It's Playoff Time...Time To Take A Look Back

This is it. Eighty-two games are in the books. Now, it's a two month sprint to 16 wins. Just to make the playoffs this year was a monumental task, whether you played in the Eastern Conference or the Western Conference. The eighth seeded team in the West, the Winnipeg Jets, needed 99 points to make the playoffs. Things weren't any easier in the East, as Pittsburgh needed 98 points to make the playoffs. That is ridiculous. Every year since the '04-'05 lockout the minimum standard to even make the playoffs has been escalating exponentially. The sad thing, in 2 weeks, 8 of the 16 teams who busted their butts to get to 100 points will be eliminated from the playoffs.

As we get ready to plop down on our sofas to watch some playoff hockey, I would like to take a moment to share some thoughts with you on the 2014-15 season that just wrapped up.

Tanking for Connor McDavid

On the flip side, while the majority of the league excelled this season, a handful of teams, not so subtly, tanked. Edmonton, Toronto, Arizona, Colorado and Buffalo all lost a bunch of games in the hopes of being dead last in the league to better their chance of drafting 1st overall. This year's draft is projected to include at least two potential superstars in Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. The draft lottery determines who will be pick first and the odds of selecting number one overall are greatest if you finish last in the NHL. Quite frankly, I think it's shameful to reward ineptitude. I think that every team should have a chance at the first overall pick, even the Stanley Cup winner. I don't think the odds should be equal either. Back in 2005, the NHL gave everyone the chance to select Sidney Crosby at number one. That year, every team started with three balls in the lottery barrel. A team lost a ball for every playoff appearance in the past 3 seasons or the number one overall pick the previous four years. Buffalo, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers and Columbus had three balls. Anaheim, Atlanta (now Winnipeg), Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Edmonton, LA, Minnesota, Nashville and Phoenix (now Arizona) each had two balls. And the remaining 16 teams each had one ball in play. I believe a similar draft lottery should be in play every season. Any team that makes the playoffs should get one ball and teams that don't make the playoffs should get an extra ball.

One should be cautious about trying to lose anyway. Edmonton provides a sobering example. The Oilers had 3 1st overall picks in a row from 2010-2012, drafting Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov respectively. Again this season, the Oilers have a solid chance of landing the 1st overall pick. The junior hockey league is significantly easier than the NHL. Numerous players have played well at the junior level only to falter in the NHL. Pat Falloon is perhaps the most notable example. His best year was his rookie year, when he notched 59 points, which is solid. If you want to be successful in the NHL you can't just draft the best players year after year. nor, can you buy a championship team with a salary cap in place. Instead, success arises from a combination of solid drafting, good development and recruiting good free agents. Plus, you need a coach/system that gels with the team you have.

Shootouts

Shootouts have been in place to settle tie games that go beyond five minutes of overtime since 2005. You either love shootouts or you hate them. Skilled teams love them. Teams that miss the playoffs by one or two points hate them. The NHL General Managers discussed the issue during their meetings in March. It was forwarded to the competition committee to play 3-on-3 hockey in OT as a way to reduce the number of games decided in the shootout.

In an attempt to reduce the number of shootouts, teams switched ends and there was a dry scrape of the ice, by the Zamboni for the first month and then the ice crew only for the rest of the season. The effort appeared to have little effect. This season, 291 games went beyond regulation time and of those, 173 or 59.4% went to a shootout.

Admittedly, the shootout is not an ideal way to end games but I would take it over a tie game. It would be nice to see more games end before the shootout so I am in favor of some 3 on 3 hockey. There are two proposed formats in play. In one format, teams would start OT 4 on 4 and move to 3 on 3 at the 1st whistle after the 3rd minute. In the second format, OT would be only 3 on 3. I suspect the former will be more likely to be implemented

Goalie Interference

A third hot button issue that came up this season is goalie interference. This has always been a grey area, as often times goalies will flop at any contact to sell a call. My view is the goalie's space is the blue paint and the goalie must have that space. However, I do not think we should go back to 1999 where the Stanley cup was decided on a Brett Hull goal when he had a toe in the blue paint but was not touching the goalie.

At the same time, goalies are not built to take a body check so they must be treated more delicately. In terms of questionable goals, the call should be allowed to be overturned on the basis of interference vs. no interference. I like the idea proposed during the GM meetings where a coach can challenge a call like interference provided the team has a time out.

Five Canadian teams in the Playoffs

Canadian teams overall had great success with five of the seven teams making the playoffs. Toronto and Edmonton were the only teams to miss the playoffs and boy, did they ever. Edmonton's collapse was less surprising given their recent history. Toronto was actually in a playoff position heading into the new year,  then they fired coach Randy Carlyle and the team just gave up. The Leafs won just 5 times after the new year.

Ottawa and Winnipeg snuck in as wildcard seeds and both have potential to do some damage in the playoffs. Their goalies Andrei Pavelec and Andrew Hammond are both on ridiculous hot streaks.

Vancouver is having a bounce back year after missing the playoffs last season. Clearly John Torterella was a bad hire that tried to implement/force upon the Canucks a system that wasn't ideal for their players. They had many injuries last season and their stars, Sedins, Edler and Burrows especially had career low stats and looked awful.

Calgary is a team that is up and coming. They were not expected to make the playoffs and that alone means they should not be taken lightly. Every time the Canucks and Flames have met in round one, the winner has gone on to the cup final.

Will the trend continue? Will we see a Habs-Canucks or Habs-Flames final. Personally, I would love to see the former  match-up as the Canucks and Habs are the two teams I follow most. It's very possible it could happen as the league is wide open this year and every team has weaknesses.


The Habs Season That Was

Montreal had a strong season this year. As mentioned, the bar to even secure a playoff berth was exceptionally high, so it was a massive accomplishment to secure home ice advantage. Do the Habs have concerns heading into the playoffs? Absolutely, but so does virtually every team this year.

Look at Ottawa. Sure, they are riding a hot goalie but Hammond is bound to cool off sometime and the Senators are inexperienced in the playoffs and bound to make mistakes. I thought GM Marc Bergevin made some solid trades this season, getting depth on defense in  Sergei Gonchar and getting rid of bad contracts like Rene Bourque.

Dustin Tokarski held his own as a backup. Carey Price was Carey Price and carried the team on his shoulders numerous times. The Habs must give him more goal support in the post-season or it could be an early exit. I think Montreal will prevail in the opening round but it won't be easy

Buckle up Habs fans. Get your beer and popcorn ready and #GoHabsGo

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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Hockey Day in Canada

Yesterday was special day for two reasons, it was Valentine's day and it was Hockey Day in Canada. This is the day where Canadians come together to watch hockey and to participate in the many activities involving our national sport across our great nation. Yesterday, all seven Canadian NHL teams were in action with six of those teams facing each other. The exception this year is the Winnipeg Jets, who are in Detroit to face the Red Wings. In other games, Ottawa hosted Edmonton, Toronto visited Montreal and in the night game Vancouver was in Calgary to face the Flames. For Canadians, watching hockey on Saturday night is synonymous with Americans watching NFL football on Sundays. It's tradition.

My favorite part of hockey day in Canada, besides watching my three favorite Canadian NHL teams, Montreal, Winnipeg and Vancouver, is hearing some of the wonderful stories CBC produces to broadcast. These stories profile the exceptional people in hockey who have sacrificed so much to play the game of hockey or to help make it happen for others. Here is an example

As a side note, I was born and raised in the Lower Mainland in Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver. We don't get enough snow or sustained freezing temperatures so I never experienced skating on an outdoor rink. However, I did attend the 2014 Heritage classic at BC Place stadium where the Canucks hosted the Senators. It was  OK, but BC Place is a football and soccer stadium. It is not built to host hockey games. As such, I was forced to watch the action on the jumbo-tron

The State of the Canadian NHL teams

Despite the Canadian dollar being weak at the moment, Canadian franchises are thriving. Even in Edmonton and Vancouver, where tickets can be bought dirt cheap, fans continue to fill the stadiums. The situation is not nearly as dire as it was in the mid 90's when Quebec City and Winnipeg were relocated to Colorado and Phoenix (Arizona now) respectfully.

