Face Off Hockey Show

Trouble Between the Tunnel

2007-10-27T21:39:00.000-06:00

It may be a bit premature, especially considering the fact we’re ten games into the season, but with the best New York team being the Isles, there could be trouble brewing for the other area clubs. However, much has changed in the landscape of both the Rangers and the Devils that the causes for concern could be just a chemistry issue.

First, you look at the Rangers. This is a team who went out and decided they had enough money to basically do what they did before the lockout, which was get the best players’ money could by. In this case, Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, both are coming from the free agent frenzy. Yet, at the beginning of this season—only Drury seems to be comfortable enough with the system Tom Renney is running to get some consistency on the score sheet. Gomez has been shuffled around the line-up, which could cause for a lack of production as the comfortability factor is not there.

What should sting even worse is that the Rangers have a league-worst 16 goals-for this young season. With the likes of Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, Drury, and Gomez; this team should have more than 16 goals in 10 games. It begs the question of how much did Michael Nylander mean to this squad?? Oddly enough, the Rangers have only given up 21 goals, thanks to the work horsemanship of Henrik Lundqvist.

With the struggles early, you have to wonder when or if Jaromir Jagr will become a disturbance to this club, as well as how long before Tom Renney gets shown the door, should the struggles continue.

Moving through the tunnel over to New Jersey and the stink of the sulfur isn’t the only thing that is foul in Jersey. The Devils have gotten off to an awful start, no thanks to nine straight on the road as their new building, the Prudential Center, was finished and Bon Jovi finally stopped squatting on the land.

With new coach Brent Sutter behind the bench, we have been able to see John Madden and Jay Pandolfo flourish in the hard-nose system; yet with the departure of Gomez and Brian Rafalski—the Devils have lost some of their kick.

The kick was seemingly to the groin, as the normally defensive sound Devils haven’t been showing their true defensive form, giving up 34 goals in 10 games. Martin Brodeur appears almost human in net, as he is sporting a 3.30 GAA and .876 SV%.

The offense for the Devils is just as atrocious, with the team being shutout on two occasions already this season. Throughout the 82-game schedule in ’05-’06, the Devils were shutout the same amount. The absence of both Gomez and Rafalski are being shown on each end of the ice, with Gomez’s set-up prowess being missed most; especially by Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta.

Like I said—it’s still early and I don’t want to get all Eric Francis on the Rangers and Devils saying they won’t make the playoffs after 10 games; I’m not a presumptuous ass. However, for these teams to be struggling as badly as they have been, it could make people put their finger on the button—albeit very early.

Hartley the First to Go

2007-10-17T10:45:00.000-06:00

It's quite ironic, really. To be honest, I was going to write up a piece about who are the candidates to be fired first as head coach in the NHL. In it, I was going to say that Bob Hartley was the most likely to be first, especially given the play of his team as of late. Lo and behold, what gets announced today?? The Thrashers fired Hartley and will replace him for the interim with GM Don Wadell.

The thing about this is that it almost seems like a long time coming. The Thrashers less than stellar appearance in their first playoffs, coupled with the loss of some key players this off-season and the atrocious start to the season they have had so far-- it's a perfect storm for who ever is in the eyepiece of the firing rifle.

However, the fact is that the Thrashers are the only team in the NHL without a single point, they have scored only nine goals in six games, they have given up 27 goals (three above LA for most goals against), and the only real signs of life they have had is against a Devils team who is a shell of its former self.

You can look at Wadell not making a bigger splash in the off-season as an excuse, but when it comes to team motivation and team play, the onus falls onto the coach. Hartley has had a track record of winning and that's why he was brought into the Atlanta dressing room. Hartley did bring a bigger mentality to the locker room and with their playoff appearance, albeit brief, the Thrashers looked like a contender for the future. Yet, they stumbled out of the gates (well, more like fell flat on their face) and haven't been getting the firepower needed out of their big guns. Because of that, Hartley takes the fall.

With the coach gone, the time is now for the Thrashers to take it as a wake up call and get into gear before it's too late. With Wadell behind the bench and doing the duel role for the foreseeable future, it could put a few players on notice who have been dragging ass.

That said, for a bigger picture on what to look for from the Thrashers and what this could all mean-- check out Fire Wagon Hockey for the most honest coverage of the Thrashers I've seen to date.

Too Much, Too Soon??

2007-10-12T10:57:00.001-06:00

We are just over a week into the season, but the questions seem to be coming up about certain topics; coaching, free agents on the market, who's going to be in net-- however, the one question I'll pose to you today is dealing with the possibility of some teams doing too much, too early; which could effect their play later on in the season.

First, the Calgary Flames. Obviously, Mike Keenan has been know to play his best players all the time to get them the ice time to make a difference. That's all well and good, but there has been a noticable difference in the Flames this season than in season's past. Granted, they don't have the best track record when it comes to October, but it seems that they are playing much sloppier than usual.

One example is Dion Phaneuf, who in his third year is logging almost 30 minutes a game. Sure, he's a great young defenseman, but you have to wonder if he's ready for that big of a responsibility yet. As the games drag on, he seems to be getting more and more fatigued and let's more and more get by him; pucks, men, the game.

Jarome Iginla could be another example if he had great October's to begin with. With the exception of last season, Iginla has never had the best track record in the first month of the season.

With the Flames on a big downswing and have to play from behind all year thus far, they will need to get something going in one way or another in order to keep the fans happy and their playoff hopes bright.

Staying in the West, the Cup champion Ducks won their first game since their England Adventure on Wednesday against the Bruins. However, with the exception of their shootout lose to the Wings, the Ducks have not looked like the most recent champions of the league.

The big question with the Ducks is how much does this have to do with the absence of Scott Niedermayer, Teemu Selanne, and the injured J-S Giguere?? All three played a big part in the success of the Ducks last season and have left a fairly big hole. It doesn't help either that Mathieu Schneider is out and that Ilya Bryzgalov hasn't been as good as the Ducks would have hoped.

The good things for the Ducks is that now they have some rest after coming back to North America, especially after playing three games in four days when the got back from London, as well as the emergence of Jonas Hiller as a competent back-up, which could great controversy when Giguere finally does get healthy. Not to mention Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Francois Beauchemin have all emerged as great scoring threats, though one of those names is not like the others.

Now, I know two truths-- it's early in the season and that these athlete's are well-conditioned and should be able to deal with all the twist and turns thrown out there. Yet, it does still make for great discussion and some controversy in the early going.

Another Day, Another Doubtful Deal

2007-10-02T19:47:00.000-06:00

We thought this was over. We thought that they had finally had a deal. At long last, the fate of the Nashville Predators was determined and it was going to be sold to a group of local investors in order to stay in Nashville for a time being.

Oops.

It seems that according to the Tennessean, one of the investors doubt that the deal will go through; as some of the alterations that the group want to make to the deal with the City of Nashville doesn't sit well with the city council. David Freeman said that the nine changes the group proposed was rejected by city council and really puts this deal in doubt.

Some of the changes included an option to let the Predators leave Nashville if the season attendance dips under 14,000 on average and if the group loses $20 US. Also, the changes includes the team taking almost all state and local taxes from the arena for hockey and other arena events. Other revisions included the city putting up a new source of revenue stream for the arena make "Fun Zones" to kill excessive utility cost. I don't know how one goes with the other, but hey.

Now, here's the thing-- and this is just me-- it seems that the only way the Predators will ever get sold is that if the City and current owner Craig Leipold comes to the realization that one of the clauses for a new owner is the option to move the team if there is no support from the city. It will be hard to give that up, especially when so much time and money was put into it in one way or another-- but it's real. No new investor wants to come in and accept that they will have to take a monetary loss and be handcuffed by the fact they must keep the team in a place the doesn't/won't support it.

It would have been a good idea to get the local investors into the fold, however the fact they want a clause to get out if there's no support is probably showing their true colors. Sure, it's an insurance policy, but when you have the locals starting to question the loyalty of the fans; something is wrong. It could be underestimating the fan or it could show that those investing probably wouldn't do much to promote their own team on their own business side, but something is rotten there when you want all those clauses.

I don't know if the Preds will ever get sold and if they do-- odds are they'll be headed to either Kansas City or somewhere in Canada. To counteract that, the fans need to do their parts. It's hard to put the onus on the people supporting the team, but that seems to be the bottom line. It could seem like a hard sell, but that's why they needed the local investors to help pump up the team. With that dead-- it seem all but assured that the Predators tenure in Nashville is almost as extinct at the sabertooth tiger on their uniforms.

London Calling

2007-09-29T18:13:00.000-06:00

The first game in the NHL this season is in the books. It was the first time an NHL regular season game was played in Europe and while it was a while before the worked the kinks out, the game went off pretty much without a hitch. Here's some observations from the first game that I saw.

-It was a little surprising to see that Jonathan Bernier got the start for the Kings, but he put on a great show for the Kings in the 4-1 win. Jason LaBarbera seems to have been usurped again from the starting gig. There's going to be a lot of questions if Labarbera can't get his game in tack, like the mojo that he's only an AHL caliber goalie. As for Bernier, should he stay up the whole season and play like he did today-- I wouldn't be surprised to see him win the Calder.

-The Ducks are without Teemu Selanne, Scott Niedermayer, and Dustin Penner; but they looked very sluggish on the offensive side of things. They did outshoot the Kings 27-21, but they didn't seem to have too many quality chances. Randy Carlyle is going to have to change some things around with the lines and get the fire lit under guys like Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf; both of whom are supposed to pick up the slack and get something going in the absence of the big names.

-I think all fantasy owners and Kings fans can rest easy about Mike Cammalleri. I think many were wondering what would happen after he got his arbitration ruling of 2-years $6.7M. With two goals and an amazing game-- Cammalleri is showing he is worth the money.

-Look out for Anze Kopitar this season. I have my doubts that he'll have a sophomore slump, especially the power game he had today and the fact he won the MVP of that oddball Red Bull tournament in Austria; Kopitar is looking to turn some heads and get some pub about himself out there.

-A good turnout to the O2 arena, with plenty of jerseys in the crowd from all around. Thank goodness for London being a flight hub. It was definitely interesting to see the wide variety of NHL jerseys and European jerseys. I think CBC said that all but one team in the British Elite League was represented in the crowd. Considering all the other things going on in England (rugby and premier league) it was pretty nice to see those in the crowd.

-The ice was odd, wasn't it. The smaller neutral zone, the higher boards-- it was an interesting scene on TV and I'm sure just as odd on the ice. Just imagine someone like Andy McDonald trying to hope the boards and then looking like he was in pee-wee hockey struggling to get over the boards.

-The Ducks really need to get rid of the wordmark for the logo. Not only is it a piece of crap, but on the new jerseys, the logo looks incredible small on the jerseys. Why not just use the webbed-footed "D" like what's on the wordmark for the logo?? I know, it's too simple, but yikes.

That's it for game one, only 1,200+ to go.

Storylines Galore

2007-09-26T08:37:00.000-06:00

We're days away from the new NHL season and of course, you're going to have storylines. Here are some, team-by-team, of what you could ponder while watching them on the ice this season.

ANAHEIM: What can the Champs do for an encore?? With Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer out, it'll be interesting to see how much Ryan Getzlaf and Chris Pronger can step up. Also, how much of a factor will Todd Bertuzzi play this season??

ATLANTA: A brief appearance has set high-hopes for the Hot-lanta fateful. With defense still the lingering question, the Thrashers need to hope Kari Lehtonen is all that he is cracked up to be. The Thrashers should also be hoping for some scoring outside of their top line.

BOSTON: Will Manny Fernandez flourish or falter?? After leaving a defense-first team like Minnesota to a team with the 2nd worst plus/minus in the league (-328, behind Philadelphia), Manny will have to be on his game. Look for Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron to be big players once again for the Bs.

BUFFALO: Thomas Vanek is under the microscope this year, not only with his salary, but also with the departure of Chris Drury and Daniel Briere. The consistency of Maxim Afinogenov will also be at the forefront since he is now a marquee player for Buffalo.

CALGARY: What will Mike Keenan do?? How Keenan works with the likes of Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff will be the determining factor when it comes to the success of the Flames. Should they gel well together, then things should be fine for the "C" of Red.

CAROLINA: Retooled from last year's disappointment, the Hurricanes will be looking for some answers on whether or not Cam Ward and Eric Staal can carry the team. The health of the defense should be something to look for as it was the downfall of last year's edition of the Canes.

CHICAGO: The youth movement is alive and well with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews at the head of the Hawks class. Martin Havlat should have an explosive year...as long as he stays healthy, and Brent Seabrook should be the stallwart defenseman from now until he leaves Chicago.

COLORADO: After coming close to the playoffs last season, the Avalanche have retooled on defense and upfront to add more grit and possibly get them over the hump and get back into the playoffs. Now, what to do with Jose Theodore??

COLUMBUS: Could this be the year for the Jackets?? They weren't big players in the free agent market, Nikolai Zherdev seems to be playing himself out of a spot, and the goaltending still resembles that of an AHL team. The onus will be on Rick Nash and David Vyborny to be the leaders on the ice, on the scoresheet and in the room.

DALLAS: Scoring needs to be the big thing that the Stars worry about this season. Their defense seems to be in order, Marty Turco has been solid, but the forwards will be the ones that have to step it up. Mike Modano will be under the gun to get back to his old ways, while Brendan Morrow needs to look to stay healthy.

DETROIT: With Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk becoming the new scorers for the Wings and Nicklas Lidstrom being the franchise defenseman, the one question is whether or not the goaltending can be as solid as it was last season.

EDMONTON: It can't get any worse of the Oilers, even with their top defenseman, Joni Pitkanen and Sheldon Souray, being a combined -53 last season. Dustin Penner will now have to earn the fans' respect after being poached from the Ducks, while the consistency of Dwayne Roloson will be looked at heavily and could create tension should he not perform.

FLORIDA: With Tomas Vokoun between the pipes, the Panthers can rest easier when it comes to the last-line. However, the youth of Stephen Weiss, Nathan Horton, and Greg Campbell will need to help out Olli Jokinen in sharing the scoring load.

LOS ANGELES: With Dan Cloutier now a distant thought in New Hampshire, the Kings now have to hope that Mike Cammalleri and Anze Kopitar's performances last season were no myth. The good thing for the Kings is that they may have the most underrated defense in the West with the additions of Brad Stuart and Tom Preissing.

MINNESOTA: Niklas Backstrom is now the main man in the State of Hockey, but now he has to live up to his Jennings Trophy performance last season. Brian Rolston and Mikko Koivu will have to be able to duplicate their amazing seasons last year should Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra come up lame.

MONTREAL: The big debate will be when will Carey Price become the #1 goalie?? With such high expectations set for Price, it's only a matter of time before the Habs fanatics call for the head of Huet, Halek, and Gainey if the goaltending becomes a big question for Montreal.

NASHVILLE: The summer of uncertainty has left the Predators a shadow of their former selves. With Steve Sullivan out for at least three months, JP Dumont and Alex Radulov will have to be the strength of the right side. Chris Mason should be able to continue his ability to surprise those who doubt him.

NEW JERSEY: Never underestimate a Martin Brodeur team. However, without Scott Gomez, the production of the Devils offense will be a big question, especially considering they were the lowest scoring playoff team last season in the NHL. Defense will be suspect too, with the departure of Brian Rafalski.

NY ISLANDERS: After a shocking playoff last season, the Isles will look to build with Ted Nolan behind the bench. Rick DiPietro will need to step up moreso in order to justify his 15-year deal (year 2, if you're scoring at home), while newcomers Mike Comrie and Bill Guerin will be the top-production for the Isles.

NY RANGERS: With a loaded offense, especially with adding Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, the Rangers shouldn't have to worry about scoring. The back-end will be the big question with a young defense looking to protect Henrik Lundqvist in net.

OTTAWA: Can the Eastern Champs do it again. They have most everyone back from last season, but the true question is what can Dany Heatley, Wade Redden, and Jason Spezza do while in their contract seasons. The wrist of Ray Emery and play of Martin Gerber will also be question in the early part of the season.

PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers can only get better, and with Daniel Briere having $10M to be happy about, it's time for him to put up or face the wrath of Flyer fans. Martin Biron should be looking in his rear-view as Antero Niittymaki is healthy and looking to regain his spot as #1. The addition of Kimmo Timonen should also provide a two-way defenseman that will help the transition with the first pass.

PHOENIX: With a jumble in goal, the Coyotes will need to find something hang their hat on. Shane Doan will need a lot of help up-front, Ed Jovanovski will have to be the anchor on defense, and Wayne Gretzky will need to motivate his team somehow or risk fans calling for his coaching demise.

PITTSBURGH: Even with a brief five-game playoff appearance, many are saying the Pens are Cup contenders. Though they have the outline for a great playoff team, the question of whether they have the desire or defense to do so will be the main one asked amongst the hockey world.

SAN JOSE: They've locked up Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, they made little change to their club, the big questions for the team by the Bay is whether Evgeni Nabokov can stay strong as the #1 and if Jonathan Cheechoo can regain some scoring touch.

ST. LOUIS: The Blues have improved by adding Paul Kariya to the front, but the big story will be whether or not Erik Johnson can live up to his #1 Overall status. Manny Legace should be better and healthier from last season, but should face many shots with a suspect defense.

TAMPA BAY: With two of the quietest 100-point scorers in Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St-Louis, scoring shouldn't be a problem until you reach the second line. Marc Denis and Johan Holmqvist will be on the hot-seat, especially with Karri Ramo breathing down their necks.

TORONTO: Andrew Raycroft will be pushed by newly acquired Vesa Toskala and should Raycroft start to slip-- you know Torontonians will be looking for Toskala to be in the pipes to be the savior of the squad. Also, whether or not Mats Sundin can be lured into another contract after this season will be something to watch as well.

VANCOUVER: Now that they have know where they play since it's on their jerseys, the Canucks will have to find someone to be able to play with the Sedins, all the while trying to spark the scoring touch of Markus Naslund. With Roberto Luongo holding down the fort, stopping goals will be no problem.

WASHINGTON: What will Alex Ovechkin do?? With the new faces of countryman Viktor Kozlov, set-up men Michael Nylander and Nicklas Backstrom, and many underestimating him-- it's all setting up for AO to put on a super-hero like performance in the US capitol. Now, if the Caps can get him under contract, all thoughts will be eased. Don't be surprised if Olaf Kolzig has a suprising season.

So that's that-- some things you can look forward to according to Wazz. If you have some storylines you think we at the Show could look at-- shoot us an email.

A Tale of Two Games

2007-09-22T19:18:00.000-06:00

There's quite the buzz around some games this season. Obviously, the first games in London, England is one of them and more recently; the just announced "Winter Classic" that'll take place on New Year's Day.

I'll start off talk about the London game first. As I've mentioned it before, to have a game outside of the US is a great job for the NHL in expanding the game on a global scale. England and Great Britian is a budding hockey network. The Elite League in Britian does need some more talent, and by having this NHL game; it could create more interest of the game at the grass roots level and could compel more people to support their team and the game as a whole.

We'll see how well this goes over attendance wise and viewership wise, but I think in the grand scheme of things-- it could open up more chances to have regular season games overseas. If there's an owner with a vested interest, it may create a better chance of more games like this happening in the very near future.

Moving onto the "Winter Classic", it'll be interesting to see what happens with this. Now, I like the idea of having an outdoor game. The Heritage Classic was an amazing feat and showed that something like this could be a good ordeal for the game. Yet, somehow-- the scheduling of this event is very suspect.

Of course, New Year's is traditionally the time for Bowl Games and the NHL is hoping that this gimmick game in Buffalo will create more buzz for the sport and increase in the ratings. For some reason, I don't think they thought this cunning plan all the way through. The game is a 1 PM ET start, and depending on how you spent the night before and what Bowl games are on the schedule....you may or may not get viewership for the game. Sure, it showcases the NHL sweetheart teams in Pittsburgh and Buffalo; but I don't think you'd be able to create a buzz big enough to surpass the juggernaut of college football.

Secondly, though Buffalo does get cold in the the winter months, who's to say that this won't be the warmest winter on record for Buffalo?? If that's the case and it's 50F on New Year's, that not only will make the ice really craptastic, but it would put the players at risk for injuries-- and I'm sure the NHL wouldn't want that (especially with Crosby on the ice).

Finally in my complaints, I just hope this doesn't happen every year. Yes, the outdoor game is a good idea and should be used in the future. That said, if the NHL starts to do it every year, there's a slight possibility that it could lose it's luster and may leave some teams left out if they don't get a shot at the "Winter Classic." I can just see Florida and Tampa Bay looking to get an outdoor game. It'll be the first roller hockey game in the NHL history.

Confessions of a Fantasy Hockey Junkie

2007-09-21T01:51:00.000-06:00

....ahem....

"Hello, my name is Wazz and I'm a fantasy hockey junkie. It all started back in 2001 when I started college. I started with one team, then two-- now I have five teams this year. In fact, I've started websites with back-stories and updates for my fantasy hockey team...and it's affiliates."

That's how it would go if there were support groups for my condition, but it is that bad. I do get a little psycho with my fantasy hockey with research, buying books, and all that jazz-- but it's all in good fun. With the new season coming up, the new fantasy hockey season starts-- which includes that of the FOHSHL, which has the biggest league ever with 56 teams heading into the season.

I don't think I'm alone either, as many people (obviously in Canada) take part in some office pools. The fantasy sports industry as a whole is a big money business with pay leagues, draft guides, office pools, and so on. It's an industry that been booming for a while and probably won't let up anytime soon. It let's people get away from their real lives and focus on being the armchair GM and coach that they usually are when watching the games and tracking their players.

However, it's something that may be a little obsessive, but like The Hockey News draft guide states-- most fantasy hockey owners could be smarter than NHL GMs. In theory that could be correct in some aspects.

Let's be honest, when you play a fantasy sport-- you have to be on top of your shit if you don't want to get murdered and humiliated. It also goes on to say that fantasy owners would work better under a cap than some NHL GMs and would recognize better value along with some players. Granted, the risk of your job isn't quite as high and the demand from fans and beating up by the press isn't there-- but it is certainly something that would be interesting to see.

I think the one thing that could be used as a defense is that if a back-up goalie could be a GM and succeed (for the most part), then anyone can do it. I don't think we're far away from seeing someone go from armchair GM to assistant GM, especially in hockey. Hockey fans are probably the most knowledgeable fan base out there. They know their team, the other teams, and what players could boom and bust at any moment. If there is one league to take a chance on a person as their GM who used to play fantasy game for a living-- it could be hockey.

It would be quite the litmus test to see how one fantasy owner would fare as a GM for an NHL team. It may not happen anytime soon, but it certainly would be a great sociological study. I, in all my humbleness, would like to be the first volunteer for this study; my references are available upon request at my email, scotty@faceoffhockeyshow.com.

Around the Rink 05.29.07

2007-05-29T12:23:00.000-06:00

The Stanley Cup Finals have started and if Game One is any indication, we're in for a fine display of hockey. Granted, there were some sluggish points to the game, most of that due to the week lay off, but the game was one that definitely would keep interest. As a Sens fan, it's something that is hard for me to watch because of the huge disappointment that could happen should they not make a series of it, but it's damn enjoyable.

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As we broke on the Show last Wednesday, the Nashville Predators have been tentatively sold to Jim Balsillie pending league approval. Balsillie, you may remember, backed out of a deal with the Penguins earlier in the season. While this move seems a little more in favor of Balsillie, there is still a chance that the Preds may not move after the '07-'08 season. The only way the Preds could move is if they average under 14,000 paid attendance, stressing paid. Despite low ticket prices and a damn fine arena, the Preds averaged 13,000+ last season.

The deal itself is worth $200M in the bank for outgoing owner Craig Leipold, which may bring an end to this chapter of his life, which included squabling with the City of Nashville, lack of local business support, and losses of $70M over nine seasons.

Personally, Nashville has been lingering to boom for some time. However, with the team in the playoffs for the past three seasons and still empty seats in the crowd-- this could be the last stand for the Predators in Nashville.

Oddly enough, Balsillie bought land just outside of Toronto for some unknown project. Could it be for a new arena?? Stay tuned.

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The Phoenix Coyotes seemingly have found their GM, former New York Rangers assistant GM Don Maloney. Maloney was previous the GM of the Islanders way back when and has drafted the likes of Todd Bertuzzi, Tommy Salo, Bryan McCabe, and Ziggy Palffy.

As we have been saying for a while, this is basically just a very glorified scouting position since the owner is behind the bench. Maloney will have a good amount of say in what way he wants to go, but as long as Wayne Gretzky is behind the bench-- Maloney probably won't win as much as he loses.

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Want loyalty?? Look no further than Teemu Selanne.

Before Selanne reached the NHL, he promised a group of his childhood friends that if he ever made the Stanley Cup Finals, he would fly them out to see the games. Promise kept, as a group of 16 Finns dressed in orange t-shirts with Teemu's name graced the Honda Center for Game One and more than likely will show up for the rest of the games as well.

This could seem like a sappy news story, and it is in some cases, but that's just damn cool that he would remember his buddies like that. Plus, it's better now with the cash he's making, he can afford it.

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That's all for now, but there will be a whole lot more on the Face Off Hockey Show this Wednesday available live at 9 PM ET or on the Podcast if you feel like watching Game Two. As always, check the message boards for all the fun happenings there.

Around the Rink 05.07.07

2007-05-07T09:31:00.000-06:00

Though it was a spur of the moment thing, Edmonton Investment Group; owners of the Edmonton Oilers, turned down the offer of Rexall Pharmacy billionaire Daryl Katz to buy the Oilers for $145M. The 37 owners of EIG turned down the offer despite Katz saying he would keep the Oilers in Edmonton and build a new arena.

Personally, having someone like Katz as one owner over 37 owners they have now is a better predicament. One voice is much better than 37. Especially with the prospect of a new arena privately funded would be better for the Oilers and their fans.

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Some shake-up in the Phoenix Coyotes camp is going on with Craig Patrick emerging as a leading candidate for the GM position. With the GM interviewing process starting today, the Coyotes will look for someone who can build a good team with the money out there. Of course, like we have said before, with Wayne Gretzky behind the bench as an owner, the GM is doomed from day one.

Also, the Coyotes fired their play-by-play guy, Curt Keilback. Keilback has been with the team since 1979 dealing with the Jets/Coyotes radio and TV calls. The Jobing.com Arena has their press box named after him. Now, it's a sad thing that one link to the Jets history is gone; but personally I didn't like how he called the game and I thought he was a tad annoying. That said-- best of luck to him.

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The NHL, NHLPA, and IIHF has a tentative agreement as far as transfers go, but it all depends on the agreement of the Russian Hockey Federation....again. A deal that would run until 2010-11 season and would be a flat rate. A ratification will need to be done by Tuesday at midnight for it to happen.

This will be a non-starter for Russia, because they want the NHL agreement to be like European soccer and based on the two teams who want the services. We'll see how this plays out, but I don't think this will have a different outcome.

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There could be a goalie logjam in Boston, especially with the re-signing of Hannu Toivonen and the signing of Tuukka Rask, coupled with Tim Thomas in net-- it could be interesting. Sure, Rask will start out in Providence; what happens if Toivonen starts to struggle; that's when things may get interesting.

The one thing about the Bruins and young goalies is that they tend to struggle when hyped as much as they are. Andrew Raycroft and Blaine Lacher are names that haunt the Bruins fateful dreams. Though you never know if Rask will be like that, but with some saying he's the savior of the franchise-- it makes it hard for the kid to deal with any learning curve he may endure with that much pressure put on him.

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If you haven't heard about the Shane Doan controversy going on in the Canadian Parliament, it's a mess.

The thing is, Government and Sports should never intersect. The Canadian Government with this situation and the US Government and the Steroids situation-- they need to keep their nose out of sports; especially when they have other stuff to deal with. There's much more going on in the world to deal with something that was cleared two years ago.

Oddly enough, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called Doan to encourage him.

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That's it for now, check out the Show every Wednesday live or on Podcast or check out the Message Boards for the fun going on there.

Second Round Preview and Predicitions

2007-04-25T17:03:00.000-06:00

Well, I got three out of eight and two exactas in the first round. We'll see if I get better as it goes on.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) New York Rangers: Well, the Sabres won in five games over the Islanders, but they didn't look too, too impressive. They got goals from 11 different players, but depth may not be their best thing right now. The top guys like Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, and Thomas Vanek have to be their best. Ryan Miller will have to find the goalie who carried the team last season if they want to get to the Conference Finals.

The Rangers made easy work of the Thrashers, which saw Michael Nylander take the offense under his wing and led them to the win. Let's not slight Henrik Lundqvist either. He played very well in his first playoff series win. They'll face stiff opposition, but the Rangers have the tools to get it done if need be. RANGERS IN 6.

(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (4) Ottawa Senators: This is a re-match of the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals. The Devils got off to a shaky start, but once Martin Brodeur found his game, they locked up the Lightning. Scott Gomez and Zach Parise put on a show, but in the end-- Brodeur was the main key in yet another series win.

The Senators shut down the high-powered Penguins offense and showed that they were a different team. Ray Emery, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza showed their top forms, but Chris Kelly was the big surprise so far this playoffs. Dany Heatley needs to get his game going for this team to be really unstoppable. SENATORS IN 7.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (5) San Jose Sharks: After the Red Wings won, many Wings fans were rooting for the Stars, but couldn't get the match-up they wanted. Now they'll have to hope that they are as good in the first round heading into the second round. Dominik Hasek will face a barrage of shot for the Sharks offense, which the scoring will need to be there in order to move on.

The Sharks are looking to right the wrongs of last playoffs. With Evgeni Nabokov on his game and Patrick Marleau showing his leadership ability, the Sharks could be on their way to get back to the Conference Finals. However, it would be nice to get Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo going. SHARKS IN 6.

