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NHL QUICK SHOTS
By Josh Brewster
Vanek earns his pay; Waddell fleeces the Penguins

MARCH 24, 2008 -- Some things are becoming clear as the regular season ends.  One, Thomas Vanek has lived up (so far) to the pressures of his huge contract.  Secondly, Don Waddell deserves credit for taking the Penguins to the cleaners in the Marian Hossa deal.

Vanek Earns His Pay

Thomas Vanek

When Thomas Vanek signed the richest contract in Buffalo sports history, the pressure was on in that lunch-bucket town to justify the heft of the deal, $50M over the course of seven years.

For Vanek, it must have seemed a daunting task. Just two years into his career, the sharpshooter (and there are fewer of those than ever in the pass-first NHL) recorded 68 goals, including 43 in 2006-07.

Then, Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe called with pen in hand, signing Vanek to an offer sheet that stunned the Sabres, who quickly matched the deal. With a deal that cemented Vanek as a Sabre until the end of the 2013-14 season, it was all but assured that Vanek's output couldn't match the otherworldly offer that Lowe foisted on the club. In a rust-belt town where hockey is its most popular in the United States, unease was the word regarding Vanek amidst Sabre observers.

But with the regular season approaching its end, it's Vanek who will laugh last.

With 32 goals and 25 assists in 75 games, bringing his career goals total to 100, Vanek has silenced the critics. What's more impressive about his production this season is that it comes on the heels of the departures of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury. What's more, this season saw the club lose its two puck-moving defensemen. 18-year veteran Teppo Numminen was lost to heart surgery, while two-time all-star Brian Campbell was lost to GM Darcy Regeir's lack of foresight, which resulted in a trade to the Sharks for Steve Bernier and a 2008 first round pick.

As the Sabres fall from their lofty position as Eastern conference finalist two years' running, fading from the playoff picture, it's worth noting that many of the players they did manage to keep, such as Derek Roy, Jason Pominville and Ales Kotalik have come through with good production.

Most notably, though, is the work of Vanek, on whom the pressure of a big contract at a young age (24) was most severe.

Waddell Fleeces the Penguins

Erik Christensen Colby Armstrong Marian Hossa

After finding himself unable to sign his top forward, Atlanta General Manager Don Waddell bid farewell to 29 year-old Marian Hossa, the departure of whom--in the minds of many hockey observers--might have driven a few nails into Waddell's GM coffin. In the future, the opposite perception will likely emerge and Waddell will earn new respect amidst his peers for making a tough decision to walk away from his star's excessive contract demands.

In 222 games with the Thrashers after the Dany Heatley trade, Hossa was excellent, managing 108 goals over three seasons, including 43 in 2006-07. Waddell deserves big props for helping Dany Heatley escape the city where his life-changing car accident took place, the one which killed Dan Snyder. In return, Waddell landed Hossa, a supremely talented athlete.

However, after three seasons in a salary cap age, Waddell found himself in a position where he gladly accepted prospects in return for his star.

Center Erik Christensen and wing Colby Armstrong, acquired from Pittsburgh for Hossa, represent a bright future, with both signed through 2008-09. Armstrong has managed three goals and five assists in 13 Thrasher games; Christensen, two goals and two assists in ten games since the deal. Add to that a first round pick in the June draft, and Waddell should give himself a pat on the back. He'll have no trouble maximizing his assets from the Hossa deal.

Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero will have a tough time re-signing Hossa for mega millions, since Hossa will command Crosby-style money.

With Crosby signed through 2013-14 at $8.7M per year and Ryan Whitney through the same term at $4M, things get a bit crowded amidst forwards at the top of the Pens' salary chart. Add Evgeni Malkin's need for a new deal prior to the 2009 trade deadline and you've got a recipe for Tampa Bay Part II (a top-heavy club in the salary department that gives a few forwards too much money). It's conceivable that Shero will end up paying Malkin and Crosby around $16M per year, and you know that Malkin will want a long deal.

So where does that leave Hossa? Columbus? In Los Angeles? In Phoenix with his brother Marcel? Likely not in Pittsburgh, and if not, Shero has paid too steep a price for a Hossa rental.

So with Atlanta left wing Ilya Kovalchuk netting 50 goals for the second time in his young career (he turns 24 on April 15), Waddell no longer has the Hossa albatross around his neck. Kovalchuk is signed through 2009-10 and makes an average of $6.4M. Considering that Hossa is already pulling in $6M per, Waddell could have surely been on the hook for eight million or more per annum for his services.

In the end, Waddell chose wisely, with his head, not his heart, and in the process, improved the Thrashers' future while bidding farewell to a star.

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Panthers smart with Olli; Bernier starts fast; Lightning look sharp with "other" Jokinen

March 2, 2008 -- LOS ANGELES

PANTHERS WISELY AVOID HYPE; KEEP OLLI

I really like the fact that Florida Panthers didn't buy into the hype that Olli Jokinen (68GP; 30-32-62; 281 SOG), the club's finest player in its history, needed to be "maximized" as an asset and sold off at the deadline to the highest bidder.

Again the rumors of Jokinen's exit were squelched, and I'm giving Jacques Martin big props for this one. While the rumor mill swirls that the center wasn't getting along with GM/Coach Martin, the wise move was to treat Olli as the necessary component that he is and keep him as a nucleus player, a building block.

While he has never gone to the playoffs, Jokinen has given huge numbers and grit to the club, and as the team scrambles in a last-ditch attempt at landing a long-sought-after playoff berth, it would have been the wrong message to Dave Booth, Nathan Horton, Jay Bouwmeester and other young nucleus members.