In terms of being competitive, the Canadian franchises are doing well as a whole. Four of the seven Canadian teams have a very good chance of making the playoffs in April (Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Calgary). Edmonton and Ottawa will definitely be on the outside looking in and Toronto requires a strong finish to nab one of the two wildcard spots in the East, but they just started clearing house.

A Canadian-based team has not won a Stanley cup since 1993 when your Montreal Canadiens hoisted the trophy. At the moment, Montreal likely represents Canada's best hope of winning the Stanley cup, but by no means will it be an easy task

Canada internationally

Every year Canada participates in international hockey tournaments, including the World Junior hockey tournament, which brings together the best 19 and under hockey players in the world and the Spengler Cup, which is comprised of players playing in the European leagues. Canada always has and always will be able to put together teams that are medal favorites. This is a testament to the fantastic coaches we have and the wonderful hockey programs kids can enroll in. A medal is less of a guarantee on the larger international ice surfaces as, other than the Spengler Cup, players that play in these tournaments played in the smaller rinks of North America the entire hockey season. Still, one can never count a Canadian hockey team out.

The women's game has a little less parity. The two North American teams, Canada and USA dominate the tournaments and the European franchises get routed when they play Canada or USA. It is to the point where the IOC is considering removing women's hockey as an Olympic sport because only Canada and USA have ever competed for a gold medal. No other country has ever come close.

I would like to give a shout-out to all hockey parents reading this blog. Thank you for putting in the countless hours to allow your son or daughter to play hockey.

So enjoy the games this weekend Habs fans and Go Habs Go

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Canucks (Game #58)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (30-21-6) wrap up their pre-olympic homestand Thursday night when they host the Canucks (27-22-9) at the Bell Centre. The game is set to start at 7:30 and can be seen on RDS and TSN-Habs.

This is the second and final meeting between these two teams. The Canadiens earned a convincing 4-1 win in Vancouver at the beginning of the season, scoring twice on the power play and once shorthanded. Lars Eller was credited with the game winner when Dan Hamhuis got the puck tied up in Roberto Luongo's skates and it found it's way into the net. Raphael Diaz had a pair of assists in the match.

What to Watch:

With the recent trade between these teams it will be interesting to keep an eye on the play of Dale Weise and Raphael Diaz. Weise had 3 shots and played 12:45 Tuesday night in his Habs debut, his fourth highest ice time of the season. Diaz scored Vancouver's only goal in a 3-1 defeat against the Bruins on Tuesday.

The other match up to watch is the goalie duel between 2 of 3 three men fighting for the Team Canada starting goalie spot in Sochi, Carey Price and Roberto Luongo. Price currently has the edge on Luongo with a .923 save percentage to Luongo's .919, but the Canucks goalie has a 2.32 goals against average, slightly edging Price's 2.37. After a string of rough games, Price also has 2 shutouts and just 4 goals allowed in his last 4 games, while Luongo has given up 14 goals in his last 4.

What's at Stake:

The Habs have two games left to play before the Olympic break and with just a 4-point cushion over playoff bubble teams like the Red Wings and Flyers, every point they earn now will help set them up for the race to the end of the season. The Canadiens are also tied with the Maple Leafs for third place in the Atlantic division, but still hold a game in hand.

Who's Out:

The Canadiens are still missing Alex Galchenyuk (hand) until after the Olympics. Travis Moen (lower body) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder) are also questionable.

The Canucks are missing Kevin Bieksa (foot), Christopher Tanev (thumb), Andrew Alberts (head), Brad Richardson, Yannick Weber, and Mike Santorelli (shoulder). Dan Hamhuis and Chris Higgins are also questionable for Vancouver.

What Else:

In three seasons with the Canadiens, Raphael Diaz played 128 games and had 4 goals and 37 assists. At the time of the trade, Diaz hadn't scored a goal yet this season, but he potted one in his first game with the Canucks. Diaz has yet to pick up a point during the playoffs, he played 5 postseason games last year and finished the series against the Senators with a -4 rating. This season, the Swiss defenseman had yet to pick up a goal before scoring in his first game with the Canucks. Diaz will be taking part in his second Olympics, he'll join former Canadien and current Canuck, Yannick Weber, on the Swiss blueline.

The Question Mark:

What was your first impression of Dale Weise and are you expecting him to sign with the Habs this Summer?

Let us know what you think, leave a comment or send us a tweet by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Be sure to tune into the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show an hour before the puck drop and the Post Game Show 5 minutes after the final siren. Join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

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Montreal Canadiens Trade Raphael Diaz to the Vancouver Canucks For Dale Weise, Analysis.

In the early afternoon of February 3^rd Montreal Canadiens defenseman Raphael Diaz was Traded to the Vancouver Canucks for right winger Dale Weise.

Diaz, a 28-year-old Swiss defenseman who carries a cap hit of 1,25 million dollars,

had 11 points in 46 games with the Canadiens this season. Weise, a 25-year-old right winger from Winnipeg, carries a cap hit of $750,000 and had 3 goals and 9 assists for 12 points in 44 games with the Canucks this season. Diaz is slated to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season while Weise will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

Here are their career statistics and physical attributes:

Raphael Diaz 5'11'' 194 LBS

128GP 4G 37A 41PTS 48PIM

Dale Weise 6'02'' 210 LBS

162GP 10G 16A 26PTS 185PIM

Raphael Diaz days with the Canadiens were all but done

Diaz hadn't played a game since January 16^th, has only four career goals and is considered an offensive defenseman. He hadn't been quite as effective since returning from his concussion at the end of last season and with the emergence of prospect Nathan Beaulieu combined with the Canadiens' surplus of defenseman it seemed as if Diaz days with the Canadiens were numbered. The axe was going to fall on someone eventually and it fell on Diaz.

Dale Weise Energy player

Weise will be counted on to provide an energy role for the Canadiens on the fourth line. He is a gritty energy player who doesn't shy away from the physical aspect of the game and that includes fighting.

Expect George Parros to play less now that we have another right winger option in Dale Weise in the line-up. Contrary to Parros, Weise can contribute on the scoresheet. The Canadiens' new #22 is not an offensive dynamo, but will stick up for his team-mates and occasionally put points on the board. He has more goals than Travis Moen and more points than Brandon Prust and Rene Bourque this season. His season high for TOI is 14:43 in a game and usually averages between 7 or 8 minutes per game.

The outcome of this minor deal

Habs traded a player they knew they would let walk at the end of the season and whom was spending more time in the press box than on the ice for a gritty energy role player in the bottom six. That sounds pretty good right??

You could also argue that the Canadiens ruined any trade value Diaz had by letting him sit in the stands. You could say he is an Olympian and he deserved ice time. I don't believe that. He is a bottom-pairing defenseman who is going to be a UFA at the end of the year and he does not bring anything physical to your hockey team. That's what hurt his trade value.

Diaz was one of the Canadiens' only right-handed defensemen and that hurts the team a bit. Playing five left-handed d-men on any given night isn't ideal for any team. His handedness is also something the Canucks needed as well as help on their second power play unit.

Be warned Canucks fans: Diaz is very good at missing the net. He will get to reunite with fellow countryman Yannick Weber. Perhaps the Canucks are trying to assemble the entire Swiss Olympic team's defensive corps? All kidding aside, if Bergevin could have gotten more for Diaz, he would. The GM got market value. I consider market value, even if low, better than letting him go for nothing.

As for Weise, hopefully, he will address the depth issues the Habs are having with their bottom-six forward group. None of the recently called-up Bulldogs really impressed and the Bleu Blanc Rouge needed a gritty player who could come in and provide some energy and maybe a little offense. He is not the solution to the many offensive challenges that have faced the Canadiens this season, but that's not why Bergevin made his acquisition.

Habs also saved $475 000 in cap space, which may be used to bring in some more help.

