Tag Search Results for "M"
For the last couple of months after the Thursday night brawl in Buffalo it has bothered me that Lindy Ruff has received criticism for his actions in that fabulous hockey game...Lindy sent out his fourth line to get revenge on what many believe to be a dirty play by Chris Neil, is it Lindy's fault that Brian Murray sent out the Spezza line who has no backbone???I believe th...
Over the past few months we've been planing and developing My Hockeybuzz. One of our primary goals was to give the incredible hockey fans that frequent HockeyBuzz an outlet for their own personal rants are raving without having to start from scratch with few readers like you'd have to do on a site like Blogger.com. We were also looking to build a place where hockey fan...
This season, Calgary fans have seen two teams. The Flames at home and the Lames on the road. For some reason Calgary sometimes comes out flat in a game, and considering the look of their roster, it is unacceptable. The Flames are completely capable of pulling off an upset against The Detroit Red Wings, barring an appearance by the much dreaded Lames. Their last 4 performan...
Forget 2004. The teams are radically different in makeup, coaching, style, what have you. The rules are different. The on ice focus is different. This is 2007.
I didn't have an intro blog. I don't believe in well written accounts, supported by facts and sources. I have my opinion, and I give it straight forward and fast.
We are younger. We are faster. We are ...
The Montreal Canadiens are one of those teams in the league that has a serious image problem. Nobody on there roster sticks out as the leader of the pack. All of their current players are at best mediocore players. Koivu is exponentially overated, Kovalev has lost his scoring touch, and Samsonov...Oh yeah he was a complete flop. This team needs a serious makeover in ev...
My name is David Reddekopp, and I'm a Habs fan. But even more than that, I'm a hockey fan, so while I will talk about my team, I won't always. One thing I can guarantee you though, I am very opinionated and will make my point whether you agree with it or not.
Well, with the introductions out of the way, I'll start my initial blog post with an overview of the first rou...
Yeah that's right I said it, and let me say it again: Women's hockey is crap. It's the same deal every single damn year, Canada and USA in the finals and Canada wins. What the hell is exciting about that? They always win, there is no fun or suspense embedded in the games. I am Canadian, but I always cheer for the opposing teams because I despise Canada's women's hockey tea...
As a last minute decision I put together a playoff pool together. I invited a solid amount of hockey fanatics to the draft and ended up with enough for a good time. The draft was a very good time as it lasted over an hour and was pretty much solid hockey talk. The contrast in opinions, the intense loyalties, the fake loyalties and indecision were all omnipresent to the par...
On the eve of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Calgary Flames there are many questions to answer. Can Kipper put this team on his back and take down the mighty Wings in Round 1? Can Jarome Iginla be the superstar he is and light it up against a talented Red Wings Team? Can Calgary outmuscle and outscore the #1 Seed in the West? Can Alex Tanguay be the complim...
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 ...
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I...
So say it with me Wild Fans. Let's Play Hockey!!!!!!
It's the most wonderful time of the year.......(sing it). It even feels like Christmas with snow on the ground. God seems to have extended winter in honor of the Wild's post-season birth.
The playoffs are finally here and the Wild are back! Memories of 4 years ago still dancing in our heads as fans. But, in a ...
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...
buddyoakes writes...
I Wish I Could Be More More Optomistic about the Predators
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
Thanks to Ek and Hockeybuzz for this addition to the best hockey site in the world!
As I sit on the morning of our third trip seaching for the cup I have mixed emotions. As a Preds fan, two months ago I was ready to take on the world with full confidence that we would go all the way.
All that changed on the night of March 31 when we played the most uninspired game ...
I have been a hockey fan for much of 35 years and being born into the hub of hockey I think I can tell you alot about it! What we have seen from the Boston Bruins is NOT hockey. I understand owning, operating and producing a successful hockey team can all be different things. Yes it is a business. As much as we do not want to admit it. The bottom line is most owners t...
We all know hockey players are superstitious. And goalies are especially goofy. I'm a goalie in beer league hockey, and I certainly have my own little rituals and stuff before and during games.
As such, I will document my endeavor to find a game day lunch that brings a victory for the Wild that night during this playoff run. I recognize the responsibility I have in t...
I realize that today is Christmas and the moment we wait for all year long...BUT... thanks to Eklund's insane love for hockey and, especially, his desire to include and reward the true fans of the game, I must first use this great new platform to honor the ALL-TIME GOAL SCORING AMERICAN! Stay tuned for more about the Stars playoff run...there is nothing better than gettin...
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...
Lanny's Moustache writes...
Time to look like an idiot. Here's my fearless hockey picks.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
WEST
[b]Detroit vs Calgary - Calgary in 6[/b]
I think Detroit is too soft to compete with Calgary if they forecheck hard all series. The older D for the Wings will get banged up early, and Hasek will look for a way out after losing 2 of the first 3 games. I would also take Calgary's Superstar players over Detroit's in a tough series. The one problem Calgary may have is...
As the regular season came to an end like a cold Labatt's 18 pack at a Bills game tailgate party, the anticipation for the post season boiled over inside of me at an unbearable rate. The sabres open up the playoffs at home hosting the Presidents cup against the Islanders. The subplots and story lines are obvious with Teddy and Satan coming home and every fan in WNY cannot ...
I'm writing this blog entry on my laptop from the Library at SFU Surrey Campus, having just completed a painfully easy Criminology exam.
I have two tickets to Game 1 of the playoffs tonight, thanks to [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqSMftSKnIg]my entry[/url] in the Ultimate Canucks Search contest. The game is scheduled to start at 7pm, with a tribute to the 82 cup ...
Since the Canes aren't defending the Cup this spring, it's easy for me to make predictions. I think Buffalo and Ottawa are the two best teams in the East, and I hope there's at least one upset (probably the Rangers over the Thrash) that will allow the Sabres and Sens to meet in the East final. I think that would be a great series, and I think Buffalo will win it. So I'm go...
This morning I took my son Douglas to wal-mart to go shopping and he asked for a flames sweater now this normally its a automatic no but for some reason I decided to do it the main reason why I am writing about this is because of his reaction . He acted like I bought him the Stanley Cup, he mademe realize that life is to short sometimes. We can learn a lot by watching...
Though I didn't watch the last game of the season against the Avalanche, I noticed that McCarty was in the line-up. Ever since this guy's been injured, most Flames fans have been glad that he's stayed out of the line-up for as long as he has. Perhaps for the regular season, I felt this way as well, but come playoff time, this guy could be the difference maker that no one...
For your reading pleasure:
Western Conference
Detroit over Calgary in 6
Anaheim over Minnesota in 6
Vancouver over Dallas in 5
San Jose over Nashville in 6
Eastern Conference
Buffalo over Islanders in 5 (should go with a sweep...but will throw the Island a bone)
New Jersey over Tampa Bay in 6
Rangers over Atlanta in 5
Ottawa over Pittsburgh in 7
Take t...
Eggshmeg writes...
Eggshmeg's Analysis of Andrew Raycroft (Earlier in the Year)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 3
This is one of my blogs from early on during the year (on a different site obviously) about my thoughts on Raycroft. It received some very harsh feedback from Leafs fans. Now that I look back on it, it's interesting to look back at a few of the points I made.
Here it is:
Yes I know it is early in the season, and I do know that players are still getting their legs behin...
Jeremy Roenick was on ESPN's PTI yesterday which was kind of refreshing. While I like Kornheiser and Wilbon a lot, their complete lack on interest in hockey is a huge punch in the gut to me as a sports fan let alone a hockey fan. JR was... well JR, I liked the way he poked fun at the two for actually talking about hockey for once.
The PTI guys said something interesting...
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...
One of the more debated issues this summer for Maple Leaf fans will be - who's gonna back up Andrew Raycroft? Would the Leafs want a goaltender who would make a strong push for the starter job like say one Patrick Lalime or would they want someone who would still want the starting job but wouldn't make as strong a push but would still be there to mentor young Raycroft like...
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...
As you can see by looking at my profile I am a long-distance fan, and at this time of the year it gets pretty dificult. The Wild were immediately thrown off of Versus radar when they were switched randomly to the Wednesday/Friday schedule instead of the Thursday/Saturday schedule they were supposed to have. For the last three days I've been walking around upset about it th...
Great news! [b]YourTeam Online[/b] joins the [b]Buzz[/b] just in time for the playoffs. We are excited to see hockeybuzz making a move into the social network space for hockey. We all need a place to brag about our favourite teams, heckle our opponents and celebrate our victories. MyHockeyBuzz does just that!
[b]YourTeam Online Buzz [/b] doesn't plan on covering...
HI everyone and welcome to my blog.
I sometimes have brilliant things to say and sometimes I just muddle on through.
Right now I am suffering through hockey hell; my Flyers not being in the playoffs.
I have moved onto my secondary and tertiary teams the Preds and the Flames.
I am just glad to have Center ice and be able to watch playoff hockey.
I hope...
how can anyone watch a game with that annoying voice of his? It got so bad i had to place my HDTV on Mute because of his voice was so loud. i understand why Vs. ratings are horrible...
[b]THE GOOD[/b]
[b]The Sens intensity level[/b] - they came out strong and dictated play throughout.
[b]The officiating[/b] - there were a lot of penalties called but the officals seemed to be consistent with their calls.
[b]The Sens role players[/b] - good showing by 3rd and 4th line players.
[b]Malkin and Staal[/b] - I thought both rookies were able to play a...
Posted earlier on www.hockey-wire.com ;
This may just be about the most exciting series the playoffs have to offer. With both teams falling victim to the rule, that division winners take up the top three seeds, both squads found themselves a rank lower than what they should have and both with 105 points.
Regardless, these two teams are as close in retrospect and in...
C'est platte quand ton équipe préférée est pas dans les séries.
Les canadiens gagneront jamais avec des cons comme Kovalev pis Samsonov dans l'équipe. Samsonov c'est sûr qu'il va partir, mais malheureusement Gainey a pas l'air de vouloir échanger Kovalev cet été, les canadiens ne seront pas tellement améliorés l'an prochain s'il garde Kovalev qui joue une game...
With another great multiple overtime game in the bag, what is your most memorable multiple OT game?
I'll have to side with game 3 in the 2nd round last season with the Sharks leading the series 2-0 heading into the game. This game proved to be the turnaround for the Oil who rolled off 7 consecutive wins after this game.
The bar we were watching at asked us to leav...
Unbelievable. Jaw dropping. What else can I say?
This is my first blog ; there will be plenty of time to complain later, to get angry, bite, stir some s***, ask questions, but not tonight. There's a magic feeling each year to Day 1 of the Playoffs, and there are games that do nothing else but confirm this magic.
As many were ready for Episode 1 of the "He saved the N...
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...
So, just got home from the 4OT thriller at the garage tonight, WHAT A GAME. I mean, they stopped selling beer after the 2nd intermission, so I wound up paying $4 bucks for Sprite, but that's all good. Go Canucks Go... and chants of TTTUUURRCCOOO filled the evening excitement as I basically lost my voice and drank ice cubes for 2 OT's. Skytrain was reasonable on the way ...
Great game last night. A full 60 minutes of forechecking and goals. The locals will be lining up the get their free pizza today I'm sure. I can see Pizza Pizza implementing a new policy "umm...everybody who has a ticket must answer a skill testing question...recite the first 12 numbers after the decimal point in Pii" Things definitely got a little chippy at the end of ...
Good game all around for the Senators. They pounced on a noticeably jittery Fleury early and they kept the big Pens stars at bay.
All the Sens played great games. What should be scary for the Pens is that I didn't even notice Spezza or Heatley all night. When (I won't say if) they get going it may become a short series (of course I could say the same thing for Cro...
It all starts at 5:00MST tonight for Flames fans - the dreaded Red Wings are our first round opponent and some fans couldn't be happier.
Sure we beat them in 6 games in 2004 and sure the Oilers beat them last year...but the difference between those 2 Red Wing teams and this one is one man: Dominik Hasek.
I think the Red Wings have more confidence this year than othe...
[b]How the Mighty Fell (and blocked a shot)[/b]
Last night, and I don't know exactly what time it was because the Canucks/Stars game went 4 overtimes, I saw Markus Naslund go down and block a shot.
I double-checked the number in my head. 19. Yep, that's him. Markus Naslund. The Captain and former runner-up for the Art Ross. Sacrificing his body to keep the, oh maybe 64...
The Minnesota Wild is a fast team. This is a good thing especially because they're neither a big team, nor a very physical team. It is also a good thing because they reside in the Western Conference which is rife with big, physical teams that can also skate.
This has worked for the Wild if for no other reason than it has [i]had[/i] to work.
Worked, that is, until...
Can you believe how the Canuck/Star game ended? How many games that go into 3+ overtimes end on a nice goal? I mean really.....Hank is not a very likely hero as he barely scores any goals...but a nice looking goal? Same with the Shark victory over the Preds, great goal in overtime....not common but I am glad it happened.
Lets hope day 2 will be as good!
psycomkl writes...
Buffalo Sabres vs. Wade Dubielewicz: David vs. Goliath?
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
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...
Well last night I talked about how Versus was leaving me in the dark by showing the Canucks game (a move that paid off well) instead of the Wild game, but really that decision isn't Versus problem, it's the NHL's. This time of the year there is four games every night, it's definetly the most exciting time of the season. The NHL should take advantage of that by showing off ...
What do you do when you've invested 4 hours in a game, its 1:30am and a full workday looms 6 hours away?
There is nothing better than a Stanley Cup playoff game going into multiple overtimes. There is nothing worse than that alarm clock going off anything less than 4 hours after finally falling asleep. Vancouver and Dallas kicked of what I love most about the playoff...
I was doing great watching the games downstairs (On the nice TV). Although the Pens vs. Sens early match up wasn't what I thought it would be, the later games really were starting to heat up. I was riveted by the Sharks vs. Preds game late in the 3rd period. I was thrilled when my old buddy J.P. Dumont tied the game to send to overtime. WOW! Funny, because it almost s...
Even though the Preds are off tonight I will still be watching Versus and the scoreboard from around the league. Here are my PREDictions for tonight’s match ups.
[b]Calgary at Detroit[/b]: As much as I want to predict an upset here I think the Wings will come out on top tonight. I see a low scoring affair…2-1 or 3-2 Wings. (Detroit wins the series)
[b]NY Islander...
Does anybody think that Turco plays the puck too much.... i dont really but i wuz watchin' da game with somebody who thinks so... after the long OT in game one dallas vs. nucks in that much overtime you at least have to try and not let your fatigue take advantage of you! When he got stuck behind the net and the nucks took the puck away from him he stayed back there and try...
Tampa's going to SPOOK the devils tonight. 4-2 probably.
NYR vs. ATL will be as exciting as the build up was for PIT vs. OTT. Then look what happened, the upper seed played like the upper seed. Kovi and crew, do yer thang!
Buffalo -- Score lots, rack up d'em points, my pool entries are count'in on it. Just another day at the office for Vanek and co.
And then t...
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?
It seems to me one of the major challenges the Flyers have will be determining what to do with certain players who are, at this point, "tweeners"...guys like Ryan Potulny, RJ Umberger, Dimitri Afanasenkov and Stefan Ruzicka. They aren't really muckers and grinders who should be on checking lines. They have scoring talent; but they may not be ready to take on the role of ...
10. Don Whittman and his terrible commentary. Bring back Cuthbert, for the love of all that is hockey.
9. The Flames didn't even look like they were that concerned they were being manhandled.
8. As per above, someone did mention to the Flames that they playoffs have started, right?
7. Too many penalties. Way too many. So undisciplined.
6. Simply speaking, th...
Well, we saw those dreaded lames. the F-ing lames at that.
They played the game like it was a recreation league game and they just couldnt wait to go out and grab a beer after. The Flames now really have something to prove sunday as they put forth the worst effort by a team so far this season. I dont think ive ever turned a playoff game off within the first five minutes....
Well, the playoffs are still young, but there are still some interesting storylines that have started to develop.
[b]Senators and Penguins game 1:[/b]
This was not the game that anybody expected. Many people thought that the Sens would take this one, but not in the way that they did. The thrashing that was handed out on Wednesday should not be any indication of how...
Coming off an outstanding performance Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and added an assist as the Wings doused the Flames 4 - 1. People in the media have really written Datsyuk off, but he is out to prove these naysayers wrong. Some belived that Ken Holland made a huge mistake signing the playoff underachiever to a multi-year multi-million dollar deal. However, the game tonight sh...
I was listening to XM-204 tonight on my way home from work and the ice cap boys got me thinking about first round upsets. I think its safe to say after watching tonight game it looks like Calgary isn't going to be the team to knock off a top seed in this year Stanley Cup playoffs.
Detroit as of late has been known for their early exits. Last season the Edmonton Oilers...
...Outhustled, Outskated! Get the picture? This pretty much sums up game one in Detroit. The Wings pretty much won every battle. They worked harder, fought for pucks, made crisp passes and capitalized on scoring opportunities. Kipper played his butt off, but that simply wasn't enough on this night. For most of the game, the Flames couldn't muster up a decent shot and...
The update you have ALL been waiting for...(does anybody even read this thing?). Game 1 was a steam roller of a game for the Sens. There were squashed Pens littering the ice all night long. And yes, this is comming from a LONG TIME Penguins fan. Game 2 presents quite a challenge for our kids...will they be able to respond like we all think they can?
[b]THINGS TO LOOK FO...
Kim Johnsson was brought to the Minnesota Wild to attempt to give us the offensive dynamic from the blueline that has never been there.
The Wild shelled out $19M over 4 years for his services. This after he missed the majority of the previous season due to a string of injuries, though only a couple years after chipping in 13 goals and showing real promise in Philadelph...
This thing will not let me comment. I follow the rules it says to refresh and still it doesn't let me. What is wrong with this thing, it's pissing me off.
I can't believe no one has commented on this yet. After the huge game 7 disappointment, the Chris Pronger kick to the collective groins of Oilers fans, ticket price increase, injury ravaged, non-puck moving D man of a season, Joffre Lupul single handedly gets the Calgary Flames into the playoffs. I know I'm a little late in posting this, but last nights utter snoozfest aga...
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...
You get an incident like a knee-on-knee hit from Hartnell to Cheechoo and you can figure out very quickly where somebody stands. So Hartnell is headed to jail in San Jose and Cheechoo is getting an Oscar in Nashville.
I don’t have any idea why people are so convinced that the sun rises and sets over their home teams. “Real” hockey fans know that there is ebb and...
Great game by Drury and company last night. A couple points to consider:
1) Following last night's 4-1 victory, Chris Drury made the expected, credit-deflecting comments to the media. As he usually does, he mentioned that the team felt really prepared because of Lindy Ruff's tutelage and how Lindy deserves credit because he has been drilling all of the important thing...
Today many were wondering will Rick DiPietro play in Game 2 tommorow night at the HSBC Arena. Well we won't find that answer out until tommorow afternoon after the game day skates. Now if i was Ted Nolan i think i would go with the guy that got the islanders in to the playoffs and the hot goalie who would be Wade Dubielewicz. Nothing against the ability of US born Goaltend...
They always say that rivalries are born and forged in the fiery pits of the playoffs. With the Sharks and the Predators, this is certainly the case.
These two teams, who had no reason to really care one way or the other about each up until last season, are in the midst of forming one of the great new rivalries of the "New NHL." Meeting each other in the 4-5 seed matchup...
The phrase "Next Year" is often uttered around Columbus this time of year. As I sit here watching the Playoffs begin, I can't help but wonder if the Blue Jackets will ever make it there. It's been 6 years of great fan support, high ticket prices, and high expectations. What do we fans get for our loyalty? Doug Maclean saying, "I feel we're one or two pieces away" or "W...
I believe that some of us, as Sabre's fans, have been spoiled by the most exciting team in hockey and, quite possibly, all of sports. I actually heard some disgruntled people calling into the local radio sports-talk shows complaining about last night's Sabre's convincing 4-1 victory over the Long Islanders in game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarter finals. Apparently, the...
Philadelphia Flyers are my team. They have been my team my entire life and will continue to be the team I love with the most passion.
Any sports days at work where they allow you to wear sports apparel I come in sporting something Flyers. Even this year which was such a long year for Flyers fans I proudly wore my orange and black.
I do have other teams I love as I...
Hey pens fans,
The Pens win game 2 and tie the series at one all. The Pens definetly shook their jitters from game one and played a solid game. Fleury was very solid in net. Crosby and Staal bothed played well and did not disappoint. Colby Armstrong was flying today. He was all over the ice and this is one of his strongest performances. Overall, the team played a ve...
FLAMESTR writes...
PUBLIC APOLOGY PLEASE ANY HOCKEY PLAYERS PLEASE READ
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I have heard it said that players need to give the fans proper respect, while this is true but what comes to mind is a double edge sword, meaning don't the players deserve the same respect. Now don't get me wrong the fans have a right to call how it is if a player makes a mistake call him on it. But what his nationality or I Q or his up bringing have anything to do w...
What a game so far.
The Islanders have turned up the heat
But just when you thought they would turn it up higher.....
HERE COME THE SABRES
Sabres score late to come within one goal of the Islanders
remember [url]sabreschat.com/chat.shtml [/url]
Anyone watch the Ottawa/Pittsburgh game today? Pittsburgh scored a goal (not an important one -- just the game-winner) off the transition -- that was created when Daniel Alfredsson missed a glorious scoring chance. Why?
His piece-of-you-know-what stick broke.
I don't know how many scoring chances for are missed, and how many scoring chances against are created by s...
SteveBonus writes...
The Habs and the Hab-Nots: 2006-2007 Year in Review
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Another year has come to an end for the Montreal Canadiens, and dissapointingly the team was unable to make a second straight playoff appearance. Prior to Christmas, the Habs were on fire and had a shot at catching the dominant Buffalo Sabres atop the Northeast Division standings. But, with the team being hammered by the flu bug in late December, followed by a monstrous tw...
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...
[b]By D. Smith[/b]:
Remember a couple months ago, way back in the pre-Forsberg dark ages, when media outlets all over North America were calling for the Predators to leave Music City? Supposedly our chronic attendance problems were dooming our franchise, and simply put, our fan support was "lukewarm". We didn't deserve this team. We didn't appreciate the great product t...
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...
Will one fan's search for caloric karma end in enlightenment, or a 3-0 series deficit?
Game 1
Main course: Don't remember.
Result: 2-1 loss
Game 2
Main course: terrible tex-mex.
Result: 3-2 loss
Game 3
Subway
Classic BMT (foot long)
Meatball* (6 inch)
Coca-Cola classic
*In high school, I "played" soccer. Poorly. But my buddy and I had a "luck...
The heart of this city, the passionate Flames fan, is breaking right now. You can feel the rupture resonating down the red mile, through every basement and every bar, and you can see it in every face.
Kipper is playing beyond human, as we're so accustomed to... yet it is not enough. The forwards are not creating chances, are not forechecking hard, and look as though t...
I predicted a Flames win in 7. Well, for that to happen, there needs to be drastic improvement from, oh, about 18 Flames right now...
Kiprusoff is the only reason either of the games appeared close. This reminds me of that series between Winnipeg and Detroit in 1996 when Nik Khabibulin almost stole the series for the Jets. But as in that series, Detroit has simply be...
ForeverFlyer16 writes...
It's About Time Ron Hextall is Given His Due In Flyerland.
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
I watched the Flyers 40th Anniversary DVD to see Ron Hextall's emotions, and have in me feelings rekindled that I had over the entire period that he was with the Flyers... That exuberance that he displayed epitomized what being a Flyer actually means... He, along with Bob Clarke, acted with the raw emotion that I would like to see in every Flyer, every game, every year.
...
Eggshmeg writes...
MLB Honours Jackie Robinson, Should the NHL Follow Suit?
Posted Sunday | Comments 8
Today around Major League Baseball, African-American ball-players were wearing the #42 in honour of the great Jackie Robinson, known for being the first African-American baseball player to break the colour barrier. This got me thinking, should the NHL do the same for the first black hockey player, Willie O'Ree? O'Ree, in case you didn't know, broke into the league in 1958 ...
Hey pens fans,
Well, the game started off good with Pens scoring under a minute into the game. Roberts scored and was assisted by Crosby and Armstrong. The Senators came back and scored 4 goals. Late in the third Crosby scored and was assisted by Malkin and Recchi to make it 4-2. Fleury was in goal stopping 21 of 25 shots. Tonight, the Pens were just not with it. They pla...
Dude, wake up, you should ask D-S for some help, or volunteer to leave? Who knows... whatever you're doing, not doing, it's not working.
I mean, it must suck, though for you at the same time, no one wanted you to fail, it's just... your team isn't playing to its potential.
I'm not even a Flames fan, but it's kind of funny...
Dudes on thehockeynews.com figure the...
On a number of fronts...
1. Will Regehr be able to play tomorrow night? it was obvisious that he is currently our best defensmen. With Phanuef a close 2nd.
2. Will McCarty be the answer? If that what the team needs, I hope so! sure he will play sub 10mins, but will the locker room presence be what they need?
3. Has anyone else seen enough of Hale/Warrener in the ...
So, I’m a born and raised Edmontonian that moved to Calgary 10 years ago to work in the oil patch. Living in the heart of the enemy‘s city hasn’t been easy, but for the most part the Oiler & Eskimo’s have done as well or better than their Red Rivals…. That is up until this year.
My defending grey cup champion Eskimos ended a consecutive playoff streak th...
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...
My sources are telling me that early indications point to Sutter firing Playfair.
Details to come.
Sunday's Pens and Senators game was the worst of the series for the Penguins.
They gained some momentum in game 2...and it lasted into game 3...for about 5 minutes.
Game 3 was so disappointing because the Penguins should feel they have a chance to win this series, but they are not playing like it. They should be past the "wow, we are in the playoffs" feeling, and se...
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...
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...
Game 3, in Calgary, down 2 - 0, does it get any bigger than this? No. It's that simple. The Flames must come out with enerygy tonight. Forcheck hard, win battles, be physical and most importantly get the first goal. Tonight, I'm afraid, is do or die. Win this game and we have a series. Lose, and start thinking about the summer and next year!
43 and 51 SOG in th...
I don't think Red Wings fans could have hoped for a better way to start this series. They have dominated the entire 120 mins of this series so far. They have been the more skilled, but maybe more importantly, the more PHYSICAL team. They are initiating the hits, taking it to the Flames, and making a statement that this years Red Wings team is a PHYSICAL hockey team. Th...
It is unknown if Burtuzzi will play in tonight's game...but if he does who sits. It would be hard to sit Filipula, who would have been the obvious choice had this been Game 1. But Fillipula had scored 2 goals and his line had played extremely well with Franzen and Hudler attacking and crashing the net. Hudler is another option, but he is playing on both that line and h...
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
Where would the Sabres be without Zubrus, Mair?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img:right]http://www.gramdesign.com/images/bloody.jpg[/img]There are 8 playoff series going on right now, 7 of which are absolutely nasty. Bone-jarring hits, constant scrums, facewashes, blood, concussions, headhunting (allegedly), elbows… you name it, we’ve seen it. EXCEPT in the Sabres/Islanders series. Granted, we did get some physical play last night but this s...
By the power of Grayskull, a few points:
1) If last night was a game of Ice Hockey on the original Nintendo Entertainment System, Lindy must have gotten a hold of a Game Genie because Mair and Zubrus were able to hit like the big, fat players but also, somehow, had the agility and speed of the skinny guys that usually get run over. They were only credited with 8 hits i...
kamikazepilot42 writes...
Playoff hockey, non-playoff hockey, and other stuff
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Three topics to touch on briefly.
1. I'm thoroughly excited for the Rangers-Thrashers game tonight. It will be interesting to see how the Rangers respond to being back at home. This is an extremly important game. A win will put the series at 3-0 and put New York in a comfortable position to move on. A loss and the Thrashers gain a huge amount of momentum and could ...
With the senators in control of this series this is a very important game. If the pens lose today they will be down 3-1 and have no chance to comeback. It is a desperate situation for the pens. It worrys me that during the moring skate the pens looked so relaxed. Maybe it is a tactic that Therrien is using so the pens do not have to think about the pressure they face. The ...
bluez brother_38 writes...
Gary Bettman and why he SHOULD follow Stern's NBA this time
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Commissioner Gary Bettman takes a lot of flack for the way he has ran and continues to run the NHL. Some of it I've always felt is undeserved. Similarly to Bud Selig and the MLB, I believe that Bettman really does things that he feels in the best interests of the league and the sport. And it's hard for me to hate someone the way plenty of fans do when I know he's got good ...
Eggshmeg writes...
The Best the NHL has to Offer, for Non-Hockey Watchers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This blog is for those of you who don't follow hockey all that much but have decided to watch some playoff hockey and you want to know the best games that are out there to watch this round. I'm gonna give you my suggestions of games to watch from the east and west, whichever side you're on. The games I post will be the most intriguing ones I think are out there out there. ...
I love read thoughtless articles from writers across the country that know NOTHING about hockey. they try so so hard to write an article or talk hockey and they cant. let's look at a couple of examples. After Todd Fedrouk,"Fridge" know by Flyers Fans, was smoke in a clean fight by Orr, Gary Bettman made appreence on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia sports news show 'Daily Ne...
Ottawa's winning goal came off the stick of Anton Volchenkov. Not only is this an unlikely hero, but instead he puts the proverbial nail in the coffin. The Penguins are now forced to win three out of four games. The Senators now have a 3-1 lead in the series, with a 2-1 win in Pittsburgh.
Gary Roberts was the lone Penguin to show determination, although some would say h...
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.
Down 3-1 in the series, the common thought that runs through your mind, as a player or a fan, is "[b]There is NO tomorrow[/b]".
That's the kind of thinking that many will argue is needed in order to beat the odds and win game 5 in Ottawa.
While I believe the intensity level necessary to win game 5 CAN be obtained from that line of thinking, there is also a tremendous...
mojoworld writes...
It's a far cry, but if anyone can do it... I think it's the
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
WILD!!! -- Down 3-1, how do you come back. How can you come back. Are you even supposed to come back? Well duh, you have to try. This is an open invite to everyone to list reasons why the Wild should beat the Ducks 3 more times in a row. I think it's not out of the question yet, obviously if they can win Game 5, people will start thinking it's possible or rather more ...
1) What’s better than playoff hockey? In a series that could potentially be labeled “boring” by comparison to past playoff series and those currently underway (especially Ottawa-Pittsburgh), the Sabres and Islanders have, instead, found a way to stay interesting due to an odd debate over “shooting at the goalie’s head”, the ridiculous behavior of Islander fans...
caveman writes...
A proposal to tweak the standings points for shootouts
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
One of the more visible changes to come out of the lockout was the institution of the shootout to decide the winner of games which remained undecided after a 4-on-4 overtime. This resulted in quite a lot of excitement for fans to be sure, but also let a few rounds of a skills competition play a large part in determining standings points for a team.
The original move to ...
In 2004, a young man (well, if you count 26 as young) got to live a dream of a lifetime and go to a Stanley Cup Finals Game. That young man was me, and being from Newfoundland where the closest NHL team is Boston (it could be Toronto, but I can't stand the Leafs) I never even got close to a pre-season game in my first 25 years of life.
That year, I experienced the grea...
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 ...
When it's been 10 years since you've won a playoff series you know your fan base is starved and that hunger was fed tonight as the Rangers finished off the Thrashers 4-2 at Madison Square Garden.
The World's Most Famous Arena was buzzing with excitement as the blueshirts looked to finish off their first playoff sweep since that year most dear to all Ranger fans 1994. Th...
It may be the first reaction of any sports team that is looking for a championship to axe all of the leadership of a consistently underachieving team, and everyone knows that isn't fair. The problem for Dallas is that the front office is the problem, not the coaching staff. With all of the injuries the team sustained this year its a miracle that the team stayed competitive...
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...
Manchester Monarchs 5- Worcester Sharks 2
Monarchs lead series 1-0
And so begins yet another attempt at escaping the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs for my local team.
The AHL affiliate of the LA Kings has been a strong performer in the regular season each of it's six seasons of existance. However, when the playoffs roll around, the Verizon Wireless Aren...
The Minnesota Wild have the most daunting of tasks ahead of them.
We've all heard the constant droning on and on about the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders and their amazing comeback stories. Blah blah blah blah blah. Fact is, even though the Wild exploded for 5 goals in Game 4 (yeah, one was waved off on a bogus call on a rule that is no longer in exis...
The Pens have played better in the last game but are still down 3-1. They are looking for a way to get momentum. Well couldn't it be a huge momentum builder if the pens could pull off a dramatic win in overtime. This type of win could shift all the momentum in a penguins favor and bring the series back to the igloo. I know it may sound far fetched but i believe in the pens...
Tonight Game 4 of the Flames-Red Wings series goes at 7:30MST (9:30EST for the majority of readers on here) and to say something that is obvious - Calgary needs the win. Not only do the need the win, they need to get it in convincing fashion.
Sure they beat the Red Wings 3-2 on Tuesday night but many of the glaring errors the Flames made in Games 1 & 2 are still around...
I was trying to figure out what to write my next blog when my brother gave a talk on blessed be the Peace makers, when that gave me a idea on my nex t blog. So today blog is on
[b] BLESSED BE THE PEACE MAKERS. [/b]
The Linesman have to brake up break up biggest fighters. People like Derek Boogaard vs Brad May or how about Andrew Peters Vs Brian McGrattan,...
When this series started, I truy believed the Penguins could compete with the Senators. The teams played such close games during the regular season that it seemed almost impossible for the series not to go 6 or 7 games. (still trying to get my foot out of my mouth from that prediction...)
What happened during the playoffs was plain and simple -- the Senators had an extr...
It was the night of nights. Everyone in town knew that we had to play better, regardless of our victory on Tuesday. The swing game was live or die. No way we could crawl out of a hole going back to the Joe. It was tonight or bust.
We've played consecutively better every game, and believe it or not, I think we still need to get better. Kipper is inhuman. I think he...
My heart constantly pounds like a drum. My fists are sore from being clenched, and sweat occasionally drips from my brow. My playoff beard is itching like hell and my facepaint is all over my Flames Jersey... I couldnt ask for a better time. For the rabid hockey fans, playoffs are considered a religious event and we put players/teams in the spotlight and on a pedestal. It ...
[img]C:\Documents and Settings\Greg\Desktop\gregs ringers\staalhattrick.mp3[img:right][img][/img]What do you think was the best moment of the year for the Pengins? Personally i think Staals overtime goal versus toronto that completed the hattrick was best.[img]C:\Documents and Settings\preferred customer\Desktop\evolution.jpg[/img]
Can anyone see or hear the pic?
I am not going to apology for splitting hairs over the use of Nation when describing the fans of certain NHL teams or the co-opting of the term for profit. No, I won’t because I’m Canadian and we’ve been splitting nations and attempting to sew them back together, and to the larger fabric, since our inception.
For those of you reading this in Canada I realize inv...
I think the Sharks' intensity level was just higher. San Jose was the better team and it showed. San Jose is deeper than ever before, and they are definitely a team to be feared in these playoffs.
Where Nashville lost this series, however, was with the penalties. San Jose's power play was lousy, but the penalties to Nashville just killed their momentum. Thats one th...
[i]O Calgary Flames who skate in the Dome,
Hallowed be the ice upon which you play.
Your power rankings will climb
As your points do over time, at Sportsnet as well on TSN.
Give us this day our special teams skill.
And forgive us our tresspasses as we check those who try to do us ill.
Lead us not to the penalty box and deliver us from unreviewed goals,
For thine are...
And we should give thanks for that. The Flames came out today and played a SOLID first period. If we had played that way the whole game, we would have won. However, we stopped skating after the first period. Not only that, we kept giving the puck away, both in our own zone and at the offesive blueline. How can you expect to win when you do that? How can you even expec...
I hate the wings, but the way the Flames are acting is an embarassment to the league.
[b]WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN LIFE PART 3[b]
When I started watching the game I began to slip and began to get stressed so my wife told me to go for a walk and forget the game. So I put on my coat and went for a walk, while I was walking our beautiful streets of Calgary , I over heard some body swear when Detroit scored there second goal I was walking in a back all...
The Flames have done themselves no favors as they now head into game 6 on Sunday down a game and on the brink of elimination. The Flames started off game 5 fairly well and even outshot the Red Wings for most of the first period. But, it was a second period special teams disaster that marked the beginning of the end for Calgary. Dan Cleary roofed a penalty shot during a Fla...
seriously, people need to take a very,very deep breath about the McLennan slash. come on, real hockey fans will tell this used to happen all the time. I remember Ron Hextall jabbing the forward infront for position to see where the puck. Hextall did slash players and faced the consequences. He would a) face the player (thats call players policing themselves or b) get a fin...
And with that, the Detroit Red Wings have eliminated the Calgary Flames from contention.
As much as I was pulling for the Flames, the Wings deserved to win this series. Kiprusoff was the only guy on Calgary's roster who was showing up to play every game.
A major surprise was the play of Johan Franzen in this series. I barely knew who he was prior to this series, and...
Well, as hard as this is for me, a Flames fan to say, the better team won. Calgary played this game with grit and heart, but so did the Detroit Red Wings. Half of the problem coming into this series was the fact that many flames fans, among others, had it burned in their minds that #8 seeded Calgary could easily beat the #1 seeded Detroit, as the Red Wings have struggled t...
The Flames were eliminated, and the frustrating thing is, this was a very winnable series.
The stats will tell you that Detroit nearly doubled the Flames' shot total. That is misleading. Sure, the Flames did play that badly, but they have the offensive talent and the toughness to compete with Detroit. Kiprusoff held up his end. Did anyone else?
The lack of cohe...
Hey, I'm a Flames fan (you may have already guessed that tho).
I'm a fan of the team that has been lambasted and generally scourged by almost every media outlet for the past 24hrs and frankly I'm tired of it.
Perhaps this is the part where you gasp in surprise that I could even think to disagree that they deserved all this heaping on being done by the media but you k...
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
'Sabres Only' Fantasy Hockey Leauge – Join In for Round Two!
Posted Monday | Comments 1
Sabres Fans… Join in for round 2 of the hometeamhockey.com playoff fantasy league. Below is a short description from the site's creator. I've participated for the past few "divisions" and really enjoy it. You should give it a try.
[quote][i]Fantasy Hockey for the Home Town Fan. Why a fantasy league with just one team? My thinking is this: I like Fantasy sports, bu...
The Wings win in 6 games.
Before everyone gets on my case about this blog, remember one thing - I'm a fan and I'm going to tell it how I saw it. You may disagree but this is what I saw. The reasons we lost this series:
1. Detroit was the better team. Forechecking, passing, defensive play - they played all 6 games the same and lost 2 by one goal which were winnable...
This Thursday marks the beginning of yet another battle of 100+ point regular season teams. New Jersey finished with 107 and Ottawa with 105, with the season series going the way of the Devils 3-1. Despite holding a 3-1 edge is the regular season series, there’s no doubting who the stronger of the two teams down the stretch was, it’s the Senators. That being said, this...
Eklund has his airline ticket to Nashville for the Sharks and Preds game seven but the problem is there won't be a game seven.
For the second year in a row the Preds were handed a 4 games to 1 series loss at the hands of the San Jose Sharks. Seriously...if I see anything teal right now I might just hurl!
This was a physical series (some might even say dirty...but l...
Alright Flames fans, let's forget yesterday or even this whole series ever happened. Let's get down to business for next season.
Here is the list of UFAs for the Flames:
Tony Amonte
Marcus Nilson
Jeff Friesen
Darren McCarty
Byron Ritchie
Wayne Primeau
Roman Hamrlik
Brad Stuart
Brad Ference
Jamie McLellan (G)
Here is the list for the RFAs:
Matthew Lo...
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...
Rumor has it that the Preds are picking up the one year option on Barry Trotz and his contract. This means that the coaching staff will be together one more season before the org. will decide whether or not to let Trotz and his staff go. Expect more after the 2 pm PC. Just to clarify, this is a rumor, but I did get it from a qualified media source.
Well, we're a few days out from the sad loss in 2OT to the Wings and the pain of that night has certainly dulled which is nice. It helps to still be able to go to games as our Jr team, the Calgary Hitmen, are playing in the Conference finals right now - beyond most expectations of the team this year (unlike the Flames).
My wish list for the Flames now that we're in the ...
What are your thoughts on this matchup? My recollection of the season series was that Vancity lost 3 and won 1. The one we won we played Sabourin. So maybe we should rest Luongo for the next round seeing Sabourin had the better record?? No way! I don't know why we won that one game, my guess is that it was during their injury problems. Pronger and S. Niedermayer both were ...
I delayed posting a blog after our overtime defeat because it would be ridden with grief and emotional outbursts. Tears are not rare when it comes to me and my beloved Flames. Needless to say I am struggling to find my way again, as I commit so much to the team and their journey.
However, this blog is for looking forward. I would love to be in Sutter's position right...
Well, the job's open. Who wants it? There are a slew of potentials, even a few that have been vocal (Craig Patrick, Bob Clarke). Ownership will begin the interview process within the week, and hopefully now that some teams have been eliminated, the search can be narrowed. Dave Taylor from LA and Craig Button, formerly of Calgary, are rumored to be the front-runners, and th...
Well, folks, about 11 1/2 hours until the puck drops to begin game one of the Sabres/Rangers Eastern Conference semi-finals and for two days, already, the poop is being flung with the tenacity of the inhabitants of the primate house at the Buffalo zoo. Sean Avery began the shit slinging with some comments about how his pre-series ritual has included visualizing various (o...
So I was recently in Dallas for the first time (I'd been through the airport before, but I hadn't spent any time on the ground) and took in a Stars game. I felt pretty strange going to the game, to tell you the truth. Like I was somehow betraying my childhood.
You see, I grew up in Minnesota with the North Stars. When you grow up in Minnesota you follow hockey. End of ...
Sabres de Buffalo vs Rangers de New York
Les Rangers ont été surprenant contre Atlanta, mais dans le fonds, si on regarde leurs récentes acquisitions - Brendan Shanahan durant l'été et Sean Avery 1 ou 2 semaines avant la date limite - c'est pas vraiment surprenant qu'il aient battus Atlanta, ces deux joueurs là ont apporté du coeur à cette équipe et le désir d...
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...
Well after a few days of reflection, I can hopefully put what happened in some sort of perspective now.
I gotta tell you though.. it's been a tough year with a lot more ups and downs than expected.
So. where are we heading? Who's most likely to stay or go? Let's start with the players.
Iggy says he wants to stay in Calgary.. He also says he has more...
I wish I could kick it back with some old school commentary, but my life schedule has not been kind this playoffs. While I've listened to 90% of the games on internet radio, I had to miss two whole games in the 1st round and I got back in time for the 3rd period, but I fell asleep shortly after Pominville's goal was credited. Hey, what can I say, they took awhile!
So,...
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 ...
Yes, Caps fans, change is the offseason's buzzword. As the Caps' season was thankfully on its way to being put to rest, the slogan 'Change is Coming' was (for good reason) broadcasted for any fans still paying attention.
So, what changes can Caps fans expect?
[u][url=http://www.washingtoncaps.com/news/news.asp?story_id=4783]New uniforms[/url]:[/u]
The Caps will unve...
> Congratulations to [url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8449545&service=page]Scott Mellanby[/url] on a very good career. Mellanby [url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2007/04/23/mellanby-retirement.html?ref=rss]announced his retirement[/url] after 21 seasons in the NHL. He finishes with 364 goals and 476 assists for 840 regular sea...
After Mr. Sutter met with Media on his state of the Franchise Speech the Media walked away just as confused if not more. He refused to comment on the future of Coach Playfair or on the Contracts of Iggy and Kipper does that mean kipper and iggy are traded and Playfiar fired? Heck no it means that Sutter is not going half cocked and firing Playfair and jumping to any co...
Bill Meltzer had an interesting post today regarding the debate over whether or not the NHL should switch to shootouts in the playoffs:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=7179
I stand with Mr. Meltzer on this, and just want to add a thought I had. The people who are looking for a change in playoff format are clearly not hockey fans, or they would know how rid...
I love NHL playoff Hockey. The first round was fabulous. I have 2 games a night every night to watch at least. There were quite a few teams that I like playing.
The 2nd round is not so easy of a thing. Less teams I enjoy. Less hockey. The other night both games were on at similar times. There was no 2nd game to stay up and watch.
Plus it does get harder to...
Has Ryan Miller finally come of age as a bonafide post-season goaltender? It's sure starting to look that way after these last two games against the Rangers. I'm certainly not one to count ANYONE'S chickens before they've hatched but, even though the last two Sabre victories were, no doubt, "team wins", Miller is the main reason that the 'bres have come out on top of their...
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...
I get the sense that some of you think the Cup is already in your possession. Believe it or not it's still early in this series and extremely early in the run to the Cup.
Would I rather that the Rangers were up 2-0 coming back to MSG, you bet I would. Would I rather that the Rangers were able to a win a game in HSBC, especially Game 2 in which they out played the Sa...
Despite the media and all the nay sayers Vancouver pulled even with the Ducks and made the series look a lot more even than what it appeared after game 1.
Game 1 was tough to watch. My first thoughts were "These aren't the Canucks!". Somebody dressed the LA Kings instead. I'm glad they got that all straightened up. And now having the series return to Vancouver to win t...
Hey pens fans,
As, promised here is the team report card. I'll start with a player by player break-down.
Sidney Crosby
Regular Season 120 points (36+84) Playoffs 5 points (3+2)
Sid played in 79 regular season games. He was +10. This season was truly a breakout season for number 87. He played marvelously and we couldn't have asked for more. Sid had goals that amazed a...
[img:right]http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9482/mitchell80ae871bt9.png[/img]The injuries on the blueline continue to mount.
Defencemen Willie Mitchell and Rory Fitzpatrick did not skate on Saturday. Mitchell is expected to play Game 3, but Fitzpatrick is questionable with the flu.
In case Fitzpatrick can't go, the Canucks have recalled veteran defenceman Yannick T...
I could probably write a pretty long blog about how the Rachunek goal was a goal, kicking motion my ass. I could write lettter and verse on how the refs seemed to miss so many calls on the Sabres and none on the Rangers.
Well I could write that blog, but I won't. I will just say [b]Hell Of A Game[/b].
That is what playoff hockey is all about. Same pit in my stomach...
Jsaquella writes...
Want To Ruin A Wonderful Game Experience On Television?
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
Hire a loudmouth, egotistical, jackanape former head coach, whose sole purpose as a broadcaster seems to be to hear himself talk, and put him by the glass.
Why does NBC saddle a very good-outstanding, really-play-by-play and color team of Mike "Doc" Emrick and Ed Olczyk with Pierre McGuirre? Everytime McGuirre opens his mouth he's either stepping all over Emrick or Olc...
I posted this as a little reply in Tim Panaccio's "On Heidi, Barbaro and the Sabres-Rangers" but my little reply kept growing until I felt that I should post it as a blog and see if I could spark some discussion.
-----------------------------------------------
Canadian fan here with some thoughts.
I can't say that I disagree with anything Tim wrote about attract...
The Rangers win. Yes I know, I know. I was jumping for joy too.
However the road is far from over. The impressive showing they brought on against Buffalo was great. They played their game. They came on tough and really left everything out on the ice and in so were rewarded by a great Rozsival shot to finally end the game in the 2nd OT.
This game had everything. Hits,...
Syntax writes...
Naslund leading the team in goal scoring; Injury updates
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[img:right]http://www.click2host.us/006/markus_naslund547346.jpg[/img]Canucks captain Markus Naslund's now leads the team goal scoring with three goals after scoring last night! Thanks to his power play goal at 19:12 of the first period on Sunday, he now has an astonishing 3 goals!
Injuries and more injuries. Taylor Pyatt, Jan Bulis, and Jeff Cowan all missed practice o...
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[b]The largest, best, and longest running hockey card and memorabilia expo takes place this weekend, May 4 to 6 2007, at the Toronto International Centre. The 32nd Toronto Sport Card and Memorabilia Expo will deliver over 900 tables of rare cards and nonsport items from the world of hockey and other sports.[/b]
The show boasts a heavy line up of autograph guests like...
When I was first hired by the HHOF last summer, the first question I asked was "Will I be working Induction Night?". Thats where I was told all employees work that night. Since then, that was the one night I was looking forward to. However, Induction night wasn't till November 13th, so I still had 2 and a half months to get my feet wet there.
So as I got more experience...
[img:right]http://www.click2host.us/003/roberto_luongo706208.jpg[/img]The NHL announced its nominees for their annual year-end awards, Roberto Luongo was nominated for three awards and Alain Vigneault was nominated for coach of the year.
Luongo were among the nominees for the Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player to his team), Lester B. Pearson Award (most outstand...
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.
...
I'm with Briere on the Rachunek no-goal from game 3(if you heard his post game comments, you know what i mean); it shoulda counted. I understand why it was called no-goal but i didn't agree with it. Yeah, the call tonight was crap, too, but it should never have come to that. When an offensive threat like the 'bres are giving up 2 goals a game, the series should be over by ...
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 ...
I am getting absolutely disgusted with what's being thrown around our Federal Government these days. Taxes, defence and other important issues are taking a backseat because - get this - Shane Doan is the captain of Team Canada. Can I please call for a by-election of any idiot who thinks this is an issue for our government to discuss?
Hockey Canada is going to address Pa...
Okay I normally don't pay much attention to what my Government does but this is nonsense come on Shane Doan had done nothing but represent his Country. It was proven that Shane Doan did not say the slur. It also happened two years ago Please lets email our MLA's and tell them on how we feel about waisting time and money, this has to be stopped Government has to know ...
The Ottawa Senators took a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference Semi-finals series against the New Jersey Devils. The team that was once the template of a team that chokes in the playoffs is finally coming of age. Their great play from the first round against the Penguins(which I think was slightly discredited because the Pens are so inexperienced) has car...
Okay…so I was talking to my dad the other night about the Wings and Sharks (I think it was before game three) and he said something that I found very interesting. He said that he didn’t mind the Wings playing the Sharks because they don’t finish games well.
Hmmm…I thought. Let’s see. The Sharks just beat the wings in Game 1 2-0 and I thought they finished that...
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...
... of riches!
Over the last 10-15 years, there have been a number of great hockey teams. Detroit, Colorado, Ottawa, Buffalo, New Jersey, Pittsburg, etc etc. The list goes on. All of these teams excelled in a number of areas which is what made them great. Often times, though, it was their excellent offence that masked defensive shortcomings or a great defence that h...
With the Vancouver Canucks season coming to a close many would expect that the blame game would be topic number one around town. In my mind that should not be the focus as the team accomplished well beyond our collective expectations and the only thing that allowed us to toy with the thought of a Stanley Cup parade was our goaltending. Roberto Luongo proved last night, wit...
Focused Senators Will Not Be Rattled!
In a series that has been all but dominated by the Ottawa Senators, it was the future Hall of Famer, Martin Brodeur that was trying to get into the heads of the Senators and attempt to throw them of their game. After letting in two weak goals himself, he tried to deflect any talk of weak play to his counterpart Ray Emery by saying,
...
last night blog was a blog of frustration and being pissed off at the sport i love. plus i had little too much too drink last night in celebatation of cinco de mayo, which explains about everything for last night. Sorry if i oftened anyone.
For now on, im only blogging on the finals, Flyers and Ripping gary bettman to help make a change in this league and I’ll release...
The Medicine Hat Tigers even the WHL Championship final with a 3 - 2 win on Saturday night. The win was rather crucial as the series reverts to the 2-3-2 format is was important that the Tigers had at least a split at home before heading to the west coast for three. The Giants now look to close out the series at home with three games at home and the home ice crowd on their...
First I would like to take this opportunity to say congrats to Sens Fans. Your team was better than mine, and I can accept losing to a better team. Also as a whole you guys have been the classiest group of fans to invade what I am happy to say used to be our arena. Now all I ask of the Sens is they go all the way so I can comfort myself in the fact that it took the Stanley...
HomeIceFan writes...
Sorry Eugene: Either Have Us Full-Time, Or Not At All
Posted Monday | Comments 2
This Ottawa-Buffalo series is going to be an exciting one. Geographically, Leaf fans could easily get their hockey fix being smackdab in between these 2 towns. At the same time, it's easy for Leaf fans to hate both these teams. Do you hate the team that crushed your Cup dreams some years ago, or do you hate the team who brags about crushing your dreams, yet never has? Dani...
During the 2005-2006 season, or as us Blues fans called it, Hell, there were few bright spots. One of those shining moments came after sending off Mike Sillinger and Doug Weight; the Blues without their top two point producers put together their best stretch of games all year. During that stretch an OT defeat of the mighty Calgary Flames brought forth a new name to the cit...
It looks like Canucks are making huge atempts for offence. For example:
Paul Kariya - 40% - Would work very well as hometown boy
Scott Gomez - 25% - Would bring some good offence to Vancouver
Anson Carter - 25% - Could work with Sedins, cheaper
Ladislav Nagy - 20% - Would bring good offence
Wes Walz - 10% - Always plays good ag...
from The Checking Line
Thanks to a couple bad seasons and a little assistance from the lockout, it’s now been over 1,100 days since the St. Louis Blues have been part of a playoff series. So what are the chances of my beloved Note getting in the dance in 2008? Let’s just say that it’s a good thing that John Davidson and Co. have months to work their magic becaus...
The Sudbury Wolves evened the OHL league championship final with a convincing 7 - 3 victory over the Plymouth Whalers on Sunday evening. Andrew Self and Devin DiDiomete led the way for the Wolves with two tallies each while Matt Dias and Nick Foligno both tallied three assists. The four goal spread was rather strange considering the Whalers outshot the Wolves by a convinci...
Hey pens fans,
Sorry this took so long to post, but life has been hellish, as of late.
Colby Armstrong
He had 34 points this season, which included 12 goals. Colby had a strong season. He played well and is really coming into his own, as a player. I think he will only improve, as time progresses.
Grade: B+
Erik Christensen
This season he had 33 points. He pla...
The off-season is fast approaching, and while I don’t want to short cut the glory of the playoffs, we’re about to be subjected to another round of rumored expansion plans and rule change proposals to boost next year’s numbers. (Remember the “buffalo” nets?)
I don’t know if you were following the recent “big” news out of NASCAR, but it bears mention. (D...
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 ...
I thought that I would let people know what the Flames Players are like and why it means so much to me when some get traded .
The year after the lockout the flames had their preseason camp at the Don Hartman arena instead of the Dome. My son and I decided that we would go down to watch them play, and to get some autographs. There is a lot of stories that I could t...
There's almost 36hrs now till the puck drops on the Conference Finals so it's time for some thoughts on life in the off-season for this Flames fan....
[u]Thought #1[/u]
It was very disappointing to see the end of the Rangers - they were the last dark horse left in the playoffs and while I didn't really expect them to make it past the Sabres, I just really miss there be...
Script writers and media people alike, couldn’t have wished for a better, more exciting match-up, that the one being brought by the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres. Not only is their an obvious dislike for one another, but the match-up will also boast two of the most potent offences in the N.H.L.. The two teams do not need any fuel to light their fires, both teams app...
Coming into work this morning I was greeted with warm sunshine, a cool breeze, and the comfort of knowing the Sabres are still playing hockey. All should be right with the world, but hanging in the back of my head is a cloud of doubt. The knowledge that this could be the last couple games I watch, the fear that Ottawa will be too much for us, that again we will come so c...
Sundin has met with doctors and Sweden, and he will not need surgery. He has a small tear in his labrum, but it will NOT require surgery to repair.
When this story first broke I was sent two newspaper articles from Sweden, talking about how angry Sundin was with this. The belief around people I talked to is that one side of ownership (Tanenbaum) wanted Ferguson fired a...
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.
...
The Lewiston Maineiacs on the strength of three staller goaltending performances are proving to be way too much for Val-dO'r in the QMJHL Championship series. Maineiacs goaltender, Jonathan Bernier was also named the CHL goaltender of the week for posting an 18 save shutout on Friday, followed by a 30 save performance on Saturday and a 26 save effort in game three last nig...
Following terrible showing in game three the Vancouver Giants bounced back in game four of the WHL Championship series. The league championship is now guaranteed to return to 'the hat' for game six as the Giants are just about to clean up the finishing touches on what appears to be a 4 - 0 victory. The game remained tied heading into the third period as the two teams conti...
[img]http://bp1.blogger.com/_oCmYyKF1nYg/RkMyBFMs7FI/AAAAAAAAAKo/2W51rn2Cv0A/s400/detsan.jpg[/img]
[b]
WINGS WIN!! WINGS WIN!![/b]
Game 5 and 6 showed what a champion is supposed to look like.. The Wings never looked liked they were going to lose while the Sharks looked scared.. Really, I can't even say the Sharks looked desperate. That would require SJS to have a pulse...
The canucks have been out of the playoffs, and for a while, but the team itself took a dramatic transformation. Sure, you can look at the block buster deal of the summer, with Roberto Luongo becoming a hero over a course of after one game, but there is more to the team. Alain Vigneault is up for the Jack adams trophy, and personally i think he is very deserving of this awa...
Conference Finals Predictions
Oh I wanted the Preds to be here…I really thought they would be. Man when we traded for Foppa I could have sworn I overheard a call from the NHL’s official engraver checking to make sure that Tomas Vokoun doesn’t have an ‘H’ in his name. Now I know it was the tee time manager at the Karlovy Vary Country Club asking if would need...
Going to my car Thursday morning I was greeted with the cold, wet blanket that can be Buffalo spring. My initial thoughts were concern about how this was going to affect the ice. I knew it was going to warm up, but would the humidity lift, and if it didn’t were the Sabres going to have problems dealing with slow, choppy ice. No matter I thought, game time was twelve h...
With the Lewiston Maineiacs completion of a four game sweep in the QMJHL Championship series, the attention of the CHL falls squarely on the WHL and OHL finals.
The Sudbury Wolves and Plymouth Whalers face off this evening in game five of the OHL Championship series. The game is just underway and the visiting Wolves scored 1:51 into the first period of play. Plymouth f...
I am 33 years old with a 4 year old little boy and another child just days away.. As a fairly even keeled sports fan (yeah, the trashcan? ancient history) I do not get as worked up as I used to as a 20 something lunatic who would go off after every home team loss.. Keep this in mind when I tell you that I was genuinely NERVOUS in the hours leading up to today's game.. You ...
Last night I decided to spend some time with the fiancé as today happens to be her birthday and well with all this hockey lately, I am sure that you all understand. We watched an pretty good flick, Smokin' Aces, its a typical mob movie but in the end it looks like the directors wanted a 'shoot em up' movie and just threw together a story line.
Enough blabbing already, ...
Every year i make a mock draft based on CSS, ISS rankings and on what i read in the Hockey's Future forum. Here's my mock draft, the ranks 1 to 26 are ok and i based the ranks 27 to 30 on my playoffs predictions (i think Anaheim will win the cup so Edmonton will draft 30th with Anaheim's pick).
A chaque année je fais un mock draft en me basant sur les classements de la...
Hey Pens Fans,
Here is the thhird and final segmet of the team report card.
Nils Ekman
Nils only played in 34 games this injury plagued season. He was -14 and besides a few patches, his play was ineffective. I think we should be able to expect more from him, but this year was a disappointment.
Grade: C-
Josef Melichar
How is he still a Penguin? Every season I ask...
After the Parent trade, wasn't this guy supposed to be the Predators' top defensive prospect?
Well, he sure hasn't shown it in the playoffs.
In 19 playoff contests, Franson has just 3 goals an 4 assists to go wth a solid +8 rating. Those are pretty solid numbers for a defensman under normal circumstances. But these aren't normal circumstances. Franson had 17 goa...
Congratulations Sabres! What a thrill to hear the spectacular voice of [b]Ronan Tynan[/b] before the Sabres/Rangers game on April 27. We don't know if he has opened any games in this current series. If he has, we haven't heard it. Why not? Through the whole long season the team owners and broadcast cognoscenti have seen fit to torture us with countless other so-call...
Canada wins another world hockey championship. Big surprise AND big deal! Why is this tournament played every year during the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Does anybody who follows the NHL care about this tournament right now while the battle for arguably the greatest trophy in sports is taking place, especially if your team is still in it? I'm still trying to figure out the poin...
[b]Tigers 3 - Giants 2 - Final[/b]
MH Goal - Brennan Bosch (Glass)
Brennan Bosch scored the game/series/championship winning goal in double overtime to give the Medicine Hat Tigers the WHL crown for 2007. What an unbelievable game, great series, this is bare bones hockey. I feel sorry for those of you who could not watch these kids go end to end, shot for shot. Cong...
Again, the Sabres' special teams are a collective no-show. Senators were in complete control of what little of the game I saw(about the last 15 minute). And, if you'll remember, I called this plus another win yesterday... ;-)
And Thursday night the Buffalo Sabres and Stanley Cup will not be mentioned in the same sentence again until October.
With 10:22 left in the fi...
Let’s face facts, the Sabres are getting beaten by a better team. They need to come to grips that the mythical 2nd gear that we have been waiting all playoffs for does not exist. They are not better then the Sens, and do not have the players to beat them on talent and skill alone. This sounds defeatist, but it is just realty. The coach and players need to finally ac...
What in the hell happened here? Three games totally dominated by Ottawa. No “ifs, ands or buts” about it. No excuses. A thorough beating. PERIOD.
So… now I have to come up with a few reasons to make myself believe that the Sabres are on the verge of a monumental comeback. Here it goes.
[b]They can replace Kalinin. [/b]
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a s...
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,...
The Vancouver Giants and Medicine Hat Tigers played a Game Seven for the ages last night. This game was everything that game seven in the NHL isn't. Intensity...check...Wide Open...check...End to End Rushes...check...Every last ounce of engery on the ice...check. I brings to debate...which is the better product?
I for one have always contested that the NHL is still the ...
This will be my live blog while watching the game.
First Period:
1:04 - Detroit looks hungry. You know a team is outplaying their opponents when they start getting powerplays, and we are seeing that now. Pronger was just lazy on that last call.
:42 - What a shot by Holmstrom. I disagree with the commentator in this case though. He said that the Anaheim defense...
I study hard for my test on human reproduction. Golly, how ironic. It is only too bad that the Hurricanes are not reproducing last year's victory in the playoffs. I am sure that Rod Brind'Amour shares my sentiment.
This next summer is going to be extremely boring. We wont have Cup parties, award ceremonies, photogs and other things that come with championships. Thank God ...
Hi all ! Koivu just mention to the "La Presse" journal that he want to stay, win and have success with the Montreal Canadiens till the end of his carer. The leader of the Habs realize all the potential of the prospect in Hamilton. With the future star forward like the two brother Kostitsyn, Mikhail Grabovski, Kyle Chipchura and Corey Locke, the CH will have one of the best...
It's been reported in the Swedish press recently, it's [url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/capitalsinsider/2007/05/backstrom_agrees_to_terms_with.html]now official[/url].
Backstrom will be flying over to DC with his family on Monday where the Caps have scheduled a press conference to announce his signing.
Backstrom's playmaking panache should make for the perfect com...
(to see a video of this hit go to www.predjoe.wordpress.com)
Is there any reason that this kind of thing should happen? I think if you are a Pronger fan you can say that he is taller and Holmstrom had his head down a bit and Pronger just came in where he normally would.
However, I think, if you look at the video carefully and without bias you will find this was, wit...
Well, typically it takes a little time into the off-season, usually some time after the Cup Finals for it to get started. It even may last until just around the draft...but rest assured - before we hit July - Eklund and other hockey rumor mongers will have Vincent Lecavalier wearing the sweater of the Habs, St. Louis in St. Louis and Brad Richards somewhere else.
I like...
This is perfect! The stage is set... the Sabres got 'em right where they want 'em! I can already feel the pressure mounting on the Sens for game 6! Keep the faith!
Like I said before… the Sabres are on the verge of a monumental comeback! Are there any other teams you would expect to be in this scenario? Buffalo has been known for comebacks all year... Ottawa is known ...
Well, I think most of us would be surprised to think that in this series a team has a 3-1 lead, let a lone the Ottawa Senators. I think its fair to say that most hockey analysts pegged ottawa as the underdogs, but their play in the playoffs, including the buffalo sabres, should have been otherwise. Ottawa was able to deal with Pittsburgh and New Jersey quite easily in 5 ga...
Before this year I thought a coach’s impact was minimal. Sure he could design a system and give great pep talks, but it was up to the players on the ice to execute. Then along came the day of December 12, 2006. The Blues were scheduled to play the Blackhawks that night and it was announced that Andy Murray would be taking over the vacant head coach position for the Blues...
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
[b]Welcome to the Memorial Cup[/b]
The Memorial Cup tournament gets underway tomorrow evening with the host Vancouver Giants taking on the OHL Champion Plymouth Whalers. I will preview the game tomorrow afternoon, for now have look see at an overview of each team. If cannot get television coverage of the tournament in your area, I have included each teams website which ...
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 ...
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/buffaloerie/story/78531.html
A woman and 6 of her friends attended Game 4 of the ECF up at Scotiabank Place dressed in Sabres jerseys and gear. After the game, this lady was pushed down to the ground, punched, and others in her group were injured as someone attacked them.
This is absurd and utterly horrible to hear...not just ...
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...
The vast majority of us hockey fans are well aware of the phenomenon that is Fantasy Sports. Whether it's a free public pool or a private pool that may or may not involve an entry fee, we all know one can get lost in the fantasy realm of sports.
Case in point is the recent comments of Rogers SportsNet voice Nick Kypreos.
I believe that the reason viewership is down fo...
Hey pens fans,
That's right it is back to rumors. So, here's what I have heard. Tom Poti is again being mentioned as a good possibility of coming to Pittsburgh, but we've all heard that one before. Gary Roberts seems to be split between the Pens and the Leafs. I am unsure how this will turn out. Craig Rivet is a longhot, in my opinion, but he is rumored to be a possible P...
Okay, first things first. Following yesterday's blog "Memorial Cup Previews" I was questioned as to how I could predict the Giants to be have a fourth place finish in this years tourney. As we all know, it is very difficult to follow a junior hockey club as we are absolutely lambasted with print after print about everything to do with the NHL. Living in a Canuck crazed mar...
[img]http://www2.ottawasenators.com/_static/webUpload/265/228_1.jpg[/img]
Growing up as a child in Ottawa, ON and playing minor hockey for years, the one constant thing that remained the same throughout my childhood was the fact Saturday Night was Hockey Night In Canada. A lot has changed since then, which brings me to my point for writing this article.
With NFL, NB...
[b]Game Review - Giants 4 - Whalers 3 OT/Final[/b]
I will have to admit, I did not see the goal but Kendall McArdle notched the winnner in the early stages of overtime to boos the Vancouver Giants to a 4-3 victory over the Plymouth Whalers.
While watching the first period I was some what baffled at how the Whalers carried themselves. The seemed to want to try to intim...
I know most people will be blogging on the NBC for the choice but I decided that I would do a blog on congrats to the Sens on a great win. Especially I am very happy with Alfie he has put up with so much from the media on his playoffs, performance well where are they now. Alfie deserves the MVP of this playoff. Its about time people give Alfie his due, he has played lik...
Well, we had an exciting playoff game, heading to overtime. Good game featuring two skilled teams, that were very evenly matched. However, NBC also owns the TV rights to a horse race, so a brief graphic and one time announcement at the end of regulation sent NHL fans scrambling to Versus.
The problem is, Versus is not available throughout the US. In a brilliant move com...
After reading the passinate blog that TIm Panccio wrote about the hack job by NBC. Maybe TIm and other NHL writers start addressing the real problem in this league..
Gary Bettman
There is only two writers who openly goes after Bettman on his mistakes and that guy is Larry Brooks of New York Post and then Toronto Sun NHL Writer Al Strachan.
Al Strachan knew fr...
[b]Game Review - Tigers 1 - Vs Maineiacs 3 [/b]
I totally missed the game but the Lewiston Maineiacs scored two second period goals and added another in the third to defeat the Medicine Hat Tigers by a 3 -1 margin. It would appear that Jonathan Bernier was at his best (yet again) as he turned asided 30 of the 31 shots that the Tigers directed at the Maineiacs goal.
...
Luongo07 writes...
Now That's Hockey, Giants over Maineiacs, Tigers vs. Whalers
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[b]Game Review[/b]
[b]Giants 2 vs. Maineiacs 1[/b]
This is going to be a quick entry today...
Opps, I did it again! I watched a junior hockey game pretty well from begining to end, meanwhile just glancing at the NHL contest here and there. Not that I could be faulted after the show that the Giants and Maineiacs put on yesterday at the Memorial Cup tournament.
Lew...
If the Wild take anything from this offseason, it should be a lesson from the Ottawa Senators. The lesson is simple: Stay the Course. After yet another disappointing offseason, the Sens could have gone out and tried to makeover their team. Instead, they stayed the course, having confidence in the star players and role players that they had to get them back to where they...
I actually don't have a problem with NBC bailing on the hockey coverage on the weekend. It was a business decision plain and simple. Hockey gets a 1.3 rating and the Preakness gets 6.3. I would have made the decision to switch as well. Maybe not right away given post time was over an hour away but at some point.
What I am upset about is how Bettman rolled over and just ...
They pulled it off! The Plymouth Whalers season will continue for at least one more game and the Memorial Cup tournament just got a lot more interesting.
With the victory, Plymouth is now guaranteed at least a date with Medicine Hat or Lewiston for the tie-breaker game that is scheduled for Thursday evening at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.
The opponent will be...
I am holding an NHL MOCK DRAFT and I need 5-6 General Managers to finish the draft that is scheduled for this Saturday. Anyone who is interested please inform me VIA PM.
more to follow on Gabe's blog
Hey pens fans,
Crosby has been named the sportsman of the year, by the Sporting News.
Rumors - Poti is rumored to have a "good possibility" of being a Penguin next year. Gary Roberts is more than likely going to wind up with Toronto and not return with the Pens, but that still holds a small possibility. I don't care what everyone says Recchi is NOT leaving Pittsburgh a...
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...
Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Ducks finally played their best hockey of the playoff run!!! Only took til Game 6 of the Conference Finals, but better late than never!!
As a loyal Ducks fan, I must say that I was truly impressed with the game that Anaheim brought against Detroit last night. The passing was great, the skating was beautiful, and the Ducks made a point of send...
Tonight the Vancouver Giants and Medicine Hat Tigers renew their rivalry for the 8th time in since May 4th. If this were the Vancouver Canucks meeting the Minnesota Wild for the eight time in less than a month I would be extremely depressed. Fact of the matter is, these two teams hate each other and they love telling each other that they hate playing each other...does that...
The speculation that various Canadian venues in Ontario would be chosen if the Preds were to leave Music City doesn't ask the right question: [b]If the Preds were moved[/b] to Kitchener, Brantford, Hamilton, or even The Soo or Sudbury - [b]the real question is,what conference would they be in?[/b]
Would they automatically become an Eastern Conference team with such a m...
Tonight's game started with the intense vigor that I had expected but in the end...it was dull. I think the coaches really calmed the player's down, the Tigers were able to keep the crowd out of it and the game really lacked the intensity that was expected.
In the end the Tigers scored the lone goal on a late second period power-play and the Giants could not muster much...
I am shocked. I am. But not at all surprised. Perhaps I should have taken what Trump says to heart…”trust no one.” Even as Leipold would repeat, time after time, that he had no intention of moving the franchise somewhere deep inside I did not entirely believe him. Don’t get me wrong I am not sitting here telling you that I saw this coming because I didn’t…...
Season ticket holders got an email from current (though not for long) Preds owner Craig Leipold. Here is it in it’s entirety.
[i]Dear Predators’ Season Ticket Holders:
June 25, 2007 will mark the 10-year anniversary of the awarding of the NHL franchise to Nashville that became your Nashville Predators. It’s been an incredible 10-year journey for me. I can�...
This will be the type of Stanley Cup final that attracts hockey fans. A true hockey town (Ottawa) against an non-traditional hockey market (Anaheim) is happening once again. Only this time, there really isn't an underdog. There will be no upset. This is a series where, truly, both teams deserve to win. Looking at the playoffs so far, both teams are about even coming i...
This is how I think they stack up.
[b]Goaltending[/b] - No doubt, Giguere is the more accomplished of the two, already with a Conn Smythe under his belt. He is as positionally sound as any goalie in the NHL. He is again proving to be his team's MVP on a team that boasts two Norris candidates. He is more than capable of stealing a game. An area of concern is that Gig...
Okay...the ball is in our court. Yesterday is over and there is nothing we can do about it. The Preds have been sold but it doesn't mean that they are leaving for sure. YOU can make a difference. Call the League Office at 212-789-2000 and log your complaint. I called this morning and let my voice be heard. They told me that each call will be logged and those calls will pas...
Much talk has been made of the purchase of the Nashville Predators by Research in Motion CEO Jim Balsillie. It appears the team will be transferred to him, and, with it, rumours are in the works for a team to perhaps go to Kitchener-Waterloo.
I have been debating this for some time, so I'll retierate a lot of what I thought:
Logistically speaking, in that case, it wo...
[b]Vancouver Giants vs Plymouth Whalers [/b]
[b]Time: 5:00pm PST[/b]
[b]Television: Rogers Sportsnet[/b]
The Vancouver Giants and Plymouth Whalers meet for the second consecutive Friday in the Memorial Cup Semi-Final. The Giants have looked better throughout the course of the tournament but as with every hockey game there are under-lying factors that may play agains...
this was proved by sports blog Sports Media Watch
http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/
this tv rating going back to 1995. add this to bettman brilliant work as the Commish. did anyone notice the differnece one final game between two top market teams in 1997 vs. rest of the games of the following years?
[b]1995[/b]
3.2: New Jersey at Detroit, Game 1 (Saturday, Jun...
So last Friday I was checking out the weekend schedule and I thought, "Great, Saturday in May must mean playoff hockey on Saturday night".
Oops, no. The 2,000,000 or so perceived hockey fans in the US say the 20,000,000 fans in Canada had to watch hockey on Saturday afternoon. Ok, it's the third round, whatever. Good game, nice OT, Ottawa wins.
Oh, you missed that in...
That noise is the pounding of the Plymouth Whalers by the Vancouver Giants and for the ninth time in the month of May the Giants will face the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Feeling the pressure of the let down with Wednesday's loss, the Giants took it to the Whalers early with Wacy Rabbit beating Michael Neuvirth on the games first shot. Before the first period was out Michal R...
Please, please tell me I'm not alone in this, in that every team has that one player who makes you cringe every time he steps on the ice. You wonder how he is even in the NHL and why, oh why does he have to be on your team. I have a solution... sort of. We can have us some fun!
In my case as a Rangers loyal and true, that player is defenseman Marek Malik(you know wha...
My devotion to the Vancouver Giants of the WHL is new. I’ve come to realize recently that it’s a selfish act, because my new hobby permits me three of my favorite indulgences.
First: It represents yet another excuse to interact with the lively swarm of personalities on HockeyBuzz chat in ways I didn’t think that simple typing allowed. A work-at-home dev...
Sunday afternoon the WHL [b]Vancouver Giants[/b] -- coached by my old friend of more than thirty years, [b]Don "Hayzer" Hay[/b] -- will be playing for junior hockey's ultimate prize, the [b]Memorial Cup[/b], against the Medicine Hat Tigers before a no doubt sold out house at the [b]Pacific Coliseum[/b] in [b]Vancouver, B.C.[/b]. Over the past few months, the Giants have be...
Supernick writes...
Mes prédictions pour la finale de la coupe stanley!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Ottawa, pour être honnête, ils me surprennent cette année, je croyais qu'ils allaient se faire éliminer en 1ere ronde par les Pingouins. Daniel Alfredsson joue super bien cette année, mais on dirait que c'est seulement son trio (avec Heatley et Spezza) qui font de quoi, les 3 autres trios sont un peu silencieux. Il ya Antoine Vermette aussi qui fait des bonnes séries...
People may ask, how does a guy living in Massachusetts get hooked onto Vancouver Giants hockey. The answer is simple really, I love hockey, and the team at the time had just gotten Wacey Rabbit in a trade from Saskatoon. You see, Wacey Rabbit and Milan Lucic are teammates on the Vancouver Giants, and both are also prospects in the Boston Bruins organization. Once Wacey ...
Is anyone out there watching this? You gotta love it when they let the players play! I will blog later but for now:
Comments on the game?
Well it is a long weekend here in the states. There is not much hockey going on anywhere right now. I couldn't even get people together to play a pick up game.
I am anxious for the Stanley cup finals to start and dread it all at the same time. I am not a supporter of either team. Do I have a favorite? why, yes, but neither team is in my top 10 for NHL teams to roo...
iScoop writes...
All Hail the Vancouver Giants -- 2007 Memorial Cup Champions
Posted Sunday | Comments 4
What a glorious aftrnoon of fellowship and the pure joy of hockey could be found in the [b]HockeyBuzz Chatroom[/b] today! For almost four hours, a diverse group of us HB chatters eschewed family BBQs, a day at the beach, and other recreations of a beutiful holiday weekend Sunday afternoon to huddle by our computers and join, albeit in cyberspace, the crowd of 16,281 that f...
Game 1:4-2 Ducks Selanne GWG
Game 2:3-1 Sens Heatley GWG
Game 3:6-5 Sens OT Vermette GWG
Game 4:2-1 Ducks OT Pronger GWG
Game 5:3-1 Sens Spezza GWG
Game 6:5-4 Ducks R. Neidermeyer GWG
Game 7:1-0 Ducks OT Selanne GWG in one of the most dramatic Cup Finals Ever!!!! Go DUCKS!
First and foremost congratulation to the Vancouver Giants on winning the 2007 Master Card Memorial Cup, and also a big round of applause to the 3 other teams that competed for the title the Medicine Hat Tigers, Plymouth Whalers and the Lewiston Maineiacs.
For those who do not follow Jr. Hockey the Memorial Cup is a very difficult championship to win. The C...
Game 1: Ottawa
Game 2: Anaheim
Game 3: Ottawa
Game 4: Anaheim
Game 5: Ottawa
Game 6: Ottawa
Series: Ottawa wins 4-2
Alfredsson wins Conn Smythe although Emery makes a huge push for the award with his play in the series.
[img]http://www.sportsnet.ca/images/daily/sat/emery_practice_cup_hor.jpg[/img]
It’s been a long wait for both Senator and Duck fans, but it all begins tonight (May 28th, 2007). This battle should be a good one and the physical prowess of both teams will be shown early on. The epic face off has the Senators big 3 (Alfie-Spezza-Heatley) going up against two Norris Troph...
[b]Disclaimer/Update: No need to even read this blog. It was about my streak in predicting winners of playoff games through my PS2. It was at 9 straight games, but it fell victim tonight. The streak is over. In any case, CONGRATS ANAHEIM on that first win! Happy for your fans...Also for Brad May. Still pulling for the Sens though. Gotta go with the Canadian team her...
Despite a disappointing conclusion to the Sabres season it was one of, if not the best season in Franchise history. The Sabres have played in the Stanley Cup finals twice but had never won the Presidents Trophy in franchise history. The Stanley Cup is obviously the most coveted prize but it is equally as difficult to be the best team in the league over an 82 game span. I w...
Well this is my first blog here so I thought that I would introduce myself. My name is Zac and I currently live in Vancouver. I grew up in the Toronto area for most of my life and I have followed the Leafs for as long as I can remember. The days of Wendle hitting and fighting everyone to watching Dougie work his magic behind the net. I've watched the highs and lows and...
Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm a man of wealth and taste.
So now that we've got the Stones reference done with, here's the basics: I'm Kevin. I've played hockey for nigh on 15 years now, and have loved the game ever since I first strapped on skates and went around Kirkwood Ice Arena in the St Louis suburbs. I idolized Gretz, Jagr and Hull when I was a kid, and...
My apologies for avoiding the site the past few days. In fact, for once in my life hockey has not been the first thing on my mind.
Sunday afternoon has become a blur, Monday? don't even ask. Please allow a mulligan on this one...
Yesterday morning as we made our way to work, we received a phone call. Yes, a phone call at 6:00 am is usually a phone call that you are ...
I'm just listening to Chuck Swirsky on the Fan590, and I hear about this pledge that Toronto's Mayor David Miller, Vancouver's Mayor Sam Sullivan, and Calgary's Mayor Dave Bronconnier, is creating to make Leaf fans, Canucks fans, and Flames fans root for the Senators during this Stanley Cup Finals.
This is absolutely ridiculous! If your a fan of the Leafs you are NOT ro...
I posted the following after the Giants Memorial Cup victory last Sunday:
[i]"What a glorious aftrnoon of fellowship and the pure joy of hockey could be found in the [b]HockeyBuzz Chatroom[/b] today! For almost four hours, a diverse group of us HB chatters eschewed family BBQs, a day at the beach, and other recreations of a beutiful holiday weekend Sunday afternoon to ...
Only a few hours to go now until game 2 starts. I am pumped.
Lots to expect out of this one. Will the Sens be able to fight back or will the Ducks just keep on hitting everyone and wear down the Sens?
I really think that this is the Ducks chance. They have a great opportunity to go ahead 2-0 in the series and forcing the Sens to win 4 in 5 games. They have a lo...
Well, after a thrilling advertisement for the game of hockey that was Game One, we've come to this: a real crossroads, with Anaheim's old-fashioned physical play (honed by a lot of WHL talent like Getzlaf, Kunitz, the Niedermayers et al) going up against Ottawa's mostly-European speed and finesse (which is no slap against Selanne for the Ducks or Neil for the Sens). It's a...
Hey, let me introduce myself i'm Ray, i'm from Belfast, Ireland (yeah there are hockey fans there!....really!) i'm 21 years old and am a huge Toronto Maple Leafs Fan! HEY STOP THE BOOING ALREADY!
This is the first of hopefully many entries in my blog. Hope you read regularly and enjoy, any feedback or comments are much appreciated.
So the Stanley Cup Finals are here ...
The first two games of this series have been probably the best playoff hockey games I've seen in a while (and I've seen a lot, from the 4OT Buffalo-New Jersey thriller that was probably one of of not THE best 1-0 games ever, to Stevie Y ripping THAT shot over Jon Casey's shoulder in 1996), mostly because for some reason the Galactic Empire (aka the NHL) has allowed its ref...
Last Friday, as I waited to board a homebound plane from Halifax, I was leafing through the Globe and Mail. Two excellent articles about the potential franchise move and the lack of print coverage for the Stanley Cup finals shared a page with…the Birth and Death Notices. Of all the ironies.
The announced sale of the Predators is nothing short of a Death Notice. Bal...
Montreal 1993 game 2. Marty Mcsorley gets called for and illegal stick..........Result The hockey nation of Canada gets the cup for the last time in the century.
Aniehim 2007 Danny Heatley, Jason Spezza, and daniel alfreedson.......... A once Unstopable force Turns into the highest paid turn over machine in the NHL.
Result...........well probably a Stanley cup.
...
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...
[img:left]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Zacobius/matshor_78503.jpg[/img]So it's all over the news. It looks like Sundin is a lock for a 2 year deal worth 10 to 11 million. I wouldn't really call this news as it has been speculated for a long time. There is seems to be a split amongst the Leafs Nation. I think most would agree that Mats has been amazing in his 1...
Yeah, yeah, Ottawa is behind to an American team, but the link below is the front page news (at least at C N N and E S P N). I guess that it is what's important!
http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/05/31/spelling.bee.ap/index.html
Only second Place! Anything but gold is a disgrace. We better form some committees to re-evaluate our national program. What’s CanSpell do...
Obviously the Spezza- heatley- Alfie trio has been amazing in the playoffs for the sens this season, and to blame one line for playoff failure seems a bit weak. This line has carried the sens throughout the playoffs, and it is up for the rest of the team to step it up. Comrie 2 goals. Schaefer 1 goal. Fisher 4 goals. Of the second line, fisher has been the bright spot, whe...
raymullan writes...
The Stanley Cup Finals, Tragically Hip? and Sid gets the C!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[b]Retreat![/b]
[img:left]http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42990000/jpg/_42990575_anaheim203.jpg[/img]I was really disappointed with Ottawa the other night, Emery was stellar as usual but the Alfredsson, Spezza and Heatley line were flat, their confidence looked really shaken!
I don't agree with many hockey pundits riding Joe Corvo and putting some of the blame ...
[i]I received the following email from my old friend of thirty years, Vancouver Giants coach Don Hay, this morning in response to my passing along the congratulations of the HockeyBuzz chatters on the Giants' MC championship:[/i]
Hi Scoop,
Thanks for your support. Joey had been keeping me informed on the two of you emailing back and forth and to still have those old...
OPP Constable Lyndon Slewidge delivered one of the most stirring renditions of "O Canada" in recent memory before Game 2 -- as he does every night before Senators games. The coolest part was the enormous Canadian Flag being passed around the upper deck. Quite possibly the greatest Anthem since the 1991 All-Star game by Wayne Messmer and 20,000 Chicagoans.
But no Lyndo...
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...
Well, considering the Anaheim Ducks are now 2-0 in the 2007 playoffs without stud defenseman and Mensa candidate Chris Pronger, my guess is that we can officially scratch him off the short list of Conn Smythe trophy contenders.
Pronger's hotly debated second suspension was weathered by the Ducks' remaining defensemen and especially goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who was...
I didn't get to see much of Game 3 as I was on a mini vacation on the weekend. Went to Seattle to check it out and had a great time. All that I saw was the last 10min of the first, Coach's Corner and funny enough, the Pronger elbow.
Now I did get to watch Game 4 and another solid game. This has been a very good series to watch and they have all been tight games. T...
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...
To many fans of Canadian teams, the closest thing to seeing their team in the final rounds of the playoffs is to follow their next crop of superstars in the AHL playoffs. For the Montreal Canadiens, there couldn't be a better indication of the future of the most storied franchise in hockey history than the play of their AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. While many neve...
Jsaquella writes...
Flyers Shuffle Staffs: Mullen, McIllhargy In, Berube To AHL
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
From the team's website:
http://flyers.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=316734&page=NewsPage&service=page
John Stevens, who took over for Ken Hitchcock last season, will have some veteran NHL players serving as his assistants next season. Joe Mullen, who until this past season was the all time leading US born goal scorer, and Jack McIllhargy, former Flyer, will be his assi...
[img:left]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Zacobius/nik_51009.jpg[/img] Well lets get this news out of th way. Antropov as been re-signed for 2 years, a little over $4 mil. Not sure what to think. Clearly this puts him as a top 6 forward and his expectations have gone up. His problems have always been injuries. It's a shame really cause you can see his talent whe...
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...
Congratulations to the Anaheim Ducks. An outstanding organization and a tremendous hockey team. They deserved everything they got.
And now our lives fall back to normalcy. No more puck. At least not on the ice.
It's a terribly sad time of year. At least we have the NBA Finals starting tomorrow, right? Major League Baseball is in full swing. And then football s...
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...
The Anaheim Ducks have won the Stanley Cup. Not only did they win it, they won it [i]convincingly[/i]. Three straight seasons- maybe four (did the Detroit-Carolina series go seven games?)- the Finals were decided in seven games. This was the first truly lop-sided final I've sat down and watched since the Red Wings swept the Flyers back in '97 (now THAT was a show of force)...
No surprise that the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman doesn't know his hockey history forgetting the beloved 1925 Stanley Cup Champs, Victoria Cougars when he proclaimed the Ducks the first Stanley Cup winners from the West Coast last night. I'm sure the press release apology is on its way.....
[img:left]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Zacobius/nhl_blog/capt.jpg[/img] Well congrats to the Ducks. What a great playoff run and what a win in Game 5. After all those close games, it was great to see them in a blowout. After watching Cory Perry in London, it was great to see him get that goal (what a shot) and once again, no celebration looks better in sports t...
Canadian hockey fans and other hockey fans of the more established teams from the North will ultimately will hear the following comments one way or another at a NHL arena, or anywhere else NHL hockey fans gather:
"The Stanley Cup belongs in a [b]real[/b] hockeytown"
"I cannot stand when these teams from the South and the West win. It's not right"
Ask yourself thi...
So I was watching Around the Horn earlier today (it was quite literally either that or Charmed at 4 central on a weekday, and...well, let's just say that there were commercials) when Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News brought up his "[url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/tcowlishaw/stories/060607dnspocowlishaw.2cb3128.html]great article[/url...
I would like to begin with saying congratulations to the Ducks of Anahiem, their players, organization, staff and their 20,000 fans. It was a heart wreching experience to see our old GM (Brian Burke) and our old minor league coach (Randy Carlyle) and our free agent gaff (Scott Niedermayer) and our old fan favourite (Brad May)...well you get the point...it was a heart wrenc...
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 ...
[img]http://nhl.speedera.net/image-upload/regier_tallAP.jpg[/img]
Picture this: It is July 4th in the United States in Western New York and some Sabres fans get together for a BBQ to celebrate Independence Day. And when Buffalo sports fans have an outing, you can bet the house it is only a matter of time before the conversation turns to either the Bills or Sabres.
...
Will all due reverence for Will Ferrell, truer words have never been spoken.
Expansion? Seriously? Did I wake up yesterday in an alternate reality where Spock has a bad ass goatee and the NHL has 30 healthy teams?
First off, who would pay $150M to get into the NHL? Even if you stand to possibly make money on franchise appreciation, what about the operating losses? Or...
First blog on here, but have been following HockeyBuzz/Eklund's site since almost day one. I admit though, that I do not follow MyHockeyBuzz, so I hope I'm not stepping on the toes of other writers with these points.
I've been following hockey since I can remember (possibly even while in the womb), and I love it for millions of reasons. I love the sport side of it, th...
So the Cup has been skated, the ice has been taken up, and the Zamboni's put in storage. In most respects, this is a sad time for me. I love the game, and wish it would go on year-round. But there is an up-side to the off-season.
There is a distinct list of overused hockey cliches that incite bleeding from my aural canals and cause migraines that ache with the intens...
Well now, I've had a few days to savor all that I saw and heard at Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals, and I have some thoughts to impart.
I was a very lukewarm hockey follower for a number of years, and got more serious behind it about 4 years ago. I became a Ducks fan because they were the perpetual joke of the NHL, and a long-suffering underdog to the L.A. King...
Hi, it's me again........the relatively new hockey fan.
I want to talk about something I've been remiss in not mentioning before: The great fans of the great sport of hockey.
I've been to football games where fans cursed each other and got in fights. I've been to baseball games where the same has happened. I have yet to see such behavior in the fans I'm come in contac...
[url]http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20070609_Flyers_hold_on_to_Jonsson.html[/url]
According to Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer and HockeyBuzz blogger Tim Panaccio, the Philadelphia Flyers are expected to re-sign goaltender Antero Niittymaki this weekend.
Niity will serve as a back-up to incumbent Martin Biron, acquired at the trade deadline from Buffal...
"A wealth of riches"
That is a quote from Darren Dreger of TSN. I wonder if Darren thinks it is possible to have too much money or too many friends?
Difficult to think Boo-hoo for the poor Hab's Fans but the sudden attention to Carey Price and the desire to bring him up more quickly than originally anticipated creates a conundrum for the Habs and their faithful.
The pro...
Here is my quick breakdown of what I expect each team to do this year at the draft. I will show you what each team's weakness is and later I will post who I think each team will draft based on these facts, in the first two rounds. A mock draft if you will. Here is my breakdown:
[b]Anaheim[/b] - May need defensive help, but Brian Burke has a knack to make a good trade...
Here is my prediction of the first round basing it on each team's needs as pointed out in my previous blog. I believe this is the most accurate way you can do a mock draft, and I hope you people enjoy this. Here we go:
1. Chicago - Patrick Kane - RW
2. Philadelphia - Kyle Turris - C
3. Phoenix - Alexei Cherepanov - RW
4. Los Angeles - Sam Gagner - C
5. Washington...
Since the GM meetings were held this week, I have decided to make this post to fit the scenario IF the gms decide to put in bigger nets-
October 4, 2007- The first game of the NHL season in Anaheim has been delayed because they could not get the new bigger net through the zamboni entrance and onto the slushy ice rink. Finally, the game has started at midnight eastern ti...
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...
This is an open question for all the NHLers out there. Unrestricted free agency is almost upon us and a handful of notable free agents such as Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, and Ryan Smyth to name a few, look like they will become UFA's.
So here's the big question. As a top level UFA how do you decide which team you will decide to sign with? For some it...
I go onto hockey boards everywhere, from Canadiens.com, to Hockeysfuture.com (Montreal Canadiens, message board). On each of these sites, and many more their are always wants for big time players, through trades or free agency. Fans want Drury, Briere, Gomez.... These wants are un - realistic, except maybe Briere, but at 6 - 7 million, i don't want him. I've been proposiin...
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...
The top name that keeps getting thrown around town as rumours swirl is Ryan Smyth heading to the Leafs, this seems to be the Leafs #1 target this off season with the backline all shored up pending Colaiacovo's signing which should be done shortly, what seems to escape many people's minds is that the Leafs are also looking to add some much needed grit to the lineup with the...
[img:left]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/Zacobius/matshor_78503.jpg[/img] Well we knew it was coming. Originally reports 2 months ago but DD at TSN, Mats was offered a 2 year deal, 11mil or so. That's what everyone was expecting and while many did not like it, they have come to accept it. So then last night, DD reports a 1 year deal. Huh?
This caught me off ...
From the Tennessean:
[i]Jim Balsillie has submitted a formal application to buy the Predators.
Balsillie’s lawyer, Toronto-based attorney Richard Rodier, said the application was sent to the NHL late Monday.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed that the league received the application Monday night.
The application, which includes a purchase agreement, ...
Here is the continuation of my series of predictions for the upcoming 2007 draft. This will be the final installment seeing as I haven't prepared a third round. I would be happy to make one up if you want me to, but as of right now this is it. Enjoy!
Round 2
31. Buffalo - Thomas Hickey- D
32. Phoenix - Stefan Legein - RW
33. Vancouver - Michal Repik - RW
34. Wa...
NucksFan writes...
Top 10 Signs You Are Going Through Hockey Season Withdrawl
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
[b]10.[/b] You are actually interested in the news that Chelios got re-signed by Detroit.
[b]9.[/b] Youtube is visited daily to find fan videos of the final seconds before The Ducks hoist the Stanley Cup.
[b]8.[/b] Your computer's desktop wallpaper is still your team's logo.
[b]7.[/b] You still sport the car flag of your team as you drive around town.
[b]6....
Ok...I will admit, the prospect of a Samsonov - Yashin - Kovalev line sounds explosive...on paper. But do we really expect the Habs to make the same mistake 3 times in a row here?
05-06 Season: Kovalev signed to a 4 year deal worth 20.25 Million (Failure)
06-07 Season: Samsonov signed to a 2 year deal worth 7.05 Million (Failure)
07-08 Season: YASHIN?!?!?!
Come on ...
Well here it is mid June, were getting close to the draft which might mean a couple of trades but more important it's getting close to July 1st. This might be some fans favorite time of the off season. It could even be their favorite time of the year because right now every fan feels that their team has a chance to make the necessary changes to have a shot at hoisting ...
Note to Preds fans: I don't necessarily want to see the Preds move to Hamilton because I think they have a very solid base of real fans who deserve a better fate, and because their rivalry with the Blues has been intense in the past few years.
However, if they do move, there will be an imbalance in the league and it will probably lead to the addition to 2 new teams in...
According to an article on the AHL's Website, EA Sports' NHL08 will feature all 29 teams from the American Hockey League as fully playable for the first time in video gaming history. Let's just hope the AHL doesn't opt to expand next year and make the game worthless. ;)
Still no word on Euro leagues, unfortunately. I was really disappointed that they cut them out of NHL...
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.
Current Maple Leafs salary structure as counted against cap as of June 13/07
Bryan McCabe 5.75 million
Mats Sundin 5.50 million
Pavel Kubina 5.00 million
Tomas Kaberle 4.25 million
Darcy Tucker 3.00 million
Alex Ponikarovsky 2.105 million
Hal Gill 2.075 million
Nik Antropov 2.05 million
Andrew Raycroft 2.00 million
Alex Steen 900,690
Cha...
As reported on tsn.ca, it appears Mike Keenan could be back in the NHL - as the head coach of the Calgary Flames.
I'm in shock and disbelief. If this is a rumour then TSN got burnt bad but if it's true, God help Kipper!
The Anaheim Ducks changed hands for $80M two years ago. Balsille agrees to pay $220M+ less than 18 months later. Apparently NHL franchise prices are going up faster than Alberta real estate.
Even if the general business community agrees that Balsille overpaid, this significantly drives up the price of an NHL franchise. As well, if the NHL does pursue expansion, suddenly...
What do the terms EASTERN, WESTERN, Atlantic, Northeast, Southeast, Central, Northwest and Pacific mean to you?
Unless you are explaining the weather or refering to geographical locations, they don't mean anything to me.
I don't recall the exact year the division and conference names were changed (somenone help me out on that one) but I do remember thinking "WHAT?!!!...
[b]Originally posted at PredNation.com[/b]
In 1997, the NHL awarded four new expansion franchises to begin play over the next several seasons. Nashville, Atlanta, Minnesota, and Columbus were awarded franchises that first hit the ice in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2000 respectively. This expansion was on the heels of two franchises, Colorado and Phoenix, moving from Canadia...
So here we are with the NHL Awards on tonight (does anyone really care?) and most of the talk seems to be around the MVP, Goalie and Rookie.
If it was up to me, it would be Sid for MVP, Luongo for Goalie, and Staal for Rookie. We'll see how that pans out.
I'm not sure how much trade talk goes on at the awards. I'm torn on what I would like to happen. I wouldn'...
bluez brother_38 writes...
Nine Seasons Not Enough; Don't pull the plug on Nashville
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
I had this all ready to post on another message board, tried to post it, and found out the thread had been locked. RATS!
So I'm posting it here. I'd been craving having something to blog about anyways.
This is a little modified to make more sense for the blog.
Nashville simply hasn't had enough time to become a viable market. But there's no reason it still could...
Jsaquella writes...
What If You Had An Awards Show And Nobody Could Watch
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
First of all congrats to all the NHL award winners, especially Hart Trophy winner Sidney Crosby.
So, Thursday night, after a rough day at work, I get home. I get my mail and I see my wonderful-if ill gotten-HockeyBuzz hat has arrived. Immediately the day is brighter. I am going to have some chicken enchiladas and watch the NHL awards show on Versus.
Well, I get my me...
Hey pens fans,
As we all know, Sidney Crosby won the Art Ross for Leading scorer. Sidney also won the Hart for MVP and the Pearson for the player voted MVP. Sid is the youngest player to ever win the Hart. Evgeni Malkin won the Calder for Rookie of the year.
[url]http://penshockcey.blogspot.com[/url]
When I found out about the move that versus made last night it made me wonder if the NHL wants this game to flourish in the States. I have often heard that the NHL is a regional game and not national game in the USA, and they should stay that way. Well I am wondering if the NHL is marketing to be a regional sport.
They have their awards show and half the peop...
The NHL Awards show has too strong a Canadian flavor to it. We, who grew up on the border appreciate it. But, if the NHL wants the game to appeal more to the casual fan in the states they have to make these events more cross cultural. If I'm someone who knows a little bit about the game, a show like the one last night would keep me following the more American sports like f...
Both players were signed to 2 year deals today by the Montreal Canadiens. Official financial details have not been released as of yet. Rumour has it they are both making below 2 Mil a year. This is grat news for the future of our club!
P.S....not to rub it in, but....
Ha Ha Eric....beat you to it! :P
Last night, I was pretty ticked off about not being able to watch the NHL awards show. I find the awards show, with it's awful humor and poor production qualities, a great coda to the NHL season and playoffs.
Well, I wrote a blog blaming the NHL and Gary Bettman. Turns out it was a TV truck from the CBC. I still fault Bettman for a great deal of the NHL's issues, howev...
cfposi writes...
Samsonov: Don't let the door hit you on the way out...
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Another reason why I think Bob Gainey is the best GM in the league! Instead of buying out Samsonov (cap hit of 1.175 over the next 2 years), we have now traded this dissapointment to Chicago in return for Cullimore and Salmelainen (Total Cap hit of 2.65M this year). To make things better, the habs will buyout Cullimore (cap hit of 612,000 over the next 2 years). This is gr...
June 30th is the date when we will find out what the new salary cap is for the 2007-2008 season. In my opinion, it needs to be high. Higher than expected. Some of the numbers being thrown around are 48, 49, and maybe even 50. Eklund stated recently that the cap is set to rise to 52, and I don't mind that. Players want more money (obviously), teams are stuck and are willing...
Sorry, I think another way!!!!!
Well done boys! Great news!
Hey pens fans,
Mark Recchi will most likely return to the Pens this coming season. I cannot see him leaving, though he has drawn outside interest.
Gary Roberts has drawn heavy interest from Toronto and he will either be a Leaf or with the Pens and I am not sure how this will go.
Tom Poti is drawing lots of interest from all around and the Pens threw their name in...
First off, let me start by looking at the numbers in terms of a salary cap hit for the 2007-08 season:
([i]all numbers rounded to two decimal places[/i])
SUNDIN- $5.50M
TUCKER- $3.00M
ANTROPOV- $1.95M
STEEN- $0.95M
KILGER- $0.87M
STAJAN- $0.95M
WELLWOOD- $0.95M
PONIKAROVSKY- $1.58M
POHL- $0.48M
DEVERAUX- $0.55M
ONDRUS- $0.50M
WESTRUM- $0.48M
NEWBURY- $0.4...
Hartnell and Timonen are gone. The Preds have traded the rights of All-Star defenseman Kimmo Timonen and physical winger Scott Hartnell to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a first round pick.
Well...all those in Nashville hoping the Kimmo would retire a Predator are a bit disappointed in this deal. For me I am bummed to see Scotty go. Word was that he was a ...
In an article in the [url=http://calsun.canoe.ca/Sports/OtherSports/2007/06/18/4269554-sun.html]Calgary Sun[/url], it reports Martin Gelinas who is eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1 would like to sign with either the Calgary Flames or Vancouver Canucks to finish off his career.
[quote]Martin Gelinas and his family are back in town for the summer, comforted...
ButlerGoalie writes...
Nashville is Latest Punch Line in Running NHL Joke
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Expansion, Relocation and Shootouts, oh my! When will the madness that has become the NHL ever end? Would Howie Morenz, Ace Bailey and Eddie Shore even recognize the sport they helped to create?
Did you hear the one about the priest, a rabbi and a minister going into a bar? I don't remember the rest of the joke, but the punch line is "The Nashville Predators."
Sadly,...
Craig, if you will pardon me for being so informal, I felt the need to write to you once again. I haven’t written since November 4th, 2004. The league was in the midst of the lockout at that time, and I felt compelled to write to you regarding my support of the key role you were playing in obtaining a CBA for the league that would put all franchises on near-equal footi...
It's been something that I have been meaning to get to. That first blog post here on MyHockeyBuzz needed something special, a real kick in the pants to get things going. After yesterday's dramatic twist from Flyers GM Paul Holmgren, it looks like summer could be one of the most memorable ones in recent memory for the Flyers organization. Sure, the Flyers picked up Peter Fo...
Someone please tell me if this can be done. There has to be a way to manipulate the cap. So many times there are contracts given with escalating salaries through out the term of the contract, my question is, can there be declining contracts? The reason I ask is because if there is, what is stopping a GM from signing a player, or players to very long Dipietro like deals, an...
In my analysis, yes it was.
The Flyers want to be competitive as quickly as possible. Making this trade and signing these two guys, both of whom fill vital needs, sends a message that this team is going to do what it takes to ice a winner. Philadelphia is suddenly a much better team on paper, and still has $9mm or so in cap space and only one restricted free agent of an...
beerbaron writes...
Mucks, Mega Bucks and something else that rhymes with ucks..
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Yes folks the baron is back after a lenghty battle with kidney stones. Who knew a stone that was 5mm could kick the crap out of someone so badly. Anywho I digress...Lots has happened in the last month. I'm not going to rehash the cup final as that horse has been put to pasture. All I will say is congrats to both Anaheim and Ottawa for making it.
The Sens came out o...
I wrote earlier in my first blog about how the ratings etc. are not always what they appear, especially considering the total lack of any traditional/large US markets in the Stanley Cup Finals over the past four years compared to the other three major team sports.
I also mentioned, however, that certain things are just getting messed up by the NHL. Hence my surprise las...
[b]Washington[/b]: Ovechkin, who may very well play GM again in Columbus this year (:lol: ), is in agreement with the management staff that 07/08 should be the year the team returns to it’s mid-90s Poile-era form, or at least make a conscious effort. With Backstrom coming in, the Caps will look to acquire just a bit more depth up the middle. Expect them to get into the ...
Here's a list of my top picks for the Wild to pursue this offseason.
Forwards:
[b]1) Jason Blake[/b]
A few things stand out in my mind when I look at Jason Blake. First, obviously, that he was a 40 goal scorer last season with the Islanders and led them in points with 69, but also that he played at a +1 for them over all 82 games. Blake is a ferocious forechecke...
Per TSN, http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=211407&hubname=
In order:
Penalty Shots. Really, this just brings it in line with what all of Canada has been doing for a few years now, and I agree with it. Why should you not be allowed a penalty shot when you get tackled from behind, just because the other team's player didn't wait another two-thirds of a second? A br...
Eggshmeg writes...
Why Is It So Difficult To Put A Franchise In Hamilton?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
We've seen different franchises move before, mainly from Canadian markets to American, and it has gone quite smoothly. Why are we seeing so much talk about the Predators possible relocation to Hamilton? Did the other franchises that moved have to sell 14,000 tickets in advance? No. Then why does Mr. Balsillie have to do it? Yes I know there are many factors why people don'...
Article concerning Emery is posted on [url]www.tsn.ca[/url].
The highlight of the article is that Ray Emery will be out for 2-3 months while rehabilitating his injury. This will cause two interesting wrinkles for Bryan Murray.
1. What to do with Martin Gerber
2. How this affects Ray Emery's contract status
On the first issue, if Bryan Murray can trade Martin G...
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...
Per TSN, 4 years, $24 million. And Ilya Bryzgalov is traded to...?
[b]Originally posted on PredNation.com[/b]
On June 21st, Damien Cox of the Toronto Star, thestar.com, wrote an article discussing the impending Predators sale and the lack of movement by the Board of Governors. What follows is my rebuttal to Mr. Cox.
I was able to read your article entitled Why is Bettman so Scared of Canada?. Let me first say that I generally ...
Some of you may have followed my predictions for the first two rounds of this year's NHL entry draft. Here are the results of my predictions comparing them to where they actually ended up. They are ordered in how I picked them, the number on the right is where they actually ended up, and the third number is how far off I was:
1. P. Kane - 1 = 0
2. K. Turri...
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...
The Leafs left this weekends NHL Draft with a few extra pieces then when they arrived, an impressive move by Fergusen picking up Toskala to shore up the Leafs goaltending and adding gritty winger Bell from the Sharks and still drafting Oshawa Generals winger Dale Mitchell a 40+ goal scorer this past season in the third round equals a great weekend in Leafland. The situatio...
With the recent aquisitions or Toskala and Bell, some people in leafland are still somehow on the offensiven and why? JFJ gave a clear indication that the one spot he intended to upgrade in his club was the the goaltending, and he did so in a reasonable fashion.
This draft was looked at by many as a weak draft year, so why not lose a first round pick in order to recieve...
why not try to trade Pavel Kubina for Ryan Smyths negotiation rights, or maybe for Gomez's negotiation rights? the devils may need to replace refalski any way. Kubina is a good player but hes making double what he should, some teams can afford him, the leafs most certanly can't unload for nothing, and sign a big name forward instead.
With rumors of a possible three way deal floating around that would see the Flyers deal away Joni Pitkanen and receive Raffi Torres, supposedly to clear up cap room to sign a UFA center like Scott Gomez or Daniel Briere to a massive free agent contract, I needed to blog and just get this much off my chest after a couple days of contemplation.
I still am not a fan of get...
First of all...I must point out that my following statement is not a negative comment about the excellent Habs brass.
Why Bother: I really do enjoy Hockeybuzz, as well as most online media sources (particularly those that focus on my beloved Canadiens). That said, I really no longer see the point of discussing Habs rumours. Bob Gainey is probably one of the most enigmat...
(A Near Flawless Prognostication Through Slightly Orange-and-Blue Colored Glasses)
So, here we are, less than a week to go before this year’s free agent frenzy. We’ll start to find out who’s going where on Sunday, if not sooner. For the New York Islanders and their fans, it’s hard to start throwing any new names out there at this point, what with very little res...
I think the Flyers have done exceptionally well so far in terms of positioning the team for future success. Paul Holmgren & co are looking like geniuses; but right now the team is entering a most critical stage of this "restructuring", where the next couple of moves will largely determine the fate of this team over the next several years. One of these moves will likely be ...
For the most part the hockey rumor mill has been void of much discussion about Colorado and their involvement in the free agent sweepstakes. There has been a little pen given to the possible signing of Drury, but as I said, not much. However, I think Colorado may surprise everyone with a few big moves. Let me offer a few reasons why they will be players and why top free ...
I'll keep this one simple, straightforward, and to the point:
1) Chicago----Patrick Kane
Obviously the knock on Kane is size and for him he's going to have to use his agility more, which has been compared to Martin St. Louis', to continue to be productive at the next level. He runs the powerplay extremely well on the half wall and has great hands around the net. This sou...
As promised a little bit earlier since I have time tonight to blog:
6) Edmonton Oilers----Sam Gagner
Sam is a deft playmaker with excellent hands as well. His knack for finding the open man and his deft hockey sense made him the best option at #6 for the Edmonton Oilers. While the Oilers could have taken Alexei Cherepanov, Gagner isn't too far off in skill and could deve...
Despite the chatter about what free agents the Habs have in their crosshairs, I'd like to interject and remind the fan base that historically (i.e. the last 5 years at least) the Canadiens have not been key players in free agency and until they do something to make me think otherwise, I'm not holding out hope that this is the year they acquire a big name to be the face of...
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...
To the best of my knowledge, John Ferguson Jr. is a full grown, educated adult male. So can someone explain to me, why is the hierarchy at MLSE currently headhunting for a senior executive in order to overlook and consult with Mr. Ferguson on his every move as the GM of the Maple Leafs?
Circumstances surrounding Jr.'s tenure as GM to date have been anything but the nor...
Per Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
No word on the others yet.
Congrats to a truly deserving guy!
Other deserving players are going to have to wait a year unfortunatley, and three more will hear they are in with Al.
Great news for the Blues family that Al isn't one of those who has to wait.
Way to go Chopper!
beliveau writes...
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Welcome to the 2007 NHL off-season. That would be the new NHL. The cap-era NHL. The fiscally responsible NHL.
The $8-million per year for Scott Gomez NHL.
This would be a good time to re-read the title of this blog.
As they have before and as they always will, NHL general managers will bid all their pretty pennies on the top unrestricted free agents available t...
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...
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 ...
The Nashville Predator story keeps getting richer and more juicy every passing instant. Gary Bettman approached "Boots" DiBaggio and made an offer that would make even Tony Soprano proud......
Simply put, "Boots" would get exclusive rights to the Predators, at a price set by the national hockey league, and would get unianimous BOG approval to move the team at the next B...
Life after death……or in Buffalo’s case, life after Drury and Briere, is it time for fans to prepare for what seems now to be our inevitable fate?
Like an Atheist afraid of death Buffalo Sabres fans must now seriously ponder what the world will look like if the two captains leave. As was reported on TSN.ca earlier today Briere looks to be gone. Combine the fact th...
After getting the announcement of the salary cap today and it going up a whopping 6 million dollars this has made things alot more interesting as teams scrabble around looking to see who they can get and who they can unload. The Leafs are in a very interesting position with around 9 million in cap room to use this offseason the interesting part of this whole time is that a...
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...
Okay, I'll admit, Chris Drury and Daniel Briere are two very talented hockey players, but are they really worth the money some teams are willing to offer? Will Peter Forsberg have what it takes to still be an elite NHLer after numerous injuries? Is Scott Gomez really going to prosper outside of New Jersey? These are questions I've been thinking about lately and the answer ...
The announcement on Friday afternoon that the cap was going up to $50.2 Million was great news for leafs as they already have committed approximately $43 Million, which leaves $7-8 million to play with. if the cap had only come in around $48 Million mark before the NHLPA voted in favor of the 5% increase, they would've have only had about $5-6 Million, and wouldn't have be...
What i've seen today, was the most disgusting thing i ever see in my life... and that day begin with Dan Brière with a 52 millions contract and first year 10 millions... 10 freaking million... Crosby will ask for 300 millions if Briere worth that, comon why we lose a season if they continue to give contract like this...
3.6 millions to Sarich... SARICH is probably a 6...
The day was uneventful, was away at my sons college orientation for the weekend, but I planned ahead I took my Xm-Myfi with me knowing I would be on the road at 12 and for about 3- 3.5 hours, each time I heard a rumour I would think damn we aren't going to get anyone, damn Flyers are making some nice moves, damn Pens might get Kariya, wow East is going to be tough, then be...
Briere to Philadelphia
Wow, remember when these guys were big and scary? Now they're young, fast and iffy (especially between the pipes). But if all goes well Briere will be a great centerpiece for the new look Flyers, and if not, it'll be a long 8 years.
Drury and Gomez to the Rangers
Made the pre-cap Rangers splash with less flash, and more leadership. Sather ...
[b]Buffalo Sabres, you let a lot of us down today. But you can right your wrongs. There is still time.
Don't give up our hopes of a Cup. We are not far away, with the current team - in fact we may be the closest ever - even without Drury and Briere. Get some new guys in here; keep us competitive; give us a reason to continue to support this team.
PLEASE do the rig...
TheHabsFan writes...
Why the Montreal Canadiens can't compete for UFAs...
Posted Monday | Comments 0
During the TSN broadcast, the panelists said it. During the singings, the players said it. When Rivet and Recchi left, they said it. It's no secret, yet everyone seems to miss it.
The problem is not taxes! The problem is not language! The problem is certainly NOT money!
THE PROBLEM IS THE DAMN MEDIA! Players do not want to come here and get their lives ruined by a bu...
Well we have entered into a new UFA season and the Dallas GM Doug Armstrong is doing nothing in the way of improving his team. While we see the big guns move cities its really hard to swallow that Armstrong says he doesnt think we need any additional players just tweaking of the ones we have. That statement has been uttered over and over the past few yrs by Armstrong. I gu...
For the first time in a while, Avalanche fans can be happy about a move made by the team's front office. There is an excitement around this team now that hasn't been here since the Avs star-crossed acquisition of both Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya before the 2003-2004 season in an attempt to make a determined run for the cup. But we all know how that ended up. Train wre...
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...
Well somehow it seems fitting that a player named Jed Ortmeyer signed yesterday with the Nashville Predators (let the hayseed, hick and redneck jokes begin!). It's not like we weren't already the punching bag of the league but now we give them more fodder for jokes!
I understand that not all signings can be the Chris Drury's, Scott Gomez's and Paul Kariya's but dee...
My message is to the [b]MEDIA OF MONTREAL[/b]. [b][u]Enough is enough!!![/u][/b] I, and the fans of this great franchise have had it!!! I have said it for years that the media is who manages the team, not the organization. Year in and year out, we see the same trend building, worse and worse as the years go by. This time around, you will not blame Gainey or the rest o...
What has free agency done for us lately?
That's the question that every NHL team should be asking themselves around this time of year. Now, that's not to say that we should do away with free agency, effectively making each player an indentured servant to the team that drafted them; however General Managers standing still on the big name free agents is encouraging to se...
I don't know how any Ranger fan could have come out of the first day of the Free Agency period with anything, but a big smile on their face.
The goal was to sign a center to slot in on the second line behind Nylander. Instead Sather pulls a rabbit out of his hat and snares both Scotty Gomez from the Devils and Chris Drury from the Sabres to solidify the team up the m...
camp writes...
What are the expectations for the Rangers 2007-2008 season?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Last years run in the playoffs was cut short by a heart-stopping, gut-wrenching goal by co-captain Chris Drury of the Buffalo Sabres with 7.7 seconds left in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi's. Scott Gomez was part of the New Jersey Devils team that swept the Rangers two seasons ago in the first round of the playoffs. Now they're both with us. With multiple Stanley Cu...
congratulations NYR you just landed yourself 2 of the top 4 available free agents this year. out of ryan smyth, chris drury, daniel briere, and scott gomez you were able to pick up my favorite chris drury and scott gomez. you have two excellent players who will complement guys like lundqvist, avery, jagr, etc. you have now become in many peoples eyes the new favorite to...
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 ...
Before the salary cap was instituted, you could always count on one thing in the NHL: The Colorado Avalanche were going to make the playoffs and be cup contenders. Every year GM Pierre Lacroix put a playoff team on the ice and every year they would deliver. At the end of the 05-06 season, Lacroix stepped down and handed things over to Francois Giguere. Things started rocky...
OK we screwed up not keeping Drury and anyone who could check left the Year Before, Grier, Mckee.
So out of whats left of FA pool I will try and salvage a little of our dignity.
1. Sign Shanahan or Selanne. We need people to buy up these new Jerseys and two of the top sellers just left town. SHANAHAN BACK WITH RANGERS
...
[b]The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely headed back to the playoffs.[/b]
As a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I do not like to see them miss the playoffs, I do however, like to see some form of direction, the good news with the salary cap rising to 50.3 million is that the Leafs now have the ability to speed through the "Let's get younger phase" which wasn't working ...
July 2nd Free Agent Signings:
Ryan Smyth: Colorado Avalanche 5 years 6.3 Million per year
Paul Kariya: St. Louis Blues 3 years 6 Million per year
Darryl Sydor: Pittsburgh Penguins 2 years 2.5 Million per year
Petr Sykora: Pittsburgh Penguins 2 year deal
Sheldon Brookbank: Columbus Blue Jackets 1 years deal
Tom Preissing: Los Angeles Kings 4 years 2.8 Mill...
Ok, we're only in the very early hours of July 3rd here, so this is very preliminary. I have been messing around with line combinations since the Briere signing was announced, and intensified that following the Lupul and Smith additions.
So far, I remain very happy with the maneuvers of Paul Holmgren and Peter Luukko. Here's a quick glance at what could be the opening ...
[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 ...
Regardless of what you think about Sutter, one can't help but somewhat admire his vagueness in managing the Flames. Almost every trade or signing comes without warning or anticipation, and he never makes trades for the sake of doing so. I have no idea how he keeps the media out of his office.
With that in mind, as excited I was for the UFA season this year after reading...
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 ...
The Blues have brought many good players into there system. The thing is they all where old. Kariya is bringing them in the right direction. They still won't be a playoff contender, they need alot more, but they will be better.
It could very well be that this is the last year for the big swede at the helm of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Sundin signed a 1 year term allowing him to decide on his own terms (and not handicap the Leafs) how he leaves the game, in what could likely be his last year in the NHL, it seems the Leafs are going to at least attempt to get him that big silver cup before he ride...
I was pondering today, how the NHL wasted that entire lockout year, and where do we stand now? The Rich teams can spend pretty much the same amount of money, they could back before the lockout and now we have the issue of all the "poor" teams struggling to stay alive in the "new" NHL. I feel that a this whole Nashville issue is a matter of the wrong place for a hockey te...
What does Renney do if no more moves are made either via Free Agent signings or Trades?
[b]Hossa - Drury/Gomez - Jagr
Straka - Drury/Gomez - Shanahan
Avery - Cullen - Callahan
Prucha - Betts - Hollweg/Orr
Malik - Rosival
Tyutin - Girardi
Staal - Mara
Strudwick/Pock[/b]
I don't know, but I see this as a lineup Renney will put on the ice if the team starts t...
Well sabres fans it's confirmed Teppo Numminen has resigned with the Sabres
[url]http://wgr550.com/sabres/fullstory.php?id=2491[/url]
According to nhlpa.com Sabres vetern Defenceman Teppo Numminen has a 2.6 million Dollar salary for 07-08.
Here is a link for the sabres team page on nhlpa.com:
[url]http://nhlpa.com/WebStats/PlayerSearchV2.asp?OIDTeam=9508[/url]
...
The Rangers are like your family member with an addiction problem. They get better for awhile, long enough that you think they're back to normal, but soon enough, they're back to their old habits. The Rangers addictions are big name free agents. They just can't get enough of them and will pay any amount, no matter how ludicrous to get what they need. After hitting rock...
***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...
With the aquisition of Jason Blake and Vesa Toskala the leafs are gaurenteed to do better. But how much better?
Our team for next year seems pretty much all offense guided. On defence we only have one defensive defensemen in Hall Gill. On forward we have only two two way players assuming Peca is gone those being Chad Kilger and Boyd Devereaux.
But now that we have To...
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...
Uncertainty
This word surrounds the Nashville Predators and its' fans. This state has cost the team Paul Kariya and possibly other Free Agent's this NHL off season. This state surrounds the events in which the Predators ownership situation stands. You could also use this word to describe the upcoming season. It seems as though the entire NHL world and its' media has foc...
After a sophomore slump, a few trade deadline rumors and looking arbitration in the eyes, the Colorado Avalanche re-signed Marek Svatos to a one year deal.
Obviously Francois Giguere and the Avs are hoping that Svatos can return to his rookie form where he finished tied on the team and 3rd among rookies in goals with 32. He also notched 9 game winning, tying the rookie...
oilers4ever84 writes...
Edmonton Oilers Went From Great Success to Disappointment
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Just over a year ago around this time the Edmonton Oilers came just within one win of the biggest trophy in professional hockey. Three weeks later they were saying goodbye to superstar Chris Pronger, and a few other key players Michael Peca, Jaroslav Spacek, and Sergei Samsonov.
So who replaced these players, because obviously you need to replace such key players...
What is this city coming to? Have we been reduced to acting like the fans of a certain hockey team in Southern Ontario?
Mr. Gainey, Bobby "G", or my personal favourite, "Teflon Bob" has been, and continues to be criticized heavily from both the English and French media since the draft. The man who once sported a head of dirty blonde curls is probably wondering if Theo ...
What is this city coming to? Have we been reduced to acting like the fans of a certain hockey team in Southern Ontario?
Mr. Gainey, Bobby "G", or my personal favourite, "Teflon Bob" has been, and continues to be criticized heavily from both the English and French media since the draft. The man who once sported a head of dirty blonde curls is probably wondering if Theo c...
It seems as though the Sabres franchise knew this was coming. Edmonton Oilers GM Kevin Lowe needs to bring in a marquee player, and Thomas Vanek was on his hit list. Buffalo GM Darcy Regier said no way, Vanek is staying in town, and we'll match any offer sheet you throw at him.
Well, Lowe tried to call Regier's bluff, but Darcy wasn't bluffing. The 7-year, $50 million pi...
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...
horcoffgirl23 writes...
Announcing a new attraction at the Oilers theme park........
Posted Friday | Comments 0
This past year, the Edmonton Oilers have given their fans a new [i]rollercoaster[/i] ~ one that gets your emotions going.
Last summer, blue line veteran Chris Pronger requested to be traded. He is now public enemy #1 in Alberta's capital. I don't see it that way. His wife was not happy up here so I'm pretty sure that put Pronger inbetween a rock and a hard ...
nephew23 writes...
HAPPY FREE AGENCY STARS' FANS! (Thanks For Nothing Army)
Posted Friday | Comments 0
No offense to Brad Winchester...who will make a great addition to the Stars' roster...but this should be Doug Armstrong's last season as general manager in Dallas. I waited patiently and chose not to jump the gun after Sunday passed with not a single transaction. Then the days came and went until, FINALLY, today, the team announced the signing of 3 players. If you have ...
'Tis the season to speak of free agent signings, and speculation about where the Nashville/Hamilton/Kansas City Predators will end up playing next year. I wish to take a break from this babbling and take on a more serious issue... the players that I (and hopefully after reading) you absolutely HATE. I have found ten players that I loath with every part of my soul. Let's ge...
[b][u]BUFFALO:CONTENDER OR NOT?[/b][/u]
July 7th, 12:44 AM:
Last season, the Buffalo Sabres, made it to the Eastern Conference final, they faced there newest rival the Ottawa Senators. Will it happen again? By the looks of things..No. The Buffalo Sabres so far in this free agency have basically acquired no one, while losing there two best players IMO, Daniel Briere a...
The habs this year will be a taste of whats to come. Without the arrival of a first line UFA (once again) the Canadiens finally have the luxury of having good building blocks at every position. The lines this year will hopefully involve a rookie or second year player on at least three of four lines, and since these rookies are highly touted prospects, this is an excelle...
[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...
This Rumor has poluted CDC, HF Boards, and Canucks Central already, and there have been some mixed fealings about the rumor. On HF boards Barney Gumble Wrote: "The only two I want to see in his contract is "two-way deal". Course that isn't realistic I know. Two years? Sure, if his salary is under a million per year. Else, pass.", This is the best post about the Carter rum...
I think the moves that would help the leafs would be to sign Alexei Yashin and Micheal Peca. Next get rid of Raycroft and Kubina in a trade to the Yotes for Jovanovski and Cujo. Then sign Brian Berad who in won the Calder in the 1996-1997 season and racked up some good points with Columbus in the 2005-2006.
IMO that would be the best set of moves for my Leafs.
Thoug...
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...
In Josh Plummers Last Entry He Posted [quote]In his latest blog, Eklund says the Canucks are now one of the teams who could have an interest in #88, Eric Lindros[/quote] I think that this would not be a good signing, sure hes a good player, [u]When He is NOT HURT![/u] I cant help but wonder were Eklund gets this stuff from? Some of it makes no sense! Any how heres my favor...
According to the Post-Dispatch, Andy Murray was said to already be playing with possible lines in his head. The lines went,
"The Blues have a nice supply of forwards now, and the power play should be better. Murray is already tinkering with these line combinations, at least in his head:
— Kariya, Tkachuk, Brad Boyes.
— Martin Rucinsky, Weight, Jamal Mayers....
With the additions of
Briere, Uphsall, Lupul, Hartnell, Timonen, Smith, Kukkonen, Coburn, Biron
since last season, have the Flyers put themselves back into the playoffs?
[b]Gagne-Briere-Knuble[/b]
With the additions of a dynamic player like Briere to take the place of Forsberg, does the Flyers first line have chemisty problems? or does Briere step in and fill...
[b]What additional moves would you like to see the Flyers make?[/b]
With the additions of
Briere, Uphsall, Lupul, Hartnell, Timonen, Smith, Kukkonen, Coburn, Biron
since last season, have the Flyers put themselves back into the playoffs?
[b]Gagne-Briere-Knuble[/b]
With the additions of a dynamic player like Briere to take the place of Forsberg, does the Fl...
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...
Sunday, January 11, 1976... in the height of the Cold War, and the midst of the battle for the supremacy of the Hockey World, the Soviet Army Team visited the Philadelphia Spectrum to take on the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Flyers in the final game of what was billed as 'Super Series 76'... They were undefeated, and their co-touring lesser talented team were only defeate...
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...
Who knows who will be signed before July 1 2008 or how much money will be available… but below is my ranking of the “prime” players who are set to be free agents next year. By “prime” I mean players who will attract some big money… I left out most of the players over 30 as well. I also put together a list of next year’s restricted free agent crop…. Or a...
While 'All Is Quiet' is not the most engaging title for a blog post it is, however, true. Right now, all is indeed quiet here on the hockey front in Nashville but that gives us a chance to recap what we know and maybe figure out where we stand.
The Preds will be sold - okay that's a no brainer but let's start with the basics here. Craig Leipold is done with hockey and h...
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...
[u][b]By: Jon Cunningham[/b][/u]
The signing of Goaltender Scott Clemmensen by the Leafs has raised a lot of questions. He has reportedly been signed to a 1-Year deal worth 1-Million, the Contract also is reported to be a two-way contract, meaning Clemmensen can be sent down to the Marlies and only a small fraction his contract will count against the cap.
Well, this...
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 ...
Vancouver Canucks general manager Dave Nonis just keeps making deals, he’s re-signed Kevin Bieksa to a three year deal and picked up veteran blue-liner Aaron Miller. It seems Nonis wants to build a stronger defensive presence around Roberto Luongo which is just what the team needs after seeing their all-star goalie get pushed around all season and especially in the playo...
Let me preface this by saying I don't mean any ill will towards people in Canada who actually love and research the league and its "goings-on", I'm speaking to "Generic Canada Fan":
We understand that you don't like the Predators in Nashville. We understand you think you know the situation we have brewing down here. We understand you think no one else deserves your spor...
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
Admit it… You Considered the 4 1st Round Picks from Edmonton
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Larry Quinn made a great point in the press conference when asked whether or not the Sabres considered taking the four 1st round picks as compensation from the Oilers on the Tomas Vanek deal.
[i]“In the 37 year history of the Sabres, there haven’t been 4 players picked in the first round better than Vanek.”[/i]
I think that’s pretty accurate. The Sabres have ...
This goes without saying, but i'm going to say it anyway. WHY THE HELL DID YOU NOT SIGN CHRIS DRURY!!!! Unfortunately, the sabres dropped the ball on that one with their in-season negotiation blunder with captain clutch, but this is what I would do from here after the vanek signing moving forward. First, the sabres need a two-way gritty forward and mike comrie would hav...
With the signing of former LA Kings defencemen Aaron Miller on Monday, the Canucks are creating quite the rumor buzz around the league. With an NHL ready defensive core of 8 dmen, the canucks look to be unloading a defencemen to pick up some much needed scoring. Although some of the rumors out there are absolutely absurd, like one heard on the TEAM 1040 in Vancouver this...
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...
I was just wondering what people thought about sleepers in this year's draft. A lot of scouts and experts projected Angelo Esposito as a #1 prospect in 05/06, and he wasn't taken till the 20th pick from The Penguins. Similarally, Alexei Cherapanov was projected to be in the top 10 at one point, if not the top 5 and wasn't snagged till the 17th pick from the Rangers. Do ...
Multiple league sources have informed the Sabres as the team chosen to represent the league in an "Ice Bowl" on the first day of 2008. The opponent, most likely,would be the Pittsburgh Penguins as it should. The combination of Sidney Crosby and Malkin copuled with facing an appointent who's fans will fill the Ralph in a matter of hours will be outstanding. The genius behin...
I have always looked at this time of the year with mixed emotions. While it is exciting as a hockey fan to see teams retool, rebuild, or reinvent themselves, it is also a time of frustration, anger, and sadness.
I am frustrated that my Blackhawks may still suck for yet another season because the ownership is cheaper than my little Italian Grandfather. And that is damned...
Eggshmeg writes...
The All Star Game - When Did It Become A Bad Thing?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 4
I sat there last night watching the MLB all-star game (damn you NHL offseason lull!), and I realized that most of the MLB analysts had the same opinion as hockey analysts did earlier in the year about the NHL all-star game. There was no passion, this game has no meaning, what are we doing here? I even heard one analyst say that when he was a kid he absolutely loved watchin...
[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...
The NHL just released the schedule for the 07-08 hockey season and at first glance it looks favorable for the Preds.
- Saturday Night Fever: The Preds have 14 Saturday home games. For a team trying to get butts in seats nothing is better than a Saturday home game.
- Never Far Away: The Preds have only tow long road trips...a five game swing in Late October that takes...
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 most of you already know, the NHL is setting New Years day as the day for an outdoor game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres.
In a league that struggles for tv ratings (although I will admit, beating out the NBA last season was prime) what better way to help these ratings then by putting a game you dub the Ice Bowl on tv the same day colleges arou...
There are many sports experts who compare the Leafs to the MLB's New York Yankees, the big-bad empire of riches, hell bent on winning without any consideration for monetary costs. Beloved by their legion of fans, and hated by all others. But there is one main difference between the Leafs and Yanks, and in reality between the MLB and the NHL, the Yankees can buy a contender...
I very much enjoy the idea of having an outdoor game evey year. I would even propose that it would take the place of the all star game. Sscheduling it on January 1st? What are you thinking NHL? If you want to improve the popularity of the sport you don't try to compete with the U.S's most popular sport. If they want to improve the popularity the NHL could choose anyti...
According to Sports Express, the Swedish sports daily. Forward Henrik Zetterberg wants to be a member of the Red Wings for the rest of his playing career.
I say Ken Holland get the deal done. Zetterberg is one of the best players in the NHL today and he is only going to get better. The future captain is everything you want in a player. A two-way player with great ...
Deke2194 writes...
The Good, the Bad, and the Smytty; The Ryan Smyth Debacle
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Ryan Smyth always wanted to play his entire career with the Oilers. And he thought it was something he was going to able to do. Now he had always taken the “hometown discount” to stay with the Oilers in the past, but wasn’t it time after 12 seasons that the Oilers finally showed him the kind of money that most other teams in the league would be willing to pay for h...
So, it’s Wednesday and I’m thirty minutes into an hour commute home to get to my son’s first street hockey game of this summer season. He’s coming off a winter where he played two separate seasons of inline hockey and went to a skating camp to prep him for ice hockey this winter. I tell you this so that you understand that he’s equipped to play, the money’s bee...
how do these guys like roman hamrlik get a contract like one he has 5.5 million?
MONTREAL.. ARE YOU CRAZY????
your gonna spend that kind of money for a guy like him but not that uch or more for sheldon souray?
another thing.. why are hl teams drafting kids in high school? i mean your gona have to wait a good 2 or 3 years for him...AT LEAST so why not draft ...
Patrick Cwiklinski writes...
Playing For The Love Of The Game... Or Money?
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
Is it me or are NHL players just getting greedier and greedier? Just take a look at the salaries that some of these so called “superstars” are going to start making in the 2007-2008 season. Scott Gomez and Chris Drury are both great examples of unproven overpaid players. The New York Rangers jumped at the chance to pick up Scott Gomez for seven years at $51.5 million a...
NYHockey writes...
With predictions like this, I should be a Contributor!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I have always thought I had a good head for hockey, but I never knew I should have my own 5 minutes on the MSG network to speculate. Take a look at a collection of my three favorite posts over the past few months. You have to admit, I did pretty well in my statements. My one true errata that I sadly must admit is the fact that Jed Ortmeyer is no longer in the equation, ...
I know we haven't seen a blog post from Andy today, so I thought that I'd start this: how many of you are going to the Blues development camp game tonight at the Mills? It's a 7:00 start time, it's free, and there's a lot of things around (the Mills being what it is, after all). I'm just curious how many HB readers are going, because I certainly am.
BluesHockeyOhBaby! writes...
St. Louis Blues Prospect Camp: Bright Future
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I have been all around the Blues prospect camp this week and I have been impressed with the amazing talent and skill that is being shown out there by some of the Blues brightest young stars. Some we will see sooner than others, but the future of St. Louis Blues hockey is going to be amazing. Here are some of the players that were quite impressive: (in no particular order)
...
SabreCrazy07 writes...
HockeyBuzz Q & A w/ Sabres Hometown Prospect Tim Kennedy
Posted Friday | Comments 0
A HockeyBuzz Q & A with Sabres Prospect & Hometown Hero Tim Kennedy.
INTRO
SC07: Tim do you have a couple minutes?
TK: Sure whats up.
SC07: I wanted to ask you a few questions for HockeyBuzz.
TK: Thats fine.
THE PLAYER
SC07: Who is your favorite player?
TK: Vincent Lecavalier
SC07: Do you pattern your game after him?
TK: Yep
SC07: Whe...
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...
My first blog.
A person smarter than I once claimed that evolution does not produce a better species - it merely produces a different species.
EK mentions in his description about himself the joy he felt when he could watch the Flyers on PRISM when he was growing up. I confess I am fully capable of getting nostalgic - but when I read that I did smile a bit because...
Ok, lots of people seem to think this guy is less then he is... I'm gonna go through a quick analysis of my own... hopefully some of you will see this guy the way I do.
[b]Durability and Injury[/b]
Now... lots of ppl, who cheer for whatever team they cheer for seem to think this guy is easily injured. He isn't.
He has been injured twice, both have been freak injuries....
SabreCrazy07 writes...
A HockeyBuzz Q & A with Sabres Prospect Adam Dennis.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
A HockeyBuzz Q & A with Sabres Prospect Adam Dennis.
[img:right]http://www.letsgosabres.com/images/players/photos/adam_dennis.jpg[/img]
INTRO
SC07: Adam can you spare a couple minutes?
AD: Yeah sure.
SC07: I wanted to ask you a few questions for HockeyBuzz.
AD: Ok.
THE PLAYER
SC07: Who is your favorite player?
AD: Miikka Kiprusoff
SC07: Wh...
BuffaloMat writes...
Inside information regarding Ruff almost leaving Buffalo.
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Earlier this post season Lindy was having a few different offers surfacing for him to take before he would sign with the Buffalo Sabres as we know. He was actually thinking about moving up the ladder in the NHL, just not with the Buffalo Sabres. The offer was wonderful but was never taken due to his wife loving buffalo so much and wanting to stay instead of a pay increase....
When I decided to come to Israel for the summer, I was looking up fun stuff to do around the country. Then I remembered [url=http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=2485] Bill Meltzer's blog from last year[/url] and subsequent [url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=278984]NHL.com article[/url]. Looking up those pages, I was connec...
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 ...
Id like to start of this blog by giving my condolences to the Ferguson family may John Sr. rest in peace.
Now to this blogs topic and that is what can the Leafs do to obtain another scoring forward. The Leafs currently sit with about 1.5 million in Cap room and an easy move could be signing an UFA to suit up for the team but not many are out there that could really make...
This is my first blog. Last week I spent 3 days over at the Flyers practice rink to watch some of their mini camp. I just needed a hockey fix in mid July and this was perfect. I spent Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday over there. Wednesday and Thursday were all drills and your typical hockey practice. Friday was a scrimmage between the two groups. New Flyers asst coach...
Just before the 2006-2007 season started, I purchased myself an XM radio for the sole purpose of listening to Home Ice, XM204. And every day was great radio. Lots of hockey talk, hockey highlights, and hockey guests -- including our favorite anonymous hockey blogger. Great radio for the hockey fan.
And then..... the season ended.
And apparently, so did XM204.
W...
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...
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...
The tragedy involving the deaths of Chris Benoit and his family has been making a lot of news headlines. The 24 hour news services couldn't get enough of it in the days immediately after the murders and the recent findings that Benoit had steroids in his system (among other substances) at the time of his death is sure to push this story further into the living rooms of Ame...
In the new NHL and its all so glorious salary cap (which rises each year so far, and we are now back to pre-lockout salaries) comes new challenges for teams. That challenge being a huge one:
Keeping their players under contract and keeping under the cap.
Now the cap this year is around 53 million dollars, and I will assume most teams want some cushion room for trades...
Calgary Flames - C
Key Acquisitions:
Owen Nolan, Adrian Aucoin, Cory Sarich
Question Marks:
Offensive Production, Mike Keenan
One of the best defensive teams in the league got better and deeper on defense this off season. The additions of Cory Sarich and Adrian Aucoin make one of the best bluelines in the league better and solidifies the Flames as one of the ...
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Jeremy Williams and defenceman Derrick Walser to two-year contracts and forward Alex Foster to a one-year contract.
Williams, 23, spent time last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL). He has the distinction of being the only player in NHL history to play in just tw...
Well All Its #2 for the blogs we will now discuss why the Leafs actually need a Senior advisor!
the Maple Leaf organization is one filled with Red tape, hurdles, obstacles and over protective micro manging higher managment.
Richard Petty heads up one of the most successful brands in Canada. Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). A brand which has its o...
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Jeremy Williams and defenceman Derrick Walser to two-year contracts and forward Alex Foster to a one-year contract.
[url]http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20070718_175428_772
murdoch writes...
nashville deserves the same shot florida and phoenix got
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
LISTEN UP HOCKEY FANS...
whatever the case of the financial this and financial that. i remember years ago hockey was 85% hockey talk, 10% 'whats a better hockey name, oggie ogalthorpe or darren puppa?, and about 5% hockey financials.
everyone needs to take a step back.
the sport is one that we all obviously know and love. 4pm on a tuesday rolls around and all the ...
After losing Souray, Bonk, Johnson, Aebisher, Niinimaa, and not being able to sign Briere or Smyth, Bob Gainey had some work to do. He filled some major holes by signing Hamrlik {although quite overpaid}, Smolinski, and Kostopoulos. Hamrlik solidifies the defense, and while he lacks Souray's scoring punch, he's not going to be an -28, meaning less goals against, less work ...
Even though it's still early, and there's still quite a few moves that need to be made-or should I say will be made-here's a quick look at a few guys that I see as being on the spot in Philly, and a few who might be gone....
[b]On The Spot[/b]
5. Joffrey Lupul.
Lupul is basically an offensive player. He doesn't play defense, isn't a great skater and doesn't use ...
Even though it's still early, and there's still quite a few moves that need to be made-or should I say will be made-here's a quick look at a few guys that I see as being on the spot in Philly, and a few who might be gone....
[b]On The Spot[/b]
5. Joffrey Lupul.
Lupul is basically an offensive player. He doesn't play defense, isn't a great skater and doesn't use ...
I was looking over one of my favorite forums and on there was a map showing the locations of all the teams in the league. This picture awoke me (already knew that it was bad) of how unfair the eastern teams have it.
These are prime examples of advantages out east. Drury moves from Buffalo to New York... He doesn't really have to move. Gomez moves from New Jersey to New...
Here is how I think the Leafs should break down their lines for next season. First off, we know three things for sure, based on what Paul Maurice has indicated:
1) Mats Sundin will be the first-line centre (okay, this one was obvious).
2) Jason Blake will begin the season on the first line.
3) Kyle Wellwood will be the second-line centre.
Given that, I think the Le...
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...
I do not dislike Russians. I do not think Russian players are inferior to Canadian players. In fact, I believe that Russian players are the most exciting players in the game-and look at the talent it has produced: Malkin, Ovechkin, Markov, etc. However, there are certain Russian players in this league that either think there better than everyone else, or there just lazy-ma...
I do not dislike Russians. I do not think Russian players are inferior to Canadian players. In fact, I believe that Russian players are the most exciting players in the game-and look at the talent it has produced: Malkin, Ovechkin, Markov, etc. However, there are certain Russian players in this league that either think there better than everyone else, or there just lazy-ma...
I thought I'd throw out some off-season humor. A few months ago, Alexi Ponikarovsky had a signing acorss the road from where I worked at the time (Newmarket, ON). Anyways, after I paid my some $17 (and change) for a Leafs flag and signature (the signature was more than the flag BTW) some bald guy made his rounds down the line with a sticky notepad asking what we wanted h...
[img:right]http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1081/855832279_cb08a30250_m.jpg[/img]
What makes a man cave a great escape form the riggers of everyday life? That is a great question. I have come up with a list:
1. Pick a Theme & go with it!!!!!!!
2. Big Screen TV
3. Seating I went with the sectional couch & Custom Bar
4. Surround sound system
5. Video game sysytem- My c...
I am a Flyers and a hockey fan. I have been a hockey fan in a town where the Philadelphia Eagles have a death grip on the hearts, minds and sports talk radio souls of our area. Heck, even the Phillies and 76ers (ban) - who are just god awful - get more airtime than the NHL. There are those who say that hockey doesn't matter, save for a few towns in Canada, and that th...
I just got back from my first ever trip to Metulla, and it was an incredible experience! We'll get my personal stuff aside first: 7 years after first being teased with it, I finally got to skate in Israel! I've been a little homesick for the past couple of months, but no one could stop the giant 25 year old in the Team Canada jersey skating around the small rink with the h...
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 ...
Yeah, I know your all thinking another leaf line blog, but its summer I need something to do.
[b]Blake-Sundin-Tucker
Bell-Wellwood-Steen
Poni-Stajan-Antropov
Kilger-Pohl-Williams
Kaberle-Kubina
McCabe-Coli
White-Gill[/b]
[u]
[b]PP1[/u]
Poni-Sundin-Antropov/tucker
McCabe-Kaberle
[u]PP2[/u]
Blake-Wellwood-Steen
Kubina-Coli/white[/b]
PK is still an issue ...
I think Coyotes fans, more than most, have spent these first few weeks of the Free Agent signing season looking at each other and saying, "Who?"
We realize, naturally, that the Yotes are going to "get to the playoffs" on the cheap this year. Cheap and young. Why, they might even have to have Kool-Aid in the locker room for this bunch. And they certainly are going to hav...
I have a oil on wood painting of Maurice "Rocket" Richard that was painted back in the 1950's. I purchased it from his estate auction after he passed a few years ago and it has since hung proudly in my hockey shop overlooking about 5000 sq. ft. of hockey gear. I just had an older gentleman that came in to get his skates sharpened and noticed it hanging on the wall. He puff...
Since when does a 13 goal, 60 point season merit a player to get a 7 year contract, the first year of which will pay 10 million dollars? How about 18 million in salary going out to 2 centers who combined, barley have more points than 19 year old MVP, Sidney Crosby did? Scott Gomez and Chris Drury were both signed by the New York Rangers to a very large, and equivalently lo...
There have been few occasions over the last decade or so where Gary Bettman was the envy of the other major sports league's commissioners.
This is one of them.
League revenues are surging, players are being paid well and there is parity like we've rarely seen before.
But most importantly there are no Barry Bonds, Mike Vicks or Tim Donaghys.
Mr.Bettman doesn...
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...
I am lucky. I grew up loving hockey, and I've always been drawn primarily to the skill, the finesse of games. I get excited every time I see a 2-on-1 developing, watching a well-machined powerplay unit can be beautiful, and watching the amazing acrobatics and reflexes of the famous netminders is breathtaking. I'm too young to remember the true glory days of the Islander...
AlexanderScharf writes...
Drury and Gomez: Good Signings or Same Old Rangers?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Since July 1st there has been much discussion regarding the signings of Chris Drury and Scott Gomez by the New York Rangers. It is true that Gomez and Drury are both very talented hockey players but it is also true that they were overpaid by the Rangers. This begs the question: Was it worth it?
The Rangers needed to add (or resign) two free agent centers in the of...
In the ever changing economics of hockey, one thing has started to become very clear, some play for love and others play for money.
Clearly its easy to see both types of players in the NHL today, but in my opinion, its the ones that play for the money that have caused the biggest problem with salaries in today's NHL.
Let's look at a single statement that we hear ove...
Ok so here is what i dont get. You come on these sites (so far this is the best one i have found for not having the problem) and you find fans hating on other fans. prime example leafs and sens fans. I am a leafs fan thru and thru but in no way do i hate sens fans. I am not a huge fan of the team but in no way can i say they suck. At the same time the leafs did not ma...
Thinking about the state of the NHL recently has brought to mind something that I find to be very curious; the state of the NHL's fans. It seems to me that there has been an increasing sense of "hockey nationalism" growing over the past few years. Before I go any further, I feel I should point out that there is a distinct difference between patriotism and nationalism. P...
I was a the flames Prospect Camp, here are my favorite Players
27 Andrei Taratukhin
Good Scorer, fast Skater, and good passer. I met him him at the Prospect camp, I liked him a lot really nice guy.
55 Adam Pardy
huge, big body in front, stops goals , great body Checker,
41 Dustin Boyd
Real Good scorer, also a fast skater plays the physical game....
Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray today announced the re-signing of goaltender Ray Emery to a three-year agreement.
In his second full NHL season in 2006-07, Emery played in 58 regular season games earning 33 wins, 16 losses, and six overtime defeats. He finished tied for sixth in the NHL in shutouts (5), tied for seventh in save-percentage (.910) and tied fo...
As we sit and await training camp which opens September 13/07, many Leaf fans are wondering some of the same things
Will we make the playoffs this season?
Are the Leafs going to make a trade?
What will the line combinations be this season?
Will a rookie step up in camp and make the team?
These questions are no different then any other year as a die hard Leafs fan...
MLB -- Steroids -- Barry Bonds again named by Balco chemist
NBA -- Gambling and dictating the outcome of games -- Tim Donaghy
NFL -- Animal Cruelty -- Michael Vick
NHL -- CLEAN AS A WHISTLE!.....maybe?
The limelight on professional sports has shifted significantly these last few months from on-the-field to off it. Unfortunately, the incidents away from the [i]offic...
So Derek Roy's arbitration hearing is set for tomorrow, July 27th. So far this summer, there hasn't been much positive PR coming from HSBC Arena. Locking up Vanek, although a major step, might be the only "positive" thus far. After the initial heartbreak of bad breakups with #48 and #23, I have rebounded to the point of somewhat buying into the "we're going to be allrigh...
Last night the late local news in Pittsburgh led off with the Jordan Staal arrest, complete with a picture that appeared to be his "mug shot" (because we all know how much more menacing people look in those pictures!) The lead-in for the story was something along the lines of "A local athlete arrested under multiple charges..."
The "lead story" is designed to catch your...
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 ...
Philadelphia, PA. July 27, 2007
The puck drops in just over Two Months! Our Fly Guys begin a new season October 4th.
ARE YOU READY?
I AM!
Last Season was a mess. From an opening night shut-out disaster against the in-state rival Penguins (4-0 in Pittsburgh) to a General Manager hanging it up to the firing of a Hall-of-Fame Caliber Coach to the injury woes to...
Yeah, this doesn't have anything to do with hockey, but I did wear a Hockeybuzz hat to the theatre, so that will have to qualify. Not only that but BluesFan44 demands a review.
After much personal anticipation-I have been a Simpsons junkie since the days of the Tracey Ullman Show shorts-I finally got to see a feature film dedicated to my favorite yellow folks and their ...
mzator22 writes...
Analyzing Team's Free Agent/Trade Moves - North East
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[b]Boston Bruins[/b]
Major Additions
[b]Peter Schaefer (trade with Ottawa)[/b] - Schaefer will make Boston better because he's a very good penalty killer and he can score at least 15-20 goals a season. The Bruins only had to give up a 2 goal (last season) guy in Sean Donovan.
[b]Manny Fernandez (trade with Minnesota)[/b] - By acquiring Fernandez, Boston shored up ...
I don’t understand how people make the argument that Lowe was trying to make “his” team better. How can any GM make a team better by over paying a player that isn’t worth the money, offering a long term contract with a lot of money tied up in one player. Most will say Penner is worth probably around the same as Ouellet, which turns out to be $1.25-million. That’s...
There was a time when MyHockeyBuzz and HockeyBuzz were littered with posts about the Preds from both Pred fans and those who hated the fact that a team was deep in Dixie. Where though, I ask, has it all gone?
For fans of the franchise I think there is some fatigue for sure. For a couple of months now we have been living in this unknown, grasping any news that seemed ...
I've been kicking a few things around in regards to things that the NHL could do to improve, not only the game, but the state of the league in general. Here's what I've come up with. Enjoy!
1) Restructure Restricted Free Agency. In particular, restructure the offer sheets. I don't tend to think that using them is an underhanded or shady move, mostly because they are...
The NHL may be thinking of expanding again, and with the new rules in place it might just be a perfect time to expand and realign some teams in the league.
I think if the NHL does expand by two teams the perfect two choices would be Winnipeg, Canada since they do have a great fanbase and support for hockey in the NHL, there stadium can hold 15,003 and there team was mov...
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... ...
I know we've all heard about the Patrice Brisebois rumors but it has me wondering, why would Bob Gainey be looking to pay 700k of our remaining cap space to Patrice of all people.
Check our current defesive line up:
1:Markov-Komisarek
2:Hamrlik-Streit(or Gorges)
3:Bouillon-Dandeneault
The way I see it, we're better off with either of the two of our bottom three ...
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...
Does anyone else in Edmonton gain any satisfaction in being the most hated team in the National Hockey League? At the very least, we can be proud of not being the least appealing team in the league (sorry New York Islanders). Or for that matter, the most underachieving team (Cough...Toronto); or the team that was metaphorically raped in free agency (Buffalo Sabres).
St...
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...
It all started during the regular season when teams complained to the NHL about Boogie going out and stretching out during the TV timeouts, they said he was trying to intimidate their team so the league asked Boogie to take a seat while the Fans of Minnesota watched other teams tough guys who are 2 inches smaller stretch their limbs at will during all of the TV timeouts. T...
Hello all...DJOilman here, reporting to you from the Capital of Alberta...Siberia... er...Edmonton. Of course, this weather makes it feel like Siberia.....what's it been, 32 degrees for about a month now. For those writers South of the border, that's 32 Celsius.....I'm sure many of you watch the weather channel and see the North American map showing Detroit at 90 degrees...
Through out the past season or two I have rolled with all the punches that have been thrown my way. If anyone has read any of my posts they can attest to me defending the city, the organization, and the players with every single stroke on the keyboard. This past season has been especially tough listening to what seems to be just about very single non-Oiler fan ripping on...
What was reported here first yesterday is now being reported by all the local and national media outlets…a letter of intent will be signed today between local investors and current Predators owner Craig Leipold. For those who don’t follow this as closely as some here is what it all means.
The letter of intent means that the local group and Leipold will enter a per...
“We need to stop meeting like this,” said a lighthearted Craig Leipold as he stepped to the podium to announce the sale of his team for the second time in just less than three months. Once again Leipold found himself telling the press about a potential sale, this time to a group of local investors headed by David Freeman, Herb Fritch and out of town investor Willia...
One afternoon, when I was 4 years old (1984), I was at the Ice Palace in West Edmonton Mall with my brother and parents. I don't remember what the event was or why I was there, but, the Edmonton Oilers were playing a charity shinny game with some guys wearing red jerseys to this day, I claim, that they were the flames. Not because I remember Lanny's moustache or even a fla...
Since becoming a STH I have been in the chat prettttty much everyday and it never gets old! Whether the talk is about hockey or vacation, it is alot of fun! The people in the chat are great and very helpful to someone who is new to the site. I have had the season ticket for 3+ months now and have loved every minute of it! There is really a collection of great minds on ...
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 ...
Dear EIG, Thank you. But it’s time to say goodbye.
As an Oilers fan and Edmonton resident, I am very thankful for what the Edmonton Investors Group (EIG) did to save the Oilers from a near certain relocation. I just don’t think I could bring myself to cheer for an NHL team called the Houston Oilers. That is kind of ironic since one of my favorite NFL teams is Ten...
dekerivers writes...
Is Penner's 4.25 Mil really the beginning of the end.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
So everyone seems to be getting over the fact that Kevin Lowe has broken the “unwritten rule” regarding RFA’s and now it’s more of an issue about the dollar amount of the contract. Now I know that as sports fans we are all, especially the professional sports writers, experts in economics. At least it sure seems that way lately? With the salary cap we have a ceiling...
I dont know about you Oiler fans out there but I just can't waite to see Cogliano and Shremp play. I wonder how long it's going to take for them to make the team and see some NHL action. Cogliano reminds me of a young Kariya. The speed that he saktes with the puck is amazing. Shremp seems to me to have hands of gold this kid should be a welcome addition to the oilers in te...
habsfan22 writes...
Montreal and Toronto fighting to see who recycles best?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Is it me or are Toronto and Montreal the two teams most known for recycling over the hill players resigning them when they are past their prime? Let me start by saying that from what I've been hearing, the Brisebois deal is a done deal. The only thing I can think of that could be good coming out of this deal is if now we somehow manage to get rid of Dandeneault or preferab...
Habs cap space inclusive of Ryder signing: 6.317 million. With Brisebois signed, they would still have roughly 5.6 million in space to use for a solid UFA. Dany Markov comes to mind. Possibly some really good forward.
*** Patrice Brisebois apparently very close to a deal with the habs. Some might even call it a done deal. It is believed that Bob Gainey has offered Brise...
I've heard plenty of voices over the past few weeks say that the salaries are spiralling out of control again and that the salary-cap really doesn't mean anything anymore. Obviously, this isn't entirely false inspite of what many fans of my Edmonton Oilers will tell you. Obviously as a whole this won't affect the salary cap as the cap is tied to league revenues. What thi...
What Mr. Lowe has done has ended the boys Club. Mr. Lowe has has served notice that all the RFA'S have more options than just to sit around and wait for their gm's to sign them which is not just a bad thing , It has made GM's more aware of the RFA'S which means General Managers have to do thier jobs. I am sorry but that is a nut shell. The main reason the Bur...
Originally posted at http://myoilers.ca
The news about new NHL team uniforms has been fairly slow so far this summer, there has only really been a handful of teams to unveil their new uniforms (Washington, Boston, Florida, Columbus, Los Angeles). I haven't heard much about the new Oilers uniforms other then some rampant speculation suggesting that they won't be changing...
The Dustin Penner offer sheet is proof Kevin Lowe should step down from his post as General Manager of the Edmonton Oilers. As a GM you are supposed to [img:right]http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070803/capt.nyol56108030003.dustin_penner_nyol561.jpg[/img] improve your team while securing the future of the franchise. While Penner will only be 25 by the start of the seas...
Before I even start, I know that most Habs fans HATE the fact that Gainey is signing Brisebois...
I'm not one of those. I am actually excited to have him back and think he could be a great asset for our team. Patrice was chased out of Montreal by the fans and the media, and it was not pretty, that is a fact. However, his homecoming could be better than most expect. ...
So I was on NHL.com (http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/service=page&page=NHLPage&id=12880)
today and noticed they had a link to all the milestones acheived this year such as 400,500 and 600 goal and 1500 points. So I watched all the goals and points on video and found a couple of interesting connections.
Sundin Scores his 500th against Calgary. Sackin scores his 600th agai...
PART THREE IS DONE! VIEW IT ON: HTTP://MY.HOCKEYBUZZ.COM/RAGS2RICHES.
HOPEFULLY COMING TO THE HOME PAGE SOON
In part 2 of 10, I will break down Offense Line #1, aka, the Jagr line. I will expound upon the strengths and weaknesses of each player and explain why he fits on the line. I appreciate the input recieved from part 1 and will certainly take the feedback into con...
ExtraB writes...
SportKings - One of The Greatest Comebacks in Sports History
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
-
[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...
So our beloved Maple Leafs are interested in Scotty Bowman as president of the hockey side, again. Are the rumours true or is this just another summertime Leaf rumour? The fact is that the Maple Leafs make a ton of money every season whether they make the playoffs or not, it does make sense that they would use some of these funds to bring in a great hockey mind to put the ...
I re-edited this post because I thought it was a fun discussion!:
I feel bad for Buffalo, because Lowe basically forced their team into overpaying for Vanek, though he did sign the offer sheet. But still, I think if a player signs an offer sheet, let him go. He obviously isn't willing to sacrifice for the sake of his own teams benefit.(Meaning, go into arbitration and...
After some retooling, here are my new ideas for the Leafs lines.
FORWARDS:
Blake-Sundin-Tucker
Antropov-Wellwood-Poinkarovsky
Bell-Stajan-Steen
Kilger-Pohl-Deveraux
SCRATCHES:
Battaglia (interchangable with Deveraux)
Belak (only used in the case the team needs a good old fashioned ass whomping....perhaps whenever Sean Avery is playing?)
AHL CALLUPS:
1) Will...
Mike Cammallari gets 6.7 over 2 years? Derek roy gets 8 over 2. 63 vs 80 pts per season. last year players were gettin truck loads of cash for there hard work and all of a sudden this year players get paid no where near what they were gettin paid last year. Danny Briere and Scott Gomez recieved 5 million and Briere did not even reach the 70 pt mark. Sure he had a pt a game...
I'm one to welcome Naslund and Morrison back with open arms when their contracts are up. All i've been hearing in Canuckland these days is how Naslund isn't producing, how Morrison is invisible, and how Canucks fans cannot wait to get rid of their contracts. Well, i'm one to say: Don't get too ahead of yourself.
Canucks fans seem to easily forget that Markus Naslund was...
The rejection of Daryl katz's offer to buy the Edmonton Oilers from the Edmonton Investors Group is being met with some absurd claims - namely, that spending to the cap is the way to win Lord Stanley. The facts from the new-CBA era do not support this myth:
2007
EC Champs – OTT - $43.630M
EC Finalists – BUF - $39.991M
WC Champs – ANA - $40.461M*
WC Finalist...
Top to bottom, the Calgary Flames look like one of the top teams in the league each of the last 2 seasons and including the one upcoming. However, these teams have failed to produce to the hefty standards of the entire city. Having sat in my seat in the 'dome to watch us lose back-to-back playoff series at home I can safely say I miss the grinders of 2004.
I'm not s...
Hey everyone,
I don't usually do this, but yes, it's the Sabres side of me coming out again. I auditioned for the Sabres Emcee in-game entertainer contest, and well I've moved on to the second round. Yes, yes, this guy went down for a live audition at the Hot Sauce Bleu Cheese arena and got a chance to strut his stuff and apparently, it paid off.
At the end of this w...
As a fan, and with all fans, we tend to look at our respective teams with rose coloured glasses (yes "colour" is spelled that way up here) so I have tried to limit my expectations of the Calgary Flames and objectivley look at the mid summer squad as it is.
The major aquistions of the off season are:
Iron Mike behind the bench- my thoughts on this guy before he landed ...
I though it might be interesting to see how hockey ranks across NHL cities compared to other major sports in that city, this is my opinion as i have watched hockey in 15 different cities and discussed hockey with many fans in the cities that i was in, i hope to add 2 more cities this year in completing all 30 teams down the road, please feel free to correct me if your from...
Well, there's only one wounded ego here. Mine. Yes, I have dragged myself back to my blog after a long absence. Coincidentally, my departure from my egomaniacal ranting coincides with the night my beloved Flames went out in the 6th game. God I was pissed off.
So what happened? Playfair happened, first of all. I know many of you are eager to shower me with praise f...
The best part about talking to oiler fans now is by far and away the polite smile and nod you get to give them when they talk about their "new oilers".
I love how trading away the captain of a team that was floundering due to lack of heart for a young d who was extremely disappointing is hailed as a good move. I mean, why would they want Jason Smith's "heart and soul" af...
His last blog was about Brian Rafalski and that was July 2. I know there is not a ton of news coming out of Detroit these days. But couldn't he find something to talk about, I thought he was the D's rep on hockeybuzz.
HEY MARK, here are some topics you could blog about. Zetterberg saying he wants to be a Redwing for life, or maybe who is going to do the scorin...
FLAMESTR writes...
Sutter and Keenan Dream or Night Mare? How about Playfair?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I thought I would write a blog on a suggestion from a fellow Poster Flame Head
I hope I got his name right which was the relationship of Sutter and Keenan.
First of all I have been told that Sutter Learned his coaching ability from Mr. Keenan. Which mean there was a history between the two gentlemen and they have mutual respect, also Sutter knows how Keenan coache...
Every year three of my good friends and I take a road trip north to Edmonton for the sole purpose of ruining oiler fan's evenings, and hopefully gloating about a win. So far we have had pretty good luck in terms of our win loss ratio but it does beg an interesting question. Which is a better venue?
The Saddledome although old was renovated back before the olympics in orde...
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...
A month from the start of training camp all of the articles on who fits with who on what line are starting to come up. As opposed to previous years Calgary is in a dilema with center...they have too many! Langkow seems to be the obvious fit with Iginla and Tanguay, that line at times last year gave flames fans something they hadn't seen in years, tick-tac-toe passing plays...
Though I am biased as a hardcore Sabres fan, I think few will debate the fact that Buffalo has one of the best farm systems in the NHL. In the past few years, we have seen guys like Paul Gaustad, Jason Pominville, Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek come up through the ranks and be very successful at the professional level. Buffalo has a knack for developing young talent and the Sa...
I love Rhett Warrener. He battles every night. He loves Calgary. But the bottom line is; if a team wants to compete in the West, he can't be a top 6 defenseman.
Warrener will hit you hard and often, he'll rough you up against the boards every chance he gets. The problem is, he can't skate, can't pass and can't shoot. It used to work for us because if he got in trou...
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...
August means NFL pre-season and the final stretch in the pennant races. It means golf's final major, sending kids back to school and getting those last few days in at the pool to drown away the scorching heat.
What it doesn't mean, however, is hockey.
That means it's up to people like me to lend my insight (or my two cents as some put it) into the upcoming season. E...
Well what a day it was today, I worked nearly 12 hours between two food industry jobs and brought in well over $100 in tips, yeehaw! However, the glory of the day was when I saw a gigantic young man walk into Domino's. I looked at him and thought 'wow, he's really big.' I looked at the pizza that said 'John' on it and said, "Are you John?" he said "Yes." I said "John Scott...
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 ...
Dear HockeyBuzz Community,
Every writer lives for the moment of creative epiphany, when he or she strikes upon an idea so compelling that it must be expressed in that very instant. I had my little moment of inspiration on the morning of June 19, when I sprung out of bed at 8 in the morning with an idea for an action-packed hockey satire. An absurd bout of writing ensued...
[i]("A Message From Gary Bettman" flashes across the screen. Happy muzak plays, cartoon bunnies frolic beneath the text. A smiley sun beams down on them from above. Fade up on...)[/i]
BETTMAN [i](sitting at a desk, wearing a suit and a "Versus" cap. He speaks in an ingratiating singsong voice)[/i]: Hi there, friends! Please, relax! I've brought a present. You see, we at...
Every once in a while you read something and say, "Hmm. Wouldn't that be nice?"
An interesting report today from Eklund, one that definitely piqued my interest. The Blue Jackets are speaking with the Leafs currently discussing a deal that would land defenseman Pavel Kubina. This would do two things for Scott Howson:
1. Get the powerplay quarterback that he needs.
2....
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...
When I look at the Flames' first month in the schedule I at first think it's a touch one until I start looking at the months following it and realize they're all tough.
The season starts out on Oct. 4 against the Flyers and their newest additions, I'd be very surprised if the Brier/Gagne line isn't extremely pumped for that game. This was the worst team Philly fans have ...
hockeyisgd writes...
Top 5 teams I'm excited about for the 2007-08 season
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Hope everyone had a good weekend. Today I want to tell you 5 teams I'm excited to see this upcomming season.
5. St. Louis Blues
After two dismal seasons, the Blues are going to attempt to turn it around this season. After making key additions, I believe the Blues will be headed on the right path this season. GM John Davidson has done a spectacular job of building this ...
Alright, in these hot, humid, brutal non-hockey days of August I thought it would be a good idea to post my predictions on our players stats for the upcoming season. I'd like to know what you guys think our players will get in stats. I guess this counts as my first blog, kind of.
[b]*NOTE*:[/b] I'm just going to predict everyone plays 82 games just to make it easier.......
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...
There are several reasons I believe why the Canucks won't have a blockbuster this year.
1. Cap Space.....yes the Canucks cap space is tight. According to nhlnumbers.com, the Canucks DO HAVE and ONLY 5.367 mil to play around with. Don't forget, in the site, they only has 20 players signed. You need about 22 to 23. So with 2-3 more players, we can assume they are small co...
This is my first Blog so bear with me. I feel that it is important to talk about the one flame player who I believe is maybe a diamond in the rough. Matthew Lombardi, I believe is a player or two away from Iggy numbers. This off season I thought Sutter might address the Lombo situation, and bring in some young talent to play with Lombardi. But what I can see is that he did...
The very first live professional hockey game I ever seen was between the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings. The year was 1994 and Wayne Gretzky was a King. Edmonton was leading the game 4-2 with 10 minutes in the third period. I believe it was Louie Debrusk had just been kicked out of the game following a fight/scrum.
In the next 4 minutes the Kings came back, t...
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...
[i]With all of the big new contracts signed this year, there are a lot of players with big shoes to fill. There are a lot of players with a new responsibility to be "the guy" for their respective clubs. There are a lot of players that need to step it up this season and show why they were worth the big bucks that their teams threw at them.
So which players are actually...
RC writes...
FORGIVE AND FORGET?? - Where should fans stand on Bertuzzi?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Every hockey fan that has seen the footage can bring it instantly to mind. Todd Bertuzzi chasing Steve Moore around the ice, and then, frustrated by Moores refusal to stand and fight, sucker punching him in the side of the head and driving him into the ice with the entire weight of both of their bodies. Everyone also knows the aftermath. Three and a half years later, Mo...
Ok, so everybody else is writing a blog now, so I guess i'd better do one too so everyone knows how I feel about the upcoming season. I guess the best way to describe my feelings about the upcoming season is to say that I am cautiously optimistic. I am very happy about the additions that Homer made and despite what anyone says, I don't think he overpaid at all. He paid wha...
Let's take some time to take a look at the best prospects of the organization. A few of them have a good chance of making the team right out of training camp.
The obvious one is [b]Nicklas Backstrom[/b] who is a very talented young Swede who was drafted 4th overall by the Caps in 2006. The 6'0'' 183 lb centerman should play on the second line with Alexander Semin and Vi...
I haven't blogged in awhile, but I can't sleep and I figured maybe somebody could get a laugh or groan out of some of this:
-Doug MacLean is part of the new ownership group of the Lightning. I hope for Tampa Bay fans that he leaves Jay Feaster alone. Feaster is a good GM, despite getting caught in a numbers issue with the big three. If MacLean forces him out, and replac...
The concept of bringing Michael Peca to the New York Rangers occurred to me for a minute last month, but I figured there would be no way something like that could [img:right]http://mapleleafs.nhl.info.pl/news/data/upimages/Michael_Peca_10.jpg[/img] get done. Not with the Rangers currently over the salary cap and not with the teams' commitment to the youth movement over the...
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...
Another sign that the 2007/2008 National Hockey League season is getting close is that the National TV schedules are starting to come out. The Buffalo Sabres have 7 games on versus which is 2nd most in the league behind Detroit.
[b]Versus[/b]
Toronto Maple Leafs-10/15
Washington Capitals-11/26
Boston Bruins-12/10
Tampa Bay Lightning-1/29
Philadelphia Flyers-2/...
[b] [u] By: Jon Cunningham[/u] [/b]
[i]Please note, all apostrophes show up as an 'a' with ^ above it. I didn't do it, sorry. [/i]
[b] [u] [i]Hello All![/i] [/u] [/i] [/b]
In this blog, I will examine all the NHL Teams major additions and subtractions during the off season, and examine if the team is better or worse because of it.
Each team will have a rating of...
[img]http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2007-08/31894936.jpg[/img]
[img]http://cdn.nhl.com/islanders/images/upload/2007/08/jersey_1_article.jpg[/img]
steal_your_faceoff writes...
2007 Philadlephia Flyers - And you may ask yourself...well
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
[b]how did I get here?[/b] (Thank you David Byrne)
Good question. But first we have to look at where we came from.
How bad were the Flyers last year? Let's just say, that on many nights the Delta Dental Ice Girls would have scored shorthanded. I know many of you know these figures, but for those who do not, here are some of the lowlights:
22 wins. Only 10 win...
This blog has little to do with hockey but it has a bit to do with sports and life and our values. In the past few months a lot of things have happened within sports and ties to the real world that have me shaking my head.
Let's take a few examples of our sports stars/personalities, Michael Vick, Tim Donaghy, Mark Bell, Barry Bonds, any cyclist. What's the common t...
A couple of weeks ago, I sat down one Sunday afternoon and turned on NBC. I was really, really hoping to find hockey on TV. I knew there was no way I was going to see hockey on TV during August, but a girl can hope, can't she?
I blame this state of affairs entirely on [code]my husband[/code].
A few years ago I was blissfully ignorant of hockey. Any knowledge I had of...
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...
Ah, home sweet home! I returned from my exciting trip to Niagara Falls at 5:00 AM this morning and I just woke up from my long nap that has left me fully recovered from my two sleepless nights on the coach bus. It was a great trip on which I was drenched as I stood under the American Falls, was scared out of my wits in the "Nightmares Fear Factory" haunted house, played mi...
CaptPantalones writes...
Prospect In Depth: Mike Weber, Sekera to the big club?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Buffalo Sabres continued to stock the farm system this week by adding another young player to the fold, agreeing to an entry level contract with Defenseman Mike Weber.
Weber, a 6-2, 199 pound defenseman was a physical force for the Windsor Spitfires the past few seasons, racking up 181 penalty minutes in 2005-06.
Weber has been compared to former Sabres defensema...
I was in the store the other day browsing around through video games. I saw on the shelf a bunch of "preorder now" signs for all of the upcoming EA Sports games. Then I saw it, NHL 2008. No different than any other NHL game since 2000, but still...updated rosters! Hurray!
Oh yes, and need I forget. Eric Staal on the cover??! Come on now.
Here's the deal: I'm a ...
I'm going to look at all six divisions, starting with the home of the Leafs, the Northeast Division.
NORTHEAST DIVISION:
Boston Bruins: The sad-sack Bruins have done little to improve their team from last season. The major upgrade was bringing in goalie Manny Fernandez from Minnesota; however, Fernandez may have inflated numbers due to time spent on the defensive-min...
I want to make a comment about all the Mark Bell talk this week. Every media person I've read this week has had nothing nice to say about the troubled winger, and even less to say about John Ferguson Jr. We all know I'm a leaf fan, so I may have bias towards them, but in no way do I agree with any of what is being said about Bell. The Toronto Sun's Steve Simmons wrote a...
Okay...first let me say this is not a 'compare and contrast' article. The point of this post is not to bring up that people in Hamilton Ontario put down 14,000 deposits on tickets...the point here is to update you on the success we are having in a NON-TRADITIONAL hockey market...even with all that said I fully expect snide comments.
The team finished Thursday with a tot...
Someone sent this to me but didn't want to post it for their own reasons. So, I am posting it for them. There are some good points here and it is posted without my editing.
***********
First of all I would like to thank Js and JP for the idea on my next blog. I get the greatest ideas on blogs sometime from being in the Chat Room.
Now on with the blog
I don’...
I have heard many rumors on this site that the Oilers are not done making a splash, and are still looking to make a block-buster trade to bring in a #1 Center to play along Hemsky and Penner if that happens to be the #1 Line. The rumor is that the Oilers are willing to trade some defence to obtain a little offence. When I look at the Oilers defencemen I dont see any top nh...
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...
I am and will forever be a Maple Leafs fan, i know that the team hasnt brought Stanley home in a long time, hell i wasnt even born and 15 other teams have won the cup since 67 so it could be worse but that doesnt change the fact that i am a fan and will continue to be, friendships have been formed thanks to Leaf fans uniting, memories established and moments shared as we a...
mob_slapman writes...
Economic Impact sports facilities (arenas, stadiums)
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
Much is being made of Nashvilles support levels for the Predators coming from various levels of government. Some might be suggesting that Nashvillians don't truly support their team if they don't want to see tax dollars spent on it. Of course, it should be remembered that CANADIANS didn't want to see their tax dollars going to fund hockey teams either. In this blog I ...
A few other wierd functions that I see at games of all different types of sports is the two factors that differ so much from just men going to sporting events. They each contribute their own caliber of uniqueness to them which adds to the equation of the great atmosphere (in most cases) that you pay X amount of dollars to go see.
Don't get me wrong, people watching at w...
After taking a break from the "Analyzing the Rangers" series for a week, I decided it was time to bring it back and analyze the defense. Defense is clearly the weakness of the Rangers and it should be interesting to break down the six players who I believe will make it into the lineup. As usual, all comments are welcome. Part 6, Here we go:
Left Defense: #8 Marek Malik
...
[img:left]http://mapleleafs.nhl.info.pl/news/data/upimages/Michael_Peca_10.jpg[/img]I don't really have a lot of time to write this blog, I just got back from my grandparents after a long weekend of putting a new roof on the barn here in beautiful Nova Scotia. It was miserable all weekend, it absolutely poored all weekend. I finally got a chance to go for a walk on the bea...
[img:left]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20060210/leafs_78377.jpg[/img]I thought it was important for somebody here to give Ed Belfour kudos on his wonderful career. Reports are saying that Belfour is likely to sign a contract with Leksand of the Swedish Elite League ending Belfours 18 year National Hockey League career, for the time being at least.
Belfour a nati...
saneopinion writes...
Flame assests to trade and my take on eklund's trade rumors
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Prior to training camp it seems that the Flames are set in terms of what they have and need to the point where there is an abundance of players and depth that could be acquired from them with out any real damage to the line up.
It's obvious the flames are stocking up at center, as I previously wrote how do you find spaces for Langkow, Conroy, Lombardi, Yelle with Taratuki...
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...
When you think of the word Captain for the sabres, you think without a doubt the likes of Chris Drury and Danny Briere from last year. When you think for this coming season who will be the captain you are left wondering who would be the best to fit the role. Would there be another co-captain duo this year as there was last year? My guess would be as good as yours. However,...
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...
[b]THE CALGARY FLAMES GET IT[/b]
I thought I would write another blog on what is really important in life. Most of these players understand what is really important for the NHL. You see the players understand that no how many records they break, or how many goals they score, it doesn’t matter if there are no fans to watch them! I am going to share some stories that sh...
Quick update before I hit the sack:
It has been reported that today, Peca will decide which team he will be playing on for the 2007-08 season.
http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/hockey/rangers/blog
The three teams involved now and their odds of them acquiring him IMO are:
Rangers: 46%
Leafs: 32%
Jackets: 17%
Other: 5%
It should be an intersting day, Im go...
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...
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
1) New York Rangers (110)
2) Ottawa Senators (107)
3) Atlanta Thrashers (99)
4) Pittsburgh Penguins (108)
5) Buffalo Sabres (104)
6) New Jersey Devils (98)
7) Toronto Maple Leafs (95)
8) Philadelphia Flyers (93)
-----------------------------------
9) Carolina Hurricanes (92)
10) Montreal Canadiens (91)
11) Tampa Bay Lightning (86)
12) Flori...
Perhaps it's a little early to write a preview for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so I'll make sure to do another one a little closer to the season opener. I figured it might be nice to get some of you Leaf fans salivating in excitement for the season though.
First of all, I should review the off-season so far for the Buds.
The Leafs made several significant moves. The big...
[img:left]http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/nash_rick050507.jpg[/img] [b][u]Overview[/b][/u]
[b]Name:[/b] Rick Nash #61
[b]DOB:[/b] Jun 16, 1984
[b]Born:[/b] Brampton, Ont., Canada
[b]HT:[/b] 6-4 [b]WT:[/b] 215
[b]Drafted:[/b] 1st overall in 2002
Columbus Blue Jackets
[b]2006/2007 Season Totals:[/b]
75 GP | 27 G | 30 A | 57 PTS | -8 | 73 PIM |
[b]Awar...
I have been sitting at the computer all day waiting for some news on Peca. According to his agent, Peca will reported decide today regarding which team he will be playing on for the 2007-08 season. If the Rangers, who many consider to be the front runner in the Peca sweeps, do not get back to Peca today he will walk away from the Rangers and sign elsewhere.
http://webl...
-Alex Tanguay
-Kristian Huselius
-Anders Eriksson
-Matthew Lombardi
All these players fall onto the same criteria as each other, Soft Players. Players that have splendid talents in other aspects of the game but wont be known for hitting, checking, and outworking the opponent. They also fall under another label; players one would never expect to remain on the hard w...
Hey everyone. In the next few weeks I am going to do a series of blogs that will introduce you to a few key Sharks players. I feel some of the young talent that San Jose has on it's roster is not recognized by the media as much as some of the other teams. I understand that being on the West Coast many people can't catch a Sharks game, including the media. I am not one to r...
The Bill Watters Show has reported that Peca will not sign with the Leafs. Peca's agent Don Meehan has stated that it is not about the money and the Leafs did not feel that Peca would be right for the team. It is now down to the Rangers and Blue Jackets. If a deal is not struck today with the Rangers, Peca will not sign with them. Columbus is the only other option as of no...
It's August, the hottest part of the summer is over. The Stampede is here and gone and heck, even the most loyal CFL fan is getting tired of the Stampeders. What better way to spend an evening than talking about 2007-08 Flames Hockey.
[b]The Good[/b]
First off, and others may not agree, the best thing the Flames did off-season was hire Mike Keenan. Last year this ...
John Dellapina reports that Don Meehan, agent for Michael Peca, never recieved an offer from the Rangers.
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/rangers/
Peca is now down to the Columbus Blue Jackets and possibly another team which is not known. I say this because Blueshirt Bulletin reported that Meehan stated that he had two offers that he would look at and decide on by week...
Depth isn't all that Michael Peca will provide the Blue Jackets, and what a good thing it is.
It was reported tonight by the Columbus Dispatch and the NY Daily News that Peca's agent, Don Meehan, and Columbus GM Scott Howson are finalizing a one-year contract. Terms are not immediately available.
The official annoucement is expected Wednesday morning.
Peca's remar...
I'm just going to list the top players from each team and compare, at the end if any oiler fan can tell me on that they can be certain the Oilers are a better team let me know.
top centers:
Sykora 53 points..oops sorry guys couldn't pay him enough to play there either should I move on to Nylander?? EEERRRR my bad, let me start over.
Top Centers:
Horcoff- 16 g 35a 5...
Apparently My HB won't let me reply on my own blog, so I'll attempt to do that to as many comments as I can here. I always make the time to try and reply to anyone who stops by and asks what's going through my head.
[b]1. What becomes of the Ducks if Selanne and Niedermayer retire?[/b]
First of all, I should state, as it wasn't articulated well in this post, that I w...
In the final edition of the Peca blog series, TSN has confirmed the Michael Peca has reached an agreement on a 1 year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets that will be officially anounced later today. This ends a 3 week saga where he was involved with the Rangers, Sabres and Leafs. His signing is welcomed in Columbus, a team that just lost a forward, Svitov, to Russia. The ...
Nashcity writes...
Has the game changed or do we just lack superstars?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It is no secret that overall scoring has dropped in the NHL over the past 20 years, and while there are many factors as to why this is the case, the majority of hockey experts will say that the biggest reason this has happened is that the game has changed. What was once a wide open game dominated by skill and speed has now often become a chess match between coaches and the...
BuffaloMat writes...
How many Sabres fans think Quinn should leave town?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
This has been a fun debate for the past few months. I know a lot of people say things out of anger but really don't mean what they say. So, what do you really mean? Let's find out how many people support Quinn for the actions he has done this past off season with the Sabres.
I could show a lot of facts that might sway someone's decision a certain way, but that's not ri...
I think it would be fun to get together with the Buffalo fans from this site in a offical bar/restaurant Hockey Buzz get together. It would be the place where other HB posters/bloggers could get together if they're not going to that particular game (or an away game) and just hang out and watch some hockey. Bring whoever you want with you that you usually get together with ...
OK I will bite on this a little bit.
First to a couple of the other Oilers posters who replied on sanes blog:
1. Tanguay was a good acquisition, especially since the Flames gave up a D-man who played what 10 games last year. I think he played more with Iginla down the stretch and was effective.
2. Second Kipper won't be going somewhere to market himself, the spo...
Ron Guillet writes...
The Fire Burns : Projection Of The Calgary Flames
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Howdy my hockeybuzz fella's! I'm here to bring you another projection of another team, by the name of the Calgary Flames. A team which holds a tiny particle of my heart next to the other particle which is the Buffalo Sabres and the core, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Flames have done some decent moves this off-season: They've added Adrian Aucoin, Anders Eriksson, Owen Nolan...
Many Americans like baseball. This cannot be because it is an exciting sport to watch, because it is not. It is slow-paced, even in the rare event of an exciting play, the play itself might last all of 45 seconds, followed by 5 minutes of no action, then a return to the dull routine. teams can go hours without any offensive activity, and only the most routine and basic ...
With news that Michael Peca will be heading to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the blame definitely lies on the shoulders of JFJ.
In Peca, the Leafs have lost a top-notch penalty killer, one-time Selke winner, and a guy who can play a solid defensive game; in other words, he was the kind of player the Leafs desperately needed.
In Matt Stajan and Alex Steen, the Leafs have...
On my way in to work this morning, I heard a very interesting story. The Blues have a 33% increase of season ticket sales this year (compared to last) giving them 8500 sold so far. The rams, however, are currently looking at more than half of their regular season games not sold out. This is a first since the team moved here in the mid 90's. The radio personality asked ...
[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...
hockeyisgd writes...
More Peca talk, from a Blue Jackets fan's perspective
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
When I first heard there was an e3 rumor that Michael Peca was comming to Columbus, I kind of got a little excited. Now that he's signed I really have some mixed emotions about him being on the Jackets.
Why I like Michael Peca as a Blue Jacket
It seems to me that every year, that the Jackets are a team that look like they can be a decent team on paper, but it never tr...
With the Leafs training camp about open soon they have 10 defensemen challenging for spots this coming fall. With Kaberle, McCabe and Kubina all being locks with their big contracts that leave’s three spots open for seven defensemen. Hall Gill would have been a lock but with loads of young D they could fly right by him in the depth chart. Ian White would se...
CBJ09 writes...
An Overhead View of the 2007-2008 Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
How many days until training camp opens? Ahhh....too many, of course. It's 95 degrees in Columbus and the only thing representing hockey season is my order form for a new RBK Edge jersey.
I'm usually guilty of doing this too much, but for the sake of excitement surrounding the past 24 hours, I'll take a look at the "on paper" Columbus Blue Jackets.
[b]FORWARD LINES[...
CBJ09 writes...
An Overhead View of the 2007-2008 Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
How many days until training camp opens? Ahhh....too many, of course. It's 95 degrees in Columbus and the only thing representing hockey season is my order form for a new RBK Edge jersey.
I'm usually guilty of doing this too much, but for the sake of excitement surrounding the past 24 hours, I'll take a look at the "on paper" Columbus Blue Jackets.
[b]FORWARD LINES[...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Flyers' Young Guns - Spotlight on Jeff Carter
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The great [b]Sir Winston Churchill[/b] once wrote about Jeff Carter saying, he is "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." Ok...so he was actually writing about Russia during his radio address in 1939; BUT, he [u]could[/u] have been writing about [b]Jeff Carter[/b]...couldn't he?
This young man, of only 22 years old, was born on January 1, 1985 in London, On...
BuffaloMat writes...
Sabres Roster Nostalgia 91-92 Part 1: Alexander Mogilny
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
[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!)...
[img:left]http://www.scholarships.ed.ac.uk/images/canada_flag.jpg[/img]
[b] Best of wishes to Team Canada, and the coaching staff over in Russia for the Super Series between Canada and Russia, starting on Monday. I'd like to personally say thank-you to all the players/coaching staff that are over in Russia that are going into a war with the Rus...
I do a weekly piece on WCCO-AM [the clear channel to the UPPER Midwest (U.S.) and do a piece called THE ANGRY MINUTE. A couple weeks back i covered the crazy rate at which Americans, last year, are leaving for Canada twice the normal rate (sic) ...
All things considered, i empathized... so I played the ENTIRE version of "Oh! Canada! " anthem, after some COMMENT of cou...
I do a weekly piece on WCCO-AM [the clear channel to the UPPER Midwest (U.S.) and it's called THE ANGRY MINUTE. A couple weeks back i covered the crazy rate at which Americans, last year, are leaving for Canada twice the normal rate (sic) ...
All things considered, sometimes we empathize... so, I played the ENTIRE version of the "Oh! Canada! " anthem, Stanley Cup Play...
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...
For all you Flame fans, I'm here to break the news that the emerging offensive Flame defenseman is off to hone his skills in Russia. According to a very close source to the situation, the Flames are opting to go with a veteran line-up and a run for the cup. Giordano a RFA, was offered a two way deal to stay with the Flames for half of the $800,000 he will receive in Russia...
To escape from the high heat and high humidity in the Boston area yesterday, I decided what better then go see a live game. So I hop in my air conditioned car and drive 2 and a half hours north to Lewiston, Maine and watch the Lewiston Maineiacs play the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in a QMJHL pre-season game. While being a pre-season game most of the drafted players were not ...
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...
I love hockey for it's crazy and totally unpredictable nature, anyone who's played sports select here in Canada (there's legalized betting here) and tried to bet 12 games in the N.H.L. on any given night knows what I mean. Try and guess four and if you do you'll impress me! Heading into any game are hundreds of intagibles, from injuries to sickness, to back to back games t...
For some inexplicable reason, the Blues are considering changing the song they play after the Blues score. Thankfully, they’ve let the fans decide between a new song and the old one, so PLEASE VOTE FOR THE OLD SONG!!! Here's the link. If you're really adamant, you can return to the Blues home page, find the link on the page, and vote again.
http://blues.nhl.com/team/a...
For some inexplicable reason, the Blues are considering changing the song they play after the Blues score. Thankfully, they’ve let the fans decide between a new song and the old one, so PLEASE VOTE FOR THE OLD SONG!!! Here's the link. If you're really adamant, you can return to the Blues home page, find the link on the page, and vote again.
http://blues.nhl.com/team/a...
So here it is, long-delayed and much fussed-over, the sequel to "Captain Crosby and the Penguins of Tomorrow." As an author's note, I'd like to thank everyone who's contributed a kind word or link to the first entry, including Seth Rorabaugh over at Empty Netters.
For the uninitiated, please read the first part of the script first.
Comments, as always, are welcome.
...
There is always a lack
when your teams under attack
because the defence are able to fly by
the pressure is thick
and the umberlla is set
and the powerplay is under way
a shot block is nice
when your protecting the net
the diamond position and collapsing D
are the recipe for who you need
oh yes indeed
we need the King of the Penalty Kill
Now its getting t...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Another of the Flyers' Young Guns: Mike Richards
Posted Monday | Comments 0
"Always do everything you ask of those you command."
-George S. Patton, Jr.
As some of you may know, I am a huge fan of General George S. Patton, Jr. He was a true leader in every sense of the word. He was a fearless warrior, a surprisingly thoughtful philosopher, a tortured historian with many former lives, a sometimes unstable egomaniac and an incredibly brillian...
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? ...
[b]PLAYERS YOU LOVE TO HATE[/b]
This blog is part one of two. The idea came from steal_your_faceoff who will be known here as syf. Each of the friends below has suggested two names of players we love to hate; as usual I will leave my two cents worth at the end.
[b]SYF[/b]
SYF's first pick was Darius Kasparaitis, for that famed hipcheck (legal...yes) on Eric L...
It is the management's responsibility to the owners and to the fans you pay the tickets to keep salary to a minimum, it is the player's agents responsibility to get as much for their clients as possible. If we are to look at the Giordano signing in Russia for a minute and get past the initial shock of it we know a few things, that the flames were offering around just over ...
I decided to write on something else besides hockey. I watched UFC 74 this past sat. and i have to tell you the amount of things that goes on into this even is amazing. This event goes to show why MMA in more popular than hockey at least in the States. the way they cater to the fans and provide a venue that allows people to meet the fighter is great. Hockey brass should lo...
I decided to write on something else besides hockey. I watched UFC 74 this past sat. and i have to tell you the amount of things that goes on into this even is amazing. This event goes to show why MMA in more popular than hockey at least in the States. the way they cater to the fans and provide a venue that allows people to meet the fighter is great. Hockey brass should lo...
I decided to write on something else besides hockey. I watched UFC 74 this past sat. and i have to tell you the amount of things that goes on into this even is amazing. This event goes to show why MMA in more popular than hockey at least in the States. the way they cater to the fans and provide a venue that allows people to meet the fighter is great. Hockey brass should lo...
I decided to write on something else besides hockey. I watched UFC 74 this past sat. and i have to tell you the amount of things that goes on into this even is amazing. This event goes to show why MMA in more popular than hockey at least in the States. the way they cater to the fans and provide a venue that allows people to meet the fighter is great. Hockey brass should lo...
On a hot humid day, whilst workmen tear apart the house, I have some random thoughts.....
-Forsberg and Holmgren go golfing? Didn't talk about a return? C'mon Paulie, I love ya big guy, but if you didn't discuss Forsberg's intentions for next year, then I am the Tooth Fairy.
-There's nothing worse than having an umkempt house when people arrive. With two kids and bot...
I decided to write on something else besides hockey. I watched UFC 74 this past sat. and i have to tell you the amount of things that goes on into this even is amazing. This event goes to show why MMA in more popular than hockey at least in the States. the way they cater to the fans and provide a venue that allows people to meet the fighter is great. Hockey brass should lo...
There's been a ton of talk that the Habs and Sharks have talked about a trade that would send Patrick Marleau to the Habs, but speaking with a few sources, I've been told that the Predators, Oilers and the Sabres are also interested, and have offered better packages for Marleau.
Also, just because the Sharks are listening to offers for Marleau, does that really mean th...
Once again the hockey season looms in front of us, creating an air of anticipation and excitement. Every year at this time, players are finishing their individual training and preparing for their team's pre-season camp, while fans are left sitting on their hands waiting for the season to start. We pointlessly discuss unimportant topics of where JS Aubin will sign and whe...
The Tampa bay Lightning may not have made the big moves during the off-season but that doesn't mean they didn't make good moves. In my opinion the lightning improved on every line and on defense. the first line improves just by vinny and marty having career years. the second line improves by michael quellet and jan hlavac. quellet is a very good goal scorer and hlavac ...
The success of the Leafs in 2007-08 could be influenced by their new players. There are three notable new faces in particular- forwards Jason Blake and Mark Bell, and goaltender Vesa Toskala. But how good or bad will they be? What influence will they hold over the team? Time to look at the pros and cons of Toronto's offseason pickups.
[b][u]VESA TOSKALA[/u][/b]
[img]ht...
If there is one thing this off-season has taught me is that teams, even with a salary cap, won't be afraid to throw big money around to get what they need. That being said the next off-season should be interesting for the New York Rangers. Unless he's signed to an extension at some point this year, Henrik Lundqvist will be a free agent next summer and how embarrassing will...
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...
As I see the slow progression of teams like Vancouver, Nashville, and Washington creep out with their new designs for their emblems and styles, I take a step back and begin to think really hard. I begin to wonder what these new looks would, well, look like with the basic jersey of the yester-years. The loose design with the nice "[i]flutter in the wind[/i]" character of ...
I usually do the random thougts blogs, but today I had a bug up my bum about something else-how lucky we hockey fans are that our sport is played at it's highest levels by men who are good guys, as well as great athletes.
For every NHLer that has off-ice issues-Rick Tocchet, John Kordic, Theo Fleury, Bob Probert-there's probably a hundred or so that are excellent role m...
Joe Sakic, Steve Yzerman, Jerome Iginla, and Mats Sundin just to name a few. What do these players all have in common? They are and have been the face of their franchise for years. Are they a dying breed?
With Yzerman retired, do the Wings have a player who represents them as well? Well maybe Lidstrom, and you can name a few others with Datsyuk or Zetterburg, but it’s...
A rant
The other day I was at my local druggist, I was in desperate need of a certain ointment! Joking!
The First thing I saw was a great big display for Halloween! HALLOWEEN! I kid you not, the date was August 16th, and they have Halloween displays already! A shiver went from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.
Halloween for me means the beginning of ...
iScoop writes...
Is Our Leader Really a Retired Swedish Goalie? Hmmm....
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Curiously, for a few out there it seems that there is no greater or more intensely debated mystery for them to devine than the [i]"true identity"[/i] of our distinguished leader. One recent [b]"rumor"[/b] said to be "making the rounds" in some of these small circles is that he may be a [b]retired Swedish goalie[/b] who once played for the old [b]EHL Jersey Devils[/b]. I re...
Ron Guillet writes...
The Big Apple Got Bigger: Projection Of The New York Rangers
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Alrighty my Hockey Buzz brotha's and sista's. With a nice handful of teams and their players predicted by moi, I thought I'd move to a team that I believe will be the powerhouse of the East... a team known as the New York Rangers. With a season under raps, the Rangers were eliminated by a mightier and badass'ier (yes, I make up words) team in the Sabres. But don't fret, th...
Slasher98 writes...
What UFA should the Caps sign to reach league minimum?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Capitals will have to spend more to get past the $34.3 million salary-cap floor by the start of the season. Interesting veteran forwards such as Anson Carter, Mike Johnson, Ville Nieminen, Jeff O'Neill, Jan Bulis or Jason Allison could all give depth to the Caps' top-12 forward group.
The best option would be [b]Mike Johnson[/b], who's a good 2-way player who can s...
Hello fellow-hockey fans,
Well, we are coming up to September rather quickly, and just under a few weeks we will all witness the birth of another NHL season. I, honestly, don't know what to expect. There were a lot of off season moves that seemed to shift the pendulum in favor of different teams strength-wise. The examples are all around us. The Avalanche picking up...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Marty Biron: Karn Evil 9 1st Impression - Part II
Posted Friday | Comments 0
"Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends
we're so glad you could attend come inside, come inside"
Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP) wrote those lyrics in 1973 - I was 5 - and embedded themselves in our rock and roll consciousness with a 29 minute 37 second exclamation of 1970s progressive rock.
Yeah...ok.
You are likely saying, "What in the name of R...
[b]Up next, I looked at the Northwest Division (one of the toughest to pick)
Minnesota Wild[/b]
The Minnesota Wild had a good year last year, perhaps overachieving a little bit. Mainly they were able to take advantage of Edmonton when they were on their spiral down towards the basement of the Northwest Division. The Wild were 6 - 2 against Edmonton and 4 of the wins ...
steve from chicago writes...
The league's best player is not a Blackhawk
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I heard the guys on XM talking about fantasy picks and top 5 best player lists and I was waiting for somebody to mention the obvious.
Chris Pronger is the best player in the league right now.
Our number obsessed world might not catch it because lots of the things that win games don't show up on the score sheet.
It's no coincidence that St. Louis imploded after he ...
These are some awesome sayings by Rick. He is a legend in Buffalo for everything he says and for being with the Sabres. He has the most animated sayings in the history of commentating in Hockey. Check these out.
For some reason video is messing up so here's the link to it. It's great, i'm sure you'll like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEfbyrKnKc0
Also c...
Off-Season Winners & Losers.
This off-season has been almost one for the ages, players that we're available name from Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and a fury of other notable players in the league. You could argue that teams like Philadelphia, who added Briere and Biron at the trade deadline should improve on their year previous, where they posted a dismal 22...
Until two exciting things will happen. Well, for me and the EA lovers also. My birthday falls on September 12th, but that's not what I think about this time of year. NHL 08 happens to have the release date of September 12th. So for me, it's kind of a birthday on top of another birthday, ya know?
Anyways, the Blue Jackets. Ohhh my, the good ol' Blue Jackets. I don't know...
First off, let me say that I am a huge Teemu Selanne fan. I was bummed when the Ducks let him go the first time, and have immensely enjoyed watching his resurgence this second time around. More so than his stats, I have been a fan of his because of the way he played on the ice, and handled himself off of it. As far as I know, he has handled himself with class and integr...
It appears Calgary Flames highly touted prospect Andrei Taratukhin has signed a 3 year deal to play in Russia following Mark Giordano's lead. Former Flame Jamie Lundmark is also in Russia for next season. If this is true, it's a huge blow to the Flames as Taratukhin's likely next step was to make the roster for the upcoming season.
Taratukhin is still under his entry-l...
[img:right]http://www.thelavinagency.com/images/bios/iginla.jpg[/img]Since the Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2004, the Calgary Flames have had high expectations since. The organization has struggled during the playoffs since their appearance in 2004, they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in 2006, then the Detroit Red Wings in 2007, both in the first round respectively. Calgary ...
Taratukhin has now signed a three year deal in russia and another bright prospect for the flames is heading to Russia. Why would he bother coming to the states and play a year only to opt out and head back again?? This has happened to two flames prospects but rest assured it will be the beggining of more if a transfer deal with Russia isn't signed.
The Flames' new head c...
For those of you who took the risk of adding Teemu Selanne to your hockey pools, you must be wondering, will he retire? Or will he come back for more with the Anahiem Ducks?
According to some websites, he has been encouraged to keep playing in the nhl from some old friends. I think Eklund mentioned that Philadelphia was interested in him.
Personally, i don't see why he ...
Well with training camp set to open in less then 2 weeks, its a great time to get into hockey mode and and break down what the Leafs might look like for there opening night matchup against the Senators.
[b][u]Goaltending[/u][/b]
This position looks all settled pertaining any trades with Toskala and Raycroft heading into the opening season 1-2, Clemmensen is the curre...
With training camps around the NHL just a couple weeks away, and a new season on the horizon, fans will have their burning questions about their favorite teams.
Thus is the same thing in Buffalo, where Sabres fans will have their big questions. Questions such as the new captain, or who forms the new first line. Here are the 4 burning questions likely to be on Sabres' fa...
Preds fans, do you have your fan-wear for the upcoming season?
Much of Pred Nation grabbed their gear during the Save the Predators rally, when the pro shop at the Sommet Center was having a crazy-go-nuts sale. However, if you missed that event, you still have time to grab shirts and jerseys from various places around town.
I needed to replace the Vokoun t-shirt I wo...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Flyers Special Teams and the Death of Summer
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The days are getting shorter, the school buses are freshly cleaned of last year's spitballs and awaiting a new crop of young troublemakers...umm...students, and another Flyers season is but mere weeks away. The near miraculous transformation from worst in the league to potential playoff spot is almost complete. The depth and breadth of the changes that occurred at the en...
It seems the trade between Toronto and San Jose has taken an interesting course. Mark Bell aquired along with Vesa Toskala by Toronto for first and second-round picks in 2007 and a 2009 fourth-round pick has tested positive for a substance abuse violation. This is the second time he has tested positive. Mark Bell was the 8th pick overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1998 h...
This is another classic example of John Ferguson Jr.'s incompetence as a GM, trading a 1st & 2nd round pick in 2007, and a 4th round pick in 2009 for Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell. This trade was dumb from day 1, first off this was the year the leafs finally had a chance to land a decent forward could've snagged Cherepanov or Esposito or many others that were still aroun...
clipper writes...
I'll have a Goaltending upgrade with a side of drunk driving
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Let's recap JFJ's thought process as the 2006/07 season ended. It may have gone something like this. "We were 8th in scoring last year with over 3 goals per game on average. However, we were 25th in goals against with over 3 goals per game on average. Our goaltender have a save percentage under .900 and a GAA greater than 3. We have 4 top calibre defenseman and a plet...
They're the same. Anyone suprised?
Look good.
The Hockey News had an interesting article on Mike Keenan and his new head coaching responsibility here in Calgary:
[url]http://www.thehockeynews.com/en/news/news.asp?idNews=25617[/url]
In addition, the Flames Prospect Camp is set to open tomorrow with some fitness testing. The players have been split into two squads and will practice over the weekend with scrimma...
Oh the NBA is crooked! That's a surprise! We've all seen Koharski and McCreary at their finest. How can you tell me these guys or on the up and up? If anyone can blatantly miss penalties or just make them up, it's these two.
Maybe the NBA Snafu will open some eyes. Or, maybe not. Right Colon!
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
4 Sleepers, 4 Busts for your Fantasy Hockey Draft
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
It's about that time for Fantasy Hockey drafts and I have a few ideas on sleepers and busts for the upcoming season. A bunch of us Hockeybuzzers got together and created a yahoo league and had the draft last night. It was good fun and if you'd like to take a peak inside the draft results, have a look-see at the link below.
-[url]http://hockey.fantasysports.yahoo.com/hoc...
Alright snap out of it people. Yes , the San Jose Sharks did sign Jeremy Roenick. Many are asking Why ?, Where will he fit in ?, Can he still play ? The answers to those questions are.....
[b]Why ?[/b]
Plain and simple, "Veteran Presence". This is something San Jose has lacked. Not to say they have not had quality vets on the team in the past, but a 9 time All Star, ...
Well the fantasy pools are soon or already up and running and I am letting Hockeybuzz bloggers pick my 2nd round guy! This is a very close knit pool with very knowledgeable hockey guys...
This is a straight forward pool, a point is a point, goalies get 2 for a win, 1 for an ot loss and 3 for a shutout (a shutout win is 5 added together).
Franchise players already selec...
Perhaps the achilles heel for any up-and-coming team is a lack of team defense. The Blue Jackets have made a few blunders down the path in the name of free-agent pickups Scott Lachance, Deron Quint, Bryan Berard and Adam Foote. Of the four mentioned, Foote has had the greatest impact on his team- both on the ice and in the locker room.
On the flip side, there have been...
Here is my take on the whole [b]Carey Price[/b] bandwagon. [b]Carey Price[/b] has talent no question about that. His play over the last 5 yrs in WHL & AHL hasnt been all that great. People say the goalie is only as good as the defense. I agree with that to a point...A goalie that is hyped up as much as he is should be better than his defense. Thats what seperates the great...
I'd like to start by stating that this blog is not an outlash towards the media, especially the members of this site who are part of the media, but rather a commentary on how everyone can focus on the wrong issues.
In the lifeless lull of the hockey world during the month of September, everyone finds themselves bored, but excited for the upcoming season. Most of the exc...
I bet you're wondering what I am talking about and saying to yourself "No one uses Time on Ice as a strategy for fantasy Hockey...." In my league we have just announced a statistic that will now become a strategy for our hockey team owners. This has been worked out to detail and such but is still actually being worked on to tweak out the bugs.
Who played the most in the...
Throughout the years there have been many things required to become a hockey player - stick, puck, ice, and the ability to speak in cliches. This is a skill that is taught at a very young age. Only with years of training and practice can a person truly master this art. This was clear today in a transcript of Thursday's media conference with Flyers GM Paul Holmgren. The...
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...
saneopinion writes...
headline: Archeoligists dig up Oiler Stanley Cup banner...
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It seems when I present an argument or a retort to the Flames vs. Oilers question I am met with one response over and over again, it goes like this.
" yeah...well you ONLY have ONE Stanley Cup banner...".
Yeah, I guess it is true the Flames have ONLY one banner to hang and I won't get into a pissing competition about president banners and conference banners because real...
[b]WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST THING YOU HATE ABOUT THE NHL?[/b]
Today blog question is to name one thing that you hate about the NHL. Notice I said one thing; I am sure everyone could found a lot more than just one.
[b]spiegs13[/b]
One of the things that bothers me with the new rules - although it wasn't that different before - is when a player is on a mini-breaka...
Heart.
When you hear the word, perhaps, the first thing you think of is that organ beating inside your chest.
You also might think of that hard rocking, but IMO god-awful, girl band comprised of the sisters - Ann and Nancy Wilson. Sorry, not a big Barracude fan.
When I think of the word "heart," I immediately think of it in relation to organized sports. Not ...
Much more well contected people than me are reporting possibilities of the Flames bringing in some defensive help in the form of Markov and Sopel. Bruce Dowbiggin ponders this rumor in the Calgary Herald, having said that it seems whenever he ponders something it comes true.
If my opinion was worth anything (and it's not) I'd kind of prefer Sopel, Markov is a better play...
[b]http://flyerflies.com/blogs/The_FlyerFly/?p=13[/b]
Finally, the first real sign that Flyers hockey is returning has arrived.
The Philadelphia Flyers rookie prospects have congregated at the Virtua Health Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J. for a mini-camp that is scheduled to stretch until Wednesday.
The Flyers rookie squad will take on a group of rookie prosp...
The end of the summer is here for the Buffalo Sabres, and it is time to put away the summer toys and get ready for Lindy Ruff's favorite time of year, training camp.
The Sabres opened up the camp season with Day 1 of their rookie camp Monday afternoon at the Amherst Pepsi Center. 17 of the teams top prospects converged for the workouts.
Lindy Ruff and his staff put 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...
My brother (in-law) Ryan Savoy one of the bravest people i have ever known. He was torn apart by the actions of the cowards that hi-jacked the planes and used them as devices of destruction. Even though he was already in the Marines at the time he choose to go to Iraq and fight for the ones who's lives were cut short. He was in the Marines for 5y yrs in the 1st Armored Div...
Well, folks. Thursday is the day the Blueshirts officially open the doors to training camp, though reports are circulating that many players have in fact already begun "informal" workouts, both on and off the ice.
Players who have already been spotted on the ice include: Brendan Shanahan, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Martin Straka, Henrik Lundqvist, Petr Prucha, Sean Ave...
Well its been some time now since I have been able to put up a blog and as I sat here thinking about what to write I began going back over all the great hockey memories I have, especially those of my team, the Canucks. A I went from memory to memory, each one bringing back a moment in time, a picture, an image, a feeling, I realized how much a part this team, and this game...
I have had the pleasure of watching the Canucks rookie camp all this week. Let me fill you in on what I saw at camp.
As Eklund said, Victoria native Taylor Ellington had a very good camp. In 60 games last year with the Evertt Silvertips of the WHL, he scored 5 goals along with 8 assists. Although he does not look like he'll be a huge point producer at the NHL level, he ...
Anybody else sick of player nicknames these days? The good old days had Flyers with colourful names like Battleship,Hound Dog,Big Bird,Moose and The Hammer. That is great stuff, the fans could relate and loved the players.
Now nicknames consist of adding a y to the end of everybodies name…..BORING. Who needs Jonesy or Richy or Marty? Not me forget it, lets have some ...
pensfan17148 writes...
Rookie Camp Ends - Who Stays and Who Goes and a Rumor
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Hey pens fans,
The Pens have invited the following players from rookie camp to training camp: Aaron Boogaard, Jonathan Filewich, Joe Jensen, Tyler Kennedy, Mark Letestu, Kyle Rank, Ryan Stone, Tim Wallace, Jonathan D’Aversa, Kris Letang, Ben Lovejoy, David Brown John Curry and Dustin Jeffrey. From their 2007 draft picks the Pens reassigned Luca Caputi, Robert Bortuzzo...
hey. just as a warning habs fans...you are putting way to much pressure on this carey price kid. talk about expectations for a young guy. remember when you were his age (or still are)? your confidence was not exactly one of your strong points as you developed in life and on the job. and now you and your fellow fans are swarming this kid with unrealistic expectations in a t...
I'm reposting this since it originally was lost behind the scenes and I think it will speak to the Hockey dads out there.
So, it’s Wednesday and I’m thirty minutes into an hour commute home to get to my son’s first street hockey game of this summer season. He’s coming off a winter where he played two separate seasons of inline hockey and went to a skating camp t...
Hey there,
Finally, across the city, we can feel the nervousness and febrility of everybody. All the talk and chat are centered in only one subject : The Canadians.
The passionate optimistist, the everyday pessimist, the young newbies, the seasoned veteran or the expert...everybody and their mama agree on one thing : They can't wait until it really starts!
So, let...
It was announced that newly aquired defenceman Aaron Miller will undergo abdominal surgery today in Vancouver. Aaron Miller spent last season with The Las Angeles Kings where he amassed 8 points and was a -14 on a team without a goalie.
Vancouver Canucks Senior Vice President and General Manager gave a brief summary of the events. “After further consultation with...
Hey pens fans,
Here is a look at the Pens' training camp roster. Defensemen: Mark Ardelan, Paul Bissonnette, Jonathan D'Aversa, Mark Eaton, Deryk Engelland, Alex Goligoski, Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Lannon, Kris Letang, Ben Lovejoy, Brooks Orpik, Alain Nasreddine, Rob Scuderi, Darryl Sydor, Mike Weaver, Ryan Whitney. Forwards: Colby Armstrong, Aaron Boogaard, Tim Brent, Erik C...
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 ...
BuffaloMat writes...
Sabres Roster Nostalgia 91-92 Part 4: Clint Malarchuk
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
Clint Malarchuk was a candid goaltender that when he spoke the quote stuck with him and they were funny. The Chuk as most of my friends called him when we were growing up was always fun to watch when Darren Puppa wasn't in the net. Of course Darren was always our favorite because we made fun of his last name but when the Chuk would get onto the ice we would make just a...
Okay, I will rephrase since people are jumping down my throat. I just feel that the Islanders are always at the bottom of everything in the media. Meanwhile, they prove them wrong every time. You think after every time the media gets proven wrong they would change their predictions? But they don't. The New York Islanders have become the least liked team in the NHL. I don't...
saneopinion writes...
The more I hear the more I like about Keenan's style.
Posted Friday | Comments 1
For the first time in a very long time Flames fans were treated to something wonderful, something that they hadn't seen since the early 90's, something every other team hopes to have every year... scoring.
Sutter had made a trade for Tanguay (another steal of a trade from the Zen master) and in addition Huselius had blossomed into his potential giving them two very skill...
I went to the first Ducks preseason game last night at the Honda Center.
There were more people there than I expected and it was a fun crowd. The season tickets I bought into are pretty high up (though, there’s not really a bad seat at the Honda Center, which is great) so I was around a lot of real fans. I had a blast.
This is my first time watching a preseason gam...
Day one of training camp was focused on one thing. The thing the Canucks are in need of the most. Offence. Both Jannik Hansen and Jason Jaffary scored beautiful goals on the first day. Begging the question; Who will get the start on opening night?
[b]Jannik Hansen[/b] already has experience at the proffesional level. He played 10 games in the playoffs and finished wit...
The Peca Rumors we're constant. The Sabres, Rangers and Leafs were at the top of the list but is seems as though EVERY team was linked to Peca at some point. Evrey team but Columbus that is.
At first blush it seems like an odd match. At this point, Peca is the classic "final piece to the puzzle" type player and columbus hasn't even gotten all the piece out the jigs...
The Flames' first scrimmage showed lines that I think will possibly what ends up bering the norm. Keenan is known for his willingness to experiment in his line combos should the chemistry fail but these could very well be the standard lines throughout the year:
Tanguay- Langkow- Iginla
Huselius- Lombardi- Nolan
Primeau- Conroy- Moss
Nilson- Yelle- Godard (this spot c...
When Cristobal Huet injured his hamstring last season Jaroslav Halak came in to the picture, and played well, yet they were still not able to get into the playoffs. Huet is now a proven first-stringer, and his absence certainly factored into why they did not make the playoffs. A healthy Huet should win his job back at training camp, unless Carey Price shows him up, but we'...
[b]ROOKIES[/b]
Steven Boyd played like a monster by far the best skater was great today
Tim Ramholt best day in camp played the best defenisively he has was 10 times better today than the rookie camp Tim showed up today
Leeland Irving Played very well today didn't look rusty at all did a better job controlling his rebounds
Matt Keetly Matt was a super star m...
[img:left]http://cluster.leaguestat.com/download.php?client_code=whl&file_path=img/players/24181.JPG&w=120[/img]First and foremost, I know this is an incredibly long article, but I hope you take the time to read it, as it is perhaps one of the best hockey stories ever. I know I haven't been writing a lot these past couple weeks, and I apologize. I've been busy with class, ...
I was looking over what the capitals have been doing this off-season and just placing it in my mind what is actually going on with this team. You would think that the team would have a better standing with the talent that seems to come out of there don't you? Some will argue that there is no talent... well that's just hog-wash.
Alexander Ovechkin is an obvious 100 poin...
I thought I would put a small blog up for camp day 2
Aucoin got his legs back
also his shot wow some really good shots back
Craig Conroy was very good, he is a lot faster than I thought
Lombo was with tangs and Iggy, they looked very good lombo was actually faster this year if that an really happen
Langkow with Nolan and juice and Juice left the camp ...
Ever see the movie The Number 23? If you haven't it's about a guy that's obsessed with the number 23. After watching/reading anything I could get my hands on about the Leafs upcoming season I noticed the number [b]13[/b] coming up a lot. Check it out:
The Leafs opened training camp on Thursday, September [b]13[/b]th. That day they unveiled their new Reebok Jerseys ([b]...
Well almost a week since the Gods brought us NHL08, and I still play it way too much. I will be getting the online league going very shortly-it's already just about set to roll. I can't say enough good things about this game, I really feel like I am a shill for the site sponsor, but it's true. I have played maybe two hours of other games since the package arrived with Eric...
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...
Hey pens fans,
The Penguins have sent 10 players to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton They are Aaron Boogaard, Joe Jensen, Mark Letestu, Kurtis McLean, Kyle Rank, Mark Ardelan, Paul Bissonnette, Jonathan D’Aversa, Deryk Engelland, and David Brown. WB/S camp starts Thursday.
The Penguins have 41 players remaining in their camp: 13 defensemen, 24 forwards, and four goaltenders.
...
ExtraB writes...
From Gretzky to Lemieux... he scores! O Canada Hockey Cards!
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
-
"O Canada, We Stand On Guard For Thee"
The first lines of the Canadian National Anthem perfectly describe the dedication of Canada's national hockey teams and for the first time a hockey card set is being created to celebrate. Perhaps, no other country in any other sport has achieved the consistent excellence that Canada has attained in international hockey. These wi...
ExtraB writes...
From Gretzky to Lemieux... he scores! O Canada Hockey Cards!
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
-
"O Canada, We Stand On Guard For Thee"
The first lines of the Canadian National Anthem perfectly describe the dedication of Canada's national hockey teams and for the first time a hockey card set is being created to celebrate. Perhaps, no other country in any other sport has achieved the consistent excellence that Canada has attained in international hockey. These wi...
First off I would like to say thank you to everyone who responded to my question on this topic. Fans, members of this site, and others, your input is appreciated. Also an extra special thanks to Ryan Garner for taking the time to lend some input on all of this. So here it goes.
It's that time of year again. The late blooming flowers are beginning to fade, and the leav...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Real Flyers Scrimmages...Like Christmas morning
Posted Monday | Comments 15
[img:left]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:rbDOhlS0_FrI2M:http://www.amazing-christmas-ideas.com/images/birds-beads-full-tree-big.jpg[/img]
[img:right]http://nhl.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p3288909th.gif[/img]
With all the proper religious respect due my brothers and sisters of other faiths, seeing a scrimmage with real NHL players was like walking down the st...
Well here we are again. Pre-season is under way for the league. It's a good time to be a hockey fan. For me, pre-season is always a lot of fun just to see who stands out and who doesn't.
At this year's Leafs camp, we have a couple of those guys and some are starting to stand out already.
The name that keeps popping up is Simon Gamache. It seems like he is turni...
It is time for the second edition in my series of blogs about the new NHL jerseys. For those who still have not seen the new jerseys:
http://www.fartfignewton.com/rbk_edge/
And for those who missed Part 1 of this series:
http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=2407&post_id=2473
This time I am turning my critical eye towards the Northwest division.
[b]C...
The end of our local camp in coming to an end. I just wanted to forward some info onto the Kings fans. This is something written br Rich Hammond. It is Very informative. I feel for the Kings and Ducks with their "Road trip from Hell". The Ducks got it worse....Stay Healthy all...
"It's hard to believe that there's only one day of camp left in Los Angeles. After Tuesday...
Hello all. I had this idea earlier today when i was watching the video on the main page. I want your help in compiling a HOCKEYBUZZ Sound Track. No doubut that hockey & music share a connection thanks to the likes of The Tragically Hip's songs: 50 Mission Cap, Fireworks & Lonely End Of The Rink. I want the readers of HockeyBuzz to help me come up with a collection of songs...
So tonight is the first pre season game for the Leafs against the Oilers. It should be a good game and a good test for a few players. Here is the line up that was posted by Alec Brownscombe on his blog [url]http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=9452[/url]
FORWARDS:
Darcy Tucker - Kyle Wellwood - Alexei Ponikarovsky
Jeremy Williams - Matt Stajan - Simon Gamache
...
Seeing as this is my first blog, here's a little bit of background information:
I'm a Leafs fan. Living in Ottawa.
In the grand scheme of things, that's all that really needs to be said.
Now, this past weekend it got rather cool in the nation's capital. Naturally, such temperatures call for a ... [i]sweater[/i]. But I decide to don not just any sweater ... I decid...
Now that Vokoun is with the Florida Panthers, will he suck?
I refer not to his admirable goalie skills, but to the welcome he will receive when the Panthers play Nashville this year.
As many of you know, we Preds fans have a charming way of welcome the starting lineup of opposing teams at the beginning of each game. As the names are announced, we gleefully yell "SUCK...
Do you hear what I hear? Of course you do. The scratching skates against the ice, the thumping of bodies, the sharp thwack of the slapshot, the rippling of the mesh, the gasps and screams and howls of the fans, the booming voices of coaches screaming out instructions, and the goal horns, oh how could I forget you? Not since the Super Series have I heard you, and have I eve...
Mark Bell
[img]http://littlefalls.blogsome.com/images/bell.jpg[/img]
[url]http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/hockey/story.html?id=d344c4b9-75e2-45ba-aa40-6d468a5e9bcd[/url]
Rob Ramage
[img]http://czechfan.com/images_stl/ramage_rob.jpg[/img]
[url]http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2007/09/18/4505458-sun.html[/url]
Keith Magnuson
[img]http://www.lifeinlegacy.c...
As the NHL season is coming into view, Id like to finish up my analyzation of the Rangers by taking a look at the projected third defensive pairing for the upcoming season.
Left Defense: #4 Marc Staal
Personal: 20 years old from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Stands 6 ft 4 in 206 lbs. Shoots lefty. Drafted 12th overall by the Rangers. Entering his firstseason with the Rangers. ...
Wed Sept 19, 2007
Vancouver Canucks (0-1) vs. Calgary Flames (0-1-1)
7:00 pm - General Motors Place - Vancouver, BC.
Feeling The Burn
The Vancouver Canucks take to the ice this evening, facing off against Mike Keenan and the Calgary Flames. Not only are the Canucks facing the Flames but there are several Canuck regulars that are feeling the burn.
Brenda...
As reported from CalgaryFlames.com
This list not to surprising except that means Krys Kolanos must of been offered a contract also pretty much mean that Adam Pardy is being considered on this team of the Flames.
Gord Baldwin (D)
Kris Chucko (RW)
Brad Cole (D)
Cam Cunning (LW)
Ryan Donally (LW)
Matt Keetley (G)
Krys Kolanos (C)
Kevin Lalande (G)
Tomi...
The preseason didn't hinder the heated rivalry between The
Vancouver Canucks and The Calgary Flames. The tempo was
turned up a notch at General Motors place. If you stepped
onto the ice you knew you were going to be hit.
The Canucks opened the game with a flurry of speed and hits.
They managed to keep pace with Calgary's tenacity and even
excede them. The...
[u][b]Typical Outing[/b][/u]
Tonight's match-up had all the ingredients for a mid-season affair between the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. Take out the fact that Jarome Iginla was in the Flames line-up and several Canuck veterans were enjoying the game from above, tonights game had the typical Vancouver-Calgary atomosphere.
Eric Godard layed out Matt Cooke as...
Having just sat through 12 hours on campus, and 6 hours of class, I really don't think I can be all that eloquent right now; however, I will just summarize what I've seen from the Leafs in both yesterday's 3-2 OT loss to Edmonton, and tonight's 3-2 win over Phoenix.
HOT: The Blake/Sundin/Antropov line. This line had a great showing tonight, and was solid on the PP. I wi...
And no, this is not a very late blog in reference to Briere and Drury.
Lindy Ruff told the media yesterday that the 2.5 year pairing of defenseman Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman is no more. The Sabres top shutdown pairing the past two seasons will be split up, at least for the time being.
In order to spread out the wealth in regards to the recent heart surgery of T...
saneopinion writes...
Prospects might not think they are playing for a spot.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
For the teams who's record is a winning one during the pre-season this time of year signals what is to come for the rest of the year and for those who have a losing record the pre-season is just try outs and doesn't mean anything. The truth is a bit of both.
It's hard to look at a flames squad that hasn't put in two solid vetrem lines in the pre season and say, "hey, this...
YOU KNOW YOUR A HOCKEY FAN IF...
1. Your idea of serving breakfast is giving each of your kids a fork and dropping an Eggo in the middle of the table.
2. You punish your kids with "minors," "majors," and "misconducts."
3. When you come to a traffic signal and the light turns green, you stop.
4. When you come to a traffic signal and the light turns red, you get ...
Acccording to latest Flame press release at calgaryflames .com
QUAD CITY (AHL):
Eric Nystrom (LW)
I am not sure this is to surpising but Eric Nystom was one of 6 players that got sent down today. I am really surprised that he has not made the team as of yet but I wonder how much longer he has .
Brett Palin (D)
Sold dman still needs time to progreess but he ...
Wondering why we don't give the one-eyed-bandit a chance to boost our PP? I'm down with McGillis, or maybe Berard doesn't want to come up here or is asking too much... anyways... just a thought...
The Canucks own battle of Alberta continues tonight when the Edmonton Oilers come to town. Anson Carter will not play tonight, because of a concussion. Honestly would MacT have even let Carter suit up for this game. Maybe the bad blood between Carter and the Canucks only comes from the fans, but if there was any from the players, Carter would have a rough time tonight.
...
I grew up watching players like Robinson, Gainey, Lemaire, Lafleur, Shutt, Dryden...The list goes on and on! Generations of great hockey players have come and gone for this great franchise. I have put them on a pedestal above all else for the most part of my 37 years. When i was a kid, I would fall asleep following a Habs game that I listened to on an old radio tucked u...
Yesterday I came across an article from the Asssociated Press regarding Jordan Staal and how he's embarrassed about his incident in the offseason. As well he should be.
However, what struck me as odd was that Mr. Bettman and the NHL have chosen not to issue any further discipline on him or Eric for their off ice behaviour. Nor are they going to levee any further discipl...
With the struggles of the Calgary Flames during their first three preseason games, I wondered if this was a sign of things to come as opponents would say, or simply false results caused by a lack of a full veteran roster, as many Flames fans would like to believe.
Do preseason results translate to regular season success? In th 2006-'07 season, the Eastern Conference pr...
[img:right]http://cdn.nhl.com/images/upload/2007/03/nhl_premiere.gif[/img]Hockey season is nearly upon us once again, pre-season training camps and exhibition schedules are in full swing, fantasy hockey drafts are the talk of the work place and hockey fans everyway wait with baited breath for that first puck to drop on the 07/08 NHL season.
For once i'm happy to say tha...
tml1967 writes...
Which Maple Leaf will step up and fill Wellwood's spot.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Leafs receive a second blow this preseason and have lost Kyle Wellwood indefinitely as the nifty center has surgery to repair his hernia once again the same injury that sidelined him for 33 games last season, having already lost Mark Bell to suspension the Leafs must now look within there roster and see if there is a player who could step in and possibly center a secon...
[b]MIKE KEENAN
THE GOOD, THE OKAY, THE UGLY
THE LIFE OF A COACH[/b]
The life of a coach can be good, okay, and even ugly. It's no different for the new coach of the Calgary Flames, Mike Keenan.
The Stats were found at two sites http://en.w...
Just a little warning... if you're on board with Keenan and Sarich and Nolan and the new faces of the Flames you may want to stop reading right now.
Pre-season hockey is a chance for us to look at the questions our teams face heading into the season. We get a chance to share our usually high and lofty expectations for our own teams.
When I look at the Flames this ye...
As of now, this is still unannounced by the Sharks org, but the following players seem to have been released from the NHL Training Camp:
D-51-Walsh
D-65-Joslin
D-70-Evans
G-33-Dakers
F-28-Packard
F-38-Valette
F-40-Armstrong
F-60-Raduns
This would leave 18 forwards, 9 defenders, and 3 goaltenders in camp.
Lines for today were (in no particular order):
Mar...
No! I mean, everyone is all for it that I have seen so far. Am I the only one that absolutely hates this idea?
"Hey Rick, where is our game next Friday?" -Foote
"Umm hold on.. Hey! It's in Europe!" -Nasher
This is probably, in my opinion, the stupidest idea known to mankind. This is so dumb to me it's like saying the grass is blue and the sky is green. I think Bettm...
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...
With just over a week to go before the season opener against the Islanders and three preseason games in the books, the questions surrounding Sabres training camp are slowly becoming answered.
Just before camp, I penned a blog discussing the four biggest questions facing the team coming into camp. At this point, it is probably a good time to see if they have been answere...
CaptShark writes...
Sharks look to keep Calgary winless, 5 more players cut
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
The Sharks travel to Calgary tonight to take on the Flames. San Jose will be looking to keep the Flames offense watered down and their defense on their toes. Coach Mike Keenan and the flames are still searching for their first preseason victory and will be matched up against a tough San Jose roster. Nabokov will get the start in goal as will Kiprusoff. This game will be a ...
So an article in the Calgary Herald this morning states Kipper wants Iginla type money (let the opposing fans in the NW speak now). I've talked about this before, but with the pay structure of the rest of the team, this is currently not an option.
Based on the site, [url]http://www.nhlnumbers.com/cgy.html[/url], the Flames have 11 current roster players signed to cont...
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...