Successful teams are built with an eye toward chemistry, and loyalty is a good vibe to spread in the Panthers locker room. Jokinen costs the club $5.25M per annum and is signed through the Spring of 2010. A 29 year-old point-per-game player who has eleven years' experience at the NHL level is a bargain at that price.

February 28, 2008 -- LOS ANGELES

BERNIER REPEATS GARE'S FEAT

Steve Bernier's debut with the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday night was reminiscent of that of Sabre legend Danny Gare. 

Gare, who twice scored 50 goals in a Sabre uniform, scored on his first shot in his first NHL game in 1974.

Bernier stole the spotlight if just for a day from Brian Campbell, the All-Star defenseman who departed Buffalo for San Jose at the deadline in a business decision by Sabre brass.

As did Gare decades ago, tough winger Bernier scored on his first shot with the club. Bernier kicked off the scoring in an 8-4 rout of the Predators, then went a step further than Gare and scored on his second Sabre shot as well. 

For a moment, GM Darcy Regeir breathes easy.  It can't be easy for Regeir, whose lack of foresight is borne out in his failure to lock up nucleus players.  Famously, Chris Drury and Daniel Briere departed for nothing in return.  While the Tomas Vanek signing was an unforseen situation, the Campbell case grates on Buffalonian nerves because of the pattern of inactivity regarding re-signing emerging talent. 

Regeir has stood idly by while other clubs have been proactive in extending the deals of core players.  Joe Thornton, Ryan Getzlaf and Jarome Iginla are but a few notable examples of players wisely secured by their clubs long before the end of their previous deals.  How Regeir allowed himself to lose a key component like Campbell and not find himself in the firing line is curious. 

Bernier, drafted in the 1st round, 2003, drew the "underachiever" label after four seasons with the Sharks.  He'll get a great opportunity to build on his quick start in Buffalo.  Lindy Ruff is using him with Derek Roy and Tomas Vanek, and with the club's decidedly different style than Ron Wilson's in San Jose, he could really blossom.

(For more on the Sabres at the deadline, see Kevin Hopson's latest)

LIGHTNING FINALLY CHANGE COURSE / HULL'S BIG MOVE

Why do I get the impression that the Lightning won their deal, hands-down? 

Goaltender Mike Smith has earned a shot at a number one job, Jeff Halpern brings checking line savvy (in short supply in Tampa) and Jussi Jokinen may well end up posting 2/3 the points that Brad Richards (62GP; 18-33-51) will in Dallas, so what they hey?  Why not cast Richards' bloated contract aside and move on?  Business decision by the 'Bolts, and a good one. 

Jokinen (52GP; 14-14-28 with Dallas) is a wild card that will likely be seen as far more than a "throw-in" for Richards.  He specializes in the shootout.  He's got two game winners and five power play goals.  Not bad for a kid who doesn't turn 25 until April Fool's Day.  Tampa GM Jay Feaster will look very wise that day.

For the Stars, the Richards trade is just the bold, brash move that a rookie GM like Brett Hull would want to make.  A big name center who can play with aging but effective Mike Modano.  Pascal Dupuis picks up some of Jokinen's lost points.

This one will benefit Dallas if Richards clicks right off with his new team.  But look for the Lightning to be a better club down the stretch with a new number one goalie and a surprise talent unbeknownst to many outside the western conference in Jokinen.

BOOMER CALLED IT! PADDOCK OUT OF OTTAWA

John Paddock was fired as coach of the Ottawa Senators today, and none other than Jim "Boomer" Gordon called it last week on his XM show.

He posed the question, "Would Bryan Murray pull a Lou Lamoriello and fire John Paddock late in the season?" similar to Lamoriello's dismissal of current Bruin boss Claude Julien at the end of the 2006-07 season.

NO-TRADES? NO WAY:

Stating the obvious here, but do you get the impression that in this election year the use of no-trade clauses are going to become far more conservative?  Toronto's been too liberal with those no-trades!  Fletcher stuck with Tucker?  OUCH!!!

BEST NON-TRADES

Olli Jokinen

Robert Lang

Martin Havlat

Bobby Ryan

Michael Ryder

WORST NON-TRADES

Ladislav Nagy

Michal Handzus

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Trade Deadline: The Contrarian
February 23, 2008 -- A few takes on the upcoming trade deadline madness...here are my contrarian arguments for keeping Mats Sundin and allowing Marian Hossa to leave "for nothing in return."  Someone's got to cast a jaded eye on the deadline hype...why not me?

Mats Sundin: Keep 'em.

Going against the grain of public sentiment here, I'll introduce the argument that Sundin should stay in Toronto, rather than be "maximized as an asset" and shown the door by the Leafs.  Just because the club hasn't won a Stanley Cup during Sundin's tenure (and haven't since 1967), doesn't mean that there's anything fundamentally wrong with Sundin's play. 

Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman went many years before landing a Cup.  The ability of both to bring home a championshiop was openly questioned.  But why Sundin?  He says that he wants to stay, so why doesn’t Toronto show some others the door?  How about Darcy Tucker, Brian McCabe, Pavel Kubina or Tomas Kaberle for starters?  The club could add $17.75M to its coffers by dumping just those four.  So why should it be Sundin?  He’ll most likely be dealt it seems, but if I’m GM Cliff Fletcher, I’m hoping to climb back to playoff contention with emerging talent, so why not let Mats enjoy playing with a fresher Leafs club?

UPDATE: Sunday, Feb. 24, Mats Sundin announced that he would not waive his no-trade clause. Hockeytalk sees this as a breath of fresh air amidst the deadline hype. Sundin continued:

"I cannot leave my teammates and join another NHL Club at this time. I have never believed in the concept of a rental player. It is my belief that winning the Stanley Cup is the greatest thing you can achieve in hockey but for me, in order to appreciate it you have to have been part of the entire journey and that means October through June. I hope everyone will understand and respect my decision."

