The NHL All-Star game took place this past weekend in Ottawa. This All Star game was a lot like previous All Star games, a lot of goals were scored, little defense was played and a good time was had by all who attended and watched on TV
Instead of doing a huge recap on the game I'll point out highlights from the weekend during the Power Poll rankings but today I want to focus on two all-stars who made news this past week for their actions off the ice.
Tim Thomas and Alex Ovechkin.
Thomas made news when he refused to join the rest of his teammates at the White House to visit the President of the United States. He made this statement as the reason giving for him skipping the White House visit.
“I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People.
“This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.
“Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.
“This is the only public statement I will be making on this topic. TT”
Now I have no problem with the political beliefs of Tim Thomas. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and even though I don't agree with him I won't question what he stands for.
What I will question is why something that had nothing to do with politics had to be made political.
The visit to the White House is an honor bestowed to teams that are champions of the sport they play. It usually is a photo opportunity with the President followed by a tour of the White House before the team goes back to the hotel to prepare for their game later that night against the team from D.C. they are facing.
This visit wasn't about politics, it was about the Bruins doing something that hadn't been done in almost 40 years, winning the Stanley Cup.
Thomas may not have wanted to go to the White House but I can think of 29 other goalies in the NHL that would have loved to have the opportunity he passed up.
As for Ovechkin he made news by announcing he was skipping the All-Star game because he was currently serving a suspension for a hit he put on Penguins defenseman Zybnek Michalek.
Ovechkin's gave the following reason for skipping the All-Star game.
“My heart is not there. I got suspended, so why I have to go there? I love the game, it’s a great event, I love to be there but I’m suspended. I don’t want to be a target. I feel I’m not deserving to be there right now. I got suspended, I have to be suspended, so that’s why I give up my roster [spot].”
A lot of people criticized Ovechkin for his choice but I have to say I agree with him.
Look, I love watching Ovechkin play and I love watching him during the skills competition but it doesn't make sense to suspend him for one game, allow him to play in the All-Star game and then suspend him for the following two games after the break is done.
Washington is in a fight this year for the Southeast Division. To me it makes more sense for Ovechkin to use the time off to relax during the break and come back with the energy he and the Capitals need as they try to win their 5th division title in a role.
There will be other All-Star games and I'm guessing Ovechkin will be part of them in the future. Besides him skipping the game gives another NHL player a chance to shine. That's not a bad thing.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 15:
1. Detroit 33-16-1 67 points
Pavel Datsyuk was the 1st pick of the fantasy draft by Team Chara. Reading this you can see how he is viewed amongst his peers.
2. N.Y. Rangers 31-12-4 66 points
Marian Gaborik nets a hat trick, MVP honors in the All-Star game.
3. Boston 31-14-2 64 points
Zdeno Chara sets a new record for hardest slap shot in the skills competition.
4. Vancouver 30-15-4 64 points
The Sedin twins score 5 points (2G, 3A) in the All-Star game.
5. Nashville 30-16-4 64 points
Defenseman Ryan Suter says he doesn't plan to talk about a new contract until the end of the season.
6. Chicago 29-15-6 64 points
You have to admire the creativity of Patrick Kane during the skills competition.
7. Philadelphia 29-14-5 63 points
Scott Hartnell said he would donate $1,000 for everytime he fell down. I was hoping he fell down more than four times.
8. St. Louis 29-13-7 65 points
Brian Elliott named as the only All-Star for the Blues. Not bad for a player drafted with the next to last pick in 2003.
9. Pittsburgh 28-17-4 60 points
Evgeni Malkin earns bragging rights over teammates Kris Letang & James Neal with win.
10. San Jose 27-14-6 60 points
Logan Couture was picked last in the fantasy draft but he did win a new car as a result.
11. Ottawa 27-19-6 60 points
Daniel Alfredsson was one goal away from being named All-Star MVP. (2G, 1A)
12. Washington 26-19-3 55 points
Dennis Wideman provides an assist in his 1st All-Star game.
13. New Jersey 26-19-3 55 points
Devils are looking to get healthier as the season resumes on Tuesday night.
14. Colorado 26-23-2 54 points
Big game looming this Thursday against Minnesota as both teams are battling for that final playoff spot.
15. Toronto 25-19-5 55 points
One thing I learned from this year's All-Star game. They really don't like the Maple Leafs in Ottawa.
16. Dallas 25-21-2 52 points
Jamie Benn wins the accuracy shooting competition. Not bad for someone coming off an appendectomy.
17. Los Angeles 24-16-10 58 points
Jonathan Quick became the first Kings goalie selected to the All-Star game since 1981.
18. Minnesota 24-18-7 55 points
No Mikko Koivu at the All-Star game because of injury but Nick Johnson did take part for the rookies so good for him.
19. Calgary 23-21-6 52 points
Jarome Iginla had a goal and two assist in the win for Team Chara.
20. Florida 22-15-11 55 points
Brian Campbell finishes a plus 7 on the ice in the All-Star game. For all the goals that were scored this might be the most impressive stat from the whole weekend.
21. Winnipeg 22-22-6 50 points
Nothing noteworthy to write about the Jets here so this looks like a good place to mention Drake's appearance at the All-Star game.
22. Phoenix 22-20-8 52 points
Gary Bettman still thinks a buyer can emerge and keep the Coyotes in Phoenix. I still have my doubts.
23. Tampa Bay 21-23-4 46 points
Steven Stamkos had the 2nd penalty shot in All-Star game history. He missed.
24. Buffalo 20-24-5 45 points
Sabres captain Jason Pominville scores a goal and an assist in the All-Star game.
25. Montreal 19-21-9 47 points
Carey Price proves that Tebowing doesn't work when playing goalie in the skills competition.
26. N.Y. Islanders 19-22-7 45 points
A goal and an assist for John Tavares in the All-Star game. I have the feeling this will be the first of many in his career.
27. Anaheim 18-23-7 43 points
Corey Perry shows his creative side in the skills competition.
28. Carolina 18-24-9 45 points
Thought to be available at the trade deadline, Tim Gleason instead signs a four year extension to stay in Carolina.
29. Edmonton 18-26-5 41 points
Jordan Eberle has an assist in his first All-Star appearance. Like Tavares I expect this to be the first of many for him.
30. Columbus 13-30-6 32 points
The Blue Jackets were awarded the 2013 All-Star game over the weekend so their fans have that going for them.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Week 14 Power Poll
James Dolan, The Chairman of Madison Square Garden, had some comments after the New York Rangers 3-0 win over Nashville last Tuesday night.
Dolan made a rare appearance in front of the New York Media and told them he thought The Rangers are in his mind "Stanley Cup Title Material."
I found this interesting for a couple reasons. One, Dolan hasn't talked to the hockey writers who cover the Rangers in years and two, New York had yet to play Detroit, Chicago, or Boston this season. All three I'm sure will have a say in whether or not the Rangers are cup material.
On Saturday New York traveled to Boston for the first of four meetings with the Bruins and I was curious to see how the Rangers would play against the defending Stanley Cup champions with Dolan's comments coming five days earlier.
Turns out Dolan may actually be right.
The Rangers defeated the Bruins 3-2 in overtime on Saturday in one of the more entertaining games I have seen all year. Both teams traded goals in the 2nd period before Marian Gaborik scored the game winner in overtime with only seconds to play.
Now granted one game doesn't define what will happen the rest of the season. These teams play each other three more times and I wouldn't be surprised if the Bruins won all three games.
But the Bruins are a big physical team that skates well and can out muscle their opposition. I wanted to see if the Rangers could stand up to them. For one game the answer is yes.
When I look at the Rangers roster, I keep thinking they are one player away from being a legit Stanley Cup contender. Whether that player is a wing who can score or another defenseman to add some depth I'm not sure.
I do know that former Wild GM Doug Risebrough was at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday night scouting for the Rangers. And I do know the two teams he was watching, Dallas and Minnesota have defenseman that could be available at the trade deadline.
Whether New York GM Glen Sather makes any moves to his teams roster remains to be seen but after Saturday's game the Rangers have earned the right to be in the discussion of Stanley Cup contenders.
New York has four good lines that can skate, A group of defenseman they can put on the ice in any situation, a goalie in Henrik Lundqvist, who is one of if not the best in the NHL, and a coach who knows what it takes to win the Stanley Cup.
If Dolan is correct there will be a ticker tape parade on Broadway this summer.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 14.
1. Detroit 32-15-1 65 points
Red Wings defenseman have scored 32 goals this season, most in the NHL.
2. N.Y. Rangers 30-12-4 64 points
While James Dolan may think the Rangers are Stanley Cup Material coach John Tortorella disagrees.
3. Boston 31-13-2 64 points
Bruins are 24-0 this season when leading a game by two or more goals.
4. Vancouver 29-15-4 62 points
Canucks are 6-0 in games after losing two straight.
5. Chicago 29-14-6 64 points
Jonathan Toews listed as day to day with an upper body injury after leaving in the 2nd period against Nashville on Saturday.
6. St. Louis 29-12-6 64 points
Blues can take over 1st place in the NHL with a win over Detroit tonight.
7. Philadelphia 28-14-5 61 points
Scott Hartnell leads the NHL in Power Play goals with 13.