[b]YOU BE THE GM 2
THE FUTURE FREE AGENTS: TO SIGN OR NOT TO SIGN
[/b]
Today's blog is on Calgary's Unrestricted Free Agents - well actually, the top three possible unrestricted free agents after this season. The question is: To sign or not to sign? You make the call.
Stats thanks to NHLPA.com
[b]
Mikka Kiprusoff[/b]
Mikka's stats from last year were: 74 game...
All the hype for winger Hugh Jessiman in training camp this year was unwarranted. He hadn’t shown anything in two years of minor league hockey to make anyone believe he could have made the Rangers this year. In the first two preseason games Jessiman was invisible and I don’t know how that’s possible for a guy with a 6’6”, 230 pound frame.
The most emb...
Just in case people forgot who Steve Downie is. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Fidlin/2005/10/31/1286377-sun.html
Interesting to see that the guy doesn't even make it to the regular season before he fully establishes himself as a gutless player at the NHL level. Very dissapointing to see rookies potentially destroying the career of the veteran players in the hop...
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...
I'm sorry if this seems a bit unprofessional but this is my first attempt at a "blog" ever.
I just wanted to comment on the hit by Downie on Dean McAmmond. Yes, it was definately an unappropriate hit. He did leave his feet using his body as momemtum driven projectile and he claims thats part of his game, finishing checks. But there's a right and a wrong way to thro...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
SYF's Top 10 List - Players you would like to see this year?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Before moving to the Top 10 list, I wanted to comment on the events that occured last night in the Flyers/Senators pre-season game.
The injury to Dean McAmmond is on the minds of all hockey fans, as it should be. The hit by Flyers prospect Steve Downie was unconscionable and flat out wrong. Irrespective of what Colin Campbell does, Downie should - and will - be punish...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
When to suspend.....and some personal observations.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I want to take a slightly different look at the recent furor at headshots in the NHL. Do I think they should be minimized? ABSOLUTELY! Do I think they can be completely eradicated? No, I dont, they happen, this is a fast game played by fast men but just because something is a head shot doesnt mean it should automatically be grounds fro a suspension. Hell anytime a big d-ma...
This past weekend my co-horts and I got together and drew out our Canucks tickets. I managed to snatch this evenings pre-season contest against the Sharks. Although, I was not impressed with the fact that it is pre-season, I am rather intrigued to see some of the notable prospects that the Canucks have to offer this season. Namely, Mayson Raymond.
I am quite pleased th...
[quote=TheTiny]If you watch the video replay you will see that his feet don't leave the ice untill there is contact. Shoulder contacts the head and then Mcammond's head hits the boards. It is also 0.6 seconds after Mcammond passes the puck, Downey also cannot see that he doesnt have the puck. Mcammons head is looking where he passed and doesn't see Downey coming. By today'...
The season opener approaches, and the Sharks announce a total of 8 players being re-assigned to Worcester (AHL) this week.
None of these roster reductions really surprised me, they're just talented players who need more time to develop and mature before skating in the "Big Show". However there are two rookies who are making their mark this pre-season, Torrey Mitchell a...
Two youngsters trying to make the Sharks NHL roster suffered setbacks in a shootout loss to the Calgary Flames Tuesday.
In the first period, forward Tomas Plihal was hit along the boards by Flame David Hale. While the severity of the injury of the injury to Plihal's shoulder was not immediately known, he did not return to the game. More to come as it's known, but it's...
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...
Welcome to my first blog...ever. After reading the comments from so many disgruntled Leafs fans, and watching the Leafs pre-season games as of late I felt I had to start my own blog so I could throw my own 2 cents into the mix. My message to leafs nation: Calm down.
Every move the Leafs make is scrutinized over and over again by the fans, and the media. Folks, this is p...
CaptShark writes...
Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Also Sharks Radio Update
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The San Jose Sharks have found themselves in a tough place. A good tough place though. The Sharks roster still has some trimming to be done, however, who will stay and who will go? Obviously you can't begin the season with 28 centers just because they all looked good in the preseason. A complete team needs defense as well. You have your locked in guys such as K Mac, Carle,...
Just read something interesting on TSN.com in the Article about Dead McAmmond talking to TSN. ([url]http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=219333&hubname=nhl[/url])
[quote=Sens Headcoach John Paddock]"I think for the good of Steve Downie. He needs to be suspended for a long time. We were cheering for him the last two christmas times (World Junior Championships) and h...
Theycallmetodd writes...
Faith is not only Preseason Deep. Oilers make Playoffs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
With many experts picking the Oilers to finish out of the playoffs and on the lower end of the conference standings there is no where to go but up. They will surprise some people with a playoff appearance and improved offence.
Everybody knows that preseason success doesn’t always result regular season wins. With a 5-1 preseason start the Oilers might not change many o...
During practice today, the Sharks were without the services of Tomas Plihal, Torrey Mitchell, Brad Norton, and Craig Rivet (though he did come out for the speed skating drills in the second half of practice).
Per the Sharks, Mitchell had to have some fluid drained from the foot he blocked a shot with, and might return to the ice on Friday. If he can skate Friday and st...
For all those fans out there who have watched Flyers fans fire back over and over with ludicrous accusations, I apologize. As a Flyers fan, it pains me to see what is currently going on not only with Steve Downie himself, but with other Flyers fans. On one front, I am proud to be a fan of the organization because I can see how the fans here rally together and will defend t...
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
Fantasy Hockey - With only the Sabres roster!?!?
Posted Friday | Comments 1
Sabres Fans... Join the hometeamhockey.com fantasy league. Below is a short description from the site's creator. I've participated for the past few "divisions" and really enjoy it. Give it a try.
[quote][i]Fantasy Hockey for the Home Town Fan. Why a fantasy league with just one team? My thinking is this: I like Fantasy sports, but I don't have the time to [img:right...
Today blog is on another blog questions. So I force some of my friends to pick
What is your favorite hockey memory while growing up?
ZenSisyphus
Well, this is going to go down as the most common "best" memory, but I have to say the Miracle has to be it. I grew up in Colorado, and at the time our NHL team wasn't televised very frequently (maybe not at all), and ou...
I figured since everyone else was talking about Steve Downie knocking Dean McAmmond into next week that it was time to throw my take on the incident out there. Why? Because I think a lot of people are letting their passion get in the way of reason, like they often do when incidents like this happen in sports.
There’s no question that when you see something like thi...
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, ...
Ryan Garner covered a good deal of what I was going to post in his entry today ([url]http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=9713[/url]), so I'll just hit on a few other things.
Craig Rivet missed the majority of contact drills today, as he did yesterday, only coming out to skate with the power skating coach at the end of practice. He is definitely working very hard...
In the past week we have had a front row seat to see how the current review committee, and Colin Cambell, determine player suspensions. We all saw the hit, the coaches responses, player responses, media input, public outcry, etc, etc etc. Its a long, and flawed, system that in the end determines a punishment which is usually met with and equal amount of approval and displ...
Mark Smith is a Flame.
A signing by Darryl Sutter. Keenan had no decision on the matter. Mark smith a versatile role player who can fill on the top lines. His departure from the Sharks was due to the fact that he would not get much playing time in a team as deep in forwards as San Jose. Mark Smith tried out also with the Ranger who offered him a two way contract.
...
Following the lines from the last two practices, for the most part...
Marleau Thornton Chechoo
Clowe Pavelski Bernier
Michalek Roenick Setoguchi
Rissmiller Goc Grier
McLaren Ehrhoff
Vlasic Murray
Davison Carle
Nabokov
Patzold
For Calgary:
Tanguay Conroy Iginla
Nilsson Smith Huselius
Moss Primeau Yelle
Godard Boyd Peters
Aucion Regehr
Phaneuf Sari...
Buffalo edges out Pittsburgh in an unusually EXCITING preseason game. Not often are you on the edge of your seat listening to the radio. AND, no Sidney Crosby (boo hoo) and the debut of the new hi-def jumbotron.
As promised I am following up my dark horse blog with my predictions blog. Very unique I know. No playoff predictions though, way too early for those. With that said, let’s start in the West.
[b]
[u]Western Conference[/u][/b]
[u]Pacific Division[/u]
1. [b]San Jose Sharks[/b]: Probably the deepest team in the league. Tons of offensive skill led by Joe Thornton, Pat...
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In a previous post I announced the upcoming O Canada Hockey Card set to be released on October 18, 2007 by ITG Trading Cards. More information has been released about the spectacular autograph cards in the set.
In The Game Trading Cards released the following information in their September 25th newsletter...
The autograph cards feature Gold Metal winners from the ...
Rob Kerr was saying the same things last night; the preseason dousn't mean much, but you gotta be worried. Keenan openly admited the boys havent had much practice time, on some occasions they were NHL veterans getting beaten by minor leaguers.
One can use the excuse that it's just preseason, unfortunately now the bets are off. A record under .500... hell .700 is just u...
Thank God the season is here!!!!
As I write this, we are 10 hours and 56 minutes from me seeing the Mighty Van Halen at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Expect me to be somewhat giddy.
-Ok, Downie got 20 games. I think that is a bit harsh, considering hits by Colby Armstrong, Darcy Tucker, Brooks Orpik and Chris Pronger got a LOT less in terms of punishment-if an...
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:JQoW24FMrCAdvM:http://www.intriguing.com/mp/_pictures/grail/large/HolyGrail005.jpg[/img]
[b]The National League East as portrayed by Monty Python:[/b]
MLB: Bring out yer dead.
The Mets: Here's one.
MLB: That'll be ninepence.
The Phillies: I'm not dead.
MLB: What?
The Mets: Nothing. There's your ninepence.
The Phillies: I'm...
After winning the Jack Adams trophy you'd think that Alain Vigneault had everything figured out. Well, you guess wrong. The Vancouver Canuck head coach is currently sitting in his chair with about a million and a half different line combinations running through his head.
The club announced eight releases today. Seven players are making their way to Manitoba (Bourdon, B...
I have to say, i am very anxious after watching the pre-season. The two maple leaf goalies that were supposed to push each other were not very good. Toskala did not even win a game in the pre-season. Now that is in the past, my question is, who will be starting in net against the Senators on Wednesday? Toskala was booed by the home crowd, so he may take that game off, howe...
As you may have already read on Sharks.nhl.com, Devin Setoguchi and Torrey Mitchell were both called into Ron Wilson's office before Saturday night's game "to have a talk about numbers." Mitchell told Sharks.nhl.com, "For a second, I thought it wasn't good news and we were being sent down."
Instead, the two were given the choice of what number they want to wear for the...
Starting first in the OHL, Sharks Prospects Jamie McGinn and Logan Couture of the Ottawa 67's played in two games this week. They started the weekend by losing in a shootout to Niagara 5-4. Captain McGinn logged one goal and one assist while Assistant Captain Couture logged three assists. Even though both were stopped by Andrew Loverock in the shootout, they were named ...
So much emphasis was put on the free agent extravaganza over the summer, when the Rangers seemingly signed two players that would put them over the top. Scott Gomez had tormented the team from across the Hudson with the New Jersey Devils and of course Chris Drury who squashed Rangers Stanley Cup hopes with a last second goal in last year's playoff series against the Buffa...
I have no facts. I have no stats. I have no research, quotes, contacts.
All I have is my opinion, but, as most of you know (begrudgingly), that is worth a fair bit.
Did you come here for an in-depth analysis of teams, perhaps hoping for some outside speculation about your home team? If so, leave now. It will spare you disappointment beyond the shame you must feel ...
Hockey is the only thing im any good at thinking about.
Theres something really rewarding, as a goal tender, to feel the sting of the puck hit you. Or playing centre and watching a sweet pass hit the mark and the puck sliding by the opponents keeper. Its about grace. the feel of the ice under you. its about kids laughing about on a tiny rink as you chase after them. It...
duxown writes...
I'm back with Season Predictions and Ducks point projections
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Your first(in your hearts too I hope) Ducks blogger ever on myhockeybuzz is back. Yes I have predictions, what everyone wants to hear. Yes I will do the East as well, and yes they will all be.....wrong.
Western Conference:
1) Detroit
2) Anaheim
3) Colorado Avalanche
4) San Jose Sharks
5) Vancouver Canucks
6) St. Louis Blues
7) Los Angeles Kings
8) Minnesota Wild
...
First off, Go Leafs Go. I will be watching the game on TSN tonight with my 5 month old son, this will be the first NHL game he has ever seen and I am excited! He will likely not understand whats going on, but being a die-hard Leafs fan, I feel it is important he is exposed to the blue and white at an early age! I will remember this night forever as the first time my son an...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
What I want from my team...The 16 Commandments
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As we head into the new hockey season, there are a few things I want and expect from my hockey team.
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/the16commandments_edited-1.jpg?t=1191429010[/img]
[b]The 16 Commandments:[/b] (Thanks Leafer)
I want each and every player, from the lowliest 4th liner to the highest paid stud on the ice, to understand what hockey ...
The Sharks have narrowed the roster down to 23, with some strategic use of the IR. Alexi Semenov, Brad Norton, and Thomas Plihal were put on IR to cut the 26 man squad to 23 for opening night. All 3 in my opinion should have been sent to Worcester simply because they just don't have the "IT" that is needed to crack this line-up. So as for the line up, it looks very solid, ...
The Maple Leafs blow a third period lead.... where have we heard that before to lose in overtime by a 4-3 score to the Sens. The Leafs did play a good game but were let down on this night by an awful powerplay that went 0 for 7. McCabe and Kaberle seemed to forgot the season had started on this night and looked like very average defensemen, just one goal would have given t...
Normally I love to rant, but lately I haven't found a topic that has stirred the flames of passion inside me. At least not until now. I want to quickly say whoever brings up the Canucks "Sordid" past succeeds only in showing their ignorance. I write this as an impartial hockey fan(If such a thing is possible).
You can have all the talent in the world, but when you lack...
This opening night feels different. There is no other way to say it…it just feels different. This is the ten year anniversary of this team. I was there at it’s birth and thought that today I would feel like a proud parent…but instead I feel empty inside. With so much uncertainty this Pred fan is fatigued. That is why I have not posted in forever. I couldn’t brin...
[b]Originally posted on [url]www.PredNation.com[/url][/b]
This article must begin with apologies on my part for the delays in posting this article. I’ve mentioned several times before that I’m not a journalist. A combination of my real job as a software engineer as well as a couple of rounds of illness has managed to really put a dent into my schedule.
The dela...
[b]THE GREATEST RIVALRY IN THE NHL: THE ALBERTA CIVIL WAR[/b]
This Blog is one of a series of blog suggestions from my friends at HockeyBuzz site
his name was drjsay. I would also love to thank Patrick Hoffman he did a real nice job on editiing my blog thanks again Pat.
[b]EDMONTON OILERS
MOST MEMEORABLE FORWARDS[/b]
I remember the four years that Wayne Gretz...
This is a two part post, first my I explain why the Wild take the 07-08 Stanley Cup Championship. The second I will highlight my first game day mock game, for this I will be playing against the opponent scheduled (today the Hawks) in a hopeful (or today, not so hopeful) representation of todays game.
Over the last few years the Wild have taken a good approach to signing ...
Actually it wasn't that bad. However, had I wrote this blog last night when I was running around downtown Vancouver, inebriated and cursing Anders Eriksson aloud for the whole world to hear, I would have written a totally different story.
What cost us the game last night? Our defense. Plain and simple. Now, its early, I'll give us that. And aside from the first 15 min...
When you have Dion Phaneuf, Robin Regehr, Cory Sarich, Rhett Warrener or even Adrian Aucoin, why is Anders Eriksson on the ice with less than two minutes to go? The fact that Eriksson decided to pick up the pick and skate towards the mass group of players at the bench didn't worry me. I expected him to have his head up, see the large obstacle and quickly circle back into...
Statement made. That's the way I look at last night's 4-0 Predators win over the Colorado Avalanche. Statement made.
Yes I know that one game does not a season make but Colorado is a good team...a team everyone is predicting to make the playoffs. They are loaded with fire power and the off-season addition of Ryan Smyth gives this team yet another weapon. None the...
How it must feel to be a father of an NHL player. I have two kids in my life and I could not imagine how proud one could feel to see them play in the NHL. Off-course all children’s parents will love there children no matter what they end up doing, that being said if I ever have the privilege of seeing a member of my family play this great game at the highest level I woul...
Last nights game from what I saw and heard of it, was a little bit of a lackluster performance by the Sharks. I was a bad Sharks fan and blogger last night because I did not see the game. Wifes B-day was much more important last night. Trust me, if you are married than you understand. Besides there is a whole lot of hockey left to enjoy. Torrey Mitchell from what I have he...
Hey pens fans,
On a positive not, I would like to wish a Happy Birthday to MArio Lemieux.
Now, onto the game...
Tonight, the Pens lost their season opener 4-1. The Pens' lone goal came in the third period. It was scored by Mark Recchi and assisted by Gonchar and Malkin. Fleury was in goal to start the game, but after letting in 4 goals on 26 shots in the first ...
Did anyone see the Canucks and Calgary? Decent game - teams swapping dominance and then fighting it out. My player of the game is Aaron Miller apart from the whole almost-breaking-Luongo thing. He's the Willie Mitchell of '07-08 (but for cheap!).
Hughson said "This game [b]deserves[/b] another five minutes!" and luckily it worked out in Vancouver's favour. Teams in ...
Hey pens fans,
Sorry that the post is so late. I got stuck in detours, traffic, and behind a few accidents, and my one hour drive back from the game turned into more like 2 and a half.
The Pens defeated the ducks tonight, by a score of 5-4. The Pens goals were as follows:
1st period - Sykora from Roberts and Christensen (PP)
2nd period - Armstrong from Roberts; M...
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...
yes you can salvage something from the first two flames' games of the season. two good comebacks, 4 goals for langkow, brief periods of astonishment from kipper, but all in all.. we sucked.
at least the energy was there the second time around. moderately. as an aside, i actually would have found the games more exciting watching them on CBC than being 20 feet from the...
Just listening to the Avs vs. Sharks game - and Mr. Paul Stastny has 1g 4a in this game, while having a hat trick on opening night, which brings him to 8points in 3games. And i got him in 3 of my Fantasy Teams :-)
I knew this kid would rock this season, and i also did believe he would have a fair shot at the 100 point mark - but this much improvement and absolute domina...
Oh, my Red Wings! The lines seem to be starting to come together, and things are starting to click a little......but......
Granted, last night's shootout loss at Chicago followed the loss of Franzen and some shuffling of lines, but the Wings have always shuffled lines and often just because they could. What the Wings haven't always done is scrambled in their own...
Despite the US having 24 of 30 NHL teams, countless minor league franchises, and a few hotbeds of college and even high school hockey, the popularity of the game below the 49th parallel is severely lacking, keeping it a so-called "niche sport". From my position as an American hockey fan, I hope to shed some light on this unfortunate phenomenon.
In the abstract, hockey s...
Despite the US having 24 of 30 NHL teams, countless minor league franchises, and a few hotbeds of college and even high school hockey, the popularity of the game below the 49th parallel is severely lacking, keeping it a so-called "niche sport". From my position as an American hockey fan, I hope to shed some light on this unfortunate phenomenon.
In the abstract, hockey s...
Well, the first five contests that the Anaheim Ducks have completed churned out a record of 1-3-1. Not what you'd expect from a full forced team like the Ducks considering their depth has not changed much from last year. The fact of the matter is that, well, yes the team has lost out on retaining Dustin Penner, retirement contemplations by Teemu Selanne and Scott Neidermay...
Defenseman Freddy Meyer has been claimed off waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes.
Berard is beleived to be activated tomorrow and play one of the two back to back games later this week.
It was the biggest news of the NHL offseason - The Rangers went out and spent 87 million locking up both Chris Drury and Scott Gomez to long term deals this past Summer. The Rangers, who finished 6th last season in the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive year, immediately declared themselves as contenders to the rest of the NHL. Many experts have them picked at o...
Tomorrow at 7 PM eastern time, the maple leafs will battle the hurricanes. Now leaf fans, expect Toskala to start because his performance against the Montreal canadiens was something that will bench Raycroft for a while. One interesting note about Toskala's performance...did you see his lateral movement? It was lightning fast.
[b]Keys to victory[/b]
Carolina is more of...
All Non-Toronto Maple Leaf fans....exit this page, All the blue and white loyals...read on.
Imagine, Mats Sundin's possible last year, the season where Mark Bell was sentenced to serve time in the slammer, a new goalie, new 40 goal scorer. What if all of this was capped off by a Stanley Cup? Honestly, 3 games in, this season has been already extra ordinary.
I...
I was born in Brooklyn, but spent most of my time growing up in Staten Island. I remember walking in to a Palmer Video (later bought out by Blockbuster) and seeing an ad on the front counter for a chance to enter to win hockey tickets. The entry box was your average, run of the mill box, but at the top right where the slot is for the form was a picture of Mario Lemieux h...
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...
[b]CALGARY FLAMES
MOST MEMEORABLE FORWARDS[/b]
My favorite Flame player is Hakan Loob. He was the first Swedish born player to score fifty goals in the NHL. He had speed to burn and quick a release on his wrist shot.
The second forward I would like to mention is Joe Nieuwendyk. He was the best rookie the Flames had, scoring fifty goals in his first year. Joe could...
I like most Toronto Maple Leaf fans, and hockey fans in general was shocked by the announcement that Toronto forward Jason Blake was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. I must say that the Leafs management did something right for once and handled this situation with the utmost class, offering Blake time off, whatever he wants. I have new found respect for Jason Bl...
It is far too early to tell if the Columbus Blue Jackets are as improved as they claim they are, but Friday night's 4-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks is definitely a stepping stone.
Last season, the Jackets were often guilty (okay, very often) of playing for 40 minutes, sometimes less. They came out with fantastic energy and played in-your-face for two periods, and once t...
For those of you who remember me from the Checking Line blog site, well, I am back and it's prediction time.
[b]Season Records:[/b]
Wins Predictions :
Actual Predictions:
[i][b]
Games:[/b][/i]
7:00 PM
Ottawa 4
Atlanta 2
Ottawa continues their dominance of the 1st month of the season with an impressive victory over the Thrashers.
[b]Goals:...
The Flames play their third game and first of the season on the road tonight, against the powerful Detroit Red Wings. The Wings have gotten off to a 2-0-1 start and are better than the Flames in almost every statistical category thus far into the season. The Flames have won twice at the Joe Louis Arena in the past 6 attempts, last winning in December of 2005.
The F...
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...
Well that seems to be the theme right now. Depending on your point of view and who you read. Yes that was a very bad loss last night to the Canes. It was a game that I was happy to miss (maybe that's why I'm not panicking).
Lets remember folks, it's really early in the season and we have seen what this team can do. As stated by many, they need to play hard every nig...
Due to the injury to Johann Franzen (out 3-4 weeks), Mike Babcock has changed up his lines, shortened his bench, and Matt Ellis is in the lineup in a 4th line role. The thing is, the line combinations other than Zetterberg/Holmstrom/Datsyuk seem to be set in quicksand, and even that line gets the "mixmaster" approach every now and again.
In tonight's 4-2 victory ov...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens took on the Canadiens at the Mellon Arena. They lost to Montreal 3-2. During the game, there were times where the Pens looked magnificant and there were times when they could not complete a pass if their lives depended on it. It was an up and down night. Unfortunetly, the Pens did not pull this one out on top.
The Pens' goals were...
In the Vancouver-Philadelphia game, Flyers winger Jesse Boulerice viciously two handed Canucks center Ryan Kesler in the jaw. It was a flagrant, brutal action and Boulerice is certainly deserving of a nice, long suspension.
Where it gets interesting is the Flyers have a guy currently suspended. That would be Steve Downie, who was suspended for twenty games for his bruta...
[b]HISTORY[/b]
Have you ever lost your girlfriend to your best friend? Have you ever had your legs waxed? Has you mom asked you “Why can’t you be more like your brother?” Has your boss or your wife told you to get up and go do something?
Think back so you can have an idea on how these two cities feel about each other. I remember in my teens and early twenties...
Sometimes it just isn’t your night. That was the case last night as the Predators suffered their first loss of the year at the hands of the division rival St. Louis Blues 4-1. From the start the Preds seemed to be playing the part of the Washington Generals to the Globetrotting Blues.
They let them get up early, on a pretty goal from Brad Boyes started ...
So I didn't do too bad on the wins over the losses, but I didn't hit one single prediction on the head. It's ok, it was my 1st night, but it feels good to be back. Let's jump right into tonight!
[b]Season Records:[/b]
Wins Predictions : 7-5
Actual Predictions: 0-12
[b]Games:[/b]
7:00 PM
Atlanta 2
Buffalo 5
A battle of playoff hopefuls here in Buf...
The Flames don't show up in the month of October. Kiprusoff is always rusty. Iginla usually starts slow. The Flames just don't come out of the gate hard.
I am sick and tired of hearing about that. It is time to stop being okay with that and actually do something about it. All the players are saying the right things: We need to be better ... we can be better ... w...
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...
If I was JFJ, I would send Andrew "Red Light" Raycroft to the minors and I would do it now. Unlike some of the other over priced Toronto Maple Leafs, Raycroft does not have a no movement clause nor a no trade clause. It is pretty obvious that the Leafs have been unable to trade Raycroft, and really, no surprise here, who would want him?
Raycroft is sloppy with the puc...
Last night I was out for dinner with my parents who are in town and we heard two cheers from the Canucks' fans. So that means they scored twice. I didn't watch the game and I didn't see the highlights till I said my goodbyes and went home. Vancouver got smoked 8-2. That explains why I only heard two cheers.
So here we have two Canadian teams that are well loved acro...
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][...
Well the Preds remedied the shots on goal situation that I talked about in yesterday’s post but failed to post a win against a pesky Coyotes team (they out shot the Coyotes 39-24). I felt like the Yotes beat the Preds at their own game last night as they didn’t necessarily play the better game but were bailed out by strong play in net.
Despite getting two goals from...
Well the Preds remedied the shots on goal situation that I talked about in yesterday's post but failed to post a win against a pesky Coyotes team (they outshot the Coyotes 39-24). I felt like the Yotes beat the Preds at their own game last night as they didn't necessarily play the better game but were bailed out by strong play in net.
Despite getting two goals from ...
Edit: Canucks.com Made it official, Rick Rypien is up and is expected to play.
Canucks are 1-2-0 Edmonton is 2-2-0. The Canucks have just re-assign Ryan Shannon who ha 2 goals but was the leagues worste +/- with -7, according to CDC forums Team1040 sports radio is reporting that we have called up Rick Rypien, Witch Canucks.com has confirmed. I have no clue who the Canucks...
WildMTUFan writes...
NHL playing hardball with Charter, another loss for fans
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Today I got a call from a CSR at Charter Communications corporate headquarters about the NHL Center Ice package. They basically told me the same thing I've been hearing for the past week and a half, the NHL wants too much.
This is classic NHL (maybe just classic Bettman era, not sure.) in the premise that the league wants to make these huge deals, but doesn't think about...
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...
Every once in a while you see a photo and you think...man, I have seen that person before. When you put the face with the other photo and you get that lightbulb moment...you have "Separated at Birth?"
For example....let's start with Wade Belak, since everything is his fault anyway.
[img:left]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_1300.jpg[/img][img]http:/...
Every once in a while you see a photo and you think...man, I have seen that person before. When you put the face with the other photo and you get that lightbulb moment...you have "Separated at Birth?"
For example....let's start with Wade Belak, since everything is his fault anyway.
[img:left]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_1300.jpg[/img][img]http:/...
Last night was what the Leafs needed. Not a blow out win, but a strong game for 60 min. That's what has killed them for the last few years. We saw this last year, games where the Leafs played their game for 60 min, they won without question. It's the games when they decided not to play for the 2nd or 3rd that killed all hope of making the playoffs.
Gamache had a big ...
Every once in a while you see a photo and you think...man, I have seen that person before. When you put the face with the other photo and you get that lightbulb moment...you have "Separated at Birth?"
For example....let's start with Wade Belak, since everything is his fault anyway.
[img:left]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_1300.jpg[/img][img]http:/...
Every once in a while you see a photo and you think...man, I have seen that person before. When you put the face with the other photo and you get that lightbulb moment...you have "Separated at Birth?"
For example....let's start with Wade Belak, since everything is his fault anyway.
[img:left]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_1300.jpg[/img][img]http:/...
Canucks strike oil with a 5-2 bounce back win over Edmonton, Canucks goals by Henrik Sedin, Rick Rypien, Alex Burrows, Brendan Morrison, And Markus Naslund. Edmonton goals by Sheldon Souray, and Raffi Torres. Rypien and Burrows Both had 2 point night with a goal and assist, considering Burrows' goal was shorthanded and this was Rypien first game since Shannons send down an...
just look at colin campbell's quote from his transcript
[b]COLIN CAMPBELL: No, I'm not concerned. They've always had that image that dates back to '72 when they were nicknamed "The Broad Street Bullies." If you look at the time that I've been associated with the National Hockey League doing this job, with discipline, I don't recall -- I think I've had a couple of player...
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...
The Flyers need to get their act together, Boulerice deserved 25 games and I hope he doesn’t play for the Flyers again.
Jim Basillie will end up buying the Preds, this will be good news for Canada and bad news for Kansas City, in the long run this will benefit the NHL, not sure if Bettman can figure that out.
I still can’t get over the Bills Cowboys game from Mon...
BuffaloMat writes...
My debut article in a local magazine in Buffalo, NY
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Images have been acting funky on here but here's a try... It's the cover of a magazine I write for which is Under the Scope Magazine.
[IMG]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/Mat_Rex/coveroctober.jpg[/IMG]
Well the magazine came out a little less than a week ago. I plugged hockeybuzz in the first sentence. The magazine is called Under the Scope. It's a ne...
I'm gonna go on a long flames blog, so first off, I'd like to say that the Stars played wonderfully. Their transition from skilled offense to stifling defense yesterday is only more of a omen of how far they should go in the playoffs and how deep their team really is. IMO they're only a power left winger away from getting to at least the conference final. Its nice to see R...
Ryan Kennedy had an interesting article "Ice-Girl Dilemma" at the THN.com blog on 10/12/07. It was a surprise to me to learn that 17 NHL teams actually have so-called cheerleading groups. I guess too many women no longer think it demeaning to be hired simply for the purpose of having lecherous creeps oggle them as a prelude to exploiting them. We know this is true becaus...
Rochester is in Hamilton this week, and that means I get a chance to see Sabres' prospect Adam Dennis play. This is installment #1 of my "Amateur Scouting Report" series. I will also report how Jaroslav Halak does, and list some skaters who stood out to me at the end.
[url]http://everythinghockey.blogspot.com/2007/10/amateur-scouting-report-adam-dennis.html[/url]
[im...
Nik Antropov was a surprise, high first round pick at the age of 18 by the Toronto Maple Leafs out of Kazakhstan after having been one of the most dominant players in the world junior championship tournament (granted, on a very poor squad). Often ridiculed in the media and by fans, it is ironic that each and every General Manager and Coach that walked through the doors of...
At this point I will say good riddance to this guy. He has been trouble from day 1 and I think will continue to be trouble. People may argue the same about Steve Downie, however I will counter with Downie's ability to put pucks in the net. That's the reason Downie may still see the light of the NHL, but Boulerice may not. All in all, I think this is a good waive for the Fl...
One thing I've discovered about blogging about your favorite team...when they lose it's hard to write. Writing when they win is easy.
"They played a great game."
"The boys looked sharp."
"The other team played well but just didn't have it."
"This was a quality win against a quality team."
Seriously...cliches abound when you are talking about winning but when yo...
Alexander Edler has been recalled from the Manitoba Moose(AHL) and will suit up tonight against the Sharks. Its the first time we'll get to see him play since suffering a hip injury in the pre-season. Edler was called up because Lukas Krajicek blocked a bunch of shots last night and is day to day with a foot injury.
Jannik Hansen is getting his hand x-rayed tomorrow and h...
And so comes the end of another Leaf game.......another Leaf game that the blew in the third period. It's getting to the point where you don't have to watch anymore as you know whats going to happen. The Leafs start the game by getting out played and having the goalie whoever it might be on the given night, followed by the Leafs grabbing a one or two goal lead heading to...
Just found this info looking around this morning...Google is your friend
"Effective Thursday, October 18, 2007, the NHL Network will be available on channel 401 as part of the iO Sports Pak and on channel 429 as part of the NHL Center Ice seasonal sports package. NHL Network will be available in all service areas (except Woodbury Spectrum--Oak Beach, Gilgo Beach and Dom...
Are we really ready to panic in Leaf land already? It seems to be the same old story, especially last night, where the defence continues to break down, third period leads are blown, and bad give aways that lead to penelties and to top it all off, everyone's favorite overpriced D-man McCabe puts in the OT winner on his own net with 3 seconds left. This left me in a sour m...
Wow
All I can say is WOW. Now I've seen everything. Don't assume that I'm one of those bandwagon Leaf fans that are constantly bashing our team but last night was once again a game we should have won, no doubt about it.
Now to all those so-called die hard fans who know everything, was it Raycrofts fault last night? No chance. It was just a streak of horrible and i me...
The answer is: Future considerations. The question: What was Larry Murphy traded away from the Leafs for?
And in my limited research, I can't find what those considerations were, except for two-thirds of Murphy's Detroit salary being paid by the Leafs. Basically, they paid to get rid of him.
Now, media seem to look back on the booing as just Toronto taking our their ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Flyers Day After - It smells like....victory
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[b]"I love the smell of napalm in the morning...it smells like....victory"
- Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore [i]Apocalypse Now[/i][/b]
[b]Napalm in the morning[/b]
If you were to walk into Bank Building in South Philadelphia today, it would would have a peculiar odor...no not stale beer or rock hard pretzels...but of the scorched remains of the bird with the genus Toxostoma -...
aisforaaron83 writes...
10/17/2007 - looking forward to Columbus tonight.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
the lines at practive today were...
Hagman - Modano - Lehtinen
Morrow - Ribeiro - Eriksson
Lundqvist - Halpern - Miettinen
Jokinen - Barnes - Winchester
Fedoruk - Ott - Barch
Daley - Zubov
Norstrom - Robidas
Niskanen - Boucher
OK, so I hope this is not the exact example for what will be played in the game tonight....
I dont like Hagman with Mo and Lehts, ...
This is my belief. The preds will get back on track and it starts tonight. Deep down it’s what I have to believe as a fan. As I have started trying to take this blog thing more seriously (thanks Ek for encouraging it) I find myself torn between reporting the story as a journalist or as a fan. Today I come down on the side of the fan...an unhappy fan looking for somet...
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...
Stars eek out the win in the shootout. Smitty is perfect against the 6 shootout shooters he has faced. Jussi got the only shootout goal for dallas to put us on top. He looked like he was going to swing wide and try the dangle he is known for, but he saw that Norrena was expecting that and turned with the puck to slide it, more forcefully, in the puck-sized hole between the...
The Staal brothers will be at it again tomorrow night in Pittsburgh, as the Canes visit the Pens for what will be the second meeting of the season. Hopefully this time around, little brother Jordan can outplay, or at least shutdown his older brother Eric. In the season opener, Eric netted two goals in a 4-1 victory in front of the Carolina crowd. Perhaps it'll be a differe...
Listening to the talkcast with EK's mom today brought up a great memory of my mom, who was a great hockey mom. Before my brother and I started playing, my mom had no interest whatsoever in hockey. Once my brother and I laced up the skates, my mom became a fan. Well at least a fan of my brother and I. I was more of a rabid NHL fan then my brother was, and actually cheered f...
Jsaquella writes...
Random Flyers Thoughts-What A Difference A Year Can Make
Posted Friday | Comments 0
One year ago, the governments of the Philadelphia region were discussing adding Prozac to the water supply to keep unhappy Flyers fans from jumping off the Walt Whitman bridge as the team staggered to a 1-8-1 start on the way to a 56 point season.
Now a year later, much is good about the Flyers.
-Trade Deadline pick up Martin Biron has been providing good to excellen...
While many teams view the comfy confines of a nice home stand I think there are times when a little road trip is just what the doctor ordered. That, I believe, is the case right now with the Preds.
Mired in the a four game losing streak (3 at home and one on the road) the Preds step away from comfortable home beds, wives, children and any sense of routine. The ...
A come from behind win at the ACC saw the Leafs score a goal in a goofy last minute against the Panthers. A good bounce back game after a heart breaker two nights earlier. As I watched the game early on I have to say that I was quite discusted. Not with the Leafs play, not with the defence, not even that they were down 2-0 early on... but rather with the chorus of boo's...
Another blog in a series of blogs that focus on the game outside of scores and reviews, here's one that deals with band wagons and jumping ship...
There are purists out there (mostly Leaf and Hab fans) that believe you root for one team your whole life - win or lose, whiners or not - they are YOUR team. I do believe that once you are grown up enough to make a tough deci...
No Eriksson can't be bad. But at the beginning it looked similar to the Philly game. Down 2-0 primarily due to power plays for the Kings. The Flames had some pressure but couldn't build momentum in that first. They were getting out shot, it was not pretty.
The Conroy trip was an awful call. Fortunately they killed that one off. Aubin gave up a soft one to let the ...
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 ...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens took on the Caps on the road. They came out victorious 2-1. Both of the Pens' goals came in the second period. Staal scored assisted by Recchi and Orpik and then Whitney (PP) assisted by Crosby and Malone. Comgratulations to Ryan Whitney on his 100th point tonight. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal stopping 30 of 31 shots. The Pens had 2...
I feel like an auctioneer...'we have four. Do I hear five? Five - thank you team in teal. Do I have six?'
Seriously...what do we have to do to get a win around this place? The Preds played a great game last night. Mason was as solid as I've seen him since game two and the team was really keeping pace with the Sharks. We just ran into another goalie playing out of his m...
I haven't had the opportunity to watch many Flames games this year while living in Vancouver, but of the games I have watched, this was Calgary's best game.
I slam Dwayne Roloson every chance I get. I feel he's the most overrated goaltender in the league. But he's played well in both of the last 2 games. If he continues to play well, it should allow the Oil to gain...
The Hamilton Bulldogs hosted the Manitoba Moose and Drew MacIntyre this afternoon on "Pink in the Rink" day, to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. It was an overall successful day, except for the fact that the Bulldogs lost 5-1. Jaroslav Halak did not play well at all. His rebound control was not what I have seen it before, and his body language showed that he di...
Well here we are 9 games into the season and the Leafs have scored the most goals in the NHL who would have though that when the season started, but there is one little problem we have also let the most goals in the league thus far and look to continue to do so if we dont make some moves with our defensemen.
The Leafs penalty killing is ranked 28th and its not hard to s...
-Center Ice is the greatest invention in the history of mankind, even ahead of the Polio Vaccine and the internet. OK, maybe not as great as HDTV, but still pretty damned good.
-Talk about interesting times to bust out. The Flyers Jeff Carter and Mike Richards are scheduled to be RFA's next summer and both are off to stellar starts. The team will have some cap dancing t...
I know there is ALOT of heat on JFJ and Paul Maurice right now, so, I thought this was a good time to consolidate all relevant information on what JFJ has actually done. Before I go any further, it is important to understand that all GM's make mistakes and all GM's make some good moves. This blog is just meant to provide an objective view on the actual facts (with a litt...
Prior to the first puck dropping during the first game for the first time this season, all eyes in the Eastern Conference were on these two teams. The Rangers and their offseason shopping spree had the media buzzing to the sounds of playoff contention. The Penguins with their turnaround season the previous year, were also ranked with the Rangers as not only division riva...
What made the person or persons who own the Philadelphia and New York franchises to name their teams the Flyers and Rangers respectively? What possesses you to call your team the Lightning or the Canadiens?
Let's start with the some original six teams, some that still might have some meaning.
[b]The Montreal Canadiens:[/b] Canadiens represented the nationality of th...
Through the first six games of the season, the Rangers had scored 13 goals while surrendering only 15, which is a stark contrast from the prior year, when in the same amount of contests, the team had scored 25 goals and given up 25. Just like 2006-07, the Rangers scored the same of goals - zero - in Game Seven, but this it was against Manny Fernandez, who had given up 10 g...
Like Andy Strickland was saying it's time for the Blues to make some tough descions. I think Andy is correct in his opinions about Backman. I think he will be a good player at some point and I wonder if a change of scenery might just be the thing that would do it for him. It will be hard descion to make especially as the Blues start to bring in talent from Sweden. Back...
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:XHhsrz2CNko4HM:http://outdoorlife.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/05/gator.jpg[/img]
[b]Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know[/b]
No...not the entirely forgettable 3rd album by "Dead or Alive" or the bumper sticker that is perennially placed on the back window of many pickup trucks, just below the gun rack.
The phrase was ori...
Today I decided I was feeling energetic enough to write 2 blogs.
With the Flames on a 7-game home stand and playing 6 games in 11 nights and playing pretty decent these days - I thought it was high time I found something that could keep my wife entertained each of those nights.
The first thought was to leave it in the capable hands of my 15-month old son. If anyone ...
ExtraB writes...
McDonalds Exclude Sidney Crosby Hockey Card For Second Year
Posted Monday | Comments 2
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The 2007-08 NHL McDonald's Hockey Cards are set to be released on November 20, 2007. Upper Deck’s website has the check list online already. After going through it I noticed that Sidney Crosby was not included again for the second year in a row.
This is the third set of McDonald’s hockey cards to come out since Sidney Crosby entered the NHL. Crosby only had one M...
and are outplayed by their lesser known mates, what should a coach do? During the last game the Ducks played against the Dallas Stars, there was one Duck who stood out against his other teammates - Drew Miller. The younger brother of Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, scored his 1st NHL goal the game before against the Nashville Preds and the excitement of that event clearly car...
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]
Here is a quote from tsn.ca's (http://www.tsn.ca/fantasy_news/feature/?fid=549) power rankings.
[quote] Chris Mason opened the season with two outstanding games and has struggled ever since. Perhaps it's time to take a step back and give backup Dan Ellis some work. [/quote]
Okay...I get that the Preds have lost five in a row and that Mason had some shaky games but ...
There is an article in today’s Ottawa Sun ([url]http://ottawasun.ca/Sports/Senators/2007/10/23/4597676-sun.html[/url]), which talks about how Foppa is getting close to making his decision and may be choosing between Ottawa and Colorado.
While I won't speculate on which team he's likely to go to, I will say that this makes sense. Last week I talked to someone who told...
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...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Penguins defeated the New York Rangers at the Mellon Arena. The fifnal score wass 1-0. The Pens lone goal was scored by Malkin on the power play, in the second period. He was assisted by Whitney and Crosby. Marc-Andre Fleury was in stopping all 36 shots for the shutout. This was a good game for the Pens and it was a good win. The Pens rec...
The two cities in question being Philadelphia and New York--more specifically, their Flyers and Rangers.
[b]
[i]"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."[/i][/b]
Okay, it's not really either, because it [i]is[/i] still early in the season. But, from the vibes you get from each team's fans, you could certainly believe the sun shines on the Flyers while t...
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...
I missed week 2, so this one will cover the past 2 weeks.
HERO: Martin Biron
Posting 4 wins (2 of them shutouts) in 4 games, Biron was an easy choice here. Stopping 140 of 143 shots during the 4 game stretch, the Flyers are making some big time noise in the Eastern Conference, with Biron providing A+ goaltending to aid the cause. He is leading the league with 6 win...
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Twice a year the largest sport card expo and memorabilia show takes place in Toronto during the spring and fall. Collectors, dealers, manufacturers, and autograph guests come from all reaches of the globe to attend this fabulous event. Being in Toronto, one of the largest hockey markets around, a lot of emphasis is placed on hockey cards and memorabilia. This year Upp...
The FlyerFly writes...
10/24 - Flyers Lose 4-3 To Panthers; Gagne Leaves Game Early
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
All good things must come to an end, even the Philadelphia Flyers 5 game winning streak. But the Flyers had to try to defend that streak largely without the services of star forward Simon Gagne. The Flyers began their season-long 8 game road trip by visiting the Florida Panthers, but Olie Jokinen and Gregory Campbell made sure that the Flyers did not continue their winni...
Ryan Smyth returned to Edmonton for the first time since being traded last season at the deadline. He was traded to the New York Islanders for prospect Ryan O'Marra, Robert Nilsson and the Islander's first round draft pick for the 07 draft (Alex Plante).
Before the game began a tribute to Ryan Smyth was shown over the video display board of his contributions to the Edm...
[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...
At least, in Andy Murray's mind, the Blues should expect to win every game, and that's why I love Andy Murray as a coach.
I know every professional goes out to win every game, but I'll never forget the story from last year, as told by John Kelly, the Blues broadcast man, when Murray asked the Blues how many games they needed to win to make the playoffs. No one had a gu...
Apparently, Leafs General Manager John Fergusen Jr has been secretly talking to young Oshawa Generals forward, and future number 1 pick, John Tavares about maybe going pro, and signing a contract to play for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL next season. Is this their last resort at trying to end their 40+ year Stanley Cup drought without having to rebuild like most normal te...
Hey pens fans,
Well, the Pens played the Leafs tonight and lost 5-2 to end their streak. Crosby scored in the first period, assisted by Malkin and Recchi to make it 1-0. In the third period, Gonchar scored and was assisted by Crosby and Malkin to make it 5-2 Leafs. Fleury stopped 22 of 27 shots.
This season the Pens have been very hot and cold. Sometimes, it seems ...
After a long day at work I climbed into my car and was welcomed by hall of fame play by play anouncer Peter Mahr, the Flames Vs. Wild game was just starting. I've been in a bad mood for two days at this point with the lack luster and lopsided defeat to the sharks still very fresh in my mind, I'm hoping against hope that the Flames can overcome the odds and beat the only un...
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...
Since the 2002-2003 National Hockey League season, no team has worn white at home on a full-time basis. Though this will not be permanent, Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn announced that the Buffalo Sabres will wear their road white jersies for 4 home games in November against Northeast division opponents...
Wed Nov 7th vs Boston
Fri Nov 9th vs Toronto
Wed Nov 21s...
Alright so previously I had written about the media coverage in the Bay Area, and how it covers the Sharks. I asked many fans and some other bloggers about their take on the topic, and came up with quite a bit. Well a couple of weeks ago Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News got back to me on the subject, and this is what he had to offer on the subject.
He agrees that...
bcallaway writes...
David Perron: Is Blues Management all on the same page here?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Jeremy Rutherford who covers the Blues for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and stltoday.com had this to say yesterday prior to the Blues game in Columbus:
"[i]Murray continues to emphasize the work Perron is getting off the ice. While everyone agrees with that, I get the feeling that some in the club want to see Perron in a game soon. That decision continues to be left with...
Wow, just when you think that the Oilers are down and out, and they bleed a little, they come out strong. The game last night against the Minnestoa Wild was great. Very fast paced, and very competative, something the Oilers really haven't been. In watching the last period in the Avalanche game on tuesday, I saw a flicker of life in the Oilers, they played great and showed ...
After injuries to Spacek and Kalinin, the latter of whom could be out a month or more, the Sabres are considering signing 32 year old Nolan Pratt, according to two sources:
http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/193001.html
http://wgr550.com/sabres/fullstory.php?id=2772
If Darcy Regier decides to sign Pratt, whom according to the above stories the Sabres were consid...
Jiri Tlusty played his first National Hockey League game last night against the high octane, shake your boots and soil your pants Pittsburgh Crosby's. Jiri played well, he was fast on his feet and he was digging in the corners, which by the way resulted in a goal... off his rear end, we'll get to that later. He's also a smart hockey player, he keeps his head up and scopes ...
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...
He is the worst referee in the history of the NHL.
End of blog.
Now I realize a full blown taking apart of the team is never going to happen to the Toronto Maple Leafs but after a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh on Thursday night, a night when the key contributors were Alex Steen 3pts, Jiri Tlusty 2goals, and Nik Antropov 2pts the question has to be asked why not give these guys a bigger role on a nightly basis?
As much as we in Toronto...
*** 2:49 CST: The Predators go with the hot hand and Dan Ellis will start in goal for tonight against Tomas Vokoun. ***
Well...the much anticipated return of Tomas Vokoun happens tonight. Wheter Tomas faces the man (Chris Mason)who has taken his place as the Preds number one remains to be seen.
Mason entered the season as the undisputed number one but a bumpy 2-6 re...
[b]Two in a row![/b] Wow...this feels a little better. The Preds still have a ton of work left but string together a couple of wins is a step in the right direction for sure!
While I feel a little bad that Mason did not get to go head to head against Vokoun last night I think the right choice was made by putting Ellis in net. You don't bench someone coming off a shutout...
Well the first month of the season is complete and the Sabres are a .500 team. How do you think the team's Captains for October did?
Here are the stats of these players:
Player GP G A P +/- PIM PP SH GW S S%
Jochen Hecht 10 3 4 7 1 4 0 0 0 32 9.4
Henrik Tallinder 10 0 2 2 -3 10 0 0 0 6 0.0
...
The Blues are freakishly healthy right now. With [b]Erik Johnson [/b]nearly set to return, the Blues could have as many as eight "top six" defensemen available on a given night. At forward and in goal they have no one currently laid up. This makes dressing a team each night a good but difficult decision to make for the Head Coach.
A lot has been said in the early day...
Miikka Kiprusoff was born in Turko Finland in October of 1976. He was just rewarded, for his 31st birthday, with a $35 million dollar contract over the next 6 years. [img:right]http://nhlpa.com/Player_Pics/2873.jpg[/img]
That's quite a lot of money for a player who: hasn't played in 250 games yet, hasn't won more than 125 wins in the regular season, and hasn't won a S...
Just teasing...
He isn't known for his playmaking, but he had some great assists last night. That Shanny goal was purty.
He's also great on the PK, and he backchecks very well. He's the defensive positive of Ortmeyer, but he can actually stick handle.
He's had some bad luck offensively. He was robbed twice by Brodeur, and I think he was also open-net robbed agains...
We can all feel the chill. The winds are blowing through San Jose, trade winds, fire the coach winds, benching winds, demoting winds, and the winds of resolve. Something must be done. Sharks fans are nearing the edge of their patience. Who is to blame for the lackluster start? Why did this team look so good on paper and in the preseason? Who must be held accountable for th...
Chris Mason will be back in goal tonight for the Predators as they face the Calgary Flames at the Saddledome. Tonight begins the first of a stretch of five road games for the Predators and all are against worthy opponents. No off nights here. The Western Canada swing is always a tough one for any team then they follow it up with stops in Chicago and Detroit before he...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens defeated the Wild in Minnesota 4-2. Sidney Crosby had 4 points on the night. The Goals were: Malkin from Crosby and Malone, Malkin from Crosby and Malone (No, that is not a typo. It happened twice.), Sykora from Crosby and Gonchar (PP), Crosby from Gonchar and Malkin. Sabourin was in goal stopping 28 of 30 shots.
The Pens played a...
Ron Guillet writes...
Toronto Maple Leafs : The Fat Kid Who Can't Jump The Fence
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
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...
The announcement had hardly finished leaving Darryl Sutter's lips, and the jury was already out on newly appointed Calgary Flames head coach "Iron" Mike Keenan, and to no real surprise. Keenan is the poster boy for a roller coaster career, with few other bench bosses experiencing the ups and downs quite like he did. This Flames fan, however, held his tongue. Any reasonable...
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 ...
Great insight on it, it's going to be a great game to say the least. Expect guys like Nolan, Sarich, and Conroy to stand out tonight. They're the guys who can stick to a Red Wing like glue and keep the forecheck energized.
I attended the Nashville game a couple days ago and I wasn't satisfied with the play of both Nashville and the Flames. Both teams didnt bring any so...
mage23 writes...
[2007-11-01] Around Canadian Juniors; Sharks Kids Update
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
After a strong start to the OHL season that saw him post nine points in five September games, Logan Couture slowed down to only a point-a-game in October as he logged four goals and six assists for 10 points in 10 GP. Teammate Jamie McGinn logged seven points in eight October games before being forced out of the lineup with a back injury.
Couture currently sits T-26th ...
While it's early in the season to declare any game a must win I am going out on a limb and saying that tonight’s game against the Canucks is a must win. The Preds have got to win this game, if for no other reason, to prove to themselves and others that they can win on the road.
As a Preds fan you know how bad it is. 0-5 on the road...can't buy a goal to save ours...
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...
That’s the song that Pred Nation is singing this morning (that is if they are awake after the 10p central start last night!). Once again Dan Ellis is called upon and for the third time in a row he answers with a win and his second shutout in three starts. To say that he might be a hot goalie right now might be an understatement.
The Preds had a solid game plan las...
Like day and night, the change in the Pens performance against the Avs last night was good and bad. But it seems again that a few small lapses led to the wheels falling off the bus. Hold steady Pens fans! The ship is rocking, but we have the players who can steady it and get it going in the right direction.
It was nice to see the Pens come out and play well in a very...
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 ...
Well...not quite the same verse (it would have to have been a shut out to do that) but it was close enough as Dan Ellis led the Preds to a 4-1 victory on the road tonight against the Edmonton Oilers. Once again Ellis made some huge saves at critical times...the toe save against Hemsky when the game was knotted at 1-1 was very big!
Great play tonight from Arnott and Legw...
[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...
From the outset of this season, John Ferguson and Paul Maurice have been preaching the need for the Maple Leafs to become a hard team to play against. This was to be accomplished as the players matured under a second season of Maurice's puck pursuit, hard forechecking system.
The idea of a team pursuing the opponent with speed and laying the body is enticing and shou...
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...
Wow....a .500 record has never looked so good. After a six game losing streak that had many Preds fans on suicide watch the Preds have turned their season around. Sparked by the great goaltending by Dan Ellis the Preds are in the midst of a 3 game winning streak and have won 5 of their last six. So, what has happened that has caused this turn around.
[b]Dan Ellis:[/b] T...
They need more efforts like the one tonight in Montreal.
They played great. The other team was just better.
Goes without saying, the Habs have looked great to start this season. And Cristobal Huet played just phenomenal tonight. I've always liked him. I think it's unfortunate the Montreal media and Canadiens' fans can give him so much flack, but maybe that is hel...
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...
I'm seeing and hearing a lot about how impressive the Habs have been 14 games into the season, but I need to remind myself that recent history suggests this hot start is not something to get too excited about. Any Habs fan remember last year when leading into (and after) the All Star break the team was below average? Last year is not the only year the Habs have blown a dec...
JerZey_Devil2144 writes...
Enough of whats wrong with the Devils......
Posted Wednesday | Comments 4
Here is whats RIGHT.....the current and latest owner. Jeffery Vanderbeek has delivered on his promise, got a new beautiful building built that is the class of the NHL ( just ask anyone who has gone, rather than cower in fear at the percieved vision of what they think that part of Newark is like) I liked him from day one when he kept his regular season ticket seats in with ...
It only seems fitting for the once labeled "The Next One" to have his retirement go unnoticed after all of the troubles Eric Lindros experienced in the NHL. As a Flyers fan, I believe that it's quite sad to see Eric go out this way--just last week I had scoped Youtube to find any tape on Lindros, back when he was with the Flyers, back when his future looked so bright.
...
[b]Wings and Preds[/b] tonight at 6:30 cst from the Joe on FSN. The Wings, as usual, have started out red hot and are leading the tough Central. The Preds are on a bit of a roll wining 5 of their last 6 and three in a row. This is, by far, their toughest test of the year.
The Preds always seem to play the Wings tough and I expect the same kind of effort tonight. I loo...
Maybe I don't understand the criteria. The All-Star game is in February. How is it possible that the All-Star Ballot selections have already been made before all the teams have played even 15 games of the 82-game season? If the powers that be can already make selections based upon the evaluation of nominal evidence that all these players named are having all-star years,the...
[b]The Passion[/b]
Year after year the Leafs have tried to end the drought and year after year they have failed. It does at times get really frustrating that the team that I grew up watching just can't pull it off...at times it can even hurt. I have endured the endless bashing of our Leafs on hockey sites such as this one, I have also bashed other teams.
While some...
Right now as it stands the Flames are looking grim, bumping up against the cap with a little wiggle room and sitting at .500, this seems like a great time to make up some trade posibilities and use some facts as well.
Recently there was a rumor circulating that Kovalev was a target of the Calgary Flames for Tanguay, obviously based on the points Tangauy gets and the fac...
[i][b]Loyal Predjoe Blog Reader:[/b] Hey Joe you know that we lost last night right? In a shootout?
[b]Predjoe:[/b] We won baby!
[b]LPJBR:[/b] Oh...I get it. This is about the disallowed goals from last night.
[b]PJ:[/b] Heck yeah baby...V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!
[b]LPJBR:[/b] Ok...what are you smokin and can I have some?[/i]
Folks...this is how I feel today. I feel li...
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...
Okay, Preds fans, if you are dying to meet your favorite player, mark your calendars for November 13. That's the second annual "Community Day" for the Preds, when almost all of the Preds players will be out in the community, visiting businesses, reading to students, and greeting fans.
Highlights of the schedule include comedy duo Darcy Hordichuk and Alexander Radulov at...
Most of you are probably aware of this but Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars became the highest-scoring American in NHL history last night during Dallas' easy victory over the San Jose Sharks. The six-time all-star surpassed Phil Housley's record during the game and is currently sitting on a record of 1,233 points in 1,253 regular-season games -- 242 games fewer than Housley...
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...
I just played NHL 08 for Sabres vs. Leafs and here's your basic rundown:
1st
Mats Sundin scores 1-0 Toronto
3rd
Alex Ponikarovsky scores 2-0 Toronto
Henrik Tallinder scores 2-1 Toronto
Ales Kotalik scores after Tucker just misses empty Buffalo net 2-2
OT
Derek Roy scores 3-2 Buffalo
That one word is all that's needed tonight.
The NHL wanted it. The NHL is closer than ever of getting it.
The NFL says it has it. Then it has the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Where do they fit under parity?
MLB says it has it. Then there's the Boston Red Sox.
NBA says it has it. Yet there's dynasty teams like the San Antonio Spurs.
It's ...
The Rangers plan and system is again showing postive signs this year. Scotty Gomez is taking his foot off the break and showing why he was the breakdown specialist in NJ. Add a little Sean Avery to the Mix and the teams line combinations are starting to take shape. The Rangers have a nice balance of skill and grit on each line, and steady D-men running the points. With ...
The Rangers plan and system is again showing postive signs this year. Scotty Gomez is taking his foot off the break and showing why he was the breakdown specialist in NJ. Add a little Sean Avery to the Mix and the teams line combinations are starting to take shape. The Rangers have a nice balance of skill and grit on each line, and steady D-men running the points. With ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRCmReg2Ms4
Ok all I think the Flyers made a mistake in not including Mike Richards as one of the Flyers for the All Star game. The folks they picked absolutely should also be there but I think Mike should have been named to the ballot as well.
I am campaigning to get Mike Voted in. Please watch and remember to Vote next week Mike Ric...
HunterRules writes...
Isles Call Phoenix Bluff: Meyer back with Isles AGAIN
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
as per isles website..
[quote]Islanders GM Garth Snow reacquired the 26-year-old defenceman Saturday, picking Meyer up on re-entry waivers from the Phoenix Coyotes.
"The injuries we've recently had on our blue line prove you can never have enough depth," Snow said in a release. "We've always liked Freddy. He's an intense competitor and he's a very solid defenceman i...
After the game against Chicago I thought the lines were muddled and didn't shine through with players strength. The only line that looked really any good at all was Weight, Marty and Perron. That being said I'd like to propse a few different line possibilities and hear what you think and what lines you can come up with.
In the preseason the line of Weight, Boyes and P...
After the game against Chicago I thought the lines were muddled and didn't shine through with players strength. The only line that looked really any good at all was Weight, Marty and Perron. That being said I'd like to propse a few different line possibilities and hear what you think and what lines you can come up with.
In the preseason the line of Weight, Boyes and P...
According to Forbes the Leafs are worth $413 million. The Flyers at 6th overall are worth $244 million and at the bottom of the barrel are the Nashville Preds at $143.
I wonder if the Sedin twins ever switch jerseys during a game and pretend they are each other on the ice, that would be awesome.
Basillie offered over $200 million for the Preds and the NHL forced the ...
Wins in six out of their last eight games.
Points in seven of their last eight.
Yes it is time to recognize that the Predators are back. Last nights 4-3 shootout win is proof of that. Sure the Preds gave up a two goal lead but they were able to come away with two points. Following the game their was frustration in the locker room over the fact that they let the Blue ...
[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...
SlapShot30 writes...
The Wheels Have Fallen Off the Bus! PensChanges Needed Now!
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Well once again last night we saw how the Pens coaches, players, and fans have learned to loose rather than learn to win like they did in the 06-07 season. The Pens are through 5 of 9 games that I previously said would be the second most important part of their current year schedule, and are falling flat on their faces. They have been able to earn only 2 of the possible ...
[img]http://boredplanet.com/img/returnoftheking.jpg[/img]
http://new.wavlist.com/movies/093/aod-hailking.wav
Garth Snow hemmed and hawed when he had to figure out a solution to his horde of defensemen at the start of this season. Bryan Berard sat for days waiting as the season started, and all he could do is practice on his own dollar as the Isles looked f...
ExtraB writes...
Heroes and Prospects Cards Fully Loaded: New Tavares Set Too
Posted Sunday | Comments 8
-
In The Game, Inc. began putting out the Heroes and Prospects hockey card set during the 2004-05 hockey season. This set has proven to be a favorite among hardcore and casual hockey card collectors alike. Each year the set delivers a great bang for your buck as it is fully loaded with autograph and game used memorabilia pieces of hockey equipment actually worn by playe...
AlexanderScharf writes...
GAS Line, Fourth Line Heroes, Henrik: Put Rags Back On Track
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First nine: 2-5-1. Last nine: 7-2-0.
That tells the story of the turnaround the Rangers have made in this young season. That proves that the early hiccups that this team experienced were nothing more than growing pains. That when the right line combinations are found and the players learn to play with each other, it will create success. That when the team defense is con...
Every time Al MacInnis appears on the jumbotron in St. Louis, the crowd cheers. Al MacInnis is a class act, and his Hall of Fame status has been bringing back great memories. Because of my age, most of my memories come from his time in St. Louis, so feel free to add any more in the comments. Here I go:
-His Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe in Calgary. I've only really seen t...
[b]The NHL did a great thing[/b] by putting a large chunk of divisional games so early in the season this year. It really gets the rivalries going and gives each team a great opportunity to see what they are competing against in their division. For a long time I was wondering why they NHL didn’t do more of this...to me it seemed so easy a solution to add meaning to th...
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...
Roberto Luongo mockingly threatened to retire if the NHL were to enlarge the size of the goals. In fact, Luongo is indirectly the reason the league is even considering the move.
The league is seeking ways to increase scoring. There are many reasons for the decline in scoring compared to the '70s and '80s. When it comes to goalies, today's netminders benefit from bette...
One of the main topics of conversation on The Hot Stove Lounge on Hockey Night in Canada this past Saturday night was the future of John Ferguson Jr. There were a lot of opinions on this topic but the one that really caught my attention was the idea that other candidates for the job when JFJ was hired were turned down because they wanted to take the team apart and st...
Oh Yes! After losing six games in a row the Predators have stormed back in dramatic fashion. The Preds have won seven out of their last nine with only one regulation loss in that stretch. The boys have turned a corner and have surprised allot of teams including the Blue Jackets whose coach, Ken Hitchcock, thought that the Preds were done for the year when they were struggl...
-Mike Richards is now my favorite NHLer.
-Why is there no discussion of Andy Sutton's elbow to the head of Lasse Kukkonen at the buzzer of last night's Flyers-Isles game? It was a dangerous hit that marred a fun game to watch. Sutton now has laid two elbows this year that I found to be borderline dirty and review worthy for suspension.
-If Sean Avery did make derogat...
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...
Remembrance Day just passed up here in Canada and with American Thanksgiving on the way, it made me start thinking of reasons why I am thankful at this time of year, some of which I'd like to share with you all below.
*I am sooooooo thankful of the people who have answered our country's call, both in the past and now, who and continue to defend the lifestyle we lead and...
The Blues beat Detroit which is always a good thing, but there are a couple things that really irked me tonight...
-Night Class. I didn't catch the entire game and only saw the last period. I missed the one freaking time that Blues not only beat Detroit, but beat them on national TV!!!
-eric brewer. I didn't capitalize his name because he was very bad. I understand m...
This is bascially a blog with one message for a very 'special' kind of person. All of us other Blues fans would like to say to you Jackman5, WETOLD YOU SO!
So let us get this straight, you think we should send Perron down to juniors after his next game?
He, according to you Jackman5, is not a scoring threat.
Well buyah buddy, booo--yaaah.
Personally, I...
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...
To all Leaf fans around the world, dont you just hate seeing our beloved Maple Leafs lose especially in a tight affair to our hated rivals Les Canadiens. I know i do, i like most Leaf fans would love to see the Leafs go 82-0 in a season but nothing could be further from the truth, though the Leafs do try and try but continue to give away all the points that they can. The L...
Hockey fans like to think tradition is important in our sport. While other sports such as basketball and football cater to the flavor of the day, hockey is built on decades of tradition.
We have our own terminologies, many of which have come under assault in recent years. The traditional hockey term of dressing rooms has been replaced by the unoriginal term locker rooms...
I went in to last night excited to watch my Habs take on the Leafs and hopefully bring home a victory, which they happily did. As I do not get RDS in my cable package, I hoped and assumed that since this was Habs/Leafs, the game would obviously be aired nationally. Is there really any other game in Canada quite as big as when these two age-old rivals square off? Well, appa...
Having lived in Vancouver for just about a year now, I've had the esteemed privelage of attending 4 Canuck games. All of which I lovingly cheer for my Flamers' division rival, but more importantly, cheering for a good game. The Canucks are 0-4 in the games I have attended, including a loss last year late in the season to the Flames! They are currently marred in a 7.5 pe...
The Rangers continue to get better,especially the young players. With Mark Staal ripping a shot past Marty 499 last nite, I expect his offence to take off too. His defensive game is rounding out nicely . Early in the year he was beaten wide now not only does he shut down the oposing foward but steals the puck and takes off up the ice. I attibute his progression to playing ...
If you are a die-hard fan of the storied Toronto Maple Leafs, you have felt many years of disappointment. Every September there is hope that this will be the year "we" will end the 40-year Stanley Cup drought. All signs indicate that this Stanley Cup famine will reach at least 41 years.
As a fan of the blue and white I have to say that the salary-cap system is terribl...
aisforaaron83 writes...
Stars! Why not Dave Taylor? and other thoughts....
Posted Friday | Comments 5
Ok so I am posting this a few days after the appointment of Hull and Jackson as interim co-general managers in Dallas. This whole interim co-GM thing seems to me that Hicks wants Jackson to train Hull so that Hull can take over as the man in Dallas. I don’t mind Hull as a co-gm as long as he is just the sideline guy that is there to learn the position. Jackson has been i...
The game of hockey is steeped in tradition, with a rich history and an honourable character. The overriding tenor of hockey discussion over the past five years has focused on the need to increase goal scoring. To this end, Gary Bettman's NHL has continually tinkered with the rules attempting to increase the fabled 'Goals per Game' statistic. This approach is misguided ...
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 ...
[b]COLORADO AVALANCHE:
A NATURAL DISASTER
IF YOU HAVE TO PLAY THEM[/b]
My National Team tour leads me to one of the most offensive teams in the league, the Colorado Avalanche. The Av's most potent weapon is obviously the offense, with way too many players to mention who can put the puck in the net. This team has talent good enough to match up with any team in the...
aisforaaron83 writes...
Fedoruk on waivers, Jussi explodes(literally), Fistric, etc
Posted Monday | Comments 4
Ok, Fedoruk is on waivers. I am not surprised and I do feel that he has been given a legitimate shot to really make a positive impact on this team, but he has not. I hope he finds a home with a team that needs a little grit. He is an extremely nice guy off of the ice.
I do not think he is going to get claimed unless we try to bring him back under re-entry waivers. This ...
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...
After a dominating win over the Ottawa Senators this past Saturday night one has to wonder if the Maple Leafs have turned a corner. The Leafs showed up played a very solid defensive game and took advantage of scoring opportunities when they received them. It’s not that the Leafs have not played any tight defensive games this season, but this was against the power...
Let me start off by saying that I have taken notice of Brewer's better puck handling skills as of late, but that does not translate tp playing the point on the power play. Unless he does the old Pronger trick, and heads down to screen the net minder then he's more of a risk factor than having a forward on the point.
There's no statistical data I'm aware of to back this...
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...
Mats Sundin is off to one of the best starts of his career yet he sits 13th on the all star list. He is in the top five in scoring. I mean do people not realize the stats or what? Maxim Afinogenov is ahead of him! Players that he easily tops are ahead of him. I was expecting him to possibly crack the top three as where many others.
What do you guys think about this?
Living in Ottawa, it was natural I would become a Senators' fan after years of cheering for Steve Yzerman and the Wings... Heck, finally I could rant and rave about a team in my own backyard! I could randomly run into players from the NHL on nearly a weekly basis (gotta know the right clubs)...
But, a few years back the team took a huge step in the wrong direction for...
As if it is some ambiguous meaning, the Panthers quite simply do not understand the word "team". If any successful team knows it, playing like a team gets you into the playoffs, well that and will power which the Panthers also lack.
It still amazes me on some nights when I turn on the game, I find myself with a huge headache. Watching what seems like any other ordinary ...
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...
I'm not really sure where but...
I am a long time leaf fan and i am starting to lose my patience with this team.
To tell the truth here, there is not one Toronto maple leaf that i do not like or think is a bad player, but after watching this team fall apart over and over again, I'd say it's time for a change.....any change.
These are my "Untouchable" Players:
-S...
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 ...
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 ...
Ok so everyone knows (or I hope knows) that the Leafs traded one of the top prospect goalies of the Juniors to the Boston Bruins for Andrew [u][b]Raycrap[/b][/u] .... sorry Raycroft. Mr. Rask went 7-1 with a 1.98 GAA. I mean honestly you trade a top goaltender 7-1 for peeps sake for a guy who is coming off a pretty good year and a terrible year after that (raycroft).
H...
A-Mar writes...
Toronto Maple Leaf quarterly analysis (Player by Player)
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Another year has started and I know hockey season is well underway by the growing sinking feeling in my gut. 22 games in and the Leafs look about where most analysts had them pegged. There have been surprises, some pleasant, most not so much. So here are my first quarter grades for the Leafs.
[b]Goalies:[/b]
Andrew Raycroft: 2-2-3, 3.32 GAA, .887 SV%
-Raycroft ha...
On Mike Modano night. Modano tied the game in 3rd period. Nick Hagman scored the wiiner shortly after on another powerplay goal. This contest was close to the vest tight checking affair. The ducks dominated the 1st period scoring the lone tally.
J.S. Gigiurre was sharp in goal. Happy Thanksgiving to all it was a nice game to be at!!
GO LEAFS GO! What a beautiful sound to hear when you are watching a Toronto Maple Leafs ‘road’ game? UH? Exactly what is wrong with the fans that go to the ACC and watch the Leafs. Honestly you pretentious bunch of F****. There are millions of Leafs fans around Canada and the world that would cheer so loud at the games that they would be horse and have a pounding ...
Hey pens fans,
Last night's game could be a big moment for the Pens. In the shoot out, we have some serious shooters, including Ruutu. Many people are suprised by his use there, but, when he is given the opportunity, he does quite well at it.
Fleury still has not quite found his game, but at the same time maybe he needs a little more room to breathe, before he is...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens shutout the Thrashers 5-0. Fleury had the shutout tonight and this is a much needed confidence boost for him. Staal, Malone, Crosby, Armstrong, and Whitney had the Pens' goals. Gonchar had 2 assists and he also left the game early with a groind injury. Malkin's point streak has ended, as he had no points tonight. It was a good game all aro...
This blog has been a long time coming. But after reading the ek columns last night regarding the leafs and whether they should clean house or not... then hearing the Flames may be involved if only an e1, doesn't matter, I have to get this off my chest.
I love Darcy Tucker. He's from Alberta, Castor or Byemoor I believe. Anyway, he is a fighter. He's gritty, he can sc...
Earlier this week I was able to get in touch with Hamilton Bulldogs forward Ajay Baines. Ajay played his junior hockey for the Kamloops Blazers, and broke into the AHL in 2000 playing for the Norfolk Admirals. Ajay played for them for 5 and a half seasons, becoming the franchise's all-time leading scorer. He signed a contract with the Hamilton Bulldogs last season, and hel...
Over the past two months, it seems as if every Ottawa Senators fan except me has jumped onto the Gerber bandwagon. Nothing I say can seem to bring them back onto the Emery bandwagon. Even hardcore Senators fans who write about them for a living have proclaimed Gerber king. But before you join them in proclaiming Gerber king, let me argue my points of why I believe we shoul...
It’s been a rough past couple weeks, well rough season really for the Leafs and after a stretch of six losses in the past seven games which has been capped off by a 5-1 loss to the youthful Phoenix Coyotes it is becoming more and more evident that the time for change is near. There are rumors of the GM John Ferguson being fired, rumors of Paul Maurice being fired…�...
Lightningtaz24 writes...
Predators Economic Impact on Downtown Nashville
Posted Tuesday | Comments 3
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...
Two quick questions. I don't have a prize but for fun let's pretend that the person who gets them both right the fastest gets season tickets for life to the NHL team of their choice! (for the sake of competition don't go running to TSN or NHL.com to get the answer!)
What team leads the NHL in goals?
What team has allowed the fewest goals?
(Insert Jeopardy mus...
23 points in 24. Some disapointing free agents. A very slow start and of course as usual a boat load of injuries. But this year it dosent seem so bad.
We finally lost the players that were hurting us ( Van Ryn, Mclean ). I wish Murphy would be back soon , hes been a pleasant surprise this season on the pp.
The Cats finally got out of their November curse. 6-5-1 so far ...
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...
Now that it looks like the Preds sell will actually go to the Local Ownership group, lead by David Freeman, I am interested to hear from you Pred fans as to what moves you think they will make and what moves you would like to see them make. I am referring to on-ice personnel, of course. If you would like to share your ideas on what they should do off-ice as well those comm...
First, off, I am a Flyers fan. In fact, I consider myself to be a die hard Flyers fan.
That said, I have no issue with any of the suspensions handed down to the team this season.
Steve Downie got 20 games for leaving his feet and delivering a shoulder to the head of Ottawa's Dean McAmmond. The fact that Downie raced in from near the blueline to nail McAmmond is also...
Like a misbehaving toddler, a Flyers player is once again sent to the timeout chair. This time it is Scott Hartnell, and he gets 2 games to think about what he did - which is quite convenient because while he's thinking, he can read the scribblings on the wall left by Randy Jones, who occupied the same chair just a month earlier.
And just like Randy Jones, Hartnell can...
Here we are again folks... Hurricanes vs. Flyers...
It's remarkable to think that for all the trades between these two teams in the past, only Rod Brind'amour, Justin Williams, and Sami Kapanen remain.
Now, with all do respect to Kapanen, who has transformed his game and is an excellent player in his own right, looking back I would wager to say that Carolina got th...
Players choose their numbers for various reasons. Some may chose a number that pays tribute to a family member, birth year or a favorite player from their childhood. Some players even change numbers because of bad luck, or their number isn't available because of a player already wearing it or it may be retired.
That brings me to Jay McKee the former shot blocking expert...
[img:right]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6527/recchi81099zv1.jpg[/img]Could there be a homecoming for Penguins winger Mark Recchi?
Recchi, who won a Stanley Cup in 2006 with Carolina, is rumoured to have seeked a trade from Pens GM Ray Shero after being a healthy scratch for more than once so far this season.
Who would want the 39 year old winger and $1.75M sala...
It's over. Time to divide up the china, pick who get's the dog, pack up the stuff and part ways. It's been a fun ride in your time here, but I finally feel you've overstayed your welcome. It's not you it's me. The team has moved on from your freewheeling style, and we don't have room to truly let you grow. In past years we had players here that we could count on to m...
It's over. Time to divide up the china, pick who get's the dog, pack up the stuff and part ways. It's been a fun ride in your time here, but I finally feel you've overstayed your welcome. It's not you it's me. The team has moved on from your freewheeling style, and we don't have room to truly let you grow. In past years we had players here that we could count on to m...
[b]Answering the bell[/b]...that seems to be exactly what the Preds Thursday night in Ottawa with a 6-5 win over the Senators. Every time that they were challenged by the Senators they answered.
The Preds jumped out to a quick lead with a early powerplay goal in the first minute of the game. Ottawa would answer and tie it but instead of folding or laying back the Preds...
Tonight will be a good one. Colorado has a record on the road like the Sharks have at home, but throw all that out the window. Colorado always shows up to play the Sharks whether it is at home, away, Japan, or Zimbabwe. No matter how you look at it tonight will be a good test of will for the boys in teal.
Colorado will be looking to improve a woeful road record, while ...
And so we're approaching December....
The teams have established themselves as to where they sit in the league, where they need to improve and so on...
one thing that has been very noticeable is just how incredibly inconsistant almost every team in the league has been thus far with only Detroit once again showing the constant and consistant poise it has for essential...
Why the NHL won’t expand in Canada?
Canada is the centre of the hockey world. With over 50% of the NHL’s players coming form Canada, we dominate who plays the game, how the game is played but not where the game is played. Everywhere you go in Canada hockey is the #1 sport and we Canadians are more loyal, knowledgeable, and die hard then any country about any sport. ...
There is always a lot of talk about how poor the marketing seems to be for the NHL. I wanted to talk about some of the brighter spots I have seen as of late. Most of what I will talk about is related to the Flyers since that is the team I see the most material on but I feel that things like this are happening around the league and in some cases are just being missed.
I...
Hey pens fans,
Last night, the Pens defeated the Stars 4-1. They played a strong game and managed to e consistant through three periods. Crosby had two goals on the night and Kennedy and Malkin each had one. Fleury was in goal and he played well. The Pens set the tone early with Crosby's first goal under a minute in and also with Laraque domination of the early fight....
Tonight, the Pittsburgh Penguins are on the road in Toronto trying to continue their three game winning streak. Before I get to the game, I would like to wish Ryan Malone a Happy Birthday. The Pens have been playing well, as of late. They easily defeated the Stars Friday night and dazzled in the offensive zone. Their defensive play has improved greatly with everyone ch...
A night after the Penguins won their third straight game with a dominating 4-1 win against the Dallas Stars at the Igloo, the skate was on the other foot tonight at the Air Canada Center as the Pens took a step back in a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs came out energized right off the bat and took it to the Pens, who didn't have a response u...
First of all, I would like to shortly introduce myself. My name is Jeff Potulny, I go by the alias of "Ovech8" on the internet, and this is my first ever blog on Hockeybuzz.com. I am a very frequent poster on the Message Board "chat.mapleleafs.com" which is owned by Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, and I am a semi-poster of "HFBoards.com".
___________________________...
That's what the boxscore should read in the paper tomorrow after that nightmare witnessed nationwide in Canada on HNIC. Jarome Iginla looked like the best hockey player in the league tonight. Every time he stepped on the ice, the Flames nearly scored. So much that Flame hater Craig Simpson even brought it up. Then you know it must be obvious.
However, with all that ...
I have to say that I've been a proponent of the shootout since the age of 9. I was playing shootout mode on one of the NHL games for Sega Genesis when I got the idea.
'Why don't they get rid of ties and have a shootout? They're so cool!' I thought. And hey, apparently, the only thing you had to do was shoot the puck just before crossing the blue line every time you cam...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Twelve Days of Christmas: Flyers Edition
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/lights.gif?t=1196695011[/img]
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_pfanim1.gif[/img]
[u][b]The Twelve Days of Flyers' Christmas[/b][/u]
In line with this season of giving, the Flyers' Elves decided to get decked out in their Holiday finery, complete with alternating black and white jerseys and and...
An NHL team is allowed to field a team of 23. That's 12 forwards dressed, 6 defensemen and 2 goaltenders. Currently, the Minnesota Wild has a team of, seemingly, 18,000! Ok...Ok...Maybe a little less than that. As of the Vancouver game, however, they have a team of more than 23. Here is a list, included with what their contract is looking like:
[b][u]Forwards (15):...
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...
And hear we are, just over a week after the 5-1 loss to the Coyotes. A week ago we had newspapers and radio shows picking out who was going to be the new GM of the Leafs as everyone had assumed his days were done. Since then the Leafs have picked up 5 out of a possible 6 points and for the time being it seems as though that is all but a distant memory……For now. ...
[b]A special note to our friends at the Preds and Fox Sports South:[/b]
[i]WHY ON EARTH IS TONIGHT'S GAME NOT ON TV?[/i]
[b]Seriously? How often do we play in Toronto?[/b] I realize that the Preds TV package doesn’t allow for every game to be shown but there is zero reason why this game is not being shown on TV. Just glancing at the TV schedule I would gladly trade...
Sure, we all know that the NHL could use the national exposure on ESPN. But why does ESPN need the NHL?
Because ESPN is terrible.
Think about all the "sports" programming that airs in place of hockey:
I'll admit, the World Series of Poker was entertaining for about a day and a half...in 2003. Yet, the number of times I've seen poker reruns exceeds the number of ti...
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...
[i]So...today is my birthday. Today I turned 35 and I'm a bit depressed. 35 sounds really old. I don't feel old but I am old. No one around me calls me old but I see the way they look at me. What does this have to do with hockey? Not a darn thing but I wanted you to understand my mental state for my blog today. [/i]
I was in the Cool Springs area today at a big box reta...
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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...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens defeated the Flames 3-2 in a shootout. Marc-Andre Fleury injured his ankle in the first and Sabourin finished out the game. Malkin and Malone had the two goals in regulation. Malone's goal was a great short handed effort. It was a highlight reel goal, if I ever saw one. Sykora and Letang both scored in the shoot out for the win. Sabo...
The Rant Man writes...
Buffalo Sabres: West Coast Story [and a Duck Tale too]
Posted Friday | Comments 0
This is for my Sabres followers. I figure I could fill you in on what I think of dropping a game to both the Ducks and Kings:
Well, after giving it hard to the Carolina Hurricanes before hitting the tarmac at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, you would think the Sabres being winners in 6 of their last 7 games prior to boarding the plane could carry the momentum...
I'm not going to write a summary of what happened; Shaune did a really nice job of that on the main page, and there is no need to recap it. That being said I would like to share some pictures and thoughts.
[img]http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v152/52/107/602212162/n602212162_501919_2213.jpg[/img]
I was disappointed to see Fleury leave the game as I ...
The last time San Jose and Phoenix met the Sharks delivered the knockout blow with a 6-0 manhandling of the Yotes. For Phoenix it was 3 games in a row against San Jose and was just a disaster. San Jose outscored the Coyotes 15-1 in those three games. The series got chippy and Steve Bernier found himself in the thick of it. It all ended with The Coyotes Nick Boynton getting...
The Predators first ever draft pick signed a deal that keeps him as a Predator for the next six years for 27 million dollars. Legwand who is making 2.1 million this year more than doubles his salary to an average of 4.5 mil a year.
Predators GM David Poile was thrilled to announce the extension. "This is the first step moving forward under new ownership and is a sign of...
This is great news for the Pred faithful! Spending money to lock up some key players (Legwand) and the sell of the team going to the local group is now official. I would expect Erat and Dumont's signings to follow. Those two guys are key to that top line right now. Rads is not too far behind them. We better get him locked up before he becomes too hot of a commodity. There ...
The Maple Leafs have quieted the media and the naysayers for now, by going on a 4 game winning streak which they hope to carry on with tonight but does this mean that the team should not make a deal if there is one out there that can strengthen the club? According to Eck the Leafs are shopping Kaberle around a very bad move if you ask me but the team does need to improve t...
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...
When I first heard of Joe Stiger and his hockey trip idea on XM Radio I said to myself; “Wow, what a great idea! What I would do to be able to accomplish something like this…” I had to get in touch with him and find out more about it.
I had the opportunity to catch up with Joe and pick his brain on his “Ultimate Hockey Trip” idea and the beginning of Army�...
JARRET STOLL IS HAVING ANOTHER TOUGH YEAR IN
OIL COUNTRY AND I HAVE COMPILED A FEW REASONS THAT
EDMONTON COULD DEAL HIM SOONER THAN LATER.
REASON #1 CONTRACT
STOLL IS A RESTRICTED FREE AGENT AT THE END OF
THE SEASON. THE OILERS NEED TO SPEND THEIR MONEY ON
PLAYERS SUCH AS PITKANEN AND GILBERT WHICH ARE TWO
YOUNG UP AND COMING D-MEN WHO ALONG...
It was shaping up to be an exciting night at the Tank on Saturday as there was a buzz about the Sabres coming to town for the first time since the Reagan administration. I was very impressed (change "impressed" to "annoyed" at the second intermission) with the number of Sabres fans in attendance. I'm curious for some insight from anyone reading this, are the Sabres alway...
It still hurts to talk about the loss last night. Believe it or not, despite giving up 8 goals, Hannu Toivenan can’t be blamed for the loss. The loss was a total breakdown on all defensive fronts.
How many times was brewer going to be out of position?
How many times was the 6 foot 2 Backman outmuscled on the puck?
How many times did the defense watch Colorado se...
There have been many blogs and and posts debating the validity of calling the Toronto Maple Leafs a .500 hockey team. Most notably is James Duthie's blog over at TSN, who brings up good arguments, but I think his perception is flawed. Some will say the Leafs are at .500 with a record of 12-12-6, while others say that they have a losing record at 12-18. Forunately for the...
AlexanderScharf writes...
How To Fix the Awful, Miserable and Terrible Rangers Offense
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Take a look at the shots on goal from the previous 4 games. Keep in mind though, that the Rangers lost 3 out of 4 of these games, and their opponents earned 7 of the 8 possible points. Also keep in mind that the Rangers were outscored 14-7 in those games.
NY Rangers 29
New Jersey 17
NY Rangers 32
Atlanta 22
NY Rangers 25
Toronto 16
NY Rangers 28
...
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 (...
Anaheim had a terrific power play kill throughout the whole game. After the Ducks tallied back in the second period there was a leverage that would be slightly turned once more for the Jackets until Over Time. Special teams for the Ducks was what won them this game, hands down. These teams are wonderful rivals because when they play each other, they tend to have some very...
Now, I know that everybody is aware of problems with the current schedule and that the NHL has taken steps to try and rectify it. However with the Flames current road trip, I was curious about why the league would schedule them to have two separate road trips out to the East coast.
The Flames have to travel for a 6 games in 11 nights swing, including three of the five...
jammer21 writes...
Pregaming with the Blues harder than Edmonton Postgames
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
It’s time to look ahead to the Blues game tonight against the Edmonton Oilers. Be warned, Blues fans. If the Oilers give up an early lead, by the first intermission, the fans will likely call for the firing of a coach, a GM or a combination thereof. Wait, wrong Canadian team. Do we play the Leafs this year?
The last time these two teams met on December 7th, the Oilers...
Last year, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins owned the Flyers. Dennis Lemieux didn't even have to ask Joe McGrath to see that. The Pens won all 8 meetings and Crosby scored almost at will.
Well, this season, the story has been different. The Flyers have won the first two meetings, and Crosby has not scored a goal. Crosby has been largely frustrated, especially in the last...
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...
I forgot to mention last night that the Leafs put Bates Battaglia on waivers.....Anybody care?????
As I watched the game tonight, I finally got to see the real Kipper, and Vokoun was just as good. The two shared the spotlight with save after save. Kipper made 34 saves out of 35 shots. Meanwhile, Vokoun made 32 saves out of 33 for the Panthers in net.
The best period for the Panthers was the second period they pretty much took it to the Flames. They fired 13 shot...
This is looking a lot like deja vu. If you look at the beginning of last season - Gerber let in soft goals and the team struggled and were losing a lot of games. Emery then stepped in and gave his team a chance to win and took over the #1 job after Gerber was given miles of leash. Fast forward to this season - After a sizzling hot start by an unpressured Gerber, w...
I feel as if the Rangers are gonna take the charity money that's up for grabs (for the HUMMER Metro Ice Challenge taking place between the Devils, Rangers and Islanders) due to their recent play. Currently they're trailing the Islanders by just two points but I think with the upcoming games scheduled, that'll completely change. Additionally, they beat the Devils 1-0 in Ove...
Although it is not unusual for the winning Red Wings to make the front page of the local papers, they were presented by [i]Detroit Free Press[/i] writer, Tom Walsh on 12/11/07 in a less than winning light ([i]Filling Empty Seats in Hockeytown: Red Wings Bring in Exec to Combat Sagging Attendance[/i]). This article can be found online at http://www.freep.com
It appears t...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Flyers score 8 vs Pens, Laraque-What will Campbell do? WWCD
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[b]Holy Schnieky![/b]
[img]http://cdn.nhl.com/images/logos/75/phi.gif[/img][img]http://cdn.nhl.com/images/logos/75/pit.gif[/img]
[b]Wow[/b]...words can hardly begin to describe what happened at the Bank Building.
Coming into last night's tilt, the Flyers were a dreadfully inconsistent team searching for some home-ice answers; while the Penguins were the team on a ...
[b]What used to be known as 'The Joe Sakic' show[/b] comes to town tonight as the Colorado Avalanche come to the Sommet Center to finish off the Preds four game home stand. Sakic is nursing a groin injury and will be out of action here in Nashville but that doesn't mean that this team is without firepower. Paul Stasney is picking right up where his 78 point rookie camp...
After 29 games this season, the New York Islanders are just a game above .500, the sheer definition of mediocrity.
What's that sound you hear coming from Uniondale, you ask? That collective groan that echoes throughout Islander Nation?
It's the big, fat, "[i]Uggggggghhhhhh[/i]!" of being a fan of a perpetually mediocre hockey team. It's what we've come to expect fro...
The Vancouver Canucks roll into town tonight fresh off a 3-2 win in Anaheim last night. San Jose will look to make the Canucks visit to the tank an unpleasant one. Vancouver like the Sharks, has been bitten by the injury bug. Roberto Luongo, Brendan Morrison, and Brad Isbister will be out of the line up for the Canucks tonight.
Vancouver rookies Jason Jaffray and Mason...
Tonight the always tough Canucks come into town, and I expect tonight will be a great game. The Sharks played well Tuesday, and I want the team to start some consistency in their game. I have a good feeling that a few players who have been struggling of late will find their game tonight. Steve Bernier had two goals, and Joe Pavelski added another Tuesday night. Maybe Rissm...
For most teams, the style of play where you get over the center red line and throw the puck deep into your opponent's zone is called "dump and chase" and it can be an effective game strategy against certain teams and at certain times of a game. For the Anaheim Ducks, that strategy is known as "dump and go crush your opponent into the end boards" and it is becoming the 1st...
DucksFan07 writes...
Time for Some Ducks to Score and Top #1 Lines in the NHL
Posted Thursday | Comments 3
Marchant, Pahlsson, Rob Neidermayer, Moen, Miller, Bertuzzi, and MacDonald - It is time for you to stand up and be counted. You comprise the 2nd and 3rd lines of the Ducks and your lack of scoring is killing this team. We are 33 games into the season and you have very little to show for it. Do you expect your first liners to win every game for you? Some of you guys pla...
Those nine words from Mike Richards caused his agent, Pat Morris, to take a phone call from Flyers GM Paul Holmgren and throw the bruising former winger for a loop.
Morris asked Holmgren for a fifteen year deal that would allow Richards to retire as a Flyer.
Fans who have watched Richards over his three year career can't help but compare the 5'11 185 lb pivot to Flye...
As the hockey season is well on its way, I cannot help but feel as though something is missing. While I do not doubt the intensity and passion that the players possess, I am still finding a void between the way the game is played now and the way it was before the new rules. The so called evolution of the game has made it a super pest’s paradise, a one way street where a ...
Gerber!!! Gerber!!! Gerber!! Well, here we go again! Sens fans, like myself, are jumping back on the Martin Gerber bandwagon. Just last week, he was the ire of most fans. Uh, oh!! Gerber can't stop anything!! Now, he's our guy again. I truly believe that he is, technically, a better goaltender than Rayzor, however, he still loses the puck far too often. Whether he...
Marleau trade rumors abound, but what about Cheechoo. Granted he is on IR right now, but he has been more useless than Marleau and is getting paid a lot of dough. Both of these guys seem out of it. If the Sharks were smart, they would deal Cheechoo before the league realizes that he scored all those goals thanks to the best player in the league, Joe Thornton. I'm afrai...
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...
I was shocked that the Blues traded Dougie Weight and It is truly sad to see him go. He has been a fan favorite in St. Louis and we were happy to have him back after he won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes. But now this trade marks the end of Weight as a Blue I believe, and I think it is better for him to go to Anaheim and maybe get back on track offensively under a new...
While yes the Kings clearly have goaltending issues that need solving that may not be the big issue. The big issue takes place in front of LaBarbera, Aubin, or one of those rookies who just got called up from Manchester. They onloy have three guys who can score!!!! Kopitar, Cammy, and Brown can put pucks in the net and then no one else comes close except O'Sullivan who c...
I do not take responsiblity for this suggestion, it was my father who proposed this to me. However, he believes that the NHL would be best with the 16 teams that are making the most money and are the most economically sound. There should be no salary cap, and no need because only financially solid teams would be in the league, and in this way the talent pool is not diluted...
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 ...
Recently there has been much talk surrounding these two young, very talented players and probably for good reason. Liles is coming off of a superb year in which he was scoring with the "big boys" of the defensive world but is off to a rather slow start this season, while Svatty obviously had a disappointing year in comparison to his rookie campaign, but has started to pick...
'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 ...
. . . then here are some stats you may wish to contemplate.
- In 2006-2007, R.J. Umberger at minus-32 had the lowest plus/minus rating in the league. This year he and Randy Jones are tied for first in that area with plus-9.
- Second worst plus/minus rating in the NHL last year: then-Edmonton Oiler Joffrey Lupul (minus-29) What a difference a year makes!
- People...
This season, the Blues launched "Louie," a saxophone playing, bear-looking monstrosity that relentlessly annoys fans during the game.
Why, God? Why?
First of all, the mascot doesn't make any sense. We are the St. Louis Blues, not the St. Louis Saxophone Playing Blue Bears. Everyone laughed when we tried to launch "Kool Kat" with those notoriously hideous third jersey...
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 ...
Now I complain about seeing the same division rivals over and over all the time, but I can careless how many times we have to play the Ducks. These are always great games whether San Jose comes out on top or not. Now don't get me wrong the Sharks have been blown out by the Ducks many a times, but it has also gone the other way as well. What I love so much about these games...
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...
My friends can testify to the fact that, prior to the 2007 Free Agency period, I was almost SCREAMING for Colorado to get two guys: Ryan Smyth & Scott Hannan. Why you might ask?
Ryan Smyth is an obvious choice, if for no other reason than his leadership ability - something our team sorely needs due to all the new guys coming in (Svatos, Hensick, Wolski, etc). He also p...
The following link is to the article on ESPN regarding this issue
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3160690
This is my take on it.....This is going to get nasty and its a distraction neither can afford. Crawford is currently the head coach of the [b]Los Angeles Kings[/b]. The Kings have the worst record in the NHL at [b]12-20-2[/b] and this issue im sure ...
For the past few days there has been a lot of speculation of what will happen to Chris Simon after his stomping on Jarkko Ruutu in a game against the Penguins last Saturday. The vast majority of feelings out there have been that of a suspension for the rest of the year and possibly a lifetime ban.
Personally I would have lobbied for the lifetime ban, but I would have se...
Last evening the Flyers dropped a 3-2 decision to the Phoenix Coyotes, after leading 2-0 late in the second.
The Flyers had three costly defensive breakdowns that ended up in the back of their net. That is what happened, but it sells the Coyotes short. This is an excellent young team, full of resiliency and they skate like the wind. The most surprising thing was the amo...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Flyers 101-Season of Giving, The Grinch and Harry S. Truman
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/lights.gif?t=1198113250[/img]
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_santa_waving_cool.gif[/img]
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/lights.gif?t=1198113250[/img]
[u][b]The Season of Giving[/b][/u]
Yes, yule log is on the fire (whatever a yule log is), the numerous fruit cakes fro...
Sidney Crosby flew down the wing with Ryan Whitney on a 2 on 1. As he neared the goalie, Crosby flung the puck past the defenseman and right to the stick of Whitney. A split second later, whitney returned the puck to Crosby at the right post. Wide open net. Goal, right?
Gary Roberts along the right boards. To Erik Christensen had at the right faceoff dot. He spun aroun...
Things are looking up right now in Duckland. The team won last night in San Jose, Ryan Getzlaf is emerging as a leader, Corey Perry surpassed his career high in goals, Bobby Ryan scored again, Scott Niedermayer has returned from his semi-retirement and there are even rumors that Teemu Selanne is skating again in preparation for his return to the Ducks.
While most Duc...
Hey pens fans,
Well, last night the Pens fell to the Rangers 4-0. It was not pretty, so I will not dwell on that.
The Pens have made some moves. Connor James was re-assigned to WBS and the Pens called up Jeff Taffe.
On the injury front, Ryan Malone went in for a medical evaluation on a leg infection.
Also, the holiday trade freeze will go into effect at midnight to...
Congrats on another trip around the sun, Duke!!!
bcallaway writes...
Teemu Selanne to St. Louis? Could it happen?????????
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
It's not out of realm of possibility. Andy Strickland was on a local radio station last night and basically summed it up this way:
Everyone knows already that Teemu is working out every day. He talks to Paul Karyia every day and if there is anyone that could sell Teemu on the idea of coming to the Blues it's his best friend.
Not to mention the chemistry that Selanne...
[b]A CHILD WISH LIST[/b]
The day is coming. No matter how much we as fathers do not want it to, I guarantee it is coming. You have heard there are only two sure things in life: death and taxes. Well, I would like to add one more to that list, and that is: the Christmas wish list. Yes, the Christmas wish list; the most dreaded list of all fathers. Come on, guys, yo...
Things are looking up right now in Duckland. The team has won the last two games while earning 5 out of 6 points over the last three. Ryan Getzlaf is emerging as a leader, Corey Perry is becoming the sniper, Scott Niedermayer has returned from his semi-retirement and there are even rumors that Teemu Selanne is skating again in preparation for his return to the Ducks.
W...
Now based on that title you would think dogs can easily beat a fish, well hold on now. The fish have had the dogs swimming in circles 8 games in a row now, dating back to last season. The fish have protected their nets well and have not allowed the dogs in the net in 3 straight games. Have you ever seen a dog on ice? They can't quite keep up and move so well, but if you le...
Ok here's the deal. The Maple Leafs always seem to face Backup goalies, it's getting ridiculous. 17 out of 35 games including tonights' game the leafs have faced a back-up goalie. You could say that it's 20 games but I left Carey Price's Starts out. so the breakdown is this:
14 wins in total
6 wins out of 17 games VS back-ups
17 games VS Backups
18 games VS Star...
The Calgary Flames have just finished their most productive road trip in team history. Much has been said about the play of Jarome Iginla who is cementing himself as a top 5 player in the world, (in my opinion, the best and most valuable/marketable player in the NHL due to his play ON the ice and his commitment to the team and community OFF the ice)... and also Huselius a...
Even those who don't follow baseball know who the [b]New York Yankees[/b] are. And these fans and potential fans know what the [b]Yankees[/b] are about - [b][i]winning[/i][/b]. We recall that earlier in the past season the [b]Yankees[/b] were faltering. Some pundits were predicting that, for the first time since time immemorial, the Yanks would not make it to the post seas...
This past weekend, I was enjoying a snow filled, hockey inspired trip to the city that breathes... Montreal. Myself and three of my friends, one being a Habs fan, were all attending our first game live. What better place then the Bell Centre for a classic match with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens? The game is just oozing with intensity and pre-game gitters....
steal_your_faceoff writes...
No-Touch Icing - An Idea Whose Time is Long Past
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The offensive team is cycling the puck deep in the zone, the defenders are forced to react and hope for a miscue...the puck squirts free and the defender banks the puck off the side wall. From the minute the puck caroms off the boards, it looks questionable whether or not it will make it to the end line.
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_Delayed_...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens defeated the Bruins 5-4 in a shootout. The Pens blew a big league to force the ot and shoot out, where Christensen and Letang scored for the win. Malkin had 2 goals. Laraque took on Chara twice in the game. Sidney Crosby had the Gordie Howe Hat Trick. This was also his first NHL fight vs Andrew Ference. The Pens are back in the Burgh...
[b]Well with the trade freeze in effect until the 27th obviously nothing will happen physically-though I'm sure there is a lot of banter between GM's right now.
Colorado's identity has changed a lot in recent years - powerhouse that could beat you anyway they wanted to coping with the loss of star players to an almost-rebuilding team with a lot of young talent. Since th...
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...
I've been a hockey fan all my life. Regardless of who is playing I always enjoy a good hockey game (raise your hand if you watch the IHL All Star Game) but with the recent Chris Simon incident (see video above) I have begun to question if the game has always been like this?
As a fan of the game I know that coaches put out enforcers at certain times knowing that they a...
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...
The Florida Panthers will face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs which is shaping up to look like a good game, tomorrow night at the Bank Atlantic Center. After coming off a big 5-4 win against the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida will be looking to add another win to its arsenal tomorrow night. As for the leafs, I think the challenge might be greater than the past games, t...
BuffaloMat writes...
Fredrick Modin making bad decisions/Vyborny Returns
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Modin has had injury problems, that's a given and out in plain sight. He has also said there has been "progress", which you can take with a grain of salt because we've heard it before enough to say we will believe it when we see it. There's one thing though that Modin has been neglecting, and it's a very discouraging thought after hearing about it. Modin has been stayi...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603516543022/
Video of the fights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCSVRQlTn5Q
I admit as long as the Phantoms have been in Philadelphia I only went to my First Phantoms game last year. I do like going. Their games are good often hard hitting affairs.
I had seats where I have never been before on the glass between...
I feel that this is a topic that has not been getting as much attention as it should. One of the best players in the NHL, he will be going into unrestricted free agency after this season. A blog from Sportsnet suggested that he goes to Montreal, but lets be serious, it won't happen.
Another popular one is that he will go to the leafs, but it certainly will not happen wi...
Hitch is 0-8-2 against the Predators. If you want to go by the history of this horrid record, I think that Leclaire should be placed in net tonight considering his season thus far and being fresh. However they are placing Norrena in net again because he's only let in 4 goals in the past 200 minutes of play.
Modin will not return today and still has not got a s...
Hey guys,
The holidays are here and thats just grand. I wanted to wish everyone a holidays and very happy new year. The Isles, however were treated to a couple of early gifts in the week before the Christmas holiday break.
Sorry I have not wrote in a couple of days, as I have been putting in very long days at Steve and Barry's dealing with huge lines, which has led...
[b]Nice win by the Preds last night[/b] with a 3-1 win over the Bluejackets...I didn't get to see it but I liked what I heard. One name that I kept hearing last night was that of #22 Jordin Tootoo. I am loving his game and the way he is taking on the responsibility that the coaches are giving to him. Tootoo is making a case for him to be a top RFA signing for the Preds.
...
WE ARE TOUGH...LET US PLAY THE GAME...LET THE PLAYERS POLICE THE GAME...
then we hear...
Look what they did...give them a suspension...why me? WHYYYYYYYYY...????
In the latest reach for getting someone else suspended, Flyer fans lead by one Tim P accuse Max Afinogenov of 1.) slew footing and 2.) kicking Scott Upshall. If you are an objective hockey fan, you can ...
Here is wishing all Sharks fans and HockeyBuzzer's a very Merry X-mas and a Happy New Year !
Hope Santa brings everyone all the missing pieces they are looking for in the form of UFA signings, trades, fireings, or any other changes required to get your team over the hump !
SharksBuzz will be back Wednesday January 2nd 2008 !
Thank you to all who have made Sharks...
Hey Everyone,
This is just going to be a quick Christmas blog. I just wanted to take a second to wish all of my Hockeybuzz friends a healthy and happy Christmas. I hope you all get a chance to spend the day with your families and really enjoy the day and remember what it's all about. Take a moment to think about how lucky you are to have all of the gifts in your life th...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Merry Christmas to you all!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Flyers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/xmas_tree_2-AGOL.gif?t=1198596924[/img]
Best wishes of peace, love and joy to you and yours on this Christmas day. May Santa bring you all the tip-ins, 5-holes and roof shots your heart desires!!!!!!!!!
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/happy_holidays2.gif?t=1198596976[/img]
Go Flyers!
SYF
...
[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...
[b]I guess I'm not alone[/b] in my feeling today of not wanting to blog about last nights 5-2 loss at the hands of the Blackhawks. I checked out the HB home page and absent were the updates from Paul and Brandon...I guess they don't feel like blogging about last night either.
[b]Who can blame them really?[/b] There was little good in last nights game. Dan Ellis proved ...
BuffaloMat writes...
Leclaire says "No No" to the Thrashers 2-0 Jackets
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Nash sat out with a sore throat closing his air passage making it hard to breath. Nash missing the game didn't seem to make the Jackets lose a beat at all. They have been one of the most unluckiest bunch in the league this year with an ever growing injury bug creeping back and forth between the ranks of the Jackets locker room. Nash is also to miss the predators game ...
Bater_91 writes...
Thrashers lose 5-3, Should All-Star Fan Voting be Ended?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Atlanta just finished playing there 2nd stinker of a game in a row, other than Kari Lehtonen and the immortal Ilya Kovalchuk the whole team is just bad right now, I don't know if Hossa is hurt or Ek has hurt his feeling as he hasn't had a trade rumour about Hoss in a while. Either way Hossa is not playing like the Hossa I know and used to love. As I live in Canada I don'...
saneopinion writes...
if a tree with a flames logo falls in the forest...
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Does Mcgeough try to screw it??
Someone at sometime has to stand up, against the ridicule suffered by opponents and say, "Mick "blind Mcgoo" Mcgeough has to be let go. Too many times has this very patial referee made a games outcome in favour of a team not from from Alberta.
You know when the game starts and some one who you never met before says, "Uh-oh "Mcgoo" is...
Finally after 11 consectuive games dating back to November 2003 the Panthers get a win in Atlanta beating the Thrashers 5-3. Once again a solid performance by Tomas Vokoun leading the way with key saves when they were needed. It was also nice however to see Nathan Horton get on the scoreboard with 2 goals. Hopefully this will spark him going forward and get him out of t...
CaptShark writes...
Sharks @ Blues; Keys to the Game, Setoguchi back to Woostah
Posted Friday | Comments 0
*UPDATE
Rookie winger Devin Setoguchi sent back to Worcester of the AHL. The Sharks want him to keep playing but he has not been good lately and was a healthy scratch in the last game.
It has been hard getting back into the swing of things, but I have managed. Tonight the Sharks face off against the Blues in St. Louis. Things have been nothing but good for the Sharks o...
Last night's 4-3 victory was the twelfth time in a row that the Predators have won over the Columbus Bluejackets. Honestly i can't believe it. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then!
[b]
Last nights win did not come easy[/b] though (actually all of the contests between Columbus and Nashville are heavily contested) with Nashville having to come back ...
Ray Emery was sent home from Ottawa Senators practice this mroning, just heard this on Hockey Central at Noon. I will update this story as I find out more information on it, updates will appear at the bottom of this page.
Update 12:40pm
So as it turns out Ray Emery wasn't feeling well showed up 5 minutes before they senators were supposed to practice and informed the...
If there is one thing that annoys me most about the Blue Jackets, its the fact that they still have Jody Shelley. I have no beef with him as a person, however I think he doesnt fit in the Jackets roster, even with the injuries. Sure he might be an enforcer, but I think that position is already been filled by some of the younger players.
Shelley's Stats
First let's lo...
Let me start out by saying that I'm American. I'm not one of those who acts like every other country is crap and that the American way is the only way. Nonetheless, I am an American and I am proud of it. I have lived in Columbus, Ohio for my entire life. The city is very much a part of me, and I love it dearly (no matter how obsessed it is about Ohio State Football). I wou...
C J. Spacek
A J. Pominville
A A. Kotalik or J. Hecht
Spacek has turned into a complete player. he asked for more playing time and when lindy ruff gave it to him he responded by being the best defencemen on the team. he has had big hits and big goals in my opinion there is no one else that deserves this honor more then him.
Pominville has been on fire. hes scored 15...
When the Hawks put Samsonov on waivers I thought that his career was over and he would retire gracefully. I then pulled up his stat sheet and realized he is still only twenty-nine. Sergei still has the chance to turn it around and finish with a decent career. Not this year but maybe next. So who should give him this opportunity? The L.A. Kings of course. He is set to...
My vote is either Montreal, Detroit, or Toronto.
It has been suggested in other media that Montreal would be a great tie-in to celebrate the organization's 100th anniversary. Great idea to highlight Original Six in any form.
Another floater has been to tie the Winter Classic to the All-Star Game. I like that idea even better if the All-Star Game is held in a norther...
So I was looking at the NHL shop when I came across the All Star Game jerseys and the first thing that popped into my head was "Really?"
[img]http://nhl.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p3904301th.gif[/img]
[img]http://nhl.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p3904347th.gif[/img]
This is the first year of the new RBK Edge jerseys and this is the best color scheme ...
[b]1. The Winter Classic[/b]
Overall, the event was a huge success, and I would expect that the NHL is going to plan more for the future. I'd like to see it happen in a Canadian city again though. Perhaps in the Rogers Center in Toronto.
[b]2. The Senators getting bossed around in Washington[/b]
As a leaf fan, i found this to be actually quite entertaining. Ottawa...
In my watching of the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championship there has been constant talk of the top two guys for the 2008 Entry Draft in Ottawa. The consensus seems to be that Canadian Steven Stamkos will go #1 and Drew Doughty, a Canadian defender, will go #2. I was quite surprised by this aspect because of the games I have seen Doughty play I have been surprisingly und...
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...
As of last night, the four bottom slots in the eastern conference were held by teams in the Southeast division. Only the Carolina Hurricanes were in playoff position, and are running the risk of losing that position very quickly.
Every team in the division, with the exception of maybe Washington, is one or two pieces away from being a serious contender, but none can...
[b]Headline: Ryan Smyth out eight weeks with ankle injury
[url]http://thehockeynews.com/articles/12381-Colorado-Avalanche-star-winger-Ryan-Smyth-out-eight-weeks-with-ankle-injury.html[/url]
The question must be raised now, with our mounting injuries to our key players (Joe, Ryan, Tyler, etc, etc), is it time to push the panic button (or the Staples 'Easy Button') to ma...
[b]The Preds posted an impressive 5-2 win[/b] over the Edmonton Oliers who continue to find Nashville a tough place to play losing their fourth straight appearance here.
Getting two goals from Alexander Radulov, a goal and an assist from captain Jason Arnott, a short handed goal from Jared Smithson and JP Dumont added a powerplay goal in a game that the Preds seemed t...
I've noticed some oddities about this guy in the WJCs...
- plays with full-face tinted shield, so you can't see his face
- appears in intermission interviews with cardboard blue dot over his face
- Repeatedly is heard saying "I'm not Pelle....."
- First question in post-game press conference is always "Any Habs News?"
- has iPhone sewn into hockey glove
- refers to...
[b]Americans go 1-2-3 in scoring...pretty good...10pts in 4 games for that #12 guy...that's pretty good too. To be fair, vanRiemsdyk had a really good third period-he was strong on the puck and worked hard to get that goal. But I think I heard his name mentioned all of twice in the previous 2 periods. What happened, you might ask?
1 word: Domination!
Canada's defense...
Last night the Blue Jackets played their 41st of 82 games, and are now officially halfway through the season. With a record of 19-16-6, 44 points, the jackets are on pace for at least 80-90 points, which may be good enough for a low playoff spot in the Western Conference. Let's reflect back on this up and down season.
A great start
The Jackets got off to a great start ...
So here we are at the mid-point of the year and it's not been a pretty one for the Hurricanes.
GP W L OL P GF GA
Carolina Hurricanes 42 20 18 4 44 130 137
44 points in 42 games and a record at exactly .500 does not exactly scream champion.
Injuries seem to have hit there peak as the team is missing:
Scott Walker, Bret Hedican,...
We are at mid-season and the team thus far has performed well. The expectations for this team were through the roof at the start of the season, picked by most sports publications to win the cup. If you compare the performance up to this point with the early predictions for the team, you will see they are a little below where they planned to be. However the team continues t...
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...
The Buffalo Sabres D Core is soft.... I know alot of people are going to not like what was just said but its true. the only one thats doing their job is Spacek. They dont hit and play a finese defence. players are allowed to go right in on goal and do what they please. Please get me a player that clears the front of the net.
Lydman and Tallinder are shadows of their old...
[b]
QUACK QUACK THE DUCKS [/b]
The Ducks probably have the best defense in the NHL. Burke must believe that you build a team from the defense in. The Ducks' strength is in their size. Their forwards are big and strong. The Ducks are a terrific team, with plenty of stars to burn.
Today's blog will be in the regular format, with who I think are the key cogs...
Pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603656519593/
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8dYujbfS4I
Are you kidding? Of course I took pics.
Scoop awesome to see you again as always.
Phantoms won 6-2
It is slightly addictive sitting in the front row against the glass and then to sit next to the bench too well you can tell I was truly camer...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Hola Hockey Amigos - Viva Los Flyers de Mai Tai Mohito
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
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Just returned to the States from 6 lovely days in San Juan, PR.
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_1686.jpg[/img]
My wife, Kids and I decided that, after two weeks of f...
Toronto's 3rd round pick in 2004 is coming into his own. Justin Pogge started the season with the Toronto Marlies splitting goaltending duties with former New Jersey Devil, Scott Clemmensen. Both played fairly well and one did not look superior over another. But a Vesa Toskala injury to the Toronto Maple Leafs might just be what Justin Pogge needed. With Clemmensen getting...
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...
marketing:
will the NHL ever become a top 3 sport?
my answer: NO
simple reason, the United States citizens in part think of it as a foreign sport, if Sidney Crosby was a US citizen the game would gain more from the marketing of him.
Americans for the majority have never ice skated or played pick up games of hockey on ice, its totally foreign to them...whereas m...
Just announced on the Dallas Stars broadcast tonight..... Mike Ribeiro is going to be a dallas stars for a good while! He signed a 5 year 25 million dollar deal today!
Ribeiro is having a career year and is on pace for 80+ points.
Personally, I am very happy with the move. It is a very good deal for both sides!
Turco just annihilated Gaborik on a breakaway!
mo...
First of all, Happy New Year to everyone whom I haven't "seen" yet. I have been kicking around a lot and haven't had much time to hit the Buzz of late.
Now that that little tidbit is out of the way, here's the thoughts:
-It's great that the Winter Classic got a stellar TV rating. I am sure that it was Bettman's wet dream-a huge full stadium, interesting weather, and ...
John Ferguson, (General Manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs), is in quite a bind.
He is sitting in the press box, watching the team he built, blow games night after night. He is watching his team fall to injuries, again! He is watching the coaching staff he has backed fail to bring the team he built to the point he thinks that they should be playing at.
Essentially...
In my last review of how relocated teams' history is vanishing, I'm reviewing the remaining [b]Minnesota North Stars[/b].
The North Stars are different than the former WHA franchises I've previously profiled, in that they had the longest history in the NHL before moving. As such, you'll see that there are few remaining players, but a larger Next Generation. Also, they'r...
Here we go:
[b]Calder:[/b] Patrick Kane (Chi)
[b]Adams:[/b] Wayne Gretzky (Phx)
[b]Selke:[/b] Pavel Datsyuk (Det)
[b]Norris:[/b] Nicklas Lidstrom (Det)
[b]Vezina:[/b] Roberto Luongo (Van)
[b]Hart:[/b] Jarome Iginla (Cgy)
[b]Byng:[/b] Daniel Alfredsson (Ott)
Kane: In my eyes, better than Toews overall
Gretzky: Finally showing his true coaching colours, rage an...
On this day, January 8th, almost every Toronto media outlets have an article dedicated towards this intense toronto maple leafs situation. Let me just recap.
We currently sit at 13th place in the nhl eastern conference. What people are saying is that we should throw in the towels, trade away the veterans for future aspects and draft picks. To me, its seems like a great id...
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...
Damn - I wish I could have watched the Blues savage the Blue Jackets 6-1 last night.
Living the UK though, a number of the Blues games don't actually start until 1.30am and I cannot justify staying up for the whole game. Shame. NASN is the satellite channel in the UK that shows a lot of hockey - unfortunately we've only had one Blues game. Which one did they pick? ...
Ron Guillet writes...
Rebuilding is the Only Hope for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
In the midst of yet another disappointing season for the blue and white, the question of rebuilding has resurfaced. A topic which has separated the mass of Leafs fans for quite a while – but to a lesser extent this season.
While the 07-08 regular season offered promise for the Leafs, according to Paul Maurice and John Ferguson Jr. anyway, it has proved to be nothing but...
As a Sens fan this is something that has been on my mind this season, if Mats Sundin were to decide to waive his no-trade clause and seek out a contender to join for a chance to win a cup, would I want to see the Sens go after him???
All trash talking and bad blood between the two teams aside, Mats Sundin is one heck of a hockey player with plenty left in the tank and in...
With the 2007/2008 NHL season reaching the halfway mark it dawned on me that 14/28 players (according to nhlnumbers.com) are UFA's or RFA's. Seeing as this team seems to be having consistency problems it may not be such a bad thing to start fresh with some new players and get rid of some of the older ones. With that being said, here are who I think the Wild should try to k...
As a Ranger fan, I am used to disappointment. We have memories of 1997-2004 that I am still trying to repress, but now in 2008, here is the situation that the Rangers are in:
1.) Inconsistency [the facts]
2.) The blame game [the frustration]
3.) Possible solutions [the realism]
[b]Inconsistency[/b]
The Rangers have had both mini and large streaks, be it the abysma...
murdoch writes...
toronto revolution! i say bring it hamilton! by a flyers fan
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
they showed the 99 flyers leafs series on nhl network last nite. kinda where the hatred started between the two teams. the call on leclair was definitely a penalty. but you don't call it in the deciding game with 2 to go. it was a weak way to end a series. the flyers should have had the opportunity bowing out like men and playing the last 2 hockey minutes of the season.
...
Love it or hate it, the outdoor game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres brought the NHL a lot of attention from people other than hockey fans. The All-Star game is meant to do the same thing; the league showcases their talent to attract new fans.
So, my question is, why don't we hold the All-Star game outdoors (that is, when it's not in Atlanta)?
Thin...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Flyers: Chemical X in the Big Apple and A Look Forward
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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Wow...words can hardly describe the effort and the result of last night's game in the Big Apple.
Flyers give up two quick goals to ...hmm...let's see. Perenial All-Star Jaromir Jagr? Nope. First part of the ...
[b]Special teams[/b]
Last night, we were 0-6 or 0-7 on the Power Play.
In this new NHL, that I will refer to as zero contact figure skating, special teams are key. Look at Philly and Montreal, their PP wins them games.
The Rangers have had so much trouble scoring 5 on 5, so we cannot really rely on goals from that, but the man advantage (and in cases of the 2 man ...
-The MLSE Board is meeting in the wake of a 5-2 loss by the Leafs, with the agenda looking like change. General Manager John Ferguson jr and Head Coach Paul Maurice may both be dumped. It's staggering to see the Leafs playing so poorly.
I have to agree with the multitude of Leaf fans that have started calling for the napalm and dynamite. The Leafs have ability and can ...
mapleleaf92 writes...
If you had control of the Maple Leafs, what would you do?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Lets try to have a little fun out of this dismal situation. If I had the powers of Richard Peddie and the GM, I would bring big change to this organization.
1. I would have the pleasure of inviting Ferguson into my office, then firing his ass for disgracing what used to be one of the most respected hockey teams in the world. I might yell at him a little bit too.
2. A...
First of all, as a new member of the My HockeyBuzz blogosphere family, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Steve Lehtinen and I am from Brantford, Ontario about 1 hour southwest of Toronto. I am a huge Toronto Maple Leafs fan and a hockey fan in general.
Now, on to bigger things.
The current state of the Toronto Maple Leafs is about as grim as it gets. The m...
Lots to talk about in the wake of last night's 5-2 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Wild, and not much of it good.
Before I dive in to the vitriol, allow me to offer my season-long caveat: this team is on an upward trend long-term, in spite of its recent poor play. Probably about one third of the current roster is composed of guys who should be playing in the AHL, whi...
Flyers lose a heartbreaker in overtime against Boston. Niittymaki played the puck wrong as he tried to stop a breakaway, and it was simply too easy for Ward to put it in the net.
However, let's look at the positives from the game. Flyers come back from two in the third period. How? Simple. Momentum was on the their side. It all started with the Downie line, and Jason Sm...
[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...
I thought about this one for a while a said "Oh what the hell ". It's like Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China. Damn what a good movie! So if the Rangers are really going to give this cup run a shot their gonna need a quality 1-2 punch in net. Cujo has had alot of nice playoff performances in his career. Those of you lucky enough to have the NHL Network can see t...
Dallas Stars are my next team on my tour. It use to be when I hear the Stars that this is Mike Modano team. But no longer can you say that. The Stars have more talent than Modano including a star goalie. So what makes the Stars a playoff contender or even a cup contender?
For this blog I would like to let you know why I like this team or should I say who I feel ar...
As the current Leafs team continues to slide down the slippery slope that is the Eastern conference, many fans are beginning to dream of greener pastures, and have begun to circle important dates like the Feb 26th trade deadline and the June 20th NHL draft. These two dates may finally offer some hope, and a brief glimpse of that elusive light at the end of the tunnel for s...
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...
Like they all say, a win is a win and that's what counts. For the Philadelphia Flyers, today's win is just that: a win.
Mike Knuble scored two goals in the first period, and Mike Richards scored the eventual game winning goal on an exceptional play by Steve Downie whose come along very nicely in recent games (more on him later). Jim Dowd, and R.J. Umberger also scored f...
The Oilers lately have reminded me that I should not lose faith. The Oil are continually proving me wrong. Last night against the Flames, the Oilers put up a very impressive victory. They played a flames team that is virtually unstoppable on the road. Hemsky was outsanding, Score-coff continues to dominate, and a revived Dustin Penner is finally worth his weight. He has re...
Just thought I'd round up today's top stories;
Scotty Bowman came out today and said that he has no plans on leaving Detroit to join the dysfunctional Maple Leafs should they shake up the front office. As we all know, Bowman appeared in an interview on Hockey Night in Canada this past Saturday where he spilled the beans about MLSE. He said that the MLSE board of direc...
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...
Just thought I'd see who you guys thought would best represent the "C" on the Maple Leafs with Sundin gone, either on a short-term basis, or long-term should he decide to sign elsewhere.
My Vote: McCabe.
First off, the guy is full of class. He has and always will be a symbol of the best of times in Leaf land, with his everlasting passion and love for the game. In fac...
My "sources" tell me Tarnstrom is close to being dealt to the Hawks (A5) =D
Everyone that has and is currently following the Leafs knows that this team is in a sad state of affairs. The team is currently slumping badly on the ice winning only two of thirteen games, it has a coach that at this point probably doesn’t sleep much at night for fear that each day he wakes up may be the his last a coach of the team, it has a GM that is in the same sit...
[quote]"I am Cody McLeod of the Clan McLeod. I was born in 1984 in the village of Binscarth on the plains of Manitoba. And I am immortal."[/quote]
Hmm, the new guy on Colorado Avalanche's roster this past month seems a tad intense.
I wonder if there are any good stories on this undrafted winger? The stats speak of quite the berserker in the minors.
[IMG]http://i9.ti...
Apparently PT Sports is saying that one of the top 3 GM candidates for the permanent position is current NSH GM David Poile.
He's certainly a man who knows how to build through the draft (Suter, Radulov, Weber, Erat, Hartnell, Legwand, Klein, Hamhuis, Tootoo)
As well as one who can find hidden gems from all mediums (Timmonen from Kings trade, Dumont as an FA, Mason ...
As I write this, John Ferguson Jr. is still the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as far as I know anyways. Of course it is completely possible that Ferguson was fired long ago and MLSE has asked him to hold the position while they search for an interim GM. This would explain why there has practically been no roster changes during this catastrophic slump, w...
Okay, I've had it with this 1pt for losing in OT/Shoot out. Officially, there are only 6 teams with losing records in the NHL. This is a joke. The NHL point system must go. I understand that they wanted to do away with ties. But this OTL crap is out of hand.
Gary Bettman and the rest of these idiots who think losing in OT/Shoot out is worth a point should be shot...
If you thought that Tuesday nights win over the Carolina Hurricanes, would continue on a winning note for the Toronto Maple Leafs, don't count on it. Sure, they play a great game tonight but that doesn't mean that they will continue down this path.
Lets face it, the Leafs are an abysmal hockey team these days. The Leafs have pulled off wins in 3 games out of the last 1...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Drop Fourth Straight, Inconsistency Continues
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Flames dropped their fourth in a row tonight, losing to Nashville 3-0. For the second straight game in a row, the team was outright hard to watch, as the best scoring chance the Flames got all night was a clanger in the first period by Dion. The only good part of the game was seeing Calgary product Curtis McElhinney play a fine third period in what will likely be his l...
Last nights loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs should say something about this team.
It needs a change.
While I'm sure there will be plenty to jump to the Cane's side on this, suggesting they are only one or two pieces away from being a legitimate contender, and as much as I love to believe that, they're not.
It says something about the team when Sergei Samsonov is t...
Last nights loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs should say something about this team.
It needs a change.
While I'm sure there will be plenty to jump to the Cane's side on this, suggesting they are only one or two pieces away from being a legitimate contender, and as much as I love to believe that, they're not.
It says something about the team when Sergei Samsonov is t...
Stevens may say there isn't a goalie controversy, but his actions continue to show otherwise:
I say there is one because last week the "hot goalie" line worked for Stevens to play Nitty. But the team has had a few days off which inherently has broken Nitty's rhythm so the slate is basically clean right now. Both goalies gave up 4 goals over the weekend, including a fe...
As Kipper pointed out today on [i]Hockey Central at Noon[/i], there is a sudden shift in Leaf Nation's attitude towards John Ferguson Jr. (JFJ) -- and perhaps rightfully so -- but only a month ago collectively we were calling for JFJ's head on a blue and white platter, and now, with puppy dog eyes, we offer our death-bed sympathies.
There is no denying that JFJ's treatm...
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...
Kelekin writes...
2008-09 Off-Season: Calgary Flames (An Early Look Ahead)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It'll be an interesting off-season for the Flames this year.
To look ahead, this will be a make or break off-season in regards to whether or not the team will be able to compete in the two or three years thereafter.
Currently there is 40 million locked up towards next year's salaries, with about 10 million to spare. The question remains, what will we be able to do wi...
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.
While discussions run rampant of how the Leafs should dismantle their club, trading Sundin and bottoming out in the Eastern Conference seem to be the most approved tactic from fans of the blue and white. I am completely behind this plan, but many have overlooked some prospects in our own AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
The Marlies are enjoying a successful season u...
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...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
As i look on the TV and see #23 in red and white i get frustrated to think about 12 months ago when he agreed to 5.3 mill a year. It frustrates me because this team is soft. Last years was soft as well but this team is beyond soft. from the management to the players this team is a shell of what it used to be. They can beat the trap and they cant play defence. Way to many g...
Unless you have been living under a rock lately, you might know that the Leafs are in the process of finding a new general manager to replace John Ferguson.
Today we learned that the bright minds and the very skilled researchers of our friends MLSE, found that the Cliff Fletcher was still under contract with the Phoenix Coyotes. Even though they fired him back in April...
[b]APOLOGY TO THE CALGARY FLAMES FANS[/b]
I noticed as a fan blogger now I have never really laid up on my bashing of the flames. Well that is plain wrong how can I really seriously consider myself a fan of the league if all I do is bash the home team I live in.
Well that is ending today I want to make sure that I am a fan of the NHL which includes well the ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Beat Wild - With Habs Assistant GM Watching.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Flames snapped their four-game losing streak with an important 3-2 shootout win over the division-leading Wild. With the win, Calgary is now one point back of the Wild in the Northwest. Truth be told, they should and would be ahead of Minnesota if it weren't for a quick whistle late in the second that wiped out a Kristian Huselius goal. I don't usually criticize refs f...
Haven't been on here much in the past month what with Christmas and work but I just wanted to comment on a couple of things. I'm not going to discuss the Flames up and downs, simply some of the players performances and thoughts. Pictures however are from ESPN.com.
- Warrener has been a healthy scratch the last two games. Is he worse than Eriksson or Hale? I know Keenan...
The topic of how to best allot points for wins/losses/etc. in the NHL continues to be discussed.
I fully put my support behind the idea put forth by the Random Thinker himself, renowned HockeyBuzzard [b]jsaquella[/b]. ([i]the fact he's also my good friend and brother-in-law has little, if anything to do with it. In fact, it probably made me [u]less[/u] likely to listen)...
For a league that struggles to market to the mythical casual fans without upsetting the die-hard fans, the Winter Classic could not have been more perfect for the NHL.
A cold, blustery day with light to moderate snow in Buffalo provided the perfect backdrop for Pittsburgh's entertaining 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, but the game was about far more than the score....
Long time, no write...but I had to throw in my two cents on the ridiculous non-call last night and the recaps from the San Jose Sharks Staff (website) and the AP. What a joke!!! Rivet's hit on Morrow at the end of the 1st was a clear-cut, textbook boarding penalty. Yet, neither official made the call and at least one of them was starring straight at them! I thought one...
He looks like Mister Heat Miser. Please Barry Shave it off. You look like a complete bunghole.
I couldn't care less if you think Columbus is a joke. And I REALLY don't care if you think Rick Nash is overrated, under-performing, and overpaid.
Last night, Rick Nash truly showed all of the NHL what he can do - what the Columbus faithful he knew he had all along.
With just over 10 minutes to go in the 3rd, Nikolai Zherdev (one of the biggest surprises this season...
Has anyone seen Chris Kunitz? Where did the banzai-skating, run everything that moves, open up space for your line mates and fastest player on the ice go? Either the NHL told him to slow down and stop running opponents or someone whispered in his ear and told him he was a finesse-style player and could avoid contact and still be effective. Either way, he is lost and we ...
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...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Stomp Kings; Potential Dilemma: Tanguay AND Huselius?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Flames stomped LA 6-1 tonight. The Flames were able to get away with Jarome Iginla not getting any points tonight, as Daymond Langkow got a hat trick and Matt Lombardi got a goal and assist. With the win and Minnesota's loss to Anaheim, the Flames now lead the Northwest by one point. However, Flames fans shouldn't get used to it, as Calgary doesn't play again until Tue...
I'm a little Cantankerous today!
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
I enjoy your feed back.
Already Sidney Crosby's unfortunate slide into the boards at the Igloo has been treated by most hockey media outlets as The Titanic, Hindenburg and Kennedy assassination all rolled into one. The NHL Networkwent out of it's way to let us know that Crosby's injury is a league wide issue and not just a Penguins issue.
Will Crosby be missed at the All Star game? Sure. But ...
The Nashville Women's Ice Hockey League is having an open house today with a scrimmage and on-ice demonstrations. If you're a female hockey fan in the Nashville area, go check it out.
You can try on hockey equipment, get a mini-skating lesson, and shoot at the net. Best of all, it's free! ($2 if you need to rent skates)
Registration starts at 1:30, and the festivitie...
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...
So much has been made about Calgary's cap "troubles" coming up next year, so let's actually break it down and see what contracts, and what roster spots are up for grabs next season.
Contracts in place, assuming no trades happen before the 08/09 season, not including potential extensions:
???? - ???? - Iginla (7.0)
Tanguay (5.250) - Lombardi (1.817) - ????
Moss (.5...
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...
I was just in Riverton Manitoba home of the "Riverton Rifle" (Reggie Leetch) He puts on an annual hockey tournament for the kids and has a huge auction of hockey memrabelia and raises money for the hockey rink in Riverton. This year he brought a dear friend of his (Lord Stanley). I got my picture taken with the cup and Leetch and examined it closely. I noticed that the nex...
The Blackhawks are looking at Brian Campbell as a possible trade. Willing to trade are Tuomo Ruutu and Cam Barker and also Nikolai Khabibulin. I see nothing impressive with the people they are willing to give up. I would love to take David Bolland off their hands. Besides they have Byfuglien as their offensive defensemen....
Hawks are also trying to go for Liles from C...
According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, word around the league is that the Flyers are gaining interest in Sundin and it's speculated that Holmgren may be willing to move Jeff Carter and a 1st round pick for Mats Sundin.
My Take: At first glance, this is quite a shocker as Philly is one of the deepest teams down the middle with Briere and Richards in addition to C...
Well wow...not much to say about last nights horrible performance against the lightning, nothing was working, no matter what line combo Paddock put out, there just seemed to be zero chemistry. Im not sure what happens to this team when playing a bottom end team, they just completely no show...Now I know the injury situation makes it tough (take the top 2 scorers out from a...
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...
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 ...
mapleleaf92 writes...
Just Win, or just lose, Leafs fans don't want both.
Posted Monday | Comments 1
Over the last few weeks, the word inconsistent has been made synonymous with the Toronto maple leafs. I have exams to study for, so I'll make this quick.
Sportsnet blogs and other sources say that the recent 3 game streak may not even be enough to save John Ferguson's job. Cliff Fletcher might be hired THIS WEEK. Then again, someone else made a good point that, unless M...
millertime writes...
Buffalo Doom & Gloom: Leafs-like situation may blow team up
Posted Monday | Comments 0
All the attention of the Hockey World, it seems, is on the Toronto Maple Leafs, but there's now a disaster just two hours southwest.
Someone told me it's the Curse of the Buffalo Bills that has inflicted this team. The moment they stepped on the ice at Ralph Wilson Stadium, they got a heavy dose of "We find ways to lose" injected into their bodies. Now I don't know if...
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=227906&hubname=
TSN is reporting that MLSE actually made a decision.
JFJ will no longer be holding the reins (if he ever really was) of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Announcement expected today.
Looks like Cliff is the man... and the only way he would take the job is if MLSE agreed to HIS terms, as Howard Berger outlined in his blog.....
What has gotten into Johan Holmqvist as of late? Back to back shutouts against the high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators? On the road?
Maybe one can credit the addition of Kari Ramo into the equation. No longer can Holmer expect mediocrity in the form of Marc Denis to be competing for his job. Kari is young, hungry and wants it, something that Denis had n...
Andy Murray has done a spectacular job turning this team around, despite the recent slide in the standings.
But the honeymoon is over with Murray. Crunch time has come, and the team is flailing. One of the knocks on Murray's coaching style is that he loses control of the veteran players as they lose faith in his system, which sounds eerily similar to the Mike Kitchen fi...
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 ...
To start, I am completely behind the signing of Cliff Fletcher as interim GM. With the interim status he will be given the green light to undergo a series of changes in Leafs land, and all signs seem to point to the big, flashing rebuilding sign, I really don't have to explain why. However, some fans are skeptical on Fletcher because his track record of depleting youth and...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
The Phaneuf Questions; Flames Learning To Win Without Iggy
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I'm sure I wasn't the only Flames fan who almost had a heart attack when they logged on to Hockeybuzz to find a Phaneuf trade rumor on the front page. I probably take Eklund's rumors more seriously than most should. I'm still pale skinned and shivering with the possibility. However, the idea of Phaneuf being traded is both more and less possible than some might think.
T...
[b]Knowing that the playoff push [/b]has started in earnest for them the Predators posted an impressive 4-0 road win over a team that they are chasing in the standings. Resembling the M.A.S.H 4077th more than the team that started the year the Predators played inspired hockey in their victory over the Av's.
While Chris Mason's recent play (4-1-1, 1.32, .948 in last 5 G...
Jsaquella writes...
Campbell Must Act Harshly..But Of Course He Did Not
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Last evening, in a Rangers-Thrashers game, Ilya Kovalchuk hit Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival from behind, into the boards, while leaving his feet. It certainly meets all the criteria Colin Campbell listed when he ruled that Steve Downie's hit on Dean McAmmond was worth a 20 game suspension.
To remind us all, Campbell said Downie's hit met the four requirements for a...
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 ...
I have been a man of allegiances for many years now. I cheer for Vancouver, Bosaton and Dallas. There are other teams I root for when the playoffs get going, but I have always cheered for those three teams.
I have always had a healthy hatred for the Red Wings and the Maple Leafs. I live. I breathe. I hate the Maple Leafs.
Something has happened to me this year. Amids...
[img:left]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20061107/DionPhaneuf_43250.jpg[/img]
The idea that Darryl Sutter, the GM of the Calgary Flames and one of the most intelligent, well-rounded and respected GM's in the entire National Hockey League trading away All-Star and possible future Norris Trophy winning defense man Dion Phaneuf is one of the most preposterous rumor...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
10 Reasons to Watch the All-Star Game...the East
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/allstar_645.jpg?t=1201147680[/img]
With no football to contend with, the NHL All-Star Game might actually gain some viewers in the U.S. I hope and pray that Versus does the All-Star Game justice and that neither Timonen or Richards gets hurt.
Without further ado...
[u][b]10 Reasons to Watch: East[/b][/u]
1. ...
The Washington Capitals have spoiled their followers lately, instilling an expectation that they will win every game - especially against foes that have worse records. Of course this is a silly notion. But what we have seen from this team is its ability to avoid consecutive lackluster performances, giving us plenty of hope for tonight's rematch in the District.
The Caps...
[img:right]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20071024/kelly_68861.jpg[/img]It hasn't been mentioned quite that much, but earlier this season NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly introduced the idea of changing the season schedule from an 82 game season, to an 84 game season. The NHL board of governors will get the opportunity to vote on the idea this weekend during the Al...
leafguy69 writes...
A New Beginning in Leafs Nation...or more of the same??
Posted Friday | Comments 0
With the John Ferguson Jr. era clearly behind us now and Cliff Fletcher back at the helm of the Maple Leafs ship. We can only hope there are no icebergs in the water.
With roughly 30 days remaining until the trade deadline it is paramount that the Leafs brass make trades for future help, meaning draft picks and young players, preferably under the age of 25.
The next ...
DucksFan07 writes...
Two Good Hockey Films - The Rocket and In the Crease
Posted Friday | Comments 7
Although Slapshot is the finest hockey movie ever made, there are a couple of others that I've recently watched that are focused more on the drama and struggle of hockey and less on the comedy. The two movies that I recommend are "The Rocket" and "In the Crease."
The Rocket is the story of Maurice Richard. Besides the obvious scoring records that Richard is known for,...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603794370420/
For whatever reason Friday nights from my work to the Wachovia Complex doesn't take as long so I had an easy time getting down and in. There was just a ton of people at this game last night. I basically had to park closer to the Wachovia Center then the spectrum.
I picked up my ticket at Will call and ...
The core fans are the ones who buy the products, the tickets, show up to games. The perimeter fans, you have to have them, just like you have to have and develop new fans all the time, but you better take care of that core fan first.
This is why the NHL needs to get back to cold weather cities, the Core is in the north, period.
My idea is a migration of teams nort...
monoxide164 writes...
Young Stars Game the bright spot of 2008 Skills Competition
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Three years removed from the NHL lockout and the young talent continues to look better and better with every drop of the puck. The 2007 Young Stars Game was a joke, plain and simple. It was boys, not men, floating around the ice and cherry picking at the oppositions blue line looking for a breakaway.
Yawn.
Quite a different scene displayed by the young talent selecte...
Among the hardest qualities to evaluate in competition are the intangibles of "beauty" and "creativity." This is principally because those not in the creativity business erroneously assume that anyone can make competent evaluations of creativity or artistic merit based solely upon personal opinion, with no objective criteria in place. This is the "I don't know much about...
I've had just about enough of all the talk about "how we can improve the all-star game." Some "experts" have even suggested that we drop the all-star game completely. People always say how the all-star game "isn't what it used to be." The reason is blatantly obvious. All-Star games are for children, and corporate schmoozing. Unless you fit into one of those categories, the...
[b]The first person to tell you he is disappointed [/b]about not receiving the MVP award in the All-Star game will be Rick Nash. Yes, he had a hat trick, and you could certainly make the argument that all three were very nice goals.
[b]The All-Star game is billed as a showcase of talent[/b]- the game's best players on the same stage for one night. Hockey fans cannot den...
Second half of the season starts on Tuesday, and I like the fact that it's so close in the standings. It's ultimately good for the sport to have as many teams as possibly vying for a playoff spot right now and makes up to certain hockey excitement that people only could see in the playoffs.
Another thing that makes more games more exciting to watch is because of the am...
-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) ...
Needless to say, Ferguson has left one hell of a mess in Toronto. Currently, Toronto has about 49.8 Million dollars committed to players, with about .7 million dollars left in Cap space. However, for next season, there are 19 players signed to 44 million dollars. Assuming that the cap goes up to 53 million, we will have 9 million left to ATTEMPT to get back, Sundin, Steen,...
Well, I've been quiet all year long on the blog site, and now that I've had time to reflect, and some sleep, here are some things that need to be addressed, IMO.
1. Team doctors screwing up with misdiagnosises
Well, it's kind of hard to knock a Dr. on his/her practices if you are not in their shoes. People have been saying the team doctors have dropped the ball w...
The soap opera know as "The Rays of our Lives" has given us a new episode. As most of you are aware, Ray Emery arrived at the practice facility in Long Island on Monday more than an hour after he and his team mates were required to arrive. Being that this isn't the first offence for the chronologically challenged, practice shirking keeper, he was told to stay off the ice. ...
If you had to pick one discussion topic this season that gets hockey fans talking, it would have to be suspensions. And no, I am not referring solely to Flyers fans (although we would certainly apply). Colin Campbell has made headlines all season long in deciding how and when he chooses to dole out his form of justice. One word pops into my head when I look back on Mr. ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Overtime/Shootout Loss - Time to Lose the Point and Win
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[u][b]The Overtime/Shootout Loss - Time to Lose the Point and Win [/b][/u]
[b]The Good Old Days[/b]
Take a walk with me back to the days of clutching and grabbing, the days of actually being able to clear the crease and the horrid days of ties in hockey. Two teams played 60 minutes, fought hard, left their blood on the ice and end up tied. Overtime.
In this in...
[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...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Get Character Win v. SJ; PHANEUF RE-SIGNING IMMINENT
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Flames won an important character game against San Jose tonight, 5-4. Not only did they beat the league's best road team at home, they also beat the second-ranked Sharks for the second straight game. Jarome Iginla remained goalless for the eighth straight game, so the Flames remedied this with a hat trick from...Owen Nolan! It was what you might call Trade Bait Night f...
First, let me start by saying that Alex Tanguay is one of my favourite players - he always has been.
Alex Tanguay is a great NHL hockey player. Before this year, he was a Power Play specialist, had a great shot, great passer and never complained (and still never complains). When the deal was heard that Tanguay was traded to Calgary for Leopold, Calgary was ecstatic.
...
[b]At the beginning of the month, I admit I was pretty skeptical about the Avs chances to make the playoffs. With the injuries to Sakic and Smytty it was looking more and more likely that the Avs could miss the 2nd season for a second season in a row. The month did not start out very well as the team continued its dismal end to December, going 1-3 in the first 10 days but ...
I have to write this blog quickly before Evgeni Nabakov comes in with a poke check and screws it all up, so here goes....
- Leaf fans will be happy to hear that to generate a quick response to a massive clean-up effort, Cliff Fletcher has brought in FEMA....
- You may have noticed that a different goaltender was used for each period of the All-Star Game. When asked a...
[b]From another name in the rumor mill to a foundational player[/b] in the Preds future. JP Dumont has played all parts this past week in the press and I, as a Pred fan, could not be happier in the role he is ultimately cast.
There is no denying that JP has been red hot and the Preds had to be fielding calls from interested GM's wondering about the availability of the ...
The Maple Leafs' line-up is starting to take on a Marlies complexion as bodies continue to drop to injuries or otherwise.
With Nik Antropov suspended for 3 games and John Pohl out with an ankle injury, it is expected Robbie Earl will make his NHL debut tomorrow night when the Maple Leafs host the Senators.
Chad Kilger remains out due to personal reasons and Boyd Dev...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Risk And Reward: Evaluating Potential Top Line Centers
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Flames' need, or at least want, for a top line center to play with Jarome Iginla seems to have expanded beyond the realms of fans playing armchair GM. During the second intermission of the Flames-Sharks game on Wednesday, TSN's Darren Dreger reported that, with the issue of re-signing Dion Phaneuf now all but officially out of the way, Darryl Sutter is shopping for suc...
Enjoy my friends.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Personally I've always had it in for Ray Emery. I didn't like him before he became a number one for the Senators, and I didn't like him once he assumed (usurped) the starting role from Dominik Hasek. I didn't like him when he put Mike Tyson on his helmet, nor did I like him when he took the Senators to the Cup Finals. I didn't much care for his road rage incident, and I...
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...
Why is is when the Leafs are a playoff team they couldn't beat the Ottawa Senators during the regular season to save their lives.......but now that they aren't they have little problem with them? I know Alfredson and Heatley didn't play but still if the Leafs were a playoff team they would have found a way to lose!
Well there really isn't too much to say about last night abysmal loss to the Leafs, what is happening to the Sens???? now I know the injury situation is hardly something that can be overlooked, you cant pull 3 top tier players off any team and expect them to be as competitive, The loss of Alfie and Heater has been huge to this team so far, and last nights last minute scrat...
Hey pens fans,
Last night, the Pens mounted 4 goals in the third to down Carolina 4-1. Christensen, Sykora, Malkin, and Malone got the goals. Conklin was in the net. It was a solid effort by the team. They looked a little off in the beginning, but they picked up, took control, and never looked back.
Beech is with the team and practicing. Look for him sometime in t...
CAPMESS11 writes...
RANGERS COULD PULL A TIKKANEN BY GETTING ROB BLAKE...
Posted Monday | Comments 0
In March 1994 I sat down to watch the Rangers take on Mark Messier's former team. The Oilers were in town, and I cranked up MSG just after dinner. Anticipating a great game, I got an extra suprise when the Rangers traded one of my favorite young players Doug Weight for Esa Tikkanen. It was a deal virtually done in the halls of MSG. Weight walked from the Rangers dressing r...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens fell too the Devils in OT on the road. the final score was 4-3 Devils. Malone, Sykora and Staal had the Pens goals. Sykora got his 6ooth point. Malkin had 2 assists. Conklin was in goal stopping 21 of 25 shots. In the second, it loked like there would be no stopping the Pens from this victory, but in the end they were stopped. The P...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Put Up Pitiful Performance; Drilled By Oilers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Cold on the heels of their close 2-1 home loss to the Stars on Saturday, the Flames got crushed 5-0 in Edmonton tonight, souring CuJo's first start with the Flames. Let me tell you, I didn't watch much of the third period (because Prison Break was on, and also the Flames were down 3-0 after two) but I can tell you that this was the absolute worst I have seen the Flames pla...
Wow after the pounding the Flames took at the hands of the Oilers, this makes me wonder if the cup dream is dissapearing in Calgary. I know it is only one game, but there is a trend when the flames face teams that out match them with speed. It seems to me that the Flames d man really struggle, stopping guys with speed. I think that Sutter should address this problem. I loo...
First things first, I love Huselius, and I think that he is infinitely talented, but I feel that the Flames are going to have to cut him loose for the benefit of the club. Surely the return would be great for Huselius, someone who many claim was robbed of an All-Star game spot, and he could be an impact player for a team that would barely sneak their way into a playoff spo...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Come Back From 3 Down, Get Huge Win Over 'Yotes
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
In one of the best and most entertaining games of the year, the Flames came back from a 3-0 deficit at the start of the third period to beat the Coyotes 4-3 in the shootout. Jarome Iginla finally snapped his 10-game goalless streak in dramatic fashion, first wiring home an amazing shot from the left circle over Ilya Bryzgalov's shoulder with just 9 seconds left to tie the ...
In an effort to answer that, I found the best thing to do is not to try at all. It IS for all intents and purposes probably the most frustrating season in recent memory. Here's the facts- you have a world-class netminder, 2 sure fire hall of famers up front(jags and shanny), 2 very good/execellent centers (dru and gomer) the biggest pest in the league (avery), the total...
The Montreal Canadiens are gelling right now and I see a reason why we should not get a rental player. The first reason is our team is close to 1st in the east so why mess with them. Another we will be giving way to much for rental player such as the likes of Hossa. The only reason to go for a player like that is if we have knowledge that they will sign with us and keep th...
Hey pens fans,
There are plenty of rumors flying around out there, with the deadline approaching. Here is the run down of the Penguin ones.
Hossa: Atlanta is lookinig to move him before they lose him to free agency. They want to make the playoffs and they have some slots to fill in the roster. I think Hossa will move. I would say the Penguins are one of the more ...
It is very tempting to get behind the Sharks when they go on a win streak. It is tempting to start believing that the Sharks are starting to get to that Cup contender form that was predicted before the season.
Are they really, truly playing the way all of us believed they can do?
Or are the Sharks going to go on another skid for a few games down the road?
It is ha...
[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...
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...
Trotz has said it. The players have said it. The prognosticators have said. I've said it. Everyone has said it...this is playoff hockey. The Preds are in the midst of a stretch run that could be one of the most exciting in recent history.
I thought it was put rather well by Carolina Hurricane Cory Stillman in an intermission interview during the Versus broadcast on Tues...
With [b]Alexander Ovechkin[/b] soaking up the spotlight, and [b]NBC[/b] repeatedly opting out of showing [b]Penguin[/b] games to showcase other teams, how bad has [b]Sidney Crosby[/b]'s injury [i]really[/i] been for the [b]NHL[/b]?
When are [b]Sabres[/b] fans more annoying, when the team is winning or when it's losing?
What's harder to find: a fully occupied row of s...
So it seems the Florida Panthers welcomed back Roberto Luongo by rewarding fans with TV's each time he allowed a goal. Nice. Though it did set the little hamster wheel in my head in motion...
Here, then, is the list of one promo I'd like to see each team offer:
[b]Anaheim Ducks:[/b] After each fight, 10 fans are invited to sit in the Ducks owners' box between Bria...
Greeting Hockey Fans,
So Oil Country I have some questions for you in regards to this team. I hope to get some response, as I am curious for other opinions on some issues I have heard being discussed. So here's a couple questions with a few talking points for your enjoyment or displeasure.
1. If he was available, would waive his NTC, and could be had for a reasonable...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Can't Break Down Bulin Wall, Lose 3-1 To Blackhawks
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames lost 3-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks tonight, as Nikolai Khabibulin continued his dominance of Calgary with his 19th career win over the Flames. The Flames outshot Chicago 12-6 in the third period, but were unable to tie the game despite several close chances. With the loss, the Flames miss out on an opportunity to take the Northwest divisional lead, as Mi...
Anyone out there sick of hearing about the leafs on all the sports channels, internet blogs, and radio shows? I personally am, and I have developed a hatred for the leafs.
Although the Maple Leafs are the centre of the hockey world, they are not the centre of MY hockey world. I think it is unfair that every Saturday night that I sit down to watch HNIC, The leafs play th...
With last night's 3-1 victory over Calgary, one streak ends, and another is probably beginning.
Other than a rash of injuries to key players and the emergence of Pat Kane and Jonathan Toews, that's been the story of the Hawks' season thus far: back-to-back-to-back winning and losing streaks of 4-6 games. Those are the hallmarks of a very young team, and a .500 team, bot...
I will be writing a 5 part series that is somewhat similar to and inspired by Scott Gallof's "The Blame Game." However, instead of pointing fingers at individuals who are to blame, I will discuss certain key attributes that the team as a whole are lacking and are the reasons, but not the only reasons, for the Ranger's underacheivement.
[u][b]MOTIVATION[/b][/u]
Great ...
Une nouvelle saison debute dans la ligue de hockey cosom de l'ETS. Pour le National il s'agit d'un nouveau commencement. En effet, le capitaine Boivin et ses boys, voudrons faire oublier le desastre de la derniere saison. Souvenons-nous l'ecroulement en premiere ronde des series...apres avoir connu une saison parfaite!
[b]Devant le filet[/b]
Pour la premiere fois depui...
Enjoy.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Any comments are appreciated.
Have a great day
Cleon_Daskalakis writes...
Lydman Comes Down With a Case of Kalininitis
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Toni Lydman and Dimitri Kalinin have at least one thing in common. When they're bad... THEY'RE BAD! If you see either of them have a bad giveaway in the first period, it's a "lock" that you will see each of them have 3 or 4 more turnovers over the course of teh rest of the game. Miller must [i]LOVE[/i] this.
Coming into the season, Lydman seemed to be much more sol...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Down Oil 4-1 On Eve Of Five Game Road Trip
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames rebounded from a relatively lackluster performance against Chicago on Thursday to defeat Edmonton 4-1 at the 'Dome tonight. Owen Nolan continued his strong play, leading the way with two goals. Dion Phaneuf also scored for the Flames, with Jarome Iginla adding an empty netter. The Flames are currently in seventh place, remaining two points back of Minnes...
While not a Leaf fan, I always enjoy the talk about every single player in organized hockey wanting to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. It always happens around Trade Deadline Tuesday and July 1. Of course, it hasn't been helping that the Leafs are on the bubble every year recently to get in, and likely need the boost. Anyway, the Leafs need to do some major trades this d...
One team that I haven't really heard much interest or any interest at all in the Mats Sundin sweeps, pending a wave of the NTC, is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now, I havent heard mutterings in believing in them as a contenders to seriously compete for the cup in the playoffs, but let's think about this logically for a second. When Syd went down with the high ankle sprain ma...
Sitting up in the 300 level for a sabres game at the HSBC arena lets you see everything. When Richard Zednik was hit in the neck with a skate out of the corner of my eye i caught Ryan Miller and Brian Campbell waving there hands and what looked like them to be yelling their heads off for a trainer to get to Zednik ASAP. Earlier in the night Miller had called for the refere...
The first big trade has happened. Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore are headed to the Ottawa, while Patrick Eaves and Joe Corvo are headed to Carolina.
This is very good trade by Bryan Murray, taking advantage of Carolina's desperation for a puck moving defenceman. He brings in two guys who know how to win in the post-season and have a wealth of playoff experience. They ...
Mats Sundin the all time Leaf scoring leader is rumoured to be willing to waive his no trade clause for certain teams in a bid to help the Leafs future, i being a Leaf fan would love to see the Big Swede return in the summer, since at this time we do not have anyone who can replace Sundin's point production, Sundin will most likely be traded along with a current roster pla...
So after reading endless posts about the leafs, and who they could get for our captain...I thought i would just put up a list of players i would love to see in a leaf jersey once the trade deadline passes. I am not an NHL GM and find myself unqualified to be planning trades, but here are some players i believe the leafs could get their hands on with the right moves by Mr. ...
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...
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...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Kiprusoff, Phaneuf, Iginla Beat Sharks 4-3 In OT
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames opened their big five game Pacific roadtrip with a dramatic 4-3 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks. Jarome Iginla scored the winner with 25 seconds left on the clock, one-timing a nice pass from Phaneuf from the left circle. This came after Phaneuf had sent the game to overtime with 49 seconds to go with a wrister from the blueline that found the back...
You know when you ride that really scary roller coaster and you thought you had a great time...that is until you get off and realize that you were clinching your fists so tight the whole time that you cut off circulation. That's how last nights game against Detroit felt to me...a bit too much of the white knuckles.
[b]The Start We Needed:[/b] Wow! I don't think anyone s...
10:07 p.m.: Some quick post-game wrap-up...Big win for the Sabres. Miller 1st star with 35 saves and Gaustad with the GWG. Other updates since Buffalo's game ended, the Habs win in OT 2-1, Boston holds on to win 2-1 and they actually pass the Rangers in the process, at least for now, as they have one more win and two games in hand.
Updated Eastern Conference standings l...
[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 ...
The Dallas Stars are #2 in the NHL. They have two of the top scorers in the Western Conference playing on their #1 line, one of the best defenders the game has known, the greatest American player, and an elite goalie. Why does no one care about them? I realize Dallas is a football town. I also realize that the Mavericks and Rangers will always get more coverage than the St...
What I want from the Hockey Gods for the trade deadline.......nothing, yes you heard me nothing. Well let me rephrase that nothing in the name of Hossa or Jokinen with their huge price tags of higgins, plekanecs or both. Yes Hossa would be a dream but higgins is young and can be great
Higgins: 6 ft 199 lb for 3 full season (icluding this years on pace for) ...
Alright. Well. In the last two games against the Wild, the Canucks have looked ugly, disgusting, and in all senses of the word, unattractive. It seems fitting that this game falls on VD, which, in addition to being an anagram for Valentine's Day, is also an anagram for something ELSE that may or may not share characteristics with my descriptions of the Canucks' play agains...
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...
[b]The high octane Chicago Blackhawks[/b] come calling tonight to the Sommet Center fresh off a 7-2 thrashing of the Bluejackets last night. One can only hope that they used up their allotment last night.
Led by a core of youngsters that will make this team dangerous for years to come the Blackhawks have fallen out of contention and appear to be destined to be a .500 ho...
Hey pens fans,
The Pens have once again recalled Tyler Kennedy from the Baby Pens. He will be here for his third stint this season. He missed a few weeks with mono and then returned to the ice in the AHL last week. He has 2 goals in his last 3 games for the Baby Pens.
Rumors
Count the Pens out, when it comes to Boyle. It is not likely and I don't think he would ...
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...
tyler_31 writes...
Canadian T-Deadline Gameplan: Part I of IV - Calgary Flames
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching, and Canadian hockey fans everywhere stockpiling the beer and getting the work-escape plans ready, I thought that I would analyze each Canadian teams game plan for trade deadline day, highlighting each teams needs, possible trade bait, and what players they could be targeting. Today, I will begin with the Calgary Flames. Friday:...
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...
- Big Foppa news this evening. He's apparently narrowed his choices down to one of the following: Steak, chicken, pasta, and veal. Negotiations with seafood were said to have broken off in the past hour, with Sushi dropping out of the contest earlier today. HB user "Zapruder" promises to have video within the hour.
- Did anyone else notice the metal "Clang" sound du...
Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens were in Carolina taking on the Hurricanes. The Pens lost 4-2. Brooks Orpik scored his first goal since 2005 and Malkin had the Pens' other goal. Sabourin was in goal stopping 42 of 46. The Pens' penelty kill struggled tonight and allowed 3 goals. The Pens only had 20 shots on net, as well. It was a mediocre effort for the Pens and th...
4-1 Phoenix with 10 minutes left.
With 2 minutes left in the 2nd Dallas was down just 2-1. However Mattias Norstrom, being the human pylon that he is, allowed Niko Kapanen to skate right around him to pick up a rebound. Since when is Niko Kapanen a net crasher? Keep him contained and put him on his ass Norstrom. I thought his reputation was as a solid defender and hi...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157603903730908/
First Post Happy Valentine's to all. I hope it was a good day for you.
Second Thanks to Anna for coming with me. That was fun we have to go again.
Third Shout out to everyone Mr And Mrs 23, Sandy and the kids, Brooke, Theresa and her Brother, Rad, Kristin, Rosanne, and anyone I may have forgotten.
...
tyler_31 writes...
Canadian T-Deadline Gameplan: Part II of IV-Edmonton Oilers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching, and Canadian hockey fans everywhere stockpiling the beer and getting the work-escape plans ready, I thought that I would analyze each Canadian teams game plan for trade deadline day, highlighting each teams needs, possible trade bait, and what players they could be targeting. Yesterday, I will did the Calgary Flames (See Archiv...
Late last night my wife looked at me and asked what was on my mind. A small smile appeared on my face and quietly I said “the torch has been passed”. “What was that?” she asked not being able to hear me. “Nothing” I said, I had decided to keep it to myself, at least until this morning.
I’m Canadian, and like most 40 year old Canadian males there are few...
[u][i][b]Part One of a three-part series.[/b][/i][/u]
Lately, lots of predictions are being made: who will/won't be traded; who will/won't make the playoffs; even who will/won't play in the Olympics [i]two years from now[/i](!?!)
In this space, I'll put forth my nominees for this year's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
The [b]Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy[/b] is...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Lose 6-3 To LA; Humiliated By Another Bottom 10 Team
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Atrocious, inexcusable and disgusting are three vowel-plentiful words that can be used to describe the Flames' 6-3 loss to the Kings tonight at the Staples Center. For the second time in two weeks, the Flames were humiliated by a team in the bottom 10 of the NHL standings (after the 5-0 loss to the Oilers on February 4). I honestly think this game was more frustrating and ...
The most interesting part of the Stars 4-2 win over Anaheim may have been Brett Hull's 1st period interview with Daryl Reaugh. Brett had four interesting points that hint at what his tenure as co-gm will be like. Off of the topic of actual hockey games, Brett praised the work of Jeff Cogen who owner Tom Hicks brought over from the Texas Rangers to be the President of ...
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...
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...
Well as I said before this past weekend could go a long way to determining the Flyers deals at the upcoming trade deadline. It looks like Hatcher is out for a month, as is Lupul, Gagne for at least that long, and now Downie is out with a "mild" concussion. I know this sounds like crybaby stuff, but when is the NHL going to protect the Flyers players within the rules like...
[i]"These Preds just won't go away."[/i]
That has to be the thought going through many a player and GM in this league right now. The team that many had left for dead before the season started finds themselves sitting in 6th place right now with 21 games to go. Yes, I know that is a lot of hockey left but no one thought we'd be here.
[b]Why Are We Here? [/b]For me it...
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 ...
This is not a random ranting blog about the Sharks, but more of brainstorming solutions to save the Sharks now, and in the future.
Currently there is no motivation, passion, or desire. Fan frustration continues. Alot of that is due to the fact the Sharks are not living up their expectations. The excuses were supposed to stop, but continue, and the boring, uninspired...
[b]The Blue Jackets arrived in Toronto yesterday[/b], undoubtedly hockey's hotbed and also the breeding ground of immense speculation over the past couple of months. Maple Leafs interim general manager Cliff Fletcher has been rumored to do everything to his roster except put Vesa Toskala at center.
[b]From Columbus' perspective, it offers them another chance [/b]to pla...
[u][i][b]Part Two of a three-part series.[/b][/i][/u]
Here are my nominees from each team for this year's Masterton Trophy.
This does [i]not [/i]mean that I think each has an equal shot at the trophy, just that each is the most deserving from his team.
[u][b]The East[/b][/u]
[u][b]Atlanta--Mark Recchi[/b][/u]
Many doubted he had anything left when waived by th...
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...
[b]Tonight's game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Toronto Maple Leafs [/b]presents an interesting set of circumstances for the visiting squad. Coming off a putrid effort Sunday night in St. Louis, the Blue Jackets will look to exploit one of the league's worst defensive teams and get back on track.
[b]Left winger Rick Nash, born and raised in nearby Brampton...
DucksFan07 writes...
Lidstrom Takes a Punishing Hit..... and no Response
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
I've been trying to post this for four days, so I apologize for the rather untimeliness. I still don't know what the problem is/was. I just hope it works this time.
Before you "bomb throwers" get started, I am going to take a neutral stance on this and just want to compare how various teams would have responded. Let's hear how your team would have responded. The R...
Rob McGowan writes...
Why Blake Returning to The Isles May Be a Good Thing
Posted Tuesday | Comments 812
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, ...
Now, one day after his agent, Don Baizley, said he's very unlikely to return this year, Peter Forsberg may be returning after all.
That is according to Eklund, the host of the site and Anonymous Hockey Blogger. That is not an invite for lunkheads to trash the guy, just referring the name of the report.
Anyhow, I am a Flyers fan, and I kind of was on and off the Fors...
[b]With the game in hand[/b] and the ice tilted in their direction the Predators let the Edmonton Oilers nearly steal two points in Nashvhille last night. The Oilers scored goals in bunches and scoring three unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead. The Preds answered back seconds later knotting the game at four a piece. JP Dumont finally rescued the Preds in the final minutes ...
[b]Blue Jackets head coach Ken Hitchcock[/b] looks as if he's aged forty years in the past four days. And rightfully so. His team's performance has been brilliant in minute stretches, pitiful in large quantities and unspirited for the majority. After a solid start to the season, his team is now last in goal-scoring in the National Hockey League, and have fallen from a top ...
Chris Drury said it himself during the second intermission. In fact, he said it three times. "I know I'm repeating myself but we are a whole different team when we move our legs." Unfortunately, this message did not travel from the brain of this excuse of a team to their legs. And so, the Rangers made history with their stunning defeat, with the biggest botched job in team...
SabreCrazy07 writes...
Campbell: All signs point to a one way ticket out of Buffalo
Posted Wednesday | Comments 3
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 ...
Minnesotan hockey fans have the Boogeyman, Derek Boogaard, but there is another boogeyman that haunts their dreams: Norm Green.
The man that cut Minnesotan's claim to be the most savvy, passionate, Canadian-like hockey fans in America down a peg or two by moving the North Stars/Stars to Dallas (where they ultimately won the Cup that had eluded Minnesotans for so many ye...
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...
I woke up this morning feeling very frustrated.
Frustrated with knowing that with every win the Leafs put together in this time before the trading deadline, the makeover of the Leafs becomes a more difficult task for Fletcher. Why? Because Fletcher doesn't have the ultimate say on where this team can go over the next 3-4 seasons. Let me correct myself. He does hav...
As of now the Leafs are a big mess. There are 5 players on the team with No-Trade clauses. Most of them should be traded either now for teams making a playoff run, or in the off-season at the draft. Sundin should be and probably will be traded at or before the trade deadline, pick up a developed player in the league, or two, a prospect or two, and a first, and second round...
As the trade deadline approaches there is a consensus that there are more buyers than sellers. Thus the price of return goes up, the 5th round pick you'd get for say a Yelle goes up to a 3rd round pick, who wouldn't take that deal? Some might say that a team going for the cup needs that depth to make it, they need to survive for two months of punishment and I agree. The on...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Acquire Jim Vandermeer From Flyers - Analysis
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames pulled the trigger on a minor deal today, acquiring defenceman Jim Vandermeer from the Flyers for a 3rd round pick in 2009.
I've said for a while now that the Flames need some better secondary D, as I have a distaste for Anders Eriksson and David Hale. To be honest though, this trade is puzzling to me.
This is the second straight year that Darryl S...
3-2 Calgary
When I decided to start trying to give the Stars a little more coverage a week ago I wondered why they don't get more coverage. I don't know if anyone reads this, and I don't really assume that this is some landmark effort to cover the Stars on a wide scale, or that it is even worthy of a large readership. The idea for this relatively small coverage ca...
An excellent source from Michigan has informed me that Nick Lidstrom is out for remainder of season. Any one else have similar information?[b]
[b][i][u]Part Three of a three-part series.[/u][/i][/b]
Here are my nominees from each team for this year's Masterton Trophy.
This does not mean that I think each has an equal shot at the trophy, just that each is the most deserving from his team.
[b][u]The West[/u][/b]
[b]Anaheim--Brad May[/b]
To play as long as he has in the role he does is saying something....
I've been trying to post this for four days, so I apologize for the rather untimeliness. I still don't know what the problem is/was. I just hope it works this time.
Before you "bomb throwers" get started, I am going to take a neutral stance on this and just want to compare how various teams would have responded. Let's hear how your team would have responded. The R...
jetspat writes...
Well I guess you can say for sure that Habs will make move !
Posted Friday | Comments 0
After a second declaration from Bob that they are looking for an impact player for the deadline, I pretty sure something big will happen.
I wouldn't be surprised to see either Streit, Ryder, O'byrne and even Huet be moved.
Other player that might go away are Mikael Grabovski or Kyle Chipchura. These players are young, they have skills and they are high on the GM's ...
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...
5-2 Dallas
Tomorrow I'll take a look at the Stars roster to see who the most likely trade chips are.
Young players take time to develop in professional sports. 19 and 20 year olds rarely step right in take the world by storm. Steve Ott is a former 1st round pick, and this year he is beginning to show why. In the past two games Steve Ott has been throwing his body aro...
Long time lurker, first time writer.. don't be too harsh..
While many people give Bob Gainey credit for the depth of Habs prospects, I personally believe the seeds were planted during Andre Savard's tenure in Montreal. Feel free to correct me, but this is when I first feel the Habs began the slow re-stocking process.
Feel Free to enjoy this process Leaf Fans...
W...
With all the trade speculation going on with Mats Sundin and Bryan McCabe along with others, it seems as if Toronto has forgotten about the younger players on the team. Last night, Steen and the Maple Leafs have agreed on a two year contract worth 3.4 million dollars.
I say, bravo Cliff Fletcher. Thank God that Ferguson was not around to make this extension instead. He...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Beat Wings; Why The Flames Shouldn't Trade Tanguay
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Alternate title: Flames Beat Wings; The Stupid Trade Rumor That Just Won't Die.
Miikka Kiprusoff finally got his first shutout of the year, making 38 saves as the Flames beat the Wings 1-0 on Friday night. Alex Tanguay scored the winning goal 12 minutes into the first, stealing the puck behind the net and doing a Steve Smith special, as he sent the puck in front where i...
Have a great week.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Thanks in advance for any comments and opinions.
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...
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...
As the deadline seems to inch closer and closer, I seem to do the same towards Sundin.
He has been a solid player throughout the season, as he has his whole career. Easily the Leafs best player this season. Arguably, the best all-time. He has set both NHL records, as well as franchise records with the Leafs. He has averaged over a point per game throughout hi...
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...
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...
The HB Chat room is a very interesting place visited by very interesting people. Friday Feb 15, Things got a little punchy, and the latest Peter Forsberg drama had finally gotten to us all.
It all started with an innocuous comment linking Forsberg's negotiations to a soap opera. And then, things went horribly, horribly wrong....
Welcome to "As the Foppa Turns"
Day...
Malkin's torrid pace since Sid the Kid went down has been nothing short of super power induced. It's been obvious his production up until then has been the ability to not be matched up versus the top checking lines of other teams and also be sided with Sid who draws most of the paranoia by opposing defenses. But thrust into the 1st line center position it was immediately t...
As far as I'm concerned, the Blues season ended on Sunday night with a 2-0 loss in Phoenix to a Coyotes team they are chasing in the Western Conference. Oh, it's a long way from official since they are still six points out of a playoff spot with two games in hand over eighth-place Nashville, but it's obvious that they simply aren't good enough to return to the postseason t...
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...
The inspiration for this blog came during the third period of last night's 6-3 loss to the Ducks. A fairly major scrum developed when Todd Bertuzzi (more on him in a minute) bull-dozed Patrick Lalime (most likely accidentally), a number of bodies dove in, the most obvious being Dustin Byfuglien, followed by the referees and linesmen.
When the guys in the striped shirts ...
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...
other trade rumors I found for today...
Canucks are a big-time player in trade talks for the likes of Brad Richards, Olli Jokinen, but don't like richards salary or minus 25 on the year.
Tanguay, rumored to be headed to Montreal for Michael Ryder, Tanguay also has a no-trade clause and it's been recently reported that he would be willing to accept a trade to Montreal...
My father had a funny way of declaring how smart he was (or thought he was, depending on the situation). He would tap the side of his head and say “I knew there was a reason why I have headaches all the time.” I guess now it’s my turn, because less than a week ago, I indicated that I highly doubted Cliff Fletcher would be able to do anything of significance before ...
Wow. I am just speechless, and that is not a common occurrence. What a game! It is a shame someone had to lose...but I am glad it was not the Flyers.
If you get a chance...read some thoughts from this morning...[url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=4461&user_id=3682[/url]
First, kudos to the Buffalo Sabres. They played a hell of a game and I thought we w...
Is anybody else tired of another Leafs season that seems destined to end with the Buds in 9th place in the conference and a 13th overall draft position? I was hoping that it would be taken care of with a trade of Sundin but I guess that a chance at Stamkos is not meant to be (by the way, I'm not bitter that Sundin decided not to waive, if anybody deserves to say 'no' it's...
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...
Ok, so every Oilers fan on the planet thinks that Schremp should get a shot in the big league. We've all seen his ridiculous shootout goals on youtube, and anyone who's never had a lobotomy can see that this guy has some major offensive talent.
So why hasn't this kid made it to the big time and scored 25 goals by now? Well, the fact of the matter is, is that the only st...
Look, sports are a business. I don't care how classy Sundin and Kaberle are because they "love their city", or any of the other 17,000 players that seem to have NTCs in the NHL, but what ever happened to a GM being able to manage their team?
The NTC gives a player too much leverage. Boo hoo you don't want to be traded, well then, stop sucking! If you want to earn that m...
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...
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...
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:...
Glen Sather stepped out of his JetBlue plane in Phoenix, Arizona. As he walked through the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport terminal, he kept on muttering "They give away blue chips for free, they give away blue chips for free." This thought never left the Rangers GM's mind, even as he entered into Phoenix GM Don Maloney's office. He had come to negotiate a trade deadline deal w...
For the first time since Al Iafrate, the Sharks have a true, #1 offensive defenseman to lead them into the playoffs. It was a great move by Sharks GM Doug Wilson to get the prize defenseman of today's trade deadline without giving up any core players. Bernier was liked in San Jose, but the consensus of Sharks fans is that it was time for Bernier to move since he hasn't r...
I'm not a Canadiens fan, far from it, but I have found myself rooting for them more and more over the past few years because they (the management and the players) seem to do hockey the right way, the traditional way, and that's the way I like it.
Ribiero's fake injury against the B's in whatever year that was is long forgotten. And the real Alexei Kovalev (remember when...
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...
Note to Sabres fans: There is too much time left.
A rash of negative phone calls hit the WGR-550 AM airwaves yesterday in Buffalo as fans voiced their disapproval with how contract negotiations with D Brian Campbell were botched, forcing a trade.
It appeared that many fans were pointing the finger directly at GM Darcy Regier. This wasn't Regier's fault. This time yo...
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. ...
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...
There was a time, not so long ago, when the Minnesota Wild were very protective of their team, when they did all they could behind the scenes to see to it that their brand was untarnished. The last thing anyone in the offices on Washington Street wanted was a player, a design, an advert, or a product that would form a negative opinion of the franchise, especially one that...
All in can say about the Sharks performance tonight against the Blue Jackets can be summed up in one word:
WOW.
Yes the Sharks were playing a depleted Columbus team that is out of the playoff picture. But tonight's performance showed that the Sharks are definately going to stake a claim to the playoffs in a big way. Sitting in the 3rd row off the glass was a great sp...
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 ...
7-4
There isn't much to be said about this game. Dallas dominated a weaker opponent and took care of business. Brad Richards was more than advertised. The top 3 lines were phenomenal. I know Dave Tippett likes to tinker, but if it isn't broken leave it alone. Those 3 lines are awesome.
Lines
1. Morrow Ribeiro Eriksson
2. Ott Modano Lehtinen
3. Hagman Richards M...
Why not? It's only 10 bucks. I'll still be posting them here, but the blog's actual address now is www.eddiesbetter.com
I tried to think of a name, and this is the coolest one I could come up with. When I get some free time coming up I'm going to try to make it significantly nicer/cooler.
Josh
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...
i began calling for about two and half weeks ago, or before the blues had the mini explosion of wins,the tanking of the season. this way you end up with steve stamkos. then you dump half of these worthless non goal scoring schmos.
tops on my list to not resign or those who need to be traded:
1)tkachoke(keith tkachuk). when you see a guy show up once in a while...
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...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Fall To Ducks; Evaluating The Flames' Playoff Chances
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Flames' woes against the Ducks in Anaheim continued tonight, as they fell 3-1 in what you might call a valiant effort, although it was in my view a two period effort by the Flames. Mathieu Schneider scored the opening goal only 35 seconds in, getting wide open at the point and wiring a great shot past Kipper's blocker. The Flames never quite recovered from this. Scott ...
As usual thanks for reading.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Have a great weekend.
This blog is specified between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins -- two teams that have felt the cold and unfair hand of management stamp down on decisions, exiling the General Managers. It is a [i]proces[/i]s which can end a GM's tenure quite easily. The management sees an opportunity, exploits it whether or not the GM sees fit, and the repercussions always ...
[img:left]http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/09-07/0911stars.jpg[/img]When the Dallas Stars took Tobias Stephan 34th overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, they knew what they were getting. At 6'2" 190, Stephan is a tall and skinny young goaltender who plays mainly a stay-at-home butterfly style, with some floppiness to his game. He is currently playing for the ...
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this is mine, so flame away if you wish.
What I annoys me the most is the tendency of Leaf fans to hop on the bandwagon or the "Fad of the Day".
When the team is winning, they jump all over the radio hosts saying "I told you so. I told you so."
When the team is losing, everyone coins the catch phrase "blame MLSE" and they...
Well Ottawa pulled one out last night against a depleted Pittsburg team, and ya know what? it wasnt the prettiest of wins, but ill take it right now! You can immediately see the impact of having Murray back behind the bench as the Sens have a new fire and passion in there game which had been sorely missing, the players finally seem to know there assignments and are out the...
Yuck. I'll bet Dave Tippett wasn't too pleased with that. Apparently NOFX wasn't either since they went to the game in lieu of rehearsing. I apparently picked wisely by going to that show instead of the Stars game. Lackluster efforts like this really need to get ironed out before April.
Lines
1.Morrow/Ribeiro/Eriksson
2.Ott/Modano/Lehtinen
3.Hagman/Richards/Miettine...
Welcome to the definitive guide to a very successful Trade Deadline Day. Over the next few paragraphs, I will describe to you my gameplan.
Brian Burke
[img:right]http://i26.tinypic.com/2w2os2b.jpg[/img]1) Always say you are happy with your team. Announce that you made your moves earlier in the season and do not plan on being active. Of course, you will be active, read on...
- Friday night at Joe Louis Arena, San Jose scored the game-winning goal after the puck had rebounded off the protective netting. In a response, the National Hockey League reminded us all that at Joe Louis Arena, the protective netting, scoreboard, rafters, Sid Abel's banner, that big-ass flight of steps outside and Mickey Redmond's forehead are considered "in play"...
...
The Sharks had been on quite a fall, losing five straight games and tetering on the edge of playoff consideration. They were three games into a season long 8-game road trip, with Pittsburgh and Detroit on the horizon. The Sharks were aimlessly following the yellow brick road towards the playoffs, but the road was getting narrower and narrower, and the team was falling asle...
The Sharks had been on quite a fall, losing five straight games and tetering on the edge of playoff consideration. They were three games into a season long 8-game road trip, with Pittsburgh and Detroit on the horizon. The Sharks were aimlessly following the yellow brick road towards the playoffs, but the road was getting narrower and narrower, and the team was falling asle...
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 ...
The NY papers are breaking news today that Sean Avery contract talks have been called off ! Are you kidding me? Those of you who still think Sean is the most overrated,worthless,blah blah, in the league can line up and watch you favorite team start bidding the summer. If you still don't think he's good, look at the Rangers record with or without Avery. The deadline mov...
Michel Therrien seems to have more in common with the late Rodney Dangerfield than just a few facial expressions or similar gestures would indicate . It appears, from my point of view, that like Dangerfield, Therrien "Don't Get No Respect" either.
I was reading different articles over the past couple of days and there are a number of people that think Therrien needs to ...
Hey Pens Fans,
The return of Sidney Crosby has been much anticipated and it went well. Also, Ryan Whitney was back in the lineup tonight, as well. Talbot had the Pens' first goal which came late in the third to make it 1-0. Dupuis and Crosby had the assists. At the end of the game, Malkin netted an empty-netter from Talbot to make it 2-0. Fleury was in goal stopping ...
I figured a little bit of Phoenix pregame would be in order. Here are a few interesting numbers I checked up on.
Brygalov last 3 years vs Dallas: 2-3 2.25 .927 sv%
at the AAC: 4GP 1.99 GAA .934sv%
Turco vs Phoenix last 3 years: 9-5 2.62 GAA .884sv%
in Phoenix: 4.15 GAA .852sv%
Since 2001
Home: 10-5-2 G...
Since the inception of the shootout after the lockout, the playoff races have never been more competitive and the parity in the league since the lockout has never been higher.
At this point in time in the season, with only about 15 games per team remaining, it's safe to say that there are 22 teams remaining with a legitimate shot at making the playoffs. And if the Edmon...
Jsaquella writes...
NHL Officiation: Only the Inconsistency is Consistent!!!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well, once again, I have drunk enough tequila to write a blog complaining about the NHL's inability to locate competent on ice officials to run it's games.
This past week, two game deciding goals were scored on plays that should have been blown dead by one of the four on-ice officials.
The first was San Jose vs Detroit. The Sharks scored a goal that clearly hit the ...
I can confirm the report that Modry has a torn labrum in his left shoulder... because Modry told it to me following the game at the Garden on Sunday... It also appeared in the AP piece from Ira Podell who was in the hallway with me
He said he will get surgery on it at the end of the season and will play through the pain right now but it is bothering him.
(Not that its ...
[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...
In honor of my fellow Blues fan and friend [i]BluesFan44[/i] and his sick and twisted sense of humo(u)r.......
The Blues marketing has given us [b]Blue Note Code #1[/b] - Whatever it Takes.
I give you the other (9) Blue Note Codes that will be coming to a billboard near you:
[b]Blue Note Code #2[/b] - We will take no shot before it's time.
[b]Blue Note Code #3[...
The Edmonton Oilers have recalled defenceman Theo Peckham from the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis. - edmontonoilers.com
Word is Matty Roy has injured his shoulder and Smid and isnt quite ready to go. Expect to see him in the Oilers lineup tommorow against the Jackets.Theo has put up 6 goals and 10 points in 42 games along with 11...
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...
vancouver.canucks writes...
Tootoo: "You've got to be a man to play this game"
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[img:right]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20080307/tootoo_340_46857.jpg[/img]Jordin Tootoo just hit the nail right on the head, you do have to be a man to play this game. But I'm puzzled by the fact that he laid out Aaron Miller and doesn't be a "man" and stand up for his actions.
On Sunday, Matt Pettinger laid out Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks and he ge...
The 2007-2008 NHL season has pretty much become a write-off for the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fans. Most of the blame for the mediocre season has fallen into the hands of one John Ferguson Jr. for many of the questionable decisions he made as Leafs General Manager. Trading Tukka Rask for Andrew Raycroft obviously tops that list , but neither of those players had a re...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Fall In OT To Preds. Just Like Tuesday, Except A Loss
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames were defeated in overtime tonight by the Nashville Predators 2-1. Adrian Aucoin gave the puck away deep in Calgary's zone about 2 minutes into overtime to Alexander Radulov, whose shot hit the post and was rebounded in by JP Dumont. Although one might call this a game with a playoff type atmosphere, personally I thought the Flames' effort was uninspiring...
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...
The Leafs lost to the New Jersey Devils twice in 5 nights, as the Devils reclaimed the top seed in the Eastern division.
Kyle Wellwood logged 11:47 minutes of ice-time as he had [b]ZERO[/b] goals [b]ZERO[/b] assists [b]ZERO[/b] shots on goal and [b]ZERO[/b] points. Now it has come to my attention that he had been demoted to the third line playing with Moore and Ponikar...
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...
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. I am beginning with a team that was doubted from the get-go, the Montreal Canadiens.
After missing the playoffs in the 06/07 campaign, the Habs tweaked some...
I've come to realize that my mathematics professors at my alma mater failed to mention that the theories of probability and statistics [i]aren't[/i] universal after all. They immediately cease to be valid once you walk through the gates of the Air Canada Center. You see, it just doesn't matter how mathematically improbable it is for the Toronto Maple Leafs to make the play...
Back in June, I offered [url=http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=827&post_id=1185]my first look[/url] at the tired phrases that make hockey fans everywhere want to gouge out their eardrums with a rusty spork. Some time has passed, and a few more of these little gems have drawn my ire.
[b]"on the outside looking in"[/b]
Perhaps the reason they haven't won more ...
Assuming that everyone's win-loss-otL-soL ratio stays the same, I took the time to calculate how many points everyone will have by the end of the season.
[b]Eastern Conference[/b]
NEW JERSEY DEVILS- 102 Points
Montreal Canadiens 100 Points
CAROLINA HURRICANES- 91 Points
Pittsburgh Penguins- 100 Points
Ottawa Senators- 97 Points
New York Rangers- 96 Points
Boston ...
The Calgary Flames 7-3 victory tonight over the St. Louis Blues featured a lot of the same ol', same ol', including shotty officiating which seems to be the norm of late in the league. But this game had something else too, and I'm glad it did as I gave away tickets to other games down the stretch to ensure my butt was in the seats tonight. Jarome Iginla passed Theoren Fleu...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Whip Blues 7-3 - Exactly What The Doctor Ordered
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
In a historic and uncharacteristically decisive win, the Calgary Flames beat the St. Louis Blues 7-3 at the Saddledome tonight. The spotlight in this game was on Jarome Iginla, who, at 18:27 of the 1st period, passed Theoren Fleury to become the franchise's all-time goals leader at 365, one-timing a pass from Kristian Huselius at the left circle. However, Iginla was not th...
WOW! I just watched the end of the Montreal-New Jersey game on Versus, and how about those Habs?
I wish I would've seen this whole game, but ending up with 38 saves, obviously Carey Price had to be sensational. I personally have had some concern about Carey but he stepped up in a big game in a big way and I'd officially like to say I'm on the Carey bandwagon. This gu...
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 ...
pgood writes...
The Sens 4 Game Roadtrip... Not a complete loss after all
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
I realize that this comes a bit late given Ottawa just completed a home game versus Boston, but there are a few things to comment on regarding the success or lack thereof on this most recent road trip.
Coming off a big win 2 Saturdays ago versus the Pens, it was generally believed by Sens fans that Ottawa would need to come home from the road trip with at least 4 of ...
[b]In a game that will be remembered [/b]by some for a controversial goal or a non call that led to said goal I will remember this game as an ugly night for Predators hockey.
[b]Let me explain.[/b] The Preds were, quite simply, outplayed last night by a very good Sharks team. A team that has, for the past two seasons, had our number and dialed it repeatedly. The Ron Wi...
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...
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.
...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Fall Victim To Ovechkin's Magic, Lose 3-2 To Caps
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames were served a reminder of why it was a good thing they only faced the Washington Capitals every two years this evening, falling 3-2 thanks to two late goals, one at the tail end of the second period, the other with less than two minutes left in regulation, by the incomparable Alexander Ovechkin. After the Capitals' Viktor Kozlov had opened the scoring j...
Yes Mats is still with us in Leaf land. Yes he invoked his no trade clause at the deadline. Yes Mats Sundin will be back in the blue and white next season and yes it will be with a no trade attached to the bottom of the contract. There is no reason to believe Sundin will retire at years end with or without a playoff appearance by the blue and white express. This stea...
1-1=2
Wait, what?
Itlan @8-)
Alliteration is the key to any good blog title and I hope it caught your eye.
I often wonder what it would be like to be a Detroit Red Wing fan. They coast along in the regular season, amassing winning streaks and distancing themselves from the rest of the conference. Really, a Red Wings fan never has to worry. Those of them that show up to the games are really going...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Fall Apart In Atlanta. A Critical Collapse
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Last night, after the Flames' one-period effort of a 3-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, I wrote that the next day's game against the Atlanta Thrashers was a must win for the Calgary Flames. And what did they do?
Why, blow a 3-0 lead and lose 6-4 to the 14th ranked team in the East, of course.
It seemed, early on, that the Flames were listening to this 17-year-old'...
In light of the recent stomping incident involving Chris Pronger and Ryan Kessler, I thought I'd share the email I wrote to Gary Bettman (cc to Collin Campbell). I am simply disgusted with the direction this league is headed.
Dear Mr. Bettman,
If the current reports regarding the Chris Pronger/Ryan Kessler stomping incident are accurate, I feel compelled to voice my...
Observermanager writes...
Quelles sont les chances: un regard sur les deux dernieres
Posted Friday | Comments 0
PS: tous les accents ont du etre enleve pour faciliter la conversion du texte, desole et merci.
Les series eliminatoires approchent a grand pas et le temps des grandes questions sur nos equipes favorites est a nos portes. L heure des predictions est arrivee et c est a ce moment qu il faut regarder l historique de nos equipes pour voir s ils ont le potentiel de se rendr...
Pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/sets/72157604117852568/
Thanks Brooke and Karen for hanging out it was very fun.
I got to the game in time for warmups. I decided I wanted to shoot from the corner to get more face shots. I feel like I shoot at the Phantoms backs all the time.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/2334445808/in/set-72157604117852568/...
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...
The past couple days in the NHL have been marred by questionable coaching decisions that have cost teams games or at least made things interesting when they shouldn't have been.
Yesterday the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks met in Dallas where the Stars have consistently been able to handle the Canucks behind the netminding of Marty Turco. The Stars were playing on ...
[b]*NOTE*:[/b] I will be writing a series of blogs discussing a handful of teams whose expectations were minimal to start the season or even now. Within these teams, I believe one will take home the Stanley Cup to their franchise. So far, I've I wrote about two of these clubs, the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers.
The Calgary Flames didn't start off with load...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
The Remarkable Northwest; The Needed Games Start Tomorrow
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Ask anyone, whether it be bloggers, journalists, coaches or players, and the universal response to the question "How many points will it take to make the playoffs in the Western Conference?" would probably be 94 or 95 points. The Calgary Flames are embroiled in the tightest points race in hockey, the Northwest Division race, a remarkable logjam of a division that, if it co...
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 ...
A few thoughts have crossed my mind as I look at this team from the beginning of the year to now.
First thing that sticks out is that I simply beleive the Flyers are still a year away to becoming a top team. I think they caught fire in stretches and it got all the Flyers Fans juiced up, thinking this would be the year of the Cup. Coming into this year, I simply was lo...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Another Road Disaster; Flames Don't Deserve The Playoffs
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
I have been criticized recently because of my extreme pessimism regarding the Calgary Flames' chances for the rest of this NHL season. Well, I point the optimists in the direction of the Flames' latest disaster, a 3-0 drubbing by the 12th place Columbus Blue Jackets, in which they were outshot by a ridiculous margin of 38-18. There is little that can be said about such a l...
[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 ...
Throughout its history, the NHL has had its share of "characters," and now is no different.
We all know that [b]John Tortorella[/b] looks like [b]Fonzie[/b] and [b]Sidney Crosby[/b] looks like [b]Butt-head[/b], but here's a few you might not have noticed...
[b]Jacques Martin / [i]Ratatouille[/i][/b]
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/Number23/HockeyBuzz/...
Anyone see the Leafs/Islanders game Tuesday night? Rob Davison of the Islanders scored on a slapshot from just in front of the goal line.
The OTHER goal line. The one 180 feet away.
An embarrassing moment to be sure. But we think Toskala had some valid reasons for allowing what seemed to be such a soft goal...
- Was distracted by blue dot and red comet tail ar...
tootooisapunk writes...
Problems with EA sports NHL 08 get used to it or speak up.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Like many gamers, I have been waiting on the roster update for NHL 08. We all assumed it would be out in a reasonable time. Well it has finally come out [b]3 weeks after the trade deadline[/b] and it's full of glitches.
Systems lock up, connections drop, and lineups are full of holes. The Stars, my favorite team, and the Sharks (the other team in the Pacific) only have...
Willie Wilts writes...
LEAFS: Who Will Be Paid In Full Come June Draft.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
With the Leafs all but out of playoff contention, Interum GM Cliff Fletcher headed west to scout talent and a pair of back to backs this weekend that may force Leaf fans off the ledge, lets turn our focus to the 'rebuild'...It has been reported that GM Fletcher has "extra" money to buy-out any contracts he feels need discarded. When the term buy-out is mentioned shortly a...
After watching tonight's 7-4 win over Tampa Bay, I am convinced of one thing:
The Buffalo Sabres are schizophrenic.
The Sabres managed just two - that's right, two - shots on goal while giving up a pair of second-period goals to one of the worst teams in the league (last in the Eastern Conference with 66 points, or 15 points behind the Sabres). They left the ice fo...
Sometimes it takes a loss to understand how important a player is to his team. The Capitals lost 5-0 to the Blackhawks last night. In a game where the Capitals failed to score, it was more apparent than ever how Alexander Ovechkin is the league MVP.
A week or so ago, Ek posted the "Who Would You Build Your Team Around" blog.
The options...Sidney Crosby or Alexander...
[b][i]UPDATE - [/b]The Tennessean is reporting that Dan Ellis will make the start in net tonight for the Preds. Ellis has played well against the Wings and recently was in net for the 3-1 Preds win at the Joe. [/i]
[b]I will be mobile tonight[/b] at the Preds - Wings. I have not done that yet this year and I am looking forward to doing it. Follow along online or wit...
[b]Coming off their lucklaster performance against the Wild on Monday, Colorado will look to rebound as they get set to faceoff in the Saddledome tonight at 9pm EST/6pm PST.
Calgary, as we all know, is a very skilled team. They have gotten great goaltending from Kipper as of late, even though by all accounts he has struggled this season. Of course, the Flames' D is tou...
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 ...
[b]It seemed like an easy thing. After an embarrassing 3-1 loss to Minny on Monday I figured the Avs would come out of the gate flying - good rushes, hits, etc. At least there was a fight.
In a CRUCIAL game, the Avs simply did not come to play...AGAIN! They looked a lot better in the third but even then, come on. With a whopping 3 shots in the first, 7 shots in the sec...
As I mentioned yesterday I blogged live from the Preds - Red Wings game last night. below is my blow by blow recap as it appeared live on my other blog www.predjoe.wordpress.com.
[b]Pre-Game[/b]
it is early...I tend to get to games early to try and nab one of my special free parking spots. I scored one tonight so I am feeling good!
the Sommet Center has the Duk...
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...
[img:left]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070923/pogge_54611.jpg[/img]I had an opportunity to see the Leafs future #1 netminder tonight, as his Marlies visited Hamilton in the first game of a home-and-home, picking up a 3-2 victory in overtime. I say "future #1" with conviction after what I saw tonight. Not that there was any doubt before I got to see him in person, ...
enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Happy holiday weekend.
enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Happy holiday weekend.
enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Happy holiday weekend.
Ok.
Ovechkin hit 60 goals with 6 games left.
Cool.
Now we can all relax. He's juiced the most he possibly could have out of this season.
C'mon, am I right??
Nope!
So, heres how I look at it. Ovechkin is the top scorer since the lockout. He's the best goal scorer, statistically, since Mario Lemieux put up 69 goals in 1995-96. But thats only so far. Could, hypothetical...
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 ...
Here they come lead by their knight in shining armour Vesa Toskala. Maple leafs fans haven't been treated to something like this since Cujo pulled on a blue and white jersey. If JFJ did ANYTHING right in his time as Leafs GM it CERTAINLY would be bringing in Toskala. Even with being saddled with Bell's 2 mil/2yr deal the Toskala aquisition was just what the Leafs needed...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Keep Division Hopes Alive; 2 Down, 3 To Go?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
In a game that looked and felt like a genuine playoff tilt, the Calgary Flames edged out the Minnesota Wild 5-4 on the strength of a natural hat trick by Jarome Iginla and goals by Dion Phaneuf and Matthew Lombardi. Flames fans in the 'Dome were treated to not only this outstanding effort by their captain, but a critically important flash of opportunism by the boys in red....
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...
It's been a long time since Calgary has had THAT defenseman. The guy who was going to score goals and shut down the other team. Robyn Regehr has been a stalwart for years, but his offensive output is limited, relegating him to be simply a shut-down d-man... extremely important, but in a different regard. Dion has shown Calgary Flames fans and the league that he's going ...
[b]Avs 2, Flames 0. Although the score may seem somewhat misleading, the game was much closer. Again, at the start of the game the Avs came out somewhat tentative, though I have to say our passing was much crisper tonight. I thought Calgary really set the physical tone early, especially thanks to Phaneuf. I love this guy, I really do, and I thought he was great tonight (at...
Well the Senators got beat down with its 2nd loss in 2 games. First a squandered loss by the hated Leafs and tonight by the Montreal Canadiens. Obviously the Leaf-revulsion has always been old news, but tonight a new era has dawned as the rivalry brewing between the Habs and the sens has hit a new temperature. I was both impressed and disgusted by the intensity of the Bell...
The passing of the torch is an expression in the sports world that is often used when a team sees the face of there franchise either retire or slowly fade to the back while a younger player steps up to replace him in that role in the hopes of leading his team to greatness. In Toronto this passing of the torch is slowly but surely starting to happen. As it stands rig...
In hockey, there used to be one goal....that was to win the Stanley Cup. It didn't matter how much money you made when you won it, it didn't matter how ready for the future the team was, the team's cap situation didn't matter.....no the business aspect stayed out of the history books.
It used to be when a team won the Stanley Cup, the team was engraved forever in hocke...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Get Win No. 40 In Style Over Canucks, Take Lead In NW
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames rebounded from an abysmal first period, a terribly soft goal, and a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 tonight at the Saddledome. With the win, Calgary takes the lead in the Northwest Division with 90 points, one more than Minnesota and four more than the Canucks and Colorado Avalanche. This was a huge win for the Flames, who go into a three...
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...
The regular season has only 5 games remaining.
The (expected) playoff birth has been obtained an now it's really just a question of heading into the post season playing good "playoff hockey" and above all...staying healthy.
I know the team and the fans would like a division championship...at least...and maybe even first place in the conference.
But honestly to me...
Often a topic of conversation among hockey fans here in Buffalo, along with local media, and possibly throughout the league as well, I have a few thoughts about Ryan Miller.
First off, I like Ryan Miller. For the most part I think he's done a solid job in net for the Sabres. I will do my best to detach myself as a Sabres fan and look at the realities facing this team in...
It will be a relief to some that I've yet to see Andrew Raycroft's picture on a milk carton (yes, Mrs.Raycroft, I'm sure he's okay). I drink a lot of milk (for healthy bones) so I would be the first to know were he missing from anywhere outside of the rink.
But missing on the rink he is. He hasn't started a game in what seems to be ages (November 18th I believe, but I'...
The Sabres proved that there is no way that they can be a playoff team last night. Two blown two-goal leads in three games. Pathetic. I don't understand how they can ALWAYS break down when they are GIVEN freebie points by playoff teams. I say, sit Miller down, put in Thibault. Miller has had concistency problems and always chokes come playoff time. How do you know if...
Enjoy
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts
Have a great Sunday.
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...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Lose Heartbreaker To Oil; Winning Out Would Win NW
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I just did not have the energy to muster a blog post late last night, after the Calgary Flames' 2-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at home. So I'll briefly summarize this huge game before detailing how it affects the Flames' division hopes. This game was, in my view, simply a heartbreaker for the Flames, who outshot, outchanced, and had more puck control for the entire game t...
All year long, Sharks fans lamented over inconsistency. We are not scoring enough. Our offense is hot and cold. Cheechoo and Marleau have disappeared. We need a number one d-man to make the playoffs.
Blah, Blah, Blah.
Living in Columbus, OH, I watched. I listened. I said, "Just be patient."
I got to see Brian Campbell's debut in teal in person in Columbus. I...
My family and I just happened to fall prey to the nasty sickness that has been floating around and not going away in a normal timeframe. This one was abnormally uncomfortable as even my bones and teeth hurt. Nothing like waking in the middle of the night after 15 hours of sleep in a soaking wet sweat, but I am wandering off topic.
The bottom line is I missed the "Ne...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Forget The Division, Flames Have To Just Get In Playoffs Now
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The aftermath of the Calgary Flames' 6-2 embarrassment at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks last night (the game itself really requires no explanation or analysis), should be as clear as day, even to the most tragically optimistic Flames fans: far from winning the division, the Flames must now, just as they did last season, focus their efforts and worries primarily on sim...
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...
[i]Not so much a blog as just some random comments...this is getting good people![/i]
With the win last night the Preds put themselves in control of their own destiny...win out and they are guaranteed at least the 8th spot.
[b]Let's take a moment [/b]and ponder the fact that no one thought we would be here at this point...NO ONE! Many of the [i]experts[/i] were pick...
jesus the northwest is crazy - if calgary beats minny tomorrow, then THREE teams can win the division title with their last game remaining
Option 1 - CGY beats MIN, CGY beats VAN, COL Beats MIN (Calgary wins Title)
Option 2 - CGY beats MIN, CGY loses to VAN, COL Beats MIN (Colorado wins Title)
Option 3 - CGY beats MIN, CGY beats VAN, MIN beats COL (Minnesota wins Titl...
[b] My wife and I were in our basement suite busily trying to decorate the place in pro-Avs colors when in walked one of my best friends (and another buddy)... Canuck fans. With Avs jerseys, scarfs, trinkets, mugs, a blanket and two Canuck fans, the stage was set for the pivotal push for the postseason.
I sometimes have a big mouth when it comes to the Avs. Usually, at ...
Someone please explain to me how this works: Stick technology is to the point of composite one-piece sticks. Carbon fiber, Kevlar, graphite, etc. For me and you, these sticks can cost up to $240. I'm sure most NHL players get theirs for free, and I'll assume major college programs include sticks in their budgets. AND YET THEY BLOW UP! You would think these things com...
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...
The consistent-inconsistency continues, on par with the whole of this season, and all of the last. It's been since the first post-strike season that the Calgary Flames have played with any sort of consistent effort and production. This is a trend that, if not fixed before, or early in the playoffs, will result in another early exit from the post-season. And that's assum...
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...
No Look Drop Pass writes...
Malkin or Crosby? Because you can't have both!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Lakers having to choose between Shaq and Kobe, the two playres who led them to three consecutive NBA championships but were never invited to each others birthday parties, will be nothing compared to the choice #66 has to make in the not-so-distant future about who he wants leading the March of the Penguins -- 87 or 71?
It has to be rare for someone to pull back the...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Wild Beat Flames To Win NW; Oilers Let Flames Into Playoffs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames' divisional hopes officially died Thursday night with a 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild, who clinch the Northwest with the win. More importantly to Calgary, though, was their failure to get the one point needed to clinch a berth in the playoffs. The Flames remain in 7th place in the West with 92 points, just one above the Nashville Predators and four abov...
No Look Drop Pass writes...
One foot out of the Quicksand; Alfie gets his Bell rung
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I want to start with a rarely-if-ever used phrase -- Double Wow! Uhhhh...is that really how I want to start? Does anyone remember Pierre McGuire (if you don't know him, turn off your computer and never mention the word hockey again) yelling "Double Dion!" during a World Junior championship final when Dion Phaneuf corked two guys at once? The entertainment value of McGuire ...
Note: The following regulations are applicable to any team facing the Pittsburgh Penguins
By: Gary Bettman
[u][b]I. Assessment of Penalties[/b][/u]
[b]A.[/b] Penalties are assessed when a player commits: interference, roughing, cross-checking, slashing, hooking, holding, obstruction hooking, obstruction holding, fighting and instigating. (These terms will be expounded...
Kaspar already touched on the game last night with the update that the Oil beat the lowly Canucks, ensuring some post-season play for the Flames again this season. Once again, the Flames proved they can't play a complete 60 minutes against a team who wants something just as bad as them. Like I mentioned in my previous blog, you never know which Flames team is going to sh...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Sharks Or Wild For Flames In Round 1, 'Hawks Do Flames Favor
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
With the Calgary Flames finally having an 'x' next to their name in the standings, along with the rest of the West, I can now finally focus a blog post solely on the Flames' playoff prospects.
The Flames were aided by another spoiler team tonight, as the Blackhawks defeated Nashville 3-1 to ensure that the Predators will finish in 8th and the Flames cannot finish lower ...
We're all getting riled up for playoffs and every now and then I still see people whining about the physical style that is hockey. This is hockey people. Hockey players get hurt, it's an outcome a physical game brings. This isn't a new growing problem, checking has been there since the beginning.
NHL teams made a mistake when they figured they no longer need tough guys...
Bad publicity of hockey starts with the media. In North America, minds are controlled by the media. The little attention hockey gets in USA should be positive publicity and what it has to offer "as it is". The game is always in the news about how it can be improved or what needs to be changed as far as rules go. The problem with NHL isn't the game itself, but how it's bein...
We Canadians understand that hockey should be in a place where people want the sport. Winnipeg, Hamilton, Quebec City ... anyone listening? However, when it comes to expansion teams this isn't the case; Bettman is still searching for his American audience and this just may be the place to find it.
LAS VEGAS; over 40 million tourists visit every year. It's one of the fas...
The final day of the regular season is upon us. This weekend provided some of the most exciting hockey in recent memory. There are still some playoff matchups to be determined, some fine-tuning of lines to be done, some "messages to be sent". (Damn, gotta save that one for my next cliche blog... write that down...)
As I look to Sunday's slate of games, I see some i...
So here it is, the end of a long (or short ;)) 82 game season. If there can be one word attributed to this team throughout the entire course of the year, I think it would be "Surprises". You could, no doubt, tag them with chemistry or hard work, but surprises seems to come to the forefront no matter how you look at the season.
First one should look at the obvious when a...
Remember last year when the Sens were the favorite...but Brian Murray was playing the underdog card with his team and the media?
Well, it worked.
He got his guys to play a physical brand of hockey that probably no Sens team had ever played before. And it was good enough to get them to the Finals.
A year later and the roles seem to be reversed...with the Sens truly...
A lack of class? maybe.. a lack of 'real' hockey understanding? probably.
saturday's game between the canucks and flames was not really worth mentioning. both teams were lackluster and without energy. a typical end of season game containing a dejected outsider and a relieved insider.
not worth mentioning? one of the all-time greats in Trevor Linden played what most...
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...
I read in one of Ek's comments that they just hired a new Ducks blogger. Where is he/her? I'm sick of no Ducks coverage what-so-ever on my favorite site!
Since this is the time of the year when every sports blogger in sight wants to give you their predictions on the playoffs, I'll spare everyone from simply writing a predictions post. Instead, I'll write an analysis and prediction of the series I'm most interested in (duh): (2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Calgary Flames, to start on Wednesday night at 8.
The Flames drew the ...
An article in the current (April 8, 2008) issue of [b]The Hockey News[/b] announced that certain officials may very well decline to work this year's playoffs.
[quote][i]"Some veterans, who are winding down their careers, are expected to take a pass on the playoffs to allow younger referees and linesmen to work the post-season."[/i][/quote]
Naturally, the league hasn't re...
First off, I'd just like to say this is my first time blogging.... so bear with me please!
So home ice advantage goes to the New Jersey Devils over the New York Rangers. For the first two games, the Devils have a stronger opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead than the Rangers do, and apparently a stronger opportunity to take the series.
But think about it this way.....
I'm going to get my entire bracket set down instead of going round-by-round. Last year, I was 15 for 15 in predicting the Ducks over Sens; but I actually felt last year was easy to pick... this year, I'll be lucky if I get half right.
Nonetheless, I surge forward... unlike last year, I feel EVERY team, 1-8, in both conferences could beat/upset and move to the second ro...
BluesFan44 writes...
Hockey Humo(u)r: The Hockey Blog version of the NIT
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[i]Since the blogger contest got delayed due to circumstances out of anyone's control, thought I'd put out here what I wrote. I'll be working up a new one by then...[/i]
"The Hockey Blog version of the NIT"
As you all know the fine folks at HockeyBuzz pored over hundreds of blogs submitted for the "Next Great Blogger" contest, and had the tough task of narrowing the...
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...
The playoffs are among us so i thought I would join the train and come out with my predictions for the first round this year.
[b]Montreal (1) vs. Boston (8)[/b]
This series is extremely tough to call as I think the habs do have the upper hand talent wise but if Boston steps it up just a little bit I think they have the potential to take out the habs. What I don't th...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
5 Minutes/37 Saves To Victory: Flames Take Game 1 Over SJ
Posted Thursday | Comments 4
The Calgary Flames pulled off a shocker on the opening night of the playoffs, beating the heavily favored San Jose Sharks 3-2 on the strength of an early 2-0 lead and a 37-save performance by Miikka Kiprusoff. As cynical as I continue to be, and it's certainly true that relying on your goaltender to steal you games is not a winning strategy, I feel that the Flames should b...
Hockey every night for 2 months? My favorite time of the year, and last night didn't disappoint.
Sens vs. Pens: Nothing that I didn't completely expect from the Sens OR the Pens in game one, except I guess I expected Crosby would get on the scoresheet. At the end of the CBC broadcast, Garry Galley, who was doing color for the game alongside Jim Hughson said he couldn't...
gosharks19 writes...
Flames burning; Can the Sharks douse the fire tonight?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I will not get into specifics of last night, everyone knows what happened between the Sharks and Flames.
Calgary came out and played their game I was expecting from Mike Keenan and the Flames. And the result I was afraid of happening did. The Flames looked calm, looked confident, looked loose, and honestly looked tough to beat.
I was quite upset with the game, and wh...
They needed to regain the momentum. They need to prove that their 7 game regular-season winning streak against the Devils means nothing and that their season ending shootout loss to New Jersey means nothing either. The New York Rangers needed to start the playoffs with a clean slate and a fast start. That is exactly what they did in a 4-1 win over their Hudson River rivals...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Penalty Peril: Sharks Tie Series With Shutout Of Flames
Posted Friday | Comments 0
As I fully expected, as uncharacteristically optimistic I am right now, the San Jose Sharks came back and tied their series with the Flames tonight with a 2-0 shutout. It's not a game that requires much analysis, interpretation, or explanation. Simply put, the Flames lost because of one thing: penalties.
As I noted in last night's post, I would have been shocked if the...
While I boldly predicted that the Stars would take Game 1, I had no idea they would completely dominate the Ducks. From Dallas' first goal until the final buzzer, the game was a lopsided affair...unworthy of the defending champs. I said Dallas would win the opener in OT and take the series in 6 games, but if the Ducks don't right the ship in Game 2...this could be over s...
Let me preface this blog entry by saying my true feelings: PURE BITTERNESS. Since the schedule was released I made time for this weekend. I made an opening of a weekend to watch the Wild in their first round playoff match. The six hour drive to St. Paul wasn't too much, especially top stop my desire. However, a monstrous snow storm, unseen to the month of April has hit Min...
McPhee's Mustache writes...
Top 10 Reasons why players with mustaches rule the world
Posted Friday | Comments 0
10- Hair on face = Proof that player has at least one testicule (most likely 2)
9- You can do cool pictures like this one:
8- You become a father figure for young people everywhere like Mike Mcphee was for me
7- You can match your mustache with a mullet to become the ultimate hockey GOD
6- The mustache can cover their your lips, making lip reading impossib...
This is why I don't get the Center Ice package. Too. Many. Games. Would I like to catch South Buffalo native Patrick Kane in a Chicago-SJ regular season tilt? Sure. Do I need to? Not really. With all 82 regular season Sabres games televised, Hockey Jesus Sid Crosby on Versus once a week, and the most important TV program in history, Hockey Night In Canada, on every...
As usual enjoy.
I would love to hear from Caps fans as it seems I am very popular with them right now.
http://flyerflies.com/blogs/Buts/
Have a great weekend.
Go Flyers
I am already feeling a bit anxious today due to the 2 day break between games 2 and 3 between the Sharks and Flames.
Thankfully, there is some afternoon hockey to watch between Detroit and Nashville. Does anyone else notice that Detroit is constantly almost interfering with opposing teams goaltenders? Holmstrom is always parked right in front of the net, and as much as ...
tallpaul6635 writes...
What's Black, Blue and Red all over?? The NHL on TV
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Please help me get it through the NHL's head that all the Black, dark Blue and other dark colors look black on the high contrast white surface. The games are visually dull and impossible for the average fan to quickly identify the teams. I suggest going back to the 60's and 70's style. The worst are TAMPA, DALLAS, ANAHEIM, PITTSBURGH, VANCOUVER and any team that has a B...
RJ Umberger publicly vented a bit of frustration before game one in Washington on Friday. He commented about being put on the fourth line.
[img]http://media.philly.com/images/20071011_dn_g1flye11s.jpg[/img]
"I don't know what he thinks because I haven't talked to him," Umberger said, referring to coach John Stevens. "Apparently, he doesn't think I'm good enough. I d...
Zetterberg? Datsyuk? Alfredsson? No, It's Fabian Brunnstrom.
Lets not get over our heads here. Fabian Brunnstrom is a 23 year old late bloomer with a lot of potential but don't expect Brunnstrom to make the lineup with ease. He is far from ready.
Brunnstrom should be treated like a 18 year old prospect who just got drafted in the first round. Don't get me wrong, Bru...
Only twice in NHL history has a team come back from a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. Tonight, the New York Rangers will try to put the New Jersey Devils in a position to make history. For the Devils, even winning one game against the Blueshirts seems to be a large task, as they have only accomplished that one time in the 10 matchups this season. If the Rangers win tonigh...
Just a few hours away from hitting the 'dome in anticipation of Game 3 between the Sharks and the Flames. I expect a wild and crazy crowd and I just hope that the Flames don't get over-hyped for the game and take some bad penalties early. I expect another tight game and hope the Flames continue to hit the Sharks and don't try to beat them at a finesse game, regardless of...
I'm just trying to find my other blog..............
Please help me get it through the NHL's head that all the Black, dark Blue and other dark colors look black on the high contrast white surface. The games are visually dull and impossible for the average fan to quickly identify the teams. I suggest going back to the 60's and 70's. The worst are TAMPA, DALLAS, ANAHEIM, PITTSBURGH, VANCOUVER and any team that has a BLACK "...
I am going to keep this blog short, but after the Sharks went up 3 to 0, they dissapeared. The effort was pathetic, disgusting, and troubling to watch. Tonight the Sharks looked liked the team all season long, letting Calgary get back into the game, not fighting back, and losing the game at the end.
Everyone on the Sharks after the early lead looked uninterested, bored,...
The Flames won tonight, to take a 2 to 1 series lead over the Sharks. They overcame a 3-0 deficit after just 4 minutes of play. I will leave the play by play to Kaspar, since he has a much better writing style than I do, but as I listen to the honking horns on 17th avenue/The Red Mile, I have but two things to say, and they are quite simple:
Marleau: Do your chin stra...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Rally From 3 Down To Take 2-1 Lead; Cujo Or Kipper?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It seemed, at first, to be the road sign pointing towards another cliff in the near distance for the Calgary Flames to drive off of to meet their playoff doom. Less than five minutes after Heather Liscano wrapped up the national anthems, the home team, which had played so well against the number two seeded San Jose Sharks for two games in the Shark Tank, matching them save...
Playoffs are here, finally. Some tidbits:
-Sean Avery's creative screening of Martin Brodeur certainly crossed some kind of line. I heard Ron MacLean call it "dishonorable" on HNIC, but that would assume Avery had any honorable traits in the first place.
-As the experts stand stunned at the Stars two games to none lead, remember that Anaheim was an inconsistent team...
GoodfellaAnt writes...
1/2 Flyers' fans - 1/2 Caps' fans at the Wachovia Center
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It comes as no surprise that, once again, Pierre McGuire made an appalling and completely ridiculous comment that couldn't be farther from the truth.
During the Flyers/Capitals broadcast yesterday on NBC, McGuire was asked if home-ice advantage would be an evident factor in the series. He answered "no" and then proceeded to say that the Verizon Center contained 1/2 Cap...
mslepp writes...
"That Hit May Have Changed the Complexion of this Series"
Posted Monday | Comments 3
The title of this blog is a quote that came about 30 seconds after the Cory Sarich hit on Patrick Marleau.
No, it wasn't Don Cherry or Pierre McGuire or any hockey expert. It was my drunken buddy sitting next to me in the 'dome. A die-hard Oilers fan who loves hockey enough to split season tickets to the Flames with me.
I laughed, mostly because he knows that I...
Hooker thoughts and what needs to be done to WIN game 4.
1. Change the top line- I think we need to change the top line period. The Flames know what to expect from that top line. I say send Cheech and Joe to the 2nd and promote Little Joe, Patty and Seto/Clowe to the top line. This then allows the top line (Joe and Cheech) to have a little more space and MAYBE just get...
gosharks19 writes...
Do or Die, Sink or Swim, Get burned or Douse the Fire.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Tonight is Game 4 between the Sharks and Flames with Calgary carrying huge momentum from their game 3 comeback win/Sharks meltdown, depending on how you view the situation.
It doesn't matter whether the hit by Sarich on Marleau was clean or not. (I think it honestly was a clean hit) The Sharks never responded, and let Calgary fight their way for a victory. Complaining a...
Well, well, well what do you know? The Ducks CAN stay out of the penalty box and play some consistent pressure hockey when they feel like it. For 40 minutes, anyway.
Anaheim did a fine job in the first two periods of taking the game to Dallas, who ended up on their heels with a 4-0 deficit. Unfortunately, in the third period, the Ducks went back to their bad habits of g...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
What Was THAT?!? : Sharks Tie Series With Dominating Effort
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It looked like a game I'd played in EA Sports' NHL hockey videogames many, many times. Not only did one team have a ridiculous shot count advantage, the team trailing in that category had a comically low amount of shots. And yet, somehow, the team with less than 15 shots on goal was somehow leading the game because of two good plays. But in the final minutes, the natural o...
Look back at this year's trade deadline and some of the players who were moved. Hossa to Pittsburgh. Campbell to San Jose. Richards to Dallas. Huet and Federov to Washington. Cam Janssen to St. Louis (just kidding).
How about if I told you that a minor move at the deadline that went well under the radar has had a bigger impact than any of those?
The Flyers have ...
Hooker here.
As are all of you in today after last nights big win. How can you be having a bad day??
So some of my thoughts on last nights game (some good, some bad)!!
First I will start off with the good.
Ryan Clowe WOW!!! This guy has really made an impact in this line up. He looks like a shark in the water stalking its next victim (no pun intended). I love...
mslepp writes...
The Momentum Roller-coaster, Big Joe Makes an Appearance
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
So, heading into game 4 of the Flames/Sharks series if there was ever a particular scenario that I would absolutely want to avoid happening...
It would be exactly what happened last night.
Everything that I was afraid of happening, happened.
First of all, the Flames jumped out to an early lead then attempted to try and win the game 1-0. If there's one thing we'v...
Well, after yesterday's post and the absolute fiasco it turned into, I'm going to take my chances again with a reaction to an in-progress game. Ottawa-Pittsburgh, game 4. And Ottawa isn't getting much help from the refs. I try not to blame officiating for the outcome of games, but given the number of missed calls, I can understand the displeasure of the Ottawa fans. Ma...
Gosh, it gets tedious to read the hockey reports in the [i]Sporting News[/i]. The title of a current epistle is [i]Ovechkin falling flat in playoff debut.[/i]
Are we watching the same games? Are we reading the same stat sheets? Do the Flyers get no credit for executing well?
Frankly, this type of reportage is more an indictment of the flawed mentality prevailing in ...
So is anyone else thinking Curtis Joseph has a chance to start tonights game for Calgary or does Kipper get the start again? Honestly I think Iron Mike will go with Kipper but how can you not give a chance to Cujo when he deffinatly made the impact of game 4 to let Calgary come back and even the series? What does everyone think? Give Cujo a chance or start Kipper?
The Sharks are coming off one of their biggest win's in franchise history, coming from behind Calgary to beat them 3-2. Game 4 will be remembered by all Sharks fans as the game that truly proved the Sharks have heart, character, determination, and any other adjectives to describe a team that can win the Stanley Cup.
However, nothing is over.
There are still 2 more ga...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
On The Ropes Heading Home: Sharks Take 3-2 Lead Off 4-3 Win
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The endgame has arrived for the 2007-2008 Calgary Flames. Despite arguably their best team effort all series, the Flames fell in San Jose, 4-3, a frustrating loss that has put them facing first-round elimination for the third straight year on Sunday night at the 'Dome. This loss wasn't as disheartening as the Game 4 disaster on Tuesday. But perhaps, tonight's game showed o...
Ok here is Ted's Blog in its entirety for today
[quote]Day 9: Friday, April 18
What a game— a tough OT loss
We arrive at the arena at 5:30 p.m. We mingled with the crowd and then take our seats in the same suite as last game. I note that the fans that were in our face last game are nowhere to be seen this game. And that the Wachovia Center is not playing fight v...
Today the Philadelphia Flyers organization must face the consequences of poking fun at an article that poked fun at their organization. In short the Washington Post is accusing the Philadelphia of Copywrite infringement for passing out a copy of Mike Wise's fan-bashing article. The article was distrubted to fans as the entere the Wachovia center, along with thunder stic...
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...
Acekicker123 writes...
Leafs are new favourite in Brunnstrom Sweepstakes
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
According to TSN's hockey insider, Darren Dreger, the Toronto Maple Leafs have moved to the forefront of the race to sign renowned Swedish phenom Fabian Brunnstrom.
Apparently, Brunnstrom was days away from putting the finishing touches on a contract with the Vancouver Canucks, after having discussions about the team's future with former GM Dave Nonis. With the firing o...
Nobody had ever seen anything like Sean Avery's stick-in-the-face antics against Brodeur. Most people thought it was unsportsmanlike behavior, not in keeping with the integrity of the sport of hockey. The NHL acted swiftly to clarify the rules, [i]aka[/i] the "[i]Sean Avery Rule[/i]" to make sure this never happens again without an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of 2 mi...
The following is my first attempt at a blog. It is a response to an email from a friend of mine, a Senators fan (www.hockeyschlock.wordpress.com - please visit), who asked me how I was enjoying the rollercoaster ride that was the Flys/Caps QF series following the Game 5 loss to the Caps, bringing the series to a Flyers' lead of 3 games to 2. I'm not happy, but I'm not cr...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Perfect Home Effort: Kipper Shuts Out Sharks To Force Game 7
Posted Monday | Comments 4
Having already outdone the critics by keeping pace with the heavily favored Sharks for four out of five games, the Calgary Flames have gone the extra mile and forced them to a winner-take-all Game 7 by defeating the Sharks 2-0 at home in a must-win Game 6. And judging from their efforts the past two games, it's genuinely a toss up. I am trying to avoid sounding like Rob Ke...
I think one of the most interesting things to me this year is how much trash people will leave on message boards under various sports site articles. Mostly because their ideas are one-sided and often presented in an abusive matter.
Here it goes:
~ Pens fans...Sidney Crsoby is definately a talented guy, no one will argue you that. The reason no other teams will resp...
With the hamstring injury to Mike Knuble, the Flyers' office has told me for sure Riley Cote will be back in the line-up tonight for Game 6 of the Flyers/Caps series.
I wouldn't expect much ice-time from Cote, and I'm sure John Stevens will instruct him NOT to instigate things with Brashear or anyone else on the Caps in order to avoid a fight, penalty or anything else w...
[b]Beating a Dead Horse...Again.[/b]
As expected, Nashville Tennessean columnist David Climer played the [i]'same ol' Predators'[/i] card this morning.
Most local Nashville writers have chosen to take the 'glass half-full' approach regarding the Predators Game Six series-ending loss to Detroit, but of course David wouldn't be David if he didn't demonstrate his fair-w...
Ah, well we are back at square one again.
This merry-go-round of good games, and then bad games is incredibly frustrating. There is a 50/50 chance of which team the Sharks decide to be on Tuesday night. Will it be boys or men? Will it be the Sharks of February or March?
Only the Sharks can decide that, and their fate.....
and their future.
Last night, the Shark...
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Wall_clock.jpg/300px-Wall_clock.jpg[/img]
86,400 ticks of the clock before I can breathe again...
86,400 muttered curses as the clock marched mercilessly on...86,400 hopes against hope that a squibber, a deflection off a shin, a seeing eye five holer might turn the tide. Eighty six thousand, four hundred ...
ESPN.com currently has a poll on which sport has the best game 7's.
MLB, NBA, or NHL?
Come on, clearly this has to be NHL.
All, please go to [url]www.espn.com[/url] and submit your vote. Let the sports world know what an NHL game 7 means to us. [b]And in the process, let ESPN know that we want them to keep increasing their hockey coverage![/b]
Currently, the ...
Tonight one of the hottest two teams in the East will be eliminated for sure. The Flyers have failed to bury the Caps in the last two games. The Caps have shown alot of character and fight by outhitting the Flyers in Game 5 and then pulling a great comeback in Game 6 to extend the series.
The Flyers must get back to basics. I know it is a cliche, but it is true. Whe...
I gotta say. I've tried to be relatively fair with my opinion of officiating in this series. Despite calls for "the fix" by ESPN, I tried to believe that things would work out somewhete fairly. There was definately time where the games went in the Flyers direction and we took advantage of it. However, I ahd a serious problem with Scottie Upshall's "diving" penalty las...
There is nothing better than a game 7 in the National Hockey League playoffs. It doesn't matter who's playing. I could barely wait until 5pm MTN yesterday for the Habs/Bruins to start and then listening to that crowd and U2 belting out in the background... how could you not be pumped. I'll start with some tidbits from the other series before I touch on the game 7's.
...
The Penguins clinched their series with the Ottawa Senators early with a sweep.
There hasn't been a Penguins game in an entire week.
All this "down" time has me watching the other series wrap up (GO CAPS and FLAMES in your game 7's) and waiting anxiously for our Round 2 opponent!
It also gave me a chance to catch up on what the Pittsburgh Pirates doing these day...
I have to say, with all due respect to Caps fans, I would rather lose like we did, than lose an absolutely heartbreaking game in OT... at home. Yeah, we all hope for a good game, but a good game means a close game and those are so much harder to get over.
But what makes this pill easier to handle is to watch the way the Sharks handled themselves after the game, in the ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
'08 Flames Post-Mortem, Part 1: It's Everyone's Fault
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Although six games had me in a brief fantasy, in reality, I have been waiting to write this post since mid-March, just as the Calgary Herald's Bruce Dowbiggin is undoubtedly rubbing his hands in glee as he writes his long awaited blasting of Darryl Sutter that I think is a good bet to appear in tomorrow's paper. The Calgary Flames have been eliminated in the first round of...
"...The shot from the point by Timmonen...rebound...THEY SCORE...jOFFREY LUPUL!!! AND THE FLYERS HAVE WON IN OVERTIME IN GAME 7!!! They're going to the next round..."
Thank you Jim Jackson. Thank you Joffrey Lupul.
Thank you Hockey Gods.
What a ridiculously suspenseful game. I laughed. I threw stuff at my TV. I yelled at the refs. And I definately jumped ...
Burke Is [b]Not[/b] the new GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. So now what? Well this may be a blessing in a disguise, or maybe it just sucks. Personally Burke was a qualified candidate who had the savvy to deal with media and ownership. His draft record however was abysmal, but maybe with some money injected in our scouting department who knows. Personally I want Nill to get ...
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...
Today the NHL announced its finalists for the Lady Byng Award. And to be honest I was first shocked to see Pominville's name listed as a finalist. But then I realized that it isn't that far fetched for Jason to be nominated. Do you ever see 29 complain? He is a true professional on the ice. He lets his skill and hard work tell his story. I think he has a legitimate shot a...
Well, not bad for the first round... 4/4 in the East, but only 2/4 in the West; having picked Anaheim and Minnesota to move on.
So I will recap my predictions and update them for the 2nd round!
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Detroit vs. Colorado... Oh, NBC must love this. I'm sorry to say this series won't have the same guts as the ones in the late 90s used to, but it should ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
'08 Flames Post-Mortem, Part 2: Let The Rebuild Begin
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
In retrospect, maybe I was a bit too critical, too soon, on Tuesday night. As I read the other Flames blogs, which merely focused on the game in posts of reasonable length and simple bitterness at the Flames blow a Game 7 they had a good chance of winning if they came out with a good effort. And then I went back to my long, rambling post which practically put the game comp...
Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory as the refs blew their second Alexi Kovalev related call.
The goal he swatted in was clearly above the crossbar, as his stick hit the crossbar on the follow through. I cannot imagine how the refs missed that one? It was a hell of a play, but illegal nonetheless.
The second, and much worse call, was on Mike Richards for kne...
With Game 2 coming up tonight, I thought I'd share with you all my thoughts on this series, and some contentious issues that seem to be on the front burner with fans.