(2) Anaheim Ducks vs. (3) Vancouver Canucks: Anaheim's GM Brian Burke may not lead on, but deep inside, you know he wants to beat his old team. The Ducks have gotten plenty of help from their power play with Chris Pronger and Ryan Getzlaf being the top producers. The tandem of J-S Giguere and Ilya Bryzgalov have been very good in their appearances and the hot one will start as long as they are on top.

For the Canucks to have success, they'll need to learn to score more. The Sedins have play well, but will have to lead the charge. Veterans like Trevor Linden and Markus Naslund will be the leadership and actually help ease the young guys. However, with Sami Salo and Kevin Bieksa out, the defensive depth is going to be the real question. Roberto Luongo has been good, but there's only so much he can do to keep them in the series. DUCKS IN 6.

So that's it for the Wazz playoff preview. Make sure you check out the Show this week to see Lyle/Orb IV; the best match-up of an expert and Magic Orb since Lyle/Orb III.

Around the Rink 04.19.07

2007-04-19T09:32:00.000-06:00

People in Columbus can rejoice, Doug MacLean's era of tyranny has ended. After the ownership group met last night, the Blue Jackets only GM and President was shown the door after a very unimpressive six-year stint in the organization.

The question is now who will fill the void. Names like Steve Tambellini, Neil Smith, Pat Quinn and Craig Button have been thrown out, but in my opinion, guys like Tambellini and Smith should have the inside edge when dealing with a salary cap formula. This will be a developing story for a while now, but at least there is some closure for some fans when it comes to MacLean.

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In other ownership news, Phoenix Coyotes CEO Jeff Shumway made it clear that the Coyotes won't have a "country club mentality" for next season. Meaning, those who want to play on the Coyotes will actually want to play hockey instead of soaking up the sun and hitting the links.

As we stated last night, the one thing they need to take care of is who's behind the bench. Gretzky can still be a part of the day-to-day operations of the team, but to be the coach where you're untouchable-- that's not a place any GM would want to be in. It's just not that feasible to have. However, it was good of Shumway to come out and make this known to everyone that they are serious about winning. Whether that translate into actual winning, we'll see.

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The 2006 #1 Overall Pick, Erik Johnson, will forego his last three season in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota to sign with the St. Louis Blues. Johnson had four goals and 19 assists in 39 games as a Gopher. Johnson was invited by Team USA to take part in the World Championships happening over in Moscow.

The big question is whether or not this is the right move for Johnson. Many feel that he's ready to make the jump to the pro, even after one year of college. The good thing about Johnson signing is that he'll have guys like Barret Jackman and Bryce Salvador to help him through the transitioning period he may endure.

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In a crazy story out of Russia, Alexander Semin was thrown off the Russian World Championship team because he arrived three hours late to the team's first meeting and practice. The finger pointing has begun with Semin's agent Mark Gandler and Russian GM Sergei Nemchinov.

The story itself is quite bizarre with so many twist and turns, but check out the TSN story in its entirety.

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The NHL came down on Brad May hard, handing him a deserved three-game suspension for hitting Wild defenseman Kim Johnsson from behind during a fracas at the end of Game Four. May will miss the last games of this series and maybe some of next series. Johnsson won't appear for Game Five.

Imagine Brad May getting caught for this?? The thing is that the Ducks are trying to bring in a hard-hitting expose in the playoffs, which is fine. The thing they have to worry about is getting too out of control and then losing focus at the task at hand. Sure, it's good to bring a little rough stuff into the playoffs to jazz it up a bit, but you have to wonder now if the refs are going to keep a closer eye on all the Ducks from here on out.

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That's all for now, but check out the Show live every Wednesday and always on the Podcast. For more hilarity, check out the Message Boards and get in on the discussion.

Around the Rink 04.15.07

2007-04-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

The intensity of the playoffs are here and there's no better example of that than in the Nashville/San Jose series. There has been controversy, fights, and scoring to appease any fan. However, the question that keeps getting thrown around when it comes to this series is respect. With incidents that involved Alexander Radulov get a one-game suspension for elbowing Steve Bernier from behind and Scott Hartnell get ejected for kneeing Jonathan Cheechoo; one wonders if respect is given enough in this game.

Though players want to finish their checks, there is a right way and wrong way. We have seen far too many "wrong way" to finish checks, which is why the respect thing comes into play. Players need to have common sense when thinking about finishing their checks. In both incidents, Hartnell and Radulov had the intent to finish their checks, but both wound up not letting up when seeing the opposing player in the vulnerable position, which led to injury, ejection or suspension.

As much as people like the action happening, something has to give or this could get ugly and not in a good way.

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Are you as confused with Bob Hartley's decision to bench Kari Lehtonen as I am?? Lehtonen is the franchise goaltender on the team and is in the franchise's first playoffs. Why would you give him the hook after he help bring the team to this point?? Why would you break his confidence in this moment?? Lehtonen had a decent Game One, but the thing that has hurt the Thrashers all year, defense, is hurting now in the playoffs. Lehtonen faced 38 shots and in Game Two, Johan Hedberg faced 39.

If you want Lehtonen to grow as a player, you need to play him and back him up in every way, shape, and form. If he has a rough outing, don't bench him-- keep playing him in order to keep his confidence up and to let him know that there will be no knee-jerk reaction to a bad mishap. This could come back to bite the Thrashers if they are delicate in this situation.

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In more Thrashers news, they did something pretty unique for the fans who attended Game One. They handed out scarfs as a giveaway, which I think is a pretty cool idea. Now, of course, it doesn't get cold enough for fans to actually use these; but this is akin to the European soccer fans with the scarves and their respective teams.

I, for one, would love to have one of these things; so you know I'll be surfing eBay for them or hope the Thrashers read this and send some over. The former seems to be the best bet, though.

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Did you catch the 4 OT marathon in Vancouver?? I know I fell asleep after the 3rd OT, but it seems that many more watching Versus missed it due to no fault of their own. However, that's not what I want to discuss.

Since that double-hitter, it seems that these marathon games have become a concern to some, even prompting sites to ask the question whether or not we should change the marathon games. Isn't this what we wait all year for, the possibility of a marathon playoff game?? Look, the fact of the matter is that nothing needs to be changed for the playoff overtimes. It's something that has been out there forever and created more drama, joy, and heartbreak than anything in hockey could be.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have the first pick in this year's NHL Draft. The big question is whether or not they'll pick a trainer with their first slot. The Hawks have been just a disastorous place to play both on and off the ice. Though some bright spots like Martin Havlat, Duncan Keith, Jeff Hamilton, and Brent Seabrook have shone through, the fact of the matter is that the Hawks are the most injury riddled team in the NHL.

It may be a death sentence for whomever goes to Chicago with this pick. However, in the "Shallowest.Draft.Ever" it's a crapshoot on who they are actually going to pick. Quite frankly, they don't need young defense, they need more help for Martin Havlat when he stays healthy.

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The Phoenix Coyotes cleaned house firing GM Mike Barnett, assistant GM Laurence Gilman, and director of hockey ops Cliff Fletcher. While, this was a long time coming, as we said in the show, the real problem is behind the bench. Wayne Gretzky hasn't been a great or good coach, but the problem is-- he can't be fired unless the majority ownership pushes him out.

However, that's another story for another time-- the real question now is when or if the Columbus Blue Jackets will push out Doug MacLean. MacLean hasn't been able to produce much in ways of playoff caliber teams in Columbus, though the pick-up of Ken Hitchcock has helped him stay on life support for the time being. Whether or not something happens, we should know by the Draft; but it shouldn't surprise anyone if MacLean does get canned.

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That's all for now. Make sure you check out the Show for all the fun and excitement, as well as the Message Board, which contains the Lyle/Orb: IV thread.

First Round Playoff Preview

2007-04-10T10:11:00.000-06:00

Well, it was a wild weekend, but the match-ups for the Quarterfinals are set and it's time for my preview of the whole thing. Now, your results may vary, but this is how I roll.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Buffalo Sabres vs. (8) New York Islanders: Now, on paper this looks like it'll be a blow-out. On the ice, it probably will be the same result. The Sabres are too powerful and have too much depth to bow out to an upset. The play of Daniel Briere and Thomas Vanek has been amazing and with Maxim Afinogenov and Tim Connolly back, who knows what they could really do with the added fire power.

However, give the Isles credit where credit is due. They did come a long way and did what they needed to get the eight seed, but I don't see Wade Dubielwicz putting on a Johan Hedberg circa 2001 performance in the playoffs. Anything is possible, but the odds are squarely against the Isles. Sabres in 5.

(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Tampa Bay Lightning: Here's an interesting match-up; a team with all goaltending and little scoring against a team with all scoring and little goaltending. Martin Brodeur has been sensational again this season and really doesn't look like he's letting up. If Patrik Elias, Scott Gomez, and Brian Gionta can get in top form, the Devils could be hard to stop.

Vincent Lecavalier is living a dream season and Martin St. Louis is have a great bounce-back season. However, the one thing to crush their hopes is the inconsistency between the pipes. Seeing as how the goalies for the Bolts have no playoff experience in the NHL and the Devils have been together for years-- this one may be a no-brainer. Devils in 6.

(3) Atlanta Thrashers vs. (6) New York Rangers: The Thrashers' gamble paid off when they went on a mini-spree at the trade deadline. The question now becomes, did they use it all to get into the playoffs and have nothing left in the tank. Who knows what guys like Kari Lehtonen and Ilya Kovalchuk could do with this extra season, but it'll be the stepping stone for many more appearances to come; I'm sure.

The Rangers are back in the playoffs for the second straight season. Last year, they were ousted in four games, but now they're a year older and may have learned from the mistakes. The only question will be whether or not Jaromir Jagr can find his goal-scoring ability. Thrashers in 7.

(4) Ottawa Senators vs. (5) Pittsburgh Penguins: If you want offense, this is the match-up for you. The Senators have been down this road before and right now, it's time for a pay-off or send-off. They looked to have matured through the season, but now is the time for guys like Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Wade Redden to step up to the plate. Ray Emery has been up and down, but you can bet he'll get the job done when called upon.

The Penguins have the best young team out there on the ice today. They have shown they can score at any time in any situation. However, will the inexperience be the death of them?? Some say the Pens don't understand the pressure so they'll be lethal-- I think the other way around. Marc-Andre Fleury will have to come up huge for the Pens to think about moving on beyond the first round. Senators in 7.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Calgary Flames: The Wings are in the same position they were in last year; top team in the West facing a bi-polar Alberta team. However, the Wings look like they could have learned from their mistakes and may be firing on all cylinders. This will be a match-up of two of the top goalies in the game with Dominik Hasek having his ring already.

The Calgary Flames as an eight seed. That's scary to me, especially considering that the Flames have been able to score like they haven't before. The one downfall is that their defense has suffered through the scoring and has given up almost too many goals this season. If they can right that ship, they could be a scary team to face. Flames in 7.

(2) Anaheim Ducks vs. (7) Minnesota Wild: A replay of the 2003 Western Conference finals, Anaheim is going into this in an odd situation. Though they have been fairly dominant, they have had some rough patches and injury issues that have kept them from really being an elite team. Though they have Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger; something about their defense doesn't really strike me as being one of the tops.

The Wild have gotten plenty of help from Niklas Backstrom. He has been rock solid and won the William Jennings Trophy for fewest total goals against. Also with Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra seemingly healthy again, the Wild have a good chance of being big time dark horse in this. Wild in 6.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) Dallas Stars: If you like defensive hockey or need a cure for insomnia, this is your match-up. In the four match-ups this season, the games have all ended in a 2-1 score with each team have two wins, including one overtime win. Now, this is the first playoffs for Roberto Luongo, which should be interesting to see how he fares in all this. The Sedin Twins will be the offense for the Canucks.

Marty Turco has a lot to prove and this could be the place to do it. The Stars are an underdog and really need to pull themselves together as a team to get the job done. Interesting stat, only New Jersey had less goals in the regular season than the Stars and Canucks. Stars in 7.

(4) Nashville Predators vs. (5) San Jose Sharks: No, this is not deja vu from last season, it's another Sharks/Preds match-up. The Preds are relatively healthy this season, though. Tomas Vokoun is set for a big run, while Paul Kariya and Peter Forsberg look to be the top duo in the post-season.

The Sharks made a big charge thanks to Joe Thornton who had another outstanding season. If Jonathan Cheechoo can keep his momentum going and the Sharks get great goaltending from Evgeni Nabokov-- they could see some big thing in the city by the bay. Predators in 6.

So that's it for the Wazz playoff preview. Make sure you check out the Show this week to see Lyle/Orb IV; the best match-up of an expert and Magic Orb since Lyle/Orb III.

The Devil You Don't Know

2007-04-02T11:37:00.000-06:00

A bombshell was dropped today in the NHL as the New Jersey Devils fired head coach Claude Julien. No reason was immediately given, but Lou Lamoriello will take over as the bench boss for the Devils for the rest of the season.

To say this caught some off-guard is an understatement. The Devils are the tops in the Atlantic, they have 47 wins, they are battling the Penguins for positioning, and now they shake-up their bench. It does remind many of when Robbie Ftorek was fired late in the 2000 season when the Devils won their second Cup, but even now it's a tad late to be screwing with things.

There's a couple of scenarios that could have led to this. First, players voiced the displeasure of Julien, which is highly unlikely as they have been winning without their top players. Second, Julien had a personal problem that needed to be dealt with, but then wouldn't he just resign?? Finally, and most likely of all, is that Julien and Lamoriello had a falling out, which lead to this.

Now, truth be told, Lamoriello did a decent job of coaching the Devils last season with Larry Robinson stepped down; but that was early enough in the season to fix some things and for the players to adjust. Now is probably not the best time to spring this on a team, especially when you have a Cup contending team like the Devils.

There's only two ways that this ordeal works out well for the Devils. One, if something is revealed about Julien and someone in the organization not getting along, or two, the Devils win the Stanley Cup because of this move and it didn't matter what happened or who was behind the bench. We'll see what happens, but I'm sure more to this story will come out sooner rather than later.

Around the Rink 03.27.07

2007-03-27T09:46:00.000-06:00

It seems that the fighting debate is starting up after Todd Fedoruk was knocked out cold by Colton Orr last Thursday. NHL Disciplinarian Colin Campbell said that fighting should be looked at, but NHL commish Gary "The Count" Bettman said it's a part of the game and won't change.

Personally, I think some are overreacting to Campbell's statement. Let's not fool anyone here, Campbell knows what would happen if the NHL took out fighting, much more stickwork. All this was is a PR deal to make people think that something is going to happen to fighting in the NHL. If they didn't, more scrutiny would be given to the NHL for not doing something for the safety.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for safety; but it'd be much safer to keep fighting than worry about sticks to the head.

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The Phoenix Coyotes announced that they would be inducting long-time Winnipeg Jet Dale Hawerchuk into the Coyotes "ring of honor."

Now, I have no issue with Hawerchuk being inducted because he was a great player. The problem I have is that he has no ties to the Coyotes organization other than the fact that he played for the Jets and the transfer of records and all that jazz came with it.

You can't fault the Coyotes in trying to do this, but let's not do it because you feel obligated to do so. You could probably ask 100 people in Phoenix who Dale Hawerchuk is and I bet 90% of them wouldn't have a clue. Stop trying to be like the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes-- you'll never get to that cult status.

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How bad do you have to feel for the Isles?? They have all this momentum after the trade deadline with Ryan Smyth and M-A Bergeron playing well, then Rick DiPietro goes down not once, but twice with news that he is out indefinitely with post-concussion symptoms.

Right now, it's time for Mike Dunham to earn his paycheck and help lead the Isles into the playoffs. It won't be an easy road as the Isles have to take on teams already locked in the playoffs and those who are fighting with them to get into the playoffs.

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Good news for the Flyers, they have a new savior in net. Martin Biron signed a two-year, $6.7M deal with the Flyers. Biron has been fairly consistent with what has been in front of him for the Flyers, though it should get better for next year. Paul Holmgren has put his stamp on this team more so with this move.

The question now is who do you dump?? The obvious choice is Robert Esche mainly due to his craptasticness, but is it likely that the Flyers could dump both Esche and Antero Niittymaki?? Though Niittymaki has tremendous upside, his injuries are what hinders his stock the most and may not be the best option for a rebuilding Flyers team. With cheap back-ups always available, it will be interesting to see the logjam that may occur.

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For more of this ranting and raving, including thoughts about Jack and Erik Johnson jumping to the NHL, listen to Face Off Hockey Show this Wednesday at 9 PM ET or whenever the Podcast gets up. Until then, check out the message board for all the randomness there.

Around the Rink 03.21.07

2007-03-21T12:33:00.000-06:00

The playoffs are heating up and it's going to come down to the last week, at least in the East. Out West, we'll see if Colorado can keep their hot streak up or if Calgary keeps losing like they have been. That match-up could come down to the last day as the Avs and Flames face off against each other.

The East is going to be a gongshow to the end. The Maple Leafs, Hurricanes, and Canadiens are tied for 8th, while the Islanders are in 11th one point back. The 7th place Rangers are only one point up on the 8th seed and the Lightning are three points up. The Islanders, however, have the advantage with at least a game-in-hand advantage over the other contenders.

This is what hockey is all about.

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Jordin Tootoo was the latest player to be suspended for his actions on the ice. After checking Mike Modano, Tootoo was rushed by Stephane Robidas. Robidas was assessed a charging minor for intent, but before he could even make contact with Tootoo, Tootoo swung his right hand around and knocked Robidas out cold. Tootoo was given five games for the incident.

There's plenty of blame to go around with Robidas charging at a guy, but Tootoo punching a guy in the mush with his glove on is pretty greasy. Tootoo is an agitator and rightfully so, but he can still chuck the knuckles if need be. Sure, the thought of someone charging from behind is frightening, but you would think that bracing himself would have been the best option rather than cold-cocking someone.

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Did you catch the St. Louis Screw-Job?? Let's just say that even as an Ottawa Senators fan I was disgusted. If you didn't see it, two definite goals were waved off. The first, they didn't review it until after the puck was dropped for the face off, at which point it was null and void. The second goal, they said David Backes pushed Martin Gerber's glove into the net with the puck in it, but it was in without Gerber even having possession. Needless to say, the shots of Blues' President John Davidson weren't happy ones.

One point was brought up on a message board I frequent that the officiating this year has been the most inconsistent it has been in years. I tend to agree, mostly on the fact that everything is a shade of gray. Nothing is black or white anymore, nothing is uniformed for every game. It's a hit or miss chance depending on the referee. I don't know what Stephen Walkom can do, but something needs to be done when it comes to consistency in the calls.

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You want to know how deep the Nashville Predators are?? Even though they don't have Peter Forsberg, Steve Sullivan or Scott Hartnell in the line-up, they are still tops in the West and NHL. But I think the real question is whether or not this is a blessing or a curse for the Preds. Let's be honest, they were able to play well last year when Tomas Vokoun was out, but could this be a little too much.

The Preds are a high-power offense and may be hurt a little bit by the lack of speed and all. Plus, even if those three do come back, how much rust will be on them when they come back. The upside is that they are back and could spark a long run for the Preds.

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Make sure you check out The Show tonight at 9 PM ET or on the Podcast whenever the hamster on the wheel is able to put it up. If all else fails, check out the Message Board for some random and fun stuff.

Around the Rink 03.13.07

2007-03-13T08:26:00.000-06:00

Finally, closure. At least we think it's closure. Of course, I'm speaking about the Pittsburgh Penguins finally picking a place....and it's Pittsburgh. All the posturing, traveling to other cities, bickering back and forth-- it all finally came to something. The deal will be finalized this afternoon.

The deal itself will keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh for 30 years, with a new arena to be built by 2009. The arena will also be funded by the red hot slots.

Great joy for the Penguins, but heartache for cities like Kansas City and Las Vegas who were courted. Kansas City more so, because they have an arena still without a tenant. Thoughts for KC will have to turn to the Nashville Predators situation, but only time will tell with that.

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Chris Simon's suspension was handed down and it's interesting, at best. Simon was suspended the rest of the season (15 games) and the entire post-season (TBD). However, there's a minimum of 25 games-- meaning if the Isles play less than 10 games, the remaining games will carry over to the '07-'08 season. If they play more than 10 games, Simon will return, if signed, at the start of the '07-'08 season.

Good move by the NHL. It's the longest suspension in history, regardless of the playoffs happening and if the Isles max out every series-- it could turn out to be a 43 game suspension. People think that this will cut down the stick work-- but if they haven't learned from Wayne Maki or Dino Ciccarelli; they never will.

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If the NHLPA could fall further into obscurity, I don't know how. Both executive director Ted Saskin and senior director Ken Kim have been sent home on a leave of absence. This is stemming from a Toronto Star report that Saskin and Kim were tapping into players email boxes to track what they were doing.

Quite frankly, I don't see why someone would do that. Let's be honest, if the player has an NHLPA email address, they probably have a personal email address that they use more frequently. At least, you'd hope that was the case and not just imagination. There's still much to be uncovered, but in the end-- the NHLPA continues to be in shambles, one brick after another.

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Does Paul Stastny have a shot at winning the Calder Trophy?? Many assume no, mainly because that was awarded to Evgeni Malkin when he defected. Yet, Stastny must have not seen that memo. Stastny's 18-game point streak is a record in the NHL for rookies. Not only that, but Stastny has been a catalyst for the Colorado Avalanche; keeping their playoff hopes alive.

When you look at the numbers, Stastny isn't too far off Malkin's numbers; but you always have to factor in the East Coast bias, simply because Stastny plays in the West and not many writers can stay awake that long to watch his games. Stranger things have happened, though, and the Sean-O's "Second Half Surge" is in effect. It'll be an interesting awards night, that's for sure.

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That's all for now. Check out the Show this week for great guest, a whole lot of laughs, and maybe some hockey. If you can't wait-- the Message Board awaits you.

Simon Says Slash

2007-03-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I figured I'd be the last one to the "weighing in on Chris Simon" party. If you didn't see Chris Simon's try-out for the Mets on Ryan Hollweg's face, you can see it here on GooTube. As of right now, Simon has been suspended indefinitely pending a hearing, which is basic stuff for the NHL after a match penalty.

This also came on the three-year anniversary of the Moore/Bertuzzi incident. Why they are commemorating three years is anyone's guess.

Anyway-- to the matter at hand. Should Simon be suspended?? Well, yeah. How long?? With the Colin Campbell doing what he does-- who knows. Personally, I'd like to see Simon sit for the rest of the regular season and maybe some of the playoffs, like so much Todd Bertuzzi. Simon, however, doesn't have the luxury of a work stoppage pending. Granted, the grit for the Isles will be gone, but his 27 points may not be missed as much.

Yet, this sparks the debate on how a suspension should be handled and what needs to be done and all these crazy schemes to see justice in the NHL.

The common one is the "player suspended until injured player comes back," which does have some signs of intelligence, but falls flat when real thought is given into it. Say someone like Alex Ovechkin or Jarome Iginla hits someone knee-on-knee or slash someone or whatever. These guys are suspended. Now, if the player is seriously injured and that rule comes into effect; what's stopping a coach from keeping said player on the IR to hurt the chances of the Caps or Flames or whomever. That's not only bad for the team, but bad for the NHL.

Granted, it seems the superstars are never really punished, but that's another entry for another time.

Another one that's out there is the ever popular "lifetime ban." Personally, I think this is the emotion of people getting the best of them, but it'll never happen. Now, I haven't read the cliff notes of the CBA yet, but I'm sure that there's something in there that is making that a non-option. Plus, the lawsuits that could stem from that would be far worse than trying to make a statement.

We'll see what happens this weekend and the beginning of next, but this has been a frantic 15 hours. The one thing the NHL really needs to consider is that this suspension should be on par with what Dale Hunter, Marty McSorley, and Todd Bertuzzi got-- the latter to a less extent because it wasn't a stick involved issue. Whatever they do to Simon WON'T, I repeat, WON'T set an example. Despite a 29-goal season way back when, Simon is a "goon" as some people would say. If the NHL wanted to make an example of someone-- they would have given Ovechkin a suspension for what he did to Danny Briere.

Around the Rink 03.07.07

2007-03-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

Well, it's the beginning of the month, which means it's time for the usual "Penguins are threatening to leave town" propaganda. This is getting a bit old, but it seems like it has some merit. Mario Lemieux called the deal with the City of Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at an impasse and will look at options to move. We've heard it before, sure-- but now Gary Bettman will meet with the Penguins to see what's going down to bring closure one way or another.

Now, Bob McKenzie makes a good point, which makes me feel dirty saying that. McKenzie said that this could be an effort on making sure the Pens get everything out of the city and state that they can. With Bettman in the fold; this could be the moderator they need in order to keep the Pens in Pittsburgh for years to come.

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Another controversial hit, as Cam Janssen of the New Jersey Devils took out Tomas Kaberle on Friday night. Kaberle is out indefinitely, but wants to come back this season. Janssen received a three-game suspension.

The hit was definitely late and the flop Kaberle took into the boards made my neck hurt, but had Kaberle had been more aware of Janssen, would it be as serious as it was?? I'm not saying Kaberle didn't protect himself, but you have to wonder if he knew Janseen was coming; would he have done something differently??

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You take out the heart and the body dies. That's what biology and Mortal Kombat has taught us. It seems that the Edmonton Oilers are showing it on the ice. Since Ryan Smyth was traded, the Oilers have lost all three games since, getting shutout twice, and scoring only two goals in that span. Now, with Ales Hemsky out and any hopes of the playoffs a far reach-- some may wonder what would have happened is Smyth was still there.

Smyth, however, seems to be thriving on Long Island, as is ex-Oiler M-A Bergeron who has eight points in seven games with the Islanders. It's salt in the wound, I know-- but it's an interesting stat.

Another question is whether Kevin Lowe will be able to attract any free agents to Edmonton this off-season. With the Pronger issues, it seems that no one is willing to head to Edmonton.

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It'll be an interesting show this week, so make sure you check out FOHS live at 9 PM ET or always on the FOHS Podcast. Have you checked out the FOHS Message Boards?? You should.

Deadline Day 2007

2007-02-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

While I was flipping between TSN and Rogers Sportsnet for the first two minutes, I knew that Sportsnet would be a gongshow. William Houston of the Globe and Mail confirmed my assumption.

Anyway, onto the day; I was a little disappointed at the moves....but at the end of the day, the last deal will be the one anyone talks about. So, we start with it.

Unable to get him signed to a new contract, the Edmonton Oilers (on Mark Messier night) traded the face of the franchise, Ryan Smyth, to the New York Islanders. In return, the Oilers get a 1st round pick, Robert Nilsson, and Ryan O'Marra. The Oilers and Smyth were working on terms of a contract, but couldn't come to an agreement. Smyth said he wouldn't take a "hometown discount" and was asking for a multi-year deal at $5.5M.

Now, this could signal the possible white flag of the Oilers. They gave up M-A Bergeron a week earlier and now with Smyth-- you have to wonder if they are giving up on the season. It should take the wind out of the sails of the team just because Smyth was the guy in Edmonton. Now, we'll see where this takes the Oilers, as they are seven points out of a playoff spot in 9th place.

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The Buffalo Sabres were busy, but also made some questionable deals. First off, the Sabres finally traded Martin Biron, but not to a contender and not out West. Biron went to the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2nd-round pick. To compensate that, the Sabres picked up Ty Conklin from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a fifth round pick. To compensate for front line injuries, the Sabres got Dainius Zubrus and Timo Helbling from the Washington Capitals for Jiri Novotny and a 1st round pick.

You can't blame the Sabres for trying to get a forward, but Zubrus has really benefited from having Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin on his wings. Plus, Zubrus is only a rental with his asking price being too high and the Sabres having to sign Chris Drury and Daniel Briere.

Now, for the Biron/Conklin swap.....WHAAAAAAA?!? Now, this doesn't make sense at all. That's like trading a Porsche for a Gremlin. If Ryan Miller goes down, do the Sabres think that Conklin will be the guy to carry the load?? I understand they needed to get something for Biron, but that's not the way to go about it all.

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The big name that went was Bill Guerin, who went to the San Jose Sharks for Ville Nieminen, Jay Barriball, and a 1st round pick. Guerin will bring even more depth to the Sharks offense, but defense may be the question. We'll see how it comes around with a little slump the Sharks are going through, but their offense is scary good on paper-- now they need to come through on the ice.

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As much as I hate to admit it, the Pittsburgh Penguins did pretty well during this deadline. They added muscle to the team and while it may not be enough to win a Stanley Cup, it will be enough to get their stars into the playoffs for a big run.

The Pens picked up Gary Roberts from the Florida Panthers for Noah Welch, while Georges Laraque got picked up from Phoenix for Dan Carcillo and a 3rd round pick in '08. Both Laraque and Roberts had to waive their no trade clause.

While Roberts is a great vet and Laraque the muscle; the issue with Laraque is that he has a no-movement contract. That means Laraque can't be traded, sent down or bought out unless he approves. Laraque has another season on his contract making just over a million bucks, which is a little much for a fighter.

The Pens also picked up Nolan Schaefer as a goalie for Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

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One of the interesting moves is the Detroit Red Wings taking a big chance on Todd Bertuzzi , but they didn't give up much-- just a conditional draft pick and prospect Shawn Matthias. Bertuzzi hasn't played since October and has had to deal with some back surgeries in order to get better.

That said, if Bertuzzi is healthy, he'll bring some much needed grit to the Red Wings roster and will be the muscle if he can hold out on his health.

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There were plenty of other deals to talk about, but you can check out Face Off Hockey Show for the analysis from us and Spector's Hockey's Lyle Richardson. We'll do all we can to break down the deals made, not made, the winners and the losers.