8. Nashville 28-16-4 60 points
Predators are 9-2-2 against the Central Division after 5-2 win over Chicago
9. Pittsburgh 27-17-4 58 points
Evgeni Malkin has scored nine goals during his current six game scoring streak.
10. Ottawa 27-17-6 60 points
Senators haven't allowed more than two goals in their last seven games.
11. San Jose 26-14-5 57 points
Sharks have played in 45 games, fewest of any team in the NHL this season.
12. New Jersey 26-19-2 54 points
Alex Ponikarovsky, acquired in a trade from Carolina scores in his 1st game as a Devil.
13. Colorado 26-22-2 54 points
Avalanche are 6 for 46 on the Power Play in their last 17 games.
14. Washington 25-19-3 53 points
Alex Ovechkin scores three points (1G, 2A) in a loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday.
15. Los Angeles 23-16-10 56 points
The line of Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, & Justin Williams has 10 goals and 13 assists in the last seven games.
16. Toronto 23-19-5 51 points
Maple Leafs have lost four of their last five games and have scored only 9 goals along the way.
17. Minnesota 23-18-7 53 points
Congrats to Chad Rau on scoring his 1st goal. A game winner no less over Dallas.
18. Dallas 24-21-2 50 points
Stars fans can thank Steve Ott for the loss to Minnesota on Saturday night.
19. Calgary 23-20-6 52 points
Anytime Lee Stempniak gets a hat trick on Hockey Night In Canada there will be video posted here.
20. Florida 22-15-10 54 points
4-3 shootout win over Winnipeg snaps an eight game losing streak for the Panthers.
21. Winnipeg 22-20-6 50 points
Jets have lost seven of their last nine games.
22. Tampa Bay 20-23-4 44 points
Despite struggles this season, Steve Yzerman vowing not to stray away from long term plan.
23. Phoenix 21-20-8 50 points
Coyotes are winless in their last three games. (0-2-1)
24. Buffalo 19-24-5 43 points
Owner Terry Pegula is blaming injuries for the Sabres struggles this season. Watching this teams over the last couple games it's more than injuries.
25. N.Y. Islanders 19-21-6 44 points
Evgeni Nabokov (3-0-0, 97.8 save %, 0.65 GAA) named NHL 3rd star of the week.
26. Anaheim 18-22-7 43 points
Ducks are 8-1-1 in the month of January.
27. Montreal 18-21-9 45 points
Canadiens are 5-9-2 since Randy Cunneyworth took over as interim coach.
28. Carolina 17-24-9 43 points
The trade of Ponikarovsky to New Jersey signals the Hurricanes are open for business on the trade market.
29. Edmonton 17-26-4 38 points
Oilers are 2-7-1 in their last ten games. Could this spell the end of Tom Renney as head coach?
30. Columbus 13-28-6 32 points
With the Blue Jackets out of the playoff picture rumors circulate about the possibility of Jeff Carter being available.
Dolan made a rare appearance in front of the New York Media and told them he thought The Rangers are in his mind "Stanley Cup Title Material."
I found this interesting for a couple reasons. One, Dolan hasn't talked to the hockey writers who cover the Rangers in years and two, New York had yet to play Detroit, Chicago, or Boston this season. All three I'm sure will have a say in whether or not the Rangers are cup material.
On Saturday New York traveled to Boston for the first of four meetings with the Bruins and I was curious to see how the Rangers would play against the defending Stanley Cup champions with Dolan's comments coming five days earlier.
Turns out Dolan may actually be right.
The Rangers defeated the Bruins 3-2 in overtime on Saturday in one of the more entertaining games I have seen all year. Both teams traded goals in the 2nd period before Marian Gaborik scored the game winner in overtime with only seconds to play.
Now granted one game doesn't define what will happen the rest of the season. These teams play each other three more times and I wouldn't be surprised if the Bruins won all three games.
But the Bruins are a big physical team that skates well and can out muscle their opposition. I wanted to see if the Rangers could stand up to them. For one game the answer is yes.
When I look at the Rangers roster, I keep thinking they are one player away from being a legit Stanley Cup contender. Whether that player is a wing who can score or another defenseman to add some depth I'm not sure.
I do know that former Wild GM Doug Risebrough was at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday night scouting for the Rangers. And I do know the two teams he was watching, Dallas and Minnesota have defenseman that could be available at the trade deadline.
Whether New York GM Glen Sather makes any moves to his teams roster remains to be seen but after Saturday's game the Rangers have earned the right to be in the discussion of Stanley Cup contenders.
New York has four good lines that can skate, A group of defenseman they can put on the ice in any situation, a goalie in Henrik Lundqvist, who is one of if not the best in the NHL, and a coach who knows what it takes to win the Stanley Cup.
If Dolan is correct there will be a ticker tape parade on Broadway this summer.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 14.
1. Detroit 32-15-1 65 points
Red Wings defenseman have scored 32 goals this season, most in the NHL.
2. N.Y. Rangers 30-12-4 64 points
While James Dolan may think the Rangers are Stanley Cup Material coach John Tortorella disagrees.
3. Boston 31-13-2 64 points
Bruins are 24-0 this season when leading a game by two or more goals.
4. Vancouver 29-15-4 62 points
Canucks are 6-0 in games after losing two straight.
5. Chicago 29-14-6 64 points
Jonathan Toews listed as day to day with an upper body injury after leaving in the 2nd period against Nashville on Saturday.
6. St. Louis 29-12-6 64 points
Blues can take over 1st place in the NHL with a win over Detroit tonight.
7. Philadelphia 28-14-5 61 points
Scott Hartnell leads the NHL in Power Play goals with 13.
8. Nashville 28-16-4 60 points
Predators are 9-2-2 against the Central Division after 5-2 win over Chicago
9. Pittsburgh 27-17-4 58 points
Evgeni Malkin has scored nine goals during his current six game scoring streak.
10. Ottawa 27-17-6 60 points
Senators haven't allowed more than two goals in their last seven games.
11. San Jose 26-14-5 57 points
Sharks have played in 45 games, fewest of any team in the NHL this season.
12. New Jersey 26-19-2 54 points
Alex Ponikarovsky, acquired in a trade from Carolina scores in his 1st game as a Devil.
13. Colorado 26-22-2 54 points
Avalanche are 6 for 46 on the Power Play in their last 17 games.
14. Washington 25-19-3 53 points
Alex Ovechkin scores three points (1G, 2A) in a loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday.
15. Los Angeles 23-16-10 56 points
The line of Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, & Justin Williams has 10 goals and 13 assists in the last seven games.
16. Toronto 23-19-5 51 points
Maple Leafs have lost four of their last five games and have scored only 9 goals along the way.
17. Minnesota 23-18-7 53 points
Congrats to Chad Rau on scoring his 1st goal. A game winner no less over Dallas.
18. Dallas 24-21-2 50 points
Stars fans can thank Steve Ott for the loss to Minnesota on Saturday night.
19. Calgary 23-20-6 52 points
Anytime Lee Stempniak gets a hat trick on Hockey Night In Canada there will be video posted here.
20. Florida 22-15-10 54 points
4-3 shootout win over Winnipeg snaps an eight game losing streak for the Panthers.
21. Winnipeg 22-20-6 50 points
Jets have lost seven of their last nine games.
22. Tampa Bay 20-23-4 44 points
Despite struggles this season, Steve Yzerman vowing not to stray away from long term plan.
23. Phoenix 21-20-8 50 points
Coyotes are winless in their last three games. (0-2-1)
24. Buffalo 19-24-5 43 points
Owner Terry Pegula is blaming injuries for the Sabres struggles this season. Watching this teams over the last couple games it's more than injuries.
25. N.Y. Islanders 19-21-6 44 points
Evgeni Nabokov (3-0-0, 97.8 save %, 0.65 GAA) named NHL 3rd star of the week.
26. Anaheim 18-22-7 43 points
Ducks are 8-1-1 in the month of January.
27. Montreal 18-21-9 45 points
Canadiens are 5-9-2 since Randy Cunneyworth took over as interim coach.
28. Carolina 17-24-9 43 points
The trade of Ponikarovsky to New Jersey signals the Hurricanes are open for business on the trade market.
29. Edmonton 17-26-4 38 points
Oilers are 2-7-1 in their last ten games. Could this spell the end of Tom Renney as head coach?
30. Columbus 13-28-6 32 points
With the Blue Jackets out of the playoff picture rumors circulate about the possibility of Jeff Carter being available.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Now Is Not TheTime To Panic
Five weeks ago in my Power Poll I had the Minnesota Wild ranked as the best team in the NHL.
That was greeted with a good amount of skepticism. One reader even went as far to ask me how confident I would be in the Wild if they played in a seven game series against one of the teams ranked directly below them.
While that is a fair question my rankings are mostly based on what a team has done so far on the ice not how much talent they have on their roster or what is expected of them.
My response was to just enjoy the success the Wild is having and to just have fun with it.
Well the fun has ended.
Since being ranked number one in my power poll Minnesota has gone 2-11-4 and have fallen from 1st in the Western Conference to ninth and is currently one point out of the final playoff spot.
There are many reasons for the decline. The Wild blueline has only one goal and 13 assists during this skid and the team has scored three or more goals in a game twice in that span. Naturally that happened in the two games they have won during this slump.