Losing Hossa for “Nothing?”

"They could lose me for nothing," Atlanta's Marian Hossa says.  But in this day and age, isn't getting eight or more million dollars back in your pocket something of an acquisition?  Funny how things have changed in the salary cap age.  

Scenario 1:  Thrashers trade Hossa for Brian Campbell, or Jordan Staal.  Great.  Atlanta gets players with a bright future in return for their star.

Scenario 2: Thrashers keep Hossa and his services for the playoff run, if there is one.  Then they lose him.  They get “nothing” in return. 

Not so fast.

Hossa makes six million right now and will command eight million or more on the open market.

By no longer employing Hossa, Atlanta would get eight million dollars or more back free and clear and can look toward elite free agent signings over the summer to replace the star winger.  So would Atlanta be losing him for "nothing," really?

Had scenario two occurred during the pre-cap era, the loss would have been more profound, but is understandable now, since the dollars are proscribed.  Nowadays, getting back dollars is an acquisition of sorts.

In short, the club could legitimately keep Hossa’s skills for their playoff push and just think about other big names later, and let Hossa field offers from around the league.  It says here that for the six mil they’re paying for Hossa now, and the eight or so million they would have to pay upon re-signing, they could get some very good talent.

All’s not lost in Atlanta, thanks to the salary cap.   

Trade 'Em:

Jaromir Jagr is sending signals around the league suggesting that he's got lots of hockey left in his tank.  Will he bring his show to Detroit next?It says here that the Rangers should seriously consider dealing Jagr, who's had Brandon Dubinsky and Sean Avery as linemates in recent games.  Sounds like a change of scenery waiting to happen.  Would it be impossible to get a top-four defenseman plus a high pick, for instance, in return?                     

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Finish First or Second in Conference or Forget the Cup

JANUARY 21, 2008 -- In most cases, the Stanley Cup in this era requires the winner to finish first or second in points in its conference.  It’s a little-known statistic, but a glance at the history books bears this out.  Don't tell fans in markets that finish third through eighth, but it seems to be a trend on which we can rely.

When it comes to naming a new champ, it appears that Dallas, San Jose and Anaheim will look at the Pacific division title as an important one.  Look at the Atlantic division. If Pittsburgh can come all the way back and finish at the top, they might be able to Ty Conklin their way to Stanley.  Ottawa?  Stay hot, stay on top, and the lessons learned at the hands of the Ducks could be rectified.  But to Boston, Washington, Colorado, Phoenix, the Islanders, or any other club hoping to finish seventh or eighth, history shows that a playoff run may be fun but the chalice is for the elites. 

Let's look at the history:

From the 1993-94 season to the present, the NHL has been divided into two conferences, Eastern and Western.

13 seasons (one cancelled due to lockout)
Cup winners with conference finishes:
1st and 2nd place = 11
3rd or lower = 2

YEAR

WINNER

PLACE IN CONFERENCE

2006-07

ANAHEIM

2ND WEST

2005-06

CAROLINA

2nd EAST

2004-05

NO CUP

SEASON CANCELLED

2003-04

TAMPA BAY

1st EAST

2002-03

NEW JERSEY

2ND EAST

2001-02

DETROIT

1ST WEST

2000-01

COLORADO

1ST WEST

1999-2000

NEW JERSEY

2ND EAST

1998-99

DALLAS

1ST WEST

1997-98

DETROIT

2ND WEST

1996-97

DETROIT

3RD WEST

1995-96

COLORADO

2ND WEST

1994-95

NEW JERSEY

5TH EAST* (48 GAMES DUE TO LOCKOUT)

1993-94

NEW YORK RANGERS

1ST EAST

From 1974-75  to 1992-93, the NHL was divided into two conferences, the Prince of Wales and the Campbell.

This era saw an increase in opportunities for third or fourth place finishers. 

19 seasons
Cup winners with conference finishes:
1st and 2nd = 14
3rd or 4th = 5

YEAR

WINNER

PLACE IN CONFERENCE

1992-93

MONTREAL

4TH PRINCE OF WALES

1991-92

PITTSBURGH

4TH PRINCE OF WALES

1990-91

PITTSBURGH

3RD PRINCE OF WALES

1989-90

EDMONTON

2ND CAMPBELL

1988-89

CALGARY

1ST CAMPBELL

1987-88

EDMONTON

2ND CAMPBELL

1986-87

EDMONTON

1ST CAMPBELL

1985-86

MONTREAL

4TH PRINCE OF WALES

1984-85

EDMONTON

1ST CAMPBELL

1983-84

EDMONTON

1ST CAMPBELL

1982-83

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

4TH PRINCE OF WALES

1981-82

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

1ST PRINCE OF WALES

1980-81

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

1ST PRINCE OF WALES

1979-80

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

2ND CAMPBELL

1978-79

MONTREAL

1ST PRINCE OF WALES

1977-78

MONTREAL

1ST PRINCE OF WALES

1976-77

MONTREAL

1ST PRINCE OF WALES

1975-76

MONTREAL

1ST PRINCE OF WALES

1974-75

PHILADELPHIA

1ST CAMPBELL

From 1967-68 (1st expansion) to 1973-74, the NHL was divided into two divisions, East and West.

