Hockey Junkyard-A Hockey Blog-Shenanigans & Fornication

7 player prediction on where they should go by tomorrow at 3.

2011-02-27T18:17:00.002-05:00

Brad Richards:

I really wanna believe that the Stars are not gonna be stupid and get rid of such a dynamic player like Richards, but with the Stars coming out to the press and saying that they will listen to some deals tells me the Stars have no intention of keeping him long term. Lets also not forget that Richards apparently gave the Stars an out which would give Dallas more time to work with but they ultimately turned it down. I chose the Kings because sooner or later the NHL's finest one night stand Dean Lombardi is going to get past first base. The Kings have more then enough young talent and draft picks to throw at this and although I keephearing the Rangers from all the tabloidgossips I truly believe in my heart of hearts that not even Sather is dumb enough to break up this young core to patch up the roster for another 8th seed entrance.

Stephen Weiss:

Weiss would be a very fun fit for the Habs. It is the annual Panther going out of business sale and the Habs are looking to secure a playoff seed with some more offense. No better place to look then to Weiss who has shown improvement every year since entering the league not to mention the fact that he is not exactly surrounded by tons of noteworthy talent.

Tomas Vokoun:

Unfortunately for me the Flyers are for real, to the point where they are one of few teams that can pretty much lock up a conference title appearance with a move like this. Bob and Boucher have been very good for this team this season but both have also shown at times that they cannot handle the spotlight for long periods of time. Vokoun is the ultimate insurance policy to get the Broad Street Bullies back to the Cup.

Nikolai Zherdev:

Philly got bored of the lazy Russian which is no shocker but the fact that he has some flashes of talent at a discount is something Shero really should consider especially since Crosby is crying of headaches and Malkin is out for the year with a scraped knee. I understand they already purchased the recycled Kovalev and the new flashy toy from Dallas but this is a bargain that the Pens may not be able to walk away from especially if Crosby is going to be gone for the rest of the season

Devin Setoguchi:

The only reason I think Leafs is because A. The Sharks just lost all faith in him and B. Burke has had a secret man crush on the Guch for a couple years now.

Alex Semin:

After another blow out by the Blue Shirts it has become evident that the Caps need some changes. The Caps have been putting of getting rid of this cry baby for long enough, they are never gonna give him Ovie dollars and why should they he is just another example of a KHL Superstar.

Enough ranting though Semin could use the new change of scenery and the Coyotes could use his scoring talents. Lets face it when a defenseman is leading your team in points chances are you could use a little help in the goal scoring department. Obviously the trade is a long shot but something interesting to think about. The Coyotes need that type of scoring come playoffs if they are going to compete with the likes of the Sedins, Sharks Big 3, the Kings etc.

Ales Hemsky:

Am I the only one who think that the Canes have had a void since the loss of Ray Whitney to Phoenix? Granted the Hurricanes are having a real nice bounce back year and have a real brand new super star on their hand in Jeff Skinner. The fact of the matter is the Canes have been predominantly a one line team all season lead by their captain Eric Staal with sprinkles of genius every now and again by Skinner.

Hemsky has had a ruff go of it in Edmonton. He didn't turn out like the critics thought and he really didn't embrace the franchise like everyone thought he would. Add some injuries and a shitty attitude and here we are. Hemsky and the Oilers could use a fresh start. Hemsky could add some very necessary depth that the Canes have lacked this season.

The Heritage Makeup

2011-02-22T08:20:00.000-05:00

I have had a bit of time to digest this Heritage Classic and this was exactly what I thought it would be..... a three hour pile of shit! I mean seriously this had crap smeared all over it from the first time it was announced.

This is nothing personal to the Calgary or the Habs, the Flames have been on a great streak and the Habs have been playing some very good hockey, but are these really the teams you want headlining a major event for the NHL? Let me answer the for all of you, HELL NO! The Flames are not even the most popular team in Canada and face it with the decline of Iginla there is no one with any real notoriety to look at on this club from a casual fan point of view. Yes I acknowledge Bourque is a very good player for the Flames but is he a super star that makes your jaw drop or keep your eyes glued to the TV.... sorry no he doesn't. The same goes for the Habs when it comes to notoriety superstar which is a necessity when trying to promote the game on any national stage. Sure the Habs have an historic franchise much like the Yankees of baseball but that can only take you so far.

Can we please just call this game what it really was...a consolation prize. The reality is the NHL cupboards are pretty bare when it comes to main stream talent. You ask any joe shmoe to name two hockey players and the first two that would come to mind would be Sid or Ovie, i.e. why the Pens got a second winter classic before most teams got a first. I don't blame Gary for the decision quite frankly I think thats how it should of been the first time and just nix the whole Sabres idea. This was nothing but a whiney weak attempt by our NHL Commish trying to appease the fans of Canada and the greater fan base of the NHL for giving the Pens a second Winter Classic before any Canadian franchise got one. I mean this is a sport that is from Canada and your telling me the Habs and Caps would be a hard sell for a Winter Classic? Bettman has proved once again how useless he really is and it is because of this that teams that don't have a Crosby or Ovechkin will always get the shaft.

Deadline Moves Starting Early

2011-02-19T11:04:00.003-05:00

Thursday and Friday were busy days for general managers in the NHL. Phones were ringing off the hook into the wee hours of the morning with teams trying to find the right pieces for their teams moving forward. All this action started a little earlier than I thought, considering the deadline is over a week away, but it shows how tight the races are in both the east and west. Many of these teams we have seen already involved in deals feel that they need to get better now to make their playoff push, and then there’s Ottawa. The Senators seem to be having a fire sale. Let’s take a look at what’s already gone down.

Way back on Tuesday the Senators sent center Chris Kelly to the Bruins for a second round pick. Kelly is a gritty player, but for my money, he’s not worth a second round player. This seems to be a pretty lateral move and just fills a roster spot.

Thursday the Senators sent the pesky forward Jarkko Ruutu to Anaheim for a sixth round pick next season. I’m not real sure what the purpose was on this one except maybe to collect draft picks.

Friday, the big day, sent Ian White from Carolina to San Jose for their second round pick in the 2011 draft ,in an attempt to solidify the Sharks blueline. I am not a fan of Ian White whatsoever, but the Sharks blueline is really shakey this season, and this can only make it better.

The Bruins and Leafs finally put an end to the Kaberle drama by completing what ended up being a three team deal. The Bruins cleared some cap space by sending Mark Stuart and Blake Wheeler to Atlanta for the ogre Boris Valabik and Rich Peverly. As soon as this trade was finalized, Boston was on the phone with Brian Burke. The Bruins acquired Tomas Kaberle for one of their top prospects Joe Colborne, a first round pick in 2011, and a conditional draft pick for 2012.

The Lightning strengthened their blueline by acquiring Eric Brewer from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Brock Beukeboom and a third round draft pick. I don’t like this move for a couple reasons. First of all, I feel the Bolts gave up too much for Brewer. He’s not going to have that much of an effect on their defense, and he’s going to be a free agent at seasons end. Secondly, and who am I to question Steve Yzerman, but I feel that this move was made just because the other top teams in the east made moves. With Philly bringing in Versteeg and the Bruins getting Kaberle, the Bolts felt that they needed something. I feel that they should have been more patient and waiting it out a few more days.

For the third time this week, the Senators were involved in a trade, moving goaltender Brian Elliott to Colorado for goaltender Craig Anderson. This is a pretty useless move, however, I do believe that Ottawa got the better of the two goalies in the deal.

The blockbuster so far came late into Friday night and into Saturday morning when the Avalanche sent rookie sensation Kevin Shattenkirk and forward Chris Stewart to the Blues for Jay McClement and former first overall draft pick Erik Johnson. I am not sure what the thought process was for either of these teams when they made the trades. Erik Johnson is a exellent player and he’s still young, so I would have not moved him. Colorado on the other hand, got rid of two very good young players in Stewart and Shattenkirk, and I question their motives for this move. The Avalanche have fallen far down the western standings, but it’s because their roster is devastated by injuries. I think they may have given up too soon on Stewart, and I don’t think they fully believed in Shattenkirk’s talents. That being said, Colorado could afford to get rid of these two because they are already loaded with young offensive talents, so scoring won’t be a problem. They made this move to significantly strengthen their defense. The Blues obviously needed to increase their scoring depth, and with this move they feel as though they’ve added it at both offense and defense.

