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Ty Conklin and Red Wings Reunite for One Season

Jul 21

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Reunited and it feels so good. The Detroit Red Wings solidified their goaltending situation after the retirement of veteran Chris Osgood with the free-agent signing of Ty Conklin. The deal is for one year and Conklin will receive a salary of $750,000. This will be Conklin’s second stint in Detroit, as he backed up Osgood in the 2008-09, going 25-11-2 with a .909 save percentage and 2.51 goals-against average.

Ty Conklin (in hat) celebrates a victory with the recently-retired Chris Osgood in 2009. Conklin signed a one-year deal to return to Detroit yesterday.

That season, Conklin and the Red Wings reached the Stanley Cup final for the second-straight season when they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Strangely, Conklin played for the Penguins in 2007-08 when they lost to the Red Wings in the championship series. Conklin spent the last-two seasons in St. Louis where he backed up Jaroslav Halak last season. The Red Wings are pleased with the signing, as he is a solid backup and could give the Red Wings fan base more confidence between the pipes over Osgood, who has been injured often in the last two seasons.

Conklin has also played for the Penguins, Blue Jackets, Sabres and Oilers. He has won 91 games in 200 caps, including 16 shutouts. He has a 2.64 GAA and .908 save percentage for his career.

Osgood’s fate was virtually sealed ten days ago when the team re-signed Joey MacDonald to a two-year contract. GM Ken Holland couldn’t take the risk of having Osgood, 38 years old, had sports hernia surgery in January, back this season if they wanted to look towards the future and to get younger in goal. MacDonald, 31 years old, understands his role as the No. 3 goalie and will begin the season in Grand Rapids with the AHL Griffins. He will be the first goalie recalled to the big club should anything happen to 27-year-old Jimmy Howard or 35-year-old Conklin. The team is secure at the goalie position until 2013 when Howard and MacDonald become UFA’s. Should the team not bring back Conklin next summer, expect 21-year-old Thomas McCollum to move to the No. 3 role for 2012-13. McCollum made one appearance in the Red Wings last season.

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Chris Osgood Retires

Jul 19

Posted by EB in News, Rumors | 1 Comment

Today at Noon EST, along side Detroit Red Wings’ General Manager Ken Holland, goaltender Chris Osgood will hold a press conference. The conference will most likely be an emotional filled retirement announcement.

The 38 year old Osgood began his career in the ’93 – ’94 season with the Detroit Red Wings. Going 23-8-5 in his rookie season, it was evident he was bound for greatness. He has scored a goal in the WHL, two time winner of the William M. Jennigs Trophy (fewest goals scored during the regular season with a minimum of 25 games played), and currently holds the 10th ranking for all-time wins as a goaltender with 401. These stats are merely a glimpse of his career.

Osgood had short stints with both the New York Islanders and the St. Louis Blues, yet the majority of his play has been with the Detroit Red Wings. Being there for the Wings through the thick and thin, Osgood is most notably  known for his helmet/cage combination goalie mask. Perhaps even recognized as a feisty goalie who fought with Colorado Avalanche net-minder Patrick Roy. For Red Wings’ fans though, he will always be known as the Wizard of Oz.

Unfortunately Osgood’s time has come to an end in the NHL. With current Red Wing’s young goaltender Jimmy Howard taking the number one spot, as well as coming off of a season filled with groin injuries and surgeries, it proved to be his Achilles heel. He can hang his head high though. Through his career as a Detroit Red Wing, Osgood brought home the Stanley Cup three times, both back to back years in 1997 and 1998, as well as another in 2008.

It is a sad day indeed, as another great player retires.

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Lidstrom Sets Timetable on Possible Return

May 17

Posted by EB in News | 1 Comment

Detroit Red Wing defensman Nicklas Lidstrom has set a timetable to decide if he intends on continuing his career. The date: July 1st.

Lidstrom, at the not-so-young age of 41, is coming off of his 18th season with Red Wings, posting a 62 point season. Lidtsrom’s focus on offensive play was noted on both ends with 16 goals this past season and a -2 overall rating. Still though, Norris Trophy winner in 6 of the last 9 seasons, Lidtsrom has plenty left in the tank.

Far too often we as fans have a narrow minded sight of our hockey players, that their lives are all things hockey. We tend to forget that there is indeed life outside of hockey, as much as we wish to think otherwise. Lidtsrom is married to his wife Annika and has four sons. The desire to be a father may outweigh the desire to play.

“It’s just a matter of knowing if you want to play again, if you’re motivated to play another long season,” Lidstrom said after game 5 against the Sharks.

