All Entries Tagged With: "Ken Hitchcock"
Call For Backup
When the NHL schedule is announced and you skim over the highlights of your team’s path, you already know that back-to-back games will be no surprise. At least with this shortened season, teams are not being asked to wear out their passports and those sleeping neck pillows with the amount of traveling over the 48 [...]
Hockey Indie’s Divisional Predictions – Western Conference
Hockey Independent’s divisional predictions continue on today, this time with a look at the Western Conference. Will some of the changes that took place this offsesason shift the balance of power in any of the divisions? Read on to see what members of the Hockey Independent writing staff think. Northwest Division – Alex Muscat (@AlexMuscat73) [...]
Lundqvist Gets His Due In A Lackluster NHL Awards Show
After being the bridesmaid the first 3 times he was nominated, Henrik Lundqvist was finally crowned king of the goaltenders Wednesday night in Las Vegas. Lundqvist received 17 of 30 first place votes from the NHL’s general managers to give him his first career Vezina Trophy. It also gave the show one of its [...]
Smooth as Selke? Datsyuk Nominated Once Again for Selke Trophy
It’s been a week since the Detroit Red Wings’ season ended with an early playoff exit, but one of the team’s best players is up for an award. Red Wings’ center Pavel Datsyuk is one of three players nominated for the Frank J. Selke which goes to the NHL’s top defensive forward. The other nominees [...]
Marchand Sparks Bruins To Pivotal 4-2 Win In St. Louis
On Wednesday night the Boston Bruins ventured to St. Louis to face the best defensive team in the NHL in dire need of a victory. Fresh off the heels of two-game losing streak and a streak that’s seen them go 7-9-1 over their last 17 games, the Black and Gold took on the surprisingly resurgent [...]
GameDay: Bruins Look To End Skid Against Stingy St. Louis Club
Starting with tonight I’ve decided to switch up the style of my “GameDay” from here on Hockey Independent. I hope you all like the new format! Teams: Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues Records: Boston 35-20-2 (72 Points) , St. Louis 36-16-7 (79 Points) Location: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri Time: 8 P.M. (EST) TV/Radio [...]
Slumping Bruins Left To Ponder: What Is Going Wrong?
On Sunday afternoon, the Boston Bruins once again failed to get things going in the right direction again, as they fell 2-0 to the Minnesota Wild on a Hockey Day In America marquee matinee contest. The loss continues what has been an exceedingly tough month of hockey for the defending champs, as their February record [...]
Fast Five: Predictions For the NHL’s Second Half
As we hit the all-star break this weekend with the Fantasy Draft kicking things off this evening at 8 P.M., the 2011-’12 NHL season has officially reached it’s mid-point. There have been many surprises — and equally as many disappointments — across the league this season on both an individual and team basis. In anticipation [...]
Red Wings Lose Again to Blues 3-2
The Detroit Red Wings put in a much better effort than the last time they were in the “Gateway City,” but it wasn’t enough as they lost again to the St. Louis Blues. The Blues got goals from Alex Steen, David Backes and Patrick Berglund, while Johan Franzen and Jiri Hudler each found the net [...]
Red Wings Sing the Blues in St. Louis 2-1
The Detroit Red Wings hoped to continue their winning ways on the road, but they ran into a stingy St. Louis Blues team that have found new life under recently-hired head coach Ken Hitchcock. Things didn’t go the Red Wings’ way as they lost to the Blues 2-1, snapping their four-game winning streak. The Blues [...]
Questions Abound As Hawks Struggle
In came November and out went the outstanding start to the season for the Blackhawks. In fairness, things have not reached panic mode, but a loss to the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday evening could shake the optimism of the most diehard Hawks fan. The Blue Jackets should not pose a huge threat if the [...]
Will Line Changes Help?…Plus How To Fix a Broken Power Play
The Blackhawks will square off against the St. Louis Blues Tuesday night, the first game for the Blues since they fired head coach Davis Payne. As far as the Blackhawks are concerned, they need to define a system of play. Copying another successful power play might not be a bad idea. Even when the Hawks [...]
Ten Sleepers To Keep Your Eye On
Difference Makers, Hiding in the Shadows Here is a quick look at ten players who may wind up making the difference for their respective teams this season. RW. Nikita Filatov, Columbus Blue Jackets Although his rookie season was eventually marred by a disagreement with then-head coach Ken Hitchcock, ultimately resulting in Filatov returning to Russia [...]
The quest for NHL head coaches about to begin for four teams
TAMPA BAY Now that the Tampa Bay Lightning have hired their new GM in Steve Yzerman earlier this week, they are ready to start their quest in order to find their new head coach for the upcoming season. Yzerman is in no hurry to name his new head coach as he first wants to talk [...]
It’s Time For Johnny Mac!
He played in 1,022 games for the Devils. He was an assistant coach for the Devils for six seasons. He coached the Lowell Devils, his first season as a head coach, to a 39-31-10 record. Now, it’s time to finally give John MacLean a shot at the Devils head coaching job. The other names being [...]
Hitchcock Fired, But That Doesn’t Fix the Defense
The Blue Jackets have finally fired coach Ken Hitchcock. At this point, the firing was inevitable and I think while there is certainly a feeling of sadness and disappointment within the organization and fan base, it was obviously not working anymore. While I was clamoring for his firing much earlier in the year, I can [...]
Weak Effort Against the Kings
After I ripped the Jackets and predicted a loss to Nashville in my last blog, the Jackets surprised me by coming away with a win. It was great to see a decent performance by Steve Mason, and it was nice to see the home fans have something to cheer about (though it wasn’t so nice [...]
Game 44 preview – I guess somebody has to win
With just two points separating them in the standings tonight’s matchup between the Oilers and Blue Jackets is a huge four point game. Well it would really only be huge if you were looking at the bottom of the NHL standings and not the top. In fact this game is really a battle for 29th place, with the loser grabbing that coveted spot. The winner will rocket past the Leafs and into 27th place.
Columbus’ GM Scott Howson has to let go Ken Hitchcock
After a great 2008-09 season during which Blue Jackets’ head coach Ken Hitchcock led his young and budding team to its first ever playoffs appearance as a franchise, things have changed dramatically this season. After 44 games this season, the Blue Jackets are ranked 14th in the Western Conference with a dismal 15-20-9 record and [...]
St. Louis Blues fire head coach Andy Murray, name Davis Payne as interim coach
The St. Louis announced earlier today that they had fired head coach Andy Murray after a dismal start this season, especially at home where they rank 30th in the league with a 6-13-3 record. The Blues promoted Peoria Rivermen head coach, Davis Payne as their new head coach, albeit it is on an interim basis. [...]