As you can see, there has been no shortage of action at this trade deadline, and I believe there’s going to be more. There are still some teams who are expected to make some moves, and some teams that are expected to be selling off some of their assets in order to rebuild in the future. It should be a very exciting week to come.

The Dean Lombardi Dating Diaries, The Beginning of Kovypalooza

2011-02-16T16:55:00.000-05:00

Dean Lombardi is probably the best one night stand that NHL world has to offer. Over the past year or so Dean has tried to "Wooo" some of the NHL's biggest stars and has failed so very miserably. To be honest it is almost comical you would think with the amount of resounding one night stands Lombardi had been apart of that he was offering them a job at McDonalds for minimum wage or even worse..... the Islanders!

So what is Lombardi doing wrong? We were able to record one of his dates with thee Ilya Kovalchuk to find out how Dean really operates.

(It was said that Kovalchuk and Lombardi met at a quiet private dinner somewhere in fancy pants Los Angeles, this is where our story begins.)

Dean: Ilya I just want to thank you again for coming out here so we can talk to you about your future with our franchise here in LA.

Kovy: Where is my Vodka?

(Dean turns around quickly and screams at the young beautiful blonde waitress.)

Dean: Where the f*ck is my super stars drink! Unless you want to change your profession to street walker on sunset I suggest you move the tiny little ass of yours to get my friend here is drink he ordered 2 minutes ago!

Kovy: Mr. Lombardi you don't have to....

Dean: No it's fine Ilya I use to bang her, wait why do you wanna take her for a ride because I....

Kovy: Mr. Lombari I am married.

Dean: O.... so hasn't she ever heard of Tiger Woods? Anyway we need you here in LA and you need us.

Kovy: I want my money!

Dean: Yes but LA is such a beautiful city ready to embrace its next big superstar.

Kovy: How much money?

Dean: You could be the next Gretzky for the Kings Ilya, just think of the possibilities!

Kovy: How much money?

Dean: This is a first class organization that is not afraid to go the extra mile. We will take care of your extra curricular habits including your hooker habit....

Kovy: I am married Mr. Lombardi

Dean: ....that includes all young and old women alike and like I said before that blonde waitress of ours.

Kovy: I think I need a translator.

(Nicole Kovalchuk enters the private dinning room to help clear up some communication issues the two are having.)

Kovy: Tell him I am trying to talk money.

Nicole: Mr.Lombardi Ilya is trying to talk financial negotiations with you.

Dean: Who the hell are you the puppet master? Your realize were in LA and that I can replace you in 30 seconds with the next hot piece of ass that probably costs half as much as you and talks even less. Do us a favor baby and sit there looking hot until the men are done talking.

(Kovalchuk's Blackberry beeps with a message from Jeff Vanderbeek the owner of the Devils. The message says that they are willing to ignor Lou Lamoriello and push the price up to 100 million dollars.)

(The waitress comes back with the glass of Vodka.)

(Kovy shoots down the glass of vodka quickly jumps up from his seat and says...)

Kovy: Sorry Dean got a better offer, O and say goodbye to my wife.

(Nicole Kovalchuk punches Lombardi in the face breaking his nose as he begins to cry loud and obnoxiously.)

Dean: That didn't even hurt!

(The End)

More to come including how Dean messed up signing Mike Fisher, grabbing Marian Gaborik and so much more, Stay Tuned!

Penguins, Matt Cooke, and Debauchery on the Isle

2011-02-14T19:42:00.003-05:00

When I originally started writing this piece, I thought things were crazy in the NHL with the 4 game suspension dealt to Matt Cooke and everyones reaction to it. I was going to write my own response to the public outcry (which I still will, albeit very briefly), but since Friday night’s melee on Long Island, there are far bigger things to talk about.

First of all, since it has been awhile since my last post, I’d like to discuss some basic Penguin stuff. As we all know very well, the Penguins are without their two superstars in Crosby and Malkin, and up until some more significant injuries occurred, they were truly holding their own. The Penguins are currently without Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz, Comrie, Cooke, Letestu, Jeffrey, and Asham. That is 8 NHL caliber players and 38 percent of the team payroll. I dare any team to take away 38 percent of their payroll and still compete. It just won’t happen. Bylsma and the Penguins refuse to use injury as an excuse, and they would rather point the finger at a lack of execution and poor special teams. There’s definitely some truth to that as well. Up until this weekend, the Penguins were second in the league in goals against and number one in penalty killing. Through all the injuries and since his sluggish start in October, Marc-Andre Fleury has been playing Vezina quality goaltending and was ranked in the top five of almost every major goalie category.

This potent combination is definitely refreshing to see after last years pitiful display of team defense, and it’s going to have to be how the team continues to play for the next month or so if they want to stay in playoff contention. Another one of last weeks hot topics was Ray Shero and his trade deadline moves. If you’re banking on a blockbuster from Mr. Shero this season, you’d better be ready for a let down. This man is quite possibly the best GM in hockey, and he’s not going to compromise his teams future for a half-hearted playoff run. The only way we will see some real action from Ray is if Crosby actually is ready to return by March and he can get a quality winger for a low price. If Crosby isn’t ready to return, it’ll be a short April. Now, as for my take on the Matt Cooke hit on Fedor Tyutin, I have watched this clip almost a hundred times, and in fact I was at the game and saw the entire play develop in person. After a lot of thought, I have decided that a four game suspension is too harsh. I could understand two games, but Matt Cooke is being punished for hitting too hard. He definitely could have, and probably should have let up a little coming in to make the hit, but that is not how Cooke plays. He is a bruiser, and he is going to finish off his check each and every time. The reason I believe his suspension should have been shorter, and a reason that most of the loud mouth, moronic protesters are brushing off, is that Tyutin knew Cooke was coming. He turned his head and saw him. Tyutin has just as much responsibility to protect himself from a check as Cooke does to not send him flying into the concession area. If Tyutin plans to play that carelessly for the remainder of his career, well, he won’t be playing very much longer.

Now, on to the big news. Unless you’re Helen Keller, or have been living under a rock since last Thursday, you know all about the debauchery that went down on Long Island between the Islanders and the Penguins. Let me start by saying that that is the most disgusting, classless, cowardly series of events that I have ever seen in sports history. I’m not mad, or even surprised that this game was heated after the two met last time (even though there was no real reason to be mad on the Islanders part), and I did expect to see a fight or two. To do what the scumbag Islanders did and organizationally plot an over the top ambush on a team is just appalling. The Islanders recalled Micheal Haley of Bridgeport, a total goon, to come start fights in the game, and he did just that. The suspensions and fines were fractions of what they should have been, and when Mario Lemieux released his statement on Sunday, he hit the nail on the head. No matter who you are or who you root for, actions like these are disgraceful and detrimental to a once proud league. The fact that these actions weren’t organized by the players, but came from higher ranking members of the organization is inexcusable. Matt Martin’s assault on an unsuspecting Max Talbot was virtually a carbon copy of the Todd Bertuzzi and Steve Moore incident that left Moore with a broken spine and a concussion, successfully ending his career. To punish him with only 4 games for that is a disgrace. He should be suspended for twenty games, if not more. If Talbot hadn’t seen him coming at the last minute, who knows what could have happened. Trevor Gillies, well where do I start with him? He is an absolutely talentless hack who should have never set foot in an NHL rink, and he proved it beyond the shadow of a doubt on Friday. This moron intentionally came flying across the ice to throw a flying/shoulder elbow directly to the head of an unsuspecting Eric Tangradi. After Tangradi was hit, he grabbed his head and could hardly skate, and the classless Gillies began throwing punches and dragged him to the ground, still throwing punches. Watching this I thought, this guy couldn’t do anything dumber than that, and then he went and proved me wrong. He stayed right at the end of the runway and continued to taunt Tangradi for several minutes. Classless. How that buffoon wasn’t suspended for the rest of the season is moronic and baffling. Obviously there was a big scrum after this hit, and Haley decides that after his fight is broken up, he’s going skate across the ice to prove how tough he is and attempt to fight goaltender Brent Johnson. Why doesn’t he just go try and fight everyone at a kindergarden playground while he’s at it? Godard comes flying off the bench to come to his goaltenders aide. Interesting decision, seeing as it’s an automatic ten game suspension, but I have no problem with it. How Haley avoided suspension is absolutely beyond me, and its another horrible decision by the league. The problem in this league is that these disciplinary repercussions are determined by a low-rate thug himself in Colin Campbell. This league will allow this sort of useless garbage until it’s not policed by garbage. All of these outrageous episodes overshadows John Tavares’s cheap two-hander across Kris Letang’s ankles that also warranted a suspension. That’s a deliberate attempt to injure if I’ve ever seen one.