Game 1 saw a bunch of sloppy plays, as well as a bunch of flukey goals. The Flyers 1st was a redirect...by Carey Prices' own teammate! Montreal got a lucky break on Kovalev's shorthanded marker..if he was...
Sports lore is replete with curses. In baseball, the Curse of the Bambino and the Curse of the Goat come to mind.
In hockey, some think the President's trophy [b]MIGHT[/b] be a curse. While this award really hasn't been around long enough to provide sufficient data for that conclusion, smart teams no longer take chances with it. For example, Wings Captain Nic Lidstr...
ladynic writes...
4/26/08 AHL Phantoms and NHL Flyers playoff extravaganza
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First THANK YOU ERICA! awesome day!
2nd Thank you Brooke and Karen! Come on that was fun wasn't it?
Shout outs to Brenda, Jessica, KB, Rad, HF, Lou, Alan and Drew!
I knew this would be a long day. Phantoms playoff game 6 starting @ 1pm their last game having gone into 5 OT's . The Flyers playing @ 7pm away in Montreal but a viewing party hosted by the Flyers...
sm623181 writes...
Crosby Dives/Therrien Wines (surprise) and Flyers Win!
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=361796&page=NewsPage&service=page
Dear Therrien,
You're full of shit and I'm pretty sure Crobsy knows it. Typical taht he has someone ELSE stand up for him, but really you wouldn't deny it so animately if it wasn't true. Questionable penalty, you won. What's the issue? Everyone knows he dove.
~S
I mean really...
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 ...
The final score was 5-3, but that in no way tells the whole story of this game. Early on, the Pens were out for the win and were playing like no other. Marion Hossa got the Pens on the board early with a goal from Dupuis and Crosby. The Rangers came back to tie it with Straka's goal . Then to close out the period, the Pens netted two more to make it 3-1 with goals by Laraq...
It's funny how Karma works in sports. For almost two season Glen Sather has had a love affair with Brooks Orpik and Ryan Malone.(two free agents) There were a few times when Slats almost pulled the trigger to bring the nasty D-man and the tuff power forward to NY for Petr Prucha plus.http://www2.sportsnet.ca/blogs/hockey_hearsay/2007/01/14/changes_coming_for_rangers/ I...
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 would classify myself as being a news junkie and when it comes to sports, I make sure I get my daily fill from all available sources. What is surprising to me is how fans and media will not give credit to a deserving team. It’s more or less; how lucky the Flyers have been because of the amount of posts that have been hit, how they have been outshot and how they have ...
I think so. He slew-footed Paul Mara as he was going toward the empty net.
Watch the video and decide for yourself:
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN99_E0tLhg[/url]
Let's bust out the NHL rule book:
[url]http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule91.html[/url] for reference:
d.) Any player who is guilty of "slew-footing" shall be assessed a match penalty. This penalt...
Growing up I was addicted to those 60's & 70's Scooby Doo cartoons. The Villains would almost always turn out to be the resident good guy in the episode. At the end the crew would pull the mask off to find out that this good guy was the evil character all along. How fitting, because at the end of last nights Rangers/Penguins game we found out that the possible MVP Malk...
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[/code] Huet
[code]
[/code] Price
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[/code] Fleury
After the usual gratuitous 2 Habs pp goals donated on bad calls by the refs (seemed like every game this series), the Flyers took the bull by the horns in game 5 and just plain embarassed the #1 top ranked team of the big bad East.
This was a very sweet 6-4 elimination victory against a legacy hockey...
Congratulations to the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings for reaching their respective conference finals.
-The job that Flyers coach John Stevens has done in the playoffs is nothing short of spectacular. The guy had a team that was supposed to be road kill in round one and navigated it past two teams whose coaches were finalists for the Jack Adams. Since a 39 p...
watching the Montreal - Philadelphia series I have to wonder why can the Canadiens have French language graphics on the ice as well as dasher boards while there are very few if any Spanish language text advertisements in the United States arenas???
In todays marketing 101, Español/Spanish speaking,reading and writing population is skyrocketing, everywhere we go we get ...
It almost seems that every year there is that one team that no one expects to make out of the first round but somehow manages to carry the "Cinderella" title all the way to the Cup finals, and I think we may be seeing that with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Two years ago we saw the Edmonton Oilers accomplish this task; finishing in 8th place in the West at the end of the reg...
I played in a tournament this weekend called the Wally Cup in Fort Erie, On. In our last game today we had a surprise opponent. Buffalo Sabre Dan Paille played on the other team. We were all shocked. You could really tell that he was going easy, he played defense and didn't take a shot. But he did make a couple amazing passes. I got my Picture taken with him after the game...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I looked it up and believe that the 2003-04 Calgary Flames are the only team to have ever gone to the Stanley Cup Finals by eliminating the 1, 2 and 3 seeds in their conference during the playoffs....
So if the Flyers pull it off against Pittsburgh, which I think they have a real solid shot of doing, they would be the first team in the Easte...
[b]Pittsburgh Penguins [/b]
[u]Draft[/u]
2006 #2 overall pick [b]Jordan Staal[/b]
2005 #1 overall pick [b]Sidney Crosby[/b]
2005 #62 [b]Kris Letang[/b]
2004 #2 overall pick [b]Evgeni Malkin[/b]
2003 #1 overall pick [b]Marc-Andre Fleury[/b]
2002 #5 overall pick [b]Ryan Whitney[/b]
2002 #234 [b]Maxim Talbot[/b]
2000 #18 [b]Brooks Orpik [/b]
1999 #115 [b]Ryan Malo...
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...
The majority of sports pundits realize that when ever their is a change at a General Manager's position, a coaching change is also expected. This goes for almost all sports. All fans in Leafs Nation knew there was a GM change upcoming, and therefor the knowledgeable fans would realize that a coaching change would most likely be inorder.
However. . . in this situation, ...
It's still early in the Rangers off season,but never too early to explore off season options. This is a quick post just on some forwards the Rangers could take a run at.
1) Ryan Malone- Not only could the Rangers bring him in but he could also apologize to Chris Drury for costing them the series. He's a hell of a young player with good hands and hulking si...
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 ...
I have been held silent long enough.
I want to personally thank many of you for backing me here. I have been talking to people and I believe Maggie's picks may be fixed. Notice how you see her spin the wheel and then the camera switches. She picked Pittsburgh and Detroit this round. (or so they would like you to believe) She spins a wheel! How lame! I ACTUALLY mak...
[i]3 hours to go ... anybody else feeling that nervous energy?!?![/i]
There is no better way to sit down at the poker table than to be given chips on the house! There is a freedom that accompanies playing with free money ... no risk to your own bank account allows for uninhibited aggression and generally (for good players) leads to a better overall game. This is the s...
We won! Yes Pens Fans, we won the game. It was a very physical game and the Penguins outplayed the Flyers hands down. Fleury was on tonight and played a wonderful game. Malkin had two goals and played a very physical game. At the end, when he was looking at his hand, it was his broken chain and cross not an injury. Crosby's goal was a great redirect off the heel of h...
[b][u]PERIOD ONE[/u][/b]
One of the key problems Philadelphia had was Martin Biron wandering the boards. He coughed up the puck to the Pens more often than he helped his defense, and in fact it cost him a goal which allowed Pittsburgh to tie it at 2.
The second area where they had an issue was one of the keys to this series that I said they needed to pay attention ...
Olaf Kolzig has called it quits for the Washington Capitals, being that Kolzig did play a few years for Tri-City, and that Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price played for them as well, would the two work good together?
Consider this, Bob Gainey ( general manager for the Habs ) has what one might call an issue with his goal-tenders, Carey Price is the no.1, but Jaroslav...
Wow!
That was a big sigh of relief you heard from every other team in the league when the Wings lost out in the Fabian Brunnstrom sweepstakes. No other team wants the Wings to have any more weapons.
But now this. The Wings don't sign a prospect, they sign a [i]bona fide[/i] star. And how did they do THAT under the radar?
[b]Ville Leino[/b], a forward, and this ...
Yet another inspiring and hard-fought Red Wings victory in the playoffs. Are the professional pundits [i]finally[/i] going to learn that the Wings ARE "physical enough" to get through this? Is anyone going to admit that the "Red Wings are too old" isn't going to fly anymore when the difference in average age between Detroit and Dallas is less than a year? No matter, rega...
There are un-confirmed rumours amongst Montrealer's that soon to be un- restricted free agent Mats Sundin has manifested some interest in the Montreal Canadiens. If this is true, what will it take to sign him?
At the trade deadline last February, Bob Gainey ( general manager of the Habs ) tried to acquire Mats Sundin from the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Sundin refused to w...
[b][u]PERIOD ONE[/u][/b]
Once again, the Pens come out with the advantage on the scoreboard, with just a 1-0 lead. It was an interesting period, as we shall see.
The last thing the Flyers needed was another defenseman to go down with injury. Already missing Timonen, Braden Coburn was a big minute player, and one who could actually move the puck. Now they are down o...
With the off-season about to start for the Montreal Canadiens, putting rumours aside of course, there are a couple of players that wouldn't bust the bank, but might pay great dividends in the end.
One of those players is 6'5", 225 pound Paul Gaustad of the Buffalo Sabres. First off Gaustad is big, secondly he's a centre that can position himself in front of the net. Gau...
This is a follow up to an early blog this season. I am still waiting to see if any fans are ready to put together the petition to bring back #16. If Sather lets Sean Avery walk, Aves will have no problem getting big market clubs to take him on.
Toronto- The hometown kid can not only replace #16 but put on Tuckers jersey as well. Avery could provide the leafs with...
I'm afraid fans in Toronto are still delusional. They may have opened their eyes after having them closed for so long, but they are still blinded by the sun.
I cannot see any well respected and established General Manager taking a job with the Leafs. The team is currently coming off of a disaster of a season, with little help coming from within the organization. Top ...
What is the reason that I have not heard one complaint about Mike Ribeiro being fined and not suspended for his slash to Chris Osgood's chest? I thought maybe it was because Osgood has protection on, but then thought about how all players wear shoulder pads for protection. Next, I thought of what Barry Melrose said, talking about how Osgood "started" by butt ending Ribeiro...
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 1
***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 ...
Once again I took notes through the game and provide my opinions on what I saw here.
PERIOD ONE
Back to Philadelphia we go and the Flyers are down 2 games to 0. It's not how they wanted to be coming home and as this period has gone on, that energizing crowd has been fairly tame. I was expecting to be hearing the roof coming off regularly, and to be fair, the Pens g...
Let's face it folks, with both the East and West Conference Finals series' at 3-0 in favor of the Penguins and the Red Wings respectively, we know what the Stanley Cup Finals matchup will be already. With only two teams in history having come back from 3-0 deficits, the odds are astronomical that these two teams don't face off for Lord Stanley's prize. So let's look at t...
If this rumor of the Rangers exploring the possibility of brining Jay Bouwmeester to NY progresses, than I just want to get some feed back for both fan bases. I think the deal makes a lot of sense for both teams. The Panthers could use some young depth players to mesh with their young rising core. I would hate to loose him but Florida could ask for Brandon Dubinky wh...
The Ottawa Senators showed a different side to their team in most of the regular season and all the playoffs and I can tell you that this side wasn't as great as the 2006-07. So then I look to see what was really different as last years team, first I look at the players and see if any of them have big differences in the stat department. I'll give you some of the players th...
Okay so the draft is a little over a month away, we know that this draft is headlined by one Steven Stamkos, but as far as I'm concerned, the NHL draft goes 7 rounds, not just 1 pick. I decided to break down all seven rounds of the NHL draft and offer up some of the possibilities. This mock draft is based on the CSB Final Rankings.
[u][b]Round 1 [/b][/u]
1. Lig...
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/18965609.html
Nice article on how far along the Flyers have come this year and how Holmgren didn't mortgage the future with his deadline deals this year.
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...
The [b]NHL[/b] web site has posted the transcript of [b]Gary Bettman's[/b] remarks before the [b]Wings/Stars[/b] game on 05/15/08.
In them we learn that at least one reporter had the ability to ask "a fascinating question" to which no clear answer was ever given, when queried if it is good for the league to have a dominating team like [b]Detroit[/b].
One wonders wh...
Here there be Flyers. My observations and commentaries on Game Four lay within.
[b][u]PERIOD ONE[/u][/b]
This is where it all comes down to effort, to tenacity, to energy. The Flyers need to come out quick and they need to control the game from the outset. Anything less and it'll be over quick.
And they do just that.
Coach Stevens has juggled the lines a b...
I noticed recently that someone posted a blog about the problems Versus has as a TV production, and I was going to simply comment on his blog, but I figured this is info that many people here might be interested in, so why not share it with anyone who cares.
The problem expressed about Versus was that their camera work is shot too tight, and moves too much, which does n...
They were made the second and third highest paid centers in the league. They were rewarded greatly for having accomplished nothing, their salaries coming as major investments into the future of the franchise. They were to step in and become the leaders of the team and take the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup. However, what was lost in all of the fanfare and glory of th...
Once again, and for the final time with this series, my period-by-period take on this Eastern Conference Finals Matchup.
[b][u]PERIOD ONE[/u][/b]
Philadelphia, for wanting to keep this series going, has begun by doing everything absolutely....wrong.
Giveaways in the first two games of this series were killers for the Flyers. Thus far they have turned the puck ...
As a hockey fan in the USA, I've never had television coverage of the Memorial Cup before. Kudos to the NHL network for picking it up!
What a privelege it was to watch Spokane and Kitchener play this afternoon. Both teams showed high level of skill and defensive responsibility, but man was I impressed by the Spokane Chiefs. There's a reason this team went 16-5 in th...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Nothing left to do but smile, smile smile...Kudos to Pens!!!
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_penguins-2.jpg[/img]
[img]http://insanekillerpenguins.com/db1/00085/insanekillerpenguins.com/_uimages/pic291681.gif[/img]
[u][b]Killer Penguins with a Bad Attitude[/b][/u]
While I am a little saddened at the way the Flyers went out, they were clearly dominated by a superior team that had a chip on its collecti...
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...
VENGEANCE [i]{has to wait for}[/i] NOW!
This year the Flyers went through a lot. They started came out hot and went on a 6-1 tear, and from there on the team was very inconsistent. Injuries to [b]Simon Gagne[/b], [b]Mike Richards[/b], [b]Joffrey Lupul[/b], [b]Scottie Upshall[/b], and [b]RJ Umberger[/b] cost this team some scoring punch, and coupled with the teams inco...
It has been 3 years since the lockout and 15 years since Bettman has taken over the job of NHL Commissioner. My question is this, has Gary Bettman helped our game or has he changed it too much far beyond recognition. Here are some pros and cons to consider, and please by all means add your own. I want to hear what fellow hockey lovers around the world think about the direc...
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...
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...
After watching Sundin accept the Messier Award yesterday,I couldn't help but realize why the Rangers aren't mentioned in the " Mats sweepstakes". They will lose a few vets in Shannahan and possibly Straka. Malik and Mara could walk and the cap will increase. After reaping the rewards of the first award recipient ( Shanny) ,maybe the Rangers should follow up with the seco...
If you haven't heard yet, there is talk on the wires about Campbell looking likely to sign in SJ (And this isn't just coming from Eklund, there are reports on many different feeds about this). A recent article in the Ottawa Sun looks a little deeper into the possible transactions between the two teams. It's been known for a while now that the Senators GM has had an interes...
Well, this was a hard night for the Penguins. This was the first home loss since February 24th. This game was frustrating to watch, as a Pens' Fan, though I am sure the Wing's Fans loved at least the final two periods. The Penguins were deflated at the end of this game, as a group. One positive was in the post game press conferences, hope could still be heard in Sidney...
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...
As if it wasn't a big enough concern that the team I have all but worshiped for my whole life has missed the playoffs for 3 consecutive years, now I find myself worrying about the whole management situation that is an on-going mess in Toronto.
It is very troublesome that with an exceptionally crucial draft approaching, current interim GM Fletcher is apparently focussed ...
Although I bleed Red,White,and Blue for my Rangers, the game of hockey always comes first. My dedication to the game and love for the sport continues to grow as I get older.But being a goaltender, I gain more and more respect for the warriors in the mask. Their helmets and equipment are not just an obsession but their own personal styles and techniques are an art with in ...
grapes17 writes...
Sykora, Gonchar, Ruth, Baun -- this was one for the ages
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This is why we are hockey fans.
Monday night was a game for the ages, and if you do not believe that, consider the names of Bobby Baun and Babe Ruth were invoked sometime around the second or third overtime.
Pittsburgh defenseman Sergei Gonchar left the game early with an upper-body injury -- and this time, it really looked like the entire upper body -- after crashin...
I'll do an introductory blog later. I'm going to have some fun with this first one. I hope you will, too.
Every Playoffs, there is drama. There is no drama in any postseason, IMO, like an overtime goal in a Stanley Cup Playoff game. I was in the crowd for Game 1 of last year's conference quarterfinal between the Sharks and Preds, and I tell you, there's been nothing lik...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Is Langkow Worthy? And Can The Flames Get Olli or Marleau?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
For me, the past 45 days have been spent wanting the playoffs to go on as long as possible, to prolong the inevitably long offseason for the Calgary Flames. Oh, and because it makes for better hockey, but I digress. The offseason is finally here. And my first blog post since the Flames' elimination from the playoffs will focus on two important Flames rumors: Daymond Langko...
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 ...
I sit here, nursing a bottle of Stella Artois, watching the Belmont, and realize...I wish I had a hockey game to watch.
-A lot of coaching vacancies might be waiting on the approval of the sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Rumor pipe says Barry Melrose will be hired for a staggering $2mm a year. If a guy who hasn't coached in almost 13 years can demand that kind of coin...
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...
While this is based squarely on potential, the talent in goaltending that could belong in the North-East Divison is both impressive and worrisome. It's very possible some of these prospects fall through the cracks and endure disappointing NHL careers compared to what was expected of them, but the prospect of having four star goaltenders in the same division is an enticing ...
I play "adult league" hockey with a good friend who I met back in 1998.
One day back in early 1999, my friend and I were talking before one of our games and he said that he was interested to see who the Pens would take in the upcomming draft. He told me that Greg Malone lived "next door" and he had been trying to find out what the teams draft plans were. My friend told ...
[b]According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press[/b] and TSN, the Sharks have hired Red Wings assistant coach Todd McLellan as their next head coach, two weeks after letting Ron Wilson go. McLellan cancelled a scheduled meeting with Thrashers' GM Don Waddell to discuss their head coaching vacancy.
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080611/BLOG09/806...
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...
These picks are just my opinion please leave your thoughts and ill try to give back explanations of any questions.
1. Steven Stamkos,Sarnia Sting, Center (6’1, 180 pounds), Canadian
2. Drew Doughty, Guelph Storm, Defensemen (6’0, 213 pounds), Canadian
3. Zach Bogosian, Peterborough Petes, Defensemen (6’2, 200 pounds), American
4. Alex Pietrangelo, Niag...
[b]1.) Tampa Bay - [/b]Steven Stamkos
It's a given that the lightning will be taking him.
[b]2.) LA - [/b]Nikita Filatov
I can't see LA passing on a guy with his potential even with the Big 3, even 4 or 5 D-men that are available.
[b]3.) Atlanta - [/b]Drew Doughty
Personally I think Bogosian is the best D-man in the draft, but Doughty is also extremely good...
[img]http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Video/080613/n_russert_specialreport2_080613.vsmall.jpg[/img]
If you haven't heard yet, Tim Russert, the host of NBC's Sunday morning political show, [i]Meet the Press[/i], and a Buffalo Sabres fan, died today at age 58. Russert collapsed at work whilst working on this Sunday's edition of the show, and couldn't be saved....
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.
Since the end of the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, all the focus has been placed on restructuring management and the coaching staff. Now with Burke all but cemented as this team's eventual GM (a Burke/Wilson combo is the best possible scenario Leaf fans could have hoped for..imo), Fletcher needs to go into overdrive restructuring this roster.
We can speculate on ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Tim Russert: Journalist, Political Commentator, hockey fan
Posted Monday | Comments 2
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Edmund Burke - British Statesman and Philosopher 1729-1797
Yes, this quote is as common on the WWW as the mistaken notion that the Chinese pictograph for Crisis having a dual meaning of Opportunity. It is easy to espouse and believe in the notion of being an involved, active bystander wit...
For the first time since 2003, the Calgary Flames look like they have a viable 1st round draft pick with #17 in the first round. It looks as if the Flames will be looking for a forward in this slot and if the hype for D comes through, they could be staring at a pretty solid prospect being available when their time comes.
But let's look around the draft for a moment and ...
I don't usually do "Part 2" of anything here.
I usually try to say it all in "Part 1" and then move on.
In reading the recent rumors and apparent "truths" about the Ryan Malone situation, I heard some things that I wanted to comment a little more about (even if nobody else reads this!!!!)
The "negotiations" with Malone and the Pens, and I use that term loosely be...
[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
...
Willie Wilts writes...
LEAFS Accepting Defeat Before Puck Even Drops On '08-'09???
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
With the latest class of youngsters ready to take their seats in Ottawa and wait to be called upon, Leaf Nation is being shaken by rumblings that the blue and white may already be conceding defeat before the zambonies are even gased up. Although it isn't a real big surprise to anyone that the Leafs will likely struggle in the new campaign it IS however disheartening to he...
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080617.canucks18/GSStory/GlobeSportsHockey/home
[quote][b]Gillis also hinted that players from Russia, who may be difficult to lure to North America, probably won't figure into Vancouver's plans.[/b][/quote]
Gillis is thinking that Russians who are hard to lure to North America wont fit, now this does not rule out all ...
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.
No Look Drop Pass writes...
Sens Madness and other things of that nature
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Well, after having absolutely nothing to talk about (as I have no sources and don't really care about coaches a whole lot) since Ottawa got eliminated, I am hearing some rumblings about things I have rambled about in the past. Things like Malkin being traded and Spezza being traded...you know, crazy talk. But apparently NOW it isn't so crazy.
I wrote before that Pittsbu...
Whether you think he'll be bought out, then signed as a Free agent or traded willingly, the general feeling is that Darcy Tucker will likely end next season on a different NHL team. Moving him really doesn't free up that much cap cash, but players like Tucker can be game-breakers, and as such, retains a good reputation among NHL coaches and GMs.
So, assuming there are t...
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...
Oh boy, Rumors Rumors Rumors!
What will we hear today at 4:00Pm Pacific?
The Canucks Have Drafted Kyle Beach.
The Canucks Have Traded the 10th pick and and player for the number 2 pick.
The Canucks Have Sent Ryan Kesler and the 10th pick for Olli Jokinen.
I am expecting the Canucks to take Kyle Beach, and [b][u][i]NOT[/i][/u][/b] make any [b][u][i]big[/i][/u][/b...
David Poile should play poker professionally. He should. I saw him on local news tow nights ago saying "I am not confident at all that we will be able to sign Dan Ellis. I think he wants to test the free agent market."
Well...I'll be jiggered if he didn't go and pull off a deal that cleared the way to get Ellis to sign by trading Mason away to the St. Louis Blues. This ...
I apologize for not posting this earlier than a few hours before the draft. Better late than never, right?
I used to scoff at those diehards who sat through the entire NHL draft (especially considering that typically, the first 5-10 picks aren't that hard to predict). But this year, the relative desperateness of the Flames' prospect pool - and future as a whole - has ca...
Well, here we go Leaf Nation. It's June 20, 2008 and suddenly we're collectively being hit with flashbacks of 1993. Fletch is back in charge of our beloved (cough) Maple Leafs and Cito Gaston is managing the Blue Jays. At the moment, the Toronto FC might just be the best franchise in town...omg, my world truly is upside down.
However, we need not fear. The march bac...
First off... Initial thoughts are that there were a lot of winners in this years draft and not a whole lot of losers.
#1 Winner - Tampa Bay - but that is obvious
#2 Winner - LA - Doughty and the trade up to get Colten Teubert at the 12 spot makes their D very scary in the coming years.
Teams that I thought did very well for themselves aside from those teams is To...
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...
I did a bit of number crunching last evening. The Flyers face an interesting cap situation following day one of the NHL draft. Here's how things stand and what could happen next.
Cap hit currently stands at: $50,792,000
Players accounted for: Briere, Richards, Gagne, Hartnell, Knuble, Lupul, Upshall, Giroux, Downie, Timonen, Hatcher, Rathje, Coburn, Parent, Kukkonen,...
I try to be a realistic person.
I also try to be an optimistic person.
Sometimes these two things run a head on collision course for one another.
When it comes to the Penguins, and their ability to keep their Stanley Cup Finals roster "MOSTLY" in place, this is surely the case.
But today I am crossing my fingers.
I am holding out hope that some of the recent...
amidst tundra writes...
Stop the Moralizing: Why Fighting is a part of the game
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[i]Fighting in the NHL remains one of the most staunchly debated subjects in the world of the hockey and yet the argument barely divides supporters down the middle. Far from a modern topic, the recent incident with Patrick Roy’s son Jonathon has quickly risen fighting back to its usual grandstanded place. Now I’m not here to endorse stupidity like Roy’s kid or fighti...
So the draft is officially over and we know the names of the players we acquired:
Justin Daniels (3rd round)
Samuel Groulx (4th round)
Harri Sateri (4th round)
Julien Demers (5th round)
Tommy Wingels (6th round)
Jason Demers (7th round)
Drew Daniels (7th round)
Interesting notes on a couple of the guys we picked up: Apparently we acquired a set of twins in the ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Get Cammalleri, Dump Tanguay: Post Draft Thoughts
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Perhaps I underestimated Darryl Sutter. Minutes after he managed to get a 1st round (AND 2nd round, as I found out later) pick for disgruntled cap eater Alex Tanguay, Gord Miller reported as the Lightning prepared to take Steven Stamkos that there had already been a trade. I assumed he was confirming the Tanguay deal, but no, it was another trade with Calgary at the center...
The 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...
stmaryshusky writes...
First round of the NHL draft, a town well represented
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First I'd like to take the time to congradulate the first round picks a lot of time and effort but it finally paid off. Now I'd like to say congrats to the Clarington Trio that made the first round, where 1/10 of the players were from this municipality 40 minutes east of Toronto. Josh Bailey, Greg Nemisz and Tyler Cuma. I know Josh personally from high school and Greg from...
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...
For Toronto fans, the Entry Draft 08’ signaled a new age. With the much vaunted clear out in the upcoming months, the draft had all the makings of a cornerstone with which the franchise could rebuild in the next few years.
Despite having 10 picks at their disposal, even after the eyebrow raising trade for Jamal Mayers, the Blue Nation was hoping that Toronto could buck...
ESPN analyst Barry Melrose will be introduced as the Tampa Bay Lightning's new head coach at a news conference Tuesday.
Melrose has been an ESPN analyst full-time since 1996. He had previously worked as a studio analyst for ESPN's Emmy Award-winning 1994 Stanley Cup playoff coverage and for ESPN and ESPN2 during the 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Melrose was the he...
Just a follow up to the last blog, you actually CAN get banned for mentioning Eklund's disgusting foreskin.
To be honest, i'm just reporting the truth, something Eklund fails to ever do. What is wrong with this world, people speak the truth and get banned, while a fat greasy bastard bullshits every single day and get peoples hopes up thinking their favourite hockey tea...
Ok, I'm back. It took a little longer than anticipated to get over the loss in the Stanley Cup Finals, but I think I'm alright now. Every time I thought I was over it, something would happen or I'd see a highlight from the series and it just prolonged the entire healing process. Anyway, the draft is over and now free agency begins on July 1.
That being said, I've read s...
So if these latest reports hold water, I will officially want to quit my job and stand in front of all local media outlets looking for a gig. My blog a few months ago had Mats Sundin on the list and many people felt that NY was not in the mix. Now the NY Post has expressed that the Rangers are his first choice to land this summer. If the Rangers are kicking the tires on ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Mullet returns...7th Sign of the Apocalypse??
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/Barrycopy.jpg?t=1214272516[/img]
Isn't Barry Melrose, and his wind tunnel tested hairdo, returning behind the bench one of the 7 signs of the impending Apocalypse? I mean, it has to be right after locusts and rivers of blood, right?
I'm not quite sure of chapter and verse, but I swore I once read something akin to...
Part 2 of my outlook on the Calgary Flames off-season looking ahead to 08-09...
Sure enough, Daryl Sutter's quiet demeanor leading up to the draft was exactly what I thought it was... he was gearing up for a major deal.
As I pointed out in my pre-draft blog, the Flames are going to be up against the cap in a major way this year and desperately need to shed some sala...
David Pollack wrote a blog this week reporting that there will be no remaining bridges between the Ron Wilson era and the new regime of Todd McLellan. The press in Toronto has been reporting the two assistant coaches will be joining RW's staff on the Leafs and sources in San Jose have also confirmed it to be true. The move will be made upon contract approval.
Pollac...
I know this may not be a blog in the normal sense, but I am trying to figure out what hockey fans like when they watch NHL games on TV. Obviously everyone wants every game in HD, but in terms of the broadcast in general, what draws your attention? The TV crew cannot create a game, only the players can; however, during the first 5 minutes of the broadcast (called the Open...
After cooling off from yesterday's rant, I decided to come up with a wishlist of players I would like to see come to Pittsburgh. This is just meant to be something fun, since you all know you do the same thing with your own teams. Due to the number of guys that I'd like to see signed, I narrowed it down to 5. NOTE: These aren't in any particular order.
#5 John-Michael L...
Ever since the news of the return of Barry Melrose was announced I can't get it out of my head. I just find it odd. I think Barry made a fine contributor to ESPN's attempt to cover the NHL but there was something about the bloodshot eyes and the Sauve hair product dripping from his mullet that have me wondering if this is the right move by Tampa.
A few questions I have...
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...
Over the past few weeks Cliff Fletcher has started to completely dismantle the core of the "Toronto Maple Leafs".
I'm Gonna take a wild shot in the dark and say that captain Sundin is NOT going to be back in the blue and white next year, going to wherever he feels he has the best chance, and i say "Catch ya later" on the condition he doesn't screw the ...
***Updated at the bottom of the blog***
The announcement of these 3 players being put on waiver's to start the buy-out process comes as somewhat of a surprise to me, albeit, a very welcome and exciting surprise.
I've written recently that I didn't expect Daryl Sutter to exercise his right to buy out any of the gaudy contracts that were on the Flames books and really ...
[img]http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/12/blogtd5.png[/img]
[i]Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying summer, your favorite team's draft picks and the most recent news in the wonderful world of hockey. Enough talk,let's go down into serious business...[/i]
Five days. This is the time remaining before the first of July, the starting moment of free agency signings. Per...
I'm a firm believer that things happen in groups of threes, for better or worse. I'm probably even tempting fate by writing this, but as far as I'm concerned we just got dealt two blows today.
Brooks Orpik has declined the Penguins first offer and former Penguin Martin Straka is heading home to play for his Czech team.
Both of these may not be as big a deal in the en...
The Calgary Flames put Rhett Warner, Anders Erickson, and Marcus Nilson on waivers. This leads me to wonder if there is a major move coming or a ufa signing. Either way, Sutter really had no choice but to do the move to improve their chances for the upcoming season.
The Flames would have had to put up with predictions of doom and gloom if they did not made changes for...
In addition to Eklund's rumor today that the Sabres are extremely interested in Brian Rolston - and why wouldn't they be based on the veteran leadership the team has lacked since Chris Drury departed - I found an interesting tidbit.
What do he and Thomas Vanek have in common?
Same agent.
Steve Bartlett of Rochester, N.Y., just down the Thruway from Buffalo, repres...
If there is one time of year when the NHL becomes a platform for stories of profound personal interest, the Entry Draft is that time. From the inspirational, brave and underdog style champion of the world tales to the heart warming and outright tragic, the Entry Draft is a narrative that runs a full gamut of emotions. Yet beyond the glitz of those first five or ten picks, ...
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...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Don't Expect A Big Splash From Flames; My UFA Wishlist
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I'll be plopped in front of TSN on Tuesday for the excitement, but if the Calgary Flames manage to make a big splash, it'll just be a bonus. Although the departure of Rhett Warrener, Marcus Nilson and Anders Eriksson cleared up a bit of cap space, the re-signings of Daymond Langkow, Craig Conroy, Curtis McElhinney and Eric Nystrom make huge grabs on the UFA market very unl...
The Flyers have signed recently acquired defenseman Steve Eminger to a one-year contract. At first I was skeptical about the Flyers trading the 27th pick for a sturggling defenseman and a 3rd round pick. After a few days of thinking it over, it seems like a good deal. Eminger might just need a change of scenery same as Coburn did. This deal is a bold move on Homer's part. ...
According to Montreal Canadiens' fan website "chfans.com", Mario Tremblay interviewed for the LA Kings head coaching job. He is seemingly competing with Mike Johnston, Dave Lewis, and John Tortorella.
Hopefully, he's learned from his Montreal experience (i.e. his feud with a certain Patrick Roy). Not that Torts would be any less volatile with star players! Good luck ...
TSN.ca is reporting that Ryan Malone has agreed to terms on a contract for $31.5 million over 7 years, including between $7 and 8 million for each of the first two years. I would say nice move by the Lightning, but they are definately overpaying for the first two years. I understand that he would probably be valuable to any team in the NHL, but $8 million is too much. T...
So now that all the leaf fans have finally accepting a rebuilding project we should do it right because this is a rare occurrence and it is unlikely that we will get this opportunity in the near future. I'd like to say I agree with most of Fletcher's moves so far. He has added grit and it is pretty obvious the prototypical hockey player he is looking for. Yes Wellwood...
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...
Well this was a mild surprise at best. Ray Shero sent the rights to Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2009 4th round pick. Should Malone sign, this would become a 3rd rounder in 2009.
I am a little sad to see Malone go and a little angry from a fan's perspective that this deal didn't happen sooner. Here's why.
Since Malone's sophomore camp...
Tampa so far wins the "Offseason Award". After adding a former Phoenix Scout the club stepped up and added much needed support on the wings. They not only brought in Ryan Malone,but added some extra veteran leadership with Gary Roberts.If people think that Malone had career year playing with Malkin,wait till he gets his shot to play with Vinny! I still can't imagine ho...
doktordave writes...
Originally posted late June :King Clancy's Ghost says:
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Interesting to look back at my old blogs as the Sundin Magical Mystery Tours continues...and there is no hint of him starting training.
In two separate posts in late June, I offered my inside info from King Clancy's Ghost and 4 possible choices that Sundin might make. Below is the 4th suggestion, which may well prove to be the
June 30th: Possible UFA Targets fore Lea...
amidst tundra writes...
Breakin' What Don't Need Fixin': Scoring in the Boring NHL
Posted Monday | Comments 0
There seems to be a belief amongst NHL fans that the game is in a state of disrepair and far be it from me to disagree in some respects. There are far too many power play opportunities in the “new” NHL with much too little constituting a holding or hooking obstruction whilst the leagues marketing department has all the longevity of a kamikaze pilot on payday, but that ...
Today the Flyers made some minor moves that puzzled many. They traded recently acquired defenseman Janne Niskala to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 6th Round Pick in 2009. I was confident Niskala would be a good #5/#6 for the Flyers as soon as next year, hopefully he does well in Tampa Bay. Basically in the end the Flyers accomplished a two things out of this: 1) Acquiring ...
duvie westcott had his contract recently bought out and is now a free agent, also in the same interview he gave a syracuse area writer, westcott announced that joakim lindstrom was actively pursuing a possible contract to go to a home league in sweden.
if this is the case best of luck joakim.
Nobody has discussed this so far, but it seems pretty obvious that with Sundin in doubt, Tucker gone and McCabe on thin ice, the Leafs will be looking for a new captain - very likely from the free agent ranks or a trade.
So with this in mind, I think the Leafs will have a close eye on these players in free agency.
(1) Brendan Shanahan - Might be willing to sign sho...
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. ...
Today the Flyers have announced the signings of three players: Ossi Vaananen, Glen Metropolit, Nate Currey and Nate Raduns. They also acquired Patrick Hersley and Ned Lukacevic in exchange for Denis Gautheir and a 2nd Round Pick in 2010. Ossi Vaananen, 6'4" 212 lbs, signed a one year deal at $1 million. This signing adds a veteran presence and physical play from the backen...
Today is one of those days where you almost pray your team does nothing because the amount of money being thrown around is down right ridiculous. There have only been a couple signings where I can honestly say the team got good value. The singings I like today include Fedorik at just over 1 mil per season, Brunette at 2.33mil and Vrbada at 3mil.
Jeff Finger by all acc...
I think the Flyers are better now, at least on paper, than they were one year ago.
Mike Richards and Jeff Carter coming off of up and down seasons, Joffrey Lupul coming in from a dreadful year in Edmonton, a huge lack of mobility and dependability on the back end, a starting goalie that had never seen a playoff game from the ice....
Now, 12 months later, Richards has...
According to sources close to Curtis Glencross, he has signed with the Calgary Flames. The deal took place around supper time, July 1st. The terms of the deal are reportedly 3 years, 3.2 million and won't be announced until tomorrow. Glencross was tops on my free agent list in terms of players I felt would come to Calgary.
The Flyers have announced that they have come to terms with RFA defenseman Randy Jones. The deal will leave the team with a $2.75 million cap hit and Jones will receive $2.5 million this year and $3 million next year. The contract is a little too much in my opinion, as I thought he should receive $2 million max. This leaves the Flyers with too many defenseman under contrac...
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...
The reaction to the moves made by the Maple Leafs on July 1st has been understandably mixed. There has been more than enough posted regarding the virtues of the new acquisitions (Jeff Finger in particular) so I'll be focussing more on what seems to me to be the overall philosophy/strategy of the club.
The buyouts of Darcy Tucker and Andrew Raycroft indicate that Fletcher...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Bye Bye Playoffs?: Evaluating The Flames, 2008 Edition
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As much as I scoffed at the money thrown at players like Cristobal Huet, Jeff Finger, Brian Campbell, Wade Redden and Mike Commodore, I was also very disheartened in the relative quiet on the Flames' front on July 1. Though today's signings of Jim Vandermeer and Curtis Glencross make the situation a little better, their inability to find a viable 2nd line still makes the p...
Ron Guillet writes...
Cliff Fletcher Gets My Applause -- And McCabe's Future
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
While fans around the NHL point and laugh at the US$14-million, four-year deal given to defenseman Jeff Finger, Cliff Fletcher is following a blueprint to ensure the Leafs a more promising future.
Let's start with the player that is discussed the most, Jeff Finger. An almost unknown commodity around the NHL, he's somewhat of an underrated player when you take a look at ...
[u][b]NOUS DEMENAGEONS !!!
http://www.alnh.tk/
Nous voulions un site plus complet que ce simple blog, je vous donne rendez-vous !
http://www.alnh.tk/
[/b][/u]
[i]*Veuillez notez que les mises a jour sont administrer par Marc-Antoine Perrault et Etienne Jolette.[/i]
[i]NB: les accents de fonctionnent pas[/i]
[u][b]Rumeurs[/b][/u]
-Ilya Nikulin est ...
The Calgary Flames have signed defensemen Jim Vandermeer and his brother, right winger Peter Vandermeer. The Flames did not stop there; they also inked winger Curtis Glencross.
So basically, Vandy will be in the slot of a fourth or fifth defenseman. Peter will be a Quad City roster spot depth move; do not expect him to fill a spot with the big club. Curtis will be...
Whenever a building is demolished by implosion the spectacle creates a horde of onlookers, feeding on a basic human attraction toward violent destruction. It is the same depraved impulse that causes so many to further the obstruction of traffic when they pass a wreck on the highway. Though the impact of such rearrangement is immediate and rife with dramatic imagery, few if...
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...
Stefan Ruzicka has decided to go back to Europe to play. The Flyers will still retain his rights since the transfer agreement is not in effect. WIth this loss the Phantoms will likely need another forward, I wouldn't be surprised if the Flyers signed one of their prospects in the coming days. Ruzicka is a great AHL player, but never seemed to be able to achieve in the NHL....
If the 2008 NHL Entry Draft was going to be the linchpin onto which the Maple Leafs commenced its rebuild, then the July 1st free agency free-for-all was going to be a barometer with which to measure the organizations immediate ambitions.
Going into the first days of free agency, the Leafs had two options. The first was too play it frosty, pick up some low key, low cap h...
Welcome to my 1st blog at HockeyBuzz. I’m a life-long Oiler fan who surfs the net a lot reading the forums at hfboards.com, Sportsnet.ca, EdmontonOilers.com, and here at Hockeybuzz as well as other hockey news sites. I’ve never had the urge to create a user account before at any of these sites, but recently I started thinking that it would be fun to do some blogging 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 ...
First of all, I want to thank everyone for all of the comments recently and especially the kind words when I broke the news of the Curtis Glencross signing and terms on July 1st. I appreciate all of the support and love to see as many comments as possible. I will continue to give as much Flames analysis and insight this off-season.
I have addressed what I felt Sutter ...
Its been quite interesting the past few days and I am quite excited that trades seem to be back. YAY!
[b]Leafs: [/b]I've noticed that alot of people HATE the moves that the leafs have made so far. And I cannot fully understand why. While I do agree that the leafs paid a fair bit for Finger and Hagman I don't think it has a negative effect on what the leafs are trying ...
Update: Saturday 07/05/08 --- you can find the interview here: http://www.justagame.ca/audio/Kevin%20Lowe%20Full%20Interview%20July%204.mp3
On local radio in Edmonton this afternoon, Kevin Lowe was interviewed and finally fired back at Brian Burke. The interviewer asked K-Lowe what his thoughts were, on Burke's latest whining over high salaries (Corey Perry) and how Bur...
As of July 4, 2008, these are the players currently contracted by the leafs that have a shot at making the big club
[b]Forwards[/b]
Nik Antropov
Mark Bell
Jason Blake
Darryl Boyce
Boyd Devereaux
Robert Earl
Alex Foster
Mikhail Grabovski
Niklas Hagman
Nikolai Kulemin
Jamal Mayers
Dominic Moore
Alexei Ponikarovsky
Matt Stajan (Not yet signed, but i ...
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...
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...
Marian Hossa has received a thorough drubbing in the Canadian media for signing with the Red Wings. The criticism has been across the continent from Vancouver to Toronto, and from TSN as well. The worst thus far seems to have issued from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star, hammering Hossa for wanting to seek a chamionship ring and " . . . play out of a smelly, crumbling Joe ...
After going over player rosters and watching some of the Jackets Press conference on the Tyutin trade, I looked at the line up. I saw # 49 Fritsche in the Columbus fowards column.He's not on the Rangers roster anymore either. However there are no updates to his contract status. He was filing for arbitration and I'm not sure if Sather let Dan Walk back to Ohio.
Ok so...
I dislike the guy with a passion ... but I'm willing to give him a chance. The fact that he will be wearing green and white makes the past irrelevant, at least for now. We all know he can play the game well; he simply has to keep his mouth to a minimum. I think with Morrow in command and Hull's guidance from above, Avery can be an excellent addition to this team. This ...
If the Leafs stop adding Free Agents now, they'll carry enough cap space to bring Sundin back - should he decide to play. However, right now he isn't coming. Nobody has discussed this so far, but it seems pretty obvious that with Sundin in doubt, Tucker gone and McCabe on thin ice, the Leafs will be looking for a new captain - very likely from the free agent ranks or a tr...
According to TSN.ca, the Calgary Flames have signed recently bought-out RW Todd Bertuzzi to a one-year deal worth 1.95 million. The move comes just a day after the announcement that Owen Nolan has signed a 2-year pact with the Minnesota Wild for 5.5 million.
If anyone has read my previous blogs, they will know what a huge fan I was of Owen Nolan. A lot of people look ...
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...
roenickscores08204 writes...
Holmgren gets 3-year extension, Asham signs multi-year deal
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Ed Snider announced today that the Flyers have reached an extension with current GM Paul Holmgren that will keep him for another three years. This is a great thing for the team and is easily our best signing of the year. Holmgren has done something that never happens in hockey. Through his great trades and signings he took a last place team to the Eastern Conference Finals...
With the recent signing of UFA Brendan Morrison and Anaheim Ducks at par with the salary cap, something is going to have to give, or rather, someone is going to be shipped out of the "Sunny State". All speculation leads to their blueline, with over 22 million dollars invested, all eyes are pointing to former all star defenseman Mathieu Schneider. Several teams are in need ...
July 8th, 2008
So the dust has setled, money has been thrown around as if it grows on trees, and we inch closer and closer to the 2008-2009 NHL season. It's the time of year when GM's, after months of analysing, scouting, and meticulous planning, get out their cell phones and start wooing agents and their clients to come play for their team. Massive contracts are being ...
[i]Hello everyone, I hope you enjoy each moments of the free agency frenzy, as always, this is a very thrilling and exciting moment for hockey fans.[/i]
Before the free agency period began, Bob Gainey said that he was looking for an impact player, looking at this year UFA bumper crop names like Hossa, Rolston, Huselius, Jagr and Sundin were the possible targets. So the ...
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...
With the recent reaction from the NHL to have the two feuding GM's cease and desist, I have come to ponder the real reason Kevin Lowe finally came out with a response to Brian Burke's one sided rants.
I am not here to say that either one of these GM's is accurate or correct in their assessments of each other as in business every decision is a risk. We hear the banter of...
It seems that Montreal has been tripped up in the free-agent chase early on, with the chase of Mats Sundin. What happens if Sundin continues to take his time?
(1) Alexi Yashin - A big step down from Sundin, but a player with a lot to prove and a desire to return to the NHL. He and Kovalev could be an interesting fit, BUT only if he's willing to swallow some pride and ta...
First off, let's see how I did with my off-season move guesses (http://my.hockeybuzz.com/user.php?user_id=19560) and what Sutter did in comparison to my guesses:
1) [i]Trade Matthew Lombardi, Anders Eriksson, Andrej Taratukhin, and 2009 #2 Draft Pick to Florida for Olli Jokinen[/i]: [b]FAIL[/b]. Ok, so this big trade didn't happen, but that's not to say Sutter didn't try ...
The world has come to an end. Well, not literally, but figuratively, with the signing of Big Burt. The Calgary Flames have signed Todd Bertuzzi to a one-year contract worth 1.95 million buckaroo's (I do know buckaroo's is not a word.)
The factor that makes this interesting is the call for mercy from the Flames. They are asking the fans to give Bert a second chance. T...
Will it be Burke or will it be Joe??
This is the new question cropping up in Leaf land. With the recent hiring of Joe Nieuwendyk as Cliff Fletchers assistant GM, there are whispers that Joe maybe the Leafs next GM in the next couple of years (if not before the 09/10 season). Mentoring under Cliff for possibly 2 seasons, learning the ropes, everything seems to be in pla...
Last week Jaromir Jagr confirmed he would be leaving the NHL to join Avangard Omsk of the Continental Hockey League, now 36 and with his heart set on an eventually return to his native Czech Republic and HC Kladno, the news all but certainly signals the end of Jagr’s oft brilliant, oft controversial NHL career after 17 years.
For anybody who grew up in the hockey world ...
The Sundin saga is still undecided and only a few teams are still in the race. Detroit and the Rangers are out, due to cap space, Toronto seems to be a little bit erased, only Montreal and Vancouver seems to keep pushing very hard to land Sundin. The Canucks are rumored offering Mats a 2 years/20 millions deal, while the Canadiens offer stand to 2 years/15 to 16 millions.
...
http://flyerflies.com/blog/?p=171
Al Strachan of FoxSports.com has published a blistering criteria of the NHL's current financial status today, declaring that the NHL is still destroying itself from the inside out. This comes in the wake of a disappointingly bloated 2008 free agent market in which a number of high and mid-level players seemed to get far more in their n...
It needs to be said...after all the hype and rumor and silly "connect the dots" conspiracy theories trotted out this Spring to suggest that Brian Burke wants to be the Leafs' next GM...somebody has to say it: "Why Burke?"
Even before Kevin Lowe leveled the boom with suggestions that Burke is more luck than genius, that he Left Dave Nonis with a mess in Vancouver; that ...
Hey, you guys, yeah I'm pointing at you in the media. It's time you stopped writing the same stuff over and over. I've started to get quite annoyed with the Toronto Hockey media the past few weeks because you continue to read the same things, printed in the paper and posted online, every day and every week. Okay, so Niklas Hagman, Jeff Finger and Curtis Joseph are not goin...
enjoy or hate
http://flyerflies.com/blog/
Have a great weekend.
Jerry Maguire.
Dan Boyle. Brian McCabe. Alexander Radulov. Nikita Filatov. Tommy Salo. Mike Milbury.
Brett Favre.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-farmer12-2008jul12,0,38150.story
As a new Packers fan I don't have the long term idolization most do, so Favre comes off kinda spoiled here when he says they didn't try hard enough to talk h...
With the current roster seemingly set in stone and the unlikely return of Mats Sundin who becomes the Leafs next captain?
Many things have to be considered here like who has the heart and who will be the best fit in the dressing room. Me I have to give my vote to Matt Stajan he has been around long enough to know how the team works. He has heart and really takes the re...
I haven't gotten in on the Sundin debate, but I sure do read a lot about it. It's incredible how many theories, rumours and flip-flops we have to endure day to day. But for some reason this guy (meaning me) reads on and on.
Ok, for fun...I'll throw in my best guess...
Sundin will be a Hab.
It's been know within the organization for some time.
Grabovski was rumour...
Three teams would appear to be possible destinations right now and I'm going to toss around some names:
Ottawa: Vermette and Jeremy Yablonski for Kubina, Yablonki could be a good replacement for Belak in the enforcer category and Vermette could be in for a big enough raise through arbitration to warrant dealing away for a Top- pair defenseman like Kubina.
Tampa :Ou...
Ok so most of the non Rangers fans in the world continue to under estimate their young players. Enter Ryan Hollweg who virtually wrote his own release in game 3 of the Pens series. Although I didn't see the Leafs as an option, Holley will hit and grind it out up in T- DOT. I thought LA or Anaheim would have gambled on the fourth line winger, having been from Downy Calif...
Well i will get right to the point . All last season i heard from everyone and that blasted hockey news that we were gonna be a bomb out team in the 07-08 season . Well we did the exact opposite and had the best season for quite a long time . Now last seaosn i thought we would do better then we were projected but this season though optimistic I don't see us as the bonafide...
[i](WWSYFD is not an acronym for some new, horribly disfiguring communicable disease...at least not yet)[/i]
For those who have not crawled out from under their rock and read Julie's blog...please do so. [url]http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16214[/url]
Not only will it make you smarter, more attractive and almost irresistible to the opposite sex (and some...
I just got back from the scrimmage and thought I would do a little write-up for all the Kings fans. I haven't see it, but I was told the broadcast was horrible so I hope this helps.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with how it was structured (since I had no clue before I went), there were two 25 minute games and if the score remained tied by the end of the 2nd, it wo...
On Monday, [b]Alexander Medvedev[/b] gave an exclusive interview to a correspondent of "Soviet Sport" paper in Russia regarding the transfer agreement situation. [url=http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://www.sovsport.ru/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search?q=sovetskiy+sport&hl=en&safe=off]Her...
Nothing bothers me more when people unmercifully belittle someone. Don't get me wrong; as a fan, you have the right to voice your opinion towards the players. But to me, there should be a limit to the continuous slamming of Mr. McCabe. I don't mind people stating whether they like him or not. But attacking him or his family is just plain wrong.
I can hear the Maple...
[b]First a little disclaimer: this blog won't be entirely different from my last as it concerns the addition of grit to the Avalanche in the upcoming season...thought you'd like to know now instead of later.
So, in the past few days, the Avs have resigned the "Cody Macs", that is Cody McLeod and Cody McCormick and now have added former Avs player Brian Willsie from the ...
nephew23 writes...
Dave Tippett Extended and a Classic Mid-Summer Classic!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The STARS rewarded Dave Tippett with a well-deserved 2-year extension, locking him up through the 2010-2011 season. Tip has one of the best, if not the best, regular season winning percentages of any coach in history. Under his guidance the STARS have been to the playoffs every year, and 2 wins from the Stanley Cup Finals last season. Tippett's success with the STARS pa...
I decided to write this blogg hoping maybe that Yelle would read it and return to the Flames. Just kidding, but I know that I would to see him return to the Flames to Center our Fourth line with the kids. Now Sutter I know has mentioned that he wishes Yelle the best, and said he will find a job in the nhl for sure. But I think maybe Sutter should think about resigning him ...
By Rich Hammond on July 16, 2008 1:21 PM
The Kings have signed restricted free agents Erik Ersberg, Gabe Gauthier, Matt Moulson and Joe Piskula to contracts for next season. I'll try to get the terms and money for these deals, particularly Ersberg, since he was headed for arbitration. I'd have to guess Ersberg agreed to a two-year contract, but that's just a guess.
...
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...
mslepp writes...
Calgary Flames Sign Jamie Lundmark, UPDATED Grant Stevenson
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
In what can only be described as an incredibly surprising move, Daryl Sutter has signed free agent forward Jamie Lundmark.
Lundmark had spent parts of two seasons with the Flames, his first of which after being acquired in the deal with the Coyotes for a fourth round pick. He was expected to add depth to our forwards for a playoff run and add some scoring. He did ju...
markoftrad writes...
The backend of the Offseason and your Sens trade rumors
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Its the back end off the Off Season all the important guys are signed. Yes Sundin is out there but for the sake of argument he isn't an important signing unless he signs somewhere other than Montreal or Toronto. Niether team needs him or should sign him. Montreal has way to much young talent ready for the big show to "use up" a roster spot for and aging albeit talented Sun...
CAPMESS11 writes...
FORSBERG FOR X-MAS,COULD RANGERS LAND SWEDISH STAR?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Forsberg For X-mas, it just might happen. If predictions about Foppa's health stand pat, then he will be ready to get going sometime around the Holidays.The Rangers are currently holding out to see if they can land one more vet to accompany their young talent. Either they manage to pull one big rabbit out of a hat and grab Mats Sundin or bring back Brendan Shanahan for...
Patch. Pacman. Max Pac. Whatever you want to call him, Max Pacioretty is the hot topic today as the Habs announced the 19 year old winger has signed a three-year entry level deal (financial terms not disclosed), effectively ending his college career. The move comes as a bit of a surprise-both Pacioretty and director of player recruitment and development Trevor Timmins were...
SoCalSharksGirl writes...
Sharks Development Camp and Possible Assistant Coaches...
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
There was an article on Tuesday on the Sharks site announcing that the Development Camp will be taking place for the next 5 days at Sharks Ice in San Jose. Unfortunate for us, the camp is closed to the media and the public, to allow for the guys to work without feeling judged.
McLellan will be there, but not on the ice. He will be observing and mentoring from a room abo...
Last year, the Toronto Maple Leafs finished 7th last in the league after a dissappointing campaign that had high expectations. They failed to make the playoffs for a third straight year mainly because of poor defensive play and inconsistant back-up play by Andrew Raycroft.
Quite Frankly, I don't think Paul Maurice was quite up to the task of coaching in Toronto.
How...
[b]EK, on his latest blog, was suggesting the Avs have been linked to Pavel Kubina of the Leafs. He also states that the Avs are in the Jay Bouwmeester sweepstakes. Let's take a look at some numbers (per TSN stats):
Kubina, signed at $5M per until 2010:
Age 31, Games-664, Goals-83, Assists-187, Points-270, +/- of -86, PIM-827, Shots-1252
Boumeester, RFA, seeking clo...
With the news that Ryan Miller has signed for a 5 yr deal i am sitting here excited for the upcoming season. people all over town have been going Enroth this Enroth that saying that we have no chance to sign miller, hes good as gone. Well to those people shame on you! hes here for 5 more years after this one at a reasonable 6.25 a year. Miller is smart to resign here becau...
Just when we thought the website war between the NHL and the NY Rangers was finished, the Rangers have struck back.
According to Newsday [url]http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/rangers/ny-sprang0718,0,5919151.story?track=rss[/url], the Rangers have asked the US District Judge to dismiss the case. here is the article.
[i]Madison Square Garden Thursday asked a ...
Well Shark fans, I know it is summer and the last echoes of the playoffs have trailed off, but there is still news to be had for Sharks fans? I know our bloggers are busy folks, but where have they gone Joe Dimaggio? Our teal nation turns it's lonely eyes to you.. What about camp? What about assistants? The big question is: What the hell is up with Ryan Clowe? All this tal...
Will it really make this years team any different than last years? Just because he got paid does that mean he won't give up 3 goal leads to Boston and Philly again?I know its not all him and the D-men were pretty bad but I can't help but wonder what difference will this make.
I love the signing and it should show the rest of the club were not rolling over and dying just ...
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...
Happy Saturday Morning
http://flyerflies.com/blog/
Have a great weekend.
The new schedule is out and you can view it on the sharks website. But I thought it might be nice to point out a few select dates and why they might be of interest to Sharks fans.
On October 17th, Eastern Conference powerhouse Philly visits. Sid the Kid (sorry, Captain Kid) and the mighty Pens visit the tank on Tuesday, October 28th in a Halloween preview. After all, ...
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...
The Flames have apparently signed the tough enforcer. This came out of left field. I really thought the Flames were beginning to look like the 04 flames. They said they were going to be younger this season. This is a contradicting to that phillosphy.
This move also adds another 4th liner for the Flames. But there could be another sinister plot in Sutter's mind. Co...
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...
It is getting laughable of late with the continual flow of idiotic rumors about the future of Mats Sundin. The people who are pushing forward these "gems" are apparently doing so with the agenda of generating buzz. Whether for a blog or a Newspaper or a hockey themed show, Mats Sundin's story remains a "gravy train" for those seeking a boost in readers or ratings. The prob...
A short blog on today on the first day
Lalande, Kevin
Had a great day, his play has really improved. Kevin's lateral movement from side to side was very good. Still needs to work on his angles giving to much room for the shooter. But he is quicker than last year he looks like he has had a good summer working out.
Keetley, Matt
Looks like the old Matt as us...
The mystery surrounding the resigning of Restricted Free Agent Ryane Clowe continues. As the summer drags on, no news comes forth about his status. We were led to believe from published reports that he had a "gentelmen's" agreement with Doug Wilson at the end of last season. The only outstanding issue had been length on contract as reported. So what is up? Since no news is...
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'...
FuzE_gus writes...
Leafs honour Clark and Gilmour, but should they have?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
As reported by TSN: "The Toronto Maple Leafs will honour former captains Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour by raising their numbers to the rafters of the Air Canada Centre this season."
Both were great players without a doubt and both were classy guys as well. However, neither brought a championship to the Leafs, the ultimate model of greatness in any league. If these pla...
[i]Many Predator fans have been wondering where Pred's blogger PredJoe has been this off season. This article pulled from wire reports answers this question. [/i]
[b]Ufa Russia [/b]- While the international dispute continues over young Alexander Radulov and his NHL and KHL contracts one American is also seeing if, he too, can strike gold in Russia.
PredJoe has been b...
The Detroit Red Wings are giving goaltending prospect, Jimmy Howard, all the confidence in the world even though is has not one but two battles on his hands this upcoming year. Howard will earn $600,000 if he makes the club or $200,000 if he is assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. He will not have to clear waivers if sent down. He will also earn a set salar...
[b]DAY 2 THE FORWARD AND DEFENCMEN COME TO CAMP
[/b]
Let me start out like this; I am telling you about this camp through my eyes. It is really hard to judge a rookie by a first day in camp. I can only tell you what I see. This is not a make-or-break statement about said rookies. Now, that being said, let's discuss the observations of camp day 2.
[b]
Group A[/b]
...
Rivalries between friends who share a passion for different hockey teams is a tireless tradition. Making fun of friends whose team has performed poorly is almost as fun as watching your own team win.
Blogging sites such as this one have allowed strangers to debate tirelessly on endless topics often escalating to virtual fighting.
As a Canadiens fan I have personally...
The off-season moves made by the Leafs are puzzling to say the least. The strangest was the hiring of Ron Wilson as head coach. Wilson is a defense first, hard nosed, no nonsense coach. He will be able to install a system that the Leafs have needed for years.
Most of Leafs Nation would like to see the team finish last in order to get the top pick in the '09 draft, my...
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...
doktordave writes...
Sundin Seen Eating Ice Cream - Canucks/Habs Camps Thrilled
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
How many dumb Sundin Rumors have you seen today? Personally, I'm starting to feel a little taken for granted with some of the ridiculous stuff out there. Today for example, Ek tossed out that some unnamed source in the Habs camp had indicated that there was additional excitement today surrounding Sundin. Considering what Sundin said a few short days ago, could this be any ...
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...
Note: I never will claim authenticity of these rumors...because they're rumors.
Well its no secret Vermette is a great Trade chip for the Sens and there as been trade rumors involving him for months, but now they are just getting odd/ridicualous.
First there was that 3-way trade that made no sense for L.A. and little sense for Ottawa. Now the rumor making the rounds ...
[b]DAY 4 PROSPECTS CAMP[/b]
First of all, I am going to try to have a small write up on every prospect except Boyd; he is not really a prospect. I want to apologize for some criticisms, I am just commenting on how they played, not on the person.
[b]GROUP A[/b]
[b]FORWARDS[/b]
[b]75 John Armstrong[/b]
John continues to shine he is beginning to show why we d...
Toskala35 writes...
Anaheim's AHL Affiliate Sets up Best Publicity Stunt Ever
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The [b]Anaheim Ducks[/b] have a new [b]AHL[/b] affiliate, and what better way to bring buzz to the team with a good, ole fashion, publicity stunt. Well the [b]Iowa Chops[/b] have gone above and beyond any publicity stunt seen before... It may seem like I'm going way off topic here, but hold on:
The entire sports world is hanging onto every piece of news in the [b]Brett ...
Anyone else think that the NHL, Executives, Players, and Agents alike use him to deflect the real goings-on in the NHL?
I think so.
His blogs are as reliable as a Ford Pinto, or less reliable. It's like bizarro blogging. Whatever he writes, just believe the opposite and it would stand a much better chance of becoming true.
Sundin going to Montreal or Toronto? well...
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...
Here are 13 why reasons that Mats Sundin should sign with the Habs:
1. Sundin has a Stanley Cup drought of 17 years and the Hab have a drought of 15 years. They are in a position to help each other out.
2. Sundin would put himself to not only win a Stanley Cup, but to win it in the greatest hockey city on earth. When you win a cup in Carolina, you get a ring. When y...
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...
This year the North West division might be the closest and one of the most interesting divisions in hockey. Why you ask? Well because all 5 teams have a legitimate chance of winning the Division but all face certain questions that could make or break there season. But who really knows anyone could be a top three seed come April.
[u][b]Colorado Avalanche[/b][/u]
...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Law of Unintended Consequences: The Cap & Cost Certainty
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Law of Unintended Consequences states that any purposeful action will likely produce some unexpected or unintended consequences. These consequences are almost always divergent from the intended result and, often, the polar opposite.
Two words uttered by Gary Bettman, in 2004, radically changed the landscape of the National Hockey League forever. This notion plunge...
I would like to thank Mr. Spratt Personally he was a great to allow me some time with him. I can tell, what the Flames see in James Spratt you can tell a lot about man by his dad thanks so much again. I will posting another interview with Mr Severen in a couple of days both men deserve equal time.
...
With training camp about 6 weeks away the Calgary Flames sit at about 2.3 million over the salary cap (according to Cap Central). If you count the signing of Andre Roy, which was actually a one-way deal at 550,000, it puts the Flames nearly 3 million dollars over the cap.
GM Darryl Sutter has been seen on Canadian Media and read throughout local papers saying he's done...
The Montreal Canadiens are coming off of a Cinderella type season, where the so called experts picked them to finish anywhere between 10th and 13th in their conference. Instead, we saw the emergence of Kostitsyn and Plekanec, the resurgence of Alex Kovalev and the Good, the Bad and the Ugly side of Carey Price. The end result was a spectacular surprise first place in the...
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...
millertime writes...
Latest problem in Pro Sports: Not honoring contracts
Posted Monday | Comments 0
You see it in the NFL. Currently, Buffalo Bills' Jason Peters is holding out of training camp until a new deal gets inked. He wants more money, even though he's already signed for the next three years.
You see it in MLB. Look no further than the whole Manny saga in Boston right now. And if you're not much familiar with that, here's the low-down: http://insider.espn....
FLAMESTR writes...
In Conversation wit a proud Father C.J. Severen's Dad
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[b]Interview with Mr. Severen
CJ's father[/b]
[b]FLAMESTR[/b]: You mentioned one thing yesterday that I want to start out with. He started out at what, four and a half?
[b]Severyn[/b]: He was rollerblading at three and a half, and at four and a half he stepped on the ice. The first time he stepped...
Thanks to HB's own Howard Berger http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16358 , information about the many new team 3rd jerseys are leaking out. For Sharks fans, it looks like the return of the black jersey. A bit overdone, but it looks like the logo will be the full shark body logo. http://bp3.blogger.com/_r8tWGVHrjGI/SJBtoG-FxVI/AAAAAAAAFRs/H_x_FefGUtU/s1600-h/sjssha...
Ok so before Rangers fans panic at the Nedved button understand his invitation is only an insurance policy. In the event that the Sundin train pulls into MSG the club will have to clear cap room. Moving a center like Blair Betts plus to a club like LA who still needs to reach the cap floor is an option. What's attractive to opposing teams is that a few of the Rangers su...
I won't write what others have written about the Red Wings signing Valterri Filppula, however I will write about how much money he will will receive for the 5 year contract and what that means to some current Red Wings players.
Filppula's contract is:
2008-2009 $2 mil
2009-2010 $2.5 mil
2010-2013 $3.5 mil for the final three years
What this means is the Red Wing...
[b]OVERALL IMPRESSIONS OF THE FLAMES PROSPECTS CAMP[/b]
I was quite pleased when I went to this camp. It was really interesting to see the progress of the players. I love the talent; I had no idea of the ability of the prospects. The Flames will have a solid future for many years to come. Especially in the net, where they have plenty of depth.
What made it more fun...
In the world of sports, the playoffs are often referred to as the "second season." Hockey fans know that the current season never really ends until the puck is dropped for the first game of the next one. In this sense, one can look at the off-season as the "third season," which has been less exciting than the previous summer for the Anaheim Ducks (having won the greatest...
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...
I don't know if anyone will read this because it is in a list of many other bloggers...and to be honest, I don't know if anyone has said this because I read very few of the other blogs....
So...that being said....this is the quote that has done it for me:
"Mats is like Peter (Forsbeg) in that he would rather surprise than disappoint." -From a recent Eklund rumour -...
One more word of thanks to those of you who took the time to read my first post, and special thanks to nephew23 for helping me clean up some "technical difficulties." Anyway, last time I noted that all future posts would be more condensed and follow a general format, so let's get right to it.
The latest signing by the Ducks is of a Norris Trophy winner, but before you ...
If this off season is as slow and arduous to any of you as it is to me I'm guessing many of you have already tried the same exercise that i'm about to do. In fact, i've seen many suggestions on the HB boards, and they have in part helped shape my perception of how the Leafs will look come opening night.
Now, keep in mind, there can still be changes to the roster within ...
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...
Isn't it obvious that Mats Sundin is playing TML? And who can blame him!? Think about it, If you were Mats right now, after being asked to waive your ntc after stating you don't want to be a rental player, wouldn't you be a little pissed off? I mean sure Fletcher was doing his job but for god sake, he already had said no, Mats had been loyal to the Leafs, they should show ...
My name is[b] Pengal [/b]and I'm a [b]Hockeybuzz[/b] addict.
1. We admitted we were powerless over Hockeybuzz and that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Powerade greater than water and alcohol could restore hydration .
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of EK as we understood him.
4. Made a sear...
It's fun when the team you cheer for has great propects and great prospect camps because you get to hope that they will crack the line up, this was the case recently in Calgary where some of the young talent made the fans think, "what if?".
"Flamstr" wrote a few great blogs on prospect camp and even interviewed the families of a couple (if you haven't read these it's wort...
This is an inside look into Mike Gillis, his past, his role, and the challenges that he has yet to face.
I am a long time canucks fan, and over the last few months have witnessed many Pro and Negative Gillis statements. This blog is for all canucks fans to take a step back and look at Mike Gillis in a different perspective. I hope it's also a different perspective f...
Although Canada will win the Gold Medal in 2010 (c'mon take your best shot!!) I thought it would be fun to name the team now and save everyone the wait! Of course you might not agree with my opinion here and I look forward to your input.
Let's start in the back for a change because this could be more muddy than we think. To me, hands down, it's Luongo. BUT he honestly d...
[img]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j303/EaglesWallpaper/sundinhospital-1.jpg[/img]
[b]My attempt at a comedic view of the Sundin Saga, might as well do something to pass the time, so read this:[/b]
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A Doctor paces the hallway of a transplant ward of a hospital. In his hands, a heart, it shows...
CAPMESS11 writes...
RANGERS BEST OPTION FOR LATER COULD BE TO MOVE ROZSIVAL NOW
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It is inevitable that the Rangers will have to move some players to make room for Mats Sundin. I still think they should remain in the hunt,as the Rangers will need another scoring threat to compete in the East.For one or two years the Blue shirts would add much needed size to slow down the attack of the Pens,Flyers and beefed up Tampa.I think a line of Mats,Naslund,and...
As each day passes Leaf fans wonder what the hell is Mats Sundin thinking and when will he ever make up his mind on whether he wants to play or not and if yes where?
The question is will Sundin come back to the buds or has his time here passed?
I for one think Sundin might be leaning Toronto's way based on everything he has said in the past but lets not talk about th...
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/...
They aren't all bad, but I've noticed a disturbing trend in recent months - that being bloggers who work harder to stir up controversy rather than cover the "home" team objectively. It seems to me that bloggers with their own site to promote are playing a game inside the game to generate reaction. Howard Berger for the Leafs is one example.
Most recently, "Howie" post...
There are those who play in NY and those who play for NY. In the NY sports market there are the types who follow the money and not their hearts and crumble under the big lights. But then there are those that blend into the bright lights and become one with the city. From baseball to hockey we have seen players come here only to crash and burn . There was Theo Fleury wh...
Not much to report concerning the Ducks this past week, or even the league in general, so this entry will focus more on speculation than hard news.
GM Brian Burke joined Wild founding owner Bob Naegele, Jr., former NHL defenseman Phil Housley, and Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay as recipients of this year's Lester Patrick Trophy. The award, named after the former Ranger play...
Ron Guillet writes...
McCabe's Departure Is Kubina's Gain; And The Captain Issue
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
After months of playing hard-ball, it appears Bryan McCabe is finally realizing his tenure in Toronto is tarnished, and the only way to continue with his career is to start anew.
According to The Toronto Star, McCabe's agent, Ian Pulver, has confirmed the two sides have been discussing the possibility of a trade. ''Bryan is starting to think about possibly getting his ...
Well. It's been a long, long offseason so far, but we're still alive, waiting for our Habs patiently. The waiting is painful, and we're all very hasted to see what our favorites are gonna do this year. Well, at least, there are several entertaining questions surrounding "Les Habitants". Will Sundin sign here? How will Tanguay do? Will Laraque have a good impact on the team...
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...
How good of an NHL player will he be? Who knows but I'm sick and tired of people looking looking at www.hockeysfuture.com or www.russianprospects.com to find scouting reports that are 3 years old thinking that thats all the player could offer. I believe a year a go Anton Stralman was listed as i believe a 6.0 B or C which is a bottom pairing being the ceiling of his potent...
Let's start off with an introduction. I haven't been on this site, and posting a blog in a while. So, the name's Johnathan. I'm a 16-year-old highschooler from Toronto, Canada. I've probably already lost credibility in saying that, haven't I?
Well, how's this one - I'm writing this blog in the middle of night, my head pounding while eating a bad of Lays potato...
I love looking back to see what kind of ramifications past trades hold on the present-time NHL. For example, in 1990 the Flames and Devils swapped a number of picks that gave the Flames the 11th pick (Trevor Kidd) and the Devils the 20th pick... which just happened to be Martin Brodeur. Bruins blogger Jesse Connolly wrote about the Cam Neely/Barry Pederson trade that, af...
Well here is a long waited but ultimately slim update on Sens Defensemen Andrei Meszaros. Based on conversations with another Sens D-man and the little tibits I've read around the web, Things at the moment are bleak, Mesz and his agent aren't willing to budge on thier demands for the most part, and Murray isn't buying into thier demands, so unless things start to change Me...
After using hockeybuzz as a resource for hockey rumours and information for almost 5 months, I have finally decided to create my own blog, to discuss anything and everything primarily about the Toronto Maple Leafs.
To briefly introduce myself, I am a sixteen year old highschooler and live outside of Toronto, Canada. I play competitive hockey, and have always been a hu...
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...
Not much hockey to talk about these days???
I'll do my best to keep focused on hockey but my blogs are starting to be very un-hockey related.
Funny how none of the Leafs wanted to move at the trade deadline and now Tucker is gone, McCabe is on his way out and God only knows what's up with Meatball Sundin.
Jose Theodore a Washington Capital, that just doesn't sound...
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 ...
With even less news on the Ducks front over the last seven days than the previous week, we'll start of this entry by taking a look at the recent events surrounding Anaheim's new AHL affiliate, the Iowa... Chops... *ahem*.
The club formerly known as the Stars has done all it can to keep itself in the spotlight since adopting its new moniker, from the unveiling of the tea...
I'm relatively new on the hockeybuzz.com blog scene, but I am going to try and write at least one a week with the title above; "Is it just me..."
In this, the first installment, I am going to discuss the current Maple Leafs roster, as it stands today, and how it would fair this upcoming season.
Of course, as stated, this is how it stands today, so I am going to exclu...
Not much hockey to talk about these days???
I'll do my best to keep focused on hockey but my blogs are starting to be very un-hockey related.
Funny how none of the Leafs wanted to move at the trade deadline and now Tucker is gone, McCabe is on his way out and God only knows what's up with Meatball Sundin.
Jose Theodore a Washington Capital, that just doesn't sound...
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...
So, being that this the first blog I have ever written on here, I wanted to stay somewhat neutral with my topic. That means no Sundin or McCabe talk, no Radulov and CHL talk, no trade rumors or speculations. Just something fun.
What I want to know is if you were to make a team, using one player from every team, who would you pick? Now let me add the restrictions. You mu...
As of today, there are 8 NHL teams who have a vacancy at team captain. While it is not technically mandatory to have a captain (3 alternates can be designated instead), having a solitary figure at the forefront of team leadership is good for the team psyche. (Plus, I challenge the hockey scholars to find me a case where a Stanley Cup winning team did not have a captain.) S...
Though he's a Swedish citizen and never been involved in politics, sources suggest that Mats Sundin has been offered a spot on Barrak Obama's ticket as Vice Presidential candiate. Now we have 6 teams in North America and 1 political party pursuing the vaunted Swede. Sundin apparently has asked for a few days to think it over. Meanwhile, Republican John McCain is rumored to...
Continuing the blog as I said I would for all you loyal blog readers, and all comments, suggestions, etc are welcome and appreciated.
For this weeks blog, I want to know; is it just me... or are you as torn as I am as to what you want the Leafs to accomplish next season. Sure, finishing dead last would give us the best odds at drafting highly-touted John Tavares, howeve...
First off sorry for the delay in my blog, I just got rapped up in a big move. Anyways onto the Sens Army.......
The Andrei Mezsaros sitiuation looks like it may have a resolution....unfortunately nobody knows what it is.
From what I gathered from a few people ..Bryan Murray is putting together one last contract offer for Meszaros, sort of a take it or leave deal, rum...
Lets say hypothetically the rumoured McCabe for Van Ryn swap happens. Who do you like better as a hockey player. Lets put aside the contract situations, the infamous own goal brain cramp, the pure hatred Leaf fans have towards #24. Is this a good hockey trade for the Leafs? Is Van Ryn an upgrade or a downgrade? I'm curious to hear peoples opinions from a pure hockey p...
With just about every story not already covered by other outlets exhausted, this week's Duck Puck discusses a question that has been posed all summer long.
How will the Ducks get under the salary cap?
Currently, Anaheim's payroll for the 2008-09 season sits at roughly $59.9 million, or about $3.2 million over the new $56.7 million cap. While this alone seems like a ...
Ok so its' been a few weeks since my last post. The latest rumor has the Rangers moving Scott Gomez to make room for Mats Sudin and about 6 mill per year. If this holds water and the Canucks are looking into picking up the All-star center,they should be prepared to make a realistic offer. For years NY clubs have been exploited and held over the fires when trying to m...
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...
As pre-season approaches we as hockey fans are faced with another aging vet, deciding IF he's gonna play another season and if so at what point of the season he is going to start again.
The ugly truth seems to be that Sundin is going to follow Scotty Nieds. and Teemu's path and delay the start of "thier" season till they decide. All summer J.P. Barry has given us "deadl...
[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...
mslepp writes...
Quick Look Ahead, Oilers and Flames, Battle for the NW?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
What a great day for Hockey in Alberta as the joint bid between the cities of Calgary and Edmonton announced as the hosts of the 2012 WJHC, beating out a solid bid from the centre of the universe.
First, the Calgary Flames unveil their 5 biggest acquisitions this off-season at a presser earlier in the week, an email from a friend setting up our fantasy hockey draft da...
[u][b]Who Do You Choose? McCarty Or Chelios?[/b][/u]
The Detroit Red Wings have no cap space and with two big name guys still needing to be signed we may be seeing a few little moves by Detroit. The ings Chris Chelois 7 Darren McCarty are waiting for a home and unless we do something in the trade department, we're not going to have any room for them. So GM Ken Holland...
Interesting that Mats Sundin will be in Toronto Friday September 5th for the first ever Festival Cup charity hockey game. Certainly they couldn't ask for a bigger draw to get a crowd and lots of press coverage also. Hopefully his presence won't overshadow the charity aspect. There are still theories out there that Mats really wants to return to Toronto to end his career, b...
A lot of people have already written off Martin Gerber for next year. ESPN even has him ranked somewhere in the late 300's for players to pick in a fantasy pool. He's even behind Alex Auld, which just goes to show how much ESPN knows, I guess. But even hockey fans are saying Gerber is Ottawa's weakest point and is the reason why they will miss the playoffs or get bounced i...
Well by now anyone that cares about the sitiuation has heard what transpired at the brief media meeting with Murray at the Bell Sensplex today. If not heres the link to tsn
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=247779&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl
After recieving a phone call about the meeting, I raced down to catch the back half of what was a brief conference.
Rumors...
In my first ever Hockeybuzz blog entry, I would like to look on the first five NHL Entry Drafts of the new millenium. I tried to list ten best picks from these years. This list doesn't mention neither Sid Crosby or Alex Ovechkin and others. Those aren't good picks, they are obvious picks. Rather, I have focused on the later rounds of draft and the giant pool of talent that...
The past 24 hours have showed a lot of progress and speculation with regards to the Meszaros contract negotions. I'm going to write the two sides opinions(or at least what we know) and my opion of who is right, and than you can comment your opinion.
[b][i][u]Murrary: Bryan murray would like to have Meszaros back. He would prefer to have MEszaros on a short term contract...
Well, die-hard Dems that are also hockey fans will now have a tough choice. Gov. Palin is a self-proclaimed hockey mom.
Presumably, all the hockey folk on this list are one-issue voters (hockey) and are clamoring to vote for a ticket where at least one of the nominees actually knows what hockey is.
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...
Wix'sLovinTheWild writes...
Unofficial Minnesota Wild Forwad Break - Down
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Minnesota Wild, well they've got depth but one thing that's going through my head is "do we have enough to repeat as division champs?" I mean the Wild didn't change anything to make this team better or worse but some of their division foes have and that's what might hurt us. So do we have a chance? Definitely. Are we going to win the Cup with the forwards we currently ...
Alright guys just decided to write a blog about the upcoming lineup this season.enjoy!
So were all assuming Mats Sundin isnt coming back and for most of us we hope he doesnt for the good.(Tavares,Hedstrom,B.Schenn).And with the McCabe deal to be anounced in the next few days, and the rumored return to possibly be Van Ryn and Zednik for McCabe and Poni. This is how i wou...
Pucked writes...
Hockey Buzz Chat Room Down For the Count - HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
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 Q Returns to Montreal
Junior hockey has been a tough sell in Montreal over the last couple of decades, but following 3 seasons as the St. John Fog Devils(and 5 seasons without a Major Junior team in Montreal), Montreal native Farrel Miller purchased the team and has moved them into the historical Verdun Auditorium as the new Montreal Juniors.
This is a fantasti...
This morning I managed to watch Ray Emery's KHL debut for Atlant Mytishchi vs. Spartak Moscow. Emery's Atlant lost 6-5 in overtime with the winning goal scored by Stefan Ruzhichka on the power play.
Emery looked a little shaky, he let in a goal from the point with no one standing in front of him and was beaten on a break-away by a tied up forward whose shot seemed to su...
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...
Mats Sundin. Yeah that's right I said it, a lot of us have been thinking it too. I know the media and hockey forums have to discuss something during the off season but by this point we should be discussing how Koivu and Sundin will play together or about his heroic return to the leafs...or even the up coming gomez trade since Sundin signed in N.Y.
Instead we get to read...
Today's headlines as we head into the new NHL season:
[b]Marian Gaborik and The Crystal Groin[/b]
Can a young star overcome all odds and finally remain healthy?
[b]Thunderstruck[/b]
Tampa Bay has made a lot of thunder, but is there any lightning?
[b]General Hospital[/b]
Peter Forsberg. (Need I say more?)
[b]Leafs Suck[/b]
again.
[b]The Mighty Pacific[/...
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_2231766672_fff7aebf1f.jpg[/img][img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_376718634_84ebfb0ca3.jpg[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/letterc.jpg?t=1220497278[/img]
What's in a letter?
After A and B and just before D. The third letter in the alphabet... [img]http://i228.photobu...
Kings sign Stoll to a 4 yr 14.4 mill....In my opinion..too much money. I know you all will share your opinions....bring em...
PuckeysMom writes...
Why CBJ Should Hire Me As Marketing Director! (Pt. 1)
Posted Friday | Comments 1
The Blue Jackets are transitioning into a new team - we have a new captain, a capable coach with a plan, a GM that is willing to shake things up, a Civil War-era cannon that commemorates the Blue Jackets' connection to Ohio's role in the Civil War. GREAT!!! So why stop there? Why be happy to remain mediocre?
Here is what I think (and I will disclose that some of thes...
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...
I know what you are all thinking , another blog dedicated to hating on Mats Sundin. Though at times I have , this is not the purpose of my blog.
We are all painfully aware that Mats Sundin has yet to decide if he wants to play or not . We know this as we have had it rammed down our throats since July . But have we not opened our mouths as well, to enable it to be shoved...
I realize that many players, media and especially fans read Hockeybuzz on a daily basis, and I believe this may be the most efficient way to get this message across.
There is a HUGE difference between the fans and the media, and this was evident this week on the airwaves in Montreal. Jean-Charles Lajoie, a radio commentator on CKAC radio in Montreal managed to OUT-TWIT...
I've said it in different ways before, but we're really starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel here, folks. That said, this very brief edition of Duck Puck will focus on which Ducks you may want to add to your fantasy rosters, after a quick news roundup.
As we've finally reached a month in which NHL teams will hit the ice, the annual season previews are being rele...
Gatineau 5 - Montreal 4
[Sunday, 09/07/08] - The Montreal Juniors wrapped up their pre-season series of matchups versus the Gatineau Olympiques this afternoon with a 4-4 tie. The Olympiques eventually went on to win in a shootout(2-0). This afternoon’s game, in front of 2,224 spectators, marked the last of a 4 game series, in which both squads tuned up for their ...
Alright as with before I spin the roulette , it lands upon a team and I give my rather run down as it appears to my eye. Onto to the spin.
.........
The Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are two season removed from their stanley cup final appearance . In that time they have gone through quite a bit. With the 07-08 season seeing the trade of their beloved captain and their ...
With the upcoming 2008/2009 NHL season upon us, there is a certain buzz in the air. Where better to enjoy this buzz then at this fine site? My hats off to Eklund for setting this forum up where we the real fans can share our information about our beloved team.
I will have many stories and updates for Leaf fans from these very pages. All I can say is, based on my talk...
Sure, Jason Pominville is no Eric Staal, but the timing of this 7-year extension for one of the NHL's brightest young stars could not have been worse for the Blue and Gold faithful.
7 years, $57.75 million is a lot of dough. That's $8.25 per season. You might say that this deal is the opposite of a hometown discount. I like Eric Staal, but I think that's a bit steep,...
hockeyfan89 writes...
Most Improved Teams. #1-30 : From Edmonton to Nashville.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Well I noticed Ek the other day had the top five and five worst teams in the off-season out , and i decided to elaborate on it by creating in my eyes the top 30 . So from first to last here it is.
Remember this is not who has the better team , but rather who has improved signifigantly.
[b]1)[b]Edmonton[/b]-Added another further scoring threat in Cole , cont' developm...
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...
I know this story has been told and told and told over again. Here I am adding another story to it. I haven't written a blog in quite some time, but it because I have been away working on making contacts so when I write a blog I have some substance behind what I am writing. Back to the story I started out writing. For the past 2 months I have been in almost daily con...
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...
The Toronto Maple Leafs defense has by no means been full of all-star caliber players and has struggled on numerous occasions since the post-lockout era. Needless to say, it's never really been one of their strong points. This season however, their defense may be one of the few bright spots on a season that many are predicting to be more than abysmal.
The one thing the...
Gagne-Briere-Giroux
Hartnell-Richards-Lupul
Upshall-Carter-Knuble
Cote-Metro-Asham
Timonen-Vaananen
Coburn-Jones
Parent-Eminger
Kukkonen
Berard
discuss....
I have not been posting in a while. I have graduated from university, went on vacation, started my new job. But with the Avs’ training camp just around the corner I will try to write more frequently about the Avs.
What can we expect from the Avalanche this upcoming season? Some analysts have already made up their mind and don’t think Colorado will qualify for the play...
The Edmonton Oilers organization is hosting a prospect tournament in Camrose Alberta for the prospects of the Flames, Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. Last night, in the first meeting the Flames' prospects squeaked out a 1-0 victory over the Oilers Prospects, here is break down of a few of the standouts in my not so humble opinion.
OILERS:
Devan Dubnyk- Goalie: You can ...
Ive been away from the site for a bit "having a summer"... yes, some things do take presidence over the local rumours in sports, not many things, but there are a few. After reading up on the predictions for the Leafs season and watching the analysts analyze I thought there was nothing that could be added to: no sundin, no top6, no goals, no way (in the deepest hottest d...
I had the opportunity to attend the Colorado Avalanche's rookie camp today and here are some observations.
[b]Key players that stood out:[/b]
T.J. Hensick- Hensick heads the class of rookie camp. He is the second fastest skater to Kelsey Tessier (the guy looks like a young Pavel Bure). He has a shot that can be either hard or accurate but rarely both. He has great in...
Sorry for the delay, I waited to see if the Hockeybuzz's Ottawa writer was going to post but he did not, atleast yet so here's a breakdown of the Sens Prospect camp last week.
Goalies--- To no surprise for other Sens fans our Goalie prospects didn't stand out in a good way. Elliot looked like a CHL goalie, new to the minors. Mitch O'keefe showed why he's a free agent. N...
My pet self-created rumor for the past three months has caught on the mainstream media. On Sunday, the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson speculated that instead of Mathieu Schneider, the Los Angeles Kings may trade for Adrian Aucoin. Such a trade would give Calgary as much as $4 million in cap space, and give the Kings an experienced, offensive defenceman to aid their young,...
Monday September 22nd will be the first preseason game for the boys in blue against the long time rivals from Buffalo. This will give fans their first glimpse of the new look Leafs, and provide a chance for them to marvel at some of the young prospects that are now emerging in Leaf land.
The most heralded of the newcomers will of course be Luke Schenn, the Leafs #1 p...
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 ...
I will be honest I got the idea from a hockeynews blog that I read with a player from each division to watch . I liked the idea so much that I decided just to expand on it. So I will be naming a player of interest to watch this year from each team. The reason they are of interest vary and may be either ; contract value , potential , looking to break a record ect ect. So ...
There’s a little bit of the irony in the title because in fact, Christopher Didomenico has rarely been in the spotlight at all during his hockey career. He is the definition of an underdog, and a testament to what hard work and perserverance can lead to.
As a young Toronto native, he was passed over by the OHL draft, after playing just 4 games in 2 seasons with the No...
Schenn will play for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.
I'm as sure of this as I am that Carlo Calaiacovo will get injured. While there is an abundance of defensemen competing for the two available positions (Kaberle, Kubina, Finger and Frogren will form the Leafs' top 4), Schenn will, at some point, stand-out from the majority of the group. Whether it's in training c...
"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 1
I began thinking of this topic after seeing a topic on a hockey forum the other day. In the past few seasons the hockey world has seen the emergence of low level (self proclaimed A leagues). Many criticize theses leagues as nothing more than hyped up beer leagues, but in fact the level of play isn't that bad. Many players have college background, some of the top ACHA DI l...
Update, 3:30 p.m. EST: The entry I had posted here before is meaningless now! Pommer signs a 5-year extension this afternoon, reportedly between $5 and $6 mill per season. Thoughts? I think it's a great deal and I'm ecstatic to hear the news! No more distractions going into Camp. Let's get the season started, Sabres fans!
Sabres fans on pins and needles...Just wait...
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...
After a period of no news coming out of the Tank, now we have a minor flood of information. First up is an article in the Mercury News by Mark Purdy in which he interviewed Todd McLellan and his ideas on what he plans to do with the team. I would provide a link to the article, but it has become for registered users only. Here are a couple quotes:
"Obviously," McLella...
After initially deciding not to in the early summer, Flames assistant coach Wayne Fleming has left the team to take the head coaching job in Omsk of the Continental Hockey League.
Surprising news, especially this close to training camp. This is a move that adversely affects the Flames, and puts even more pressure on Mike Keenan and his staff.
With Fleming gone, the...
[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.
[...
...why the Leafs signed Jeff Finger?
Well, at least I got a Finger joke out of the way early on.
When the numbers 3.5 over 4 were first thrown around on the AM640, I figured it was a fantastic signing as Finger was one of the more underrated players in the league I hoped the Leafs would go after. I figured something in the range of $1.5-2M would be a great bargain, b...
It's Sunday morning and you spent all of last night basking in drink after drink. You were the life of the party, from what you remember anyway, and even that's a blur - almost seems like a lifetime ago. You're still gaining your senses this morning and you have a horrible feeling in the gut of your stomach. You don't want to do a THING today.
Now you know what the S...
Flyers training camp opened this morning. Two morning sessions here.
We asked 5 questions for coach John
Stevens coming into today
Q- Looks like there are more ice time issues than spots to be won?
A - We’ve got some new players, frankly, we don’t know much about. There are some opportunities up for grabs on our team for more ice time, more responsibility....
The Oilers feel they can build from within the system. However, I've been reading "respectable" bloggers in regards to the 3rd line centre void. They have been bantering up ideas to bring in a Smolinski or a Marchant. So in my effort to silence the critics, so to speak, I for one strongly feel those statements are poorly executed. "IF" that were to be the case, why did the...
The Iceman Cometh...
No, not this one...[img]http://www.scoobydooweloveyou.com/frozenfright.jpg[/img]
or this one...[img]http://www.virginmedia.com/images/captain-caveman-gal-431.jpg[/img]
or even this one...[img]http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/entertainment/07/05/23_caveman2.jpg[/img]
The surest sign that the ice man is coming, and so to the glorious return ...
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...
Montreal Juniors Vs. Quebec Remparts
Montreal, Saturday, September 20, 2008. The 3-2. The Juniors, who are replacing the 5-1. In front of a capacity crowd at the Colisée Pepsi, Montreal seemed gun-shy in their opening battle with the Remparts and were unable to mount a consistent, solid attack. Nick Layton scored the Juniors only goal with less than 7 minutes remain...
In the early 90's, a young man who would later become a big Blues fan and a scientist (proving not all scientists are smart) started taking an interest in hockey. Hockey seemed to be everywhere at the time. The game was gaining in popularity thanks to great players such as Lemieux and Gretzky. There were movies (yes I know they were the Mighty Ducks movies, but they wer...
Montreal Juniors Vs. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Montreal, Sunday, September 21, 2008. Following an extremely hard fought battle with the Quebec Remparts last night at the Verdun Auditorium, which resulted in a Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4 - Montreal Juniors 2
The Juniors, having 1 win and 2 losses in their first 3 games, started slowly against the Huskies. Montreal allowe...
Montreal Juniors Vs. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Montreal, Sunday, September 21, 2008. Following an extremely hard fought battle with the Quebec Remparts last night at the Verdun Auditorium, which resulted in a Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4 - Montreal Juniors 2
The Juniors, having 1 win and 2 losses in their first 3 games, started slowly against the Huskies. Montreal allowe...
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...
Day 1 of training camp was filled with boring physicals, and head shots for the game programs. *Yawn* Day 2 was the first full skate by the entire team, sans Schneider. Starting with drills at 9:45 and culminating with a 90 minute scrimmage game with all 50+ skaters, including 5 goalies. Below are my random and highly inaccurate thoughts:
[b]Teemu Selanne[/b] got the lo...
[img]http://i37.tinypic.com/m748r8.jpg[/img]
Recently I had the opportunity to spend some time with one of the newer Leafs, Jamal Mayers. I admittedly knew little about him before he was acquired by the Leafs and I was eager to get his thoughts on his new role with the club. Strolling around Toronto on a warm summer's day and getting thoughts from an NHL veteran was a...
Ron Guillet writes...
A Look At The Leafs' Line-up Tonight (Hockey's Back, Baby!)
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It has arrived. After months of psychiatric help and forcing myself to watch football, I can finally go back to destroying my social life and concentrating on hockey.
The Leafs are back in action and ready to make their pre-season debut. Many questions will begin to unfold and day-by-day the Leafs' final roster will take its form.
The Leafs lace 'em up against their...
Let me apoloize for horrible writing but my heart was in the right place
TRAINING CAMP REPORT
We went to all of the Group A Session. I did miss half of group B, we left around 2 pm. So in all fairness, my Group B impression might not be as good. I am just writing on the players who made the best showing in the practice to me.
Rhett Warrener
Rhett looks in...
I was out at the Dome today it appears that Backlund will start between Bert and Iggy
the other combos
Presut Nystom Primeau
boyd Lombardi Bourque
Glencross Lundmark Moss I think was the last one
Talked to Curtis McElhinney today told he was starting Matt Keetly to be the backup
other news
Mike Cammalleri got injured at practice was not there today also Lala...
Let me preface this by saying that Evgeni Malkin is my favorite player and I am glad he is with the Penguins.
So back to the end of last season and early this summer, rumors were swirling that Malkin could/should/would be traded. At the very least the idea of it was entertained by the fans, namely on this website. One such proposal that I heard that was actually offered...
(After a 5 month absence from posting) I went to the game tonight against the Panthers, and these were my thoughts on some individual performances...
[u]The Good:[/u]
[b]Iginla: [/b]
-Looked in mid season form
-Scored a beauty off a Boyd feed
-Just hope he stays healthy and plays a full season *knock on wood*
[b]Boyd: [/b]
-Made a nice play on ...
Leaf fans know all too well the saga of Carlo Colaiacovo. A high Leaf draft pick with tons of expectations thrown his way, only to see his career sidelined by injury after injury. Still only 25 years of age, he hopes to put all the setbacks behind him and emerge as a new Leaf star on the blueline. With the recent departure of Bryan McCabe, Carlo should see plenty of ic...
Ok I wanted to get this blog out before regular season starts , as every season we go through the same motions.
From when the season starts leading up to deadline day .Their is an increase in rumors and blogs from Eklund all the way down to minor bloggers like myself. Now I have been reading hockeybuzz for a few years , and only recently started bloggng in the last few ...
Jsaquella writes...
The Little Brown Building:Tom Bladon Shoots Out The Lights
Posted Wednesday | Comments 5
This is the second in a series about memorable moments at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
[img]http://www.dio.net/pictures_misc/a_special_from_the_spectrum_us_38100-3d_vhs_big.jpg[/img]
Dio poster
On December 11th, 1977, the lowly Cleveland Barons visited the Spectrum and were dealt a severe ass kicking. Flyers defenseman Tom Bladon had the night of his life, scoring ...
Dale Mitchell was picked in the 3rd round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, 74th overall. At the time of the selection, Mitchell garnered plenty of interest and pressure from the fans and media as the Leafs' first pick that year. They had traded away their 1st and 2nd round picks to San Jose as part of the Vesa Toskala trade earlier that day. A little over a year later, Mitchel...
What I have to say might sound crazy to some. But I'm going to pick my top nine teams in each conference to make the play offs. Top nine you say? Well considering that each season one of the divisions always appears a bit weaker than the others and nearly or completely blocks out a team with a better record.
Western Confernce:
Detriot- Though I think the road for ...
stoneford writes...
Does Mike Brophy of Hockeycentral know it's pre-season?!?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I know that he's put in his time. 14 years at a paper in Peterborough, 16 years at the hockeynews and now with Rogers Sportsnet's and the fan590 on Hockeycentral, but really, c'mon. The Leafs have played 2 pre-season games. 2. They've been in camp for all of a week. They've barely had a second to take in the city, let alone the media throng that is you and Howard.
...
Source's close to the Zetterberg camp said that they have been told that there will be no contact talks between Henrik and the Red Wings till after December. My source has told me that the Red Wings want no distractions coming in to this season that might hinder them from having a strong start to the season. Once the New Year comes Henrik Zetterberg will be the first Win...
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] |...
NHL Prospects Return To Lead Juniors To Victory
Opening the season at the Verdun Auditorium with 2 losses last weekend was not how the Montreal Juniors wanted to impress their new fans. Losing 3-2 to the Quebec Remparts and 4-2 to Rouyn-Noranda left the Juniors winless in their home debut and hungry to make their fans happy.
Enter the Saint John Sea Dogs.
Sain...
[b]Camp Notes for the Week For the Flames[/b]
The Calgary Flames are 2-1 on the season losing to the Panthers 2-1 and beat the Coyotes twice. But overall, I think you have to be really impressed with the team as a whole. The Flames have surprised me this week by mostly using a veteran line-up.
The real battle is on defense, as Warrener, Erikisson, Pardy, and Vande...
I had the opportunity to interview one of the longer serving Leafs and it was a very engaging discussion. Matt Stajan is a very well spoken, intelligent hockey player and his open and honest responses to my questions were a breath of fresh air. Since playing his first game as a Leaf in the 2002/2003 campaign, he has gained a loyal following of supporters both on and off ...
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...
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 ...
So, I lucked my way into a ticket because my sister in law couldn't go and my mother in law invited me, bless her heart!
So, I will first admit that this was my first Flyers game at the Spectrum and sadly I imagine it will be my last. But, it was an amazing experience. My mother in law has a good friend who has been a season ticket holder since 1969 and apparently has ...
Current thinking seems to put Vancouver's top 2 lines as:
Sedin/Sedin/Bernier
Raymond/Dimitra/Pyatt
The Dimitra line above played as the first line last night against San Jose, and did pretty well (although they finished -1 as a line for the game).
If this line plays together for the whole year I suppose they [u]max[/u] out with the following point totals:
M. ...
[b]
Montreal. Sunday, September 28, 2008.[/b]The Juniors faced their pre-season rivals, the Gatineau Olympiques, for their first regular season encounter this afternoon at the Verdun Auditorium. Anticipated to be a heated contest due to the four pre-season encounters these teams endured, Montreal was a step ahead of the Olympiques all game long.
After four games in the...
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...
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 ...
The season is approaching and preseason hockey continues to serve as an indicator for what is to come from the many new faces that compromise the '08-09 Leafs.
Going into the season, many questions are circulating around the struggling franchise. While expectations are low, getting embarrassed is not in the blueprint. The team could surprise, but the nucleus must take a...
Tons of hype and mostly disappointing results.
On the surface, it would seem like Boston product Jimmy Hayes and the Toronto Maple Leafs were a match made in heaven.
All kidding aside, Hayes was drafted by Toronto in the 2nd round, 60th overall this past June. Once touted as a possible Top 10 pick in one of the deepest draft classes of the decade, Jimmy had an absolu...
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...
A quick note, somewhat unrelated to hockey. In my first blog I
made a big mistake, I put down people who I look up to, and with-
out them I would not be posting these blogs. Mark Freitas, Ryan
Garner, and Danielle Marchelle. Now I may not agree with every-
thing in the posts(who does) but i respect each of you for what you
...
Yesterday was the game between the New York Rangers and SC Bern. I was there covering the event for a German speaking NHL community. The Rangers played solid and avoided making mistakes. After goals from Dan Girardi and Wade Redden the Rangers took a step back and allowed the Swiss club to take some shots on goalie Stephen Valiquette. After Travis Roche’s goal that cut t...
Been away from the Leaf's page the last couple of weeks, but i have returned. Talking to my source(who has some great connections to the Leafs) has told me that they are hearing that Cliff is still looking to move some body around. With the back log of D men the name of Carlo Colaiacovo has come up as a prospect that teams are really looking at. Word is that Cliff is loo...
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...
Alright, so, everybody does these things at some point, I suppose I'm going to throw them up here too. I don't really know why, considering they'll just get ragged by everyone who thinks their teams should do better and whatever teams I seem to like totally suck.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Southeast Division
1. Washington
2. Carolina
3. Florida
4. Tampa Bay
5. Atlanta
...
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 New York Rangers have won the 1st Victoria Cup. The game against Metallurg Magnitogorsk was played at a very high tempo and a lot of intensity. The team from Russia got the better start when they were up 3-0 after 30 minutes. The Rangers rallied and were able to cut the deficit to 3-1. Thanks to goals from Dan Fritsche and Chris Drury (his second of the night) the Rang...
According to Flyers radio color man Chris Therien look for the Philadelphia Flyers to find a trading partner for D-Man Lasse Kukkonen. With the Flyers already 8-Man deep and negotiations underway with Bryan Berard it appears Kukkonen will be the odd man. Lasse a former captain in the Finnish Elite League never excelled at anything other than being an excellent shot blocker...
With three pre-season games to go, the Maple Leafs are making great strides towards a promising 2008/2009 campaign. Ron Wilson has juggled his lineup each and every game to get just the right mix of players all going towards one goal. Those who follow this team closely have seen significant bright spots and are real pleased with the team's progress to date. Here's just ...
I know, I know, everyone and their dog is doing predictions (although Bert is quite good at it I hear)...here goes more
Western Conference
1. Detroit
2. San Jose
3. Calgary
4. Anaheim
5. Dallas
6. Chicago
7. Minnesota
8. Edmonton
9. Colorado
10. Columbus
11. Vancouver
12. Phoenix
13. St. Louis
14. Nashville
15. Los Angeles
Eastern Conference
1. Mo...
East:
1.) Pittsburgh
2.) Montreal
3.) Washington
4.) Philadelphia
5.) NY Rangers
6.) Tampa Bay
7.) Toronto
8.) Ottawa
West:
1.) San Jose Sharks
2.) Detroit RedWings
3.) Edmonton Oilers
4.) Dallas Stars
5.) Minnesota Wild
6.) Anaheim Ducks
7.) Calgary Flames
8.) Vancouver Canucks
I'm not going to make Stanley Cup Predictions because its near impos...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Three Critical Questions: SKR's (Late) Flames Preview
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I don't care that my season preview is technically late. (I mean, the Europe games don't even count in my fantasy league or the HBSL so...) The pre-season is over and I have no questions about the Flames that I did not have on July 1. I'll recap these critical questions – the factors that will determine whether the Flames can finally get over the hump this year, and expl...
FLAMESTR writes...
Flames Season Preview Like anyone cares about my prediction
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[b]FLAMES SEASON PREVIEW[/b]
Someone asked me how I thought the Flames would do this year. That is hard to predict, because there are so many factors involved this season. The main problem I have with the Flames is the same old problem - not enough scoring. We have several forwards, but in all honesty, we have just too many third and fourth liners. I feel the Flames hav...
Sorry for the delay. I lost my internet conneection on Friday and just got it back.
Stockholm Game One:
This was a great way to open the season. It was a tough game and I was basically pleased with the Pens performance. Our power play needs a little more time to gel. With recently losing Gonchar to injury and this season now havin Staal taking Malone's old spot in ...
By Wednesday, October 8th, at 3pm Eastern the Stars must have their roster down from their current total of 28 to the 23 man maximum. Here is the current 28 man roster
Forwards
Sean Avery
Krys Barch
Fabian Brunnstrom
Chris Conner
BJ Crombeen
Loui Eriksson
Jere Lehtinen
Joel Lundqvist
Mike Modano
Brenden Morrow
James Neal
Steve Ott
Toby Petersen
Konstantin...
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,...
Heading into the 4th post-lockout season, I want to take a look at the Calgary Flames from top to bottom. Where do they stand in the NHL? What does the future hold for our team? And, what can we expect from this season?
Back in 2001 the Calgary Flames were mired in a slump that saw the team miss seven consecutive post-seasons. It was horrible. Although there's been...
Well...after a short stint as a vodka vendor in Russia and getting caught up in a immigration for what seemed like a life time I am back. Now that I'm back the question I'm asking myself is, what is the state of the Preds?
My fellow Pred fans I am here to tell you that the state of the Predators is good. Not great...good.
Over the next few of days I will be breakin...
As reported by TSN and by Eklund, Leafs winger Mark Bell was placed on waivers this morning and my question to you all is:
Could the "Bell" be ringing in Nashville?
Knowing Predators Executive VP and GM, David Poile, probably not.
But in reality, Bell seems like a great fit for the Preds top 6 forward lines. Bell is 6 foot 4 and weighs in at 220 lbs. He plays a har...
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...
Tucker, McCabe, Raycroft, Sundin.. what meaning do these names hold? They are the mainstays in what will come to be remembered for the forceable future as the last Leaf team that could compete. This years round-up sells itself considerably short in comparison to the band of jolly clowns that has missed the post season by a hair in each of the last 3 seasons. So where do...
Just a little nostalgia to get you in the mood to enjoy your reading.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjAPoN8qs0Q
Can anyone smell that? I'm talking about the mild aroma that is building in Anaheim. I'm hoping the autumn breezes and winter rains can wash it away and renew a freshness. I'm hoping for spring flowers and a summer Cup. However, this aroma has the potent...
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...
Over this summer and much of last season there has been a great debate on how to turn the Leafs around. Everyone has an idea and everyone has an opinion. Finally after much of the same over the past few seasons the Leafs admitted that they had to stop, slow down and rebuild a very proud and storied franchise. Quick fixes have not worked. Every good team in the NHL has rebu...
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 ...
True, I've been waiting for this day to come ever since he coughed up the puck to Danny Briere opening night last season in the 'dome.
Anders Eriksson is officially an ex-Calgary Flame.
But I'll get back to that in a second.
First, I'd like to re-post what I wrote about Rhett Warrener when he was initially waived back in June. Sparking the notion that his time wi...
Jsaquella writes...
A Flash In The Pan-Robbie Moore Bursts On The Scene.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
More Spectrum Retrospect:
[img]http://www.hockeybuzz.com/images/scoop/spectrum.jpg[/img]
When you think Flyers goalies, you usually think of the clutch brilliance of Bernie Parent, the grace and stellar reflexes of Pelle Lindbergh or the grit and toughness of Ron Hextall.
[img]http://www.hockeyforum.com/photopost/data/2/1974-75_bernie_parent_flyers_with_trophies....
As the 2008-2009 NHL regular season is about to dawn on the Toronto Maple Leafs' first rebuilding season in decades, it's time to get excited. There is a mysterious aspect to this team that hasn't been present for many years. The mystery, however, isn't where the Leafs will finish in the standings - you can definitively say they will finish in the bottom 6 (an envious plac...
You were thinking it as the Rangers boarded their Europe-bound jet. It was a lesson in how not to run a team, a proof that the core of a team can't be replaced in one season. You were smug or worried, depending on your team loyalties, that the end of the Jagr era in New York was premature and would be extremely detrimental.
The Rangers were also worried. They managed o...
One player during the pre-saeson stood out as a guy who came into camp that was game to play. He wanted a spot on the roster and he got one... just maybe in a little while.
Dustin Boyd, leading pre-season scorer, was assigned to Quad city today...why?? Well the Answer is because Rhett Warrener is on injured reserve and until he can be declared a long term injury where h...
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...
[b]Northeast Division[/b]
[i]Canadiens[/i]
After a difficult 06-07 that saw the Canadiens barely miss the playoffs, GM Bob Gainey sat and did nothing in the offseason...and he was vilified for it. The Montreal media couldn't understand why Gainey wanted to put his youngsters in positions to make plays. Well it worked, and the Habs grabbed the #1 seed in the East last...
Friday marks the beginning of a new season for the Buffalo Sabres when they face off against the Montreal Canadiens at 7:30pm at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo. The two divisional rivals kick off the 2008-2009 season with a lot of questions open for discussion for both squads after disappointing finishes last year.
The Sabres are attempting to rebound from a season that foun...
Well alrighty.... that was a fun and interesting fiasco that was setting the final 23 (24) man roster.
Not often do you see players sent down to the Oklahoma City Blazers. Especially 2 players that are NHL ready. The stars had to get their roster down to 23 before they could get the LTIR for Sergei Zubo and his hip surgury fun. Once that was granted Chris Conner, who w...
All speculation is over on who is going to make it (the only one of significance in debate was Filatov), who we would lose on waivers (none), and would we pick up anyone (no).
We now have our team built by the architecture firm of H&H Architects. This team screams Hitchcock. With few exceptions, this team is big, strong and fast. All will compete, there will be no excep...
I always enjoy playing out big Sabres games just before they take place on my PS2...sort of "predicting" if you will. I set the rosters up so that they match the Game Day rosters, and I go at it.
Historically, I'd say I pick the winning team about 75% of the time whenever I do this, so it's pretty accurate. In fact, I've done playoff games in the past in which I get the...
First I would like to commend the Canuck organization for the impressive and sincere tribute to the late [url=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/2537906452_2730d20d83.jpg]Luc Bourdon[/url]. For those who didn't have the opportunity to see the heart-warming display it began with two massive portraits of Luc on the ice surface. Tom Cochraine and Red Rider performed "Big L...
Yes, it was the first game of the season. And yes, the Flames were playing in a place they'd only won three out of eight contests the previous year despite clearly being the better team. And yes, it was made even harder by the fact the Canucks were dedicating their home opener to the late Luc Bourdon. But no matter when it happens, or under what circumstances, there aren't...
skerr33 writes...
The Good, the Bad, and the Fantastic - Leafs season opener
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Apparently spirit [i][b]is[/b][/i] everything.
Let's begin with a disclaimer that may not appear enough in Leafland: I still don't think the Leafs are making the playoffs, and I still don't think the Leafs are winning the Cup - and all this despite a fantastic, energized, fast-paced, defensively-sound game by the Blue and White over the defending Stanley Cup champions. ...
I look forward to the first regular season Leaf game each year and last night was no different. As I sat watching the Stanley Cup banner raised to the rafters, the chills went up my spine. The crowd was wild with enthusiasm for their hometown Wings, and everyone had "blowout" on their minds. The Leafs had other ideas.
Building upon the positive signs they showed dur...
One day while bored at work I was thinking about hockey and wondered if it made much difference if we weighed point production from a per minute basis. I decided to check the top 40 scorers last year and compare them by how many points that they produced by actual playing time. Of course there is always the debate about who is better, Ovechkin or Crosby. Lets see who is be...
So far I have touched on the defense (I think we are good), goaltending (bold prediction...I think we are great) and now comes the offense.
I have saved the most difficult for last. Let me say up front that offensively I think we are going to have problems. I am not blaming all this on Radulov's journey back to play for the Russian mafia but we will miss his 26 goals fo...
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...
Welcome to the first live blog of the season by yours truly, but certainly not the last. Tonight's edition is brought to you by green grapes and a game unfortunately not in HD due to Time Warner Rochester's general incompetence.
The game starts off with one of my favorite lines Vanek - Roy - Stafford that showed some serious potential when all the participants are healt...
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...
Yes, this team is for real.
It is only two games, but look at what they've done.
An emotional 6-0 win (that one was for you Luc Bourdon) and then a 5-4 OT victory in hostile territory tonight. Northwest Division rival Calgary was the victim both times.
And I know how people say the preseason doesn't matter, but it's no fluke that the Canucks had one of the best r...
I wasn't intending to write a post after tonight's game. But considering this was a 5-4 overtime loss that was much more lopsided than the score, and considering this followed a 6-0 season-opening loss to the same team, I figured it was noteworthy enough. Only two games out of 82 may be in the books, but in short, the Flames look even worse than my most pessimistic state c...
So you tuned in to see Stamkos and he only plays 6 minutes, huh? Well, this is why:
I hate to admit it, but he looks a little scared out there. Maybe not scared, but timid. You cant always have the puck in open ice, flying through the neutral zone. He hasn't won battles against the boards, he makes nervous decisions with the puck in his own end, he gets knocked off the ...
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...
The Leafs find themselves in a interesting situation on defense as they have 9 defensemen on their roster and will need to clear a couple within a few weeks once Jeff Finger returns. Leafs 1st rounder Luke Scheen has not looked out of place in the big leagues even if he looked a tad slow against Montreal yesterday. Frogren also had a tough night but he has an edge to him w...
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 ...
my avatar will not "load" and is only visible in the "MyHockeyBuzz" section
this has been ongoing since site was redesigned, and there seems to be no concern here to fix the problem or offer suggestions via site guru's
I get following error message
[quote]Array ( [avatar] => Array ( [name] => watson.JPG [type] => image/jpeg [tmp_name] => /tmp/phpyQD2IR [error] => ...
After a long weekend of following the Leafs and eating turkey, it seems the two were intertwined. After a spectacular showing Thursday night in Detroit, the Leafs came out flat on Saturday vs. the Habs, and then lost a heart breaker to a young upstart team from St. Louis.
These types of games can be expected from a young building club like the Leafs. Full of promise a...
Well folks, if the Ottawa Senators goaltending situations of years past have taught us anything, it is that it is never too early for a good crisis.
And why should this year be any different?
After only three games in the 08-09 season, most fans/bloggers/sportswriters have already started their annual [i]OMG, we need a goalie[/i] fiasco.
Relax people…it is [b]WA...
Rob McGowan writes...
So Where Does This Team Stand After the Weekend?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 764
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...
Yes, they are.
It's a story that won't take long to develop. The emergence of the league's most storied franchise is undeniable and their stacked roster will only strengthen as the year's progress.
Right off the bat, let's take a look at the Habs' depth chart:
[b]Position[/b]
[b]Left Wing[/b]: A. Kostitsyn A. Tanguay S. Kostitsyn T. Kostopoulos
[b]Ce...
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...
Who knew the Preds were invited to a coming out party last night? I didn't...but that is exactly what happened. The Preds, and the rest of the NHL, got a look at the force that is Fabian Brunnstrom. The 23 year old Swedish talent became the third player in NHL history to net a hat trick in his first game and in the process has everyone wondering just how good this guy will...
First off, I would like to mention the tragic death of Avangard Omsk forward and New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov. His premature death is devastating to his friends, family and the hockey community. It is a shame that someone with so much potential was not able to fulfill it. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Cherepanov family on the loss of the boy who was,...
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...
Yeah my title was a tribute to Talladega nights Jean Girard and his "formula UN" and my clever segue (or not so clever as obvious) is that tonight's game is going to be a speed race with a lot of collisions...just like the real Talladega. Everyone was aware coming into this game that the Oilers has youth, speed and skill on at their side, if you haven't seen Lubomir Visnov...
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.
...
[b]Montreal. Friday, October 17, 2008[/b]. The Juniors returned home from a 5 game road trip on Friday night to host the Huskies from Rouyn-Noranda. Montreal, weary from their recent stretch of 3 games in 3 nights(Oct. 10-12), were in desperate need of a goal as the Juniors had not scored since the 13th minute of their 3rd period of their 4-1 win over Halifax, a total of 1...
The Calgary Flames took way too many penalties and the Oilers made them pay tonight, as the Oil defeated the Flames 4-3. The Flames continue to make bad plays up the middle and play too loose in their zone.
The key point was the Oilers' awesome power play as they ripped three power play goals. The Flames continue their woes with silly penalties, which ultimately cost...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
No Need To Panic..Yet: Postgame Reactions/Week 1 Impressions
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
Apologizing to Flamestr for kind of ripping off his blog title. Think of this as a sort of point/counterpoint thing.
On the strength of three consecutive second period powerplay goals, the Oilers beat the Flames 4-3 tonight in the first Battle of Alberta of the season. Aside from the powerplays alone, the Flames were generally dominated, being outshot 35-29 and being ou...
As posted in the Kings forum:
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have signed defenseman Matt Greene to a five-year contact extension that will carry into the 2013-14 season, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced Friday. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not a...
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...
stljam writes...
Protective netting: focused on fans or just out of focus
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
With the start of a new hockey year and the opening of my hockeybuzz, I thought I would post an old blog of mine from many years ago without any alterations. I think about this blog the first time I walk into an arena during the start of every new season. I welcome everyone's comments on all my blogs and hope that you all find something in my writing. As the demands of...
Alex Ponikarovsky also know as Poni in Toronto has scored 60 goals the past three season for Toronto but does not seem to get understand the concept of keep your stick down. Poni took another lazy penalty against the Rangers last night because he stopped moving his feet, thanks to the stellar play of Toskala the Leafs managed to get a point out of another shootout loss but...
Todd Bertuzzi keeps his 82 goal pace, Langkow cashes in on another power play as the Calgary Flames made the Oilers pay for penalties in the first period. It was nice for a change to see the powerplay connect tonight. I have to say, I am so pleased with how well Todd Bertuzzi is playing tonight; he looks very good for the Flames. Bert leads the team in goals connecting e...
A lead blown. Three straight goals in the second period. Complete domination in the speed department. It was the same story in a different building tonight, as the Flames fell 3-2 tonight at Rexall Place, losing to the Oilers for the second straight night. I saw this game as simply a one period effort, with little promise shown.
After a 17-3 shot advantage and 2-0 lead ...
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/...
Boy, what a game! Our boys came out a little flat and undisiplined. Their legs were laboring a bit and not to mention they ran into eachother a few times but WOW; what a way to gut out a point! This team showed a lot of grit last night!
The first 20 minutes couldnt have gone worse. ATL peppered Lalime with shots from everywhere, and he absolutely stood on his hea...
Boy, what a game! Our boys came out a little flat and undisiplined. Their legs were laboring a bit and not to mention they ran into eachother a few times but WOW; what a way to gut out a point! This team showed a lot of grit last night!
The first 20 minutes couldnt have gone worse. ATL peppered Lalime with shots from everywhere, and he absolutely stood on his hea...
Boy, what a game! Our boys came out a little flat and undisiplined. Their legs were laboring a bit and not to mention they ran into eachother a few times but WOW; what a way to gut out a point! This team showed a lot of grit last night!
The first 20 minutes couldnt have gone worse. ATL peppered Lalime with shots from everywhere, and he absolutely stood on his hea...
Boy, what a game! Our boys came out a little flat and undisiplined. Their legs were laboring a bit and not to mention they ran into eachother a few times but WOW; what a way to gut out a point! This team showed a lot of grit last night!
The first 20 minutes couldnt have gone worse. ATL peppered Lalime with shots from everywhere, and he absolutely stood on his h...
[b]Eagles Overwhelm Allen and Juniors[/b]
[b]Montreal. Saturday, October 17, 2008[/b]. Less than 24 hours after hanging onto an emotional 3-2 victory over the Huskies from Rouyn-Noranda, the Montreal Juniors faced the QMJHL’s 2nd best team(to date), the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. The Juniors entered the second of their back to back weekend games with the best r...
Genius is over rated just ask us idiots,
Hey geniuses thbbbbbbbbbbbbbtttttttttttttttt
I have often wondered why I blog, it is not like anyone reads my blogs. Yet I seem to get very upset when no one reads them. My wife asks me why do I blog what is in it for me? I seem to love the sport, I am so feeling in adequate mostly because I pretty much suck at writing heck I...
Hats off to the Buffalo Sabres for starting the season 4-0-0-1. Many people were predicting the Sabres to finish anywhere from 7th to 12th in the standings this year and this team is trying to prove all of them wrong.
In the first complete week of the season (Monday-Sunday) the Sabres finished 3-0-0-1 and had some individual dominant performances. I took the liberty of...
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...
I would like to see a summary feature of all the blogs, sometimes they are just too long and full of pork to really get a grasp of the meat of the blog
Hearing "The Washington Capitals” and “Alexander” in the same sentence, has for the last few seasons conjured up “the Great 8” Ovechkin for hockey fans. This year, however, a new Alexander has finally arrived in downtown DC. Yes, that’s right, Alexander Semin, #28, is finally producing the way all the scouts thought he could, and he is getting...
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...
[b] Game Report[/b]
Jarome Iginla and Matthew Lombardi score two goals 1.42 minutes apart in the second period as the the Flames defeated the Caps 2-1. The Flames snapped a 2 game losing streak.
[b]The Good[/b]
The Calgary Flames were perfect on the penalty kill, including a 9 minute power play. Their defensive zone was much better, limiting the Capitals' scoring ...
CAPMESS11 writes...
Cherepanov Tragedy Changes Rangers Plans : RIP # 17
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
With all the Dollars and cents the KHL offers,it makes no sense that the hockey world lost one of its future stars. Regardless of his talents,not a single player should have their life in jeopardy playing pro hockey. With all the hazards the game brings naturally, ( Concussions,puck movement,stick infractions,and skate blades) to fight for your life on the bench seems ins...
Its starting to get pretty clear that Shea Weber is really living up to the hype that has surrounded him for the last few years.
One memorable moment of mine was in the 2006 playoffs against San Jose when Shea absolutely laid out Milan Michalak. Shea went flying into his own bench and Michalak appeared to be shaken up.
Then in the 2007 playoffs, head coach Barry Tr...
The Leafs are six games into the year and fans around the globe are wondering will the Leafs be able to score any goals?. The Leafs have scored a grand total of 11 goals and are on pace for a grand total of 150 goals forward, take into consideration that the Leafs scored 3 goals against Detroit in the season opener and 3 at home against St. Louis so we have 5 in the 4 othe...
Have you ever seen a kid at Christmas or do you remember when you were a kid at Christmas? Well, I got a neat reminder when I was at the Flames practice this morning. I guess you could say the Capitals' practice this morning when my boy and his two best friends were patiently waiting for the Capitals to come onto the ice. Well, they were just waiting for one player in pa...
From: http://capsstop.blogspot.com
Boudreau and the boys head into Thursday's game coming off a loss, Tuesday, to the Calgary Flames. The Caps are 3-2-1, tied for first in the Southeast Division with Carolina (7 pts.), heading into Thursday's game against Gretzky and the Coyotes. The Capitals desperately need to right the ship, to avoid losing three in a row for the fir...
Well we are nearing the end of the first month of action and lots of stories are emerging. Starting with my Sens---
As reported on TSN today, Gerbers days are numbered under Hartsburg. Auld will get the start friday against the struggling Ducks and if he turns in a performance similiar to his first against Pittsburg, then we as Sens will have beyond a Goalie contreversy...
[img:left]http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20081024/capt.738c262e1cf3423496b1292413cdaaa0.sabres_wild_hockey_mnpb103.jpg[/img]
Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, the Sabres came back from two goals down inside the last 5 minutes of the 3rd period to defeat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in overtime.
The Sabres one line was the story of the night after scoring 3 out of the...
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...
[b]Juniors Reclaim 1st Place in Division[/b]
[b]Montreal. Friday, October 24, 2008.[/b] Heading into Friday night's action at the Verdun Auditorium the Montreal Juniors trailed the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies by one point for 1st place in the Telus Western Division. In order for Montreal to regain first place of their division they would have to beat the Gatineau Olympi...
If someone was to ask me about the performance from the Calgary Flames, I would have to say it was the most impressive victory of the season. Why? because every aspect of the Flames games was at its best. What do I mean? Well, let me explain.
[b]Power Play[/b]
The Flames scored two powerplay goals, it was nice to see Bert score in the first period and Dion score a...
After many laptop issues, some family matters to attend to, I'm finally back to blog again! It's been a few games since my last Leaf report and just when things were looking bleak, the Leafs have pulled it together the last 3 games to play some incredibly sound hockey.
Backtrack to a Friday night in New York, Carlo Colaiacovo is feeling glum because he's learned he's t...
Sven_119H writes...
Juniors Scoring Returns with 7-3 Win over Victoriaville
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Captain Matt Fillier's Hat-trick leads the way
Montreal. Sunday, October 26, 2008. The Montreal Juniors entered this afternoon’s game versus the Victoriaville Tigres in search of their second straight home victory of the weekend and a chance to regain 1st place in the Telus Western Division. In their only prior match versus the Tigres, Montreal enjoyed their best of...
JocelynCeleste writes...
Lucic's contacts help him make contact with the puck in win
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It was a night of firsts at the Garden on Saturday night. The first multi-power play goal game for the Bruins, Stephane Yelle scored his first point as a Bruins, Shawn Thornton record his first point of the season with an assist on Yelle’s goal, Milan Lucic recorded his first career hat trick tonight – getting four points(the extra point for assisting David Krechji sco...
I'm going to play off of the infamous "Ek Factors" for this one, and give you the "Mill Factors" for this game. BTW, before I get started, Ek and his family remains in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Get well soon Ek!
[b]Senateurs d'Ottawa[/b] (2-5-1, 14th in conference)
at [b]Buffalo Sabres[/b] (6-0-2, 2nd in conference)
Monday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m....
Another week finished, another 5 pts. The Buffalo Sabres go 2-0-0-1 this week. This team is off to a hot start in the still young season and that is without many key players.
If I told you before the season started that Hecht, Connolly, Gaustad, and Rivet would miss 24 man games to injury in the first 8 and we would still go 6-0-0-2 who woulda laughed. I probably would o...
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...
[b]The Good[/b]
Murray - He was on fire last night. He's really playing hard every night it seems. His shorthanded breakaway, with 2 shot attempts really shows something. (how many guys have we seen skate off into the corner after their 1st shot on the break-away.) Murray, rather, shoots at the rebound, then goes behind the net, steals the puck, and has the presence to pa...
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...
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 point...
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...
Larry Brooks, of the New York Post is reporting, Brendan Shanahan has apparently told his agent to consider all open offers. Shanahan told his agent he is tired of waiting for a roster spot to open up with the Rangers. It looks like he will probably not be going back to the Rangers then.
Shanahan has always been considered an offensive threat, but as he has aged he has ...
for gerz et all,
there are two sites on the internet from which you can steam sports from around the world, and i have found them to be streaming quite well (minimal to no lagging or buffering) this season. In terms of the Senators, for games that our usual channels are not broadcasting, you will be able to watch the feed from the opponents home tv station.
here are ...
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 967
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...
C4LL4W4Y writes...
Rangers' Rissmiller and Re-entry waivers: Hockey Limbo
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
2008-2009 was supposed to be Patrick Rismiller's 3rd full season in the National Hockey League. He played 176 regular season and 30 playoff games with San Jose from 2006-2008. While not a gifted goal scorer, Rissmiller filled the grinder role for Ron Wilson's Sharks and adapted well to a defensive system that was also quite capable of moving the puck quickly through the ...
The Sabres are back in action tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They are looking to rebound from their pathetic perfomance aginst the Senators.
How the Teams Stack Up:
[b]Power Play[/b]
Buffalo: 21.6% - 7th in the league
Tampa Bay: 10.8% - 29th in the league
[b]Penalty Kill[/b]
Buffalo: 90.2% - 4th in the league
Tampa Bay: 84.3% - 11th in the league
...
[b]The Good[/b]
Nash @ Center ends quickly, as he is moved back to his normal LW position after getting caught out of position and taking an interference penalty because of it.
As a result, Chimmy is rejoined with the kids and the Goat line produces another solid night.
Toughness... Avs bring in goon Tucker... Dorsett and Tucker go toe to toe with some quick jabs ...
I'm a relative neophyte to hockey but I'm also enthusiastic, particularly about my home team - the Phoenix Coyotes. Sadly, my Coyotes don't appear to have much representation in this corner of the blogosphere... which is why I've decided to take some initiative and write. Who knows if I'll make a habit of it - I suppose I'll leave it up to the readers to decide.
Anyway,...
I am a little upset at the selfishness of the Calgary Flames organization, I just want to write some blogs and voice my opinion on how I would change things. I think it is ludicrous they won't give me one thing to write about.
Is it so much to ask to just have the power play fail at least so I can continue my call for new special teams coaching? But nooooo, they have t...
doktordave writes...
Sundin 2.0 - King Clancy's Ghost may yet prove Clairvoyant.
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Some times, King Clancy's ghost just astounds me. He told me back in June that Sundin would return to Toronto in November - and that is becoming a very real possibility.
The current rumor from Ek has Sundin looking at Montreal and Toronto.
Montreal just doesn't have the cap room, and have already said that they've moved on.
There's the question of saving face, not u...
Big Bert has been nothing short of spectacular, this season. He has the strength of an ox. He has great hands, including one of the best behind-the-back passes to Iggy tonight. It was a spectacular, no-look pass. The goal he scored was a great deke on Gigy as he breezed into the Ducks zone. He has great strength and will not be taken off the puck.
The problem tonight is...
http://capsstop.blogspot.com
The Buffalo Sabres showed the Washington Capitals on Saturday night that speed kills. The Capitals came out flat and got absolutely blown away, 5-0. Apparently, after the game coach Bruce Boudreau of the Capitals was as mad as he has ever been, since taking over the reigns last November.
The Capitals looked flat from the start. Thomas Van...
Week 3 started pretty rough for the Sabres. 2 dismal 5-2 losses to the Senators and Lightning. They looked like they did not deserve to be playing in the NHL. Then when you get down on them they throw you a 5-0 domination over Washington. Lindy got them back to basics with the defense first style and it paid big dividends. So they finish the week 1-2 with Gaustad and Conno...
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...
Let's look around the league to some serious head scratchers this year, I'm no expert but even the experts were picking these guys to be a lot more productive, feel free to share your own or comment on mine.
Nick Backstrom- Caps- 4 points in 10 games. This kid is getting some serious sophmore jinx this year and it show because the next guy has way less than people thoug...
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...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
The Wayback Machine: Who or what you pay to see??
Posted Monday | Comments 4
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_TicketPicture.jpg[/img][img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_poker.jpg[/img]
In the days leading up to the World Series clinching victory for the Philadelphia Phillies, websites like StubHug, Ebay, etc... were purportedly selling very good seats at Citizen's Bank Park for upwards of $2,000. I don't...
Inspired by the 2006-2007 all-star campaign for Rory Fitzpatrick, I've decidied to start a campaign for Buffalo tough guy Patrick Kaleta (you can tell I'm a Sabres fan). I am hoping to put a website up if this recieves a positive response. We will do the best we can to get him to the ASG in Montréal! So, who's with me?
Craig Conroy, you are the latest winner on "take a seat!", a game show for players that do there very best to make an individual effort to lose a game for their team! After letting Shane Doan walk past you while you checked for dirt under your nails and after you stopped skating to let Stephan Reinprect walk in on your goalie un-checked you also win... saneopinion making f...
Rob McGowan writes...
It's a Win, It's a Streak, But Isles Still Look Weak
Posted Wednesday | Comments 820
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 ...
Allen Leads Juniors To Victory
Montreal. Wednesday, November 5, 2008. In a rare weekday start at home, the Juniors de Montreal welcomed the Foreurs de Val D’Or to the Verdum Auditorium in front of a young and excited audience. Among the spectators on Wednesday night, the Juniors were pleased to welcome the students of Royal Vale High School. In participation with th...
[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...
Dustin Boyd practiced with the number one line, and while Keenan isn't known for sticking to one line all game, it does show that the Flames' drafting has improved since Sutter took over.
A quick look at the roster for this current year will show that the drafting done since Sutter took over is helping the team. Nystrom first round 10th overall, Prust third round 70th o...
Lets start with the most overdrawn annoying story in hockey.
Sundin-- I keep repeating I don't care what happens with this except i hope he doesnt want to play in Ottawa.
And while I'm going to probably take flack for this, Montreal isn't a possible destination, Gainey said he has no interest in Sundin at this point and with how good Montreal is doing it'd be retard...
Lets start with the most overdrawn annoying story in hockey.
Sundin-- I keep repeating I don't care what happens with this except i hope he doesnt want to play in Ottawa.
And while I'm going to probably take flack for this, Montreal isn't a possible destination, Gainey said he has no interest in Sundin at this point and with how good Montreal is doing it'd be retard...
Lets start with the most overdrawn annoying story in hockey.
Sundin-- I keep repeating I don't care what happens with this except i hope he doesnt want to play in Ottawa.
And while I'm going to probably take flack for this, Montreal isn't a possible destination, Gainey said he has no interest in Sundin at this point and with how good Montreal is doing it'd be retard...
It seems obvious to me that Craig Conroy is an avid hockeybuzz reader because after I ripped into him after last game he came out and had his best game of the season.
The game tonight had everything you would want as a hockey fan, the second period alone had 5 goals, 2 fights and a massive hit by Sarich. The game had fights, goals, big saves, bad refing...really bad, b...
OK, a little euphoria was certainly in order after some of those impressive wins in comeback fashion and everyone realized that the Leafs weren't going to be the total doormat that people expected. Schenn was a pleasant surprise, Hagman/Grabovski/Kulemin showed speed and flair, and it became clear that the Leafs were going to be a TTPA ("A tough team to play against.")
...
An arrogant, egotistical taskmaster touching down in the Toronto fishbowl, Ron Wilson’s appointment may not have been an obvious choice with so many candidates in the close season merry-go-round, yet with Wilson’s strategy of lowering expectations helping stick the mantra of underdog on a franchise so long riddled with media expectation, the Maple Leafs have proven man...
Juniors Comeback for 2nd Straight Win
The Montreal Juniors surmounted a 3 goal deficit en route to a strong 6-3 road victory Friday night in Gatineau over the Olympiques.
Gatineau dominated the 1st period, scoring 3 goals on 17 shots, but would not hit the score sheet again as Montreal scored 6 unanswered goals, dominating in a strong road performance for the win. ...
Juniors Lose Close One 2-1 to Shawinigan
Montreal. Saturday, November 8, 2008. Entering Saturday afternoon's match at the Verdun Auditorium having won 2 games in a row, the Montreal Juniors were eager to extend their winning streak to 3 games against the league-leading Shawinigan Cataractes. Following their Friday night 6-3 win in Gatineau, the Juniors were only in ...
8-3-3 19pts H(4-2-1) A(4-1-2)
Week 4 started great and then got ugly. 1-1-1 with Miller starting all 3. He started the week with shutout and it all went downhill from there. Our guys decided to revert to their lazy defensive play of last year and it cost them. One can say that Lalime should have started one of the back to back games but I do not think it would hav...
I've been asking myself who would be the best player to be captain and lead the Leafs moving forward, and I have come to the conclusion Scott Hartnell is the man. He is perfect, a gritty full of heart player who can pot you a few points and put slackers in their place. In addition he is under contract for 4 more years after the 08-09 season. The only problem...............
I am hearing all sorts of panic from the Flames fans. Yes, the sky is falling. Our defense is standing around. Our forwards are back to not helping the defense Kipper is back to being human. Generally, this team reminds me of Dr Jeckell and Mr Hyde. I just do not understand how this team can be so awesome one night and terrible the next.
This phenomenon does not go j...
I have to say that watching the Leafs this season has been exciting, the team skates, it is now scoring and more importantly winning some games. This could mean its time to plan the Stanley Cup parade route, all joking aside i don't expect very much from this squad but that may be part of the reason i enjoy watching them so much this season. There is one thing that i have ...
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...
nephew23 writes...
STARS Kicking It Old-School and Modano's 533rd Career Goal
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
Just a few thoughts about tonight's game ... Stars in LA ... tied 2-2 after 2. The three remaining Stars that hoisted the Cup in 1999 have made an impact in the game tonight. Like a replay of 10 years past! Most importantly, Jere Lehtinen is back and looks pretty good. He scored the first goal of the game in his first game of the season. Zubov is also looking good in ...
So Bill Daly was on TSN's Off the Record the other day and the main topic of discussion was, not surprisingly, the sustainability of a 2nd NHL team in Toronto.
Being a western Canadian myself, I really could care less about the Leafs or mainstream Canadian media's love affair with the city of Toronto. Onto the issue itself, there's no doubt that Toronto could hold anoth...
I'm fed up!! After the Sharks loss last night to Nashville, that could have very easily been a win had the refs done their freaking job right, something has to change! This game just happens to be the last straw. I've been watching a number of games this season since I have Center Ice, and it just as bad throughout the league. In every game I've seen there have be horrendo...
BURKE LEAVES DUCKS?!?
Yes it has happened. As reported by TSN and Ek, Ducks GM Brian Burke has indeed left his job after indicating that he was not looking to seek an extension with the team. Assistant GM Bob Murray will take over the reigns and much deservingly so. Murray has been around different organizations in different roles. He has had previous GM experience with...
I'll be the first to admit that I've been slacking in the blog department.
My last [i]real[/i] blog was back in July, "Addition thru Subtraction"
[url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=40071&post_id=5648[/url].
Having an 8 month old baby might have something to do with it =)
So here we are, about 1/5 of the way into this season, we find the Flyers with a 5-...
Too Little, Too Late
Montreal. Wednesday, November 12, 2008. The Juniors faced the Titans for the second time at home this season, having previously defeated the Titans 4-3 in a very close game which marked the debut of Angelo Esposito’s career as a Montreal Junior. Montreal entered Wednesday night trailing the Huskies by 4 points for 1st place in their division.
...
Say what you will regarding the Calary Flames team defense, the seconday scoring, which is critical this season is heating up. Yes that pun is completley intentional and I do will not apologize for it!
Here's a quick look at the pace of the secondary guys:
Boyd: 30 goals 10 assists
Moss: 10 goals 19 assists
Bourque: 14 goals 29 assists
Conroy: 14 goals 24 assists
G...
I don't have a whole lot to say this morning as I've been swamped the last little while with travel back and forth across the continent as well as a quick trip to Europe to see a kid play, but believe it Leaf fans, the Brian Burke era will begin shortly.
My quick phone conversation with Burke the other day pretty much had me convinced he'd be in the Leafs top position n...
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...
polastem writes...
Grabovski, Young Guns - More Than Leafs Bargained For
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Drafted in the 5th round by the Canadiens in 2004, dealt for a 2nd round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft and 5th round selection Greg Pateryn in 2008. Have the Leafs made the biggest impact trade of the season?
It was a bit of a slow start in the point production for the 24 year old rookie, but after not putting up a point in his first 7 games, Grabovski has found himself ...
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...
Rob McGowan writes...
FINALLY! The Isles Overcome Third Period Failure
Posted Friday | Comments 1187
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...
Actually I'm just kidding,
This ship is still at the bottom of the ocean. Yes i realize its very early in the season and things CAN turn around, but this club only shows flash's of potential and then reverts to the nightmare of last season.
And I've tryed very hard to stay positive about my beloved Sens but you can only hang on for so long before it's finally time to...
After signing a 11-year, $85-million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Lecavalier believed he would be happy in Tampa Bay for the rest of his career.
However, everything changed later during the summer as Barry Melrose became the new head coach of the Lightning after a 13-year hiatus away from an NHL bench.
After yesterday's loss to the Red Wings, the ...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Hey you, don't help them to bury the light...PHI/PIT
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[b][i]Hey you, don't help them to bury the light
Don't give in without a fight.[/i][/b]
[img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/2968617770_1c653664b4.jpg?t=1226672183[/img]
[u][b]Don't help them to bury the light[/b][/u]
3:51 into the second period, Sid the Kid just buried a pretty powerplay goal on the backhand and the Flyers find themselves down 3-0, ...
The Tampa bay Lightning have fired Barry Melrose because of a bunch of overpaid, whining, pretty boys who didn't like being called out for making EXTREME amounts of money and being LAZY.
This is a sad day for hockey. Melrose demanded his players skate hard every shift. He stated that they are an incredibly talented team, but that gets you nothing if you don't work har...
With “100” emblazoned across every conceivable item of memorabilia lest the ice at the Bell Center there is undeniable pomp and pride being wagered at the Canadiens centennial and why not. With North American sports so often criticized for their lack of heritage a storied and historic franchise like the Montreal Canadiens with their wealth of traditions can do nothing ...
If you look back to July and August the Leafs would have given Matt Stajan away for basically nothing. He was even a healthy scratch early into this season. Now however he is showing us what Pat Quinn and the Leaf's brass had noticed in his game. Taken in the second round 57 overall to his hometown Maple Leafs the pressure was on Matt right away. Scoring in his first N...
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...
Strong Shutout Performance by Juniors
Montreal. Friday, November 14, 2008. Deciding to give Montreal Juniors number 1 goalie Jake Allen the night off proved to be a stroke of genius for Head Coach Pascal Vincent. Backup netminder Jean-François Bérubé stopped all 30 shots he faced on Friday night and led the Juniors back into the winning column with a 1-0 shutout ov...
Gatineau Wins for First Time in 14 Games
Montreal. Saturday, November 15th, 2008. A late game meltdown by the Juniors defense cost Montreal their 12th loss of the season. Looking to build momentum following their 1-0 shutout win over P.E.I. last night,the Juniors instead gave up a 2-1 lead late in the third period, eventually losing 3-2, to the Gatineau Olympiques.
...
Montreal Beats the Unbeatable
Montreal. Sunday, November 16, 2008. The Montreal Juniors played their best game of the season thus far, handing the undefeated Moncton Wildcats their first regulation loss of the season, 3-2. Despite allowing 2 goals in the 3rd period, the Juniors outshot and outscored a potent Moncton offense 37-25.
Guillaume Asselin led the way f...
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...
[b]9-5-3 21pts H(5-3-1) A(4-2-2)[/b]
[img]http://www.letsgosabres.com/images/players/photos/ryan_miller.jpg[/img]
Week 5. What a disappointment. 1-2 with Miller making an appearance in all 3. What happened to Patrick Lalime? 6 goals against on 23 shots. Miller was not a lot better. 7 goals against in just over 2 games.
So we picked up 2 more points in the standings...
HockeyBuzz so far has been great to me. Being able to share thoughts, opinions and other things with fellow hockey fans all across North America and even overseas is awesome. Hockeybuzz also is my first experience in blogging. I have written in and was editor-in-chief for my school newspaper in high school, managing different sections from time to time and eventually, the ...
Over the course of a season, every team wins a few that they shouldn't, and loses a few that they should win. The Avs have already had a few games that they "should" have won, so this 3-2 shootout win evens it out a bit. The shots were only 35 to 32 in favor of the Oilers, but they carried the play for the majority of the game. The Avs were able to generate some chances...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Flyers' New Third Jersey - What's Old Is New
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_r8tWGVHrjGI/SO2YI7taj1I/AAAAAAAAGPU/Ol-yNB9U4CA/s400/phifront.jpg[/img][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_r8tWGVHrjGI/SO2YIwEQXiI/AAAAAAAAGPc/p4RYdVA7Zh4/s400/phirear.jpg[/img]
This third jersey is supposed to be unveiled on Friday, November 28th, against the Carolina Hurricanes, and should be flying off the shelves for your Orange and Black f...
From http://capsstop.blogspot.com
The NHL All Star Game has turned into a joke. This coming year the game will be played in Montreal. The Canadians and their fans are celebrating their centennial and the NHL felt it only right to reward them with the game during such a historic season. The only problem with the whole game is the process for who will start.
Less than ...
After their 6-1 embarrassment at the hands of the Sharks on Thursday, the Flames really couldn't have delivered a better birthday present to this blogger. In their most impressive effort yet, they fired 51 (!) shots at Peter Budaj, who preserved the game until Adrian Aucoin's game winning goal 12:28 into the 3rd. The final score was 4-1, a score far too generous to the Avs...
The Isles shootout victory over the Vancouver Canucks Monday night lifted them to 12th place in the Eastern Conference. Sure, that's right around where this team finished last year, but keep in mind just a few days ago we were sitting at the bottom of the standings with thoughts of Tavares and Hedman swirling around our brains.
It's still a possibility (and a very good ...
Have you ever been beat so badly at something that you couldn't wait for revenge? To put your heart and soul into doing anything to redeem yourself?
... I haven't...
But I imagine that is the way the avalanche feel, their own news outlets in Denver were highly critical of the team for it's performance in Calgary two nights ago as well as some outspoken members of...
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 ...
The reports around the NHL right now are that the Capitals are trying to move veteran center Michael Nylander. Nylander has two goals and ten assists this season and is a minus two. Recently, Boudreau has not been impressed with his play and subsequently made him a healthy scratch last week against New Jersey. He returned to the line up the next game, only because of recen...
At the close of play on Friday night, 284 of the 1,230 regular season games had been completed in this seasons NHL calendar. To date 2,884 minor penalties have been assessed with an average of over 10.1 a game up from 9.6 last year. Its been no secret that on ice officials are currently working on the post-lockout remit that the league set in an attempt to open up the ice ...
Turnovers and lack of physicality is what the Oilers identity has become this year. Seems to be game after game that a gawdy turnover just before the offensive blue line results in a scoring chance for the opposing team. It's worth noting that at this moment Hemsky ranks at number 15 in points but he is the only guy in the top 15 with a negative plus/minus. Hemsky is a ple...
[b]Final score: Avs 4 Kings 3 (SO) [/b]
The Colorado turned in a hard-fought but costly victory Saturday night.
Saturday night's game against the Kings saw a return of some of the up-tempo hockey we saw to start the season. The Avs put a lot of shots towards the net (29 shots on net). The Avs passed really well and got some good play from their top two lines.
The ...
They've paid all the bills, and they've given some key personnel hefty raises, but at the one-quarter mark of 2008-2009, it's not paying dividends for the Buffalo Sabres.
It has to be highly disconcerting for Tom Golisano, Darcy Regier, and Co. to witness this promising young core underperform. They have to be scratching their heads, and as the Sabres' losing streak ha...
There are two teams in the league that most people would agree are the super elite. The Sharks and the Wings. After Calgary was creamed by San Jose in a one sided embarrasing loss they came back and looked to have the right idea but against a practice squad called the Avalanch.
So the talk was about taking what they learned after being spanked by San Jose and the two w...
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 343
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...
9-8-3 21pts H(5-5-1) A(4-3-2)
Week 6. Wow, just where are the Sabres headed? 0-3 this week, and I do not know what to think of this team anymore. We gave up 14 goals and only scored 6. The lone bright spot of the week was AHL callup Mark Mancari. Scored a goal and was a +/- of 0. We pick up 0 points in the standings and now sit at 9th place in the East, out of the playo...
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...
The Capitals head to Minnesota tonight, a place they have not won at since 1993, to face a tough Wild team. The Caps are 11-6-3 and lead the Southeast with 25 points, while the Wild are 11-6-1 with 23 points. The game is an 8pm start on Versus. The Caps head to Minnesota coming off loses at LA and San Jose, while the Wild have also lost two straight.
For yet another gam...
The Leafs have traded away another two players from the non playoff clubs of the past three seasons, we can say goodbye to Steen and Colaiacovo as they pack their bags and head over to St. Louis while the Leafs get Lee Stempniak the 25 year old former 27 goal scorer. The Leafs who are getting closer and closer to the Brian Burke era seem to be content on a complete makeove...
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...
Like a gut punch.
That's how it feels to have one of your good friends traded away from the team you love. It's been a rough first part of the season for Carlo Colaiacovo and now his brief tenure with his beloved Maple Leafs comes to a crashing halt.
Nothing had to be said between us as I saw Carlo yesterday afternoon. Watery eyes, a shrug of the shoulders, our e...
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...
Well the news for the Capitals has not gotten any better, yet again. In fact, it's worse. Captain Chris Clark has been put on long term IR again. Apparently, Clark is suffering from a stress fracture in his right forearm. This is just the latest in a rash of injuries that have stuck the Caps in the last two weeks. Originally it looked like it was the Carolina Hurricane...
Connie has his best game of the year. Bourque scores twice, Glencross gets three points - one goal and 2 assists, and Connie bags three assists. The three of them worked like a fine tuned machine, seemingly knowing where each other was constantly.
The Flames were basically all over them the whole game. I loved their legs. When this team skates, they are extreamly danger...
Simon Gagne scored two goals, including an empty net goal as time expired, and the Flyers defeated the Hurricanes, 3-1 tonight. Gags's first goal of the game was a chip shot, as there was a big scramble in front of the net, and Simon got open and scored to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. In the second period, the Flyers struggled a little bit, as the Canes pressured the Flyers...
The Flames are facing a huge home and home against their rivals the Vancouver Canucks and lets be clear...it's huge...did I say huge? I meant Godzilla size. Why? That's a great question, it's only a quarter of the way through the season, how big could it be?
Well the Flames have are 4-3-1 against divisional teams this year, barely over .500, the Canucks are 5-0-1 which...
I was looking at the All-Star game voting and have decided that Habs fans need to stop breaking the vote... I know you guys (and gals) are showing your team spirit, but you are ruining any enjoyment other fans can get from watching the All-Star game... the All-Star team carries 12 forwards, 6 defensemen and 3 goalies... that means 21 players... having six guys from the Can...
With what I have read and heard of Burke's intentions,
It's clear the team will be allowed to do a free fall this year in that process we're going to see some guys traded for prospects and young roster players. Here's who I see gone sometime this year(not because I don't like them but because a new manger will put their own identity on this team;
Toskala - Grade A Ro...
As I posted in this blog over 2 weeks ago, Brian Burke is ready to step in as president and general manager of the Maple Leafs.
The timing couldn't be better for both Burke and the Leafs. Burke now has plenty of opportunity to assess the team, prepare for the trading deadline and prepare for next summer's draft. It seems that MLSE has finally got something right and h...
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...
Juniors Win on the Road in Val D'Or 5-2
Montreal. Friday, November 29, 2008. The Juniors enjoyed a week off before returning to action on the road Friday night against the Foreurs in Val D'Or. Montreal, who had not played since defeating the Quebec Remparts 8-2 last Friday night, played another strong road game, winning 5-2.
The line of Luke Adam, Pier-Antoin Dion ...
Brian Burke.
Surprise, eh?
Everyone knew it would be coming for about a week now, and now what to expect? I was never a fan of Brian Burke. I think his draft record stinks, I hate that he supposedly does not like Europeans, and I think he doesn’t know how to manage the cap. But that’s just my worthless opinion ;)
A look at his draft record could tell us exact...
After clearing waivers, Luke Richardson has decided that it's time to hang up his skates, and is expected to make the transition to a coaching position with the Ottawa Senators. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but Richardson is likely to accept an assistant coach position in Binghampton. Richardson has had conversations with Sens GM Bryan Murray about such a move, and it i...
Rouyn-Noranda Bests Montreal in Overtime 4-3
Montreal. Saturday, November 30, 2008. The Montreal Juniors were visitors to the Huskies in Rouyn-Noranda on Saturday night for the second of back to back road games this weekend. Montreal, who trail Rouyn-Noranda for first place in the Telus Western Division, gave the home team all they could handle and more but came up sh...
The most boring snooze-fest happened this evening in the Pengrowth Saddledome. The game showed very little offense in the first two periods; I think I saw Kipper fall asleep in net a couple of times. The Canucks had two anemic power plays in the first period. The Calgary Flames had a horrible attempt themselves on the powerplay. The only saving grace this game had was that...
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...
11-9-3 25pts H(7-5-1) A(4-4-2)
Week 7. Riding a 5 game slump coming into the week who would have thought we could win 2 out of 3 from Boston, Pittsburgh, & Montreal. 2-1 this week, and they looked a lot better as of late. We gave up 8 goals and scored 9. We pick up 4 points in the standings and sit at 9th place in the East, still out of the playoffs but only by 1 p...
Slasher98 writes...
A look at Brian Burke's probable moves before the deadline
Posted Monday | Comments 0
During Saturday's press conference to the Toronto media, Brian Burke all but confirmed that the Leafs are officially out of the Sundin sweepstakes. “I don’t think we fit his profile as a team,” said Burke. He referred to the 2-year $20 million offer from the Vancouver Canucks, putting the emphasis on the fact that Sundin's comeback is not about money, but about playi...
It was recently revealed that Columbus Blue Jacket prospect Stefan Legein has decided to resume his hockey career and attempt to make it back into his old form. It was about 3 or so months ago that the news first surfaced that feisty Blue Jacket prospect and Ice dog star had lost the passion for the game and had decided to hang up his skates. But now it appears the passio...
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 ...
[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j303/EaglesWallpaper/dsfoigjh.jpg[/IMG]
[i](Photo Courtesy mapleleafs.nhl.com)[/i]
December 3, 2008
By Jon Cunningham
[b]"Wow"[/b]
That was the word constantly coming to my mind as I sit watching the Sharks take on my Maple Leafs. I have never seen a team that is more complete then this years edition of the Sharks from San Jo...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Holy Schniekie!!!! Victory Snatched from the Jaws of Defeat
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
[u][b]Holy Schniekie!!!![/b][/u]
What a night!
With the Orange and Black up 3-1, on two Jeff Carter powerplay goals and one shortie by Mike Richards, the Lightining tie it in third with a missed rebound opportunity put back by Steve Downie, of all people. Then, with 16 seconds remining, Scottie Hartnell pulled a bush-league move of tossing his glove at the stick/p...
The Carolina Hurricanes have just announced that they have fired head coach Peter Laviolette, who led the team to the 2006 Stanley Cup championship. They have replaced him with former Hurricanes and Maple Leafs head coach Paul Maurice.
Sources say Maurice will remain on as head coach at least until the end of the season, at which point the position will be re-evaluated ...
[b]Wow[/b], [b]what-a-loss[/b]. What an amazing team the Sharks are. Setoguchi is playing some great hockey, and I still can't believe the Bruins traded Thornton for what they did. I did have a feeling Patty Marleau would have a good night. A real winner they have in San Jose. I'm sure they went the extra mile to beat their former coach's first return to the silicon valley...
[b]
The Colorado Avalanche suffered a big loss today, announcing that our heart and soul, our captain, Joe Sakic, will be on the shelf for AT LEAST 6 weeks with a herniated disk in his back. Ouch.
Alright, so let the rumors begin. With Joe out, the Avs have to shake things up...but how do they go about this?
One option is to stick with the current team and promote f...
Wow, it's like a bad movie week this week as the Toronto Maple Leafs saga comes to an end with Burke finally becoming the New General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Or, as I would like to call it, the worst kept secret in the NHL. What really bothers me with this incident was that there was really no doubt about this. With the Burke hiring, there was really no big ...
Guillaume Latendresse will likely be a healthy scratch tonight when the Canadiens face the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre. Latendresse was also a healthy scratched in Tuesday's contest against the Atlanta Thrashers.
It was not the first time that Latendresse was not dressed when healthy by Guy Carbonneau, but it's the first time #84 appeared confused in front of th...
Well the Sens are 3-0 in thier new black jersey's, anyone else think they should keep wearing them?
Finally we have a confident reliable goalie in net. Alex Auld has been a great addition, and has made Gerber a 3.5 million dollar paper wieght.
While I don't think the team is a contender yet, it is finally nice to see the team winning.
Although still way too many ...
Well, some of you will argue with me that I'm homer right now when I say that Bob Gainey is tonight the happiest GM in the NHL - see the happiest man in the world -. Well, every single decision taken by Gainey so far have paid a lot for the Montreal Canadiens.
There are seveeral parts in a GM's job. But Mr. Gainey has managed his team masterfully in every single way in ...
In my last blog, I wrote that the NHL should have backed off and let Dallas handle the whole Avery debacle as an internal matter. I still feel that way.
I also wrote that the NHL missed an opportunity to show a game within a game, a true attraction where a loud-mouthed pest could have been chased around by physical, ticked off opponents. I was wrong about that.
I'm...
The entire Sean "Sloppy Seconds" Avery saga is fascinating stuff, especially with a suspension for just spoken word and stupid comments. I looked in the current law dictionary and their is no definition for the term "sloppy seconds". The term could have multiple meanings and by itself is not a vulgarity as defined by the "7 dirty words".
Many have commented on the st...
Back when the 2008-09 season dawned, I was comfortable with Martin Biron as the Flyers goalie. I was content and hopeful that Biron and the team would come to terms on a contract extension that would lock up the entertaining backstop.
Sadly, that position has changed.
[img]http://stanleycupplayoffs2008.com/Assets/Photos/Biron%20action%20-%20PHI.jpg[/img]
I am not...
The Calgary Flames did not show up to play the Blues, as the Defense stood around and Kipper bailed out the team. The main concern I have is that this team has been like this all year. I thought they were snapping out of it, then they put on a game like this tonight. They were terrible in the first period, a period that was dominated by the Blues, who came out with a 2-0 ...
As the circus get's ready to complete it's first week in Big D, the Stars were able to mix in a hockey game between Avery circus . Marty Turco posted the win stopping 27 shots; outdueling Peter Budaj. Not missed in all the saves was Marek Svatos he was all over the ice creating plenty of scoring chances. Scoring with 55 seconds left on a sweet pass from Paul Stastny to tie...
Juniors Offense Denied
Montreal. Saturday, December 6, 2008. The Montreal Juniors squandered a great opportunity to gain ground on their divisional opponents Saturday afternoon in front of their home crowd, suffering a shutout to a surging Gatineau Olympiques team, 3-0.
Gatineau, who have now won 8 of their last 11 games, controlled the tempo of the game, contai...
Michael Cammalleri. Ten goals, eleven assists in 25 games and two game winning markers. The Flames are getting exactly what they asked for in this diminutive forward who has an eye for the net and a rougher side than most people think. He has a rifle of a shot and actually uses it, unlike the number 13 who plays for Les Habitants and used to dawn the Flaming C. He, along ...
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 ...
TML35 writes...
The Cost of Moving up in this Year's draft: Is it Worth it?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It's tough to say what the price of moving up in a draft like this one would be. Moving even a few spots in the top ten could be quite expensive.
Garth Snow was demanding the Leafs pick along with two additional 2nd round picks(we ended up giving him a 2nd and 3rd) in last year's draft to move up two spots. This was the price in a draft not as strong as this one. With ...
Juniors Out-Gunned on the Road
Montreal. Sunday, December 7, 2008. The Shawinigan Cataractes tied a franchise record for most consecutive wins at home Sunday afternoon, beating the Montreal Juniors 5-2. The win brought the Cataractes home winning streak to 15 consecutive games, tying a franchise record that was established in 1982-83.
The Cataractes enjoyed a domi...
FLAMESTR writes...
Flames Blank Rangers Kipper is Perfect but Adam is a Monster
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames played their best defensive game of the of the season. Kipper was outstanding, kicking out all 31 shots. Now you may say it sounds like Kipper stole the game, but the defense really did limit the scoring chances. The forwards really came back to help the defense. When the forwards do their part in the defensive zone, this team can be successful. The best...
This live blog is brought to you by the top two scorers in the league on the Pens , Malkin and Crosby, and a squeaked out victory against the Bolts. Also by pink lemonade.........I don't care that it is pink and quite possibly the most feminine of all drinks, I likes it and it is delicious.
First Period
The Sabres are in a tough spot but get a little bit of a break s...
13-1-3 29pts H(7-6-1) A(6-5-2)
Week 8 + Monday. (Added Monday because I was not at work yesterday and had no opportunity to do my report) Well, they let the first 2 games get away but came back strong in the second half of the week. 2-2 this week, and it seems like they might have some scoring touch back.. We gave up 10 goals and scored 9. We pick up 4 points in the sta...
Some of the following would obviously require legal work, approval of the NHLPA and other unions and will not be popular with all. So please don't respond with, "The NHLPA would never agree to that"...I know, this is just my own thoughts and what not.
[b]First[/b] of all, adios to the shootout. It's a gimmick and a joke that the NHL uses it to settle games that can make...
Slasher98 writes...
Time for D'Agostini to get an apartment in Montreal
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[img:right]http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/83938865.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193003A50471BAAE0D5F0B6D46DD7BFFC0B8F198085993A39DE[/img]
After playing 20 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, during which he recorded 14 goals and 11 assists for 25 points, forward Matt D'Agostini was recalled by the Montreal Canadiens on November 28th.
After watching...
I'm going to try to make this quick since I really should be studying for an exam.
Last night was god awful for the Preds. The team had no life on the ice and seemed drained from the previous night. The powerplay was dismal, esp. in the 3rd period. Yes they scored a PP goal...on a 5 on 3. Game was bad, Canucks were better. OK. Great.
Now on to the hits.
The Daviso...
Here we are, December 10th. Four months have elapsed since the first deadline of August 1st set by the Sundin camp, and we still await his decision. According to a tremendous number of media outlets, as well as Eklund himself, it appears as if the time has truly come upon us where Sundin will finally make his decision and join a team. I understand I could go many different...
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...
Montreal Hands League’s Best 4-1 Loss
Montreal. Wednesday, December 10, 2008. The Montreal Juniors enjoyed some revenge at the expense of the Shawinigan Cataractes Wednesday night, beating the best team in the QMJHL by a score of 4-1. Winning the second of home and home games with Shawinigan, Montreal continued their strong play at home in front of a strong cr...
It may come as a bit of a surprise to some, but as reported on Chris Botta's blog at Islanderspointblank.com, Jon Sim is officially on waivers and available to any of the other 29 teams in the NHL.
[img:left]http://www.cbc.ca/includes/promos/promo/sports/images/hockey-sim-jon_200.jpg[/img]So far this season Sim has 5 goals and 2 assists for a shallow 7 points. He was ...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Drop Heartbreaker; Almost-Mid-December Thoughts
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
What had looked like their best effort of the season turned into the most heartbreaking loss of the year for the Calgary Flames tonight. Despite two two-goal leads, an unexpectedly valiant effort from Curtis McElhinney in net, and the best overall effort of the season, the Flames still lost 4-3 in overtime to the Red Wings.
There are two main reasons I see for this los...
Curtis McElhinney started in his second game of the year and third of his career. He played great stopping 35 shots but it still was not enough to earn him a win in the National Hockey League. Up 3-1 midway through the third period the Flames allowed the high powered Wings to score 2 goals in four minutes of play forcing the game into overtime. The Red Wings come at you no...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
One for Ages - 4 goals down, Flyers win 6-5 in shootout
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Flyers completed the most amazing comeback I have ever witnessed in a single hockey game at the Bank Building this evening.
Down 5-1 to the Canes, who were using the Orange and Black to mop the ice in the second period, the Flyers came back to tie it in the third powered by Scottie Hartnell's hat-trick. Antero Niittymaki, while giving up 5 goals, make some absolute...
Coming out of a 24-goal and 53-point season, Antoine Vermette had improved his scoring numbers in each of his four NHL seasons. With the departure of Cory Stillman via free agency, Vermette was supposed to get plenty of power play time this season, even on the Senators' top unit.
However, after 26 games this season, Vermette, 26, only has 2 goals and 5 points, to go wit...
(Note: For consistency's sake, I will try to put out a blog every week on either Friday or Sunday. Additionally, I would like to use an idea of hockeybuzz.com's Itlan, who links his blogs to a forum in which the comments section is much better. Therefore, my blogs can now be found in the Rangers forum as well as my.hockeybuzz.com. A link will be posted in both locations.)
...
[b]Juniors Backup Berube Wins Goaltending Duel[/b]
[b]Montreal. Friday, December 12, 2008. [/b]The Juniors beat the best team in the QMJHL on Sunday, a 5-2 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes, and then promptly lost number 1 centerman, Angelo Esposito, and number 1 netminder, Jake Allen, to Team Canada's World Junior training camp. Barring cuts, the 2 players wi...
WOW! Finally something to cheer about and even put to paper ... or web page, as it is! The Dallas Stars shut down and defeated the mighty - and much hated - Detroit Red Wings! If nothing else comes of this season, we can celebrate this night as our (mini) Stanley Cup victory!
Clearly, the Stars have had very little to be happy about so far this season. That goes for...
First, fantasy hockey.
1. 1480.30 - erby's Dance Party (me!)
2. 1405.40 - Bomb Squad
3. 1378.40 - Jamaican Me Crazy
4. 1245.50 - Downward Spiral
... (9 teams total)
Look at that lead! Heck yeah!!!
New switch-ups: Kuba is back in (Kronwall was the problem, not him) and I traded in Arnott for Dubinsky.
Semin is back and racking up points already. Zherdev ha...
The Flyers came out today and had the zip, right from the beginning. That was the key in the Flyers 6-3 victory today over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Obviously, the Flyers have not had great starts lately, but today that was a different story. It had looked like someone lit a fire up their you know what today. I was very, very impressed with the way the Flyers started the ga...
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! ...
BluesHockeyOhBaby! writes...
Time to Let Manny Legace go after the season?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Ok so I am writing this right now very frustrated after watching the Blues get handled in San Jose tonight. Granted the Sharks are a good team but the Blues gave the Sharks every chance to get back in the game and tie it (stupid penalties, turnovers, not scoring on 2 4-minute power-plays) and the Sharks just picked away at the Blues lead, went ahead, and then won it on a n...
[b]Streaking Juniors Score Six[/b]
[b]Montreal. Sunday, December 14, 2008.[/b] The Montreal Juniors won their 3rd straight game on Sunday afternoon, beating the Chicoutimi Saguenéens by a score of 6-4 and improving their record on the road to 6-8-1.
Montreal fell behind 3-0 early into the second period before battling back with 5 unanswered goals. The Juniors...
[b]
So, as everyone knows, Super Joe Sakic is out for the next three months thanks to his snowblower accident. Avs bloggers have already began talking about possibilities and so this blog is simply a continuation of their ideas.
If Colorado decides they need to trade for a center, it should be someone who is a great team player and a really good all-around player. Sco...
The Flames roll into St. Louis on Tuesday to face the injury riddled Blues. With likes of key players such Paul Kariya , Manny Legace, Andy Mcdonald, Eric Brewer, D.J. King , and Erik Johnson all out of the line up. One would assume Calgary should easily be able to manhandle the basement dwellers of the western conference. St.Louis 's pains are Calgary's gains.
The rec...
As you may have read, Ek has suggested that the San Jose Sharks may be interested in the services of Mats Sundin. My first reaction to this is: Why would I want to screw up good team chemistry to add someone who may or may not fit into the current team camaraderie? After all, the ride so far has been pretty sweet. (Fingers crossed) We hope it will continue as is and the ri...
Coming out a phenomenal 2006-2007 hockey season, during which the Anahim Lake, B.C., native won the gold at the IIHF World Junior (U20) Ice Hockey Championship in Sweden (he was named the Tournament MVP) and the Calder Cup with the Hamilton Bulldogs (he was named playoffs MVP), expectations were very high at the beginning of last season in Montreal.
The 6-3, 212 lbs, bu...
These last few days have been interesting, especially in regards to what Brian Burke has said about Tomas Kaberle.
In a very good interview with Steve Kouleas on the Score he said a few really key things that us Leafs fan were wondering about since Brian Burke took over.
He tackled all the talk about him not liking Europeans which he said was completely not true, [i]...
I've had enough of hearing and reading stupid "comments" and "soundbytes"
So this whole blog is my chance to vent on everything bugging me in hockey lately.
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Mats Sundin - Everyone is sick of this I agree, but I more sick of the media coverage of this guy. Every medium has said Sundin has or will sign with just about every t...
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 &...
Jarome Iginla beat the St Louis Blues tonight. Immediately after he scored the first goal of the game off his elbow (maybe the weirdest goal he has ever scored), Iginla dominated the Blues shift after shift. Winning battles, sharp accurate passes and one laser “Patented Leg Kick” Iggy snap shot over the shoulder of Blues goalie Chris Mason proved to the world again tha...
I know how much all of you guys missed my posts as I was in Hawaii (insert guffaw from my dripping sarcasm here) but I have to tell you what I have been telling everyone else in my life... I'm always right and no one ever listens to me!
After the Wild (are you sure that name handle isn't lame enough?? what about the Minnesota craaaaaaazies!!! or the Minnesota angry bea...
Recently Gary Bettman said Avery's remark offended him as a parent.
"To be perfectly honest I wouldn't want to have to explain to my 12-year-old daughter what he said," the commissioner said.
I find this humorous considering the NHL allows its teams and media partners to advertise viagra with a disclaimer: [i]in the rare event of an erection lasting more than 4 hours...
Calgary enters Minnesota after a very strong showing in St.Louis on Tuesday night. A very nice confidence booster for Mathew Lombardi with 3 points on the night and Mike Cammalleri knocking in a goal and an assist. Jarome Iginla with his career stats vs the Blues only got better knocking in 2 goals and assisting on 2 , for a 4 point night. Strong showing from Corey Sarich ...
3:01 Pacific Time: NHL Director of Corporate Communications Michael DiLorenzo posts on Twitter: @umassdilo "sundin to canucks"
3:01 Pacific Time: Radio personality Buzz Bishop posts on Twitter: @buzzbishop "just got the press release. it's official SUNDIN IS A CANUCK"
3:06 Pacific Time: TSN posts a short story saying Mats Sundin is a Canuck with few details
3:06 P...
The NHL should be embarrassed by their officiating crews of the past two seasons. There is no reason for there to be 12 hooking penalties in a game. Hockey is supposed to be played 5-on-5, and fans don't want 30 minutes worth of power plays every night. I realize this is their half-assed strategy to add more scoring to the game, but it was fine before. There is nothing wro...
Look, I keep hearing about how Mats Sundin is going to take Vancouver to new heights and how he will affect the Flames in terms of head to head match ups. Mats is just a little bit better than Daymond Langkow, he's not the best thing since sliced bread, he just consistently good. Over the last two seasons Langkow and Sundin are only about 10 points apart roughly... and Gil...
[b]Gatineau Hands Juniors 5-3 Loss[/b]
[b]Montreal. Friday, December 19, 2008.[/b] The Montreal Juniors lost their final game before the holiday break on Friday night to the Gatineau Olympiques.
The Olympiques were led by Alex Quesnel and JP Chabot. Quesnel scored a hat-trick and added an assist while Chabot scored 2 goals including the game winner in the 3rd. The ...
Holy Niitty! That is how you describe today's game. Antero Niittymaki made 47 saves, including 25 in the first period, and the Flyers trampled over the Capitals 7-1 today. Obviously, Niitty was the big key in this game, but Scott Hartnell also joined the party. He scored a hat trick in this game, which was his 4th hat trick in the calendar year. After the second goal, the ...
Lets pose this question not just to Flames fans but also to hockey fans. Dion's defensive play is being over shadowed by [i]Todd Bertuzzi's[/i] horrible +/- rating. Dion has the second worst +/- on the team, now some may say that's because he averages 28:03 in ice time so there is more of chance for goals against. If that was true then [i]Robyn Regher[/i] with his 22...
Just some news that some may find interesting, especially goaltenders. TPS has been bought out, so prepare to see goaltenders who currently wear their equipment switch to other brands. There has been quite a bidding war going on for some of the soon-to-be-former TPS goalies, with Vaughn recently signing Josh Harding to a contract, and extending the current Vaughn wearer St...
So it finally got done...Mats is a Canuck...
The truth is, I became a regular follower on this site because of the Mats soap opera. I hate to admit it, but it is true.
Legend had it he could sign in Montreal. It was the personal view of the proprietor of this site he could become a Hab. So month after month I ran to this site in the hopes of finally getting the ne...
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...
Well, happy holidays. Just a few ideas, that hopefully will spur a bit of conversation.
-I am one of those that don't care for the shootout, and I won't belabor the point, but I really hope if there is any change for next year, I hope that shootout wins are devalued for 2009-10.
-Maybe it's me, but why is Atlanta unable to come up with a jersey design that isn't hide...
From the very earliest evolutions of the game of hockey to the Sheffield forge where Lord Stanley's cup was crafted and the Regent Street silversmiths where the British Governor General of Canada Lord Walter Stanley bought the now sacred trophy, the United Kingdom has had a profound and often unrecognized influence on the early eras of the sport, the NHL and the Ontario Ho...
In the spirit of the Season I am posting some of the trades I'd like to see happen prior to the playoffs this year. In my opinion the Flames need to address a second line right winger and I think the Canadiens might move Kovalev as he is super under preforming and a UFA next year. You know Keenan would love to have him and he would fit nicely with langkow and Bertuzzi. Goi...
Since the lockout, the NHL has both enacted and endured many changes. One of the most intriguing, and certainly the most disturbing is one that has overcome many members of the media who make a living covering the NHL.
According to many card-carrying members of the hockey-media, post lockout teams should be more than willing to throw entire seasons and lose "on-purpose"...
[b]DIVING IN THE NHL: IS IT A PROBLEM?
[/b]
The idea for today’s blog came from a friend of mine in the Chat room that I visit whose name is Brent: Diving: is it a problem, and can something be done about it?
[b]What is the infraction Diving?[/b]
Well I downloaded the NHL rulebook and found the infraction under 64.1, and I quote (and yes I don’t have much of ...
The Calgary Flames gave their fans an early Christmas present with a hard-fought 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night. Of all the efforts from this game, the one that truly has to stand out is that of Brett Sutter, called up by his father Darryl to play on the fourth line, who scored the game-changing goal early in the third period and could not have played a bett...
Well by this point in time the teams are fully composed. Bad teams are bad, good teams are good, and mediocre teams are well, mediocre. So let's hand out a few awards at this point in the season.
I must be fair here. I have seen very few games from the Western teams. For this reason I will concentrate only on the Eastern Conference for these awesome, fictitious aw...
Was that a smile from Darryl Sutter?
It might have been as his son, Brett Sutter, scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game to tie the Flames with the Ducks 14 seconds after the Quackers took their first lead. Sutter, after shockingly being called up from the minors just days before Christmas, made an impact that few thought possible as he was flying all night and...
TML35 writes...
Christmas Wish List: Ten Things the Toronto Maple Leafs Need
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It's that time of the year again, and Leafs fans head into the holiday break with a sour taste after an 8-2 [b][u]OBLITERATION[/u][/b] by the Dallas Stars. That was simply embarrassing. Losing that bad to a team that has had just as much difficulty as us, possibly even more!
[img:left]http://blog.mlive.com/redwings_impact/2008/05/medium_turco15.JPG[/img]I find this curi...
steal_your_faceoff writes...
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all my HB Friends!!!!!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[img]http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/JHRIV/th_Peter-Puck-Final_clip.jpg[/img]
May the Blessings of the Season find you and your loved ones well. May this brief respite from the daily grind offer us pause to reflect on those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
And remember...
[img]http://ronanjames.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/bumble1.jpg[/img]
Bumbles...
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/leafs4ever89/hockeycanada2.jpg[/IMG]
The school break for Kindergarteners to University students; holiday vacation time for the employed; Christmas celebrations; and finally, the start of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. December never feels the same without it.
I've always appreciated the NHL. As a hockey fanatic...
Sven_119H writes...
Shawinigan Opens New Rink With a 5-1 Win over Juniors
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[b]5 Unanswered Goals Shutdown Juniors[/b]
[b]
Montreal. Saturday, December 27, 2008.[/b] The Shawinigan Cataractes opened their new arena, the Amphithéâtre de Shawinigan, with a 5-1 victory over the Montreal Juniors on Saturday night.
Shawinigan wasted little time recording their first goal in the new state of the art facility as Matthew Pistils notched his 2...
Man oh man, this was another one of those games where the Flyers just had nothing. This time, it was against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Steve Mason stopped 20 Flyers shots for his third shutout of this season. This kid is really, really good, and he's the future goalie for the Jackets. Nothing against Mason, but the Flyers just didn't have the energy and there wasn't a ton...
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....
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.
...
The Calgary Flames played one of the most dominating third periods of the season as they out shot the Sens 20-9 in the third period The Sens started the game with a 2-0 with goals by Philliips and Spezza.
Then Mr. Bourque took over this game by scoring 2 goals in a little over 60 seconds. Then Roy scores another a minute later as the Sens play as bad as they can to allo...
Pre-Game: Senators vs. Canucks
The Ottawa Senators are looking to avoid one streak and continue another as they face-off against the Vancouver Canucks tonight. The Luongo-less Canucks are 5-4-1 in their last ten games but have fallen short in their last two, including one to the Edmonton Oilers despite sporting a 10-5-1 record at home this season. The Senators are curre...
Spezza to Calgary?
Every year there seems to be someone putting out a rumor that leaves me laughing out loud. Since the lockout every expert panel from TSN to The Hockey News says Iginla needs a number one centre. Now I'm not here to debate if he needs the centre I'm here to debate the rumors. I was at last nights Ottawa vs. Calgary game and could say that...
[b]Montreal Rebounds 4-1 over Tigres[/b]
[b]Montreal. Sunday, December 28, 2008.[/b] The Montreal Juniors rebounded from a 5-1 loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes Saturday, beating the Victoriaville Tigres 4-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Barely 24 hours after suffering defeat to Shawinigan, the Juniors got back into the win column thanks to a breakout performan...
Well Claude made it back. 2 way contract that has to be for league minimal is my guess as 1) Sharks don't have much free cap space 2) the guy is begging for a chance to come back.
This totally reminds me of Ozolinsh. Old NHLer on a comeback attempt. Don't get me wrong I really liked Ozolinsh but I wouldn't say it was an overly successfull project.
Now my question...
Renny needs to let out the hot air or before long, he'll float away. After telling the media and the world that he would start benching important players and standing his ground,he send Corey Potter and his bruising size to Hartford again!. His promises are becoming empty,it's like a kid crashing the car into the garage and still being able to go to the party. What mad...
Dan Ryder, who just came back from taking a year off of hockey and was once considered one of the Flames best prospects at center has been suspended again for "violation of team rules and conduct detrimental to the best interests of the team.".
If you are unaware who Dan Ryder is, he is the younger brother of the more famous Michael Ryder of the bruins. But to the organ...
[b]Voltigeurs Score 5 in Third to Down Juniors[/b]
[b]Montreal. Tuesday, December 30, 2008. [/b]The Juniors let victory slip away Tuesday evening in Drummondville as the Voltigeurs scored 5 goals in the 3rd period to earn a 5-4 win over Montreal.
The Juniors opened the scoring in the 2nd period on Nick Layton's 16th goal of the year, but fell behind early in ...
DP is hurt practically just as soon as he comes back from his umpteenth injury; Sillinger keeps bouncing to and from the IR; Martinek continues to hurt himself if he blows his nose too hard; Sutton blocks shots like an animal, but pays a price each year; and Nielsen is missing out on the first year of his NHL contract.
The list can go on and on. It's been hard to watch...
saneopinion writes...
Flames vs. Oilers...who gets the Champagne or just Pain?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
I was hoping the Oilers would have beat the Sens last night, at least they wouldn't have the motivation of being beaten at home by one of the worst teams in the league to go on as they visit Calgary. They have beaten Calgary twice and you'd assume the Flames are looking for payback for the two losses suffered at the hands of their provincial rivals. The Oilers are looking ...
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...
Lets start off by wishing everyone a great 2009 and for Leaf fans a very interesting time as Brian Burke has had just about a month to evaluate the team and could be primed for some moves.
The question is who can you see Burkie trade package or waive as he continues the rebuilding process that Fletcher has commenced.
Here is a player by player breakdown of what might b...
First off I have to say that I am a die hard Maple Leaf fan, please don't hold that against me. More so I am a fan of the game, I can watch any game at anytime and find it enjoyable. So for those who are like me, if you could buy 1 crested jersey NOT from your favorite team who would it be and why? Which do you have already? Please do not include National team jerseys.
...
After a disappointing loss to the Ottawa Senators, who are brutal on the road, and a very bitter loss to their arch rivals on new years after blowing three leads the Edmonton Oilers Fans are officially angry.
As I alluded to in my last blog several friends of mine are Oiler fans and I did hear about it on new years with out even having a chance to gloat! I was receivin...
A snapshot of the Ottawa record since the lockout is revealing.
2005-06: 52-21-9, 113 pts, 314 gf 211 ga, 1st place East
2006-07: 48-25-9, 105 pts, 288 gf 221 ga, 4th place East
2007-08: 43-31-8, 94 pts, 261 gf 247 ga, 7th place East
2008-09: 13-17-5, 31 pts, 83 gf 100 ga, 12th place East (after 35GP)
which can be projected as 30-40-12, 72 pts, 194 gf, 234 ga...
FLAMESTR writes...
THE FOLLOWING BLOG IS TOTAL NONSENSE RELAX AND HAVE A LAUGH
Posted Friday | Comments 0
My wife has often told me that there is no bad publicity; every good or bad act in hockey can be seen in any multimedia device or computer whatever the case may be. I have friends who get texted, or I dare say youtubed. My wife is the one who is explaining these terms to be. (Because I really don't know how to even operate a cell phone, let alone text messaging.)
Then...
Sven_119H writes...
Juniors Taste Revenge with 4-0 Shutout Win Over Drummondvill
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[b]Jake Allen's 38 Saves Lead Montreal to Victory[/b]
[b]
Montreal. Friday, January 2, 2009.[/b] The Montreal Juniors opened 2009 with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Friday night. Having closed out 2008 with a loss on the road to the Voltigeurs, Montreal enjoyed some sweet revenge in front of their home fans and Jake Allen registered his...
I have seen this guy skate circles figure 8s avoid checks percipitosly but the final straw was today when he showed no pugnacity, no intensity, no emotion, no balls whatsoever they can't trade this guy soon enough but benching him would be a start.
Along with his lame play it was equal to watch the undisciplined Andropov to take a really stupid penalty but at the same t...
[img]http://photoawards.com/05/DigitalEntries/resized/BC_13057_1.jpg[/img]
[b][i]Red Bull Gives You Wings[/i][/b]
Two men have received the majority of the blame for the ineptitude of the 2008-09 Rangers offense. After all, Chris Drury and Scott Gomez do eat up over 14 million dollars of the Rangers cap space, and their production has been far from comparable with othe...
I have had experience playing goal and one thing I can tell you in that your body recovers much more quickly than your mind. If you play night after night you simply will get lapses in concentration and even if you respond quickly you might forget to do the little things that help you make a save like keeping you paddle on the ice in the butterfly.
If you think I'm blam...
Reunited for yesterday's match-up against the Florida Panthers, the Kostitsyn brothers, Andrei and Sergei, sparked the Habs' offense to a close 6-5 OT win over Peter DeBoer's team.
Lining up on a line with veteran Robert Land, the "Mullet line" produced three of the Canadiens' goals. Lang finished the afternoon with one goal and one assist (+2), while Andrei notched two...
Every year there is a consistent trend that the Isles pick up. I'm not talking about the never ending changes to the Isles third jersey, (which actually looks mighty good this year) but the way they start and finish their games.
First they went through this stretch where they would score the first goal and establish a comfortable 2 or 3 goal lead and then blow it eithe...
saneopinion writes...
Forget the Tavares rumors, where is Backlund going?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
There were some pretty high scoring players in this latest world junior, when I looked at Canada and Sweden I noticed something not very talked about. Behind Tavares (8), Eberle (6) and Hodgson (5) the guy with the most goals on the otherside was Flames prospect Backlund (5). Eberle and hodgson each had an empty netter tonight as well.
I think it would be fair to say th...
saneopinion writes...
Forget the Tavares rumors, where is Backlund going?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
There were some pretty high scoring players in this latest world junior, when I looked at Canada and Sweden I noticed something not very talked about. Behind Tavares (8), Eberle (6) and Hodgson (5) the guy with the most goals on the otherside was Flames prospect Backlund (5). Eberle and hodgson each had an empty netter tonight as well.
I think it would be fair to say th...
saneopinion writes...
All Stars or All stuffed? Is the game even necessary?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Listen, There is not even an argument that the first team all Stars should not be first team all stars. It used to mean something to be selected to the starting team, now it means that Montreal fans spend more on texting than Detroit fans.
If you, as a fan that stuffed the box, can really tell me that Toews deserves the starting center over Thornton then I would also a...
I recently posted a blog about the all star game and I wrote the following paragraph:
"The All Star game is meant to show case the NHL's best, even if they weren't named to the first team most will still be there but when they play a meaningless game in an uninspired way it doesn't showcase anything to an American Audience that is, in all honesty, already uncaring."
...
This is the time of year for New Year's resolutions. You know - the one where most people will try to not to eat people for the year. Well, that might be a bad example. I have decided to make resolutions for other people, since I am too perfect and do not need to improve at all. I think it is time someone pointed out some good new year resolutions for the poor misguided h...
Well the eastern roster is out and the habs, thanks to their loyal fans have 4 players in the starting lineup (they would have had 6 if it was not for pens fans). Lets look at the 4 players the habs have in the all star game (cant argue with Malkin and sid for starters)
# Pos Player GP G A P +/- PIM
79 D Andrei Markov 39 6 23 29 8 18
...
He's back in the NHL and playing for the Canucks. He certainly gave Ek a lot of material to work with in terms of being the focus (somewhat) of the hockey universe for the last long while.
I really had been hoping for a larger build up to his return and really didn't get much. Living in the Vancouver area, I was kinda hoping for a little buzz about the guy but didn't g...
Slasher98 writes...
Pacioretty And Gorges; a Look at Craig Rivet's Trade By Bob
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[img]http://bleacherreport.com/images_root/image_pictures/0174/5572/75061_feature.jpg[/img]
On February 25 2007, the Montreal Canadiens veteran defenseman Craig Rivet and a 5th round selection in 2008 to the San Jose Sharks for young defenseman Josh Gorges and a 1st round selection in 2007 (Max Pacioretty).
Now a member of the Buffalo Sabres, Rivet helped the Sharks go...
Last night was a perfect example of why Real Flames Fans like Iginla.
Everyone has been on his case for not scoring in 6 games. For not scoring against San Jose. Asking questions like "What kind of a leader is he if he isn't scoring?"
Calgary's 5th goal against the Islanders was a perfect example. Iggy brings the puck around the back of the net while all the Islander...
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...
As the Leafs continue to lose hockey games the past few weeks, one can only wonder what is going through the mind of Brian Burke. Burke has added Brad May for a 6th round pick this past week, not for scoring ability and not for the future but for some grit and leadership purposes. This should win the Leafs a few more games this season but a playoff run with the teams curre...
[b] HOCKEY THOUGHTS THE GOOD THE BAD THE UGLY[/b]
[b]THE UGLY[/b]
The NHL again had to deal with one of its wayward sons this week. Poor Mr. Jarkko Ruutu tried to break his fast by chomping on Mr. Andrew Peters’ hand. For some reason, Mr. Peters put his hand in Ruutu mouth. I never thought the NHL would have to deal with the issue of cannibalism. I know, I am makin...
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...
Sven22 writes...
A letter about the all-star game from an imaginary NHLer
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Every season, there's controversy about the all-star game--who gets to play, who gets to start, who got snubbed, etc.--and to be honest, I'm kind of fed up with it. So, in order to deal with my feelings, I've created a proxy of myself, a phantom NHLer, who expresses my sentiments on the matter.
This phantom NHLer, we can assume, is a deserving but generic Western Confe...
As most Blues fans will tell you, the reason to watch the Blues isn't because they're going to win or make the playoffs. The excitement is watching the young talent on this team and salivating over the potential. Thank God for that shred of hope, because watching the Blues right now is maddening.
[b]The Good.[/b]
(In no particular order)
The emergence of David Backes ...
Last night a loud exhale could be heard across the Penguin Nation.
Finally, the Pens played a game with purpose and determination...and won.
There is hope that these guys can right the ship in time for the playoffs afterall.
The Penguins adopted a more conservative approach to last night's game, using a variation on the neutral zone trap...it really amounts to a 1...
All General managers have the dilemma of looking at their team when they are doing well and ask themselves honestly what they could use to move forward and hopefully take the big prize. When the team is doing poorly it is too hard to trade so when you are doing well is the time to make it happen.
The Flames are doing well.
So the question is what does this team need ...
[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:wAngNR2wPZwBEM:http://images.teamsugar[/img]
In a season where everyone either predicted or was warned the Leafs would place bottom 5 in the East, I'm a little surprised the team was booed by the club's faithful fans in a tilt with the Nashville Predators.
As of today, right now, this very second… (this second too) the Leafs...
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...
[b]BEST GAME OF THE YEAR FLAMES BEAT SHARKS[/b]
There are games, and then there is the Flames and Sharks battle on January 15th as the two big guns battled it out. The Sharks score early as Ryan Clowe opens the scoring in the first minute. The Flames actually rebounded after the first goal quite nicely, keeping the Sharks to 1-0 at the end of the period.
The Flames a...
I have to admit I have been really guilty of walking around today and asking everyone if the saw the Flames/ Sharks game last night. So now that Flamestr and Vetter have both written on the subject I'll leave it alone and take a closer look at the North West. This is where I ask you to go read my previous blogs and I get to say I told you so...I love doing that.
I wrot...
This will serve as my technical midseason review, even though the Flames passed that mark two games ago. I'm splitting this post into two parts: first, a general review of the season so far, examining defense and offense, and then I will discuss if anything can - or needs - to be done to improve the team via trades. Now that we're approaching the heat of trade rumour seaso...
TML35 writes...
The True Blue and White: No more Exceeding Expectations
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Half the season is over, and the leafs are finally beginning to show their true colors.
Burke isn't surprised, although he denies that he and his staff are quote "tanking," he says that these losses are just the growing pains of icing a young team. Growing pains that will deliver us a much needed 1st round pick. As always with rebuilding, and any city that has undergon...
Hooligans welcome back, lets’ rock.
I blog about sports mostly and sprinkle in some music and entertainment whenever possible. So I was thinking if hockey players were rock bands or rock stars who would they be.
Ovechkin-Red Hot Chili Peppers He’s everything that hockey players typically aren’t, he’s brash and he’s the King of the NHL, when it comes to tha...
One positive to take from tonight. Lombardi scored.
I know, it seems like something from a fantasy novel, but yes, Lombardi defied all critics and scored a goal. It was a goal that we have all expected the last three years. Will it happen again? probably not, but, he will score again, just like Holmstrom will score again. I am happy for him.
But focusing on the gam...
One positive to take from tonight. Lombardi scored.
I know, it seems like something from a fantasy novel, but yes, Lombardi defied all critics and scored a goal. It was a goal that we have all expected the last three years. Will it happen again? probably not, but, he will score again, just like Holmstrom will score again. I am happy for him.
But focusing on the gam...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames/Yotes: A Big Letdown. Is Kipper Playing Too Much?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
After their best effort of the season Thursday in San Jose, disappointing can only describe tonight's 4-3 home loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. In a nutshell, the Flames looked completely flat for most of the first 40 minutes, did not get the goaltending they need, and got little luck all night.
The Flames looked flat from after David Hale's opening goal for Phoenix to Mik...
In a game that could be described as the answer to the question I posed in last night's postgame blog ("Is Kipper playing too much?") the Flames were whupped 6-2 in Colorado by the Avs tonight with Curtis McElhinney in net. Though this game looked virtually the same as yesterday's home loss to Phoenix, I still pin most of the blame on Curtis Mac, as I blamed Kiprusoff for ...
Howdy from Ottawa. Here is a quick look at what's going on in Binghamton, NY or as the locals call it 'The Parlor City'.
Currently the Binghamton Senators sit 4th in the East Division with a 22-13-3-3 record. If we were in the other divison in the Eastern Conference, the Atlantic, we'd be one point out of first place and not 12 points as we are now (Hershey is the best ...
*I'll be honest, I don't even know what the hell this title even means, but it gave me a chuckle, so I hope I get a cheap laugh out of ya'*
You know what really grinds my gears?
James Reimer has been a forgotten player amongst the Leafs' prospect cupboard.
Take a look at his statistics throughout his career thus far:
[b]Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
[/b]
2005-06: 34 ...
TML35 writes...
Maple Leafs Goaltending Dilemma: Justin Pogge gets his Shot
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It looks like after two weeks since the Leafs sent goaltending prospect, Justin Pogge, down to the minor leagues, they're gearing up to bring him back up to give him a prolonged stint in with the Buds.
Things have not been right for Maple Leafs goaltender Vesa Toskala. After coming of a strong season he wasn't able to put it together at all - at times he cost the Maple ...
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 ...
[b]What do we all think about these Sabres?[/b]
The game as a general manager is complicated for sure. We can all bag on Darcy all we want, but hopefully we can be entertained by the next couple of months. We have a situation though, and hopefully it can be resolved by March 4th.
Max and Kotalik both need to be gone. We have to get something in...
The Leafs are looking to rebuild and a bit of that will come from the draft and drafting the correct pieces of the puzzle is always difficult. The Leafs have been known to trade a lot of picks away and have not been great draft day players and until this past draft in which they selected Luke Schenn 5th overall the last time the Leafs had a pick in the Top 5 was all the wa...
It's been over three months since the NHL season started, and besides the few surprises (Boston leading the East, Pittsburgh not, etc), taking a picture of the standings today pretty much leaves most of us happy with our predictions that we made at the beginning of the season. A few good stories, and a few nasty ones, but all in all, it's been what most realists expec...
The Dallas Stars are headed to the All-Star break after a solid 2 periods against the Florida Panthers. They finished the first half on a rare Florida road trip - Monday in Tampa Bay and tonight in Sunrise. The Stars had been stringing some wins and points together, but they blew a 2-1 lead late in the 3rd to the Bolts, and lost 4-2. Then tonight they skated out to play...
Give the Leafs a point, the fans will be happy for a day; teach the Leafs to score, and we'll be happy for years to come. This old adage works on so many levels, and clearly, our team hasn't reached the latter yet. Last night, I sat down and watched the game, and was pretty surprised with how the Leafs handled the Bruins for the first couple periods, then, after the s...
[img]http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04S17sY9DY0lo/610x.jpg[/img]
All right grumpy Rangers fans, its time to start pulling on those belts because another stretch run is about to begin and its shaping up to be a doozy. Yes, the Rangers aren't the perfect team, and they have been criticized about their flaws more often than a teenager at a dermatologist.
But in al...
We continue our reviews of prior Leafs drafts with the 1984 draft held in Montreal on June 9, 1984.
Legend: GP=Games Played, G= Goals, A= Assists, PTS= Points,
W= Wins, L= Losses, T= Ties, GAA=Goals Against Average, SO= Shutouts
[b]4th Overall Pick- Al Iafrate (Defensemen)[/b]
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 472 G- 81 A- 169 PTS- 250
Leafs Playoff Stats: GP- 29 ...
Anyone wonder why we have the All Star game? Really, do we watch it because of the intensity? Do we watch it for the great defensive play? Do we come to watch the players, the big names? Well, maybe if some show up for the game. Unfortunately, the big names are dropping out of the game left and right. In fact, it begs the question: why the heck are we having this game? ...
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...
Or so Mr. Campbell claimed when quoted by TSN. "We've all got obligations to the fans, the rights holders -- this game is being televised around the world."
Well, exactly how many people in the large USA hockey market of greater Detroit will be watching any of the All-Star festivities now with no Wings on the roster? Hope the rights holders and sponsors appreciate the n...
[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...
(Bettman on the phone)
"Well, no one seemed to stand out as much as in the past so just make Kovalev the MVP so the fans won't riot....."
(pause as the person on other end of the phone is talking)
"....I know St. Louis had the same stats and a higher plus minus...."
(other end again)
".... Yes, Tim Thomas had the highest save percentage among goalies and mad...
At the All-Star break, I have compiled remarks for all 30 NHL teams, each one being one sentance, and should sum each team up nicely.
Anaheim Ducks- A good solid team that has plenty of time to get it together, or to dismantle their establishment to rebuild for the future.
Atlanta Thrashers- They score a lot thanks to Illya Kovalchuk and Brian Little, but don't do mu...
With John Tavares being the likely candidate to go first overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, there have been various people have been saying how this kid is possibly better than Sidney Crosby and how he may in fact be the true "next one". Bringing a kid like this into the NHL can do wonders for the team that drafts him and for the league. Look what Crosby and Ovechkin did...
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....
Ron Guillet writes...
Random Thoughts As The Leafs' Buns Are Still Red Hot
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
* Justin Pogge got his "pants pulled down", plain and simple. Considering he was playing his second NHL game, and his teammates were displaying their best Andy Wozniewski impersonations, I'd say he's deserving of a mulligan. While a couple of the goals were stoppable, it begs the question if ANY goaltender could of garnered a solid performance with the abysmal performances...
N.H.L. All-Star Game Should Show-Case the Best That Hockey Has to Offer
All-Star Weekend is a chance for the National Hockey League to showcase this great game and all of its aspects. Currently, the All-star game itself is, well, monotonous. As fun as the weekend is said to be, if I were just new to the game of hockey, and the all-star game was the first hockey game I...
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...
It's a question I have been pondering for quite some time. What truly makes a hockey game exciting, and what truly makes a hockey team exciting? The question first dawned after New Jersey's last game before the All-Star break, a 5-2 victory over the Habs. I remember after the game, I had a very happy debate with various Habs fans, along with one or two other Devils fans on...
If there is one thing that I have learned about the Calgary Flames, it is that they can win ugly, boring, exciting; basically they can win any way they can win. Tonight they won with defense, which usually means totally boring. But tonight, there was a touch of exciting, meaning I liked a couple of goals the Flames scored tonight.
Before I mention the goals, let's ta...
With the tedium of the All Star break thankfully behind us for another year, two counting the Olympics, we can now get back to the business of meaningful hockey with all the gusto that is associated with the regular season run in. Heading into the NHL’s maligned showcase weekend, one of this decade’s most memorable mid season pile ups was materializing in the Western C...
First of all, I would like to say that I'm not happy at all with the effort and the way the Flyers played tonight. It was as craptastic of an effort that you could ever see from the Flyers. It was a bad, bad game for the Flyers as Chris Mason made 36 saves for his third shutout of the season to help the Blues beat the Flyers 4-0 tonight. Even though the Flyers had 36 shots...
... 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'...
I'm from Calgary. I have lived my whole life living and dying with the Calgary Flames. I have seen more hockey games than many people see in a lifetime. I truly am blessed with the exposure I get to the greatest game on the planet. I came out east for University, in London, Ontario, and now am blessed with getting to see Tavares play whenever I want.
Over the weekend h...
Something's happening in Florida. They're winning. In their last ten games, the Florida Panthers have an impressive 6-2-2 record, and have been flip-flopping between seventh and tenth in the Eastern Conference, and 2nd and 3rd place in the Southeast Division. The Panthers currently have an above .500 record of 23-18-8, and in their surge through the standings, have defeate...
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....
FLAMESTR writes...
IMPORTANT DOCUMENT FOR FATHERS AT GAME MANDATORY TO READ
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
[b]BASIC MANUAL FOR FATHERS/HUSBANDS WHEN TAKING
THE FAMILY TO AN NHL GAME
INTRODUCTION[/b]
This manual is for the use of comings and goings to a hockey game. But you can substitute any other sport or any other function that you are attending. This is all meant in fun and not intended to offend or to portray any person.
[b]ITINERARY
1.0 SPOUSE[/b]
I...
I was at the Joe last night for the Blues-Wings game and I couldn't help but be very impressed with the Blues and how they played. They out-hustled the Wings to every loose puck, their offensive forecheck was great and it created some Red Wings defensive zone turnovers, and I really like the Blues for the most part being very active and aggressive on defense.
I think th...
Another loss.
2 more points that we can't get back.
Another win by the 8th place Panthers, who have 3 more points than us and two games in hand.
Oh sure, we play the Panthers 3 more times this year, which means we can make up some of those points head to head, right?
At this point, we would have to win all three of those games, just to get 3 points ahead of Flo...
If Philadelphia intends to win the Atlantic Division, much less get a home playoff series...they have to post AT LEAST 14 of the 22 points available in the month of February. Looking at their schedule its possible, but there are some positives and a few negatives that need to be addressed:
1) [i]Philadelphia plays 7 home games in February against Boston, Ottawa, NY Isl...
As the regular season trudges on, as teams compete for division supremacy, as the standings continue to change constantly with teams rising and sinking, with each game becoming just as significant and vital as the previous one, the playoffs inch closer and closer as each day passes, which makes the constant playoff race tighter and more tense. This will go on until every t...
Darkjester writes...
Would the Leafs be better off Drafting a Defenseman???
Posted Friday | Comments 0
With many Leaf fans looking forward and counting the days till Draft day where there beloved leafs will draft there franchise player who will bring the blue and white to the promise land. Some dream of JT after him leading Team Canada to Gold at the WJC. Others dream about Evander Kane and his amazing hands or Brayden Schenn who seems to be the Burke style player we all wo...
If you have been reading my blog for the greater portion of this season, you probably know that I have been holding onto my belief that the Rangers can win the Stanley Cup with the personnel that they currently possess. But after the Rangers imploded with a horrid 3 game losing streak beginning with a thrashing at the hands of Pittsburgh, my faith has deserted me. Yes, the...
FLAMESTR writes...
My son got Curtis McElhinney's stick from practice and notes
Posted Friday | Comments 5
Curtis comes off the ice and says take that made my son's day wow what a day for the boy.
Now for the report
Hey guys got back from the practice it was an interesting one in that the players were in pretty good spirits. The practice tho short was rather loud they were hitting and hard drills. The lines up were
Bertuzzi Langkow Bourque
Cammy conroy Iggy
pr...
[b]Devils 5, Thrashers 1[/b]
Zach Parise scored his 30th goal of the season, as the Devils rolled over the Southeast division bottom-feeders in the Atlanta Thrashers. Parise's 30th goal of the season came on the powerplay, and the young winger continues to get better and better. John Madden and Brian Gionta scored shorthanded goals for the Atlantic Division leading Devils...
Having completed part one of my team by team speculation in the South East division, for part two I figured I would jump across the continent and hit the North West division.
The North West is arguably the tightest division in terms of competition in the league. There are only 13 points as of tonight separating first through firth in the division, a lead any of the four...
The Calgary Flames dropped their fourth regulation loss in a row at home this afternoon in a frustrating 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Despite the Flames generally having control of the game possession-wise following Bobby Ryan's opening goal, Curtis McElhinney was yet again denied his first NHL win. Even though I am always at least a little pessimistic, I am still not th...
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...
I sat amongst a circle of friends last night, one of which was a Leaf fan. We were enjoying good conversation and the Leaf fan wanted to break from form and peek at the Leaf game on TV. To be honest, I had no interest in doing so but obliged him for a few moments. Then a typical Leaf/Hab jab moment ensued with him reminding me of last Saturday's drubbing of the Habs by ...
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...
After a positive response to my last blog, I figured I would take another crack at one. And I decided to pick a topic that was near and dear to my heart, goaltending.
Many moons ago, (yes, MANY moons, Lisa), I used to be a decent puckstopper. I used to live for the feelings associated with stopping a breakaway, throwing up an unconventional two-pad stack, a rapid refl...
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,...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Officially Concerned? Flames Continue Struggles In Anaheim
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Miikka Kiprusoff came very close, but couldn't quite save the Flames in Anaheim tonight, as they dropped their fifth loss in the last six games, 3-2 in overtime. After Saturday's home loss to Anaheim, I said that despite it being the Flames' fourth loss in a row, I still wasn't worried about the Flames. Now? I see somewhat disturbing trends in the Flames' 5 losses in the p...
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
...
Will the real Carey Price please stand up please stand up. What a mess right now, that being said I fully believe he will turn it around.
We get hot wings and Cajun wings Wednesday after hockey, I don’t like the cajun wings, I just don’t.
The Niedermayers are first cousins with Jason Strudwick.
Glen Metropolit has played on 20 different teams in 14 years he’...
Let us all concede that the NY Islanders will get the first overall selection in the 2009 Entry draft. Now that Milbury is not in charge they will probably make the correct choice and go with John Tavares over Victor Hedman. So what do the Leafs do with that second overall pick? Keep it and take Hedman? Keep it and take some one out of place? Or do we trade it?
I say ...
This team has been plagued with injuries to their top scorer at the time Stajan, their top shut down defenseman in Finger and their two top puck moving defensemen in Kaberle and VanRyan.
Had they stayed healthy and won 5 more games this team would be in a play-off spot but I think the coaching staff wanted this year to toughen these guys a bit more and their focus wasn'...
I am not writing this to start anything between fans of rival teams. I am not trying to be bias or suck up to anybody. As a fan of a rival team, I am just writing this as a fan of the sport and as a casual observer.
We all know that New York City is perhaps the hardest US city to play any sport in. You are expected to give nothing less than a 110% effort night in and ni...
Many of us who were watching last night's game witnessed Luke Schenn accidently score on his own net. Now this isn't the first time that has happened to the Leafs. Stralman scoring twice in one game on himself, and the most memorable being Mr.McCabe's OT winner, for the Sabres. Now what I was wondering to myself as I watched the replay of the puck slide along the ice throu...
Well he is doing it again . Dustin Penner is back to playing the up-tempo physical game that first made Kevin Lowe to offer him that ridiculous offer sheet 2 years ago.Penner seems to always thrive at the end of the season.Last year in the 07-08 season, Penner played poorly for the first half of the season until just after half point ; where it seemed a fire had been lit ...
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...
Sunday night’s blowout 8-4 loss to Atlanta could somehow be the best thing that happens to Anaheim this season. Every team has stinkers throughout the course of their season, but this one stings the most. After beating Calgary two games in a row and being at home against one of the worst teams in the NHL, it seemed to be time for the Ducks to finally string together a 3-...
Sunday night’s blowout 8-4 loss to Atlanta could somehow be the best thing that happens to Anaheim this season. Every team has stinkers throughout the course of their season, but this one stings the most. After beating Calgary two games in a row and being at home against one of the worst teams in the NHL, it seemed to be time for the Ducks to finally string together a ...
Despite a resurgent performance from Jarome Iginla, and an unbelievable performance from Miikka Kiprusoff, the Flames lost another heartbreaking game to the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3 in the shootout. When I use the word heartbreaking though, it doesn't necessarily mean the Flames deserved the game. Rather, the Flames lost this game because they threw it away in the third peri...
Aside from Pittsburgh, I love the San Jose Sharks. Lately though I've become concerned about their playoff chances. Last nights win against Edmonton did more to convince me that the Sharks are in trouble than any of the past two weeks of overtime losses.
It seems that every time I watch or listen to a game the Sharks let themselves get dominated in the third period. Edm...
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...
Oh wait...This isn't the playoffs yet. But it's going to be hard to tell the difference when the Edmonton Oilers (29-24-4) take on the Dallas Stars (28-21-7). Once again this will be the Oilers most important game of the season. Funny how this keeps happening. The Oilers have the 7th best road record in the league and are looking to extend that record after suffering a los...
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...
This year's standings have probably seen a lot of activity in terms of teams moving up and down in their conferences and divisions. Despite the active movement, there are also enormous barriers between certain seedings that give certain teams very comfortable cushions. I think this year's playoffs will be just as unique as the season has been so far. One could say these ar...
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 ...
terpstradust writes...
Strange Hockey Facts, Hockey History, Hockey Day in Canada
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
Alright I thought that with Hockey Day in Canada coming up I would do a piece on it and dive into the origins of the game we all love. I also got an idea from my fiancee to put a list of strange facts about the game at the end of this article, so any thanks for that piece go to her.
Now we can debate all day as to where our national passtime began, like whether it was i...
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 ...
Richie18 writes...
Marty Biron's gaffe is difference in 5-4 Flyers loss
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
As wild and crazy as this game was today, the Flyers had a chance to win this game. Down 3-1, the Flyers battled back to tie the game at 4, but late in the third period, a costly mistake ended up hurting the Flyers. Marty Biron went out of the net, way out of the net for that matter, and misplayed the puck. Sidney Crosby was there to get the puck and score the game winning...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Another Big 2 Points In Edmonton, But Injuries Pile Up
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
With two AHL players playing significant minutes, and Jim Vandermeer playing second-pairing defense, the Calgary Flames managed to win the fifth Battle of Alberta in Edmonton, 3-2 in the shootout. Matthew Lombardi roofed a great shot with a screen in front with 1:10 remaining to tie the game, and then Todd Bertuzzi scored the shootout winner with a neat move on the first ...
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...
Why is it so easy for teams to fire coaches? I mean, the moment the team starts losing its edge, it is always the coach that gets the ax before the gm. I think it is really hypercritical. Think about it - who is the guy who hired the coach in the first place? Now come on, what are you saying about yourself when you fire the person you hired? This kind of reminds me about...
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 ...
When the Penguins lost Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, and Jarkko Ruutu to free agency last summer, many observers thought that the team had lost too much grit to be successful this season.
Personally, when those players left, I wasn't immediately inclined to buy into that belief...I took the "wait and see" approach.
Well, I have waited...
and now I have seen...
[b]thos...
[IMG]http://g.imagehost.org/0469/blog1.jpg[/IMG]
Salut salut,
Premièrement, je voudrais souligner que je suis un grand fan de HockeyBuzz. Je fréquente le site depuis longtemps et je le considère comme une excellente source d'information sur le hockey.
Je suis, comme vous l'avez surement deviné, partisan du CH. Je suis loin d'être un expert, mais j'ai une op...
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...
Many people in the Hockey community are not aware of the tragedy that struck two St. Louis Blues fans and a future St. Louis Blues fan a week ago. As reported by the St. Louis Post Dispatch ( http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/1D2B34AF39C85DB686257565001231FF?OpenDocument ), "a man and his pregnant wife were killed Saturday afternoon in a...
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...
There aren’t a lot of people that have yet to come to terms with the state of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the present time. Maybe children who haven’t yet experienced their first Leafs playoff game, or well....idiots, but other than that, we all know where the Leafs are destined to end up the next couple seasons. A lot of good has come from all of this though, and I for...
After a pair of losses, the Flyers look to be a team needing help and solidification to a number of aspects to their game. And while I won't attempt to make excuses for the two losses, it is actually isn't all that surprising that the Flyers lost.
The Flyers lost to Montreal because of a 3 minute lapse in judgement and a couple of crazy bounces. To top it all off, the...
It could have been predicted that Jarome Iginla would get his 400th goal and pass Theoren Fleury to become the Flames' all-time points leader at 831 points tonight. What could not have been predicted, however, was that Iginla's four point night would not be enough to beat the lowly Lightning; that he would be outscored by Mark Recchi, of all people, that Jim Vandermeer wou...
The big question in Chicago this week will not be the ongoing goalie Soap Opera (now starring a new player, unorthodox Finnish import, Antti Niemi).
It won't be the running debate between Hawk fans as to whether 2005 first round pick Jack Skille is the second coming of Bobby Hull or Ken Yaremchuk.
It won't even be rumored minor deals for the likes of Dominic Moore, N...
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...
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...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Sutter Swings For The Fences With Jokinen And Leopold On TDD
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
After about five years at least of rumours, many dismissals, much skepticism, and about 800 different e-scale ratings, Olli Jokinen is a member of the Calgary Flames. Wow. I still haven't gotten used to the idea; after I expressed varying levels of skepticism for months, I expressed an audible “HOLY ****” when I saw the trade on the front page of TSN around noon. Darry...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Sutter Swings For The Fences With Jokinen And Leopold On TDD
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
After about five years at least of rumours, many dismissals, much skepticism, and about 800 different e-scale ratings, Olli Jokinen is a member of the Calgary Flames. Wow. I still haven't gotten used to the idea; after I expressed varying levels of skepticism for months, I expressed an audible “HOLY ****” when I saw the trade on the front page of TSN around noon. Darry...
[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...
[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 ...
I know, he did not trade Wade Redden, but nothing short of a miracle deal could have bested the moves made by Glen Sather at the March 4 trade deadline. He improved the team tremendously for this season, and was able to open up space to re-sign key players during the coming offseason. The most impressive feat was that Sather accurately evaluated the skills of each player i...
The first game with Jokinen is in the books and was a success, that line will not be that great every night but it did look very solid! Having said that, and assuming the Flames will win the Stanley cup (7-1 odds in Vegas right now) then a quick look into the summer might be worth while.
The players that could leave are Cammalleri, Bertuzzi, Roy, Moss, Aucoin and Leop...
Miller who?
Of course, I say that facetiously. Ryan Miller is the key to the Sabres hopes if they can pull it together to get into the playoffs.
But who would have expected Patrick Lalime to step up the way he has in Miller's absence?
He's done exactly what you want from your backup goaltender - step in and give your team a chance to win every single night he pla...
The National Hockey League (NHL) is the largest-scale professional ice hockey league in the world. Its ability to attract the most talented players from around the world has enabled it to grow from a small, six team, regional league in the 1950s to the thirty franchise NHL of present day. Notwithstanding the League’s concerted effort at continued growth and expansion, ...
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 ...
There is time when life is far more important, I mean seriously hockey is just a game. David Moss lost his Grand Father and missed the game on Sunday. Even though I know he is not reading this blog, I for one would like to him to know that his hockey fan thinks enough of him that he is my thought during his time bereavement sometimes hockey is just a game we love ya David...
There is time when life is far more important, I mean seriously hockey is just a game. David Moss lost his Grand Father and missed the game on Sunday. Even though I know he is not reading this blog, I for one would like to him to know that his hockey fan thinks enough of him that he is my thought during his time bereavement sometimes hockey is just a game we love ya David...
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...
Takhar7 writes...
Gainey gives Carbonneau the boot! + van Ryn out for season.
Posted Monday | Comments 0
A good friend of mine, a die-hard Habs fan and a habitual pain in my rear when the Leafs and Canadien play each other in their mammoth hockey clashes, uttered words of shock and horror just moments after he had found out about the Montreal Canadiens firing Carbonneau.
If you haven't heard - Guy Carbonneau has been fired by the Montreal Canadiens, with Bob Gainey taking ...
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 850
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...
The Calgary Flames never showed up and were terrible. Again, the defense and netminding were again suspect. But the forward continued not to come back and there was no hitting, no anything. The defensive zone coverage was adequate, but again they just did not finish their checks. I may sound like a broken record, but when they continue to play the same song, it gets a lit...
This is a funny city we seem to live in, the same media who bad mouths the Leafs when they don't sign a free agent or make the better trade or are not able to win more games against Montreal or Ottawa now has turned their attention to wanting the Leafs to tank and finish last in the league.
I find it ridiculous that in reading a couple of daily papers, last night's game a...
I was really deeply saddened when I heard the announcement of Gary Roberts retiring. Don’t get me wrong, it was not the announcement per se, it was the way it came about. Meaning I would have liked Gary to go out on his terms, something he has earned. Being put on waivers without even warning him shows a lack of respect to him. Gary Roberts, being a warrior, should accu...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Giving Fans a Reason to Look Forward to Next Year
Posted Friday | Comments 549
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...
The Claude Giroux that everybody has been raving about for 2 years has arrived, enjoy Flyer fans he's special.
I don't mean special like Steve Downie either!
Did you know that Kari Lehtonen's nickname is "The Hamburgler" he use to eat Mcdonalds before every game in his rookie season.
Paul Holmgren please trade for the rights to Josh Harding, he is the answer you s...
1. I saw a Bruins/Rangers game, that happened to be the only game Wayne Gretsky had missed in over 4 years, He retired that year, i never saw him play(that was also the game that Ken Belanger checked Ulf Sammuelsson into the boards and they took Ulf off on a stretcher, I've never heard any sports arena cheer louder)
2. The last 3 times i've been admitted to the E.R. , i...
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 ...
Hey guys sorry for the report never got home until now after the practice. The players were not in a good mood this morning as Keenan did a bunch of drills. The most interesting one was helping the defense pass the puck out, of the zone and the forwards coming back to help. Doing one on one skating drills, having the players skate after the puck and shoot (with the empa...
Maybe it’s too early to determine, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt… for now (dun, dun, duunnn).
Lee Stempniak, who was acquired via trade from the St.Louis Blues for Alexander Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo , has a total of 13 goals and 39 points in 65 games this season - scoring 10 goals and 26 points in 51 of those games with the Leafs.
Many critics ha...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Face Huge Mountain To Climb To Prove Themselves
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Calgary Flames caught a fairly big break last night, as the Vancouver Canucks were whipped in Phoenix by the floundering Coyotes, ensuring the Flames keep for the time being their slim three point lead on the Northwest Division. How much does the Canucks blowing an easy opportunity and lowering the magic number by two points mean for the Flames? It helps a small bit, b...
EAST
--------------
114 Bruins
106 Devils
105 Caps
101 Flyers
98 Pens
97 Canes
94 Rags
92 Panthers
-----------------
91 Habs
Bruins vs Panthers = Bruins in 6
Devils vs Rangers = Devils in 5
Caps vs Canes = Caps in 5
Flyers vs Penguins = Flyers in 7 (Yens vs Yoos = YOOS WIN!)
Bruins vs Flyers = Flyers in 6
Devils vs Caps = Caps in 7
Fl...
The buzz around Alex Ovechkin's 5oth goal celebration won't die. The problem isn't that AO celebrated after scoring a goal, everybody does. Some celebrations are subtle; Mario Lemieux always seemed to be cool and collected while he calmly pumped his fist, Sidney Crosby of late has followed that model, some are elaborate; Theo Fleury once rode his stick across the rink to c...
For anyone who cares. I'm and huge Montreal fan and I live out on the far eastern side of Canada. For some history look up Nova Scotia Voyageurs or Halifax Citadels. That is all besides the point as now all we have is a QMJHL team, the Mooseheads (Did not do too well this year). So I bought center ice so I can watch all the Habs games (In English) . This would be a...
Well its that time of year again and the quest for the postseason is heating up. I have yet to see the infamous Brad Ratgen playoff quest blogs so I decided to chip in with my own picks.
Here are the current standings:
Western Conference
1. Y - San Jose 107
2. X - Detroit 107
3. Calgary 90
4. Chicago 89
5. Vancouver 87
6. Columbus 83
7. Anaheim 80
8. E...
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...
I stopped counting at zero for seven on the power play. Then I noticed the penalty kill has let two in as well. I started thinking of catchy slogans like, "zero for seven fire Preston!!" or , "Penalty killers are slow let Preston Go".
The fact is in the playoffs there a few things you need to win. You need an incredible goalie to steal games for you, Kipper WILL do that...
With 7 games left in the season, the Avs sit dead last in the Western Conference, coming in second only to the Islanders as the worst team in the league. Most years this would be disappointing, however,with the team lacking any true direction, this situation forces their hand slightly.
The consensus first overall pick is John Tavares, with Viktor Hedman coming in a clos...
[i]As a quick notation; I’ve never met Keith Primeau, he’s never snubbed me or my child and, as a person, I only know what I’ve seen on TV, read in print and heard on the radio. As far as I’m concerned he may be the most wonderful husband, father, brother, son or in-law on the face of this earth and I have no ground to comment on any of that. This is my view of h...
Now, it’s important that we realize where the Flyers franchise stood in the league. They were on their fourth coach in four years having just embarrassingly dismissed Roger Neilson as he fought cancer. In the summer, Lindros was exiled, awaiting a trade that wouldn’t come for more than a year. The Flyers were tagged as the most dysfunctional franchise in all of sports....
Recchi and Primeau were the only two forwards who had off years, dropping 13 and 25 points respectively. It seemed to me at the time he was taking his frustrations out on what he knew was a lame duck coach who had lost his wife less then six months earlier. He dropped his own failures at Barber’s feet. After he inflicted the damage to his coach and with the stipulation t...
[b]The Legend?[/b]
Ken Hitchcock sat in his office and for weeks watched the incumbent Captain of his new team walk quietly by his door. His Captain was a coach killer by his own admission [url]http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/cup/2004-05-13-flyers-hitchcock_x.htm[/url]. Primeau saw the writing on the wall. He was on his way out. A new coach cleaned players like him ...
In Goal it looks more and more that Gerber may be 1 and Toskala 1A and quite possibly expendable with a slew of decent goalies on the UFA list. Pogge is gone he sucks and hasn't really improved all that much in 3 years.
On D the Leafs are solid with maybe one or two guy expendable to clear cap space ie Kubina and can be parlayed into a 1st round draft pick as well a ros...
Since we have not heard anything from Matt, I decided to chime in and get the discussion started.
Last night's win was, I think, defining for this Canes team. After starting a bit slow and giving up a late 1st period goal on an odd man rush, the Hurricanes played an absolutely solid game in. They bided their time and outskated the Devils until the tide turned. Once the ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Let's Start The Debate: Tavares or Hedman and Why?
Posted Monday | Comments 745
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...
Practice a lot more attention on detail on how to get the puck out of the
zone.
- A lot of passing drills on passes from tape to tape, especially the receiving
the pass.
- Concentrating on keeping the puck in the offensive zone, defense get the
shot on the net.
- Forwards skating back to help the defense skating drills.
- Went to the point of having groups of ...
We have all heard NHL bloggers, announcers, beat writers, and fans refer to the omni-present "HOCKEY GODS". These unseen forces, that protect the integrity and well being of the game as we know it, have been offended! Thats Right fellow Hockey Fans, the same City (Montreal) and its fans, who in the past paid homage to the HOCKEY GODS have sinned against the Gods in 2008-20...
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. ...
With the playoffs approaching and the trade deadline long gone I decided to give my opinion on which NHL coaches and GM's should be on the hotseat between now and next season.
1.) Bob Gainey, Head Coach/GM, MON -
Gainey was so upset with the fact that his team was only in 5th place after the trade deadline that he fired a well-respected Guy Carbonneau and name...
FIRST PRACTICE NOTES
- The first note this is the first practice that was a fun one players joking and laughing.
- Keenan and Iggy and Bertuzzi and Kipper were not there.
- They mostly practiced on exiting the defensive zone to the offensive zone.
- Working with Mac on his skills of covering rebounds and on being screened.
- Defense really working on keeping...
FLAMESTR writes...
Heart to Heart Conversation to Canucks and Observations
Posted Tuesday | Comments 8
[b]A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE PAYATT FAMILY[/b]
[b]
When you think of hockey, it’s just a game. Just a game. I, for one, was deeply saddened by the news of Taylor Pyatt losing his fiancé. My heart and condolences go out to Taylor’s family and to all the Canucks fans. We may cheer against them, but that’s just part of the game. God be with you, Taylor, the fans ar...
Sparked by a readers comments, about who would the Avs be shopping for this offseason when it comes to management, I became intrigued at the opportunity to investigate.
Current GM Francois Giguere has had one of the worst starts a GM could have when handed an elite franchise, like the Avs were post lockout. Unlike our rival RedWings, the Avs have not been fans of the ca...
OK, I know the playoffs are around the corner and everyone is all hyped up about that. However, I already gave my playoff picks a couple weeks ago, and,,,, I figure now is as good a time as any to look ahead and give my 2 cents for next seasons lineup, since my predictions came very close last time.
Heres whats gunna happen, and, yes, you can quote me this, cuz its mon...
Since Dan Bylsma's take over of the Pittsburgh Penguins they have gone 17-3-4 for a total of 38 points. Bylsma's charasmatic attitude and tweaking of the Penguins systems and game play has turned what looked to be like a head start toward the golf course into a playoff contender. With that said tonight Bylsma may make history. With a Penguins win tonight Bylsma would equal...
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...
-Bourque skated very well played with iggy and olli
- Roy Skated this morning also skated with Nystrom and Lundmark
- Boyd back up with Peters and Sutter
- Warrener taking regular shift looks very fresh I think he is ready to go
- Worked on the power play for 30 minuets with top players Moss was on the pp with Bertuzzi and Lanks.
-Spifically power play time...
While the majority of Leafs fans wrote the team off in the summer, it wasn’t until the New Year that the teams first true season of rebuilding began the inevitable grind into early year golf tournaments.
As Leafs nation pencilled in dates for the draft and free agency into their diaries both the Eastern and Western conferences were enjoying (or enduring) one of the mos...
Last year Philly came into the playoff series against the Penguins with the intention of pounding them into the boards on every shift - and it the process - they hoped to pound the life out of Pittsburgh.
The result...Pens won the series in 5 games.
A couple of years earlier, in a regular season match-up in Philly, Derrian Hatcher pounded on the face of, then rookie,...
As we have moved through the season, I've had an eye toward the playoffs with my Flyers and have noticed a few shortcomings which I felt would prevent them from being able to get out of the conference to challenge for the Stanley Cup to be real contenders; [i]not [/i]pretenders as they are now.
Don't get me wrong. Coming off of a season where the home team couldn't eve...
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...
I have to admit that when Campbell issued a "warning" to the Flyers last season about injuring players I was pretty pissed. The spent the rest of the season paying for it with penalty after penalty. Pretty brutal to put a team under the microscope a month before playoffs. I thought that they were getting too involved but figured it was a one time thing.
Needless to say...
[img]http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2009/04/17/01/530Ducks_Sharks_Hockey.sff.embedded.prod_affiliate.138.jpg[/img]
[b]The Same Old Sharks[/b]
What is it that the Sharks have been accused of being for the past few seasons (besides chokers)? The answer: [b]Soft.[/b] All year long members of the Sharks organization have been claiming that this is a different ...
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 ...
I typically try to write thought provoking blogs. This time I just decided to write down the random things bouncing around in my head.
- Why do the Sharks turn back to Dr. Jekyll at game 83? Please turn back to Mr. Hyde.
- How does AO still not have a goal in the Caps / Rangers series?
- Is it just me or are penalties ruining playoff hockey? In the Caps / Range...
It seems we have discussed dirty hits and suspension at nauseum, I can't remember a playoffs that didn't involve Marchment with this much publicity about nothing. Mike Cammalleri did not get suspended, partly because he was already punished with a roughing penalty!! Listen, there is a penalty you receive in the N.H.L. for punching a guy in the face and Cammalleri served hi...
Brian Burke steps in front of the media last week and comes right out and lets everyone know that he is targeting John Tavares the potential first overall pick in this years NHL entry draft. Leaf fans jump for joy but when you sit back and think about it, what would the Leafs give up for the #1 overall pick. The guess here is at least two first rounders this years and next...
Just finished watching the Sharks/Ducks game, and all I can say is wow! It is so nice watching the other teams play where you can enjoy it to it's fullest, but later on tonight will not be the case. The all important Game 4 between New York and Washington. The Rangers have had a couple days to recover from their 4-0 loss in Game 3. Now all Rangers fans can do is ask the sa...
Crosby or Flyer Fans?
Just for fun, I like to read the opposing team's blog and comments during the playoffs. It helps me to get a true hatred for the other team's fans going!
I am kidding of course.
I have been alive too long to HATE any other team's fans or even any of the other teams at this point...although as players go...Scott Hartnell is tough to like...whe...
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...
Yeah Boyes writes...
Controversial Disallowing of Goal is too much for Blues
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Blues applied their best pressure of the series late in the second period last night. They tied the score at 2-2 with two goals and again had the puck in front of the net and close to the goal line. Luongo never appeared to have the puck covered as it was sliding around in the crease area and eventually crossed the line and into the net.
It was ruled that the puck h...
Rob McGowan writes...
Let's Back Up Here, MacDonald? Danis? Or Neither?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 648
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...
Last night the Brandon Wheat Kings gave a valiant effort but eventually lost a hard fought effort to the Calgary Hitmen (who are sailing through the W.H.L. playoffs) and are now one game away from being eliminated by the Hitmen. Keith Aulie is their captain, has a goal in this series and is one of Calgary's top defense prospects. At 6'6" and 220 lbs this isn't your normal ...
Game 5 proved to be the pinnacle of goaltending in the playoffs so far. Ward was better than Marty in my opinion, but what do i know, Ive only been a goalie since I was 6. 86 shots, 1 goal. And that goal by Clarkson was maybe his best goal of the year. Clarkson 2 goals, Staal 2 goals, hold on wait, what? Marty made a statement tonight with a career high 44 save shutoot, a...
