The Lind Hockey File

Western Conference Rankings

2009-09-29T15:13:00.013-04:00

(Updated - September 30, 2009)
The Western Conference rankings are in, and the Eastern Conference picks have been updated. I missed a calculation when I first published the East, a mistake that had overvalued the Maple Leafs and Devils, while undervaluing the Thrashers. In any case, the final results are now in for both Conferences. Again, teams are divided up into four different groups; Tier I - The Leaders, Tier II - The Contenders, Tier III - The Disruptors, and Tier IV - The Scavengers [...]

The Leaders are teams who are well balanced, have had recent success, and are poised to lead their respective divisions. The Contenders are teams who should push for the top, but may have a few question marks to satisfy before being promoted. The Disruptors are those teams who have had solid rosters, and could upset some of the higher-ranked teams, but have a lot left to prove and will need to to fight out each other to make the post-season. As for The Scavengers, they are the teams who will try to pick up wins however they can, but will likely stay out of the Playoff picture for most of the season.

Tier I - The Leaders
Detroit Red Wings
Vancouver Canucks
San Jose Sharks

Tier II - The Contenders
Chicago Blackhawks
St. Louis Blues
Anaheim Ducks
Calgary Flames

Tier III - The Disruptors
Columbus Blue Jackets
Minnesota Wild
Dallas Stars
Nashville Predators

Tier IV - The Scavengers
Los Angeles Kings
Edmonton Oilers
Phoenix Coyotes
Colorado Avalanche

Again, let me have it in the comments section if you disagree. I'll be reviewing each Division in-depth soon, and I'll also post up some general trends to watch for during the year. I will release updated power rankings for both Conferences at the quarter points throughout the season. Remember - you can send me fantasy questions through the contact form on the sidebar, and follow LindHockeyFile on Twitter for quick updates!

- Josh Lind

Eastern Conference Rankings

2009-09-16T14:36:00.031-04:00

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(Updated - October 1, 2009)
With only two weeks remaining until the 2009-10 regular season opens, it's high time for Conference rankings. And yet, as DGB successfully pointed out in his article about NHL Predictions, an 82-game NHL season is almost impossible to predict with any sort of accuracy. So many factors are involved, and so much can change. Injuries, trades, breakouts, and slumps are all next to impossible to control for, and, unless you have an inside with all 30 teams, it's tough to know what the locker room chemistry is like around the league. With that in mind, I have decided to rank the teams in terms of classes, or tiers [...]

Each Conference is divided up into four different groups; Tier I - The Leaders, Tier II - The Contenders, Tier III - The Disruptors, and Tier IV - The Scavengers. The Leaders are teams who are well balanced, have had recent success, and are poised to lead their respective divisions. The Contenders are teams who should push for the top, but may have a few question marks to satisfy before being promoted. The Disruptors are those teams who have had solid rosters, and could upset some of the higher-ranked teams, but have a lot left to prove and will need to to fight out each other to make the post-season. As for The Scavengers, they are the teams who will try to pick up wins however they can, but will likely stay out of the Playoff picture for most of the season. So, without further ado:

Tier I - The Leaders
Boston Bruins
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals

Tier II - The Contenders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Ottawa Senators
Carolina Hurricanes

Tier III - The Disruptors
Atlanta Thrashers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens
Tampa Bay Lightning

Tier IV - The Scavengers
New Jersey Devils
Florida Panthers
Buffalo Sabres
New York Islanders

Not happy with your team's ranking? Let me have it in the comments section! Western Conference rankings will be up later in the week, and all of the rankings will be reviewed in depth next week, starting with the Atlantic Division.

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Heatley Trade and Other News

2009-09-12T22:22:00.014-04:00

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Dany Heatley is now a member of the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks got a pretty good deal too, though, which is a statement that makes sense if you've been following along. San Jose managed to send back a near-equal amount of salary (they got about $0.2 million more in Heatley), and they only had to give up Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek to get him. (SJ also gave up a 2010 2nd Rounder in exchange for a 5th Rounder.) Michalek and Cheechoo bring grit and determination to Ottawa, as well as offensive potential. Cheechoo certainly isn't the 50-goal scorer he once was (with emphasis on the once), but Michalek is a budding star. As for the Sharks, one thing is certain – they just became an even bigger threat to capture the Pacific, and maybe even the President’s Trophy again. Interestingly, the last team to win the President’s Trophy in back-to-back seasons also won the Stanley Cup the second time around. Can you name the team? [...]

NHL Recent Rundown:

The Vancouver Canucks found several replacements for Mattias Ohlund - they traded with San Jose for Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich, as well as signing UFA Mathieu Schneider. For the Sharks, who got back a couple minor leaguers, the deal was seen as little more than a salary dump. For the Canucks, however, the move makes their defence corps able to stand up to the re-tooled blueline of their biggest division rivals, the Calgary Flames. Vancouver also locked up star netminder Roberto Luongo, signing him to a 12-year deal worth $64 million.

