Dirty Dangle Hockey

Mikhail Grabovski Comes Clean About Bite

2013-05-20T18:22:00.001-04:00

The bite did happen says Mikhail Grabovski. In an interview with Dmitry Chesnokov for Puck Daddy, Grabovski admits to biting Habs forward, Max Pacioretty. Here's the quote from the interview:

What about the incident with Max Pacioretty?

“The incident? It wasn’t that much. He was choking me and I bit him. Don’t stick your hands where you shouldn’t. To be honest with you he was choking me pretty hard, to the point where I really couldn’t breathe. And I couldn’t pull his hand away at all. I tried to hit him with my other hand, but I couldn’t because he was choking me. There was nothing left to do but bite him.”

If you remember correctly, Grabovski had a phone hearing with Brendan Shanahan but was not suspended for the ~~alleged~~ bite. The reasoning at the time was inconclusive evidence. Obviously if you're a player defending yourself in front of the NHL's disciplinarian you're not going to admit to biting a player, so Grabovski must have fibbed to Shanny. With this new admittance does anything change? Can he be suspended after the fact? We doubt that, but it could hurt him in any future hearings. Let's be honest, if someone is choking you and you can't breathe you'll do anything to get that air. In this case, Pacioretty's hand was somewhere where it shouldn't have been and it should be left at that. A choke for a bite seems pretty fair and should only intensify the Leafs-Canadiens rivalry moving forward.

The NHL Playoffs Injury Parade

2013-05-19T13:59:00.000-04:00

It's that fun time when NHL teams start to reveal what injuries their players had or suffered during the playoffs and we shake our heads in awe. We like to call this time of year the Playoffs Injury Parade as teams disclose injuries that were suspected about during series' or completely unknown about. These injuries are kept under a veil of secrecy during the playoffs as you can't give your opponent a sniff of weakness so it's always interesting when a team is eliminated and you get to see what players were playing through. There are only a few injuries that will keep a player from playing this time of year and if you don't have have some battlescars when you win than you're not doing it right.

Here are some of our favourite injuries from the first round:

Francois Beauchemin: Torn ACL
Beauchemin played for a few weeks with this injury and will be going for much needed surgery after the Ducks 7-game playoff run. Beauchemin not only tied for the Ducks playoff scoring lead with 6 points, but he also led all Ducks players in TOI with 25:22/game.

Mark Fraser: Frontal Skull Fracture
While Fraser couldn't get out of the way of Milan Lucic's slapshot that hit him in the forehead, he did dodge a big bullet on the injury front. No concussion, no vision problems, and no other serious issues. Things could have been a lot worse for the Leafs defenceman after basically having a hole in his head, but it looks like he'll recover in time for the 2013-14 season.

Tyler Bozak: Triceps Tear
Bozak suffered a 70% tear of his triceps on the last faceoff of game 5 against the Boston Bruins. While he did take the warmup for game 6 to throw off the Bruins, the Leafs top centre was forced out of the remaining two games. He really must have been trying to win that faceoff if he tore the main muscle in the arm.

Martin Erat: Dislocated Elbow

Erat dislocated his elbow in game 4 of the first round and had hoped to play if his team advanced to the 2nd round. While he missed the remaining 3 games of the series, you gotta love that Erat said had it been his right elbow he would have played, but since it was his was left it would have been too hard on his bottom hand side.

Alex Ovechkin: Fractured Foot
OV blocked a shot in Game 6 against the Rangers and suffered a hairline fracture in his left foot as a result. He finished the game, and played 19:08 in Game 7 mustering only 1 shot on goal. After his hot streak to end the season, the Caps star was held pointless in the final 5 games of the series. Did OV use this injury as an excuse for his lack of offence in the final 2 games? Nope. When asked if he was dealing with any injuries he replied "Just a few bruises, nothing major." It couldn't have been that bad as OV did go over to Sweden to get whooped by the US in the quarterfinal of the IIHF Worlds.

Ryan White: Punctured Lung
White suffered the injury in Game 3 against Ottawa and still returned to play on shift before leaving the game. Amazingly, the injury was resolved and it would have been possible to return to the playoffs had the Habs gone further. These hockey players man, they're fucking nuts.

Brian Gionta: Torn Bicep
The injury held Gionta out of games 2 and 4 against the Senators and eventually shut him down for the playoffs as he required surgery. While it sounds painful, it appears as it was even more painful for Gionta to sit out as the news of his season ending had him crying in Michel Therrien's arms. Seriously, what coach throws their player under the humiliation bus like that?

Niklas Backstrom: Sports Hernia
The Wild's starting goalie didn't even get to play a minute of the Stanley Cup playoffs after hurting himself during the warmup of game 1. You gotta feel for the guy, but after that stunt Minnesota pulled in the offseason we think it's the Hockey Gods giving it to Parise and Suter.

The Good, The Bad and The Mike Ricci From Round 1

2013-05-14T22:30:00.000-04:00

Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs have come and gone so it's time to look at the good, the bad, and the Mike Ricci from the past two weeks. There was plenty going on with a record number of overtime games in the first round, three game sevens and only one sweep meaning you had no reason to complain about there not being enough hockey to watch. If you watched every night, you definitely noticed some players lighting it up, and probably didn't notice certain players as they turned into ghosts.

With that said, here's our Good, Bad, and Mike Ricci:

The Good:

The Pittsburgh Penguins Top Dogs: Offence and more offence.
Evgeni Malkin leads the team with 11 points in 6 games and a healthy Sidney Crosby has 9 points in 5 games. Jarome Iginla is also pulling his weight putting up 9 points and Kris Letang is a point-per-game player with 2 goals and 6 points so far. These guys are lighting it up and that's not a good thing for the Ottawa Senators.

Derick Brassard: 9 points in 7 games
The Blue Jackets gave up on their former 1st round pick and he's playing some great hockey these playoffs for the Rangers. In 7 games, Brassard has a team leading 2 goals and 7 apples, all of which came in the remaining 5 games of the series after New York dropped their first 2 games to the Caps.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau: 5 points in 5 games
The Ottawa Senators 20-year-old rookie wasn't even a lock to play for their AHL team this year, but battled his way for playing time and was given a chance to play for the big club thanks to their injuries. Pageau notched a hat trick in Game 3 against Montreal and has been getting chances to play with Ottawa's first line with his offensive ability. For a rookie, you can't ask for anything more in the playoffs.

Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture: Only players averaging 2 points-per-game
Pavelski and Couture both have 8 points from their sweep of the Vancouver Canucks. Pavelski has shown flashes of greatness before in the playoffs when he put up 17 points in 15 games back in 2010, and Couture also lit it up in 2011 when he put up 14 points in 18 games as a 22-year-old. If the Sharks big guns can keep firing they'll continue to be a big threat to come out of the West.

David Krejci: 13 points to lead all players in scoring
Krejci had 5 goals and 13 points to lead all players in points in the first round. Krejci is one of those players you never really notice out of the ice because he isn't that flashy, but he can rack up points in bunches. With 4 multi-point games including three 3-point games, Krejci took advantage of the Maple Leafs and looked to be in the same offensive form he was when the Bruins won the Cup in 2011.

Zdeno Chara: 8 points to lead all Defensemen
Chara didn't blow me away from watching him play all 7 games this series, but he did manage to get lucky with some 2nd assists and led all defencemen in first round scoring. Well Chara has always been able to put up points while shutting down opposing teams top scorers, he does have a bullet of a shot and can make plays happen. As Leafs fans, we can't wait until he retires.

The Bad:

Alex Ovechkin: 1 goal and just 2 points in 7 games

Just when everyone thought that Ovechkin was back to being a superstar he gets shut down by the New York Rangers. Ovie tossed 30 shots on goal but only one managed to slip 1 goal pass King Henrik (an open net powerplay goal). It's never good when the thing most people will remember from your playoff performance is this:

Tyler Seguin: 0 goals and 1 assist in 7 games
The usual Maple Leafs killer had 29 shots on goal through 7 games, but just couldn't get any offense going. His lone assist came on Patrice Bergeron's game 7 OT winner and while we haven't been able to watch highlights of that game just yet, we're sure he probably didn't deserve it.

