We are less that two weeks away from the end of the NHL regular season and there is a lot left to be determined.
So far only five teams have clinched playoff spots with one those teams clinching their division. On the other end of the standings only four teams have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. That means the fate of 21 NHL teams are still to be determined.
This will be the final Power Poll for the 2011-2012 season I'll be traveling the rest of the week but I will return right before the post-season with my playoff preview.
In the meantime here are the Power Rankings for week 23.
1. St. Louis 47-20-9 103 points
The Blues look well on their way to their first Central Division title in 12 years and maybe their second President's trophy. That being said I still don't think they are the favorite to win the Stanley Cup.
2. N.Y. Rangers 47-21-7 101 points
Right now I think the Rangers are one player short of being a Stanley Cup favorite. I'll get a better feel for them tomorrow night.
3. Pittsburgh 47-22-6 100 points
I picked the Penguins to win the Stanley Cup at the start of the season. Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good about that.
4. Vancouver 45-21-9 99 points
The Canucks are the 1st team in the NHL to win their division. Of course when you compare their talent to the other four teams no one should be surprised.
5. Detroit 45-25-5 95 points
If the Red Wings can clinch home ice in the 1st round and get Nicklas Lidstrom back in the lineup they are a threat to win their 5th Stanley Cup in 15 years. If not, it could be a quick exit.
6. Philadelphia 44-23-8 96 points
OK Flyers fans, how comfortable do you feel going into the playoffswith Bryzgalov in goal and no Pronger on defense?
7. Boston 44-28-3 91 points
I'm not sure if the Bruins can repeat as Stanley Cup Champions but I do know they will not be an easy team to beat in April.
8. Nashville 44-24-8 96 points
Right now they look like they are on a collision course with Detroit in the 1st round. And yes, this concerns me.
9. Chicago 42-26-8 92 points
Duncan Keith five game suspension might be a blessing in disguise for the Blackhawks as he gets some rest before the post-season.
10. New Jersey 42-28-6 90 points
With 90 points on the season the Devils look like they will return to the playoffs after missing last year for the first time in 13 seasons.
11. Dallas 41-29-5 87 points
Nice job by Glen Gulutzan, winning over 40 games in his first season as head coach. It still might not be enough to make the playoffs.
12. Colorado 40-31-6 86 points
In my opinion, no one has overachieved more in the West than the Avalanche. It still might not be enough to make the playoffs.
13. Los Angeles 37-26-12 86 points
It's taken longer than expected but the Kings are starting to play like a playoff team. A division title is still possible.
14. San Jose 38-27-10 86 points
I picked the Sharks to come out of the West at the start of the season. I'm not feeling too good about that pick.
15. Phoenix 37-27-13 86 points
I'm not sure how Dave Tippett does it but each year he finds a way to have his team in the middle of a playoff chase. That being said I'm not sure the Coyotes make it.
16. Ottawa 38-28-10 84 points
No team in the NHL has overachieved more than the Senators this year. They just have to survive two more weeks to clinch a playoff spot.
17. Washington 38-30-8 81 points
Capitals host Buffalo tomorrow night in what could be the biggest game of the season for both teams.
18. Florida 36-24-15 85 points
I don't think they are the best team in the Southeast but Washington's failure to take charge may give the Panthers their first division title.
19. Buffalo 37-29-10 80 points
See Washington.
20. Winnipeg 35-32-8 76 points
A record of 12-21-4 on the road could be the reason the Jets miss the playoffs.
21. Calgary 34-27-15 83 points
After watching the Flames play against Minnesota on Thursday I have to think Brent Sutter's days as head coach are numbered.
22. Tampa Bay 34-33-7 75 points
While they are still mathematically alive the top priority for the Lightning has to be what to do in goal for next year.
23. Toronto 33-34-9 75 points
Looks like seven years and counting for the Maple Leafs missing the playoffs.
24. Anaheim 32-32-11 75 points
With the Ducks looking like they will miss the playoffs I can't help but wonder if we are seeing the end of Teemu Selanne.
25. Minnesota 31-34-10 72 points
My only plea to Wild owner Craig Leipold is not to make any rash decisions this summer. Let the GM keep doing what he's doing.
26. Carolina 30-31-15 75 points
Blowing a four goal lead in a 5-4 loss to a slumping Red Wings team pretty much sums up how this season has gone for the Hurricanes.
27. N.Y. Islanders 31-33-11 71 points
The National Post had an interesting article last week about how relevant the Islanders are. It's a fair question.
28. Edmonton 31-36-9 71 points
There is a good chance the Oilers may not finish last in the division.
29. Montreal 29-34-13 69 points
Dieu merci la saison est presque terminée.
That's French for "Thank God the season's almost over."
30. Columbus 24-44-7 55 points
One of the reasons the Blue Jackets are bad, their goal differential is -68. That 20 goals worse than the next closest team.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Week 22 Power Poll
Thursday night was an important night for the Pittsburgh Penguins as Sidney Crosby made his return to the lineup.
Crosby as you may recall suffered a concussion during last year's Winter classic and ended up missing the rest of the 2010-2011 after receiving a hit from Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.
Crosby did return earlier this season against the New York Islanders scoring two goals and assisting on two others in the Penguins 5-0 over the Islanders.
Crosby had 2 goals and 10 assists on the season before suffering another hit against Boston that knocked him out of the lineup again after only playing eight games.
But Crosby did finally return on Thursday and while his return wasn't has dramatic as it was back on November 21 he did play a solid game assisting on two goals and getting sixteen minutes of ice time in the Penguins 5-2 win over the New York Rangers.
Crosby then came back on Saturday against New Jersey with three assists in the Penguins 5-2 win over the Devils.
What does Crosby's return to the lineup mean for Pittsburgh?
The Penguins are the hottest team in the NHL having won eleven in a row before losing in overtime yesterday in Philadelphia. They currently are 4th in the East with 94 points and trail the Rangers by one point for the lead in the Atlantic Division and first in the Eastern Conference.
Pittsburgh is already deep at center with Evgeni Malkin (41G, 47A), Jordan Staal (22G, 18A), and Tyler Kennedy (6G, 20A). Adding Crosby to the lineup give the Penguins depth at center that no NHL team can match.
Just as important for Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang returned to the lineup as well after missing five games due to a hit he received against the Dallas Stars back on February 29th.
Letang (9G, 25A, +13) is the Penguins best defenseman. You could make the argument that having Letang on the ice is almost as important as having Crosby on the ice.
Pittsburgh is getting healthy at just the right time. That's good news for Penguins fans and bad news for the rest of the NHL.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 22.
1. St. Louis 46-19-8 100 points
Blues are the 1st team to 100 points and to clinch a playoff berth.
2. Pittsburgh 44-21-6 94 points
Despite the loss to Philadelphia, the Penguins have earned a point in 12 straight games.
3. N.Y. Rangers 44-20-7 95 points
What once looked to be the best team in the East, the Rangers have lost 5 of their last 7 games.
4. Detroit 44-24-4 92 points
Red Wings return home after going 0-2-1 on their California road trip.
5. Vancouver 43-20-8 94 points
Canucks finish their seven game homestand 3-4. They now hit the road for a four game trip.
6. Nashville 42-22-8 92 points
Good news for Predators fans. Alexander Radulov will rejoin the team for their playoff push.
7. Philadelphia 42-22-8 92 points
With all the focus in the Atlantic being on the Penguins and Rangers, the Flyers are lurking only three points out of first overall in the East.
8. Boston 41-27-3 85 points
Bruins go for a season sweep of the Maple Leafs tonight when they host Toronto.
9. New Jersey 41-26-5 87 points
Ilya Kovalchuk have 5 goals and 5 assists in his last 7 games for the Devils.
10 Chicago 40-25-8 88 points
Blackhawks are getting back on track going 7-1-1 in their last nine games.
11. Dallas 39-28-5 83 points
Despite losing two in a row the Stars are 10-2-1 in their last 13 games and are still on top in the Pacific Division.
12. Colorado 39-30-5 81 points
Avalanche have been a big winner at the trade deadline with the acquisition of Jamie McGinn (7G, 3A)
13. Ottawa 37-26-10 84 points
Only one point behind Boston, there is a good chance the Senators could win the Northeast.
14. San Jose 36-25-10 82 points
Logan Couture has 30 goals in back to back seasons. I can see why the Sharks didn't want to trade him for Rick Nash.
15. Washington 36-30-6 78 points
Alex Ovechkin becomes the 9th player in NHL history to score 30 goals in his first seven seasons.
16. Phoenix 36-26-11 83 points
Congrats to Dave Tippett on win number 400 as head coach.
17. Los Angeles 35-25-12 82 points
Kings have scored 18 1st period goals in their last 11 games
18. Florida 35-23-13 83 points
Left Wing Tomas Fleischmann records a career high for most points in a season with 52. (22G, 30A)
19. Calgary 34-26-13 81 points
You can't seriously consider yourself to be a playoff team if you can't take two points from Columbus during this time of year.
20. Winnipeg 34-30-8 76 points
Loss to Carolina ends the Jets home win streak at four games.
21. Buffalo 33-29-10 76 points
Sabres have earned at least one point in 13 of their last 15 games as they make a late push to the playoffs.
