So, we are getting to a point of urgency for a lot of players who find themselves to be potential unrestricted free agents at year’s end, with the general managers left to decide now if they think they should begin to engage in trade talks about certain players.  For the New Jersey Devils, you would think GM Lou Lamoriello has to know by now whether or not he has a good feeling about whether or not his team can keep Zach Parise for the long-term once this season is over.

Do I think there is any chance Lamoriello will trade away Parise with the Devils competing for a playoff spot?  No, I do not.  Unless the Devils collapse, I don’t see Lamoriello trading away his captain and one of his personal favorites, even if that means he will walk away at season’s end without any compensation to Lamoriello and the Devils.  However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he shouldn’t.

Just to play “Devil’s Advocate,” as an example, would it make sense for Lamoriello to talk to Anaheim GM Bob Murray about possibly dangling Zach Parise in return for one of the “Big 3″ in Anaheim.  I’d let the two of them decide if it warranted a straight up deal or not, but would the Devils feel better with the likes of either Corey Perry ($5.325M cap hit through 2012-13), Ryan Getzlaf ($5.325 through 2012-13) or New Jersey native Bobby Ryan ($5.1M through 2014-15) on their team?  They may not all bring the same as Parise, but wouldn’t it be better than getting nothing at season’s end?  Is it possible one would be a better compliment to Ilya Kovalchuk and the rest of the team? 

While it’s widely reported that Anaheim is looking to shake things up.  However, the obvious question is would Parise be willing to re-sign in Anaheim?  Obviously, as an outsider, its tough to know where things stand between the Devils and Parise’s representatives.  Do they have a feeling they might get a deal done or are they confident it’s going to be tough to do a deal?  All very pertinent questions that would greatly impact Lamoriello’s ultimate decision. 

This is only one possible scenario, there are plenty of other teams that could be a potential trade partner for Parise.  In the end, as a fan, it’d be hard to stomach Parise in a different uniform, but the practical answer if you can get a return that will help you immediately (i.e not prospects/draft picks), it might be something wise to consider for the best of franchise.

What do you guys think?  Should the Devils move Parise?  What would be the best potential situation for both teams?  Who do you potentially see signing Parise if he becomes a free agent this off-season?

*********************************************************************************************************

My apologies for going a LONG time between posts here, things have been hectic of late.  I’ve had writer’s block to an extent to, starting but not completing articles of late, so my apologies.  I’ve also started my mid-season review, which I hope to get out in the coming week or so.  Want to talk Devils or the NHL in general?  Follow me on Twitter @ LEVINAKL.

However, something happened on the way to making the NHL more palatable to the masses. You might have noticed that your favorite player or players have been missing in action quite a bit this season.As of Thursday, 51 NHL players have been lost to concussions this season. On that list is the player many believe is the league’s best, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby has played in just eight NHL games since suffering a concussion on Jan. 5, 2011.

That list has become a gargantuan story this season, much to the alarm of the league and teams, who have in the past attempted to minimize what independent medical experts have been citing for years: hockey has a concussion epidemic on its hands.

< READ MORE ON CBS New York >

Other pieces on CBS by BD:

HOW PLAYERS, NOT THE ISLES COACH WILL WALK PLANK THIS SEASON

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE? TELL THAT TO NY ISLANDERS FANS! 

Now, I’ve written several pieces over the years addressing that issue, so it should come as no surprise that I think the Predators do need that forward that can take over the game up front- particularly come playoff time.

That said, there’s always more than one way to skin a cat and the Bruins won the Cup last season without having a star forward (beating a team that beat Nashville with a dominant performance from a forward in Kesler).

While that Bruins team was similar to Nashville, they didn’t depend as much on their top defensive pairing as the Predators did then, and do now.

During the regular season last year, Boston’s top defensive pairing (points-wise) was Zdeno Chara and Johnny Boychuk with 16 points.  Adam McQuaid and Andrew Ference added 12.  Steven Kampfer and Chara had 11.  Ference and Chara had 10.  Dennis Seidenberg and Kampfer added 9, and it goes on and on.

Nashville was vastly different in comparison.  Shea Weber and Ryan Suter produced 78 points when on the ice together.  The next best pairing was Shane O’Brien and Cody Franson with 12.  Jonathon Blum and Kevin Klein produced 11 as did Franson with Francis Bouillon.  Nashville is a team produces offense through their defense and the only pairing that puts points on the board consistently is Weber and Suter.  (As a side note, think about what life would be like now if one of those two left.)

This season is no better.  To this point, Weber and Suter have contributed 32 points and no other combination has produced more than 3 points.

Trotz commented a couple of weeks ago (when Wilson, Smith and Hornqvist were paired together) that he tended to put Weber/Suter out with the Smith line on the road and with the Fisher line at home.  If you look that the performance of those lines, you quickly notice that their effectiveness depends greatly on having Weber and Suter at their back.

Back to Dirk’s analysis of the Predators’ needs, he’s spot on that this team needs a better second pairing- not just defensively, but it’s extremely important to this team’s ability to produce offensively too.  That said, if there’s one area I trust Poile, Trotz, and their staff the most is their ability to reload that defense with talent.  There’s no doubt that there will be a significant increase offensively if one (or two) of Blum, Josi or Ellis can  stabilize that second pairing.

It’s also why I ultimately believe the Predators should pursue a star forward when the fit is right (both culturally and financially) to help the offense when that top pairing isn’t on the ice and when a forward just needs to take over a game.  Bobby Ryan is a pretty good fit in both categories, even if it costs the Predators one of their 7 “top six” forwards.

Stats were pulled from the great fantasy hockey site: DobberHockey.

David Singleton

You are invited to follow me on Twitter (@SingletonPreds).  For game recaps of all Predators games as well as great insights on the Predators and the NHL, check out my HockeyIndependent colleague, Mark Willoughby (@TheViewFrom111).

Entering the season it was clear what the Ducks were: A team with a plethora of high-end talent at the top of their lineup, but also a team that lacked the depth necessary to compete in the Western Conference. Through the 23 games Anaheim has played in this season, that fact has been reiterated more times than Ducks’ fans can count. With the exception of Teemu Selanne, the Ducks’ so called “second line” of Saku Koivu (4-7-11) , Andrew Cogliano (5-4-9)  and Brandon McMillan (0-3-3) has produced a dismally low total of 9 goals and 14 assists in a combined 69 games of action.

A lack of production from the second and third lines is nothing new for Anaheim, what’s ailed the Ducks in 2011 has been the abnormally poor play of the “R-P-G Line” of Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. Through 23 games in this season, the Ducks’ top line has only accounted for 21 goals, 32 assists and 53 points. To make matters worse, the three of them are a combined -29 on the season!

With no clear solution in sight, and GM Bob Murray handcuffed by strict budget constraints, the team does not have many options to right the ship. While many believe head coach Randy Carlyle is on the hot seat, it’s yet to be proven if ownership in the O.C. would allow for him to be fired, being that he just recently signed a multi-year contract extension.

Well, according to Sportsnet’s Daren Millard, who last night reported via Twitter that an NHL executive had told Nick Kypreos (Rogers Sportsnet) that GM Bob Murray is shopping Bobby Ryan. With it being reported last week that team captain Ryan Getzlaf was untouchable and defending Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry clearly off-limits, the notion of trading Ryan seems completely feasible. The 24-year-old Cherry Hill, NJ native has averaged 33 goals over the past three seasons and has registered 8 playoff tallies in 17 career post-season games.

This leads me to the Bruins, and the early-season struggles of 24-year-old Czech center David Krejci. Let’s go over a few of the pros and cons of a potential Krejci for Ryan blockbuster.

Pros:

– With Krejci slated to become a restricted free agent at year’s end, it is unknown what the price tag will be for the Bruins to keep no. 46 in Black and Gold. Ryan, on the other hand is signed to a very team-friendly contract that pays him $5.1 MIL this season and for the next three seasons afterwards.

– Moving Krejci would allow the Bruins to move Tyler Seguin back to his natural position of center. If Boston is to commit long term to Krejci it would create a log-jam down the middle, with either he or Seguin being relegated to third line duty.

– A player like Bobby Ryan would not only give the Bruins the legitimate top-line scorer that they’ve been without since the departure of Phil Kessel, but it would also give them a second threat in the shootout to match up with Seguin.

Cons:

– Perhaps the fear of disturbing the locker room chemistry of the defending Stanley Cup Champions is the biggest hurdle in a potential B’s–Ducks swap. Will Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli be willing to take that risk?

– As reported by the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont, it would take more than just David Krejci in order for the B’s to pry Ryan lose from the Ducks’ grasp. Dupont points out, Boston might have to part with prized defense prospect Dougie Hamilton and  a 2nd round pick as well as David Krejci in return for Ryan.

– Despite his phenomenal point-per-game start to the season, it’s unclear in the Bruins’ brass believes that Tyler Seguin is ready to take on a full-time role as a top-six center in the NHL.

– If the B’s are to unload perhaps their the their three biggest trade assets in a deal for Ryan, it leaves them with an inability to make a deadline deal for a legitimate no. 2 defenseman, which is arguably their biggest need.

This of course is all merely speculation at this point, but with multiple reports indicating Ryan’s availability, why not have a little fun? If your Peter Chiarelli, would you deal Krejci, Hamilton and a pick for Bobby Ryan?

Thanks For Reading!

“LIKE” Us On Facebook: HockeyIndependent Bruins

Give Me A Shout On Twitter! : @BWoodward_HI

Or You Can E-Mail Me At BWoodward.HI@gmail.com

GOON:

In our support of the lack of hockey movies, comes this info from the movie company to us.

“We have a great throwback hockey movie coming out and we would love to get your support. Its violent and insanely funny.”