In closing, I have to say the Canadiens players like Diaz don't have much trade value. If those players are expendable to a team struggling to hang to a playoff spot that means they aren't worth much. Diaz was a healthy scratch for the past two weeks and it would have been amazing to get more for him, but at some point reality has to set in. Best of Luck to Raphael Diaz in Vancouver and welcome to Montreal Dale Weise.

- - -

Mike fell in love with the Canadiens at the age of 6 during the 1992-93 playoffs .When Eric Desjardins scored a hat trick in the finals that year he knew he was hooked. He is based in Montreal and studied Radio-Television. Follow Mike Gowing on twitter @habsosaurus

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Habs/Canucks Post game October 12th 2013

Montreal visited the Canucks on Saturday night and came out with a 4-1 victory.

Carey Price, B.C. native, played his best game thus far, stopping 39 of 40 shots. His presence in net was a calming factor for the team. Save for one turnover by Diaz which lead to the Sedin goal in the second, he should've earned a shutout for the club. His performance was highlighted by a great pad stop on Jason Garrison during a Canucks power-play in the early going.

Lars Eller can do no wrong. He logged in a short-handed goal, continuing his stellar early season play. While this goal will hardly be considered intentional and will likely not be seen again for some time. During a routine dump and change, the puck sailed off of defenceman's Dan Hamhuis' stick, getting lost in Roberto Luongo's skates before crossing the line.

It would be that kind of night for the Canucks as nothing they did seemed to have any impact on the Canadiens play.

The match-up of the evening was the defense pairing of Gorges and Diaz against the top line for the Canucks. Despite allowing the one goal, the tandem was otherwise perfect in limiting the twins scoring chances and keeping the lead. Both even managed to get on the scoresheet, Diaz would log 2 helpers and Gorges even managed to score a goal in front of his grandmother in attendance! A glimpse of that footage made everyone smile.

The Gorges goal was not simply a just dessert for the defenceman, but also a great desert for the Habs' 4th line. With captain Gionta at home due to a personal issue, Bournival was called upon again to play with White and Moen. Moen's faceoff win to Diaz lead to the goal. They played incredibly well, given that coach Tortorella was constantly using the final change in order to send the twins out while the 4th line was making their way onto the ice.

Quitely having a good game was Tomas Plekanec. The early going of the season has centered around the play of the young Canadiens and tonight Plekanec showed why he is an important part of the puzzle. He lead all forwards in short-handed TOI, finishing second total among forwards and he had an assist on the power-play on the Pacioretty goal. His game was not flashy but it was effective, and more of these performances need to occur to keep the teams winning ways alive.

A line that was practically invisible Saturday night: Desharnais, Bourque and Prust. The fact that they did not stand out could be seen as a positive, since they didn't concede anything either, meaning the team didn't lose any points. The concern going forward is that it is only so long before they encounter a team with more depth that will make the most of their match-up. Give coach Therrien credit for allowing them to try and find some chemistry but they'll need to start producing.

The west coast trip wraps up in Winnipeg on Tuesday night. The opportunity to win 3 of 4 games against the perennially difficult western conference match-ups is one the Canadiens will embrace. Their last couple of performances indicate they are making strides towards their chase for the post-season.

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Schneider returns to Vancouver

Last night the New Jersey Devils visited the Vancouver Canucks.

While most fans in Vancouver are accustomed to seeing one of Roberto Luongo or Cory Schneider in nets. Tuesday night, they were able to see both at the same time.

During the NHL entry draft last season, each team made a splash. The Devils dealt the 9th overall selection to Vancouver in exchange for Cory Schneider. Many speculated that Luongo would be the one shipped out. He was admittedly surprised when his name was not the one called to leave town.

Never the less, the NHL is still a business and managers must act accordingly in what they believe is in the best interest of their clubs.

For the Devils, they acquired the heir to the Hall of Fame bound Brodeur. And the Canucks...they acquired a top ten selection and drafted center Bo Horvat.

For many years fans of each franchise will wonder what could have been.

On the Vancouver side, will Luongo remain on top of his game and help the Canucks make the most of their seemingly closing window of opportunity to win a Stanley cup? Will Horvat become a top-6 forward for them worthy of trading away their "goaltender of the future"?

As for the Devils, they have their heir apparent now, but wil Schneider fill in the void that will be left when Brodeur decides to hang up the skates? Or should they have drafted a blue chip prospect to help bolster an aging roster, currently the oldest in the league?

Right now, it is impossible to gauge who won the deal.

For Montreal Canadiens fans, this scenario can be compared to the Eller/Halak trade with St-Louis. A forward prospect in exchange for a goalie who had just gotten his team to a conference final. Right now, Montreal is quite content with how Eller is playing, and St-Louis is also happy with Halak, despite his inability to remain healthy. It would appear as though it was a win-win using hindsight.

Although many deals in the NHL typically favor one side. It would be nice to see another deal work out in each clubs best interest. This particular deal does have the pieces to make that a possibility.

(Photo Courtesy of Vancouver Sun) 

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Hockey Hall of Fame, 16 D Before P.K Subban, NHL-NHLPA Issues, More

Good AM hockey fans.

As you probably all saw, four new individuals were added to the Hockey Hall of Fame this week.

Adam Oates, Joe Sakic, Mats Sundin and Pavel Bure are the latest additions to the prestigious organization.

Of course, as is often the case, pundits have already begun making their selections for the 2013 inductees, including recently retired players such as Chris Chelios and Eric Lindros.

Who would you add in 2013?

Habs and Hockey News

- Fred Poulin takes a fantastic look at the 16 — yes, 16! — blueliners chosen before P.K Subban in 2007.

- Blake Geoffrion father, Danny, talks about his son's recent injury scare.

- Ken Campbell takes a look at the oft-underappreciated Adam Oates.

- According to Steve Fehr, three outstanding issues remain before a deal can be reached between the NHL and NHLPA. Stu Hackel takes a look at the subject of contract rights. Elsewhere, Ken Campbell argues that Donald Fehr's tactics are beginning to get in the owner's heads.

- Joe Sakic and Mats Sundin say they would love to see an NHL team back in Quebec City. Personally, I'd just love to see an NHL team again at this point.

(Photo via the Canadian Press/TSN.ca) 

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NHL and NHLPA meet again, P.K Subban Having Fun, Gino Odjick, More

Happy Friday!

After touching on the make-whole provision, the NHL and NHLPA reportedly discussed revenue sharing as part of their ongoing, week long CBA negotiations.

Both sides are again slated to sit down today.

Adam Proteau argues that there could be reason for some"cautious optimism" as it looks like the NHL is getting serious. Heck, at this rate, we could actually have an NHL season.

After that, all the Montreal Canadiens would need to do is sign P.K Subban...

Habs and Hockey News

- Speaking of P.K Subban, Michael Traikos of the National Post has a piece on the young rearguard and how he is living with the lockout.

- Cool little piece on RDS illustrating the unlikely friendship between Gino Odjick and Pavel Bure. I used to love having Odjick as the Habs' enforcer. No one else has really filled his shoes since.

- Buffalo Sabres' forward Cody Hodgson was injured in an AHL contest.





(Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images North America)

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Top 20 Overpaid NHLers

With the imminent lock-out looming, let’s have a look at the most overpaid players in the National Hockey League hat could be victim of an amnesty buy-out should the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) contain such a clause.

The following players don’t contribute as much as their team and the general manger who signed them would like, and more often than not the organization is stuck with their horrendous contracts. 

Please note that I have not included any player whose contract is buried in the AHL such as Wade Redden or Rotislav Olesz. Players are listed by team alphabetical order and by cap hit.

Ville Leino, Buffalo Sabres, $4,500,000 cap hit Signed to a six-year deal as a free agent by the Sabres last summer, Leino was  a major disappointment in Buffalo in his first campaign with the team. With only 8 goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 71 games, Leino is still considered the worst free-agent signing of 2011 following a 53-point campaign with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010-11.

