While Paul Stastny flourishes with the Avalanche, brother Yan can only watch.

After Paul Stastny extended his franchise record 17-game point streak with 2 assists en route to a 3-2 victory over the devious Buffalo Sabres, father Peter must've been proud and brother Yan must've been jealous.

It looks like Paul Stastny has inherited his hockey magic from his father Peter Stastny, whose career with the Quebec Nordiques left many in awe.


A second round draft choice in 2005, Paul has 22 goals and 43 assists this season for a total of 65 points.

He trails early season Calder favourite Evgeni Malkin, of the Pittsburgh Penguins, by only 4 points and don't be surprised to see him win rookie of the year after his recent success.
Malkin hasn't inspired me much this season, I can see he's a developping young player, but I don't think he's as great as everyone thought he was going to be. I also don't believe he's lived up to the hype that's come with him from Russia.

Stastny is on a current 17-game point streak and who knows how much longer that'll last.
He could be making a late push to win the Calder trophy, despite the Avs' stumble this season in the standings.

Meanwhile, down in a town name Peoria, brother Yan can only watch in jealousy as his brother's NHL career unfolds successfully.

Yan Stastny was an 8th round pick by the Boston Bruins, and in those rounds it's a guessing game. Looks like they guessed wrong, Yan Stastny was traded to the Oilers before he even laced them up in Beantown.

In 2005-2006, with the Oilers, he never got accustomed to his surroundings, dressed for 3 games, was pointless and -1.

He was then traded back to the team that had dumped him, the Boston Bruins, along with checking center Marty Reasoner in exchange for Sergei Samsonov.
Stastny had his chance now, the Bruins were willing to offer him a checking line role, and again, he busted.
In 17 games, he only scored once and added 3 assists for a measly total of 5 points and was -2.

People then started to realize that he's not what his father was, but the Bruins were still willing to give him a shot.

You guessed it...he disappointed mightily, with only 2 assists in 21 games and a -3 rating, the Bruins had enough of this Stastny for a lifetime, shipping him to the surging St. Louis Blues for a mid-round pick.

Right now, Yan Stastny is in Peoria, the Blues' farm team, and you have to figure if he can't even win a job in St. Louis, that he won't win one anywhere.

The closest he'll probably ever get to the NHL again, unless some team is really desperate, is through his television screen.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

"The Onion" on the NHL and Its Broadcast Future

NHL Signs Broadcast Deal With Food Network

NEW YORK—Flanked by Food Network president Brooke Johnson and cooking-show host Rachael Ray, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced yesterday that the NHL has opted out of its contract with the Versus cable channel (formerly the Outdoor Life...)

Lightning Gamenight

The Tampa Bay Lightning will look to rebound this evening when they take on the Edmonton Oilers at 10PM eastern. They are in the mist of a season long six game road trip and have fallen two points behind the idle Atlanta Thrashers in the highly contested Southeast division race.

The Lightning have put together back to back sloppy efforts in losses to the Florida Panthers and Vancouver Canucks. They had a season low 16 shots on Roberto Luongo in their previous loss, and did very little to get any kind of pressure on him. The Lightning need to get back to playing Lightning hockey, where they dictate the pace to the opponent, and forcheck and skate hard for 60 minutes. That is where this team is built for success.

Expect for Marc Denis to get the start in net over Johan Holmqvist, who appears to be in a bit of a slump. His last 2 games have not been anything to write home about. He has had some very stoppable shots get by him, and that has appeared to deflate the team and get them off their game in the past 2.

To say this is an important game for the Lightning is an understatement. After tonight, they are off until Saturday, when they go into Calgary. That, in my opinion, is not a great situation for this team to be going into. That team, and their fans, have waited 3 years for a shot at the Lightning. This team can not afford to let Atlanta get too far ahead of them with so few games left this year.

Drury Gets New Linemates

When Chris Drury returns tonight after his concussion induced hiatus he will find some new friends on the ice with him. Dabius Zubrus and Mike Ryan are expected to flank Drury as Lindy Ruff attempts to work Zubrus into the lineup. Drury has expressed some frustration about the revolving door at left wing on his line as the Sabres have tried Jiri Novotny, Adam Mair, Paul Gaustad, Derek Roy and Dan Paille with Drury and Kotalik with mixed results.

Interestingly, Derek Roy seemed the prime candidate to join that line, with Zubrus moving back to center, when Kotalik returns from his knee injury, but the Drew Stafford, Roy and Thomas Vanek line has been dominate since being placed together. This could get further complicated by the return of Maxim Afinigenov whose spot with Roy and Vanek is now filled by Drew Stafford. Afinigenov has expressed excitement about playing with Zubrus so that could make this transition easier. It is conceivable the Sabres could have 4 legitimate scoring lines come playoff time.

If all come back healthy the playoff forward lines could look like this:

Pominville - Briere - Hecht
Stafford - Roy - Vanek
Kotalik - Drury - Paille/Paetsch/Mair
Afinigenov - Zubrus - Mair/Paetsch/Paille

The emergence of Paetsch as a important cog on the PP has also caused a dilemma for Ruff. The current pairings when Spacek returns are expected to look like this:

Tallinder -Lydman
Spacek - Campbell
Numminen - Kalinen
Paetsch

The easy solution would appear to be to sit Paille and move Paetsch to wing, but Paille, prior to his injury, showed a real chemistry with Kotalik and Drury and brings a lot to the table along the walls and on the forecheck. There has been talk amongst fans that Numminen should sit due to declining play, but I find it hard to believe that Ruff would sit his veteran leader.

News and Notes:
Apparently new goalie Ty Conklin put on a profanity laced show in practice yesterday due to his own poor performance. Conklin later said to the media it was mostly for show, but it will be interesting to see how it plays in the room. Former backup Martin Biron was known as a loose and relaxed presence in the room and was very popular.

Conklin is expected to start Friday against the Minnesota Wild.

He said, She said…

Wow.

So can anyone else tell that The Habs had a 4-day break between games?

I can sincerely say this has been one of the most bizarre weeks in all my time as a blogger.

It all started Monday, with Montreal newspaper La Presse reporting on a Russian interview in which enigmatic forward Alex Kovalev allegedly made some controversial comments about his teammates, his coach, the city of Montreal, and the media.

Kovalev and The Canadiens immediately denied the interview ever took place, insisting that the newspaper was taken in by a hoax. Kovalev explained that this sort of reporting is common in Russia.

However, La Presse has not backed down. Despite a lack of concrete evidence, La Presse has maintained that the interview is in fact legitimate and that Kovalev is nothing but a liar for his denial.

Writer François Gagnon was on english radio-station the Team 990 Monday morning, arguing that he was in possession of a taped version of the Kovalev interview. This tape has mysteriously disappeared as of Tuesday.

The story takes a twist from controversial to bizarre when La Presse publishes an article implicating Kovalev in a mob conspiracy as some sort of Godfather figure.

On the other side of the fence, Kovalev’s story has not been entirely consistent either. While initially claiming to have never spoken to the alleged Russian interviewer, he later admitted to having spoken to her on his birthday. He further claimed to have contacted her Sunday, while she issued a statement stating she had not spoken to Kovalev in months and doubted he even had her phone number.

Unfortunately, the fans are torn between siding with their team, or with the journalists they respect. A convenient distraction, to create a split in the fanbase and divert attention from the team’s struggles to make the playoffs.

In the end, the truth likely lies somewhere in between. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and the likelihood of the entire interview being fabricated is low.

