Nhl

Claude Giroux is proving that concussions do not have a set timetable for return.  For some players, problems with concussions have spanned throughout multiple seasons.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins has missed 68 games – and counting – with a concussion.  David Perron of the St. Louis Blues recently missed 97 games with a concussion issue.  It seems that Giroux will miss just four games.

Continue reading "Giroux Returning to Lineup"

Deryk Engelland may not have received a charging penalty during the game but NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan may be assessing punishment nonetheless.

In the Penguins’ 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday night, Engelland delivered a crushing blow to Chicago Blackhawks rookie Marcus Krueger at the 8:55 mark of the first period.  While Krueger was entering the Penguins’ zone, Penguins forward Pascal Dupuis wrapped him up at the blue line.  Engelland approached Krueger from his right and hit him near the boards.  Engelland led with his forearm, knocking Krueger to the ice.  Despite the monstrous collision, Krueger bounced right back up as Engelland fought with Krueger’s teammate, John Scott.  Engelland was assessed a major penalty for fighting while Scott received a 5:00 major for fighting, a 2:00 fight-instigator minor and a game misconduct. 

Continue reading "Engelland Awaiting Hearing"

The Avalanche have completed a total overhaul in the goaltending department.

Earlier today, the Avalanche traded their first-round draft pick in 2012 and their second-round pick in either 2012 or 2013 to Washington for goaltender Semyon Varlamov.  Now, J.S. Giguere has decided to head to the Mile High City.

Continue reading "Colorado Avalanche Sign Jean-Sebastien Giguere"

A recent Stanley Cup Champion has been brought in to Dallas.

The contract is reportedly for 2 years, $7 million ($3.5M cap-hit).

Michael Ryder, who had 8 goals, 9 assists and 17 points in 25 games during the Bruins Championship playoff-run, signed a two-year deal worth $3.5 million per season. 

Continue reading "Dallas Stars Sign Michael Ryder"

In what may go down as one of the most underrated signings today, the Penguins have brought in right-winger Steve Sullivan.

Sullivan, 36, signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract.  The speedy winger contributed 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points in 44 games last season for the Nashville Predators.  While he has lost a bit of his scoring touch (he once scored 34 goals for the Blackhawks in 2000-01 during the dead-puck era), Sullivan still can get the job done.  Keep in mind that the Predators are a defense-first team; it’s a completely different philosophy in Pittsburgh.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Steve Sullivan"

The most generic name in sports is officially a Phoenix Coyote.

Mike Smith, who played for the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, will be given a shot at being a #1 goaltender this coming season. 

Continue reading "Phoenix Coyotes Sign Mike Smith"

It’s already been a busy day for the Florida Panthers.

Heading into hour #2 of the first day of free-agency, the Panthers have already locked up Jose Theodore, Scottie Upshall and Ed Jovanovski.

Continue reading "Florida Panthers Sign Ed Jovanovski"

With the trades made today, one would think that the Flyers are coming off a dreadful season.

This is not the case, as Flyers GM Paul Holmgren saw his team finish second in the Eastern Conference and third in the entire NHL with 106 points.  Yet today could be the biggest day for player movement in Flyers franchise history.

Continue reading "Analysis of Today’s Moves by the ..."

More often than not, the better goalie will prevail in game seven.

Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins proved just that in game seven of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.  Thomas earned his second shutout of the series, while also recording an amazing 1.15 GAA and a .967 save percentage in the final seven games.  Here is the laundry list of achievements that he can add to his resume:

Continue reading "Thomas Betters Luongo in the End"

Two teams who have been sitting outside of the Stanley Cup Finals for quite some time finally get the chance to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Boston has not seen the Finals since 1990 when they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games.  The Vancouver Canucks are well-documented in their last Stanley Cup Final appearance, when they lost in that memorable seven-game series to the New York Rangers in 1994. 

Continue reading "Stanley Cup Finals Preview: Boston ..."

Over and over again, we have seen penalties hurt a team’s chance of winning games in the 2010-11 NHL Playoffs.  These penalties have been turning into power-play goals with one flick of the wrist or one wind-up from the point.  How important is it to be that guy that gets the all-important power-play goal to give his team a mental edge?

Continue reading "Behind the Numbers: Does the Power-Play ..."

The fate of the one Canadian city left in the Stanley Cup playoffs will be rested on an American.

