2009 WHL Championship Series prospects preview – Hockey’s Future
Under first-year head coach Dave Lowry, the Hitmen have been a virtual juggernaut since opening day. The team won the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular season champions, compiling a 59-9-3-1 record for 122 points, three more than Vancouver.
The talent pool is very deep in front of outstanding goaltender Martin Jones (LA), who managed a 2.08 goals against average and .915 save percentage during the regular season. The North Vancouver native’s 45-5-3-1 record is outstanding, yet it pales in comparison to his 12-0 mark in the post season.
via 2009 WHL Championship Series prospects preview – Hockey’s Future.
Fans ask burning Lightning questions – St. Petersburg Times
What would you expect in return for Lecavalier? Which team has the best pieces to offer and would seriously consider a trade?
Keep the Kings in mind. They have a top-five draft pick to give back and good, young players such as Jack Johnson, Alexander Frolov and Oscar Moller. The Avalanche is believed to be sniffing around, too, as well as the Rangers.
via Fans ask burning Lightning questions – St. Petersburg Times.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
The Hockey News: THE HOT LIST:: Loktionov
Not only do we have major junior playoffs and the Frozen Four in full swing, but the IIHF World Under-18 Championship has taken over Fargo and Moorhead on the North Dakota-Minnesota border. It’s prospect overload, so let’s once again count down some of the youngsters we can’t wait to see make it to the pros.
1. Victor Hedman, D – Modo (Swe.): Looking at the bottom of the NHL standings right now, it’s not hard to see at least half of the serious lottery contenders would be more than interested in a 6-foot-7 puck-moving defenseman, even if it meant denying center John Tavares the No. 1 spot. Whether it’s Denver, Tampa, Long Island or elsewhere, Hedman loves North America and the chance to prove himself on Western soil. And while J.T.’s Canadians won the world junior gold over Team Sweden in Ottawa this winter, Hedman knows his team could have played better. “We didn’t come up to our standard, but Canada was very good,” Hedman said. “Canadians always play full speed and I really like how they played.” Pundits have already thrown out a lot of lofty comparisons for the 18-year-old Swede, including names such as Chris Pronger and Nicklas Lidstrom, but why not go to the source himself for a scouting report? “Two-way defenseman who can be offensively producing,” Hedman said. “I like to join the rush, play on the power play…I really like to shoot the puck.” The youngster still wants to work on his shot and didn’t get a lot of power play time on a veteran-laden Modo team this year, but his upside is incredible, especially considering the skating acumen he has for a big man. “I don’t feel 6-foot-7 when I’m on the ice,” Hedman noted. If that’s not a warning for opposing NHL teams next year, what is? Draft eligible in 2009.2. Dylan Olsen, D – Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL): For a Jr. A player, the under-18s are a great chance to boost profile for the NHL draft. Olsen got his name on the scoreboard early, as the 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman tallied Canada’s overtime winner in an exhibition tilt against Finland. Draft eligible in 2009.
3. Teemu Pulkkinen, RW – Jokerit (Fin.): Coming out on the other end of that 6-5 decision, Pulkkinen nonetheless showed why he is a top prospect for next year’s draft, scoring two goals and setting up the marker that put the Finns into overtime. Draft eligible in 2010.
4. J.P. Anderson, G – Mississauga-St. Michael’s Majors (OHL): Anderson is getting hot at the right time for the Majors, sporting a 2.15 goals-against average in the playoffs. That’s nearly a goal less than the regular season. The rookie’s .939 post-season save percentage is tops in the Ontario League and keep in mind he’s playing against the high-octane Brampton Battalion right now. Draft eligible in 2010.5. Aaron Palushaj, RW – Peoria Rivermen (AHL): The newly signed St. Louis Blues prospect is already getting his pro game going in Peoria, where the Rivermen can enjoy the gritty skill game he honed with the Michigan Wolverines. Drafted 44th overall by St. Louis in 2007.
6. Andrei Loktionov, C – Windsor Spitfires (OHL): The Spits are still rolling thanks to a deep and deadly offense, this time with import Loktionov leading the charge. The first-year pivot leads the OHL in playoff scoring with 17 points in seven games. Drafted 123rd overall by Los Angeles in 2008.
7. Dmitri Orlov, D – Metallurg Novokuznetsk (KHL): Orlov didn’t get a lot of ice time or opportunity in the Kontinental League this season, so look for him to make his mark with the Russian under-18s. The sturdy defenseman had two assists in a 7-3 exhibition win over Switzerland. Draft eligible in 2009.
8. Paul Byron, C – Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL): The diminutive pivot is on fire for the Olympiques and doing it all with playmaking. Byron has 12 assists and 13 points through seven playoffs games, which is ironic since he led the ‘Q’ in post-season goals last year. Drafted 179th overall by Buffalo in 2007.9. Scott Glennie, C – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL): Speaking of playmakers, Glennie is a mirror image of Byron in the Dub. Other than being 6-foot-1 instead of 5-foot-8, the Wheat King has 10 assists and 11 points through six post-season games to help Brandon to a flawless playoff record so far. Draft eligible in 2009.
10. Matt Gilroy, D – Boston University Terriers (Hockey East): As the Terriers take a run at the national title, consider this Gilroy’s final audition for salivating NHL GMs. After this weekend, the puck-moving defenseman will be snapped up by whichever team is willing to pay Gilroy’s (expected) hefty price tag. Eligible for unrestricted free agency.
via The Hockey News: The Hot List: The Hot List: Hedman hits North America.
