NHL Hockey Blogs

Claude Giroux is proving that concussions do not have a set timetable for return.  For some players, problems with concussions have spanned throughout multiple seasons.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins has missed 68 games – and counting – with a concussion.  David Perron of the St. Louis Blues recently missed 97 games with a concussion issue.  It seems that Giroux will miss just four games.

Continue reading "Giroux Returning to Lineup"

Deryk Engelland may not have received a charging penalty during the game but NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan may be assessing punishment nonetheless.

In the Penguins’ 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday night, Engelland delivered a crushing blow to Chicago Blackhawks rookie Marcus Krueger at the 8:55 mark of the first period.  While Krueger was entering the Penguins’ zone, Penguins forward Pascal Dupuis wrapped him up at the blue line.  Engelland approached Krueger from his right and hit him near the boards.  Engelland led with his forearm, knocking Krueger to the ice.  Despite the monstrous collision, Krueger bounced right back up as Engelland fought with Krueger’s teammate, John Scott.  Engelland was assessed a major penalty for fighting while Scott received a 5:00 major for fighting, a 2:00 fight-instigator minor and a game misconduct. 

Continue reading "Engelland Awaiting Hearing"

1. That was by far the best game played by the defense all season led by DE Andre Carter’s two sacks. Bend but don’t break was in full effect. Dallas gained 377 total yards, but were one for three in goal to go situations. But goodness, Patriots, work on your tackling.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 6"

1. I have to take a moment and pay respect to Al Davis. The legendary Oakland Raiders owner passed away on Saturday. Born in Brockton, MA, the rebel and leader of the Silver and Black was a steward of the AFL and helped form the modern day NFL. The Patriots held a moment of silence before the game to honor Davis. The league lost an icon.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 5"

The Chicago Bears did a lot of things right this past Sunday and got by the Cam Newton led Panthers 34-29 at a celebratory Soldier Field.  Devin Hester returned a punt for a touchdown, broke off a 74 return on a kickoff and is the only Bear that approximates the great Gayle Sayers.  The Bears scored a TD on an interception.  And, Matt Forte ran a career best 205 yards after gaining two yards last week.  Forte still has it. The Bears need to open lanes for him just like today, and then he can scoot up the field. He is versatile and fast, and is a threat to break a long gain.

Continue reading "Bears Win A Wild One, 34-29 vs. Panthers"

              The nhl season's right around the corner and the NY Rangers are looking to start strong. Expectations are much higher thi

Continue reading "True Blue has some truly high expectations"

The Avalanche have completed a total overhaul in the goaltending department.

Earlier today, the Avalanche traded their first-round draft pick in 2012 and their second-round pick in either 2012 or 2013 to Washington for goaltender Semyon Varlamov.  Now, J.S. Giguere has decided to head to the Mile High City.

Continue reading "Colorado Avalanche Sign Jean-Sebastien Giguere"

A recent Stanley Cup Champion has been brought in to Dallas.

The contract is reportedly for 2 years, $7 million ($3.5M cap-hit).

Michael Ryder, who had 8 goals, 9 assists and 17 points in 25 games during the Bruins Championship playoff-run, signed a two-year deal worth $3.5 million per season. 

Continue reading "Dallas Stars Sign Michael Ryder"

In what may go down as one of the most underrated signings today, the Penguins have brought in right-winger Steve Sullivan.

Sullivan, 36, signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract.  The speedy winger contributed 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points in 44 games last season for the Nashville Predators.  While he has lost a bit of his scoring touch (he once scored 34 goals for the Blackhawks in 2000-01 during the dead-puck era), Sullivan still can get the job done.  Keep in mind that the Predators are a defense-first team; it’s a completely different philosophy in Pittsburgh.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Steve Sullivan"

The most generic name in sports is officially a Phoenix Coyote.

Mike Smith, who played for the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, will be given a shot at being a #1 goaltender this coming season. 

Continue reading "Phoenix Coyotes Sign Mike Smith"

It’s already been a busy day for the Florida Panthers.

Heading into hour #2 of the first day of free-agency, the Panthers have already locked up Jose Theodore, Scottie Upshall and Ed Jovanovski.

Continue reading "Florida Panthers Sign Ed Jovanovski"

It’s official; Jaromir Jagr is back in the NHL.

Just an hour after it was announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins pulled out of the Jagr-sweepstakes, their division rival swooped in and took him.

Continue reading "Philadelphia Flyers Sign Jaromir Jagr"

With Tomas Vokoun on the outs, the Panthers have a new goalie.  The question remains; will he be the starter?

Theodore, a member of the Minnesota Wild last season, signed a two-year contract with the Panthers Friday.  The deal is reportedly worth $3 million ($1.5 per season). 

Continue reading "Florida Panthers Sign Jose Theodore"

With the trades made today, one would think that the Flyers are coming off a dreadful season.

This is not the case, as Flyers GM Paul Holmgren saw his team finish second in the Eastern Conference and third in the entire NHL with 106 points.  Yet today could be the biggest day for player movement in Flyers franchise history.