Starring Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill and Liev Schreiber
Written by Jay Baruchel, Evan Goldberg (SUPERBAD and  PINEAPPLE EXPRESS)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Synopsis
Labelled an outcast by his brainy family, a bouncer overcomes long odds to lead a team of underperforming misfits to semi-pro hockey glory, beating the crap out of everything that stands in his way.

The film opens on VOD on 2/24 and In Theatres 3/30

Based from the book “Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey”

www.goonthemovie.com

Official Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/GoonFilm

Some more on the movie comes from Slash Film

• Rinne was not at his best against Anaheim in last season’s playoffs.  Playing against Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Bobby Ryan will do that.  Much like the game against Tampa, Rinne will need some goal support from his team, in addition to good defense, to win this game.
• Not surprisingly, Anaheim is once again being led by Selanne, Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan.  They started the season hot by winning four of their first five before cooling off and dropping their next three.  Like Nashville though, they’ll be coming into Saturday off a win with theirs coming at Minnesota Thursday night.  If Nashville can shutdown those four, they have a good chance of winning.  Sounds easy, right?
• Kostitsyn is doubtful tonight, but Erat is in.  According to Trotz, Erat will slide right in to Kostitsyn’s place on the Craig Smith and Mike Fisher line.  Erat isn’t quite the playmaker that Kostitsyn, but he’s much better on the puck.  He’s got the wheels to keep up with Smith and Fisher as well, so this line should be fun to watch.
• Will Hornqvist or Bergfors play the entire game next to Colin Wilson and David Legwand?  Let’s all hope so.  While Matt Halischuk is a solid player, Wilson and Legwand seemed so much more dangerous  with either Hornqvist or Bergfors.  Nashville needs a second scoring line to take some pressure off of the Smith and Fisher line.
• Nashville needs to get that power play clicking.  While Anaheim boasts a 86.5% penalty kill unit, it drops down to 72.2% on the road- good for 26th in the league.
• The writing has been on the wall for several weeks now for Cal O’Reilly.  Cal hasn’t been able to stay healthy and the play of Craig Smith quickly made him expendable.  With Erat coming off of injured reserve, the timing became right and David Poile got a good pick for O’Reilly.

I’ll be taking my kids out to the Halloween festivities at Montgomery Bell State Park tonight, so be sure to catch the Mark’s recap of the game.

David Singleton

You are invited to follow me on Twitter (@SingletonPreds).  For game recaps of all Predators games as well as great insights on the Predators and the NHL, check out my HockeyIndependent colleague, Mark Willoughby (@TheViewFrom111).

HOCKEY LEGENDS PAT LAFONTAINE AND STEVE WEBB TO RIDE 550 MILES FOR W20
FOUNDATION AND COMPANIONS IN COURAGE FOUNDATION

NEW YORK (September 19, 2011) –NHL alumnus Steve Webb and Hockey Hall
of Fame inductee Pat LaFontaine began a 550-mile bike ride this morning
from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in route to the NHL Powered by
Reebok Store in New York City in support of their respective charitable
efforts, the W20 Foundation and the Companions in Courage Foundation. Both
are expected to complete their historic ride on Wednesday, September 21 at
12:00 p.m. ET with a special celebration at the NHL Powered by Reebok Store
in midtown Manhattan.

“The NHL is proud to support these two hockey legends as they embark
on this epic charitable ride. On behalf of the NHL family we proudly salute
Pat and Steve, and wish them the best of luck” said Ken Martin, Jr., NHL
Vice President of Community Affairs.

LaFontaine’s Companions in Courage Foundation is an official
philanthropic partner of the National Hockey League (NHL) and helps to
create “Lion’s Den/NHL Legacy Classrooms” featuring Cisco System’s online
conferencing system, WebEx, which allows young patients to connect to
family, friends, schools and teachers anywhere in the world during a
hospital stay.

The Foundation has now opened 12 Lion’s Den rooms throughout North
America, including two with the NHL in Boston, Calgary and Montreal. The
NHL unveiled the first fully functional “NHL Legacy Classroom” at North
Carolina Children’s Hospital to commemorate the 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend.
Plans for an “NHL Legacy Classroom” in Pittsburgh were unveiled during the
2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic to commemorate the outdoor game.

Webb’s W20 Foundation provides young student ice hockey players with
partial academic scholarships to continue the pursuit of their hockey
dreams. Now the organization also highlights athletes as influential agents
of change and creates opportunities for athletes to give back in their
communities. Webb will also commit a portion of the ride’s proceeds to fund
Alzheimer and dementia research in Ontario.

The riders will be joined by a support team that includes Graham
Fraser, founder of Centurion Cycling, host of North America’s premier
series of distance bicycling events.

For more information on how you can support this please visit
www.CiC16.org
or www.w20Foundation.org.  To follow the progress of the ride, fans are
encouraged to visit www.W20Foundation.blogspot.com. ]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/bdgallof/38698/feed/ 0 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/slasher98/38347/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/slasher98/38347/#comments Wed, 07 Sep 2011 13:49:39 +0000 Fred Poulin http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=38347 Forty-three people have died in a Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger plane crash near the city of Yaroslavl in Central Russia. The majority of victims were members of the local ice hockey team Lokomotiv of the Kontinental Hockey League. The plane crashed on take-off after hitting an air traffic tower at the airport and witnesses are reporting that the plane was reduced to a pile of charred metal. It is also reported that the plane broke off in two and one half fell into water and another one on the ground. So far 31 bodies have been recovered from the river, local rescue services say.

Several of the victims were foreign players for the club. The squad includes players from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden. Among the victims, former NHL players Pavol Demitra, Ruslan Salei, Karel Rachunek, Karlis Skrastins, and Josef Vasicek, as well as goaltender Stefan Liv who was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 2000. Former Red Wings assistant coach Brad McCrimmon is also among the victims.

Demitra played 847 games in the NHL with the Senators, Blues, Kings, Wild, and Canucks scoring 304 goals and 464 assists for 768 points. He reached the 60-point plateau six times. Demitra played in the KHL last season.

Rachunek played 371 games in the NHL with the Senators, Rangers and Devils notching 22 goals and 118 assists for 140 points. Rachunek has been playing in the KHL since the 2008-09 season.

Salei played 917 games in the NHL with the Ducks, Panthers, Avalanche and Red Wings notching 45 goals and 159 assists for 204 points. He reached the Stanley Cup finals with the Ducks in 2002-03. Salei played for the Red Wings last year.

Skrastins played 832 games in the NHL with the Predators, Avalanche, Panthers and Stars recording 32 goals and 104 assists for 136 points. He played for the Stars last season.

Vasicek played 460 games in the NHL with the Hurricanes, Predators and Islanders recording 77 goals and 106 assists for 183 points. He played for the Stars last season. He reached the Stanley Cup finals with the Hurricanes in 2001-02.

The Yaroslavl HC Lokomotiv were Russian Champions in 1997, 2002 and 2003. The squad was to play a match against Mink HC Dinamo on Thursday. Colorado Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov was rumored to join Lokomotiv this summer, but chose NHL instead. A very wise decision.

Condolences to the KHL, the friends and families of all involved.

Video of the crashed plane here.

Source: SovSports and Reuters

Follow me on Twitter for more information on this terrible plane crash as the information comes along.

Hello again, and welcome to Part II of my 4-Part NHL season preview.  In part I, I gave you all my Eastern Conference Predictions. In part 2, I will give you my predictions for the Western Conference.  I will approach these predictions a bit differently than I did those for the Eastern Conference. Today, I will give some strengths and weaknesses of each of the 8 playoff teams out west. I will be upfront here in saying that I do not usually follow the Western Conference as much as I do the East, over the course of the season, so many of you may have differing opinions here. Like always, feel free to chime in with your opinions below.

1) Vancouver Canucks

Strengths:

The defending conference champs return in 2011-12 as without a doubt one of the clear-cut contenders for a Stanley Cup. Arguably the deepest team, top to bottom in the entire NHL, the Canucks will once again be lead by former Hart trophy winners Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Ryan Kesler returning to full health will also be a welcome sight for Vancouver’s offense.  Perhaps the biggest strength of the Canucks, will be the retribution factor. The Canucks’ were so close to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, they could taste it. They always say that a team must learn how to lose, before you can learn how to win;  and in 2010-11 , the Vancouver Canucks sure learned how to lose.

Weaknesses:

Truth be told, there isn’t much to put here. The loss of puck-moving defenseman Christian Ehrhoff will undoubtedly play a role in the Canucks’ success in 2011-12. However, a team that employed 9 NHL-quality defensemen in 2010-11, a replacement should not be hard to find. The only real question mark in Vancouver, is the ability of star goaltender Roberto Luongo to bounce back from a rough finish to the post-season of 2011. But even if Roberto is to falter, young Cory Schneider will be ready and willing to carry the load.

2) Los Angeles Kings

Strengths:

The popular favorite in the West, is without a doubt the LA Kings. After losing out on key free agents Ilya Kovalchuk and Brad Richards over the past two summers, GM Dean Lombardi opted to pull the trigger on a trade sending Wayne Simmonds and  uber-prospect Brayden Schenn to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for  former Flyer-captain Mike Richards. Richards should make an immediate impact on the LA roster, and provide perhaps the best 1-2 punch at center, along with all-star pivot Anze Kopitar.

Weaknesses:

While the addition of Mike Richards went a long way to solidifying the Kings 2nd line, the team’s lack of depth after the top 2 lines is perhaps the team’s biggest achilles heel. Beyond Richards, Kopitar, Williams and Stoll, the Kings lack much skill on the offensive end. In order to be successful in 2011-12, the Kings will need improved production from the likes of Kyle Clifford and Brad Richardson.

