -- the Sound Tigers started early, scoring with...
PauljBoychuk writes...
A History of Trade with Leafs GM Brian Burke- TRADE #1
Posted Friday | Comments 0
In this blog I will be examining and breaking down, the trades that the Toronto Maple Leafs President and General Manager, Brian Burke has made. I will provide brief anaylisis for each deal, and examine what the club got, and what they gave a way.
I will only be examining trades of a certain level of significance. Unless everyone would like to me to regail in Burke's ma...
Morning all. I'm actually amazed that I'm up right now. I'm in my fleece hockey pants, and my 1980 USA jersey to watch the gold medal game between USA and Sweden. We all know how this works!!! I'll blog while I watch the game, and throw my thoughts in there. Thank god it was on at 8, there was no way I was going to wake up for a 4:30 am game.
The only difference betwee...
UIF writes...
Bridgeport Notes: A Look at the Prospects as Lockout Ends
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As the NHL lockout mercifully comes to an end, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers have hit another bump in the road, dropping their first three games of 2013. Furthermore, they stand to lose some key parts of their club to the parent New York Islanders as the NHL season gets underway.
Monday night, the Sound Tigers got a point, but let two separate leads slip away, losing 4-3...
I swear I didn't take that title from anywhere. Anyways as many of you readers know already, Brian Burke was relieved of his duties as Gm and head of Hockey Operations by the two-headed behemoth that is Rogers and Bell, and Dave Nonis will replace (from here until who knows) him.
Now, I'm sure I'm not the only person who was at a loss of words. Burke was going into his...
I don't know Evander Kane. I don't pretend to. I have never met the man. That of course has not kept me from forming an opinion of the young forward during his brief stint as a member of the Winnipeg Jets. This opinion I have formed has come from watching him play a full season on the ice, as well as witnessing his antics on Twitter and hearing rumours (some unfounded,...
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...
The lock-out is over, NHL hockey is back, one thing remains as it did before the lock-out, P.K. Subban is still un-signed. Should P.K. be signed at all costs?
P.K. Subban is one of the NHL`s biggest mouths, a taunter if you will, he is also one of the league`s best young defensemen, a good hitter, got better defensively as he replaced Andrei Markov for 65 games last y...
An already difficult situation in Vancouver may have become even more complicated over this past weekend. There has been a bright spotlight placed on the goal crease at the Canucks end of the rink, and everyone has been paying close attention to the "Luongo Situation". It was all supposed to be quite simple; Roberto Luongo was supposed to be traded as soon as the ink was d...
'Well game one in the record books in this shortened season and its like a Gomez free 2011-2012. Carey Price was fantastic, he made some unreal saves as he usually does but as we have seen far to many times in the past he was almost the lone bright spot. The top line was completely silent and the rest of the team barley showed up. Toronto played an alright game but Montrea...
1/23/13
Game Recap:
Kings 1 @ Avalanche 3
Early in this one, the Kings looked to regain their Stanley Cup form over the young and speedy Avalanche. However, the Avalanche were able to stick close to the defending champs, finding a way similar to the Kings' playoff run to steal the victory.
A relentless fore-check led to several chances on Colorado netminder Semyo...
24 hours earlier, the Red Wings played a very solid game that consisted of good passing, getting good shots to the net and controlling a majority of play. Fast Forward to last night, the home opener against the Stars, and we saw a seemingly tired Red Wings squad. The team lacked energy for a good part of the night and they just seemed to be "off."
I was at th...
24 hours earlier, the Red Wings played a very solid game that consisted of good passing, getting good shots to the net and controlling a majority of play. Fast Forward to last night, the home opener against the Stars, and we saw a seemingly tired Red Wings squad. The team lacked energy for a good part of the night and they just seemed to be "off."
I was at th...
24 hours earlier, the Red Wings played a very solid game that consisted of good passing, getting good shots to the net and controlling a majority of play. Fast Forward to last night, the home opener against the Stars, and we saw a seemingly tired Red Wings squad. The team lacked energy for a good part of the night and they just seemed to be "off."
I was at th...
24 hours earlier, the Red Wings played a very solid game that consisted of good passing, getting good shots to the net and controlling a majority of play. Fast Forward to last night, the home opener against the Stars, and we saw a seemingly tired Red Wings squad. The team lacked energy for a good part of the night and they just seemed to be "off."
I was at th...
Well that was much better. Again Carey Price was on top of his game, again a night with some highlight reel saves. The way this guy plays the puck is a part of his game that does not seem to get a lot of attention. Last nights game and in the game vs Toronto there was a play where he cleared that puck by shooting it at the glass by the blue line about a foot down. Tell me ...
The Philadelphia Flyers find themselves 0-3 for the first time since 1995, in what was also a locked-out season. There have been many pitfalls for this team thusfar, and from what I've seen the team is playing worse and worse each game.
In the Pittsburgh game, the two goals Pittsburgh scored on Bryzgalov came immediately off of faceoffs, the first one a PP goal on 3 Pit...
It would take a lot but it could really improve the team. Toronto has a good young team with potential but as last night showed we need more to play against teams like the Rangers. Banging the leafs will knock them out. Our goaltending has been a pleasant surprise showing something more. It's probably a hair-brained idea and wouldn't happen, but I say the leafs go for both...
It would take a lot but it could really improve the team. Toronto has a good young team with potential but as last night showed we need more to play against teams like the Rangers. Banging the leafs will knock them out. Our goaltending has been a pleasant surprise showing something more. It's probably a hair-brained idea and wouldn't happen, but I say the leafs go for both...
We're five games into the NHL season, and it's fair to say that the Islanders do look better than many, including myself, were expecting. I believe that if Capuano wants them to make a serious push for a playoff spot, which is still quite the task, the lines need to be shuffled slightly. The Isles cannot afford to blow games with dead weight taking up a roster spot.
Wi...
We're five games into the NHL season, and it's fair to say that the Islanders do look better than many, including myself, were expecting. I believe that if Capuano wants them to make a serious push for a playoff spot, which is still quite the task, the lines need to be shuffled slightly. The Isles cannot afford to blow games with dead weight taking up a roster spot.
Wi...
We're five games into the NHL season, and it's fair to say that the Islanders do look better than many, including myself, were expecting. I believe that if Capuano wants them to make a serious push for a playoff spot, which is still quite the task, the lines need to be shuffled slightly. The Isles cannot afford to blow games with dead weight taking up a roster spot.
Wi...
I find it funny that the media thinks trading Kessel is a good idea because of his lack production so far this season.
Kessel is only in a slump; you know the same slump we see from him a few times a season. Just relax he will come out of it and put all this trade talk to bed just wait and see.
Kessel has not played a bad game hes just not getting the breaks. once he...
I find it funny that the media thinks trading Kessel is a good idea because of his lack production so far this season.
Kessel is only in a slump; you know the same slump we see from him a few times a season. Just relax he will come out of it and put all this trade talk to bed just wait and see.
Kessel has not played a bad game hes just not getting the breaks. once he...
I find it funny that the media thinks trading Kessel is a good idea because of his lack production so far this season.rnrnKessel is only in a slump; you know the same slump we see from him a few times a season. Just relax he will come out of it and put all this trade talk to bed just wait and see.rnrnKessel has not played a bad game hes just not getting the breaks. once he...
It been a season of highs and lows already, and we're just in 10 games. With the biggest additions of Larry Robinson and Jim Johnson, the special teams have been off to a blazing start. The PK sits at 4th best in the league while the PP (that seemed unstoppable) is still at a reasonable 8th in the league. While outscoring their opponents 28-12 in the first 7 games, the Sha...
#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...
[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...
[b]February 14, 2013[/b]
[i]Maple Leafs 1 @ Carolina Hurricanes 3[/i]
[b]Hurricanes bring out worst in Maple Leafs for second time this season[/b]
I am not so sure anyone can call that a hockey game on behalf of the Maple Leafs. Almost the same can be said for the Carolina Hurricanes, playing their first game on home ice after a successful long road trip. But cred...
This is seemingly assuredly, the Avs don't want to pay his contract and need something in return. The reason for hiatus is that they want O'Rielly for his center ice play. This gives a major advantage for the leafs.
Reason:
Tyler Bozak.
Now I like Tyler Bozak, he has been good for us, not #1 center but good, and I know he is no Ryan O-Rielly.
Here's why I think he...
If we look at the New York Rangers roster since the start of the season we have seen the likes of Ferriero, Bickel, Eminger, Newbury, Segal, and Kreider. All are now either riding the pine or the bus back to Connecticut. With all these move with the Rangers squad, I feel, has finally settled into a roster that Tortorella is confident with. The Rangers have been experimenti...
If we look at the New York Rangers roster since the start of the season we have seen the likes of Ferriero, Bickel, Eminger, Newbury, Segal, and Kreider. All are now either riding the pine or the bus back to Connecticut. With all these move with the Rangers squad, I feel, has finally settled into a roster that Tortorella is confident with. The Rangers have been experimenti...
If we look at the New York Rangers roster since the start of the season we have seen the likes of Ferriero, Bickel, Eminger, Newbury, Segal, and Kreider. All are now either riding the pine or the bus back to Connecticut. With all these move with the Rangers squad, I feel, has finally settled into a roster that Tortorella is confident with. The Rangers have been experimenti...
The Flyers just pulled off probably the biggest win of the season against the Islanders today. I think I speak for most Flyers fans when I say it's about time they got a win, especially in blowout fashion. The Flyers needed goals, and badly. Up until today, the boys were having trouble scoring more than one goal per game. The Flyers have definitely been lacking scoring...
Well this is more like it! A lot more of what I expected out of the Habs this year, building a lead through two periods and blowing it in the third. I know it’s a pessimistic point of view, but one thing I’ve learned from Les Habitants is to never count your chickens before they hatch. My one key to this game was to shutdown Tavares and Moulson, the only offensive punc...
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...
[b]Tale of the Tape[/b]
BOS 11-2-2 NYI 8-10-1
Goals For: BOS 2.87 NYI 2.90
Goals Against: BOS 2.20 NYI 3.37
Special Teams BOS: PP 14.9%(23rd) PK 94.8%(1st)
Special Teams NYI: PP 24.4% (5th) PK 84.1% (9th)
Bruins Road Record 7-1-1
Islanders Home Record 2-7-0
Season Series: 1-0 Boston (4-2 January 25th)
Currently Riding: BOS 3W NYI 1L
[b]Pr...
The score does not do this game justice. It’s not too often you can sit down and enjoy a 4-1 loss, but this was the exception.
The first period saw both teams come out physical early on, trading hits and matching each other’s physical agenda. Isles head coach Jack Capuano did his best at the beginning of the frame to avoid the Tavares-Chara match-up that, apparently...
It's an off day, so why not talk about Charles Wang? He's always worth a few words.
Two weeks ago the NY Post came out with a story regarding Charles Wang and his interest in selling the Islanders.
It’s been no secret for the past few seasons that Wang was entertaining the thought of selling the storied franchise, but it’s also been no secret that he’s asking f...
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]Update[/b]
[i]Boulton IN, Ullstrom OUT
Cizikas/McDonald to 3rd Line
Reasoner/Boulton to 4th Line
Martinek OUT, Finley IN[/i]
[b]Tale of the Tape[/b]
TOR 12-9-0 NYI 8-11-1
Goals For: TOR 2.81 NYI 2.80
Goals Against: TOR 2.43 NYI 3.40
Special Teams TOR: PP 16.5%(19th) PK 81.7%(15th)
Special Teams NYI: PP 23.5% (6th) PK 84.9% (7th)
Leafs Road R...
After fighting back from a two goal deficit, the Islanders came away with a point after Dion Phaneuf scored in overtime to win it for the Leafs.
Both teams came out very physical in the first period, with hits totalling 16-13 in favour of the Maple Leafs. For comparison, hits were 21-16 at the end of the Boston game and that was a physical one.
Kyle Okposo made a sli...
Rick DiPietro probably couldn't imagine a worse way to begin his AHL stint.
In his first start this season for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he yielded two goals on the first two shots he faced from the Connecticut Whale. Before the first period was 11 minutes old, the score was 3-0. And by the time the opening frame was over, the Sound Tigers were down 5-0 and DiPietr...
I’ve really had to wrap my head around this blog. It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve had something even remotely positive to write about with this team. Well, the Sabres finally delivered something mildly positive to bring a glimmer of hope to the fans of Buffalo.
Remember, it’s just a glimmer.
Buffalo has gotten 6 much needed points the last 3 game...
[b]Tale of the Tape[/b]
OTT 12-7-3 NYI 8-11-2
Goals For: OTT 2.14 NYI 2.86
Goals Against: OTT 1.82 NYI 3.48
Special Teams: OTT PP 15.8%(20th) OTT PK 89.2%(3rd)
NYI PP 23.5% (5th) NYI PK 84.9% (7th)
Senators Road Record 3-6-1
Islanders Home Record 2-8-1
Season Series: 1-0 Ottawa (3-1 February 21st)
Currently Riding: OTT 1L NYI 3L
[b]Projected Lines[/b]
[i...
It looked like it was going to be another rough night for Rick DiPietro and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
The home crowd was restless. Fans grumbled when DiPietro took a delay of game penalty a little over four minutes in for playing the puck outside the trapezoid. At 8:30 of the first period, the visiting Adirondack Phantoms scored their first goal, and it was not the...
Yesterday the Islanders were able to stop a three game skid by beating the Ottawa Senators on home ice. No, it’s not a typo. The Islanders actually won a game on home ice. I caught only bits and pieces of the game. Afternoon games are not made for people with kids, unless you’re at the game.
Brad Boyes got the Islanders on the board first with a nice shot over the g...
What is wrong with the Devils? That is the question that all Devil's fan's are asking right now. After such a strong start, the Devil's have faltered in the last couple of weeks and have slid from 1st in the east all the way to 7th. There are several possible causes for the slide but I have highlighted below the few that I believe are the most pressing.
Scoring-With Pari...
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]Tale of the Tape[/b]
MTL 14-4-4 NYI 9-11-2
Goals For: MTL 3.04 NYI 2.82
Goals Against: MTL 2.32 NYI 3.41
Special Teams: MTL PP 19.0%(11th) MTL PK 82.6%(15th)
NYI PP 22.1% (5th) NYI PK 84.2% (10th)
Canadiens Road Record 6-1-2
Islanders Home Record 3-8-1
Season Series: 1-0 New York (4-3(OT) February 21st)
Currently Riding: MTL 1W NYI 1W
[b]Projected Lines[...
The Islanders kept up with the Canadiens and battled their way to a 6-3 victory, their second win in as many games at home. A more balanced attack by Capuano and Co. led to fresh legs that were able to keep up with the speedy Canadiens. The Islanders offense is scoring at a rate that keeps them in the tops in the league, possibly something that Montreal didn't consider and...
[b]Tale of the Tape[/b]
NYR 11-8-2 NYI 10-11-2
Goals For: NYR 2.52 NYI 2.96
Goals Against: NYR 2.43 NYI 3.39
Special Teams: NYR PP 14.7%(24th) NYR PK 83.3%(11th)
NYI PP 23.1% (5th) NYI PK 82.7% (14th)
Rangers Road Record 2-4-1
Islanders Home Record 4-8-1
Season Series: 1-1 (4-1(NYR) February 7th , 4-3(SO)(NYI) February 14th)
Currently Riding: NY...
With the New York Islanders just past the midpoint of their lockout-shortened season, it’s as good a time as any to evaluate the three Bridgeport Sound Tigers that made the jump to the big club this season (four if you count Kevin Poulin) -- and to talk about some who might be ready for a quick look sooner than later.
Back when the lockout was just coming to a close, ...
That was a question recently asked by an associate of mine.
Over the past few years the #Detroit Redwings have lost a considerable amount of talent (Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Brad Stuart, Jiri Hudler and a few others) and haven't been able to replace those players. So the question must be asked.... "Has Ken Holland lost his mojo?"
As a lifelong Detroit ...
I apologize for the brief moment of silence recently. I was battling some illness this week and I’m finally feeling back up to par. So in getting back into this, I figured I’d delve into the trade deadline, and what the Buffalo Sabres approach should be.
I’ve seen a lot of trade rumors circulating this team. Emphasis on rumor. I don’t put much stock in these th...
Hello, minimal number of readers! Long time no blog!
Well. as you all know, the trade deadline is coming up in a matter of weeks and with the volume of opinionated posts I've been pasting all across the forums (the Oilers' forum in particular) this past while, I thought I may as well write a blog about it! And to all your dismay, here it is!
The aforementioned trade...
Well the Wild offense seems to finally be figuring things out and not a moment too soon. They've scored 4 or more goals now in 5 of their last 9 with again a new season high of 6 goals yesterday afternoon against the Avalanche. They'll need to keep turning up the offensive heat in the coming weeks as the schedule starts to get a lot deeper against teams that are categori...
The flyers have had a rocky season the whole year, currently in 23rd place and most teams have games in hand on them don't look like they are going in the right direction. They have been poor on defense the whole season, offense has been inconsistent, and 5 on 5 of late has been a struggle. Teams have succeed against the flyers when they played a 5 on 5 game against them. ...
The Sabres should look into a trade with the St.Louis Blues. The Blues have alot of young great talent, both on offense and defense. They also hav alot of players who will be restricted free agents after the season, while the Sabres have some assets that the Blues could use for a deep playoff run this year. Darcy should look into a trade that sends [u][u]Stafford and Re...
Could the NHL Compliance Buyout redefine the term Rent-A-Player? The latest CBA allows NHL teams two player buyouts before the beginning of the 2013-14 NHL season. The buyouts will not count toward the salary cap. Could this cause the rich NHL teams to acquire a bad contract before the deadline with the intentions of buying it out this summer?
It is far fetched to belie...
I'd say the Wild are starting to come full circle. After weeks of questioning the team chemistry and increasingly mounting question marks in coach Yeo, and this team is starting to look like what Wild fans were expecting with the off season acquisitions of Parise and Suter along with a bevy of young talented players making their mark in a shortened season.
Backstrom ha...
Chris Stewart plays the game with power and finesse. Often when talking about a particular player it is custom to make a comparison in order to paint a clearer picture. No two players are alike, but if comparisons are a must, Chris Stewart’s game resembles that of Cam Neely, Todd Bertuzzi and Jarome Iginla.
The big righty with good hands and a great shot can score. It...
In the midst of a playoff race the Dallas Stars may be fielding some phone calls for their legendary winger Jaromir Jagr. The Great Jaromir has had success everywhere he’s played and what a motivating factor it would be to win a Cup for JR, who last won the prize in 1992 when most of the players in the league were learning how to ride a bike.
In his eighteen seasons i...
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...
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...
The trade deadline is days away and there have been talks all around the league with numerous teams. The New Jersey Devils are obviously struggling without Ilya Kovalchuk in the lineup. Drastic changes don't need to be made; he will eventually return. But what if he returns too late and the Devils don't make the playoffs. This HAS to be something Lou Lamoriello has thought...
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...
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...
Upon writing this, the Flyers just won their fourth game in a row and sit only two points out of the final playoff spot in the East. Somehow, despite key injury after key injury, this team has been finding ways to win hockey games and very well could find themselves in one of the final playoff spots in a few weeks. With that being said, I want to spend this blog analyzing ...
At the beginning of the season there were a lot of experts, and people in general tagging the Rangers as the eastern champs and advancing to the cup finals. Some even had the Blueshirts winning the cup. And for those who put money on it... well they are probably sweating more than a fat girl chasing a cupcake. BUT!! It might not be too late for the Rangers as they had a v...
Is Alex Ovechkin now a candidate for the Hart Trophy?
If you told me after the first couple weeks of the start of the season that the Washington Capitals would be sitting atop the Southeast with 8 games left I would have laughed at said, "Maybe". If you told me that Alex Ovechkin would be tied for the league lead in goals I would have laughed a little harder and said, "...
After watching Game 1 between the Penguins and Islanders, every Islanders has the right to be a bit nervous about how the team will play in Game 2 and the rest of this series. I'm hoping the team only needed one game to try and adjust themselves to playoff hockey and be comfortable. Not only did they seem nervous, but like an entirely different team compared to the one tha...
What a game last night. What a game.
We were sitting in the Group Sales Suite Scotiabank Place last night. A couple of free beers. Free pizza. A private washroom and television. A private booth is absolutely the way to go to enjoy a good ol' fashioned playoff hockey game. I highly recommend it. :)
Gentlemen, the Habs lost it last night. We saw it all first-...
This is a plea to the supporters of all the teams trailing in their series. rnInstead of saying we just stayed alive in the series, it should be: our team forces game 6, game 7. Instead of struggling to keep up with the other team, it should be: our team is about to exploit their weaknesses. Instead of blaming and focusing on a single mistake, it should be our responsibil...
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...
In my last blog (http://my.hockeybuzz.com/...&user_id=183597I) I partially talked about the possibility of Nino Neiderreiter being traded to the Oilers this summer to bring more size to the top 6 (6' 2'') and to get a more legitimate top six left winger. Granted, Paajarvi is bigger than Nino (6'3'' vs. 6'2'') but this past year Paajarvi has become a good power forward and ...
I was thinking about the President's Trophy and its curse. Past winners and losers, etc., so I decided to do some research and figure out what each Cup winners' (since 1986) regular season final ranking was. There are two lists of rankings. One by final conference rank, one by overall.
Regular season final ranking (Overall NHL standings) and number of Cup winners p...
Apparently the Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders are talking trades. The Islanders have inquired about Roberto Luongo and are interested in the following type of deal. The New York Islanders would move Rick DiPietro and possibly Evgeni Nabokov and some sort of prospect and draft pick for Roberto Luongo.
TSNBobMcKenzie: "It’s believed NYI would, under right cir...
NHL Rumors and Speculations page. This page is devoted only to rumors and speculations that are not confirmed unless stated ‘Confirmed Source’.
Brad Richards (Under Contract): The New York Rangers could explore options (compliance buy-out) to rid Brad Richards humongous big contract he signed a couple of summers ago. Richards was used as a fourth liner and was scrat...
Ilya Kovalchuk, Travis Zajac, Stefan Matteau, Steve Bernier, Ryan Carter, Krys Barch and Stephen Gionta.
These seven are the only non-free agent forwards on Jersey's roster (Henrique, Josefson and Loktionov are restricted). On top of that, their defensive core is a jumbled mess. Fayne, Tallinder, Larsson, Volchenkov and Harrold were switched in and out of the lineup all...
There was a thread on the Oiler's Blogger board about 12 Bold things the Oilers will do, and I decided to add my predictions, based on what seems the most logical. Unfortunately, that board often degenerates into a personal playground for several regulars, so the truly useful posts about actual hockey and the Edmonton Oilers get brushed to the wayside.
So, I decided in...
There was a thread on the Oiler's Blogger board about 12 Bold things the Oilers will do, and I decided to add my predictions, based on what seems the most logical. Unfortunately, that board often degenerates into a personal playground for several regulars, so the truly useful posts about actual hockey and the Edmonton Oilers get brushed to the wayside. So, I decided instea...
There was a thread on the Oiler's Blogger board about 12 Bold things the Oilers will do, and I decided to add my predictions, based on what seems the most logical. Unfortunately, that board often degenerates into a personal playground for several regulars, so the truly useful posts about actual hockey and the Edmonton Oilers get brushed to the wayside. So, I decided instea...
There was a thread on the Oiler's Blogger board about 12 Bold things the Oilers will do, and I decided to add my predictions, based on what seems the most logical. Unfortunately, that board often degenerates into a personal playground for several regulars, so the truly useful posts about actual hockey and the Edmonton Oilers get brushed to the wayside. So, I decided instea...
There was a thread on the Oiler's Blogger board about 12 Bold things the Oilers will do, and I decided to add my predictions, based on what seems the most logical. Unfortunately, that board often degenerates into a personal playground for several regulars, so the truly useful posts about actual hockey and the Edmonton Oilers get brushed to the wayside. So, I decided instea...
