Around the NHL (25 2-07)

We are two days from the trade deadline, and another big name has changed teams. Keith Tkachuk was traded to the Atlanta Trashers in return for Greg Metropolit, the 1st and third round choice in 2007, and a second round choice in 2008. A conditional pick may be added if Tkachuck signs with Atlanta this summer. According to Andy Strickland of 1380 ESPN, the deal is being finalized. I think Atlanta paid way too much for Tkachuck, but Waddell will have to live with that choice I guess.

The Blues put an end to speculations to Eric Brewer's future in St-Louis, as they inked in him to 17 million $ 4 year deal, which comes on average to 4.25 million per season. This will have teams most likely putting their sights on Habs D-man, Sheldon Souray. Unless Gainey gets sweetheart deals like the Flyers for Forsberg and St-Louis for Tkachuck, I don't see Souray moving.

Just like Brewer, you can take Marco Sturm off the market, as he signed a 14 million $ 4 year deal, which averages out to 3.5 m $ per season.

So now I guess the two hottest commodities on the market now are Guerin and Souray. Two former New Jersey Devils draft picks. No doubt their value went up with the players above mentionned went off the market. So I guess Montreal's, Bob Gainey and St-Louis Gm, Larry Pleau sit and wait for offers. A weird fact here, you have two former Habs draft choices in Gainey and Pleau holding on to the two hottest commodities, which are two former New Jersey choices, with the history of those three teams in trading with each other, almost makes you wonder will this come full circle somewhere down the line ? We shall see.

Around the NHL (18-2-07)

Well the Forsberg saga finaly came to an end this week, when the Flyers traded him to the Nashville Predators for Scott Upshall, prospect Ryan Parent and 1st round pick in next June's draft. This move has had an effect on the teams who were in the running for Forsberg, and has left them scrambling and set their sights on other top potential candidates.

Fellow blogger Spector in his latest Fox column has a list of players that could be on the move. Among the names mentionned his article, you have Keith Tkachuk from St-Louis who would be willing to waive his no trade clause to go to a contender, the Blues asking will be pretty high, young talent and draft choices, a team seeking his services would have to clear at least 1.5 m in salary, if dealt at the deadline his cap hit for the remainder of the season would be about 1.2 + m. Spector also cites Bill Guerin as being available, his cap hit at the deadline would be more modest that his teammate's,figure around 500 k +.

The Ottawa Sun's hockey columnist, Bruce Garrioch, in a piece takes a stab at who will be buyers and sellers leading up to February 27th's trade deadline. Interesting and worth reading if you want to keep track of the comings and goings on that day. We could say it's the NHL's version of boxing day sales, we love them don't we ?

This week on Sportsnet, an incident happened, when the face of the well known anynomous hockey blogger Eklund, saw his face be revealed. Was it an accident or was it intentional, I guess you would have to ask the parties involved. Eklund has been subject of criticism about his connections and sources, but this week he batted a 1000 with the Forsberg deal, and had it posted on his site before the majority of the news web outlets did, so i have to say he his the real thing, but I would like to see him come up with a few more before i am totaly convinced.

Alot of rumblings coming the fans in Habland, they are not happy campers as we speak, just go visit some Forums, either in english or french, they are pointing fingers everywhere, either the players take the wrath or it's the management, starting with Gm, Bob Gainey and down to head coach, Carbonneau and his associates. I'm surprised they have not asked for the zamboni driver to be fired. As mentionned in the above piece from Bruce Garrioch, he mentions them as being buyers, this in light of the Huet injury and the six game losing streak, that has brought the habs from fourth to tenth place, that is incredible, seeing it being the 30th anniversary of the great season they had in 1976-77, when they recorded 60 wins and only lost one thenth of their games, a team on which Bob Gainey and Doug Jarvis played on. How times have changed in the land of Les Glorieux.

There seems to be a general consent among bloggers that Montreal's Sheldon Souray will be the menu du jour until Bob Gainey makes a public statement that he has no intention on trading his defenceman. An another loss tonight against the Blue Jackets could lead Gainey to decide to tank the season and become a seller rather than a buyer. Could underachieving Samsonov and fellow russian Kovalev be on the block, if such a decision is made ? My personal point of view, I don't think to many people in Montreal or other places that the Canadiens have a fan base, will be too sad to see Kovalev leave the Habs, my myself included. I think he is the source of the teams downfall since christmas, his attitude and not caring does not fall in to Carbonneau's or Gainey's play as a team philosophy. I think Gainey maybe a little more patient with Samsonov, because of the meeting he had with his winger,and he has played better and is working and seems to be more interested in helping the team get out of it's slump than before the meeting, but we will have to see.