Corey Perry: 0 goals and 2 assists in 7 games
The former 50-goal scorer couldn't find the back of the net against the Red Wings and now has the summer to relax and work on his shot. When you're top triggerman isn't putting pucks in the net you won't win many series and Perry's absence on the scoresheet helped lead to their demise. How much less money would have gotten this offseason after this playoff performance?

Rick Nash: 0 goals and 2 assists in 7 games
I can still remember his season when he scored 41 goals and had just 16 assists back in 2003-04 so it's surprising he has more assists then goals in these playoffs. Nash will need to help out more offensively if the Rangers hope to knock out the Bruins, and with his massive frame they'll rely on him to put pucks on net in the dirty areas - which means crosschecks from Zdeno Chara. This series against Boston will be a big test for Nash and his star status.

Marc-Andre Fleury: Losing his starting job
The flower looked shaky in every game and posting a .891 save percentage and a 3.40 goals against average will usually have you sitting on the bench. Fleury showed shades of last season against the Flyers and when you have an experienced back-up goalie like Tomas Vokoun sitting there ready to take your job you have to be better.

The Mike Ricci:

The Vancouver Canucks: Only team to get swept in Round 1

The Canucks will be doing some house cleaning after only winning one playoff game over the last two years. After losing in 5 games to the LA Kings last year they were swept by the San Jose Sharks pretty handedly this year. Allowing 3 or more goals in each of the games, the Canucks goaltending controversy grew even more as Luongo (6) and Schneider (9) combined for 15 total goals against. Is this team getting blown up?

Zach Parise: 1 goal and a -7 in 5 games
The 98 million dollar man was ~~bought~~ brought into Minnesota to add some offense and putting up just one point and being a minus player is not what Wild management was hoping for. After his performance last year in the playoffs when he led the Devils to the Stanley Cup Final it's disappointing to see his statline from the past two weeks.

Brad Richards: 1 goal and 0 assists in 7 games
There are already rumours of a potential buyout of his contract from his subpar season and Richards hasn't been helping himself out with just one point in 7 games for the Rangers. To demonstrate how badly he's been playing he was getting 4th line minutes in Game 6 and 7 against the Caps and primarily played his minutes on the powerplay.

The Toronto Maple Leafs: Blowing a 3 goal lead in the 3rd period
The Leafs were playing a great series until they shit the bed the last 10 minutes and became the first team ever to lose a game 7 after leading in the 3rd period by 3 goals. It sounds unbelieveable, but it happened. The Maple Leafs meltdown is so rare it's something that happens only once in sixty lifetimes and it won't be forgotten anytime soon in Leaf Nation.

Who's Taking The Hart?

2013-05-12T11:22:00.000-04:00

On Friday it was announced that the three nominees for the Hart Memorial Trophy were Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin and John Tavares. All three deserve the nominations, but only one can take it home. What's interesting this year is that all three have different season storylines that make them worthy of the MVP award. It past seasons it seems that the top scorers are simply chosen or a goalie who stood on their head, but this year with the a shortened season there is no clear front runner for the award.

Let's take a look at the storylines:

The Dominant, But Injured

Sidney Crosby pretty much had this award locked up before taking a slapshot to the jaw that would put him out a month and see him lose his scoring lead 25 days after the injury. Basically the story here is that Sid was the best player in the league for 75% of the season and would have won it easily had Brooks Orpik had better aim. Did he do enough in those 36 games to win the Hart? How much did his nomination drop off from when he got injured to when the voting took place? Was he surrounded by too much talent in Pittsburgh? These are all questions the Professional Hockey Writers Association had to consider and it's a tough choice.

The Fading Star Who Found The Net Again

Alex Ovechkin's name was being dragged through the mud at the halfway point of the season before he started lighting it up like it was 2008. Ovechkin's name was fading like Marty McFly in Back to the Future before he scored 23 goals in his final 23 games to lead his Capitals to another Southeast Division win. The story here is Ovechkin no longer looked to be a superstar before scoring at an unbelievable pace and leading his team to the playoffs. Was it too little too late? Was his competition easier in the Southeast? This is a tough call as when the voting took place he was the hottest player in the league and you have to wonder how much that influenced the PHWA.

The Budding Superstar Who Led His Team To The Playoffs

John Tavares was consistent throughout the season and without him the Islanders wouldn't have been playing any hockey in May this year. Finishing 3rd in goal scoring with 28 goals, Tavares scored timely goals in all situations to get the Isles into the postseason for the first time in 6 years. When Tavares came into the league many wondered how he would do with his lack of footspeed, but now you can tell he's become an elite player with and improved in every aspect of the game. Everyone knows he's a star player, but he took it to another level this season and became a superstar.

This will be one of the toughest Hart Trophy's to be decided in recent memory will three great candidates in a shortened 48-game season. Who do you think will take it home?

Mark Fraser Has A Hole In His Forehead

2013-05-11T01:33:00.000-04:00

You've probably seen the video of Mark Fraser taking a Milan Lucic slapshot to the forehead and knew the severity of the play immediately. Hustled off the ice and on his way to hospital before the 3rd period even ended, Fraser's playoffs were clearly over after suffering a devastating injury. Well now we have this disturbing x-ray image of a fracture to his forehead. Yes, that's a fucking hole in his forehead.

Phil Kessel Wake Up Call

2013-05-10T14:38:00.002-04:00

An ongoing joke I have with my brothers is that Phil Kessel doesn't get enough sleep. He always looks sleepy on the bench and it's probably only a matter of time before he gets the Paul Maurice bags under his eyes. Clearly this look doesn't affect his play as he still has the speed and scoring touch to finish 8th in league scoring this year. Well, a Boston radio station named WAAF thought he needed even less sleep so they sent a a host from the Hill-Man Morning Show with a bullhorn to heckle Phil Kessel outside the hotel where the Maple Leafs were staying:

The heckling was a retaliation for Toronto radio station host, Dean Blundell, attempting to send pizzas to the Boston Bruins hotel in the morning. Here's them talking about the prank at the 51:00 mark:

The last time the Maple Leafs were in the playoffs...

2013-05-05T16:19:00.003-04:00

Last night was not only the 2nd Maple Leafs playoff game since 2004, but it was also the 9th anniversary of Jeremy Roenick's OT winner that started that drought. Nine years is a long fucking time so of course there were hundreds of "last time the Leafs made the playoffs" jokes going around this week. Those jokes were well deserved as a lot has happened in nine years. While watching the game last night with my bros we got to reminiscing about what life was like back in May 2004.

Most of our friends were still virgins.
Todd Bertuzzi was the most hated man in hockey.
Facebook had just launched, but just for Harvard students so you couldn't creep girls at your school yet. You had to use ICQ and MSN to hit on girls until 2am at night.
Dick Tarnstrom was one of the highest scoring defencemen with 52 points. 38 of those points came on the powerplay and Tarnstrom was a -37 that season.
Paris Hilton wasn't an amateur pornstar yet.
Dan Cloutier was a winning goalie in the NHL.
You wouldn't be able to rewatch the Darcy Tucker hit on Sami Kapanen thousands of time because YouTube wasn't invented.
Justin Timberlake had recently showed the world Janet Jackson's right titty.
Joe Nieuwendyk was a Leafs hero in the playoffs and wasn't getting fired as GM of the Dallas Stars.
Joe Sakic hadn't stuck his hand in a snowblower yet.
Dion Phaneuf's hottie, Elisha Cuthbert, had just appeared in The Girl Next Door and became every teenage boys fantasy.
Marty St. Louis won the Art Ross Trophy putting up 94 points in 82 games and he's won it again this year with 60 points in 48 games.
One of our favourite video games ever, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, hadn't even come out yet meaning I hadn't spent most of my time robbing hookers and starting gang wars.

How was your life in 2004?

2013 NHL Awards Predictions

2013-04-30T20:31:00.001-04:00

The 2013 NHL regular season has come to a close and it's time to pick our winners for the major NHL awards before the playoffs influence our opinions. Some of these awards are very difficult to choose with many candidates in the running for each award. This was expected in a shortened 48-game season as nobody really had the time to run away with an award. We may not get an actual say in who will win, but our picks will make for a fun drinking game in June.

Take a look and tell us what you think:

Hart Memorial Trophy - Sidney Crosby

Yes he only played 36 games, but Sid was the best player this year and still finished 3rd in scoring with 56 points. If he hadn't taken a puck to the grill he would have been a lock for this trophy as he was on pace for just over 74 points in 48 games. Many will say this trophy is for the player that helped his team the most over the year and that the Penguins are a great team without Crosby, but you can't take the trophy away from him just because he plays on a stacked team.