However, one must think that a respected media source like La Presse would have ensured to have solid proof before publishing such an accusatory claim. Some sort of tape or audio version of the interview would have been sufficient.

Instead, Kovalev’s character is called into question, and he is called a liar, all based on the contents of an alleged interview from the internet.

La Presse has yet to present any sort of substantiation to validate their claims. Aside from the mysterious disappearing tape, of course.

But the damage is already done. Kovalev’s reputation has already been damaged, regardless of how this ends up. Do not expect him to be in Montreal next season.

Can you blame him? Regardless of your personal feelings for the man, nobody deserves this type of punishment. He’s a professional hockey player, after all. Why would he want to stay here after all he has endured?

In fact, why would anyone want to play here?

The funny thing is, when Gainey is unable to sign any big-name free agents this summer, the same media outlets that drive players away will be the ones questioning his ability as manager of this club.

But of course, they’ll never admit it.

Ah, Montréal…

Catchin' up with the Canes....

The Hurricanes are currently on a not so well deserved 2 days of vacation. Practice doesn't pick back up for them until Wednesday, where Laviolette has stated they will be focusing on the PP and the PK mostly. Really Lavs, ya think?

While the Canes PK has been stellar (killing off 25 straight PK's), the PP has really left something to be desired. Scoring one goal out of 35 attempts is really....well, bad.
Unfortunately, its not just scoring on the PP that is really causing the Canes to struggle. It's never good when your top 2 lines are in something of a scoring drought to begin with.

The injury front isn't getting much better either.
Erik Cole was originally expected to be out for only 2-4 weeks after tearing his hip muscle during a pre-game skate. He has already missed 6 games and he isn't expected to be back any time soon.
Ray Whitney is nursing a nagging ankle injury which caused him to miss the game in Atlanta on Sunday. Rod Brind'Amour is also trying to kill the aches and pains (and after the Laraque hit on Friday, most pains) and injuries he has been battling with all season. Bret Hedican is also trying to heal a nagging injury (after an already injury filled season) to his "lower body".

On other Bret Hedican news, the rumour in Raleigh is that Hedican is thinking about hanging them up at the end of the season. He has had an extremely bad year with injuries, surgeries and aches and pains that just won't go away.

To help replace Bret Hedican, Anton Babchuk has been recalled from Albany.
After a bit of a temper tantrum when he was sent down and some time to "think it over", he will be back for Friday's game against Washington.
Babs has posted 1 goal and 6 assists in 9 games with Albany.

There won't be any trips to Vegas, quick vacations down to Florida or any of the like for the Canes during these 4 days off.
The guys are just relaxing and resting for two days, focusing on the huge 14 games coming up.

CG12

Rick DiPietro makes 59 saves in 2-1 shootout loss to cross-town foes

Rick DiPietro shut the door for the Rangers with a 59-save performance last night, however he could not stop Matt Cullen in the shootout, giving the Rangers a 2-1 win over the Islanders.

Rangers 2, Islanders 1 (SO)

That was what I saw last night while watching Sportscentre at 11:00 on their ticker at the bottom of the screen, and then all of a sudden to the right of the score appeared the words: L-R. DiPietro, 59 saves.

The first thing that came to mind was "wow".

Despite the Islanders' loss, DiPietro shone all game long, making great saves and saving the Islanders from a potential embarrassing outing.

DiPietro made a team record 59 saves in a losing cause to the cross-town Rangers.

"It's my job to make as many saves as I can. I was able to do that for the most part," said DiPietro, who made a career-high 15th straight start. "It's always tough to lose."

The Rangers got an early 3rd period goal from Petr Prucha, ending DiPietro's shutout bid and what would be, an Islanders win.
After Prucha's goal, the Rangers pushed frantically for the lead, bombarding DiPietro with a meteor shower of shots for about 7 minutes in a row.

DiPietro came up one save shy of putting the Rangers away and heading to the showers, but he could not stop Matt Cullen in the 2nd round of the shootout, allowing the only shootout goal of the night.

"It was a good move," DiPietro said of Cullen's goal. "He made a quick shot."

Jason Blake scored the Isles' lone goal on a power play in the first period, sending a shot past Lundqvist that caromed off of newly-acquired defenceman Paul Mara and to the back of the net.

Henrik Lundqvist himself played a great game, obviously overshadowed by DiPietro's performance and continued to be phenomenal in shootouts, notably stoning Randy Robitaille on the final shot of the tiebreaker.

With this win, the Rangers move up to the 10th spot, one point behind the 9th place Canadiens, and two behind the 8th place Hurricanes.

The Islanders remain in the 7th spot with a solid 94 points and it seems now, barring any late-season losing streak, they have locked down a playoff spot.
Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Cam Janssen on hitting Tomas Kaberle

"I was committed to the play and I really had no other choice but to take
the body there and I would have taken the body there one way or the other,"
Janssen said. "If it was at center ice, we wouldn't be talking right now, but it
was against the boards and that's what did it. I hope he's OK with everything,
but I was just finishing my check."

Nice choice of words.
really, he has no excuse, that hit was useless and careless on his part.
He should have gotten more than a mere 3 game suspension.

Amazing, Scott Nichol gets an 8 game suspension for sucker punching and he gets 3 for knocking the wind out of the guy and putting his career in jeopardy.

I love the way the "new NHL" works, hey, what can I say?

And just a quick side note: Darcy Tucker is going to be in the lineup for the Leafs next game against the Devils. Better watch out Zach Parise and Brian Gionta, Tucker's known for going after players smaller than him.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge

As much as I hate to say this, Mario Lemieux is to blame for Penguins' relocation.

The Penguins have declared an impasse in negotiations with government officials over construction of a new arena and will aggressively explore relocating the team to a new city.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Aww man, this is sad indeed, it will be very tough for you Penguins fans. Pittsburgh has great fans, great players and a great legacy. Leaving that to go to some hole like Kansas City or Oklahoma.

What the hell has happened to hockey?

You're telling me the great Mario Lemieux, who now is the majority owner of his life-long team, can't even put together a deal to save his sacred franchise?
Yeah, right...

If the Penguins do indeed lose their franchise to another city (god, please not Kansas City...), the first to whom I will point my finger is Mario Lemieux.
I respect all that he's done, hockey-wise and business-wise, but I think he made a HUGE mistake, not selling the club to Blackberry mogul Jim Balsille a few months ago.

I understand Lemieux was offended of the way Balsille acted during the critical part of the negotiations, but the point is...it doesn't matter, if you're kind of situation, that you sell the club to a complete jerk, as long as he keeps the club in Pittsburgh and builds you a new arena while rewarding you with a couple hundred million on top of it.

I also understand why Lemieux didn't make this choice above...he loves the franchise, he wants someone to keep it intact, to take care of it, a good owner.
He probably didn't see that in Jim Balsille, but at the expense of losing a team and dragging fans into a bottomless pit of sorrow, he should have sold the team to Balsille, he should have...

And now, we are witnessing the last months of the franchise known as the Pittsburgh Penguins...soon to be (uhh) Kansas City Penguins or even worse...Oklahoma Penguins.
For the sake of the NHL's reputation, at least bring 'em back to Winnipeg...

Pittsburgh fans, take it from me, I know what it feels like to lose a team you care about.

I lost that when baseball commissioner Bud Selig, forever Expos foe and ex-owner Jeffrey Loria and John Henry dumped my Montreal Expos in a grave and buried them alive.
They decided baseball wasn't important in Montreal anymore, and you know what, we lost our team because there was no new stadium built, kind of like the current Mellon Arena situation, except worse...in Stade Olympique de Montreal, blech.