Christian Ehrhoff, Buffalo Sabres, $4,000,000 cap hit While his cap hit is not terrible, the length of Ehrhoff’s contract is, as he is signed through 2021. In 66 games last year, the German defenseman only recorded 5 goals and 27 assists for 32 points with the Sabres. Ehrhoff will earn a mere $8 million in 2012-13 thanks to his front-loaded contract.

Mike Cammalleri, Calgary Flames, $6,000,000 cap hit Acquired from Montreal by Calgary in exchange for Rene Bourque during the 2011-12 season, Cammy has been a major disappointment, save of the playoffs, since he left the Flames after the 2008-09 campaign. Over three years in Montreal, he never recorded more than 50 points and played more than 67 games. In 66 games with the Habs and the Flames last year, he only scored 20 goals and added 21 assists for 41 points.

Jay Bouwmeester, Calgary – $6,680,000 cap hit Acquired from Florida by the Flames before the 2009-10 season, Bouwmeester’s offense has always been overrated, having never broke the 50-point barrier in a single season. Entering the last year of his five-year contract, Bouwmeester notched only 5 goals and 24 assists for 29 points in 82 games. He is the NHL’s current iron man with 588 consecutive games played. The Flames are currently shopping him for offensive help, but obviously have found no takers thus far.

Joni Pitkanen, Carolina Hurricanes, $4,500,000 cap hit Acquired in a trade from Edmonton by Carolina a few years ago, Pitkanen is clearly on the decline following an injury-ravaged season during which he scored 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points in only 30 games. The Finnish rearguard has been slowed down by injuries his whole career and with the emergence of Jamie McBain and Justin Faulk, look for Pitkanen’s offensive role to diminish even more.

Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche, $6,600,000 cap hit After a solid 2009-10 season when he scored 20 goals and added 59 assists for 79 points in 81 games, Stastny followed with two disappointing seasons of 57 and 53 points in 74 and 79 games. The Quebec City native looks lost on the ice, and with the emergence of dynamic youngsters like Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog, Stastny is no more than a second-line player for the Avs.

Shawn Horcoff, Edmonton Oilers, $5,500,000 cap hit Once a productive offensive player — he recorded 73 points in 2005-06 — Horcoff has slid down the Oilers’ depth chart with the emergence of talented youngsters such as Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. As a result, Horcoff only recorded 34 points in 81 games for the young Oilers in 2011-12, and there is no reason to think his production will improve with RNH and Sam Gagner in front of him at center.

Ales Hemsky, Edmonton Oilers, $5,000,000 cap hit One of the league's most enigmatic talents, Hemsky is a very gifted, yet inconsistent, winger. The flashy European has also missed 108 games over the past three seasons, playing 69 games last year and recording a disappointing production of 10 goals and 26 assists for 36 points. With Nail Yakupov and Jordan Eberle in front of him on the right wing, Hemsky’s 70-point seasons are well past him.

Ed Jovanovski, Florida Panthers, $4,125,000 cap hit Signed as a free agent to a four-year contract by Florida last summer, Jovocop is more like a mall guard these days. With only 13 points in 66 games last season, Jovanovski has seen his offensive output decline steadily since his 51-point campaign in 2007-08. The oft-injured rearguard also finished 2010-11 with only 14 points in 50 games with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Dany Heatley, Minnesota Wild, $7,500,000 cap hit Since his productive campaign of 82 points in 82 games with the San Jose Sharks, Heatley’s offensive production has waned considerably with the Wild. Last year, Heater reached an all-time low since the lock-out, recording only 24 goals and 29 assists for 53 points in 82 games with Minnesota. The team certainly hopes the signatures of unrestricted free agents Zach Parise and Ryan Suter will reinvigorate Heatley.

Scott Gomez, Montreal Canadiens, $7,357,143 cap hit Acquired prior to the 2009-10 season by Montreal, Gomez had an average campaign three years ago, recording 59 points in 78 games. However, since then, his play has declined precipitously. In 2010-11, he only managed seven goals and 38 points in 80 games, while he only notched 2 goals and 9 assists for 11 points in 38 games last year. Gomez even went a full calendar year without scoring a goal in the NHL!

Rick Dipietro, New York Islanders, $4,500,000 cap hit Re-signed to a 15-year contract prior to the 2006-07 season, Dipietro’s career has been marred with injuries. Last season, more of the same happened as he only dressed for eight games, posting a mediocre 3.73 GAA and a pathetic .876 save percentage before sustaining a groin injury. That same injury might end his career and Islanders' fans secretly hope he will never the don their uniform again.

Lubomir Visnovsky, New York Islanders, $5,600,000 cap hit After his best offensive season in the NHL, in which he scored a league-leading 68 points among defensemen, Visnovsky was a big disappointment last year in Anaheim. The talented rearguard had only 6 goals and 21 assists for 27 points in 68 games before the Ducks decided to trade in the off-season to the Islanders. The organization really hopes he will rebound from his miserable campaign as the Isles are really thin on the blue line at the moment.

Paul Martin, Pittsburgh Penguins, $5,000,000 cap hit Signed as a free agent in the summer of 2010, Martin was brought for his steady and calm presence on the blue line. After a so-so campaign in 2010-11 during which Martin managed 24 points in 77 games, the 31 year-old blue liner had a tough season in 2011-12 despite the Penguins’ success. In 73 games, Martin recorded only 2 goals and 25 assists for 27 points in 73 contests. He was particularly bad in the Penguins’ first round exit against the Flyers.

Martin Havlat, San Jose Sharks, $5,000,000 cap hit Acquired in the summer of 2011 from the Wild for forward Dany Heatley, Havlat has had trouble adapting to his new team after a 62-point campaign in Minnesota in 2010-11. Havlat only managed to participate in 39 games for the Sharks due to injuries, recording 7 goals and 20 assists for 27 points. If Havlat manages to finally stay healthy, he could provide much-needed secondary scoring for the puzzling Sharks.

Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning $7,727,273 cap hit Lecavalier was signed to a 11-year contract extension by Tampa Bay before the 2009-10 season. Lecavalier rewarded the Lightning with a paltry 70-point campaign in 2009-10 and an even less impressive season of 54 points in 2010-11. Last season, Lecavalier was inconsistent and injured, scoring only 22 goals and adding 27 assists for 49 points in 64 games, which is not enough for the captain of the franchise.

Tim Connolly, Toronto Maple Leafs $4,750,000 cap hit Connolly did what was expected of him last season for the Maple Leafs – get injured. After a strong start with his new team — 12 points in 12 games — Connolly’s production plummeted and he finished the campaign with only 24 points in his last 58 games, missing 12 games due to injuries. The last time Connolly played a full season is ten years ago when he played 80 games for the Buffalo Sabres in 2002-03.

Mike Komisarek, Toronto $4,500,000 cap hit After flourishing as a bruising defenseman alongside Andrei Markov, Komisarek joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2009. Last year, Komisarek had only one goal and four assists for five points in 45 games. Often a healthy scratch with the Leafs, Komisarek also broke his arm, an injury that sidelined him for almost eight weeks. And oh, Komi managed to post a brutal -13 plus/minus differential along the way.

Keith Ballard, Vancouver $4,250,000 cap hit Currently in the fourth year of a six-year deal, Ballard has been far from impressive since his acquisition from the Panthers. Ballard was often made a healthy scratch during the Canucks cup run two springs ago and last year, only recording a mere seven points in 47 games during a season filled with injuries. Let’s hope for Canucks fans that the signature of another ex-Panther, Jason Garrison, doesn’t turn into another bad contract!

Roberto Luongo, Vancouver $5,333,333 cap hit Luongo’s play has been slowly fading in recent years, and his inconsistency in the last two playoffs have planted a seed of doubt in the mind of Canucks' fans. With nine more years to go to his twelve-year contract and the emergence of über-talented netminder Cory Schneider, Luongo is no longer the clear no. 1 goaltender in Vancouver. Bobby Loo had good numbers in 2011-12: 31 wins and 14 losses with a 2.41 GAA to go along with a .919 save percentage in 54 starts. However, Schneider posted even better numbers, going 20-8 with an incredible 1.96 GAA and a spectacular .937 save percentage. Any takers for Luongo and his bloated contract?