There was a thread on the Oiler's Blogger board about 12 Bold things the Oilers will do, and I decided to add my predictions, based on what seems the most logical. Unfortunately, that board often degenerates into a personal playground for several regulars, so the truly useful posts about actual hockey and the Edmonton Oilers get brushed to the wayside. So, I decided instea...
Jayo1808 writes...
Oil Country Exploding!!!!! Part II: Offseason Targets
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Before I get started here, I'm going to apologize for my last blog. for some reason, it didn't register any paragraph separation when it posted. I will try to make sure the format of this one is proper before I post it. Again, my apologies. On with the show.
Oilers GM Craig MacTavish has wastes no time making his mark on this franchise. He has already re...
I am new to the whole blog game. But not afraid to share an opinion. So to start a little bit about myself. I am an avid fan of the NHL, I live it and breath it. I love talking about it, only problem, no one close to me really is into it as much as I am. So that is why I have come here to share my views (and yes some may be biased more towards Vancouver as I have been rais...
For New Jersey Devils defenseman Marek Zidlicky, this offseason should be filled with a lot of time searching for a new home, because he should not be returning to the Devils next season.
The free agent veteran had said many times at he wants to return to the garden state next year, but there are plenty of reasons why Lou Lamoriello should just let Zidlicky go.
First...
The Flyers seem to be recognized league-wide for their abundance of young, talented forwards. Of course, whether we’re talking about development, ceiling, or prime trade bait in acquiring an upgrade on the blueline or a proven sniper on the wing, the two names that get tossed around the most are recent first-round picks Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn.
Often more di...
First off, follow me on twitter @PHI_Flyers to talk some hockey
I thought it would be fun to steer away from everyone dissecting one team for the offseason coming up and look at players trade values. I'm going to break down each team and put their key players into either ELITE value, HIGH Value, and AVG value. Im not going to include every player so if you feel there is...
ajm7719 writes...
Eugooglizing Danny Briere's Flyers Career and Trade Rumors
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Friends, fans and upper management we gather here today to look back upon the Flyers career of the only player we know who can actually flick a switch when games matter.
Danny Briere came to the Flyers in July of 2007 and gave this organization hope, that even after an abysmal season star players still wished to play in the City of Brotherly Love. We had all hoped for ...
Everybody knows that size matters.
I’m talking about the one that gives you the reach to get to the puck first or take it away from a player, the one that makes you less likely to get tossed away from the puck or that you can use to toss smaller players from it, the one that hurts when you bodycheck a player and the one that makes it less likely to get hurt or tired whe...
iHeartHockey31 writes...
The Goalie Tandem vs The 'Starter' and 'Backup' or 1A and 1B
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Stuff I Don't Understand About HockeyThe NHL it's players, teams, the fans & the sport of hockey itself carry with it long storied histories filled with traditions. Often those same long-standing traditions that make the sport so great are the very things that can impede on the games progression over time. As with any aspects of life, there's an unwillingness to change b...
Just some late night trade possibilities. Canucks trade Roberto Luongo, Jannik Hansen, 1st round pick and 3rd round pick TO the Islanders for Nino Niederreiter, Josh Bailey, Rick Dipietro, 1st rounder and 2nd rounder. Maybe a deal that doesn't or cant take off but I could see it being a good deal? It would suck to see Hansen go but to bring back Niederreiter and Bailey wou...
For more on the Flyers draft/prospects, follow @FlyerProspects on twitter.[url]www.twitter.com/flyerprospects[/url]
With the 11th overall pick in the NHL draft, the Flyers will have a lot of top end talent to choose from. Here are some of the players that might hear their name called by Paul Holmgren come draft day
[b]Rasmus Ristolainen, D, TPS, SM-Liiga [/b]
Rist...
There's nothing I enjoy more than the days leading up to the NHL Draft. Last year was the first time in the past 3 years I didn't write my mock draft, and it just didn't feel right. So this year, I'm back again to share my thoughts on how the 2013 NHL Draft might go. This is a strong year in my eyes, with 5 players who could dramatically change the fortunes of a few lucky ...
There's nothing I enjoy more than the days leading up to the NHL Draft. Last year was the first time in the past 3 years I didn't write my mock draft, and it just didn't feel right. So this year, I'm back again to share my thoughts on how the 2013 NHL Draft might go. This is a strong year in my eyes, with 5 players who could dramatically change the fortunes of a few lucky ...
The first trade of the new regime came on Thursday night when the Avs traded RW David Jones and D Shane O’Brien for LW Alex Tanguay (!) and D Cory Sarich.
Jones was coming off a dreadful season, scoring a mere 3 goals in in 33 games, his lowest game per goal average since his rookie season. After signing a 4 year, 16 million extension during the 2012 off-season, Jones...
First I would like to apologize for not following up on my last blog sooner to the many who were waiting with baited breath...mom. But I have been back in CGY and got caught up helping in-law flood victims. I will get to it as soon as possible.
But since this is a rumour board and I heard a rumour I thought I would pass it on. As anyone who reads my blogs knows I don't ...
The New Jersey Devils stole the show yesterday at the 2013 NHL Draft held at the Prudential Center in Newark. They traded away their first round draft pick to the Vancouver Canucks for goaltender Cory Schneider. With Schneider now coming to New Jersey it makes their goaltending situation for the future less questionable than before. The organization is extremely excited fo...
Who is Myles Bell? I believe that was every New Jersey Devils fan's reaction when he was drafted in the sixth round, 160th overall, on Sunday. If you look up his stats from the past season, you will find that he was recently converted from defense to forward, he had 38 goals, 55 assists for a total of 93 points in just 69 games. That is A LOT of points for someone taken i...
I won’t take anything away from right wing David Clarkson. When he deploys his A-game, Clarkson is a rugged power forward with tons of offensive upside, the type of player any team would want. With that said, I cannot put enough emphasis on the wording of that previous sentence, more particularly, the first five words of it, an allusion to the glaring shortcomings that h...
Tgerhardt writes...
The Flyers continue to confuse some and impress others
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
In the past few days our friend Eklund reported the flyers were the favorites to land Lecavalier. I didn't believe but as the hours past I jumped on board. This is a smart move for this hockey team for many reason. Lets start with the leadership, yes they lost the beloved Danny boy but they gained another former captain whose has won a Stanley Cup. The second is the size h...
As of midnight today, teams around the NHL are able to start talking to unrestricted free agents. With no deal being done yet for right winger David Clarkson, it is pretty much almost certain that he will not be returning to New Jersey next season. If he does choose to leave, the Devils will certainly need replace his scoring help on the wings.
To be honest, I did not ...
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...
Now that the leafs have handed out the massive contract to Clarkson and resigned center Tyler Bozak the leafs roster looks to be pretty near set in stone. Barring any major trades or changes on the blue line, the leafs have yet again been led on the path of size and "truculence" (in the words of former gm Brian Burke) as opposed to speed and skill.
As pointed out earli...
The New Jersey Devils agreed with free agent power forward Ryane Clowe on a 5 year $24.25 million contract on Friday.
When I woke up on Friday morning, checked twitter and I saw that the Devils were the front runners to sign Clowe because they knew that Clarkson was not coming back, I had mixed feelings. Not because I wanted Clarkson back because I certainly did not. ...
Despite losing David Clarkson, who parted ways with the Devils for greener pastures and a chance to play for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, the Devils efficiently utilized the opening of the unrestricted free agent period by supplementing their offensive depth. As we all know, the Devils brought in wingers Ryane Clowe, Michael Ryder, and Rostislav Olesz, respectively si...
The devils are beginning to look good now, the signing of Clowe, Ryder and Olsez is a very good start. The issue has been the ability to score, and that seems to be going away especially with Ryder, Kovie and Ryder would in theory make a good pair with Zajac in the middle. What worries me is on Defense, Green and Volchenkov had fairly good seasons last year but there is st...
Hello everyone and welcome!
I've been an Oilers fan since about 1982. Many years ago, I had the pleasure of hanging out one evening each with Gretzky and Messier. As a kid, I used to go to those games and remember watching Gretz and Company score. Then after Messier left, I stepped away. The playoff wins against Dallas were fun. The 2006 Cup run was amazing and li...
BuffaJoe writes...
Tallinder, McBain, Sulzer, and the Sabres' logjam on defense
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Since it's the most recent development, I'll start off by saying that I think bringing Tallinder back into the fold was a great move by Darcy and the Sabres. Not only has he had a solid career as a defensive defenseman, but he is exactly the kind of hard-working professional that the young Sabres need as a role model. The most interesting aspect of this move, however, is w...
Last season marks the 1st time the Flyers have missed the playoffs under GM Paul Holmgren (Not Counting his half season after Bob Clarke Resigned). Now we will start off on things that went wrong in the 2012-2013 that lead them to missing the playoffs. The most obvious issue was Defense.
First thing is the Defense Core all struggled last season. On most nights you woul...
andrewhitson writes...
Motown Musings: Wings Roll into Development Camp
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Exciting times ahead in Motown. The Wings were active on FA Day bringing in much needed top six depth while staying away from costly trades or ill-timed signings.
I've seen a lot of fans chime in on line combinations lately, and without a doubt Mr. Babcock has plenty of options to play with. But, for the thrill of the guess, i'll post my idea of an ideal situation on op...
For more on Flyers Prosects, follow @FlyerProspects on Twitter
[url]https://twitter.com/FlyerProspects[/url]
[img]http://media.philly.com/images/063013-samuel-morin-600.jpg[/img]
[b]1st Round, Pick #11- D, Samuel Morin, Rimouski, QMJHL[/b]
With the 11th overall pick the Flyers selected Samuel Morin from Rimouski. Morin is a big defender at 6'6 205, who climbed hi...
rockthered24 writes...
A Predictably Active Off-Season for Jersey's Team
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
A frenzied off-season for the New Jersey Devils began not on July 5th as unrestricted free agents became free to explore and sign with new teams, but in their own arena five days prior with a blockbuster trade at the 2013 NHL Draft. The question that has been looming around the devils for the past five seasons was finally answered as it seems the team has finally accepted...
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...
Some moves that would help the Oilers
[b]Ales Hemsky[/b] 5 million cap hit (final year of contract) for [b]Matt Martin[/b] 1 million cap hit (signed until 15/16) and a conditional second or third round pick if the Oilers make the playoffs (still up in the air if the Oilers can make it even with the new additions)
This works great for both teams. The Islan...
andrewhitson writes...
Motown Musings: Five prospects that are worth talking about
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
While we're in Development camp mode, I wanted to dive a little deeper and look at five Wing prospects that have great potential to either play in Detroit or Grand Rapids this season. The future is bright for the Wings and I wouldn't be surprised if the Griffins went for a repeat next year.
With Nyquist, Tatar, Andersson and DeKeyser likely making the jump to full ti...
Adams writes...
Is Mac really that many moves away from a starting roster?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Everything I read about the Oilers is the same. They NEED a top pairing d-man. They NEED to deal Hemsky for a third line winger. They NEED to get rid of Smid or N. Schultz. rnrnrnThey might have too many defensemen. That's usually a really big problem for teams around the trade deadline, right? They need a Top pairing d-man. Someone will trade them a stud right? No. The gu...
Hey I have some more moves that could help the Oilers be a playoff team this coming year.
I'm still hoping for a [b]Ales Hemsky[/b] for [b]Matt Matin[/b] trade, seems like a great fit for both teams. Skilled second line winger and set up man for a third line ball of hate, both teams fill a need.
[b]Ryan Malone[/b] 33 6-4 225 LW/RW 4.5 million cap hit signed until 14/...
For more on the Flyers Prospects follow [url]www.twitter.com/FlyerProspects[/url]
[b]Jason Akeson[/b]
[img]http://www.phantomshockey.com/Graphics/Layout/MainStory/Story/Photogallery/akeson3.jpg[/img]
Akeson's first NHL goal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kROOd0z9--k
Akeson is somewhat of a curious case, as he started the season in the ECHL and ended it in the...
The Red Wing finished up a solid development camp. We've got some good players coming through Grand Rapids next year. But perhaps the most important thing that I noticed at Development Camp was the progression of goaltender and 3rd round pick Jake Paterson. (Not to be confused with Jake Patterson, who was also at camp on a tryout basis and looked decent)
I'll admit afte...
I'm writing a quick blog about my thoughts on the Wings lineup for the opener against Buffalo. And addressing why I think this is the best lineup to get points.
Franzen/Datsyuk/Zetterberg
Nyquist/Weiss/Alfredsson
Abdelkader/Helm/Tatar
Miller/Andersson/Eaves
Ericsson/Kronwall
Smith/Kindl
DeKeyser/Quincy
Lashoff
Injury call ups: Emmerton, Jurco, Jarnkrok, Sh...
Well this years biggest fish in Free Agency landed with the leafs and the fans and media have drooled all over the signing. David Clarkson is a hulking, moderately young winger, who can bang, and score at a good pace. I feel like its irrelavent to sit here and worry about the contract since teams have proved that it is possible to trade long contracts see: Flyers and also ...
Everyone keeps speculating that Ryan O'reilly will be moved at the trade deadline, due to his contract debacle and offer sheet snafu of last season. However, I don't agree. The old management is gone (who caused that contract debacle in the first place), so there old ways of doing business should be gone too (trading players when they hold out for more money, or make a c...
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...
[img]http://cdn.rapidmanager.com/echl/files/MarcelNoebelsTrenton1213.jpg[/img]
[b]Marcel Noebels[/b]
In the 4th round of the 2011 entry draft, the Flyers selected the Tornisvorst, Germany native, Marcel Noebels. Noebels had come over from DEL, German Ice Hockey League, the season before and played for a bad Seattle Thunderbirds team in the WHL. Noebels had a decent r...
As per Darren Dreger, RFA Cody Franson of the Maple Leafs is asking for more money than Toronto can pay, considering their cap situation. Having just above 6 million with Nazem Kadri and Mark Fraser also needing to re-sign, both RFAs, and would then need one more player to have 23 on the roster.
Dreger reported the Leafs would be looking for a pick and a prospect for Fr...
I am the GM of the old West & East Conference and I can only trade players out of their conferences , those are the 15 deals that I am proposing. ( Salary Cap , Team Needs, Depth Areas and Years Remaining on the contract are all factors included).
1. MTL - ANA Andrei Markov for Emerson Etem 1st round draft pick (2014)
( Explanation: Someone that can mentor Cam Fo...
to EDM: Weber(7.8m), Gaustad(3.2m), Taylor Beck(.9m) ___________________________ to NSH: Smid(3.5m), Petry(1.7m), Hemsky(5m), Marincin(.9), Rajala(.8)_______________ _____________________________________________________________________ The salaries work out well for both. The positional depth works out well for both teams even better. Check it out on cap geek's cap calcula...
[i]Follow [url]www.twitter.com/flyerprospects[/url] for more on the Flyers Prospects![/i]
Tye McGinn might be the most NHL ready prospect the Flyers have right now. He may not have as much potential as a Scott Laughton, but he has shown that he is more than capable of playing in the NHL as a 4th liner. He was chosen by the Flyers in the 4th round of the 2010 draft, and ...
[i]"Thunder only happens when it's raining
Players only love you when they're playing"[/i]
Ah, Fleetwood Mac, sometimes you just get me. Lots of rumours swirling around the internet surrounding the Winged Wheel. Talk of Tootoo going back to the Music City...and really, why not? I'd trade him for a bag of pucks just to get a few more dollars back. Let's be honest, he is...
[i]Follow [url]www.twitter.com/flyerprospects[/url] for more on the Flyers Prospects![/i]
Another free agent acquisition by Paul Holmgren has a chance to prove himself this upcoming year. Petr Straka is a 92 born Czech forward, who was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2nd round of the 2010 entry draft. Before being drafted, Straka was coming off a great rooki...
The Avalanche invested further in their young captain by shelling out $39 million over the course of seven years.
Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic are trying to work with their current roster as no major moves were made in free agency to sign any available players. Other players were acquired through trades and picking up any free agents seems unlikely as the owners are choosi...
The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are approaching quickly. Bitter rivalries, intensity, dedication and honour are just some of the great reasons to be excited for this tournament. I find the roster selection and the thought of all these great stars playing side by side very interesting. Does a team like Canada throw a bunch of offensive players on their roster and...
Time for my 3rd blog on the Oilers in the past 3 days! In this feature I will be guessing how many points I think the Oilers players will get during the upcoming 2013/2014 NHL season.
I believe some players are due for a breakout season, or atleast a bounceback season. Of course, roster spots could still change.
I will be doing the top 9 Forwards, top 5 Defense, and the...
Due to this being a great idea and most popular demand by Oiler fans, today's blog will focus on how the Oilers can improve their bottom 6 FW.
When you look at the Oilers bottom 6 you currently have these 7 players...
3rd line: Smyth-Gordon-Hemsky
4th line: Jones-Lander-Joensuu/Brown
To me that isn't a terrible bottom 6, but you definitely have a very weird and ...
Hey everyone,
Right now, the Flyers line up something like this:
Hartnell - Giroux - Voracek
B. Schenn - Lecavalier - Simmonds
Laughton - Courturier - Read
McGinn - Talbot - Rinaldo
Rosehill - Hall
Not a bad forward group right? And the D line up like so:
Coburn - Timmonen
Meszaros - Streit
Grossmann - Schenn
Gustaffsson
Mason
Emery
Whe...
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 ...
Note: I can't seem to post comments so bare with me. I can only post short words, but not full sentences.
The Avalanche are very much stocked up with centers and their defensive woes are bound to bite back.
Here is their current line-up on D:
[b]Erik Johnson[/b]:
The former #1 draft pick will be making this his fourth year with the Avs after being traded by...
1st round draft picks are a commodity that should never be taken lightly. They are the primary source of the game's elite superstars. In one selection, a franchise can select a legendary cornerstone, or miss a golden opportunity that will be ridiculed for decades.
In 2004, the Edmonton Oilers passed up Alexander Radulov, Travis Zajac, Wojtek Wolski, Andrej Meszaros, Mik...
If you follow the oilers, it should come as no surprise that EDM will more than likely be without their 1C, Nugent-Hopkins, to start the season and are pretty thin at C already. The 4C job will be up for grabs between Lander and Will Acton. Acton having never played an NHL game.
Here’s a few possibilities on how I see the F depth chart to start the season:
Option ...
nayefj writes...
What will it take for the Avs to make a serious Cup run?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[b]I still can't seem to post any comments on MyHockeybuzz without the words "mySQL Error in statement" appearing and my comment not showing up. Just to let you know I'm not ignoring anyone's comments.[/b]
Liles was mentioned a couple of times in the comments so I'd like to address this point for a bit.
Sure, Liles was great with the Avs during his time in Denver. No...
With golf season winding down and training camps on the horizon, the Colorado Avalanche set to begin the 2014 season rejuvenated. The additions to the front office have already broken with tradition, extending both Matt Duchene and Gabriel "Call me Gabe" Landeskog. With both Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy at the helm, fans can expect a bit more transparency, or at the very leas...
It's official! September 12th is the day training camp begins for the Sabres! Now there are 15 days until training camp, 18 days until the first preseason game in Montreal, and 35 days until Buffalo opens the season in Detroit.
The Sabres defense is stock-piled again like last year. Last year there were many questions on who will play and who will be in Roc...
At the dawn of yet another preseason of Devils hockey, the Devils look to improve upon an injury riddled lockout shortened season. With both additions and subtractions at key positions predicting the success of the Devils will prove to be enigmatic. The big loss of the offseason is clearly Kovalchuck, while his goal scoring will be missed the Devils added a ton of depth an...
Now this subject has been talked about a lot this summer but not until recent news this might actually be legitimate.
buffalo has inquired about players on the Colorado Avalanche, Patrick Roy is apparently interested in acquiring Ryan Miller. This seams to be growing and growing with certainty.
why this can work? well the avs currently have way too many skilled ce...
The past few months have dragged for Devils fans, who are ready to see their team on the ice, fighting to get back in the playoffs; instead of headlining breaking offseason news.
It's time for one last look back. Here are the three things that disappointed me the most over the offseason, and the three things that made it even harder to wait for October
[u]The Worst
...
The past few months have dragged for Devils fans, who are ready to see their team on the ice, fighting to get back in the playoffs; instead of headlining breaking offseason news.
It's time for one last look back. Here are the three things that disappointed me the most over the offseason, and the three things that made it even harder to wait for October
[u]The Worst
...
The past few months have dragged for Devils fans, who are ready to see their team on the ice, fighting to get back in the playoffs; instead of headlining breaking offseason news. rnrnIt's time for one last look back. Here are the three things that disappointed me the most over the offseason, and the three things that made it even harder to wait for Octoberrnrn[u]The Worstr...
The past few months have dragged for Devils fans, who are ready to see their team on the ice, fighting to get back in the playoffs; instead of headlining breaking offseason news.
It's time for one last look back. Here are the three things that disappointed me the most over the offseason, and the three things that made it even harder to wait for October.
[u]The Worst...
The past few months have dragged for Devils fans, who are ready to see their team on the ice, fighting to get back in the playoffs; instead of headlining breaking offseason news.
It's time for one last look back. Here are the three things that disappointed me the most over the offseason, and the three things that made it even harder to wait for October.
[u]The Worst...
The past few months have dragged for Devils fans, who are ready to see their team on the ice, fighting to get back in the playoffs; instead of headlining breaking offseason news.
It's time for one last look back. Here are the three things that disappointed me the most over the offseason, and the three things that made it even harder to wait for October.
The Worst
...
This year, the general consensus surrounding the Top 5 for Hockey Pools seems to be:
1. Sidney Crosby
2. Steven Stamkos
3. Evengi Malkin
4. Alex Ovechkin
5. John Tavares
And, it's pretty hard arguing with those five choices.
The question is: Who to draft in the 6th position? (Let us assume "regular" Yahoo Fantasy Hockey Categories: G, A, Pts, +/-, PIM, PPP, G...
Over/Under is a blog series that will analyze players around the league who fall into one of two categories: Overrated, or Underrated. First up is Sean Couturier of the Philadelphia Flyers. Wait, isn't he too young to fall into one of these categories? Not whatsoever. Let the analysis being!
Sean Couturier, a 20 year old center for the Philadelphia Flyers, is best known...
During training camp, today, Jaromir Jagr left early with "soreness".
As we know, "soreness" is usually media speak for injury. In the case that he is injured, the Devils have a few options to work with.
1.) Damien Brunner - His name has alredy been worn out, but none the less, he would be a likely replacement if Jagr is predicted to be injured into the regular sea...
MN Wild: To Live and Die by The Young Guns.
By: Tony Dean @AWKD
For the Minnesota Wild to compete in the newly formed Central Division they must have significant contributions from their heralded group of young prospects. General Manager Chuck Fletcher has been very clear since taking over as th...
[b]Rasmus Ristolainen[/b] got his first shot at the NHL on Sunday against Montreal. In the game, Ristolainen had two shots and an assist in 23:22 TOI. The defensive group in Buffalo is stacked, and it would be a tough road for Ristolainen to make the Sabres. The Sabres are giving the 18-year old every chance they can for him to make the NHL roster. So does Rasmus ...
willschulme writes...
Why Today's Game vs. the Islanders is so Important
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
At 7:00 PM EST the Devils will greet the Isles in their future home at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. For the Devils, this is a very important game: 1.) Today, Schneider has a chance to claim the starting role. Although it will always be said that Brodeur is the #1 goalie, if Schneider displays anything like his game against the Rangers, Brodeur will have to step off. ...
In preparation for the 2013-14 season, I thought I'd give you an overview of the team I expect to see. Jagr-Henrique-Ryder Elias-Zajac-Brunner Clowe-Loktionov-Zubrus Barch-Bernier-Carter Zidlicky-Volchenkov Greene-Harrold Larsson-Salvador A few notes: -Although the top two lines will probably be shuffled around on the regular basis, I'd like to see Jagr and Henrique...