22. Tampa Bay 32-31-7 71 points
The Lightning's AHL affiliate in Norfolk has won 18 games in a row. So they have that going for them.
23. Toronto 32-32-8 72 points
Even though they have won two straight the Maple Leafs are 3-61 in their last 10 games.
24. Anaheim 30-32-11 71 points
Magic number for the Ducks being eliminated from the playoff race is 7.
25. Carolina 29-29-5 73 points
Having had a chance to watch defenseman Justin Faulk this past Saturday he should be a fixture on the Hurricanes blueline for many years to come.
26. N.Y. Islanders 29-32-11 69 points
Forward Jay Pandolfo nominated for the Bill Masterson Award.
27. Minnesota 29-32-10 68 points
If there is a silver lining for Wild fans it's that some of their young NHL prospects should be here next season and they should make an impact.
28. Montreal 28-32-13 69 points
One bright spot for Montreal this season, they have the bast penalty kill in the NHL (89.5%)
29. Edmonton 28-36-8 64 points
Craziest rumor of the weekend: Brent Sutter is a candidate to be the next head coach of the Edmonton Oilers according to Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun. Something tells me Calgary may have something to say about this.
30. Columbus 23-42-7 53 points
Win over Calgary snaps a four game winless skid on the road.
Crosby as you may recall suffered a concussion during last year's Winter classic and ended up missing the rest of the 2010-2011 after receiving a hit from Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.
Crosby did return earlier this season against the New York Islanders scoring two goals and assisting on two others in the Penguins 5-0 over the Islanders.
Crosby had 2 goals and 10 assists on the season before suffering another hit against Boston that knocked him out of the lineup again after only playing eight games.
But Crosby did finally return on Thursday and while his return wasn't has dramatic as it was back on November 21 he did play a solid game assisting on two goals and getting sixteen minutes of ice time in the Penguins 5-2 win over the New York Rangers.
Crosby then came back on Saturday against New Jersey with three assists in the Penguins 5-2 win over the Devils.
What does Crosby's return to the lineup mean for Pittsburgh?
The Penguins are the hottest team in the NHL having won eleven in a row before losing in overtime yesterday in Philadelphia. They currently are 4th in the East with 94 points and trail the Rangers by one point for the lead in the Atlantic Division and first in the Eastern Conference.
Pittsburgh is already deep at center with Evgeni Malkin (41G, 47A), Jordan Staal (22G, 18A), and Tyler Kennedy (6G, 20A). Adding Crosby to the lineup give the Penguins depth at center that no NHL team can match.
Just as important for Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang returned to the lineup as well after missing five games due to a hit he received against the Dallas Stars back on February 29th.
Letang (9G, 25A, +13) is the Penguins best defenseman. You could make the argument that having Letang on the ice is almost as important as having Crosby on the ice.
Pittsburgh is getting healthy at just the right time. That's good news for Penguins fans and bad news for the rest of the NHL.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 22.
1. St. Louis 46-19-8 100 points
Blues are the 1st team to 100 points and to clinch a playoff berth.
2. Pittsburgh 44-21-6 94 points
Despite the loss to Philadelphia, the Penguins have earned a point in 12 straight games.
3. N.Y. Rangers 44-20-7 95 points
What once looked to be the best team in the East, the Rangers have lost 5 of their last 7 games.
4. Detroit 44-24-4 92 points
Red Wings return home after going 0-2-1 on their California road trip.
5. Vancouver 43-20-8 94 points
Canucks finish their seven game homestand 3-4. They now hit the road for a four game trip.
6. Nashville 42-22-8 92 points
Good news for Predators fans. Alexander Radulov will rejoin the team for their playoff push.
7. Philadelphia 42-22-8 92 points
With all the focus in the Atlantic being on the Penguins and Rangers, the Flyers are lurking only three points out of first overall in the East.
8. Boston 41-27-3 85 points
Bruins go for a season sweep of the Maple Leafs tonight when they host Toronto.
9. New Jersey 41-26-5 87 points
Ilya Kovalchuk have 5 goals and 5 assists in his last 7 games for the Devils.
10 Chicago 40-25-8 88 points
Blackhawks are getting back on track going 7-1-1 in their last nine games.
11. Dallas 39-28-5 83 points
Despite losing two in a row the Stars are 10-2-1 in their last 13 games and are still on top in the Pacific Division.
12. Colorado 39-30-5 81 points
Avalanche have been a big winner at the trade deadline with the acquisition of Jamie McGinn (7G, 3A)
13. Ottawa 37-26-10 84 points
Only one point behind Boston, there is a good chance the Senators could win the Northeast.
14. San Jose 36-25-10 82 points
Logan Couture has 30 goals in back to back seasons. I can see why the Sharks didn't want to trade him for Rick Nash.
15. Washington 36-30-6 78 points
Alex Ovechkin becomes the 9th player in NHL history to score 30 goals in his first seven seasons.
16. Phoenix 36-26-11 83 points
Congrats to Dave Tippett on win number 400 as head coach.
17. Los Angeles 35-25-12 82 points
Kings have scored 18 1st period goals in their last 11 games
18. Florida 35-23-13 83 points
Left Wing Tomas Fleischmann records a career high for most points in a season with 52. (22G, 30A)
19. Calgary 34-26-13 81 points
You can't seriously consider yourself to be a playoff team if you can't take two points from Columbus during this time of year.
20. Winnipeg 34-30-8 76 points
Loss to Carolina ends the Jets home win streak at four games.
21. Buffalo 33-29-10 76 points
Sabres have earned at least one point in 13 of their last 15 games as they make a late push to the playoffs.
22. Tampa Bay 32-31-7 71 points
The Lightning's AHL affiliate in Norfolk has won 18 games in a row. So they have that going for them.
23. Toronto 32-32-8 72 points
Even though they have won two straight the Maple Leafs are 3-61 in their last 10 games.
24. Anaheim 30-32-11 71 points
Magic number for the Ducks being eliminated from the playoff race is 7.
25. Carolina 29-29-5 73 points
Having had a chance to watch defenseman Justin Faulk this past Saturday he should be a fixture on the Hurricanes blueline for many years to come.
26. N.Y. Islanders 29-32-11 69 points
Forward Jay Pandolfo nominated for the Bill Masterson Award.
27. Minnesota 29-32-10 68 points
If there is a silver lining for Wild fans it's that some of their young NHL prospects should be here next season and they should make an impact.
28. Montreal 28-32-13 69 points
One bright spot for Montreal this season, they have the bast penalty kill in the NHL (89.5%)
29. Edmonton 28-36-8 64 points
Craziest rumor of the weekend: Brent Sutter is a candidate to be the next head coach of the Edmonton Oilers according to Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun. Something tells me Calgary may have something to say about this.
30. Columbus 23-42-7 53 points
Win over Calgary snaps a four game winless skid on the road.
Friday, March 16, 2012
The Three Point Game
The NHL General Managers had their annual March meeting this past week in Boca Raton, Florida where they get together and discuss ways to improve the game.
A lot of topics were discussed like bringing in hybrid icing (It has support from the GM's), bringing back the Red Line (Which thankfully had little support) and eliminating the trapezoid behind the net allowing the goalie to play the puck (A rule I have never understood)
But one topic that the GM's and the NHL fails to bring up on a regular basis is one that drives hockey fans nuts.
The Three Point Game.
As long as I have been a fan of the NHL the standings have been determined by how many points a team has not wins and losses. It use to be that a team would get two points for a win and one for a tie.
When the last wave of expansion started in 1998 the NHL decided to tweak the system feeling most teams were just settling for a tie. They decided to still give one point to both teams if they were tied after 60 minutes and award a second point if a team won the game in overtime.
While the intent was to reward teams for winning it had little impact as teams were still settling for ties.
After the lockout the NHL decided to eliminate tie games and have the winners decided by shootout if two teams were still tied after playing five minutes of overtime.
Teams would each get a point for being tied at the end of regulation and an extra point would be awarded to a team if they won in overtime or a shootout.
While tie games haven't been an issue in the NHL since the lockout teams have managed to take a cautious approach in games. It seems teams are more content with shutting everything down in a close game, hoping it gets to a shootout where they can take their chances to get an extra point in what is nothing more than a glorified skills competition.
So why doesn't the NHL do anything about this? All you have to do is take a look at the current standings.
At first look you'll notice a bunch of teams are close together in points. What you don't realize is that some of those points have come as a result of a team losing in overtime or a shootout.
It's not fair that some games are worth three points in the standings while some are only worth two points.
So what's the solution to this? The obvious one is to determine the standings by wins and losses alone.
However the GM's don't like the idea of having the game go all the way to a shootout only to lose and have nothing to show for it.
With the shootouts not going away and the NHL unwilling to move away from the point system to determine standings I think the best solution is to make every game worth three points.
The way I would do it is a win in regulation or overtime would be three points to the winner and no points to the loser. If the game goes to a shootout each team would get a point with the shootout winner getting the extra point.
By using this method the NHL would actually be rewarding teams for winning games instead of playing for a shootout.
