Eastern Conference

(8) Ottawa Senators vs. (1) New York Rangers

Cohen– Rangers win in 7 . X-Factor –> Brandon Dubinsky

Muscat– Rangers win in 6. X-Factor –> Ryan Callahan

Philp– Rangers win in 5 . X-Factor –> Henrik Lundqvist/Rangers’ Physicality

Woodward– Rangers win in 7. X-Factor –> Chris Phillips/Filip Kuba

(7) Washington Capitals vs. (2) Boston Bruins

Cohen– Bruins win in 6. X-Factor –> Nicklas Backstrom

Muscat– Bruins win in 4. X-Factor –> Brad Marchand

Philp– Capitals win in 7. X-Factor –> Alexander Ovechkin

Woodward– Bruins win in 6. X-Factor –> Boston’s Power-Play

(6) New Jersey Devils vs. (3) Florida Panthers

Cohen– Devils win in 6. X-Factor –> David Clarkson

Muscat– Devils win in 5. X-Factor –> David Clarkson

Philp– Devils win in 6. X-Factor –> A Healthy Martin Brodeur

Woodward– Devils win in 6. X-Factor –> Florida’s Secondary Scoring

(5) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (4) Pittsburgh Penguins

Cohen–  Penguins win in 7. X-Factor –> Ilya Bryzgalov

Muscat– Penguins win in 6. X-Factor –> Marc-Andre Fleury

Philp– Penguins win in 5. X-Factor –> Pittsburgh’s Depth/Matt Cooke

Woodward– Flyers win in 7. X-Factor –> Ilya Bryzgalov

Western Conference

(8) Los Angeles Kings vs. (1) Vancouver Canucks

Cohen–  Canucks win in 6. X-Factor –> Jonathan Quick

Muscat– Kings win in 7. X-Factor –> Jonathan Quick

Philp– Kings win in 7. X-Factor –> Jonathan Quick

Woodward– Kings win in 7. X-Factor –> Jonathan Quick

(7) San Jose Sharks vs. (2) St. Louis Blues

Cohen– Blues win in 6. X-Factor –> Andy McDonald

Muscat– Blues win in 5. X-Factor –> Alex Pietrangelo

Philp– Sharks win in 6. X-Factor –> Joe Thornton Exorcising Playoff Demons

Woodward– Blues win in 5. X-Factor –> Antti Niemi

(6) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (3) Phoenix Coyotes

Cohen– Blackhawks win in 6. X-Factor –> Keith Yandle

Muscat– Coyotes win in 6. X-Factor –> Mike Smith

Philp– Coyotes win in 6. X-Factor –> Mike Smith/Phoenix Defense

Woodward– Coyotes win in 7. X-Factor –> Corey Crawford

(5) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) Nashville Predators

Cohen– Predators win in 6. X-Factor –> Alexander Radulov

Muscat– Red Wings win in 7. X-Factor –> Pavel Datsyuk

Philp– Red Wings win in 6. X-Factor –> Detroit’s Special Teams

Woodward– Predators win in 7. X-Factor –> Detroit’s Second Line

Stanley Cup Finals

Cohen– Penguins Over Predators

Muscat– Red Wings Over Penguins

Philp– Red Wings Over Penguins

Woodward– Rangers Over Predators

Things got off to a slow start for the Black and Gold, who looked an awful lot like a team that had just endured a grueling cross-country flight. After a brutal bluline turnover by Milan Lucic and a few more defensive zone mistakes than bench boss Claude Julien would have liked,  the B’s found themselves down 1-0, just inside the four minute mark of the opening frame. It would be the American-born Joe Pavelski who would put San Jose ahead early after finding himself uncovered in front of the Bruins’ net thanks to some slick puck work from Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton.

It wasn’t until the 2:17 mark of the third period that the Sharks would double their lead when former University of New Hampshire standout Daniel Winnik would fire an off-angle shot over the glove of Tim Thomas and into the back of the Boston net.

Late in the final frame, the B’s would get one back when a fluky bounce went their way as captain Zdeno Chara bounced a bad-angle wrister off the pads of Niemi and into the San Jose goal.

Unfortunately for the hoards of Bostonians that burnt the midnight oil in watching Thursday’s game telecast, the B’s simply couldn’t solve Niemi for a second time as they fell 2-1 to a desperate San Jose squad.

Registering a season-low 17 shots on goal, the Bruins clearly looked like a tired team on Thursday. After a long travel day on Wednesday, the B’s simply couldn’t muster the energy or intensity necessary to outlast a team currently engaged in a heated battle. Speaking from experience, it is indeed awfully tough to recover from the six/seven hour flight from Boston to California. Couple that with the three hour time change and it makes for an unfavorable scenario for anyone, especially hockey players competing against a team that’s been comfortably at home since March 14. Look for a much stronger effort from the Black and Gold on Saturday in Los Angeles, after they’ve had a solid seventy-two hours to adjust to life in the Golden State. Also, one would expect that Marty Turco could get the start at the Staples Center against an offensively challenged Kings squad.

Ben’s Three Stars:

1) Antti Niemi (16 Saves)

2) Joe Pavelski (1 Goal/Plus-2 Rating)

3) Brian Rolston (1 Assist/Plus-1 Rating)

What’s Next?

– The Black and Gold will now trek south through the state of California for a Saturday showdown at the Staples Center with the Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks will continue their home-stand with a match-up against the Coyotes on Saturday.

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Records: Boston 42-27-3 (87 Points) , San Jose 36-27-10 (82 Points)

Location: HP Pavilion, San Jose, California

Time: 10:30 P.M. (EST)

TV/Radio Info: NESN (Edwards, Brickley, Funayama) – 98.5 The Sports Hub (Goucher, Beers)

Last Game: Toronto Maple Leafs 0 , Bruins 8 ……. Sharks 2 , Los Angeles Kings 5

Tonight’s Lineup (Subject To Change):

FORWARDS:

Lucic–Krejci–Caron

Marchand–Bergeron–Seguin

Rolston–Kelly–Pouliot

Paille–Campbell–Thornton

DEFENSE:

Chara–Boychuk

Seidenberg–Ference

McQuaid–Zanon

GOALTENDER:

Thomas

Turco

Scratches– …… Mike Mottau, Trent Whitfield, Joe Corvo

Injuries:

Nathan Horton (Concussion) – Boston’s top right winger remains sidelined with a concussion he suffered back on January 21.

Rich Peverley (MCL) – Peverley has begun skating and has joined the team on their West Coast road trip, but has not yet been cleared for contact.

Tuukka Rask (Groin) — The B’s back-up ‘tender is slated to be out of commission until mid-April with a lower abdomen/groin strain.

Last Time We Met:  Sharks 4 , Bruins 2

– Despite overcoming a 2-0 hole in the final period, the B’s were defeated by the Sharks back in October by a 4-2 score at the TD Garden. Essex, MA native Benn Ferriero would account for the game winning goal at the mid-way point of the third when he pushed home a rebound for his first tally of the season.

Prediction: The Sharks are a team with a tremendous amount of talent, up and down the lineup. In fact, you could make a case for them having the greatest “on-paper” roster in the Western Conference. However, talent doesn’t always translate into winning. As of late, it seems that the Sharks have been playing with an almost nonchalant attitude, something that should be the farthest thing from the mind of a team engaged in a heated battle for a playoff spot.  If you’ve seen any recent San Jose games, you’d know exactly what I’m talking about. Look for the B’s to come out with a relatively easy win to kick off their three-game Western road swing.

Bruins 4 , Sharks 2

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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! 