“I don’t think we handled the pressure as well as I thought we would,” McLellan says | Working the Corners
McLellan’s most relevant comments came when he was asked his reaction to those who thought Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton maybe were too mellow or too nice or too passive or too whatever to serve in the important role of team leaders.
“First of all,” McLellan said, “we need to separate the two because they’re not the same. Their personalities are different. But they are the leaders and they are the focal points of our organization with rest of the core.
“The team hasn’t succeeded over the past little bit with them driving the bus, if you will,” the coach added. “That doesn’t mean they can’t do it. But I think the questions grow every year that you don’t succeed.”
It was pointed out that McLellan knew San Jose’s playoff history — in fact, that’s how the job was vacant — but did he still see something change entering the playoffs that he didn’t expect.
“I don’t think we handled the pressure as well as I thought we would, individually and collectively,” he said. “We talked about external and internal pressure. The external pressure maybe impacted individuals more than the team. We weren’t as competitive as we needed to be in Games 1 and 2, and to me that was the turning point.”
MaxHockey.com: The Last Stand of the Wooden Stick
During a game against Colorado, Holik entered the faceoff circle against Paul Stastny, son of Hall of Famer Peter Stastny. The linesman noticed that both centers carried wooden sticks and commented.
Holik joked to the young Stastny that he would bet that Peter would never allow him to use a composite. The younger Stastny responded, “You got that right.”
via MaxHockey.com Jason Lockhart.
Read the whole article, though.
OHL Finals, game one: Loktionov 2 goals, 1 assist; announcer: Loktionov “has NHL written all over him”
“Oh my! That’s all you can say when you see stuff like that! This guy has got NHL written all over him!” The play-by-play guy calls his second goal “highlight reel” and “gorgeous.”
Match the Pathetic Quote to the Pathetic Shark or Flame (with bonus Cammalleri “tell”)
Both the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames went into the playoffs with hopes of playing deep into the post-season. For the Sharks, they thought a President’s Trophy and a dynamic regular season was a sign that they were on the right track. For the Flames, they thought the addition of Olli Jokinen gave them a talented final piece.
Whoops. A day after both teams found themselves on the outside looking in, members of both teams started spouting out pretty much the same cliche. See if you can figure out which team each quote came from. Answers after the jump.
1: “This was the best team, no question. The organization gave us the opportunity to go deep and to win and we didn’t get it done.”
2: “It’s tough—I really enjoyed [note past tense] playing here, and I really thought we had a lot of hockey left. I thought we were going to do something special.”
3: “It’s really disappointing with the expectations we had this year and we didn’t come through again.”
4: “You don’t expect this to happen when you have such a good team. We expected more out of ourselves and we didn’t live up to that.”
5: “This is something I didn’t expect. I figured to be playing a lot longer than this. We really thought we had a special team. And to end the season the way we did, it’s not fun.”
6: “I was pretty disappointed in what happened and in my play, too. I really don’t have answers to anything, right now. I’m disappointed that we couldn’t do more individually.”
1: Calgary, Jarome Iginla
2: Calgary, Michael Cammalleri
3: San Jose, Evgeni Nabokov
4: San Jose, Patrick Marleau
5: San Jose, Jonathan Cheechoo
6: Calgary. Todd Bertuzzi
via KuklasKorner : Mike Chen’s Hockey Blog : Shark or Flame? .
So when is Sharks’ Presidents’ Trophy parade? – San Jose Mercury News
So what positives can the Sharks draw from the fact that the darn puck just somehow decided on its own to go into the net more times for Anaheim?
They can finally schedule that Presidents’ Trophy parade.
Doug Wilson needs extra time to figure out how to trade two guys with no-trade clauses.
Joe Thornton wants to avoid reporters for the next five months, so now that’s a lot easier to do.
(Side note: Thornton skipping the media session after the last two losses should say a ton. Barry Bonds might have blown past everybody after he hit two home runs, but he was there after elimination games, even Game 7 of the World Series. Terrell Owens talks when it all goes up in flames, or did you forget the “that’s my quarterback” tear-jerker? Rich Gannon and Tim Brown talked after the Super Bowl humiliation. The stars stand up.)
After the Sharks boosted payroll by $15 million and played four fewer home playoff games than a year ago (at an estimated $1 million a pop in revenue), someone might actually believe them when they say they lost money again.
They are living up to expectations, dummy. As the anchor for Canadian network TSN noted at the end of the highlights package Monday night, “No one picked the Sharks to go to the Cup final, I don’t think, and there’s a good reason.”
via So when is Sharks’ Presidents’ Trophy parade? – San Jose Mercury News.
Day 1 of an off-season that the Sharks weren’t expecting to start for quite a while | Working the Corners
Not surprisingly, Jeremy Roenick was the most outspoken about what’s likely to be in store for the Sharks:
“I don’t see how there can’t be big changes,” Roenick said. “When you underachieve like we did in the playoffs, there has to be major change. I don’t know what that it is. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of closed-door meetings. I don’t think anybody should feel safe.”
What are his plans as far as returning or retirement?
“I’m just going to sit back, relax and spend some time with my family. I’m going to talk to Doug and Todd in the next couple of weeks. I’m totally up in the air. I could go either way. I’m not going to make any rash decisions. I don’t want to pull a Brett Favre and say something when your emotions are running high.”
Might some guys decide they want to be elsewhere?
“When you’re in one place for a long time, it really does get stale. It’s hard to stay in one place for a long, long time, especially when you haven’t won. If you don’t win, there’s change. It’s inevitable.”