All this came at the expense of money,and have you realized sports and teams are always about money these days? God, I miss the old days, it must've been great to play for peanuts but play for love of the game.

Here's a thought...maybe money should replace God, since that's what's more important to people these days than actual human values.

These people have no human values.

Pens fans, I really wish you luck, and hope that you don't lose your team, a part of yourself, like I did.

If I lost the Canadiens, that's a different story...I don't really know what I'd do...

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Chris Drury: A picture is worth a thousand words.

Chris Drury speaking to the Press after a recent on-ice workout.

Mike Ribeiro sex scandal got him traded from Montreal?

From Francois Gagnon's blog, a respected Montreal journalist, translated from French.

When Mike Ribeiro made a 'dishonest' (probably sex) proposal to a girl of a member of the upper staff of the Canadiens, he was traded away. In his case, it was perhaps the last straw... But that doens't explain why the the Canadiens gave away their second line center for a defenceman who is not able to play regularly with a team desperate on defense...

Very interesting, though, a little exaggerated I find. No way Ribeiro was traded only for that, if he even was or maybe this is just a load of crap, but Ribeiro's soft play during the previous season, his inconsitency and his bad attitude cost him his job in Montreal. Gagnon is also exaggerating about the trade, as Montreal was lucky to get a player in return for Ribeiro, rather than a draft choice. Janne Niinimaa may not be the defenceman he was in New York, Philadelphia and Edmonton with Dallas, but Bob Gainey knew what he was doing.
He was dumping a whining, underachieving and fan-frustrating forward in exchange for a veteran defenceman, who's maybe lost his hockey sense after a potentialy drastic surgery he endured.

But anyhow, Janne Niinimaa is a good guy, and when he plays, he tries his best; I'm not saying he's played well this year, far from that, but he's helped Montreal when needed during injuries to Mathieu Dandenault, Francis Bouillon, and Andrei Markov.
The bottom line is: Janne Niinimaa is a different player than Mike Ribeiro; he tries hard, something Ribeiro NEVER did, and he's a good guy in the lockeroom, certainly not Ribeiro's style either.

I'm not convinced that's what happened though...

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Isn't it wonderful how Brandon Bochenski suddenly became a star?

Aren't these fairy tale stories wonderful?

Last season, Canadiens goaltender Cristobal Huet was the clear winner, this season, Brandon Bochensk is raising some eyebrows in Boston.
Let's learn a little 'bout Brandon Bochenski. For starters, he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline last season after a remarkable stint with the Senators, in exchange for forward Tyler Arnason and a 1st round pick.
Bochenski had 14 points in 20 games with Ottawa but managed just 2 goals in 10 games with Chicago this season.
The deal proved to be a bust for both teams, especially Ottawa, since Arnason did not make an impact as expected, putting up a zero in the goals column and adding just 4 assists in 19 games.

Things didn't go well for Bochenski either, he was floundering miserably in Chicago, posting just 4 points in 20 games along with a horrendous -9 rating.
This all after a sensational stint alongside Jason Spezza for Bochenski...
The Blackhawks lost patience with the young forward and he was bounced between the minors and Chicago quite often.

It looked as if Bochenski's magical tenure with the Senators was a flash in the pan, and that it was doubtful he'd ever come close to that kind of production again.
Well, that was half-right, as Bochenski proved to be a bust again for the Blackhawks, who gave him a chance to prove himself once again.

On his second chance with Chicago, Bochenski had just 2 goals in 20 games and was heavily criticized by new head coach Denis Savard.

Finally, he was traded to Boston in early February for minor-league forward Kris Verteeg and a conditional draft choice. After failing to extract any production out of Stanislav Chistov, Peter Chiarelli figured he can try to resurrect a lost cause in Bochenski.

"Wow" is all you can say about Bochenski in Beantown.

He has put up consistent numbers, bringing back memories from his...shall we say, "glory"days in Ottawa? With 14 points in 14 games with Boston and a nice +7 rating, he's been tearing it up and maybe, just maybe, give Bruins fans a flick of playoff hope.

He is now playing alongside Marc Savard...and no wonder he's putting up huge numbers, just like in Ottawa when he played with Spezza.
Let's just hope (even though it's obvious) he's not one of those players that depends on superstars next to him...yeah, Jason Spezza and Marc Savard sound like those kinda players.
I wonder why he didn't play well in Chicago, hmm, I forgot, no Savard or Spezza there.

OK, that was a a little harsh, congrats Brandon! I hope for your sake and the Bruins' playoff hopes you keep it up!

And to close off, here are a few comments from Denis Savard on Bochenski's current situation in Boston:

"Good for him," Hawks coach Denis Savard said. "He’s had a few goals the last few games, but he didn’t show that when he was up here. He didn’t have the enthusiasm or the jam to be up here, let’s face it. Maybe he has the skill and the talent, but at a young age if you don’t have the will, you can’t have him around.

"Maybe he’s starting to figure it out because it’s his third team in six months. Good for him if he does well."

Cheers,

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge

Mike Danton's father told charges to be dropped against David Frost.

The father of former National Hockey League player Mike Danton says he has been told that an assault charge against hockey agent David Frost, as well as sexual exploitation charges involving three girls, will be dropped Tuesday when Frost appears in court in Napanee, Ont.

Steve Jefferson says he was told by someone close to the investigation that Frost will still face sexual exploitation charges involving his son and several others, including a minor, and Sheldon Keefe, another former NHL player. However, the assault charge involving Danton and sexual exploitation charges involving the girls, aged 14 and 15, will be withdrawn.

Dave Shoalts - Globe and Mail Sports

Good morning, and just a quick note: Frost coached both Danton and Keefe in the minor leagues before becoming their agents in the NHL.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Summit Series '08?

There isn't much info available, but a russian newspaper "Sport Express" is reporting that in the autumn of 2008, Canada and Russia could possibly match up for a kind of "Summit Series".

It is rumoured to be discussed next week during a meeting with the IIHF with Hockey Canada leader Bob Nicholson.

Apparently, this series would help celebrate the 100th of the International Ice Hockey Federation.


Unlike the 1972 Summit Series, the '08 Series would begin in Russia and end in Canada.

However, "Sport Expres" also mentioned a potential deal breaker since the the NHL is in a difficult position with the Russian Hockey Federation on the topic of players coming to North America.

Can we possibly see a Sidney Crosby versus Alexander Ovechkin matchup? Something that will remind fans of Phil Esposito and Valery Kharlamov back in '72.


Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Drew Stafford Arrives Just In Time For Sabres

When the Buffalo Sabres drafted Drew Stafford with the 13th pick of the 2004 Entry Draft they knew they where getting a big, physical winger with high upside. It would be fair to say they never anticipated the impact Stafford would have on the stretch run for the team. The timing of his arrival as a legitimate NHL forward couldn't have been better.

Stafford, in his first professional season, joined the Sabres from the University of North Dakota where he enjoyed three stellar years. He was one of the last cuts in training camp after an impressive showing and he has dominated the American Hockey League with Sabres the affiliate Rochester Americans. In a string of call ups earlier in the season he played well, but sparingly, on the 4th line with the Sabres.

Things really took off for Stafford when an amazing spate of injuries hit the Sabres in mid-February. Injuries to Max Afinogenov and Ales Kotalik led to significant time spent playing on the Sabre's top lines and on the power play. Stafford has settled in on a line with Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy and the line has been dominate since being united. Stafford's extremely strong work on the boards and ability to fight through traffic has helped the line to account for 28 points in the last 6 games.