3) Chicago Blackhawks

Strengths:

The 2010 Stanley Cup Champions are perhaps the deepest team in the entire NHL. Led by stars, the likes of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Pat Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Sharp, the Blackhawks will be back and looking for a return to the Cup Finals. Look for Chicago to once again be near the top in the Western Conference for most of 2011-12.

Weaknesses:

After making some solid depth acquisitions this offseason, the Blackhawks only true weakness entering 2011-12 is the play of young goaltender Corey Crawford. While Crawford did have an excellent rookie season, it is unclear whether or not he can continue his strong play, going forward. The sophmore slump can be a huge issue in hockey, and it will be critical to the Blackhawks success, that Crawford is able to battle through.

4) San Jose Sharks

Strengths:

Scoring. San Jose is one of few teams that can legitimately run 3 very productive offensive units. The addition of Brent Burns will also significantly help out on the back end, and go along way to replacing Rob Blake as an offensive force from the blueline, who retired last summer.

Weaknesses:

The swap of Dany Heatley for Martin Havlat will be sure to pay dividends for San Jose in the post-season , but it is unclear whether or not Havlat can produce at the same rate as Heatley can, during the regular season. However, on a team with Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, Patrick  Marleau and Ryan Clowe, I am sure goal scoring should not be an issue.

5) Detroit Red Wings

Strengths:

With Captain Nicklas Lidstrom returning for what looks to be like 1 final year in the league, 2011-12 looks like it’ll be Detroit’s last crack at the Cup for  a few years. Look to the Red Wings to rely on top end talent and a bevy of experience to lift them to the top of the Western Conference.

Weaknesses:

Perhaps the only weakness of the Red Wings, is age, and with age, comes a proneness to injuries. Star pivot Pavel Datsyuk missed most of 2010-11 with a wrist injury, but looks to be 100% entering training camp. However, if the Wings want to succeed in 2011-12, they must get key contributions from younger depth players.

6) Nashville Predators

Strengths:

The biggest strength, of a cash-strapped Nashville squad, is none other than the man standing behind the bench, Barry Trotz. Trotz, arguably the best coach in the game, always finds a way to get his Nashville team to over-achieve and get into the post-season.

Weaknesses:

Uncertainty over the futures of the big 3; Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, and Pekka Rinne, will surely cause a stir in Nashville, as the season draws on. It will be up to those 3 all-stars to put away thoughts of contracts and focus on hockey, if Nahville wants to once again be a playoff team, in 2011-12.

7)  Anaheim Ducks

Strengths:

The RPG line is unquestionably the most dynamic scoring line in hockey, and will once again be relied upon to provide most of the Ducks’ offense. The RPG line is perhaps the only line in hockey that can truly carry a team to the playoffs.

Weaknesses:

The biggest knock on the Ducks, is that they are a very top-heavy squad. Beyond the RPG line, there really aren’t many reliable offensive forwards on the Anaheim roster. Also, beyond Lubomir Visnovsky and budding superstar Cam Fowler, there isn’t a whole lot of depth on the Ducks’ blueline. Also, concerns over the health of goaltender Jonas Hiller will be huge in determining the Ducks’ success in 2011-12.

8) Columbus Blue Jackets

Strengths:

The Blue Jackets have finally found a true #1 center to play along side Rick Nash. It is my belief, that given the chance to play with a legit play-making pivot, Rick Nash can be one of the top-5 players in all of hockey. He is mean, nasty, big, strong, has a fantastic shot, and really knows how to finish. He has now been given that opportunity, thanks to GM Scott Howson’s acquisition of Jeff Carter.

Weaknesses:

The biggest issue for Columbus is their depth, or lack there of. There really aren’t many proven NHL defenders on this roster. The addition of James Wisniewski will do wonders for the Jackets’ Power-Play, however, beyond Wiz, I do not see much strength on that blueline.

9) St Louis Blues

10) Minnesota Wild

11) Calgary Flames

12) Edmonton Oilers

13) Phoenix Coyotes

14) Dallas Stars

15) Colorado Avalanche

Thanks For Reading!

Be Sure To Follow Me On Twitter at @BruinsHockey365

Participants: Fred Poulin, Cris Cohen, Lawrence Duchenski, John Scott Moore, Jeremy Scriven, Alexander Monaghan, Jamie Fraser, Andre Garabedian, WB Philp, Al Cimaglia, Adrian Fung, Gordon Fall, Kevin Vanstone, Su Ring

Round 1
LAWRENCE 1 Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are proud to select, from the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
We believe that Ryan will be an elite player in this league for years to come. He has both the vision and the passing ability to centre our first line and we are happy to bring him into the organization.

JOHN 2 Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are proud to select, from Skelleftea HC in Sweden, Adam Larsson. The Avs most pressing issue besides a net-minder is defense. Larsson is the big man on the blue line that this team needs to be competitive. With newly acquired Erik Johnson and veteran John-Michael Liles, Larsson will complete a core of defense that should last for years. Larsson’s highly rated skating for a 6-3, 200 pound blueliner is just what the team needs. Also noted is his poise and patience with the puck, a good quality to see this early.

JAMIE 3 Panthers
The Florida Panthers select Gabriel Landeskog of the OHL’s Kitchener Ranger. Gritty. Determined. Physical. Tough. Mean. These are characteristics not common to the average Swedish hockey player. Gabriel Landeskog is truly a made in Canada Swede. He’s physical mature player who’s the most NHL ready in the draft. Landeskog is pure leadership material, he’s a difference maker every time he’s on the ice. This past season he scored 66 points (36-30) in 53 games. Here’s Landeskog take on his style “I’m a powerful guy who likes to play rough and tough,” “But I do see myself as a skilled guy but it still comes down to hard work and being gritty and being in your face. That’s what I want to do.”

JAMIE 4 Devils
The New Jersey Devils select 4th overall Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs. Huberdeau an excellent two-way forward recently won the Memorial Cup with Saint John. He draws comparisons to Jason Spezza but with a better defensive hockey mind. Huberdeau has assets that you can’t teach such as vision, his 6’1″ frame and his ability to play under pressure. Truly a great fit for a Devils trap system. Scoring 105 points(43-62) this season in the QMJHL he has the offensive abilities to command at 1st/2nd line duties in the future.

ANDRE 5 Islanders
With the 5th selection of the 2011 entry draft, the NY Islanders are proud to select, from the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Sean Couturier. This was a very tough choice. Hamilton, Couturier, Strome, Murphy are all gifted players who can help fill a need for the Islanders and were right there for us, but the feeling was that adding a player of Couturier’s skill set, combined with his size made him a sensible choice. Not only is he a top player, but he also fills a need for size on a relatively small Islander team. He is gifted offensively, but also has displayed a commitment to the defensive side of the ice making him a solid 2-way prospect. Much of his time was spent against opposing top lines — giving him the oppor tunity to dominate at both ends of the ice. He is size speed and skill — all of the tools the Islanders need.

The “knock” on Sean was that he was coasting this season, and does not have the “commit” level that he should. We feel Sean is committed to both ends of the ice, and we are sure he will be a proud part of the Islander family for many years to come. We feel Sean is an excellent player that adds to a dynamic core of players in our development system.

JAMIE 6 Senators
With the 6th pick overall in the NHL 2011 entry draft the Ottawa Senators select Ryan Strome. Ottawa needs help for that 2nd line centre position. Ryan Strome lacks the size of Sean Couturier, but this kid put up 106 points(33-73) with the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs. He draws similar skill sets to Patrick Kane. Strome is a player who is at his biggest part of his game with the puck on his stick and will often make opposing defenders look absolutely ridiculous in YouTube highlight reel moments. While many of his goals belong on highlight reels, Strome has a great shot and excellent hockey sense. Make sure to follow Ryan Strome on twitter @strome18

FRED 7 Thrashers (Winnipeg Jets)
The Winnipeg team is proud to select, from the Niagara Ice Dogs of the OHL, defenseman Dougie Hamiilton. His strong and smooth st aking abilities allow him to skate out of trouble in own zone. Can quarterback the power play thanks to great vision and accurate shot. The team also needs more size on defense to complement Dustin Byfuglien. Hamilton scored 12 goals and added 46 assists for 58 pts in 57 games this season. The 6’4” 195 lb rearguard could very well become a top-2 defenseman in a near future.

FRED 8 Flyers from the Blue Jackets
The Philadelphia Flyers are proud to select from Djurgarden of the Swedesih Elite League, centre Mika Zibanejad. After trading two quality centers in Mike Richards and Jeff Carter on Thursday, the Flyers need to restock their middle lane with top-end prospects. A very intelligent two-way player with a great shot, Zibanejad has an above-average sense of hockey and anticipation. He uses his 6’2”, 190 lb frame to his advantage and his strength to battle pucks along the boards. He is not afraid to play physically and likes to initiate contact. He has excellent faceoffs skills and great skating abilities. He draws some comparisons to Ryan Kesler and Mike Fisher.

FRED 9 Bruins from the Maple Leafs
The Boston bruins are proud to select from the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, defenseman Ryan Murphy. An exceeding talented puck-moving defenseman, the diminutive Murphy draws comparisons to Ryan Ellis and former NHLer Brian Rafalski. In 63 games last season, the offensive defenseman scored an impressive 26 goals and 53 assists for 79 points. A good fit for the Bruins as the team really needs a power play quarterback, Murphy is an outstanding skater and puck carrier a la PK Subban. He is very agile, possesses soft hands and boasts a hard and accurate slapshot. The 5’11, 175 lb will be a steady fixture on the Bruins’ blueline for years to come.