Ryan Kesler, born in Livonia, Michigan, was a dominating force that the Canucks needed to get past the pesky Nashville Predators.  The feisty center put up an amazing 41 goals in the regular season to lead the Canucks, but was held scoreless in the first round of the playoffs against Chicago.  He did not turn it on until game three of the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

Continue reading "Kesler the Key to Vancouver’s Success"

Remember that Flyers – Bruins series last post-season?  The Blackhawks have it fresh in their memories.

After being down in the series 3-0, the eighth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks have made the series very interesting, winning the last two games in convincing fashion.  After winning game four 7-2, the Blackhawks flew into Vancouver and stole game five, 5-0.  Not only are the Blackhawks staving off elimination, they are chasing Vezina trophy-finalist Roberto Luongo from between the pipes.

Continue reading "Do the Blackhawks Actually Have a Chance?"

We can finally put all of these Kaberle rumors to rest.

The Boston Bruins officially announced on Friday morning that the club has acquired defenseman Tomas Kaberle from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for prospect center Joe Colborne, the Bruins first-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and a conditional second-round pick.  Toronto takes control of the Bruins own second round pick in 2012 if the Bruins can reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011 or if they re-sign Kaberle this summer (Kaberle is an unrestricted free-agent at the end of the season).

Continue reading "Kaberle solidifies a Well-Rounded Boston Defense"

The point is getting pretty clear right about now.

The New York Islanders turned some heads in late-January when they claimed former NHL all-star Evgeni Nabokov off waivers.  That is not what the media is talking about though; after all, NHL followers are used to players getting claimed off waivers after playing in Europe, getting a contract from an NHL team then having to go through the NHL’s questionable waiver process.  Just ask the St. Louis Blues.

Continue reading "“Wow, what’s the point?”"

Jamie Langenbrunner gets to go from the bottom straight to the top. 

The Devils, who are sitting in the NHL cellar with a 10-28-2 record for 22 points, moved their captain Friday morning. Jamie Langenbrunner was sent to the Dallas Stars, the team from which he was originally acquired.

Continue reading "Langenbrunner is a Star Reborn"

What else can go wrong for Craig Anderson?

After suffering a freak knee-injury in warm-ups on October 26, Anderson was the victim of a groin injury Wednesday against Vancouver.  The knee injury came when Anderson was doing a routine wrap-up in warm-ups that consists of all of the Avalanche skaters converging on Anderson in the crease, trying to shove a puck past him.  But Anderson came out of the shuffle with a knee injury that sidelined him ten games, in which the Avalanche went 6-3-1 and outscored their opponents 38-27 during his absence.  Anderson came back with a swift punch to the New York Rangers, stopping 25 out of 26 shots, including a fantastic sprawling save on Marc Staal in the slot.  The Avalanche went on to demolish the Rangers 5-1.  Things were looking very bright in Denver, as the Avalanche played brilliantly without Anderson, and then the star goalie makes a return in a convincing win.  Things sure can change in just a few short days.

Continue reading "Colorado May Struggle Without Anderson"

As a four-time Stanley Cup champion and Olympic hero, Scott Niedermayer hung up the skates for good in June.  This is probably not a surprise to Ducks fans, who have seen their long-time captain toy with the idea of retirement since mid-2007 every season.

Continue reading "Niedermayer Not the Hero Everyone May Think He Is"

It looks like the Devils were more worried about a defensive game than an Ilya Kovalchuk game.

 New Jersey got one of the best shot-blockers in the league.  But don't think that the team is the only winner here; Volchenkov has to be happy that he won't have to block those Brian Rolston bombs anymore.  The Russian defenseman was yet another piece that the Devils knew they needed.  He really brings more of a competitive edge to New Jersey as the league's best shot-blocker.

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils Sign Anton Volchenkov ..."

After gobbling up Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Andrew Ladd from the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks, the Thrashers have signed Chris Mason, formerly of the St. Louis Blues.

Continue reading "Atlanta Signs Chris Mason to a 2-year, $3.7M Deal"

Shane Doan and Ed Jovanovski may have help on the veteran end of things in Phoenix.

Ray Whitney, the long-time member of the Carolina Hurricanes, has decided to sign a 2-year deal that will place him in a young locker room full of impressionable faces. 

Continue reading "Phoenix Signs Ray Whitney to a 2-year, $6M Deal"

The boys in blue found a way to get even meaner on Thursday.

On a team that already sends out Sean Avery, Brandon Prust and Aaron Voros every night, the Rangers went after one of the toughest guys in the league.  Boogaard, after being involved in many rumors of him heading to the Detroit Red Wings, gladly accepted a big contract for a big man (6'8” 257 lbs.). 

Continue reading "New York Rangers Sign Derek Boogaard ..."

San Jose got their starting netminder... sorta.