Forwards Guillaume Latendresse and Pierre-Marc Bouchard have missed games due to concussion like symptoms. Now All-Star forward Mikko Koivu is out four to six weeks with an upper body injury. The goaltending which was spectacular at the start of the season has been above average in the past month.
In all everything that could have gone wrong for Minnesota has gone wrong. At first Wild fans were hoping that the team could play their way out of this slump. Now they are hoping a trade can be made to shake things up and get this team playing as they were over a month ago.
To that I say now is not the time to panic. However this time I'm not saying that to the fans of the Minnesota Wild.
I'm saying it to General Manager Chuck Fletcher.
When he took over three seasons ago he was left with a cupboard that was virtually bare of NHL talent due to poor drafts by previous GM Doug Risebrough.
Since that time Fletcher has had the difficult task of trying to rebuild the farm system while keeping the Wild competitive at the NHL level. They look to have a couple future stars in their system in forwards Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, Zack Phillips, & Jason Zucker.
I bring these names up because what the Wild need right now is quality depth at forward. The problem is to get a top six forward during the season it would probably cost Fletcher one of these young players.
Trading a young prospect for a veteran scorer is a deal you make if you think you are one player away from being a Stanley Cup Contender. For as good as the Wild were playing at the start of the season they aren't close to being a Stanley Cup contender.
That's not to say a deal can't be made. Minnesota has a surplus of defenseman in their system which should be able to get them a forward. With Marco Scandella and Nate Prosser skating down in Houston I could see Greg Zanon being traded before the deadline. Zanon is the type of player the Wild should be able to trade to get a quality forward in return.
Minnesota is also high on goaltender Matt Hackett. Their confidence in him could lead to Josh Harding being traded before the deadline. Goaltending is always at a premium in the NHL and Harding's name keeps being mentioned in trade scenarios. With Harding set to become a free agent at the end of the season I think it's a matter of when not if it happens.
While things are bad right now I still believe Minnesota can turn things around. Their next five games are against teams they are battling for a playoff spot (Colorado, Dallas & Nashville) while 19 of their 33 games after the all-star break will take place at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
If you ask any Wild fan where the team would be around the all star break most would have said behind Vancouver in the Northwest Division and fighting for one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. Well right now that is where Minnesota is at.
I have confidence in Fletcher as GM. He has done a good job rebuilding this roster and I think he will be able to make a deal before the trade deadline that will help this club without having to give up any of the future stars in the system.
It's your move Chuck, let's see what you can do.
That was greeted with a good amount of skepticism. One reader even went as far to ask me how confident I would be in the Wild if they played in a seven game series against one of the teams ranked directly below them.
While that is a fair question my rankings are mostly based on what a team has done so far on the ice not how much talent they have on their roster or what is expected of them.
My response was to just enjoy the success the Wild is having and to just have fun with it.
Well the fun has ended.
Since being ranked number one in my power poll Minnesota has gone 2-11-4 and have fallen from 1st in the Western Conference to ninth and is currently one point out of the final playoff spot.
There are many reasons for the decline. The Wild blueline has only one goal and 13 assists during this skid and the team has scored three or more goals in a game twice in that span. Naturally that happened in the two games they have won during this slump.
Forwards Guillaume Latendresse and Pierre-Marc Bouchard have missed games due to concussion like symptoms. Now All-Star forward Mikko Koivu is out four to six weeks with an upper body injury. The goaltending which was spectacular at the start of the season has been above average in the past month.
In all everything that could have gone wrong for Minnesota has gone wrong. At first Wild fans were hoping that the team could play their way out of this slump. Now they are hoping a trade can be made to shake things up and get this team playing as they were over a month ago.
To that I say now is not the time to panic. However this time I'm not saying that to the fans of the Minnesota Wild.
I'm saying it to General Manager Chuck Fletcher.
When he took over three seasons ago he was left with a cupboard that was virtually bare of NHL talent due to poor drafts by previous GM Doug Risebrough.
Since that time Fletcher has had the difficult task of trying to rebuild the farm system while keeping the Wild competitive at the NHL level. They look to have a couple future stars in their system in forwards Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, Zack Phillips, & Jason Zucker.
I bring these names up because what the Wild need right now is quality depth at forward. The problem is to get a top six forward during the season it would probably cost Fletcher one of these young players.
Trading a young prospect for a veteran scorer is a deal you make if you think you are one player away from being a Stanley Cup Contender. For as good as the Wild were playing at the start of the season they aren't close to being a Stanley Cup contender.
That's not to say a deal can't be made. Minnesota has a surplus of defenseman in their system which should be able to get them a forward. With Marco Scandella and Nate Prosser skating down in Houston I could see Greg Zanon being traded before the deadline. Zanon is the type of player the Wild should be able to trade to get a quality forward in return.
Minnesota is also high on goaltender Matt Hackett. Their confidence in him could lead to Josh Harding being traded before the deadline. Goaltending is always at a premium in the NHL and Harding's name keeps being mentioned in trade scenarios. With Harding set to become a free agent at the end of the season I think it's a matter of when not if it happens.
While things are bad right now I still believe Minnesota can turn things around. Their next five games are against teams they are battling for a playoff spot (Colorado, Dallas & Nashville) while 19 of their 33 games after the all-star break will take place at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
If you ask any Wild fan where the team would be around the all star break most would have said behind Vancouver in the Northwest Division and fighting for one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. Well right now that is where Minnesota is at.
I have confidence in Fletcher as GM. He has done a good job rebuilding this roster and I think he will be able to make a deal before the trade deadline that will help this club without having to give up any of the future stars in the system.
It's your move Chuck, let's see what you can do.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Week 13 Power Poll
Trades are a part of the NHL.
That's true in all professional sports but to me it seems like more deals happen in the NHL than in MLB, the NFL, or the NBA. Just take a look at past trades that happened at the trade deadline and you'll see random Canadians moving from team to team for no other reason than "Team X made a deal, we have to make a deal."
Trades can happen at anytime in the NHL whether it is in the middle of a road trip, after a morning skate or right before a pregame warm-up.
But on Thursday night in Boston I saw a trade made that was odd not only for the deal itself but also for when the deal went down.
Montreal forward Mike Cammalleri was pulled from the lineup during the 2nd intermission and was told by Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier that he was being traded to Calgary for Rene Bourque.
The timing of the deal comes one day after Cammalleri made comments to the media about a "losing attitude" that is surrounding the Canadiens.
When asked about pulling Cammalleri from the lineup and trading him Gauthier said the trade had nothing to do with Cammalleri's comments and that a deal with Calgary had been in the works for a while.
I'm not buying it for one second.
I don't doubt the fact that Gauthier and Flames GM Jay Feaster may have had discussions during the year and Cammalleri's name may have come up.
But if a deal was imminent why wouldn't you just wait until after the 3rd period to announce the deal or better yet scratch Cammalleri from the lineup so Montreal isn't down a forward on the bench.
Cammalleri played for only nine minutes before being pulled from the lineup. It's not like Feaster saw the 1st period and told Gauthier "I'll take Cammalleri and I'll take him now."
This was a panic move by Gauthier. He trades a player who has been a 30+ goal scorer twice in his career for a player in Rene Bourque who highest season goal total is 27.
In all fairness Bourque does add size up front to a Montreal team that has been looking to get bigger at the forward position.
But a player like Cammalleri should fetch you more on the trade market than a guy who teeters between being a top six forward and a 3rd line winger.
Four years ago Montreal was the top team in the Eastern Conference and two years ago they were and Eastern Conference finalist. Now they are a franchise that looks completely clueless with how they handle things.
First they fired an assistant coach in October to buy Jacques Martin more time to turn things around only to fire him a week before Christmas. Then they hire a coach who can't speak french (not that it should matter) upsetting a province that has a majority of Francophone's. Now they trade one of their better forwards to the first team that would agree to take him off their hands.
Canadiens owner Geoff Molson needs to re-evaluate his player personnel department at the end of the season. If that means bidding adieu to Gauthier as general manager then so be it.
The Montreal Canadiens are the most historic franchise in the NHL. The league is a lot better when they are good than when they are bad. Right now I don't see things getting better for Montreal with the people they have running the show.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 13:
1. Boston 28-12-1 57 points
Bruins are 16-2 this season in games which they score first.
2. Detroit 28-15-1 57 points
Red Wings have won 14 straight games at Joe Louis Arena.
3. N.Y. Rangers 28-11-4 60 points
Followed up 3-0 win over Toronto with a 4-1 defeat in Montreal.
4. Vancouver 28-15-3 59 points
Some good news for the Canucks as they welcome back David Booth to the lineup after missing 18 games with a knee injury.
5. Chicago 27-13-6 60 points
Dan Carcillo will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. This will only help the Blackhawks in the post-season.
6. Philadelphia 26-13-4 56 points
Bad news for the Flyers as James Van Riemsdyk is out indefinitely with a concussion.
7. St. Louis 26-12-6 58 points
Blues are 5-0-1 so far in the month of January.
8. San Jose 25-12-5 55 points
Sharks are 10-1-4 in their last 15 games.
9. Nashville 25-15-4 54 points
Check out this hip check by Rayn Ellis on Wayne Simmonds.
10. New Jersey 25-17-2 52 points
2 goals in 2 minutes help the Devils get two points in Winnipeg.
11. Ottawa 25-15-6 56 points
At some point I'm going to have to start taking the Senators seriously as a playoff team.