Nucker101 writes...
The GM's Hat-trick: A Trade, A Signing and A Waiver Claim
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[u][b]The GM's Hat-trick: A Trade, A Signing and A Waiver Claim
[/b][/u]
It's been a busy 72 hours for Vancouver Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis. Late Saturday night news broke that the Canucks had acquired forwards Zac Dalpe and Jeremy Walsh from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2014 4th Round Draft Pick and forward Kellan Tochkin. Then yesterday at around ...
[u][b]Kids Sent Down, The Forgotten Ones and New Lineup[/b][/u]
With the recent acquisition of Zac Dalpe and an already crowded roster it's no surprise that shiny new rookies Bo Horvat and Hunter Shinkaruk were not in the team's plans for this season. I am a bit surprised that Hunter Shinkaruk didn't at least get a few games with the big club after showing some nice off...
Short Answer: Nothing.
I guess you'll be wanting more than a short answer, though. Especially when someone asks such a common question and responds with such an uncommon, illogical answer. I mean there has to be something wrong with the Flyers, right? There just [i]has[/i] to be.
Last night the Flyers opened their season on home ice at the Wells Fargo Center against ...
This is my first blog, so I figured to start off with a hotly contested subject as the new season starts. Just who is the best goaltender in the NHL. By all accounts I read through this summer, that distinction belongs to either Quick or Lundqvist. Lundqvist has played 3 more seasons than Quick, and since I am a Rangers fan I decided to reduce Henrik's numbers to only 5...
Catch the highlights of the Pittsburgh Penguins as they hosted the New Jersey Devils on October 3, 2013. Who will come out on top? Find out in today's featured game of the National Hockey League on EA Sports NHL 14 - play-by-play calling by Eric Munter.
[url]http://youtu.be/S9eS2mHz1_g[/url]
CConlonDevil writes...
Devils Came Out Flying to Gain a Point and ONLY a Point
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The New Jersey Devils played their cross river rivals in the New York Islanders today in speedy fashion. But not so speedy as Michael Grabner with his three breakaway opportunities (two being tallies past Martin Brodeur). The Devils fell 4-3 in a 6 round shootout contest which saw many upsides and down sides in their overall game. The main downside was their defensive brea...
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...
PucksOnPucks writes...
The Blame Game: Peter Laviolette vs. Paul Holmgren
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Peter Laviolette vs. Paul Holmgren
I wanted to give myself a few days to process what happened in Philadelphia before I started ranting and raving about the turn of events that transpired this past Monday morning. If you don’t already know, Peter Laviolette was relieved of his coaching duties just 3 games into the 2013-14 regular season. I don’t necessarily think hi...
Last night the Devils lost their sixth straight game on the young season and boy was it painful to watch. The only player that showed up last night was Cory Schneider and he gave the Devils a hell of a chance to win by stopping 32 of 34 shots. It should have been 32 of 33 but after the empty netter the team stopped playing and the Jets were able to get a garbage goal.
...
Last night the Devils lost their sixth straight game on the young season and boy was it painful to watch. The only player that showed up last night was Cory Schneider and he gave the Devils a hell of a chance to win by stopping 22 of 24 shots. It should have been 22 of 23 but after the empty netter the team stopped playing and the Jets were able to get a garbage goal.
...
For as long as many of us can remember, the reputation of the Philadelphia Flyers is that of a big, physical team that won't be pushed around. [b]They will intimidate and impose their will on the competition[/b]. From the top of the organization down, there has been almost a mandate on upholding this reputation. All you have to do is look at the management team/coaching s...
Okay, so I'm rather new to this blog thing, but here it goes.
(Fair warning: This article is a rant about people ranting and will be long and boring probably.)
I've been a fan of hockey, and in particular the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks for over 25 years (having grown up in between these two great hockey cities) now. My favorite team falls to the Detr...
The Ducks have signed goalie Frederik Andersen to a 2 year contract extension. It's a 1-way contract, so he will get paid his NHL salary with the Ducks or with the Admirals. He is signed for $1 million in the 1st season and $1.3 million in the 2nd season, for an annual cap hit of $1.15 million. With him signed for 2 more years, the Ducks goaltending situation is becoming a...
The Minnesota Wild took a 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night, a night marked by Zach Parise’s first game against his former team. Last year’s lockout shortened season witnessed no interconference play prior to the Stanley Cup finals, so this was the first contest between the teams in nearly two years.rnrnParise had a strong game, firing three shots...
Devan Dubnyk was the Oilers first pick in the 2004 draft being selected 14th overall from the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL in a year that he won gold at the World Under 18 Championships with a 3-3 record with 1 shutout and a 2.51 GAA and .917 SV%.
Dubby has had a tough start to his season this year after coming off what you could call his best stats year in the 2012-13 s...
The Drury-Briere era Sabres team has long become folklore in hockey heaven. This extremely short period of Sabres history saw a team that never gave up and made a habit of tying games in the waning seconds of playoff games and going on to win it in overtime. Not only has the dominance and never-say-die attitude disappeared from Buffalo's beloved hockey team, but also has...
The Drury-Briere era Sabres team has long become folklore in hockey heaven. This extremely short period of Sabres history saw a team that never gave up and made a habit of tying games in the waning seconds of playoff games and going on to win it in overtime. Not only has the dominance and never-say-die attitude disappeared from Buffalo's beloved hockey team, but also has...
The Drury-Briere era Sabres team has long become folklore in hockey heaven. This extremely short period of Sabres history saw a team that never gave up and made a habit of tying games in the waning seconds of playoff games and going on to win it in overtime. Not only has the dominance and never-say-die attitude disappeared from Buffalo's beloved hockey team, but also has...
The New York Islanders come home from a road trip that was not to friendly to them playing 4 games and losing all 4 to gain not a single point. The Islanders who lost to Washington, Carolina, Columbus and Montreal respectfully and are actually the favorite to win due to the Nashville Predators coming to town who have lost their past 2 games and also being shut o...
[b]Ryan Miller[/b] has been the franchise goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres since the 2005-06 season. He has become the winningest goaltender in franchise history, and has played 495 games as a Buffalo Sabre. His name has been the talk of the town for numerous reasons in recent years, but this year it is has not been will Miller be traded, it is when will he be traded.
...
Tim Chiasson writes...
Back In The Win Column: Sharks Edge Flames In OT
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Let the air out of your lungs Sharks fans.
With an unusually eerie feeling heading into overtime against the Calgary Flames, the first thought that came to mind was 'Uh-oh'. As much as I believe in patience it's hard to avoid the thoughts of the last five games and how four of them were lost in the time exceeding regulation.
Recent history wouldn't repeat itself, tho...
Say what you will about the Stars' current season standings. They might once again continue their perennial placement on the bubble of the playoffs - perhaps they may even continue the playoff-drought that Stars fans have endured for half a decade now. But, to say that they haven't moved forward since last season would be a farce, despite sitting in the same positions th...
Check out the comments on any Devils blog and inevitably you'll find people calling for Peter Deboers head. I'll admit, I agreed with most of these people for a while. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Deboer is actually doing a good job working with the players he's been given. Yes, the Devils struggle to score goals. And yes, they seem like they're d...
Check out the comments on any Devils blog and inevitably you'll find people calling for Peter Deboers head. I'll admit, I agreed with most of these people for a while. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Deboer is actually doing a good job working with the players he's been given. Yes, the Devils struggle to score goals. And yes, they seem like they're d...
Check out the comments on any Devils blog and inevitably you'll find people calling for Peter Deboers head. I'll admit, I agreed with most of these people for a while. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Deboer is actually doing a good job working with the players he's been given. Yes, the Devils struggle to score goals. And yes, they seem like they're d...
Check out the comments on any Devils blog and inevitably you'll find people calling for Peter Deboers head. I'll admit, I agreed with most of these people for a while. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Deboer is actually doing a good job working with the players he's been given. Yes, the Devils struggle to score goals. And yes, they seem like they're d...
As it stands right now, this summer looks to have a large selection of UFA's for every position. Teams will have tight budgets, some are in serious trouble already and others are losing tons of players, which will mean a scramble to create a roster. I understand that it is early and that a lot of these players will resign. However lets go with the assumption that they a...
Up until the end of November, the Dallas Stars were the team with the fewest man games lost to injuries in the league.
Of course we knew that the luck in which the Stars had avoided practically any major/long term injuries would end at some point. However, the swiftness in which it all turned around was staggering. With Robidas going out for 4-6 months with a broken l...
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...
CaseyPSH writes...
Coyotes Resume Winning Ways at Home By Defeating Islanders
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[b]Coyotes Resume Winning Ways at Home With Victory Over Islanders
By Casey Gagnon, Phoenix Sports Hub[/b]
[b]E-Mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @CaseyPSH[/b]
[b]PhoenixSportsHub.Blogspot.com[/b]
Shane Doan felt well enough to make a brief appearance at practice on Thursday morning. He probably felt even better after watching his Coyotes teammates play that sa...
We're approaching the new year and the Flyers sit at 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 14-15-3 record. The inconsistency issues - aside from the mostly stellar play between the pipes for Canadian Olympic hopeful, Steve Mason - continue to plague this team in a year where there are fewer excuses than last season.
They have been one of the healthier teams in the leag...
As the Flyers roller coaster season goes on, where some of it excites us while other parts just makes us fans sick, there is a question that needs to be answered. What are the Flyers going to do with Scott Hartnell?
Throughout the past seven seasons I’ve grown to love Hartnell. I loved him for his heart and his unwillingness to give up. He may have not found the score...
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...
The Ducks finished the month of December with a 6-3 over the San Jose Sharks on New Years Eve. After the Sharks had ended the Ducks 10 game winning streak, the Ducks were looking to get revenge on their California rivals and did just that. Overall, the Ducks played 13 games in December and had a record of 11-1-1, good for 23 points! As with November and October, I'll go th...
Legend - MT - Must Trade, PT - Potential Trade, NT - No Trade yet rumoured
Anaheim: MT: None, team is playing together, PT: Cogliano (He may get a fair return to really improve the team)
Boston: MT: None, the epth is not one to mess with, PT: Erickson (he has not been as expected an could get moved for a more useful player), Soderburg (minus on Bruins, there could be...
Legend - MT - Must Trade, PT - Potential Trade, NT - No Trade yet rumoured
Anaheim: MT: None, team is playing together, PT: Cogliano (He may get a fair return to really improve the team)
Boston: MT: None, the epth is not one to mess with, PT: Erickson (he has not been as expected an could get moved for a more useful player), Soderburg (minus on Bruins, there could be...
The Leafs finally win a game, an actual win…that’s if you think winning in a shootout should count that is. rnrnA boring hockey game, a boring result, but that’s exactly what the Devils do to you. The Leafs were outshot again and hemmed in their own zone for long periods of time and no this is not a recording its an actual fact and as Ovechkin would put it “I swe...
I'm really starting to get sick of Sam Gagner, I don't understand why they pay him 4+ million to be ineffective. I'm going to go ahead and list the players the should get rid of before next season. Unfortunately I think that the Oilers will have to deal one of Eberle or Yakupov to fix the teams other needs, if I had a choice I would move yakupov bcuz Eberle is best friends...
[b]Flyers dominate Red Wings, win 5-0 [/b]
Before the game even started, most would have said it would not have ended well for the Philadelphia Flyers, even with the injures in Detroit. Steve Mason had other ideas and was superb for the Philadelphia Flyers, shutting out the Detroit Red Wings, leading the Flyers to a 5-0 win. Steve Mason made several highlight reel ...
This year out all others years has the biggest question mark in terms of trades and values of players. With the Olympic break starting at the end of this week there are many teams considering this almost as good a time to move their players than the actual deadline.
The reason is that if they move players going to the games in the Sochi then the team won't have to be ...
It seems as if the perfect storm is building in New York (no pun intended). The Rangers have traded away Del Zotto, are having trouble signing Callahan and seemingly will be unable to lock up Dan Girardi.
Enter the Maple Leafs, the Leafs have been looking to bolster their defence with a solid defensive minded defenceman and Girardi fits the bill. He is a top pairing d-m...
In light of the recent NHL hiatus I, like many hockey fans, have turned my attention towards the Winter Olympic Games that are currently taking place in Sochi, Russia. Similar to the food for thought being offered by legions of armchair GM’s around the world of hockey, I thought I would weigh in with my predictions of how this prestigious tournament will play itself out....
In light of the recent NHL hiatus I, like many hockey fans, have turned my attention towards the Winter Olympic Games that are currently taking place in Sochi, Russia. Similar to the food for thought being offered by legions of armchair GM’s around the world of hockey, I thought I would weigh in with my predictions of how this prestigious tournament will play itself out....
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...
So first off, this is my first attempt at sports writing, so please be constructive in the comments. Little bit about me, I’m only 13 and have had a passion to get into sports writing for a year or 2 now and I`m a die-hard Sens fan. I like to write about trade speculation, players "values", and other things like that because that is one of my favorite aspects of professi...
If you missed my first blog on the Ottawa-Buffalo trade rumour, it`s right here http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=219486&post_id=15947
So in my last blog, I mentioned how Ottawa`s first priority should be a Top 2/ Top 4 defenseman, if there are any available. Obviously, this guy is gonna get brought in to play with Karlsson, as Jared Cowen just isn`t prov...
The longest week of many of our lives is upon us: the NHL trade deadline week. I've been checking twitter constantly, this site among many others, feverishly waiting for the first deal to go down.
I think many of us will be disappointed, particularly with the Penguins at the deadline.
The Penguins' ability to make a deal at the deadline has been crippled as a result...
Seeing as how there's a Sharks post every thousand days or so, I'll throw some quick thoughts out.
The NHL has finally returned to action. So, what did we learn from Sochi?
Well, we learned that Niemi is above-average at keeping the pine warm for Tukka Rask and that he should not be fatigued whatsoever when the Sharks take the ice again.
We also learned that Joe P...
Before I get started on this short writeup, I do realize the comments that have come out recently and that there's MAYBE a 1% chance of this actually happening.
I'm totally in favor of the Pens making a run at Kesler. Without a doubt he's one of the best two-way forwards in the game and has one of the most cap-friendly contracts given what he returns on the ice.
F...
So with the upcoming NHL trade deadline looming, there are a number of teams with holes to fill and questions to answer. This is by no means a professional hockey writer talking, just some of my personal view and opinions based on the rumors that I have seen.
-Winnipeg:
The Jets have some really good young talent on their team. Their main concerns are goal-t...
Since the departure of Mats Sundin the Leafs have been barking loudly that they are on the hunt for a top line centre. From the sorry excuses of Nik Antropov, Matt Stajan and Joey Crabb, to the decent installment of Tyler Bozak the leafs have still not filled this gap.
I totally agree that the Leafs Defence needs to be upgraded. However, Rome wasn't built in a day. If ...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks make 3 trades on the eve of the trade deadline
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Anaheim Ducks got an early jump on the trade deadline, making 3 trades that I believe improved the team. How much of an improvement is debatable, but I do believe that the Ducks tonight are better than they were this morning. And Bob Murray has put the Ducks in a position to make a big splash before the deadline hits tomorrow at noon Pacific.
In the 1st move of the ...
Yes, it's trade deadline day for the Sharks too, even though you'd never know it by reading the main blogs here. I digress with my disappointment.
I'll update this post when I can with fresh information.
[b]**Update 1:04 pm EST**[/b]
[i]All is quiet on the trade front for the Sharks. The Setoguchi play is still out there, but it seems to me that San Jose isn't int...
It's trade deadline 2014 as you know.
And I've noticed something in all of the discussions here on HockeyBuzz about the fans and seemingly the GM's too.
Nobody wants to trade their prospects. When some fan suggests a potential trade with another team that involves any of their prospects (especially their top prospects), fans from the other team immediately reply bot...
Say what you will about fans of the Montreal Canadiens. Sometimes they're overly optimistic. Sometimes they're irrationally pessimistic. But they're always passionate. News of the acquisition of Thomas Vanek sent Habs fans across the country into parade planning mode, and while the Cup may still be a pipedream for this club, Vanek gives this fanbase, which hasn't had all t...
There were no surprises out of San Jose today as the Sharks stood quietly on the sidelines as the trade market disintegrated around the league.
There were several big name players sent packing today, with most garnering a laughable return. I can't remember the last time this many quality players were dealt at the deadline for as little of a return as teams received. The...
The NHL Trade Deadline came and went, and most of the deals made today were not gross overpayments, and the Ducks followed that pattern. And because the Ducks weren't willing to overpay, the trade deadline passed rather quietly in Anaheim. One minor league deal was made, but other than that, the Ducks stood pat and feel like they already have a team that is good enough to ...
With the Flyers picking up their game after an abysmal start and catapulting into third place in the Metropolitan Division before the Olympic break, it was clear they were not going to be sellers this season. It is clear there is plenty of talent on this roster to win a sum of games, unlike inferior squads in Florida, Buffalo, and Long Island. However, they lack a few esse...
As a sabres fan I was very pleased with how Tim Murray handled his first trade deadline with the Sabres. Over past years fans would watch the trade deadline come and go without the team making a splash (with the exception of the Hogdson trade). However this year it was different Murray was very active in the days up to the deadline, dealing miller and ott to the blues for ...
With the trade deadline firmly in the rear-view mirror and the dust settling after a flurry of activity, we are left with a handful of NHL rosters looking significantly different than the day just days earlier. One of the rosters to go through a shake-up is that of the Montreal Canadiens, who made one of the larger splashes of the day in their acquisition of Thomas Vanek. ...
“Winning is not a goal, it is a belief.”
Does that saying ring a bell? Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula said that in his press conference after he bought the franchise from former owner Tom Golisano.
At the time Pegula bought the team, he had faith in his general manager Darcy Regier and his head coach Lindy Ruff. They signed some free agents and made some trade...
[img]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT7uWEEoG-n0v7xWud8yaUK7VigxXGs2o-Up57hO1TiQMgw_VxM[/img]
Ilya Kovalchuk is still a destructive thorn in the side of the New Jersey Devils franchise.
Kovalchuk perfectly executed a blueprint that would set the Devils back, costing them as much as possible.
First there was the notorious contract: 17 years for 1...
There is a lot of disagreement as to what the Oilers should do during the off season. There are some people that would like to see one of the young stars traded for so other star. Realistically, these trades are not that common.
Sometimes you will see a young prospect that is under performing (Paajarvi is an example) be traded for a player who had concussion problem...
So the Oilers have another top 10 pick in the entry draft so here are players that the Oilers should look at drafting that arent named Ekblad.
[u]First Round[/u]
[b]Sam Bennett C (6' 180) 57GP 36G 55A 118PIM OHL Ranked 1st N.A.S[/b]
Everyone is calling him a clone of Doug Gilmore (even Doug Gilmore thinks so), Killer was a top line forward for most of his ...
With an absolutely amazing career and now turning free agent, one of the biggest, if not the biggest, questions of this upcoming offseason is where Marty Brodeur will end up. After spending his entire career with the New Jersey Devils, many applaud his great work and achievements that he's made over his 20 years in the NHL, however, there are many doubters that he is the ...
Senate_Speaker writes...
Why the Ottawa Senators Should Not Trade Jason Spezza.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
NHL rumours are abound these days, particularly concerning questions as to whether or not the Ottawa Senators will trade captain Jason Spezza. Interestingly enough, the discussion here seems to be more geared toward when Ottawa might trade Spezza, with hardly any consideration of whether they even should trade him. Evidently the rationale behind this potential move is clea...
When Gary Bettman announced, over a loud chorus of "boos", at the Prudential Center that the New Jersey Devils had acquired goaltender Cory Schneider, it is understandable that the home-town crowd reacted with jubilation. Now, with a season with Jersey's Team under his belt, Cory Schneider is in the driver's seat for negotiations for a long-term contract. Many Devils fan...
As a die hard Sabres fan I was disappointed that they lost the 1st over all pick to the Florida Panthers after having the worse record in the league. My conspiracy therorist beliefs smelled rotten fish in Denmark when the news was announced by the N.H.L. The bright spots being Ryan Miller played exceptionally well on a poor team, we got some good talent and picks through t...
Okay so this I believe is my first blog and how this has come about is I was talking with a buddy of mine about the Leafs and what they should do this off-season (as I'm sure the majority of leafs fans are). So we were talking about trades and the recent rumours about O'Rielly, the 1st overall, and everything in between. Then we got talking about a series of trades that ...
DirtyPierre writes...
Spezza to Blues, Kessler to Ducks and Thornton Options FTW
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Spezza will be on the St. Louis Blues for next season. Look for a return of Derek Roy and a 2nd round draft pick with a prospect in return. Spezza will fit in extremely well with the offense in St. Louis.
Kessler is in the cross hairs of Anaheim, and the Ducks wont let any other team snag him without having a good back door plan to add forward with heavy fire power.
...
With a little less than one week until the NHL draft, here are my current rankings of the Flyers prospects before Ron Hextall takes the stage in Philly:
[b]1. Scott Laughton (C, Oshawa Generals, OHL)
2012 1st round, 20th overall[/b]
Scott Laughton Highlights-[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YEoBOQEsvI[/url]
The choice between Laughton and Gostisbehere was p...
Hey all, I was bored tonight and I decided to throw together a blog on some ideas I think may help the Oilers next season as well as my draft prediction. I am only going to try and predict the first 10 picks and it's going to be a crapshoot at best.
1. Florida takes Aaron Ekblad 2. Buffalo takes Sam Reinhart 3. Edmonton takes Leon Draisaitl 4. Calgary takes Sam Bennett...
According to all the NHL sites we are seeing teams like Ottawa, Toronto, San Jose and Carolina are all not shying away from trading their Captain's. rnrnNew York Rangers already bought out and traded their 2014 Captains and Montreal has yet to resign their's. Buffalo and Columbus don't even have one.rnrnSo why is the role of the captain so important and prestigious if so m...
According to all the NHL sites we are seeing teams like Ottawa, Toronto, San Jose and Carolina are all not shying away from trading their Captain's. rnrnNew York Rangers already bought out and traded their 2014 Captains and Montreal has yet to resign their's. Buffalo and Columbus don't even have one.rnrnSo why is the role of the captain so important and prestigious if so m...
I just wanted to toss this out there, but what would one think of the Colorado Avalanche signing Marty Brodeur to a 1 year deal? When he and Patrick Roy were younger Marty lived in Roy's basement. As history played out, Roy became the NHL's all-time winner in regular and post-season, followed by much more. Game 7 - Roy and Marty went toe to toe for the cup, which we all re...
To say that this has been an uneventful offseason ALREADY for the Flyers is far from the truth. June 23rd strikes again, and I think this year, it was highly unexpected. I couldn't believe my eyes when I was at work on Monday at Noon, and I saw a Twitter notification flash on my phone, and just like that, the first major surprise in the Hextall era! Hartnell to the Blue Ja...
ZzHockey writes...
Will a trade benefit Colorado more than signing a UFA?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
With the St. Louis Blues having huge interest in Paul Stastny what will Colorado do?
When it comes down to it, the loss of a Centre is not really that big a deal to Colorado, they have an unbelievable amount of depth that no other team in the NHL has. Stastny would be a huge blow speaking of chemistry between Landeskog, MacKinnon and himself, but not something that can...
[url=http://victorygreen.wordpress.com]This article is from my Dallas Stars blog, "Victory Green". You can find more Dallas Stars blog entries as well as an upcoming weekly Stars podcast which will premier in the coming weeks.[/url]
Apparently the Dallas Stars aren't merely a hockey franchise, but ninja assassins when it comes to trades under Jim Nill. “Stealth-like...
DirtyPierre writes...
Nylander Over Ehlers?! Leafs Missed The Boat On This One
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Nikolaj Ehlers is a great young, proven skilled player who can play in the North American style of hockey. Ehlers aside from having proven independent skill, he's a great team player and a winger to boot and a left winger at that. He thrived on the Halifax Mooseheads playing with talent like Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin. He could easily fit in on a third or even se...