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed Alex Tanguay to a one-year deal. With Tanguay on the left side of Vincent Lecavalier, and St. Louis on the right, the Lightning have an awesome first line - and they're all from Quebec.

Peter Forsberg was included on Team Sweden's 2010 Olympic roster invitation list. He plans to play this season for Modo of the Swedish Elite League, but a strong Olympic performance (and the ability to stay healthy) could mean an NHL comeback.

As the Pittsburgh Penguins await the construction of the new arena they'll be using in 2010-11, The Consol Energy Center, a couple of other teams are making pushes for new building as well. The New York Islanders are trying to get their Lighthouse project passed, and the ownership of the Edmonton Oilers have also announced plans to purchase land and build.

The Oilers also signed unrestricted free agent Mike Comrie to a one-year deal. Comrie, an underachiever last season for the New York Islanders, was traded at the deadline to the Ottawa Senators where he managed only seven points in 22 games. He's a touchy player - tons of scoring upside, but a genuine knack for inconsistency.

Eastern Conference rankings will be up by Tuesday, with the Western Conference following shortly thereafter.

Don't forget to follow on Twitter for quick NHL updates! LindHockeyFile on Twitter

- Josh Lind

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Lind Hockey File Fantasy Pool

2009-08-31T17:49:00.018-04:00

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The Lind Hockey File is proud to present our first ever fantasy hockey pool! The pool will be managed using the ESPN system, and will feature a keeper league of 6 teams with weekly head-to-head matchups in different stat categories. You will select 6 forwards (2C, 2LW, 2RW), 4 defensemen, and 2 goalies. There are also 5 bench spots you can use to make daily roster moves with. There will be no game limits to worry about, and waiver wire transactions are immediate [...]

Each week, your team will match-up against another team and your skaters will be counted for Goals, Assists, Plus/Minus, Special Teams Points, Game-Winning Goals, Faceoffs Won, Average Time on Ice, Shots on goal, Hits, Blocked Shots, and Defensemen Points, for a total of 11 stat categories. Goaltenders will compete for Wins, Saves, Shutouts, Goals Against Average, and Save Percentage, for a total of 5 stat categories. This generates a grand total of 16 stat categories, so each week your team will emerge with a combination of 16 wins, ties, or losses. After 26 weeks, the team with the best record becomes League Champion over the summer.

In advance of the 2010-2011 season, you will be given the option to retain 5 of your players, and the rest will be put back into free agency with the new draft prospects. Rosters will be determined via live draft, scheduled for September 8, 2009 at 12:30 PM Eastern Time. You will have 2 minutes (120 seconds) to complete each pick. Do not worry if you cannot make it for that date, as one of the benefits of using ESPN is that they allow you to rank all of your players as soon as you sign up, and then auto draft for you if you aren't around. As a plus, all of your players will already be ranked according to ESPN point predictions - adjusting that list is optional. And yes, trading draft picks is allowed.

So, if you are interested, use the contact form near the bottom of the page to send me an e-mail and let me know you want in. You will receive an invite shortly afterwards. Hurry though - the entire league consists of only 6 teams, and only 5 more remain!

- Josh Lind

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Predictions and Updates

2009-08-22T01:47:00.011-04:00

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Pre-season Conference rankings are coming soon! I have developed what I think to be quite a scientific method for ranking teams, and while I don’t want to give it completely away, I’ll let you in on some of the factors. There are, of course, the obvious considerations – offence, defence, and goaltending – but there is much more to be measured. It doesn’t suffice to simply compare team rosters in those three categories [...]

How well a team played in the previous season is usually an important consideration, and how they’ve changed in the off-season can be even more significant. It’s always important to look at the quality of a team’s youth and prospects – while it may not seem necessary for the current season, injuries and fatigue will always be a part of the game, and they will both often result in the need for teams to call up fresh skaters, sometimes early in the season. At the same time, the quality of a team’s experience cannot be undervalued – the balance of youth and experience on a team is something you can’t ignore when ranking them.

You’ve also got divisional play. Each team plays more than one quarter of their games – 24 to be exact – against only four of the other 29 teams. A certain team may be good, but if their four division rivals are all better, then they’re going to be losing games. There are also travel considerations. Some teams travel more than others do, but this changes each season. You might be tempted to think that because Team A travels more than Team B, the strain will be tougher on Team A. But if Team A is actually travelling 4000 miles less than they did last season, while Team B will be travelling 4000 more…you get the picture. For a great resource to compare team travel, check this out: How Much Does Your Favorite Team Travel?

I tend to give important NHL updates much quicker on twitter, and wait a while to analyze the events over here. So if you’re in need of quick updates, be sure to follow here: LindHockeyFile on Twitter – just don’t forget to come back here for the analysis. For a rundown of some of the bigger stories:

Patrick Kane was able to arrange a plea bargain, whereby the larger charge of felony robbery was dropped. Now, my understanding of the way a plea deal works is that you either plead guilty for a reduced sentence, or you plead guilty to lesser charges and have the larger charges dropped. But the day after having the felony robbery charge dropped, Patrick Kane proceeded to plead not guilty to the misdemeanour robbery and theft charges. Some people think it’s all over, but I have doubts about this one…

Dany Heatley finally addressed the media Friday, via telephone conference. He reiterated his desire to be traded, but still left fans hanging as to why, citing a perceived “diminished role on the team”. He did say, however, that he was prepared to report to camp if a trade wasn’t made by that time. Don’t expect it to happen. You can check out the press conference here: Heatley Conference Call.