ESPN jumps gun.Eulogy: Remembering the 2008-09 Calgary Flames – Puck Daddy – NHL – Yahoo! Sports
Mike Cammalleri set career highs in all categories but it didn’t matter because his 39 goals and 82 points are off for free agency. But that’s okay, because even though the Flames have no money to bring him back with, those six playoff games were worth the 17th overall pick — right?
via Eulogy: Remembering the 2008-09 Calgary Flames – Puck Daddy – NHL – Yahoo! Sports.
Helene Elliott Shows You How to Insert Judgmental Bulls*** into Theoretically Objective Reporting
Sharks center Joe Thornton found a heart, the Ducks lost a chance to pull off an upset and the teams’ playoff series became a lot more interesting — and at least one game longer.
Thornton, conspicuous in the first four games only for his indifference, showed a new and fiery side Saturday. With the top-seeded Sharks one goal from elimination he threw the puck in front of the net for Patrick Marleau to prod past Jonas Hiller at 6:02 of overtime, which gave the Sharks a 3-2 victory and cut the Ducks’ series lead to three games to two.
via Thornton comes up big for the Sharks – Los Angeles Times.
“Joe Thornton found a heart”???
Sharks and Kings Playoffs Histories UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE BIG CHOKE
Franchise Wins and Losses
Sharks 57-62 63
Kings 65-105
Over-all Series Records
Sharks 9-11 12 (missed playoffs 5 times out of 17 seasons: in playoffs 70%)
Kings 11-24 (missed playoffs 18 times out of 41 seasons: in playoffs 56%)
1st Round
Sharks: 8-3 4
Kings 9-14
2nd Round
Sharks 1-7
Kings 1-9
Conference Finals
Sharks 0-1
Kings 1-0
Cup Finals
Sharks n/a
Kings 0-1
Red Wings Central – Red Wings Cap Trouble Generator Allows You to See for Yourself What I’ve Been Saying About Keeping Hossa
Try it. You won’t like it.
OHL Scoring: Loktionov #4 Overall, Leads All Rookies; Tavares peaks at #7 Before Being Sidetracked by Losing; Kings Prospect Bryan Cameron at #20
Windsor will play either Brampton or Bellville. London will play nobody. 
Crackpot Roster Musings: Kings 09-10
Assumptions: Kings sign one of Hossa, Gaborik or Havlat. Kings keep the number five pick and select MSP, Kane or Duchene, whoever is left.
FORWARDS:
If Hossa or Havlat:
Frolov/Kopitar/Hossa-Havlat
Williams/Stoll/Brown [North American drive-to-the-net ass-kicking, hits and goals]
Lewis/Handzus/Simmonds [shut-down]
Purcell/Loktionov/Moller [the real first line]
If Gaborik:
Frolov/Kopitar/Williams
Gaborik/Stoll/Brown
Lewis/Handzus/Simmonds
Purcell/Loktionov/Moller
[The #5 pick will obviously have the opportunity to dislodge one of Lewis, Purcell, Loktionov or Moller (or Wudrick, for that matter). I'm willing to imagine that one of the realistically too-young prospects surprises everyone and makes the team, but I've chosen Loktionov as my representative of that crackpot fantasy. Could easily be Kane, Duchene, MSP -- whichever one -- or Wudrick.]
DEFENSE:
Johnson/Doughty
Quincey/Greene
SOD/Hickey
Voynov/Drewiske
GOAL:
Quick
Ersberg
The Canadian Press: Loktionov scores in overtime as Windsor takes 3-1 series lead against London
Andrei Loktionov scored 59 seconds into overtime to give Windsor a 5-4 victory over the London Knights on Monday and the Spitfires a 3-1 lead in their Ontario Hockey League Western Conference final.
Lane MacDermid, Greg Nemisz, Eric Wellwood and Dale Mitchell, with two assists, scored in regulation for Windsor, which entered the third period up 4-1.
John Carlson scored twice in the third to rally the Knights, including the tying goal at 15:55 – his seventh of the post-season. Michael Del Zotto also scored in third while Justin Taylor scored his sixth playoff goal in the first period for London.
The status of Loktionov, the OHL’s leading rookie scorer in the playoffs, was questionable before the game after taking an apparent knee-on-knee hit in Game 3. Loktionov had to be helped off the ice with three minutes remaining in regulation and did not return for overtime.
via The Canadian Press: Loktionov scores in overtime as Windsor takes 3-1 series lead against London.
On the Islanders Beat: Redline Report Ranks one-dimensional liability Tavares #3
As if the debate between sniper John Tavares and huge defenseman Victor Hedman at the top of the NHL draft weren’t hot enough already, the latest prospect rankings from highly respected independent scouting service “Redline Report” should pour some gasoline on the fire. Here’s the stunning standings:
1. Hedman. 2. Matt Duchene. 3. Tavares.
Kyle Woodlief, the former Nashville scout who has owned Redline Report the past 10 years and served as its publisher and chief scout, pulls no punches in explaining the fall of Tavares, the player generally regarded as the “consensus No. 1 prospect” by most teams, scouting organizations and the media.
“I’ve always felt Hedman should be the No. 1 pick,” Woodlief said. “The reason we flip-flopped Duchene and Tavares is due to the fact Tavares’ effort level has been underwhelming through the first two rounds of the [Ontario Hockey League] playoffs. Tavares may score 40 or 50 goals a season, but he’s one-dimensional. If he’s not scoring, he’s not helping.
“Right now, he’s the third-best draft-eligible forward on his own team behind Nazem Kadri and Phil Varone. Tavares (9-10-19) and Varone (10-8-18) have about the same number of points, but Varone is plus-16, and Tavares is even. London has a great power play, and Tavares is getting all his points on the power play. Five-on-five, Tavares has been nothing short of a liability. His attitude of entitlement stinks.”