Antero Niitymaki, the former Flyer and Lightning goalie, has reached an agreement with the West Coast team.  But what does this mean for the Sharks?

Continue reading "San Jose Signs Antero Niittymaki ..."

So... Gonchar, who?

The Penguins may have improved even more this off-season, making a big splash in the free-agent market.  Zbynek Michalek was a very steady-defenseman for the Phoenix Coyotes last season, while Paul Martin was skating the puck down his opponents' throats in New Jersey all season.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Loads up on Defense and ..."

The Flames are taking the stance that if they can't win, they have to stick to what they know.

Both Tanguay and Jokinen are former Flames, though both were at different times.  Is this a questionable move; you bet'cha.

Continue reading "Calgary Goes Old-School; Sign Alex ..."

When you lose to a team in the playoffs, what is the best way to beat them the next season?  By stealing their players, of course.

Sergei Gonchar, an eight-time 50-point scoring defenseman, has called it quits in Pittsburgh and moved on to Ottawa.  Averaging $5.5 million a season, this could prove to be a good signing for Ottawa.  Even at a steep-price for a defenseman, Gonchar has proven time and again that he can still move the puck with the best of them, even at the age of 36.  His 39 assists last season gave him his ninth time of scoring 30 assists or more in a season. 

Continue reading "Senators Sign Sergei Gonchar to a ..."

The Blues got their leading scorer back.

Steen had a semi-breakout year in 2009-10, sharing the Blues lead with a career-high 24 goals, and ranking first on the team with seven power-play goals.  His shot from the point was the driving force behind the man-advantage this season, as he truly developed into a quarterback for his team.

Continue reading "Blues Re-Sign Alex Steen to a 4-year, ..."

Time to jump on the bandwagon – I have compiled a list of what I think will happen in early July during the free-agent frenzy in the NHL.  Some are just thoughts to consider, but I have a few strong beliefs compiled in here as well.  But you really have to ponder over how often us hockey bloggers are actually correct.

Continue reading "Free Agency Spoilers"

Who would have thought that the battle of an aging defenseman and a 17-goal scorer would be the top story heading into the Stanley Cup Finals? 

Chris Pronger has made a living of punishing people when they decide to stand in front of his goaltender.  The 35-year old defenseman has amassed 18 penalty minutes thus far in the 2010 playoffs, including many cross-checking and interference calls while clearing out the front of his net.  But he does not seem to ever give it a rest.  Does Pronger seem to get terrified by the mere thought of Byfuglien standing in front with him?  He seemed to downplay the thought when he was asked if the media is blowing the Byfuglien – Pronger battle out of proportion.

Continue reading "Pronger – Byfuglien Battle Takes Center Stage"

The NHL may be the greatest hockey league in the world, but it may not have the best system for dealing with disciplinary action.  It seems that they could learn from leagues that play under them.  Way way under them. 

Continue reading "Time for a New Disciplinary System"

When Jarmo Kekalainen and his St. Louis scouting crew found T.J. Oshie with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, they knew that they had something special under their watchful eye. They had Blues management draft him with their 24th pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and talks of the future immediately began in St. Louis. Up until his first game in October of 2008, Blues President John Davidson kept promising that Oshie would be one of the future Blues that would rock the NHL. Two seasons into his NHL career, Oshie has found himself a permanent spot in the Blues lineup. But what does he bring to this lineup that has ensured him that spot on the team?

Continue reading "Is Oshie Truly 'Untouchable'?"

Its hard to find a bright spot on a team that is currently ranked 21st in goals scored.  Alex Steen is the exception.

The St. Louis forward was not expected to be an offensive force when he was acquired from Toronto on November 24 with Carlo Colaiacovo for Lee Stempniak. Spanning over his two final seasons with the Maple Leafs, Steen played in 86 games and scored just 17 goals, including a minuscule two goals in his final twenty games.  It was even reported that Toronto head coach Ron Wilson was the only member of the Maple Leafs management team to not even say goodbye to Steen the day of the trade.  Steen came to St. Louis looking like another disappointing forward, since his 24th overall selection in 2002 built him up as the gun the Maple Leafs were looking for.  He may have faltered with his former team, but he seemed to fit in with the Blues after just a few weeks.

Continue reading "Steen Should be Top-Priority"

There are no surprises that the San Jose Sharks are the top team in the Pacific Division.  The real surprise is that the Phoenix Coyotes are just four points behind them with just five games left in the regular season.  How is this possible?  While there are many members of the Coyotes organization to give credit to, only one man has truly led the way for the brilliant performance of the Cinderella team.