7 seasons
Cup winners with conference finishes:
1st = 6
3rd = 1

YEAR

WINNER

PLACE IN DIVISION

1973-74

PHILADELPHIA

1ST WEST

1972-73

MONTREAL

1ST EAST

1971-72

BOSTON

1ST EAST

1970-71

MONTREAL

3RD EAST

1969-70

BOSTON

1ST EAST (TIE)

1968-69

MONTREAL

1ST EAST

1967-68

MONTREAL

1ST EAST

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"To Hell with the Cynics"
NHL's grand event pays dividends as Winter Classic draws strong TV numbers

January 3, 2007 -- Lindy Ruff said it best.

"To hell with the cynics," the Buffalo Sabres Coach remarked at the conclusion of a postgame press conference after one of hockey's most memorable days, the Winter Classic in Buffalo.


Thankfully, the sentiment was mutual with American television viewers. The folks that hockey supposedly can't reach. American television viewers tuned in on New Year's Day, however, and it was expectedly historic.

The NHL suffers a barrage of criticism for its failure to market its product. It's often deserved, but today, give the NHL credit, they got this one right.

So much for those who felt it unwise for the league to mount a direct challenge to the sports market on college football's big day. The NHL took responsibility for promoting its game as one that is as exciting as any other, and did it on a grand scale.

As the league recovers from the devastation of a locked-out 2004-05 season, the idea that hockey is no longer one of the four major sports has caught a tread in mass media. But on New Year's Day, the NHL flexed its muscles and evened the playing field.

To the league's detractors, take note of the fact that the NHL went up against college bowl day and delivered a 2.6/5 share, its best number since a 1996 regular season game and a better number than Wayne Gretzky's farewell game in 1999. Take note of the fact that the NHL was proven right in assuming that its product is as exciting as any in sports.

Who says that everyone wants to watch a bowl game named after a shipping service, a bank or a brand of potato chips, rather than a hockey game? Who says that Hawaii vs. Whoever State is more exciting than watching Ryan Miller and Sidney Crosby? Hell, you don't even need to play the game outside to answer that question.

It was so simple, really. Just find a way to get the game in front of millions of people, on network television, and do it on a grand scale. As simple and as complicated as that. Turn Dan Craig and his ice wizards loose on Ralph Wilson Stadium and let's roll.

The results were spectacular. The Buffalo location was fantastic, played in front of hockey's most rabid American fans. Craig and his ice crew battled the elements and maintained player safety. The commentators were top-notch. The game was exciting, and the Next One, Sid the Kid, scored the game winner against one of the game's best young netminders. Bravo.

We can only hope that Gary Bettman's guys have some more tricks up their sleeves (and for goodness sake give Bettman some credit for once). It will be interesting to see what the league does to trumpet its NBC games and playoff games; whether it can feed off this spike in interest. Make no mistake, though. One day, however historic, is only part of the process of recovering from the lockout and absorbing new fans. On a very positive note, the league's revenues (and its salary cap) continue to rise.

Questions remain. Can Bettman's guys find a way to put some of their television commercials on during non-sports programming (emphasis mine)? Can NHLPA head Paul Kelly work with Bettman to find a way to get hockey players into a larger share of the commercial endorsement pie? Can they all get together and figure out how to get some hockey t-shirts into Target stores across America, you know, like the other major sports?

As for the Winter Classic, the league did it right, and most importantly, did right by the game by showing faith in its ability to draw interest in direct competition with other sports on a big day.

To hell with the cynics, indeed.

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Hockey City, USA hosts Winter Classic
Historic Event to be Held in Hockey's Most Passionate American City | Plus: Hockeytalk Awards 2007

December 31, 2007 -- Apologies to Detroit, also to Mike Farber at Sports Illustrated, but Buffalo, the host of tomorrow's Winter Classic game, is the sport's top American city.

You can call me a homer, but I don't think so, even though I brim with civic pride on the eve of the town's hosting a truly historic hockey event. Purely on an objective basis, my being a homer isn't an issue here. No other American city comes close to Buffalo's passion for the sport.

Farber can anoint the Twin Cities if he'd like, and to be fair, he basically placed Buffalo second in his recent article, but until I see anywhere between five and twenty-five thousand hockey fans watching playoff games outside a full Xcel Energy Center, all of Minnesota's hockey tradition is second to the American city most consumed with hockey and its NHL franchise.

And by the way, to include all of the state of Minnesota in Farber’s analysis of what makes a good hockey town only buttresses my argument. New York State is home to Clarkson, Colgate, St. Lawrence and Niagara, to name just a few hockey-heavy campuses. And to add some hometown flavor to the mix, Patrick Kane, this year’s rookie sensation, is a native and learned the game in Buffalo.

I've been amazed at the level of ignorance of folks offering the idea that Buffalo isn't the best place to host the Winter Classic game, due to the weather, most notably the famous winds at Ralph Wilson Stadium, where the Bills play.

Huh?

Note to those who wouldn't know a Great Lake if they fell in one: Cold-weather NHL outposts Chicago, Buffalo, Toronto and Detroit all sit on one of the five Great Lakes, which means the weather in each town is almost exactly the same, nice in Summer and Fall with a long winter. As for the wind, it howls in all four of these cities. Let’s then add Minneapolis/St. Paul to the list of blustery places. Though not on one of the Great Lakes, the Twin Cities receives prairie winds that can rival anything in the four aforementioned lakeside villas.

Considering Boston's lack of on-ice success in the shadow of the New England Patriots having dominated their sport, we can rule them out immediately, as their attendance has waned in recent years. Philly? That one's a challenge...they love their Flyers but let's face it: Philly's attention is divided by four sports. By the way, Pittsburgh is a great football town, but rabid for hockey? Not at Buffalo's level by any means. Columbus' tradition on the pro level is too recent.