The hype surrounding Tavares has been monumental ever since he scored 72 goals at the age of 16 for his former team in Oshawa. But he was traded at midseason this year to London, which currently is in OHL Western Conference finals against Windsor, the former team of Islanders center Josh Bailey, the No. 9 pick in last year’s draft. Now, that he has a stronger supporting cast, it’s almost as though Tavares’ flaws have begun to stand out more. Most of the concern centers on his skating ability, which is nothing special.
“We all know what Tavares is going to be a good player,” Woodlief said. Referring to NHL superstars Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, he added of Tavares, “At the same time, he’s nowhere near the level of an Ovechkin, Malkin or Crosby. They were all multi-dimensional players. Ovechkin hits you like a ton of bricks. Tavares will hit and take hits, but he won’t mash guys. Ovechkin works just as hard in his own end.”
Asked for the prototype Tavares fits, Woodlief chose Brett Hull. It wasn’t meant to flatter him. Hull was a pure goal scorer who put up huge numbers at a time when that was possible in the NHL, but he wasn’t necessarily regarded as a winner. He was more of a compiler.
” Hull was a goal scorer who was selfish and not a particularly good skater,” Woodlief said. “He wasn’t a particularly good locker-room presence. Tavares has the same attitude, even the same body.”
Explaining why he jumped Brampton Battalion center Duchene ahead of Tavares in the rankings, Woodlief said, “I put Duchene ahead of Tavares because he’s the most complete forward in the draft, and he has dramatically improved his game. He’s a Steve Yzerman-type. If he’s not scoring, he’s a center who can act as your shutdown guy against the other team’s top line.”
As for his infatuation with the 6-6 Hedman, Woodlief explains it this way. “A 220-pound defenseman who skates great and has offensive upside doesn’t come along very often. He’s dramatically ahead of Chris Pronger at the same age.”
That’s strong stuff, and coming from a scouting service that is widely used in the NHL as a cross-checking reference, it’s sure to get serious consideration from the teams that will be making the draft decisions come June 26.
Loktionov Scores in OT to lead Windsor over London/Tavares
For the fourth time in the series, the Spitfires and Knights took the game to overtime and for the third time, the Spitfires were victorious. Just 59 seconds into overtime, Andrei Loktionov scored his 6th goal of the playoffs to give the Spits the win.
via Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club | Ontario Hockey League.
Loktionov is fourth overall in the league in playoff scoring, with 23 points. Tavares has 19 points. Windsor is up 3-1 in the series.
2009 NHL Mock Draft 1.0 | Bleacher Report
1. The New York Islanders will select John Tavares of the London Knights
This is a no brainer pick. John Tavares is easily the best forward in this draft and has been compared to the likes of Wayne Gretzky. With absolutely no offensive talents on this team outside the likes of Kyle Okposo, Tavares will have some growing pains. But with the continued struggles of this team, it is about time to give this franchise a face and bring some excitement back to Long Island.
2. The Tampa Bay Lightning will select Victor Hedman from Modo (Sweden)
Even if the Lightning won the first overall pick in this years draft, I still think they would make this pick. The Tampa Bay Lightning easily had one of the worst defenses in the NHL last season and it showed. So the addition of Hedman will give an automatic boost to a struggling Lightning team and give them further optimism for next season.
3. The Colorado Avalanche will select Matt Duchene of the Brampton Battalion
With the ever aging Joe Sakic expected to retire this season and there only legitimate scoring center being Paul Stastny, this team needs depth down the middle. Duchene could make the team out of the draft and immediately give them a second line. Plus he has the best acceleration I have seen in some time and his playmaking ability is stellar. At worst will make the team for the 2010-2011 season.
4. The Atlanta Thrashers will select Evander Kane of the Vancouver Giants
One of Don Cherry’s favourite players, Evander Kane is a great scorer while bringing a physical presence with his small frame. He would definitely give Ilya Kovalchuk reason to stay in Atlanta while fitting in perfectly on a team lacking real talented scorers. Plus when he finally does fill out a little bit, will be an amazing player in the NHL.
5. The Los Angeles Kings will select Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi of Timra (Sweden)
This team already has a stable of prospects that is almost scary to look at and with another player that has been compared to Peter Forsberg being thrown into the mix, I can only imagine how good they soon will be. Plus with he fact that the Kings have chosen defenders in the past two drafts, this pick makes the most sense.
6. The Phoenix Coyotes will select Jared Cowan of the Spokane Chiefs
The Phoenix Coyotes are another team that has a scary amount of prospects and with Derek Morris being traded at the Trade Deadline, Wayne Gretzky will be looking for another defenseman to fill that hole. Even though he is a year or two away from making the NHL, Jared Cowan has the potential to be a premier shutdown defenseman in the NHL.
Habs fan sounds like Kings fan; Habs sounds like Kings; Kings still not in playoffs
[Carbonneau] figures that since [the skilled players are] so good he’ll squish them onto the fourth line. Now Perezhogin is playing on the fourth line with some no name guy that can’t receive a pass and whose main objective is to hit. He gets 7 minutes a game playing along players that can’t play at his level. Since he doesn’t produce, Carbo benches him. Carbo did the same with Plekanec this season. He had a couple of bad games so he puts him on a line with greek lightning who can’t get his passes and BGL or Dandy. How is he supposed to get out of his slump while playing with those players, it’s ridiculous. [...]
And as for Carbo spreading fourth liners through out the line-up, he must have lost his mind. It’s the most ridiculous strategy I have ever heard of. The worst was when the habs were playing poorly defensively and weren’t winning games, so he took Gorges and put him on the fourth line. Now someone please explain to me how taking a solid third defenseman and putting him on a foward line to have 7 minutes of playing time help your defense. What an idiot.
via Around The Habs.