CRIS 10 Wild
The Minnesota Wild take, from the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, Sven Bartschi. The Wild, after being a defense-first team under Jacques Lemaire their first 7 seasons and losing Marian Gaborik to Free agency in 2009, this team needs offense. Havlat with 22 goals was their leading scorer this past season and no other Wild hit the 20-goal plateau. Bartschi, and excellent skater possesses good passing and stickhandling skills and a good, quick shot. He will need to work on the defensive side of his game, though.
JOHN 11 Avalanche from the Blues
With the 11th pick the Colorado Avalanche are proud to pick Duncan Siemens of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades. The 6’3″, 192 lbs defenseman is just too good for the Avs to pass up. Despite needs on offense, the big D-man will be an asset to the Avs in the future and possibly forming a formidible defensive core for years. Naming Scott Stevens as his favorite player, Siemens will lay a hit and even fight. But better yet he is a shutdown defenseman with mobility.

SUE 12 Hurricanes
With the 12th pick, the Carolina Hurricanes are proud to select Joseph Morrow of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. We like Morrow for his strong skating, great speed and talented two-way game. He has the uncanny ability to see the entire ice and create smart plays and scoring chances.
He’s also very strong on both the power play and penalty kill and uses his size to every advantage on the ice. He played a key role in helping the Winterhawks clinch the WHL’s US Dvision and Western Conference titles during the regular season and helped propel the team to the WHL Championships, which they lost to the Kootenay Ice.

SUE 13 Flames
With the 13th pick, the Calgary Flames are pleased to select Mark McNeill from the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL. McNeill can play Center but he also has experience at Right Wing. He’s big, smart and an accurate shot, whether it comes to scoring or passing. His size also makes him strong defensively- this kid is not afraid to go after the puck. McNeill led the Raiders to their first playoff appearance since the 2006-2007 season.

ALEXANDER 14 Stars
With the 14th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the Dallas Stars take Rocco Grimaldi, Center, USA Under-18-USHL. After losing a great player like Brad Richards, we felt our organization took the best player available and added a great deal of skill. If not for his size, Grimaldi likely could have gone in the top 10 as he displays an excellent amount of agility, top speed and overall skill. In addition, we find Rocco to be a hard-working, determined individual who can eventually play on our top line. Picking at number 14, we are quite pleased to select a player of his stature.

CRIS 15 Rangers
With the 15th pick the New York Rangers select from the USHL Tyler Biggs. He brings a size (6′ 2″, 210) that most of the forwards in the Rangers’ system do not possess. He’s willing to hit opponents and fight when necessary. While not overly impressive from an offensive standpoint (19G, 12 A in 55 games) and not speedy, his size and strength should provide more room for offensively skilled teammates he could be paired with to be free to do their thing.

The second part of the mock draft will be posted later today. Stay tuned!

Jakub Voracek, 1st round pick, and....3rd round pick...(Opens Envelope) Name 3 things traded for Jeff Carter!

This year, once again with the assistance of my good friend Andrew R (and some Bitches Brew…..both the beer and the music), I sat down to do my NHL Mock Draft.  As per usual, trades were considered, and by a phenomenal stroke of luck we called Carter to Columbus for Voracek and the 8th pick….so we’re ready to go.

This was fun and challenging, as always, but especially this year, because it’s such a fluid draft and people are seriously all over the place.  I’ve seen guys ranked top 10 in some drafts and out of the 1st round in others.  I’m sure some of these picks will sound stupid, but I’m sure I’ll be wrong a lot….but hey, nobody thought Dylan McIlrath would go before Cam Fowler last year.

Without further ado, here we go…

1. Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Red Deer (WHL)

I think there are a few question marks about Nugent-Hopkins, specifically his size and willingness to go to the dirty areas, but despite this the Oilers think he’s too good to pass up at #1.  They hope he and Taylor Hall form a dynamic duo for years to come.

2. Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog, W, Kitchener (OHL)

We agonized over this pick, but we thought at the end of the day the Avalanche would be seduced by the size, heart, grit, and NHL readiness of Landeskog.  He’s a Chris Stewart type – the kind of player you hold on to, and never trade, come hell or high water!  Wait….what?

3. Florida Panthers: Sean Couturier, C, Drummondville (QMJHL)

Dale Tallon is a well-known fan of big players, and he overlooks the “analysis paralysis” in the scouting community to jump on Sean Couturier.  Back-to-back 96-point seasons (despite having mono at the start of this year), experience at the WJC, winning the Mike Bossy Award, and his size (6’4) make him the right move for the Panthers.

4. New Jersey Devils: Adam Larsson, D, Skelleftea (SEL)

The Devils, by most accounts, should have lost their 1st round pick this year in the Kovalchuk chicanery.  Instead, they won the draft lottery, and Lou Lamoriello looks like the cat who ate the canary after Larsson falls to him at 4.  He had a sub-par year in the SEL by most standards, but Larsson’s talent and hockey sense will make him the best Devils blueline prospect since Scott Niedermayer.

5. New York Islanders: Ryan Strome, C, Niagara (OHL)

I can already hear the Dougie Hamilton fans sharpening their knives, but hear me out.  In addition to resembling Mr. Burns (according to Niagara fans), I believe Strome is the best long-term fit for the Islanders.  He projects as a top center with playmaking ability and creativity, and the Islanders justify this pick by citing his higher projection.  At the end of the day, when you pick 5th, you want the guy who will be the better player down the road, not the biggest positional need or the guy who will calm Josh Bailey’s nerves about being replaced.  I’ve had a hunch about Strome for a while, and I will not back off from it like I did last year with Nino Niederreiter.

Here’s a Strome highlight reel goal:

Highlight Reel Goal From Strome

6. Ottawa Senators: Jonathan Huberdeau, C, St. John’s (QMJHL)

Huberdeau slips to Ottawa despite his incredible playoff run with the Memorial Cup champions, and Bryan Murray is glad he did (especially since Brian Burke is nowhere to be seen and can’t take the pick out of spite).  Huberdeau projects as a flashy offensive player, and he’ll be a good one for Ottawa.

7. Winnipeg Not Yet Jets: Dougie Hamilton, D, Niagara (OHL)

Gary Bettman was much like the father in this famous Simpsons scene recently:

The NHL has indeed gone back to Winnipeg, and they bring this hulking (6’4) d-man with them.  Hamilton is a smart player who will be a good fit on this team.

8. Philadelphia Flyers (From Columbus): Duncan Siemens, D, Saskatoon (WHL)

I had this as a mock trade, and now it’s a real trade.  Siemens is big (6’3), mean, and a hard hitter….just the kind of kid the Flyers love.  They pick him over my other option here, Mika Zibanejad, and hope Chris Pronger’s influence helps him become a star.

9. Boston Bruins (From Toronto): Ryan Murphy, D, Kitchener (OHL)

Fresh off their Cup win, the Bruins add Ryan Murphy, whose suspect D is more than balanced out by skilled offense.  He could be a true difference-maker on the Bruins PP for years to come, and they could always hide him with a defensive d-man in even strength situations to mask his weakness.

10. Minnesota Wild: Nathan Beaulieu, D, St. John’s (QMJHL)

The Wild step up to grab mobile but raw D prospect Nathan Beaulieu, whom some scouts have ranked above Hamilton, continuing a run on defense in this part of the draft.  Beaulieu is a few years away but the Wild fans will cheer this one tomorrow night at the Xcel Energy Center.

11. Colorado Avalanche (From St. Louis): Jamieson Oleksiak, D, Northeastern University (NCAA)

The Avalanche have their forward and possible future captain in Landeskog.  Now, playing with house money, they feel like they can reach just a bit for the hulking (6’7) defender Oleksiak, and give him time to develop at his own pace that he might not have received if he were a team’s top pick.  He may leave Northeastern to play major junior next year; let’s keep an eye.

12. Carolina Hurricanes: Mika Zibanejad, President of Iran C/W, Djurgarden (SEL)

Zibanejad finds a home with the Carolina Hurricanes, who still need depth at every position and grab the best player available.  Some teams have him ranked top 5, but he slips due to being 2nd choice for a few of the teams above (Islanders, Winnipeg, Flyers, Avalanche).  The Canes are glad to have this tough, hard-nosed player, and their fans will be as well.

And I ran......I ran so far away....

13. Calgary Flames: Joel Armia, W, Assat Pori (FIN)

The Flames go for the home run by picking Armia, one of the more talented Finnish forward prospects in the last 10 years.  There are some questions about his work ethic, but the Flames love his talent too much to let him slip away.

14. Dallas Stars: Sven Bartschi, W, Portland (WHL)

The Stars jump on The Other Swiss Winterhawk, Sven Bartschi, who was a force of nature in this year’s Memorial Cup playoffs.  Some are surprised to see him slip so far, but he was again second choice for many teams, and the Stars practically pinch themselves on the way to the podium.

15. New York Rangers: Nicklas Jensen, RW, Oshawa (OHL)

The Islanders have a Dane, and now the Rangers have one too. Jensen’s hockey sense is off the charts, and the Rangers, after targeting D in the first round in previous years, think he’s the right move at 15 this year.

16. Buffalo Sabres: Oscar Klefbom, D, Farjestad (SEL)

The Sabres go for the BPA with Oscar Klefbom, a mobile, agile, and incredibly smart Swedish defenseman.  He has the potential to be the steal of the 1st round at this slot.

17. Montral Canadiens: Rocco Grimaldi, F, US NTDP

The Canadiens have trouble finding a forward taller than 5’3, and this does not get better with Grimaldi, who would be the shortest player in the NHL should he make it (yes, even smaller than Nathan Gerbe…who is a gnat).  However, he may be the most skilled player in the whole draft, and you can’t doubt his will to make it.  The Habs will look for size elsewhere….or not…

18. Chicago Blackhawks: Matt Puempel, W, Peterborough (OHL)

Puempel is a pure goal-scorer, and the Blackhawks go for the home run in continuing the rebuild of their farm system.  There are questions about his consistency, but Puempel is a great call here.