Continue reading "Analysis of Today’s Moves by the ..."

As soon as the Bruins advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, I couldn’t help but think I remembered Mark Recchi saying he believed the Bruins could win the Stanley Cup after he re-signed with the Bruins. So I did some research, and look at what I found:

Continue reading "Mark Recchi Knew"

More often than not, the better goalie will prevail in game seven.

Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins proved just that in game seven of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.  Thomas earned his second shutout of the series, while also recording an amazing 1.15 GAA and a .967 save percentage in the final seven games.  Here is the laundry list of achievements that he can add to his resume:

Continue reading "Thomas Betters Luongo in the End"

Two teams who have been sitting outside of the Stanley Cup Finals for quite some time finally get the chance to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Boston has not seen the Finals since 1990 when they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games.  The Vancouver Canucks are well-documented in their last Stanley Cup Final appearance, when they lost in that memorable seven-game series to the New York Rangers in 1994. 

Continue reading "Stanley Cup Finals Preview: Boston ..."

Over and over again, we have seen penalties hurt a team’s chance of winning games in the 2010-11 NHL Playoffs.  These penalties have been turning into power-play goals with one flick of the wrist or one wind-up from the point.  How important is it to be that guy that gets the all-important power-play goal to give his team a mental edge?

Continue reading "Behind the Numbers: Does the Power-Play ..."

The fate of the one Canadian city left in the Stanley Cup playoffs will be rested on an American.

Ryan Kesler, born in Livonia, Michigan, was a dominating force that the Canucks needed to get past the pesky Nashville Predators.  The feisty center put up an amazing 41 goals in the regular season to lead the Canucks, but was held scoreless in the first round of the playoffs against Chicago.  He did not turn it on until game three of the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

Continue reading "Kesler the Key to Vancouver’s Success"

The first round of the 2010 NHL Playoffs speak of the Detroit Red Wings’ character better than almost any series of games.  Crushing dreams and taking control are the names of the game for the Red Wings.

Continue reading "Red Wings Never Done Working"

The Chicago Blackhawks lost to their rival, the Vancouver Canucks,2-1, in a rugged, determined Game 7 that went to OT,

Alex Burroughs scored on a Hawks turnover with the 5th minute of OT to send the home crowd into a frenzy, and leaving the Hawks to ponder, how close they came to making history.  The Hawks put up a valiant fight, thanks to the outstanding goaltending of Chris Crawford.  He was stellar in net, turning back a penalty shot, and three close-in saves in the 3rd period, any which would have won the game for the Canucks.  But Vancouver played well in front of their home ice fans at Rogers Arena and slayed the dragon,  the Chicago Blackhawks.

Continue reading "Vancouver Wins Game 7, 2-1 in OT"

Remember that Flyers – Bruins series last post-season?  The Blackhawks have it fresh in their memories.

After being down in the series 3-0, the eighth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks have made the series very interesting, winning the last two games in convincing fashion.  After winning game four 7-2, the Blackhawks flew into Vancouver and stole game five, 5-0.  Not only are the Blackhawks staving off elimination, they are chasing Vezina trophy-finalist Roberto Luongo from between the pipes.

Continue reading "Do the Blackhawks Actually Have a Chance?"

About halfway through the third period of the Capitals and Rangers series opener, Capitals fans started feeling the same disappointment that they have felt for the past few post-seasons.  But things changed in a hurry.

Continue reading "Meet the New Washington Capitals"

Vancouver is the heavy favorite heading into the 2011 NHL playoffs to win the Stanley Cup.  Their Northwest Division foes can vouch for that.

 The Vancouver Canucks, who won the President’s Trophy by a landslide-ten points over the East’s Washington Capitals, posted an impressive 54-19-9 record for a league-leading 117 points in the regular season.  Obviously, the Canucks head into the Quarterfinal Series as the top seed in the Western Conference where they will meet the eighth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks.  But how much did Vancouver playing in the Northwest Division help bloat their point total?

Continue reading "Weak Northwest Division Could Benefit Blackhawks"

We can finally put all of these Kaberle rumors to rest.

The Boston Bruins officially announced on Friday morning that the club has acquired defenseman Tomas Kaberle from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for prospect center Joe Colborne, the Bruins first-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and a conditional second-round pick.  Toronto takes control of the Bruins own second round pick in 2012 if the Bruins can reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011 or if they re-sign Kaberle this summer (Kaberle is an unrestricted free-agent at the end of the season).

Continue reading "Kaberle solidifies a Well-Rounded Boston Defense"

The point is getting pretty clear right about now.

The New York Islanders turned some heads in late-January when they claimed former NHL all-star Evgeni Nabokov off waivers.  That is not what the media is talking about though; after all, NHL followers are used to players getting claimed off waivers after playing in Europe, getting a contract from an NHL team then having to go through the NHL’s questionable waiver process.  Just ask the St. Louis Blues.