Around The Habs: I wanted you to trade for a big-ass scorer and you didn’t do it and I was mad but now I am glad
Anyway, people started hasseling [Gainey] for not landing Hossa. After looking at what the Pens gve away for him, I knew it was good for him not to. Take a look at the Pens now, they lost Armstrong, Christensen and Esposito and a draft pick for Hossa and Dupuis. Good thing Bob didn’t pull the trigger on a deal like that or this team would be destroyed (not that they aren’t already). The Pens were screwed. Once the season went to waste after they got eliminated, they had basically traded away three solid, young players, for Pascal Dupuis.
via Around The Habs.
This is what I’m worried about happening to the Kings this summer. Well, not really. Because I don’t think Lombardi will make such a trade. But it’s what I think would happen if one of the trades people (i.e. Kingnuts) keep negotiating with themselves (e.g. Kovalchuk, Heatley, etc.).
Kukla’s Korner: McLellan requests to return to Wings, Retroactive to April 1 (hilarious)
In a stunning turn of events, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Monday accepted the request of San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan to return to the Detroit Red Wings.
Unaware that the playoffs had even started, Bettman admitted that McLellan’s request was unprecedented and caught him off guard.
“This was a surprise,” Bettman said. “But in the end, the league determined that it would be best for the NHL if McLellan returned to a city where people actually care about the sport.”
via KuklasKorner .
Ken Campbell @ The Hockey News: “Shhh, be vawy vawy qwiet…”
When I close my eyes and listen to Andy Murray speak, I feel as though I’m listening to Elmer Fudd.
via The Hockey News: Campbell’s Cuts: Campbell’s Cuts: Playoffs provide plenty of lessons.
Top 20 Disappointing Performances of the 2008/2009 NHL Season | The Hockey Writers
14) Justin Williams (Los Angeles Kings)
An early return from an Achilles tendon injury by Williams was encouraging. Some extensive time off may have proved to be useful because the Cobourg native didn’t resemble the player he was in previous seasons.
Williams posted 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 32 games with the Carolina Hurricanes and four points (one goal, three assists) with the Kings whom he was dealt to at the trade deadline.
Had the 27-year-old remained with the Hurricanes, he may have been able to turn it around in the postseason. Now, we’ll never know.
via Top 20 Disappointing Performances of the 2008/2009 NHL Season | The Hockey Writers.
Boo hoo hoo: Hockey News Says Sharks Are Suffering from (drum-roll) ROTTEN LUCK!
The turning point in this year’s playoffs for the San Jose Sharks occurred on the last day of the regular season. The Sharks now know that was the day their playoff fate was sealed.
When the St. Louis Blues defeated the Colorado Avalanche 1-0 in Game 82, it ended an improbable run that vaulted the Blues into sixth place in the Western Conference. It also dropped the Anaheim Ducks down to eighth place in the West and gave the Sharks their worst possible opponent in the first round.
The article goes on to say that the Ducks “aren’t really ” an eighth place team. Ha ha (ha).
Bloodstained Gary Bettman: ‘I Have Taken The Necessary Measures To Ensure A Crosby-Ovechkin Final’ | The Onion – America’s Finest News Source
Addressing reporters yesterday in an unnervingly calm tone of voice, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman—his hands, face, and white-collared shirt covered in blood—said that any obstacle standing in the way of both Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin playing in the Stanley Cup Final has been “taken care of.” “Sometimes you have to put the greater good of the league ahead of the fact that the [Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals] are in the same conference. Unfortunately for some, that point needed to be made…how should I put this…more clearly,” Bettman said as he removed black leather crimson-splotched gloves from his hands and what appeared to be an ear from his jacket pocket.
I Hate the Ducks but I Love Bobby Ryan
And this is why. [look at picture] Drive to the net. Follow the f’ing puck. Just like they told you in pee-wee.
Petty Schadenfreude Update: Sharks Lose Two at Home Not Necessarily Because Rob Blake is an Idiot
Although it’s almost too much to take, listening to those insufferable Ducks announcers blathering on, especially when they’re reading the Sharks the Last Rites with six minutes to go in the game. I nearly forgot I was rooting for them to win.
Hockey’s Future end-of-season Calder Poll
3. Drew Doughty, D (LA)
6’1, 203 lbs. DOB: Dec. 8, 1989
Acquired: 1st round, 2nd overall in 2008
Although Doughty was unable to be the spark to lead the Los Angeles Kings into the playoffs, like Mason in Columbus and Ryan in Anaheim, his play for the rebuilding team was just as impressive. One of a handful of 2008 draft picks to step directly into the NHL, the role Doughty played in Los Angeles was closer to what you would expect from a 10-year veteran in the league than a teenage rookie.
Doughty’s stat line is respectable, missing just a single game all season and posting six goals and 27 points to come in second among Kings defenders. But when looking closer, Doughty’s position as a workhorse on the blue line becomes abundantly clear. He led not only all Kings players, but also all rookies in average ice time with 23:49 minutes per game, over two minutes more than the second place player in both lists. He saw time in all situations, coming in fourth among NHL rookies in both average shorthanded minutes and average power-play minutes. The Kings may have finished 14th in the Western Conference and 26th in the league, but in Doughty, they have a rock on the blue line to build around.
via Hockey’s Future end-of-season Calder Poll – Hockey’s Future.