If you need all the round-up for the Trade Deadline, check out TSN's trade page for all the deals big or small.

Overpaying In Atlanta

2007-02-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

It didn't take long before the dominos started to fall, and it looks like those in the ATL are ready to make a serious playoff run. First, the Thrashers picked-up defenseman Alexei Zhitnik from Philadelphia and then this morning, they finalized a deal to get Keith Tkachuk.

The Zhitnik deal was announced after the early games last night. It sent Zhitnik to his third team this year, while Philadelphia got defensive prospect Braydon Coburn. Zhitnik has 23 points this season with the Isles and Flyers, but we basically picked-up to help the awful puck moving defense in Atlanta and bring some veteran leadership to the fold. The Flyers will enjoy Coburn, who never found his nitch in the Atlanta organization. Coburn is a definite upgrade over Freddy Meyer IV who was traded to the Islanders to get Zhitnik.

Tkachuk waited a little bit to give Atlanta an answer, considering his no-trade clause; but he eventually lifted it. In return, the St. Louis Blues got Glen Metropolit, a 1st and 3rd round pick in the 2007 Draft, and a 2nd round pick in the 2008 Draft. Tkachuk has done well with the Blues with 20 goals and 43 points on the season and will add much needed depth to the Thrashers front line. Metropolit was in his first year back from three years overseas, and didn't do too shabby with 12 goals and 28 points, including a +9.

Now, the Zhitnik trade may be mortgaging the future for the here and now, but I can understand what the Thrashers wanted to. They needed someone on defense who knows how to play the position and can move the puck around too.

The Tkachuk deal is leaving me scratching my head. Draft picks, nowadays, are just a goldmine of talent. And considering that the Thrashers could be fighting for a spot, the Blues could have two nicely positioned first-round spots. Not only that, but the Thrashers will probably only get Tkachuk's services for the remaining 18 games and whatever playoff games they have, since Tkachuk is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. This is a scenario where it is mortgaging the future.

Let's be honest, the Thrashers have been in free-fall mode for the past couple of weeks, and the odds of them making the playoffs on this pace is not really a guarantee. If they spent all this for nothing; then the ownership may have to question the future of GM Don Waddell and head coach Bob Hartley.

When all is said and done, you really can't fault the Thrashers for trying....even if they do fall flat on their face.

Around the Rink 02.24.07

2007-02-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

Alright, let's get the Brawl in Buffalo out of the way. Now, it was an interesting piece to see, considering the history these two teams (Buffalo and Ottawa) have had in the past two seasons. However, the debate of "late hit" or "dirty hit" is really subjective. Looking at the video replay, you could make the case for Chris Neil's hit on Chris Drury as being a touch late, but no stride was made before impact and no elbow was up, which would have been obvious since they are the same size.

The aftermath of that, with Ray Emery going with Martin Biron and then Andrew Peters was bizarre; but the question on my mind is why put your top line out there after the hit?? Let's be honest, sure the Sabres have last change; but isn't that the point where you waste your time-out to put your third or fourth line guys in??

The result of the hit is Drury being placed on IR indefinitely for a concussion and a must-watch scenario for tonight.

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Anson Carter is on the move again, as Carter was traded from Columbus to Carolina in exchange for a 5th Round Pick in '08. Carter has 27 points in 53 games and was brought in as a precautionary measure assuming that Nikolai Zherdev wasn't going to come over to North America.

Carter has had a season to forget, which is why most people are shocked that the Canes went out in got him. Sure, he's a depth player while Erik Cole is out, but Carter has only 24 games experience in the playoffs; which won't help the Canes out at all. We'll see if having some true talent on a line with him will help his cause, but this move is quite the odd one, for sure.

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Georges Laraque could be on the move soon, as he was a healthy scratch on Thursday; sparking speculation of his departure. Pittsburgh radio stations were already saying Laraque to Pittsburgh was a done deal; which is going on 48 hours without it going down. This is due to Laraque's no-trade clause.

However, shouldn't the Penguins have gotten some muscle earlier in the season?? When you look at what has happened this season with Sidney Crosby; you would think that after the first time, they would get the picture and get right on it. Fact of the matter is, if they trade for muscle; the Pens will only use him for whatever is left of the regular season (may include some healthy scratches) and that's it, unless they can provide otherwise.

We'll see where Laraque goes, because he's sure he'll be heading somewhere come Tuesday.

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We talked about some of the GM meetings during the last show, but it's interesting about the teams not wanting to deal with the three-point games. Some say that it wouldn't create much excitement and would water down the game or whatever other party line they were spouting off.

Look, are you trying to tell me that a divisional match-up, where you could get three points over a rival, wouldn't create more passion or parity?? My god, that could change the landscape of the game and really bring passion to it. Let's be honest, if you could get a three-point advantage over the other teams compared to the one-point if it goes to overtime....why wouldn't you do it; it just make sense.

Of course, you'll have the smart-ass Bettman bashers going, "Of course he wants to bring in three-points, he's a basketball guy." Shut up, stupids.

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That's my time, unless something big happens; I'll be back on Tuesday to maybe do some "live blogging" for the trade deadline. We'll see how well that goes over, though. Until then, check the message boards for the hilarity happening over there or if you missed a show, check out the Podcast.

The Forsberg Deal

2007-02-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

It finally happened. After month of build-up, meeting after meeting with Flyers GM Paul Holmgren, and countless Lyle Cherry appearances, Peter Forsberg was dealt to the Nashville Predators for Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent, and two picks. Forsberg is said to be suiting up for tonight's game against St. Louis.

Now, this deal can work one of two ways-- first, it can work out that the Preds get a healthy Forsberg which will help them get that much closer to the Cup. Or, it could mean that the Preds get an injured Forsberg after a couple of games, then lose him back to the Flyers due to the UFA deal he has going on.

There are plenty of people who think the Preds overpaid for a rent-a-wreck like Forsberg, and they could be right. However, Upshall really hasn't reached the potential that was build up for him and has been passed over numerous times during the camps. Secondly, the Preds are so deep in young defensemen, they needed to do something or else there would be a huge logjam that no team would want. They would have been traded off eventually, but to do it for someone who is considered to be the best player in the world when healthy-- you take the risk.

Even if Forsberg gets injured, what would it matter to how the Preds are doing now?? They are second in the entire league in points, they have forward depth coming out of everywhere (like a 3rd line center with 20 goals, right David Legwand??), and neither Parent nor Upshall really had much to do with their success. So, should this whole experience go flat, it's not really a loss in the grand scheme of things.

Another theory is that Forsberg's skate boot problems will magically disappear now that he's in Nashville. That's a decent one, but I don't think Forsberg was really holding out to play in Music City, USA-- he is legitimately hurt.

As it stands, the Predators are a better team now then they were 24 hours ago, on paper. The sad thing is-- Forsberg alone outscores the Predators roster in playoff points. If he can stay healthy throughout, the Preds could become the front-runners....more so.

Around the Rink 02.12.07

2007-02-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

Oddly enough, the Calgary Flames are making the biggest splash, first with Craig Conroy; now they acquired Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau from the Boston Bruins for Andrew Ference and Chuck Kobasew. This came as a surprise as it seemed that the Edmonton Oilers were the front runners for the services of Stuart, but the team from down the QE2 ended up being the big winners.

However, personally, I have to wonder if they gave up too much. Granted, Kobasew can't stay healthy and Primeau is decent as a 3rd or 4th liner-- that's a push. The thing that gets me is why trade a defensively solid player like Ference for a guy who had the third lowest plus/minus in the league before being traded?? They already have some two-way defensemen in Dion Phaneuf, Roman Hamrlik, and more recently, Mark Giordano. We'll see if this move pays off, but if it doesn't-- there will be plenty of angry fans.

As for the Bruins, they are continuing to re-build; but if you're scoring at home-- the deal last December is now Joe Thornton for Marco Sturm....not something you want to see.

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Another move made is Ladislav Nagy being traded to the Dallas Stars for Mathias Tjarnqvist and a first-round pick. Nagy has eight goals and 41 points through 55 games and has been in Wayne Gretzky's doghouse for a good chunk of the season. Tjarnqvist had four points and averaged 10 minutes a game.

However, to trade away a first-round pick is what makes this deal a little bit crazy in my eyes. Nagy has all the tools to be a big star, but either rarely displays them or is injured most of the time. However, with the Stars "goals by committee", anything that seems like it could be an upgrade may help in the long run.

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Some sources are now saying that the NHL will be playing in London, England to start off the 2007-08 game, as it is rumored that the LA will make the trek across the pond to debut the O2 Arena, one that was developed and created by Anschutz Entertainment Group, the same group that owns the Kings. Their rumored opponent is the Anaheim Ducks, who back in 1998, played the Vancouver Canucks in Japan.

This is not the worst idea in the world, though you'll have people yelling and screaming about taking a home game away from both teams-- but if you want to expand the game; this is the way. As many of you know, we have plenty of fans in the UK and their dedication to the game deserves to be rewarded and this could be the thing to do it.

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The NHL is laying the wood to Ray Emery, who laid the wood to Maxim Lapierre. Emery was suspended three games by the NHL after a vicious slash to the head and face area of Lapierre. Lapierre was knocked into Emery, who took exception. When Lapierre and Emery were trying to get up, Emery took the heel of his stick and hit Lapierre at the top of his visor. Luckily, no serious injury occurred.

However, I say good on the NHL for this one. I'm a Sens fan and I still think that Emery deserved something. You can't condone these sort of head shots. I understand that some goalies are complaining about being protected, but once martial law occurs, something has to be done-- which is what happened in this case.

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There's a lot of people making a stink about what's going on with Gary Bettman after it was revealed that he's not looking to step down, despite rumors on the contrary. You know, I'm not the biggest fan of Bettman, but since his tenure-- he has given some relevance to the league in terms of expansion (maybe too much) and profit (373% raise since his coming in). However, people still hate Bettman, and some with good reason.

The problem I have with it is that no matter what happens-- it's all Bettman's fault. Penalties, no penalties, sky being blue-- all Bettman's fault. Hockey fans claim to be the most dedicated, which is true-- but they also seem to be the most fickle. No matter what happens, nothing is ever good enough. It's not just Bettman, but I'm sure whoever his successor is; he'll get the same scrutiny. Not even that, but people underestimate the power that the Board of Governors has over Bettman and the entire NHL, but that's for another day.

Bettman contract runs out at the end of the CBA term, which is after the 2010-11 season. As long as the money is rolling in-- Bettman will stay in power. Get used it and get over it.

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That's all for now, but make sure you check out FOHS Wednesday from 9 PM ET to 11 PM ET live. There's always the Podcast if you can't make it or the Message Board for good waste of time.

Around the Rink 02.06.07

2007-02-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

Sean Avery is on the move again, this time to the New York Rangers. Along with Avery, the LA Kings sent John Seymour to New York for Jason Ward, Marc-Andre Cliche, and Jan Marek. Avery had 28 points and 116 PIMs on the year, while Ward has 10 points.

Another move for the Kings to rebuild their team. Added to it, Avery will get a chance to play on a real contender and either show what he's got or fail miserably on the world's biggest stage. Aside from depth, Avery was probably brought in to be the agitator for the Rangers and maybe spark the Rangers a bit. One thing is for sure, if Avery tries anything stupid on or off the ice, you can bet guys like Brendan Shanahan will be all over him.

Also, good to see a Cliche on the move.

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Obviously Sidney Crosby is going to be a target on the ice, to which he has been in the past month or so. With a spear from Jason Blake, a suspected butt-end from Maxim Lapierre, and an inadvertent high-stick from Francois Bouillon; Crosby has gotten attention both on a off the ice. Many feel that he goes down like a ton of bricks whenever he is touched. Granted, on the Blake and Lapierre happenings, they were in Mellon Arena; which could mean Jean-Claude Van-Damme is on the case.

However, a couple things need to be addressed in this situation: (1) The Pens need someone to protect Crosby before it's too late. One of these time, it won't be an embellishment and could destroy the Pens season. (2) If it's such an embellishment, why don't the refs call it or the NHL fine him?? I know Crosby is trying to get the calls with the Pens power-play being lethal; but still-- they shouldn't treat Crosby or Alex Ovechkin or Joe Thornton any differently than they treat Dominic Moore, Kris Beech, or Mike Grier.

Finally, for any reporters to read this (I doubt many, but still), stop giving him a free pass, like Bob McKenzie has. I don't care if he's 19 or 91, if you're going to play in this league, you should face the same amount of ridicule and scrutiny whether you're a rookie or in your final year. Sure, the maturing process will take longer, but the quicker you whip someone like Crosby into shape, the better player and person he'll become in the long run.

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The Flames will retire Mike Vernon's #30 tonight. Vernon lead the Flames to their only Stanley Cup in 1989, going 16-5 in that run to the Cup. Vernon won the Cup and Conn Smythe while in Detroit in 1997, then pretty much faded into oblivion.

Now, the question is-- will the Flames be like other teams and take what seems to be two hours to raise the jersey to the rafters?? We'll find out tonight.

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Brandon Bochenski is another player on the move again-- this time to Beantown. Bochenski was traded from Chicago for a conditional draft pick. Bochenski had 33 goals and 33 assists in the AHL this season. However, that's the knock on Bochenski; he does really well in the AHL, but when it comes time to perform in the show, he disappears. With the Bruins dealing with injuries, now is the time for Bochenski to make an impact.

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That's all for now, but make sure you check out Face Off Hockey Show, every Wednesday at 9 PM ET. If you miss out, check out the FOHS Podcast or the FOHS Message Boards to see what you may have missed.

Around the Rink 01.30.07

2007-01-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

To the surprise of no one, the US broadcast of the All-Star Game dropped 76% from 2004. Many people blame the network it was on (OLNVS), while others blame it being in the middle of the week, being a rather meaningless game, and pitting itself up against "American Idol", which anyone will watch to see a British man berating glorified Karaoke singers. Good news is that viewship in Canada was up 6%.

Look, it's an All-Star Game in the middle of the week. Let's not get all up in arms about it. It's a meaningless game that people probably didn't want to stay up to watch. I think the Show will also take credit for stealing some viewers.

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Ken Dryden had his number retired last night. I've mentioned this before about the ceremonies and with Ken Dryden being a long-in-the-tooth man, this thing seemed to drag on. However, I'll spare you that rant.

However, how many numbers will the Habs have when all is said and done?? CBC's cartoon The Instigator has it spot-on when it comes to what could happen in the future of the Habs jerseys. Word is Dryden didn't want a retirement, but an honoring; much like the Toronto Maple Leafs do. With all the greats the Habs have had; there's really very few you should RETIRE-retire. Maurice Richard is one of them, while others are up for debate.

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Craig Conroy is heading back to Calgary, after the Kings dealt him there for Jamie Lundmark and a pair of draft picks. Conroy has had a brutal season with only 16 points, but the hopes of magic between himself and Jarome Iginla has Flames fans all warm and tingly inside.

More off, Conroy brings a cool demeanor into the room; with the uncanny ability to relax people in the room without losing the intensity factor. That's what gave the Flames a great run in '04-- a nice balance. Leadership is what Conroy can bring to the table and should help the Flames out both on and off the ice.

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Some crazy happenings this weekend in all of hockey; here's a rundown:

-The Saginaw Spirit beat the Oshawa Generals. It may not seem like much, but because of it-- Stephen Colbert will have a "Stephen Colbert Day" in Oshawa. for the whole story, TSN really helps out a lot in explaining it all.

-Robbie Bina is in the running for "Goal of the Year." This past weekend, the North Dakota defenseman shot it from the bottom of the circle in his own end and beat Jeff Frazee for a short-handed goal and the first of five unanswered goals in a North Dakota win. Thanks YouTube-- you're the best.

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That's all for now, but for more-- check out Face Off Hockey Show Wednesday night at 9 PM ET or catch us on the Podcast or even Message Board.

Around the Rink 01.25.07

2007-01-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

After watching the new RBK Edge jerseys in game action, I have to say that not many will see the obvious if they are a causal fan. The jerseys looked to be great out on the ice and many of the players raved about the jerseys after the ASG, which was won by the West 12-9.

They definitely aren't as bad as they could have looked or as many perceived them to look. Right now, the verdict is still out on the look of the 30 teams; thought Uni Watch's Paul Lukas said on last night's show that the teams had the option to look the same as they do now and many will pick-up on that option.

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Though Lukas did say that six teams will make total overhauls. The Dallas Stars being one of them, with a description of the possible look being put out in the Dallas Morning News. Other teams that have been speculated in the overhaul have been the Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, and Boston Bruins.

There will be some changes next season, as the Minnesota Wild announced they would ditch their green uniforms for next season, while their expansion cousin Columbus Blue Jackets said they would use their current third jersey logo on all their jerseys next season.

The fun of waiting for the jerseys to come out now is to see who will have a new identity and what the "traditional" designs look like on the new template.

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Speaking of All-Star Games, Montreal was awarded their bid in the 2008-09 All-Star Game, which also helped them celebrate the 100th year of the franchise. Montreal was looking to get the All-Star Game, World Junior tournament, and NHL Draft to help the celebration, but they'll have to settle for the ASG for now, as the WJC went to Ottawa and the Draft is to be determined.

Next season, Atlanta will host the ASG, getting it after their original plans to have it in 2004-05 was dropped due to the lockout.

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Once again, the NHL Board of Governors have said they won't change the schedule for this season coming up. This was after they could not get a two-thirds majority over how the schedule should look. Many though that the BoG would approve something similiar to what the NHL had pre-lockout, but the debate will rage on.

Right now, I think it would be better to just go through with the three-year plan that they have now and then change it. It gives them the whole year to figure out what they want to do afterwords, and no team misses out on exclusive viewing rights to five teams this coming season. You can also bet that should the Penguins move west, then there could be a drastic flop of how the schedule is done.

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Speaking of the Penguins, the drama for your mama continues. First, Mario and the gang went to Houston to see what they had going on down there. All the while, officials in Pittsburgh were upset that Lemieux wouldn't take their "sweet" offer. Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell actually thought of talking to the NHL about blocking any deal that the Penguins could make in moving the team. That changed, as he is now more than optimisitc about a deal being done.

Now, I'm not the biggest fan of Mario and the Penguins, but to block the move is pretty bush league. You can't strong-arm someone into keeping a team in a place that isn't going to get the support. I said that about the Jim Balsillie deal and I'll continue saying it. It's not the best way to do business and it's not the way to go to attract prospective buyers. You can't force a market if there isn't one to be had.

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That's all for now, but check out the archive of Face Off Hockey Show if you missed anything from last night. Also, check out the message boards to keep up to date on all the randomness that could occur.

Slipping at the Top

2007-01-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

We're at the midway point of the NHL season and there could be cause for concern on both coast. First, the Anaheim Ducks, who were very dominate in the first quarter of the season, have fallen to the #2 team in the Western Conference, while losing seven of their last nine games. In the East, the Buffalo Sabres continue to be atop the conference, but haven't seem as dominate as they did at the beginning of the season.

The main question now is what is the problem with both sides??

With Anaheim, the easy excuse is injuries. Chris Pronger has been out for almost a month, J-S Giguere is still out with a groin injury, Francois Beauchemin's spleen issue, and Scott Niedermayer not at 100% with a stress fracture. However, the main issue is inconsistency. They haven't been scoring at the torrid pace they started with, which could be a cause for concern when your goaltending is suspect and your defense depleted. Veterans like Teemu Selanne and Andy McDonald need to lead by example to show the young kids like Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry how to fight off adversity.

The Sabres have an issue with some consistency as well, this time it's in goal. Ryan Miller has been a great goalie for the Sabres, yet there are some parts of his game that need help. He seems to let in very late goals and loses confidence into the next game. Martin Biron hasn't been much better as of late in net, though he can get wins. It also seems that the goal-scorers at the beginning of the season aren't producing that much heading into the break. Chris Drury and Thomas Vanek have slowed their pace, which I'm sure the Sabres would love to have back coming down the stretch.

It's much to early to tell if this trend will continue for the Sabres and Ducks. I know fans of both teams don't like to see the slumping happen, but in this game-- it's inevitable. I'm sure once the walking wounded are back and the consistency returns; these teams should become dominant again, hopefully sooner, rather than later.

The New Uniform Debate

2007-01-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

The NHL revealed the new uniforms, team-by-team, to a small portion of media folks yesterday. On Monday, they will put it all out to the public. USA Today, however, put up a nice piece about what the new uniform will do with aiding the players and making the game move. They also had a picture of Sidney Crosby in the Eastern Conference uniform, which is the take for the new uniforms to be rolled out. The picture is below.

There has been plenty said, because everyone is a critic. Now, SportsLogos.net Message Boards have been both the most critical and the place with the most converts. There have been other places more critical without giving it a chance.

Personally, I was skeptical, but gave it a chance. Looking at it, they don't seem too shabby for the All-Star Game. How that will translate with the team uniforms and what they look like will have to wait. Yet, it's not as bad as I thought it could be, much better than the first prototype that had the jerseys tucked into the pants.

The real test will be on Monday when all the teams are shown.

But, now it's your turn. What do you all think of the first look at the new uniforms?? Email comments@faceoffhockeyshow.com to voice your opinion; good, bad, indifferent. Keep it clean and keep it on topics. To quote an intelligent man, "Have a take. Don't suck." Just put the subject like something "New Uniforms" or something like that.

Around the Rink 01.09.07

2007-01-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

The Penguins are getting calls. After the Kansas City venture, the Penguins have received calls from other cities about moving to their city. Oklahoma City has called with interest and, as always, so has Houston and Portland. However, owner Mario Lemieux has said that meetings with the Pittsburgh government have gone well and is confident that they can hammer out a deal.

Of these cities, I think that Kansas City has a slight edge over Houston; but if Portland can get a new arena in place; they could in the hunt. Lemieux has to be loving this because he has all the leverage in the world right now to get something done in Pittsburgh, barring they actually want to keep the team there. Lemieux has all the cards right now and waiting for someone to call his bluff.

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Rory Fitzpatrick isn't going to be in the top-2 when All-Star Voting is revealed tonight, says the Vancouver Sun. Citing NHL sources, Fitzpatrick was on the outside of the top-2, probably Scott Niedermayer and Niklas Lidstrom. It avoids an awkward situation that Fitzpatrick may have had to endure.

Some people are too happy that Rory didn't get in. Listen up people-- The All-Star Game sucks. All-Star Voting is a joke; this showed how much of a joke it is and how powerful the intraweb is. Look, the ASG voting is all a popularity contest and really needs to be taken out of the hands of the fans. If the NHL wants to put the top guys in; hand the votes over to the GMs and a select number of players to pick who they want in. It's just that simple. For Rory and those who supported him-- rock, rock on; for those who has their panties in a bunch about this-- lighten the eff up.

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Talk about a resurgence. Both the LA Kings and Phoenix Coyotes have woken up from the dead and are making themselves look pretty good as of late. The Kings can attribute that to the return of Mathieu Garon, who has played like a monster as of late. You can bet that Garon should get more starts than Cloutier from here on out.

The Coyotes finally told Curtis Joseph the season has started, which got him off his duff for three straight wins. Jeremy Roenick is playing like he wants to and Shane Doan continues to be the leader on and off the ice. Who knows, both these teams could sneak into the playoffs if the rest of the conference is not careful.

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If you are in Canada and you need something to do to prep yourself for Face Off Hockey Show (9 PM ET), then you need to check out OLN and a show called Road Hockey Rumble. The premise is that two captains, Mark McGuckin and Calum MacLeod, head for one side of Canada to another playing road hockey (street hockey for our American readers) to see whose team reigns supreme, like so much Iron Chef.

Looking at the trailer on their website, the show looks pretty damn funny, whether that's the intent or not, I don't know. However, if you have the chance, check it out. I don't know what to tell our droves of American readers; but bug the hell out of Versus and tell them to get this on the stations.

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That's all for now, check out Face Off Hockey Show this Wednesday at 9PM and as always you can check out the Message Board and our MySpace for other happenings.

Around the Rink 01.04.07

2007-01-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

It appears that the Penguins could be Kansas City bound. Mario Lemieux has met with Kansas City officials over the past couple of days in order to "kick the tires", if you will, regarding the Sprint Center. Lemieux has also had some brief discussions regarding how they will be able to get an arena deal in Pittsburgh. To sweeten the pot, Kansas City has offered free rent for the Penguins, should they move to KC. Lemieux has told them that he would make his decision in 30 days.

We've heard 30 day a lot in this Penguins saga, like 30 days to get a deal done after a letter of intent. If KC does get the team, that will pretty much force a realignment situation, that we talked about last time. We'll see in a month's time if Lemieux was serious or just using this as leverage to get the City of Pittsburgh to get their act together.

As an aside, is it just me or does the Sprint Center look like a giant disco ball??

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Mike Comrie helped relieve some of the Ottawa Senators' center woes when he was acquired yesterday. He netted two assists, got plenty of power play time, and seemed like he wanted to play again. This has been a knock on Comrie since his run-in with the Oilers' front office. We'll see if Bryan Murray can keep Comrie movtivated or if he'll just fall by the wayside again.

Comrie is going to be key for the Senators this season. Not so much because of the injuries, but the Senators forwards are either finesse or grinders. There's really no inbetween. With Comrie, you get a little of both; which should make for some exciting games.

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Were you as amazed at the Petr Nedved word as I was?? Reports came out Monday that the Ottawa Senators were going to pick Nedved off re-entry waivers, but before they could get to it, Kevin Lowe and Edmonton Oilers snatched him up. That brings into question what's going to happen now with the Oilers?? It doesn't make sense for them to pick up another forward (who has a -20 rating and only a goal on the season) when they need defense.

So, now we play "Who's leaving Edmonton now??" We get to speculate which of the Oilers will be traded to get a defenseman for the team. You have some of the obvious thoughts like Shawn Horcoff and Petr Sykora; one for underachieving and one for overachieving. Yet, no one knows if this will mean anything at all, this could just lead to nothing. I'm sure the Oilers thought they could rangle someone away from the Sens for a Horcoff; but now with Comrie, the Oilers could be stuck.

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The man who was voted the "Best Hair" in Denver 1996, Mike Ricci, is considering retirement. Ricci has been a healthy scratch for seven straight games and suffered a serious neck injury in training camp. Ricci returned home to Phoenix to talk things over with his family about this future in the game.

Ricci has always been a pest, but is one of the guys who personifys what people like about hockey. He has some scoring prowess, but always will get on the physical side of things happening on the ice. Whatever happens, best of luck to Mike.

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That's it for now, check out the FOHS Website, FOHS Podcast, FOHS Message Boards, and FOHS MySpace for all the fun that's bound to happen.

Realignment Assignment

2007-01-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned the last "Around the Rink" post, the NHL is looking into realignment coming up. This will be brought to the attention of the board of governors, which will then be voted on and all that fun stuff. The inital thought is that instead of six divisions, there will only be four in each of the conferences.

Granted, there's 30 teams in the league, 15 in each conference-- you're going to have uneven division settings. This could (and probably will) stir the talk of expansion (or even contraction) in the NHL, but the short term effect this could have is getting rid of the ridiculous division match-ups that were a good idea in theory, but somewhat poor in execution. That, or you can have what the MLB has with 16 teams on one side and 14 in the other....which really, when thought about-- isn't too bad an idea.

Due to a lot of time on my hands, I have developed three possible scenarios, with surely many more to come. These scenarios are pretty much easy to follow, but I'll map them out anyway in order to no confuse the whole lot of you.

SCENARIO ONE: The first scenario is basic. It just divides up what the Conferences are now. In the East, the Southeast would be the same with the addition to Philadelphia and New Jersey, while the other divsion will mix the other teams in the current Atlantic with those in the Northeast. The West would get Dallas out of the Pacific and Minnesota out of the Northwest and put them with the Central. The rest of the Pacific and Northwest would join their own division.

SCENARIO TWO: This sees the Pittsburgh Penguins moving to Kansas City, which would move them out West. Columbus would tolley out to the East. That's just a flip-flop from scenario one. Now, if the Pens move to Houston or Winnipeg, this wouldn't effect it much. If the off-chance they move to Portland, Colorado would move to the more Eastern Western Division (see Scenario 2a).

SCENARIO THREE: This is a copy off the MLB situation where 14 teams are on one side (Eastern) and 16 teams are on the other (Western). This is used with the KC Penguins model and would be adjusted as they moved. Basically, the Blue Jackets would move back to the West and each Western Conference division would have eight teams in them. Now, this would probably bring about more divisional play, but what can you do.

Playoff wise, it should be like it was in the old days, where you actually had to play out of your division in order to get to the Conference Finals. If you want to increase the rivalry set, don't worry about making all these games in the regular season; put it to the test in the playoffs, because that's where true rivalries are born.

If you have your own take on what the divisons should look like, either leave a comment here or join the discussion on the FOHS Message Boards powered by FantasyHockey.com.

Around the Rink 12.28.06

2006-12-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

It looks like the Pittsburgh Penguins will hold their own destiny in the hands of Mario Lemieux. Lemieux took the team off the market last Thursday, which you would have known if you weren't living under a rock. The drama for the Penguins continue as Lemieux said he would explore other options, including relocation. However, Mario said that if the City of Pittsburgh would buy a new arena, the odds are better that the Pens will stay in Pittsburgh.

With some sightings of Mario in Kansas City and in Houston this past week, one has to wonder when the announcement of whether they are staying or going will come. You have to figure that if the City of Pittsburgh doesn't break ground soon on an arena project; then the Penguins will learn to fly, especially away from Pittsburgh.

In other news, Jim Balsillie is still interested, but I doubt that he's a player right now in this game.