12. Washington 24-17-2 50 points
It took a while but look who's back on top in the Southeast Division.
13. Dallas 24-18-1 49 points
Jamie Benn out 10-14 days with an appendectomy.
14. Colorado 24-20-2 50 points
Avalanche welcome back Peter Mueller after missing 40 games with a head injury.
15. Pittsburgh 23-17-4 50 points
The depth of the Penguins is being tested with all these injuries.
16. Los Angeles 22-15-9 53 points
Darryl Sutter is victorious in his first game back in Calgary as coach of the Kings.
17. Toronto 22-17-5 49 points
Defenseman Luke Schenn could be on the move as the Maple Leafs try to acquire a forward.
18. Minnesota 22-16-7 51 points
Shoulder injury to Mikko Koivu is one of the last things the Wild need right now.
19. Florida 21-14-8 50 points
No longer in 1st place in the Southeast Division, let's see if the Panthers can hang around.
20. Calgary 21-20-5 47 points
It's gonna take more than Mike Cammalleri for the Flames to make the playoffs.
21. Winnipeg 20-19-5 45 points
Loss to the Devils on Saturday is one game the Jets might like to have back.
22. Phoenix 20-18-7 47 points
Coyotes are 17-2-4 in games where they score first.
23. Buffalo 19-20-5 43 points
Sabres have lost eight in a row on the road.
24. Montreal 17-20-8 42 points
Odds of the Canadiens making the playoffs is 15.1 percent.
25. Tampa Bay 17-23-4 38 points
I thought the Lightning would fall back a little bit this season. I didn't expect them to be last in the East.
26. Edmonton 17-23-4 38 points
Win over the Kings snaps the Oilers winless streak at 5 games.
27. Carolina 16-24-7 39 points
Hurricanes welcome back Jeff Skinner after missing 16 games with a concussion.
28. N.Y. Islanders 16-20-6 38 points
Congrats to Evgeni Nabokov on win number 300.
29. Anaheim 15-22-7 37 points
Might be a little too late but the Ducks are 5-0-1 in their last six games.
30. Columbus 12-27-5 29 points
Congrats to Todd Richards in his first win as head coach of the Blue Jackets with a 4-3 win over Phoenix Saturday night.
That's true in all professional sports but to me it seems like more deals happen in the NHL than in MLB, the NFL, or the NBA. Just take a look at past trades that happened at the trade deadline and you'll see random Canadians moving from team to team for no other reason than "Team X made a deal, we have to make a deal."
Trades can happen at anytime in the NHL whether it is in the middle of a road trip, after a morning skate or right before a pregame warm-up.
But on Thursday night in Boston I saw a trade made that was odd not only for the deal itself but also for when the deal went down.
Montreal forward Mike Cammalleri was pulled from the lineup during the 2nd intermission and was told by Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier that he was being traded to Calgary for Rene Bourque.
The timing of the deal comes one day after Cammalleri made comments to the media about a "losing attitude" that is surrounding the Canadiens.
When asked about pulling Cammalleri from the lineup and trading him Gauthier said the trade had nothing to do with Cammalleri's comments and that a deal with Calgary had been in the works for a while.
I'm not buying it for one second.
I don't doubt the fact that Gauthier and Flames GM Jay Feaster may have had discussions during the year and Cammalleri's name may have come up.
But if a deal was imminent why wouldn't you just wait until after the 3rd period to announce the deal or better yet scratch Cammalleri from the lineup so Montreal isn't down a forward on the bench.
Cammalleri played for only nine minutes before being pulled from the lineup. It's not like Feaster saw the 1st period and told Gauthier "I'll take Cammalleri and I'll take him now."
This was a panic move by Gauthier. He trades a player who has been a 30+ goal scorer twice in his career for a player in Rene Bourque who highest season goal total is 27.
In all fairness Bourque does add size up front to a Montreal team that has been looking to get bigger at the forward position.
But a player like Cammalleri should fetch you more on the trade market than a guy who teeters between being a top six forward and a 3rd line winger.
Four years ago Montreal was the top team in the Eastern Conference and two years ago they were and Eastern Conference finalist. Now they are a franchise that looks completely clueless with how they handle things.
First they fired an assistant coach in October to buy Jacques Martin more time to turn things around only to fire him a week before Christmas. Then they hire a coach who can't speak french (not that it should matter) upsetting a province that has a majority of Francophone's. Now they trade one of their better forwards to the first team that would agree to take him off their hands.
Canadiens owner Geoff Molson needs to re-evaluate his player personnel department at the end of the season. If that means bidding adieu to Gauthier as general manager then so be it.
The Montreal Canadiens are the most historic franchise in the NHL. The league is a lot better when they are good than when they are bad. Right now I don't see things getting better for Montreal with the people they have running the show.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 13:
1. Boston 28-12-1 57 points
Bruins are 16-2 this season in games which they score first.
2. Detroit 28-15-1 57 points
Red Wings have won 14 straight games at Joe Louis Arena.
3. N.Y. Rangers 28-11-4 60 points
Followed up 3-0 win over Toronto with a 4-1 defeat in Montreal.
4. Vancouver 28-15-3 59 points
Some good news for the Canucks as they welcome back David Booth to the lineup after missing 18 games with a knee injury.
5. Chicago 27-13-6 60 points
Dan Carcillo will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. This will only help the Blackhawks in the post-season.
6. Philadelphia 26-13-4 56 points
Bad news for the Flyers as James Van Riemsdyk is out indefinitely with a concussion.
7. St. Louis 26-12-6 58 points
Blues are 5-0-1 so far in the month of January.
8. San Jose 25-12-5 55 points
Sharks are 10-1-4 in their last 15 games.
9. Nashville 25-15-4 54 points
Check out this hip check by Rayn Ellis on Wayne Simmonds.
10. New Jersey 25-17-2 52 points
2 goals in 2 minutes help the Devils get two points in Winnipeg.
11. Ottawa 25-15-6 56 points
At some point I'm going to have to start taking the Senators seriously as a playoff team.
12. Washington 24-17-2 50 points
It took a while but look who's back on top in the Southeast Division.
13. Dallas 24-18-1 49 points
Jamie Benn out 10-14 days with an appendectomy.
14. Colorado 24-20-2 50 points
Avalanche welcome back Peter Mueller after missing 40 games with a head injury.
15. Pittsburgh 23-17-4 50 points
The depth of the Penguins is being tested with all these injuries.
16. Los Angeles 22-15-9 53 points
Darryl Sutter is victorious in his first game back in Calgary as coach of the Kings.
17. Toronto 22-17-5 49 points
Defenseman Luke Schenn could be on the move as the Maple Leafs try to acquire a forward.
18. Minnesota 22-16-7 51 points
Shoulder injury to Mikko Koivu is one of the last things the Wild need right now.
19. Florida 21-14-8 50 points
No longer in 1st place in the Southeast Division, let's see if the Panthers can hang around.
20. Calgary 21-20-5 47 points
It's gonna take more than Mike Cammalleri for the Flames to make the playoffs.
21. Winnipeg 20-19-5 45 points
Loss to the Devils on Saturday is one game the Jets might like to have back.
22. Phoenix 20-18-7 47 points
Coyotes are 17-2-4 in games where they score first.
23. Buffalo 19-20-5 43 points
Sabres have lost eight in a row on the road.
24. Montreal 17-20-8 42 points
Odds of the Canadiens making the playoffs is 15.1 percent.
25. Tampa Bay 17-23-4 38 points
I thought the Lightning would fall back a little bit this season. I didn't expect them to be last in the East.
26. Edmonton 17-23-4 38 points
Win over the Kings snaps the Oilers winless streak at 5 games.
27. Carolina 16-24-7 39 points
Hurricanes welcome back Jeff Skinner after missing 16 games with a concussion.
28. N.Y. Islanders 16-20-6 38 points
Congrats to Evgeni Nabokov on win number 300.
29. Anaheim 15-22-7 37 points
Might be a little too late but the Ducks are 5-0-1 in their last six games.
30. Columbus 12-27-5 29 points
Congrats to Todd Richards in his first win as head coach of the Blue Jackets with a 4-3 win over Phoenix Saturday night.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Yeo Sends a Message, Richards gets a job
This past summer the San Jose Sharks and the Minnesota Wild made three separate trades with each other.
The first trade happened at the NHL Draft where Wild GM Chuck Fletcher traded Brent Burns and a draft pick to San Jose for Devon Setoguchi, the rights to Charlie Coyle, and the Sharks 1st round pick.
Nine days later the teams made another deal with each other swapping Martin Havlat for Dany Heatley. A month later Minnesota sent James Sheppard to San Jose for a 3rd Round pick in the 2013 draft.
Tuesday night was the first meeting between the two clubs in Minnesota since the trades were made. With Havlat out of the lineup with a torn hamstring tendon and Sheppard watching from the Xcel Energy Center press box (a place he knows very well) the focus should have been on Burns making his return to the State of Hockey.
However the attention went to another player involved in the trade and not for the reasons he would have liked.
Devon Setoguchi was a healthy scratch for the game on Tuesday as the result of missing a team meeting. Now I have heard some rumors as to why he missed the meeting but I won't comment on them without verification.
What I do know is that it put Mike Yeo in a tough position. With the Wild having won only one game in their last twelve tries you need a scorer like Setoguchi on the ice.