19. Edmonton Oilers: John Gibson, G, US NTDP

The Oilers have many goaltenders in the system, including Devan Dubnyk and Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers, but none project as a solid #1 goaltender.  Therefore, with Nugent-Hopkins in the fold, the Oilers jump up and take Gibson, hoping he will stabilize the crease for years to come.

20. Phoenix Coyotes: Mark McNeill, C, Prince Albert (WHL)

McNeill is strong in the corners, kills penalties well, and generally drives hard to the net.  The Coyotes have some danglers in the system, and McNeill projects as a strong, safe pick….they’re glad to have him.

21. Ottawa Senators (From Nashville): Brandon Saad, LW, Saginaw (OHL)

Ottawa is also playing with house money after nabbing Huberdeau at 6, and they can afford to take a flyer on Brandon Saad.  Saad will either be a home run power forward or a groundout, but with Huberdeau hogging all the attention as a top pick the Senators can let the Pennsylvania native find himself without a lot of pressure.

22. Anaheim Ducks: Joe Morrow, D, Portland (WHL)

Joe Morrow rocketed up the draft board due to his hockey sense, tenacity, and offensive potential.  The Ducks grab him and hope he’ll anchor the blueline for years alongside Fowler and Sbisa.

23. Pittsburgh Penguins: Tyler Biggs, RW, US NTDP

Even though the Penguins absolutely deplore violence in all its forms, they can’t resist another boom or bust type in Biggs.  He has size and a great net-front presence, and they hope he develops into his full potential.

24. Detroit Red Wings: Jonas Brodin, D, Farjestad (SEL)

This is almost too easy.  Smooth-skating, intelligent but raw d-man out of Sweden?  The Red Wings live for picks like this.  Brodin oozes talent and potential, and in Detroit he may have the best chance to harness them.

25. Toronto Maple Leafs (From Flyers): David Musil, D, Vancouver (WHL)

At a time, the hulking Musil was rated a potential top 5 pick in this draft.  His performance steadied, and he fell amid concerns his ceiling is not as high as originally thought.  He still plays a mean game and has offensive potential beyond that of his father, Frank, and he’s just truculent enough to fit Brian Burke’s bill.

26. Washington Capitals: Alexander Kochlachev, C, Windsor (OHL)

This is another almost no-brainer, as we know the Capitals LOVE their Russians.  Kochlachev oozes skill and pure offense, making him a potential home run pick this late in the draft.

27. San Jose Sharks: Mark Schiefele, C, Barrie (OHL)

The Sharks pick Schiefele as best player available, slightly ahead of J.T. Miller from the US NTDP.  Schiefele has discipline, playmaking ability, and  great net-front presence, making him a good complement to the current crop of prospects in the South Bay.

28. Tampa Bay Lightning: Connor Murphy, D, US NTDP

Murphy is a big, competitive 2-way winger who will do a little bit of everything for Steve Yzerman’s club in Tampa.  He’s best available for them.

29. Vancouver Canucks: Scott Mayfield, D, Youngstown (USHL)

He’s big, he’s smooth, he’s poised with the puck, and he’ll be a great fit in Vancouver.

30. Toronto Maple Leafs (From Boston): Zach Phillips, C/W, St. John’s (QMJHL)

Toronto closes out the pick by making it a trio from the Memorial Cup champions.  Phillips is a smart player with great puck skills and an ability to score.  Good fit for what they’re building in Toronto.

With the series tied at two games each, tonight essentially starts a best of three with Anaheim again having the home series advantage.  They also get Bobby Ryan back in the lineup for tonight.

How We Got Here…

On Wednesday night, the Predators had an excellent opportunity to take a commanding lead in the series completely wasted by bad play all over the ice.

Coach Trotz explicitly called out his defensemen in the postgame press conference, but the Predators were bad up and down the lineup.

Pekka Rinne, in particular, had a very poor game.  In truth, Rinne has really only had one good game- game one in Anaheim.

Nashville has had huge problems handling the Anaheim power play.  Anaheim certainly has a very potent power play, but they are converting at a rate 10% better than they did in the regular season- all against a team that was supposed to be the fifth best in the league at killing penalties.

Nashville has been fortunate that their own power play is producing at about an 8% better rate than the regular season.  Their recent ability to score goals have helped offset poor penalty killing and goaltending.  That, however, is not their game and continuing to count on that is foolhardy for a defense-first team.

If Nashville can’t get a handle on themselves (looking at you Shane O’Brien), then their poor penalty killing will do them in, if Pekka Rinne doesn’t do that first.

To keep from coming back to Nashville and playing for their playoff lives on Easter Sunday, Rinne must turn it around.  Trotz, Weber, and Suter must keep this team disciplined, calm, focused and resilient.

We’ll all see what happens tonight.

The Topic that Won’t Go Away… Supplemental Discipline

When I write a Friday Face-Offs column, I typically pull up a prior column in order to maintain my formatting and links at the bottom.  Then I can just replace the various sections with the new work.

Funnily enough, I just happened to pull up the 3/25/2011 column.  That’s the one where I actually lauded the efforts of League in their handling of supplemental discipline in regards to Matt Cooke (ok, I went on to raise further concerns and questions, but I started off with kudos and that counts).

I ended the praise with the following statement:

One would hope that this sets a precedent, but I doubt it.

Suspending Torres for four games at the end of the regular season/beginning of the playoffs likely made many believe that the NHL might be heading in the right direction.  It might have even inspired many to believe that there will be real results from the GM meetings next season.

The NHL follows that up by suspending Bobby Ryan two games for “stomping” on Jonathon Blum’s foot.  That’s fine.  So far so good.

Then Raffi Torres returns from suspension, and in his first game back, lays out Brent Seabrook.

That’s an easy call right?  Blindside or lateral hit?  Most definitely.  Was the head targeted and/or the principal point of contact?  Absolutely.  Repeat offender?  First game back from a four game suspension seems to point to “yes”.  GMs, you concur?  While sounding dangerously like a toothpaste commercial, 8 out of 9 GMs agree.

Colin Campbell?  Nope.  The reasoning was that the rule allows for players to be decapitated as long as it’s behind the net- affectionately called “Death Valley”.

As proof of the rule allowing such idiocy, I present it here in its full glory:

Rule 48 – Illegal Check to the Head

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principal point of contact is not permitted.

48.2 Minor Penalty – There is no provision for a minor penaltyfor this rule.

48.3 Major Penalty – For a violation of this rule, a major penalty shall be assessed (see 48.4).

48.4 Game Misconduct – An automatic game misconduct penalty shall be assessed whenever a major penalty is assessed under this rule.

48.5 Match Penalty – The Referee, at his discretion, may assess a match penalty if, in his judgment, the player attempted to or deliberately injured his opponent with an illegal check to the head.

48.6 Fines and Suspensions – Any player who incurs a total of two (2) game misconducts under this rule, in either regular League or playoff games, shall be suspended automatically for the next game his team plays. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.

If deemed appropriate, supplementary discipline can be applied by the Commissioner at his discretion  (refer to Rule28).

Oh, wait a minute.  I’m sorry, there’s no mention of a “Death Valley” in there.  Oh that’s right.  It’s not in the rule.  It’s in the rule.

As provided by Bob McKenzie,

That’s my view, but when NHL general managers created Rule 48 a year ago March, they allowed the area behind the net to be a “hitting area” and players need to be more aware than, say, in the neutral zone.

In March of 2010, a DVD went to players, coaches, and general managers saying exactly that, that there was far more latitude given on hits behind the net on unsuspecting players. In other words, as one NHL GM told me tonight, a hit behind the net is viewed more like a north-south hit than an east-west neutral zone hit.

Amazingly enough, after a season full of these type of hits, no one ever trotted that out.

So, for all those folks that think that next year will be different, don’t hold your breath.  The NHL needs all the TV viewers they can get and can’t afford to have you pass out.

And today, Colin Campbell decides to whine about how hard and thankless his job is.  Campbell’s right about one thing, his is a thankless job.  It always will be though, so whining about it does no good.  Campbell needs to just keep his mouth shut and actually dispense supplementary discipline in accordance with the written rules.  That’s a novel thought.

David Singleton

You are invited to follow me on Twitter (@SingletonPreds).  For game recaps of all Predators games, check out my HockeyIndependent colleague, Mark Willoughby (@TheViewFrom111).

They should be confident in their game plans.  They feel that if they limit Anaheim’s power play opportunities, they are better than Anaheim.  After two games, there’s no reason to believe otherwise.

They should be confident in their effort on the ice.  After falling behind 2 – 0 in game two, they kept coming and had a chance to force overtime.

They should be confident in their ability to limit Anaheim’s RPG line at even strength.  Throwing out Bobby Ryan’s empty net goal, Anaheim’s RPG line has been limited to two goals over the two games (both in game 2).  Even with Carlyle having last change allowing him to avoid Weber and Suter, Klein and Blum have done a very good job with that line.

They should be confident in their new-found prowess on the power play.  They are doing a great job of moving around to the open spots on the ice and keeping someone in front of the goalie.

They should be confident in the approach of their captain, leadership group and coaches.  They seem to be taking a very business-like approach to their accomplishments in this series.  That speaks to the maturity of the team and the direction set down by their leaders.

Their confidence have got them this far.

Now they need to be confident in their ability to improve their discipline on the ice.  They need to be confident in their ability to stick to their plans and continue to play their game regardless of the score or the number of games won or lost.  They need to be confident in their ability to view the absence of Bobby Ryan over the next two games as a challenge of having to face a new and unpracticed-for strategy from Anaheim as opposed to seeing the next two games as gimmes.