There have also been updates here! Aside from changing the layout to feature the expandable articles, Twitter updates are now displayed on the sidebar and updated automatically, and the site log and disclaimer have both been updated (you can find them at the bottom of either column). Social bookmark buttons have been added for Delicious, Facebook, StumbleUpon, and Technorati, so give them a click if you’re on those networks! Also, a pretty nifty animated 3D tag cloud has been added, clicking the tags allows you to find the topics that interest you most.

And more is coming! There will soon be a contact form on the page, whereby registration for the Lind File Hockey Pool will take place. I can’t give out too many details yet, but the pool will be hosted on ESPN, so make sure to sign up for a free account at ESPN Fantasy Hockey. The contact form can also be used to ask me your fantasy questions, which I will e-mail you answers to and post in fantasy mailbags. I’ve also got plans to add games, videos, and a chat system – all hopefully before the season begins!

- Josh Lind

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Uncertain Times

2009-08-14T23:34:00.019-04:00

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With little more than a month and a half remaining until the regular season opens, it may seem to some like the NHL is on the brink of turmoil. In the midst of ownership crises, teams up for sale, more than a few decent free agents still left unsigned, player arrests over the summer, noticeable loss of talent to the KHL, teams perilously close to the cap ceiling – and others just as close to the cap floor, it can seem a little disheartening. But rest assured, hockey faithful – when that first puck drops October 1st, some of these issues will be the furthest from our minds [...]

As of this writing, two NHLers could be facing charges in incidents that were made public. Alexandre Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks is reported to have high-sticked an opponent during a ball hockey match, while Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks will have a jury decide his fate concerning the taxi episode. While both accounts merit attention, the general consensus is that both players will start the seasons with their team, relatively unscathed.

As far as the ownership issue in Tampa Bay is concerned, it may not be as bad as it looks. Majority owners Len Barrie and Oren Koules will each have a chance to buy the other out. Should they both fail, the names of a few potential buyers have already popped out – a list that includes Hall of Famer Phil Esposito. Still, that leaves sales to be made for the Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens (still not finalized), Nashville Predators (minority sale), and – who could forget to mention – the Phoenix Coyotes. Will Jim Balsillie finally succeed in his bid to bring another team to Canada?

Every summer, a few free agents are surprisingly left unsigned. And a handful of players leave the NHL each summer, either to retire or to play in other leagues. But for the first time, there is a league that stands as a legitimate threat to the NHL – the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). This will be the issue that sticks, and the plethora of financial and cap-related negotiations that are needed to right the issue could be a heavy weight indeed.

That’s not to say there’s nothing else to talk about. Jeremy Roenick and Teppo Numminen have both retired, after 18 and 20 NHL seasons respectively. Will either of Roenick or Numminen join fellow 2009 retiree Joe Sakic in the Hall of Fame? It’s not all about retirements either – 40 year old Brendan Shanahan will play in his 22nd NHL season after signing a deal with the New Jersey Devils.

And trade rumours are still aplenty as well. The Dany Heatley saga still hasn’t met its end. Reports are just about split between him going to either San Jose, Minnesota, Buffalo, New York (Rangers), or remaining a Senator. Word is that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be starting the season with Tomas Kaberle, but the Boston Bruins are still looking to trade Phil Kessel. The Atlanta Thrashers are looking to add a piece to their roster (and coax Ilya Kovalchuk into sticking around – he’s a UFA next summer), so Kessel could be a nice fit there. The Oilers are still trying to land an offensive winger, and trying once again for Michael Nylander has been discussed. Alex Tanguay is also still available, but reported to be close to a deal with either the Tampa Bay Lightning or Minnesota Wild. Will any of these deals come to fruition? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

- Josh Lind

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Bleeding Talent to the KHL

2009-08-03T16:37:00.076-04:00

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2008 brought us the birth of Europe's top ranked hockey league - the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), formed from the preexisting Russian Superleague. Almost immediately, KHL teams were able to lure over NHLers and get them signed to hefty contracts. The KHL and NHL have reached an agreement in principle, whereby each league honours the contracts of the other. However, there is still a lot of controversy surrounding what is becoming dubbed "KHL poaching" - the loss of quality NHL players to the KHL [...]

While I don't want to get into the whole uproar, I would like to point out that the NHL has been getting some of it's best talent out of Russia for quite some time. Vladislav Tretiak, Viacheslav Fetisov, Sergei Makarov, Igor Larionov, Darius Kasparaitis, Vladimir Konstantinov, Alexander Mogilny, Pavel Bure, and Sergei Fedorov were all Russian-born players. No hockey fan can deny the presence of current Russian talent like Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexander Semin, Alex Kovalev, Sergei Gonchar, Andrei Markov, and Evgeni Nabokov. Would the league be the same without them? I don't think so.