So where are you going to hold the game? How about the Nickel City, where the tickets sold out in roughly thirty minutes? Where old ladies can name at least two Sabres. Where all those folks who don’t have tickets enjoy the game from outside the arena. Where the NHL team never left town, whose jersey sales outpace the rest of the league.

"Our crowds are much younger than most around the NHL,” Sabres managing partner and GM Larry Quinn told John McGourty of NHL.com. “You go to Madison Square Garden and see a lot of business people in suits. Here, we have young kids screaming and cheering. It's a youthful atmosphere. Our’s is not a corporate ticket. In Buffalo, a Sabres' game is a big social event. You go and you see people you know. In a way, in a society that interacts less and less, we have in some ways replaced the town square."

This is no knock on the Twin Cities, Detroit or any of the other towns named above.  But where else would you hold this historic NHL event?  I'm biased, being a Buffalonian, but to me, it's Buffalo, Hockey City, USA.

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Hockeytalk Awards 2007

With all good humor, we now proceed with the less-than-prestigious Hockeytalk Awards for 2007:

Moment of the Year: California Cup (What Else?). Scott Niedermayer on the front page of the LA Times. The Cup on Leno, the Cup in the Rose Parade. Hockey looks like it's doing just fine out here in Cali, thanks for asking.

Scariest Moment: Randy Jones' hit on Patrice Bergeron.

Runner-Up:Chris Simon 1 and Chris Simon 2. In a blockbuster act of stupidity, Simon swings his stick at Ryan Hollweg's face, a la Babe Ruth. Simon is suspended for 25 games. In a glorious sequel, Simon steps on Jarkko Ruuto's ankle with his skate blade. Just weeks after Kevin Bieksa's horrifying skate blade cut to the back of the leg, this one provides all the drama of the Hollweg hit, with the chilling Jack-the-Ripper quality that the original didn't have. What a sequel: 30 games.

Best Bruin: Brad Boyes, Blues. Runner Up: Joe Thornton, Sharks.

Jacobs-era Bruins continue to amaze with decades of ridiculous deals.

Best Firing: Doug Armstrong, GM of the Dallas Stars. I don't know whether this has happened previously, but the Stars actually started playing a lot better after their GM was fired. Not the coach, the GM. This season with Armstrong in charge (through November 13): 7-7-3. Since his firing: 16-5-1 (23-12-4 overall).

Time to Retire: Doug MacLean, Wandering Potential Managing Partner. Oren Koules, the "Saw" horror movie guy, picked up his money and cut MacLean out of the group that was going to buy the Lightning. MacLean should take a couple of years off. He worked his butt off for the Jackets, and it's time to take a break. Good luck to Koules, the potential 'Ning owner. He'll need a good hockey guy like the one he just dismissed.

Best Goaltender: Roberto Luongo. Runners-up: J-S Giguere, Martin Brodeur.

Most Embarassing Moment: Jiri Tlusty, Toronto Maple Leafs. Holy moly. Can't see how anyone could have held a candle to this guy, who endured the embarassment of seeing photos of him french-kissing a guy on the cover of the Toronto Sun. Tlusty reportedly also posted numerous photos of himself on his "Facebook" and e-mailed a full-frontal nude photo of himself to a woman he met online. Drag freak Oscar De La Hoya must have been happy to be out of the spotlight (even just the Canadian one) for a day. Hoo-hoo! The digital age is funny funny funny.

Best Flame-Out: Ray Emery, Ottawa Senators. Ray was given time off recently due to "illness," evidently a mental one that he suffered at the end of December, during practice. Emery reportedly hurled some sticks around and was given a time out by Coach John Paddock. A time to reflect for the temperamental Emery, who lost his starting job to Martin Gerber this season.

Best King: Martin Straka, Rangers. Runner Up: Anze Kopitar, Kings. Pavol Demitra, Wild.

Kings, like Bruins, are a processing center for NHL talent.

Best Escape: Nashville Predators. Those spunky country bumpkins, the Preds, managed to wrestle themselves from the clutches of Jim Ball Silly (ahem, Balsillie), who put in a bid to purchase the club then very naughtily p-o'd the NHL by launching a web site inviting fans of the soon-to-come Hamilton Predators. Wow, talk about not going through proper channels!

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DECEMBER 2007

Simon Be Gone
Plus: Lupul Breaks Out in Philly

**UPDATE 12/18: Chris Simon was given a 30-game suspension for his actions; longest suspension in NHL history

December 17, 2007 -- With his seventh NHL suspension looming, Islanders forward Chris Simon looks like a prime candidate for expulsion.

It's high time.

Chris Simon

After an exchange between Penguins forward Jarkko Ruutu and Tim Jackman of the Isles, Simon now famously slew-footed Ruutu, then took a step over the line and ground his skate blade into the rear of Ruutu's skate.

He's lucky that the back of the skate is leather, because the kind of tendon and other soft tissue injuries that could have resulted could have had grave consequences for Ruutu's career.

Dan Boyle severed three wrist tendons this pre-season, and he's yet to return full-time.

Simon should have been tossed from the league for at least a year or two after his baseball-style swing of his stick at Ryan Hollweg. The NHL chose a harsh, 25-game suspension. It was obviously not enough. There's no evidence to show, at this point, that Simon can be rehabilitated, or that punitive measures have any impact on the circuitry between his ears.

This is the league's chance to deal with a non-hockey play rooted entirely in anger. It would be unwise for the league to minimize Simon's upcoming suspension simply because Ruutu was not seriously injured.

Other than swinging a stick at the face of an opponent, using the skate blade is totally unacceptable (apply enough pressure, as Simon did, and it's this close to being a knife).