I’ll use the top seven defensemen of each team as a reference and will take the financial numbers from CapGeek.com. Players that are injured are included in the calculation.

1. Philadelphia Flyers – $24,33 millions 25 games 15 wins 7 losses 3 OTL 33 points (5th EC)
Kimmo Timonen – $6,333,333
Chris Pronger – $4,921,429
Andrej Meszaros – $4,000,000
Matt Carle – $3,437,500
Braydon Coburn – $3,200,000
Matt Walker – $1,700,000
Andreas Lilja – $737,500

2. Los Angeles Kings – $22.56 millions 26 games 13 wins 9 losses 4 OTL 30 points (7th WC)
Drew Doughty – $7,000,000
Jack Johnson – $4,357,143
Willie Mitchell – $3,500,000
Rob Scuderi – $3,400,000
Matt Greene – $2,950,000
Alec Martinez – $737,500
Davis Drewiske – $616,667

3. Winnipeg Jets – $22.30 millions 26 games 11 wins 11 losses 4 OTL 26 points (11th EC)
Dustin Byfuglien – $5,200,000
Ron Hainsey – $4,500,000
Tobias Enstrom – $3,750,000
Johnny Oduya – $3,500,000
Zach Bogosian – $2,500,000
Mark Stuart – $1,700,000
Randy Jones – $1,150,000

4. Toronto Maple Leafs – $22.04 millions 26 games 14 wins 10 losses 2 OTL 30 points (6th EC)
Dion Phaneuf – $6,500,000
Mike Komisarek – $4,500,000
John-Michael Liles – $4,200,000
Luke Scheen – $3,600,000
Carl Gunnarsson – $1,325,000
Jake Gardiner – $1,116,667
Cody Franson – $800,000

5. Phoenix Coyotes – $21.48 millions 25 games 13 wins 9 losses 3 OTL 29 points (9th WC)
Keith Yandle – $5,250,000
Michal Rozsival – $5,000,000
Rotislav Klesla – $2,975,000
Derek Morris – $2,750,000
Adrian Aucoin – $2,000,000
Kurt Sauer – $1,750,000
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – $1,750,000

6. Detroit Red Wings – $20.96 millions 25 games 16 wins 8 losses 1 OTL 33 points (4th WC)
Nicklas Lidstrom – $6,200,000
Brad Stuart – $3,750,000
Jonathan Ericsson – $3,250,000
Niklas Kronwall – $3,000,000
Ian White – $2,875,000
Mike Commodore – $1,000,000
Jakub Kindl – $883,333

7. Vancouver Canucks – $20.53 millions 26 games 15 wins 10 losses 1 OTL 31 points (5th WC)
Kevin Bieksa – $4,600,000
Dan Hamhuis – $4,500,000
Keith Ballard – $4,200,000
Alexander Edler – $3,250,000
Sami Salo – $2,000,000
Andrew Alberts – $1,225,000
Aaron Rome – $750,000

8. Chicago Blackhawks – $20.31 millions 27 games 16 wins 8 losses 3 OTL 35 points (2nd WC)
Brent Seabrook – $5,800,000
Duncan Keith – $5,538,462
Niklas Hjalmarsson – $3,500,000
Steve Montador – $2,750,000
Nick Leddy – $1,116,666
Sean O’Donnell – $850,000
Sami Lepisto – $750,000

9. Calgary Flames – $19.75 millions 26 games 11 wins 13 losses 2 OTL 24 points (13th WC)
Jay Bouwmeester – $6,680,000
Mark Giordano – $4,020,000
Cory Sarich – $3,600,000
Anton Babchuk – $2,500,000
Chris Butler – $1,250,000
Scott Hannan – $1,000,000
Derek Smith – $700,000

10. Washington Capitals – $19.07 millions 25 games 13 wins 11 losses 1 OTL 27 points (8th EC)
Mike Green – $5,250,000
Dennis Wideman – $3,935,500
Roman Hamrlik – $3,500,000
Jeff Schultz – $2,750,000
John Erskine – $1,500,000
Karl Alzner – $1,285,000
John Carlson – $845,833

10. San Jose Sharks – $19.07 millions 23 games 14 wins 8 losses 1 OTL 29 points (8th WC)
Dan Boyle – $6,666,667
Brent Burns – $3,550,000
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – $3,100,000
Douglas Murray – $2,500,000
Jason Demers – $1,250,000
Jim Vandermeer – $1,000,000
Colin White – $1,000,000

In comparison, the league-leading Minnesota Wild with 37 points, are spending only $12.36 millions on their defensive brigade.

As you can see, there is no guaranteed success if you spend a lot of money on your defensive brigade, as only the Chicago Blackhawks are leading their division amongst the teams that spend the most money on their blue line.

2010-11 rankings
1. Philadelphia Flyers – $24,89M
2. Toronto Maple Leafs – $24.28M
3. Vancouver Canucks – $23.35M
4. Detroit Red Wings – $21.83M
5. Calgary Flames – $21.59M
6. Chicago Blackhawks – $21.29M
7. Atlanta Thrashers (Winnipeg Jets) – $21.06M
8. Montreal Canadiens – $20.25M
9. Pittsburgh Penguins – $19.11M
10. Boston Bruins – $18.58M

———-
Fred is a freelance sports write and translator, as well as a featured Montreal Canadiens blogger on http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/ and a baseball columnist on http://www.dobberbaseball.com/. Fred also joined HabsAddict.com in time for the 2011-12 season.

Follow Fred on Facebook and Twitter

Despite what Gorges says, the surgery was the best thing that could happen to him and the Canadiens, as Gorges has been far more efficient this season for the Canadiens on a depleted defensive corps that saw four of his key veterans miss some time with injuries (Andrei Markov (knee), Jaroslav Spacek (upper-body), Chris Campoli (hamstring) and Hal Gill (infection)). Currently paired with offensive-minded defenseman P.K. Subban, Gorges has been the calming veteran presence that Jacques Martin needs to keep his team afloat.

The Canadiens are currently using four rookies on their blue line, winning two of their last three games (two shutouts) with Frederic St-Denis (3), Yannick Weber (69), Raphael Diaz (20) and Alexei Emelin (12) combining for only 104 games in the NHL. That’s not a small feat, especially against the red-hot New York Rangers on Saturday.

With a 9-8-3 record for 21 points after 20 games, they are only one point back from the eight seed occupied by the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference, and Josh Gorges has been a key cog to the Habs 6-3-1 record in the last ten games.

Through 20 games, Gorges leads the Canadiens defensemen with one goal (a game-winner in Phoenix) and seven assists for eight points. The 27-old defenseman is on pace for a career-high of 33 points, ten more than his previous record (23 points in 2008-09). Gorges is also ranked 12th in the NHL with an impressive +10 +/- differential. The second best Habs player is Travis Moen at +6. The Kelowna, B.C., native also has 24 hits and seven takeaways this season. But the most important and impressive for Gorges is that he is currently second in the whole league with 52 blocked shots, seven behind the NHL leader Ladislav Smid of the Edmonton Oilers.

Gorges is averaging 21:42 minutes of play per game this season, which is second on the team only behind P.K. Subban’s 23:47 time on the ice per game, and despite playing far less than some defensemen, Gorges is averaging 30.6 shifts per game for the Canadiens, which is good for eight in the NHL. Gorges is also ranked 13th among rearguards with 3:48 time on ice per game on the penalty kill which is eight seconds more per game than penalty-killing specialist Hal Gill. All of Gorges’ points have come at even strength as he’s barely used on the power play averaging a mere seven seconds of PP time per game!