In the end, the onus is on the player to sign where he wants to play. The KHL cannot be blamed for trying to lure quality players to their league, especially when you consider the longstanding tradition of top-end Russian talent migrating to North America. For NHL fans like myself, however, it is impossible to ignore the loss of talent we are experiencing. Here is a condensed list of some NHLers who left to the KHL last summer:

Jaromir Jagr
Alexander Radulov
Marcel Hossa
Ladislav Nagy
Marcus Nilson
Chris Simon
Sergei Brylin
Andrei Zyuzin
Jozef Stumpel
Branko Radivojevic
Josef Vasicek
Karel Rachunek
Bryan Berard
Ray Emery

A future Hall of Famer, a few veterans who had skated in more than 500 NHL games, and a solid bunch of promising young players - all, with maybe one exception, who could have played in the NHL last season. Now take a look at who the NHL has lost so far this summer:

Sergei Fedorov
Viktor Kozlov
Sergei Zubov
Sandis Ozolinsh
Dmitri Kalinin
Richard Zednik
Radek Bonk
Ville Peltonen
Daniel Tjarnqvist
Joakim Lindstrom
Joe Motzko
Janis Sprukts
Martin Gerber
Mikael Tellqvist
Karri Ramo

Starting to feel a bit nervous? I don't blame you - over the last two years, these losses alone (and there have been more) amount to what could be a Stanley Cup contending team in the NHL. While some of them (Lindstrom, Motzko, Sprukts, Ramo) weren't getting the chances they deserved in the NHL, others are considerable losses. It now looks as if there won't be much the Detroit Red Wings or the NHL can do to stop Jiri Hudler from signing with the KHL. Next up may be Nikolai Zherdev, who is set to become a UFA within the next 24 hours if the New York Rangers decide not to sign him to the $3.9 million contract he was awarded in arbitration, and aren't able to trade him to a team who will. There has been some interest in Zherdev from the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him wind up in the KHL.

Without a doubt, many NHL teams would have loved to sign these players... So where is the problem? The huge contracts and lowered income taxes are surely not the only motivation for players to leave for the KHL - why can't NHL teams compete?

It is my opinion that the culprit lies in the salary cap. For one thing, teams are pressed so tightly against the cap ceiling that they can't afford to offer many high-priced, competitive contracts - even if they would be in the financial position to do so. Furthermore, the following season's salary cap is presently calculated using the current season's league revenues - which makes it an unknown, especially in tough economic times. The salary cap/floor was intended to achieve league parity, but so far it has done anything but that. As of this writing, the Chicago Blackhawks are the team with the highest payroll - just under $60 million. The Nashville Predators are the team with the lowest payroll, at two thirds of that - just over $40 million. Does that sound like parity?

But while it's easy to gripe about the cap, solutions are harder to come by. I have read around and done my best to come up with a few ideas for potential answers to the problem... which one do you like best?

1 - Change the salary cap by making it no longer based on league revenue, so that tough economic times and lowered ticket sales won't mean a diluted talent pool, which would further diminish revenues.

2 - Allow teams to go over the cap, but increase the percentage of revenues that team must share if they do. This would give big market teams the ability to offer big contracts, while even further helping the smaller market clubs.

3 - Get clubs out of small markets where revenue is low, unstable, and dependant on other franchises. This would help increase revenues league-wide, possibly circumventing some of the cap's negative risks.

4 - Introduce cap discounts to teams who sign homegrown players. In other words, if a team is renegotiating a contract with a player they originally drafted, a discount of somewhere between 20-40% could be applied to that player's cap hit. This option would let teams retain talent that they have developed, while still allowing them to be active on the free agent market.

So what do you think? Feel free to let me know which option you think is best, or suggest one of your own in the comments section. I like the 4th option most, as it puts more emphasis on solid drafting and organizational skills. Mind you, I think the 2nd option would be easiest to administer. Implementing both options could be a possibility as well...

- Josh Lind

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Free Agents - Who's Left?

2009-07-29T18:59:00.053-04:00

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With little more than two months remaining until the 2009/10 NHL season gets underway, and some big-name free agents still left unsigned, there is certainly room for change. Topping the list of unknowns is the ever-enigmatic Mats Sundin. Sundin spent most of last season deciding whether or not he wanted to return, and finally signed a pro-rated $8.6 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks, to score only 28 points in 41 games. Sundin’s play improved in the playoffs, where he managed 8 points in 8 games, but the Canucks were nevertheless eliminated [...]

Now Sundin is again undecided as to whether or not he will return. If a team picks him up, Sundin could be either a huge difference maker or a huge distraction during negotiations. This is a hard call, but if Sundin does return, I’m guessing he’ll only play half a season… not to mention he will most likely need to take a pay cut.

Next on the list are former Habs Alex Tanguay and Mathieu Schneider. Both had OK seasons with the Canadiens last year, but after bringing in many new players, neither looks to be a part of GM Bob Gainey’s current plans. Schneider is a capable offensive denfenceman who could change the dynamic of teams lacking on the blueline, while Tanguay, though he hasn’t reached the plateau yet, has the calibre of a 30-goal, 80-point scorer.