The most impressive things about watching Stafford play are his poise and strength. He very rarely makes a mistake in the defensive zone and has yet to appear rattled in any situation. Coach Lindy Ruff has expressed a willingness to put Stafford in key situations with the game on the line, and Stafford has rewarded him with tough defensive play and timely goals. His strength has been very evident along the boards and in the offensive forecheck. He rarely loses a battle for a puck and has shown an ability to muscle a puck away from a defender in open ice.

It appears that Stafford has worked himself into a position, ala Jason Pominville, where it is nearly impossible for him to go back to Rochester as he has consistently been one of the Sabres best players. It should be interesting to see if he keeps his position on the line with Vanek and Roy when Max Afinigenov returns from his broken wrist. Drew Stafford arrived as a player just in time for the Sabres and it appears he is making sure he never goes back.

Sabres weekend notes:

Sabre enforcer Andrew Peters suffered an "upper-body" injury when he and Patrick Kaleta sandwiched Mathieu Dandenault in Friday's victory over the Canadians. He left the game and did not return. He also sat out Saturdays game against Toronto and his status is uncertain. Winger Mark Mancari was called up in his place and registered his first point in the Sabre's 3-1 victory against the Canadians Saturday.

Defenseman Jaroslav Spacek was cleared for contact and expects to return within 7 days.

Co-captain Chris Drury is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday against the Avalanche. Expect winger Mike Ryan to be sent down due to waiver/injury call-up rules.

Nathan Paetsch scored his first career goal in the win against Toronto on Saturday.

A Deadline Seller That Bought

The Philadelphia Flyers, enduring their worst season in the team's 40-year history, sold off Peter Forsberg, Kyle Calder and Alexei Zhitnik at the trade deadline. However, some raised eyebrows when the Flyers traded their 2nd round pick (essentially a late 1st) in the 2007 draft for Martin Biron. As a Flyers fan though, the reason was quite simple.

The Flyers have gone through struggles this season at every position. Early in the season, the team had trouble scoring, and beyond that the defensemen looked like they were skating in ice cream. Shoddy goaltending was amplified when the team finally started to play better. Robert Esche was hurt, Antero Niittymaki (I'm probably his biggest fan) between making great saves began to give up puzzling goals and waiver pickup Michael Leighton, well...he is now on his 4th team this season. It was starting to become apparent, especially after a 6-5 OT loss to the Devils, that it wouldn't hurt to find a better goalie too.

Enter Martin Biron, a member of the long-hated Buffalo Sabres, was deemed to be part of the solution by Flyers GM Paul Holmgren. The Flyers could have waited until the July 1 free agency period and sign him for nothing, but why wait until July to look to next season? A team with a lot of assets within the organization, I'd say the draft pick is worth it for the extra 4 months the Flyers will have to sign him. And from all indications, Biron seems to be enamored with the fact the Flyers gave up an asset because this is the guy they want. And with this, Flyers Nation is not only excited for next season, but we're all looking forward to a team that won't be an easy out for the last month of the season. And as a season ticket holder of a last place team, that's all I ask.

A new way to tell apart the Sedin twins...

IT'S A BOY: Canuck centre Henrik Sedin missed the Thursday morning skate as he spent time with his new son, Walter, who was born on Wednesday. According to Uncle Daniel, Walter weighed in at six pounds, six ounces. "They think he's a red head, but he might also be blond," reported Daniel. "It's tough to know." Henrik Sedin was in the lineup Thursday night.

Vancouver Sun

Congratulations to Henrik Sedin! Maybe this is a glimpse of the future hockey great family such as the Sutters?

Now we can tell 'em apart, Henrik is the one holdin' the baby...

Happy trails Walter and Congrats Henrik!

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge

Final Nail in the Coffin

December 23rd 2006.

To most, this date carries little meaning. Perhaps you were rushing to get your Christmas shopping done, or enjoying the lack of snow outside. Students were completing their last exams of the semester. Most of us were getting ready to enjoy the coming holidays.

Yes, December 23rd 2006 was simply but another day in all our busy lives.

Some of you may remember a certain Montreal-Boston matchup that night. At the time, The Habs were riding high. An excellent start the season had pundits all over the city thinking that maybe, just maybe, this team could be for real. They’d dare not admit it, or say it out loud. But they were thinking.

Montreal ended a 5 game winning streak that night. A lackluster performance at best, but hopes for this season never faded.

December 23rd 2006 was just another day for most people. Just another game, for most fans. A minor setback. A write off.

For the Montreal Canadiens, however, it marked the beginning of the end. The loss to Boston that night started what was possibly the biggest slide suffered by any team in the league this season. The team, from that point on, was never the same again.

There have been flashes of brilliance here and there, since that fateful night. For the most part however, it has been nothing short of a death spiral.

Tonight, the Boston Bruins finished the job. They wounded the team in December. Tonight, they lay the finishing blow. It seems almost poetic in a way, after the years of domination the Bruins suffered at the hands of the mighty Canadiens.

Tonight, Boston exposed every weakness this team has. From defense, to offense, to coaching. What we saw out there, dear fans, is a team running scared. This team has lost its killer instinct. Fighting for a playoff spot against an inferior team, and they could not get the job done.

This is no longer a slump. It is no longer a bump in the road.

This is an utter collapse of the foundation of the team. This is the team giving up.

Who is to blame? Does it even matter? The problem can no longer be corrected via simple touch-ups.

The fan in this blogger still holds out hope that Montreal will turn it around and make it to the post-season. With only 14 games remaining, nothing short of a miracle can produce this outcome.

Will they do it? Can they do it?

Only 23 individuals know that answer.

Referees are no longer human...but robots.

With the Canadiens on the powerplay versus the Bruins tonight, in the first period, the Bruins dump the puck and it ends up a few feet in front of Canadiens' rookie goaltender Jaroslav Halak, in the high slot, with speedy but always dangerous Patrice Bergeron heading towards him at full flight, Halak picks up the puck with his catching glove instinctivly, he knows that he cannot freeze that far out of his crease however, Patrice Bergeron is applying pressure on Halak and he has no choice and freezes the puck right in front of the blue ice.

Immediately I'm thinking, even though I didn't think it was going to happen: "That's kinda close, too close, delay of game?"
I was dead right, Gord Dwyer picks up his arm and calls a delay of game penalty on Jaroslav Halak. A fuming Guy Carbonneau can be seen standing on the bench with rage as he yelled on, Sheldon Souray discussed incessibly aggresively with Dwyer to no avail while I scream towards my television screen "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"; the young netminder had just recorded his first two penalty minutes of his NHL career.
And this idea of delay of game came from a random thought of mine during the game.

But in a situation like this, Halak has no choice and he is probably allowed to freeze the puck, after all, he was only a few feet from his crease under pressure by Patrice Bergeron who even made contact with the Slovak netminder by slashing his glove.

Incredible, just incredible.

A robot would call it a penalty, such as EA Sports' NHL franchise or SEGA's 2K series where penalties are called once you press the "hook" button or check someone violently against the boards. A computer is reffing the game, however, referees are acting like robots by calling the penalty not for the infraction, and to quote Stephen Walkam "for the intention".
I'm sure Jaroslav Halak had the intention of giving the puck away with Bergeron in front of him and by doing so he delayed the game.

You know what, to be frank, it's a load of crap.

At least Halak got the better part of the period, stoning the Bruins 16 times notably on a breakaway late in the period against Shean Donovan, in which he made a spectacular eagle save and earlier on a slapper from the high slot by newly-acquired Dennis Wideman.