I have spent a lot of time, unfortunately, reading some of the so-called “experts” reactions to the Lemieux statement, and I cannot believe some of these are considered legitimate opinions. If you don’t understand where Lemieux is coming from you either hate the Penguins and have no honest reason, or you’re a total moron (aka Scott Burnside). Basically, I have seen these morons bashing Lemieux for two reason. They say he is A) Hypocritical because he employs Matt Cooke, his team leads the league in fights and penalty minutes and B) That he is generally absent from owners meetings and generally quiet on most hot topics. Well, let me break it down for you incompetent fools. Just because Matt Cooke plays like Matt Cooke doesn’t mean that Lemieux wants debacles like Friday night anywhere in the game. That is the most insanely moronic, dimwitted, downright ignorant stretch ever made. I don’t know who these idiots think they are putting words and thoughts into Mr. Lemieux’s mouth, but it is totally unacceptable and unprofessional. It might be time to use your head. That is some of the most convoluted thinking I have ever heard. It just so happens that Matt Cooke is a damn good hockey player, despite the controversial situations he has been in. He helps teams win hockey games. He has never done anything as deliberate and predetermined as what these players on the Islanders did. All these ignorant people who continue to spew this verbal vomit from their pie hole need to realize that Lemieux doesn’t take on the same personality and views as one player on his team. The Penguins do indeed lead the league in fights, but it’s not because they’re a bunch of thugs or play dirty. They frequently have to fight in order to protect their star players because the NHL doesn’t. Its pretty easy for these jackasses to throw hollow stats around to try and prove themselves to be correct (which of course they aren’t). As for Lemieux’s absence from these wine and dine, yuppy owners meetings that Mario rarely attends, he has always been like that. He likes to stay out of the public eye and stays low key for the most part. What makes his opinion so illegitimate because this is the first time he’s made a big statement? It is obviously something that deeply upset Le Magnifique, and he stated his opinion about it. If he was always yelling about every little thing, he’d be getting chastised for being obnoxious. By not always stating his opinion he let the league officials run the league as they saw fit, but after they so terribly dropped the ball in this incident, something had to be said. It just so happens he is spot on. Handing out such meager suspensions for such violent, blatant attempts to injure simply sends a horrible message. It allows talentless hacks like Gillies and Haley to stay in the league, as well as gives them the idea that what they did isn’t truly that bad. It’s time for the NHL to use their heads and punish the act, not the result. The way the league is handling discipline is tailored to low leveled thugs rather than the superstars. After repeatedly watching the absurd events that took place and reading the mindless babble these “experts” call professional writing, I can do nothing but shake my head at their stupidity. Keep in mind that these teams meet again on April 8th, but don’t expect the Penguins to retaliate, because they have something called CLASS. Let's hope the Islanders can find some one day.

All is (Not) Quiet on the Western (Conference) Front

2011-02-10T21:29:00.013-05:00

As I am about to post this I’m reading this across the Colorado Avalanche Blogoshpere,

“Craig Anderson Leaves Team For Personal Reasons. Not really sure what this is all about, but it's obviously something that is fairly serious. This might explain some of why Andy hasn't looked like himself the past few starts. Dater assures us that this isn't a smoke screen for a trade and that he isn't hurt. All we can do is hope it's nothing too serious and that he gets whatever it is taken care of. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Craig.” -MileHighHockey.Com

I mirror that sentiment and hope the best for him. In other news:

The trade deadline looms as the Sharks return to contention to challenge the Stars. Nashville has picked up Mr. Mike Fisher Underwood to provide depth in offense and aggression at center! The Blackhawks trade Jack Skille and actually get a real player in return while they try to spark a playoff run! Are there Fire Sales in Toronto and Florida? Is Philadelphia still that good? What’s with the goalie fights? What did Montreal ever do to Boston? Oh. Wait. Right.

There’s a lot to be excited about here people, and I want to hear what you think is going to go down before the trade deadline. Who goes, who stays, who gives up?

Anything is possible, especially in the log jam we have of a Western Conference. Currently 14 of 15 teams sit within 7 points of a playoff spot, making every single game a must win or a must not lose for all teams that aren’t going to win their division. (More on them in a moment.)

Calgary has been the biggest surprise of the last month in the West. Since Darryl Sutter stepped down as GM of the franchise in December, the team has marched to a different tune. No more drama, no more secret team meetings or excuses. They’ve won 8 out of their last 10 against a who’s who list of league leaders and contenders. Their general style of play resembles more of what we’ve come to expect as a high energy physical presence, but they’ve balanced it by using all of their offensive weapons. Can Jarome Iginla lead this team back to relevance, or is this train merely switching tracks before it wrecks? (Yes, Please)

Los Angeles is my biggest disappointment so far. For a team that many, including The Hockey News had predicted to place 5th in the West this year, it’s been tough. They’ve struggled in some ways similar to the Chicago Blackhawks, but don’t have the excuse of having this years team reset from last years due to Cap issues. What more can Kopitar, Brown, and Williams do? Doughty and Johnson have been solid enough on the blue line, right? Their goaltending tandem has been good enough. What I see here, as my reference to the Blackhawks suggests, is that they could use a more powerful and consistent output from their 3rd and 4th line. Wayne Simmonds needs to be a difference maker in every game. I see a top line winger in him one day, if he’s ever up to the challenge. The Kings are a powder keg who need someone to light the match.

Tangent Time

According to an EA Sports NHL 11 simulation run through of the playoffs with the seeds as they stand as of yesterday morning, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeat the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals in 5 games. Just saying...

My Player of the Moment Award goes to: Pekka Rinne

Pekka Rinne is possessed. He has the second best GAA and Save % only to Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins. Thomas is having a surprisingly outstanding year, overshadowing the should be #1 goalie in Tukka Rask. Down south, Rinne is living up to and perhaps even exceeding expectations in Nashville. While not yet dropping the gloves, the 6’5”, 28 year old giant of a net-minder has proven the perfect accompaniment to Nashville’s frustrating trap style play. But don’t assume I’m trying to sell his effort short. The man who was thwarted by bad bounces and evil luck in Chicago during the playoffs last year is on point. He’s seen 1098 shots as of today, and while that is only 17th among the leagues goalies, he’s done it in a fewer amount (38) of games than all other starters above him. Fear Nashville, as with the addition of Fisher, they are proving to be more than just a frustration heading into the final stretch. They are no one’s Cinderella, nobody’s underdog. This team will beat yours, and Pekka Rinne will be the giant at the end of the hand shake line as he sends your team home for the year come May.

Finally, back to “Division Leaders”. Two months ago I called out the Vancouver Canucks as being paper champions. I challenged them to rise above the failures of their last two playoff runs and avoid conceding the number 1 spot in their division to the upstart Colorado Avalanche. I all but sealed their fate, as the Avalanche looked to be poised for a run behind young forwards like All-Star Matt Duchene and young Chris Stewart, with a veteran and reliable goaltender behind them in Craig Anderson. Since my declaration the Canucks have gone 21-6-5. The Avalanche have run 12-13-3. So much for paper.

The Canucks have managed to stay healthy, play to their potential, and Sami Salo has returned to the roster in one piece. Roberto Luongo, previously my biggest question mark, has performed like the star goalie that everyone knows he is, and is poised for the best season of his career. Apparently the future hall of fame goaltender and poet has even solved his Chicago Blackhawks problem, as evident in their most recent win over Kane and Company at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver faithful are thrilled. While humbled by their performance, I’ll still be skeptical come playoff time, as that’s where it always seems to go awry for them.