Continue reading "Tippett is Clear-Cut Best Coach"

After a long wait, Edmonton finally moved one of their top players.

Only making a minor deal earlier in the day (Cody Wild to Boston for Matt Marquardt), Edmonton was expected to make a fire-sale on the deadline.  The Oilers rank last in the entire league with a dismal 19-38-6 record, recording only 44 points.  Names like Dustin Penner, Sheldon Souray and Andrew Cogliano were all being discussed today, but only one player is on his way out.

Continue reading "Anaheim Trades Ryan Whitney and a ..."

It seems that Leafs' GM Brian Burke has not needed sleep this weekend.

Burke announced on Sunday morning that the team had made two blockbuster moves that will see all-star defenseman Dion Phaneuf and all-star goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere in Maple Leaf jerseys.  Burke shipped forwards Jamal Mayers, Matt Stajan, and Nick Hagman with defenseman Ian White to the Flames for Phaneuf, forward Fredrik Sjostrom and prospect Keith Aulie.  The second trade involved Giguere heading to Toronto from Anaheim for forward Jason Blake and goaltender Vesa Toskala.

Continue reading "Maple Leafs Make Some Big Moves"

Did you see that crazy backhand goal by Michael Del Zotto of the Rangers that snuck its way through Boston's Tim Thomas a few weeks ago?  Of course you did, it was the only afternoon game on that Saturday.

Continue reading "The NHL Could Learn from the NFL"

Brian Burke had to find a way to have his team compete in a tough Olympic tournament in February.

Not long after Canada, Russia, Finland and Sweden announced their Olympic rosters, Brian Burke took center stage to announce his team.  At the Winter Classic on January 1, Team USA was unveiled after a thrilling game between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park.  Burke decided to go with youth to try and capture the Gold.

Continue reading "Is This the Right Team USA?"

I guess Blues management frequents NHL Hockey Online.

Blues President John Davidson announced that the club has relieved Head Coach Andy Murray of his coaching duties (something I eluded to just three days ago).  The team has in turn named Davis Payne the interim head coach. 

Continue reading "Murray Out; Payne In"

A “winning streak” is not a concept that the St. Louis Blues seem to entirely grasp in 2009-10.

The Blues, who did not see their first three-game winning streak until a 2-1 shootout win over the Calgary Flames on December 23, are currently posting a 17-17-5 record, placing them twelfth in the Western Conference and eight points out of a playoff spot.  The record itself is not the biggest problem; it is the lack of production from the core of the lineup.  Before being injured Sunday against the Sabres, left-wing Paul Kariya, who also happens to be drawing $6 million in the final season of his contract, has racked up just eight goals and 19 points in 38 games.  For a former six-time 30 goal scorer, the numbers can speak volumes for the lack of effort the team is seeing from Kariya.

Continue reading "Wrong Coach or Wrong Team?"

Sometimes the best way to learn about a sport is by talking with one of its biggest fans.

Eddie Garcia is a California-native who has followed the Los Angeles Kings for as long as he likes to remember.  He started a podcast with his long-time friend Doug Stolhand after reading a story in a local LA newspaper about a few average Joe's that started their own successful baseball podcast.  Eddie approached his friend about the story, and they sought advice from the baseball podcasters.  3 ½ years later, Eddie and Doug are the only hockey podcast featured on FoxSports.com, and the Puck Podcast has followers from all over the world, making it the number one rated hockey podcast on iTunes.  Eddie had a few minutes to go over his thoughts over the success of his show with me, along with a few thoughts about growing up in LA as a hockey fan and rumblings from around the league. 

Continue reading "A Chat with Eddie Garcia of the Puck Podcast"

Tim Thomas has been the heavy favorite for the starting goaltender position for Team USA in 2010 for quite some time.  But Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller is turning some heads with his strong play to start the 2009-10 campaign.

Continue reading "Miller and Anderson Making Pitch ..."

120:52 is an eternity for the St. Louis Blues.

That is how long it has been since the team has lit the lamp, which occurred on October 28th in North Carolina when David Perron added an empty-net goal to seal a 5-2 Blues victory.  The celebration did not seem to last long.

Continue reading "Bring on the Rivermen!"

I know what you're thinking:  Kind of cliché to say that checking from behind has to be stopped.  I agree.  But part of me feels that the NHL does not do enough to cast aside this dangerous act.

Continue reading "Checking from Behind Must be Stopped"

Only 3 games into the season, the Blues have plenty to talk about.  So lets get started...

Defenseman Barret Jackman sprains ankle; goes on IR (per Jeremy Rutherford).