However when team rules are broken you have to figure out how to discipline the person without losing the respect of the team.
Yeo made the decision to scratch Setoguchi from the lineup for one game and the Wild went on to win in a shootout 5-4, gaining an important two points in the Western Conference.
It was a bold move but the right decision by Yeo. Playing in the NHL is a privilege not a right. Each team has it's own set of rules and if players aren't going to follow the rules then they must be held accountable.
Now in all fairness to Setoguchi he does not have a history of doing things like this. I believe it was an honest mistake on his part and I'm guessing it won't happen again.
This move by Yeo should gain him more respect from the players in the Wild locker room, something the previous coach did not have.
Todd Richards:
Speaking of the previous Minnesota Wild coach, it was announced on Monday that the Columbus Blue Jackets fired head coach Scott Arniel and promoted Todd Richards to interim head coach for the remainder of the 2011-2012 season.
Columbus got off to a horrible start losing their first eight games of the season. They have been at the bottom of the standings the entire season and only a couple weeks ago GM Scott Howson said the Blue Jackets were pretty much playing for next season.
The firing of Arniel was something most people thought would have happened after a 9-2 loss to Philadelphia back on November 5th. Instead six other teams changed coaches before Columbus put Arniel out of his misery.
For Richards it's a chance at redemption after being fired by Minnesota at the end of last season. In two years with the Wild he was 77-71-16.
My thoughts on Richards as a head coach with Minnesota is there was a style of hockey he wanted his team to play but he didn't have the players that fit that style and he didn't know how to adapt with the players he had on his roster.
I'm also not sure how confident Richards was behind the bench. There were many times during his post game press conference that when he was asked a question he had a "deer in the headlights" look on his face.
A lot of teams in sports tend to take on the personality of their coach. That looked to be the case with the Wild the last season, a team good enough to contend for a playoff spot but in the end didn't know how to get the job done.
That being said Richards will have much better offensive personnel to work with in Columbus than he did in Minnesota. He'll have the chance to coach Rick Nash (The best player in the NHL nobody knows about) and Jeff Carter for the rest of the season. Minnesota had no one on their roster as talented offensively as those two players last season.
Right now I don't think Richards is a serious candidate for the Columbus job as the main goal for the Blue Jackets is to get to the end of the season.
But most coaches when they get a second chance in the NHL do things differently than the first time as head coach. I'm guessing Richards will be the same way. If the Blue Jackets are respectable for the rest of the season he'll be a candidate for the full time job next year.
Richards returns to Minnesota on February 11th as a head coach. A game that looked like a snoozer a few weeks ago all of a sudden is a little more intriguing.
The first trade happened at the NHL Draft where Wild GM Chuck Fletcher traded Brent Burns and a draft pick to San Jose for Devon Setoguchi, the rights to Charlie Coyle, and the Sharks 1st round pick.
Nine days later the teams made another deal with each other swapping Martin Havlat for Dany Heatley. A month later Minnesota sent James Sheppard to San Jose for a 3rd Round pick in the 2013 draft.
Tuesday night was the first meeting between the two clubs in Minnesota since the trades were made. With Havlat out of the lineup with a torn hamstring tendon and Sheppard watching from the Xcel Energy Center press box (a place he knows very well) the focus should have been on Burns making his return to the State of Hockey.
However the attention went to another player involved in the trade and not for the reasons he would have liked.
Devon Setoguchi was a healthy scratch for the game on Tuesday as the result of missing a team meeting. Now I have heard some rumors as to why he missed the meeting but I won't comment on them without verification.
What I do know is that it put Mike Yeo in a tough position. With the Wild having won only one game in their last twelve tries you need a scorer like Setoguchi on the ice.
However when team rules are broken you have to figure out how to discipline the person without losing the respect of the team.
Yeo made the decision to scratch Setoguchi from the lineup for one game and the Wild went on to win in a shootout 5-4, gaining an important two points in the Western Conference.
It was a bold move but the right decision by Yeo. Playing in the NHL is a privilege not a right. Each team has it's own set of rules and if players aren't going to follow the rules then they must be held accountable.
Now in all fairness to Setoguchi he does not have a history of doing things like this. I believe it was an honest mistake on his part and I'm guessing it won't happen again.
This move by Yeo should gain him more respect from the players in the Wild locker room, something the previous coach did not have.
Todd Richards:
Speaking of the previous Minnesota Wild coach, it was announced on Monday that the Columbus Blue Jackets fired head coach Scott Arniel and promoted Todd Richards to interim head coach for the remainder of the 2011-2012 season.
Columbus got off to a horrible start losing their first eight games of the season. They have been at the bottom of the standings the entire season and only a couple weeks ago GM Scott Howson said the Blue Jackets were pretty much playing for next season.
The firing of Arniel was something most people thought would have happened after a 9-2 loss to Philadelphia back on November 5th. Instead six other teams changed coaches before Columbus put Arniel out of his misery.
For Richards it's a chance at redemption after being fired by Minnesota at the end of last season. In two years with the Wild he was 77-71-16.
My thoughts on Richards as a head coach with Minnesota is there was a style of hockey he wanted his team to play but he didn't have the players that fit that style and he didn't know how to adapt with the players he had on his roster.
I'm also not sure how confident Richards was behind the bench. There were many times during his post game press conference that when he was asked a question he had a "deer in the headlights" look on his face.
A lot of teams in sports tend to take on the personality of their coach. That looked to be the case with the Wild the last season, a team good enough to contend for a playoff spot but in the end didn't know how to get the job done.
That being said Richards will have much better offensive personnel to work with in Columbus than he did in Minnesota. He'll have the chance to coach Rick Nash (The best player in the NHL nobody knows about) and Jeff Carter for the rest of the season. Minnesota had no one on their roster as talented offensively as those two players last season.
Right now I don't think Richards is a serious candidate for the Columbus job as the main goal for the Blue Jackets is to get to the end of the season.
But most coaches when they get a second chance in the NHL do things differently than the first time as head coach. I'm guessing Richards will be the same way. If the Blue Jackets are respectable for the rest of the season he'll be a candidate for the full time job next year.
Richards returns to Minnesota on February 11th as a head coach. A game that looked like a snoozer a few weeks ago all of a sudden is a little more intriguing.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Week 12 Power Poll
Back in December the NHL Board of Governors voted 26-4 in favor of realignment for the 2012-2013 season going from a two conference setup with three divisions in each conference to a four conference setup with two conference consisting of eight teams and the other consisting of seven teams.
Under this format all the West Coast teams would be together in one conference. Dallas, Minnesota and Winnipeg would join the teams in the Central Division and be playing teams within their time zone on a regular basis.
The rest of the Southeast Division would be split up with Florida and Tampa Bay joining the teams in the Northeast Division with Washington and Carolina joining the teams in the Atlantic Division.
While the plan wasn't perfect it made sense on many different levels and was welcomed by the majority of hockey fans I have talked to. It looked like a sure bet realignment would happen in 2012.
Then on Friday evening, reports surfaced that realignment would be put on hold for the 2012-2013 season because the plan did not receive consent from the NHLPA.
Reasons given for the NHLPA not giving consent to realignment were questions about the travel schedule and concerns about the playoff format. Rest assure though realignment wasn't put on hold because of these issues.
It was put on hold because of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The NHL CBA expires on September 15th. Since the lockout ended in 2005 Owners has pretty much gotten what they have wanted from the NHLPA with very little resistance.
The NHLPA has had four people in charge since Bob Goodenow resigned as executive director after the end of the lockout. During the last year the NHLPA has been lead by Donald Fehr.
Yes, that same Donald Fehr that was the head of the MLBPA from 1983 to 2009 and played a key role in the 1994 strike that cancelled the World Series.
For the last six years commissioner Gary Bettman has had his way when it comes to dealing with the NHLPA. What this move by Fehr does is tell Bettman is that this will be a partnership and there will be dialogue between the owners and the players.
If there isn't, another work stoppage cold be on the horizon and no hockey fan wants that.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 12.
1. Boston 26-11-1 53 points
Despite the loss to Vancouver on Saturday the Bruins have won nine of their last eleven games.
2. Detroit 26-14-1 53 points
Red Wings defeat Chicago 3-2 in a Central Division battle. The rematch is this Saturday in Detroit.
3. N.Y. Rangers 26-9-4 56 points
Rangers have won nine of their last ten games.
4. Vancouver 26-13-3 55 points
Canucks are 20-0 when leading after two periods.
5. Philadelphia 24-12-4 52 points
For the first time all season Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnall, & Jaromir Jagr have been held scoreless in consecutive games.
6. Chicago 24-13-5 53 points
Bad news for the Blackhawks as Patrick Sharp is out three to four weeks with an upper body injury.
7. St. Louis 24-12-5 53 points
Blues are 9-01 in their last ten home games. Haven't lost in regulation at home since December 3rd.
8. San Jose 23-11-4 50 points
Sharks have won four in a row to start 2012.
9. New Jersey 23-16-2 48 points
Devils have scored a league leading nine short-handed goals this season.
10. Dallas 23-16-1 47 points
Jamie Benn (4G, 3A) named first star of the week.
11. Colorado 23-19-1 47 points
Avalanche had their four game win streak snapped Saturday in St. Louis.