That's all for now folks !

Forsberg and …

It’s time for Peter Forsberg to make up his mind, he either stays in Philadelphia or waives his no trade clause and picks where he wants to go. If he does wave it, most likely he will be traded to a western conference team, because i think the cup will be won by a team from that conference, for the simple reason that the top contenders are Detroit, Anaheim and San Jose, the Flames are a dark horse choice, but could move up if one of the above mentionned teams should tank in the first round. If I was a betting man, I would see Forsberg going to Detroit. I think it’s the best team suited for him, the wings are good puck moving team and have veterans that are hungry for an another cup, espacially after early exits in past years after their cup win in 2002. If Detroit does get Forsberg, no doubt they would have to find a team for Lang to clear up cap space.

If i am Doug Riseborough and Jacques Lemaire, I would go and scout Marco Sturm of Boston, he would be a Lemaire type of player and would fit well, and add some scoring punch, he could play with Brian Rolston on the penalty kill and maybe get a few shorthanded goals and help Minnesota move up a few spots in the standings.

Souray won’t be moved at the deadline, but most likely Gainey could trade him at the June draft and get something in return for him , the Habs retain his rights until June 30th. If he does go to LA, no Habs fans, Lombardi won’t trade Kopitar for Souray, but funnier things have happened in LA this season, after all they signed Cloutier to a contract, this same guy cost Crawford’s job in Vancouver. Crawford to Lombardi ‘’ could you tighten the nuce a bit more .‘’ A bit of humour folks.

Even if Gainey stated that he did not want to trade Ryder, who is a thirty goal a season player, the Habs Gm who always wears his poker face, would not hesite to trade his struggling winger for the right return. I concur with Spector on this, Ryder is playing his last games with the Habs. Still with the Habs, I think Gainey should look to try an acquire Gary Roberts, he is a proven leader and could take some leadership weight off of Koivu’s shoulders, I don’t think a team captain should be the one carrying all of that weight on his shoulders, not that I don’t Koivu is not a good captain and leader, but the majority of the players have heard the same message coming from different people, that it’s beginning to sound like a broken record, I think someone new with a different approach would be welcomed and possibly help save a season that seems to be on a free fall. I don’t see Roberts as a savior, but a breath of fresh air the Canadiens need in a big way. The Habs need to add size on the wings and a tough guy that can play and impose some respect, in the same way that Neil does in Ottawa.

If the Leafs miss the playoffs once again, JFJ will be packing his bags. The same could be said of Doug Maclean in Colombus. The Senators players hold the faith of Gm, John Muckler and coach Bryan Murray in their hands, anything short of a conference final appearence, could see owner, Eugene Melnyck clean house. A top a candidate for Muckler’s job is in my opinion, former Gm and Habs assistant Gm, Pierre Gauthier, after all he is responsible for drafting a good part of the Sens present line-up. If this happens Pierre, my two cents worth in a candidate, would be Pat Burns, he has the experience and won a cup with less talented team that you would inherite. In an interview on RDS, he mentionned that he would listen to offers if someone calls.

I enjoy watching Sidney Crosby play like everyone else, but one thing he will have to stop doing, is playing the wounded virgin, it will catch up to him in time, and nobody will believe him, starting with his teammates. Your paid to play hockey, so do that, the best way to answer to the hits, is score goals, that will sting more that anything you could receive.

That’s all for now folks !

Around the NHL (06-02-2007)

The New York Rangers traded Jason Ward and prospects Marc-André Clich and Jan Marek to Los Angeles for bad boy Sean Avery and a junior prospect, John Seymour. Avery has been known to be a distraction in a dressing room, but will have to deal with Brendan Shanahan, who seems to be the one running the show in the Rangers dressing room, maybe it might be what Avery needed.


Mike Chen in his latest blog spot on Fox, thinks it could be a good idea to shop Shanahan and get something in return and try to resign him as a free agent next season. It might not be a bad idea, if the Rangers have sank by the trade deadline.

The Sergei Samsonov saga is continuing in Habland, he cleared waivers and will not be sent to Hamilton. He had a long conversation with Gm, Bob Gainey and head Coach, Guy Carbonneau. Did he understand anything the two last captains to win a cup in Montreal had to say to him ? We shall see in the days to come. Stay tuned !