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If you're an Ottawa Senator center; take cover because you're probably next. First, Jason Spezza sustains a knee injury that will keep him out 4-6 weeks, now Mike Fisher has a MCL injury that will keep him out for the time being. It's not what the Ottawa Senators needed to hear, especially with the season they have been having.

The big question now is whether or not the Sens will make a trade for an affordable center. Looking at the depth chart, they have Chris Kelly, Dean McAmmond, Antoine Vermette, and Josh Hennessy. Not the big names you would expect on a team like the Sens. Keep an eye on John Muckler and what he may do next.

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Does it strike anyone else as odd that Don Cherry and Kelly Hrudey are too upset that Rory Fitzpatrick could be starting the All-Star Game?? Especially for Cherry, who was in the running for "Greatest Canadian", when many though he shouldn't have been. Maybe they forgot to have a sense of humor about it, maybe they forgot it's a glorified shinny game. The issue is they are too obsessed with this whole thing that it's making them look foolish and bitter.

Memo to Mr. Cherry and Mr. Hrudey-- lighten up. If the All-Star Game was supposed to be a great big thing, if it was supposed to be who the NHL wanted in there-- then the NHL would pick the All-Star team. This is what you get with fan balloting; movements like this to get someone in. When it's left up to a popularity contest; then why would you even worry about something as meaningless as this. And to Kelly Hrudey-- get over yourself. Don Cherry worked very hard to get the respect he gets. You're just some jobber to mold Scott Oake into the next Ron MacLean minus the puns. You sit there, be the token goalie analysis, and stop acting like everyone cares about what you're saying.

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The NHL has talked about re-alignment, dropping the divisions from six to four; which would make the divisions uneven, which would spark the debate of expansion (or even contraction) coming into play to even them out.

I'll rant on this tomorrow when I get the nog out of my head, but it will include what I would re-align the divisions in every scenario (ie: Pens moving; Pens not moving).

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Hope everyone had a good holiday. If you missed anything on the show, check out the FOHS site, the FOHS Podcast, the FOHS Message Boards, and if you're bored, the FOHS MySpace.

Penguins Crap Out

2006-12-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

The future of the Penguins in Pittsburgh was dealt a severe blow, as the Isle of Capri lost its bid to gain the only slots license in Pittsburgh; thus giving the Penguins a new arena. The winning bidder, PITG Gaming, has said they would provide $7M a year for 30 years towards a new arena; but the city, county, taxpayers, and Penguins would have to contribute as well in order to make it work.

After the announcement was made, both the Penguins brass and NHL were very pessimistic about the Penguins future in Pittsburgh. Commissoner Gary Bettman said that they would support the Penguins in whatever they decide to do, while the Penguins stated that they'll exhaust every option. TSN's Bob McKenzie said that it could be another four to six weeks before the real decision comes down to really see what's happening.

So right now, it comes down to who will be the person to save the Penguins. Obviously, the names come out of the woodworks; like Mark Cuban, Frank D'Angelo, etc. The real question is whether or not the Penguins would be a viable option for Pittsburgh. If there's a more lucrative deal to be had somewhere else, why wouldn't an owner want to go where the money's at?? If somewhere like Kansas City, Winnipeg, Houston, or wherever will give a better deal-- then you know that someone would want to head out there.

We'll see how this all pans out, but right now-- it doesn't look good for Penguins fans.

Around the Rink 12.18.06

2006-12-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins are up for another bidding war. It seems that Frank D'Angelo, owner of Steelback Brewery, is looking to purchase the team and keep them in Pittsburgh. D'Angelo has said that if the Isle of Capri doesn't win the Wednesday bid, his group would build an arena with their own money and use the Steelback name for the arena name and sell Steelback beer in the arena. Our buddy James Mirtle doesn't seem too happy about it.

Also interested is Mark Cuban, who's bid failed two owners ago, and former prospective owner Jim Balsillie, who seems to be still in the running even though he pulled his bid this past weekend. However, Mario Lemieux said that Balsillie pulled out during a crucial time, which was a breach of contract with the Penguins; so he's keeping Balsillie's deposit and has said any deal with Balsillie is dead.

The vote will come down on Wednesday whether or not the Isle of Capri will get the slots license, which will bring a new arena to Pittsburgh. If the IoC can get the license, it'll probably ease a lot of minds of prospective owners. If not....we'll see what happens.

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Alexei Zhitnik is on the move, as he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers from the New York Islanders for Freddy Meyer IV. Neither defenseman have been doin that well for their respective teams, which mades this trade even odder.

However, you would think that the Flyers would want to keep their young prospects in check, rather than get older. Yet, it seems that they are going the opposite way. Of course, the reasoning is just due to all of the injuries and lack of production on the blue line; Zhitnik was a prime, yet expensive choice. We'll see if this pays off in the grand scheme of things, but I doubt it'll have any help at all.

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What has happened to the New York Rangers?? Within a span of two games, they have given up 15 goals. Henrik Lundqvist was left in for eight goals in Saturday's loss to Toronto and Kevin Weekes was in for the other seven. They only scored three goals in that span as well, which doesn't make sense considering who they have on their team.

Now, if the Rangers are going to revert back to their old form of not caring and letting teams walk all over them; I wouldn't be surprised to see some guys being moved before the end of the season hits. It has started already, with Sandis Ozolinsh being placed on waivers today. Though I have plenty of respect for Tom Renney and his crew; they need to do something quick before it's too late.

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The dream of having every NHL have an AHL affiliate seems to be one step closer to become a reality. This weekend, the Colorado Avalance announced that they will have their primary affiliate with the incoming Cleveland hockey team that starts in 2007-08 AHL season. A name for the team has yet to be announced.

With the deal as it is, there are only two teams without a primary affiliate, the Florida Panthers (two teams) and Edmonton Oilers (five teams). The Avalanche haven't had their own affiliate since 2004-05 when they were with the Hershey Bears. Some people discount how important it is to have a primary affiliate, especially when it comes to developing players. It's much easier to get a kid into the line-up who knows the system from the AHL team, as opposed to using someone else's primary affiliate, who may have a different system than what you're trying to impose.

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That's all for now, but make sure to check out the FOHS site, FOHS Podcast, the FOHS Message Boards powered by FantasyHockey.com, and the FOHS MySpace, if you're not already on it. And if you are-- tell all your friends.

Another Sale Bites the Dust For the Pens

2006-12-15T17:04:00.000-07:00

Just when it looked like things were turning around for the Pittsburgh Penguins and stability was within site....there's a swerve. The swerve this time is with potential owner Jim Balsillie, or should I say, former potential owner. According the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Balsillie has withdrew his bid to become the new owner of the Penguins; thus putting the team out on the market again. Apparently, Balsillie and the NHL couldn't reach a deal in the last minute of the consent process, thus leading Balsillie to withdraw his bid.

According to TSN's Sources, the NHL tabled the consent that Balsillie would have to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh, regardless of the circumstances. Though it's not technically dead, Balsillie and the NHL are not talking. There have been ideas of trying to eliminate the wording so Balsillie is free to do what he wants; but everything right now is in limbo.

Obviously, this isn't going to sit well with Mario Lemieux's camp, who thought this was all sign, sealed, and delivered. However, the one stumbling block that would keep anyone for seriously pursuing the team is the whole deal with gaming licenses and the new arena. Gary Bettman, understandably, would want to keep the team where they are at, so he wouldn't be facing an outcry like Winnipeg and Quebec City had. Yet in terms of reality, you can't force a market if there isn't one to be had.

The Penguins are a talented team and are one or two signings away from being a big time contender, yet there seems to be no buyers out there due to the constraints that are put in place before the sale even happens. I'm sure Balsillie didn't think much of the plan when he tabled his purchase, nor did Sam Fingold who tabled a price beforehand. Sad to say, but it seems like the lame-duck ownership, as well as the City of Pittsburgh have the Penguins held hostage. Should someone not meet their demands; the team won't be sold. Pretty craptastic business management if you ask me.

So, we get back into the fun, fun speculation on what's going to happen next for the Penguins. Who's going to be the big guns to swoop in and save the team. Mario isn't going to do it, who knows what Mark Cuban could be thinking, and we never know-- maybe the NHL will have a change of heart and realize that if there's not a market in Pittsburgh, it's just best to let it go.

Around the Rink 12.08.06

2006-12-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

Mark December 20th down on your calendar Pens fans. That's the day it will be decided whether or not Isle of Capri will win the slots license and saving the Penguins in one fell swoop. New prospective owner Jim Balsillie met with the Board of Governors to give an update, but a vote on the transfer of ownership of the Penguins will take place this next week.

The big issue, aside from transfet, is the Isle of Capri bid. If that wins, then they will build a new arena; thus saving the Penguins from moving. If they don't win, the question of whether the Penguins will stay in Pittsburgh is re-visited. During the meeting with Balsillie, the conversation was pretty much having to do with exhausting every resource out there before even thinking about moving the team. The saga continues.

Also, if Isle of Capri fails and the city's plan "B" falls through; look for Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario (Balsillie's home) to be a frontrunner in getting a new team.

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The Board of Governors couldn't come to an agreement on what the schedule and playoff format should be in the upcoming season. Of course, we all know that this problem won't go away just because a consensus isn't reached at this caucus. You can bet this will be brought up again and again and again until something is done about it to benefit all teams involved.

Also at the BoG meeting, it was revealed that the Salary Cap will be raised again, possibly up to $46-$47.5M for next season. Though attendance is down, ticket prices are up, new sponsors and deals are being made, and merchendising is up. All of that, along with linkage, boost the Cap number. The thing that I want to know is how much teams will scurry if the Cap takes a drastic turn the other way.

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My AHL rant wasn't real worth of it's own post or to be published...but here's the long and the short of it. I was looking at the Hockey News and flipping through the pages and I saw the San Jose Sharks uniform. When I looked at the article that containted the picture, it was an AHL article and it was the Worcester Sharks uniform-- an exact ripoff of the parent club's uniform.

I'm not a big fan of cloning minor league teams to fit the parent club. Teams like the Houston Aeros and Bridgeport Sound Tigers have recently changed their uniforms to fit their parent club, but had pretty decent uniforms to start off with. I don't see the need or reasoning to have these drastic changes when they are not needed. Luckily, there are teams out there like the Hershey Bears, Chicago Wolves, and Rochester Americans who have kept their own identity through all their years in the league.

Now, I'm all for having some kind of idenitifiable patch or something to let people know that they are affiliated with said teams. However, to completely redo a team's logo, jerseys, and identity is just not needed and more often than not, draws the ire of fans of the team.

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That's all for now, but make sure you check out the FOHS Message Board for all the fun stuff that goes on there, and if you missed a show, check out the FOHS Podcast to catch up on whatever you missed out on.

Around the Rink 12.03.06

2006-12-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

The question du jour is whether or not Alex Ovechkin deserves a suspension from his hit on Daniel Briere. For those who missed it, during the second period, Briere dumped the puck in and went for a chance. As he was turning to the bench, Ovechkin hit Briere in the lower back with an elbow and it sent Briere head first into the player's gate. That brought out a melee, which saw Ovechkin, Adam Muir, and Paul Gaustad all ejected. The NHL doesn't seem like they will suspend Ovechkin.

Now, while Briere returned to play the rest of the game; the NHL should have at least made it one or two games to send a message. There has been far too many incidents which is showing that the NHL is almost under martial law. Too many instances of dirty hits have gone on without any repremand. If the NHL want so to get some respect, then they need to do something to get more respect into the game.

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The Edmonton Oilers got bad news when it was learned that Ryan Smyth is out indefinitely with a fractured thumb. Smyth sustained the injury Saturday night when he bent his thumb back when trying to check Rostislav Klesla in a 4-0 Edmonton loss. The Oilers are already without Ales Hemsky, who is still about a week away from returning from his shoulder injury.

The injuries are taking it's toll and it seems the Oilers are playing tired. Dwayne Roloson hasn't finished his last two games and there has been little to no scoring for the Oilers. You almost have to wonder if the high from the magical run to the playoffs is wearing off.

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The NHL Board of Governors will be meeting this week. The one thing that will be up for debate, again, is the unbalanced schedule; something that couldn't be decided when the GM met a little while back. Also on the agenda is the playoff bracketing, which would see the NHL go to an NCAA-tournament ideal, where there is set bracketing regardless of upsets.

Now, the schedules; I've gone over that. However, I'm still kind of on the fence about the bracketing. Will it work?? Possibly. Will it create less confusion?? You bet. I really can't think of any con side, though if a team makes it to the second round, loses in the round, and wouldn't have had played that team in the old standard; there could be plenty of bitching and complaining about it. We'll see how it all pans out.

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Can the NHL just give Evgeni Malkin the Calder now, because it seems it's going that way anyway. Malkin was given the Rookie of the Month for a second straight month. While impressive, there's guys like Anze Kopitar and Paul Stasny who deserve a look at the award too.

Granted, this could be traced back to the fact that both Stasny and Kopitar play in the West and aren't seen as often; which is traced back to the schedule. Yet, if the NHL really wants to give Malkin the Rookie of the Year-- just do it now so the charade can be done with and we can all move on with our lives.

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That's all for now. I'm sure that I'll have that little AHL rant done sooner or later, but we'll see. Until then, check out the FOHS site, FOHS Podcast, and FOHS Message Board to hold you over until then.

Around the Rink 11.30.06

2006-11-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Some interesting news out of Pittsburgh, as John LeClair was placed on waivers today. LeClair has seven points in 21 games, has been demoted to the fourth line, and has since his minutes shrink. Whether or not a team will pick him up with his $1.5M contract remains to be seen.

However, you almost wondered when something like this would happen. Unlike Mark Recchi, LeClair doesn't have a dynamic upside as an older player. Especially considering the work done to his back, the fact he has lasted this long is amazing. Though he can bring veteran leadership to the team, right now his salary and place on the roster is just clogging it up for one of the young guns to come up and take their hack with a very young and fairly good hockey club.

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The NHL announced that during the All-Star weekend in January, the NHL will would roll out their new uniform designs. The league said that the uniforms would be streamlined and had the players in mind. The uniforms have been designed over the past two years and will be used starting next season. The uniforms will supposedly allow the players joints to move more freely.

As long as they aren't like the "all-in-one" jersey that rolled out for the GMs, then this could be a good idea. If it's anything like the Olympic Nike Swift jerseys; then it could be better for everyone involved once people get used to it. If it is anything drastically different...it could be a horrible disaster.

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So, we had issues with Alexei Kaigorodov a few weeks back not reporting to Binghamton of the AHL when Ottawa sent him there; now we have Enver Lisin not reporting to San Antonio after Phoenix assigned him there. In both cases, the players have returned to Russia.

You have to think that something isn't right when they get hear they are getting sent down. Obviously, they could make more money in Russia then they could in the AHL; but they can't get the call up and the PT in the NHL...if they are in Russia. The AHL, for all it's worth, is the best developmental tool for these types of players. I'm not saying that their decision wasn't driven by one thing or another; I'm suggesting that they should have given the AHL a try, just for a little bit, then decide from there.

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TSN will make some kind of history by doing a whole broadcast from ice level. Last season, NBC and TSN tried out having their analyst in the little space, between the benches that is usually reserved for photographers. Now, TSN will do a whole broadcast with the play-by-play man and analyst in that little space on the ice.

Personally, I don't know if this is a good idea or disaster waiting to happen. The fact that it's Chris Cuthbert and Glenn Healy, I feel a little safer, yet I'm still skeptical. Not only will they have to deal with cursing hockey players, but I'm sure the players will have side bets to see who hits them first. Unless they get a plexiglass front, I don't see this being the innovative thing TSN is hoping for.

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The Calgary Flames will be retiring Mike Vernon's #30 in February. Vernon helped lead the Flames to the 1989 Stanley Cup, as Vernon had 16 wins, including three shutouts on way to a Stanley Cup championship. In 1997, Vernon won another Cup with the Detroit Red Wings and won the Conn Smythe Award for Playoff MVP.

The thing is not Vernon getting his number retired, he derserved it. The issue I have is why Al MacInnis' #2 is not retired before Vernon. MacInnis was the Smythe winner in 1989 and was a big part of why the Flames were there in the first place. I'm sure he'll get his day, but Big Al should be up in the Saddledome rafters.

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That's it for now. My little post about the AHL will be out soon. Until then, check out the FOHS main site, the FOHS Podcast, and FOHS Message Board.

Around the Rink 11.27.06

2006-11-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

Another one bites the dust, as the Chicago Blackhawks fired Trent Yawney as their head coach and promoted Denis Savard as head coach. The Hawks have won only three of their last 15 games and GM Dale Tallon said the team needed a more "up-tempo style." Yawney went 33-55-15 in his tenure as Hawks coach. Savard has been the assistant coach for the Hawks since 1996-97.

The Hawks have been buggered with injuries to the likes of Martin Havlat, Michal Handzus, and Nikolai Khabibulin, which put them in a hole after an otherwise fantastic start to the season. Yet, something like this couldn't be ignored. The Hawks have plenty of talent, but it's a matter of getting people to buy into system; which seems like what happen to Yawney.

Granted, many fans wish Bill Wirtz could somehow get out of the organziation; but it's wishful thinking.

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You have to hate it for Tomas Vokoun. First, he lost the last part of his season to a severe blood clot, came back and got shelled at the start, then has come around as of late. Yet, after a 6-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks, Vokoun tore a ligament in his finger on his blocker hand. On Sunday, the Preds said that Vokoun would be out at least two weeks and as many as six weeks.

The good thing for the Preds is that Chris Mason has been doing great as the back-up and should be able to hold down the fort while Vokoun is on the shelf. Plus, the Preds are tied for second in goals in the Western Conference, behind the Anaheim Ducks and tied with the San Jose Sharks.

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If there is one game to watch on Tuesday, it's going to be the Anaheim Ducks heading into Edmonton to face the Oilers. It's going to be a crazy crowd as Chris Pronger returns to his former team's home barn; where he helped lead the Oilers to the Cup Finals. Of course, this past summer the turmoil between Pronger and the fans happened which makes this game such an event.

Though Oiler fans do have a gripe with Pronger and the way he left, the way they went about it probably was fairly stupid. The good thing is that Pronger is a focused player and the jeers will more than likely not phase Pronger on the ice. The best thing Pronger can hope for is a big win for the Ducks and to put up some points in the victory.

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Alexei Yashin was having a great start to his season with 28 points in his 22 games. It looked like Yashin was loving the game again. Now, the New York Islanders and Yashin will have to wait to see what happens next, as the captain of the Isles will miss the next two to four weeks as Yashin sustained a sprained knee in a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

Yashin has been critized by the media for giving owner Charles Wang bad tips in order to make the team more friendly to Yashin. Yet, the Isles are one of the more surprising teams in the NHL this season, as they are second in the Atlantic Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference. The loss of Yashin is a big hit, but with plenty of role players stepping up; the pain should be eased a little.

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That's all for now. Be on the lookout for something in the next couple of days concerning clones in hockey. Until then, check out the FOHS Site, the FOHS Podcast, and the FOHS Message Board for all the fun.

Around the Rink 11.23.06

2006-11-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Columbus Blue Jackets did the inevitable and named Ken Hitchcock their new head coach. Hitchcock signed a three year deal with the Jackets to make the deal official. The hope for many is that Hitchcock will actually be able to make the team play a complete game, rather than thinking offense and hope the defense will come later.

Granted, this isn't the upgrade Hitchcock may have wanted, but it's coaching in the NHL; so he'll take it. The task for Hitchcock now is the actually get the room to listen to him. What this move also does is allow Doug MacLean to keep his job, though many Jackets' fans want him out of there. We'll see if this changes the team or blows up in their faces.

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The "lame duck" GM in Toronto has a reprise. John Ferguson Jr. found out that Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the Leafs, will pick up Ferguson's option for another year. It's not the extension that many believe he would get; but it at least means he'll be there next season as well.

There's many around the GTA that think Ferguson should have been fired, with all the bad contract decisions he has made. Of course, with the Leafs off to a decent start; those sentiments have changed. Yet, one thing that is certain in Toronto-- you win, they love you; you lose-- you're out of town.

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There was an interesting article about how Georges Laraque is worried about the role of enforcers in the new NHL. Laraque states that within two years, the enforcer role will be extinct. Laraque notes that more and more teams are ditching the fighters because the league isn't geared towards fighters.

It's a good article to read and big Georges is right. A lot of the younger guys are going to have to adapt or else be left behind. In the junior leagues, every team has a designated fighter pretty much, but they'll have to craft a good balance between the rough stuff and being a good stick-handler/scorer as an aside.

Laraque has found that touch this year, Chris Neil found it last year into this year, while others still need some work before they can think their job is safe.

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A couple entries back, I talked about how idiotic the fan balloting is for All-Star Games. Before the ballot came out, I mentioned on the show to write-in myself and Marc. However, since it's online, you can't actually WRITE in your vote. In absence of that, some fans have thought of something better.

VoteForRory.com is an online movement to get Vancouver Canuck defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick on the All-Star team as a write-in candidate. So, I implore you to go check out the site and Vote for Rory.

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That's it for now, there's more stuff in the works, so keep checking the blog, the FOHS site, the FOHS Podcast and FOHS Message Board.

The Rail Cam Debate

2006-11-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

On Monday night, Versus (formerly OLN) tried out their newest innovation to bring to a telecast, the rail cam. You may remember the rail cam from Heritage Classic, which saw a camera follow the play from end-to-end; much like a hockey video game would.

After all was said and done, there were plenty of various opinions. The main one was that the camera was too bulky and obstructing the view of not only the regular camera views, but also those of the fans in the stands. Sean-O said that even though it's a great shot, it shouldn't be used as a main shot, which is what VSOLN seems to be using. Others had varied opinions from wanting it taken out after one game to people actually wanting to see more of it.

If you have seen it, take a quick look at clip one and clip two from VSOLN by way of YouTube.

Personally, I didn't see the game in real-time, only getting clips. I'd like to see more as it progresses through the season, but I don't think the execution is there just yet. The idea is there, the action of setting it up and actually using it is there; but the execution could have been a whole lot better. It'll be interesting to see what VSOLN will do with this, but unless they can execute it properly; it'll be crap.

I think one of the problems that VSOLN has that CBC and the Heritage Classic didn't was the camera angles of the hard cameras. The good thing about having a hockey game on a football field was the area around the rink to use as hard camera positioned. Plus, with the stands starting 100 feet back, the rail cam didn't effect much even thought it was bulky. If VSOLN can find a way to compact their rail cam and use their hard camera angles better; then this could be a the best thing since sliced bread.

This is almost like the end-zone cam that is used during the power-plays to help out the actual viewing pleasure of most fans, both hard-core and casual alike.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about the rail-cam, so hit us up at the FOHS Email or in the comments' section on the blog.

Around the Rink 11.21.06

2006-11-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

It seems that the race for the Columbus Blue Jackets' coach is down to Ken Hitchcock and Andy Murray. Now, either one of these choices right now would be good to whip the team into shape. Whether or not it creates a mutiny in the room is a different story. The Jackets really haven't had a hard-nosed coach, per se, but with either Murray or Hitchcock coming into the fold, that's going to change real quickly.

The main thing that needs to change is scoring, or the lack there of. Rick Nash leads the team with six goals on the year and are currently last in the NHL in goals for with 40. Something needs to kick-start the talent on this team and a coaching chance should be good for what ails them.

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Speaking of Hitchcock, his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, announced that they have extended the contract of new coach John Stevens. Stevens won a Calder Cup with the Philly Phantoms two seasons ago and the hope is that Stevens can try to salvage any part of this season for the Flyers.

Granted, we're only 20 games in, but let's not kid anyone in thinking that the Flyers will make a dramatic comeback. They only have one regular who is not a minus and that's Randy Robitaille who is an even rating; and that's discounting Todd Fedoruk because he hasn't played a game yet in Philly. We'll see where this takes them, but with Stevens knowing his job is safe for now, it could open up a whole lot of chances.

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Marc Denis is in full free-fall mode, much to the dismay of many Tampa fans. Denis hasn't won since October 26th, has let in at least six goals in two of his last three starts, and could have his position plucked from him by Johan Holmqvist. Denis was brought in to stop the bleeding for the Bolts in net, which hasn't happened.

You know, I sat here in the summer talking about how underrated Denis was and he's not making me look good at all. Is it because the Bolts miss Pavel Kubina that much?? Is it because they don't have many stay-at-home defensemen?? Is Denis just that bad?? Personally, I couldn't tell you; but it doesn't look good in any light when it hits the bottom line.

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Some WHL news as Dustin Slade, one of the top goalies in the WHL, quit the Vancouver Giants to persue a pro career. Apparently, Slade was unhappy with sharing time with Tyler Sexsmith in net, which led Slade to talk to coach Don Hay about it and ultimately leaving the team. The Giants had moved two players, both overagers, to keep Slade on the roster.

News flash to Slade, welcome to life as a goalie. There's going to be situations whereas you have to see what the other kid is going to do and then split the games if need be. If you're winning, that shouldn't be an issue; though I see where a competitor would want to play every game. Bottom line, you're name is not Martin Brodeur, Miikka Kiprusoff, or Olaf Kolzig. You're going to have to come to the realization that you're not going to get every start because someone is equal to the task.

I guess in the end, sitting on the bench in the ECHL or some other minor league making a bit of change is better than playing for a small stipen in the WHL.

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With trade talks heating up, you better stay tuned to the Face Off Hockey Show blog, the Face Off Hockey Show, the FOHS Podcast, and the FOHS Message Board so you don't miss a single deal.

Around the Rink 11.14.06

2006-11-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

The second coaching victim of the season happened, but this one wasn't a big surprise. The Columbus Blue Jackets fired Gerard Gallant and are expected to name assistant coach Gary Agnew the interim head coach. Gallant coached 142 games for Columbus, but went 56-76-10 in his tenure.

Gallant's name has always been around when it comes to coaching changes, but many thought it would be much, much earlier than this. The Blue Jackets have plenty of talent. All that is missing is a coach who can be a motivator and mentor for the youngsters, something that Gallant couldn't do.

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Brian Burke and the Anaheim Ducks made three deals today and freed up $800k in cap space. Whether or not it brings more trades is to be determined. The Ducks traded off Stanislav Chistov to the Boston Bruins for a third-round pick in '07 ot '08; dealt Todd Fedoruk to the Philadelphia Flyers for a fourth-round pick in '07; and acquired George Parros from the Colorado Avalanche for a second-round pick in '07.

Like I said, many believe that this is a start to moving Ilya Bryzgalov. I don't know if that would be the best wise move. J-S Giguere has been playing great; but you never know when he could get injured or start to fade. We'll keep tabs on this, but knowing Brian Burke...anything can and usually does happen.

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The NHL announced that they would be giving out a new weekly award to the player that displays leadership on and off the ice. The award will be named after Mark Messier.

Props to Mark Messier for getting this named after him, but come on-- don't we have enough trophies and awards?? I don't even know how you can give this out on a weekly basis, especially since it's really arbitrary on who gets it. Make it a monthly or yearly thing, but not weekly. And enough with the trophies. Unless there's going to be a Wayne Gretzky trophy for most assists in the season; just stop. I don't want to talk about who could win the Alexandre Daigle Award for biggest flop.

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The Hall of Fame Inductions of Patrick Roy, Dick Duff, Herb Brooks, and Harley Hotchkiss is tonight. Of course, with this sparks debate on who is next to go into the Hall and who could be first ballots and who won't.

As much as I would love to go into it, our buddy Lyle Richardson has one of the best takes on the whole situation.

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That's it for now, but as always, check out Face Off Hockey Show, the FOHS Podcast, and the FOHS Message Boards.

Around the Rink 11.11.06

2006-11-11T04:24:00.000-07:00

The Anaheim Ducks have been as good as advertised this season. However, a night after setting the record for most games without a regulation loss, a 6-0 thumping of Vancouver, the Ducks got shutout by Calgary 3-0.

We all knew this couldn't last (unless it was NHL94 against the computer with the offsides off), but the Ducks are showing the league they can be "mighty" without it being in their name. J-S Giguere has gotten back to his '02-'03 form, the pair of Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer is just completely dominant, and the diversity of forwards scoring is pretty amazing. It looks like the Ducks ditched Disney just in time.

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Speaking of the Flames, they seem to have hit their stride. Tony Amonte is finally earning his contract, Jarome Iginla is looking like a man on a serious mission, while Miikka Kiprusoff has been solid night-in and night-out...like always. It seems that after October, the Flames flip a switch and they get back on the right track again.

Amazingly enough, about 10 games in; people in Calgary were writing the team off. One Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun even went so far as saying the Flames wouldn't make the playoffs, regardless the fact that there were 72 games to play. They aren't back at .500 and it may be too early to jump back on the bandwagon for some; but you can't write off a team with this much talent on it and with such high expectations.

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What has happened to the Buffalo Sabres?? They have been winning games, but the fact that they have given up at least four goals in the last five games could be cause for concern. Are they crashing down to Earth after the quick high?? Have teams just figured them out and what weaknesses they have?? I don't have the answer, but for a team to get a great start out of the gate and then start stumbling is scary.

The Sabres are good, I'm not saying otherwise; but something has to be done. Whether it's getting on the defense or goaltending that's the answer; then something needs to be done. The tandem of Martin Biron and Ryan Miller could be, on paper, the best tandem in the league; but they sure as hell aren't showing it lately.

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Are the Ottawa Senators going to be the bi-polar team of this year?? Here's another team, like the Flames, who shouldn't be this bad with the team they have. The one thing I have seen out of them is that they are missing something. I can't pinpoint it, but there's something in their game that is stiffling the confidence of the team and is why they have blown so many leads this year.