12. Nashville 22-15-4 48 points
Predators face Colorado in a home & home series this week. Two big games against a team they are battling for playoff position.
13. Ottawa 22-15-6 50 points
Senators have four played voted to start in the All-Star game later this month.
14. Pittsburgh 21-15-4 46 points
Jordan Staal out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury and James Neal out "weeks" with a broken foot.
15. Washington 21-16-2 44 points
Mike Green, playing in just his second game after an absence of nearly two months from the Washington lineup, left in the second period and did not return.
16. Toronto 21-15-5 47 points
Joffrey Lupul (2G, 5A) named second star of the week.
17. Minnesota 21-15-6 48 points
Wild have won once in their last twelve games. Still not going to panic but there is cause for concern.
18. Los Angeles 20-15-7 47 points
When it comes to ridiculous injuries it's hard to top the one Dustin Penner suffered over the weekend while eating pancakes.
19. Florida 20-13-8 48 points
Still in first place in Southeast Division despite losing six of their last eight games.
20. Winnipeg 20-16-5 45 points
Jets get a much needed win in Buffalo on Saturday after losing back to back games against Montreal and Toronto.
21. Phoenix 20-17-5 45 points
Congrats to Shane Doan on his first career hat trick.
22. Calgary 19-19-5 43 points
Congrats to Jarome Iginla on his 500th goal.
23. Buffalo 18-18-5 41 points
Sabres have received at least one point in it's last six home games.
24. Tampa Bay 17-20-3 37 points
Lightning prospect Brett Connolly receiving high praise after his performance at the World Junior Championships.
25. Montreal 16-18-7 39 points
2010 Playoff hero Jaroslav Halak returns to Montreal Tuesday night for the first time since being traded after the Canadiens magical playoff run.
26. Edmonton 16-22-3 35 points
I don't like to blame injuries for a team's performance but the Oilers would be a lot better if they were completely healthy.
27. N.Y. Islanders 14-19-6 34 points
Honestly you could rank the bottom four teams anyway you want and I don't think anyone would complain.
28. Carolina 14-22-7 35 points
Defenseman Tim Gleason looks to be a hot commodity on the trade market.
29. Anaheim 12-22-6 30 points
Ducks GM Bob Murray says a roster shakeup could be in order.
30. Columbus 11-25-5 27 points
Scott Arniel finally put out of his misery and fired as head coach of the Blue Jackets. Former Minnesota Wild coach Todd Richards named interim coach.
Under this format all the West Coast teams would be together in one conference. Dallas, Minnesota and Winnipeg would join the teams in the Central Division and be playing teams within their time zone on a regular basis.
The rest of the Southeast Division would be split up with Florida and Tampa Bay joining the teams in the Northeast Division with Washington and Carolina joining the teams in the Atlantic Division.
While the plan wasn't perfect it made sense on many different levels and was welcomed by the majority of hockey fans I have talked to. It looked like a sure bet realignment would happen in 2012.
Then on Friday evening, reports surfaced that realignment would be put on hold for the 2012-2013 season because the plan did not receive consent from the NHLPA.
Reasons given for the NHLPA not giving consent to realignment were questions about the travel schedule and concerns about the playoff format. Rest assure though realignment wasn't put on hold because of these issues.
It was put on hold because of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The NHL CBA expires on September 15th. Since the lockout ended in 2005 Owners has pretty much gotten what they have wanted from the NHLPA with very little resistance.
The NHLPA has had four people in charge since Bob Goodenow resigned as executive director after the end of the lockout. During the last year the NHLPA has been lead by Donald Fehr.
Yes, that same Donald Fehr that was the head of the MLBPA from 1983 to 2009 and played a key role in the 1994 strike that cancelled the World Series.
For the last six years commissioner Gary Bettman has had his way when it comes to dealing with the NHLPA. What this move by Fehr does is tell Bettman is that this will be a partnership and there will be dialogue between the owners and the players.
If there isn't, another work stoppage cold be on the horizon and no hockey fan wants that.
Here is the Power Poll for Week 12.
1. Boston 26-11-1 53 points
Despite the loss to Vancouver on Saturday the Bruins have won nine of their last eleven games.
2. Detroit 26-14-1 53 points
Red Wings defeat Chicago 3-2 in a Central Division battle. The rematch is this Saturday in Detroit.
3. N.Y. Rangers 26-9-4 56 points
Rangers have won nine of their last ten games.
4. Vancouver 26-13-3 55 points
Canucks are 20-0 when leading after two periods.
5. Philadelphia 24-12-4 52 points
For the first time all season Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnall, & Jaromir Jagr have been held scoreless in consecutive games.
6. Chicago 24-13-5 53 points
Bad news for the Blackhawks as Patrick Sharp is out three to four weeks with an upper body injury.
7. St. Louis 24-12-5 53 points
Blues are 9-01 in their last ten home games. Haven't lost in regulation at home since December 3rd.
8. San Jose 23-11-4 50 points
Sharks have won four in a row to start 2012.
9. New Jersey 23-16-2 48 points
Devils have scored a league leading nine short-handed goals this season.
10. Dallas 23-16-1 47 points
Jamie Benn (4G, 3A) named first star of the week.
11. Colorado 23-19-1 47 points
Avalanche had their four game win streak snapped Saturday in St. Louis.
12. Nashville 22-15-4 48 points
Predators face Colorado in a home & home series this week. Two big games against a team they are battling for playoff position.
13. Ottawa 22-15-6 50 points
Senators have four played voted to start in the All-Star game later this month.
14. Pittsburgh 21-15-4 46 points
Jordan Staal out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury and James Neal out "weeks" with a broken foot.
15. Washington 21-16-2 44 points
Mike Green, playing in just his second game after an absence of nearly two months from the Washington lineup, left in the second period and did not return.
16. Toronto 21-15-5 47 points
Joffrey Lupul (2G, 5A) named second star of the week.
17. Minnesota 21-15-6 48 points
Wild have won once in their last twelve games. Still not going to panic but there is cause for concern.
18. Los Angeles 20-15-7 47 points
When it comes to ridiculous injuries it's hard to top the one Dustin Penner suffered over the weekend while eating pancakes.
19. Florida 20-13-8 48 points
Still in first place in Southeast Division despite losing six of their last eight games.
20. Winnipeg 20-16-5 45 points
Jets get a much needed win in Buffalo on Saturday after losing back to back games against Montreal and Toronto.
21. Phoenix 20-17-5 45 points
Congrats to Shane Doan on his first career hat trick.
22. Calgary 19-19-5 43 points
Congrats to Jarome Iginla on his 500th goal.
23. Buffalo 18-18-5 41 points
Sabres have received at least one point in it's last six home games.
24. Tampa Bay 17-20-3 37 points
Lightning prospect Brett Connolly receiving high praise after his performance at the World Junior Championships.
25. Montreal 16-18-7 39 points
2010 Playoff hero Jaroslav Halak returns to Montreal Tuesday night for the first time since being traded after the Canadiens magical playoff run.
26. Edmonton 16-22-3 35 points
I don't like to blame injuries for a team's performance but the Oilers would be a lot better if they were completely healthy.
27. N.Y. Islanders 14-19-6 34 points
Honestly you could rank the bottom four teams anyway you want and I don't think anyone would complain.
28. Carolina 14-22-7 35 points
Defenseman Tim Gleason looks to be a hot commodity on the trade market.
29. Anaheim 12-22-6 30 points
Ducks GM Bob Murray says a roster shakeup could be in order.
30. Columbus 11-25-5 27 points
Scott Arniel finally put out of his misery and fired as head coach of the Blue Jackets. Former Minnesota Wild coach Todd Richards named interim coach.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Observations from the 2012 Winter Classic
The 2012 NHL Winter Classic was held this past Monday in Philadelphia and much like the previous Winter Classics this one was able to carve out it's own niche and stand out apart from previous ones.
The New York Rangers came from behind to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 making it four out of five times the road team had won the Winter Classic.
While the Rangers may have won the game there were many events that stood out to make the weekend memorable.
The Alumni Game:
On Saturday afternoon former players from the Rangers and Flyers gathered for an alumni game between the two teams. For me the two things that stood out were Bernie Parent donning the pads to play goal and the return of Eric Lindros to Philadelphia.
Parent was the goaltender for the Broad Street Bullies in the 70's and was a big reason the Flyers won the Stanley Cup in 1974 & 1975. An eye injury in 1979 cut short his NHL career so it was a treat for Philadelphia fans to see the greatest goalie in team history suit up in net for one more game.
Parent played for five minutes and made a couple saves before departing the game. Not a bad days work for a 66 year old goaltender.
As for Eric Lindros his return to Philadelphia was something to see just because of the soap opera surrounding him and the Flyers throughout his NHL career.
When he was acquired from Quebec in 1992 he was the core piece for a Flyers team searching for an identity since the days of the Broad Street Bullies. He won an MVP award in 1995 (in a short season I must add) and led Philadelphia to the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals where they were swept in four games by the Detroit Red Wings.
Despite losing in the Finals many people thought it was only a matter of time before Lindros led Philadelphia to a Stanley Cup title. Instead he clashed with GM Bobby Clarke and battled concussions before sitting out the entire 2001 season and forcing a trade to the New York Rangers.