If you think I missed an overpaid NHLer, please let me know in the comments section.

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Follow me on Twitter for more updates on the NHL and hockey in general.

Article originally published at thehockeywriters.com

(Photo by SMI Agency) 

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2012-13 NHL Regular Season Predictions: Western Conference

August is always a time of slow NHL news, especially since the free agency “frenzy” has cooled down and NHL training camps are still about a month away.

However, with a lockout looming over the league and the players—following Gary Bettman’s announcement yesterday that there will be no hockey in October if the NHLPA and the NHL don’t find a way to come to an agreement and renew the current CBA (which is set to expire on September 15, 2012)—the following rankings will most likely change or won't happen at all if the entire season is wiped out!

2012-13 NHL regular season predictions: Western Conference

15. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS = 69 points

After a very difficult season during which the Jackets collected only 65 points, GM Scott Howson was faced with the biggest challenge of his career: trade his captain Rick Nash.

That’s what he finally did on July 23rd, sending him to the Rangers in exchange for Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon and a 1st round pick—not the kind of return Blue Jackets fans were expecting for their franchise player.

With Nash gone, only Vaclav Prospal scored more than 50 points last season among the current Columbus players. It will be hard to win games for the Blue Jackets this season, and despite improving their defensive corps with the acquisition of Jack Johnson and the drafting of Ryan Murray, the season will be very long for head coach Todd Richards.

The tandem of Steve Mason and Sergei Bobrovsky is not the solution in goal.

14. PHOENIX COYOTES = 76 points

The uncertainty regarding the team ownership has caused a lot of headaches to GM Don Maloney this off-season. Veterans Ray Whitney and Adrian Aucoin left via free agency, and support players such as Tom Pyatt and Gilbert Brule signed elsewhere.

Maloney replaced Aucoin’s veteran presence with Zbynek Michalek on the blue line, but up front, the only notable players willing to sign in Phoenix were power-play specialist Steve Sullivan, band-aid boy David Moss and journeyman Nick Johnson...not a lot of firepower.

Yet, the biggest question remains: will captain Shane Doan re-sign with the only franchise he ever played for during his career? With or without Doan, Mike Smith will not repeat last year’s performance and the Coyotes will fall in the standings as a result.

13. CALGARY FLAMES = 80 points

The Flames leaders, Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, are not getting any younger and Calgary still lacks a true No.1 after the departure of Olli Jokinen via free agency.

GM Jay Feaster solidified his blue line by signing rearguard Dennis Wideman, but failed to address the team’s lack of scoring of last year. He replaced Jokinen’s 61-point production with Jiri Hudler’s 56 points, which is not exactly an improvement, especially since Hudler mostly played wing last season.

Former KHLer Roman Cervenka and prospect Sven Baertschi will certainly provide more offensive support, but it will not be enough to make the playoffs in the very tight Western Conference.

12. NASHVILLE PREDATORS = 82 points

Ryan Suter’s departure via free agency will hurt the Predators more than you realize and with no notable acquisition this off-season, GM David Poile will have to find other ways to give more scoring punch to his head coach Barry Trotz.

Also not returning are troublesome forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn, as well as veteran blue-liner Francis Bouillon. Luckily for Trotz, Poile matched the Flyers’ offer sheet for Shea Weber, otherwise they would finish even lower in the rankings. Look for Pekka Rinne to keep the Predators in most games, but he will be on the losing end of them on most nights.

11. EDMONTON OILERS = 85 points

As much as we all want to see the entertaining Oilers make the playoffs and have success, their lack of defensive depth and the instability in net will hurt them this season.

While youngters such as Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Nail Yakupov will be interesting to watch and will rack up points for the young Oilers, overpaid veterans like Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky keep disappointing year after year.

On defense, the signature of über-prospect Justin Schultz will certainly help on the power play, but their lack of mobility after Ryan Whitney—who missed 78 games in the past two seasons—is a detriment to the team’s run-and-gun offense. In goal, Devan Dubnyk will get the bulk of the word load while washed-out veteran Nikolai Khabulin plays the last year of his horrible contract.

10. ANAHEIM DUCKS = 88 points

Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf will rebound from subpar seasons in 2012-13, but it won’t be enough for the Ducks to make it back to the playoffs. Veterans Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne are not getting any younger, and the Ducks are not very deep at forward.

On defense, Lubomir Visnovsky’s departure will be filled by offensive-minded defender Sheldon Souray, and Bryan Allen will also add some sandpaper on the blue line. In goal, Viktor Fasth will challenge starter Jonas Hiller for playing time.

Ultimately, the Ducks will improve under head coach Bruce Boudreau, but their evident lack of depth will be their demise.

9. COLORADO AVALANCHE = 90 points

The young Avs are certainly in the right direction with a young core of talented players such as Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan O’Reilly.

If Paul Stastny can rediscover his scoring touch and complimentary players such as David Jones, Steve Downie and Jamie McGinn score on a regular basis, the Avalanche will be in the thick of the playoff race until the end.

The team also signed UFA P-A Parenteau to provide more offense.

On the blue line, the team lacks mobility and offensive instincts after Erik Johnson. Veterans like Jan Hedja and Greg Zanon, while good defensively, have a heard time contributing offensively. The goaltending tandem of Semyon Varlamov and J-S Giguere, while good, won’t be enough consistent for the Avalanche to make it back into the spring dance.

8. MINNESOTA WILD = 93 points

With the notable signings of Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, the Wild made the biggest splash of the summer on the free agency market. The two talented players will provide a much-need offensive boost to the goal-starving Wild.

The arrival of talented prospect Mikael Granlund to the existing group of Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi will give the Wild two good scoring lines. Suter’s presence will solidify a young and unproven defensive corps including Tom Gilbert, Jared Spurgeon and Marco Scandella.

In net, Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding are one of the best goalie tandems in the league. Look for a slow start for the Wild as their new players adjust to their surroundings, which is why they will not finish higher.

7. DETROIT RED WINGS = 96 points

The Red Wings are bound to go down the standings after losing Nicklas Lidstrom (retirement) and Brad Stuart (free agency). Their departures mean that youngters like Jakub Kindl and Brendan Smith will finally get their chance on the thinnest defensive corps the Wings will use in a long time.

At forward, the Wings are still very deep with offensive dynamos like Pavel Datysuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula. Jimmy Howard will be the go-to guy in goal, with former Maple Leaf Jonas Gustavsson backing-up.

6. SAN JOSE SHARKS = 98 points

Gone are the days of total regular season dominance for the Sharks, as Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton’s performances have dwindled in the past few years.

Dynamic forwards Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski are ready to take over the challenge to lead this unpredictable team deep into the playoffs. If Martin Havlat can stay healthy and Brad Stuart gives the Sharks more stability on the blue line, there is no doubt the Sharks will finish with a similar point total than last year.

Anti Niemi and Thomas Greiss make up for a solid goaltending duo.

5. DALLAS STARS = 99 points

The revamped Stars will be interesting to watch this season with newly acquisitions Derek Roy (BUF), Jaromir Jagr (UFA) and Ray Whitney (UFA) providing much needed offensive punch to the team.

Gone are Radek Dvorak, Sheldon Souray and Mike Ribeiro.

With Ribs gone, Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson are Dallas’ new offensive leaders and will be heavily relied upon this season. Head coach Glen Gulutzan also hopes that his veteran Brenden Morrow will be fully healed after an injury-riddled campaign in 2011-12.

The Stars can also count on a trio of steady blue liners in Stephane Robidas, Trevor Daley and Alex Goligoski. Kari Lehtonen will get the bulk of the workload in goal.

4. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS = 103 points

The Blackhawks didn’t make any major changes in the off-season already counting on a solid team despite an early playoff exit last spring. Talented players such as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp lead the way offensively.