Yes the playoff races wouldn't be as tight as they are now but right now all the playoff races are offering is false hope. Any true hockey fan knows by now whether or not their team has a legit chance to make the playoffs.
If the GM's still have questions about this they can always try it out in the AHL like they do with other potential rule changes before implementing them in the NHL.
I know this rule has been proposed before and each time a variation of this has been turned down but if the NHL really wants to put an emphasis on winning games then this is a rule which needs to be seriously considered.
With three points at stake for a win I think a lot of regular season games would take on more of a playoff like feel.
Something like that can only be good for the NHL as they continue to try and market the game.
A lot of topics were discussed like bringing in hybrid icing (It has support from the GM's), bringing back the Red Line (Which thankfully had little support) and eliminating the trapezoid behind the net allowing the goalie to play the puck (A rule I have never understood)
But one topic that the GM's and the NHL fails to bring up on a regular basis is one that drives hockey fans nuts.
The Three Point Game.
As long as I have been a fan of the NHL the standings have been determined by how many points a team has not wins and losses. It use to be that a team would get two points for a win and one for a tie.
When the last wave of expansion started in 1998 the NHL decided to tweak the system feeling most teams were just settling for a tie. They decided to still give one point to both teams if they were tied after 60 minutes and award a second point if a team won the game in overtime.
While the intent was to reward teams for winning it had little impact as teams were still settling for ties.
After the lockout the NHL decided to eliminate tie games and have the winners decided by shootout if two teams were still tied after playing five minutes of overtime.
Teams would each get a point for being tied at the end of regulation and an extra point would be awarded to a team if they won in overtime or a shootout.
While tie games haven't been an issue in the NHL since the lockout teams have managed to take a cautious approach in games. It seems teams are more content with shutting everything down in a close game, hoping it gets to a shootout where they can take their chances to get an extra point in what is nothing more than a glorified skills competition.
So why doesn't the NHL do anything about this? All you have to do is take a look at the current standings.
At first look you'll notice a bunch of teams are close together in points. What you don't realize is that some of those points have come as a result of a team losing in overtime or a shootout.
It's not fair that some games are worth three points in the standings while some are only worth two points.
So what's the solution to this? The obvious one is to determine the standings by wins and losses alone.
However the GM's don't like the idea of having the game go all the way to a shootout only to lose and have nothing to show for it.
With the shootouts not going away and the NHL unwilling to move away from the point system to determine standings I think the best solution is to make every game worth three points.
The way I would do it is a win in regulation or overtime would be three points to the winner and no points to the loser. If the game goes to a shootout each team would get a point with the shootout winner getting the extra point.
By using this method the NHL would actually be rewarding teams for winning games instead of playing for a shootout.
Yes the playoff races wouldn't be as tight as they are now but right now all the playoff races are offering is false hope. Any true hockey fan knows by now whether or not their team has a legit chance to make the playoffs.
If the GM's still have questions about this they can always try it out in the AHL like they do with other potential rule changes before implementing them in the NHL.
I know this rule has been proposed before and each time a variation of this has been turned down but if the NHL really wants to put an emphasis on winning games then this is a rule which needs to be seriously considered.
With three points at stake for a win I think a lot of regular season games would take on more of a playoff like feel.
Something like that can only be good for the NHL as they continue to try and market the game.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Week 21 Power Poll
Before we get to this weeks Power Poll I want to take time to mention the Minnesota State High School hockey tournament that took place this weekend in St. Paul.
St. Thomas Academy won it's 4th state title, all in Class A defeating Hermantown 5-1. Matt Perry and Alex Johnson scored goals in the 1st period for the Cadets as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead and never looked back.
Johnson, Peter Krieger and Austin Sattler added goals to make it 5-0 St. Thomas Academy before Jared Kolquist scored for Hermantown. The goal by Kolquist was the only goal that goalie David Zevnik gave up in the tournament. Zevnik finished the tournament with 55 saves.
St. Thomas academy finishes the year 26-5 while Hermantown suffers their only loss of the season in the state title game, finishing 30-1.
In the Class AA title game Hill Murray took on what many people believed was the team of destiny, Benilde St. Margaret's.
Junior forward Grant Besse had a game to remember as he scored all five goals for the Red Knights, three of them short-handed, en route to a 5-1 victory.
What impressed me about Besse was how well he skated and always had a sense to be in the right place at the right time. Besse has already committed to play at Wisconsin and after that game I'm guessing he is on the radar of every NHL scout. If he isn't he should be.
The state title is the 3rd for Benilde and their first in Class AA. The win caps an emotional season where forward Jack Jablonski was paralyzed due to a hit in a game on December 30th.
To me it just seems right that nobody else but Benilde wins the Class AA State Hockey Tournament.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 21.
1. St. Louis 45-18-7 97 points
Blues have won a season high five straight and have the best record in the NHL
2. Detroit 44-22-3 91 points
Good news for the Red Wings as Jimmy Howard looks to return just in time for their trip to California.
3. N.Y. Rangers 43-18-7 93 points
The Rangers are 23-7-2 at Madison Square Garden this season, their best home mark since 1994.
4. Pittsburgh 42-21-5 89 points
Don't look now but the Penguins have won nine in a row.
5. Vancouver 42-19-8 92 points
The Canucks look like a lock to win the Northwest Division again. That has their fans celebrating.
6. Boston 40-25-3 83 points
Goalie Tuukka Rask is out 4-6 weeks with a lower body injury leading the Bruins to sign Marty Turco to back up Tim Thomas. Having Turco on your roster never ends well.
7. Nashville 40-21-7 87 points
Newly acquired Andrei Kostitsyn has six points (3G, 3A) in five games as a Predator.
8. New Jersey 40-24-5 85 points
Congrats to Martin Brodeur on his 650 career victory, against the Flyers no less.
9. Philadelphia 39-22-7 85 points
Ilya Bryzgalov (4-0-0, 0.49 GAA, .985 save %) named NHL 1st star of the week.
10. Dallas 38-26-5 81 points
Stars penalty kill is now 30 for 31 over their last 10 games, a success rate of 97 percent.
11. Chicago 37-25-8 82 points
Blackhawks give a two year extension to forward Dan Carcillo. I for the life of me do not understand why.
12. Ottawa 36-25-9 81 points
Erik Karlsson has 69 points this season which leads all defenseman. The next closest is Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell with 44 points.
13. Colorado 36-30-4 76 points
Avalanche forward Matt Duchene out 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury. Not good news for a team fighting for a playoff spot.
14. Washington 35-28-6 76 points
Are the Capitals finally turning things around? They've won three in a row.
15. Phoenix 34-25-10 78 points
3-0 win over San Jose snaps a five game skid (0-4-1) Coyotes are currently 7th in the West.
16. San Jose 33-25-9 75 points
Sharks forward Joe Thornton is slumping as he only has two goals in his last 15 games.
17. Los Angeles 32-25-12 76 points
Kings are 5-4-1 in their last ten games and are hanging around in the Pacific Division race.
18. Florida 32-23-13 77 points
Random stat that I find interesting: Panthers are 5-1 in their last six Sunday games.
19. Winnipeg 32-29-8 72 points
After watching their game against Buffalo last week I can't think of a better home crowd this season than the fans in Winnipeg.
20. Buffalo 32-29-8 72 points
Sabres are 8-2-1 in their last nine games and are currently on the outside looking in at the playoffs.
21. Calgary 32-25-12 76 points
Right now the Flames are tied for 8th in the West. I still don't think they get in.
22. Tampa Bay 31-30-7 69 points
Steven Stamkos is only two goals away from 50 on the season.
23. Toronto 30-31-8 68 points
The hiring of Randy Carlyle may work for the Maple Leafs. It just won't work this season.
24. Anaheim 29-30-10 68 points
Corey Perry is playing like an MVP scoring four goals in his last five games.
25. Minnesota 29-30-10 68 points
It's painful trying to watch the Wild do something simple right now, like completing a pass.
26. N.Y. Islanders 28-31-10 66 points
Some good news for the Islanders and John Tavares is ranked 10th in scoring amongst forwards with 66 points (28G, 38A)
27. Montreal 27-32-10 64 points
Max Pacioretty is the first American born player to score 30 goals for the Canadiens.
28. Carolina 26-28-15 67 points
Good News for the Hurricanes as Tuomo Ruttu could return to the lineup as early as Saturday.
29. Edmonton 26-35-7 59 points
Oilers have lost five of their last six games. (1-4-1)
30. Columbus 22-40-7 51 points
Swept by St. Louis in a home & home this past weekend which ended a four game winning streak.
St. Thomas Academy won it's 4th state title, all in Class A defeating Hermantown 5-1. Matt Perry and Alex Johnson scored goals in the 1st period for the Cadets as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead and never looked back.
Johnson, Peter Krieger and Austin Sattler added goals to make it 5-0 St. Thomas Academy before Jared Kolquist scored for Hermantown. The goal by Kolquist was the only goal that goalie David Zevnik gave up in the tournament. Zevnik finished the tournament with 55 saves.
St. Thomas academy finishes the year 26-5 while Hermantown suffers their only loss of the season in the state title game, finishing 30-1.
In the Class AA title game Hill Murray took on what many people believed was the team of destiny, Benilde St. Margaret's.