As a professional athlete, there still is the drive to compete. Coming off of a loss to the San Jose Sharks in an emotional 7 game series may leave Lidstrom itching for more.

“I think regardless if I play or not the team is going to be strong next year,” Lidstrom said. “They got a great core, a great group of guys that are in their late 20s or early 30s that are still top players in this league. So I think the team will be fine.”

The Detroit Red Wings ended the regular season with 104 points for 3rd seed in the Western Conference and 1st in the Central Division. The team still has a solid core of players in Hernrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Pavel Datsyuk. And it is best not to forget young goaltender Jimmy Howard who has proven he is playoff ready, a 7-4 record and a .923 save percentage in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Having made the playoffs 20 years in a row now, it seems more likely than not that number 21 is a lock.

July 1st will be a date marked on many calendars, Red Wing and NHL fans alike. The possibility of seeing one of the greatest defensman to play in the NHL leave has not sunken in for most. It will be a shame if Nick intends to retire, a hall of famer guarantee. Let’s hope though he has one more year in him, not only to see if he can hoist the Stanley Cup one more time, but to at least be forewarned of his final year, so all fans may enjoy it a little bit more than normal.

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Ray Emery to Detroit?

Feb 2

Posted by EB in News, Rumors | 3 Comments

As weird as it may sound, Ray Emery to Detroit, it is a possibility for the returning goaltender.

The netminder Ray Emery is trying for a comeback after being diagnosed with avascular necrosis. The disease causes bone tissue to die, and in Emery’s case, his right hip had deteriorated. Emery has since undergone an operation to replace the ball of his hip and now is making for a comeback.

Ray Emery is hoping he does not have to pack his bags on the NHL as he is trying for a comeback.

The Red Wings are currently short a back-up goaltender as Chris Osgood is on the IR from sports hernia surgery. Detroit General Manager Ken Holland looked elsewhere, across the pond, in signing Evgeni Nabokov to a one year deal. However, the deal between Nabokov and the Detroit Red Wings fell short due to league rules disallowing oversees players from entering into the league after December first without going through re-entry waivers. Nabokov was claimed by the New york Islanders while the Wings are still left to look for another goalie or wait it out.

Chris Osgood is expected back mid to late February, a not so distant future. Osgood has been struggling this year, with 10 games started, he has only been able to muster up a 5-3-2 record. Digging a little deeper, Osgood has a .903 save percentage and a rather high 2.77 goals against average. Factor in that Osgood is in his last year of his contract with the Red Wings and at the not-so-young age of 37, the question of if he is not finished now, can you really sign him to another deal?

Ray Emery on the other hand has been a trouble maker in all the teams he has played for. A feisty fighting goalie, that sometimes loses sight of the real goal, meshing with his teammates and winning as a team. But at 27 years old, trying to make a comeback, it seems likely that Emery’s unruly ways are behind him if he wishes to make it back to the NHL.

The Wing’s are currently in second place within the Western Conference, an almost guaranteed playoff spot and a definite Stanley Cup Contender. If the choice was yours, do you want Osgood backing up netminder Jimmy Howard, or Ray Emery, a player fighting for another chance?

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NHL Midseason Awards: Vezina

Jan 9

Posted by Eddie in Round Table | No Comments

With the midway point of the NHL season here, we decided to award the top NHL awards to players and coaches if the season were to end at the 41-game mark. Today we feature the Vezina Trophy for Top Goaltender. Check back Tuesday when we reveal our selections for the Hart and Calder Trophies.

Tim Thomas already has one Vezina Trophy to his name. The stats this season prove he's on his way to another.

Vezina Trophy

EB – Although I pride myself in being different, I too have to agree the Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas is indeed the top goaltender in the NHL. After having hip surgery in the off-season to repair a torn labrum in his left hip, Thomas did not have the luxury to prepare for the current season. One would think it would be a shaky start, but 7 wins in a row on 7 starts, is simply amazing. Factor in 3 of them being shutouts… wow. His dominance has continued, making Boston a threat come playoff time.

Chris – It’s hard not to notice a goaltenders whose goals against average is below 2.00, yet Tim Thomas, with 27 starts for the Bruins this season, sports an incredibly impressive 1.80 goals against average thus far. Thomas is on pace to put up the best numbers of his career despite being 36 years of age. If Thomas stays on pace, there is no competition for the Vezina. The trophy belongs to Thomas.