Jackman will have to miss at least seven days, according to NHL injury reserve stipulations.  The Blues have claimed that this injury is “week to week.”  Jackman was a -1 to start the season, while posting 2 assists.

Continue reading "Blues Early Season News and Notes"

The offensive side of the red line is not the one that aged Blues fans may be used to.

The days of Adam Oates or Pierre Turgeon are over in St. Louis.  It is hard to find which Blue may stand out from the rest, much like the start of last season.  Brad Boyes and David Backes took that spot over with relative ease during the Blues' amazing playoff run.

Continue reading "The Official 2009-10 NHL Hockey Online ..."

What do you get when you mix a group of wily veterans, rising young stars and surprise goaltending?  No, this is not a joke that you heard while playing cards with your grandpa.  The answer is the St. Louis Blues. 

Continue reading "The Official 2009-10 NHL Hockey Online ..."

Could an exhibition game really give bad publicity to a major North-American sports league?

The NHL has constantly been trying to show that their league is the best to the public all over the world.  For the past few seasons, the league has sent four of their teams overseas to play in places such as Germany, Sweden and England.  The teams usually open the NHL regular season a week early, playing two games in the country that they were designated.  This season the league has decided to send the St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings to Sweden, and the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers to Finland.  Not only are these teams playing each other, but they will see time against some of the best teams of the chosen nation in pre-season play.

Continue reading "Inter-League Game Could Spell Bad News for NHL"

Ottawa hockey writers can finally take a small break from their hectic summer before the season starts.  Dany Heatley has officially been moved.

It was announced Saturday afternoon that after many talks with the San Jose Sharks, Heatley and a fifth round pick have been traded to the Sharks for right-winger Jonathan Cheechoo, left-winger Milan Michalek and a second round draft choice in 2010.

Continue reading "The Drama is Over; Heatley Dealt to Sharks"

It's funny how one mistake on an online publication can put a few thousand people in an uproar.

“Phil Kessel Traded to Blues” was the headline on a story without any subtext included with it on Thursday evening.  The New England Hockey Journal, a well-respected hockey website, posted this error that sent the fans of the Bruins and Blues into a state of panic.  Bruins fans were terrified that they did not get a decent return while Blues fans were anxious over who had to be traded.  Online hockey message boards lit up with questions on how the deal went down and when the teams were going to officially announce the news.  The media bonanza even made it as far as ESPN.com when they posted “Rumors:  P. Kessel maybe headed to Blues.”

Continue reading "Misprint Still has St. Louis Buzzing"

Vancouver signs Mathieu Schneider to a 1-Year, $1.55 million contract

The Canucks found the replacement for Mattias Ohlund that they were looking for.

After watching Ohlund sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1st, the Canucks felt a gaping hole in their defensive corps.  Even at the age of 40, Schneider can still play the game.  He only accumulated nine goals in 67 games last season splitting time between the Thrashers and Canadiens, Schneider is still a key for a successful power-play.  6 of his 9 goals last season came with the man advantage, while also amassing 12 power-play assists.  The 20-season veteran will be a nice addition to an already impressive Canuck power-play unit.

Continue reading "Vancouver Adding to D"

After a grueling summer of NHL media not knowing the full synopsis of the Dany Heatley saga, the man in the spotlight finally spoke.

The German-born right winger informed the Canadian media for the first time since asking for a trade in Kelowna, British Columbia about his situation.  Dany stated that his desires of leaving Ottawa have not changed.

Continue reading "Time to Put the Big Boy Pants on Dany"

J.S. Giguere is a Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Stanley Cup Champion and a 4-time 30-game winner.  There is no way any team would want to dump a guy with these credentials, right?  Think again.

Continue reading "What's Brewing in Anaheim?"

The Detroit Red Wings, who just so happen to be the reigning Central Division Champions for the past eight seasons, might find it very tough to nine-peat this season.

The Red Wings are still considered by many to be the top team in the Central Division in 2009-10.  With Pavel Datsyuk playing some of the smartest hockey in the league, Henrik Zetterberg putting pucks in the net more often than not and Nicklas Lidstrom stonewalling forwards more than his goaltender, the Red Wings will put yet another powerful product on the ice.  But in order to retain these all-stars, the Red Wings have had to see their depth take a nosedive.

Continue reading "Its Not Going to be Easy"

Late July is always the time of year that weighs down on hockey fans.  The Stanley Cup has been handed out, the Entry Draft is over and free-agency is pretty much at a standstill.  It always brings in all of those questions regarding if the team has improved or regressed.  Blues fans always have the same question on their mind almost more than any other teams' fans:  When will it be our turn?