Acquired from the San Jose Sharks along with a first round pick (Max Pacioretty) in exchange for veteran Craig Rivet, Gorges has turned into one of the most undervalued and underrated blueliner in the league thanks to a great work ethics and serious off-season training. When he arrived in Montreal, Gorges was often a healthy scratch and played only sporadically when dressed. Now, Gorges has been given the task of shutting down the top players in the league on a nightly basis with great success.

The problem is that this situation might turn out to be a major problem for GM Pierre Gauthier, as he has painted himself into a corner by giving him a one-year deal, preferring to brittle veteran Andrei Markov to an expensive three-year contract. One has to wonder if Gauthier will have enough money to retain Gorges’ services since he needs to re-sign RFAs P.K. Subban and Carey Price who will both hit the jackpot signing long-term contracts. Now, the Canadiens’ general manager needs to “think outside the box” and start negotiating with this important man right now. Every game he plays, every solid mistake free shift he takes, he gets a little more expensive. And with both veterans Hal Gill and Jaroslav Spacek slated to become unrestricted free agents at season’s end, Gorges’ experience and leadership will be even more so important for the Bleu Blanc Rouge’s long-term plans.

—————————————
Fred is a freelance sports write and translator, as well as a featured Montreal Canadiens blogger on http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/ and a baseball columnist on http://www.dobberbaseball.com/. Fred also joined HabsAddict.com in time for the 2011-12 season.

Follow Fred on Facebook and Twitter

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

Saturday night the Bruins were re-taught an an old lesson and cliche; that a team cannot succeed in the NHL, without a full 60-minute effort. In Saturday evening’s game the B’s did not play to their full potential for an entire game. It wasn’t until after 40 minutes of lack-luster, un-inspiring play, that saw them put themselves in a 2-0 hole to last year’s Pacific division champions, that the Black&Gold would return to form.It was Milan Lucic & Tyler Seguin who would both notch 3rd period goals –a mere 0:29 seconds apart– to tie the game at 2, early in the final frame. Despite relentless pressure from the Boston offense, out-shooting San Jose 16-9 during the final 20, it was Essex, MA native Benn Ferriero who would put the Sharks ahead for good, when he potted his first of the year at the 8:48 mark of the period. It was with only 5 seconds on the clock that Patrick Marleau would seal the Sharks’ victory with an empty-net goal.

For Boston, consistency has been one of the biggest issues they have faced this year. For the 2nd time in a row, the B’s have dropped a game at home immediately following a meaningful victory. Bruins’ coaches & players are aware of these inconsistencies and realize they must bounce back and find a way in which to fix it:

“It does get frustrating but we did do a lot of good things tonight. But the fact of the matter is that we lost and we have to make sure to find out what happened and come back and get the next win.” – Johnny Boychuk

“Of course it’s frustrating. The big thing we are talking about right now is just consistency, that’s a big word in here. And having a big game against the Leafs that we just did and then coming out tonight and losing in our own barn, it’s a tough one to swallow, like I said. And we have to improve from it and learn.” – Tyler Seguin

“Yeah I don’t know to evaluate yet. We want to get into a rhythm and kind of like we did last year win two or three, lose one. You don’t ever want to lose but you know what I mean? But we haven’t been throwing the wins back to back so far this year.” – Tim Thomas

“Consistency is a mental challenge. You come to the rink and you’re ready to do the right things all the time, and when there’s a mental lapse, that’s what creates mistakes. Right now, there’s probably a little bit too much of that. The opportunities we’ve given in the slot area are the result of guys not coming back and being in the right position. That’s not about them not knowing; it’s about them not executing. We’ve got to get a little sharper, and that’s the biggest challenge right now in building that consistency.” – Claude Julien

Despite Boston’s poor performance through the first 40 minutes, the 3rd period efforts from the Tyler Seguin–Chris Kelly–Milan Lucic line are a solid silver-lining for Saturday’s game. Led by the game’s 1st star, Milan Lucic, Boston’s 2nd line manufactured both of Boston’s goals. Lucic finished the night with a  goal and an assist, while Kelly added two assists and Seguin cashed in his 3rd goal of the season. Since being assembled, the B’s new second line has contributed a total of 5 goals and 8 assists for 13 points in only 2 games together. All three members of Boston’s unlikely trio shared their thoughts on their success together, when asked after Saturday’s game.

“It’s no secret, Segs (Tyler Seguin) has got some pretty good speed. And it’s just trying to keep up with him has pushed me harder to get my feet moving, and it’s great that we’ve been able to create that chemistry, the three of us, even Kels (Chris Kelly) the last two games.” – Milan Lucic

“Well with Looch (Milan Lucic), he makes it so much easier for you out there, he’s such a big body and he goes in the corner and wins battles. And for a guy like that size to have as much skill as he does it’s hard to find it out there. He does a great job. Kels (Chris Kelly) is probably one of the best positional forwards I’ve played with. So our line seems to be clicking and hopefully it stays that way.” – Tyler Seguin

“Yeah. Those two are really good hockey players and they both skate well and get up and down the ice and can shoot the puck. I thought we did a good job getting in on the forecheck tonight and taking the easy break-out pass for the defenseman.” – Chris Kelly

For Boston, it’s all about re-establishing their game, and the consistency that they enjoyed throughout last season. Overall, the game was not the team’s worst performance of the season, however by far not their best. The opportunities to score were there throughout the night, it was just the ability to finish that alluded the Black & Gold on Saturday night. If they are able to bounce back and use their 3rd period efforts as a building block, they will be fine moving forward. Four consecutive days off should give the B’s some time to rest and recharge their batteries, prior to an all-important home and home set with the hated Montreal Canadiens.

KEY STATS

Goals–                  SJS (4)         BOS (2)

Shots–                  SJS (30)      BOS (39)

Power-Play–     SJS (0-1)     BOS (0-2)

Penalty-Kill–     SJS (2-2)     BOS (1-1)

Three Stars--…..3.) Antti Niemi …..2.) Logan Couture …..1.) Milan Lucic

What’s Next?
The Bruins now have the luxury of a few days off, as they prepare for a home&home series with the rival Montreal Canadiens. Off til Thursday, when the Habs visit TD Garden, Boston will prepare for a struggling Montreal squad. The Canadiens are currently 2-4-1, with only 5 points in 9 games. Montreal has 2 games on the docket, prior to visiting Boston, as they host Florida and Philadelphia on Monday & Wednesday respectively. For San Jose, the road trip continues, as they head to Nashville for a show-down with the Preds on Tuesday evening.

Thanks For Reading!

Be Sure To Follow Me On Twitter: @BWoodward_HI and “LIKE” the HockeyIndependent Facebook Page!

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/woodwardb/38002/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/woodwardb/38002/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:38:28 +0000 Benjamin Woodward http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=38002  

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.

Considering how the last series went against a team from southern California, there should be no lack of flare and maybe this brings the rivalry between the teams to the next level as it did with the Sharks and Ducks two years ago. There’s a rivalry between the teams but it never seemed to hit its stride because both teams have rarely been good at the same time.

There was no “easy” match-ups in the Western Conference and though people will point to the Kings missing leading scorer Anze Kopitar this will be far from a cake-walk for the Sharks. If you look at the way the Kings are built, they may be one of the teams that are well-suited for taking on this kind of disadvantage.

Jonathan Quick has had a terrific season in net and the defense in front of him from top to bottom is one of the best in the entire league. As valuable as Kopitar is to the Kings, would it have the same impact as the Sharks losing someone like Joe Thornton or Patrick Marleau for a series? Probably not.

The Kings play lock-down defense so they’re somewhat prepared to compensate for losing a leading scorer and if anything it may make their defense stingier because they know what they do well and they’ll focus on it even more now.

