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Comrie signs with Pittsburgh

Sep 3

Posted by Chris in News | 1 Comment

Just a quick update to the Pittsburgh Penguins Season Preview posted earlier today, the team announced this afternoon that center Mike Comrie has signed a one-year, $500,000 deal with the club. This is a substantially lower figure than the $1.25 million that Comrie made last season with the Edmonton Oilers. Pittsburgh will be Comrie’s fourth NHL team in as many seasons.

This should be a good depth signing by Pittsburgh, especially at the price. Although Comrie was limited to only 43 games with Edmonton last season because of a bout with mononucelosis, he is a veteran in the league at age 29 and has twice hit the 30-goal plateau in his career. Whether he gets time as the center on the second or third line, Comrie should help provide some offensive depth for the Penguins and make them a more dangerous team as they now have three good centers and Malkin can for sure move back to the wing where he will be much more effective.

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What NHL Rule Changes Will Work?

Aug 31

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Two weeks ago in Toronto, the National Hockey League conducted a Research, Development and Orientation camp. The two-day event allowed General Managers and scouts to preview the 2011 prospects as well as using them to experiment and test proposed rule changes beginning Fall 2011. Several rule proposals were tested at the camp, from placing an off-ice official on a platform to help call penalties, to placing a line inside the goal to assist video reviews.

Below is a list of some proposed rule changes tested in Toronto, as well as Pro’s and Con’s of each.

Hybrid Icing

Current Rule: Icing is called when a player on the defensive team touches the puck after it crosses the goal line. It could be negated if an attacking player touches the puck before the defensive team.

Proposed Rule: Allow the linesman to determine what player has advantage around the area of the faceoff dots. If the defensive player has advantage, icing could be called. If the attacking player has the advantage, play would continue.

Pro’s: This would prevent injuries from players racing for the puck. Several players have suffered serious injuries (remember Kurtis Foster in 2008?) including broken legs and ankles.

Con’s: While the official has more freedom to call/wave off icing, it could lead to controversy in instances if there is a tie or no player has a distinct advantage for the puck. Last thing I want to see is a blown call like this at a critical point in the game such as the final minute or in overtime.

Yellow Verification Line

Current Rule: None.

Proposed Rule: A yellow line would be placed three inches behind the goal line. If the puck touched the line, it would clearly mean the puck crossed the goal line/entered the net.

Pro’s: This one is pretty obvious. How many good goals with video review technology are  turned back because it could not be determined the puck completely crossed the line? Remember the World Cup goal earlier this summer? It can only help the replay officials determine goals from both the overhead and in-net camera angles. It could also speed up the process.

Con’s: Hockey is played in a 3D world. Camera angles and a yellow line is still in a 2D environment. I’m confident the yellow line would help and speed up the review process but I have a feeling this won’t solve all problems.

Changing Ends for Overtime

Current Rule: Teams and goalies stay at the same sides as the third period.

Proposed Rule: Teams switch ends for Overtime. They will attack at the same end of the rink as they did in the second period.

Pro’s: For those who hate the shootout, this could lead to more scoring opportunities as players are further from the bench. It would be risky for teams to make line changes on the fly because a team could be caught off guard and easily create a odd-man rush. They should implement this before going to a 3-on-3 overtime.

Con’s: This took a while to think about, but it could be more difficult for a goalie to go to the team’s bench for an extra attacker in a delayed-penalty situation.

Smaller Goal Cage

Current Rule: The current depth of the net is 44 inches.

Proposed Rule: Make it more shallow to 40 inches.

Pro’s: It would create more room behind the net. More space for offensive forwards to setup plays or attempt wrap-around shots.

Con’s: We already see several goals that will hit go inside the net and quickly pop out. 4 inches doesn’t seem like much, but when shots happen that quickly it could lead to increased goal reviews. Another unintentional drawback is more, bigger hit’s from defensemen who want to lay out a forward coming from behind the net.