Frankly, the combination of Zdeno Chara leaving, Martin Gerber flopping, and overconfidence is what is hassling the team. If you put all three of those together, you have a recipie for disaster in Canada's capital. Is it too late to turn it around?? No, but if something doesn't happen soon, you can bet that there will be some movement one way or the other.

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The Phoenix Coyotes can't catch a break. First, they lose their leading scorer, Mike Comrie, to foot surgery; today, they announced that Shane Doan and Nick Boynton will be out a while.

Right now, they can only hope that Wayne Gretzky straps up the skates again and plays the Reggie Dunlop role on the team; because (to be brutally honest) that's the only way this team will be relevant this season.

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The NHL leaked out the players on the NHL All-Star Ballot for this January. There's really not many surprises on here with all your favorites out there.

However, this has been brought up on the show many times; fan voting is idiotic. That's not a knock on any of you reading this, but it's the truth. People are going to pick their favorite player regardless of how good a year they are having.

You know-- listen into the show or replay Podcast for November 8th, because I have a hairbrain scheme that just could work to straighten this all out.

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That's all for now, but as always; check out Face Off Hockey Show every Wednesday at 9 PM ET for all the fun; especially this coming Wednesday. Can't make the show?? Then check out the FOHS Podcast for all you missed and go by the FOHS Message Boards to post about the show and all the fun stuff happening.

Around the Rink 11.08.06

2006-11-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

The Toronto Maple Leafs got a hit today when they found out that Captain Mats Sundin will be out three to four weeks with ligament tear in his right elbow. Sundin had 19 points (8g, 11a), which leads the Leafs for the season thus far.

With the Leafs doing so well, it's probably the worse case scenario to have Sundin out for a long period of time. We'll see the true resolve of the team to see if they can bounce back from this news or not.

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Speaking of injuries, doesn't it seem like there are more injuries than last season?? Maybe it's me, but it seems everyday there's a new crop of injury news coming around. Yet, it's not the normal "day-to-day" groin pull that happened last season; but it's a lot of serious stuff. There's plenty of ankle injuries this year with Martin Havlat, Chris Higgins, and Jeff Carter. Of course, plenty of back issues has been out there and some "upper-body" stuff, but it just seems like there plenty of them.

I'm sure I'm crazy; but still.

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The Vancouver Canucks announced that Luc Bourdon has been sent back to the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats. Bourdon had no points in his nine games with the Canucks and would have had his contract kick in if he played one more game.

Bourdon is a good defenseman is a hulking presence, but he's not ready for the NHL just yet. He'll have his time to grow and we'll probably see him in the AHL at the end of his junior season. In this instance, I really applaud the AHL for making a 20-year-old age limit for incoming players. It allows more players to get time in juniors and mature before making the big jump.

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The NHL GMs concluded their meetings yesterday. The one thing many thought would be possibly changed, the schedule, wasn't changed or thought of during the meeting. I'm sure that the conflict won't go away, but it won't be resolved any time soon. You see, the Western Conference teams want to have more games against the Eastern Conference for the young guns to be seen once a year. The Eastern teams want to keep travel cost downs.

The East, of course, is all up and down the Atlantic seaboard, which had all 15 teams in close quarters. The West is spread out from part of the Eastern Time Zone to the Pacific Time Zone, so travel isn't a big deal for them. So, like always, I'll have to come up with a solution:

-One game, home and away, against other conference teams (30 total)
-Five games each against Divisional teams (20 total)
-Three games against each team outside your division, but in your conference (30 total)

That's 80 games for the year. Though it takes away a home game for each team, it always takes away a travel date. Plus, fewer games aren't the worst thing and could actually make the Finals end in May. Food for thought.

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Remember to listen into Face Off Hockey Show live tonight at 9 PM ET. If you can't catch it live, make sure you check out the FOHS Podcast to catch all you lost and to log into the FOHS Message Board to talk about the show and to just shoot the bull.

Around the Rink 11.06.06

2006-11-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

The news is getting worse for the Phoenix Coyotes. After a come-from-behind victory on Saturday night over the LA Kings; it was announced today that leading scorer Mike Comrie will be out for a month with a broken foot. The injury occured on Friday night after Comrie took a shot to the foot. Comrie lead the team with 11 points.

I mean-- it's bad enough that the Coyotes are struggling out of the gate, but to have your leading scorer injured in the process is a slap in the face. They better hope that Shane Doan's back problems are behind him so he can try and pick up the slack.

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I've ranted about this on the show, but I think I'll take it hear were I can elaborate more. I don't like the "Three Stars" awards in place of the Offensive/Defensive award. I understand what the NHL is trying to do and it's cute. However, my fear is that one of these weeks; there will be three forwards and no defensive representation. I know that the NHL would find some way to get a defenseman or goalie in; but that's just a fear I have.

It seems like it's always an offensive and defensive as #1 and #2 for the week and the third was picked out of a hat containing five or six names just to fill out the void left. As much as the NHL wants to change; don't change it for the sake of change. The Offensive/Defensive was a better option because it was a tougher pick amongst a pool where as thee Three Stars could be luck of the draw.

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Now, Oilers fan; please just breeze past this because I'm going to talk about Friday night's game. If you don't want to deal with the heartache; just move along.

If you haven't seen what happened at the end of the Oilers/Stars game on Friday night; here's video courtesy of YouTube. As you can see, the Oilers scored....but only after Mick McGeough had whistled the play down on what he thought was a hand pass. For the defense of McGeough; with Horcoff's bottom-hand all the way down the stick; it's easy to assume that could have happened. However, for the Oiler's defense; he was on the other side of the ice and was blocked by everyone else on the ice. That would have tied the game, but it ended in a loss for Edmonton.

The comments that took place after where Oiler's coach Craig MacTavish called the call "retarded" got him fined $10k. The NHL wants to be a fan-friendly industry, why fine someone for saying something everyone in Rexall Place and pretty much everywhere else (sans those who root for Dallas) was thinking and probably said when they saw the call. Look, it could be in bad taste; but when you grant the media access to a coach or player after something like that happened 5 minutes before the sworm, expect emotions to run over.

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Senators' rookie Alexei Kaigodorov was suspened by the team after he refused to go to the AHL. Kaigodorov had said that if the Senators sent him down, he would go back to Russia the play for Magnitogorsk. That seems like it's going to happen.

The odd thing about this is that Kaigodorov and the Senators were not dinged when it came to the Russian league accusing the NHL of stealing players. Did the Russian league not care about the Sens?? Did they not care about Kaigodorov?? It's possible, but the more likely scenario is probably what Kaigodorov did when he actually gave in his two-week notice; he stayed with the team for those two weeks. He didn't bolt the minute the Sens came calling; he gave his two-week notice, he stayed with the team while waiting for those two weeks, and then he went over to North America. I'm sure had the others done something like that; there wouldn't be a huge mess like there is right now.

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Now, I understand why Evgeni Malkin was named Rookie of the Month. He was a house of fire coming in and hasn't disappointed. However, the thing I'm concerned about is this becoming like the whole Sidney Crosby thing last year where he's given the Calder in October; but is blown out come June when the actual award happens.

Granted, the rookie class of this year hasn't had the pizzazz last year's had; but there's plenty of talent. Though, East Coast bias could play into it as guys like Matt Carle and Anze Kopitar are in California, where I think the law is that all hockey games must start at 7:30 local time to completely screw the East Coast papers.

All I'm saying is that Malkin would have won the Rookie of the Month sooner rather than later; why not award a rookie who played all the games and didn't just steal the scene like Malkin did. Plus, remember Sean-O's rookie theorem: There will be a rookie coming out of the blue in the second half to win the award.

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By the way, anyone who wants the Philadelphia Flyers' GM job; I think all you have to do is contact the Flyers' office and say you rocked in the dynasty mode in NHL07 and you should be given an offer. That's how it seems, since Ed Snider really wants someone other than Paul Holmgren in charge. They even went behind Holmgren's back to offer the job to Colin Campbell, though he rejected it.

I'm not a fan of the Flyers' by any means, but you would think that someone like Snider would have the decency to sit Holmgren down and tell him straight up that the job may be right for him, but he's not right for the job. It's that simple, and though Holmgren may not like it-- he'll respect the organization a lot more because of that.

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On a final note, it seems that the NHL Network could be heading south. While looking that Job Postings on NHL.com; I found this little job tidbit. It seems that Comcast (most likely since they are the primary rights holder) is gearing up to carry the NHL Network. It's been in Canada for a couple of years now and seems to be desired amongst the hockey faithful in the US.

Whether or not enough people will buy into it will be told in time, but those who want the NHL Network; contact your cable or satellite provider or the NHL.

For the time being, here's a look at the NHL Network in Canada and what they are offering and the always reliable Wikipedia entry about the NHL Network in the US.

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That's it for now. I promise, I'll take better care of updating. I know I've said it before; but this time, I kinda mean it....maybe. In any case, check out Face Off Hockey Show Wednesday Nights at 9 PM ET or always on at the FOHS Podcast site. If all else fails, check the FOHS Message Boards to gab about all there is to gab about.

Around the Rink 10.30.06

2006-10-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins made the right decision today, saying that Jordan Staal would stay up on the Penguins squad for the entire '06-'07 campaign. Staal has recorded four goals and an assist, with three of the goals coming shorthanded. It may not look impressive in the start, but having a kid that young be so lethal on the PK could help out the Penguins.

Now, as much as my hatred for the Penguins is; I have to think Ray Shero is doing the right thing. Even though both Staal and Evgeni Malkin's contracts will come up at the same time, odds are that Staal won't command as much money as Malkin will, ultimately relieving the Pens of tough decisions. We'll see if this will be good for Staal or not as the season goes on.

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Someone turn the lights out a Jobber.com...errrr...Jobing.com Arena when they leave. The Phoenix Coyotes have been horrendous. They did sign face-off specialist Yanic Perreault to a 1-year deal worth $700k. Perreault is coming of abdomen surgery. While training, Perreault injured himself and required surgery.

Granted, this is a one year thing, but Perreault is really only good in the circle. Outside of it, he's a regular role player. The Coyotes have enough veteran centermen in Jeremy Roenick and Steven Reinprecht, that Perreault really isn't needed. Of course, they would need speed too, and Perreault definitely is lacking that.

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There are teams who I don't understand what's going on with them. The Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers are two of them, but the Columbus Blue Jackets are another team that often leaves me scratching my head.

The Jackets, I thought, could have a shot a making the playoffs. Yet, for some unknown reason, they are having issues trying to get some wins out on the ice there. The fact they play once a week could hurt too, but they have talent. They shouldn't be out there not scoring or putting up shots. Against the LA Kings, the Jackets had only 14 shots on goal the whole game. They won 2-0, but for a team with Rick Nash, Nikolai Zherdev, David Vyborny, and Sergei Fedorov, they should be able to muster more that 14 shots; not matter how stingy the defense is.

The ship needs to be righted for the Jackets and quick. A team with that fire power should have more than 19 goals for the season.

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I hate that I don't have Center Ice because watching Alex Ovechkin in Hockey Night in Canada was fun. A lot of people are freaking out wondering what's happened, but he's only one point behind where he was last season after 11 games. Ovechkin will get the wheels going again, but he needs something to spark him. I think the Western Canadian road trip did him well and should help him get things started.

Let's be honest, he's a dynamic player and the fact he doesn't leave the Eastern Time Zone the rest of the season. That can only be an asset for a guy who needs is the face of a team. AO will be just fine.

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Make sure to check out Face Off Hockey Show each Wednesday at 9 PM ET or if you miss out, check out the Podcast. If you're bored, swing by the Message Board and check out all the neat stuff there.

Around the Rink 10.24.06

2006-10-24T15:28:00.000-06:00

It really must suck to be the Chicago Blackhawks right now. They get off to a blistering start, and in one fell swoop during the weekend, fate rears its ugly head. Martin Havlat, who was leading the team with seven goals and 13 points, is out at least two weeks with a sprained knee; Nikolai Khabibulin, who was in a bounce back season, is out at least two weeks with a broken finger; and Michael Handzus, who had three goals and five assists on the top line, is done for the year with a torn MCL and ACL.

You almost had to suspect something was going to go wrong, especially when things for the Blackhawks were doing so well. Havlat's injury history is coming back to haunt him and I suspect that it'll happen again sometime during the season. Should be interesting how the Hawks actually handle this with their stars out; so we'll see what they are truly made of.

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Was it any surprise about how quick the clean-out in Philly happened?? First, the firing of Ken Hitchcock and then the resignation of Bobby Clarke almost came as a surprise to some, but plenty in Philly were waiting for someone to get canned. Of course, the thought process was that Clarke would get the hook before Hitchcock, but they both went out at the same time. Now, Paul Holmgren is the interim GM and John Stevens is interim head coach.

Since Ron Hextall left, the big problem for the Flyers was the goaltending. They could never find a solid #1 starter to carry the team throughout the season and in the playoffs. Once that issue is addressed, as well as more mobile defenseman in the line-up, then things should fall into place for the Flyers.

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News Flash: The Buffalo Sabres are good. They are on the verge of matching the record of the 1992-93 Toronto Maple Leafs by starting 10-0-0. Not even a Janne Niinimaa promise for the Habs to win can stop the Sabres. But is this a much different team than what we saw last season??

The answer, yes-- yes it is. While the main cogs remain, they are better. The scoring of the Sabres is coming in bunches and they are making the most of their speed, grit, and all-around play, and it's taking them to the top. Ryan Miller is having a Vezina-esque season; and yes I realize we're nine games into the season, but that's how I roll.

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In some more injury news, Marian Gaborik is out with a groin injury......again. The Wild will keep Gaborik out for 10-14 days, as not to injure it more-so. With Gaborik's history of a wonky groin, it's better to keep him out and not try to push the injury to much, so they loss him for an extended period of time.

Ethan Moreau could have the worst luck. At the end of the Oilers/Red Wings game, Moreau hit Danny Markov and it looked like they were going to duel, but Moreau pulled up lame when the gloves were dropped. Upon review, when Moreau slapped Markov's helmet; he dislocated his shoulder. Big issue is that it could require surgery and Moreau could miss out on the rest of the regular season. What a way to lose a year.

One of the St. Louis Blues big free agent signings, Jay McKee, will be out up to six weeks after he had surgery on his hand. McKee got hurt, ironically enough, doing what he does best, blocking shots.

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That's time for now, but make sure to check out Face Off Hockey Show this Wednesday at 9 PM ET or always on the Podcast. Plus, if you have something to say, say it on our Message Board powered by FantasyHockey.com.

Around the Rink 10.19.06

2006-10-19T15:41:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since the last update, but we're back to bring you some of the ins and outs of the hockey world, no matter how inane they may be.

The buzz is still around the Philadelphia Flyers after they got trounced 9-1 by the Buffalo Sabres. The day after, they waived Nolan Baumgartner, Petr Nedved, and Niko Dimitrokos to call up Ben Eager, Alexandre Picard, and Stefan Ruzicka. Nedved, and Dimitrokos cleared waivers and will head across the street to the Philly Phantoms of the AHL, while Baumgartner cleared, but stayed with the Flyers.

Owner Ed Snider still said there's work to be done....and will get done. The main thing about the whole 9-1 game is that the Flyers actually outshot the Sabres 38-37. It seemed like everything the Sabres put on net went in. Even with Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje, there's really no well rounded defenseman, outside of Joni Pitkanen; who's defensive zone coverage is suspect at best.

It's hard for Flyer fans who actually thought this could be a starting point to turn things around, but it seems that it turned out the be the beginning of a nightmare.

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The Sabres, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars are the only unbeaten teams in the NHL. Now, the Stars may not be a surprise, but the Wild and Sabres could be. Granted, the Sabres went to the East final, you wonder what the lockerroom would be like after the summer. The Wild are playing amazingly well and putting in plenty of goals, something where they were lacking.

If this trend can continue, you definitely should be on the lookout when it comes to April and beyond. These teams, Sabres and Wild, could be the finalist for the Cup; which would be scary for some, but great for these hockey markets.

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Evgeni Malkin made his NHL debut and was the only source of offense for the Pittsburgh Penguins after he poked in a loose puck between Martin Brodeur's legs last night. Of course, the off-ice issues continue with Metallurg suing the Penguins and the NHL trying to get compensation for the loss of the Russian superstar.

Now, many feel this suit and the suits against the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers are bunk; but we'll see how this all plays out. For some reason, with these Russian teams hiring American counsel for these suits, I don't think they would file unless they felt that something good could come out of it for their side of things. As always, we'll stay tuned for this.

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Don't you think it odd that the minute that Rick DiPietro leaves the crease for the New York Islanders, they get better in front of back-up Mike Dunham?? Dunham is on a tear with a 2-0-1 record and 1.72 GAA. Sad part about this is, Ted Nolan won't pay the hot goalie even if he is leading the teams to victory.

With DiPietro coming back from a groin injury, the woes are going to continue if Deeps can't pick-up the play. I just hope that Nolan realizes who is better if Deeps struggles and Dunham keeps up the torrid pace. Plus, DiPietro will have 14 more seasons to right the ship of the Islanders.

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That's all for now, but be sure to check out Face Off Hockey Show every Wednesday at 9 PM ET or anytime you want on the Podcast. Also, be sure to check out FHM's Fantasy Hockey Column every weekday with yours truly doing his part to make your team better. Plus, be sure to stop by the FOHS Message Boards for all the fun stuff happening there.

NHL Bizarro World

2006-10-10T03:30:00.000-06:00

Before I start-- I know, we're only three games or so into the season and I know this trend has a good chance of not continuing, but it's still fascinating, so we'll talk about it.

The fact that the Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, and Atlanta Thrashers are all the tops of there divisions right now proves that parity is a good thing. I think of those three teams, the Blue Jackets' climb is the most spectacular.

While the Wild have been to the playoffs and the Thrashers have been in the hunt showed that those two teams are going to be in the thick of it in the end, especially with the Wild playing in one of, if not the, toughest divisions in the league. The Jackets have never sniffed the post-season and have often been the laughingstock of the league. Who's laughing now??

The Jackets have all their great young stars (Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev) healthy and putting up points, their prodigy goalie Pascal Leclaire is proving he's a #1 in the NHL, and they don't even have their top center in the line-up. The scarier part is that they have a youngster in Gilbert Brule who isn't even playing and they are still getting points on the board. If their healthy last; they could be a threat in the Central Division.

Conversely, teams like the Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, and Nashville Predators have been sucking on ice. Granted, the Flames started out like this last season and went on to win the Northwest Division; but still, they have only scored 4 goals in three games. So much for that new look offense they were betting on.

The Sens and Preds are two elite teams that just don't seem to be clicking as they would hope. The Preds have scoring, but their goaltending hasn't been up to par, while the Sens aren't getting offense in key times and the goaltending right now is suspect at best. I guess missing Zdeno Chara really is a big thing in the grand scheme of things.

Like I said, it's still early and there's 70+ games left to play to decide it; but to have elite teams falter and formerly craptastic teams suceed (at least for the time being) only gives more appeal to the NHL and it's new look.

Opening Nights Thoughts

2006-10-07T12:29:00.000-06:00

With all the teams playing their first games so far, it's easy to pick out some stories that are going to be looked at all season. Of course, right now-- it's a matter of how you look at it all, but here's some thing that I'm going to take a look at for the first part of the season.

-I'm sure those who care about the Islanders are under a suicide watch, especially after Rick DiPietro let up 6 goals in under 30 minutes of the Isles 6-3 loss to the Coyotes. Just to think, we're not even a month into the new contract and already it's a huge diasaster.

-If there is a darkhorse for the Rookie of the Year, it could be Anze Kopitar. Kopitar is the first Slovenian to play in the NHL and in his first game, he put up two goals in the 4-3 loss against Anaheim. Kopitar turned some heads in camp and really created a buzz for himself when the time came.

-Dany Heatley showed that someone can succeed when they get a change of scenary. Todd Bertuzzi is proving that theory right again this year. Big Bert put up four points (1g, 3a) in his first home game in Miami. It seems that he's put a lot of his past behind him and he's advancing through it all.

-Are the Buffalo Sabres really for real?? Well, they are certainly proving their critics that last season was no fluke. They have come back in both their wins to win in a shootout. However, the question is now, could they actually win in regulation and have the lead for some time.

-Something I have to say about Thursday night's opener for the Edmonton Oilers is the class they displayed. Instead of getting both teams out on the ice and doing the whole Western Conference banner ceremony, they waited until after warm-ups and unveiled it just for the fans. Very classy move from the team.

We're just about a week into the season and we've already have had some instant classic. Just imagine on how much more we can get for the rest of the season.

Nothing Like Opening Night

2006-10-05T02:04:00.000-06:00

I have to say that this opening night was pretty decent, even though it only had three games scheduled. Granted, it'd be hard to top last season's 15 game opening night, but what can you do. The Carolina Hurricanes raised their three banners for the Stanley Cup, SE Division, and Eastern Conference; but they came up short losing to Buffalo in a shootout. Like Marc said on the show tonight, it's hard to tell if the Sabres are the Predators or Penguins in their new uniforms.

The Toronto Maple Leafs saluted three of their own. Hap Day, Red Kelly, and Borje Salming were honored in a pre-game ceremony. Now, I'm all for retirement of numbers, but make it reasonable on time. There's no doubt these players should be honored, but let's try not to take 45 minutes to do the thing, on opening night no less. Suffice to say that the Ottawa Senators weren't hurt, as they beat the Maple Leafs 4-1. Andrew Raycroft, though he made 33 saves, didn't look all that sharp. Patrick Eaves is earning his first line status putting up a goal and assist in the win.

The most exciting game had to be the last one. The Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars looked like a lopsided one when the Avs scored 2 PPGs in a matter of a minute. However, the third was all Stars with former Captain Mike Modano and rookie Loui Eriksson scoring. In OT, after killing penalty, Marty Turco made an INSANE outlet pass to Darryl Sydor who was coming out of the box, and Sydor went roof-daddy on Jose Theodore (who looked solid through the game) and the game was over.

It was little on games, but high on excitement, that's for sure.

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Well, it appears the Pittsburgh Penguins have been sold....again. Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, CEO of Research in Motion; maker of the Blackberry, has reportedly purchased the team for between $160M and $175M. This is after Sam Fingold's bid to buy the team fell through.

The interesting part is that it seems that Balsillie has a vested interest in the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton. Reports have said that Balsillie is willing to pump a whole lot of money to renovate the Coliseum. However, with the partner that is the Isle of Capri to build a new arena should they get a slots license. We'll see how far that goes.

Wherever they end up, the Pens will have a good young core that people would want to see. Fact of the matter is that wherever they end up, they'll get the utmost attention.

Around the Rink 10.02.06

2006-10-02T02:54:00.000-06:00

Trades dominate the talk, as the New Jersey Devils traded away one of their albatrosses. The Devils traded Vladimir Malakhov and his $3.6M contract to the San Jose Sharks for Alexander Korolyuk and Jim Fahey. Oddly enough, I found an article today from Sport-Express in Russia, where Malakhov said he is happy to be retired. Also, Korolyuk is lost for the season, as he has played in the Russian League already.

I don't know how he does it, but Lou Lamoriello finds a way to get out of jams, quick. With this move and the possible move that sees Alexander Mogilny's salary wrote off to injury, Sweet Lou has possibly gotten his cap number from somewhere at $46M to $38M in one fell swoop. Not only that-- they get a young defenseman like Fahey, who will in time, be a solid defender.

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More defensemen were on the move, as the Carolina Hurricanes traded the rights to Jack Johnson and Oleg Tverdovsky to the Los Angeles Kings for Tim Gleason and Eric Belanger. Johnson had been persued by the Canes to leave college early three times, but did not budge.

You'll hear differing opinions, but this a deal that helps both teams. In the short term, the Canes get rid of the $2.5M contract of Tverdovsky, and get a solid d-man in Tim Gleason out of it. With Frantisek Kaberle out for up to 6 months, the help will be truly needed. For the long term, the Kings could have won out with Jack Johnson, should he turn into the player everyone assumes he'll be. This is a trade where we'll have to wait and see.

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In a trade that is odd to so many people, the Montreal Canadiens traded Mike Ribeiro to the Dallas Stars for Janne Niinimaa. Niinimaa was the 8th defenseman for the Stars, while Ribeiro is the 2nd line center for the Habs.

There are some Hab fans that are happy, but why give up a 2nd line center for a guy who will probably be in the press booth more than he's on the ice?? I don't see why you may give up so much for so little, but I guess that's why I'm not a GM in the league.

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That's it for now, remember to check out Face Off Hockey Show every Wednesday night at 9 PM ET. If you can't make it live, you can always check out our Podcast for anything you may have missed.

Around the Rink 09.28.06

2006-09-28T17:10:00.000-06:00

After weeks of bickering back and forth, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Nikolai Zherdev reached an agreement of terms to a new contract. In the deal, Zherdev will receive $1.75M this season, $2.5M next season, and $3.25 in the last season. Zherdev is going to join the team right away and should be in the line-up for opening night.

With Zherdev now in the mix, it should give the Jackets a pretty solid top-6, even without Sergei Fedorov in the line-up. Expect to see Rick Nash, Gilbert Brule, and Zherdev to be the top line right now with the possibility of Fredrik Modin, David Vyborny, and Anson Carter to be the second line with Fedorov out.

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The Philadelphia Flyers will have to start out the season without Antero Niittymaki. Niittymaki is out with a torn labrum in his hip. It was first thought to require surgery, it seems that if Niittymaki took cortisone shots, he could delay the surgery until the off-season. Whether or not the Flyers want to risk it is another story.

With Robert Esche still in the mix, it could be possible for the Flyers to hope for the best with the vet in net. The Flyers haven't had a real solid goaltending since Ron Hextall lead the team to the Stanley Cup in 1997 and it seemed that Niittymaki could have been that goalie if he had stayed healthy. With little experience in the minors, the Flyers could be on the market if something good doesn't come out of Esche's first few games.

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In other goaltending news, Dan Cloutier signed a two-year extension with the Los Angeles Kings. The two-year extension for the 30-year-old is worth $6.2M over those two seasons. Cloutier would have become a free agent in the off-season if he hadn't signed.

There's plenty of people out there wondering if this is the right things for the Kings, especially considering Cloutier's history of injury in the past few years. The upside is that the Kings will have a solid #1 goalie for the next two season. If Cloutier can be healthy (which is unlikely given the Kings history), then it could be the best thing for the Kings. Not to knock on Mathieu Garon or Jason Labarbera, but I personally would like an experienced starter in my line-up over some youngsters.

It seems that some of the money is spent for Cloutier, as he has stepped into the 1990's by getting an actual goalie mask.

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We're less than a week away before the drop of the puck for the '06-'07 NHL season, and we're already in mid-season form. Check out Face Off Hockey Show every Wednesday night at 9 PM ET. If you can check us out live, you can always get us on the Podcast to take the show where you go.

Around the Rink 09.20.06

2006-09-23T22:34:00.000-06:00

By now, you have heard about the Evgeni Malkin situation. Malkin went down with a seperated shoulder and will have a second opinion of his status this coming week. The result could be a couple weeks to a couple months to the whole season, depending on how severe it is and how much the Penguins want to risk his services.

Somehow, my belief is that the Pens will get as many second opinions as needed to get the answer they want. If it comes to down to Dr. Nick Riviera giving the thumbs-up, they'll do that. If Malkin is deemed out for an extended period of time, you have to figure that this whole adventure he has been on would seem all for nought.

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The New York Rangers and Florida Panthers played in Puerto Rico this evening with the Rangers winning 3-2. James Mirtle said that the pans of the crowd showed less than desired results. Of course, in a place where the sport is foreign, you wouldn't expect much out of there.

There's a time in every plan to expand the game where you just have to look and figure that hockey and hot weather don't really mix that well, especially that close to the Equator.

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Tie Domi retired from the NHL, but fear not-- he'll be in the TSN broadcast team for this season. Domi's retirement pretty much ushers out another heavyweight fighter. With all the rule changes, the role of players like Domi have taken a backseat to that of finesse players and skilled guys. You can see guys like Chris Neil and Brian McGrattan having to switch up their games because of the rule changes and to have a job from year to year.

Domi was a big player in a small frame. I know one thing though, fans behind the penalty box in Philadelphia will feel a lot safer now.

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I know you can tell a lot from the pre-season, but the Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers have really impressed me. The Predators are in their old run and gun style, while the Thrashers seem to get it done high scoring or low scoring. The Predators have been playing fairly elite style hockey in the past couple of season and this could be the climax of all those years of underachieving. I can't leave out the Boston Bruins, either. Their undefeated record shows they could be a force in the Northeast.

After a quickstart, the Blue Jackets have started to fade a little bit. Maybe the loss of Sergei Fedorov hurt them, but I'm sure the AHL roster they have been putting out hasn't helped either. The defending champion Carolina Hurricanes haven't looked overly impressive either, but like I said, good or bad-- you can't really predict anything coming from the pre-season.

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Be sure to check out Face Off Hockey Show at a special Monday Show on the 25th, and returning to Wednesday nights on October 4th. However, if you miss any of the action, you can check out the Podcast for all your FOHS needs.

Around the Rink 09.18.06

2006-09-18T21:12:00.000-06:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins are up for sale again-- apparently. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sam Fingold was unable to reach an agreement on terms with the previous ownership. Right now, it seems that the CEO of Research in Motion, Jim Balsillie, is the lead bidder-- though the Balsillie camp denies the rumors. If you don't know about Research in Motion, it's the company that invented the BlackBerry.

Balsillie was in the inital running to get the Penguins in the first place, but with the deal with the Isle of Capri, it blocked the attempt that Balsillie would have to move the team closer to his Waterloo, Ontario home.

