All Entries Tagged With: "peter budaj"
Predators Party Spoiled by the Habs
The Nashville Predators celebrated their 1,000th game by hosting the Montreal Canadiens at the Bridgestone Arena. Quite an achievement by a franchise that many thought would be relocated just four years ago. There were many festivities leading up to the game, as employees, coaches, and management were honored in pre-game ceremonies. The events leading up [...]
Bruins Drop Another; Fall To Dead-Last In Eastern Conference
Entering Thursday, the Boston Bruins were in desperate need of points. They sat at 13th in the Eastern Conference –3 points behind the 8th place Devils –. It was supposed to be the best game they’ve had this year, in a playoff-like atmosphere against their most hated rivals (who were also struggling, at 14th [...]
Canadiens claim Blair Betts off waivers, finalize 23-man roster for opening night
The Montreal Canadiens have claimed center Blair Betts off waivers earlier today from the Philadelphia Flyers, who had put the defensive specialist on waivers yesterday to free up cap space. Betts is entering the second and final year of a two-year contract worth $700,000 annually. The 31 year-old center played 75 games for the Flyers [...]
Canadiens lose 6-3 against the Stars, ready to host the Sabres tonight
After surrendering a 4-0 lead to the Dallas Stars yesterday night at Bell Centre, the Canadiens roared back to close the gap to one goal 4-3, but they finally lost the game 6-3. Former Canadiens Michael Ryder and Mike Ribeiro each finished with one goal and one assist. The best Stars player was Tomas Vincour, [...]
Montreal Canadiens: Player Projections for the 2011-12 season – part 3, goalies
Last week I looked at the offensive production of the Canadiens’ defensive brigade and two weeks earlier, I had a look at the Canadiens’ top-12 forwards trying to predict their offensive output. In the third and last part of this player-projection series, I will analyze the Habs’ goalie tandem. Looking for more stability behind Carey [...]
A Look at the Colorado Avalanche and the Semyon Varlamov Trade
It is now well established “fact” that the Colorado Avalanche severely overpaid in the trade with the Washington Capitals for netminder Semyon Varlamov. As the experts and the panic-stricken continue to babble I’ve detected a quiet feeling of satisfaction within the Avalanche nation. Let’s put a little perspective on the situation. After the sticker shock [...]
Canadiens ink Erik Cole and Peter Budaj to multi-year deals
Looking for a back-up to starter Carey Price, the Canadiens signed goaltender Peter Budaj to a two-year, $2.3-million contract. Budaj, 28, played a total of 45 games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2010-11. He posted a record of 15 wins, 21 losses and 4 overtime losses to go along with a 3.20 GAA and a [...]
Avalanche Goalie-Go-Round
Ever since the Avs went with Budaj/ Raycroft it’s been a joke. What you say? But Craig Anderson! Yes, yes. BUT. But, if you can be honest with yourself, that was a shot in the dark, a gamble, a roll of the dice. Ok, over doing the metaphors? It wasn’t a complete shot in the [...]
Predators Conquer Colorado 4-2
In the course of a season, there are wins that are things of beauty. There are also wins that are not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but they are wins nonetheless. Tonight, the Nashville Predators won a contest with the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 4-2 that was anything but pretty. But [...]
Predators Win Ugly, Defeat the Avalanche 5-3
Sometimes when a team notches a win, it is a thing of beauty; sometimes it is ugly. Tonight, the Nashville Predators won ugly over the Colorado Avalanche by a 5-3 margin. Fortunately, they don’t give style points for a victory as this was not the prettiest win for the Predators. The Predators came out flying [...]
Not So Hot January | Blues vs. Avs Gamenotes | Is Erik Johnson Really Trade Bait?
January’s Missed Opportunity The month of January is proving to be a new low point for the St. Louis Blues. After a successful battle through a depth deprived December, the Blues looked forward to a big opportunity in the new year. Roman Polak was back. Long term injuries to key forwards could clear up. The [...]
Mission Impossible
Remember the way Mission Impossible always starts? With the secret message self-destructing? Well in this case Peter Forsberg is watching the Colorado Avalanche self-destruct and apparently, just like in Hollywood, he is going to take the impossible mission. Injuries The latest blow to the injury-wracked Avs is the season long loss of Tomas Fleischmann, diagnosed [...]
Fantasy hockey: goaltending battles part 2
Two months into the season, let’s have a look at the goal tending battles raging on in the NHL. Some teams still don’t have a clear-cut starter like Roberto Luongo, Ryan Miller or Martin Brodeur. Goaltending battles: – Scorching: game-to-game musical chair – Blazing: no clear-cut starter – Moderate: mild battle going-on – Low: a [...]
Don’t Believe the Hype??! Perhaps You Should!
As the first winter-like Nor-easter roars up the Atlantic seaboard, leaving behind a trail of wind-blown debris and tornado wreckage in north-metro Atlanta, the Atlanta Thrashers fly out of Denver with yet another victory notched in its hockey hip pad. Here in the ATL, sports fans are either buzzing about the exploits of Matt Ryan [...]
Blues Lose 6-3 to Avalanche | Defense Cracking Under Pressure | Evil Emprire Next
The St. Louis Blues skid reaches four games as the defense cracks under pressure. It doesnt get any easier with Detroit next up. Blues News and Notes.
Fantasy hockey: goaltending battles
One week into the season, it’s time to look at some of the goal tending battles going on in the NHL. Some teams don’t have a clear-cut starter like Roberto Luongo, Ryan Miller or Martin Brodeur. Goaltending battles: – Scorching: game-to-game musical chair – Blazing: no clear-cut starter – Moderate: mild battle going-on – Low: [...]
Do You Believe in Budaj?
It’s no wonder there is a bit of angst in Colorado over the Anderson injury. The angst has as much to do with backup goalie Peter Budaj as it does with starter Craig Anderson’s injury. There’s a lot of disagreement in Avalanche circles when Budaj is discussed. People love him or hate him. When the [...]
A look at the upcoming UFA goalies available on July 1st, 2010
With a four-day hiatus before the Stanley Cup final begins Saturday in Chicago, it’s a good opportunity to have a look at the upcoming unrestricted free agent goaltenders come July 1st, 2010: Goaltenders – 2010 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents Player Age Team 09-10 Salary Notes Evgeni Nabokov 33 SJ $6,000,000 Marty Turco 33 DAL $5,400,000 [...]
Avalanche Split the East Coast Trip
Friday night the Colorado Avalanche continued their road warrior ways, leading the NHL in road games the Avs played back-to-backs at Carolina and Buffalo. Joe Sacco appears to be warming up to the conventional thinking of most coaches of playing the backup in these situations. Previously Sacco has ridden Craig Anderson through nearly every game [...]
Avs Eastern Conference Road Trip
The Colorado Avalanche took a three game run through the Eastern conference picking up three points out of a possible six. Not bad, not great. The Avs took it to the Lightning in the first game and Matt Duchene caught fire, seemingly appearing out of nowhere with 7 points in the last 5 games. Chris [...]