Faceoff Infractions

Current Rule: When the center cheats on a faceoff, a winger will usually jump in and take the faceoff.

Proposed Rule: The opposing center gets to choose what player he wants to take the faceoff against. That player just has to be on the ice.

Pro’s: It will teach center’s to not cheat on faceoff. Especially if it’s in their own zone, because most likely the opponent will pick a defenseman to take the draw against.

Con’s: This rule seems silly. Having a player pick who he want’s to take the faceoff against? This could turn some fan’s off especially if he leads to a goal for the non-offending team.

For more information about the NHL Research Development and Orientaiton Camp, The Hockey News posted a video as well as interviews from General Managers and others involved with the camp.

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Lee Stempniak Re-Signs with the Phoenix Coyotes

Aug 30

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

This may have been the case for the St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the Phoenix Coyotes are far from a sub-standard team. Expect big numbers from Lee Stempniak in this upcoming season.

This may have been the case for the St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the Phoenix Coyotes are far from a sub-standard team. Expect big numbers from Lee Stempniak in this upcoming season.

Right wing Lee Stempniak agreed to a 2 year deal with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Stempniak, at the age of 27, is coming into the prime of his career. Last season he split time with both the Toronto Maple Leafs and then ending with the Phoenix Coyotes.  Stempniak played 62 games with Toronto and 18 with Phoenix.

With Toronto Stempniak posted 14 goals, 16 assists for 30 points and a -10 rating. What is amazing is in the 18 games played with Phoenix, he matched his goal count at 14, added 4 more assists for an average of a point per game, as well as a +10 rating.

Lee Stempniak is a key addition to a young and talented Phoenix Coyotes. Pair him up with a healthy Matthew Lombardi and an extremely hard working Wojtek Wolski, Stempniak could be posting some serious numbers next season.

Combined he totaled 48 points in 80 games, 28 goals and 16 assists.

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Paul Kariya Done Before Season Started

Aug 28

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Free-agent forward Paul Kariya will miss the upcoming 2010-11 season with post-concussion syndrome. It was reported Friday evening when his agent announced he won’t be playing with former teammate Teemu Selanne in Anaheim or any other team.

It was reported by the Associated Press that Kariya has had a history of concussions over the course of his career. He missed the 1998 Olympics due to a concussion suffered when he was cross-checked by Gary Suter. He missed six games last season between December and January when he was elbowed by Blues player Patrick Kaleta elbowed Kariya.

The infraction, which can be seen here, happened December 27, 2009. Kariya didn’t return to action until January 12. The hit takes place near the boards :07 into the video clip.

What could this mean for Kariya? It could only mean that his career is all but over. Although he is only 35 years old, concussions are nothing to take lightly. We can only hope for the best for Kariya and hope he will return in 2011, but don’t count on it. His agent said nothing about retirement, but it could be best for Kariya to call it a career now before a more serious head injury could occur.

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Kovalchuk saga to end in 48-hours or less

Aug 26

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

The summer-long Ilya Kovalchuk saga will be decided in 48-hours or less according to recent reports that state that Ilya Kovalchuk’s agent, Yuri Nikolaev, has given the NHL 48 hours to come up with a solution for his client or Kovalchuk will play elsewhere next season.

Kovalchuk initially signed a monster 17-year deal worth $102 million with the New Jersey Devils earlier this summer, but the deal was not approved by league officials due to the length of the contract, which would take Kovalchuk well into his 40’s, and for the blatent circumvention of the NHL salary cap. Framework for a new deal was presented to the NHL by Kovalchuk and the Devils earlier this week, but the new deal was also turned down. Speculations around the internet put the length of the new deal around 15 years, which would take Kovalchuk to 42 years of age. After the league rejected the framework for the second contract, it was reported that the two sides met late into the night in order to hammer out a new deal that was fair and worked in accordance to the rules of the salary cap.No new deal was made, however.