I have every confidence in them.

You are invited to follow me on Twitter (@SingletonPreds).  For game recaps of all Predators games, check out my HockeyIndependent colleague, Mark Willoughby (@TheViewFrom111).

It was obvious that the Ducks were going to try to exert their physical will against the Predators. The Ducks finished their checks with vigor, but the Predators answered with some thunderous checks of their own. As the period wore on, the Predators gave a solid physical response to the Ducks, showing that the physical play would not back them down.

The Ducks over aggressive play led to a cross checking penalty by Matt Belesky against Kevin Klein. The Predators made the Ducks pay for their transgression with the first goal of the playoff series with a blast from Shea Weber from the point that blew past Dan Ellis at 4:13 of the first period.

Pekka Rinne was called upon to make some big saves for the Predators, and the most amazing was a right pad save on Teemu Selanne. Selanne took a cross crease pass and had an open net, but Rinne was cat quick in sliding across and getting the pad on the shot.

The Predators were determined to put pucks and traffic on the net and did that often in the first period. Dan Ellis made some good stops with an abundance of traffic in front of him.

The second period was like a heavyweight fight with both teams trading checks and probing for the others weakness. Play was intense and up and down the ice. As the period wore on, the pace slowed a bit, but the Predators kept up a strong forecheck that bottled up the Ducks offense. When the Ducks did establish their offense, Rinne was strong in net.

The Predators finally cracked the Ducks defense when Cody Franson chipped the puck off the glass to the far blue line. Steve Sullivan gathered in the puck and broke in alone on Ellis, who stopped the first shot sprawling to the ice. Sullivan did not give up on the puck and was able to get his stick on the rebound lying in the blue ice and tap it under the pads of the prone Ellis at 15:16.

The Predators kept the pressure on the Ducks and capitalized at 18:08 when Mike Fisher  took a pass from Patric Hornqvist and blistered a shot over the shoulder of Ellis from the left face off circle.

The Predators outshot the Ducks for the period 14-8 and held a 22-16 advantage through two periods. So far, the defense had done a great job of shutting down the weapons of the Ducks.

You knew the Ducks would come out flying in the third as they attempted to get back in the game. Mike Fisher thwarted that momentum and ripped the heart out of the Ducks with his second goal of the game just 56 seconds into the period off an assist from Jonathan Blum. Fisher split the defense and rifled a shot from just inside the blueline that handcuffed Ellis for a 4-1 Predators lead and Fisher’s second of the game.

The fourth goal by the Predators was a Dan Ellis problem, as he was pulled and Ray Emery came into the game.

The Ducks reverted to their thuggish ways in the third and goaded the Predators into penalties.Blake Geoffrion and Luca Sbisa got coincidental roughing penalties at 9:30. David Legwand got a hooking penalty at 9:50. Kevin Klein got a double minor for roughing and Corey Perry got a minor for roughing at 10:28. With a 5 on 3 advantage, the Ducks were finally able to find the back of the net as Teemu Selanne tallied at 11:24.

Since the Ducks could not solve Rinne and could not outscore the Predators at even strength, their strategy was to try to run Rinne and get the Predators to take penalties. For the most, the Predators did a good job of keeping their emotions in check and continuing to frustrate the Ducks.Keeping those emotions in check proved to be a Herculean task as the Ducks took every opportunity to try to draw penalties, hit after the play, and run at Rinne. Kudos to the boys for keeping their composure.

The best way to deal with the goons from Anaheim? Shane O’Brien did it when he pointed at the scoreboard after a late game scrum.

The Predators closed out the Ducks by playing solid defense and staying disciplined for the remainder of the game.

This feels good, but the Predators have to remember they are playing the NHL’s equivalent of the Hell’s Angels. The Ducks are a dirty team- witness Corey Perry’s spear of Pekka Rinne at the end of the second period- and they will attempt to goon it up in the rest of this series. The Predators are going have to be physically AND mentally tough to survive this series. They cannot let the Ducks goad them into penalties. They have to control their physical play. This series will be a war. Be ready.

Punish the Ducks for their play, but do it within the confines of the rules.

This is one. One win out of 16 that you need for the prize. Your second step toward that prize comes on Friday night.

My three stars:

1. Mike Fisher

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Steve Sullivan

It’s been more than a decade since both the Kings and Ducks were in the playoff hunt this late in the season.  Surprisingly, the two teams have never participated in post season play at the same time though. Could this be the year?

We’ll still have to wait a few more weeks to see.  However, Saturday marked the 100th time the two Southern California franchises have played each other and little has changed along the way.

Game one of the Kings-Ducks rivalry was a one goal game back in December 1993, a night that began with the two teams tied in the standings.

Fast forward more than 15 years and game #100 ended 2-1 (in overtime) and the clubs were left separated by just three points in the standings.

They’re also now tied in the season series 2-2, with the winner to be determined over the final weekend of the season when they meet in a home-and-home series.

Here are some more post-game notes and links of interest…

* Who else, but Corey Perry, scored the game winning goal. The man voted by fans as their Least Favorite Player in the NHL gave yet another reason to dislike him.

* For those concerned with the Kings recent home record (0-2-2) and/or the possible lack of offense, perhaps the shot totals will cheer you up a bit. The Kings put 32 shots on (former Flyer) Ray Emery. It was the fist time in nine games they surpassed 30 shots.

* To be fair though, the power play was dry again – going 0-for-6 against a less than potent Ducks penalty killing unit.

* For much of the season Dustin Brown had been leading the Kings in goals. Recently, however, Anze Kopitar jumped ahead with 25 goals. Last night though, #23 netted #23 – putting two off the lead with 10 games to go.

* Wayne Simmonds scored a goal that should have counted. It didn’t though. So, he continues to sit at 13 goals for the season.

* Ryan Smyth, who has carried the Kings at times over the last two seasons, well…when I asked coach Terry Murray about his play of late he said “This is the critical time of the year. Everything is on the line, and this is where you need your veteran players to shoulder a big part of the responsibility.” Translation – the Kings need a goal or big play from Rhyno…and soon.

* With the win, the Penner Cup goes to the Ducks. If you missed Dustin Penner’s story on that, click here.

* Ducks’ rookie defenseman Cam Fowler again played a role in the outcome (earlier in the year he scored a goal against the Kings).  Here, he headed to the box at 8:56 of the third period (delay of game, puck over the glass) and Brown’s game tying goal came just as the penalty expired.  Then, Fowler assisted on Perry’s overtime winner.

* My tweet during the game last night (regarding the Kings inability to score) -  Maybe it’s the line combinations. They’ve been too consistent the last few games. (Then, as if on cue, Murray changes the second line centers at practice today.  Michal Handzus to the second line, Jarret Stoll to the third line).

* Bobby Ryan’s tweet after the game – Great win, great atmosphere! Thanks road ducks fans! Also, hate to say it but the kings fans can rock. Loud arena tonight.

* Earlier this season I posted an article looking back at the last time it mattered this much. Understand the Kings-Ducks rivalry in the story here.

* Their next meeting will be in Anaheim.  In an article here Kings players talk about their favorite memories in Anaheim – including comments from Kopitar, Simmonds, Doughty, etc.

The Mayor
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OTHER RELATED ARTICLES:

Interview with Bobby Ryan – talking about his friendship with several Kings players

The First Time It Mattered This Much – Kings vs. Ducks, game one

Painting by Numbers with Ryan Smyth

NHL clubs made 16 trades involving 35 players today prior to the 3 p.m., ET, trade deadline. Following is a list of the transactions:

• Anaheim traded C Maxim Lapierre and C MacGregor Sharp to Vancouver for C Joel Perrault and Vancouver’s 3rd-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.
• Atlanta traded RW Niclas Bergfors and LW Patrick Rissmiller to Florida for RW Radek Dvorak and Carolina’s 5th-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft (previously acquired).
• Atlanta traded G Drew MacIntyre to Montreal for D Brett Festerling.
• Atlanta traded LW Fredrik Modin to Calgary for Calgary’s 7th-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft.
• Boston traded D Jeff Penner and RW Mikko Lehtonen to Minnesota for G Anton Khudobin.
• Carolina traded LW Sergei Samsonov to Florida for D Bryan Allen.
• Chicago traded C Ryan Potulny and a 2nd-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft to Ottawa for D Chris Campoli and a conditional 7th-round pick in 2012.
• Colorado traded D Kevin Montgomery to Edmonton for D Shawn Belle.
• Columbus traded D Rostislav Klesla and LW Dane Byers to Phoenix for LW Scottie Upshall and D Sami Lepisto.
• Columbus traded LW Tom Sestito to Philadelphia for C Michael Chaput and RW Greg Moore.
• Edmonton traded RW Dustin Penner to Los Angeles for D Colten Teubert, Los Angeles’ 1st-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft and a conditional 3rd-round pick in 2012.
• Florida traded D Dennis Wideman to Washington for C Jake Hauswirth and Washington’s 3rd-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft.
• Florida traded LW Chris Higgins to Vancouver for D Evan Oberg and Vancouver’s 3rd-round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft.
• New Jersey traded C Jason Arnott to Washington for C David Steckel and Washington’s 2nd-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.
• St. Louis traded LW Brad Winchester to Anaheim for Anaheim’s 3rd-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.
• Toronto traded C John Mitchell to NY Rangers for the Rangers’ 7th-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.

There also were three waiver claims today:

• Atlanta claimed C Rob Schremp from NY Islanders.
• Calgary claimed D Brett Carson from Carolina.
• Ottawa claimed G Curtis McElhinney from Tampa Bay.