Think about the kind of injury that Sabre goalie Clint Malarchuk suffered, albeit accidentally, when Blue Perry Tuttle's skate mistakenly sliced the goalie's neck. Now think of what could have happened had Simon stepped on a vein or two.

Simon is nothing but a menace at this point, and if the NHL is serious (we always seem to have to ask that question, for some stupid reason), and if the NHLPA is serious and willing to stand by the league's disciplinary choice this time, then maybe the sport will finally send a proper message. Not likely, but we can hope.

The Islanders have suspended Simon indefinitely.

"The Islanders are going to provide some time for Chris away from the team and give him the counseling he needs and the compassion he deserves," Isles Owner Charles Wang said in a statement. "When Chris is completely ready, he will be a member of our team again."

Note to the Isles: My hat is off to you, but don't waste too much money on therapy. It won't work.

The least the NHL should do is suspend for the remainder of the season and playoffs.  Here's hoping that instead, they'll ban his stupid act forever.

Lupul Breaks Out in Philly

Joffrey Lupul

Named one of the NHL's three stars of the week for scoring ten points in four games for the Flyers, Joffrey Lupul is right where he belongs, amidst the top NHLers of the day. Lupul came into the NHL to much fanfare, having been drafted by the then-Mighty Ducks, thanks to the keen eye of former GM Bryan Murray.

That Murray, he did the Cup-champion Ducks some favors, didn't he? Drafted Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry; developed Andy McDonald (now with the Blues) and made Lupul the seventh choice overall in 2002.

Lupul potted 28 goals in his sophomore season with the Ducks in 2005-06 and performed some playoff heroics, too, potting four goals in one playoff game during the conference final against Edmonton.

When Kevin Lowe was forced to trade Hart and Norris winner Chris Pronger prior to the 2006-07 season, Lupul was the key player Anaheim sent in the trade. Unbelievably, the Oilers gave up on Lupul after a sub-par 16 goal season despite the amazing upside of the Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, native, who potted 30, 56 and 41 goals in a stellar junior career in Medicine Hat of the WHL. He was dealt with Jason Smith to the Flyers for Joni Pitkanen, Geoff Sanderson and a 2009 3rd rounder.

With a star-studded lineup in Philadelphia this season, Lupul has bounced back with twelve goals and is on pace for thirty.

Mike Richards and Danny Briere steal lots of headlines, but Lupul, a pure goal scorer who never hesitates to shoot, is the not-so-secret ingredient in Philly.

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Where is the NHL Network?
Call the cable company if you dare

DECEMBER 6, 2007 -- Golf, tennis, auto racing, football and other sports have joined the digital/broadband age and have dedicated cable television channels on cable systems across the United States. For a few years the NHL Network was only available in Canada, but this season, the league finally entered into agreements with an array of cable and satellite providers to even the playing field and make hockey a player on the cable television scene.

It's a welcome development, long overdue.

One problem: Where is it? Where is the NHL Network? I hope that you have it in your area because I live in West Los Angeles and evidently, my local Time Warner affiliate is in no hurry to actually add the channel to my slate of hundreds of channels. I'm missing games each week and I'm missing out on feature shows and daily news updates.

The league should be excited about the Network's availability in the U.S. According to a league press release, the NHL Network "will be accessible to 80 million homes based on all of the carriage arrangements, including those with Cablevision, Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, DIRECTV, DISH Network® and Time Warner Cable."

If you're not receiving the NHL Network and you see your cable company on the above list, it's up to you to call your cable system and inquire.

According to an NHL representative, the timing of different regions and rollout is in the hands of the cable providers. Locally, it's up to them. The best advice that the league has on this matter is for viewers like you to voice your anticipation and excitement to the cable providers.

Yes, calling the cable company sounds like a Kafkaesque nightmare.

But it's up to you, hockey fans, to light a fire under your local cable carrier if they've failed to roll out the NHL Network like they have in my section of the second-largest city in America. In fairness to the cable companies, it's a process that takes time, but we're one-third through the NHL season and my cable company lamely sends me a response email indicating that they hope to add the channel "by the end of the current season."

Unacceptable? Indeed.

Start dialing, hockey fans. Press one for English, grit your teeth and wait on hold until you're old and gray.

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Moore case heats up as Crawford implicated

According to a story in the Canadian Press, it has been alleged by lawyers for Steve Moore that Todd Bertuzzi’s 2004 career-ending attack on Moore was directed during a locker room speech by Marc Crawford, coach of the Canucks at the time of the incident.

An amended statement of claim in which Moore is reportedly upping his claim to the $38Million range has the hockey world ablaze, especially considering that Bertuzzi and members of Orca Bay (owners of the Canucks at the time) have reportedly testified in depositions that Crawford directed Bertuzzi to make sure that Moore "paid the price."

You can be sure that this chain of events will result in new policy directives from the league. No doubt that old-school (some might say "Neanderthalic") methods of retribution and vengeance will be a thing of the past, and that communications between players, coaches and managers will take on a different tone in the wake of this incident and its resolution in the civil courts (Bertuzzi already pled guilty to assault and received probation).

Bertuzzi is lucky that Moore’s alive. According to these new reports, if true, so is Marc Crawford.

NOVEMBER, 2007:

Bryzgalov Tonic for Resurgent Coyotes

November 27, 2007 -- I've been enjoying the resurgence of the Phoenix Coyotes franchise this season.  I pull for Wayne Gretzky's success in the desert.  While many hockey "purists" scoff at the NHL's foray into Arizona, I welcome it, and they've got a nice barn, too.

I also pull for Shane Doan, because I like the way he plays--offensively effective with good backcheck skills and willing to get physical.