Vezina Trophy - Sergei Bobrovsky

Bobrovsky is a folk hero these days in Columbus after almost sneaking his team into the playoffs. For goalies that played at least 30 games , Bobrovsky finished 2nd in goals against with a with a 2.00 GAA, 1st in save percentage with a sparkling .932% and tossed in 4 shutouts. Will this be the year a goalie who didn't make the playoffs wins the Vezina? We sure hope so because BOBROVSKY was the best goaltender this season in our minds.

James Norris Memorial Trophy - Kris Letang

This will be a tight one, but we have to give Letang the edge over P.K. Subban. Both players tied for the defensive scoring lead with 38 points, but Letang played 7 less games. In addition, 68% of Subban's points came on the powerplay while Letang had better all around scoring with 66% of his points at even strength. Throw in Letang's higher TOI, lesser PIMs and higher +/- and you have a solid argument to give him the award.

Calder Trophy - Jonathan Huberdeau

Huberdeau had a very solid rookie campaign for Florida putting up 14 goals and 31 points which was tied for the rookie scoring lead with Nail Yakupov. Huberdeau played 16:55 minutes a game which was the highest TOI for forward rookies this season and had 71% of his points come at even strength. The big difference for us was that he wasn't protected at all with the Panthers thin line-up throughout the season and played against the the oppositions top shutdown lines.

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy - Josh Harding

Having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the fall, Harding vowed his career was not over and he would battle the inflammatory disease. He made true to his promise and promptly earned a shutout in the first game of the season against the Dallas Stars. Despite some medication setbacks, Harding helped the Wild's AHL farm club make the playoffs on a conditioning stint and will be playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fuck MS, you rule Josh Harding.

Jack Adams Award - Paul MacLean

With injuries to the core of his team, MacLean has guided the Ottawa Senators to the playoffs using a bulk of the Binghamton Senators. Consistency between the NHL club and farm club have helped the transition for call ups adjust to MacLean's systems and they finished 7th in the East because of it. Everyone expected the team to crumble without Jason Spezza, Craig Anderson, Erik Karlsson and Milan Michalek, but the Sens thrived. I hate the Senators, but you have to give credit when it's due.

Frank J. Selke Trophy - Jonathan Toews

Previously he's been a finalist, but this year he should be the winner as the forward who best excels as the defensive aspects of the game. 1st in takeaways. 2nd in faceoffs with a 59.9 winning percentage. 3rd in +/- at +28. Toews is a beast that plays and succeeds in all situations. 39 even strength points, 6 powerplay points and 3 shorthanded points demonstrate is all around offensive talent. While he's long been praised for his two-way game, it's time he's formally recognized for it with the Selke.

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy - Martin St. Louis

Who doesn't love Marty St. Louis? The 37-year-old showcased his offensive talent by becoming the oldest player to win the Art Ross Trophy this season with 60 points in 48 games, and also demonstrated he's a gentleman on the ice with only 14 PIMs all season. St. Louis is all class and just seems like a great guy to have beers with. His career is winding down, but he's still a great veteran that brings it every night and will be greatly missed in Tampa when he's retired.

Who do you think deserves some hardware this season?

Say Goodbye To Your Wife And Kids

2013-04-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

PLAYOFF SCHEDULE RELEASED! GO STOCK UP ON BEER AND CHIPS!

2013 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

#1 Pittsburgh vs. #8 NY Islanders

Wednesday, May 1 7:30 p.m. NY Islanders at Pittsburgh NBC Sports Network, TSN

Friday, May 3 7 p.m. NY Islanders at Pittsburgh NBC Sports Network, TSN

Sunday, May 5 Noon Pittsburgh at NY Islanders NBC, TSN

Tuesday, May 7 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at NY Islanders NBC Sports Network, TSN

*Thursday, May 9 7 p.m. NY Islanders at Pittsburgh TSN

*Saturday, May 11 TBD Pittsburgh at NY Islanders TSN

*Sunday, May 12 TBD NY Islanders at Pittsburgh TSN

#2 Montreal vs. #7 Ottawa

Thursday, May 2 7 p.m. Ottawa at Montreal CBC, RDS, CNBC

Friday, May 3 7 p.m. Ottawa at Montreal CBC, RDS, CNBC

Sunday, May 5 7 p.m. Montreal at Ottawa CBC, RDS, NBC Sports Network

Tuesday, May 7 7 p.m. Montreal at Ottawa CBC, RDS, CNBC

*Thursday, May 9 7 p.m. Ottawa at Montreal CBC, RDS

*Saturday, May 11 TBD Montreal at Ottawa CBC, RDS

*Sunday, May 12 TBD Ottawa at Montreal CBC, RDS

#3 Washington vs. #6 NY Rangers

Thursday, May 2 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBC Sports Network, TSN

Saturday, May 4 12:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBC, TSN

Monday, May 6 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBC Sports Network, TSN

Wednesday, May 8 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBC Sports Network, TSN

*Friday, May 10 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington TSN

*Sunday, May 12 TBD Washington at NY Rangers TSN

*Monday, May 13 TBD NY Rangers at Washington TSN

#4 Boston vs. #5 Toronto

Wednesday, May 1 7 p.m. Toronto at Boston CNBC, CBC, RDS

Saturday, May 4 7 p.m. Toronto at Boston CNBC, CBC, RDS

Monday, May 6 7 p.m. Boston at Toronto CBC, RDS, NHL Network U.S.

Wednesday, May 8 7 p.m. Boston at Toronto CBC, RDS, NHL Network U.S.

*Friday, May 10 7 p.m. Toronto at Boston CBC, RDS

*Sunday, May 12 TBD Boston at Toronto CBC, RDS

*Monday, May 13 TBD Toronto at Boston CBC, RDS

2013 WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

#1 Chicago vs. #8 Minnesota

Tuesday, April 30 8 p.m. Minnesota at Chicago NBC Sports Network, CBC

Friday, May 3 9:30 p.m. Minnesota at Chicago NBC Sports Network, CBC

Sunday, May 5 3 p.m. Chicago at Minnesota NBC, CBC

Tuesday, May 7 9:30 p.m. Chicago at Minnesota NBC Sports Network, CBC

*Thursday, May 9 TBD Minnesota at Chicago CBC

*Saturday, May 11 TBD Chicago at Minnesota CBC

*Sunday, May 12 TBD Minnesota at Chicago CBC

#2 Anaheim vs. #7 Detroit

Tuesday, April 30 10:30 p.m. Detroit at Anaheim NBC Sports Network, TSN

Thursday, May 2 10 p.m. Detroit at Anaheim NBC Sports Network, TSN

Saturday, May 4 7:30 p.m. Anaheim at Detroit NBC Sports Network, TSN

Monday, May 6 8 p.m. Anaheim at Detroit CNBC, TSN

*Wednesday, May 8 10 p.m. Detroit at Anaheim TSN

*Friday, May 10 TBD Anaheim at Detroit TSN

*Sunday, May 12 TBD Detroit at Anaheim TSN

#3 Vancouver vs. #6 San Jose

Wednesday, May 1 10:30 p.m. San Jose at Vancouver TSN, NBC Sports Network

Friday, May 3 10 p.m. San Jose at Vancouver TSN, CNBC

Sunday, May 5 10 p.m. Vancouver at San Jose NBC Sports Network, TSN

Tuesday, May 7 10 p.m. Vancouver at San Jose CNBC, TSN

*Thursday, May 9 10 p.m. San Jose at Vancouver TSN

*Saturday, May 11 TBD Vancouver at San Jose TSN

*Monday, May 13 TBD San Jose at Vancouver TSN

#4 St. Louis vs. #5 Los Angeles

Tuesday, April 30 8 p.m. Los Angeles at St. Louis CNBC, CBC

Thursday, May 2 9:30 p.m. Los Angeles at St. Louis CNBC, CBC

Saturday, May 4 10 p.m. St. Louis at Los Angeles NBC Sports Network, CBC

Monday, May 6 10 p.m. St. Louis at Los Angeles NBC Sports Network, CBC

*Wednesday, May 8 TBD Los Angeles at St. Louis CBC

*Friday, May 10 TBD St. Louis at Los Angeles CBC

*Monday, May 13 TBD Los Angeles at St. Louis CBC

* if necessary

TBD – To Be Determined

We're Going Streaking!