On the other side of the ice, the Colorado Avalanche have struggled with a number of minor problems. Lack of consistency, injuries plaguing Anderson in net. Stewart, Galiardi, and half the team has missed at least 5 games due to a number of minor injuries and ailments, with Galiardi being out now indefinitely. Kyle Cumisky, an effective man on the blue line has a head injury that will now sideline him for an undisclosed amount of time. Oh, and they’re only averaging 1.75 goals per game in their last 8. They’ve got some things to work on. The young upstart attitude has given way to a problem solving approach that include welcoming back Peter Forsberg to the team. Forsberg announced over the weekend that he felt fit to return to the NHL for the first time since the 07’-08’ season. Personally, as much as I love the idea of his return, this is only a patch to temporarily heal the wounds of the Avalanche faithful. While I don’t doubt his leadership ability, nor the emotional support he provides for players and fans alike, I do doubt how much his output on the ice will be able to propel the team to close the gap on the Canucks. Their best bet is to spend the rest of the season playing hard, focusing on developing some kind of consistency for the playoffs, should they make them.

Sigh. That’s all I can handle for now. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Next time I’ll discuss NHL GAMECENTER Live for PS3, and I'll ask, "Are the Red Wings out of gas?". Keep your legs moving and your sticks to the ice...

The rules of hockey brawls and more importantly goalie fighting.

2011-02-10T16:46:00.007-05:00

I had the pleasure last night of watching the Boston Montreal game. Now first of all you knew it was a goodie when ESPN took a break from NASCAR Now and the World Series of Poker take 30 to show some highlight clips of the game.

The big highlight of the game other then the score was the brawl that ended with Tim "Flop Sweat" Thomas squaring off with Carey "I should play for free" Price. Let me just get this out of the way by saying this fight sucked. First of all as a huge fan of the sport as well as a student of the game I consider a goalie fight to be one of the most interesting barely seen aspects of the sport. With that being said before that shitty fight even started when Price left his crease and started looking for trouble someone on the Bruins should of taken it upon themselves to knock the hell out of that whiney shit bag.

Now on to the actual highlight of Thomas and Price squaring off. It was boring, you could tell they were just dancing around and at times during the brief moments of the pillow fight they looked a little loss. I understand players having to do it out of necessity but goalies should only do it when there is absolute pure hate involved. Both Thomas and Price were quoted as saying they were just kinda doing it because everyone else was squaring off which is pathetic all on its own and is part of the reason some of the softies of the sport want to out law the big hits and the fights because morons like these guys don't use it for a purpose. The brawl as a whole sucked.

Although how good would I be if I did not provide some examples on how this should of been done. So without further interruption or rant from me here are my three examples of GOOD, FUNNY and just plane SHITTY.

First we will go with my idea of what a good old fashion hockey brawl with a goalie fight should look like. One of my personal favorites it is Buffalo vs Ottawa and Biron vs Emery.

Next is the funny, and yes it is 99% funny because Rick DiPietro showed the NHL world again why he should be waitressing at IHOP instead of sitting between the pipes. It is the Islanders vs the Pens and Johnson vs DiPietro.

And finally the brawl that left all real hockey fans wanting so much more... the Habs vs the Bruins and Price vs Thomas.

The deadline approaches

2011-02-07T23:35:00.009-05:00

The NHL Christmas season is rite around the corner as all fans around the world sit and wait as they hope is my GM going to put down the pastrami sandwich long enough to make my team that much better for the final push?

The reality especially this year is nothing is going to happen, although I always do love a good shocker. Being a bitter Ranger fan I thought it would be fun to show my take on what a GM like Glen Sather would do on the day of the trade deadline.

(In the offices of MSG enters the stumbling constantly slurring Mr. Sather on Monday February 28,2011)

Sather: Where are my Tacos!

Jim Shoenfeld(Assistant GM): It is on its way up sir.

Sather: Very good Jimmy now go find daddy a cupcake eh.

Shoenfeld: Yes Mr. Sather, but don't you realize what today is?

Sather: Yes Jimmy it is taco day in the cafeteria, which will beg me to ask the question again.... WHERE THE F*** ARE MY TACOS!

Shoenfeld: No sir......

Sather: Your telling me it is not taco monday Shoenfeld?

Shoenfeld: No it is but.....

Sather: Then get me my god dam tacos and don't come back here until you have them!

Shoenfeld: Yes Mr. Sather

(Enter James Dolan (Chairman of MSG) and John Torterella)

Dolan: So what are we looking to do here Glen I have board members to answer to here not to mention those bitchy New York fans.

Sather: We are looking to have some tacos.

Torts: We are talking about the trade deadline!

Sather Not until I have had my tacos.

Dolan: Listen Glen we need something to put us over the hump and get that playoff tv money. You know me as soon as we clinch that 8th seed its all gravy but if we pull that shit again where we are out by one point because you fell asleep during the deadline again I am gonna....

Sather: Well Dolan obviously this year will be better because I am awake, and I already promised not to prank call Phoenix again this year because lets face it I already did that this season.

Dolan: You listen here Sather I need that money for my special trips to china town and to pay of Isaiah's large escort bill.

Sather: YA YA Dolan its under control.

Torts: Its almost 2:30!

(Shoenfeld comes back into the office tacos in hand)

Shoenfeld: Here they are sir now about the deadline....

Sather: What no f***ing guac are you nuts Shoenfeld!

(Sather throws the plate at Shoenfeld)

Shoenfeld: Sorry Mr. Sather I will go fix it.

Sather: No its to late go in the corner and play with your blocks until I know what to do with you.

Dolan: So what are we doing here Glen!

Torts: I still think we should make a play for Richards in Dallas. I am familiar with him from my Tampa days and I really think he could lighten the load for Gaborik and provide so more offense that we desperately need.

Shoenfeld: Do you think we have a chance at getting him?

Sather: SHUT UP JIMMY! Go play with your blocks.

Torts: I think it is the rite play here, if we wanna make a legit playoff push.

Sather: John no offense but no one cares about your Tampa days. More then half the NHL world didn't even know you guys won the cup, they thought that the NHL went into another lock out during the playoffs. As for Richards thats a no go we don't need him we have a 7 million dollar center already maybe you heard of him... Chris Drury and last I checked he's not to shabby.

Torts: You have got to be kidding me.

Sather: Your talking time is over now get out John.

Torts: Your completely f***ed

(Torts leaves slamming the door)

Sather: Jesus the only reason I got him here was because I drunk dialed him thinking it was a Russian Male Order Bride Service. Thats the last time I use my cell phone after 3 Mikes Hard Lemonades.

Dolan: Sather I want something done, NOW!

Sather: Calm down I got it covered but first a little fun. Jimmy get Don Maloney on the phone. I love prank calling this son of a bitch, tell him I am interested in Doan and a 5th rounder for Callahan a 1st rounder and throw in Duby if he is hesitant.

Shoenfeld: Ok sir but when should I tell him were kidding?

Sather: After my 3:00 nap now go get my tacos before I go to sleep and don't forget the guac this time you little turd! I will deal with the deadline when I awake from my Taco and Mikes Hard Lemonade coma.

Shoenfeld: But Mr. Sather!

Sather: Move it Jimmy before I make you sell cotton candy in the 300's again like last year, and close my door on the way out!

......God I love being a Ranger fan!

Guess who's back?

2011-02-05T16:33:00.004-05:00

It has been to long and I already feel the rust of no blogging for the past few months....

I would like to give some thanks before I begin...

First I would like to thank the greedy people at mac for making me drop major dime that I did not have.

Second I would like to thank the Rangers for pinching another loaf as I write this against the Habs. My Blue Shirts never seem to disappoint.

Third I would like to thank everyone who emailed or contacted me via twitter and facebook saying as close to kind things as possible which is all I could really ask for.

Now back to business!

Since I have been gone shockingly the NHL has moved on without me. Crosby has a major head injury (which I will speak more in depth with later), the All Star Game went gym class on us, Dallas and Tampa proved that they can play hockey and most of all the Flyers still think they are going to win the cup!

Lots of exciting things to talk about going to start things back up probably Monday or Tuesday but just wanted to show some signs of life on the site before it is to late. Well until then happy hunting ladies and gentleman.

Sid vs. Ovie: Who's Better?