Will Jacques Martin, the Florida Panthers GM, trade Todd Bertuzzi ? Most likely, because he needs some kind of return to make the Luongo trade make some kind of sense in the long run. Gary Roberts, Martin Gelinas, Josef Stumpel and yes, Eddie the Eagle are also available. I wonder how many Gm's have Jacque's number on speed-dial, we shall find out soon enough folks.

The dummy play of the week or even the season has to go to Calgary's KRISTIAN HUSELIUS, on his shootout attempt, that has to be the dumbest thing any player to do, unless your talented enough to pull it off.

It should be an interesting next three weeks until trade deadline day. More and more rumours will be floating out there in cyberspace. Stay tuned folks !

Ken, How do we Thank you ? and …

Last Monday, the Canadiens retired Ken Dryden’s number 29. A goaltender that made his short career mean something. Dryden by his poise, thinking and play, made one of the biggest upsets in hockey history legendary. Even today, that story has made and still makes Harry Sinden believe that they were really ghost in the Forum at the time. Now, that his famous number 29 will hang from the rafters of the Bell Center on a permanent basis, it will be a constant reminder of that spring in 1971, and many others for that matter.

Those of us lucky enough to have seen him play that series against the Bruins that spring and many others after that, and saw and listened to Dryden’s address to the Canadiens fans last Monday, heard him say ‘’How do I thank you ? ‘’ on many occasions, and that reminded us of those great saves he made, that helped win those many Stanley cups during his short but very prominent career. I think the only thing we can do, is return that very question to him. To Dryden it needed no answer, he got it moments before when he got a standing ovation, he had anticipated the question, the same way he had made those scintalating saves, that the late great Danny Gallivan would often describe, watching Hockey Night in Canada on cold Saturday evenings in January as a youngster. Those of you lucky enough to have read his first book, ‘’The Game.’’ Know that it was written from scribbled notes, often written on pieces of napkins in hotel restaurants during team meals on the road, or sometimes on off days when just resting at home, a mental note was made, to remind him of either a bad home game or one on the road. So using that, hopefully I will be able to return his question to us back to him, which most likely, he will decline.

On many evenings, driving home, the radio blasting, the window of your car wide open, your arm out the window as you drove and thought of that bad goal you let in, and the fans giving you the bronx cheer. As you usualy did, upon a stoppage of play, you drew your stick in a position to lean and think, analyse what had just gone on. You did it and got better everytime, the bronx cheers went to ovations, more times that one. Having the knowledge to admit that you not only you let yourself down, you knew you also, you had let your team, fans, city, province and country down, but always knew, you could come back. How do we thank you ? You lifted us more than you let us down. Again, How do we thank you ? You made a team, an organization, fans, a city, province and country proud. How do we thank you ? A thank you, will never be enough, either it be from you and your family to us, or from us to them, we shall meet half way and shake hands. It answers your question, How can I ever thank you ? You did and we did, but, Merci Ken !

Yes the marketing of up and coming stars as Crosby and Ovechkin are good, but the NHL braintrust has yet to address the most important one, the constant questionning and critisizing of the on ice officials. They are part of the product you are trying to sell, if you are putting down your product in a way, why should as major network want to put that on ? You don’t the leaders of the other sports going to knocking on the doors of the major networks across the United States begging to have their product shown nationaly. They found ways to not belittle their product and it’s the major networks that are falling over each other to get that product on their time slots. I’m not saying that we don’t see bad calls made in the NFL, MLB or the NBA, but they are so few that they go unoticed most of time, but espacially we don’t hear a coach or manager critisizing on a constant basis the officiating. How do we fix it and make it more attractive to the major networks to have them broadcast them ? One step would be to include officials on the competition committee, i’m not sure it has one. The second could be to have officials travel as a unit all thru the season and create some kind of chemistry and hopefully consistancy in their calls. Giving more power to the line judges, not call penalties, but to bring one to the attention of one of the referees, a bit like they do in the NFL. Should the NHL adopt the challenge system also ? I say yes, but first address the question and see if it could work. I’m not saying the NHL should become the NFL on blades, but look at what is working for that league that could help better the product we are trying to sell. It’s a start, it won’t hurt, and it if helps the game in the long run, it will grow and for the good. In my opinion, Gary Bettman looks like a shoe salesman trying to sell used shoes. Gary, some advice, we can get them for free at the local salvation army, go back to the drawing board and find a way to make them look new.

I hope that Forsberg will make up his mind and decide to or not waive his no trade clause and put an end to the speculation once and for all. I figure that we could have alot of activity about 2 weeks before trade deadline. So this week may determine how it goes within that 2 week period. It will be interesting to see. We may get a surprise trade that throws a monkey wrench in the hole process.