Continue reading "Oh Those Summer Blues"

The New York Islanders have made a plunge into the free-agent goalie market this summer, locking up Dwayne Roloson on July 1st and Martin Biron on July 22nd.  This seems like a good tandem for a team that faced its fair share of struggles last season.  There is just one little problem that the Islanders seem to be forgetting; they own a 15-year, $67.5 million goaltender that was once considered the “franchise goaltender.”

Continue reading "Islanders Could Have a Logjam in Goal"

July 9th was a dark day for the Colorado Avalanche hockey club.  After 20 seasons, all being with the Nordiques-Avalanche franchise, long-time captain Joe Sakic announced his retirement from the NHL. Not only did Avalanche personnel say goodbye to their on-ice leader, but their most valuable player.

Continue reading "Avalanche Should Make Pitch for Tanguay"

It was no shock to the city of Anaheim when all-star defenseman Chris Pronger was traded on NHL draft day.  The real shock may come during the 2009-10 season when the Ducks still put out a strong defensive lineup on opening day.

Continue reading "Ducks' Defense Still Staggering"

Martin Havlat saw the writing on the wall in Chicago when they signed winger Marian Hossa to a 12-year contract earlier in the day.  The Wild jumped on the chance at grabbing the free-agent winger.

Continue reading "Wild sign Martin Havlat to 6-Year, ..."

Erik Cole has been brought back to the only team he has ever really wanted to know.

Cole was traded one year ago today from Carolina for Edmonton's Jani Pitkanen.  The trade saw Pitkanen play solid defense for the Hurricanes, but things did not go so well for the Oilers' end of the bargain.  Cole registered just 16 goals in 63 games with Edmonton, before being traded back to Carolina for Patrick O'Sullivan as part of a three-way deal with Los Angeles.  Cole added two more goals with Carolina in 17 games, but the real story was the resurgence of Canes' captain Eric Staal with Cole on his line.

Continue reading "Hurricanes Re-Sign Erik Cole to 2-Year, ..."

The Lightning have empowered their blue line even more this off-season.

After drafting young defenseman Victor Hedman last Friday in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the Lightning have brought in a veteran to further along his progress.  Mattias Ohlund, who has spent his entire 12-year career with the Vancouver Canucks, has moved to the Eastern Conference to play with the young Tampa Bay defense.

Continue reading "Lightning Sign Mattias Ohlund to ..."

 **This deal was declined by Heatley since he has a no-trade clause.  He is buying time, so this deal could still be made.

Analysis:  The Dany Heatley saga has possibly come to a close.  TSN.ca is reporting that Heatley had a chance to be dealt to the Oilers Tuesday night.

Continue reading "Deal Dead -For Now- Senators Trade ..."

Jay Bouwmeester got his wish on Tuesday; a long-term contract worth a handsome sum.  After having his rights traded last Saturday from Florida to the Flames for defenseman Jordan Leopold and a third round pick, Bouwmeester met with Calgary management all week but finally came to a deal just before the deadline.

Continue reading "Calgary Flames Sign Jay Bouwmeester ..."

Analysis:  The biggest name in this deal is obviously 2-time Stanley Cup winner Scott Gomez.  Being signed through 2013-14, this Alaska native has been a slight disappointment for the New York Rangers.  Being signed in the summer of 2007 to a 7-year, $51.5 million deal, Gomez has registered 128 points in two seasons with the Rangers, which is a little lower than the Rangers had originally expected.  In 2005-06, Gomez registered 84 points in 82 games with the New Jersey Devils.  He is still a top-line center, but Montreal will be hoping that he can earn his paycheck with better point totals for the remainder of his contract.

Continue reading "Rangers Trade Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt ..."

St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced Friday that forward Keith Tkachuk has agreed to return to the club for one more year.  The Blues and Tkachuk have been having talks about a return since being ousted from the playoffs in April.  The deal is reportedly worth $2.15 million.

Continue reading "Tkachuk Signs One-Year Contract and ..."

It was reported Friday that Chris Pronger found a new home in the town of Los Angeles.  The unconfirmed reports said that Pronger was sent to the Kings for up-and-coming defenseman Jack Johnson and a fifth-round pick.  The LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks quickly shot down the report.  Kings GM Dean Lombardi was asked via e-mail, and he quickly responded with the simplest of replies:  “No.”

Continue reading "Pronger Trade Rumor Ridiculous"

"It was a really tough decision for me to make," forward Marian Hossa stated last July. "When I compared the two teams, I felt like I would have a little better of a chance to win the Cup in Detroit."