[url]http://videocallroom.oovoo.com/room/embeded/herman2[/url]
The story is known around the league. A team left for dead at the halfway point by bloggers, journalists, and insiders alike. A team depleted by injuries mid way through their rebuild. Fans are talking Tavares vs. Hedman and if the Western Conference cellar dwellers will play as bad as the East to get a shot at the Canadian Sniper or the Swedish Pronger.
Enter the Manny...
ThrashFanatic writes...
Kovy Not Only Thrasher Impressing In Russia - Championship ?
Posted Saturday | Comments 8
Once 8 years of pass after drafting a player and still not seeing him play in any of the teams affiliates, the player slips off your radar and never usually gets back on. It's different with a kid named Ilya Nikulin. He has had never shown up on the stats side of things like most defenseman so I had never cared to follow him or his Russian teams but today I followed his ...
This off season the Maple Leafs must decide to spend during free-agency or stay the course. I believe the Leafs should make a giant move and sign Marian Hossa to a contract of something like $9 million/5-6 years, or avoid all other UFA's. While I believe the Sedin twins are talented, they aren't Marian Hossa.
My other reason for Hossa or bust would be the better UFA's...
That word about sums up the Flyers season. That is the reason why they got the 5th seed when they could have achieved more, and ultimately why they lost this series. They look like Stanley Cup contenders one game, scrubs the next.
Jeff Carter. 46 goals in the regular season, 1 in the postseason. The successor to John LeClair, I suppose. They say he was playing hurt, but...
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...
Can the National Hockey League really expect it's teams to take it seriously when it says things like "no message sending" and "no confrontations with fans" when it doesn't even act on most of the dirty things that happen on the ice?
Ok, yes, they suspended Daniel Carcillo for his "hit" on Max Talbot (I still question whether or not that was intentional), and Andre Roy ...
As Blair Betts lay on the ice yesterday afternoon, again the Gary Bettman Gestapo neglected to make a legit call in favor of the Rangers. It's become, predictable that the officials will miss a Capital crosscheck to the back of Avery. They failed blatantly in game 4 to rescue themselves as Callahan hit the ice with a trip and 18,000 fans managed to witness the crime. B...
Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton were reunited on the top line for San Jose in game five, and it worked! Thornton had a goal and two assists and Marleau, who already had an assist, added the game-winning goal on Thornton's overtime wraparound attempt that playoff rookie Jonas Hiller couldn't cover.
It has been pointed out in the media that Todd McLellan called his two s...
I'm sure you all heard this during yesterday's Rangers vs Capitals game on NBC, when Mike Millbury came out and called Sean Avery an idiot, then the announcers had a good chuckle about it.
So let me get this straight. It's cool for Millbury to call Avery an idiot on a channel 4, [b]NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAME[/b] but if Avery says "sloppy seconds" in Canada, it's a suspen...
The Blackhawks deserved the series win. That is the first thing all Flames fans should admit to themselves and we can not say "only if" or "but the refs called this or that". We can not say if we had Regehr we would have won, as Jim Rome likes to say, "If. if.if. If my aunt had junk she'd be my uncle but she doesn't." The fact is the depth we all thought we had wasn't deep...
The Blackhawks deserved the series win. That is the first thing all Flames fans should admit to themselves and we can not say "only if" or "but the refs called this or that". We can not say if we had Regehr we would have won, as Jim Rome likes to say, "If. if.if. If my aunt had junk she'd be my uncle but she doesn't." The fact is the depth we all thought we had wasn't deep...
Its eerily quiet in Newark this morning as I walk past the arena to work. Im not going to lie to you, I got a little chill thinking what was going to take place later on. A lot of nervous energy.
Game 7 of round 1, who thought there could be this much drama in the 1st round? The Devils need to get straight, quick. Game 7's are about Captains, and Langenbrunner has to hav...
I see a lot of calls to send off Big Joe and Patty. What about the rest of the team? If the criteria for keeping a player are they come up big in the playoffs then it sounds like the whole roster needs to be thrown away.
I don't subscribe to that line of thinking. The Sharks at the start of the season had all the lines working well, scoring came from everywhere. Thi...
What can I say? Good season?
That would be a lie.
I'm proud of this team?
That's not true either.
All I can say is that it is over. After the Rangers tore our hearts out on multiple occasions this season, the mortal blow has finally come down.
Five months until the Rangers play again.
Maybe I will write a real blog when/if I feel better.
It's over.
...
let me gather my notes and thoughts and all the alcohol i have left in my house. a great blog to break down game 7 coming tomorrow no doubt. i was there, i witnessed what happened and its anybody but marty's fault. the guy played his a$$ off. stunnnned.
FLAMESTR writes...
A Fond Farewell to the Flames and Summary of the first round
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Before we discuss the second round, I wanted to talk to you about a discussion between a dad and a son. My son always reminds me that the players are very human and they make mistakes and really they don’t set out to lose. He had to remind me of this over and over again as the Hawks were eliminating my Flames.
I have had conversations with my son reminding me the F...
The 2008-2009 version of the Calgary Flames was very unique. Probably the most talented group of players ever collected in cow town since 1989. So why did they once again get bounced out in the first round? How did they blow a huge lead in the division? Should Rich Preston still behind the bench after the power play went 0 for 40 to finish the regular season? Why was Ander...
MichaelBernard writes...
Worst Loss in Devil's Playoff History, What a Disgrace.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Now that Ive had time to digest last night’s loss to Carolina, I can say this. Worst loss in Devil’s playoff history. No you say? You think the loss to Colorado was worse, you’re wrong. After a great season of chasing Boston for the top spot in the east with a backup goalie in net for most of the season, and records being shattered, it wasn’t supposed to end like t...
The Leafs are in a rare situation in the NHL as most of the teams are going to loose money the Leafs are going to continue making money so if I were the Manager I would make the following moves that frankly I think Burke will.
First the UFAs that he will go after are the following:
H. Sedin, D. Sedin because Burke has a history and they are solid top 6 forward
...
Mr_X writes...
Sens have Current Team issues to deal with before UFA period
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Alright, So I won't talk about what the sens should do or who they should sign in the off season, but rather what they should do to finalise they're team and roster spots before they even get there, before they can worry about anything else.
The sens had alot of problems this year, it's dealt with, it's done, let's forget and learn about it, they have to address their c...
Jeff Quirin writes...
Outside Perspective: Blame Joe Thornton? Trade Joe Thornton?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Just put this up on my site, [url=http://thebluenotezone.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/thought-of-the-day-04-29-09/]Link Here[/url] thought I would share here as well.
Once again the San Jose Sharks have flopped out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A Coaching change was made, key veteran additions were made, and sadly San Jose met the same outcome. Is it possible that it is not ...
Rob McGowan writes...
First Overall: A Definite? A Gamble? Or Wishful Thinking?
Posted Friday | Comments 244
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...
Brown's "controversial" hit on Hudler in game 1 of the Detroit vs Anaheim series was legal and clean. It was shoulder to shoulder and Hudler got rid of the puck less than 2 seconds before. It didn't help Hudler that he wasn't paying attention, or was slightly bent over as he was turning up the ice. [b]The problem is that Hudler was skating in one direction, but playing the...
[img:left]http://images.theglobeandmail.com/archives/RTGAM/images/20071215/wspt-leafs-habs15/Kostitsyn.jpg[/img]
I've been really excited about the talent level of Andrei Kostitsyn ever since he was drafted 10th overall by the Montreal Canadiens. The 2003 NHL entry draft, in my opinion, was the best draft year the NHL has ever seen. Andrei Kostitsyn was considered ea...
After losing 4-3 and falling into a 2-0 hole to the Washington Capitals many may think it is time to panic for the Pittsburgh Penguins. I disagree. Watching the game tonight I saw exactly what I expected to see: Ovechkin versus Crosby in a fast-paced, hard hitting matchup. Both teams controlled the puck well in the offensive zone and at times it seemed like the ice was tit...
One week after being ousted out of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Calgary Flames have packed up their bags and headed off to their respected off season homes. Let’s talk about the front office and bench bosses for the Flaming C.
Darryl Sutter was brought into the organization in 2002 to be the Flames head coach and General Manager. In his first full season in 03-...
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...
Another disappointing end to what was looking like a promising season. But I have to admit, the effect and anticipation for the playoffs has worn off. I've had to brace myself for early departures in each of the last 3 seasons as it truly seemed inevitable.
My season-long problem was Mike Keenan. He proved early and often that he's about 10 years removed from b...
Can we really hang this years early playoff exit on Sutter? The guy who has brought our beloved Flames to the post season for five straight seasons, and one of them to the Stanley Cup Finals? The guy who created what I think is one of the most talented teams we Calgarians has seen since the 80's? I say no. Here's why.
Our team was performing well up until February. We t...
After the Penguins fell into a 2-0 series hole to the Washington Capitals, I wrote a blog about how it wasn't time to panic yet for the birds. Crosby had been spectacular, and they were getting scoring from stay-at-home defenseman Mark Eaton (who?). But there were things the Penguins needed to work on.
One of those things was puck posession. The Pens had not been good o...
1) [u]Coaching[/u] – My first engagement in the Flames’ off-season moves would be to make a coaching change. But, unlike most of the outcry from Flames fans and media, I would not fire Mike Keenan as head coach. I know most fans are calling for Keenan’s head I believe that (other than the constant line-juggling and “strong encouragement” to have Kipper play all ...
You have to admit, you're waiting for it.
Yes, Darryl Sutter met for one-on-one's last week with the Calgary media but did little to dispel the one thing we were all waiting for.
The fate of Mike Keenan.
Sutter never came out and openly backed Keenan, but he sure as heck never gave us an inkling of how he really feels on the situation. He's mastered the art of,...
Is anybody really surprised this series is tied at 3 and heading toward a game 7 thriller Wednesday night in DC?
I'm not.
In fact, through 6 games we have seen just about everything we expected to see.
Great offensive playmaking and goals.
Great skill and determination by the 3 best forwards in the league.
Key contributions from 2nd, 3rd and 4th line players...
I've been following the never ending quest of Jim Basille to beg, borrow or steal an NHL franchise to bring back to his hideout in Hamilton. Now I don't really have a vested interest in this soap opera since I'm not a fan of the Coyotes (although it seems that that wouldn't put me in the minority in Arizona), nor am I partial to ensuring a team relocates to Hamilton, Ont....
First of all this is my very first blog so I apologize ahead of time for boring you. I'm gonna state my views on what the Leafs should do with their current roster only.
Jason Blake-trade if you can otherwise keep him. I bet he reaches closer to 40 goals next year.
Devereaux-displayed himself well when the games didn't count. I don't think he'll be back but he's a good ...
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...
There seems to be an epidemic happening on a frozen pond every night. It seems to affect millions of people at a time. The new-found disease is called hockeyitis. Remember that, because it will get your husband to do many, many stupid things. But it seems to affect players who go out on some steel blades (through much research on my own, I have come to the knowledge that...
[b]The Save[/b]
I wrote a couple of days back that Marc Andre Fleury needed to be in #1 star form for the Penguins to advance in the playoffs. That he had to find a way to play his BEST in game 7.
Fleury ended up being the #3 star in the game...and as it turns out, he really didn't need to be #1 with the way the rest of his team handled the Capitals on Wednesday night...
Another successful [i]regular season[/i], another abrupt [i]playoff[/i] exit. Anyone seeing a trend here? Ever since the Devils won their last Stanley Cup in 2003, the dry New Jersey Devil fan base (which I must say did show up for the playoffs this year), has been treated to the same redundant pattern year in and year out. This year was no exception. The only difference s...
So, here we are. Game Seven. "All of the marbles." "Win or go home." "The whole enchilada" "Play like there's no tomorrow." "Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'."
There are endless cliches you could use to describe the intensity surrounding the Bruins-Hurricanes matchup in Boston tonight (8pm, NESN, TSN, RIS; bonus coverage on Versus following the Wings-Ducks concl...
As we try to cope with yet another early off season, different people find different ways to occupy themselves to pass the time. As someone on a CBS Sports forum said, this is one of the worst times of year. You don't hear any rumors about your team, and for fans of 26 other teams, the only NHL hockey on is the conference finals. Still, fans prowl hockeybuzz, hoping to sal...
With all the talk about what the fate of the Coyotes will be after today's hearing and the likely appeals on any decisions, I decided to put my two cents in on the argument.
With or without Jim Balsillie, the NHL will not be successful with a team in Hamilton, Ontario. This is not an attack on the dedicated hockey fans of Canada. In my honest opinion the league should a...
amerk626 writes...
What the Rangers, Devils, and Flyers all have in common
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Obviously, the main theme amongst these three Atlantic Division rivals is a solid above .500 season that always results in an early playoff exit for the same and different reasons. You could sit here and blame the referees, one player, or injuries, but good teams play through instances like that and overcome the adversity such obstacles present.
The Pittsburgh Penguins ...
As soon as the last crushing horn sounded on the Calgary Flames' season I immediately started looking, like many others, to next season and what we have coming down the pipe that could hopefully heal some wounds.
The Memorial Cup is usually a great place to check on prospects and to also check in on some of the guys you can look forward to seeing drafted in the followin...
Rob McGowan writes...
Starting to Believe the Isles Will Take Tavares
Posted Wednesday | Comments 780
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...
I have thought long and hard about this. It has been something I have been pondering for almost half of a year now.
Yes, the time has come for me to put away the keyboard and retire from my "position" here at MyHockeyBuzz.
Let me explain.
Next year I am going off to college, starting a new stage in my life. With big changes like leaving home and moving into a do...
Yes, it's true.
Over the past week, cloud cover has been increasing in Calgary and area as the whole city waited for some light to finally be shed on a couple different things.
Firstly, the weather's been absolutely horrible. And, working outdoors nearly every day for long hours was beginning to make me crazy. With the exception of some spurts here and there on (Ca...
mslepp writes...
Back to Basics for the Flames? Memorial Cup and Wings/Hawks
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
[b]The Calgary Flame Coaching Carousel[/b]
It wasn't quite as big of a jolt as the hiring of Mike Keenan, but the firing did come as a bit of a surprise. Not because of Iron Mike's firing, but because it was leaked to the media, late Friday afternoon. The timing alone tells you this is not what Darryl Sutter wanted, but the whole Keenan "era" (mess might be a better w...
In the midst of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, perhaps it's a little early to discuss the possibility of the Toronto Maple Leafs splurging in this year's Unrestricted Free Agent crop by acquiring Mike Komisarek. But hey, four consecutive years of missing the post-season will do that, and speculation is always fun, so let's discuss!
Komisarek has been a serviceable defen...
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...
(I apologize for the title, I like the lame ones, what can I say?)
July 1st and onward should be marked with an abundance of quality signings, but I'm hoping the Toronto Maple Leafs invest in a minor signing that could pay major dividends. Colton Orr is the perfect enforcer for the Leafs, let's bring him to Toronto, Brian Burke!
While Andre Deveaux has proved to be a...
So, here we are. The draft is coming up, and the Blues sit with a plethora of capable defensemen, and not so much offensive pure scoring depth. I think we can all agree one more potent scorer would put this team over the top. Tampa Bay sits at the #2 pick, and are seeking some high caliber defensemen in exchange for the #2 (or Lecavalier, for that matter).
The Island...
With the firing of Mike Keenan and the letting go of the rest of the coaching staff, the Flames now sit with a vacant coaching staff. In Sutter’s press conference yesterday he mentioned that there are three qualified people in line for the Head Coach position and a fourth, Darryl himself. He stated that he was the best candidate for the position and if he can not find a...
FLAMESTR writes...
COULD THE OIL HAVE THE BEST COACHES ? AND MORE THOUGHTS
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Edmonton Oilers decided to go to with a veteran coach in Pat Quinn, who I think is a great coach. He loves a fluent, offensive game, which fits the Oilers to a tea. Quinn proved himself with the Team Canada. Not only did the Oilers pick a perfect head coach, they found the perfect coach in Tom Renney, who should have never been fired from the Rangers in the first place...
Rewind a year to Ottawa, when interim GM Cliff Fletcher was preparing to make his last great splash. Trading up to secure hard hitting blueliner Luke Schenn, a player unto which the Leafs hoped to bank their revival, set in motion a summer of upheaval paving the way for Brian Burke to step in mid-season. For many the draft of 2008 marked an era of realization, that change ...
mslepp writes...
Calgary, Get Used to Darryl Sutter: Analysis of the GM
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
I've been waiting for Ken King or the ownership group of the Calgary Flames to come out and publicly back Darryl Sutter ever since the season ended.
If you are one of the folks who, for some reason or another, think that Darryl Sutter should have been on the chopping block for what happened this season, I urge you to give your head a shake.
I am a staunch Sutter su...
[b]Yes his gameplay this year wasn't up to expectations, but can the Canadiens permit themselves to lose Mike Komisarek? [/b]
Granted, if he did refuse a 4M$ deal, it leaves Montreal in the uncomfortable position of either overpaying the 6'4'' behemoth or letting him go in the hopes of signing a F.A. that can support prime minutes. Looking at this summer's available unr...
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]
[...
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...
Lets look into this a bit. The Jets had pitiful attendance figures that declined right up until they moved to Phoenix. In their last season, the Jets averaged just over 11,000 fans per game.
Generally, Corporate ticket sales make up around 60-70% of total ticket sales, on average. The remaining tickets are ones bought by you and me, Individuals. The Jets were the third ...
Today Darryl Sutter confirmed he is keeping the 2009 first round pick, he had the option of giving phoenix this pick or the 2010 pick in the Jokinen deal. This draft is generally considered deeper than next years draft which some are saying could be as bad as the '99 draft but having said that is the 20th over all pick going to be that great?
At number 20 the Flames cou...
Laplante writes...
Bob Gainey on how to pull off a perfect Kansas City Shuffle
Posted Monday | Comments 0
''Its a blindfold kick back type of a game
Called the Kansas City Shuffle
Whereas you look left and they fall right
Into the Kansas City Shuffle
Its a they-think you-think you don't know
Type of Kansas City hustle
Where you take your time
Wait your turn
And hang them up, and out to dry''
It was just last night that I was watching the movie [i]Lucky Number Slevin...
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.
2014. It will be critical year for the flames franchise, Iginla's contract will be expired at the end of 2013, same for Regehr, following the 2014 season Dion and Kipper will be UFA as well. One other major piece will be the home they all live in, the Saddledome, will also be expired.
The "'dome", as it is more commonly known, has been a fixture of Calgary landscapes s...
In the MLSE land of unreasonable expectations, even a superstar troupe like Burke and Wilson will not be afforded another record breaking season; at least not if said record is a fifth consecutive season of playoff free hockey. Subsequently Burke is going to be looking for a catalyst to the rebuilding project come summer and the most obvious route will arrive in early July...
I'm not one that welcomes change. I believe in tradition, sentimental values, and fear taking things in the present for granted, but want to appreciate them when they're not around to appreciate anymore. Change is constant and you have no choice to embrace and deal with it, especially the inevitable changes. When Martin Brodeur was injured for a three month stretch this se...
Ray Emery. Say that name since Comcast Sportsnet's Tim Panaccio broke the news that it's almost a done deal that Sugar Ray is headed to the Flyers and Flyers fans have recoiled like Dracula from garlic. There have even been people who say the thought of Emery in Orange and Black makes them sick.
I am stupefied at this reaction. The Flyers have a history of rolling the ...
Ray Emery. Say that name since Comcast Sportsnet's Tim Panaccio broke the news that it's almost a done deal that Sugar Ray is headed to the Flyers and Flyers fans have recoiled like Dracula from garlic. There have even been people who say the thought of Emery in Orange and Black makes them sick.
I am stupefied at this reaction. The Flyers have a history of rolling the ...
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...
Last year, during the Wings Playoff Series with the Avs, I wrote the following:
[i]"There is [b]NO QUESTION[/b] that the Av's Cody McLeod has foolishly, and dangerously unleashed the [b]CURSE OF THE OCTOPUS[/b]! After the National Anthem was completed, a fan threw the traditional cephalopod onto the Hockeytown ice. Wings fans cheered. But then, McLeod actually skated ov...
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...
Okay folks, time to play GM once again and figure out what the team is going to look like next season...
[u][b]Under Contract Cap Hits[/b][/u]
(all numbers in Millions)
[i]Forwards[/i]
Eric Staal- $8.25m
Rod Brind'amour- $3.6
Ray Whitney- $3.55
Matt Cullen- $2.875
Sergei Samsonov- $2.533
Scott Walker- $2.5
Patrick Eaves- $1.4
Brandon Sutter- $1.04
Zac Boy...
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...
Rob McGowan writes...
So It All Comes Down to One Game, Plus Some Isles Chatter
Posted Wednesday | Comments 717
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...
The title that I wanted to put for this was too long so I had to shorten it. I don't mean to cause any kind of hatred or anything with it. The original title was to be: "Why the NHL is better off in Phoenix than in Winnipeg - Part 2: The Rebuttals".
Alright, so I promised to write a blog to counter the 18 comments on my last blog. Close to half of those comments didn't ...
The Buffalo Sabres are in desperate need of an upgrade in talent and Lecavalier or Heatley would be the perfect fit. Derek Roy, Jochen Hecht, and quite a few other players as well as any future first round draft choice should be on the table. It is time to shake things up and move forward.
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...
Hi! I'm Will! I love hockey!
There's an introduction to me. I'm pretty awesome. So yeah.
Oh, and check out my youtube channel! www.youtube.com/willytheleaf
Thanks all! I'll be writing here as draft day comes closer, and what I think the league, and the Leafs should do! Yay!
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...
I thought we would play fantasy hockey; pretend that we are all fantasy general managers (in my case it is really fantasy). What would you give up to get the Heater? Is Danny the franchise player, or better yet, does he make the players around him better?
Well, first of all, you can bet the Sens would like to get a top dman and number one prospect. Also, maybe another ...
Just saying it or hearing it said, conveys everything you need to know.
[i][b]It's do or die.[/b][/i]
And in this case...game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals...[i][b]it's the end of the line for BOTH teams.[/b][/i]
After tonight, one team will have the summer to enjoy the hardware...and one team will have the summer to ponder "what might have been".
The Penguins ar...
I will be watching game 7 of tonight's Detroit vs. Pittsburgh game on NBC.
Not CBC.
Yes, it has taken me the entire season to get to this point. But I just can't hack it anymore.
I love Ron MacLean. I LOVE Don Cherry; I mean, I don't always agree with him, but his segments are always entertaining and I appreciate his patriotism and his passion for hockey. He sa...
So here we are again, us the true hockey junkies, resorting to watching the NHL network and maybe even popping in some old game videos on VHS tapes, just to get our “fix”. Which, as always, makes for some long summer months ahead. Many of you know the feeling, as the final seconds ticked away during tonight’s game 7, the thought of no more hockey for months just beca...
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...
look i'm a huge flyers fan and i absolutely hate the entire penguins roster minus stall cant hate that guy, but anyway i truely belive that malkin doesnt deserve the MVP as much as Fluery does the penguins dont make it to the finals let alone a game 7 without him, Marc Andre stepped up HUGE!!!! in the playoffs stealing games for the pens left and right, i understand malkin...
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...
So they young Pens finally crested the proverbial mountain and overcame 2 - 0 and 3 - 2 series defecits to conquer the Wings and win the first (of what could be many) Stanley Cup of the Sidney Crosby era. As a Rangers fan I am not obligated to feel anything other than disgust and envy when a hated division rival succeeds where the Rangers have failed for the last 14 season...
gkmkiller writes...
With the 1st pick in the '09 draft, the Rangers select......
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Now that the Stanley Cup Finals have concluded, its time for us fans to start looking at the offseason and how are we going to improve our rosters so we can compete for a cup next year. I'm going to put a little different spin on that thought by discussing what I would do if I was GM of the Rangers and we had the first overall pick in this year's draft instead of the Isles...
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 ...
just going to share a few thoughts on issues the oilers are facing this off season.
new coaches: i like the hiring of quinn and renney is an underrated hire as well. it will be interesting to see how they handle the current roster and what they decide to do with it. a couple questions as to what they will do with a guy like penner, do they give him another chance or get...
I have read a lot of comments lately...many unhappy "non Penguin" fans out there.
A lot of them are angry at Sid for the "Handshake Debacle".
Honestly...I think Sid should have been at the front of the line and he wasn't. Shame on him for that. He was clearly too caught up in the moment.
Do I think he PURPOSEFULLY skipped certain players...NO. I do think he should...
This will be the future headline in all the newspapers, tv stations and the internet once the free agent period begins on July 1, 2009. Brian Burke looks to place his own big stamp on the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer and rebuild this team back into a playoff contender this off season when the UFA period begins. The questions many Maple Leaf fans have, myself included is...
For the record, I'm not saying I don't like Jacques Lemaire or think he's a bad coach. Any coach that wins a Stanley Cup and has coached as long as he has is good enough in my book. I just think at this point and time Lemaire isn't the right coach the Devils need, especially if Lou is looking to hire someone long term. He would not be in my top five choices but is not my l...
The June 26th NHL Entry Draft is not far away and now that the Stanley Cup Finals have come to an end, the hockey world now shifts its focus to the draft. Here are my predictions for who will go in the top 15.
[b]15. Anaheim Ducks – RW Scott Glennie (Brandon-WHL). [/b]Glennie has made amazing strides in the last year or so. He is definitely a bonafide goal scorer but...
mslepp writes...
Calgary Flames: Recent Activity and Addressing the Rumours
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[b]Who Will be at the Helm?[/b]
This is the major cloud that's been looming over Calgary for the last couple weeks.
Darryl or Brent?
Sutter or Sutter?
Even with the firing of Dave Tippett in Dallas (which doesn't make a whole lotta sense, but is an issue for another day), the Calgary Flames have been super quiet about what's going on in the search for a head ...
So the “Next One”, “Sid the Kid”, “Cindy Crysby”, whatever you want to call him made one of the major NHL foopahs as he did not shake hands with BARELY ANY of the Detroit Red Wings after the Pens won the CUP. As Henrik Zetterberg said it best it was downright “disrespectful.”
I can understand being caught up in the moment of winning the Stanley Cup. Ho...
Dear Mike Gillis,
First of all Mr. Gillis I would like to take deep exception to the fact you signed Burrows to an extension that clearly makes sense. As a Calgary Flames Fan I am used to other division General Managers (cough lowe cough cough) making horribly large and exorbitant signings that greatly increase our chances and this clearly goes against everything I was ...
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...
FLAMESTR writes...
Winter Classic In Calgary and Fantasy GM Who wants Hossa
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
ell another week has already passed. I thought I would like to open this blog up by offering my congratulations to the Pens on becoming the Stanley Cup Champions. Simply put, Malkin was awesome in the victory for Pit, he deserved for MVP for the playoffs.
This series was a classic, but I must admit that when the Wings took the game 5 zip, I for one, did not give the Pen...
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...
A little while back I completed my mock Draft and now that the draft is less than a week away I thought I'd look back and see if there were any changes. Here is the Old Draft order (note this was before standings were final)
1 New York Islanders C John Tavares
2 Colorado Avalanche D Victor Hedman
3 Tampa Bay Lightning D Jared Cowen
4 Atlanta Thrashers C Matt Duchene...
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...
Hello Sens fans!
Just some interesting stuff most of you probably know.
*Heatley
Bryan Murray has set a deadline for the trade to be completed. Murray want the deal done by the draft this upcoming weekend. Murray said if the organization has to give any more money to heatley then he will be playing in Ottawa in the fall. Murray also said there is one team that is v...
If Barack Obama is the people’s President, Judge Wapner was head of The People’s Court, and The Rock is the People’s Champion, then surely Steve Yzerman is the People’s Captain.
Yzerman had a long, 23-year NHL career. Not all of it was pretty, not all of it was good, but Yzerman left the game in 2006 as one of the most beloved players to have ever laced up a pa...
I consider Holmgren to be a smart guy, and a pretty good GM. Typically, smart people learn from mistakes, and Homer has a biiiiiiggg mistake staring him in the face. Obviously this is his cap managment. So as the title of my blog poses...
[b]*** What will it take to obtain JBo, and why would you do it? ***[/b]
Before i go into detail, this is a question i ask ...
We all know Sutter likes to make a splash at the draft, we also know in deep drafts he has traditionally traded down for more picks. What makes this draft a little different is that there is no first round pick next year to bank on. The schools of thought being trade down and get two okay guys or trade up and get a sure fire blue chip prospect.
In addition the Flames h...
Moving into the Calgary Flames thirtieth season, we as fans have been given hope for a chance to move forward from a disappointing end to a very promising season. Today at 3PM local Darryl Sutter has announced a new coaching staff for the Calgary Flames, bringing in his brother Brent Sutter, Former flames Dave Lowry and Jamie McLennan, and Former head coach of the Quad Cit...
Does the hiring of Brent Sutter really require another blog?
Probably not. I mean, this is one of those "worst-kept secrets" that gets attached with any story being leaked these days.
But the hiring of Brent Sutter is gonna get a blog.
Why?
Because this may go down as one of the most important moves Darryl Sutter has made during his tenure with the Calgary...
Brent Sutter was introduced as the new Head Coach of the Calgary Flames today; the 4th Head Coach in the past 5 seasons. As well Ryan McGill, Dave Lowry, and Jamie McClennan were named as Assistant coaches. A decision met with a lot of scepticism by the local media and fanbase, the Flames now have 5 Sutter’s working within the organization. General Manager Darryl, Dire...
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....
According to a recent post by Eklund the Rangers may be close to acquiring Dany Heatley from Ottawa. Here is what Eklund had to say, "* The Rangers are reportedly offering a deal that may include Chris Drury to the Sens for Dany Heatley. A source close to the scene in NY said that "There are major wheels in motion, and I believe Heatley to be a Ranger by Sunday."
Person...
approximately 2 days from now we'll know who the Leafs drafted with their first round selection. I have all the faith in Burkie (hence my Burke leafs jersey I purchased before he was announced as GM/President) but I do think he has a very tough task to complete in Montreal.
For Starters with all the media attention he has received over his stay up until now I can surel...
Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock will be named as Team Canada's head coach for the Mens Olympic hockey team at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. The decision was made by one of Babcock's former players, executive director, Steve Yzerman.
This had to be a lock with or without the presence of Stevie Y. Babcock has proven himself at the NHL level. He's been to the Cup ...
landsharkhockey writes...
Off Into the Sunset...Players heading out in '09
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
As we look back at the 2008-09 season, it's interesting the note the players that no longer appear on the stats sheet. Let's take a look at the notable retirees, as well as those that you may have missed who have played their last shift in the NHL. (At least until they come out of retirement next year.)
[u]The Hall of Fame Class: [/u]
Jaromir Jagr - We have ...
Please read this drivel before reading on:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/06/25/kelley_sutter_devil/
Let me respond if I may do so.
I'd be a whole lot more comfortable with your reaction if everything you wrote was not an anti Calgary blog or you worked for a network that has a slew of Oiler fans working for it. First of all, and I know this might be hard to ...
"Sources tell TSN the Toronto Maple Leafs have received what the team considers to be a significant offer for defenceman Tomas Kaberle."
[url]http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=282846[/url]
Kaberle has been rumoured to a few teams in the past.
The Kaberle to San Jose rumours have been active for few years now.
This morning TSN reported that Toronto was interested in...
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...
landsharkhockey writes...
Falling Stars - Disappointing 2008 Performances
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Looking back again at the 2008-09 NHL season, there were a number of players who failed to deliver on fantasy hockey expectations. We'll ignore the situations that were due largely to injuries (Zubov, Brodeur, etc.). That's a topic for another day. These guys tanked unexpectedly and can't blame the medics. Here are the top 11 fantasy disappointments of 08:
[b]1. ...
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...
Multiple sources are saying that soon-to-be RFA Ryan Clowe of the Sharks is on the trade block. Clowe finished last season with 22 goals and 52 points in 71 games. Eleven of those goals came on the power play. With the Rangers ineffectiveness on the power play a well known fact, would it make sense for the Rangers to at least inquire on Ryan Clowe?
The purported asking ...
It came as no surprise, Daryl Sutter trading down to the 23rd pick from 20 to pick up an additional 3rd round pick. This is interesting for a few reasons, Calgary already had two 3rd round picks and no 2nd round picks, they must have been comfortable that the guy they wanted would still be there three picks away so they traded. As soon as that trade went down, with guys li...
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 am just curious to know how many Canucks fans want the Sedins back and what your thoughts are on them signing a 12 year deal?
Also I still don't believe that Gaborik rumors, he is highly skilled. But Gillis likes grit and Gaborik has been prone to injury.
I have a weird feeling that Sundin will be back next season. I'd really like to see Wellwood back with a 2 ye...
Somebody asked me Why I post the Blogs on the weekend when I get no traffic to look at the blogs. I simply responded because I get no traffic to read my blogs anyways :) Now on with the observations of the weekend.
[b]
The Two biggest trades on the weekend[/b]
Mr. Sutter is at it again, as he trades for the rights of JBO, out of Florida, which cost us Leopold an...
Brian Burke has not publicly stated who he'll be targeting on July 1st, but logic dictates his focus will be deadlocked on Unrestricted Free Agents Mike Cammalleri or the Sedins.
After many critics--fans and writers alike--expressed their discontent towards Burke's inactivity at the NHL Entry Draft last weekend, you can bet Burke will be looking to make a big splash onc...
While the highly anticipated trades, wheelings, and dealings that were expected at the NHL Entry Draft last Friday never materialized, there was a sense that a lot of teams ended up a lot closer to understanding just what they need to do come July 1st, the opening of the NHL's free agency transaction period.
Brian Burke, so frustrated at the lack of movement at the pro...
Just wondering through written word, what my beloved hockey team will look like next season. With their reluctance to ever sign impact UFA's from other teams over the summer and their hesitation to tender contracts to their own UFA's thus far I dont see a marked improvement on last season. Unless some speculated signings are actually executed, this is not going to be a pre...
July 1st is tomorrow, folks. Where has the time gone? Not complaining, though, I couldn't be happier as I prepare to bask in the excitement of the Free Agency Frenzy.
Oh, and it's also Canada Day, too.
Brian Burke, after failing to make his mark at the NHL Entry Draft, will presumably have big plans for tomorrow. He loves the limelight, after all, so it wouldn't surpr...
Hey everybody, i've been on hockeybuzz for a while but rarely post. But after reading EVERYWHERE about all these "offseason plans" that people are coming up with its just ridiculous. Lets get real. We have no money to spend. The odds of trading Drury, Gomez, Redden and/or Rozsival are very slim to say the least. The only realistic one that could be moved may be Rozsival. D...
Word is just coming in; Scott Gomez's time on Manhattan is at an end. Gomez was dealt today to the Montreal Canadiens with F Tom Pyatt and D Michael Busto in exchange for RFA Forward Chris Higgins and D Ryan McDonagh and D Pavel Valentenko. The Canadiens were known to be actively looking for a #1 Center and after exploring trade options for Vinny Lecavalier, appear to have...
Let me start by saying that I am a Leafs fan and in no way shape or form do I have a liking for the Ottawa Senators. I wanted to ask the masses of people out there if Dany Heatley may have a point in all of this. Personally, I think Heatley is a bum and that he will get what he deserves (contract ripped up, lifelong injury etc...).
I was quite disapointed for Ottawa...
Since before the March 4 trade deadline the big question has been where will Jay Bouwmeester end up? The 25-year-old defenceman was involved in trade rumors that had him going to Philadelphia, but the deal never materialized. Then the question was with whom would he sign? Then we paused and remembered his rights could be traded at the draft for picks, which is exactly what...
What a difference a day makes, eh? Wow. I am still not really sure how I feel about all of the moves that Bob Gainey made over the last 48 hours. To be honest, I'm not sure what I expected Gainey to do. I guess if there's one thing I've learned over Gainey's tenure, its that you should always expect the unexpected!
Gainey seems to have a knack of zigging when you ...
After comparing the stunning game 7 loss the Devils suffered to the Carolina Hurricanes and the events that occurred...well didn't occur at yesterday's free agency opening, I couldn't figure out when I was more speechless. Like many Devils fans yesterday, I experienced a whirlpool of emotions, emotions that lasted into today. I was frustrated, outraged, upset, stunned, mor...
I wrote a blog a few days after the draft, and quite harshly got ridiculed for suggesting that the Leafs would not be after the top-end talent available during yesterday's NHL free agent frenzy.
I suggested that Brian Burke, in all his common sense, would realize that now is not the time for the Leafs to sign big, while taking smaller, more rational steps would be the ...
Is that a knife in my back, or are you just happy to leave me? And by me, I mean us...and by us I mean Habs fans.
As much as the loss of Komisarek from the Canadiens lineup is hard to swallow, the way in which it was done makes it all the more painful. Now that the details are coming out, it is looking like Komisarek went to Toronto for a measley 2.5 million more than...
Heatley has asked for a trade, just not to Edmonton. Bouwmeester wanted to come to Alberta, just not to Edmonton. Those are the latest two players to put further black marks on the city of champions, a trend that started with Chris Pronger and his exodus from Edmonton.
This is not a rant about how much Edmonton sucks, because it doesn't, but there is a truth out there ...
I remember when only the best of the best could control potential movement. I remember when GMs would fight hard against the agent for a no trade clause and I remember when the media would yell and scream at the GM on behalf of the fans for not caving on the no trade clause.
Fast forward and just about every contract of significant value comes complete with a NO MOVE...
When John Ferguson Jr. took over as General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs I was hoping that he would bring the Leafs back to glory.....that didn't really happen. His first year saw the Leafs miss the playoffs for the first time since 1998, and long-time coach Pat Quinn fired after missing the playoffs by one point. It also saw Toronto buy out the contract of long-ti...
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 ...
Maybe saying the flames are the next redwings might be a bit of stretch but there roster is looking good for many years. This years line up should contend for the cup and like the wings there team starts with a solid defense. Is boumeester, phanuef and regher, compariable to lidstrom, rafalski and krownwall ? or maybe the question should can they develop into that trio? go...
[b]DANNY HEATLEY SAGA[/b]
NHLPA is standing behind Heatley. Well, technically he is not doing anything wrong. Morally is another story. When it comes to pure talent, I am one of his biggest fans. I love watching Heater play. I am a huge fan of his play, but right now I am not a fan of his attitude. When it comes to a player, I would like to be a fan of the hockey pla...
This is my first blog and I live and breathe flyers hockey so cut me some slack. haha After a disappointing first round exit at the hands of the pens, that saw the flyers get beat defensively and in goaltending, their main goal coming into the offseason was to improve the goaltending and blue line. Like many flyers' fans i was awestruck, angry, and about to start a lynch m...
1. Dustin Boyd:
He's shown he can score, 11G and 11A in a limited 4th line grinder role, Can he play top 6?
2. The Flames D:
Seeing as it is very much stacked...
Nuef-J.Bo
Regher-Sarich
Pardy-Gio
Pelech
Can we afford to trade away Cory Sarich and his big contract? I mean I love the guy, but shedding salary, and maybe picking up a top 6 forward.
3 Lack of of...
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...
This is the second in a series of NHL Off-Season Progress Reports. Today I look at the Northeast Division and assign grades based on what has already been done and what still needs to be done. Of course there is still plenty of time for teams to plug holes so I’ll analyze what still needs to be done and how much cap room the team has left to fill those holes.
Boston
...
sbtricky writes...
Ohh Canada - Early Predictions for Canada's '10 Olympic Team
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The "list" has been released, and save for a few surprise (and glaring!) omissions, most of the list is what any Canadian hockey fan expected to see. Sidney Crosby, Vinny Lecavalier, Chris Pronger, Roberto Luongo - just to name a few of the expected "locks" for the team. How will the rest of the team shape up after a disappointing 7th place showing in Turin, Italy?
Her...
Montreal trades Christopher Higgins, Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko & Doug Janik to New York for Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto.
Montreal landed their long sought-after #1 Centre on Tuesday, but it wasn't the Flying Frenchman that everyone expected. GM Bob Gainey felt the price was too high for Vincent Lecavalier and instead settled for an overpaid, underac...
Spacepawn writes...
Habs RFAs and UFAs Forwards Are Worth Less - Part 1 of 2
Posted Monday | Comments 11
The Montreal Canadiens had the most players to re-sign or seek out this 2009 off-season. Might be a new NHL record to add to the list of Habs records. The team's GM, Bob Gainey, at the time of the NHL Draft, had 11 players signed and $33 million of cap space remaining. While some teams will be opting for minimum cap this coming season, Montreal will remain a contender for ...
As I conclude my work day, I thought I'd kill off the last little with some random thoughts on various goings on in the NHL over the last few days.
Kovalev signing in Ottawa:
I think that might mean Heatley is going to be moved. Kovy's cap hit is going to make it almost impossible to stay under the cap unless they do. Too much money for Kovalev too.
Beauchemin signs...
With the recent signings of Cam Barker and Kris Versteeg to nearly identical 3 year contracts worth more than $9 million each, it appears that the Hawks have dodged the proverbial bullet with regards to the NHLPA grievance over the Hawks handling of the RFA tender notices. After all, if the players had any desire to test the market and consider offers from other teams they...
On the heels of Brian Burke saying that the team is still not a finished product, and he will continue to make changes through free agency and trades, I thought I would take a quick look at the free agents that still remain out there that Burke could show interest in.
The following are some free agents i would inquire about, not necessarily chase....
Travis Moen
- ...
Spacepawn writes...
Habs RFAs and UFAs Forwards Are Worth Less - Part 2 of 2
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
This is part 2 and final of a two-piece article writing about the value of Montreal Canadiens UFAs and RFAs from the 2008-09 season.
In part 1, I covered the big name Habs UFAs and compared them to the new recruits. In short, the value of the UFAs were on average lower than that of the new signings. And as the new signings are more or less all younger (exception is Ale...
Alright, time to get some frustrations of mine off my mind.
I've been browsing around the Canadiens' facebook groups recently, and I've been noticing people bashing #84.
The arguments about him is that he has not improved in three NHL seasons thus far. Um, last time I checked he was 22 years old, with size and plenty of upside. Give the guy time. Patience seems to b...
It's been a little while since I've posted a blog... and I have a number of ideas and thoughts on the current state of the Calgary Flames that I would like to address when I find the time...
For now, I want to focus on the tampering allegations toward the Toronto Maple Leafs in regards to the Sedin twins.
I really feel these allegations by the Vancouver Canucks ha...
As I looked at NHL.com to check the free agent tracker, and with anticipation, saw that Buffalo had made a move. Then I saw, that it was Matt Ellis who had returned to Buffalo for another season.
I was impressed with Ellis last season. When he was on the ice, he gave 110%. He may not score a ton of goals, but no one can argue the effort he puts forth on the ice. Ellis ...
As a small time blogger, I often hear what is wrong with the League and what fans want to do fix it. What do you think was the biggest complaint I heard? Out of all the dangers in the League, people had the most problems is with the inconsistency of the refereeing.
The biggest problem that the fans are having with the refs how can one play earn a penalty one game and n...
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...
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...
RinkLighter writes...
The Biggest Change for the Flames Isn't that New D-man...
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The biggest change this year for the Flames isn't going to be the loss of Cammy and Bertuzzi. Or Aucoin. (And certainly not Vandermeer.) Or the dependence on youngsters due to cap issues.
It isn't even going to be the signing of J. Bo.
It's going to be Brent Sutter.
He's going to (hopefully) bring the structured system and accountability this team has been so...
Blog #3, maybe this one will actually appear on ‘myhockeybuzz’ or on Eric Engals’ page!
Basically, I am here to continue my unfortunate stream of pessamistic emails, and to tell you exactly why I believe that the Montreal Canadiens will not win a cup in the next five years, and why exactly I hated the Gomez trade.
First of all though, I will say that I liked th...
HI everyone Flyers prospect camp fell during my busiest week of the summer.
I had the pleasure to go Friday and Sunday.
Friday the Orange team again beat the very talented black 2-1.
Today the black team won in a shoot out care of Mr Dingle.
Pat Maroon continues to dominate during this camp. He really is a presence there.
Riopel and Morrison did excel...
Kamal Panesar writes...
A Farewell to Kings - Goodbye Koivu and thank you....
Posted Monday | Comments 1
The Saku Koivu era, in Montreal, is officially over. Sadly, he went out with a whimper and not a roar. Left unsigned and not tendered an offer by the only organization that he had ever played for, Koivu had no choice but to ride off into the sunset. Not by his choosing, of course, as Saku would still be a part of the Montreal Canadiens organization if it was up to him.
...
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...
The latest information to hit my desk!
According to Mr. Leopold a Hockey Rumor Buzz Correspondent Simon Gagne of the Philadelphia Flyers 29 years old, may be heading to the Hab's, but for who, for what he makes no mention of. If Gagane is moved at all I ask what is his worth to Montreal. Leopold raises the fact that a Gagne move to Montreal could cost the Flyers another...
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...
Michael Lindow
July 14, 2009.
Toronto – It has been less that a year since Brian Burke took the reigns as the Toronto Maple Leafs President and General Manager but already the team has a new look and some much needed optimism in a city that was starved for it. Having to clean up the mess left behind by the previous GMs John Ferguson Jr. and Cliff Fletcher Burke stil...
For my inaugural blog I want to start things off with a radical headline such as:
“Stanley Returning to Oil Country in 2010”
Unfortunately a title that unbelievable would only appeal to fans living in a fantasy world and, since Edmonton doesn’t look much like middle earth last I checked, I’ve been struggling to think up a more realistic headline.
“Why...
Michael Lindow
July 14, 2009.
With Tomas Kaberle being the last of the “Muskoka Five” to remain with the Toronto it is time to turn the chapter and move him and put the past Leaf horrors behind us. Mats Sundin, Darcy Tucker, Bryan McCabe and now Pavel Kubina are all but a distant memory leaving us with just Grant Exelby, Colin Stuart and Mike Van Ryn to show for wh...
[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...
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...
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been active in the free agency period to say the least. Signing Komisarek, Beauchemin, Orr, Gustavsson, Wallin, and Kadri. Trading Kubina and Stapleton for Exelby and Stuart. And of course the makeover of certain staff led by arguably the best goalie coach in Francois Allaire. However do not think for one second that Burke is done. Not even clo...
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...
Danny Heatley will not be making a decision today. I have conformation that Heatley will not be making a decision tonight and probably not in the near future. Danny still wants to explore every option before making a decision on Edmonton.Reports are that Edmonton has set a deadline for Heatley to accept a trade to the team bringing up rumours that Heatley would make his de...
Tampa bay, Florida, Colorado,Phoenex,Buffalo, and the New york Islanders are all interested in Tanguay. Ive heard that Colorado and Florida are the front runners at this time. Teams such as the Islanders and the Coyotes seem to have lost interest as his price tag continues to climb with the added interest.
"They're one of the teams we've talked to, but that's about all I ...
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...
Hockey is a business, you hear it all the time and it is true at least at the professional level.
As team President, John McDonough is directly responsible to Rocky Wirtz. He oversees the administrative side of the Hawks. Wirtz is the Chairman of the Board, the man with the money as it were. Wirtz delegates the responsibility of running the organization to McD and becau...
MIAMI HERALD: George Richards reports the Panthers have an offer on the table for Alex Tanguay as do other teams. Richards suggests if the Panthers lose out on Tanguay the club could make a minor move prior to the start of next season.
TAMPABAY.COM: Damien Cristodero reports Tanguay is rumored to be asking for $5 million for next season, down slightly from the $5.375 mill...
With the recent pick ups of Fredrik Sjostrom, Brian McGrattan and now it looks like Nigel Dawes, Darryl Sutter is following his usual routine of sneaky pick ups during the summer season.
Looking at the three less than flashy pickups, as opposed to J-Bo, each one can offer a great upgrade at their position.
Knowing Sutter’s history over the past five plus seasons h...
Rumor has it, The Vancouver Canucks are in trade talks with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Newly appointed GM Bowman is looking to make a few changes, and free up some highly needed cap space.
Speculating what might be sent in return for these two,
To Hawks,
Cory Schneider
Rick Rypien
1st round pick 2010
To Canucks,
Barker
Byfuglien
Why the canucks would do ...
FLAMESTR writes...
Weekly notes ( Flames, Oilers, Habs, Hawks, Leafs,Panthers)
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[b]Edmonton Oilers
[/b]
To much of my disapproval, the Oilers did not get Hossa , nor has Heatley consented to becoming an Oiler. Which really surprises me, because I really thought that one of those two players would have become an Oiler. The Oilers did pick a solid goalie, though, in Khabby. It was really refreshing to hear a player wanting to go there. The Oilers real...
Rebuilding, back stepping, reloading, call it what you want. It is evident the Devils approached this off season with the intentions of instilling a youth movement and seem to be going through with it. Fans were outraged as players like Brian Gionta and John Madden signed elsewhere, while the Devils stood pat since July 1st. After realizing Lou Lamoriello's plans for the t...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Habs 2009-2010 NHL Schedule: Lots of storylines....
Posted Friday | Comments 0
So the 2009-2010 NHL schedule has been released and all the happenings in Montreal, over the last 12 months, mean that there are a ton of games to look forward to and a ton of story lines to follow. All of the games, listed below, are ones where the storyline exists due to the presence of one player. Here is my take on a few games that stand out:
Thurs, Oct. 1, 2009 -...
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...
Hi everyone. This is my first blog on Hockeybuzz. I plan to write one or two blogs per week, one on the Maple Leafs, and one on the Blackhawks. Well, enough of that. I believe the Maple Leafs have a decent chance of making the play-offs this season. I mean, I don't expect them to be at the top of the conference, but I could see them finishing 7th or 8th. Their defense shou...
Rumors persist that Burke has offers for other Dmen not named Kaberle coming in.
It would seem wise to retain Kaberle at his cap hit and given the lackluster offensive abilities of Toronto's truculent defense. The key is to turn a 4-10 defenceman with other parts into a "top 6" forward
Given Chicago's cap situation and the recent firing of Tallon regarding that cap ...
Eklund has suggested that a deal trading Kaberle to Vancouver is almost complete. I like this move for the Canucks but can only wonder: what are the Leafs actually getting out of this? Assuming that the Leafs are in the market for a young top-six forward, it confuses me when I don't actually see any such players on the Vancouver roster not named Cody Hodgson.
Apologie...
Hello Hockeybuzz world!
My name's Andrew - I am a hardcore Pittsburgh Penguins fan, obviously very excited for our Cup win this past year and in general happy about the direction of our team! I am also a fan of the Phoenix Coyotes (YES, PHOENIX... not any other city, thank you). I live in a small suburb of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area that is within 15 miles of Jobing...
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...
I figured I would be like everybody else and talk about the schedule. So, for all of the Sabres fans, here is a quick look at the upcoming year.
The Buffalo Sabres will open the regular season on Saturday, October 3rd against Montreal. Buffalo will quickly get to see Jaroslav Spacek back at HSBC arena. The first road game of the season will be the following Saturday whe...
A lot of rumors have been swirling lately about the state of the Calgary Flames. With Darryl Sutter making moves left and right this off-season, most notably the acquisition of Jay Bouwmeester, fans and analysts alike have raised the question 'is Dion Phaneuf on his way out of Calgary?'
Now before we jump to conclusions let's review the situation the Calgary Flames are ...
Flames fans are excited again. The excitement flows from the off season moves by the Flames management team and it's acquisition of recognizable names, even if most of the names are just bound for Abbotsford. Some of the questions that we will likely get the answer to soon are:
Q: Is Cammalleri's scoring replaceable on the power play?
A: The hope would be the power pl...
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...
As the off-season winds on we are starting to see more teams signing veteran journeymen to provide organizational depth. Much like the Rangers earlier signing of Tyler Arnason, these moves may not pay dividends to the NHL roster but can provide teams with veteran role players to fill in at the NHL level in case of injury and also offer AHL prospects a veteran mentor to sho...
As reported in the [i]Star Ledger[/i], with no agreement in sight, it looks like the Devils and Travis Zajac are headed for arbitration this Friday. 24-year old Travis Zajac is coming off a career year after tallying 20 goals and 62 points. He's been lauded for his astounding chemistry with Zach Parise, and is rendered as someone who would be in Jersey long term.
How ma...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Sanford to Montreal...a depth move or something more?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
On the surface, the Habs picking up Curtis Sanford, on a two-way contract, appears to be a solid depth move. Sanford has shown that he can be a capable back-up goaltender in the NHL while also being at a level where he is comfortable going up and down between the NHL and AHL. While I'm sure playing in Hamilton is not his first choice, right now that looks like the place ...
Canes bloggers are now active daily on Canes Country. Where's Matt during the dog days of summer. We miss the commentary! There is a lot to discuss.
- Former Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators goaltender Martin Gerber has signed with Atlant Mytischi of the KHL, the team has reported.
Gerber supposedly spurned an offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins at being their backup goalie this season, hours before the Penguins signed Brent Johnson. Gerber said that he wanted to play in the KHL to prove that he "still had it...
KevinJames writes...
The Difference Between Lalime and Biron: 400K For 25 Wins
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7Ukm-B3o-WI/ReR310YSOMI/AAAAAAAAAks/x-Gg9gWv0So/s320/MartinBironAction.jpg[/img]
Biron Signs With Islanders, 1 YR at 1.4 M. Sabres Management Caught With Their Head In The Sand
Going into the summer, the Sabres had two glaring issues to deal with:
First, the Sabres desperately needed to acquire a few veteran defenseman. The Sabres took...
One has to wonder, with a defensive corps half signed to long term contracts and a glut of great young defensive prospects, where and when will the Flames fit them in?
Sarich signed until June of 2012
Phaneuf and Bouwmeester signed June of 2014
Regehr signed until June of 2013
That leaves two spots.
Giordano and Pardy, who most would say are two young and good (...
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...
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...
I thought I would do a blog on a much more positive note, something we need once in a while, don’t ya think? I want to talk about the underdog players and why they make good ambassadors for the game? I know it’s a purely objective, but I am writing, and you are all wrong if you disagree with me. I know some of them may be slightly obvious, but I might just surprise y...
Hey all, I know I said my next blog was going to be about Sergei Kostitsyn, but I saw a video yesterday that bumped Sergei down a rung. Sorry Sergei, looks like you'll have to wait one more week!
Ok, so down to business...well, believe it or not, training camp is now less than two months away and it is looking, and sounding more and more like the Montreal Canadiens wil...
I think it's safe to say this is the most drab time of year in hockey world. A time when news is scarce, the free agent frenzy has been reduced to leftovers, and the only thing to do is count down the days until training camp starts. Scarce news doesn't necessarily mean there's nothing to talk about because I'm sure you can point out something about each team that's be wor...
I can hardly wait for the season to start so Ive been looking at it on and off and this is how i see our Calgary Flames roster shaping up;
Scoring line:[b]Nigel Dawes ~ Olli Jokinen ~ Jarome Iginla [/b]
Scoring line:[b]Rene Bourque ~ Daymond Langkow ~ Jamie Lundmark[/b]
Energy line:[b]Curtis Glencross ~ Dustin Boyd ~ David Moss[/b]
Momentum line:[b]Eric Nystrom ~ Cra...
It's clear that the Canadiens have made MAJOR changes to their roster this summer, but as always, one question still seems to rattle my brain; do we finally have a team that can actually "play" with the Leafs?
Don't get me wrong, like every "Montrealer" I am a die-hard Habs fan, but year after year, I find myself coming home from the arena or the bar (or even just upsta...
As with any team in a rebuilding mode, taking baby steps is required.
The Leafs under the tutelage of Brian Burke have done an excellent job of re-tooling an empty prospect cuboard and a team largely devoid of any real toughness.
Beginning with deadline deals for Antropov and Moore, Burke parlayed 2 pending UFAs which he did not intend to retain into two 2nd round ...
Would anyone have expected the then-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to be perennial elites of the league when the expansion franchise was granted in 1993?
Their uniforms were atrocious. Their lineup was laughable. They owed their existence to a campy Disney movie.
Hardly the makings of a champion franchise.
Even the Kariya-Rucchin-Selanne line, easily among the best forw...
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...
[u]Inching Along[/u]
[img]http://www.thehockeynews.com/imgs/dynamique/photos/original/article_16260_2.jpg[/img]
It's been a slow, rainy summer this year in Buffalo. That mood has seemingly set the tone for the Sabres this off season as well.
On Saturday, the Sabres signed former Colorado Avalanche center Cody McCormick to a one year deal worth 550K. McCormick is a...
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...
Leafs nation has been all a-buzz since draft day when a rumour leaked that Kaberle would be sent to Boston for Phil Kessel. The GM's had thier wires crossed. Clearly. That deal has fallen out and since then nothing has come of it. Burke has built a wall of defenders in front of Vesa Toskala. The group looks strong with Kaberle, Schenn, Komisarek, Beauchemin, Exelby and, Mi...
I was reading a post on the Wild Message Boards titled Why don't the Wild have any good fan blogs? and I thought to myself: Why don't I create one? I'm a die-hard Wild fan and have been ever since the State of Hockey was blessed with the return of an NHL franchise. I remember back in the summer of 1997 sitting out on Lake Mille Lacs with my family. fishing and listening to...
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...
On draft day I was one of many thinking Burke would move up in the draft. To grab JT or Brayden Schenn. I was dissapointed to see the Kings draft Brayden. So the leafs selected Nazem Kadri at which point I cursed in disgust. But the more and more I look at it, the better it seems. Kadri was only cut from the world junior team last year because of a broken jaw. Even though ...
As I live in Saskatoon SK, where the camp is bieng held I will be watching the Red and White scrimmage and providing thoughts and analysis Sunday night. Stay Tuned
Kenny
As I'm here sitting down on a warm, summer night and Hockey entrenched in the offseason, I'm thinking about the state of the NHL and how can the league improve. Ever since the lockout, Hockey in general has really plummeted when it came to casual viewers in the U.S. Understandable in a way, because any sport that takes a leave of absence for a long period of time is going ...
For the first time since the PPG line of 2006-2007, the Ducks have legitimate secondary scoring.
The signing of Saku Koivu and the shipping of Chris Pronger to Philadelphia for Joffrey Lupul (and Luca Sbisa + Draft picks) accomplishes something that has been sorely lacking in Anaheim since Edmonton snatched Dustin Penner with a huge offer sheet and Andy McDonald was shi...
Although the season prior to lockout would prove the Maple Leafs last playoff foray in half a decade, neither year that straddled the infamous labor disputes would be remembered with any particular fondness. Ushering in the reign of John Ferguson Jr., 2003-04 became, in hindsight, a defining landmark in an era of decline when overblown hype would manifest a country club ma...
Repoted done
We certainly hope so.
Most have forgotten the leafs first round draft pick all the way back in 2006 Jiri Tlusty. He hasn't had an impact with the big club just yet. Luke Schenn, the leafs first rounder in 2008 made the team and at times was thier best d-man.
Tlusty however, has had an impressive season with the Marlies. Scoring an even point per game. Tlusty's break ...
Bozak last season with U of Denver
19 GP 8 G 15 A 23 Pts 10 PIMs
Hanson last season with U of Notre Dame
37 GP 16 G 15 A 31 GP 28 PIMs
Who will put up better numbers?
What will those numbers be?
Leafs or Marlies?
Kenny
I just read Eklunds latest blog and Ek had something to say of Dan. It reads...
Heatley himself is actually in Toronto (hmmm) today to speak at a Canadian Hockey Summit at Toronto's Westin Harbour Castle Hotel put together by The One Goal Association. Heatley is not manning up and speaking of the last two months, but rather will speak on his experiences growing up and p...
#1 Nazem Kadri - London Knights
#2 Jiri Tlusty - Toronto Marlies
#3 Mikhail Stefanovich - Quebec Remparts
#4 Chris DiDomenico - Drummondville Voltigeurs
#5 Dale Mitchell - Windsor Spitfires
#6 Jerome Flaake - Cologne
#7 Kenny Ryan - U.S. U-18
#8 Joel Champagne - P.E.I.
#9 Viktor Stalberg - U of Vermont
#10 Jesse Blacker - Windsor Spitfires
Noteables - Grant Rol...
In the next few days I will be writing prospect profiles on my list of the Top Ten Leafs Prospects. Begining with number ten Jesse Blacker counting up to number one Nazem Kadri. Stay Tuned
Kenny
It's been widely reported that Ryan Getzlaf underwent surgery in Philadelphia for a lingering sports' hernia, but the O.C. Register is now reporting that Getzlaf could miss the start of training camp.
[url]http://ducks.freedomblogging.com/2009/08/03/ducks-getzlaf-could-miss-start-of-camp/16991/[/url]
Will this hurt the Ducks start to the season? As the article notes,...
There's been a lot of grumbling in Sabretown. Granted, a trip from a President's Trophy-winning season to two consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs - without major free agency splashes - would reasonably cause even the most diehard of Sabres fans to wonder what in heck Regier is doing to earn his paycheck.
At least, it seems reasonable.
What free agent moves ar...
While conducting research for the Statistical Analysis in the NHL blog which was posted in July, I became acutely interested in the potential of this “science” as it pertains to player evaluation. Statistical Analysis is now fairly prevalent in the baseball world as a number of General Managers either have backgrounds in the field and/or have started departments within...
I recently read the article about the Sabres building the team they have to be competitive. The pieces are there, according the Darcy Regier. There is a comfort level of the roster. I don't deny that the team has talent. It's there. However, for the past two seasons, the team has missed the playoffs with these players. Could a piece be missing?
There is the ability to d...
I just read an article, on tsn.ca, about Carey Price and I have to say that it put a smile on my face. There is nothing that makes me happier than to see/hear a professional athlete take his lumps like a man, and by reading this article, that is exactly what Carey did! Here take a look for yourselves:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=286872
Without getting into all ...
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...
In the 2008 season Jesse Blacker had limited ice time. Only appeared in 17 games.
This year his totals and ice time have jumped with 21 pointsfor the powerhouse Windsor Spitfires.
Blacker was picked by the Leafs in the second round #58th overall.
Blacker is expected to play one more year with Windsor then make the jump to Marlies or Leafs.
Blacker plays a solid defensi...
I know its August 6th, but lets look at October, because really its only 53 days away…
How much does October mean to the Flames? Is the first game of the season really indicative of whether or not they will be raising Lord Stanley’s Mug nine months later? The answer simply is no. But, the first meaningful hockey game of the season is usually the most highly anticipa...
mapleleafsforever writes...
Balsillie Blah Blah Blah... Coyotes Blah Blah Blah...
Posted Friday | Comments 1
Did I get your attention? Great.
I've been reading some pretty hilarious stuff since the ruling by Judge Redfield T. Baum regarding the September 10th auction for the Phoenix Coyotes Franchise. If you haven't heard the ruling you must tell me how you fit your computer under that rock which you must surely reside beneath. Essentially, the Judge has declared that all b...
I've always thought about blogging. Then I thought, who could really care about my inane thoughts about hockey...or anything else for that matter. Really, aren't bloggers just enthusiasts without press credentials? Perhaps. I do know that I visit this site several times each day. What I've come to realize about bloggers is that, although they may not have access to the...
174 games in the NHL. 23 points. 110 PIM.
Hardly the statistics you'd see on an all-star player - but that's what Joe DiPenta is: a locker-room all-star.
The 6'2" 202 pound defender - who won a Cup with Anaheim in 2007 - is still fondly remembered in Anaheim not for his presence on the ice, but off it. Even after leaving the Ducks, he continued to do charity work for...
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...
Joel Champagne has finished his final year in the CHL with the PEI Rocket. He uses his size to work corners and in front of net but lacks scoring ability.
Blessed with great size, Champagne already has the physical makeup of a professional hockey player. However, appearances can be deceiving and despite his visible attributes, he is very much a project. Willing to use his...
Quick update. I am told the scouts are experimenting with Nazem Kadri centering Brandon Kozun and Taylor Hall. A line they believe will put pucks in the net.
Let's get right to the argument, shall we? There are two major points:
[b]The signing makes good short-term sense.[/b]
I don't love Jason Williams, and I wasn't particularly sad to see him go. But, he isn't a bad player by any stretch of the imagination. Last year he put up 29 points in 39 games with Columbus (after a rough patch with Atlanta) and the year before tha...
Eric Engels posted ten perfect questions for his Hab followers on Thursday, i thought i would come up with my own ten for my beloved Flames......is nothing original anymore?
1. Who will score more goals this season, Rene Bourque or Daymond Langkow?
2. Which of these categories would you be most [b]pleased[/b] to see Jay Bouwmeester lead the rest of the Calgary Flam...
Flaake took the DNL, Germany's top junior league, by storm this season, finishing as the top scorer with 80 points in only 36 games. He also managed another six points in four playoff games. His 2007-08 season ended up being quite a long one, as he put in time playing for both the U18 and U20 national teams as well as a 30-game introduction to the DEL, Germany's top men's ...
There's really no way this can end well.
The drama surrounding the Phoenix Coyotes has been going on for months. It's almost certainly hurt the morale of the team, and it's been terrible publicity for a league that already struggles to maintain credibility outside of the Canadian market.
Part of establishing that credibility has been trying to prove that hockey is a...
I finally had a chance to watch practice and the Red vs. White Game today. Practice was just some drills and the players shooting on the goalies. Matt Duchene's stick skills are some of the best I've seen.
The Games
Final Scroe: 5 to 3 for the Red Team
Shawn Lalonde scored twice in 43 seconds late in the second period to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 advantage as Red ...
Small, bullish, and with a low center of gravity, Mitchell is hard to knock off the puck. And once he has it in his possession, he knows what to do with it.
Dale Mitchell won a memorial cup with the Windsor Spitfires
Chris went undrafted in the OHL draft.
DiDomenico is on the small side at 5'11 and only 165 pounds but has overcome his size deficiencies so far with excellent hockey sense. Though his skating is only average, he is excellent on faceoffs and is a good penalty killer. If he is able to add muscle to his frame and continue to play a smart, two-way game he could surprise.
Di...
On paper, Stefanovich looks to have all the tools that teams look for: a blend of scoring ability and size. Stefanovich’s sharpshooting abilities and offensive instincts are top notch, but his effort is inconsistent at best. Though he is willing to drive to the net, Stefanovich is a player who mainly fights through contact but doesn’t initiate physical play. His skatin...
2006-07: This was Kadri's rookie season with the Kitchener Rangers (OHL). In 62 games, the center recorded 22 points (7g+15a), adding another two assists in nine playoff games.
2007-08: Kadri improved on his numbers from last season, netting 25 goals and another 40 assists in 68 games with Kitchener (OHL). He excelled in the postseason as well, recording 26 points (9g+1...
1. Who will score more goals this season, Rene Bourque or Daymond Langkow?
Bourque. The only issue i am, have or will ever be concerned about is his health. Not sure when the last time was where he did play all 82 games but if he does, he is a force going to the net and would easily score 30 goals each healthy season.
2. What category would you be most pleased to see...
It dawned on me. There are times when I'll be hanging out with friends and the topic of sports comes up in conversation. 9 times out of 10, they talk about baseball, football, basketball, even nascar. Whenever I mention hockey, they look at me like I have 2 heads, or start saying hockey stinks, it's boring to watch, baseball's better, and blah blah blah. Living in New York...
I’m sure many of you have read that former All-Star Theo Fleury has shown up at camp with the Flames and has expressed a desire to return to the NHL. The NHL has already said that Fleury will need to complete the substance abuse program he was entered into when he walked away from the game some 4 years ago. Since he can’t participate with a team until he has been clear...
When one is obsessed, when does one cross the line? I wondered if I am a little crazy with my hockey. Can one become to obsessive about hockey? I think not. But pretty please, do not ask my wife; she seems to take things to personally when it comes to hockey.
She seems to think that throwing things at the TV and yelling at the players for days on end seems to be a li...
The recently announced spin off of Cablevision's Madison Square Garden unit, which includes the all the sports teams, the arena, the MSG network, and various other live entertainment properties, makes perfect sense. Media companies have become so diversified that it's almost impossible for investors to compare "apples-to-apples". How do you compare the stock value of Cabl...
So news continues to spread over where Heatley may or may not end up and what's coming back. Many seem to believe that Heatley will not return as much as he's worth considering his media portrayal over the last couple months has hurt his chances of bringing a better return.
However, Bryan Murray knows exactly what he wants for Heatley and he's not going to accept a trad...
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...
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...
As you evaluate your draft list for the upcoming season, pay special note to a number of players who carry a bit of a high-risk, high-reward aspect. While you don't want to necessarily avoid drafting them, you definitely want to limit the number of these guys that wind up on your roster. It's ok to roll the dice on Marian Gaborik in round 3, as long as your first 2 picks...
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...
THN recently came out with theirs , so I thought I would do my own as well . Except that sinne I lack telepathic ability , I will give a range as to where I think a team can land. From their highest to their lowest.
So lets' get the ball rolling.
.
Atlanta Thrashers
6th-15th
The Thrashers seem to be rallying a bit. Bringing in support for lone super star Ilya Kova...
Stanley Cups, Vezinas, gold medals, broken records...this is the gist of what Martin Brodeur has accomplished throughout his decorated 15-year career. Like him or hate him, you have to admit he's one of the greatest goaltenders to ever play the game and is arguably still one of the best. To say Marty has nothing to prove anymore is a debatable topic that I contradict with ...
gkmkiller writes...
Rangers Add Prospal and Bring Back the Captain....Finally
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Apparently Glen Sather and John Tortorella agreed with me in regards to Vinny Prospal. In a previous post I floated the idea of the Rangers looking at Prospal to address their lack of depth at the Center position. When I first mentioned the idea I met with some comments that gently reminded me that Prospal and Tortorella didn’t necessarily get along in their time togethe...
In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."
Yes, I realize I just quoted the impeccable F. Scott Fitzgerald in writing this, but the quote seem...
First i want to dedicate this post to all the bashers, i just want to put these few numbers out there because I've been seeing alot of bashing of the habs and if people actuall looked into the upgrades montreal has made they would be suprised. This is a comparrison of the top three forwards and D that were let go and picked up. Gainey removed Kovy, Koivu and Tanguay and aq...
gkmkiller writes...
Marleau Stripped of Captaincy, Cue the Trade Rumors
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Now that it was officially announced that Sharks Head Coach Scott McLellan has stripped Patrick Marleau of the captaincy of the team I expect that rumors will begin again of Marleau being shipped out of San Jose. As is usually the case with either high-profile free agents or trade targets, the Rangers will almost assuredly be linked to the potential acquisition of Marleau....
I've been quiet this offseason because I've decided to keep myself busy playing hockey outside rather than comment on free agent signings, especially since the Penguins haven't made any really big moves.
However the news of Patrick Marleau being ousted as the captain going into training camp, with not successor named, has given me cause to post again.
I fully support...
No question....Mark Messier is one of the most important personalities in the New York hockey landscape.
No question....a lot of players could learn a lot from Messier about playing the game and commitment.
No question.....he'd make a great coach/executive. Well....there may be a few....or more.
Let me preface my thoughts by saying that it is good to have Messier...
I initially thought this was a no brainer, but now have reason to believe otherwise. I speculated the Devil's second line would include Patrik Elias and Nicklas Bergfors at the wings and Brian Rolston giving center another shot. Jacques Lemaire stated in an interview with Tom Gulitti that he felt Rolston played best at wing, but was unclear whether or not he'll try him at ...
Rob McGowan writes...
The 2009-2010 Islanders: How They'll Look and What to Expect
Posted Friday | Comments 345
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)
...
Can someone tell me why Brian Propp is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame? He played 16 NHL Seasons, played in 1016 games, 425 Goals, 579 Assists, for 1004 points. In NHL history he has the ,ost points by a left wing in the NHL playoffs (64 goals, 84 assists for 148 points). He played in the Stanley Cup Finals 5 times in those 16 seasons. He is a totally class act that ha...
Today the second annual Cote Carnival was held at the Swanky Bubbles Champagne Bar to Benefit MS.
The day began with a long line in the smoldering sun leaving many Flyers fans hot and sweaty. When the doors opened Riley Cote was waiting to greet the fans after they walked in. Things like that truly show how outstanding Cote is with Player-Fan relations. He is by far th...
Being a small-time blogger has it advantages, as I can pretty much say anything I want and no one cares. I know a lot of the players, but they do not know I am a blogger and do not follow me anyway. So it is not really putting myself out by saying what I wish would happen this season. But what do I know? I am just a small-time blogger, and like I said no-one is really r...
I'm a homer, I will not even try defending myself when accused of it, but I have to seriously wonder if the Flames aren't projected first by default! Not to say they will be so good they can compare to the Detroit and San Jose's of the world...or even Chicago in my opinion (except in net). My Friends and I discussed this and some interesting N.W. division questions came up...
Here we go again... The boys are all in town and prediction season is officially upon us as Canadians from all corners of this great country of ours begin the arduous task of trying to figure out what our Olympic team will look like. The fact is when you’re a nation like ours whose history, literally, can be traced along side this game we all love, it doesn’t get much ...
One thing's for certain when it comes to assembling Team Canada for the upcoming Olympics. Steve Yzerman has his work cut out for him when it comes to making the cuts at the center position. Canada is so stacked at this position, that they could leave their top 8 centers at home and still have 4 of the best players remaining at that position. In fact, of the 25 forwards...
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 ...
In an apparent attempt to apply pressure the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and more specifically presiding Judge Redfield T. Baum to rule in his favor, Jim Balsillie has submitted an amended proposal to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes. The amended proposal sets a deadline of September 14th for Judge Baum to accept Balsillie’s bid of $212.5 million for the team. He also asks that Ju...
The days keep winding down to the open of the 2009-10 season and myself like many Maple Leafs sit pondering who will score this season for the Leafs and will any Maple Leaf actually crack the 30 goal mark? The last time that this has happened in Leafland with a player not named Mats Sundin, we have to go all the way back to the 2002-03 season when Alex Mogilny scored 33. T...
The NHL players should be playing NHL hockey - not the Olympics. I hate it now, I hated it the first time, I hated the NBA Dream Team. The Olympics should include non-NHL players for hockey. They could use AHL or Major Canadian Junior or College Players. Think about how great the Junior World Championships are and how good the hockey is, that is all we want for the Oly...
Today was a pretty crazy day for me. At about 2 o'clock my cell phone was going off the hook with text messages about my favorite hockey player, Simon Gagne. These texts lasted for about 2 hours.
The first text I got told me Simon had hurt himself at the first day of Canada Camp. As more texts came the story began to further itself that he had hurt his groin. This then ...
NU13Flyers12 writes...
Northeastern Huskies: Matthew's Arena Renovations.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
My boss has been uploading pictures all through the summer of the renovations being done at Matthew's Arena, the oldest standing Hockey Rink in the US.
Here is a link to pics and videos... PLEASE COMMENT!
http://matthewnareski.shutterfly.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rGgpzFxhyc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrbipbu7OCg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...
Many people seem to be writing the Toronto Maple Leafs off to miss the playoffs again for the 5th consecutive season. The reason being that the Maple Leafs offense and goaltending are both huge question marks, but after the off season that the Leafs had, I find it hard to write the Leafs off yet.
People are complaining the Leafs lack a goal scorer and with no big na...
As training camp approaches, there will be no shortage of forwards rumoured to be heading to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for one of their excess defensemen. The two players currently being mentioned in the rumour mill, however, will command a little more than a spare part.
Those two players are Patrick Marleau, and Patrick Sharp.
Marleau enjoyed a comeback se...
First time blogger. I see a lot of people rip other predictions, so give mine your best shot. Here we go...
Eastern Conference:
1. Washington
2. Boston
3. Philadelphia
4. Pittsburgh
5. Carolina
6. New Jersey
7. Montreal
8. NY Rangers
9. Ottawa
10. Tampa Bay
11. Toronto
12. Florida
13. NY Islanders
14. Buffalo
15. Atlanta
Western Conference
1. Chi...
Here are the top 10 defensemen you should target for your fantasy hockey draft, and why:
[b]1. Mike Green[/b]
Worthy of the #1 overall pick, if your league places any significant value on defensemen. He's a lock in for the top blueliner in 2009, as he has been for the past 2 seasons.
[b]2. Sergei Gonchar[/b]
Say what you must about about Crosby and Malkin, but the ...
You know, if anyone had any doubt how hockey crazy the City of Calgary was, they need not wonder any more after tonight’s scrimmage by Team Canada Red vs. White. The atmosphere was outstanding. You could not hear anything at the beginning, it was electric. A 10 year old Miss Pederson sang the national anthem in both languages. It was pure magic even before the game sta...
Flamstr wrote a blog as well regarding this that I commented on but for some reason hockeybuzz gods don't like when I comment and often leave them blank... hint hint Ek.
Anyway... a few thoughts I had being there...
Crosby and Nash look good together, I'm not convinced Iggy meshes but it seems like Iginla is hard to get chemistry with period.
Nash was incredible,...
I realize its only August and the Olympics are still 6 months away, but after watching the Red/White Canada scrimmage last night I have to admit I am very excited about the upcoming season.
A few takes on the scrimmage itself - please be aware I watched it over the internet, so the quality wasnt the greatest and the screen size was small and with no play-by-play it was...
Throughout much of this off-season, the bulk of the media-generated discussion surrounding the Maple Leafs rebuilding has focused on the solid moves of GM Brian Burke, and rightfully so. For the hard-core members of Leaf Nation, the internet blog discussions have covered a variety of areas, but when the discussion turns towards the Leafs young 'top six' potential for the ...
Marc Savard. Assuming the Bruins dont resign his the leafs MUST! He would immediately be our best forward. The bruins have a back up plan for Marc departure. It's David Krejic. So im hopefull the Bruins don't re-sign him at which point he'll be UFA. Immediately the Leafs need to sign him. 6 years at least 30 million. Also I would love for them to sign Pat Kane as I believe...
As a self-proclaimed advocate of Statistical Analysis and its potential in the world of hockey I must now defend the practice after a recent blog authored by former Minnesota Wild Assistant GM Tom Lynn was published on The Hockey News on August 28th. For those of you who may be interested in reading the whole post, here is the link: http://thehockeynews.com/articles/27659-...
With more than a half dozen teams falling further down the hole and a few others making marginal improvements this is what I see happening this year.
1. Washington is going to make a big push this year and become the dominant team of the East and NHL. They have the pieces in place and also have a couple of good runs and are prepared to make the push. In my opinion they...
So, after a summer of waiting on the sidelines, Alex Tanguay has finally signed, with the Tampa Bay Lightning and I think that is a GREAT move for them.
When Gary Bettman said, at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, that he had a trade to announce and that it was Tanguay to Montreal for a 1st and 2nd round pick, I was ecstatic! Tanguay has always been a solid contributor to wh...
During the lock out I happened to bump into a very well known Flames Defenseman (won't name names here) and after telling me about all the various locations he had visited during his time off (yeah so hard done by) he went off about what a weasel Bettman is.
The players have never had it so good as they do now, the guys that have gotten them there have all been fired ...
So, who's the best person to take over as NHLPA Head Honcho? Here are some ideas....
- Pierre Maguire
- Pete Rose
- Rene Rencourt
- Marvin Miller
- Condolezza Rice
- Eklund
- D[i][/i]ick Cheney
- Eliot Spitzer
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Sean Avery
- Jim Balsille
- Brett Favre
- Alan Eagleson
I know y'all are a lot smarter than I am, so let the suggestions...
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 ...
Booo to Comcast. They are at it again. They refuse to play with others. They are trying to create a monopoly in Philadelphia broadcasting. They are so paranoid about satellite TV that they have kept CSN off the DirecTV since it's inception. They claim that they are not capable of broadcasting to satellite.
Now they have increased the price of Versus to make it un...
Yahoo finally opened up fantasy hockey season today, so I'm sure many of you will be signing up shortly to get in on the action. After all, draft time is the most exciting time of the year for fantasy hockey fanatics. There are a variety of formats out there from Yahoo and others. But which one is best? I've been managing a fantasy hockey league for 18 years now, and w...
With the 2010 NHL training camps only a few weeks away, I think that Habs fans are excited about the upcoming season but with all the changes over the summer, left feeling a little lost too. The question is, why? Why was this summer's upheaval so traumatic? Why do we feel like we are floating in the wind waiting for the breeze to deposit us somewhere? I'll tell you why...
CANUCKS
The Vancouver Canucks have signed Roberto Luongo to a 12-year $64 million contract, making him a lifetime Canuck. Unless he gets signed as a 64 year free agent - okay that is little sarcastic, but you get the point. Luongo is a lifetime Canuck, and is one of the best goalies in the League. The Canucks have been a very busy team this week, acquiring two vets on t...
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...
I have a hockey draft this afternoon and I'm bored this morning so..........
Leafs traded for the Hawks 2nd round pick next year.They now have a 1st,2nd and 3rd for next season. Phil Kessel here is your offer sheet, the Bruins are over the cap I believe so they are screwed.
David Tyree nice catch in the Superbowl, that being said best of luck finding a new job.
Ha...
Per Julie Robenhymer, live from Traverse City, Mich, the Wild prospects have defeated the Dallas Stars prospects 2-1 in a shootout. Apparently, Falk and Schmidt were involved in a couple of good fights. Another win for the good guys. Way to go Wild prospects!
With training camp only a few days away and the Habs rookie camp already underway, there is no doubt that hockey is in the air....and I'm lovin' it! Given that the 2010 season is almost upon us, it got me thinking about the new-look Habs and what their chances of success are, this season. While I'm not brave enough to make a prediction, I think that I can say that I am c...
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...
Few things are more frustrating for a hockey fan than to see your team draft a great prospect, watch him come up through the ranks to become a star, only to then see him leave as a free agent or trade. It's the reality of the NHL, but imagine if it wasn't so. Imagine a world where your team could keep every player it ever drafted. How different would the NHL landscape b...
A few thoughts…
It was actually Brian Burke, the proverbial King of controversy, that said the sooner this Coyotes Bankruptcy saga is all squared away the better it will be for everybody. Burke hit the nail on the head. If this mess is not resolved within the next three weeks than it will drag out over the entire season and not only distract the Coyotes players from c...
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 ...
So, continuing in my 5 part series on what will (or won't) make the Habs successful this season, I want to start off by replying to one of the comments from my last post. In my previous post, I had said that I define the Habs' success as finishing anywhere between 4th and 8th, in the East. The poster, 'flamminghead', wondered why not 1st, 2nd, or 3rd? Well, the answer i...
Open training camp began on Sunday September 13th at 8:30AM, for the Calgary Flames, one day after completing their fitness testing. There has been a lot of buzz around camp this year for multiple reasons; first there are 57 players attending which is a huge group of players, second there are many new additions (many of whom have 1-way deals) who are fighting for the last ...
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...
Kamal Panesar writes...
5 Keys to Habs' Season - Part 3 - Mike Cammalleri
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Greetings all! Hope eveyone is enjoying my take on what I believe the Habs will need in order for them to have a successful year. For part 3, in this series, I turn my attention to our shiny new sniper, Mike Cammalleri.
[b]Mike Cammalleri[/b]
For a few years in a row now, there has been talk of Gainey fishing for three players around the league; Vinny Lecavalier, Pat...
Kamal Panesar writes...
5 Keys to Habs' Season - Part 4 - Andrei Kostitsyn
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Back again, and in the home stretch with part 4 of 5, in this series.
Training camp is in full effect and the new look Habs hit the ice tonight against Florida, in Montreal. Gomez asks Lapierre if he thinks it will be a sold out tonight.
Hehe.....good one Scott. In a few short hours, you will experience, 1st hand, what it feels like to be a home boy in the larges...
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...
The Maple Leafs were $2 million under the cap before the trade for Kessel. They now sit $3 million over. I know Burke said he had the cap room to make this trade, but it is hard to see how. He does have some bonus cushion but not enough to make up the difference. Don't forget how important it is to have a little cap cushion. The Flames couldn't even get a full rost...
Good game from Nashville. Preds come back from a 2 goal deficit and score the final 3. Sullivan left the game in the 1st. Later it was released it was a groin injury and was held out as a precaution. Just yesterday Sully mentioned "his groin" on his twitter account:
"ice bags all day today on the groins".
Enough of the groin talk lets get to the game.
[b]Over...
This is my first blog on hockeybuzz, but I've been coming here multiple times daily for longer than i care to admit. I'm a leafs fan that's lived in Ottawa for 10 years, and this means that I'm usually starving for leafs news. If there's no news, then just a new Leafs blog is usually fine. But there's never enough. I'm addicted to TML, and I think there are others out ther...
In the fantasy hotspot, we evaluate players who are experiencing a boost in production (or potential production), due solely to the linemates that have landed with. At least for the short term, it's worth picking up one of these guys and riding the wave that comes with being paired up with top talent, or with added power play time. Here are a few players going into the s...
When asked what the keys to the Rangers upcoming season are, most fans would point to the obvious: the health of both Marian Gaborik and Henrik Lundqvist; a return to form by Michal Rozsival and Wade Redden; and the ability of coach John Tortorella to implement the up-tempo playing style and the high-level conditioning he favors are answers I would expect to hear.
There...
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...
chparkes writes...
Ready the Reinforcements: The Leafs Roster Solution
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
With the regular season only one week away and the Leafs needing to trim their roster to a maximum of 23 players, the debate rages on as to whether to play the youngster or to stick with the veterans assembled over the course of the last 2-3 years who actually produced a respectable offensive output last season. What makes this decision difficult is that the temptation to ...
Dumont gets the goal and everybody gets ready to start singing "I like it", then huh. What is that? A new goal song in Nashville. From the few folks around me they didn't seem to like the change. Tradition is tough to alter. We will see if this follows through to the regular season.
After the Canes win here are my thoughts on a couple players.
JP Dumont - Good g...
It appears as though certain players have been placed on waivers that we are hearing about and it's tough to see as it means some kids who had really good camps will not catch a break this year due to the one way contracts already doled out.
Jamie Lundmark, Colin Stuart and Jason Jaffray
Jaffray in particular I am sad to see go, as far as this pre-season I liked his ...
With training camp over, and a slew of exhibition games that probably should have been cut in half if the league knew what was good for them (I mean, auditioning new guys is one thing, but by the end, the coaches know who’s staying and going, and they’re just playing whoever they don’t care about hurting), it’s time to face reality. The blue and white came out with...
While the news of Mats Sundins' decision to retire will undoubtedly be met with a wide range of responses, I for one cannot help but feel saddened by it. Say what you will, the NHL lost one of its greatest competitors today.
Over his 13 years in the blue and white Sundin was the epitome of class and competitiveness, and exhibited all of the qualities that made him one ...
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...
As a DirecTV subscriber, I was all set to see the Wings Swedish opener this Friday on Versus. But, because of the cut-throat, in-bred telecommunications world, I have to make other plans.
So I miss my team's opener. Too bad for me. Too bad for Wings fans. Really too bad for hockey. However, I have no intention of calling up DirecTV to complain or rearrange my life by...
I will only make one “bold” prediction before the Flames open their season – they will lose their opening game Thursday night at home against the Canucks. Why? Simply because I can’t remember the last time the Flames won their opening game, and they have had a great deal of frustration the past few years with the Canucks, who have taken the mantle of true #1 rival ...
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...
WarHero writes...
Game Day: Montreal - vs - Toronto - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Hockey is Back!! Get out your jersey, put that puppy on and let the battles begin!
My name is Anthony and I'm a Montreal Canadiens fan. As much as I can this year I am going to try live blogging the Habs games. I am quite new to blogging and will gladly accept any feedback. So here we go ...
TV Station: CBC Canada
The Leafs are being announced now, not much of of ...
HOCKEY!!!!
Sorry, I had to get that out of my system.
:-)
Just like all of you out there, I am incredibly happy to be able to watch a hockey game that counts. I'd love to say that it was one for the ages...a classic that will go down in the annals of hockey history and which we will be talking about for years. Unfortunately, that was just not the case. While it...
It has been too long of a summer with too many questions thrown up.
Was trading Sbisa a huge mistake?
Can anyone make up for Knuble on the PP?
How much of the teams implosion was really the fault of the Goalies?
Will Pronger make all the difference?
I really don't expect any of these to be answered in the first game. Some may take a couple years to play out (Sbisa)...
It has been too long of a summer with too many questions thrown up.
Was trading Sbisa a huge mistake?
Can anyone make up for Knuble on the PP?
How much of the teams implosion was really the fault of the Goalies?
Will Pronger make all the difference?
I really don't expect any of these to be answered in the first game. Some may take a couple years to play out (Sbisa)...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Finally Win A Season Opener Thanks To Kipper
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Apologies for the late post…
The Flames won their first season opener in six seasons Thursday with a 5-3 win over the Canucks at home. After a sizzling start led to an early 3-0 lead, the Flames slowed down the next two periods, and eventually Miikka Kiprusoff had to bail out the team in the third period to preserve the win. Nevertheless, there were some good things t...
Another season has begun with the Battle of Alberta. All and all a good game, unless of course you play on the Oiler's PK units. The Oilers did show more "crust" as Coach Quinn likes to call it. A couple of fights, one involving Sam Gagner(?!?), and there were good solid checks being thrown.
The Pre-Game show was highlighted by a full out bag pipe entourage and acroba...
WarHero writes...
Game Day: Montreal - vs - Buffalo - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Here we go folks, hope you enjoy the blog! Let's see how the Markov-less Habs will fair. Roman Hamrlik returns to the line-up tonight. Dags sits, Stewart is in.
1st Period:
19:29 - Gomez with a chance, Miller stands tall!
18:45 - Offside Montreal
17:25 - Montreal Penalty - Metropolit - Hooking
17:20 - Buffalo Goal - Tim Connoly - Rivet & Roy
14:55 - Both sid...
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...
Just found this great site that list all the free agents for the summer of 2010 with top ten Rankings you should check it out.
Pretty cool site.
[url]http://www.nhlfreeagents.com[/url]
Saying that our fourth line was good for the first game was one thing. The second game, impressive. The third straight game in which the fourth line outperforms the other three is astounding and re-iterates the immense amount of depth on this Flames squad.
Let’s look at the stats for the first 3 games:
Sjostrom- 2 A, and a Plus 3
Nystrom- 2 G, 1A, a plus 5, and 1 f...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 07/10/09: Mtl - vs - Van - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well, I am back from my trip to Waterloo and ready to go folks! The sad thing about being in Waterloo is that I could not watch the Habs game last night due to RDS [b][u][i]NOT[/i][/u][/b] existing in Waterloo.
But I digress ...
This should be a great game tonight folks! I can sense it will be a battle of the goaltenders. Price finally gets the chance to start in hi...
The Toronto Maple Leafs have started the season as many non Maple Leaf fans would have hoped for losing their first three games with the possibility of making it four when the defending Stanley Cup Champions come to town on Saturday. The Maple Leafs have scored eight goals in these three games but is their any forward on the Leafs that scares any opposing team that faces t...
Please read and post your thoughts and what you like/dislike or what you'd change.
Well, it's early... and it's very safe to say that Power Rankings at this point in time in the season don't mean very much. They're mostly a combination of last year's finish and this year's promise.
I like James Duthie's column on TSN.ca about Premature Evaluation, in reference to ju...
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...
So…the Flames go in to Edmonton last Saturday and “steal” 2 points when Khabibulin flubs a clearing attempt and Moss pots the game winner. Fast forward 5 days later. Rene Bourque tips a Jay Bouwmeester point shot with less than 2 seconds left in regulation to send it to extra time, leading to a shootout win. Not to mention the Oilers get a man advantage in the OT an...
Pat Quinn was fined today for his comments after last night's Flames-Oilers game. Quinn called Jarome Iginla's trip on Sheldon Souray a "dirty play." Having watched the video on NHL.com and read the words myself, I can't say I blame the NHL for the decision to fine Quinn for his comments, but I also can't say that what Quinn said was wrong.
Players today are taking more...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 10/10/09: Mtl - vs - Edm - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
It's Saturday night, my wife is baking Thanksgiving goods and we have another all Canadian match-up between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens coming up on CBC.
How Canadian!
The Oilers will begin to have a sense of what Montreal is going through after losing Sheldon Souray in the Calgary game. He suffered a mild concussion after an unfortunate incident ...
Once again these two monster corporations have unwillingly conspired together to stop NHL fans on DirecTV away from watching the Flyers and Ducks tonight.
My normal blog has to be postponed from tonight since I couldn't see the game. Thanks again to the people from these 2 organizations for stopping me from seeing this great matchup between these 2 powerhouse teams.
...
A quick hit on this Sunday morning about the state of Calgary’s backup goalie situation. Curtis McElhinney might just not be good enough to play for the Flames. He has a whopping total of one win in the year and a half he has been with the team and constantly disappoints every time he gets between the pipes. He does not make the saves that Kipper does and unfortunately f...
The Rangers entered Sunday’s matinee contest against the Anaheim Ducks feeling pretty good about themselves. After all, they were riding a 3 game winning streak and had gotten the hoped for offensive production from FA additions Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal. Plus they were catching the Ducks on the back end of two games in two nights.
The Rangers would have to be ...
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...
WarHero writes...
Andrei Kostitsyn: Can a 3rd period benching really help?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I never mentioned this last night but during the 3rd period of the game last night Andrei Kostitsyn didn't play one freaking shift!
Fans to Jacques: WTF are you doing? Trying to ruin the kid?
If Habs management think that benching a player who actually has the ability to score a clutch goal is the right way to motivate him then they better start re-thinking their gam...
The Preds decided not to show up and the Oilers took it to them scoring 6 goals, en route to a 6 to 1 win. This game spoiled Colin Wilson's debut for the Preds, who finished with a minus 1 with 1 SOG. Again, we still haven't seen a goal scored in regulation/OT from any other line than the top line.
Notables:
Klein/Hammer (F) - This pair has struggled. They where...
Watching the Flames blow a lead like that should not be surprising for any true Flames fan. We watch year after year, game after game as the Flames jump out to early leads and either wind up blowing them, giving up last minute goals or barely hanging on. And there are some prime examples only six games into this very young season.
The opener against Vancouver where the...
Well, it happened. Why is it the Flames always find a way to do this? They came out like gangbusters and managed to lose the game, in what became the biggest comeback in league history. I'm not going to say I knew they'd blow the 5-0 lead, but one thought did cross my mind after the fifth goal - "Is five goals enough for the flames?" Just as I thought 3 goals wasn't enough...
While maybe not as dramatic as last night, this hockey game was basically the same story. Came out hard and physical and got the all to familiar lead in the first period, only to slowly back off and allow the Jackets back into the hockey game. Missed passes, giveaways, lazy defensive zone play, and penalties spelled the end. Kipper stood on his head again, but the guy need...
Well, a game removed from the biggest collapse in NHL history and the Flames should come out angry as all hell, right? Wrong
The Flames were out shot 33-23 and if it were not for Kiprusoff, this game would have been 6-1. Kipper made several tremendous saves to keep the Flames up 1-0, but finally succumbed to the pressure of a 5 on 3 powerplay and let in two goals in jus...
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...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 15/10/09: Mtl - vs - Col - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
At last folks ... the home opener! How appropriate that we play Colorado with all the recent talk about reserrecting the Nordiques!! For the opening they had all the Habs say "Je Suis" followed by their name. Was nice to hear ... here we go!
1st Period:
20:00 - Start of Period
19:21 - Avs with a chance, Habs with some great defensive work
19:10 - Habs with a chance...
On tap tonight: The Vancouver Canucks.
The Flames have a lot to prove tonight. A big rivalry game should be all the fuel needed to re-stoke the fire under this hockey team, but with this group you just never know. Brent Sutter has been surprisingly calm and collected over the past week and is preaching patience with the new system. If this pace continues, however, you ...
5.25 MILLION
That should buy you a lot in the NHL, a top tier player, a player that is a huge threat and compliments your team. Jokinen is in a contract year, has never really proven himself to be a game breaker and has zero chemistry with Iginla. That doesn't mean that a huge number 1 center doesn't have trade value though, in fact Jokinen could garner a lot of intere...
First off, sorry for taking so much time to start writing again, I had Swine Flu and im obviously still alive :)
1. Will the Leafs make the playoffs?
2.Will the Canadiens make a trade?
3.How many shut-outs will Pascal Leclaire get?
4.Does Vancouver beat out Calgary for the NW title?
5.Will the Flames make it past the first round if they make the playoffs?
6.Should ...
First off, sorry for taking so much time to start writing again, I had Swine Flu and im obviously still alive :)
1. Will the Leafs make the playoffs?
2.Will the Canadiens make a trade?
3.How many shut-outs will Pascal Leclaire get?
4.Does Vancouver beat out Calgary for the NW title?
5.Will the Flames make it past the first round if they make the playoffs?
6.Should ...
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...
Another win, and another siting of Jeckyl and Hyde. Giving up 2 late goals to make it close is not really my concern, I am sure the officials had bet the game over allowing 3 straight minors to the Flames. The concern is how come they let off the gas, this is a division rival and a team we fought to the last weekend for that title last season, step on the gas, choke the l...
Well, I believe Mr. Dion Phaneuf must have been reading this blog because he took my advice and gave his body up for the team to save a goal. Good for you “Neon Dion”, you did yourself proud! Not to mention a +2 on the night; a vast improvement from prior games for #3.
In other news the Flames managed to play their most complete game of the season last night, beati...
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...
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[i][u]Question[/u][/i]: Should Ryan Miller have played for the Sabres last night in Atlanta?
That question is on everyone's mind after a 4-2 loss against the Thrashers Saturday night at the HSBC. While it's important for Miller to get his rest, and for backup goaltende...
Bridgeport CT is closer then Glens Falls NY. I will be doing closer games vs going to Glens Falls this season.
Phantoms won 4-2. They believe it or not rolled all 4 lines for the whole game.
Randy Jones did not play for the Phantoms but Brian Boucher did.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/4026178848/
Kevin Marshall looked very strong on D
http://www...
It seems to me like most of the early successes and failures of other NHL franchises are drowning out any positive feed back of a surprising Oilers team.
If you by chance live outside of Alberta you would have probably not known that 2 of Edmonton's tops scorers are those players deemed to small for an already small team!
Even more surprising is the play of one Dustin P...
Vancouver fly's into town having not won a game on the road, and in my opinion they should have come out with win in that game. Khabibulin was the difference again this time stopping 39 of 40! The Oilers were outclassed by the 'Nucks in every aspect of this game, pinning Edmonton in their own zone for a ridiculous amount of time! Now some positives. Dustin Penner is starti...
I have always been a Penner fan even in the first 2 years in edmonton. i have been a firm believer that Mac-T was a terrible coach, and his constant ripping and torture of Penner did nothing but destroy the confidence of DP! with that said he never really showed up to camp in shape. the first year was a stanley cup hangover, but last year......well.... that was last year, ...
The Flames came out firing (no pun intended) on the Blue Jackets tonight. A well rested team hungry to re pay Columbus for a loss one week ago, the Flames took control of the game from the drop of the puck. Except for getting into some penalty trouble at the beginning and end of the second stanza, the Flames controlled much of the 5 on 5 play and came out with a the win.
...
Here's a new look:
Canadian franchises are in danger, not because they aren't drawing enough crowds or making enough money. No, Canadian franchises are in danger because the game as a whole is struggling.
When 80% of the league is based in either a non-hockey market (boy have we heard that phrase a lot this summer) or in a struggling economy (sorry neighbors to the 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...
Iggy's Back...A solid effort by the Flames last night, and they were led by their Captain Jarome Iginla. After last game where Iginla played hard and had chances, you knew this was coming. Skating down the right wing and letting go an absolute bomb of a wrist shot top corner right off the bar. Vintage. Classic. Standard. Call it what you want, it was a beauty. Add that to ...
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...
Ok, let me start by saying....WTF????!!!?! What is going on with Sergei Kostitsyn? This saga is developing into a drama the likes of which Bill Shakespeare would be proud of. But seriously, wtf? He comes to camp and acts like a punk so he gets demoted to Hamilton. Then he refuses to report to Hamilton and gets suspended by the Habs. Then he changes his mind, report...
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...
Oilersfan27 writes...
It feels like skyrockets in flight if you've seen anchorman
Posted Friday | Comments 0
So as the it nears the end of the second period the oil are down 4-1, i start thinking that i am watching this oil team relapse in to Mac-T mode. Then i see the teachings of Quinn come into play, his motivation and coaching style take hold of the game and we witness 5 straight goals to win 6-4.
The new top line.
pens, gags, and hemmers clicked just 58 seconds into the...
Who knew a game in late October could have such anticipation?
The thing of it is, this is a huge game for both teams.
[b]Why Calgary Wants It[/b]
The Calgary Flames have yet to play a 60 minute hockey game. Their best game of the season was the last one, against Columbus. A hot start, followed by an absolute melt-down on a 5 on 3 Power Play... re-establish the ...
What a game last night
The Blue jackets are a really good team and the Oilers Squeeked one out lead by none other then Penner, Gagne and Hemsky. Thats right the new #1 line. Go figure. So seriously, did we really need to go after Heatly or Jagr or Hossa. Nope the answer was there all along just nobody planted the seeds, gave it water and sun, and got it to grow. "Yes th...
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...
What else can you say about another win in the "Battle of Alberta", 3 games vs the Oilers in the first 10 games of the season and another victory. This time there will be no witty retorts from Oiler fans about, Khabibulin handling the puck, last second tying goal. No this time it was a great 60 minute effort by the Flames, who, except for giving up too many penalties and 2...
For the last couple years the Edmonton Oilers had their way physically with the Calgary Flames. Steve MacIntyre would run amok on the ice and bowl over anyone that stood in his way.
Enter Brian McGrattan. Cue one the best fights of the year and McGrattan landing some of biggest bombs you will ever see NOT drop a human being to his knees. A heavyweight tilt that lived u...
As I sat down last night thinking that I would mainly be watching baseball. I was surprised to find out that the ALCS game was rained out, and I'd have to wait another night. This meant, bring on the Sabres. However, the Sabres game was a little scary.
I noticed numerous things against Tampa. I'm amazed I have made it this far without saying this, I was disconcerted wit...
After 8 games of NHL play, the question surrounding Tyler Myers' future with the Sabres this season needs to be decided after the next contest with New Jersey. I will admit that, in the beginning of the season, I believed that the best thing for Myers' growth would be to have a test run with the Sabres until his time limit expired and then to rejoin his junior team in Kelo...
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 ...
Colin Campbell said on NHL Live this afternoon that there was nothing illegal about Mike Richards' hit on David Booth Saturday night.
"He did not jump. He did not elbow him. He did not hit him in a place where he wasn't expecting it. It was an area where you expect to get hit, both the player passing the puck and the player doing the hitting," Campbell said.
Campbell...
First off, another good win for the Habs tonight. Nice to see Hamrlik getting to goal on OT. He's been really stepping it up since Markov's injury.
I apologize for the lack of live game blogs lately and should be back for the next game against the Pens on Wednesday! Prediction: Price get the start.
So ... 11 games down and the Habs are 6-5-0 (12 pts) after winning 4 ...
I am guessing that when the season began not many expected the Colorado Avalanche to have only 1 regulation loss through 11 games and be leading the Western Conference. A team that was scheduled to be occupying the cellar of the west for most of the year has come out of the gate on fire due to some stellar goaltending from journeyman tender Craig Anderson. Toiling in the C...
While watching the Vancouver Canucks Vs. Detroit Red Wings game i noticed something, by the end of the second period the score was 2-1 for the canucks but yet the the shots were 28-16 for the Red Wings. Now some might have a different opinion on the matter but to me it didn't seem like bobby luo was that busy, the canucks seemed to dominate the first two periods of play in...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Habs story so far PLUS big test in Pittsburgh tonight
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It is hump day today, and with their 4 and 2 home stand behind them, and a Halloween home tustle against the Leafs ahead of them, Montreal prepares to take on the defending Stanley Cup champions Penguins, in Pittsburgh.
After an 11 game segment that has seen some highs and lows, Montreal seems to be hitting their stride. Yes, the only 'real' test they have faced so far...
Nidder14 writes...
Gameday: Northwest Division leaders, Colorado Avalanche
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well, after yet another long break, the Flames are finally back in action tonight against probably the biggest suprise team of the season to date. The Colorado Avalanch are in town, bringing with them a plethora of young talent and the hottest goalie in the league. With a 9-1-2 record the Avs sit atop the NW division, five points up on the Flames, however the Flames ha...
Good road game by the Predators. Got timely scoring and good goal tending (except for that 2 minute blip in the 2nd period). Heck the Preds even got another powerplay goal and a shorty. The Preds finished this 5 game road trip with a 2-2-1 record.
Game Notables:
Smithson (A+) - When your fourth line grinder gets the game winning, short handed goal you deserve an ...
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...
Just a few quick thoughts before I hit my pillow…
The Flames have no problem starting games anymore; it is simply playing the rest of the 60 minute game that they seem to have issues with. Leading 2-0 a minute into the game and the Flames stepped off the gas pedal and idled in neutral for most of the game. They were so close to running Anderson from the net, yet they ...
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 554
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...
The NHL is celebrating Jacques Plante becoming the first goaltender to wear a mask, but as usual the league has screwed everything up.
It is true that Plante popularized the mask, first wearing it 50 years ago Sunday, but the NHL actually began in 1917. This date is important because on February 20, 1930 Clint Benedict returned from a broken nose wearing the first mask....
WarHero writes...
Game 11 - 30/10/09: Mtl - vs - Chi - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Welcome back folks! It's been awhile and I apologize for my absence.
Carey Price is starting for the first time in 5 games. He saw limited action in the 3rd period against Pittsburg and surrendered 2 goals (1 breakaway, 1 pp). This will be a very good test of Prices' mental game as the Hawks are an extremely talented, high scoring, explosive team.
I expect Neime to s...
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...
Wow. What a game. The usual hype of a Saturday night tilt between the Habs and the Leafs played out, in all its spendor last night. While Montreal should probably have won this game in regulation, going to a shoot out made the end all that much more exciting for the 21,000+ fans in attendance - of which I was one!
A few things I noticed/enjoyed about the game:
1 - L...
Well the wigs have been put away, the pumpkin in ready to go to the landfill. Yes Halloween and October are over, the NHL season is 12 games old and the Flames are 7-4-1. I was optimistic that a 5-5-2 start would have been ok considering a new coach and a new system, the 4 regulation losses except for the Dallas game (5-2) were close games that the Flames deserved a bette...
With the rumour that will not just go away. I suggested this scenario back in the summer and apparently as per Mr. Lebrum the storm is about to converge.
Phil Kessel is about to make his Leaf debut this week and in the process the Leafs will have a little surplus of forwards and with the fact that there are no fewer than 4 forwards in their last year of a contract and w...
The month of October played out like a typical Flames game. Out of the gate with a bang; 4 straight wins, 3 in the division, and a power play running just under a 50% clip. But, just like they did so many times this month, the Flames wandered off the winning path, and gave some points back to the field. Slowly becoming the team that gives up leads, the Flames gave up numer...
landsharkhockey writes...
Top 10 Unforgettable Playoff Moments of the Decade
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
As we continue with the decade in review, it's time to look back at most memorable moments from the Stanley Cup playoffs over the past 10 years. Here are the plays and incidents that will be remembered for years to come.
10. (2006) - In game 1 of the Cup finals between the Hurricanes and Oilers, the Canes overcame a 3 goal deficit to win the game. Towards the end of t...
Ouch. Groan. Blech. Another day and another weak performance by the Montreal Canadiens. Three days after barely beating the Toronto Maple Leafs, our beloved Habs lost to the Kovalchuk-less Atlanta Thrashers and man was it ugly! From top to bottom, Montreal was disorganized and discombobulated. From sloppy defensive zone coverage to bad turnovers. From inconsistent g...
Well maybe not the return, but possibly the “Coming out Party” of the Mac. Calgary’s back-up goaltender Curtis McElhinney started tonight’s game after Kiprusoff was sent back to the hotel with the evil flu bug. In a huge statement game for the Flames, after two disappointing home losses, the Flames squeaked out an overtime win over the Dallas Stars on the shoulders...
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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...
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The Sabres shutout the Islanders last night 3-0, avenging their 5-0 loss at the Island Saturday night.
My partner Kevin already gave a recap of the last night's game, but here are some quick thoughts on the game, and some insight on a few key players:
[b]Thomas Vanek: "On Switch" Has Been Flipp...
Two nights, two cities, two goaltenders, two overtime wins. For the second straight night the Flames managed to win an overtime game on the road, due in part to the goaltending they received on both occasions.
Miikka Kiprusoff, who had been battling the flu for the past while, came into the net tonight and shut the door on the St. Louis Blues. Stopping 30 of all 31 shot...
Well the injury bug has finally lost its patience with the Islanders and has decided to bite our d-core right in the ass once again. Islanders fans knew that it was inevitable that Martinek would go down with an injury at some point...unfortunately it will sideline him for the rest of the season.
Freddy Meyer, welcome back to the line-up. He never really deserved to si...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 07/11/09: Mtl - vs - Tbl - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Habs are fresh off their first road win since October 3rd, a shootout over the Boston Bruins, thanks to some brilliant goal tending from Carey Price while the Lighting are fresh off an overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators. Montreal has had trouble finding the net recently due to a sever lack of secondary scoring while Steven Stamkos just keeps filling it. Add in the re...
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)...
This is my submission into the Journalism Dream Contest for the Globe and Mail. Go Here and vote for me:
http://journalismdream.theglobeandmail.com/entry_article.asp?id=826
The number 12 jersey slung on over his shoulder pads, the captains "C" prominently displayed over his heart.
All that embodies leadership, courage and the eternal drive to win is present in everyt...
Martin Havlat- This guy is the crown jewel of the Wild offseason signings, meant to bring offense in as the team goes through a new mentality. He has been horrible with 7 points in 14 games, isn't he supposed to be a star?
Olli Jokinen- For a guy who is supposed to be a #1 center his 8 points in 15 games is extremely poor, what makes this more confusing is that it's a c...
With one of the greatest sets of players ever to enter the Hall of Fame last night, it seems like an appropriate time to look ahead at what is to come for the Hall. Recent retirees like Sakic, Sundin (and possibly Roenick) are pretty much a lock when their wait period ends, but what about current NHL players? Which players have already earned their spots and which ones a...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Lack of proper player development is killing the Habs
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
Having been a Habs fan for my entire life and watched the supposed renaissance of the team, under Gainey, it is apparent that something is amiss. Well, many things are amiss, actually, but the thing that stands out the most to me is our seeming lack of proper player development. I don't know if it is because of the media pressure in this city or the nightlife that makes ...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 10/11/09: Mtl - vs - Cgy - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Welcome back!
It' a beautiful Tuesday night here in Ottawa and the Habs are once on good ole' faithful RDS!
Their opponent tonight, the Calgary Flames, are currently riding a 3 game winning steak thanks to the improved play of their captian Jarome Iginla. Iginla has 5 points in the last 3, most of hose goals, and has also stepped up his defensive play.
The Habs l...
This was not a typical 1-0 win, it was exciting with end to end action, great goaltending, hard hits and great action all night long. This was not a Jacques Lemaire 1-0 Minnesota Wild game, even though the Habs retro sweater looked like a Wild sweater, this was a very entertaining game to watch.
Jerome Iginla scored yet another game winning goal, his 9th of the season. ...
Three Star Flames players authored very influential performances Tuesday night in the Bell Centre: Mikka Kiprusoff, Jarome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf.
For the fourth straight game the Flames received great, if not amazing, goaltending and subsequently extended their winning streak to four games. Kiprusoff was simply brilliant between the pipes on Tuesday night stopping ev...
Rob McGowan writes...
Lift The Puck! Isles Lose to Caps In 11-Round Shootout
Posted Wednesday | Comments 314
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...
Much has been made about Bob Gainey's changes this off-season. From optimistic to apocalyptic predictions about the team, it's all fairly inconsequential until game 82. But who are the Montreal Canadiens?
Currently holding an 8-10-0 record, having played as many or more games than any other team in the East we sit in a pretty dissapointing 11th place, and as much as I l...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 12/11/09: Mtl - vs - Phx - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
Welcome back folks! It's a chilly night here in Ottawa but at least the Habs are on and the Sens are loosing to Ray Emery! Yay!
The Habs take on Phoenix tonight in what should be a decent game provided the Habs can actually score some goals. The games features brother --vs- brother (The Pyatts), Cousin -vs- Cousin (Price, Doan) and, the one and only, Robert Lang.
Gam...
Montreal was finally able to spin out of their offensive lethargy last night by beating the Phoenix Coyotes 4 - 2 IN REGULATION! Yes, in regulation. For the record and in case anyone is counting, that is only their second regulation win this season. A frightening stat for even those with the most stable hearts. Ok, on with the observations:
1 - Tomas Plekanec has no...
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Calgary (11-4-1) vs. Buffalo (10-4-1)
What more could you ask for in this game? It's too bad these teams only meet once a season.
It was as advertised. These two teams played extremely well, making this game have the feel of a playoff atmosphere.
T...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 14/11/09: Mtl - vs - Nsh - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Welcome back everyone!! Another beautiful night here in Ottawa!
The Habs are coming off a big win over Phoenix on Thursday and will face the Preds who have been on the rise of late. This should prove to be a good game!
Game Notes:
Game Time: 8:00 (Est)
National TV: RDS (French)
Price will make the start for the Habs. Spacek will be a game time decision after s...
Miikka Kiprusoff, Miikka Kiprusoff, Miikka Kiprusoff, Miikka Kiprusoff, Miikka Kiprusoff. 5 times, because he has been that damn good.
The solitary reason the Flames snatched three of four points over the weekend. The only reason the Flames did not get beat by the 29th ranked Toronto Maple Flakes.
Kipper has been an impenetrable force over these first 18 games this ...
Well the 3 game road trip through eastern Canada (Sorry Buffalo, but alot of your fans live in Hamilton) and with a 2-0-1 record you would think things in Sutterville would be all rosy. BUT they aren't. The numbers in the 3 games look like this;
Montreal 1-0 win, pp 1-3, pk 3-3, Shots for 31 against 25
Buffalo 2-1 SO loss, pp 0-4, pk 3-4, Shots for 26 against 33
Toront...
Rob McGowan writes...
It Wasn't a Hat Trick, But Isles Walk Away With Two Points
Posted Monday | Comments 407
"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...
WarHero writes...
Game Day - 17/11/09: Mtl - vs - Car - Let the Battle Begin!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
It's 7:22 and my rabbits are going crazy with Hab fever! Welcome back everyone!
Tonight, the Habs will face off against a team who we can actually say is doing worse than the Habs. The Carolina Hurricanes have not been able to find the form that took them to the conference finals in last years playoffs. Couple that with an injury to starting goaltender Cam Ward and a fl...
A battle for first place in the Northwest division turned out to be a bit of a snoozer. Coming off a 3 game road trip in which they secured 5 of 6 possible points, the Flames came out looking tired. Getting beat to numerous pucks, the Flames could never find their groove in a loss to the Avalanche. For the second time this season on home ice, the Flames fell 3-2 to the Avs...
Blech. This team is freaking weak. Sorry guys (and gals), but its true. For sure they have the very real excuse of having a boat load of injuries to key guys, but still. This is just a weak team and they are showing that unless their goalie stands on their head - which Price has done the last three games he played - they don't have any chance of winning. Consequently,...
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091119/capt.c966f6e06a1e4aa783d698acfbb82b8b.panthers_sabres_hockey_nydh103.jpg[/img]
Buffalo (12-4-1) vs. Florida (7-9-2)
The score did not resemble the game at all. For about 50 minutes, it was a one goal game. Here is how it happened:
Drew Stafford scored the first goal of the game late in the first period, his sixth of the seaso...
I know I know... one fight with the coach does not not a trade rumor justify. In case you weren't aware several media outlets have blogged (but not reported) on a shouting match Between Dion Phaneuf And Brent Sutter. Some blogs say it may or may not have been Sutter or may or may not have been Phanuef but with a -2 on the night and the shouting about being selfish apparent...
Well the Flames came out looking good against the Hawks tonight…no, let me start again. The Flames special teams were outstanding tonight…wait, lets try it one more time. The Flames stunk up the Saddledome in one of the most humiliating losses on home ice in recent memory. There, that sums it up better.
In a game that was reasonably close through half the game, tu...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
Flames Exposed At Home By Hawks; How To Turn It Around?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Any misconceptions “pundits” had about the Flames being a legitimate contender the last few weeks were proven to be so tonight. The bane of their existence, the Chicago Blackhawks, issued a beating that exposed every one of the Flames’ glaring weaknesses, swept under the rug by miracle wins the last few weeks. At a point in the season where the Flames have turned aro...
As our Montreal Canadiens get ready to take on the Washington Capitals, in Washington, there are some interesting rumblings that are percolating in the city this Friday morning. Aside from the fact that Montreal will be getting reinforcements in the form of Ryan O'Byrne (yay!) and George Laraque (who cares) back for tonight's game, I am starting to hear a lot of people men...
Vancouver:
22 Points= 11 wins, 10 losses, 0 Over time losses
Team Leaders:
Henrik Sedin, 23 points, 12 goals and 11 assists.
Ryan Keslar, 19 points, 5 goals, 14 assists.
Mikael Samuellson, 15 points, 8 goals, 7 assists.
Goaltending:
Roberto Luongo: 7 wins, 7 losses. 2.69 GAA, .906% on his saves.
Summary:
Another team that has been dealing with the l...
*Disclaimer: The following is a purely hypothetical and fictional re-creation of the summer of 2008. It is unknown to me whether any of that summer’s UFA’s that I bind to the Rangers now would have signed with New York then for the same terms which they signed with their actual teams.
It seems to me that the wrong Glen was in charge of the New York Rangers in the su...
apsunick writes...
Make it 5, Preds Win 5th Straight Over Blue Jackets in SO
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Preds are playing good hockey and not even some bad breaks could knock this team off of its winning ways. The Preds topped the Blue Jackets 4 to 3 in a SO.
The first goal by the Blue Jackets was initially ruled no goal by the on ice official. After review the reversed the call. I have no clue how Toronto could have overturned the call. There is supposed to be ...
What the heck happened in Edmonton tonight?
Chicago Blackhawks put together another display of hockey as it was meant to be played. The Oilers put together another display of how not to play the game of hockey. Let's look at the two teams. Chicago, crisp clean short and fast passing, excellent transition game, lots of desire and willingness to go into the dirty areas to g...
On a Saturday afternoon in mid November, Jarome Iginla showed why he is considered one of the most dangerous players in the NHL. Netting his 9th career hat trick in the Flames 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, Iginla dominated from start to finish.
A mere 13 seconds into the contest, as Kings and Flames fans alike were still getting comfortable in their seats, Ig...
Of late I have tried posting blogs that discuss more than just Ranger game recaps and previews. The reason for this is obvious; Jan Levine already does such a great job doing that and most of us watch the games anyhow so what’s the point in me writing up another game analysis. It’s especially tough, when the team is losing, to rehash what went wrong or what needs to be...
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...
For the tenth straight time in the regular season the Flames failed to beat the Anaheim Ducks in the Honda Center. Not sure if it is the mystical aroma or the echo you get when you drop a pin in the stadium, but the Flames have constantly had trouble winning in Disneyland.
Tonight the Flames outplayed the Ducks in the 1st and 3rd periods outshooting them 33-13 during t...
The Flames needed a win at home, and they did exactly that; gaining a decisive 2-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes. Not the prettiest game in the world to watch but a win is a win anyway you slice it.
With two of the better goaltenders going head to head, one could have guessed that this would have been a low scoring affair. Let’s compare their stats after tonight�...
According to RDS, Markov skated yesterday and for about 10 minutes today and is ahead of schedule, from a healing perspective. If things keep going on the right track he could actually come back around late December which would put him about 4-8 weeks ahead of schedule. He will be interviewed by the press today. Here is the rds link (French only):
http://www.rds.ca/c...
[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...
John Tortorella, Sean Avery, Donald Brashear... do I really need to say more? Okay I'll add in Matt Cooke just for laughs.
Tortorella complained to reporters after his Rangers lost 8-3 to the defending Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night that Cooke intentionally hit Rangers forward Artem Anisimov in the head and that the linesman who got hit several times tr...
The Flames went into two arenas that have been quite unfriendly in the past and walked away with 4 points. First, the Flames shut out the two time defending Western Conference Champion Red Wings in Joe Louis Arena, which is no easy task. For the first time since 1977, the Red Wings were shutout twice in a row at home; the Flames being the back half of that equation. The fo...
I was brought up understanding that all men are created equal, regardless of who you are. This should be true for the NHL. Regardless of whether you play for the worst team in the NHL, or the best team in the NHL, the top scorer in the league, or you struggle to get one point each season, you should be treated with the same.
What I said in my introduction is not the cas...
pix
Legin since everyone want to see Legin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/4143154886/in/set-72157622897593702/
Dingle since everyone likes his name
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/4143156454/in/set-72157622897593702/
Maroon
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325/4142413437/in/set-72157622897593702/
Laliberte
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat132...
November; a month that the Flames wished had more days in it. After a respectable opening month of October going 7-4-1, the Flames dominated the month of November going 10-2-2 asserting themselves as one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference. The Flames also hold the best road record in the league going 10-1-3 over 14 games away from the dome. With tonight’s 5-...
With the latest Maple Leafs' loss the same question remains regarding the status of several players on the roster. Brian Burke promised changes, and while the roster has seen a major overhaul, and the future does look brighter, one has to still find themselves asking if this is where the changes should end for this season. The Leafs have managed to crawl out of last plac...
Tonight, the Habs took on the Toronto Maple Leafs in Montreal, to kick of the week of celebration in honour of 100 years of the Montreal Canadiens organization. Sadly, the currenty edition of the Habs laid a goose egg and looked like a tired, disorganized and overall bad team in the process. Hey, when the Leafs make your team look bad, you know things are bad.
From the...
This blog will basically break down a bunch of numbers associated with Shawn Horcoff since the lock-out, and look at comparable players/contracts.
[u][b]Horcoff since the lockout:[/b][/u]
09/10: 11P/23GP =0.48P/GP Playing injured, now w/o Hemsky
08/09: 53P/80GP =0.66P/GP Roughly 0.7
07/08: 50P/53GP =0.94P/GP Roughly 1
06/07: 51P/80GP =0.64P/GP Roughly 0.7
05/06: 73...
I have realized over the past few days I tend to be biased toward certain groups of players. With biased opinions being having a strong presence in any fan base, it does not surprise me that I tend to want these players to succeed more than others, even if the logo on their sweater dictates I should think otherwise. There are a few attributes that would make a fan apprec...
I'm sorry... I must have misheard. You must be mistaken. 4.3 million cap hit for Savard? The guy is capable of 90 points and he cost less against the cap than Horcoff?
I would like to take this opportunity to let all elite center men know that Calgary would like to sign you for the amazing high salary of 5 million a year. Hell... we'll give you 5.5 million, as long...
Today as I was browsing ESPN.com's NHL rumors, I stumbled upon a shocker. The NHL is considering adding another franchise in Canada.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said at a Reuter's forum, "The fact is we're not seeking to relocate any franchises and as a result expansion would be the way to satisfy that interest. But in this economic climate, I'm not exactly comfortabl...
Looking at the recent extensions in Chicago, this this make the rumored deals involving Sopel of Sharp coming to the Leafs that much more possible? I wouldn't rule either out. Even though the Leafs are looking better as of late, a lot can still be done to make this team look a lot better, and Sharp is a great place to start. Question is who would the leafs need to give ...
Cam Neely was the prototype power forward in hockey. He could skate, fight, cause chaos in the crease, and SCORE(LOOCH hope you read this).
He came to the Bruins in a trade with Vancouver during the 1986-1987 season. The Bruins shipped over Barry Pederson to the Canucks for Neely and the third overall pick in the ’87 draft which became Boston blue liner, Glen Wesley....
[img]http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/games/2009120302/photos;_ylt=AuJkKj5f3yUg4dTobrl0tfcrvLYF?slug=94373a5b92ce47f78db507ba81d52809.canadiens_sabres_hockey_nydh108&prov=ap#photoViewer=urn%3Anewsml%3Asports.yahoo%2Cap%3A20050301%3Anhl%2Cphoto%2C98e7aa55f32a4134908e1e6adfa900c4.canadiens_sabres_hockey_nydh106%3A1[/img]
Buffalo (15-7-2) vs. Montreal (12-13-2)
It did...
Unfortunately, the amazing run away from home ice had to end sometime. With tonight’s 2-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes, the Flames failed to pick up a point on the road for the first time since October 13th, when they fell 2-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Another streak ended tonight as Miikka Kiprusoff allowed a goal for the first time in 159 minutes and 10 seconds aft...
Wow. Just wow. What a prefectly stupendious night at the Bell Centre last night. Starting with the beaufitul pre-game ceremonies to commemorate the 100th birthday of the Montreal Canadiens and culminating with the rousing play of the current edition of the team, resutling in a 5-1 thumping of the Boston Bruins. For the purposes of this post I'll stick to the game, rather t...
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...
I told you so.
The Oilers were coming together as a team and what do you know. The beat the Wings and the Stars, both teams who the Oilers haven’t had much success against in the past years.
The Oilers are still in the running for a lottery pick and still have some glaring weaknesses but as apposed to the past few seasons at least we can say that they are moving in...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Fall to Lightning, DP Makes It Through 40 Minutes
Posted Sunday | Comments 687
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...
For all Boston Fans, it has come to a time where we hit the dilemma that, I'll admit it, probably every single hockey team wishes it could face: which goaltender is better out of two great goaltenders, and which one should get the permanent nod. In this case, 29 games into the season, the B's stand atop the NE division, 1 point ahead of buffalo, who has 2 games in hand. Ti...
The Flames finished off their six game road trip with two stops in California. On Saturday night, they played a gritty game and came away with an impressive 2-1 victory over the league leading San Jose Sharks. The Flames played a tough road game and pounced on their opportunities, as was evident with Langkow’s game winning goal. Tonight, however, they were not as fortuna...
After the beautiful cenntenial ceremonies and great hockey game, on Friday, I wish I could tell you that tonight's game was one for the ages too. One of those historic, earth shatter games that everyone is talking about for years to come. Sadly, that was not the case. Well, that's not entirely true because this was a historic game in that the shot totals were 15-13 for Ph...
Currently the Avs sit in the number one position in the NW division and the number two slot in the Western Conference. The sit number two in the West thanks to the LA Kings and their win over Calgary. I expect this to be a fight for that division title down to the end, the flames are a VERY capable team.
Vancouver currently sits 4 wins away from being able to gain the...
Don't look now, but your Montreal Canadiens have a three game winning streak going! Not only that, but all three wins have come in regulation. Not only that, but their penalty killing unit has become the backbone of this team. Not only that, but their powerplay is slowly starting to get its act together. Not only that, but they seem to have 2, yes that's right, 2, starting...
Buffalo (16-9-2) vs. Washington (19-5-6)
It looked like a no-brainer. The caps were easily the favored team against the Sabres. With Buffalo scoring one goal in their past two games, Washington looked like the best bet in this one.
The Capitals came into the game first in points, goals, and power play percentage.
Wednesday night, Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres...
Why is it that media and the rest of the hockey world seems to consistently overlook Ian White?
So far this year, he has helped his team put pucks in the net(16 Pts), helped his team keep pucks out of their own net ( 49 Blocked Shots, +11 ) , and most of all, he comes to work hard each and every game. (Which he averages 22:40 ToI\G.)
To have 16 points and be a plus ...
The Flames returned home, after their longest road trip of the season, to face the much improved Atlanta Thrashers on Wednesday night. The Flames did not disappoint their fans as they played a solid game and won 3-1 for their second consecutive win at home, after losing 4 of their previous 5 on home ice. The old cliché of ‘having their best players play like their best...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Secondary Scoring Remains As A Major Problem
Posted Thursday | Comments 361
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...
I am going to break from the usual analysis of games and try to have a good hockey conversation. I am going to ask a series of questions, all of them related to hockey. If any of you who read this can come up with a question that relates to this blog, ask it. What I would like to see is the hockey lore that we can come up with as a hockeybuzz fan base. Should be a lot...
So over the last couple days a rumor has broken out about the Flames, this in itself makes me question it because Sutter (Darryl) is a guy who does not react kindly to leaks, about Dion Phanuef.
The meat of the rumor is that Dion would go to the Islanders for something along the lines of Tavares or Okposo (who he almost killed in an open ice hit in pre-season) or a firs...
Line 1
LW-Rick Nash C- Sidney Crosby RW- "A" Jarome Iginla
Line 2
LW- Dany Heatly C- Joe Thorton RW- Ryan Getzlaf
Line 3
LW- Jeff Carter C- Mike Richards RW- "A" Shane Doan
Line 4
LW- Corey Perry C- Mi...
Backup goaltender Patrick Lalime was on top of his game as he led the Sabres to a 2-1 win over Brian "Soupy" Campbell and the Blackhawks
Buffalo (17-9-2) vs. Chicago (19-7-3)
Chicago enters the night 5-0-1 against Eastern Conference opponents this season. Friday marked only the second time in seven years the Blackhawks have visited Buffalo. It was also the first time...
The Flames lost to the Minnesota Wild Friday night by a score of 2-1. They lost in overtime. The Flames scored the first goal of the game. All this being said, the Flames were severely outplayed by Minnesota and were out shot 46-23. They failed to register a shot until the 14th minute of play and only mustered 3 shots on net in the first period; the Wild fired 19 Kiprusoff...
[i]The following is completely ficticious and is meant only for your amusement. I don't actually believe anything that follows and neither should you.[/i]
The Phoenix Coyotes will win the Stanley Cup this year. It's not because they are the best team, or because they are built for the playoffs, or even because Ilya Bryzgalov is the best goaltender in the world this year...
[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabre11richard/3362526735/[/img]
A two goal game may not be a career night for many players, but for Patrick Kaleta it was just that.
Buffalo was up for another big challenge on Saturday night. Although the Sabres had Ryan Miller in net, the Rangers have had a day off in between games. The Sabres played their third game in four night...
Don't forget to check out oilnutz.com
Well, Well, Well…
Where are all the trade them now guys??? Have you all put away your panic buttons and maybe even relized that Hemsky alone isn’t going to make this team team great.
All I can say is that it was another great week for the team. The GBP line was clicking (especially against the Blues). Horcoff is playing gr...
The year 2009 is coming quickly to an end and I have decided to take a look at the best Toronto Maple Leaf player on a decade by decade basis covering Toronto clubs from 1920-2009. The Maple Leafs were known as the Toronto St. Pats until the 1927 season when the team was purchased by Conn Smythe and the named changed to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This organization has had ma...
As I turned on Sportsnet the other day, I happened to see the guys on Hockeycentral during a phone interview with Matt Stajan, concluded with them both agreeing that they liked Stajan, but that he is just further up in the lineup than he would be on another team. I think that's a fair assumption, but only because of his numbers the past couple years. Remember though, last ...
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20091215/i/r814805491.jpg[/img]
Buffalo (19-9-2) vs. Montreal (15-15-3)
The Sabres have not played well in the Bell Centre. Ryan Miller has not won there in four starts. Buffalo disregarded those stats and came in and beat the Canadiens.
The game resembled a style similar to the Sabres' 2006-2007 season. It was an offensive game, ev...
Today is the 15th of December and as we hit the official half-way point of the month we also hit the half-way mark of the Habs' 17 games in 28 nights. And how have our beloved Habs fared so far? Hmmmm, looks like a win one/lose one trend, much like the rest of the year has been for them. Sadly, this team could have a lot more points that it currently has (33 in 34 games) i...
Well, I have been away for a while and have just decided to rejoin the world of Hockeybuzz.com. As most of you know that know me, I am a Leaf diehard. We saw our Buds get off to a rough start this season but they have been heating it up as of late and now sit a mere 2 points from the 8th spot in the east. I thought I'd drop a few interesting tidbits that have been bounc...
In front of a packed house at the Scottrade Center on Brett Hull night, the Blues pulled out a rare home victory on a beautiful late goal by T.J. Oshie. It was a great play set up by the forecheck of David Backes, allowing Paul Kariya to take the puck and feed Oshie with a beautiful pass that Oshie roofed.
Another rarity, the Blues scored a power-play goal. That unit st...
SoCalSharksGirl writes...
Should the Sharks Have Traded Vlasic Instead?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
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...
[img]http://golfinginapril.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/dapns.png?w=300&h=73[/img]
There have been many great captain’s over the years…and that spot is still up for grabs on the current edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Coming into the season, Ron Wilson said that the captaincy ’situation’ would be revisited in November, after Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek and Fr...
First and foremost, this blog is simply to provide a fun conversation as well as enjoying some of the rumors that are going on.
It is no secret that the Flyers are struggling, and in the cap era this seems to be the only time that major trades really have any traction. For the most part this also brings about big dealings at the deadline. In relation to the Flyers I ...
BryanM writes...
More outdoor games and other ideas floating around the NHL
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Here are some ideas that are floating around the NHL right now, and my take on each of them:
[u][b]1.) Another outdoor game[/b][/u]
Gary Bettman spoke with the NHL's Board of Governors about the possibility of another outdoor game for next season. This isn't a new idea, more of a gauging of interest for the league. Over the summer the NHL worked on putting together a...
Thirty-five games into the season, more games played than any other team, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves a mere 2 points out of 29th spot overall. That’s more than enough reason to think this team is not a Stanley Cup contender. And in this modern NHL salary cap era that’s enough reason to rebuild for next season.
A common, successful strategy to rebuild is...
[IMG:left]http://i49.tinypic.com/b62ecn.png[/IMG] So a little bit of the progress made was erased last night in the dismantling at the hands of the desert dogs. I can honestly say I don't think I've seen the Leafs look so disorganized. Not even in the early season slide was it as apparent they weren't ready for their opponent as it was in last nights contest. At times t...
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...
The Leafs have once again recalled one of the media-named Frat Pack in Viktor Stalberg, and it should be interesting to see if he can translate some of his AHL success to the NHL (unlike Christian Hanson). Stalberg played okay near the beginning of the season, but we have to remember that he went into a slump during a time when everyone on the team was slumping. Stalberg l...
more to come....
After three straight losses, the Flames came back and beat, what was statistically, the best team in the Western Conference. Coming off of a mini two game road trip where the Flames failed to earn a point, they were determined to gain some sort of momentum heading into an elongated amount of games on home ice. However, they did not manage to exactly blow the Los Angeles K...
Another day, another loss. It seems that us Habs fans are getting used to the idea. We're not happy about it, mind you, but we are definitely getting used to the heart break. You could tell, in the third period last night, how unhappy the fans were as their boos changed focus from Latendresse to their beloved Habs. The booing started with about three minutes left in the ga...
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...
Kamal Panesar writes...
The Return of the King: Andrei Markov to play Saturday
Posted Friday | Comments 0
He's baaaaack! RDS has confirm that Andrei has been given the green light by the Habs medical staff and will play Saturday night versus the Islanders!
Go to Habs To The Top for all the details:
http://www.habsaddict.com/2009/12/daily-habs-links-dec-18-2009-5-losses.html
http://www.HabsAddict.com
K.
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...
In a rare afternoon affair at the Saddledome, the Flames failed to gain any momentum on their current home stand by falling to the Nashville Predators 5 to 3. Losers of 4 of their last 5, the Flames, seemingly, were still asleep for the first 15 minutes of this game. Looking sluggish and disjointed from the drop of the puck, save Rene Bourque, the Flames were in a hole dow...
Oh my…something needs to happen
Let’s see what do I see wrong with the Flyers. Richards is a player that does not pass the puck. Carter is a player that does not pass the puck. Giroux is a player that passes the puck all the time. None of them are playing like NHL centers. NHL centers are unpredictable. The Flyers top 3 centers are playing a very predictable g...
Buffalo (21-10-2) vs. Pittsburgh (24-10-1)
Another big challenge for Buffalo arrived on Saturday night. Sidney Crosby and the Penguins were in town to try and defeat the Sabres. Pittsburgh had Friday night off, while the Sabres were busy beating Toronto. Thomas Vanek was unable to play due to an upper body injury. However, Patrick Kaleta was back in the lineup for the f...
The return of Andrei Markov was the storyline of the night and the game - a 3-0 win by the Habs - could be summed up as great goaltending, great special teams and a very special player. While Markov's two-goal performance warmed the cockles of Habs fans everywhere, the real hero this evening was Jaroslav Halak who in turning in a 40 save shutout performance continues to ra...
Since the big team is not really giving us much to talk about lately I thought I'd check on the up and comers.
Quietly Mikael Backlund has risen to third in team scoring with the Heat with 8 goals and 8 assists after starting the season very slow. It is nice to see his balanced attack is starting to pay dividends, Backlund has a tremendous shot and great passing with v...
[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 ...
Now that's the way the Blues should play every game. Against the best home team in the NHL, the Blues came out and completely out-worked Vancouver. They were faster, stronger, dove for loose pucks, and blocked shots during crucial penalty kills.
It's that type of game the Blues should strive to play every single game. Despite being dead last in the West heading into Sun...
Twas the night before Christmas when all through the Dome,
Not a creature was stirring, not even Jarome.
The Jerseys were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Stanley soon would be there.
The Flames were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of hockey pucks danced in their heads.
And Sutter in his ‘kerchief, and King in his cap,
Had just sett...
gkmkiller writes...
Don't Look now But the Rangers Are On a Bit of a Roll
Posted Monday | Comments 1
As Rangers fans, we probably shouldn’t get too excited about tonight’s 3 – 1 win over Carolina. After all, the Hurricanes entered tonight with the fewest points (by far) in the NHL with 24 in 35 games. They have scored the second fewest goals (tied with Boston and ahead of Tampa Bay) in the Eastern Conference (88) while giving up the most (128).
Yes, the Hurrican...
Twas the night before Christmas when all through the Dome,
Not a creature was stirring, not even Jarome.
The Jerseys were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Stanley soon would be there.
The Flames were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of hockey pucks danced in their heads.
And Sutter in his ‘kerchief, and King in his cap,
Had just sett...
Habs win! Habs win! Long live the streak! A two-game streak that is. But, after losing 5 in a row, we'll take it. Last night in Atlanta, the Canadiens once again played the role of thieves, stealing two points from the suddenly within reach, Thrashers. Before last night's game, Montreal (35 points) were four points back of Atlanta (39). With the overtime win, the Habs gain...
If Ilya doesn't sign in Atlanta and the Thrashers put him on the market there would be interest from a host of teams around the league. The "roomered" asking price (according to Ek) is "a pick, a player that can help Atlanta now, and a top, top NHL prospect".
Now if I'm Darryl, there are only a couple of pure prospects in the cupboard that I could even consider "top, to...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Daily Habs Links - Game preview, Pouliot, Gionta, Mara...
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Gameday updates, injury information, Pouliot in the line up, Gionta suffers setback and more. Read all about it on Habs To The Top
http://www.habsaddict.com/2009/12/daily-habs-links-game-preview-pouliot.html
Bookmark us today!
http://www.HabsAddict.com
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20091224/i/r95991619.jpg[/img]
Buffalo (22-10-3) vs. Washington (22-8-6)
The Sabres are coming off of a overtime win in Toronto, in which the team played without Thomas Vanek and Patrick Kaleta. The Capitals have not played since Saturday, when they scored four times in the third to defeat Edmonton.
The Capitals have 130 goals score...
The Calgary Flames are officially in a slump. They are not playing desperate hockey and are not playing well. After a nice three day break where they could take some time to work out some of the kinks that have been bothering them over this stretch, it seemed as if this would be a perfect game to bounce back in. The Blues, after coming off of big wins in both Edmonton and ...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Daily Habs Links - Olympics, Markov, Kostitsyn Brothers...
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Andrei Markov officially named to the Russian Olympic team, the Kostitsyn brothers named to Belarussian Olympic team, analysis of Russian Olympic team.
http://www.HabsAddict.com
Happy holidays all!
Wow, it's been a loooooooong time since I last had the time to sit down and write one of these. Unfortunately it will be extremely brief...
For a lot of hockey fans, Boxing Day through the New Year holiday is considered sacred, especially for Canadians. It's the most magical time of year when the best of the best from around the world come together to fight for World Ju...
Ottawa (18-15-4) at Buffalo (22-11-3)
The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 5-3 win for Ottawa back on November 21st. However, several Sabres were suffering from food poisoning that night. A few nights later, when the Minnesota Wild came to visit, their players found that their equipment was set on fire. The Senators have won six straight games against ...
It is absolutely astounding that the Buffalo Sabres were even able to sneak a point out of their usual kryptonite, the Senators. Right from the opening puckdrop, the effort was simply not there from most of the Sabres, the exception being the guy in the blue paint. It took 18 Ottawa shots and 17 1/2 minutes of game time for the Sabres to get a puck through to Pascal LeCl...
If you had asked me at the start of this 8 game home stand if I would be happy with the Canucks winning 6 of 8 I would have said sure. And while the two they lost should have been ones they won handily, overall it was a pretty decent run. With the Olympic road trip from hell looming, the Canucks need to continue to get as many points as possible at home, and hope that they...
Fresh off a decisive 4-1 win over the slumping Edmonton Oilers to wrap up an 8 game home stand which saw them go 6-2, the Canucks are right back at it in a huge game tonight against the Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome. With a win, the Canucks can vault past the Flames into 2nd in the Northwest and 7th place in the Western Conference. It certainly isn't going to be an ea...
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091228/capt.16fb2ef16d5f44d7af63e2ec402fdc41.sabres_blues_hockey_motg101.jpg[/img]
Sabres (22-11-4) at Blues (17-15-5)
Sunday marked the only meeting between these two teams. Buffalo edged out a 4-3 victory in their lone meeting last year. The Sabres are coming off of a overtime loss against Ottawa while the Blues beat Minnesota on Sat...
The Calgary Flames are moving in the wrong direction in the Western Conference standings. After tonight’s dreadful loss at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, the Flames now sit in 8th spot in the West, only 2 points up on Detroit. The Flames are falling faster than Tiger Woods bank balance. With only 1 win in the last 7 contests, the Flames continue to play horrifying a...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Daily Habs Links - Gionta AND Hamrlik back? Sens...
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Could Gionta and Hamrlik be back tonight vs. Sens? ESPN.com game preview.
http://www.HabsAddict.com
As the 2009 calender year comes to a close with the Maple Leafs three points behind a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Brian Burke will need to look at making some decisions in 2010 and the first one on his list needs to be the resigning of defensemen Ian White. The 25 year old on many nights this season has been the teams best rearguard and overall it's not much of...
So finally the Flames get a win in what seems like an eternity and it comes against the Oilers. Getting a win against the Oilers is like getting three wins normally for us fans but even in winning the Flames looked really poor. The Oilers are a team, who like the Flames, have been struggeling lately and on paper the score should have been what it was. The only problem is t...
Pittsburgh (26-12-1) at Buffalo (23-11-4)
The Sabres entered tonight's game trailing the Penguins by three points in the Eastern Conference. Buffalo is coming off of a big win in St. Louis where Patrick Lalime earned a 5-3 win for Buffalo. Pittsburgh is coming off of a tough loss against Toronto. The Penguins tied the game late in the third, but Ian White scored with ju...
Six of twelve participating countries have announced their rosters, five more (including Canada) will be announced tomorrow (Dec. 30) with the lone holdout being Team USA which will announce during the Winter Classic on Jan. 1. With that in mind here is my take on the rosters so far:
[b]Latvia[/b]
This will be a team to watch. They probably won't win a medal, but the...
The Habs 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators, on Monday, marked the official mid-point of their season. Having now played 41 games and with ALMOST the entire team healthy, I thought it was a good time to review the 1st half of the season. I have provided an overall review, a look at special teams and grades for each player CURRENTLY on the roster broken down by position. Final...
So the team has been named, the moment Canadians had been waiting for since the last Olympics ended in 2006. Now the debate can begin on who should be there and who shouldn’t be there, why this team will win, why this team won’t win, and all the other fun topics. As it concerns the Flames, the debate will be about whether or not Phaneuf, Bouwmeester or Regehr should ...
John Michael Liles is a player who has shown the ability to consistently achieve 40 point seasons. That is nothing to snuff at by any means. Sacco thinks he can do better, and so do I. We as fans all kind of have this collective feeling that he is worth more than he is putting out.
I do however feel that he has a somewhat fragile ego. We could look back at his perfo...
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...
tml1967 writes...
Toronto Maple Leafs turn for Winter Classic and we know where
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Winter Classic has come and gone once again and this time at Fenway Park was another spectacle to watch, there is nothing like watching professional players, playing outdoors in what can come across to us as a game of shinny. We can all relate to that growing up and going into our backyards or the local community rink with temperatures below zero, the frost coming out ...
Disclaimer: I don't know much about the contracts of each of the players. I know there are a good # that are FA but I'm not sure who they all are. This is a scenario built around the fact that the FA pool isn't very good this year and assuming many of these guys are re-signed cause there won't be many great options in the FA market.
I was going through all the players t...
So we finally have all 12 rosters for the Olympics. Below is my opinion of the rosters that were announced Dec. 30 and Jan. 1.
Switzerland
The Swiss will not win a medal unless they really get going offensively. The other teams have just too much skill and certainly plenty of will to match. The strength of this team will be goaltending, which means they could upset s...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Daily Habs Links - Markov, Pouliot, Sabres, Kostitsyns...
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Markov and Pouliot play their 1st homegames of the season, will Kostitsyn brothers play this aft? Sabres pregame, who is in nets.
http://www.HabsAddict.com
Buffalo (25-11-4) at Montreal (21-19-3)
The Canadiens hosted the Sabres for the fourth matchup between the teams this season. Entering the game, Buffalo led the series with a 2-0-1 advantage, outscoring Montreal 11-7.
The Sabres were coming off of back-to-back games in which they have overcome three goal deficits. They came in on a three game winning streak as they h...
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...
Canada looks great this year, the U.S. team looks fantastic as well, I'm really looking forward to the game tomorrow! Led by Derek Stepan ( N.Y. Rangers) the U.S. has more than a few weapons to worry about, I love their speed and finally seeing creativity out of the U.S. program.
To be a World Champion you have to be in a sport that the world participates in and beat o...
Going into tonight's game against the American's there were a few things that Canada HAD to do...
1) Effective PP
2) Little to no individual free wheeling plays
3) Solid goaltending
Let's recap shall we...
1) Canada was 1 for 3 tonight...which isn't really that bad..however against a team where special teams WILL make a difference, they needed. Of course the 1 p...
While the US's John Carlson may be saying his OT winner was a 'lucky shot', the fact that the US team left Saskatoon with the gold around their necks had very little to do with luck. As we saw in the New Years Eve tilt, Canada had little answer for both the American's speed, giving up numerous odd man rushes throughout the game, and their superior defensive ability. All ni...
Hands up if you called the score in this one? Yeah, no one could have predicted this one, even as bad as the Blue Jackets have been lately I don't think anyone would have foreseen this. Especially they way they found themselves up 2-0 early in the first. Instead of seizing the opportunity, the Jackets looked bewildered, and a mere 29 seconds after Kristian Huselius made it...
Buffalo (26-11-4) vs. Tampa Bay (16-15-10)
The Sabres began a three game homestand tonight, beginning with Tampa Bay. These teams have met once before this season, with Buffalo edging out the Lightning in overtime for the victory.
Buffalo struck the Lightning with a fast start to open the game. Lindy Ruff has been on the Sabres to try an play better in the first peri...
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]
The schedule finally seems to be wearing on the flames. Last night they looked tired.
To be honest, I don't blame them. Back to back contests are physically draining, and the flames are in the middle of an 11 game stretch that only contains 1 game that is not part of a back to back situation (Jan 2, against the Leafs).
The game on Friday at home against Columbus is...
There is a country full of Canadian men who wish they had been good enough at hockey to have a shot at the NHL...even a shot. Most of us grunts would even say a life of riding buses in the AHL playing hockey and still making okay money would be something else, in fact my best hockey memory is a sweeping glove save I made on an ex-NHL player, a save that made me have dreams...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Avoid Snowballs, Robbie Schremp With Goal Of The Year?
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
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...
Toronto (15-20-9) at Buffalo (27-11-4)
Buffalo had a chance to extend their five game winning streak on Friday with a win against Toronto. The Sabres were also also looking to beat the Maple Leafs for the tenth straight time. Buffalo has outscored the Leafs 15-6 in the four games played this season.
Everything looked to be in favor the Sabres for Friday's game. It is...
Ok, so I was going to write a blog about the debate over trading and keeping Thomas Kaberle...but after last nights game against Buffalo, something had to be written.
When you outshoot your opponent 50-31 you should really put a few pucks in the net...however when the other goalie is Ryan Miller that number drops quite drastically...especially since he comes out of nowh...
Sergei Gonchar takes a slapshot...the puck appears to either hit the post then cross bar, or the post then the bar in the back of the net...then bounce away from the Toronto goal.
The insuing pass and then chase for the puck results in Alexei Ponikarovsky heading toward the Penguin goal with a breakaway. At the last second, Gonchar gives Poni a hook.
Fleury stops th...
Great win this afternoon at the TD Banknorth Garden by the Rangers. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a dominating performance but it was solid. Boston controlled the play for stretches but all-in-all the Rangers did a good job of making sure a Bruins team missing key players came up on the short end of the stick.
Lundqvist was great today. He made some great saves foll...
Buffalo (28-11-4) vs. Colorado (24-15-6)
The Sabres enter the night with a perfect 7-0 record against the Western Conference. Buffalo is looking to extend their current win streak of six games while Tim Connolly hopes to extend his eight game point streak.
Patrick Lalime starts between the pipes for Buffalo, allowing Ryan Miller to rest after making 48 saves last nig...
So Theo has come out and said that Conroy should be held accountable for not scoring in 37 games, and that the Flames should trade Regehr. His most outlandish statement was that "stupid people" run hockey and one could say that he meant the Sutters in Calgary. Personally I'm not offended by what he said, if Conroy was not such a likeable guy and someone you just want to ro...
Disclaimer: this is not a blog about hockey...
Baseball...the professional sport...is like an onion...
Peel back one layer of deception and sure enough, there is another rotten one just below it.
The recent comments made by Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco and Tony LaRussa are a glaring example of this.
McGwire finally admits to using steroids...although he said he ...
icedog97 writes...
Olympic Peace Summit...Penguins and Flyers Fans Unite?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Let's face it...Penguins and Flyers fans love TWO things...
1) Their respective teams...
and
2) to dislike, dare I say hate, the OTHER team/team's fans
But in February, both sides will be put into an akward position as the 2010 Olympics open.
Both teams fans, of mostly US origin, will have (most likely) their favorite players on the roster for Team Canada - Mike...
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 ...
tml1967 writes...
The Leafs waddling through their worst month since lockout
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue on their waddling days of January which has been the teams worst month statistically since the lockout, if the team is to succeed in its quest to make the playoffs again then they need to come to grips with one of the coldest months of the year in Canada. The team is 1-5-0 so far this month and continue to struggle in their penalty kill and...
Everybody is quick to jump all over Gainey for the habs misfortunes. I for one, am guilty of this homerness.
Lets take a look at what he has done:
2003 (the beginning of the Kovalev era), Bob Gainey takes over the GM position from Andre Savard.
Bob Gainey acquires Alexai Kovalev for Josef Balej and a 2nd round pick at the trade deadline.
I don't have to retell ...
The Calgary Flames lost tonight to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Stricken by a slew of bad penalties and untimely giveaways, the Flames could not handle the strength and of a better Penguins club. The Penguins are faster, bigger, stronger and compete harder in every battle, and it showed on the scoreboard. Despite being able to outshoot the Pengui...
Buffalo (28-11-5) at Atlanta (20-19-6)
Tonight, Buffalo began a seven game road trip that will last two weeks, beginning in Atlanta. The Sabres have struggled against the Thrashers lately, but did defeat them 4-3, despite being down 3-0 on January 1st.
Atlanta is 12-3-3 all time against the Sabres at home, so Buffalo had to bring their best if they wanted to win the ...
predram writes...
Preds for real? Burrows thoughts and Flames/Pred preview
Posted Friday | Comments 0
At 28-16-3, the Nashville Predators have held in the playoff hunt much longer than a lot of analysts or "analysts" predicted at the start of the season. There were even some who predicted the Preds to finish as low as 14th in the Western Conference. I predicted the team to finish 10th. My reasoning was that other teams made additions and got better while the Preds sat back...
The Bruins could really struggle to play .500 hockey for the rest of the year unless they can make a serious trade, and obviously I’m talking about Ilya Kovalchuk.
The loss of Marc Savard to a torn MCL could force Boston to use one of their valuable draft picks they received in the Kessel trade far earlier than they imagined. In fact, as bad as Toronto is playing, the...
The Bruins could really struggle to play .500 hockey for the rest of the year unless they can make a serious trade, and obviously I’m talking about Ilya Kovalchuk.
The loss of Marc Savard to a torn MCL could force Boston to use one of their valuable draft picks they received in the Kessel trade far earlier than they imagined. In fact, as bad as Toronto is playing, 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...
The three and a half hours of sleep I received before work this morning were well worth it — Around 1:30 a.m. (on the East coast), big Zdeno Chara bore down San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov and unleashed his 105 M.P.H. cannon from 20 feet out.
Chara’s lone goal in the shootout completed a 65+ minute effort for the Black and Gold last night in San Jose and g...
I'll be honest, I've never really been one to look at the nhl numbers closely, but this season is different. We have Tomas Plekanec who is an upcoming UFA, and we have very little cap room to re-sign him. Word around the water cooler is that he'll be looking for 4.5-6 Million for 5 years. Problem with that is with all the money being freed up in the offseason, the habs are...
"Hot" goalies-Just so we are all clear, this is the N.H.L., all of the goalies are good...even the bad ones are really good. If you can't score it's not because you ran into a hot goalie it's because you have been figured out and have not adapted your play. After a few games it gets really hard to hear the Flames didn't score because Fleury was hot or because Ellis was hot...
Buffalo (29-11-5) at Islanders (20-19-8)
With a 7-1-2 record, the Sabres headed onto Long Island looking to win their second of seventh game on the road trip. The Islanders came in having won their last two, including a convincing 6-0 win over Detroit.
Rick DiPietro started in net for the first time in over a year at Nassau Coliseum. There no surprise seeing Ryan Mil...
The Flames lost again last night. The Flames have now lost 5 of their last 6 games. The Flames were shutout last night for the first time all season. They are averaging only 1.33 goals per game over this slide. Iginla is pointless in the last 6 games and a -3 over that span. All in all, there are very few positive things coming out of Flames land these days. About the only...
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...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Win 1, Lose 1 Habs back at .500 - Habs system explained
Posted Monday | Comments 1
It is Monday morning in the frozen city of Montreal. After a week of decent (for January) weather, it has been colder the last few days, in this city, and not just because of the temperature. After two back-to-back 4 point games this weekend, that Habs are no better in the standings. Two games, two losses, two bad efforts - the second worse than the 1st - and your beloved ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Win Four In A Row And Hamonic Visits The Coliseum
Posted Monday | Comments 2
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...
Sabres Take First Place In Eastern Conference
Buffalo (29-11-6) at Phoenix (28-16-5)
With the New Jersey Devils loss, Buffalo had a chance to take over first place in the Eastern Conference. Phoenix and Buffalo met once earlier this season back in the beginning of the season, with the Sabres winning 2-1. The Sabres come in with 7-0-1 record against the Western Confe...
[img]http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=media%2Fgettyphoto%2FGYI0059328895.jpg&w=715&h=477[/img]
It was a hard fought game through two periods, and you couldn't help but feel good with the Blues only down a goal going into the third period. But getting the next goal was critical for the Blues and it just did not happen.
Erik Johnson committed a cardinal si...
Embarrassing. Humiliating. Disgusting. Oilers-esque. just a few adjectives to describe what Flames fans are feeling today. Looking at the score you can't help but think of the fish slap dance from Monty Python, it is very fitting and if I was more computer savvy I would have inserted a picture to accompany this blog.
9-1 is a score the best team in the league should h...
doormat247 writes...
The Boiling Point: A Rant from a fan of Oiler Hockey
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
I don't blog very often for good reason, I rarely have much of value to say and when I do I would much rather have a beverage or two then sit down and write. Sadly, after yet another uninspired performance by the Oilers last night, alcohol only dulled the frustrations rather then extinguished them like usual.
Yeah, I know...its not healthy to drink away the anger, tel...
Everybody raise your hand if you thought that the 7-1 beat down on November 19th against the Chicago Blackhawks would be low point in the season? I would venture to guess that most everyone’s hands would be in the air. Well, the Flames have shocked us once again with their ability to look like a minor affiliate. 9-1…was that a rouge we scored? Was that a football game?...
Buffalo (30-11-6) at Anaheim (22-20-7)
Buffalo comes close after trailing by four, but cannot complete comeback
Buffalo had the opportunity to regain 1st place in the Eastern Conference. Washington won their game earlier against Detroit. They were down 2-1 in the third but rallied to win. The Sabres needed two points to jump back into first place.
Patrick Lalime rec...
Just a quick note, I noticed Conroy is centering Iginla at practice again... are Langkow or Jokinen hurt?? That is embarrassing. Wish they would stop going back to this junk. Conroy is a third or fourth line guy now... that you drag off the bench to take a face off ...period. His first line days are long gone.
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RFA and UFA issues face the flames this ...
Buffalo (30-12-6) at Los Angeles (27-19-3)
The Sabres and Kings met for the only time this season. Last time they met, Ryan Miller shutout Los Angeles in a 5-0 win.
The Sabres almost made quite a comeback in their last game against Anaheim. Buffalo quickly fell behind 4-0 in the first period with Patrick Lalime in net. The Sabres came out in the second, narrowing the...
Well, despite a stronger effort the Flames lost for the 6th straight time and the 8th time in 9 outings. This was also the 3rd straight loss to the Blackhawks this season and 7th straight, not including the post season. That was the Flames 5th straight loss at home to boot; the last win coming on January 2nd against the Toronto Marlies. To think, this team should have come...
An Interesting Look at Who Has the Hat-Tricks This Season
We are more than halfway through the 2009-2010 season, and there are many teams that have surprised fans. What may be more surprising is which teams have recorded hat tricks this season. There are eight teams left who have not done it yet this season.
The league leading Chicago Blackhawks are one of those eigh...
Buffalo (30-12-7) at San Jose (34-10-8)
The last time these two teams met was on February 13th, when flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Even though the NHL offered to postpone the game, the Sabres chose to play.
Buffalo went out to a four goal lead, only to see San Jose come back and score five goals. Jason Pominville tied the game up wit...
[b]Game Summary:[/b]
What a difference a week makes. Two weekends with back-to-back games with two completely different outcomes. While after last weekend, many of the Habs faithful were ready to throw in the towel, this weekend many are hoping that the Habs have turned a corner. I have to caution that until the Habs get on a roll and start putting some separation between...
Buffalo had an amazing pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft when they chose 6 foot 8 inches Tyler Myers. The 19 year old rookie made an impression the moment he started playing for the Sabres.
Buffalo traded up one spot with the L.A. Kings in order to get Myers. They wanted him on the team badly. If they hadn't trade, there is a good chance he would not be on the Buffalo Sa...
Conroy is back at centering Iginla again in practice. Hasn't worked in 9 games, might as well stick with it. Lundmark actually looked alright on that line, give the guy some time, Conroy is not an option anymore.
****
When Sutter says he doesn't see how the flames could get Kovulchuk is he kidding? Most armchair g.m.'s know that you have 5 mil off the books if you simp...
Hey ladies and Gentlemen its been forever since i have written my last article. I have been very busy with academics but considering that this is a make or break season for the san jose sharks i think i should comment on the last couple of games and what the sharks need to do looking forward.
considering that i along with many other fans in the nhl have noticed the infl...
Buffalo (30-13-7) at Vancouver (31-18-2)
The seven game road trip came to an end tonight for Buffalo. Buffalo needed to defeat Vancouver in order to win the trip. This was the only meeting between these two teams this year.
Buffalo won the only meeting last year by a score of 5-2. The Sabres had to face another Olympic goaltender in Roberto Luongo on Monday night. ...
Flames have offered the Los Angeles Kings Olli Jokinen for a bag of pucks and their water boy, apparently the Kings are unwilling to make this deal as they think their bag of pucks will find the back of the net eventually more than Jokinen and the water boy at least shows up to work and doesn't have a gay biker handlebar mustache.
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In other news the Flames have ...
Question: What is the difference between a falling tree and the Calgary Flames?
Answer: A tree never gets booed out of its own forest.
Lucky consecutive loss number 7 for the Flames tonight, as they were shut out for the 2nd time in 3 games on home ice. They have scored a staggering 2 goals in their last 4 games at the Saddledome. They must be reading the Tiger Woods...
Backlund is the right guy to call up IF:
A) He plays on the power play.
B) He plays on the top two lines.
This morning he practiced with Glencross and Nystrom, if they wanted an energy grinder they should have called up Jaffray.
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Lots of comments on how barren the Flames system is and the blame lies with Daryl Sutter, allow me to play devils advocate... 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...
Heartbroken. Disappointed. Frustrated.
All words that describe how the Flames must feel right now. The Flames lost their 8th consecutive game tonight despite holding a lead going into the final period. They fought hard in the 2nd, arguably their best period, but let one squeak by them with only 24 seconds left in the period to cut their lead in half. This event, one of...
I heard on the radio this morning Darren Dreger say that the Flames, "..just ran into a hot goalie.." last night in Dallas. Apparently he hasn't read the papers here, the Flames are MAKING goalies hot. Conklin, Auld...it doesn't matter, if you want their confidence up stick 'em in net against the Flames.
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After the Burrows incident it becomes really easy to look a...
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...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Montreal-Tampa: Habs Lay Another Egg in 3-0 Loss
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The state of Florida was not kind to the Habs over the last two days. Despite the sunny weather, there is a grey cloud that has formed over the Habs' heads and they are struggling to shake it. After a dismal performance against the Panthers on Tuesday, the Habs were in Tampa yesterday, to play the Lightning. They did so through whispers of locker room dissent and rumours o...
Slump Busters.....not quite. The big guns for Calgary: Phaneuf, Iginla and Jokinen all scored while others like Lundmark chipped in with a nice assist. It was not enough. Once again, some unlucky bounces did the Flames in. Not making excuses here at all, but when two unlucky goals go in after being up 3-1, for a fragile team like they are now, it's hard to recover. That do...
Outside the box:
Backlund on the top line from here on out, this is why they drafted him, let him do it, just with Jokinen on one wing and Iginla on the other.
Phanuef on the wing, if he wants to go mainly offensive maybe it's time to stop holding him back, a guy named Buyfuglien did this prior so it's not unprecedented. Giordano has proven he is not a fluke, this i...
Domaju writes...
The Main Attraction in Leaf Land: The Team Coaster Part 2
Posted Friday | Comments 1
When it comes to having fun, a roller coaster is above all one of the best. I think someone needs to tell the forwards on the Toronto Maple Leafs that the same doesn't apply to a roller coaster of a season.
As it stands the Leafs are being led by a defenseman in points. Of course Tomas Kaberle is a very offensive player, but no team should ever be led by a d-man if you ...
Well if this is not the perfect time to face the lowly Oilers, I do not know what is. Coming off of 9, yes 9, consecutive losses, the Flames look to ‘bump the slump’ against the worst team in the NHL on Saturday night. The only solace Flames fans have these days is the fact that the Oilers have lost more in a row (12) and occupy the very bottom of the NHL standings (Ou...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Montreal-Ottawa: Habs rally but fall short in 3-2 OT loss
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Well, that was a much better effort, don't you think?
After stinking up the joint in back-to-back games last weekend, the Habs finally showed up for their Saturday afternoon tilt against the Senators. Unfortunately for the Habs, they ended up losing the game, 3-2, in overtime. Despite the loss, this was a heck of a good game. The speed and skill of both teams shone yest...
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 ...
Toronto Maple Leafs fans went to bed last night with a bitter taste in their mouths after watching their beloved Leafs blow a 3-0 lead against the Vancouver Canucks on Hockey Day in Canada. This morning many started their Sunday as they normally would but what most fans did not expect was to get hit all of a sudden by a Burkie Blast. Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke...
To Toronto:
Dion Phaneuf- 7mill
Fredrik Sjostrom- .750 Million
Keith Aulie- Prospect
Total $: 7.750 Million
To Calgary
Niklas Hagman- 3 Mill +2 yrs
Matt Stajan- 1.75 mill-UFA
Ian White-.950 mill-RFA
Jamal Mayers-1.4 mill-UFA
Total: $7.1 Million
When I first heard about the deal I went through a series of emotions from shock, to anger, to curiosity,...
S Kaspar Rollins writes...
The Dion Dissertation: Darryl's Downfall? Or His Salvation?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
(I'd put Kotalik in the title but that would screw up my alliteration, plus I'm trying to pretend the trade hasn't happened until the trade call is actually made...)
For the past three weeks, I have been refreshing TSN constantly after every loss, waiting for Darryl Sutter to make a big trade. I felt it was inevitable, to the point where I’ve had a blog in the queue a...
"If Gretzky can be traded, anyone can be traded."- Dion Phaneuf ... Is it just me or did Dion just compare himself with the great one? Hey Dion, you have 10 goals, relax.
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Does anyone else find it ironic that Souray got his hand broken fighting Iginla who he was trying to get back at for injuring him earlier?
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By my count the Flames are carrying 15 for...
In evauluating the trades, any hockey pundit will tell you that you need to wait for an extended period of time down the road to see who 'wins' a trade.
I on the other hand see a way to evaluate this trade right now, I think there is a simple way to look at this from a Leafs fan perspective and be more than happy with it.
For starters, let me say that I think Phaneuf...
After back to back wins at home, the Sabres headed into Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins for the third time this year. The teams have split the first two meetings of the season, both with one goal wins.
For a while, it looked as if the Sabres had a chance to take first place in the Conference. With the Capitals winning ten in a row, the Sabres are nine points out of t...
Last Night Daryl Sutter traded Ollie Jokinen and Brandon Prust for Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins, upsetting Flames fans because now we can't bug Olier fans about having a player names alice...er...ales.
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The broad side of the barn is upset with Adam Pardy after missing the net last night on a short handed chance five feet in front of the netting claiming, "....
#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...
I must say that it was nice to see the copper and blue finally win a game last night. Although I believe that the best way for this franchise to move forward is to continue to tank this season, I definitely felt some satisfaction in seeing a notch in the Win column. It is also important for the young players on the roster that we will look to form the core of the team movi...
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.
...
There's no doubt that tonigth the Leafs looked great with the new additions. Let's take a look at each and then the future.
Fredrik Sjorstrom isn't supposed to be an offensive player, so an assist tonight on Kulemin's 11th of the season is a huge bonus. But the best thing about him jumping into the offensive side of the game is that it didn't hinder his defensive game a...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Halak shines in Canadiens 3-2 Win over Canucks
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Well that was unexpected, don't you think?
The city of Montreal has been buzzing about the Canadiens, recently, and for all of the wrong reasons. While Mike Cammalleri's knee injury - he will not require surgery but will be out for six weeks - has been the talk of the town, it certainly hasn't been the only topic of discussion.
In addition to Cammalleri, the city ha...
As we approach the Olympic break, it's time to start making those last minute tweaks to your fantasy hockey roster to prepare for the playoffs. Often times, one of the toughest decisions facing a GM is letting go of a guy that was drafted high but having a subpar season. Sometimes we'll hang on to him simple because of his name and the foolish hope that surely he has to ...
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...
In a game the Calgary Flames desperately needed to win, they actually came through and delivered beating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Curtis Glencross had a hat-trick and former Maple Flake Matt Stajan scored the other goal as the Flames dominated from start to finish despite loads of penalty trouble. Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff was again on top of his game, helping lead t...
Forget that Stajan got the game winning goal, forget that Mayers provided some spark and that Kotalik didn't fall on his face, forget that White didn't make any massive blunders or "dions" as they call them, forget that Higgins was solid and that Hagman looks dangerous... sorry I forgot where I was going with that.
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Backlund is points magic, he doesn't even have...
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...
[b]If he didn’t[/b] have it before, Josh Harding should have your respect now.
As if being man enough to don a mask with pink ribbons on it two years ago to promote cancer awareness in the wake of his sister’s diagnosis of breast cancer didn’t earn your kudos, or the fact he took it in stride when his equipment burned in the team truck fire in Ottawa (his new mask...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Groundhog Day as Jaroslav Halak Steals Another Game
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Still waiting for the other shoe to drop? Me too. But that is what the Habs have gotten their fans used to this year. Last night's game was one that the Habs had no business winning. But hey, don't look a gift Halak in the mouth!
In beating the Boston Bruins 3-2 in Boston, the Habs are now on a modest 2-game winning streak while the Bruins are on a horrific 9-game losin...
These two teams have only met once so far this season, with three more to go. Buffalo won that meeting 5-1, scoring all their goals in the third period. The Sabres are just 2-5-1 in its last eight games.
Carolina took a 1-0 lead when Aaron Ward scored his first goal of the season. After being outshot 8-4, Buffalo got on the board towards the end of the first. Andrej Sek...
I am a father.
I have four children who are individually and collectively the biggest and brightest pieces of my life. I ache because I cannot do more for them. Sometimes, as children do, they can be testy and they can push me to my limits of patience. Sometimes I yell. Yet no matter what, these are my little flashes of light, and the joy they bring me is immeasurable. ...
The Sabres were hoping to snap a three game losing streak against Columbus. The last time these teams met was in 2008, when Columbus crushed Buffalo by a 6-1 score.
First place may be out of reach since Washington is on a 13 game winning streak, but the Sabres only trail the Devils by three points for 2nd place. Patrick Lalime is expected to get the start in net tonight...
When I think about life, I often take so many things for granted, including family. Our hearts go out to the Burke family. My heart aches for what they are going through. You know, sometimes when a team does not click, we as fans really seem to get very upset, we seem to forget what is really important in life.
We all got a hard lesson yesterday when the Burkes loss th...
It's been 3 games since the Leafs made the big trades for Phaneuf, Sjostrom, and Giguere last Sunday. And aside from the final 3 minute meltdown against New Jersey Friday night the team has looked very very good.
Again last night the Leafs put on a very strong performance against a team who seemed unbeatable since the return of Daniel Alfredsson. Since Alfie's return to...
Rob McGowan writes...
As Isles Start To Sink, Joensuu and Martin Get The Call
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
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...
The Flames fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime tonight by a score of 2-1. A hurtful reminder of the last time Calgary lost 2-1 in the St. Pete Times Forum. For those who do not know, it was game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, a loss that Flames fans will not soon forget.
Two goals by Ruslan Fedotenko was all the Lightning needed that night, as the Flames ran ...
As the midway point of the season came and went, the Buffalo Sabres were sitting comfortably atop the Northeast Division. Boston was the closest team team, but still trailed Buffalo by 12 points. Now, the Sabres have hit the biggest road bump of the season.
The west coast trip was just the beginning of the Sabres recent woes. The team has gone 2-8-1 in its last 11 games...
The Flames ran into a very hot team and two very hot players tonight in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Jason Spezza and Brian Elliott led the way for the Sens who have now won 11 of their past 12 games.
Spezza, for his part, has 12 points in those last 12 games; 10 of them being goals. Brian Elliott, who has won 9 in a row himself before losing to the Leafs on Satu...
yesterday in practice marian gaborik was cut on the leg by the skate of henrik lundqvist and recieved several stitches.tonight at msg the broadway blueshirts will face the nashville predators. the rangers are again stuggling in the offense and without gaborik[six goals in his last five games] will be struggling even more. gaborik is questionable but might not play and miss...
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog talking about how Oklahoma City has had a good tradition of hockey in our city. Well guess what, yesterday the Edmonton Oilers and the American Hockey League along with a local ownership group by the name of Prodigal Hockey announced that we will be he AHL affiliate team of the Edmonton Oilers starting in October 2010.
The te...
Rob McGowan writes...
Matt Martin Makes Most Of Opportunity In Isles Win
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
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...
As Antti Niemi turned aside all shooters to take an overtime victory over Dallas, dominoes began to fall. Those dominoes included the trade of Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen to those same Stars. So what's next? Quite possibly the removal of long time Stars netminder Marty Turco or last years Vezina winner Tim Thomas, and the Blackhawks may be the ones listening. The fact i...
With only two games remaining before the Olympic break and less than 48 hours until the roster freeze, the Rangers have two very important games coming up. After tonight's loss against Nashville, sans Marion Gaborik, the Rangers managed one goal. With that loss the Rangers sit in 11th place, and four points behind the 8th seeded Lightning, who the they will play Sunday aft...
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...
Buffalo got off to a quick start on Thursday night with a goal from Derek Roy. Later in the first, Jochen Hecht scored to give the Sabres a two goal lead. The shot went off of a Carolina player and into the net as Hecht earned his first goal in 11 games. Hecht didn't have any other options, so he shot it from a tough angle and it ended up going in. It's never a bad idea to...
I feel like I am in the F$%&ing twilight zone every time I watch this Flames team play hockey. Every game is the same, regardless of who the opponent is. Every goalie is a Vezina trophy winner and every defence is the second coming of the 1995 New Jersey Devils. This Flames team has such ineptitude to scoring goals; you have to wonder if they could find the net agains...
Sayros writes...
3 Maple Leafs in Top 10 Scoring that aren't in the Olympics
Posted Friday | Comments 0
As of tonight, there are three Canadians in the top 10 in NHL scoring that will not be heading to Vancouver for the Olympics. Here's how your top 10 breaks down by Nationality:1 Russian, 2 Swedes, 6 Canadians, 1 Slovak. Of the 6 Canadians in the top 10, Brad Richards, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis are not currently Olympians. To begin with, I find it interesting that...
I don't like to look back and say, "what if" because it becomes a ridiculous exercise and as Jim Rome likes to say, "if if if...if my aunt had a package she's be my uncle...but she doesn't... so there's not point in going down that road."
Having said that, I have a few what if's...
What if Calgary beat Colorado six times instead of the other way around. What if Calg...
Rob McGowan writes...
Live Blog From Nassau Coliseum: Isles vs. Lightning
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
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...
The Flames not only won, but they dominated for most of the game tonight beating the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Jarome Iginla led the way scoring back to back goals in the 2nd period; his 26th and 27th goals of the season. Iginla is now rolling with 5 points in his past 3 contests. He rose to the occasion the way a Captain should. He was skating hard, he was shooting the puck with...
Let's be real now...the way things have been going for these New Jersey Devils, the Olympic break couldn't have come any sooner. Since January, the Devils have gone 9-13, losing eleven of those thirteen in regulation, and were shut out four times. Over the course of these twenty-two games, the Devils have barely averaged over two goals a game and save a significantly tight...
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...
The Olympics may have officially begun competition on Saturday, but it's today that for most of Canada the games really start.
HOCKEY!!!!!!!!
What more could you ask for than to see the best players in the world compete. I know some people that have actually said "I don't see the difference between this and the World Championship, it happens every year". To those peo...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Men's Olympic Hockey: Team Canada, Team Russia, Team USA
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
After all of the anticipation and the months, if not years, of waiting, we got to watch some Men's Olympic Hockey yesterday, and what a treat it was!
The three games on the menu showcased three Olympic hockey contenders: Team USA, Team Russia, and Team Canada.
No disrespect intended to any of the other teams out there, but there are only a few medal hopefuls in this...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Men's Olympic Hockey: Canada Exorcises Demons v. Swiss
Posted Friday | Comments 0
In defeating Team Switzerland 3-2 in a shootout, yesterday, Canada pulled one out of the fire.
While early on, the game looked like it was going to be a repeat of Team Canada's 8-0 thumping of Team Norway only two days earlier, things changed quickly for the hometown heroes.
Making the score 2-0 only 35 seconds into the second on goals by Heatley and Marleau the Can...
who do you think will come out on top in today's game?I feel that USA will come away with a victory,Or at least im hoping they win. They are a team with a lot of hard workers and heart and soul players.They are the underdogs here which might make them work a little harder especially since it team Canada were playing here.If they do win, it definatley won't be an easy one. ...
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...
Ok, so 1 3/4 of a season has past us by and The Maple Leafs still have not named a captain. The current circumstances that the teams three alternates find themselves in, have almost eliminated the chances of the "C" being stitch on their jerseys.
Thomas Kaberle season has been good statistically. He went into the Olympic break with 46 points and sits third in the l...
I've been saying to people all along that the USA is going to be a much tougher team than anyone was giving them credit for.
With the loss today Team Canada has a VERY tough road ahead of them. Germany may not be a tough opponent to have to get past, but after that it's an unreal Russian squad. But before we get into that, let's analyze the ton of things wrong I found w...
Lets just start off by saying "WHOOOOOAAAAA".That was one of the most intense games i have ever seen. One of the best games i ever seen ,An to come out on top makes it even better.The Rangers players Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury who tallied a goal played awesome real good style of defensive hockey blocking shot and finishing checks. Then you have Brain Rafalski had Two bi...
As I sat down with anxiousness prior to the game, I hoped that USA would pull out an upset, much like they did 30 years ago against the Soviets. However, I did know that despite all the hype around Canada's team, I knew there was a weakness. An all-star roster, is just that.
I watched a GREAT game. I emphasis that despite the fact that I was pulling for the US. It was b...
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...
Did I just jump into the Delorian and go back to the year 2006?
The Canadian Men’s Hockey team lost early in the tournament. They are having trouble scoring goals. They will now have to go through Russia to get to the Semi Finals? Turin sure is lovely this time of year.
The Canadians are in a bit of a pickle.
What is the problem you ask? Well, they must now win...
Drafting. A first line center. The power play. Scoring depth.
Too many things ail the current version of the Flames to make me really believe that they have a legitimate shot at anything this year. That includes making the playoffs.
If the drafting is atrocious, which it has been only producing grinders and fourth liners, then perhaps it's time to circumvent the conv...
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...
Coming into tonight's game against the Germans, there was little doubt that Canada wouldn't come out flying. I said after the USA game that they would come out like they had something to prove. They'd play hard, play well, and keep up the pressure. And they did exactly that.
Right off the bat Canada was outshooting the Germans 9-0. If there was any doubt of a shattered ...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Men's Olympic Hockey: Team Canada Spanks Germany 8-2, Russia
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Like a cat sharpening its claws before the hunt, Canada warmed up on the Germans yesterday in preparation for today's monstrously huge quarterfinal game versus Russia.
In handily defeating the German team 8-2, Canada qualified for the medal round. In doing so, they generated a little more cohesion on the ice.
While Monday morning saw Team Canada as a nation in the th...
Postgame Recap Quaterfinals
Wow what a day of hockey and what a day for results. Im still stunned on how this day went with every game.I was surprised that Switz gave USA a run for there money, even though we came through with the Win. I still can't get over the Russia vs Canada game who would have thought Canada was going to make it a blowout. I don't think anyone coul...
Just like the title says. Another game coming on Friday against another team.
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...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Men's Olympic Hockey: Team Canada Steamrolls Team Russia 7-3
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Yesterday's quarterfinal matchup between Canada and Russia had a lot of hype surrounding it. And why not?
Canada versus Russia, where Canada has not beaten the Russians in Olympic competition for 50 years.
Sidney Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin, where the two best players in the world collide after their monumental playoff clash last year.
Canada versus Russia, where ...
Semi Finals analysis
USA vs Finland
This will be a great game to watch of course(because USA is playing). No but seriously i believe USA might not be a powerhouse in this game. They are playing a real good offensive team with a lot of high skilled shooters and playmakers. But like the USA have been doing, to win they will just have to fight hard for the puck and stay...
Sutter came out and said he doesn't expect too much activity at the deadline from the Flames. This can also be translated as: Like I would tell you Mr. Journalist if we are going to be busy, i lie to the media about player movement on purpose because I don't give a flying crap about you.
Simply the Flames have too many forwards and logic dictates some have to go. In add...
POSTGAME ANALYSIS:
USA vs Finland
Well i can't say i could have called the game to be like that(A Blowout).But i can say i called the game.USA just showed the world that they not only deserve to be in Gold Medal game,But that they are ready to take it. The game got out of hand real fast with 6 goals in the first period.Forcing Finland to change there Goalie with 4 goa...
Oilersfan27 writes...
Canadian womens celebration that brings controversy
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
First off i believe one hundred percent that those who were angered and offended by the beers, and the stogies are just upset they're great american team ran into a canadian squad destined for greatness. It seems like having lost the last three onlympics has soured the fans of the womens olympic squad. this is canada and here we celebrate wins, births, weddings, graduation...
"SILLY SEASON".
Transactions already made:
Thrashers Acquire Evgeny Artyukhin from Anaheim for Nathan Oystrick and a Conditional Draft Choice in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
Oilers have dealt Grebeshkov to Nashville for a second round pick.
Florida trades Jordan Leopold to Pittsburgh for a 2nd round pick in 2010
Matt Stajan has agreed to terms with Calgary Flame...
doktordave writes...
TRADE DEADLINE - Thoughts and Possible Moves - #2 TAMPA
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
(2) The Lightning apparently have their owner's permission to spend at the deadline, though realistically, they will have to move out some salary to add anything significant.
Vinny is NOT going to move, get that out of your mind in this Cap-restricted NHL, at least not at a time when the Bolts are struggling for a play-off appearance and buyers would have to dismantle t...
Gold Medal Finals:USA VS CAN
This is the match up of the Century.We all were routing against Canada in the last mins of Slovakia game, But deep in our heart we all wanted to see this match up. I believe this going to be a great game, No blowout . There are Great goalies that will be playing(Miller,Loungo).There is going to be alot of Defense i feel more than the first g...
Time to end all the speculation….did anyone notice that after Canada won the gold medal that Chris Pronger was shown standing there with his arm around Mike Richards. I thought that the media said that these two players did not get along. They sure didn’t seem like that. This was not just a simple hug between teammates; this was a genuine hug between a player that ...
Reminiscent of Salt Lake City in 2002, the final event of the winter games came down to the US and Canada. In the end, Canada won. I just heard on TV that this win may be considered the best moment in Canadian sports history. I strongly disagree. This Canadian team may have been very good, but not the best in these Olympic games.
On paper, Canada had the best team. They...
I've always been disinterested with the Summer/Winter Olympics, (excluding Men's hockey) as I'm sure many people are. To me it just always seemed kind of lame (for lack of a better word). While I always respected the tremendous athletes that show up to these events, I've never found it to be anything but outdated......until 2010.
What with all the commercials we've see...
So if that wasn’t the most exciting, intense, stressful, awesome, amazing, breathtaking, edge of your seat hockey entertainment, I am not sure what is! This tournament provided some amazing hockey and one of the best finishes ever! You could not write a story better than that! Sidney Crosby scoring the overtime winning goal will go down with Paul Henderson’s goal in 7...
I originally planned to post a general post-gold-medal game, pre-deadline blog this afternoon. However, though I expected an epic game, I had no idea just how epic. I genuinely was not expecting Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla to give Canada a truly generational hockey moment.
The goal will be discussed for years; it instantly joined the pantheon of legendary moments i...
I'd like to point out, because the focus has obviously been on the win, that the U.S. played an amazing game and have solidified themselves as a major hockey power, I know they were disappointed but I hope they don't hang their heads too low. They won with dignity and they lost the medal game with dignity, I think all Americans can be incredibly proud of their team.
>>>...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Destiny on Ice Fulfilled, as Team Canada Wins 3-2 over USA
Posted Monday | Comments 0
As I sit here sipping my third glass of wine and watching Sidney Crosby skate around the ice surface of GM Place waving an oversized Canadian flag from a pole, I am reminded of how proud I am to be Canadian.
The emotion that surrounded Canada's dramatic overtime win today was palpable over the course of the weekend.
Every person I talked to, every store I went into a...
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
I know this is a little late but after a game like the Canada-USA game, I had to compose myself before writing about it.
Going into the game one of biggest questions was "who can score first". Throughout the tournament leading up to the final game 26 or the 29 teams to score first won. In any hockey game the first goal is always important, but in this tournament it was ...
Dear Mr. Bettman,
I have read numerous articles regarding the plans for the 2014 Olympic games. I understand that you are toying with the idea of not letting the NHL players participate, and going back to the old format used prior to the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
I plead that you don't do this. The 2010 Olympics was better than any all-star game that could be put togethe...
The Calgary Flames signed Matt Stajan and Rene Bourque to long contract extensions. In my opinion, both do not make a lot of sense.
As much as I like him as a player, Rene Bourque has been injury riddled since he started his NHL career. Only once has he played over 70 games in a season; his rookie campaign in Chicago when he played 77 games and recorded 34 points. The f...
I'll trade you...
Staios- 2.7. millioncap hit sloted as #6 d . 36 yearls old -22
Toskala- 4 Million cap hit, is 7 and 12, 30 years old -36% win rate
For
Boyd- 650 thousand cap hit, on pace for 10 goals and 14 assists, 23 years old +5
Johnson- 525 thousand cap hit #7 defensman, 26 years old and is even.
Mchelhinney- 500 thousand cap hit, is 3 and 4, 26 years...
The Flames couldn’t have been expected to make blockbusters necessarily, having already made the two biggest trades of the year a month earlier. However, it was fair to at least expect some additional tinkering by Darryl Sutter. He had a large surplus of forwards (albeit, mostly mediocre ones). The team itself was facing a very tight playoff race, with a sense of urgency...
I can see the line-up at the hospital for broken ankles is getting pretty long, as people have been jumping off of the bandwagon at a tremendous pace.
Fresh off one of the worst sets of trades I have ever witnessed, the Calgary Flames lay a massive egg on the ice tonight against the Minnesota Wild. Fortunately I did not have to bear witness to this game tonight so I re...
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...
The Trade Deadline has passed. The Oilers dropped some salary (which isn't that tough when you look at some of the contracts the Oilers handed out over the years), did they improve the club though? In the long run..maybe. In the short term..absolutely not.
But here is the question that has to be asked for the rest of the season is this: Have the Oilers made themselves w...
[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...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Montreal-San Jose: Price Shines in Habs 3-2 Loss to Sharks
Posted Friday | Comments 0
They say that a loss is a loss no matter how well a team play. On paper there is no question that last night's 3-2 loss to the Sharks hurt the Habs tremendously in the standings. That being said, there were no shortage of positive and encouraging signs for the Habs but unfortunately you don't get points for effort in the NHL.
Both teams had their chances in the first pe...
So here we are, two days after the glitz, glamour and ru-ha-ha of the always exciting NHL trade deadline. The dust has settled and traded players are dawning new colors and settling into new digs. Ryan Jones debuted against the Blackhawks Wednesday night, Ryan Whitney and Aaron Jones will wear their new numbers, 6 and 2 respectively, in their debuts tonight against Minne...
So now that the trade deadline is over and there's no more hope for getting any better, the focus now comes on making the playoffs. Most everyone who will read this will know how important making the playoffs is for the Flames, they lack draft picks in the upcoming draft and have essentially put their eggs into the basket of "win today".
Currently the Flames are 13 poin...
They have timing don't they? I write a blog that outlines how little the Flames have scored lately and they come and show me that they have four lines that can score in a 5-3 win over the Devils. I always hope they do well, I am a fan after all, and if I'm going to point out their shortcomings I guess it's fair to give them props for last night. They were physical, went to...
Kamal Panesar writes...
Montreal-Los Angeles: Habs Strong Play Delivers Win v. Kings
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Olympic break seems to have done a lot of good for the Montreal Canadiens.
Not only did they get their walking wounded back from injuries -- with the exception of Michael Cammalleri and Marc-Andre Bergeron -- but they seem invigorated for the stretch run.
Despite losing to the Sharks the other night the Habs played some great hockey against one of the league's po...
Maybe they were listening when everyone in the hockey world was laying into them for the horrible moves they made at the trade deadline and the atrocious game they followed with that night. The Calgary Flames (32-24-9) were a team that could not score. They have suddenly turned on the afterburners with ten goals in 2 games.
Leading the way is Jarome Iginla who recorded...
On September 19, 2009 the Toronto Maple Leafs traded away their first and second round picks in the 2010 draft along with their 2011 first round pick to acquire 36 goal scorer Phil Kessel from the Boston Bruins. Leafs Nation for the most part jumped for joy as the team had acquired a 21 year old sniper and top six forward for the squad. The Toronto Sports papers, radio sta...
Though most likely no one will read this little blog I have mustered up (justly so), I’d like to voice my opinion on the magnificent reign of Gary Bettman (insert sarcastic face emoticon here).
Upon finishing up an outline for an upcoming term paper, I visited my twitter account. Low and behold, one of the best articles I’ve read on the infamous Gary Bu..ettman mad...
D-Men, new money and the future.
Here is how the new optimism works for me and the new revamped Leafs (I know Leaf fans are forever optimistic but I believe there is truth in my words). To assess the situation of Leafland we need to start from the net out. Giggy is expensive (but a proven performer) and "The Monster" is unproven. We have $6 mill freed up in 2011 if Gigg...
I haven't seen the Matt Cooke hit and I don't care to. This blog is not about whether or not it was a clean hit.
With that out of the way what I have seen is a lot of people commenting about how dirty the hit was. What I want to know is how many people would be saying that if Savard had stood back up and skated away. I bet most would ignore it. It's just a fact of our l...
8-5-3.
That is what it takes as of today for the Flames to make the playoffs as far as I can tell. I've stated that 94 points historically will get you in so in keeping with that the flames need 19 points however anything less than that could be disastrous. For instance a .500 record here on out would give them a straight 16 points and even though it's just a three poi...
The Calgary Flames won their 4th game in a row tonight for the first time since early January when they strung together 5 straight victories.
Mikka Kiprusoff blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0, for his 4th shutout of the season and his first since November 30th; when he shutout the Nashville Predators 5-0. Kiprusoff was sharp all night long as he blocked all 33 shots the ...
Jonathan Bernier getting the Start for the Kings against the Stars...
Justin Williams back after 11 weeks from a broken leg...wow.
WIth the ride of the uneventful trade deadline now more than a week over, Leaf fans have gotten a glimpse of their "new look" team. A 3-1-1 record without Ponikarovsky and Stempniak in the line up is a step in the right direction- but a baby one at best. The Leafs managed to clear out some players who were part of or did nothing to change around the losing culture that ha...
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...
There was a point in the season when #57 would not be seen on the ice, but over a recent stretch that extends beyond the Olympic break, Blake Comeau has been finding a way to make each of his shifts count.
He currently has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points, a new career high in all three categories. Those may not be top-six forward numbers, but Comeau has emerged a...
One play can often be the turning point in a game, but rarely do you see one play possibly be the turning point in a season.
That might have been the case this evening.
Tonight, in front of a sold out crowd at the Pengrowth Saddledome, Curtis Glencross was awarded a penalty shot with 1:30 remaining in the 2nd period. He skated back towards Kiprusoff who was smiling...
Buffalo (36-21-10) at Atlanta (28-29-11)
The Sabres visited the Thrashers Tuesday night as the second game of a current five game road trip. Buffalo was coming off of back to back losses against Minnesota and Detroit.
Just 33 seconds into the game, Nik Antropov put Atlanta in the lead. The Sabres fell behind by a pair of goals in the two games prior to this one, and ...
The big talk lately is all about the Toronto Maple Leafs trading away this years and next years first round draft pick to the Boston Bruins, some fans have accepted this, some fans are not sure what to think and others are mad as hell based on the Leafs current position in the NHL. I have decided to do some research on a team by team basis to see which teams in the NHL hav...
I guess "frustrated" would be the best way to sum it up right now.
I'm frustrated because the hill to climb seems too steep to make the playoffs, and I'm frustrated because I know this version of the Flames will tease me right until the end of the season, winning a few where they can and getting close.
I'm frustrated because I know they will miss the playoffs by pro...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Send Gold Medalist To The Bench, Silence Media
Posted Wednesday | Comments 11
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...
Aside from some fire from defenseman Mark Stuart, I thought I was watching a home video of an eighth grade dance, and not a hockey game between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers on March 11. You know, girls on one side of the dance floor, boys on the other, and nary the twain shall meet.
There was nothing special about Stuart’s fights with Dan Carcillo and Ian L...
Are the Sabres even good anymore? I forgot what it has been like to see them as a winning team. They have dropped 16 out of the last 20 games and are close to losing the division lead.
To be in the division lead, they had to be good at some point, right? To lose 16 of 20 and still be in the lead means that they must have done extremely well in the first half of the seas...
Not many people are expecting the Sabres to go far in the playoffs, unless you are quite an optimistic fan. Buffalo’s chances do not look good going up against Washington or Pittsburgh, which is why winning the Northeast Division is a must.
The Sabres have been slumping for a while now, and Ottawa and Montreal are coming closer with each win. Buffalo has lost 16 of it...
The score in tonight’s Avs-Flames game was 3-2 for 5th time this season.
It’s as if no other outcome is possible.
However, this time, the Calgary Flames finally beat the Colorado Avalanche on the back of a stand out performance by Miikka...err Vesa Toskala?
Is Calgary the place to go when you are Finnish, a goalie, and not performing how you should? Is Darry...
This isn't going to be a super long blog...at least it's not intended to be, if it turns out that way then I apologize.
Tonight's game against the New Jersey Devils was an interesting one. Yet again Toronto opened the scoring. The Leafs had a lot of trouble doing that throughout the season, but since the deadline it's been all but a guarantee that they'll notch the firs...
Under Achievers:
Daymond Langkow: 4.5 million cap hit- In the last 4 years Langkow has gotten 33, 30, 21 and now on pace for 15. At 4.5 million his "all around" game isn't worth it anymore. He's not Calgary's best face off center, he's not the best goal scorer or assist guy. He's not the best +/- center. What is he but expensive? If the trend continues he is going to co...
Every year we come across a touching story about one of the fantastic players in our league reaching out, going the extra mile for their fans and those less fortunate. Just a few days ago Eklund brought attention to the Sedin twins donation, and at the Leafs vs. Sens game on Mar. 16, I got to see examples of how Sens players are helping kids with terminal diagnoses live th...
Continuing with my belief that the New York Rangers’ season is over, today I am going to look at a change the organization should make though most of us as fans don’t believe it will. Glen Sather has had nearly 10 years to set this team straight. He has failed for the most part. Sure, the Rangers are one of only two teams to qualify for the postseason every year since ...
This is the final meeting between these two teams for the regular season. The Hurricanes have won two of the first three, despite being towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Tim Connolly began the scoring with a power play goal to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead. Buffalo played a solid first period, only allowing six shots on goal.
In the second period, Jochen Hec...
There are 11 games left in the season. The Flames are playing one of the four opponents that they definitely should beat. Miikka Kiprusoff is the Flames MVP and starting goalie. Vesa Toskala, the Flames back-up, starts in between the pipes.
Can someone please explain this to me?
I don’t care about Brent Sutter’s hunches that Miikka can’t play the Wild and tha...
After suffering another consecutive loss and descending to the .500 mark in games played after the Olympic break, my frustrations and concerns have risen for this New Jersey Devils team. This is the second game in a row that the offense has failed to maintain any productive consistency or convert on the power play for the sixth consecutive game. I normally like to abide by...
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'...
The Flames did what they had to do tonight beating the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. In the process they once again pulled within two points of the Detroit Red Wings for 8th place in the West.
Driving the Flames to victory was Niklas Hagman who had his coming out party wearing the red, yellow and black. Calgary also had two point nights from Iginla and Bouwmeester for the Flames ...
HerbyIsGood writes...
Sabres steal win with ingenious rope-a-dope technique.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Montreal Canadiens came out with guns a blazing tonight, unfortunately for them NHL games are 60 minutes long. The Sabres didn't look too bad in the first, but had trouble getting pucks to the net. Montreal on the other hand scored just 41 seconds into the game, as Kostitsyn managed to flick the puck over Miller's right pad off of a pass from Plekanec.
The Sabre...
Many fans will remember this game for a long time. This wasn’t just an ordinary game. The Sabres were in the mix of one of their best regular season performances of all time, a year in which they would win the Presidents Trophy.
The Senators and Sabres have always had a rivalry, but this game was nastier than usual. Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson, two Sabre killer...
Shhhh, don’t tell anyone in Rangers’ management about this. I happened across this top secret document on Craig’s List and traded my old Sega Genesis for it. I’ve done some research and I believe this is the only confirmed copy to escape the tight clutches of the personnel at 2 Pennsylvania Plaza.
For those of you that want to know the secret to Rangers’ legen...
Wednesday night’s game against Montreal was the perfect of example of a time when fans should not leave a hockey game early. If the Chris Drury goal with 7.7 seconds left to go against the Rangers in the playoffs taught Buffalo fans anything, it was just that.
Though, how many empty seats were there as the clock began to run down? Just how many people got up to leave ...
“You're not, you're not good, Al. You stink.”
That was Ty Webb referring to Al Czervik’s golf game in Caddyshack.
He might as well have been referring to the 2009-10 version of the Calgary Flames as they all but sealed there playoff fate Thursday night on the Island with a 3-2 loss to the third worst team in the league.
With only eight games remaining and ...
Inhale...exhale...inhale... scream in frustration...inhale.
I'll be fair, I waited a long time to post this because I wanted to not write while still upset over the Islander loss. I wanted to step back and look at things logically, maybe speak to some people who have an outside point of view, surprisingly some Oiler fan friends of mine are being pretty classy about it a...
Even the most delusional of Flames fans have to have given up by now. Even if the Flames managed to win all six of their remaining games, which the Flames have given no reason to believe they would be able to, they would still only have a 70% chance of making the playoffs (unlike Eklund, I will cite SportsClubStats.com for these numbers). The only thing Flames fans can loo...
When the Toronto Maple Leafs began the '09-10 season 0-7-1, it was determined that even though they were not as bad as their record indicated, the horror movie like start demonstrated they could not compete when points "mattered most". Lately, nearing the end of a 5th straight non-playoff year, the Leafs (as has been their season ending trend) have been on a tear; their 7...
According to Sportsclubstats.com the Calgary Flames have a 4.7% chance of making the postseason. A slim, faint, flicker of hope, but hope nonetheless.
The schedule is not very easy but the Flames have no other options than to run the table for the rest of the season, and even then they need help to get into the tournament.
If they win all six remaining games then ...
The Sabres came into Boston coming off of a 7-1 victory over Tampa Bay two nights before. The Sabres were without Thomas Vanek, Tim Connolly, Raffi Torres, and Patrick Kaleta.
Head Coach Lindy Ruff wasn't worried a bit about the team. He had confidence in the players that were recalled from Portland.
Nathan Gerbe, Tyler Ennis, and Mark Mancari all be replaced the inj...
Last night the Islanders faced off against the New York Rangers for the last time this season at Nassau Coliseum, losing 4-3 in regulation. After a strong start where the Islanders scored a power play goal early and then added to it with another tally before the end of the first twenty minutes, the Isles would come out flat in the second and fail to connect on a 5-on-3 opp...
The Flames won 2-1.
The Avs lost 5-2.
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance!”
With the events of tonight, the Flames now sit only two points behind Colorado with a colossal, gigantic, enormous match-up against those same Avs on Friday night in the Mile High City.
Miikka Kiprusoff single-handedly won yet another game for the Flames, who have leaned on...
saneopinion writes...
uh... Hawks kick the Flames out of the playoffs again.
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It wasn't lack of effort although the 2nd period kind of was a sleep walk. There were a ton of chances, the system provided a lot of opportunity for the Flames to manage some goals. The real issue here is lack of finish and lack of skill.
Mathematically the Flames can still make the playoffs and if you read my blog you'll know that I have stated the Flames will tickle ...
As an avid Flames fan I sit here and wonder why is it all the great and exciting teams today in the NHL have that "it" factor then it hits me no exciting european. (All do respect to Kotalik who really is not that good now that we have seen him play out west) For now we have to wait on Backlund and Hagman who do have upside there no Ovie and Geno or Datsyuk or I hate to sa...
According to Dictionary.com a ‘nemesis’ is defined as an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
Well, the Blackhawks are, by definition, the nemesis of the Calgary Flames.
A team they have not beaten, in the regular season, since the 2007-08 campaign. A team that ousted the Flames in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last year, and...
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...
Ever since Ryan Miller's magnificent performance in the Olympics, and perhaps a few weeks before, many hockey experts have been tripping over themselves to declare Miller the winner of this year's Vezina Trophy. If feel good stories counted on equal footing with stats, then that may be true. However, a closer look at the situation reveals that this year may be one of the...
The Sabres currently sit third in the Eastern Conference, although they are not far behind New Jersey for second, who they trail by just a point. Buffalo is well on its way to the playoffs, but some people don’t expect them to go very far.
Is there room for improvement on the Sabres team? Normally, a team that finishes third in the Conference would seem to be a good b...
[img]http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2010/02/17/alg_olympics_ryan_miller.jpg[/img]
[quote][u][b]That is the question![/b][/u][/quote]
For the first time since 2006-2007, the Buffalo Sabres will reach the post season. They are on their way to clinching the Northeast Division (albeit a weak one), and Olympic All Star goalie Ryan Miller can pass the 40 win mark for ...
As a child, which was before YouTube , the NHL channel, and massive communication monoliths such as Comcast and Verizon were around, I used to scour NHL boxscores to see who fought in the previous night’s games.
I was always excited when a new name began appearing regularly in the box scores.
I was always curious to see whether the names of the pugilists read as toug...
The stage was set and everything was in place Tuesday night for the Sabres to clinch the Northeast Division. Buffalo had taken two out of the first three meetings this season, but the Rangers were expected to be desperate for points.
Buffalo gave New York a severe blow by defeating them 5-2, making it look easy. The Rangers tied the game at two, but that was all they co...
After weeks of uncertainty the Calgary Flames are officially eliminated from Stanley Cup playoff contention. This ends days, weeks and months of faint hope and un-needed stress for most Flames fans who still wanted to believe this team was destined for the big dance.
It was the 3rd overall pick in the 2009 draft, Matt Duchene, who officially eliminated the Flames, when...
I have my scalpel, I'm ready to do the post mortem.
8:45 A.M April 7th
My first incision into this body that represents the Flames organization is where I would typically find something wrong, the brains. I'm seeing some slight decay where the contract negotiation cluster is and also some decay in the trade stem.
Conclusion:
Darryl Sutter's 2010 season will go ...
The days of the Penguins playing in the Igloo are numbered.
3 games for sure...1 in the regular season...beyond that, we won't know until we see what kind of playoff team we have this year.
Tonight IS the last regular season game in the "old barn".
Mellon Arena, formerly, the Civic Arena, has been around since 1961. In 1967 the Penguins started playing there, and ...
The OttoMan writes...
Historical Novels/Essays/Testimonies- 1972 Summit Series
Posted Thursday | Comments 50
I'm looking to do a 2000+ word Historical Investigation on the 1972 Summit Series and its influence on Canadian Nationalism/The Cold War. Does anyone know of any good novels or essays or any historical information on the Summit Series? Interviews especially welcome. I know the basics but I wasn't alive at the time, so I need some first hand information.
Also: If anyone ...
Buffalo headed to Boston Thursday night to take on the Bruins, who have won three out of the five meetings coming in. Each team gained six points in those five games.
The Sabres were coming off of a 5-2 in which they clinched the Northeast Division. The Bruins came into Thursday with a one point lead over the Rangers for eighth place.
The Sabres have had a rough time...
No, this isn't one of those scandalous stories with pictures of the Flyers getting wild at parties.
Any Flyers fan can tell you that it's been a frustrating year of high expectations and largely disappointing performance from the guys in Orange and Black. A roster full of talent with the scoring consistency of Sami Kapanen (sorry Sami, I love ya but...).
One can...
Here are my deals:
To Boston:
Iginla
Sarich ( Yes Boston has the space to take on this salary.)
3rd pick
To Calgary:
TOR 1st
Wheeler (RFA)
Colborne
Ryder
To STL:
Kiprusoff (they lose mason)
Langkow ( add on)
Irving
White
Moss
To CGY:
Pieterangelo
1st pick
Boyes ( add on)
Allen or Bishop
To COL, WSH or LA:
Regher
Dawes
3rd round pick
T...
Two years ago, in an otherwise completely meaningless Game 82, the playoff-bound Flames met the Canucks at GM Place. Since the Canucks had just been eliminated from playoff contention two nights before, the only thing on the line was Jarome Iginla finishing off his second career 50-goal campaign. The Flames eventually got the captain his 50th in what amounted to a pond hoc...
Sabres Leave Ottawa With Two Points
This was the final meeting of the season between these teams, and Ottawa has won the first five. Ever since the brawl back in 2007, the Senators have had the Sabres number.
Buffalo is fighting for the second spot in the Conference, so a win tonight was important. These two teams could also meet in the second or third round of the p...
The Sabres have passed the 100 point threshold, and that is truly a remarkable accomplishment. I've ragged on this team all season long. I, more than anyone else, have been very critical of this Sabres squad. Yet, I'll be the first to admit that I'm truly impressed at what this team has done.
They're bringing playoff hockey back to Buffalo after all these years. Finally...
The silver lining in this cold harsh April winter here in Edmonton is that either Hall or Seguin will be wearing the copper and blue mere months from now. These are two men who are expected to become franchise cornerstones for years, and one of them will, in all likelihood, be an Edmonton Oiler starting June 25 in Los Angeles.
"The Fall For Hall" and "Beggin' for Segui...
After showing promise after the Olympic break and a couple of high-profile trades the Maple Leafs have little right to take anything for granted and need to make continued changes in the off-season if they want to guarantee themselves a playoff spot and not a tee time in April.
1) The Ponikarovsky Deal
While I was disappointed to see Poni shipped to the Pens he is a pe...
saneopinion writes...
Sutter's Statements in the Obvious are Frustrating.
Posted Monday | Comments 0
As a testament to how dumb we are Darryl Sutter has now told us, in all of his wisdom, why the Flames did not make the playoffs. Apparently, and unbeknownst to us, the Flames had a bad home record and the goal scorers did not score! In other Darryl news the name of the hockey team is the "Flames" and they play in Calgary. I don't have to be a G.M. to also tell you the powe...
Hey if you're in a pool please, for the love of god, do not talk to me about it unless we're in it together. Do not be fooled, no one wants to hear you talk about your pool, it ranks right behind hearing your warcraft dungeon raid stories and right before your high school football stories.
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Playoff predictions are impossible and annoying. I heard this mornin...
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...
Well, the season finally comes to an end and the Calgary Flames have missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003. What is wrong? What needs to be done? What has transpired that led to this? Well to diagnose the problem we must go back to the beginning.
The season opened in early October with a much hyped match-up between the Flames and their arch rival Vancouver ...
Wednesday night...4/14/2010...the alarm sounds at 7pm.
The playoffs started for the Penguins and the team woke up from what seems like a season long slumber.
Well...for about 10 minutes.
That's about how long they "got to their game" on Wednesday.
Long enough to bang some bodies...draw a penalty...and score an early power play goal to go up 1-0 in game one.
...
The media is sometimes a little laughable.
The Calgary Herald headline: "Willing To Waive" with a picture if Iginla
The Calgary Sun headline: "Iggy Believes!"...sound different?
I listen to the question, it was, (I'm paraphrasing here), "Iggy, there has been a lot of speculation regarding you being traded, can you give us your thoughts on that?"
He responded (...
There are some UFA's that are available this summer that would make a fan salivate at the thought of seeing their name on the back of your favorite jersey like the Kovulchucks of the world. Having said that I always like seeing who is RFA, even better yet who is RFA on a team that is cap tight?
The first thing you have to do is identify the cap tight teams for next year...
With credit to Damian Cox of the Toronto Star, TSN.ca reported last night that the New York Rangers have agreed to a deal with, what some consider the under sized Mats Zuccarello-Aasen. Zuccarello-Aasen hails from Norway, and in the 2010 Olympic Games he lead his nation in scoring in their four games in the tournament.
In 55 games for Modo in the Swedish Elite League t...
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...
Is it just me or are there a lot of people in Calgary cheering for the Phoenix Coyotes?
Case in point, I was out on Friday night at a bar on 17th avenue grabbing a couple of beverages after the Hitmen game, while catching glimpses of the Yotes Wings game on the screen behind me. And to my amazement, and less than the time it took for me to order a beer an enormous cheer...
Quick, Rinne, Anderson, Boucher, Halak, Varlamov, Rask and Elliot.
Here is a list of Goalies that are not up for a Vezina yet have their teams in the playoffs, in some cases they even took their team there seemingly by themselves. When asked about trading Jarome Iginla most Flames fans like to think what would be brought back but don't actually want that trigger pulled...
Whichever way you cut it, the Leafs endured a torrid season that no statistical tinkering can mend. Regardless, if there is one thing most opposing NHL fans can agree on it’s the increasing need for an overhaul in the leagues points’ structure and the farcical awarding of points in the overall standings.
Where once every game had two points at stake, either by means...
The Sabres made it look easy Friday against as they defeated the Bruins 4-1 at HSBC Arena. The crowd was electrifying the entire time and chants of “tuuuuuuuuka” emerged quickly after Rask allowed a goal on the first shot.
Unlike the other games in this series, the Sabres didn’t let up. They added another in the first period, then one more in the second. A late ra...
BluemanGuruu writes...
Some Intial Thoughts concerning the Blues' Draft
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
There's a lot of interesting players in this draft. As always it depends on who is drafting in front of you and who they chose and how you have your draft board ranked.
I'm of the opinion that you go for skill heavily balanced with character. You only break from character in later rounds looking for home-run picks, the kind which can gain value in a potential trade.
...
No matter what happens tomorrow night in Boston or Wednesday night in Buffalo, the Boston Bruins front office has work to do. You see, whether the Bruins win this series or not is kind of irrelevant. This team might have what it takes to get past these Sabres but probably not Sid the Kid and Pittsburgh, and certainly not Ovie's Capitals. At least not in 2010. But armed wit...
Or, perhaps a better (but longer) question may be: [i]Is it possible for Howard to play just good enough for Detroit to win in game 7, but bad enough to put doubts in the minds of his teammates?[/i] Despite allowing 5 more goals to an incredibly weak Phoenix offense, it would be shocking to see Detroit change direction going into game 7. After all, it was largely Howard...
Entering the 2010 NHL Playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres had every reason for confidence heading into their quarterfinal matchup with the Boston Bruins. After all, the Sabres had a very successful season winning the Northeast division easily by sixteen points, nineteen more than the Bruins.
The Bruins, who only secured a spot in the playoffs the last week of the season, were...
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...
The first round of the playoffs is complete and it was full of surprises. This is what makes the NHL playoffs so exciting to watch because you never know what can happen.
This year’s playoffs have shocked many fans, especially those in the Eastern Conference. Here at SHC, we already discussed whether the Sabres/Bruins series was an upset or not (you can view that arti...
HockeyGalMke writes...
Montreal wins game seven to eliminate Washington...wait, WHAT?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Did I really just see Montreal eliminate Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals from the Stanley Cup playoffs?
I'm going to be quite honest with you. I pride myself on knowing a thing or two about pro hockey, and I like to think I have a knack for filling out brackets (not that my NCAA bracket this year would reflect that statement...), but I did NOT see this coming...
With the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs entering its second leg tomorrow night, I thought it would be interesting to look at some former Calgary Flames that are thriving in this years big dance.
The obvious one, right off the bat, is Montreal forward Mike Cammalleri. He signed in Montreal for 5 years at $6 million per season, after leading the Flames in goals last season wi...
Many fans were already hoping that Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff would not return next season due to the first round loss against the Bruins.
As almost every Sabres fan knows, Ruff is the longest tenured coach in the NHL, beginning his coaching career with Buffalo back in 1997. I don’t understand why so many people want him out of the Sabres’ front office.
The Sabr...
In a search for a number one center, the Calgary Flames might be staring the solution in the face everyday.
Backlund? No, maybe one day though.
Langkow? Too inconsistent and small.
Stajan...hahaha no.
How about Jarome Iginla? Instead of finding someone to play with the most prolific scorer on the team why not find a winger for him! Think it's crazy? Hear me out...
Round 2 is off the ground, so it seems like a good opportunity to start throwing out names for consideration for the coveted MVP of the postseason. Here are the early favorites, with a skewed chunk of bias against players unlikely to make it through to rounds 3 and 4. (sorry Halak).
[b]1. Sidney Crosby[/b]
To the surprise of absolutely nobody in the world, Crosby is ...
The 2009-10 Montreal Canadiens...Masters of Deception?
For several games during these playoffs, against the Capitals and now at least once against the Penguins, the Canadiens have shown a...dare I say "magic"?...that is tough to deny.
It goes something like this...
Let the other team get the majority of the shots and scoring chances...we'll just wait and capitaliz...
(2) Chicago
vs.
(3) Vancouver
[b]Prediction: Canucks in 7[/b]
[i]Synopsis[/i]: Game 1 was an absolute blowout for the Canucks, but the youth and talent of Chicago will definitely be able to mount a comeback in the series. Roberto Luongo struggled early in the playoffs, but now looks like he is back to gold-medal form. What a season it would be for Roberto to win the ...
(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 ...
At the start of the playoffs, you might have figured that the player with the most points would be a superstar like Sidney Crosby, and you wouldn’t have been wrong with that assertion. What many people did not see coming were the two players that follow Crosby in that category: Joe Pavelski and Mike Cammalleri.
The San Jose Sharks have been desperately searching over...
I took French in high school...but was never very good at speaking it and don't remember much of it (I know, some French Canadien is saying to himself "Stupid American!" ). But I do know what the popular culture translation of "Touché" is...
Sometimes, as the saying goes, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em...".
While not exactly what the Penguins did on Tuesday night ...
Coming off of the worst season of his career with the New York Islanders, Martin Biron will be looking for a new contract this Summer. General Manager Darcy Regier wouldn't comment on Biron, but said the Sabres will need a veteran goalie.
It couldn't be better timing. Patrick Lalime's two-year contract comes to an end this year, giving Buffalo a couple of options for a ...
So now it's a best of 3.
After dominating the first two periods of game 4, and leading 2-1 to start the third, the Penguins did the unthinkable: They lost control of the game, and maybe the series, by surrendering 2 goals in the third period to the Canadiens.
If you had fallen asleep at the end of the second period and woke up at the end of the game, you might not ha...
As I said before, Flyers in 7. There would be nothing better for me than to see the Bruins blow a 3-0 series lead and lose in 7 games.
Tonight Philly tries to avoid a sweep at home. Everyone saw the beating Detroit gave San Jose tonight, and Philly must have a similar effort if they are going to fend off the Bruins.
Prediction for tonights game:
Flyers 6, Bruins ...
So the Oilers want to go ahead and draft one of the OHL's best players?
Well in what appears to be a smart move, Darryl Sutter has signed Bryan Cameron of the Barrie Colts. Who's Bryan Cameron?
Bryan is a notable signing as he led the OHL in goals this year, not Seguin, not Hall but Cameron. 52 goals. Haven't heard of him? I'm not surprised, neither have I. The prob...
There is no doubt that we are looking at a serious turnover in the stars in the NHL. In the past several seasons, we have witnessed some of the all time greatest players ever to lace up the skates call it quits. Two of the last three years have featured incredible Hall of Fame induction classes welcomed in Toronto. The 2004 class was inducted in 07 with the likes of Ron...
I was going to call this blog..."Just Not As Good As Last Year" when describing what I thought of the Penguins after last night's 4-3 loss in Game 6 to the Canadiens.
But then I looked back over the first two rounds from last year again...and realized that sometimes our minds play tricks on us.
We remember watching the raising of the Cup in Detroit...and then we kind...
I try to justify the Dion Phanuef and Jokinen trades over and over again. I still think Dion was a fair trade, we gave them a player who has a ton of upside (debatable) and we took one of their best d-men and two of their best goal scorers in return. Jokinen returned a former 30 goal scorer and a player who had been maligned by his coach and needed a move.
Now I read th...
The wounds of suffering a third consecutive first round exit aren't as painful as they were a few weeks ago, but still persist. With the team's future, along with general manager Lou Lamoriello's intentions uncertain going into the off season, a lot of question marks surround this Devils team. Some fans still ask what went wrong and what has to be done to snap the Devils o...
What defines a Cinderella team when it comes to the NHL playoffs?
I would have to say that the team finished the regular season in either 6th, 7th or 8th place and managed to come on top with multiple upset victories in the playoffs, pushing the franchise to the Stanley Cup Finals. In recent years, fans have seen the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oi...
gkmkiller writes...
Time To Make Your Move, Gary: An Open Letter To Gary Bettman
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Dear Mr. Bettman,
I’m going to be blunt with you Gary; I’m not going to sugar-coat anything. Look around you, Gary. You’ve got ownership problems with a number of franchises. Every time you seem to get one squared away, like Tampa, another one or two crop up (Los Angeles and Phoenix for example). It’s time to make some hard choices my friend.
No one wants to ...
The 2010 playoffs have shocked the NHL, and there are still two rounds remaining. The saying “anything can happen in playoffs” has certainly been proved once again this year, especially in the Eastern Conference.
All three division winners in the East were knocked out in the first round. Even with earning the home-ice advantage, they still were unable to win the ser...
People will point to the downfall of the Penguins against the Canadiens and site numerous different reasons for the failure.
Halak stole the show
Fleury didn't step up
Cammaleri could not be contained
Crosby and Malkin couldn't score
The Habs took advantage of Penguin mistakes
The Penguins couldn't take advantage of the Canadien's mistakes
The Habs defense stifled...
lonerogue writes...
Canada has no team in the NHL, not even the Canadiens
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
By Aaron Wrotkowski
With the Conferences Finals for the Stanley Cup set to begin on Sunday, it seems that NHL viewers have been captivated by the Cinderella run of the Montreal Canadiens. Defeating the President’s Trophy winner and the defending Stanley Cup champions with a game strategy that seemed to put most of the pressure on a hot goaltender and well instructed ...
In terms of excitement and surprise, Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs did not disappoint. It also presented us with a mixed bag of candidates for this year's Conn Smythe Trophy. Most of the early favorites have been eliminated, paving the road for some unlikely heroes as we look ahead to Round 3.
[b]1. Jaroslav Halak[/b]
If Halak can keep this level of play up thr...
I can't believe it, but I am actually...just a little...excited to watch the Flyers play tonight.
As a lifelong Pens fan, I have been down the "HATE THE FLYERS WITH A PASSION" road more than a few times. Especially in my younger years.
Of course, as we get older (and have finally won a series or two against the Flyers)...we supposedly get wiser...and I have learned t...
As I 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...
As I said in my earlier post...[b]FLYERS IN 7![/b]
What an unbelievable comeback. To go down 3-0 in the series, and THEN 3-0 in game 7 and to come back and win is just unreal.
For the Bruins, it is simply unacceptable. This collapse was truly the worst in the history of all of sports.
I don't want to hear the injuries excuse, because the Flyers played the entire s...
I have to wonder why the flames have not made an announcement regarding anything lately.
There is a public perception out there that the evaluation is not just about the on ice personal but also about the office guys, namely King and Sutter. One might take it that a signing of a junior player to a free agent contract is a move, and it is, but is it a significant one?
...
Zeus, a warrior, what more needs to be said? What a player. This is probably going to be a very one sided review as I have a lot of respect and admiration for what Michal brings to the Kings both on and off the ice. I think that we can attribute the success of the Kings to the veterans in the room. They have taught the younger guys what it takes to win. I look at O'Do...
With the post season being as entertaining as ever, not much has been in the news regarding a busy offseason ahead for the Oilers of Edmonton.
With Sheldon Souray most likely gone at the draft and the same can be said for Moreau and either Nillson or O’Sullivan. The attention has now turned to what would be a welcome return or even better what could be a steal. ...
Let me Clarify this I will respond to slander against my Source but if you legit questions I will answer them to my best ability.
Last time I did one of these blogs, I really paid for it. It made me wish I had never done it. Like most of the world (if you have not heard it, where have you been living? Under a ant hill?) I have heard silly Iggy rumours which are pret...
What Kelly Kisio would bring to the Flames is a popular question right now.
The Calgary Hitmen are in the Memorial cup and over the past few years have been perennial contenders in the WHL and there is a very simple reason for that. Drafting and trading. The Globe and mail is reporting that Kisio has a job waiting for him after the Memorial Cup and to be honest I like i...
The truth of the matter is I know how frustrating it is sitting and waiting for the Flames to make some sort reaction to a bitter season, But what is it that we (Flames Fans) want to hear? Really?
Think about it!! Yes Sutter made a couple of knee-jerk deals, But If the Jokinen deal had worked out and say he had scored 40 goals and then they lost out in the playoffs, a...
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...
After the first few round of the playoffs, it is clear that in the new NHL there is a comparable amount of skill in each team. Who would've thought that the high powered Sharks, who have an unreal team, would get SWEPT by the Blackhawks.
As I said in my prediction before, not only did i not think this series would be lopsided, I thought the Sharks would win.
This spe...
The Windsor Spitfires won their second straight Memorial Cup on Sunday night beating the host Brandon Wheat Kings by a score of 9-1 in the final; a real barn burner of an affair.
The Wheat Kings qualified for the final by beating the WHL Champion Calgary Hitmen in an overtime thriller. The Wheat Kings qualified for the tournament by having the right address.
The lo...
Jarome Iginla will get 30 goals this year. You heard it here first, it is probably the safest prediction I have made to date considering he's always got 30 in recent memory. My other prediction is that Calgary will not have a number one center for him no matter what.
You may think this is another easy prediction considering the salary cap of the Flames and their inabili...
After two rounds of play, the playoffs gave us some surprising candidates at the top of the list (Halak, Cammalleri, Pavelski). Now that we're down to 2 teams, the candidates are more of the expected variety for each team. The one unknown factor here, is how do you deal with Philly's goaltending situation? If Leighton rattles off 3 more shutouts, is it conceivable to gi...
NHL fans are constantly debating the effectiveness of their team's captains.
Let's face it, unless you are in the city that wins the cup (and sometimes even that's not enough), you are likely to find a good number of people who will argue that the current team captain (--->insert your favorite whipping boy here
One consistent problem with the Flames over the course of the past couple seasons is their brutal power play.
What can be done to fix something so basic. In essence the first thing minor coaches will tell players is that there is an extra man out there, find him! The next thing they say is don't stand still because the opposing team will box out and use active sticks...
''What we want to do here is put an end to the death watch; to other people's speculation. We move forward.'' – Ken King, CEO and President of the Calgary Flames-
The ‘Death Watch’ he was referring to was that of Darryl Sutter’s relationship with the Calgary Flames organization and whether or not he would be the General Manager of the team for the upcoming 2010-...
The reflective introspective is done. After meditating in front of their version of Buddha, which is actually just a picture of Gary Bettman in a towel, the Flames have started addressing the shortcomings of their feeder system.
After signing Bryan Cameron, a junior scorer who could not comes to terms with L.A., the flames have now set about replacing Keith Aulie's hulk...
“Ken came out and said that, but it wasn’t important for me to have that publicly. It’s more important what happens internally.”
Darryl Sutter made these comments in response to Ken King coming out last week and publicly endorsing the Flames GM. We all are aware of Sutter’s dealings with the media and how he, how do I say this, would rather eat hot garbage tha...
The Calgary Flames have, for better or worse, decided to stay the ship. And staying the ship means keeping Daryl Sutter. They have decided that radical changes are not needed. In their infinite wisdom, they are not going to trade any of the top players or prospects to get a number one pick. Unless, of course, Mr. Sutter can hypnotize one of the general managers into tak...
On a Toronto radio station earlier this week, Leafs GM Brian Burke indicated that defenseman Tomas Kaberle is generating some interest throughout the league. Local Toronto radio is reporting that Buffalo was one of two teams that have contacted Brian Burke about acquiring defenseman Tomas Kaberle.
This is a move by the Sabres that makes a great deal of sense. Kaberle i...
Dunny777 writes...
Kulemin's contract stinginess implying something greater?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Just behind Kaberle trade rumours, the most prominent issue being discussed in Leaf nation right now is how contract talks are proceeding between the buds and Kulemin. As we are all too painfully aware, the two sides are not seeing eye to eye at the moment. Many sources report that Kulemin is asking for money in the $3 million per year range while Burke is imagining someth...
Is it possible that the Semin deal involves Calgary and a 'star goaltender most think is untouchable'?
Think about it...
If we could get back Semin, a blue chipper and Varlamov, isn't Kipper and Sarich (or even Regehr) worth it?
There are a few UFA goalies that we could pick up as well...
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...
Monday's can be painful aweful days, days where you look to the week ahead and groan. I just came off a long weekend where I went to Edmonton to watch my Fiancé graduate with her Bachelor of Science in nutrition and food sciences from the Uof A, aside from being super proud of her, it was a nice reprieve from the working stiff world I live in. Then this morning I get a bo...
With numerous talented free agents hitting the market this Summer, expect the Buffalo Sabres to be involved. While they may not have done much in the past, this year should be different.
Buffalo will see many changes over the next few years, and this upcoming season is just a start. Lindy Ruff and Darcy Regier are likely on their way out in the next season or two. Not o...
Traditions are important. The names of the Conferences and Divisions should have been left alone. But that was done only to try and draw in and keep fans. The NHL will do anything to try and woo Americans into not just loving their home team but to want to watch hockey in general. For example: Fox and their 'glowing' puck experiment; or the over explanation of what all the...
There's a record in Calgary that has been skipping since Joe Nieuwendyk was traded to the Dallas Stars in 1995.
We need a number one center.....we need a number one center...we need a number one center. It's like the unofficial anthem of the Flames. If an anthem does ever get written it will be something like,"Star Spangled Center" or "O'centermen" or "God save our cent...
Throughout these playoffs, I have read time and time again how this team doesn’t match up with this team and that team has better depth than this team.
In the end, it’s the game itself and how it’s played.
I for one like to see the game played 5 on 5, I don’t want to have the game tarnished by seeing a winning goal scored on the Power Play. Even if it�...
What are the chances Patty Kane took a cab home last night after landing in Chicago??? What?? I'm just saying...
Now that the Blackhawks have won the cup, congratulations Chicago fans, they can now look forward to clearing out salary. It's too bad they can't keep this team together but that gaff by Tallon when he didn't get the offers to his restricted free agents in ti...
This time of year is always the hardest time on me, because it marks the sad anniversary of my father's passing. A few years back, I wrote a blog on nostalgia, and got some huge reviews of it. So on with another blog on the golden years of hockey, in honour of my father.
I remember the Canada Cup in 1976. One of my favorite players was Daryl Sittler, who was the cap...
Sometimes life hands you a perfect solution.
Ian White is really under rated and he knows it, he was 8th in goals by a defenseman last year and 29th in points by a defenseman, no one talks about it but that is really good. As his agent you would look at comparables right? Who also had 38 points and what do they get paid? I'll tell you.
Campbell- $7.1 Million
Kubina...
We all know about the bad press that constantly surrounded the Flames last season. I can understand it, with the Flames not making the playoffs. The last time the Flames did not make the playoffs was the 2003 season. I see two major issues that need to improve next season, one being the offense, and the other being too many defensive breakdowns in their own zone.
So ...
If the Flames had an info-mercial for the draft it would sound like this:
A guy with a "NHL GM" name tag picks up the phone and says, "Gee... I wish I could improve my team right away instead of drafting, I think we can win now but just are missing a few pieces..." sigh.
(appearing out of nowhere and obviously reading off queue cards) D.Sutter, "WELL... fear not my...
In three years from now, the Buffalo Sabres will be a completely different team, but that could be said about any team. The Sabres have a big couple of years ahead of them that will prove whether or not they will be a contender come playoff time.
The management will likely change soon, which may not be a bad thing. Lindy Ruff had and will face criticism regardless of wh...
With the draft only days away now and July 1st fast approaching I thought it was an ideal time to take a closer look at the Flames overall situation when it pertains to the talent on the ice and what Darryl Sutter needs to do in order to assure that he keeps his job past April of 2011.
First off, Gary Bettman announced that the Salary Cap for the 2011-12 will increase ...