2013-04-28T23:25:00.000-04:00

Last year when the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup as the #8 seed and knocked out all the Western Conference division winners they turned a lot of heads. The Kings weren't a true #8 seed though and really shouldn't have surprised anyone with their late-season play. They heated up down the stretch and were one of the best teams in the league as the playoffs got underway. Going 16-3 in the Stanley Cup playoffs as a #8 seed was no fluke, they were a great team during the regular season that under performed. It's always a good thing to be on nice streak going into the playoffs and this season there are plenty of teams that could remind us of the 2012 LA Kings.

With that said, let's take a look at some of the teams that are streaking into the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pre-season favourites, the Pittsburgh Penguins have dominated the East this year with a 36-12-0 record. Since the month of March, the Penguins have gone 23-4-0 which included a 15-game winning streak in that stretch. Throughout the season they've battled injuries, but their depth have kept them going strong. With a healthy roster entering the playoffs they should be the favourites to win the East.

Washington Capitals

On March 1st, the Capitals were in the basement of the East and ranked 29th overall in the league with a 7-11-1 record. Since then they've gone 20-7-2 to win the Southeast Division and earn home ice advantage for the playoffs. In that span they've scored 3.24 goals/game and have scored 4 goals or more in a game 14 times. Ovechkin got his groove back in the regular season and was one of the most dominant players down the stretch, which makes the Capitals a pretty scary team in May.

New York Islanders

The Isles sat outside the playoffs for most of the regular season before making a strong push in late March to go 11-2-4 and finish 6th in the Eastern Conference. They may not be the scariest team on paper, but they're got the job done and anything can happen in the playoffs. Nabokov has held down the fort in net which is odd for an Islanders goaltender, and John Tavares has earned the right to have his name mentioned in Hart Trophy talks with his 28 goals and 47 points. The Isles will be in tough against the Penguins, but they've definitely earned the right to be invited to the dance with their late season play.

New York Rangers

The Rangers started the month of April in 8th place with 6 teams still in the hunt on their heels. They hadn't met any expectations for the season with their star-studded lineup and many non-Rangers fans were loving their demise. Well, they went on a 10-3-1 tear that saw them score 3.64 goals/game and finish 6th in the East to set up a date with the Caps to open the playoffs. The Rangers can be dangerous, but you'll know when they're slumping by the number of John Tortorella f-bombs.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Hawks have been streaking all season including their 21-0-3 streak to start the season. Finishing with league best record of 36-7-5, the Hawks didn't let up down the stretch and finished strong with an 11-2-2 record. The Hawks are so dominant and have so much depth that it doesn't even matter what goalie they start; they still have a solid chance of winning. Let's be honest, nobody wants to play this team in the playoffs.

St. Louis Blues

On April 1st the St. Louis Blues were sitting 9th in the West after dropping their 3rd straight game as the club appeared to be spiraling out of the playoff picture. To make things worse, Jaroslav Halak also went down with injury and the load shifted to the shaky Brian Elliott who was not repeating his 1.56 GAA and .940% last season. Well, that changed and the Blues went 12-3-0 down the stretch and Elliott stood on his head allowing only 16 goals in the 13 games he played this month. While the Blues are stingy defensively, they'll need to be consistent offensively these playoffs if they want to go far.

NHLers Dangling As Kids Part 3

2013-04-26T23:22:00.000-04:00

These videos seem to come out in waves every few months and if you've missed the past few here's Part One featuring Stamkos, Toews, Phaneuf, Eberle, Byfuglien and Seabrook lighting it up in peewee. Part Two doesn't have the same all-star talent, but it does feature Max Pacioretty rocking Peter Mueller. All the footage is taken from the Brick Invitational Super Novice Tournament held annually at the West Edmonton Mall. A lot of NHL talent has passed through the tournament and now video is finally being released of them dangling and sniping as kids.

Here's a 10-year-old Tyler Seguin scoring on a penalty shot. Too bad the guy filming was worse than my Dad at capturing the moment:

Want to see Nathan Gerbe playing hockey against people his own size? Here he is as at age 9 going backhand shelf:

Here's Dany Heatley at age 10 showing off his scoring touch before asking for a trade at the end of the tournament:

Here's Ben Lovejoy scoring with two guys on his back many years before he'd become famous for looking like Sloth from The Goonies:

Nothing too special here, just Alex Pietrangelo teeing up a slapshot off Travis Hamonic's leg.

And finally, here's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scoring two goals as a 10-year-old. That poor goalie on the first goal must be a relative of Vesa Toskala.

Dirty Dangle's 2013 NHL Draft Predictions

2013-04-23T23:13:00.000-04:00

"The two top prospects seen thumb wrestling to decide who's better."

Central Scouting is about to release their final rankings for the upcoming NHL Draft in June and we're pretty excited to see how they'll unfold. While we aren't out scouting games every week, we do catch a few junior games and follow many prospects throughout the season. As with every year, there are top prospects that have everybody excited, but this year there appears to be a plethora of talent to choose from. While analysts and fans can usually predict at who will go #1, this year has more than a couple names in the mix that could make for a surprising draft.

Here are our 2013 NHL draft predictions for the top 10 picks. Once the draft order is set and we can see where teams will be picking we will predict the top 30 picks.

1st Overall
Nathan MacKinnon, C
MacKinnon has been touted as the top pick for the last few years in this draft and even though Seth Jones has outplayed him the last little while we can't see a team passing up on MacKinnon's offensive strengths. MacKinnon is also 11 months younger than Jones for what that's worth.

2nd Overall
Seth Jones, D
A hoss on the back end at 6'4" and 200+ lbs, Jones can do it all and many scouts feel he is already NHL ready. The reason we see him not going #1 in this draft is because he is a defenceman and if you look at the list of defencemen who have gone number one in the past you can see why we feel this way.

3rd Overall
Jonathan Drouin, LW
Drouin has skyrocketed up the charts this year and in many games has outshined his Halifax teammate, MacKinnon. Averaging 2 points a game and displaying elite on ice vision, Drouin will be an exciting player to watch in the NHL soon. However, we're really not looking forward to Allan Walsh tweeting about him every time he gets a point.

4th Overall
Aleksander Barkov, C
Barkov performed very well in Finland's SM-liiga finishing 9th in league scoring as an 18-year-old. Averaging close to a point-per-game while playing against grown men will certainly get you noticed. Even more impressive is that he has a late birthday and if he was born 13 days later he would be a 2014 draft pick.

5th Overall
Elias Lindholm, C
You have to be pretty good when people in Sweden start calling you the next Peter Forsberg. Scouts rave about how complete Lindholm's game is and he has all the tools to be a #1 center in the NHL once he fully develops.

6th Overall
Valeri Nichushkin, LW
It will be interesting to see where Nichushkin ends up and if the Russian factor comes into play. Nichushkin is an elite offensive talent with a strong 6'3" frame and should entice a few GM's to take a chance on him. I am sure they will all remember passing over fellow Russian, Vladimir Tarasenko, and letting him slide to 16th back in 2010.

7th Overall
Sean Monahan, C
Monahan is a solid two-way centre with decent size that can also put up points. He projects to be a 1st line talent that can play many different roles for his teams. From killing penalties to powerplay time, Monahan is a versatile player that NHL GMs love.

8th Overall
Darnell Nurse, D
At 6'5" and 190 lbs, Nurse needs to add more muscle, but he is already a tough cookie in the OHL putting up 116 penalty minutes this year. Nurse scored 12 goals and had 41 points in 68 games this year with the Greyhounds and wouldn't he be a great fit with the Edmonton Oilers.

9th Overall
Hunter Shinkaruk, C
Shinkaruk was a late cut for Team Canada's world junior team this year and maybe they could have used his elite skating on the big ice surface. Shinkaruk has top 5 pick offensive talents with high end scoring ability, but being just 5'10" he might slip in the draft.

10th Overall
Rasmus Ristolainen, D
Ristolainen is a solid two-way defenceman who can give you a little bit of everything. At 6'3" and 210 lbs, Ristolainen already has a mans body and could be ready for NHL action. He is projected to be a top 4 pairing defenseman.