Players that may need to take a pay cut in order to get a deal done are Keith Tkachuk, Mike Comrie, Robert Lang, Maxim Afinogenov, and Miroslav Satan. All made in excess of $3 million last season. Few, if any, of them earned it. Among the more affordable free agents remaining are Petr Sykora, Jason Williams, and Todd Bertuzzi. Of his 13 NHL seasons, Sykora has scored 20+ goals eight times, and reached 30+ twice. Though aging, Sykora is still a dependable winger who could bring an immediate jump to any team’s depth chart. Jason Williams spent last season in Columbus, but rumours have him either going back to the team who drafted him, the Detroit Red Wings, or possibly signing in the KHL. The possibility of him staying in Columbus isn't excluded either, but looks unlikely. Todd Bertuzzi is a story in himself. A promising scorer in his rookie season, Bertuzzi struggled with injuries and inconsistency until playing some of his best hockey in Vancouver with Brendan Morrison and Markus Naslund. After an incident which saw Bertuzzi sucker punch Colorado centre Steve Moore in the back of the head, Bertuzzi never played another game as a Canuck. After playing with the Panthers, Red Wings, Ducks, and Flames, Bertuzzi is starting to regain his form and could be a good addition for a team in need of grit and secondary scoring.

As far as free-agent goaltenders are concerned, one name stands out in particular – Manny Fernandez. In 325 games, Fernandez has 143 wins, 15 of which were shutouts, a .912 save percentage, and goals against average of only 2.50. With Tim Thomas and youngster Tuukka Rask in Boston, Fernandez was not offered a new contract. The market for goalies isn’t strong at the moment, but look for a team like Atlanta, or even Detroit to pick him up.

In other free agent signings, the Boston Bruins bolstered their defence by adding Derek Morris (NYR), while Colby Armstrong (ATL), Denis Grebeshkov (EDM), Tomas Plekanec (MTL), Travis Zajac (NJ), and Tuomo Ruutu (CAR) all signed with their respective 2008/09 teams.

- Josh Lind

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Sakic, the Hawks, and Hudler

2009-07-13T22:35:00.036-04:00

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Sadly, Joe Sakic has retired. Sakic is an ambassador of the sport, a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame, and belongs in a class with legends like Mark Messier, Steve Yzerman, Mario Lemieux, and Wayne Gretzky. He remained a member of the same franchise for his entire career, starting as a rookie with the Quebec Nordiques and moving with them to Colorado [...]

In his 20 seasons, Sakic reached some incredible milestones. He has scored more than 500 goals (625), more than 1000 points (1641), and managed more points than games (1641 points in 1378 games). Sakic was only the eleventh player ever to reach 1500 points. He has helped Canada to a World Junior Gold medal in 1988, a World Championship Gold medal in 1994, an Olympic Gold medal in 2002, a World Cup Gold medal in 2004, and has two Stanley Cup rings.

It’s always tough to watch a player of Sakic’s calibre take his leave. It can be a painful reminder of our sport changing as it ages, and indeed a reflection upon one’s own change throughout the years of watching a player compete. But for every star who finally hangs up his skates, new legends are born – and it’s players like Joe Sakic who become idols of the future generation. Here’s to hoping Sakic stays involved with the game and remains a familiar face for years to come!

The Chicago Blackhawks looked to be in trouble when the qualifying offers they tendered to their restricted free agents were deemed invalid. It was thought that the Hawks would lose one or both of youngsters Cam Barker and Kris Versteeg. General Manager Dale Tallon managed to get them all signed without much of an issue, but for a tidy sum. Barker and Versteeg each got three-year deals locked in at $3 million per season. This makes the Hawks’ salary cap situation even more desperate. Currently, the Blackhawks sit $4.5 million over the cap. They have what looks like a Stanley Cup roster, with a bit of a question mark in goal. Cristobal Huet has never won a Stanley Cup, and has but 16 playoff appearances – 10 of which were losses. Huet’s cap hit is $5.6 million. Moving him would free up the space they need, but leave them with no replacement. Defenseman Brian Campbell has a cap hit of $7.1 million, but this makes him a very tough contract to move. Expect the Hawks to make a few moves. If they can get under the cap without sacrificing too much of the roster, and if an upgrade to Huet can somehow be had in the process, the Chicago Blackhawks will be among the best teams in the Western Conference.

The NHL makes a special announcement Wednesday, July 15 at Fenway Park. Not a very well kept secret, the announcement is expected to be the 2010 Winter Classic, between the Boston Bruins and either the Philadelphia Flyers or the Washington Capitals.