Eddie- It looks like everyone is going with Tim Thomas. Statistically, he’s the baddest and best backstopper in the league. But for the sake of a round table debate (It wouldn’t be a debate if everyone agreed on the same thing), the person who I think could be a finalist for the Vezina is Detroit’s Jimmy Howard. He currently leads the league in victories with 21. The last goalie to lead the league in victories and win the Vezina the same season was Martin Brodeur in 2006-07. What could keep him out of being a finalist is his high GAA (2.74) and save percentage (.907). He is in his second season full-time in the league, so it could be possible for coach Mike Babcock to slow Howard’s starts and minutes later on in the season to give him proper rest heading into the playoffs. In a city where Red Wings goalie is the second most criticized position in sports (Detroit Lions quarterback is first), Howard has done nothing but win fans over and will prove to be solid in the cage for the Red Wings in years to come.

Matt- My vote for the mid-season Vezina goes to Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins. Thomas, who lost his starting role last year to the young Tuukka Rask, has rebounded and had an incredible start to the 2010-11 season. Because of his outstanding play, the Bruins are leading the Northeast division, and have the fewest goals against in the NHL. In addition, Thomas is currently atop the NHL in both goals against average, save percentage, and is tied for the league lead with five shutouts. At the midway point this season, there’s no doubt about it, Tim Thomas is the Vezina Award winner.

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NHL All-Star Game ballot released

Nov 13

Posted by Chris in News | 2 Comments

With voting set to begin this coming Monday, Nov. 15, for the upcoming 2011 NHL All-Star Game, the NHL released the ballot of the 100 candidates available for fans to vote into the game.

Per the new format for this year’s event, fans will vote in the top six players with complete disregard to position or conference. The remaining 36 All-Stars will be selected by the NHL Hockey Operations Department. Teams will then be chosen be designated captains in a Fantasy Hockey-type draft scenario.

The list includes many of the regulars, such as Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Joe Thornton, Nicklas Lidstrom and Roberto Luongo, but is already receiving criticism for including players that have no right to be voted into the All-Star Game at this point and by snubbing others who should be leading the pack.

One of the most notable omissions is Alexander Semin of the Washington Capitals. In 16 games for the Caps this season, Semin has 12 goals and nine assists, which is good for 4th in the league in points.  Also absent from the list is goaltender Jimmy Howard who has only one loss in regulation in 10 starts this season while displaying a 2.26 goals against average – which is better than several of the other potential All-Stars goaltenders listed on the ballot. Teeamu Selanne, who is 7th in the NHL in points with 19 in 18 games, and Claude Giroux, who currently leads the Flyers in points, are also notably absent from the ballot.

ept_sports_nhl_experts-246169899-1280170603The ballot also includes New York Islanders defenseman Mark Streit, one of two Islanders included on the ballot along with John Tavares. In case you didn’t know, Streit hasn’t even played a game in the NHL this season while he sits on the IR and is listed as “out indefinitely”  with a torn left labrun and rotator cuff. While Streit is certainly the most questionable addition to the All-Star ballot, other names have popped up as highly suspect.

Zach Parise only managed to tally six points in 12 games this season before sustaining a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for three months. While Parise is definitely a fan favorite, his output is a far cry from last year’s effort where he notched 14 points in his first 12 games on the season. Despite his injury and lackluster production, Parise was still included on the ballot. As was Brian Gionta, who brings a meager six points in 16 games to the table as one of the three Montreal Canadiens selected for the ballot.

Fans will still have the option to write in candidates if their favorite player isn’t listed on the ballot, but with only six slots available for fans to vote in their favorite players, chances are better that some of the neglected players, like Semin, will be included in the 36 players selected by the NHL Hockey Operations Department.

Still, this ballot seems to epitomize one of the glaring issues that fans have with the NHL right now. While the league manages to do something right, like change the format for the ASG to make it more like a Fantasy Draft and allow the NHL Hockey Operations Department to choose some of the players in order to cut down on “favorite” players being selected instead of players having actual All-Star seasons, the league then turns around and issues a list like this that has fans scratching their heads wondering, “what were they thinking?”

The 2011 NHL All-Star Game will take place at the home of the Carolina Hurricane at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C., on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011. To kick off the All-Star weekend, the NHL will host a televised draft on Friday, Jan. 28, in which the two captains will make the selections to build their Fantasy All-Star teams.

The entire 2011 All-Star ballot can be viewed here. Who do you think should have been included on this year’s ballot? Who are you upset that the NHL included at another player’s expense?