Junior forward Grant Besse had a game to remember as he scored all five goals for the Red Knights, three of them short-handed, en route to a 5-1 victory.
What impressed me about Besse was how well he skated and always had a sense to be in the right place at the right time. Besse has already committed to play at Wisconsin and after that game I'm guessing he is on the radar of every NHL scout. If he isn't he should be.
The state title is the 3rd for Benilde and their first in Class AA. The win caps an emotional season where forward Jack Jablonski was paralyzed due to a hit in a game on December 30th.
To me it just seems right that nobody else but Benilde wins the Class AA State Hockey Tournament.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 21.
1. St. Louis 45-18-7 97 points
Blues have won a season high five straight and have the best record in the NHL
2. Detroit 44-22-3 91 points
Good news for the Red Wings as Jimmy Howard looks to return just in time for their trip to California.
3. N.Y. Rangers 43-18-7 93 points
The Rangers are 23-7-2 at Madison Square Garden this season, their best home mark since 1994.
4. Pittsburgh 42-21-5 89 points
Don't look now but the Penguins have won nine in a row.
5. Vancouver 42-19-8 92 points
The Canucks look like a lock to win the Northwest Division again. That has their fans celebrating.
6. Boston 40-25-3 83 points
Goalie Tuukka Rask is out 4-6 weeks with a lower body injury leading the Bruins to sign Marty Turco to back up Tim Thomas. Having Turco on your roster never ends well.
7. Nashville 40-21-7 87 points
Newly acquired Andrei Kostitsyn has six points (3G, 3A) in five games as a Predator.
8. New Jersey 40-24-5 85 points
Congrats to Martin Brodeur on his 650 career victory, against the Flyers no less.
9. Philadelphia 39-22-7 85 points
Ilya Bryzgalov (4-0-0, 0.49 GAA, .985 save %) named NHL 1st star of the week.
10. Dallas 38-26-5 81 points
Stars penalty kill is now 30 for 31 over their last 10 games, a success rate of 97 percent.
11. Chicago 37-25-8 82 points
Blackhawks give a two year extension to forward Dan Carcillo. I for the life of me do not understand why.
12. Ottawa 36-25-9 81 points
Erik Karlsson has 69 points this season which leads all defenseman. The next closest is Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell with 44 points.
13. Colorado 36-30-4 76 points
Avalanche forward Matt Duchene out 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury. Not good news for a team fighting for a playoff spot.
14. Washington 35-28-6 76 points
Are the Capitals finally turning things around? They've won three in a row.
15. Phoenix 34-25-10 78 points
3-0 win over San Jose snaps a five game skid (0-4-1) Coyotes are currently 7th in the West.
16. San Jose 33-25-9 75 points
Sharks forward Joe Thornton is slumping as he only has two goals in his last 15 games.
17. Los Angeles 32-25-12 76 points
Kings are 5-4-1 in their last ten games and are hanging around in the Pacific Division race.
18. Florida 32-23-13 77 points
Random stat that I find interesting: Panthers are 5-1 in their last six Sunday games.
19. Winnipeg 32-29-8 72 points
After watching their game against Buffalo last week I can't think of a better home crowd this season than the fans in Winnipeg.
20. Buffalo 32-29-8 72 points
Sabres are 8-2-1 in their last nine games and are currently on the outside looking in at the playoffs.
21. Calgary 32-25-12 76 points
Right now the Flames are tied for 8th in the West. I still don't think they get in.
22. Tampa Bay 31-30-7 69 points
Steven Stamkos is only two goals away from 50 on the season.
23. Toronto 30-31-8 68 points
The hiring of Randy Carlyle may work for the Maple Leafs. It just won't work this season.
24. Anaheim 29-30-10 68 points
Corey Perry is playing like an MVP scoring four goals in his last five games.
25. Minnesota 29-30-10 68 points
It's painful trying to watch the Wild do something simple right now, like completing a pass.
26. N.Y. Islanders 28-31-10 66 points
Some good news for the Islanders and John Tavares is ranked 10th in scoring amongst forwards with 66 points (28G, 38A)
27. Montreal 27-32-10 64 points
Max Pacioretty is the first American born player to score 30 goals for the Canadiens.
28. Carolina 26-28-15 67 points
Good News for the Hurricanes as Tuomo Ruttu could return to the lineup as early as Saturday.
29. Edmonton 26-35-7 59 points
Oilers have lost five of their last six games. (1-4-1)
30. Columbus 22-40-7 51 points
Swept by St. Louis in a home & home this past weekend which ended a four game winning streak.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Week 20 Power Poll
To say the Toronto Maple Leafs have been in a slump since the All-Star break would be a vast understatement.
Toronto has gone 1-9-1 in it's last eleven games and what looked to be the team's first playoff berth since 2004 looks now to be seriously in doubt.
Because of this all eyes were on Maple Leafs President & General Manager Brian Burke at the trade deadline wondering if he would trade for a goaltender or forward to help the team get out of their slump.
Instead Burke held firm only making a couple of deals to help Toronto in the future, not for this season.
That put all eyes on head coach Ron Wilson. It was up to him to lead this roster out of the skid and on their way to Toronto's first playoff berth since before the lockout.
Instead the Maple Leafs fell behind early 2-0 to Florida on Tuesday night en route to a 5-3 loss. As a result of the defeat chants of "Fire Wilson" were heard throughout Air Canada Centre during the game.
On Wednesday in Chicago the Maple Leafs got out to a 3-1 lead before giving up the next four goals in the game to the Blackhawks which ended up being a 5-4 loss.
The question then was not if but when would Burke fire Wilson.
We got our answer Friday night.
Around 8 PM in Montreal word started to leak out that Wilson was done as head coach of the Maple Leafs. About an hour later it was confirmed that Wilson had been relieved as coach with former Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle taking over.
The hiring of Carlyle as head coach does not come as a surprise to me. Carlyle had a record of 273-182-61 as coach of the Ducks. His teams made the playoffs in five of the six seasons he coached including winning the Stanley Cup in 2007.
If Burke knew a coaching change had to be made it made sense to do it right now. By making this move not only does Burke get a coach that was almost certain to become a hot commodity this off-season he also gives Carlyle a month with this roster to see what works and what doesn't.
As for Wilson this ends a tumultuous four year run as coach in Toronto where it seemed like the media questioned his every move.
With Wilson's connections to Team USA hockey Toronto was never going to accept him unless he won a cup. With the roster he had that just wasn't possible.
I think Ron Wilson is a very good NHL coach and I think the game is better off having him behind the bench. There are a couple NHL teams I can think of that should consider hiring Wilson this summer.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 20.
1. Detroit 43-20-3 89 points
A concern for Red wings fans as Jimmy Howard joins the list of injured players with a lower body injury.
2. N.Y. Rangers 42-15-7 91 points
The Rangers have three victories in three games over Boston this season and have won nine of the last eleven against the Bruins.
3. Vancouver 41-17-8 90 points
Despite their record the Canucks are struggling with the man advantage.
4. St. Louis 41-18-7 89 points
Blues have killed their last 27 penalties.
5. Pittsburgh 38-21-5 81 points
Hottest player for the Penguins right now is Steve Sullivan who is riding a seven game point streak. (3G, 5A)
6. Boston 38-23-3 79 points
Not a good weekend for the Bruins as they are swept away in New York by the Islanders & Rangers.
7. Nashville 38-20-7 83 points
Pekka Rinne ties the team record for goaltending wins in a season with 36. I think he's a pretty safe bet to break that record.
8. Chicago 36-24-7 79 points
The streakiest team in the NHL has now won three in a row.
9. Philadelphia 36-21-7 79 points
Hall of Fame inductee Mark Howe to have his jersey retired tomorrow night when the Flyers host Detroit.
10. New Jersey 36-24-5 77 points
Devils are tied with Los Angeles and Montreal for the most goals scored (six) while playing 5-on-3.
11. Dallas 35-26-5 75 points
Forward Loui Eriksson has nine points (4G,5A) in his last six games.
12. Ottawa 34-25-8 76 points
With goalie Craig Anderson out indefinitely with an injury, Robin Lehner gets an opportunity in net.
13. Colorado 34-29-4 72 points
Acquisition of Jamie McGinn pays off for Avalanche last night as he scores both goals against Minnesota.
14. San Jose 33-24-7 73 points
Sharks coach Todd McLellan has missed the last three games since getting hit in the head with a stick last Sunday in Minnesota.
15. Phoenix 33-23-9 75 points
Since finishing February with a record of 11-0-1 the coyotes have been outscored 9-4 in back to back losses to Calgary & Columbus.
16. Washington 32-28-5 69 points
Capitals have been shutout 5 times in their last 22 games after scoring at least a goal in their 1st 43 games this season.
17. Florida 31-22-12 74 points
While I have had a hard time buying into the Panthers this season I have to admit I like their chances to win the Southeast.
18. Tampa Bay 31-28-6 68 points
Don't look now but the Lightning are two points outside of the final playoff spot in the East...
19. Winnipeg 31-27-8 70 points
Which right now is being held by the Jets.