Trade Deadline Activity Since 1979-80

Season Date Trades Players
1979-80 March 11, 1980 3 5
1980-81 March 10, 1981 12 22
1981-82 March 9, 1982 5 11
1982-83 March 8, 1983 1 1
1983-84 March 6, 1984 2 2
1984-85 March 12, 1985 4 7
1985-86 March 11, 1986 8 14
1986-87 March 10, 1987 5 9
1987-88 March 8, 1988 8 12
1988-89 March 7, 1989 9 21
1989-90 March 6, 1990 10 16
1990-91 March 5, 1991 14 33
1991-92 March 10, 1992 11 22
1992-93 March 22, 1993 9 14
1993-94 March 21, 1994 18 35
1994-95 April 7, 1995 19 32
1995-96 March 20, 1996 13 21
1996-97 March 18, 1997 18 35
1997-98 March 24, 1998 19 38
1998-99 March 23, 1999 21 30
1999-00 March 14, 2000 12 23
2000-01 March 13, 2001 17 31
2001-02 March 19, 2002 17 35
2002-03 March 11, 2003 24 46
2003-04 March 9, 2004 20 32
2005-06 March 9, 2006 25 40
2006-07 February 27, 2007 25 44
2007-08 February 26, 2008 25 45
2008-09 March 4, 2009 22 47
2009-10 March 3, 2010 31 55
2010-11 February 28, 2011 16 35

First, the Columbus Blue Jackets have claimed veteran defenseman Craig Rivet from the Buffalo Sabres on re-entry waivers. Rivet, an impending unrestricted free agent, will bring leadership and experience to an inexperienced Jackets team. The Sabres will be responsible for half of his $3,500,000 salary prorated on the remainder of the season.

Also, the Philaldephia Flyers claimed rearguard Nick Boynton from the Chicago Blackhawks. That move was necessary due to their lack of space and the loss of their 7th defenseman, Oskars Bartulis, for the remainder of the year due to a shoulder injury. That means Adam Foote, is not in the Flyers’ plans anymore. Strange move by the Hawks as Boynton his only earning $500,000 this year (the league minimum salary).

Then, in a strange move, the Los Angeles Kings put winger Marco Sturm on waivers to clear cap space in anticipation of the next 48 hours. Sturm was claimed by the Washington Capitals, who desperately needed scoring help on their second line. The Kings had acquired Sturm from the Boston Bruins earlier this season.

The following players were put on waivers today (most notables in bold):

Jason Jaffray (ANA), Tim Stapelton (ATL), Brett Carson (CAR), Nathan Lawson (NYI), Robbie Schremp (NYI), Pascal Leclaire (OTT), Ty Conklin (STL), Curtis McElhinney (TB), DJ King (WAS).

Schremp will likely get picked up by a team looking to add depth up front. As for the other ones, I highly doubt there is a market for them. Back-up goalies are not in high demand this season… Conklin lost his back-up job to giant Ben Bishop, who earned his first NHL shutout yesterday against the Oilers. Leclaire’s season has been riddled by injuries and inconsistent play. McElhinney (acquired in exchange from Dan Ellis from the Ducks) has been dreadful so far this year and with Mike Smith (who cleared re-entry waivers) and Dwayne Roloson in front of him, the Lightning doesn’t need his services.

The Atlanta Thrashers have extended forward Chris Thorburn. The deal is three years at an average salary of $867,000 (2.6M total). The rugged winger has 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points in 62 games for the Thrashers. He was slated to become a restricted free agent at season’s end.

With Chris Pronger slated to miss tonight’s game, the Philadelphia Flyers were forced to recall rearguard Erik Gudbranson from the AHL to take his spot. As a result, they had to send a player down, and James Van Riemsdyk was reassigned temporarily to the AHL. He will miss tonight’s game in Ottawa, and with Blair Betts nursing an injury, Nikolay Zherdev will draw back into the line-up despite having gone unclaimed on waivers earlier this week.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly been offered a first and third round pick for forward Clarke MacArthur who’s a RFA after the season. Negotiations are ongoing, but GM Brian Burke is not willing to meet MacArthur’s salary expectations following a strong season. Burke is also seeking defensive help, and he’s willing to give a 3rd rounder in exchange for an offensive d-man. The Colorado Avalanche is asking a 2nd round pick in exchange for John-Michael Liles.

As told by Jamie Fraser, the Ottawa Senators are still negotiating with impending UFA Chris Phillips in an attempt to extend the veteran defenseman. If a deal is not reached before Monday’s deadline, expect the rearguard to be traded to a contender.

UPDATE: via Bob MacKenzie, the Florida Panthers have just traded Bryan McCabe to the New York Rangers for a 3rd round pick and Tim Kennedy.

Wednesday night the Kings played their final contest in a 10-game stretch away from Staples Center. Sure, it was a big game for LA and the two points felt like they were worth so much more, given the tight Western Conference standings and it being against their cross town rival – the Anaheim Ducks.

Yet, some people may have short memories becuase that was far from the most important game between the two teams to date.

It was 1993. December 2nd to be exact. The Kings were crashing hard, coming down from their high of going to the Stanley Cup Finals just seven months earlier. Now, they were near the bottom of the Western Conference and riding a six-game losing streak.

Across the ice were the Disney-owned Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, playing in their inaugural season. And while an expansion team may not sound like much of a threat to the incumbent, the Kings had long struggled to carve out their own niche in a crowded market place. Adding a second hockey team in SoCal wasn’t going to make it any easier.

Yet, so it began. With both teams tied in the standings at 20 points apiece, it was time for the first ever Kings-Ducks game.

Adding concern and worry for even the most die hard of Kings fans was the fact that coach Barry Melrose was starting Rick Knickle in goal, not Kelly Hrudey or Robb Stauber (the two guys that carried the team through the ’93 playoffs). No, he was going with a guy who was playing for the San Diego Gulls the season prior. If you’ve never heard of Knickle or the Gulls, that tells you all you need to know.

Things only got worse when at the 10:13 mark of the first period the Mighty Ducks scored their first ever goal against the Kings. Peter Douris – who? – scored a power play goal to put the Ducks up 1-0. What in the world was going on?

How they were even on the power play is a mathematical marvel. Certainly it was a penalty filled period – one that resulted in the Mighty Ducks being short handed seven different times. On one of those power plays Luc Robitaille was able to score though, tying up the game. Which at that precise moment you could hear the entire building exhale…briefly.

The second period wasn’t nearly as exciting. The Kings were dominating the shot clock 33-10 after 40 minutes, but the game remained tied 1-1. Fans throughout the Fabulous Forum were on pins and needles as they headed to the concession stands and underground bathrooms for the second intermission.

Then Jari Kurri took over. He scored two goals in the first half of the third period, providing the Kings a little breathing room. Although the Kings were now up 3-1 with just under 10 minutes to play, that was a lot of time on the clock to kill.

Ducks fans hoping for a Mighty comeback had their confidence increased when Robitaille was whistled for charging with a few minutes left in the third period. Ducks coach Ron Wilson capitalized on the situation by pulling goalie Guy Hebert, giving his team a two-man advantage.

Shaun Van Allen scored for the Ducks and the hearts of 16,005 Kings fans in attendance nearly stopped pumping. Los Angeles, we have a serious problem on our hands.

Wilson kept Hebert on the bench and the Ducks continued to pepper Knickle. Tick, tick, tick – time seemed to move so slowly. The final 82-seconds finally elapsed and the Kings had won the game 3-2.

On that night the Kings let it be known, this was their town.

“We had to win, let’s be honest.” said Kings captain Wayne Gretzky.

Well, ironically, in the 99th meeting between the two teams on Wednesday night it was another must win for the LA Kings.

Like that first game, they rose to the occasion and downed the Ducks.

However, if Gretzky wants everybody to be honest, for a Kings-Ducks game to ever be more important than the one described above, they’ll have to meet in the playoffs.

Honestly.

* * * For exclusive comments from Kings players on their favorite memories in Anaheim, click here. (includes Doughty, Kopitar, Simmonds, etc.) * * *

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/MayorNHL

Interview with Robb Stauber

Hugging the Post with Kelly Hrudey

Interview with Rob Blake

Something’s Gotta Give – November 2010 game preview

Kings Players on Their Favorite Memories in Anaheim

It’s common at this time of year, with the trade deadline right around the corner, to expect the rumor mill to go into overdrive, so it’s to be expected some pretty wacky rumors are going to float around.

And then there’s the rumors which are, to be blunt, friggin’ stupid.

I don’t know how the following rumor got started – supposedly it originated from a Montreal sports radio station but I’ve found nothing to substantiate it – but it’s garnered a life of its own this past week.

The rumor had the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks working on a multi-player deal, the centerpiece being forward Bobby Ryan headed to Montreal for Mike Cammalleri.

No, that’s not a misprint.

Now when I first heard this one earlier in the week I quickly dismissed it and never gave it another thought, but by Thursday it was still kicking around, with several readers e-mailing me to ask if I’d heard about it and my thoughts on its validity.

Folks, I understand there’s been an unusually high number of trades this month leading up to the deadline, several of them actual “hockey trades” which didn’t involve teams dumping free agents for draft picks, but actual player-for-player deals.

But one shouldn’t lose their common sense either.

Seriously, Bobby Ryan for Mike Cammalleri? Why in heaven’s name would the Ducks do that deal?

Look, I realize the Canadiens are in serious need of more scoring, and I don’t doubt their management is shopping around for something to boost their offense by the trade deadline.

To seriously suggest however the Ducks would move one of their leading scorers – whom they re-signed last summer to a multi-season extension – for a winger who while talented is often hampered by injury is just ridiculous.

So as we head toward the deadline, folks, remember that if a trade rumor sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is!