2010-11-26T09:43:00.000-05:00

To me, there are three categories that should be used to compare the two: Achievements, consistency and style of play. When it comes to achievements, these two could fill an entire arena to the top with their hardware. They both have Hart trophies, Lester B. Pearson awards, Rocket Richard trophies, Art Ross trophies and so on. What is important to remember is that these are individual awards, and while earning these awards undoubtedly helps each players team, it doesn’t always get you to the promised land. Crosby has proven that he can succeed individually, but most importantly, he has proven that he can success in leading a team to the ultimate goal. He has been to two Stanley Cup Final appearances, winning one, and he has won a gold medal with team Canada in the Olympics. As we all know, he scored the gold medal clinching goal in overtime. What is less obvious to some is the fact that in winning both a Stanley Cup and the gold medal, Crosby defeated Ovechkin en route.

The next category is consistency. We all know that these players will always be near the top of the scoring lists, and definitely at the top of their respective teams. This season, though, has been a little different than usual. As we saw last season, Crosby decided that he was going to impose his will and score the most goals in the NHL, and he succeeded. This season is no different, as he is second behind Steven Stamkos, but already five ahead of Ovechkin. The Capitals, who without a doubt have the most potent offense in the NHL, have been shutout two times in the last three games, with Ovechkin most recently being demoted to the third line wing. Crosby is currently on a league leading nine game point streak, and has his team playing some of the best hockey in the league after a shaky defensive start. Crosby is tied atop the scoring charts with Stamkos currently with 35 points, and he is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. Where Crosby’s consistency is most apparent and important is when his team finds themselves either losing early, or when the game is on the line and the time is winding down. He always going to find a way to make things work, whether its climbing out of a three goal deficit, scoring the go ahead goal late in the third, or winning it in a shootout. After being criticized for being weak in shootouts, he used the offseason to become one of the leagues best shooters. He simply will not settle for anything less than being the

The last category, style of play, is where the two players are the most different. Ovechkin is a prolific scorer without any doubt, but he is solely a shooter. Year after year he leads the league in shots, and despite putting up a lot of assists, you have to remember that many of those come from rebounds put in the net from his original shot. Now some would argue that there’s nothing wrong with that, and there isn’t, but make no mistake about it, if he began utilizing his teammates more, he would be even more potent of a scorer. It would make the goalies have to play more honest. The biggest deficiency in Ovechkin’s game comes in the defensive aspects. He is miserable at defense. He very rarely tracks back on a rush, he floats around the blue line when the other team is controlling the puck, and he puts himself out of position a lot of times while trying to make a big hit. Ordinarily, a guy with as much talent as him could get away with it, but with a team lacking quality defenders and quality goaltending like the Capitals, he becomes a liability in his own end. Lastly, I have heard a lot lately about Ovechkin and his coach Bruce Boudreau not getting along as well as that obnoxious Jobba the Hut lookalike would have you believe. I have heard that Ovechkin is not accepting a chance to his reckless style of play to adopt a more defensive minded strategy. I’ve got news, Alex, you’re not going to win a cup any time soon with that attitude. As I said, Crosby and Ovie differ very much. Crosby is an offensive force in his own right, and as I suggested Ovechkin should do, Crosby has started shooting more to balance out his ‘pass first’ reputation. It has worked flawlessly, as he keeps goalies honest, and has been scoring at a furious pace. More importantly than that, Crosby undoubtedly makes his teammates better night in and night out. There is no arguing that the Capitals group of forwards on the whole are superior to the Penguins group of forwards, but the Penguins still score a ton of goals. Crosby not only makes them better by unreal passes and an unparalleled work ethic, but he motivates the team to play at their highest level like he does every night. There is no doubt that Sid gets the best out of guys playing on his wing like Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis (Dupuis had 18 goals and 20 assists last season). Crosby is as accountable and reliable as they come defensively for a forward. He is the first guy to go down to block a shot or slide across the crease to save a goal. Countless times every game he creates turnovers on the back check, and he even logs ice time killing penalties. All of these factors combined are why the Penguins find success throughout the season as well as deep into the playoffs.

In my mind, there never was a doubt that Crosby is the better player. Now I think more people are starting to realize the same as Crosby continues to improve. I do believe that these two bring out the best in one another when they go head to head, and this seasons Winter Classic should be nothing short of spectacular.

Richards continues to go nowhere and YES that includes Toronto and New York!

2010-11-24T10:06:00.004-05:00

So lets play this weeks where and when Brad Richards is leaving Dallas because it is getting more fun by the second.... NOT!

I would actually like to thank Larry Brooks of the New York Post of doing his best to clear up the stupidity that has been gossiped around the girls bathroom. Brooks says that although Sather would like to go after Richards it is not happening before July 1. Think about it this way dreamers why would the Rangers want to give up young talent like Dubinsky, Callahan and Staal for a player that is not guaranteed to sign with you long term, not to mention these guys are the heart of your team and are in my opinion more valuable. Also another thing that will stop a deal from getting done is the great Wade Redden whos monster AHL contract will effect the Rangers cap next season.

As for the Leafs, it was difficult for Richards to dodge the barrage of questions when he had a game up their but Burke is more or less in the same boat as the Blue Shirts rite now. They will wait until summer and have no intentions of separating with any young talent to get him earlier. Not to mention they have a couple of their own financial problems to deal with.

Lets also not for get kiddies that the CBA may not approve the 5% increase after next year.

To make boring gossip a reality the fact remains as I have said from the beginning that Richards is not moving anywhere until ownership is permanently in place for the Stars. Do I think he will be moved ? Yes, the Stars need to start fresh and deep down I think even Richards would like a change. My guess is still Toronto over the Rangers. The Rangers have to much key youth to resign and the Redden contract to deal with while Toronto could do it with more ease not to mention Burke really has wanted Richards for awhile and would fit particularly well on the Leafs.

Best of Kings, Coyotes, and...Ducks?

2010-11-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

I was amongst many NHL fans and forums that placed little or no hope with the plight of the Anaheim Ducks. I wrote them off as too old, too tired, and too weak defensively. They had no major free agent signings, Teemu Selanne was returning at 40 years of age, and with one line of offense and an unproven blue line, the future seemed bleak. That said, they currently sit at seventh in the Western Conference with 23 points in 22 games. Not exactly a "Mighty" start, but surprising and maybe even a little impressive, right? I mean considering what they have to work with, how is this possible?

The Ducks efforts have been surprisingly consistent. Team Captain Ryan Getzlaf has spoken of the team being happy with their ability to "battle back" to stay in some of the tough games they've played so far, and that's exactly what they've done. 7 of their 10 wins have been by a simple one goal margin, twice being in OT. They've been great at home, they're getting offense from multiple forwards and defensemen, and they're staying disciplined. Perhaps that's the most important contribution to their positive beginning. They've managed to find a balance between their edgy and physical play, while still executing in the offensive zone and creating chances. But are they for real? The best way to debunk their chances, in my opinion, is to look at their toughest competition at the moment. That being the surging Phoenix Coyotes, and the young and restless L.A. Kings.

In Phoenix we have Cinderella darling of a team that surprised everyone last year, and entered 2010-11 with greater expectations. Despite a rough start that included 5 OT/SO losses, their current five game win streak is reminding us of what they're capable of. A fair mix of old and young, the Coyotes have a scrappy team identity that, like the Ducks, keep them in the close games. The biggest difference? Defense. Keith Yandle, Adrian Aucoin, and Ed Jovanovski in particular. That is a tough, proven set of blue line veterans that can carry the puck, put a man down, and score if necessary. An asset that Anaheim does not possess.

Looking to Los Angeles, I see something similar. Wait for it...

Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Willie Mitchell, and an electric offense that has supplied enough goal scoring to help widen the margin that the defense and a "return to form" goalie Jonathan Quick will have to protect. They have two things that Anaheim does not. The Kings are answering questions about their youth's focus and ability by winning games, even without their top players from time to time. But at the core of it all? Defense. Score all you want, however if your blue line is tentative and unorganized, you'll be exhausted by the All-Star Break from marathon goal scoring games and emotional breakdowns.

Bottom Line is, the Ducks look good, a lot better than anyone expected even. But please don't hold your breath in anticipation of a playoff run. The true measure of this team comes in the games it will play against it's division rivals. The Pacific is a great measuring stick for any team in the league this year as it hosts several distinctive styles of play and intensity. Anaheim has faced the Coyotes, and come out on top in one of those one goal wins. They will not drop the puck against the Kings until November 29th, making that the game to watch for the answer to my question, again. Are the Anaheim Ducks for real?