20. Los Angeles 30-23-12 72 points
Jeff Carter scores his first two goals for Los Angeles in the Kings win over Anaheim.
21. Buffalo 30-27-8 68 points
Three straight wins for Sabres has Buffalo two points out of the final playoff spot in the East.
22. Toronto 30-28-7 67 points
Well so far the Randy Carlyle hire is working.
23. Calgary 29-25-12 70 points
Flames have lost five of their last six games.
24. Anaheim 28-28-10 66 points
Ducks are 10-2-1 in their last 13 home games. Have eight home games remaining on the season.
25. N.Y. Islanders 28-29-9 65 points
Congrats to Anders Nilsson on his 1st NHL win in goal. (A shutout no less)
26. Minnesota 28-28-10 66 points
Watching this team all I can do is sigh and wonder how different things would be if they were completely healthy.
27. Montreal 25-31-10 60 points
One bright spot for the Canadiens this year is the development of P.K. Subban.
28. Edmonton 25-33-6 56 points
Despite their record the Oilers do have the top Power Play percentage in the NHL (21.7)
29. Carolina 24-27-14 62 points
Eric Staal has scored a point in his last 11 games.
30. Columbus 20-38-7 47 points
If I'm Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson I'm calling Ron Wilson about the team's coaching position next season.
Toronto has gone 1-9-1 in it's last eleven games and what looked to be the team's first playoff berth since 2004 looks now to be seriously in doubt.
Because of this all eyes were on Maple Leafs President & General Manager Brian Burke at the trade deadline wondering if he would trade for a goaltender or forward to help the team get out of their slump.
Instead Burke held firm only making a couple of deals to help Toronto in the future, not for this season.
That put all eyes on head coach Ron Wilson. It was up to him to lead this roster out of the skid and on their way to Toronto's first playoff berth since before the lockout.
Instead the Maple Leafs fell behind early 2-0 to Florida on Tuesday night en route to a 5-3 loss. As a result of the defeat chants of "Fire Wilson" were heard throughout Air Canada Centre during the game.
On Wednesday in Chicago the Maple Leafs got out to a 3-1 lead before giving up the next four goals in the game to the Blackhawks which ended up being a 5-4 loss.
The question then was not if but when would Burke fire Wilson.
We got our answer Friday night.
Around 8 PM in Montreal word started to leak out that Wilson was done as head coach of the Maple Leafs. About an hour later it was confirmed that Wilson had been relieved as coach with former Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle taking over.
The hiring of Carlyle as head coach does not come as a surprise to me. Carlyle had a record of 273-182-61 as coach of the Ducks. His teams made the playoffs in five of the six seasons he coached including winning the Stanley Cup in 2007.
If Burke knew a coaching change had to be made it made sense to do it right now. By making this move not only does Burke get a coach that was almost certain to become a hot commodity this off-season he also gives Carlyle a month with this roster to see what works and what doesn't.
As for Wilson this ends a tumultuous four year run as coach in Toronto where it seemed like the media questioned his every move.
With Wilson's connections to Team USA hockey Toronto was never going to accept him unless he won a cup. With the roster he had that just wasn't possible.
I think Ron Wilson is a very good NHL coach and I think the game is better off having him behind the bench. There are a couple NHL teams I can think of that should consider hiring Wilson this summer.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 20.
1. Detroit 43-20-3 89 points
A concern for Red wings fans as Jimmy Howard joins the list of injured players with a lower body injury.
2. N.Y. Rangers 42-15-7 91 points
The Rangers have three victories in three games over Boston this season and have won nine of the last eleven against the Bruins.
3. Vancouver 41-17-8 90 points
Despite their record the Canucks are struggling with the man advantage.
4. St. Louis 41-18-7 89 points
Blues have killed their last 27 penalties.
5. Pittsburgh 38-21-5 81 points
Hottest player for the Penguins right now is Steve Sullivan who is riding a seven game point streak. (3G, 5A)
6. Boston 38-23-3 79 points
Not a good weekend for the Bruins as they are swept away in New York by the Islanders & Rangers.
7. Nashville 38-20-7 83 points
Pekka Rinne ties the team record for goaltending wins in a season with 36. I think he's a pretty safe bet to break that record.
8. Chicago 36-24-7 79 points
The streakiest team in the NHL has now won three in a row.
9. Philadelphia 36-21-7 79 points
Hall of Fame inductee Mark Howe to have his jersey retired tomorrow night when the Flyers host Detroit.
10. New Jersey 36-24-5 77 points
Devils are tied with Los Angeles and Montreal for the most goals scored (six) while playing 5-on-3.
11. Dallas 35-26-5 75 points
Forward Loui Eriksson has nine points (4G,5A) in his last six games.
12. Ottawa 34-25-8 76 points
With goalie Craig Anderson out indefinitely with an injury, Robin Lehner gets an opportunity in net.
13. Colorado 34-29-4 72 points
Acquisition of Jamie McGinn pays off for Avalanche last night as he scores both goals against Minnesota.
14. San Jose 33-24-7 73 points
Sharks coach Todd McLellan has missed the last three games since getting hit in the head with a stick last Sunday in Minnesota.
15. Phoenix 33-23-9 75 points
Since finishing February with a record of 11-0-1 the coyotes have been outscored 9-4 in back to back losses to Calgary & Columbus.
16. Washington 32-28-5 69 points
Capitals have been shutout 5 times in their last 22 games after scoring at least a goal in their 1st 43 games this season.
17. Florida 31-22-12 74 points
While I have had a hard time buying into the Panthers this season I have to admit I like their chances to win the Southeast.
18. Tampa Bay 31-28-6 68 points
Don't look now but the Lightning are two points outside of the final playoff spot in the East...
19. Winnipeg 31-27-8 70 points
Which right now is being held by the Jets.
20. Los Angeles 30-23-12 72 points
Jeff Carter scores his first two goals for Los Angeles in the Kings win over Anaheim.
21. Buffalo 30-27-8 68 points
Three straight wins for Sabres has Buffalo two points out of the final playoff spot in the East.
22. Toronto 30-28-7 67 points
Well so far the Randy Carlyle hire is working.
23. Calgary 29-25-12 70 points
Flames have lost five of their last six games.
24. Anaheim 28-28-10 66 points
Ducks are 10-2-1 in their last 13 home games. Have eight home games remaining on the season.
25. N.Y. Islanders 28-29-9 65 points
Congrats to Anders Nilsson on his 1st NHL win in goal. (A shutout no less)
26. Minnesota 28-28-10 66 points
Watching this team all I can do is sigh and wonder how different things would be if they were completely healthy.
27. Montreal 25-31-10 60 points
One bright spot for the Canadiens this year is the development of P.K. Subban.
28. Edmonton 25-33-6 56 points
Despite their record the Oilers do have the top Power Play percentage in the NHL (21.7)
29. Carolina 24-27-14 62 points
Eric Staal has scored a point in his last 11 games.
30. Columbus 20-38-7 47 points
If I'm Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson I'm calling Ron Wilson about the team's coaching position next season.
Friday, March 2, 2012
NHL Trade Deadline: Western Conference
In yesterday's column I broke down how all the teams in the Eastern Conference did at the trade deadline.
Today we will take a look at how the teams in the Western Conference did and we start with the team that has been the measuring stick in the NHL for the last 20 years.
Detroit Red Wings:
The biggest move Detroit made was acquiring defenseman Kyle Quincey from Tampa Bay for a 1st round draft pick.
Quincey actually started his NHL career with the Red Wings before being claimed by the Los Angeles Kings off waivers before the start of the 2008-09 season.
Quincey is expected to be the number five defenseman and will be paired on the blueline with Jonathan Ericsson. To make room for Quincey Detroit traded defenseman Mike Commodore to Tampa Bay for a conditional 7th round pick in the 2013 draft.
Commodore was expected to provide size and grit on the blueline but could never crack the Red wings lineup. By getting Quincey Detroit re-acquires a player they didn't want to lose four years ago.
Quincey is also a restricted free agent which means Detroit can hold on to him after this season, especially if Brad Stuart leaves as a free agent.
Chicago Blackhawks:
The one thing I felt Chicago needed to do at the deadline was go get a center especially with Jonathan Toews out of the lineup.
Instead the only move the Blackhawks made acquiring Johnny Oduya from Winnipeg for a 2nd and 3rd round pick in the 2013 draft.
Now Oduya will help Chicago out on the blueline especially with defenseman Steve Montador on injured reserve. But the Blackhawks have been weak up the middle the entire season.
The only thing they did to address the problem was acquire Brendan Morrison from Calgary in January. So far he has only played seven games for the Blackhawks and has yet to record a point.
I still think the Blackhawks are a playoff team but how far they go will depend on the health of Toews.
St. Louis Blues:
The Blues were one of a few teams that stayed quiet at the trade deadline. Part of this is because of the team being for sale with new ownership not fully in place yet.
The only deal St. Louis made was sending goalie Ben Bishop to Ottawa for a 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft. With Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak set in goal for the Blues, Bishop was expendable.
St. Louis has gone 35-10-7 since Ken Hitchcock took over as coach in November. With that record you can see why they really didn't need to make any moves at the deadline.