Continue reading "“Wow, what’s the point?”"

Jamie Langenbrunner gets to go from the bottom straight to the top. 

The Devils, who are sitting in the NHL cellar with a 10-28-2 record for 22 points, moved their captain Friday morning. Jamie Langenbrunner was sent to the Dallas Stars, the team from which he was originally acquired.

Continue reading "Langenbrunner is a Star Reborn"

What else can go wrong for Craig Anderson?

After suffering a freak knee-injury in warm-ups on October 26, Anderson was the victim of a groin injury Wednesday against Vancouver.  The knee injury came when Anderson was doing a routine wrap-up in warm-ups that consists of all of the Avalanche skaters converging on Anderson in the crease, trying to shove a puck past him.  But Anderson came out of the shuffle with a knee injury that sidelined him ten games, in which the Avalanche went 6-3-1 and outscored their opponents 38-27 during his absence.  Anderson came back with a swift punch to the New York Rangers, stopping 25 out of 26 shots, including a fantastic sprawling save on Marc Staal in the slot.  The Avalanche went on to demolish the Rangers 5-1.  Things were looking very bright in Denver, as the Avalanche played brilliantly without Anderson, and then the star goalie makes a return in a convincing win.  Things sure can change in just a few short days.

Continue reading "Colorado May Struggle Without Anderson"

     Are Big Daddy’s readers loving road-trips to Florida yet? The Saints continued their Sunshine State dominance Sunday afternoon, turning Big Daddy’s memorable birthday weekend into an unforgettable one by pummeling Tampa Bay. Big Daddy’s co-workers were all smiles at the rock on Monday after the Black ’n’ Gold served notice to the pro football world that they are ready to defend last February’s Lombardi trophy. The resounding win ignited the spirit of the Who Dat Nation as they celebrated Big Easy style deep into the night, reveling in the fact that the Saints appeared to get their swagger back and are now well-positioned in the wacky NFC standings. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Welcomes Chris Ivory to the Party"

     Does anyone have fingernails after last weekend? If there are any Saints fans who haven’t been contending with chest pains watching these close-to-the-vest games, they don’t have a pulse. The 2010 Saints remind Big Daddy of the Jim Mora era. Unlike now, those Saints owned the league’s best defense and Morten Andersen drilling clutch 3-pointers. Even though the battles usually came down to the wire, the “Dome Patrol” and the “Great Dane” gave Saints fans a sense of security. Injuries in both the offensive and defensive backfields have the Saints fans hoping Capts. Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce and John “Trapper John” McIntyre would bring their M*A*S*H* unit down to Saints Headquarters to patch up our beloved Black ’n’ Gold troops. Since Hawkeye and Trapper John aren’t coming, Big Daddy will just need to find that magical Leprechaun with a pot full of Valium until the Saints get back to full strength. In this edition of the

Continue reading "Big Daddy Prefers Touchdowns"

As a four-time Stanley Cup champion and Olympic hero, Scott Niedermayer hung up the skates for good in June.  This is probably not a surprise to Ducks fans, who have seen their long-time captain toy with the idea of retirement since mid-2007 every season.

Continue reading "Niedermayer Not the Hero Everyone May Think He Is"

It looks like the Devils were more worried about a defensive game than an Ilya Kovalchuk game.

 New Jersey got one of the best shot-blockers in the league.  But don't think that the team is the only winner here; Volchenkov has to be happy that he won't have to block those Brian Rolston bombs anymore.  The Russian defenseman was yet another piece that the Devils knew they needed.  He really brings more of a competitive edge to New Jersey as the league's best shot-blocker.

Continue reading "New Jersey Devils Sign Anton Volchenkov ..."

After gobbling up Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Andrew Ladd from the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks, the Thrashers have signed Chris Mason, formerly of the St. Louis Blues.

Continue reading "Atlanta Signs Chris Mason to a 2-year, $3.7M Deal"

Shane Doan and Ed Jovanovski may have help on the veteran end of things in Phoenix.

Ray Whitney, the long-time member of the Carolina Hurricanes, has decided to sign a 2-year deal that will place him in a young locker room full of impressionable faces. 

Continue reading "Phoenix Signs Ray Whitney to a 2-year, $6M Deal"

The boys in blue found a way to get even meaner on Thursday.

On a team that already sends out Sean Avery, Brandon Prust and Aaron Voros every night, the Rangers went after one of the toughest guys in the league.  Boogaard, after being involved in many rumors of him heading to the Detroit Red Wings, gladly accepted a big contract for a big man (6'8” 257 lbs.). 

Continue reading "New York Rangers Sign Derek Boogaard ..."

San Jose got their starting netminder... sorta.

Antero Niitymaki, the former Flyer and Lightning goalie, has reached an agreement with the West Coast team.  But what does this mean for the Sharks?

Continue reading "San Jose Signs Antero Niittymaki ..."

So... Gonchar, who?