While the popular sentiment for some time has been that the Detroit Red Wings have no problem getting players to sign with them – in fact that star players would take discounts to play for them – the case of Jiri Hudler begs to differ. Hudler filed for salary arbitration about a week ago, a process that ensures his contracting rights remains property of the Detroit Red Wings…in the NHL. Reports surfaced last week of Hudler signing a contract with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League). One side of the argument is that when an NHL player files for salary arbitration, he is agreeing de facto to the terms of the contract that will be awarded following the arbitration process. But since Hudler has not actually signed a new contract, and since he isn’t signing with another team in the NHL, some argue that it renders the arbitration clause a non-issue. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out.

There have been more free agent signings, some of them quite significant. I will be reviewing all of the signings a bit before the beginning of the season, when I release my Eastern and Western Conference projections. For now, here’s a summary of the most notable signings since my previous post: Saku Koivu left Montreal for Anaheim, Kurtis Foster (Minnesota) signed with Tampa Bay, Ales Kotalik, who played in Buffalo and Edmonton last season signed a deal with the New York Rangers, and center Brendan Morrison, who also played with two teams last season – Anaheim and Dallas – signed a deal with Washington. Ryan Callahan also agreed to terms with his previous club, the New York Rangers.

And in other news, the New Jersey Devils organization recently re-hired a previous coach, Jacques Lemaire. Lemaire helped New Jersey win the Stanley Cup in 1995, can he do it again?

Check back soon for an article about who’s left in the free agent market!

- Josh Lind

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Trades, signings, and Heatley

2009-07-07T13:25:00.023-04:00

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At times like these, it can be hard to believe that there's not any NHL hockey being played right now. Despite the offseason, the hockey world is indeed awake and abuzz with big-name player movement, a frenzied free-agent market, and enough rumours and speculation to drive anyone crazy [...]

Friday night, the Colorado Avalanche traded "Captain Canada" Ryan Smyth to the Los Angeles Kings. In return, the Avalanche got defencemen Tom Preissing and Kyle Quincey, as well as a fifth-round draft pick next year. The deal works out well for both teams, but the Kings get the better of it. While the Avalanche do need defence, what they're really missing are responsible, positional d-men, and a first or second power play quarterback to supplement John-Michael Liles - neither of which Preissing or Quincey have proven to be. Ryan Smyth, though prone to injury because of it, plays hard every shift. He has an intense drive to the net, and should be a great fit with Anze Kopitar in LA.

My hometown team, the Ottawa Senators, made quite a splash recently by signing sniper Alexei Kovalev from the rival Montreal Canadiens. Many Habs fans are upset with GM Bob Gainey for his free agent signings, and for letting players "walk" to rival teams. A few days before Kovalev was signed by the Sens, defenceman Mike Komisarek was grabbed by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Alas, Habs fans always seem to have something to be upset about...

As for what Kovalev does for the Senators, that remains to be seen. He is an amazing puck-handler with tremendous skill, but there have been issues raised about both his attitude and his consistency. There is also the issue of where, and with whom, he will play. In Montreal, Kovalev was used on the top line most nights, and racked up more ice time per game than any other Canadiens forward. In Ottawa, he could possibly be used on the second line, or else play with Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson, who would relieve some pressure off of Kovalev and maybe even inspire him to play more responsibly defensively. But much of this is dependant on the outcome of a situation I have declined to write about, until now. Dany Heatley.

About a month ago, media reports surfaced about Dany Heatley requesting a trade out of Ottawa. For all of the speculation that has occurred since, there is still not a clear picture of exactly why Heatley wants out. The consensus seems to be that it has much to do with coach Cory Clouston, and his technique of taking ice time away from players he feels aren't giving 100%. Heatley was apparently upset about spending what he felt was too much time on the second line under Clouston.
When Heatley requested the trade, he provided a list of teams he wanted to go to: the Kings, Rangers, Sharks, Red Wings, Blackhawks, Canucks, and Bruins. When the trade request and list of potential teams were mysteriously leaked, the story blew up. So close to draft day and free agency, many felt that Heatley was "handcuffing" Senators GM Bryan Murray, especially since the list was out. Heatley was publicly blasted by Leafs GM Brian Burke, and Kings assistant GM Ron Hextall.
But then, on the eve of July 1st, there was a deal. Only, the deal didn't work out. The proposed trade would have sent Heatley to the Edmonton Oilers for a return of Andrew Cogliano, Dustin Penner, and Ladislav Smid. Heatley, however, declined to waive the no-movement clause in his contract...after demanding a trade. Sure Edmonton was never on Heatley's list, but the whole thing was a real blow to the Senators organization, not to mention the three Edmonton players who are now stuck where they are apparently not wanted.

Presently, rumours indicate that the Oilers may still be in the running for Heatley, as it has been speculated that he may waive the NMC after all. The Columbus Blue Jackets, another team that wasn't on Heatley's list, are also rumoured to be trying to land him. Of the teams on the list, only the San Jose Sharks seem to be a possible destination, though I think it unlikely.
Others think Heatley will remain a Senator.

In other NHL news, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke signed another defenceman, Francois Beauchemin. Beauchemin played under Burke for the Anaheim Ducks, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2007.

Other notables were Rick Nash agreeing to a long-term deal keeping him in Columbus, and Ryan Clowe signing on in San Jose for another four years.