After a rocky 2013-14 season with two MCL sprain injuries the Colorado Avalanche have decided to part ways with PA Parenteau. Colorado has traded PA and a 5th round pick in the 2015 draft to the Montreal Canadians for Forward Danny Briere.
Some comparison:
Adrian Dater of the Denver Post ranked Pa Parenteau a C for Colorado in 2013-14 (http://blogs.denverpost.com/av...
So over the last few weeks leading up to the draft, like most Sens and/or all hockey fans, I was waiting for the announcement of Jason Spezza being traded. Over the past two weeks, I thought about who we would pick with the 1st rounder that we were, according to Bryan Murray, surely getting. Dreams of Nick Ritchie, Haydn Fleury, and maybe Nylander or Ehlers dropping flashe...
I wanted to start this on draft day, but that wasn't in the cards, so I'll take it from free agency on out. I'm going to start with a quick overview of each contracted guy on the roster (and a few on the Phantoms) which will include chances he makes the regular season roster. Then I'll head into moves we could, should and have to make. And then finally, what the roster cou...
I know what every bruins fan is thinking right now, when are we going to make a move other then signing unnecessary depth players such as Caron. There are two reasons we should have never signed Caron. 1st is Why would we want to keep Caron he has done absolutely nothing for us. 2nd is why would he want to stay in Boston where he has proven he hasn't reached his full poten...
jtallas7 writes...
Why The Bruins Off-Season Revolves Around Krug and Smith
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Bruins have been virtually non-existent during this off-season. We have signed a bunch of useless depth players who will hopefully never have to play a minute during the season. These signings have left us with around 3m left in cap space. This is barely enough to sign either of the top 2 priority's , Krug and Smith. The worst part about that is if you can only sign on...
While it may not have been The Curious Case of Vladimir Sobotka, the closing of t he Roman Polak Door in St. Louis sure does appear to very curious, at least on the surface. While most hockey pundits had speculated about the Blues wanting to get tougher on the blue line this offseason, the Blues traded away one of their toughest blueliners for another puck moving, transit...
With Jake Gardiner signed and all players locked up, it's time to look at what the Leafs have done so far this off season and what I can only hope and wish for them to do now. Let's recap
New additions in their natural positions-
Leo Komarov-LW
David Booth-LW
Mike Santorelli-C
Petri Kontiola-C
Matt Frattin-RW
Daniel Winnik-C
Stephen Robidas-D
Roman Polak-D
Will...
-JCDC- writes...
Sabres and Islanders-rumored hiring of Bryan Trottier
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
With the rumored hiring of Bryan Trottier, another chapter between Sabres and the Islanders is added. So much to review between the two teams, especially with the upcoming season, where as a Sabres fan, we are rooting obviously for the Islanders to be stale potato chip bad....to keep it limited to the Trottier hire.....by this logic, would Trotts be enemies or neutra...
Earlier today Flyers GM Ron Hextall released a statement informing that defenseman Kimmo Timonen has been diagnosed with blood clots in his right leg and in both of his lungs.
Despite his decline over the last few years and finishing his career on a one-year contract basis, the 39 year-old d-man still plays a crucial role for the orange and black. Maybe even now more ...
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[b]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 thei...
ScottyHuck writes...
Toronto Maple Leafs: Where Will Nylander Play Next Season?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a plethora of options to consider when deciding where William Nylander will begin his 2014-15 season. The situation is rather uncommon when dealing with high end draft picks, however the Leafs have the option to send Nylander back to Sweden where he would play for MODO of the SHL or keep him in North America to play in one of the NHL, AHL, or O...
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 ...
landsharkhockey writes...
What the Fantasy Experts Got Wrong: Under-Rated Players
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Part 2 of our look at where you can go wrong by drafting purely off a magazine draft list continues with our underrated players. (Part 1 called out those over-rated players).
[u]OFFENSE[/u]
[b]Nathan MacKinnon[/b] (Yahoo:25 / landsharkhockey:9)
If you trust Yahoo, you're missing the boat. MacKinnon will dominate for the next decade.
[b]Anze Kopitar[/b] (THN:29 ...
[b]EASTERN CONFERENCE
[/b]Metropolitan Division
1. NY Rangers
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
[/b] Atlantic Division
1. Boston Bruins
2. Montreal Canadiens
3. Detroit Red Wings
[/b] Wild Card
1. Tampa Bay Lightning
2. New Jersey Devils
[b]WESTERN CONFERENCE
[/b] Central Division
1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Co...
AarifDeen writes...
GOALIES DOWN: Avs blow 3-1 lead - Lose Berra To Injury
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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The Ottawa Senators stormed the Avs in the third period to come away with a 5-3 victory on Thursday night. The Avs' loss came with rookie goaltender Calvin Pickard losing his first career NHL contest in his first appearance.
Earlier in the day the Avs announced starting goalie Semyon Varlamov would be a g...
AarifDeen writes...
A Night Of Firsts – MacKinnon, Fourth Line Lead Avs to SO
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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It was a night of firsts in Denver tonight. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the New York Islanders 5-0 for their first shutout of the season. The game-winning goal came off the stick of Cody McLeod early in the opening period and the Avs never looked back.
McLeod’s goal, which came off a nice setup from...
AarifDeen writes...
Islanders shut out the Avalanche in a one-sided game
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
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The Avalanche suffered a 6-0 loss on Tuesday night by the very same team they dominated just 12 days ago. On Veterans Day and on their last trip to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Colorado was held win-less for the 13th time in 17 games.
Nick Leddy’s goal just 93 seconds into the game was the eve...
AarifDeen writes...
Duchene scores late, Avs defeat Devils for second straight v
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
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The Colorado Avalanche has strung together its first winning streak of the season. With Matt Duchene’s late third period goal, the Avs defeated the Devils 3-2. The teams were tied at 1 going into the final frame but the Devils scored before the Avs (6-8-5) eventually tied and won the game before the final ...
When I first heard that the Pittsburgh Penguins had acquired Steve Downie I was excited because he is a guy who can play in a bottom 6 role and even help put some pucks in the net. I still think he can put pucks in the net, however I am getting tired of him playing in the penalty box. He has a league high 78 PIMs which is not helping the Penguins at all. His selfish pen...
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...
TheKidBigKip writes...
Edmonton Trade Rumors: Breakdown of Perron for Anisimov
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Last weekend they were booed wildly in their home rink after their 7-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Tonight, Viktor Fasth was scored on from the neutral zone. It’s not a secret the Edmonton Oilers are bad.
Earlier this week the team cut ties with goaltending coach Fredric Chabot and with the way things are going, that won’t be the last organizational or roster ...
AustinTyler writes...
Chabot Partly To Blame...? Defense......Taylor Hall
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Its only been a few days since Mr. Chabot joined the world of the unemployed, but am I the only one who can see a difference already? Watching the Oilers goaltending over the last two games, I have noticed a few things that really stand out. First off, the focus on the play is better than I have seen it all year. Both Fasth and Scrivens seem to have a renewed faith in thei...
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...
What has happened to the Colorado Avalanche in this 2014-15 season?
You cannot say that the Avalanche have had it easy by any means, considering both the NHL has studied up on the team since their explosion last season that saw them #1 in the Central, #2 in the West and #3 in the entire NHL. A gutsy rookie that came into the league like he had something to prove, after ...
Secondary scoring has been the staple amid the Flyers recent two game winning streak. That mixed in with two putrid opponents have allowed this lackluster Flyers team to outscore their opposition by the count of 9-2 to start their 4 game homestand. This may be just what the doctor ordered for a team that has had tremendous trouble scoring of late. Outside of Claude Giroux ...
What, on earth, do you do with this hockey club?
I hear a lot of "no-donts" online about them. Let's face it, the last time they had success, that success' name was Chris Pronger, and his wife nagged him to Anaheim. Since then, they've been nothing but a train-stop in a dead city.
I'm not going to give some pretentious thorough evaluation of the team. ...
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The Avalanche is turning a corner. With John Mitchell and Patrick Bordeleau both returning to the lineup tonight, the Avs are as healthy as they have been in a long time.
Colorado completed its second game of a three-game road trip tonight at the First Niagara Center and came away with a 5-1 victory. It w...
The Christmas break has had me thinking a lot about where this Blues team stands after 34 games. The 3-game losing streak was ugly. They gave away points like a 3-button coat at the Salvation Army. The 5-0 drubbing in Colorado was the icing on the cake.
I agree that this team is getting complacent, but every Blues fan has seen this before, many years now. These are the ...
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...
[b]Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DailyNHLGrind[/b]
Tonight may very well go down as the final meeting ever between two NHL greats—Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. With one of them a coach and the other nearing the end of his career as a player, Roy and Brodeur’s storied rivalry will go down as one of the best between two goaltenders in NHL history. Tonigh...
AarifDeen writes...
Avs moving in the right direction after another big win
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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Semyon Varlamov was at it again for the Avs. It seems the Blackhawks aren’t the only team wondering how to solve the goalie. The Senators put 38 shots on the Russian Olympian tonight and scored just twice. The Avs countered with five of its own en route to a convincing 5-2 victory Thursday night at the Pep...
The writing is officially on the wall after a disastrous California road trip, and I think it's safe to say Leafs brass are smart enough to acknowledge the playoffs are a serious improbability now (at below 30%). It's not so much that they couldn't find a groove or go on another hot streak, but there simply isn't any space in the eastern conference playoff picture for them...
Rumors, rumors.....rumors galore! For those of you that haven't figured it out yet.....that's all they are. Smoke. No fire. Lets start with a guy like Taylor Hall. He plays like a bull in a china shop. Good player? You know he is. Reckless, Yup. Uncoachable? Nobody really knows. Nobody would really say until after he was traded....if he was traded. What are you going to ge...
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...
Ok the leafs ave shown the ability to score, and now to a point the ability for defense. Its eiter one or the other, why bad personnel tat don't mesh as a proper hockey team. The players are good but many missing factors. Want to improve it, its not a quick answer but a reset or 2-3 years as opposed to rebuild 4-5 years is all that is needed. Why here is a list of their st...
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There are plenty of words that could describe the Avs’ recent five-game road trip. The simplest way to put it is ‘not good enough.’
Colorado went 1-2-2 in the five-game swing away from home with both OT losses coming in the shootout where they had won five straight coming in.
“Looking back at t...
In their past four games the Montreal Canadiens have scored only seven goals, they may be doing very well right now, but when a win relies on two players, namely Max Pacioretty and Carey Price you’re not going to go very far. Price who has led the Habs to a 32-13-3 record, with him having 27 wins, and Pacioretty with 23 goals, is on pace for a 39 goal season. But that’...
rnrnMinors, majors, up and downs, career 4th liner to top line on one of the best teams in the Eastern Conferece - what has Dale Weise done to get there and stay there?rnrnBrought over in a trade from Vancouver for Raphael Diaz, Weise had been a grinder, sticking his chin into situations attempting to change momentum for his team. Drafted 111th overall in '08 by the Range...
LazarBeam writes...
Buffalo loses Myers, Two Top Prospects for Evander Kane
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
To Buffalo:
Evander Kane
Zach Bogosian
Kasdorf
To Winnipeg:
Tyler Myers
Joel Armia
Brendan Lemieux
2015 1st rounder
Drew Stafford
This trade makes me angry.
I don't understand why Buffalo would risk so many great, young prospects for Kane and Bogosian.
Kane is a proven offensive force, don't get me wrong. Every team in the league could use a guy like K...
Tim Murray, please stop making me so angry.
I just don't get it. This team had all the pieces, all they had to do was wait for them to come together.
Enroth was only 26 years old, 27 this summer. A top goaltending prospect, drafted 46th overall in the 2nd round.
Enroth was the smallest goalie in the league playing for the worst team in the league. Getting drafted ...
There has been a lot of trade rumors about Evander Kane this season. The Vancouver native became a real problem for the Jets and it was only a matter of time before he’d be shipped off to another team. That team just so happened to be the lowly Buffalo Sabres. Sitting at last place in the NHL, Buffalo is king of the hill when it comes to trade rumors. Their most valuable...
[code]Welcome, I have been reading every blog about the end of this season and the beginning of hope, along with all of you and thought I would throw my own hat in the ring. I will start at the Trade Deadline. ...
HarrisonHamm writes...
3 places the Penguins need to improve at the trade deadline
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Two-way defenseman: Since the loss of young offensive defenseman Olli Maata for the season, the Pens have been looking for somebody that can fill the need of a two-way defenseman. With Paul Martin likely to leave in free-agency this summer, Pittsburgh needs a replacement. A two-way defenseman would also shore up the blue line on the struggling power play. A D-man that ca...
The Bruins looked like they could start making a push late in the season to get out of the wildcard playoff spot last month. After last night though, it seems that the Bruins are going nowhere but downhill. The Bruins are losers of six straight and if the Panthers win tonight, would see themselves out of a playoff spot. The road doesn’t get any easier for Boston either. ...
If the Toronto Maple Leafs are serious about rebuilding they need to be serious about the path they take in doing so. Sure, the return on a player like Daniel Winnik is going to be draft picks, but given the organisation's horrendous track record at the draft it needs to stop there.rnrnCan you recall the last all-star drafted by the Leafs? At this point the organization do...
DVSP got bumped quickly to the 2nd line last night in Columbus. He didn't do anything too exciting but a couple of nice chances, a few hits and some blocked shots (a -2 doesn't help but) you can't ask for much more in your first game.
The starting line is solid. Patches and Gallagher are here, signed up and locked in for a while. We could use an upgrade at top line cen...
February 26, 2015 grabo84
As the trade deadline approaches, every team is assessing their wants and needs. Despite reports, the Islanders are no different. Many cup contending teams will tinker with their depth chart at the trade deadline. This Islanders team is built for the future, but there is no need to wait on taking a serious run at the cup. Many rumors around...
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...
In the final hours of the NHL trade deadline, dangling Lars Eller has not shown much interest with team looking to rebuild. The success of Jacob de Larose at center has made teams feel that the Canadien don't need Eller and should not attribute as much value to him. Lars is a proven playoff performer and has much more value as a number 3 center with the Canadien then with ...
So another trade deadline has come and gone, and Leaf fans have come to expect the outcome under Nonis' watch, which this time was predictably trading off pending ufa's and standing pat with the rest of the group. One entirely amazing, unpredictable, smart move that has shocked many in the hockey world has seen David Clarkson shipped to a money conscious Columbus Blue Jac...
So another trade deadline has come and gone, and Leaf fans have come to expect the outcome under Nonis' watch, which this time was predictably trading off pending ufa's and standing pat with the rest of the group. One entirely amazing, unpredictable, smart move that has shocked many in the hockey world has seen David Clarkson shipped to a money conscious Columbus Blue Jac...
At the recent NHL trade deadline, the Penguins made two trades, both involving defenseman. The first trade they made was dealing Robert Bortuzzo and a draft pick to the Blues for defenseman Ian Cole. I can understand trading Bortuzzo, as the Penguins are wealthy in defensive prospects and don’t have a clear place for him. But the other trade they made, Simon Depres to An...
The Penguins were defeated in Colorado Wednesday night by a score of 3-1. The Avalanche’s Gabriel Landeskog had a goal and two assists to lead the Avs to a win at the Pepsi Center.
Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves, including 12 in the third period, to lead his team to a victory against Pittsburgh, who had won four straight heading into a west coast r...
A day after both the Penguins and the Red Wings were handed disappointing losses, it was just the Penguins that had that happen to them again. Detroit creamed the Penguins by a score of 5-1 in a game in which tempers flared and the teams were on edge for most of the contest.
For the Penguins, they should have done better than they did against the Bruins Saturday afterno...
No luck of the Irish for the Penguins Tuesday night. They lost their third straight game against the New Jersey Devils, who are third-to-last in the Metropolitan Division. Not only did they lose, but they were shut out by the lowly Devils on St. Patrick’s day. 2-0 was the final thanks to an empty-netter with 48 seconds left in the game. Another tough game for the Penguin...
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...
In the middle of true panic and hysteria setting in during the 3rd period of the Sabres Stars game last night when it looked like the Sabres were going to gain more useless points in their quest for a guaranteed top 2 pick, amid the joy of the Stars pulling out the regulation win, the Tyler Myers dead horse was revived and then beaten again.
Two important notes before I...
HarrisonHamm writes...
Crosby scores 300th goal, but Penguins fall to Flyers 4-1
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Maybe the Penguins should stop playing the Flyers in Pittsburgh, because they can’t seem to beat them. Philadelphia is now 13-2-1, 11-1-1 in the regular season, against Pittsburgh at Consol Energy Center.
Brayden Schenn scored twice to lead the Flyers to a 4-1 win Wednesday night. Philadelphia, with a record of 31-29-17, have already been eliminated from the postseas...
It's the middle of April! That, as every Oilers fan knows is the beginning of seeing every idiot with access to a computer begin to post their own plans on what they would do to improve the team. So without further adieu I present this idiots plan on what I would do to improve the team.
As it stands right now, this is the opening roster for next season (ignoring UFA's)
...
Reddevil45 writes...
NY Islanders against Washington Capitals:Series Prediction
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The second seeded Washington Capitals will face the third seeded New York Islanders. Both teams had players who were in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, Alexander Ovechkin (Capitals) and John Tavares (Islanders).Both players have got five points in the four games when these two have faced each other. Both teams didn’t make the playoffs the previous season but have rebou...
Reddevil45 writes...
Anaheim Ducks against Winnipeg Jets: Series Prediction
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Winnipeg Jets will play in their first postseason since relocating back to Winnipeg. The Jets will hope that their goaltending (Ondrej Pavelec or Michael Hutchinson) will hold in the series against the Ducks young goalies Frederik Anderson and John Gibson. The Ducks will go with Anderson in net and the Jets with Pavelec. The Ducks finished top in the west finishing onl...
"Oh you're just saying that because you [finish defeatist statement here]." I'm over it--though take me at my word, won't you? Pleeeease? When milk spills, I get grumbly for a second, and then I go collect paper towel and clean it up before it ends up seeping into everything. Likewise, I was angry like pretty much 86% of the other fans were, but here I am, still writing,...
Since I love to innovate and work on broken systems, I have yet another method to help "fix" the draft.
What was the worst team in the league last year? Well... it depends... what stat are you looking at?
Enter the problem. I'm a big fan of the Devils, admittedly, so I would like the idea of the Devils drafting a breakout forward to help fix the offensive woes that ...
Normally I wouldn't write this many posts, but this was an exception.
There had been speculation that since the new owners were being tentative on their "state of things" conference at the end of the year that changes were coming. Lou said it was his idea to step down, but since the speculation was there, I think it's fair to say that the situation may have been a bi...
As much as most fans have enjoyed the last few weeks and the changes being made to this organization, it is obvious this team has a long way to go before playoffs can be even considered. However there are also a few pieces of trade bait this organization can dangle to fulfil some of these needs, one key one being the second first round pick; 16th overall. With a draft that...
LeafLove93 writes...
Off Season Targets for Shanahan (in a leaf fans eyes)
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Its no surprise to anyone that the Leafs roster will look significantly different come the start of next season, I thought it would be fun to throw my couch potato GM’ing out there for others to read about. Not all of these would work together but all would be improvement for both teams.
New York Islanders:
Target: Griffin Reinhart + Josh Ho-Sang + Nikolai Kulemin
...
Back by popular demand, it's the conclusion of my 29 defensemen blog. Once again, this is a blog to talk about defensemen I feel could be acquired [b]for the right price[/b]. The second first round pick was a piece I chose to simply start the conversation. In no way was I suggesting that Kris Russell is worth the 16th pick; or that the pick alone could get Brent Seabrook. ...
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...
Over the next few weeks, while the Stanley Cup is finishing up, I'm going to be writing about possible trades that might happen by or on draft day. Many will be suggesting trades on forums, but the perceived value of players is highly contested, even among GMs. A trade is actually more likely to happen when the value of a player is over-or-underestimated.
So discret...
The Edmonton Oilers have the chance to add 4 players in the first two rounds of the draft this year. Among them is one of the highest acclaimed players of our generation. If he lives up to that hype or not, he will be expected when the Oilers are shopping to fill holes in their roster.
I think the Oilers might be in one of the most unique positions in NHL history. In...
This year's draft looks particularly strong; the free agent pool looks exactly the opposite of that. But next year's free agents will make you salivate. Now, more than ever, teams are starting to prevent their players from bolting for free, since it damages their franchise too much when it does happen. Nobody wants to have the forward core of the NJ Devils right now.
...
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a big bag of mess, but with the likes of Shanahan and Babcock guiding two out of three of the most important positions I feel pretty comfortable we are moving in the right direction. The trade talks swirl around the core of the leafs and rightfully so, they haven't meshed the way they should or performed to the best of their capabilities. For me...
The year will be fun as so much can play out. Leafs could potentially be competitive shortly now that we have Babcock and keep Phaneuf and Kessel but that will involve many ifs and the tea eventually doing another rebuild shortly as the team will deplete its prospect depth way to soon. For long term and guaranteed success they need to be traded as they are Toronto's best a...
Every team is looking to trade up. I mean, I had a choice when I looked into my freezer this morning: plain Eggos or Cinnamon Toast Eggos. The longer you look at them, the more tempted you are. You have to think it's always an option and virtually every team (except Edmonton) is a candidate.
Also, teams always seem to covet picks that are slated to go three to five...
It’s no secret that the penguins are a position to capitalise on the ‘big four’: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury. At least not with some of the current crop they continue to renew and obtain every year.
Mike Johnson was unable to prove his worth this season. His coaching ability is not in question, neither is his team management. Hi...
KIMMOOOOOOO!! Nothing made me more happier on Monday night than watching Kimmo graciously lift the cup over his head in absolute euphoria. The thing he's been working for his entire life which had eluded him up until now is finally his. He can finally call himself a champion. After a wonderful career in which he was a 5 time all-star (probably would have been a 6th if ther...
KIMMOOOOOOO!! Nothing made me more happier on Monday night than watching Kimmo graciously lift the cup over his head in absolute euphoria. The thing he's been working for his entire life which had eluded him up until now is finally his. He can finally call himself a champion. After a wonderful career in which he was a 5 time all-star (probably would have been a 6th if ther...
[i]Bare with me on this blog. It was written quickly as it has been a long time since HB's actual Oilers Blogger has said anything. A week before the Oilers make 5 picks early in the draft and the best rumors are found on TSN and their website sucks. Like it or not, someone had to say something at all about the club as this is truly a momentous time for the Oilers club t...
I have a dream.... that the Oilers can get impact young d-men to help with their cause now...rnrnSeem like a bit of a stretch? Maybe, but there might be a few trade scenarios that could work well for both sides, therefor making it a viable deal, even in this cap-crazy world we call the NHL.rnrnFirst off, let me just say that I love all the Oilers young forwards. I believe ...
Sorry Detroit fans, but this one is quite sad. Since the year 2000, the Detroit Red Wings have made 7 first-round selections. All others were traded off for assets and players, but to have only 7 picks in 15 years, considering the abundance of talent that has emerged since, is the main reason why Detroit isn’t the Dynasty Team they were in the days of Steve Yzerman.
...
Oilers latest GM came with a lot of hype. Oilers Brass have changed everything from the President to the scouting staff. However the GM is the first one to show his stuff and he really was not amazing during the draft. Seems like the scouting staff did their job in terms of the 2 late picks he made but he mortgaged they Oilers future for magic beans.
The Oilers trade...
Draft McDavid - Check
Bring in Talbot without giving up too much - Check
Fix the Defense - Check?
Let's get right to it. It wasn't bad enough that Boston traded Hamilton to a team not named Edmonton, but it was Calgary, and they accepted less from them than what we supposedly offered. It was good to see that Chiarelli was right in the mix, obviously identifying what m...
[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 ...