When I heard he would play in the Winter Classic part of me was hoping he would turn heel and play for the Rangers. Instead he suited up for Philadelphia which was the right thing to do as that is where he made his biggest impact.
While things may have ended bitterly when he left Philadelphia in 2001 he received a standing ovation when he took the ice at Citizens Bank Park. After 10 years it looks like all was forgiven between Lindros and the Flyers.
That being said watching him take the ice in an orange Flyers sweater just reminded me how much I hated him as a player.
The Winter Classic start time:
Last years Winter Classic was moved from noon to 7 PM because of rain. While conditions weren't perfect there was something magical about playing outdoors under the lights.
This years Winter Classic was only pushed back two hours because of weather conditions. The result was the game finishing under the lights as the sun was setting in Philadelphia.
Maybe it's just me but I think it adds for a cool ambiance. I'm not sure where next years Winter Classic is going to be held. (Rumor has it Detroit is the favorite.) Wherever it is the NHL should consider starting it at 2 PM and have the teams play into the night.
The Jerseys:
Each year the teams participating in the Winter Classic wear a special jersey to celebrate the heritage of the game.
The New York Rangers went with a cream colored jersey with a modified team logo on the front. On the ice the jersey looked as sweet as any jersey I've seen on the ice. It would be a shame if the Rangers didn't add this as an alternate jersey.
As for the Philadelphia Flyers I've never been a fan of their jerseys, logo or color scheme but I will say the orange jersey with black shoulders and black trim did look sharp on the ice.
It was a big improvement over the one they wore in Boston for the 2010 Winter Classic.
Mike Rupp:
Rupp broke into the NHL with the New Jersey Devils in 2003. While he has been a checking line forward for most of his NHL career Rupp has found a way to stand out during some big NHL moments.
He scored his first playoff goal in 2003. That goal just happened to be the game winning goal in the Devils 3-0 Game seven win over Anaheim clinching New Jersey's 3rd Stanley Cup.
In the Winter Classic with the Rangers down 2-0 to the Flyers, Rupp scored the first goal for New York getting the Rangers back into the game. Rupp would score again in the 3rd period to tie the game for New York. Some players step up in big moments. Other times big moments just happened to find certain players.
Brad Richards:
Richards was the marquee free agent of the 2011 class with at least five different teams bidding for his services. Richards ultimately chose to play for the Rangers signing a nine year contract worth 60 million dollars.
I'm always curious to see how a player does in New York when they choose to play there. Sometimes they thrive like Mark Messier did when he joined the blueshirts in 1991. For the most part thou elite players seem to have trouble living up to expectations or the Rangers teams they are on are never as good as they should be.
Richards is only three months into his contract but in his first big moment as a Ranger he scored what proved to be the game winning goal of the Winter Classic. I have a feeling he'll turn out a lot better for New York than Scott Gomez and Chris Drury did when they signed with the Rangers in 2007.
The Penalty Shot:
Each Winter Classic has one moment or event that stands out and makes it memorable. In this years Winter Classic that moment is the Penalty Shot.
Down 3-2 late in the 3rd period the Flyers pull their goalie to get the extra attacker on the ice. During a scramble in front of the net Ryan McDonagh is called for covering the puck in the crease. As a result a penalty shot is awarded to Philadelphia.
With 19 seconds to play in the game the Flyers have the player they want, Danny Briere, taking the penalty shot against Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Briere skates in and tries to go five hole only to have Lundqvist show it then take it away from him.
New York would hold off Philadelphia during the last nineteen seconds of the game and skate away with not only a 3-2 victory but two points in the standings. When these two teams play each other it always seems as points are at a premium so keep that in mind as the season goes along.
In the end this Winter Classic was memorable to me for the reasons I listed above. As to whether it was the greatest one of all time I am going to let history be the judge on that as this event continues to evolve. One thing I do know is that the Flyers are now 0-2 all time in the Winter Classic.
I love happy endings.
The New York Rangers came from behind to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 making it four out of five times the road team had won the Winter Classic.
While the Rangers may have won the game there were many events that stood out to make the weekend memorable.
The Alumni Game:
On Saturday afternoon former players from the Rangers and Flyers gathered for an alumni game between the two teams. For me the two things that stood out were Bernie Parent donning the pads to play goal and the return of Eric Lindros to Philadelphia.
Parent was the goaltender for the Broad Street Bullies in the 70's and was a big reason the Flyers won the Stanley Cup in 1974 & 1975. An eye injury in 1979 cut short his NHL career so it was a treat for Philadelphia fans to see the greatest goalie in team history suit up in net for one more game.
Parent played for five minutes and made a couple saves before departing the game. Not a bad days work for a 66 year old goaltender.
As for Eric Lindros his return to Philadelphia was something to see just because of the soap opera surrounding him and the Flyers throughout his NHL career.
When he was acquired from Quebec in 1992 he was the core piece for a Flyers team searching for an identity since the days of the Broad Street Bullies. He won an MVP award in 1995 (in a short season I must add) and led Philadelphia to the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals where they were swept in four games by the Detroit Red Wings.
Despite losing in the Finals many people thought it was only a matter of time before Lindros led Philadelphia to a Stanley Cup title. Instead he clashed with GM Bobby Clarke and battled concussions before sitting out the entire 2001 season and forcing a trade to the New York Rangers.
When I heard he would play in the Winter Classic part of me was hoping he would turn heel and play for the Rangers. Instead he suited up for Philadelphia which was the right thing to do as that is where he made his biggest impact.
While things may have ended bitterly when he left Philadelphia in 2001 he received a standing ovation when he took the ice at Citizens Bank Park. After 10 years it looks like all was forgiven between Lindros and the Flyers.
That being said watching him take the ice in an orange Flyers sweater just reminded me how much I hated him as a player.
The Winter Classic start time:
Last years Winter Classic was moved from noon to 7 PM because of rain. While conditions weren't perfect there was something magical about playing outdoors under the lights.
This years Winter Classic was only pushed back two hours because of weather conditions. The result was the game finishing under the lights as the sun was setting in Philadelphia.
Maybe it's just me but I think it adds for a cool ambiance. I'm not sure where next years Winter Classic is going to be held. (Rumor has it Detroit is the favorite.) Wherever it is the NHL should consider starting it at 2 PM and have the teams play into the night.
The Jerseys:
Each year the teams participating in the Winter Classic wear a special jersey to celebrate the heritage of the game.
The New York Rangers went with a cream colored jersey with a modified team logo on the front. On the ice the jersey looked as sweet as any jersey I've seen on the ice. It would be a shame if the Rangers didn't add this as an alternate jersey.
As for the Philadelphia Flyers I've never been a fan of their jerseys, logo or color scheme but I will say the orange jersey with black shoulders and black trim did look sharp on the ice.
It was a big improvement over the one they wore in Boston for the 2010 Winter Classic.
Mike Rupp:
Rupp broke into the NHL with the New Jersey Devils in 2003. While he has been a checking line forward for most of his NHL career Rupp has found a way to stand out during some big NHL moments.
He scored his first playoff goal in 2003. That goal just happened to be the game winning goal in the Devils 3-0 Game seven win over Anaheim clinching New Jersey's 3rd Stanley Cup.
In the Winter Classic with the Rangers down 2-0 to the Flyers, Rupp scored the first goal for New York getting the Rangers back into the game. Rupp would score again in the 3rd period to tie the game for New York. Some players step up in big moments. Other times big moments just happened to find certain players.
Brad Richards:
Richards was the marquee free agent of the 2011 class with at least five different teams bidding for his services. Richards ultimately chose to play for the Rangers signing a nine year contract worth 60 million dollars.
I'm always curious to see how a player does in New York when they choose to play there. Sometimes they thrive like Mark Messier did when he joined the blueshirts in 1991. For the most part thou elite players seem to have trouble living up to expectations or the Rangers teams they are on are never as good as they should be.
Richards is only three months into his contract but in his first big moment as a Ranger he scored what proved to be the game winning goal of the Winter Classic. I have a feeling he'll turn out a lot better for New York than Scott Gomez and Chris Drury did when they signed with the Rangers in 2007.
The Penalty Shot:
Each Winter Classic has one moment or event that stands out and makes it memorable. In this years Winter Classic that moment is the Penalty Shot.
Down 3-2 late in the 3rd period the Flyers pull their goalie to get the extra attacker on the ice. During a scramble in front of the net Ryan McDonagh is called for covering the puck in the crease. As a result a penalty shot is awarded to Philadelphia.
With 19 seconds to play in the game the Flyers have the player they want, Danny Briere, taking the penalty shot against Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Briere skates in and tries to go five hole only to have Lundqvist show it then take it away from him.
New York would hold off Philadelphia during the last nineteen seconds of the game and skate away with not only a 3-2 victory but two points in the standings. When these two teams play each other it always seems as points are at a premium so keep that in mind as the season goes along.
In the end this Winter Classic was memorable to me for the reasons I listed above. As to whether it was the greatest one of all time I am going to let history be the judge on that as this event continues to evolve. One thing I do know is that the Flyers are now 0-2 all time in the Winter Classic.
I love happy endings.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Week 11 Power Poll
If you are reading this I hope you had a great holiday. I've been on vacation for the past week but now that the holidays are over with it's time to get back to hockey.
The 2012 Winter Classic is going on today in Philadelphia and I'll have a recap of that later in the week but I think the best way to get back into the swing of things is with the latest edition of the Power Poll.