Continue reading "Hossa Perfect Fit for Islanders"

Eric Brewer has an upbeat attitude about his current situation.

"There's never been the thought that I'm never going to play again," Brewer told the media recently. "I never had one doctor or one therapist tell me anything other than you'll be playing. It's been a little bit longer than I would have liked, but that's never been an issue. I've always been told, and I continue to be told, that I'll be fine and I'll be playing hockey."

Continue reading "Brewer Prepared for Return"

Well, you got what you wanted Gary Bettman; your top team is facing your boy in the spotlight.  Everything this season has led up to this great moment; the top plays on ESPN, the featured stories on NHL.com and most importantly, the reminiscing of the last Stanley Cup Final in 2008.  Players and coaches have already begun talks of how exciting the series will be.

Continue reading "Hey NHL, We Don't Care!"

When the St. Louis Blues drafted Barret Jackman 17th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, they thought that they were getting something special.  With Al MacInnis aging and Chris Pronger making All-Star caliber paychecks, the team knew that a young guy had to be brought in to step in and take charge.  Jackman had a great season with the Regina Pats of the WHL in 2000-01, and continued that strong play in St. Louis the following season.  After winning the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year that season, the future was looking bright for the tough defenseman.  But things can go sour as quickly as they get sweet.

Continue reading "Barret Jackman: A Bust in St. Louis"

The defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings have had a strong playoff year thus far and look to be unbeatable.  There does not seem to be any kinks in the red armor they done on their chests.  The Chicago Blackhawks would not have an argument with that after they lost the opening game of their Western Conference Final series 5-2 on Sunday afternoon.  Detroit seems to be chugging along through the playoffs.  Is there anything that can get in their way to stop them from capturing yet another Stanley Cup?

Continue reading "The Red Wings are Beatable"

At the March 4th NHL Trade Deadline, the Florida Panthers were stuck between a rock and a hard place.  Being tied for the eighth and final seed in the NHL playoff picture, the Florida franchise had to decide what was more important: winning in the current moment and going to the playoffs, or trading away a valuable asset to the team to acquire pieces for the future of the franchise.  General Manager Jacques Martin saw it fit to keep that valuable asset, but missed the playoffs just a short month later.  Irony is a sick joke.

Continue reading "What Next for Florida?"

The Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues entered the 2009 NHL Playoffs with high hopes for their respective teams.  Those thoughts became nothing but a few pipe dreams for their fans and players what seemed like minutes after the playoffs had begun.

Continue reading "Poor Early Exits Provide Little Experience"

After a 27-11-7 run spanning through the 2009 calendar year, the Blues did the unthinkable and snuck into the NHL playoffs.  They will take on the third-seeded Vancouver Canucks when they open the series in Vancouver on Wednesday.  After a 2-2-0 record against the Canucks this season, how will the Blues fair in this 2003 Quarterfinal rematch?

Continue reading "Blues-Canucks Series Preview"

The Blues were on the outside looking in on the NHL playoff picture on December 13th, 2008 when they received even worse news; captain and leading minute-man Eric Brewer went down with a herniated disc in his lower back.  Things seemed dreary for the Blues hockey club.  Fans already started calling for the first-round draft choice in 2009 and pretty much gave up hope on any playoff dreams.

Continue reading "Blues Have Been Strong Without Brewer, Legace"

With the third overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, the Atlanta Thrashers knew that they were going to get something special.  Zach Bogosian is confirming that thought.

After seeing clear-cut number one draft-pick Stephen Stamkos head to Tampa Bay, the Kings were on the clock.  With the 2008 Draft crammed with defensemen, the Kings selected Drew Doughty, a Guelph Storm standout in the OHL.  The Thrashers surveyed their opportunities, and landed on physical defenseman Zach Bogosian, another OHL standout.  Playing with the Peterborourgh Petes, Zach was the only defenseman in the league to lead his team in points (61) and was named to the OHL First All-Star Team. 

Continue reading "Bogosian Proving Worth"

Just a few weeks ago, the St. Louis Blues could not find a way to win when it was needed, and were considered to be out of the playoff picture by almost everyone.  But a recent rush by this young team has proven otherwise.  After wins against Los Angeles, Vancouver and two huge wins against Columbus in a home-and-home series, this team looks serious about a playoff push.  They are now clinging to the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference.