So the 2009-2010 season is done and gone. The Chicago Blackhawks are the Stanley Cup Champions, and that may just be a good thing for Leafs fans. Despite leaving us as both the only original six team that has not won a Stanley Cup post expansion, and at present the team in the NHL that is currently on the longest Stanley Cup drought.
Hopefully an important step to ending ...
After dissecting the backend and goaltending situation of the Calgary Flames I thought I would conclude by taking a further look into the quagmire of grinders and checkers that are the Flames forwards.
Currently the Flames have 10 forwards signed at $28,954,166. The rundown of players looks like this:
Jarome Iginla –Age 31, $7,000,000
Daymond Langkow-Age 32, $4,5...
Being a Habs fan, I can certainly understand why many of you are outraged at this trade. I, on the other hand am not. In fact, my respect for Pierre Gauthier just went up another notch for the kahonies he displayed by making this trade.
I will agree that Halak was fantastic in the playoffs but I will not agree that he was the only reason the Habs made it to the 3rd roun...
I've never posted an online blog but here it goes. In 700 word or less, I will try to give you my input on the Jaroslav Halak saga.
So what do I think about this whole ordeal? Well there are many things that have to be taken into consideration. Am I happy Halak was traded even though we stilled owned his rights? With most other teams I would’ve said no but as he had e...
What does it mean when Sutter signs Breen and Cameron as UFA prospects? It means that they are his 1st and 2nd round picks in essence.
Cameron had more goals than any other CHL player, more than Hall, more than Seguin, more than Eberle, more than Beach even more than number 10 on the list, and Flames prospect, Ryan Howse.
Flames fans, Cameron IS our first round pick. H...
I don’t want to go too far in to examining the recent trade involving Halak to the Blues, rather I’m curious as to what it means to the ‘big picture’ for Gauthier and company.
If we take a look, it seems that the Canadiens have a young hockey team.
Below is a list of players that played for the Habs this past season, and I am assuming they are the players pr...
[img]http://futureconsiderationsdotca.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/hall3.jpg[/img]
Hockey is a team game, but you'd have to think Windsor Spitfires forward Taylor Hall was out to prove something of an individual nature during the 2010 Memorial Cup, which ended Sunday with the Spits claiming their second consecutive major-junior hockey title in a 9-1 drubbing of the host ...
Somebody should be hired to be a translator for the Calgary Flames General Manager Daryl Sutter. Seriously, we should develop a new language called Suttereze. If we had a translator, then we could understand than what the Flames General Manager means. Daryl has been telling everyone that will listen that he is not trading any of his good players. Does he really mean i...
It’s been a LONG time since I wrote a hockey blog of any sort. Actually, as far as I can recall, the last blog I wrote on hockey or the Oilers was the day after Ryan Smyth was traded to the Island.
That’s a long time for me.
But, the itch to hold an open forum to air out my thoughts on the game as been fed, and now needs to be scratched. (If that makes any sense)...
When talking about Scott Niedermayer, where does one begin. From being drafted 3rd overall, to his 4 Stanley Cups and 2 gold medals (the only player to win that many of each), to being the only player in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup, Gold Medal, World Cup, World Championship, World Junior Championship, and World Cup. He is a workhorse, constantly playing averaging ov...
What a letdown! I am not talking about the result of the finals. I go through this every summer. From October through early June we are conditioned to watch hockey. Almost a game every day and then once we are seriously hooked they start the playoffs and the games get better! Then we get to witness the ultimate an OT goal to win the Cup and the next day we must quit �...
doktordave writes...
Hockey's Shame: Pat Burns Snubbed! Paul Henderson still out
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The title says it all.
Decades of contributing to hockey. More than 500 wins. Many great teams.
A week of hockey that shook the hockey world and shaped an entire generation.
Not worthy of the Hall?
Both men in poor health these days.
Shameful. Clear house with the election committee - they don't know hockey, nor class.
doktordave writes...
Hockey's Shame: Pat Burns Snubbed! Paul Henderson still out
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The title says it all.
Decades of contributing to hockey. More than 500 wins. Many great teams.
A week of hockey that shook the hockey world and shaped an entire generation.
Not worthy of the Hall?
Both men in poor health these days.
Shameful. Clear house with the election committee - they don't know hockey, nor class.
INTRODUCTION 2010 NHL ENTRY DRAFT
The 2010 NHL Draft is turning out to be a fascinating one. Unlike recent draft years, this group of players lacks the ultra high end depth we’ve come to expect.
The 2010 draft has two great offensive players, and three premium defensemen in the top five, but after that group there are questions, questions, and more questions.
H...
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...
Annotated Mock NHL Draft 2010
V-3.0
11. DALLAS STARS MIKAEL GRANLUND - F
*A young Saku Koivu*
Intelligent and quick, with exceptional skills and great vision, this kid will juice up the stars offence for years to come.
There was some concern that Granlund might be smaller than his stats listed, and if he turned out to be 5’8” or 5’9” he would hav...
Ok Taylor Vs Tyler, Tambs Vs Pete. Well here we are It's Wed and well the draft is not here yet hurry up! now that that's outta the way it looks to me Edmonton Won't be trading the #1 pick unless there's a HUGE offer I know I Just Pointed out the obvious but lets have a look of whats gone on in the last 2 weeks. Edm & Bos are both saying we would be happy with either ...
Earlier this week, the San Jose Sharks announced that they will not re-sign goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. The Russian goaltender has been with the Sharks since 1999, posting just less than 300 wins. Nabokov earned 5.3 million this past season, but General manager Doug Wilson has his reasons for letting him walk.
“If you look at the trends in this league the last four or ...
[img]http://fromthepoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Hall-and-Seguin.jpg[/img]
For the last few month since January when everyone pretty much knew that the Edmonton Oilers were going to finish out of the playoffs and most likely in 30th Place in the NHL. Everyone’s been wondering who the Oilers were going to take, Taylor or Tyler. Some have said the Oilers would ...
[img]http://www.itsallaboutlappy.com/2008_09pics/blackhawks10_5.jpg[/img]
The Edmonton Oilers mad a solid depth move last night by acquiring Centre Colin Fraser from the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks for a 6th round pick, 151 Overall. Fraser, who played junior hockey with Brent Sutter’s Red Deer Rebels, was the Hawks’ fourth-line centre much of this past s...
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...
The Penguins have no chance of making the playoffs this year. Next year is a longshot also. They have to much cash tied up to too few players. 3 centers and a Goalie at 22.4 million. Then Goligoski and Kunitz combined cap hit of 5.6 million which isnt bad, but both must produce more this upcoming season.
Not many people like to hear it or even...
Well, it's been a little over a week since Mr. Gauthier sent our Slovakian playoff wonderboy out of La Belle Province and off to St. Louis for... Lars Eller (He's danish...yummy) and Ian Shultz (No not the D-man who was a +50 for the Caps, that was his brother) and consequently sending the city into an outrage while rekindling that old nickname our GM was crowned with in A...
WarHero writes...
Habs trade up for 22nd pick, take D-Man, Jarred Tinordi!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Folks, The Habs Brass has impressed me yet again!
Montreal GM Pierre Gauthier saw an opportunity to move up in the draft and jumped on it! The Habs traded 1st(27) and 2nd rounds picks to Phoenix for 1st(22) and 4th round picks, all 2010.
According to various sources, the player Vancouver was waiting for was in fact, Jarred Tinordi. I can only assume that Gauthier c...
Well that was Vanilla.
Calgary has made no significant moves at the draft as of yet after 5 rounds unless you count the acquisition of Henrik Karlsson from san jose, he a huge Swedish goalie, for a late round pick at this draft. He's 26 and you'd imagine he's the top spot for the #2 position in Calgary this year.
The biggest and most mind boggling blunder was when Ka...
[img]http://cdn.nhl.com/oilers/images/upload/2010/06/20100625_hall-325b.jpg[/img]
New Edmonton Oiler Taylor Hall
Not so long ago, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle were both wearing Team Canada jerseys and making their mark at the 2010 world junior hockey championship.
Now they’ll get a chance to help rebuild the Edmonton Oilers!!!
Jordan Eberle said he was...
Now that the draft is concluded it’s time to preview the upcoming off-season for the New York Rangers. I stayed away from submitting my own mock drafts or draft pick profiles since I don’t have the insights necessary to offer anything you haven’t already seen on TSN or other hockey websites. I don’t watch Canadian Junior hockey so aside from some highlights I haven...
With not a single pick in the top 60, expectations could not have been that high for the Flames at this year’s entry draft. The rumour mill buzzed with far-fetched rumours about players like Jordan Staal, Jason Spezza and even Ilya Kovalchuk that some desperate Flames fans (including myself) ate up. But all the Flames came away with after two days in Los Angeles was a po...
As you all know by now, on day 1 of the draft Habs GM Pierre Gauthier traded up for the 22nd pick to take towering defencemen Jarred Tinordi.
Let's now take a look at who the Habs picked on day 2.
Pick #113: Mark MacMillan
MacMillan is a 6'0", 150 pound, 18 year old forward from the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the BCHL. During the 2009/2010 season, MacMillan tallie...
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 ...
Kotalik on waivers, this is a move that says buy out. If my math is correct and it usually isn't:
6 Million x .66= $3,960.000 (2/3 of the contract)
2 years x 2=4 years to pay it out
$990,000.00 over 4 years towards the cap.
in my best comic book guy from the simpsons:
" Worst....trade...ever".
Jokinen would be exactly $0.00 against the cap this year if no...
There is going to be major reshuffling on the back end of the Canucks this year... with a long term deal in place for the Sedins... Kesler... Burrows... Edler... Ballard... and of course Luongo - the time is now for the Nucks to correct the insufficient defensive corps.
Picture the players who will remain: Ballard - Edler - Ehrhoff ... of course Bieksa and Salo are gone...
Today I will look at the Rangers in free agency as it pertains to their own guys. Here’s a break down of several of the Blue Shirts top UFA’s and RFA’s. I’ve included last year’s stats, salary and free agency status along with arguments for and against retaining the player plus my final take on the situation. In no particular order here we go.
Vinny Prospal �...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Create Roster Space, Changes Coming July 1st?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
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...
Well folks, the 2010/2011 Habs are starting to take shape.
On Monday, June 28th, the Habs announced the signings of Tom Pyatt and Benoit Pouliot.
Pyatt was acquired as part of the blockbuster trade that brought Scott Gomez to the Habs. He played 40 games for the Habs, picking up five points in the process. While not a major offensive component, Pyatt was a strong two...
The one forgotten aspect of Kotalik is that before he was traded to Calgary he had the Flames as one team he didn't want to go to, there was speculation that he would take the trade and go play in the KHL this year which would have been a much better trade for Calgary then. Having Higgins for a couple months is better than having Jokinen for a couple months. We'll see! It ...
I would just like to start off by thanking a few teams, Florida, Columbus, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Atlanta, Minnesota, New York Rangers, and Dallas. Thanks for not drafting Cam Fowler. By doing so, you allowed the Ducks to take arguably the best Defensive Prospect in the draft. As I am typing this, I have the biggest grin on my face, knowing that we cou...
I haven't shared my thoughts with the fine readers of Hockeybuzz for quite some time but I've recently been quite impressed with the amount of response given to the Flames bloggers and the great debates and speculation that has taken place.
Unfortunately, I feel that some of the Flames faithful have set the bar too high in their expectations of Sutter during this offsea...
Well first off i woke today and read that : Patrick O'Sullivan, Ethan Moreau & Robert Nillson were all placed on waivers today and Mr.Lebrun from ESPN just confirmed they have been bought out.Now I don't have exact numbers but Patty was a Cap hit of $2.95Mil and Moreau & Bobby were both $2Mil so thats about $7 mil of dead wood gone don't get me wrong they're all better hoc...
[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 ...
On Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 the Habs traded disgruntled forward Sergei Kostitsyn and "future considerations" to the Nashville Predators for forward Dustin Boyd, Goaltender Dan Ellis and "future considerations".
What an awesome trade folks! Gauthier and the Habs brass impress me yet again this off-season.
Dustin Boyd:
If he decides to sign, Boyd will be a great 3rd...
I will have to admit, in the past I have been very critical of David Poile and the Predators have not taking a high-end risk. (Yes, the Forsberg trade was a high-end risk.) I think a move like the acquisition of Sergei Kostitsyn from Montreal for a goaltender you had no interest in keeping as a UFA and a 4th, or at most a 3rd line center, who is a RFA and future considerat...
UFA Day is fast approaching. We’re less than 24 hours away from what has turned into the most exciting time of the year for fans of the NHL. Fans of every team wake up on July 1st in great anticipation to see what their team does. Many fans are thrilled at the end of the day while others are grossly disappointed.
Rangers’ fans have been subjected to a mixed bag over...
killerbs writes...
What pieces if any will the Bruins be adding tomorrow?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
July 1st is the other Christmas Day in Canada and it looks to be very interesting for the Yellow and Gold. Right now it seems the Bruins will be looking to add a top 4 dman and a bottom 6 forward either through free agency or trade. Some of the names i have been hearing linked to the Bruins are Arron Asham who provides some much needed grit and some scoring ability and wil...
Here is a list of the top free-agent forwards and where I think they will go:
Ilya Kovalchuck: LA Kings
Ray Whitney: Colorado
Saku Koivu: Ducks (re-sign)
Matt Cullen: Toronto Maple Leafs
Paul Kariya: Ducks (what a reunion)
Colby Armstrong: Toronto Maple Leafs
Chris Higgins: New York Islanders
Mike Modano: Minnesota Wild
Alexander Frolov: New York Islanders
Olli...
saneopinion writes...
Waiver strategy for Sutter/Ken King let's us in.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
So Dawes, a winger who makes $850,000.00 a year will be bought out if he is not claimed by another team. His cap hit will be $141,667.00 if he is bought out, for two seasons.
This is odd because really he was producing for what his salary was, if not exceeding it.
Ales Kotalik will not be bought out, all signs point to Management saying in not so many words, "You c...
A little over a month ago, I wrote a column detailing what the Sabres’ plans for this offseason should be (see: Sabres’ Potential Blueprint, May 13th, 2010.) Some of my suggestions are still viable, others not (ex: Jason Arnott being dealt to New Jersey, Nathan Horton to Boston.)
After writing the previous article, I had a chance to review the 2009-10 season for the...
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...
First, how come there's at least 5-6 guys on here that regularly blog for the Flames but the oiler fans are only passionate enough to comment on other people's blogs?? Just saying... I get that you guys got Hall and are making some good moves but one of you wrote on Vetter's blog about the cup... c'mon!!
****
Okay so everyone is all thinking Sutter is all going insa...
After waiting all afternoon Darcy Regier FINALLY signed a player the Sabres were looking for, a puck moving dman that can play the point. This of course is [b]Jordon Leopold[/b]. With 26 points (11+15) he will be a huge asset to this club, whose divsion got stronger with the signing of Gonchar in Ottawa.
Next item on the Sabres list is a center, and a center you cou...
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 ...
I woke up on Canada Day feeling like it was Christmas day as the NHL Free Agent Frenzy was upon us and all sorts of excitement was about to unfold. Some big moves right off the bat that saw Gonchar sign with the Sens. I saw that Vancouver had thrown a pile of money at Manny Malhotra. I had to look twice when I saw that New York gave Derek Boogaard $6.5 million over 4 years...
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 $...
I don't know if anybody else heard it yesterday... a loud and resonant “WTF???"(Why the face?) emanating from the general Flames fan-wagon. I heard it echo from my living room moments after passing my lips also, but the more I think about it, the more I agree with the move. Sure, Olli Jokinen was overpaid and “underperformed” last year for the Flames, and I still w...
So if Kotalik can be "persuaded" to play in Russia and Langkow can be buried in the IR as to not count against the cap due to his broken vertebrae in his neck...and White re-signs then what does Sutter do with the space he has left? Still too many D!!! It's almost universal everyone wants Robyn "Rocket" Regehr gone now as well as Sarich for the most part. Staios can stay, ...
The Flames gave notice when they waived Kotalik that losing was no longer an option. But in a somewhat surprise move, they put Nigel Dawes on waivers. The Flames inform the media that his contract would be bought out if there was no claim. This move really confused me. Why waste someone with 14 goals? If he would have played full time, he would have scored 20 goals.
...
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...
Now that Souray cleared waivers, it's clear that a suitable trade isn't available. It's likely the Oilers will need to accept a poor contract and possibly an undesirable player to boot. Leading to another problem of it's own, a trade that could haunt the Oilers for years to come. However, in the best interest of the Oilers, they shouldn't make that trade...not yet anyways....
You are Flames Management, you are at the entry draft and looking for solid prospects to fill your cupboards and you don't have a first or second round pick but you do have a lot of later round picks. One school of thought says that you could draft guys that have shown promise in their first eligible year, like Max Reinhardt who had a terrific last half of the season. The ...
[b]Do you honestly think "[quote]Burke"[/quote] type of players will win the maple leafs a cup?[/b]
I don't think so. Okay so Burke loves players with a lot of grit and toughness. First of all he signs Colby Armstrong a third line player to a 3mil/Season. Thats outrageous for a player that plays on the third line. Wouldn't you love to see elite players on the leafs team...
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...
First, my apologies to David Poile and all of those in Predland that were offended by my last entry/rant. Now that my blood pressure has returned to acceptable levels and my wife and I are speaking to each other again, let us get back to the point at hand. I give David Poile an "A" for the Matthew Lombardi signing, 10.5 over 3 years, not bad for this caliber of player. ...
There is a legitimate numbers game going on with the current Flames lineup, no one thinks Sutter is done making some moves but it's hard to tell where he'd move from and what he'd want back. Aside from Cap restrictions the positions are all out of whack if you consider that players are most proficient when playing from their comfort position.
At Center:
Jokinen, Langko...
On a hot, sweltering Toronto afternoon, I meet up with the Leafs 2009 top pick Nazem Kadri. This was the 2nd time I have met the young budding star and to say I was surprised is putting it mildly. The first time I met Nazem was September 2009, a scrawny young kid listed at 170lbs. I doubted he'd tip 165 in a wet suit when I first met him. This time around I was blown away....
saneopinion writes...
Flames scouting director goes through the opinion translator
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
So today the Herald finally picked up that the Flames have let go their head of amateur scouting and two other scouts, well for regular readers of my blog you read it here July 2nd. I am not ashamed to tell you when I think I'm ahead of the curve because it only happens a few times a century!
In political, talk to the media type of talk Tod Button, head of scouting addr...
Hmmm... Jay Feaster is the new Flames assistant GM... or is that assistant TO the GM?
Could it be that after swapping out the amateur scouts they've now realized that Sutter is at the very least in need of some "assistance"? Perhaps his first order of business should be to show Darryl where the door is and pass on the old axiom about letting it hit him on the way out. ...
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...
This is a question that many news reporters and Leafs fans are wondering when it comes to the Tomas Kaberle saga, is it possible for Leafs general manager Brian Burke to switch gears and move the younger Luke Schenn for a top forward instead of the veteran blueliner. The one thing that most NHL teams covet is a puck moving offensive defensemen and Tomas Kaberle more then f...
There are many variables that must be accounted for within an NHL team if they wish to compete for the Stanley Cup. The most important of these qualities can include offensive/defensive awareness, athletic ability and toughness. In the past few years, I have been trying to justify every move that Brian Burke has made with the Leafs. For the most part, it has been quite app...
Darcy Regier has made a few moves this offseason, but he is far from done. Buffalo still has about eight million left to spent before it reaches the maximum salary cup.
Everything has slowed down around the NHL recently, due to the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes. Once that is over, expect Regier and the Sabres to make a few more moves.
Buffalo has already seen the additi...
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...
Given my relative age the guys I saw play over the years or read about that really showed me toughness were the following guys:
1. Wendel Clark - he could score lead and fight the best all around player.
2. Doug Gilmour- he would never back down never give up never allowed himself to be beat up.
3. Darryl Sittler- he could score fight and lead both by example and ...
The Hawks kept one of their best up and coming Defenseman today as they matched the San Jose Sharks offer sheet to Niklas Hjalmarsson, a 4 year, $14 million contract. Some say they overpaid to keep the 23 year old but he has the potential to be better. The problem is that of the cap hit this will cause on the Blackhawks and what happens with contract talks with Antii Nie...
[img]http://www.rds.ca/images/chroniques/302489.jpg?20100713090433 [/img]
Finally, the Montreal Canadiens have announced today the signing of Maxim Lapierre for 1 year worth almost 900K.
It seems a good decision to me regarding the terms of the deal because Lappy has something to prove an we know that he's going work to very hard to get to stay a couple more seasons...
At approximately 3:30 p.m Eastern Time yesterday, the first real pangs of worry hit me like a freight train.
While many fair-weather Hawks fans and career Hawks haters alike have been overreacting to Stan Bowman’s off-season moves in one way or another, I have generally remained calm this summer. To this point, sacrificing second and third-tier scoring and role guys ...
As Burke has built our team from the mesh out, I will talk about the future of our team the mesh out.
Giggy, our six mill a year net minder, was a brilliant acquisition by Burke. Shedding Jason Blakes ridiculous contract and, the transparent between the pipes, Vesa Toskala for a goalie who could stop a puck let alone a beach ball was genius.
It’s important to note ...
Before reading on i would like to introduce the Calgary Flames Drinking Game, it's pretty simple, every time there is a Flames press conferance you do a shot when Sutter says, "To be honest". Prepare for a hangover my friends....
on to the blog...
I feel confused. At first I thought I have just lost some perception, sometimes it's hard to take a step back and see wha...
With the 43rd pick overall, the Toronto Maple Leafs are pleased to select from the Portland Winter Hawks, Bradley Ross. Many casual Leafs fans would have replied with a resounding "who?" at that moment, but those in the know realize what a coup this was for Brian Burke. Ryan Johansen and Nino Niederrieter who went 4th and 5th respectively in this year's draft were on a lin...
[IMG]http://i32.tinypic.com/14t6jnr.jpg[/IMG]
While it wasn't Maverick, Ice Man, and Goose (not to mention Kelly McGillis--talk about your young guns), a good time was had by the 2,200 and change inside the SPTimes Forum last Wednesday for the Lightning "Young Guns" event.
What a great idea. Showcase new talent, generate a bit of revenue, and stir up the faithful....
First off... props to Richard C for his great blogs!
After watching the Oilers pump up their farm system I have come to realize that there are only going to be two of the rookie forwards making the Oilers this year... and there are three main reasons that I can see:
1) The Oilers need to fulfill a commitment to Oklahoma in regards to providing a quality product that...
Recently Sutter came out and said that he was willing to go to 1 or 2 year contracts, this flies in the face of the Hossa like deals that are ranging 10,12 even 15 years in length. My question is why? If Sutter is only giving out one or two year contracts is that because ownership is only giving him that amount of time to turn this around? Most of Sutter's contracts have b...
Recently I had the opportunity to relax at a luxurious cottage in Muskoka with my better half Jessie, and a group of young Leafs. Warm summer days and nights enjoying cool water over bare skin, hot food roasted over an open fire and refreshing cold beer down a parched throat. These are the memories you take with you forever.
The first day there, as I emerged from the ...
When the Flames gave up three or more goals, they only won 10 of 37 games; proof that scoring goals was a serious issue for the team. However, despite the inability of the Calgary Flames to put pucks into the opposing net, rarely did they have too many issues with keeping the puck out of their own net. They ranked 5th in the league in ‘goals against per game’ with 2.48...
Hello black and gold fans. When it comes to dealing a player in these times many factors are in play. I for one would not trade either of these players at least not now. IF I could play GM I would hold on to both and if I needed to make a change I would wait til trade deadline 2011 then it would be just Savard You will receive more for Savard than Thomas now anyway. If ...
Big news in the NHL today as Kovy finally decided on where he wanted to spend the balance of his career. The fact it was New Jersey which offered the most in terms of money was somewhat surprising as most pundits figured the LA Kings would go all-out to add a marquee talent to it’s roster to augment the impressive, young core already in place. New Jersey’s offer of a 1...
I told myself I would most assuredly start blogging on hockeybuzz immediately after Ilya Kovalchuk signed on somewhere. I said that yesterday. About three hours before the news actually broke.. so I was unprepared. I figured I would have another week. At least a few more days. I was wrong. My thoughts were there, but they were unharnessed. I knew what I was going to say, b...
The winds of change have finally caught up with the NJ Devils and they have caught the mother of all storms. After years of watching a franchise buck the trend and be successful at playing their game and their system and not succumbing to the ways of the NHL. Captain Lou has finally lost his mind and took the plunge into the abyss and followed the great example of Charles...
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...
In my Gagne article last night (this morning) I failed to mention my one of my favorite Gags stories. Although, in reality, it just makes me mad. It's only one of my favorites mainly because A: i was right, and B: al morganti was wrong.
I remember near the trade deadline a few years back (maybe more than a few), Al Morganti was on Flyers post game live saying that Bobby...
In my best Bones McCoy voice: Damn it... I'm a blogger not a journalist!!
What does this mean? It means that A: journalists will not bear my foul stench or even acknowledge my existence and B: I am not even as accountable as them for vetting things. This is basically awesome.
I get to write about my favorite team and make up crazy trades ideas and get smacked down b...
In light of the recent debacle, known as the Ilya Kovalchuk contract saga, and listening to and reading wide ranging opinions on various radio stations and print media, I can’t help but thinking back to the lockout and lost season of 2004-2005.
The main issue of the CBA negotiations was the idea of creating “cost certainty” for the owners. Gary Bettman wanted to ...
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 ...
The Sabres have not fared well against the Stars over the past decade or so, and it began to show during a game in Dallas a couple of seasons ago. Buffalo made a trip to Dallas to take on the Stars in mid January and started off with some struggles.
Buffalo’s problems began when Drew Stafford took two straight penalties, both of which resulted in a goal for the Stars....
John_Anderson writes...
Afinogenov, Potential Blue and White Candidate??
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I believe that Afinogenov would be a great pick up on free agency for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Give him a chance to bring in a veteran presence for the young top 6 forwards, since he is now in his Early 30s.
He may have had a great season last year, but that could've been a fluke if you look at his stats the previous two seasons, where he didn't even mass a total combin...
While I hope Sutter does have something up his sleeve for all Flames fans to rejoice over, i really wouldn't mind going into next season with the current line-up. Each line has some size and speed, should be more responsible in their own end and has some scoring touch. I'm also another one who doesn't mind seeing Kotilik in a Flames jersey, when he got into that fight afte...
When D.Sutter came from San Jose he made a habit of trading for players he knew from that system, we all appreciate the Kirpusoff trade but the players that followed like Lynn Loyns, Bryan marchment, Mark Smith and Jeff Friesen indicate that Sutter like to trade or sign what is familiar to him. Darryl is not the first G.M. to trade for what he knows, but it does make us th...
[img]http://i28.tinypic.com/168u5jr.jpg[/img]
The Kid. The Next One. Sidney Crosby. All monikers for one of the most talented players in the league and the first of a series of non-Leaf related interviews that I'll be conducting throughout the season. Hockey fans around the world know the stats. Born on August 7th, 1987. 8/7/87. 22 going on 23 and the hockey world at hi...
As most of us know, the first 8 games last season played a large role in the eventual further dismantling of the roster by Brian Burke and the team missing the playoffs yet again. With that in mind I figured it would be fitting to take a glance at the first 8 this season, and throw out some predictions.
We'll start by reviewing last seasons first 8.
Game 1 vs Mtl. 4-...
We have heard a lot from our friends to the North about their development camp, how it got sold out because people wanted to see the likes of Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paarvi. You can't disagree the copper and blue have a fair amount of young talent coming up in their system but what about the Flames? It has been said the Flames cupboard is empty and that they ...
If leaked reports are to be believed the NHLPA is preparing to file a grievance pertaining to the NHL’s rejection of the unprecedented 17 year, $102 million contract filed last week by the New Jersey Devils for Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk. The report suggests that even if the Devils and Kovalchuk can agree on a restructured deal, the NHLPA may still decide to file a g...
I've recently heard speculations of the Columbus Blue Jackets trying to make a deal with the Oilers. In the deal....
The Oilers would acquire RJ Umberger and Mike Commodore
The Blue Jackets would obtain Cogliano and Souray
I believe that this deal would be beneficial for the Oilers only because they would be receiving Umberger. Umberger brings to the Oilers an arse...
February 13th, 2009 was a lot more than just a game between the Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks. A plane crash in Clarence Center left the entire city of Buffalo devastated. The National Hockey League questioned whether or not the game should be played.
A few of the Sabres had family and friends that lived in the area, and many people knew some of the victims that di...
I'm ready for the punishment. I can take it. What I'm going to do here is maybe point out why Kotalik should be on the starting roster come October. I know the prevailing thoughts are that he's going to the KHL or maybe being demoted but I will play devil's advocate here and maybe shed some light on why he was traded for in the first place. To be clear I'm not a fan but so...
I have often asked myself, why cant a team ice 4 lines that can score? Well the obvious reason now would be 4 number 1 lines would be a crazy cap hit. The old school thought of 2 scoring lines 1 checking and 1 fighting/energy line scheme is gone (tell that to some gm's...sutter) so what can, or should teams be doing.
Look at what the blackhawks did this last season, no ...
It's interesting how we are judging the prospects after watching them only for an hour at day one in the camp. But as bloggers, that is what we do. I hesitate to judge the prospects too harshly as they go through the motions for the coaches. I sat there watching some of the players this afternoon, trying to figure out which ones to pick out for my blog. I cannot go throu...
This is less of a blog and more of an article on Nyren that I wrote for another website. Thought it had some local flavour and might give some more insight into another potential Flames propspect.
Calgary Hitmen defenceman Giffen Nyren does not belong to any National Hockey League team; not yet at least.
After being invited to the Minnesota Wild camp last summer, he...
Over that past few days I have heard over and over that Burke will begin to entertain offers for Kaberle once the Kovalchuk situation gets ironed out. To a certain degree I agree with this thinking, because I do believe that if the Kings do not get Kovalchuk (which I do not believe they will), then I feel that Kaberle will be a King and I truly believe Wayne Simmons will ...
Much has been made of Daryll Sutter's strange decision to bring Olli Jokinen back into the fold. Pundits and fans across the hockey world blasted the move, some speculating that he had gone crazy. Bringing back Jokinen may have its pitfalls, but it is not the worst move Sutter has ever made.
That distinction belongs to the decision to let Kristian Huselius walk in favou...
Hello Hockey Buzzers!
Being as as this is my first blog and all, i thought that i would write about something that i am infinitely familiar with: Sports disappointment. After another summer of (mostly) lackluster moves, the Sabres (and dont even mention the Bills) are seemingly not much better than they were last year. I suppose i should prefice this with the following
...
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 ...
Notes from Day 2
Mikael Backlund
Backlund continues to be the best prospect on the team. He proved it again today. He was awesome today. His skating skills were particularly strong, he was smooth and fast. He has a great shot and terrific speed and vision.
John Negrin
Negrin continued to shine today. His skating skills are best by far among all the defenseman. ...
Mark Fraser agrees to a one-year/$500,000 contract with the New Jersey Devils.
Predictions for the upcoming NHL season are already being posted around the web, and many teams are not done making moves. At this point, are the Sabres good enough to win the division again?
Mike Corcoran, a Tampa Bay radio host, posted his Eastern Conference predictions with Buffalo finishing in fifth place. Corcoran stated this about the Sabres:
"Some will make th...
It's funny when you look at how a few decisions can have a massive butterfly affect on a team. Release a player here, trade a player there, draft this player instead of that player. When the dust settles, sometimes years from a certain move, you either win the Stanley Cup or you draft first.
There have been some major things the Flames organization has done that spring...
After a flurry of activity in the first couple days of the free agent season, the market cooled off, leaving a lot of players sitting on the sidelines waiting for their phones to ring. There was a sense that everyone was waiting for Ilya Kovalchuk to sign and then the remaining pieces would start to fall into place. Well we are approaching August and although Kovalchuk is...
flyerscup2011 writes...
Flyers overlooked when it comes to awards/ credit
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I was reading a post a week or so ago about the 10 General Managers your team should want to rebuild your team. Based on the fact that Paul Holmgren took the team that finished dead last in the entire NHL only to take his team to the Eastern Conference Finals the following season only to lose to the stacked Penguins. How does that not make him top 5 maybe even top 3 or b...
It’s no secret that Tyler Myers had a terrific rookie season last year with the Buffalo Sabres. He recorded 11 goals and 37 assists and played in all 82 games. To complete the phenomenal season, he was awarded with the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.
The 20 year old towering defenseman played just as big as his height as he lead the team in ice time per game. Mye...
I have been bored out of my mind over the last two weeks, the entry draft is far behind us, free agency has slowed to a crawl, arbitration hearings are the last exiting thing that remains. And we all know how boring arbitration is. Case-48 hours-decision-48hours-another decision. kill me now! So while this summer drags on I have been thinking of how Pierre Gauthier seems t...
To make a long story short, for those who have not seen the summer blockbuster Inception (which I highly recommend you do), a totem is an object that separates reality from dream. The totem distinguishes reality from dream because it takes on different characteristics in a dream state. Therefore, if the owner of the totem knows their totem well enough, they should be able ...
When I saw that Ian White signed, the first thing I read after it was referring to what moves the Flames were going to make to allow this to happen. So to be clear, they don't need to make any. Simply demoting expensive players under the guise that they were outplayed in camp would suffice. In reality having two guys in your minors who are legitimate nhl'rs would be a huge...
The countdown begins.... August 15th approaches us & no Kaberle move yet. Don't think for one second that Burke doesn't have a trick or two left up his sleeve. With just over 2 weeks left until Kaberle's No-No Claus, expect talks to heat up in great fashion.
Who Burke can get for Kaberle......
The most frequently mentioned by fans are Penner (EDM), Ryan (ANA), N...
It was a rough afternoon at the prospects camp this afternoon. Whether it was the ice or the players themselves, it was real chippy practice. The rookies were put through a light workout, as they were finished about a hour earlier today.
The defence were having some troubles controlling the puck in the offensive zone. But in the defensive zone, a couple of Defensemen...
Many people around hockeybuzz who talk about a rebuild don't look far enough into the future to project what a team will look like when a rebuild is complete and said team is actually a contender. A lot of people including our very oilers blogger Richard Cloutier often project the entire roster in 3 years time to be made up of all current oilers or prospects but if you loo...
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...
There has been a fair amount of Habs news to discuss since last night. With Louis Leblanc choosing to leave Harvard to play for the Montreal Junior, Pierre Gauthier signing Alexandre Picard, and much more, it was definitely time to put together some thoughts.
What does Leblanc's return to Montreal mean for his career and for the Montreal Canadiens? Why did the Canadiens...
With rumors surrounding the Chicago organization is ready to sign Marty Turco to a 1 yr 1.5 mil contract if they decide they can't/won't afford to keep Antti Niemi, all Hawks fans will be watching this situation closely over the next 24 hours. Niemi was awarded a 1 yr, 2.75 mil contract in arbitration and with the Hawks tight cap situation, more moves will likely be in ord...
Today another piece of the puzzle that formed the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks has left the nest. Today, Blackhawks GM, Stan Bowman, decided to use his right to walk away from awarding the 1 year, $2.75million contract set by an arbitrator to Antti Niemi.
On the flipside, the Blackhawks have also come to terms with ex-Dallas Star goalie, Marty Turco. T...
wangzhiyuan writes...
If you often drive to unfamiliar places for business or plea
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
If you often drive to unfamiliar places for business or pleasure then you should make sure you get a top of the range system.
This means all you have to [url=http://www.dunkshoes100.com]dunk shoes[/url] do is follow the audio instructions given from the system and you will be taken to the postcode or destination you input into the Sat Nav at the beginning of the journe...
In my previous posts I've indicated that I do not think much of a major shake up is going to happen prior to next season with the Flames, unless you call assigning veterans to the minor league a major a shake up. However having said that I'm a fan and like all fans I like to play the what if game with the rumors that are being circulated. The reason Hockeybuzz is fun to me...
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
I've been fairly quiet for quite awhile. I sat and watched Buffalo exit the playoffs in the first round with a lackluster effort against the Bruins. I thought to myself, "Well, at least we made it to the playoffs, and won the Northeast Division". I thought back to the Sabres who got into the playoffs, got eliminated in the first round, reassessed what needed to be done, an...
I'm going to take a little break from the Flames for a day, unless this becomes a trade day, and take a look at some of the issues going on right now.
Have you ever bought a lotto ticket and wondered what would happen if you washed it or something and it won? Or if you answered the skill question wrong and they pulled the plug on your ticket? Have you wondered how despe...
This has been a quiet off season for the Toronto Maple Leafs when it comes to the unrestricted free agent market. The Leafs signed Colby Armstrong when the gate opened July 1st and Brett Lebda on July 7th, they also look to have loaded up the Marlies with a few other minor signings but the biggest move of this off season will not be a free agent signing and may just be the...
wangzhiyuan writes...
Contact your local DIY store for more information on these
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Contact your local DIY store for more information on these.All you need to do next is to make a little investment in something called draft excluders.The first step is to go outside and take a walk around your home and [url=http://www.airjordanssale.com]air jordan shoes[/url] pay attention to the details of your home's construction work.Areas needing improvements are usual...
The Sabres and Oilers had nearly identical records when they played each other for the lone meeting of the 2008-2009 season. Thomas Vanek was the only Sabres player to go to the all star game, with much thanks to his 28 goals.
This game got out of hand early and it remained that way for the rest of the night. Just ten seconds into the game, Drew Stafford took a shot the...
New at The Checking Line, I analyze and rank the seasons of the Canadiens top six forwards, assigning each a letter grade and sharing my expectations for each for this upcoming season.
Where did each player land? How good were they? Read the blog to find out at the link below!
[url=http://thecheckingline.com/blog/george-prax/montreal-canadiens/off-season-analysis-t...
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...
Since the Buffalo Sabres are coming upon its 40th anniversary season, I decided I would reflect on the past 39 years of the team's history. The franchise began in 1970 and the Sabres have made two Stanley cup final appearances, but lost both of them.
The Sabres have given the fans in Buffalo great entertainment. However, fans are becoming restless as Buffalo remains wit...
NHLNumbers writes...
Best Draft Years Between 1998 - Present (Anaheim to Detroit)
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
Total Games Played and Player Quality Considered - All results are open to debate
Anaheim Ducks 2003 Draft
Rd 1. Ryan Getzlaf
Rd 1. Corey Perry
Rd 6. Drew Miller
Rd 8. Shane O'Brian
Atlanta Thrashers 2000 Draft
Rd 1. Dany Heatley
Rd 6. Darcy Hordichuck
Boston Bruins 2006 Draft
Rd 1. Phil Kessel
Rd 2. Milan Lucic
Rd 3. Brad Marchand
Buffalo Sabres ...
detwiler007 writes...
If Kovalchuk = UFA, what does it mean to the Sabres?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Long story short, nothing. And everything.
Nothing because there is not a single chance in the world that the Sabres would do something as ridiculous as sign Kovalchuk. The Sabres already have 2 contracts like that: Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville. On a quick aside, I would be very inclined to say that dumping either of those at the right price would be a very intell...
[i]Marty: "Oh, this is heavy, Doc. I mean, it's like I was just here yesterday."
Doc: "You were here yesterday, Marty, you were."[/i]
Remember this? When Marty and the Doc were forced to go back to 1955 to steal back the ‘Grey’s Sports Almanac’ from young Biff so that he wouldn’t become rich and powerful and eventually kill Marty’s Dad George and marry Marty...
HockeyBay writes...
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogs, So many yet so few who care...
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[b]
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogs, So many...
Lightning Strikes!
Raw Charge
Lightning Shout!
JoeBoltsFan
Bolt Prospects
Boltsmag
LightningHockeyBlog
boltsblog
thehockeybay
BenchedWhale whatever
yada yada yada...
But does anyone really read them? In a NON traditional NHL market and unsupportive community ( Go Gators etc. ) it is funny how so many blogs are ...
Okay first off, The NHL and the NHLPA both missed the PR boat by not getting the Kovalchuk thing done on TV. They could have has live streaming of who gets to be the arbitrator between Judge Joe Brown and Judge Judy, then they could have had a fan vote and a reality TV program. A show that follows Kovalchuk's wife on a shopping spree when the credit card gets declined, Kov...
Wayne Gretzky's lowest point total in the 80's was his NHL rookie debut, 137 points. He topped out at 215 points, he also had 212 and 205 point totals. Ridiculous. Todays NHL the max out has been 125 points by "Big Joe" Thornton. Why are point totals so much lower? I mean Crosby is portrayed as the closest thing to Gretz, but I can only see him matching Messier, Crosby wou...
The Flames and Roger’s Sportsnet just announced a deal on Tuesday that would see the cable outlet broadcast Flames games until the year 2020. They will broadcast at least 58 Flames games every year and be the clubs Official Television Broadcaster and digitial service provider. It was also announced that fans won’t have to “rely” on Flames Pay-per view for games no...
Craig Conroy signing is actually very interesting on so many levels. The cap level, the number of roster spots level, his performance level. Very interesting. What isn't interesting is that it's Craig Conroy, a 4th line center, it's the ramifications that we all enjoy. I haven't heard if this is two way or not which would be really interesting to know.
Cap Level: This s...
[b]*Warning: More analysis and opinion concerning the Kovalchuk decision. For those who want to talk hockey, as opposed to the now perpetual indiscretions of the league office etc. Don't read.[/b]
When Richard Bloch decided to rule in the favour of the NHL in the case of Ilya Kovalchuk and the ridiculous contract, he set in place a new precedent that the league hope wi...
The Flames signed Craig Conroy to a two-way contract today. He will make the league minimum $500,000 if he plays in the NHL.
He is 38 years old and in the twilight of his career. He scored all of THREE goals last season in 63 appearances.
Now, I don’t mind that the Flames stay loyal to someone, but stay loyal to him by making him a coach or a consultant or somethi...
Recently, before the major earth shaking signing of a certain Craig Conroy distracted me, I was being called out a little for putting up the hockey news prediction of the Oilers finishing last. The Hockey News has in the past bashed Edmonton a little, they published a survey that said Edmonton and Buffalo were the two worst cities to play pro hockey in according to the Pla...
Ok !!!! To start off with yes is says rainBRO because I didn't want to give off the wrong impression.
Secondly i am posting mostly because for some odd reason it won't let me make comments on other posts although you can clearly see i am logged in it still says you have to log in to make a comment.Ugggg Back to over the rainbro.
I am a a life long oilers fan. My paren...
This is my first blog with Hockeybuzz and I'm choosing to speculate on a topic which has been discussed for several years now, that being the eventual departure of long time Maple Leaf Tomas Kaberle.
I write eventual departure because I do believe that come the August 15th deadline, before Kaberle's no-trade clause comes back into effect, he will be moved. Never in the...
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...
Before I begin, I want to say that I am not like a lot of other Leafs fans. In other words, I am not going to sit here and tell you that the Maple Leafs are going to make the playoffs and maybe even win the Stanley Cup just because they haven't for so long now. With that being said, if you disagree with what I am about to say than don't comment saying that I am just someon...
[img]http://ryannellis.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/nhllogowallpapers.jpg[/img]
Instead of annoying board-posters, I will now post my own hockeybuzz blogs. If you'd like to catch up on what we've been talking about over at sabretake, you can visit us at http://sabretake.com
Now, onto our latest article:
Now that our “Down the Road” segment is out of its misery(...
For everyone saying Toronto did the worse thing by trading Kaberle I suggest they think again. Burke truly knows who was offered and what he wanted. Worse case scenario is Toronto get 1 year service from him and he leaves. The Leafs current top 6 without Kaberle would amount to Phaneuf, Komisarek, Beauchemin, Schenn, Gunnarson, and Lebda. Which for a rebuilding team is not...
Now that the anger and confusion surrounding the latest Tim Kennedy arbitration fiasco has begun to subside, I think it’s time for the team and city to move on and forget about the whole ordeal. It stings to see a young, home grown player with such a feisty game be thrown to the curb, especially in the midst of an uneventful off-season that saw no major changes to a team...
Two years ago, the Blues fleeced the Maple Leafs in a deal that sent Lee Stempniak to Toronto for Alex Steen and Carlo Colaiacovo. At the time, I might have been the only person in St. Louis who liked that deal. I felt Stempniak was a flash in the pan, and that either Steen or Cola straight up would have been a good trade. But Stempniak was a fan favorite in the STL, proba...
With training camp right around the bend in another month, I decided to do a division by divisionpreview and what to expect from each team this season. Here is the South East Division outlook:
Washington: Look for the Capitals to dominate the weak South East division again this year. Alexander Ovechkin and the high powered offense of the Caps is still there and will con...
So Montreal trade their top AHL prospect goalie to the Lightening for Karri Ramo who is playing in the KHL. Their current top goalie on the team is Alex Auld since Carey Price is not signed with the Habs. So now they have the rights to Ramo and Sanford. So does this mean Sanford and Auld battle for the starters job so long as Price holds out. At this rate Montreal...A driv...
I have taken some time over the past week to sit back and wait to see how the Kaberle and potentially the Kovalchuk situation would play out before writing my next blog. Well one of the shoes dropped on the weekend with Kaberle remaining a Leaf. I know this has set off a firestorm in Leaf Nation as to whether this move was correct. At this point it is irrelevant because...
O...M...G.... will this off season ever end?. Can we please get a training camp up in here?? When is that prospect camp again? I'm jonesin' hard over here for some real hockey to talk about. Last night I found myself on you tube looking up our prospects and found some cool highlights:
For Backlund: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqGTuS2YjeA[/url]
For Erixon: [ur...
michael_sousa writes...
Define Great Defenseman in the NHL? Kaberle follow-up...
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
First off, I am your prototypical diehard Toronto Maple Leafs fan that hopes every year will be different and we will win the Stanley Cup. I really thought Kaberle would be traded before midnight deadline on August 15th. I did not necessarily want Kaberle dealt, but Burke made certain deals and moves that suggested a changing of the guard. He first named Phaneuf the tea...
Recently I had the pleasure of spending a day with the Toronto Maple Leafs during a workout and massage session. I was thrilled for the opportunity to be around this group of finely tuned young guys. I was especially eager to "learn the ropes" and see what a day in the life of an athletic therapist is like.
I came away VERY envious of these men and the fine job th...
stinger67 writes...
Disagreement among fans or just a shock of generations?
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
(Please keep in mind that english is a second language for me, so I apologize in advance for every mistake or misused word. Thanks)
Throughout the summer, we could witness a rollercoaster ride of emotions among Habs fans. With Halak gone, some of them are asking for Gauthier's head on a platter. We can witness a true difference of opinions.
I think it's normal. I me...
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]
With the addition Wednesday of Michel Goulet as their Western Professional Scout, the Calgary Flames have slowly surrounded Darryl Sutter with some much needed help for the upcoming season.
Sutter has been on the hot seat with many fans, including myself, since the end of the season due to the Flames disappointing finish in last years regular season. With the addition o...
saneopinion writes...
Hockey watching tips dealing with your significant other
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I think it's kind of fun to be able to watch your farm team play a few games here and there for an average fan to really get an idea of what you have in the system. Since the Heat will be on TV a few times, against Toronto every time, we will be able to see what is cooking down there, if anything. If you are lucky you may even catch a Jim Playfair melt down! The problem wi...
The Washington Capitals were far and away the best regular season team last year. The Caps scored 36 more goals than any other team in the league, with a home record of 30-5-6, winning the Eastern conference by over 15 points. In a conference that was considered “weak”, a team with those credentials should have, and was considered a favourite, to go very deep into the ...
This Summer, the National Hockey League has been looking at ways to improve the game. From moving the faceoff circles to eliminating shootouts, NHL officials have targeted a few ideas that could be beneficial to the entire league.
After the NHL lockout, the shootout came into effect and many fans were excited about it, as expected. The shootout was something rarely seen...
Hello Flames Fans, look at your number one center, It's Jokinen. Sadly it's not Savard, but if he recaptures his past form he could be almost as good. Look down, you stepped in something, that's gross. Back up, you're in Edmonton and now you know why there's something on your shoe. Look down, back up, where are you? You're in the Dome looking at Savard playing with Iginla ...
When news broke out that the Sabres would be unveiling a new alternate jersey this upcoming season, it left fans wondering what could be the next marketing scheme that Golisano and company had in store for us. We’ve seen our share of new jerseys in the past. From what I can gather, the goat head was generally accepted. “The Slug”, although ranked at the top in sales ...
Mattbritton1976 writes...
Lay off the Hate towards The Flames. You don't know Jack
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It is not even what would qualify as the pre season , yet, Everyone from the casual blogger, to the Ultimate Fake who I will not even mention who has a 1 for 5 record in rumors, seem to love harping on the Flames for how things have gone post season.
I though am not among the haters. I love what the Flames have done in the post season.
1) The Phaneuf Trade. We got mo...
Tomas Kaberle needs to step up to the microphone and speak for himself. Rick Curran, Kaberle's agent, complained publicly about the way Brian Burke has put his client in the spotlight during the limited window of opportunity in which his contract allows for Tomas to be moved. Days later, Kaberle's father hardly fell short of requesting a trade on his son's behalf. Rational...
[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...
Hey hockey fans! This seems to be the ideal place to blog if you're a Leaf fan so this is where I'll start my journey. I guess I'll give you some background so most of you will be able to relate to my mindset and the level of my disgrunt within Leafs Nation.
I've been a Leaf fan my entire life, or at least for as long as I can remember. I'm a product of the 70's and a c...
Is it too early to anoint Steve Yzerman as GM of the Year? [img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-Gy8Dx2EjPY/THTAK4ErpfI/AAAAAAAAARE/9T2NqBHNQAg/s1600/yzerman19.jpg[/img]
Well of course it is. It's far too early. [i](edit for clarity)[/i] We haven’t even dropped the puck on the 2010-11 NHL season yet; hell, training camp hasn’t even opened yet. But that isn’t going to sto...
[b]Quick note on Kaberle: [/b]
I heard from a source at the hotel hosting the NHL's research, development and orientation camp last week who ran into Florida GM Dale Tallon. He asked him why Kaberle wasn't dealt and Tallon said because he's a potential UFA next year and just simply too soft a defenseman for any team to offer what Burke was asking. He also said the best ...
Every year as the summer winds down i throw my golf clubs in the garage and get my seat ready for the regular sesaon, always full of hope and optimism. As a leafs fan it seems like the same thing every year shiny new players shadow what the roster really looks like. Yes on paper our goaltending is solid and our d core is top notch, then you hit the forward core, it's reall...
flamesfan!! writes...
What to expect from the flames next season? Part 2
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Many flames fans are already giving up on the season. Some are even hoping for the team to tank this season which would spell the demise of Darryl Sutter. Is this approach towards the 2010-11 season justified? Lets look at the various reasons as to why this season is considered to be over before opening night faceoff by the fans
Last I looked at the Ales Kotalik Trade
...
The Blogger vs. Mainstream Media debate continues and still there's no end in sight. Sometimes there's respect and sometimes there's not. Basically the main difference is one gets paid to do a job, one does it out of pure passion. The new debate circles around if bloggers should get media credentials and access to players etc after a game, for the N.H.L.'s position on it r...
lately i have noticed a stupid an really unfounded string of Souray haters guys like richard cloutier who are really low balling the talented defense man. After a month or so i believe these "haters" will change their tune watching the guy with hardest shot in the game on the oil PP scoring goals and being a assist machine (if ANYONE on the oilers can tip). His first pass...
WarHero writes...
Montreal Canadiens - Player Points Predictions - Centers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Here we are ... about 40 days away from the drop of the puck.
Is anyone as antsy as I am for the season to start?
It's not that I don't like summer, but watching baseball just doesn't do it for me. But at least there's some Canadian Football to tide me over. Speaking of which, Ottawa is supposed to get a team for next season. But I digress ...
Since the Habs ros...
Hi all, I am new to the blogging world so bear with me!
I have been a huge leafs fan all my life, but that will not cloud my judgement on how I think they will perform this year (well ok maybe a little bit ;). Obviously I would love it,as would any other Leaf fan, for them to end the dreadful stanley cup drought, or even their post-lockout playoff drought, but lets be ho...
Hey puckheads. So starting today, I'll post a new NHL Who Am I? trivia every Friday. You guys smashed the first one the other day, but they won't always be as easy as that.
I'll post the answer and details of the previous NHL Who Am I? before posting the new one.
[b]NHL Who Am I? #1 - Ed Olczyk[/b]
1. I was drafted 3rd overall by an Original Six team.
-He ...
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 ...
saneopinion writes...
Kariya/Oilers Goalie Options/Flames who have low socks.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
There was a time around 95-2000 where Paul Kariya was a major pick in our pool, maybe a top 5 at one point. A high quality goal scorer, terrific speed, incredibly classy and now it appears his career might be over due to a head injury. I feel kind of sad about it, I felt the same way when Pat Lafontaine went down with head issues, just so much fun to watch but the eggshell...
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...
Some teams have cap space right now and can make a trade. Having cap space doesn't mean a team will make a trade though. In fact the biggest indicator of a teams willingness to make a trade is expectations. There are few teams with that right combination of cap space and high expectations that have voids that need to be filled...possibly by Calgary who is definitely consid...
Did you ever wonder what it would be like if NHL players and personalities were cast in major movie roles? Well, I’m going to answer that question today by listing some of the greatest movie quotes of all-time and inserting which NHL personality would have been best-suited to be cast in that role, a few perhaps with some minor modifications. Sources say some famous quo...
I "Beleaf" this year will prove that Brian Burke know's what he's doing. And will also finally silence doubters. If all goes well, the statistics and line-up will look like this.
LW/C/RW
Kris Versteeg/Tyler Bozak/Phil Kessel
Clarke Macarthur/Mikhail Grabovski/Colby Armstrong
Nikolai Kulemin/John Mitchell/Marcel Mueller
Fredrik Sjostrom/Christian Hanson/Luca Caputi
...
Two years 4.55 million 2.225 cap it and per year pay out.
Hey all, new here and just figuring out how all of this works. I have been reading for a long time, and just now decided to sign up. Avid Ducks, Flames, and somewhat Caps fan, so I will be randomly blogging on one of the three at any given time. Considering there is no Ducks blogger here, I figured I may as well fill the hole a bit. First blog to come eventually, ahaha.
...
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...
Hello everyone,
First blog, very excited. But I am more excited because the upcoming season is just a few more weeks away, and I am anxious to see how the habs will fare this season. After a wonderful run in the playoffs last season, it's back to the start for Montreal and they must start all over again with 30 teams in the running. In the offseason, Pierre Gauthier tra...
After months of political manoeuvring and speculation… and pending ratification, Donald Fehr appears primed to formally take office as the Executive Director of the NHLPA with the Ilya Kovalchuk saga providing an appropriate backdrop. Despite having earlier dismissed himself as a candidate for the role, the former MLBPA hardliner is now expected to spearhead the players ...
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...
Courtesy of http://www.etownhockey.com/2010/08/oilers-defense-review-and-where-leafs.html
The Oilers are coming off their worst season in franchise history. Some of the work Tambellini has accomplished this offseason has been a staggering over haul, but mostly on the front end. The forwards are looking promising for the future, but how about the defense?
Name - age...
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.
As Sabres fans look at this year’s team after the offseason moves (or lack of them), most likely they will be disappointed. Fans have been very critical of the management’s moves over recent years. With a deeper look at the team, has the team improved? A quick comparison may not look better, but even with the lack of acquisitions, the Sabres may be set for a deep run ...
The Northeast Division is expected to be close once again this season, but the Sabres won’t have an easy time repeating as division champs again. The Northeast saw many changes and will be as competitive as ever as Toronto is attempting to return back to the playoffs.
The Northeast is considered one of the toughest in the NHL and this year should prove that statement...
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...
Well another hockey season is upon us and all the hopes and dreams of any fan of any team are all equal. Having said that I am one of them but I do see some teams tanking it big time with the changes they made and other teams making big gains.
The following are the teams about to fall into the bottom of the Eastern conference;
1. Montreal who was a Cinderella story ...
UPDATE: Click link at bottom for King's response to this blog!
It’s the start of September 2010. Summer is over; well, in Calgary, it never really began weather wise but that's neither here nor there.
For the Flames, it was time to give their “Hot House” members (people who are on the waiting list for Flames season tickets) an update on the team.
The Flame...
As per HabsInsideOut:
The Canadiens have signed goaltender Carey Price to a two-year contract.
No word yet on the terms of the contract, which will take him to the end of the 2011-12 season.
From the team's press release:
MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier announced today the signing of goaltender Carey Price to a two-year contract...
With the recent off season waives, trades and signings, the acquisition of Hall and pulling up two other good (supposedly phenomenal) rookies via Eberle and Paajarvi, it looks like the rebuilding of the Oiler’s may be close to complete.
Are they going to be able to go from Dead Last in the league to 8th or higher in the West?
Right now. I’m going to say no .
...
WarHero writes...
Montreal Canadiens - Player Points Predictions - Wingers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Well folks, its 34 days till the season starts, but training camp is right around the corner!
Finally! Let’s get back to some hockey!
Living in Ottawa gives me a unique opportunity to watch 3 brands of hockey. Besides the Sens, I can also take in either an Ottawa 67’s (OHL) or Gautineau Olympiques (QMJHL) game. This year I will be doing both so I can catch Jarred...
Hey Blogolites! Happy Labour Day. I hope you all enjoy it. You know what I love about Labour Day? Besides the fact we get day off, it means that NHL training camps are right around the corner. And thank God because this off-season seems like it's lasted forever. At least it has to me....what about you?
On that note, let's get to another NHL Who Am I? trivia. I k...
it appears as if Taylor Hall has picked his number. Sportsnet is reporting that he has chosen the number 4, previously worn by now president of hockey operations Kevin Lowe. an official announcement is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
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 ...
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...
People who know me or read my blog, understand that I do not care much for Darryl Sutter and the way he has chosen to run this franchise.
Well, Sutter’s comments on Thursday at the Flames Charity Golf tournament struck a chord with me, as they tend to do.
Before I rant though, let’s start with a good quote from the farmer himself:
[i]"This is going to be th...
Sabres are looking to do some good stuff this year. Got a pretty kick ass kid in Myers. Miller is good too. They play in Buffalo where Patrick Kane is from.
With rookie camp opening on Monday it is the right time to take a look at the battles that will be taking place this September. Much of the roster is set and there will probably be few surprises. However there is a chance for upsets and underdogs.
There is a top-6 forward spot up for grabs. There are also 2 defensive spots and 2 bottom-6 forward roles open for competiti...
Darryl Sutter's Cookie-cutter Comments:
It's another year and already its become clear that Flames fans need to brace for more of the same from Darryl Sutter.
After having quite possibly one of the worst seasons a GM can possibly put together without actually [i]trying[/i] to screw up, Sutter is back with the same-old shenanigans.
Late last week an article in the ...
For five years now, around this time I eagerly anticipate the upcoming NHL hockey season, with what retrospectively seems like foolish optimism. This optimism on an annual basis remarkably convinces me that my pride and joy (The Toronto Maple Leafs) will have a real shot of making the playoffs. Call it excellent team marketing skills or a love blinded fan base, eith...
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...
With the season just around the corner, I thought I would run down the roster on the Flames one player at a time and prognosticate, if I may, about what lies ahead for each individual player. I would like to start this 22 part series by looking at the one, the only, Jarome Iginla.
The Captain. The team’s life blood. The franchise.
These are some of the words used ...
WarHero writes...
Montreal Canadiens - Player Points Predictions - Defensemen
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Welcome back to the final installment of my Montreal Canadiens player points predictions series. We are now a mere 22 days away from the drop of the puck with the rookie currently going and the big camp just around the corner.
Let’s just drop the puck and get-er going!!
The hot topic of the last few days has been the signing of Jeff Halpern as the 23rd man on the H...
It stings right? All that we hear about the Oilers and their youth and even sitting their best three prospects they trounce the Flames prospects.
Sitting Hall, Eberle, and Svensson was a chicken move for a few reasons. One, it's a no lose situation if the oil lose then hey... The big three weren't playing. If they win then it's extra gloat time. Secondly they were shelt...
Last year, the Calgary Flames traded for Jay Bouwmeester’s negotiating rights two days before the free agency period had opened and subsequently signed him to a 5-year deal with a cap hit of $6.68 million dollars per season.
Jay Bouwmeester WAS the biggest off-season acquisition of last summer. A big ticket, free-wheeling defenceman who could quarterback a power play...
#20- Chris Drury- He only played in Buffalo for three seasons,but he was a true captain on and off the ice. He scored that goal when it was needed most. His timely, clutch goals, are why he is on the ice in the last few minutes of a game.
The hit that he received against Ottawa a few years back is what
sparked the Sabres/Sens brawl
. His biggest goal in Buffal...
So I wrote an abbreviated blog from my i-phone, it's difficult to navigate the world of Hockeybuzz, spell correctly and get all of thoughts across so I wanted to elaborate on the last blog.
This is a tournament. You come to win.
I keep hearing, why would they play their best players against Calgary, what if they got injured? It's a legitimate question. I guess then ...
When talking about players who were drafted in the 7th Round of an NHL draft, not many players really stick out at you. Sure, there are the Henrik Zetterberg’s(7th Round in 1999) or Pavel Datsyuk’s(6th Round in 1998) of the world, but for the most part the best a late-rounder will be is a third line grinder or bottom tier defenceman.
Enter David Moss, drafted #220...
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...
Before we get underway with all the prospect/training camp/ fitness stuff I wanted to reflect on the importance of perspective with regards to the game. The Bill Masterton Trophy gets overlooked a lot because it's not as sexy as the Hart trophy or the Conn Smyth. This trophy is "...awarded for dedication, sportsmanship, and perseverance." Now doesn't that sound like the ki...
[b]Primary Staff:[/b] Bob Murray (GM) Randy Carlyle (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 39W 32L 11OTL 89PTS
[b]Place:[/b] 4th Pacific, 11th West, 17th NHL
[b]Top Scorer:[/b] Corey Perry – 82GP 27G 49A 76P
[b]Captains:[/b] Ryan Getzlaf (A), Saku Koivu (A)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES
OUT:[/b]
D Scott Niedermayer (Retired)
RW Mike Brown (Dealt to Toronto)
D Steve...
[b]Primary Staff:[/b] Darcy Regier (GM) Lindy Ruff (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 45W 27L 10OTL 100PTS
[b]Place:[/b] 1st Northeast, 3rd East, 11th NHL
[b]Top Scorer:[/b] Derek Roy – 80GP 26G 43A 69P
[b]Captains:[/b] Craig Rivet (C)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES
OUT:[/b]
Henrik Tallinder (Signed with New Jersey)
Toni Lydman (Signed with Anaheim)
Tim Kennedy ...
[b]Primary Staff:[/b] Darryl Sutter (GM) Brent Sutter (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 40W 32L 10OTL 90PTS
[b]Place:[/b] 3rd Northwest, 10th West, 16th NHL
[b]Top Scorer:[/b] Jarome Iginla – 82GP 32G 37A 69P
[b]Captains[/b]: Jarome Iginla (C), Craig Conroy (A), Jay Bouwmeester (A)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES
OUT:[/b]
Chris Higgins (Signed with Florida)
Eric ...
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] Scott Howson (GM), Scott Arniel (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 32W 35L 15OTL 79PTS
[b]Place:[/b] 5th Central, 14th West, 27th NHL
[b]Top Scorer: [/b]Rick Nash – 76GP 33G 34A 67P
[b]Captains: [/b]Rick Nash (C), Mike Commodore (A), RJ Umberger (A)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES
OUT:[/b]
Nathan Paetsch (Signed with Florida)
[b]IN:[/b]
...
Let’s do some role-play.
Robyn Regehr plays Maverick , Jordan Leopold is Goose, and Dion Phaneuf is the Iceman. Maverick and Goose were a great pair, as documented, but once Goose was blown up (traded) Maverick has never been able to find that perfect wingman.
“You can be my wingman anytime.” Iceman finally accepts Maverick, and vice-versa, at the end of Top ...
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 ...
Raitis Ivanans and Tim Jackman.
When Sutter made these signings I couldn’t help but scratch my head.
Jackman is 6’4” and 210lbs.
Ivanans is 6’4” and 240-256 lbs, depending on which website you look at.
Jackman had 98 PIM, 4 goals, and 5 assists last year in 54 games, while Ivanans had 136 PIM, 0 goals, and 0 assists in 61 games last season.
Bot...
Make no mistake about it. Alex Tanguay at 1.7 million for 1 season is a solid signing, if not a bargain.
However, let's go back and look at the events that led up to the original trade for Tanguay, his tenure with the Flames and the eventual (or inevitable) falling out.
[b]2005 - 2006[/b]
My first season as a Calgary Flames season ticket holder. I was fortunate ...
"Split Squads" aside from being a really really great porn title it is also the reality for the Flames tonight. Every pre-season they play all of their top guys together, which is great, except they always lose against the opponent's prospect team. Vancouver is a team that I actually think has a great mix of veterans and good prospects, pretty solid defense and overall a g...
The young Leafs need a Killer of a coach not a lame duck. He blames his players but takes no responsibility and from any reporter that covers him he's a prick to boot.
It is June 12, 2009. The Pittsburgh Penguins have just walked into Joe Louis Arena and beaten the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings, exacting their revenge on the team that robbed them one year prior. Move ahead one year to the 2009-10season, where the Penguins finished the season in fourth place in the Eastern conference, only to run into a hot goalie and b...
Brought back from the depths of darkness, Alex Tanguay is back in a city he loves and playing with a player, Jarome Iginla, which he dearly missed.
Tanguay spent the last year wallowing away in Tampa Bay, getting ever so slowly pushed out of the team picture. By the time the season ended, it was clear that Tanguay did not want to be in Tampa, and Tampa did not want any ...
[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)
...
This is why you sign three number two centermen! In case two get injured you line up doesn't really change!! I am fearful of one thing though and that is Conroy on the top line, it happens every year and it hasn't worked in several so I'm hoping against hope that Conroy stays in the bottom six where he does his best work. With Stajan's Injury and Langkow dealing with a slo...
Answer: Trevor Kidd, Niklas Sunblad, Cory Stillman, Jesper Mattsson, Chris Dingman, Denis Gauthier, Derek Morris, Daniel Tkaczuk, Rico Fata, Oleg Saprykin, Brent Krahn, Chuck Kobasew, Eric Nystrom, Dion Phaneuf, Kris Chucko, Matt Pelech, Leland Irving, Mikael Backlund, Greg Nemisz, and Tim Erixon.
Question: Name the Calgary Flames first round picks for the last 20 year...
Coming over in “The Trade” from the Toronto in late January of last season, Niklas Hagman was considered to be the most highly skilled player that took the westbound trip to Calgary.
A six foot tall, quick, Finnish forward with loads of unused potential was bound to help the Calgary offence going forward.
The following 27 games didn’t exactly yield the projec...
We're well into training camp and I'm sure I can speak for all hockey fans when I say how excited I am that hockey's back. Although we're in the stages of exhibition hockey, consider it your fix to help ease the anxiety that comes with the anticipation of waiting for October's arrival. After a summer where the New Jersey Devils were among the more relevant teams in the hoc...
Hagman... injured? Apparently Hagman had the flu but came back and played one game in the pre-season, scored a goal and has promptly fallen off the map again. When Langkow hurts his neck we are told, "He hurt his neck". When Stajan Separates his shoulder we are told, "Separated shoulder, out indefinitely". Hagman get injured and we're told ... nothing? Maintenance. hmmm. T...
Andrej Sekera started the scoring with a shot off the crossbar that went in. Tyler Ennis scored Buffalo’s second goal on a 2 on 1. The Sabres third goal came from Rob Niedermayer. Towards the end of the second period, Toronto broke the shutout after Nikolai Kulemin scored.
Ryan Miller played the first 30 minutes of the game, making all nine saves. Jhonas Enroth made 1...
Here are some brief thoughts and opinions I had while watching tonights pre-season game:
First off: Wow! It’s great to have hockey again. I thought the long, lame summer would never end. So now that the honeymoon is over we can talk about how the Sabres looked. Before that, I would like to go on record as saying I like what the Leafs have done. They will be very good ...
Just some quick thoughts on the Flames and some of the players.
As for the team itself I think they have to be happy with the result overall yesterday. Tampa Bay dressed a roster that will be close to what they open the regular season with, yet they were clearly outplayed by the Flames and their rookie-laden roster for most of the night. The power-play, although suc...
Rob McGowan writes...
Streit Out Of Luck, D-Man To Miss Six Months Of Action
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
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�...
A back and forth battle ended with Toronto on top. Nikolai Kulemin’s 2nd goal of the night turned out to be the game winner as the Maple Leafs won 5-4.
Nathan Gerbe scored on a penalty shot in the third period, narrowing the deficit to one and allowing Buffalo over eight minutes to tie the game.
With the goaltender pulled, the Sabres weren’t able to draw even. Bu...
The goaltending position in Calgary has never been a worry for the past half decade, and considering Flames fans tend to worry about pretty much everything else, it’s nice to have one less thing. This season, Calgary looks to have its strongest tandem to date in between the pipes with Miikka Kiprusoff and newcomer Henrik Karlsson manning the 4X6.
Kipper for his part,...
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...
Brodie and Pelech. Then there were two. The other obvious up and comer would have been Negrin but he's all heating it up in Abbotsford ( I hope that's their slogan, if it isn't you're welcome.). Brodie the Offensive D-man and Pelech the stalwart stay at home guy who no one likes to go near.
So who makes it? The power play last year sucked and having a guy on hand who c...
flamesfan!! writes...
What to expect from the flames next season? Part 3
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Many flames fans are already giving up on the season. Some are even hoping for the team to tank this season which would spell the demise of Darryl Sutter. Is this approach towards the 2010-11 season justified? Lets look at the various reasons as to why this season is considered to be over before opening night faceoff by the fans
Last I looked at the Ales Kotalik Trade a...
With the news that Olli Jokinen has suffered a minor injury in last night’s pre-season tilt with the Phoenix Coyotes, I thought it was time to look deeper into the man they call the Joker.
If you read my column, and I believe there is maybe one person out there who does (Hi Dad!), you know I have never, how can I best put it, enjoyed having Olli Jokinen troll the ice ...
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 ...
mslepp writes...
Telling Night for Potential/Past Calgary Flames Backups
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
It was a successful night for the Calgary Flames last night, and has been a successful pre-season thus far.
I had hoped when going to the Tampa game on Saturday night (to check out my new, and slightly downgraded :( seats at the 'dome) that Henrik Karlsson would get the nod so I could see him live and get a good read on his game. But, I never got the chance... fortunat...
Hey Pucksters! I hope you are all as excited as I am for the puck to finally drop for the 2010/2011 NHL season. It's been a long summer.
With the start of every new season, as some of you know, comes my ultra-fun annual $100 million salary cap pool. If any of you are interested in joining, leave your email in the comments section, my inbox or email it to me at phenom...
It has been a pretty good pre-season thus far. Unbeaten and seeing some surprising faces score is certainly encouraging but enthusiasm for the upcoming season can often put the blinders on reality. For instance it is nice to see Kotalik trying, I did say we should give him a chance a long time ago, however he will not out score Iginla in the regular season. In pre-season h...
“You may say that I’m a dreamer. But I’m not the only one.”- John Lennon
What if...
What if the Flames won the Stanley Cup this year?
What if the Flames don’t make the playoffs this year?
What if Darryl Sutter doesn’t make it through the season?
What if Iginla scores 50 again?
What if Olli scores 40?
What if Olli scores 10?
What if...
Announced today, the Chicago Blackhawks have assigned five more youngsters to AHL affiliate Rockford, cutting the current active roster down to 26 players. Players sent to Rockford are as follows: Igor Makarov, Brian Connelly, Brandon Pirri, Ben Smith, and off-season (quasi)fan-favorite Kyle Beach.
The only mild surprise in this group is Makarov, who generated some in...
Hey there, stranger. Long time no see.
Yes, we’ve been M.I.A. for quite a while. Mike, Trevor and I have been busy with life, so we haven’t been able to keep this blog as updated as we would like. However, on my day off, I’m going to give my prediction for the Buffalo Sabres this year. Hopefully, they see this post and decide to contribute their own predictions as...
Hey all....there's been great interest in my $100 million salary cap pool so far. It looks like it's going to be a very exciting season! If interested, leave your emal in the comments section or in my inbox or email me at [email protected]. Now onto the next NHL Who Am I? trivia....
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #4[/b][/u]
1. I was drafted 120th overall.
2. I won t...
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...
All Haters Beware...you will Discover and get used to the Taste of your own Feet. Want Ketchup or Barbecue Sauce with them? I am sure either will improve the bitter taste of De"Feat"
Flames proved in the PRe Season, with their 7-0-0 Record, capped off by a Shut out by Netminder Miikka Kiprusoff, That This Flames Team Can play to win, as a team, and can still win, in spi...
We got a pretty good feel for what the flames will look like come Thursday
Tanugay-Jokinin-Iggy
Hagman-Backlund-Bourque
Glencross-Mayer-for the moment Jackman
Ivanans-conroy-sutter
When was the last time Calgary actually had a legitimate looking to 6? Throw in a healthy Stajan and kotalik and its actually a pretty solid looking top 9. With a bottom 5 of Mayers,...
mslepp writes...
CalgaryFlames: Roster Battles & Subsequent Trade Speculation
Posted Monday | Comments 1
With the announcement of Cam Cunning and Matt Pelech on waivers for the Flames, we now get a real look at the players who have the final shot at making the team for the start of the regular season. Of course - this could all end up being thrown out depending on the injury status' of both Ales Kotalik and David Moss who were to be fixtures on the third line with Glencross....
Trans4md Thundrcat writes...
Beauchemin vs Finger, Beauchemin Ain't All That
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[img]http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/HumanEraser2/fingervsbeauchemin.jpg?t=1286235955[/img]
click to enlarge and zoom
this is so simple that it can be found on nhl.com.
finger hardly played last year, but i'll use it as a comparison anyways.
as you can see finger played in 39 games and beauchemin played in all 82.
[b]Finger[/b]
in just 39 games hav...
Brendan Morrison. I sat in the dome in '04, Flames vs. Canucks in a pivotal game 6. If the Canucks won it was going back to Vancouver for game 7 and along with it the home crowd advantage Calgary enjoyed. They turned the beer off after the 2nd period so by the third overtime we are basically hung over. Our seats weren't directly behind Kipper but they were just off center ...
[b] Primary Staff:[/b] Ken Holland (GM), Mike Babcock (Head Coach)
[b]2009-10 Stats:[/b] 82GP 44W 24L 14OTL 102PTS
[b]Place:[/b] 2nd Central, 5th West, 7th NHL
[b]Top Scorer:[/b] Pavel Datsyuk – 80GP 27G 43A 70P
[b]Captains:[/b] Niklas Lidstrom (C), Pavel Datsyuk (A), Henrik Zetterberg (A)
[b]OFF-SEASON MOVES[/b]
[b]OUT:[/b]
Brett Lebda (Signed with Toronto)...
For a summer that included no transactions involving superstar hockey players, fans are showing a lot of interest in how the revamped Sabres roster will perform this year; just ask the near 17,000 that showed up at HSBC Arena for the first preseason game.
There has been plenty of impressive work done by the Sabres in the exhibitions thus far, but like in most profession...
[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 ...
With the regular season on our doorstep my goal of profiling every single player on the Flames roster came up a little short. But with that being said I will run down, quickly, those players I missed and share my thoughts on the signing of Brendan Morrison.
The Rest of the Healthy Forward Core:
Bourque, Glencross, Conroy, and Meyer
Bourque is coming off a career...
kplaza1987 writes...
The next Moulson, Schremph? Introducing Mr. Michael Grabner.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Yesterday morning Garth Snow made another one of his low risk high reward acquisitions by claiming Michael Grabner from the Florida Panthers. This is a move that helps bring some skill to the Islanders opening day lineup with the recent injuries to Kyle Okposo, Rob Schremph and Mark Streit.
Mr.Snow has made some good pickups recently by basically signing other teams tras...
The predictions I'm seeing for this year just don't make any sense to me, so I'm going to give this a shot on my own... We'll see how it shakes out at the end of the year.
1. Vancouver Canucks
It pains me to say this, but when I look at the rosters in the West, Vancouver just seems to be the strongest bottom to top this year. The weakness with this team is defense, b...
Will the Calgary Flames make the playoffs?
That seems to be the question I hear more than any other when I watch TSN, Sportsnet, TheScore, or drop in on conversations at the local watering hole.
So, will they?
Well it’s a little more complicated than that. It involves beating out seven other teams in a very, very competitive Western Conference.
I could go...
The season is upon us. In 12 hours time, the puck will be dropped to kick off the 2010-11 season for the flames.
This pre-season has been both a good and a bad one for the flames even though they end it with a perfect 7-0 record.
Positives
- TJ Brodie
He was considered to be one of the better defense prospects for the team, but was also considered to be a year or t...
Game 1 of the 2010-11 season! Game 1 of this season's "Battle of Alberta," it's about time! Hell yeah! Finally, we get to see how these kids are going to perform on the big stage.
I'm particularly interested in seeing how the Oiler coaching staff manages ice time between the top 3 lines that all have to potential to put up some decent numbers. I'm also interested in wa...
What a start to the 2010-11 National Hockey League season for the Calgary Flames.
They looked fast, they looked hungry, and their power play was really clicking. Oh, no wait, that was the Edmonton Oilers. Damn.
I don’t really know where to begin.
How do you describe such a pathetic effort? How do you wait five and a half months to redeem yourself for a disappo...
saneopinion writes...
It's my team pa...give me the gun, i'll put it down.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
That second period last night was awesome!! I don't recall a first or third though...
I have to say Jordan Eberle... my hat is off to you, crazy goal there and I thought the best player on the ice last time the Flames and Oilers met in pre-season.
What as Flames fans can we take from that game last night? I don't want to be just another guys who goes crazy after a ...
Hey all.....just a reminder, anyone interested in joining the PhenomPool $100 million Salary Cap Pool, the deadline is tonight. Leave a comment or email me with any questions or concerns.
Here we go with another Friday NHL Who Am I? Trivia. I'm sure you guys will get this one quick too. You guys are hard to stump!
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #5[/b][/u]
1. I was a 6th ...
Well folks ...
I decided to take a chance and made a couple Hockey related contacts today. I am very satisfied to say that I should have some extremely exciting news to report in the next couple weeks.
For now, I can say nothing more but stay tuned!
Did I mention I am extremely excited?
If there was one player who you would have predicted to score a hat trick tonight, Derek Stepan may have been the last choice.
In his first career NHL game, Stepan scored three times on Ryan Miller, leading the Rangers to a 6-3 victory over Buffalo on Saturday night at HSBC arena. Stepan became the fourth player in NHL history to score a hat trick in his first career ga...
The Red Wings pulled another one out tonight, almost in spite of themselves. Taking three penalties late in the third period proved that the Wings have a decent penalty kill, but it's best not to try to give games away. Detroit's boys escaped with another two points against a Central Division rival that may prove critical down the stretch, but it wasn't pretty.
The Re...
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...
It was a good news bad news type of week for the Calgary Flames.
Good news: They recorded their first win
Bad news: They recorded their first loss
Good: They scored a power play goal
Bad: The goal was scored into an empty net and was one of twelve chances in two games
Good: Calgary beat a very good team in the LA Kings
Bad: Calgary was clobbered by the O...
WarHero writes...
Exciting times ahead, stay tuned for more news! - *UPDATED*
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Well folks....
In regards to that Hockey news, I took a chance and because of it, I have been asked to write both live game blogs and non-live blogs for the OTTAWA 67'S!! No, it's not an NHL club but it certainly is a step in the right direction and to be honest, I [b]LOVE[/b] OHL hockey!
My first game blog will be on Friday, October 22nd against the Brampton Battali...
Just a quick hit this morning in reference to the latest blind side hits.
Ryan Miller wants the league to send a message to let all the players know that blind side hits should not be tolerated anymore. I applaud his stance on the subject.
What I have an issue about is that the league can fine, suspend all of the players but in the end the players themselves have to...
The Sabres dropped their third straight game (all at home), falling to the Devils 1-0 in overtime.
New Jersey earned their first win of the season. They have been playing with 15 skaters due to cap space. Well, it worked out for them. Ilya Kovalchuk's quick shot beat Ryan Miller to give New Jersey the victory.
The Devils played their usual, slow and boring game of ho...
Heading into tonight’s game with the perennial bottom dwelling Florida Panthers, the Calgary Flames are faced with a few interesting decisions.
1. Which veteran defenceman will suit up in place of Adam Pardy: Sarich or Staios?
Well I have to believe Cory Sarich gets the nod here but I have been wrong before. I personally don’t like either option and would rather...
If you have read my previous blogs...and chances are good that you haven't...then you will know that I have recently, and frequently, questioned the Penguins aggressive approach to playing hockey.
In a nutshell...the Penguins are supposed to take the game to other team...keep the puck in their end...generate scoring chances...and either score goals or cause the other te...
It’s not very often that a building containing 18,000 people will almost go silent for a few minutes, but the injury to Jason Pominville made that happen at HSBC Arena on Monday.
Thankfully, Pominville is in much better condition than what many expected after watching him lay in a crumpled heap on the ice after Nicklas Hjalmarsson’s hit from behind. Pominville was a...
saneopinion writes...
The Jokinen around Sutter's neck/ Morrison vs. Backlund
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Stajan is back so Morrison has moved to the right wing, when Bourque, Moss or Kotalik come back we will find ourselves in an interesting dilemma. Do you keep Backlund or lose him to the minors when Morrison goes to third line center? For me Backlund is the star forward when it comes to turn overs, he's a little Datsyuk out there, it's amazing. Morrison has been given seco...
Toronto fans know this all to well as JF Jr. put them here until possibly this past season . He's not the only one to do this Sather in New york, Nashville (arguably due to Trotz getting the most out of his players), Florida, and Edmonton (all teams which have finished in the middle of the conference but not getting a top 5 pick, consistently.
Flames may enter purgator...
“SHUT UP! Enough already, Ballstein! Who cares about Derek Zoolander anyway? The man has only one look, for Christ's sake! Blue Steel? Ferrari? Le Tigra? They're the same face! Doesn't anybody notice this?” – Mugatu
This is how I feel.
The Calgary Flames are Derek Zoolander. Derek Zoolander is the Calgary Flames. Regardless of the grammatical nightmare that ...
"I love winning, man. It's like, better than losing."
-Tim Robbins as Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh, Bull Durham
That's probably what the remaining Leafs from opening night last season are quietly thinking to themselves. I doubt they'd say it aloud though, in fear of jinxing the you-know-what. But it is such a good feeling for Leaf fans too. Yes, we realize the season...
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line with a recap and thoughts on the Islanders OT loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins: http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-force-ot-cant-get-w
Register and leave comments in the comments section under the blog!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Like my Facebook p...
I think we've had a reasonable amount of games to discern a few things for ourselves about this Flames team and the individual players on it. After a hard fought win last night it was clear where the weak spots were and where the bright spots were. Rinklighter commented he was in the 300's on Vetter's blog and could see the face off domination. I could see a few things fro...
Kipper got his first shutout of the season as the flames blanked the preds 1-0. A really physical game that saw some big hits thrown by either sides.
The Positives
Kiprusoff
Kipper with an amazing effort blanked the preds with 34 saves on the night. Kipper has been playing tremendously and 5 games in, he seems to already be in midseason form.
Sarich
With a few...
I have been saying since the lock-out the the NHL needs to change up its divisions.
Just to make the travel a little more fair for every team. It would be a tough sell to the NHL governers, but saying that it could make sence if done properly.
You would have 5 conferences instead of six, North(Canadian),south, east,mid west, and west. here is how they would look:...
tml1967 writes...
Which Maple Leafs should have a statue outside the ACC?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their impressive performance to start the season taking 9 out of a possible 10 points as the club looks to break their longest playoff drought in club history. The team is oozing confidence, looks faster and has one of the better back ends in all of hockey but there is something else brewing.... with the opening of Maple Leaf Square the cl...
The Sabres dispatched Kovalchukless Atlanta by a final score of 4-1. Buffalo completely dominated the Thrashers, pouring 42 shots on Steve Mason. Atlanta could only whimper back, putting up a paltry 18 shots on Mr. All Star Ryan Miller.
Here are some quick thoughts on tonight's game:
-Butler may have played his best game as a Sabre tonight. He was excellent. Fantast...
"You don't have to worry about that. He's not going down there to get confidence. But he's an awesome kid. He's a farm kid, and you know clearly what direction he's going.”
-- Darryl Sutter’s comments regarding TJ Brodie and his demotion to the AHL.
The question I pose is this: What is it that makes farm kids such good hockey players? Are they seemingly toughe...
Luongo. There are guys in the NHL who play for the money and those that play to win. I have to wonder where Luongo falls with these guys. He was the captain of the team, that means he must have that drive right? Yet after signing a long term contract he had a noticeable slump in his play, I know Vancouver fans are going to jump on this but if you're happy with his performa...
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
WarHero writes...
OHL 67’s – vs – Battalion – Oct 22nd - Let the battle begin!
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Hello Everyone! Welcome to [b]FIRST EVER[/b] live game blog for the Ottawa 67’s!
View the blog on the Ottawa 67 Fan Hub here: http://ottawa67shub.com/
My name is Anthony Brown and I am a hockey fanatic! This is the first of many blogs that I hope to write for the 67’s. I will be covering all things 67’s, OHL and 67’s Alumni related.
If you have any feedbac...
Friday proved to be just another frustrating night for the Buffalo Sabres and its fans. Ottawa defeated the Sabres 4-2 in front of the HSBC Arena crowd.
Daniel Alfredsson continued his tear against the Buffalo Sabres, scoring three times and earning his 1,000 career point.
Alfredsson came into the game with just one goal and four assists on the season, but had a hat ...
Why Tampa Bay will make the playoffs.
Over the past couple seasons, Tampa has been a team waiting to take their skill into April. Tons of offensive firepower, a defence with a blend of youthful speed as well as a veteran presence to solidify the blueline. They've been questionable in goal since they won the cup in 04, but Ellis is a more than suitable replacement for th...
Tampa pre-season: It's true! It exists!
If it weren't for news articles and a few highlight clips, it wouldn't be hard to argue the existence of Tampa's preseason. The Bolts are faring well however, with a 2-1-1 record until now. They have a home and home against the state rival Panthers, a team who seems to have hit rock bottom, but are ready to build. They really have...
Stamkos on pace for a stinkin' 164 goals, 246 points.
Steve Downie? On pace for a lousy season, with 82 goals, 82 assists.
Vinny and Moore are lined up for a measly 82 goals.
A handful of other guys are on pace to have 82 points as well. Bunch of bums.
Anything less from these guys is totally unacceptable. If they fall from this pace, I swear I'll never live ...
When my fantasy hockey league started this season, I forgot about the draft. The autodraft picked up Stamkos for me, and never before have I been happier with technology, until it used my second pick to draft Spezza, and then my third to pick up Hank Lundqvist. I was quickly reminded of why I dislike most technology. Give me radio and a TV with only NHL Centre Ice, and I'm...
Going into tonight's game in Dallas the Preds are still unbeaten this season. I'll take 3-0-3 over 2-3-1, which is where the Flyers, Stanley Cup finalists last year currently sit after 6 games. The injury bug has been flying around and it's not a good thing, hopefully we can weather the storm and the dam doesn't burst.
Now onto my favoraite subject, the Canadian press...
[b]Vanek scores twice, Sabres earn two points in 6-1 victory over New Jersey[/b]
What a difference 10 days can make. Last Wednesday, the Sabres were shutout 1-0 by the Devils. On Saturday night, Buffalo went into New Jersey and made it look easy, winning 6-1 at the Prudential Center.
Martin Brodeur was expected to get the night off, since the the Devils were playing ...
Another flames win, another two goals for Bourque, another shutout for Kipper another point for Morrisson. The flames are shaking off their inability to score stigma by the buckets. Goals from three different lines and the Glencross line also had some tremendous opportunities.
The Good
Kipper
What a game by Kiprusoff. The guy seems to have x-ray vision in being abl...
Who the hell are these guys and what did they do with the Calgary Flames? You know who I’m talking about right? The team that finished 2nd last in goal scoring last season and was averaging less than two goals a game heading into Friday night -- yeah that would be them.
Well, something happened to change the tides and now the Flames are looking like world beaters ever...
"Whoa Whoa Whoa... Whoa....Whoa... This is not my batman mug."- Peter Griffin (family Guy) interrupting a conversation about something completely different.
I thought about that quote when I hear the conversations going on right now about the Flames. Everyone is talking about how great they are doing and how much they score... They did have a couple of good games on t...
I know, two blogs in one day is overkill but I can't help myself.
D. Sutter has been under heat for a while, this dates back to his Phaneuf trade and the Jokinen trade that brought Kotalik here. I'm not saying that they were great moves but in retrospect we're kind of eating our words aren't we?
On Phaneuf, and Leaf fans you can't reverse facts here. Since going to ...
Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs are set to host the Florida Panthers at the ACC, and are looking to erase a three game losing streak. While the team has lacked an ability to score after their first two games, Phil Kessel and Clarke MacArthur continue to be the team's offensive powers with little to no help around them. This has sparked line-up changes from head coach Ron...
The gm Darcy Regier and the coaching staff keep on saying that the sabres are going in the right direction to win the stanley cup. The question is When ? Because so far the play of this team this season from the start right now has been inconsistent, sloppy, and non physical play. Oh and a powerless powerplay . When is the time going to come when theyre going to make a blo...
In what was a pretty interesting game with huge leads and come backs, fights from guys who don't normally fight and teams trying to score on them selves one debatable point has been over looked. Taylor Hall was hip checked cleanly by Marc Giordano, this prompted Colin Fraser to speed over and take on Giordano. The thinking that Hall has to be protected and if you check him...
Yo, dudes, check it out. So I was over at my friend Chad's place last night. We don't call him "Chad" we call him "Nads" because that's what he's like. A big set of nads. Anyway, I was over at Nads place and we were drinking sum Axe, which we always do on Wednesday because it makes you feel real dizzy n' stuff. And after about the third can, Chad said to me something like,...
Well, at least the problem isn’t scoring goals anymore.
The Calgary Flames, after averaging less than two goals for their first half dozen games, have become an offensive powerhouse reminiscent of the 84’ Oilers – averaging nearly four and a half goals per game.
It’s simply ironic that once the Flames start scoring, the defence decides to take a break. They...
Last nights loss was about small things. How many times have you heard Don Cherry say, "Get your sticks outta the way there!!" when talking about defending shots? It's beaten into player from an early age, let the goalie see the shot and take the body. On the winning goal Ian White got burned AGAIN after tipping a pretty harmless shot. He stuck his stick out, the puck defl...
If there’s one criticism that probably won’t apply to Sabres fans this year, it’s the idea that they’ll be harboring unrealistic expectations for their team; not after what occurred in the first month of the regular season.
Loyal followers of the blue and gold have likely realized that this current Sabres team has plenty of struggles to still overcome. After a t...
This NHL season has been unpredictable so far to say the least. Here are some thoughts as to what has been going on with the Sabres.
Buffalo are currently ranked 27th in the NHL with just seven points through 10 games. Derek Roy has been the hottest player on the team, scoring 11 points (5G, 6A) to begin the season.
Thomas Vanek has recently picked up the pace. It fe...
Another loss. Another disappointing game for the Sabres. Don’t even bother with the “at least we got a point” phrase. The Sabres had a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period and were not able to hold off the Atlanta Thrashers.
In front of just 10,000 at Phillips Arena, the Thrashers capitalized on Sabres mistakes all night long, and Dustin Byfuglien capped it off...
The obvious statement is that a 7-2 loss at home against the Capitals may have been the worst game of Hockey I have ever witnessed. The 2nd period will for sure hold a title of the worst period of all time, maybe of any club.
Getting past the obvious though there may be some things that are more disconcerting. After what has to be a low point in many of the Flames' car...
Every NHL season begins with uncertainty, but if you look at different teams in the league there are always opportunities for new players to emerge. This is particularly important to all fantasy hockey players[http://www.landsharkhockey.com/Home.aspx] and how they are able to ice the best line-up. This season began with New Jersey as a fantasy juggernaut, so far, not so mu...
Hello folks!
Please visit the following link to view the article and Happy Halloween!!! May it be safe for everyone!
http://ottawa67shub.com/2010/10/31/after-15-games-player-points-projections-where-they-are-where-they-can-go/
Thank you for reading!!
So it appears as though the “real” Toronto Maple Leafs have descended back to earth and have taken to the Air Canada Centre ice. Or at least that’s what most Leaf-haters would tell you amid their laughter and delight. The Leafs, after having smashed through the gates to start the season 4-0, have since gone 1-4-1 and have been shut out the past two games.
With ...
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
Register and leave comments!
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
“In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate.”
Is that Jarome Iginla? Well, it’s entirely possible.
A man who is both chastised for what he doesn’t do, but loved for what he does. It’s a fascinating situation to be in and now that November is upon us it is historically Jarome’s, and the ...
If one looks at the individual stats on the Calgary Flames for the past six NHL seasons ('03-'10), they will find that Jarome Iginla has been the team's uncontested scoring leader during each one. Only twice in those past six seasons has the #2 scorer tallied more than 66 points. Once, in the 06-07 campaign when Alex Tanguay had 81 (followed by Huselius and Langkow with ...
Just making sure that the millions and millions of the Gibs fans have not forgotten me. I shall return tomorrow with a full blog.
Until then I will leave you this thought. Who would win a rumble between the Hanson brothers of Slap Shot and the Hanson brothers of mmmm bop fame. A question that needs to be answered.
I have no inside info on Phaneufs leg injury, as I do...
Just making sure that the millions and millions of the Gibs fans have not forgotten me. I shall return tomorrow with a full blog.
Until then I will leave you this thought. Who would win a rumble between the Hanson brothers of Slap Shot and the Hanson brothers of mmmm bop fame. A question that needs to be answered.
I have no inside info on Phaneufs leg injury, as I do...
Lots of Iginla talk lately, not by anyone on hockey circles so much but from fans and the media. I think this is a good thing, to mentally prepare ourselves for an Iginla-less Flames team. Iginla has been this teams top scorer for so long it's hard to get used to the idea, how could we win without him right? Well 30 other teams do it every night, and a lot of clubs have wo...
There it is again. The Sabres had one of their betterperformances of the season, but in the end, it’s just another loss. Another one goal loss, too.
Buffalo fell to 0-6-1 at home this year, losing 3-2 to Montreal at HSBC Arena on Friday night. Mike Grier scored his first goal of the season and Jordan Leopold added his fourth. Buffalo had two separate one goal leads, b...
The Flames perennial leader in goals and points, Jarome Iginla is on pace for a measly 12 goals and 37 assists giving him a total of 49 points in the season. Is this just a lousy start for the notoriously slow starting Flames captain? Or is this something else?
It is widely believed that Iginla has had a history of starting slow and finally finding his groove in the mon...
Hello folks!
Please visit the following link to view the article and Happy Halloween!!! May it be safe for everyone!
http://ottawa67shub.com/2010/11/06/after-17-games-%E2%80%93-player-points-projections-re-visited/
Thank you for reading!!
Anthony
Do you remember the scene from National Lampoon’s European Vacation when the Griswold’s enter a traffic circle and then gets stuck in it and goes around and around and around and around, unable to break through and drive in another direction?
Well, the Calgary Flames are the Griswold’s and are stuck in said traffic circle.
With every gut-wrenching 2-1 loss, wi...
Our poor Calgary Flames.
I'm now on the side that a rebuild in the very near future is inevitable. This year, or next, what's the difference? They aren't contenders. This is an aging team of mostly past-their-prime/underachieving/overpaid vets. I don't see it magically getting better. (But I'd love to be wrong).
I also no longer believe the mythical trade for a 1st l...
What do you think the hottest topic with the Calgary Flames is this season? Everywhere you go, if they are talking the Flames, they are talking Iginila. Whether they are talking what is wrong with Iggy, or about the rumours of Iggy being traded to LA or the Rangers, or saying that Iggy should turn over the torch. Then again, there is talk about how Iggy has always started ...
Newman is on hiatus for about a week, so I'll be trying to fill the daily negative, I mean reality-check based, Flames' blogs that he is so aptly known for.
Last night the Flames gave up the first goal of the game for the first time in as long as I can remember. Maybe we should get back into the Delorean and get it up to 88 mph ... nope, I'll just use the internet. It ...
It's funny when you look at perceived value versus reality. Right now, in reality, Iginla is a serviceable second line winger. His perceived value as a super star is the exact opposite. Iginla has a lot of qualities that make him hyper attractive for a lot of markets. He does still have an incredible shot and can change games when motivated, he can lead and is a huge marke...
Jhonas Enroth became the first goaltender in NHL history to have his first two wins decided by a shootout. He came close to making it three, but the Sabres were defeated 3-2 in overtime by the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.
The Sabres never had the lead, but were able to earn a point in the second game of a back-to-back set. Former Sabre Martin Biron rece...
1. There’s a lot of ways to make sure you come out as the victor in a one-goal decision; but one guaranteed strategy is to maintain strong special teams. Prior to the game in Toronto, the Sabres were 3-9-2, with a lot of those losses being by a single goal. A lot of those losses also featured a miserable penalty kill, which at one point was ranked 27th in the NHL.
It ...
Some observations I have seen lately:
As Kessel goes so do the Leafs, it is no coincidence that Kessel's pointless streak pretty much goes hand in hand with the Leaf's losing streak. I think Burke has actually made some good moves with Versteeg and Armstrong, at the very least the Leafs are respectable but that scoring punch is lacking still. Macarthur is a good player ...
WarHero writes...
Live Blog (OHL): 67s –vs– Sting – Nov 12, 2010 - New Format!
Posted Friday | Comments 4
Hey Hockey Fans!!
Check out the new live blog site and let us know what you think about the new format! Join me later for tonight's game against the Sarnia Sting. Game time: 7:30pm
Ottawa 67's Special Guest: Michael Peca
Http://liveblog.Ottawa67sHub.com
Hope to see you there and read your comments!!
*Update* I got to spend some time with Mr. Peca. check out...
44 minutes to puck drop.
The flames take on the desert dogs tonight in Phoenix. The desert dogs last season were the huge underdogs throughout and had a tremendous season crossing 50 win and 100 point plateau.
The coyotes, though, have had a rocky start to the season (much like the flames) and the last year's surprise factor has disappeared. They still have a solid goa...
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 ...
saneopinion writes...
Silver linings for the Flames after loss to Phoenix
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
If you want to be despondent about last nights game I certainly understand. The negative story lines are more than the positive. Iginla a minus 4 and zero shots, the final score being flattering as the game was out of reach etc...
One thing we can take away is a new legit first line. I have been imploring everyone to shift their paradigm and start thinking that Iginla's...
Hey 67's Fans!!
Check out the new live blog site and let us know what you think about the new format! Join me for this afternoons game against the Soo Greyhounds. Game time: 2:00pm
http://liveblog.ottawa67shub.com/?p=108
No account is required to comment. You can sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account!!!
Hope to see you there and read your comments!!
...
This is Burke's team, this is Burke's mess. Brian Burke had a hand in acquiring every player on our roster except Kaberle, Schenn, Gunarsson, and Kulemin.
When Brian Burke was brought on board as the Maple Leafs' GM, he had an aura about him. He was big and boisterous, he was confident and charismatic. He was our savior that was to lead us out of the JFJ years. Whateve...
Hockeycrazed writes...
Iginla is the key to restoreing the flickering flames
Posted Monday | Comments 1
I was going to right earlier today about the exact same crap as before, to old lots of talent even more NTC, at the end of the day the team lives and dies with iggy. I think it can be agreed that this group of players isn't the right group to get it done, and will be together for awhile thanks to the aforementioned NTC's.
I think its time to trade Iginla (gasp unthinka...
The NHL has all kinds of players.
Some are skilled scorers.
Some are in your face competitors.
Some are there just to throw punches.
Sean Avery is a rare breed. He posses a little bit of each of these qualities, which in today's NHL makes him a valuable member to his team...well...on most night's anyway.
Yesterday Avery proved again why even though he can b...
Originally posted at [url]http://www.sportsblognetwork.net/an-entire-leaf-nation-rejoices/[/url]
The Toronto Maple Leafs were finally able to exorcise some demons in a thrilling 5-4 come from behind victory over the Nashville Predators at the Air Canada Center last night, and the Leaf Nation faithful collectively breathed a sigh of relief. The Leafs team that started th...
In the wake of a wave of unsubstantiated Jarome Iginla speculation, Darryl Sutter decided to distract Flames fans by making another trade to complain about. Ian White and his facial hair as well as Brett Sutter are gone, replaced by Anton Babchuk and Tom Kostopoulos. My immediate knee-jerk biased reaction: it looks to me like an about equal trade in value, but a trade that...
I’m baaaaaaaack!!!!
After spending a week talking about whether Man U could really win the premiership this year or whether the England victory over Australia will really shake the foundation of the rugby world, I am back in North America to talk about the sport we all know and love: ice hockey (or at least that’s what everyone kept calling it over in jolly old Engl...
It was not long ago when Daryl Sutter was regarded as The Saviour here in The Stampede City. It seems that we've all forgotten to thank the man for giving us a competitive hockey team for the last 8 years. We are such a passionate city when it comes to sports, but as soon as the cards fall, we start pointing fingers and demand heads to roll. Together as a city, as a com...
What if. It is a small phrase that usually pre-cursers everything I find annoying. What if Gelina's goal had counted in '04. What if Dion got traded for a 1st. What if they didn't trade a 1st for Jokinen...or trade to get him back again...or trade him for Kotalik. What if what if what if. As Jim Rome is fond of saying, " if...if my aunt had junk, she'd be uncle. But she do...
Greetings and salutations, Lightning fans!! Let me start by saying what a priviledge it is to be writing for all of you on possibly hockey's most popular website. First and foremost let me give you a little background on where I come from and my association with the Tampa area. My name is Ian Cunningham and I have been working within the hockey media for a few years now....
thought I would do a blog on some news I received. Last time I reported breaking news: well, let's not go there. Most of this news is not new, but it kind of adds to the drama. I have news on three teams: Calgary, Edmonton, and Tampa Bay.
Edmonton Oilers
I tweeted the info earlier. This much I know: the Oilers' names have been leaked in the NJ trade. Cogs, Penner, an...
[u][b]Leafs vs Habs Real-Time Random Thoughts[/b][/u]
7:00 - Here we go....cue Hockey Night In Canada. Win or lose, should be a great game. I’m excited!
7:12 – R.I.P. Burnsy. You were a helluva coach and an even better man.
7:23 - Good fast pace to start the game. I expect a tight, low-scoring game. Shootout maybe???
7:32 – Ugh, why are the Leafs so ...
I was very sad to hear of the passing of Pat Burns, a great and powerful coach in the NHL. He will always be remembered for his fiery spirit. I remember when he was brought in as the Habs' coach, with the rep of strict, red-hot-tempered coach who would keep the Habs players in line.
My first memory of Pat Burns was in the 1988-89 season, when he led the Habs to the fin...
From satisfaction to utter shock.
What just happened? Did that just happen? Did I just witness that?
Surely, some of the many responses from shocked Flames fans after they blew a late two goal lead in Detroit to lose 5-4 to the Red Wings.
But really, they didn’t do the things necessary to win the game. They took too many bad penalties (see Stajan tackling Filp...
The Calgary Flames lost 2-1 to the New York Rangers tonight.
The Flames had their chances to tie the game, but were stymied by the post, Martin Biron’s pads/glove, or a combination of both.
This is an all too familiar tale.
So what else can I say that hasn’t be said already. Nothing really, and so instead I will look at some individual efforts that have stu...
saneopinion writes...
Staal's Hit Deemed Clean/ Re-build All that Much Worse?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
Matt Stajan got creamed last night by Marc Staal and the hit has been reviewed and was legal. Given Staal's history and the circumstances of the hit I would have been surprised if he received more than a game anyway but with Colin Campbell you have to wonder if he thinks Stajan is "a little faker", guess so. The controversy behind the hit is that Stall doesn't appear to le...
There are 61 games left for the Flames this season. 75% of the season still remains.
A half full type person will tell you that the Flames are 3 games below .500 and because it is so early there is not a lot to be worried about. That may be true.
A half empty person will point out that to make the playoffs you would need a minimum 93 points typically. What that mean...
[url]http://www.sportsblognetwork.net/its-nut-up-or-shut-up-time-for-the-leafs/[/url]
This could possibly be the biggest weekend of the year in Leafs Nation. The pressure is mounting, expectations are growing and the blue and white have their biggest test of the season ahead of them: Back to back road games against divisional rivals, while missing their captain and thei...
Drafted 1st overall in the 2008 draft, Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos has quickly emerged as one of the league’s top performers.
The talk has been all about Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby over the last few years, but now it is time to consider Stamkos as well.
He’s too good to ignore. Stamkos has is proving that last year’s 51 goals was no fluk...
Today I am doing another part of the Flames Questions. Here are the answers from Brad Windsor, a very good blogger from Myhockeybuzz, who follows the Flames:
Which area do we fix first? You have 3 options
A. Coach - Do we need to send Coach Sutter on his way? Is the system the problem?
B. First Line Centre for Iggy - Do we need a Centre for Iggy? Would he succeed ...
The Sabres came out of the locker room sporting their vintage third jerseys, but as the players looked up in the stands, there was a good chance they were seeing just as much blue and white as blue and gold.
The Sabres put on a solid performance for their fans, defeating Toronto 3-1 Friday at HSBC arena.
The fans were easily drawn into the game early on due to the hi...
The Flames beat the best the league had to offer, or at least the best in terms of points coming into today, downing the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout.
The win didn’t come without its share of controversy as the Flyers had an apparent winning goal disallowed in overtime due to Chris Pronger doing his best impersoation of Sean Avery. With the Flyers on a power...
After a solid performance and a 3-1 victory over the Leafs on Friday, the Sabres were unable to win their second straight games against a division opponent on Saturday. Brian Gionta’s two goals led Montreal to its third victory over Buffalo this season.
The Sabres looked flat, and the Canadiens took advantage of it, outshooting Buffalo 20-8 in the opening period. Buff...
Here are some numbers from the five game road-trip the Flames just came back from:
A record of 1-2-2.
Outscored 14-9.
Average of 2.8 goals against per game.
Average of 1.8 goals for per game.
Outshot 161-146.
1 for 15 on the PP or 6.67% completion, including going 0 for 12 in the final four games.
16 for 21 on the PK or 76.19% efficiency
1 -1...
A five day break between games may be just what the Sabres need. Now is a good time for them to fix up all the problems on and off the ice.
With a slow start to the season, the Sabres have a lot of work to do in order to make the playoffs. There are quite a few problems that need to fixed before the team goes anywhere. Here are their biggest concerns as they head into D...
TORONTO (Nov. 29) Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman was handing out Bauer skates, gloves, and helmets to children at Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Centre in Toronto today. Yzerman, along with Lightning standout Steven Stamkos, have been named ambassadors to the grassroots hockey program RBC Play Hockey. The program is a multi-year commitment that will see $1 ...
With the win tonight the Flames finished the month of November with a 4-7-2 record – a far cry from last year’s 10-2-2 domination over the month of Moustaches.
For his part, Jarome Iginla continued his November tirade scoring eight goals and adding five assists in 13 games. Not only did he score more, but Iginla began asserting himself more in the play. He was the ...
Rob McGowan writes...
Despite Returning D-Men, Isles Still Need Offense
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2016
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
I think the perfect storm for angry Flames fans is when the Oilers win and are two points back of catching the Flames (with a game in hand) and the Flames get blown out by the Vancouver Canucks on the same night. That is simply like pouring salt and lemon juice on our open heart surgery.
There are fans clamoring for heads to roll however which heads and in what order i...
The Penguins have been playing some lights out hockey over the past couple of weeks. The significant problems that seemed to be plaguing this bunch have started to improve and the results are proof.
Defensive zone coverage: The Penguins defensive zone coverage earlier in the year left much to be desired. An incredible amount of passes were starting to find their wa...
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 1
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...
Just a few things I wanted to touch upon following the Flames 3-2 shootout win over the Minnesota Wild.
Thing #1: Darryl Sutter and his claim that goals against are the Flames big problem
Yes, the Flames rank 24th in the league in goals against per game. But, if you dig a little deeper you will see that these numbers are quickly skewed due to a couple blow out games...
KevinJames writes...
Miller's Shutout Overshadowed by Buffalo's Solid Game
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
If the Sabres only played once a week they might be the best team in the league.
After five days of rest, the Sabres played their most complete game of the season, defeating Columbus 5-0 on Friday at HSBC Arena.
The victory marked the first time the Sabres have defeated the Blue Jackets since 2004.
There was not much more you could ask for out of the Sabres on F...
SO....This is going to my first blog. To get you clued in, I am a girl, live in florida, former northern native and miss it terribly. I love hockey and I am a huge Pittsburgh Penguins fan. The thing I really hate is trying to find hockey fans down here, seriously it sucks. So I found my way here to a blog page and hopefully it will be fun!
Since I am a Pens fan, how bo...
Tonight the Maple Leafs will take on an always tough opponent in the Boston Bruins. No trades yet as we inch closer to Burkes self appointed trade freeze. Rumours are swirling but I would be surprised if we see anything before the new year.
As for the lineup tonight, Lebda and Mitchell take a seat in the press box with Dion and co. as Aulie and Rosehill fill their spo...
Buffalo came into this game coming off a big win against the Blue Jackets 5-0 and Miller gaining his first shutout of the season.
The first two meetings between the two squads were split. Buffalo winning 2-1 and then dropping the 2nd meeting in Buffalo 4-2. This time, there was no scoring in 65 minutes of action, meaning that Ryan Miller and Brian Elliot each recorded ...
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 ...
I can't help but see Darryl Sutter's face sloppily super-imposed on the body of Bill Murray as he turns over in his bed to slap his alarm clock at the beginning of another day in the film "Groundhog Day".
[IMG]http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w151/mslepp/darrylgroundhog-1.jpg[/IMG]
That's what it seems like in Calgary, year after year.
Yes - I used to be a stau...
On a day in which Sylvester Stallone got elected into the boxing hall of fame (huh?) and Graham James gets out on bail(you have to be kidding me right?), the Calgary Flames climbed out of last place – at least for the time being.
With the Oilers shootout loss, the Flames sit one point ahead of the junior high school misfits, but unfortunately the Flames have played o...
One night after the Sharks rallied to win from a 4-1 deficit, San Jose found themselves in a similar position. Buffalo took a 3-0 lead over the Sharks Thursday night at HSBC arena, but the Sharks didn’t have enough to come back and win it.
Paul Gaustad and Thomas Vanek put Buffalo up 2-0. Jason Pominville upped the lead after scoring shorthanded on a breakaway. Toward...
Oh my. Looks like another loss, which means a win tonight and the record will probably keep skipping. In the meantime everyone is calling for Sutter's head on a platter for putting together a loser team with one of the highest salaries.
Let's look at this calmly though. Sutter was made Executive Vice President this summer. Does that tell you that ownership wants him go...
California dreamin’ or California nightmare?
I’d say the latter was a more apt description of the result of the two game road trip. Two games, one point – simply put, it’s just not good enough.
Despite late charges in both games, the Flames fell short in each game – stretching it to the shootout in Anaheim while falling in regulation in LA.
They fall be...
Hockeygirl101 writes...
Ryane Clowe Leads The Sharks To An OT Victory Over The Hawks
Posted Sunday | Comments 7417
Ryane Clowe led the Sharks to victory in a rare low scoring affair Saturday night against the Blackhawks in San Jose. The Sharks showed some character in this one, battling through the last two periods after giving up a soft goal to the Hawks late in the first.
The first period contained the only two regulation goals, the first coming at 9:16 by Ryane Clowe for the Shar...
You guys usually blast right through these.....hopefully I can make you think, at least for a couple of minutes.
[b][u]NHL Who Am I? #7[/u][/b]
1. I was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings
2. I have won 2 Stanley Cups with different teams.
3. I was a star with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL.
4. I had one 50-goal season in the NHL.
5. I won the Stanley Cup and...
FelixBester writes...
Toronto Maple Leafs: Ten years of trading away draft picks
Posted Tuesday | Comments 10349
With so much attention and discussion around the Phil Kessel trade and the repercussions it may have on the future of the Maple Leafs, I thought it would be interesting to go back 10 years or so and see what impact the first round draft picks of the last decade have played in the team's overall success and with the benefit of hindsight, has the trading of picks helped to p...
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames will face off on Thursday night at the Dome.
You would think a game between the 22nd and 26th ranked team in the league wouldn’t exactly be a must see affair, but this upcoming tilt between two cellar dwellers has a little more oomph than your run of the mill basement clash.
Did I mention Dion Phaneuf will be making his ...
A third period collapse by the Sharks leads them to a losing record for the 8th separate time this season, putting them back outside the playoff picture at 9th in the conference and 4th in the division.
The game started with a fast pace, but not many quality chances, until Niclas Wallin of the Sharks fired a hard shot past Anders Lindback to make the game 1-0 Sharks aft...
It's a date most Flames fans had circled the very day the NHL schedule was released.
My first thought back in July in regards to his return was that Calgary Flames fans will boo Dion mercifully.
When I thought about his return in September when my season tickets were delivered, I laughed again to myself, "oh man, are people gonna boo this guy."
But, today, when ...
In light of the Flames facing off against Toronto tonight, the team they partnered off with to make last year's blockbuster deal, I thought it would be interesting to look at some of the Flames options moving forward.
The Flames have issues. That’s clearly apparent. But fixing those issues -- therein lies the true work of art.
How do you get yourself out from under...
Ever since the beloved Winnipeg Jets,pulled the plug and high tailed it to the desert the city has been awaiting the arrival of a new NHL franchise. The chances of the NHL returning to Winnipeg any time in the near future is highly unlikely and here are a few reasons why>>>>>>>>>
#1: Lets first look at sports that are in Winnipeg already, the Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball ...
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...
Well things in LEaf Nation are not any better then they were last year, perhaps Burke is still trying to clean up his blunders and the remains blunders left over from Fergie. Burke has done so far what he can to try and help the Leafs win some more games, he has upgraded the blue line and the goaltending, he has dealt player and got players and yes he has d...
saneopinion writes...
Seven Levels of understanding my team are losers.
Posted Monday | Comments 5342
I wanted to sit down tonight and really try to discern why the Flames are a last place team because there is no way they should be. On paper this team is a good team. I don't want to hear about Kotalik and Jokinen etc. Those guys should get 20-30 goals even being defensively awful. Besides it's not as though shipping one of them would fix this team.
I have to admit I'm ...
“Do you struggle to save the puck? Are you having trouble stopping that little black piece of rubber from going in the net? Do you find yourself riding the pine more than you think you should? If so, we believe we have the answer for you. Come on over the Calgary where the Flames will show you what true hospitality is all about. Their under-achieving band of overpaid hoc...
Well we are getting on to the New Year, and I am started my 1st Annual Draft Update, this will be a further posted year after year on this blog, and the first update is a big one with the biggest draft picks since Sid the Kid and Alexander the Great. Lets face the facts that there is a ton of pressure put on these kids when it comes to being drafted into ...
Even with the loss for the Flames tonight again in Columbus there will be no coaching or general manager change. Sorry if you were expecting it. I have been the ownership is not happy either, but they trust the Sutters. They trust that the rebuild will done right. I know the fans do not like the idea of this team dropping out of the playoff race, but I think its time to re...
WarHero writes...
Ottawa 67's Player Points Projections - 35 games in!
Posted Friday | Comments 4151
Hello folks!
Please visit the following link to view the article and Happy Holidays!!! May they be safe and merry for everyone!
http://liveblog.ottawa67shub.com/?p=334
Thank you for reading!!
Anthony
Rob McGowan writes...
The Kids Are Alright, Isles Youngsters Aren't The Problem
Posted Monday | Comments 6219
Check out my latest post at The Checking Line, taking a look at the current core of this team and how the 2011 year has been treating them statistically
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/kids-are-alright-isles-youngsters-arent-problem
Register and leave comments! Also be sure to check out Better With Popcorn (BWP) at betterwithpopcorn.com...
Nabokov's dad said that his son wants to play for Tampa. Yes there are hurdles to overcome and they seem difficult; but with the "magic" Yzerman has done for this team, I have no doubt he could successfully tackle this. Nabokov hasn't proven that he can carry a team all the way through the playoffs, but there was so much said about Khabibulin not being able to either, that...
FLAMESTR writes...
One on One With Cam Tucker of the Abbotsford Times.
Posted Monday | Comments 6217
The Flames have been under the microscope with their farm system. There have been a lot of negative comments on the Flames' drafting. The Flames' draft history has been under a lot of scrutiny, and rightly so. I have heard over and over again that the only draft pick that has turned out has been Dion. I, for one, have really questioned the Flames' picks. They have always ...
The Flames are on a roll – sort of.
Winners of their last two games, and four of their last five under the Dome, the Flames climbed to within six points of 8th spot in the western conference. Let’s just ignore the fact that the Flames have played more games than pretty well everyone else in the conference save the Ducks.
Olli Jokinen has six goals in his last ni...
Goosebumps can be caused by many things. Being scared, excited, nervous, cold, anxious, etc.
So is it wrong that I had them running down my arms when I heard the news that Darryl Sutter was no longer the General Manager of the Calgary Flames today?
To say I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time would be an understatement. It all happened so fast. One minute...
Before you start making accusations: Yes, Chris Osgood is my avatar. Yes, I'm a Red Wings fan. Yes, that means I'm biased. But I am trying to be fair.
And I do believe that Chris Osgood deserves to be in the hall of fame. Was he ever the best in the world at his position? No, but he was close (much closer, I think, than most people will give him credit for), and his num...
...has the Sharks at 7th place in the Western Conference, one point away from being left out of the playoff picture again.
The high-scoring affair got started at 7:08 of the first period, when Kyle Brodziak scored a power play goal for the Wild. Joe Thornton later tied it on a San Jose power play to make it 1-1 after 20 minutes.
The second period picked back up where...
Hockeygirl101 writes...
Another Chicago Matchup, Another Much Needed Victory.
Posted Friday | Comments 24
The Sharks powered past a 2nd period breakdown to beat the Chicago Blackhawks for the third time in three tries this season. It's refreshing to see the team pull together late instead of bowing to defeat, and as a reward they gather an important two points that put them in 5th place in the West as they head to Los Angeles to play the weary Kings for the second time this we...
Hello again, friends.
It has long been my contention that, while gimmicks such as the shootout or the "regulation tie/overtime loss point" may (depending on your point of view) make overtime more exciting, the old W-L-T format is the best and most fair way to rank teams during the regular season.
The NHL playoffs do not have shootouts, and you don't get half a win fo...
Hard-earned point tonight but a disappointment nonetheless with tonight's 2 - 1 loss to Tampa. I'll keep this brief so we can get back to the bantering on Jan's blog. I would have just included this as a comment but it is a little too long for that.
First on MZA: I think we can all agree we like this kid. He battles hard and works along the boards. He shows good instinc...
What a way to start the new year. On a night when the Sabres honored two greats into the Hall of fame, Buffalo put on a show. (Alexander Mogilny and Jim Kelley were inducted into the Buffalo Hall of Fame.) The Sabres and Bruins put on quite an offensive performance, but the Sabres came out on top.
Drew Stafford was easily the star of the night as he scored three goals (...
Note - I'm in a sour mood after this game so sorry about the negativity.
How does a team score 4 goals in the opening period still end up losing?
How does a team that team prides itself on its defensive posture, give up 6 goals to a team arguably missing their best offensive player?
How does a team, known to protect leads blow it on 5 separate occasions?
Well let...
tml1967 writes...
The Greatest Toronto Maple Leafs Defensemen of All Time
Posted Sunday | Comments 14
The boys in blue and white continue to falter as they look headed to another missed post season unless they somehow can turn it around. A new year is upon us once again and I though it would better to have my first blog of 2011 take a look at some better moments and memories in Leafs history, so hear goes Leafs Nation as we take a stab at the Greatest Toronto Maple Leafs d...
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...
The west is very tight with 4 points being the difference between 4th and 11th place. The Sharks have 47 points (21 14 5) trailing Vancouver's 55 (25 8 5) and have never had a really strong streak that we have grown accustomed to over the past few seasons. Many people I know have said various things along the lines of "I've written this season off" and "Its time to blow ...
First and foremost, I wish everyone a happy 2011!
After ending the 2010 year with a modest 3-1 defeat over the Atlanta Thrashers, a year during which the Devils went 30-42-9, they stumbled hard into 2011, getting crushed by the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3. Going into tonight's game (1/4/2011) against the Minnesota Wild, there have been a number of intriguing events that tr...
LeightonH55 writes...
2011 World Junior Canada vs. Russia Gold Medal Game...
Posted Wednesday | Comments 7
This is my first blog here on HockeyBuzz and I was hoping it was going to be about the Canada winning the gold medal at the 2011 IIHF World Juniors in Buffalo, but in stand I'm going to write about how they lost the gold medal.
First - Now I loved the play of Brayden Schenn and Ryan Ellis, but they have so many talented players on that team, like Sean Couturier, Brett Con...
41 games down, 41 games to go – and they are going to be long 41 games at that.
Sitting 14th in the Western Conference, six points back of 8th place, hopes for a miracle run are fading in a hurry. It doesn’t help the situation when a majority of teams ahead of the Flames have played fewer games than them, making it doubly hard to gain any sort of ground.
Did I...
Lets see what was it a 6-3 loss in Buffalo? I honestly don't remember much of this game in Buffalo as I try to block bad memorys.
Ryane Clowe was extreemly upset with the loss to the Canucks. The Sharks didn't play poorly in the gave vs Vancouver but they didn't earn the win. With some of the Sharks players being down right PO'ed help us tonight to crush the Sabres...
Hello folks!
Please visit the following link to view the blog. Go 67's Go!!
http://liveblog.ottawa67shub.com/?p=379
Thank you for reading!!
Anthony
Being an Oilers' Fan for all of my life I must admit that seeing the Flames woes has given me a little bit of satisfaction. I think this is mainly because of the fact that I live in Calgary now and this is the first year since I have moved here that I haven't had to put up with listening to cocky Flames fans going on about how their perennial mediocre team was so great an...
Sabres Hockey Central now features text alerts to keep fans updated on the Sabres action. They are free of charge and can be customized to your liking. You can even be notified when there is a new post on the site.
Click below for more information
[url]http://sabreshockeycentral.com/2011/01/07/text-alerts/[/url]
It’s no longer December but we’re all still recovering from our various food induced comas over the holiday break. Why not sit back and do what Sabres fans do best, look toward the future.
I mentioned it was December because Mike Weber turned 23 on December 16th and it looks like he can celebrate that birthday as a honest-to-goodness NHL defenseman.
Weber entered...
18-18-5. Probably not where most fans thought the Sabres would be halfway through the season. Buffalo is in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Once Derek Roy was ruled out for the season, many fans were expecting a collapse or a panic mode, but the Sabres scored 11 goals in the next two games and have earned nine out of ten points since.
Despite going 4-0-1 in the pa...
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...
The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking for help on the wing (as always). They have recently inquired about Nikita Filatov, Kris Versteeg, and David Booth.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are trying to bring in a puck moving defenceman from the Eastern Conference. Mike Commodore cleared waivers, and will soon hit re-entry waivers.
The Boston Bruins are not shopping Marc Savard...
After an off-season that included two signifigant trades, the 2011-12 Calgary Flames take to the ice in a season full of optimism. Head over to The Sports Roundup to get a glimpse into the future!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/calgary-flames-october-two-thousand-and.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
I'm sure I won't stump you guys, but here goes anyway......
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #8[/b][/u]
1. I was a 1982 1st round draft pick.
2. I played for 9 NHL teams in my 21-year career.
3. I made the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1983.
4. I’ve never won the Stanley Cup.
5. I made it to the finals only once, but lost to the Detroit Red Wings.
6. I hold the NHL re...
A very small percentage of making the playoffs, yet the team must still charge forward. Head on over to the Sports Roundup for the latest musings as the Flames look forward to playing the Sens and the Leafs this weekend.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/dwindling-playoff-hopes-for-flames.html
Also check out why a certain blogger at TSR dislikes the Toronto Ma...
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 ...
Personally, I think the All-Star game should stay for many reasons and here is why. As a die hard hockey fan it is always fun to watch the best of the best from each conference go head-to-head and showcase there talents. It is a fun filled weekend for everybody and it allows the players to let loose for a few days and have fun. I am really excited for the new changes they ...
Hey Y'All...
So this is my first blog ever in general so let's see if I can get off to a good start (besides for my easy to see grammatical mistakes)
Thought from last night...
Leafs and Flames
Boring boring boring game.... to me there was not a good pace in that game and until the last minute if you were a leafs fan u must of been bored like me (thank god for ...
With the Avalanche sitting in 8th Place, in a tight Western Conference. Meaning, on any given night you could be in 4th place or within a few loses and beeing out of the Playoff Picture and as low as 11th Place.
So, with that said. With the Trading Deadline Fast Approching. The Avalanche havent had any consistent Goaltending all year and the Defense not there on some n...
Feel free to refer ESPN's, TSN's, and CBS's Power Rankings for Week 16, as linked below. If you'd like a much less subjective ranking, however, please continue reading...
[url]http://espn.go.com/nhl/powerrankings[/url]
[url]http://www.tsn.ca/fantasy_news/rankings/nhl/[/url]
[url]http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/powerrankings[/url]
So, last week (Week 15), I took a ...
Despite an off season overhaul and the appointment of Dion Phaneuf as the 18th captain in club history, the Maple Leafs have yet to turn around a sinking ship and prove that they can in fact become playoff contenders.
An early season winning streak that saw the Leafs record a 4-0 record out of the gate created false hope for Leaf fans and team management that the team w...
Hey Y'all
Being a Maple Leafs fan as long as I've been I had the opportunity to see some of the good days and the bad days which have extended into the past 5 seasons... also with that I have been able to notice the one thing missing... HEART
Seriously can you remember the last time they made the playoffs they had Roberts, Tucker and Joe N. giving everything they ha...
Despite being down four goals in the middle of the second period the Flames clawed back to gain a very valuable point. Head on over to The Sports Roundup to find out what this means for the surging Flames!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/flames-show-resiliency-in-comeback.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
Who would have ever thought that at this point in the season an Oiler rookie Taylor Hall would be leading the team in goals with 14! I am also really impressed with Linus Omark this far, no he does not score lots but he does all the little things right weather it be speed or forechecking to cause a turnover very well done. Another player that has taken alot of heat in Oil ...
Rob McGowan writes...
What Does Matt Moulson Mean To The New York Islanders?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 3
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
Hello folks!
Please visit the following link to view the blog.
http://liveblog.ottawa67shub.com/?p=441
Thank you for reading!!
Anthony
The Flames got smoked 6-0 by the Minnesota Wild? Are you joking me? Lot of broken ankles this morning jumping off the Flames resurgence bandwagon. Come on over to The Sports Roundup to get a quick look at the what the Flames are facing now. Plus the Flames could have had Fleischmann for Regehr, would you have done it? Post your comments here:
http://www.thesportsround...
Nothing has ever come easy to Jonas Gustavsson in his hockey career. He has had to work for everything that he has achieved and has strived to prove naysayers that he is capable of being a starting goaltender in the NHL.
After displaying a dominant performance in his final season with Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League, which included a 1.96 goals against average, 0....
So because Sutter was so hated we could not wait to have him gone. It was obvious that a whole serious of wrong turns accumulated in his firing. The Jokinen trade for Kotalik, the Stajan deal etc. We all know where he went wrong and we assume that Feaster can see the issues and correct them.
It's being made clear to fans that Feaster is actually of Sutter's mindset.
...
Tim Connolly was born on May 7th, 1981 just outside of Syracuse in Baldwinsville, New York. He was selected 5th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1999 Entry Draft. Connolly had played two years for the Erie Otters of the OHL, where he produced at well over a point-per-game pace before being drafted.
After two mediocre (but not terrible for a rookie, by any means)...
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...
The past two games may have been the Avs worst combined performances all year. Colorado is now outside the playoff race at No. 9 with 54 points, 1 back of No. 8 San Jose, and 2 back of No. 7 Chicago.
With a 5-1 and 6-2 lose to the Preds and Bruins respectively, it appeared that the Avs were sloppy and defeated at every position on the ice. With the exception of Matt Du...
Name: Carl Dunlop
Born: Calgary Alberta
Thats all you need to know…….
I`ve wanted to do this for some time. Letting my thought be known about what I know best. Two words…….Calgary Flames. Im not saying that everything I say about the Calgary flames is right, but it basically is. Im not going to lie, I love this team. I love sports, its what I know bes...
Here are my NHL Power Rankings for Week 17... Please refer back to my last post for Week 16, and a description of the fields...
[img]http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j354/meckelangelo/Week17.png[/img]
Again, let me know if you have any questions.
Paul Byron scores first NHL goal in Sabres 2-1 victory over Ottawa
The Sabres have entered the All-Star break on a high note, winning four of the last five games, and moving to within four points of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Despite falling behind 1-0 in Ottawa on Tuesday night, Buffalo battled back and came away with two points. With his family in t...
As President Obama was finishing up adressing the nation, the Buffalo Sabres were putting the finishing touches on the Ottawa Senators. the 3-2 win in Kanata Tuesday night put the Sabres at 51 points, 4 behind eighth place Atlanta. We have reached the All-Star break, which marks the half way point of the season for most of us. Buffalo can easily catch Atlanta, who has p...
The Flames are rolling into the All Star break with four straight wins and now sit only two points out of a playoff spot. Head on over to the Sports Roundup to read more about the Flames impressive string of play.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/flames-roll-into-break.html
Newman
@TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
HunterRules writes...
NHL Guardian Project.. aka The Guardians of CORRUPTION
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Islander has been put up for vote numbers of times, only to lose out by slim margins, but was the vote actually legit? It Appears the Answer was NO.
The Guardian Website suffered a slipup today and some Islander fans caught their Reveal today of the Islander Guardian, but that is where this story turns to Corruption:
[img]http://i54.tinypic.com/2he991w.jpg[/img]
...
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Colts at 7:30 PM - Jan 28th, 2011
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Welcome to Friday afternoons Pre-Game Blog versus the Barrie Colts!
Last Sunday, we lost first liner Shane Prince after he took a nasty hit into the boards in the second period. The issue is with his shoulder and he is listed as day-to-day. After Shane left the game, the team just wasn't the same. They ended up losing to the Guelph Storm, 4 - 3.
With a 3 - 1 lead in ...
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
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Colts at 2:00 PM - Jan 29th, 2011
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Welcome to Saturday afternoons LIVE Game Blog versus the Kingston Frontenacs!
[b]Pre-game Notes:[/b]
- This is the fifth meeting between the clubs this year. Ottawa won 9 - 0 last time.
- Keep your eye on Ryan Spooner & Nathan Moon for the Frontenacs.
- The 67′s are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games. That's a little better!
- Tyler Toffoli leads the OHL in scoring,...
The NHL All-Star game happening this weekend in Raleigh, and during the broadcast of the All-Star draft, TSN mentioned that the salary cap numbers for both of All-Star rosters where over $100 million! This got me thinking about what type of All-Star team could I put together using the NHL Salary Cap floor of $43.4 million.
This team will be made up of 12 Forwards, 6 D...
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...
Has it already been a year since the infamous PANIC button was hit? Who won this deal? Come on over to TSR and weigh in on who YOU think won this deal.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/01/year-ago-today-dion-was-dealt.html
Newman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
twitter.com/TSRNewman
As far as I am concerned, biggest All Star snub was Tomas Plekanec. He is in the conversation with Ryan Kesler and Pavel Datsyuk as best two-way forward in the NHL.
Reasons why Plekanec is an ALL STAR:
-Top Line center who still ends up playing against top lines and best D-men pairings
-Producing despite lack of production from linemates (leads team in goals, assist...
If you haven't gotten the drill by now, here's some information... I'm doing Power Rankings. However, unlike most websites, I don't pull names out of a hat, or collect votes among "experts". I actually use a system. Mathematics. I'm aware that the hockey analysts of the world love numbers, but seem to hate math. Well... Nonetheless, here are the Week 18 Power Rankings.
...
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 thats 12. Did you see the stats on Sportsnet about Khabibulin on goals allowed? If you missed them I happened to have these stats on hand:
GA Games
2 2
3 6
4 1
5 1
6 1
So that brings him to a total of 37 goals in 11 games add today's game and that's 40 in 12. Maybe Khabby is trying to retire on some sort of high note but with numbers like this is may be to...
The Flames finally won a game in Atlanta. First time EVER. They keep pace in the playoff chase. Come on over to TSR and read up on the latest from your home town heroes.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/02/calgary-flames-finally-win-in-atl.html
Newman
www.thecheckingline.com
www.thesportsroundup.com
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Ragingpikey writes...
Is it possible to grade coaches? Abolish the Jack Adams?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Concerning NHL year-end awards, deciding who is the most deserving candidate to take home (x) awards, is always a fickle question. Take the James Norris, for example. Some people would argue that unless a younger player was unquestionably the most dominant patroller of the back end, the trophy should otherwise be awarded to a previous winner. In other words, in tight races...
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Petes at 7:00 PM - Feb 4th, 2011
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Welcome to the LIVE Game Blog for tonight’s game versus the Peterborough Petes!
This is the 8th installment in a very lopsided season series in favor of the 67′s as far as the W’s are concerned. Last time out, the boys laid a 6 – 0 spanking on the Petes. That being said, I expect the Pete’s to remember that and use it as motivation to bring their “A” game ...
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 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
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Knights at 2:00 PM - Feb 6th, 2011
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
Welcome to the LIVE Game Blog for this afternoons game versus the London Knights!
What a difference a Shane Prince can make! His return to action on Friday sparked the resurrection of our first line, ultimately leading the team to a 6 - 2 victory over the Petes . Scoring was led by the first line with both Martindale and Toffoli finishing with 3 points each while Prince...
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...
First off, while I love broadcasting legend Bob Cole, Mike Emrick of NBC and Devils radio is the best in the business at the moment. I love the creativity and dark tones Emrick brings to the games, while his sidekicks, Eddy Olczyk and Pierre Mcguire are always amusing and insightful. I say this as I enjoy taking in the NBC game of the week: Pens V. Caps! Sure to be a b...
As the NHL trade deadline grows nearer and nearer, misconceptions about trades grow larger and larger. The evidence?
A recent rumour stated: Hemsky for Ellis.
Sorry Canadian die hards, Ryan Ellis is not the stud that Pierre Mcguire makes him out to be. In fact, he may be the most overrated prospect of all time. His small stature, ankle skating, and childish attitude...
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...
There has been alot of talk that the Kings have serious interest in Dustin Penner, so I say the two teams make it happen.
It's simple, Dustin Penner to LA and Wayne Simmonds to EDM.
You can agree or disagree, I don't really care, but this deal would make the Oilers a much better team. I can see it happening, because Lombardi has made some silly deals in the past,and ...
The Flames can't be stopped. They roll past the Sens 5-2 to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race. Come over to the Sports Roundup to read the latest on the home town heroes.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/02/different-strokes-flames-and-sens.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
Right off the hop I would like to tip my cap to Peter Tessier... He does a great job of contributing to Nuck Nation. Unfortunately I am a huge leech and it is about time I see if there this is the right soil to seed some of my own passion for my life long team of which now I am 38.
A bit on where my perspective comes from. I played hockey competitively until my second ...
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
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Otters at 7:30 PM - Feb 11th, 2011
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It’s Game Day folks and the playoffs are sure thing! Life is grand for 67′s fans!
In last Sunday’s game, our boys laid a goose egg on the London knights beating them 4 – 0. Petr Mrazek got the shutout for his 4th of the year and the winning goal came off the stick of Julian Luciani. Both teams played a very tight defensive game but Ottawa was able to expose the ...
4 video live right now
http://nyi247.blogspot.com/
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...
The past few weeks I have been watching the Oilers very closely. Even though they have been losing of late, they are not playing bad overall the team seems to be gaining more confidence as the season progresses. A few forwards that have impressed me of late, Linus Omark who more and more every game seems to look more comfortable especially with fellow country men Magnus Pa...
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
Yesterday afternoons game between the flyers and kings was a well played game and wound up being a 1-0 defeat for the Flyers. I am not concerned with the outcome of the game but a particular call within the game. Entering the last 7 minutes of the game Pronger was hit into the boards from behind questionably. Pronger was square to the boards and hit hard from behind sendin...
Hey, I'm just another armchair GM and fan, but if I'm Calgary's Jay Feaster, I'm really looking to bulk up for a serious playoff push. With the way Calgary have turned their season around since the departure of Darryl Sutter, I suspect Calgary will squeak into the playoffs.
And, I’d hate to be the guy to say “anything can happen in the playoffs”, but… ANYTHING C...
To eliminate myself from any bias, allow me start off by saying I was born and raised a Toronto Maple Leafs fan idolizing Mats Sundin. Based on his contributions to my favourite team, he's my favourite player of all time.
Having said that, the greatest Swede ever is retiring today. Something I calculated on my own time that I think a lot of people overlook is that only ...
This is a Joke...
If I watch another game tonight like the the past two then I'll start cheering for ...gulp...Calgary. At least their management was able to identify a problem and rectify it.
The biggest problem with this team is not the Powerplay, lack of a decent center or is leadership. Want to know why Stamkos developed so well and Traverse hasn't??? Look at the...
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...
I find it quite interesting the resurgence in New Jersey and Calgary.
On one hand, a coaching change. On the other, a GM change. No major personnel changes. Same result. Two of the hottest teams in the league. In New Jersey, the importance of the "right" coach is stressed... in Calgary, the coach is somewhat downplayed.
Bottom line: The players have sucked it...
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Bulls at 7:30 PM - Feb 18th, 2011
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It’s Game Day folks! In Wednesdays game, the 67′s won the first half of this home-and-home by a score of 5 – 3. After going down 3 – 0, ours boys exploded for 5 unanswered goals in the third. The offense was led by the Sean Monahan (2G,1A) and Cody Ceci (2A).
On to today …. A win tonight will help the 67′s get 2 points closer to winning the East Division. Th...
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #9[/b][/u]
1. I was born in Brandon, Manitoba.
2. I played for 3 different NHL teams in my 13-year career.
3. I began and ended my career with the same team.
4. I have 1 career playoff goal.
5. I’ve been to the Stanley Cup Finals twice, but lost both times.
6. I have 3 family members that have also played in the NHL.
7. I am currently ...
[b]Heritage Classic[/b]
Let's get something straight right off the bat.
There are two reasons for the Heritage Classic:
1) It makes the NHL a helluva lotta cash. That much we know for sure.
but, more importantly to you and me;
2) The fans LOVE it. And that might be an understatement.
Reading the Globe and Mail this morning, I was quite disappointed bu...
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...
Most of you probably read that headline and thought, "Thanks tips."
Yes, we all know Darryl Sutter left us with very little to go with on the farm in terms of prospects.
And, we all know that we don't have a 2nd or 3rd round pick this year. The 2nd was thrown in on the Primeau/Stralman deal for god knows why and even more mystifying was the 3rd being thrown in t...
Many believe that Hemsky and Penner are at their highest value on Monday morning. Arguments can definitely be made to support this. But think of the value these players give the Oilers based on return perceived...
Big guy, largest in the forward corps of the Oilers who can score 30 goals per year... who is out there Tambellini could get back and from who? Penner is t...
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...
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...
Montreal Canadians are moving!
They are in the process of trading Scott Gomez, PK Subban and Louis Leblanc to Tampa Bay, in return they will get Vinny Lecavalier. Rumor says that they will bring down Beliveau #4 jersey from the Bell Center ceiling and give it to Vinny Lecavalier.
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...
mslepp writes...
Calgary Flames: Succesfully Unsuccessful Trade Deadline
Posted Tuesday | Comments 4
Honestly, there's really not a whole lot to address. Jay Feaster went out and did what he said he wanted to do.
Add depth.
To address my headline: Feaster did what he said he would do and it improves the team just a little bit. More importantly, it keep the target on Hagman's back. If he slips, Modin will be in. And, Modin is more than capable of taking up a spot...
So news today is Niemi has been signed for 4 years. All in all I do like that they have signed him, but 3.8 million isn't sitting right with me yet. I would have prefered to see him signed for 3.8 for 2 years or 4 years for something closer to 3 million per year.
Niemi has gotten hot since the all star break and the team feels like its back on track, Niemi is a huge ...
Brad Boyes had a powerplay goal and logged just under 15 minutes of ice time in his Sabres debut; and Ryan Miller recorded 29 saves on 31 shots to earn his 27th win of the season.
Tyler Myers scored first, late in the first period on the powerplay to put the Sabres up 1-0. Thomas Vanek was planted in front of the net and Tyler Myers took a snapshot from the point that b...
I want to take this opportunity to let you know that tiger blood will drip from the Flames chest in their quest for a playoff spot.
Direct Charlie Sheen reference there sorry.
In early January I was on www.sportsclubstats.com checking the chances of the Flames making the playoffs, my memory is fuzzy but I believe it was like 2.7% or something. They would have to win...
[quote=Rangers G.M. Glen Sather]A lot of people were interested in our young guys, but we didn't want to trade our kids... the goal was not to give up the kids.[/quote]
3:00 PM.
The trade deadline has passed yet for all intents and purposes the trade lines were dead for days. There will be no 1st line center in New York, not for now at least. No hopes for a miracle run...
The Flames hit a speed bump Wednesday night as they fell to the Chicago Blackhawks. Come on over to the Sports Roundup to read more:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/calgary-flames-hit-speed-bump-in-chi.html#more
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
With the Sabres’ overtime loss Thursday night, coupled with a New York Rangers loss, the Buffalo Sabres not only have recorded at least a point in their last five games, but they remain two points out of eighth.
Don’t worry, the news gets better from there. The New York Rangers currently sit eighth with 70 points and they have played three more games than the Sabres...
Come on over to the Sports Roundup to listen in on TSR's inaugural podcast. We talk about Morrison, Iginla's hall of fame chances and the flames post-season chances. Come check it out!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/inaugural-podcast-march-4-2011.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Colts at 7:30 PM - Mar 4th, 2011
Posted Friday | Comments 1
It’s Game Day folks! In Wednesdays game, the 67's beat the Belleville Bulls by a score of 5 - 4. After going up 5 - 2 in the third, Belleville made it interesting by scoring 2 more to get within one but our boys were able to hold them off for the victory. The offense was led by the Sean Monahan (3G) and Thomas Nesbitt (2A).
On to today …. A win tonight will help the...
Brad Boyes and the Buffalo Sabres proved how much they wanted to win with a comeback victory against the top team in the Eastern Conference. The Sabres rallied for five goals in the final two periods to defeat Philadelphia 5-3.
Andrej Sekera and Brad Boyes each collected two points on the day as they continued their hot streaks. Thomas Vanek and Paul Gaustad both had a ...
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
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Rangers at 2:00 PM - Mar 6th, 2011
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It’s Game Day folks! In Friday nights game, the 67′s beat the Barrie Colts by a score of 5 – 2. With the score at 3 – 2 heading into the third, 67's captain Thomas Nesbitt made it 4 - 2 off a sweet pass from Shane Prince. Sean Monahan would later add Ottawa's 5th goal to ice the game. The offense was led by the Sean Monahan (2G,1A) and Shane Prince (2A).
On to t...
The Flames are rolling! Thanks to Jarome Iginla and two special teams units that are firing on all cylinders. Come over to the Sports Roundup to read more and stay tuned for a podcast later in the day!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/flames-win-iginla-and-special-teams.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
www.thesportsroundup.com
www.thecheckingline.com
Come on over to the Sports Roundup to listen to our podcast for March 7, 2011!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/podcast-march-7-2011.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
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...
Just like that, Neal and Michalek score back to back within 3:17 of each other. Neal's goal was the result of good passing and the inability of Millsy to cover the far side of the net. Michalek's was the result of a deflection of his point shot off of a Buffalo d-man's leg. End result: 2-1 Pens lead.
On a side note, Buffalo just took a penalty at 5:54 in the 2nd.
A...
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...
The Flames keep winning. Is it any surprise that Kipper is playing out of his mind? Come on over to The Sports Roundup to read more!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/flames-beat-stars-on-back-of-kiprusoff.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
thesportsroundup.com
thecheckingline.com
After reading Richard Cloutier's blog on the state of the NHL after the Chara-Patches incident, I figured I too needed to rant a little bit. In this rant, I will touch on favouritism, how Bettman is an idiot, and how everyone else is saying the exact same thing as me.
Honestly though, you would be hard-pressed to find a legitimate hockey fan who thinks this is the right...
Ok, so he's not really enigmatic. I just like the sound of the title. Makes it seem like I have something profound to say...
I don't.
Anyway, here is the story of the week the Flames traded for Matt "My Wife Is Hot and That's ALL I Have Going for Me" Stajan as seen through my life experiences.
Be prepared. This is long. Oh, but it makes fun of the Leafs AND Oile...
The Sabres entered the night with a 3-1-1 record on the season against division rival Boston. It looked bleak at times, and it took a serious gut-check at one point, but Buffalo improved that record to 4-1-1 at the end of the contest.
A rather uneventful first period started out on an exciting note with a fight between Cody McCormick and Boston’s Gregory Campbell. The...
Nine games into the Terry Pegula era and the Buffalo Sabresboast a 6-1-2 record under new ownership. Coincidence? I think not.
Ever since Pegula officially took over the ownership of the Sabres, they have been a different team. If you remember correctly, one of Pegula’s first quotes as the owner was, “Winning is not a goal. It is a belief.”
The Buffalo Sabres h...
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. IceDogs at 7:30 PM - Mar 11th, 2011
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It’s Game Day folks! In Wednesdays game, the 67′s beat the Kingston Frontenacs by a score of 5 – 1. Kingston took a 1 - 0 lead late in the first but Tyler Toffoli tied it with just over a minute remaining. From there, our boys never looked back, and went on to score 4 more unanswered goals. The offense was led by the Tyler Toffoli (2G) and Thomas Nesbitt (1G,1A).
...
Today we weigh the Flames playoff chances after a tough loss last night to the Coyotes. Come on over to TSR and have a listen!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/podcast-march-11-2011.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Hi fellow hockey nuts!
my name is will, i am a life long of the great game of hockey as im sure all of you are. i have loved the toronto maple leafs, pittsburgh penguins and the winnipeg jets(not coyotes) for as long as i can remember. i am very opinionated when it comes to the game and have been booted from addicted hockey fans united for being too opinionated. i love am...
The Sabres were unable to finish off the road trip with a victory, losing 4-3 to Toronto on Saturday night. Buffalo, who were 17-1-2 leading after two periods, allowed the Maple Leafs to score two goals in the third period to win the game.
Buffalo outshot the Leafs 42-29 on the night, but were unable to tie the game in the latter half of the third period. Despite the lo...
hi all,
i just have something to get off my chest. facebook.com is supposed to be a place where you are can speak your mind about everything and anything. not so! i was an admin for a page called addicted hockey fans united. as i said in my introduction, i am anti-bettman, always have been and always will be. i spoke my mind about him, the coyotes and hockey in the so...
thanx to tsn.ca for this
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/jetsmeter/
WarHero writes...
OHL LIVE BLOG: 67's vs. Majors at 2:00 PM - Mar 13th, 2011
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
It’s Game Day folks! I am super excited!! Could this be a preview of the Eastern Conference Final?
In Fridays game, the 67′s lost to the Niagara IceDogs by a score of 3 – 2. Niagara took an early 1 – 0 lead in the first but Sean Monahan tied it before the period was over. After a scoreless second, our boys took the lead in the third off a goal by Captain Thomas ...
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...
Former Buffalo Sabres forward and “French Connection” line member Rick Martin was killed in a car crash on Sunday, according to a source.
The accident occurred at Main Street and Salt Road in Clarence around noon Sunday. Eyewitnesses say Martin’s car crossed a lane of traffic and hit a pole.
State police responded to the scene and are expected to provide more det...
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...
It was just that kind of night for the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres dominated most of this game blasting shots from everywhere but Cam Ward stood his ground and led his Carolina Hurricanes to a 1-0 shutout victory.
Entering tonight’s game the Hurricanes were four points behind the Sabres and wasted no time as they were far and away the better team in the first eight min...
As the NHL playoffs are approaching, many teams are still in playoff contention and are battling to move up in the rankings. 16 of the 30 teams will make the postseason, but is it better to be battling for one of the lower spots?
Sabres fans saw what happened during the President’s Trophy-winning season in 2006-2007. Although they had a great team, they were upset by ...
The Flames playoff chances were severely hurt this past week with three straight losses. Come on over and check out my first ever exclusive TCL(The Checking Line) blog.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/flames-playoff-hopes-fading#comments
Also be sure to head over to The Sports Roundup to here the latest podcast! We talk mostly Flames and throw ...
The last time Ray Emery was in the Ponda Center, June 6th 2007, I was standing on my seat serenading Emery and laughing my head off when he scored on himself playing for the Ottawa Senators. (http://videosift.com/video/Stanely-Cup-Game-5-Chris-Phillips-Own-Goal)
We (Anaheim fans atleast) knew that the Ducks were going to with the cup much earlier then this. With Teemus ...
After three days of rest and a visit from Dominik Hasek, the Sabres came out with an offensive mindset. A three-goal first period would be all the Sabres would need as they went on to frustrate the Thrashers all game long.
Buffalo defeated Atlanta 8-2 at HSBC Arena on Saturday night.
Jason Pominville opened the scoring with a goal just 24 seconds into the game. Evand...
It’s that time of year again. The snow begins to melt, the leavesbegin to grow and in the NHL the dash for the final few playoff spots intensifies as teams look to scrap together as many points as they can in the few remaining games of the NHL regular season and the Buffalo Sabres are no exception.
With Sabres up by two points over the Hurricanes for 8th place the Sab...
How many games should Cooke be suspended for this time? Click the link below and post a comment.
[url]http://sabreshockeycentral.com/2011/03/20/matt-cooke-up-for-suspension/[/url]
After a 1-0 loss to Carolina last week, the Sabres earned a pair of much needed victories against Atlanta and Nashville this weekend. A three-goal second period would be the only scoring for Buffalo, but it wasn’t enough.
Despite falling behind 3-1, Nashville put together a late comeback and scored three unanswered goals to win the game, 4-3.
The Sabres came out wi...
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...
The Sabres collapse against the Nashville Predators on Sunday is always going to be a nasty memory for the players and the fans. But if there’s any guaranteed way to alleviate that pain, it’s the complete stifling of a bitter division rival two nights later.
A loud and passionate crowd filled Montreal’s Bell Centre, which cheered whenever the Habs initiated any so...
xpdonahue writes...
HARD COR! (from nhl.com. really? who writes that garbage?)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Ducks dont get anything easy. Nashville, Phoenix, LA... they all keep putting points on the standings (even though LA cant put very many goals on the scoreboard. 3 goals in 3 games... just saying.)
Saturday night the Ducks traveled up to LA for a huge Saturday night match. I'll be honest. Those are the two teams I watch the most and I can say without a doubt I see no ...
The Flames have put themselves in a massive hole with 6 losses in their last 7 games. Come over to the The Sports Roundup to see hear more.
www.thesportsroundup.com
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
When the Florida Panthers rolled into Buffalo, they had the 29th ranked power play in the league, had gone two full games without scoring a goal, and were essentially out of contention for a playoff position.
But a desperate team with nothing to lose is just as dangerous as one racing for a postseason berth, as Lindy Ruff will always attest to.
The Panthers must have...
The Calgary Flames need to win their remaining six games and get some help from both the Ducks and Stars to even have a chance and playing hockey past April 9th. How did this all happen? Come on over to the Sports Roundup and read more. Be sure to follow me on Twitter as well at twitter.com/TSRNewman
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/03/flames-have-run-out-of-time.ht...
The role of the enforcer in the NHL is a tough one. It has all the benefits of boxing and you’re still expected to do all the other things that good hockey players are supposed to.
Cody McCormick is one of the men who has taken this road to the NHL and now he is in a battle to prove that he’s still useful.
On Thursday night against Boston McCormick fought Gregory...
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!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
The Sabres came into this game on a three game winning streak with aspirations of crushing the Leafs playoffs hopes. Toronto had nothing to lose and came out with an impressive performance in the first period.
Dion Phaneuf ripped a shot past Miller to get the Leafs on the board. Darryl Boyce scored late in the first period to give Toronto a 2-0 lead.
Buffalo had trou...
The Calgary Flames playoff hopes are cooked. After an impressive run, they will fall short for the second consecutive year. come over to the Sports Roundup to read more.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/flames-are-cooked.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
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!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
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...
Having watched the Penguins "transform" from a team that was likely to beat you 5-4 to one that's more likely to win by a score of 1-0...I find myself asking the question: [b]Is This Team Playoff Ready?[/b]
Last year's team headed into the post season, never quite achieving that level of play that many people thought they needed to defend their Stanley Cup championship....
This is actually a draft of a 2,500 word college report, so I did not post it on the MYHB site. However, if you want to attempt to read it, it is available [url=http://hockeybuzzalex.blogspot.com/2011/04/concussions-proposal-to-nhl.html] here. [/url]
Hope to have a real blog up sometime this week.
Go Ran-Guhs
Edit: Just saw I got 100+ hits on that link, wow guy...
What am I? Nuts? So the Flames aren't totally out of it yet. Yes there is little to no hope, but there is still a little which has a lot of fans grasping at straws to cheer this team to the bitter end. Come to the Sports Roundup to read on.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/hope-its-horrible-thing.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Between school and work and my novel and just blatant laziness, I've neglected my blog. But alas, I'm back. I figured coinciding my return with Michael Leighton's impending return would be a good PR move.
Which means some things:
--No more will you have to deal with sub-par hockey blogging.
--I'm back. and I'm going to stay back.
--and... probably most importantly...
JohnFergusonJr writes...
Game Day Phoenix Coyotes : 80, The Pacific War
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As the season wraps down for these two clubs both are fairly secure in their hopes for a playoff berth. Both the Coyotes and Kings are tied for 5th/6th in the West with 96 points apiece. A win for the Coyotes will seal their playoff dreams and guarantee them a spot. This will be a big game for the Desert Dogs as they will be facing a beaten up LA squad missing their supers...
In case you missed it I was on the CBC Homestretch this afternoon talking about the Flames playoff chances. Come to The Sports Roundup to have a listen.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/tsr-talks-to-cbcs-homestretch.html
Newman
Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/TSRNewman
I've been watching Corey Perry since '05, the post lock out Mighty Ducks of Anaheim but I was much more fixated on watching Scott Neidermayer and his mighty beard dance around the ice.
Year after year I would watch Teemu, Penner, Getzlaf, Kunitz, McDonald, Beauch, Pronger, Pahlsson, Giguere, Bryz, the list goes on (seriously how unreal was the '07 group?) and Perry was...
I guess it's time for another NHL Who Am I? It's been a while, hasn't it??? So, without further ado, let's get to it......
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #10[/b][/u]
1. I was drafted by an Original Six team.
2. I became a coach after my playing career was over.
3. I played for 3 NHL teams in my 17-year career.
4. I won a Stanley Cup with the 2nd team I played for, als...
So what does it take to be a NY Rangers fan? What sets us apart from every other fan in the universe? Anyone can say they are a dedicated fan…its easy to sit on the couch and watch 70+ games a season, and if you have a DVR u can actually watch every minute and every play from the entire season just like I have for the past 13+ years. So what makes that different...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgYl_v0GfGo
If there was ever a time for Ryan Miller to come back from injury and earn a shutout, this was the perfect night for it. Miller looked liked the Vezina winner he was a year ago, as he led the Sabres to a 1-0 shutout victory.
Patrick Kaleta scored the lone goal of the game and it was all the Sabres would need as they were able to keep the powerful offense of the Flyers o...
April 22nd, 2006 was one to remember in the history of the Buffalo Sabres. After three losing seasons by the Sabres and a year-long lockout, HSBC Arena finally hosted an NHL playoff game.
18,690 fans sold out the building in downtown Buffalo to see the Sabres take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the first game of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
They would get the...
Here are some thoughts on the 1st game of the playoffs:
The Sabres should not have won this game. There were several factors that gave them the edge they needed to capture home ice advantage in this series.
Ryan Miller is back, I missed him. He was the goaltender we saw last season and in the olympics. He was a stablizing presence, coving his angles and not letting r...
All of Buffalo woke up this morning elated after the Sabres stole Game one away from the Philadelphia Flyers last night in the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals series.
It was a game in which Philadelphia dictated much of the tempo for the majority of the game, forcing Ryan Miller to stand on his head time and time again in front of a typically raucous, sold out crowd a...
Game 1 of Buffalo and Philadelphia in the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals was pretty tedious. In fact, it got downright boring at times.
Game 2 was neither. It began as exhilarating, and, at least for Sabres fans, eventually degenerated into something infuriating.
The first period took over 51 minutes to complete between a bevy of scrums, ten minor penalties an...
Garth Snow will have his hands full when it comes to retaining the core of his team as there are several RFA's heading into this summer's off-season
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-rfas-who-will-stay
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Two nights after a tough 5-4 loss in Philadelphia, the Buffalo Sabres will be taking the ice at the HSBC Arena, looking to take a 2-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Here are four keys to victory for tonight's game in Buffalo:
- The Sabres must play better defensive hockey.
Sabres' goaltender Ryan Miller has faced...
The Flames season is over. So lets take a look back at what went wrong. Come on over to the Sports Roundup to read more!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/calgary-flames-post-mortem.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
The good news is there is plenty of hockey to be played in this series. The earlier you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.
The bad news is the Flyers have taken control of the series, and have regained their home ice advantage. It was the first home playoff game in the Pegula era and the Sabres had a chance to go up 2-1.
Despite the home fans rockin’ ...
I, like many other Sabres’ fans, was disappointed with the result of the team’s playoff game against the Flyers.
I was not expecting a 4-2 loss in the third game of a playoff series, especially after the Sabres stole one of the first two games in Philadelphia, bringing home a split.
The atmosphere in and outside of HSBC Arena was great. Fans inside were excited f...
Remember when Ryan Miller had a dominant 35 save shutout to steal game one? Well, his performance on Wednesday night may have even been better as the Sabres tied the series at two game apiece.
It was a must win for Buffalo and they came through. Even though it looked like the Flyers were going to tie it, the Sabres found a way to survive, with Miller doing most of the w...
Jay Feaster is the acting GM of the Flames. When will the tag be removed or will it be removed? Come over to The Sprots Roundup to read more and feel free to comment on what you think might happen.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/04/jay-feaster-acting-to-be-or-not-to-be.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
HSBC Arena erupted Wednesday night as 18,690 fans rose out of their seats in complete unison, awestruck by Ryan Miller’s phenomenal performance.
Chants of “Ry-an Mil-ler, Ry-an Mil-ler” rang out amongst the electric crowd who had once again witnessed brilliance as their franchise goalie stood on his head right before their very eyes.
The sound that roared throu...
I'm divorcing Hockeybuzz... once and for all.
*For anyone from Edmonton who happens to stumble onto this blog accidentally, swan song in this case means my last post (figured I'd save you the google search).*
Quickly, I can't stand the website anymore. It started when Eklund attempted to set up a meeting with me to discuss writing for the site, then, never followed...
First, this series is not over. I want to be clear on that. Obviously the chances of us winning took a severe hit with Wednesday night's loss. But, if we take it one game at a time, this Rangers club is capable of winning 3 games in a row.
This post is going to look at something else that's been close to the minds of Rangers fans. It's actually something we've talked ab...
This installment of the Vancouver Canucks is an absolute joke.
Not because they haven't been able to close out the Hawks.
Not because they have been completely outclassed losing Game 4, 7-2.
Not because they were completely outclassed in Game 5, losing 5-0.
And not because they can't handle the pressure.
No, none of the above is the reason this Canucks team is...
so which of these is worth of a suspension in the "new" NHL?
torres on seabrook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nomG4dU-mTk
or Ruutu on erat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPd8LJvIpgI
The Torres hit is WAY worse. Elbow to the head. Ruutu doesnt even make contact with Erats head! He goes flying like the was sniped from the rafters. The refs didnt even call a p...
PickDaddy writes...
Is The NHL Going to Fine this Clown? - Bryzgalov on Winnipeg
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Ilya Bryzgalov has once again opened his big mouth an insulted the entire country of Canada.
For those who didn't see this guys interview with regards to Edmonton, please see this link:
[url]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8531230620351334232#[/url]
That was a few years back when he was in Anaheim. This time around he has now picked on Winnipeg. Saying ...
...
For those that read Devils posts on here, I'm the one known as Intern Mike. Sam's been relatively busy as of late so I'll take the liberty of continuing to submit my posts to read.
With the Devil's off-season starting a little earlier than we're used to, they are surrounded by a bunch of question marks yet again. I was fortunate to get some time from my good friend Todd...
The Sabres came out and controlled the first half of the opening period, and Tyler Ennis began the scoring spree with a shot that he banked off Philadelphia goaltender Brian Boucher.
Just a couple minutes later, Thomas Vanek did the same thing from behind the Flyers’ net and Buffalo were out to a fast 2-0 lead. Fans in Philly were already beginning to turn on their te...
"Sorry Mom, I won't be able to make it this Sunday."
A sentence that has today become all too familiar for the mothers of hockey fans all over Western New York.
Today is a very special Saturday, not because it is Easter Eve, but because Buffalo Sabres fans are ecstatic following a Game 5 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers -- a huge win which puts the Sabres up thre...
There are some nights when I think Don Cherry has lost his mind - and suits and ties do nothing to convince me otherwise. That being said, Don Cherry was 100%, absolutely spot on tonight.
The four points Grapes made tonight were brilliant:
1) What the hell was Hamhuis doing taking a dirty, cheap shot at Bolland's head?
2) Bryzgalov is a joker and should keep his ...
It is amazing to think that only a few months ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded their 'star' defenceman to Boston for Joe Colborne(1st round pick), a first round pick, and a conditional pick - when now, Tomas Kaberle is luck to even see ice time in their latest playoff game against the Habs.
12 D KABERLE, TOMAS 1 1 [b]21:10 [/b]28 00:45 03:46 00:00 [b]17:24 [/...
PickDaddy writes...
Seabrook Back in Lineup; Canucks Game Plan: HEAD SHOTS
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Rumour is that Seabrook will be in the Hawks' lineup tonight.
With two players coming off concussion I am sure we all know what the Canucks' game plan will be. They will probably keep doing what they are doing - taking cheap shots, trying to hurt people and specifically targeting the heads of players who have concussion issues.
Game 3 - Torres went directly after Sea...
For Leafs fans, Mike Komisarek is the new Bryan McCabe. To an extent at least. He is an overpaid defensemen who really can't play defence really well. To be fair, that isn't really true. He's had his good years, and was one of the more solid shutdown d-men in the NHL until Lucic messed him up. But you think he'd be healthy by now. It's been two and a half years since the i...
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...
I know I haven't really spoke up on here all season but I am now. I'm sick of both teams whining about each other. Both teams have been dealt some bad breaks and some uneven and/or make up calls. When it comes right down to it, it doesn't matter.
The Flyers can whine all they want about games 1 and 5 and being over penalized but the fact is that they didn't score a...
There’s no reason you shouldn’t be excited for Game seven on Tuesday in Philadelphia. Yes, the Sabres had a chance to finish off the Flyers Sunday afternoon in Buffalo, but blew yet a another two goal lead this season.
Flashback to December, when the Sabres were 10 points out of a playoff spot and struggling to string together wins. If you would have told me that th...
Many of us, including myself, have recovered from the devastating loss that took place in HSBC Arena on Sunday evening. From what I have gathered, it sounds like Lindy Ruff and the Sabres are more ready than ever to disappoint Flyers fans on Tuesday night.
Derek Roy expects to play, and says he is 100 percent ready.
“Its great. I’ve put in a lot of hard work. Its...
The Penguins are [b]TOAST[/b].
I'm as big a fan as anyone...and I desperately want them to win Game 7 on Wednesday night...but my gut tells me this series is [b]OVER[/b].
After watching them get outscored 12-4 and outplayed by almost the same amount in games 5 and 6, there is nothing I see that tells me this team will win game 7.
Without Sid and Geno...with a rece...
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...
Conroy might be able to provide two Flames players with some perspective this offseason. Come read more at the Sports Roundup!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/05/craig-conroy-common-denominator-for.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
It's 15 minutes to game time, and we know more about how Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan than what's up with Flyers' defenseman Chris Pronger.
Apparently, Pronger is not playing tonight's pivotal Game 2 as the Flyers try to even things with the Bruins before the series shifts to Boston. Asked why by a reporter before the game, GM Paul Holmgren reportedly said "Th...
Despite Peter Laviolette's proclamation that the pressure is now on Boston, those of us based in reality understand the Flyers are truly feeling the heat of an 0-2 hole as the Eastern Conference semifinals shift to Beantown.
This is very different from last year. In 2010, the Flyers were taking an 0-2 deficit to Philadelphia, not on the road. On top of that, they were g...
A year ago it was different. A year ago there were three hotly contested games, a goaltender the Flyers appeared able to score on, and a certain will and determination cast after months of scrapping their way into the playoffs.
Last night, after two goals before the ice had a chance to start melting, we're left with a different impression. The Philadelphia Flyers are a ...
Should I buy a broom? The overhyped Philadelphia Flyers who are allergic to solid goaltending are on the brink of getting swept out of the second round. Now, the analysts will tell you they saw it coming to where the diehard fan might say different.
Me?
Once the league figured out BOB, the Flyers were doomed. Boosh is solid back up but not one to carry the load....
TheSabresTaco writes...
Taco Time - Adding double meat to the offseason!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Well, it was inevitable. Any legit Sabres fan knew our biggest flaws running into these playoffs. Sure, we didn't have our "#1" center in Derek Roy, we had an injured Tim Connolly, Brad Boyes; who shouldn't ever play center, Robbie Neidermeyer, and Paul Gaustad up the middle. Compare that to Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Danny Briere, and Blaire Betts (a less talented Goose)...
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
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Rob McGowan writes...
Have The Islanders Finally Gotten Their New Arena?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 5
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
Follow me on Twitter!
http:/...
The Flames new manager actually only has a few things to take care of and any credible G.M. should be able to get these things done.
Let’s touch on the G.M. bit for a second first. The fact Feaster hasn’t been anointed the holy one speaks to the probability of at least a due diligence search for a G.M. That search could involve Jim Nill, the assistant in Detroit. Le...
The Morweena Miracle – By Ty Dilello
A Google search of Morweena, Manitoba does not tell you much. It is a small Mennonite village just outside of Arborg and about 150 kilometers north of Winnipeg with a population of around 150. It is also home to James Reimer, the very humble goaltender who led a late season charge that almost sent the Toronto Maple Leafs to the pl...
Now that two rounds are complete and we're off and running with the Conference Finals, it seems an opportune time to start mapping out the early favorites for this season's Conn Smythe Trophy winner. This year may be one of the most challenging to predict in the early going. Many of the best individual performers so far have already been eliminated, while many of the to...
Glencross took a hometown discount to stay on a team and in a city that he is comfortable with. Also, Feaster is officially the team's GM. Read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/05/flames-sign-glencross-and-make-feaster.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Rob McGowan writes...
Right Now Commitment Is Key For The New York Islanders
Posted Monday | Comments 6
Check out my latest post discussing which RFA the Islanders should look to sign next as well as a recent run-in with an ex-Islanders defenseman.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/right-now-commitment-key-new-york-islanders
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Since Jay Feaster was announced the active g.m. as opposed to the acting g.m. and a major contract was just signed in Curtis Glencross I decided it was about time to focus...on the draft. Feaster said this is Tod Button's draft which makes me think he had less input than we may have realized previously, in addition the Flames have had their new amateur scouts on the ground...
Looking back on the season, there are so many memorable moments, but we’ve created a list of the top 10 games of the season for your viewing pleasure. Take a look and let us know what you think.
Click below to continue reading:
[url]http://sabreshockeycentral.com/2011/05/19/top-10-games-of-the-year/[/url]
With the goaltending of Ryan Miller and Jhonas Enroth, they helped provide some great saves during the regular and post-season. Compiled, is the top 10 saves from this past year, Starting with #10 then working down to #1. Enjoy!
Click here to check out the countdown:
[url]http://sabreshockeycentral.com/2011/05/20/saves-of-the-year/[/url]
The move of the Thrashers to Winnipeg is all but complete at this point. Since this would mean one more team in the Western Conference than in the Eastern Conference, a division realignment is due.
Instead of taking my preference into this process, I decided to take two objective approaches. The first method I tried to have each division only include one time zone and w...
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #11[/b][/u]
1. I was drafted in the first round of the 1984 Entry Draft by a Canadian team.
2. I’ve played over 1200 NHL games with 6 different teams.
3. I won the Memorial Cup with the Ottawa 67’s.
4. I had one 50-goal season and one 40-goal season, both with the same team.
5. I won the Stanley Cup with the team that drafted me.
6. ...
This coming summer is going to be a big one for the Buffalo Sabres. With many fans expecting big changes due to the ownership change and a year that fell short of expectations it will be interesting to see what Darcy Regier has up his sleeve.
With a bigger bankroll and a somewhat improved team image, the idea would be to draw some bigger name free agents. Fans are also ...
On Tuesday, (May 31st, 2011) the NHL announced that the Atlanta Thrashers were being bought by True North and that the new owners would be relocating the franchise to Winnipeg, Manitoba.
As someone who has enjoyed NHL hockey for more than three decades, having a franchise in Winnipeg is something I am strongly in favor of. But will it work this time?
Like a lot of ot...
icedog97 writes...
2012 Realignment: Detroit, Nashville, Columbus...Phoenix?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Yesterday Gary Bettman indicated he expects realignment for the 2012-13 NHL season.
With the new Winnipeg franchise playing in the Southeast during 2011-12, a distance of almost 1,300 miles from where the Thrashers played, realignment of this franchise is a necessity.
Since we aren't even finished with the Stanley Cup Finals for 2010-11 yet, I am a little surprised t...
"Going to Winnipeg!" But how long can it last this time. The Rev takes a harsh look at the reality of keeping hockey afloat in a very small market. Also, the Flames lost a coveted prospect in Tim Erixon, but did they even have a choice in the matter? Come to the Sports Roundup to read more on these two topics.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/06/welcome-to-winnipe...
It is the start of summer the flames have traded away a blue chip prospect and a 5th rounder for two 2nd round picks and from what I know of Roman Horak a career AHLer. we all know the prospect is Tim Erixon who's father Jan played for the Rangers his entire career racking up 57 goals and 216 points. Apparently the entire family loves the city and organization which meant ...
Mr. Pegula should take note on the recent news that True North will NOT retain Rick Dudley as their GM.
I truely believe Duds would be a great asset to the Sabres Organization. He has ties to the community as a former player & coach. He also still resides in the area. But the ties to the oraganization is not the main reason to hire him. Here are just a few reasons he sh...
I am a diehard Atlanta Thrashers fan (R.I.P. Icebirds) who now finds myself at a couple of crossroads. My team is gone and Atlanta will likely never get another opportunity to host the NHL in Atlanta again, though Eklund seems to think we do have a chance. While I'll always hold out hope that someone like Anson Carter, Tom Glavine or an unknown person gets a group togeth...
1. Kevin Cheveldayoff is believed to be winnipegs new gm
2. Pittsburgh Signed forward Nick Johnson to a one-year contract
3. Atlanta Fired general manager Rick Dudley.
4. Devin Setoguchi was the subject of various trade scenarios over the course of this past season, prompting further speculation that his future with San Jose might be in jeopardy.
5. Florida Panthers G...
Willie Wilts writes...
LEAFS – Richards or Stamkos Possibility? Is Vinny The Key?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The debate over where Dallas superstar center Brad Richards will play next season is heating up again after Richards basically said goodbye to the Dallas fans via twitter Saturday night. Many teams are in the hunt for his services of course but the Leafs and Rangers were thought to be the front runners. That is until it became known Brad preferred to play in a less Media...
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...
Its coming close to draft and free agency time and it's time to bring up the age old question! Will the Leafs ever find their #1 centre they desperately need?
In this day and age its definetly hard to find that #1 centre via trade without giving up an abundance of youth and picks to get said player, but its not impossible. The Leafs have been linked to many #1 centre'...
[img]http://leafshq.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Brian_Burke.jpg[/img]
Its coming close to draft and free agency time and it's time to bring up the age old question! Will the Leafs ever find their #1 centre they desperately need?
In this day and age its definetly hard to find that #1 centre via trade without giving up an abundance of youth and picks to get said ...
LeafsFanInOTT writes...
Overlooked? 2011 NHL Entry Draft Preview: Shane Prince
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As the 2011 NHL Draft nears, hockey fans salivate at the thought of tomorrow’s stars donning their team’s jersey.
Obviously, the big names are out there for everyone, even the casual hockey fan, to see.
Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog, Adam Larsson, the names that have been talked about from day one of this season.
There are guys such as Jonathan ...
[img]http://cdn.nhl.com/oilers/images/upload/2008/08/tambellini_steve.jpg[/img]
The Edmonton Oilers hold the first overall pick and General Manager Steve Tambellini has publicly stated that he would move the pick if he got the best deal for his team. Do you think he should move this pick or should he stay the course and keep the pick?
I think if he gets a hell of ...
As we move closer to the draft, Brian Burke and Dave Nonis are working hard at keeping our team competative and the fans as a side effect are gleaming with hope and pride. James Reimer evoked something that sits inside all leafs fans and up until last year, had been lurking in the depths of our collective stomachs, waiting to be unleashed. As we sat and watched the relat...
johnkriegs writes...
Chris Drury bought out by Rags? Sabres look to improve.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Richards...
Well, as many of you know, Drury will likely be bought out by the Rangers to make room for Richards. And yes, the Rangers are the team that will sign Richards. I say there is 90% chance that that will happen. So good for the Rangers, another soon to be overpaid player on their team.
On the Sabres...
Now that means that Drury would beco...
It’s no secret that the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports. Any player will do whatever it takes to hoist it. That’s a proven fact given what has happened through the first four games of the series.
I’m tired of Canuck fans and Bruin fans complaining about the calls. It’s the FINALS! First off, I really don’t think the refs have ...
With just 2 or 3 games left to be played, it's fair to say that the battle for the Conn Smythe Trophy has been effectively narrowed down to 3 candidates. At this point, the winner will largely be determined by which team can win 2 more games.
Before we meet the candidates, let's review our history. Only 1 man in the last 20 years has won the award while playing for th...
Check out this interview at The Checking Line with New York Islanders forward Blake Comeau, as we discuss playoff hockey, the arena proposal and his off-season plans!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/one-one-blake-comeau
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Hey! I’m Justen and yes, I spelled my username wrong haha. I’ve been visiting HockeyBuzz.com for years now. Mostly to look for the newest GARTH blog to get my Sabres fix, and/or rummaging through the forums. I love talking Sabres hockey and I’m here to do just that.
After a Dismal 1st half of the year due to a Tallinder-less Tyler Myers, a Lydm...
Marinus1103 writes...
An improved NHL - a view from the other side of the Ocean..
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I have loved and followed hockey ever since the ´88 olympics in Calgary.. This is just the best game ever invented.
As a European fan - having lived only 1 year in Toronto - it is hard to get a proper connection and information feed on the most honourable and dynamic professional sports existing, although the internet has brought significant improvements with regards ...
I can't stand them. The other thing that pisses me off is that a lot of people in Calgary including a lot of the bars are supporting them. It makes me so angry but seeing them lose tonight was so great. Come read why here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/06/why-i-dont-like-canucks.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
After the Vancouver Canucks won the first two games of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup Finals, a lot of people were saying things like...
[b]The Canucks have too much talent...
The Canucks are the deeper team...
It's the Canucks year...
[/b]
It was difficult to argue against those comments because in both games it seemed that the Canucks just looked like the better team.
...
Another Positive step for the leafs offseason. Carl gunnersson being signed over the next two years helps us keep our young and talented blue line intact. The large and smooth skating defensmen has shown us all that he is capable of manning a number two power play unit and I look forward to watching him continue to grow.
Tommrow night or Tonight whatever the time is that your reading this wonderful blog Game 7 the final NHL game of the 2010-2011 season will happen. The Boston Bruins evened up the best of seven Stanley Cup series with a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
My feelings on the game are this I believe Vancouver is lucky to still be playing right now due to the fact that 2...
8 days remain to the start of the 2011 NHL entry draft and 2 weeks remain to the the opening of the NHL free agency period. Burke has defined the number one off-season priority as being a true no. 1 centre to play with Kessel. Ideally, come July 1st Brad Richards would don the blue and white and for years to come would be the set-up man to help Kessel reach his goal-scorin...
[u][b]NHL Who am I? #12[/b][/u]
1. I was drafted in the 2nd round in 1983.
2. I’ve won the Stanley Cup more than once.
3. I was involved in a 3-way trade with two ex-Leafs, but Toronto was not part of the deal.
4. I won my first Cup with the team that drafted me.
5. My brother was drafted by St. Louis. We played 1 year together.
6. I have won one major ind...
This summer will be a key time as the Toronto Maple Leafs strive to break a drought that has seen them absent from the past six consecutive post seasons. The farm has been rejuvenated with the likes of Greg McKegg, Jesse Blacker, Jake Gardiner and Joe Colborne joining top prospect Nazem Kadri. However, the Leafs remain without a number one play making center and are still ...
In the 2009-2010 season, Tampa Bay Lightning was having a hard time. After their magical cup run in 03-04 they just never found their magic again. Making it once to the playoffs but losing in the first round, then missing the playoffs for the next three seasons. Finishing in last, 2nd last, and 6th last in the following three seasons. Something had to be done. Owner...
The draft week is starting off with good news already, the cap is being raised by close to five million for next season and with that the floor is also being raised as well. This has a two fold benefit for our Flames, first it gives the team breathing room to make some important signings or at least be able to pursue one major free agent July first. The second benefit woul...
Artyukhin76 writes...
An uneducated, one-sided, fan(atic)s opinion of the Bolts
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Well, to the one person that will read this post, take it for what it's worth (not much). There has been allot of talk about what the Lightning roster will look like next season so for giggles I thought, like everyone else to put forth my 2 cents. These are the guys i believe we should retain in order to continue to compete.
Steve Stamkos - This signing is as easy (and ...
The Calgary Tower is back! Well it never really left, but you know what I mean. Karlsson re-signed with the Flames for another two years today. Read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Whenever I hear someone mention the name Jaromir Jagr with regard to the Penguins, one of two images pops into my head:
Most of the time it's the 1992 Stanley Cup Final game 1 goal he scored against the Chicago Blackhawks. The one where he weaved his way through players from the half wall to the net and scored on Eddie Belfour.
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha...
Last season, the word around the NHL was that the 2011 draft class would be the weakest one of the past ten years. Now? NHL GMs are saying this draft is deep, and is even drawing comparisons to the famed 2003 draft. This mock draft was much harder to put together than the one I did last year because of the amount of players that have a chance to go in the first round. Low ...
I’m going to put these up for fun and feel free to rip me a new one but in my fantasy g.m. brain here is what I would do given what the Flames have to work with right now. Erixon going to the Rangers for two 2nd round picks changed the game because now they have all of the picks they would have anyway, if there was a silver lining to that fiasco this is it. So armed with...
Well only 1 day until the draft and there is alot of speculation on who the habs should draft.
In my opinion it's time to go after that illusive big power forward. With the 17th overall pick, the habs should be able to find a good solid power forward with the draft as deep as it is this year. I know montreal's theory is take the best player available, I say let's take the...
What a day for hockey fans! Regehr could be headed to Buffalo if he agrees to waive his no trade clause. What does this mean for the Flames? Come to TSR to read more:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/06/bye-bye-birdie-robyn-on-his-way-out-of.html
Newman
twitter/TSRNewman
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...
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...
Anyone remember the Comcast Sportsnet commercial with Flyers Beat Writer Tim Panaccio and a Flyer Fan? The fan cuts off Panaccio and begins to blab nonsense, "The Flyers are an F5 tornado" he says. That is an understatement today as the Flyers not only shocked Flyerdom, but also the entire NHL as well. The Flyers began to turn heads when they announced that they had tr...
MikeInSauga writes...
Mock Draft - All Thirty Selections The Night Before
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
THis is before any trades occur with the first 30 picks.
1. Edmonton - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
2. Colorado - Gabriel Landeskog
3. Florida - Adam Larsson
4. New Jersey- Jonathan Huberdeau
5. New York Islanders - Ryan Strome
6. Ottawa - Sean Couturier
7. Winnipeg - Dougie Hamilton
8. Philadelphia (via Colombus) - Ryan Murphy
9. Boston (via Toronto) - Nathan Beaulie...
due to the high possability of some trades that could occur between today and july here are some trades that are possible.
Robyn Regehr to Buffalo
Great story here Robyn gets an opportunity to leave Calgary for the good of the team and goes to become one of the best defensemen in the league in Buffalo
Zach Parise to Toronto
Brian Burke and Lou Lameriello have been...
Personnally I don't feel that the leafs have missed out on Carter or Richards, neither player are the type of guy that any of us thought we needed. While both are very talented Richards is unpredictable and is still prone to taking terrible penaltied at bad times that hurt his team in late stages of the game and in the playoffs, and Carter is as pure a sniper as Kessel is...
What Holmgren did was not to simply create salary cap room. One does not trade the faces of his franchise in order to lock up a new goalie. The Flyers could have kept both of the players they traded away yesterday afteroon and signed Ilya Bryzgalov to the same contract and made the numbers work by moving other players.
He chose to change not just the face of his hockey ...
Happy Friday!
As anticipation grows with the looming draft tonight, like most Leafs fans, I'm hopeful that big Burke can live up to his reputation and pull the trigger on a trade that will shed the limelight on the city that eats, sleeps and lives the Leafs!
In wandering my way through the many credible tweeters today, it doesn't appear there is much life to many r...
Brent Burns and his Zoo will be moving from the snowy confines of Minnesota to the sandy paradise of California but he will be leaving the Wild with a kings ransom of picks and players for his services.
First off I absolutely love this trade. Chuck Fletcher took a highly skilled, albeit erratic player in Brent Burns on an expiring contract and turned him into a Top 6 fo...
MikeInSauga writes...
Combining the Kessel and Kaberle Deals. Who Wins?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Both trade calls went through and both were accepted. But with some of those draft picks in today's draft, these trades weren't completed done until today. And so, with the players picked, who wins? First, it needs too be summarized:
To Boston :
Tomas Kaberle
Jared Knight
Tyler Segiun
Dougie Hamilton
To Toronto:
John-Michael Liles
Tyler Biggs
Phil Kessel
Joe ...
Today, I read Eklund's 3:46am post about the salary floor. He talks about teams struggling to get to the salary floor and how an unmovable salary like Brian Campbell's was able to be moved to Florida, since Florida needs to get to the floor.
I must say, it amazes me at how poorly some of these teams manage the cap. Tallon in Florida just doesn't get it. Edmonton seems...
Today, I read Eklund's 3:46am post about the salary floor. He talks about teams struggling to get to the salary floor and how an unmovable salary like Brian Campbell's was able to be moved to Florida, since Florida needs to get to the floor.
I must say, it amazes me at how poorly some of these teams manage the cap. Tallon in Florida just doesn't get it. Edmonton seems...
[img]http://i54.tinypic.com/64kvn8.jpg[/img]
I just finnish-ed(get it?) watching the Sabres recent first round draft pick Joel Armia of the Finnish Elite League, meet the media. A few answers to questions he had really kind of irked me:
Q: “Do you get much exposure to the NHL in Finland?
JA: “No, not much”
Q: “Do you know much about the Buffalo Sabres?”...
This is my first post on HockeyBuzz, so most of you probably won't see it, but I just wanted a place to speak my mind about Philadelphia hockey. So here it goes:
Not many people were shocked when the Flyers shipped out Jeff Carter. The same can't be said for that of Mike Richards. Two of the Flyers elite players gone, but Paul Holmgren did know what he was doing...
This blog may come too soon, we may still see a Ryan Smyth trade, we may see more signings or we may even see a new assistant G.M.
To Summarize the weekend I think we have to break it down into a few different categories. They are the Draft itself, the trades, Smyth, and Tanguay's Contract.
The Draft: I do not think anyone really thinks Bartschi at 13 was a bad pick,...
puck-off writes...
Why isn't the jets logo on the top of either NHL.com or HB
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I guess it's too expensive to make the changes in these crappy economic times!
puck-off writes...
Why isn't the jets logo on the top of either NHL.com or HB
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I guess it's too expensive to make the changes in these crappy economic times!
Check out my coverage of this year's Islanders activity at the NHL Entry Draft with a look at 5th overall pick Ryan Strome and more!
http://t.co/T1muBIv
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
It's a hot topic.
Apparently there's a major realignment coming thanks to the move to Winnipeg.
4 divisions, 7 in two divisions (in the West), 8 in the other two (in the East).
How do you think it'd look?
I have it:
[b]Western Conference[/b]
[u]Gretzky Division[/u]
Vancouver
Calgary
Edmonton
San Jose
Anaheim
Los Angeles
Phoenix* (But for how long.....
Since the NHL's departure from Atlanta to Winnipeg the question has been on everyone's mind as to how the New divisions would look. That answer has been put off one year by the NHL, as the Winnipeg Jets will be playing in the SOUTHeast division with the likes of Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington.
There have been rumors floating around about a new 4 division ...
Robyn is gone. Tanguay is back and the Flames no longer have to worry about Ales Kotalik sucking it up on the ice. Come to TSR where I look at what the impact of the both the trade and the signing mean to the Flames
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/06/regehr-traded-and-tanguay-signs.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Read the latest at The Checking Line with updates from Micheal Haley, Travis Hamonic and Matt Moulson as to their thoughts on Ryan Strome and what they have planned for the summer!
http://t.co/B1X18Ae
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
P.S. I apologize for the multiple posts of the Strome article, my browser was not working properly.
Since the NHL's departure from Atlanta to Winnipeg the question has been on everyone's mind as to how the New divisions would look. That answer has been put off one year by the NHL, as the Winnipeg Jets will be playing in the SOUTHeast division with the likes of Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington.
There have been rumors floating around about a new 4 division ...
This may be the busiest week of the year for General Manager Ray Shero. He still has a lot to do before Christmas in July begins this Friday. One thing that we just found out a few hours ago is that Shero did not offer winger Tyler Kennedy a Qualifying Offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent this Friday. I am happy with this move, or lack thereof, because ...
jeffgreig writes...
Can there really be a "HUGE" free agent landing in Toronto
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I don't believe that there will be any "HUGE" signing this summer from Brian Burke. I believe that perhaps Andy Mac may be an option, but is he available? Mr Augello wrote that he would be a nice fit, I also think that Andy would be a great fit. Not only would he be a relative bargain due to injuries, but he could actually end up being the type of guy that Kessel needs...
The addition of Mike Richards has made the Kings tougher up the middle, but the loss of Simmonds leaves a void to an already thin area on the team: Toughness. The Kings lack the kind of toughness that will enable them to go far in the playoffs.
Dean Lombardi needs to bring in an animal to play on the back-end, a tough forward willing to drop the gloves to fill in for...
I’ve read some blog posts recently and the replies them that seem to indicate a strong feeling that the Flames have no prospects, that other teams have youth on their side and seem to imply that the Flames are destined to be a last place team. There are a couple things to look at here, are the Flames really that old? Do they really have no prospects?
Of the players si...
For a few weeks now many Penguin fans have been discussing and debating the possible return of Jaromir Jagr to the Penguins.
Some people don't see the point in signing a 39 year old who hasn't played in the NHL for 3 seasons to a $3M contract (word on the street).
I look at the recent signing of Brooks Laich to a 6 year, $27M contract by the Washington Capitals as mo...
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 ...
There are only two days until the Free Agency period begins and one of the most highly touted players in hockey is yet to be signed. Tonight at 5 pm ET marks the time where teams may begin negotiating with other clubs’ RFA’s, although offer sheets cannot be officially submitted until Friday. Until this week, I was extremely hesitant regarding the idea that Steven Stamk...
This is my first blog.
There, now that's out of the way down to business.
Edmonton Oilers...
The news on the possibility of the Oilers acquiring Cam Barker intrigues me. This former 3rd overall selection of the Chicago Blackhawks has had some injury troubles but is young and I believe he was not put into a big enough role in Minnie or Chicago. His 1yr 3mill. contra...
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...
The drum roll will have to wait, well, because we are all still waiting. Jaromir Jagr has had travel problems and the decision will have to wait until tomorrow. There is all kinds of speculation running rampant about what happened to Jagr. Some are saying he missed his flight. Some are saying there were turtles on the runway which caused his flight to be delayed. No o...
Retirements
Todd Marchant-18 Seasons
Paul Kariya-15 Seasons
Islanders/Buffalo---Ehrhoff for 4th round pick.
Buffalo/Blackhawks---Steve Montador for conditional seventh round pick
!!!!DRURY IS A UFA!!!!
TOP NEWS!
Ehrhoff to Sabres
Rights to Talbot given to “everyone”
Richards to NYR?
Villie Leino back to Philly or LA?
Scottie Upshall to NYI?
...
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...
Jagr Watch is officially out of hand if you ask me. I do not have anything against Jaromir Jagr for taking time to make what he feels is the best career move. I do have a problem with all of the false news stories. As of right now, it seems as if Jaromir has not given any indication of which team he would like to play for next year. He wants to make the perfect decisio...
Lost in Jagrwatch, is Ray Shero mismanaging assets. I am still lost as to why, he did not tender offer Tyler Kennedy allowing him a fast track to UFA status. If they tendered the offer, TK would file for arbitration, and then they would have until Aug to sign him. If they lost the arbitration, they could chose to walk away and in turn get a compensatory pick in the upcomi...
Well I think we have to lead off one last time talking about Jaromir Jagr. He signed a 1 year deal for $3.3 million with the rival Philadelphia Flyers. At first, I was very upset. I am 20 years old and I played hockey my entire life. Jaromir Jagr was my childhood idle and I wanted nothing more than to watch him play in a Penguins' jersey one last time. I wanted the Pe...
Rob McGowan writes...
Isles Get Reasonable, Sign Marty Reasoner to Two Year Deal
Posted Friday | Comments 9
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
I think the sabres had a great day and week, with the singings of erhoff,lenio and adding regier. Yes the sabres may have over payed lenio but I say oh well. At least Pagula is adding people. Now the sabres have too look for a play makeing center. There are not many options as for free agency but they can trade for there guy. I think Joe Pavelski is a great option he is ru...
SabreHess writes...
Sabres add Leino, re-up McCormick....Ehrhoff Thoughts
Posted Friday | Comments 0
With the handcuffs off Darcy Regier is proving to be resourceful and more aggressive than myself and most Sabres fans have ever given him credit for. Signing Ehrhoff was a great move to add a durable blueline presence who can command the Sabres PP until Myers or Gragnani is ready and chip in 30-35 assists for the next decade. People are complaining about the term of the ...
[b]On Richie:[/b]
Anyone who says anything about Mike Richards' play or leadership hasn't watched enough Flyers hockey, especially in the past two seasons. The man will be sorely missed, regardless of what you want to say now that he's gone.
He was easily one of the best two way forwards in hockey, and Los Angeles gets him at that all-too-cheap 5.4 million dollar cap ...
[img:right]http://www.nhlhockeyportal.com/edmontonoilers/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/EdmontonOILERSlogo.gif[/img]
[b]On Friday, I though there was going to be little or no signing by the Oilers turned out that the Oilers were one of the busyer teams. As I was listening to alot of the Brad Richard crap on TSN the Oilers were busy making there team better. He is what...
What a day free agency frenzy must have been for Mikael Backlund hey? With a nine year offer for Brad Richards on the table the flames affectively told Backlund that they did not believe he has the potential to be a number one center. There are a glut of centers but Backlund seemed to have an edge looking at training camp. Langkow is older, hasn't really played on a year a...
Ok, I've finally gathered my thoughts since the huge trade from a week ago. Every blogger is mentioning it over and over, but everyone knows what it is so I won't repeat myself nor make you read it again.
There are a lot of things I want to go over with Free Agency and there are some things I'd like to clear up for what seems to be a "pissed off" Flyerdom.
First we�...
What a choice to have to make. I believe that if this combo would get Stamkos to Toronto it would get done immediately. I love Luke Schenn and would dearly miss watching him grow into the player he is already close to being. That being said, players like Stamkos don't come along very often, and when there is an opportunity to add one then you do it. Burke has said he does...
So...Tomas or not Tomas? No, I'm not a headline writer for NHL.com or the guy who titles episodes of The Simpsons (I'm convinced they are the same person, go ahead prove me wrong). I'm just a man trying to answer what is really the last remaining big question surrounding the 2011-2012 edition of the Boston Bruins. In a recent Boston Globe poll, over 67% of people indicated...
[img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/flames/images/upload/2011/07/109844431.jpg[/img]
Today Calgary finally managed to land defenceman [b]Anton Babchuk[/b] back in a 2 year contract worth $2.5 million per year. It is believed that this negotiation was stalled until now because Calgary was trying to keep Cap room for Brad Richards. Saturday night news spread of New York Rangers si...
Most have lauded the Sabres organization over the past few days for recognizing they weren't going to land Brad Richards and immediately snatching the next best playmaker on the open market in Ville Leino. In terms of ability the Sabres are upgrading their forward corps by adding a solid two way player with soft hands, great vision, and proven playoff performance. Howeve...
I’ve heard both sides of the argument about Babchuck. Is he worth 2.5 million a year? Is he the minus 4 player in Carolina or the plus 14 player in Calgary? Is he defensively sound? One of the most compelling arguments I have heard that is that Babchuck played sheltered minutes, Kent Wilson of flamesnation.com brought this up first.
I think what that basically means ...
The Flames decided not to go ballistic this weekend and probably for the best. Feaster, I thought, made some sound moves and really good non-moves. Come read my thoughts and remember to follow me on Twitter:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/07/non-moves-flames-strategy.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
As Burke finishes signing the remaining RFAs, it has come to the attention of many fans that the Leafs are slowly developing a surplus of bodies on both forward and defense. Hypothetically, if the season started tomorrow, the Leafs project line-up could look like this:
Lupul – Connolly – Kessel
MacArthur – Grabovski – Kulemin
Kadri – Bozak – Armstrong
Orr...
As Burke finishes signing the remaining RFAs, it has come to the attention of many fans that the Leafs are slowly developing a surplus of bodies on both forward and defense. Hypothetically, if the season started tomorrow, the Leafs project line-up could look like this:
Lupul – Connolly – Kessel
MacArthur – Grabovski – Kulemin
Kadri – Bozak – Armstrong
Orr...
As Burke finishes signing the remaining RFAs, it has come to the attention of many fans that the Leafs are slowly developing a surplus of bodies on both forward and defense. Hypothetically, if the season started tomorrow, the Leafs project line-up could look like this:
Lupul – Connolly – Kessel
MacArthur – Grabovski – Kulemin
Kadri – Bozak – Armstrong
Orr...
TonyFerrari16 writes...
My First Blog! Me, Toronto, Optimism and outlook on the NHL!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Hello to all hockey fans that read this blog and any of my future blogs! I am a student of Hockey! I have been a hockey fan since the day I was conceived! (I know it sounds impossible but I came out in a Leafs sweater!) I play pick up, mostly because I was never good enough to actually play and couldn't afford to play when I was a child. I love the sport. I am new to ...
jeffgreig writes...
Steve Simmons vs. Brian Burke and other neat things
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Is it just me or does everything that Steve Simmons say sound the same? Further more everything he writes seems to directly involve Brian Burke's innability to get the hockey team into the playoffs. I honestly don't believe that there is a less intelligent and more negative individual in the Toronto media. The questions this guy asks are irrelavent and offending, only S...
I keep reading about the hoopla that is sorrounding him and I have to ask myself some important questions. The first one being, is he really as good as the numbers say he is or is he the benefactor of having St. Louis, Lecavalier, and this year Gagne already on his team? Is he really the man on the Tampa Bay roster or is he part of the bigger entity? The Flyers had somethi...
goleafsgo17 writes...
Who Do You Want/Think Will Be The Leafs #1 Center.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I'm aware that this may be a bit too early in discussing this but, for arguments sake let's talk about this subject anyway.
Right now the leafs currently have 5 centers on their main roster with Bozak, Grabovski, Connolly, Lombardi and Boyce(RFA). Unless Something changes, such as Boyce not being resigned by the leafs and/or a trade of one of those 5, these players are ...
goleafsgo17 writes...
Who Do You Want/Think Will Be The Leafs #1 Center.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I'm aware that this may be a bit too early in discussing this but, for arguments sake let's talk about this subject anyway.
Right now the leafs currently have 5 centers on their main roster with Bozak, Grabovski, Connolly, Lombardi and Boyce(RFA). Unless Something changes, such as Boyce not being resigned by the leafs and/or a trade of one of those 5, these players are ...
goleafsgo17 writes...
Who Do You Want/Think Will Be The Leafs #1 Center.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I'm aware that this may be a bit too early in discussing this but, for arguments sake let's talk about this subject anyway.
Right now the leafs currently have 5 centers on their main roster with Bozak, Grabovski, Connolly, Lombardi and Boyce(RFA). Unless Something changes, such as Boyce not being resigned by the leafs and/or a trade of one of those 5, these players are ...
goleafsgo17 writes...
Who Do You Want/Think Will Be The Leafs #1 Center.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I'm aware that this may be a bit too early in discussing this but, for arguments sake let's talk about this subject anyway.
Right now the leafs currently have 5 centers on their main roster with Bozak, Grabovski, Connolly, Lombardi and Boyce(RFA). Unless Something changes, such as Boyce not being resigned by the leafs and/or a trade of one of those 5, these players are ...
goleafsgo17 writes...
Who Do You Want/Think Will Be The Leafs #1 Center.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I'm aware that this may be a bit too early in discussing this but, for arguments sake let's talk about this subject anyway.
Right now the leafs currently have 5 centers on their main roster with Bozak, Grabovski, Connolly, Lombardi and Boyce(RFA). Unless Something changes, such as Boyce not being resigned by the leafs and/or a trade of one of those 5, these players are ...
goleafsgo17 writes...
Who Do You Want/Think Will Be The Leafs #1 Center.
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=112991Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:14:37 -0400
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=11507
I'm aware that this may be a bit too early in discussing this but, for arguments sake let's talk about this subject anyway.
Right now the leafs currently have 5 centers on their main roster with Bozak, Grabovski, Connolly, Lombardi a...
You know, I’ve been pretty quiet during the whole Stamkos fiasco. If I were to don an NHL jersey it would be of the blue and white variety, but I try to keep a level head when projecting where the Leafs will go with respect to trades, free agency, draft etc. Burke has clearly upgraded over last year’s squad already. With the addition of Connolly at center and the wh...
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
[img]http://oi52.tinypic.com/scrjvm.jpg[/img]
February 22nd will be remembered by Sabre fans as the day the Terry Pegula bought the Buffalo Sabres. Tom Galisano turned over the key to HSBC arena along with a key for a cage that held his poodle, Darcy Regier. Pegula unlocked the cage and out came a charging, foaming from the mouth, Cujo. Mr. Pegula then gave his new pet...
The Devils are yet to hire a coach.
Most fans and experts say (including Eklund) Michael Therrien will become the coach.
But Ken Hitchcock former Flyer coach is a HIGH possibility as well.
NOW PARISE....
Parise, the Devils organization, and the fans all together would love to avoid arbitration.
I think Parise and the Devils will avoid it and will come up w...
The canadiens have aquiered defensemen Mark Mitera in return of mathieu Carle on friday.
Mitera 24 played 71 games with the Crunch last season picking up 22 points (6 goals 16 assists) with 50 penalty minutes. Mitera 6'3 has played 108 regular season games in the american league selected by the ducks 19th overall in the 2006 draft. Carle also drafted in 2006 53rd overall...
Check out what's new at The Checking Line to read about the Islanders prospect scrimmage which included Kirill Kabanov, Nino Niederreiter and Ryan Strome's highlight reel breakaway goal
http://thecheckingline.com/node/4353
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
Hey all,
Now, I realize that with a bit of common sense and realistic expectations it's pretty easy to take a stab at what the Leafs will look like next season. Yet I frequently see people making odd guesses/ projections for the team to then defend themselves till their blue in the face...
So I'm just going to write down the lines I believe most likely to be put out...
LIGHTNING AGREE TO TERMS WITH FORWARD STEVEN STAMKOS
Leading Goal-Scorer Returns to Bolts with Five-Year Contract
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have agreed to terms with restricted free agent Steven Stamkos on a five-year contract today, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced.
“Steven is extremely important to this franchise an...
Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood retired today after 17 seasons in the NHL. Now comes what is sure to be a great and very hostile arguement over Osgoods hall of fame chances. I will give you all my opinion at the end of this blog but I am going to make a list of reasons why he should be in the hall of fame and reasons he should not be. Without further ado here are the ...
The Calgary Flames have made some small moves in the last week or so. But were they good moves and moves they really needed to make? Come over to TSR and read more
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/07/calgary-flames-in-july.html
Also remember to follow me on Twitter at: @TSRNewman
Newman
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 ...
Is a team about ownership or the fans? This question on if the Jets will honour the jersey numbers retired before them is perplexing in my mind.
If the team came back as The Winnipeg Storm or the Winnipeg Mosquitos (trust me they are terrifying) then I could see why they wouldn’t honour the old Jets. Winnipeg people loved their Jets so much any other name would have b...
Okay so there seems to be a general panic in Leafs' Nation. From what I understand, this has been cause by the Leafs' inability to acquire a first line centreman. With the likes of Brad Richards and Steven Stamkos no longer available, the monkey working the big red panic button now has to work overtime. But what is Toronto didn't NEED a top line centreman? It now seems mor...
Okay so there seems to be a general panic in Leafs' Nation. From what I understand, this has been cause by the Leafs' inability to acquire a first line centreman. With the likes of Brad Richards and Steven Stamkos no longer available, the monkey working the big red panic button now has to work overtime. But what is Toronto didn't NEED a top line centreman? It now seems mor...
What if there was never an 87 in black and gold? How would that team shape up? What if the Ducks won the lottery and chose Sidney Crosby? Can you imagine Sid with a Ducks' sweater on his back? What would the Penguins look like today?
The Penguins would obviously be a very different team. They would not be nearly as good but to be honest, but they would still be a g...
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...
Lately, I have been hearing that there is a good chance Hemsky could be dealt in the next few days. However, it is not to the teams you have been hearing about. I have been hearing that Winnipeg is high on Hemsky and believe his injuries the past couple of years have just been flukes. If this deal goes down, it could look something like this:
Oilers- Hemsky
Winnipeg-...
Lately, I have been hearing that there is a good chance Hemsky could be dealt in the next few days. However, it is not to the teams you have been hearing about. I have been hearing that Winnipeg is high on Hemsky and believe his injuries the past couple of years have just been flukes. If this deal goes down, it could look something like this:
Oilers- Hemsky
Winnipeg-...
Lately, I have been hearing that there is a good chance Hemsky could be dealt in the next few days. However, it is not to the teams you have been hearing about. I have been hearing that Winnipeg is high on Hemsky and believe his injuries the past couple of years have just been flukes. If this deal goes down, it could look something like this:
Oilers- Hemsky
Winnipeg-...
Lately, I have been hearing that there is a good chance Hemsky could be dealt in the next few days. However, it is not to the teams you have been hearing about. I have been hearing that Winnipeg is high on Hemsky and believe his injuries the past couple of years have just been flukes. If this deal goes down, it could look something like this:
Oilers- Hemsky
Winnipeg-...
With an 82 game schedule this upcoming season for the young Colorado Avalanche here is a look at the big showdowns heading into the 2011-2012 season. As always games will become more important throughout the season based on standings and previous meetings between the clubs.
If you see another stellar tilt on the calendar add some reasons why fans should mark it down and...
The Northeast Division has an impressive crop of young defensemen that are about to enter into their prime. Spearheaded by Tyler Myers, P.K. Subban, Luke Schenn, and Erik Karlsson, and they likely will be joined by Dougie Hamilton in another year or two. There has been much debate as to which one of these guys is the best rearguard, but i'm going to keep this strictly ab...
So you are a Jets fan, good, so am I.
Even though I have some issues with some of their players, Winnipeg is my second home.
But I want to know what you think about the Jets going after homegrown talent.
Anyone that has spent some time in Winnipeg in the winter knows what is in store, something that can only be compared to in an NHL city by the name of Edmonton (...
So you are a Jets fan, good, so am I.
Even though I have some issues with some of their players, Winnipeg is my second home.
But I want to know what you think about the Jets going after homegrown talent.
Anyone that has spent some time in Winnipeg in the winter knows what is in store, something that can only be compared to in an NHL city by the name of Edmonton (...
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...
Not sure if some of you realize this but Buffalo and Washington are over the NHL's cap limit.
Buffalo is over the cap by $3,595,357. Already an exorbitant number, it will more than likely go up since they still have yet to sign defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani. Gragnani made $500,000 last season so you could expect some sort of raise. This would put Buffalo above $4 milli...
Maple Leafs fans we are just a few weeks from training camp, thats right Leafs Nation just a few weeks away from September and another run by our beloved Buds to end this playoff misery that we having been suffering from since the end of the lockout.
The Leafs have made a few changes from the club that ended the season in April:
In: Tim Connolly, Matthew Lombardi, Co...
Stats. Is it just me or are they getting out of hand? I have read more and more articles dealing with “adjusted corsi” dealing with zone starts and different line mate combinations etc lately. I do think there is a place for all stats however all stats are subjective to the million variables that go into an average day in this world. Stats will never tell a whole story...
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...
I have a few predictions, some realistic, some fun and outlandish, for the Leafs from now till the end of next season.
Enjoy!
1) Komisarek is gone, he will be traded. If the asset is a 7th rounder in 2015 I think the Leafs accept, and someone will give up a 5th for this guy in next years draft.
2) Kadri will end up on a line with Kessel and Connolly and have 60 p...
Random Notes for all the junior buffs out there...
London traded up only to pass on Mikhail Grigorenko and instead pick up Finnish defender Olli Maatta 1st overall. Hey, if the Knights are doing it – it must be right.
Grigorenko drafted 2nd overall to the Quebec Remparts. This is a great primer for the young Russian leading into his draft year. CAN’T WAIT to ...
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.
...
I direct messaged Kent Wilson after I posted my last blog, not to pick a fight, but as a matter of congeniality in a blogosphere that seems to lack respect sometimes. Kent took the time to read my blog and respond in kind here: [url]http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/2011/07/31/common-misconceptions-about-statisitical-analysis/#more-28434[/url]
While I can appreciate his con...
Although I would not declare myself a regular blogger to the sport of hockey, I felt I should take advantage of what seemed to be a slight monopoly on the discussion of the Winnipeg Jets.
First of all I grew up as a Leafs fan and only have vauge rememberence of the old Jets cruising around in the NHL. But like many other Leaf fans being as disgruntled as we have become...
As we start to ramp up for another action packed NHL season we also start to see/hear the many couch experts (myself included) start offering their opinions and projections for the race to April and what it will bring. Who’s going to jump out early.. who’s going to suffer the xmas slump.. Who has all the pieces to go all the way? It is worth noting that it is always su...
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...
bamdoucet writes...
Predictions for 2011-2012 Standings ! Playoffs ! Trophy's !
Posted Tuesday | Comments 43
Might as well be a month ahead of everyone's blogs saying whose gonna finish where and whatnot...not like anyone cares, but this is for my own sake and something official when a team makes the playoffs that no one even considered, i might be the one who told u so and have it officially out there, but anyways, i say 50% of what im about to write will come true! if not, i wi...
I’ve always maintained my opinion is just that, an opinion. Sometimes this opinion break with traditional views, my views can sometimes elicit anger and emotional responses. To be honest there are times I play devil’s advocate just to get us thinking a different way and I invite this sort of response.
The latest couple blogs have had to do with my opposition to a F...
In my last blog i wrote about how i feel the NHL needs newer more innovative statistics and introduced my first new stat of the year the Shift Impact Percentage or SIP%. I'm not going to recap what the statistic is composed of, for that see my previous blog. Instead i'm going to delve right into the numbers and start applying the stat so we can start to gauge what is a g...
saneopinion writes...
2012 Flames Free Agent Targets/ Summer of change
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
For Flames fans ready for a change 2012 is a year to look forward to. No less than 10 current roster players will be unrestricted free agents in the 2012 season and the free agent pool as it stands has some pretty good depth to it. During the course of the season obviously trades happen, extensions could be signed and injuries could take a player out. The Flames will have ...
With Andrei Markov out of the lineup Montreal has struggled on the power play switching between who was scoring goals ( Camelleri, Subban, Wisniewski) they just couldn't get the puck in the net on the power play as much as they could have. With Markov coming back in the line up If he plays healthy and like he used to for Montreal look for Subban, Cammy, Plekanec goal cou...
TML: First off I expect Toronto to come around 9th or 10th in the east this year coming yet again shy of a playoff spot. The key factors in them Making the playoffs would be Kessel Getting 70+ points Grabovski getting 60+ and Clarke Macarthur getting 60+ points. Also some all star defense from Schenn and Phaneuf toronto might have a strong team . Complete this a...
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...
You guys are always good at these. I hope I can stump you for at least 3.5 seconds this time!
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #13[/b][/u]
1. I was drafted by an Original Six team.
2. I won 1 Stanley Cup in my career, with my hometown team.
3. I’ve had four 90-point seasons, but never scored more than 40 goals.
4. I only played for one U.S. franchise.
5. I signed with...
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...
Why so sad Flames fans?
The Flames have been reflecting on their season, hitting the golf course and lamenting on what could have been. It’s obvious to most Flames fans the Flames would have run rough shod over the playoff competition, especially the Canucks. Especially them.
Now we look forward on the next season but I sense from most of you a pessimism in lieu o...
Hello all. My name is Aarif Deen. I am currently a Junior studying at University of Michigan. My major is Broadcast Journalism and I'm minoring in Print Journalism. My main focus is hockey. My life long dream is to stand in front of a camera and talk hockey for living. Analyzing the great sport we all grew to love. My first step in reaching the dream is to get my nam...
saneopinion writes...
Dollar store of Hockey. Skill vs Pay- Does it matter?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The issue I feel we run into since the new collective bargaining agreement came into effect is that our internal G.M. often argues with the real life scenarios that take place.
I read trade ideas, in fact I am guilty of making them, and hear how simple it would be to fix this team. We Blame Sutter for quite a bit, maybe rightfully, but we also seem to forget what he did...
Following the Anaheim Ducks in line is the Atlanta Thrash... I mean Boston Bruins.
2011 Review:
Ladies and gentlemen! Your 2010-11 Stanley Cup Champions! No but seriously. Can anyone have a better ending to their season than the Stanley Cup Champions? The Bruins, similar to the Penguins two years ago went down 2-0 and 3-2 in the finals before ending it away from ho...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 3 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Buffalo Sabres Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.[/b]...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 4 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Calgary Flames Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.
[/...
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #14[/b][/u]
1. I was drafted by a Southeast Division team.
2. I have over 500 goals in my career.
3. I have played for 4 NHL teams.
4. I have won the same category at the Skills Competition twice.
5. I was traded to a Canadian team after 14 years with the team that drafted me.
6. I’m a two-time 50-goal scorer.
7. I scored 7 goals, incl...
Looking at the Edmonton Oilers roster and watching America's Got Talent gave me an idea. I have combined the two into one wicked blog posting. I will look at 3 acts on the Edmonton Oilers and view them from Howie, Sharon and Piers points of view imagining they know something about the game we love. Howie might have some knowledge based on his place of origin, but I don'...
The NHL is entering into its last season under the current collective bargaining agreement. The NBA has currently locked out its own players. This is an amazing opportunity for the NHL to grow the game and expand to an audience that doesn't know what they are missing. I have a feeling that the NBA situation will not resolve itself quickly leaving many people in "non-tradit...
I hadn't gotten into the blogging game until after this season has ended. But I have had a lot of NHL opinions bottled up inside for many years. Though most of my blogs have been (and will continue to be) based more on statistics, I figured since I leave for vacation tomorrow let me just pop the cork and let some bottled NHL rants come flying out. No stats, just unfilte...
The Flames signed Scott Hannan to a one year deal worth one million dollars. It's an okay signing but the Flames are stuck once again doing the exact same thing. Come read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/08/scott-hannan-new-flame-but-same-old.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
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...
It is always a sad in the world let alone Hockey when a young person dies, Rick Rypien clearly was a person who not only fought others but had a big battle in his own head somehow the NHL is failing these guys to find the help they need. It's no secret that tough guys are always put in the spotlight to fight but that pressure more than any other guy is proven to be the mos...
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...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 7 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Colorado Avalanche Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please....
New rules are part of the NHL’s mandate to increase scoring and it’s fan base. New rules make traditionalists cringe and create frustrated feeling in fans that have already bought in. In the end the idea is that the league feels scoring equals entertainment which equals money.
How are the nets? Too big? Too small? Shrink the goalie equipment, enlarge the nets, creat...
FLYERSROCK! writes...
2011/2012 NHL Predictions: Part 1 of 8: East Standings
Posted Thursday | Comments 3
Hi! I'm Flyersrock, and right now I'm bored, so I'm going to be starting a "series" of blogs with my opinion on what I think the 2011/2012 NHL season will look like. There are going to be 8 parts of this "series". This will include how i think the East Standings, West Standings, East playoffs, west playoffs, and the Stanley Cup Final will turn out. The other 4 blogs will b...
Happy retirement to Chris Drury. I really was hoping Montreal could've picked him up. Class act and a great player.
Okay, so here we go with part 2. If you haven't seen part 1, go to my profile and check it out if it still isn't on homepage. What I'm doing here is a 5 part series of blogs. Part 1, Western Conference standings predictions. Part 2, Eastern Conference. Par...
FLYERSROCK! writes...
2011/2012 NHL Predictions: Part 2 of 8: West Standings
Posted Saturday | Comments 6
Ya, not going to do any shout outs here, because that's not the type of guy that I am.(joke) Although I do think "Rangers"(saw a guy post in the NYR blog that he doesn't like it when people call them "Rags" fans) fans are being a little tough on Drury. The guy thought he would get signed somewhere. If your boss said "here's a raise for you before you leave", would you say ...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 9 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Dallas Stars Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.[/b]
...
Hello Everyone.
This is my debut hockey blog on, well, any website. My opinions might be skewered, in your opinion. I’m aware of the fact that anything I might say could be something that might sound ridiculous to one, yet completely sensible to the other. Anyways, seeing how this is my first blog, I’ll start off with something easy, right? I’ll be doing an analys...
FLYERSROCK! writes...
2012 NHL Predictions: Part 3 of 8: East Playoff Predictions
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
What the hell! They didn't give me enough space for my title! Well tonight i'm going to do my predictions for how I think the East playoffs will finish. Here we go! Happy readings!
[u][b]ROUND 1[/b][/u]
1. Washington vs. 8. NY Rangers- Washington in 6. Why?: Washington re-loaded this off-season, and finally got their #1 goalie, much like the Flyers did. The reason I ...
Calgary and Buffalo, Buffalo and Calgary just another match made in heaven. Whether trading for Drury or just recently trading for Regher these two teams have come to accommodate each either. Whether it is a mutual hatred for Edmonton or long lost sister cities they getter done. Now it is rumored that they are not finished. What could they be up too?
Everyone in Buff...
biggs36 writes...
Oiler 2011/2012 Stat Predictions and line combinations
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This is my Edmonton Oilers stat predictions, line combinations and my awards for the 2011/2012 season.
OILERS 11-12 STAT PREDICTIONS
NAME GP G A PST PIM +/-
T.HALL 80 31 37 68 37 6
A.HEMSKY 68 23 43 66 30 4
J.EBERLE 82 22 37 59 28 -1
S.GAGNER 82 20 34 54 42 -1
R.WHITNEY 82 6 43 49 66 14
S.HORCOFF 78 15 29 44 82 1
R.SMYTH 82 23 21 44 47 -4
M.PAAJA...
This is the first blog I've ever written on the Calgary Flames, so please excuse any factual errors and if my grammar ain't so good.
After five consecutive years of spring hockey in Calgary, the last two seasons have ended prematurely. Many pundits and so-called experts are predicting the same disappointment for the Flames this coming season. However, those of us who wa...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 10 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Detroit Red Wings Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please....
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 11 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Edmonton Oilers Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.[/...
You guys are way too good at these....and I hope you aren't wiki-cheating.....but here we go with another Who Am I?
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #15[/b][/u]
1. I was drafted by an expansion franchise.
2. I was the first freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award.
3. I had two 100-point seasons for the team that drafted me.
4. I played for 4 NHL teams.
5. I’ve won th...
It's been a while since I posted a blog here. In fact, I haven't posted anything in ages!
I decided to write a bit about the situation that prevails here in Quebec City regarding the new arena and everything that revolves around it.
First off, I think I speak for everyone here in Quebec when I say Congratulations to Winnipeg! It is so amazing that you got your team b...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 12 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Florida Panthers Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.[...
[img]http://www.cyberpresse.ca/images/bizphotos/435x290/200910/30/120459-maire-sortant-regis-labeaume-multiplie.jpg[/img]
There has been alot of people complaining about the fact that Quebec City's new arena would be built using mainly public money.
When we take a look at the situation it is easy to end up with this conclusion, but there is more to it than what it lo...
Langkow was traded for Lee Stempniak. What does the move mean for the Flames? Did Jay Feaster make the right move? Follow the link!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/08/langk-you-very-much-daymond-langkow.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
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 ...
habsteen26 writes...
2011-2012 Predictions: Part 3: Western Conference Playoffs
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Well, here we go.
This is Part 3 of the series and I can't believe we're almost done!!! If you have no idea whats going on, I highly suggest you click onto my profile and read Part 1 and Part 2 and leave a comment telling me what you think! Part 1 of the series was dedicated to the Western Conference Regular season standings, while Part 2 was dedicated to the Eastern C...
...I think Brendan Shanahan will do a great job as the new league disciplinarian. He has the combination of playing experience, intelligence and common sense to understand how the game should be played and officiated.
...I'm NOT REALLY DIGGING the new Predators home uniforms. Maybe when I see them in game action my mind will change, but right now, I'm reminded too much ...
I'm new here...JUST registered.
I've always had this thought...not sure if it's new or not, and I have no idea how a person would go about getting an idea like this to the league, but....
I always felt that a player who just won the Stanley Cup should be recognized for it for the whole year. I know they all get rings, but I mean [u]on the ice[/u].
So...let's take ...
dude84 writes...
Review of NHL11 *Demohttp://www.hockeybuzz.com/control_panel
Posted Friday | Comments 1
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
dude84 writes...
Review of NHL11 *Demohttp://www.hockeybuzz.com/control_panel
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
dude84 writes...
Review of NHL11 *Demohttp://www.hockeybuzz.com/control_panel
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
dude84 writes...
Review of NHL11 *Demohttp://www.hockeybuzz.com/control_panel
Posted Friday | Comments 8
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
The EA NHL series of video games has been ongoing since 1991 with NHL Hockey on the Sega Mega Drive. Since its first installment it has been the go to game for hockey fans all over the world save a few year when the 2K series of games took over for a short period in the early 2000’s but now EA’s is the only company making NHL games for the two big consoles the PS3 and ...
habsteen26 writes...
2011-2012 Predictions: Part 4: Eastern Conference Playoffs
Posted Friday | Comments 0
What is going on here? Wade Belak, the happiest man on this planet, committed suicide. I know exactly what Wade's family is going through right now and what they're thinking. "Is it my fault?", "Why wasn't he happy enough?", "How could he do this to us?". My thoughts, prayers and condolences are with the Belak family in their time of need.
Okay, lets talk predictions. T...
Hey all.....happy Labour Day to my fellow Hockeybuzzards!!! I wish you well and all the best with your friends and loved ones.
Here we go with another NHL Who Am I? You guys usually smash these in no time at all, so I'm gonna try to make them harder.....and maybe a little trickier. You guys are hard to stump though. Good luck!
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #16[/b][/u]
...
Welcome to my first blog! Hopefully I will bring a fresh perspective to your Buzz experience.
Here is what I promise. I will spell check my blog. I will speak from experience, in what I know and not how I can impress you. I am not an insider, don't pretend to know all the players nick names and if I don't won't disrespect the player by giving him a new one. I won't ...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 13 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Los Angeles Kings Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please....
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...
Last week saw another long time Flame being traded away. This time the name heading out was the veteran center, Daymond Langkow. After a successful comeback to hockey, Langkow finds himself on the Coyotes, being traded by the Flames for Lee Stempniak.
Langkow, one of the leaders in Calgary's locker room, recovered from a freak injury which saw him out of action for ...
Last week saw another long time Flame being traded away. This time the name heading out was the veteran center, Daymond Langkow. After a successful comeback to hockey, Langkow finds himself on the Coyotes, being traded by the Flames for Lee Stempniak.
Langkow, one of the leaders in Calgary's locker room, recovered from a freak injury which saw him out of action for ...
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!
http://twitt...
Welcome to the final part of my 5 part series. But, before we start I have 3 things I want to say.
1) I dedicate this post to the victims of the tragic 9/11 terrorist attack. As all of you know, today marks the 10th anniversary of the horrific event. I actually have a personal connection to a victim. My aunt was actually a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 1...
I sat down at my computer last night, excited to watch some hockey. It had been months since the last time I saw the puck drop. After a summer filled with horrible hockey occurrences, it was nice to see some hockey action. Unfortunately, it came in the form of a 6 - 1 drubbing of the Calgary Flames, from the San Jose Sharks at the rookie tournament.
The Flames started o...
With today being the release of EA's NHL 12, and amidst everyone's "top 5 hockey games" lists I'd thought I'd put my 2 cents in as well. For those of you not into video games, skip the next paragraph.
The most underrated hockey video game of all time was NHL Stanley Cup for SNES. Everyone says that about whatever their favorite game was growing up, but that was mine. ...
IanCunninghamTB writes...
2011-12 Campaign Could Be Most Important in Bolts History
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
After a season which many observers would label as overachieving, the Bolts now find themselves in the unenviable forum of heightened expectations. Coming within one victory of the Stanley Cup Finals has many hockey fans in the Sunshine State envisioning a return to glory for Vinny and Co. While this is well within the realm of possibility, members of the Eastern Confere...
Prospect camp is on. Generally I like the format and I like seeing how the prospects play amongst guys at a similar development level. I hate seeing incidents like with Kyle Greentree a couple years back where he was challenging to be a late cut but at the prospect tourney gets run from behind by an Oiler plug missing his shot. For what?
So who’s been bad and good? Th...
So with all the free time ive had on my hands at work with business slowing down /summer coming to an end im usually left with countless hours to surf the net. Unfortunatley all of the good sites are blocked ( Youtube, Yahoo, Hotmail etc) which means im left looking up meaningless stats and reading NHL blogs for the majority of my 8 hour shift. I might as well put all of t...
IanCunninghamTB writes...
Lightning Hit The Ice in Brandon This Weekend
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
The Tampa Bay Lightning Training Camp is officially under way!! After a day full of physicals and off-ice assessments, the team will travel to the Brandon Ice Sports Forum for their typical on-ice sessions and Blue/White games.
The on-ice workouts begin at 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. As always, the practices an...
Last year, when rumours were rampant that the Thrashers would be leaving Atlanta, the majority of analysts believed that the team would be moved to one of two markets; Quebec or Winnipeg. The other possibility was a third Ontario team to be located in Hamilton. It is interesting to note that there were no US cities or states mentioned as possible new homes.
In my view,...
Preseason predictions and rankings are about as much a guessing game as the weather. Until we've seen 30+ games of regular season action it is impossible to accurately predict how teams will perform. Yet it seems that as much as I cringe when I read everyone elses' rankings and playoff projections, I can't resist following suit. I'll try and check back on these mid-sea...
4 days after training camps start and Drew Doughty has already had $100,000 taken off his offer from the LA Kings setting it currently at an impressive 6.7 million USD.
Many people are wondering why Doughty hasnt signed yet? LA has a talented squad who are going to be legitimate contenders this year. Lombardi has come out and said that he will not move Doughty as he "wi...
4 days after training camps start and Drew Doughty has already had $100,000 taken off his offer from the LA Kings setting it currently at an impressive 6.7 million USD.
Many people are wondering why Doughty hasnt signed yet? LA has a talented squad who are going to be legitimate contenders this year. Lombardi has come out and said that he will not move Doughty as he "wi...
4 days after training camps start and Drew Doughty has already had $100,000 taken off his offer from the LA Kings setting it currently at an impressive 6.7 million USD.
Many people are wondering why Doughty hasnt signed yet? LA has a talented squad who are going to be legitimate contenders this year. Lombardi has come out and said that he will not move Doughty as he "wi...
4 days after training camps start and Drew Doughty has already had $100,000 taken off his offer from the LA Kings setting it currently at an impressive 6.7 million USD.
Many people are wondering why Doughty hasnt signed yet? LA has a talented squad who are going to be legitimate contenders this year. Lombardi has come out and said that he will not move Doughty as he "wi...
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...
Following the abrupt ending to what was a dream run, and a fantastic playoff ride for the Vancouver Canucks and their fans, I sat on the sidewalk on Granville Street, Head in hands fighting back tears as I watched my city burn. After a trip to the pub with my good buddy and fellow "browntobure" blogger, where we disccussed all the things that went wrong, what could have b...
Today's fantasy hockey stats and formulas can provide more information than one person can possibly interpret at one time. It's becoming easier every year to get lost in the numbers.
I used to go thru some pretty intense number crunching when trying to predict how well players would perform in the upcoming season. Getting data from previous seasons and computing differe...
djvoiz writes...
Bill 204 adopted: Quebec's hopes reaching new heights
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It's such a great day for everyone who dreams of the return of the Nordiques in Quebec, like myself.
I have been dreaming about this for so long and now, its unreal to take a moment and realize that a new NHL-ready arena will be built and delivered during the 2015 summer.
The "Assemblée nationale" voted for Bill 204 today, which means that it secures the deal betwee...
With the flames kicking off their pre-season with a doubleheader against the Canucks tonight, the flames faithful are out and about showing off the team colors. The season is knocking on the door, but the question is will the flames answer early or will it be the usual early season woes.
The flames find themselves with a lot of options to play in the middle going into the...
Well it’s been a long summer. Actually it’s been 95 days since Zdeno Chara lifted the Cup over his head. It’s also been the worst summer in hockey history as the hockey world was plagued by death. This season will be a season for mourning of Derrick Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak and all those on the Russian Lokomotiv team. It hasn’t been easy to digest.
...
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...
IanCunninghamTB writes...
Lightning Play in Orlando; On Jerseys and Gilroy
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
September 22, 2011--The Tampa Bay Lightning are off to a slow start in the 2011 pre-season, dropping back-to-back decisions to the St. Louis Blues, 3-1 and 4-3. The two teams played a home and home set of games, with the latter taking place in Orlando's New Amway Center, home of the Orlando Magic. It was the first hockey game...
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...
The banana peel throwing incident from last night's Flyer's game is the most recent event that has me fuming at how completely ignorant and stupid some people are.
And it's a problem that only seems to be getting worse.
Maybe I am way too old fashioned, but whatever happened to the adage:
"If you don't have anything nice to say...then keep your ****ing mouth shut!"
...
Over the Next 30 days I will be Previewing each of the National Hockey League Clubs heading into the 2011-12 season starting from the Anaheim Ducks. Day 14 of the series belongs to the official AarifDeenReport Minnesota Wild Preview.