Here's TSN's Mid-Season Draft Rankings Show so you can view highlights for each player and get a feel for what they would bring to an NHL club:

2013 Greatest Tank Battles

2013-04-22T23:13:00.002-04:00

The race to the bottom of the NHL is always one to watch out for as the team's that are officially eliminated from playoff contention jostle for better drafting positions. Now, while NHL teams will say they're not tanking, fanbases looking to draft their next future star will actively be cheering for losses. Last season, the Columbus Blue Jackets locked up the last overall spot fairly easily as they trailed the 29th place Edmonton Oilers by 9 points at seasons end. This year however, there are plenty of teams in contention for the best odds at winning the draft lottery.

Let's take a look at how this race is shaping up as we enter the final week of the 2013 NHL season:

The Florida Panthers are looking like the best bet to enter the Draft Lottery with a 25% chance at 1st overall. Having dropped 6 in a row and trailing the 29th place Colorado Avalanche by 5 points, they would clinch last place with a single loss. With 3 games remaining including games against hungry playoff teams like the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs, they should clinch 30th overall very shortly. Who should Florida draft? Jones to anchor their defence or MacKinnon to feed Huberdeau for the next 10+ years?

The Colorado Avalanche were sinking in the standings pretty fast before J.S. Giguere called the team out for already planning their end of season trip to Las Vegas. Well, in their past 10 games they've climbed out of the league basement and could find themselves reducing their lottery odds even more as they keep stringing points together. One of the top prospects available would look great with Landeskog and Duchene as the Avs continue to rebuild.

Steven Stamkos will be getting a new stud rookie to play with soon and how nasty would he and Jonathan Drouin be? With Marty St. Louis' career winding down the Lightning will look for a new playmaker to feed Stammer one timers and they'll get a good one as long as they keep shitting the bed. Having gone 2-6-2 in their past 10 and with remaining games against the Leafs, Bruins and Panthers they should finish in the bottom 5 easily.

The Preds simply can't score. They have the 2nd worst scoring in the league and should be seeking a top draft pick that can put pucks in the net. Shea Weber leads the team in scoring with 24 points, just 1 point ahead of David Legwand. That's kind of embarrassing They'd be best to forget this season ever happened and start fresh next year with a top prospect in waiting.

On the topic of shitting the bed, that is exactly what the Carolina Hurricanes have done in the past month. They were leading the Southeast Division at the halfway mark and have since fallen to the bottom 5 in the NHL thanks to a brutal skid that saw them lose 17 of their past 20 games. Already a scary team on paper with Ward, Staal's, Semin and Skinner, the Canes will be adding another top prospect to their shelf following a disastrous 2013 season.

If we are talking about tank battles, I guess the Edmonton Oilers need to be included in this considering they've have had the top pick the past three seasons. The Oilers came into this season with a lot of hype and many felt this was going to be a playoff team with the kids taking another step forward in their development. Well, other than Taylor Hall and Sam Gagner having strong years this team is still sitting at the bottom of the league. You gotta figure they just draft the best defenceman available.

The one team that might need a top prospect the most is Calgary, but once again they are looking to finish just outside the playoff picture. The Calgary Flames are finally realizing that they need to rebuild and not just keeping overpaying free agents to try and push for the playoffs. Dishing out Iginla and Bouwmeester was a great step, but the Flames keep winning and killing their fans hopes of a top pick. They now sit 24th overall in the league after going 6-4-0 in their last 10. The Flames can't even tank properly.

Perhaps the greatest thing about this upcoming draft is that no matter how badly a non-playoff team did they are eligible for that 1st overall selection meaning a team like Philadelphia could end up winning the lottery. But let's be honest, Paul Holmgren would probably trade it away.

And An Outdoor Game For You, And You, And You, And Here's Two For You!

2013-04-17T21:51:00.000-04:00

It's been reported the NHL is looking to have a Stadium Series during the 2012-13 NHL season that will see SIX outdoor games played from January 1st to March 2nd. Talk about overdoing the novelty of the event, but it's financial success obviously means a lot to those guys who locked the players out for half a season despite record revenues. People have been saying having a Winter Classic every season is already overdoing the event, so if you're going to overdo something you can't half ass it. Let's be honest, all these games will sell out, all these games will be watched by outside markets and all these games will make a bunch of money.

Let's take a look at the reported games:

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings at Michigan Stadium

This is the Winter Classic to make up for the cancelled 2012 one. The stage should be set for the highest attended hockey game ever with well over 100,000 fans in attendance. A classic rivalry that will also be renewed next season as Detroit and Toronto are once again conference rivals.

Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings at Dodger Stadium

The average daily high in LA for January 25th is 68°F/20ºC meaning Dan Craig's ice making skills will be put to the test. The puddles on the ice should really help Dustin Brown dive all over the place and this game could very well turn into a slip and slide contest if the weather doesn't cooperate. We're also really looking forward to all the celebrities and blondes in the stands wearing t-shirts and shorts.

New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium

A pretty big rivalry that definitely deserves an event such as this. We can only hope there will be plenty of David Puddy look-a-likes at this outdoor event as the open air brings out the diehards. Also, this could this be the year of really bad ice and we worry about Marty Broduer's groin exploding after a two-pad stack.

New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium

As if one wasn't enough for New York, they'll also host the Islanders in a tilt a few days after the Devils matchup. The Islanders have been the Rangers sloppy seconds for years now, so it's fitting they play the 2nd game at Yankee Stadium.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks at Soldier Field

The NHL won't miss out on the opportunity to pit two of the most star-studded NHL teams against each other. This time the venue will shift from Wrigley to Solider Field where Da Bears play out of and we're sure replays of Sidney Crosby's 2011 concussion at the Winter Classic will be the most overplayed thing leading up to this event.

Ottawa Senators vs. Vancouver Canucks at BC Place

Will this be considered half an outdoor game considering the retractable roof only opens a portion of the roof? Anyone else looking forward to the Ottawa Senators alumni roster? Ron Tugnutt? Alexander Daigle? Radek Bonk? Rob Zamuner?

What do you think of six outdoor games next season? Excessive or who cares?

NHL 14's First Look

2013-04-17T21:34:00.000-04:00

NHL 14's first look was recently released by EA Sports and at first glance it looks pretty solid. As you can see above, they released a pretty cool trailer mixing in real life highlights with video game reenactments. The trailer really emphasizes the games new hitting engine with some massive hits being tossed around that almost guarantees this feature will be a fan favourite. Also, given that Eric Staal clip, is there now a "wink button" you can press to taunt opponents?

EA Sports also revealed a features list that should make Chel gamers pretty giddy. Here they are with some of our comments:

NHL® Collision Physics

Developed from the same core technology that powers EA SPORTS FIFA’s critically-acclaimed Player Impact Engine, NHL® Collision Physics introduces bigger, more thrilling hits, and truer-to-life collisions. A new left-stick control scheme makes delivering a game-changing hit simpler and more rewarding than ever.

Bigger hits? We're in. We usually crank up our gameplay settings to resemble an arcade game anyways so this will be a great addition. Truer-to-life collisions will be great to see, but we'll miss putting Sidney Crosby into the 6th row.

Enforcer Engine

There is a code in hockey, when it’s broken you have to respond. A first for the NHL franchise, Fight Night technology delivers a new 3rd person experience, physics-based punch targeting and player size differentiation to every fight, creating the most authentic and electrifying experience yet.

We're not sure if this means fights will be more than mere button mashing, but if it's a change from the past few years we're on board. It's worth noting they say this will be the most authentic experience yet, but the trailer showed Milan Lucic celebrating after beating Andrei Markov in a fight as if that fight would ever be a real thing.

One-Touch Dekes

Experience what it feels like to be a superstar through a new, more responsive deking system controlled only with the left stick and one-button. From beginner to advanced gamers, the system allows for quicker reactive dekes and intuitive combination dekes, creating more moves than ever before.

MORE DIRTY DANGLES!!!

True Performance Skating

Built on the breakthrough innovation that introduced physics-based skating and over 1,000 new skating animations to the EA SPORTS NHL franchise. The second year of the True Performance Skating features improved acceleration, explosive first-strides, quicker pivots and enhanced lateral skating, resulting in greater player responsiveness and unprecedented control.