The club has worked hard to even out at .500 and has won four in a row after shellacking Toronto in Glendale, 5-1.

With the waiver wire pickup of Ilya Bryzgalov, the Coyotes are a joke no longer. No longer does their door revolve. They're committed to youth, and with the addition of the former Duck netminder, they're not only young, but they're good.

Bryzgalov recorded 249:15 of shutout time from May 3 - May 9, 2006, the second longest shutout streak in NHL playoff history. Last spring, he captured the Stanley Cup with the Ducks and led the club to a five-game victory over the Minnesota Wild in round one when starter J-S Giguere was going through a difficult time after the birth of his son.

"He played very well against us, and he's played very well for us," said Coyotes' goaltending coach Grant Fuhr. "He's a big man who's extremely athletic. He's also got a competitive desire that we didn't get to see (when with the Ducks)."

Fuhr describes his new goalie as a very passionate player.

"He put his time in in the minors, while he could have earned a lot of money in Europe," says Fuhr.  "He's got a drive to play in the NHL, and hopefully he plays every day for us."

"We're a young hockey club, and to have the goalies young at the same time (Alex Auld, Mikael Tellqvist and Bryzgalov), everybody's going to grow together and get to be a team together for a long time."

"His work ethic in practice is as good as it gets," said Coach Wayne Gretzky, adding that Bryzgalov has made the Coyotes a better team.

After the 27 year old Bryzgalov rattled off four straight wins upon joining Phoenix (including a victory at Anaheim during which he received a very warm ovation), he was selected as one of the league's three stars of the week. For a franchise in need of stability as much as wins, "Bryz" could be enough to vault the young Coyotes into the playoffs for the first time since the Spring of 2002.

It Means You're Gone

November 26, 2007 -- When you hear that the Toronto Maple Leafs, as reported by The Hockey News, don’t want to make any “hasty” decisions regarding their coach and GM, it doesn’t take too keen an eye to see the writing on the wall.

"We're trying not to be reactionary in this tough time," Peddie is reported to have said.

"The fact is John is under contract and we want him and Paul focused on winning hockey games and turning around this situation," he added, according to the Hockey News.

With an 8-11-5 record so far, Peddie went on to say that he’s monitoring the situation. Which is what John Ferguson, Jr., current GM, and Paul Maurice, coach, will be doing really soon.

From the comfort of their recliners at home.

In fairness, Maurice the coach is not the problem. The personnel that Ferguson has put on the ice, however, is, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Fergy Jr. is likely gone.

Washed-Up Has-Been 'Relevant' After All

November 19, 2007 – LOS ANGELES -- I love the expression in the advertising world. It’s total B.S., usually foisted upon aging musicians. The word is “relevant,” i.e., ‘you’re not,’ or ‘you’re no longer.’

Jeremy Roenick

Someone mentioned that to Carlos Santana before he came back with “Smooth,” that huge hit about 10 years ago. I can’t imagine the gall to say that to a guy of Santana’s stature, one who’s much bigger than record charts.

And despite his subpar play over the post-lockout years, also despite his brief foray into semi-retirement, JEREMY ROENICK (right) is certainly looking “relevant” again.

While Patrick Marleau and Jon Cheechoo struggle for the Sharks, Roenick is 6-7-13 in 19GP with an average TOI at just 12:50. Pretty good for a washed-up has-been.

What’s more, he potted his 500th NHL goal vs. Phoenix on Saturday, November 10th, becoming the third U.S.-born player to reach the milestone, behind the Dallas Stars Mike Modano (511) and former NHLer Joe Mullen (502).

He often sees time with Mike Grier and Curtis Brown, but has also jumped in on the power play front as well.

Of added importance, five of his six goals are game-winners, which leads the league.

So while the boys down in marketing look for the next big thing, and the Tomas Vaneks and Dustin Penners of the NHL struggle to justify huge deals at young ages, washed-up has-been Roenick quietly earns his 775K. Good for him.

Is Roenick “relevant” now? I would give him an emphatic “yes.” Like he ever wasn’t!

Notable: Devin Setoguchi is 7-1-8 in 10GP since joining the Sharks. In those ten games, the team is 6-2-2 and has vaulted to the top of the Pacific division.

For Lindros, the Hall is in the Hart

Nov. 12, 2007 -- With the retirement of Eric Lindros and his appointment to the new ombudsman position with the NHLPA, the debate has begun in earnest regarding his potential induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The answer to whether Lindros should be inducted lies in the Hart.

Trophy, that is.

In the history of the Hall of Fame, only two players who won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP failed to make it to the hall, and it was a long time ago.

Al Rollins, who won the trophy in 1954 with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Tom Anderson of the 1942 Brooklyn/New York Americans are the last two Hart winners who failed to become Hall of Famers.

The Hart was first awarded in 1924. In fairness to Lindros, he should expect to be inducted. Indeed, even Bob Clarke, with whom Lindros feuded over a variety of matters, agrees that the big center, who played for Clarke's Flyers, also the Stars, Leafs and Rangers, should be in the Hall.

''Lindros was MVP, how many MVPs have there been? He was first-team all-star. Not many players have those types of things of their resume,'' Clarke said when Lindros announced his retirement.

"For seven or eight years, he was the dominant player in the game,'' Clarke added. "If you can only look at him in that way, and forget about the parents and all the problems right from when he was a kid, then he's a Hall of Famer.''

Lindros' detractors will offer the off-ice distractions as a demerit, but at the same time, the medical advice Lindros received from the Flyers was questionable, too. His detractors will point to his choosing where to play, but NHLers of yesteryear surely wish they had the guts to call the shots the way Lindros did. Today, free agency is a given.