Right now the Blues are good enough to play with anybody in the West. With the team playing well there is no need to tinker with the roster.
Nashville Predators:
If there is one thing we learned from the deadline is that the Predators are going for it this year.
With defenseman Ryan Suter scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season Nashville is doing everything they can to show him they are serious about winning.
They added Hal Gill to an already deep blueline from Montreal for forwards Blake Geoffrion and Robert Slaney. Then at the deadline the Predators made another deal with the Canadiens acquiring Andrei Kostitsyn for a pair of draft picks in the 2013 draft.
Later on in the day Nashville traded it's 1st round pick in the 2012 draft to Buffalo for center Paul Gaustad.
As a result you have a team that already has a deep blueline and stellar goaltending get tougher on defense and add depth at forward.
I can't guarantee these moves will lead to Nashville winning the Stanley Cup or re-signing Ryan Suter. I can guarantee that the Predators are the one team in the West nobody wants to face in the 1st round.
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Columbus made two trades before the deadline and neither one involved star forward Rick Nash.
The first deal the Blue Jackets made was sending Jeff Carter to Los Angeles for defenseman Jack Johnson and a 1st round pick in the 2012 draft.
Carter was never happy being in Columbus and while he never complained about playing there he also never embraced being a Blue Jacket. With the team in complete disarray Columbus was better off trading Carter instead of holding on to him and trying to make in work.
By acquiring Johnson the Blue Jackets get another offensive minded defenseman to go with James Wisniewski. His ability to move the puck should lead to a lot of goals for Columbus. The downside however is Johnson plus/minus number is usually around -15 for the season.
The other trade Columbus made was sending Sami Pahlsson to Vancouver for Taylor Ellington and a pair of draft picks. A nice return for a free agent who probably wasn't going to return next season.
As for holding on to Rick Nash I think GM Scott Howson made the right move.
Nash is signed for six more years. Even though he asked for a trade Howson doesn't have to move him right away. He can shop him around at the draft when more teams are able to vie for his services. There is no point in settling for a lesser deal when you don't need to.
Vancouver Canucks:
Last year at the deadline Vancouver made a couple of trades to improve their overall depth. It worked as the Canucks went all they way to game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Vancouver made a similar deal at the deadline this year acquiring center Sami Pahlsson from Columbus.
Pahlsson won a cup with Anaheim and has a reputation for being a shutdown center. He'll fit in well on the 3rd line allowing Manny Malhotra to center the Canucks 4th line.
With the acquisition of Pahlsson Vancouver was able to trade center Cody Hodgson to Buffalo for Zach Kassian.
Last year in the finals the Canucks were pushed around by the Bruins. Kassian is a big power forward that will give Vancouver some much needed size and muscle.
As for Hodgson, Canucks fans shouldn't be too upset over losing him in a trade. Your centers right now are Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler, Pahlsson and Malhotra. Hodgson is a nice player but you are better up the middle with what you have than you would be if you held on to Hodgson.
Calgary Flames:
Being up against the salary cap Calgary stood firm at the trade deadline having already made their deal in January when they acquired Mike Cammalieri from Montreal.
One thing the Flames decided to do was hold on to center Olli Jokinen instead of asking him to waive his no-movement clause. All you have to do is google "Olli Jokinen Playoff Stats" and you should get a good idea of how the season will finish for Calgary.
Colorado Avalanche:
Colorado got a jump on the trade deadline a week earlier acquiring Steve Downie from Tampa Bay for Kyle Quincey.
Downie is a gritty forward that should see time on the Avalanche's second line. He'll provide snarl to a team that could really use some.
The other deal Colorado made was sending T.J. Gagliardi and Daniel Winnik to San Jose for Jamie McGinn, Mike Connolly and Michael Sgarbossa.
McGinn is a two way forward that is expected to help the Avalanche on offense and defense while Connolly and Sgarbossa are prospects that should fit in nicely with Colorado.
Edmonton Oilers:
Speculation around Edmonton was they would trade Ales Hemsky before the deadline instead they gave him a two year extension.
The Oilers did make one deal however sending defenseman Tom Gilbert to Minnesota for defenseman Nick Schultz.
All year long I thought Edmonton needed to get better on the blueline. While Schultz does not have the offensive skill that Gilbert does he is a stay at home defenseman.
With all the offensive skill at forward Schultz is the type of player the Oilers need on the blueline.
Minnesota Wild:
GM Chuck Fletcher was busy at the deadline dealing Marek Zidlicky to New Jersey, Greg Zanon to Boston, and Nick Schultz to Edmonton.
In return he got a forward with 20 goal potential (Nick Palmieri), two puck moving defenseman (Tom Gilbert and Steve Kampfer) and a couple draft picks.
One of the reasons Minnesota has struggled since mid-December is because of a lack of production from their blueline. The presence of Gilbert should help them out there while Kampfer will be given time in Houston to develop.
I think Chuck Fletcher has done a remarkable job by getting the prospects he has acquired in his three years as GM. Things may be frustrating now if you are a Wild fan but better days are ahead.
Phoenix Coyotes:
Despite having no local ownership and being in limbo for the 3rd consecutive season Phoenix was able to make one trade before the deadline acquiring Antoine Vermette from Columbus.
Vermette is a two way center that will provide much needed depth at forward to the Coyotes as they try to make the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row.
San Jose Sharks:
San Jose was one of the teams that was in talks with Columbus for Rick Nash. Instead of making a deal for Nash the Sharks made a deal with Colorado getting Daniel Winnik and T.J Gagliardi in exchange for Jamie McGinn.
Gagliardi is a talented forward who hasn't realized his potential yet in the NHL. Playing with a talented Sharks team I expect him to take off while Winnik will help provide some of the grit that was lost with McGinn going to Denver.
The other deal San Jose made was acquiring Dominic Moore from Tampa Bay earlier in the month. With these three players the Sharks add some much needed depth at forward.
Los Angeles Kings:
Los Angeles is a talented team that has had trouble scoring goals this seasons. To solve this problem they went and got a forward from Columbus who is known for scoring goals.
The player wasn't Rick Nash however. It was Jeff Carter.
Carter has reached the 30 goal mark the last three season and should provide a boost to an anemic Kings offense. After sulking through most of the season in Columbus he is reunited with former teammate Mike Richards in Los Angeles.
To get Carter it cost the Kings defenseman Jack Johnson. Normally that's a high price to pay but Los Angeles has a lot of depth on the blueline. Plus when you have Drew Doughty is your top defenseman a player like Johnson can be traded for a forward like Carter.
Anaheim Ducks:
The Ducks didn't make any big trades at the deadline only swapping a couple players that are fringe NHL players.
But nobody has played better since New Years Day than Anaheim. I'm not sure they can get a playoff spot but with the way they are playing there wasn't any need to tinker with the roster.
Dallas Stars:
There were rumors of Steve Ott being moved before the deadline but instead of trading him Dallas held on to him.
I didn't expect the Stars to be busy at the deadline especially with new ownership taking over. The only deal Dallas made before the deadline was sending Nicklas Grossman to Philadelphia for a couple draft picks.
The Stars are in the mix for the final playoff spot in the West. I'm guessing they'll be a little more active at the draft but for now they are going with what they have hoping to sneak into the post-season.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
NHL Trade Deadline: Eastern Conference
The NHL Trade Deadline was this past Monday and unlike previous years there wasn't a flurry of deals.
Most teams were a little more reserved at the deadline this year opting to resign their players instead of seeing what they could get for them before they hit the open market on July 1st. With the CBA expiring in September this doesn't come as a big surprise.
But trades were made and in today's column we'll take a look at how the teams in the Eastern Conference did at the deadline. Tomorrow we'll look at the Western Conference.
We'll start in the Atlantic with the top team in the East
New York Rangers:
The only deal New York made at the deadline was acquiring defenseman John Scott from Chicago for a 5th round draft pick in 2012.
Scott is expected to provide some size & muscle on the blueline and cause teams to think twice before trying anything rough with the top players on the Rangers roster.
New York however is getting more attention for a trade they didn't make, acquiring Rick Nash from Columbus.
The Rangers were in trade discussions with the Blue Jackets until near the end of the deadline but the teams couldn't agree on the right mix of players to make a deal happen.
I don't think this is a bad thing for New York.
I'm a big Rick Nash fan but I don't think he is worth blowing up your team over. At least not during the season.
New York has done a decent job in recent years developing their own players while mixing in a free agent or two instead of trying to buy every top player on the market.
This is the best Ranger team in the last 15 years and one that has a legit chance to win the Stanley Cup in June. I think you owe it to the players on the roster to let them finish this thing. If New York falls short then you can revisit acquiring Rick Nash in June at the NHL Draft.
Pittsburgh Penguins:
The Penguins decided to stand pat at the deadline and not make any moves.
It doesn't come as much of a surprise. They are playing well and are one of the deeper teams in the NHL. Plus if Sidney Crosby can return for the playoffs that will be better than any player they could have acquired.
Philadelphia Flyers:
When you spend 51 million on a goalie for nine years and your other three top salaries are players with no movement clauses you aren't going to make a lot of huge moves at the deadline.