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In other Penguins' news, coach Michel Therrien has announced that there will be no captain for the team this year, but there will be a slue of alternate captains on the ice, all which have yet to be named.

On the surface, it's a good thing, since many reports have pegged Sidney Crosby as the next captain for this season-- but Crosby at 19 may be still too wet behind the ears. However, not to have a captain with guys like John Leclair and Mark Recchi is pretty outlandish. Best of luck to the Pens trying to find a clear-cut leader out of their roster.

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The Philadelphia Flyers re-signed coach Ken Hitchcock to a three-year deal. Since Hitchcock took over in 2002, he has compiled a record of 130-77-39. It didn't take too long for GM Bob Clarke and Hitchcock to make a deal, as Hitchcock has enjoyed his tenure in Philly and will do so for three more seasons.

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In a bizzare incident, former NHL coach Kevin Constantine will be suspended for four games in the WHL after an incident involve his team, the Everett Silvertips. After a 5-0 pre-season tournament loss, Constantine made his players stay in full gear for the post-game meal and the trip back to Everett, a total of five hours.

We'll have more on the Show Wednesday night, but it is an interesting situation. You wonder why someone would do this, but it does show the old-school nature of Constantine. Of course, it shows that he could go off at a moments notice as well, but still.

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The pre-season has started and we'll be with you every step of the way. Just make sure you tune into Face Off Hockey Show this Wednesday night or catch the show on Podcast to make sure you're up to date with all the news and happenings in the pre-season.

Around the Rink 09.15.06

2006-09-15T16:41:00.000-06:00

The Evgeni Malkin saga continues. Today, a Russian Tribunal ruled that the Russian center is unable to play for any team outside of Metallurg. The NHL responded that they would be open to talk about anything. New York lawyer Alexander Berkovich, who is representing Metallurg, says two options could be trying to uphold the tribunal ruling due to a 1958 treaty were the US and Russia are both signees or to sue the NHL and Penguins for some compensation.

Whether or not this will bring something or not, but we'll have to wait and see. The fact that Metallurg have some kind of US representation may help them out in the short-term. This is something that will probably string out for a while, so sit back and relax.

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Couple of injuries in training camps already. First, the Boston Bruins sent home Alex Zhamnov because he reportedly failed his physical. Zhamnov was a big acquisition who really didn't make a splash in Boston in his first year. Zhamnov is still owed just ove $8M, but that should be covered by insurance.

Cam Barker of the Blackhawks fractured his ankle and will be lost for four-to-six weeks. Barker fractured the same ankle last season while playing in Medicine Hat. Barker was part of the past two Canadian World Junior squads, both who won gold.

Finally, Steve Konowalchuk will have to undergo more test on his heart. The veteran forward's EKG test revealed some abnormalities and will require more testing. Konowalchuk missed most of last season with an injured wrist.

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Keith Primeau announced his retirement yesterday. Primeau's bouts with post-concussion syndrome forced him to retire at 34 years old. Primeau spent 15 season in the NHL with Philadelphia, Hartford, Detroit, and Carolina. Primeau finished with 266 goals and 619 points. Primeau will be most remembered for his heroics in the playoffs, especially in the 2004 playoff drive.

The Flyers announced that in lieu of Primeau retirement, Peter Forsberg will be the new captain with Simon Gagne and Derian Hatcher as the alternates. Forsberg will be the captain for the first time in his career after being an alternate in both Colorado and Philly.

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The NHL announced a couple new rule changes. First off, the maximum amount of the curve has been increased from 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. This rule is meant to give the shooters a little more zip to their shot and hopefully limit the amount of time shooters get caught with illegal curves for the shootout.

Speaking of the shootout, the home team will now have the choice to shoot first or last in the shootout. I don't think this could be implimented many times, but it's nice to know that there's an option there.

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Camps are in session and for all the latest news and fun, check out the Face Off Hockey Show message boards and tune into the Face Off Hockey Show live or on Podcast each and every week.

15-Years to Life

2006-09-12T18:17:00.000-06:00

If you haven't heard about New York Islander goalie Rick DiPietro signing a 15-year deal worth $67.5M; then you're probably better off. Much like the firing of Neil Smith as the GM to hire former back-up Garth Snow-- the Isles continue to be the laughingstock of the NHL.

I can understand that the Islanders would like to re-sign their young stars, but there's something wrong with this. DiPietro is a great young talent and still could become a star, yet his inconsistency in his tenure in the NHL thus far has been something of a disappointment for a former #1 overall draft pick.

Someone like Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby could get a deal like this and the respective teams would be applauded for doing such a thing, especially when it comes to getting the players through their prime, but someone like DiPietro could have gone for a lot less, both in price and in tenure. Though with the lack of depth in the Islanders system, maybe this is an ordeal where they wanted to make sure they had a goalie for the next decade and a half.

Often I wonder if the NHL should put something in the league constitution to save owners from themselves. This would right now only apply to Isles owner Charles Wang, especially considering the 10-year deal that he gave to Alexei Yashin before this deal. Of course, this could also work for the old-school owners like Bill Wirtz who seems to want to destroy the home market rather than build it up. It would not only help the team, but keep owner under control.

It's a shame for an Islanders franchise who has four Stanley Cups and has had plenty of hall-of-famers, but now it seems that there are two things going down in Long Island: the ship and some iced teas.

Around the Rink 09.12.06

2006-09-11T23:59:00.000-06:00

Simon Gagne and the Philadelphia Flyers have seemingly found a common ground as the winger signed a new five-year deal worth $5.25M a season. Both Gagne and the Flyers have been a little bit apart at the beginning of the month, but it seems the cooler heads prevailed and Gagne will be in camp.

With Gagne signed, Forsberg skating again, it seems that the Flyers could be a solid team. However, like it has been in the past couple of season, goaltending will be the real issue. Yet, if there are goals to be scored, then it could work out. Robert Esche and Antero Niittymaki will have to be on their best to get the job done in net.

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The Nashville Predators rewarded one of the original Preds by signing goaltender Tomas Vokoun to a four-year extension worth $22.8M to keep the goalie in the Music City until the 2010-11 season. Vokoun was picked up by the Predators in the expansion draft in 1998 when the Montreal Canadiens left him unprotected.

There is no doubt that Vokoun is the biggest reason that the Predators are where they are today. He's a workhorse and really can get the job done. You could see that the Preds were struggling when Vokoun bowed out with blood clots late last season.

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In this weekend's Vancouver Province, there was an interesting write-up by Tony Gallagher about Todd Bertuzzi's tenure in Vancouver and what led to the fall-out. Bertuzzi talks about what was going on in the lockerroom, his relationship with former Canucks bench boss Marc Crawford, and how it all came crashing down.

I don't know if what Bertuzzi said was true, but I don't know if something like this should be brought out into the open. It almost seems like he's diverting the cause of failure to other parties other than himself. You all can form an opinion for yourselves, but for me-- it wasn't my cup of tea.

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Apparently there is a market for goaltender's autobiographies. Well, I say this because Martin Brodeur is putting out his autobiography "Brodeur: Beyond the Crease." In it, Brodeur talks about the happenings on and off the ice, including the Todd Bertuzzi incident, seperatism, and soft drink preferences.

I don't know if it'll be a best-seller, but I'm sure that it'll be an interesting read regardless of the quality of Brodeur book-writing skills. I think the most interesting part while reading some of the shots given out by the CP is what it's like to being his own agent. Brodeur has always been quotable, which should continue after this book is out on the market.

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That's all for now, but listen into Face Off Hockey Show this Wednesday night at 9 PM ET or if you can't catch us live, be sure to check out the Podcast to get everything you missed.

Around the Rink 09.08.06

2006-09-08T15:26:00.000-06:00

Two teams locked up their young goaltenders for the next couple of years. First, on Thursday, Kari Lehtonen and the Atlanta Thrashers agreed to a new two-year pact. In 38 games last season, Lehtonen compiled a 20-15-0 record with a 2.94 GAA. Lehtonen was hampered with a groin issue last year, but should be able to bounce back and play up to his caliber.

The Anaheim Ducks re-signed Ilya Bryzgalov for three more years after his stellar performance in the playoffs last season. The big question is whether or not Bryzgalov will be the starter, back-up, or split time with J-S Giguere for the season.

The Buffalo Sabres locked up Ryan Miller for three more seasons on Friday. After a broken thumb kept him out for the middle part of the season, Miller came back and was able to cap off a 30-win season as well as help the Sabres get to the Eastern Conference finals.

These goalies are crucial in their organization, but Miller could be more valuable of the two. Miller has turned the Sabres franchise around and has given the Sabres a top-notch goalie for the first time since Dominik Hasek left.

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A few days are Mike Keenan being pushed out, things are getting clearer about what happened. At first, former Panthers GM Rick Dudley came out to say that owner Alan Cohen was a huge fan of Jacques Martin, which definitely answered questions about why Keenan was disposed of so quickly.

The next day, Jacques Martin came out to say that the relationship between himself and Mike Keenan was just fine and that there was no turmoil between the two. Martin says that he doesn't know why Keenan resigned so suddenly.

Keenan has yet to come out to say why he resigned.

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The issue of captaincy has been hot and heavy this week. First off, Alexander Ovechkin denied the Washington Capitals captaincy due to the fact that Ovechkin still is learning the english language and doesn't think he'll be able to be communicate with the team if need be. It's a mature move by Ovechkin, who knows that this will be his team sooner or later and it not afraid to wait.

Vancouver Canucks' captain Markus Naslund is unsure if he'll be the captain with all the new faces both on the ice and behind the bench. With someone new behind the bench, they may think that Naslund isn't the right fit to lead the team. It should be interesting to see what happens in Vancouver, but it could go one of two ways. Which way is still to be determined.

Finally, in a somewhat surprising move, the Tampa Bay Lightning named Tim Taylor as their captain. The "Toolman" will have forwards Brad Richards and Vincent Lecavalier as his alternates. Though Taylor isn't as flashy as the others, coach John Tortorella believes that the experience will help the team in the long-run.

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Training camps are going to get underway in about a week. There are many questions that will be answers and more problems that will be compounded if something were to go down unexpectedly. However, for all the latest, tune into Face Off Hockey Show every Wednesday and always on the Podcast.

Around the Rink 09.05.06

2006-09-05T14:44:00.000-06:00

It took a while, but the Pittsburgh Penguins finally signed Evgeni Malkin to a entry level contract. So pretty much, we just wait to see if Metallurg or the Russian Federation will do anything about it. However, it seems they have been less and less vocal about it.

Is it good that this saga is over?? Sure, due to the allowance of everyone in the NHL to get on with their lives and start focusing on hockey. However, it's almost too quiet from overseas and that could be the calm before the storm. We'll keep an eye on this, but for some crazy reason-- this isn't over; not by a long shot. There's still something up the Russians' sleeves.

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Another Russian is coming over from the Motherland, as the Calgary Flames announced that Andrei Taratukhin has signed on with the Flames after spending last season with Lokomotiv of the Russian Elite League.

The former second round pick in the 2001 entry draft put up nine goals and 15 assists last season with 85 PIMs. Taratukhin should be used in a depth role, but could possibly bust out if given the right chance.

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The man with the worst luck in the world, Peter Forsberg, was back out on the ice today. Forsberg was testing out his surgically repaired ankle. Of course, Forsberg was slated to have surgery on both ankles, but only needed to have it on one. Though he was out there earlier than he expected, he still could tell if it made a difference or not.

Though he was limited to 60 games, Forsberg helped Simon Gagne get his scoring touch and helped the Flyers to a 35-16-9 record when he was in the line-up. Forsberg is a very valuable asset to the team, but if he is rushed into playing before he's ready-- it could be a bad start to the Flyers season.

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The Montreal Canadiens are still concerned when it comes to Saku Koivu and his eye injury. Yesterday, at an annual charity golf event, Koivu showed up with his eye still partial shut from the high stick from Justin Williams in the playoffs last season.

Koivu is heading back into the doctor's to see how much his vision has been effected, but it seems Koivu is chomping at the bit to get back onto the ice and test it out during real action. Koivu has also said that he will switch his visor to a bigger size in order to make sure something like this doesn't happen again. Koivu has been skating for two weeks in Finland to help his conditioning.

Once Koivu gets into the game situations, the Habs can see how far along he is. If he is unable to be effective on the ice, then there could be an issue of what to do next with him. The upside to all of this was the ability to get someone like Sergei Samsonov in the line-up to help out on the scoring if Koivu is out for a period of time.

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That's all for today, but be sure to listen tomorrow night (Wednesday for those who forgot what day it is) at 9 PM ET for all the fun and excitement that is Face Off Hockey Show. Can't make it live?? Well, check out our Podcast for all the things you missed out on.

Iron Mike Down for the Count......For Now

2006-09-03T13:50:00.000-06:00

For some reason, which as of right now is unknown, the Florida Panthers are in for a regime change. Mike Keenan today stepped down as the Panthers' GM and apparently, Jacques Martin will take over the duties to become the GM/Coach of the Cats.

Keenan had been the GM of the Panthers since May of 2004, which technically means he only had one year of job experience for the Panthers. However, he has been in the Panthers organization since December of 2001 when he replaced Duane Sutter.

The thing that strikes me as odd is the timing of this whole announcement. With the moves that have been made in the summer, you would have expected this to happen later or even earlier, so Martin or whomever, can get their team adjusted. Plus, the replacement of Jacques Martin is something that's strikes me as really interesting.

Not to bag on Martin for anything, but taking over the duel role of GM and coach is something that is difficult for the experienced GM or coach, but to have someone who has little experience in the position will be a sight to be seen. Of course, with the limited availability of good GMs out there, as well as the little time between now and the start of the season, it could be a good placeholder for now. Plus, Martin can see who he likes and dislikes from the bench, then go to the office and move accordingly.

Yet, still the surprise of this announcement still gets me. Right now, the question is why did Keenan did this?? Is there another job out there for him?? Is he worn out by what's going on in South Florida?? Was he fed up with who was in charge in Florida and wanted to get out on his own terms before he was put out on the curb??

I'm sure in the next couple of weeks, the answers and reasoning will come out and we'll get a clearer picture. Right now, there's just a lot of disbelief and surprise that this whole think has happened.

Around the Rink 09.02.06

2006-09-02T16:52:00.000-06:00

It seems that the Columbus Blue Jackets are going to call Nikolai Zherdev on his claim that he's willing to go to Russia to play if his contract demands are not met. GM Doug MacLean hasn't spoken to Zherdev or his agent since Zherdev rejected a two-year contract worth about $3.8M. It seems the Zherdev camp is looking for a longer term deal and probably more cash.

It's a shame that Zherdev has so much untapped talent, but it seems that he's dead set on getting what he wants or else he'll head back home to play in the Russian Super League. Of course, with Fredrik Modin being acquired the pain of Zherdev not being there is lessened.

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Jeremy Roenick is at it again. This time JR is complaining that the Phoenix Coyotes aren't getting enough TV time, especially since Wayne Gretzky is the coach and part-owner of the team. The Coyotes will be seen on national TV only once on Versus, and that's not until late March.

As much as people may hate JR, I have to agree with him. I can understand that the NHL wants people to watch by putting team on there that casual watcher will recognize; but how do they expect to grow the game if they just show the Red Wings, Flyers, Avalanche, Penguins, and Rangers?? Especially when there's plenty of teams out there with exciting players, it's a shame the talent isn't being exposed as much as it should.

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The Edmonton Oilers are sleeping in a plenty of beds when it comes to AHL affiliates this coming season. The Oilers will have five teams as their affiliates for '06-'07, splitting with the teams who used the teams as a primary role. On the list are the Iowa Stars and Hamiliton Bulldogs, whom the Oilers used last season, while new to the list are the Milwaukee Admirals, Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins, and Grand Rapids Griffins.

More than likely, the deal will have the Oilers be able to put a maximum of five players on each of the teams. The Oilers old AHL team, the Edmonton Roadrunners, suspended operations before the '05-'06 season after spending on season in Toronton and one in Edmonton.
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Some other news of interest for you all:

-Steve Yzerman's #19 will be retired on January 2nd. Yzerman spent his entire career in Motown and it is a truly deserving honor for one of the greatest captains in the game.

-The Atlanta Thrashers announced that they will use their baby blue, former alternates, as their home uniform this season. The Thrashers debuted their baby blues in '03-'04.

-New St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts is ready to get back on the winning track. Not only has he allowed Larry Pleau to open the checkbook and get bigger names in the line-up, but he's ready to get the team back into the playoffs and get over on the hiccup of last year.

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Remember, training camps open on September 13th and we'll be there to cover the happenings and undoings during that time. So keep checking in and listening up and you'll be fine.

Around the Rink 08.29.06

2006-08-29T14:47:00.000-06:00

The Nashville Predators added some punch to their forward line as they signed J-P Dumont to a 2-year deal worth around $4.5M. Dumont had 20 goals and 20 assists in 54 games and became a free agent when the Buffalo Sabres declined to sign Dumont to an arbitrator's reward.

The Predators have done some work in getting some more offense into their system. With the signing of Jason Arnott and revitalization of Paul Kariya-- the Preds are looking to take over as the Central Division's top team and enter a new era of hockey. Of course, if Dumont can build off his stellar playoffs where he had seven goals and seven assists in 18 playoff games. With the high-tempo Preds gameplan, Dumont should be assured to up his numbers as a secondary scorer.

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The Sabres were also dealt a blow by hearing that forward Tim Connolly will probably not be ready for training camp, as he is still feeling the effects of a concussion that he sustained during Game One of the Conference Semi-finals against Ottawa.

Connolly continues his history of concussion problems, having to miss out on the entire 2003-04 season with a concussion problem. At only 25-years-old, the worries are that he will become like Brett Lindros, taking too many shots to the head and having a promising career cut short. The Sabres are hoping Connolly will make sure that he is cleared to play before even thinking about stepping back onto the ice.

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The Carolina Hurricanes brought back David Tanabe by signing the defenseman to a one-year, $900k deal. The defenseman was originally drafted by the Hurricanes in 1999 and since then has registered 94 points in 374 games. Tanabe has had some injury problems, but he worked out for the Hurricanes to show that he was over those problems.

Also in Canesland, there are rumors that the Canes have been persuing Brad Isbister to help fill the void that will be left by the absence of Cory Stillman. Stillman will miss up to 35 games at the start of next season as a result of shoulder surgey the forward had on Friday.

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That's all from around the rinks in the NHL. Check out Face Off Hockey Show live on Wednesday night starting at 9 PM ET. If you can't make it live, check out our Podcast for anything you may have missed.

Around the Rink 08.24.06

2006-08-24T11:02:00.000-06:00

It's been too long since a new story has been posted, so here's a look around the important spots of the hockey world.

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Patrice Bergeron will be a Bruin for the forseeable future as he agreed to a 5-year deal worth about $4.75M a season. Bergeron had a career season last year putting up 31 goals and 42 assists after being thrusted into the top center with the departure of Joe Thornton.

With Bergeron locked up and plenty of other key players there for the next two to three years, the Bruins can actually focus on getting back onto the playoff track. There has been a lot of turmoil in the last couple of years, but with new faces behind the bench and in the front office; the fans of the spoked "B" will be hoping to get further than the first round this season.

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According to reports from the Detroit Free Press, the Red Wings will have their first new captain since the 1986-87 season. The reports have pegged defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom as the top candidate for the position, while others on Red Wings fan sites are calling for Henrik Zetterberg to get the "C" since he's younger and could continue the process of long-standing captains.

Mike Babcock was reached and denied anything was happening, but odds are this has been in the making for a long time.

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If you're a Blue Jackets' fan, you may be resigned to the fact that Nikolai Zherdev may not be in the line-up for the '06-'07 season. It seems that the staring game between Zherdev's camp and the GM/Czar of Columbus Doug MacLean has reached it's pinnacle and should see Zherdev head to the Russian Elite League to play for Khimik.

Granted, with Fredrik Modin having been acquired in the off-season, the sting probably won't hurt too hard. As valuable of a talent that Zherdev is, his performances in the past few season haven't been what the Blue Jackets had hoped. With plenty of underachiving performances, the Blue Jackets may welcome the leaving for more development. Getting him back could be the biggest hurdle, but I'm sure they'll cross that bridge when they get to it.

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Winger J-P Dumont has narrowed his search for a home down to about four teams. Dumont, who didn't have his arbitration award signed by the Sabres, didn't mention the teams, but took the Canadiens out of the picture saying they didn't make a formal offer to Dumont's team. Odds are that the Red Wings and Sabres are two of the teams, while the other two could be out of the blue.

It's odd that so many people would be chomping at the bit for a guy who had only 40 points last season (20g-20a), and who's career-high in points is 51 (23g-28a). Of course, for an arbitrator to give said player a one-year $2.9M reward...that's a tad overboard, but who didn't see that coming??

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That's some of the bigger stories that are out there. We're counting down the days before the training camps start, and if you haven't listened the the archived shows through the summer, like the one we did last night, then you're missing out on some crazy, crazy stuff. So check out our webpage, check out our Podcast, and check out our past shows so you can catch up on all the hilarity.

FantasyHockey.com Draft Guide

2006-08-22T14:28:00.000-06:00

Do you need a Fantasy Hockey Draft Guide that leave no stone unturned?? Do you need a Fantasy Hockey Draft Guide that gives you in-depth breakdowns team-by-team, player-by-player, stat-by-stat?? Do you need a Fantasy Hockey Draft Guide with two of the four members of "Face Off Hockey Show??" Then you need to get on the FantasyHockey.com Draft Guide.

That's right, it's Fantasy Hockey time again and I have to say this guide came out better than expected, and I'm not saying that because I have plenty of work put in there-- it's really a quality product for the people. It breaks down Fantasy Hockey for the beginners, gives alternate scoring ideas, and break downs of your favorite players and teams. All of it for $5 USD. It's a STEAL at twice the price. It's only available on-line and has 301 pages chocked full of news, notes, and stories you'll need to conquer your Fantasy Hockey League.

Plus, it includes stuff from me (Wazz) and everyone's favorite "That Guy" Jonny P. It's worth the price and worth it if you want to control your league. However, you could win one if all goes well and you answer a weekly trivia question and win in the raffle for the week. Will it happen?? You'll have to listen in to the show to find out.

Cannonball Run: Malkin's Mission

2006-08-17T15:25:00.000-06:00

To the surprise of no one, Evgeni Malkin landed in North America on Thursday after being holed-up in an apartment in Helsinki for a while when he was waiting for a work visa in the States. I guess in his time there, he took the Alexander Mogilny approach to come into the NHL. For the time being at least, the situation is cooling down. However, the fact of the matter is the off-ice issues are already in full swing.

Outside of the fact that Malkin still needs to be signed, there's a high chance Metallurg will use their legal team to get an injunction of some sorts to block Malkin from playing. Whether or not it will hold up is another thing entirely. I'm sure that the Russian club will make it as hard a possible for the Penguins to get Malkin on the ice in their jersey.....or they think that at least.

However, for all the comments about Russia signing the transfer agreement and be happy with any money gotten, there's plenty of comments talking about how he's not worth the trouble and may be overrated. Granted, some Penguins fans feel that this is the new era for the team......though they said that about Sidney Crosby and M-A Fleury, but they haven't turned the team around in the least.

I can see where the Russian clubs are coming from though. Malkin was brought up through the Metallurg school and was the face of the Russian elite league. For a guy like that, you want top dollar for him because having him there is almost a license to print money. Metallurg wants to get the money that he would bring in and what he would make for future earnings. I'm sure other club teams who play Metallurg would want to have the attendance bank too. To get only $200k for him isn't the fair market value for someone like that.

Yet, the labor law in Russia was the Russian Federation's own worst enemy. You can bet that something will change now that three players have now used that rule to their advantage to get out of their contracts. Some could see it as pretty craptastic, especially after the player signed a contract, but the law is the law.

When Vladislav Tretiak came to be the Russian Federation President, he said one of his top priorites was to get something signed to have a fair deal with the NHL. It obviously hasn't happened, but you can be that once Malkin suits up in the NHL, something will get signed, fair deal or not.

EDIT 7:30 ET-- According to our friends at the Russian Hockey Digest, Metallurg's lawyers have said that Evgeni Malkin's faxed resignation is unacceptable because some lines are illegible and may not have been written by Malkin. The fun has started, kids.

Desert Dogs Looking to Dine on Competition

2006-08-16T16:23:00.000-06:00

When you look at the Pacific Division, there aren't many teams who have made a huge splash in the off-season. Outside of the Anaheim Ducks (who acquired Chris Pronger), the Phoenix Coyotes have made a big splash. How it will play out will be the biggest of questions.

Though the Coyotes were able to get Nick Boynton, Ed Jovanovski, Jeremy Roenick, Georges Laraque, Mike Morrison, and more recently Owen Nolan; the general feeling is that the Coyotes wanted to get more experienced players and players whom aren't that intimidated by the presense of Wayne Gretzky behind the bench. Of course, worries of underachieving and injury are very much at the forefront with this group of six mentioned above.

Especially with Jovanovski and Nolan, the injury bug is a very real concern. Of course, Nolan is coming off an ugly ordeal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, in which he was able to get $5M as a settlement for his release. Plus, Nolan hasn't played competitive hockey for two-and-a-half years, so wondering if he'll be able to hold his own in the faster NHL is something that will be seen.

Jovanovski on the other hand hasn't played a full season since the 2001-02 season. However, when healthy, Jovo can be a dominate rear-guard. His 33 points only 44 games also proves that he can keep up, even with his size. With a young defense, the veteran presense will be a welcome addition to the blue-line core.

Roenick is another interesting pick-up. With his abysmal season in Los Angeles last season, Roenick needs to prove to the Coyotes, NHL, and himself that his awful season was just a fluke. Coming out-of-shape last season was the beginning of the end. Now, it seems that Roenick has come in with a new demeanor, he's not spouting off his mouth, and he seems re-focused to actually get back to his old ways. It'll take a lot of work being behind Mike Comrie and Steven Reinprecht in the depth chart, but Roenick just wants to show he still has it.

Nick Boynton may not be able to replace what Paul Mara brought, but his physical force and time in the league should be useful to the team. Georges Laraque is going to be the peacemaker for the club, while Mike Morrison will more than likely back-up Curtis Joseph, giving David LeNeveu more time in the minors to hone himself.

Though the lack of movement in the Pacific Divison, the Coyotes are definitely looking good in their own division behind the Ducks. Whether or not the moves on paper translate to results on the ice remains to be seen, but it can't hurt that the team is willing to put some money out there in order to get the best team out of the ice.

NHL: Caribbean Style

2006-08-10T23:33:00.000-06:00

Now, I haven't talked about it on here, but it has been mentioned on the show and James Mirtle has mentioned it; but the NHL confirmed it with their releasing of the pre-season schedule. The Florida Panthers and New York Rangers will play a pre-season game in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Frankly, I don't know if I really see the purpose in doing something like this. I understand the branching out the game and all that jazz, but when the country doesn't even have a hockey program in the making; it may not be the best place to go and put a game.

Now, I could be proven completely wrong and the game will be a huge success. The country will then start trying to play the game and maybe get an IIHF sanctioning and be on their way to build up their own program. Why not, there are plenty of obscure IIHF members out there, but they all seem to have their own representation and doing rather well depending on the country, but it could happen.

However, I'm pessimistic. Somehow I don't see the Caribbean folks getting accustom to ice hockey at all. Maybe it's the fact they are so close to the equator that the ice wouldn't last or the extremely foreign nature of the game would not connect with the locals there. Granted, I wish them the best of luck in getting the game a jump start there; but even if it is a one and done-- it will be an interesting story for players and fans alike when it happens.

News and Notes 08.07.06

2006-08-10T01:52:00.000-06:00

To the joy of many, the NHL released the TV schedules for the '06-'07 season. TSN, CBC, and RDS will carry national games on the Canadian side, while NBC and Versus (formerly OLN) will carry the national games for the States.

For the States, there will be plenty of Avalanche, Flyers, Bruins, Red Wings, and Penguins games, while it's almost all Leafs, all the time on the CBC. Whether or not that's a good thing depends on who you root for. I'll give VS. one thing, they are trying to switch it up-- there's plenty of Blue Jackets games on there for your Rick Nash fix.

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With the Blues signing Manny Legace, it sures up their goaltending....for now. As much as some people may have been impress with Curtis Sanford, he's still a little rough around the edges to be a full time starter just yet. Also, Jason Bacashihua still needs some time to develop properly. With the new ownership (which equals money) and John Davidson helping make some decisions, then I think the Blues are on their way to rebuild and get back to their days of glory.

Now the real test is for Legace to show that he is more than a great back-up goalie and can be an excellent starter. It will be interesting to see how good he is without the renowned Red Wings defense around him.

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On the heels of the Bruins rejecting the David Tanabe award, the Sabres walked-away from J-P Dumont's arbitration award of $2.9M. Dumont got 20 goals and 20 assists, and to me, 2.9M is a little to much for a guy who didn't do to well in the grand scheme of things. I'm sure that there is plenty of teams that want to get Dumont's services, but the price will have to come down a ton for many to be truly interested.

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Plenty of retirements this past week. First, Eric Weinrich left the NHL after 1,157 games with eight teams. Weinrich will now join the Portland Pirates coaching staff. Another Eric retired, as Philly blueliner Eric Desjardins called it quits after 17 seasons. Desjardins has been hampered by injuries in the past couple of seasons, which could have lead to his retirement. Desjardins is the second highest scoring defenseman in Flyers franchise history.

Also, after 40 years, Harry Sinden stepped down as president of the Boston Bruins, but will stay on with the team as an advisor for owner Jeremy Jacobs. Many Bruins fans feel that this is the first move to help the Bruins get back on the winning track, but until the Jacobs family sells the team, many feel it's just more heartache.