It is believed that if the deal isn’t completed within the 48-hour time span given by Kovalchuk’s agent that Kovachuk will instead sign with the KHL in Russia. It was reported earlier this summer that SKA St. Petersburgh of the KHL offered Kovalchuk a three-year deal worth $42 million. Kovalchuk has stated several times that he wishes to remain with the NHL, but with the KHL season set to begin on Sept. 8, Kovalchuk will need to make a decision sooner rather than later.

This very well may simply be a strategy by Kovalchuk’s agent to encourage the NHL to move things along and get a deal worked out with the Devils. However, if Kovalchuk does in fact leave the NHL for the KHL, he will by far be the biggest player defection to leave the NHL to play in the Russian league. It would also be a huge blow to the NHL as Kovalchuk is probably one of the top-10 players in the NHL right now and considered by many to even be the best pure goal scorer in the game today.

The Devils are set to open training camp on Sept. 17.

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Cristobal Huet Joining Swiss League

Aug 24

Posted by EB in News, Soap Box | No Comments

The Chicago Blackhawks are on top of the world right now with their Stanley Cup win last season. However, during that run for the Cup, GM Stan Bowman has dug his team in a deep hole of cap space issues.

In an effort to fix his sloppy mess, Bowman has shuffled more players than you can shake a stick at. At the top of the questionable move list is the team’s decision to walk away from Stanley Cup winning goaltender Antti Niemi. After an arbitration ruling of $2.75 million in favor of Niemi, the Blackhawks signed Turco for $1.3 million instead.

From a cap space viewpoint it does make sense… kinda, but from a longevity of the team, it is pure ridiculous. Niemi, age 26, has played only 1 full year in the NHL has won a Cup. Turco, age 34, is on the way out of the league and is still in hunt for his first Stanley Cup ring.

Bowman has now opted to loan out backup goaltender Cristobal Huet to a one-year deal with HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss National League A. Huet is paid on average of $5.625 million a season of his remaining 2 years.

Perhaps the move by Bowman is to fix the mess he has created, hopefully signing Niemi to split time with Turco. After a year when Turco’s contract is up, the team then will bring Huet back to play alongside Niemi. But then again, with just shy of 48 million already hitting the cap for the 2011-2012 season, Bowman still needs to decide what to do with 6 unrestricted free agents and 5 restricted free agents, some of which are Tomas Kopecky and Brent Seabrook.

Good luck Stan, I don’t think daddy can pull you out of this mess. It looks like Chicago is on the downfall yet again, maybe this time they will still leave them on the TV for local fans to watch.

NHL will change tie-breaker rules for upcoming season

Aug 22

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

Less importance will be placed on shootout victories this upcoming season as NHL general managers look to change how tiebreakers are decided at the end of the season according to a report by ESPN.

The report states that the general managers have voted to implement a new tiebreaker system for the upcoming season that will give more consideration to teams who win games outright during regulation time or during the 5-minute overtime period instead of through the shootout. In the past, tiebreakers were first decided by most total victories of any kind – shootout victories included. This year, tiebreakers will instead be decided by most victories during regulation or overtime and will exclude shootout victories from tiebreaker considerations. However, the shootout will still stay in place for the time being as a means to determine which team is awarded two points and the win instead of one.

Implementing a rule like this helps put more emphasis on an entire team’s effort of play rather than the individual skill of any one or two players. But this ruling may also signal a shift in consciousness by the NHL general managers as they continue to look to place less and less emphasis on the shootout and more emphasis on a team’s ability to work together and win together. Another idea that has been proposed in the past would have teams going into a 5-minute 3-on-3 overtime period after the 5-minute 4-on-4 overtime period before deciding the game in a shootout. This idea seems to have gained a lot of momentum over the past several seasons and may be one of the next changes to occur for the overtime format. A 3-on-3 overtime period would be wildly exciting – perhaps more so than a shootout – but it would still place emphasis on team play.