The top defensive pairing of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook remains one of the most efficient duo in the NHL. Gone are veterans Sean O’Donnell, Brendan Morrison and Andrew Brunette. Youngters Brandon Bollig, Jimmy Hayes and Andrew Shaw are ready to step up and give the Blackhawks the depth the team has been lacking in recent years. Joel Quenneville hopes Corey Crawford will rebound from a dreadful playoff series against the Coyotes.

3. ST. LOUIS BLUES = 105 points

The Blues opted for stability this off-season, keeping fairly the same line-up other than letting go veterans Jason Arnott, Kent Huskins and Carlo Colaiacovo.

A healthy David Perron and prospect Vladimir Tarasenko will give an offensive boost to an already potent forward group composed of T.J. Oshie, Patrick Berglund, Andy McDonald and David Backes.

On defense, Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk will lead the way offensively, while veteran Barret Jackman and undervalued Roman Polak will neutralize the opposing forwards.

Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott will continue to be brilliant as Ken Hitchcock will lead his promising team to another playoff berth.

2. VANCOUVER CANUCKS = 108 points

After a first round exit, the biggest question mark surrounding the Canucks is the status of elite goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Will the team trade him or keep him in the fold with stellar young goalie Corey Schneider?

The Sedin twins will continue to be the spark plugs of the Canucks’ offense, while Ryan Kesler, David Booth and Alex Burrows will provide Vancouver with complementary scoring.

On defense, gone are Sami Salo and Aaron Rome, replaced by power-play specialist Jason Garrison who will form a dynamic offensive trio with Alex Edler and Kevin Bieksa. Overall, the Canucks are expected to repeat last season’s performance, save for the first round exit.

1. LOS ANGELES KINGS = 112 points

The Stanley Cup champions are bound to continue rolling with their momentum and have a great season.

Almost every player from last year Cup run will be back which means that Jonathan Quick will have a very deep team in front of him.

With impact players like Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter at forward and quarterback Dew Doughty on defense, the Kings are filled with star players.

Los Angeles also relies on steady veterans like Justin Williams, Jarret Stoll and Simon Gagne to score goals, as well as unheralded rearguards such as Rob Scuderi, Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell to protect their net and prevent scoring chances. Quick should be the #1 consensus pick among goalies next season.

Do you agree to the above predictions? If not, why?

The regular season predictions for the Eastern Conference can be seen here.

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Follow me on Twitter for more updates on the NHL and hockey in general.

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Weber in shock, Canucks signings, Rumours, Luongo to Blackhawks? and more

Morning puck addicts!

Like today's news, I'll be brief this morn as I'm on my way out the door. There is not a lot going on this morning in the world of hockey.

Except, of course, more discussions about Roberto Luongo and where the Canucks will trade him to.

The only other news of note is the discussions surrounding Nashville all-star defenseman, Shea Weber. The Preds are currently negotiating with him but, given his shock at seeing fellow defender, Ryan Suter, leave town via free-agency, there is no guarantee he too won't ask to leave.

Interesting times indeed. Well, unless you're a Preds fan. In that case, the times are decidedly precarious!

Hockey News

TSN - CANUCKS ADD TO BLUE LINE DEPTH WITH JOSLIN, MULLEN SIGNINGS

TSN - GARRISON SIGNS SIX-YEAR, $27.6 MILLION DEAL WITH CANUCKS

ESPN - Luongo not ruling out Blackhawks

ESPN - 2012 NHL Free Agents

ESPN - Agent: Shea Weber in state of disbelief

THN - Brad Richards is Rich, and loved, in Manhattan

Spector's Hockey - NHL Trade and Free Agent Rumors – July 7, 2012

(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images North America)

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Qualifying Offers, Free Agents, Hall of Fame, CBA and More

Good morning Hab fans!

Yesterday was the deadline to present qualifying offers to restricted free agents.

As a result, the Montreal Canadiens qualified a total of ten players, retaining P.K Subban, Raphael Diaz, Alexei Emelin, Brendon Nash, Frédéric St-Denis, Lars Eller, Ryan White, Aaron Palushaj, Blake Geoffrion and Andreas Engqvist.

Michael Blunden and Petteri Nokelainen, amongst others, were not extended a contract and will become unrestricted free agents.

In fact, on a league-wide scale, quite a few interesting names did not receive offers and can also become free agents.

Quebecois blueliners Bruno Gervais and Marc-André Gragnani were released by their respective squads. Gragnani's lack of offer is most perplexing, seeing as how the Vancouver Canucks made a significant trade to acquire his services - along with Zack Kassian - at the deadline.

Angelo Esposito, a former first round draft pick whom many envisioned in Montreal, is also a free agent now.

Do you think Marc Bergevin should target any of these new free agents?

Update - HFBoards has an excellent table of RFAs and their status. Apparently, Guillaume Latendresse was also not extended a QO. Thoughts on that everyone?

Habs and Hockey News

HabsAddict -Montreal Canadiens 2012 Draft Picks Review: Grade A

HabsWorld - Habs issue qualifying offers

La Presse - Gomez: le rachat de contrat n'est pas si simple

La Presse -Alex Galchenyuk: de bonnes notes de son entraîneur

RDS - CH : offres qualificatives à 10 joueurs

RDS - Bouillon et Gervais joueurs autonomes

USA Today -NHL labor negotiations about to begin

USA Today - Hall vote: Sakic, Shanahan to get in; Shero, Burns should

USA Today - Jets' Pavelec signs five-year, $19.5M deal


(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images North America)

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Devils/Kings post game, Canucks off season, Audette meets Bergevin, Rumours and more

Morning puck fans!

What a game last night, eh? In what was a bit of a wild one, the Devils manage to stave off elimination, downing the Kings 2-1.

In another close game, Devils' grizzled veteran netminder, Martin Brodeur, was a show stopper. He turned aside 25 stops to keep the Kings at bay.

The result was the first road loss of the playoffs for the Kings (previously 10-0).

I don't know about you, but this looks like the first bit of adversity the Kings have had to face. I know, I know, they still lead the series 3-2, but we will now get to see how mentally resilient they are.

With the series now shifting back to L.A. for Game 6, does doubt start to creep into the Kings' minds? They already lost once at home, so it's possible to lose there again. And if they do lose and the series goes back to Jersey for Game 7, how do they pull out the win with the Devils carrying all the momentum.

Questions, questions. Whatever happens, Game 6 is going to be one hell of a game!

Hockey News

RDS - Au tour d'Audette de rencontrer le CH

Habsworld.net - Evaluating the Options: Nail Yakupov

TSN - DREGER'S MAILBAG: TALKING RADULOV, ISLES AND PATRICK KANE

TSN - CULLEN: DEVILS FORCING THEIR WAY BACK INTO CUP FINAL

TSN - DEVILS HANG ON AGAINST KINGS TO FORCE GAME 6

TSN - DEVILS' BRODEUR HOPES TO MAKE LIFE MISERABLE FOR KINGS

TSN - OFF-SEASON GAME PLAN: VANCOUVER CANUCKS

ESPN - Brodeur gets last laugh in Game 5

ESPN - Adversity has found the Kings

THN - THN at the Stanley Cup: Bryce Salvador, New Jersey's unlikely hero

Spector's Hockey - NHL Trade and Free Agent Rumors – June 9, 2012

(Photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Devils Force Game Seven, Luongo Out? and More

Good morning Hab fans!

It's been a while, but there was actually a fair bit of Montreal Canadiens related news yesterday, namely concerning Max Pacioretty, Danny Kristo and Jim Nill. Details can be found here.

Elsewhere, it increasingly looks like Roberto Luongo's days in Vancouver are numbered. In the final day of media availability yesterday, he said in no uncertain terms that he would waive his no-trade clause.

However, with teams succeeding with far cheaper and younger netminders — Mike Smith, Jonathan Quick, Jaroslav Halak, Brian Elliot and Braden Holtby immediately come to mind — who will want Luongo's expensive contract?

Good luck with that.