Welcome to the GM Mode[code]Today I will be taking a look at the Buffalo Sabres and analyze a series of “hypothetical” moves that the Buffalo Sabres should make.Buffalo Sabres GM; Tim Murray is faced with many decisions since after the NHL Draft of 2015. He may not have had the first overall pick but the second pick (Jack Eichel) is a great starting point for a team t...
The following is a breakdown of potential Bruins trade bait and some thoughts for why this could be. Let's assume right off the bat the the bruins don't move either of their 1st round picks for the next draft.
1. Chris Kelly: He adds some leadership value to a 4th line group, he's pretty good on defensive zone faceoffs and plays well on the PK. 3M cap hit seems to mu...
What do the Bruins do now with their D-Core....
there's a couple options they have, some of them however make us Bruins fans a little nervous.
1. Stay Status Quo: With the number of bodies they have signed the Bruins could leave things status quo and see if the group of young guns can do. that would leave Chara, Seidenberg, Krug, Mcquaid as 4 of the top 6 leaving ...
It is no secret that having an elite level defenseman has endless benefits. Modern day hockey involves a 5 player attack more than ever before. Having a smart, skilled player who can jump into the rush opens up a lot more options for the team. The position has evolved significantly, and offensive D-men are much more prevalent. However, in this article we will be focusi...
In this article I will outline the top three teams' in the Eastern Conference entering the 2015-16 season. There's some moves still to be made, but I believe that the majority of the blockbuster deals are completed.
5. New York Islanders: ( 47-28-7 : 101 Points)
The Islanders finished the 2014-15 season with a first round elimination at the hands of the Washington...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 7- Columbus Blue Jackets v New York Islanders
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
In a quest for their first win of the young regular season, the Columbus Blue Jackets will try to do so at home against the New York Islanders.
The Jackets are going with a different lineup for the third straight game. Alex Wennberg is back in the lineup after suffering a concussion on the first game of the season. Rene Borque is also expected to be in after being a la...
Close but no Cigar.
Until the third period.
After a very good game last night played in Nationwide, the Columbus Blue Jackets left the ice in defeat. The New York Islanders shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 4-0.
For the Islanders, Nikolay Kulemin Thomas Hickey, Cal Clutterbuck, and John Tavares scored. Nikolay's goal came off poor defensive...
The hunt for a defenseman is on for Columbus.
Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch suggests the Devils and the Jackets may be talking a trade. Porty reports interest in Adam Larsson for Columbus and Cam Atkinson for New Jersey. Apparently, New Jersey has been eyeing Atkinson for a couple of seasons. Last season, Todd Cordell of Hockeybuzz rumored Columbus and New J...
Through 7 games CBJ is without a point in the season standings. The hockey world has waited with trepidation since Bob-O came out of the no-confidence closet. The hockey world waits again to see if Torts’ reform is the answer.
Tortorella has proven himself as a winner, and as a sore loser. Can Torts steer this ship back on course or will the elusiveness of a winn...
What craziness around the league, huh? Let's just focus on Columbus here.
First thing first has to be star center Ryan Johansen. Joey did not play in Saturday's game due to an illness, and was flown back to Columbus for evaluations. Aaron Portzline reported Johansen was checked this summer for an accelerated heart rate. The agent of Johansen says his injury has nothing...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 10- Columbus Blue Jackets @ New Jersey Devils
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The road trip continues for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but they are closer to home now. Tonight will be a goalie battle between Columbus and the New Jersey Devils in Newark, New Jersey. The Jackets have not had much success at the Rock (Prudential Center), and only won once in that arena in franchise history (and that was last season).
The Devils are a very different t...
Back to Back. The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the New Jersey Devils by a final score of 3-1.
For the Devils, Kyle Palmieri scored the Devils' ice breaker with 3 minutes left in the game. Travis Zajac, my player to watch, had a helper on the power play goal. The Jackets only had 14 shots, and Cory Schneider stopped 11 of them for a 0.786 save percentage.
As for t...
The Columbus Blue Jackets are apparently underwhelmed by the offers for right winger Cam Atkinson. Atkinson has been rumored to be on the move since the trade deadline and has come close to being moved. At last year's trade deadline, Colorado, Boston, New York (Rangers), and Montreal were interested in him. Instead of getting moved, the Connecticut native signed a 3 year, ...
With the Blue Jackets still on the market for a defenseman, Cam Fowler's name has been surfacing around the league as of late.
Fowler was drafted 12th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. This year, he has 2 points in 11 games. Boston reportedly has interest in Fowler. Buffalo also appears to have interest in him as well as teammate Frederik Andersen.
But would Columb...
With the Blue Jackets still on the market for a defenseman, Cam Fowler's name has been surfacing around the league as of late.
Fowler was drafted 12th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. This year, he has 2 points in 11 games. Boston reportedly has interest in Fowler. Buffalo also appears to have interest in him as well as teammate Frederik Andersen.
But would Columb...
With the Blue Jackets still on the market for a defenseman, Cam Fowler's name has been surfacing around the league as of late.
Fowler was drafted 12th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. This year, he has 2 points in 11 games. Boston reportedly has interest in Fowler. Buffalo also appears to have interest in him as well as teammate Frederik Andersen.
But would Columb...
Breakdown:
The last time these clubs squared off revealed some things in my opinion. First, the Devils aren't as bad as everyone and their mother predicted before the season started. Granted, they're in a rebuild type of transition since the departure of Lou Lamoriello and the arrival of Ray Shero. You have to give credit where credit is due and that credit deserves to go...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 23- Columbus Blue Jackets v. New Jersey Devils
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
What a battle tonight in the rock for the Blue Jackets as they visit the New Jersey Devils in Newark, New Jersey. As we pass the quarter season, the Devils are a playoff team, while the Jackets have a mountain to climb. Last time these teams meet, John Tortorella earned his second win as coach of Columbus. That day was October 27, 2015, and it was a 3-1 win. Tonight, t...
Breathe in...
Breathe out...
Thanksgiving getting to me. Maybe. In this weird rumor blog, I discuss the Ryan Johansen rumors in Columbus
Let's start with the facts- Darren Dreger reported that Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen might be available as teams have called Columbus about his availability. Also, one team said he is "softly" in play.
Let's state th...
Breathe in...
Breathe out...
Thanksgiving getting to me. Maybe. In this weird rumor blog, I discuss the Ryan Johansen rumors in Columbus
Let's start with the facts- Darren Dreger reported that Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen might be available as teams have called Columbus about his availability. Also, one team said he is "softly" in play.
Let's state th...
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...
1st off, I've been following this site for years and have always enjoyed the perspective of other fans, even if I don't personally agree with them. The trade rumours are like hockey fans version of those "Who's Cheating on Who and Getting a Divorce" magazines you always see when checking out at the grocery store. Most of it is complete BS yet we always seem to come back.
...
Another successful back-to-back series has finished for the Blue Jackets, earning a three of possible four points over a 24 hour span.
On Friday night, the Jackets last to the Florida Panthers in a shootout. This loss is the Jackets first overtime loss of the season. The final score was 2-1. For Florida, Vincent Trocheck scored his goal after it hit off Justin Falk...
A quarter way through the season and no trades by the Blue Jackets to acquire a defenseman. With plenty of teams with defensemen on the market, here are some logical ones that may make some sense in Columbus.
1. Roman Polak, Toronto Maple Leafs. This should not come as a surprise to anybody. The Leafs are at the bottom of the league and are looking to rebuild. The ve...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be moved? W...
l
On Saturday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets battled the New York Islanders in Nationwide Arena. The final score was a close one, 3-2 overtime.
The Islanders got goals from Kyle Okposo (2), and Frans Nielsen. They also got points from Nick Leddy and Josh Bailey. Jaroslav Halak stopped 28 of 30 Blue Jackets' shots for a 0.933 save percentage (93.3%)
For the Jac...
CBJ- Still Last, Trade or Keep 1st Overall Pick?
The Columbus Blue Jackets remain dead last in the entire league as they are nearing the halfway mark of the regular season, almost where they were last year before a turnaround that got them to eighth worst in the NHL. Without any lottery, and to my reference earlier, the Jackets would have the first overall pick in the 2...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 35- Flying High in the Shootout
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Roughhouse hockey was key in a huge shootout victory for the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Philadelphia Flyers. The final score of the matchup was 3-2.
The Flyers got goals from Jakub Voracek and Scott Laughton. In the shootout, they got a goal from Wayne Simmonds. Other players with points include Matt Read, Nick Schultz, Sean Couturier, and Shayne Gostisbehe...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 35- Flying High in the Shootout
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Roughhouse hockey was key in a huge shootout victory for the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Philadelphia Flyers. The final score of the matchup was 3-2.
The Flyers got goals from Jakub Voracek and Scott Laughton. In the shootout, they got a goal from Wayne Simmonds. Other players with points include Matt Read, Nick Schultz, Sean Couturier, and Shayne Gostisbehe...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 35- Flying High in the Shootout
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Roughhouse hockey was key in a huge shootout victory for the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Philadelphia Flyers. The final score of the matchup was 3-2.
The Flyers got goals from Jakub Voracek and Scott Laughton. In the shootout, they got a goal from Wayne Simmonds. Other players with points include Matt Read, Nick Schultz, Sean Couturier, and Shayne Gostisbehe...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 35- Flying High in the Shootout
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Roughhouse hockey was key in a huge shootout victory for the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Philadelphia Flyers. The final score of the matchup was 3-2.
The Flyers got goals from Jakub Voracek and Scott Laughton. In the shootout, they got a goal from Wayne Simmonds. Other players with points include Matt Read, Nick Schultz, Sean Couturier, and Shayne Gostisbehe...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be move...
As we are in the midst of the holiday season and looking ahead both to 2016 and The Winter Classic, here are 12 takes on The Boston Bruins season thus far.
1-6:
[b]Claude Julien - Coach of the Year[/b]
For my money, [b]Claude Julien[/b] has to be the front runner for coach of the year honors in the NHL this season. Are there really any other clubs having unexp...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be move...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be move...
Boom! Boom! Boom! Was yesterday the trade deadline with all the transactions occurring? The Jackets finally made the trade they were looking for, in a gutsy one for one trade with a talented Western Conference squad in Tennessee.
To Nashville: C Ryan Johansen
Ryan Johansen is an extremely talented number one center on any team in the NHL; however, he has not had...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Rumor Chart (Updated Following Day of Trades)
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be move...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be move...
In the latest installment of the Ottawa Sun, Bruce Garrioch wonders if the Blue Jackets could be interested in Canadiens center Lars Eller. Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen drafted Eller when he was with the Blues. His reasoning is that he believes the Blue Jackets are in need of a number one center. You could agree with that, but the Jackets have wingers that could pl...
With Columbus recently acquiring Seth Jones from the Nashville Predators, I look around the league at future top pairings in the league to see who could be really good and bad. These are also bold predictions as players' potentials are getting better and better, and there are some really good players left off as this is a look ahead. If you don't like what you see, ple...
With my recent blog of future defensive parings, I am doing one of other guys that may become valuable defenders.
Anahiem: Cam Fowler, Brendan Montour
Arizona: Jared Tinordi
Calgary: TJ Brodie
Carolina: Ryan Murphy, Hayden Fleury, Roland McKeown
Chicago: Ville Poka, Viktor Svedberg
Colorado: Duncan Siemens
Columbus: Zach Werenski, Dillon Heatheringto...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be move...
Luke D
With the trade deadline being one month away, the time is right to speculate about what's to come by deadline day.
As most of us know, the Maple Leafs are clearly sellers but to what degree; will they ship out players like Tyler Bozak and Joffrey Lupul or are they more focused on shipping out players with expiring contracts? I am not one hundred percent sure a...
CBJ- Center of Attention
With the blockbuster trade of 2016 happening in Ohio's capital, the team's future goes from finding a number one defenseman to a new number one center. With a solid three man backend in Seth Jones, Ryan Murray, and Zach Werenski, the team seems to be okay for the future. With Brandon Dubinsky being the team's number one center followed behind by...
Updated: Feb. 2, 2016
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now bec...
West:
Chicago Blackhawks - This team is a dynasty and no one can argue. Not many needs a good prospect cupboard headlined by Dano. A cheap top 9 rental and depth defenseman wouldnt hurt. Possible: Matthias or Gryba
Dallas Stars - You can make a team through trades, atleast thats what Burke was taught in Toronto, but Nill is a masterful trader. He acquired his top two c...
Trades:
Parenteau for 2nd rounder and prospect to Washington
Bozak to Nashville for 1st Rounder.
Bernier to Carolina for 3rd Rounder and Ward to clear space
Matthias to Hawks for 4th rounder
Grabner to Detroit for 4th rounder
Polak to Pittsburgh (Change conditional 1st to automatic, get 2nd rounder in 2017 and prospect)
Gardiner Edmonton for 2017 1st.
Offseason:...
Taking a look at the potential line up and who will be contributing to the overall rebuild next year and years to come it gives us a better idea of what trades will happen now and in the off season. I don't see any rush in trading guys with term left as I see them helping the kids in a mentor ship type role. Take Lupul and Bozak for example, we can almost guarantee Lupul...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 55- New York Islanders v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
After a couple days off from game action, the Columbus Blue Jackets are back on the ice tonight where they are taking on the New York Islanders. The Islanders last played Sunday in a dominating 8-1 performance against the West's worse team- the Edmonton Oilers.
On January 12, the last time these teams played each other, the Blue Jackets fell to the Islanders in their a...
A rumor came by this weekend that the Columbus Blue Jackets could be looking into acquiring winger Loui Eriksson from the Boston Bruins as he appears to be pricing himself out of Beantown. His price tag is one hard to grab as it varies between one of two things.
One day, it is a first round pick; next is a top four defenseman. If Boston truly wants a first round pick f...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be moved? W...
Last night, the Islanders struck early, late, and in extra time to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 3-2 in a shootout.
The Islanders got a goal from Ryan Strome (my player to watch) 56 seconds into the game. Three minutes into the final frame, Andres Lee ties the score on a power play goal. Other players with points were John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, a...
That now seems to be the latest possibility. According to the Fourth Period, the Detroit Red Wings are interested in Fedor Tyutin. The veteran defenseman seems to have fallen out of favor in Columbus like last season with James Wisniewski- a big time salary that doesn't perform the way the club wants him to. According to the website, two scouts/former Red Wings, Kirk Maltb...
Recent rumors have been that the Columbus Blue Jackets may be looking to dangle defenseman Jack Johnson. This article will explain why and why not to listen to the rumors.
First, here is a quick breakdown of his career. Johnson was drafted third overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. A couple months later, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings...
With the Blue Jackets reportedly looking to trade defensemen Jack Johonson and Fedor Tyutin, they will need to find defensive replacements whether it's internally or externally. Here are a couple of guys on other teams that may intrigue the Blue Jackets.
[u]Justin Schultz[/u]
If Jack Johnson is on the trade block, there needs to be an offensive defenseman to replace...
With the trade deadline coming up, this blog will look at which Blue Jackets could be moved, and what asking price might be. The order will go as I do with the lineups- forwards first, defensemen second, and goaltenders last.
Offense
Scott Hartnell (LW)
It seems like the reason current Flyers general manager Ron Hextall traded him here is the reason why the Blue Ja...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be moved? W...
With the trade deadline inching closer and closer, it's that time of year for us hockey fans to think up those wild trade scenarios that just might make sense. The real key to these proposals it to try to justify it from all sides to make it almost believable. Does it fit the teams needs? Does it work with the cap? Is it a fair value of talent? etc.
What i came up with:...
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL Trade Deadline Preview- Metropolitan Division
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
With the trade deadline being on February 29th, this article will be the beginning of a four part series of where I preview what each team needs, where they stand, and what they could acquire or move. The order of teams will go by where they stand in the standings. For February 20th, the Metro goes as follows:
1. Washington Capitals
2. New York Rangers
3. New York Isl...
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL Trade Deadline Preview Pt. 2- Atlantic Division
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
With the trade deadline being on February 29th, this article is the second of a four part series of where I preview what each team needs, where they stand, and what they could acquire or move. The order of teams will go by where they stand in the standings. For February 21st, the Atlantic goes as follows:
1. Florida Panthers
2. Boston Bruins
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
4....
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL Trade Deadline Preview Pt. 3- Central Division
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
With the trade deadline being on February 29th, this article is the second of a four part series of where I preview what each team needs, where they stand, and what they could acquire or move. The order of teams will go by where they stand in the standings. For February 21st, the Central goes as follows:
1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Dallas Stars
3. St. Louis Blues
4. Col...
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL Trade Deadline Preview Pt. 4: Pacific Division
Posted Monday | Comments 0
With the trade deadline being on February 29th, this article is the second of a four part series of where I preview what each team needs, where they stand, and what they could acquire or move. The order of teams will go by where they stand in the standings. For February 21st, the Pacific goes as follows:
1. Los Angeles Kings
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Ari...
TMLBird writes...
Why a Leafs/Blackhawks Deal makes great sense - CAP SPACE
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
While I have absolutely no league sources, or ties to the Toronto Maple Leafs, this blog is written purely from a fan. Said that, It's no secret that the Leafs are in full rebuild mode. They are unloading anything and everything with an expiring contact to stockpile and hoard draft picks and prospects. Now i know a lot of fans like myself wonder, well what do the leafs re...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 61- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Detroit Red Wings
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
(NBCSN)
For the first time this season, the Columbus Blue Jackets battle the Detroit Red Wings, and face them three times in four weeks. For Columbus, this is the second of a back-to-back matchup for them. The Red Wings last played Sunday on NBCSN, and lost to the New York Rangers in overtime (1-0).
Looking at the stats, this is how the Wings are doing. They hold th...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 61- Comeback Costs Columbus Extra Point
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
What a game on NBC Sports Network last night. Columbus gets the national spotlight, despite being defeated by the Detroit Red Wings by a final score of 2-1 in a shootout. This point means Columbus has earned points in 11 of their last 13 games, whereas Detroit inches closer to the second seed in the Atlantic Division.
Detroit got their lone regulation goal in the secon...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post Game No. 61- Hatty Helps; Hurts Devils' Chances
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Sorry for not being able to get the pre-game coverage up like I normally do. It was a busy day yesterday. Same with around the league. I will do a reaction blog after the deadline. As for last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets dominated the New Jersey Devils by a final score of 6-1.
New Jersey got their lone goal in the early stages of the second period. Reid Boucher sc...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post Game No. 61- Hatty Helps; Hurts Devils' Chances
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Sorry for not being able to get the pre-game coverage up like I normally do. It was a busy day yesterday. Same with around the league. I will do a reaction blog after the deadline. As for last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets dominated the New Jersey Devils by a final score of 6-1.
New Jersey got their lone goal in the early stages of the second period. Reid Boucher sc...
Even though I have heard nothing in regards to trade rumors at this point in time, the Blue Jackets may have to look into their goaltending depth as a result of the hot streak of current goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
The Jackets have a good amount of depth behind starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, even though most of them are prospects.
First is the veteran- Curt...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Columbus Trades Scott Hartnell to Nashville for Kevin Fiala
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
What an awesome trade this is for both teams. Scott Hartnell scored his 100th point as a Blue Jackets prior to his departure, and he reunites alongside Ryan Johansen. Kevin Fiala is Nashville's top prospect, and replaces Marko Dano on Columbus' depth pool. Fiala has had a tough top satisfying GM David Poile, and can now do what he pleases in Columbus. Fiala and Hartnell we...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be moved? W...
Zak MacMillan writes...
My Reactions to Trades- Deadline and Before (Longest Blog Pd
Posted Monday | Comments 0
SubTitle: My Longest Blog Ever
What is better than seeing and hearing about trades at the trade deadline? Reacting to the trades from the deadline. This blog is my thoughts on the trades that happened prior to and the day of the NHL Trade Deadline.
__________________________________________________________________
[b]During the Week[/b]
_____________________________...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Rumor Chart(2/29/16) Final Time Before the Draft.Enjoy!
Posted Monday | Comments 0
CBJ- Rumor Chart
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes ...
Originally I started writing this blog about how the Oilers were once again involved in a trade deadline where they only unloaded players but Chiarelli ruined that by actually adding things to improve the team.
I digress...
By now you all should know what deals went down so here is the Oiler's current roster.
Hall-Draisaitl-Kassian
Pouliot-McDavid-Eberle
Maroon-...
This trade deadline was one filled with rumors, and the first I have publicly covered. From a Columbus standpoint, this is the quietest deadline Jarmo Kekalainen has participated in.
There were rumors of Scott Hartnell, Fedor Tyutin, and Gregory Campbell being traded, and all remain in Columbus sweaters. For the players, it means they are safe, for now.
However, th...
Over the last few seasons, I've noticed a trend picking up among GMs. Of course, it's easy to notice that not as many teams are going to dump their first round picks for a rental--everyone should have taken the hint when well-managed teams were reluctant to do so. But this next trend might be a little more invisible to the common eye.
The trend I'm speaking of is the ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 66- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Philadelphia Flyers
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The back to back continues for Columbus tonight where they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers, who are looking to get into the playoffs. The Flyers made no moves at the deadline, but did move out Vinny Leclavier and Luke Schenn to Los Angeles in January.
The last time these teams played was December 19, 2015. The final score of the matchup was 3-2.
The F...
In Philadelphia, the Flyers blanked the Blue Jackets on the second half of a back to back night of game action for this young squad. The final score was 6-0.
The Flyers got two goals in each period, and the best player on the ice last night was defenseman Radko Gudas.
On the Flyers first shot, which came 3:40 into the game, he passed the puck to winger Michael Raff...
The most heard argument AGAINST a return of Ilya Kovalchuk in the NHL is that he really f*cked the New Jersey Devils by leaving them for the KHL, a couple of years into a huge contract. In 2010 the Devils acquired Kovalchuk (and defenseman Salmela) in a deal with the Atlanta Trashers for Oduya, Bergfors, Cormier and a 2010-1st round pick. Atlanta was unable to resign Koval...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 67- Detroit Red Wings v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
After playing back to back nights over the weekend, the Blue Jackets are back on the ice to take on Detroit, who is fighting mightily to stay in the playoffs. It feels as if there are three teams fighting for two playoff spots- Detroit; Pittsburgh; and Philadelphia.
These teams last played February 23, 206 on NBCSN. The Wings came back to win in a shootout, 2-1.
Ri...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 67- What An Upset + Bobrovsky is Returning
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets upset the Detroit Red Wings by a final score of 5-3, further hurting hopes of 25 straight playoff appearances for the Wings.
Detroit got all their goals in the final 30 minutes of the game. Ten minutes into the second period (10:24), Team USA forward Justin Abdelkader scored his 16th goal of the season. Gustav Nquist and Mike Green...
With ten games remaining, this year can once again be summarized for Oiler fans as a disappointment. While injuries have played a huge factor in the teams current position it cannot be denied that consistency and defensive woes have also played a huge roll. Now that we are a couple weeks past the trade deadline I thought now would be as good a time as any to look back on e...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 70- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Detroit Red Wings
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The home stand continues for the Columbus Blue Jackets where they battle Detroit for the third and final time of the season. These teams have met each other three times (including tonight) in the previous four weeks.
The season series is tied at one game a piece. They first played on NBCSN where the Red Wings won in a shootout (2-1). In Columbus, the Jackets beat the W...
Last night, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 3-1.
Detroit got their first goal in the ten minutes from center Luke Glendening (5th of the season); Riley Sheahan and Andreas Anthansiou earned the assist. In the final frame, the Wings got two goals in five minutes. Captain Henrik Zetterberg scored his 13th goal of the season 7:...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 71- Columbus Blue Jackets v. New Jersey Devils
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
A milestone evening alongside the end of a home stand and the start of a back to back and home and home series is on tap for the Blue Jackets where they take on the New Jersey Devils.
Head coach John Tortorella is coaching in his 1,000 NHL game. This is an amazing milestone as he is the first Jackets to accomplish this feat. It's also to interesting to see an extremely...