Do they have a chance? Is Cam Fowler the savior for their blue line? Will Selanne stay intact?

Well, I already know that as of this post Selanne is listed as day to day with a groin aggravation. You heard me. So that answers one out of three, for now. That's what I think.

You tell me what you think. And stay tuned as they try to answer themselves. As for me, until the Ducks take their rightful place with Edmonton at the bottom of the West, I'll continue to pick on the Red Headed Step Child of the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Devils and Oilers Trade Fact or Fiction also what to do with Semin.

2010-11-20T14:09:00.003-05:00

Ok hope everyone is having a nice Saturday I know I am, anyway lets get started with what everyone has been wondering the past 24 hours and that is the Devils and Oilers putting something together.

I did a lot of reading on this early this morning and throughout the afternoon. I even called in a favor to one of my guys who knows a thing or two about this. From everything that I have gathered nothing is coming anytime soon between these clubs. Head Coach of the Devils John MacLean even commented on the possibility saying that he dose not anticipate a trade anytime soon but admits its up to Lou to decide. Seeing as Lamoriello continues to back his boy I would say that the relationship is still good and they are both on the same page.

The fact is like I have been saying all season the Devils really screwed the pooch signing Kovalchuk. The fit was just not there and now they are paying the price. Will they make a trade by the deadline? I can almost guarantee that. They are going to have to strip the team down as quickly as possible and build it back up to surround Kovypalooza with players and not parking cones.

Now onto the Caps who continue to have another very nice regular season. Ovechkin was asked if he was going to throw his weight around to bring back the whiny more streakier version of himself (Alexander Semin). Ovie said he was not going to do that although if they do find a way to bring him back I am sure Ovechkin may have had a little something to do with it.

Now lets make sure we all understand each other here. Semin will not be going anywhere this season. He is still a vital part of this team going to the Stanley Cup. So barring any major free fall by the team Semin will be a Cap until Summer.

O and a BO BO rumor someone just asked me that I felt compelled to address. The Lighting and the Devils are not in the midst of ANY trade rite now. How could they? They are looking for the same thing!

Strip Shoot out Punishment?

2010-11-19T11:46:00.000-05:00

Five game losing streak. What comes to mind when you hear those words? For me personally it would be, desperate for a win, something needs to be done, or even last place here we come again! Well apparently what comes to Tom Renney’s mind after hearing those words is things like fun, loose, hell even strip hockey. Yes, you read that right.

This morning’s Oilers skate has arose some questioning from fans, including myself, about Tom Renney’s coaching tactics and what is going on in his head. Let’s just do a recap of our last five games shall we? Should be fun. Well, we have allowed 30 goals against us in just five short games. Pretty harsh. But what is even worse is that we only managed to score eight against our opposing teams. Yes, fact is, that is a 22 goal difference. These games were not in any way close scores, with the exception of the 4-3 overtime loss against the devils, we lost every other game by at least 4-6 goals. It’s pretty much safe to say at this point that the Oilers are no longer just getting beat, we are getting demolished.

In the five games previous to these we totaled only two wins and three losses. In those three losses we only saw ten goals against us with us scoring a total of six. Those numbers, although yes still losses, seem slightly more tolerable to me and easier to deal with. Our last five games have brought us on a serious downhill roller coaster and us as fans did not have fun watching and are looking to see what will be done to give us hope for improvement in our upcoming games.

When it was announced today that Renney’s idea for improving the team was to let the boys relax and keep them “loose” by a game of old school shinny and a strip shoot out I was angry and needless to say very embarrassed. If this is your idea of punishment for a pathetic display of hockey Renney, I don’t even want to know what you will do if we lose again tomorrow night. Little pond hockey game maybe? Let me remind you that these men are not ten years old and even though this is a game, it is also a business. These players get paid, very well I might add, to play the game. It is their job. It is not always going to be nor is it always supposed to be fun. My coach told me fun came first on the ice when I played in Atom hockey. This is the NHL. I mean, I am no coach or anything but I am a long time fan and I feel after the way we played these last five games, maybe a little punishment is in order as opposed to rewards.

It would be hard to pin point just ONE thing that the team needed to be working on at this morning’s skate, as we all know there are a lot. To watch my team play with pure sloppiness and unorganization as they have been lately is frustrating to say the least. First things first though, I do wish Renney would create a line combination and stick with it for more than one game. I cannot grasp in my mind how he expects our players, especially the rookies, to learn their line mate’s plays and positioning and create some chemistry with them when they are playing alongside new players every game.You have done your experimenting, it has been 17 games. Create a line, and get them working together because maybe once we get that out of the way, we can turn our focus towards all of our other weaknesses that need work.

I am a strong believer in working to adjust a player’s weaknesses, but also know that strengths should be of major focus as well. Our player’s are slowly beginning to forget their own strengths because these sorts of things are never worked on. So what do we need? I don’t have all day, but off the top of my head I would say our centers could use some work, or lots, on their face offs. Our defence need to work on their strength, hitting, being aware of their critical blind spots and protecting their goalie. Our forwards need work on cycling, cross ice passing, and learning to keep control of the puck in the opposite zone. Is this everything? Absolutely not, but it would be a good start alongside things like our penalty kill and clearing out our zone. So does any of this sound to you like it would be benefited from a game of shinny?Strip shoot outs. What to say about that? Well first off I find this slightly gross as well as overly embarrassing. Also, maybe we should have been working on this drill when we were actually participating in shoot outs. Oh and we could have dropped the whole strip part as well. I mean, come on, we can’t even get a game to the point of a shoot out anymore. We can barely even get through the third period. We should have been worrying about this at the end of October when we took part in a shoot out two games in a row, losing both I might add. So why the big concern about this now? Oh right, fun.

Well Renney, let me talk to you a little bit about fun. It is NOT fun sitting at 29th in the league already. It is NOT fun battling with injuries because our goalie may have been overplayed. It is NOT fun losing five games in a row. It is also NOT fun seeing nothing being done about it. When I was 14 years old I played in a summer hockey tournament for the Westman Selects. We played terrible the first two games and had score 0 goals. Yep, none. You better believe after that second game we stayed at the rink and our coach put us to work. One hour pure bag skate. Then he even topped it off with a morning practise. Pulled off a 4-2 win that next night. Now, if someone who coaches 14 year old girls can see that this has it’s ways of working, why can’t you?

Ok, now I am not necessarily saying that Renney should have bag skated the team today..well maybe I am, but I am also saying I don’t see how our boys benefited from playing shinny. This team has proven to us that they are a losing team. We need work, lots of it, and on a lot of things. I don’t think our time should be wasted on keeping them “loose”. I understand staying calm and trying to stay focused is important for the players and can help benefit a player’s game, but in all honesty, there is nothing calm about losing five in a row with showing little to no hope of a win in the near future.This is a serious thing Renney. Everyone always said that Quinn was a coach needed for a veteran team and you were “the guy” to coach a young team. Young, yes, 12 years old, no. If you think today’s practise will see an improvement of the team tomorrow night, who am I to judge? All I can say is, if there is loss number six tomorrow, you better not be planning on taking the boys out for ice cream.

Daddy ships his son and White south. Canes not done yet?

2010-11-18T10:58:00.004-05:00

Before we start with the obvious O MY GOD how could his dad do that to him lets look at it from a practical way. The Hurricanes made a fantastic move here bringing in a blue liner like White to help the Canes. As for Sutter I think his pops did him a favor. Lets face it the Flames are not going anywhere anytime soon so maybe he made a little tiny bit of a career move of his kid nothing wrong with it, obviously not the main reason for the trade but I am sure it didn't hurt.

The Flames got back in return Babchuk and Kostopoulos. Now I think Babchuk is a very nice young defenseman but White was definitely the better of the two. I can't say as I understand why the Flames agreed to this deal. I am not dazzled by what they got and don't really think it made them any better, in fact I think with the loss of White they may have gotten a little worse. Dares us to think are the Flames setting up for something else? Probably not the roster is full of toxic contracts, over the hill players, and unproven rookies. Best case scenario is come February 28th Calgary will have host the annual NHL going out of business sale.