The Penguins may have improved even more this off-season, making a big splash in the free-agent market.  Zbynek Michalek was a very steady-defenseman for the Phoenix Coyotes last season, while Paul Martin was skating the puck down his opponents' throats in New Jersey all season.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Loads up on Defense and ..."

The Flames are taking the stance that if they can't win, they have to stick to what they know.

Both Tanguay and Jokinen are former Flames, though both were at different times.  Is this a questionable move; you bet'cha.

Continue reading "Calgary Goes Old-School; Sign Alex ..."

When you lose to a team in the playoffs, what is the best way to beat them the next season?  By stealing their players, of course.

Sergei Gonchar, an eight-time 50-point scoring defenseman, has called it quits in Pittsburgh and moved on to Ottawa.  Averaging $5.5 million a season, this could prove to be a good signing for Ottawa.  Even at a steep-price for a defenseman, Gonchar has proven time and again that he can still move the puck with the best of them, even at the age of 36.  His 39 assists last season gave him his ninth time of scoring 30 assists or more in a season. 

Continue reading "Senators Sign Sergei Gonchar to a ..."

The Blues got their leading scorer back.

Steen had a semi-breakout year in 2009-10, sharing the Blues lead with a career-high 24 goals, and ranking first on the team with seven power-play goals.  His shot from the point was the driving force behind the man-advantage this season, as he truly developed into a quarterback for his team.

Continue reading "Blues Re-Sign Alex Steen to a 4-year, ..."

Time to jump on the bandwagon – I have compiled a list of what I think will happen in early July during the free-agent frenzy in the NHL.  Some are just thoughts to consider, but I have a few strong beliefs compiled in here as well.  But you really have to ponder over how often us hockey bloggers are actually correct.

Continue reading "Free Agency Spoilers"

In Scout Jarmo Kekalainen and General Manager Larry Pleau's last acts as members of the Blues organization, the team made some noise in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. 

Blues draft forward Jaden Schwartz with the 14th overall pick

Continue reading "Blues Draft Day 1 Recap"

I recently sat with College Hockey Inc. Executive Director Paul Kelly to get his opinion Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin and what the Boston Bruins will do in the NHL Draft with their two first round picks. I have one correction to mention. During the interview, I said the Bruins have the 17th pick in the first round. It is actually the 15th.

Continue reading "Paul Kelly on the Boston Bruins Draft"

Patrick Kane's drive from an odd angle eluded goalie Michael Leighton in OT of game 6 and the Chicago Blackhawks ousted the Philadelphia Flyers in a taut, thrilling finish to win Hockey's version of the Holy Grail.

Continue reading "Kane's OT Goal Take Hawks To The Stanley Cup"

The Chicago Blackhawks returned to the United Center and beat the Flyers 7-4 on Sunday to take a 3-2 games lead in the Cup Finals.  The Hawks need one more win to win their first Stanley Cup since 1961 when Bobby Hull was a young gunner.

Continue reading "Hawks 1 Win From the Cup"

This is a very good Chicago Blackhawks team.  They have a 2-0 Cup Finals lead over the Flyers and their leading All-stars, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews have been held scoreless.  That shows you the depth of this team.  Thank you Dave Bolland, et al.  Kane and Toews looked sharper in the last game, but still failed to score.  They are getting coaching and watching videos prior to game 3, that is for sure.

Continue reading "Kane and Toews Need to Step Up"

It's been a long time, since 1961, that the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, one of the most revered trophies in all of sport.  You start out in the late summer in training camp, go to pre-season in late September and start playing by mid October.  The season ends in April.  Then it's a second season of breathless, fast-paced, high energy hockey, the playoffs, which runs for eight weeks.  If your team wins the Stanley Cup, you truly earn it.

Continue reading "Blackhawks Reach For the Cup"

The NHL may be the greatest hockey league in the world, but it may not have the best system for dealing with disciplinary action.  It seems that they could learn from leagues that play under them.  Way way under them. 

Continue reading "Time for a New Disciplinary System"

The Eastern Conference Finals could have been predicted at the start of the 2009-10 season.  Sidney Crosby will lead his Pittsburgh Penguins to face Alexander Ovechkin and the high-powered Washington Capitals.  Crosby, along with his star support like goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Sergei Gonchar, can only be beaten at their own game; scoring more goals than the other team and flexing their offensive muscles at every turn.  The same can be said for Ovechkin and his teammates like defenseman Mike Green and forwards Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin.  No one can stop these guys; or so we thought.  Who do these Canadien guys think they are?

Continue reading "Who Are These Guys?"

When Jarmo Kekalainen and his St. Louis scouting crew found T.J. Oshie with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, they knew that they had something special under their watchful eye. They had Blues management draft him with their 24th pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and talks of the future immediately began in St. Louis. Up until his first game in October of 2008, Blues President John Davidson kept promising that Oshie would be one of the future Blues that would rock the NHL. Two seasons into his NHL career, Oshie has found himself a permanent spot in the Blues lineup. But what does he bring to this lineup that has ensured him that spot on the team?