Check back soon for news about the Free Agent situation in Chicago, and more signings!

- Josh Lind

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Christmas in July!

2009-07-03T14:52:00.022-04:00

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Free agent frenzy got off to a quick start Wednesday, July 1st, but there was also some movement the day before. The Montreal Canadiens made a big trade with the New York Rangers that sent center Scott Gomez to the Habs, and winger Christopher Higgins to the Blueshirts. Some other players were involved in the deal, most notably prospect Ryan McDonagh who also ended up in New York. Gomez is a proven set-up man; he’s had 40+ assists in all but one of his seasons, and has registered 50+ four times. Higgins has reached the 20-goal plateau in three of his four seasons, and probably would have reached 20 last season had he not missed 25 games due to groin and hand injuries [...]

Also Tuesday, the Calgary Flames got defenseman Jay Bouwmeester signed to a five-year deal, after trading for his rights from the Florida Panthers on draft day. The deal gives the Flames one of the best defensive corps in the league.

Come Wednesday, and the Montreal Canadiens were even more active. They signed Brian Gionta who played very well with Scott Gomez in New Jersey, winning a Stanley Cup together in 2002/03. It will be interesting, to say the least, to see what they can do together in Montreal. The Habs also grabbed another high scoring forward, Mike Cammalleri, and inked him to a five-year deal worth $30 million. But they didn’t stop there; GM Bob Gainey also picked up defensemen Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill. The Canadiens have tended qualifying returning offers to Tomas Plekanec, Matt D’Agostini, Kyle Chipchura, and Guillaume Latendresse, but it looks as if Alexei Kovalev, Alex Tanguay, Saku Koivu, and Matthieu Schneider are all on their way out.

The Chicago Blackhawks also made big news, signing prolific goal scorer Marian Hossa to a huge 12-year deal. Some have expressed concern that the Hawks will be in trouble next year when they have to sign Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, especially with the salary cap set to go down, but it looks as if Chicago is in it to try and win the Stanley Cup this season, regardless of the obstacles. With the roster they have now, they look to be in a position to do just that. If the Blackhawks want to keep Hossa, Kane, and Toews for 2010/11, I’d assume the player that will have to go would be defenseman Brain Campbell and his $7 million salary…
The Hawks also picked up forwards Tomas Kopecky and John Madden, who are each capable of being 20-goal scorers.

The Atlanta Thrashers signed the commanding forward Nik Antropov to a four-year deal, and also picked up another ex-Leaf, Pavel Kubina, in a trade that sent Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart to Toronto. Antropov should be a nice fit with star winger Ilya Kovalchuk. With Brian Little, Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian, and this year’s pick Evander Kane, Atlanta has a lot of promising youth to work with as well. Whether or not it will be enough to turn last year’s disappointing season around, however remains to be seen.

The New York Rangers signed flashy winger Marian Gaborik to a five-year deal, with the hope that he stays healthier than he did in Minnesota. For their part, the Wild signed another injury-prone player in Martin Havlat, inking him to a six-year deal. Havlat played in 81 games last season with the Blackhawks – his longest season yet – here’s to hoping he stays healthy as well!

The Washington Capitals signed Mike Knuble, a perennial 20-goal scorer over the last seven years, who’s also reached 30 twice. Knuble is tough in the corners and should be a great playmaker for two-time league MVP Alexander Ovechkin.

The Tampa Bay Lightning picked up defenseman Mattias Ohlund, the Phoenix Coyotes got defenseman Adrian Aucoin, and the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Mike Komisarek from the rival Montreal Canadiens.

The Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche tried to address their goaltending issues, picking up Nikolai Khabibulin and Craig Anderson respectively.

Earlier this afternoon, the Vancouver Canucks signed Mikael Samuelsson from the Red Wings. Also of note, the Sedins twins will be staying in Vancouver, as they signed five-year contracts worth $30.5 million each.

Other notable players who stayed with the same teams were Tim Thomas (Boston), Doug Weight (Islanders), Johan Franzen (Detroit), Keith Tkachuk (St. Louis), Bill Guerin (Pittsburgh), Rob Blake (San Jose), David Booth (Florida), Scott Niedermayer (Anaheim), Erik Cole (Carolina), and Mikhail Grabovski (Toronto).

- Josh Lind

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Who came out on top?

2009-06-28T00:48:00.022-04:00

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While the 2009 NHL entry draft may not have been as explosive as some would have liked, there were definitely a few teams who made a splash. Trade rumours always abound leading up to the draft, but this year we were hearing the names of guys like Tomas Kaberle, Chris Pronger, Jay Bouwmeester, Vincent Lecavalier, Dany Heatley, Phil Kessel, Alexander Frolov, Mike Cammalleri, Martin Havlat, and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. In the end, only Pronger and (the rights to) Jay Bouwmeester were moved [...]