CBJ Post-Game No. 71- Bjork Brings Back Win
On a milestone night for head coach John Tortorella, his Columbus Blue Jackets brought home a big win against the New Jersey. The final score was 6-3.
The Devils started scoring in the second period, with two power play goals in a span of 3:15. Kyle Palmieri potted the first goal in for his 26th of the season; Damon Severs...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 72- Columbus Blue Jackets @ New Jersey Devils
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
After playing each other last night, the Jackets and Devils travel to the rock to play each other yet again, but for the last time this season.
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
Scott Hartnell - Brandon Dubinsky - Nick Foligno
Brandon Saad - Boone Jenner - Cam Atkinson
Matt Calvert - Jared Boll - Oliver Bjorkstrand
William Karlsson - Michael Chaput - G...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 72- Devil Debuts Deflate Jackets
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Jackets have failed the season sweep to the New Jersey Devils, losing to them in the Rock by a final score of 2-1.
The Devils' goals came during the odd numbered periods of the game. In the first period, Reid Boucher scored his 7th goal of the season; Kyle Palmieri and Andy Greene had the assists. In the final frame, Devante Smith-Pelly scored his 13th goal of the ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 73-Flying High Over Flyers via Comeback
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets pulled off a major comeback upset victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in extra time. The final score of the game was 3-2 in a shootout.
Philadelphia had control of the game for most of the time, and scored two in the first 51 minutes of the game. In the first period, Captain Claude Giroux netted his 20th of the season at 11:46; Brayden Schenn...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 77- Brooklyn Blasts Through Blue Jackets
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The New York Islanders defeated the Cooumbus Blue Jackets to sweep them, 4-3.
The Islanders got the upper hand early on, scoring three goals in the first period. John Tavares scored his 28th of the season (7:25); Ryan Strome and Josh Bailey had the assists. Later on, Thomas Hickey scored his 5th of the season (17:51); Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen had the assists. 32 s...
The Oilers finished second last this season but how far off are they? There has never been a team like the Oilers in the history of the NHL. A team with incredibly talented forwards made up of some amazingly talented but very young players. Most have spent their NHL careers trying to use to new coaches and expectations each year. Combine this with many other factors an...
Round One
Eastern Conference
Washington Capitals v. Philadelphia Flyers
Tampa Bay Lightning v. Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers v. Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Islanders v. Florida Panthers
Western Conference
Dallas Stars v. Minnesota Wild
St. Louis Blues v. Chicago Blackhawks
Anaheim Ducks v. Nashville Predators
Los Angeles Kings v. San Jos...
Moves happen every year with players. New teams appear in the playoffs each year as well. This article will list which playoff team has a former Blue Jacket for all you fans to keep track of at home.
Anaheim: Corey Tropp
Chicago: Tim Jackman, Artem Anisimov
Dallas:
Detroit:
Florida Panthers: Derek MacKenzie
Los Angeles: Jeff Carter, Marian Gaborik
Min...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Gabriel Carlsson to a three year entry level deal. Carlsson was drafted 29th overall by the Jackets in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. This draft selection was the second first round the Jackets had in the draft, moving up in a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Per Elite Prospects: "Big stay-at-home defenseman with excellent...
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...
I must say the NHL seems to be going the right way with the lottery. It is not must see TV yet but that was a lot more interesting with the top 3 all up for grabs. It is not like them to successfully market anything. I think the big Congratulations go to the Jets. They will get themselves a big Finnish player that will fit well on their team next season.
As for the ...
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...
The Iceman writes...
Lack of scoring, killer instinct among what dooms Isles
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Frustrating, soul crushing, disappointing are just a few words that can be used to describe the feeling among all in Islander country after a 2-1 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in game 4 of this eastern conference semi-final matchup. The lightning now have a commanding 3-1 lead in this best of 7 series with a chance to close it out Sunday back in Tampa Bay. The I...
Tbuck1102 writes...
Brayden Point and Dryden Hunt; a rivalry for years to come
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Two Western Hockey League teammates that led their team in scoring this past season and their futures as NHL rivals.
Brayden Point has gained a lot of attention since being selected 79th overall in the 2014 NHL entry draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Point was called a "hidden gem" by many around the hockey community after he burst onto the prospect scene in 2013-14 wh...
Hamonic. To many it was a done deal. When people discussed what the Oilers were going to do with their defense this summer; Hamonic was already penciled in.
Let me start by saying until I hear it from Hamonic's mouth that he doesn't want to be traded, I'm assuming this is all a ploy by Snow to try and increase the asking price.
Moving on.
It's only been a month si...
Is Steven Stamkos going to be a New York Islander come July 1st? Well if you have a copy of the latest NHL video game, then yes he will be. It's time to address this rumor going around in regards to the one who will be the top UFA this summer. Well, more like bury this rumor that for whatever reason won't go away.
It began not long ago by Eklund, the annonyms one who r...
Travis Yost posted an article on TSN's webpage trying to answer a question many of us have... What is the value of a top pick these days?
For those that missed it is here:
[url]http://www.tsn.ca/examining-the-true-value-of-toronto-s-first-overall-pick-1.491169[/url]
The article is by Travis Yost and he is not as bad as many when it comes to these things. I thi...
This Is A Trade Idea That I've Come Up with.
To Blackhawks - Alex Pietrangelo
To Blues - Jonathan Toews
Toews Is great defensively, but not as defensive as Pietrangelo. The Blackhawks need defence, so they can get Defence, and i'm sure they're not Happy about his salary. Toews struggled this year, so with a fresh start, i think he can do better than he did this year...
With the Stanley Cup Finals about to get underway, we now have a handful of games remaining for the 2015-2016 hockey season. And with that comes one of the most exciting times for fanbases of teams who are looking to upgrade for next year, the offseason. First comes the draft which is roughly a little more than 3 weeks away. Followed by July 1st, aka free agency.
For ...
Matt Henderson wrote a great blog on how the Oilers should offer sheet Seth Jones. While there were many different opinions on the logistics of such a deal, the fact remains that there are going to be some teams with cap issues... which for the NHL really isn't anything new. In the salary cap world, every summer there are teams who have to make tough choices; and teams tha...
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. ...
As I've posted at the end of many of my blogs, some friends and I do a weekly podcast on all things hockey and Oilers. One point we discussed at length was the expansion draft and how the Oilers will be affected.
A few days ago it came out that players with NMC's who are set to be UFA will have to be protected. This means that as of right now, the Oilers will have to pr...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Call For Controversy: What Is Wrong With the NHL
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
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.
...
After years of fighting for his life, his life has ended before our eyes. For what seems to be the first time that I can remember, the NHL has lost an all time great. Maybe the greatest player to have died has done so at the age of 88.
Gordie Howe's death comes out of the blue to many, but expectant and unsurprisingly to others. He has been in a battle for survival s...
After years of fighting for his life, his life has ended before our eyes. For what seems to be the first time that I can remember, the NHL has lost an all time great. Maybe the greatest player to have died has done so at the age of 88.
Gordie Howe's death comes out of the blue to many, but expectant and unsurprisingly to others. He has been in a battle for survival s...
Hamonic, Vatanen, Faulk, Barrie. All defensemen who's names have been associated with the Oilers in the trade mill. All of whom are apparently now off the market. The most reason of which was this morning when the Ducks announced they had re-signed Sami Vatanen to a 4 year deal with 19.5 million dollars. While I do think that's an overpay he is a top powerplay option and p...
According to @RumorBreak, a Twitter page run by Michael Grosso, the Columbus Blue Jackets made an an offer to the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire the first overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
The deal apparently involved the third overall pick, other draft picks, and prospects.
If Columbus is giving up forward prospects, the deal makes more sense as the Blue J...
CBJ Rumor Chart- Offseason
This chart won't be that big but there are rumors and activities out there throughout the entire league. This chart brings those rumors to light in one place, with Blue Jackets guys and who is rumored to come to Columbus.
1. Scott Hartnell (Columbus Blue Jackets)- EDM, LA, OTT, FLA, BOS, STL, MIN, NJD,PIT, NSH
2. Nick Foligno (Columbus B...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Rumors- Captain and Other Players From Around the League
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
With my rumor chart live, I will also have tons of rumors ready for the week in paragraph view. Today, let's discuss who has been in the news lately.
Let's start with the captain. Sportsnet first reported that there could be some teams looking at Captain Nick Foligno. He makes $5.5 million per season, and comes off what might being one of his worst years of his career....
CBJ Rumor Chart- Offseason
This chart won't be that big but there are rumors and activities out there throughout the entire league. This chart brings those rumors to light in one place, with Blue Jackets guys and who is rumored to come to Columbus.
1. Scott Hartnell (Columbus Blue Jackets)- EDM, LA, OTT, FLA, BOS, STL, MIN, NJD,PIT, NSH
2. Nick Foligno (Columbus B...
Though the Detroit Red Wings' interest in Steven Stamkos is now well-known, that's not the only upgrade general manager Ken Holland is looking to make this offseason.
The Red Wings are looking to acquire a defenseman via trade, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, and Holland has already had discussions regarding two of the biggest names available.
...
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...
It took roughly 5 days for Islanders general manager (buffoon is more like it) garth snow to fail the team and his franchise center in John Tavares. Wednesday June 29th was ruled by a number of trades. Yet none stuck out more for the frustrated Islanders fan base than the trade of now former Edmonton Oilers winger Taylor Hall. The 1st overall pick in the 2010 entry draft w...
I'll tell you, and I won't be very popular with this one but I might actually have an idea of what GMs are thinking while a lot of people are stuck in the "stats la-la land" that focuses mostly on a genuinely useless stat (shots on goal).
It's funny that you want a society to get smarter in an abstract sense, but they sink into abstracts (shots on goal) while veering aw...
The 2016 NHL Draft was filled with interest and intrigue. In my review, I will provide who was selected by Columbus, and will let you, the reader, learn a little more about them. I will also be reviewing the whole draft as well, and letting you guys in on who I think were winners and losers of the draft.
Listed Players Selected
#3- C Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be moved? W...
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...
Welcome to the Columbus version of the rumor chart. This is a very simple way to get fans the latest rumors of players that could head to Columbus. However, this chart will also show other teams that will be interested in players. This chart will also show players rumored to leave Columbus, and teams interested in them as well. The question now becomes who will be moved? W...
With the Ducks D Corps full to the brim with excellent NHL defensemen as well as great D prospects coming through the ranks, they can afford to let a stud like Hampus Lindholm go for the right price. I think the Leafs have the assets to make this trade happen! I love JVR but he is in his prime right now and can help a club like the Ducks who are in dire need of big and t...
This is another huge blog of mine, similar to the one I did at the draft. This blog will discuss the winners and losers of the free agency period, wrapping around who signed where and who was traded where.
What each time has done:
Anaheim Ducks
After an early first round exit from the playoffs, they let go of a slew of veteran forwards with salary in Brandon Pi...
With rumors swirling since the trade deadline, and the need for top six forwards around the league, the rumors of Scott Hartnell being traded are back for Columbus.
According to The Hockey Press, there were discussions between the Blue Jackets and the Senators involving his services. THP further discovered a potential deal may have involved Matt Pumpel (former 2011 1st...
With rumors swirling since the trade deadline, and the need for top six forwards around the league, the rumors of Scott Hartnell being traded are back for Columbus.
According to The Hockey Press, there were discussions between the Blue Jackets and the Senators involving his services. THP further discovered a potential deal may have involved Matt Pumpel (former 2011 1st...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Interested in Youth??? Or in a State of Unknown???
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Coming from Springfield, Massachusetts, the home of the former Blue Jackets affiliate, the Springfield Falcons.
According to multiple outlets, the Columbus Blue Jackets have expressed interest in the services of winger Jimmy Vessey, the highly sought after collegiate free agent. Vessey was a former draft pick of the Nashville Predators, and was flipped to the Buffalo S...
In a recent article written by The Hockey News, Sean McInode, or known on Twitter as @DownGoesBrown, wrote an article about five "ridiculous" trades that almost happened.
The one trade that was Columbus central was former first round pick Gilbert Brule to be flipped to the Vancouver Canucks for Cory Schneider.
Imagine Cory Schneider as the number one goalie in Colu...
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL: Predicting Standings- Who Makes and Misses Playoffs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Pacific Division
1. Anahiem Ducks
2. Los Angeles Kings
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Arizona Coyotes
5. Calgary Flames
6. Edmonton Oilers
7. Vancouver Canucks
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Nashville Predators
4. St. Louis Blues (X)
5. Minnesota Wild (X)
6. Winnipeg Jets
7. Colorado Avalanche
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa B...
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL: Predicting Standings- Who Makes and Misses Playoffs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Pacific Division
1. Anahiem Ducks
2. Los Angeles Kings
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Arizona Coyotes
5. Calgary Flames
6. Edmonton Oilers
7. Vancouver Canucks
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Nashville Predators
4. St. Louis Blues (X)
5. Minnesota Wild (X)
6. Winnipeg Jets
7. Colorado Avalanche
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa B...
The situation between veteran center Gregory Campbell and the Columbus Blue Jackets has gone very sour, and the league had remained very quiet about it.
Gregory Campbell, an NHL veteran, has had a bottom six role with the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins, including winning a Stanley Cup, prior to joining Columbus.
This year, Campbell did not make the Blue Jac...
[b][b]
Match-up – Philadelphia Flyers (3-5-1 )@ Carolina Hurricanes (2-3-1)
Road/Home records – 1-2-1 -------------------- 1-0-0
TV –TCN, FSCR
Puck drop - 8:00 PM ET
Season series - 1-0 Philadelphia; 6-3 in Philadelphia on October 22nd
Projected starting goalies –Mason/Neuvirth (PHI) –Unconfirmed v. Cam Ward (CAR) – Confirmed
Goals for/against per gam...
For more information--- @PesekWill and @NHLPenaltyBox (Twitters)
It wasn't the start John Tavares and the Isles wanted. Many fans may argue the reasoning behind this is three homegrown players, Kyle Okposo, Matt Martin and Frans Nielsen have journeyed to different locations to continue their career. The loss of the three hurt the fan base but the signing of And...
The Islanders surrendered yet another loss, but this time they register a point. It was a very poor first period for the Isles trailing 1-0 after the opening frame. It was a strong second period for the Isles as Brock Nelson tallied his fifth of the year on the Powerplay. Just two minutes later, Anthony Beauvillier, picked pocketed a Pens defenseman, and undressed Matt Mur...
The Islanders surrendered yet another loss, but this time they register a point. It was a very poor first period for the Isles trailing 1-0 after the opening frame. It was a strong second period for the Isles as Brock Nelson tallied his fifth of the year on the Powerplay. Just two minutes later, Anthony Beauvillier, picked pocketed a Pens defenseman, and undressed Matt Mur...
The Islanders surrendered yet another loss, but this time they register a point. It was a very poor first period for the Isles trailing 1-0 after the opening frame. It was a strong second period for the Isles as Brock Nelson tallied his fifth of the year on the Powerplay. Just two minutes later, Anthony Beauvillier, picked pocketed a Pens defenseman, and undressed Matt Mur...
After a bunch of frustrating loses between Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and most importantly the Florida game, where, Halak gave up the game-tying goal with 14 seconds left. During every home, the chants of "Fire Cappy" were reigning down from the rafters and when asked by reporters, Snow said "we have faith in the coaching staff......He [Capuano] was in the World Cup so that say...
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...
For more information, follow @NHLPenaltyBox {Twitter}
When the Islanders selected Ryan Strome with the fifth overall pick in 2011, they felt he could be that "go to winger" for Tavares. After a dominant 2014-2015 rookie season, posting 50 points, he had a horrid run in 2015-2016 with only 20 points. Strome was scratched in the final two games for the Isles in the first...
For more information; follow @NHLPenaltyBox {Twitter}
After beating the Calgary Flames on Monday night, the Isles had a tough back to back approaching. They would play the defending cup champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins, then the following day, they would play the defending President's Trophy champs, the Washington Capitals. Fans knew that this determined the year, a win ...
In their last four games, the Isles have been 3-0-1, earning points in each of their last four games. That's something they have done for the first time this year. It is baby steps as they dug themselves a pretty big hole, that almost made it impossible to dig out off. But, they are slowly digging their way out of it. The Isles are currently 9-10-5, one game below .500 wit...
It was the type of atmosphere, that the Isles had in the first and second rounds of the playoffs last year, and they did not let down their fans. The Isles advanced to 4-0-1 in in their last 5 games and starting to play like a playoff team. In the 5 game point streak the Isles went from 6-10-4 to 10-10-5 making their presence felt in the league again.
The day started o...
archromat writes...
When analyzing a trade, this is often overlooked...
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I read a few articles on bad trades that some teams made, and usually it's "all star" for some guy who has the ceiling but is a few years younger, and more often than not, the one who benefits is the one that gets the better player NOW rather than the future.
But it's like those games, where a team loses 4-3 in OT, and people rush back to thinking about that goal that...
CBJ Post-Game No. 25: Winging It
The Blue Jackets defeated the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena by the final score of 4-1.
Cam Atkinson opened the scoring in the early portion of the first period off a short handed goal. Atkinson's goal was his ninth of the season.
In the second period, sophomore Dylan Larkin got the best of former teammate Zach Werenski on ...
For more information follow @NHLPenaltyBox and @PesekWill {Twitters}
During the Isles hot streak that lasted about a week or so, fans regained hope for this team but after two painful loses to the hot Blue Jackets and the Washington Capitals, things began to unravel for the Islanders. As of December 15, the Isles are 12 points out of the 8th seed in the Eastern Conferen...
Isles fans have not had much news to celebrate over, but Friday they got good news (for some). Net-minder Jaroslav Halak who is statistically the "best goalie" in Islanders history was put on waivers. He was not claimed and was assigned to the AHL team the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday. One of the reasons why he was not claimed was not because he is having a horrific...
The New York Islanders announced Thursday morning that Adam Pelech has been recalled from BST. This will result in tomorrows contest with the Colorado Avalanche as he will most likely play for veteran Dennis Seidenberg, because the Isles have a history of not playing veterans back to back. Or, this can result for the Isles to carry a 7th Dman before they head West and god ...
The Columbus Blue Jackets held on in a back to back situation to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers by the final score of 2-1 in overtime.
In the first period, Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald had a goal waived off by an interesting goalie interference chalk by John Tortorella. The call came with less than two minutes into the first period. The booming slap shot coming f...
The Isles needed four points last weekend, and they ran into slumping teams. The Islanders scored two goals in two games this weekend (one in each) and both were back-to-back 2-1 losses to the Avs and the Coyotes. Johnny Boychuk had a goal on Friday and an assist on Alan Quine's goal on Saturday. Thomas Greiss played both games and was brilliant in both. Staying discipline...
Once again we find ourselves approaching trade deadline and once again the Oilers find themselves in the exciting position of wondering if they can acquire second or third round picks for.... wait.... buyers you say? Ahem, moving on.
Here are some options on the right wing the Oilers should consider as rental players.
Patrick Eaves - Eaves is having one of his most p...
Let me begin by first saying,
both opposing fan-bases will likely hate this trade, thus perhaps demonstrating its parity? (lol).
About a month ago while roaming the Canucks thread, a fellow poster linked an article/tweet that reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs has/had contacted Vancouver's beloved G.M, Jim 'the rim' Benning in the interest of acquiring Chris Tanev...
The Islanders’ owners are “committed” to New York but are keeping their options open with regard to Barclays Center, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said during his news conference during the league’s All-Star Weekend.
“They’re committed to the franchise, they’re committed to New York and the great fan base that has followed the Islanders,” Bettman said, r...
As we discuss trade deadline targets in Edmonton, for the first time in what seems like 500 years, lets take a look at the silky mullet himself, Jaromir Jagr. Now the only reason I bring the name up, is because this type of transaction has Chiarelli's name written all over it. Deja vu much? Remeber that Chia dealt for the Czech ageless wonder in 2013, while he was GM of th...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 51: Columbus Blue Jackets v. New Jersey Devils
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets return to home ice tonight to combat the New Jersey Devils in their first meeting of the season. Isn’t it crazy that it comes with 60% of the season already in the books? The last time these teams met, Patrick Elias was still on the Devils. That’s how far back it has been for these two divisional squads.
Both teams are coming off back to ba...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 51: Columbus Blue Jackets v. New Jersey Devils
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets return to home ice tonight to combat the New Jersey Devils in their first meeting of the season. Isn’t it crazy that it comes with 60% of the season already in the books? The last time these teams met, Patrick Elias was still on the Devils. That’s how far back it has been for these two divisional squads.
Both teams are coming off back to ba...
The New Jersey Devils withstood the Columbus Blue Jackets in their first matchup of the season by the score of 5-1.
Taylor Hall, my player to watch, opened the scoring in the first period with his 12th goal of the season. Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri had the assists on the goal. Jacob Josefson extended his team’s lead with his first of the season in the early portio...
The New Jersey Devils withstood the Columbus Blue Jackets in their first matchup of the season by the score of 5-1.
Taylor Hall, my player to watch, opened the scoring in the first period with his 12th goal of the season. Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri had the assists on the goal. Jacob Josefson extended his team’s lead with his first of the season in the early portio...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Pre-Game No. 52: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Detroit Red Wings
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets are back on the ice tonight to take on the Detroit Red Wings, in their final game in the Joe Louis Arena. The Blue Jackets history with the Red Wings has been short as they were an expansion franchise, but the Jackets do have some history at the Joe. They are 12-24-5 all time in the Joe, and they played each other so much over the years as a resul...
Rumor from a TSN correspondent covering the Oilers vs. Canadian game for radio consumption said that he heard the Oilers are looking to acquire a top 9 forward in a big way before the deadline.
Oilers have been hovering the middle of the top 8 in the Western Conference this season and there is a chance they could go either way. I really wouldn't put money on them mak...
The Columbus Blue Jackets held on to defeat the Detroit Red Wings by the final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The Red Wings opened the scoring in the early portion of the first period by defenseman Nick Jensen. The bottom pairing defenseman scored his second goal of the season. Dylan Larkin and Riley Sheahan had the assists.
Brandon Dubinsky evened the game with his seven...
The Columbus Blue Jackets held on to defeat the Detroit Red Wings by the final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The Red Wings opened the scoring in the early portion of the first period by defenseman Nick Jensen. The bottom pairing defenseman scored his second goal of the season. Dylan Larkin and Riley Sheahan had the assists.
Brandon Dubinsky evened the game with his seven...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 54—Columbus Blue Jackets v. Detroit Red Wings
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets are back on home ice tonight to take on the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings have suffered a tragic loss over the past 24 hours with the death of their owner, Mike Ilitch, at the age of 87. The long-time owner brought the Red Wings to the promise land, being at helm of four Stanley Cup victories, and helping management develop players the righ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 54—Columbus Blue Jackets v. Detroit Red Wings
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets are back on home ice tonight to take on the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings have suffered a tragic loss over the past 24 hours with the death of their owner, Mike Ilitch, at the age of 87. The long-time owner brought the Red Wings to the promise land, being at helm of four Stanley Cup victories, and helping management develop players the righ...
The Columbus Blue Jackets held on to defeat the Detroit Red Wings by the final score of 2-1 in regulation.
Boone Jenner opened the scoring with his 10th goal of the season. Brandon Dubinsky got the lone assist.
Thomas Vanek evened the score at 1-1 with his team’s only goal in the matchup. The power play goal was his 14th goal of the season. Henrik Zetterberg and Da...
The Columbus Blue Jackets held on to defeat the Detroit Red Wings by the final score of 2-1 in regulation.
Boone Jenner opened the scoring with his 10th goal of the season. Brandon Dubinsky got the lone assist.
Thomas Vanek evened the score at 1-1 with his team’s only goal in the matchup. The power play goal was his 14th goal of the season. Henrik Zetterberg and Da...
Hall Fan writes...