Continue reading "Is Oshie Truly 'Untouchable'?"

Its hard to find a bright spot on a team that is currently ranked 21st in goals scored.  Alex Steen is the exception.

The St. Louis forward was not expected to be an offensive force when he was acquired from Toronto on November 24 with Carlo Colaiacovo for Lee Stempniak. Spanning over his two final seasons with the Maple Leafs, Steen played in 86 games and scored just 17 goals, including a minuscule two goals in his final twenty games.  It was even reported that Toronto head coach Ron Wilson was the only member of the Maple Leafs management team to not even say goodbye to Steen the day of the trade.  Steen came to St. Louis looking like another disappointing forward, since his 24th overall selection in 2002 built him up as the gun the Maple Leafs were looking for.  He may have faltered with his former team, but he seemed to fit in with the Blues after just a few weeks.

Continue reading "Steen Should be Top-Priority"

There are no surprises that the San Jose Sharks are the top team in the Pacific Division.  The real surprise is that the Phoenix Coyotes are just four points behind them with just five games left in the regular season.  How is this possible?  While there are many members of the Coyotes organization to give credit to, only one man has truly led the way for the brilliant performance of the Cinderella team.

Continue reading "Tippett is Clear-Cut Best Coach"

Here is how I see the east region and their chances of advancing to the final four.  I have them ranked on likely hood of reaching the final four, not on their seeding.  The seed is in paranthesis.

Continue reading "NCAA East Region breakdown."

Ray Emery was brought in to be the goaltending answer in Philadelphia.  How things change in just a few months.

Emery signed a deal on July 1 by the Flyers for one year, spelling the end for former Flyer goalies Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki, whose contracts had let out on the same day.  The Flyers then signed Brian Boucher as a back-up, so it was apparent that the team was ready to commit to Emery as the starting goalie.

Continue reading "Lack of Movement May Have Doomed Flyers"

After a long wait, Edmonton finally moved one of their top players.

Only making a minor deal earlier in the day (Cody Wild to Boston for Matt Marquardt), Edmonton was expected to make a fire-sale on the deadline.  The Oilers rank last in the entire league with a dismal 19-38-6 record, recording only 44 points.  Names like Dustin Penner, Sheldon Souray and Andrew Cogliano were all being discussed today, but only one player is on his way out.

Continue reading "Anaheim Trades Ryan Whitney and a ..."

Rumors swirled that the Capitals were looking for another defenseman to make a serious playoff run; how about two of them?

Reports stated Tuesday night that the Capitals were in discussions with many teams about bringing in a defenseman.  The number one rumor (found on NHL.com) was that Capitals GM Mike McPhee was talking with Blues' GM Larry Pleau about bruiser Barret Jackman.  A deal seemed imminent until it was announced that Jurcina was brought in from Columbus for a sixth-round pick approximately ten minutes before the deadline.  It was announced a half hour later that the club also brought in Joe Corvo from the Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Brian Pothier and an undisclosed draft pick.

Continue reading "Washington Acquires Milan Jurcina ..."

Anaheim just can't seem to stop shuffling their goaltenders.

After shipping away J.S. Giguere and Justin Pogge in the past month, they have also sent recently-acquired Vesa Toskala packing.  After being acquired in the Giguere deal on January 31, Toskala did not play in a single game for the Ducks.  His 3.66 GAA and .870 save percentage with Toronto is an unimpressive stat on this season. 

Continue reading "Calgary Trades Curtis McElhinney ..."

Talks of Peter Mueller being the next best thing in Phoenix have come to an end.

“He's a great young man who loves to play the game,” former head coach Wayne Gretzky once said about the now-21 year old.  “He's good with the puck. We're happy with his progress and production.”

Continue reading "Phoenix Trades Peter Mueller and ..."

If you would have told Scott Walker four years ago that he would be traded for a seventh-round pick, he may ask you how many you have had to drink.

Walker, the gritty 37-year old winger, will be joining his fourth NHL team.  Just three seasons ago, Walker accumulated 51 points in 81 games.  But how the veteran has fallen.  He has added just three goals and two assists in 33 games this season.  While he is not adding the scoring that he used to, he still adds a physical presence that makes the opposing defenses shake in their skates. 

Continue reading "Washington Trades Seventh-Round Draft ..."

Pogge could have counted how many days he lived in Anaheim before being traded again.

After being acquired over the summer from Toronto, Pogge did not even see action with the Ducks before being dealt at the deadline.  It was pretty clear that the Ducks would want Pogge for next season to battle for the backup job with prospect Timo Pielmeier after trading J.S. Giguere to Toronto just a few weeks ago.  Vesa Toskala was acquired in the trade, but his contract will be up at the end of the season and was unlikely to re-sign with Anaheim.  Pogge's .920 save percentage with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL this season shows how impressive he truly can be.

Continue reading "Anaheim Ducks Justin Pogge and a ..."

Shortly after moving defensive defenseman Derek Morris, Boston added another veteran to their blue line.