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Habs Roundup: Pacioretty, Nill and Kristo

La Presse - Les défis du futur DG du CH

TSN - Alfredsson, Lupul, Pacioretty finalists for Masterton Trophy

TSN - Habs GM candidate Nill says he's staying with Red Wings

Hockey News

ESPN - End of the road for Luongo in Vancouver?

The Hockey News - The series hockey forgot heads to Game 7

The Hockey News - Rory Boylen: Coaching, goaltending and discipline carry the West

TSN - McKenzie: A healthy Zajac makes the Devils a better team

TSN - Armstrong, Poile and Tallon nominated for NHL GM award

TSN - Crosby, Toews decline invitations to World Championship

USA Today - Devils top Panthers, force Game 7

(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Roy Video, Torres, Penguins, Canucks, Senators and More

Good morning hockey fans!

Both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks avoiding getting swept in a big way last night.

The Pens crushed the Philadelphia Flyers by a ridiculous 10-3 margin. Mind you, the way this series has been played, that score should not come as a total shock to anyone. Even before last night, Ilya Bryzgalov was allowing about 4 goals per game.

Meanwhile, on the other coast, the Cancucks got their first win against the Los Angeles Kings, winning 3-1. Not nearly as striking as the above drubbing, but given how well Jonathan Quick has played, those three goals might as well have been ten.

Finally, the Ottawa Senators tied up their series with the New York Rangers at two games apiece thanks to a dramatic overtime win.

Wouldn't it be something if both conferences top seeds got elimintated?

Mind you, that would not help my Eastern or Western prediction record, but it would be fun to see.

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Patrick Roy Interviewed on The Random Hockey Show

La Presse - Les obsèques d'Émile Bouchard auront lieu samedi

TSN - Roy mum on plans as NHL speculation continues

Hockey News

HabsAddict.com - Panesar and Moustakas: Post-Season Pandemonium

ESPN - Pittsburgh's centers far from cowardly

ESPN - Things to know from Wednesday's games

The Hockey News - Penguins-Flyers a complete turnaround; Senators no easy out; Schneider relegates Luongo to backup

TSN - McKenzie: Penguins' key three step up in win over Flyers

TSN - Coyotes' Torres suspended indefinitely for hit on Hossa

TSN - Fraser: The missed call on Raffi Torres's hit

USA Today - Canucks avoid elimination, beat Kings in Game 4

USA Today - Turris scores in OT to lift Senators past Rangers

USA Today - Penguins rout Flyers to avoid elimination

USA Today - Brennan: NHL needs to handle violence with harsh punishment

( Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

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Quick Picks: Western Conference Quarterfinals

After revealing my picks for the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, I will continue my exercise by looking at the four series in the Western Conference. 

Vancouver Canucks (1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (8)

My pick: Vancouver Canucks in six games

Why? Los Angeles simply cannot score. In fact, they are downright brutal, sitting 29th overall in league scoring.

If it weren’t for Jonathan Quick – who should probably win the Vezina but won’t by virtue of playing on the West Coast – this team could have easily been in last night’s lottery conversation.

And, after 82 games of offensive ineptitude, it is a tad unreasonable to expect the Darryl Sutter led Kings to suddenly find their scoring touch.

Conversely, Vancouver has been one of the most consistent teams in the league, sitting in the top-six in important categories such as goals for, shots for, goals against and special teams.

While the dual-headed monster of Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider may cause controversy down the road, it seems unlikely that the goal-challenged Kings will stoke those fires.

St. Louis Blues (2) vs. San Jose Sharks

My pick: San Jose Sharks in seven games

Why? The Blues are playing with the pressure of expectation now, which may not necessarily suit this still young squad.

Conversely, the Sharks – who have often crumbled under said expectations – are playing with house money, having barely squeaked into the post-season themselves.

For all of St. Louis' goaltending and defensive achievements – they allow the fewest shots in the league and commit the fewest giveaways – scoring may also be problematic for Ken Hitchcock’s squad.

David Backes leads his team with a rather conservative 52 points and is their only forward to reach the 50-point plateau.

Should the Sharks be able to shut down Backes’ unit, then it could prove exceedingly difficult for the Blues to get the necessary offense to prevail.

Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (6)

My pick: Phoenix Coyotes in seven games

Why? As a Chicago native, it is difficult for me to hide my preference for a Chicago victory.

Yet, when looking at the situation dispassionately, the shaky goaltending situation in the Windy City is an obstacle that cannot be easily overlooked.

Both Corey Crawford and Ray Emery’s save percentages hover at .900 and their numbers contrast starkly with Mike Smith’s shining statistics, which include a .930 percentage and eight shutouts.

It would also be foolish to believe that the Blackhawks’ offense can overpower the Coyotes. No doubt, the Hawks’ attack is more potent, but with only four players above the 50-point plateau, their scoring is not nearly as balanced as it once was and their powerplay is a dismal 27th overall. Simply put, they are not the same dynamic, attack-oriented team they were in 2010.

With Mike Smith’s excellent goaltending and blueliners like Keith Yandle and Oliver Ekman-Larson, the Coyotes have the ability to neutralize the Hawks. Offensively, they should be able to squeak by on their scoring-by-committee approach, especially if Crawford or Emery concedes the weak goal or two.

Nashville Predators (4) vs. Detroit Red Wings (5)

My pick: Nashville Predators in seven games

Why? These teams are ridiculously close. Separated by a mere two points in the standings, their offensive and defensive numbers are also distinguishable by only the thinnest of margins. Even the season series between the two does not offer any great clues, with each squad winning three contests.

However, if it is true that special teams and goaltending win series, than the Predators have what it takes to prevail.

Nashville ranks first overall in power play efficiency and is the tenth best team on the penalty kill. Meanwhile, Detroit has been surprisingly abysmal in both categories, ranking in the bottom half in each.

In addition, of all the first round series, home ice could prove to be most important in this one. Detroit has been subpar on the road, posting a 17-21-3 record. To put that in perspective, those 37 road points are only slightly better than Montreal’s yield of 36 road points.

After 82 games of road woes, the raucous Bridgestone Arena does not seem like the ideal place to correct the situation, does it?

Assuming Nashville’s offense does not go ice-cold as it did in their series against the Vancouver Canucks in 2011, there should be enough scoring to power past the always dangerous Red Wings.

What are your predictions for the Western Conference?

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Louis is an Associate Editor at HabsAddict.com. Born in Chicago, Louis grew up in Quebec City where he earned Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Université Laval. Find him on twitter @LouisMoustakas

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images North America)

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Habs/Canucks post-game, Andrei Markov returns, Leafs, Rumours and more

Morning puck addicts!

Well, well, well what do we have here? A Habs win over the mighty Vancouver Canucks with All-Star defenseman, Andrei Markov, returning to the lineup?

Who woulda thunk it. With only 13 games left in this miserable season, the Habs, or more to the point, Markov, have given their fans a reason to watch games again.

How good was it to see Markov back in his old familiar spot? How good was it to see him running the show on the powerplay? And how much better was the Habs breakout because of his excellent, and quick, first pass?

Amazing.

Markov has been out of the lineup for so long—15 months—that you kind of forgot how good he is. And while he certainly will take some time to get into full game shape—something we likely won't see until next season—the fact that he is playing games this season bodes tremendously well for his future as a Hab.

Habs News

Hockey Inside/Out - About last night … with audio

RDS - Markov contribue à vaincre les Canucks

TSN - CANADIENS CELEBRATE MARKOV'S RETURN BY TOPPING CANUCKS

TSN - CANADIENS' MARKOV COMPLETES GRUELLING RETURN FROM INJURY

Hockey News

TSN - SIEGEL: GIROUX BURNS LEAFS IN THE SHOOTOUT

TSN - DREGER'S MAILBAG: WHAT'S UP WITH THE FOUR CALL-UP RULE?

ESPN - Sidney Crosby puts off return

Spector's hockey - Could Radulov Return?

