If a country can rally around a city, then a Detroit can certainly keep believing in it's hockey team. The Red Wings have done exceptionally well thus far; we know they are capable of regrouping and digging themselves out of holes. Saturday night's debacle is like any other hole with impossibly steep walls; the Wings will find a way to emerge victorious.

Continue reading "Rallying cry"

TRADE HIM:

Jonathan’s trade to another team will free up a prorated $3M against the cap which right away will allow the team to bring up Kyle McLaren (providing Kyle doesn’t get picked up on re-entry waivers) from the AHL adding depth at defense for the playoff run and the playoffs when the rosters expand after the trade deadline, not to mention freeing up cap space next year for resigning Ryan Clowe (and extending Pavelski and Setoguchi).  Jonathan is stuck on the third line, a checking line, and whiffs on nearly every check.  Trading Cheechoo for a draft pick isn’t the best way to go, so who could take Cheechoo and who could the Sharks get back in a trade.  At the beginning of the year I fantasized of a Michalek and Cheechoo for Kovalchuk trade, let’s look at some lower profile options however:

Continue reading "Cheechoo - Should he stay or should he go now"

The “thanks for showing up” award has to go to the Ottawa Senators.  Martin Gerber didn’t show up until the second period of Game 1, while the rest of the team waited until Game 2.  Every member of the team worked together to cycle in their mental vacations to ensure a consistent lack of consistency.  It will be interesting to see how much of this roster remains intact over the offseason. 

Humanitarian Award:  The Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins came short of providing blueprints for knocking out a conference’s top seed, but each team scored enough to prove that no team in unbeatable.

Continue reading "2008 NHL Playoff Awards - Round 1"

The defensemen is forty-six-years-old and still going strong. From AP-

DETROIT -- Chris Chelios was on the ice for his 248th playoff game, breaking the NHL record set by Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy.

The defenseman played Saturday for the Detroit Red Wings against the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of the first-round series. He is making his 23rd postseason appearance, extending his own mark.

The 46-year-old Chelios became the second-oldest player in an NHL game earlier this season. Hall of Famer Gordie Howe was still skating at 52 for the Hartford Whalers during the 1979-80 season -- almost a decade after leaving the Red Wings.

Continue reading "Chris Chelios plays in record 248th NHL Playoff game"

It actually wasn't all bad at first, The Kings got on the board in the first period with a Power-play goal from Michael Cammalerri, his 15th of the season.  Assisted by two potential all stars this season in Anze Kopitar and Captain Rob Blake.  The Kings made it out of the 1st period with a 1-0 lead. 

In the second period the Kings continued to do a good job of keeping the Blue Jackets off the board and staying out of the penalty box.  Then with less than three minutes left in the 2nd period the Blue Jackets got a controversial goal to tie it 1-1.  It appeared King's goalie Jason LaBarbera had the puck covered under his pad waiting for a whistle, when Blue Jacket's forward, Novotny hit LaBarbera's pad causing the puck to slide past him into the net.  Was the ref slow on blowing his whistle?  The Kings bench sure thought so, but anyhow the 2nd period ended in a 1-1 tie. 

Continue reading "Los Angeles Kings Columbus Blue Jackets 122107"