Dennis Seidenberg, who signed a one-year deal with Florida this past summer, leaves Florida as the top ice-time getter, averaging 22:54 played a game.  The German Olympian adds just two goals to the Bruins' lineup, but has 21 assists on a low-scoring team.  He is very good at getting the puck out of the zone and moving the puck up ice, but will not contribute much to the Bruins and their 16th ranked power-play. 

Continue reading "Boston Trades Craig Weller, Byron ..."

In 2009 Morris gets traded away from Phoenix, and in 2010 he returns to Phoenix.

Morris, who has seen time with the Flames, Avalanche, Coyotes, Rangers and Bruins, will head back to Phoenix after being dealt at the trade deadline last season to the New York Rangers for Dmitri Kalinin, Petr Prucha and Nigel Dawes.  The Coyotes get him back for just a fourth-round pick in 2011.

Continue reading "Boston Trades Derek Morris to Phoenix ..."

Montreal landed a top prospect for their gritty winger.

Matt D'Agostini, the Canadiens' sixth round choice in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, has just 14 goals and 11 assists in 94 NHL games played.  The winger is more associated with his feisty style of play, striking fear into opponents when they enter the corners of their defensive zone.  The winger does have an offensive upside though; with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, D'Agostini scored 128 points in 162 games played. 

Continue reading "Montreal Trades Matt D'Agostini to ..."

Of all of the impressive performances at the Winter Olympics, Switzerland goalie Jonas Hiller proved just how good a player he is going to be for the Anaheim Ducks as he came ever so close to guiding the minnows to an unlikely semi-final place.

Continue reading "Hiller gives Ducks something to hang on to"

One of hockey's best critics was given the opportunity to sound off in an interview.  He did not disappoint, as he took full advantage of this occurrence.

Doug Stolhand is the co-host of the Puck Podcast, a weekly hockey podcast that discusses happenings from around the league every Saturday.  He did not start as a podcaster though; just like a professional sports player, he had to spend his time in the minor leagues before hitting the big time.

Continue reading "A Chat with Doug Stolhand of the Puck Podcast"

Rumors have been going around that Jordan Staal might get traded soon. I think trading Staal would be a mistake for the Penguins. Staal is a young and talented hockey player. He is the best penalty ki

Continue reading "The Pittsburgh Penguins shouldn't ..."

There’s been a lot of griping recently over the state of Boston sports, serving (for me) as another ugly reminder of the developing, spoiled and cocksure nature of fans in this area. Let’s take a quick look, shall we?

Continue reading "A Message to Boston Sports Fans"

As the trade deadline approaches it was the Toronto Maple Leafs who made the first big moves to start the rebuilding of their franchise with the addition of hulking defenseman Dion Phaneuf and veteran goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Continue reading "Leafs busy as deadline looms"

It seems that Leafs' GM Brian Burke has not needed sleep this weekend.

Burke announced on Sunday morning that the team had made two blockbuster moves that will see all-star defenseman Dion Phaneuf and all-star goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere in Maple Leaf jerseys.  Burke shipped forwards Jamal Mayers, Matt Stajan, and Nick Hagman with defenseman Ian White to the Flames for Phaneuf, forward Fredrik Sjostrom and prospect Keith Aulie.  The second trade involved Giguere heading to Toronto from Anaheim for forward Jason Blake and goaltender Vesa Toskala.

Continue reading "Maple Leafs Make Some Big Moves"

Keith Jeffries of Huntsville Sports Ventures has been the owner of the Havoc, a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, for all six years - the longest stint of the city's four previous franchises.

Continue reading "Coyote Ugly - Deserted Dogs"

New England Sports Network (NESN) is in the midst of airing a six-episode reality television program titled, Boston Boxing: Team Training.

 

The series documents the teachings of a renowned local boxing trainer to 40 amateur pugilists with extremely varying skill levels over a span of 12 weeks.

Continue reading "Boston Boxing: Team Training on NESN ..."

Has it been 30 years now since the US beat the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid?(It seems like only yesterday...)

The Americans went on to win the gold medal in hockey that year - something that hasn't happened since, but don't expect any miracles next month at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. No, the United States still isn't favored to win a gold medal in hockey. In that respect the Americans remain underdogs. But with a roster stacked with young talent, they certainly are a medal candidate - one that the powerhouses from Canada, Russia and Sweden can't afford to overlook. "A little bit different situation [than 1980] in my opinion," said United States team captain Jamie Langenbrunner, a forward with the NHL's New Jersey Devils. "As much as Canada deserves all the credit that they're getting for the players they have, the 23 players named to the [United States] team play in the same league as those guys and we feel quite comfortable playing against them on a nightly basis. We feel we belong on the same ice."

Continue reading "USA! USA! USA!"

Is it just me, or is it that Canucks media is making it seem that David Backes will ultimately end up in Vancouver?