As always your comments & feedback are welcomed.
1. Boston 24-10-1 49 points
First Power Poll of 2012 see the defending Stanley Cup Champions on top.
2. Chicago 24-10-4 52 points
Beat Detroit 3-2 on Friday night. Blackhawks will see the Red Wings two more times between now and January 14th.
3. Detroit 24-13-1 49 points
Bounced back nicely from 3-2 defeat against Chicago with a 3-0 over St. Louis.
4. Vancouver 24-13-2 50 points
It took a little longer than expected but the Canucks are back on top in the Northwest Division.
5. N.Y. Rangers 23-9-4 50 points
Much like his brother Jordan did last year, Marc Staal returns to the lineup today in the Winter Classic.
6. Philadelphia 22-10-4 48 points
Right now the Flyers might be rethinking their 9 year commitment they made to Ilya Bryzgalov.
7. Pittsburgh 21-13-4 46 points
Evgeni Malkin (6G, 13A) named 1st star for the month of December. He has 15 goals & 28 assists on the season.
8. Minnesota 21-13-6 48 points
The Wild have lost eight of their last nine games. That being said, it's way too early to panic.
9. St. Louis 21-12-5 47 points
This past week the Blues lost 3-2 & 3-0 against Detroit. These are games they need to find a way to win if they want to contend for the Central Division.
10. Nashville 21-14-4 46 points
Sergei Kostitsyn, anytime you get a hat trick during the only NHL game of the night to start the new year, you get a mention.
11. New Jersey 21-15-1 43 points
Adam Henrique named December rookie of the month after leading all rookies in scoring. (5G, 8A)
12. Dallas 21-15-1 43 points
Lost 4-1 on Thursday to the worst team in the NHL (Columbus) and bounced back two days later to defeat the defending Stanley Cup Champs (Boston) 4-2. You figure it out.
13. Colorado 21-18-1 43 points
In his first game back in Anaheim since being traded in 2010, Jean-Sebastian Giguere has 18 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Ducks.
14. Washington 20-15-2 42 points
Capitals are 8-6-1 since changing coaches. I'm not sure the coach was the problem.
15. Florida 20-12-7 47 points
Only the 4th time in team history the Panthers have won 20 games before January 1st.
16. Los Angeles 19-14-6 44 points
I questioned the hiring of Darryl Sutter as head coach but right now the Kings are on top in the Pacific Division. Whether they stay on top remains to be seen.
17. San Jose 19-11-4 42 points
If the Kings don't hold on to the top spot in the Pacific it will be because the Sharks win the division for the 5th year in a row
18. Winnipeg 19-14-5 43 points
Jets are 14-6-1 at home this season. It's hard to go into the "Peg" and skate away with two points.
19. Phoenix 19-16-4 42 points
Two goals in two minutes by Radim Vrbata gives Coyotes a 4-2 in Minnesota to close out 2011. Phoenix is now 4-0-1 when playing at Xcel with Dave Tippett as head coach.
20. Ottawa 19-15-5 43 points
Coach Paul MacLean has done an excellent job keeping the senators in the playoff mix through the first three months of the season.
21. Toronto 18-15-5 41 points
Maple Leafs are winless in their last three games (0-2-1) since coach Ron Wilson received his contract extension on Christmas Day.
22. Calgary 18-17-5 41 points
Jarome Iginla is one goal away from number 500 for his career.
23. Buffalo 17-17-4 38 points
Owner Terry Pegula spent a lot of money in the off-season to upgrade his roster. So far it isn't working.
24. Tampa Bay 17-17-3 37 points
A hat trick for Steven Stamkos on Saturday night has him leading the NHL in goals with 26.
25. Edmonton 15-19-3 33 points
Remember when early in the season there was talk of the Oilers being a playoff team? Yeah that's not happening this season with the roster they have.
26. Montreal 14-18-7 35 points
GM Pierre Gauthier signs Defenseman Josh Gorges to a six year extension. Now with that done he can concentrate on finding a coach who speaks French to quiet the Habs fans in Quebec.
27. N.Y. Islanders 13-17-6 32 points
Congrats to Ken Morrow on being inducted into the Islanders Hall of Fame. In fact today he still could probably contribute to the blueline.
28. Carolina 13-21-6 32 points
Good news for the Hurricanes as Jeff Skinner returns to practice for the first time since suffering a concussion on December 7th.
29. Anaheim 10-21-6 26 points
Ducks are 3-8-2 since Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach.
30. Columbus 10-23-5 25 points
It took a few months but GM Scott Howson is ready to reshape the Blue Jackets roster. Anyone not named Rick Nash is available.
The 2012 Winter Classic is going on today in Philadelphia and I'll have a recap of that later in the week but I think the best way to get back into the swing of things is with the latest edition of the Power Poll.
As always your comments & feedback are welcomed.
1. Boston 24-10-1 49 points
First Power Poll of 2012 see the defending Stanley Cup Champions on top.
2. Chicago 24-10-4 52 points
Beat Detroit 3-2 on Friday night. Blackhawks will see the Red Wings two more times between now and January 14th.
3. Detroit 24-13-1 49 points
Bounced back nicely from 3-2 defeat against Chicago with a 3-0 over St. Louis.
4. Vancouver 24-13-2 50 points
It took a little longer than expected but the Canucks are back on top in the Northwest Division.
5. N.Y. Rangers 23-9-4 50 points
Much like his brother Jordan did last year, Marc Staal returns to the lineup today in the Winter Classic.
6. Philadelphia 22-10-4 48 points
Right now the Flyers might be rethinking their 9 year commitment they made to Ilya Bryzgalov.
7. Pittsburgh 21-13-4 46 points
Evgeni Malkin (6G, 13A) named 1st star for the month of December. He has 15 goals & 28 assists on the season.
8. Minnesota 21-13-6 48 points
The Wild have lost eight of their last nine games. That being said, it's way too early to panic.
9. St. Louis 21-12-5 47 points
This past week the Blues lost 3-2 & 3-0 against Detroit. These are games they need to find a way to win if they want to contend for the Central Division.
10. Nashville 21-14-4 46 points
Sergei Kostitsyn, anytime you get a hat trick during the only NHL game of the night to start the new year, you get a mention.
11. New Jersey 21-15-1 43 points
Adam Henrique named December rookie of the month after leading all rookies in scoring. (5G, 8A)
12. Dallas 21-15-1 43 points
Lost 4-1 on Thursday to the worst team in the NHL (Columbus) and bounced back two days later to defeat the defending Stanley Cup Champs (Boston) 4-2. You figure it out.
13. Colorado 21-18-1 43 points
In his first game back in Anaheim since being traded in 2010, Jean-Sebastian Giguere has 18 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Ducks.
14. Washington 20-15-2 42 points
Capitals are 8-6-1 since changing coaches. I'm not sure the coach was the problem.
15. Florida 20-12-7 47 points
Only the 4th time in team history the Panthers have won 20 games before January 1st.
16. Los Angeles 19-14-6 44 points
I questioned the hiring of Darryl Sutter as head coach but right now the Kings are on top in the Pacific Division. Whether they stay on top remains to be seen.
17. San Jose 19-11-4 42 points
If the Kings don't hold on to the top spot in the Pacific it will be because the Sharks win the division for the 5th year in a row
18. Winnipeg 19-14-5 43 points
Jets are 14-6-1 at home this season. It's hard to go into the "Peg" and skate away with two points.
19. Phoenix 19-16-4 42 points
Two goals in two minutes by Radim Vrbata gives Coyotes a 4-2 in Minnesota to close out 2011. Phoenix is now 4-0-1 when playing at Xcel with Dave Tippett as head coach.
20. Ottawa 19-15-5 43 points
Coach Paul MacLean has done an excellent job keeping the senators in the playoff mix through the first three months of the season.
21. Toronto 18-15-5 41 points
Maple Leafs are winless in their last three games (0-2-1) since coach Ron Wilson received his contract extension on Christmas Day.
22. Calgary 18-17-5 41 points
Jarome Iginla is one goal away from number 500 for his career.
23. Buffalo 17-17-4 38 points
Owner Terry Pegula spent a lot of money in the off-season to upgrade his roster. So far it isn't working.
24. Tampa Bay 17-17-3 37 points
A hat trick for Steven Stamkos on Saturday night has him leading the NHL in goals with 26.
25. Edmonton 15-19-3 33 points
Remember when early in the season there was talk of the Oilers being a playoff team? Yeah that's not happening this season with the roster they have.
26. Montreal 14-18-7 35 points
GM Pierre Gauthier signs Defenseman Josh Gorges to a six year extension. Now with that done he can concentrate on finding a coach who speaks French to quiet the Habs fans in Quebec.
27. N.Y. Islanders 13-17-6 32 points
Congrats to Ken Morrow on being inducted into the Islanders Hall of Fame. In fact today he still could probably contribute to the blueline.
28. Carolina 13-21-6 32 points
Good news for the Hurricanes as Jeff Skinner returns to practice for the first time since suffering a concussion on December 7th.
29. Anaheim 10-21-6 26 points
Ducks are 3-8-2 since Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach.
30. Columbus 10-23-5 25 points
It took a few months but GM Scott Howson is ready to reshape the Blue Jackets roster. Anyone not named Rick Nash is available.
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