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The joys of the Malkin Saga. Wednesday, Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar came out to say that Malkin told Gonchar that he (Malkin) would stay in Russia. When Gonchar asked why, Malkin reportedly said, "I have my reasons." Gonchar had earlier said that Malkin wanted to come to the NHL this season and would do it at any cost.

It just keeps getting weirder and wackier, so definitely stay tuned for this one, because it's just another bump in the road for a promising young star.

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So that's it for now. If you haven't checked out our archives, you should. Head to your favorite Podcast provider or head to our Past Shows section and get back into the game.

Somewhat Slow News Week

2006-08-06T21:03:00.000-06:00

There wasn't much out there for big stories this past week, so I'll try to make this little condensed version worth your while.

"Operation Slapshot" (for a refresher, check it out here) took a turn as former New Jersey State Trooper James Harney plea-bargained and plead guilty and help the New Jersey State's Attorney to investigate outcasted Coyotes' assistant coach Rick Tocchet. Harney will face a maximum seven year in prison, which is far less than the possible 25 years that he was facing in the first place.

Tocchet's attorney Kevin Marino says that the former Trooper is just looking out for himself and not caring about the rest of it. Personally, I can see this as a true scenario, as it seems that the State didn't even trying to broker a deal with Tocchet, mainly due to his "celebrity" and trying to get a high profiled case to their names. As the story goes, so shall we.

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The Sabres finally came to terms with Daniel Briere, picking up his one-year $5M contract that was awarded by an arbitratior. The Sabres also avoid arbitration with many of their players before the hearings. Rumors are now that J-P Dumont and Martin Biron could be packaged up and shipped out of Buffalo to free up some cap space in the line-up.

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The Bruins strike again. Boston walked away from an arbitrator's ruling on defenseman David Tanabe. This is the third time Boston has walked away from arbitation, the first two being with Bryan Berard and Dmitri Khristich. Tanabe is now an unrestricted free-agent and could be picked up in the next week. Tanabe was awarded a one-year, $1.275M contract by the arbitrator.

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What more can you say about the Russian Federation that wasn't said during the Cold War?? It seems the Russian were none too happy with the NHL/IIHF transfer agreement after they actually looked at it. That means that no NHL team can sign a player under a Russian League contract this season, unless something miraculous happens.

Of course, there are always loopholes, which we found out about on Thursday. Evgeni Malkin and his agent Don Meehan apparently found in the Russian Labor Law, which allows employees to give a two-week notice to get out of their contract whatever the work. Apparently, Malkin has given that notice and is now negotiating a contract with the Penguins.

However, even silver linings look a little bleak as nothing has come from the talks or negotiations as of yet.

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Finally, the Flyers and Blackhawks swapped forwards, as Kyle Calder was traded to Philadelphia by Chicago for Michal Handzus. Calder was awarded a $2.95M contract in arbitration, which seemed to rich for Chicago's blood. Calder has played in 359 NHL games (all with Chicago) and racked up 85 goals and 125 assists.

Handzus is a big playmaking forward, who could work well with recently acquired Martin Havlat and oft-injured forward Tuomo Ruutu. In 509 NHL games, Handzus has posted 112 goals and 180 assists, as well as being a +47 career player.

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So that's what I got out of the week. Of course, there were some re-signing and minor signings here and there, but you could have checked those out anywhere. Keep in check with us as we are only 6 weeks or so away from training camps taking place.

Dominator to Detroit

2006-07-31T23:43:00.000-06:00

I don't think many would have thought that the Red Wings would go the way they did, but somehow they went and did it. The Red Wings signed 41-year-old Dominik Hasek to be their goaltender for the upcoming season.

I'll let that all sink in......

What the Red Wings did was just compensate for the leaving of Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan and kept their AARP membership. With all the young goalies out there on the market, it's an interesting decision to get Hasek, even for a year. Granted, it gives Jimmy Howard another season in Grand Rapids, but if Hasek get hurt, as he is known to do, then it could fast track his way to full time in the NHL.

Of course, to Red Wings fans and what he did to them in the '03-'04 season is not lost. Many of him don't like it and will accept it; others would like to have him hit by a runaway car. They are passionate folks, you have to give them that. But Hasek's reputation preceeds him. Stories of being a "locker room cancer" and an "egotistical asshole" are many of the things you hear about Hasek, even though he is one of the most dominate goalies in the past decade.

One thing you wonder is how long will it be before he gets hurt. Last season, Hasek said he was good to go and all healthy....and he went out with a groin injury. Monday he said he was good to go and healthy....the results remain to be seen.

At about $700k, it's a steal if the Wings can get 35 games out of him and have him play well, but the Wings are going the wrong way in rebuilding. They need to get younger before they try to add some veteran leadership into the room.

The Wings have been a good regular season team, only to falter when the time comes in the playoffs. It could be one thing that the Wings need to have Hasek on the team, which gives them two Cup winning goalies on the squad, but if something were to go haywire....the season could be a lot longer for the Wings then what actually happens on the ice.

Can Penguins Fly??

2006-07-28T23:44:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in the News and Notes 07.24.06 post, Sam Fingold was the leading bidder for the Pittsburgh Penguins. According to AP's Alan Robinson , Fingold has signed a letter of intent to buy the team.

The deal that Fingold would agree to includes carrying out the deal that the former ownership group, with Mario Lemieux, had with the Isle of Capri Casinos, in which Isle of Capri would build a new arena if they got a gambling license. Also, the state, county, and city have a "Plan B" ready if Isle of Capri doesn't get the bid.

When looking at the monetary figures, Fingold is going to agree to buying the team for $175M, which is reportedly $5M less than the group which included Mark Cuban and Dan Marino who would have kept the team in Pittsburgh no if, ands, or buts. Yet, money talks, and Fingold must have done something to really woo the current ownership group. I think much had to do with agree to hold up to the whole Isle of Capri deal that has been set into place.

However, if that doesn't come to be-- that's where it'll get interesting. Of course, everyone in the state and local government have been talking about the plan to keep the team in Pittsburgh, but holding up to the whole ordeal is another story entirely. Frankly, I don't know if they would step up if push came to shove. Of course, if they don't, you can bet that if the team leaves, hockey fans would probably not vote for those officials coming up next election.

Now, if something can't be done, Fingold had said he had interest in moving the team to Kansas City and into the new Sprint Center, which should be open in 2007. Whether or not that will happen, it all depends on what happens with the casino licenses in PA. The one thing that gets me is that this whole license deal seems to have been going on forever. When the bloody hell will they dish them out.

Even if you don't hear the outcome, you can bet someone who's a hockey nut will let you know about toot sweet. This is the drama for your momma that never ends.

Eagle Landing, Gomez piling on

2006-07-26T23:18:00.000-06:00

I would have done this sooner, but like I said on the show...moving suck.

Regardless, it was less than a week ago that I wrote about Eddie Belfour's woes after apparently the Panthers pulled their contract offer. Seems like Mike Keenan pulled the wool over my eyes. Belfour signed a one year, $750K contract with the Florida Panthers. As it stands, the best goalie will play and it will go from game to game.

It's not that much of a risk at that price. Especially considering the Panthers have plenty of space under the cap, Belfour could help aide the maturing of Alex Auld. Though he hasn't been known for that before, I'm sure that two contracts going away would change his mind.

It's going to be tough to fill the void left by Roberto Luongo. Luongo is one of the premier goalies in the game and really seemed to face barrage of shots in his tenure as Panthers goalie. Belfour and Auld will not be the ones to be called upon, which should put the pressure on both of them to perform to their best each and every night.

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Staying in the East, but up I-95-- the New Jersey Devils have said they will accept Scott Gomez's $5M arbitration reward. With that, the Devils are at $48.9M in total payroll-- that's without signing David Hale, Brian Gionta, and Paul Martin. Of course, the albatross contracts of Alexander Mogilny, Vladimir Malakhov, and Dan McGillis ($9.3M combined) will hamper the Devils in trying to move forward. Like our good buddy Lyle Richardson's writes-- the Devils are in quite the bind.

However, right now-- the Devils have time. They only had Gomez going to arbtration, so the other RFAs can take it's time to get signed. That could be a little shining hope for Devil fans everywhere. If only the Devils had a strong farm system, then they may not be in this bind. Some would never know.

What the Devils need in addition to more time and less craptastic players holding onto big contract, is another goalie and maybe some mid-level defenseman. We all figured it would be an interesting summer with the Devils, but who though they would have to sign a deal with the devil to get everyone under the salary cap.

News and Notes 07.24.06

2006-07-25T00:19:00.000-06:00

Nothing completely big has happened....yet...but here's what did happen and what it could mean to you.

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Good news for Predator fans, as Tomas Vokoun has been taken off medication and is cleared to compete. Vokoun's '05-'06 campaign was cut short due to blot clots found in his abdomen and pelvic reason. Vokoun was a big part of why the Predators were able to get the fourth seed in the West, though they could have used him in the first round of the playoffs.

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Mark Recchi is reportedly heading back to Pittsburgh. Both the NHLPA website and TSN have the forward returning to the team after a trade which sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes. Of course, there were murmurs that Recchi wanted a trade because of turmoil in the Pens lockerroom, but what goes on in the room often stays in the room...unless you want to write a book about it.

Also, the Penguins rejected the bid from Mark Cuban and Dan Marion, both Western PA natives, while the new front runner, Sam Fingold, is said to have made a bid only $5M more than the group with Cuban and Marino. If there's a gap of $5M that is really the issue, then that's a BS move by the Pens. With Cuban and Marino's group, they have said they want the team to stay in Pittsburgh. With Fingold, he has mentioned that he may want to go to Kansas City if something cannot be worked out in Pittsburgh. Fingold has also put up a front saying it could work in Pittsburgh, but he didn't seem over-eager to many of the Pens fans.

Larry Gottesdiener, a Massachusetts developer who has said he would want to move a team back to Hartford, is also still in the running.

Fingold could sign a letter of intent any day this week, in which he'll have 30 days to make a deal.

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The Canadiens have rewarded Bob Gainey by extending his contract as GM through the '09-'10 season. Gainey joined the team in 2003 and really hasn't looked back since. With a great hockey mind, Gainey would be my choice to be the next commissioner of the NHL when the day comes. Not only because of his ties to both players and management, but he looks like Sam the Eagle, which would replace Gary Bettman's Count von Count.

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Sean Avery is back in LA. The disgruntled forward was re-signed by GM Dean Lombari who almost sounded like Dean Vernon Wormer saying Avery was on "double-secret probation." Avery is a shrill guy who can get under some guys skin and make an ass of himself. Also, he tries too hard to be like Jeremy Roenick, but if he'll help out your team, you know you'd want him on the team.

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That was the big highlights for the day. Don't be surprised if some moves go down this week. Rumors have been circulating about Daniel Briere and Scott Gomez being traded due to their salaries and the arbitration process. For all your rumors, check out Spector's Hockey and tune in Wednesday for Spector himself on Face Off Hockey Show. There, cheap plugs, you happy??

Arbitration Frustration

2006-07-23T23:57:00.000-06:00

Thus far in the NHL arbitration season, two players have gotten rewards, at least publicly. Both Mike York and Daniel Briere got some raises in their future. York got an $850k raise based on an arbitrator's ruling and the Islanders are in their last 24 hours to see if they want to sign York or let him go free. As for Briere, he got much, much more.

According to TSN, Briere was awarded $5M for next season. That's a raise of about 259% for a guy who had 58 points in 48 games. No disrespect to Briere, but that's effin' crazy. Apparently, Briere and his agents used Marian Gaborik, Martin Havlat, and Alex Tanguay as examples in his case. This is why I'm not a big fan of arbitration.

When you look at the points-per-game of Briere (0.70) it is less than Tanguay (0.89), Havlat (0.79), and Gaborik (0.76). They are all younger than Briere and have more potential upside than Briere. When you look at what the other three got, Havlat ($6M/year) is a result of the Blackhawks spending insane cash, Gaborik ($6.3M/year) is the franchise player for the Wild, and Tanguay (avg $5.25M) is added punch for a weak-offensive Flames squad.

Granted, Briere could be considered a franchise player, but so should Ryan Miller, Chris Drury, and a host of others on the Sabres squad.

Arbitration is insane because you can have a guy who has one good season, then go to arbitration to get a boatload of cash and then stink it up that year of the contract. Happened to Brendan Witt, though do to the Lockout, he never got it.

While I'm all for some players to get top-dollar, there needs to be work done to the current system to fix the whole craziness that is going on surrounding it. If the past performance of the player has nothing to do with it, you may as well just give everyone raises and then raise the salary cap more so, throwing the NHL into a state it was before.....more so.

As the old saying goes: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." It may not be broke, but it's almost to that point for the NHL and it's arbitraion rules.

Clipping the Eagle's Wings

2006-07-20T23:32:00.000-06:00

At age 41, Ed Belfour still thinks he can do it all. He has gone through a couple of physicals to prove to teams he's healthy enough after his second back surgery in as many years and there have been some talk that some contracts have been put out on the line. However, with the recent debacle with the Panthers taking back their contract offer, you have to wonder why two teams have passed on him after passing physicals.

Depending on who you listen to, Belfour's demands on his next contract are a little bit too much for the teams. There have been some rumors that Belfour has been requesting to be assured that he would be the #1 goalie for whatever team he is going for. With an oft-injured goalie, you can only assume that some GMs would be tentative in doing so, because it really handcuffs the coach in doing his job and probably does a disservice to the team.

Oddly enough, I don't think Belfour realizes that his best days may have passed him by. Or he does realize it, which is why he is requesting such a thing, knowing that he could be unthroned and then his legacy ending on the bench talking to the soda guy walking up and down the arena where he's at.

That all being said, Belfour is a great insurance policy for a team with a young goaltender(s). Though I'm not suggesting that Belfour would be the mentoring type, but he would definitely lead by example of what and what not to do in the NHL. With his years in the NHL, the experience is invaluable at this point. For a team like the Blues, to have an experience guy who is a proven winner would be a good addition....at the right price. I'm sure that philosophically Belfour and Blues' President John Davidson would clash hardcore style, but both feel it's a good fit, then it could be a good match.

Yet, it gets odder and odder as the Panthers are saying that Belfour is still being pursued by the team, while the Red Wings' Assistant GM Jim Nill stated that Belfour was one of 6 or 7 goalies on the team's list.

When all is said and done, we'll see if Belfour's determination to come back will be as strong now as it is by mid-September, but if he is picked up-- there's a good chance he could prove some people and make the best out of a second chance....or third or fourth, for that matter.

Wild on the Island

2006-07-18T22:24:00.000-06:00

We'll get to the main event for the day in a second. However, we do have some actually straight forward news about some things that did go on Tuesday.

First, Michael Peca signed a 1-year/$2.5M contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday. Some would think this is a lot for a guy who's scoring wasn't that good, but it's not the scoring which makes Peca so desirable. Quite frankly, his play shorthanded and his work in the face-off circle is what makes teams want him. Add that to his leadership qualities and you have yourself a guy many teams would want regardless of stats. Peca took the $1.5M paycut/hometown discount to play with the Leafs.

Also, Scott Walker was traded from Nashville to Carolina for Josef Vasicek. Both Walker and Vasicek played limited seasons this year due to injury, but when healthy, both will be effective on their new team. Walker will be a grinder for the Canes and should bring energy to the line-up, while Vasicek will be added speed to the Preds line-up.

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Now for the main event, so to speak. If you're confused about the happenings on Long Island Tuesday....you're not alone.

For those who didn't hear or are still shocked, Neil Smith was fired as GM after 40 days of work. To replace him, former goaltender Garth Snow retired and will take over as the GM for the New York Islanders. Also, "special advisor" to the owner, Pat LaFontaine, reportedly resigned after the Smith dismissal press conference. Don't believe me?? Here's the link from TSN.

Obviously, the first reaction from most is that it was a joke....then is sank it. The common response was "Snow?? GARTH F'IN' SNOW?!? THE HELL!!??!" That is pretty dead on, along with some laughing because of the shamble of an organization that the Islanders have become.

So what caused this whole ordeal to go down?? Well, the reasoning is because of differences between Smith, LaFontaine, and owner Charles Wang. It seems that Smith wasn't really the GM, per se, but just the figure head. This is due to the Islanders having a system of playing GM by committee. With too many cooks in the kitchen, things are bound to burn. You can only assume that one move was lauded by someone while applauded by another, then you have in-fighting, which leads to the back-up goalie retiring and becoming the GM. More detailed things won't be known until Smith clears up some legal proceedings and goes to the public.

Just as a note, Garth Snow has no GM experience, no front office experience, I don't think he has a degree from UMaine, and he was a back-up goalie for the last couple of years. Charles Wang said:

"When the job opened up, the choice was an easy one. Garth knows the league as well as anyone, has an eye for talent and understands how our staff works as a team. Most importantly, Garth is a man of integrity, someone I trust will work hard, be creative and represent the Islanders with dignity."

Ted Nolan can only sit and hope that he's not the next one to go. The gongshow for the Islanders seems to be unfolding by the hour, so keep your eyes out for it.

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Finally, we have finally posted our pictures from our 2006 Entry Draft online at the FOHS Photo Gallery, so if you have the time; go check it out.

Fading Star

2006-07-17T21:49:00.000-06:00

It took about 48 hours for the Dallas Stars and Eric Lindros to hammer out a final deal, but after a weekend of speculation, the Big E is heading to the Big D. Lindros's '05-'06 campaign was cut short due to a wrist injury, but was still able to record 11 goals and 11 assists in his shortened season.

Now, the deal is for $1.55M for a year with incentives that could make it worth about $2.5M. I'm not saying that's too much for an injury proned center, I'm just thinking that it could be a little risky in the grand scheme of things. Granted, two big names are no longer with the Stars in Bill Guerin and Jason Arnott, but I don't think that getting Lindros over, say, someone like Anson Carter is a hockey or business decision. Of course, it's easy for me to be the arm-chair GM.

Regardless, it seems that GM Doug Armstrong is very happy with having Lindros in a Stars uniform. Yet, the thing I find odd is that a guy who has had several head and arm injuries would be willing to go to the Western Conference with some of the biggest hitters in the games. Guys like Chris Pronger, Dion Phaneuf, Jason Smith, and Rob Blake are going to be out there, more often than not, when Lindros is out there, which only means you can count the minutes before Lindros has a big injury.

I'm not wishing ill-will to Lindros by any means, but when you have a rough and tumble Conference like the Western Conference is, you're bound to get a bad break here and there, which could amount to his injury count going up, rather than holding steady. Plus, for a guy who has missed 32% of the possible games he could have played in, that to me is much riskier than anything out there, especially when the front lines of Dallas aren't as strong as they used to be.

I have set the over/under of games at 40 games for Lindros. Place your bets.

Busy Day for Gainey

2006-07-13T15:52:00.000-06:00

It's a little late, but it took a while to digest all the information that happened in Montreal yesterday. After weeks of waiting and being grilled by the media, Canadiens GM Bob Gainey went all out on Wednesday.

First, Gainey got word that goaltender David Aebischer had signed his qualifying offer and his rights will be retained by the team. Just today, Yann Danis was re-signed with the team, which means the Habs have two goalies going for just one back-up spot. The speculation is that Aebischer will be traded away, making way for Danis to assume the back-up role. There's a good market for goalies, but limited spaces. The frontrunners are the Blues and Red Wings.

Second, Gainey made two trades. Gainey first sent a 4th round pick to Phoenix for winger Mike Johnson. Johnson had 16 goals and 38 assists last season and had a hot streak during the middle of the season. Also, Gainey freed up some money by sending Richard Zednik back to the Washington Capitals for a 3rd round pick. Zednik returns to the place where he spent the other part of his NHL career and should instill some energy to the Caps line-up.

The Zednik move prompted some people to think more was in the works. At about 8 PM ET, that happened as the Habs announced that Sergei Samsonov was signed to a two-year deal . Between Boston and Edmonton, Samsonov collected 23 goals and 30 assists; though he did slump in Boston after the departure of Joe Thornton.

Gainey answered his critics in a big way. Whether or not this is the end of it all or just the beginning is to be seen, but with these moves, the Habs seem to be a better team than when they first started on the free agent market.

A Change For the Flames

2006-07-11T23:40:00.000-06:00

According to the Canadian Press, Darryl Sutter will step down as head coach of the Calgary Flames in a Wednesday news conference. Assistant coach Jim Playfair should be named the heir to the head coaching spot.

Though this is a little out of the blue, it shouldn't really be shocking to anyone. To be quite honest, in the interviews done during the season, you could almost hear Sutter hinting to this being his last year behind the bench. He will keep his GM duties, which should help the Flames in the long-run, especially since Sutter won't have to worry about pulling double duty all year.

I do like reading the replies and reaction some people have. Sure, it's a hard hit to the Flames, but come on-- with the new rules making the NHL a more free-flowing offensive game, the game-plan of Sutter's was his demise in the playoffs. It's amazing that the Flames were able to have 10 shutouts last season with scoring opening up. That's not to say Sutter is behind the times, but it would be more beneficial to the Flames as a whole to get some new blood behind the bench. You almost got a sense that the Flames were tuning Sutter out at the end of the season.

Jim Playfair is a great choice for the replacement. Playfair joined the Flames organization in the '00-'01 season coaching the Saint John Flames in the AHL, leading them to the Calder Cup the same season. However, with the lack of good prospects, Playfair was less than fortunate in his tenure remaining there. However, when Darryl Sutter took over the role as head coach in the '02-'03 season, Playfair was named assistant coach and has been there ever since. Playfair started coaching with the Dayton Bombers (ECHL) between '93 and '96 going 106-76-24 during that time. While in Saint John, Playfair won the Calder Cup and had a record of 83-77-22-10 in two and a half seasons.

However, don't expect a drastic change for the Flames. They'll no doubt have more offensive punch with the pick up of Alex Tanguay, but Playfair, a former defenseman, will have defense first on his mind and worry about his own zone before the attack zone. For Sutter, it's time to kick back and watch the team he help build, as well as get a chance to relax....though it probably won't happen.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

2006-07-10T00:07:00.000-06:00

After a nice little lull, business picked up on Sunday. Interestingly enough, I think that the holiday hangovers were the only delay in most of the deals not given out, so we'll see what's going to go on next week.

First, Brendan Shanahan left Detroit and signed a one-year, $4M deal with the New York Rangers. It seems a pretty mixed bag for Detroit fans, who loved Shanny's ability to play well at his age, but hated his ghost like appearence in the playoffs. In the last 22 playoff games (the last three playoff seasons), Shanahan only has 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists). However, Shanny is coming off a 40-40 year (40 goals, 41 assists to be exact), so it should help out the regular season part for the Rangers. If it will have any effect if they make it to the playoffs, we'll just have to wait and find out.

Late on Sunday, the San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, and Chicago Blackhawks pulled off a three way deal. We all love three-ways, am I right?? Huh?? Anyway, here's how it breaks down:

TO SAN JOSE: Mark Bell
TO OTTAWA: Tom Preissing, Josh Hennessy, Michal Barinka
TO CHICAGO: Martin Havlat, Bryan Smolinski

Personally, I know Sens fans will hate this on paper, while Sens haters will talk about the Sens not winning a Cup this year. Oddly enough, I think the Sens got a good deal out of this. As a Sens fan, I have to say I like the arrival of Preissing and Hennessy, because they are both studs. Frankly, I would take a couple guys like that for developing than worrying about arbitration or retaining the rights of Havlat. Let's face it, Havlat would have been gone anyway, so it's not a big loss altogether.

Chicago got a flashy guy like Havlat, but unless he can stay healthy (which hasn't been Chicago's strong suit) and find someone to click with on a line, he will be useless to the Hawks. Havlat is a very streaky player who can either make a game or be invisible the entire night. There's no doubt that when he's on, he's on-- but that's hard to come by. He'll be Chicago's guy to deal with for the next three years. Smolinski re-ignited his play late in the season being paired up with Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley when Jason Spezza had his injury issues. However, reality is Smolinski is almost in the twilight of his career, so his effectiveness is to be determined.

The Sharks, I believe, got screwed in this deal. For a team that needs a defenseman who can move the puck, dealing Preissing away probably wasn't the best move. Don't get me wrong, I like Mark Bell-- he's a scrappy player, but Bell and Preissing almost has the same amount of points last season. It will really depend on where Bell is placed in the line-up. If he is with the top dogs in Cheechoo and Thornton, then he'll get plenty of secondary assists, but if he's one a line where it's a grind line-- he'll be effective in the intangibles, but won't show up too much on the scoresheet.

All in all, we'll have to way to see how this all pans out for each team, but if it's a move that needed to be done for a team to move around some salary (COUGHottawaCOUGH) to get someone else in, then it's a good deal all around.

Free Agency Day Five/Edmonton Exodus

2006-07-06T00:39:00.000-06:00

A little more done today in the free agent market. Of course, arbitration could bring another level to the whole ordeal, plus some trades going down today brought another interesting day at the wires.

LOS ANGELES: The Kings sured up their goaltending as they traded for Dan Cloutier from Vancouver. All the Kings had to give up was two draft picks. Cloutier will be coming off a knee injury which kept him out the duration of the '05-'06 season. It should be interesting to see what GM Dean Lombardi does with Mathieu Garon and Jason Labarbera.

CALGARY: The Flames were able to get Alex Tanguay under contract for three years at about 5M per. Also, the Flames added some depth with the signing of Jeff Friesen. Now, Friesen had a horrendous '05-'06 campaign, but if Darryl Sutter has proven anything-- he can get the best out of a bad player.

DALLAS: A day after signing Matt Barnaby, the Stars continued their veteran kick by signing Jeff Halpern. Halpern had been in the Capitals organization for his entire career up until today. Halpern should bring more leadership into the room. Also, Steve Ott re-signed a deal with the Stars.

BUFFALO: All was not rosy for the Sabres, but I'll touch on that later. The Sabres, however, did sign Jaroslav Spacek to a multi-year deal. Spacek is the second defenseman of the week to sign away from Edmonton. Though he won't replace Jay McKee, but Spacek could help out the offense in the Buffalo blueline.

RE-SIGNINGS: Plenty of re-signings as Marian Gaborik (Wild), Erik Cole (Hurricanes), Antero Niittymaki (Flyers), Ray Emery (Senators), and Andy McDonald (Ducks) all re-signed with their club. Emery and Niittymaki signed one year deals while Gaborik, Cole, and McDonald signed three-year deals.

ARBITRATION: A total of 69 players filed for arbitration this year, 12 of them coming from the Buffalo Sabres. Teams have until tomorrow at 5 PM ET to take players who made over 1.5M to arbitration. Hearings will be held from July 20th to August 4th.

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What's the deal with people wanting out of Edmonton?? Chris Pronger was very vocal after the season, Michael Peca voiced his displeasure during the season, and according to other sources, Jaro Spacek was a player who had an issue with Edmonton as well.

I don't know if it was the city or the team itself, but there could be something fishy going on if it's not. We know Pronger's issue with his family, but I'm unsure with the other two. I do know one thing, there has to be something deeper to the situation, mainly because of the run that the Oilers made last season, you'd think everyone would want to come back to try and get back there.

As someone living in Calgary, I'm not really a fan of Edmonton; but I can't help but feel bad for the fans. With all these guys getting out of there after what happened is a shock. Then to hear that some either had a problem with the city or the team is definitely a blow to the fans who have lived and cheer for the team for the longest time. Here's hoping it's just something to do with internal chemistry and not the city itself, because I know I would be furious if anyone talked about my hometown badly....of course, it's Glen Burnie, MD and that place ain't that good to begin with....but still, it's the principle of it.

Needless to say, the Oilers will need to find some help on their blue line either from their prospects or through trades or maybe some UFAs out there, but if something doesn't get fixed up, it could be a long season for the Oilers and their fans.

Free Agency Day Four

2006-07-05T00:06:00.000-06:00

It was a rather quiet day on the free agency market with the US Independence Day and all, but there were some rather big names on the wire getting picked up:

PHOENIX: The Coyotes got a familiar face back in the fold as Jeremy Roenick was picked up for a 1-year, 1.2M deal. Roenick had said he would have like to have played in Canada, but that'll have to wait at least another year, when the market will be just as saturated.

DALLAS: Matthew Barnaby will pick up the agitator role in the "Big D" as the Stars signed the feisty winger to a 1-year deal. Barnaby was last with the Chicago Blackhawks for an uneventful year, which led to him being bought out.

PITTSBURGH: Agitators were a theme, as Jarkko Ruutu was picked up by the Pens on Tuesday. Ruutu got a two year deal worth 2.3M. This will be the first change of scenary as Ruutu had spent his whole career with the Canucks prior.

ATLANTA: The Thrashers signed Fred Brathwaite, Jason Krog, and Darren Haydar to one-year deals. The interesting part is why the Thrashers brought in Brathwaite when they had signed Johan Hedberg on Saturday. Maybe they are just stocking up for a injury filled season, but maybe they also know something about Kari Lehtonen that others don't.

Also, Randy Robitaille and Brian Willsie signed with the Flyers and Kings respectively. Also today, two traded goalies signed three year deals as the Leafs got Andrew Raycroft under contract and the Lightning got Marc Denis under contract.

With players like Sergei Samsonov, Brendan Shanahan, Manny Legace, and Anson Carter out on the open market, Day Five will prove to be as interesting as all the rest.

Free Agency Day Three/Ending of an Era

2006-07-03T20:57:00.000-06:00

After the trade that happened today, it was almost a good thing that there wasn't much signings early on, because it would have gotten lost in the crowd. However, the biggest name struck late into the day.