Top 20 Players Being Shopped - Mostly Oilers Perspective
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Okay maybe not shopped but this list comes from SN's top 20 and it is as good as any to look at. ([/url]http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/top-20-nhl-trade-deadline-candidates-dealt/[/url])
Oilers are in a great spot right now. They really did little so far to improve the team outside the draft. In fact they went out of their way to trade their previous best player f...
There is a lot of talk going on about how much the Oilers should pay if the player is possibly only a rental. Especially after the Flames just set the bar with Michael Stone. Flames gave up a third rounder and if Stone resigns they give up a 5th as well, both 2 years from now (according to TSN). Lets ignore the 5th rounder as that is a normal asking price for anyone's r...
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue their bye-week by not playing and relaxing, and watching the teams that are playing climb up the standings. The New York Rangers have now officially surpassed the Blue Jackets, placing them in the first place Wild Card spot. However, the Blue Jackets have two games in hand, and are only just one point behind. However, stats have shown la...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Pre-Game No.59: Columbus Blue Jackets v. New York Islanders
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The home stand for the Blue Jackets continues in a final matchup tonight with a battle with Brooklyn. The Blue Jackets are fresh off their mandatory five day bye week, and the team prepares itself to take on one of the hottest teams in the NHL. The Islanders switched head coaches from Jack Capuono to Doug Weight, and the team has benefited greatly from the change. The Isla...
Well it has been a very long time since I have done this, I always have good intentions but four kids and a job kind of cut into my blogging time. But here I go again, I will try to do this once a week at least and who knows maybe some day someone will read this.
Well it is a day before the trade deadline and the Habs have some work to do. Work that is going to be hard ...
Late on Tuesday, the Oilers made a trade that sent Brandon Davidson to the Canadiens in exchange for David Desharnais. From a managerial outlook I understand the trade. Brandon Davidson was almost certainly going to be lost to Vegas in the expansion draft and the team knew it. Desharnais is a couple seasons removed from his last productive season but Chiarelli and the Oile...
Hall Fan writes...
Oilers Post Deadline: The Good the Bad and the Ugly
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Lets end this on a good note and save the good. So the trade deadline for the Oilers overall. We did little. We added a center which is good. Some might say a winger is what we need as we do have Letestu, Nuge, Hendricks (technically), Lander, Samuelson (some were hoping he was the number 4 guy as Letestu has been playing really good and could be argued as a third line...
Late yesterday 259 to be precise Leafs made a deal Eric Fehr and a 4th round pick in exchange for Frankie Corrado what does this mean for Leafs nation it means nothing as he is a rental and wull be sent to Marlies along with new addition Mike Sislo who was added in a trade to san antonio for colin smith
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Update: Canadiens and Trades! And PreGame v. Wild
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
CBJ Post-Game No. 61—So Close, But There’s A Price to Pay
The Columbus Blue Jackets sustained an overtime defeat by the hands of the Montreal Canadiens by the final score of 1-0 in overtime.
Last night was the debut for newly acquisition for defenseman Jordie Benn, who they got from the Dallas Stars in a trade for defenseman Greg Pateryn and a 2017 4th round draf...
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. ...
Leafs take on the wings tonight Andersen will start for the leafs he has played 52 games as of tonight some may wonder if the netminder is burnt out playing more games then expected as he faces a well rested petr Mrazek the last 10 of 18 games on the leafs schedule is at home and its not easy feat 8 of the games are against teams that are either trying tk keep the leafs ou...
The leafs looked like it was a easy stomp of the wings last night but little did they know the wings would stirm back in the 2nd and almost tie in the thirs but Andersen stayed sharp even thou the D wasnt quite effective anyways leafs take 2 crucial points goodluck against phili tomorrow Go Leafs Go
Leafs take on the slowly dieing flyers in toronto tonight and Andersen gets the nod to start again and look to keep his prowess going Matthews and Marner have combined for 10 points in the the last 2 games can they continue to be futile tonight or will the flyers come away stealing another 2 points from leafs nation goodluck and go leafs go
I'll admit, I got a bit nervous as we moved toward the trade deadline, and Jerome Iginla was sitting there like low-hanging fruit, and just the kind the Sharks have enjoyed biting into in the past.
It's hard not to notice how disproportionately San Jose has been used (or used itself?) as a way station for players either just past their prime, or a bit further along – ...
Tim Chiasson writes...
Vegas Golden Knights Are Auctioning Off Your Children
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Vegas Golden Knights have sent out a message to the rest of the league: they're going to have some fun with expansion.
From Elliotte Friedman's latest 30 Thoughts post:
[quote]1. Initially, the plan was to give Las Vegas 48 hours with the protected list before the expansion draft. That is being increased to 72. At the GM meetings, the Golden Knights’ George McP...
After four straight losses while being out-scored a collective 10-4, are we seeing a team that has not only taken its foot off the gas pedal, but climbed into the backseat? Or is this simply the same Sharks team we see near the end of almost every season, once their playoff berth is virtually assured?
Brent Burns has noticeably cooled as teams are shutting down his lan...
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...
With the poor play of backup goaltender JF Berube, the Isles had a decision to make. What do they do in the goalie position. Thomas Greiss is the obvious starter for the Isles after stealing the job away from Jaroslav Halak who was sent down to Bridgeport back in December. Since his designation to the AHL, the Isles have went from worst in the league to a playoff contender...
The 2nd stop in “Big ‘D’” on the same road trip – rather than redeeming the Sharks – spelled only double-trouble, double the pain and double the shame. I’ll be posting a piece on Marc Edouard Vlasic soon and I’m going to have to pre-empt myself by suggesting that if the Sharks are going to play like this, they might as well let him rest up for the playoffs ...
Leafs got blown uo by buffalo but not only did they lose a crucial 2 points but they lost Mr Andersen down he went with what looked like a possible neck or back injury is this the end of the buds? Sparks has been recalled ranking 3rd in the AHL with an impressive. 927 sv % can he hold the fort or will mcelhinny be the man of the hour well just havr to wait and see
With the Islanders 6 points out of a playoff spot, the Islanders roller coaster season is likely over. The next closest thing for Isles fans is too look is the Expansion Draft and the entry draft. In terms of the Expansion Draft, the Islanders have some thinking to do. What players do they keep? What players do they leave available? Obviously, Tavares, Ladd, Lee and Bailey...
April 26, 2014, Marc-Edouard Vlasic left game five of the Stanley Cup playoffs after a Jarret Stoll hit, and the Sharks went on to lose that game and the next two against the Kings in a historic reverse sweep.
Vlasic is no Brian Campbell or flashy P.K. Subban, pulling spin-o-ramas and skate-arounds; he’s no Shea Weber bombing from the point or Jacob Trouba running aro...
It was old, but it was loved. It was beat-up, but we cherished every moment. It was ugly, but my God was it beautiful. The Joe Louis Arena embodied the true spirit of the hard-working, self-reviving city that it represented. It wasn’t just the home of the Red Wings, nor did it just reside in Detroit. The Joe Louis Arena was Detroit. When it opened in 1979, it was nothing...
When do you think the next NHL trade will happen?
It has been rumored that the Devils are interested in several players such as [b]Shattenkirk[/b], [b]Spooner[/b], and [b]Vatanen[/b]. Any one of these players can definitely improve the Devils' lineup in the short-run and long-run. But what other players can really boost the current players in the lineup?
[b]Jordan Eberle [/b]of the Edmonton Oilers can be a target for t...
Recently, there has been many rumors that Kovalchuck will be returning to the NHL next season. The Devils GM Ray Shero has mentioned numerous times that he will make the best decision possible for the Devils to benefit from this situation. San Jose, Toronto, and St Louis are the most desired locations deemed by Kovalchuck.
If Kovalchuck decides to stay in New Jersey this...
This is my first blog here at HockeyBuzz, so let me quickly introduce myself. I love the Leafs. I also love the game of hockey. Yes, I've played, and yes, I watch, just like many of you, but I would like to write with a style that encourages debate and discussion...if that's possible.
I believe that your opinion is only good if you can defend it, and "throwing" you...
The Avalanche looked absolutely terrible this year. Roy's probably laughing at the team, but he shouldn't; he helped make this disaster. Roy and Sakic were stuck between two dynamics: Roy wanted a bigger team that was hard to play against and Sakic... I don't know what Sakic wants to do. I don't think Sakic knows what Sakic wants to do.
I can look at the Avalanche li...
The Devils have acquired some much needed offence over the past week and now need to focus on their defence. With the amount of cap space left, the Devils will most definitely pick up a defencemen either through trade or the free agent market. Since there are few options left in the market, the best option may be to look for a trade.
Possible Free Agents
- Francois Bea...
31 NHL teams equals 31 comments on the NHL. Let’s get started.
1. What exactly was George McPhee thinking when he drafted the expansion roster he did for the Vegas Golden Knights? If the idea was to put together a roster of younger talent that will develop into something over time, why wouldn’t he draft players like Matt Dumba from the Minnesota Wild? It seems like ...
Oh, the rumor,
My lonely friend,
I have sought you out,
Asked for your truth,
And it came to an end.
You are a myth,
You are the sunset,
You disappear,
Only to come back again,
My only summer friend.
Unfortunately, real hockey does not exist right now, not for those of us that bleed our colors through the winter in a dance with the worlds most beautiful game....
ok....in my last blog i looked at the shape of the Leafs' forwards. ...looking into next year.....now lets look at the D....with what has been said by Lou regarding Hainsey, the probable pairings may look like this..
Reilly - Hainsey
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Marincin - Carrick
Extras: Dermott, Rosen, Borgman
Looking at next year, everyone wou...
Montreal scored a whole four goals in four games.
It's only four games in, surely! They're generating 38.8 shots per game! By my calculation, that leaves the team with a collective ~2.5% shooting percentage. So if stats guys are right, then their gambler's fallacy will tell them that this shooting percentage will shoot up to about 9-9.5% soon enough and they'll be sc...
Any delusions of the Maple Leafs cruising to a perfect 82-0 season were eliminated Wednesday night as the Devils handed them their first loss of the season by a score of 6-3. This was a rough game for the Leafs as the speed and relentlessness from the Devils forced them into a lot of critical mistakes.
Things started well enough with JVR slipping one between goalie Cor...
"The Oilers won against Calgary and are now going to turn the season around, everything is saved, yay."
[i]- Some Oiler Fans Right Now Probably[/i]
By now everyone who follows this team should have a fairly firm grasp on what issues plague this team. Here in my opinion is what the team's depth chart shou...
Let’s get one thing straight: the Carolina Hurricanes goaltending has been putrid.
The Canes poor netminding is the number one contributor to their position as only the final wildcard spot. That’s right – the Hurricanes should be higher. So let’s take a look at how to fix that problem.
Out of 50 goalies who have played at least 500 minutes at 5v5, Scott Darl...
It was only a couple short weeks ago I wrote a blog detailing how Edmonton could still make a playoff push. Unfortunetly the team decided to take a personal vendetta against me and decided to discredit me by scoring only 3 goals in their last 5 games.
Stick a fork in it people, the Oilers season is officially done.
There is going to be lots of talk about how things w...
The NHL challenge has been another addition to the game which follows the successful model in the NFL, giving another reason for anticipation for fans.
But its reach has not yet been refined.
Years ago, the "horseshoe" blue line allowed Matt Duchene to score a goal for the Avalanche, and yes, that was a blown non-call by the linesmen. It's a tough job, sometimes...
Well these rumours are a surprise.
One deflected shot in the playoffs to win vs. Penguins, plus capitalizing on Rinne's terribad performance in the Stanley Cup Finals last year, the Sens win the cup with that Cinderella run.
Now they're burning on the other side of the rift of fire and screaming out to Lazarus, "Help, help! We're in tribulation!"
So is it a go...
The Stanley Cup playoffs are in view and all the teams in the league are finalizing their rosters. As Sharks fans we remember the ups and downs of trade deals of the past. The prospect of doing nothing may be worrisome. The prospect of acquiring a player that turns out like Jannik Hansen may be worse. It’s no surprise that this time of year is difficult for all Sharks fa...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
THE DEBATE - Episode 17 - 2018 NHL Trade Deadline Preview
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 17 - 2018 NHL Trade Deadline rnrnrnDebate 1 | Trade Reviews – A breakdown of all trades that have taken place leading up to NHL Trade DeadlinernDebate 2 | Trade Targets – What players will be on the move, and what teams will they end up on.rnrnThe NHL Trade Deadline is one day away. Brad Burud and Blake Friars breakdown all the t...
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...
AarifDeen writes...
Is Carl Soderberg having an underrated offensive season?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
For NHL standards, 32-year-old Carl Soderberg is a grizzled old veteran waiting to be replaced by a young up-and-coming star. It also doesn’t help his case that he plays for a team that has preached developing younger players at the NHL level. The Colorado Avalanche are the youngest team in the NHL with an average age of 25. Soderberg is one of just two regulars on the t...
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...
Seems to be a popular title around the web. It seems rather obvious but many people go near the correct answer. It is three steps much easier said than done. I will go hardest to easiest.
1. Dump the players Chiarelli has signed as UFA's
2. Grab key UFA's
3. Dump Chiarelli (McLellan should go to if they want a cup but he can get them to the playoffs)
The first o...
I've written about this a few times because I hate the one thing that improves your team the most comes down to lottery balls without rhyme or reason except for teams improving their odds through something that can be about 50% arbitrary (see the Avs from last year to this year, who doubled their points with basically one less player).
This year, some of those perennial...
rebel_deucer writes...
Vegas Golden Knights - The One Night Only Magic Trick?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
First off, the Cinderella season for the NHL that saw many teams make an unfathomable jump with continue. New Jersey, Colorado, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vegas and some could say Washington all had way better or worse than expected seasons. The Golden Misfits as they are more appropriately branded are going to the Cup final. The question remains, was this a one night only Vegas ...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Caps Hoist Cup, Island of the Unknown, and Draft Talk
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 27
Caps Hoist Cup, Island of the Unknown, and Draft Talk
Debate 1 |The Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup
Debate 2 |New Management for the New York Islanders
Debate 3 |Will the NHL Draft be an active trade day
The Washington Capitals have won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. How did they do it? Brad Bur...
MaximumBone writes...
Oilers at the Entry Draft: Drafting a Forward 10th
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
As was stated in the first of this series of draft blogs, I'll be operating under this template (though it seems as though it might have shifted a tad the last few days):
[quote][i]Depending on who you ask, there's about a 10 player "top-tier" that generally goes as follows:
Dahlin #1
Svechnikov #2
Zadina, Tkachuk and Dobson #3-5
Hughes, Wahlstrom, Bouchard, Boqvist...
MaximumBone writes...
Oilers at the Entry Draft: Later Round Draft Targets
Posted Friday | Comments 0
To conclude my draft series, the following is list of a number of players I'd be pushing for the Oilers to pick. Last year's version of this list included names like Henri Jokiharju (CHI), Kole Lind (VAN), Kirill Maksimov (EDM) and Benjamin Jones (VGK).
[b][u]2nd round targets:[/u][/b]
Aside from my aforementioned targets in Hillis and Olofsson, a few other names I...
Many may say that Brooks Orpik isn’t what the New Jersey Devils need. He’s an aged veteran, that’s a bit slower than your average Devil these days.
[b]Or[/b]
Is Orpik just what the Devils lack at the moment. A defenseman that won’t be pushed around. He does the pushing, the checking, and the hitting. Something the Devils severely lacked on their blue line th...
With the news that players like Anthony Duclair and Tobias Rieder are heading toward UFA status, I've figured now would be as good a time as any to layout my idea of a reasonable offseason plan for the Oilers to (not) follow.
The primary focuses for the Oilers should be as follows:
[b]1.) Secure significant RFAs (Nurse, Strome and Benning)
2.) Pursue cheap skill
3....
When todays trade news broke that toronto had sent Matt Martin to the Islanders for goaltender Eamon McAdam, a former 3rd round pick in 2013, I thought now would be a good time to access the leafs logjam of minor league goaltenders.
I think it is quite clear that this trade was nothing more than than a salary dump, as McAdam doesn't project as more than an ECHL goalie. ...
29 August, 2018
Hello Hockeyverse. I know it has been so long since I have last blogged, but now I have come back, with more rest and focus on getting the best work to you guys possible.
However, I am looking this year to continue my work with more than just the Blue Jackets, focusing on the entire league, and the other minor and developmental leagues.
Today, I will...
In this today, we will hit the news and noteworthy information on the contract extensions on the front office and coaching staff, and tournament and training camp notes.
Front Office staff and management were all given new contract extensions, including President John Davidson, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, and associate general manager Bill Zito.
Davidson has be...
Training camps for all 31 teams have opened up, with tryouts signed; players dealt; extensions handed out; and new faces coming aboard across
the entire league. For the Blue Jackets. The Jackets have one of the youngest rosters in the entire league, with plenty of open spots.
One big spot to look up front is third/fourth line center. The Jackets have three centers figh...
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...
Wh Keep Panarin is a Bad Idea
It was announced earlier today by TSN's Darren Dreger that the Blue Jackets have no interest in trading winger Artemi Panarin. Dreger added they were working to continue convincing him to stay with the team for the long haul. Panarin is a pending free agent, and is making $6 million dollars this season, and will seek a bigger raise on a new...
Ottawa Senators forward Zack Smith was placed on, and cleared waivers over the past 24 hours. Smith is a career long Senator: drafted by the club in the third round, 79th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He was part of a team last year that crashed below the Earth's crust, and is offering him to clubs at a lesser value, after going through the waiver wire. Smith was al...
As the season begins (and the Nylander saga drags on), many Leaf fans find themselves searching for ways to reassure themselves that the Buds will be able to secure all of their core pieces long-term. While adding Tavares was undoubtedly an excellent move, it has certainly muddied the waters in terms of the club’s ability to lock down the trio of Matthews, Marner, and Ny...
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 ...
For the second time in 4 games the Washington Capitals are facing another backend of back to back games on the road. After suffering a 7-6 OT loss last week to Pittsburgh on the second night, the Caps will look to win their first road game in New Jersey vs the Devils. The Caps have 10 remaining back to backs this season. The Caps where 21-15-5 on the road last season.
A...
For the second time in 4 games the Washington Capitals are facing another backend of back to back games on the road. After suffering a 7-6 OT loss last week to Pittsburgh on the second night, the Caps will look to win their first road game in New Jersey vs the Devils. The Caps have 10 remaining back to backs this season. The Caps where 21-15-5 on the road last season.
A...
[u]On Alzner...rn[/u]rnSo after one of the stupidest free agent signings of all time,we have finally acknowledged reality and put Karl Alzner on waivers. Obviously its the right move, but its disconcerting that the vast majority of the fanbase which I am in contact with knew that this was a brutal move at the time we made it. Regardless, the right move has been made, now ...
[u]On Alzner...rn[/u]
So after one of the stupidest free agent signings of all time,we have finally acknowledged reality and put Karl Alzner on waivers. Obviously its the right move, but its disconcerting that the vast majority of the fan base which I am in contact with knew that this was a brutal move at the time we made it. Regardless, the right move has been made, n...
The Instigator |Episode 20
Reaves Night of Revenge
Vegas Golden Knights tough guy Ryan Reaves got his revenge on Washington Capitals enforcer Tom Wilson. It came with a vicious blind sided hit. Was it revenge for beating them in the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals or was it revenge for all of the dirty hits and players he has injured over the past few years. I am guessing th...
For the first time in a very long time, the Buffalo Sabres could possible be BUYERS at the trade deadline.
No you read the correctly, I said Buyers...
At 12:00am on Thursday December 20th, the NHL will begin its Holiday Roster Freeze, and before that happens we have a lot of NHL teams that will either commit to salvaging their teams season, or commit to the race for ...
royalgardens writes...
Memo to Babcock/Dubas: Current Leafs Team Needs Shakeup
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[b]Leafs are A Mess! A Shakeup Is Needed![/b]
Since the Toronto Maple Leafs finally were able to sign William Nylander to a deal, this club has instantly turned into a mess. A bad mess; whereas before the Nylander signing things were a good mess.
[b]Both Auston Matthews and William Nylander Hurting the Team, Nowhere Near 100%[/b]
I think the deal for Nylander is f...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 45
Philly Disaster and Bye Bye Berglund$
The Philadelphia Flyers are not in the Christmas spirit as they fire head coach Dave Hakstol. The team is in disarray and Brad Burud and Blake Frairs have their opinions, and they are not very nice. It seems like Philadelphia forgets how to be professional sometimes. Then Patrik Berg...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 48
Buyers, Sellers, and the Bait
The NHL trade deadline is just six weeks away and its time to start the speculation and decisions on who are the sellers and who are the buyers. Brad Burud and Blake Friars breakdown what teams are prepared to sell off for assets and what teams are looking to add that special player that will he...
I'm not a hockey insider. I'm a fan. I don't understand or pay attention to the advanced analytical stats. I watch/play hockey for fun and enjoy it for what it is, a sport (but I am not naive that it is a business too). rnrnNHL '94 may be the greatest sports game ever created. rnrnIt is unbelievable that there has not been a CBJ blog on here since October of last year. rnr...
INSIDE EDGE HOCKEY NEWS – RADIO SHOW | EPISODE 16
Sellers, Sellers, and Kind-of Sellers
The National Hockey League trade deadline is two weeks away. A lot is yet to be determined on just what teams will be sellers and what teams will hold off. Brad Burud breaks down what teams are all in, and what teams are still borderline. It looks like it will be a very active t...
It started with Chris Wagner, and it ended with Wagner.
Finishing off a California swing of three games in four nights, the Bruins completed the California sweep with a 6-5 overtime win over the Sharks. But the win didn’t come without drama and controversy.
In the first, Chris Wagner’s tip of a shot trickled past Martin Jones, but before the puck could, in real ...
Peter Chiarelli left the Oilers in terrible shape when he was fired as GM however the team is not far off of a playoff spot this year. I don't like the Oilers odds of making the playoffs but they are still competing with really only 3 good players and some filler. Still we know this and I will get to the point. The future might not be as dark as it looks for the Oilers ...
Rookiefan writes...
Why Jacob Trouba is the Only RFA that NJD Should Offer Sheet
Posted Monday | Comments 0
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...
The draft can not get here soon enough. Mostly as it should be the start of Holland fixing the Oilers. I can say this with certainty because they can't get anymore broken. Also the draft's arrival will stop sites like TSN.ca claiming that Kakko is "closing the gap" on Hughes. There is no actual gap. NJ is picking one player and that is going to be Hughes. Are they lo...
archromat writes...
A Trade is Like a Storm - On Marner, Subban, Trouba, etc.
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Storms are born near the equator of the planet and flow outwards. They are born from water currents in the oceans. They are born when low pressure systems get pinched by high pressure systems. They are born when accumulated water vapour creates conduction between two positive spheres in the planet, causing electrical exchange we know as lightning. (See Electric Univers...
This is a team breakdown for what strategy I'd take as every team.
I'm going to skip over the Devils and the Rangers at 1 and 2 since it's fairly obvious the Devils will take Hughes and the Rangers Kakko. I'm also going no farther than 16 because after that, the possibilities are endless and these combine interviews and scouts could have come up with anything.
Chi...
Mitch Marner is awesome. He plays very well in space, creates space, and finds open players at an elite level. He competes hard on the back-check, is a good penalty killer, and has a very high IQ for the game. I really like Mitch Marner. I could just end my blog here with a rant about how we should keep him at all costs and Dubas needs to break the bank to sign him. B...
It has been a rough stretch in Motown. It is reminiscent of “Casey at the Bat”, a favorite childhood story. Casey could never strike out. He gets cocky and then boom, “There is no joy in Mudville, mighty Casey has struck out”. In relevant terms to Wings fans, “There is no joy in Motown, the (once) mighty Red Wings have struck out”. For the first time in decades...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit Red Wings - Jan Levine is absolutely correct
Posted Friday | Comments 0
If you tuned into the buzz cast today https://youtu.be/W6ovFCy8REs there was some speculation regarding Jake Gardiner, and where he’ll end up. Buffalo, Montreal, even Pittsburgh seem like realistic landing places. And then, Detroit was mentioned. I cringed. Not because he wouldn’t make us better, Gardiner is a significant upgrade to our D. No, because as this ship slow...