We really love the True Performance Skating feature and building on it only makes the game stronger in our mind. For years we were sick of slow players somehow being able to catch elite players on breaks, but not anymore. Making players stronger and faster than others only adds to the realism and makes the game that much more fun.

Live the Life

The new incarnation of the Be a Pro Career Mode, now you can truly Live the Life of an NHL player. On or off the ice, every decision you make shapes your legacy as an athlete. Interact with teammates outside of the rink. Take part in media interviews. Each choice you make will affect your relationship with fans, teammates and management, influencing your skills and progression.

This is what a lot of fans requested for Be A Pro Mode and NHL 14 appears to have delivered. More control over their careers on and off the ice definitely makes the game mode more intriguing to try out, but we're curious as to how true the mode will be to the life of an NHLer. Will you be able to go drinking with teammates at a stripclub for team bonding? Can you tell the media to go fuck themselves? What about the ability to creep girls on Twitter?

EA SPORTS NHL Online Seasons

NHL 14 adds the best-in-class promotion and relegation system in the sports category to the Hockey Ultimate Team & EA SPORTS Hockey League modes. Win games and advance to the next division to face tougher competition, fall short and see your team bumped down. Teams will be able to track their progress across multiple seasons.

We don't really dabble in this shit, but it sounds pretty good for those hardcore onliners. Seriously though guys, don't just stay inside all day playing people across the world, fresh air and sunlight are good for you!

NHL 14 comes out September 10th, 2013 and we look forward to more reveals and teasers throughout the summer months.

Cheering for Columbus?

2013-04-16T23:03:00.000-04:00

Last night I was flipping back and forth watching different games and found myself catching most of the 3rd period of the Blue Jackets and Avalanche game. My main reason was to see if Sergei Bobrovksy was going to get my fantasy team a win, but after the Blue Jackets tied the game up late and won the game in overtime I started thinking that I want this team in the playoffs.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been pretty much a joke of an organization since they came into the league in 2000. The franchise has only made the playoffs once back in 2009 and they were swept in 4 games, so as an organization they have yet to win one single meaningful game. Well, something has changed. Maybe it's their ridiculous Russian goalie, their new Finnish GM, or it could just be their ice girls. Whatever it is, you can now add me to the list of people that would like to see them actually win a playoff game.

I'll be honest, it's probably Bobrovsky who was dropped by a GM in my fantasy league early into the season that has me loving on Columbus. He has singly-handedly saved my team with his 2.03 goals against average, .931% save percentage and 4 shutouts. His name is being tossed around in Vezina Trophy talk, and if he maintains his play he should be a lock. Among all goaltenders with 30+ starts, Bobrovsky leads them all in save percentage and goals against average. For a Columbus Blue Jacket goaltender, that is incredible.

But there's something else about this team. How they play and how they just never quit and leave it all out there on the line. A team led in scoring by 38-year-old veteran, Vinny Prospal, with 27 points in 43 games and a cast of role players like RJ Umberger, Brandon Dubinsky and Mark Letestu mixed in with younger talent such as Ryan Johansen, Matt Calvert and Cam Atkinson. They're a ragtag group of players nobody seemed to want or gave any credit to as legitimate NHLers. The team didn't have any marquee players this season that would have fans running out to buy their sweaters thanks to Rick Nash's depature in the offseason, but that changed when they made a big splash at the deadline to grab Marian Gaborik from the Rangers. Gaborik has since put up 6 points in 7 games since being a Blue Jacket and should help them score down the stretch.

Glancing at the Western Conference standings the Blue Jackets still have a chance to sneak into the playoffs, but they need to keep on winning.

They have won 4 straight and won 7 of the last 10 and sit tied with the Detroit Red Wings for 8th spot with 47 points. But with just 5 games remaining they'll be in tough with more games played and less Regulation or Overtime Wins for the tiebreaker. They also face some tough opposition in a tough road swing in California before finishing the season against Dallas and Nashville. Anything could happen in the next two weeks and it should be an exciting last few games to the NHL season if the Blue Jackets can keep their winning streak going.

(Editor's Note: My brother who wrote this is a closet Blue Jackets fan. He owned a Blue Jackets bug practice jersey back in 2001 and was a huge Pascal Leclaire fan.)

Steve Ott A Licky Boom Boom Down's

2013-04-12T02:44:00.002-04:00

Lining up for a faceoff you might expect some playful chirping or maybe even some aggressive jostling for position, but Steve Ott took it to the next level by licking Jeff Halpern's visor last night. It's something you would never expect lining up for a draw, and probably something you wouldn't expect from an opposing player who's team is fighting for a playoff spot and already down 4-0 in the game.

Ironically, Ott had this to say following the game:

Ott: if you cant find something to play for, you shouldnt be in the NHL
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 12, 2013

Ott's lick is definitely weirder than Tyler Kennedy taking a healthy lick of his hockey stick on the bench:

But let's all just agree that the only lick we want to see in the hockey universe is Hayden Panettiere with the Stanley Cup.

Races To Watch Down The Stretch

2013-04-10T00:42:00.000-04:00

This might be the best way to decide who will win the 2013 Vezina Trophy

We're entering the final stretch of the 2013 NHL season and everything is heating up. Between playoff races in both conferences and scoring races wide open, it's going to be a fun finish to the shortened season. In all that hype, there's five races we'll be keeping a close eye on as the season comes to a close: the Art Ross Trophy race, the Maurice Richard Trophy race, the Southeast Division race, the race for best odds in the 2013 NHL Draft Lottery, and the Vezina Trophy Race. They're all super tight right now and we're excited to see how they finish.

Take a closer look at how the races are shaping up:

Art Ross Race

This one will be fun as the rest of the field plays catch-up with Sidney Crosby while he sits out with a broken jaw. When Crosby went down after taking a puck to the face he had a 10-point cushion on Steven Stamkos for the scoring lead, but now the competition is catching up. St. Louis and Stamkos pretty much get points together so expect them to keep pace. Kane has been pretty dominant on season for the Hawks, but he'll need to step it up if he wants to challenge. Kunitz doesn't have Sid so count him out. Ovechkin has been going ham so if he keeps his pace up he has a solid chance. And then there's always the chance Crosby returns with a few games left in the season and wins.

Maurice Richard Trophy Race

This looked to be all Stamkos from the beginning, but Ovechkin has charged to the top to tie him for the league lead with 17 goals in his last 15 games. The way those two are going it looks to be a two-horse race, but don't forget about the other Southeast scoring machine, John Tavares. He'd like to taste some postseason later this month and has 7 goals in his past 11 games. Then there's Jeff Carter who's going for the Cy Young this year with 23 goals and 5 assists. He's been scoring in streaks throughout the season and is currently riding one that has seen him scoring 5 goals in 7 games. This should be a tight one to the finish.

Race To The Bottom

Colorado are already planning their end of season trip to Las Vegas with a 1-8-1 record in their last 10 games. Florida evidently doesn't know how to tank and have been stringing together wins over the past 10 games to pull themselves out of the basement. Calgary had a firesale at the trade deadline and have dropped 4 games since then allowing 25 goals in those losses. Carolina has been sinking line a stone since leading the Southeast Division for most of the season. They've been the best tankers this season going 1-9-0 in their past 10. Expect those four teams to have the highest percentage of nabbing the first overall pick in June.

Southeast Division Race

This race is only important because it's very likely that only one team from the Southleast will be making the playoffs this year. Tampa has the potential to make it interest with games in hand, but this should be down to the wire between Washington and Winnipeg. The Jets had a 6-point lead in the division just two weeks ago, but have now found themselves sitting in 9th with only 7 games left in the season. They control their own destiny and will need to have a big finish before an April 23rd matchup against the Capitals. The Caps have been surging and have a pretty favourable schedule down the stretch; the Southeast is theirs to lose.

Vezina Trophy Race

It's a pretty close race for the Vezina and this could easily be won by a goalie stringing a few shutouts together in the last few weeks. Tuukka Rask is tied for tops in save percentage and has the best GAA of goaltenders with 25+ games played with a sparkling 1.95. Cory Schneider is tied with Rask with a .928 save percentage and his 2.06 GAA gives him some credit as well as his league leading 5 shutouts. Last year's Vezina Trophy winner, Henrik Lundqvist, is lurking in the weeds as the Rangers fight for the 8th spot in the East and he's quietly put up some solid stats with a .926 save percentage and a 2.12 GAA. Sergei Bobrovsky is the wild card here, if he can get his Columbus Blue Jackets into the playoffs his .927 save percentage and 2.12 GAA he could get some well deserved votes. Antti Niemi was our Vezina pick at the halfway mark of the season and his numbers remain solid at a 2.13 GAA and .924 SV%. Throw in 3 shutouts and 19 wins and he's got the stats to back up a nomination.