Here’s a look at some interesting things to keep an eye on:

Antti Niemi vs. Jonathan Quick: The goal-tending battles have been cause of the Sharks demise many years running. Many people believe that Evgeni Nabokov got the Sharks as far as they were going to go with him in net because he was consistently outplayed in series by the opponents goaltenders even if the Sharks won the series (eg. Craig Anderson with Colorado last season). Both goalies had awesome regular seasons but Niemi has the long playoff run experience, it will be interesting to see if he has the capability to take this team where he took Chicago last season.

Secondary scoring: The Kings will rely on depth scoring with Kopitar out and Justin Williams getting his first action just off an injury. There’s plenty of guys on the team who can score, its just a matter of who will. The verdict is still out on how whether this group of defensemen is good enough to win a cup. There is depth, Kent Huskins is injured, but the defense still goes a good seven deep with Dan Boyle, Douglas Murray, Jason Demers, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Ian White, Niclas Wallin and Justin Braun although Braun and White have never played in the playoffs.

The more intriguing situation is the Sharks forwards vs. the Kings defense. In the past they have been one-line ponies. Stop one line, stop the Sharks offense. This season the stars are spread out and the Sharks have three lines that can score and over the last month, the Sharks supposed “third line” of Joe Pavelski, Torrey Mitchell and Kyle Wellwood has been its best. But last season the Sharks ran into arguably the best assembled group of defensemen in the playoffs for the Blackhawks. The Kings’ Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Rob Scuderi, Willie Mitchell, Matt Greene and Alec Martinez provide just about everything you’d want from a group of six on the back end.

Adversity theory: The Sharks are perennial playoff contenders and Stanley Cup favorites. They always disappoint after stellar regular seasons. This year didn’t get off to the same start but who’s to say that’s a bad thing. They had to fight in a semi-desperation mode ever since the end of January and maybe that’s a good thing. There’s no lulling into the playoffs this year and no easy tests along the way being in a division that could have had all five teams make the playoffs. Despite finishing second in the conference they still flew somewhat under-the-radar thanks to the dominance of the Vancouver Canucks.

The Sharks once again have the opportunity to prove the doubters wrong. It’ll always be about the playoffs for this team regardless of how the regular season goes. To get where they want they have to go through at least one cross-state rival and then we’ll see where that leaves the team. Here’s to a great all-California series!

Extras

Nice to see all three teams from California make the playoffs as well. It’s another step in building up the sport in a state where it still isn’t necessarily recognized as much. Maybe seeing one of these teams succeed helps make hockey an option for kids growing up in the state.

All three teams have great teams and organizations and are set up to be good for the foreseeable future based on the young talent on each team. The Sharks have become models of consistency in the regular season, the Kings are past the up-and-coming label and belong in the playoffs and the Ducks have been to a pair of Stanley Cups – winning one – in the last decade.

The accomplish itself is nothing new for the organization in recent years, but this years ascent to the top of the division wasn’t as typical as years past, making it a more significant accomplishment.

In January the Sharks were in last place in the division and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. That’s unfamiliar territory at any point during the regular season for this team.

Since that time they’ve reeled off 26 wins in 34 games to climb atop the division. Whatever it was that changed, the acquisitions of Kyle Wellwood, Ben Eager and Ian White, the play of the underachieving players, or a more committed approach to playing within their system, something clicked for the team after that six-game losing streak in January.

In addition to the unfamiliar disappointment early in the season, there was an increased amount of parody within the division and the Western Conference as a whole.

The quality of teams in the division from top-to-bottom is arguably the best in the NHL. It is likely that four out of the five teams will make the playoffs and there’s still a chance that the final team, the Dallas Stars, will also sneak in. Coincidentally the team that was leading the division when the Sharks started their run back in late January was the very same Stars.

Every team seems to dominate one other division opponent, get dominated by another and play evenly with the rest.

Three of the four teams (San Jose, Phoenix, Los Angeles) currently in playoff slots have ridden great goal-tending to success this season and Anaheim could easily join that lot if Jonas Hiller returns to the form he displayed before his injury this season.

San Jose may very well meet a division rival in a playoff match-up, something that didn’t fair well for them the last time. But this team seems different, a different feel, a different team and possibly different success?

As it stands the Sharks are in the midst of an interesting situation for the Pacific Division race. All five teams in the division have the possibility of making the playoffs and still have shots at winning the division which the Sharks currently lead.

This jockeying for seeding will play a big role in who ends up with so-called “favorable” match-ups in the first round of the playoffs though looking at the caliber of teams going in, it doesn’t seem like there will be an easy draws for any team.

Finishing with the second or third seed for winning the division may be great in terms of home-ice advantage, but it also means the possibility of playing a team like the defending cup champion Blackhawks in the first round. Considering the battles that the Blackhawks have had with the Red Wings over the years and the fact they’ve eliminated Vancouver two years in a row could do wonders for the Sharks if one of those situations ends up playing out in the first round of the playoffs.

All season long the players and coaches have pointed to the fact that this team has faced more “adversity” than past teams. The Pacific Division is arguably the most balanced from top-to-bottom, meaning the points are tougher to come by and the teams are more tested on a consistent basis. They’ve barked up this tree before but there is a different feel to this team.

Despite the success they’ve had in the second half of the season, looking at the numbers almost makes you wonder how they got to this point. A team consistently in the top 10 penalty kill units for the last five years or so is all of a sudden stuck in 23rd at a measly 79.9 percent and sinking.

Outside of rookie Logan Couture’s breakout season and Ryane Clowe’s career-year, no one else on the Sharks is really on pace to do what is typical for them. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are the team points leaders with 64 points, which puts them on pace to finish around 69 for the season. Perennially-noted goal-scorer Dany Heatley is on pace for 26 goals. Jason Demers and Ian White follow Dan Boyle’s 44 points from the blue-line with 23 points each.

Antti Niemi has been as good as any goalie in the NHL over the past few months but that’s not something that has changed from Evgeni Nabokov’s usually great regular-season stats.

Ultimately the same old message will come with the teams regular season: Who cares? Those numbers, the early season struggles, and the tough division play all go out the window in the playoffs as they do with every other team. It’s a new season, it’s a start from scratch for many players and that’s where the Sharks need to prove they’ve changed otherwise all of the anomalies from this year will be forgotten like the accolades of recent Sharks teams.

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.

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.

On January 20, 1990 the Kings traded away one of their most popular players, Bernie Nicholls, to the New York Rangers. In return they received Tomas Sandstrom and Tony Granato.

Even though it hurt to lose Nicholls, it might have been one of the best trades the organization made during that era. In return they received a double dose of grit and skill that helped fuel the offense for many seasons ahead.

Upon retiring, Granato moved behind the bench. After first spending time with the Colorado Avalance, he’s now an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins – who are led by Dan Bylsma, another former LA forward.

Still, Granato’s ties to the Kings aren’t exclusive to those early ’90s teams. He was also recruited by then-GM Dean Lombardi to play for the San Jose Sharks following the ’95-96 season.

And that seemed like a good place to start in the first of a multi-part interview with Granato that will be published throughout the day…

MM: What were your impressions of Dean Lombardi when you signed with the Sharks in the summer of ’96?

TG: I remember going into that period – coming off the injury where I wasn’t sure if I was going to get clearance to play again – the thing I talked to my family and friends about was wanting to go a place where I had a chance to win. And the last place in the world at that time I thought I would go to would be San Jose. If I had to guess, I think they were last in the league the year before. I don’t know for sure, but I know I said ‘There’s no way I’m going to go to San Jose.’ I had known Dean through the hockey world for a few years and he said ‘Just come out and see what we have to offer here. Let me show you around town and let me show you where we’re trying to go as an organization.’