Canucks GM Mike Gillis attempted to sign Blues forward and restricted free-agent David Backes to an offer sheet worth $7.5 million over three years.  With Backes as a fan-favorite and a valuable asset to the Blues' rebuilding phase, St. Louis GM Larry Pleau had no choice but to match the offer and reclaim his player. 

Continue reading "Weighing in on Blues – Canucks Rumors"

Did I say love? My bad!

A huge fight that stopped a KHL Championship game just after four minutes of play has led to a criminal investigation being launched into the reasons behind the major brawl at the game between Vityaz Chekhov and Avangard Omsk on January 9th.

Continue reading "From Russia, with love."

Did you see that crazy backhand goal by Michael Del Zotto of the Rangers that snuck its way through Boston's Tim Thomas a few weeks ago?  Of course you did, it was the only afternoon game on that Saturday.

Continue reading "The NHL Could Learn from the NFL"

Some nice 2007 foals hit the track as two year olds in 2009 and among the best are those nominated for Eclipse awards in the 2 year old division.

The top nominations for colts are Lookin at Lucky, Noble’s Promise and Vale of York while the top fillies nominated are Blind Luck, Hot Dixie Chick and She Be Wild.

Continue reading "2 year old Eclipse nominees"

Officiating has become so intolerable that one general manager filed a protest in a league that doesn't allow protests and several coaches have talked about reading the rulebook again to see if it had changed.

Continue reading "Uh Oh, Skettio's!"

There was no shortage of excitement last night when the Washington Capitals took on the Tampa Bay Lightning.  The best moment came late in the game when the gloves were dropped by Alex Ovechkin and Steve Downie.  Interestingly enough, Ovechkin and Downie never got down to business.

Continue reading "Ovechkin Drops Gloves with Downie, ..."

 Well, we’ve made it to the halfway point of the season, so it is time to hand out a few awards to the deserving, the hopeless and the sensational.

Team of the season: I’m going to take the New Jersey Devils here since they are the one team to impress me more than I had expected. I thought Chicago and San Jose might be the quality of the West and so it has proved. The Devils; well I saw them as a decent playoff team but not the halfway top seed.

Continue reading "And the winner is…"

I guess Blues management frequents NHL Hockey Online.

Blues President John Davidson announced that the club has relieved Head Coach Andy Murray of his coaching duties (something I eluded to just three days ago).  The team has in turn named Davis Payne the interim head coach. 

Continue reading "Murray Out; Payne In"

A “winning streak” is not a concept that the St. Louis Blues seem to entirely grasp in 2009-10.

The Blues, who did not see their first three-game winning streak until a 2-1 shootout win over the Calgary Flames on December 23, are currently posting a 17-17-5 record, placing them twelfth in the Western Conference and eight points out of a playoff spot.  The record itself is not the biggest problem; it is the lack of production from the core of the lineup.  Before being injured Sunday against the Sabres, left-wing Paul Kariya, who also happens to be drawing $6 million in the final season of his contract, has racked up just eight goals and 19 points in 38 games.  For a former six-time 30 goal scorer, the numbers can speak volumes for the lack of effort the team is seeing from Kariya.

Continue reading "Wrong Coach or Wrong Team?"

Does anyone in North America remember Peter Forsberg?  You know, that guy that scored 885 points for the Nordiques, Avalanche, Flyers and Predators? 

Forsberg has attempted many comebacks to the NHL and other professional hockey leagues since playing in his last NHL game for the Colorado Avalanche in April 2008.  His nagging ankle injuries has limited his play, but he has continued working on his game, earning a spot with fellow Swedish countryman Markus Naslund on Modo Hockey of the Swedish Elite League.  Forsberg played in just three games last season, but has stormed back this campaign scoring eight goals and seven assists in nine games.  Is this worthy of a roster spot on the 2010 Swedish Olympic Team?

Continue reading "Team Sweden Making Some Questionable Moves"

Sometimes the best way to learn about a sport is by talking with one of its biggest fans.

Eddie Garcia is a California-native who has followed the Los Angeles Kings for as long as he likes to remember.  He started a podcast with his long-time friend Doug Stolhand after reading a story in a local LA newspaper about a few average Joe's that started their own successful baseball podcast.  Eddie approached his friend about the story, and they sought advice from the baseball podcasters.  3 ½ years later, Eddie and Doug are the only hockey podcast featured on FoxSports.com, and the Puck Podcast has followers from all over the world, making it the number one rated hockey podcast on iTunes.  Eddie had a few minutes to go over his thoughts over the success of his show with me, along with a few thoughts about growing up in LA as a hockey fan and rumblings from around the league. 

Continue reading "A Chat with Eddie Garcia of the Puck Podcast"

This blog is my shout-out to you Pens fans that have been rejoicing in the suspension of Alexander Ovechkin.

For one thing, I was all for a suspension being handed out here, and I am one of his fans.

Continue reading "Cry Me A River"

Violence has been a part of hockey since at least the early 1900's. According to the book Hockey: A People's History, in 1904 alone, four players were killed during hockey games from the frequent brawls and violent stickwork. 