Kid Rattled By Ryane Clowe Trade

2013-04-08T16:29:00.000-04:00

Here's a hilarious video of a little San Jose Sharks fan absolutely devastated that Ryane Clowe has been traded to the New York Rangers. Poor guy, most of us have been through similar situations when our favourite players were traded to another team, but we our emotions weren't plastered on the Internet. It's always tough when one of your heroes leaves town in a trade, but mind you, our heroes didn't have 0 goals through 28 games when they were dealt.

Here are some of our favourite lines from the clip:

"It's just hockey."

NO IT'S NOT! HOCKEY IS EVERYTHING!

"Every time we play against him we're going to fight against him."

There's an argument against fighting we haven't heard yet. Why do players need to fight their friends?

"What if when I play Xbox... Ryane Clowe is on the Rangers?
"Can you trade on the Xbox game?
"No."

This kid is sorely mistaken. You can put Ryane Clowe on the Rangers! Hell, cheer the kid up and pay for Xbox Live so he can download updated rosters already!

"I'm sad about everything the Sharks have done, I'm so mad at them."

Our favourite line. He's probably already seen them lose in the Conference Finals twice in his short lifetime and disappoint Sharks fans every May by falling short, but Ryane Clowe being traded just destroys him.

While we're on the topic, how do you feel about filming visibly upset children and posting them on YouTube?

Alex Ovechkin Going Ham

2013-04-08T15:09:00.001-04:00

Not many guys take as much heat in the NHL than Alex Ovechkin. From steroid accusations to Mike Milbury rips, Ovechkin takes plenty of criticism when he's not scoring at a 65-goal pace. Well now he is. Just take a look at his stats since March 14th:

Four weeks ago, the Washington Capitals sat 14th in the Eastern Conference and 29th in the NHL with a 10-14-1 record. Since then they've strung together a 10-3-1 record to move to the top of the weak Southeast Division and if they keep rolling like they are they'll enter the playoffs with home ice advantage thanks to that 3rd seed for division leaders. Easily the biggest factor in the Caps resurgence has been Alex Ovechkin going ham.

In his first 25 games of the season, Ovechkin had notched 9 goals and 20 points for a goals/game of 0.36 and a points/game of 0.8. His goal pace was looking like it would be a career low (32 goals, 0.41 goals/game in 2010-11; 28 goals, 0.49 goals/game in 2011-12) and he'd have the lowest points/game average of his career (previous low of 0.83 in 2011-12). Critics piled on, but none worse than Mike Milbury ripping him apart on national television:

Ovechkin's performance was disheartening to see. His talents are indisputable, and to see a player in his prime not scoring like he used to do just plain sucks for fans. Well, he's back (or at least temporarily). Taking a look at his last 14 games, Ovechkin has notched 16 (!) goals and 23 points for a goals/game pace of 1.14 and a points.game pace of 1.64. That's a stretch of games that reminds us of his 65-goal, 110+ points form. As hockey fans, this is great. We want to see the best perform their best, and Ovechkin is giving us shades of 2007-08. With 9 games left, he's not only gotten himself into the Maurice Richard and Art Ross races, but the Hart Trophy race as well.

Dan(gle) Boyle Embarrasses Ryan Suter

2013-04-04T17:25:00.000-04:00

There's a couple reasons we love Dan Boyle's coast-to-coast goal from last night. Firstly, it's not everyday you see a 36-year-old defenceman go end-to-end to score a beauty, but Dan Boyle showed us last night that he still has that offensive skill inside him. Secondly, you don't usually see end-to-end goals during 5-on-3 powerplays. Boyle doesn't even reach a defender until the opposing blueline and he only had to beat one defenceman to score. It's not like the end-to-end goals we're used to seeing where a guy goes through 3-5 guys, but Boyle did go through a pretty solid defenceman in the process. That's Ryan Suter looking like a $98M pylon in front of Boyle, not to mention a former Vezina candidate in Niklas Backstrom getting dangled.

NHL Trade Deadline Fantasy Impact

2013-04-04T17:10:00.000-04:00

With just a few weeks left in your fantasy hockey leagues many general managers are looking for a way to move up the standings and pick up some much needed extra points. Now that there's been some movement at the trade deadline, you might have an opportunity to pluck up a gem that's been sitting on the free agent list. Trades mean new teams and new linemates. They can be a world of a difference for some players and for your fantasy hockey club.

Here are some of the players the NHL Trade Deadline impacted for fantasy hockey:

Martin Erat, Washington Capitals

Erat moves from a defensive system that lacked offensive star power to the Washington Capitals. In 36 games, Erat put up just 4 goals and 21 points in just under 19 mins/game. His ice time might drop a bit if he's not paired up with Alex Ovechkin, but he should continue to get lots of powerplay time with his offensive talent. The Capitals gave up a pretty solid prospect to get Erat, so we expect him to get the opportunities to put up some points.

Jussi Jokinen, Pittsburgh Penguins

Jokinen had been sliding down the depth charts in Carolina the last few years since his 65 point season back in 2009-10. So far this season he has put up 11 points in 33 games, playing 15:35 minutes a night. Jokinen can play wing or centre and has a 59.4% faceoff percentage this year. While Jokinen went unclaimed last week on waivers, he became useful to the Penguins when Sidney Crosby broke his jaw. Look for Jokinen to get some solid minutes between Kunitz and Dupuis.

Marian Gaborik, Columbus Blue Jackets

Gaborik was getting threatened with 4th line minutes under John Tortorella in New York so this will definitely help his fantasy stock. In Columbus, Gaborik will now be the go-to guy and he'll have a chip on his shoulder to shove it in Torts' face. He's struggled this season (like most of the Rangers) and his 9 goals through 35 games were not what fantasy owners were expecting from the 3 time 40-goal scorer. Look for increased minutes and scoring opportunities as the new triggerman for the Blue Jackets.

Jason Pominville, Minnesota Wild

The captain of the Sabres joins a rising Wild team that now leads the Northwest Division. Pominville has not produced like last season's 73-point campaign that saw him score 30 goals, but with new linemates that could change. If the Wild do slide him onto a line with Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise, consider yourself pretty lucky to have him down the fantasy season stretch as he'll be sure to put up some big points. Regardless of where he plays, expect Pominville to be rejuvenated knowing he'll be playing in the postseason later this month.

Cory Conacher, Ottawa Senators

Martin St Louis 2.0 was looking to be up for rookie of the year so many Lightning fans will already be hating this deal. Conacher has 9 goals and 24 points in 35 games this season in 14:21 of ice time and you don't usually see many teams dealing away a 23-year-old who is putting up those numbers. Many feel Conacher has been aided by getting some minutes with the Lightning's top players and that he won't put up those type of numbers in Ottawa. With Ottawa, he'll join a hard-working team that grinds out goals, but he looks to be playing with some other skilled guys in Zibanejad and Siflverberg so maybe the kids can get the Sens offence going.

Steve Mason, Philadelphia Flyers

The Sieve has finally been traded out of Columbus and like most Philadelphia goaltenders we have no idea how he will perform. He'll definitely get some starts down the stretch if Bryzgalov struggles and the change of scenery could be beneficial for the former Calder Trophy winner. His numbers are pretty shitty this year (2.95 GAA, .899 SV%, and 3-6-1 record), but he could improve under better defence in Philly.

Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning

Bishop will get the bulk of the starts in Tampa and his skills will be put to the test going from the Senators to the Lightning. Both teams allow plenty of shots, but Ottawa has the best goals against in the league thanks to the combo of Bishop, Lehner and Anderson. If Bishop can continue his strong play (2.45 GAA and .922 SV%) he could give Tampa Bay new playoff life by stealing some wins and increasing his fantasy value. One thing is for sure, he'll be getting the bulk of the starts in Tampa's final 13 games with Anders Lindback injured. Sure looks fun being 6'7" and a pretty athletic goaltender:

2013 NHL Trade Deadline Day Drinking Game!

2013-04-02T22:22:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again when we all complain about how brutal the NHL trade deadline is going to be, but still find ourselves glued to the TV and Twitter following along. Not much is expected to happen, but that doesn't mean you can't make the most of the day. Grab some beers, grab some liquor, load up NHL 13 and order a pizza to get you through the day! Remember, don't be an idiot and please drink responsibly.