Tom Benjamin’s NHL Blog: A Dead Team Skating
David Shoalts has several league sources who are spilling the beans about the mess in Phoenix. It isn’t surprising that the NHL is leaking this information now, when interest in hockey – rather than the business of hockey – has peaked. Who wants to talk about the probable demise of the Phoenix Coyotes right now? But it certainly does not look good for the franchise.
There’s a lot more:
via Tom Benjamin’s NHL Blog » Blog Archive » A Dead Team Skating.
CBC Hotstove: Kings content (as in CON-tent, not con-TENT)
April 18 edition. Sports – Satellite Hotstove – CBC.ca.
Pundits talk Kings, Gaborik, possible UFA signings. Mostly about seven minutes into the clip.
St. Louis Dispatch: Andy Murray Goes Ballistic
A day after the Blues’ 3-0 loss to Vancouver, television highlights continued to focus on the postgame tirade of head coach Andy Murray on the team’s bench.
Murray was incensed because after Vancouver scored its empty-net goal, Canucks coach Alain Vigneault put his physical fourth line of Darcy Hordichuk, Ryan Johnson and Rick Rypien on the ice.
Murray, meanwhile, had sent out David Perron, T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund.
“I didn’t particularly like the line that (Vigneault) sent out,” Murray said. “I could have sent out Brad Winchester and B.J. Crombeen. We were alerted by the league that there’s no messages to be sent at the end of the game.”
Murray was witnessed screaming at Vigneault from the Blues’ bench, telling the Canucks’ coach to “Use your head … Use your head.”
via 04/19/2009 – Kariya will practice with Blues Sunday – STLtoday.com .
Calgary Herald: Cammy vows to rebound hahahahahahaha
Dropped into a slippery series hole, frustrated by otherworldly netminding, playoff light growing ever dimmer, Michael Cammalleri insisted he isn’t depressed.
He feels…well . . . fortunate. Blessed even.
“Our mindset is–we better thank our lucky stars that we’re good enough to beat anybody, even down two-oh,” Cammalleri said Saturday after the Calgary Flames fell 3-2–again–to the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League’s first-round series. “We’re not a team that’s going to get buried. We’ve made it hard on ourselves. We would have liked for that not to have happened . . . but thank goodness this group is confident enough to beat anybody.
“We’ve got five games left– we have to get four wins.”
[five games? Um, probably not]
Countering that optimism with a dash of realism, here’s a fun fact to gnaw on–Chicago, in franchise history, is 16-2 when winning the first two games of a series. Game 3 goes Monday in Calgary.
[also, statistically, if you lose the first two games at home, in 90% of the playoff series ever played...you are done.]
Boston Globe: The Unfortunate Fourteen
What of those clubs that didn’t make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs? Well, the Unfortunate Fourteen are always a mixed lot, and this year is certainly no different. Some want immediate change. Some ponder and puckhandle. A few, such as the Los Angeles Kings, managed expectations from the outset. LA is left hoping a record of 34 wins and 79 points speaks to reasonable improvement and a sign of good things to come (just a hint of a trend can sell in SoCal).
The Kings, in fact, think they might have found a goalie in ex-UMass standout Jonathan Quick, who went 21-18-2 with a 2.48 goals-against mark and .914 save percentage. As the Bruins proved with Tim Thomas, that goalie thingy is a huge piece to figure out.
But some clubs suffered through a winter of discontent and emerged figuring that they can’t stands no more. The Wild and Oilers top that list, leading them last week to a collection of bold moves, which possibly could lead other clubs to do the same in the weeks leading up to the June 26-27 draft.
Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – April 19, 2009.
Al Strachan suggested it was now “highly likely” Marian Gaborik will remain with the Minnesota Wild now that GM Doug Risebrough and head coach Jacques Lemaire are no longer with the team. Pierre LeBrun however isn’t so sure, having spoken with Gaborik’s Los Angeles-based agent Ron Salcer who said his camp will listen to anything Minnesota offers but with July 1st approaching they might see what else is out there. Strachan points out the Kings intend to make a big pitch for a major UFA forward and mentioned Gaborik, Marian Hossa and the Sedins as possibilities…
SPECTOR’S NOTE: [...]
The Kings will undoubtedly be a significant player in this summer’s UFA market but it remains to be seen who they land via free agency. Whoever they get has to be someone who can fit comfortably into a leadership role with a promising young Kings team…
Puck Stops Here: Cammalleri Non-Suspension B.S.
The main differences that the NHL has played up in explaining the lack of a suspension in this case is that it was a close game (so the resulting penalty mattered) and Cammalleri is a skilled player as Calgary’s top goal scorer this season. Cammalleri is not a goon. At 5’ 9” and 185 pounds he is on the small side for an NHL player. Thus Cammalleri is not a repeat offender and he was not “sending a message” at the end of a game.
Effectively these rulings make it OK for “skilled” players to do things that “goon” players cannot. It makes suspensions depend upon the person who commits the act instead of the act itself. This allows the NHL a coherent sounding reason to not suspend key players who will sell tickets and influence games, while suspending the fringe players.
In the playoffs, the NHL wants to send the message that suspensions will occur as usual (if needed) by suspending Carcillo, while also sending the message that they will not make unnecessary rulings to punish one team and hasten their playoff elimination, by not suspending Cammalleri. They cite the fact Carcillo is a repeat offender. They cite the fact that Carcillo was not playing in a key part of the game (which follows from him being more of a fringe player who does not play the most important minutes for his team). The NHL has setup a framework where they can cite a consistent set of principles and get away with only suspending only fringe players. The only problem is when a top level player becomes a repeat offender (as Chris Pronger has).