Please resort to myhockeybuzz page for previews of teams falling before this team.
[b]Follow me on Twitter @AarifDeenReport please.[/b...
With the preseason in full gear, we have gotten to see a preview of what to expect in this defining 2012 NHL season. I know that lately my blogs have been focused on all 30 teams, but today I'm just going to talk Habs. This blog will be (obviously) about what I expect from the players (stat wise) and the team's opening night lines. Also, I'll write a blurb on a few of the ...
IanCunninghamTB writes...
Bolts Cut Roster in Half. Travel to La Belle Province.
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
The Tampa Bay Lightning trimmed their active roster down to 27 yesterday, sending 26 players packing in the process. This round of cuts sets up the difficult decision still remaining for Steve Yzerman and Co., with four more players set to be released. Thus, trimming the active roster down to the required 23 spots.
The foll...
Hey all! The 2011/2012 NHL season is just around the corner (finally!) and with that as always comes PhenomPool's annual NHL $100 million Salary Cap Pool. If any of you are interested in joining, send me an email at [email protected] or leave your email address in the comments section and I will forward you a copy of the file. There's a $25 entry fee and the deadl...
The war of words is already in full force among fans of the NHL, more specifically supporters of the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers. "Wayne Simmonds is a hypocrite." "Sean Avery is a scumbag." "(Insert player of choice) committed the worse crime."
Comparisons to other cases of unsportsmanlike conduct have been made.
But the truth is that derogatory and di...
IanCunninghamTB writes...
Bolts Have Cleared Waivers. Fold Laundry With a Purpose!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
Of note, forwards Mike Angelidis, Michel Ouellet, Alex Picard, Trevor Smith and J.T. Wyman, and defensemen Richard Petiot and Mike Vernace have all cleared waivers. These seven players are now assigned to the training camp of the AHL's Norfolk Admirals.
With the remaining members of the Lightning's main camp fully settled i...
saneopinion writes...
Pending UFA trade bait on teams likely to miss the dance
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The weekend before the regular season, the time of year where hockey pools are firing up and Canada celebrates New Year, not really, but close. Trade Deadline, July 1st and the Draft are now ahead of us, not behind us. We remind ourselves why we hate the Oilers and Canucks. E-bay is getting more time as tickets start coming out. Hockey is here.
****
Trade deadline t...
Can Roman Horak stick with the big club? And for how long? It's been the surprise of Flames TC. Come over TSR to read more
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/09/roman-empire-horak-looks-to-stick-with.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
tml1967 writes...
30 Insane Predictions for the Maple Leafs upcoming season
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The 2011/12 Maple Leafs season is two days away against our arch rivals the Montreal Canadiens, the Buds will be looking to make the post season for the first time since the lockout. The club is one of only two clubs to have failed to do so (Florida Panthers the other) and will be looking to charge into the post season. Can the club score enough goals? Will the penalty kil...
Rob McGowan writes...
Strome And Pandolfo Earn Contracts With Islanders
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1051
The New York Islanders have signed Jay Pandolfo and Ryan Strome just in time before the start of the 2011-2012 season. Rob McGowan takes a look at the contracts and what they could mean for the rest of the roster.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/strome-and-pandolfo-earn-contracts-islanders
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://...
Realignment 2012 is happening. The board of Governors along with the GM's announced publicly that realignment would be sorted out before the new year and that those changes would be put into effect at the start of the 2012-2013 season. That's all fine and dandy... except for the fact that we have no clue which team will end up in which conference/division come next season....
The Flames are a borderline playoff contender. You can call this a prediction if you want or you can call it total B.S. but it is hard to argue with. Saying they are borderline does not imply that should they reach the post season they couldn’t do some damage, I do think that if the opponent is the right one they could do damage. Borderline just means they will have to f...
Boston's pregame ceremony recognizing their Stanley Cup championship lasted longer than it took the Flyers to trade Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.
A goaltender other teams actually fear between the pipes, wearing orange and black.
Jaromir Jagr sitting on the bench with his familiar "68" across his back - and unfamliar Flyers' crest across his front.
Yes, it's a b...
gerbstomped writes...
Pommer Now the Mayor of the Population and Other Thoughts
Posted Friday | Comments 0
So Lindy has pulled the proverbial wool over our eyes and gave the C to Jason Pomminville. While most of us expected Thomas Vanek to assume the role, I am shocked to see the reaction to this appointment. I have heard several people have a jumping-off-the-bridge mentality saying that, "Once again, the Sabres dropped the ball." I couldn't have felt any more opposite. But bef...
[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...
andydrmm writes...
Sabres vs Ducks 10/7/11 A good win, but not a "dominate" win
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I rushed home from work to catch today’s Sabres game. How often are the Sabres going to start their season in Finland? Plus, OPENING DAY!!! As I’m sure everyone knows already, the Sabres won their opening contest 4-1. However, as one of my counterparts on this site stated; “Sabres dominate for 60 minutes”, I will strongly disagree. Like every game, there’s numero...
When the Jets left 15 years ago, few if any held out hope that the small, western-canadian city would ever get the chance to have an NHL franchise play in their city without it being an exhibition game. The city was told that they were not capable of supporting an NHL franchise. Now, lest we forget, the canadian dollar was worthless, the salaries were horrendous, and the...
the Flames were soundly beat last night. Sign of things to come? Or just a prime example of how far the Flames are from being a good team. Read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/10/flames-downed-in-opener.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Well that went about as well as could be expected eh? Not only did the Sabres return from their European business trip with a valuable 4 out of 4 points, but they did so in a dominating fashion. I liked the fact that despite the distractions of sightseeing in Europe, when that puck dropped in Helsinki on Friday night the Sabres were focused on hockey and nothing else.
...
By Aakash Gulati
One game into the season. Hockey is back and the Flames are here.
Having previously looked at the flames centre depth, it is time to look at who will be flanking the Flames centres. A consistent theme with all the flames wingers is their consistency issues.
Iginla
With over 900 points and flames top leading scorer for the last 11 seasons, Iginla has ...
Two games into the new look Flyers' season it appears that they seem comfortable with one another.
In fact if you had no clue what was going with the team, you may have thought that they've been playing together for awhile now.
Just two regular season games and two wins have many fans that were feeling doubtful with this summer's moves, having a change of heart.
Thurs...
Dirty rumour that Sid-the-Kid will be back in line-up shortly. This is strictly a rumour at this point. Crosby has not yet been cleared for contact, and he is still wearing the red jersey in practise.
That being said, the line has opened up on Sidney Crosby's games played this year. Vegas bookrunners have the odds at exactly 50 / 50. On the over under for games played t...
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
I've heard a lot of bad talk about Ryan Miller. I think that he may be one of the most undervalued players in the NHL. I've heard a lot of predictions about how Jhonas Enroth will be taking on a larger role in Buffalo, and Miller may be out the door soon. I think this would be one of the biggest mistakes made for the Sabres.
Ryan Miller is as good as the team around hi...
Hello everyone,
I am currently a college student at Montana State University, but am origionally from San Dimas, Ca and was born and raised a Ducks fan. I live and breath Ducks hockey during the NHL season, ask any one of my room mates or people that have lived a floor below me. Anyways I would love to start writing a blog on the Ducks, to express my joy and frustr...
Flames thoughts:
Turris- There has been mixed opinion on this kid. He hasn’t put up star numbers but has a load of talent and potential. Turris Played the 11 season getting 5 more points than his previous NHL stint in 09 and improving from minus 15 to even plus/minus. He did improve, although marginally. His average ice time was not great so it makes sense his point t...
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...
Welcome to a new feature on the blog, "Wind Sprints." Much like the endurance-building exercise of a hockey team, we'll do four notes - blue line, red line, far blue line and goal line.
At the end, instead of being exhausted, you'll be better informed. Or both.
[b]Blue Line
[/b]It's going to be an odd site watching Mike Richards skate on Wells Fargo ice Saturday.
...
IanCunninghamTB writes...
Too Early To Assess Bolts; Renovated Forum Ready To Shine
Posted Friday | Comments 0
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
The Tampa Bay Lightning sit below the .500 mark for the first time under Guy Boucher’s tenure as head coach of the hockey club. The team has allowed at least four goals against in the past three contests, the end result being one point of a possible six. This after starting the season with a convincing 5-1 victory over a ...
Flames won their first game of the season against Montreal and that too by a decent margin of 4-1. After two stinking losses against the pens and the blues, finding the win column is definitely a good feeling. Going into Toronto with a win will be a feel good factor. In Toronto we will be up against ex-flames Phaneuf and Lombardi and the game should be a fun one for a Satu...
Ok, I'm at home sick, so I'm gonna leave this blog up for 2-3 days, ask me absolutely anything, and I will answer truthfully.
Edit: and yes, I did get this idea from my hero, Adam French.
Have at it!
*I will post the answers on a separate/maybe the same blog in 2-3 days.*
So Mr. Cherry versus the pukes, eh?†is the main story this week as I start my column off. I have a couple of comments here. First of all, the players deny saying what Cherry said they did. Plus, in my opinion, fighting has not been the problem with the NHL. The fighting issue has taken a second seat to head shots. So far as I am concerned, Cherry's comments on f...
Hmmm.......where do I begin ?
Well, lets start with Bryan Little shall we ? He was.....well......brutal. He was eventually replaced on the top line with Mark Scheifele who was better tonight than he has been in the last two games. Still, there was absolutely no chemistry between any line tonight and although the entire team wasn't very good, some of them were just pl...
RickDixon writes...
Upon further review..........they were still really bad
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Okay, so I thought a good night's sleep might change my attitude towards the way the Jets played last night. I got a solid 7 hours of shuteye and watched the game again, all while doing my best to remain completely and utterly emotionless.
That lasted less than a minute.
Despite the fact the Jets had quite a contingent of home-town fans who had travelled all the way...
The Islanders top line has started to click with Moulson, Tavares and Parenteau finding the back of the net. But will the rest of the team be able to keep up? Head to The Checking Line for a look at the team's offensive depth.
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/where-isles-second-act
-Rob McGowan
Follow me on Twitter!
http://twitter.co...
Watching the Edmonton Oilers play Saturday night brought a couple thoughts to mind, good and bad. Needless to say, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is here to stay. Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle are very, very good hockey players and by the end of the season 'great' may be a more fitting adjective. They have tons of young offensive pieces in place with Paajarvi, Gagner, Hemsky, Omark a...
Watching the Edmonton Oilers play Saturday night brought a couple thoughts to mind, good and bad. Needless to say, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is here to stay. Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle are very, very good hockey players and by the end of the season 'great' may be a more fitting adjective. They have tons of young offensive pieces in place with Paajarvi, Gagner, Hemsky, Omark a...
Watching the Edmonton Oilers play Saturday night brought a couple thoughts to mind, good and bad. Needless to say, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is here to stay. Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle are very, very good hockey players and by the end of the season 'great' may be a more fitting adjective. They have tons of young offensive pieces in place with Paajarvi, Gagner, Hemsky, Omark a...
Watching the Edmonton Oilers play Saturday night brought a couple thoughts to mind, good and bad. Needless to say, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is here to stay. Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle are very, very good hockey players and by the end of the season 'great' may be a more fitting adjective. They have tons of young offensive pieces in place with Paajarvi, Gagner, Hemsky, Omark a...
A brutal 1-3 start has lots of fans wondering if we're in for another playoff-less season in Calgary. Should we be worried or is it too early to tell? Come read for yourselves, and I swear I try to be positive...
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/10/should-calgary-flames-fans-be-worried.html
Newman
twitter.com/TSRNewman
Despite reports to the contrary Malkin and Crosby will not be in the line up tonight when the Jets host the Pens.
Why would they be ?
There is absolutely nobody on this planet right now that thinks the Jets will beat the Pens regardless of whether or not the two superstars are in the line up. If you don't need them to win, why not give them another day off.
Eve...
Iban3z writes...
Flyers Homestand Recap/ My take on NHL Shots to the Head
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The first ten days of hockey have wrapped up and I couldn’t be happier with what I’ve seen from the Philadelphia Flyers. As of Saturday the Flyers are 3-0-1. Seven points out of eight is a good start for a team that is just gelling together.
The Flyers faced the Western Conference champions, the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday and played a pretty solid game. The only...
In the history of the Hart Trophy, presented to the MVP of the National Hockey League, there are only 3 players who have won the award who are not presently inducted into the Hall of Fame. One is Eric Lindros, a bubble player who could find himself enshrined amongst the greats of the game. Another is Tommy Anderson. Given that he was a defenseman of the 30s and 40s who jus...
Who the heck are these guys ?
Wow. So far this season the Jets had yet to show ANY kind of jump. Whatever Claude Noel said to the team appears to have got through. I don't think the Pens registered a shot on goal through the first 10 minutes of that period.
Alex Burmistrov was easily the best Jet out there. So slick with the puck. He registered an assist on each...
So it appears my prediction of a Penguins laugher was somewhat off.
You really can't blame me for thinking it would be a cakewalk for the Pens after what the Jets had shown over the course of their first three games. I don't really know if this was the Jets team we can expect to see throughout the rest of the season or if it was just an anomaly.
Here are some of the...
Welcome to my first Northeast Numbers column of the season. We're only a few games into the new year, but I figured it was the right time to take our first glance at the numbers and gauge these teams.
[u]Records:[/u]
Toronto[b] 3-0-1[/b] (3 ROW)
Buffalo [b]3-1-0[/b] (3 ROW)
Boston [b]2-3-0[/b] (1 ROW)
Montreal [b]1-2-1[/b] (1 ROW)
Ottawa [b]1-4-0[/b] (0 ROW)
...
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
Roman Hamrlik of the Washington Capitals recently played in his 1,315th game in the NHL, making him the leader in games played by an Eastern European born player. The Czech defenseman started his career with the expansion 1992-93 Tampa Bay Lightning. Hamrlik remembers the challenges of making the transition to the North Ame...
During the waning minutes of the Jets game against the Pens last night Pens defenseman Kris Letang hit Jets forward Alex Burmistrov from behind, driving him into the side wall. A two minute penalty was assessed to Letang and the young Russian forward came away from the hit for the most part unscathed. The hit was from behind.....there is no denying that. Some say that B...
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
The Lightning penalty kill looked abhorent over the weekend in a home-and-home series with state rival, the Florida Panthers. In total, the Panthers struck seven times on the power play, along with one short handed marker for eight special teams goals in two games. Florida has only one power play goal in its other two conte...
So the Penguins best defenseman has been suspended 2 games for his hit on Jets forward Alex Burmistrov during the Pen's 2-1 loss to the Jets. Burmistrov was not injured on the play and Letang received a 2-minute minor for boarding.
This was the first suspension under the "Shanahan Regime" that involved a star player.
What are your thoughts on the suspension ? Too...
The past few games have been an interesting combination for Buffalo’s pride and joy. They’ve struggled at times, but have pulled 4 points out of 6 possible. So far, things look good. A little inconsistent, but good.
Carolina (10/14/11)
The arena was electric for the opening of the season, and the first game ever at the First Niagara Center. As I walked through t...
The scene: The Oilers Taylor Hall at a Draft Lottery Party one year after he himself was drafted first over all. The management has thought it a good idea to send him out with the commoners to see what the reaction would be if the Oilers won the draft lottery. As it turns out they did not even win that, a fact almost forgotten. The New Jersey Devils won the lottery however...
IanCunninghamTB writes...
Limited Options For Yzerman to Bolster Blueline
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
Last night on the NHL on TSN, Pierre Lebrun mentioned that Tampa GM Steve Yzerman is looking to add a top-four defenseman in the near future. Lebrun is the latest addition to TSN’s expert panel of NHL Insiders, joining fellow Insiders Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie, along with host James Duthie. This group forms unarguab...
RickDixon writes...
Scheifele's 1st NHL goal not quite enough....4-3 Leafs
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
Whether or not Mark Sceifele stays with the Jets through the 9-game mark remains to be seen. He has been invisible in a few of the games so far this season and also has seen reduced ice time in close games. One thing is certain though for the young kid from Ontario. The puck is starting to find him.
In the preseason Jets fans thought they might have found themsel...
So if any Jets fans had any delusions that this club was going to make the playoffs, those thoughts should be completely gone after last night's loss to the Sens.
I know, I know, the Sens had a team meeting. Whoop-dee-doo. They are still a very bad hockey team and I challenge anyone in their right mind to prove me wrong.
Anyone ?
Bueller ?
Bueller ?...
The only thing missing from the Avalanche Game was the home team advantage. Sorry but I am going to say it one of the best teams in the league (for the moment) have a horrible fan base. Never in my life have I been to a home game and heard the away team chant... And the worst part was that the home team chants where swiftly overcome by "Lets go Blackhawks." Absolutely terr...
CHIKEN FINGERS
[IMG]http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2010/03/04/584-booth-david-091024.jpg[/IMG]
Hey peeps.....hope you have enjoyed the beginning of the 2011/2012 season of the Coolest Game On Earth. Here's another NHL Who Am I? to whet your appetite a little more. It might not be as easy as some of the others. Then again, you guys are good.
[u][b]NHL Who Am I? #18[/b][/u]
1. I was drafted by the Stanley Cup Champions.
2. I was involved in one of the most...
First and foremost, thank you to hockeybuzz for providing a forum where I could write about my opinions and also facts.
Secondly I feel like I need to inform people that in no way do i have any writing experience or formal training (as you will be able to tell through my writing style), I am just a fan of the game and a fan of the Toronto maple leafs, have been since...
In a snoozefest of a hockey game, the Flames dropped their second straight Saturday afternoon. But did they necessarily play that bad? And what about the revised goaltending philosophy in Calgary. These things will be debated...
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/10/no-afternoon-delight-flames-lose-second.html
Newman
Follow me: Twitter.com/TSRNewman
The plan. I have heard this term a few times now from the management and coaches of the Flames. The plan was to have Kipper play less and have the back up come in and win a few. I think we now have enough of a look at Karlsson to make an accurate assessment of his play and that is he is not the right guy. The plan only works when things fall into place and sometimes that p...
The Montreal Canadiens are 1-5-2 as of right now. What the hell is happening right now? bad luck?, no talent? Oh My Goodness, is it too early for a major trade? I know it doesn't work like that but something is going to happen for sure. A step up from a leader, big aquisition who knows, rumours fly everywhere! and from what we hear it's almost never what anybody thought......
After the completion of a home and home with surprising Western Conference foe, Colorado, the Blackhawks came away with 3 out of 4 possible points. Hawks are now a commendable 4-1-2 on the season, good for 5th in the West. Chicago also boasts a goal differential of +6, which is tied for 2nd in the West, as well.
Make no mistake, Blackhawks should come poised to jump rig...
While neither goalie has proven themselves to be a top flight NHL starter, there is a twist to the story.
Reimer, once thought to be nothing more but a future backup goalie is the Leafs number one guy.
Monster, once thought to be their future number one goalie is starting to look like nothing more then a possible back up.
My question is, Do you think Monster can s...
The Montreal Canadiens are 1-5-2 as of right now. What the hell is happening right now? bad luck?, no talent? Oh My Goodness, is it too early for a major trade? I know it doesn't work like that but something is going to happen for sure. A step up from a leader, big aquisition who knows, rumours fly everywhere! and from what we hear it's almost never what anybody thought......
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 Flames stuck to their guns on Wednesday night and pulled out a much needed win. A run down of the game and a look at what the play of Horak means for the team going forward.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/10/flames-bury-avalanche.html
Newman
Tired of your hockey team having bad chemistry?
Sick of spending hours making line combinations that may actually work?
There is a solution to all of your problems: The iTorts Shuffle.
Based on the most popular Apple product, the iPod Shuffle, which plays your music in a random order, the iTorts Shuffle picks a line combination for you. It is effortless, and it i...
On the night where many thought to believe that this could be a make or break game for the Bruins they once again didn't show up for a full 60 min of hockey against the hated rival Canadiens. With 5 days off after there disappointing game against the Sharks many believed that this was a time for the team to rest and shake off this "hangover" people keep talking about. Appa...
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 ...
I have nothing note-worthy to say, other than I am very excited to watch Habs-Bruins tonight. I was vacationing in Florida the past three weeks, time shares didn't have NHL Network or CBC! No surprise though, I was reading through the morning papers each day to keep up with my hockey pool with my friends, and went through about eight total pages of Baseball and Football, b...
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...
The Flyers attempted to enact a new media policy which would limit access to goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, whose highly self critical rant following the Flyers recent 9-8 loss to the Winnipeg Jets sparked commentary from just about every segment of the hockey media world.
The policy originally would have Bryzgalov available after games, only. Then it was later amended to limit...
So the Capitals have put together a good solid team, more depth then I have ever seen before, however is it just me or does coach Bruce have no idea of how to put lines together? I don't understand why he is trying to change everything up, I mean the third line has better players on it then the second line. Semin, Johansson, and Eakin in the last game........ Why is Brouwe...
I am going to take a look at the Flames last ten years of first round draft picks and tell you if I think it was a bust or not.
Chuck Kobasew 2001 1st rd. 14th overall.
Kobasew wasn’t the only player from the 2001 draft that became a regular NHLer for the Flames. David Moss was the other player but besides those the rest of the draft has become a bust. Kobasew ...
I am going to take a look at the Flames last ten years of first round draft picks and tell you if I think it was a bust or not.
Chuck Kobasew 2001 1st rd. 14th overall.
Kobasew wasn’t the only player from the 2001 draft that became a regular NHLer for the Flames. David Moss was the other player but besides those the rest of the draft has become a bust. Kobasew ...
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...
Since nobody has posted any Tampa Bay Lightning content in a long time I figured I would take a crack at covering the team and the current rumors around them.
Starting with Eklund's rumor yesterday tying the Lightning to the recently demoted Linus Omark.
Omark has incredible offensive upside tallying 27 pts in 57 career NHL games (yet he is a minus 18), but many for...
Lindy Ruff did say he would follow the "schedule" the goalies were given in the beginning of the week before the Philly disaster. So turns out Enroth gets the 4 x 6 tonight and Miller gets the cage in Ottawa tomorrow night. I think this is the right move here by the Sabres bench boss. He may not say he meant for it to go this way but none the less putting Enroth in toni...
[u][b]NHL Who AM I? #19[/b][/u]
1. I scored 1200 points in the NHL.
2. I played for 5 teams in my 19-year career.
3. I had seven 40+ goal seasons.
4. I made it to the Stanley Cup finals my rookie year, but lost.
5. I made it back 14 years later with a different team only to lose again.
6. My jersey has been retired by an OHL team.
7. I spent 8 ½ seasons wi...
With a number of teams struggling between the pipes I thought it would be fun to take a look at the goaltender market. I will look at each potentially available goaltender and the possibilities of them being moved this season. First up in a series of articles is...
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames
We start off in Calgary where the Flames are struggling mightily and ...
andydrmm writes...
2 Games- 4 Points, A Good Hockey Weekend for Buffalo
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I went into this weekend of Sabres hockey rather skeptical after the past few performances of the team. Despite only losing by one goal in a lot of their games, it was not a accurate depiction of the game as a whole. Buffalo was not playing good hockey, and there was no reason to think this weekend would be any different.
However, 2 games and 4 points later, I was plea...
Since winning the Calder Memorial Trophy for being the top rookie in 2008-09 Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets has been downright terrible. Mason had a terrific rookie year posting a 2.29 GAA with a .916 save percentage to go along with an incredible 10 shutouts. But since that fabulous debut Mason has posted a GAA of over 3 with a save percentage of .901 along wit...
jamesparker_7 writes...
Goaltender Market - Part 3 - Theodore and Clemmensen
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Florida Panthers have a problem in nets, a problem that every team in the NHL wishes they had. Their problem is that their prospect goaltender is NHL ready before they thought he would be. Top goaltending prospect Jacob Markstrom has played in just five games this season but he has played incredibly well posting a 2.05 GAA and a .940 save percentage.
The problem for...
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...
Recently Eklund has posted a rumor suggesting that the Columbus Blue Jackets are interested in Chris Mason and/or Antero Niittymaki.
Now while I don't doubt the Blue Jackets have interest in both goalies, and all goalies for that matter, I do doubt the fact that they will be able to get either of these goalies.
Lets start with Chris Mason, who is currently injured bu...
Sabres rebounded with 4 points over the weekend with a goalie duel win against the Flames on Friday and a exciting shootout win in Ottawa. To my surprise even though I would have done it that way, Jhonas Enroth played both games over the weekend and played well. He is now 4-0-0 with a 1.41 GAA and .952 SV %. I'll get to the Miller vs Enroth debate later. First I want t...
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...
Last night in Pegulaville City Hall the FN Center the night started with an emotional induction of Dale Hawerchuk and RJ into the Sabres Hall of Fame. The Sabres however didn't come out motivated and resulted in the worst possible start for Miller with a qucik 2-0 Jets lead. I give Lindy credit for sticking with Ryan and not oulling out the quick hook. Buffalo pulled ou...
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!
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
...
What did Slats see that Lou didn't? This guy was at Devil's camp and couldn't crack their lineup. Really? Have you watched the Devil's transition game? Surely they could use another cheap puck moving d-man.
Given McDonagh's rapidly expanding offensive prowess and Del Zotto's return to form (well.....close enough) was it really necessary to burn $900k on this guy? Who si...
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? ...
Hagman on waivers. Backlund is back. Byron up, Brodie up. Babchuk and Bmo out. Check out a quick recap of the Flames recent moves and tell me what you think as the Flames just got a helluva lot younger.
Click below:
[url]http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/11/flames-moves-youth-movement.html[/url]
Newman
Sully8303 writes...
Battle of the back ups: Ben Scrivens vs Jonas Gustavsson
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson's recent decision to start 'Big Ben' instead of 'The Monster' against the St Louis Blues played out as nothing short of an inspired choice. Scrivens was undeniably excellent on a night when the Leafs came out strong, fell asleep for 35 minutes, and then awoke for the final few minutes and overtime to earn the W. What does this decision ultima...
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...
I’ve watched the replay numerous times. One thing needs to be done... and a clear message needs to be sent.
Milan Lucic needs to be suspended, or have SOME type of consequence for his hit on Miller tonight.
There’s no question. No matter how many times that I see the hit on Miller, Lucic intended to hurt him, and didn’t need to. The intent to hurt was clear. ...
Lose one. Win one. It's been the story of the season for the Flames. Paul Byron showed some jump tonight. Come read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/11/flames-split-back-to-back.html
Newman
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...
Well I had a blog half way done and then the Lucic no suspension word came out and I scrapped the initial plans. What a choke job AGAIN by Colin Campbell, I mean Brendan Shannahan. As far as I'm concerned there's no difference in the two. Shanny started off on fire suspending any questionable and deserving hit, but someone got into his ear. Someone reminded Shanny that...
It's over. Hagman is finally leaving Calgary. Come to the The Sports Roundup to find out what it means and a little more about his run in cow town.
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/11/hagman-claimed-by-ducks.html
Newman
[i] Author's note: Hit the "Discuss" link to comment on any individual topic in a regular Hockeybuzz forum [/i]
The Rangers have not lost a game since recalling Sean Avery from the Connecticut Whale on October 31. Contrast the 4-0 record with him in the lineup against the 5-3-3 record with him off the ice, and it looks pretty good for the agitator. This continues a long...
Ken Campbell is wrong. Very, very wrong. In his latest gem of an article he proclaimed that the Leafs have never had a "true superstar" on the team, that Sundin doesn't belong in the HHOF in his first year of eligibility, and the HHOF is biased towards Toronto players.
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/42947-Campbell-Hall-of-Fame-Leafs-bias-will-benefit-Sundin.htm...
A night after I was killing my team for 40 minutes of uninspired and awful play in the Bell Centre followed by 20 minutes of dominance and a W via the shootout, I took a look at the standings this morning as per usual. Wait a second...the Buffalo Sabres are in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference 1 pt behind Philly and first in the NE Division. Now raise your hand if you ...
Rostislav Olesz has cleared waivers on and has been sent to Rockford.
In his place, the Hawks have recalled Ben Smith from Rockford. Smith had 10 points (six goals, four assists) in nine games with the IceHogs this year.
As you know, obviously Olesz was a non-factor for the Hawks roster this year. Smith’s contributions at the end of last year during the playoffs ag...
stephenkjanes writes...
[RECAP] Ducks Battle, But Lose in SO 2-1 to Kings
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Anytime you lose to a close rival, you tend to feel sick afterwards.
Last night, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Staples Center, the Ducks fell 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings in the first game of the Freeway Series. The Ducks and Kings will go at it again tonight, this time at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
The Ducks trailed 1-0 until very late in the third period, ...
stephenkjanes writes...
[RECAP] Ducks Battle, But Lose in SO 2-1 to Kings
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Anytime you lose to a close rival, you tend to feel sick afterwards.
Last night, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Staples Center, the Ducks fell 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings in the first game of the Freeway Series. The Ducks and Kings will go at it again tonight, this time at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
The Ducks trailed 1-0 until very late in the third period, ...
stephenkjanes writes...
[RECAP] Ducks Battle, But Lose in SO 2-1 to Kings
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Anytime you lose to a close rival, you tend to feel sick afterwards.
Last night, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Staples Center, the Ducks fell 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings in the first game of the Freeway Series. The Ducks and Kings will go at it again tonight, this time at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
The Ducks trailed 1-0 until very late in the third period, ...
Iban3z writes...
NHL:Miller, the "1-3-1" Flyers Winning ways, Howe HOF Speech
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I’m a little behind in my blogs. I apologize for that. A lot has been going on throughout the hockey world.
I want to touch a little bit on the Milan Lucic hit on Sabres’ goaltender Ryan Miller. Lucic wasn’t suspended nor fined for the hit however, this has left plenty of fans upset. NHL Dean of discipline, Brendan Shanahan has a shot of having consistency when i...
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 ...
Let's re-enact the plot from the seminal classic "Trading Places" with Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd. I have a full day ahead of me as the Sabres new head honcho and while the very confused Darcy Regier spends the next 8 hours trying to find my car keys and navigate the rough and tumble Jersey neighborhoods, I have some phone calls to make.
[b]8am- [/b]I just entered the...
The most underrated player currently in a Leaf Jersey would have to be #19 Joffrey Lupul. Effective in all areas of the ice, the Lupster (trying out the nickname) has managed to keep up over a point per game pace so far through ¼ of the regular season. His play thus far has been overshadowed by that of Phil Kessel, but in the end, some time out of the spot-light may have ...
This morning Ruff announced Tyler Myers will be out about a month due to surgery on a broken wrist. A big blow to a D-core who wasn't playing all that well as it was and the big bad Bruins coming into a hyped up matchup Wednesday. Once I noticed Myers missed the entire 3rd period Saturday night I went and took a look at the Amerks roster. Two D-men caught my attention, ...
So I was watching the Pittsburgh game last night and just got onto thinking of what Dan Bylsma was able to accomplish over the past year and a half, while missing his top 2 players (Crosby and Malkin) for a significant portion of time. It got me thinking how much I would love to have a guy like this running the Leaf’s bench and then it got me thinking even more. Currentl...
You know in the dark cold mornings when you get out of bed to slap the alarm and have to turn on the first painful stinging light? That realization that the snooze button can’t actually delay the reality of having to get up and face the day. It hurts at first but as you grow accustomed to it you can start to look forward instead of looking back. We are at that point in t...
Apparently, some people (Garth) didn’t get it when I wrote my blog yesterday looking forward to the Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins game tomorrow night. Let me try, one more time.
First off, I see that Garth feels the Sabres should “run Seguin or Bergeron”. Then, he writes in that Shanahan, “God” of NHL discipline, will be watching the game very carefully. To...
So here we are AGAIN. The trade possibility talk about the Flames top players. I want to be as clear as possible so everyone knows my stance in regards to the top guys everyone talks about.
Iginla- Iginla is the last chance this club has for a massive return, Dion’s trade was a blown opportunity, Iginla has to be traded for something. Management has said he won’t be...
Rob McGowan writes...
Still Without Power On The Island; Isles Lose 1-0 To Devils
Posted Friday | Comments 733
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...
Its official: Its been one of the wackiest quarters in NHL history.
After the most tragic summer in the NHL in recent memory, maybe even ever, we have indeed had quite the first quarter of the NHL season. The Minnesota Wild are 2nd in the NHL, The "revamped" Columbus Blue Jackets are in last (
The tale of two different teams showed over the last weekend. Nobody showed up in Columbus per usual in that building, but Saturday the Sabres/Amerks were responsible for getting Boudreau fired after a 5-1 beat down. With 9 regulars out of the line-up the kids came to play and took it to the underachieving and uninspired Washington Capitals. Kassian got his first NHL go...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Will Brett Connolly Be Released to Canada's WJC Team?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported that the Lightning may be interested in loaning Brett Connolly to Canada’s World Junior Championship squad this coming December. If you’re team Canada, why wouldn’t you want Connolly? He has all the intangibles necessary to be a great WJC player. For example, let’s take a look at some of the great WJC leaders for Canada in the past ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Addressing the Lightning and Goaltending Rumors
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
It’s pretty clear that the Lighting are going to have a few deficiencies in a couple of years. Heck, some of those holes are starting to shine through right now. The team needs more depth, better defense and most importantly a strong, young goaltender moving forward.
Dwayne Roloson is not going to be the guy to carry this team through Steven Stamkos’ prime and gui...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
The Evolution of Steven Stamkos as an Even Strength Force
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
When Steven Stamkos rips his one-timer from the half boards, fans cheer; the puck is travelling so quickly that is always has a chance to score. Since his NHL career started, Stamkos has been labeled a bit of a one dimensional player by some. Well, this season, Stamkos is turning himself into an even strength force.
Consider last season when 17 of Stamkos’ 45 goals ...
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 Lightning are now past the quarter mark of their relatively young season. With some new faces and other changes, it was important to give the team time to gel before giving them a “report card” or sorts. In this blog, I’ll take a look at forwards, defense, goaltending while giving an honest and blunt opinion on the team moving forward.
[b]The Forwards[/b]
...
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...
Bobby Ryan seems to be heading everywhere and nowhere, as the Ducks are in desperate need of a puck moving defenseman and flexibility with the cap. Some of the teams mentioned most often are Toronto, Philadephia and columbus, none of whom really seem to have quite the pieces in place to pull off a deal. Burke in Toronto seems like a good trade partner, he drafted Ryan and ...
Going into this season, the Bluejackets made a splash, trading for Jeff Carter, signing Prospal and Wisniewski, kids like Clitsome and Johanson coming on, mixed with stud Rick Nash and carry overs Vermette, Mason, Umberger and Brassard.The CBJ actually going into the season have a top six payroll, and looked likely to compete for a bottom three playoff spot.
well, i...
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 ...
Lots of speculation in Anaheim right now on the kind of move they need to make in order to snap out of the tailspin that they have found themselves in. There are usually three paths to take during such a time:
1. [b]Fire the coach:[/b] "It's easier to change one person than trade 3 or 4."
Even with the poor start it seems unlikely considering Carlyle signed his ...
Still think Chicago should make that bid for Bobby Ryan?
Right.
Be sure to check out TCL's newest Blackhawks' writer Maggie Avila's game recap from last night here -
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/maggie-avila/chicago-blackhawks/chicago-blackhawks-home-sick-or-sick-home
Here's a brief goal analysis of last night's joke of a 60 minute effort by your Chicago ...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Breaking News: Lightning Re-Sign Hedman to 5 Year Pact
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Here with a quick update. The Lightning have signed Victor Hedman to a 5 year $20million contract extension. Hedman, who is second on the team in ice time this season, has struggled offensively this season. Though, the talent is there and it should only be a matter of time before points start to come.
[b]My Thoughts on the Deal:[/b]
With this being the last year o...
There’s been a lot of trade talk recently, and the Sabres have been mentioned. How accurate these rumors are, I have no idea. However, I definitely think that a move or two may help Buffalo out.
As I’ve said, Buffalo needs to be aggressive in their own end. The recent call ups for Buffalo have done really well, and are playing excellent physical hockey. I’ve love...
Rob McGowan writes...
Ullstrom Making Most Of Opportunity With Isles
Posted Wednesday | Comments 835
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...
Is it just me or does it appear the further the Habs sink the less commentary we get from the Habs Bloggers? They sucked the joint out in Anaheim last night and not a peep from any Canadiens writer. Eric, Kamal, Hindle...anyone?
I think the Habs organisation is sucking the life out of everyone involved....players, fans, now writers. I may have my most productive winter ...
by Ian Cunningham
[email protected]
The Tampa Bay Lightning recorded a record of 6-7 in the month of November, dropping three spots to eleventh in the fifteen team Eastern Conference. In the process, Tampa surrendered eleven of a possible eighteen points available to Eastern Conference opponents, including six points to three teams that were below the Bolts i...
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 Flames blew a 3-1 lead with less than 5 minutes left in the third. You wanna hear a rant...well here it is because I'm pissed off!
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2011/12/new-low-flames-lose-to-jackets.html
Newman
My favorite Wing as a kid was Danny Grant, came over from the North Stars for Henry Boucha, playing on a line with Redmond and Dionne had fifty goals one year, injuries derailed his career shorty after.
After that, it became Ogrodnick. Man could he shoot. Quiet, graceful player, when he was dealt to Quebec for Brent Ashton I was entering adulthood, 18 years old but st...
Brassards agent rips Arniel for leaving him in the locker room as a healthy scratch again, saying Arniel is making Brassard the scapegoat for the teams wretched start. Well......
Rumors have it columbus is trying to trade Brassard. Two ways to fascilitate this, one, play them and feature their skills to prespective bidders. Two, sit them and hope that absence makes...
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....
I understand the frustration fans are having with the way the season which began with so much promise is starting to get away from them, it begs the question, should the sabres trade Ryan Miller? And if so, to whom and for what? It is a soft goalie market, I dont think you could get close to market value, but what does this Sabres team need to right the ship?
Michael_Stuart writes...
10 Bold Predictions for Rangers vs. Lightning Game
Posted Saturday | Comments 4
Last time John Tortorella and Brad Richards were at the St. Pete Times Forum it was a very happy time for the Lightning. Fresh off winning the Stanley Cup and heading into the lock-out, things looked good for the franchise moving forward. That was until the dreaded SALARY CAP…..ugh…..took hold of this team and forced Jay Feaster to rip the team apart. Richards was o...
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...
As I write this article, I’m still debating what will happen due to the hit from Jordin Tootoo on, that’s right, Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller... Tough to say what will happen.
For those who missed it, Tootoo went into the Buffalo end, followed closely by Christian Ehrhoff. Ehrhoff poked the puck from Tootoo and had his hand on Tootoo’s back. Ehrhoff followed the pu...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Lose to Rangers: My Prediction Round Up
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Well, the Ranger game is now over and I suppose it’s time to go over my downright dreadful predictions. Without further ado, my post-game recap.
1. Lightning dominate the game but the score is close until the final buzzer. The Rangers are red hot but the Lightning have all the intangibles necessary to beat this team. The final score? 5-4 Lightning. [b]Okay, so I didn...
The wings are rolling over opponents, after losing the first two on a four game west coast trip, Jimmy Howard said the players rededicated themselves to playing tougher, the results? Seven wins in a row. Nonetheless, the Wings are a little short on the outside, Hudler has been Hudler, Cleary is way off his game, Bert and Homer are showing their age, Abdelkader isnt devel...
We're just beyond the one third portion of the NHL schedule, and the divisional races are beginning to take shape. The Northeast Division is as tightly contested as they come as the entire division is separated by a mere 6 points. The next closest division races in the league are both 12 point margins in the Southeast and Pacific divisions. Here's where we stand in the ...
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...
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 ...
I have been watching the leafs for 12 years now (the better part of my life) and I can honestly say, without any doubt in my mind, that a group of hockey players must have kidnapped the Leafs, stolen their jerseys, and played out the entire first period of Toronto’s 3-2 win over the Rags, before letting the real Leafs back on the ice in the 2nd. There is no other explana...
The NHL and the Board of Governors has approved a plan that will dramatically change the landscape of the NHL regular season and playoffs. With any new plan there are going to be pros and cons. Unfortunately for me I feel that the cons dominate the pros in the new setup.
Here is some of the fallout from the changes:
[b]Creating divisional rivalries:[/b] The sche...
The Minnesota Wild have done better through 27 games than any hockey analyst or writer ever predicted. The Wild currently sit at the top of the NHL, boasting a record of 17-7-3, equaling out to 37 points. Everyone knows the Stanley Cup is not won in October or November, but for this franchise this is truly something remarkable. The Wild have not made the Playoffs in the la...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Simply Embarassing: Lightning Drop 5th Straight to Islanders
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Simply embarrassing. To be honest, that’s the only way I can really sum up the last few games for the Lightning. When this little 3 games in 4 nights started, I said that three wins were very possible and that two was the absolute minimum. Well, the Lightning came out and delivered exactly 0 wins.
Losing to the Rangers? Okay that’s fine. Losing to the Senators...
Last night the Wild defeated the Sharks 2-1. The goals were scored by Koivu and Bouchard for the Wild, Joe Pavelski for the Sharks. The win makes it the third 5 game win streak for the Wild this year, and extends their lead over the Blackhawks and Penguins as first overall in the NHL to 3 points. But that is not what the story was last night. The story last night was the N...
The Minnesota Wild have done better through 28 games than any hockey analyst or writer ever predicted. The Wild currently sit at the top of the NHL, boasting a record of 17-7-3, equaling out to 37 points. Everyone knows the Stanley Cup is not won in October or November, but for this franchise this is truly something remarkable. The Wild have not made the Playoffs in the la...
Maybe this is a bad time to write this.
I'm always pretty harsh on my Sharks, but sorting out my thoughts on them during a skid that has repeatedly exposed every flaw that this team has to offer is a terrible idea. I'm supposed to be thinking positive and productive thoughts, not coming down from a bender, weeping in my unlit apartment alone with no shirt and just a pai...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Beat Rangers to End Losing Streak - Mixed Bag
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
So who would have thought that the second Marty St. Louis gets injured, the Lightning win a game? Show of hands? Well safe to say that I wasn’t expecting the result we got tonight. The game was an interesting display of emotion from two teams with high expectations on them. Lots of penalties and a different game than I was expecting.
After 5 straight losses, the L...
Well, Matthew Barry posted two blogs tonight. The first was removed and then there was a second one where he announced his retirement from this website. That one has also been auspiciously removed. What's going on here? If they need a new Kings blogger...here I am.
If Matthew Berry did quit, then I hope Terry Murray takes good advice and follows him out the door. A...
When the Tampa Bay Lighting came into lower Manhattan to face the New York Rangers, they were expecting a war. But when Artem Anisimov scored a shorthanded goal in the second period, things got a little too literal for Vincent Lecavalier and company.
After a few seconds of celebrating with his arms in the air, Anisimov turned toward the Lightning end of the ice, preten...
[img]http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/2011/11/17/kabs_65373.jpg[/img]
As per NHL.com the Carolina Hurricanes have found a dance partner in Montreal Canadians and managed to trade a problem player for a recently injured player. The deal as reported is just a straight player for player trade involving no picks or other players.
With any luck Kaberle can find some wa...
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...
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...
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...
For once, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, Garth has a decent point. Buffalo brass does need to sit down and have a nice long evaluation of the direction that the Sabres are headed in at this point in the season.
However, I can already tell you the excuse that the brass will use to explain the recent play of the Sabres.
Injuries.
Thats it. I can hear Da...
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 ...
vowswithin writes...
Gameday in Smashville: Can we keep the streak alive!?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/b9/fullj.5cfadff89c55c7892381ab0fe12523c4/5cfadff89c55c7892381ab0fe12523c4-getty-135478954.jpg[/img]
Well here we are, after having 2 days off in a row the flames are back to the grind. Tonight we get to watch the flames play the Predators on the road. In their last 10 meetings the flames have managed 6 wins against the predators. The...
As head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ron Wilson has had his shares of ups and downs in his three seasons....mostly downs. Being under the spotlight for a losing franchise in hockey's biggest market, Wilson has been constantly bashed and disregarded for an otherwise decent job as coach. Although not having appeared in the playoffs, Wilson has implemented a fast paced g...
Fast, skilled, great hands. These are the components that make up Nazem Kadri of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization's game. Some believe that he has earned his right to play in the National Hockey League full time as he has nothing to prove on the farm team. While his game is ready, he is not ready to be the face of the franchise. Ever since being draft 7th overall in a ...
Phil Kessel leads the league in goals, 2nd in points, and has been everything advertised when brought to the Maple Leafs from the Bruins. Although he has been one of the best forwards in the league if not the best, Leafs MVP award a third of the season is Dion Phaneuf. The Leafs are in a position to make the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons has a huge part beca...
When the Flyers traded Mike Richards to the LA Kings in exchange for Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn, they really were rolling the dice. They knew Simmonds has the potential to net in 20 goals and be effective on the PP as well as play very physically and protect his team mates, but with Schenn it was a gamble.
Scouts described Schenn as the best prospect in and the b...
What a week it was for the Minnesota Wild. This past week the team played four games in seven days, all on the road, and all of them on the West Coast. Apparently the boys just love themselves that warm weather, because the Wild came back home with four wins. The Wild downed the Ducks, Sharks, Kings and Coyotes, and have a chance to sweep their road trip this Tuesday as th...
Nice win tonite, the last three games the Wings have outscored the opposition 16-4. A few things I noticed.
Malkin was amazing tonite, got the goal late in the first when Kronwall pinched in and allowed a breakaway. Seems like he fired the puck twenty times tonite.
Datsyuk was the wings best player, assisted ona goal then killed a penalty minutes later. Grea...
At least Buffalo got a point. However, they should have gotten 2 points and again, Buffalo displayed their inability to play 60 minutes of hockey.
Buffalo started out playing very well. Why? They had a fantastic forecheck. Their forecheck alone forced Ottawa to make turnovers in their own end, and Buffalo cashed in early. Despite the early deficit against the Senators ...
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...
Two goals, including the winner in overtime against the Carolina Hurricanes. Not bad for a former Buffalo Sabres outcast whom was subject to ridicule in his multiple seasons with their organization. Injuries, inconsistency, and turnovers were the reasons the Sabres opted to not resign him for this upcoming season. They say another man's garbage is another's treasure. This ...
vowswithin writes...
Flames Extinguished, Plus Referee Walkom plows Timonen
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.welive2ski.com/20080415_4318-.jpg[/img]
Disappointment!
Well here we are again folks, falling again to a very beatable opponent!
When looking back, the flames gave an alright effort but nothing more then that. When Playing against a team like Nashville with its shut down back end we need to be in the offensive zone most of the time.
Like I sa...
mapleleaf1389 writes...
Leafs-Canes: Leafs show poise, PK still needs work
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I will start this by stating due to personal obligations I missed the first half of the game due to other obligations. Due to the bipolar nature of the media in and regarding Toronto, I can't tell whether this was an amazing game by Toronto which Cam Ward earned the Hurricanes a point, or the Leafs squeaked by with a win. I will stick to the third period of this one.
...
Hey everyone,
As it turns out I will be linking only from here. You can see an excerpt from my blog below and the link adjoing it. I encourage to follow @tsrnewman and @sanehockey for updates on this site.
I have written on the hockeybuzz website for many years now and have been asked repeatedly to change to other sites but have declined mostly or in one case I acce...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Flames/Bolts Preview + A Little "What If?" Scenario
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
It’s game day for the Lightning as the Calgary Flames come to town for the only meeting of the year between these two teams. When I look at both teams, I see disasters. Neither team is playing well right now. That being said, at least the Lightning have a future. We have young, talented players who should be able to carry this team for a really long time. In Calgary...
Every team finds itself with a few injuries over the course of a seaon, maybe 6 or 7, with most not missing a serious amount of action. There is always that one team every year though that seems to get the injury bug, and this year it is none other than the Philadelphia Flyers. The following is a list of players who have gone down so far this season for the Flyers (in...
The magical mits of Patrick Kane provided the insurance tally to Jonathan Toews' game winning shoot out goal in capturing two points for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Minnesota Wild last night.
Kane put on a clinic with his dazzling puck dance, sending Niklas Backstrom into a spiral of confusion, as he put away the game winning goal to give Chicago the 4-3 victor...
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...
[img]http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/1564/eruption5.jpg[/img]
Welcome Back!
Tonight's game is the first game that Jay Feaster will get the play against his former team the Tampa Lightning. It was in 2008 that Jay Feaster decided to resign from his position as GM of the Lightning and he will be looking for the win. As much as I wish I could say this team would be m...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts Squeeze By Flames Thanks to Dominant Second Period
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Was that offense I saw? Wow, how nice it is to see the Lightning score goals and get solid performances from a lot of key sources. It’s like my entire Christmas wish list was answered in one night. Thanks Santa! Alright, so the goals may not have been the prettiest what with all the deflections and all, but a win is a win is a win and this team will take whatever it ...
The Chicago Blackhawks get set to square off for the third time this season against their distant neighbors from the west coast when they host the Anaheim Ducks tonight at the United Center.
The last meeting between the Blackhawks and the Ducks saw Hawks' captain Jonathan Toews carry his team to a rallying 6-5 win with his 5 point effort. Anaheim will look to avoid the ...
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...
Chuck_Murphy writes...
Leafs have been excellent defensively 5-on-5 recently
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It's always amusing when the media is really eager to jump all over any negative stat out there, and at the same time ignore some positive ones. Everyone knows the Leafs penalty kill is struggling and regardless if they win, it will make headlines the next day if they allow even a single power play goal – as was the case after Tuesday’s game vs. Carolina.
What's puz...
[IMG]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRE0Z5NGiZAZvUkr5OBYCXq0LXiK7qozOMZFMj61j3NugzfJhV_-g[/IMG]
Thanks to those who have been reading my blogs the past two weeks, I am trying to help fill the void since we only have one official blogger for the Flames this year.
Due to this being an early game this will be a short blog. The Flames find themselves facing off ...
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
I'm taking another shot at the live blog. Tonight, Buffalo takes on the Leafs.
If Buffalo wants to win, they need to play 60 minutes. This Maple Leaf team will eat them alive if they don't.
As one of my counterparts pointed out on here, Buffalo is ahead of their pace from last season point wise. However, what I don't think he's looked at is the fact that Buffalo co...
RickDixon writes...
Teemu Selanne, and what this night means to Jet fans
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
There is no denying that the Winnipeg Jets have had a few star players in their franchise, and by that I mean the original, although the former Atlanta Thrashers have had a couple as well. The names Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg, Thomas Steen, and Dale Hawerchuck come to mind right away. All of these players are revered in Winnipeg, of that there is no question. But the fe...
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...
In the words of one Charlie Sheen: “Winning!”
Could the Lightning be onto something right now? With two wins in a row, the team is finally starting to show that hunger and tenacity that we all came to know and love last season. Yes, it was only the Columbus Blue Jackets but a win is a win is a win. Every two points in this league count and these ones may go a lon...
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 ...
Having taken points from each of their last seven games, the Chicago Blackhawks will look to continue that success against a recently surging Calgary Flames club tonight at the United Center.
The Chicago Blackhawks come into this game with an impressive 20-8-4 overall record and 8-1-1 in their last ten games. The Calgary Flames, however, hold a mediocre 14-14-4 overall ...
vowswithin writes...
GAME DAY/WEEK IN REVIEW: Hoping to end a skid.. SUTTER SIGNS
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2009/04/13/blackhawks-flames-090205.jpg[/img]
Im baccckkkkkk
Well its been a bit of a trying week, first we saw the flames fall at the hands of the Nashville predators, then we saw the Tampa Bay Lightening and Florida Panthers both push Calgary out to only 1 point. What can we take away from this? Well the positive spin...
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.........
Last week the Wild won 4 out of 4 road games, playing some of the best hockey they have played all year. What a difference a week can make. The Wild played three games this week, including a road/home back to back against the high octane Jets in Winnipeg and then the streaking Blackhawks back in St. Paul. The week ended on Saturday when the Islanders came to town to play t...
Rob McGowan provides a quick look at how some of the Isles top prospects have been performing so far this season
http://islanders.thecheckingline.com/blog/rob-mcgowan/new-york-islanders/isles-prospect-check-12192011
-Rob McGowan
http://twitter.com/IslesRM
http://twitter.com/TCLIsles
www.facebook.com/TCLIsles
Last nights match, although tough to bear at some points, was one of the more entertaining games I have seen from the Leafs in a while. There were a lot of positives coming out of the game, but the negatives were the same as they have been for the last few years.
I prefer ending on a good note, so let’s start with [b]the bad[/b]:
1) Not my biggest beef with the t...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Why the Lightning WILL make the Playoffs This Season
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Over the past few days I’ve been reading a lot of hockey coverage, listening to a lot of hockey talk, and watching a lot of hockey. Not a bad way to spend a few days if you ask me. Now, the consensus I’ve heard from most people is that the Lightning don’t have much of a shot to make the playoffs this season. I thought about of myself, and I think those people are ...
cuppacoldtea writes...
Application For Post of General Manager of les Canadiens
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
Dear Molson Family,
I am hereby informing you of my intention to apply for the post of the General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens. Although my experience is very limited, I plan to explain why I would be by far the best GM the Canadiens have had in the cap era.
It is difficult to truly know what the team would look like under my guidance over the last few years. ...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Embarrassed by Sharks in San Jose: U-G-L-Y
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
That was quite possibly the most embarrassing game I’ve ever seen. In fact, embarrassing isn’t a strong enough word. The Lightning were absolutely brutal tonight in a game that I considered to be one of the very key games this season. Why, why, why? How can a team come out so flat and give up so many goals in one period. A goal every 4 minutes for the Sharks? Tha...
vowswithin writes...
Game Day: Flames vs Wings, + The Most Awesome BULLDOG!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/390310_10150417679757293_500697292_8615052_2062699810_n.jpg[/img]
Christmas Time!
Sorry for not getting a blog up sooner as I had expected to yesterday at some point. Christmas time is here and I have plenty of shopping still left. I will be traveling to Toronto, Ottawa and Kingston (kind of like a hockey road trip)...
It is the time of year to give and receive gifts from friends, relatives, and Santa. It is no exception for NHL teams. The following provides the wish lists that all 30 NHL teams have given Santa.
[b]Anaheim:[/b] Where to begin here? Anaheim is going to have an Eric Cartman sized Xmas list this year. Getting the RPG line on track, getting Visnovsky in the lineup re...
After last night’s brutal loss to the San Jose Sharks, it’s time for the Tampa Bay Lightning Holiday Multiple Choice survey! No answer is a wrong answer; this is just to get a perspective from each and every single one of you. Without further ado, here we go.
[b]1. What should Steve Yzerman’s next move be?[/b]
[b]A: Fire Guy Boucher[/b]
When teams struggle, ...
It’s not often that the Lightning and Avalanche get together. As I mentioned in one my other game previews, that is going to be one really nice thing about re-alignment. We will get to see all these Western teams twice a year. Not only will it help to create rivalries, but it will really help spread the game across the United States. I can’t be the only one who is ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts Lose to Avalanche in Goalie Battle + Rumor Round-Up
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
My prediction was a high scoring, offensive battle with the Lightning coming out on top. Instead, we got a low scoring chess match in which the Lightning lost. It’s high time I stop predicting Lightning wins; they never seem to come through. Let’s get to my post-game Good, Bad, Ugly analysis.
[b]The Good[/b]
The best part about tonight, despite the outcome, was ...
[img]http://www.commongrounds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/santasleigh.jpg[/img]
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Dome
Not a Player was hanging, not even Jarome.
Their equipment was hung in their lockers with care,
In hopes that Jay Feaster would manage them fair.
The players were home with their families in bed,
While thoughts of a playo...
Michael_Stuart writes...
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...
It appears that the Chicago Blackhawks defensive issues are no longer much of an issue at all.
The Chicago Blackhawks used a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at the United Center to maintain first place in the NHL with 50 points.
Red-hot Viktor Stalberg scored two goals, Dave Bolland and Marian Hossa posted two points apiece and the Blackhawks won their sec...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Next 6 Games Vital for Lightning + My Predictions
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
For teams in the playoff picture, the stretch run starts somewhere in that last month or so of the season. For teams that are not fortunate enough to be in one of the elusive top 8 spots, the stretch is never ending. In my mind, the next weeks, which contain 6 games, are the most important weeks of the season for this Lightning club. Success is vital in these 6 games if...
When Leafs forward Nazem Kadri was called up from the Marlies last week, many thought it would be the last chance he would get to show what he was capable of at the NHL level. Many felt that the seventh overall pick in 2009 has had enough chances to prove himself, and at this stage in his career he should already be making an impact on a big league roster. Kadri has larg...
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...
The Minnesota Wild are in the midst of their worst slump of the season. They have lost their last seven games, and have only scored nine goals in said games. The word I’m seeing thrown around the internet the most is “Regression,” and it is usually followed by some nasty words, some smack talk, and some praise for the Canucks. The Wild have seen their lead in the Wes...
Michael_Stuart writes...
A Tale of Two Underperforming Teams: Bolts vs. Canadiens
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Canadiens come to town in what is shaping up to be a tale of two underperforming teams heading in opposite directions. The Lightning have put together a couple of really solid efforts that have us looking upwards towards greener pastures. The Canadiens are still so enigmatic that it is so hard to read. On the one had, you think that they might do something still thi...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
A V for Vinny, a V for Victory: Bolts Down Habs 4-3
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Although the effort wasn’t as strong as it had been in the last two, you’ve got to like the Lightning’s comeback from 3-1 down. It was a game that had a little bit of emotion, some nice offensive play and a lot of excitement. Overall, while I wasn’t totally impressed with everything from the Bolts tonight, it was nice to see a victory after falling behind early. ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts/Canes Preview + HB Hotstove Response + Rumor Update
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It’s amazing how gratifying two wins can feel. After beating up on the Flyers and squeezing by the Canadiens, the Lightning close out this current three game home stand with a tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes. If there was ever a game the team wanted to play on home ice, this would be it. The Bolts’ problems haven’t been at the newly re-named Tampa Bay Times F...
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...
First and foremost, happy holidays everyone! I hope everyone had a great holiday season, culminating tonight with the start of 2012. I took a brief hiatus from writing over the holiday season, but continued to follow the boys in blue and gold closely. So now, back to business.
In his last blog, Garth posted a video with the heading of “Jason Pominville is at a loss f...
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
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Defeat 'Canes 5-2 on Phil Esposito Night
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Victories breed confidence and there is no doubting that this Lightning team is a confident group. Now, with 3 key wins in a row, the Lightning seem to have a sort of swagger that hasn’t been seen all season. Every two points hold so much weight in this league. There is so much parity that you need to make every game count. Right now, the Lightning are doing exactly ...
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...
The habs have signed defenseman josh Gorges to a six year extension worth 23 million
(source RDS)
They haven't announced the names of the 4 conferences that take affect next season. I think they should go back to the classic Adams, Norris, Smythe, and Patrick.
Or maybe something new: Gretzky, Orr, Hull, and Richard.
What say you?
Habs defensemen Josh Gorges has received a six year contract extension worth 23 million.
Habs defensemen Josh Gorges has received a six year contract extension worth 23 million.
Michael_Stuart writes...
Leafs vs. Bolts: Two Teams Headed in Opposite Directions
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It’s funny to consider just how far the Toronto Maple Leafs have fallen from the tree that is the cream of the crop in the NHL. What a witty little analogy that was. To start the season, everything that could go right for the Leafs, was going right for the Leafs. They were getting solid goaltending from James Reimer, timely scoring from the top line and great defensiv...
RickDixon writes...
What to expect from the Jets for the rest of the season
Posted Monday | Comments 1
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 ...
Habs defensemen Josh Gorges has received a six year contract extension worth 23 million.
Montreal Canadiens general manager has finally made a good move signing Josh Gores to a six year contract extension worth 23 million.In 307 games with the habs Gorges scored 59 points (9 goals 50 assists) going +16 with 150 penalty minutes.
Montreal Canadiens general manager has finally made a good move signing Josh Gores to a six year contract extension worth 23 million.In 307 games with the habs Gorges scored 59 points (9 goals 50 assists) going +16 with 150 penalty minutes.
Montreal Canadiens general manager has finally made a good move signing Josh Gores to a six year contract extension worth 23 million.In 307 games with the habs Gorges scored 59 points (9 goals 50 assists) going +16 with 150 penalty minutes.
Montreal Canadiens general manager has finally made a good move signing Josh Gores to a six year contract extension worth 23 million.In 307 games with the habs Gorges scored 59 points (9 goals 50 assists) going +16 with 150 penalty minutes.
I’ve been asked a few times as to where Buffalo would go with a new coach. Personally, I think there is only one answer to this, as for this season.
Ron Rolston, as interim coach, to finish the season.
One of the benefits I have is living where I can get to both Sabres and Amerks games on a regular basis. I’ve watched Rochester numerous times this season. They ...
40 games in the season the Flames sit in 12th spot in the west. What's been good so far this season. Read more here:
http://www.thesportsroundup.com/2012/01/calgary-flames-mid-season-report.html
Newman
Michael_Stuart writes...
Steven Stamkos is the Most Marketable Player in the Game
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Since Sidney Crosby’s concussion and Alex Ovechkin’s fall from grace, the National Hockey League has been in dire need of a new star. The league needs a face that every fan can get excited about. What I’m about to argue will irk a lot of the hockey world. Obviously, as a Bolts fan, I’m a little bit biased. That said, I believe that Steven Stamkos is the most ma...
[img] http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/377538_10150453288332293_500697292_8764872_728421700_n.jpg[/img]
WJC
It's official Canada gets its rematch against Russia, but this time its not for gold. After coming through the first round of the tournament Canada won every weighted game that they played along the way. Where does this leave us? We received a bu...
Tonight is the big game. Re-match from the World Junior Gold Medal game last year in Buffalo. As a Canadian, I was really cheering the Czech's on last tonight against Russia. In such a tight game, Grigori Zheldakov scored the game-winner for Russia following a power-play from the Czech's. Daniel Krejci was hit on the follow through of a Russian players stick, and stayed do...
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 breathed a sigh of relief as the horn sounded at First Niagara Center tonight and Buffalo finished the game on top, for a change. However, this was far from perfect. Buffalo played a bipolar style of game. There were moments during the game when Edmonton was in control, despite having played in Chicago last night. Most importantly, Buffalo crawled away with 2 points.
...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Defeated by Leafs: Game Review + "The Issues"
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
Heading into this game, everything seemed right for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts had just come off a 3-0-0 run at the Tampa Bay Times Forum (I try to plug it as much as possible just to get used to it) and were looking for a fourth straight victory in Toronto. Say what you want about tonight’s game, but it’s pretty hard to argue that, on paper, this wasn’t a ...
Originally, I was going to write an all-out campaign piece for Jimmy Howard’s place in the All-Star game as well as Vezina trophy consideration, but it’s a little ironic that he had one of his, well, less-favorable performances against the Dallas Stars last night. He came away with the “W,” but I’m sure he’s not all that proud of it.
Everyone’s entitl...
It's hard being an Oilers fan where losing to win seems to be the new school of thought. Where the present doesn't matter it's the belief that better days are coming. This past year has been no different, it's the same management in control of the same losing record. Let's take a look at some of the changes which occured in this past calendar year.
January 1st 2011 saw ...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Poised to take on Senators + Rumor Response to Ek
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
After a small trip down loser’s lane, the Lightning need to get back into the winner’s circle. Losers don’t make it too far in the National Hockey League these days. This season isn’t lost yet, despite a rather one-sided loss at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Currently, the Lightning sit in 12th place in the east. While it doesn’t sound pretty, take no...
The Buffalo Sabers should be very excited. D-man Tyler Myers has been out since suffering a broken wrist Nov. 19, he said today he is fully healed and is hopeful of returning Friday when the Sabres visit Carolina. Today at the First Niagara Center Myers said to the press that he hopes he is ready to go by friday.
He also said that he has no physcial pain on his writst...
Bob Murray has recently made comments saying that anybody is available for trade on the Ducks roster with the exception of Selanne and Koivu (both have NTC and are not expected to waive).
This hypothetically would mean that Getzlaf, Perry, and Ryan would all be available on the trade market.
Any potential move with those core players I perceive as a desperate attempt...
vowswithin writes...
Thanks Canada for kicking me in the Nuts! + Flames vs Bruins
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xAsxoR0MHHo/TLzh204kfnI/AAAAAAAAAW0/MOq6AVQoFBQ/s1600/i.jpg[/img]
WJC
Agony! Ahh that feeling of nostalgia. It was just last year that Canada found itself in a very similar place. And yes now it is official, Canada has lost yet another WJC (anyone who isn't first is a loser so lets not talk about the bronze game). I am now starting to k...
The Maple Leafs are in an all familiar spot in the standings since the lockout, out of a playoff position once again thanks in part to a dismal month of December that saw the club go 4-6-3 and in a tight Eastern Conference that sees 10 points separating 3rd place from 12th place in the Conference the Buds need to get their game back on track
The team plays nine out of t...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Anderson Shines as Sens Steal Two Points from Lightning
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Heading into the game against the Ottawa Senators, fans knew it was going to be a challenge to get the win. The Sens boast some great young players with a lot of skill up front. That said, I’m not sure people expected what we saw tonight. It was the Craig Anderson show as he singlehandedly stole this game from the Tampa Bay Lightning in heartbreaking fashion. Here’...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts in Montreal to Take on Canadiens: An Interesting Test
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Tomorrow, the Lightning are in Montreal to take on the Canadiens. If our Bolts cannot get up for this one, I will officially consider this season a write-off. It’s always exciting for this group to play in Montreal. Few teams have the French connection that the Bolts do. Guys like Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier typically put in that extra little bit to play wel...
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...
This game, was almost painful to watch. I can’t describe it any better than that. Carolina, the worst team in the Eastern Conference, takes out Buffalo 4-2, in a game whose score indicated it was a lot closer than it actually was.
“Mark this date, 1/4/12, down as the day that the fortunes of the Sabres, and for that matter, the remainder of their season season, has...
It would appear as if in the last five years Montreal has become a veterans grave. It seems that word has been spread around how if your an overpaid, underachieving veteran, Montreal's the place to go, it has to stop. A sacred franchise is fast becoming a joke due to its shockingly bad trades and unnecessary signings such as Scott Gomez for Ryan McDonagh, and the signing o...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast: Bolts Downed by Habs in Montreal
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast. While that may be the tagline for CBS’s popular show, Survivor, it is also exactly what the Montreal Canadiens did to the Tampa Bay Lightning last night. That loss, giving the Bolts a record of 3-3 on my little stretch, all but puts the Lightning out of contention. Unless drastic changes are made, we aren’t going to be seeing playoff hockey...
What a guy! Isn't he beautiful?!
I have chosen to write my next blog about one of my favourite sports personalities of all time.
Nothing irritates me more then people who constantly berate and chastise Don Cherry when they don't even know the guy.
Off-screen, what does Don do? Spends his time helping the hockey community in every way he can. He visits hospitals...
Again, I wasn’t going to write this until I saw another unrealistic view of the Sabres portrayed on here. Come back to us Garth...
Here’s his excuses for why Buffalo is sinking fast, and again, I quote
1. Lack of scoring
2. Injuries
3. Goaltending
Ok, I can go with the lack of scoring part. I know, me agree with him? I’m scared too.
However, I come bac...
Jarome Iginla joined the exclusive 500 goal club on Saturday night. Now, there are talks of him once again leaving town. I don't think it's going to happen though. Come over to The Checking Line to read more!
http://thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/mr-500-jarome-iginla
Newman
Here is an excerpt from my latest blog:
...Calgary needs a great goalie to be a decent club, not sure if that is an indictment of the system being played but it is safe to say that if Kipper leaves a replacement will have to be found. Irving played decent up here and won against the Canucks which made him beloved by fans but his stats are not great after that Boston gam...
Boston.
Beantown, Hub, The Walking City.
So many cute nicknames these arrogant Chowd's have for their city, but everyone knows the best nicknames aren't given to ones self, but rather thrust upon you by others. Allow me to introduce to you, Boston, The Centre For Mass Hypocrisy.
Our blue collared, working class heroes to the east have thrown quite the party the past fe...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Canucks vs. Lightning Game Preview + Guy Boucher Contract
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
First and foremost I’d just like to apologize for getting this up a little late. It’s been a busy couple of days with travel and whatnot. That said, I’m here with the Bolts game preview for tonight’s tilt at the Tampa Bay Times Forum against the Western Conference powerhouse, Vancouver Canucks. Also in this blog I’ll be addressing a Guy Boucher question brough...
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...
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to really build on something that Garth wrote about before.
I back Miller as well.
Let’s be honest about how hockey works. How to assess blame in hockey? On average, 12 forwards are dressed a night, 6 defensemen, and 2 goalies, 1 of which starts. Now, throughout any given night, numerous defensemen can make bad brea...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Canucks Beat Bolts in Showcase of Offensive Talent
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
People often say that history tends to repeat itself. After watching this game, another offensive classic, between the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning, it’s hard to disagree. For the second time in two meetings, the Bolts and Canucks played a back and forth match that ended with a 5-4 decision in extra time for the visiting team. Here are my rough game notes...
As Montreal struggles to climb into a playoff spot its apparent they're lacking in more than a few areas of expertise. This year however the PP, offense and the teams toughness and grit have been among the teams problems. However with one move they can drastically improve the teams grit and strength, Colton Orr. Montreal needs a player who can stand up for their superstars...
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...
At this point in the season, with the Lightning in their current rut, it’s tough to put a value on the importance of a game. Are we chasing a playoff spot, or is this season completely done? As I’ve voiced to many of you before, the onus lies on management to come out and update a fan base that is so curious. All Steve Yzerman has to do is come out and tell us that ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
A Negatively Written Rant on the Tampa Bay Lightning
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
It’s not that difficult to understand what’s going on with this Lightning group right now. After another lackluster effort, this time against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Bolts find themselves in the unenviable position of having to decide whether or not to be ‘buyers’ or ‘sellers’ at the trade deadline. With about a month and a half to go before the pivotal ...
The Habs got Mike Cammalleri's huge contract off the books on Thursday. The Habs traded Cammy, along with Karri Ramo, who is playing in the KHL, and a 5th round pick to the Calgary Flames for forward Rene Bourque, prospect Patrick Holland, and a 2nd round pick in 2013.
It is interesting to note that this trade happened a little more than 24 hours after he made critical...
It's becoming harder and harder to whine and complain about the Habs. The painful reality of what is has set in. I've said for many years, regardless of the organisation, leadership and success is a culture. And that culture starts at the top. Not in the locker room. Not in the history books. At the top of an active, dynamic stack of people.
It's become clear that the c...
[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.
...
And that, folks, is how good teams battle through adversity.
Despite missing star scoring winger, Patrick Sharp, to injury, the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild last night with a determined 5-2 victory at the United Center. With the win, Chicago moves back into first place with 57 points in their division.
The Blackhawks overcame this adversity with sub...
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...
RyanZabizewski writes...
Montreal Trades Disgruntled Cammalleri For slouching Bourque
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Last night the Habs(16-20-7) lost 2-1 to the Bruins(28-11-1) but that wasn't the main story. less than 24 hours after Mike Cammalleri called the team a bunch of "Losers" he was nowhere to be seen in the 3rd period, the commentators thought he might have been injured. Then tweets from Dave stubbs, Mckenzie, Duthie said possibility that Cammalleri could have been traded.
...
With the team mired in its recent slump, many are calling for drastic action. Logical approaches can be made for and against such decisions, as clearly this team is in need of a spark. Whether that spark can be drawn from players already in the organization, as Ray Shero suggests, or must be brought in via trade, is still up for debate. Personally, I believe the best cours...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Uninspired Bolts Head to Washington Looking for Change
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Lightning are in DC tonight to take on the Washington Capitals. Despite not being the powerhouse group that haunted the league only a few short years ago, the Washington Capitals boast some great offensive weapons that shouldn’t have any problem feasting on weak defense and spotty goaltending. As Ian Esplen, the Canucks blogger here at Hockeybuzz, always says, “r...
There’s a lot of rumors circulating regarding trades, especially one that would send Tyler Myers to Anaheim, and bring Ryan Getzlaf to Buffalo. However, unfortunately, this deal isn’t as simple as that.
If it was as simple as Anaheim giving Buffalo Getzlaf, and Buffalo giving Anaheim Myers, given the current state of things, that’s simple;
Do it. Pull the trig...
There are those out there who are coming down on Mike Cammalleri for making his statements about the current state of affairs in the Montreal dressing room.
Why ?
Nobody can deny that the diminutive forward has always been known as a pretty class act and stand-up guy. His comments were bang-on in my assumption and the fact that he said them to the media does nothing...
HabsFan4Always writes...
How Long is the Dark Tunnel of the Montreal Canadiens?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Montreal Canadiens are an organization driving along in a dark tunnel without functional headlights. You do not fire your head coach, fire an assistant coach, trade a player with a 6 million dollar salary cap hit mid-game and have the worst power play in the league all before the All-Star Break if things are going well. But just how long is this dark tunnel and is th...
Who needs success when resiliency that leads to failure is a perfectly good option? Once again, the Lightning started out slower than a turtle in a pivotal game. You would have thought that the team would be better prepared to take on the high flying Capitals. In my pre-game report, I mentioned that Ovechkin was a sleeping giant; I also mentioned that I’m terrible at ...
So with a very important stretch of games ahead for the Jets, it will be interesting to see what GM Kevin Cheveldayoff does with this team nearing the deadline if they are out of reach of the playoffs. Lets look at a few of the factors that currently haunt this team and how they might be rectified.
Defense -
Believe it or not, the Jets roster has some pretty good ta...
Steve Yzerman, the worst GM in the league? I don’t think so, Barry. Unfortunately, you are way off base here. In just a short amount of time with the Lightning, Yzerman has done much more than make a few roster changes; he has created a culture. It’s the culture and aura that followed him around in Detroit and with Hockey Canada. The Tampa Bay Lightning franchise ...
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...
I know this is an old subject, however I have not had the chance to post this as of yet. So here it is.
This is my tribute to one of the best captains, and most talented players in NHL history.
To start off, I’d like to say congratulations to Jarome Iginla, for scoring his 500th goal – a feat performed by only 42 other NHL players. It may not have been the prett...
Now I realize this will be posted on the Flames site, but this is a fascinating INSIDE look into the Edmonton Oilers from an agent who deals with the team on a regular basis. In another installment of Agents of Change, Ritch Winter takes an in depth look into the current predicament in Edmonton and whether or not Tom Renney is the right fit at Head Coach of the young team....
RickDixon writes...
The Jets are like my wife's new curio cabinet....I'm serious
Posted Monday | Comments 1
I can hear what you are thinking right now. "What the hell is this guy talking about ?!!"
Let me explain.
During the summer my wife and I purchased a curio cabinet that was at a yard sale. She had always wanted a curio cabinet and so when she saw how nice it was she just had to have it.
Thing is, it was chalk full of knick-knacks and bawbles that the owner sai...
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, ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Ready for Bruins? + Rumor du Jour + Your Questions
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Lightning finish off a busy couple of weeks with a visit from the big, bruising, Boston Bruins tomorrow night. It should be an interesting game between two teams who have gone in opposite directions since a meeting in last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs. I would argue that that series was largely dominated by the Lightning. Last season, when the Bolts were successf...
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...
Over the past few weeks, I've received numerous tweets and emails asking me the same question. "What should Calgary do" and "Should Iginla be traded". This is not an easy question to answer, and therefore I have decided to write about it. The organization will be analyzed as a whole, and I'll give MY opinions on what the Flames' should do.
I think that for the best inte...
Figured I'd right a quick blog about what happened with Ryan Miller before I head off to work. Miller got pulled after allowing 5 goals through roughly 25 minutes of play in front of his friends and family who were in attendance.
After the game we saw the same type of fire and emotion from Ryan Miller when he got ran by Milan Lucic. When asked about if the Sabres player...
I just read Garth’s... “rebuttal” to the Jeremy Roenick and Mike Keenan interview from last night on NBC Sports Network.
I agree with the part Garth said about blaming Miller. Plus, as I listened, I don’t think I heard them blame Miller. The main focus was that things need to change in Buffalo. They aren’t on the same page, just like Roenick pointed out. I d...
Something the Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of. Well…maybe that’s not the right term. ‘Excess Depth’ may describe the situation a bit better. My point is, the team has a lot of players with high cap hits, which I just don’t think they need. But the thing is, they all have value were they to be traded. A couple of the names may surprise people, but bear with me. ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Strike Bruins + Rumor Round-Up + Answers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
There’s a jam packed blog here for you folks tonight full of my post-game thoughts, a rumor update, and the answers to the questions you submitted to me. Speaking of the game, it’s really funny to think that this is the exact same team we saw play Pittsburgh just a couple nights ago. Maybe all that mumbo-jumbo I was saying about frustration really did make a differen...
The Flames put in a valiant effort tonight against the Sharks but came up just short. Lots of positives to take out of tonight though.
So why don't you head on over to The Checking Line- West to read more! A brand new sub site to The Checking Line that will be your go to for Flames, Oilers, Canucks, and Jets news! Come check it out!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/b...
February 3, 2011:
“Starting today,” Pegula said, “there will be no financial mandates on the Buffalo Sabres hockey department,” in their effort to fulfill his dream of winning multiple Stanley Cups. “There is no salary cap in the National Hockey League on scouting budgets and player development budgets.”
“A clarion call should go out to the league and t...
Three wins in a row...two in the Sunshine state where we've definitely taken our lumps over the years...and one against the Hurricanes - who also give us fits...has Penguin fans feeling a lot better than a week ago.
Without exaggeration...we needed those wins badly.
I wouldn't say all of the Penguins ills have been cured...but it is safe to say that they seem to be ...
According to Lindy Ruff he is the one that needs to start leading this Buffalo Sabres team. It sounds to me like the leadership in that locker room is at question, and that this team is obviously not all on the same page.
What Lindy Ruff needs to do is go all Ted Nolan on this team. All bets are off now, this team is spiraling out of control. If Lindy Ruff is going to l...
The Buffalo Sabres are spiraling down into a pit of despair. They can’t score goals and they can’t stop goals. The defense gives the puck away constantly, like that’s what they’re paid to do. The goaltender has little to no confidence in himself and the players in front of him. The coach has run out of answers for the terrible play that we fans watch every single g...
The first half of the season is officially in the books for the Minnesota Wild. The Wild are currently 22-17-7 through 46 games of this season. Had I been told before the season started that the Wild were going to have 51 points and be 1 point out of 8th in the Western Conference with 51 points heading toward the All-Star break, I would have been satisfied. And though it m...
vowswithin writes...
Flames vs Kings Gameday: + Picture of Halls leather face!!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[img]http://nationalpostsports.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/0119hall.jpg[/img]
Taylor Hall was Injured in practice the other night and ended up taking a bunch of stitches. He is out for a few days at least but luckily didn't loose an eye. Scary injury that turned out as good at you can hope. Wishing him a quick recovery!
As you may or may not know the Calgary flames...
On paper this Buffalo Sabres team should be challenging for the top spot in the league. After starting the season with two wins in Europe, This team looked like it could not be beat. Then on November 12 the Bruins Milan Lucic slammed into Ryan Miller giving him a concussion. Simply put Ryan has not been the same since. Jhonus Enroth stepped in to take over for him whil...
After coming out of LA and San Jose with 3 out of 4 points, and taking both games to a shootout, I've come to realize that Feaster does not deserve all of this criticism he is receiving. Feaster and the Flames have impressed me this year.They've battled through adversity, and have showed that the Flames' organization does infact have some NHL-ready prospects.
After the ...
I'm a diehard Flames fan. I hate the Oilers. So who better to dissect the team from northern Alberta than their enemy?
Come over to The Checking Line -West for to read more!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/edmonton-oilers/lowly-edmonton-oilers-flames-fan-perspective
Newman
Twitter.com/TCLNewman
The Flames' get out shot 32-25 against the surging Los Angeles Kings, and again can't score, however the overall game was a solid performance by Calgary. Here are some notes on last nights' game, as well as some others leading up to tomorrows' game against Edmonton.
- Jarome Iginla was a beast last night. Scoring a Powerplay goal, and coming in 2nd on the team for total...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Hold off Stars for 2-1 Victory + Rumors
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Lightning went into the American Airlines Center in Dallas to take on a Stars team that is one of the hardest working, energized groups in the league. Looking for their second straight victory, the Lightning took to the ice knowing what they had to do. They played with pride, emotion and strength for a good portion of the game. It was enough to lead the group to vic...
Game two of this Western Conference back-to-back road trip is tonight with the Bolts taking on the Phoenix Coyotes. As a result of the quick turnaround time, the Bolts will probably be a little bit tired in Phoenix. The key for the Bolts is to remain disciplined as they search for their 3rd win in a row. If history means anything, the Bolts come into this one having won...
As I sit here in my Taro Tsujimoto jersey (hats off to those of you who get the reference), my thoughts have been stuck on the Sabres and when they will pull themselves out of this slump they are in and get back into playoff contention. I’ve been looking at the conference standings all morning, and slowly another question has been trickling into my mind...
[b]CAN[/b] ...
vowswithin writes...
This is for you Oilers! Gameday: The battle of Albeta
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[img]http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/396165_10150496555357293_500697292_8929549_435481295_n.jpg[/img]
When asked to comment on his feelings towards the Oilers, Sullivan felt actions spoke louder then words! This one is dedicated to All Mighty Oil, who I promised I would post more pictures of my dog for.
Why don't we talk about injuries?
Oiler fans...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Hold Off Coyotes for Huge 4-3 Victory
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Lightning won back-to-back road games for the first time this season. It was a welcome change for a team that is just trying to claw its way back into the playoff race. Tonight’s two points will go a long way in ensuring the Bolts have a chance at the post-season. Roloson was superb, the offense did what it had to and the defense held its own for the most part. I...
It's always nice to beat the crap out of the Oilers, and the Flames have done it a lot lately. Come over to The Checking Line -West to get a full run down of the game and where the Flames go from here. Check it out!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/flames-pound-oilersagain
Newman
Well there's another one in the books folks. The Calgary Flames' defeat the young and vibrant Edmonton Oilers, 6 - 2 in what did not look like a 'Battle of Alberta'. Although the shots (23-23) would indicate a fair game, it was far from it.
[b]A few things from the game to note:[/b]
- Lee Stempniak was a monster, scoring 3 G, adding 1 A for a total of 4 points. He a...
Depth down the middle is a key ingredient to success in the NHL. The most consistent teams in the league over the past 5 years have definately benefitted from having a strong top 3 centreman in the top 9 scoring-line scheme.
Pitt: Crosby, Malkin, Staal
LA: Kopitar, Richards, Stoll
...
(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...
"I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People."
"This was not about politics"
Really Tim?
If it's not about politics then what exactly were you talking about in the first quote, in which you defended your decision to not show up to the white house with your fellow teammates?
If it's not ab...
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...
It's becoming more apparent everyday that the Chicago Blackhawks need to do something to bolster their depth on the blue line and for the team all around in a general sense. This sounds ridiculous (I second guess myself sometimes) when the hawks have 6 players with 10+ goals, but the most deceiving and most important stat in hockey isn't goals and assists, its plus/...
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...
[b]It's NIEMI time!![/b]
What else can I say. Niemi put on a show during the game. Stopping Tanguay on a breakway not once, but twice - along with many other stellar saves. Don't take anything away from Kipper, as he played extremely well too. It was a battle of the goaltenders.
The first two periods of the game were rather equal and quite boring. The third period, ...
The Flames head into the break with the exact same record through 50 games as last season. We all know what happened there. But will this year be any different? Come over to TCL-West and find out!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/flames-shut-out-sharks
Newman
Well the All-Star Game is upon us this weekend. Does anyone else think it would be wildly successful if it took place in Las Vegas?
It's hard to tell if the Coyotes have overachieved or underachieved to this point of the season. A mixture of both seems fitting. Rather than analyze the first 50 games, let's look at the future of what the Coyotes need for the playoff p...
Well the All-Star Game is upon us this weekend. Does anyone else think it would be wildly successful if it took place in Las Vegas?
It's hard to tell if the Coyotes have overachieved or underachieved to this point of the season. A mixture of both seems fitting. Rather than analyze the first 50 games, let's look at the future of what the Coyotes need for the playoff p...
As everyone knows by now, Buffalo finally won a game on the road on Tuesday, squeaking out of New Jersey with a 2-1 shoot out victory.
This game may have just cost Buffalo getting back into the playoff race this season.
This win, as nice as it was to see Buffalo have more points than their opponent when it’s all said and done, gave management the excuse not to do ...
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...
[b][i] If you missed the other sections of this 5 part series, follow the links below to catch up:
[url=http://bit.ly/zd1ldc] Part 1 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/AedyZf] Part 3 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/yI5u6B] Part 4 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/zpmgaQ] Part 5 [/url] [/b][/i]
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So, you want to be a contender? We...
As we hit the all-star break this weekend with the Fantasy Draft kicking things off this evening at 8 P.M., the 2011-’12 NHL season has officially reached it’s mid-point. There have been many surprises — and equally as many disappointments — across the league this season on both an individual and team basis. In anticipation of the second half of the season, slated ...
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...
So I realize a lot of people like to crap on the All-Star Game because it has no meaning, no intensity, and nobody really cares about it anymore. But I like it, I always have. Why? Because it’s an NHL event and I enjoy watching hockey players display their talents and I love seeing different players from different teams playing and interacting with each other. I like...
vowswithin writes...
BMO to the Hawks, could this be the first in a series?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[code][ # Comments]
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Brendan Morrison was just traded to the Chicago BlackHawks for prospect Brian Connelly who is a 5'10 and scored 52 points over the last 80 games. Morrison was a UFA this year and was not going to be resigned. With the number of forwards we have this was the best move since it gives him a chance to win a cup this year. One can only wonder if t...
RyanHolmerB writes...
Morrison to Chicago...Who is this Connelly kid anyways?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Morrison was traded tonight to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Brian Connelly, a name that surely no one has heard of.
After doing some research, and watching some footage, this Connelly kid is quite impressive. At only 5'10, he may not be as intimidating as some defensemen, however with 52 points in 80 games last season, and a AHL All-Star, who according to some...
While Garth is boo-hooing that Pominville was taken too late in the fantasy draft, the rest of us are getting ready for the “game” known as the NHL All-Star Game.
Now, I’m not upset that Buffalo is under represented. There’s not really anyone from Buffalo who deserve to be in the game. Thomas Vanek is the only other Sabre that I could argue should be in the gam...
The Flames disposed of veteran forward Brendan Morrison on the weekend sending him to the Chicago Blackhawks for Brian Connelly. Good or bad? Come over to TCL-West to read more:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/brendan-morrison-traded
Newman
[b][i]
If you missed the previous sections of this 5 part series, follow the links below to catch up:
[url=http://bit.ly/zd1ldc] Part 1 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/z6opJG] Part 2 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/yI5u6B] Part 4 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/zpmgaQ] Part 5 [/url] [/b][/i]
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So, you want to be a contender...
Have you ever wondered what it is like behind the scenes in the NHL? What would it be like to meet and interview the biggest stars in the NHL? I recently had the chance to find out as I had access to the NHL All-Star media event at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa during the All-Star weekend. Here is an account of my experiences with the biggest names in the NHL.
As I walked ...
[b][i]
If you missed the previous sections of this 5 part series, follow the links below to catch up:
[url=http://bit.ly/zd1ldc] Part 1 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/z6opJG] Part 2 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/AedyZf] Part 3 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/zpmgaQ] Part 5 [/url] [/b][/i]
************************************************************
So, you want to be a contende...
[b][i]
If you missed the previous sections of this 5 part series, follow the links below to catch up:
[url=http://bit.ly/yI5u6B] Part 4 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/AedyZf] Part 3 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/z6opJG] Part 2 [/url]
[url=http://bit.ly/zd1ldc] Part 1 [/url] [/b][/i]
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So, you want to be a contender...
Andy McDonald.......you're close, you're really close to making every St. Louis Blues fan very happy. Your speed, your vision, your finishing touch, your experience.....oh how we've missed you. You are the missing component in making the Blues go from a contender to a legitimate favorite come playoff time. Your impact on the ice will echo a great deal off the ice where ...
RyanZabizewski writes...
After Game Blog Jan 31 Buffalo vs Montreal Update 11:39
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The "Habs" lost 3-1 to Buffalo Tuesday night. So do you want the bad news or the good news? How about both...
[b]Good News[/b]
Now it's hard for anything good coming out of that game but there was a couple things I liked.
[u]Carey Price [/u]
Played amazing tonight making 37 saves on 39 shots but once again overpaid players who can't score and lack of effort made us...
RyanHolmerB writes...
Flame's Lose a Tough one to Detroit : Post-Game Notes
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Flames' struggles for offensive production continued tonight, as they lost 3 - 1 to the Detroit Red Wings. A common theme since the beginning of the season, and for the past few seasons at that. The dump-and-chase system that Calgary has so long employed is stagnant, and has clearly not produced results.
Detroit outplayed Calgary in the first, and was up 1 - 0 headi...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Poised to Make Run Down the Stretch
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
After winning 5 games in a row, the Bolts have a lot of fans, including myself, wondering if there’s a chance of seeing post-season hockey in 2012. Not only was tonight’s win important, it was also a confidence booster. Often times, the first game back from the all-star break is pivotal for a team. Hopefully that’s the case for the 2011-12 version of these Tampa B...
The goal scoring issue is coming to boiling point and the Flames, more then ever, need to start scoring or they can kiss those playoff pipe dreams good bye. Check out the re-cap at TCL-West!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/wings-dispose-flames
Newman
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Look to Strike Down Jets in Thursday's Tilt
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Lightning are poised to take on the Winnipeg Jets at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Thursday with one thing in mind, two points. Belief is starting to set in that this team could very well be a playoff bound team. As it stands right now, the Lightning sit in 11th place with 48 points while the Jets have 52 points in 10th place. That four point gap could be narrowed to...
Ever wanted to know how to become an NHL Agent? Do you need to be a lawyer? What education do you really need? Well, NHL agent Ritch Winter answers all those questions and more in his latest post
http://www.theagentsofchange.com/2012/02/ritch-responds-becoming-agent.html
The final score from tonight, shockingly, is 1-0 Rangers, but Buffalo did play a solid game. Last night, good effort against the Habs, but again, it’s the Habs, and they aren’t exactly setting the world on fire this season (sorry Montreal).
Ryan Miller has been a god send. He has looked simply stellar and back on his game lately. He has stood on his head. Also, the...
[img]http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/dEhP1eNtUUhJ8RlJ.v25Ow--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnhlexperts/GRABBBBBBs.jpg[/img]
As you might know I decided to get twitter, and its proved to be lots of fun.
Follow me @vowswithinhb
[i]#Update: Well looks like Stempniak will be out for 6 week now,
+ Kolanos will wear #8 for the ...
Maybe I'm thinking about the Blues' scoring woes the wrong way. Maybe they don't need a scorer via trade. Maybe Andy McDonald and Alex Steen aren't as essential as I originally thought. Maybe they need a defenseman or two to change the offense. Maybe....
Pietrangelo is becoming a legitimate #1 defenseman. Shattenkirk isn't far behind but he's more an offensive play...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Great Effort from Bolts isn't Enough to Ground Jets
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Six game win streaks are always nice, aren’t they? Unfortunately, the Lightning didn’t manage to get to that elusive sixth straight W. Instead, they walked out of the Tampa Bay Times Forum with one point to keep pace with “the pack”. Two would have been nice; but by no means are the Lightning out of the race. What matters right now is that the Bolts continue to...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts/Panthers Preview + Rumors + Standings Research
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The month of February is shaping up to be one of vital importance for the Tampa Bay Lightning. With 12 games until the February 27th trade deadline, the Lightning are looking at a schedule that will have a huge impact on whether or not the team makes the playoffs this season. In this blog, I’ll take a look at the Panthers game coming up on Saturday, some rumors making ...
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...
If you were to ask around for opinions about Pierre Gauthier, general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, most of the Habs faithful fans would probably sing you a couple of lines from the old classic by Ray Charles: [i]“Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more”[/i]. So in the spirit of fun, let’s take a look at the many songs of...
Chalk up another two points for the boys in blue. What a story the last 7 games has been for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now, the Lightning find themselves in a true race with some tough opponents for just a couple playoff spots. Tonight’s post-game report will have a short synopsis of the game itself and then a larger feature on individual pieces and how they relate to ...
I can't believe the nads on Mario Lemieux, kidnapping Sam Gagner and posing as him for a couple games just to finally break one of Gretzky's records......gotta hand it to the Magnificent One though, he looks pretty good hanging with those kids.
Seriously though, imagine if Brian Burke has been talking to Edmonton about Gagner before all this, as has been mildly rumoured...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Predicting the Month of February - Tampa Bay Lightning
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
With the trade deadline only weeks away, and the stretch run in full swing, it’s time to make some predictions. The Lightning have an off day, so today’s blog will give a brief synopsis of the month’s remaining games. Should anyone put money down on these predictions? With my track record, absolutely not. That said, with all the talk about taking things ‘one ga...
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 have decided on a trade that would work pretty well
From Buffalo: From Tampa Bay:
Ryan Miller Victor Hedman
As we all know, Tampa Bay is in need of a goalie very badly. Ryan Miller is obviously someone who can pay the bill. And with Hed...
It’s always a treat when my two favorite teams get together to play a good ol’ fashioned game of hockey. That’s exactly what’s going to happen when the Los Angeles Kings come to town to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday evening. For two teams that don’t see each other often, there is certainly an abundance of storylines to follow prior to puck drop. T...
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...
Everyone who watches hockey loves Saturday night hockey, there is just something special about it. What could be better than Saturday night hockey, with the potential of a record being broken. This Saturday night was no different, and Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres reached a milestone in his career with the Sabres. In a 4-3 Shootout win over the New York Islanders, Mill...
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...
When will the losing in this stupid city end? They had their chances to end the 13 game losing streak in Anaheim but once again lost to the Ducks. Make it 14 and counting. They needed the points...
Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/flames-dont-disneyland
Newman
There are not many words to describe the frustration that last nights game brought upon me. I've been one of the biggest advocates of not only Feaster, but Sutter. I've defended them countless times. The game in Anaheim was the tipping point for me.
Although Calgary did come back and tie it - it was one of the worst games I've seen them play in a long time. With the exc...
A Wild Week 1/29/12-2/4/12
The Wild finished up this week going 1-1-1, holding on to 8th place in the Western Conference by 2 points over Dallas. This week we saw the Wild lose a heartbreaker to the Nashville Predators, defeat the Colorado Avalanche due to a Nicklas Backstrom shutout, and drop a shootout to the Dallas Stars. On Tuesday the Wild will finish up their 3 ga...
Part two of revisiting some of the recent bigger deals in the NHL involves the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Philadelphia Flyers. They got together on one of the bigger deals that happened in the summer of 2011:
[img]http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/404/296/129037043_crop_650x440.jpg?1318893095[/img]
[img]http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/...
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...
Theres a lot being made of the Avs trading two high draft choices for Varlamov, who till this date has yet to secure the starting goaltender role from JS Giguere. Varlamov, a 23 year old former first round draft pick has amassed a total of 90 games over 3 seasons in the NHL, with a record of 44-29-13 GAA of 2.60 and a .910 SV%.
Just for a comparison, 23 year old Jonath...
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...
After two demoralizing losses for the Tampa Bay Lightning, nobody is going to fault the odd fan or two for falling off the bandwagon here. In all likelihood, the Lightning will be sellers by the February 27th with their playoff dreams shattered, but, my name is Mr. Optimism and positivity is my game. The Bolts aren’t out of this race quite yet. They have games in hand...
Wild Musings 2/9/2012- Judgment Day
Tonight the Wild were handed a 5-2 loss by the Northwest leading Vancouver Canucks. The game started off very promising, as Dany Heatley scored his 18th goal of the season 13 seconds into the game. Unfortunately that was about it for the Wild offense. The Canucks dominated the next 30 minutes of the game, scoring 4 unanswered goals. ...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Defeat Sabres in Tight Tilt + Penguins Preview
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Only in the NHL is it possible to be one of the best teams over a ten game stretch and not make up any ground. That’s exactly what’s happening to the Tampa Bay Lightning right now. 7-1-2 in their last ten, the Bolts have been playing some inspired hockey. Whether it’s players fighting for jobs, looking to get traded to a contender or just simply fighting for a pla...
Jokinen's time with the Flames has been strange to say the least. With his contract set to expire at season's end, I look at how we got here and what to do with the Flames number one center.
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/olli-olli-oxen-free
Newman
Gunner Staal writes...
Part III Trades revisited: Richards to the West Coast
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Part three of revisiting some of the recent bigger deals in the NHL involves the Philadelphia Flyers (again) and the Los Angeles Kings. This was the 2nd impact deal the Flyers made in the summer of 2011.
[img]http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/p/sp/getty/2b/fullj.9c415908a0d3b6187d6156a0916a2f57/9c415908a0d3b6187d6156a0916a2f57-getty-138838397.jpg [/img]
[img]http://nyrbl...
Andy McDonald came back with a vengeance last night at home against the Sharks. The Blues looked instantly charged up. They looked faster. They looked tougher. They definitely didn't look like a team who played the night before. The previously absent power play showed up. The Blues looked better. Andy McDonald.....you are the man.
Does that mean that Doug Armstro...
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_k0Vz_Y5pA_A/TJLEjq7DMVI/AAAAAAAAAA0/8WxV8Au3Rl4/s1600/nash.jpg[/img]
It just might be that time. Will Columbus do the right thing for their franchise as well as their franchise player? This of course would be trading Rick Nash. Speaking as a hockey fan I think that most would agree, Rick Nash deserves better and NHL fans would benefit i...
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...
The Sabres put together a little hot streak after the All-Star break. However, the past 2 games, they have gone right back to where they were before.
Can Buffalo make the playoffs? Yes. Is it a long shot? It doesn’t have to be, but the way Buffalo is playing, [b]yes[/b].
Which now begs the question, what should Buffalo do over the next two weeks with the trade de...
To the Blues Management and Coaching Staff,
Please do something with Chris Stewart. He's not helping the team. He's not a good player right now. He's not producing. He's not working. He's not a Blue. It's way past time for something drastic. Was today the day?
Reports from practice today are coming in as positive as ever for #25. Hitch, good job in putting hi...
Brad Marchand needs to just go shoulder to shoulder with guys regardless of his height. By trying to up end guys in that manor will always result in clipping because of his height. Brad is way too good a player to take the chance of getting suspended again and hurting his team. The hit on Emelin tonight in Montreal was pointless, and if Brad saw one of his own teammates ge...
Wanna hear about the day Glen Sather punched Ritch Winter and why Ritch deserved it? Come to the Agents of Change to find out.
http://www.theagentsofchange.com/2012/02/ritch-responds-day-glen-sather-punched.html
A huge late goal by Cammalleri last night earned the Flames a much needed point. Come to TCL-West to read more:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/newman/calgary-flames/cammalleri-ties-it-late-flames-get-point
Newman
This Sabres script has been written before and the story, for me , is getting very old. Since 1997 the Sabres have made the playoffs or just missed them 12 out of 13 years. And I, for one, don‘t want them to win more then 10 games over the next 2 months. It in no way helps them to just miss the playoffs a 5th year. In fact, losing the rest of our games gives us a g...
mcefalu writes...
Blackhawks Look to Maintain Dominance Over Blue Jackets
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The dreaded nine-game losing streak endured by a severely frustrated Chicago Blackhawks team came to an end on Thursday night with a victory over the best team in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers.
Chicago now prepares to avoid a similar fate tomorrow afternoon when they are hosted by the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be the fifth of six meetings bet...
This game can be summed up as a game that Buffalo should have won. Don’t look at the stats, don’t look at the standings... Buffalo should have won this game. Montreal is struggling this season, and is right next to Buffalo (well they were) at the bottom of the East.
Again, I don’t care about whether Myers played in his 200th game, and got his 100th point with a g...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Quick Lightning Update - Are the playoffs in reach?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Sometimes, with a non-playoff team, you sit, you watch and you wonder how on earth it isn’t more competitive on a night-to-night basis? That’s exactly what happened with the Bolts tonight. With the parity in the National Hockey League, talent doesn’t necessarily mean everything. In today’s game, it’s all about work ethic and effort. In my opinion, the Bolts w...
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...
As silly season reaches a fever pitch around the NHL the Maple Leafs are in the midst of a bed crapping to end all bed crappings and this should be seen as a reason to not go out and sell the farm to just squeak into the playoffs. I would love to see them go out and land a premiere center but at what cost, reducing a already questionable defense corps? Will Getzlaf or Cart...
As silly season reaches a fever pitch around the NHL the Maple Leafs are in the midst of a bed crapping to end all bed crappings and this should be seen as a reason to not go out and sell the farm to just squeak into the playoffs. I would love to see them go out and land a premiere center but at what cost, reducing a already questionable defense corps? Will Getzlaf or Cart...
As silly season reaches a fever pitch around the NHL the Maple Leafs are in the midst of a bed crapping to end all bed crappings and this should be seen as a reason to not go out and sell the farm to just squeak into the playoffs. I would love to see them go out and land a premiere center but at what cost, reducing a already questionable defense corps? Will Getzlaf or Cart...
As silly season reaches a fever pitch around the NHL the Maple Leafs are in the midst of a bed crapping to end all bed crappings and this should be seen as a reason to not go out and sell the farm to just squeak into the playoffs. I would love to see them go out and land a premiere center but at what cost, reducing a already questionable defense corps? Will Getzlaf or Cart...
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...
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...
If someone had walked up to me and my fiancé as we walked into First Niagara Center Sunday and said that Buffalo was going to win, I wouldn’t have believed them. I was pleasantly surprised, and pumped as time expired, and Buffalo had disposed of the Penguins.
I was very pleased with the effort today from the Sabres. This was the balanced scoring attack that Buffalo ...
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, ...
So after losing against the Islanders in what most considered a must win game, the Jets have posted a road win against the Wild and two straight home wins against the Bruins and Avs.
In all three of those wins they have recorded at least four goals per game. Yes, you heard me right, four goals per game.
An outpouring of offense such as this is reason to celebrate in...
It’s a quiet night in the NHL tonight with only two games on the schedule. One of those games has a huge impact on the Bolts as they move forward. The Washington Capitals are taking on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in a game that will have huge playoff implications for many other teams. If the Capitals win, it’s another two points to make up. If the Capitals lose...
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...
The Flames moved into a playoff spot in Saturday for the first time all season with a 1-0 shutout win. Kipper continues to play out of his mind but the PP is all of a sudden stuck in neutral. What gives? Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/flames-playoff-spot-pp-struggling
Newman
Let’s face it, with how inconsistent this team has been over the course of this year (and the last 2), we can basically be assured that Ron Wilson will not be the coach of the future for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His “systems” make for some exciting hockey, but the run n’ gun offense will not survive in today’s NHL. Players these days have far too much skill and a...
There is no denying the ability of Alex Ovechkin. Size, speed, power, he has all those things. There is one thing missing from the Great 8's game.
Character.
With the struggles of this team over the course of this season, it has become woefully apparent that Ovechkin is not exactly what you would call a team player. He is not doing the things that brings you the a...
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...
I could be a long shot but a failing Buffalo Sabres team could be looking for a shakeup before the playoffs. Chicago is in need of a 2nd line center and Roy could be a nice fit for the Hawks 2nd line. If the Hawks were interested it could take Frolik, Pirri/Morin, pick, and then something.
The Lightning finished off their homestand tonight with a HUGE victory against the Anaheim Ducks. The Bolts may not have deserved the game, but good teams find ways to win. Right now, this group finds itself only 5 points out of the playoff picture. Many questions have yet to be answered.
[b]Read the game recap over at Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey Buzz![/b]
[url]h...
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...
As I watched the game last night, I was extremely worried towards the end. For a moment, it looked like Buffalo was going to be able to hang on to the victory. The Isles should have been an easy 2 points, especially since the Isles got creamed against the Senators the night before. However, Buffalo just got out of First Niagara Center with 2 points.
Buffalo played a me...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts Head to Winnipeg for Game of the Season vs. Jets
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
All season, bloggers like myself have been preaching about “big games”. Well, tomorrow’s game against the Jets is the epitome of a big game. Playoff spots are on the line for the manager, ticket revenues are on the line for owners and jobs are on the line for players. This is a key time of a year; this game is shaping up to be the biggest of the season for the Tam...
Canadiens' fans worldwide hang and hide their heads in shame as the [i]Circ du Gauthier[/i] continues to embaress our proud organization. There is no doubt that the bottom has dropped out of whatever plan and rebuild Andre Savard had started and we have in fact returned to the days of Houle the Fool and Mario Trembley blindly leading the team through a mine field.
Once...
After I wrote my blog this morning, I realized that I had just scrapped the surface as to what is bugging Buffalo fans. So, let’s talk about this realistically.
I think everyone knows that Buffalo can make the playoffs. However, will this team go anywhere? Sure, Buffalo has beaten the Bruins and Penguins pretty badly recently. But in a best of 7 series? I don’t thi...
Okay, before I even start, I know this is totally far-fetched and would never happen in a million years and people will be jumping down my throat after they read this scenario. But the 2012 trade deadline is fast approaching and I was bored at work so I started daydreaming and came up with an exciting (and totally non-reality based) 3-way deal, including 18 bodies and f...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in the ...
The Maple Leafs have done a complete 180 degree turn from their usually post lockout performances and that is not a good thing Leafs Nation. The club has gone 4-6-2 since the all star game and an even worse 1-6-1 in their past 8 and as February 24/12 comes around the club looks like they will be sitting in a familiar spot post lockout..... out of a playoff spot.
The clu...
Something that seems lacking in this day and age is accountability. Maybe because it is getting harder and harder to make a buck. The average Joe does his perceived best day in and day out with the odd mistake along the way. Dinging the car beside him...oh, they won't notice. Missing the trash can...the cleaner will get that. They gave me back too much change...that b...
Without further ado...
1. Columbus- Nail Yakupov, LW, Sarnia Sting
- Columbus succeeds to 'Fail for Nail' and select the best player in this draft.
Comparable: Alex Ovechkin
2. Edmonton- Ryan Murray, D, Everett Silvertips
- Although most scouts believe Grigorenko will go second overall, the Oilers address their needs on defense by taking the best blueliner in th...
[img]http://www.thesenatereform.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/MikeRichardsJeffCarter.jpg[/img]
Thursday evening Jeff Carter was reunited with his former teammate and captain Mike Richards as the LA Kings made the move to acquire his services.
[i]LA sent defensemen Jack Johnson and a conditional first round pick to Columbus (2012 or 2013) for Jeff Carter. [/i]
The...
A lot of speculation out there about two good right wingers. Well some call Nash a left winger, but on NHL.com, he's a right winger. I figured LA was going to trade Brown right away as soon as they got Richards, but they kept him... I didn't understand why they dealt for another captain type player, and now that their offense is leashed, they're starting to see it themse...
andydrmm writes...
2-1 Sabres Final, in the Shootout, Much needed 2 points.
Posted Friday | Comments 0
I'm doing something a little different tonight. After each period, I'm going to do a period recap as the game goes on... Talk to you after the first!
[b]0-0 End of 1[/b]
That was a pretty boring period. Both teams seem to be playing very cautious hockey. Yes, there are scoring chances for each team, but I wouldn't really call them exceptional. This seems to be the op...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Jets Dominate Lightning in Heartbreaker + Trade Rumors
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Lightning were in Winnipeg last night for a Southeast Division showdown. The team failed to show up and they got beaten as such. An inspiring comeback was not enough to save the Tampa Bay Lightning. They gave two points to their division rival and widened the gap between themselves and the playoffs. With only a 7.2% chance of making the playoffs, the Bolts need to ...
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 1
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...
There’s been a lot of talk lately as the Sabres (and fans) assess their organization. Again, the idea of creating a so called “Hockey Heaven” in Buffalo is pretty vague.
Management thinks that it is making it a great place to play hockey. The idea of selling Buffalo of as a great place to raise a family is fantastic too. The new locker rooms and upgrades to the a...
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...
With a weekend of travel behind me, it’s time to take a look at the weekend and give a re-cap. Obviously there were two big games this weekend and thankfully the Bolts managed to pull out a win on Sunday. The Lightning are still “in” the playoff race but things are certainly getting a little more tense. Steve Yzerman has stated that he doesn’t believe he’ll be...
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...
The Flames lost their third straight game on Saturday night and second straight in a shootout. What should they do before the trade deadline hits? Should they do anything? Come on over to TCL-West to debate!
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/flames-lose-third-straight-trade-deadline-looms
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...
What the hell was that? The Flames looked terrible tonight against a much better Blues team. Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/flames-sing-blues
Newman
The Habs are in Tampa for a really important game tonight. The Bolts are only six points back of 8th place and, with their new look defense, you can bet they'll be ready to go. It should be a really exciting tilt as you know these two teams always get the best out of each other.
[b]There's a game preview blog over at TB HB![/b]
[url]http://tblhockeybuzz.blogspot....
The answer is: only the GMs truly know.
I hear a bunch of media people saying, "Oh they're going to get a better deal during the summer" because their answer to everything is "wait and develop", yet I can name a whole bunch of summer deals that didn't pan out for the teams this year, LA and CBJ getting the Philly players within the hour last summer both turned out terri...
"...There is a faction that say as soon as something goes wrong the crazies come out and talk about trading Iginla or Kipper. I respond, why is it crazy when the same club, with the same players, goes through the exact same thing every year and never wins? Why is that crazy? Sutter is historically a coach that either misses the playoffs or goes out in the first round. Tha...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Edge Closer to Playoff Spot with Victory Over Habs
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Sometimes, the referees do everything they can to change the outcome of a game. Occasionally, that's not enough. In last night's tilt between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Bolts got absolutely shafted by the officials. Those of you who read my blogs frequently know that I am not someone who harps on the referees often. In order for me to actua...
Dear Ron Wilson,
I along with most Leaf fans today feel your pain. Our team is not performing and it is frustrating as can be for fans, as well (I’m sure) for players and the coaches. You may feel that you are being unfairly blamed, as has been your feeling throughout your time in Leaf’s Nation. What I saw last night was pathetic. The players let you down early with...
- The whole Rick Nash saga played out about as I expected, although it may not be for exactly the reasons I described here [url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=6464&post_id=13064[/url]. I honestly think that Scott Howson really had no intention of dealing Nash unless someone was going to give up the house...and no one did. He did get a fair return for Jeff Carter...
ShudBeFamous writes...
Habs future: Current roster and who they should draft
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
First off, I do not beleive montreal needs to draft a Defencemen this upcoming draft, so I am writing this blog as if they will be drafting one of the top 4 offencive prospects that could go in the top 5 in Pittsburgh this June.
1. Nail Yakupov (5'11, 189lbs) - W - Sarnia Sting - 37GP/30G/35A/65PTS/26PIM
2. Mikhail Grigorenko (6'3, 200lbs) - C - Quebec Remparts - 57GP/...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Steal Two Points from Conference Leading Rangers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It didn’t take long for tonight’s game against the New York Rangers to have a playoff feel added to it. If the Bolts are to make the playoffs this season, there is a great chance that their first round opponent would be the Rangers. Based on what we’ve been treated to over the course of the season series, this blogger can’t complain. The Rangers are one of the t...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning in Carolina for Pivotal Tilt Against the 'Canes
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Tonight’s game is a big one. The Lightning are in Carolina to take on the Hurricanes in what is shaping up to be a very pivotal game in the race for a playoff spot. With neither the Jets nor the Capitals in action on this Saturday evening, the Lightning have a shot to move just two points back of 8th place. That’s a far cry from the distant gap that once stood betwe...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Bolts Continue Playoff Push with Comeback Victory Over Canes
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Back-to-back games are never easy for a team in the National Hockey League. After beating the Rangers on Friday, the Bolts found themselves with another daunting challenge in Carolina. Less than 24 hours later, the Bolts were tasked with taking down a Hurricanes team that had been playing very well as of late. The big guys came in tired, Garon was playing for the second...
I’ll be 100% honest here, I didn’t really have high hopes for the Sabres as they headed towards the West Coast. I didn’t really expect Buffalo to do too well, and kind of figured that the playoff hunt was going to get a lot more difficult come Monday.
HOLY $^#$ AM I GLAD TO BE WRONG!!!!
I mean, who honestly saw this coming? I wasn’t as shocked with the wins ...
It’s Sunday March 4th and the Bolts have a couple days off. There’s a lot of excitement surrounding this team right now as it tries to complete the once unthinkable task of making the playoffs. The games are big; the stakes are high. Every player on the roster knows that he needs to play well in order to get this team into that number 8 seed. Here’s hoping that t...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Ready to Take on Senators in Key Tilt on Tuesday
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Eastern Conference standings are so tight right now; a win, tomorrow against the Ottawa Senators, is a must. At the time of writing, the Buffalo Sabres and Winnipeg Jets had not dropped the puck in their incredibly important tilt. With a Jets loss today and a Lightning win tomorrow, the Bolts would be sitting in 8th spot. That's right folks, barring the outcome of t...
" ... This summer is shaping up to be a very busy one for the Flames organization.
Should the Flames not make the playoffs as expected then it certainly seems likely that Brent Sutter will be fired, this will be more about his results than his ability. It should be noted that in my opinion no coach will be successful in Calgary until the entire culture of the organizat...
I can already imagine the comments I will get on this piece, but regardless what I am told, I need to document my stance on this (as well as put this on record for when the prediction comes true :)).
Jonas Gustavsson has been under some serious heat from the moment he was signed by the Blue and White. Thought of as the soon-to-be goaltending saviour of the franchise, w...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Capitals Break Hearts by Defeating Bolts in Overtime
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Welcome to the National Hockey League, Dustin Tokarski. It was a big night for everyone on the ice tonight as the Tampa Bay Lightning took on the Washington Capitals. With two points up for grabs in the ever-tight Eastern Conference playoff race, the Lightning needed a good performance. Trailing the Capitals by two points heading into the tilt, the Lightning had a great...
I think that the most entertaining part of tonight’s game against the Bruins, was watching Boston miss the empty net a few times in the past 2 minutes. Poor play and questionable decisions, and Buffalo has now dropped 2 of their last 3.
Buffalo made the mistake of playing the wrong goalies, in the wrong games. Carolina is the game that Enroth should have started in....
[b]Welcome to another blog by Aarif Deen. For more blogs, and EVERYTHING HOCKEY 24/7, follow me on twitter @NHLAarifDeenRep. Enjoy the read![/b]
Well here we are fellas. It has been eight years to the day Todd Bertuzzi shocked the entire hockey world by pulling off one of, if not, the biggest cheap-shot in the history of the game. Young, promising, gritty forward St...
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.
...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Carolina Hurricanes Preview
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Hockey Gods were with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night. Both the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets failed to pick up much needed victories. If everything goes right for the Bolts tonight, they could go to bed Saturday sitting only one point back of 8th place in the Eastern Conference. On top of a Bolts win, the Capitals and Sabres would both have to lose. I...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Playoff Dreams Shattered with Brutal Loss to Canes
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
If that’s the best performance the Tampa Bay Lightning are going to be able to turn out on this home stand, fans better be prepared for a wealth of disappointment. Tonight, the Hurricanes proved that you don’t need the most talented roster to win in the National Hockey League; all it takes is a little hard work and a good system. The Bolts had their playoff hopes das...
I went with my fiancé last night to take in an Amerks game. Luckily, since the Sabres are now re-affiliated with the Amerks, I can talk her into going a lot more. Buffalo’s farm team is playing very well at the moment, and right now in the middle of a playoff race in the AHL, in case you're not following the Amerks closely. If the playoffs started today, the Amerks are ...
Matt Stajan provided the heroics for the Flames 4:20 into overtime to give them a 3-2 win over the visiting Sharks. It was the team's fourth win in a row, there longest winning streak since December. Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/ragin-stajan-flames-sink-sharks-ot
Newman
I just don’t get this. Words can’t explain what Buffalo has just done the past 2 games. Yes, I understand 3 points out of 4 the past 2 games. But blowing the game, in 3 seconds or less, in back to back games...
[b]UN-@#%ING-ACCEPTABLE!!!!![/b]
It’s great that Foligno is playing well. I’m glad for the kid. Stafford has also picked up his game lately. As for Ho...
[b]Follow me on Twitter for prospects news, analysis and Calgary Flames updates @RyanHB
[/b]
In this edition of my blog, I will look at a Calgary Flames' prospect, in Michael Ferland.
Over the past couple of years I've been watching Ferland play, and develop into the player he is today. I will go over his strengths, weaknesses and projected placement- in a precursor ...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
Let's face it - this year's crop of free agents can be described as underwhelming ... at best. Brad Richards is really the only big name in the class and given the amount of teams reportedly in the running for the pivot, he'll likely fetch around $8 million per season mark and will get a long-term deal. That kind of contract doses cold water on the thought the club may tak...
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...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning vs. Oilers Preview: A Victory is Needed
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Despite being all but out of the playoff race (barring a miracle), the Tampa Bay Lightning need a victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. Unless this team wants to absolutely tank the rest of the season, which is unlikely based on the culture Yzerman and Boucher have created, a victory is imperative for confidence and getting back on the right track. Let�...
Jay Feaster's hands were tied.
The Flames General Manager tried every possible angle to get defenceman Tim Erixon inked to an entry-level deal but as the 5:00 PM ET deadline crept closer, it became apparent there was nothing he could do to convince the 20 year-old to sign on.
If no deal was able to be made, Erixon would be put back into the NHL Entry Draft this mont...
No I’m not talking about tonights game. Another solid effort tonight from the Sabres. It’s good to see that they aren’t laying over and dying and are playing like they want to make it to the playoffs.
I’m glad that Hodgson is starting to find his way in Buffalo. 2 great goals from him tonight. Very impressive to see him starting to play to his potential. Miller...
Quick hit here on my end...
I spent tonight in Rochester watching the Amerks, and plan on having an update on them by the end of the weekend. I'm also going to do a recap of tomorrow nights game against the Wild on Sunday.
That being said, tomorrow night, I will be in Buffalo hopefully watching Buffalo squeeze into 8th place (and maybe even tie Ottawa with points)....
The Calgary Flames lost their fifth game in a row on Saturday afternoon in Dallas 4-1.
The season is all but over.
What's the problem though and why did they go on this slide?
In my opinion, it's a losing mentality that's ingrained in the dressing room starting with the coach.
Read more here: http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames...
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...
Wild weekend of hockey for me the past 2 days. I spent Friday night in Rochester with my family taking in the Amerks vs Binghamton game. Saturday, my fiance and I ventured off to Buffalo for the Sabres vs Wild game, as Buffalo makes a push for the playoffs.
[b] Rochester Amerks [/b]
The Amerks are still looking like a solid squad. They may not have won on Friday nig...
How many of you remember the Norris Trophy voting of 2008-09? I'm sure the people of Washington and Boston do. To refresh the rest of you, Zdeno Chara won a stunning upset over Mike Green in the Norris voting that year. In that season, Green had a higher plus minus, 23 more points (46% more), and 12 more goals (63% more) while playing in 12 less games. Will Erik Karlss...
Last June I wrote the following blog about realignment. In it I included some comments concerning the Coyotes and a move to Quebec. I thought I would re-post it now because it seems that it's relevant given the news about the new arena being built in Quebec....and I think only 4 people read the original posting of it...
__________________________________________________...
As March nears it's end, the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a familiar spot in the standings; near the bottom. The Leafs, who haven't made the playoffs since before the lockout, have been floundering in recent years, and seem no closer to postseason success now then they did at this time last year, or even two years ago. The one difference between this year and the...
It is with a heavy heart that I must regrettably turn in my Pittsburgh Penguins' fan card. Despite being a fan since 1984 where I have been able to watch such wonderful moments in franchise history as Lemieux's 5 goals 5 ways against the Devils on 12/31/88, back-to-back Stanley Cups in 91 & 92, Mario Lemieux's victory over cancer, and the drafting of a nucleus of tale...
Three seasons with nothing to show for it. Is Brent Sutter's time in Calgary over? I think so. Read more here:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/brent-sutter-bell-tolls
Newman
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 ...
It’s easier just to write something new than try to respond to comments. First off, thanks for all the readers. It is always appreciated (negative one’s included). These are all opinions that are written on here, and we’re all entitled to them, and yes, I do read everyone's comments.
I, in good conscious, can’t blame injuries for the poor results this season. I...
I have respect for John Tortorella as a coach.
He's a straightforward guy that has taken a team that has underachieved for many years (when you look at how much money they have spent versus victories) and led them to the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
There's a lot to like about the way he has handled the Rangers.
Of course, Tortorella has a Stanley Cup ring,...
The Tampa Bay Lightning took to the ice at the MTS Centre to close the season on Saturday night. There were three key storylines to follow in what turned out to be a great end to the season.
[b]To read the full game re-cap, and many more pieces on the Tampa Bay Lightning, head over to Between the Benches.[/b]
[url]http://betweenthebenches.com/?p=1073[/url]
Thanks...
"... So we start with the overall questions, What’s next? After three seasons of no playoff hockey the Flames fans are mad. We all remember the season after season futility and it seems like those scars are now being opened. The 04 run is now long gone and all good will it generated is depleted. After so long losing there has to be a major shift in culture with the Flame...
Over the course of the year, Eklund has been posting rumors that Guy Boucher may be headed to Montreal to take the head coaching job there. BTB columnist Mike Stuart takes a look at the situation and explains why he thinks Boucher will be in Tampa next year and for a long time.
[b]Check out the article over at Between the Benches![/b]
[url]http://betweenthebenches.c...
Not to many people are talking about this because it seems everyone feels that Columbus will draft Yakopov first overall. I really don't feel this is the case. Its not that I feel Yakopov isn't worthy of being drafted first overall its that he is Russian and this is Columbus.
Columbus has had a horrible record with Russians; Filitov, Zherdev come to mind when you thin...
Not to many people are talking about this because it seems everyone feels that Columbus will draft Yakopov first overall. I really don't feel this is the case. Its not that I feel Yakopov isn't worthy of being drafted first overall its that he is Russian and this is Columbus.
Columbus has had a horrible record with Russians; Filitov, Zherdev come to mind when you thin...
I know most people are picking the Kings to upset Vancouver in the first round. It's a popular pick based off of the fact that Jonathan Quick is a Vezina candidate and single-handedly drove the Kings to the playoffs. But is it realistic? Vancouver IS the President's Trophy winners (two years in a row mind), earning it in the last game of the season with a convincing win in...
I know most people are picking the Kings to upset Vancouver in the first round. It's a popular pick based off of the fact that Jonathan Quick is a Vezina candidate and single-handedly drove the Kings to the playoffs. But is it realistic? Vancouver IS the President's Trophy winners (two years in a row mind), earning it in the last game of the season with a convincing win in...
I know most people are picking the Kings to upset Vancouver in the first round. It's a popular pick based off of the fact that Jonathan Quick is a Vezina candidate and single-handedly drove the Kings to the playoffs. But is it realistic? Vancouver IS the President's Trophy winners (two years in a row mind), earning it in the last game of the season with a convincing win in...
I know most people are picking the Kings to upset Vancouver in the first round. It's a popular pick based off of the fact that Jonathan Quick is a Vezina candidate and single-handedly drove the Kings to the playoffs. But is it realistic? Vancouver IS the President's Trophy winners (two years in a row mind), earning it in the last game of the season with a convincing win in...
I know most people are picking the Kings to upset Vancouver in the first round. It's a popular pick based off of the fact that Jonathan Quick is a Vezina candidate and single-handedly drove the Kings to the playoffs. But is it realistic? Vancouver IS the President's Trophy winners (two years in a row mind), earning it in the last game of the season with a convincing win in...
I know most people are picking the Kings to upset Vancouver in the first round. It's a popular pick based off of the fact that Jonathan Quick is a Vezina candidate and single-handedly drove the Kings to the playoffs. But is it realistic? Vancouver IS the President's Trophy winners (two years in a row mind), earning it in the last game of the season with a convincing win in...
Gunner Staal writes...
Quick hit stats for Penguins vs. Flyers matchup
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[img]http://cdn1.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/3660688/20120401_lbm_al8_020_extra_large.jpg[/img]
[b]Follow me on twitter @gunnerstaal[/b]
Here are some quick hit stats for the much anticipated Penguins/Flyers first round matchup.
Penguins and Flyers both finished the regular season with identical 19.7% power plays.The Flyers were #1 in total PP time this ...
What would Calgary want? A first round draft pick would be the obvious starting point, what else that would be added to any potential trade would be totally up in the air. So in assuming that the Flames asking price is starting with a first, anything less would be not worth moving him, who’s first is most attractive? Obviously Edmonton’s but there is no way on both sid...
The Penguins and Flyers are old adversaries.
Over the last couple of years, the battle had seemed to simmer down.
This season, the rivalry has been renewed.
When the Flyers took two players into their fold that have special places in the history of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup winning teams: Jaromir Jagr and Max Talbot – you could almost feel the hand of fate as ...
BarDownBobo writes...
Why Steve Tambellini SHOULDN'T Trade The First Overall
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The second that it was announced that the Edmonton Oilers had won the right to select first overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft suggestions started pouring in that they should trade the pick off for some immediate help, likely defensively. However it is my belief that the Oilers would not be better off to trade the pick, instead should do the obvious thing and select Sarni...
The overtime loss the Penguins endured to the Flyers last night is painful to think about.
When your team leads 3-0, after one period, you EXPECT them to win.
Even after giving the necessary consideration to the way the Flyers have previously battled back from 2-0 deficits to the Penguins this season, the first period lead seemed like something the Penguins couldn’...
The predictable parting of ways between the Calgary Flames and Brent Sutter happened today. Three years of playoff-less hockey and a team in desperate need of a new identity eventually sunk Sutter. So who's next? Come join the discussion:
http://west.thecheckingline.com/blog/derrick-newman/calgary-flames/brent-sutter-and-flames-part-ways
Newman
[b]The best way to build a contender is through the draft so we'll start here.[/b]
Habs have the #3 pick, it's simple if he is available, draft Alex Galchenyuk. We need wingers on fwd more than anything but that doesn't matter Gally is a game changer, they won`t have many chances at a player like this.
[b]Sort out the contract mess[/b]
Re-sign Price at a reasonabl...
The history of NHL playoff series will tell you that being down 1-0 is not as catastrophic as most people on the losing end of the first game feel it is.
In fact, when the home team loses the first game of series, their chances of winning the series only drop about 4%.
But by the time the second game is concluded, if you haven't earned a tie in the series, your chanc...
Waking up today and realizing that last night's 8-5 loss to the Flyers was NOT just a bad dream is enough to ruin your morning.
Realizing that the loss has your favorite team down 2-0 in the best of 7 series is enough to ruin your day.
Understanding that the team needs to win Sunday - or they will be facing an insurmountable 3 games to ZERO series deficit - is enough...
Nascar........... I cold not care even a little but about... but car crashed.... OOOHHH... let let at my PVR.
This is a time honoured sentiment. Violence, usually mindless, will get our attention faster than a hole in one, an honest QB sack and even that most exciting play in hockey.... the.... the... what was it again? Penalty Shot?
So my point is: How do Ame...
A Google search for the word ‘unraveled‘ shows definition number two as:
Become undone.
While the post game interviews from the Penguins locker room had guys talking about commitment to the team and each other, what happened on the ice sure looked a lot more like a team that has ‘become undone’.
While it may be surprising to some that this team faces elimina...
A TROLL...the online definition looks like this:
[b]In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory,[2] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[3] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[4] [/b]
...
[img]http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/images/11/2011/09/medium_puck_daddy_chats_with_brendan_shanahan_about_making_suspension_videos_colin_campbell_criti.jpg[/img]
By Ryan Wilson
Follow me on Twitter [b]@gunnerstaal[/b]
As each day passes in the playoffs it seems that it also comes with a new disciplinary issue. The one thing that most people who are dire...
The Roberto Luongo era is coming to an end in Vancouver. Everything that has transpired over the past few days would indicate that Roberto Luongo is on his way out of Vancouver. Rewind the clock just two or three years ago and this notion would have been unthinkable. Now, with Cory Schneider all but dominating the Canucks’ crease, Roberto Luongo finds himself at a crossr...
Four games into the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals match-up between the Penguins and Flyers -- and [b]just about anybody that thought they had a clue how this series would turn out is simply at a loss for a reasonable explanation to what we have seen so far.[/b]
Each game has been it's own little anomaly.
Going into Wednesday night's 'do or die game' for the Pengu...
Vokoun is no longer welcome in Washington. Not because of his play (which has actually been just as excellent as his time in Florida), but simply because it's a numbers game. It should be pretty clear to everyone in the hockey world that Vokoun took a large salary cut to play for a potential cup-winning team instead of sticking it out with his bottom of the heap Florida Pa...
One area that is often a hot discussion is the NHL points system, specifically the awarding of a "loser" point for losing a game in overtime or shootout. Only in the NHL can you get rewarded for losing and too often a team with less wins than another will have more points. Teams should be playing to win but often they play not lose, get at least one point and then hope l...
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...
Colin Dambrauskas writes...
My thoughts on Luongo and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Posted Thursday | Comments 3
After many conversations, it appears most Leaf fans feel that Luongo coming to Toronto either wont happen or is a bad idea primarily due to the length of his contract, and secondly because he might not even want to play there.
After having failed with the Gustavsson and Reimer duo, Burke is at a point where he is desperate for a legitimate starter for the 2012-2013 sea...
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...
there hasn't been a flames blog in awhile beside the vancouver blogger. So i decided to take a chance and voice my opinion on the change Calgary should do.
Its time to do something in calgary because it has not work for the past five seasons. Calgary has two big asset in captain Jarome Iginla and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.
Kipper would be easier to trade because there ...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Defending Steven Stamkos' Hart Trophy Nomination
Posted Monday | Comments 0
It feels like the Lightning fan base has to constantly come to the defense of its star players. After seeing the reaction to the Hart Trophy nominations, this week has been no exception. There was so much backlash towards Steven Stamkos for being nominated as “he didn’t lead the Lightning to the playoffs” – No, he didn’t. What did he do though? Well, not only did...
Today, Jay Feaster announced the signing of the 26 year old Czech centre Roman Cervenka to a a 1-year contract worth US$3,775,000 including bonuses. The deal had been in place since Thursday, however Cervenka's contract ended on Monday.
Roman Cervenka recently led his team in points, registering 11 goals and 11 assist in 20 KHL playoff games. He is described as having...
saneopinion writes...
All things Flames, Draft, Cervanka, UFA's, Kipper/Iggy
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
.... You read it here first: Iginla and Kipper will start the season in Calgary.
A few more crystal ball gazing ideas come to you when you absorb this information.
The first being that Olli Jokinen will probably be re-signed. I know this flies in the face of what Eric Francis thinks but there are a few factors here to consider when discussing Jokinen. He was the be...
We would all rather be watching our Habs players play in the playoffs right now, but we can get a look at a few of them over the next couple of weeks in the World Championships. Although if the Habs were to lose a game in triple overtime like the Caps did last night I may have had a heart attack. The Canadiens will be sending four players over to Finland and Sweden for thi...
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...
The Mens’ World Hockey Championships are well underway in Europe. Despite not having the same reputation as Olympic hockey over here in North America, the WHC does provide fans with a great look at some international talent. To be asked to play in this event is, and always will be, a great honor for players. Team Canada, this year, has iced a very strong roster from t...
Perhaps the biggest decision to be made by Marc Bergevin this summer will be what to pay current restricted free agents and future franchise cornerstones Carey Price and P.K. Subban. Both will demand huge raises from their current salaries, but with future CBA and salary cap uncertainty it is important to get them signed to the most modest deals possible. A year from now D...
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[img]http://athletes-celebrities.tseworld.com/cached/_images/maintainwidth/160x192/3289d6466a2cd8483042263f956c9f7d/shanahan-brendan-160-1933.jpg[/img]
Well here’s something each and every single one of us hockey fans have been aware of all season long. Brendan Shanahan—the head disciplinarian o...
There is a rumor circulating this morning that Larry Robinson would welcome a return to Montreal as an assistant coach. According to an article in the Toronto Sun, Robinson’s agent Don Cape says Larry would return to the Habs organization because he knows Marc Bergevin and the Molson family well and he believes the right people are in place in this organization. It is ni...
With the off-season for the Lightning in full-swing, it can be tough for bloggers like myself to pick up on storylines to write about. Still, the last couple of days have brought fans a couple of key tidbits to pick up on. First of all, there are conflicting reports coming out of Sweden regarding Mattias Ohlund and his desire to retire. Secondly, the Tampa Tribune is re...
Michael_Stuart writes...
A Plea to Fans of the Lightning and the Canucks
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Amidst reports of Mattias Ohlund retiring and Roberto Luongo being on the trading block, I have a plea for the Vancouver Canucks and their fans to read, and take in. Call me sentimental, call me old-fashioned, but this could work out incredibly well for both sides. Tampa Bay Lightning fans had great reason to be happy when the Bolts signed Mattias Ohlund a couple years a...
The round robin portion of the World Championships are complete and the Habs representing their respective countries this Spring have been largely impressive. The four Quarterfinal games will all be played on Thursday, followed by Semifinal Saturday and the medal games taking place on Sunday.
Lars Eller had the most disappointing tournament of the Canadiens as his team...
With the off-season in full swing and not a lot going on prior to the draft and free agency, bloggers like me don’t have a lot to talk about. So, in an attempt to generate some interest I’ve reached out to my Twitter followers for blog suggestions. Today, courtesy of @AlexMacLean4 and @_ConnorAndrews – I’ll be taking a look at two topics of conversation. First u...
"Diving." When you think of diving in the NHL, you think of the Vancouver Canucks. Now, in watching the Western Conference finals, Phoenix goalie Mike Smith has been acting like he has been shot whenever someone comes near his net. Smith's play has been outstanding in the first two rounds, and is the only reason Phoenix has made it this far, but the way he is acting in the...
The 94th edition of the Memorial Cup featuring the best Junior hockey teams in Canada, begins Friday in Shawinigan. The Montreal Canadiens will be well represented with four of their prospects taking part in the premier event hosted by Shawinigan. The Habs two most recent first round picks will both be competing, Nathan Beaulieu for the Quebec League champion and defending...
For my first crack at blog writing in some time, I thought I would simply put together a list of my thoughts on the Leafs.
1. Nazem Kadri is in no way the bargaining piece Brian Burke would have us believe he is, nor is he the super star the Leafs need. In fact, I would argue that if he does not piece together the defence side of his game soon - and that includes limiti...
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...
I have been chomping at the bit now for about two and a half years and finally did something about it today. I was at one point in my life a paid hockey writer. Not paid very much mind you, but monthly deposits were being sent to my Paypal account. I had the glorious task of being a staff writer for Hockey's Future. My main beat was the Minnesota Wild. Think about that for...
Asset management is the top priority for every General Manager in hockey. Getting something for players you move keeps a franchise afloat, however getting nothing for an asset can set a franchise into ruin. Unfortunately for the Montreal Canadiens, Pierre Gauthier got a whole lot of nothing for many of his assets.
In today’s era of free agency, salary caps and money h...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Goaltending Woes: Is Andrei Vasilevski the Answer?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
When the 2011-12 season concluded for the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was incredibly apparent that the team lacked a true number one goaltender. Dwayne Roloson looked over-the-hill, Mathieu Garon served as a good back-up and Dustin Tokarski simply seemed too raw to make an impact at the NHL level. Last season's failures are well documented and they all come down to the same ...
The 2006 NHL Draft will be remembered for the same reasons most drafts are, the superstars at the top, the first round busts and the diamonds in the rough such as 6th rounder Andrew Macdonald who was picked by the New York Islanders. Taking place in Vancouver, most Canucks fans will recall it as the day they finally got their franchise goaltender. New ‘Nucks GM Mike Gill...
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...
I was reading comments idly on a blog today, and I read the most ridiculous thing: a Calgary fan claiming Justin Schultz was basically there's. Wrong. Justin Schultz quite simply is going to a place where he can be successful, play, and play on a good team soon. Which rules out Calgary. He is going to sign with a. a team where he already knows one or several players (Toron...
Keep in mind that this article reflects my opinions and does not use any Draft Day rumours on any other persons blogs or news articles.
To start off the draft, the Edmonton Oilers faithful have been awarded with watching thier Team "Kick off" the Draft Day by selecting first overall for the third year in a row. A Pick widely considered to be used on Draft Day front Runn...
The Stanley Cup finals are upon us but I don't really care about it. Whether the Los Angeles Kings or the New Jersey Devils win, I could care less. I'm more interested in what's going to happen at the draft. Not too long ago a rumor surfaced that the Edmonton Oilers were entertaining the idea of trading the 1st overall pick to Columbus in a package deal including the 2n...
Devils scored a fluky one against the LA Kings to tie up game 1 in the 2nd period of the Stanley Cup Finals, and now it's in intermission and i've got an itchin' to write a blog.
On HockeyBuzz's homepage I came across another blogger's article on Team Canada at the Sochi Olympics. Everyone has a right to their opinion, and while i disagreed with my fellow blogger, s/he ...
Hello all first off this will be the first bit of any sort of writing since high school so bare with me.
Coaching situation
Ever since the WHC there has been rumors of Brent Sutter becoming the next coach of the Oilers. I highly doubt that rumor will come true. Dont get me wrong Sutters a solid coach but I think he'll sign with another team thats closer to a contend...
Hey there HockeyBuzzards!
I'm introducing a new attraction for the summer, maybe every weekend, where I post a funny NHL-themed picture for the HB community to take some amusement in, comment on and have a little fun with. It's just a way you can all have a few laughs amidst all the bantering about trades and drafts and free agent signings. Some of these rumour blog...
Tim Thomas had one of the best goaltending seasons of all time in
2010-2011, and in the Stanley Cup Finals he posted a .967 save
percentage (a cup record). Thomas was the biggest part to the Boston
Bruins winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in 39 years. He was
great with the fans, and the media, always answering questions in his
own quirky way (of course until ...
Hello all first off this will be the first bit of any sort of writing since high school so bare with me.
Coaching situation
Ever since the WHC there has been rumors of Brent Sutter becoming the next coach of the Oilers. I highly doubt that rumor will come true. Dont get me wrong Sutters a solid coach but I think he'll sign with another team thats closer to a contend...
Hello all first off this will be the first bit of any sort of writing since high school so bare with me.
Coaching situation
Ever since the WHC there has been rumors of Brent Sutter becoming the next coach of the Oilers. I highly doubt that rumor will come true. Dont get me wrong Sutters a solid coach but I think he'll sign with another team thats closer to a contend...
With the 2012 NHL draft creeping up quite fast and the Finals almost over, draft / trade speculation is going to start like a wildfire. So, I thought I would write a small piece about who Burke should draft (1st round), in my opinion of course.
1) Draft either Galchenyuk or Grigorenko, whichever of the two will be available. Galchenyuk, from what I've read, is the bett...
Brian Burke sure has his fair share of work to do this coming off-season. Now currently owning the longest drought without a cup AND the only team that hasn't made the playoffs since the Lockout, fans are starting to get upset. Ownership doesn't have a problem, just as long as they keep selling tickets, and I think that gives Burke some leeway when it comes to this season....
Allow me to set the scene for you. It is the second round of the 2002 Playoffs, the 8th seeded Montreal Canadiens have already upset the best team in the Eastern Conference in a six game battle against the rival Boston Bruins. They are now at home in game four of the second round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, already up 2-1 in the best of seven series and winning...
hockeyjunkie05 writes...
Leafs Plan from 2012 Entry Draft Forward..Or what it shud be
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
With the 2012 NHL Entry Draft less than 2 weeks away i thought it would be a good time to post my first blog and look at what I think Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs should do to improve their team. In the last few months the Leafs have been linked to several players and prospects but none moreso than Rick Nash, Roberto Luongo and most recently both top prospects N...
Phenom writes...
Phenom's Phunny Photos #2 - The (High) Definition of Karma
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Hey HockeyBuzzards,
I'm back with the second instalment of Phenom's Phunny Photos, my humble attempt to embrace the lighter side of the sport we love amidst all the bantering and heated discussions leading up to the Draft and free agency.
In January of this year, Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas made headlines when he decided to decline an invitation by U.S. Preside...
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...
Honestly, I couldn't think of a better story for the 2012 NHL season. An 8th place team barely makes the playoffs after having an abysmal year were they couldn't score to save their lives. It took a head coach change, a huge trade and a lot of luck to even accomplish this. And yet, here we are, congratulating the LA Kings! It's quite amazing really, I had them picked every...
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...
Hey, this is my first blog and I would appreciate any feedback or [u]constructive[/u] criticism. I have always enjoyed the draft and the speculation and trades it brings. And the opportunity for all us fans to play NHL GMs for a day (or months before). I have only watched 3 of these guys live and only 2 of them several times for consistency so I am not pretending to be an ...
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. ...
Trevor Timmins took over as Montreal’s Director of Player Development at the beginning of the 2002-03 season. His main responsibility is drafting and of course developing the next wave of Montreal Canadiens. The most important piece of business for Timmins to take care of every year is the NHL Draft. The upcoming draft in Pittsburgh will be his tenth as the mastermind be...
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...
I don't believe that Brian Burke and his management team have ever faced as important a time during his tenure as GM of the maple leafs as these next seven days. Tasked with improving his club enough to make the playoffs in the upcoming season, Now more than ever I believe Burke is willing to do whatever it takes to put the buds into the postseason. In addressing where thi...
Ok so the Oilers draft Yakupov on the 22nd. How does that impact the rest of the Oilers Top Six?
In this past season the Oilers top six consisted of Hall, RNH, Eberle, Gagner, Hemsky and for at least the first part of the season Smyth. Just replace Smyth with Yakupov and bang, the Oilers now have an awesome top six, right? Nope I don't think so. It takes more than sk...
aaronjoseph writes...
Centre Of The Hockey Universe.......Burke Better Step Up!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Just like the New York Yankees are in baseball, Machester United in soccer, Dallas Cowboys are in football, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the centre of the hockey universe. It has been for many years now.
All of the teams i mentioned above have high revenues and don't hesitate when it comes to spending money on big name free agents or making trades for big time players....
Now that the draft is less than a week away, it’s time to start looking at the needs of the Buffalo Sabres.
2011-2012 was a disappointing season for the Buffalo Sabres. To say that the pieces were there for the Sabres, is an understatement. We can try to find excuses for why Buffalo didn’t deliver, but in the end, Buffalo was worse than in the season before, moving ...
Hello, this is my first blog at Hockeybuzz (obviously) and I should introduce myself. I go by Gator26 (Gator was my highschool handle) and I adore the Habs. Ever since child birth, I've seemed to enjoy to watch them play (maybe not last season) but nonetheless, they still have my heart. Recently just got ink'd actually, the logo is now part of my body. Sounds odd when I sa...
A few tidbits on a quiet Sunday afternoon......
*Roberto Luongo was apparently in Toronto over the past couple days to meet with the Leafs and look at houses, schools, etc. Take that for what you will, but it's starting to look more and more like Bobby Lu will be wearing blue and white next season.
*Speaking to a source close to the Subban family, it appears PK is...
Kenny_Mac writes...
What Type of Player Habs Can Expect With 3rd Overall Pick
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
In three short days Montreal will finally reveal who they will choose with the third overall pick in this year’s draft in Pittsburgh. To find out what can be expected of someone selected so high I took a look back and ranked the last 20 players to be picked at number three. (Technically the last 22 players but I didn’t include the 2 most recent, Jonathon Huberdeau and ...
Howard Berger tweeted yesterday that Toronto could be re-visiting talks for Stastny. We all know that Toronto was throwing deals at the Avs earlier in the season for Stastny that were just straight up ridiculous. They tried to offer us Nikolai Kulemin, Cody Franson and a third round draft pick in 2013 for Stastny. That would be a horrible deal so why not send one back a...
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. ...
With the 2012 NHL Entry Draft (finally!!!) upon us, there is wild trade speculation running rampant within NHL circles and fans and players alike are anxious to see what, if anything, goes down on the Draft floor tonight during round one in Pittsburgh…..or even tomorrow during the remainder of the Draft. There is all kinds of talk of teams moving up in the first round...
Michael_Stuart writes...
Lightning Draft Andrei Vasilevski and Slater Koekkoek
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
After a rather uneventful evening at the Tampa Bay Lightning draft table, the organization has come to acquire two very talented youngsters. Of course, the selections which took place at 10th overall and 19th overall were met with some controversy but as a whole, fans should be very happy with what transpired today! Get my thoughts on what happened with the Lightning ove...
Schenn for JVR. Way to go Burke.
Schenn for JVR. Way to go Burke.
Schenn for JVR. Way to go Burke.
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....
On the heels of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, it seems clear that Brian Burke and The Toronto Maple Leafs had a clear strategy of what they were going to do. They would draft the best players available and fill the holes in the line-up through trade as evidenced by their selection of two defensemen in rounds one and two. They subsequently traded a defenseman, Luke Schenn t...
B_Chapman writes...
Coach Glen Gulutzan: Will He Learn From His Mistakes?
Posted Sunday | Comments 8
[b]When you look back at the 2011-2012 season and try to grade the team and its coach, one thing is easy to pick up on. They missed the playoffs. It is easy to say, “Well, he did great for a while, so obviously he has what it takes to coach in the NHL, right?”[/b]
Yes, you have to assume that because he was able to get his team playing first-place lights out hocke...
After announcing Chandler Stephenson Friday night in Pittsburgh, the Capitals waited 81 picks before George McPhee took the podium again.
This gave Washington ample time to deliberate who would complement their draft class best. Instead of following the hype of the “best defensive draft ever,” the Capitals were one of four teams to not draft a defensemen by the t...
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...
Nail Yakupov was simply the guy Edmonton HAD to take with the first overall pick. He was unanimously ranked number one in all the ratings and the Oilers did not pass up the future start.
The Russian born winger dishes out passes that make him look like Claude Giroux and plays at a 1.5 point per game pace stocking up about even totals in goals and assists (always favori...
“We want the cup” rained down on the Madison Square Garden ice for the final ten minutes of game seven of the Eastern Conference semi finals.
Roman Hamrlik would steal Henrik Lundqvist’s shut out, but while eager fans were hanging on the edge of their section trying not to fall from anticipation, Dennis Wideman was parked on the bench.
Playing a season-low 15:1...
You guys are hilarious. The page I was banned on had two posters calling each other idiots and retards, but I got banned for saying lol @ Flames.
lol @ you.
You guys are hilarious. The page I was banned on had two posters calling each other idiots and retards, but I got banned for saying lol @ Flames.
lol @ you.
rgreco40 writes...
Flames Bring Back Sarich Refusing to Admit the Need to Rebui
Posted Friday | Comments 4
Flames Bring Back Sarich Refusing to Admit the Need to Rebuild
Cory Sarich agreed to a two-year, two million dollar contract to return to the Calgary Flames this morning.
Bringing Sarich back puts some more size at the blue line, but it shows Calgary’s lack of commitment to rebuilding.
They lost prized Swedish defender Tim Erixon to the Rangers in the Scott Gome...
There isn't anyone out there in the hockey world right now who doesn't know who Justin Schultz is.
As an Oilers Blogger, I am quiet aware of the hype and Alure of having someone of his Calibre play for the "home" team, although no-one really knows who's team he's going to play for.
During the last week Justin has released a list of 5 teams that he would love to be ap...
Hey HockeyBuzzards,
It’s going to be a fantastic, exciting weekend as we countdown the minutes to the opening of NHL Free Agency (or Christmas, as we die-hards know it) and we can end months of speculation as to who is going where and what dominoes will ensue. I hope No-trade-a Clause brings all of you (well, some of you anyway) what you’re hoping for.
Also, H...
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 ...
JasonPanov writes...
Free Agent Signing to Add Energy to Detroit Goalie Corps
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
I know I promised (on Facebook) that I wouldn't make any Monster jokes, but I couldn't help myself. Wings have inked former Toronto backstop Jonas Gustavsson to a 2 year deal. Gustavsson went 39-45-15 in 107 appearances with the Maple Leafs over the past three seasons with a 298 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage. To be honest, I’m not terribly exci...
I am not trying to lend credence to any unverified rumors, but in anticipation of working a double shift tomorrow with no access to any hockey news, I wanted to put my thoughts on these “reports” out there.
[b]Parise/Suter[/b]
I would be ecstatic if both were signed. If I had to pick one: Suter. I haven’t found a single intelli...
In the first cheer-worthy move of the day, the Wings have brought back Mikael Samuelsson. Again, I’ve already said that I liked Monster’s signing, but he’s more of a stocking stuffer since I expect Joey MacDonald to put up a serious fight for the number two gig. Okay, so this guy is probably a stocking stuffer, too, but let’s call him a fan favorite. I liked Sam...
[b]The Stars were one of the few teams that made some moves on day one of free agency. While the Avalenche in my mind not only made the most noise but also made the best moves, the Stars in my summation didn’t do so bad themselves. Let’s take a look at each of the two players they picked up in short order. Starting with the least important piece…[/b]
Aaron Rome is...
As the chatter goes on regarding free agency and making big trades the Oilers stay the course and build primarily through the draft adding select pieces to bridge between what they are and what they will become. Naturally everyone wants to be a Cup contender every year but quite frankly that isn't realistic. Managing contracts and payrolls is critical these days if you w...
Well, I have not posted an article/blog on this site for a while, and am returning. I figured why not return by answering a short question/answer forum.
I asked people via twitter to send in some questions, and I will answer here.
@ChrisBowenYYC asks: "What do you think the make up of the blue line will be come opening night"
- Well its tough to tell right now. Jay ...
As I woke up this morning from my drunken stupor the night before, at around 9:30am, I began checking Twitter and the rumor mill for early news on Parise and Suter. Sure enough, around 11am, Dave Molinari, Pens beat writer for the Post Gazette, tweeted that the Penguins are "officially out" on Zach Parise.
And by lunch time that was confirmed when Mike Russo, Wild ...
Oh well, the Devils moved up to 17 and farmed a great player to become a great captain just so that they can prep him for his home state and he can wave back at the organization like a kid walking off to college after this team made all the right decisions about his development.
He shouldn't be expecting any phone calls on how he's doing.
Harsh realities of a busines...
[img]http://dildeepsingh.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/backlund.jpg[/img]
As it was just announced several minutes ago that Mikael Backlund has signed a 1 year 1-way contract with the Flames with a Cap hit of $725,000. This is even less then Roman Horak, T.J Brodie and Derek Smith will make this year.
Backlund is nothing but upside at the age of 23, despite his injury...
mcefalu writes...
Bowman, Hawks Look to Move On After Parise/Suter Rejection
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Despite receiving the cold shoulder from top NHL free agents forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter, Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman, like several other rejected general managers, is optimistic he can continue to improve the Chicago Blackhawks in other ways.
Although this summer's pool of free agent talent is somewhat shallow by typical standards, there are still quit...
RyanHolmerB writes...
Flames' Sign Backlund - Opportunity to Prove Himself
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Today, Mikael Backlund was signed to a one-year, one-way deal worth $725,000. Up until yesterday, negotiations had gone nowhere. JP Barry, Backlunds' agent told me "We have not yet made any progress". Just a few hours later, I get a text from him "Progress is being made".
When I checked with him this morning, he said a one-year deal is on the table, ready to be accepte...
So far this summer, we have seen the Canadiens take some steps to make the team a lot tougher to play against now, and possibly one of the contenders in the East starting in 2 or 3 years. Here is what I think of the signings and what the depth chart will look like for the Canadiens as it stands right now.
Brandon Prust-
I absolutely love this signing. This was an abso...
PensSkinny writes...
Exploring the Possibility of a Semin/Penguins Marriage
Posted Friday | Comments 1
By now, I'm sure that you all have heard that Zach Parise & Ryan Suter chose the Minnesota Wild. And to further complicate things for the Pens, they allowed Steve "Sully" Sullivan to walk away, and sign a one year deal in Phoenix. This certainly leaves Ray Shero in quite the predicament, as he needs to find a top-6 winger to play alongside Sidney Crosby.
A lo...
[img]http://img.deniksport.cz/img/2/article/416977_sport-hokej-extraliga-slavia-sparta-cervenka-crop-crop-crop.jpg[/img]
There has been a lot of talk about Roman Cervenka and questions as to what he was offered in his contract and what it actually means to the team and cap in real world dollars. The following is my attempt to explain and debunk it.
Roman Cervenka w...
Although, admittedly, my favorite memories of the Pittsburgh Penguins have come while the team was winning, in retrospect, I (unlike most of city of the Pittsburgh) actually enjoyed the Pre-Sidney Crosby "Dark Years". I can say I enjoyed them now, although at the time the future of the team was in serious jeopardy, but without these down years, the Pens wouldn't have been ...
I’ve been thinking about this past season for the Sabres. Namely how and why things went wrong (if someone says injuries, I’m going to scream). I do really like the new players that Buffalo has brought in, and I’m anxious as to what will happen next. But my question is, will it matter?
I like the additions so far, and I get the feeling that there’s more in the w...
Who are the greatest Penguins blue-liners of all time? You'd probably say Paul Coffey, Larry Murphy, or Randy Carlyle. Maybe more recent players make your list like Kris Letang, Brooks Orpik or Rob Scuderi. But what about D!ck Tarnstrom? What if I told you that Tarnstrom accomplished something that none of the previously mentioned players ever did? In 2003-04, D!ck Tar...
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...
http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/05/wayne-gretzky-bobby-orrhenrik-sedin.html
Did everyone miss the headline at the end of the regular season last month? With 67 assists in 2011-12, Henrik Sedin became just the 5th player in NHL history to lead the league in that category for three consecutive years.¹ The other four? Joe Thornton (2005-08), Wayne Gretzky (1979...
When I look at the Sabres roster for next year, the one glaring thing that sticks out is the number of d-men they have.
As it stand right now they have Ehrhoff, Regher, Myers, Leopold, Weber, Sekera, Sulzer, McNabb, and Pardy. Thats 9 NHL Dman. Somethings gotta give, somebody's goina get moved out. The big question is who, and for what?
First of all, let's look at w...
Montreal fans have been talking about next year since before the calendar flipped to 2012. With the draft and opening frenzy of free agency behind us, it is finally time everyone in the NHL starts to focus on next year. Obviously, the focus of the Canadiens is to climb out of the cellar of the Eastern Conference. The best way to do this is to realize what landed them in th...
Title pretty much says it all.
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...
Every blog you read has an opinion on how someone thinks they know what their favorite team needs to succeed and contend for a championship.
Edmonton - A few veteren defencemen and a proven goaltender
Toronto - A big centermen and a proven goaltender
Pittsburgh - A winger to play with Crosby
Calgary - Trade Iginla and Kipper and start over
In reality, every team ...
There are plenty of topics regarding the Union Blue that I could pinpoint in my first piece for this site. That, in large part, is because the 2011-2012 season of Blue Jackets hockey was like that scene in [i]The Strangers[/i] where the record player begins to skip as Liv Tyler painstakingly searches her dark cabin for maniacs. The point being: there’s work here to be do...
With most of the big guns of the free agency class spoken for nearly two weeks in to the frenzy, the Habs are left still looking to add a few goals to next year’s opening night roster. What started out as a relatively weak UFA class has been watered down considerably but a few interesting options still remain for the Canadiens. Let’s take a look at the top 5 offensive ...
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...
I find it funny how people are saying that Habs gm Marc Bergevin didn`t do enough on Free Agent Frenzy Canada Day July, 1 2012. Bergevin addressed the need of "team guys" and "gritty players" by adding Colby Armstrong, Francis Bouillon and Brandon Prust. Let`s look at what else Bergevin has done since being hired.
A list of hirings by Bergevin since taking office : ...
It's about time that the Leafs make the right moves with reasonable mutual moves its clear that the Nucks are asking too much Bernier may make a good move for the Leafs and provide a 1 2 punch.
As for talent within they have assets thaty need to take initiative to build themselves up to the next level.
Kadri, Colbourne, Frattin all could elevate their game to top 6 i...
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...
Hey HockeyBuzzards,
Today, PPP will phocus on a few recent re-signings in sunny California.
Firstly, the San Jose Sharks re-signed 25-year-old Marc-Edouard Vlasic, one of their most dependable defensemen to a five-year extension, keeping him locked up until the 2017-18 season. Vlasic has quietly become one of the steadiest young rearguards in the Western Conferenc...
As most people know, Mike Green rejected a 1 year 5 mil offer from the Caps.
Does This mean he will not return to Washington?
They could Trade him to a defense-needing team.
They could take compensation.
BUT if George McPhee is wise he will resign him
Leave Thoughts
~~SEXY OMLET 43
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...
a-mak15 writes...
Brian Burke's inactivity should not be lauded and tolerated
Posted Tuesday | Comments 4
It's been an inescapably quiet summer for Brian Burke and his boys in blue. The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently being shut out on the trade front, have whiffed on every prized free agent on the market and, as is customary with the franchise, the team has largely ignored addressing its unmistakably glaring needs for a top-line center and a quality goaltender.
If the n...
Lets talk about Nash in terms of what he brings to the table and what he doesn't .
Overrate: Nash is a stud power forward with soft hands and a hard accurate shot. Nash makes any team he goes to a contender ( mostly due to the list of teams he wants to be traded to ) . Nash on a line with a play maker could net you 40-45 goals. The only real impact scoring winger still...
Lets talk about Nash in terms of what he brings to the table and what he doesn't .
Overrate: Nash is a stud power forward with soft hands and a hard accurate shot. Nash makes any team he goes to a contender ( mostly due to the list of teams he wants to be traded to ) . Nash on a line with a play maker could net you 40-45 goals. The only real impact scoring winger still...
[IMG]http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u182/legacy1436/mad-hockey-goalie-thumb1801053.jpg[/IMG]
Matthew Barry has made an excellent point in his blog on Bernier to Toronto for Frattin and a 3rd rounder (http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Matthew-Barry/Frattin-and-a-3rd-for-Bernier/125/45651)
Barry's quote -
[i]Yeah, Bernier's been moaning like a kid whose parents won't t...
This is my first blog and i am just going to discuss what i think of the Oilers roster as of now and some thoughts on what i would like to see happen over the next few months. When i analyze whats going on with a team, i like to break it down into line combinations, gives the best idea of whats going on with the team. This is what we have going for the Oilers so far:
Ha...
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...
Scoutski writes...
Calgary Flames: Burning Bright or Being Snuffed Out? (1/7)
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Jay Feaster has come under heavy scrutiny since taking over as “acting” general manager of the Calgary Flames on December 28th 2010, however questions of his direction and lack of stated strategy have fans feeling confused and unsure of where the Flames are headed. The major question then is “Are things getting better or worse for the Calgary Flames hockey club?”.
...
Once an offer sheet is laid out by a team all of the other team’s fans start to wonder why their team is not doing it.
Jamie Benn, Suban, or however you want to talk about are not going to be let go via offer sheet, it’s very rare. If they do get the sheet they don’t move very often, most clubs will match and trade later when they can control the return.
So are...
Ok so i don't write very much and this is not really my thing but with that being said i thought that i might weigh in on my beloved Flyers.
With Shea Weber staying in nashville what are the flyers going to do now??? seems to be the big question everyone in flyer nation has been pondering, and yes i know that Homer will most likely come up with something i hea...
Ok so i don't write very much and this is not really my thing but with that being said i thought that i might weigh in on my beloved Flyers.
With Shea Weber staying in nashville what are the flyers going to do now??? seems to be the big question everyone in flyer nation has been pondering, and yes i know that Homer will most likely come up with something i hea...
Trade Talks Washington and Anaheim
90 Marcus Johansson 6' 1" 205 Oct 6, 1990 21 Landskrona, SWE [:thumbsup:]
Drafted: WSH / 2009 NHL Entry Draft
Round: 1st (24th overall)
81 Dmitry Orlov 6' 0" 210 Jul 23, 1991 21 Novokuznetsk, RUS
Drafted: WSH / 2009 NHL Entry Draft
Round: 2nd (55th overall)
1 round draft pick.
###################...
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...
I'm an American. I like to consider myself more liberal than most of my countrymen. But, I also recognize that there are going to be people that disagree with me about my social and political beliefs. I just want to go on record and say that I believe this is a good thing. We need contention in society, or else nothing can be addressed and improved or fixed.
Along those...
I'm not sure about you, but I am so sick of hearing about the needs of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. Every off-season, trade deadline or rumor has to do with Toronto filling those much needed areas to make the club a playoff team. But here is my issue, a proper rebuilding plan (that I thought they were doing...) will take at the very least, 3-4 more seasons.
For...
I don't ever post but I'd like to point out something nobody has seemed to touch on since Loungo's name as been on the trading block.
Maybe halfway through last season reports began to come out that both the owners and players liked the idea of an amnesty clause in the next cba. Amnesty would allow owners to rid themselves of bad cap hits while the player gets compensa...
I don't ever post but I'd like to point out something nobody has seemed to touch on since Loungo's name as been on the trading block.
Maybe halfway through last season reports began to come out that both the owners and players liked the idea of an amnesty clause in the next cba. Amnesty would allow owners to rid themselves of bad cap hits while the player gets compensa...
I don't ever post but I'd like to point out something nobody has seemed to touch on since Loungo's name as been on the trading block.
Maybe halfway through last season reports began to come out that both the owners and players liked the idea of an amnesty clause in the next cba. Amnesty would allow owners to rid themselves of bad cap hits while the player gets compensa...
I don't ever post but I'd like to point out something nobody has seemed to touch on since Loungo's name as been on the trading block.
Maybe halfway through last season reports began to come out that both the owners and players liked the idea of an amnesty clause in the next cba. Amnesty would allow owners to rid themselves of bad cap hits while the player gets compensa...
I don't ever post but I'd like to point out something nobody has seemed to touch on since Loungo's name as been on the trading block.
Maybe halfway through last season reports began to come out that both the owners and players liked the idea of an amnesty clause in the next cba. Amnesty would allow owners to rid themselves of bad cap hits while the player gets compensa...
How can the Habs prepare for future success?
Heading into the 2012-2013 season a lot of uncertainty faces the Montreal Canadiens. The organizations fans would have you believe that they are a move or two away from contending for the cup. This however, is not the case.
After a disappointing basement finish, the organization needs to address several needs. The 2011-20...
In a recent Richard Cloutier blog surprisingly void of Eric Belanger insults, a trade scenario was presented in which the Oilers and the Habs would swap two stars straight-up. Subban for Yakupov in a pure 1-for-1 hockey deal. I just thought I woud weigh in to the conversation with my thoughts on a deal that could rock the hockey world.
I have long been an advocate of th...
Reasons for optamism these days seem low sourrounding our lowly Canucks. Everything from the Luongo trade debates, the Doan "DECISION" and ofcourse the ongoing he said/ she said battle between Mike Gillis and the Ryan Kesler Party. Amongst all these and the somewhat obvious upcoming lock out, I'll try my best to brighten up your day with a few reasons to smile regarding ...
Alright, 2nd blog today, but this a fun one. I will be doing my all-prospect team today. These prospects can only have a MAX of 1 year under their belt. They must also play their respective position. I will be doing 12 FW, 6 D and 2 G.
Yakupov-RNH-Landeskog
Schenn-Galchenyuk-Kreider
Johansen-Couts-Forsberg
Granlund-Hodgson-Connolly
Larsson-Gardiner
Gudbranson-Ha...
QuebecPride writes...
My Habs prospect rankings (20-16) and a few updates
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First off let's start with a few updates.
1)Brandon Shea has officially been traded to the Remparts for a 3rd round pick in 2015.
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/sports/remparts/201208/01/01-4561527-brandon-shea-samene-a-quebec.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B13b_hockey-junior_1607706_section_POS1
2)Looks like the Habs...
QuebecPride writes...
My Habs prospect rankings (20-16) and a few updates
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First off let's start with a few updates.
1)Brandon Shea has officially been traded to the Remparts for a 3rd round pick in 2015.
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/sports/remparts/201208/01/01-4561527-brandon-shea-samene-a-quebec.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B13b_hockey-junior_1607706_section_POS1
2)Looks like the Habs...
QuebecPride writes...
My Habs prospect rankings (20-16) and a few updates
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First off let's start with a few updates.
1)Brandon Shea has officially been traded to the Remparts for a 3rd round pick in 2015.
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/sports/remparts/201208/01/01-4561527-brandon-shea-samene-a-quebec.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B13b_hockey-junior_1607706_section_POS1
2)Looks like the Habs...
QuebecPride writes...
My Habs prospect rankings (20-16) and a few updates
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First off let's start with a few updates.
1)Brandon Shea has officially been traded to the Remparts for a 3rd round pick in 2015.
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/sports/remparts/201208/01/01-4561527-brandon-shea-samene-a-quebec.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B13b_hockey-junior_1607706_section_POS1
2)Looks like the Habs...
QuebecPride writes...
My Habs prospect rankings (20-16) and a few updates
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
First off let's start with a few updates.
1)Brandon Shea has officially been traded to the Remparts for a 3rd round pick in 2015.
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/sports/remparts/201208/01/01-4561527-brandon-shea-samene-a-quebec.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B13b_hockey-junior_1607706_section_POS1
2)Looks like the Habs...
[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]
LINK TO PART TWO: [url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=131735&post_id=13858[/url]
[b...
Ice_Hawk writes...
The Flames Direction: Maligned by Many, Understood by Few.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Yes indeed, it was yet another 'dollar short and day late' season for the Flames after missing the playoffs by a mere three wins. The casual observer and even some knowledgeable fans and media members have concluded the Flames’ owners are ‘crazy’ wanting to forego an all-out rebuild keeping their goaltender and captain and the 2012-2013 season will just be more of th...
Looking through the rosters of many of the teams in the NHL I noticed how many teams lacked a top line forward. By top line I mean a talent player that you would realistically call a top 3 forward. I consider a front line, top 3 forward as a player who is a legitimate 30+ goal scorer and point per game player. Not a player who can have a 30 goal or point a game over a whol...
First of all I would like to respond to the posters who commented on my last blog. I tried to use the comments section but my posts showed up blank.
Hi guys, thanks for taking the time to read and comment on my blog.
@HopintheCordoba. Yeah, that pick caught a lot of people off guard including me. Even though ISS/CS etc. had Jankowski rated lower, Craig Button had hi...
Today Eklund made my day by saying the Oilers and Sabres were working on a major deal. As an Oilers fan this summer has been a big let down. Other than the signing justin Schultz the only other thing I could look forward to was 2 more months and then the season will hopefully start. So onto the rumor Eklund stated that the Oilers would want a significant D-man and right aw...
Eric Mellin writes...
Alex Semin May or May Not Rock You Like A Hurricane
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The mystery surrounding Alex Semin's future in the NHL finally came to end when he signed a one year, $7M contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. There was much speculation that Semin was going to sign with either Pittsburg or Detroit, but neither team wanted to offer Semin a muli-year contract, which is something he sought, or anything over $5M. The Hurricanes jumped on th...
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...
Feaster’s first player acquisition as acting GM was underwhelming and perhaps a token move to show he wanted to bolster the lineup without giving up much. With the Flames’ season winding down and a playoff spot looking less likely with each passing game, Feaster added a ‘broken down’ Fredrik Modin, giving up a seventh round pick at the deadline in 2011. Modin had l...
I am taking a departure from my in depth analysis of Jay Feaster’s first two seasons as the Flames' GM to comment on statistical analysis in hockey. Specifically as it pertains to the Calgary Flames.
The reason I am doing this is because I read a post on another site maligning the Wideman signing quoting (so-called) experts who called the Wideman signing the worst UFA...
With the closing of the 2012 summer games comes the passing of the torch and the countdown to the winter olympics in Sochi 2014. With the winter olympics hockey fans will get to see the greatest hockey tournament every four four years. The NHL's best players representing their country vying for Olympic gold.
Being a canadian winning gold in mens ice hockey means everyth...
I finally found out that the Sabres minipacks were going on sale right before my wedding. Just one more thing to stress about the week I lose my freedom (kidding!!!).
Traditionally, My fiancé (soon to be wife) and I go in on a minipack with my parents. While we would like to get season tickets, it’s tough not living in Buffalo. However, we’re always watching the ga...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Countdown of Best/Worst Trades in Habs History: 10th Worst
Posted Saturday | Comments 7
To begin the feature of counting down the top ten best and top ten worst trades in modern day Habs history, I decided to begin with the worst and rotate from 10th worst to 10th best and count down simultaneously. This way, as was so often the case in Habs history, we will finish with the best ever.
On the eve of the 2006-07 season, Montreal GM Bob Gainey would manufactu...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Countdown of Best/Worst Trades in Habs History: 10th Best
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
To continue our countdown of best/worst trades in the modern era of the Habs in order to help us get through August and into next season, we reveal the 10th best trade made by the Habs since the expansion of 1967.
June 26th 1975, Montreal trades defenceman Greg Hubick to the Toronto Maple Leafs for center Doug Jarvis.
Sam Pollock was the General Manager of the Canadi...
There has been a lot of talk about what Steve has done and even more about what he could have done this summer. We have all heard that talk that the choice to draft Yakupov was made by Katz. There was also talk the Sutter as coach was nixed by Katz as well. These two things were the best things the Oilers did this summer. The reasons:
Yakupov has become a fan sensat...
There has been a lot of talk about what Steve has done and even more about what he could have done this summer. We have all heard that talk that the choice to draft Yakupov was made by Katz. There was also talk the Sutter as coach was nixed by Katz as well. These two things were the best things the Oilers did this summer. The reasons:
Yakupov has become a fan sensat...
Corseting writes...
Exceeding Expectations - Fantasy players for 2012/2013
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
I honestly can't believe we are almost at the start of another season. One that I promise you will begin with no lockout... just don't see it happening this time.
What I will be looking at is those players who I believe will surprise and contribute to your fantasy team (If not a "surprise" they will definitely improve from last year). This will be solely on [b]POINTS[/b...
In Jay Feaster’s second off-season, he was forced to eat a bit of humble pie when his pre-season guarantee of making the playoffs blew up in his face and the Flames missed out by just six points in an eerily similar fashion to the previous year.
The first dilemma facing the GM was whether or not to re-sign Brent Sutter. To me it was a no-brainer. Sutter may be a good ...
This is my last installment on the examination of Jay Feaster’s tenure as Flames GM. I hope the series has been interesting, informative, entertaining or some combination of the three.
To wind things up I would like to look at the Flames 2012 draft selections. Although Feaster has minimal involvement with assembling the scouting list, it is a product of the scouting s...
I am one of the biggest hockey fans around, and I do believe the players and owners will get a deal done before shutting down for the whole season, however, I do think the season will be delayed, maybe halfway through October. I am with every hockey nut out there, and I will be very upset if there is no NHL this year.
Since we are on the subject, and the NHL lockout is...
Although things could change, the current state of CBA negotiations is pointing to yet another lockout. If so, this would be a natural hat-trick.
Since the NHL owners slotted hired-gun Gary Bettman as their commish, the mood of player/ownership negotiations has gone from somewhat amicable to downright confrontational and even combative at times.
The financial state ...
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...
suraj1017 writes...
5 Reasons the New CBA Needs to Get Done Before September 15
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The NHL and NHLPA have reached a point of potentially experiencing a second NHL lockout in less than a decade.
There are significant losers if this does happen, and very limited winners as well.
So, why has it not been resolved?
That's for both parties to figure out, but it seems the difference in desires for the new CBA will continue to hinder the possibility o...
The NHL doesn't have a lot going on right now that isn't related to the CBA negotiations of the impending lockout. The meager free agent pickings have been reduced to virtually non-existent, the playoffs are a black-and-white relic of the past. So what are hockey bloggers left to do? While instead of weighing in with my opinion on the BOG vs NHLPA clash, I'll write what I ...
The NHL doesn't have a lot going on right now that isn't related to the CBA negotiations of the impending lockout. The meager free agent pickings have been reduced to virtually non-existent, the playoffs are a black-and-white relic of the past. So what are hockey bloggers left to do? While instead of weighing in with my opinion on the BOG vs NHLPA clash, I'll write what I ...
When the 2012 offseason began Brian Burke promised the Maple Leafs’ real offseason would begin on July 1st. Free Agent frenzy did bring a few new names to the club but none of those names happen to be pinned to a top six slot let alone a first line center role. There is still time for a move but as it stands now, are the Leafs improved enough to snap the seven year abs...
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...
RobFlyers#1 writes...
Ranking Hockey Canada's Best (Part 2) Defence and Goalies
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
This is the second part of my rankings for Canada's best hockey players by position. I posted earlier my rankings for Canada's top 32 forwards and now it's time to rank the defense and the goalies going into the 2014 olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Canada has great depth on the blueline and in my opinion a changing of the guard so to speak. With Neidermayer retired and Chri...
Hello all and welcome to my second blog ever. Like i said in my first blog Im not the greatest writer so if it sucks please bear with me. Im open to suggestion and comments of all kinds.
Now to my blog, the Edmonton Oilers have done a bit of work this off season but they could have done alot more. Lets take a look at what the Oilers have done so far.
First off they s...
Hello all and welcome to my second blog ever. Like i said in my first blog Im not the greatest writer so if it sucks please bear with me. Im open to suggestion and comments of all kinds.
Now to my blog, the Edmonton Oilers have done a bit of work this off season but they could have done alot more. Lets take a look at what the Oilers have done so far.
First off they s...
Hello all and welcome to my second blog ever. Like i said in my first blog Im not the greatest writer so if it sucks please bear with me. Im open to suggestion and comments of all kinds.
Now to my blog, the Edmonton Oilers have done a bit of work this off season but they could have done alot more. Lets take a look at what the Oilers have done so far.
First off they s...
In the minds of many it seems a foregone conclusion that the Flames will miss the playoffs again if there is a 2012-2013 season. The reasons range from ‘lack of scoring’ to ‘an aging core’ to ‘the Flames will suck until they rebuild’ and pretty much everything in between.
Not so fast. Until the season begins it is impossible to accurately assess a team’s c...
This blog is to dissect the many moves, trades, free agent signings, and now current roster that is presented to us by the Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke. I will do a series of blogs looking at a multitude of subjects from the inherited Leafs, the turnover, the forwards, the D, and the goalies.
First, to truly understand how this current of the Leafs was built, I...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Countdown of Best/Worst Trades in Habs History: 9th Best
Posted Monday | Comments 0
March 2, 2004, Montreal trades Josef Balej and a 2nd round pick in the 2004 draft to the New York Rangers for Alex Kovalev.
The 2003-04 season was a very typical one for the Canadiens of the time, struggling to score goals and fighting like dogs to reach a playoff position. Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey went shopping at the trade deadline and struck a deal with t...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Countdown of Best/Worst Trades in Habs History: 9th Worst
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Continuing our countdown of best and worst trades in Habs modern history, we have reached the 9th worst trade.
March 10, 1999: Montreal trades Mark Recchi to the Philadelphia Flyers for Dainius Zubrus and a 2nd round pick in the 1999 draft.
The 1998-99 season was a difficult one for the Montreal Canadiens. Struggling terribly to score goals and well on their way to m...
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]Random Oilers Thoughts - The "[i]I forgot my password[/i]" edition. [/b]
Yes folks, I am back after taking a few months off. Why did I come back? I never wanted to leave actually. I forgot my password/user name. Lame. I'm sure a quick email to the site admin would of helped but for whatever reason never fired one off. Oh well, no doubt everyone has had their fill of ...
This Rumour was not mentioned on Hockeybuzz I know. But I was surfing twitter and I source that I believe to be accurate mentioned that the maple Leafs were looking to trade for Gagner. I found this interesting because I believe it could very well happen. So as I did for the Buffalo/Edmonton rumour I am going to break this down onto what I think the potential deal could lo...
Just saw this from Canadian Press:
"A large section of the roof blew off the top of Montreal's Maurice Richard Arena on Thursday, apparently by the force of powerful winds.
Part of the roof, about the size of a couple of school buses, tumbled down the side of an exterior wall onto some trees. Officials did not report any injuries."
Well, I guess there is no way th...
MontrealTheTime writes...
Predicting Points Totals for First-Line Players
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
In my recent spare time I've tried to make a magic process that can predict the amount of points a player will accumulate over any period of games. For accuracy's sake, this process will only apply to first-line players (using The Hockey News Depth Charts to define a player as ‘first-line’). Creating the steps has been a process of trial and error that has taken severa...
Eric Mellin writes...
NHL Quick Hits: Ovechkin Bald? The Summit Series and more.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
(This is from my blog at www.ihjjr.com)
Quick Hits
Ovechkin made an appearance today at Kettler Ice Plex with Backstrom, Orlov, Johansson, Ribeiro and a few other players to take part in some on ice practice. Ovie showed up with a shaved head, citing that he did in homage for his 700 or so 'brothers' who are about to make war with the NHL and its owners. He sent Twitte...
I wonder how the American government would run if the nation's laws shut down every 5 or 6 years while the Republicans and Democrats hammer out a new deal. Of course, it would take forever because both sides would have to invariably agree to everything.
Granted, the process isn't like politics or legislation of laws, but in comparing this CBA system to systems that p...
Today I'm going to venture away from my usual niche of statistics and into the mysterious and compelling realm of prediction. That's right, my usual calculator gives way to a crystal ball, my mathematical approach gives way to voodoo. So I'll tell you what I see the standings being in the Northeast during the gap between regular season and playoff hockey. Let's start.
1...
Whether many read this blog or not I felt compelled to put my 2 cents out into the Blogging Universe regarding the collective bargaining situation between the NHL and the PA.
First of all, I believe anyone deserves to get paid when they put in the effort and make the sacrifice to succeed. I believe in fairness and goodwill. I don't believe people should be punished fo...
He saved the Penguins on the ice and raised two Cups as their captain. After his retirement, he saved them financially. He rolled what salary he deferred as a player a primary ownership share in the franchise. He also saved the team once more time by securing a new facility for the Penguins, which ultimately prevented them from moving cities.
All of the above-mentioned...
PuckingOpinion writes...
If You Must Switch: How To Avoid The Bandwagon Title
Posted Friday | Comments 42
They're out there, and real fans hate them. The Bandwagon Jumpers.
How do we define a bandwagon jumper? It's really up to your own opinion I suppose, but I'm going to fill you in on my guidelines for a bandwagon jumper.
[i]
A Bandwagon Jumper is defined as a fan who displays a lack of loyalty and supports only winning teams, changing from team to team as success ris...
Here is the situation.
The powers that be have decided to suspend our game while they decide exactly how to divvy up OUR money. And we have been called the "Greatest fans in the world" for putting up with this garbage...again.
The only way these bozos will get the message is when we stop buying the product.
I'm appealing to Canadian hockey fans to boycott the pro...
andydrmm writes...
Who's Playing Overseas? Who Were We Supposed to Play Tonight
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
’m reading a lot of stuff regarding how a lot of NHL players are heading across the Atlantic to play hockey this year. That’s great. No, I’m not being sarcastic. I think if the guys have a chance to play, go for it.
Why should we get so excited about it though?
All the players going overseas says 1 thing, and 1 thing only to me.
Get ready for a nice, long, l...
Let me just start by saying that I'm not an expert on the lockout. My understanding of all the technical aspects isn't crystal clear. I don't religiously follow the daily back and forth between the two sides. I don't have any insider telling me when and how the labour dispute will be settled. I'm not going to pretend that I do.
I do know a fair bit about the fan's menta...
Bettman is oft’ made out to be the bane of the NHL’s existence by some, and by others excused for simply trying to fulfill the owner’s mandate of selling the game in the U.S. market, ending labor unrest, completing expansion plans, and modernizing the views within the ownership groups.
[b]Let’s look at the body of work of Mr. Bettman.[/b]
Since the diminutiv...
I saw earlier today, the rumor (on several sites) that the NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, in all his infinite wisdom, may consider using replacement players should the NHL remain in a lockout come November. This is extremely risky, even just to have it be a rumor.
There are thousands of hockey players in the world who want a shot at the NHL. I went to college with a few...
They adopt a new system that hybridizes the marketplace and the cap approach, which theoretically allows a team to spend as much money as they want. “That’s what Goodenow wanted!”
But wait... let’s go over some limitations.
The new team structure would be presented as such, assuming a 50/50 split in revenue is reached (it’s really no secret the NHL offere...
Man, I got to say this NHL lockout really does suck. The more time that passes the more I realize how much I am starting to miss that routine of getting back into a new hockey season. You know what I mean; September roles around and your thoughts begin to drift further and further into that beautiful abyss that is the NHL season. Your thinking about how trades and signings...
andydrmm writes...
Amerks 6- Crunch 5 Season Opener from Blue Cross Arena
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
After a little traffic delay on the I-490, my wife and I have made it home from the Amerks season opener vs the Syracuse Crunch. Needless to say, it was a great game, but there are a lot of concerns regarding the Amerks.
Due to the high amount of traffic coming to the arena (Thanks Gary, thanks for the lock out), we missed the first 3 minutes of the game. Corey Tropp st...
There’s a lot of buzz right now about there being a deal on the table between the NHL and NHLPA. I’ll believe it when they announce “There’s a deal we both agree on, and that we’re starting the season on _______ date.” For now, I’ll leave the speculation to everyone else, and write about something different (as well as a quick hit on Corey Tropp).
I’m no...
archromat writes...
Aftermath: The 50 Best Players going into 2012/2013
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
Ladies and gentlemen, after I constructed a math system last year to try to project numbers and the worth of players in a mathematical spectrum, I made a couple of tweaks here and there and bring you a taste of what’s to come. Not only will I give you the best and the worst, I will be highlighting the players moving in deals to see which team wins according to a system ...
AarifDeen writes...
There's Two Separate parts to the CBA Negotiations
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[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]
Something that was already a given, has further been proven now with the latest updates of the CBA negotiations.
In case you haven’t heard the news yet (which obviously means you’ve probably b...
If forced to describe Theoren Fleury in one sentence during his NHL career, one would likely use the words troubled, conflicted, gifted and of course, mouthy. Most fans, journalists, fellow players and management couldn't stand Theoren Fleury, particularly Rangers and Blackhawks fans/brass. But one has to wonder, if we knew about Fleury's problems then, would many still de...
After this weeks great negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA, I needed another hockey fix. My wife and I ventured up to Blue Cross Arena to watch the Amerks try to snap their 2 game losing streak against the winless Griffins of Grand Rapids.
I was really glad that throughout the night, I saw the Amerk’s defense join the rush. There was great awareness to recognize w...
The following blog is published on my site. and the original URL is:
http://replacebettman.com/post/33933352781/nhl-proposal
I have posted the complete article here for you consideration.
October 19, 2012
Below is an Open Letter to both the NHL and NHLPA. I am telling each party in simple uncomplicated and straight foreword terms what my thoughts, feelings a...
So like everyone else in the hockey world, I’ve been following all of the news with the proposals presented by the NHL and the NHLPA this week. I do not, repeat, [b]DO NOT[/b], agree that this is going to lead to any more negotiating or more talks at this point in time. This past week has just been a botched public relations move that was handled poorly.
Gary Bettman...
First of all I would like to clarify that I was pro-ownership last lockout. Owners had bumped up salaries to the point the league’s finances were in rough shape. However, it was basically a few ownership groups who were driving the pay-escalation, and it was difficult to indict the group as a whole.
Some owners had been victims themselves and had come out and criticiz...
I'm starting to wonder if the NHLPA resents that the NHL had a plan for a full 82 game schedule with a pretty good offer on the table.
In our culture, we seem to have this problem and resentment towards other people trying to make our decisions easier for us for our own good, even if the agenda isn't always pure. Unfortunately, when we start thinking that the helping h...
This installment of the Top 10 draft picks will focus on the Edmonton Oilers. They have plucked some serious talent from juniors since they joined the NHL in 1979. Wayne Gretzky was not drafted by the Oilers, or by anyone, so he will not be on the list. How will guys like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall, and Nail Yakupov stack up against the high-flying Oilers from the 19...
If you've played Texas' Hold 'Em, you probably know of this following situation.
You're holding onto a pair of natural kings in your hand and one of the three cards revealed is an ace. You're looking at the snarky guy across the table and he's the type of guy that always weasels out every hand and bluffs to take everyone else's money. You KNOW he doesn't have the Ace,...
tigran777 writes...
Enjoy!Watch Texas A&M vs Auburn live stream online NCAA 2012
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Do you want to watch Texas A&M vs Auburn live streaming online on pc?Searching for a good way to watch Texas A&M vs Auburn live streaming online today? You've come to the right place!We'll show you how to watch Texas A&M vs Auburn games live stream online in perfect high definition quality using any PC or Mac computer! It's possible! Now you can watch every ...
Can somebody explain to me why the National Hockey League is allowed to negotiate a collective salary rollback? Do they not believe, as most all people do, that all contracts should be honored as signed? How would the owners react if Comcast/NBC reneged on their pact with the league? I cant imagine they would be very happy. It is because I believe this practice to be unfai...
I took the day off to day because I had a doctor’s appointment this morning. Plus, I didn’t want to go back to work afterwards. My wife and I then began to develop a plan for the day. We knew that the day would end at the Amerks game as they took on the Hamilton Bulldogs. It was another big adventure in Rochester at Blue Cross Arena.
The Amerks went on the power pl...
As the NHL lockout continues to drag on, there isn't much hockey news here in America that is really worth writing about. The AHL and many other minor and junior leagues are playing out their seasons as usual but are harder for many people in certain areas to attend.
On the heels of last nights election, I was in a bit of a patriotic mood and decided to do another hock...
I like to share stories in my life that are relevant to the situations I see in the media. The metaphor is such a beautiful thing to be able to reveal to many what has been hidden in the foundations of the world.
Today, yesterday, the day before, the NHL and NHLPA have been meeting, and this came after a week-end of Daly meeting with S. Fehr giving us promise that thin...
Last weekend, my wife and I decided to go to tonight’s Amerks game with my parents. We decided that we were going to try to go and reap the benefit of tonight’s Salute the Troops night (my dad is a former Marine).
The following, is the events that transpired in Rochester, NY, at Blue Cross Arena.
We decided to park a few blocks away due the heavy flow of traffi...
I 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...
As things stand on November 14, it’s hard to feel any kind of optimism about the NHL and NHLPA reaching any kind of a deal to salvage any part of the 2012-13 season. In all honesty, it should have been predictable – but way too many people put way too much faith in the ability of both sides to compromise. Some famous guy once put out a definition of insanity; some of...
I used to be a member of this site about 2 years ago, but mostly it was to troll the heck out of Eklund (and I still do believe he pulls a lot of things out of his backside), and then I grew up.
The latest news on the Hockey Front has been the NHLPA wanting their Contracts to be "Made Whole", which from any standpoint it should be done like this. A lot of the GM's spent...
Every morning, I open the hockeybuzz website as well as other websites to get updated from the news around the NHL and around the world, and I see on TSN more and more players migrating to Europe, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to talk about this migration.
Now a lot of people are on the player's side, often because they've been part of unions or strikes ...
I was planning on coming home from work, quickly changing, and hopping on the I-90 to head to Rochester for the Amerks vs Heat game. So why am I writing this? My wife is feeling under the weather, and I’m taking care of her. In the end, that’s way more important than a hockey game. My back up plan? Watch the game on Time Warner Sports Network. Downside with that, they�...
Hockey players have usually been a classy lot, that maybe sometimes they were outspoken, but most of them remained tight-lipped and stand-up people off the rink. Few other sports can bolster the class that hockey players (in general) have. Many wear suit and ties to games and make it a habit to keep clean shaven during the regular season, also keeping their hair trimmed ...
Now I used to get into a lot of arguments online, so I know a lot of the tricks that people do in order to gain the upper hand. One of them is being employed by both sides of the negotiation, and it came more to life yesterday.
Most arguments have to do with language, words (semantics), what meanings they package, and how they're contextually used. Since language is a...
If Bettman's suggestion goes through and Fehr and Bettman are lesioned from the situation with players and owners doing the raw negotiations, a deal will get done much faster so long as they keep it that way. It will. But one side will probably be a clear winner at the end of all of this because they'll quickly establish a language and the more persistent will probably o...
Ask and you shall receive, unless you are an NHL fan. Don’t pout yet hockey fans thanks to the wonderful time that is the World Junior Championship. A time, when the entire nation will hold its breath to watch a bunch of teenagers try and accomplish their Junior Hockey goal. As beautiful as this sounds it has not been enjoyable watching the red maple leaf on the ice ever...
I normally write a lot more. I just have been having a real difficult time coming up with topics right now due to there not being NHL games. A lot of the topics that I’m ready to dive into, I’d rather write about during the season. Plus, there’s real examples there to use, instead of just going back to the past.
It’s tough to write when there’s a lockout goin...
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...
I believe that there is a deal and the owners are not ready to accept it. The owners plan throughout the hole prosses was to cancel as many games as possible. Why do i say this while its simple if the NHL plays at least 60 games they get 100% of the money from there sponsers 41 games or less is 50% that means if the NHL plays 42 games then the NHL gets 75% and ...
It’s Friday night, I’m at home watching... nothing. Well that’s not true. My wife is playing a Wii game while I sit here with a beer typing my blog. I’m reminded once again of the fact that there’s not NHL hockey on my TV, and the pain that it brings hockey fans.
I’m seriously concerned of the long term impacts that it looks like this lockout will have. I�...
Is everybody healing up after the Probert-esk emotional pummeling dealt out by Donald Fehr? Good, now lets hit some high points of todays CBA talk.
I think a 10 year CBA is a horrible idea. That assures a work stoppage in 10 years time. I think if they have a shorter CBA, 4 years with a mutual option for 2 , it will allow the league and players an opportunity to...
Prosperity. Prosperity. Prosperity.
If there is anything that we can learn by looking at recent history, both in the NHL, and in other professional sports, it's this; labour peace results in nothing but money, money, money. Baseball hands out multi-million dollar contracts to players with very average stats like so much toilet paper, mainly because everyone, teams, player...
As I sit and think about what I should be watching on a Tuesday night, (Sabres vs Senators), I’ve been scrolling through pictures of games that I’ve been at. I got to thinking about what games I’ve been to, and what games I wish I was at.
I figured I’d break this up into 2 questions. 1. What’s the best hockey game(s) that you ever went to? and 2. What game(s)...
So that I can stop hearing complaints about my owner's bias, I need to set the record straight. I am not biased for the owners: I'm biased for this version of the game.
Before that, let me take you through a little of my own history.
In the early 1990s, we used to play League Sim which was a program based on Wayne Gretzky's Hockey (an old hockey game for the compute...
weirdoh writes...
My blog that will probably leave both sides pretty pissed
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
You guys both suck. Fuck you.
As much as I hated to see it, the last NHL lockout made sense to me. The gap between haves and the have-nots was growing at a ridiculous rate, and truth be told, I was glad to see the NHL take action before it got too far out of control like it has in Major League Baseball. The results of that lockout speak for themselves. Parity has returned to the league and ultimately...
If there is one thing anyone who follows the NHL knows, even the mere mention of the name, "Gary Bettman" evokes a response. The NHL Commish is a polarizing figure, no more so than when a new CBA is being formed, and especially when there is a strike or lockout. Everyone, from the casual hockey fan, to the players in the League, has an opinion of "Bettman", and surely aren...
Hello everyone hope you all had a great Christmas and happy new year. For the average hockey fan its been a tough and disappinting season to say the least. Luckily some of the best hockey of the year can be found threw the holidays in the annual World junior tournaments. As my first blog on the sit ide like to do my personal opinion of the nhl draft rewind segment. Now pe...
Hello everyone hope you all had a great Christmas and happy new year. For the average hockey fan its been a tough and disappinting season to say the least. Luckily some of the best hockey of the year can be found threw the holidays in the annual World junior tournaments. As my first blog on the sit ide like to do my personal opinion of the nhl draft rewind segment. Now pe...
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...
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...
[b]Every morning in which I have to pull myself out of bed before noon for work is a morning of disgruntled silence. If you speak to me to tell me, “good morning”, ask me a question of commit to any sort of communication what-so-ever you will be met with a grunt at best. It is not until my brain has had adequate time to warm up that my mouth starts to catch up with t...
With the a 6-5 overtime loss to Russians, Canada's national junior team not only leaves Ufa with the disappointment of no gold medal, but also with the knowledge that they are the first Canadian team in fourteen years without a medal of any colour. That's a tough pill to swallow for anyone, let alone a bunch of teenagers who are faced with a level of expectation that most...
Welcome to my very first blog. I know that I am mostly writing to myself at this point in time but perhaps eventually 2 maybe even 3 people might stumble across one of my collections of ramblings.
I should start with a little bit about myself: I'm certainly not a writer by no stretch of the imagination. I have no professional background, I did the minimum English req...
The firing of Brian Burke in Toronto should serve as a clarion call to other executives and coaches in the NHL, alerting them to the fact that the natives are restless. As bizarre as the timing of the Leafs removing Burke is, it only serves to reinforce the heightened sense of urgency that many franchises have, not just the Maple Leafs. However, in the case of the Leafs, t...
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,...
What a wonderful day, I'm playing a show tonight with my band [www.deathbyrobot.ca], I took the day off work, I'm sitting here with a hot cup of Timmy's and hockey talk is in full swing. What more could I ask for? Not a whole lot me thinks.
Anywho I figured today would be a good day to attempt a blog that actually discussed the Edmonton Oilers and my thoughts on the t...
So now that the season is finally about to get underway, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what the Flyers lines will or should look like. I see Line 1 with Hartnell, Giroux and Voracek because I think they will produce a lot of points in scoring but will balance it out well with some good fights and some quality time in the box. For Line 2 I personally would like t...
As a hardcore fan of a sunbelt hockey franchise, you become accustomed to a certain unrefined resistance to its existence from those basically everywhere North of Columbus. Even after what will be 20 years of Dallas Stars hockey in the league, the "There's hockey in Texas?" joke is still making the rounds. But, to deny the status of Jamie Benn as one of the premier playe...
When Joe Nieuwendyk took over the General Manager position for the Dallas Stars in May of 2009, he took over a team with a prospect pool so shallow it was more akin to a shower. The Tom Hicks era left the team with very few prospects of note and after 2008, the winning ways stopped and this became more evident with those curtains pulled back.
Now Joe is a few seasons...
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...
Let’s face it. The last two years as a Blackhawks fan have been extreme disappointments. With two first round exits in the playoffs, and the stress of barely sneaking in thanks to a Dallas loss; fans are at the point of wonder as to what direction this team is headed. All off season (prior to the suspension of play) rumors circulated of the acquisition of a superstar ...
Let’s face it. The last two years as a Blackhawks fan have been extreme disappointments. With two first round exits in the playoffs, and the stress of barely sneaking in thanks to a Dallas loss; fans are at the point of wonder as to what direction this team is headed. All off season (prior to the suspension of play) rumors circulated of the acquisition of a superstar ...
Well, I’ve waited until the day before the season starts. I’ve thought about this a lot this week, and I’m sure my wife is tired of listening to me, but alas, the time is here. Sabres season preview time for 2013.
I’ve got one thought before I look at this season, that needs to be highlighted before I get started. Everyone already knows it, but still;
This s...
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...
I’m sure the first question many of you are asking yourselves is why I, a passionate Rangers fan, am writing a blog on MYHB about the Columbus Blue Jackets. In my nearly four years of contributions on this site I can only think of one time I wrote about a team or a player of another team that was in no way related to the Rangers. So why start now? I have a couple of rati...
Well, I’ll be completely honest; I am pleasantly surprised today. I really am. To be honest, I didn’t see the Sabres winning today. It wasn’t the best win in the world, but I, like every other Sabres fan, will take it.
After taking a frigid hike into the arena, we started scrounging for food, and realized that the arena couldn’t sell beer until noon. So, after ...
As it is with any team, good goaltending leads to good results. That was borne out Saturday in the Columbus Blue Jackets season opening tilt against division rival Nashville. New #1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was solid stopping 32 of 34 shots in regulation and OT before besting five of six Predators in the shootout.
Derick Brassard tallied the shootout winner in the sixth...
I started my day off in Rochester at Blue Cross Arena to take in a Martin Luther King day matinee. The Amerks took on the Hamilton Bulldogs and while it wasn’t perfect, they walked away with a 6-3 win.
While the game was entertaining, most of the highlights were in the first period. On the first shot of the game by Kevin Sundher, the Amerks had a 1-0 lead only 13 sec...
'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...
1/21/13
Game Recap:
Maple Leafs 1 vs. Buffalo Sabres 2
Ryan Miller simply stole this one for the Buffalo Sabres. I was shocked to hear from the Toronto announcers that Miller had lost his six straight previous trips to Toronto. Miller played as if it were truly a January 21st division match up. Despite his superb play between the pipes, he was clearly beaten twice, bu...
Before the lockout I thought the NHL was doing great and getting more and more popular by the year, I wasn't exactly right but not wrong either. The NHL hit record revenue with [b]$3.3 Billion [/b] in the 11-12 season. When the lockout finally ended I turned on ESPN, NESN, CSN, NBC expecting a panel of analysts talking hockey and big banner across the screen, but I was sho...
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...
So game one the leafs could have lost easily in the dying seconds and game two they could have won in the dying seconds. Not only was the scenario a coplete opposite, in my opinion the leafs played a better game against Buffalo than Montreal. Congradulations Ryan Miller for coming out and spoiling a great team effort with a stellar night between the pipes. Wouldn't it be ...
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 ...
Columbus should consider themselves very fortunate to leave Monday night’s home opener with even a point. If not for the stellar performance of Bobrovsky (again) the Wings might have won by three or four goals. But thanks to Bob and some timely PP goals the Jackets were in position to come away with the win and two points in the standings before poor defensive coverage, ...
TheKingsGarden writes...
JVR Nets a Pair as Leafs Spoil Home Opener for Penguins
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Maple Leafs Game Recap
1/23 Maple Leafs 5 @ Penguins 2
Make that a second straight road win for the Maple Leafs, both spoiling the opening night festivities in Montreal and now in Pittsburgh.
As I wrote in my first Maple Leaf entry the other night against Buffalo, many questions will be answered in this shortened 48-game schedule. Tonight, was one game for example,...
Where is the sharks blogger on this?
I like this signing as Gomez will fit on the 3rd line well and for the price (rumored 750K I think) its a good 1 year gamble. I have not seen much of his play as he was back east but his numbers are not bad and I don't see anyone else out there that can add to the sharks as much as Gomez can for this price.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and James Reimer were able to convincingly beat a sluggish Penguins squad that looked to be cruising on the coat tails of Malkin and Crosby. James Neal wasn't much of a factor at all as once again the leafs defensive zone coverage was very good at limiting second chances and forcing a rushed pass in most cases, which lead to many turnovers. Reimer ...
As I was driving home from work tonight, getting into the mood for Sabres hockey, Enemies by Shinedown came on the radio. As I’m singing along in the car, I come across the lyric “You’re taking all that you please, you want more, but you’ll get nothing from me.” As much as I’d love for this to be the song the Sabres come out of the locker room to, there’s one...
Everyone is talking about the Jamie Benn signing. The 5.25 million dollar contract that spans 5 years was a surprise bit of news during the game against the Blackhawks at the AAC on Thursday night. The ovation on the other hand, wasn't surprising at all.
Benn isn't just an important player in terms of how the team performs on the ice, he is a figurehead for the Stars ...
This is pre-Phoenix, but I think the Edmonton game was a sign the Kings are headed back to last season's form/pattern. They've shook the cobwebs I mean the suds of the party/offseason off and are ready to be stingy on D and in net. The forwards can't score, yet, and that is how the Kings got it going last year. Great D and netminding, anemic offense.
Clifford is everyth...
This is pre-Phoenix, but I think the Edmonton game was a sign the Kings are headed back to last season's form/pattern. They've shook the cobwebs I mean the suds of the party/offseason off and are ready to be stingy on D and in net. The forwards can't score, yet, and that is how the Kings got it going last year. Great D and netminding, anemic offense.
Clifford is everyth...
TheKingsGarden writes...
Leafs Getting Softer; New York "Out-Muscles" Toronto
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Maple Leafs Recap:
1/26 @ New York Rangers
I am not going to beat a dead horse from Thursday's game against the Islanders. I didn't get to see much of the game, but saw enough as Scrivens allowed several more easy goals between the legs. Toronto had built a 3-1 lead all to be completely destroyed due to a spotty defensive effort and poor, inexperienced goaltending.
...
After a promising start in which the Blue Jackets earned three of a possible four points after two games, Columbus stumbled badly on a two-game road trip through Phoenix and Colorado dropping a 5 – 1 decision to the Coyotes and a 4 – 0 shutout loss at the hands of the Avalanche. They followed that up with a narrow 3 – 2 loss to the still unbeaten Chicago Blackhawks i...
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...
Again, Buffalo finds themselves going up against a team who hasn’t managed to win this season. While they are without Thomas Vanek today, keep in mind that’s not an excuse. They lost the last 2 games with him in the lineup.
I like what I see offensively from this team. I really do. However, that’s only when they use their speed, and when they make smart decisions...
I’m getting to the point where I’m having a difficult time starting these blogs. Yes, the season is still young. Yes, a lot can still happen over the next 42 games. But there’s one problem with all of this.
We have all watched this style of play from the Buffalo Sabres before.
I saw Buffalo do this last year, and the year before that. There’s been elements ...
1/29/13
Leafs 4 @ Sabres 3 OT
Before I get to some of the poor play earlier in the game from the Leafs, I am going to start with some positives first, ok!
After looking terrible in the third period against the Islanders and Rangers, the Leafs came out in the third period on a mission; don't screw it up this time!
Although Toronto relinquished the 3-2 lead it had...
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...
Well, it's early, perhaps too early to be writing this, but where would the fun be if we didn't jump in and make some observations at this point? As I wrote just prior to the season, the short season could result in some surprising results, for both individual players and for teams, both good and bad. As examples, I stated that some teams who would normally be a lock to be...
TheKingsGarden writes...
The Hard Work Pays Off; Leafs Rally to Win First Game at ACC
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
1/31
Maple Leafs 3, Capitals 2
I must admit, it is a little more challenging to come up with a good post after your team played a great game and never stepped off the pedal until the final horn sounded. But, there is always something to comment on after every game, win or lose. It is just a little easier and perhaps more fun to discuss a loss or develop some sort of co...
The leafs really showed some character last night. they looked as though they were going to give in about halfway through the second period, but they managed to take complete control in the third and won a decisive victory.
The young guns are firing on all cylinders as the goals were scored by; JVR, Kulemin and matt Frattin iced the game again for the leafs. I reall...
I was amazed at Buffalo’s win on Thursday night against the Bruins. I would have written sooner, but I was about ready to fall asleep after I watched it, so I went to sleep. I won’t focus on that game, lets just leave it at that Buffalo beat the Bruins, and picked up 2 much needed points.
What I’d rather do is take a look at the use of Grigorenko and Brennan in B...
Yesterday’s game... Wow, what can I say about that game in Montreal for the Sabres?
Nothing good. It was an abomination, and too be completely honest, this was a long time coming. How can I say this? Easily.
I’ve been watching the Sabres play this lazy style of defense for a long time. When Galchenyuk waltzed between all 5 Sabres on the ice, slid a pass to Eller...
Through seven games so far, the Kings have played far from the level it had been during the Stanley Cup run. There is too much talent for this club to be where it is now. I understand all of the accolades; the team is still hung over, they are not 100% with weary legs playing until mid-June, they have a target on their back and everyone's gunning for them...etc, etc!
Pe...
2/4
Maple Leafs 1, Hurricanes 4
Why should I ever get my hopes up on the Toronto Maple Leafs?
The blue and white played well against Boston, despite getting outworked and out-muscled in the offensive zone. They did score a good goal that somehow was taken away from them. Chris Kelly plays for the Bruins, just in case you referee's did not know that. Besides the fa...
TheKingsGarden writes...
Leafs and Kings Get Job Done on Road; Comments
Posted Wednesday | Comments 5
[b]Toronto Still Work in Progress, LA Fights Back. [/b]
[i]2/5
Kings 4 @ Blue Jackets 2; Maple Leafs 3 @ Capitals 2[/i]
It was quite a bit of fun going back and forth between the Leafs and Kings games, both playing at the same time tonight in eastern time zone. It was also exciting to see both teams hang onto 3-2 leads late, then equally satisfying to see both teams...
I’m seeing the debate rage on amongst Buffalonians as to what the problem seems to be with the Sabres. Currently, they’re in the bottom 5 of the entire NHL, and 14th place in the Eastern Conference. However, most people are mystified as to what the problem is. The number 1 question;
[b]Is this on the players or the coaches?[/b]
I’ll admit, and I’m sure if you...
TheKingsGarden writes...
Prime Time for Kessel; Kings Shutout in Nashville
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
February 7th
[b]Kessel Finally Lights the Lamp with Game Winner; Kings Throw in Towel[/b]
[i]Maple Leafs 3 @ Winnipeg Jets 2; Kings 0 @ Nashville Predators 3[/i]
While the Toronto Maple Leafs were in the midst of a huge come from behind victory tonight in Manitoba, the defending champion Los Angeles Kings were pretty much throwing up the white flag after two perio...
Another up and down week for the Orange and Black. On Tuesday night they looked great defensively and in net against a very good Lightning squad and came out with a 2-1 W, thanks to Tom Sestito. Last night they lost a tough shootout to the Florida Panthers. It looked like they might have been able to win the game in OT but failed to capitalize on any of their chances.
...
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...
This isn’t your typical “they’re over playing Miller” blog. The way the Sabres are currently playing, there’s a different element in play here. There’s a huge mental element that I feel may come back to bite Buffalo in the rear.
While I missed last nights game, I saw the highlights as well as how Miller bailed out the team last night, big time. After gettin...
February 10, 2013
[b]A Tale of Two Cities; Leafs Dressed for Battle, Kings Relinquish the Sword[/b]
In December of 2011, I took in my first Maple Leaf game in Toronto against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings. At the time, the Kings had been struggling mightily and had just fired their coach Terry Murray and had yet to replace them with Darryl Sutte...
#1. The Bryzgalov everyone in Philadelphia expected back in June 2011 seems to have finally surfaced and is putting up solid numbers so far this season (2.27 GAA, .921 SV%). It has been 9 games since Bryz has let more than 3 past him and he has been more solid than the Flyers 5-6-1 record would indicate. On the other side of the ice the James Reimer that Toronto fans saw a...
[b]February 10, 2013[/b]
[i]Maple Leafs 5, Flyers 2; Kings 4 @ Blues 1[/i]
What can I say, the Maple Leafs are on fire right now! And the Kings actually looked like a championship caliber team.
First, let's begin with the Kings who needed a good performance after yesterday's killer defeat.
Darryl Sutter finally played Jonathan Bernier, who helped give incumben...
I’ve felt for awhile that there’s something missing this season. Normally, our home feels very tense come game day. I’m ready for the games, edge of my seat, and pumped up when the game starts. Once the game starts, generally there’s a lot of cheering for when Buffalo scores, and a lot of profanity for the rest of the game.
As I watch the Sabres games this year...
Recently Edmonton’s Arena deal moved forward finally after long and bitter negotiations between the Katz group and The City. The final deal ends up being that the city will get roughly 4 Million a year from the club, which is about double what the currently pay. The total amount of the project is going to be in the vicinity of 600 million dollars, a hefty sum no doubt, a...
I will not try to calculate cap or anything, this is for fun, and what I believe could potentially be an ultimate team. I will pick 4 lines, 3 sets of d, and two goalies. The point is to create a team not of superstars but together will play as a team.rnrn1st UnitrnJames Van Riemsdyke - Sidney Crosby - Steven StamkosrnrnThis unit will have JVR is front of the net, and Cros...
[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...
Emotion is a huge part of the game of hockey, more so than any other sport. That is the aspect of the game that draws in the fans; the intensity, devotion, and sacrifice. The ups and downs, the ebbs and flows. The excitement and the despair.
To an extent, the fans reflect the emotion of the game. We scream, yell, and shout. We sit on the edge of our seats, hoping and pr...
At 6-6-2, the Minnesota Wild have started the abbreviated season with another mediocre start despite the hype regarding their off season acquisitions.
The issue for the Wild this season has been their lack of offensive output. At first all their offense was coming primarily from the 1st line. The Parise-Koivu-Heatley combination combined for 21 points in their first 5 ...
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...
I'm by no means the first person to mention that the Flames would do well to offer sheet O'Reilly and give up their 1st and 3rd for him. This is not a unique idea and the good guys over at Flames Nation have already laid out why it is such a good idea here:[url]http://flamesnation.ca/2013/1/15/outside-the-box-sign-ryan-oreilly-to-an-offer-sheet[/url]
Before I continue i...
Before anyone starts reading this, I have to add that this is not a rumor. This is strictly opinion, and I have no hard facts backing this up. I will state stats on various players, and that’s the only fact that’s here.
I keep hearing trade talk surrounding the Buffalo Sabres. Yes they won last night against the Bruins. Too bad they can’t play them all year round...
We can talk all day about how great it was that Buffalo bounced back. We can talk about that phenomenal save that Miller made on Neal. We can look at how the Sabres gave the Penguins a serious run for their money today. I personally am going to choose to look at this...
[b]Buffalo lost.[/b]
Oh no, don’t say “They came close”, don’t say “They played their b...
TheKingsGarden writes...
Kings Flat in Chicago; Maple Leafs Cruise to the Sun Belt
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[b]President's Day Blog![/b]
Enjoy the day off...well for those who are teacher's like me got the day off!
I am sure others did too...hopefully.
Some comments on the Kings game at the United Center on Sunday...
[u][i]Kings 2 @ Chicago Blackhawks 3[/i][/u]
I was expecting a team like the Kings, who are defending champions, or so technically speaking they are,...
[b]The NHL's New Realignment Plan[/b]
Otherwise known as, getting the Winnipeg Jets into the appropriate division and conference!
As of right now the NHL has the following plan to divide the league into four conferences, thus eliminating the East and West as we know it.
Western Conference includes: Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Phoe...
Tonight the Coyotes hosted the Calgary Flames, who just came of a hard fought come from behind victory last night against the Dallas Stars.
The Coyotes were looking to take advantage of that fact when they were coming into this game… and take advantage they did. In less than a minute they grabbed the lead with a rebound goal by Keith Yandle. I got to feel for Calgary...
TheKingsGarden writes...
The Good (Leaf) and the Bad (Leaf) From Florida
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
[b]February 19[/b]
[i][b]Opportunities Arise, but Toronto Only Able to Take Just Two Points from Sunshine State[/b][/i]
[u][i]Maple Leafs 2 @ Tampa Bay Lightning 4[/i][/u]
I hate to say it, but this loss can be chalked up to poor goaltending. Since James Reimer went down with a sprained MCL, Ben Scrivens had stood tall and became the "iron curtain" for the Leafs. ...
TheKingsGarden writes...
Kings Conquer Alberta; Leafs Keep Sabres Dull (and boring)
Posted Thursday | Comments 4
[b]February 21[/b]
[u][i]Maple Leafs 3, Buffalo Sabres 1[/i][/u]
I will start tonight with the Maple Leafs victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Air Canada Centre while it's most fresh in my mind...
I had expected for the Sabres to come out with a little more emotion after their long time bench boss was relieved of his duties the night before. Although they got the f...
[b]Why You Should Pass on Being Giroux's RW[/b]
Actually a joke as many players would kill to play with such an elite player but this year G's right wingers have been having some serious bad luck. First Hartnell breaks his foot and now earlier this week in an intense rivalry game with the Pens, Matt Read tore rib muscles and is out for 6 weeks. Injuries in general are pla...
It is fair to say that anyone expecting a brand new performance from the Buffalo Sabres after the firing of Lindy Ruff would be unreasonable. Remember, the same players, especially those who are underperforming (Stafford and Myers primarily), remain on the roster.
Does this mean these players are done for? No.
It means that Rolston had less than 12 hours to intill ...
Gomez needs to stay on the 4th line. Tmac....well he needs to be fired, he can't adjust his game plan enough to squeeze wins out of this team. Way I see it anyone is fair game to be traded right now to bring in some youth and talent. Havlat definatly needs to go HOLY MOLY that's an expensive guy for no real production.
Who would you like to see traded out and what ...
Let’s do a little free association shall we? I’ll say a word, and then you say the first thing that comes to mind. No hesitation ok? Let’s give it a try.
Awful- “Sabres”
Sloppy- “Sabres”
Lackadaisical - “Sabres”
Passive- “Sabres”
Hmm, you seem to be preoccupied with the Sabres, and you seem to have a negative view towards them at the m...
Sorry, but for those who may know me before as TheKingsGarden, I had to change my profile around due to a blue screen crash my laptop suffered last night.
When I get those, my computer automatically resets everything and I must log back into everything on the internet. Unfortunately, I must have failed to record my registration information because I could not get back ...
The Phoenix Coyotes took on the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames on back to back nights this weekend. I will be pretty brief in my explanations of the games because I did not see enough of them to give what I believe to be a high-quality analysis. Also, I am not a huge fan of writing a lot after losses because sometimes there is not much positive to say.
First off, t...
A long time ago I wrote a, “What would Iginla asking price be” for the Flames. Of course it was met with a lot of vitriol. No one wants to think that their best prospect may be included for an aging star like Iginla but make no mistake, if the trade happens the Flames will only do it if the return is an overpayment, otherwise why do it?
Iginla will only go to a team...
It's something that probably should have been done last year, but teams and fans are getting the first look at what could be the new NHL realignment plan. As with every situation and idea, not everyone is going to be happy about it and not everyone is going to be upset. Here is the proposed realignment, courtesy of TSN.ca-
[b]West:[/b]
Pacific- Anaheim, Calgary, Ed...
The NHLs two most storied franchises square off for the third time this season in what is surely to be a big game for both teams. The Habs are on a roll of late, not losing in regulation since the 6 - 0 drubbing they got from the Leafs on Feb 9th. They would probably like to exact revenge for not only the score, but the physical beatdown the Leafs put on them that night. T...
One of the things that irks me (and most teams in the East) about the new proposed realignment is the fact that the East would have 16 teams, and the West has 14. One prevailing rumor is that there will be two expansion teams added to the league shortly after this realignment. It's not news to most that Seattle is the front runner if expansion happens, but the way this rea...
The young Toronto Maple Leafs look to bounce back from another disappointing effort when they take on the New York Islanders on the island tonight.
There is a lot of talk about the reffing in last nights game against the Canadiens with a terrible call on a Mike Brown hit in the 1st period that saw the Buds down a man for 5 mins, and Brown ejected from the game, as well ...
[b]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...
The Phoenix Coyotes are a team that have earned the label as a low scoring trap team by many people’s standards. However, there is more than what meets the eye when it comes to the Coyotes.
Looking at the standings right now before they take on the Wild, they sit 9th with 21 points. What is surprising to some though may be that they have 54 goals for and 51 against ...
[b][i]Three Games, Three Cities, Four Nights; Could have been worse...[/i][/b]
[u][i]Maple Leafs 4 @ Philadelphia Flyers 2[/i][/u]
After suffering a bad loss in Ottawa on Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs headed to Philadelphia to take on another 'Jekyll and Hyde' type of team in the Flyers.
Philly continues to struggle in their own zone keeping teams from scoring...
Tonight, the Phoenix Coyotes played against the Minnesota Wild and fell short of trying to tie up the game late on. With a final score of 4-3 for the Wild.
The first period, the possession and play was dictated by the Coyotes. However, the Wild scored 2 goals on 4 shots to give them a 2-0 lead going into the second period. The first goal was a defensive breakdown by th...
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...
Tonight, the Phoenix Coyotes played against the Anaheim Ducks in the first of three consecutive games against the Ducks. Anaheim played last night so the Coyotes had that advantage going into the game.
The first period started off poorly for the Yotes when the Ducks scored less than a minute into the game. Andrew Cogiliano scored from the slot when the Yotes lost a boar...
Leafsfan88 writes...
Why The Leafs' Holzer and Kostka are Getting So Many Minutes
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
After looking a bit deeper into what got these guys into Randy Carlyle's good books while John-Michael Liles, who hasn't played all that bad, sits on the sideline I discovered that both Holzer and Kostka are right-handed.
While this doesn't seem to be earth-shattering news, of the Leafs NHL defensemen, only Holzer, Kostka, Cody Franson, and Mike Komisarek are right han...
[u][i][b]March 4[/b][/i][/u]
A bit disappointed today, due to the fact I had planned to be in Los Angeles tonight for the Maple Leafs-Kings game...thanks to the NHL and NHL PA, that game as well as all other inter-conference games were dashed due to the lockout!
But, back to business as usual...
After these next four to five games, we should get a good picture whe...
[b]March 4th[/b]
[b][i][u]Maple Leafs 4, New Jersey Devils 2[/u][/i][/b]
For forty minutes, it was men against boys.
James Reimer was sharp, but still was beaten four times; twice by Marek Zidlicky and twice saved by iron.
Forty minutes, it was the defending Eastern champions against the adolescent Maple Leafs, a team who had not made the playoffs since 2004.
...
Tonight, the Phoenix Coyotes played against the Anaheim Ducks again for the second out of three consecutive meetings. It was déjà vu all over again… so to speak.
I will not recap the game in the same manner as last time because it pretty much went the same way. The Coyotes gave up a lead to the Ducks, then battle back for a lead of their own. THEN, they give up the ...
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...
For as long as I can remember the Montreal Canadiens could never beat the Boston Bruins in a fight. This is a big concern to many a Habs fan, but it really shouldn't be. When the Habs beat the Bruins Wednesday night it was not because they intimidated them. No, instead the real reason they won was because they took every hit the Bruins dished out, and they got up and kept ...
[b]March 6th[/b]
[u][i]Kings 6, St. Louis Blues 4[/i][/u]
Wow! What a game!
Watching this one late into the night was even better than popping by DVD copy of "Slapshot" in the player...
To be honest, I was not at all surprised that the Kings made this sort of comeback. To me, it was the defending champions toying with the Blues all night. They may have just ska...
[b]March 6th[/b]
[u][i]Maple Leafs 5, Ottawa Senators 4[/i][/u]
This game came down to goaltending, and clearly James Reimer was the better netminder at his end of the ice, turning aside 38 of 43 Senator shots, helping the Leafs hang on to a 5-4 victory over their provincial rivals.
I recent years since the arrival of Reimer, I am sure all Leafs fans out there are...
Oilers4Life14 writes...
[Oilers] Trading our 1st overall pick for 2013.
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
I know what you guys are saying, that I am a troll, or for me to get off this website, but think about this for a second. Think about what we can get for it. We'll lose a prospect for next year but we can also gain two devolped veteran's, Example, Joe Thornton, we could even throw Whitney in there just to drop a 4 million contract.
The Phoenix Coyotes played the Anaheim Ducks in their third and final game of a three game series last night. Overall it was not a good performance by the Yotes. They seemed to lack any heart in the game and looked slow and sloppy. Now for a quick recap!
The first period was all about the Ducks. They dominated the play while the Coyotes got absolutely no offensive press...
I’m starting this with a quote from [i]Moneyball[/i]. Yes, I know it’s a baseball movie. No, I don’t care.
“The problem we’re trying to solve is that there are rich teams and there are poor teams, then there’s fifty feet of crap, and then there’s us.”
Brad Pitt’s character is describing his ball club, the Oakland A’s. Based on this, I propose th...
ggarritty11 writes...
Oilers Rebuild vs. Blackhawks Rebuild (5 year rebuild)
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Edmonton Oilers are constantly being compared to the Chicago Blackhawks based on the rebuild route they have chosen. Rebuilding is FINE, but don't be convinced that this is the same type of rebuild as the Chicago Blackhawks. I'm going to go over the breakdown of the Chicago rebuild in comparison to the Edmonton rebuild. CHICAGO MISSED THE POST SEASON FROM 02/03 - 07/08...
The Montreal Canadiens have finished the first half of their regular season and are possibly the most pleasant surprise in the entire league. Sure, Chicago going this long without losing in regulation is hard to believe, but no one is surprised that they are the top team in the league. With all the injuries in Ottawa, it is hard to believe they keep winning, but they were ...
A season with so much promise, looks bleak now as we near the end of an afwul nine game road trip (thanks Brier). rnrnAs I watch my favorite team night after night, its becoming clear that this team lacks leadership and that may be why they are struggling. There is so much pressure on the kids to carry this team to the promise land and I think they can and will at some poi...
I’ve been asked a lot what moves I would make if I were GM for the Sabres. So, I’m finally putting this blog together after much thought. I’m basing my philosophy on one of my favorite movies, [i]Miracle[/i]. For those of you who haven’t seen it, it’s the Hollywood version of the 1980 Miracle On Ice.
About 10 minutes into the film, you see tryouts for the 198...
The Montreal Canadiens have finished the first half of their regular season and are possibly the most pleasant surprise in the entire league. Sure, Chicago going this long without losing in regulation is hard to believe, but no one is surprised that they are the top team in the league. With all the injuries in Ottawa, it is hard to believe they keep winning, but they were ...
[b]March 10[/b]
[b][i]Thoughts on the 4-2 loss to Boston...[/i][/b]
It has been a very busy last few days for me. My 7th and 8th grade basketball teams that I help coach at the middle school where I teach out in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago were playing in a season finale conference tournament, while at the same time Toronto and Los Angeles both played Thursday. ...
[b]March 10[/b]
Defending Staples appeared to hit a road bump on Thursday, as the Dallas Stars used a three-goal third period to defeat the defending champion Kings 5-2.
Dallas also got two goals from ageless wonder, Jaromir Jagr, who beat Quick on an early power play and then added an insurance goal at the 9:40 mark of the third.
Perhaps the Kings were a little ...
First, my disclaimer, I have been a Sabres fan since as long as I can remember. My first phrase as a child, as far as I've been told, was "I wanna watch hockeysabres" Yes as one word. I do live in Maryland now as I had to sadly move from Buffalo to pursue my career.
The Sabres efforts have been lackadaisical as of late. Everyone from as high up as Pomminville all the w...
royalgardens writes...
Pavelec, Jets Frustrate Leafs; Holzer AHL Bound?; Iginla?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
[b]March 12[/b]
[i][b]Maple Leafs 2 @ Winnipeg Jets 5[/b][/i]
Oh boy, where should I start with this one...?
After witnessing the first two periods, I was about to give most of the credit to Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec, and then build a rant up against the officials from this one, but since the Maple Leafs completely fell apart in the third period, I will just chal...
The Montreal Canadiens return to the Bell Centre tonight to face the Ottawa Senators following a very successful 5 game road trip. The only blemish on the trip came in New York against an Islanders team desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The loss was a tough one for Carey Price especially, who had allowed at least 5 goals in back to back starts. Price would b...
Writing about the Philadelphia Flyers is almost impossible this year for me. I could list you a complete sheet of all the dismal stats that show how pathetic this team is this year. To cut it short, this team has greatly underachieved thus far this season.
Believe me, I know there is not enough talent on this team to win the Eastern Conference; and they should not have...
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,I am a Leafs fan, a life long Leafs fan.
Remember when Brain Burke said this was "the Vatican of hockey"? He wasn't wrong. Not to say that this is the mecca of hockey, Montreal probably holds that title. But, this is a team you either love and worship or want to declare jihad against. It is beaten into you at a young age: This is the only team that matters, Stanl...
I realize this may sound a little bit like andydrmm's recent blog which I had not read until I wrote this:
The Trade Deadline approaches!
[img]http://www.nickmendola.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Darcy_Regier_325x183.jpg[/img]
Let's look at this glass half full. The young kids, or "585 line", are tearing it up. Brian Flynn has 3 points in just 3 games! Foligno has f...
I'm starting to wonder... how good could this team be if they had a PP that could score goals? They've gone from a team that couldn't score a 5 on 5 goal to save their lives to a team that can't seem to find any way to score with an extra skater or even two extra skaters. They've now scored 4 or more goals in 4 of their last 8 games and scored a season high 5 last night ...
Now that I have your attention... It’s only in my dreams that this were real headline. Several moves were made today by the Buffalo Sabres, and it’s just simply mind numbing the way that these things went down. I would have written this sooner, but I decided that I needed to watch a good hockey game tonight. So my wife and I went to the Rochester Amerks game.
Discla...
MintEdition writes...
This year the Leafs won’t fall like it’s the autumn…
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I actually think that the Leafs could finally make the playoff!
Yes I said it, it seems like on an odd or sometimes even day they come thru in some fashion. I my mind thou there isn’t any reason to spill time on pondering if whether they could escape first round or even (god is laughing) make it further.
[b]So do I have any kind of claim for this kind of thesis?[/b...
The Phoenix Coyotes took on the Columbus Blue Jackets looking to try to improve their standing in the Western Conference and stop the Blue Jackets point streak.
This will be a quick recap as there was NO scoring in this game. The game was a back and forth affair with good team defense from both sides. The Coyotes managed to get more shots on the Blue Jackets… but many...
It was a night of many firsts for the Montreal Canadiens. Everyone knew coming into the contest against the New Jersey Devils that it would be the first game of Jarred Tinordi’s (hopefully long) NHL career. Halfway through the first period of play, Colby Armstrong would (finally) score his first goal in a Canadiens sweater. Later, midway through the third, Tinordi would ...
Tonight, due to injury of Sabres defenseman, Andrej Sekera, would have normally seen extra defenseman, T.J. Brennan, as the replacement. That has all changed as Brennan was traded to the Florida Panthers for a fifth-round pick of the 2013 draft. And as Brennan scored in his first game with the team, seeing over 22 minutes of ice-time, Sabres fans have been critical of the ...
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 Plight of this team
This season has been nothing but horribly sad for us fans in "Hockey Heaven". Last night as I sat screaming in the Verizon Center next to fellow Sabres fans in the D.C. area...it hit me. This team is horrible. From top to bottom. Watching a team that was behind us in the standings, who also played the day before, dance around us in our own zon...
Kenny_Mac writes...
David Desharnais: Undersized Center Earns Huge Contract
Posted Monday | Comments 0
David Desharnais has overcome adversity every year of his hockey career, proving himself at every level of competition before finally cashing in with the Montreal Canadiens. The 4 year, 14 million dollar contract is a huge deal for the undersized center, but he has been defeating the odds since before his junior career began and will prove he is worth every penny. (Or ever...
royalgardens writes...
Toronto: Where's the Leadership? Kings host Coyotes for Two
Posted Monday | Comments 0
[b][b]March 18[/b]
[b][i]Leafs Lack of Leadership Hampering Results?[/b][/i][/b]
Well, another big game for the Leafs on Saturday fell the way side once again.
Toronto got a promising start from a nice backhand goal from Joffrey Lupul, who finally returned to the lineup after missing 25 games. But the Maple Leafs could not build on the early lead and completely f...
So the Anaheim Ducks have signed two of their big free agents. First they sign Ryan Getzlaf through 2021. That's a rather lengthy contract considering the NHL wanted to scale back those long term contracts. But even more impressive is the $8,250,000 per season over the next 6 seasons. Mind-blowing numbers when you consider that also was one of the major issues that ke...
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...
royalgardens writes...
Kings Sweep; Iginla? Bernier? Other Ideas...Leafs Strike TBY
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
[b]March 20[/b]
[b][i]Kings Sweep Away Misfit Coyotes[/i][/b]
Before I offer my opinion on the LA Kings trade rumors, I should mention a little bit about last night...
During the two-game home series against the Phoenix Coyotes, we saw a true championship caliber team man-handle and dictate play against a team that thinks they can compete with them, but in reality...
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...
TheHockeyDaily writes...
Does Anyone Care About The Columbus Blue Jackets?