I hemmed and hawed, I didn’t want to go there. I had three teams in my mind where I thought I’d like to play and like to maybe finish my career. I was talked into it by Dean to come out there and when I got there he laid out his game plan of what he was trying to do and where he was going. He wanted me to be part of it. He really showed me that he had a lot of confidence in me and the role he was going to put me in. But, he also showed me the direction he thought the team could go to in a few years.

So, that was a new challenge. I was going to a team where I would be a player that was supposed to provide some leadership and go through some growing pains with some young players, while we implemented some new stuff in the organization. I accepted that challenge and it was great. He lived up to what he said he would do, as far as how he would build that team. He built it into, all those plans and pieces that he put in place way back then is what San Jose has lived off of since those days. That’s why they’ve gotten pretty close to the top of the league – as far as being a consistent winner. It’s because of the plan he put in place back then. So, I do believe he’s done most of those things in LA and they’re close to being an organization that will be fundamentally sound for a long time.

MM: When you were part of the Kings they were often joked about being the Oilers-South. Did you ever sort of feel like some of those Sharks teams were the Kings-North (they featured Granato, McSorley, Hrudey, Nicholls…even Barry Potompski at one one point)?

TG:  There were quite a few guys that went from the Kings up to San Jose. It’s always fun going through new experiences and having old teammates that you respect join you in a new environment like that. Most of us were brought in there for leadership roles – not that we were past our prime. But, we were brought in there for different reasons than just necessarily what we brought to the organization on the ice. I think that was an impact that Dean on, trying to change the culture there and the environment. Like I said, I think he did a great job in doing that.

MM: After your first season in San Jose you were awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy (given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey) after coming back from a serious brain injury. Although unrelated, that’s still quite an honor for a guy who just a few years earlier was perhaps public enemy number one when you received the 15-game suspension for injuring another player. [note: in February 1994 Granato received one of the longest suspensions in NHL history for slashing Chicago's Neil Wilkinson in the head]

TG:  The suspension and the way I played, whether you call it grit or being dirty or somewhat borderline, whatever – I had to play with that edge and I made a mistake. I was suspended for the incident and I do regret it. But, I don’t go back and try to change what had happened or how I played or how I looked at it. I made a mistake and I paid the consequence for it. I hurt my team by missing the 15 games at that time. The things that happened two years later, they’re totally unrelated. What you want to remember when you’re done playing is hopefully that you left it all on the ice and you that you played as hard as you could for as long as you could. Sometimes, things don’t go the way you planned or you make mistakes. That incident was a mistake. You just live with it and move on and look forward to hopefully having better days in front of you.

MM: For teams in opposite conferences, the Kings and Penguins seem to be developing a nice little rivalry the last few seasons. At a high level, how do you see things?

TG: They’re both young, skilled, talented teams. You look at the young, skilled players they have on their side and you look at our guys – it’s going to make for an exciting game. Whether it be in February or an exhibition game, in LA or in Pittsburgh, when you get that much talent on the ice at the same time you can expect to see some pretty exciting hockey. So, that’s what I expect we’ll see and the fans should enjoy it.

MM: Like this season, the two teams met only met once last year.  Looking back on that game were there any specific players out of LA’s ‘young, skilled’ group that impressed you most?

TG: I like their team a lot. Doughty for sure, he’s the guy that’s made the biggest impact in the shortest period of time. You have Kopitar and Brown and all the other talent around them. I really believe that team is not far away from being a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup. Are they like Chicago was, maybe two or three years ago? I think they are. So, potentially, if they can add the right pieces, if they can develop in the way they potentially could, they could be a team in the West that has similar results to what Chicago had.

More with Granato has been published on www.MayorsManor.com - including an ALL NEW PODCAST, featuring his thoughts on the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, should the Colorado Avalanche have hired him, what it takes to be an NHL head coach, playing in New York, being traded…plus, yes – a MayorsManor favorite – we’ll play word association using many of his former teammates.  Click here to take a listen.

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About a month ago I posted a Q&A Panel with several bloggers covering various Western Conference teams providing their take on the 15 team bloodbath that the West has become. Susan Crosby was to be a part of said panel, but her answers went above and beyond the call of duty. So instead of drastically increasing the length of the first blog, she earned her own. Below are her responses to the questions the panel answered. Edited for time appropriate responses.

For those who don’t know Susan, her unique flavor of hockey analysis can be found all over Twitter. Either on @kittypets or @ThrowThePuck. She is also the lead writer for BleedinBlue.com. Her coverage and passion goes beyond the Blues, but to the LA Kings as well. She contributes her LA POV on RinkRoyalty.com.

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Are the Red Wings back as an elite force in the conference after a slight let down in 2009-10? Why or Why not?

I know I sound like a broken record but this question never ceases to amaze me. When did the Red Wings go anywhere. They had a very injury plagued season with major parts of the year being missed by Homstrom, Filppula, Rafalski, Cleary, Helm, Kronwall, Franzen, Williams and Maltby. Yet, as always their farm system and the best run organization in hockey filled in the gaps with players like Justin Abdelkader (who is now a force and a mainstay on the team) to finish with 102 points. Only 7 points behind the Coyotes, and one point behind the Canucks, who finished in third place.

They came second in their division to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions by 10 points, but only lost two more games than the Hawks. It was almost doubling them up on OT games that caused the point spread. They still were able to come back in the playoffs and get past the Phoenix Coyotes who were riding both an emotional high and electric atmosphere (not to mention being up in the series) and then only lost to the best team in the league, the San Jose Sharks. A Sharks team, mind you that were battling their own demons AND were now coached by someone extremely familiar to the Red Wings organization: former Assistant Coach (and power play guru) Todd McLellan.

So, I ask again. Where did the Red Wings go for them to come back? And yes, they are an elite force. Even with Datsyuk and Dan Cleary now out for a bit of time, the NHL will watch them fill the void and continue ticking. Not that it won’t hurt. When I originally started this answer, it was just Datsyuk and that was one hole. Cleary has become almost as, if not just as invaluable as Datsyuk. Losing both, simultaneously is going to make things tough.

Despite these key losses, they will, with just a couple hiccups here and there keep moving it on along like they always do. It is just what the Red Wings do. When you are waving players like Kopecky, you are just too stocked. It just isn’t fair. The Red Wings already sit atop the Western Conference by three points and they have the Blues and Blackhaws by 9, in their division.

Are the Dallas Stars the biggest surprise or biggest overachiever in the conference?

Not to ride the fence, but a little of both. I think their forwards are underrated but their defense will hold them back come the playoffs. It won’t stick out as much during the regular season. The joke I made the other night, when someone in the media asked: When do we take Dallas seriously? I said I believed that Toronto and Dallas were the last two undefeated teams in the NHL; who is waffling now? Heh.

It is becoming almost comical how no one wants to take them seriously but every team (real or fantasy) wants to make some insane trade for one of their players. Right now? Brad Richards and Jamie Benn. Why? Not just their production but their character and grit (and mind you Benn is sitting at the ripe old age of 21. Richards is just in his prime at 30).

Not even half way through the season Richards has 40 points. This includes 5 goals on the power play. Benn on the other hand, is your all too rare (now a-days) power forward but still has 20 points on the year to go nicely with his 30 penalty minutes. Two of his goals have come on the power play which shows faith from the coaching staff on his two way play. He may be a bruiser but besides some mistakes from his young age, he’s not irresponsible in his physical play.