After Steve Yzerman’s first draft as Detroit’s General Manager, you started to hear a theme. All of this year’s picks had “high compete levels”. Starting with Moritz Seider at 6th overall, Yzerman and company put their signatures on this team’s future.
This feels oddly Babcockian in nature, as that is still the drum he beats in Toronto. On a Maple Leafs te...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Eklund did me a solid, plus Detroit’s potential free agents
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
If you listened to the hockeybuzz podcast https://youtu.be/A7YJm5TQ2hU today (8/13) you may have heard something bizarre at around the 45 minute mark. Ek did me the world’s biggest solid and actually read part of my blog! I was shocked and delighted. My poor wife of almost 20 years (this Thursday the 15th) must have thought I’d received an award for my latest iTunes ...
Eklund and co broke some news for Detroit Red Wings fans near the end of the buzz cast today (8/14) First, Yzerman traded for Adam Erne. This one seems to be a head scratcher unless there is a player going out or that they plan to bury in GR. Erne still needs to sign a new deal, but Yzerman wouldn’t make the trade unless he was confident. This, to me, seems like he’s ...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit will, literally, be half the team it is now
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
At this point in the summer, before prospects tournaments and training camps, I find myself pouring over Cap Friendly. Just for fun. Nerdy, time consuming fun. As this year stands, Detroit is at 47 contracts and 4 mil under the cap. Factor in Zetterburgh and Franzen on LTIR and it’s more like 14 mil. Enough contract space and cap space to sign a college free agent or tak...
The obvious answer is, of course. Trades can always happen, especially at the deadline when I expect the Wings to be out of contention. More pressing, however, is can Steve Yzerman make a significant move that will raise up the entire organization? This is one of those trades that will cost you. Someone is going to head out that could potentially become a difference maker...
In my last blog [/url]https://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=18273&user_id=260089 I looked at possible trades based on strong performances. While I’m not eager to see it ever happen, Athanasiou could be the strongest piece Steve Yzerman could part with to bring in a young defenseman who could help the team moving forward. I have a feeling this will be a career y...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Revisiting the Red Wings trade possibility via Mike Augello
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
A really good buzz cast this morning with Kevin Allen in tow. At 54:46, a question came in from a viewer named Lance regarding a potential Athanasiou trade for Ristolainen. Mike Augello commented on rumors of a Mantha for Ristolainen rumor that never came to fruition. The hypothetical cost for Zach Werenski would be Dylan Larkin, and that won’t happen. rnrnRistolainen is...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Quick Hit - Is Nielsen a possible fit in Edmonton?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
On the buzzcast today (8/21) Ek broke news that Derek Brassard may be going to Edmonton. Later, a different rumor came out that puts Brassard on Long Island. I’m hoping for the latter, and here’s why.
I still don’t understand a couple of moves made by Steve Yzerman. Forget about Moritz Seider, that kid may end up being really good. For me, Valterri Filppula doesn�...
Jeremy Laura writes...
If Eklund is right, Ristolainen could be on the way...
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Along with everyone else my eyebrows raised at Ek’s Friday rumor https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Rumor-WingsSabres-Talking-Major-Trade-e4-Update-5-players-involved/1/101066rnrnIn part, because I’ve been wondering about a scenario that would bring Ristolainen to Detroit. I believe with Kaski on the way, the signing of Filppula and some culture changes that the Sw...
Before the doors closed on Joe Louis Arena, there was still a feeling the Detroit really was “Hockeytown”. Those of us still believing in what Mike and Marian Illitch had built and looking with hope toward a team that could rise up again. But, they didn’t. The move to Little Caesars Arena was exciting, but confusing. At first, people were staying in the restaurants ...
There has been a back and forth debate on the retirement of #91. The sad part is, it isn’t merit based. It’s the burn after a bad breakup. Ken Holland help a boom box high over his head in the rain and played, “baby come back” but it turned out that all Fedorov heard was “Anthony’s song: I’m movin’ out”. Bitterness and pain. Enter Don Henley’s “Get ov...
Injuries. Every single year someone’s career gets a little derailed by getting hurt at either a prospect tournament, training camp, or in the preseason. It feels like that, anyway.
The prospects tournament in Traverse City is incredible. https://www.centreice.org/page/show/467296-nhl-prospect-tournament Take a look at that schedule. In 5 days (one day off in the mid...
Last week George Malik posted an entry regarding Magnus Paajarvi. http://themalikreport.com/2019/08/30/three-things-on-prospect-tournament-rosters-magnus-paajarvi-and-kraft-hockeyville-done-well/ Gunnar Svensson, Magnus’s father and Henrik Zetterburgh’s former agent, tweeted that an invitation of some kind had been extended. Paajarvi is big, can chip in 1o goals or so...
Detroit has 14 RFAs after this season. https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/redwings
6 of 7 listed on the main roster are arbitration eligible. That helps. Three of the RFAs listed as “in the system” (Hirose, Kuffner, Kaski) are interesting cases. Hirose made an immediate impact last year. Kuffner didn’t really get going but he may have a good year as well. Oliwer Ka...
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�...
The first two games were a miniature version of what I expect from the season. Chicago dominated the Wings in the first period, Wings tied it, lose in overtime. Against St. Louis the guys were clicking better and won 7-3. Flashes of hope, talent on display, and moments you want to turn it off.
For the guys I wanted to see, three have really been easy to watch. First, J...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Obligatory “I told you so” Detroit Red Wings blog
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
So far, the prospect’s tournament has been a breath of fresh air, for the most part. Detroit went 2-0-1 in 3 games, scoring 17 goals. A healthy dose for sure. There is, however, and “I told you so” moment for me here. Injuries. Alec Regula was taken out of last night’s game in the first period with a concussion.
There was no penalty on the play, it looked like ...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit wins the prospects tourney for the 2nd time
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
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...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit Red Wings announce “teams” for training camp
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
https://mobile.twitter.com/DetroitRedWings/status/1172156625362272256
Worth checking out. When going to camp each year (until 3 years ago when I got injured) it was always interesting to see the teams posted. It helps to have the list because the rinks (there are 2 there) will post a schedule of which team is practicing or scrimmaging, etc. Usually there was one team yo...
The Red and White game yesterday was fun (ish) to watch. Guys working hard to get jobs. Noticeably absent were Dylan Larkin and Mike Green. Andreas Athanasiou left about halfway through and didn’t return. Coach Blashill is calling it “tweaks” and “precautionary measures”. It leaves a bad feeling in the stomach all around.
So far, we’ve seen injuries to Alec...
Hello everybody in support of the Union Blue. It has been a busy summer for myself, hence for my inexistence of writing blogs for the hockey world to see. Now that things have calmed down personally, I am back and returning to the rink just like the team is. So, let us get caught up with the team, shall we?
Let us start with a flashback and reflection on the past before...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit’s lineup for tonight (9/17) versus Chicago
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Detroit Red Wings posted their projected lines on their website. They are as follows:
Hirose-Rasmussen-Svechnikov
Elson-Pearson-Puempel
Terry-Turgeon-FordrnGlendening-DeLaRose-Ehn
Nemeth-Hronek
Cholowski-Bowey
Hicketts-Mcllrath
What to watch for (personally) - injuries. Svechnikov needs a reclamation year. Rasmussen as well. Pearson has a decent shot. Look for h...
The Detroit Red Wings had back to back preseason games against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday 9/17 and Wednesday 9/18. In reality, the Grand Rapids Griffins had back to back games against the Rockford Ice Hogs. In pre season play, especially early on, guys are fighting to be the last ones sent down or released from tryouts. One guy who is desperate to reverse course on ...
The weekend tilt versus the Pittsburgh Penguins (aka wilkes-barre penguins) gave Wings fans a taste of what will be the highlight of this upcoming season. The line of Larkin/Mantha/Bertuzzi seems to be well bonded and symbiotic. On a night of a 3-2 win, Mantha had 1 goal, Bertuzzi had one goal, and Larkin had 2 assists. (Madison Bowey had a phenomenal night with 1 goal and...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit Redwings head into final stretch of preseason
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
3 games in 3 nights. Insanity. First against the St Louis Blues for the Kraft Hockeyville game and then a home and home against Toronto. For all intents and purposes, I’m fairly certain management has seen what they need to in terms of who stays and who goes, save for Moritz Seider. He is very impressive, but may well head down to Grand Rapids due to the numbers, and it ...
I did some preseason predictions and have Mantha coming in at around 30 goals. Watching his preseason performance has been eye opening. He’s scored 4 goals in 3 games. Twice, he just fired a laser of a shot that flat out beat the goalie. His snapshot and slap shot are both way faster than I remember. Against St Louis he scored a beautiful breakaway goal. He’s battling,...
In my post last week https://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=260089&post_id=18302 I wrote that I hoped the wings would go 1-1-1 in the final 3 games of preseason. They did. And, while I should feel relieved, that number was based on guessing the cycle that the team seems to go through.
In short, one strong promising win is followed by a miracle effort by a goa...
Looking at the first week of action, I was trying to guess success/failure rate of the Wings early goings. Opening night against Nashville I have penned in as a loss. In Nashville, Rinne can shut you down. Duchene and RyJo up the middle can cause plenty of issues. Forsberg can be amazing, etc. Dallas could be a very similar issue. Ben Bishop does well against Detroit and t...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit Redwings may have Larkin ready for Nashville
Posted Friday | Comments 0
A giant sigh of relief came when MLive published comments saying Larkin was “a definite possibility” for Saturday’s tilt against Nashville. https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2019/10/red-wings-dylan-larkin-a-definite-possibility-for-saturdays-opener.html
That is the frail state of the season. A season I, and others, expect to be rough could be disastrous if we lose an...
We are ready for the first game of the season for the Columbus blue jackets as they will be taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs live at the nationwide arena at 7:00 PM Eastern time on Fox sports Ohio and TSN .
Tonight‘s contest is the home opener and the first game of the season which means new roof and new experiences and moments for the blue jackets club, and their f...
So, all the nay saying aside, I am excited to watch our top line tonight. Athanasiou is still not a definite so I’m counting him as “out” for tonight.
Mlive penned a piece about the top line here: https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2019/10/red-wings-counting-on-top-line-to-be-one-of-leagues-elite.html
When that line is clicking, they are an absolute joy to watch. ...
Jeremy Laura writes...
I was wrong, Detroit beats Nashville in season opener.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Of 5 goals scored for the Wings, the top line figured in on 4 of them. Bertuzzi with 2 goals and 2 assists. Mantha with 1 goal and 2 assists, Larkin with 1 goal and 1 assist, and Glendening with 1 goal and 1 assist. Jimmy Howard made 42 saves on 45 shots. That’s the key.
I know this team can score, and boy they did tonight. However, scoring 5 goals on 28 shots is not...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Naming Detroit’s three headed monster - LAR-MAN-ZZI
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
In a quick post in October, I mentioned Detroit having a three headed monster as the top line - Larkin/Mantha/Bertuzzi. In the season opener it certainly seemed to be true. Each goal (apart from the empty net for Bertuzzi’s second) had a bit of a “wow” factor.
Tic tac goal for Bertuzzi with a quick shot. Mantha weaves inexplicably through Nashville’s defense an...
It’s been a weird start to the season. Mantha has 5 goals in 2 games, and 2 assists. Those numbers are, um, healthy. And unexpected.
I’m sure I underestimated big mo. https://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=260089&post_id=18303 The biggest surprise to me still is his ability to weave to the net. Again, on Sunday night 10/6 Mantha weaves through the defense and ...
Jeremy Laura writes...
What are Blashill and Yzerman doing with Madison Bowey?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
In the home opener at Little Caesars Arena, Trevor Daley went down in the first period with an injury. I expect a fairly regular carousel of blue line ailments this year, in keeping with what the team dealt with last year. My assumption was that Madison Bowey will get his chance to play, as he’s currently a healthy scratch. And then Yzerman made a trade.
We sent Davi...
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 ...
Alex Biega will get an early opportunity for some NHL action. The Wings traded for him today (10/7) and have already called him up. The blue line is down 2 with Daly and Ericsson both out. Oliwer Kaski was also brought up. This still leaves me wondering what is going on with Bowey, but part of the call up is probably to have an extra Dman available. Of interest, both of th...
According to MLive.com, Athanasiou will make his anxiously awaited debut tonight against Anaheim. https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2019/10/red-wings-welcome-back-andreas-athanasious-speed-scoring-to-lineup.html Centering a line with Glendening and Hirose.
I’ve had some misgivings about Glendening’s promotion, but his effort and impact are always evident. Especially ...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Madison Bowey gets an opportunity against Anaheim
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Along with the excitement of Athanasiou coming back into the fold, Madison Bowey will also get the nod tonight (10/8). https://www.nhl.com/news/c-309880588
I have wondered why Bowey has been on the sidelines. To be frank, I like his skating and his game. He is exactly the kind of defenseman you want to see develop. Right shot, big body, can move the puck. Trevor Daly’...
Filip Hronek scored unexpectedly at the end of the second period. The wings took a 1 goal lead into the third period. Anaheim quickly scored to tie it up. Anthony Mantha seemed to have regained the lead, but the goal was challenged successfully for an offside. Then, Detroit fell apart. Anaheim scores 2 more in 37 seconds. It was evident that the Red Wings didn’t have the...
The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves outside the playoffs, despite having one of their most talented rosters in a number of years. The young General Manager, Kyle Dubas, made it clear that he was more than willing to pay up for his extremely talented young core. However, in doing so, he has neglected the backup goalie position, and an injury to Freddy Andersen, has le...
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...
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...
GMPM writes...
From the Desk of GMPM: The Catastrophic Cost of Cancellation
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
With the United States’ Center for Disease Control issuing a recommendation of a nationwide eight-week moratorium on gatherings of 50 or more people (and just to clarify, you need more than 50 people, even at minimum, to run empty-arena games), rumors abound of what the NHL can do, if anything, to save some form of 2019-2020 season while still remaining compliant with th...
kaptaan writes...
3peat - Calder nominees in 3 consecutive seasons - Canucks
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It's a testament to the drafting of the Canucks to get Calder nominees in 3 consecutive seasons without a first overall or even a top 3 pick.
It's the first time this has happened in the post 67' expansion era and the first time in over 50 years.
Also, the Canucks are the first team in the expansion era to have a Calder nominee in 3 straight years with at least one ...
The Columbus Blue Jackets fired the cannon on the draft day trades with the addition of center Max Domi and a 2020 3rd round pick (78th overall) in exchange for winger Josh Anderson.
Both players moved are pending restricted free agents. Both teams come out of this trade getting what they need. Montreal gets a middle six winger that can jump into the rush, be extremely...
It's a boring slog to watch but finally there is a mind shift with the pick ups the Maple Leafs have made. They're notable enough to have me make this blog. They're not flashy or huge and they may not be perfect but the additions of Jimmy Vesey, Joey Anderson, and Travis Boyd is a big shift. I say that because the fact the words "inconsistent" or "needs to shoot more" or "...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a busy offseason for themselves thus far, and it is yet to be over. The surrounding teams in their division were also extremely active as well. With that out of the way, lets focus on what was done within before going externally with reviews by team and where I think they will finish. Let's start at home...
The Columbus Blue Jackets ha...
Looking at the Habs offseason their focus was to add scoring depth and get tougher. They arguably have done that in Toffoli and Anderson.
But what do we expect these two to bring to the table? Lets see how they do:
[u][b]Playing a full season:[/b][/u]
Toffoli- I don't have much fear with him in this one. He played pretty much full seasons the last three years. He...
I have to say I have always had a soft spot for Danault.
His acquisition is definitely one of the better Bergevin trades. He came from Chicago alongside a 2nd round pick for the likes of Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise in a year that the Habs were absolutely atrocious.
Both players sent to Chicago had no long term impact for the Habs despite their fairly respected ...
Hockey eve is upon us, trade rumors surrounding young stars are circulating, some rumors leave us wondering what is credible? One of these young stars who has reportedly requested a trade is Pierre Luc-Dubois. Dubois has signed himself a brand new contract and still wants out. There are many teams in on the Dubois sweepstakes, lets analyze two potential destinations for PL...
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...
CBJ Post-Game Numero Trois- First of Many
It may have taken some time and patience, but after three games on the road, the Columbus Blue Jackets win their first game of the season, by the final score of 3-2 in regulation against the Detroit Red Wings. Happy 20 years, Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Day, and happy hockey Columbus. In their first televised game on the big N...
Jacko17 writes...
Dubois to Winnipeg, Laine/Roslovic to Columbus, a breakdown
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I still can't believe it happened, Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic to Columbus in exchange for Pierre Luc-Dubois and a 2022 3rd Round Pick. At the time of writing this, it has been 11 days since I wrote my blog titled 'Where could Dubois end up?'. I had a bit of an idea of what may have been included in the trade and the possible return both teams would've brought back. Jac...
Hershey, PA – January 26, 2021—
Franchise Blockbuster Deal Between Columbus, Winnipeg
Over the weekend, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Winnipeg Jets have completed a deal involving three former first round draft picks in a four-piece deal. On the 23rd of January 2021, the Blue Jackets have traded center ice-man Pierre-Luc Dubois with a 2022 third-round draft pic...
The Winnipeg Jets have a good problem, their center core looking better than in previous years. Little could've fulfilled that 2nd line center role, but he, unfortunately, was injured. The Jets lost Bryan Little to injury and Cody Eakin to free agency, the Jets have been searching for that 2nd line center for a while now. With the dust finally settling, Maurice now has thr...
I love hockey and if I didn't, I wouldn't be writing this. Every week on my podcast I always have something about the Laine/Dubois trade to talk about, and it never gets old. I'm sure by now we've seen the infamous video on the TSN_Official Instagram account where Laine gave a depressing thumbs up and a smile that almost looks forced. Another fun little part about that pos...
Tanking for the first-overall pick has cursed the Buffalo Sabres, which landed them with second-overall. Sabres fans have seen great talent come and go because of Buffalo's player system, draft, destroy, tank. Players like; Nikita Zadorov, Brendan Lemieux, Tyler Myers, Ryan O'Reilly, Robin Lehner, Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, have found themselves in the Sabres organizatio...
The rumors are beginning to swirl around the franchise that for the first time since the 2015-16 season that the postseason is not in their plans. In the surprising Central Division, they sit outside of the playoffs with the struggling Nashville and Detroit clubs. With their performance thus far, who could be moved?
Pierre-Luc Dubois. Kidding. That already happened.
...
This morning, it was announced by the Buffalo Sabres that Jack Eichel will not be available due to an upper-body injury. With this injury possibly being longer than originally expected, the media is now all over the possibility of Eichel being traded. There is no clarification at this time whether or not Eichel might've played his last game in a Sabres jersey, although I h...
Zak MacMillan writes...
What's Kraken - Who Makes Sense for Seattle on Columbus
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
With Columbus' rough stretch going on, let's venture into the expansion draft in July 2021. The Blue Jackets are in a much better predicament than 2017 came. Let's rewind:
The Columbus Blue Jackets dealt:
2017 1st Round Draft Pick (#24 -> LW Kristian Vesalainen)
2019 2nd Round Draft Pick (#50 -> LW Samuel Fageno)
RW David Clarkson (LTIR)
To Vegas Golden Knights
D...
Last week, the Columbus Blue Jackets acquired defenseman Mikko Lethonen from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for goalie Venni Vehivalinen. VV was stuck in a prospective netjame between himself, Danil Tasarov, and Matias Kivelinkins. VV now gets the change to compete and learn from the Maple Leaf veteran netminders of Andersen, Campbell, and Hutchinson.
Mikko adds t...
Before the turn of the calendar, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced the return of President John Davidson to the fold, after a two year stint in the Big Apple with the New York Rangers. JD and Jarmo Kekalainen are both now on new multi-year deals with the organization to bring this team back to the glory. Just like the first contracr for Kekalainen, he is back on the draf...
It’s time to be realistic and focus on the present. The Blue Jackets are in another dilemma with another star with another expansion draft looming ahead.
The Blue Jackets retained the fifth overall selection for the upcoming draft, with two other first round picks to follow later this summer.
Patrick Laine is on an expiring deal with little update on the contract f...
Welcome to the second edition of the changes happening in Columbus this summer, and we are only halfway through the month of June. This series covers the coaching changes in the Metropolitan Division; the Final Four; Expansion and Entry Drafts; Currency; NHL Fan Choice Awards; trade rumors; changes in the hockey operations; and contract signings.
Staffing Changes
B...
I have been thinking a lot about the likely inevitable trade of Jack Eichel (Jack) out of Buffalo. So having invested that time, This was initially written last week and posted only on Facebook (with a couple different versions) but I felt like telling someone whom might care about the proposed deal that I came up with after investing so much time coming up with it. Why no...
DelcoDave writes...
Gambler’s Guide Minnesota Wild @ Philadelphia Flyers 3/3/22
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Minnesota Wild @ Philadelphia Flyers
After giving us a slight reprieve from all the losing streaks they’ve been on this year the Flyers got right back to their losing ways dropping the game against the Oilers 3-0. Minnesota is in the middle of their own four game losing streak as they head to Philly for a quick two game road trip. The Gambler’s Guide went a perfect 5 ...
Everyone has them, here's mine:
[b]EVANDER KANE WAS A GOOD SIGNING[/b]
Say what you will about the mans personal life, but you can't complain about his play. The team may still be battling to solidify it's playoff spot, but Kane has done his fair share to keep them in it. Holland is not a GM who should be given any kudos; like any at all, but he can get it here. Kane...
The Boston Bruins will be playing the New Jersey Devils in tonight's preseason matchup. The team has announced tonight's roster on their website. The Forwards:John Beecher, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic, AJ Greer, Joona Koppanen, Jakub Lauko, Vinni Lettieri, Marc McLaughlin, Tomas Nosek, Craig Smith, Oskar Steen and Jack Studnicka. Tonight's Defensemen: Jack Ahcan, Mike Ca...
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The New York Islanders acquiring Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks is a significant trade that impacts both teams.
From the Islanders' perspective, acquiring Horvat provides the team with a talented, top-line center who can contribute both offensively and defensively. Horvat is a two-way player who has consistently produced at a high level, scoring over 20 goals in...
The New York Islanders acquiring Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks is a significant trade that impacts both teams.
From the Islanders' perspective, acquiring Horvat provides the team with a talented, top-line center who can contribute both offensively and defensively. Horvat is a two-way player who has consistently produced at a high level, scoring over 20 goals in...
The New York Islanders acquiring Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks is a significant trade that impacts both teams.
From the Islanders' perspective, acquiring Horvat provides the team with a talented, top-line center who can contribute both offensively and defensively. Horvat is a two-way player who has consistently produced at a high level, scoring over 20 goals ...
Tom Dusome writes...
Players for your bottom six without breaking the bank
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Here is a list of players I think could be on the move this trade deadline (unlike ivan barbashev) that will be keys to support a contender looking to better their bottom six add depth to their blueline or assurance in goal.
[u]Pending UFAs[/u]
Accairi
Blueger
Glendening
Kerfoot
Kessel
Lyon
Motte
Namestnikov
Stetcher
Sundqvist
Watson
[u]Players with term...
One of the most exciting moves of this pre-draft weekend is the one that never happened. Outlets far and wide reported that the St. Louis Blues would be receiving, from the Philadelphia Flyers, 31 year old center Kevin Hayes and 27 year old defenseman Travis Sanheim as well as salary retention in exchange for a late first round pick and a blue liner. By late Saturday afte...
With the season nearly at the halfway point, the New Jersey Devils find themselves sitting tied for 6th in the Metropolitan Division with 40 points, which puts them tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference, and outside of a playoff spot. Some will point out that they have multiple games in hand of several teams ahead of them in the standings, such as Tampa and Philly. How...