"Whatever" is all I can say when someone asks me what I think of a ref.

And here's the justification (may be wrong quote...)

Rule 31, i of the NHL Rule Book
If a goalkeeper participates in the play in any manner when he is beyond
the center red line, a minor penalty shall be imposed upon him.

Last time I checked, the slot, is not the "center red line".

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Montreal Game-Day News & Notes – 03/03/07

The Montreal Canadiens play their second game in 24 hours tonight at the TD Banknorth Garden against the Boston Bruins. Despite outshooting their opponents, and scoring 5 goals, The Habs managed to drop the ball against an injury plagued Sabres roster last night and are now 1 point out of playoff contention.

The good news for the Canadiens is that a win tonight could propel the team into 7th position in the Eastern Conference, provided the New York Islanders lose their game vs. Washington. Time is quickly running out for the struggling Canadiens, and without a consistent effort, many question the outcome of the season for this club.

Sophomore Canadiens centre Tomas Plekanec recognizes the need for the team to play a full 60 minutes. “We needed a good start, but 2 minutes into the game we're down by two goals. You can't win a game like that, especially here,” Plekanec said, referring to The Sabres’ explosive start to last night’s game.
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RDS.ca reports that Canadiens defenseman Francis Boullion will be a healthy scratch tonight. A furious Boullion refused to speak with the media following the announcement.

Boullion has struggled this season following a serious knee injury that saw him miss the beginning of the season. Defenseman Marc Streit will return to his natural position after an impressive game as a forward in Buffalo. Defenseman Josh Gorges is expected to play as well, after a satisfactory performance last night in his first ever game with his new team since being dealt from San Jose.

The Canadiens can also expect to see forward Chris Higgins return to the lineup after a bout with the flu. Forward Alexander Perezhogin remains day-to-day after being injured in practice.

Rookie goaltender Jaroslav Halak will be given the start, after David Aebischer’s poor outing last night. Halak had an explosive start to his NHL career, winning 3 straight games before dropping his next 2 starts. Halak has been splitting time with Aebischer after all-star goaltender Cristobal Huet suffered a hamstring injury.
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Montreal last faced The Bruins on December 23rd 2006; a lackluster 4-2 loss that many fans deem the beginning of The Habs’ struggles this season. Perhaps a win tonight will finally bring an end to the slump that has seen Montreal fall from 2nd in the East to outside the playoffs.

Montreal is 2-2-0 vs. Boston this season.

Looks like Ol' Jeremy is finally finished.

"My body's tired. I'm tired of a lot of certain mentalities that go along with
this game," he said. "A lot of it I induce myself because of stuff I say, but
I'm okay with that. If this happens to be the last year, I'll walk away knowing
I had a pretty darn good career and I can enjoy my life after hockey."

This is what Roenick told Grant Kerr in today's Globe and Mail after being a healthy scratch in the Yotes' game versus the Canucks.

Jeremy Roenick looks like he's ready to retire, and sadly, for he hasn't yet reached the 500-goal mark. He is eight shy of this milestone and with his current sad offensive production, along with his sharp decline, it may not be likely for Roenick or his body, to reach that milestone.

He will likely be known as the guy who just missed the 500-goal mark, such as Sammy Sosa in baseball, who still sits 12 homers shy of the 600-homer mark.

Roenick went from being a decent offensive force with the Flyers and his career went downhill after a downright dissapointing season with the Kings and an even more miserbale one this season with Phoenix.
You know something is wrong with him, as he's stopped dancing on the ice, singing to Michael Landsberg and being open to the media.

It looks like the door is closed on Roenick now.

My morale would decline too if I found out I was traded for nothing to a slumping team (Los Angeles). After a respectable 47 point injury marred 2003-2004 season, it looks like the new NHL isn't mean for ol' Jeremy as he's averaging now mediocre 20 point seasons.

God, I would retire too.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Janssen violates the Hockey Code, but not the rulebook.

Since the hit which landed star defenseman Tomas Kaberle in a hospital, Devils enforcer Cam Janssen has been the talk of the NHL. The specifics of the hit: did Janssen lead with the elbow, or the shoulder; did Janssen's skates leave the ice prior to contact; and most importantly, was the hit late, have all been broadcast throughout hockey media.

From watching the video it's impossible to truly determine if Janssen's hit was "late." The rulebook itself isn't especially clear and people have used numbers ranging from 1.3 seconds prior to Kaberle's passing of the puck to 3-4 seconds. Which number is accurate, no one can really tell at this point. Personally, I think the hit was in the grey, drastically moreso than Chris Neil's vicious but clean bodycheck of Buffalo's Chris Drury.

But the real problem with the hit wasn't the hit itself. Even if Janssen lead with the shoulder, kept his feet on the ice, and hit Kaberle soon enough that the hit wasn't legally late, Janssen knowingly took a shot at a defenseman in a vulnerable position and did so in a situation where the hit couldn't possibly provide his team with any tangible benefit on the play. The check was deep in Toronto's end - Kaberle was the last man back. There was no scoring chance to be created by the check and Janssen wasn't preventing the creation of one.

It was an unnecessary bodycheck, one that provided sufficient force to injure and was made in an uncompromising position. If Tie Domi was still in the NHL and had taken a similar shot at Brian Rafalski I'd be up in arms - not because the hit was necessarily illegal, but because you just don't do that.

Claude Julien benched Janssen for the rest of the game, preventing Toronto from going after him in retaliation, although no one in uniform for the Leafs would have won a fight with Janssen, a reputed pugilist. But next time the Leafs and Devils get together Janssen is going to be a marked man - and he deserves to be.

Last night the Leafs got the best kind of revenge - they won the hockey game. Next time Janssen will pay for violating the unwritten rulebook.

The Battle of the East tightens

The Leafs edged out the Devils 4-3 in a shootout and got goals from Carlo Colaiccovo, Matt Stajan and Nik Antropov. It was Andrew Raycroft's 26th start in a row.
Martin Brodeur is one win shy of the 40-win plateau for the season...Tomas Kaberle suffered a serious head/neck injury and was taken off in a stretcher.
The Leafs now sit 4 points behind the 8th spot in 10th place with 2 games in hand over the Canadiens and Hurricanes.
Despite earning a point, the Devils still sit 4 points back from the East leading Buffalo Sabres

The Penguins drop a contest to the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2. Sidney Crosby got his 200th career point with Pittsburgh's first goal and Ryan Malone the other while Carolina got some goals from Scottie Walker, twice, and Frantisek Kaberle.
The Hurricanes now move up to the 8th spot in the East with a one point lead over the 9th place Canadiens.
Pittsburgh remains in the 5th spot, 3 points behind Ottawa for 4th and 5 points ahead from falling out the playoff picture.

The Sens lose to the Thrashers 4-2; Dany Heatly provides the offence for Ottawa, potting his 39th and 40th goals.
Newly acquired Pascal Dupuis scored the insurance goal for Atlanta late in the third, whereas equaly newbie Eric Belanger scores twice to propel the Thrashers to a win over the Senators.
The win moves the Thrashers to only 2 points behind the Southeast leading Lightning, they are now in 6th place with a point deficit behind the Penguins.
Ottawa remains firmly in 4th place.

The Sabres win over the Canadiens, 8-5 in a whacky see-saw type game from both clubs.
Derek Roy had 1 goal and 3 assists, Jochen Hecht added 3 helpers, Tomas Vanek and Michael Ryan each scored twice while Teppo Numminen scored his second of the season and added 2 assists.