Overall, the team has 4 players on the 30 point mark (2 at 29 points- but I’m taking rights to include them in) which gives them a balanced attack.

Defense? In 38 games they have given up 1198 goals, which lands them at 27th in the league and averages out to 31 shots against per game). However, their saving grace is Kari Lehtonen, who has played in 28 of those games and is sitting 11th in the league with 15 wins, 2.6 goals against and has a .915 save%. Can Lehtonen keep this up through the playoffs? Stamina is a huge question throughout the Western Conference. Dallas is not immune.

Which team is the biggest underachiever?

Rough question. Can you underachieve in the West? It is a bloodbath and tighter then my budget.. HA! Division leaders aside, you have 6 points separating 12th place to 4th place and straight-up? Eight points separate 1-9.

However if I’m going to choose one and if I’m being honest, the LA Kings are not where they should or let’s say could be.

What you say? But they are in 4th place. Actually they could be anywhere from 4th to 10th place on any given day, and that is where their problem lies. The LA Kings, with an attitude adjustment could easily have 6 more points and still be sitting on top of the Western Conference as they were in November. However here is just one excuse you will here:

1) Alexei Ponikarovsky and Willie Mitchell were and are again out. It was devastating. <– Exhibit A of excuses given.

Really? Last time I checked Drew Doughty was the golden boy and when he had a concussion the Kings were on a tear of wins. So exactly how is this a good excuse for the slump the Kings went on. A slump that sent them from 1st place in the Western Conference, to at one point about 13th place? They had just now started to recover by tying together 4 games and some of the best performances this year, then they played Phoenix on the 30th. Ouch. The team didn’t show up to play the game. They showed up to watch it.

2) That horrible mental trap that so many sports teams fall into: Play up for the great teams and underestimate the “bad teams,” get lazy and lose.

Considering how much the Kings have been disrespected and how teams still underestimate them, this is one trap I would never expect them to fall into. But they have, and badly. The Kings are going to Overtime or straight out losing games they have no business losing. If you beat Edmonton straight out, beat the St. Louis Blues when you have a lead most of the game and actually make sure your defense shows up to games in Phoenix then you win the points that are must-wins. Take those points and combine them the games where every player looks like they finally took the reigns and played their individual best, leading to the team at its best and the league thinks, finally the Los Angeles Kings are turning the corner. But then games like Phoenix happen. Jack Johnson and Dustin Brown played like doppelgangers were sent in their place. In the last 12 games the LA Kings Captain had 19 points in 12 games. Then there is Jack Johnson who is one of the best, and most frustrating defenseman in the league. By means are they the only players on the team, not by a long shot, that runs like a deer caught in headlights at times, but it is a perfect example. Even superstar, Drew Doughty has had stretches of games with only a point, defensive break downs and just an overall lack of presence.

Your consistent players that the LA Kings better start building on? Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth. It’s not nearly enough. Last I checked Alexander Frolov was traded. While all teams hit bad times, this unexplainable lack of focus that comes and goes should be gone by now. The Kings have proven their ability to compete with the best in the conference. This was apparent after the last game against Detroit. The Kings shut them out on the road. However, without consistency, then you really can’t compete with the best. The best are consistent.

The top 8 in the East at times were dramatically outscoring the top 8 in the West. Is the style of game play out west more about defense and goaltending than before?

By default, I think it has had to become so. As a fan, the West has become nearly impossible (and a day-to-day nauseating experience) to keep up with when it comes to standings. One day a team is in 12th place and the next day it could be in 4th. When a conference is that tight, good teams are going to get left out of the playoffs. Points lost in January are going to come back and haunt you in April. Because of this, there has to be more attention paid to defense and keeping other teams off the board. There isn’t one team in the West that you can let-up against. Even the cellar dwellers are good enough to play spoiler and will come at teams hard. Having said that, at one point Calgary was in 14th place and only 7 points out of 8th place.

Additionally, the Western Conference is a far more physically demanding type of game. There is a combination of speed and physicality that you don’t see in the East but with certain teams. In the West, it is every team, every game. That kind of grind will tire teams out. The easiest way to buy yourself some breathing room is to play a defensively strong game and stick to a system that produces a productively sound Western Conference style, which should be fast, physical and defensively sound. Often teams finish top 4 in the West and get blown out of the playoffs. That is all about defense (most of the time).

Impressions of the kids out in Edmonton?

There is so much hype around these kids now that they don’t have any time to develop. Everyone wants instant impact and not every team is in a place where one or two players can make a huge difference. I think people were “disappointed” Taylor Hall didn’t walk into the NHL and dramatically throw Edmonton into a playoff caliber team. The same thing happened to Steve Stamkos. However, it is just that development comes in different stages and some players will be worth that #1 draft pick but you have to bring them up right and through the system. Not all first-round players are going to be those that change the position from the second they skate onto NHL ice.

Hall has been picking up more and more and everyone is acting like they’ve been holding their breath and praying to the Hockey Gods in Edmonton. As if his “silence” through December showed he was a bust of a first-round pick. It is his rookie year. You may not see his full potential until 3 years from now. Hopefully he’ll keep going at this pace and have an impact next season when other younger players start taking their next steps. However, all of the NHL need not have a panic attack because Hall isn’t producing on an 80 goal pace this season.

Which team in the league is the toughest to play when 100% healthy?

Detroit. See above. They are the most consistent team in the league and they aren’t healthy. They aren’t as banged up as other teams, but they have lost quite a bit in quality and quantity over last year and now this year. Still they keep going and pick up the points they need to stay on top of not just the Western Conference, but again-the league. The Red Wings are one point off the Penguins for the best record in the NHL (and again, the Penguins have two games in hand).

Put your biases down. The Red Wings are the best run organization in the NHL (and arguably sports) and it shows year after year. Players age out and they have young guys come in that are just as good as the ones before. And you think… but how and where do they come up with this. On top of that they have now, turned out what is, arguably, the next great General Manager in the NHL: Steve Yzerman (and I’m not even sure that can be objectively argued). He has resurrected the Tampa Bay Lightning and Steve Stamkos in less than a season.

When you are this good at developing both coaches (see San Jose), management (see Tampa Bay) and players (see… their whole roster for the past 10 years), you stay consistent. Players come to Detroit knowing what is expected of them. They understand and value the emblem that is worn and the history behind it. Injured, healthy or otherwise, the Red Wings were and still are the team to beat in the West, if not the NHL.

The top line in the conference is?

Dallas. As stated above… their forwards are their strong suit and the first line is where it starts. When mentioning trade bait I started with Richards and Benn, however it far from ends there. Richards’ line mates: Loui Eriksson and James Neal will make any General Manager and fan base drool. Not only are they individually talented, but they click together as a unit. Everyone knows Richards provides the playmaking ability when there is open ice created for him to do so. He is also the leader of this first line and has helped the wingers that join him grow dramatically. So let’s look at Neal and Eriksson.

Neal has a cannon of a shot and has grown into a well-rounded winger that sees the play develop rather than just the one-dimensional, throw the kitchen sink at the net till you score kind of player. Having said that, he has not lost the aggressive nature he always had and is able to protect the pucks, dig them out and get it to Richards often (helping to create the open ice that Richards flourishes in). Combine this with his increased awareness and involvement with the entire play and you see why his assists have come up quite a bit since the beginning of his career (this is his third season).

A week ago Eriksson scored the 100th goal of his career. To those that watch him consistently, this was not a shock. To those that don’t, you may not even know who he is. Sticking to the basics of the game is how Eriksson does his best work. He doesn’t get creative like the names everyone knows in the NHL but he is one of the more consistent players there is. Additionally, Eriksson is “steady as she goes” and brings a constant level of both intensity and effort to the ice every night. Lastly, the natural “can’t be taught” chemistry between Eriksson and Richards is just plain sick. The fact that Marc “if I put player A with Z on Monday, can A play with D on Tuesday” Crawford has stuck with this line outside one of two games, is a tribute to their production and ability.