Here are the rules:

1 Drink

For every completed trade.
Any time a TV analyst talks about next season.
Every time "CapGeek" is mentioned.
Any time you think to yourself, "Fuck, this trade deadline sucks."

2 Drinks

Any time a GM is shown on their phone.
Every time Jay Onrait is shown at home in a robe.
For every "conditional draft pick" traded.
Any time a reporter mentions a player has just left the ice or is not at practice.

3 Drinks

If a player with a cap hit of $5M or more is traded.
Any time a family member calls or texts you about a trade.
Any time a reporter or analyst seem genuinely bored.
If a player being interviewed says he learned of the trade while watching TV.

4 Drinks

If a first round pick is traded.
If you catch a reporter or analyst eating on TV.
If a player you've never heard of is traded.
If a trade is made that completely shocks you.

CHUG

If you are fooled by a fake Insider account.
If Brian Burke finds a way to get on TV.
If the Oilers and Blue Jackets are buyers and make trades for the playoff push.
If an announced trade falls through (think Iginla to Boston).

Special Drinks

Fill the tallest glass in your house with beer and drink if 6'7" Ben Bishop is traded.
~~Do a Jager Bomb if Jaromir Jagr is dealt.~~
If Miikka Kiprusoff is traded, fill up your water bottle with Finlandia vodka and go let your kids light you up during some road hockey.
~~Shot of Nyquil if Jarome Iginla is traded.~~
Mix together a shot of various hard liquors and writhe in pain on the floor if Mike Ribeiro is traded.

Awards At The 3/4 Mark

2013-04-01T17:35:00.001-04:00

We're at the 36 game mark of this 2013 NHL season and the Award races are getting tight. In most of the categories there are multiple contenders which will make for a fun month of debating who deserves to take home some hardware in June. A lot will change in the next 12 games, but as of right now these are our picks for major NHL Awards.

Take a look and tell us what you think:

Hart Memorial Trophy - Sidney Crosby

Through 36 games played, Sid has been by far the best player in the league. But will those 36 games be enough seeing as how he's expected to sit out the remainder of the season with a broken jaw? 15 goals and 41 assists have him 10 points up on the next closest scoring leader and he's led his Penguins to an undefeated month of March. Pretty easy to decide who would be getting the Hart if it were handed out today.

Vezina Trophy - Sergei Bobrovsky

This is a tight race as usual, but we never thought we'd be ready to give out a trophy for best goaltender to a Columbus Blue Jacket. Bobrovsky has been lights out this season with a 2.13 GAA and .927 SV%; both of which rank him among the top goaltenders in the NHL. Facing over 30 shots a night, Bobrovsky has given the Blue Jackets opportunity to steal points and actually has them sitting in a playoff spot in the always tough Western Conference. Impressive.

James Norris Memorial Trophy - P.K. Subban

Since joining the Habs after a contract dispute, Subban has been one of the best defencemen in the NHL. With 10 goals he leads all defencemen (in less games), and his 27 points have him 1 point behind the defensive scoring leader, Ryan Suter (once again, in less games). Subban's been a stud on the powerplay with 18 of his 27 points coming with the man advantage, and has been solid at even strength with a +10 rating. Basically, he's putting up Erik Karlsson numbers from last year.

Calder Trophy - Jonathan Huberdeau

This will be another tight race, but Huberdeau has impressed us the most through 36 games. Leading all rookies in goals (13) and points (26), Huberdeau is playing on a hurting Panthers team that is trying to avoid being the worst team in the NHL. Huby's offence has been consistent throughout the year despite the lack of talent around him. With 12 games left, this will be one of the races to watch with Conacher, Gallagher, and Saad coming on offensively.

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy - Andrei Markov

Markov still hasn't missed a game this season and sits 5th overall in defensive scoring with 6 goals and 23 points in 34 games. Averaging almost 25 minutes/game and playing in every scenario, Markov has helped the Habs to their incredible 22-7-5 start. If he stays in the lineup it's hard not to give the guy the award, I mean, isn't his knee being held together by duct tape?

Jack Adams Award - Paul MacLean

So many great candidates to choose from, but Paul MacLean has been getting the job with the Binghamton Senators. Without Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson, Craig Anderson, and Milan Michalek, MacLean has guided his Senators to a 19-10-6 record which is good enough for 5th in the Eastern Conference. Not only do the Sens have the most guys in the league whose name you can't spell, but they probably lead the league in guys you've never heard of.

Frank J. Selke Trophy - Patrice Bergeron

The Bruins will always be a contender if they have Patrice Bergeron shutting down the other teams top players. Bergeron is a +22 so far this year and has been playing 19:32 minutes a night for the Bruins. He has also taken 727 faceoffs so far this year (4th most in the league) and has the best winning percentage at 61.3%. The guy can play in all scenarios and should be in line to get his 2nd consecutive Selke Award if he keeps his play up.

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy - Patrick Kane

Kane is having a hell of year with 18 goals and 42 points through 34 games. He also has just 4 PIMs on the year. The Hawks have been steamrolling teams and staying out of the box while doing so. Kane has the fewest PIMs on the team for regular roster players and we haven't even heard of any off-ice shenanigans this year (although Cinco de Mayo has yet to happen).

What do you think of our Award winners at the 3/4 mark of the season?

Pittsburgh All-In For Cup Run

2013-03-28T16:54:00.001-04:00

"In my club, I will splash the pot whenever the fuck I please."

The Pittsburgh Penguins were already one of the top teams in the league before Ray Shero started working the phones earlier this week. Unbeaten in 12 games with Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang on the shelf with injuries, Shero decided to add some depth to his squad. Adding Brenden Morrow and Douglas Murray, the team extended their winning streak to 13 on Tuesday. Then they got into the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes and landed him to their already star-studded roster. With all these moves it was no wonder Ray Shero was quoted as saying, "we're all-in, we want to win" today. No shit, he's built a team that should be illegal to play with in NHL 13.

First, it was Brenden Morrow. Two seasons removed from a 33-goal season, Morrow had been struggling in Dallas this year with 6 goals and 11 points through 29 games. The captain of the Stars was seeing less ice time than he was used to at under 15 minutes a night, and as an impending UFA in the offseason, the writing was on the wall. Morrow brings plenty of big-game experience to the Pens lineup and should fit in nicely on their 3rd line and 2nd powerplay unit.

Then it was Douglas Murray. Murray's story is pretty similar to that of Morrow's. A few years removed from a career year and an impending UFA this summer, Murray was well on his way out of San Jose. Not known for his offensive game from the blueline, Murray is a hard-nosed defencemen who is good for 200+ hits and well over a 100 blocked shots in a season. While he's struggled this season with a -8 rating, Murray has still kept his hits and blocks up which will be great for the Penguins D-core come the long grind of the playoffs against some of the tops teams in the East.

And then in a surprise twist to a rumour-filled night, the Penguins landed Jarome Iginla late last night. His track record is well documented: Art Ross winner, two-time Rocket Richard winner, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and the Flames franchise scoring leader with 525 goals and 1095 points. While his 11-straight seasons of 30+ goals will come to an end (would have anyways with a 48-game season) with 9 goals and 22 points through 29 games this season, he could find new life in Pittsburgh. I'm not a doctor, but going from a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2009 to a Stanley Cup favourite is pretty good for your health. Iggy will be playing with much better guys and won't have the pressure to carry the offence on his shoulders with guys like Crosby, Malkin, and Neal playing around him.

The Pittsburgh Penguins now look like a fantasy team on paper and have clearly won the arms race at the Trade Deadline. Take a look at their potential starting roster when healthy:

Kunitz - Crosby - Iginla

Neal - Malkin - Dupuis

Morrow - Sutter - Cooke

Kennedy - Jeffrey - Adams

Letang - Niskanen

Orpik - Martin

Murray - Engelland

Fleury

Vokoun

Fuck that is scary.