All Entries in the "Eastern Conference" Category
With fall comes a new start
Who ever thought the fall would bring about a new start? This year, it seems to be the case — for me and the Isles!
The new season is about to begin and there has already been prognostications of all kinds. The Islanders are moving to Quebec…no Kansas City….wait, Saskatoon…or is it Hamilton? The other popular [...]
Better late than never: CBA perspicuity arrives after Kovalchuk decision
It is ironic to pause on Labour Day and analyze what the NHL and NHLPA have finally accomplished. More than five years after the current CBA was finalized and now, approximately two years before its expiration, the two sides have finally completed a drawn-out, laborious process to partially rectify what they failed to get done during bitter [...]
$5 Million Well Saved
With training camp just a few weeks away, it appears George McPhee is content with entering the 2010-2011 season with essentially the same roster as a season ago. The core groups remains; Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, and Alex Semin. The Caps still hold one of the deepest rosters in the league as all [...]
Bolts Add A Hockey Lifer To The Staff
Lightning GM Steve Yzerman recruited a twenty year NHL veteran and former teammate to mentor his young prospects. Former forward Steve Thomas hired in as a player development consultant for the Bolts. He will work primarily with the Lightning junior and college players. Thomas played in 1,235 NHL games over his two decade career.
“His long [...]
The Bolts Beat, 09/03/10: With Special Guests Steve Downie and Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski
In the latest episode of The Bolts Beat, JJ and co-host Mike Corcoran visit with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steve Downie to discuss last season’s individual success, off-season training with Gary Roberts, rivalries and much more. Puck Daddy editor Greg Wyshynski drops in as well and touches on Ilya Kovalchuk, the recent Mt. Blogmore series, [...]
DAILY RUMORS: No Big Trade Coming For Leafs For A Scoring Center
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
Preseason Power Rankings: Eastern Bottom Five
Last Sunday I introduced my Preseason Power Rankings and submitted for the hockey world’s approval my Western Conference Cellar Dwellers. Thanks for the feed back from those who commented.
Today’s installment moves across the continent to the Eastern Conference. The home of the oldest teams, rabid fan bases, and easy travel.
Here [...]
Latest Lightning Lowdown
While I was off looking for Jamaican hockey players and ice rinks in the Cayman Islands, the Tampa Bay Lightning continued their quest to build a world class organization. In case you missed it…here is the latest Lightning goings on!
Lightning Hire COO
The Bolts named former Orlando Magic vice president Steve Griggs chief operating officer. [...]
Guerin looking for tryout offer, players arrive early
Hard to believe, but there are just 14 days left before the NHL hits training camp after one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory.
The Philadelphia Flyers are coming a season where they won the Eastern Conf. Title and made it to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. What will this year bring [...]
Five things to love about Jeff Skinner
By now we all know who Jeff Skinner is but why is there an exceptional amount of hype around this kid? Probably some sort of family lineage tying himself to Chuck Norris– a title usually reserved for most Leafs prospects (all hail the mighty Kahdri).
Without further adieu, why you too should love Skinner:
Leading his team [...]
DAILY RUMORS: Rejection of the Bruins Trading Savard to the Kings
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
Meet the Defense
Meet the Defense…
After last season, General Manager Garth Snow could not have been happy with the performance of his defense. He lost Radek Martinek, one of his reliable defenseman to another season ending injury just 16 games into the season. It was the 4th time in his 8 seasons he failed to play in at [...]
Crimes of Fashion
Mercifully September is right around the corner, and as I prepare to flip my calendar from Christopher Higgins and Sean Avery to Henrik Lundqvist, I’m looking forward to finally having something to talk about. Today several of the New York Rangers participated in pre-training camp workouts. The Traverse City tournament starts on September 11th [...]
Is Quebec City ready to welcome back the Nordiques? Part Trois
There is a bug buzz in town these days as things start to move faster towards the return of an NHL franchise back in Quebec City. Last week, Radio hosts Denis Gravel and Jerome Landry of CHOI Radio X, launched a Quebec Nordiques fan club called Nordiques Nation, a Website dedicated to show political authorities [...]