Suspending Carcillo and not Cammalleri for similar offences is the way the NHL usually operates. The more important a player is to the league and the more important the games the player will miss, the less likely he is suspended. Suspensions are for fringe players. These are the players who tend to become repeat offenders and tend to play in the points in the game where one might “send a message”.
via KuklasKorner : The Puck Stops Here : The Cammalleri Non-Suspension .
OHL Playoff Leaders: Loktionov #3, Duchene #9, Tavares #14
GP G A Pts PIM
1 Taylor Hall Windsor Spitfires 12 10 14 24 10
2 Ryan Ellis Windsor Spitfires 12 8 14 22 12
3 * Andrei Loktionov Windsor 12 5 17 22 2
4 Dale Mitchell Windsor 12 11 10 21 12
5 Eric Tangradi Belleville Bulls 13 8 13 21 12
6 Cody Hodgson Brampton 12 6 15 21 10
7 Nazem Kadri London 11 9 10 19 18
8 * Evgeny Grachev Brampton 12 9 10 19 4
9 Matt Duchene Brampton 12 9 9 18 10
10 Luke Pither Belleville Bulls 13 6 12 18 2
11 * John Carlson London Knights 11 5 13 18 12
12 Michael Del Zotto London 11 2 16 18 8
13 Phil Varone London Knights 11 9 8 17 19
14 John Tavares London Knights 11 8 8 16 6
via Ontario Hockey League ◊ Official Website .
Loktionov leads all players in assists, with 17. He’s third overall in points. Potential King pick Duchene is ninth, certain number one pick Tavares is fourteenth. Also, Loktionov is a rookie in the OHL.
The Hockey News: Canucks ride hot Luongo
“Canucks ride hot Luongo.” Not a porn title.
via The Hockey News: Game previews: Canucks ride hot Luongo into Game Three against Blues.
Tom Benjamin’s NHL Blog: The Family Discount
It is one thing for a team to pony up $6-7 MM on a long term contract for a free agent, but its another to pay $13.5-$14 MM on a long term contract for two free agents. Particularly when everyone is running scared on league revenues and a falling salary cap. There aren’t that many teams able to make that kind of commitment and some of those teams aren’t willing.
The question is not really about what the Sedins are worth. In their case, it is more about what other teams are willing and able to pay. Both players want to stay in Vancouver and both want to play on a winner. Gillis wants them to stay, but why should he pay more than they can get elsewhere? Which good team can afford them? (Or even force the Canucks to pay them $6 MM?) I can’t see one. Would they be interested in losing in Toronto? I doubt it, and I suspect Burke would rather go for Bouwmeester and Hossa or Gaborik.
Never mind the hometown discount. How much is the family discount?
via Tom Benjamin’s NHL Blog » Blog Archive » The Family Discount.
People have commented about the Kings picking up the twins. But it’s simply not possible. The Kings will be at $47-48MM after signing Johnson and Purcell. They’re not going to commit $12-13MM to the Sedins and then dump salary to make room.
The Sedins situation is another version of the Hossa situation, although the Vancouver version of it is interesting because they have virtually nobody under contract for next year, whereas in Detroit there’s no room at the inn. But in both cases, you’ve got highly-compensated UFAs wanting big salaries and (naturally) wanting to play for “contenders,” and in both cases there are few teams with the cap space to pay them. And even fewer contenders.
North American Scouting Services Mock Draft: Mock Kings pick Mock Kane
1. NY Islanders: John Tavares; London – C - The no-brainer pick that will hopefully lead the Isles back to respectability. Expect big pressure to deal pick but they will keep it
2. Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman; Modo – LD – Another potential deal because Tampa needs and wants more immediate help but he is a potential franchise defender
3. Colorado Avalanche: Matt Duchene; Brampton – C – Filling the spot of Joe Sakic for the next generation in the Mile High City will be the highly skilled Matt Duchene. He has all of the physical tools to be a star and his leadership has begun to appear in this years playoffs.
4. Atlanta Thrashers: Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi, Timra – LW – I fully expect this pick to be dealt because Atlanta desperately needs immediate help but if they keep the pick, Svensson-Paajarvi had a great World Juniors and showed that he’ll go into traffic or anywhere else to get points.
5. Los Angeles Kings: Evander Kane; Vancouver – C – With the back end in good shape for the future, they get one of the best finishers in the Draft.
New York Rangers sign Matt Gilroy to multiyear deal
The BU captain isn’t eligible to join the Rangers on their current playoff run. He will attend the club’s late summer training camp with an eye on making their 2009-10 NHL roster.
via Sources: New York Rangers sign Boston University’s Matt Gilroy to multiyear deal – ESPN.
Petty Schadenfreude Watch
Calgary loses, Cammalleri loses it. Double-plus good.
San Jose loses. It would be nice if they could be swept.
Anaheim wins. You can’t have everything. Ideally, they’ll crush the Sharks and then lose to Detroit.
MacTavish Signs Long Term Deal Not
Two Edmonton-based sportswriters in a cab heading to the morning skate prior to last night’s Stanley Cup playoff game here sent a text to MacTavish inquiring about the press conference the Oilers had called inquiring if he’d made his decision either way.
“Yes,” MacT responded. “I just signed a long-term deal. See U at the press conference.”
The guy kept his sense of humour to the very end.
Adam Proteau’s Blog: Flames, Sharks scorers cause costly losses
Cammalleri … erred terribly when he drilled Blackhawks forward Martin Havlat in the head after a faceoff; Cammalleri almost certainly will (and definitely should) be suspended for the same swinging motion to the head that got Philadelphia’s Daniel Carcillo banned for Game 2 of the Flyers’ series against Pittsburgh.