Philadelphia acquired Chris Pronger and Ryan Dingle from Anaheim in exchange for Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa, Anaheim's first round picks in 2009 and 2010, and a conditional third round pick. This gives Philadelphia one of the most solid defence corps in the league, with Pronger, Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn, Matt Carle, and Randy Jones. Also a very offensively gifted team, the Flyers will be one of the clubs pushing for the top spot in the East.
For their part, the Ducks got a disciplined, 20-goal right winger in Lupul. It will be interesting to see whom he plays with, though, as the Ducks now have four solid guys in the RW position with Lupul, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, and Teemu Selanne.

The Calgary Flames acquired the rights to Jay Bouwmeester from the Florida Panthers for Jordan Leopold and a third round pick. While a contract has yet to be drawn up, Calgary GM Daryl Sutter expressed his belief that Bouwmeester would be signed before free agency opens Wednesday, July 1st. I don't doubt it, and with Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf, and Robyn Regehr manning the blue line, the Flames, like the Flyers, will have a defence corps to be rivalled.

But aside from the trades, which teams drafted bet? The New York Islanders did well, picking up not just John Tavares (1st overall) but also stealing Mikko Koskinen with the 31st pick. Koskinen was the first goaltender taken in the draft, and rightly so. He is a towering 6'7'' and weighs in at 192 pounds, and he has virtually taken the Finnish elite league by storm. The Islanders have Rick Dipietro locked up for the next 13 years, but everyone is susceptible to injuries and cold streaks - Koskinen will ensure the Isles have dependable guys between the pipes for years to come.

The Atlanta Thrashers also did great at the draft. They got the explosive Evander Kane (4th overall) who should end up being a great fit with Ilya Kovalchuk and Brain Little. They also stole a hardworking power forward, Carl Klingberg, with the 34th pick, and goaltender Edward Pasquale, with the 117th. Pasquale himself is a huge goaltender 6'2'', 218 pounds, with a great set of skills and a disciplined approach. Kane, Klingberg, and Pasquale should all figure in prominently to the Thrashers' rebuilding plans.

The Colorado Avalanche had the 3rd pick in the draft and selected Matt Duchene from the Brampton Battalion. Duchene has been compared to Steve Yzerman, and many thought he had the chance of superseding both Tavares and Swedish defenceman Victor Hedman for the #1 pick. But the Avalanche also managed to wrestle out a steal, grabbing defenceman Stefan Elliott with the 49th pick in the draft. Elliott plays a complete game as a defenceman, great positionally while still able to provide timely offensive contributions. Selecting both Duchene and Elliott helped get most of the bases covered for the Avalanche. Now if only they could find a reliable goalie...

The Tampa Bay Lightning grabbed hulking d-man Victor Hedman with the 2nd pick, and yet managed to also walk away with a steal. They got a hardworking, versatile forward with the 29th pick when they selected Carter Ashton. The Lightning have some management issues to work out, but they have a great mix of players (Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos, Vaclav Prospal, Ryan Malone, etc.) and now, with Hedman and Ashton, some promising young talent in the fold. They should again become a team to rival soon.

The Islanders, Thrashers, Avalanche, and Lightning all were expected to do well - seeing as they had the first four picks - but they each managed to make a few steals along the way, and surpassed expectations. The team that surprised me the most, though? The Detroit Red Wings. It isn't natural that a team who finished so well, and picking second last, walk away from a draft the way they did. They got both Landon Ferraro (32nd overall) and Tomas Tatar (60th overall). These two are both fast, high scoring forwards and the only reason they were picked so low is because of their size. I like how Detroit takes chances both at the draft, and with smaller players. It has served them very well in the past, and 2009 will be no exception!

- Josh Lind

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First Post: Entry Draft!

2009-06-26T02:15:00.026-04:00

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What better time to make a first post on a hockey blog, than the early morning hours of an entry draft? Originally I thought about doing a mock draft, but the way things are shaping up this year - lots of high-calibre UFAs and lots of trade talk surrounding first round picks - it's anyone's guess as to what order teams will be picking in [...]

So instead, I'll list prospects in the order I think they will make the biggest impact on the NHL. I don't think this will be the order these players will actually be picked, because so many things figure into drafting a player and so many teams have very different agendas. Also, my order differs greatly in some places than those of both NHL Central Scouting, and the ISS (International Scouting Services). I don't care. I'm not trying to emulate others, and I have the opinion that some highly rated players will end up being busts.

So, without further ado, here's the list:

John Tavares F
Matt Duchene F
Evander Kane F
Victor Hedman D
Brayden Schenn F
Tomas Tatar F
Chris Kreider F
Ryan Ellis D
Nazem Kadri F
Scott Glennie F
Olivier Roy G
Mikko Koskinen G
Jordan Schroeder F
Zach Kassian F
Dmitry Kulikov D
John Moore D
Jared Cowen D
Simon Despres D
Carter Ashton F
Karl Klingberg F
Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson F
Stefan Elliott D
Jacob Josefson D
Oliver Ekman Larsson D
Edward Pasquale G
Matthew Hackett G
Robin Lehner G
David Rundblad D
Peter Holland F
Louis Leblanc F
Landon Ferraro F
Kyle Palmieri F
Ryan Button D
Philippe Paradis F

Only time will tell!

- Josh Lind

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