That being said I think the Flyers did well acquiring defensemen Nicklas Grossman and Pavel Kubina from Dallas and Tampa Bay for draft picks.
The Flyers are 27th in the NHL in goals against per game. With Chris Pronger out of the lineup with post concussion symptoms GM Paul Holmgren had to improve his blueline. Grossman and Kubina together don't make up for the loss of Pronger but it does make the Flyers blueline deeper.
We know Philly can score. The question now is can they keep the puck out of their net.
New Jersey Devils:
The only deal the Devils made before the deadline was acquiring Marek Zidlicky from Minnesota.
I shared my thoughts on the Zidlicky deal in Monday's column but what got my attention was a deal the Devils didn't make, trading Zach Parise.
Parise is a free agent after the season and numerous teams would love to have a player like him on their roster. If he hits the open market he can pretty much set his own price.
By trading for Zidlicky and not trading Parise that tells me GM Lou Lamoriello thinks this Devils team can make a run for the Stanley Cup.
With goalie Martin Brodeur turning 40 later this year and Parise being a free agent after the season this could be one final run by New Jersey with two of their core players.
New York Islanders:
The only trade the Islanders made at the deadline was sending forward Brian Rolston and defenseman Mike Motteau to Boston for a couple of prospects.
A move they should of made was trading goalie Evgeni Nabokov.
Nabokov is a free agent after this season and there were a few teams in playoff contention that could have used him in goal. Instead the Islanders decided to hold on to him.
I understand that with the uncertainty surrounding goalie Rick DiPietro New York would like to hold onto Nabokov. However I also remember his refusal to play for the Islanders after being claimed off waivers last year.
There is no guarantee Nabokov is going to return to Long Island next season. With the Islanders eight points out of the final playoff spot in the East they would have been better off moving him at the deadline for a player or draft picks that could help their team down the road.
Boston Bruins:
The defending Stanley Cup champions went into the trade deadline hoping to add some depth at forward and defense.
Acquiring Rolston and Motteau from New York and Greg Zanon from Minnesota helps them accomplish that task.
Rolston is 39 years old and a free agent after this season. While he hasn't scored over 30 goals in a season since 2007-08 he still can be very productive as a 3rd line forward and help out on the power play if needed.
Watching Zanon play for Minnesota the last couple seasons I can say when he is on the ice it is like having a second goalie with all the shots he blocks.
Zanon along with Motteau should see most of their playing time as the 5th or 6th defenseman in the Bruins defensive rotation.
Ottawa Senators:
The Senators made two trades at the deadline acquiring defenseman Matt Gilroy from Tampa Bay for Brian Lee and acquiring goalie Ben Bishop from St. Louis for a 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft.
Gilroy, a former Hobey Baker winner with Boston University in 2009, is a puck moving defenseman who is on his third team since making his debut in 2009. His style of play should fit in with Ottawa.
Bishop has been known as the best goalie not playing in the NHL. While the Senators don't face the same scrutiny the Flyers do they have had problems in goal for as long as I can remember.
With the acquisition of Bishop, Ottawa is hoping that will finally come to an end.
Toronto Maple Leafs:
Toronto is 1-9-1 in its last 11 games.
Instead of making a big trade at the deadline GM Brian Burke made a couple of depth moves sending defenseman Keith Aulie to Tampa Bay for forward Carter Ashton and trading forward Dale Mitchell to Anaheim for defenseman Mark Fraser.
While neither trade should have an impact on this season I do like the acquisition of Ashton from Tampa Bay.
Ashton was a 1st round pick in the 2009 draft. At 6'3 and 220 pounds he is a big forward, the type of player Brian Burke loves.
The Maple Leafs were also in the mix for Rick Nash but decided not to move any of their prospects to try and make a deal. If Toronto misses the playoffs again I have a feeling they'll re-visit acquiring Nash.
Buffalo Sabres:
While not a lot has gone right on the ice this year for the Sabres I think they did very well for themselves at the deadline.
Buffalo traded center Paul Gaustad to Nashville for a 1st round draft pick. Gaustad has been a gritty 2nd line center for the Sabres since the 2005-06 season. He is known more for spending time in the penalty box than scoring goals.
The other move Buffalo made was trading forward Zach Kassian and defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani to Vancouver for Cody Hodgson and Alex Sulzer.
Hodgson is a former CHL player of the year and should fit in nicely as a 2nd line center with the Sabres while Sulzer will add depth to the Buffalo blueline.
So in review, GM Darcy Reiger was able to move Gaustad, a UFA at the end of the season for a 1st round draft pick and replace him with a young center who is a pure goal scorer.
Looks like a win in my book.
Montreal Canadiens:
The biggest deal Montreal made before the deadline was sending defenseman Hal Gill to Nashville for forwards Blake Geoffrion and Robert Slaney.
Gill is a UFA at the end of the season and with Montreal in complete disarray it made sense for the Habs to move him.
In Geoffrion they get a talented forward whose grandfather & great grandfather both played for the Canadiens back in the day. I think Geoffrion has the talent to become a top six forward in the NHL. I hope the pressure of playing in Montreal doesn't get to him.
Florida Panthers:
The Panthers did make two trades before the deadline acquiring forward Jerrod Smithson from Nashville for a 6th round draft pick and Wojtek Wolski from the Rangers for defenseman Mike Vernace and a 3rd round pick in 2013.
Smithson is a center that should find time on the Panthers 3rd line while Wolski is a talented forward who has had trouble scoring goals the last couple seasons. Both players are depth acquisitions as Florida tries to make the post-season for the first time since 2000.
Washington Capitals:
The Capitals were a team I thought would try and make a move at the deadline if for no other reason than to shake up a roster that has underachieved this season.
Instead GM George McPhee decided to stand pat and go with the roster he has. McPhee looked around but with very few teams selling it made little sense for him to pay the price that would be needed to make a move that would help Washington.
The Capitals still have a good chance to win the Southeast Division. Even if they don't they probably can still get into the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed.
Right now nobody expects them to be a Stanley Cup contender. For a team that has cracked under pressure the last few years in the playoffs flying under the radar may not be a bad thing.
Winnipeg Jets:
Right now the Jets are one point out of the final playoff spot in the East. Instead of adding a player at the deadline the only deal they made was sending defenseman Johnny Oduya to Chicago for a pair of draft picks.
To replace Oduya the Jets claimed defenseman Grant Clitsome off of waivers from Columbus.
GM Kevin Cheveldayoff believes in the group of players he has in the locker room. Right now it is still a young nucleus that is learning how to win.
They are playing in a market that is just happy to have the NHL back and if they make the playoffs it is a bonus.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
For everything that went right for Tampa Bay last year you can say everything went wrong on the ice this season.
However GM Steve Yzerman made the right decision becoming a seller before the deadline.
Yzerman traded Steve Downie to Colorado for Kyle Quincey and then flipped Quincey to Detroit for a 1st round draft pick. Yzerman also traded Pavel Kubina to Philadelphia for a pair of draft picks before the deadline.
At the deadline Yzerman added Brian Lee, Keith Aulie & Mike Commodore to the Tampa Bay blueline. Aulie has a chance to become a top four defenseman with the Lightning while Lee gets a fresh start in Tampa.
More importantly Tampa gets a few more draft picks as they continue to build this team. Its simply a case of taking a step back so you can move forward.
Carolina Hurricanes:
Little has gone right for the Hurricanes this year in Raleigh.
Yet instead of dealing away their upcoming free agents Carolina decided to re-sign Tim Gleason and Tuomo Ruutu before they hit the market.
GM Jim Rutherford's logic is it made more sense to re-sign Gleason and Ruutu instead of trying to replace them on July 1st because there wasn't going to be a player of that caliber available when free agency starts.
The Hurricanes also decided to hold onto defenseman Jaroslav Spacek and Bryan Allen instead of trading them away before they hit free agency. My guess is Rutherford will try to re-sign one if not both of them this summer.
Carolina has gone 16-13-9 since Kirk Muller took over as head coach at the end of November. If the Hurricanes aren't winning with these players right now what makes Rutherford think things will be better next season with the same roster in tact?
I don't blame them for re-signing Gleason and Ruutu but when defenseman were high in demand on the trade market it would have made more sense to deal Spacek and/or Allen instead of holding onto them with the risk of losing them for nothing after the season.
Most teams were a little more reserved at the deadline this year opting to resign their players instead of seeing what they could get for them before they hit the open market on July 1st. With the CBA expiring in September this doesn't come as a big surprise.
But trades were made and in today's column we'll take a look at how the teams in the Eastern Conference did at the deadline. Tomorrow we'll look at the Western Conference.
We'll start in the Atlantic with the top team in the East
New York Rangers:
The only deal New York made at the deadline was acquiring defenseman John Scott from Chicago for a 5th round draft pick in 2012.
Scott is expected to provide some size & muscle on the blueline and cause teams to think twice before trying anything rough with the top players on the Rangers roster.
New York however is getting more attention for a trade they didn't make, acquiring Rick Nash from Columbus.
The Rangers were in trade discussions with the Blue Jackets until near the end of the deadline but the teams couldn't agree on the right mix of players to make a deal happen.
I don't think this is a bad thing for New York.