Checking Out The Fowards
Heading into the 2010-2011 season, the forwards of the New York Islanders looks very similar to last year’s group. Though there have been few changes, the core of the forwards are now a year older, and are looking to take a step forward in their development.
DAILY RUMORS: Rejecting the Notion the Florida Panthers are Pursuing Antti Niemi
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
Leafs Primed For Playoffs?
For the first time since the 2003-04 season, the Toronto Maple Leafs may be on the verge of ending its post-season drought.
Many factors led to the Leafs’ demise during the 2009-10 campaign, which ultimately meant the relinquishment of Tyler Seguin to the Boston Bruins. Inconsistency was the primary issue, as many key players were ineffective or downright useless—I’m looking [...]
Off-Season Analysis: The Goaltending
Over the last few weeks, we’ve taken in-depth looks at the forwards (first the top six and then “the best of the rest”) and defense of the Montreal Canadiens, grading their 2009-10 season, ranking the players amongst each other and looking ahead to what their 2010-11 season might look like.
While there may have been a few players that [...]
Injuries? Already? B’s Likely Lose Whitfield For Season
Bruins fans are all too familiar with the injury woes that surrounded their club in 2009-10. In fact, most get nauseous when recalling the turbulent season where the club lost 187 man-games to injury. With Marco Sturm’s road to knee surgery recovery already testing the depth of the Bruins to begin the season, the depth [...]
Top 10 RFAs still unsigned
With September looming and about one month until NHL training camps resume for the upcoming season, a plethora of talented restricted free agents remain unsigned by their respective teams. Why is this happening so widely in the NHL? The salary cap is certainly one of the main reasons, but several teams like the Carolina Hurricanes [...]
Penguins take a low-cost flyer on a gritty ex-Flyer
The puzzle that is the forward group of the Pittsburgh Penguins became slightly clearer on Friday evening when the club signed a gritty veteran away from their cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers. Arron Asham, 32, who gave Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia a boost from its third line by scoring 4 playoff goals last spring, inked a one-year $700,000 contract [...]
DAILY RUMORS: Canadiens Interest in Mitchell and Carey Price Only Seeking a Two-Year Contract
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
Torres A Viable Option
The Atlanta Thrashers (Maxim Afinogenov) and Montreal Canadiens (Marc-Andre Bergeron) can attest to it: unrestricted free agent signings deep in the off-season could pay dividends.
Yes, those two particular players may not play for those respective teams anymore, but they both provided their clubs with offensive boosts (Afinogenov scored 61 points; Bergeron 13 goals and 34 [...]
Bruins’ Mikko Lehtonen Heading to Swedish Elite League
If we’re being honest here, Bruins fans didn’t get much of a look at Finnish forward and 2005 third round draft choice Mikko Lehtonen during his tenure with the organization. In fact if you weren’t paying attention to his 23 minutes and change of time-on-ice in just two NHL games, there’s a chance you’re reading [...]
DAILY RUMORS: The Folly of Those Suggesting the Hurricanes Were in the Market for Kaberle
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
Off-Season Analysis: The Defense
Breaking: According to the team, the Montreal Canadiens have traded AHL goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for goaltender Karri Ramo. Ramo, a 24-year-old native of Finland who has played 48 NHL games since 2007, played for the Omsk Avangard of the KHL this past season, and has one more year [...]
Ivan Hlinka: Reflections on an all-time great in Czech hockey
This past Saturday, the Canadian under-18 men’s hockey team won their third consecutive gold at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka in the Czech Republic and Slovakia by defeating the U.S. 1-0. The Memorial of Ivan Hlinka is an annual summer tournament for national under-18 squads from the top eight hockey nations in the world (not to be confused [...]
Leafs Fans Must Sit Tight
Although many Toronto Maple Leafs zealots had me believe it, the sky did not fall when I awoke this morning, despite the outcome of the latest entry in the Tomas Kaberle saga.
And guess what? Kaberle’s future with the Leafs does not dictate whether or not the team’s short-term goals will be fulfilled. In fact, retaining [...]