Back to the Canes well done! White is a very nice top 4 defenseman that can play in all types of situations and eat up big time minutes, something the Canes have needed now for a little while. I would keep my eye on management this year if I am a Canes fan because it looks like this team is not going to wait to get better if they can help it.

Playing Fantasy GM for a second if I am the Canes I am seriously thinking about a player like Brad Richards and or Zach Parise for this summer. I really do think that if management continues to fall threw that the possibility could be there for the Canes to snatch up Richards.

O and by the way I still think Parise will be with Colorado next season, don't say I didn't tell you so.

Twitter War, Mckenzie vs. Matheson "Iggy Gate"

2010-11-17T11:50:00.005-05:00

Have I told you guys how much I love twitter. Nothing is better then having one person saying something and then minutes later another person saying its all a fugazzi.

Little surprise that Jarome Iginla talks continue to circulate around. Face it Calgary is bunk and they don't seem to have a promising future in site. Enter Jim Matheson who "tweeted" not to laugh off the possibility of the LA Kings shipping off Brayden Schenn to Calgary for Jarome Iginla, remember Iginla was dealt to Calgary from Dallas for Joe Nieuwendyk. Now Bobo Mckenzie fires back also via twitter that he has been told by "more then one person who should know" the Kings and Flames have not had a single conversation.

When are we as hockey fans going to realize that these so called reporters do not have much more inside information then we do. Lets face it they get the inside track on independent bloggers like myself by getting something a few hours early but that is usually after they are just crossing t's and dotting the i's. They never get anything at its infant stage because usually neither franchise wants it getting out. Which must me... LIGHT BULB! It is speculation.

The fact is that as long as Calgary sucks Iginla's name will be mentioned. Why?.... because he is the only real player of value in that organization worth getting. Lets not forget Iggy is not going anywhere unless he wants to thanks to the wonderful no-movement clause in his contract.

Looking at the proposal myself it is a nice thought but is not gonna happen. Although Kings fans still yearn for that big name on the roster they really just don't need it. They are kicking ass, so with that in mind why would they ship off a nice young talent like Schenn for Iginla who has obviously lost a step and has a big contract. Do not forget ladies and gentleman it is STILL a salary cap world and unless you want to end up like the Great Garden State team, you are going to have to follow those rules or suffer the consequences.

The Islanders threw Gordon under the bus.

2010-11-16T20:14:00.004-05:00

I didn't know how to deal with the craziness that is the Islanders rite now. So after the news yesterday of the Islanders firing head coach Scott Gordon, I decided to step away from the keyboard scratch my head and try and make some sense of what the hell they are doing over there.

It was stand up comedy hour in Long Island when Mr. Wang came out and said that he is expecting the Islanders to get into the playoffs this season. That statement alone gave me more then a chuckle to say the least. How could this guy possibly say nonsense like that to begin with. Lets look at their current situation... No Okposo, no Streit and not one attempt to bring a significant player to play with your star center Tavares.

Now don't get me wrong, their is nothing wrong with going young like the Pens and Hawks did. Collect your young draft picks and then follow it up with some veteran pieces at the end but don't put the pressure on your young team in the beginning of the rebuilding process and on top of it fire your coach when you give him nothing to work with and expect him to perform miracles.

I am the farthest thing from an Islander fan and I think Gordon did a very good job from what he was given. Gordon was doing very good with the younger guys on this roster. An obvious stand out was PA Parenteau who has emerged as a top 6 forward.

The fact is Gordon was being thrown under the bus by Snow. Instead of answering for the poor product that he is mostly responsible for he throws away a key resource like Gordon who was a bright part of the Islanders promising future.

Until Snow removes his head from his ass this franchise will continue to suffer which is unfortunate because the Isles do have some great young talent.

O and FYI Islander Suits your running your own franchise out of Long Island so keep paying Snow and good luck!

Colin Campbell: Busted

2010-11-16T18:39:00.000-05:00

And so the obvious truth comes out. For some, there is a touch of vindication. For others, it was only a matter of time until what they already knew was brought to light. The ever-so-inconsistent Colin Campbell’s ugly side has been discovered. If you don’t know what I am talking about, Sunday evening, there were several emails released to the public that were sent by Campbell himself. These emails show Campbell contacting director of officiating Stephen Walkom and NHL VP Mike Murphy complaining about several calls made by officials against unnamed players. Well, it certainly doesn’t take a genius to do a little research and figure out who he was talking about based on the specifics entailed in the emails. Ironically enough, the “bullshit calls” he was citing happened to be committed by his own son, Gregory Campbell. Think about that. He throws a tantrum whenever his son doesn't benefit from a call. What is this, peewee hockey? I would go further into detail with these emails, but it is really just a lot of the same. The one other main point that came from these emails is that there is apparently a “little fake artist” that he is not to fond of. Again, a little research and it will lead you to none other than Marc Savard. Well, well, well, isn’t it Savard that was involved in a headshot hit with Matt Cooke putting him out for the season and more? Yes, and as we all know, Cooke wasn’t suspended for the hit. Let me go on record saying that I don’t think the hit deserved a suspension, however we’ve seen much more from much less. Could Campbell perhaps be projecting his feelings towards players from his almighty throne as Director of Hockey Operations? Thought provoking, to say the least. Anyway, the purpose of this post is not to recite the emails word for word, because you can find those all over the internet at this point. I feel that there is absolutely no place in the game for behavior like this. Campbell is supposed to be one of the leaders of this sport, facilitating the values of the league, trying to grow the sport and act as a role model. Instead he is acting like a child, throwing temper tantrums and using his authority to impose his will for his own satisfaction rather than for the betterment of the game. That is simply inexcusable.

These new facts coming to light begs the question has it happened before? What other players have gotten away from punishment just because Colin Campbell is a baby? Going even farther beyond that, what else could he have affected by his own abuse of power? There is only one way to resolve this matter and keep it under control, and that is to get rid of Colin Campbell. Bettman needs to make a statement on behalf of the NHL and all who represent it and say we will not tolerate this behavior. Sportsmanship is to be upheld both on and off the ice, and the actions that have taken place have taken away some of the integrity of the game. It’s scary to think that something like this can be hidden for so long, and it makes you wonder if there are other high ranking officials just like him. What do you think? How do you think this will affect the sport, and what do you think the appropriate actions are going forward?

Send in the Hats..... Gaborik helps wake up lazy Rangers.

2010-11-15T18:18:00.004-05:00

Ranger fans can relax for the time being as their top offensive Marian Gaborik put in three in just his second game back from injury but that is not what you should be rejoicing about. What you should be rejoicing about is the fact that your "BIG" free agent signing this summer Alex Frolov found his scoring touch just about at the same time as Gaborik showed up at the Garden.

It is no secret that Frolov cannot carry a team on his back and that when he dose not have much ice around him he is more or less useless but, with Gaborik on the ice all of a sudden he has more room and time to work with and seems to be making it pay off. As long as Gabby is in the lineup you can guarantee at least one goal between him and Frolov.

With things coming together now it seems like the Rangers have two very threatening lines and lets face it the third line with Boyle tearing it up is nothing to sneeze at either.

To be clear I am not saying they are a cup contender but for the first time in a long time I do feel like the Rangers are on the rite track. The defense has some depth the offense is finding the net and Hank is still Hank. If they can keep this up we will definitely see the Blue Shirts in the playoffs this spring.

Fantasy GM San Jose Sharks Edition

2010-11-15T16:46:00.000-05:00

This is a new thing I am going to tryout that is based on real life rumors that I have been hearing and reading. Please do not hesitate to debate with me I am always open for new ideas. All and all this is just some fun and lets see where it goes.

Anyway.... today were doing the San Jose Sharks who have had a couple of interesting rumors that should be taken seriously.

The first has to do with the young winger Devin Setoguchi. It is no surprise to anyone that the Sharks are very confused and at the same time disappointed with the production of Devin post 65 points and 31 goals. The idea has been thrown around for awhile now that the Sharks have been shopping the slumping winger in order to bring in some much needed defensive help.

First off I think that Setoguchi is a great player. I still think he can find his 30 goal stride but under different settings. Being the GM I am looking to the Leafs and the Rangers to answer these problems. Obviously out of the two the Leafs are the best bet to get something done. I only say the Ranger because they are 7 d deep and have always had some interest in Devin. I would use Devin as a corner stone in a small package that could bring Kaberle to Cali. Should of happened this summer but I have no idea why it has not yet.