As mentioned above as an overall team weakness; this line has to work on its defensive game. Catch them tired or frustrated and they’ll cough it up, fail to clear the zone at key times and take unecessary calls at bad times.

Which team currently on the playoff bubble has the best chance at making it back in?

I honestly don’t think any team other than Edmonton is currently out of it. And truthfully, I see this remaining a solid 12 team race throughout the year. I don’t believe it is necessarily a matter of what team but what circumstances cause teams to make it. Health and stamina are going to be two huge factors. This is going to be a dog fight, the wild-west come to life. A team that can’t stay healthy, focused and consistent won’t be able to sustain the efforts it is going to take every night to just get into the playoffs, let alone past the first round.

However having said that, the Columbus Blue Jackets are not staying down. They can be better than both Minnesota and Nashville. However, Minnesota has the distinct advantage of beating up on Calgary and Edmonton on a semi-regular basis. Do not be surprised if Columbus ruins someone spring plans and grabs the eighth spot. The Anaheim Ducks don’t have any real good reasons (unless circumstance comes into play) for them to not make the playoffs.

But then you have to think: who’s spot would Columbus or Anaheim take?

The Colorado Avalanche, in my opinion are way ahead of schedule in their development, and have a long run of success ahead of them. Right now, they are playing a bit over their heads. Anaheim can easily make a run that shoots the Avalanche from 5th place (or the 5th through 8th place tangled tie-up) and 43 points to being out of the playoffs.

Another team that could be thrown out by Columbus and/or Anaheim? If the St Louis Blues make it , they will become the NHL darlings of these playoffs and right now they are fighting with all they have. The problem with that, as endearing and respectable as it is, is that they’ve been doing it since Thanksgiving. If exhaustion (or heaven help the Arch, more injuries) set in then there is a big question mark. Can the Blues can maintain this ability to knock down the walls and leave it all on the ice every night with a completely depleted roster? That is a huge feat to ask any team, no matter the merits of the coaching, leadership or the player’s focus. If they don’t make it to the 8th spot, it isn’t for a lack of talent or trying but a freak set of those oh so tough circumstances that will keep deserving teams out of the playoffs in the west.

Throughout the season you hear about trap games, ones where a team might be caught sleeping. Is tonight one of those games, coming just before the All Star break that begins tomorrow?

The three Kings weigh in on the issue below and offered up some additional thoughts on the match-up at Staples Center.

But, first, coach Terry Murray‘s thoughts on the possible trap ahead…

Murray: Yeah, there’s guys looking, I’m sure. They’ve been looking ahead. They’ve already made plans and some guys are going to get out of town. But, it’s just part of the human nature. You just cannot let it get distracting for you. You have to plan, you have to live your life, you have a lot of things going on out there. That’s something you can’t stop. But, we all know (this is) the last game before the break and the importance of the game – to keep things rolling and do things right. It will be a fun challenge.

Doughty:  No. I don’t think so. Even though all the players are excited about the break, I think everybody is really focused on the game – especially us. We’ve been losing way too much lately, obviously. Tomorrow’s game is critical for us. We’re definitely going to come out hard and play as hard as we can.

Kopitar: Right now we’re in a position where we shouldn’t be worrying about that. We need to get the points. Every game is a must win for us. It doesn’t matter if it’s before the break, after the break, just before the playoffs, whenever. We have to get two points and that’s the bottom line. So, everybody is going to be ready and after that we can enjoy a couple days off.

Ryan Smyth: Every team has different situation along the way and you just have to adapt as the game goes. No concerns. Just go out and play and execute out game plan.

How about the overall match-up with the Sharks…

Doughty: I think it’s going to be a tough tight game. Both teams are going into the break right after it. So, everybody is going to blow it out. You have nothing to really save it for. You’re going to get a few days off to rest up and get your energy back or to take care of any injuries. It’s going to be hard fought and it’s going to be fun.

Smyth: It’s going to be a hard fought game. It’s really close in the standings. If we win, we can catch them. Besides it being a divisional game, it will be important to keep things going and finish off strong before the break.

Yes it will!

The Mayor
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BJ Crombeen didn’t let the flu get to him. His 5th goal of the season at the 5:23 mark opened the scoring. Coming down on left wing his high wrist shot surprised Antti Niemi. Unable to control the puck it popped over his head and rolled over the line.

The Sharks power play answered before the end of the first period. With key penalty killer Roman Polak in the box for Holding, Dany Heatley netted his 16th as the equalizer with 5:42 left. The PPG against was the 5th in six January games. The culprit? Lack of sticks covering passing lanes as the “Joes”, Pavelski and Thonrton, created a cross ice tick tack toe passing play to carve up PK unit.

As status quo of late, the Blues were outworked in the second period. The early period Boarding call on Ian Cole snowballed in to a persistent Shark attack lasting the duration of the middle set. Telling is the 18 to 10 San Jose favored shot total. The ice was tilted. The period got worse before it was better for Cole. His Holding call lead to Thornton’s 12th of the season at 11:57.  Yet another goal coming with big bodies collapsed on top of Jaroslav Halak.

The Blues would equalize thanks to Erik Johnson. Patrik Berglund won the offensive zone draw back to EJ. He put the puck between Niemi’s wickets for his 4th goal at the 17:53 mark. The second “soft” goal of the game for the former Blackhawk netminder who didn’t look comfortable in net all night.

Even as the hockey gods smiled on the Blues, with a late period goal, many missed scoring chances by the Shakrs and some big saves by Halak, they couldn’t must the energy to force back the energized teal sweaters. There was a tangible hunger to win coming from the Sharks. A hunger well known to the Note. Just like anyone else with a flu bug, they weren’t hungry.

A deflection by Healtey for his 17th early in the third put the Blues down 3-2. A gap they wouldn’t erase. Jamie McGinn buried a juicy rebound no one in white recovered for his first tally of the season.

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Quick Hits

Kudos to Cole for not giving up on the game despite his lackluster performance. He laid out Benn Ferriero late in the second. The Shark forward was coming up neutral ice with his head down. Cole makes the right call and steps up and puts a solid shoulder check in to Ferriero. The two settle the score the right way. Flip off the lids (due to visors) and duke it out. Not directly due to his play, but Cole was returned to the Blues AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, Sunday.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fellow Riverman on call up Ryan Reaves danced with fellow NHL newbie Brandon Mashinter. Kudos to Ryan for knowing his role and not letting his pair of goals in his last two games get to his head. He also delivered 6 hits in 9 shifts to lead the Blues.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Niemi stopped 27 of 29 shots and Halak stopped 25 of 29.

The scoring chances against, coming from crashing the crease, was at it’s highest volume of the season since the five game slide in November. Specifically the games against Colorado and Detroit. The set up in the defensive zone was reminiscent of Swiss cheese. There was little gap control and lane coverage by the Blues.

The Johnson goal was the third scored in the last two games where Davis Payne has switched up the pairings and put EJ with Alex Pietrangelo on the ice for a draw. An understated move made by Payne.

The top line of Vladimir Sobotka, David Backes and Matt D’Agostini was practically invisible. Perhaps their least effective performance since the line has been put together. Just 6 shots on goal and two hits. Backes’ off night was highlighted by a glaring set of three giveaways. Brad Boyes relapsed and Alex Steen went the way of Backes. Just not a good game for the Blues best forwards.