Now that you’re done celebrating Hockey Day in America – which turned into three days this year – it’s time to catch up on things you may have missed.

To help out, below are ten stories you need to know coming out of the weekend…

* Andrei Loktionov was sent back to Manchester. It’s a numbers game. With Marco Sturm set to return the Kings needed a roster spot. They can’t send Davis Drewiske or Peter Harrold down without first going through waivers. Chances are they wouldn’t make it. Both are serviceable sixth defenseman in the NHL and have minimal salaries. At the very least, it wasn’t a chance worth taking. Odds are Loktionov will be back in LA before the season is out.  Kings coach Terry Murray explained things in detail here.

* Still not sure why people were so in awe of Carey Price’s mask during the Heritage Classic. The concept has been used by several goalies in the past, including Jonathan Quick’s tribute to Rogie Vachon this year. However, my favorite may have been Hannu Toivanen of the St. Louis Blues / Boston Bruins going with the Denis Lemieux (from Slap Shot) look.

* Looking for information on the stable of Kings prospects?  Check out the Kings Prospect Report – it includes updates on Brayden Schenn, Tyler Toffoli and the others who are tearing up junior hockey this season.

* More on Schenn – if you would like a game used jersey, the Saskatoon Blades are auctioning off one of his jerseys here for charity.

* For the Schenn hat trick, here’s a third item of the day…more specifically, an update on the latest Brayden Schenn trade rumor – Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke continues to be hot on the trial of Schenn, including ‘accidently’ mentioning his name in a press conference this week. However, the reality is the Leafs don’t have the assets to acquire the young center. It’s highly doubtful Schenn gets traded this week by the Kings. And it certainly wouldn’t be to Toronto IF it happened.

* In the February 7th And Now You’re Caught Up article it was noted that doctors couldn’t determine what was wrong with Ducks’ goalie Jonas Hiller, so despite reports that he was just tired it was something worth watching. Sure enough, the dizziness he complained of wasn’t a minor thing and he’s been on IR. If it’s a concussion, who knows how long he’ll be out (see: Crosby, Sidney). In other Pacific Division injury news, Phoenix placed defenseman Ed Jovanovski on IR a few days ago with an orbital bone fracture (he’s expected to miss at least two weeks).

* Even more injury news out of the ultra-tight Western Conference – Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter left Saturday’s game with a lower body injury (he’s listed as day-to-day with no updates from the team yet) and Minnesota’s Mikko Koivu is probably going to need surgery on his hand, which will require him to miss significant time.

* Prior to the Heritage Classic Calgary and Montreal put on an alumni game featuring the ’86 Canadiens and ’89 Flames. Which should have been enough to get Kings fans salivating at the thought of next year. If the rumors (as reported here) turn out to be true – and the Kings face the Rangers in the 2012 Winter Classic, just think of the possibility – the ’93 Kings vs the ’94 Rangers.  In other words, Gretzky, Robitaille and Hrudey taking on Messier, Graves and Richter.  Oh yeah, and Leetch vs. Blake.

* Although the NHL’s two Classics are behind us now, there is still more hockey left to be played in the natural elements. Later this afternoon the WHL will stage an outdoor game between the Regina Pats and Calgary Hitmen. If this game was played last year, there would have been three Kings prospects participating (Colten Teubert for the Pats, Brandon Kozun and Martin Jones for the Hitmen). With all three having moved on to Manchester (AHL) though, that leaves Jordan Weal – who was drafted last summer – as the Kings lone representative. Unfortunately, the game is not being shown in the U.S.

* The tweet of the week may have come from Anaheim’s Bobby ‘breadsticks’ Ryan – “Game day flat tire outside the Olive Garden. #comeonreally!!” (yes, that was a real tweet from Bobby Ryan)

And now you’re caught up.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/MayorNHL
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor

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The numbers in bold indicate the team’s best season attendance-wise.
NHL attendance since the lock-out (Downloadable Excel format)

Here you can find a link to all the current NHL arenas and their capacity

Below you will find the team ranking by division:
Northeast Division:
1. Canadiens
4. Maple Leafs
6. Senators
8. Sabres
19. Bruins

Atlantic Division:
3. Flyers
10. Rangers
16. Penguins
27. Devils
30. Islanders

Southeast Division:
11. Lightning
20. Capitals
21. Hurricanes
24. Panthers
28. Thrashers

Northwest Division:
5. Flames
7. Canucks
9. Wild
17. Oilers
22. Avalanche

Central Division:
2. Red Wings
12. Blackhawks
18. Blues
25. Blue Jackets
26. Predators

Pacific Division:
13. Sharks
14. Stars
15. Kings
23. Ducks
29. Coyotes

Conclusions: All Canadian cities fare very well, five of them ranking in the top-seven teams in attendance, with the exception of the Edmonton Oilers, mainly because Rexall Place has a seating capacity of only 16,839 fans (albeit each game has been sold-out since the lock-out). Rexall Place, built in 1974, is also the third oldest arena only behind the Madison Square Garden and the Nassau Veterans Coliseum. Thus, the need to build a new facility in Edmonton.

Among the Sunbelt cities, only the Tampa Bay Lightning, the San Jose Sharks, the Dallas Stars and the Los Angeles Kings rank in the top fifteen teams in attendance since the lock-out.

Unsurprisingly, the New York Islanders, the Phoenix Coyotes, the Atlanta Thrashers, the Nashville Predators and the Florida Panthers are among the worst in attendance. Each of these teams has had moderate success on the ice since the lock-out, having problems qualifying for the playoffs.

The only exception being the New Jersey Devils, ranked 27th in the league despite being perennial playoffs team since the lock-out thanks to Martin Brodeur, among others.

Eight NHL teams are having their best season so far at the gates, such as the Nashville Predators, whose attendance numbers have improved by more than a thousand so far this year. Teams with ownership uncertainty like the Dallas Stars, have experienced the biggest drop in attendance this year, a drop of almost 3,000 fans per game.

Finally, only three teams have had an average attendance below 80% of their arena’s capacity since the lock-out. Without much surprise, these teams are the Islanders, the Coyotes and the Thrashers, three of the most unstable NHL organizations these past recent years.

You can also follow me on Twitter for more information on the NHL.

Ruutu, 35, has played 629 NHL games in his career, earning 57-83-140 points with 1,040 penalty minutes (PIM) with Vancouver, Pittsburgh and Ottawa. He dressed for 50 contests with the Senators this season, scoring 10 points (2g and 8 a) along with 59 PIM. In 2009-10, he established career highs with Ottawa for goals (12) and points (26) in a season. He appeared in his 500th career NHL contest on Oct. 12, 2009 vs. Pittsburgh.

The gritty winger will add toughness to an already heavy group of forwards comprising, among others, enforcer George Parros. Known as superpest in the NHL, Ruutu will add depth to a thin group of forwards in Anaheim. This likely means, winger Dan Sexton will be sent back down to the AHL to make room for Tuomo Ruutu’s brother.

Earlier today, the Ducks traded rearguard Paul Mara to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in 2012.

But the firesale is not over yet as Bryan Murray is still trying to unload upcoming UFA’s and bloated contracts in order to start the rebuild of team. Veterans like Alexei Kovalev, Filip Kuba and Chris Phillips will be heavily shopped in the next ten days, even if the latter holds a no-trade clause and said he would like to remain with the team long-term.

Earlier today, the organization recalled defenceman Andre Benoit and forward Colin Greening from the club’s AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators. Benoit was recalled on an emergency basis.

The Senators will host the Boston Bruins on Friday at Scotia Bank Place.

The trade, which happened very late Wednesday night, was necessary because of the plethora of injuries that hit the Canadiens on defense this season.

After losing key contributors Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges to season-ending injuries and trading Ryan O’Byrne to the Colorado Avalanche, the Habs found themselves short-handed on the blue line. Recently, veteran Hal Gill missed some games due to an injury. The penalty kill specialist is day-to-day and could return to action tonight in Edmonton.

Another veteran, Jaroslav Spacek, will be out 2-4 weeks due to a lower-body injury that he sustained last Saturday in a 3-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. As a result, the team had to call up rookie Brandon Nash from its AHL affiliate in time for Tuesday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The rookie played just 12 minutes in the game and Jacques Martin was clearly uncomfortable using him in key situations.

If Paul Mara is able to rejoin the team in time for the game, he will play his first game since January 18. Mara, who has only played 2 of the 25 Ducks games, was made a healthy scratch most of the past two months because of the strong play of rookies Cam Fowler and Luca Sbisa on the Ducks blue line. And when Anaheim acquired rearguard Francois Beauchemin from the Maple Leafs last week, Mara knew he was going to be traded sooner than later; he just didn’t not know that it would be to Montreal.

Mara, who has one of the best playoff beards in hockey, recorded 8 assists and a dismal -16 plus/minus ratio in 42 games last season with the Habs, before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in late January.

Likely defensive pairings for tonight’s tilt against Edmonton:
Roman Harmlik, James Wisniewski
Paul Mara, PK Subban
Alexandre Picard, Yannick Weber
Extra: Hal Gill (game-time decision)

If Gill can go, expect Alexandre Picard to be a healthy scratch.

Gauthier will now turn his attention to acquire a top-six forward, after addressing his lack of depth on defense. The Canadiens, ranked 23rd in the league offensively with a 2.57 goals for per game average, could really use a big winger to play on the first two lines as Andrei Kostitsyn has been a major disappointment so far this season (again!!).

The Canadiens are rumored to be interested in Blue Jackets forward Kristian Huselius and the organization has sent scouts to Nashville to watch three games this week.

Something’s brewing for sure!

You can follow me on Twitter for updates on the Canadiens and the NHL in general.