Tomas Plekanec continues to be hot, scoring twice and adding one assist while Radek Bonk, Micheal Ryder and Mark Streit provided the other Montreal goals.

With this loss, the Canadiens drop a point behind the Hurricanes for the 8th and final playoff spot and Buffalo adds to their thin lead over the New Jersey Devils.

Impressed with McDonald's NHL Star Sticks

Hat tip to Sherry over at Scarlett Ice, for the pic...

As I drove into my local McDonald's Monday morning to grab a coffee, I noticed the banner on the outside of the building promoting McDonald's new NHL Star Sticks.

I figured "Aww, what the hell, I'll get one to see what it's all about"

And it proved to be the best investment of my day and I drove happily out of their drive-thru window with my coffee on my seat and my new toy in my hands.

It was delivered in a a plastic bag with the named marked down on top in big bold black letters.
"SPEZZA," mine read.

I opened up the bag, and took out what seems to be a vertical silver case with the NHL logo and "Star Sticks" written below it. I opened it up and I was actually impressed with my new collectible. On the left side of the opened case was a mini-version of Jason Spezza's actual Sherwood stick with the possibility of taking it out. I dared do no such thing and I turned my head to the right where Jason Spezza and his stick (obviously) are in view.

For 2.69 + tax, I thought I was just gonna get something I'd admire for a few minutes and have already forgotten about it the next week. Not this...I can't wait to get my next stick.

Best hockey collectible McDonald's has developped in a long time. Definitely worth checking out.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Montreal Game-Day News & Notes – 02/03/07

After a demoralizing defeat at the hands of the lowly Rangers, Montreal rolls into Buffalo for Game 7 of the 8 game season series vs. The Sabres.

“We just didn't show up and do the things we need to do against a team that we could've put a long ways behind us,” said Canadiens defenseman Sheldon Souray. “The season is getting shorter.”

While Montreal is 4-2 in their last 6 games, they continue to slide further down the Eastern Conference standings after a tremendous start to the season. What was once a team that at one point may have challenged for first in their division is now fighting for a playoff spot in a close race that could see a number of teams finish between 6th and 8th.

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RDS.ca reports that the Canadiens will be without the services of forwards Chris Higgins (flu) and Alexander Perezhogin (head injury). The former was injured by an errant puck during practice Thursday.

Fortunately, returning to The Habs lineup will be forward Sergei Samsonov, after a battle with the flu bug that has plagued the Montreal dressing room this season.

Another welcome addition to the lineup will be newly acquired defenseman Josh Gorges, playing in his first game since being traded to Montreal for longtime Canadien Craig Rivet, from San Jose. His addition to the lineup will likely mean defenseman Marc Streit will be playing forward in Perezhogin’s spot.

In net will be veteran goalie David Aebischer, who’s last appearance came Monday in a victory vs. The Maple Leafs. Rookie goaltender Jaroslav Halak will sit after a lackluster performance against The Rangers. Cristobal Huet remains on long-term IR with a hamstring injury.

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Montreal is 3-1-2 vs. Buffalo this season.

Just a quick introduction before we get this party started…

I’d like to take moment to introduce myself and thank Bleu, Blanc et Rouge for giving me the opportunity to write a column here. I’ve always wanted to get into hockey writing and feel I can bring unique perspective to this blog.

My name is Waffledave. You may know me for my love of beer, hockey and controversial opinions. I’m a diehard Montreal Canadiens fan, which comes somewhat naturally as a native Montrealer. I grew up playing hockey, making it as far as AAA before realizing my future lay elsewhere, but the passion for the game will always remain in my heart.

I look forward to getting started here and trust you share my enthusiasm as well. I encourage comments, and am always willing to chew the fat about anything hockey related, so do not hesitate to drop me a line anytime and I promise to get back to you.

Lurking in the HSBC Rafters

Some Sabres news and notes:

Daniel Briere is expected back for tonight's game. He missed the 6-1 drubbing of the Maple Leafs on Tuesday with the Flu.

Unfortunately, that same bug appears to have bitten Sabres defenseman Henrik Tallinder and he is questionable for tonight's game. It appears Mark Mancari and newly acquired Mikko Lehtonen are the top candidates to be recalled if necessary.

Danius Zubrus will wear the number 15 for his Sabres debut. Derek Roy had graciously offered Zubrus' number 9 from Washington but Zubrus chose to go with the number he wore in Montreal. In case you are curious the last Sabre to wear 15 in a regular season game was Milan Bartovic. It is expected Zubrus will start the game between Adam Mair and Mike Ryan and will see time on both special teams units.

Chris Drury has been ruled out of this weekends games against Montreal and Toronto but Lindy Ruff is quoted as saying he is "feeling better."

Young pest Patrick Kaleta continues to make a big impression on the Sabres faithful. He wears number 36, coincidentally last worn by uberpest Matthew Barnaby, and has already gained recognition for some big hits. In separate games last week he recorded highlight reel hits on Chris Mcgratten of the Senators and Brian McCabe of the Leafs. While not ready for prime time yet Kaleta has the makings of another Barbaby, Darcy Tucker-like disturber that opposing fans will love to hate.

Fearless prediction: Sabres 4 - Habs 2. Sabres, though beat up, catch a break due to Montreal injuries and the fact that Sabre nemesis Christobal Huet is out. I look for a big game from Danny Briere in return and for Danius Zubrus to come up big for the home crowd.

Brodeur anchors the Devils as Rafalski and Parise provide the offense.

Despite the absence of the injured Brian Gionta, New Jersey continues to move along nicely in the consistent, almost mechanical fashion that people have come to expect from Lamoriello's Devils. Their success, of course, is largely dependant on the play of Martin Brodeur, who was named one of the stars of the month of Februray by the NHL. But even the Devils can't win without scoring goals.

The most impressive performances have come from defenseman Brian Rafalski, who has put up eight points in his last eight games, and sophomore winger Zach Parise, who has been the most important cog in the Devils' offense in recent times. Playing on a line with another skater out of the University of North Dakota, the rookie Travis Zajac, and the veteran Jamie Langenbrunner, the three have been together for the entire season. The trio has quietly put up 59 goals so far this season, including Parise's team-leading 26, more than the 54 from the team's first line of team captain Patrik Elias, Scott Gomez, and Gionta.

Rafalski in particular has been playing at a level which makes the still recent loss of defenseman Scott Niedermayer to Anaheim easier to swallow. In the last ten games Rafalski has demonstrated the ability to put up goals, points, and bodychecks which are almost reminiscent of those Scott Stevens would throw around on a daily basis. No one will ever say Rafalski is a major physical presence on the blueline, but despite that Rafalski has a nasty hipcheck which often shows up when least expected.

Other Devils defensemen have shown the ability to elevate their games recently as well. Despite the falling off from the earlier stellar play of rookie Johnny Oduya, who was a recent free agent signing, the Devils haven't missed a beat. One of the reasons for this is defenseman Brad Lukowich. Lukowich has been nothing short of awesome all season long, much to the astonishment of fans from Long Island, whose team shipped him to New Jersey a year ago for a third-round pick. When one thinks of Lukowich one doesn't see a #2 defenseman on a team challenging for the President's Trophy and yet he has elevated his game to that level. Lukowich isn't likely to sustain that level of play forever, but with the trade of the troubled David Hale to Calgary it's becoming clear that Lamoriello and Claude Julien are preparing to integrate the injured Richard Matvichuk back into the lineup.