Continue reading "Blues are Surging in Wild, Wild West"

The date is March 23rd, 1994.  A packed Great Western Forum hears loud cheers and screams for “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky, to score his 802nd goal, passing his childhood idol Gordie Howe for the all-time NHL goal record.  Geoff Courtnall of the Vancouver Canucks loses the puck on a short-handed opportunity, which results in the Kings skating it back down the rink and Marty McSorley finding an open Wayne Gretzky in the slot.  It was given; the man would score the goal.  Even before the puck was in the net, people rose from their seats and announcer Gary Thorne already had the play call in his head:  “To Gretzky… He scores!  He did it!  He did it!  The greatest goal scorer in National Hockey League history is Wayne Gretzky!”  This game was televised all across the United States and Canada, since the NHL knew that no one would want to miss the special moment.  This was one of the most important days in NHL history.

Continue reading "Brodeur Deserves More Exposure"

With the NHL salary cap in place and newly drawn-up rules and regulations, NHL teams have found it tough to move players on a whim nowadays.  But plenty happened despite that, so lets get started by looking at the big deals that went down today.

Continue reading "NHL Trade Deadline Analysis: Part One"

With the NHL Trade Deadline looming, teams are preparing for a tough day of decisions on how to better themselves for the playoffs, or for the future.

Here is a list of things I believe to happen (or to not happen) by Wednesday, March 4th at 3 p.m. EST.

Continue reading "Trade Deadline Predictions"

On February 25th 2007, the Atlanta Thrashers made a move that they thought could land them a Stanley Cup in their fair city.  After acquiring Keith Tkachuk for three draft picks and Glen Metropolit, Atlanta General Manager Don Waddell saw his team fall in the playoffs after a 4-0 sweep to the New York Rangers.  Keith Tkachuk then re-signed with the St. Louis Blues, rejoining the rebuilding franchise that following summer.  Well it is February 2009, and we are hearing Tkachuk trade talks yet again.

Continue reading "Tkachuk Trade Talk... Again"

When 20 year-old Steve Mason was named as the WJC MVP and the tournament’s top goalie in early 2008, the bar was set high for the youngster.  Leading Canada to a Gold Medal that tournament, the 6’3” goaltender has risen above and beyond those standards.  Posting a league-best .934 save percentage and being tied for first in the league with five shutouts through 23 games, he is pretty much a shoe-in for the 2009 NHL All-Star Game, right?  Wrong.

Continue reading "Where is the Love for Mason?"

With injuries to NHL-regular forwards Paul Kariya, Andy McDonald, T.J. Oshie and Dan Hinote, the St. Louis Blues have had to mix and match players throughout the entire season.  Blues fans have seen the likes of Rivermen Cam Paddock, Brad Winchester, Steve Regier and Chris Porter so far in 2008, not to mention the waiver wire going directly through the Blues, as tough guys David Koci and B.J. Crombeen were picked up at different points (Koci has since been dropped).  With all of these players bouncing around between Peoria and St. Louis, why have there not been any Lemtyugov sightings for Blues fans?

Continue reading "Let's See Lemtyugov!"

The end of the Stempniak era is over in St. Louis.  Being dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, Stempniak will join his new team Tuesday night in Atlanta.  What does this mean for both teams though?

Continue reading "Stempniak Trade Analysis"

When I wake up in the morning and make myself some breakfast I typically enjoy sitting down, turning on the TV and watching SportsCenter to catch up on the latest sports news. I'm still pretty tired and kind of trying to get myself mentally prepared for another day so I figure this is a good thing to watch since it doesn't require much thinking and usually isn't depressing like the news would normally be.

Continue reading "ESPN pisses me off."

In only the third game of the season, the Blues may have already played a defining game. That's tough to say with 79 games left, but in the small sample size we have to judge this year on, the Blues' fans should be very happy.

Continue reading "Blues' Good Start"

Let’s face it; the St. Louis Blues do not exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing offenses.  The Blues allowed 2.83 average goals against per game last season, which sat them at 21st in the league.  They also tied for 26th in the league last season with a total of ten goals against in four-on-four play.  As if these stats were not an eyesore enough for Blues fans to look at, they also ranked dead last in the league in power-play percentage.  Where do our answers lie to fix these problems? 

Continue reading "Schneider a Must for Blues"

Though they don't seem as devastating as the Soriano/Pujols loss I wrote about yesterday, two key players have gone down on two other teams today. Cleveland put Victor Martinez on the DL, while Seattle placed its once-reliable closer JJ Putz back on the DL, both with elbow injuries. And unlike Soriano's freak fracture, there were hints at undiagnosed problems with both Martinez and Putz.

Continue reading "Two Big Injuries, Day Two"