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
There are about nine teams in the Western Conference that certainly care about the Columbus Blue Jackets right now. Perennial losers they may be but CBJ are not letting their past stop them from making a serious push for the playoffs this season. Since February 26 the Jackets have gone 6-0-5, earning points in eleven straight games.
The streak has allowed the Jackets t...
royalgardens writes...
Leafs Cough Up Extra Point; Kings Seek 'Heavenly' Revenge
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
[b]March 21
[i]Sabres Steal Key Point from Lazy Leafs[/b][/i]
Before I get into this one, I just want to make one thing clear about both of these teams on the ice; all weaknesses were greatly magnified throughout this game.
The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs are two teams going absolutely nowhere this season. Both teams are lazy, they cough the puck up at ...
Tonight the Calgary Flames play head to head with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The rumours surrounding the future of Jarome Iginla as a member of the Calgary Flames make this game a little more interesting than your average epic Flames/Blue Jackets showdown.
Over the next two weeks the Flames and Iginla will receive some very tempting offers that will greatly affect the f...
Not looking for an answer here. So don’t try to give me one (“Too late”, says my wife as I proof read it to her. She answered “no” for those of you who were curious.). I’ll admit that it’s very tempting to get caught up in the rush of the past 2 Sabres games. Winning in Montreal and then beating Toronto in what may have been the best game Buffalo’s played t...
royalgardens writes...
Marlies Recap from Chicago; Morgan Rielly Impresses
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
[b]March 22[/b]
[i][b]Morgan Rielly Scores Late Game-Tying Goal; Korbinian Holzer is a Solid AHL Defender...NHL Defender...??[/b][/i]
Friday evening, I was able to take in some AHL action between the Toronto Marlies and Chicago Wolves (Vancouver Canucks).
I was a little disappointed that I did not get to see either Jussi Rynnas or Mark Owuya get the start in goal....
royalgardens writes...
Leafs Bend, Don't Break vs. Bruins; Kings Return to Chicago
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
[b]March 24[/b]
[i][b]Maple Leafs 3, Boston Bruins 2[/b][/i]
Perhaps the Maple Leafs caught a break facing Anton Khudobin instead of Tukkka Rask? Be as it may, Khudobin came into the game with a 6-2 record and a sparkling 2.14 GAA and a save percentage of 92.5%.
Toronto also may have caught the Bruins at a good time, as Boston played with some inexperience on its ...
No one is really talking about it but the Montreal Canadiens must be considered a Stanley Cup contender at this point. Sure the Boston Bruins are big, bad and won it all two years ago but we’ve seen many times before that the Canadiens are capable of beating the Bruins in the playoffs. In fact, two seasons ago when the B’s won the Cup they barely got by the Habs in a f...
So trade deadline is coming up in 8 days, so I decided to make a blog.
Edmonton Oilers need to win 13 of their next 17 games, 13-4 run. It's not going to happen, sorry. But we are still in the running for a first overall pick.
But in all honestly, we need to trade that to get more vetreans for next year, where we can make a playoff run. So here is my answer to what w...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Once Again, Habs Show They Belong With Class of the East
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Since the puck finally dropped on this shortened season, followers of the NHL have been pointing to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins as the top teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. While the Penguins and Bruins have certainly performed well enough to deserve such credit, there is a third team in the East that has separated themselves from the rest of the pack....
Kenny_Mac writes...
Nathan Beaulieu Makes NHL Debut as Habs Host Rangers
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Montreal Canadiens close out their March schedule tonight as they face the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre. It has been a very successful month for the Habs thus far as they enter tonight’s contest with an 8-3-2 record in March.
It will be the third meeting of the season between the original six rivals and Montreal is looking for a clean sweep after posting 3-...
Last night, my wife and I were out to dinner after a day of errands, and we began discussing the Buffalo Sabres and the trade deadline. Over dinner, I laid out a revamp for the Buffalo Sabres. Long story short, Buffalo has a terrific opportunity in front of them right now.
And Darcy Regier at the helm to get it… [b]Yeah right[/b], won’t happen.
Regier is the indi...
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...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Feaster Famine: Analyzing Feaster's Tenure As Flames GM
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
Follow me on twitter @flamesfan1981
When I originally began writing this article it was before the recent moves by Feaster in the trading of Flames icon Jarome Iginla and their top defender in Jay Bouwmeester. Some of my opinions will certainly change based off of these 2 moves.
On December 28, 2010, Darryl Sutter resigned as the General Manager of the Calgary Flame...
With the NHL’s trade deadline less than 24 hours away the Montreal Canadiens have played their way into a position of being a buyer instead of selling off assets like they did a year ago. As the deadline approaches, the Habs will be sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, only trailing the now Crosby-less Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins have added signif...
royalgardens writes...
Planes, TRADES, Automobiles; Maple Leafs-Flames Discussions
Posted Tuesday | Comments 4
[b]April 2nd
[i]Trade Deadline Thoughts[/b][/i]
First, regarding the "potential" deal or rumor of Miikka Kiprusoff to the Maple Leafs...Why not Curtis Glencross or perhaps Dennis Wideman?
The only way this makes sense for Toronto to acquire the 36 year-old veteran backstop, who's best seasons are already in the books is if GM Dave Nonis and company share very litt...
Miikka Kiprusoff will most likely go down as one of the Flames all time best goalies in franchise history. He's been a solid goalie for the past few years and a workhorse. Despite having a subpar year (could be attributed to not going to play anywhere during the lockout, along with a list of other things) some people think he may have some left in the tank, which he absolu...
I have to agree with what a lot of hockey analyst's are saying.
The Leafs are a team still in re-building their winning ways and striving to make the playoffs in 8 years.
Why risk that and make a trade for Luongo. He is a number 1 goalie but he has those streaks where he STINKS he really STINKS, not to mention the size of his contract.
The Leafs looking to be h...
I’m currently sitting at my desk in my office, thinking over the Buffalo Sabres trade deadline moves this year (will fine tune this once I get home, it’s a work in progress). At the end of the day, Jason Pominville is headed to Minnesota. Buffalo receives 2 young prospects as well as Minnesota’s first round draft pick in 2013 and their second round pick in 2014.
...
Alright so definitely an interesting trade deadline day in Buffalo.
Moving Pomminville, Regher, and Leopold was a great idea without a doubt. Am I completely happy with the return on those players? Not yet. I know that getting two prospects and a first rounder and a second rounder for Pomminville seems great. The problem is do we trust Darcy and this administration ...
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 ...
MintEdition writes...
GMGM doing a GM (grand mistake) - The Filip Forsberg trade
Posted Friday | Comments 0
When I first saw this on the blocks I thought to my self "no way that was a good deal for the caps"!
I saw some people posting their arguments. They said that Forsberg, still only 18 only plays in the second league of Sweden and also that since he is so young there is still many years left before we know his NHL caliber
My comeback would be:
[b]Yes [/b]- still young...
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...
flamesfan1981 writes...
What should the Flames strategy be moving forward?
Posted Monday | Comments 9
Follow me on Twitter @flamesfan1981
It's no secret that the Flames organization is in need of a full rebuild. By full rebuild I mean a full tear it down completely and rebuild from the ground-up type of rebuild. With the recent trades of Jarome Iginla, Jay Bouwmeester and attempting to move Kiprusoff; all fans were under the assumption the Flames organization were doin...
2 weeks ago, I wouldn’t have thought that the Buffalo Sabres would lose to the Panthers, Lightning, and Capitals, and then beat the Penguins, Senators, and Devils.
It’s like we’re in opposite land or something. Not that I’m complaining, but it is nice to see the Sabres beat some good teams for a change.
There seems to be something different about this Sabre...
The Montreal Canadiens look to continue their winning ways tonight as they host the suddenly surging Washington Capitals. Winners of 5 out of their last 6, Montreal currently resides in second place in the Eastern Conference, three points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins and only one point ahead of division rival Boston Bruins.
The Capitals are the third seed in the East...
flamesfan1981 writes...
2014 Olympics: My Canadian Men's Ice Hockey Roster
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter: @flamesfan1981
While watching Hockey Night In Canada last weekend on CBC, the broadcast mentioned that the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia are exactly 10 months away. The first thought that popped into my head and most likely any Canadian hockey fan, was memories of the 2010 Olympics in which Sidney Crosby took a feed from Jarome Iginla in OT of th...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Canadiens Led by Re-signed Budaj Set to Face Sabres
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The two teams that have given the Montreal Canadiens the most trouble thus far during their successful season would be the Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs. It just so happens that the pair of division rivals will be their next two opponents as the Habs travel to Buffalo tonight followed by a Saturday night meeting with the Leafs.
These two games come on the h...
Snowmanonfire writes...
The Nucks are at the cap ceiling no room for U/RFAs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Next Season poses some difficult choices to be made in Nuck land and I blame Gillis for this monumental blunder. In the cap world he signed Luongo to that albatross of a contract that he tries to say is equatable or an asset, in what parallel universe?
Not only will they have to just let Luongo go they may have to take a bad contract back with fewer years but they will ...
Don't silence the boo birds
For years now we have paid thousands of our meager incomes to pay the salaries of this mediocre group of hockey players. Although I do understand that players, like Steve Ott, are frustrated because the booing is demoralizing to the young players and the veterans. I also feel the need to tell him to shut up and play hockey. He has been a pol...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Flames: Why the Flames need to draft Nathan MacKinnon!
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Follow me on twitter: @flamesfan1981
For the past two decades the Calgary Flames franchise has attempted to fill their to center positions with low cost or washed up bandaid solutions that simply weren't the answer. To put this into better perspective, the Flames top 2 scoring Centerman since the 1996 season have been Robert Reichel (354 points in 425 games) and Craig ...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Canadiens Sprint to Finish Begins Against Oldest Rival
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
With a playoff berth officially clinched following a dominating win over the Buffalo Sabres, the sprint for playoff positioning now begins for the Montreal Canadiens. With eight games remaining for both Montreal and division rival Boston Bruins and only one point separating them, the division champ will be crowned based on who finishes the season the hottest.
The sprint...
First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers to the families impacted by today’s tragic events in Boston. In moments of tragedy, hopefully people can find inspiration in the actions of those who didn’t run away from disaster, but ran towards it in an effort to help. [b]Those individuals truly are heroes. [/b]
My family and I attended the Sabres vs Flyers game on Sa...
shauntyler writes...
5 Most Emotional National Anthems in Buffalo Sports History
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Top Five Most Emotional National Anthems in Buffalo Sports HistoryrnShaun Chojnackirnrn#5 NHL All Star Game 1991rnJanuary 19th 1991rn• The Gulf War had just begun and emotions were incredibly high.rn• The game was broadcasted worldwide and drew the highest television audience for an NHL All Star game at the time.rn• The uncertainty of war was looming as the build...
When the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres meet at First Niagara Center Friday Night the Buffalo Sabres will look to do something they have attempted three times so far this season and have failed to accomplish. That which has eluded them all season is four wins in a row. This team may not make the playoffs, but one has to believe that they may have turned a corner. Afte...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Montreal Looks to Keep Momentum Going Against Capitals
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Montreal Canadiens finally rediscovered the win column against the Tamp Bay Lightning after suffering their three ugliest losses of the season. With a little luck and a huge game from the man who was handed the blame for the losing streak, Habs fans can sigh a bit of relief before facing the Washington Capitals tonight.
The Lightning had countless chances to open t...
Now I dont want to get people upset by thinking that all this is Ryan Millers fault. I will be the first to say that Ryan Miller has been the victim of bad breaks and a bad team playing in front of him at times. He is far from the reason The Buffalo Sabres lost to the New York Rangers last night and definitely not the only reason we are missing the playoffs again this seas...
Now I dont want to get people upset by thinking that all this is Ryan Millers fault. I will be the first to say that Ryan Miller has been the victim of bad breaks and a bad team playing in front of him at times. He is far from the reason The Buffalo Sabres lost to the New York Rangers last night and definitely not the only reason we are missing the playoffs again this seas...
Since the Flyers acquired backup goaltender Steve Mason from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the trade deadline, the buzz among local Philly beat writers is whether Bryzgalov or Mason will be the starter next season, and if this spells an abrupt end for Ilya in a Flyer jersey via compliance buyout.
Since the deadline, Mason has signed a 1-year extension at $1.5 million, ma...
If the draft was to start right now, we'd be pick 5th. Nashville and Carolina are two points back of Edmonton with 39. And our next 4 games aren't easy. We play: Anahiem, which we've only managed to score 2 goals in 2 games this years. Chicago, who has the best record in the league, but the last 2 games at home we've won by more then 8, Minnesota, away, who we've beat once...
Those of you who have read my blogs for quite sometime know that I’m not a fan of Darcy Regier, and I haven’t been for quite some time. There’s a lot of talk about his future in Buffalo, especially as the Sabres will once again miss out on the playoffs. 2013 has seen Lindy Ruff leave the Buffalo Sabres organization, and it’s time for Darcy to leave too.
Let’s...
There are only six days remaining in the regular season but many questions are left to be answered in the Eastern Conference. The number of potential playoff teams has been narrowed to just nine but aside from the Pittsburgh Penguins securing the number one seed, no one’s position is guaranteed.
The race for the Northeast Division title and second overall throughout t...
Well, it's no surprise, Oilers, as of late, have only had 3+ goals in the last 10 games (8-2 W over Calgary, 5-3 L to Minnesota, 4-1 W over Colorado). 7 of those games we've scored 1 or less. I do not know what it is, what the problem is with scoring, perhaps it was all used against Calgary? Ralph Kruger needs to remake the lines, something line this:
Line 1:
Hall-Nu...
Well, it's no surprise, Oilers, as of late, have only had 3+ goals in the last 10 games (8-2 W over Calgary, 5-3 L to Minnesota, 4-1 W over Colorado). 7 of those games we've scored 1 or less. I do not know what it is, what the problem is with scoring, perhaps it was all used against Calgary? Ralph Kruger needs to remake the lines, something line this:
Line 1:
Hall-Nu...
Well, it's no surprise, Oilers, as of late, have only had 3+ goals in the last 10 games (8-2 W over Calgary, 5-3 L to Minnesota, 4-1 W over Colorado). 7 of those games we've scored 1 or less. I do not know what it is, what the problem is with scoring, perhaps it was all used against Calgary? Ralph Kruger needs to remake the lines, something line this:
Line 1:
Hall-Nu...
Well, it's no surprise, Oilers, as of late, have only had 3+ goals in the last 10 games (8-2 W over Calgary, 5-3 L to Minnesota, 4-1 W over Colorado). 7 of those games we've scored 1 or less. I do not know what it is, what the problem is with scoring, perhaps it was all used against Calgary? Ralph Kruger needs to remake the lines, something line this:
Line 1:
Hall-Nu...
Follow me @Oilers4Life14 on Twitter
After like 13 years playing at Xcel Energy Center, Oilers finally won their first game there, 6-1. Yak had a big night so did Eberle and Hall. Potter, even a trade bait player had 2 goals. Now this last game versus Vancouver, as well as Minnesota vs Edmonton was just for pride, also bumping us in the standings. Which is bad for th...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Canadiens Dominate Maple Leafs; Await First Round Opponent
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Tonight’s game started like far too many for the Montreal Canadiens recently. Behind 1-0 in the first period and having to battle their way back to stay alive in the race for the Northeast Division title. More often than not over the last two weeks, Montreal would let the 1-0 deficit become 2-0 before finding the back of the opponent’s net but that would not be the cas...
Wow. All I can say is wow. If we played like that all season, we easily would've made the playoffs. But no reason to stress, we have four Canadian teams in the playoffs, hopefully Montreal wins. But anyway, this season may of sucked because we didn't make the playoffs, but other stats were good.
Out of our four Northwest Division rivals, we won 3 series out of four. Van...
Kiks52 writes...
Maple Leafs Finish Regular Season With Disappointing Loss
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
[img:right]http://i.imgur.com/k6DlcxF.png[/img]When the Toronto Maple Leafs skated on to the ice at Air Canada Centre before an ecstatic, jam-packed crowd of 19,730, the largest crowd of the shortened season, it was a monumental moment in the history of the franchise. After all, after eight straight seasons of falling short, the Leafs had managed to earn a hard-fought fift...
Well, we finally got to the end of this season. I have 4 words to say as the Sabres season comes to a close.
[b]Thank God it’s over. [/b]
There’s not many things that went well this season for the Sabres. It’s pretty painful thinking back on it. Let’s take a look at the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the Buffalo Sabres 2013 season.
All stats I use in this...
In breaking news....It has been made official that Darcy Regier will be the GM next season. Well that kills my hope for change. Darcy remains GM to fix his own mess of a team. After a second straight season with no playoffs, looking worse than before, and the same lousy excuse for a general manager the Sabres organization sees it fit to raise ticket prices...THIS IS MAD...
The Montreal Canadiens return to the postseason after a one year hiatus and will face their division rival Ottawa Senators in the opening round. Just a year ago, the Canadiens season ended early after finishing 15th in the Eastern Conference standings and 28th overall in the 30 team National Hockey League. Montreal was able to pull themselves out of the cellar of the East ...
adamgallant writes...
Stacking up the Oilers season, and some playoff picks
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Hello folks, and welcome to my first blog on HockeyBuzz! Just to start, my name is Adam Gallant, and I live for the Edmonton Oilers. As many other Oilers fans feel, I see this season as a letdown; not a major letdown, but one nonetheless. Many thought this would be the year that the Oil creep into the playoffs; we did not expect a Northwest division title, a 7th or 8th see...
royalgardens writes...
Playoff Time: Do Leafs Have a Chance? Quick Gift to Steen!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 7
[b]Playoff Time
[i]Kings vs. Blues[/b][/i]
[i]Game One...[/i]
Los Angeles was lucky to be alive and playing into overtime; thanks in large part to the outstanding play of Jonathan Quick, who gave the Kings a chance to steal the opening game from a St. Louis team who could not have played any better.
Call it a chip on their shoulder, or old fashioned revenge, th...
I really do not want to watch baseball. The Toronto Blue Jays are a complete disaster, trading for a bunch of has-beens and old men and those who have a history of injuries and being undependable. Plus, a dead ass manager who has already failed miserably with the same organization cannot help matters either.
My real baseball team I have followed all my life as my first...
As an Oilers fan, you don't get to see a lot of playoff hockey, it sucks yes, but this, Ottawa against Montreal, is a series you need to watch. Even if you are American. Apparently to Team 1200, the two refs that we reffing the game, are "The most experienced refs the NHL have." It didn't show. The refs called a total of 236 penalty minutes in the game, which is a lot, obv...
[b]May 6th[/b]
If the defending champion Kings are going to turn around and take this quarterfinal series against the St. Louis Blues as originally expected, then some big guns need to step things up a bit.
Through the first three games, the Kings have scored a grand total of three goals, and one of them has been by a defenseman. One goal a game is not going to get t...
I am an optimistic person at heart.
I usually look for the good in a situation and believe all things are possible...with the right determination and effort.
I'll keep fighting to the end if the cause is right.
But...I am also a realistic person.
I can look at a situation and see it for what it is (most of the time).
When I watch the Penguins play...playoff ...
I want to start by saying there are numerous reasons the Oiler's arena has been looking like it wouldn't work. Most people believe it is money and who would pay the money. Others believe it is municiple politics. Both of these play a part and I will touch on that but the final hurdle has been the Calgary Flames.
Let us start with Katz and his role in this. When buyi...
Captain_Kurtz writes...
Captains of The 30 NHL teams and ranking out of 10. part 1
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
What makes a good captain? Is a good captain your best player offensively or is a good captain the heart and soul of the team? You decide. [u]Anaheim Ducks-Ryan Getzlaf[/u] Ryan Getzlaf was drafted by the Ducks 1st round (19th overall) in the 2003 entry draft. He was named captain by the team prior too the 2010-2011 season. Despite a horrible 2011-2012 season when he had 5...
This is the start of my off season assessment of the Buffalo Sabres players. I figured I would start with two on again, off again line mates in Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno. On paper, these are 2 completely different players. Ennis is 5’9”, 157 lbs while Foligno is 6’3” and 226 lbs. However, both of them can add a lot to the Sabres.
Before I kick this off, I�...
[b]Sharks - Kings Preview[/b]
Well, Sharks' Fans got their wish. Thank you Detroit. Now, the Sharks don't have to play the Blackhawks in the Second Round. That's the Good News.
The Bad News, is that they will have to play the Los Angeles Kings instead. Out of the frying pan, and into the proverbial fire as it were.
This is going to be a tough series for the ...
With the Oilers drafting 7th this season, there are plenty of different outcomes that could happen. It is very plausible that new General Manager Craig McTavish will trade the pick, or move down in order to bring in veteran talent. For the sake of this blog let's say they don't move. Jones, Drouin, Barkov, Mackinnon will all be gone in the top 4 but it gets fuzzier after t...
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...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Disappointing Playoffs Overshadow Successful Rebirth of Habs
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Montreal Canadiens began this shortened season with the lowest of expectations. Following such a disastrous 2011-12 campaign, the lockout that delayed the start of this season was seen almost as a blessing to some Habs fans, who were fearing another season as embarrassing as the last.
Canadiens fans would be disappointed in the Habs season when it finished, but not ...
[b]May 19[/b]
Now that my heart and soul has recovered somewhat from the Maple Leafs' monumental game 7 collapse in Boston, I think I can finally chime in with some post-series comments.
First of all, give the Maple Leafs all the credit in the world for bringing out the best in the Boston Bruins. As I originally predicted, I thought Toronto would have been lucky enou...
A lot of people are sick of the Oilers losing every year and think they should make a move to improve immediately. These are the people that are tired of year after year last place and waiting for the rebuild to be complete. To be honest, I don't blame them. But the future is bright in Edmonton and it's actually good that they're not trying to speed up the rebuild and m...
Tyler Myers.
I already know that just by saying his name, a lot of people’s attention just caught this blog. He’s been with the Sabres his entire NHL career, and after having a dazzling rookie career, he seems to be struggling.
Prompting the question...
What happened to Tyler Myers??
First off, his point totals have significantly decreased since his rooki...
The Oilers are rich in depth of prospect defenseman. But only 2 of them are ready to start next year (With potential). Edmonton needs size on the center, because Gagner cannot win a faceoff, nor can Nuge. They both did make an improvement in defense this year. So what do we draft? Dubynk can show that he can stand on his head when the Oilers need him, our top six is great,...
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 ...
So, Oilers blogger Richard Cloutier (@rdcloutier on twitter) wrote a blog today suggesting that MacT will be trying to trade up a couple spots so that he can pick Sasha Barkov. Considering the recent news that Valery Nichushkin has decided to come to North America, I can definately see the possibility of Barkov being available around the 4 or 5 spot.
I wr...
If I were the Buffalo Sabres General Manager. I know that Ryan Miller, at 6.25 million this year, wants out and is frustrated with where the team is at. Knowing that I have a young goal tending duo in Jhonas Enroth and Matt Hackett with huge upside, I am calling every team in the top five particularly Colorado. I realize that Colorado will most likely never give up the fir...
Kenny_Mac writes...
Canadiens Free Agents: Who Returns and Who Leaves Montreal
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Montreal Canadiens have some tough decision to make when it comes to deciding which free agents should be re-signed and which should be allowed to test the market. Montreal’s current unrestricted free agents are Michael Ryder, Colby Armstrong, Jeff Halpern, and Davis Drewiske. Their restricted free agents include Ryan White, Gabriel Dumont, Michael Blunden and Yannic...
Hey everybody, in this blog i'm gonna be doing a live blog covering the memorial cup final between the Halifax Mooseheads and the Portland Winterhawks. It's gonna be a good game and I hope you enjoy it.
To start out I'm gonna do a prediction and do a little talking about the 2 teams. In this game we have the projected top 3 picks in this draft (Jones, MacKinnon, Droui...
“I need a new start” said New York Rangers’ center, Brad Richards. Richards is 6 feet tall, 198 pounds. A perfect center man for the Oilers. Sam Gagner, the current 2nd line center is 5’11, 199 pounds could be the idle Left Wing that the Oilers need, or he could be moved for a natural left wing. Oilers pick 7th this year, they can move that pick for an NHL-ready Le...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Flames: Best Case Scenario at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter @flamesfan1981 and please note I will be Tweeting LIVE FROM THE PRUDENTIAL CENTER at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft!
Thanks to the Flames partial fire-sale during the season, they are in a unique position of owning three 1st round draft picks in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft taking place in New Jersey. The draft is deemed by many scouts and hockey experts to ...
[b]May 27[/b]
I've always thought that the better team of the series needs to win that one big game on the road. On Saturday, the LA Kings were the better team on the ice, yet still could not find a way to win at the Shark Tank, where things never seem to go the Kings' way, similar to the United Center, where if the defending champions stay alive tomorrow, should be hea...
This is my first attempt at writing a blog so all constructive criticism and opinions are welcome. Ill write with some depth on the top ten picks, and then just make the rest quick with little explanation and based on current standings because the playoffs are not finished yet.rnrnThis year in hockey has been full of ups and downs for Oilers fans, our season was over quick...
This is my first attempt at writing a blog so all constructive criticism and opinions are welcome. Ill write with some depth on the top ten picks, and then just make the rest quick with little explanation and based on current standings because the playoffs are not finished yet.rnrnThis year in hockey has been full of ups and downs for Oilers fans, our season was over quick...
Hey everybody!
While watching the Halifax Mooseheads all season and especially during the memorial cup I couldn't help but notice how well MacKinnon and Drouin play together. They are ranked 2 and 3 on the NHL's central scouting report and after they leave Halifax, they will proberly never play together again. But while I was watching the memorial cup final on Sunday ...
[b]1. Colorado - Nathan Mackinnon[/b]
A big showing in the memorial cup + the hiring of Patrick Roy makes Nathan Mackinnon too much to pass up. COL's prospect pool is stronger on D than up front and Mackinnon, Duchene, Landeskog are the avs answer to RNH Hall Eberle
[b]2. Florida - Seth Jones[/b]
Panthers go for BPA - Seth Jones and Gudbranson will be a ridiculo...
Before I start with Oil Drop Episode 3, I’d like to say best of luck to Richard Cloutier on getting his dream job.
As much as everyone hates your blog, you as a person, you’re alright. So best of luck!
(Just don’t become a GM, we don’t want another rebuild.)
The draft is 32 days away, we pick 7th, as many people know. According to my sources (Richard C...
So I am randomly doing this because I am bored and I have time, but I am going to start a new series call “Trade Proposals with Oilers4Life” (Something like that.)
So here we go:
VAN: Tanev
EDM: Paarjavi
Paarjavi isn’t the greatest ever, and can be easy replaced. All we need to do is get Richards if he’s bought out, move Gagner to the Left Wing, sign ...
[img:left]http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Disturbed_Guy_7481.jpg[/img] To all my devoted and beloved followers on this site... please comment if you want me to be the newest part of the family to wear the stripes. I strongly believe I would make a great, fair, unbiased, hybrid-referee in both the Leafs and Habs threads to fill in whenever Dozz, LM, Howrad, ...
Your 2013-2014 Toronto Maple Leafs
The whole city of Toronto and those of us in the die-hard “Leafs Nation” fan base were on top of the world with just over ten minutes to play in the third period of a crucial game 7 against our rival, the Boston Bruins. We were taunting Boston fans, we were criticizing all the analysts who had the Bruins beating us in four or fiv...
Your 2013-2014 Toronto Maple Leafs
The whole city of Toronto and those of us in the die-hard “Leafs Nation” fan base were on top of the world with just over ten minutes to play in the third period of a crucial game 7 against our rival, the Boston Bruins. We were taunting Boston fans, we were criticizing all the analysts who had the Bruins beating us in four or fiv...
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...
Oh yes according to Elliote Friedman Tim Thomas may try and attempt a comeback to hockey after taking a year off for personal reasons. Thomas may not return to the NHL but instead go to Europe, maybe Finalnd where he spent 4 seasons playing for Jokerit, Karpat and HIFK. Another option in Europe will be the Swedish Elite league or the KHL, Thomas played 23 games with AIK in...
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...
As we're getting ready for what should be a very exciting and eventful offseason, this season should see a lot of goalie movement. I will list off all the Goalies of importance (aka not backups) who i think will be moved, or sign somewhere else
Buffalo: Miller (trade)
Calgary: Kipper (retire)
Chicago: Emery (UFA)
LAK: Bernier (RFA)
Minny: Backstrom (UFA)
NYI: Nabak...
I figured, since I keep hearing trade rumors about the Buffalo Sabres goaltenders, it was about time to address it. Buffalo has a huge issue when it comes to goalies, but I think it’s a good issue;
They’ve got a LOT of goalies in their system.
As I’m sure a lot of you have figured out, I’m going to be focusing on Ryan Miller and Jhonas Enroth. I’ll also st...
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...
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 has been WAY too much going on in Edmonton. Basically, EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING. Here's part one of the week that was in Oil Country.
It was announced yesterday that GM Craig MacTavish has fired Head Coach Ralph Krueger. A bit of a surprise, considering that MacT gave Krueger a vote of confidence when hired in late April. At the press conference, MacT adm...
There has been WAY too much going on in Edmonton. Basically, EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING. Here's part one of the week that was in Oil Country.
It was announced yesterday that GM Craig MacTavish has fired Head Coach Ralph Krueger. A bit of a surprise, considering that MacT gave Krueger a vote of confidence when hired in late April. At the press conference, MacT adm...
There has been WAY too much going on in Edmonton. Basically, EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING. Here's part one of the week that was in Oil Country.rnrn It was announced yesterday that GM Craig MacTavish has fired Head Coach Ralph Krueger. A bit of a surprise, considering that MacT gave Krueger a vote of confidence when hired in late April. At the press conference, MacT adm...
Snowmanonfire writes...
Komorov signs with Moscow sign of more domestic players?
Posted Monday | Comments 0
With Komorov leaving for Moscow Dinamo is it now time to increase the percentage of Canadian and American players back in the NHL?
We all know the KHL is a cash league but the hockey lifestyle has a lot to be desired according to most who've played there. But like Komo there are a lot of foreign born guys that want more money this may make way to develop and retain home...
Anyone who has paid significant attention to the Pittsburgh Penguins since their most recent Cup win knows full well that there are several reasons that Head Coach Dan Bylsma ('HCDB') should be behind a different bench next season.
Bylsma lucked into a Cup win in 2009 following an entire 2 months of experience as an NHL head coach. When a harsh, strict disciplinarian (M...
Coming off a wildly disappointing season that saw Philadelphia miss the playoffs for the first time since 2007, we all knew that Paul Holmgren would have his hands full this summer. With the cap dropping $6M and the Flyers already needing to shed a hefty contract just in order to be compliant, Homer is stuck with a tricky deck to work with.
So what's in the cards with P...
Ok so im sure this will change closer to the draft, but here is my mock draft from now! (please note by placing Bruins 29th and Hawks 30th doesnt mean i think Hawks win it, they have the better record hence worse pick)
1. [img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/avalanche/images/logos/medium.png[/img] D Seth Jones
2. [img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/panthers/images/logos/medium.png[/img] C ...
Bluesbreaker writes...
Does Bob Murray's Plans include Hiller, Selanne, Koivu?
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
Anaheim GM has already made in clear in the exit interviews he plans to shake up his team for 2014. Having already signed Getzlaf and Perry to big contracts, it would seem the scariest times are over.
But...
Can Anaheim weather the storm if Selanne and Koivu hang 'em up? Many consider that Selanne was too tired this shortened season to continue for one more year. Koi...
As the Stanley Cup Finals reminds us that the shortened season of 2013 is coming to a close, thoughts turn to the draft in New Jersey. However, as Buffalo fans, we were looking towards the draft about halfway through the season when it was apparent that the Sabres just wasn’t that good.
Now, we sit a mere 2 weeks away from the 2013 NHL draft. This year promises to be...
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...
I'd like to see if the Leafs can move up but only time will tell with rumors swirling that in taking a bad contract they may land a late first round pick it'd be intriguing if they did that my hope is that they get a couple of pieces to there puzzle. The Leafs are young and lets see if some of the guys they have now can develop.
I've seen many different mock drafts an...
So, with the season almost over, everyone will hope to fill needs through the draft, trades and free agency. My love of this season and all it brings gets me thinking what can a team do, so how does your cap fit? Today Edmonton! As per Cap Geek the Oil have 10f 6d and 1 g signed for a cap hit of just over $54,100,000. So around 10 mil to lock up 3-4 f 1 d and a new back ...
So, with the season almost over, everyone will hope to fill needs through the draft, trades and free agency. My love of this season and all it brings gets me thinking what can a team do, so how does your cap fit? Today Edmonton! As per Cap Geek the Oil have 10f 6d and 1 g signed for a cap hit of just over $54,100,000. So around 10 mil to lock up 3-4 f 1 d and a new back ...
-- The Boston Bruins are making the Chicago Blackhawks look a lot like the Penguins did in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game 4 is huge for the Hawks (says Captain Obvious) but it will be even more difficult to win if Marian Hossa is out of the line-up again. Either way, it will be interesting to see if Chicago can make any adjustments to help them out of the sleeper hold...
I'd like to see if the Leafs can move up but only time will tell with rumors swirling that in taking a bad contract they may land a late first round pick it'd be intriguing if they did that my hope is that they get a couple of pieces to there puzzle. The Leafs are young and lets see if some of the guys they have now can develop.
I've seen many different mock drafts an...
I'd like to see if the Leafs can move up but only time will tell with rumors swirling that in taking a bad contract they may land a late first round pick it'd be intriguing if they did that my hope is that they get a couple of pieces to there puzzle. The Leafs are young and lets see if some of the guys they have now can develop.
I've seen many different mock drafts an...
Yes as you can see its still June 20th... but close enough :lol: This is my 2nd last Mock draft, my last one will come the 29th or 30th... please refer to my last blog to see how many spots changed! (Link to June 14th mock: http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14944&user_id=51280)
[1][img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/avalanche/images/logos/medium.png[/img] C Nate MacKi...
We are just a few weeks away from my favorite time during the year. NHL draft baby. As a kid I would always purchase my hockey news draft preview magazine and sit through the hours and hours of waiting and analysis from the boys at TSN. This year should be no different. Usually I prepare my own mock draft around this time and this year I wanted to share my thoughts with ...
We are just a few weeks away from my favorite time during the year. NHL draft baby. As a kid I would always purchase my hockey news draft preview magazine and sit through the hours and hours of waiting and analysis from the boys at TSN. This year should be no different. Usually I prepare my own mock draft around this time and this year I wanted to share my thoughts with ...
We are just a few weeks away from my favorite time during the year. NHL draft baby. As a kid I would always purchase my hockey news draft preview magazine and sit through the hours and hours of waiting and analysis from the boys at TSN. This year should be no different. Usually I prepare my own mock draft around this time and this year I wanted to share my thoughts with ...
[i][b]June 21[/b][/i]
The first official day of summer brings joy to many.
School is finally out.
The Stanley Cup playoffs are in full swing.
Baseball season is hitting its serious curve.
But yikes, another Toronto Maple Leaf offseason is about to get underway. And from the sound of things, I am getting a bad feeling in my gut.
With the numerous reports ...
royalgardens writes...
Kings Offseason Agenda = Optimism Getting Back to the Cup
Posted Friday | Comments 2
[i][b]June 21[/b][/i]
Now, shifting over to the Los Angeles Kings, who I hope are resting and healing fast for the real upcoming 82-game season starting in October...
The pending trade of backup, yet capable #1 goaltender Jonathan Bernier is obviously the most important next step for GM Dean Lombardi.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs emerging as front runners as of ri...
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...
As we approach the start of free agency and the draft, a lot of people are up in the air as to what is going to happen with the Buffalo Sabres.
Despite how some of my blogs come off, I’m a huge fan of the Sabres. I always have been, and I always will be. Regardless of what this team does, I’m still rooting for them. However, there has to be a certain disconnect wit...
[i][b]June 23[/b][/i]
I will admit that whenever the two teams you like or support get together and make a deal, it is always fun and interesting. This is especially true when they both go head-to-head during the season.
The bottom line of this trade is that the Los Angeles Kings had a small window in which to find the best deal for their top-notch buried goaltender ...
With the NHL entry draft just around the corner and with all the controversy sorrounding it this year, I thought I should put in my two cents. With this being a deep draft year it will be interesting to see how it stacks up to the rest. So with no further ado, ladies and gentlemen, this is the Oilersrule66 2013 NHL mock draft.
____________________________________________...
Joe Sakic shocked the hockey world Wednesday by announcing that the team was leaning toward picking one of three forwards with the first pick instead of Seth Jones. Some find it puzzling that Sakic would announce something of this magnitude, and for those who have followed the Avs in the past this is completely against the behind closed doors attitude that we have come to...
Draft Predictions At Number Six (Flames)
Hi everyone, over the last few days I’ve been asking twitter followers of mine who they think the Calgary Flames will pick at number six in their own opinion.
So let’s hear what they said.
Ryan Smiley (@BacklundFan11)
- Im gonna have to say I’d pick Max Domi of the London Knights (OHL).
He’s probably one of ...
Mock Draft 2013 By @Justinbeatty777:
#1 – Colorado – Seth Jones
Why: All-Star future number one defenseman who could pass him up.
Avs need a number one dmen for their future plans. But however Roy has a future with Nathan and has watched him a lot and loves his play so it could go either way.
#2 – Florida – Nathan MacKinnon
Why: A beauty to watch, a workh...
With one of the better Stanley Cup Finals of recent memory now in the rear view mirror, the attention of the hockey world now turns to the Draft, which is less than a week away. This year's crop is considered the deepest in a decade, and there is sure to be plenty of excitement when the picks are made June 30th in New Jersey. As hockey executives and enthusiasts prepare fo...
With one of the better Stanley Cup Finals of recent memory now in the rear view mirror, the attention of the hockey world now turns to the Draft, which is less than a week away. This year's crop is considered the deepest in a decade, and there is sure to be plenty of excitement when the picks are made June 30th in New Jersey. As hockey executives and enthusiasts prepare fo...
Everytime around this time of the year, I spend each of my days (and most of their hours) going through what the Edmonton Oilers are going to do on draft day and who they should select.
The Edmonton Oilers, unlike the last 3 years are unfortunatley not in a position to pick the best possible player available in the draft and will rely on the selections on 6 teams (one 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...
Quick Hit Mock Draft top 10
1. Avs- Mackinnon- Because Top tier talent like his at forward with his size is an undeniable play.
2. Panthers- Drouin- Drouinand Huberdeau woul make up their Kane Toews and they know it.
3. Lightening- Barkov- Jones is a huge temptation but they drafted their stud D already, they will need Centre help and scoring with Vinny likely on his ...
The Leafs have started there off season retooling with the Johnathon Bernier, they still have some big moves and holes to fill.
Dave Nonis has to decide what to do with James Reimer now that Bernier is in the fold. There are a few teams that may be looking at adding a goalie. Philadelphia, Phoenix and the Islanders are for sure looking for a goalie. With Reports that Ki...
With the Cup Finals over and teams officially able to use their compliance buy outs, there should be plenty of activity before free agency opens up. I'm being asked fairly often who I think will be out in the free agent pool after the amnesty period. Well, I actually don't believe there will be a ton of buy outs - at least not during this summer.
I think teams will ...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Flames: Rounds 1-7 on who the Flames should draft
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter @flamesfan1981
There have been plenty of 1st round mock drafts in which we all have ideas on what player will be drafted in what range.
In this blog I am going to break down all of the Flames picks, from rounds 1 through 7 and determine who should be drafted at that position based on the Flames strategy of "best player available".
Here are the...
Welcome back!
In the 3rd installement of my series "Oilers Draft Possibilities" I'm going to discuss the possibility of the Oilers drafting Sean Monahan, the 2 way beast. Monahan could be the solution to our center crisis and could add the much needed size to our top 6.
Sean Monahan is projected to go 6th overall to Calgary by most analysts because Calgary has a ga...
Well, the weekend of doom, I mean draft weekend is upon us. Sorry for the doom comment, being a Sabres fan, you kind of get used to it being a difficult week/weekend (especially with Darcy in charge). There are certain does and don’ts with this draft/free agency/trade period. Personally, this is how I would handle things were it me.
Let’s address the don’ts first...
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 ...
Welcome to the final installement of my series "Oilers Draft Possibilities". In this blog I'm going to discuss the possibility of Lindholm being drafted by the Oilers. He is a centerman that would be perfect on Edmonton's 2nd line with Yakupov. Even though he's small he's compared to Forsberg by a lot of scouts and it's hard to get a player of that calibur.
Lindholm ...
dal_johnson writes...
Carolina Wants to Trade the 5th? Flames should go after it.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
If Carolina is looking to trade the 5th pick, as a Flames fan I think that they should go all out to try and get it.
For the Flames, the ideal is to get Nathan MacKinnon. But there is no way that is going to happen. At least not while completely crippling the roster. While MacKinnon will be a franchise somewhere, the steps needed to get to that pick will set the re...
royalgardens writes...
Losing Mark Fraser Would Be a Mistake; Other Toronto Targets
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
[i][b]June 29[/b][/i]
Nearly on the Eve of the first day of free agency...
Just some quick thoughts on the Maple Leafs before the real offseason frenzy begins...
News today that Mark Fraser has rejected Toronto's two-way qualifying offer. I am a little disappointed to hear that, because I think that the soon to be 27-year old proved that he deserves to be a solid ...
“And the Edmonton Oilers, with the 7th pick, picks Darnell Nurse!”
But that is not the talk of the NHL today. It was the trade between the New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks. As people know, the New Jersey Devils traded their 2013 first overall pick to the Canucks for Cory Schneider. Who won this trade? I’d say the Canucks. Dumps cap salary, still has a...
Craig MacTavish was a semi-decent coach who became disliked and disrespected by the Edmonton Oilers fan base. When he came back as the new General Manager he promised swift action to create an Oilers team that would start to compete. Unfortunatley putting yourself in the rumors to recieve players in Trades means nothing if you don't even follow through on a single one. Onc...
Sunday, my wife and I ventured off to Buffalo for lunch with her mother, and then for the ever popular Sabres Draft Party. This blog is going to cover the Sabres draft, and the atmosphere in First Niagara Center as the day progressed.
Like many others, we arrived at FNC and I was on my phone following up on every rumor that I could find. I had donned my Taro Tsumimoto ...
Hey all, I am back with another blog. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to follow me on
Twitter @NewfieMikey
The Oilers had an interesting day at the Draft, MacT was in on a lot of players but did something we Oiler fans are quite used to...Got close to but didn't land a number of
immediate roster players. Apparantly he was trying to get Cal Clutterbuck (who wen...
I'm going to give you my thoughts on how I felt Montreal did in this years draft. I really felt Montreal had a strong draft I felt they really hit it home in the second round they had three second round picks. Another thing Montreal drafted big guys on the wing something they have lacked for years, and I had to mention them potentially getting the steal of the draft by dra...
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...
flamesfan1981 writes...
Flames: Who they drafted versus who they should've drafted
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Follow me on Twitter: @flamesfan1981
The 2013 NHL Entry Draft was probably the single most important draft in the history of the Calgary Flames franchise. Flames brask has made it clear they intend to rebuild the team properly and made the promise to fans they would draft the 'Best Player Available' in order to fulfill the needs of the organization. Did Jay Feaster an...
[b]The Draft…[/b]
I guess you could blame the roof that is coming down and all the minding of whom to buyout for this years draft being kind of a boring one. Nothing to hype, the media try to make a hen out of an egg of the “Jones getting picked at nr 4”-kind of thing. That issue was really nothing to debate, teams seems to address their needs and so the shuffle jus...
royalgardens writes...
Resigning of Tyler Bozak Imminent? (Updated 10:35 PM)
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
Happy 4th of July to everyone in the United States...and a belated Canada Day Week to folks in our near North!
Just a couple of thoughts before I head up to Lake Geneva for the day from the Chicago area...
Good news hearing the Maple Leafs have decided to buyout Mikhail Grabovski to free themselves of the decent size cap hit the Belarusian cost over the next four mor...
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...
[u][b]Anaheim[/b][/u] - While Anaheim did not sign a single free agent yet this off season, they may have made the biggest headlines. They did this when the news broke that Bobby Ryan was officially traded. Ryan, the target of much speculation when it came to trades over the past year or two, was finally traded. Ryan was shipped off to the Ottowa Senators in exchange for J...
I have been waiting to discuss free agency/trades for something to happen with Buffalo. Alas, I can wait no more. Yes I know free agency is still on going, and trades can happen at anytime. However, the initial excitement has come to a close.
The Buffalo faithful have been wondering where Darcy Regier has been. There was even several tweets on Twitter with the hashtag ...
The Leafs were one of the more active teams on the first day of free agency, as was expected with the buyout of Grabovski and the glut of cap space. As always, the market prices were inflated, which should be taken into consideration when evaluating the moves made.
I was a fan of Grabo, and was looking towards a bounce back season from him since he would be returning to...
[b]July 7[/b]
First of all, I would like to thank all those who responded to my latest post (especially Roadrunner!) Great to talk hockey with you folks!...Also, cannot pass up the opportunity to have some fun with a Flyers fan, whose organization throws around money like its candy and whines about it later!
And oh, how the once mighty and class of the East has falle...
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...
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...
andrewhitson writes...
Motown Musings: Development Camp off to a flying start
Posted Friday | Comments 0
It's day two in Traverse City. That means we've seen Red Wings picks from the past few seasons on the ice together for two days. So what have we learned so far?
1) Little Bertuzzi is a pain to play against: just ask Nick Jenson who got into a scrap with the second round pick during day one. Bertuzzi got the best of him and now Jenson is nursing a shoulder tweak and mis...
[b]Twitter : @ProspectReport[/b]
I checked out the Calgary Flames' scrimmage today, and just felt it necessary to post a few thoughts, going over who impressed, and who didn't. It's going to be a quick blog. For those who don't follow me on twitter, I run my own scouting service, and cover the Flames for a few sites - just starting to post here as well.
Mark Jankowsk...
The Sharks Dev Camp wrapped up a few days ago and the organization couldn't wait to feast their eyes on first round choice Mirco Mueller.
Both Bob McKenzie and Craig Button selected Mueller 16th in their Mock Drafts, while ISS Hockey had Mueller ranked in the 2nd round.
Mirco is 6'3", 184lbs (per hockeydb.com) and came second only to Seth Jones in rookie defenseman ...
ScottyHuck writes...
Buffalo, Calgary and Columbus First Round Draft Results
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I know it has been a while since the 2013 NHL Draft came to a close, but this is something I have been meaning to comment on for a while and simply haven't gotten around to writing. Since its been a while, here is a list of who picked whom and in which position.
6th Overall - Calgary - Sean Monahan
Center - 6'2"/185 lbs
8th Overall - Buffalo - Rasmus Ristolainen
D...
With the NHL and IOC (supposedly) close to an agreement to include the world's best players to play in Sochi on February, there will be much debate on who will be representing their respective countries on the world's biggest stage. In this series of blogs, I will tell you who I would have on my team if I was choosing and why. Just like most championship teams, I'll s...
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/...
Aside from the recent front office change (welcome back, Hexy!) things have been pretty slow on the Flyers front and probably will be since their biggest splashes have already been made. What I’m being asked about now focuses on the prospects, the young guys, who makes the team, etc.
Before I get into that, let’s assume that the following players open the year with...
Erik Haula is coming off a great stint with the University of Minnesota. The Finnesotan finished off his collegiate career with 124 points in 114 games. After the Gophers were eliminated from the Frozen Four, Haula joined up with the then Houston Aeros for 11 games. In five regular season games he tallied 2 points; he continued in the playoffs by notching a goal and an ass...
Who is Jesse Joensuu?
I have become fascinated with the Islanders former second round pick and one of the newest members of the Edmonton Oilers. 'The Hockey News' website always offers great talent analysis on players, what is communicated to us Oilers fans should excite us, at least it excited me
Assets: Has great size and some scoring ability. Is aggressive on the...
When it comes right down to it, the NHL draft is always a crapshoot. Always. For every Sidney Crosby there is an Alexandre Daigle. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan. With respect to Daigle and Stefan, both carved out a decent little hockey career that most 18 year old players would be lucky to get, however it's not the expected return on a first overall pick...
I am a bit saddened of the fact that many fans and the media are saying that they are still waiting for Craig Mactavish's self-anticipated "bold" move. Hasn't he done a few already?rn"Bold" is defined in the English dictionary as the ability to take risks, to be courageous....rnrnIt is not defined as "making moves that the fans or other people like", it is not even defined...
Every year since 1975 Flyers fans have been stuck asking "is this our year?" or muttering the phrase come spring time "there's always next season." Many times over the years Flyers fans have watched the Orange and Black come so close to reclaiming Lord Stanley but falling short in the end. While factoring in injuries and 'down' seasons I'm going to look at the case for the...
Many in Buffalo are still wondering, why in the world are Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek still on this team? Well it's not an easy question to answer. There is little logical sense to keeping to aging stars with only a year left on their contracts for a team that has publicly said that it is time for a rebuild. Time for a rebuild means tearing down the core that you previous...
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...
Five members of the 2013-14 Avalanche squad received an invitation to their country’s Olympic camp earlier today. Matt Duchene will be the sole representative for the Avs at the Team Canada camp, joining 24 other highly skilled forwards. I hate to be writing this but Duchene’s chances to have a spot on a Center position seem slim, with the likes of Crosby, Stamkos, Ber...
In Minnesota being a sports fan and supporting the local franchise requires a healthy dose of skepticism. Each year no matter the sport, there exists grandiose offseason expectations of the personnel decision makers tasked with adding players to existing rosters. On July 4th, 2012 in what has been described as the most important free agent signings in Wild history, both Za...
With the NHL finally agreeing to send their players to Sochi, I began thinking of the potential roster Canada could put forth. It is crazy to think that while most of the defending gold medalists could be back, the 2010 Olympic team did not have current superstars like Stamkos, Tavares and Giroux. The firepower on this upcoming team will be extraordinary.
One big change...
So Mike Babcock is going to coach Team Canada. That's a shocker. Seriously though, lets talk about something that hasn't been known for the past year. It isn't news folks.
How about we mock up some lines for Team Canada, that's always fun.
Here's what I got lining up on Forward:
Towes/Crosby/Stamkos
Perry/Giroux/Getzlaf
Nash/Tavares/Staal
Couture/Bergeron/...
West:
1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles
3. St.Louis
4. Dallas
5. Anaheim
6. Vancouver
7. San Jose
8. Edmonton
9. Minnesota
10. Phoenix
11. Winnipeg
12. Nashville
13 Colorado
14. Calgary
Teams:
Last Season: Pacific:
Los Angeles
Anaheim
2.Anaheim Vancouver
13Calgary San Jose -- Wild Card
1Chicago Edmonton – Wild Card ...
Remember almost 4 years ago when Ryan Miller was probably the world's best goaltender? Not only was he the Vezina Trophy winner that year, but he was also the MVP of the Vancouver Olympics and almost led Team USA to the gold medal over Team Canada. It seemed like Ryan Miller was unstoppable and was gonna lead Buffalo to glory.
Almost 4 years later, Ryan Mill...
I know I’ve been quiet for awhile. I have been racking my brain as to what is going on with the Sabres, and whether anything is even taking place at First Niagara Center. Unfortunately, not much is going on aside from a few signings of restricted free agents.
However, as July comes to a close, a sense of hockey is in the air. The Sabres development camp has come to a...
Please feel free to correct me on any grammar or vocabulary mistakes.
Today I got a message to research two players, Akim Aliu and Wojket Wolski. I'll start with Akim Aliu.
Akim Aliu is 6'3, 225 pounds, plays right wing and 24 years of age. He was born in Okene Nigeria. But moved to Ukraine early in his life. He then moved to Canada when his parents where nervous of ...
The Sabres are in a difficult spot with Vanek and Miller. First things first what is Darcy doing right now? I think we all agree that it is a time to rebuild in buffalo but with a team stacked in defensive prospects and players why would he draft two defensemen and then add tallinder? On my count we have 12 blueliners that will be NHL ready in 3ish years. On the other side...
Mason Raymond should not be overlooked when talking about the slim free agent pool left and the forward position. Look for Raymond to be signed almost immediately following the signings of Grabo, Brunner, Morrow. Raymond is rumoured to be considered a backup plan/2nd option for a depth forward behing the previously mentioned forwards. ...
I thought I would go through the lines I would use for the major Olympic teams in the upcoming Olympics in Sochi. I figured I would start with the team I am rooting for so let’s get into this.
My team USA
Zach Parise Derek Stephan Patrick Kane
I’ll start with the two easy guys and they both happen to be some of my favorite players. Zach Parise is one of the ...
[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...
With the winter olympics in Sochi coming up in February I thought I would predict what I think the lines will be. There is so many players good enough in Canada that we could make 5 teams that could compete for a medal. But since we can only make 1, here are my picks for the 2014 canadian olympic team....
Giroux- Stamkos- St Louis
Neal - Crosby - Staal
Hall - Ta...
Hey everyone,
Let me start off by saying I love having Holmgren as a GM, at least there's never a dull moment and you can't blame him for not trying! As long as we don't have to sit through 5 years of a painful, embarrassing rebuild I'm okay with it... and I do think we're closer to winning a cup with Schenn, Simmonds, Voracek, and Couturier than Carter and Richie (it w...
There are arguments to be made for what age range actually defines a players "prime years". The differing opinions on the topic leave us with no concrete definition, only speculation.
The typical range goes anywhere from 24, on the low end, and 32, on the high end, which is spread out through several websites, posts and on-air discussions. The typical labeling stretche...
It’s tough being a Sabres fan these days. There’s not a lot of hope or optimism surrounding the team. The Sabres website did a great job the other day playing up the NHL.com article on Rick Jeanneret’s infamous “May Day” call. I started thinking about some of my favorite memories watching the Buffalo Sabres.
Now I have to emphasize this, these are 2 of my fav...
As the name suggests...
Nash - Crosby - Stamkos
Sharp - Toews - Giroux
E. Staal - Getzlaf - Perry
Richards - Bergeron - Carter
Tavares
Pietrangelo - Weber
Seabrook - Keith
Doughty - Subban
Alzner - Letang
Crawford - Price - Luongo (I say Crawford because he knows how to win on good teams and winning on good teams vs winning on bad teams is very different)
...
There are several sites/posts around that will tell you that placing Martin Havlat on the LTIR list will magically fix the cap problem for this season. They'll also try to convince you that Havlat on LTIR creates this magical bag of cap space for the Sharks to head to the mall and use as they see fit.
They're wrong.
Martin Havlat being placed on the LTIR, as the cap ...
The 1st decade of the 21st century can be split into 2 parts for the Toronto Maple Leafs. From 2000 to 2004 the Leafs were a Stanley Cup Contender making the conference finals, but after the lockout season the leafs missed the playoffs from 2006-2010.
The Salary cap hit the Leafs hard causing a lot of change over after the lockout and took until this past season to get...
Sorry for the delay in returning. Taking a much needed holiday has kept me from my blog. Originally I was going to look at Mr. Feaster's possible off-season moves, but I think I pretty much missed the boat on that one.
So now I am going to turn my attention to Junior Camp for the WJC and talk a bit about my impressions of some of Canada's hopefuls, concentrating on Flam...
This is the second of my installments based on the the Junior Development Camp in Lake Placid.
Game 2: Canada:7 Sweden:3
Canada's starting lineup:
Poirier-Gauthier-Jankowski
Horvat-Monahan-Lazar
Domi-McDavid-Hudon
Rupert-Gaunce-Rychel
Mantha
Sweden came out flying in this one. They were undefeated so far in the tournament in four previous starts, and had bee...
Team USA has chosen to bring 48 players to orientation camp, which is basically a meet and great golf tournament.
Of those 48 players that were selected for camp, only 25 will be chosen to make the trip to Sochi, Russia for the 2014 Olympics. 20 of those players will dress for each game, leaving five in the pressbox. Here’s my roster for Team USA in Sochi, based on th...
Here is my final installement of the evaluation camp from Lake Placid.
Game 3: Canada 1 USA 5
Lines:
Monahan-Gauthier-Lazar
Horvat-Laughton-Shinkaruk
Domi-McDavid-Reinhart
Leipsic-Petan-Wilson
Girardr
USA notables for Flames fans:
Gillies-Goal Sieloff-Defense
This game was a in stark contrast to the previous two Canadian tilts. The previous two teams (Fin...
Team Canada enters the Olympics like they enter any International tournament, the favorites to win.
After winning a nail-biting Gold Medal in 2010 on home ice, the Canadians will bring a younger roster to Sochi in hopes of a repeat. There are probably around three forward lines and two defense lines worth of players that are going and are really non-negotiable. The fina...
A lot of controversy erupted when the Flames chose Emil Poirier over hometown prospect Hunter Shinkaruk in the 2013 draft. But after watching the games at the US development camp, I think it became obvious why. Poirier is a more complete player with better size and speed.
But what about Morgan Klimchuk? What if the Flames would have taken Klimchuk ahead of Shinkaruk?
...
The Calgary Flames’ lack of a true #1 center has been the focus of many sports writers and fans for close to twenty years…and rightly so.
The fact that the Flames have not managed to acquire this most basic piece of the puzzle, shows how completely inept the organization’s hockey operations department has been. It has been a disgrace. But at least current manageme...
“I point the finger squarely on (NHL agent) JP Barry, the man who blessed us with the (Dany) Heatley mess.”
Doesn’t it feel like every time the Senators hit center stage in the NHL world Eugene Melnyk is quoted saying something as blasphemous as this?
I mean if it’s not his personal vendetta against Matt Cooke being publicly announced after his top defense m...
This comes from me watching a recent NHL Network replay of the Leafs @ Bruins Game 7 aka "game of the year".***I was crushed..... Wow, I just got those chills again. But, as Leafs fans, we saw it coming. We've seen it before, too many times.WAIT A MINUTE... Who in the world had the Leafs winning this series? Back to the game 7 loss. You could just sense it, see it, feel it...
While I may be a Flyers fan, the Oilers will always be my 2nd favorite team, and they have been since the day I was born. I've decided to mix it up and write a blog for a different team.
Today I will sum up the Oilers offseason to date. That includes everything from the Draft, Free Agent signings, re-signings, trades, and management changes.
[b][u]Management Changes [...
Creating a blog like this will bring obvious controversy, agreements and disagreements. I know that. However, the Oilers are without a captain for the 13/14 season, so why not blog about it? The Oilers could always go the 3 assistant captains route, however, i feel that with all the young players the Oilers have, they will put a C on one of their younger players sweaters. ...
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...
Time to re-cast another hockey movie using current NHL players and coaches. Today were going to take a swing at the 1986 junior hockey, coming of age tale, Youngblood, which featured Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe. Oh and how could we forget the bumbling French Canadian goalie portrayed by Keeanu Reeves.
Time to drop the puck on this:
[b]Dean Youngblood[/b]
who from t...
I decided to write a little something to keep my fellow oiler posters entertained while they find a new oiler blogger. If you do like it, I may write another. If you don't like it, then I'm never showing my face here again.
Let’s start with the big move of the summer. LW Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson(MPS) and a 2nd round pick in 2014 to St. Louis for LW David Perron. I m...
Brandon998 writes...
Why James Reimer Will Be Number 1 This Upcoming Season
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The next Maple Leafs season is fast approaching, with only 42 days until the season opener, and a mere 26 days until the preseason, we keep wondering who will be our number one goaltender and be in goal for us throughout most of the season. Here's why Reimer will be number 1, while Bernier is yet again going to take the backup position.
Bernier, with his 1.88 GAA, and 9...
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 ...
You may have come here for the Omark, Boyes and the Cap part of the blog, but I'm going to make you stare at the complete new jersey's first.
[b]Away[/b]
[img]http://2.cdn.nhle.com/sharks/images/upload/2013/08/SJS_WEB_NewJerseyAway_950x741.jpg[/img]
[b]Home[/b]
[img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/sharks/images/upload/2013/08/SJS_WEB_NewJerseyHome_950x741v2.jpg[/img]
...
I was at one time a frequent Hockeybuzz poster. Now, I'm more a frequent reader - I lurk...I linger. I am intrigued with the opportunity to perhaps make a comeback of sorts, with the sudden departure of Cloutier, as a writer and relayer of useless information (that's what Clouts did right?). When the Oilers last made the playoffs and went to the 7th game of the Stanley...
I was at one time a frequent Hockeybuzz poster. Now, I'm more a frequent reader - I lurk...I linger. I am intrigued with the opportunity to perhaps make a comeback of sorts, with the sudden departure of Cloutier, as a writer and relayer of useless information (that's what Clouts did right?).
When the Oilers last made the playoffs and went to the 7th game of the Stanl...
oilcity1988 writes...
Best/Worst Case for the 2013-2014 Edmonton Oilers - D/Goal
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This is part 2, forwards can be found in my previous blog. As with the forward blog, first paragraph is best case and second is worst case.
Defense
Smid – Petry – Return to their form from 2011-2012 and improve some as they are a formidable shutdown pair. Petry gets some time on the power play and improves his point totals slightly, while Smid is in the top 3...
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 ...
Kovy, as he was known, scored 120 goals for the team, including 17 playoff markers. Kovalev quickly became a fan favourite in Montreal after the team acquired him from the New York Rangers on March 2, 2004 for the low price of Josef Balej and a third-round draft choice that didn’t pan out. Fans nicknamed Kovalev "The Artist" for his impressive stickhandling abilities and...
Ok Ok we all know that the market is a little dry and maybe looking like the Sahara Desert right now, but there are still plenty of NHLers out there without jobs. We have seen the top end talent go but there are still some warriors out there, some depth out there, heck even some projects out there. C'mon, hockey is these peoples careers and would definitely not take a club...
I grew up in rural Canada by playing hockey against our bitter rivals from the big city an hour away. Well, to us it was a big city, 3 times the size of our town though still only a little over 20,000 people lived there. Like I said, it was rural. The nearest NHL team were the Boston Bruins about 1100km, the Montreal Canadiens were about 10 kilometres further west. The pro...
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 ...
Would you call them mistakes?
Personally, I like Bernier's potential and Clarkson's play. Not a big fan of Bolland, he's injured a lot and reminds me of Kaleta (rodent pest on the ice).
For the lost souls, I loved Frattin, would have molded into a great replacement for Kulemin (oh, he's gone for sure). As for Scrivens, I wish him the best.
The main issue I have wit...
[b]Well Canucks fans, Mike Gillis has done it again...[/b]
The Montreal Canadiens were reportedly interested in one of our D-Men. (I'm gonna assume Edler or Tanev)
If it WAS Edler, he had a chance to shed some salary from the back end which lets be honest, we need to do. Edler IS probably the best D-man we have...BUT we have quite a few solid guys back there and Edl...
The Oilers 2013/2014 is going to be a wild ride one way or another. After 7 years of dwelling in the basement the fans are hoping this is the year they will be rewarded for their patience with a playoff appearance. After reading over my previous two blogs, I believe there are a few things that need to happen for the Oilers to be in the second season for the first time si...
I've decided to go back in time and select an Oilers dream team from the year 2000 and up. There are a couple requirements I took into consideration.
1) No rental players - so no deadline day acquisitions that left the year after
2) None of our young guns on the team today (lets bring up the past to make it a little tougher) So no Hall, Nuge, Ebs, Yaks, Shultz
Feel ...
Premièrement, j'aimerais annoncer que j'aime beaucoup la signature de Douglas Murray hier. Il s'agit d'un défenseur avec des lacunes en ce qui concerne la vitesse, mais le Canadiens devait absolument se trouver un peu de muscle pour la ligne bleue. L'addition de Douglas Murray hier veut dire que le Canadiens de Montréal se retrouve dans la même situation que l'an derni...
When the Oilers hired Keith Acton as their associate coach I knew almost immediately that Will Acton will be on the Oilers opening day roster. It's politics. Will would be a borderline player going into camp with about a 50/50 chance to make the team if his father weren't one of the coaches, but with his father there he's pretty much a lock to make the team. It makes se...
First of all, I have to say that I am quite happy with the acquisition of Douglas Murray. rnSure, he may not be the most complete player with speed lacking sorely in his game, but the Canadiens absolutely needed to add a little bit of grit on the back end with Emelin for the better part of the first half of the season. Oddly enough, the Murray addition means that the Canad...
Have you heard the knews?! Dun Dun Dun...Another one bites the dust. One more for the list of players the Oilers have mismanaged. What's this list you may ask? Well follow me down the rabbit hole into a world of disappointment, heartbreak, remorse, disgust, and woe (Thanks Thesaurus.com!).
The List (Feel free to make your own or add to the one provided.)
Sheldon Sour...
As soon as Toni Rajala told Craig MacTavish that Gus dies at the end of Season 4, the writing was on the wall.
I mean, it's the sort of thing you just don't do. You're a talent with tremendous upside, but you're also 163 pounds. 163! You're already on the bubble, at best. And then you go and blab about Walt poisoning that kid when he swore to Jesse that he didn't. The p...
Apologies if this ends up being posted twice. Someone asked for a translation of my French blog, tried about 12 hours ago and it still hasn't shown up so here goes! First of all, I'd like to state that I am a fan of the Douglas Murray signing. Sure, this is a veteran that might be lacking in the speed department, but the Canadiens really needed to add a little muscle on th...
The San Jose Sharks have a trio of "big fish" for the trade market this year. When the season starts Dan Boyle, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau will all begin collecting paychecks for the last year of their current contracts, with no extension for any of the three. You can consider this season, from opening night until the trade deadline, an evaluation year.
I can't e...
We're now only 39 days away from the start of the Buffalo Sabres season! Training camp is days away and the preseason begins in another 22 days. As I drove past the First Niagara Center on the I-190 yesterday, seeing the construction of the Harbor Center as well, I started to feel the anticipation of the season coming. I'm really eager to see how this young group o...
As the Edmonton Oilers celebrate the 30th anniversary of their first Stanley Cup, it's remarkable watching history repeat itself.
Once again we have an exciting young team that everyone agrees is destined for greatness. But more than that, it's amazing how similar these players are to their predecessors. It's essentially a casting call for a re-imagining of the original...
For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter and Don't know me, My name is Josh Rimer and I'm excited to join Hockey Buzz. I've been in the Hockey Biz since I was 16 years old. Spent half my life in Canada and the other half in the US. I got some great ideas that I'm going to be writing about in this space, and I'm pretty sure that you will enjoy it! My first piece ...
Hockey Pool season is almost upon us and I hope most of you have a solid group of guys/gals that you try to win money from every year. We gather in homes/garages/bars wearing jerseys and engage in drinking, chirping, and eating until the heartburn makes us hate ourselves more than picking Dany Heatly.
Everyone can usually handle the first 2-3 rounds picking the league...
Hockey Pool season is almost upon us and I hope most of you have a solid group of guys/gals that you try to win money from every year. We gather in homes/garages/bars wearing jerseys and engage in drinking, chirping, and eating until the heartburn makes us hate ourselves more than picking Dany Heatly.
Everyone can usually handle the first 2-3 rounds picking the league...
Hockey Pool season is almost upon us and I hope most of you have a solid group of guys/gals that you try to win money from every year. We gather in homes/garages/bars wearing jerseys and engage in drinking, chirping, and eating until the heartburn makes us hate ourselves more than picking Dany Heatly.
Everyone can usually handle the first 2-3 rounds picking the league...
How ya getting on readers?
Been a die hard Leafs fan since birth. I remember watching the 93 playoffs, in an old run down community in Placentia Bay, NL when I was like 5. My dad used to have the TV hooked up to an old car battery, once the fellow who owned the generator used to shut her down for the night. Anyways, just a little background story.
The current Leafs. ...
C-Flo writes...
Linus Loses His Security Blanket And Signs For Peanuts
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Linus Omark had one of the most dazzling debuts in NHL history, winning the game in front of a delirious Rexall crowd with the most perfectly executed shootout goal you'll see this side of Pavel Datsyuk.
Instant superstar? I thought so. I was ready to buy his jersey. But then, suddenly, his opportunity was ripped away from him like a Lucy-held football. He was sent down...
I believe that is the mainstream media debate we are participating in, is it not? Should we send a team of absolute all-stars (we could probably send two teams) or should we try to assemble a roster of players who enjoy great chemistry with each other whilst playing in the NHL. Well let's do both and see how it turns out, shall we?
All-Star Team Canada
Goalies:
Ro...
And so it begins. The predictions on who will be suiting up for the Toronto Maple Leafs on opening night in Montreal against the Habs. I know there are going to be quite a few of these articles being posted across the internet over the course of the next month so I figured I would get the jump on some of the other bloggers in the world and make my thoughts known before cam...
TheWad87 writes...
Do the Leafs Have a Goaltending Controversy Brewing?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 16
When the Leafs acquired goaltender Jonathan Bernier from the Los Angeles Kings this past summer, two things were made clear by this move. One, the Leafs would have one heck of a goaltending duo this upcoming season—and two, the Leafs will more than likely have a goaltending controversy on their hands at the end of all of this.
I've always said its never a bad thing to...
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...
kelholtz writes...
All-Star Team Canada Or All-Chemisty Team Canada Part 2
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
So my previous blog tackled the idea of sending a team of all-stars to Sochi to compete for gold. Today we're gonna look at the possibility of a Team Canada built upon player Chemistry. So let's do this!
Goalies:
Corey Crawford
Braden Holtby
Carey Pricern
Bear with me here. Crawford-Keith-Seabrook, a Stanley Cup Trifecta. Holtby-Green-Alzner, Capital punishment....
It's that time of the year again. The Toronto Maple Leafs open their pre-season schedule September 15th at 6:00 PM in London as the Philadelphia Flyers play host to the Leafs.
With current holdouts Nazem Kadri and Cody Franson still question marks to begin the season with the team, the Leafs prospect pool might be getting a long look this upcoming training camp.
With...
It’s been awhile since I’ve written. Part of the struggle right now, for just about all Sabres fans, is things don’t look too good for the Sabres at this point in time. It’s not a good position that they are setting themselves in for the upcoming season.
Buffalo is in the same position they find themselves in just about every year- stuck in the painful middle p...
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...
Let the talks heat up again as Ryan Miller is, apparently, back on the trading blocks. Eklund first reported that talks between the Sabres and Avalanche involving Ryan Miller were heating up once again as training camp quickly approaches. Then another outlet reported the same thing that Miller talks in Colorado were beginning to brew. Then, Garth told us yesterday ...
I'm starting that twitter thing, you should follow me: [b]@oilersaddict6[/b]
_____________________________________________________________________
MacTavish, MacTavish, MacTavish. Why do you keep confusing everybody? You go out and kill the contract of the highly skilled and promising Toni Rajala, and then the next day you go out and re-sign the skilled, but attitud...
TheWad87 writes...
The Importance of Cody Franson and Why He Needs To Sign
Posted Monday | Comments 1
Coming into the league, Cody Franson was never the best skater, he was really never the best defender, but one thing was certain with Franson, he had a very electric and accurate shot.
Whether it was a slapshot from the slot, or a snapping wrist shot from the blueline, Franson's accuracy with his shot is nearly unmatched.
In junior, Franson—who played with the Vanc...
Linus Omark never should have been sent down to the minors.
He never should have gotten injured while down there. He never should have been exiled for mysterious reasons. He never should have been hung out to dry like laundry flapping in the wind. He never should have scored all those points in Switzerland when he could have been scoring them for the Oilers.
MacTavi...
Now on Twitter, follow me @NewEraAvs
Mark Kiszla says the Avalanche has no shot at making the playoffs this year without Ryan Miller. Adrian Dater says there is nothing to the rumors of a Stastny-Miller swap. Seems like there’s an internal feud at the Denver Post. The trade on paper makes perfect sense. Both are position of needs on each team. Both have expiring contr...
Humans hold grudges. Most of us have a strong desire to hold people accountable for not treating us well. And if you want to not treat another GM well in the NHL, I recommend tendering an offer sheet for one of their RFAs.
Ever since the Oilers swooped in and scooped up Dustin Penner, offering him 10 times his old salary, there has been bad blood between Burke and the ...
First time for this, so be gentle
A month away from the start of the season and I couldn't be more excited. A full season of games, an outdoor game every other weekend and 3am Olympic Hockey! Only one thing troubles me and it is the same thing every year.
Drum roll please....
Extended drum roll....
ESPN's continued neglect of anything Hockey. From 35 second ga...
Usually at this time of year the main questions in net are for the Flyers, but never have I seen a more convoluted goaltending situation than there is in Calgary.
As I mentioned in my last blog Calgary is in tough at center, with no #1 or #2 center going into camp. As scary as that is, if Kipper retires (nearly assured) Calgary has no proven #1 goalie either.
The Fl...
The Oilers lost another decisive game to Winnipeg tonight 7-2 in the Rookie tournament lending an answer to the question "Who Does the Oiler's Really have for Prospects?" Their defense are suppose to be some of the best non NHL players in any franchise and yet main stream media is picking them apart after the two losses in this meaningless tournament.
The truth is that...
Here is my offering regarding game two of the prospects tourney.
Flames lineup was changed for this game, with more of a ‘B’ team look on both defense and up front with the tryout guys getting a shot:
Reinhart-Jooris-Penner
Ferland-Monahan-Smoskowitz
Hanowski-Granlund-Poirier
Elson-Knight-Baertschi
Kanzig-Culkin
Davies-Wotherspoon
Roy-Ramagern
Ortio
...
I could not wait any longer, and I believe that the situation will remain the same. With two days until players begin reporting to Buffalo, and three days until training camp begins, the Buffalo Sabres' goaltending position is solid. Even with all the speculations of Ryan Miller being traded, Miller is still a member of the Buffalo Sabres. So this is what I have fo...
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...
This is my first attempt ever to write a blog, errors will be made and all this is my outside opinion, will not have proof for any of my statements just thoughts and point of view from a fan outside of Columbus area.
With 2013 camp opening yesterday I would like to give my insight to which rookies will survive the cut and the dream of becoming an NHL player becomes a re...
It's early in the morning here at Sabres training camp, day number three. Since being a college kid does not allow me time to enjoy what I want to enjoy, I missed part of the second day yesterday. Made it just in time to see the scrimmage between Team Gold and Team Gray and for session three. Session three included players such as[b] Tyler Ennis, Drew Stafford, Joh...
Anyone who follows the edmonton oilers knows thar their bottom six needs help. I feel that simon gagne is the perfect low risk, high reward 3rd line option. Let me mske my case. I know what you will all say, ""we dont need an older, injury prone forward!" Sure he comes with injury issues, but as of right now is there a better 3rd line option within the orgsnization? ...
Minnesota Wild 2013 Training Camp Good, Bad, and Ugly.
By: Tony Dean @AWKD
The Good
-The Wild will begin training camp with their most talented roster of players from top to bottom ahead of the 2013-14 NHL season. The Wild seemingly have a balanced mix of veterans in the prime of their career and young players on the verge of elevating their game to the NHL level.
...
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...
The Leafs begin their quest for redemption this season as the club opens their 2013-14 preseason schedule tonight in London against the Philadelphia Flyers.
After their horrendous game seven collapse at the hands of Patrice Bergeron and the Boston Bruins this past spring, the Leafs re-tooled and brought a new found edge to the team that was sorely lacking in some instan...
[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 ...
Tonight is the first preseason game at the First Niagara Center since September of 2011. The lineups are set, and once again more young talent will be displayed tonight in Downtown Buffalo. The lineup looks like this:
[u][b]Forwards:[/b][/u]
[b]Vanek-Hodgson-Armia[/b]
[b]Ennis-Grigorenko-Flynn[/b]
[b]Tropp-Larsson-Leino[/b]
[b]Gillies-Porter-Adam[/b]
[u][b...
The Buffalo Sabres are now 3-0 in the preseason with an impressive 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. In front of 17.626 fans at the First Niagara Center, there was a lot of good things to take from the game last night. Some players took a step back, but some players made a statement with their performances.
Carolina got the first goal of the game with...
Hey everyone!
Hope you are all excited for the upcoming season! I know I sure am! For me, its a feeling g akin to the lead up to Christmas, your excited for all the surprises and fun nights coming up.
Anyways, let's muse about Les Canadiens.
So far in the preseason I think there's been a couple reasons to be very excited about the prospects and I'm going to ...
Hey everyone!
Hope you are all excited for the upcoming season! I know I sure am! For me, its a feeling g akin to the lead up to Christmas, your excited for all the surprises and fun nights coming up.
Anyways, let's muse about Les Canadiens.
So far in the preseason I think there's been a couple reasons to be very excited about the prospects and I'm going to ...
TheWad87 writes...
Why John Scott Should Be Banned Longer Than David Clarkson
Posted Monday | Comments 3
You hear it all the time, "Who cares! It's preseason, the games mean nothing!".
Tell that to the members of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres.
The game itself was rather tame for the first two periods last night, but all hell broke lose in the third period after a fight between Leaf tough-guy hopeful Jamie DeVane, and Sabres winger Corey Tropp.
The fight ...
I am not talking about color of skin or race but there are some key building blocks.
You have to have a guy from Sweden on there. It is a must. Chicago has more than one. We moved our only guy, Omark to the minors.
Good goalies don't come from Regina, if they are born there, fine but they need to play minor league hockey in Quebec. We all know that. Chicago agai...
[u][b]Three Things That Are Wrong With The NHL[/b][/u]
1. The 20-year-old AHL Rule: If someone can explain to me what the difference between a 19-year-old kid and a 20-year-old kid is, please do. I'm all ears. Don't say maturity, because I don't want to be lied to. There isn't any magical switch that happens for a person between their 19th birthday and 20th where a ligh...
Finally the NHL season is here.
While there only being three games tonight, it's enough to have all hockey fans excited for the new season to begin. Teams and management have worked hard to adjust to the new cap and prepare their teams for a full regular season grind.
Toronto and Montreal kick off the night with the first puck drop and couldn't be more of a classic...
After what seems like forever, a new season for the Buffalo Sabres is finally here. I don’t need to tell you what everyone is saying about the Sabres chances this season. Right now, many of you may agree with those saying Buffalo doesn’t stand a chance. To be honest, I don’t see Buffalo as being cellar dwellers in the Eastern Conference.
There are several questio...
Thank god Hockey is back. I was getting antsy there. I was feeling like a man covered in honey standing by an anthill. Boy, am I ever glad that THAT is over.
I just walked into an A&W in Montreal, and the employees were checking their phones behind the counter. In French, I asked them the score and the guy said, "The Leafs won 4-3. But, I'm happy. I'm a Leafs...
[b][i]Update: Stuart will be sitting out tonight per David Pollak.[/i][/b]
The Sharks kick off the 2013/14 season tonight at home against the Vancouver Canucks. The two Pacific Division rivals met twice in the pre-season with the Sharks taking the first game 3-2 and the second 5-0, but as we all know, the pre-season means nothing.
Last season the Sharks were a perfec...
So just a couple things I saw from the Flames tonight:rnrn-Karri Ramo played well, better than I expected. It looked like he was over-committing at times but otherwise was positionally sound. He looked confident in net and I think that he's gonna be a good goaltender.rnrn-The team played very well in the 1st period (clearly) even though Holtby gave up two softies, the Flam...
RyanHolmerB writes...
Calgary Flames vs. Columbus Blue Jackets preview + RECAP
Posted Friday | Comments 0
[b]Twitter:[/b] @ProspectReport
After a long hiatus, I'm back to cover Calgary again.
What felt like an eternity, the summer is finally over and hockey is back. Calgary lost their opening night 5-4 to the Washington Capitals in a hard-fought game. There are a lot of positives to take away from last nights game. Calgary absolutely dominated the first period, and made...
It wasn't exactly pretty, and the Ducks clearly have a lot of things that they need to work on, but they walked away with 2 points and their 1st win of the season. And when it comes down to it, that's what counts.
The Ducks played a good game against Minnesota. It was by no means great, and there were a lot of holes, but it was good enough. I'm still trying to figure ou...
In 1988 the Winnipeg Jets selected a young Finnish player named Teemu Selanne with their 10th overall selection. It took a few years for him to come to the NHL, but he finally did in the 92-93 season, and boy, was it worth the wait. Teemu exploded onto the scene, scoring 76 goals and 132 points as a rookie, records that stand to this day, records that may never be broken. ...
The Anaheim Ducks played their only game in Winnipeg this season. And if these two teams do not meet in the playoffs, then this was Teemu Selanne's last game in the city that he began his career in.
This was easily the Ducks best game of the season. They played hard and competed for 60 minutes, and while there were still some issues, if they play like this, they are going...
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...
Well, many people could see this one coming after the poor start the Flyers had. I had a gut feeling this one was coming. Not even just because of a 0-3 start, but just how the team looks in general. I for one, had great optimism for the Flyers because of their offseason additions this year and felt they would get back on track with a training camp and full season. Now, ...
Did they mention there would be suffering?
Never a good thought going into a season. Looking at the very young roster, however, one can think that suffering is not inevitable. Players like Armia, Gigrensons, Grigorenko, Ristolainen, Foligno, Larsson, and Porter are a fine display of young talent that should make this team a top contender for the East, or at least a te...
[b]Tomas Hertl[/b] has been one of the most surprising stories in the young NHL season. In Tuesday's game against the New York Rangers, the 19-year old Hertl scored four goals. In five total games this year, Hertl has seven goals and an assist. He has scored more goals than the Buffalo Sabres have scored in six games combined.
In Tuesday's game, Hertl scored a...
Deep_Blue writes...
Why the Leafs (for the most part) deserve their 5-1 record
Posted Monday | Comments 0
As this is my first post, I'm not sure if it's displaying properly. If someone notices any issues, please let me know how I can fix them. Thanks.
Right now is a very odd time to be a Leafs fan for sure. Despite a 5-1 record, if you read the papers around town, listen to local sports radio, watch Canadian sports news stations or read almost any Leafs blogs, the universa...
The Ducks have started their 5 game homestand with a 2-0 record. They absolutely destroyed the New York Rangers 6-0 in their home opener and followed that up with a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on a night that saw the Mighty Ducks fly again.
I won't say much about the game against the Rangers. For whatever reason, that team was a mess this week. Between losing to th...
Meeqsb writes...
The Good, the Bad and the Outlook on All 30 Teams... Part 1!
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
With the season having just started I figured now would be a good time to go through every team in the league and look at how they are doing and how they are headed. So without further ado.
[u]Anaheim[/u]
The good: This team has insane depth at Goalie with 2 nhl starters and 2 of the top rookie goaltenders in their system. The ducks have a lot of flexibility with wher...
A wise man once told me that history is bound to repeat itself. This is the main reason why many Leaf fans have stayed loyal. For us, the loyal Blue and White army, we still believe history has proven we will move back into supremacy. Now I'm not here to begin blowing the horn of victory just yet. But, the masked men in between the pipes have begun to show us the capabilit...
As many of you already are doing, I’m sitting here watching tonight’s Sabres vs Islanders game. We all know the record that’s on the line tonight. It’s not one that any Buffalo Sabres fan wants to see.
I don’t need to do an analysis of any of the first 7 games. We all know that things aren’t good in “Hockey Heaven” right now. The ruler, Terry Pegula, no...
Catch the highlights of the MINNESOTA WILD as they host the DALLAS STARS on October 12, 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/7dD0qr6H2do[/url]
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...
In defeating both the Calgary Flames and Phoenix Coyotes, the Ducks improved to 4-0 at home and 6-1 overall this season. While neither game was the blowout of the previous 2 games, both were hard fought victories for a Ducks team that won't quit.
I was only able to watch parts of the Ducks-Coyotes game (yes, I do have a social life outside of hockey, yes, a part of me w...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks defeat Stars and stretch their win streak to 7 games
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The game was getting ugly fast, and quickly could have gotten out of control. But after losing Dustin Penner to a dirty hit, the Ducks rallied together and won their 7th game in a row!
The Ducks had another fast start, another explosive night offensively, and another strong performance from their netminder. While far from a perfect game (or a clean one for that matter),...
While I was watching the Sabres game Saturday night, I was on Twitter live chatting like normal. As the team’s play, I guess the right terminology would be “improved” as the game reached its late stages, several reporters were mentioning the excuses that would be used for this game to justify the eventual loss.
I started having flashbacks at this point.
2 yea...
The Anaheim Ducks completed their 5 game homestand with a perfect 5-0 record and a 7 game winning streak. They are currently 7-1, the only loss being to Colorado in their home opener. While this is their best start in franchise history, the hunt for the playoffs is far from over. Tomorrow, the Ducks will embark on a 8 game road trip, their longest this season.
When the ...
The case for keeping Rielly with the Leafs beyond his 9-game tryout period is really pretty simple and straightforward. Proponents state that keeping Rielly with the Leafs will a) improve the team and b) hasten Rielly’s development as an NHL player. From the looks of it, Leafs fans have bought in on this as well. On the popular Leafs website http://theleafsnation.com,...
Paging Mr. Pegula, where are you? Your team is a wreck right now, your fans are getting relentless, and you are 1-9-1 in the first eleven games. The last time we had no clue where our owner was with this team was the last owner, who you bought the team from!
First thing is first, eleven games in and firing the general manager would not be the end of the world....
Well just when you thought it was safe to check out the out bloggin page the long time lurker has put out an article. I am going to try and cover the Leafs a different way as well as one hot topic issue A night never blogged but people like me for hockey talks so I thought I'd put out a blog on my thoughts cheers and thanks for the reads.rnrnNow I know this is a HOT topic...
I thought it would be fun to break the Ducks season up into 10 game increments, and every 10 games make a post about how the team was doing. I'd look at stats over the course of the past 10 games and compare them to the entire season and see how the team was doing. The season being only 10 games old, this 1st entry will obviously have both of those parts be one and the sam...
Never have more words perhaps been written on a daily basis about a player by a teams fans than have been about Tyler Myers.
To that I thought, why not add more. Makes sense, right?
Tyler Myers burst upon the Sabres scene as a 19 year old playmaking force. For a player that was not even expected to make the team, let alone stick around, he had a tremendous year, scor...
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...
As I was getting ready to leave my parent’s house, celebrating my dad’s birthday, my phone starts blowing up. I start researching and immediately am greeted by Twitter blowing up with news that Thomas Vanek is no longer a Buffalo Sabre.
Let’s take a look at the actual deal that was made.
Buffalo Sabres send Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders.
New York ...
After starting out their 8 game road trip 0-2, the Ducks have defeated both Ottawa and Columbus to get a .500 record half way through this trip. The game against Columbus has been the 1st game of this road trip that I have been able to watch in its entirety because all of the games on this road trip so far have started either at 4 or 4:30. While it wasn't the Ducks best ga...
What these Maple Leafs have lost since the offseason in speed and skill they have gained twice over in heart and leadership. The Maple Leafs now seem to take pride in wearing the blue and white. I understand that the leafs have only played well in 2 games this year (against Nashville and Pittsburgh) but they are competing for two points every game. This Leaf team is able t...
In recent years this so called "City of Champions" has been riddled with, I am sorry to say "losers". The city has seen it's storied NHL franchise celebrating the 1st overall pick like they have won Lord Stanley's Cup...
Every time I drive into Edmonton I want to hop out of my truck and change the sign from "City of Champions" to "City of RETIRED Champions"...sure Oiler...
The past 24 hours or so have been busy to say the least for the Colorado Avalanche organization. The team that has started the season with a phenomenally surprising 10-1-0 record is looking to face their toughest challenge this weekend. And it won’t just be the Stars and Canadiens.
Goaltender Semyon Varlamov turned himself in upon hearing there was a warrant out for h...
The Ducks finished the month of October with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins (a game that I missed because I was busy terrorizing the few kids that came by), and finished with a record of 10 wins, 3 losses, and one shootout loss in 14 games, good for 21 points. And before November starts up I thought it would be fun to go through the highs and the lows of the 1st ...
As I sit down for yet another episode of “Sufferin’ With the Sabres”, I look back on a week of rather painful hockey. Yes, I know that can be said for any week of Sabres hockey. The Sabres looked abysmal against the Rangers, and lost a tough battle to the Stars in Lindy Ruff’s return to Buffalo. Plus, the week started with the Sabres sending Thomas Vanek to the Isl...
The Anaheim Ducks faced the Buffalo Sabres tonight and came away with a 6-3 win. The thing is, for whatever reason, Buffalo has been a mess all season. They have 2 wins and 5 points, they have yet to win at home, and they have only scored the 1st goal in a game only once. To me, that is the perfect recipe for a desperate team that could come out and beat the Ducks if they ...
Phil Kessel of the Toronto Maple Leafs has consistently lead his team with one of, if not the highest points and goal totals since his tenure with the Leafs began. With this information alone you would be hard pressed to understand why then in a fan base so passionate about winning, many remain apprehensive in their support of this 26 year old goal scorer.
From the ver...
Not sure where this rant will end up but I just want to share my feeling on what I think could be one of the Oilers issues and it goes back to the old adage that 'Size does Matter'.
I was looking at the Oilers first round draft picks since around 2001 and something was apparent to me...the Oilers draft smaller forwards then most teams. I came to this conclusion without ...
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...
He is north of 6 feet tall, has amazing skating ability, has a great pair of hands, can pass, and shoot. But, can he take a face-off? This question will be answered in the coming weeks. If van Riemsdyk is able to be close to 50% in the circle then the Leafs might have found what they were looking for.
The prototypical number 1 center has forever been described with the...
Last Friday some people headed out to the mall, the movies or simply stayed home to enjoy a relaxing night. Others headed down to the Wells Fargo Center to catch what they hoped would be a good hockey game. A win is always a plus but a good close hockey game is always entertaining. Keeping in mind that Ovechkin was out with an injury and that the Flyers were 3-8, there was...
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...
Last night, the Anaheim Ducks returned home after a successful 8 game road trip. After dropping the 1st 2 games, the Ducks went 5-0-1 over the final 6 games, catapulting themselves to the top of the NHL standings. So many times, when a team returns from a long, successful road trip, the 1st home game back is disappointing, and often ends in a loss. Last night, the Ducks we...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks defeat Sabres and Canucks, injury news, Steckel signed
Posted Monday | Comments 0
After defeating the Phoenix Coyotes, the Ducks had 2 games left on their 3 game homestand against the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks. They came away with victories in both games, extending their home record to a perfect 8-0 and extending their league leading point total to 31 with a record of 15-3-1. Frederik Andersen played in both games and improved his record ...
[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.
...
Always Mighty writes...
Reviewing the Ducks past 10 games (games 11-20)
Posted Thursday | Comments 3
And just like that, the 1st 20 games are on the books. Anaheim has a 15-4-1 record for 31 points, currently leading the league. As I did after the 1st 10 games of the season, I'll look back and see how the team has done over games 11-20, and see where they improved and where they regressed. I'm hoping that by breaking up the season like this I'll be able to get an idea of ...
It's been a while. I apologize for those who have been wondering what happened to me...(Roadrunner especially!)
Compacted with some laptop computer issues ($875 and a little bit more for tech support via Geek Squad, that has finally been addressed), coaching both junior high and high school teams in the fall, as well as and other commitments, I have spent the month of O...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks trade Holland, Staubitz to Toronto for Blacker, picks
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Earlier today the Anaheim Ducks traded center Peter Holland and right winger Brad Staubitz to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenceman Jesse Blacker, a 3rd round pick (which could become a 2nd round pick), and a 7th round pick.
Staubitz was on a 1 way contract, and had no place in Anaheim. As such, he has been playing in Norfolk this season, but the Ducks do not like to b...
Was this just a trade made out of necessity or is there more to it? The Leafs traded for Peter Holland and Nick Staubitz today in exchange for Jesse Blacker, a 7th round pick in 2014 (originally from Anaheim, acquired in the Steckel trade) and either a 2nd or 3rd round 2014 pick depending on Holland’s performance. Let’s break this down:
First off, Staubitz is a s...
TheWad87 writes...
JML to Carolina?- Top Three Hurricanes the Leafs Can Acquire
Posted Monday | Comments 10
According to Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail, the Leafs and Carolina are discussing a trade that involves John Michael Liles. Earlier in the week, Darren Dreger reported the Leafs and Carolina were talking a Liles trade, but nothing was imminent.
Links: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Mike-Augello/Leafs-Holland-Not-A-Stop-Gap-Swapping-D-Men-Kessel-Has-The-Flu/120/5...
Hockey fans who fancy fantasy leagues or the L.A. Kings may have found a place in their hearts for a new goaltender. Ben Scrivens has been stellar since arriving in California, starting in only 6 games but allowing only 9 goals. He has been very impressive, recording 3 shutouts so far this season. This is tremendous news for Kings fans, as Jonathan Quick is expected to ...
Jonathan Bernier has been nothing short of spectacular for the Maple Leafs this season. Yet, it would seem every couple of games, a goal is scored that would only happen in E division men's league. Are these house league horn sounders a tell-tale sign of things to come or just bad luck.
Bernier is one of the most fundamentally sound goaltender in the NHL. For a small g...
Sorry I haven't posted a game recap for a while. A combination of a busy life combined with most of the last several games starting early means that I haven't watched as much Ducks hockey as I would like. Having lost 5 in a row (including to Tampa last week), the Ducks were looking to get back in the win column and avenge the prior loss. Also, an injury update and a trade ...
5 years, $21 million dollars hardly sounds like a good deal for a center that many have called a ‘third-liner’. Calls from media sources and bloggers alike went on throughout the ensuing summer questioning the thinking of Dave Nonis in making the decision to use a compliance buyout on Mikhail Grabovski while re-signing Tyler Bozak to a contract which would overpay him...
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...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks sign Bonino, injury news and roster moves
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Over the last week the Ducks have made several changes to their roster (primarily because of injuries) and signed one of their young centers to a 3 year extension.
The Ducks and center Nick Bonino have agreed on a 3 year contract extension worth $5.7 million for an annual cap hit of $1.9 million. This season, Bonino has appeared in every game for the Ducks and scored 7 ...
Although this season was somewhat predictable when it comes to how the Sabres would finish, last nights win against the Maple Leafs was a step moving forwards. The Sabres finally started playing with life and emotion. Ted Nolan has really changed the culture here, regardless of his record as Head Coach. He promised back at his first press conference that the culture in Buf...
royalgardens writes...
Testing the Leaf's Mettle: Time to Put Up or Shut Up!
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
[b]November 30th[/b]
Thank God in heaven that this is the last game for the Leafs in Buffalo (and also thank God that the Kings don't have to play another one there also!).
More importantly, is that the Maple Leaf struggles continue.
It is understandable that with so many guys in and out and back in and out of the lineup recently can cause some problems as far as...
After a solid effort against one of the easts top teams, the Lightning are ready to overcome their loss and avoid receiving back-to-back losses for only the 2nd time this season. With the help of solid goaltending and a team effort, it's hard not to like the lightning's chances heading into the first battle of these two teams.
Since the loss of Steven stamkos, the light...
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...
The Ducks finished the month of November with a 4-3 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks, a game that they were outplayed for the 1st 40 minutes of the game but utilized a great 3rd period to get the extra point. Overall, the Ducks played 15 games in November and had a record of 8-4-3, good for 19 points. As I did with Otober, I'll go through the highs and lows of the prev...
[b]December 2nd[/b]
[u][b]Kings Continue Dominance of Blues[/b][/u]
Finally, a nice easy win for the Kings at Staples Monday night. It also came against a very solid Blues team still looking to avenge its back-to-back first round ousting at the hands of the black and white.
LA seemed to be playing much more relaxed than Saturday night, but in a good way. They let...
[b]December 3[/b]
[u]Undermanned Maple Leafs Unable to Sink Sharks[/u]
The first big test of a tough and critical stretch of games for the confidence stricken Toronto Maple Leafs came tonight at Air Canada Centre against the San Jose Sharks, perhaps the best team in the NHL at the moment.
To be quite honest, the Leafs played a strong game despite being dominated f...
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[b]December 5th[/b]
[u]Welcome back to the scene Mr. Bernier and Mr. Kadri.[/u]
Tonight at the Air Canada Centre, the Maple Leafs got exactly what they were asking for when they traded for Jonathan Bernier. Bernier was a man on a mission tonight, and although he allowed the game-tying goal later in the third on an outstanding hand-eye coordination play by the savvy v...
No question, games 21-30 was the worst 10 game stretch for Anaheim so far this season. After going 15-4-1 through the 1st 20 games, the Ducks went 3-3-4 for 10 points in their last 10 games. The Ducks did improve their special teams play, but their overall play suffered, and injuries continue to be a huge concern for the team.
As always, I'll 1st start with individual s...
I know I’ve been quiet lately. I blame it on the holiday season being in the full effect. That and my job is a nightmare. The same can be said with the Buffalo Sabres to be completely honest.
Despite the new leadership, the team continues to struggle. The Buffalo Sabres may be playing with a lot more heart now, but they still can’t manage to put the puck in the back ...
[b]December 8[/b]
[u]Same Old Story, Different Night [/u]
Once again, the Boston Bruins continue to show why they are the team to beat in the East, and of course the Toronto Maple Leafs know this sentiment all to well.
As a matter of fact, just give the Boston Bruins the Atlantic Division crown right now. There is no way the Maple Leafs will keep them from achievi...
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...
royalgardens writes...
Kings Set Out to Conquer Canadian Strongholds MTL/TOR
Posted Monday | Comments 1
[b]December 9[/b]
Before the Kings and Maple Leafs meet at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Los Angeles will first face off against a strong Montreal Canadiens team at the Bell Centre Tuesday evening.
I can hardly remember the last time the Kings won at the Bell Centre or even Centre Molson. In fact, the Canadiens have won 12 of the last 13 meetings in Montreal sinc...
Well, I was finally able to watch most of a Ducks game (some electrical issues kept me blacked out through the 1st 12ish minutes), so I can finally do my next game write up. Last night, the New York Islanders came to the Pond. They had lost 9 straight road games, and the Ducks were coming home from a successful road trip that saw them pick up wins against 2 of the NHL's el...
Jay Feaster is now out as the Calgary Flames GM. As well as assistant general manager, John Weisbrod. The Flames went 92-80-33 under Feaster since the 2010-2011 season, failing to make the playoffs, yet staying over .500. Brian Burke, President of Hockey made the decision Thursday morning, where he then called a meeting for nearly everyone in the organization. Players sai...
royalgardens writes...
Back From Toronto; Kings Show What it Takes to Win
Posted Thursday | Comments 3
[b]December 12[/b]
Toronto is a spectacular city. Full of great people, who take great pride in their town...and its teams, even though when they've hit rock bottom.
Watching TSN from my Bond Place Hotel room the other night, they broadcasted a bit from the MLB Winter Meetings from Lake Buena Vista Florida, (aka The Swan at the Walt Disney World Resorts where I ran i...
Mr. $36 million dollar man, David Clarkson, Toronto Maple Leafs forward, will sit out again from the Leaf's lineup. Clarkson has a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety for his sly shoulder to head of St. Louis Blues LW, Vladimir Sobotka. Clarkson, already suspended once this season for leaving the bench to assist in a fight. The automatically cost him not only ...
tylercastro writes...
PIT vs. CHI Stadium Series Tickets Sold Out after One Day
Posted Friday | Comments 2
We all know the top dominating team's of each conference of today's NHL. The Pittsburgh Penguins of the east, and the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks of the west. As of today the Penguins are 2nd in the Eastern Conference (21-10-1 43 points), under the Boston Bruins with 43 points, and the Blackhawks are 23-6-5, 51 points, and 1st in the Western Conferenc...
The Pittsburgh Penguins showoff their new jersey for the game that will be played on March 1st of the new year against the Chicago Blackhawks. The jersey will an away white, like normal, with strops on the mid-sleeve and bottom of the sweater. A tweet that I read earlier in the day compared the jersey to a familiar rivals, Boston Bruins jersey. It made it a whole lot more ...
DavidCQuack writes...
St. Louis Blues at Columbus Blue Jackets Game Preview
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[Note: I think it's too bad that one of the best teams in the league is currently without a blogger. Therefore, I took it upon myself to preview the Blues upcoming game. If you do not like it, feel free to let me know in the comments section and I will not post anymore. Thanks for reading]
On Saturday night the St. Louis Blues (21-6-3) will travel to Columbus to take on...
Well last night I thought Maple Leafs right wing, David Clarkson, would get 5+ games for his hit to the head on Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka. I did feel wrong after I let that post out. I brought my thinking down to more like 3 games tops. Clarkson luckily for him and his team only received two games. But that doesn't take away the fact that Clarkson is now going to miss...
Yesterday was another long arduous day at work. I watched the snow fall outside my office and accumulate on the cars in the parking lot. Finally, 5 o’clock came, and I booked it for home where my wife was waiting. She was decked out in her fleece, and several layers, she continued to bundle up. I quickly shed the shirt and tie, and threw on my long johns. After grabbing ...
tylercastro writes...
Chicago Blackhawks on the Other Side TOR 7 vs. CHI 3
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
For three straight games the Chicago Blackhawks scores 6+ goals in a game. The game against the Toronto Maple Leafs had a different story line to it. This match up was also about answering. The Maple Leafs answered the Blackhawk's goal 2 out of their 3. The first time Patrick Kane's second period goal was answered by Nikolai Kulemin 1:21 later. Next it was Phil Kessel answ...
royalgardens writes...
Where Did That Come From? Leafs Rout Chicago; Kings' Turn
Posted Sunday | Comments 7
[b]December 15[/b]
Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs showed what it takes to have a chance at beating a team like Chicago. Not sure what happened to the Leafs, perhaps they were angry and completely unsatisfied at the effort on Thursday in St. Louis and they should be, but they took Chicago's game and threw it right back at them.
Remember what 1980 USA coach Herb ...
royalgardens writes...
Leafs Outplayed by Baby Penguins; Same Old Issues Return
Posted Monday | Comments 2
[b]December 16[/b]
Letdown?
No...don't think so.
This game tonight was downright lousy.
In fact, it was such a poor team game, it doesn't even fulfill the requirements of a letdown. A letdown usually refers to a tough loss in which things just do not go right even backed by a solid "team effort".
This disaster of a loss was not a team effort by any means.
...
A new thing i'm going to try is called, My "Team on the Move." This is going to be based on my opinion, of course. So my first team on the move is going to be... the Calgary Flames! Why not? The Flames have already played three games since the firing of Jay Feaster. They have earned at least 1 point in each of those three games. The exact record, 2-0-1. Calgary's leading s...
Through 36 games, the Ducks have played a league high 21 road games with a record of 11-7-3 away from the Pond (versus having only played 15 games at home, tied for 29th in the league). Those 11 wins are topped only by 2 other teams (Los Angeles and Chicago) and no team in the Eastern Conference has more than 10 wins. While the Ducks are not as good away from home (13-0-2)...
[b]December 21[/b]
[i]Kings Earn Shootout Victory in Battle with Avalanche[/i]
Happy Holidays to all you Kings (and hockey) fans out there!
In a rare afternoon matinee at Staples Center, fans in Los Angeles were treated to a very well-played, hard-fought game between the rising Colorado Avalanche and the experienced Kings.
Martin Jones once again came up big a f...
royalgardens writes...
Leafs "Top Line" Refuses to Play Defense; DET Earns SO Point
Posted Saturday | Comments 3
[b]December 21[/b]
[i]Jekyll and Hyde Maple Leafs Battle Red Wings Down to the Wire[/i]
Happy Holidays all you hockey (Maple Leafs) fans out there!
Let me start with some of the good in tonight's Original Six match up between the Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings at the ACC...
After a horrible first period from the Maple Leafs, a team that played with no energy or ...
December 25
A very Merry Christmas to all you hockey fans out there!
As we have hit the Christmas break of the 2013-14 NHL season, let's take a quick gander at to what we have seen thus far.
In my opinion, the Anaheim Ducks are the best team in the league at the moment. The Ducks have also approached the midseason break with a nine game winning streak as a result...
royalgardens writes...
Bernier Coughs Up Another One; Leafs Steal SO Point
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
[b]December 27[/b]
Same old story for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Get off to a crummy, uninspired start. Fall behind a couple of goals. Wake up in the second period and thrill the crowd, only to let them down again in the final minutes (this time seconds).
But wait, thank God for the shootout!
This goes back to my argument in my Christmas break blog. These shoot...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks win 10th in a row, extend home points streak to 16
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
After 3 days off, the Ducks were taking on the Phoenix Coyotes coming out of the Christmas break. It was a game that easily could have turned into a loss. The Ducks were 3-0 against Phoenix coming into the game, and earlier this season the Ducks handed the Coyotes their 1st regulation home loss this season. The Coyotes clearly wanted to exact revenge against the Ducks and ...
In the Ducks 1st 10 games of the season, they had 7 wins and 3 losses. I figured that would probably be their best 10 game stretch of the season. Hopefully they would equal that output again later in the season, but I wasn't expecting a better stretch. And then in their 2nd 10 game stretch of the season the Ducks went 8-1-1. Just 10 games later and the Ducks had already pu...
BasedHockeyGod writes...
From an Oil Change to an Oil Spill - Halfway To Heart-Break
Posted Monday | Comments 1
Coming into the 2013-2014 season, I was rather impressed with the moves that newly appointed GM, Craig MacTavish, had made for the Oilers. Granted, he didn't bring in any huge names, but he also didn't sit idly by (see: Steve Tambellini). It seemed like a fresh this was finally going to be the year that the Oilers came out of the basement to play with the big boys. He also...
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 enter the half way point of the season with a record of 28-8-5, and their 61 points tie them with Chicago for the top spot in the entire NHL (with Chicago winning tonight, they now sit 2nd overall, but at the 41 game mark, the 2 teams were tied in points). The Ducks currently hold a 5 point lead in the Pacific Division over the Sharks, and the Kings are 2 points ...
I just wanted to quickly write a quick congratulations to Cam Fowler for being named to the US Olympic Team! During the summer, he was named as one of the possibilities for Team USA, but I figured he was a long shot at best. While an excellent skater, his offense had all but dried up since his rookie season (1 goal and 11 points last season) and his defensive game still ha...
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 answer comes historically and from the present. Historically as GM he got the Oilers into the playoffs twice from 2001 -2009. He claims we are on our 5th year of our rebuild and that fans should be patient and yet the Oilers have done nothing since mortgaging their team 7 years ago.
He has brought in numerous coaches and GMs and still the Oilers finish last, sec...
First and foremost, Happy Belated Holidays to everyone. I know it’s been quite awhile since I was on here. Due to my work situation, and the Holidays which proved more interesting than normal, caused my absence. However, that hasn’t kept me from staying on top of the Sabres, and watching what has appeared to be an improved team attitude.
A lot has happened througho...
Last night the Ducks took on the Edmonton Oilers, a team that has been mired in misery for years now and have shown little improvement despite their several 1st overall draft picks. It should have been an easy game for the high flying Ducks, and the score of 5-2 would seem to indicate that, but the game, especially was the 1st period, was much more difficult that most woul...
The Anaheim Ducks have signed forward Andrew Cogliano to a 4 year deal worth $12 million. This is a great deal for both sides, but in particular for the Ducks. If Cogliano had become a UFA this season, he would probably command upwards of $3.5-$4 million a year, instead of the average of $3 million that he has been signed. And the 4 years and $12 million is nice for Coglia...
This recent Flyers win in Phoenix was amazing. After digging themselves into a 1-3 hole they pulled off a 5-3 victory. This is huge for Philadelphia because they are now second in the Metro division. They are still 17 points behind the Penguins, but are climbing out of their early season rut. It is good to see some of the Flyers top scorers putting the puck in the net. Sim...
The Ducks have been absolutely dominant at home this season, losing only twice, and never in regulation. The looked to extend that home dominance against the Canucks tonight, but ran into a goalie playing out of his mind, combine that with a terrible 1st period, and the Ducks almost lost the game. But a late goal in the 3rd tied the game, and then a goal with seconds left ...
Since Hemsky is going to be traded and we all know it, I think they should get rid of him and gagner before the deadline. I know the Colorado avalanche and ryan o'rielly want to be done with each other and he is a defensive centre who can also score, I say trade Hemsky to Colorado for him but that's not near enough so add either Fedun or Larsen and I think it would be fin...
A lot of people are picking their Canadian Olympic hockey team, so I thought I would give my input. rn First I will start with the forward lines;rn 1st Line: Tavares-Crosby-Stamkos (If he is healthy by Sochi) rn2nd Line: Getzlaf-Toews-Perry rn3rd Line: Couture-Thornton-Giroux rn4th Line: Sharp-Bergeron-Duchene rnExtras: ...
Hall Fan writes...
More Reasons Eakins is the Worst Coach ever to be in the NHL
Posted Monday | Comments 58
We all know the number Eakins has done on Yakupov this year. Nail coming off a big end to last season and then starting this season on line 3 with 4 minutes of ice time. Then being called out by the coach for his lack of point production with his limited ice time and sub par line contribution after only playing 48 games in the NHL. Then he sits Yak 4 times this season. ...
Everyone always says Canada could ice two hockey teams so I'm going to choose the other guys. The ones people are leaving off their teams. So first let's go over the locks for the real team canada.
Goalies Lunogo and Price. Crawford?
Defence Weber, Doughty, Keith, Pietranglo, Vasic?, Bowmeester?, Seabrook?, Subban ?
Forwards Crosby, Toews, Bergeron, Getzlaf, Perry, S...
[b]January 7[/b]
After an improbable victory (in a shootout mind you folks!) in the Winter Classic, things continue to get worse for a team who is extremely fragile minded. This is everyone's fault, from the ice, to the bench and to the press box.
It has been a while since I have written anything. Been on vacation while on winter break from teaching. I enjoyed the Sm...
Today, the Buffalo Sabres took a step towards the rebuild and hired the GM that Pat LaFontaine feels can lead the Sabres out of the darkness. Tim Murray has been brought in to assess talent and build the Stanley Cup champions that the Buffalo faithful deserve.
I was at work this morning when I received my notification stating that the press conference was scheduled for...
The Anaheim Ducks are sending 7 players to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Cam Fowler was chosen for Team USA, Teemu Selanne and Sami Vatanen for Team Finland, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf for Team Canada, Jonas Hiller for Team Switzerland, and Jakob Silfverberg for Team Sweden. I've already discussed Fowler, so I'll focus this post on the Ducks other 6 Olympians and...
royalgardens writes...
Kings Win Battle of Recent Champs; Leafs Quit in Carolina
Posted Friday | Comments 1
[b]January 10[/b]
I am going to start with something good tonight.
First of all, I really enjoyed the Boston Bruins-Los Angeles Kings game. I always like it when those two teams get together.
This game had a little bit of everything; two recent Stanley Cup Champions going head to head, hard hits, determined fore checking, pretty goals, some big saves at both ends...
[b]January 12[/b]
Jimmy Howard just proved why he deserves to be a member of the United States Olympic team.
Despite a tough year for him, mainly due to inconsistencies of play of the guys in front of him and injuries to several Red Wings players, Howard still remains an elite goaltender in the NHL and nearly single handedly defeated Chicago in the second round of t...
Just moments before news broke with the firing of Winnipeg Jets head coach Claude Noel, I finished and submitted a blog stating that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff needed to make a move to appease Jets fans. Looks like he'd seen enough too after last night's poor showing and the home town team getting booed off the ice.
Now enter Paul Maurice, who has coached the Leafs and Hurri...
[b]January 12[/b]
[u][i]Bernier and Maple Leafs End Skid; Shake Off Poor Officiating[/i][/u]
At least the losing streak came to an end.
Still, I am very glad to see the Maple Leafs earn two points tonight, they played hard enough and deserved to win the game in regulation. Jonathan Bernier hung tough and helped his team snap the string of bad losses especially whe...
NEEDSMORHORCOFF writes...
Oilers fan banned from Rexall for a year for protest
Posted Monday | Comments 2
If you're an Oilers fan and haven't been living in a cave for the last week, chances are you've heard of a facebook page that's been gaining traction in the Edmonton media recently. Titled "Kevin Lowe has to go", the page has been steadily gaining likes and is currently poised to reach 8000 of them.
The pages creator, known as "John", was quoted by the Edmonton Sun rega...
I don't hate the shootout that much, I find it just messes with everything. I like it because there is a winner. You can gloat to your friends that your team won in head-to-head match, but in reality it's just a dirty win. It's a skills competition, a cop-out to end the game early and have the crowd go home happy with a win, or content, knowing there team "at least" got a ...
Always Mighty writes...
Reviewing the Ducks past 10 games (games 41-50)
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
After winning 10 games in a row, I knew that the Ducks would not be able to match that pace over their next 10 game stretch. But, the amazing this is, while they did lose 2 games, they still put up another 8 game winning streak and have won 18 of their last 20 games, easily the best stretch of regular season hockey in Ducks history. Besides the insane number of games that ...
[b]January 18th[/b]
Lots to write about following a (near) perfect week for the Toronto Maple Leafs (their AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies) and the Los Angeles Kings...
I was planning on writing up my recap from last night's Chicago Wolves-Toronto Marlies game, but when I returned home, I instantly crashed as my body hit the bed. It had been a very long, tiresome week ...
royalgardens writes...
Kings Fall in Boston; Leafs Embark on Key Western Swing
Posted Monday | Comments 1
[b]January 20th[/b]
[i][u]Bruins Return the Favor[/u][/i]
Another fantastic hockey game this afternoon in Boston between the Bruins and Kings. World class, championship-style hockey. It is a shame that these two teams will not face each other again this season...unless they meet in the Finals.
First and foremost, this was another frustrating loss for the Los Ang...
For every resounding fact that proves Dave Bolland is the heart of this team and a difference maker, there are opposites stats that prove otherwise about David Clarkson. Now I am not attempting to bash Clarkson, nor am I admitting he was a bad signing just yet. However, it's strange that with Clarkson in the lineup the Leafs seem to be a less productive team.
There are...
Lets call a spade a spade and let it be known that neither Edmonton or Calgary have a competitive enough hockey club to put a dent in the NHL standings. They are even total opposites as to the blueprint of the team. Lets get these owners in a room and combine forces to make a legitimate team that comes from Alberta that we can both be proud of.
Dont get your panties in ...
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...
It is time for change. How long can this team continue to play .500 hockey. We have seen this before (check last few seasons). The Philadelphia Flyers are just good enough to be competitive and win their share of games, but bad enough to have several losing streaks, be blown out or to be non-competitive. Getting into the playoffs is a struggle and nobody who understand...
[b]Game day Preview:
Red Wings @ Flyers 1/28/14 RED WINGS (23-18-11) at FLYERS (25-22-6)[/b]
The Flyers have lost 4 straight, making it the worst losing streak since October. With The Stanley Cup Playoffs about 11 weeks away, and with the standings so closely bunched together in the Eastern Conference, each game seems like it will have serious postseason implications ...
Back on August 20th, the Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Mark Fistric to a 1 year contract worth $900,000. At the time, I didn't think much of it. I didn't know much about Fistric other than he used his body effectively but wasn't a great skater. With Sheldon Souray sidelined until December or January, it was clear that the Ducks needed some help on the backend. Today, Sou...
The Ducks finished the month of January with a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, the only time this season (barring them meeting in the playoffs) that the Flyers will come to the Pond. The Ducks played 14 games this month and won 11 games. Overall, the Ducks had an 11-3 record for 22 points. While they didn't have the record breaking month that was December, the Ducks ...
switchfooty97 writes...
Let's get serious Sabres fans: Matty, Otter, and Mills
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Hockey Heaven,
I write to you out of respect. I believe you finally need a blog in which someone checks their spelling and grammar. Let's be honest, some things bloggers say are biased by what they want to happen to our team, not informative on what they think will happen to our team. For that reason, people go a little stir crazy and say things that are somewhat outlan...
[b]Mason, Flyers shutout Kings[/b]
[img]http://imageshack.com/a/img571/791/v9ww.jpg[/img]
Steve Mason made 35 saves & recorded his second shutout in his last three games as the Philadelphia Flyers blanked the Los Angeles Kings, 2-0.
"You've got to have a short-term memory," Steve Mason said. "People like to talk about negative things, and as players, you've just...
Terry Pegula, Terry Murry! pick up it's Mark calling with urgent business! If by any chance the Sabres and Ducks are tickling each others toes if I was Terry, either one I'd be asking about two ducklings by the name of Jakob Silfverberg & Nick Sorenson then I'd be calling Tampa Bay about Adam Erne. Seeing the talent pool is more like a pond in this years draft I'd be fishi...
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...
The case of Nikolai Kulemin is an interesting one. It may be hard to believe but Kulemin is actually the longest serving member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Drafted in the 2nd round, 44th overall, in the 2006 draft, Nikolai Kulemin has been one of the few examples of a home grown talent. Granted, he's not actually from Toronto but rather from Magnitogorsk, Russia, but you g...
The case of Nikolai Kulemin is an interesting one. It may be hard to believe but Kulemin is actually the longest serving member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Drafted in the 2nd round, 44th overall, in the 2006 draft, Nikolai Kulemin has been one of the few examples of a home grown talent. Granted, he's not actually from Toronto but rather from Magnitogorsk, Russia, but you g...
To be honest the only women's hockey I've heard of was when Tampa Bay had Manon Rhéaume play in goal in the preseason of 1992 and then an exhibition game in '93 against Boston. My eyes were extra wide open when I saw women's olympic hockey this year, these ladies are fast and good. I couldn't stop watching. Being from Buffalo, NY and seeing two new rinks being built in fr...
Hello Hockey Buzz community! I would just like to take this first post heading into the Olympic break to introduce myself to the fans, devoted readers, and hockey enthusiasts.
A quick hockey bio; my favorite player ever is a left wing from Sainte-Catherine, Quebec, Guillaume Latendresse, I am a lifelong fan of the Minnesota Wild and like most devoted fans, was a fan bef...
This has been an interesting year for Edmonton Oiler fans. What was supposed to be the season where it all turned worked out has become exactly the opposite. The Oilers currently sit 2nd to last in the NHL only ahead of the pitiful Buffalo Sabres. The poor result has caused rookie General Manager Craig MacTavish to make some peculiar deals. With Smid and Dubnyk now gone it...
After winning 18 games in a 19 game stretch, it was clear that the Ducks were going to have a bit of a drop off in play. In today's NHL it is almost impossible to keep a streak like that going for long, and the fact that the Ducks have been able to have lengthy winning streaks this season is a testament to how well they have played this season. Over the last 10 games the D...
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...
Personally I love that the NHL sends players to the Olympics, although I truly believe that this will be the last installment that the NHL will participate in the winter games. With injuries to some key players and affecting the teams that pay their salary, the NHL has found out there are many cons, as apposed to pros, for sending their elite talent and closing business fo...
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...
7 Ducks returned from Sochi, 5 of them with medals. But all 7 had successful tournaments, in fact, one could argue that the 2 who didn't medal had just as good a tournament, if not better, than the 5 who did. I'll start with the non-medal winners, and then work my way from Bronze to Gold. I will also give a quick injury update at the end (players got healthy over the break...
This afternoon, WGR's Jeremy White has posted that Buffalo Sabres general manager, Tim Murray, "let slip" that he is discussing a deal with Ottawa Senators GM, Bryan Murray. No specifics on who it involves on either side but Sabre fans may want to review young players in the Ottawa organization. Tim Murray has stated that he is looking for young prospects amongst all the t...
This afternoon, WGR's Jeremy White has posted that Buffalo Sabres general manager, Tim Murray, "let slip" that he is discussing a deal with Ottawa Senators GM, Bryan Murray. No specifics on who it involves on either side but Sabre fans may want to review young players in the Ottawa organization. Tim Murray has stated that he is looking for young prospects amongst all the t...
Longtime Buffalo Sabre's goaltender Ryan Miller & the ever so pesky Steve Ott are playoff bound in St. Louis. Today Buffalo G.M. Terry Murray pulled the trigger on this blockbuster deal that gave the Sabres highly regarded Chris Stewart, prospect William Carrier a 2015 first round pick and a 3rd round pick in 2016.
Western conference teams are on notice, the St. Louis B...
Friday, February 28, 2014 (or March 28, 2014 if you read the Buffalo News), marked the end of an era in Buffalo. It was an era that a lot of people didn’t necessarily want to see end, but we knew was coming, even if we didn’t want to admit it.
[b]Ryan Miller, is no longer the goalie for the Buffalo Sabres. [/b]
Miller has been haunted by trade rumors for the pas...
In just under 3 hours, NHL fans will be treated to another fantastic outdoor matchup. Jonathan Toews and Sid the Kid face-off in what seems to myself and many others as a battle of potential Stanley Cup finalists, as well as maybe the best offensive teams in their respective conferences.
I will say, to some degree it bothers me that this game is all hyped to Sid vs Toe...
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...
With the recent resignation of Pat LaFontaine being shrouded in almost total mystery with an over abundance of theories flying around the internet (mine is that he was merely a figurehead and when that reality hit, with the lack of power he had relative to the new GM, he decided being a rah-rah free agent recruiter wasn't the job for him), I thought the best way to leave t...
The Ducks finished off the month of February with a 1-0 win over the visiting St. Louis Blues in their 1st game since the Olympic break. Because of the Olympic break the Ducks played only 5 games and won 2 of them, this is the only month so far this season that the Ducks have finished with a record below .500.
The worst game for the Ducks in February was the 2-0 loss to...
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 ...
Long time Hurricanes writer, Luke DeCock says it's time to blow up the Canes. Ok, I get his reasoning. The Canes have been on the play-off fringe for years and, despite their higher investment level this year, nothing has changed. The fact is, they are just not good enough and haven't been for years. Might be time to look at the front office. Jim Rutherford is a brilliant ...
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 ...
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...
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...
Blueliner17 writes...
Alex Tuch Should Be Under Watch by Sabres, Murray
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
As many know, the Ryan Miller/Steve Ott trade yielded a conditional draft pick for the Sabres. If situations arise where GM Tim Murray can use the Blue's 2014 first round pick, the scouting staff better be prepared. As there is a dire need at the wing position, Alex Tuch, a winger in the U.S National Develpment Program, should be on watch. I have not seen much of what he c...
I'm just going to come out and say it; Tim Murray is the man! Its bordering on a man crush. I love everything he did surrounding the trade deadline. WGR morning radio show host and fellow Syracuse alum Jeremy White hit the nail on the head: "everything he did I would have done." I could not agree more. He moved most of his expiring contracts for future assets, both pr...
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 ...
Those Penguins fans expecting to plan a parade route later this year will likely be sorely disappointed. The Penguins got a severe taste of reality following the Olympic break, running into Chicago, Anaheim and San Jose. They were not very successful, although Marc Andre Fleury--a favorite lightning rod of mine--was able to steal 2 points for them from Anaheim.
This ...
“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...
cove48 writes...
Minnesota's Playoff Push: Why it will work... This year.
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Good evening Wild fans. I would like to re-introduce myself to the hockeybuzz community, given I have been extremely busy of late and am here to make my second blog of my tenure here.
The Lowdown:
The last two contests the Wild have played in have given them extreme confidence. If you have only seen the results of these two games, you might think otherwise. Thanks t...
Coming out of the Olympic break the Ducks had a 5 game homestand and a real opportunity to pull ahead from the rest of the NHL. Instead, the Ducks went 2-1-2 for 6 points, and in that time the St. Louis Blues have moved into 1st overall in the NHL and the San Jose Sharks find themselves just a couple of points behind the Pacific Division leaders. The Ducks won their 1st 2 ...
[b]"[i]It may require some suffering."[/i][/b]--Darcy Regier, April 2013.
Truer words were never spoken than those uttered by our defamed, former General Manager last spring. Still it was a bitter pill to swallow for the beleaguered fans in our crusty post-industrial city, especially coming from the captain of the ship who, while not exactly crashing the franchise into...
Always Mighty writes...
Injuries to Fowler and Bonino leave holes for others to fill
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
On the eve of their biggest game of the season so far, the Ducks have announced that Cam Fowler, their best defenseman all season long, will be sidelined for the next 3 to 5 weeks with a sprained left MCL. Coming into this season it was unclear if Fowler would be able to take the next step and become a top pairing defenseman for the Ducks, and he has answered that with a r...
Craig MacTavish has made some interesting moves this past year. Some good (Perron, Scrivens, Fasth, Hendricks) and some meh but safe (Fraser). MacTavish knows we have to shore up the defense and change the top 6. But will he do anything about it?
Hemsky stated, as all Oiler fans have, we cannot keep playing merry-go-round in the bottom 6 and bottom pairing. If we do, he...
Always Mighty writes...
Reviewing the Ducks past 10 games (games 61-70)
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
After going 5-5 into the Olympic break, the Ducks came out strong, winning their 1st 2 games post Olympics, but then stumbled and only won 2 of their next 8 games, going 2-4-2 in the process. Overall, in the Ducks last 10 games the team went 4-4-2, good for 10 points and technically a record of .500, but this was the most difficult 10 game stretch of the season for the Duc...
Mark Stone. If you are a Sens fan, you`re gonna be LOVING this guy, maybe even as soon as next year. Stone holds a special place in my heart as he played for my local Dub team(the Wheat Kings). A 6th round pick in 2010, Stone is showing that he is an absolute GEM! After scoring just 28 points in 39 games his draft year, and his skating being compared to a beached whale(man...
Always Mighty writes...
Anaheim Ducks qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs!
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Back on October 2nd, the Anaheim Ducks started out on a journey that is still far from over. The goal of that journey was a simple one. Over the course of an 82 game schedule where they would face every single team in the NHL, win enough games to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And with Dallas losing tonight, that goal was finally realized, and the Ducks still have 1...
The Phoenix Coyotes sent a major message to the rest of the league on Tuesday - don't count us out. Most analysts had already stamped the Coyote's ticket to the offseason. Why wouldn't they? The Coyotes have been playing with fire lately, particularly with their inability to play a full 60 minutes of hockey. After blowing leads to both Boston and New York, not to mention l...
saneopinion writes...
Lowe Knows Winning- Why Flames Fans Feel Sorry for Oiler Fan
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
“And lastly I’ll say that there’s one other guy in hockey today that is still working in the game that has won more Stanley Cups than me. So I think I know a little bit about winning, if there’s ever a concern.”
Almost one year ago Lowe threw up that line onto reporters microphones, thereby providing ammunition for them and everyone else to take aim at in the ...
[b]March 27[/b]
It has been a while. There really has not been much to talk about, except watching the Toronto Maple Leafs revert to a team who plays with little clue of how to play the game of hockey. The team refuses to keep things simple. They have also tuned coach Randy Carlyle out completely.
It has also become very evident that the seven year extension for pse...
It is coming down to the wire in the NHL regular season. Many teams have already clinched playoff births, other teams are fighting for their lives in the playoff hunt.
With the end of the regular season coming, some teams are already looking ahead to June for the 2014 NHL Draft in Philadelphia. The Buffalo Sabres currently hold the number one pick in the draft followed ...
I know not everyone is an Oilers fan but few are fans of teams picking high this year. Now saying that Buffalo or Edmonton (who combined have a great chance on getting the first pick in the lottery) win. Does Edmonton trade down?
Ekblad is an amazing dman. He is huge and will be great one day. Many scouts put him as a number two guy that plays an amazing shut down role....
Wild Fans, and NHL fans!
Stay tuned, I will be posting a pregame with thoughts about the Wild and their recent struggles and successes before the 9:00 p.m. central time start!
Go Wild!
Wild Fans!
It is game night in the city of Angels, and the Wild need to have a game like the had in the third period against the Coyotes on Friday. This game is key for the Wild to win to keep a comfortable lead on the Coyotes and Stars in the Western Conference Wild Card race.
A story for the ages.
The Wild can't seem to catch a break this year, which is Goalten...
The Ducks finished the month of March with a wild come from behind victory over the visiting Winnipeg Jets. The Ducks were down 4-0 late in the 2nd, but scored once at the end of the 2nd period, 3 times in the 3rd, and once in overtime to give the Ducks their biggest come from behind victory in franchise history. It was also the teams 49th victory this season, also a new f...
The 2013-14 Flyers season began almost as abysmal as any in their long history. An 0-3 start lead to Peter Laviolette being shown the door. Players were complaining about lack of system knowledge due to a poor training camp, Ed Snider stated it was the worst run camp in his time as Owner and Fans could clearly see a team that did not prepare itself well for the regular sea...
Always Mighty writes...
Ducks struggle to find consistency during homestand
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Over the past week the Ducks went 2-1 during a 3 game homestand. Despite the Ducks winning ways all 3 games showed that the Ducks have some serious issues to work out before the playoffs begin. As the regular season winds down the Ducks need to focus on playing well. Not necessarily the best they've been all season, but they do need to be playing well and giving a full 60 ...
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...
Thursday April 10th 2014rnrnBreathe in, Breathe out.rnA Senators fan’s thoughts on what many are calling a disappointing Season.rnrn On Sunday, the 2013/2014 campaign will come to an end for the Ottawa Senators. This season came with great expectations, many of which were not met. From my perspective as a Sens fan, this season was Agony. We were constantly taunted with f...
[i]You can follow me on twitter @jcimms9[/i]
After the leafs disappointing end to the season, they must quickly make decisions on the 11 players set to become FA’s on July 1.
I think we will see be a big turnover this year with most of the Maple Leafs free agents either walking or being traded. With the core of the team set for the forseeable future, I believe if...
[i]You can follow me on twitter @jcimms9[/i]
After the leafs disappointing end to the season, they must quickly make decisions on the 11 players set to become FA’s on July 1.
I think we will see be a big turnover this year with most of the Maple Leafs free agents either walking or being traded. With the core of the team set for the forseeable future, I believe if...
[i]You can follow me on twitter @jcimms9[/i]rnrnrnAfter the leafs disappointing end to the season, they must quickly make decisions on the 11 players set to become FA’s on July 1.rnrnI think we will see be a big turnover this year with most of the Maple Leafs free agents either walking or being traded. With the core of the team set for the forseeable future, I believe if...
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Ryan_Miller_skating_2011-10-15.JPG[/img]rn[img]http://twopadstack.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nhl_g_miller01jr_576x324.jpg[/img]rnrnrnrnRyan Miller has a reputation of being an all-star goaltender, and was part of a trade this year that sent him from Buffalo to St. Louis. St. Louis wanted better goaltending in an ...
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Ryan_Miller_skating_2011-10-15.JPG[/img]rnrn[img]http://twopadstack.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nhl_g_miller01jr_576x324.jpg[/img]rnrnrnRyan Miller has a reputation of being an all-star goaltender, and was part of a trade this year that sent him from Buffalo to St. Louis. St. Louis wanted better goaltending in an ...
In anticipation of tonight PIVOTAL matchup between the Rangers and the Flyers I browsed the internet on various views of people leading into tonight's game..
For some reason I kept finding a RESOUNDING notion that the Flyers huge question mark now was ONCE again goaltending and were now at a deeper disadvantage having to rely on the services of Ray Emery....
Are you ...
As I was listening to the new and improved Hockeybuzzcast and hearing the sparkling reviews and praise for the Columbus Blue Jackets especially from Josh Rimer. I knew I had to check this series out.
Now, even though the Blue Jackets couldn't put together a full 60 minute effort and come out on top in this game, I was thoroughly impressed. And for a lot of reasons I ...
Senate_Speaker writes...
Why Matt Cooke Deserves To Be Suspended Indefinitely
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As the hockey world awaits the fate of Matt Cooke for his knee-on-knee hit on Colorado's Tyson Barrie, it is perhaps worth taking a minute to think about the legacy that Cooke's career has shaped over the past decade or so. Upon doing so, one may discern certain obvious patterns - the object of this post. Think for a minute about what that word 'pattern' really means, for ...
royalgardens writes...
Many Decisions Lie Ahead in Toronto; Kings Game Six
Posted Sunday | Comments 5
[b]April 27[/b]
[i]Do the Leafs need a new coach or new Philosophy? [/i]
First of all, I do not think that simply bringing in a new coach and continuing with the same exact roster for the most part will pay instant dividends.
First, the team needs to decide what it will do with its goaltending situation. Everyone thinks that Jonathan Bernier was a "savior" for th...
A 4-2 series victory over the Blue Jackets in round 1.
It's about what I expected.
Sure, like a lot of Penguin fans I would have loved to see a 4-0 series sweep...with dominating performances by our top guys and stellar goaltending by MAF.
But...this is the NHL. Two quality teams play each other and rarely does one dominate the other (no...I am not forgetting the...
Here are some off season moves that I believe will happen from the time that the 14’ Draft begins to end of July/August.
If the Buffalo Sabers are able to draft Aaron Ekblad (70/30 chance because Florida will do that Florida thing it does and not take the best player) with the second over all pick, expect to see [b]Christian Ehrhof[/b]f traded to the western conferenc...
Round 1 has officially come to a close, thus inaugurating the annual first wave of NHL Playoff MVP speculation. Undoubtedly, there are those who will claim that it’s simply to early to judge, but we’re pretty sure that even such purists secretly guess-timate as to which first round fire will keep burning. What can we say, we simply can’t help ourselves. With that, he...
Since Brian Burke took time to assess Jay Feaster before his dismissal, I thought I would take a while to evaluate the choice. Now that the season is over and a new GM has been hired the time seemed right.
I am not going to analyze every deal, signing and draft pick Feaster and Weisbrod made. That has been done to death, and many of the conclusions people have made are ...
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 ...
The Oilers as a team in the 2013-2014 season were terrible. Power Play was down; Penalty Kill was down after a spike in the 2012-2013 season. Oilers also were in the bottom 10 for goals this year. So how can MacT fix this, how can the Oilers become a cup contender?
So let’s look at the roster at this insistent.
Hall-Nugent-Hopkins-Eberle
Perron-Ga...
[img]http://www.montrealgazette.com/cms/binary/9633478.jpg[/img]rnrnrnThomas Vanek is a shooting star on the move. rnrnVanek played for three different NHL teams in the 2013-2014 season: The Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and Montreal Canadians. Vanek's combined effort for the three teams in 78 games played was 27 goals and 41 assists for a total of 68 points. In te...
When the Penguins lost game four of their first round series to the Blue Jackets - in about as ugly a fashion as most fans of the team could imagine - I made the comment to several different people that I thought it was a good thing and maybe the best thing (in the long run) for the team would be to lose the series and exit the playoffs early.
I got the "Are you really...
The Flames need _____ (fill in the blank).
It is a pretty easy question, one most G.M.’s or Hockey Ops presidents are aware of the holes in their team.
It could be argued Calgary needs a number 1 goalie however Ramo showed enough to get a shot next year likely. His .911 sv% was comparable to several goalies you would consider #1’s like Hiller and Quick. This was...
Lets say, because he said it, that Sidney Crosby does not have an injury.
Let's also say, for all intents and purposes, he doesn't feel tired (although I kind of think he was worn out and won't admit it).
Why did the guy that a lot of people consider to be one of the most competitive guys in hockey...look so defeated throughout most of the playoffs?
Why did he not...
After eight years of this. After eight years of false promises, excuses, and mistakes. I think this is the one thing fans need to hear the most. The Edmonton Oilers have been a shining example of mediocrity for almost an entire decade. Yes, we have had the likes of Tambellini, Mactavish, and Lowe stand in front of media and say things like "obviously we aren't where we wan...
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...
The fun for Flames fans is this offseason that is coming up.
Who would make sense for the Flames to pursue? To trade for? To offer sheet? They have Cap, they have some trade bait in Beartschi, Hudler, their 4th overall pick, David Jones and Smid.
Nazim Kadri- Remember when Brian Burke shot down Brian Murray live on TSN in front of the nation at the draft when Murray...
The final four teams remain in the National Hockey League Playoffs with the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs coming to an end in early to mid June.
On June 15th, or 48 hours after the Stanley Cup has been awarded, the NHL compliance buyout period begins. All 30 NHL teams will have until June 30th to use a compliance buyout on up to two players on its roster. These buyouts wil...
Is the 2014 offseason the biggest offseason for the Edmonton Oilers in recent memory? Sure, every oiler fan since 2007 has said this in April or May. But the challenges that face the rookie GM and coach are steep, and patience in Oil Country is running thinner then my hair. The challenges are plenty, but I would like to touch on a couple today.
1. Probably one of the ...
Hello there folk been a while since I wrote a blog and on a rainy Sunday seems like a great idea to me.rnrnI've read countless articles suggesting the Edmonton Oilers trade for the 1st overall pick to get Ekblad. Personally unless the trade is extremely one sided in favor of the Oilers (which it will never be) trading for 1st overall is a waste of resources as well as a st...
We are officially less than one month away from the 2014 NHL Draft from Philadelphia. The NHL Combine has come to a close with some of the best draft prospects making some headlines. Tope prospects like Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad stood out from the other players at the Combine.
Now it is time to evaluate and prepare for the NHL Draft on June 27th. With ...
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...
JMDavies writes...
Ottawa Senators 2014 Off-Season: Advice for Bryan Murray-
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Hello all!
As an Ottawa Senators fan for the past 20+ years and self proclaimed armchair analyst I would like to share my thoughts on how I believe the team should handle itself in the 2014 offseason. Comments and feedback are highly encouraged!
[b]1. DO NOT part with Jason Spezza unless the deal is astoundingly good.[/b]
My greatest summer nightmare is the Ottawa Sen...
neilsonnn18 writes...
Give Jim a Chance -- Pittsburgh Penguins New GM Evaluation
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
"In a new General Managers first press conference, we want to hear his 5-year plan, - not that he sees his time here as short term."rnrn"I wanted a young, new, fresh general manager, not this old guy."rnrn"The Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs in five years, how is this an improvement for the Penguins?" rnrnThese, among others, are the complaints I've heard about new Pe...
neilsonnn18 writes...
Give Jim a Chance -- Pittsburgh Penguins New GM Evaluation
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
"In a new General Managers first press conference, we want to hear his 5-year plan, - not that he sees his time here as short term." "I wanted a young, new, fresh general manager, not this old guy." "The Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs in five years, how is this an improvement for the Penguins?" These, among others, are the complaints I've heard about new Penguins Gen...
neilsonnn18 writes...
Give Jim a Chance -- Pittsburgh Penguins New GM Evaluation
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
"In a new General Managers first press conference, we want to hear his 5-year plan, - not that he sees his time here as short term." "I wanted a young, new, fresh general manager, not this old guy." "The Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs in five years, how is this an improvement for the Penguins?" These, among others, are the complaints I've heard about new Penguins Gen...
neilsonnn18 writes...
Give Jim a Chance -- Pittsburgh Penguins New GM Evaluation
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
"In a new General Managers first press conference, we want to hear his 5-year plan, - not that he sees his time here as short term." "I wanted a young, new, fresh general manager, not this old guy." "The Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs in five years, how is this an improvement for the Penguins?" These, among others, are the complaints I've heard about new Penguins Gen...
neilsonnn18 writes...
Give Jim a Chance -- Pittsburgh Penguins New GM Evaluation
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
"In a new General Managers first press conference, we want to hear his 5-year plan, - not that he sees his time here as short term." "I wanted a young, new, fresh general manager, not this old guy." "The Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs in five years, how is this an improvement for the Penguins?" These, among others, are the complaints I've heard about new Penguins Gen...
neilsonnn18 writes...
Give Jim a Chance -- Pittsburgh Penguins New GM Evaluation
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
"In a new General Managers first press conference, we want to hear his 5-year plan, - not that he sees his time here as short term." "I wanted a young, new, fresh general manager, not this old guy." "The Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs in five years, how is this an improvement for the Penguins?" These, among others, are the complaints I've heard about new Penguins Gen...
neilsonnn18 writes...
Give Jim a Chance -- Pittsburgh Penguins New GM Evaluation
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
"In a new General Managers first press conference, we want to hear his 5-year plan, - not that he sees his time here as short term."
"I wanted a young, new, fresh general manager, not this old guy."
"The Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs in five years, how is this an improvement for the Penguins?"
These, among others, are the complaints I've heard about new ...
neilsonnn18 writes...
Give Jim a Chance -- Pittsburgh Penguins New GM Evaluation
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
"In a new General Managers first press conference, we want to hear his 5-year plan, - not that he sees his time here as short term."
"I wanted a young, new, fresh general manager, not this old guy."
"The Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs in five years, how is this an improvement for the Penguins?"
These, among others, are the complaints I've heard about new ...
So much talk about how to fix the Oilers but I keep hearing he same ideas. When you have been this bad for this long it is time to think out side the box so here are some suggestions on how to fix this real quick.rnrn1) Hire Mike Milbury as an Assistant GM and let him run development. Since development has not been a strong point for this team for so long, why do it. His k...
So the rumor de jour for Flames fans is that Vincent Lecavalier could land in Stampede city. Tim Panaccio Brought this up recently and is the source of this rumor.
Why it makes sense: Burke identified a number 1 center as part of the off season targets, Lecavalier is now removed from being considered a #1 but as far as Flames skill level there are worse guys out there t...
Been a while, been replying mostly to posts from our Kings beat blogger Jason Lewis...what a great job he has done having taken over for the at times overbearing yet passionate Matthew Barry. Thanks for all of your work this season!
Some first period thoughts...lousy opening 20 for the Kings. Looking to finish the series on home ice in front of thousands of die hards I ...
http://nhlpenguins.sportsblog.com/posts/665899/penguins_realistic_free_agency_idea.html
http://nhlpenguins.sportsblog.com/posts/665899/penguins_realistic_free_agency_idea.html
weirdoh writes...
The Leafs: What they should do and what they will do.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
They should get rid of their mascot. I think Carlton the bear is a terrible mascot. This team is a pushover, and he doesn't help. He should be peddling Coke in a christmas commercial. This one time I was Toys R Us. I had my kids with me, they were younger...probably around 3 yrs for the boy and 5 for the girl. I asked them about these stuffed animals. There was a pol...
I would believe that most Flames fans are hoping for a terrible season, sounds crazy doesn't it? With Connor McDavid going to be the #1 pick in 2015 it would be in the Flames best interest to finish last. How would they do this? First the two names we are hearing locally as players the Flames could use from the draft are Ritchie and Virtanen not Bennett and Draisatl. I wou...
[u]SORRY ABOUT THE FORMAT OF THIS BLOG PARAGRAPHS WERE BEING A REAL PAIN[/u] [b]I[/b] have read multiple blogs, with outrageous ideas about what Edmonton should do during this off season and all I have to say to that is this isn't a Video game, this is a business and you can’t go get whatever you want whenever you want. With that being said let’s look at what the Oile...
[u]SORRY ABOUT THE FORMAT OF THIS BLOG PARAGRAPHS WERE BEING A REAL PAIN[/u] [b]I[/b] have read multiple blogs, with outrageous ideas about what Edmonton should do during this off season and all I have to say to that is this isn't a Video game, this is a business and you can’t go get whatever you want whenever you want. With that being said let’s look at what the Oile...
Tim Chiasson writes...
Cup Windows Closing (Or Have Closed) Fast For SJ/VAN
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
Throughout their existence, teams go through periods of time which can be identified as their Stanley Cup Windows. In any season there are several teams who are being watched a little closer as their windows begin to slide closed with every turnover, birthday and injury.
The two biggest windows that are closing, or may have already been slammed shut after this year, are...
[b]Yak is a bust and they should have taken Murray[/b]
Yakupov was the unanimous top prospect (ranked 1st by Central scouting, ISS, The Hockey News, everyone’s favourite Craig Button, etc.). When picking 1st, you simply don’t draft for need, you draft the best player available. In his first season in Edmonton, he showed why he was ranked 1st by most by leadin...
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 ...
andydrmm writes...
Return from Hiatus- Ready for NHL Draft and Sabres Hockey
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
First and foremost, my apologies from disappearing from the world for a bit. I With having my original job privatized, then getting a new job immediately afterwards, been a bit busy. However, I’m back for the 2014-2015 with renewed vigor.
We’re now officially a week away from the 2014 NHL draft. There’s one way to look at the past season;
You can’t get much ...
Tim Thomas, Ilya Bryzgalov, Ray Emery. Under talked about and under appreciated potential difference makers in net for many teams. All three of these tenders could use a nice change of scenery, or if re-signed they need a confidence boost from their respected teams. These guys have potential to carry a good portion of the game load serving as back-up for any team, or they ...
The obvious choices for Ryan Miller are the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks. The only issue with Miller going to the Pens is his asking price, so a solid second option would be Hiller. The Capitals are in need of another tender, so which ever goalie the Pens don't go with between Miller and Hiller watch for Washington to try and court them to their team.
Penguins ...
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...
[b]The draft will be Ekblad or bust[/b]
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Edmonton’s defence looks AHL quality. When a guy like Justin Schultz leads your defence in ice time, you’re not going to win many hockey games. While this is a glaring problem that needs to be addressed, drafting an 18-year-old Dman isn’t the answer. Year after year it ...
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...
[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...
thebuds1987 writes...
My 2014-15 Leafs October Roster (if no more TML deals)
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
[u][b]2014-15 TORONTO MAPLES LEAFS OPENING NIGHT ROSTER[/b][/u] -------*** If my fantastic format does not work (because based on the previews, it looks like one horribly long paragraph that will generate many negative comments), I apologize because I hate trying to read through that just as much as the next hockey nerd. ***--------- With the 2014 NHL Draft now complete an...
Oilers have had a very busy week, numerous trades, and our Stanley Cup, the Draft.
On June 25th, the Oilers traded their 5th round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Nikita Nikitin. Oilers then signed Nikitin on June 26th to a 2 year, 4.5 million dollar contract. Nikitin put up 2-13-15 in 66 games played in the 2013-2014 season. His career high is 7-25-32...
The news that Sam Gagner was sent out of town for Ted Purcell. This trade is at its base a hockey trade. The oilers add a big winger who can provide secondary scoring but he's know more as a skill player than for his grit. I think he'd look just fine slotting in on the second line and taking some of the pressure off the kids. This leaves me with some questions.The oilers a...
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...
Many different opinions circled around after the Flames draft. Was it underwhelming? Was it a success? A failure? Did the Flames only draft on size? Why a Goalie?
The reality is that despite our individual opinions, these kids are Flames now. So lets look at them and make some comments.
[b]Sam Bennett[/b]:
I obviously watched the videos and read all of the scoutin...
Anyone else getting fucking sick of being a leafs fan??? Fuck. We are looking like a much worse team next year. Nonis must be praying every night for macdavid. Fucking stupid fat idiots.
The Free Agency was today, and boy, was it fast and furious will all the signings. Let’s see what the Oilers did this July 1st.
Oilers signed Mark Fayne and Benoit Pouliot very early in the morning, one of the first signings in the morning and would also add Keith Aulie.
Benoit Pouliot:
Oilers signed Benoit Pouliot early Tuesday morning at 5 years, 4 million pe...
Today's FA extravaganza and the week or so leading up to it showed me a couple of things, as a Habs fan, that maybe the years of the two-headed soap opera that was the Gainey-Gauthier regime made me forget was even possible. I saw a management team go about the business of managing a professional sports team with the aim of making the team better, as well as more financial...
This is the the way I see this ship veering. Perhaps with a few of my own thoughts and theories, however this is the path upon which I believe the Leafs are embarking.
In an attempt to add addition draft picks or in order to move up further into the top 10, Toronto General Manager Dave Nonis was hard at work pumping the phone lines and attempting to deal off some of hi...
Tim Murray and the Buffalo Sabres made big news on Tuesday, the start of the NHL's Free Agency period. To kick it off they made a trade with the Montreal Canadiens to acquire defenseman Josh Gorges. Gorges, 29, was a former alternate captain on the Canadiens and was being actively shopped. Not many saw this one coming at all, including myself. Gorges had rejec...
Brian Burke dismissed Jay Feaster back on December 12, 2013 for reasons which were purposely left ambiguous. It wasn’t that long ago but a lot has transpired since then, so it might be time to take an early look at what has happened since.
Mr. Burke traded former first round pick, Greg Nemisz, to Carolina for Kevin Westgarth (pending UFA at the time). Nemisz had not p...
[b]Rough week...[/b]
I want to start this note off by reaffirming my position on the Spezza trade. Personally I thought it was a disgraceful display of management by the Senators head office, though as a longtime Senators fan, I shouldn't be surprised. After all this is the same organization that decided to offer a contract to the giveaway artist Wade Redden instead of Zd...
With a little over 10 million left for the Avalanche cap space, Colorado continues to sign players even as they wait to sign pending contracts with Ryan O'Reilly, Tyson Barrie, Stefan Elliott, Joey Hishon and a few others.
Today Colorado announced they have signed 27 year old Defensemen Maxim Noreau to a 2 year 1-way contract at $1.25 million - $625k per season.
No...
The draft has come and gone, most free agents have found their new homes, and now there are just three months until October 8th when the Flyers open their 2014-2015 season in Boston.
However, during these next three months there are some questions that need answers for the orange and black. Here are three.
[b]Will Vinny Lecavalier still be a Flyer?[/b]
The word a...
vettaco writes...
Five guys who are UFA's that aren't signed and should be
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
As of today there are still a few good free agents out there that teams should be looking at. I am not sure what the players are asking for but if they have been on the market this long then I am guessing their price has gone down. My five picks are below.rrnrn1. Devon Setguchi (RW)rnThis guy can skate, hit, score and play on a 2nd or 3rd line. He was magic one year in San...
Attitude.
This should be the word trending in Buffalo this coming NHL season and it already has been a little. Savvy Sabres fans have either recognized the moves by Murray as mindset changers or at least they are trusting what the GM is saying. Whatever your position is on the moves made this offseason, this season has a different feel to it. No question.
The real qu...
The Montreal Canadiens, especially general manager Marc Bergevin, are being praised for making the final four and finally becoming a major contender in the Eastern Conference. Even though the habs took huge steps forward with a much needed successful season, the pressure will surely mount as a hockey mad city is sure to have their expectations through the roof next season....
So just sitting here bored and looking at the NHL divisions, thinking about what the standings will look like at the end of next year. So got talking with my buddy MHejduk and we've decided to write a blog for each division. I'll write for the east he'll right for the west. We will then write about the playoffs and eventually come up with a East champion and a West cham...
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...
The Leafs adding David Booth was a great success. T.O. needed another left winger, and snagged a decent one at a very modest price tag. Admittedly, Booth struggled to produce with the Canucks, but if he can reach the stats he found during his time with the Panthers he can be a dangerous player for the Leafs deep into their line up.
Reimer re-signing,especially with the ...
With the 2014 NHL draft in the books, and summer development camps at a conclusion as well, I thought I would share my thoughts on the teams that did well at the draft, how the Calgary Flames stacked up against other organizations, and what the Flames came away with, as 6 new prospects were added to the talent pool. I know it’s already been a few months, however I feel s...
By Erik Caron
The last big fish is still swimming in the pond. The Avalanche came to terms with RFA forward Ryan O’Reilly last week while the Rangers came to terms with RFA forward Chris Kreider. The Toronto Maple Leafs signed RFA defenseman Jake Gardiner to a five year 20.25 million deal. None of those names though compare to the one big name that has yet to be sig...
The Blackhawks are 2.2 million over the cap (1.3 if you take away Teravainen), so they will need to find a way to reduce their salary before the start of the season.
Someone will not be in a Blackhawk uniform come the start of the season. Expect one or more of the following players to be dealt:
[b]Patrick Sharp[/b] 3yr, $5.9m AAV
The advantage to moving Sharp is tha...
After the 2014 NHL Trade Deadline a lot of people (including myself) considered the St. Louis Blues to be favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately their run in the playoffs didn’t even last one round thanks to their division rival Chicago Blackhawks.
The team finished sixth in goals scored during the regular season and with the loss of Ryan Miller, GM Doug Ar...
For NHL GM's the real challenge is, and always will be, getting your money's worth (or more) for your team.
The complex problem they face is this - who do you pay a 'premium' salary and who gets the 'average' salary?
Since Pascal Dupuis is a common target on the Penguins Hockeybuzz forum...I'll use him as an example. For this comparison I will use simple statistics f...
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 ...
30th.
Lowest salary in the league according to capgeek (and maybe their finishing spot in 2014/15). This is new area for the Flames who have been top four a few times in spending.
This is an era where David Jones is the Flames top paid player along with Jiri Hudler. An era where they do not have a strong right winger for the first time in recent memory.
The Flam...
Re-posted to fix the formatting issues...
Many around St. Louis are scratching their heads regarding the defection of Vladimir Sobotka to Omsk of the KHL. While I won't claim to have seen this moving coming from a mile away, I can't understand why people are so surprised when they look at the situation from both sides' perspectives.
[b]The Sobotka Perspective:[/b] I...
stljam writes...
If a tie is kissing your sister, shootout loss points are...
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
If a tie is like kissing your sister, then the points awarded for shootout losses seem like a consolation or attendance prize. I realize that the shootout is here to say. The league loves it. Casual fans love it. Traditional fans stand to watch it. Blah. Blah. Blah. I have resigned myself to accepting that the shootout is here to stay.
One of the things that I don't ...
I have been "Fantasy Hockey Blogging" for a few years now, and thought I would drop a small one on here!
I have been a (self-appointed) Fantasy Hockey Guru for a few years now. I play in some insanely competitive leagues that mimic all life like NHL systematics for Drafting, ELC's, Contract renewals etc... so after years of this I have always had a knack of planning, sc...
The San Jose Sharks are going to head to camp without any defined leadership.
Head Coach Todd McLellan revealed the news that letters were being removed from the captain group to give everyone a clean slate, an equal opportunity, heading into the new season.
I'm calling his bluff.
I'd be willing to bet that this is just another move by GM Doug Wilson to push Thorn...
Going into camp it's a pretty well known fact around the team that 19 year old Mirco Mueller is going to get more than his fair chance at making the San Jose Sharks roster for opening night.
Listed at 6'3" 195lbs on the Sharks website, Mueller is a steady, defensive defenseman who won't be lighting up the scoresheet anytime soon. That's OK, though, because Brent Burns i...
I’m going to start by saying, if you haven’t noticed already, that I don’t want to trade Thornton and Marleau. I don’t believe they are the problem with San Jose, but I’ll entertain Doug Wilson’s tyranny.
I’m going to trade both players in this blog.
First up on the chopping block is [b]Joe Thornton[/b]. This trade idea started with Matt Henderson’s p...
Last night Howard Bloom of sportsbusinessnews.com reported via Twitter that Quebec City, Toronto, Seattle and Las Vegas would become NHL expansion teams by 2017. Bloom even included that expansion fees would total $1.4 billion.
The tweet spread like wildfire on the social network and was making it’s way to television within mere hours. A respected journalist with sp...
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A Glance Back[/b]
I don’t think anybody could have predicted the outcome of the brutally nicknamed metro-terrible division last season. Columbus impressed while the Capitals faltered. The Penguins took a dip in the playoffs while the Rangers surprised many after a rough start. Other teams sort of slotted right into their right...
Draft time for the kids from the Mighty Ducks franchise. (NHL games cannot come soon enough) I took the major players from the franchise and projected their NHL skill set and comparable players. I also predicted in which round they would be drafted.
Dean Portman- He will hit you. He will fight you. He will showboat after he beats you up. Dean Portman is the stereotypica...
This is a precursor blog and will include my team I have assembled in the last 4 years. I will break down some of the rules each roster allows and will give you a deeper look into how in depth these leagues can get at a certain level.
First off, I will start at the roster and cap management. On the Major roster you are allowed 25 players that can accumulate points (head...
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...
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Saku Koivu announced his retirement from hockey today after a long career spanning 18 years. Unlike others who have managed to stick around for nearly two decades, Koivu was not blessed with health his entire way through. He fought through things other players had never even thought about having to deal with.
Koivu is the epitome 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...
mochoson writes...
Now What? Options moving forward for the Jackets, Johansen
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
The case of arguably the most prominent restricted free agent remaining unsigned this summer took another turn yesterday. Columbus Blue Jackets President John Davidson chose to voice his displeasure surrounding the contract situation between the team and restricted free agent center Ryan Johansen. Not only did Davidson himself voice his displeasure on a personal level, he ...
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...
stljam writes...
With the D list partly cloudy, the F roster is densely foggy
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
As I discussed in my prior blog, the picture for the Blues defensive corps for 2014-15 is fairly clear with Cole, Prosser and Butler fighting to sort out the scraps unless there are injuries or trades. The forward picture is a lot more crowded and a lot less clear with likely only fourteen roster spots available. Some might argue there are nineteen NHL capable or soon to...
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 ...
In a bit of a pattern developing in the preseason, the Blues didn't start playing at the drop of the puck and couldn't fully recover. They came out flat and allowed the first four goals to Columbus and came up a short at the end.
On the first goal, the puck almost gets out of the Blues zone but gets held at the line and Oshie's back side pressure on Nick Foligno isn't ...
The Blues came out strong in the first period, outplaying and outshooting the Hurricanes fourteen to six in the first period with little to show for it. Even with their strong play, they were unable to get a puck past stingy netminder Cam Ward. They were however rewarded at the end of the period with Vladimir Tarasenko and David Backes drawing penalties, allowing them to...
FINAL UPDATE - The events and outcome of the game last night mattered little in perspective as a 34 year old female fan lost her life at the arena shortly after the game. According to various reports, she fell off a second floor escalator. I hope you will all keep her family, friends, and the other fans and Scottrade employees that witnessed this tragic event in your th...
A successful season feels like a long and slow build, like climbing a mountain. It starts with a training camp and a preseason, allowing the team to become acclimated to the new conditions that accompany each new year. The arduous trek of the regular season begins, with 82 games over the course of twice as many days. Teams and players slip up along the way, losing games, g...
[b][u]Analysis by Adam[/u][/b]
Hello all,
This will be a piece where I analyze the play of all 82 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I watch a lot of hockey and closely follow many teams but the Leafs always seem to be the most intriguing win or lose. Anyways, here we go.
[b][u]Toronto Maple Leafs Game #1
vs Montreal Canadiens 4-3 L (0-1-0)[/u][/b]
After a ...
So now that I’ve had the last couple days to over-analyze the Toronto Maple Leafs opening night loss to the Montreal Canadians (not to mention re-watch the game several times… thank you Leafs TV), It is safe to say the sky did not fall. I am disappointed in the loss; because it was to the Montreal Canadians (yuck) and also because I, along with thousands of other fans...
ETA: I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of our friends and relatives in Canada a wonderful Thanksgiving. Those of us here in the US are happy to have you as neighbors.
Original: The Flames couldn't handle the Blues Saturday night and showed their youth and inexperience with numerous fumbled pucks and chances.
The Blues jumped out to an early lead ...
Greetings,
If you're reading this, then like me you're a hopefully a Hab fan. I'm not a professional writer, nor am I a statistician. I'm going to call them as I see them, from the perspective of a pure fan.
FYI - the goal will be to post blogs on every single game from here on in.
[b]Game 1 - Habs vs Leafs[/b]
My initial thoughts were of jubilation, nothing ma...
Two of the four major sports in North America have challenges. Hockey is not one of those sports. After Baseball added challenges before the 2014 season it made me wonder; why doesn't hockey? After watching the game on Saturday between the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers, it made you wonder, how is such an obvious call missed? For those whom are not aware, Alexan...
Greetings and happy Canadian Thanksgiving!
[b]Game 4 - Habs vs Bolts
[/b]
If you are like me, then you watched that train-wreck of a game until it was over. I'm sorry you had to see that. There are games that we enjoy as fans, and then there are those like tonight where our time would have been better spent cleansing our colons. The end result would have been the same...
The past 7 years, the Edmonton Oilers have seen 5 coaches. After some questionable line combinations by Eakins, it has some fans wondering… Will he be fired? Well there are a few key aspects to look at. For example, Eakins’ record as the Head Coach of the Edmonton Oilers is 29-46-10. That is not good enough to make the playoffs. Eakins also has not always handled delic...
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The Avs held on for as long as possible in Toronto but we're unable to come away with a victory. On their 40th shot of the night the Maple Leafs came away with a 3-2 overtime win off of Phil Kessels stick
The game started off the right away for the Avs. Right off the opening face off Duchene drew a pen...
The problem with Toronto Maple Leafs “fans” and their rocky relationsihp with Phil Kessel is the vicious circle that’s created by the story-hungry media, and then perpetuated by this overreacting portion of the fan base.
One cross-ice pass that deflected off of Stuart Percy’s skate in the season-opener (he could be very good for a long time, by the way), and th...
Greetings,
[b]Habs vs Bruins[/b]
Anyone else love the Dryden to Price torch hand-off?
In the world of sports there are very few rivalries that sparks such intense emotions than Bruins vs Habs. Am I happy with the outcome? Yes. Am I happy with how the game went? Nope. But let's break that down, shall we?
I'm getting this out of the way right away. I didn't like ...
AarifDeen writes...
GOALIES DOWN: Avs blow 3-1 lead - Lose Berra To Injury
Posted Friday | Comments 1
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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...
Modern day Oilers fans will remember in the not too distant past they were in the Stanley Cup Finals facing off against a Carolina squad with a young upstart goalie by the name of Cam Ward. Names like Mike Morrison, Jussi Markkanen and Ty Conklin were all to familiar to Oilers fans, much to their chagrin. Little did the fans realize that when the trigger was pulled on a ...
Beautiful Disaster?: The Sabres re-organization plan
Its been five games into the Sabres 2014-2015 campaign and Sabres fans and people around the league are talking. Many people are saying "I told you so". Others are surprised at how similar the Sabres resemble last years historically bad squad. For me this begs the question, is Tim Murray is in control of this rebui...
Greetings,
[b]Habs [/b][b]vs [/b][b]Avs[/b]
Before I get into the actual game, I would like to say congrats to Pierre Gervais on 2500 games in the NHL. I've never heard of an equipment manger as loved, nor a team throwing one a ceremony before, but hats off to the Habs on celebrating what has been a hard working and accomplished career so far. Keep in mind he's won a...
royalgardens writes...
Maple Leafs Follies 2014-15; Cody Franson Must Go!
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
More Maple Leafs follies as the 2014-15 season gets off and running here in October! Plenty of new faces, still the same problems...
However, let me start with some of the good: The team did make several smart moves in the off-season to strengthen the bottom six. Adding veterans like Mike Santorelli, Daniel Winnik and David Booth (although injured again) brought in a...
Greetings,
[b]Habs vs Wings[/b]
So this edition of the Habs has done something that hasn't been done since the 77/78 season, which is to win 6 of 7 to start a season. This torrid pace might not be sustainable for 82 games, but every point now is money in the bank when things get tight near the end of the season.
I'll be the first to admit I began to feel a little ...
It’s easy to write-off the Carolina Hurricanes already this season. Winless thus far, the Hurricanes head west for a critical western swing. Just what they need to put the final nail in the coffin, right? It has been a tough start to the season for the Canes, battling a raft of injuries to top players, decimating an already talent-light roster. And, trade rumors have b...
Update to add JR's projected lineup.
Just a quick hit for you all in case it wasn't posted around.
According to Canucks.com - Although an official announcement was not made, the early indications after yesterday's optional practice suggested that Miller would get the call for tonight's tilt.
With Miller in net, I really am disappointed I can't attend tonight's g...
In evaluating a long term plan for a team it is essential, and fairly obvious, to determine your core and players that make sense to build around. For the Calgary Flames and their plans to re-build, it seems fairly obvious they are planning on being in a playoff spot within three seasons after this one. Contract expiry is the biggest clue with only 7 players signed through...
AarifDeen writes...
A Night That Was Long Overdue – Avs Score 7 Goals, Route Van
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
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It was only a matter of time. The Colorado Avalanche finally unleashed the offensive weapons and defeated the Vancouver Canucks 7-3. It was the night of story lines for the Avs. But more importantly, it was a night they desperately needed.
Coach Roy made it very clear after the loss Tuesday night tha...
Last night, the Winnipeg Jets lost another game to Steve Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. An all too familiar result for the Jets and their fans as they continue to struggle out of the gates this season. This loss however, was especially frustrating as the Jets out-shot outhit and essentially outplayed the Bolts for most of the game. So who's to blame for this unl...
I know there are a lot of people who think Brad Treliving has done a good job as Flames’ GM so far, but I would like to express my thoughts on why I question his performance.
When he was hired, I like many others, didn't know much about him beyond the obvious. I was somewhat wary of the decision to hire a rookie GM, but with seasoned veteran Brian ‘I look like I sle...
Greetings!
[b]Habs vs Rangers[/b]
Before I start I need to rant a little.
WTF is up with CBC/Sportsnet with only playing Leaf games on Hockey Night in Canada?!? Seriously, if I wanted to watch a mind numbing show I would turn on the Kardashians and slowly wait for my brain cells to die. It would hurt less...
Now on to the Habs.
You would have to go back 50 y...
AarifDeen writes...
Avs’ Overtime Loss hands Winnipeg Third Win of The Season
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
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On a Sunday matinee in Winnipeg, the Jets scored twice to win the game but the Avs will need more than just two ice packs in the locker room to attend to the wounds from today’s battle.
The Jets outhit the Avs 27-23 and leading the way was big, rugged, 260 lb forward Dustin Byfuglien with eight. In the...
Sam Reinheart was selected #1 overall in the 2014 NHL Draft this year, As the young man has given Buffalo some light headed into this early young NHL season entering November. Sam Reinheart has earned his first point in the NHL last night as the Buffalo Sabers beat the San Jose Sharks by a final score of 2-1. In his 9th game with the Sabers Sam finally found himself on the...
I don't even know where to start with this except for just stating my opinion. I really don't think that Fucale is as good as everyone has been saying he is. Yes I know, start the criticizing please. I've said before to people that Fucale is only as good as the team that's playing around him. That being said, he's not a bad goalie by any means. I just feel that he is simpl...
AarifDeen writes...
Goalie Gains a Point – Avs Lose to San Jose Despite Solid
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
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Semyon Varlamov. That was the beginning, middle, and end of this 65-minute story.
The Avs lost their fourth overtime game of the season tonight by a 3-2 final. This one went all the way to the shootout. Despite the Sharks seemingly controlling the play for almost the entirety of the first two periods, the...
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...
Avs Still Can’t Solve The Overtime Period, Steal a Point in
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
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The Avs remained winless both in overtime and in divisional play Saturday night when they lost a shootout to the St. Louis Blues. The Blues skated away with a 3-2 victory after holding a 2-0 lead early in the third period.
The Avs used their power play to tie the game before the third period even went to ...
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In a hard-hitting Sunday night matchup, the Avs tried to use a late surge to tie the game, but were unable to get a goal. They lost to the Ducks 3-2 after scoring the first goal of the game.
They continue to attempt to ride red-hot goaltender Semyon Varlamov and a penalty-killing unit that hasn’t surren...
Being "game ready" is more than just being physically fit to play hockey. It's about more than just having honed your body, stick-handling, passing and shooting skills. It also consists of being in the right mindset to play the game of hockey to one's best ability, and being motivated to continue to build upon the foundation that a player has already set for himself. You h...
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[/b]
The Avalanche lost 5-2 to the Canucks on Tuesday after scoring the first two goals of the game.
They came out with an early jump and got on the board quick. John Mitchell received a nice pass from Alex Tanguay and lasered one past Ryan Miller for the goal just over a minute into the contest. It was his se...
[i][b]Twitter:TheDailyLeafHB[/b]:[/i] Recently, there has been some rumors of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers engaging in trade negotiations involving a Jake Gardiner for David Perron swap. This trade definitely makes sense for the Leafs, Perron (26 years old) is a young left winger who can play all different aspects of the game. Last year, with the Oilers ...
AarifDeen writes...
Avs fall short of a Comeback, lose to Flyers in Philadelphia
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
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The Avalanche was unable to complete a third period comeback and dropped a 4-3 contest to the Flyers. They scored three times in the third period, all coming from the bottom two lines, but were unable to capitalize on the last minute push.
Colorado’s goals from Max Talbot, Alex Tanguay, and Zach Redmond...
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When the Colorado Avalanche signed Jarome Iginla to a three-year contract this summer, they were looking for a player to replace Paul Stastny’s production offensively. Statstny had just signed in St. Louis while Iginla was coming off yet another 30-goal season with the Boston Bruins.
Iginla was always J...
When it comes to deciding the outcome of games, the Detroit Red Wings would rather fight than shoot it out.rnLooking at their numbers during the shootout, who can blame them?rn“I think a lot of guys are getting sick of it,” Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard said. In their latest game, Sunday’s 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Wings failed on all three shootout atte...
The NHL's next potential superstar could have a serious injury following a fight that took place on Tuesday night in Erie, Pennsylvania.
The Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters are the league's best teams this season with a 16-1-0-1 record after 18 games this season in the OHL. Their top player on the roster, and potentially the top overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, i...
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...
Avs battle for a shootout victory at Madison Square Garden
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
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The Avalanche won its fifth game of the season in a shootout Thursday night after defeating the New York Rangers 4-3. It was their second straight shootout victory following two losses in the tiebreaker where they went scoreless on five opportunities.
Matt Duchene scored the first goal of the game and add...
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 ...
Once again in less than 20 games for the Colorado Avalanche, goaltender Semyon Varlamov is injured. The first time Varly sustained a lower body injury during morning practice before the Avalanche took on the Ottawa Senators. In that game, less than three minutes in, backup goalie Reto Berra, would sustain a head injury after a collision with two players. This left young ro...
And that's the God damn truth!!!
Yet again, The Toronto Maple Leafs were horded by an overwhelming force of reporters. And, yet again, the reporters attacked the leafs with questions about something they did wrong. However, this time, the leafs faced the media force after a solid 5-2 victory over a significantly stronger Lightning team.
So, what did they do wrong this time you ask?
They didnt raise ...
AarifDeen writes...
Avs erase slow start to defeat Carolina 4-3 with Pickard
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
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Ladies and gentleman, the cardiac kids are back. Colorado was down two goals twice tonight and roared back to win 4-3 against the Hurricanes at the Pepsi Center. Reto Berra started the game but was pulled late in the first period after surrendering three goals on 10 shots. With Varlamov still suffering from ...
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...
AarifDeen writes...
‘Cardiac Kids’ are here to stay—Avs erase three goal deficit
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
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It was Déjà vu in the desert Tuesday night for the Avalanche. Colorado won for the second straight game after Reto Berra was pulled and replaced by Calvin Pickard in the first period. They beat Arizona 4-3 in overtime despite surrendering three goals in the opening 10:53 of tonight’s game.
As miraculo...
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 ...
Quite a bit has changed for me personally in the past 5 years (separation/divorce)...death of family members and my sister's life threatening cancer...but when I read this blog again today...I knew it STILL applies.
From 2009 ---
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...
Hello everyone, this is my first blog, so I am going start with an introduction. My name is Brendan, one of the owners of @WTPHockeyFacts on Twitter. I am a young, but very knowledgeable hockey fan (take a look at our Twitter account for proof, many of those facts are found by myself, through research and my extensive hockey knowledge). I have been a hardcore Edmonton Oile...
Personally, I have seen enough. I am positive that I am not the only one in Oilers Land that feels this way. For myself, I have followed this team since I was 5 years old...29 years. I remember the days of Gretzky, Kurri, Messier, and yes even Kevin Lowe. I remember the "lesser" teams, if you'd like to call them that, of Jason Arnott, Doug Weight, and Curtis Joseph. I have...
I have noticed a lot of advanced stats guys put way too much stock into Corsi and Fenwick numbers, sometimes to the exclusion of more direct and conclusive metrics. The newly annointed 'advanced stats' are a useful metric, but they are not the be-all-and-end-all of hockey analysis and in my opinion are like +/- in some ways.
Although in previous use, the +/- stat came...
The Buffalo Sabres having won six out of their last seven games are now 9-14-2. This could mean two things. 1. the team if buying into Ted Nolans system and are playing with confidence and will continue to win games, and maybe, just maybe ( but probably not) playoffs are in sights. 2. this is just a phase and it will soon pass.
The question is which one is best for...
AarifDeen writes...
Avs blow another game in overtime, lose to Calgary at the Sa
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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Calgary scored twice in the third period to win its 17th game of the season. They defeated the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime and their two goals brought their third period total to a league leading 39 goals.
The Avalanche got their starting goalie back tonight but was still unable to play a solid 60-minute effort in...
If anyone believes for one minute Katz.MacT.and the entire management doesn't know what they are doing then its your fault for not paying attention.#1-Katz is a savy buisness man who thinks and plans long term and large.#2-Mac T is an extremely intelligent hockey man that knows what pieces are needed and will do what it takes to aquire them.The players brought in primarily...
Thanks For Reading.
I haven't posted one of these in a while so I hope I'm not too rusty. You can follow me @MiikeLuci. I'll try to follow back.
Remember when the Devils started the season 3-0 and the fan's biggest concerns were Larsson not starting the season in the lineup? Well twenty-three games and sixteen losses later, New Jersey's season has made a complete one eighty. The've endured...
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The Avalanche has hit rock bottom. After blowing a late lead last night in Calgary, Colorado had nothing going for them tonight. The Jets stormed out to score early an often en route to a 6-2 victory over the Avs. Bryan Little led the way with a hat-trick and they also received goals from Chris Thorburn, And...
I suppose for a first time blogger, a little history might help any readers to see where my biases and allegiances come from. I was born in Alberta in the early 80's the heyday of the battle of alberta. I have 2 older brothers and as one might expect, I wanted them to like me, so I cheered for the teams they cheered for, namely the Gretzky led Oilers.
When I was old en...
royalgardens writes...
Kings Fluttering Again; Big Night for Bernier in TO
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
Another regular season, another Kings team, simply sliding their way through yet another 82 game schedule, hoping for the best and hoping for a chance to play further into spring.
I have seen enough of this group to draw the conclusion that they are constant underachievers in the regular season, but perhaps not overachievers when it comes to the second season of the NH...
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 ...
AarifDeen writes...
Pickard plays spectacular as Avs come back to win shootout
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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The game clock had 8:16 remaining on it when Paul Postma exited the penalty box. The Avs had just failed to score on its second consecutive power play opportunity and were down 3-1 with nothing going for them.
Colorado scored two late third period goals after the failed power play attempts en route t...
Yesterday reports from TSN’s Bob McKenzie surfaced regarding the 2016 NHL Winter Classic and Grandpa Bob says the league is in talks with the Boston Bruins for hosting the annual outdoor battle. If this turns out to be true, this is just another prime example as to how poorly the NHL handles their series of outdoor games and places their greed over dedication to some fa...
Do not plan the parade. One cannot blame Eakins on all of Edmonton's losses for the past two seasons. It's as much the players fault as it is Eakins' fault. With all the skill Edmonton has up front, one would not expect the Oilers to be shutout 4 times in 31 games; or to lose 14 of their 15 games, including an 11 games losing streak. As bad as Eakins record showed (...
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 Avs lost their second consecutive game in overtime Thursday night after Blake Comeau scored the only goal of the game 2:24 into the overtime period. Calvin Pickard faced 48 shots and saved all but one in front of a rowdy crowd in Pittsburgh.
The Avs fought valiantly through 40 minutes exchanging shots...
It's here. It's finally here.
After many long, cold, and miserable painstaking years, the end of days is finally here for the Edmonton Oilers. The firing of Eakins serves as a long overdue acceptance that this "rebuild" has failed. It is time to...rebuild...again
Rather than admit this fate was inevitable, the organization pressed on, trying to save our world one sma...
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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...
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They were once a couple of 18-year-old goaltenders waiting to get drafted into the National Hockey League. Calvin Pickard, the Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender, was ranked #1 by Central Scouting rankings among North American goalies. Petr Mrazek was a goalie playing in the Czech Extraliga. In fact, he was not...
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The Avalanche is back at .500 in time for the Christmas holidays. Colorado scored early and often as they shut out the Blues 5-0 Tuesday night in Denver. Semyon Varlamov returned after missing six games with a groin injury and recorded his second shutout of the season.
“It’s a big win for us. You know...
2ndTierOilerFan writes...
McDavid, Lindross, and the Edmonton Oilers Conspiracy.
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
Contrary to popular opinion; the Oilers front office is not full of incompetent fools. Arrogant, untrustworthy, two faced liars maybe, but not incompetent, and not fools. It pains me to say it, but when it comes to the Edmonton Oilers, the only fools are the fans and the media. The people who converse back and forth over a studio console or a bar room table all have ...
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...
The NHL has seen quite a few teams leave one city, relocate to another, and then years later, witness the former city land a new team. There are rumors, following the newest Rogers/NHL television broadcast deal, that an expansion franchise may be coming. Some think this could mean a new team in Quebec. Others think that there could be a second team in Toronto. If so, ...
[b][i]S-N-D & Company Must Address Blue Line Quickly; Trade a Player like Kessel?[/i][/b]
Good luck to Brendan Shanahan, Dave Nonis, Kyle Dubas and company, or as I will identify them as S-N-D & Co. from here on out. There is so much work that needs to be done to at least make this Maple Leaf team playoff-level competitive, I highly doubt that anyone can completely figu...
The Leafs lead the NHL with 122 goals for, yet they've given up 108 goals. Their success this season can be attributed to their offense as it has masked their defensive issues while on nights like tonight, they're exposed. As December is ending, the Leafs are in a comfortable playoff position, yet the fans are feeling very uneasy.
The rest of the NHL tends to buckle do...
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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...
It’s hard to believe, but almost half of the NHL season is already in the books. At this moment, the Anaheim Ducks lead the league with 54 points. Tampa Bay leads the Eastern Conference. Montreal is currently #4 in the East, while Toronto is currently in playoff contention in the #7 spot. Winnipeg and Vancouver occupy the #6th and #7th spots respectively in the Western C...
Do the Kings want to play? Right now, they once again look like a team that really makes you wonder just how in God's green earth did THIS team win the Cup? A question I have asked quite a bit over the last couple of years despite the amazing success of this team come playoff time.
Just tuned into the game after getting back from seeing the new release "Unbroken", which...
royalgardens writes...
Better Effort, Bad Bounces Almost Unravel Leafs in Beantown
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
[i]Quick hits from tonight's game in Boston:[/i]
• Much better effort, at least in the first forty minutes. At one point the shots were 17-11 before Boston was able to the tie game off two really unfortunate bounces. Bottom line, despite the third period in which the Bruins dominated, Toronto deserved to at least come away with a point, but got two via the shootout. N...
AarifDeen writes...
Ryan O’Reilly scores in overtime – Avs win last game of 2014
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
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We’ve all heard the story before. A player dominates an entire game, fights for puck possession every single shift, hits a couple of posts, misses a couple of opportunities, and has nothing on the scoresheet to show for it. Until of course, overtime comes around.
That was Ryan O’Reilly today. The one ...
AarifDeen writes...
Avalanche shake off a desperate Oilers team with a shootout
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
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Colorado started the year off right in front of a rowdy Pepsi Center crowd. The boys in burgundy fought through a very quiet game offensively and came away with their fifth shootout victory of the season after defeating Edmonton 2-1. It was the first meeting against the Oilers this season and it comes while ...
royalgardens writes...
Kings Goalies MIA vs. NSH; Leafs Suffer Once More
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
Enough is enough...
The Kings sleepwalk their way into a 5-1 deficit against the Nashville Predators, who I really think could knock out the Chicago Blackhawks this time around, especially if the 'Hawks continue to go with Corey Crawford in net. You want to talk about a joke, Crawford is the leading vote getter in the All Star Game coming up at the end of the season, an...
AarifDeen writes...
Blue Jackets stun the Avs with last minute game-winning goal
Posted Sunday | Comments 3
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Colorado suffered a heartbreaking loss Sunday night in Denver. It was a game they wanted to win, perhaps should have won, and more importantly—needed to win. David Savard took a shot from the point with 61 seconds remaining and it bounced past Varlamov off of Borna Rendulic. The Blue Jackets cemented their...
saneopinion writes...
Potential NHL moves to further dissuade tanking (Oilering)
Posted Monday | Comments 0
There is no Hippocratic oath in the NHL, there is no solemn swear to always try to win especially if the prize for losing is such a benefit. Conner Mcdavid, a “Generational Talent”, who can be the Crosby/Tavares/Stamkos type player for your organization. Failing first overall you get Jack Eichel who is projected to be a first line center.
Pretty sweet deal for bein...
In the last week, MacTavish has made a couple of moves, yet the Edmonton Oilers record this season is 9-22-9. Nineteen of those losses have been lost by only one goal. Since Todd Nelson has taken over the bench, the Oilers have gone 2-3-4 in nine games. Not great, but acceptable. Since the 4-1 lose to Calgary, Edmonton’s record is 2-0-2. A .750 point percentage. Compared...
royalgardens writes...
In Shanahan We Trust? Carlyle Clearly Not the Right Choice?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
So Randy Carlyle has finally bitten the dust.
I had a good idea that one day I would be reading about the news here in Chicago at some point, but the timing to me makes no sense. The Leafs may as well bring in John Tortorella and really have some fun! I got a kick out of the TSN 1050 guys from this evenings chat talking about what a field day the media would have if To...
AarifDeen writes...
Two Days Later: Varlamov still haunts the Blackhawks
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
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You could sense a little uneasiness from Blackhawks fans before the puck dropped Tuesday night at the United Center. In fact, during the warm up one fan told me, “I hope they don’t fall behind early and play catch up hockey the rest of the way.” Unfortunately for him, that’s exactly what they did. An...
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...
AarifDeen writes...
Colorado wins the big game, inching closer to playoff spot
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
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It’s been hyped up around the team for days now. Colorado Avalanche vs Dallas Stars in a divisional battle for the better positioning in the wildcard race. Colorado came in winners of two straight and they turned some heads with an impressive comeback win in front of a sold out Pepsi Center crowd. The Avs ...
AarifDeen writes...
Avs lose in Washington; Roy unhappy with penalty call
Posted Monday | Comments 0
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Colorado saw its three game winning streak come to an end Monday night after losing a 2-1 battle to the Capitals at Verizon Center. Washington won after scoring the first goal, which they have done so many times this season. The only team with a better winning percentage after scoring first is Montreal.
A...
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Colorado was dominated once again in the shot category on Tuesday night in Carolina. The Hurricanes won 3-2 in the shootout and Calvin Pickard had to make 44 saves in his first NHL start in nearly three weeks.
The Avs were playing their second of a back-to-back and came away with a single point after losi...
royalgardens writes...
Maple Leafs 0 for Calif; LA in Danger of Missing Playoffs?
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
It sure is depressing coming back to the sub freezing temperatures of Chicago, especially from Los Angeles. The same can be said for the Maple Leafs’ current California trip, which has usually been rather successful in the last few seasons.
Monday night at Staples Center was truly a great experience however. My seats were just a few rows behind Darryl Evans, Nick Nic...
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...
royalgardens writes...
Leafs Management Mess; Richards for Phaneuf? Why Not?
Posted Sunday | Comments 3
Our "beloved" Maple Leafs return to the ACC Monday night against the lowly, yet always dangerous against Toronto, Carolina Hurricanes after a winless road trip against four of the perennially toughest Western Conference teams.
There is no shame in losing close games on the road against the Kings, Ducks, Sharks and Blues. What is a shame is that the Leafs lost to those ...
The Flames are in a very strange spot, sitting on the playoff bubble and having a look at the post season for the first time in a very long time. It’s strange not only due to the amount of time since they have had this kind of look but strange because of how they might have to approach this trade deadline.
The issue for the Flames is that they have a few players that...
In the recent past I’ve been spouting the need for the NHL to revise the point system to reflect a more accurate landscape when it come to teams who win in regulation. My idea for a point system would be 3 for a win, 2 for an O.T. win, 1 for a shoot out win, and zero for losers. I did my research on this prior to last night’s games so they’re already outdated but I w...
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...
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For the third time in four games the Avs received a late goal with Semyon Varlamov on the bench. In Tampa Nathan MacKinnon scored with 7 seconds left, at home against Boston Ryan O’Reilly scored with 1:45 remaining, and tonight, with just 36 seconds left on the clock, Nick Holden scored to tie the game at ...
AarifDeen writes...
Avs split with Nashville; Iginla records 1,200th point
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
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Nashville has the second best record in the NHL? No problem. Erik Johnson is out for the foreseeable future? Big deal. Semyon Varlamov starts his 15th game over the last 16 contests? No biggie.
The Avalanche welcomed the Predators to the Pepsi Center in the second of a home-and-home series tonight and wal...
To all the Leaf fans,rnrnThis is for all the true fans, the real fans, the fans that know and believe that sometimes taking one step back is the right step in the right direction to where we ultimately want to be; a team we can see excel year in and year out.rnrnWe need to take back what's rightfully ours. We can no longer allow a franchise which we so loyally love and fol...
LazarBeam writes...
Sens Lose, Only Manage One Goal Against McElhinney and CBJ
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Erik Condra had the lone goal, and once again a strong effort from the Sens in a very winnable game that slipped through the fingers of the 26th overall Sens team.
A lot of things looked very good in their 51st game of the season, the offence seems to be building chemistry but just can't manage to finish consistently. This shouldn't be too upsetting for Sens management,...
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...
Our readers and fans can spend the day going over the recent trades made by the Buffalo Sabres, but as I finish typing this post, the subject will have been well worn out. I am a long time Leafs fan, and have become accustomed to hearing over and over again, every insignificant gossip surrounding the organization.
I hope you are not speculating that this post is about t...
The Sedin twins are a bit odd to say the least. It’s evident that many players around the NHL, agree. Two players put their views out to the public on a local radio show, Stars’ Captain Jamie Benn and leading scorer Tyler Seguin. Benn said on the radio show “Who knows what else they do together,” when one of the host said he “heard the Sedins room together” to ...
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...
It is clear that Tim Murray is not going to simply continue making picks and the team being terrible during the rebuild. He made that obvious with the trade that took place yesterday, however, there are two options the team could take regarding the 2015-2016 season. There is the slow but sure approach, and then there is the aggressive approach, like what he did with the tr...
I still am unsure why Adams continues to get playing time on this current Penguins team. Honeslty, I beleive all he is, is a puck pusher. His speed has declined and whatever is left of his skill set.
What I don't understand is why scratch Downie and not Adams. Most people would have thought after the Bylsma/Shero era that the Adams project would come to an end. Don't g...
ThePigeonHockey writes...
Franson and Santorelli return for Preds' playoff run
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The Nashville Predators are hands down the NHL’s best team this season. Expecting to make a deep playoff run, the Predators decided to be buyers on the trade market. The Predators acquired two of their former draftees from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli. Franson was selected in the 3rd round by Nashville in 2005 and Santorelli in the 6th round ...
Former NHL defenseman was found dead at his Mississuaga home this morning. Montador played in the NHL last for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011-12 season but also had stints with the Flames, Panthers, Ducks, Bruins, Sabres and Zagreb Medvescak (KHL). In his 10 seasons in the NHL, Montador recorded 33 goals, 131 points and 807 penalty minutes in 571 games. In the 2011-12 seas...
LazarBeam writes...
Methot Signs Extension, Shane Prince Recalled from Bingo
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Marc Methot made Sens Army very happy today, as it was finally announced he had resigned with the club for the next 4 years.
The deal has a cap hit of 4.9 million per season, worth a total of 19.6 million that keeps Methot here until 2018-2019.
After Karlsson spoke out earlier this week as to how valuable Methot is to the team as well as himself, it seemed like this ...
The Toronto Maple Leafs finally began to steer their ship in the right direction on Sunday by sending Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli to Nashville for a 2015 1st rounder, Olli Jokinen, and prospect Brendan Leipsic. The return on the deal signals the start of the rebuild that the team has been in need of for some time now. An added bonus to the transaction is that ...
Florida Panthers’ defenseman Dmitry Kulikov injured Stars’ forward Tyler Seguin on Friday, February 13th. Kulikov was given a major penalty for clipping Seguin in the third period of the game. Seguin may be out 3-6 weeks with his injury. He was both the Stars’ leading point and goal scorer. It was announced earlier today by the NHL department of safety that Kulikov w...
Full Rebuild you say...... You’ll have to forgive this long suffering fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs for being just a little bit skeptical as this is unknown territory we are possibly entering. I have been around to hear terms like “retool”, “rebuild on the fly” among other things that have achieved little to no results over the years so the idea of the...
Full Rebuild you say...... You’ll have to forgive this long suffering fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs for being just a little bit skeptical as this is unknown territory we are possibly entering. I have been around to hear terms like “retool”, “rebuild on the fly” among other things that have achieved little to no results over the years so the idea of the MLSE boar...
LazarBeam writes...
Sens Call Up Puempel, Send Down Prince Before Panthers Game
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
After a two game NHL stint, Shane Prince has been sent back to Binghamton of the American Hockey League for further development. In his place will be Matt Puempel, first round pick of the same year Shane Prince was selected in the second round and JG Pageau was nabbed in the fourth.
Prince got an opportunity on the third line after MacArthur was injured, and was definit...
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. ...
The Penguins got a huge win Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues, one of the best teams in the National Hockey League. Pittsburgh won 4-2 on two goals from forward Blake Comeau, who, along with all other Pens forwards, was playing with a different line. Comeau played with Evgeni Malkin and Chris Kunitz on the second line, and they were clearly the most productive lin...
AarifDeen writes...
MacKinnon scores a hat trick as Avs hold on to beat Tampa
Posted Sunday | Comments 3
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For the first time in almost five years the Pepsi Center crowd was treated to a hat trick by a Colorado Avalanche player. Nathan MacKinnon, just 19 years, 174 days old, scored his first career three-goal game in the NHL to break out of a 14 game scoring drought. It was the youngest Avalanche hat trick in tea...
HarrisonHamm writes...
Penguins score three in the third, dismantle Florida 5-1
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The turnaround is on for Pittsburgh. After failing to win four straight games, the Pens won both games of a weekend back-to-back against one of the best teams in the NHL , the Blues, and a team ferociously fighting for a playoff spot, the Panthers.
The Pens defeated Florida at home Sunday night, led by another stellar performance by goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and two...
LazarBeam writes...
Post-Game Review: Turris' Three Points Lead Sens over FLA
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
[img]http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nhl/florida-panthers/hq5kye/picture10909145/ALTERNATES/LANDSCAPE_1140/Panthers%20Senators%20Hockey%20(3)[/img]
Final Score: 4 -1 Sens
The Sens ended their five game home-stand Saturday night with their third win, going 3-1-1. Over the last five games at home the Senators scored 22 goals, a 4.4 average well above their 2.8 on the...
CanesTR writes...
Trade Deadline Update - Hurricanes Ready to Pull the Trigger
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Amidst wild speculation that the Pittsburgh Penguins were in discussion with the Carolina Hurricanes about a possible deal to bring back Jordan Staal, Hurricanes GM Ron Francis moved quickly to deny any such thing was happening, pronouncing "We are not moving Jordan!" At the same time, Ronnie Franchise was quick to confirm that the disposition of the current UFAs, specifi...
The Penguins got a solid victory against bitter rival Washington Wednesday night. They avoided being swept by the Capitals in their always-competitive season series. Chris Kunitz knocked home a Blake Comeau rebound with 13 minutes remaining in the third period to give the Pens their decisive fourth goal.
That score gave Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead. With about four minutes to...
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...
HarrisonHamm writes...
Should the Penguins scratch Steve Downie or Craig Adams?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Penguins have an extra forward, so they need a regular forward to be a healthy scratch. There are two players that are possibly candidates to become a regular healthy scratch: Steve Downie and Craig Adams. So which one should they use more often? Both players are solid players, with different pros and cons. It is a very difficult decision for coach Mike Johnston.
W...
LazarBeam writes...
Hammond, Sens continue to dominate | Thoughts & News
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Boston beat New Jersey tonight in OT and the Sens are now 7 points behind with 2 games in hand and only Florida and Philly between them and the final playoff spot.
Sens beat Kings 1-0, Hammond gets shutout
Since Hammond has come in the Sens have won four straight and look like they could jump a few teams in the standings soon. Our schedule is a few games behind the...
stljam writes...
Blues look to continue taking advantage of friendly Canada
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
As the Blues travel east through Canada, they look to add to their 7-3-1 record against Canadien teams, including a 3-1-0 road record in Canada. They also hope to add to the Oilers two game home losing streak
While the Oilers have improved in the last 10 games, it's like saying your kid improved in school by going from a 45% on their first test to a 55% on their second...
HarrisonHamm writes...
Malkin continues hot streak, leads Penguins past Blue Jacket
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Evgeni Malkin scored three points for the third consecutive game, and the Penguins defeated the Blue Jackets at home on Sunday. The score was 5-3, and Malkin scored two of the goals and added an assist to lead Pittsburgh to their fourth straight win after a loss in Columbus on Feb. 19th. rnrnThe Pens’ power-play put up three goals in the second period alone to take contr...
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 ...
Hey Guys,
The trade deadline is finally over, and I'm sure players all across the NHL are relieved. There have been numerous trade talks regarding the leafs and their core players for several weeks now. One trade that I was hoping to see today was captain Dion Phaneuf headed to the Detroit Red Wings, Unfortunately things fell through. The Red Wings decided to take the...
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...
In another bold move by [b]Sabres GM Tim Murray[/b], this one coming ahead of the [b]April 1st Mascot Trade Deadline[/b], longtime Mascot "[b]SabreTooth[/b]" has been traded to the [b]Florida Panthers[/b] for a [b]7th round pick[/b] in [b]2019[/b]. Initial reports by [i]SteelOpus[/i] from '[i]diebytheblade[/i]' have been confirmed, sending the beloved Cat to Florida ahead...
The trade deadline has passed, teams lineups are locked, and all eyes are set on the playoffs. There's just one thing, are you comfortable with the team GM Dale Tallon has put on the ice? With the departures of Forwards Sean Bergenheim, and Tomas Fleischmann, newly acquired Jaromir Jagr has been a glimmering star. His presence in the locker room and on the ice have changed...
So I was bored and I came up with the "ideal" cap scenario for an NHL team. Assuming that the average GAA is about 2.5 and there are 82 games, a team would need to score 205 goals to be league average. I also assumed that the salary cap would be $70 million, I then assumed offense is worth 50% of the cap, defense is worth 40% and the goalies 10%.
[b][u]FORWARDS[/u][/b]
...
thesnirk writes...
Advance Stats: Making bad look good and good look bad.
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Oh the Advance stats. How far they have come. From a bunch of non-jocks writing blogs to the NHL publishing them on nhl.com. Some call it a major advancement. Other say who really cares.
I fall into the who cares side of it. While they might have some use, I think too much value is being put in these number. A good example of this is the Battle of Alberta. I live right...
Four years ago, I pondered the different draft lottery systems that could better distribute the first three overall picks every year so that the spread of talent in the lower tier teams doesn't fall to a team that just super-tanks for two years and then becomes one of the best teams in the league.
Should the Penguins have Malkin and Crosby? Should the Hawks have both ...
HarrisonHamm writes...
Fleury earns shutout as the Penguins win in OT over LA
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Marc-Andre Fleury, who was off in Anaheim on Friday, played possibly his best game of the season Saturday night in Los Angeles. He made 31 saves and kept the game from being a blowout, as the Penguins only managed 18 shots on Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. Although many of those 18 shots were solid chances, it was a season-low in shots for the Penguins.
"I didn't feel lik...
HarrisonHamm writes...
Pens blow 4-0 but score twice in third to beat Oilers 6-4
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
It was a rocky road, but the Penguins would pull off a victory. After the Penguins scored three in the first period and another one a minute into the second, Edmonton, helped by the replacement of goaltender Ben Scrivens with Richard Bachman, roared back in the third period with four straight to knot the game up. The Pens would score twice in 66 seconds to take a 6-4 lead,...
Seeing the highlights of the Calgary Toronto game last night and the tremendous performance (amid the embarassment that is the Maple Leafs this season) of Sean Monahan and his line, it had me thinking back to the 2013 draft.
The Buffalo Sabres needed forward help in the worst way. The situation was dire, although in hindsight, dire would only be an applicable word to th...
Dearest Oiler fans,
I think this relationship needs some honesty. I know you're not the best at listening to it but I have to try anyway. I miss our battles, I miss when beating the Oilers meant something. I miss have a close head to head win loss count. I miss you being talented. I miss you having courageous fans.
How much does it burn (pun intended 100%) that Johnn...
I was a goalie. In the age of saw dust, horse hair and leather. My chest protector was a glorified catchers chest protector. My arm pats were not much better. My leg pads just rose to the bottom of my quads (and I was considered a cheater for that in my day). In my pads and gear I was about 3 inches wider at the shoulders or across the chest. Fast forward 30 years. ...
First this great comment from a winning coach. My Favorite quote of the year.
"All those beautiful stats, they're not worth nothing once the score is up there and the game is over. That's the most important stat and tonight they got one goal more than us,"
Bob Hartley (as per TSN) after out shooting Columbus 40-26 and loosing in overtime.
Ok with that...
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...
Penguins earn an important victory against the Coyotes 3-2
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist were back in the lineup for a game that was important for two reasons: One was that the Pens had been playing horribly (losing to terrible Carolina on Thursday), and they needed a victory. They got it against another lowly team, the Arizona Coyotes.
Despite not scoring until 7:16 of the third period, when Daniel Winnik scored, the Peng...
One has to believe watching Carey play that the Stanley Cup is not too far off. It is a perfect script. He has done it all and then some. He now stands alone atop the Montreal Canadian goaltenders for total wins in a single season with 43 to date surpassing the likes of Plante and Dryden. What a remarkable achievement!
Since being drafted he has won a Calder Trophy, a g...
The Calgary Flames, clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2009 after beating the defending champions the LA Kings 3-1 last night. They clinched the playoff spot with one game to go in the season. For most of the final part of the season they battled with the Kings and the Winnipeg Jets for 3rd in the Pacific and the final wild card spot. This has been one of the...
[b]Does every NHL team have a drafting identity?? [/b]
When discussing prospects/potential selections I've heard multiple categories used to describe the reasonings for why an NHL team will select who they will select... these include:
1. BPA - Best Player Available
2. Organizational needs
3. Safe pick
4. Transferable NHL skills/size
5. Previous chemistry with othe...
Even the most reality-deprived hockey fans won't ever mistake Brendan Shanahan for Tommy Chong, but the Leafs have conveyed a similar message in the firing of Dave Nonis, Pete Horachek, and the entire coaching staff (aside from Steve Staios, who has been reassigned).
Nonis should be judged entirely on his own merits, and there is much blood-letting and ...
A few weeks ago I posed a question to my fellow flames fans “If the flames make the playoffs does the idea of a rebuild change?” This led to some heated discussions with some people throughout the thread that viewed the idea as completely ludicrous. For those who don’t know me I have a couple of values that I find to be very important, one never say something bad ab...
As a reward for winning the Atlantic Division and claiming home ice advantage for at least the first 2 rounds the Canadians get to face one of, if not, the hottest teams in the NHL. The Senators have been on a tear and against insurmountable odds completed an historic comeback claiming a spot in the 2015 playoffs. This alone is a tremendous story and everyone who loves spo...
NEEDSMORHORCOFF writes...
The Craig Mactavish Year End Presser: A Review
Posted Monday | Comments 20
In case you missed the Oilers year end press conference, allow me to save you 25 minutes of your life by summing it up:
Prepare for more of the same.
While the press conference was visually better than last years, not much was said which most oiler fans didn't already anticipate, and essentially consisted of Craig Mactavish blowing smoke up everyones ass.
Some o...
Reddevil45 writes...
Montreal Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators: Series Prediction
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
A big rivalry in the first round features Montreal Canadiens against the Ottawa Senators. The Canadiens come into the series as one of the best teams in the league this season. The Senators come into the series as one of the hottest teams in the past two months. Both can be attributed to excellent goaltending for each team, Carey Price (Canadiens) and Andrew Hammond (Senat...
Reddevil45 writes...
Calgary Flames against Vancouver Canucks:Series Prediction
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Two rivals from Western Canada surprised many by making the playoffs this season. They are the Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames. Both teams haven’t won a playoff series since they made the Stanley Cup. The Canucks made it more recently in 2011 when they lost to the Boston Bruins and the Flames made it in 2004 when they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flames ...
Reddevil45 writes...
TB Lightning against Detroit Red Wings: Series Prediction
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
On one team there is a big question mark on who should be their starting goaltender and the other it is a no brainer. The Detroit Red Wings have put playoff rookie Petr Mrazek (.918Sv%, 2.38GAA) in net for game 1 of the season instead of veteran Jimmy Howard (.910Sv%, 2.44GAA). In the Tampa Bay Lightning net it won’t be difficult to decide who to play. Ben Bishop (.916Sv...
Hello HockeyWorld, ScottQ32 here. It's true tank nation is over and my Sabres have not won. The Edmonton Oilers will draft 1st overall. The Sabres will pick at second and will still get a generational player in Eichel but from my standpoint you can't help but think what could of been. I tried to see Connor in Erie at my birthday in November but he was injured. I also tried...
People around the NHL world are, as predicted, crying foul over giving the next generational player to a team already with a glut of forward talent that isn't developing (certainly not beyond expectations, mostly below them). I think I saw this in the Simpsons once, when Homer got lodged in the water slide, so they tried to solve the problem by sending more kids in to try...
[img]http://www.journalpioneer.com/media/photos/unis/2011/07/01/2011-07-01-04-47-01-dave%20sens%20rookie%20camp1.jpg[/img]
Hello everybody and thank you for reading once again. It has been a couple months since I've had a chance to write, but exams ended just in time for me to trek back home to Ottawa for games 3 & 4. I just arrived home from the second OT loss in a row...
The Edmonton Oilers are set to draft Connor McDavid 1st overall after winning the lottery last Saturday. Now we're wondering who else completes the top 5 ? So many solid prospects to choose from. I'll do a mock draft of the first five picks.rnrn
[b]1. EDM: Connor McDavid,Center.[/b] A no brainer at this point. The Oilers will have amazing depth at center for years to co...
saneopinion writes...
Conner won't Lindros the Oilers, he'll McJesus them
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
So bitter.
Yes, it sucks that Edmonton won the draft lottery, outside of Edmonton they are reviled as a worthless loser of an organization and yet get the main prize of this generation. Or do they?
They get to draft Conner McDavid but that doesn’t guarantee a that McDavid plays a game for the Oilers. On TV the analysts looked downtrodden, the other G.M.’s rolled ...
"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,...
[img]http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/96/files/2015/04/bobby-ryan-nhl-ottawa-senators-carolina-hurricanes-850x560.jpg[/img]
Welp. This morning we saw how Dave Cameron will be lining them up tonight when the Sens will avoid the sweep.
MacArthur-Turris-Stone
Michalek-Zibanejad-Ryan
Condra-Pageau-Lazar
Hoffman-Smith-Neil
Its fair to say Hoffman will ha...
[img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/senators/images/upload/gallery/2015/04/470740806_slide.jpg[/img]
Wow.
I've got to start this off with the most important thing that happened tonight: I called that Hoffman goal. It may not be impressive since he is our leading goal scorer, but hey, if it was so obvious why didn't Cameron move him up from the fourth line earlier? Like maybe ...
Well it's been quite the week in Oil Country. Exactly one week ago, morale was about as low as it's ever been at the end of a season. The Oilers finished 28th overall, and while in previous years fans had been dissapointed, the draft was still a chance to look optimistically at the future. This year, even though this draft has been called one of the deepest drafts of the l...
Reddevil45 writes...
Calgary Flames against Anaheim Ducks:Series Prediction
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
After the Flames qualified for their first postseason since 2009 they won their first playoff round since they made the Stanley Cup Final in 2004. Their opponent this time is the Western Conference champions the Anaheim Ducks a team they have not beaten at the Honda Center in their last 20 straight regular season games (0-15-5) and 2 out of 3 in the 2006 playoffs. Both the...
Regular Season Only!!!!
The Flames played well above what was expected of them this season. There are still people who can’t believe how the Flames made it to the playoffs. The Flames had a 44.43 SAT %(Corsi For %), shots on goal + shot attempts that missed the net + blocked shots, was 28th in the league and a 45.74 USAT %(Fenwick For %), shots on goal + shot attempts...
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...
I’ve been back and forth on whether or not I think getting Babcock is a “Must” for the leafs. One thing is for sure and that is Toronto needs a complete make over in how desirable they are to free agents, coaches, scouts and anyone else in the industry. I think about teams like the Yankees in baseball, players want to go to New York because it comes with an air of re...
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
...
I woke up to a text yesterday morning from a good friend that read, “WHO IS DAVE HAKSTOL?”
Admittedly, I had no idea but a mere second later when I opened Twitter I knew he had just become the 19th head coach in Philadelphia Flyers history.
In an off-season that is just over a month old for the Flyers, rumors swirled and swirled about former Sharks coach Todd M...
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...
The NHL Draft is quickly approaching (June 26th and 27th) as the Conference Final playoff round heats up. Who might your favorite team be selecting in rounds 1-3?
[u]Round 1[/u]
1) Edmonton Oilers – C [b]Connor McDavid[/b], Erie
- The Oilers having been getting pieces and more pieces to the puzzle and now they can finish it off with the biggest of them all. ...
By now we know that the Flyers have a plethora of options when it comes to defensemen. But what about the last line of defense, behind them?
[b]Steve Mason[/b] is the guy, obviously. When your starter finishes with the 3rd best save percentage in the entire league (.928) and 7th in goals against average (2.25) it’s normally revered to as a pretty successful season.
...
The long rumoured signing of arguably the best coach in the NHL today, Mike Babcock, by the Leafs must not change what the plan has been for the team. Shanahan had leafs fans committed to a long rebuild, which includes stripping it down to bare bones.
They said a lot of the right things at the press conference that it will be a long process, that there is pain in store ...
Top 10 Habs Prospects, end of season edition.
[b]Nathan Beaulieu, Greg Pateryn & Jacob De la rose[/b] are expected to start the 2015-16 season in the NHL so they won't be included.
[b]1. Nikita Scherbak[/b]
The best prospects the Montreal Canadiens have. If there's anyone who can become an impact offensive forward in the NHL, it's him. He had another solid season in t...
Most Flames fans are salivating at the possibilities of our ever evolving hockey club. Last year, we made the playoffs and actually won a round! With the emergence of John Gaudreau(anyone notice his FB fan page?) as a top flight winger, Sean Monahan posting career highs in goals and points, Sam Bennett delivering some early post season magic, it begs the question, so far, ...
We are now officially less than one month away from the [b]NHL Draft.[/b]
As of right now, the [b]Flyers[/b] currently hold two first round picks, sitting at [b]#7 and #29/30[/b] depending on whether the Lightning win the Stanley Cup or not. While the front office may be looking to shop one of the two, this installment focuses on seven option the Flyers could take with...
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...
ianmcnamara558 writes...
Leafs Looking for Quality, Volume of Prospects in Pipeline
Posted Sunday | Comments 7
Since the departure of Mats Sundin, the Maple Leafs have lacked a true No. 1 centre. Looking at successful clubs like Chicago, Los Angeles, Anaheim and Tampa Bay might make management envious; they can count on Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar, Ryan Getzlaf and Steven Stamkos to hold down their top position year in and year out. Which is why they could understandably feel co...
Well, here I am hanging out at home and I am feeling bored so I thought "Hey, why not write a quick blog so I can read responses that say either 1. How stupid I am, 2. Good read or maybe some random 3rd option"
So let me start off this with a quick statement, Eichel is not a better prospect than McDavid. Thanks and now on to the blog.
I decided to write a quick blurb...
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...
First of all, i want to introduce myself, that you have a feeling who is going to write :D My name is Tom, 30 years and a native of Bavaria, Germany so please be not so hard on me if there are gramatical mistakes.
There were irritating rumors that the Oil own 5 of the first 63 picks, but our own 3rd round pick was traded and we have the 79th and 86th pick instead from ...
This entire blog will be split into three: Forward, Defense and Goaltending. This blog will be about Edmonton's forwards.
In this blog I will be keeping track of Edmonton's cap salary remaining. Without signing anyone this yet, Edmonton is at 18 million remaining. Last season Edmonton had one of worst centre depth. This season it looks like they may have on of the b...
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...
There is no doubt that this year's playoffs have been a weird one. Eastern Conference favorites were bounced in consecutive rounds by a surprising Tampa Bay Lightning team. The Washington Capitals finally seemed like they were going to make it out of the second round again, only to lose three straight to the Rangers. Stanley Cup Champion goaltender Corey Crawford was ch...
Finally, the playoffs are over. Thank goodness. The drudgery!
Who cares? Make fun of me if you would like. I was bored to tears after the first round of the playoffs and I didn't watch many games thereafter. I've been bored after the first round of the playoffs for a long time. Truth be told, the three most exciting playoff teams I've ever watched were Toronto, Phi...
[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...
You know what this is! Why give some long drawn out explanation with a thesis paragraph and other formulaic writing nonsense? (Not that I'm not guilty of using the odd trope here and there!). Cite me if I'm wrong and laugh in my face... go ahead, do it!
NOTES:
1. Some of the prices I put forth would be ridiculous in any other year, but because of the really strong cro...
KABOOM.
Many have speculated and this week starts the changing of the guard in the NHL. The LA’s, Chicago’s, and Boston have run into a huge obstacle… Namely the salary cap. With so many teams rebuilding, retooling and shifting gears this week promises to be the beginning of the most active off season in over a decade. So what can we expect?
Anaheim – One mu...
Now before people go off half cocked just remember all of these teams had a chance to negotiate contracts with these players for fair market value before the day after the NHL draft or file for arbitration.
As soon as an offersheet is put down as an NHL GM i would look at the other RFA's on the team and find the one I like and put an offer sheet down.
So here is how ...
JoeyNarsa50 writes...
Marner, Strome could be Ontario talent for Babcock and Leafs
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
If Mike Babcock and the Toronto Maple Leafs are serious about bringing talented Ontario born players to the club, the upcoming NHL Draft could be their biggest opportunity.
Friday in Sunrise, Fla., comes Toronto’s next chance to draft the first key piece to the rebuild and some believe they will concentrate on local talent, a notion that the new Leafs’ bench boss ha...
BALUCHA writes...
What If Draft Selections…. Toronto Maple Leafs Edition
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Many websites and groups conduct mock re-drafts for certain years to see how the draft could have been if we knew how these young men (at the time) would have turned out.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are always a hot topic when it comes to draft picks (or their lack of), and with having the 4th overall pick in 2016, let’s revisit some of the most notable draft years and th...
Welcome to the new era of Calgary Flames hockey. Yesterday, a coup took place in the eyes of most of the hockey world. No, we didn't make a deal for the Oilers lottery pick, we didn't even pry the second pick from the Sabres. What we did was achieve the improbable, if not the impossible. We parlayed, what was a middling first round pick, coupled with two second round picks...
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...
Day 2 of the 2015 NHL Draft.
The Good
With the #34th overall pick the Toronto Maple Leafs select Erie Otters defenseman Travis Dermott. This is a solid addition for the boys in blue, The Newmarket Ontario native led the Otters D with 37 assist in the 2014-15 season. Dermott is a highly intelligent mobile defenseman, that creates offensive threats, and is known for hi...
I would like to preface this writing by stating I am by no means the best writer in the world. Having said that, here we go.
June 26, 2015. A day that will certainly be remarked as a memorable day for hockey history. The NHL got to see the selection of future franchise players who will undoubtedly change the face of their respective franchises. I would like to genuinely...
Being a die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs fan, hockey life can't get much worse. After yet another disappointing year, and another embarrassing mid-season collapse, the Leafs are perceived as the laughing stock of the NHL and the Ottawa Senators went on a miraculous run to clinch a post season berth. (23-4-4 dating back to Feb10)
Great… Just what we needed; the final nail ...
[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 ...
There's been a lot of buy-outs leading up to July 1. The Canes buying out Semin, Wings buying out Weiss, Sabres buying out Hodgson and much more.
Could the Leafs take advantage of these buyouts?
Yes, and they should.
They should do what they did with Winnik and Santorelli. Sign players to a short-term deal and flip them for picks and prospects at the deadline to ...
Hey Hockeyworld, Happy free-agency eve! I'm just getting around to this now because it's been weird to process all the big moves Murray made for us this past weekend! Darcy never made huge moves like this so it's really amazing to see what Tim Murray has done for us in such a short period of time. For July 1st I think these are some guys we could go after:
Johnny Oduya
...
The Oil once again went into free agency with a lot of talk. Their goal, the same as it has been for many years; grab a top tier defense man and a starting goalie. I know that we aren't aware of the options that the Oilers actually had. Maybe some players just refused higher money to play elsewhere. I think in a few years this will change but for now lets assume the Oi...
After the draft and a hectic beginning to free agency, teams are starting to settle in and we can get a better idea of what teams will look like going into training camp. The West once again looks ready to be the more impressive conference, with tough competition in both the Pacific and Central divisions. Today I want to focus on the Pacific Division. This year in particul...
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...
ThomasBreen91 writes...
Are the Buffalo Sabres Contenders or Pretenders?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
In a strange twist of events these past five months, the last place Buffalo Sabres have made drastic changes to their lineup. The Sabres went from having no true first-line players to having now two in Kane and O’Reilly, with a third and fourth (Reinhart/Eichel) on the way. Add in swift sniper Matt Moulson and speedy work-horse Tyler Ennis to the list and the Sabres have...
With the Leafs in the beginning of a rebuild and the shipping of their star sniper Phil Kessel, many questions arise about the future of the rest of the Leaf core players especially Tyler Bozak. Bozak would make sense to move since you can get a decent return for him despite the fact the Leafs may have to retain some salary as he makes $4.2 million for the next three years...
We all know that Steven Stamkos is going to get paid, the question is by whom? Let me start this by saying that I really do think that the Lighting will resign Stamkos, the thing is how much is that one player worth to his team. The rumors out there are that a new contract for Stammer will be in the 10-12 million dollars per season range for 8 years. This agreement would ...
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...
Trade:
Pens get Bonino, a 2nd and Clendening
Canucks get Sutter and a 3rd
Wow, immediately looks like a great deal for the Pens. After checking out the salary implications here this trade makes some sense. Sutter was once a top pick (11th) whereas Bonino was a 6th rounder. Sutter just had his 2nd 20-goal season, has never even hit 20-assists or 40-points, and has more...
According to Eklund’s post this morning, the Boston Bruins are making a BIG push for Winnipeg’s [b]Dustin Byfuglien[/b]. This is hardly the first rumor involving Byfuglien and Boston. It is yet another in a steady line of rumors indicating Boston GM [b]Don Sweeney[/b] is still in the market for proven NHL talent on the blueline.
For the Black & Gold, there’s a l...
Luke D
A lot of Leaf fans know that Dion Phaneuf isn't good enough to play for the team for now and the future and here's why. First off he is overpaid. He was given #1 Defenseman money (7 year, $49 million) by former GM Dave Nonis and hasn't lived up to it. Secondly, he is not a leader and he has proved that on numerous occassions. He could not lead the Leafs to a play...
Hard to believe we are already into August. For myself, thinking about how over a month of summer has gone by is an unhappy thought. Luckily, all I need to do to cheer myself up is think about we are that much closer to training camp and then, opening night. One thing I always look forward to in seeing in August is nhl.com’s 30 in 30 preview. It’s a great way to re...
The 2014-2015 season gave Habs fans a lot to think about, after the Regular Season success and a unwanted, but half expected early exit from the Playoffs.rnrnThis article will cover the play of Carey Price and how NHL Fans view the All Star.
The most common question revolves on the success of the Habs laying strictly on the Goaltender. If that is the case, the play of P...
If the Oilers want any hope of making the playoffs this season they need to beat more teams. Shocking, I know. Looking back last season though it’s pretty easy to see where they had the most trouble. Edmonton played each team in the East twice, and of those series they were unable to get points from just two teams, Detroit and Pittsburgh. Let’s compare that to thei...
ljd_oreo writes...
Toronto Maple Leafs Offseason Summary/Season Preview
Posted Tuesday | Comments 28
Luke D
The Maple Leafs had one of their worst seasons in franchise history this year, finishing 27th Overall and missing the Playoffs for two consecutive years. This left Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan no choice but to start over and make some changes to both the management and the players.
It started with the addition of Mike Babcock. With Babcock at the he...
In this article I aim to outline the top goal scorers in the NHL today. Some players may be well established while others may be just coming into their prime hockey years. After looking over the list, I can already tell that many people will be upset by who made the cut and who did not. The top couple players were fairly easy, but the later picks became nearly impossibl...
There has been an argument, who's voice has grown louder as we approach the beginning of the season, and that is if Chiarelli has done better than MacTavish. McDavid hype is still alive and well but drafting the 18 year old wunderkid was a task that a 6 year old could have accomplished.
To properly compare these two men, let's jump back to the end of the 2012-2013 seas...
LazarBeam writes...
How many goals will Hoffman score for the Sens this season?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Visit my website [url]http://lazarbeams.com/?p=62[/url] to vote! Current goal scoring pace, 2015-2016 =
0 goals / 0 games =
0 goals per game =
0 goal pace
With his arbitration case finally over, most of the summer there has been talk of how well Mike Hoffman will perform this coming season. With forwards like Stone and Zibanejad getting longer, more lucrative d...
To see more like this go to my website [url]http://lazarbeams.com/?cat=2/[/url]!
This is one of the first of many players I'll be recommending as potentially very good picks that will often be available in later rounds of fantasy hockey drafts this season. I usually play in leagues that count shots, hits, PIM, PPP and the usual G, A, sometimes +/- and blocks too.
Here'...
First and foremost before I begin . I should introduce myself. No I'm not a writer . Maybe the more I type the more it will become obvious . Iam a union ironworkers so I am usually breaking my back instead of breaking a fingernail typing . Iam however a hockey fan . Like most fans of the game Iam constantly seeking anything to read , watch or listen to that relates to hoc...
rebel_deucer writes...
2015-2016 Early Playoff Predictions & Cup Champ
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
For the fun as the season has had several changes here are my early predictions.
NHL Atlantic Division:
rn1: Tampa Bayrn
2: Montrealrn
3: Detroitrn
4: Floridarn
5: Bostonrn
6: Ottawarn
7: Buffalorn
8: Torontorn
I predict a dog fight between Montreal and Tampa, Tampa will emergeduring the season, with Detroit not far behind as the quality is still there despite ne...
Here we are on a Tuesday night and, yes, summer is practically over. Of course, I couldn't be happier. Training camp is almost here and before you know it, television will be watchable again. Although news is slow, the league is alive as ever with teams rounding out their rosters and players ready to compete for Lord Stanley. Here are a few things that are on my mind cur...
AarifDeen writes...
JT Compher Exclusive: “I’m Excited to join young Avs core"
Posted Friday | Comments 1
Follow me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/DailyNHLGrind
The opportunity to join an organization with a young core provides a lot of excitement for newly acquired Avs prospect JT Compher.
The third player acquired in the Ryan O’Reilly blockbuster deal, Compher believes he will “fit right in” with the Avalanche’s young players.
“It’s great anytime you j...
I'll be the first to tell you that I didn't necessarily go out and buy a Semin jersey when Marc Bergevin gave him a 1 year deal with Le Bleu Blanc et Rouge. Actually, I probably have the worst luck when buying Habs jerseys/T-shirts. After I purchase them, the player of choice for my new gear typically gets traded, sign elsewhere, or bought out (Prust, Komisarek, Laraque). ...
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...
[code]Tampa Bay Lightning backup goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, 21, underwent a successful vascular surgery on Thursday, September 3, General Manager Steve Yzerman announced this morning. The surgery where performed to remove a blood clot from near his left collarbone and was successfully handled at the Tampa General Hospital, but will keep Vasylevskiy sidelined for 2-3 mo...
[img]http://1.cdn.nhle.com/nhl/images/upload/2015/02/EVANDER_KANE_672_BUF_PC.jpg[/img]
Check out more like this in the Fantasy talk section of my website! [url]http://lazarbeams.com/?cat=2[/url]
This is one of the first of many players I'll be recommending as potentially very good picks that will often be available in later rounds of fantasy hockey drafts this season. ...
We are 30 Days away from the beginning of the 2015-2016 NHL Season. Summer is coming to an end, and we are all looking forward to puck drop. We still need to go through the steps of the off season before we get excited. For Habs fans, we welcome the Golf Tournament, Medical Checks, Training Camp and Pre-Season Games. If we could fast forward to October 7th, and skip the ev...
[img]http://i.imgur.com/pWhTFKv.jpg[/img]
Check out my site! [url]www.lazarbeams.com[/url][/url]
I originally watched the first game of the three game rookie tournament with the intentions of writing an article for each game, but couldn't find the time as I had to travel around Ontario a bit this weekend. After a visit to see my family I'm finally back home and can g...
And we're back! Enough talk of hypotheticals, possible point productions, and potential line combinations. We finally have some real hockey to see and discuss, happy times are here again! As we've discussed many times over the last few months, everything feels different about this team and training camp has been no different. The pace has appeared quicker, the coach, more ...
This off-season brought major changes to the Edmonton Oilers. Todd Nelson left, Lowe fired and MacTavish was demoted to Assistant General Manager. While the team is confusing Chiarelli did make improvements to the team by signing Andrej Sekera and hiring Todd McLellan, but yet the defense still has massive holes that need attention and I will be exposing these holes.
Fo...
[b]Before this blog begins there is something I want to point out.
Firstly, I'm trying to figure out HOW I want to write blogs, seriously or jokingly and here I'm trying something new. Enjoy the blog and thank you for reading.[/b]
Standing at 6'8 280lb John Scott is one of the heftiest players in the NHL, and while he may seem useless due to stats I'm here to con...
The Vancovuer Canucks have gone from the leagues best team, to an outdated veteran roster that requires a serious rebuild. The team is still competitive, but is not capable of making a run for the Stanley Cup with their current roster. The core of the team is closing in on their last few NHL seasons.
The Sedin twins have been the best players on the Canucks roster f...
Out of all the players on the roster it HAD to be Jordan Eberle that went down with a shoulder injury. The Hockey Gods DO hate Edmonton, it couldn’t of been Luke Gazdic or Nikita Nikitin or any of the "meh" players in Edmonton, it's the best right wing or hell, maybe the best player on the team. It's already starting to feel like it'll be ten years without the playoffs, ...
Dan a lifelong hockey guy having followed the game in depth since he was a kid growing up just across the river from Philadelphia in the 1970s. He has coached the game from Mites to Varsity levels spending numerous quality hours in the rinks of North America. His experiences with players, coaches, and executives from all levels of this great game have shaped him to becom...
Luke D
When the Leafs traded for Joffrey Lupul, they knew they were getting a great top six forward who could also play on the 1st Line if needed. However, injury problems have prevented him from making a larger impact on the team but he still put up a good amount of points and had a strong work ethic when healthy.
Unfortunately for him, he had injury problems since h...
[b]Update 2[/b]: STL Post Distpatch's Tom Timmermann is reporting that the Blues signed Scottie Upshall today to a two-way deal and that the Blues are interested in a deal with Gomez (ugh). NOTE that this leaves the Blues with 14 forwards INCLUDING Berglund who by all accounts has not been placed on Injured Reserve as of yet but he will be. Infer what you will but this a...
One word to best describe the Calgary Flames 2014/15 season is miraculous. Having finished 27th the previous year and no significant roster changes besides for Johnny Gaudreau and Jonas Hiller, the Flames managed to secure a playoff berth with one game to spare.
One of the main talking points of the season was the Flames inability to have the puck on their sticks more t...
Whether hockey fans like to admit it or not, hockey players are celebrities, and with that status come partying, hitting women and driving into Tim Horton's. Anyhow, it's how the NHL goes about with dealing issues that arise and they do a good job. In contrast the NFL worries more about the Deflate Gate than actual issues that their players commit, such as beating wives or...
The Pittsburgh Penguins have made it very clear that they are committed to dominating via an overpowering offence. They have a very deep core of forwards, many of which are able to play top six minutes. Unfortunately for some of these guys, this depth is going to drastically cut their ice time.
When we look at the top six for the Pens, we instantly notice the big tw...
The Flames were unlikely to repeat the previous season until the acquisitions of Michael Frolik and Dougie Hamilton. Hamilton was acquired during the NHL Entry Draft for a first round pick and a pair of seconds. Hamilton proceeded to sign a six-year, $34.5 million contract at an average annual value of $5.75 million. Frolik was a UFA which the Flames signed to a five-year,...
To make the playoffs again, the Flames will have a have to compete in not only a tough division but also a tough conference. The Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche are all looking to get back into the playoffs after missing out last season. The Flames will have to beat them to have the best chance to make the playoffs. The Vancouver...
[img]http://i.imgur.com/tPBRYcD.jpg[/img]
[url]www.lazarbeams.com[/url]
The new top line of Hoffman-Turris-Stone has been one of the best-looking in the league through the first couple games of the season and has been carrying the Sens offence. Last nights 3-1 loss to Montreal and rookie goalie Mike Condon showed why having one line play so much better than the rest ...
Growing up, I had a bunch of hockey VHS (and eventually DVDs) that I would watch before/after a game or in my free time in order to study in an attempt to try and emulate the players on the screen. I always drew a great amount of inspiration and motivation from those sessions of sitting in front of the TV.
Fast forward a number of years to today and not much has change...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 5: Columbus Blue Jackets v. Toronto Maple Leafs
Posted Friday | Comments 10
In the first game of a back-to-back situation, the winless Blue Jackets will attempt to defend Nationwide Arena in a matchup against a struggling Toronto Maple Leafs squad. This is the first time both teams will meet in the regular season, and the Jackets have changed their lineup ups bit. David Clarkson is expected to debut against the team that traded his massive salary ...
Since the start of the 2015-2016 regular season, there have been talks around the league that Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Todd Richards could be on the hot seat or fired from his position. Richards was hired by Columbus in 2012, and helped lead the Jackets into the playoffs for only the second time in the club's history. He also coached the same team that won their fi...
Talk about ugly. Last night was tough to watch for Columbus Blue Jacket fans everywhere. The final score of the game was 6-3 for the Maple Leafs, which earned the Leafs their first win of the season and for new head coach Mike Babcock.
Leo Komarov scored twice, including an empty-netter. Also, Jake Gardiner, JVR, Nazem Kadri, and Joffery Lupul scored for the Maple Leaf...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 6- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Chicago Blackhawks
Posted Saturday | Comments 32
Quick Notes
1. Its the first time these teams will face each other since the blockbuster trade this summer. It is the first time the Blackhawks will face Brandon Saad in a Blue Jackets uniform, and the first time the Jackets will face Artem Anisimov in a Hawks uniform.
2. Same Lineup, Different Goalie- After last night's loss and since it is two games in two nights, ...
Luke D
Tyler Bozak is certainly one of the Maple Leafs most interesting trade candidates. Since he's been signed as a undrafted free agent back in 2009, he has been productive in his tenure with the Maple Leafs, or so we thought. Despite his numbers, most critics say that playing on the top line with former Maple Leaf Phil Kessel is the only reason for his production. U...
The debut for Brandon Saad at United Center did not end up good for the Blue Jackets. The final score of the game was 4-1, bringing the Blue Jackets to their worst start in franchise history. The Jackets are now the only winless team in the league.
For the winning team, the Chicago Blackhawks scored 4 goals in the final 40 minutes of the game. Patrick Kane, Marian Hoss...
Over the summer, the Blue Jackets stood pat with their young backend. Six games into the regular season and it is still a problem, and bigger one now.
Ryan Murray has not developed as expected due to a number of injuries since being drafted in 2012.
David Savard is still unproven yet he signed a long-term deal.
Kevin Connuaton had one solid month of offensive p...
With rumors swirling in Columbus as result of a possible shakeup, John Tortorella and Guy Boucher have been mentioned as possible replacements for current head coach Todd Richards.
It is just really wrong for there to be so much blame on Richards since there are a couple reasons why his squad may not be off to the greatest start. He has had slow starts to the season wi...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 7- Columbus Blue Jackets v New York Islanders
Posted Tuesday | Comments 13
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...
Todd Richards: 2012-2015
John Tortorella: 2015-
For everyone that wanted something to happen, this happened. Todd Richards was fired and replaced by John Tortorella following a 4-0 shutout last night.