In the meantime, while the Devils appear to have the necessary cap space to activate Matvichuk if they were to send enforcer Cam Janssen down to Albany, they have filled his roster spot with another rookie free agent signing, defenseman Andy Greene. Greene is a defenseman in the Brian Rafalski mold: he has speed, sound positioning, and a nice shot from the point which will nicely fill in on the second powerplay unit. Greene appears to be an immediate upgrade over Hale, who never found his stride after missing the beginning of the season with an eye injury, and he played well in a 1-0 shutout of the high-powered Penguins. Despite not having the cap space to make a deadline deal, Lamoriello still found a way to improve his team from within.

Why it's not a dream to think of Sheldon Souray and Andrei Markov both in Montreal next season...

Sheldon Souray (centre) and Andrei Markov (left) will both be unrestricted free agents on July 1st.

In today's Montreal Gazette, Pat Hickey is reporting that there is a possibility Sheldon Souray will re-sign with the Canadiens and that he has already discussed this scenario with his distant wife, Angelica Bridges.

It was believed Sheldon Souray would seek a contract from a California based team so he can be closer to his daughter.

"I really don't spend enough time with her," said Souray during an RDS interview last week.

This situation become more complex with Sheldon Souray's wife expecting their second child sometime in May and Hickey notes his relationship will become complicated if he decides to stay in Montreal.

I've thought about Souray's situation intently, and you know what, contrary to public belief that Bob Gainey will not afford to re-sign Andrei Markov and Sheldon Souray, the Canadiens may very well indeed hang onto both, and here's why:

a) Janne Niinimaa, acquired in a pre-season trade from Dallas for Mike Ribeiro, has not panned out and has proved to be a bust in Montreal. He is currently wasting $2.5 million in capspace as the 7th defenceman, and believe it or not, he is the Canadiens' highest paid defenceman.
He is also eligible for UFA status on July 1st and it is near absolute certaincy that he will not be back in Bleu, Blanc et Rouge next season.
Bottom line: Expected to file for free-agency and not be re-signed; -$2,5 million

b) David Aebsicher, a tale of two goalies. Aebsicher started off the season in a hot mood, winning over Habs' fans hearts with his spectacular play, highlighted by a 47-save 5-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in October.
Things started going downhill from there, Cristobal Huet regained the no.1 goalie status after overcoming early season doubts and put Aebischer behind the bench for good for much of December and January.

He got the occasional call in goal and most of the time was nothing more than ordinary, giving up soft and usually long rebounds and being caught out of position a lot ensued more criticism on him from disgruntled Canadiens fans.

His best chance for redemption came when Cristobal Huet suffered a season-ending hamstring/groin injury in the second period of a game against the Devils in February.
As I saw Huet squirm in pain, I knew David Aebischer was our only hope and quite frankly, I wasn't convinced. With Montreal slipping in the standings, they now find themselves on the verge of missing the playoffs. This all 2 months after the Canadiens held the second best record in the Eastern Conference and challenged the Buffalo Sabres for the Northeast division lead.

Since then, David Aebischer has struggled and it seems he has lost all confidence.
Rookie Jaroslav Halak has won over Guy Carbonneau's heart with his strong play despite the occasional soft goal.

It remains to be seen if the Canadiens will make the playoffs, if not, David Aebsicher will be the first to blame.
I don't see him returning next season, especially with the emergence of Jaroslav Halak.
He is eligible for RFA status on July 1st and has hinted he'd prefer being a starting goaltender elswhere.
Bottom Line: Aebischer's inconsistent play for most of the season might have cost him his job in Montreal, he can no longer be depended on. Unlikely to return. - $1,9 million

c) Radek Bonk: deal or no deal? After a disgusting 2005-2006 in his first season with Montreal, Bonk is tearing it up this season. All-around reliable defensively, a good spark offensively and on top of it, he's by far Guy Carbonneau's favorite player.
Bonk, acquired on Draft Day in June 2004 along with Cristobal Huet for goaltender Mathieu Garon and a 3rd round pick was expected to be an offensive force with a good frame, since the Canadiens lack size, he was expected to produce.
He did not, he struggled with injury problems all season and never got on a roll, he finished the season on the 4th line and provided a limited offensive edge.
However, Bonk is playing the best hockey of his life this season. He has a new friend on the 3rd line, Mike Johnson, and they have become a great defensive duo for the Canadiens, working the penalty kill and occasionally the power play.
Bonk seems always to be in the right spot on defence, being a thorn in the opponent's behind and appears to have regained the offensive touch the Canadiens have longed for.
Bottom line: Definite re-signing...but for a bit cheaper than 2.3 million? Bonk likes Montreal and the organisation likes him, a contract around $1.3-1.4 million is likely here. -$1 million.

d) Mike Johnson: acquired in an off-season trade from the Phoenix Coyotes for a 4th round pick, Johnson has blossomed into a Frank Selke like player. He has a good offensive side and is reliable defensively, he's not afraid to hit either and he's gotten into a few tiffs this season and he shoots the puck a lot.
A great pickup by GM Bob Gainey but the burning question in Johnson's case is, would he be willing to stay here for less? He's currently earning $1.9 million and it's unlikely the Canadiens will offer him that much. A slight pay cut may be in order. - $0.4 million

Aaron Downey will clear up around 425K; which gives us a grand total of - $5,8 million.
Not bad, and considering the cap may go up a million or two, that gives the Canadiens the opportunity to re-sign Souray and Markov.

Souray will probably get $5 or $5.5 million next season. Andrei Markov will probably get $4 or $4.5 million. TOTAL: $9 to $10 million for both of them

And with the Canadiens having $1.56 million left in cap space...we take out $5,8 million which give us: $7,36 million free and with the cap possibly going up $2 million, $9,36 left in cap space.
We're still missing $0.64 million in cap space to make this possible. Well, if Garth Murray is moved, that'll clear up around 500 K and if somehow, Bob Gainey can move Sergei Samsonov that'll make it possible, however it's unlikely. And Cristobal Huet makes $0.25 million less next season, freeing up the necessary space to sign them both.

Just my two cents, I maybe be wrong, but, hopefully, it'll turn out like this.
And what makes this so superficial, is that Chris Higgins, Mike Komisarek, Tomas Plekanec, Michael Ryder and Josh Gorges will likely get an increase in salary next season as RFA's.

If only dreams can come true, and Bob Gainey can impress me once more...

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Josh Harding looking like real deal for Wild as Minny wins over slumping Edmonton.

With Nicklas Backstrom and Manny Fernandez out, the Minnesota Wild are hoping young Josh Harding can finally realize his potential, and lead the team to the playoffs.

So far so good.

In only his second start and third appearance, Harding stopped 30 shots over the mourning Edmonton Oilers, who have now dropped to 0-2 after the Ryan Smyth mega-deal.
Harding, a 2nd round pick in 2002, received a pat on the back by Wild head coach Jacques Lemaire for his strong play.

"The chances that they got, he was just great on them," Lemaire said. "They had the opportunities to score goals and get going, but he was there to make the big saves. It's a good thing because we don't have nobody else."

Harding, now 1-0-1 with a miniscule 0.49 GAA and .982 SPCT is happy to have made the most of his oppertunity in goal.

"It's an unbelievable feeling right now," he said. "When I get home tonight it will hit a lot harder. I'm just enjoying the moment right now."

With Manny Fernandez and Nicklas Bacstrom out indefinitely, the Wild hope Josh Harding can continue his heroics and carry the team into the playoffs.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Regier Goes All In.

Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier is a cautious man.
For his supporters this penchant for caution is his greatest asset. His detractors cite it as his greatest weakness. Whatever your view may be on Darcy Regier he is a man unafraid to go against the conventional wisdom, a dangerous proposition in professional sports management in the days of ESPN and the Internet. As you may recall Regier decided to hold on to Goaltender Martin Biron last year at the deadline only to see Biron be unnecessary for the playoff run and the Sabres victimized by an astonishing rash of defenseman injuries that may have cost them the Stanley Cup.

Taking the expected criticism in stride, Regier cautiously moved about his business in the off season and allowed veteran team leaders like Mike Grier, J.P. Dumont and Jay Mckee to leave and again deciding against trading Biron, instead electing to keep his young core together. It appears to have paid off as at the time of this writing the Sabres have the second best record in the league and have the highest scoring team.

One would think that a General Manager in that position could rest comfortably approaching the trade deadline. Not Darcy Regier. Another incredible spate of injuries has put eight regular players in the press box including team co-captain Chris Drury. Though youngsters from the Rochester Americans like Drew Stafford, Clarke Macarthur and Patrick Kaleta have filled the void admirably it appears that Regier realized that caution was the risky move this year and he decided to play some big cards in order to make the run. In fact the Sabres, due to injury call ups, found themselves actually over the cap on deadline day morning.

On deadline day morning Regier gained some much needed cap room by dealing perennial fan favorite Biron to the hated rival Philadelphia Flyers for what appears to be the first pick in the second round of the draft. He followed this move up by acquiring fallen Goaltender prospect Ty Conklin from Columbus Blue Jackets and defenseman Mikko Lehtonen from Nashville for 5th and 4th round picks respectively. The cleared cap room set the table for Regier's biggest move. He packaged Buffalo's #1 pick in the 2007 Entry Draft and young centerman Jiri Novotny to the Washington Capitals for gifted, yet sometimes enigmatic, forward Danius Zubrus and minor league defenseman Timmo Helbling.

To say such a deadline move is out of character for Regier wouldn't be totally true, he did get Joe Juneau and Donald Audette for the cup run in 1999, rare would probably be the correct term. It is just very unusual to see Regier-led Buffalo team not have a back up plan if Miller goes down with an injury. For Regier working without that safety net must be disconcerting, almost akin to trying to not breathe, but it seems a testament to his belief in this team. He will have all of the front line players back for the cup run and has supplemented them with another very good offensive weapon. He has also given the team some defensive depth for the cup run. One can argue he has built the best team in hockey. But.... one freak bounce, one collision, one Ryan Miller injury could shatter it all. He threw out a Jack in Martin Biron. Darcy Regier has laid it all on the table. He is banking it all on the fact that in Danius Zubrus he drew an Ace.

Can I have some aspirin for this hangover?

As I write this, the defending 2006 Stanley Cup champions are teetering on the playoff fence, dangerously close to falling off onto the wrong side. You know the side I am talking about – the one with the big, vicious mean dog ready to tear the team to shreds (think “The Sandlot”). Unfortunately for the team, its not just one single, angry dog waiting on the other side. It’s the Hurricanes fans that are waiting.

No, I don’t mean the fans that magically showed up during the Eastern Conference Finals, causing fans like myself to contemplate selling a kidney in order to afford tickets. I mean the ones that are sick and tired of the organization over achieving, only to decide that they have earned the right to play uninspired hockey. The same stigma the guys fought so hard to overcome last season is exactly what they are playing into this year.

Because of the “effort” put forth during the season, we now have to hope and pray that the stars align correctly and the Canes manage to make it into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth. Once they get there, we have to cross our fingers and toes that they find the spark they had just last season to carry them into at least a decent playoff run.

The Canes are on a sinking ship and there were zero moves before the trade deadline to plug the holes. Oh, sorry…I forgot about Anson Carter. A team that has David Tanabe leading defenseman in TOI is NOT Stanley Cup bound, let alone playoff bound.

I realize I am not giving enough credit to the tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference. This year’s race is incredible between Tampa Bay, Montreal, Atlanta, Toronto and the Islanders. There are essentially 4 playoff spots to share between the six teams, all of which don’t want to miss the playoffs. Atlanta is looking for their first ever playoff run, Toronto just CAN’T miss the playoffs again, the Islanders landed Captain Canada, Tampa leads the SE division and Montreal’s fans would riot if the Habs missed the playoffs.

So why does Carolina need to make the playoffs?

Because its 2007. The reign of the 2005-2006 Stanley Cup champions is over. Now we Canes fans just have to wait for Brind’Amour and Staal to realize that.

CG12

Fallout: Martin Gerber nearly a Bruin?

According to the Ottawa Citizen, the Ottawa Senators nearly acquired enigmatic goaltender Tim Thomas from the Boston Bruins in exchange for soft defenceman/forward Christoph Schubert and goaltender Ray Emery.

This would be a bogus move on all levels.

a) Martin Gerber's salary is currently $3.7 million, Tim Thomas's salary is $1.2 million.
See something wrong there? Yeah, maybe...that means $2.5 million more salary going to Boston.
b) Christoph Schubert's making about 525 K this season.
Conclusion: Ottawa dumps about $4 million, while they receive a quarter of that.

Not only does Boston suck up a huge amount of cap space for relatively mediocre players (despite Gerber's strong performance since the New Year), but they help out a division rival.

Oh, and I don't see John Muckler trading Martin Gerber, who's improved hugely since his early-season struggles.

I don't know who the Citizen's source is...but, to put it politely, this is a bit far-fetched...
Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Welcome to CG12 and the Ghost!

Hey everyone, just a heads-up, CG12 is the new Carolina Hurricanes beat writer, she will post everything Hurricanes.

The Ghost is the Buffalo Sabres new beat writer.

If you would like to beat write for a team, email me.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Pascal Leclaire on the sidelines...again

The Columbus Blue Jackets have something more to suffer about, well...not really, since he was never around long enough for them to suffer.

Pascal Leclaire is going to miss the rest of the regular season due to knee problems again.

This is Leclaire's second knee injury which will force him to miss a huge amount of time, he had surgery in December to repair torn cartilage in his knee and returned in the month of February, but with March in, he's already out.

Brian Boucher, recently claimed off waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks, is expected to fill the backup role for Columbus.

Leclaire was a miserable 6-15-2 with a 2.97 GAA and his job may be in jeopardy with the emergence of Fredrik Norrena.

Just a little sorry note for you Jackets fans, hey, there isn't much to talk about after the deadline...
Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

Captain Canada cries for the money...

Ryan Smyth was all tears as he stood on the podium in front of a swarm of journalists and mourning Oilers fans who are blinded by the truth.

Captain Canada was traded because he did not want the $5.4 million USD Kevin Lowe offered him, Smyth reportedly rejected the contract because he wanted 100 K more.

"100 K more."

And what, you couldn't settle for $5.4 million? That's not enough, as to quote the famous money excuses, "to feed your family"?

I'm sorry, but Ryan Smyth has lost all respect from me, if he really wanted to stay in Edmonton, he would have accepted and already generous offer. But for some reason, he wanted just a hundred thousand more?

But why?

Most duds like you and I don't even make a hundred thousand a year!

Don't get me wrong, Ryan Smyth is a great guy. But...he proved me wrong.
He proved to the world that , the great "Captain Canada" is just like every other greedy hockey player out there, and plays for the money...

Cry Ryan, it's alright, but next time you do, cry for a justified reason.

Oh, maybe Kevin Lowe is at fault here too... He dealt Pronger before the season began...you have to wonder why he couldn't give Ryan Smyth 100 K more with all the cap space he had cleared.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.