DAILY RUMORS: Bobby Ryan Signing Delays and Trade Rumors
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
DAILY RUMORS: Dismissing The Kovalchuk Internet Chatter
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
No Bats in Norfolk? New Ads Coach Can Only Hope
Prior to yesterday’s introducion as the new head coach of the AHL Norfolk Admirals, the only time the casual hockey fan may have heard of Jon Cooper is from his involvement in what became known as “Bat-Gate”, during his tenure as head coach and general manager of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.
In case you’d forgotten:
Of [...]
Tinordi Leaves Notre-Dame, Will Play for London Knights
Look who’s here?
Jarred Tinordi must have had a conversation with Louis Leblanc this past week.
The Canadiens’ 1st round pick in this past June’s draft will be leaving Notre-Dame of the NCAA to join the OHL team that held his rights, the London Knights.
Tinordi was selected 22nd overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, with the [...]
Easy Way Out Of Boston: NHL Investigating Savard Deal
Take one deep breath and join me as we recap the past year in the world of Marc Savard, won’t you?
After putting up a career-year in 2008-09 and following that up with a tremendous playoff run, you’re not welcomed to Team Canada’s Olympic summer camp while line-mate Milan Lucic is. Then your line-mate and winger [...]
DAILY RUMORS: A Look at the Rumored Suitors for Tomas Kaberle… In a Market that is, Well, Lacking
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
Analyzing the Habs Forwards: “Best of the Rest”
While the players you normally see the most of are the one who score a lot of goals, the ones who put up the most points and the ones who make the most money, they are often the ones who are overrated, over-paid and over-hyped. Every team has players in this category, and the Montreal [...]
Depth at Center in Question
With training camp just about a month away, George McPhee appears ready to end this offseason without the big splash many anticipated after last season’s playoff collapse. Entering the offseason and upon dissection of the roster, the needs facing the Capitals were down the middle and on the blueline. Although interest in Willie Mitchell has [...]
Another can of worms: Arbitrator upholds rejection of Kovalchuk mega-deal
Arbitrator Richard Bloch ruled earlier this evening that the 17-year, $102-million (U.S.) contract signed by 27-year old star winger Ilya Kovalchuk to stay with New Jersey in July is invalid, upholding what the NHL originally declared last month. While the Devils indicated they will go back to the drawing board to renegotiate an acceptable deal with Kovalchuk, the [...]
DAILY RUMORS: Lyle Dismisses Three Proposed Trade Scenarios Involving Kaberle to the Kings or Stars
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
Room for Bullard or Caufield on Penguins “All-Time Team”?
Sidney Crosby celebrated his 23rd birthday today and there is no doubt that one day when he celebrates a birthday in his mid-40s, the Penguins will place him on a future version of their All-Time Team. Yesterday morning, as part of continuing opening festivities at the Consol Energy Center, the new arena of the Penguins, the hockey club [...]
DAILY RUMORS: Rumors That the Isles are interested in Niemi are Doubtful
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
The Bolts Beat, with Jon Jordan and Mike Corcoran
In today’s episode of The Bolts Beat, Mike and Jon discuss the Lightning goaltending situation (and silly fans wishing for Antti Niemi), Tomas Kaberle/Ryan Malone rumors, reach into the Bolts Beat mailbag again to answer questions and take an early look at how we see the Southeast Division in 2010-11.
Click below for the latest episode [...]
Off-Season Analysis: The Top-Six Forwards
In anticipation of the season to start, or frankly, for anything hockey-related to happen, it’s time to slowly start to get back into the groove of things. Reading about hockey, writing about hockey, and of course, eventually, watching hockey.
As the anticipation for the upcoming season looms, it’ll start to get easier. But for now, I’m [...]
Richards’ leadership no longer in question
When Team Canada took home the gold medal at February’s Olympic Games in Vancouver, many fans around Philadelphia witnessed how that win benefited them and the captain of their hockey team.
Flyers captain Mike Richards took home the gold, along with fellow Canadian and teammate Chris Pronger, and after that achievement, the two came back home and had [...]
Bruins Add Doug Jarvis To Coaching Staff
The Bruins sign former Canadiens assistant coach Doug Jarvis, keeping him out of harms way from Carey Price’s stick.
DAILY RUMORS: Once Again… Dismissing Rumors of Carey Price Being Dealt
We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have [...]