Personally, it's sad to see a really good coach leave a really good team because that is what this team is. Richards led this young squad to multiple 40 win seasons,...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 8- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Minnesotsa Wild
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Tonight is the first game of four in a road trip for the Columbus, and it is also the debut of new head coach John Tortorella. Columbus plays the Minnesota Wild, the same team they traded Jordan Leopold to in a friendly deal that benefited everyone, and the same team that stole Mike Reilly from us. The Wild are pretty much the same team, besides Reilly.
The Jackets are...
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...
The road trip starts the same way the Jackets left Nationwide Arena- losing. The Jackets lost to the Minnesota Wild by a final score of 3-2 in John Tortorella's Blue Jackets debut.
Minnesota Wild only had 23 shots in the entire game, but had more goals than the opposition.For the Wild, Zach Parise, Nino Niederreiter, and (my player to watch) Thomas Vanek scored. Deva...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 9- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Colorado Avalanche
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
The road trip continues in Denver with a catch. Ryan Johansen will be out of the lineup due to an illness, which means other players will be seeing more ice time- primarily the centers of the club.
The Jackets come into this game winless and have different lineups because of Joey's illness. Tonight, Rene Borque is in.
As for the Colorado Avalanche, this is the firs...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Post-Game No. 9- Free At Last (From the Goose Egg)
Posted Monday | Comments 2
A victory at last. Saturday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Colorado Avalanche by a final score of 4-3.
The struggling Avalanche had goals by ex-Jacket Jack Skille (in the first); Jarome Iginla (in the second); and Nathan Mackinnon (in the second), my player to watch. Also, ex-Blue Jackets Nick Holden, Blake Comeau, and Francois Beauchmin each had helper...
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...
Anyone can say that the Oilers have been rebuilding since 2007 but have they? Sure they have added some big name talent in proven players such as Eberle, Hall, RNH and Nail. Plus hopefuls such as Reinhart, Nurse, Draisatl and even Schultz for some prospecting sites. Still this is the first real year of anything resembling an attempt to improve the franchise all around.
...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 10- Columbus Blue Jackets @ New Jersey Devils
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
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, ...
Joey Joining Fray
Apparently, Ryan Johansen is expected to return to the lineup on Friday in the Verizon Center. Johansen was out for both of the Jackets victories this season. Joey was supposedly ill and flew back to Columbus last week with a trainer. It was also reported by Aaron Portzline that Johansen was hospitalized this summer for an irregular heart rate. Hopef...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 11- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Washington Capitals
Posted Friday | Comments 3
The final game of the road trip brings Columbus Blue Jackets to the nation's capital where they play the Washington Capitals in the Verizon Center.
Tonight, like last game, may come down to a battle of goaltenders- Sergei Bobrovsky against Braden Holtby. Holtby broke out last year with Barry Trotz, and played 61 games last year, coming very (very) close to the Vezn...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 12: Columbus Blue Jackets v. Winnipeg Jets
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
Tonight is the home opener for John Tortorella as the Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Winnipeg Jets. There are a couple of questions surrounding the Jackets tonight after last nights lost to Washington. Are they back to they played at the start of the year? Are there going to be any surprise healthy scratches? Is there really tension between Torts and Ryan Johansen? ...
Back-to-back loses hit the Columbus Blue Jackets Friday and Saturday nights. On Friday, the Jackets lose to the Washington Capitals by a final score 2-1. Last night, they lost to the Winnipeg Jets 3-2.
In both games, the Jackets didn't score first, and had to claw back in the game to make it close.
In D.C., summer acquisitions Justin Willams and T.J. Oshie scor...
Back-to-back loses hit the Columbus Blue Jackets Friday and Saturday nights. On Friday, the Jackets lose to the Washington Capitals by a final score 2-1. Last night, they lost to the Winnipeg Jets 3-2.
In both games, the Jackets didn't score first, and had to claw back in the game to make it close.
In D.C., summer acquisitions Justin Willams and T.J. Oshie scor...
With October now behind us, it is time to look back at a very hard month of hockey to watch.
After a very impressive preseason where the Jackets looked like a playoff team, a very slow start in the early stages of the regular season results in the removal of Todd Richards and the hiring of John Tortorella. With the new hiring of Torts, back-to-back wins result in b...
With October now behind us, it is time to look back at a very hard month of hockey to watch.
After a very impressive preseason where the Jackets looked like a playoff team, a very slow start in the early stages of the regular season results in the removal of Todd Richards and the hiring of John Tortorella. With the new hiring of Torts, back-to-back wins result in b...
A couple weeks ago, John Tortorella got approval to put the last names of the Jackets' players on their practice jerseys. Personally, I think this is a great move by the Jackets to listen to Torts on this idea. It is a great way to help the media identify who is on the ice, and help the fans see their favorite players in non-competitive action as practices are open to ...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 13- Columbus Blue Jackets @ San Jose Sharks
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
Let the California trip begin. First for the Columbus Blue Jackets is the San Jose Sharks in the Shark Tank (SAP Center). This is the first meeting between these teams this season, and what better way for each team to get a couple points by playing each other as they have not been hot as of late. The Sharks have only won 2 of their last 7 games where the Jackets have o...
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the San Jose Sharks by a final score of 5-2 in the SAP Center, where the Sharks usually dominate teams.
For San Jose, their captain scored both goals, putting Joe Pavelski at 8 goals this year. Other players that got points include Joe Thornton, Justin Braun, and Joonas Donskoi. My player to watch, Paul Martin, was a p...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 14- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Los Angeles Kings
Posted Thursday | Comments 4
Game No. 14- CBJ @ LAK
The Cali trip continues with the Los Angeles Kings in the Staples Center. The Jackets are fresh off a win against the Sharks on Tuesday night, while the Kings blanked the St. Louis Blues in Missouri.
This is the first time these teams meet this year, and the Kings were filled with offseason changes after missing the playoffs. Robyn Regher reti...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 15- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Anaheim Ducks
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The final game in California brings the Jackets to Orange County to take on the struggling Ducks. The Ducks and Jackets have the same amount of wins this season: three. They also have the same expectations- playoffs. But different expectations into the playoffs. Last season, the Ducks were one game away from the Stanley Cup finals. The Jackets' upgrades in the offseaso...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 15- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Anaheim Ducks
Posted Friday | Comments 4
The final game in California brings the Jackets to Orange County to take on the struggling Ducks. The Ducks and Jackets have the same amount of wins this season: three. They also have the same expectations- playoffs. But different expectations into the playoffs. Last season, the Ducks were one game away from the Stanley Cup finals. The Jackets' upgrades in the offseaso...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 15- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Anaheim Ducks
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The final game in California brings the Jackets to Orange County to take on the struggling Ducks. The Ducks and Jackets have the same amount of wins this season: three. They also have the same expectations- playoffs. But different expectations into the playoffs. Last season, the Ducks were one game away from the Stanley Cup finals. The Jackets' upgrades in the offseaso...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game Recap- Game No. 14 (@LA) and Game No. 15: @ANA
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
On Thursday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Los Angeles Kings by a final score of 3-2. This improves the Jackets record to 4-10-0 on the season.
The game was a very physical game, including two fights and eight total minors. Captain Nick Folingo dropped the gloves with Kyle Clifford. Gregory Campbell fought Andy Andreoff. Also, each team had 26 hits e...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game Recap- Game No. 14 (@LA) and Game No. 15: @ANA
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
On Thursday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Los Angeles Kings by a final score of 3-2. This improves the Jackets record to 4-10-0 on the season.
The game was a very physical game, including two fights and eight total minors. Captain Nick Folingo dropped the gloves with Kyle Clifford. Gregory Campbell fought Andy Andreoff. Also, each team had 26 hits e...
rnrnThis week has been a relatively quiet week in terms of hockey news, but there was one major transaction and a big injury. rnrnAustin MadasikyrnrnEarlier this week, the Jackets placed defenseman Austin Madasiky on unconditional waivers for the purpose of termination of his contract. rnrnMadasiky was a 5th round pick of the Blue Jackets in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He sp...
This week has been a relatively quiet week in terms of hockey news, but there was one major transaction and a big injury.
Austin Madasiky
Earlier this week, the Jackets placed defenseman Austin Madasiky on unconditional waivers for the purpose of termination of his contract.
Madasiky was a 5th round pick of the Blue Jackets in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He spe...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Game No. 16- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Vancouver Canucks
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
Hockey is back in the Buckeye State. Tonight, the Columbus Blue Jackets are hosting the Vancouver Canucks. The Jackets are just coming off a successful California trip, where they went (2-1-0), earning a possible 4 of 6 points. Now, they are poised they get their first home victory of the season. As for the Canucks, they are currently on a three game losing streak, and are...
On Tuesday night, Military Appreciation Night, the Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Vancouver Canucks by a final score of 5-3. This is the first time John Tortorella played his former team, and the veterans of the opposing team avoided Columbus from getting their first home win of the season.
For the Canucks, the top line had four of the team's five goals- Jannik ...
Fedorov Is First
Sergei Fedorov becomes the first player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame that played for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Federov had a legendary career in Detroit, playing offense and defense. He also played for the Might Ducks of Anaheim, Columbus, and Washington, before finishing his career back in Russia. For me, I only saw Fedorov as an older pl...
Is the NHL even watching the same game I am? (I know you guys miss me and my blogs, admit it).
Brian Burke has been a loud advocate of fixing a true problem in the game: scoring chances.
Watch a game... really closely. Teams are so obsessed with possession and collapsing defense these days that most shots are boring ones from the perimeter. Bigger nets and fixing g...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 18- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Arizona Coyotes
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
In the second game of a back-to-back, the Columbus Blue Jackets are back on home ice and are set to battle the Arizona Coyotes.
This is the first time these teams are meeting this season, and the Coyotes made some light changes. They lost Sam Gagner in a trade to the Philadelphia Flyers. They added Nicklas Grossmann and the contract of Chris Pronger from the Philad...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have successfully conquered a back-to-back stint against two different organizations,
Improving their record to 6-12-0.
On Friday night, the Jackets defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins by a final score of 2-1 in regulation. For the Pens, fiesty winger Patric Hornqvist scored their only goal in the final minute of the game. For the Jackets, B...
It has been a while since I have written anything, because we all know what the Maple Leafs season is going to be like and for the West Coast Kings followers, well this season is Stanley Cup Finals or bust.
But here we go again with the Leafs in goal. James Reimer gets his goal back, plays out of his mind for two weeks and all of a sudden we got a win streak going for a...
So... is it draft day yet? As of today the Oilers once again find themselves in the familiar spot of last in the Western Conference. With a record of 6-12-0 it's becoming increasingly difficult to find arguments that this team is improving. With that being said, let's compare the first 12 loses of this season, with the first 12 from last season.
So far this season, of t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 19- Columbus Blue Jackets v. St. Louis BlueS
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
What a battle of opposites tonight in Columbus. The rested Blue Jackets are battling the fatigued St. Louis Blues. The Jackets are on a roll, winning two in a row. The Blues are just coming off a win against the Winnipeg Jets last night.
This is the first time these teams are meeting this season, and the Blues made a couple interesting moves in the summer. They sur...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 19- The Young Streak Continues
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
What a victory for the home team last night. The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the St. Louis Blues by a final score of 3-1. This improved the Jackets record to 7-12-0. The Blues record sticks at 11-8-0.
For the Blues, their only goal scorer was Kevin Shattenkirk. Other players that got points include Magnus Paajarvi and Dmitri Jaskin. My player to watch, Colton Pa...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 19- The Young Streak Continues
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
What a victory for the home team last night. The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the St. Louis Blues by a final score of 3-1. This improved the Jackets record to 7-12-0. The Blues record sticks at 12-6-1.
For the Blues, their only goal scorer was Kevin Shattenkirk. Other players that got points include Magnus Paajarvi and Dmitri Jaskin. My player to watch, Colton Pa...
We're 6-12. Nope this isn't 2014..or 2013..and this isn't a joke that will end in some sort of comedic cymbal bash. This is reality. The Edmonton Oilers have stumbled out of the gate, and despite "visually" (insert throw up here) looking better they still can't seem to obtain results that matter.
With this morbidly depressing thought in mind, I wanted to start a featur...
My twitter feed exploded this afternoon, as super NHL reporter Darren Dreger dropped this bomb on oil country:
@DarrenDreger
Hamonic loves the Isles. This is personal. Wpg, Edmtn, Cgy and Van all preferred. Might expand to other west cities. Tough on Isles....
What does this mean? IS THE SKY FALLING?? DID HE MENTION EDM?!? As mere mortals we can only speculat...
The Columbus Blue Jackets' rumors have decreased as a result of consecutive wins; however, there is still discussion around the league of players' availability.
Let's start with the number one center. According to The Fourth Period, teams around the league called Columbus regarding Ryan Johansen. Simply, almost every talented superstar is somewhat discussed in trad...
Last night, it was reported of the trade request by New York Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic.
It is a surprise call by a young potent defenseman whom could improve from a top-4 to maybe a poor man's top-2 d-man. The apparent list includes Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver.
The Manitoba native's reasoning for the trade is family reasons, so nothing ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 20- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Ottawa Senators
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
CBJ Game No. 20- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Ottawa Senators
Let the back to back begin in Ottawa. Here are the lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
Boone Jenner – Ryan Johansen – Brandon Saad
Matt Calvert – Nick Foligno – Cam Atkinson
Scott Hartnell – William Karlsson – Rene Bourque
Kerby Rychel – Gregory Campbell – Josh Anderson
Jack Johnson �...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 20- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Ottawa Senators
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
CBJ Game No. 20- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Ottawa Senators
Let the back to back begin in Ottawa. Here are the lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
Boone Jenner – Ryan Johansen – Brandon Saad
Matt Calvert – Nick Foligno – Cam Atkinson
Scott Hartnell – William Karlsson – Rene Bourque
Kerby Rychel – Gregory Campbell – Josh Anderson
Jack Johnson �...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 21- Columbus Blue Jackets v Nashville Predators
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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The Jackets are finishing another back-to-back series at home tonight against the Nashville Predators. The Predators are a very offensive team with the coaching system they have in place, and as a result are one of the best teams in the division. As for the Jackets, they are still rebounding from a poor start and are getting better under John Tortorella.
This is t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 21- Columbus Blue Jackets v Nashville Predators
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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The Jackets are finishing another back-to-back series at home tonight against the Nashville Predators. The Predators are a very offensive team with the coaching system they have in place, and as a result are one of the best teams in the division. As for the Jackets, they are still rebounding from a poor start and are getting better under John Tortorella.
This is t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 21- Columbus Blue Jackets v Nashville Predators
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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The Jackets are finishing another back-to-back series at home tonight against the Nashville Predators. The Predators are a very offensive team with the coaching system they have in place, and as a result are one of the best teams in the division. As for the Jackets, they are still rebounding from a poor start and are getting better under John Tortorella.
This is t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 21- Columbus Blue Jackets v Nashville Predators
Posted Friday | Comments 0
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The Jackets are finishing another back-to-back series at home tonight against the Nashville Predators. The Predators are a very offensive team with the coaching system they have in place, and as a result are one of the best teams in the division. As for the Jackets, they are still rebounding from a poor start and are getting better under John Tortorella.
This is t...
On Wednesday, the NHL announced a new realignment of the NHL All-Star Game for the upcoming game in Nashville, Tennessee.
Here is the new format...(via NHL press release)
*The 2016 Honda NHL® All-Star Game will be a three-game tournament played in a 3-on-3 format with a prize pool of $1 million to be paid in its entirety to the tournament’s winning team.
*...
In Kanata, Ontario, Canada, the Columbus Blue Jackets' winning streak ended as a result of a shutout by the Ottawa Senators, blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 3-0. In Thursday's game,Craig Anderson stopped 25 shots, and earned a .100 save percentage (100%). They got goals from Erik Karlsson (2G, 1A), and Kyle Turris (1G, 1A). They also got points fro...
The NHL announced that each team will have a five-day bye week starting in the 2016-2017 regular season as a result of the 3-on-3 All Star Games. Each team's bye week will occur between the start of the new year and prior to the NHL Trade Deadline.
Some of it make sense as the players get some rest that they deserve, plus the inclusion the NHL sponsored World Cup n...
The NHL announced that each team will have a five-day bye week starting in the 2016-2017 regular season as a result of the 3-on-3 All Star Games. Each team's bye week will occur between the start of the new year and prior to the NHL Trade Deadline.
Some of it make sense as the players get some rest that they deserve, plus the inclusion the NHL sponsored World Cup n...
Fedor Tyutin is out with an upper-body injury sustained in the first period against the Nashville Predators. Tyutin's injury is a broken nose.
Cody Goloubef is out for several weeks with a broken jaw. He sustained the injury in the first period after blocking a wrist shot from the stick of Colin Wilson.
The Jackets have recalled defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk fro...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 22- Columbus Blue Jackets v. San Jose Sharks
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The battle of fire is occurring tonight in Columbus as the red hot Blue Jackets battle the red hot and fatigued San José Sharks. The Sharks defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 last night without head coach Peter DeBoer. Columbus last played Thursday, and defeated Nashville 4-0. These two teams played earlier this month, with Columbus coming out on top in California. ...
The home game winning streak ends at three for the Columbus Blue Jackets, as the San Jose Sharks defeat the Jackets 5-3.
The Sharks got goals from Joe Pavelski (2), Brendan Dillon, Patrick Marleau, and Brent Burns. Other players with points include Joel Ward, Justin Braun, Marc- Edouard Vlasic, Joonas Donski, and Chris Tierney. Alex Stalock stopped 28 of 31 shots f...
It's time to fire up the cannon for quarter season thoughts of the Columbus Blue Jackets, as that's where we are right now.
The Jackets are currently 8-14-0 with a grand total of 16 points in 22 regular season games played. Their first eight games were part of a losing streak that ended the coaching career of Todd Richards in Columbus. Not long after his exit, gene...
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...
MintEdition writes...
The Ducks got the flu - the Bourdreu bug has arrived
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
Many are the thoughts on whats going on in the Ducks camp?
- Getzlaf has one goal
- Kesler one goal
- Perry has seven
- Goaltending stable but not decided - still three goalies in the mix
- New arrival Hagelin miss managed early out (now maybe out of the closet)
- Defence good - but is it playoff good - not in my mind
[b]What I would call all this is that the ...
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...
The date is June 25th, 2010, an 11 year old just finished elementary school and he's excited to watch his first ever draft and he doesn't even have to stay up past his bedtime as Edmonton picks first. There has been a lot of buzz from sports media about the draft, especially "Taylor vs Tyler" and out of those two, he knows who he wants the Edmonton Oilers to pick. The play...
In Pittsburgh, there was an incident in the second period between Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Blue Jackets alternate captain Brandon Dubinsky.
During the incident, Dubinsky and Crosby were in front of the Penguins goalie. Dubinsky was playing the man and was trying to create space for himself to score a goal, and Crosby was putting pressure on him.
Dubin...
royalgardens writes...
Bernier on waivers?; Fellow Chicagoan Sparks Gets the Call!
Posted Monday | Comments 3
The Leafs cannot just throw this guy on Waivers. Like one person said earlier, just letting him go could lead to a missed opportunity by not getting something at least for him. He still does have potential to be a solid #1 goaltender in the NHL but definitely not on the Maple Leafs or any other Eastern club. Like I said before, and even before the trade with the Kings took...
What good hockey for Columbus the past couple of days. The Jackets played three games in four nights, and in three different cities, and went 2 for 3 during the stretch. Here is what happened.
On Wednseday, the Jackets were in Newark battling the New Jersey Devils, and won 2-1. The Devils' goal came from Adam Henrique, and the only assist was from Mike Cammalieri. ...
What good hockey for Columbus the past couple of days. The Jackets played three games in four nights, and in three different cities, and went 2 for 3 during the stretch. Here is what happened.
On Wednseday, the Jackets were in Newark battling the New Jersey Devils, and won 2-1. The Devils' goal came from Adam Henrique, and the only assist was from Mike Cammalieri. ...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 26- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Montréal Canadiens
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Bonjour tout la monde! This evening, the Columbus Blue Jackets travel to the Bell Centré to battle the Montréal Canadiens. The Habs currently sit atop of the Atlantic Division; the Jackets are near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The last game these teams played (not against each other), the Habs lost to New Jersey in overtime; for Columbus, it was a regulation...
Bon matin mes amis. Hier soir, les Canadiens de Montréal à gagné encore. Le finale est 2-1. C'était un bon match de hockey pour les Canadiens et les Blue Jackets.
The Jackets stayed with Montréal until the end of the game, but the regulation loss doesn't help Columbus in their climb back up the standings.
The Habs got goals from Paul Byron and Max Pacioret...
Bon matin mes amis. Hier soir, les Canadiens de Montréal à gagné encore. Le finale est 2-1. C'était un bon match de hockey pour les Canadiens et les Blue Jackets.
The Jackets stayed with Montréal until the end of the game, but the regulation loss doesn't help Columbus in their climb back up the standings.
The Habs got goals from Paul Byron and Max Pacioret...
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.
...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 27- Florida Panthers v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Friday | Comments 3
The back-to-back series starts up again for the Blue Jackets. Tonight, the Jackets battle the Florida Panthers. Both teams have loads of young talent and are looking to make the playoffs in the coming years, and both teams have really good young pieces that can help themselves out. The Panthers are riding a five-game winning streak, which was extended last night agains...
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...
It has been a while since news of the Blue Jackets has been said. So here it goes.
Lake Erie Adds
With there being more injuries in Columbus, more players from Lake Erie have been recalled. Last week, Bill Zito signed former Blue Jacketd Manny Malhotra to an AHL tryout offer. Malhotra has previously played with Vancouver, San Jose, Carolina, and Montréal. Welco...
The LA Kings roster needs little tampering--their management, little explanation. The Kings’ roster, and the threat they convey to every other team in the league, has been consistent since Darryl Sutter took the reins in December of 2011. Amidst the Voynov and Richards contracts, Dean Lombardi has authored a master class for the craft of GM'ing.
Anze Kopitar is one ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 29- Los Angeles Kings v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
What a matchup in Columbus tonight. This evening, the Jackets host the Los Angeles Kings at Nationwide Arena. The Kings are in the midst of a four-game winning streak, and are starting a long-term road trip. Columbus has picked up points in two straight games, and are looking to make it three straight. This is the final meeting between these teams this year, until next...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 29- Los Angeles Kings v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 4
What a matchup in Columbus tonight. This evening, the Jackets host the Los Angeles Kings at Nationwide Arena. The Kings are in the midst of a four-game winning streak, and are starting a long-term road trip. Columbus has picked up points in two straight games, and are looking to make it three straight. This is the final meeting between these teams this year, until next...
Oh boy, that was tough to watch. The Los Angeles Kings extended their streak to five games in an 3-2 overtime victory against Columbus.
The Kings got goals by Christian Ehrhoff, Jeff Carter, and Alec Martinez. They also got helpers by Alec Martinez, Milan Lucic, Nick Shore, and Dustin Brown (my player to watch). Jonathan Quick stopped 21 of 33 Jacket shots for a 0....
Oh boy, that was tough to watch. The Los Angeles Kings extended their streak to five games in an 3-2 overtime victory against Columbus.
The Kings got goals by Christian Ehrhoff, Jeff Carter, and Alec Martinez. They also got helpers by Alec Martinez, Milan Lucic, Nick Shore, and Dustin Brown (my player to watch). Jonathan Quick stopped 21 of 33 Jacket shots for a 0....
In the late stages of Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Kings, Sergei Bobrovsky sustained an apparent lower-body injury. According to Torts, he is "day to day". The Jackets recalled Joonas Korpisalo from the Lake Erie Monsters. He apparently ranks 7th in save percentage at 0.913 save percentage. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a game in this week during B...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Multiple Players On Waivers- Claim Them for Nothing
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
This afternoon, the Edmonton Oilers placed defenseman Mark Fayne on waivers on the purpose of assisgnement. If he clears, he would be assigned to the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League. Earlier this season, there was discussion of a potential Fayne-Hartnell swap. Fayne has one assist in 24 games this season. If he were to come to Columbus, he may surpas...
The Lightning are dancing on fire... cool imagery.
Not so cool if they lose a former first overall for, to put it bluntly, sweet **** all.
Take it from a Devils fan... it hurts (thanks, Kovy).
So now the Media are overblowing a story about Stamkos "liking" a tweet about the possibility of him coming to Toronto. Meanwhile Stamkos is probably like, "All I did w...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 30- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Winnipeg Jets
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
Buuurrr ehh? Columbus is in Manitoba tonight to battle the Winnipeg Jets. Both teams are very similar- youth, non-playoff teams, and plenty of injuries. The Jets have very young stars in all positions- winger Nikolaj Ehlers, defenseman Jacob Trouba, and goalie Connor Hellebuyck. For Columbus, they have center Alex Wennberg, defenseman Ryan Murray, and goalie Joonas Kor...
We are 30 games into the 2015-2016 season, sitting on a record of 14-13-03, placing them as 6th in their division and 11th in their conference. In comparison to their record this past season which was 19-08-03 placing them near the top of the league.
What is the reasoning for this? Could the team still be healing from wounds sustained during the trip to the cup final...
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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...
Does Jarmo have the upper hand when he's listening to offers for Johansen because of how strong we are down the middle even without him? Dubi, Wild Bill, Wennie, Soupy (with Jens, Fligs, and Chaput able to step in) = stacked.
On Tuesday, Aaron Portzline answered fans' questions through an online chat. It is amazing he can do what he does. He is an amazing writer. Ho...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 32- Tampa Bay Lightning v Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Monday | Comments 1
When in need, you need a spark. Or in tonight's case, a bolt. Tonight, the Lightning travel to Columbus to play the Blue Jackets. The Jackets last played Saturday and suffered an overtime loss to the Islanders. The Bolts last played Saturday and suffered a regulation loss to the Capitals. Both teams are starting back to back match ups- Columbus plays in Dallas tomorrow...
Monday Dec. 14 The Bolts headed into Columbus to take on the similarly slumping Jackets after a 2-1 regulation loss Saturday night.
The Bolts have had their share of poor luck with injuries and at some point it's expected that the luck has to play in their favor. And on multiple instances that is what they got down around their net.
5 minutes in the luck starts as we...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 33- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Dallas Stars
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Yeee-yahh. In Dallas tonight, the league best Stars battle a fatigued Blue Jackets team, in the second half of back-to-back games for the Blue Jackets. Dallas last played Saturday, suffering their first shutout loss of the season to divisional rival St. Louis, 3-0. Columbus played last night, suffering a 2-1 regulation loss to the Bolts.
This offseason turned out t...
In Dallas, the Blue Jackets were dominated by the Stars, 5-1. A slow start by both teams, Dallas pulled through the tired Blue Jackets. The league's best team gets better, and the league's worst team stays at the bottom.
The Stars got goals from Tyler Seguin (2), Johnny Oduya, Alex Goligoski, and Mattias Janmark. Other players with points include Ales Hemsky, Jamie...
This year has been exactly as described "painful" yet we are seeing the fruits budding from an eventful offseason. The question is with an almost certain top 5 pick and definitely top 10 who do go for. I will go one by one by the top 10 and see if he fits with the leafs mold and a good draft.
Austin Matthews - You can't say no to him he is a shoe in whoever drafts firs...
Luke D
It looks like Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Steven Stamkos is going to test free agency next year. Many teams will be in line to sign him and the Toronto Maple Leafs should be one of those teams for a good number of reasons.
First of all, he is one of the best players in the NHL right now. Ever since his rookie year, he has taken the league by storm with three...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 34- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Arizona Coyotes
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
What a turn of events for Columbus in the past couple of hours. John Tortorella has scratched Ryan Johansen; and Jack Johnson is a question mark for tonight, resulting in an emergency call-up of Justin Falk. And David Savard is injured. With those events said, they are playing an injured Arizona Coyotes team, that has recently lost their starting goaltender, Mike Smit...
What a turn of events in Arizona. On Thursday, Columbus scored goals a plenty against the Coyotes in a 7-5 onslaught. This marks Columbus' second win in December.
Arizona got goals from Tobias Reider (2), Antoine Vermette, Viktor Tikhnov, and Jordan Martinook. Other players with points include Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Shane Doan, Michael Stone, Nicklas Grossmann, and ...
Let the excitement begin now for an event next year. As many now, the NHL is bringing back the World Cup of Hockey next year in Toronto. Today, the league announced training camp sessions and pre-game action prior to the event. Major cities were picked globally to present these activities, including Columbus, Ohio; Washington, DC; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Montréal, Q...
With the World Cup of Hockey in about 9 months, why not look now to see who may make each team. Instead of focusing on the entire league, and being a Columbus. Blue Jackets blogger, lets look at this roster before the entire league gets involved in my predictions.
Team USA.
1. Brandon Dubinsky- His play earlier this year may got the attention of Dean Lombardi. ...
With the World Cup of Hockey in about 9 months, why not look now to see who may make each team. Instead of focusing on the entire league, and being a Columbus. Blue Jackets blogger, lets look at this roster before the entire league gets involved in my predictions.
Team USA.
1. Brandon Dubinsky- His play earlier this year may got the attention of Dean Lombardi. ...
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 1
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 Game No. 36- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Posted Monday | Comments 1
In Pittsburgh, two struggling teams are on the ice tonight. The injury stricken Pens battle the inconsistent Columbus Blue Jackets. The last time these teams played, Dubinsky sustained a suspension by cross-checking Sidney Crosby. Tonight, there is no Crosby, Fleury, and Letang for Pitt; however, the Pens hired Mike Sullivan and acquired Trevor Daley from Chicago for R...
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...
[b]WARNING: SPOILER ALERT![/b]
Kings vs. Leafs and STAR WARS! All in the same night in downtown Toronto...couldn't get any better than that!
However, the night did come with several surprises although I am still not sure which one captured the essence of Saturday night in Toronto. Perhaps is was the Maple Leafs playing a near flawless game against a Stanley Cup champ...
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...
royalgardens writes...
Bernier Struggles Again; Leafs Continue to Play Well
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
Welcome back the real Jonathan Bernier.
Tonight, the Maple Leafs take it to the Coyotes in the desert. All pressure on a youngster in goal Louis Domingue, who ultimately stole the show (and the win) for Arizona.
The Leafs played perhaps even better than they did Saturday evening against Los Angeles, but were in much more control than they were in Denver last night, a...
With the holiday season in full bloom, here are some things that the Columbus Blue Jackets players, coaches, and management might be asking for for this time of year.
1. A time machine. This bad start of the season is the reason why they are in a big hole, at the bottom of the league. If Tortorella was here since the start of the season, the Jackets would be above ...
Lets just say the Flames stay the course and not do anything crazy trade wise and Macdonald or Ortio actually grow into a true NHL number 1 goalie grown in the organization.
After this year I am to hope Monahan signs longish term 5+ maybe 7 even somewhere around $5.25-$4.75 the year after when Johnny is RFA that could be $6? Bennett if he continues to stay and play for ...
Luke D
It is never to early to get excited about the draft, especially if
you are a Leafs fan.
In 2015, the new-look Maple Leafs clearly showed that they are good at drafting because they went for skill and speed instead of size and grit and traded one of their most overpaid players, (Phil Kessel) for future picks and prospects. The 2015 draft was clearly a success...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 37-9: Florida Swing a Disaster/Upset @ NWA
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
Things have not changed yet in Columbus, and it still shows for the Blue Jackets after the Christmas break in Florida.
In Tampa, the Bolts won 5-2. The Lightning got goals from Steven Stamkos (2), Nikita Kucherov, Mike Blunden, and Jason Garrison. Ben Bishop stopped 30 of 32 shots for a 0.938 save percentage (93.8%). Columbus got goals from Rene Borque and Scott Ha...
Luke D
There is always room for improvement for most players no matter who’s coaching. However, this will be the last chance for certain players to improve themselves under coach Babcock. These players have played under former leaf coaches Randy Carlyle and Peter Horachek but haven’t been able to meet expectations under either one. With that being said, here are the...
This is a list of 15 things to remember from the Columbus Blue Jackets through a bizzare year for the franchise.
The Big Bonus: The NHL All-Star Game. This was such an amazing thing for the city. The cannon going off after each goal scored. The festivities in the NWA and around the arena. It just boosts the city and shows that they can be a big hockey city. The W...
On Saturday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the Washington Capitals by a final score of 5-4 overtime shootout.
The Caps got goals from Evgeny Kuznetsov, Marcus Johansson, TJ Oshie, and Jason Chimera. In the shootout, Oshie scored a beauty on Anton Forsberg. Other players with points include Nicklas Backstrom, Matt Niskanen, Tom Wilson, and Karl Alzner. Brayd...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 41- Minnesota Wild v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 3
What a wild one in store tonight for the Blue Jackets as they host the Minnesota Wild at Nationwide Arena. The Wild last played Sunday in Sunrise, and falling victim to the red hot Florida Panthers. The Jackets last played Saturday, upsetting the Meto leading Capitals.
The Wild's leading point scorer is their assist leader and number one center- Mikko Koivu (32 poi...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 41- Wild End, Add to the Losses
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
The Blue Jackets winning streak ends at two at home in a 4-2 defeat to the Minnesota Wild.
The Wild got a hat trick from Zach Parise and an empty-netter from Mikael Granlund. The only other player with points last night was Ryan Suter. Devan Dubynk made 29 saves on 31 shots against for a 0.935 save percentage (93.5%).
The Blue Jackets got goals from Cam Atkinso...
The latest deferment of news and happenings is back to start the new year. Today's will discuss the World Junior Championships, trade rumors, injuries, and more.
WJC
Congrats to Team USA and captain (and Blue Jacket prospect) Zach Werenski and winger Sonny Milano on winning bronze in an 8-3 route on (CBJ prospect) Gabriel Cleasson's Team Sweden.
Here are som...
The latest deferment of news and happenings is back to start the new year. Today's will discuss the World Junior Championships, trade rumors, injuries, and more.
WJC
Congrats to Team USA and captain (and Blue Jacket prospect) Zach Werenski and winger Sonny Milano on winning bronze in an 8-3 route on (CBJ prospect) Gabriel Cleasson's Team Sweden.
Here are som...
The latest deferment of news and happenings is back to start the new year. Today's will discuss the World Junior Championships, trade rumors, injuries, and more.
WJC
Congrats to Team USA and captain (and Blue Jacket prospect) Zach Werenski and winger Sonny Milano on winning bronze in an 8-3 route on (CBJ prospect) Gabriel Cleasson's Team Sweden.
Here are som...
The latest deferment of news and happenings is back to start the new year. Today's will discuss the World Junior Championships, trade rumors, injuries, and more.
WJC
Congrats to Team USA and captain (and Blue Jacket prospect) Zach Werenski and winger Sonny Milano on winning bronze in an 8-3 route on (CBJ prospect) Gabriel Cleasson's Team Sweden.
Here are som...
The latest deferment of news and happenings is back to start the new year. Today's will discuss the World Junior Championships, trade rumors, injuries, and more.
WJC
Congrats to Team USA and captain (and Blue Jacket prospect) Zach Werenski and winger Sonny Milano on winning bronze in an 8-3 route on (CBJ prospect) Gabriel Cleasson's Team Sweden.
Here are som...
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...
2013 was a big draft, with plenty of names, including Nate MacKinnon, Alex Barkov, and Seth Jones around the league; and Alex Wennberg, Kerby Rychel, and Marko Dano in Columbus. This was a great draft with plenty of first rounders making it to the NHL. Now, there are two guys that have not cracked their roster yet, and are looking for new addresses as a result. With bo...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Rumor Chart (Updated Following Day of Trades)
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
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...
Now, while seeing the wheels completely come off in the second period against San Jose (who really cares, I just refer to the Sharks as the team who has lost the battle of California to the Ducks and Kings, the insignificant California club in my opinion) we cannot forget the resurgence of goaltender Jonathan Bernier. Although allowing four goals on 11 shots in this period...
On Friday night, the Carolina Hurricanes spoiled Seth Jones' Blue Jackets debut in a 4-1 loss in Raleigh.
The Hurricanes got goals from Elias Lindholm (2), Chris Terry, and Jordan Staal. Other players with points include Kris Versteeg (2), Jeff Skinner, Riley Nash, Eric Staal, and Jacob Slavin. Cam Ward stopped 35 of 36 Blue Jackets shots for a 0.972 save percentag...
On Friday night, the Carolina Hurricanes spoiled Seth Jones' Blue Jackets debut in a 4-1 loss in Raleigh.
The Hurricanes got goals from Elias Lindholm (2), Chris Terry, and Jordan Staal. Other players with points include Kris Versteeg (2), Jeff Skinner, Riley Nash, Eric Staal, and Jacob Slavin. Cam Ward stopped 35 of 36 Blue Jackets shots for a 0.972 save percentag...
This afternoon, the Columbus Blue Jackets have placed defenseman Kevin Connuaton on waivers for purpose of assignment to the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL). Connuaton, 25, was a third round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He was dealt to the Dallas Stars in exchange for center man Derek Roy. Connuaton was claimed off w...
CBJ Post-Game No. 44/45- Columbus Loses Powerball
With the lottery breaking a record of 1.5 billion dollars (US), the title seems fitting doesn't it? The Blue Jackets went one for two in a battle of back to back match ups in two different cities- Brooklyn and Toronto.
On Tuesday night, the Blue Jackets fell to the Islanders in their alternate black colored jerseys b...
Every team in the NHL has now played 41 games in the 2015-2016 NHL regular season.
Columbus ranks dead last in the NHL with 36 points. They are on pace for at least 70 points by the time the season ends, keeping them close to or at the bottom come April.
The Jackets current leading point scorers (top 3) are Scott Hartnell (31), Brandon Saad (30), and Cam Atkins...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 46- Colorado Avalanche v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
At Nationwide tonight is a battle of East v. West. Both teams are in a fight to avoid the bottom of the league. Columbus is there now. Colorado is on their way. The Avs are loaded with former Blue Jackets on their active roster- Andrew Bodnarchuk, who they claimed off waivers recently; Jack Skille, who signed with them over the summer; Nick Holden, whose been there for...
At Nationwide Arena, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Colorado Avalanche by a final score of 2-1.
Colorado got their lone goal from Chris Wagner, who they picked up from Anahiem off waivers earlier this season. Jarome Iginla and Chris Bigras had the helpers. Matt Duchene, my player to watch for Colorado, was a plus/minus -1 and had six shots on net. Speaking ...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 47- Washington Capitals v Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
The Blue Jackets are staying at home to battle the Washington Capitals. The Jackets are well rested after taking a couple days off, even after a late win to the Avs. They also got their number one goalie back in the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky, after missing near 20 games with a groin injury. The Caps just got Mike Richards into the fray, but lost Brayden Holtby to dehydra...
Last night, the Washington Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 6-3 in the return of Sergei Bobrovsky.
Washington got goals from Andre Burkavosky, Nick Backstrom (2), Alex Ovechkin, Marcus Johanson, and Jason Chimera. Other players with points include Evgney Kuznetsov (4), Matt Niskanen (2), Justin Williams (2), and TJ Oshie. Braden Holtb...
Last night, the Washington Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 6-3 in the return of Sergei Bobrovsky.
Washington got goals from Andre Burkavosky, Nick Backstrom (2), Alex Ovechkin, Marcus Johanson, and Jason Chimera. Other players with points include Evgney Kuznetsov (4), Matt Niskanen (2), Justin Williams (2), and TJ Oshie. Braden Holtb...
This is the first time in my life that the Leafs haven't been of general interest and importance in the city of Toronto. I have suffered through the teams of the 80's, the short lived glory days of Gilmour and friends in the early 90's, the Sundin wingerless era of mediocrity (with the exception of Gary Roberts, the toughest man in the world), the JFJ days, and the post lo...
Drouin's antics have exposed the hockey world yet again with lockout-esque humdrum in the media. Now the US vs. THEM attitude has people once against pinning PLAYERS against OWNERS.
Who is right? Who isn't? Let's take sides!
But just like the lockout, this has absolutely nothing to do with players vs. owners. It has everything to do with player agents vs. general m...
First I must commend Bob Hartley on demanding a strong work ethic and compete level in Calgary. These are not easy intangibles to build but with that being said the young Flames need a true tactician. A coach that can take these brilliant hockey minds like Monahan, Gaudreau, Bennett, and Hamilton and take them to the next level.
[b]Current Issues:[/b]
The Flames sit ...
First I must commend Bob Hartley on demanding a strong work ethic and compete level in Calgary. These are not easy intangibles to build but with that being said the young Flames need a true tactician. A coach that can take these brilliant hockey minds like Monahan, Gaudreau, Bennett, and Hamilton and take them to the next level.
[b]Current Issues:[/b]
The Flames sit ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 48- Calgary Flames @ Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
CBJ Game
Bad on road v. Bad at home. What an interesting battle at home tonight for the Jackets as they welcome the Flames as they looking for a start to an awful first half of the 2015-16 season. As mentioned through the first sentence of my blog, the Flames are not a good team away from the Scotiabank Saddledome. As for the second half of the intro, the Jackets have ...
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...
Last night, at home, the Columbus Blue Jackets were defeated by the Calgary Flames by a final score of 4-2.
The Flames got goals by Sam Bennett (2), Michael Frolik, and Johnny Gaudreau. Other players with points include Dougie Hamilton, Mark Giordano (2), TJ Brodie, Mikael Backlund (2), and Kris Russell. Johnny Hockey was my player to watch, and has his 20th goal t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 49- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Boston Bruins
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
To TD Garden for the Blue Jackets tonight where they take on the Boston Bruins for the first time this year. Last year, there was vengeance as there was the Prout v. Lucic fight. This year thing are different. With the firing of GM Peter Chiarelli (whose now in Edmonton), new GM Don Sweeny moves Milan Lucic (LA), Dougie Hamilton (CGY), and Martin Jones (SJ) out for two...
How unlucky are the Oilers, pretty unlucky. I'm a 17-year-old journalist who started cheering for Edmonton when I was nine; I've never cheered for the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs. Every year, myself and many other dedicated fans have one dream, to watch the Oilers break their playoff drought. Coming into the 2015-16 season, the belief was Edmonton should at least be f...
Over the weekend, the Boston Bruins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 3-2 in a shootout.
Boston got goals from David Pastrnak (my player to watch) and Brad Marhand in regulation. In the shootout, Boston got goals from Ryan Spooner and Torey Krug. Other players with points in 60 minutes include Spooner, David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron, and Loui Eriks...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 50- Montreal Canadiens v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Monday | Comments 1
What a treat for Columbus. The struggling Habs come to Columbus to battle here tonight prior to crossing the border tomorrow. The Jackets are still without head coach John Tortorella after suffering broken ribs during a practice outside at the a Winter Park, colliding with ex-Hab Rene Borque.
The Habs have been struggling lately in every position, and the biggest r...
Oh my goodness. Last night, the Blue Jackets snapped their losing streak to the Montreal Canadiens, by a final score of 5-2.
Montreal got goals from Brendan Gallagher and PK Subban. Other players with points include Andrei Markov and Jeff Petry. Lars Eller, my player to watch, played 15:22 last night with a plus/minus -1 rating and one shot on net. Mike Condon allowed...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 51: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Montreal Canadiens
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
CBJ Game No. 51: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Montreal Canadiens
Bonjour mes amies. Ce soir, les sont voyages à Québec. Hier soir, le est frappe les Canadiens, 5-2.
Tonight, revenge is on the mind of the Habs after losing to Columbus last night. The question is how tired are both teams.
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
Boone Jenner – Brandon Dubins...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 51: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Montreal Canadiens
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
CBJ Game No. 51: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Montreal Canadiens
Bonjour mes amies. Ce soir, les sont voyages à Québec. Hier soir, le est frappe les Canadiens, 5-2.
Tonight, revenge is on the mind of the Habs after losing to Columbus last night. The question is how tired are both teams.
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
Boone Jenner – Brandon Dubins...
CBJ Post-Game No. 51- Looking Up
The Jackets did it last night. They completed a home and home series that now has them inching up the standings. The final score was 5-2. They are now tied with Edmonton and Toronto, but they have played the most games.
Montreal got goals from Alex Galchenyuk (my player to watch) and Devante Smith-Pelly. Other players with points inc...
CBJ Post-Game No. 51- Looking Up
The Jackets did it last night. They completed a home and home series that now has them inching up the standings. The final score was 5-2. They are now tied with Edmonton and Toronto, but they have played the most games.
Montreal got goals from Alex Galchenyuk (my player to watch) and Devante Smith-Pelly. Other players with points inc...
Back in the summer of 2014, the Oilers traded Sam Gagner for Teddy Purcell. It was a move that had fans confused to say the least. While Gagner had his flaws, he, at that time anyway, was a capable scorer and one of two players the Oilers had capable of playing the position in the top 6. Trading him for a guy who not only didn't play centre, but didn't really fix any holes...
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...
CBJ- All Star Game Predictions
With the All Star Game on Sunday and the skills competition on Saturday, I give to you my predictions to what will happen in the events.
1. Matt Duchene will win fastest player award.
2. A Hometown Nashville player will win the Breakway Challenge on the Hometown goalie
3. She's Weber will obliviously win the Hardest Shot
4. T...
CBJ- All Star Game Predictions
With the All Star Game on Sunday and the skills competition on Saturday, I give to you my predictions to what will happen in the events.
1. Matt Duchene will win fastest player award.
2. A Hometown Nashville player will win the Breakway Challenge on the Hometown goalie
3. She's Weber will obliviously win the Hardest Shot
4. T...
1. Scott Hartnell for Colin Wilson will happen on trade deadline day.
2. Columbus will have a second half very much like last season's.
3. Curtis McElhinney will backup Jonas Korpisalo until Sergei Bobrovsky comes back.
4. Jared Boll will be waived and sent to the AHL.
5. Zach Werenski joins Columbus this season.
6. One or both of Dalton Prout and Jus...
What may have been a joke turned into a blessing in disguise John Scott. So this is where I came up with a great way to do the all star game. Keep the 3v3 and each division. Very entertaining.
Keep fan voting with a twist - Player must have played minimum 20 games. This prevents Ahlers and injured players. Otherwise fair game because anyone who plays in the NHL deserves...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- General Thoughts on All Star Game and My Predictions
Posted Monday | Comments 4
What a spectacle in Smashville. This weekend could not have worked out better for the city of Nashville and for the league. Let's look at my predictions again:
1. "Matt Duchene will win fastest player award.
2. A Hometown Nashville player will win the Breakway Challenge on the Hometown goalie
3. She's Weber will obliviously win the Hardest Shot
4. The skills ...
In an era of prequels and sequels, innovation sometimes comes to not be identified when presented to the masses. Yet it is this same backdrop that fosters the innovative spirit: the drive to create a comprehensive model. rnrn3-on-3 hockey is an amazing innovation. Not only does it add a new dimension (in which the benefits seem to outweigh the negatives) but it has dee...
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...
Prior to the NHL All Star Weekend, Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman hit a referee from behind. The ref got up and seemed to be okay after the collision. Prior to the hit, Wideman was hit from behind by Nashville Predators winger Miikka Salomaki. Wideman appeared to be dazed, and immediately went to the bench holding his arm, but claimed he had a concussion.
Her...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 52- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Edmonton Oilers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
Hockey is back tonight, and the big headline is the return of Connor McDavid. Tonight, the Jackets battle him and his squad first in their swing against Western Canada.
Both teams have had forgettable first halves, and what better way to start the second half right against one of the worst teams in the league.
The Oilers have made a lot of changes since the summer....
Last night, hockey retuned to Columbus where they battled Edmonton, and suffered a 5-1 defeat in the return of Connor McDavid.
Edmonton got all their goals in the final 40 minutes, getting tallies from Eric Gryba, his first as an Oiler; McDavid (my player to watch); Benoit Pouliot; Leon Draisatil; and Jordan Eberle. Other players with points were Zach Kassian; ex-Blue ...
With my recent article of number one centers out there, a solution may have just appeared. Last week, rumors were out of center Tomas Hertl being available. The Sharks center was drafted 17th overall by this organization in 2012. Hertl has 26 points this year, and five away from the career high he had last year. He could end up with as much as 50 points this year, and that...
In an era of prequels and sequels, innovation sometimes comes to not be identified when presented to the masses. Yet it is this same backdrop that fosters the innovative spirit: the drive to create a comprehensive model. rnrn3-on-3 hockey is an amazing innovation. Not only does it add a new dimension (in which the benefits seem to outweigh the negatives) but it has deep ho...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 53- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Vancouver Canucks
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
The Western Canada trip started on a sour note for the Blue Jackets, and look to rebound in a series of back-to-back match ups over the course of the next two nights. First for the Jackets, the transitioning Vancouver Canucks.
These two teams faced each other on Novemeber 10. For the Canucks, the top line had four of the team's five goals- Jannik Hansen, Daniel Sedin, ...
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:...
The back-to-back was successful for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they defeated the Calgary Flame in the Scotiabank Saddledome by a final score of 2-1 in regulation. This makes their Western Canada trip a success as they went 2 for 3 against these clubs, falling only to Oilers.
The Flames' lone goal scorer was from Jiri Hudler, who is having a down year similar to Nick ...
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...
On Friday night, after Columbus defeated Calgary in regulation and Carolina defeating Winnipeg in regulation, there was a six way tie for last place in the NHL. Those six teams- Columbus, Toronto, Edmonton, Buffalo, Calgary, and Winnipeg. All six of these teams are looking to improve between now and the end, and the parody leads to ask who is the worst team of these six, o...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 55- New York Islanders v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 3
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 56- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Anaheim Ducks
Posted Thursday | Comments 3
CBJ Game No. 56- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Anaheim Ducks
Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
Boone Jenner - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson
Brandon Saad - Alexander Wennberg - Scott Hartnell
Matt Calvert - William Karlsson - Nick Foligno
Kerby Rychel - Gregory Campbell - Rene Bourque
Ryan Murray - Seth Jones
Jack Johnson - Cody Goloubef
Fedor Tyutin - Dalton Prou...
The Columbus Blue Jackets and defenseman Ryan Murray have agreed to a two year bridge deal, worth about $5.65 million. The news broke last evening courtesy of TheFourthPeriod and TheHockeyNews.
His new contact shows that the team is committed to him, but are not ready to pay him a big salary just yet.
Murray was drafted second overall by the Jackets in the 2012 NHL...
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets managed a comeback victory over the Might Ducks of Anaheim by a final score of 4-3 in a shootout. This win pushes the Jackets further up the standings, putting them at 26th overall, and one point behind 25th (Winnipeg). This win for Columbus got Anaheim a point, which helps them creep closer and closer to second place in the Pacific Di...
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...
You can win OR you can cash in... should be Stamkos' choice. But...
You know, I really hate the precedence set by Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
Let's not kid ourselves. The two of them are vital to the success of the Chicago Blackhawks. (Of course they are; they're the product of tanking). So now the GM can manoeuvre his team around these two guys and they'l...
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...
In early January, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded center Ryan Johansen to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones. Jones is a pending RFA at the end of this season, and will be expecting a major raise after two really good seasons with the Nashville Predators.
After seeing and hearing what he did for the Predators against the Blackhawks without ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 57- Ottawa Senators v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
The home stand continues for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they welcome a different looking Ottawa Senators club. This week, the Senators pulled off a inner-division trade with rival Toronto Maple Leafs where Milan Michalek, Jared Cowen, Colin Grenning, Tobias Lindberg, and a 2017 2nd round pick were moved for captain Dion Phaneuf, Matt Frattin, Casey Bailey, Ryan Rupert, a...
Luke D
The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a major trade on Tuesday, shipping Dion Phaneuf along with career minor leaguers (Casey Bailey, Matt Frattin, Ryan Rupert and Cody Donaghey) to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2017 2nd round pick, B prospect Tobias Lindberg, Jared Cowen, Milan Michalek and Colin Greening. While many (including myself), consider this trade ...
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Ottawa Senators by a final score of 4-2.
Ottawa got both their goals in the final frame. Bobby Ryan netted his 20th goal of the season two minutes into the third period. With less than five minutes left into the game, Cody Ceci got his 6th goal of the year. Mika Zibanejad got assists on both goals; and Erik Karlsson an...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 58- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Boston Bruins
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
The home stand for Columbus continues as the Blue Jackets battle the Boston Bruins. The B's have been red hot as of late. Watching the game on Valentine's Day between them and the Detroit Red Wings (who the Jackets play next week) was a game to watch for sure, with 11 goals scored in the game.
These teams played on January 23, 2016 and Boston won 3-2 in a shootout.
...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 58- More Points, Even In Losses
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Boston Bruins in overtime, 2-1.
Boston got their regulation goal from Patrice Bergeron in the first period. He was a game-time decision for the B's last evening. His goal was his 22nd on the year, and was unassisted. 33 seconds into overtime, Loui Eriksson netted the game-winning goal. It was his 20th of the year. Torey...
Last season, it was around this time of the year where the team took it upon themselves to not tank and perform up to expectations. The same seems to be happening this year, and it is a great learning curve for the young prospects on this team. However, the difference between last year and this year is new players, injuries, and a new coach.
First up is the players. L...
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...
CBJ Game No. 49- Buffalo Sabers v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Friday | Comments 1
The last game of the home stand is tonight for Columbus as they take on a young and struggling Buffalo Sabres club. With the trade deadline being 10 days away, both teams have similar approaches at the deadline as both teams are sellers; however, the difference is how each team will deal the players they wish to rid themselves of.
These two teams last played in early O...
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets were blanked by the Buffalo Sabres by a final score of 4-0.
Buffalo got goals from Jamie McGinn (2), David Legwand, and Sam Reinhart. Other players with points include Jack Eichel (2), Evander Kane, Zemgus Girgensons, and Rasmus Ristalonen. Robin Lehner stopped all 38 shots faced.
The Jackets were just off their game, but they ...
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...
Gretzky age 23-26.
Howe age 22-24, 27, 40
Jagr age 23, 26, 28, 33
Lemieux age 22, 23, 27, 29
Messier age 25, 26, 28
What are these ages? The ages in which these players had their highest point totals. I don't care what the accepted assumption is, forwards peak between 23-26 for points. Stamkos is 26. Not to say he can't have his best season next year, but do...
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 1
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 60- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Boston Bruins
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Blue Jackets are in Beantown tonight to take on Boston, which is also the first game of back to back match ups for the Blue Jackets. The Jackets are well rested, playing lost on Friday in a loss to the youthful Buffalo Sabres. The Bruins last played Saturday and whooped the Dallas Stars in their building.
These two teams played last week, and it resulted in a 3-2 o...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 60- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Boston Bruins
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Blue Jackets are in Beantown tonight to take on Boston, which is also the first game of back to back match ups for the Blue Jackets. The Jackets are well rested, playing lost on Friday in a loss to the youthful Buffalo Sabres. The Bruins last played Saturday and whooped the Dallas Stars in their building.
These two teams played last week, and it resulted in a 3-2 o...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 60- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Boston Bruins
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Blue Jackets are in Beantown tonight to take on Boston, which is also the first game of back to back match ups for the Blue Jackets. The Jackets are well rested, playing lost on Friday in a loss to the youthful Buffalo Sabres. The Bruins last played Saturday and whooped the Dallas Stars in their building.
These two teams played last week, and it resulted in a 3-2 o...
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Boston Bruins by a final score of 6-4.
The Bruins first goal came 15 seconds after the Jackets scored the first goal of the game. 11 minutes and 7 seconds into the game, Loui Eriksson scored his 22nd of the year, with helpers by Torey Krug and David Pastrnak. In the second frame, Matt Belesky scored his 10th of the sea...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ-Making A Case For An Outdoor Game In Central Ohio
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
With the recent announcements of outdoor games in 2017, and the recent outdoor games for 2016, is it time for the Columbus Blue Jackets to throw their hats into the ring?
First, let's go over the games for 2016. The Winter Classic was on New Year's Day between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins. Not to down the city of Boston and the people of Massachusetts, b...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 61- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Detroit Red Wings
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
(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...
As it sits today, the Leafs are in last place and with the greatest chance (20%) of landing the first overall pick for the first time since 1985 (Wendel Clark). Auston Matthews grew up playing in Scottsdale, AZ watching the then Phoenix Coyotes play. Currently the Coyotes are sitting in a position likely to get the 10th overall pick. My question to you is, would the Leafs ...
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...
The Lake Erie Monsters are looking to get stronger as they look towards a post season appearance. Columbus is looking to do that by placing defenseman Justin Falk for the purpose of player assignment.
Falk is on a two-way contract, but since there were injuries to the defensive core of the Jackets, he was called up early in the season. Now, the team is healthy, and is ...
The Lake Erie Monsters are looking to get stronger as they look towards a post season appearance. Columbus is looking to do that by placing defenseman Justin Falk for the purpose of player assignment.
Falk is on a two-way contract, but since there were injuries to the defensive core of the Jackets, he was called up early in the season. Now, the team is healthy, and is ...
In 2014, startling news shook the National Hockey League to the core, and none of it was positive. About two years ago, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, saying he had only $50,000 in necessities. Johnson stated his parents were to blame for spending money on present luxuries and gambling on the defenseman' future earnings.
...
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...
CBJ Game No. 63- Florida Panthers v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
CBJ Game No. 63- Florida Panthers v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Today's NHL Free Game of the Day on the App.
The Jackets stay at home today to take on the Florida Panthers in an afternoon tilt. Florida is on top of the Atlantic Division, and are looking to remain there by pulling a season sweep on the Jackets. The Panthers last played on Thursday against the Arizona Coyo...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 63- Florida Panthers v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
CBJ Game No. 63- Florida Panthers v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Today's NHL Free Game of the Day on the App.
The Jackets stay at home today to take on the Florida Panthers in an afternoon tilt. Florida is on top of the Atlantic Division, and are looking to remain there by pulling a season sweep on the Jackets. The Panthers last played on Thursday against the Arizona Coyo...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 63- Hot Streak Continues via Comeback
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
Columbus gets the win at home in what looks to have been Scott Hartnell's final game as a Blue Jackets. The game seemed to be outshined by big trades during the games, but the Jackets win 4-3 in a shootout, to avoid the season sweep.
Florida struck halfway through the first period on a goal by Alex Barkov. The goal was his 19th goal, and they got helpers by Jaromir Ja...
With so much criticism about his play this year, Thursday night's impressive performance may have eliminated the doubt in Columbus' captain Nick Foligno.
On Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils, the winger scored a hat-trick and added an assist. He has nine goals this season, but also had 23 assists, which is near the top for his team.
That is extremely impr...
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...
CBJ Game No. 64- Columbus Blue Jackets @ New York Rangers
Posted Monday | Comments 1
A quiet day for both Columbus and the Rangers on deadline day; however, the Blue Jackets are first up to challenge Eric Staal in a blue sweater. My blog will be out on that soon though, and the rest of the trades.
To the Garden tonight are the Jackets to take on the Rangers who are without Rick Nash, but are with Eric Staal. The Jackets send Kerby Rychel to the AHL; Re...
Zak MacMillan writes...
My Reactions to Trades- Deadline and Before (Longest Blog Pd
Posted Monday | Comments 1
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 ...
The Columbus Blue Jackets were defeated by the New York Rangers in the Garden by a final score of 2-1, in regulation.
The Rangers scored with 2:19 left in the first period, and it came from Mats Zuccarello. The goal was Zucc's 21st of the season. Dan Boyle got a helper on the goal. With 2:48 remaining in the game, Derek Stepan scored a highlight reel goal on Joonas Kor...
February was a month to remember for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets went 7-3-3 in the month, and it may be their best month of the season, and their best record in one month under John Tortorella.
The Jackets have also seen Boone Jenner sign a two year extension with the team. He will be paid an average of $2.9 million dollars per season.
The Jackets go...
The Jackets have completed about 75% of their games played this season, and they have moved out of the basement. They rank 24th, and are trying to get better and not tank.
Here is who they have left to play in March and April.
March 4- V. Edmonton
March 5- @ Philadelphia
March 8- V. Detroit
March 11- V. Pittsburgh
March 13- V. Tampa Bay
March 17- V. Detroit
M...
On Wednesday night, March 2nd 2016, there was the unveiling of the jerseys and preliminary rosters for all the teams competing in the World Cup of Hockey.
For the Blue Jackets, three players made it onto Team North America, a team that makes up the best players ranging between the ages of 18-23, but not over 24.
Ryan Murray, Seth Jones, and Brandon Saad are the thr...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 65- Edmonton Oilers v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Friday | Comments 1
The home stretch continues for Columbus tonight, where they take on the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers have some new faces on the team since the Jackets last met them, and have seen some other Oilers go. The Oilers traded goalie Andres Nilsson; winger Teddy Purcell; and Defensemen Justin Schultz and Martin Gerant. They have acquired wingers Patrick Maroon and Adam Cracknell; ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 65- Seesaw Battle for Young Guns of NHL
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
What an entertaining night in Columbus, where two of the youngest teams in the league battled back and forth for two points. Last night, in the final matchup of the season between Columbus and Edmonton, the Blue Jackets defeated the Oilers by a final score of 6-3.
Edmonton scored their three goals in the final two frames of the game. Less than five minutes into the sec...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 66- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Philadelphia Flyers
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
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...
With the recent contract extensions to Boone Jenner and Ryan Murray, do fans around the league already know what the Blue Jackets will pay Seth Jones? Or, since he is a proven commodity from another team, could we see a Brandon Saad like deal for the defenseman?
Boone Jenner, 22, set a career high in goals with 22, and only managed a bridge deal that earns him under $3...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 67- Detroit Red Wings v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 13
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...
Earlier this month, the Blue Jackets have witnessed the returns of David Clarkson and Jared Boll. These two provide secondary scoring and grit that this team needs.
To the injured reserve are Jack Johnson and Brandon Saad, two of the club's most important players. Johnson is a two way defenseman that will soon be the "veteran" on this team once they find a taker for Fe...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 68- Columbus Blue Jackets v Pittsburgh Penguins
Posted Friday | Comments 1
Rivalry night has arrived for Columbus fans when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins come to Ohio's state capital in a fight for their playoff lives as the Wings and Flyers are collecting points.
There is drama headed into this game on both sides. Earlier this week, former Blue Jacket and current Penguin Tom Sesito called out Brandon Dubinsky because of ...
Don't let the title deceive you, I am a giant nerd and I love advanced stats but let's be honest here [b]Corsi stats have absolutely nothing to do with puck possession. Nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada.[/b]
Corsi and her related statistics such as relative Corsi should be re-branded as shooting metrics simply because that is exactly what they are. They are not poss...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 68- Mr. Popper's Penguins Even Series
Posted Sunday | Comments 3
The Pittsburgh Penguins' comeback second period helped them defeat the home Columbus Blue Jackets and a healthy Columbus netminder by a final score of 3-2 in regulation.
The Penguins scored their three goals starting from late in the first period until early in the second. At 14:23, Kris Letang scored a power play goal for his career high 13th goal of the season; Evgeni...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 69- Columbus Blue Jackets v Tampa Bay Lightning
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
An early afternoon tilt for the Blue Jackets where they take on the Bolts. The Bolts appear to be a lock for the playoffs, but have lost twice to the Flyers recently. Revenge might be on their minds. The Jackets have made life for Detroit and Pittsburgh difficult, but not the Flyers.
Projected Lineups
Columbus Blue Jackets
Bonne Jenner - Brandon Dubinsky- Cam Atk...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 69- Blanked By Bolts; Tampa Sweeps Cbus
Posted Monday | Comments 1
The home stand of the Blue Jackets continues with another loss, and this time it was to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The final score of the contest was a 4-0 shutout.
Tampa Bay got their goals in the final 40 minutes, and two by the captain. Steve Stamkos' first goal came 5:25 into the second period, and it was his 30th of the season; Nikita Kucherov (player to watch) had ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Punch May Penalize Prout (But How Many Games??)
Posted Monday | Comments 2
The league is looking into an incident between Dalton Prout and Nikita Kucherov in the second period.
Midway through the second period, Ben Bishop (TBL Goalie) went behind his net to grab the puck, and CBJ captain Nick Foligno tripped him from behind leading to a scrum. Andrej Sustr and Nikita Kucherov were the first two to go after Foligno, and Prout came barreling in...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 70- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Detroit Red Wings
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
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...
Do I think the leafs will make the playoffs next year, no. That being said here is what I think the lineup could look like.
Forwards:
Komarov - Kadri - Soshnikov
Nylander - Matthews - Van Riemsdyke
Parenteau - Bozak - Brown
Michalek - Laich - Greening
Defense:
Rielly - Marincin
Zaitsev - Gardiner
Hunwick - Carrick
Extra - Corrado
Goalies:
Bernier
Gustavs...
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 4
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...
phaneuf4norris writes...
Drafting Method-Dave Hunter- Quantity over quality
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
Last years Maple Leaf approach to their upper level picks was to trade down to increase the amount of picks, to attain a higher total draft pick value. Basically, they traded the 24th overall pick for the 29th overall pick and 61st, then traded that 29th overall pick for the 34th and 68th. So, after a year, we can see how these prospects have developed, and get an initia...
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 2
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 ...
If one was to look at McLellan's list of areas his team needs to improve...well it would be a very long list. However, it's probably fairly safe to say that near the top of that list would be the PP.
One of the things that excited many people when it was announced that McLellan would be the Oilers next coach was what he could do for the PP. While in San Jose McLellan's ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 73-Flying High Over Flyers via Comeback
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
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- Boll/Bellemare Incident Being Reviewed By League
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
In last night's contest between Columbus and Philadelphia, winger Jared Boll interfered with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and got a 5 minute major for interference and a game misconduct. The question is whether or not the league will suspend him. Since this is not a face to face meeting, it will be less than five games. Boll was suspended almost a year ago today for an illegal...
We don’t get to hear the greatest broadcasting phrase in hockey enough these days but never fear – these obvious and totally simple to implement solutions will ensure a skyrocket in goals scored in the NHL and we’ll get to hear a lot more:
He shoots he scores!
Il lance il compte!
Стреляет Он забивает гол! - russian
Han skjuter han poäng...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 74- Canes Collect Points @ Cbus; Boll Gone
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
CBJ Post-Game No. 74- Canes Collect Points From Columbus
Last night, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 3-2 in regulation.
Carolina got all three goals in the third period. The Canes got all three goals in a span of less than two minutes. Viktor Rask scored his 17th goal of the season 52 seconds in. At 2:19, Chris Terry sc...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Which Guy is Right for Columbus in 2016 NHL Draft
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
The Blue Jackets will be looking forward to a long offseason, but for the upper management, it will be only the start of their work. Columbus has five draft picks in this year's draft- their first, second, third, sixth, and seventh. Their fourth round pick is in Chicago courtesy of the Brandon Saad blockbuster; their fifth is in St. Louis from the Jordan Leopold trade.
...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 75- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Nashville Predators
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Columbus travels to Nashville where Seth Jones is back to play the team that drafted him. The Jackets are looking to get back on track against a playoff team that will most likely play the winner of the Pacific Division.
Columbus and Nashville last played each other on November 20, 2015, at Nationwide Arena. The final score of the game was 4-0. Columbus got goals from ...
The Nashville Predators and their elite defensive group dominated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 5-1.
The Predators scored early and often, scoring twice in the first two frames and once in the final one. James Neal netted his 30th of the season 3 minutes in; Ryan Johansen (player to watch) and Roman Josi had the assists. At 17:33, Mattias Ekholm scored ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 76- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Washington Capitals
Posted Monday | Comments 1
Columbus travels to the nation's capital to take on the league's best team- the Washington Capitals. One more win will earn the Capitals the President's Trophy for a team that has already clinched top spot in the East.
It has been a while since these two clubs have played, and the Capitals have made several changes to their team. The Caps acquired Mike Weber from the B...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 76- Washington Wins Winningest Trophy
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
In the nation's capital, the Capitals defeated the Blue Jackets by a final score of 4-1 to win the President's Trophy.
The Captials scored most of their goals late, but did pot one early on. At 16:30 into the first period, Justin Williams scored his 22nd of the season; John Carlson had the lone assist. In the third period, they scored 3 goals in 14 minutes. At 3:46, T...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Russians Relocating? What Does This Mean For CBJ + NHL
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
As you could tell by the title of the article, this article is about Russian hockey players and what in the world is going on with them. Hockey is a business and for the apparent stereotype for Russians is to be number one. The question is whether or not these Russians are looking at that at this point in there careers. This article will look at four Russians in particular...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 77- Brooklyn Blasts Through Blue Jackets
Posted Friday | Comments 5
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...
CBJ- Zach Werenski Signs With Columbus
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed their top prospect, defenseman Zach Werenski to a three year entry level deal. Also, the Lake Erie Monsters, the Jackets affiliate team, signed him to an amateur tryout offer.
Werenski was drafted eighth overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. The past two seasons, Werenski...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 78- "Brandon Happy" With Hat Trick
Posted Monday | Comments 2
The Columbus Blue Jackets have defeated the Carolina Hurricanes by a final score of 5-1.
The Hurricanes lone goal was the first one of the game, which came in the first period. Jeff Skinner scored his 28th of the season; Jacon Slavin and Viktor Rask had the assists. Eddie Lack was the starting netminder for the Hurricanes, and he stopped 22 of 27 for a 0.915 save perce...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post Game No. 79- Empire State of Postseason; NYR Clinch
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
The New York Rangers defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 4-2. With this win, the Rangers have earned a playoff spot.
The Rangers scored early and often. In the first frame, Chris Kreider scored his 20th of the season (16:17); Derek Stepan and Henrik Lundqvist got the helpers. At 5:28 of the second, Dan Boyle scored his 9th of the season. Late in the ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 80- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Toronto Maple Leafs
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
The Battle For Last is taking place in the Hockey Capita of the World tonight when the Blue Jackets head north to the Air Canada Center to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Puck drop is at 7'clock tonight.
Both teams have been battling tremendous difficulty for different reasons this season. With the Jackets, an early loosing streak got them down early, followed up with...
The Columbus Blue Jackets come to Canada and earn a comeback win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, winning by a final score of 5-1.
The Leafs' lone goal was the first one of the game. In the early stages of the 2nd period (1:43), Morgan Reilly scored a short handed goal for his 9th of the season; Frederik Gauthier and Brooks Laich had the assists. Garrett Sparks was in bet...
OHL Playoff Predictions Round 2
Series E (East)
1 KINGSTON vs. 4 NIAGARA
Game 1 - Thu Apr 7 7:00 PM Niagara at Kingston
Game 2 - Fri Apr 8 7:00 PM Niagara at Kingston
Game 3 - Sun Apr 10 2:00 PM Kingston at Niagara
Game 4 - Wed Apr 13 7:00 PM Kingston at Niagara
Game 5 - Fri Apr 15 7:00 PM * Niagara at Kingston
Game 6 - Mon Apr 18 7:00 PM * K...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Looking At Frozen Four and Who Will Win- My Predictions
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
Source: NCAA.com
April 7 (Tampa, Florida)
Quinnipiac vs. Boston College (5:00; ESPN2)
North Dakota vs. Denver (8:30; ESPN2)
Championship: April 9 (Tampa, Florida) (8:00 ESPN2)
Predictions
North Dakota will beat Denver in regulation.
Quinnipiac will squeeze out a narrow victory against BC.
In the championship game, North Dakota will lose a close b...
I recently heard a caller on the Jets Post-Game Show on TSN1290 hoping that the Jets will sign some UFA's from other teams this off-season, to try to avert the situation we are in this year by bolstering our young line up with veterans. rnrnSounded to me like he still believes the Jets would have made the playoffs this year with Frolik, Stempniak and Tlusty and been a much...
In a season, once again filled with mediocrity there have been a few feel good stories for fans to rally behind. I would argue the biggest surprise was the emergence of Brandon Davidson as a legitimate defenseman but closely following that would have to be Leon Draisaitl.
When the Oilers drafted Leon in the summer of 2014, fans thought they were finally getting the skil...
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...
So Boston, a team with 42 wins, doesn't make the playoffs while other teams with 41 wins do because they've made the most of the consolation point. Especially disgusting among those three teams is Minnesota, with a meager 38 wins on the season.
Let's just change the point system... no 3 -2 -1, no 2 - 1. Wins are worth 1 point. Shootout losses and OT losses = 0 poin...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 81 & 82- Hope For Next Season After Win
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Work and illness have put me down the past couple of days but it did not slow down the Blue Jackets. The Jackets managed back to back wins, including a domination and a come back.
First, the Jackets defeated the Buffalo Sabres in First Niagara Center by a final score of 4-1.
Buffalo's lone goal came in the early stages of the second period. Sam Reinhart scored his ...
Eastern Conference
1 Brandon Wheat Kings v. 6 Moose Jaw Warriors
3 Red Deer Rebels v. 7 Regina Pats
Western Conference
1 Victoria Royals v. 2 Kelowna Rockets
3 Seattle Thunderbirds v. 5 Everett Silvertips
Predictions
Brandon will beat Moose Jaw in 6.
Regina will have a tough fight considering they have the league's top scorer in the regular season...
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...
To all my readers,
This is a pre blog to my actual blog. As the Jackets are not in the playoffs, it is not as easy as it once was to right blogs on a regular basis as there was action regarding them. My plan for the offseason is to keep you up to date. I will continue making playoff predictions for the NHL and also for other leagues and tournaments, including playoffs i...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Progression- Four to Twenty (My 4/20 Blog)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 3
To continue the last CBJ Progression article I did, this one continues the discussion of goal scoring in Columbus.
During the 2015-2016 season, the Jackets had two 30 goal scorers in Brandon Saad (31) and Boone Jenner (30). Also, they had two guys score over 20 goals, being the first team to have four players get to 20 goals.
Cam Atkinson and Scott Hartnell were th...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL Playoff Thoughts: Politics, Fights, and Comebacks Coming
Posted Friday | Comments 6
The 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs have been intense and physical thus far. There are multiple series that are three games to one, followed up with pushing, shoving, name-calling, and fist-flying. However, this blog will discuss the dominating issues in the game that have been trending over the past several days.
The major issue has come from the Chicago Blackhawks - St...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Blue Jackets' Associate Coach Craig Hartsburg Retires
Posted Friday | Comments 64
The associate coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets has retired to spend time with his family. Hartsburg, 52, has enjoyed three seasons in Columbus, including a postseason appearance. Hartsburg coached three games this year when John Tortorella was out with broken ribs, going 2-0-1.
With his retirement, this means Tortorella can go out and get a guy he likes, unless he p...
Last summer we saw Chiarelli trade Boyd Gordon for Korpikoski; a move which angered some people. Gordon was a great defensive centre, and a right shot to top it off. The Wagon Line of Hendricks, Gordon, Klinkhammer provided Edmonton with a great shutdown trio. Trading the pivot of that line for a 3rd/4th line winger with a bloated contract was... strange.
Or it least it...
The minor league team of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Lake Erie Monsters, advance in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs to the Western Conference semifinals after sweeping the farm team of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Rockford Ice Hogs, 3 games to 0, in the best of five series.
In game one in Rockford, the Monsters beat the Ice Hogs, 5-2. For Rockford, they got goals from Ty...
Match Ups: Round One
Hershey Bears v. Portland Pirates
Toronto Marlies v. Bridgeport Sound Tigers
San Diego Gulls v. Texas Stars
Ontario Reign v. San Jose Barracuda
Lake Erie Monsters v. Rockford Ice Hogs
Millauawke v. Grand Rapids Griffins
Providence Bruins v. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Albany Devils v. Utica Comets
Predictions
Hershey i...
In the NHL, the largest reason team consistently lose games, sign bad contracts and overpay for players, is the massive gap between player’s perceived value and their actual value. This is a major issue in the NHL. In days of the past, there were excuses for making decisions based on the “eye test”. But in reality, the eye test is not only useless, but also actually ...
Tomorrow is Draft Lottery Day! That wonderful day when the fans of 14 teams gather in bars and in front of their televisions and watch as Bill Daley announces that the Oilers have won the draft lottery.
After that, we will go through the next three months of having to hear about articles from Toronto media sources about how the Leafs were entitled to the 1st overall pic...
Njuice writes...
Marner’s a Longshot to Make Leafs in 2016-2017: Here’s Why
Posted Friday | Comments 0
First off let me make one thing clear – Mitchell Marner is amazing! Marner Magic is real folks and he will be a superstar in the NHL. Let us take that to the bank today and profit from the dividends for the next 15 years.
People say “Oh he’s way too fancy he’ll get killed in the NHL.” To those people I say please watch the games. Watch the OHL final and ...
For hopefully the only time in history, the seven Canadian teams are all in the draft lottery. This also happens to be a year in which the NHL tries to make the draft position fair to all teams finishing poorly. This year still gives the last place team (Toronto) a 20% chance of getting first choice but it also allows the top 3 picks to potentially go to any of the botto...
archromat writes...
Why not equal distribution of talent? I'll tell you...
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Suppose they ditched the lottery 1, 2, 3 system (which is even more erratic than the previous system), why wouldn't they just take the fourteen teams that missed the playoffs and lottery the whole list, replacing them all randomly?
"Chaos" says one GM, "Disaster" says another.
Do you know why? Because the first overall pick is worth six times as much as the fourteent...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ: Lottery Winner; Move Up From #5 to #3 In 2016 NHL Draft
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The odds were in the Blue Jackets winner on Saturday night. Because of the new NHL draft lottery, there could be a new order as any eliminated team has a chance to win picks 1, 2, or 3.
With the new lottery and the results of the lottery on Saturday, here is the new order.
1. Toronto
2. Winnipeg
3. Columbus
4. Edmonton
5. Vancouver
6. Calgary
7. Arizona
8. ...
The hockey world breathed a collective sigh of relief Saturday night when it was revealed that Edmonton would not be taking the 1st overall pick once again. I had mentioned in my previous blog that it was good for the game of hockey to spread out talent and I meant it.
Despite my own personal feelings regarding Toronto, the fact remains that they are in desperate need o...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Answering Questions Fans Asked Jackets' Writers
Posted Thursday | Comments 7
Columbus Dispatch/Blue Jackets Aaron Portzline answered readers' questions during an hourlong Here's the transcript:
Note: Transcript is from April 13.
My answers will follow instead of his.
1. Do you think the NHL will adapt the AHL's standings system of winning percentage trumping points? In your view, does this help balance the impact of 3 point games?
I t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Sign Defenseman Markus Nutivaara to Entry Level Contract
Posted Friday | Comments 0
After four years of draft eligibility, the Jackets' 2015 seventh round draft pick, Finnish defenseman Markus Nutivaara has signed a two year entry level deal with the organization. My guess is because of his age, he signed to a lesser term, but it is good to see the Jackets lock up a young defenseman. The funny part is all this is another Finn is buying into Finnish genera...
Welcome to another Q & A session of mine. This time, I answer questions from Rob Mixer from NHL.com and his Mailbag. These questions are posted through Twitter, which explains the hashtags.
What's a bigger need for the CBJ, improving the defense or finding help at center?
Both are very important things to look find at any time of year, and they are two of the h...
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...
Last night the Minnesota Wild announced that they have hired Bruce Boudreau as there new head coach. Boudreau went 409-192-80 (.659) in 9 seasons as the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals. Boudreau contact with Minnesota is 4yrs just under 3 million a year.
...
Just to start quickly I actually want to see Phil Kessel lift the cup and prove that the leafs really did get ripped off AGAIN and even worse probably somehow screw up Austin Matthews, you would think its impossible I do not anyways!
I think to touch on Hartley getting dropped just like this shows little class based on BT as he gave him a big extension after winning t...
There's speculation that Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Sutter is headed to Calgary to coach the Flames.
Of course, he has to be released by the Kings.
However, the prospect of Sutter going to his home province (Alberta) is real.
Despite winning two Stanley Cups during Sutter's tenure with the Kings, the past two season hasn't been happy times for L.A.
The...
Zak MacMillan writes...
NHL Playoff Thoughts: Management Changes; Conference Finals
Posted Wednesday | Comments 4
Welcome to my NHL Playoff Thoughts blog, the second round edition. Thus far, there has been plenty of changes in management, and we have our Conference Final matchups.
As for the management changes, there have been changes of guard in six teams- Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Ottawa, Anaheim, and Calgary.
The Coyotes made a gutsy move in promoting assistant general m...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Progression- The Curious Case of John Tortorella
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Even though this may become my most controversial blog to date, my Blue Jackets progression article today discusses the upside that head coach John Tortorella has for this young club.
Tortorella is a proven winner. He is the winningest American hockey coach with 480 wins. He has won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 with guys including Brad Richards, M...
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...
Western Conference
Lake Erie Monsters v. Ontario Reign
Eastern Conference
Toronto Marlies v. Hershey Bears
Predictions:
The Jackets and Kings have talented minor team squads. Last year, the Manchester Monarchs, the minor team of the Los Angeles Kings, won the Stanley Cup. This year, the Ontario Reign, the minor team of the Los Angeles Kings, are almost right...
Western Conference
Lake Erie Monsters v. Ontario Reign
Eastern Conference
Toronto Marlies v. Hershey Bears
Predictions:
The Jackets and Kings have talented minor team squads. Last year, the Manchester Monarchs, the minor team of the Los Angeles Kings, won the Stanley Cup. This year, the Ontario Reign, the minor team of the Los Angeles Kings, are almost right...
With both Steven Stamkos, Ben Bishop on the sidelines, I wonder how long Tampa is going to be competitive?
There's been rumours about Stamkos returning to the lineup before the third round is over, but he's not back yet.
The scary part is that Pittsburgh has a good chance of winning the cup and Phil Kessel winning the Conn Smyth Trophy. To a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, ...
Trade Idea.rnrnTo Montreal Canadiens To Columbus Blue Jacketsrn4th round pick in 2017 Lars EllerrnrnThe Blue Jackets Need 4th Line Help, and the Canadiens Don't need some of their players because they have too many guys that would normally be in the lineup.
I think the Tampa Bay Lightning will re-sign Steven Stamkos. he's their best player in my opinion, and they can be a great team without him, but can they get past the Penguins in this series?
I don't know.
Hello Blue Jackets fans. It's been a while since I wrote because of work and school and other things, but I am back with a bunch of mini articles for everyone as the Jackets are going through quite a quiet offseason thus far.
CBJ- Boedker As A Blue Jacket?
According to Pelle Eklund of Hockeybuzz, the Blue Jackets have a level of interest in Avalanche winger Mikkel B...
Going to try something a little bit different today. I'm going to talk about two different prospects that are members of different organizations. Both are 22; one is a defender, the other a forward. I'm going to go over their scouting reports, production, and any other relevant information. I want you, the reader to decide if this is a player you would want in the Oilers o...
Welcome to another edition of CBJ Progression, and today's blog will discuss the success of professional scouting. Even though we have seen guys like Artemi Pinarian, Sergei Plotkniov, Viktor Tikhonov, and Evgeny Mevedev appear this year, there are other under the radar guys that the Blue Jackets.
Right of the preseason, Swedish center William Karlsson made the Jackets...
Welcome to another edition of CBJ Progression, and today's blog will discuss the success of professional scouting. Even though we have seen guys like Artemi Pinarian, Sergei Plotkniov, Viktor Tikhonov, and Evgeny Mevedev appear this year, there are other under the radar guys that the Blue Jackets.
Right of the preseason, Swedish center William Karlsson made the Jackets...
Just for the fun I will try to complete a second team Canada roster for the world cup from which whom was not taken.
Forwards
Line 1 Perry - spezza -Hall
Line 2Nash -Carter - ladd
Line 3 sharp - bozak - lucid
Line 4 Neal - Jordan staal - cammalleri
Defence
Subban - campbell
Letting - seabrook
Giordano - hamhuis
Phaneuf
Goalies
Luongo - fleury - Crawford...
The Lake Erie Monsters have swept the Ontario Reign 4-0 in the best of 7 series. The Monsters' top six has really stepped up and has made themselves a force to reckon with against the Eastern Conference Champions.
The Monsters have a new leading point scorer- Lukas Sedlak, who has averaged a point per game in the playoffs (13 points in 13 games). On the defense, Zach We...
The Lake Erie Monsters have swept the Ontario Reign 4-0 in the best of 7 series. The Monsters' top six has really stepped up and has made themselves a force to reckon with against the Eastern Conference Champions.
The Monsters have a new leading point scorer- Lukas Sedlak, who has averaged a point per game in the playoffs (13 points in 13 games). On the defense, Zach We...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Multiple Guys on World Cup Rosters/Several Snubs
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
Some of the best players in the world will be playing in a competitive tournament representing their nations. There are eight teams in the World Cup of Hockey- USA, North America, Europe, Canada, Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Czech Republic. Out of all those teams, there are six Blue Jackets on the World Cup rosters.
Sergei Bobrovsky (Russia)
Brandon Dubinsky (USA)
...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Multiple Guys on World Cup Rosters/Several Snubs
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
Some of the best players in the world will be playing in a competitive tournament representing their nations. There are eight teams in the World Cup of Hockey- USA, North America, Europe, Canada, Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Czech Republic. Out of all those teams, there are six Blue Jackets on the World Cup rosters.
Sergei Bobrovsky (Russia)
Brandon Dubinsky (USA)
...
The farewell tour begins for the St. Louis Blues bench boss. Ken Hitchock is coaching his final season in the NHL next year, with the Blues.
At the age of 64, Hitch has had quite a successful career, including a Stanley Cup. He won a Stanley Cup in 1999 with the Dallas Stars and the controversial Brett Hull goal.
Hitchcock also coached the Philadelphia Flyers when...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Calder Cup Final: Lake Erie Monsters v. Hershey Bears
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Calder Cup Finals start tonight, and the Hershey Bears take on the Lake Erie Monsters. This is a matchup between my two favorite minor league teams. Living in Hershey for about 14 years now, the Bears have won two Calder Cups (back to back), and could win another. Living in Columbus for about two years, and seeing the big team and guys that came up to join them, both t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Calder Cup Final: Lake Erie Monsters v. Hershey Bears
Posted Wednesday | Comments 3
The Calder Cup Finals start tonight, and the Hershey Bears take on the Lake Erie Monsters. This is a matchup between my two favorite minor league teams. Living in Hershey for about 14 years now, the Bears have won two Calder Cups (back to back), and could win another. Living in Columbus for about two years, and seeing the big team and guys that came up to join them, both t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ: Ex-Jacket Defenseman Grant Clitsome Retires
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
The Winnipeg Jets lost one of their bottom pairing defenseman for good. And same with the league. Defenseman Grant Clitsome, a former Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick, has announced his retirement at the young age of 31.
Clitsome was a ninth round draft pick by Columbus in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. In 93 career games with the Blue Jackets, he had 36 points (9-27-36).
...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Detailed History of the 3rd Overall Pick- 2010-2015
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Looking around at summer ideas for blogging, Peter Tessier's idea of reviewing the history of top draft picks is one that got. Besides being a hockey fan, history is something I enjoy almost as much.
Since the Columbus Blue Jackets draft third in the 2016 NHL Draft, I will be looking back in the past to see who was draft in this spot in previous drafts.
Today, it w...
By Aaron Barrett
For the first time in years, the Toronto Maple Leafs are brimming with rosterable young talent. While being interviewed at the recent World Championships, Mike Babcock said: "We have too many young guys for the amount of jobs. Whoever we end up taking (in the NHL Draft) is going to be immersed with a bunch of kids. Not a few kids, a bunch of kids."
...
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. ...
We are less than four weeks away from the 2016 NHL Entry Draft...and the rumours are starting to fly!
There is a refreshing air of mystery around what Tim Murray and the Buffalo Sabres are going to do at this year's draft. The past two seasons saw the team, despite back-to-back last place finishes, drop to the number 2 spot. Last season, the Sabres surprised no one ...
With the Leafs year one game plan working out as perfect as possible, its time to turn to year 2 of the plan. Now will be the tough part. Fans expected the tough season in rebuilding. We got rewarded with the first overall pick and a bunch of extra picks added in from shrewd trades.
Now is the time to continue being patience. The prospect cupboard is growing but still ...
nylander39 writes...
2016 NHL draft from the perspective of a crazy Leafs fan
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
This is blog number 2. I got a few good comments so I decided to write again. Like before I welcome your comments and feedback.
When the leafs won the NHL draft lottery I went crazy, so crazy that I accidentally woke up my roommate. ( Whoops ) But really, what guy in his early 20s is asleep at like 8pm on a Saturday.
This draft has the ability to give the leafs the...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Call For Controversy: What Is Wrong With the NHL
Posted Wednesday | Comments 2
Over the past couple of years, there have troubles around NHL players and law enforcement and court systems. Seymon Varlamov. Slava Voynov. Clayton Stoner. Sean Avery. Ian White. Aaron Ward. Dan LaCouture. Jack Johnson. Linden Vey. Mike Richards. Jarrett Stoll. Alex Galchenyuk. Devante Smith-Pelly. Garett Ross. Patrick Kane. Evander Kane. And the list continues to grow.
...
[i]If you have a golden chance to draft the next "Sedin Twins", you take it.[/i]
Maurice and Henri, Phil and Tony, or more recently; Marc, Jordan and Eric Staal, Jussi and Olli Jokinen, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Mikko and Saku Koivu. What do they have in common? Obviously they are all brothers that were able to have very
successful NHL careers.
Of those mentioned ab...
Zak MacMillan writes...
No. 1 CBJ Draft Target: RW Jesse Puljujarvi (Finland)
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
Jared Crozier, the Ottawa Senators of Hockeybuzz, started the idea of coming up with ideas of looking at who the Senators could target in the upcoming draft. Now, it's my turn to do so with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
It's already a forgone conclusion that Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are the top two draft picks. Columbus at the third pick has options on the table...
We are just over a week until the NHL draft when hopefully things will happen so bloggers have new material to work with again. Until that point here are a few thoughts from around the NHL.
Gordie Howe... man 2016 has not been a kind year. When Muhammad Ali passed I thought it couldn't get any worse. I was very wrong. While I am far too young to share any personal stori...
We are just over a week until the NHL draft when hopefully things will happen so bloggers have new material to work with again. Until that point here are a few thoughts from around the NHL.
Gordie Howe... man 2016 has not been a kind year. When Muhammad Ali passed I thought it couldn't get any worse. I was very wrong. While I am far too young to share any personal stori...
Just announced... the Chicago Blackhawks have traded forwards Bryan Bickell and Tuevo Terevainen to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2nd round pick in the 2016 draft and a 3rd pick in the 2017 draft. The Hawks have freed up a ton of cap space by making this move. What could it mean? Well, it could mean that the Hawks can for sure bring back fan favorite Andrew Shaw. Also, the...
Months ago, I wrote about Yzerman's conundrum in terms of the Drouin situation. I said his choice was to stick to principle or to cave into his demand, expressing doubt that he would stick to his principles.
But he did, and to my surprise, it all paid off.
Yzerman is not out of the water since he has a Stamkos issue to worry about, but now that the Drouin situatio...
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...
The job Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray has done since taking over the reins has, in my opinion, been largely underappreciated. Rebuilds aren’t easy. They often times can take a long time, with many wrong turns…ill-advised attempts to short-cut the process.
But just two years in…Murray’s got the Sabres flying back into contention. The roster is young, fast, a...
The Lake Erie Monsters have done the unexpected. Winning is back in Cleveland. The Monsters defeated the Hershey Bears to win the Calder Cup. And it was not even close.
The hardest series for the Monsters was the second round, where it is usually the first for most teams.
First, they swept the Rockford IceHogs, the minor team for the Chicago Blackhawks.
In the...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
#2 CBJ Draft Target: C Logan Brown (Windsor Spitfires OHL)
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
With plenty of options on the board for Columbus, they have the room to do what they want.
One guy that has been on the ride is center Logan Brown, an underrated guy that could become a number one center.
At 6' 4" and coming out of the Ontario Hockey League, he has a chance to be a successful guy.
However, the Jackets seem to be high on him according to sev...
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 2
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....
Looking at what the majority of writers have done in the offseason, they graded their players on the teams they covered. For one, I am not a fan of this because every player tries their best to perform to an A+ performance, but nobody is perfect. It is hard to judge an individual in a team sport. This game isn't the NBA or the NFL or the MLB, where stars dominate games an...
Justin Falk
Falk has been a tweener this year for Columbus. His huge frame causes fear, but he is not that fast. He can shoot and score from the backend, but doesn't do it often.
Grade: C
Cody Goloubef
He was injured half the season, and was also scratched as he was the team's 7th defenseman.
Grade: C-
Jack Johnson
Johnson is a talented defenseman a...
'Twas the night before Draftmas and through the NHL,
Was a group of GM's that were stuck in cap hell;
The scouts prepared all their draft pick selections,
A steal in round 6? Cue the erections;
The fans were crowded around phones and computers,
Hoping to hear their team has acquired a new shooter;
And Oiler fans everywhere were getting the sense,
That this might b...
Sergei Bobrovsky
Early into the season, we saw that he lost his confidence. He rebounded, but sustained long term groin injury. He needs to rebound and have a veznia caliber year next season.
Grade: C-
Anton Forsberg
It's Anton Forsberg. He is horrendous on the NHL level. The AHL, he is a beast.
Grade: D
Joonas Korpisalo
He carried the team duri...
1. Toronto Maple Leafs- Auston Matthews
2. Winnipeg Jets- Patrik Laine
3. Columbus Blue Jackets- Jesse Puljujarvi
4. Edmonton Oilers- Matthew Tkachuk
5. Vancouver Canucks- Oli Juolevi
6. Calgary Flames- Logan Brown
7. Arizona Coyotes- Alex Nylander
8. Buffalo Sabres- Jacob Chychrun
9. Montréal Canadiens- Pierre-Luc Dubois
10. Colorado Avala...
With Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine going one and two respectively, Columbus had the rest of the deck to draft whoever they wanted. The best player available according to many was Jesse Puljujarvi. Jarmo Kekalainen went with his list, which was a major off the grid move to acquire a center.
On his 18th birthday, a life changing move happened to Pierre-Luc Dubois by b...
dizzleskill writes...
leafs future 16/17 , 17/18 playoffs, stamkos? Dman?
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
so looking through my blue and white goggles ive come up with a few scenarios that the leafs could take from now to the next season and see if maybe this team could be a playoff team/contender in 1-2 or 3 years down the road.
the most glaring need for this leafs team after the trade and signing of freddy anderson (G) is a top defender to go along side morgan rielly if w...
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 Trade Kerby Rychel to TOR for Scott Harrington & Con 5th
Posted Sunday | Comments 0
The rumors have finally ended surrounding Kerby Rychel. The former first round pick was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Scott Harrington and a conditional fifth round draft choice in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
After years of being buried by young and emerging wingers, Rychel is now in a position to become a top six or top line winger with t...
- Seth Jones and Jacob Trouba are both receiving offer sheet interest from Bruins, Oilers, Leafs and Habs.
- The Minnesota Wild are a team that could be very busy this off-season as they want to add a forward.
- The Edmonton Oilers could make a big splash this week. Yakupov and RNH could be on the move in Edmonton.
- Several Teams are interested in David Perro...
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.
...
I just want some D.
Is that really so much to ask for? Apparently so. The Oilers have been in need of a top defenceman since Pronger left town. We have seen different attempts at acquiring this defenceman that we so sorely need. There was Whitney, Souray, Visnovsky, Petry, and Gilbert. What did all these players have in common? None of them were top pairing defencemen, mo...
The draft has come and gone. As usual there was plenty of speculation beforehand. Twitter exploded in the days leading up to the draft that the Oilers were pursuing Subban. Shattenkirk's agent stated he expected his client to be gone by the weekend. Once again there was plenty of hype, and once again the Oilers left the draft without a top defenseman.
Having said that, ...
One thing is for sure. July 1st in hockey season and the Rangers go together like peanut butter and jelly. The Rangers have always had a history of striking and landing the big fish on hockey's Christmas, Free Agency day one. This year is different. There is Steven Stamkos, a 26 year old franchise center on the market and he will have no shortage of teams looking to land ...
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`s been an interesting year for RFA`s. There are a few curious names that did not receive a qualifying offer.
On the Edmonton side it`s not too surprising who is being released. Gazdic, Cracknell, Lundstrum, and Kessy were not part of the future. I am sad to see Jumanji (Gazdic, because he looks exactly like Robin Williams in Jumanji) go. I heard he was a very positi...
Two highly sought after free agents want to sign in Edmonton? Music! Dealing with the cap issues that will follow? Bad music... like country or something. If the Oilers bring in both Lucic and Demers here is what the team looks like without any other changes. In brackets I've included each players cap hit.
Hall (6) - RNH (6) - Eberle (6)
Lucic (6) - McDavid (3.775) - Y...
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...
Reliving the glory of the dynasty oilers with Gretzky is all we oilers fans can do in present time until the oilers are competitive once again. There is a glimmer of a light at the end of the tunnel now with Connor McDavid in oil town and comparisons being made to Gretzky. While those may be lofty comparisons to the great one, it does give us hope. rnrnGretzky was the grea...
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...
July 1 came and went, and the Jackets are mostly the same roster, despite heavy rumors of big acquisitions. There were rumors of Frans Nielsen and David Backes (per Rob Mixer), Eric Staal (per Eklund and Kevin Allen), Sam Gagner (per Hockey Press and Eklund), and Jason Demers and Dan Hamhius (per Michael Grosso).
Nielsen, Backes, and Demers took long term deals with lo...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Ex Blue Jackets Signed And Those On The Open Market
Posted Saturday | Comments 5
D Kevin Connuaton (from Arizona to unrestricted free agency)
G Jeremy Smith (from Boston to Colorado)
D Justin Falk (from Columbus to Buffalo)
LW Jerry D'Amigo (from Buffalo to unrestricted free agency)
D James Wisniewski (from Carolina to unrestricted free agency)
RW Tim Jackman (from Chicago to unrestricted free agency)
G Michael Leighton (from Chicag...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Ex Blue Jackets Signed And Those On The Open Market
Posted Monday | Comments 2
D Kevin Connuaton (from Arizona to unrestricted free agency)
G Jeremy Smith (from Boston to Colorado)
D Justin Falk (from Columbus to Buffalo)
LW Jerry D'Amigo (from Buffalo to unrestricted free agency)
D James Wisniewski (from Carolina to unrestricted free agency)
RW Tim Jackman (from Chicago to unrestricted free agency)
G Michael Leighton (from Chicago ...
Taylor Hall
I’ve had made my peace now with the trade. On our podcast http://soundcloud.com/downtownhockey/episode-12 I finally, after almost a week got it off my chest. I think it’s time now to reflect.
For me Taylor Hall was the first truly talented player I witnessed develop. I am too young to remember the years of Gretzky, Messier, etc. I remember Doug Weigh...
I don't like the Adam Larsson trade. Almost everything I've read or heard talks about how this is a trade the Oilers lost badly and that everyone in New Jersey is laughing at us. While I don't want to sit here and talk about how everything is going to be fine in Oil Country I thought I would try and provide a different spin than many hear have read.
Who is Adam Larsson?...
RealNHLCritic writes...
Judging the controversial offseason moves by the Leafs
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Many Toronto Maple Leaf fans have flocked to the internet to voice their displeasure with the moves that have been made this offseason, which includes many pondering draft decisions as well. With so many fans losing faith in well-seasoned GM Lou Lamoriello, I’ve decided to breakdown the moves and shed light on it from a more well-rounded view which combines analytics as ...
Kris Russell, the probably number 2 UFA (Because Stamkos Re-Signed), [i]Still[/i] hasn't signed. why? probably number 1 (Okposo) has, but why not Russell?
Who Knows?
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...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have made their biggest free agent acquisition in the month of August. While the news broke over the weekend of a deal being finalized, the Jackets have signed center iceman Sam Gagner. His cap hit is $650K. Wow.
Gagner was a former first round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. After management changes, the Oilers flippe...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have made their biggest free agent acquisition in the month of August. While the news broke over the weekend of a deal being finalized, the Jackets have signed center iceman Sam Gagner. His cap hit is $650K. Wow.
Gagner was a former first round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. After management changes, the Oilers flippe...
Trade-able Assets of Value. That is what this blog will be about. Please read on, it'll be worth it.
Okay. August is lame for us hockey fans(not me, I'm reffing AAA and Junior B tryouts). Every A-hole with a typewriter is forced to talk about a college UFA who may or may not become an NHL player that is better than a replaceable 3rd or 4th liner. If said player is ...
Top Current NHL Players (My opinion)
1 Ovechkin
2 McDavid
3 Doughty
4/5 Seguin
4/5 Kopitar
6 Tavares
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 2
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...
So where does hurler sign? he's still unsigned, and so's russell. two former flames who got traded at the deadline. but everyone's talking about Russell, so i will ask, where does hurler sign?
I think maybe Montreal.
mochoson writes...
Mock Expansion Part 1: 4th line, Depth Forwards, & Goalies
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
We still have an entire NHL season to play before next summer’s coming expansion draft. Unfortunately, we also still have quite a few weeks until even the World Cup preliminaries begin, let alone NHL hockey. At this point, you’ve more than likely read at least a handful of mock expansion drafts already. Well, guess what? Here’s another. Yes, I realize NHL rosters are...
The Calgary Flames Signed Sean Monahan To A 6 Year Contract For Way Too Much Money!
Sean Monahan re-signing i think is a great move by the flames. he is a great player, but Gaudreau is still unsigned ... but he'll sign, and what's so exciting about an RFA contract? we knew he would re-sign, so it's nothing. it's not really big news at all. we all knew he would sign, and...
In this week’s Fan’s Fronchroom bit, let’s talk a little about the upcoming season. I’m sure you’re all chomping at the bit to the extent that I am, and for that reason, I think we can all use a healthy little bit of hockey analysis. There are a few notable reasons for Blackhawks fans to feel extremely optimistic regarding the upcoming season, and a thorough look...
You can rank them from 1 to 5 for who is more of a hockey fan. you may not vote for yourself, but you can vote. if you are one of these 5 posters on hockeybuzz.com, you can vote for the other 4 in order. each person can only vote once, and anyone other than me can vote.
The winner's prize is the fact that they are more of a hockey fan than the others, and this is how it...
This is a game for people, so you can rank who is more of a hockey fan. each person starts with 5 points, and the point number will change. each person may only vote once, and the first person to get to 50 points wins.
there will be 13 people that you can vote for, and each person can only vote once. you don't have to be in the 13 to vote, and if you are you can still v...
This is a game for people, so you can rank who is more of a hockey fan. each person starts with 5 points, and the point number will change. each person may only vote once, and the first person to get to 50 points wins.
there will be 13 people that you can vote for, and each person can only vote once. you don't have to be in the 13 to vote, and if you are you can still v...
Game Starts Now:
Each player has 2 positive votes and 2 negative votes per day. To vote you must be in the game and i can also vote and so can Eklund if he wants to. other than me and Eklund, you have to be in the game to vote.
So each person starts with 10 points, and if you vote, you have to vote 2 positive votes and 2 negative votes. You can vote -2 for one person...
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...
As the World Cup of Hockey slowly approaches, the Blue Jackets have been a busy team under the radar.
With the loss of Jared Bednar to the Colorado Avalanche organization, the Jackets named John Madden the head coach of the Cleveland Monsters. Madden is a NHL veteran from the New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild; and spent last season as an assistant coach for the Flor...
Ottawa Senators: - Pierre Dorion
No offence to Bryan Murray but his time was long overdue he did good for what he could but last couple years showed that the Senators needed a fresh face. Enter Dorion and at the moment we cannot say much about Dorion as he hasn't done much other than the coaching hire. I totally disagree with Murray's comments on Cameron as Cameron could...
The Columbus Blue Jackets' best prospects will travel to Traverse City, Michigan to compete in a tournament against other teams' prospects. There are eight teams in the tournament including Columbus- Minnesota; Detroit; Carolina; New York Rangers; St. Louis; Chicago; and Dallas.
The tournament starts on Septetmber 16th and wraps up September 20, and features three of C...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ: Which Ex-Oiler Has A Shot of Making the Jackets
Posted Friday | Comments 4
With training camp coming out soon, the Jackets have signed three players to professional tryout offers, and all three are former Edmonton Oilers.
C Jarrett Stoll
D Marc- Andre Bergeron
RW Mike Brown
Stoll is a veteran center that can also play the wing. He has played with Edmonton; Los Angeles; New York Rangers; and Minnesota in his career. He won two ...
shawzy_111 writes...
How Russia Exploited Team North America's Exuberance
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
In the midst of seeing countless replays of the McDavid-Matthews connection against Team Russia yesterday, I came to the realization that there is something rather essential lacking in mainstream hockey coverage in this day and age.This missing ingredient is actual tactical analysis of how one team breaks down the other or stifles the opposition offence. At best we see a b...
World Cup of Hockey
The semifinals are starting soon for the World Cup, and Group A features Canada against Europe. Group B features Sweden and Russia, which means the only Blue Jacket remaining in the tournament is Sergei Bobrovsky. The players from Team North America and Team USA are expected to be home by the weekend.
Traverse City
The Blue Jackets could n...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ: Who to Watch; Who Could Make It; And Preseason Action!!
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
With training camps officially opening up all across the league, and with the World Cup of Hockey in the semifinals, this creates an interesting scenario in Columbus.
With the USA and North America guys in question of coming straight into camp or taking a couple days off, this gives the youth movement in Columbus more time to impress, besides the Traverse City Tourname...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ: Who to Watch; Who Could Make It; And Preseason Action!!
Posted Saturday | Comments 23
With training camps officially opening up all across the league, and with the World Cup of Hockey in the semifinals, this creates an interesting scenario in Columbus.
With the USA and North America guys in question of coming straight into camp or taking a couple days off, this gives the youth movement in Columbus more time to impress, besides the Traverse City Tourname...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Split-Squad: Columbus Blue Jackets v. St. Louis Blues
Posted Monday | Comments 4
Preseason hockey has arrived to the hockey world. For the Blue Jackets, they play a split squad matchup against the St. Louis Blues.
Since it's the first games, I will let you guys know who the Blues added, lost, and who is on PTOs before getting into the lineups, so you guys know whose there.
The Blues lost veteran players in Steve Ott (DET); Troy Brouwer (CGY); A...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Pre Season No. 3- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Boston Bruins
Posted Monday | Comments 4
Another game tonight for the Jackets as they travel to Beantown to take on the Boston Bruins. Because of the World Cup, the Bruins are without three of their top players in Brad Marchand; Patrice Bergeron; and captain Zdeno Chara.
Speaking of Marchand, he agreed to an eight year contact extension with the Bruins, $49 million total. For scoring over 30 goals last season...
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Boston Bruins by the final score of 3-2 in a shootout victory.
After a scoreless first period, Sonny Milano netted the first goal of the game on the power play in the second period. Because of no video editing, the play could not be reviewed, and the call was cut close as Milano celebrated first prior to the arrival of...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Pre-Season Game #4: Blue Jackets @ Nashville Predators
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Tonight, the Blue Jackets welcome the Nashville Predators in a highly anticipated game for the Jackets. Tonight is the preseason debut for Zach Werenski; Jack Johnson; and Brandon Dubinsky.
The Jackets are 1-2-0, only beating the Bruins, and losing to the Blues twice, so they are looking to get back to 0.500 hockey.
The Predators have changed their bottom six to pr...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Pre-Season Game #4: Blue Jackets @ Nashville Predators
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
Tonight, the Blue Jackets welcome the Nashville Predators in a highly anticipated game for the Jackets. Tonight is the preseason debut for Zach Werenski; Jack Johnson; and Brandon Dubinsky.
The Jackets are 1-2-0, only beating the Bruins, and losing to the Blues twice, so they are looking to get back to 0.500 hockey.
The Predators have changed their bottom six to pr...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Pre-Season Game #4: Blue Jackets @ Nashville Predators
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Tonight, the Blue Jackets welcome the Nashville Predators in a highly anticipated game for the Jackets. Tonight is the preseason debut for Zach Werenski; Jack Johnson; and Brandon Dubinsky.
The Jackets are 1-2-0, only beating the Bruins, and losing to the Blues twice, so they are looking to get back to 0.500 hockey.
The Predators have changed their bottom six to pr...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- The Roster Cuts: Who Got Cut, and Where They Go
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
In the span of 24 hours, there have been plenty of cuts.
On Wednesday September 28, the Jackets cut the seven players, and announced the injuries to two of the team's top prospects-
1. Vitaily Abramov --> QMJHL
2. Sam Ruopp --> WHL
3. Kole Sherwood --> OHL
4. Calvin Thurkauf --> WHL
5. Francis Beauvillier --> UFA
6. Jeremy Brouder --> UFA
7. Stephen Gibson -->...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Preseason Game No. 4: Overtime Overpowers
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets have come back to defeat the Nashville Predators by a final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The Predators got both their goals last night from defensemen, continuing to prove that's their strongest suit. In the midst of the second period, defenseman Anthony Bitetto got a power play marker with assist from Matt Carle and Pontus Aberg. In the early s...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Preseason Game No. 4: Overtime Overpowers
Posted Friday | Comments 2
The Columbus Blue Jackets have come back to defeat the Nashville Predators by a final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The Predators got both their goals last night from defensemen, continuing to prove that's their strongest suit. In the midst of the second period, defenseman Anthony Bitetto got a power play marker with assist from Matt Carle and Pontus Aberg. In the early s...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ P5: Columbus Blue Jackets v. Pittsburgh Penguins
Posted Monday | Comments 0
A thrilling Metropolitan Division matchup is coming to Columbus tonight where the Blue Jackets take on the defending Stanley Cup Champions- the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins' offseason was short and busy, but not with much activity. The Penguins lost defenseman Ben Lovejoy (NJ) and goalie Jeff Zatkoff (LA) to free agency; and traded winger Beau Bennett to the Devil...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ P5: Columbus Blue Jackets v. Pittsburgh Penguins
Posted Monday | Comments 4
A thrilling Metropolitan Division matchup is coming to Columbus tonight where the Blue Jackets take on the defending Stanley Cup Champions- the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins' offseason was short and busy, but not with much activity. The Penguins lost defenseman Ben Lovejoy (NJ) and goalie Jeff Zatkoff (LA) to free agency; and traded winger Beau Bennett to the Devil...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ P6: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Nashville Predators
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Jackets travel south to Tennessee to take on the Predators in the Bridgestone Arena.
Here are the projected rosters:
Nashville Predators
Colton Sissons
Mike Fisher
Craig Smith
James Neal
Calle Jarnkrok
Mikka Salomaki
Fredrick Gaudreau
Viktor Arvidsson
Vlaidslav Kamenev
Austin Watson
Kevin Fiala
Ryan Johansen
Anthony Bitetto
Yannick Weber...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ P6: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Nashville Predators
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Jackets travel south to Tennessee to take on the Predators in the Bridgestone Arena.
Here are the projected rosters:
Nashville Predators
Colton Sissons
Mike Fisher
Craig Smith
James Neal
Calle Jarnkrok
Mikka Salomaki
Fredrick Gaudreau
Viktor Arvidsson
Vlaidslav Kamenev
Austin Watson
Kevin Fiala
Ryan Johansen
Anthony Bitetto
Yannick Weber...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ P6: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Nashville Predators
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
The Jackets travel south to Tennessee to take on the Predators in the Bridgestone Arena.
Here are the projected rosters:
Nashville Predators
Colton Sissons
Mike Fisher
Craig Smith
James Neal
Calle Jarnkrok
Mikka Salomaki
Fredrick Gaudreau
Viktor Arvidsson
Vlaidslav Kamenev
Austin Watson
Kevin Fiala
Ryan Johansen
Anthony Bitetto
Yannick Weber...
In the span of 24 hours, there have been plenty of cuts.
On Wednesday September 28, the Jackets cut the seven players, and announced the injuries to two of the team's top prospects-
1. Vitaily Abramov --> QMJHL
2. Sam Ruopp --> WHL
3. Kole Sherwood --> OHL
4. Calvin Thurkauf --> WHL
5. Francis Beauvillier --> UFA
6. Jeremy Brouder --> UFA
7. Stephen Gibson -...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Postgame No. 6: Overtime Continues Successful Preseason
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Nashville Predators by a final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The Predators had goals both goals in the second half of the game. Their first goal came from newcomer P.K. Subban; the shorthanded tally was assisted by winger Kevin Fiala. The third period goal came from winger Victor Arvidsson; this goal was assisted by defens...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Postgame No. 6: Overtime Continues Successful Preseason
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Nashville Predators by a final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The Predators had goals both goals in the second half of the game. Their first goal came from newcomer P.K. Subban; the shorthanded tally was assisted by winger Kevin Fiala. The third period goal came from winger Victor Arvidsson; this goal was assisted by defens...
In the span of 24 hours, there have been plenty of cuts.
On Wednesday September 28, the Jackets cut the seven players, and announced the injuries to two of the team's top prospects-
1. Vitaily Abramov --> QMJHL
2. Sam Ruopp --> WHL
3. Kole Sherwood --> OHL
4. Calvin Thurkauf --> WHL
5. Francis Beauvillier --> UFA
6. Jeremy Brouder --> UFA
7. Stephen Gibson -->...
It's another preseason matchup between what I feel are potential rivals. But the matchup is in Nationwide Arena tonight as there teams are figuring out their final rosters. Here are the lineups/rosters for tonight.
Boston Bruins
Jake DeBrusk—Riley Nash—Seth Griffith
Matt Belesky —Auston Czarnik—Danton Heinen
Sean Kuraly—Dominic Moore—Jimmy Hayes
Tim...
It's another preseason matchup between what I feel are potential rivals. But the matchup is in Nationwide Arena tonight as there teams are figuring out their final rosters. Here are the lineups/rosters for tonight.
Boston Bruins
Jake DeBrusk—Riley Nash—Seth Griffith
Matt Belesky —Auston Czarnik—Danton Heinen
Sean Kuraly—Dominic Moore—Jimmy Hayes
Tim...
It's another preseason matchup between what I feel are potential rivals. But the matchup is in Nationwide Arena tonight as there teams are figuring out their final rosters. Here are the lineups/rosters for tonight.
Boston Bruins
Jake DeBrusk—Riley Nash—Seth Griffith
Matt Belesky —Auston Czarnik—Danton Heinen
Sean Kuraly—Dominic Moore—Jimmy Hayes
Tim S...
It's another preseason matchup between what I feel are potential rivals. But the matchup is in Nationwide Arena tonight as there teams are figuring out their final rosters. Here are the lineups/rosters for tonight.
Boston Bruins
Jake DeBrusk—Riley Nash—Seth Griffith
Matt Belesky —Auston Czarnik—Danton Heinen
Sean Kuraly—Dominic Moore—Jimmy Hayes
Tim S...
For many Oiler fans this was the year we had been looking forward to. There are many things that provided optimism. The second year of a management team is enough to give hope. Players often siting the different coaching styles as a hurdle. The Oilers young prospects showed signs of improving and this year, if healthy, there is no reason to not expect vast improvement ...
On Thursday, The Columbus Blue Jackets were defeated by the Boston Bruins by the final score of 2-1 in regulation.
The Bruins got a first period goal from winger Matt Belesky. The goal was assisted by defensemen Colin Miller and Christian Ehrhoff. The third period goal came winger Seth Griffith; defenseman Ryan O'Gara and winger Jake DeBrusk had the assists.
The on...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ P8: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
The preseason finale for the Columbus Blue Jackets is an afternoon matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the PPG Paints Arena.
Fresh off their appearance at the White House, the Penguins will see Sidney Crosby and Carl Haglein have their preseason debuts.
Both teams are using what they project to be their regular season lineups in this finale to get their best...
Over the past couple days, the NHL has two new captains. In Edmonton, the Oilers named Connor McDavid the captain, being the youngest player in NHL history. The Oilers also named newly acquired Milan Lucic; center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins; and winger Jordan Eberle the alternative captains. The Florida Panthers named Derek MacKenzie the captain, with defenseman Aaron Ekblad and ...
Over the weekend, the Edmonton Oilers have traded former a number one overall pick in exchange for a minor league prospect and a conditional draft pick, continue the question of what is going on in Edmonton.
Sticking with what recently happened, Russian winger Nail Yaukpov has been dealt to the St. Louis in exchange for center Zach Poricho and a conditional 2017 3rd ro...
According to the Hockey Press, the Boston Bruins could be interested in acquiring defenseman David Savard. Savard was a former late round draft pick of the Blue Jackets in 2009. Going back to junior, he won the WHL Defenseman of the year. Savard came up in the Blue Jackets organization by going through the old AHL farm club with the Springfield Falcons, so he has a bit of ...
Last night at 5pm, the 30 teams around the league announced their opening night rosters after weeks of training camps, preseason matchups, and competitive World Cup of Hockey.
The Blue Jackets have some guys that I did not expect to make the opening night rosters, including Lukas Sedlak; Markus Nutivaara; and Scott Harrington; however, they sent Gregory Campbell to t...
Last night at 5pm, the 30 teams around the league announced their opening night rosters after weeks of training camps, preseason matchups, and competitive World Cup of Hockey.
The Blue Jackets have some guys that I did not expect to make the opening night rosters, including Lukas Sedlak; Markus Nutivaara; and Scott Harrington; however, they sent Gregory Campbell to t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 1: Columbus Blue Jackets v. Boston Bruins
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
The regular season is here. For the Blue Jackets, their first game is tonight and they battle the Boston Bruins, a familiar foe as they have been playing each other in the preseason.
With both rosters finalized, the Bruins have some injuries to some key players in contrast to Columbus. The Bruins will be without center Patrice Bergeron; and defensemen Adam McQuaid and ...
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 1
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...
CBJ Post-Game No. 1: Underrated Rivalry; Comeback Loss
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets suffered a loss in their home opener to the Boston Bruins, being doubled up by the final score of 6-3.
The Bruins' top line was superior as they had all six goals for their squad.
David Pasternak opened the scoring for his team in the second period, with Brad Marchand getting the lone assist; and scoring on the empty netter in the final mi...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 1: Underrated Rivalry; Comeback Loss
Posted Friday | Comments 1
The Columbus Blue Jackets suffered a loss in their home opener to the Boston Bruins, being doubled up by the final score of 6-3.
The Bruins' top line was superior as they had all six goals for their squad.
David Pasternak opened the scoring for his team in the second period, with Brad Marchand getting the lone assist; and scoring on the empty netter in the final mi...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 2: Columbus Blue Jackets v. San Jose Sharks
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
The second game of the season is at home for the Blue Jackets tonight where they take on the defending Western Conference Champions- the San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks were really impressive last season make it so far to the Stanley Cup Finals, being two games short of their first ever Stanley Cup. Over the course of the offseason, the Sharks made a few changes, adding to...
The San Jose Sharks downed the Columbus Blue Jackets by the final score of 3-2 in regulation.
The Sharks got two goals in the first period to make Columbus come back and battle later on in the game. Mikkel Boedker got his first goal as a Shark; Logan Couture and Brenden Dillon had the assists. Later on in the period, Joel Ward netted his first of the season. Brent Bu...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Notes from Around the League and the World
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
One week into the regular season, and the league has enjoyed excitement from all 30 teams. Since I mainly cover the Blue Jackets, this team will discuss one of those 30 teams.
Cleveland Monsters
The Lake Erie Monsters won their first two games of the season against the Rockford Ice Hogs, the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Monsters saw production from for...
In a recently written article by "Down Goes Brown" on The Hockey News, Sean McInode writes who are five general managers besides Chuck Fletcher of the Minnesota Wild to be on the hot seat.
The very first one he mentions is Jarmo Kekalainen, stating: (via THN)
"On the one hand, you could argue that Kekalainen hasn't been given enough time in Columbus....
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 3- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Chicago Blackhawks
Posted Friday | Comments 0
After five days away from game competition, the Blue Jackets return to the United Center to take on the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks last year were an experienced team that picked up players at the deadline, and because of the cap, had to change up their roster. The Hawks let Andrew Ladd (NYI); Dale Weise (PHI); Matt Fraser (EU); and Drew MacIntyre (EU). They als...
Edmonton Oilers - Tale of two cities
- This team started as a team you question defensively as against Calgary they should have lost. Then you have the drubbing against the injury riddled Sabres. Looking bleak and the team tightens up and wins two fairly sound games. Also if this team does well I would like to point out it isn't Chiarelli, its him finding haystack and...
The Oilers are off to an impressive start. It is not really a surprise that McDavid and Eberle are leading the team in points. I think a lot of players are playing the way we expected. Strong start for Draisatl, Lucic and a bunch of players that really aren't surprising as the Oilers do have quality guys on their roster.
The Defense have been... underwhelming as a wh...
The Oilers are off to an impressive start. It is not really a surprise that McDavid and Eberle are leading the team in points. I think a lot of players are playing the way we expected. Strong start for Draisatl, Lucic and a bunch of players that really aren't surprising as the Oilers do have quality guys on their roster.
The Defense have been... underwhelming as a wh...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Weekend of Wins; California Trip for Game Number Five
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
I'll do a quick wrapping of the weekend that I should've done but events came up. On Friday night, the Blue Jackets defeated the Blackhawks; and on Saturday, the Jackets beat the Stars.
The final score of the Blackhawks game was 3-2 for Columbus. The Jackets got goals from Zach Werenski; captain Nick Foligno; and Wild Bill. The Hawks got goals Tyler Motte and Richard...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Weekend of Wins; California Trip for Game Number Five
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
I'll do a quick wrapping of the weekend that I should've done but events came up. On Friday night, the Blue Jackets defeated the Blackhawks; and on Saturday, the Jackets beat the Stars.
The final score of the Blackhawks game was 3-2 for Columbus. The Jackets got goals from Zach Werenski; captain Nick Foligno; and Wild Bill. The Hawks got goals Tyler Motte and Richard...
The Columbus Blue Jackets were defeated by the Los Angeles Kings by the final score of 3-2 in overtime.
The comeback Kings got their goal from in the second period new captain Anze Kopitar; his second goal of the season was assisted by veteran defenseman Tom Gilbert and young winger Tyler Toffoli. The game tying goal was scored by reigning Norris Trophy winner Drew Dou...
Let's take a look at a few stats to start your day feeling warm and fuzzy.
Last year it wasn't until January 2nd that Cam Talbot had 6 wins.
Edmonton's 4th win against the Western Conference last year came on March 16th.
The first 7 games last year Edmonton's Defense had 6 points this year they have 13.
And the most important stat of all the Oilers have gone from l...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 6: Columbus Blue Jackets @ San Jose Sharks
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The final game of the season (Already) is happening tonight between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the San Jose Sharks, in the midst of their California trip.
The Jackets are looking to rebound after a rough loss to the weaker Los Angeles Kings against the defending Western Conference Champions.
The Sharks will look to get on top of the Pacific Division with a win, ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 6- Power Outage; Sharks bite Blue Jackets
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The San Jose Sharks defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets by a final score of 3-1.
The scoring started with early with Finnish winger Joonas Donskoi. The breakout from the playoffs netted his first goal of the season on the power play; the lone assist came from ex Devil and Coyote defenseman David Schlemko. In the final period, the Sharks got two goals from center Tomas H...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 7: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Anaheim Ducks
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The final game of the California trip takes place in Orange County for the first meeting of the season to take on the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
The Ducks have had quite the offseason after being pushed out of the playoffs in the final game of the first round against the Nashville Predators. They've fired head coach Bruce Broudreau and hired Randy Carlyle. They traded F...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 7- Strong Start Leads to Shutout; CBJ Win
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets have blanked the Anaheim Ducks by the final score of 4-0.
All the Jackets goals came in the first period, to the surprise of many, including me. All four were scored by two players.
The first two goals were scored 21 seconds apart. Sam Gagner scored his first goal was a Blue Jacket; Scott Hartnell and Lukas Sedlak had the assists. The seco...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 7- Strong Start Leads to Shutout; CBJ Win
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets have blanked the Anaheim Ducks by the final score of 4-0.
All the Jackets goals came in the first period, to the surprise of many, including me. All four were scored by two players.
The first two goals were scored 21 seconds apart. Sam Gagner scored his first goal was a Blue Jacket; Scott Hartnell and Lukas Sedlak had the assists. The seco...
After Crosby made his seasonal debut, I wanted to see if it was a legitimate possability for him to win the Art Ross this year and started doing some research. 1st I looked at ppg under Mike Sullivan last year. He scored 66 points in 52 games. (1.27 ppg). I then took that number and and multiplied it over the remaining 73 games (93 pts) and added the 5 he has now. That...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 8- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Dallas Stars
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
Happy November everyone. A 0.500 October brings to a fresh start a new month of hockey as the Jackets take on the injury riddled Dallas Stars. The two teams played a couple weeks ago, and the final score of was a 3-0 shutout for the Jackets. Josh Anderson; Scott Hartnell; and Matt Calvert had the goals.
The Stars have the most injury crippled roster in the entire leagu...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 8- Up and Down, Jackets Get Extra Point
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets have defeated the Dallas Stars by the final score of 3-2 in overtime. With the Jackets back in the eastern time zone, life is easier for me to watch the games to being everyone a better coverage of the game.
The first period was quiet on the scoreboard, but the shot count was eye popping. The Stars put 18 shots on the net, giving Bobrovsky the...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent four players to the minors in the last week- winger Sonny Milano; defenseman Cody Goloubef; defenseman John Ramage; and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
The Cleveland Monsters are a young successful team getting back better pieces, which is good news for rookie coach John Madden.
The Monsters offense is better now with Milano and Oli...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent four players to the minors in the last week- winger Sonny Milano; defenseman Cody Goloubef; defenseman John Ramage; and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
The Cleveland Monsters are a young successful team getting back better pieces, which is good news for rookie coach John Madden.
The Monsters offense is better now with Milano and Oli...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent four players to the minors in the last week- winger Sonny Milano; defenseman Cody Goloubef; defenseman John Ramage; and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
The Cleveland Monsters are a young successful team getting back better pieces, which is good news for rookie coach John Madden.
The Monsters offense is better now with Milano and Oli...
The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent four players to the minors in the last week- winger Sonny Milano; defenseman Cody Goloubef; defenseman John Ramage; and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
The Cleveland Monsters are a young successful team getting back better pieces, which is good news for rookie coach John Madden.
The Monsters offense is better now with Milano and Oli...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 9- Columbus Blue Jackets v Montreal Canadiens
Posted Friday | Comments 2
Bienvenue au Columbus. Ce soir, le au Columbus fait un match de hockey avec des Canadiens aux Montréal.
Tonight is the first meeting of the season, and as I usually do, I look over the offseason changes of the opposing team before any further breakdown. After the collapse of Carey Price, the Habs had an extremely subpar season, and drafted low as a result, making vas...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No 9- Double Digit Domination; 10-0 Win v Habs
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
Je suis désolé Montréal, mais zut! 10 à 0. Finale.
The Montreal Canadiens, the league's best team was utterly dominated and destroyed and blanked by the Columbus Blue Jackets by the final score of 10-0.
Let's get through the goals in order since there is only one team to talk about on the score sheet.
The first goal of the game was one of four scored on t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No 10- Columbus Blue Jackets @ St. Louis Blues
Posted Saturday | Comments 3
The Columbus Blue Jackets are at the Scottrade Center to battle the St. Louis Blues. Both teams are in different spectrums of direction. The Jackets have won their last three; the Blues lost their last two. The Jackets are also on the end of a back to back series, where the Blues are starting.
The Blues and Blue Jackets played in the preseason under split squad circums...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 10- Blue Jackets Get the Blues; OT Loss
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
"Holy jumping" as what Darren Pang would say. In St. Louis last night, the Blue Jackets suffered a 2-1 overtime defeat.
The Blues honored defenseman Jay Bowmeester for playing 1,000 NHL regular season games, and scored the team's first goal of the game, which was his first of the season. The only player with an assist on the goal was former Blue Jacket Scottie Upshall...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Seth Jones on IR with a Fractured Right Foot
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that defenseman Seth Jones will be out for three weeks a hairline fracture in his foot.
The injury came in the game Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues. Per Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch:
"#CBJ D Seth Jones out three weeks w a hairline fracture in a foot."
"#CBJ Seth Jones said a tie-up in front of the ne...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ- Seth Jones on IR with a Fractured Right Foot
Posted Monday | Comments 1
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that defenseman Seth Jones will be out for three weeks a hairline fracture in his foot.
The injury came in the game Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues. Per Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch:
"#CBJ D Seth Jones out three weeks w a hairline fracture in a foot."
"#CBJ Seth Jones said a tie-up in front of the ne...
CBJ- Can the Offense Keep Up?
Looking at the current goal differential and stats of some of the Blue Jackets players, can the offensive production that they have keep up throughout the entire 82 game schedule?
Starting with the overall goal differential, the Jackets are currently a plus +11 and are a currently a non-playoff team.
Does that stat fade true to the ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 11- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Anaheim Ducks
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
The series finale between the Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks concludes tonight at Nationwide Arena.
The Ducks have won their past two games, and getting an even bigger lift tonight when defenseman Hampus Lindholm makes his season debut after holding out and signing a long term extension. The Blue Jackets lost their last game played in overtime, and are without Brandon ...
The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Anaheim Ducks by the final score of 3-2 in overtime.
Just over a minute into the game, Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano attempts to clear the puck up the boards, but Boone Jenner keeps it in play, and passes the puck to a wide open Scott Hartnell, whose in front of John Gibson, who somehow saves the puck, and Boone Jenner slips it in...
Hall Fan writes...
Long Shot but with a Real GM They Could Still Win the Cup
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
I will admit when I am wrong. Larsson shows some decent heads up play. He is not a top pairing guy and maybe not even a second pairing but I like his odds of being a solid 3-4 guy in the next couple years.
Lets forget what the Oilers traded to get this guy. Point is that Larsson wasn't the answer to the Oilers problem on the blue line. Larsson and Russel might hav...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 12- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Boston Bruins
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
The Blue Jackets travel to the TD Garden tonight to combat with the Boston Bruins, in what is one of the most underrated rivalries in the NHL.
This is the second half of the back of back games for Columbus after playing Anaheim last night, and winning in overtime. The Bruins last played on Tuesday, suffering a 3-2 regulation loss to the NHL best Montreal Canadiens.
...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 12- Fast and Furious Five: Unanswered Goal
Posted Saturday | Comments 1
The Boston Bruins wowed the Columbus Blue Jackets in a dominant first period effort, winning by a final score of 5-2.
Capitalizing off a Zdeno Chara turnover, Alex Wennberg got the puck to captain Nick Foligno, who potted his fifth goal of the season by beating Tukka Rask on the blocker side for a 1-0 lead. Wennberg's assist was 13th of the year and 9th in his past six...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post Game Lucky No. 13- Home Domination Double Up
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets offensive success continues on a 8-4 onslaught against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
The Jackets opened the scoring in the first period on a behind the net play from Lukas Sedlak. The AHL breakout was able to get to the puck first on a dump and chase play, got it to Scott Hartnell, who got it to the eventual scorer Sam Gagner, who cam...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game N. 14- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Washington Capitals
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
The Blue Jackets are finally playing a divisional team, being the last year's President Trophy winners. The Washington Capitals play here tonight and in Pittsburgh tomorrow, so the pressure is on.
The Capitals had a quiet offseason, but made their roster younger and more skilled in contrast to a veteran and grittier team. They lost Jason Chimera; Mike Moore; Sean Colli...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 14- Comeback Columbus Costs Capitals Point
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
The Columbus Blue Jackets woke up late in the third period to defeat the Washington Capitals by the final score of 2-1 in overtime.
The Capitals opened the scoring in the midst of the second period off a sniping shot from the usual passer in Nicolas Backstrom. The Swedish forward wristed a shot underneath Bobrovsky's glove for a 1-0 lead for the Caps for his second goa...
Let's get this story rolling. The title says it all. Even though there are many quality rookies in the NHL making debuts, Zach Werenski should get it after his performances so far this season.
He is currently sixth in the league in points with 13 points in 14 games. In the entire league. He has the most points with the least amount of games played in the top ten. That'...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 15: Columbus Blue Jackets v. New York Rangers
Posted Friday | Comments 13
The battle in the Metropolitan Division continues for the Jackets where they take on the high scoring New York Rangers tonight. The Rangers have been an absolutely dominate team all season long, dominating puck possession, which means more plays and more goals (+34).
The Rangers made the playoffs last year as an older club, but cap issues made them change to be younger...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 15: Columbus Continues Streak
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
The defense of the home streak reigns supreme over one of the hottest teams in the NHL. Last night, the Blue Jackets defeated the New York Rangers by the final score of 4-2.
A JT Miller turnover in center ice results in a William Karlsson slap shot beating Henrik Lundqvist in between the legs for a 1-0 Columbus lead. Wild Bill's goal was his third of the season.
A ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 16- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Washington Capitals
Posted Sunday | Comments 1
The start of a back to back for Columbus begins with an afternoon tilt in the nation's capital against the injury rattled Capitals. The contest begins at 12:30 pm.
The Jackets will look to continue their hot streak at home on the road, while the Capitals will look to find a way to win without some top players. In their most recent games against the Red Wings, they had ...
The Jackets maintain their composure to defeat the Capitals in the final minute of regulation, by the final score of 3-2.
In the first period, a Jack Johnson turnover to Nick Backstrom slips in between Sergei Bobrovsky's legs for a 1-0 Washington lead. The ice breaker was his fifth goal of the season.
In the second period, the Jackets even the score with a Nick Fol...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 17- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Colorado Avalanche
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The second game of back to back nights for Columbus brings them back home to take on the different looking Colorado Avalanche.
Going with the different look, the Avs made a lot of changes to the roster in the summer. Their former head coach, Patrick Roy, resigned from the team. They lost five players to European teams, including enforcer Patrick Bordeleau; former first...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 17- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Colorado Avalanche
Posted Monday | Comments 3
The second game of back to back nights for Columbus brings them back home to take on the different looking Colorado Avalanche.
Going with the different look, the Avs made a lot of changes to the roster in the summer. Their former head coach, Patrick Roy, resigned from the team. They lost five players to European teams, including enforcer Patrick Bordeleau; former first...
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...
The winning streak at home has come to an end by way of an overtime defeat to the Colorado Avalanche. The final score was Colorado 3, Columbus 2.
Nine minutes into the first period, the Jackets get a mini series of lucky bounces for a 1-0 lead. Cam Atkinson shot the puck from the side of the net; hitting off Nikita Zadarov's stick; and off Mikko Rantanen's skate to get...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 18- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Calgary Flames
Posted Wednesday | Comments 11
The Blue Jackets busy week if games continue where they take on the struggling Calgary Flames.
The Flames are continuing to find a winning way after making the postseason two years ago. This summer, they fired veteran coach Bob Hartley for former Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. They traded Patrick Sieloff to Ottawa. They let a lot of experienced players walk, including goal...
Where are all the Lightning blogs? Has every lightning fan that was once a part of this community left for another website? which one ? I want to come too! THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Opening Note: My apologies for being away for a lengthy period of time. The long weekend of extra hours kept me unavailable to bring updates to you guys. It may end up being the same way coming up at Christmas time.
No onto the time that was for the Jackets.
Game 18: Shut Out Surprise
On Wednesday night, the Jackets suffered a surprising defeat to the strug...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 21- Columbus Blue Jackets v Tampa Bay Lightning
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Blue Jackets welcome the Bolts to the Nationwide Arena tonight. These two teams last played on Black Friday, and revenge might be on the mind of Tampa Bay.
The Lightning are a very explosive team, even with the loss of Steven Stamkos. The dynamic forward sustained a long term injury in a matchup against the Detroit Red Wings. They are also without former Blue Jacke...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 21- Columbus Blue Jackets v Tampa Bay Lightning
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The Blue Jackets welcome the Bolts to the Nationwide Arena tonight. These two teams last played on Black Friday, and revenge might be on the mind of Tampa Bay.
The Lightning are a very explosive team, even with the loss of Steven Stamkos. The dynamic forward sustained a long term injury in a matchup against the Detroit Red Wings. They are also without former Blue Jacke...
The Columbus Blue Jackets scored five straight goals to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning by the final score of 5-1.
In the first period, the Blue Jackets opened the scoring off a snap shot from William Karlsson. Wild Bill sniped the puck on the blocker side of Andrei Vaslievisky for the goal. For Karlsson, it was his second goal of the season. Josh Anderson and Ryan Murr...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 22- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Colorado Avalanche
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
Happy December everyone!!! The countdown to Christmas begins.
The Blue Jackets are back on the ice tonight in the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado to take on the Avalanche.
These two teams are playing each other for the first time since the trade they made late last week- swapping depth defensemen Cody Goloubef and Ryan Stanton.
These two squads also recently...
Keegan4401 writes...
Are the Chicago Blackhawks days numbered as contenders?
Posted Friday | Comments 0
The short answer is no, but the Chicago Blackhawks have a lot of new faces this year such as Nick Schmaltz, Tyler Motte etc. Chicago still does have Johnny Toews and Patrick Kane which still makes a dangerous combination against any team in the NHL, plus you have Artem Anisimov and Artemi Panarin who are amazing offensive players in their own right. The Chicago Blackhawks ...
CBJ Post-Game No. 22- Mile High Fun
The Columbus Blue Jackets managed to hold on and defeat the Colorado Avalanche, by the final score of 3-2.
The opening goal came just about five minutes into the game. Jack Johnson got the puck at the blue line, made a shot pass to Scott Hartnell, who lost control of it, and Brandon Saad found the puck, and got it last Varlamov fo...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 24- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Arizona Coyotes
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I know the game is in progress but I am a bit behind yet again. The Jackets are wrapping up their series finale against the Arizona Coyotes tonight.
The Coyotes lost to the Jackets badly over the weekend. The score doesn't show it, but the other stats do. If your starting goalie is facing 60 shots in a game, the goalie is getting tired and the defense is weak. In Arizo...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 24- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Arizona Coyotes
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I know the game is in progress but I am a bit behind yet again. The Jackets are wrapping up their series finale against the Arizona Coyotes tonight.
The Coyotes lost to the Jackets badly over the weekend. The score doesn't show it, but the other stats do. If your starting goalie is facing 60 shots in a game, the goalie is getting tired and the defense is weak. In Arizo...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 24- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Arizona Coyotes
Posted Monday | Comments 0
I know the game is in progress but I am a bit behind yet again. The Jackets are wrapping up their series finale against the Arizona Coyotes tonight.
The Coyotes lost to the Jackets badly over the weekend. The score doesn't show it, but the other stats do. If your starting goalie is facing 60 shots in a game, the goalie is getting tired and the defense is weak. In Arizo...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 24- Columbus Blue Jackets v. Arizona Coyotes
Posted Monday | Comments 8
I know the game is in progress but I am a bit behind yet again. The Jackets are wrapping up their series finale against the Arizona Coyotes tonight.
The Coyotes lost to the Jackets badly over the weekend. The score doesn't show it, but the other stats do. If your starting goalie is facing 60 shots in a game, the goalie is getting tired and the defense is weak. In Arizo...
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...
Did I mean the player or the term "to win"?? Last night, the former Coyote center led his current team in front of Nationwide Arena to a 4-1 victory over Arizona.
Tobias Reider opened the scoring midway through the first period for a 1-0 Arizona lead. On the breakin from the power play, Alex Goligoski passed the puck to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who found Reider open on a ...
Did I mean the player or the term "to win"?? Last night, the former Coyote center led his current team in front of Nationwide Arena to a 4-1 victory over Arizona.
Tobias Reider opened the scoring midway through the first period for a 1-0 Arizona lead. On the breakin from the power play, Alex Goligoski passed the puck to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who found Reider open on a ...
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 ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 27: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Edmonton Oilers
Posted Tuesday | Comments 3
The Columbus Blue Jackets commence their three game road trip of Western Canada. Tonight, they battle the star studded Edmonton Oilers.
The Oilers continued their search for change in the offseason, and personally, in a very bad way. They traded Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils in a horrendous one for one deal for Adam Larsson. They also dealt the consistently scra...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 27- Pumping Oil (Winning Streak At Seven)
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
The Jackets continue their winning streak efforts at seven consecutive games, defeating the Edmonton Oilers by the final score of 3-1.
The Oilers opened the scoring with a first period goal, and driven by the fourth line. Former Blue Jackets center Mark Letestu cycled the puck with former first rounder Zach Kassian, who got the puck to the driving Tyler Pitlick for the...
Want some more?
Winning!!
Sticking with the times. Onto the serious stuff.
Hockey.
The Metropolitan Division is the best division in hockey. Personally, it's shocking, but is it expected?
Last season, the President Trophy winning Washington Capitals came from this division. The reigning Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins came from this division.
...
If someone were to tell you that after 32 games the Oilers would be 15-12-5 and sit 3rd in the Pacific you would probably have been quite happy with that. Unfortunately the devil is in the details and over the past few weeks the Oilers have left valuable points off the table. There is a very good chance that if the Oilers are out of the playoff race in March, this stretch ...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 28- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Calgary Flames
Posted Friday | Comments 1
The Western Canada road trip continues for the Jackets, as they continue their time in Alberta. Tonight, they battle the Flames.
The Flames have been a confusing team to watch this season. They were riding a six winning streak with Chad Johnson taking the reigns as the number one starter. Against Tampa Bay, they lost badly, and yanked Johnson.
The Flames goaltendin...
Happy 2017 folks!!! Ik it's not the greatest attention grabber, but it's been so long since I've been able to blog. I'm glad to be back. And I'm back in the thick of things in Ohio's state capital.
The Blue Jackets wrapped up the end of the month and the end of 2016 with a hot streak, and start the new year on the same streak. They have won 16 straight games:
1. T...
That seems like common sense doesn't it? After riding high on the 16 game winning streak, the Blue Jackets have lost their past two games.
CBJ Post-Game No. 37- Shutout
The Blue Jackets winning streak ended on Thursday night to the Washington Capitals by the final score of 5-0.
Daniel Winnik opened the scoring in the first period of a rebound attempt that beat S...
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 40- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Carolina Hurricanes
Posted Tuesday | Comments 4
The Southern road trip for the Blue Jackets commences with a trip to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on the youthful Hurricanes. This is their first meeting of the season, and all three season meetings will be happening in the next 11 days. Crazy, isn't it? But that's how the schedule works.
Flashing back to the offseason, here's a quick look at what the Canes have don...
Nothing like a good pun right? Onto the serious stuff, the Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Carolina Hurricanes by the final score of 5-3.
Cam Atkinson opened the scoring with less than two minutes, beating Cam Ward on a nice little deke from behind the net. His goal was his 20th of the season, becoming the third player in franchise history to score 20 goals in four s...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Cannon Shots: All Star Goalies, Trophy Picks, Rumors
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
With a day off en route to Tampa, Florida, today will be a day to discuss about the NHL All Star Game, the new goalie tandem in Columbus, mid season picks, healthy scratches, playoff format, and trade rumors.
Over the past 48 hours, the National Hockey League has announced the All Star Rosters and coaches and jerseys. Representing the Jackets in the Metropolitan Divisi...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 41: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Tampa Bay Lightning
Posted Saturday | Comments 5
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue their Southern road trip with back to back matchups in Florida. First, the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tonight is a special night for the Bolts as they retire a legendary player for the franchise in Martin St. Louis. Number 26 will be raised to the rafters. The un drafted winger played most of his career with the Lightning, and wa...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 42- Columbus Blue Jackets @ Florida Panthers
Posted Saturday | Comments 2
The Blue Jackets road trip wraps up tonight with a flight to Sunrise to take on the miserable Florida Panthers.
This is the first time these two teams have meet since the firing of former head coach Gerald Gallant. The Panthers general manger Tom Rowe has been the head coach since late November/early December. They have seen Jaromir Jagr play like his age; Roberto Luon...
Ryan Getzlaf used to bring me out of my seat multiple times every game with his spectacular play-making. Those days are long gone. I'll grant you this: He's still a physical beast on the ice, and I don't think that shows too well on TV. But here are the major problems I see with the Ducks captain:rnrn1) Captain Yapping: On a Fox Sports special, his coach said he got t...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Update 2017: Southern Trip; Bobrovsky In and Out
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
CBJ Post-Game No. 41- Korpisalo
The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning by the final score of 3-1.
The Bolts opened the scoring on their home ice in the first period. Jonathan Drouin scored his 13th goal of the season. Valtteri Flippula and Ondrej Palat had the assists.
Josh Anderson evened the game for his 10th of the season. David Savard ha...
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...
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...
CBJ Update: February Fever
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a busy remainder of January since I last blogged. The last time I blogged was after a victory against the Carolina Hurricanes. This blog will cover the games they won throughout the remainder of February; the All Star Game; and injury updates on the back front—as well as trade rumors.
CBJ Post Game No. 4...
CBJ Update: February Fever
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a busy remainder of January since I last blogged. The last time I blogged was after a victory against the Carolina Hurricanes. This blog will cover the games they won throughout the remainder of February; the All Star Game; and injury updates on the back front—as well as trade rumors.
CBJ Post Game No. 4...
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 12
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...
urbandrew writes...
STOP COMPARING THE LEAFS TO THE BLACKHAWKS… try the PATRIOTS
Posted Monday | Comments 0
Ya I said it. We’re going to be a DYNASTY. Sure the Hawks had a few cups in a handful of years but in my life I’ve only witnessed two dynasties; The New England Patriots and Tiger Woods.
People love to compare Toews and Kane to Matthews and Marner and why not? All were drafted high, the centers are both known to play a strong defensive game, and the wingers are both...
As I alluded to in yesterday's blog, today is more or less about the Jackets, but more so about other talking points in a quick off day. Yes, I know the by week is coming up and there's where I should do that, but since there was an eventful sports weekend in the world, that will be discussed. Furthermore, I will talk about injury updates in Columbus, plus the winter park;...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Pre-Game No. 52: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Detroit Red Wings
Posted Tuesday | Comments 2
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...
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...
Pre-Game No. 53: Columbus Blue Jackets v Vancouver Canucks
Posted Thursday | Comments 1
The Columbus Blue Jackets return to home ice tonight to take on the previous team that John Tortorella coached in the Vancouver Canucks. Tort’s time with the Canucks was short and brief as they were a non-playoff team that season. The Canucks were able to select Jake Virtanen with the bad year they had under him, plus they hired current bench boss Willie Desjardins.
...
The Vancouver Canucks managed to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets by the final score of 3-0.
Daniel Sedin opened the scoring in the second period with his 12th goal of the season. Brother Henrik Sedin and former Calgary Flames prospect Markus Granlund had the assists.
My player to watch for the Canucks added to his team’s lead. Former Boston Bruin Loui Eriksson s...
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 1
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...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Game No. 55-- Columbus Blue Jackets v. New York Rangers
Posted Monday | Comments 0
The Blue Jackets home stand continues tonight with a battle with the Blue Shirts. For the fourth time this season, the Blue Jackets take on the New York Rangers live from the Nationwide Arena.
The Jackets have won two of three meetings so far. The first contest was the one where Matt Calvert left the game and came back with stitches to score the game winning shorthande...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Post-Game No. 55- Vessey Vessels Rangers Past Jackets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
The New York Rangers hold on to defeat the Blue Jackets by the narrow margin of 3-2 in regulation.
In the first period, the Blue Jackets' power play went to work. Brandon Saad found Brandon Dubinsky, and he beat Antti Raanta down below the shoulder to fire the cannon. Dubinsky's goal was his eighth this season. Seth Jones and Brandon Saad were credited with the assists...
Great to see the Oil get a convincing 5-2 win last night against the Arizona Coyotes; it helped calm the sea of fans screaming about the lack of secondary scoring as of late. The Oilers are 10th in the league in scoring even with players like Lucic, Nuge, Eberle, and Pouliot drastically underperforming. What's going on here?
Let's break it down by looking at the Oilers...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Pre-Game No. 56:Columbus Blue Jackets v Toronto Maple Leafs
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
The Columbus Blue Jackets return on the ice tonight to take on the league’s most covered team… the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams are very similar. They are both young teams that have playoff aspirations. Both teams are extremely impressive offensively. Both have young up and coming groups that are going to push them elite squads. Both teams have elite goaltending fro...
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...
When the Oilers signed Klefbom to a 7 year deal (worth 4.167 million a year) many thought it was a huge risk. His injury history alone was enough to cause alarm but while many penciled him in as the Oilers top left shot player on the backend before the season had started we had yet to see how he could handle being a top pairing defenseman.
So far he's knocking it out of...
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...
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue their success of a bye week with back to back wins against the two New York teams.
CBJ Post-Game No. 59—Shutout Blowout
The Columbus Blue Jackets shut out the New York Islanders by the final score of 7-0.
The Jackets got three goals in the first period. Jack Johnson opened the scoring
with his third goal of the season. David...
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue their success of a bye week with back to back wins against the two New York teams.
CBJ Post-Game No. 59—Shutout Blowout
The Columbus Blue Jackets shut out the New York Islanders by the final score of 7-0.
The Jackets got three goals in the first period. Jack Johnson opened the scoring
with his third goal of the season. David...
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue their success of a bye week with back to back wins against the two New York teams.
CBJ Post-Game No. 59—Shutout Blowout
The Columbus Blue Jackets shut out the New York Islanders by the final score of 7-0.
The Jackets got three goals in the first period. Jack Johnson opened the scoring
with his third goal of the season. David...
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 2
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...
CBJ Post-Game No. 62—Wild Shutout
The Columbus Blue Jackets got the one important goal to shutout the Minnesota Wild by the final score of 1-0 in regulation.
The lone goal came from Brandon Saad, who scored his 19th goal of the season. Nick Foligno had the lone assist.
This game was the debuts for Lauri Korpikoski and Kyle Quiency in Blue Jackets uniforms. Korpi...
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...
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
Connor McDavid is kind of a big deal in case you are late to the party. He's unbelievably fast, has amazing vision, and while there is still plenty of debate on who the best player is in the NHL right now; he is by far the best playmaker. One thing McDavid is not, is a shooter.
Right now Malkin and Crosby are tied for second in the league in scoring with 31 and 36 goals...
After the absolute nail biter against Pitt they play something hopefully a little calmer against Boston tonight. The Saddledome should be completely wild with excitement and anticipation about 11.
Still 15 or so to play but it would be nice to see a battle of Alberta in the first round for the flames to actually get some sort of redemption from all season but most impo...
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...
FreshIce writes...
Sharks Round one -- Who's Really the Worst Match-up?
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
I need to say I'm confused lately about all the talk out there that the Sharks would be so much better off against the Oilers than the Ducks, Kings or any of the other hopefuls they might meet in round one. I don't know if people haven't been watching the Oilers in recent months, or if they didn't notice the last game the Sharks played against them, or if they're thin...
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...
PEEEE- EWWWWW!!!! OMG! the stentch ! what's that NASTY skanky smell?
I'll tell you what it is, it's the Tonto Mable Leaves and their crappy pants fans after Robyn Lehner made save after save even fooling the goal judge who got fired.
I don't care if you made the playoffs, this is about tonights game in Buffalo. Your leaves stunk up the ice like an unbathed Tonto hooker...
Last we heard reports of an eeeerie presence serenading in the halls of the Key Bank Center and locker room of the Buffalo Sabres....turn out the lights the parties over.
Now, the ghost of Jim Morrison has appeared before head coach Dan Abysmal in his office, effectively causing a nasty stink and a brown wet patch on Dan's pants. (that's not from him falling on the ice)...
archromat writes...
Six observations about Olympic Mess and Hockey World Cup
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
Players have been reacting chiefly negatively to the NHL's decision to not participate in the Olympics.
1. [b]Evaluating the Strength of Tradition[/b]
NHL is trying to replace the Olympics with this "World Cup" device. Now let's put hockey world cup into context with football/soccer world cup. The World Cup of Football was started in 1930 in Uruguay and has been a ...
Eastern Conference:
Washington Vs Toronto
This is a series that many will think is a wash in the park for Washington, but if there is any team with the speed, skill and tenacity to beat Washington other than Pittsburgh it's the Maple Leafs. That being said, it's too early for the leafs. Washington wins in 6 games as the Leafs make it a series but never really stood a ...
Every year the media comes up with all these story-lines for the teams that eventually do succeed as if everyone should have known all along that they were going to. During Anaheim's miraculous 2003 run, it was that they won a lot of one goal games so they were used to playing under pressure. Some of the biggest miracle runs was not that one, but rather the Kings in 2012...
Plenty of Blame... So lets get started.
I am going to take a step back and start with the obvious and the one that you won't hear on TV right now. Chiarelli. Many people will say it is easy to be an arm chair GM and to shout out opinions. Personally I say and I say it to any Oiler fan out there, go right ahead. Shout out what you think, write it, talk about it; sh...
Its been three days since the Montreal Canadiens got defeated by the New York Rangers in game 6, with all the glaring disappointment this team has had in the playoffs there are some bright spots with this team. Artturi Lehkonen, just 21 years of age and has already shown that he knows how to score goals in this league. Out of all Montreal Canadiens players he was third in ...
Since the Oilers seem to eating away the time which we would normally talk about what they will do in the offseason to improve the team for next year by doing amazing in the playoffs. Lets take a quick look at what might, could and will happen.
The Oilers are having an extremely successful year. I think many of us remember commenting that we would have been happy if t...
The Oilers did great this year and had they played a consistent 60 minutes of hockey, they could have went far but what was the problem? Now obviously the coach comes under the spot light when a team breaks down like this but the Oilers finally made the playoffs so looks like he is going to get another year despite being ridiculously bad.
Truth is the Oilers did much...
archromat writes...
Is it time to alter the draft in the case of elite talent?
Posted Friday | Comments 2
I have long enjoyed the managerial aspects of the game (certainly more than the game itself). To be able to try to construct your team by trading and managing assets, by developing talent, by installing the best guys behind the bench additionally to the best guys on the ice. They keep sites like this alive and energetic, whether we're making fun of absurd trade proposals...
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...
Every year Scott Cullen of TSN breaks down each NHL team. The successes and failures of the season, contributions of individual players, and then lastly creates a mock roster for what the team could look like going into the next season.
In the spirit of being lighthearted I've decided to take a look at what he has suggested... and promptly rip it to shreds.
Here are ...
The weeks leading up to the draft are an exciting time for the hardcore hockey fan. While the average fan probably knows who Nolan and Hischier are, it takes a particular type of person to know the details about Noel Hoefenmayer (probably a late 2nd-3rd round pick).
Scouting reports and a player's stats card paint a picture for what kind of NHL player a prospect [i]migh...
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...
Apaulo13 writes...
Oilers lines - best of active oilers (past and present)
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
Just because I like to live a life filled with fantasy, (must be the years of losing that required me to develop a vivid imagination) I thought it would be fun to see what a roster would look like made up of all Oilers past and present, that are still active in the NHL.
*[CURRENT TEAM IN SQUARE BRACKETS] - BLANK IF CURRENT OILER
GOALTENDERS
1a - Cam Talbot (2017 st...
The title is kind of blunt, isn't it?
I remember watching it a few years. It wasn't exactly can't miss television.
Hey guys, I got a great idea... it's 26 degrees outside, so let's go inside and watch a bunch of hockey players pick up trophies with deadpan faces and speaking with all the emptiness you'd expect in a hockey interview during the intermission. "Uh, i...
This is a question a lot of Blues fans may be asking themselves about the events (or lack thereof) up to this point and time. Of course, this is still the beginning of the off season and there is still plenty of time left for him to do something, but we as fans are impatient. We want to see him makes some changes to fill holes that we see with the players we want and we wa...
I don't like the Eberle for Strome deal as of today. Full Stop.
The rest of the summer can change my mind but as of right now I view this as a massive step back for the team and in my opinion is an example of Oilers management mishandling their assets.
We are going to ignore the fact for a moment the Strome's best year was 1 point less than Eberle's worst year. We a...
royalgardens writes...
Niklas Hjalmarsson Deal A Big Miss For Chicago AND Toronto
Posted Friday | Comments 0
As a long time Toronto Maple Leaf supporter and Chicago Blackhawk season ticket holder since 2006 here in Chicago, I am very disappointed to see the Hawks making such rash (irrational) decisions with their current roster today. And with the Maple Leafs in such dire need to find at least 2 solid 1-4 defenseman (if they want to compete in the East next year and the next few ...
The Wild are at a crossroad. The changes made last off season resulted in the best regular season the team has had in their 17 year existence, but the quick exit from the playoffs at the hands of an "inferior" St Louis Blues team has left all of Minnesota wanting more. For the last couple of years, Chuck Fletcher's goal has been to increase the scoring of the team and la...
At the bottom of this blog I will have the answers for "Would You Draft Me" original blog can be found here [url]http://my.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?user_id=103583&post_id=17880[/url]
We are one day closer to the draft and one day closer to the horrifying realization that Chiarelli has no intention of "improving" the roster anymore than he has. To recap he has replac...
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...
As we approach July 1st, I'm sure that everyone is scanning the free agents and plotting how their team will pounce in the 1st minute and fill that gapping need that all teams have. The Leafs are no different. They have glut of wingers clogging up the system with a lack of quality centers outside the NHL or defence at all levels.
Everyone's big wish for the Leafs is...
Well as I watched TSN with Free agent day almost a complete total waste of air time, (kinda like trade deadline) The flames did something I believe every day before that for somewhere around 5 days, way to anti climatic BT haha, no seriously I approve how he works totally.
The only issue I have is really mike stone, I feel that might be a touch much value for him, more ...
The 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...
Over the past couple weeks a divide has been formed between fans on the comment section at Hockeybuzz. On one side you have fans that are celebrating the successes of last season and believe that the team is trending upwards, and on the other side you have those who believe the team has overestimated certain things which is going to result in a drop off. I find myself in t...
IT was well known that Rutherford likes to be a gunslinger of sorts. It had to kill him this past year, with so much of a Cup winning roster returning, that he didnt need to make major trades, particularly at the deadline. I have to wonder if Botterill was able to reign that in, or if GMJR was just smart enough to resist the temptation to wheel and deal. With Botterill mo...
Flyers rookie/prospect camp opened over the weekend in Voorhees NJ. Hundreds of fans flocked to the Flyers’ Skate Zone to observe the future of the team hit the ice for drills, workouts and some scrimmaging. Although, 2nd overall pick Nolan Patrick could not participate, he was on hand to meet fans, the media and of course observe his future team mates as well. Patrick s...
It has been reported by the Journal de Montreal that GM Marc Bergevin has extended a contract offer to former Canadien Mark Streit. The report suggests that the contract would be at a value of 1.5M for one season, so this seems like a great idea at first sight. So, is Streit the answer in Montreal? Really, it depends on the question being asked.
Despite Streit’s caree...
For the elite few who have been reading my blogs (and for that I honestly do wish to say thank you) you know that I have been rather critical of the Oilers over the past several weeks. My reason is simple. For a team that has Connor McDavid on the last year of his ELC, they have made startling few changes to improve from last years success and instead banking on internal g...
The calgary flames need a top line RW that's no surprise but where can they find it? Look no further then the ageless wonder, Jaromir Jagr would fit the bill perfectly. He played with young talented players in Florida putting up very respectable numbers for a guy that is in his mid 40's. Whether Jagr is on the flames radar remains a mystery, but one could argue the flames ...
As Flyers Prospect camp ended last week, we continue to look at the Flyers prospects in Part II of our series.
First, Nolan Patrick took to the ice on Monday. Well, that’s not the exciting news. The real exciting news is that the Flyers signed him to his three-year entry-level deal. He’ll earn $925,000 per season, but his contract does have bonuses. Those bonuses w...
Oilers fans, are you comfortable with this roster as the team heads into the 2017/2018 regular season? Please make the assumption Leon Draisaitl will be re-signed and on the roster for opening night. What will that opening night roster look like? There’s plenty of debate about it.
If Oilers management go with the players they have now, I suggest the opening night rost...
Yesterday was Klefbom, aka "Dem Abs" birthday and as such I felt this was a good time to look back at the breakout season that Oscar had. The short answer? It was really good. The simple numbers are 82GP 12-26-38. Klefbom was not only the highest scoring defenseman on the team, he was the highest scoring defenseman the Oilers have had since Sheldon Souray scored 53 points ...
This blog is Part 1 of a two-parter.
In yesterday’s blog, I discussed my belief that Oilers management are not done tinkering this off-season with the roster, and there are still moves that can be made before the season to improve the team. Thank you Hockeybuzz for posting that blog as a “regular” blog. I’ll keep writing these so we can see if my blogs can all ...
A year ago many people were predicting the Toronto Maple Leafs would finish at the bottom of the NHL East table. Instead, they were a playoff team, and during those playoffs they looked like a team that is very close to being great. The Leafs have super-kids – Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner – And thanks mostly to them few teams can compete with them...
I’ve spent a fair amount of time over the last year considering why the Oilers team that is now, with players like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Oscar Klefbom and Darnell Nurse turned out better than the team featuring Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Nail Yakupov and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
The benefit of being terrible from 2007 to 2016 was plenty of top shelf draft pick...
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....
I received some information Tuesday evening from someone close to the Leon Draisaitl contract negotiations situation. According to what I was told, the Edmonton Oilers and the Draisaitl camp are at a contract negotiation impasse. The source did not specify what exactly is the nature of the impasse, and so I have asked for clarification. While waiting to hear back, I will s...
Lineup #1:
Maroon McDavid Draisaitl
Lucic RNH Caggiula
Jokinen Strome Puljujarvi
Slepyshev Letestu Kassian
- This forward group brings back some continuity from last year so that the Oilers can jump out to a fast start and ring up some wins early in the year. The top line was so dominant at the end of the year so it makes sense to continue that chemistry. The RNH ce...
243. That's the magic number to discuss. That is the number of goals the Oilers scored last season. The number put them at #8 in the league and #3 in the West. The simple question here is; can they do it again?
For starters here are the players... and goals... that are no longer with the team.
[b]Jordan Eberle - 20 Goals
[/b]
The biggest loss on this list. Despite ...
When considering the long-term future for the Edmonton Oilers, it makes more sense to consider cap hits and contracts for the 2018/2019 season than for 2017/2018. Why? Because a good third of the roster this season have contracts that will end next summer. It is during the Summer of 2018 when Oilers management will need to make some hard decisions about who stays and who g...
Leon Draisaitl owes the Nashville Predator a few dollars as a thank you.
The other day, the Predators signed forward Ryan Johansen to an eight-season, $64 million contract. Average cap hit? $8 million.
Johansen is a fairly comparable player to Draisaitl. The problem Oilers management have is that Draisaitl is better, and Draisaitl’s people know he’s better.
...
Toronto -(August 2, 2017) Patrick Marleau is a talented player and well-respected in the NHL. A lot can be said about his notable accomplishments 2-time Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and in 20 years in the NHL Marleau has only failed to score at least 20 goals 5 times and one of those years was lockout shorten season. This article isn't about how good of a player ...
I have no idea what I want to write, so I am just going to share my Oilers thoughts off the top of my head, as they come to me.
1. Jack Eichel is about the get an eight-year extension from the Buffalo Sabres. Whatever money he gets should be roughly what Leon Draisaitl can ask for and get. Eichel and Draisaitl may or may not be comparable with respect to how they play, ...
Yes, it's me again. Thank you for those who read. Thank you to the one person commenting on a MH blog who noticed my wife is a total smoke show. She is. She was born in Toronto and grew up in Australia. She's a Maple Leafs fan, and I'm actually starting to like that team, too. There's something about Matthews/Nylander/Marner that make the Leafs worth watching suddenly. Whe...
We are into the throes of summer and looking around the league it appears as if most teams have made their moves. Aside from some training camp invites for players like Iginla and presumably Jagr it's time to look around the league and see how teams are going to perform this season.
I have made my opinions on the Oilers moves this summer known. Short answer; they didn't...
31 teams; 31 reasons to post a random comment. Let's go.
Anaheim Ducks – The Ducks are a conundrum for me. They have a good roster. They’ve won the Pacific Division something like five seasons in a row. There was very little change to their roster this summer. It seems like they can make the final four group in the playoffs on any given season, but ultimately, this ...
I search Twitter every morning to see what the world is saying about the Edmonton Oilers. Oh, and also check to see if they've signed Leon Draisaitl to a contract extension yet. It's still a world of no, Oilers fans. So frustrating. You know what's really frustrating about the Draisaitl situation? Neither side is saying anything. Where are Leakers when you need them, Jeff ...
Adam Larsson came into training camp last season in an unenviable position. He was not only the sole return from the Taylor Hall trade but he was also expected to be the top pair right shot defender the Oilers have coveted for over a decade. The results? He and Klefbom found great chemistry and the two of them look to be Edmonton's top pair.
Let's start with the positiv...
A couple days ago Kailer Yamamoto signed his entry level deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Yamamoto finds himself in the company of the Oilers skilled forward prospects Jesse Puljujarvi, Tyler Benson... and that's pretty much it. The Oilers forward prospect cupboards are pretty barren making it all the more essential for these players to turn into successful NHLers.
Let's ...
The phrase “too much; too soon” is starting to come to mind.
Connor McDavid IS worth $12.5 million per season. At 20, he’s already the best player in the NHL. He’s a freak of nature. Running has Usain Bolt. Golf has Tiger Woods. Basketball has LeBron James. Baseball has that guy that throws stuff. Curling and football also have guys that throw stuff. My point is...
The Oilers announced today that they have signed Leon Draisaitl to an 8 year 8.5 million dollar deal.
The good news is the Oilers have inked Draisaitl now as opposed to training camp or later. With this signing the Oilers roster looks to be locked. The Oilers will have their second leading scorer from last season for the next eight years with Connor McDavid.
When the...
Oilers GM and President of Hockey Operations Peter Chiarelli has signed Leon Draisaitl and has hinted he’s done all he’s willing to do for this upcoming season. You can forget about the Oilers bringing in UFAs like Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla or Thomas Vanek. Earlier in the summer Chiarelli hinted at some possible trades… Well, I guess you can forget about those, too...
Eklund is running a rumor that the Oilers and Canadiens are talking trade moving Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to Montreal. I thought I might spell out what that would look like, because I think some Oilers fans are going to get the wrong impression.
The only reason the Oilers would move Nugent-Hopkins is for long-term contract reasons. Edmonton does not have a salary cap issue t...
In a previous blog I wrote that I expected Edmonton to finish 2nd in the division, behind the Ducks with the Flames a close 3rd. The Battle Of Alberta has gone on for decades but both teams have had very little to celebrate over the past ten years. Chanting "my team is slightly not as bad as yours" doesn't have quite the same ring to it. Both teams have star players that a...
I read a really good blog the other day about Edmonton Oilers first round draft pick Kailer Yamamoto. In the blog, Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Mike Babcock said, “Yamamoto is a really great skater, if not elite. He will definitely be an impact Top 6 forward in the years to come.”
American-born Yamamoto, who recently signed a contract with the Oilers, indicated he...
The Oilers lack of depth on the right side has been a point of contention over these past few months. If we plan for RNH and Draisaitl to both be playing in their natural position things look even worse. Strome, Puljujarvi, Slepyshev, Kassian... these are the Oilers top RW options. Kassian is most suited for the bottom 6, Strome could end up playing centre, and Puljujarvi ...
There has been copious amounts of digital ink wasted discussing the Andrej Sekera injury and what issues it will cause the Oilers at the start of the year. One player in particular has an opportunity to prove he is a top 4 defenseman. Next up in this series of reasonable expectations is Darnell Nurse.
When Nurse was drafted 7th overall in 2013 many pundits believed the ...
Thank God the NHL pre-season is here soon. There have been so many Oilers blogs this summer about absolute nothing, as there’s been nothing to write about. It's never been in the plan to trade Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, or anyone else significant. There never was going to be a Jaromir Jagr or Jarome Iginla signing. There were three main tasks Oilers GM and President of Hockey ...
I hope everyone is enjoying their Friday. Another weekend is about to begin and with that we are ever closer to the beginning of the 2017-2018 Oilers home opener. As we are fast approaching October 4th I thought it would be fun to bring something new to the mix. Therefore this shall be the first Friday Five.
Here's the deal. Either write your questions in the comment se...
Thank god it’s Friday? No, thank god it’s hockey.
But that being said, the Young Stars tournament that starts tonight involving the Oilers and some other much less significant teams is a truly meaningless exercise. It might be entertaining. It might give us bored fans something to watch. But truthfully, this is just a thing to get young players ready for the real tr...
While the off-season felt much shorter this season (funny how playoffs will do that) it still lasted too long. We are still a few weeks from the home opener but it's starting to feel like hockey has returned. For the Edmonton Oilers, last year has set a new bar; this is a playoff team. Less time will be spent in training camp on giving prospects and younger players opportu...
Tonight the Oilers played the Flames in Edmonton and at the same time we had the Oilers playing the Flames in Calgary. I debated on which game I wanted to zero in on and in the end I chose the Edmonton home game to see Strome with McDavid as well as to watch Jesse Puljujarvi. Here are the good and bad things from the game. Everything I am about to say should be preceded by...
Zak MacMillan writes...
CBJ Analysis: Columbus Counting on Youth Movement
Posted Tuesday | Comments 8
After having the most successful regular season in franchise, the Columbus Blue Jackets look to add to that legacy this season. This article will go over the offseason moves that the Jackets have done.
Starting with the Expansion Draft, the Blue Jackets made a major salary dump by dealing David Clarkson, a 2017 first round pick, and a 2019 2nd round pick in exchange fo...
The biggest story to come out of the preseason so far has nothing to do with any specific player, injury, or prospect but instead has come from the league itself. In the games played thus there has been a comical increase in the amount of penalties called; specifically slashing and faceoff violations.
Let's use the Oilers home game against the Flames on Monday night as...
Brian Burke was Right about something now hold on before you abandon ship give my theory a chance. Like many of you I am excited the boys in blue and white are back on the ice, talking to the media and even the hockey shows have started to spin narrative for us to try and follow. That being said as summer winds down I go to thinking how did we arrive to where we are now, a...
The Jets had 6 of their top 8 scorers playing last night. The Oilers had 2. The Jets were playing their top goalie while the Oilers played their backup. On paper it should have been a bloodbath and the first period certainly reflected that. However some PP opportunities and stellar goaltending saw the Oil finish on top.
[b]Final Score 4-1 Edmonton[/b]
[b]GOOD THINGS[...
After a shorter off-season than usual, the Edmonton Oilers picked up right where they left off and played a nearly perfect game against their southern rivals.
FINAL SCORE 3-0 EDMONTON
Before getting into some notes I wanted to take a moment and say what a classy move it was for the organization for having Constable Mike Chernyk at centre ice before the game began. Th...
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...
The Buffalo Sabres are sitting at 0-2-1 and seem to be in a down spiral to start the season. The team is turning the puck over way to many times and the top players excluding Evander kane have failed to produce thus far. Goaltending has been suspect and the lack of big saves is troubling especially for a team playing a high tempo, high risk high reward game. The Sabres see...
Over the past few weeks I have started and stopped writing this blog several times. I wanted to write about how all the woes the Edmonton Oilers are currently facing should not only have been expected, but were avoidable. Admittedly, the reason I held off was because I did not want to jump the gun and was hoping this team would prove me wrong.
That doesn't seem to be th...
After the abyssal beginning to the season, the Oilers have begun to scratch their way out of the hole. The team is 5-4-1 in their last 10 games as well as grabbed 5 of a possible 8 points on their recent Eastern road trip. With Tuesday's 8-2 smack-down of expansion team underdogs, The Golden Knights, some people may believe this team is ready to turn the corner.
Quick F...
"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...
Before the 2017-2018 season started, a big part of the conversation of what would make the Oilers successful was about having a second line centre who could drive his own line. Most expected that to be Draisaitl however right now Ryan Nugent Hopkins is overshadowing him; having arguably his best season since entering the NHL.
Nuge's 19 points finds him in the same compa...
Discussing a potential Karlsson trade is easy low hanging fruit as far as writing topics go however it is also a nice change from the current state of affairs in Oil City.
Let me first state that I think Ottawa would be absolutely bonkers to trade Karlsson. Trading Karlsson should go in the same category as Crosby and McDavid; almost no return will equal the generationa...
The Oilers have significantly improved in the past few weeks. Since a 6-2 victory over the Red Wings on November 22nd the Oilers have gone 8-5 scoring 50 goals in 13 games. That is in the top tier of scoring and until I'm proven wrong is the most goals scored by any NHL team in the time period.
Don't believe me?
Tampa has scored 46 goals in that time
Winnipeg has s...
Fans were enjoying riding the high that was the 4 game winning streak. After that run the team had gone 7-3 in December. A run like that was essential to giving the team a fighting chance of playoff contention.
Unfortunately right after that we saw the consequences of the Bettman era point system. After two uninspiring games against the Jets (while the score was close ...
With just two games to go until the Buffalo Sabres officially hit the halfway mark of the 2017-18 season...they find themselves in familiar territory. Competing with the Arizona Coyotes for the rights to highest odds in this springs NHL Draft Lottery.
And while it seems like the same old story (something I wrote about earlier), it also feels slightly different. Yes,...
Calgary Flames: Just who are these flames? Last year it looked as though the only issues were goaltending and blueline depth. Those issues looked to be shored only to have consistency plague them. No wonder Gulutzan went on a tirade. They need others to step up namely Bennett.
Edmonton Oilers: Simple, Chia Pet Chiarelli is at the helm. Still waiting for first domino, Ch...
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...
Travis Yost wrote a very revealing article a couple days ago. The link to it can be found here:
[url]https://www.tsn.ca/oilers-hampered-by-weakness-on-the-wing-1.963104[/url]
Here is the short and skinny; the Oilers wingers are really really bad. I know most people don't think an article needed to be written to know that but Yost delves much further. Looking at G/60 (g...
I appologize in advance. I am writing on a different site now and this blog isn't as well structured as it could be. Hopefully it is still worth reading.
Oilers Brass is scheduled to meet during the 5 day all start break. They are going to discuss whether there is any hope for them this season. TSN is quoting Chiarelli is not being optimistic about them deciding to ...
Stop me if you've heard this before; a player has a down year. The team gets anxious, thinking they need to move this player while they still have some value and in return acquire false dreams and bags of pucks in return. Said player then proceeds to go back to their normal ways and fans begin to wonder why we can't have nice things.
This has been a pattern for years in...
Over the next few weeks I'm going to run a bit of a series looking at some players that may be of interest to Edmonton. The first player on this list is Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens.
The Canadiens are one of the few teams that are in a worse position than the Oilers. Oiler fans were infuriated with the Taylor Hall trade but at least we still have Connor M...
Quick fact about myself. I'm a big fan of the NHL video games. I can spend hours in Franchise Mode signing UFA's, making trades and creating the team I think would be a winner. During a season such as the Oilers are having this year; it's therapeutic.
I'm not sure about other people but when I'm building my team there is usually a couple players I always target to get o...
Been busy the last couple of weeks but I will start blogging with a bit more regularity for those who care. Here is a small piece to keep you occupied.
Last night the Oilers paid homage to the 1984-1985 Edmonton Oilers... in case anyone had forgottten in the last 20 minutes that they were a really good hockey team. It's the mantra this team follows religiously; Reward t...
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...
Flameout in Calgary, Canadian Media, and Panthers Alive
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 19
Flameout in Calgary, Canadian Media, and Panthers Alive and Well
Debate 1 | The Calgary Flameout
Debate 2 | Canadian Media Criticism
Debate 3 | Florida Panthers Alive and Well
Brad Burud and Blake Friars breakdown the Calgary Flames struggles and discuss the multitude of reasons for their drop in the standings. They...
I have been a casual fan of New Jersey Devils (NJD) since the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Finals push and like to run small analysis on the team every now and then. I also am the fan that argues with friends trying to prove how NJD is better as a team than other teams.
Enough about me, lets dive into the reason why I have this Blog. The Final Push for playoffs. NJD have 15 g...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Inside Edge Hockey News Radio Show - Episode 7 - Flames Fall
Posted Friday | Comments 0
Inside Edge Hockey News Radio Show - Episode 7 -
Flames Fallout, New Taylor Hall, and Season Ticket Drives
The Inside Edge Hockey News Brad Burud discusses the struggles this year in Calgary. Will the Flames make big off-season moves if they fail to make the playoffs. Why is Taylor Hall thriving in New Jersey? How would Regina do with a season ticket drive?
[htt...
AarifDeen writes...
Where does Nathan MacKinnon's primary-point-production rank?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 3
Nathan MacKinnon collected his fourth weekly NHL three-star honors this afternoon after posting six goals and two assists in four games for the Colorado Avalanche. MacKinnon’s eight points were one off of leader Alex Pietrangelo’s nine points. But as he’s been doing all season, MacKinnon has done a fantastic job collecting primary points. He scored six goals and adde...
AarifDeen writes...
MacKinnon deserve the Hart Trophy for his consistency
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Hart Trophy has been a hot topic around the NHL for the better part of this entire season. It seems like there’s a new name added to the list of potential nominees each week. While reporters everywhere have dug into all the reasons why certain players should win, I’ve decided to look at the consistency of these players throughout the year in regards to offensive pr...
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...
The Oilers in March decided to finally put on a decent showing for it's fans, going 7-3-2 so far this month. Why the sudden change? Has it been the PK and PP finally clicking? No not really. Has it been Connor McDavid's one man show to try and earn his second straight Art Ross? Certainly hasn't hurt.
Some people are suggesting it is because of the new line combinations ...
This year's playoff hunt has now hit boiling point. In both conferences, x teams are vying for x - 1 spots, so two teams are going to lose their respective games of musical chairs.
I think what irritates me about this scenario is that both of these teams that fail to make the playoffs will quite likely end up with a higher than true 500 stat (that is 41+ wins) and es...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
The Instigator |Episode 11 GOAL! Are you Kidding Me!
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
The Instigator |Episode 11
GOAL! Are you Kidding Me!
Cam Ward allowed one of the weirdest goals ever last week. The puck was rung around the boards by Arizona Coyotes Alex Goligoski. Ward exited his net to stop the puck. The puck stuck in his skate, and Ward (not knowing where the puck was) slid to the front of the net in order to defend his foot slid into the net. T...
To say Cam Talbot has had an underwhelming season would be an understatement. After setting an Oilers franchise record for wins last Talbot now finds himself with an abysmal .906 Sv%. That number puts him in 44th for goaltenders who have played at least 20 games.
Talbot has one more year on his contract before he becomes a free agent. Some fans have gone so far to say t...
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...
Well that was a thing...
The 2017-2018 season came ending on Saturday night with everyone discussing the Sedin twins last game. It was a metaphorical end to the season; everyone was discussing everything except the Oilers. So... how the hell did we get here?
The Oilers entered the 2017-2018 as one of the Cup Favourites... not simply for Playoff Contention but to win ...
This will be a recurring and changing list as the summer progresses. The Oilers have some key areas they need to address. Some of these changes will be addressed internally while others will have to be acquired via trade or free agency.
Without taking into mind cap hits or chemistry. Here is how I personally believe how the Oilers current depth chart stands and where I ...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Canucks Legends Retire and Humboldt Broncos Tragedy
Posted Friday | Comments 0
INSIDE EDGE HOCKEY NEWS – RADIO SHOW | EPISODE 8
Canucks Legends Retire and Humboldt Broncos Tragedy
Brad Burud is joined with guest Blake Friars to discuss Vancouver Canucks legends Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The Sedins announced their retirement two weeks prior to the end of the regular season, and the final games were very exciting and the tribute was amazing. We ...
Coaching expert Donald S. Cherry diagnosed the Edmonton Oilers in October, three games into their doomed 2017-18 season. This Coach’s Corner segment was broadcast on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017 and Cherry is in top form right from the start — “Do they have pool tables out in Red Deer?” — but the relevant bit arrives at 2:07, when Ron MacLean introduces “a little ...
Habsfan2017 writes...
The Incredible Sedin twins: Genetics and Hockey collide
Posted Friday | Comments 12
As a genetic counselor, I have always been fascinated with twins. When I meet twins, I love to talk to them and find out how similar and dissimilar they are. In the case of identical twins, I simply marvel at nature and how something so unique can happen. With fraternal twins, they are no different than siblings genetically, but I am amazed to sense the bond they share w...
Oooooooh boy it's going to be a long summer.
A few days ago Chiarelli had his media avail. I thought Todd McLellan did an admirable job. He took responsibility for his actions, spent time defending some decisions while apologizing for others, and overall gave an idea of what he expects of the team moving forward.
Everything that Chiarelli didn't do.
[b]Bye Bye Tod...
The Instigator |Episode 12
Humboldt Prayers
On Friday, April 6, 2018 the hockey world changed. It changed forever. A horrific bus accident that left 16 people dead rocked the hockey world. The Humboldt Broncos SJHL junior hockey team has been devastated. The tragedy has weighed heavily on the hockey community, but to their credit the support for Humboldt has been ama...
Quite a title isn't it? Now that I have your attention, what does this title really mean in terms of this time of the season? The answer is comparing last season's successes to this year's expectations. Specifically, the Washington Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jackets, and why this battle of "underdogs" is in existence and what could come from it from either side; and wh...
After a long hiatus, thousands of miles of pilgrimage and months of flogging at the altar of shame that is university, my sorry-ass has returned to begin actively writing about the Oilers! I'll be writing a long series of posts detailing my ideal (and less-than-ideal-but-still-solid) offseason targets I believe the Oilers would do well to pursue. In the process of doing so...
Now is the time for me to put my glasses a bit further down my nose, take out my best red pen and grade each individual Oiler on their season. I debated on the order of how I wanted to do these; alphabetically, point production, desire to make me throw things at my tv... I decided on descending jersey numbers so looks like Jesse Puljujarvi is up first.
[b]GRADE - C
[/b...
[b]Lars Eller[/b] breaks through for the Washington Capitals as they defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets by the final score of 3-2, in double overtime.
Three of the five goals were scored in the second period. Washington opened the scoring with help from defenseman Matt Niskanen, his first of the series. Tom Wilson and Alex Ovechkin got the assists.
Five minutes later, ...
If you were told at the beginning of this season that Connor McDavid would not only surpass his previous career high of 100 points, but that he would also do so by scoring 11 more goals, you would probably be thinking "playoffs are going to be fun this year."
Yeah about that....
[b]GRADE A+
[/b]
There is no other grade to give Connor McDavid another than this. He h...
MaximumBone writes...
Bone's Guide to: Unproven Atlantic division targets
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
As with last week, I'll be breaking down trade and UFA targets from Atlantic division teams but this time the aim will be to feature some more "out-of-the-box" thinking. Without further verbal-meandering, let's get to it!
[b]Boston:[/b]
C/RW, Austin Czarnik
[i]Small but talented playmaker with excellent playmaking ability. Plays with effort and has consistently ...
Before the Oilers draft 9th overall on June 22nd, before they make any UFA signings on July 1st the team needs to take care of signing the RFA players.
This is all the RFA players the Oilers have that currently have NHL contracts for the purpose of this blog I will not be discussing AHL level deals. Whether the Oilers choose to resign Kyle Platzer or Ben Betker will hav...
The most proven way for building a quality NHL roster while managing cap space effectively is through the draft. Drafted players are controlled for the longest period of time. A team's ability to draft NHL players through multiple rounds of the draft directly correlates to long term success.
For this endeavor I took a look at every roster in the Pacific Division from t...
MaximumBone writes...
Bone's Guide to: Proven Metropolitan division targets
Posted Wednesday | Comments 7
Next up, I'll be tackling proven players from teams in Metropolitan division in an effort to pilfer talent from a host of the deeper teams in the league.
[b]Carolina:[/b]
RD, Trevor Van Riemsdyk
[i]A brilliant example of an under-the-radar “3rd pairing Dman” who was nothing but effective this past season. Excelled in consistent minutes against 2nd pairing-le...
The narrative around the Oilers off-season plans is focused on the acquisition of high end wingers and defensemen. Unfortunately the issues with the on ice talent extends much farther than the more prolific positions.
Acquiring and having cheap talent to plug and play is a practice that every NHL team incorporates. It becomes even more essential when a large amount of c...
freelancer writes...
On Chiarelli Shopping The Pick And Potential Scenarios
Posted Friday | Comments 1
Plenty of rumblings lately around the interwebs in regards to Chiarelli trading the Oilers 10th overall pick. Considering things didn't go so well the last time Chiarelli traded a first round pick (Griffin Reinhart had 12 points in 60 games in the AHL this year for those wondering) fans are reasonably concerned.
Here are a few facts about the Oilers organization.
1. ...
Yesterday the Oilers did a thing in signing Stuart Skinner to an entry level contract. Skinner was quite impressive after being traded to the Swift Current Broncos and was crucial to their victory. Skinner outperformed Carter Hart who is arguably the best goalie prospect in the WHL, posting 6 shutouts and a .932 Sv% over his playoff run.
Before anyone jumps to discussin...
As of now the Oilers are set to pick 10th overall in the 2018 Draft. The most debated subject right now in Oil Country is what should be done with the pick. Many trade suggestions have been given, the most recent coming from Ryan Rishaug being Klefbom and the 10th for Ristolainen... which would be a gross overpayment.
For many, the best option seems to be to hold on to ...
The new owner wants to change the team culture and is off to a running start in firing former GM Ron Francis. Bill Peters is gone to Calgary and Rod Brind'Amore and Don Waddell have been installed as the new coach and GM. Although as a hockey fan, I feel Francis did a great job building a solid foundation of defensive prospects, ie: Fleury, Bean, Hanifin and offensive pros...
freelancer writes...
Trade Partners For Edmonton: The Carolina Hurricanes
Posted Friday | Comments 0
While the Buffalo Sabres came up big with the 1st overall pick and Rasmus Dahlin, the Hurricanes arguably had the best fortune with the Draft Lottery, moving from #11 to #2. With the #2 pick the Canes will likely be selecting Svechnikov.
So the obvious question here is.... how do the Oilers benefit from this?
Let's look at some of the players from the Hurricanes the ...
Well the news we have been expecting for the past couple weeks was finally made official today as the Oilers announce Glen Gulutzan, Trent Yawney, and Manny Viveiros as assistant coaches with Todd McLellan.
A couple quick notes from the press conference.
- McLellan has said that the special teams will be worked on collectively. However he expects Gulutzan and Viveiro...
freelancer writes...
Salary Cap Projections Must Be Properly Utilized By Edmonton
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Hello everyone,
I'm Sean Maloughney (Ma-lock-nee for those who are interested to know) and I'll be doing my best to keep you, the masses entertained for at least the time being (I'm still a freelancer after all). As Matt Henderson put in his own farewell quite eloquently, being a blogger is critical in this day and age of media. Those who are employed by the teams you c...
Today via his Instagram account, AHL goaltender Nick Ellis announced his retirement from professional hockey and his plans to start teaching and coaching with the Boys' Varsity Hockey and Lacrosse club of Cantebury School.
The young goaltender is 24 and came off a rougher season, sporting a .898 Sv% in 22 games played with the Bakersfield Condors. One does wonder whethe...
Ryan Nugent Hopkins is a player amidst an evolution. When he entered the league fans were impressed by his brilliant passing and moves on the powerplay. Over the years Nuge started looking less flashy but showed incredible poise for a young player on defense; on those earlier Oiler teams in particular someone had to play defense. Now Todd McLellan has let Nuge back off the...
Plenty going on in the NHL right now but nothing that I can't comment on in a few sentences or less. So in no particular order let's get to it.
Keegan Lowe signed a 2 year two way contract with the Oilers worth 675,000. At first glance it's easy to see the name Lowe and start seething however Lowe had a good showing with the Condors last season and certainly deserves an...
MaximumBone writes...
Bone's (Accelerated) Guide to: The Rest of the League
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Not that anyone gives a damn but, on account of the wholesale failure of my laptop, I'm now gonna fast track the remainder of my [i]Guides to Player Acquisition[/i] in an effort to stay on schedule. As such, I'll cover the remainder of my ideal targets in this blog!
[b]Carolina:[/b]
LW, Warren [b]GODDAM[/b] Foegele
[i]If you've followed my posts in the Oilers th...
With one single flip of a card...seven years of disappointment and ineptitude were seemingly washed away.
Now...less than two months later. Common sense has also seemingly been washed away.
With the anticipated addition of super-prospect, Rasmus Dahlin, the Sabres appear to have a bona-fide #1 defenseman on the horizon. For many, it seems as though the Stanley Cu...
The easy predictions are as follows:
1) Buffalo Sabres- Ramus Dahlin
2) Carolina Hurricanes- Andrei Svechnikov
3) Montreal Canadiens- Flip Zadina
4) Ottawa Senators - Brady Tkachuk
5) Arizona Coyotes- Noah Dobson
The less than likely draft predictions:
1) Carolina trades either Jeff Skinner, Justin Faulk, Victor Rask, or Scott Darling
for either a ...
The offseason is officially underway, and the Penguins are preparing for what figures to be a relatively routine Summer. Pittsburgh will enter the draft with the core of their squad under contract, and will no doubt be scouring the ranks of eligible prospects in hopes of adding impactful talent to a farm system relatively devoid of it. The Penguins will not have much cap r...
My intent in writing this list is to test the effectiveness of a predictive, statistical model that I value and- in doing so- confirm or deny the stances I've taken on these players. In conjunction with some limited viewings of these players (mostly through OHL Live and WHL Live), I want to put to the test the assumption that one needs to spend egregious amounts of time ph...
What we know for sure. Chiarelli is shopping the first round pick and he has also said that improving the blue line is his main goal. Actually he claimed they needed "tweaking" but that was the only thing he mentioned other than the players need to play better. He is not wrong.
Oilers need Talbot, Klefbom, Larsson, Lucic and Sekeras to simply be better. I would say ...
MaximumBone writes...
Oilers at the Entry Draft: Drafting a Forward 10th
Posted Tuesday | Comments 1
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 3
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...
I got quite a kick out of the initial reaction to the Hamilton trade on day-two of the draft. Everything from 'Worst trade in Flames' history' to 'Fire Treliving Immediately'. Holy over reaction Batperson!
Dougie's name had been popping up in rumours since the end of this dismal season and it was disclosed after the trade that the teams had been working on the deal for ...
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....
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast - NHL Draft Shuffle,
Posted Monday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 29
NHL Draft Shuffle, Flames/Canes Trade and Top Targets
Debate 1 |NHL Draft – Winners and Losers
Debate 2 |Flames/Canes Blockbuster Trade
Debate 3 |NHL Free-Agents and Trade Targets
Its NHL Draft time and Brad Burud and Blake Friars breakdown the winners and losers, and what players moved up and what players fell in...
royalgardens writes...
Maple Leafs and John Tavares?; LA Kings Future?
Posted Wednesday | Comments 3
Tavares to Leafs? Panarin to Kings?
Figured it was about time to start speaking up for a change.
First, congrats to the Washington Capitals on winning their first ever Stanley Cup title. It sure seemed bleak when it came down to the Caps vs. Vegas in the end; rooting for a perennial playoff choker to put an end to Mr. Bettman’s disgusting Vegas Cinderella story, b...
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...
We're about a month away from puck drop, and I don't remember being more excited for October to arrive. It's a bit a of wierd statement coming from a Habs fan, considering the state of the team, so I figured I'd share my excitement with you guys.
First part : it could be quick...Wait, what could be quick? I'm talking about how the 2018-19 season is going to go for the ...
With the Flames first preseason game in China less than a week away the long wait for the new season is almost over. It is a season that has many fans of the team optimistic about a playoff berth and maybe more. The new look squad will be competing this weekend against the highly regarded Boston Bruins. Although this matchup will feature watered down preseason squads it wi...
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...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Suckerpunch, Unsigned RFA’s, and Preseason Standouts
Posted Monday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 33
Suckerpunch, Unsigned RFA’s, and Preseason Standouts
Brad Burud and Blake Friars prep for the start of the NHL season by discussing preseason standouts. Lots of great young talented showcased in the preseason, and some will be taking roster spots. Domi suckerpunched Ekblad – the reaction and the results of this stupid ...
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 ...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
THE DEBATE Hockey Podcast - Hot Starts and Controversy
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
The NHL season is one week old and its time for Brad Burud and Blake Friars to discuss what went down in week one of the season. Who is off to a hot start and who is struggling. Injuries are taking their toll on numerous teams. I think we are all in agreement when we say we are tired about hearing how great the Toronto Maple Leafs are…. we discuss. And, don’t forget th...
When the Capitals face a familiar foe on Wednesday at Capital One Arena in the Vegas Golden Knights, they will have a couple of new faces in the line-up. One looks to get back to regular minutes on the Caps back-end while another makes his Capitals debut.rnrnMichal Kempny returns after missing the first two games while recovering from a concussion suffered in the pre-seas...
When the Capitals face a familiar foe on Wednesday at Capital One Arena in the Vegas Golden Knights they will have a couple of new faces in the line-up. One looks to get back to regular minutes on the Caps backend while another makes his Capitals debut.
Michal Kempny returns after missing the first two games while recovering from a concussion suffered in the pre-season...
October 11 2018---- Sorry for being super busy over the weekend. Other committmnets came in the way from producing any furhter articles over the weekend.
Firstly, I will catch everyone up with the game action, injury news, and then look at the competition this evening, with the return of two former Blue Jackets players.
The Blue Jackets opened the season on the road ag...
Written by Zak October 12 2018
The Columbus Blue Jackets held on to defeat the Florida Panthers by the final score of 5-4, in regulation.
Zach Werenski opened the scoring on the power play with his first of the season. Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson had the assists. Panarin added onto the lead with his third of the season; Pierre-Luc Dubois had the assis...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Player Survey, Calgary Flames, and Dirtiest Player
Posted Friday | Comments 0
INSIDE EDGE HOCKEY NEWS – RADIO SHOW | EPISODE 10
Player Survey, Calgary Flames Outlook, and Dirtiest Player
Brad Burud talks about a NHL player survey done by Kevin Allen of USA Today. What do players think about concussions, surprise teams, expansion, and the potential lockout. The answers may just surprise you. Then Auddie James joins the show to breakdown the C...
The Washington Capitals host the high scoring Toronto Maple Leafs at 7PM EST at Capital One Arena. While Washington has had the upper hand the last couple seasons on the Leafs including a playoff series victory in 2017 and a win in the Outdoor Classic, Toronto is a different team this season as they are 4-1 and have recorded three wins on the road so far while scoring at w...
October 15,2018
Written by: Zak MacMillan
The Tampa Bay Lightning routed the Columbus Blue Jackets by the final score of 8-2!
AH! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN??? Is it the end? Call for a shakeup! Deal the rentals! No no, stay calm. It's just one game against one of the top teams. First, let's go over the results, then analyze.
Starting in the first, the past came back to...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Matthews$, Offer Sheets, Pettersson Slam and Teams in Troubl
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 36
Matthews$, Offer Sheets, Pettersson Slam and Teams in Trouble
Brad Burud and Blake Friars are fired up to talk Austin Matthews money. Is his future in Toronto? How much will he get paid? Can the Leafs afford him? What is the chance of an offer sheet on him or William Nylander? Then they dive (or slam) into the Elias Petterss...
October 18, 2018
The Jackets are in a gritty metropolitan division battle tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers and Jackets are similar and different in a lot of ways. The Flyers and Jackets have young offensive groups, but they Flyers is stronger; they both have elite young defensemen, with the Jackets more prominent, and the Flyers having more in numbers...
It's been a breath of fresh air to have a team to cheer for again.
Our Habs this year have come flying out of the gate. They have had some hiccups along the way so far, but overall its been a fast and exciting team which has been night and day from last years roll over and die edition.
Early returns suggest that we won the Galchenyuk and Pacioretty trades hands down...
It has essentially been a great start for Canadian Teams. All teams are competing in some way for playoffs. That being said, we are seeing the senators fall as they should have. Other teams have been hot and cold. So what do we make of all this?
Let's start with the East.
Toronto Maple Leafs:
This team is always going to be the most hated and most liked, that will n...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Nylander Sign or Trade and the Inconsistent Oilers
Posted Thursday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE - Hockey Podcast - Episode 40 - Nylander Sign or Trade and the Inconsistent Oilers
Are you sick and tired of thinking and speculating what will happen with William Nylander. Brad Burud and Blake Friars are too. For the last time they break down possible trade scenarios for Nylander, and discuss the possibility that he still may sign with the Toronto Maple L...
Many hockey insiders believe American Thanksgiving to be the time of year where NHL General Managers sit down, take a hard look at their rosters, and evaluate where they are and where their season could be headed. Most teams have played roughly 20 games by this point, so by this time many GMs have developed a solid understanding of what is working for their club, and what ...
[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...
INSIDEEDGEHOCKE writes...
Nylander Saga Finally Ends and Wilson Antics
Posted Wednesday | Comments 0
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 43
Nylander Saga Finally Ends and Wilson Antics
The William Nylander saga is now over in Toronto. What does this mean for the Leafs. What does it mean for their salary cap future, and what does it mean for pending RFA players. Brad Burud and Blake Friars are breaking it all down, and they are full of opinions. Then Tom Wilson i...
royalgardens writes...
Memo to Babcock/Dubas: Current Leafs Team Needs Shakeup
Posted Saturday | Comments 12
[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...
As I listened to the broadcast last night, then watched the game when I arrived home. I feel that aside from the obvious exhaustion due to the game frequency, as well as players playing above there slotting, the ref's have too much influence on the game. While I delve deeper into these thoughts. I am going to go into the game killing, momentum changing Patrick Maroon...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 46
Stars Blasted by Ownership
Dallas Stars ownership blasted superstars Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin in the media. The vulgar statements sent shock waves throughout the hockey world. Brad Burud and Blake Friars discuss the crazy situation, and give insight on what set off this tyraid and what will the ramifications be. Then the...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 47
Midseason Shockers and All-Stars Skip Out
The NHL has hit the midseason mark. Brad Burud and Blake Friars talk about the biggest surprises thus far. There are some very interesting ones. Can you believe the amount of goals scored? Then it is time to talk NHL All-Star Game, and players electing to skip out. With Alexander Ove...
With some of the problems the Leafs seems to be having on D and the booing of 51 I’m thinking the Leafs may have a way to improve the défense before they trade for an up grade with their current D. With 92’s improvement and 22’s struggles I see something that could help. If you put 22 down to the 3rd painting with 23 and bring 92 up with 51 I believe Jake will do be...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 49rnrnMcDavid Frustration and the Wild WestrnrnThe Western Conference Playoff race is in full swing as we head into NHL All-Star weekend. Brad Burud and Blake Friars take a look at the race and give their opinions on what team will fall out of the race first and what teams will survive the battle for the wildcard spots. Then its ti...
rebel_deucer writes...
I Say Keep The All Star Game... Here's Tip To Improve
Posted Sunday | Comments 3
Look I know that many think the all star is stupid, a farce, hurts the league and doesn't belong. Many seem to forget this is mainly an event for kids and hence why the nhl keeps it and continues to try and improve it. Some of it has worked. Lately people seem to get into the 3 on 3 tournament. Here are some ideas I think would improve the game for the fans.
1st - Keep...
The Instigator |Episode 23
Columbus “Pull the Trigger”
Trade or not. Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky has put the Columbus Blue Jackets and General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen in a difficult position. Do you keep them for a playoff run or gather assets for the future and still take a playoff run?? Time for a decision. Brad Burud from Inside Edge Hockey News gives...
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 52
Hey! We are fans too…
It is our most selfish episode ever, but a damn good one. Brad Burud and Blake Friars talk about what they love. It is time to talk about their favorite teams. Blake talks about why he is a Vancouver Canucks fan. Talks about his greatest moments as a Canucks fan and tells you why he thinks they wi...
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 ...
archromat writes...
A Bunch of Questions: about offside, tavares, sabres, etc
Posted Tuesday | Comments 5
In no particular order:
I notice goalies have been getting much taller lately; I also notice that the "slap shot" is going away. Is this all a result of those mega flex sticks that do the work for the player? If there was an insane reversion to the wood sticks, would the goalies get smaller again and would the slap shot make a comeback?
The Sabres looked really good...
The Instigator |Episode 27
Who is the Right Captain?
How important is a good captain to the growth of a hockey franchise? What type of player makes the best captain? All questions that are critical to a teams success. Do all NHL teams have the correct person as captain or has the pressures to select the young goal scorers outweighed the importance of leadership. Brad...
The Instigator |Episode 28
Doughty: Criticism to Boost Your Ego
This week Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty set the hockey world a buzz with this comments prior to a game in Calgary. He praised Mark Giordano, but criticized Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson on their defensive capabilities. He then took aim at Matthew Tkachuk of the Calgary Flames. He claimed that...
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 ...
A lot of rabble rousing has occurred this season with Toronto and Boston headed on a third date, and know what third dates mean. It means Toronto fans get really unhappy because their team gets ... again.
So when the Toronto fan base is angry, it causes a rumble in the hockey world, largely because they have the greatest influence over the network that arguably still h...
Toronto Boston was supposed to be the talked-about series the next day... was among fans of those teams, I'm certain, but much of the talk was amount the Sharks' 5 minute power play after their captain hit their head on the ice.
I let this slide: I always thought passively that it was the right call, but on the wrong player, so whatever. Vegas is the team that couldn...
Nuttybynature writes...
Can Holland be the saviour Oilers desperately need?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 18
Is Holland a great GM or is Holland a terrible GM? Both statements are lies and both are truths. Why is that, like any other GMs and even his Oiler predecessor, he has had trouble during the cap era. The question is how much is his fault and how much has he learned.
One of the greatest things of his Red Wings dynasty days and passed was the ability to assess talent and ...
Before I write this post, I will ask you to put these concepts in order of importance.
- Flawless Officiating
- Fun to play
- Entertaining
- Profitable
Now you might ask: "why can't we have them all?": but it's known when you try to accomplish everything, you more usually end up accomplishing nothing: see Theresa May's approach to Brexit as an example.
So now...
Been a while, [expletive removed for reasons]!
In honour of the latest bout of disappointment the Oilers chose to throw at us, I figured now would be a great time to review my targets from last offseason and quantify whether I'm more or less disappointing than my favourite team! First, we ought to set the bar: by how many criteria did the Oilers disappoint?
[b]1.)[...
Rookiefan writes...
Why Jacob Trouba is the Only RFA that NJD Should Offer Sheet
Posted Monday | Comments 20
New Jersey Devils (NJD) did not make it to the playoffs this season (2018-2019). Since then both Taylor Hall and Ray Shero have stated that NJD needs more talent. This prompted a lot of fans to look toward the UFA and the RFA class of 2019 in order to fill in the roster spots.
This article only looks at those few RFA players that the fan base wants to offer sheet. Ther...
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 14
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...
10. Patrick Laine
Of all the entries on this list, Laine’s inclusion is a bit of an oddity. It’s not like the young sniper had a terrible season. He still hit the 30-plus goal plateau and finished the year with a more than respectable 50 points. It’s just his numbers could have been so much better.
After a somewhat slow start to the season, Laine went absolutel...
I have been rather critical of several GMs in the past that have certainly proven me wrong - namely Sakic's situation a few years ago about how his team lacked an identity, and Yzerman's dealing with Stamkos even though I believe that situation was still handled clumsily - and I have defended some of Chiarelli's moves - that Griffin Reinhart deal with Barzal was available ...
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...
Liscio3 writes...
Why not try and dump Ceci and sign Gardiner to 1 year.
Posted Tuesday | Comments 0
Hello all, first time writer here and big time leaf fan! Given the leafs current cap crunch and the never ending Mitch Marner saga, i found it odd the leafs signed Ceci instead of attempting to walking away through arbitration and spend that 4.5M elsewhere? I get Gardiner can make HUGE head scratching blunders but he’s consistently titling the ice in the right direction ...
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...
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 3
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...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Revisiting the Red Wings trade possibility via Mike Augello
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
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...
Insane, I know.
I can only imagine the thoughts of many fans when they read a headline like this: "Let's see what this idiot has to say". It's like you're reading Vice.
But the way I see it, the Leafs' salary structure wasn't so much spoiled by Tavares, since he deserved a payday and he's obviously an elite center. Yet a one-two of Tavares and Matthews, while t...
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...
Detroit wins the prospects tourney for the 2nd time
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1
This was a surprise, for sure. I like the kids we have, and like what’s coming down the pipe. Joe Veleno surprised me, and I was expecting him to be really good. In 4 games he had 7 goals and 1 assist. One goal was an empty net in game 3, but in the other three games he had 2 goals. Good grief that’s consistent. And, it’s impressive. This kid wants a job right now wi...
Could the Leafs be about to troll the NHL?
Negotiations are usually a meet in the middle kind of thing, unless the middle is more than what the other side has to offer.
So the settlement? Four years at 9m/y. That is what I believe the final number will be around.
When you negotiate, what's "fair" usually isn't on the table, because people don't live in a fair wor...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Detroit Red Wings announce “teams” for training camp
Posted Thursday | Comments 4
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...
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...
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...
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...
Trends from last year continue. While overall the team is looking better, there are two alarming trends that need to be fixed. First is the slow starts to get their bearings which luckily that could be due to opening season jitters. The season reared it's head yesterday, third period give ups to let the team win when they should not. That being said a 2 0 1 record I am hap...
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 6
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 ...
Jeremy Laura writes...
Madison Bowey gets an opportunity against Anaheim
Posted Tuesday | Comments 38
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 second week of the regular season has come and gone in the hockey world, and for the Blue Jackets, success has followed. Last week, the Blue Jackets got their first victories of the season, against some of the league’s early success stories.
The Jacket’s first victory of the season came over the Buffalo Sabres, by the final score of 4-3 in overtime. The Jackets ...
In my spare time, I pythoned up a sim, but part of that sim was creating a power ranking based on a self-invented hundred balance system (ie, 132 = 32% stronger than average; 75 = 25% weaker than average). This system is entirely statistically based with zero input, but I shall only explain why I "believe" the teams are where they are and what issues they might need to ad...
Greetings! I have returned for my next instalment of power rankings. If you have read the first one, then you'll be familiar with what I am about to say: these power rankings are based entirely on statistical performances and they are churned out by a python code that examines every game in the last ten regular season weeks played (bleeding into the last year for now). N...
In the spirit of Hallowe'en and All Saints Day comes this week's power rankings, which I'll now be making on a monthly basis.
I must repeat the disclaimer: the stats entirely determine the power ranking: I only try to rationalize what the stats are pointing out.
1. Boston Bruins 9-1-2 POWER 130 LW: 1
The Scary: Boston's dominance in both NFL and NH...
Don Cherry was always an outspoken individual in terms of politics, so he made his remarks and Sportsnet said it's the last straw.
I always hated Sportsnet, and this is just an honest and candid opinion. As my friend put it, "it's like watching AHL level of broadcasting". TSN's hockey coverage rivaled American channels covering the NFL. I'm not going to hide behind...
James and Doug discuss the recent firing of Don Cherry, they break down the Leafs recent games vs Philadelphia and Chicago (20:00) , the ins and outs of why the Leafs seem to be struggling, the waiving of Hutchinson, the OJHL and the Markham Royals (1:02:40), Toronto Jr Canadiens (1:07:25) and the Toronto Patriots (1:10:55), and more! [url]https://soundcloud.com/offsidehoc...
Lets try and get excited as a group for tonights game vs. the Knights and James from Offside can show you how.
[url]https://twitter.com/OFFSIDETALK/status/1196947269972611074[/url]
Join James as he walks through tonights game.
[url]https://twitter.com/OFFSIDETALK/status/1198279822356729857[/url]
The recent firing of Mike Babcock was celebrated in some circles and by certain players. It is always unfortunate when anyone loses their job; even if Babcock will be paid millions of dollars post firing - something most of us would never have the luxury of. “Keep Grinding” Babcock had his faults but also had his tried and tested methods. Example: his 17 minute to the...
MaximumBone writes...
The Problem With Oscar Klefbom (Don't Trade Darnell Nurse)
Posted Thursday | Comments 31
I'm gonna come right outta the gate and say what qualifies as sacrilege within the Oilers community: Darnell Nurse is the Oilers' best Dman and attempts to trade him under the pretense that his minutes could be replaced by Klefbom aren't just wrong, they're blind to statistically observable reality. I guess I should actually get to the evidence before asserting things so s...
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...
So it would appear that Dubas decided to make the trade for a goalie sooner rather than later, which was the correct call. I had anticipated a deal, but the Kings' Jack Campbell was not on my radar. The 28 year old American-born goaltender recently came into some additional games as the Kings have been treading through some difficult waters with their core has slowed down...
Michael OConnor writes...
Best Available Defenceman: Potential Winnipeg Jet?
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
There is no question that the Winnipeg Jets have been lucky to find themselves in playoff contention given the multiple missing pieces on their blue line. It was no surprise that the big man, Tyler Myers left town in pursuit of a lucrative deal with the Canucks. However, the loss of Dustin Byfuglien was a bit more surprising. Despite having a number of good seasons with...
After tonight, there is no reason why the Sharks could not make a push into the playoffs. Sure, the division has many competitive teams, but none are taking control of their destiny. The Canucks lost to an outdated Minnesota roster, and to make things worse, Pettersson missed the game due to a lower body injury. Jay Beagle and Jake Virtanen were injured as well, but cam...
The Calgary Flames dropped there third straight decision Thursday night, in a disappointing loss to the Nashville Predators. A Nashville Team that came into the game three points back of the quickly falling Flames, is now a single point back of them with two games in advantage to boot. Calgary is quickly falling behind, and unless they start playing with some urgency and h...
Saturday night went quite well for the Calgary Flames, bulldozing the Vancouver Canucks 6-2 in enemy territory. It’s no secret this season has been tough for the Flames, especially after such a wonderful year last season, that saw them hit first in the Western Conference. They were a team with a killer instinct, and that finally cam alive against their divisional rival. ...
Just a few days past the Flames lost Captain and defensive rock Mark Giordano to a hamstring injury. Currently, he’s week to week so it’s hard to know when exactly he’ll be back and ready to go, but one thing for sure, is the Flames REALLY don’t need anyone else going down with an injury. Especially so close to the seasons end, with so many teams in the race for ...
The Calgary Flames have had hardly any help from their bottom six most of the season. Outside a couple contributors (Ryan/Dube) they haven’t had much, and to say it has been very concerning is an understatement. However, in the past two games that seems to be coming to an end. San Jose was pummeled 6-2 in their own building by the Calgary Flames Monday night, as the Fla...
The Calgary Flames ended their four-game road trip on a high note, beating the Anaheim Ducks 6-0. Despite the score, the Flames didn’t play great by any means, but the fact that the Ducks were terrible helped them out. Still, Anaheim peppered Cam Talbot with 44 shots, all of which he was able to turn aside. Calgary made the most of their chances, despite Anaheim dominati...
Blackhawks beat the Flames (who were channeling their inner Detroit Red Wing), into the Ice with EASE, by a score of 8-4. The entire game the Flames just couldn’t gain any ground. Every time the Flames looked as though they were starting to get back into, a defensive lapse would occur, they would leave someone all alone in front of the net, and would trail AGAIN. This wh...
With the trade deadline just one week away, I’m genuinely curious about what the Calgary Flames will do. On one hand, the Flames desperately need a top six winger. They’ve needed one for a long while and one has to think Brad Treliving will be adding one. Tyler Toffoli seems to be the guy linked to the Flames, but who really knows? Having said all that, one also has to...
JDB writes...
Granlund Scores with .1 seconds. Flames Lose to Predators
Posted Thursday | Comments 2
Once again, the Flames find themselves unable to string together some wins, and once again they lose to a team they NEED to beat. A team that is right behind them in the standings. Once again, the Flames are unable to ring in some consistency and it’s cost them another game yet again. It’s all too predictable at this point with the Flames. They win one or two row and t...
The Calgary Flames marched into Tampa Bay looking to rebound from a disappointing loss to the Nashville Predators a few nights ago. A game in which while they weren’t awful, they weren’t good enough to win. They had some good looks, but with .1 seconds left let the Predators tied up the game. Overtime they went, and the Flames dropped the game. Perhaps they deserved a ...
1. Cancel the NHL draft (picks would just all move back a year, so if you have 3 1sts this year, you get them next year instead).
There was an opportunity in 2005 absolutely wasted. They could have simply cancelled the draft and changed the minimum draft age to 19*
*Every year, up to three to five players at 18 are NHL ready. Sometimes none are ready. Perhaps if y...
Blame Dubas, Why did Keefe load up the first line? Dubois' fault for injuring Muzzin. None of these of the reasons. Did they help, no it did hurt but this team is flawed and many know it.
First, this team needs to mature in a different way. They need to realize what playoff hockey is. Losing to Washington and Boston both times was wow we gave it all we got they were the...
I believe that the NHL needs to realign the divisions into smaller divisions, similar to the NFL.
Check out my idea for a new idea for NHL Realignment starting with the 2021 - 2022 season. Find out what division your NHL team moves to in the NHL Realignment plan! Also, this NHL Realignment has changes to the schedule structure, playoffs and if Florida and/or Arizona...
Dale Hawerchuk a legend who deservedly walks among the greats from his era, Gretzky, Savard, Yzerman, Bossy, Lemieux, etc...
He was pivotal in Canada winning the Canada Cup in the 80s. He was the guy who setup the goal Gretzky to Lemieux.
Beloved in two cities Winnipeg and Buffalo. Went to the finals with Philadelphia. Came close to winning it all. Calder trophy wi...
The NHL playoffs are in full swing and with no set date for the NHL Draft here is my Mock Draft and how I see things playing out.
1. New York Rangers: Alexis Lafrenière
This may be the easiest pick in the draft. The Rangers get a top line left wing who can blossom under Artemi Panarin’s tutelage.
2. Los Angeles Kings: Tim Stützle
The Kings are rebuilding and ne...
Part two of my NHL Mock Draft.
9. Minnesota Wild: Cole Perfetti
The Wild luck out with Perfetti dropping a few spots. Perfetti was second in OHL scoring with 111 points.
10. Winnipeg Jets: Anton Lundell
Winnipeg has issues on the backend with the loss of Byfuglien, Trouba and Myers but they go with Lundell. Lundell plays similarly to Mikko Koivu. A solid ...
The Bubble Cup Tournament has crowned our 2020 Stanley Cup Champions during the crazy coronavirus pandemic. The winner has been the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts winning has shown the best team can win the sport's true prize.
Tampa was part of the round robin for conference seeding with Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington. The fallen foe Dallas Stars dealt with St. L...
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...
hockeyaddict89 writes...
Will Matthews be like Mats and go the way of Sundin?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 42
I thought this would be fun to see where everyone stands on this.
SO, do you think Mathews will go the way of Sundin? A great player who drives and leads play on the ice, but ultimately doesn't win a cup for them? Or is he going to take it home eventually a la Ovechkin.
While they are entirely different players, both were stars on their respective teams and were the...
Additions/Subtractions
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
+C Grant, RD Shattenkirk, RD Welinski, C Lettieri
-- D Irwin, RW Sherwood, RW Sherwood, RD Gubdransson, G Boyle
Arizona Coyotes
+ GM Armstrong, C Hunt, LW Larsson, C Hayden, RW Pitlick, C Brassard,
-- 2020 2nd (sanctioned), 2021 1st (sanctioned), GM Chayka, RW Hinistroza, C Richardson, LW Hall, C Stepan
Boston Bruin...
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 4
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...
We are almost a quarter into the season and it already has been filled with drama, heroes and zeros, and a ton of surprises.
Let's take a look at them:
[u][b]1) MARC ANDRE FLEURY[/b][/u]
After all the talk this off-season about potentially dealing him, he has had a great start to the season. It's only been three games played for him but he is sitting at:
3-0-0 ...
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...
It was marvelous. The Oilers led by McDavid and Draisaitl didn't need to consistently put up 5+ goals to win games. Instead, led by not as many superhuman efforts, the team was capable of winning games 2-1 or 3-2, as they weren't concerned about the tandem of Smith and Koskinen fishing the puck out of the net after every third shot. This confidence also rolls into the play...
Jacko17 writes...
What should've came from the Oilers frustrating rebuild
Posted Friday | Comments 6
If somebody told you in 2009 that the Edmonton Oilers would have four first-overall draft picks in 6 years, you'd probably laugh at them. Well, we now live that horrendous reality, and only half of those players selected first-overall still play with the Oilers.
In order of years since 2010, Edmonton has selected in the first round;
Taylor Hall - Selected first-overall...
When Auston Matthews bolts for Arizona in the summer of 2025 I, a Toronto native and lifelong leafs fan, won't blame him one iota. Time was, scoring at a goal-per-game pace for 18 games (leading the league by half of the number scored by the next closest player in the process) got a guy some protection from diminutive Swedes – and anyone else who took liberties with him...
Zak MacMillan writes...
Columbus Fans Are Panicking, And Here's Why They Shouldn't
Posted Tuesday | Comments 14
Changes are a brewing in Ohio's capitol. Here we are, beginning of March 2021, with the Columbus Blue Jackets in a losing predicament in the wild west Central Division. The Blue Jackets currently have a 0.457 winning percentage, with a 8-10-5 record thus far into the season. They are only better than the Detroit Red Wings in winning percentage, and are tied with Nashville ...
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.
...
Zak MacMillan writes...
No for 2 - Coaches Don't Get the Star That Is Patrik Laine
Posted Sunday | Comments 2
2 coaches. 2 cities. 2 systems. Same single problem. Both coaches John Tortorella and Paul Maruice have noticed and utilized the talent of winger Patrik Laine in the same exact way, and that is the power forward department.
Patrik Laine is the second overall pick behind Auston Matthews in the 2016 NHL entry draft. Laine has 6 goals and 4 helpers in 16 games with Columb...
Jacko17 writes...
A Jack Eichel trade to rid Buffalo's losing culture?
Posted Tuesday | Comments 131
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 3
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...
Teams are working towards the second half push. Those teams who have depended on stick checks and fancy moves will likely win a few, but will be disappointed with some hard losses. I hope to have some insight soon as to who will flourish and who will falter.
Its Painful being a Sabres fan these days. As much as the last 10 years minimum have been a disappointment. We have good bones here. Changes need to happen in an immediate way. I'm a fan of Stevens the new GM at least he has attempted to bring talent in. Changes to the coaching staff are days away it seems and most necessary. I think Eichel, and Dahlin are foundational tal...
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...
[i]Forgive me for brainstorming another Maple Leafs/Kings trade idea, but since both the clubs I have followed my entire life seem to come together and make a big deal almost every other season recently why not begin to contemplate another one, this time BOTH clubs benefit and get something that both really need.[/i]
[b]TO LOS ANGELES:[/b]
[u]LW/RW William Nylander[/...
Earlier today Brendan Shanahan stated that the Leafs "are going to get this done, with this group that we have." While as a fan of the team and a huge supporter of Marner and Matthews to say that is a possibility, here lies the issue. Albert Einstein once said "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results." The duo makes a combined $22,...
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...
Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 DFS Review
Game 1 didn’t go exactly as planned, but that’s the way it goes in DFS. Hopefully some of you fared better than I did. Let’s review the strategies and plan to make some adjustments for game 2 tonight.
What did we want to happen: After going through all the games for both the Canadiens and the Lightning we determined that thi...
Stanley Cup Finals Game 2 Draftkings Review
The Lightning survived an early onslaught from the Canadiens and made the most of their opportunities to go up 2-0 in the series with a 3-1 win in Game 2. Tampa got goals from their not so usual suspects, Cirelli, Coleman and Palat tallied a goal a piece. Suzuki scored a power play goal for the Canadiens. Vasilevskiy was pheno...
Stanley Cup Game 3 Draftkings Preview
So far we’ve been middle of the road with our strategies but that’s how GPP strategies go, with a need to balance optimal production with slight differential in our lineups because when we win we want to get paid out and not split the top prize 10 ways. Also just to touch on some contest selection decisions, make sure whatever c...
Stanley Cup Finals Game 5 Draftkings Preview
All right everyone I hope you can forgive my absence for game 4, a very hectic pre-planned family vacation had me very busy. I hope all of you enjoyed the holiday weekend and got to spend time with friends and family. Well the Habs showed up desperate and determined not to let the Lightning celebrate with Lord Stanley’s C...
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...
Living in southern Ontario I'm a hockey fan in general and I noticed the lack of Coyotes coverage on here. So I thought I could add a bi-weekly update on some hockey happenings for the team. With the recent trade of Christian Dvorak to Montreal the Coyotes now only have 6 players (3 Forwards and 3 Defense) signed to the roster beyond the 2021-2022 season. Plus they only ha...
The Calgary Flames are quite possibly one of the most frustrating teams to cheer for, just ask any fan. Why? Well, since their cup win in 1989, this team has been on a downward spiral, with bad coaches, bad GM’s and nearly zero playoff success outside of their miraculous run to the cup in 2004 which saw them lose in game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and a trip to the se...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Tonight’s main slate featured 12 games, in my breakdown I highlighted the games I thought would be most conducive to fantasy scoring and some players I thought would be good plays. In the After Action Review I go back over the games and players I highlighted to hold myself accountable and see what adjustments I can make going forward.
Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers
...
NHL Single Game Slate 1 Breakdown
There’s only one game on the slate tonight so that means it’s a single game breakdown. Now with single game slates individual plays are what we focus on as well as correlation of line mates and power play partners and what we believe the game script will be. Also with captains/MVPs scoring at the elevated point rate makes them the m...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
The After Action Review is my way of holding myself accountable and identifying adjustments going forward. Tonight’s slate only had four games and I picked out two that I believed would deliver potent fantasy environments.
New York Rangers @ Toronto Maple Leafs
Players Highlighted:
Nick Ritchie ($3,400 DK, $4,200 FD)
All Ritchie managed to do was record a shot ...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
After every slate I hold myself accountable and take a look at how my Breakdown takes panned out over the course of the slate. With 11 games on this slate I chose 3 games that I believed would set themselves apart and deliver fantasy ecstasy.
Dallas Stars @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Players Highlighted:
Evan Rodrigues ($3,500 DK, $4,600 FD)
I had high hopes for Rodrigu...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the breakdown we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities against (PPOA...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
TheMananimal writes...
Why the Leafs should have re-signed Jack Campbell
Posted Wednesday | Comments 1009
Since the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Jack Campbell in February of the 2019 – 2020 season, Campbell has been nothing short of spectacular for the Leafs in goal. In a short sample during that season Campbell posted a record of 3-2-1 in the Blue & White with 2.63 GAA and .915 SV%. The Leafs ultimately were eliminated in the play-round of the playoffs with Frederik Anderse...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Chống thấm ATH Group được biết đến như một trong những công ty hàng đầu tại Việt Nam và khu vực Đông Nam Á về lĩnh vực chống thấm,
DỊCH VỤ CHỐNG THẤM BAO GỒM:
Chống thấm ngược tầng hầm
Chống thấm ngược trần nhà
Chống thấm sàn nhà vệ sinh
Chống thấm ngược tường nhà
Chống t...
CÔNG TY TNHH ĐẦU TƯ VÀ PHÁT TRIỂN THƯƠNG MẠI ATH
Giấy chứng nhận ĐKKD số: 0314169208 do Sở KH & ĐT TPHCM cấp lần đầu ngày 22/12/2016.
Địa chỉ: 44/22 Đường số 12,KP. 9, P. Trường Thọ, Q. Thủ Đức, TP. Hồ Chí Minh
VP tại HCM: 22 Kha Vạn Cân, P. Hiệp Bình Chánh, Tp. Thủ Đức, Tp. HCM
VP tại HN: 60...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
The Crease Report finds the best goaltending values on a given slate by looking at a goalie’s own metrics and the quality of team defense played in front of them. Team shot maps, shots against (SA), scoring chances against (SCA) and high danger chances against (HDA) are all weighed and considered to determine the best matchups. In addition to the individual goaltenders a...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
In the Shot Attempts-Thru Percentage Model we’ll examine players that are getting a higher amount of shot attempts (SA) and their thru percentage (Thru%) to identify those players getting shot attempts to the net but aren’t scoring goals at a level consistent with with the number of attempts they’re taking. Shooting percentage (Shoot%) and shots on goal (S) will also...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
Here in the environmental study we’re going to identify the games with the best fantasy scoring environments for everyday of the NHL season. To do this we’re going to look at teams’ scoring chances for (SCF), scoring chances against (SCA), high danger chances for (HDF), high danger chances against (HDA), power play opportunities (PPO) and power play opportunities aga...
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 ...
If you have been wondering how to get the best Toca Boca mod for Android, you've come to the right place. This game is a ranah anak's dream with its unique gameplay, graphics, and map. Now, you can enjoy premium features for free, and block the iklan in the game. Download the game to your Android device from the official website or use the mod to get an unlimited supply of...
Hello,
ever play that game where someone is reading their fortune from a fortune cookie and you just have to blurt out the words "in bed" at the end.
Well, playoff rhetoric and the Toronto Maple Leafs have a similar two word phrase that should dove tail every headline out there set to spark readership, subscriptions, and clicks. Those two words are "For Now".
There...
Hockey_Nutter writes...
Changes are needed... The question is what changes
Posted Monday | Comments 1117
The curse lives on. The excuses live on. The reality is one thing, Toronto did not finish the job.
The stars and the famed core showed up. They played the way they should and did many good things that should have resulted in wins. Overall, Toronto was the better team by inches but they still lost.
This shows that changes are needed. All bets are off type of changes,...
During the 2021-22 season of the national hockey league, the Toronto Maple Leafs had a historic performance accomplishing 50 wins for the first time, 30 wins on home ice, finishing with 115 points, and setting three new franchise records.
With such an impressive season, the Leafs would secure home ice in round one of the playoffs for the first time since 2004, the year...
For the sixth consecutive year under the Auston Matthews era,’ the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, unlike in previous years the elimination this year left a positive feeling among many fans of “Leafsnation”. The Leafs managed to take the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning to a...
BarrettGeoffrey writes...
Vector 2 Premium Mod Apk – Escape For Your Freedom
Posted Saturday | Comments 0
Action games have never ceased to be attractive. So if you are finding one title, which can bring you thrilling and appealing gameplay, [url=https://apksunny.com/vector-2-premium/]Vector 2 Premium Mod Apk[/url] is an ideal suggestion.
It will test your limits in the dark and deadly atmosphere. Many dangerous traps are waiting for you. Where is the way to escape from dea...
Today we are able to reflect on the closest three peat in decades, not to mention my lifetime. It is easy to wonder what would have happened if perhaps Point hadn't torn his quad or perhaps we squeezed out game 1, but the offseason is here and now we look down the road at signings, trades, draft picks to be made and the hopeful attempt to make it to a fi...
You can watch movies, download videos, and watch TV shows on the [url=https://apksunny.com/oreo-tv/]OREO TV[/url]. The user interface is also customizable, with multiple topics to choose from. It has a dark mode that protects your eyes from glare, and original lighting that provides a smooth experience. The multitasking features allow you to work without interrupting your ...
With the Canucks coming off an incredible performance of the teams best player, Andrei Kuzmenko, who happens to be playing for a new high-priced contract, some decisions need to be made.rnWith Kuzmenko and the teams other best player, Luke Schenn, as well as overrated Bo Horvat, all being UFA's, should the team be re-signing these 3, or do you try get something back in ret...
1. Chicago Blackhawks: C Connor Bedard Regina Pats (WHL)
Bedard is the no brainer pick here. Generational talent that will jump start the Hawks rebuild in the post Kane and Toews era. Comparable: Auston Matthews
2. Anaheim Ducks: C Adam Fantilli University of Michigan (NCAA)
Fantilli absolutely blew away the competition in the NCAA with 65 points in 36 game...
You must be too accustomed to the game Geometry Dash. On the [url=https://geometrydashscratch.io]Geometry Dash Scratch[/url] website, you can access further variations of this game if you're interested. Five video games in this collection were created by Swedish game developer Robert Topala and released by RobTop Games. In this game, you and your character will be forced t...
ST. LOUIS –One of the most exciting moves of the 2023 pre-draft weekend was 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 ...
So, it has come to this : some rando forum member writing Lightning blogs because HB refuses to have an official Lightning team blogger. My name is Mike G., but let's roll with "Galactic Stone" for now.
Some quick background on your new blogger : I am 52 years old, married for 23 years to my wife Tina, and when I am not watching/posting about hockey, I am a full-time m...
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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...