(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images North America)

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Habs/Canucks preview, Leblanc, Leafs, Crosby, Top NHL players and more

Morning puck addicts!

A quiet night on the Habs front yesterday. That is except for the Habs recalling Louis Leblanc from the Hamilton Bulldogs, again.

This kid is really racking up the Air Miles!

That said, this time things are a little different as Habs center, David Desharnais, is out of the lineup indefinitely with some kind of lower body injury.

With no word yet on the extent of DD's injury, nor the length of his absence from the lineup, this could be a great opportunity for Leblanc. The Habs are going nowhere fast and I believe they should be playing the young players as much as possible.

Will we get to see Leblanc tryout at center? We'll find out as early as tonight when the Habs take on the Canucks in Vancouver.

So with the 10 PM EST start for tonight's game, the real question is, will you be staying up to watch?

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Habs Press Release: Canadiens recalled Louis Leblanc from the Hamilton Bulldogs

Hockey Inside/Out - Habs visit flat Canucks

RDS - La belle histoire de Max Pacioretty

RDS - Duel CH-Canucks à saveur particulière

TSN - CANADIENS FORWARD COLE FINED $2,500 FOR SLEW-FOOT

ESPN - Canadiens-Canucks Preview

Hockey News

TSN - CAPITALS D GREEN SUSPENDED THREE GAMES FOR ILLEGAL HIT

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NHLTrade Rumors Galore - Deadline Edition - Part III

With the trade deadline upon us, rumors are swirling all over the Internet, and especially on Twitter, as fake insiders try to get the attention of hockey fans by spreading false information. I will try to dissect some of the hottest rumors around and tell you which players are most likely available.

Thursday the first major traded happened when the Columbus Blue Jackets traded disgruntled center Jeff Carter to the goal-starved Los Angeles Kings in exchange for blue liner Jack Johnson and a 1st round draft pick in 2012 or 2013.

You can find part 1 here and part 2 here. Below you will find part 3 of 3.

Philadelphia Flyers

In the thick of the playoff race and with Chris Pronger out for the year, the Philadelphia Flyers have already acquired two defensemen in Pavel Kubina from Tampa Bay and Nicklas Grossman from Dallas.

The Flyers are tight against the cap and could be willing to sacrifice winger Jakub Voracek and his $2,250,000 salary in order to land the impact player they need to contend for the Cup. Voracek will be a restricted free agent at season’s end and the Flyers will have problems keeping him. While their main issue is in goal, Ilya Bryzgalov and his hefty contract are not going anywhere, and the team will most likely keep Sergei Bobrovsky as an insurance policy.

Phoenix Coyotes

The league-owned Phoenix Coyotes have caught fire lately going 9-0-1 in their last ten games and, as a result, the team now leads the Pacific Division with 73 points. The Coyotes have already made their big trade, acquiring two-way pivot Antoine Vermette from Columbus for two draft picks. Don't expect another major move because of their budget restrictions, but the acquisition of a depth player is not out of the equation. Veterans UFAs such as Shane Doan, Daymond Langkow, Ray Whitney, Taylor Pyatt, Michal Rozsival and Adrian Aucoin should finish the season in the desert.

David Jones will certainly draw interest if the Avalanche decides to trade him.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Thanks to Evgeni Malkin‘s great play and Kris Letang‘s return from his concussion, it is safe to say the Pittsburgh Penguins will be buyers at the deadline as GM Ray Shero has always been very active in the weeks leading to the trade freeze. With Sidney Crosby‘s return this season less than certain, one would think the Penguins would look to add a quality forward to its already potent offense, but right now the team is looking to add a back-up goalie to replace under-performing veteran Brent Johnson.

Names like Curtis Sanford and Chris Mason have been mentioned. Also, if David Jones is moved by the Colorado Avalanche, look for the Penguins to push hard to obtain his services.

San Jose Sharks

After acquiring two-way forward Dominic Moore from the Lightning, the San Jose Sharks are looking to bolster their blue line as they need a steady defensive rearguard such as Bryan Allen or Johnny Oduya to improve their dismal penalty kill (77.5% efficiency). Jim Vandermeer and Colin White have been major disappointments and the team has lost confidence in them. The club could also be looking for another top-nine forward to replace Martin Havlat, who has been battling injuries all season.

St. Louis Blues

After signing goalie Brian Elliott to a two-year contract extension, it is clear the St Louis Blues did not see Ben Bishop in their soup and have just traded him to the Ottawa Senators for a 2nd round draft pick in 2013. With the return of Andy McDonald, the Blues received the offensive boost they were looking and should be pretty quiet at the deadline.

However, they could dangle unproductive RFA Chris Stewart for defensive help as the team would like to add a left-handed shooting defender to its already stellar defensive group, especially with Kris Russell suffering from concussion-like symptoms.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Eight points out of a playoff spot, the Tampa Bay Lightning will obviously be sellers at the deadline, especially since their goalies have been less-than spectacular and their defensive corps has been ravaged by injuries to key players like Mattias Ohlund and Victor Hedman.

Steve Yzerman knows that last season was a fluke and wants to be patient with his team. He has already traded forward Dominic Moore to the Sharks and defender Pavel Kubina to the Flyers for draft picks. He also traded super-pest Steve Downie to the Avalanche for rearguard Kyle Quincey, who he then immediately shipped to the Red Wings a first round pick in 2012.

Two-way forward Adam Hall is drawing a lot of interest and could be traded next, while blueliners Brett Clark and Matt Gilroy could find a taker looking for depth on the blue line. Ryan Malone is also on the market, but with four more years at $4,500,000 and a full no-movement clause until next season, he’s going nowhere.


Toronto Maple Leafs

Rumors are swirling about the Toronto Maple Leafs and their talkative GM Brian Burke, who’s reportedly trying to add a big name to his forward group. Obviously, Burke is looking to add size and is interested in James Van Riemsdyk, Dustin Brown, Rick Nash, and even Ryan Malone to a lesser extent. The Leafs are willing to part ways with a defender such as Luke Schenn, Carl Gunnarsson or Cody Franson to acquire that big forward.

The team is also considering bringing a goalie like Evgeni Nabokov, Nikolai Khabibulin or Josh Harding into the mix as James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson have been inconsistent this season. UFA center Mikhail Grabovski presents an interesting case as he could become available if Burke decides to unload the shifty Grabovski who is rumored to be looking for a long term deal averaging around five million dollars per year.

Vancouver Canucks

Currently at the top of the Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks are open for business and are looking to add an impact player up front after placing defender Keith Ballard on the LTIR and freeing $4.2 millions in cap space. The team is dangling RFA Mason Raymond and prospect Jordan Schroeder as trade baits in order to acquire a bigger fish like Dustin Brown or Steve Ott. The team could also add a depth defenseman as insurance.

Young goaltending stud Corey Schneider is not going anywhere.

Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals blueliners Jeff Schultz and Roman Hamrlik could be traded for offensive help as they have both been in Dale Hunter's doghouse recently. With all-star center Nicklas Backstrom still battling concussion symptoms, the team will certainly consider adding an offensive-minded pivot to play with Alexander Ovechkin as the team is currently counting on unproven youngsters Marcus Johansson and Mathieu Perreault to carry the offensive load at center.

Veteran UFA Mike Knuble could also be sent packing. The 39 year-old winger as been playing on the team's fourth line in the last few weeks.

Winnipeg Jets

With the Winnipeg Jets back in the thick of the playoffs race and fighting for the Southeast Division lead with the Capitals and the Panthers, the team will most likely keep defenseman Johnny Oduya, an impending UFA, instead of trading him for a high draft pick. However, the Jets could try to unload UFA Randy Jones and veteran goalie Chris Mason to teams looking for depth.

RFA Eric Fehr might also on his way out thanks to his poor play since his return from a shoulder injury. If the Jets decide to add a player, they will most likely look for depth players such as the Blue Jackets' Samuel Pahlsson or Habs' Mathieu Darche.

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Follow Fred on Twitter for more updates on the trade deadline and the NHL in general.

(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images North America)

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