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Tomas Kaberle may not return to Leafs

Aug 21

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle’s days with the team may be numbered – and that number may be roughly 82. That’s how many more games Kaberle will play as  Leaf before he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this upcoming season. Kaberle reportedly has no desire to return to the Leafs with a contract extension at season’s end unless a major move involving Leaf’s personnel takes place, according to Kaberle’s father.

“In my opinion, I can’t see Tomas entering a new contract with Toronto. Not if Ron Wilson continues to be employed there,” said Frantisek Kaberle Sr., Tomas’ father, in an interview conducted by Czech hockey magazine Hokej and reported on by both the Toronto Sun and Tsn.ca.

Kaberle was the subject of much speculation in the rumor mill recently because of a no-trade clause that was lifted during the summer and set back in place last weekend. It was believed that Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke was looking to trade Kaberle and his skills as a puck-moving defenseman for a top-6 forward to help the Leafs in their rebuilding process. However, no suitable offers came along which means that Kaberle will continue playing for the Leafs for the time being.

Kaberle Sr. believes that his son will not be a Maple Leaf for the entire season and will probably be moved by the trade deadline.

“I think that during the course of the year he will be traded to another club,” Karberle said. “There is only one chance for Toronto to get something back in return for Tomas now.”

For Kaberle to be moved, he would need to lift his no-trade clause, something that he may do rather quickly if the right team comes along that gives him a chance to win a Stanley Cup – especially if he has no desire to return to the Leafs in 2011-12 anyway.

Kaberle Sr. did comment that his son won’t even speculate on possible trade scenarios and is happy to be with the Leafs organization for another season.

“He is content in Toronto with both the club and the city,” Kaberle Sr. stated.

However, Tomas’ father added, “I still think though that some change would be welcomed.”


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Hockey’s Secret Meeting

Aug 18

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

Tucked away in a 100 year old building’s basement, the heads of Hockey World Blog will be meeting to discuss the future of the site. With beers in one hand, a pen in the other to jot down notes, HWB is looking to improve for the upcoming NHL season.

Sure, 4 heads are better than one, but you the readers have a say as well on what you would like to read. So readers, we ask for your voice, send us an email, respond to the post or use whatever form of communication you see fit that does not border stalker, and let us know what you want more of, less of or any other ideas you have so we can better serve you the reader.

Chris: Chris@hockeyworldblog.com

EB: EB@hockeyworldblog.com

Eddie: Eddie@hockeyworldblog.com

Matt: Matt@hockeyworldblog.com

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Seguin Inks with the Bruins

Aug 4

Posted by EB in Fantasy, News | No Comments

Tyler Seguin will be a good fantasy pickup for any league, but don't expect him to be the top point getter of an already deep rostered Boston Bruin club.

Tyler Seguin will be a good fantasy pickup for any league, but don't expect him to be the top point getter of an already deep rostered Boston Bruin club.

The Boston Bruins have come to terms with second overall 2010 NHL draftee Tyler Seguin.

Seguin, the proud prospect of the Ontario Hockey League is expected to make the NHL entry level maximum of $900,000 with a additional bonuses based on production that could bring him in the $4 million range, mimicking that of number 1 overall pick Taylor Hall of the Edmonton Oilers.

With all the sporting news of NFL rookies not signing and holding out for big contracts, or other players signing big contracts but not passing fitness tests, it is good to see the NHL have their ducks in a row in regards to rookies. Seguin and all other rookies will have to earn their place on the team as well as the team’s respect.

Seguin will be under a microscope with the hard to please Bruins fans, but expect him to excel at the role he is given, however do not expect him to match numbers like New York Islander’s rookie last year John Tavares. Tavares posted 54 points on a team that asked him to carry the workload, while Seguin will be coming into a more support roll at the second or possibly third line. It would be surprising if Seguin can put up 54 points in his rookie season, but it won’t be surprising for him to at least hit the 40 point mark.

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