Cammalleri was playing his first NHL playoff game and it showed. And because he allowed himself to mentally unravel in front of Havlat, Cammalleri now will probably handicap his team with his absence from the lineup in Game 2.
Meanwhile, Havlat, who had waves of Flames hurling themselves at him all game long, quickly shook off Cammalleri’s egregious punch and exacted his revenge – you know, “sent a message” – the right way: not by swatting back, but by scoring the game-tying goal late in the third period, then adding the overtime winner just 12 seconds into the fourth frame.
Toronto Sports Media Blog: Is Matt Gilroy Going Elsewhere? Burke Entering the Cone Of Silence?
Sounds like Matt Gilroy is going to sign elsewhere. Word I am hearing is that Burke wouldn’t give Gilroy a 1 way deal and that other teams, including the Canucks where willing to give him a one way deal. Not over yet, but the fat lady is warming up.
Similarly, sounds like Burke is in the lead for signing the Monster. Nothing is imminent, but I was told that things would really have to come off the rails for him not to sign in Toronto.
Darren Dreger is reporting on his blog that Burke has already called the GM’s of the Tampa Lightning and NY Islanders. Dreger suggests that Luke Schenn would almost certainly be a part of the ask from either team in exchange for either of the top two picks. Addition by subtraction???? Stay tuned.
via Is Matt Gilroy Going Elsewhere? Burke Entering the Cone Of Silence? | Toronto Sports Media Blog.
Doughty, Schenn, Stamkos to Team Canada
The best part of all is that he’ll have two buddies along for the ride.
Stamkos, Schenn and Doughty have kept in close contact since becoming friends.
“We’re texting each other all the time, a phone call here and there,” said Stamkos. “We got to spend a couple days at the Young Guns game in Montreal together and had a good time there. When we play each other, we’ll try to get out for dinner the night before games.
“We definitely keep in touch. It’s pretty cool when you have someone around your same age to share some experiences with that you’re going through.”
Incompetent B.S. from the Edmonton Journal on the Topic of Hossa, Franzen and the cap
It’s no surprise that Johan Franzen is getting an 11-year, $43-million contract that runs until 2021 to spread out the cap hit ($1 million the final two, years when he’ll be 38 and 39 years old).
Uh no, the cap hit is the same every year, dumba**. [UPDATE: oh, I see. The parenthetical refers not to that which precedes it, but to the contracted payment; at least, I think that's what he thinks he's saying.]
Same story with Henrik Zetterberg ($6.1 million cap hit over 12 years). They may eventually close that loophole, but Wings’ GM Ken Holland is simply playing by the rules now. And Franzen’s average cap hit of $3.95 million is actually close to what a veteran agent thought he’d get last week. Franzen will get $36 million in the first seven years, starting at $5.5 million next season — his salary more in tune with his tremendous goal-scoring ability. “Let’s see now, we have an 11-year contract and a 12-year contract, so I guess Marian will take 10 or 13 years,” laughed Hossa’s agent Ritch Winter, who talked to Holland about numbers Saturday, although Holland won’t be able to sign Hossa until June because of their cap situation.
Actually, that makes no sense at all.
Hossa is going nowhere. His cap hit will be in the $6-million range. “I will tell you this: despite what people are saying, the salary cap in Detroit will definitely be no impediment to Marian signing there,” said Winter.
Right. Do the math: in order for the Wings to sign Hossa with a cap hit of $6MM, they will have to dump at least two huge salaries. Who are they going to get rid of? Filppula and Stuart? Kronwall and Stuart? Take your pick. But you can’t say there will be “no impediment.”
UPDATE: Just to be sure, I added the numbers up again. A Hossa cap hit of $6MM would leave the Wings with a cap number of $59.3 with four players left to sign. That means, assuming entry level salaries, that they would have a cap hit of around $62MM. Assume the cap will go up nominally, a couple million. The Wings must shed at least one huge salary and probably two, in addition to losing Samuelsson and Hudler. So call it Samuelsson, Hudler, Stuart and maybe someone else. I don’t believe it. And still, it’s not NO impediment.
via More Hockey World .
PHX wins in shoot out; Toronto wins; both lose; Kings in 5th overall
…in the Tavares Sweepstakes race. Final standings:
1. Islanders
2. Tampa
3. Colorado
4. Atlanta
5. Los Angeles
6. Phoenix
7. Toronto
8. Dallas
9. Ottawa
10. Edmonton
11. Nashville
12. Minnesota
13. Buffalo
14. Florida
Lottery on the 14th. Kings have an 8.1% chance of picking #1, a 17.2% chance of dropping to #6 and a 74.7% chance of staying with the #5 pick.
The ISS top ten, once again:
1 Tavares, John C 9/20/1990 L 6.00 200 London OHL
2 Hedman, Victor LD 12/18/1990 L 6.06 220 Modo SweE
3 Svensson-Paajarvi, Magnus LW 4/12/1991 L 6.01 200 Timra SweE
4 Duchene, Matt C 1/16/1991 L 5.11 196 Brampton OHL
5 Schenn, Brayden C 8/22/1991 L 6.00 193 Brandon WHL
6 Kane, Evander C 8/2/1991 L 6.01 180 Vancouver WHL
7 Cowen, Jared LD 1/25/1991 L 6.04.7 218 Spokane WHL
8 Kadri, Nazem C 10/6/1990 L 5.11.5 180 London OHL
9 Kulikov, Dmitri LD 10/29/1990 L 6.00 190 Drummondville QMJHL
10 Josefson, Jacob C 3/2/1991 L 6.00 187 Djurgarden SweE
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