The other interesting look is bringing in some more goaltending. If the Panthers continue to fall I wouldn't see why we don't make a play for Vokun because I don't know about everyone out their in San Jose but I don't trust Titimaki(YES I spelt it rite) for the long haul and Niemi is learning the more difficult side of hockey without Seabrook and Keith in front of him.

You got questions I got answers.

2010-11-14T12:37:00.002-05:00

Question from @thefrozenpond: @HockeyJunkyard what I want to hear about is your 2 cents on what to do with Leino?

Leino is a very tricky situation in my opinion. I think Leino is a nice player but not a franchise make or breaker. Living with a Flyer fan I hear about the Briere, Hartnell, Leino line early and often. Now lets not under sell this, that line was a monster in the playoffs for the Flyers.

I think that ultimately it comes down to dollars and cents. It is a very dangerous situation because I really wouldn't want to pay Leino that much especially now with what you have just committed to Carter and Giroux. Leino is a player that is very much a product of his environment, I do not believe that he could put up these kind of numbers with different line mates ie what happened in Detroit. Yet you have to think about taking advantage of his over achieving and see what you can get for it because less face it the Flyers can't resign everybody, sooner or later they are going to have to say no.

Now playing fantasy GM I would offer him a small two year extension early, if him and his people are not receptive to that then I showcase him best I can and show him the door come the trade deadline.

Carter gets his pay day/11 years 58 million... Should the Broad Street Bullies be happy?

2010-11-14T11:13:00.002-05:00

Well the gossip queens, tabloids, and fantasy managers like myself can put the Carter trade prospects to bed.... at for the rest of this season.

I can't really say I blame the Flyers for signing Carter because he really is a dynamic player but I just think that with Briere locked up until 2014-2015, Richards signed well past that and Giroux just given a tiny extension in comparison, that this was a perfect opportunity for the Flyers to go a different route.

I do not question Carter's talent or the money he got because he definitely is not being overpaid. In my opinion I think that this money could of went to some better use. The Flyers could of gotten a top notch winger for Richards.

One of the very underrated reasons of why the Flyers lost the cup last year was the unimpressive first line that had Richards and Gagne but also Dan Carcillo. Obviously goal tending was the biggest reason no doubt about it but the lack of dominance from the first line also played a major part.

Well we will have plenty of time for speculation in the months to come but until it is proven otherwise I guess this was a good signing for the Flyers.

Bar time creativity thanks to a happy Flyer Fan.

2010-11-13T14:04:00.006-05:00

Who would of thought the bar would turn on the light bulb for me. Was in an excellent debate with an over excited Flyer fan, my favorite kind. We were talking how and when the Flyers were going to resign Jeff Carter, which lead to my great idea 8 beers in.

I think it is safe to say that the Flyers are very deep especially at center. Now as much as any franchise would like to keep a player like Carter I really believe his best value would be on another team. My logic behind this is you already have plenty of centers with Briere, Richards, Giroux, and Betts. The one thing the Flyers have always seemed to lack is a number one winger to go with franchise center Mike Richards. Lets face it the first line of the Flyers has been players by committee. Over the past few seasons we have seen either a natural center like Carter or Giroux jump in to the slot or 4th line talent like Carcillo or Nodl take the spot. Personally putting Carcillo or Nodl in that spot is just a waste and has forced a player like Richards to change the mentality of his game. Don't get me wrong Richards has always been a gritty player but some of his other talents have been forgotten like his passing ability and his ability to find the open ice. A talent that is being very under appreciated on the first line of the Flyers.

Back to Carter now who is looking for a blockbuster deal much like the one Richards received, and one that will be very difficult to come up with post Kovypalooza. Forgetting the fact that Carter has always been a very streaky player I really think that on this roster you won't ever really get full production out of him because of the depth you have at center. Not to mention I never really felt that he was a "Philadelphia Guy".

So before the Flyers let Carter become an RFA maybe they should give into the Tabloids and the blogosphere and consider tradeing Carter for a top winger. Now obviously this summer there are not to many big names left to snatch up but one that was very intriguing to say the least. The name I am thinking about is Alexander Semin. Semin would provide a huge jolt into the already impressive Flyer offense. Obviously it would be a long shot with both teams in the same conference but I still think it would be worth it for both sides. The Caps would get some more depth outside of Ovie and Backstorm and they could have a more formidable second line with Carter at the helm. For the Flyers they would get that big time winger for Richards which he has not had since the injury/departure of Gagne.

Obviously this is me just playing fantasy GM but I think it would be a pretty good idea and if nothing else I really do think the Flyers should address their first line winger needs before committing the entire kitchen sink to Carter.

The All-Star Game turns into Gym Class? The Stamkos Effect!

2010-11-11T00:09:00.008-05:00

Just in case you have been living under a rock and have not heard about the NEW All-Star game format, here is the Official Press Release.

We are either witnessing pure genius or absolute laziness, I am not sure which yet. I have to say I am really excited about the new format.

Something I thought about that I have not heard many comment of is the reasoning behind this new format. Obviously the format needed some spicing up but I think it goes a little beyond that to be honest. I really do believe that it is because the Eastern Conference is just that much better then the Western Conference rite now. With that being said the guys in the West are amazing talents and I am not trying to take anything away from them but when you put a team that will obviously consist of Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, and now Stamkos I think it is safe to say that the East is a little top heavy. The changing of the guard is almost complete, the youth is in the East now that is evident. Shaking things up like this can make for a more competitive and intriguing game, not to mention a more marketable one and lets face it the NHL needs all the interest and press it can get.

To be honest if both conferences were more evenly matched I really do not think that this would have happened. Which is why I am going to call this little movement the Stamkos effect. We always knew about the big three in the East and they could be handled by the guys in the West not to mention Crosby has missed the last two due to injury so it was never really showcased. Now with Stamkos being a bonafied super star it adds just that much more talent to a stacked conference All-Star team.

Ultimately I will tip my hat to the suits upstairs that brought this idea to reality I think it will be fun although I think it will be interesting who is picked last and who is just snubbed all together.

What the tabloids are saying now.....

2010-11-10T16:34:00.001-05:00

Cory Schneider: Schneider has been an interesting barging chip for the Canucks for a little while. According the the Blogosphere and the rest of the gossip queens Schneider has caught the eyes of quite a few teams. Now using your noodle alone you should be able to eliminate a couple of those teams (Maple Leafs and Sens). Now I say the Sens are out because they need a number one goalie and Schneider is good but not someone I would be willing to bet my franchise on. A team I have been hearing over and over again including by my sources is the Washington Capitals. Now this is something I could see happening if the Caps continue to struggle in that department. The Caps don't need a #1 necessarily but they do need a solid safety net if the guys they got now fall off the wagon.

James Van Riemsdyk: JVR is really having a ruff time on Broad Street. He just cannot seem to find his place in this Flyer offense. Now I do think he is having difficulty as a sophomore but I do think he really is not getting enough opportunity because of the amount of talent on the roster. I do think that JVR will be included in a trade package in the near future. I think a team like the Avs may be interested especially if the package includes Carter.

Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs have fallen from grace just as quickly as they climbed the mountain. Panic has set in which has lead many to speculate if something needs to be done on the coaching staff and/or on the bench? Well once of those questions have already answered so we can shut up about firing the Coach because Burke already said that is not in the plans. Burke did go on to say that he was looking at the roster to see what he could to get some more scoring. This is nothing new as Burke has been quoted many times saying this. The problem is the Leaf have no dance partners rite now. I really do believe that the Leafs will sit and wait because in all reality that is all they really can do rite now. This team has made some great strides but still needs more time.

Kevin Bieksa: Bieksa has been put on the rumor mill since the summer. The latest "suitor" according to the babysitters club is the New Jersey Devils. Lets do this together I will spell it for you like you are a small child NO FING WAY! This is a prime example of wishful thinking mixed with boredom with a side of straight up alcohol or some other type of herbal refreshment I don't even know. First of all the Canucks are just dumb to get rid of Bieksa rite now he is the most dependable person Vancouver has on the blue line. Second where is New Jersey fitting Bieksa in the Neverland situation without giving away what little star talent they have left.