I'm a big Rick Nash fan but I don't think he is worth blowing up your team over. At least not during the season.
New York has done a decent job in recent years developing their own players while mixing in a free agent or two instead of trying to buy every top player on the market.
This is the best Ranger team in the last 15 years and one that has a legit chance to win the Stanley Cup in June. I think you owe it to the players on the roster to let them finish this thing. If New York falls short then you can revisit acquiring Rick Nash in June at the NHL Draft.
Pittsburgh Penguins:
The Penguins decided to stand pat at the deadline and not make any moves.
It doesn't come as much of a surprise. They are playing well and are one of the deeper teams in the NHL. Plus if Sidney Crosby can return for the playoffs that will be better than any player they could have acquired.
Philadelphia Flyers:
When you spend 51 million on a goalie for nine years and your other three top salaries are players with no movement clauses you aren't going to make a lot of huge moves at the deadline.
That being said I think the Flyers did well acquiring defensemen Nicklas Grossman and Pavel Kubina from Dallas and Tampa Bay for draft picks.
The Flyers are 27th in the NHL in goals against per game. With Chris Pronger out of the lineup with post concussion symptoms GM Paul Holmgren had to improve his blueline. Grossman and Kubina together don't make up for the loss of Pronger but it does make the Flyers blueline deeper.
We know Philly can score. The question now is can they keep the puck out of their net.
New Jersey Devils:
The only deal the Devils made before the deadline was acquiring Marek Zidlicky from Minnesota.
I shared my thoughts on the Zidlicky deal in Monday's column but what got my attention was a deal the Devils didn't make, trading Zach Parise.
Parise is a free agent after the season and numerous teams would love to have a player like him on their roster. If he hits the open market he can pretty much set his own price.
By trading for Zidlicky and not trading Parise that tells me GM Lou Lamoriello thinks this Devils team can make a run for the Stanley Cup.
With goalie Martin Brodeur turning 40 later this year and Parise being a free agent after the season this could be one final run by New Jersey with two of their core players.
New York Islanders:
The only trade the Islanders made at the deadline was sending forward Brian Rolston and defenseman Mike Motteau to Boston for a couple of prospects.
A move they should of made was trading goalie Evgeni Nabokov.
Nabokov is a free agent after this season and there were a few teams in playoff contention that could have used him in goal. Instead the Islanders decided to hold on to him.
I understand that with the uncertainty surrounding goalie Rick DiPietro New York would like to hold onto Nabokov. However I also remember his refusal to play for the Islanders after being claimed off waivers last year.
There is no guarantee Nabokov is going to return to Long Island next season. With the Islanders eight points out of the final playoff spot in the East they would have been better off moving him at the deadline for a player or draft picks that could help their team down the road.
Boston Bruins:
The defending Stanley Cup champions went into the trade deadline hoping to add some depth at forward and defense.
Acquiring Rolston and Motteau from New York and Greg Zanon from Minnesota helps them accomplish that task.
Rolston is 39 years old and a free agent after this season. While he hasn't scored over 30 goals in a season since 2007-08 he still can be very productive as a 3rd line forward and help out on the power play if needed.
Watching Zanon play for Minnesota the last couple seasons I can say when he is on the ice it is like having a second goalie with all the shots he blocks.
Zanon along with Motteau should see most of their playing time as the 5th or 6th defenseman in the Bruins defensive rotation.
Ottawa Senators:
The Senators made two trades at the deadline acquiring defenseman Matt Gilroy from Tampa Bay for Brian Lee and acquiring goalie Ben Bishop from St. Louis for a 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft.
Gilroy, a former Hobey Baker winner with Boston University in 2009, is a puck moving defenseman who is on his third team since making his debut in 2009. His style of play should fit in with Ottawa.
Bishop has been known as the best goalie not playing in the NHL. While the Senators don't face the same scrutiny the Flyers do they have had problems in goal for as long as I can remember.
With the acquisition of Bishop, Ottawa is hoping that will finally come to an end.
Toronto Maple Leafs:
Toronto is 1-9-1 in its last 11 games.
Instead of making a big trade at the deadline GM Brian Burke made a couple of depth moves sending defenseman Keith Aulie to Tampa Bay for forward Carter Ashton and trading forward Dale Mitchell to Anaheim for defenseman Mark Fraser.
While neither trade should have an impact on this season I do like the acquisition of Ashton from Tampa Bay.
Ashton was a 1st round pick in the 2009 draft. At 6'3 and 220 pounds he is a big forward, the type of player Brian Burke loves.
The Maple Leafs were also in the mix for Rick Nash but decided not to move any of their prospects to try and make a deal. If Toronto misses the playoffs again I have a feeling they'll re-visit acquiring Nash.
Buffalo Sabres:
While not a lot has gone right on the ice this year for the Sabres I think they did very well for themselves at the deadline.
Buffalo traded center Paul Gaustad to Nashville for a 1st round draft pick. Gaustad has been a gritty 2nd line center for the Sabres since the 2005-06 season. He is known more for spending time in the penalty box than scoring goals.
The other move Buffalo made was trading forward Zach Kassian and defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani to Vancouver for Cody Hodgson and Alex Sulzer.
Hodgson is a former CHL player of the year and should fit in nicely as a 2nd line center with the Sabres while Sulzer will add depth to the Buffalo blueline.
So in review, GM Darcy Reiger was able to move Gaustad, a UFA at the end of the season for a 1st round draft pick and replace him with a young center who is a pure goal scorer.
Looks like a win in my book.
Montreal Canadiens:
The biggest deal Montreal made before the deadline was sending defenseman Hal Gill to Nashville for forwards Blake Geoffrion and Robert Slaney.
Gill is a UFA at the end of the season and with Montreal in complete disarray it made sense for the Habs to move him.
In Geoffrion they get a talented forward whose grandfather & great grandfather both played for the Canadiens back in the day. I think Geoffrion has the talent to become a top six forward in the NHL. I hope the pressure of playing in Montreal doesn't get to him.
Florida Panthers:
The Panthers did make two trades before the deadline acquiring forward Jerrod Smithson from Nashville for a 6th round draft pick and Wojtek Wolski from the Rangers for defenseman Mike Vernace and a 3rd round pick in 2013.
Smithson is a center that should find time on the Panthers 3rd line while Wolski is a talented forward who has had trouble scoring goals the last couple seasons. Both players are depth acquisitions as Florida tries to make the post-season for the first time since 2000.
Washington Capitals:
The Capitals were a team I thought would try and make a move at the deadline if for no other reason than to shake up a roster that has underachieved this season.
Instead GM George McPhee decided to stand pat and go with the roster he has. McPhee looked around but with very few teams selling it made little sense for him to pay the price that would be needed to make a move that would help Washington.
The Capitals still have a good chance to win the Southeast Division. Even if they don't they probably can still get into the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed.
Right now nobody expects them to be a Stanley Cup contender. For a team that has cracked under pressure the last few years in the playoffs flying under the radar may not be a bad thing.
Winnipeg Jets:
Right now the Jets are one point out of the final playoff spot in the East. Instead of adding a player at the deadline the only deal they made was sending defenseman Johnny Oduya to Chicago for a pair of draft picks.
To replace Oduya the Jets claimed defenseman Grant Clitsome off of waivers from Columbus.
GM Kevin Cheveldayoff believes in the group of players he has in the locker room. Right now it is still a young nucleus that is learning how to win.
They are playing in a market that is just happy to have the NHL back and if they make the playoffs it is a bonus.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
For everything that went right for Tampa Bay last year you can say everything went wrong on the ice this season.
However GM Steve Yzerman made the right decision becoming a seller before the deadline.
Yzerman traded Steve Downie to Colorado for Kyle Quincey and then flipped Quincey to Detroit for a 1st round draft pick. Yzerman also traded Pavel Kubina to Philadelphia for a pair of draft picks before the deadline.
At the deadline Yzerman added Brian Lee, Keith Aulie & Mike Commodore to the Tampa Bay blueline. Aulie has a chance to become a top four defenseman with the Lightning while Lee gets a fresh start in Tampa.
More importantly Tampa gets a few more draft picks as they continue to build this team. Its simply a case of taking a step back so you can move forward.
Carolina Hurricanes:
Little has gone right for the Hurricanes this year in Raleigh.
Yet instead of dealing away their upcoming free agents Carolina decided to re-sign Tim Gleason and Tuomo Ruutu before they hit the market.
GM Jim Rutherford's logic is it made more sense to re-sign Gleason and Ruutu instead of trying to replace them on July 1st because there wasn't going to be a player of that caliber available when free agency starts.
The Hurricanes also decided to hold onto defenseman Jaroslav Spacek and Bryan Allen instead of trading them away before they hit free agency. My guess is Rutherford will try to re-sign one if not both of them this summer.
Carolina has gone 16-13-9 since Kirk Muller took over as head coach at the end of November. If the Hurricanes aren't winning with these players right now what makes Rutherford think things will be better next season with the same roster in tact?
I don't blame them for re-signing Gleason and Ruutu but when defenseman were high in demand on the trade market it would have made more sense to deal Spacek and/or Allen instead of holding onto them with the risk of losing them for nothing after the season.
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