Eric Brewer was not all there. He reprised his role as “unhealthy Brewer” last night. Either the presumed injury from the fight against Luca Sbisa caught up with him or there’s flu in his system as well. Kudos for grinding it out and leading the Blues with 7 blocked shots though.

There are understandable reasons why Devin Setoguchi is coming up in trade talks. His play just isn’t that good. Far has he fallen from a 31 goal, 65 point first full campaign in 2008-09. The Thornton effect? Ask Jonathan Cheechoo.

Amazing the difference in play (and confidence) between even strength and the man advantage for the Sharks. As discussed in the preview, bad penalties were an issue for the Blues and it burned them. The Sharks power play was running full throttle.

Equally amazing is how quiet Patrick Marleau was.

Check out the highlights on NHL.com

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As always, you are invited to follow @618_STLBlues and @BlueNoteZone on Twitter and on the BlueNoteZone Facebook Fan Page for in game updates and Blues news. Please also check out the St. Louis Blues Blogs Facebook Fan Page for links to Blues blogs all over the Internet.

When Last They Met

Saturday, December 18th, 2010 – Sharks Win 4-1.

In the first meeting between the two clubs since the blindside hit put on David Perron by Joe Thornton the Blues needed to respond. No retaliatory cheap shot on the Sharks captain was needed, but a big (clean) hit from David Backes, BJ Crombeen or Brad Winchester was in order. As Kelly Chase argued, to show the still concussed Perron that the healthy guys have his back. Though Backes hit about every other white and teal sweater of consequence, the big one on #17 never came.

Current Calder Trophy candidate Logan Couture lead the way or the Sharks with a pair of goals. Backes scored the lone Blues tally on a penalty shot. Jaroslav Halak stopped 30 of 34 and Antero Niittymaki stopped 20 of 21.

The season series is even at one win a piece. Since the lockout the Blues are 7-13-3 against the Sharks.

Starting A New Streak

With the third five game skid in the review mirror the Blues look to cultivate their rediscovered confidence in to a prolonged winning streak. Something they’ve been unable to do. Following the first streak the Blues rolled off three not so convincing wins before losing the second set of five. That streak was followed by a pair of victories before dropping four of the next five.

Sitting in 9th place in the West, the Blues are just 3 points behind 8th place Chicago and five behind 4th place Phoenix. Rolling off a set of four of five not only keeps pace with those above, but with a little luck could push them back above the magic line.

The Sharks would love to start a new streak as well. A win would end their current six game losing streak and leapfrog the Blues. Just one point separates them.

A Hot 10

A select few have been powering the Blues offense over the last 10 games.

Backes: 7 goals, 11 points, Plus-8
D’Agostini: 3 goals, 10 points, Plus-8
Steen: 4 goals, 9 points, Plus-1
Boyes: 3 goals, 9 points, Plus-7

The Blues would surely like to see Patrik Berglund on that list. His inconsistent ways regarding effort prohibit his inclusion. With just 2 goals, 4 points and a Minus player in five of his last ten, he needs to get going. Bergie looked to be coming around against LA, but his game tapered off as the game progressed.

Gameday Notes

Jeremy Rutherford tweeted that Crombeen, Winchester and Can Janssen all missed the morning skate with the flu.

From Blues Play-By-Play voice on KMOX, Chris Kerber, TJ Oshie made a few California girls day.

As reported earlier this week, Ian Cole was recalled and the expectation is that he will play.

Fight Card

There have been a total of 5 fights this season between the two clubs. Two on November 4th and three on December 18th.

Jamal Mayers vs. Brad Winchester

Click here to view the embedded video.

Logan Couture vs. Alex Pietrangelo

Click here to view the embedded video.

Mayers vs. Winchester Round 2

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ryane Clowe vs. BJ Crombeen

Click here to view the embedded video.

Scott Nichol vs. Chris Porter

Click here to view the embedded video.

Injury Report

Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo (facial cut) was hit with a puck in the Anaheim game, returned to St. Louis and is listed as day-to-day. Andy McDonald & Perron are both still out with concussions. Oshie is getting closer to return, but is still out while rehabbing his ankle.

The Sharks hope Couture will be ready for a Saturday night return. Forward Torrey Mitchell was placed on IR after re-aggravating a groin injury. US Olympian Joe Pavelski returned Thursday. He missed an eight-game stretch. It appears Ryane Clowe will miss this game as well.

Sharks Scouting Report

Record: 21-19-5, 47 Points – 4th in Pacific Division | 12th in Western Conference

Goals For/Game: 2.69, 17th
Goals Against/Game: 2.80, 17th
Power Play: 22.2%, 5th
Penalty Kill: 81.8%, 18th

Leading Scorer: Center, Thornton – 11 goals, 39 points in 43 games.

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Even while slumping, the Sharks are an extremely dangerous offensive team. Their lineup boasts multiple 30 goal scorers and currently has five with 11 or more goals. If not for Pavelski’s missed time he would be over that mark as well. The big body presence of their forwards also presents major problems for the Blues. Who struggle at times to box out physically powerful attackers.

The counter for St. Louis will be to exploit the Sharks defense. While far from the weakest set of six in the West, they’re not as strong as they were in the previous few seasons. The Rob Blake effect perhaps? Either way, getting pucks deep consistently is key. All it takes is a one quick pass to the electric forwards off a turnover to end up hemmed in the defensive zone.

If the Blues can play a clean game where they make quick changes, get pucks below the red line and stray away from bad penalties the game can be theirs.

According to reports it appears Andrew Desjardins is heading back to the Sharks AHL affiliate and John McCarthy is out to allow 7 defensemen to dress. Lineup looks like:

Logan Couture – Joe Thornton – Dany Healtley
Patrick Marleau – Joe Pavelski – Devin Setoguchi
Benn Ferriero – Scott Nichol – Brandon Mashinter
Jamie McGinn & Jamal Mayers

Douglas Murray – Dan Boyle
Niclas Wallin – Jason Demers
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Kent Huskins

Justin Braun or Derek Joslin will be the 7th defenseman.

(stick tap to @OhMySwed3 for lineup help)

Antti Niemi is the expected starter for the Sharks. In one start against the Blues this season Niemi lost 2-0. He allowed just 2 goals on 29 shots.

- Suggested further reading on the Sharks comes from RLDHockey.net: Saturday Faceoff: What’s next in San Jose? and FearTheFin.com‘s Gameday Blog.

Blues Lineup

There has yet to be a public update on the status of the flu stricken forwards. Assuming they are able to dress, here is the expected lineup.

Vladimir Sobotka – David Backes – Matt D’Agostini
Alex Steen – Patrik Berglund – BJ Crombeen
Brad Winchester – Jay McClement – Brad Boyes
Chris Porter – Phil McRae – Ryan Reaves

Eric Brewer – Erik Johnson
Barret Jackman – Roman Polak
Ian Cole – Alex Pietrangelo.

Jaroslav Halak is the expected starter in net.

Davis Payne will be looking to match up Backes and McClement with the Jackman-Polak pairing against Thornton as often as possible. Brewer and Johnson will draw that assignment a few times as well. Will be interesting to see what Pavelski can do in his first game back if too much focus is put on the “big 3″ of Dany Healey, Patrick Marleau and Thornton. It would also be a mistake to forget about Dan Boyle sneaking in from the point as well.

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As always, you are invited to follow me @618_STLBlues and @BlueNoteZone on Twitter and on the BlueNoteZone Facebook Fan Page for in game updates and Blues news. Please also check out the St. Louis Blues Blogs Facebook Fan Page for links to Blues blogs all over the Internet.