ST. LOUIS: The Blues continue to build back up their once-hallowed team by signing winger Bill Guerin. Terms and length was not available, but you can almost see the improvement the Blues are making, just due to the new ownership coming into practice. Thank goodness, because St. Louis fans deserved better than last year's outcome.

ATLANTA: The Thrashers signed center Steve Rucchin to a three-year deal. Rucchin didn't have the greatest seasons on Broadway, but Rucchin's leadership and ability to control the face off circle will be a great asset to the Thrashers.

NY RANGERS: Though they lost Rucchin, the Rangers got some help on their back line. The Rangers signed Aaron Ward to a two-year deal. Ward just got finished winning his third Stanley Cup and will be great for depth and shot-blocking abilities that the Rangers need to help out their intangibles.

NY ISLANDERS: The Isles got some more help on the blue line by signing Brendan Witt to a three-year deal. Witt, who split time with the Capitals and Predators, will bring a stay-at-home mentality and some secondary leadership to the Isles lockerroom.

Also today, Mark Eaton signed on with the Penguins to help out defensively at the Igloo, while Mike Grier signed on with the San Jose Sharks to get a grinder into the line-up.

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Also today, Steve Yzerman retired from the NHL after 22-seasons in one city. Rarely do you see someone not only stay in the same city for their whole career (as we have seen in this Free Agency), but to have the Captaincy for a majority of that time, it is unbelieveable.

Whether you love or hate the Red Wings, one thing you can deny is the ability and class that Yzerman possessed. Personally, I don't care for the Red Wings, but the respect I have for Yzerman overshadows that dislike.

We may never see another player like Yzerman in our lifetime, but that's probably a good thing, because I don't think many could fill the shoes left by Stevie Y.

Burke Does It Again

2006-07-03T13:09:00.000-06:00

If there is one guy who likes the summer more than any other GM out there, it has to be Brian Burke. Last summer, Burke signed coveted free agent Scott Niedermayer and this summer, Burke traded for one of the biggest names out there on the trading block, Chris Pronger.

That's right, today Burke acquired Chris Pronger from the Oilers for Joffery Lupul, Ladislav Smid, the Ducks 1st Round pick in '07, a conditional 1st Round pick in '08, and a 2nd Round pick in '08. The question of who got the better of the deal is up for debate. Some Oilers fans, like those from Battle of Alberta feel they got...well, violated, while almost admiting defeat already for the '06-'07 Season. Some believe that the return is as good as what is leaving all things considered.

Personally, it works out both ways. For the Ducks, they have an amazing top-3 defense with Pronger, Niedermayer, and Francois Beauchemin. Plus, it seemed like negociations with Lupul had stalled anyway, so though it's a depth loss, the Ducks won't have to worry about a young kid holding out if he doesn't like the offer given. This move helps the Ducks short-term.

Long-term, the Oilers could get the better of the deal if they can do well with those picks and somehow get Lupul and Smid to become superstars. Frankly, it hurt the defense, especially when you consider that both Dick Tarnstrom and Jaroslav Spacek are free agents right now and not re-signed. Now, if the picks pan out well for the Oilers, than they could get the better of this deal.

James Mirtle has an in-depth breakdown of what went down, so go ahead and check out what he has to say about it.

Time will tell who really got the better of this, but in the short-term; Brian Burke is doing a fancy jig because he could have the best defensive pairing in the NHL today.

Free Agency Day Two

2006-07-02T20:56:00.000-06:00

After 30 players were signed yesterday, it was a little bit more quiet on the second day. There's little to do for an encore for the opening day of NHL free agency, especially with the top notch signings that have happened.

ST. LOUIS: I left the Blues out yesterday with their signing of Jay McKee, because I thought they wouldn't be done yet. Not only did the Blues sign McKee to a four-year deal, but they also got back Doug Weight on their club. At two years, $7M, and a Stanley Cup ring, Weight is back to help the Blues rebuild. Also, the Blues have reportedly signed Dan Hinote to a deal, though this is coming off the wire as I type.

NASHVILLE: The Preds added more offense by picking up Jason Arnott and signing him to a five-year $22.5M contract. Arnott brings plenty of experience to the camp, especially the playoff experience that some in the organization don't possess.

NY ISLANDERS: With Arnott signing, Mike Sillinger was expendable, so he went to his 12th team in the NHL. The Isles locked up Sillinger to a three-year, $6.6M contract. Not only can Sillinger find the net, but he can also get it done in the face-off circle as well.

PHOENIX: The Coyotes signed Mike Morrison to a one-year deal, which will give him the back-up spot to Curtis Joseph. This really makes you wonder if the progress of David LeNeveu is slower than the team had hoped, or if they feel that CuJo would do better with someone who has a bit more experience than LeNeveu.

DALLAS: Though the loss of Jason Arnott hurt, the Stars got back Darryl Sydor as Tampa traded the defenseman for a 4th round pick in the 2008 Draft. Sydor is going to help out the Dallas defense, as well as provide a little offensive touch to the Stars from the point.

FLORIDA: After losing out on Ed Jovanovski, the Panthers were able to get Ruslan Salei under contract for four years. Salei will bring more depth the Panthers blue line, as well as some playmaking abilities. I wouldn't rule out the Panthers as being done yet.

Other signings of note were the Bruins picking up Shean Donovan for two-years. Donovan didn't have his best season, but is a great energy guy. The Los Angeles Kings took two former Sharks by signing both Scott Thornton and Alyn McCauley to contracts. While Thornton will be one to throw the body around, McCauley will play the strong forechecking role for the Kings.

Free Agency Day One

2006-07-01T23:13:00.000-06:00

It was a slow start, but once things got rolling, they got rolling in a big way. It was a run on defensemen and they went very quickly. If you missed any of it, here's a short run-down on what happened. Cliff notes style as it were.

BOSTON: The Bruins made the first big move by getting Zdeno Chara under contract for five-years at 37.5M and Marc Savard to a five-year 20M contract. This is a big deal for the Bruins, who are pretty much starting with a whole new outlook with management and all of that. Should be interesting to see what else they do.

MINNESOTA: The Wild were pretty active to by getting Mark Parrish, Keith Carney, and Kim Johnsson. All these role move should help the depth of the Wild. Health permiting, the Wild are looking to take a run at the Northwest crown.

TORONTO: The Leafs signed Hal Gill and Pavel Kubina. It's not so much that they signed Kubina, but they signed him to a 5M/year deal....slightly....well not slightly...overpaying him. Sadly, I don't think this is going to help them as much as they think.

PHOENIX: Ed Jovanovski is heading the desert. The one downside to Jovo is his often injured body as of late. Maybe the Coyotes will have better luck with Jovo than the Canucks did.

LOS ANGELES: Rob Blake is back in town, which should bolster the blue line for the Kings. It's a big step up from Joe Corvo and gives the Kings yet another leader on a somewhat young team. Now, they just need to lock up a goalie.

OTTAWA: Corvo landed in Ottawa, along with Martin Gerber-- who will undoubtedly be the starter for the Sens next season. Though he had a good season, Gerber was shaky in the playoffs. Of course, the Sens should be used to goaltending that goes out in the playoffs.

CAROLINA: To fill Gerber's void, the Champs signed John Grahame. After the Bolts traded for Marc Denis, Grahame was very expendable. Cam Ward now has a back-up who can push him when needed. Also, the Canes got Eric Staal, Mike Commodore, Justin Williams, and several others extensions to keep the core group together.

NEW JERSEY: Though they didn't do much on the FA market, the signed up Patrik Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner. Elias signed an interesting deal, a seven-year, 42M contract. I'll tell you, I'm shocked by it, but in the end-- it's a good thing for Devils fans.

TAMPA BAY/COLUMBUS: Like mentioned above, the Bolts got Marc Denis from Columbus for Freddy Modin and Freddy Norrena. Denis will be the #1 guy with Sean Burke being his back-up/mentor. Denis is a horse, but what will happen now with the Bolts depleted defense?? Though the Bolts did go out and sign Filip Kuba, so it should be better. The Blue Jackets get more depth in scoring while Norrena will be one of the players going for the back-up position in camp.

Those were some of the bigger names that went to other places. This will happen when there's plenty of movement of substance. Also, as the moves come along, there will be pieces about teams who have made good with the moves and others who have crapped out. Rarely, we'll have a team in the middle, but that's always possible.

Throw Your Hands In The Air.....

2006-06-28T12:22:00.000-06:00

.....If you think you're a player!!

Everyone is talking about the players that will be involved in the free agent market, but the teams are going to carry a big load too. At 12:01 AM, you can almost expect the games to be underway and plenty of teams getting some salaries right quick. Especially with the Salary Cap and Floor going up, teams playing it safe will have to get to the 28M quickly in order to no disturb the minions.

Teams like the Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild will be two of those teams who will have to get to the floor. The Caps have nine players under contract at 12.9M. Needless to say, they will have to get players signed to get to the 28M figure, so they could be players. The Wild are in a little better shape with 11 guys under contract at 20.3M. Expect plenty of the lower end teams to be some kind of players in the FA market.

On the other side of the spectrum, you'll see a team like the Calgary Flames be in the market for another role defenseman with the departure of Jordan Leopold, as well as a quality back-up goaltender, who should see more than the eight games that Mikkaa Kiprusoff didn't play. Coach Darryl Sutter has said he would look at a play-making center, but with the acquisition of Alex Tanguay, then it wouldn't be a big concern.

The Senators will have to find out where Wade Redden and Zdeno Chara go to see how to deal with one or both of them leaving, but also-- they need to sure up their goaltending. With the status of Dominik Hasek unknown and the shaky disposition some have about Ray Emery, you can only assume that the Sens will be players not by choice, but by pressure on the outside.

I wouldn't be surprised either if teams with new GMs, like the LA Kings, NY Islanders, Boston Bruins, and Pittsburgh Penguins, make a considerable splash on the market. The Kings especially since most the team is a skeleton of their former self. With Pavol Demitra traded away and not a proven goaltender on the roster; new GM Dean Lombardi should be a busy man starting July 1st.

But with all the changes, some things stay the same. The Detroit Red Wings will be in the market for a goalie, whether through the FA market or trade, and may need some players depending on what Nick Lidstrom does. Of course, if he signs for the max, it could be a tough time getting quality guys for the money left. Of course, the NY Rangers could be movers and shakers, as well as the Toronto Maple Leafs. The one difference is that the Leafs are going in a completely different direction, which could lead to plenty of new, and younger, faces on the ice.

Of course, you'll have teams who won't be so much players on the market, but in the trade outline. Teams like the Edmonton Oilers, who have plenty of damage control to do; the San Jose Sharks, who could move a goalie; the Anaheim Ducks, could do the same as the Sharks; and the Montreal Canadiens, see the Ducks and Sharks. Add that to trying to keep the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes together, the next few weeks should be interesting ones to say the least.

However, enjoy it because after this week or so-- it will get somewhat dull until September training camps start. At least it'll give some fans to recover from the season and take a step back to hope for the best in '06-'07.

Edmonton's Most Hated

2006-06-26T13:07:00.000-06:00

Somewhere, Mike Comrie is smiling. He is smiling because he knows with the developments of this past weekend, he is no long the most hated player in the eyes of Oiler fans. Of course, it could all change soon enough.

If you had heard, Chris Pronger has requested a trade apparently do to him and his wife not feeling comfortable in the Edmonton area. This is not hearsay, this is not rumor-- his agent came out and said it to the Edmonton Sun and the press at large on Saturday.

To the Edmonton fans I've heard from, they are not too impressed by this decision. I think every fan can relate to that, especially if they have been in their town forever. Granted, if it actually is a bad town; some people could see that happening. Regardless, you really shouldn't make that public unless you can deal with the hounding and heckling that will happen in the grand scheme of things.

Now, the thought was that his wife didn't like it there, and that's fine. It's hasn't been the first time this has happened. However, when he agent said that Chris wasn't too fond of Edmonton either, I think that is what put it over the edge, especially since the Oiler faithful know all about players' having their wives or girlfriend decide where they should play, right Petr Nedved??

Now, it's a matter of whether or not Pronger will get traded and to wear. Obviously, this puts Kevin Lowe in the driver's seat because he doesn't have to make a deal right away and pretty much stall on a trade if he really wanted to. Yet, I don't know if he'll do that.

Prolonging the situation can not only hurt the player, but the team chemistry as well. The sooner that Lowe finds a deal he likes, he should go ahead and make it. Getting Pronger out of Edmonton sooner will allow the team to find their needs quicker and more effectively, rather than waiting and then trying to throw together something rushed together, which could hurt the team in the long run.

Vancouver Backdraft

2006-06-25T16:12:00.000-06:00

I won't get into my awful, AWFUL picks yet, but I will say that I suck and I won't make it anywhere in this business. However, something where I was a little more accurate, the trophies.

I was actually 6 out of 8 in the Trophies Count that I predicted back in May. Thronton, Ovechkin, and Kiprusoff being my slam dunks. The odd thing was how much Ovechkin won by. Of the 129 first place votes, Ovechkin got 124, with four going to Crosby and one to Lundqvist. Also, Ovechkin was the first rookie to be named to the NHL's First All-Star Team since Ed Belfour did it in 1991. Add that to picking for the Caps and getting to be the cover boy for EA's NHL07, it was a pretty big weekend for Ovechkin.

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I'm sure like all of you, the trades were pretty astonishing. Especially when the Kings announced they traded Pavol Demitra for Patrick O'Sullivan and a pick which turned out to be Trevor Lewis in the end. I'm sure it translated over TV, but the shock of that made people scratch their heads in the stands in on the media row.

The Luongo trade brought much delight to the eyes of Canucks fans, but I was more interested in the statements by the fans who were overly joyed to see Bertuzzi leave town. This is a guy who was defended by these same people for about two years now. Oh, how times change.

The Alex Tanguay/Jordan Leopold trade was an interesting one, mainly for the timing. Many people thought the trade announcement would have been the Hurricanes trading Jack Johnson for the second overall pick, but it was not the case. The Flames addressed their scoring issues and used their defensive depth to get out of a jam. As well, the Avs get a young, solid stay-at-home defenseman in return. With a lack of an AHL affiliate, it hurts the Avs development process.

Don't even get me started on why the Leafs would trade for Andrew Raycroft, especially for Tuukka Rask.

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I know, I went three for 30 out of my Mock Draft, but I never said I was an expert. When you look at the first round, it seemed that all the picks were depth moves, which is a nice way to say they were completely off the board.

For instance, Trevor Lewis was probably an early second round pick, but he got swapped up by the Kings at 17th. Not saying it was a bad move, but somewhat head-scratching, especially when there were plenty of great players still out there. Also, three picks beforehand, the Canucks took Michael Grabner with the 14th pick. Whether it's because they thought he wouldn't be around the next pick or if they truly wanted him-- it was just odd.

The Caps went out of the blue to take Semen Varlamov, who was dominant in Russia's third division, but with Leland Irving still out there and closer to home, it raised some eyebrows. Then there's Matthew Corrente, who at a 5'11 defenseman only adds to New Jersey's "Mighty Mouse" Brigade.

All in all, it was great to see these kids' reactions when they got picked and went to the media room. Leland Irving couldn't get the smile off his face for the whole time, which was a thrill to see.

On top of all that, the fans were great. It was good to see most of them stay through the Canucks pick and the first round. Most of the time, when the host team picks, the exodus begins. As well, the fans from Everett, Washington who came to cheer on their kids when they got picked (Irving, Peter Mueller, Ondrej Fiala, and Brady Calla) sent chills up my spine. It was a great show and set the bar from Columbus in '07.

Mock-Yeah; Draft-Yeah; Yeah-Yeah

2006-06-21T12:28:00.000-06:00

Lame, I know-- but it works out.

So, with the Draft.....oh three days away or so-- it's time to bust out the possible happenings that will happen on Saturday. Granted, after the top pick, it's going to be a crapshoot from there. This isn't the strongest Draft class, but there are plenty of kids who will be able to surprise people out there. To be noted, this is going to be based off the current Draft order that the NHL has right now. The trades up or down could prove a different result, so heed warning.

1. St. Louis-- Erik Johnson (US NTDP): Johnson has the ability to help the Blues forget about losing Chris Pronger down the road.

2. Pittsburgh-- Jordan Staal (Peterborough): Even if the pick is traded, this is where he'll go; Staal is a dynamic player who can fit well into any situation.

3. Chicago-- Phil Kessel (U of Minnesota): If a little excitement can be created for Chicago hockey fans, this kid could be the one to do it.

4. Washington-- Jonathan Toews (U of North Dakota): Toews will be a perfect fit with Ovechkin and should be able to be a key guy in the face-off circle.

5. Boston-- Derrick Brassard (Drummondville): The B's should be happy with his extra year development, as well as with his speed and shot.

6. Columbus-- Ty Wishart (Prince George): With not much of young defenseman, Wishart could be the stallwart they have been looking for.

7. NY Islanders-- Nicklas Backstrom (Sweden): This European center could be a building block for the Islanders future and the mark Neil Smith will leave in his tenure as GM.

8. Phoenix-- Peter Mueller (Everett): If Mueller falls this far, it would be a god-send to the Coyotes, with his size and skill-- he could be part of the upcoming youth movement.

9. Minnesota-- Kyle Okposo (Des Moines): The Wild like local picks and with Okposo's performance in the USHL, it would be a start to get him under the hometown banner.

10. Florida-- Jiri Tlusty (Czech Republic): Though he played on a bad team, Tlusty's heart and determination is what will land him in the Sunshine State.

11. Los Angeles-- Michael Frolik (Czech Republic): Frolik's stock dropped with a bad season, but he should fit in nice with the Kings system.

12. Atlanta-- Nigel Williams (US NTDP): The Thrashers will love this kid's size and tremendous upside, but he won't be great until he fills out his big frame.

13. Toronto-- Bryan Little (Barrie): Though he is small, he will fit in easily with the speed and skill the Leafs should be implimenting in the future.

14. Vancouver-- Chris Stewart (Kingston): With some guys possibly being moved, Stewart will be the power forward that could fill the void which could be left by some.

15. Tampa Bay-- Leland Irving (Everett): A top goalie in the WHL this season, Irving could help out the slumping Tampa goaltending ranks.

16. Montreal-- James Sheppard (Cape Breton): With almost all the tools needed, the Habs will enjoy Sheppard's hard work, dedication, and aggressiveness.

17. Minnesota (from EDM)-- Bob Sanguinetti (Owen Sound): Though he's not physically involved, he'll be an asset on the defensive side of things.

18. Colorado-- Jonathan Bernier (Lewiston): With lack of goaltending depth, the Avs should try their hand with another Quebec league goalie, but at least they didn't trade with the Habs to get it.

19. Anaheim-- Ryan White (Calgary): A former teammate of current Duck Ryan Getzlaf, White is a Stephane Yelle type player who will do anything to win.

20. San Jose-- Mark Mitera (U of Michigan): Mitera is a tough customer and should help out the hurting defense that the Sharks have seemed to possess.

21. NY Rangers-- Patrik Berglund (Sweden): The Rangers have had luck with Swedes and with his all around skill, should help the Rangers front line in the next 2-3 years.

22. Philadelphia-- Cory Emmerton (Kingston): A tough customer for his size, he should fit well with the Clarke led Flyers.

23. Washington (from NSH)-- Simon Danis-Pepin (U of Maine): The Caps will go off the board to get this hulking force of the blue line, to further their "6'5 or over" rule.

24. Buffalo-- Chris Summers (US NTDP): Though he will attend U of Michigan, the Sabres will love the mobility and defensive responsibility.

25. New Jersey-- Ivan Vishnevsky (Rouyn-Noranda): With his ability to move the puck and to run a power-play, the Devils will mold this kid into a fine defenseman.

26. Calgary-- Codey Burki (Brandon): The Western trend continues, but his ability to find the net will make Burki a prime candidate for the Flames to pick-up.

27. Dallas-- Joe Ryan (Quebec): The Stars will get a kid who is defensively sound and able to clear out in front of the net, however won't take the shot if given it.

28. Ottawa-- Mike Forney (US High School): Forney is an amazing offensive talent, but whether or not he will succeed when challenged at a higher level is the risk that is being taken.

29. Detroit-- Ben Maxwell (Kootenay): Though he had a slump, once he can get his timing and skill honed, he should be able to play well enough to hack it in Hockeytown.

30. St. Louis (from CAR)-- Michael Grabner (Spokane): Grabner played well on a bad team, which should put him as a good fit in St. Louis.

So here's how I look at the first round of the Draft, your results may vary. I'll be keeping track of these while at the Draft on Saturday, so I'll report back Sunday or Monday and talk about how great I was....or how awful it turned out.

So....What's Next??

2006-06-20T14:06:00.000-06:00

With the conclusion of the NHL season last night, the question is what's going to happen now in the world of the NHL off-season. To be honest, the next two to three weeks should be the busiest we'll see until training camps. Here's a little rundown of what's going down in the next little while:

June 15th-30th: Teams can buyout any player they feel isn't worth it. Now, there hasn't been many names named, but some people have thrown out Tie Domi, Ed Belfour, and Bill Guerin. Whether or not we'll see as much action as we did last year remains to be seen.

June 22nd: The NHL Awards take place in Vancouver with all the awards being handed out.

June 24th: The NHL Draft, where the class of '07 will be unveiled. More importantly, there could be some trade activity on this day, as well-- so keep your eye peeled or that. We'll probably be doing some blogging, but I'll update on that later.

June 30th: Don't be surprised if some teams trade the rights to some of their UFAs to other teams. This has been done for years, but don't think much of it. This is just for teams who have the UFAs to get some draft picks in return for their departing players.

July 1st: At 12:01AM ET, the Free Agent Market is open for business. It'll will be interesting to see who goes where in this Cap world, but I wouldn't rule out some big time players heading elsewhere.

That's about it for the schedule. Really, after the two hectic weeks, the fact of the matter is that it's a dead pull until early-September when the training camps actually start.

Watch Out-- There's a Hurricane Coming Through

2006-06-19T22:13:00.000-06:00

With all due respect to Gregory Helms' former WWE character, that quote is holding true this season. The Carolina Hurricanes won Game Seven of the Stanley Cup finals to bring the Cup, as well as the first professional sports title, to Raleigh and the state of North Carolina. For guys like Rod Brind'Amour, Glen Wesley, Bret Hedican, and Doug Weight to get their first Cup was a site to be seen. Especially for Weight, who could barely hold up his should after a clean seperation. The look on the young guys faces like Cam Ward, Eric Staal, and Andrew Ladd showed that the future was now for the Canes.

The Oilers shouldn't hang their heads too long. They put up a tough fight after just getting into the playoffs. They showed a lot of grit and determination to win the Western Conference, but were just three goals short of the Cup. Fernando Pisani showed he could be a big time player, Chris Pronger showed what he could really do in the post-season, and Jussi Markkanen showed he could hold up under pressure.

There's not much else I can say that hasn't been said already. For the Cup to be delivered in that fashion and for Rod Brind'Amour to just yank the Cup away was an amazing site to be seen. Of course, Cuba Gooding, Jr. was in the crowd, so it could have been the extra boost the Canes needed.

Worry not hockey fans, training camps are only nine weeks away.

There Can Only Be One

2006-06-19T12:31:00.000-06:00

For the fourth time in five Cup finals, the Stanley Cup will be decided by a Game Seven. Allthe work through 82 regular season games and at least 16 playoff games come down to at least 60 minutes of hard work and grit to get the greatest trophy in all of sports.

With the momentum coming in, the Edmonton Oilers much feel real good. They dashed the hopes of the Hurricanes in Game Five's overtime then laid the smackdown on them in Game Six. Jussi Markkanen has been good, but yet I'm sure the Oilers would want Dwayne Roloson in net just to be sure. Chris Pronger and Fernando Pisani are the leading candidates for the Conn Smythe Award for playoff MVP, and the best players on the team are the best players on the ice-- which is a good sign for the Oil.

The Carolina Hurricanes need to shake off the lack of urgency they have right now in order to win the Cup. After being taken to the woodshed, there's going to have to be some changes. One change will be to flip the switch on Rod Brind'Amour to get him to play like he is known to play. The return of Erik Cole can only do so much and I'm second-guessing if it was a good move or not. As much as Cole is going to bring some hype, a guy like Chad LaRose who was grinding it out all playoffs gets the shaft. The one thing the Canes can count on is Cam Ward. Ward was the best player on the Canes side of the rink, which is a good sign for the Canes, if only they gave him some support around the net.

Some fast facts for you folks out there:

-Home teams are 11-2 in Game Sevens with the last road win coming in 1971
-The record of teams who were down 1-3 and pushed it to a Game Seven is 1-4 in the Game Seven with the last win happening in 1942 and the last occurance happening in 1994
-The last overtime Game Seven was in 1950 when the Red Wings beat the Rangers in two OTs
-If the Oilers win, it would be the first time a Canadian team has won it since 1993
-If the 'Canes win, the curse of the Whalers, if there is one, will be lifted

It should be a good game, all-in-all, and I don't see either team coming out flat. There's the Canes who don't want to play the role of the goat, while the Oilers want to keep their momentum going and bring the Cup back to Canada. The RBC Center should be rocking tonight as Lord Stanley's Cup will be brought out tonight regardless of who wins. For the majority in attendance, the consensus will be the Canes winning it.

Seventh Cup Heaven

2006-06-17T20:55:00.000-06:00

Sadly, unless otherwise noted, Jessica Biel won't be in Raleigh for Monday's game. Of course, with the NHL trying to get celebrities in the seats, I wouldn't rule anything out.

Now, I'm not sure if it was Beckett Magazine predicting the Canes victorious in the Cup finals or the momentum coming back home to stave off elimination, but the Oilers looked like a vicious team out on the ice in Game Six. They had the intensity turned way up and really looked great. If not for penalty troubles, the Canes could have hung with the Oilers, but that's not always the case. All the best players for the Oilers were the best players on the ice. From Chris Pronger to Fernando Pisani to Ryan Smyth were all out there on a mission.

The Canes didn't seem to want to come out and play like they are known for. Even the re-emergence of Erik Cole into the line-up didn't really boost things, though Cole looked fairly well in his '06 playoff debut. Yet, when you have seven shots through two periods, you're not going to win many games unless the goalie is a complete sieve in net. I don't think Doug Weight's absences helped the team's morale, but they had to move past that. However, Eric Staal, Cory Stillman, and Rod Brind'Amour were all invisible on the ice. The good thing for Carolina is that the last time they lost two games in a row, they won seven in a row after that. It's not much, but if they blow a 3-1 series lead, I'd be surprised if this team is the same next year.

The good thing is that coming out of a lockout, it'll take one game to decide it all for the Cup. The question is, will anyone outside the hockey niche fans watch the game to decide it all??

Hershey Bears Win Calder Cup; Tie All-Time Record

2006-06-15T21:41:00.000-06:00

If having young wunderkin Alexander Ovechkin exceed expectation wasn't enough, the Washington Capitals got some great news Wednesday night when their AHL affiliate Hershey Bears took out the Milwaukee Admirals in Game Six to win the Calder Cup for the 9th time in team history. This is the first year the Caps have had their prospects in Hershey and it seemed to pay dividens.

Young guns like Kris Beech, Eric Fehr, and Tomas Fleischmann were the main guys on the scoresheet for the Bears, while defenseman like Mike Green, Lawrence Nycholat, and Louis Robitaille held down the fort infront of Frederic Cassivi. Role players like Dave Steckel and Graham Mink helped out the younger players on the Bears, as the team atmosphere was alive and well. The Bears also had 14 players on the Game Six roster who had been up with the Capitals at one point in time during the season.

Full marks to the Admirals, though, who are the primary affiliate to the Nashville Predators. Goaltender Pekka Rinne, though shaky in Game Six, showed that he's ready for the big time next year and will get the chance with Chris Mason not getting re-signed. Darren Haydar and Simon Gamache led the way for scoring on the Admirals side, while youngsters Shea Weber and Kevin Kline led the way on the blue line.

The Bears tie the old Cleveland Barons (1936-72) win nine Calder Cup trophies to their name, with the Bears last one coming in 1997 while affiliated with the Philadelphia Flyers. Quite a difference three years make, however, as the Bears were out of the playoffs in '03-'04 and '04-'05 while affiliated with the Colorado Avalanche. Now, with the new young crop coming in from Washington, the Bears have plenty to build off of to continue the success.

Six Times The Fun

2006-06-14T22:15:00.000-06:00

Some would say that the Game Five win for the Oilers would make the series interesting. I can see where that would into play, with Doug Weight's future uncertain and the team reeling from an OT loss. Yet, I don't see something like that happening.

Though the Oilers got off the snide on the power play, as well as getting their game back, the Canes are a resilient team. They were able to bounce back after a tough double-overtime loss to the Canadiens on home ice, as well as coming through in a tightly contested Game Seven against the Sabres. Add that to the Oilers somewhat seemingly running out of gas, to use the phrase, the Canes could use this game as further motivation to win the Cup in Edmonton.

That said, full marks to the Oilers for their win tonight. They were able to get on the board real quick, 16 seconds to be exact, and they got a power-play goal, which has been the albatross around their neck for the duration of this series. There's not much you can say about Fernando Pisani either. He's become a big scoring threat and could command a nice little raise when he hits the free agent market this summer.

This was also a breakout game for Eric Staal. The attention that was given to his lack of scoring, his game today (2g, 1a) will still be overshadowed by the Pisani goal. Staal is starting to heat up, which could cause some problems for the Oilers defense for the duration of the series.

I said on my write-up on this blog and on my FantasyHockey.com article, I don't see this going a full seven-games. The FH.com article I said it would be six game or less. If there's a team who has been cooler or calmer in Rexall Place, it's the Hurricanes. For whoever wins, I don't know if anything can top the first period in Game Five.