Now that he's been named NHLPA ombudsman, let's remember what none other than NHL legend Carl Brewer, who played a key role in bringing Alan Eagleson to justice, had to say about Lindros in 2000, when the feud with Bob Clarke reached its apex:

"This prize athlete is anything but an 'enigma.' Injuries have distorted the significance of his whole career. The collaped lung of last year was almost fatal. Eric did nothing wrong; the (Flyers') medical staff did nothing right...to listen to Bobby Clarke, one would think that Lindros was a malingerer...Strange that only now one hears the silent whispers by his unseen and unidentified teammates, who are apparently displeased by his speaking out about his treatment at the hands of team management, trainers and medical staff...is it not obvious that these various parties have been totally incompetent?"

In the end, it's clear that Lindros deserves induction to the Hall. He'll always raise the ire of some, but to many NHLers, he was every bit the team player, and a dominant one at that.

*From THE POWER OF TWO by Susan Foster with Carl Brewer, 2006 Fenn Publishing

NOV 7:

CHAMPS STRUGGLE

The Cup champion Ducks are struggling to rebound from a slow start. They drew to within one game of .500, then failed to appear for a game against Dallas Monday night.

While we await word from Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne, the season continues, and for the Ducks, the return of Mathieu Schneider has been a big plus (one shootout winner and another goal in a win in his second game). The goaltending has been good, but the goal scoring has not been there.

Andy McDonald has paid the heaviest price for Selanne's absence.  His various linemates, including Drew Miller, Mark Mowers and Todd Marchant don't shoot often enough to convert many of the opportunities he presents. Last year's linemate Chris Kunitz has been more effective, but McDonald (2-5-7) needs his new guys to shoot more. The Ducks may not be able to replace Teemu's 48 goals, but the new guys could at least try to replace his shots on goal. Selanne had well over 3400 shots in over 1000 games played.

In sum, the Ducks have good signs of life in that their goaltending is good and their defense corps is looking dominant again with Schneider's return. An upswing through the second half of the season is within reach as long as Bertuzzi comes back strong and/or the McDonald line starts to produce.

CORY MURPHY

Looks like the smallish, minor and European pro Murphy can play with the "big boys" of the NHL after all. Murphy is eighth in defenseman scoring list with 1-9-10 in 15GP. The Panthers were banking that Murphy, who's listed (generously?) at 5' 10", 180 lbs., would be a good gamble in the post-lockout NHL, a league which values speed as much as size.

DAN BOYLE GETS BAD MEDICAL ADVICE

Remember how long it took for Dallas Stars LW Brenden Morrow to return to action after severing tendons in his wrist? 33 games. Severed tendons are nasty injuries, and having suffered one in my right hand, I've got to wonder aloud what kind of poor medical advice Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle received when he returned to action after just a few weeks after severing three tendons in his wrist.

Boyle now needs a second surgery because the tendons had not properly healed. It says here that the club should take a good look at the doctor who recommended that Boyle could have been ready to play so soon. Absolutely ridiculous lapse of judgement here (my own injury took three months in a cast and three more months of occupational therapy).

This bit of bad medical advice could ruin Boyle's excellent career.

HATS OFF TO KEN HITCHCOCK

The Blue Jackets are reminding me of some of the best Dallas Stars clubs that Hitch coached. They move as a unit, only defending a portion of the ice at any given time. The result, Pascal Leclaire is on fire, with five shutouts and seven victories in nine games (1.12GAA; .957SV%). Rick Nash is on fire, Nick Zherdev is inspired. Both are playing in more situations than ever. A playoff run could be in the cards for the Jackets, almost unexpectedly since GM Scott Howson's goal this year is to evaluate talent and not get involved in free agent quick fixes.

GOOD FOR STEVE MOORE

There's no way that he should accept a 350K settlement offer from the Bertuzzi/Orca Bay camp. Moore will likely never play hockey again, while Bert makes millions, which is the range indeed that Bert and crew will have to pay.

VERSUS

The TV network of the NHL in the U.S. has got to get it together. In the interest of full disclosure, the cable network has advertised on this site, and we hope they will again. But unless Versus can get on basic cable across the U.S., the NHL should seriously look at getting out of this deal, despite the fine job that the network does on its hockey broadcasts. The problem? Too many bars are tuned to ESPN, too many hotel rooms (all of them?) only carry ESPN. The world of sports is an ESPN one and we just live in it. Time for the league to tell VS. to get it right or get lost. Oh, and don't forget that it's year three of the deal and VS. still doesn't have a nightly highlight show.

PATRICK KANE is as advertised. He's the only rookie on the league's top scorers list as of Tuesday, November 6th (17th: 5-12-17 in 14GP).

 

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HOME

 

2008 Western Hockey Network
 

MAR 2008:
Blogging in
'Grey Area' Raises Eyebrows

No 'rule book' for blogging, says Garner
NEW! by Josh Brewster

Panthers smart with Olli; Bernier starts fast; Lightning look sharp with "other" Jokinen

FEB 2008
Trade Deadline:
The Contrarian

JAN 2008
Finish First or Second in Conference or Forget the Cup

"To Hell with the Cynics"

DEC 2007:

Hockey City, USA Hosts Winter Classic

Hockeytalk Awards 2007

Simon Be Gone

Lupul Breaks Out in Philly

Where is the NHL Network?

Moore Case Heats Up as Crawford Implicated

NOV 2007:
Bryzgalov Tonic for Resurgent Coyotes

Toronto: It Means You're Gone

For Lindros,
Hall is in the Hart

Roenick:
Washed-Up Has-Been Relevant After All

 

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