Continue reading "Legend Of The Goon Squad pt.2"

There used to be a bumper sticker that said, "Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent."

The Hall of Famer goalie, who had two Stanley Cup winning seasons with the Flyers, was in Buffalo signing autographs at Benchwarmers Sports Bar.

Continue reading "Buffalo visited by ghost of hockey past"

Alot of people think fighting in hockey is just about two meat heads who feel like kicking the crap out of each other but it has much more to do with intimidation, defending your team mates and getting into the other teams head.

Continue reading "Legend Of The Goon Squad pt.1"

     The Saints have gotten unprecedented rewards out of this season’s motto, “Finish!” Sunday the Who Dat Nation watched the Saints turn in another dominant second-half performance after trailing early to post a new franchise record 8-0 start. Saints fans remember last year’s painful gut-wrenching losses, when the team displayed innovative ways to snatch defeat from the hands of victory in the fourth quarter. In this week’s edition of

Continue reading "Big Daddy Navigates Uncharted Waters:"

There have been plenty of breakout stories early in the NHL season but none more surprising than the form of Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson.

Anderson was always considered a journeyman backup in net until a decent effort in Florida last season when he took over the reins from an injured Tomas Vokoun and secured a 15-7 record in 31 games, 27 of which were starts.

Continue reading "Anderson makes Avalanche whole"

     Big Daddy's spectacular Halloween weekend could not have ended any better than with a Darren Sharper pick to clinch the victory against the hated Dirty Birds on Monday night. Don’ t you feel sorry for people around the country living in cultureless gated communities whose neighbors are from anywhere USA, half of which will move within a year chasing a more lucrative job to fulfill the false illusion of sprawling malls, 401(k)s, mortgages, car payments, and college funds which define success in today’ s misguided America? In this edition on the

Continue reading "Big Daddy’s Unforgettable Halloween:"

Tim Thomas has been the heavy favorite for the starting goaltender position for Team USA in 2010 for quite some time.  But Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller is turning some heads with his strong play to start the 2009-10 campaign.

Continue reading "Miller and Anderson Making Pitch ..."

Pardon me while I go off track for a moment.

 

Last night I watched one of ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentaries. It was “Without Bias: The Len Bias Story” or something like that. It didn’t blow me away as far as storytelling goes, but it was well done.

Continue reading "Deep 86-ed"

120:52 is an eternity for the St. Louis Blues.

That is how long it has been since the team has lit the lamp, which occurred on October 28th in North Carolina when David Perron added an empty-net goal to seal a 5-2 Blues victory.  The celebration did not seem to last long.

Continue reading "Bring on the Rivermen!"

After seven games played, the Patriots get a much deserved and needed break, thanks to the bye week. While it’s great for the players and coaches, it is sometimes tough for the fans.

 

Continue reading "Good Bye"

I know what you're thinking:  Kind of cliché to say that checking from behind has to be stopped.  I agree.  But part of me feels that the NHL does not do enough to cast aside this dangerous act.

Continue reading "Checking from Behind Must be Stopped"

Only 3 games into the season, the Blues have plenty to talk about.  So lets get started...

Defenseman Barret Jackman sprains ankle; goes on IR (per Jeremy Rutherford).

Jackman will have to miss at least seven days, according to NHL injury reserve stipulations.  The Blues have claimed that this injury is “week to week.”  Jackman was a -1 to start the season, while posting 2 assists.

Continue reading "Blues Early Season News and Notes"

     Sunday’s rain showers didn’t slow down Black ’n’ Gold tailgaters readying themselves for battle. Entering the Superdome, Big Daddy encountered Jets fans displaying their typically rude, loud-mouthed New York attitudes, demonstrating why many despise New Yorkers. Cocky Jets fans’ relentless attempts to diminish Who Dat intensity were less effective than the Army Corps’ levees. After the Saints forced Jets fans to “eat it!” all day, those Yankees had nothing to say. In this week’s edition of

Continue reading "Big Daddy Screams For Defense"

The rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers got hot again last night. Last night there were a few fights and a scrum.

The game started out rough with a penalty to Philly in the first minute of the game. The Pens would capitalize on the power play very quickly. Only a minute and a half into the game, the first fight started between Adams and Laperriere. Adams would win pretty quickly.

Continue reading "Fight Night in Flyer City"

The offensive side of the red line is not the one that aged Blues fans may be used to.

The days of Adam Oates or Pierre Turgeon are over in St. Louis.  It is hard to find which Blue may stand out from the rest, much like the start of last season.  Brad Boyes and David Backes took that spot over with relative ease during the Blues' amazing playoff run.

Continue reading "The Official 2009-10 NHL Hockey Online ..."

What do you get when you mix a group of wily veterans, rising young stars and surprise goaltending?  No, this is not a joke that you heard while playing cards with your grandpa.  The answer is the St. Louis Blues. 

Continue reading "The Official 2009-10 NHL Hockey Online ..."