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Hockey World Blog Season Previews 2010: Detroit Red Wings

Sep 30

Posted by Chris in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Losses: Brett Lebda, Andreas Lilja,

Key Offseason Additions: Mike Modano, Ruslan Salei, Jiri Hudler

Last Season Ranking: 5th in West

Offense:

Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are the bread and butter of the Red Wings in terms of offensive talent. But after down seasons last year, coach Mike Babcock has decided to reunite the Euro-twins on the top line and hope for bounce back seasons from both players in terms of production. Datsyuk could easily shoot right back up to the 90-point plateau and Zetterberg could see himself back into the 80s. These two players work so well together that it’s difficult to keep them separated for too long.

But the Wings have more star power on the second line in left wing Johan Franzen. If healthy, Franzen is an excellent power forward and a 30+ goal scorer. However, Franzen has never played an entire NHL season and was limited to only 27 regular season games last year after suffering a knee injury. Health will be a huge concern again this season, but if Franzen is in the lineup he is a vital part of the team’s offense.

RED WINGS STARSJoining Franzen on the second line will most likely be center Valtteri Filppula and Todd Bertuzzi. The Wings are hoping that more playing time on one of the team’s top scoring lines will give Filppula the breakout season that they have been waiting for. Like many Wings last year, Filppula was limited to 55 games because of injury, but he could easily post 50 or more points in a healthy season playing with some of the Wings’ top talent.

The offseason addition of Mike Modano and reacquisition of Jiri Hudler make the Red Wings one of the deepest teams in the NHL in terms of offense. Modano will likely start the season centering Hudler and Dan Cleary on the third line. Hudler posted 23 goals during his last stint with the Wings before bolting to Russia and both Modano and Cleary are two years removed from hitting the 20-goal plateau themselves. This line could become a very versatile line for Babcock and could also be very pivotal for long-term success as they will mostly be lining up against the oppositions third-pairing defenseman.

Defense:

The Wings boast a deep blue line as well with players like Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Lidstrom contributing at both ends of the ice. At age 40, Lidstrom is still one of the premier defenseman in the game. Lidstrom notched 49 points last season and posted a plus-23 to show that he is still the main man on the Red Wings’ blue line. However, Rafalski was right there with Lidstrom last season with 42 points and a plus-23 rating.

Both Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart bring a physical dimension to the Wings’ lineup, and the addition of Ruslan Salai should help as well. Kronwall is also capable of contributing offensively but remains an injury risk. If healthy, Kronwall could post 40 or more points this season.

The Red Wing are really hoping for a bounce back season from Jonathan Ericsson. After a poor rookie campaign, Ericsson needs to show that he belongs with the big club – especially with rookie Jakub Kindl right on his heels for a roster spot. Kindl’s presence will create some healthy competition for playing time between himself, Ericsson and Salei.

Goaltending:

In his rookie year, Jimmy Howard not only outplayed former Stanley Cup winner Chris Osgood to win the starting goaltender job, but he ranked near the top in many of the goaltending stat categories and was a huge reason why the Wings stayed in contention last season. The starting job will most likely be Howard’s to lose when the season opens next week, but Osgood is ready and more than able to step in and be the number one guy if that should happen. Many said that Osgood looked to be in mid-season form at training camp two weeks ago and could challenge Howard all year long. It will be interesting to see how the goaltending battle plays out, but both Howard and Osgood seem ready for the challenge and willing to step up should the other falter.

Season Outlook:

Injuries certainly hurt the team for much of the season last year and remain a concern for key players like Franzen and Kronwall. After two long playoff runs, the Wings should certainly benefit from a long summer that not only provides time to heal physically, but it also allows the players to regroup mentally. The Wings have the talent to compete for the top spot in the West and, barring some sort of epic collapse, should easily skate into a playoff spot.

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Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation 2010 – Goaltenders

Aug 30

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

With NHL training camps set to begin about four weeks from now, it’s time for fantasy hockey managers to start reengaging their brains and begin planning for their upcoming Fantasy Hockey Draft. Most drafts will take place in the latter-half of September, but it’s never too early to start looking for that gem of a late-round pick, the underrated talent who is set for a breakout season or the veteran presence who is due for a rebound year.

Today’s Position: Goaltenders

Goalies can make or break a great fantasy season. Think of it this way – you have15 or so players on your roster to help you win in approximately 10 offensive categories and then you have two or three goalies to help you in approximately five goalie stat categories. Seems a little lopsided, don’t you think? That is why you need to secure a good goaltender if you intend to make a serious push at becoming league champion. Here are a couple names that could help you out.

If You Want Wins – Brodeur. Enough said. If he stays healthy he will start between 60 and 70 games and will win more than half of those. He will also give you a decent amount of shutouts as well.

Jimmy-HowardFor An All-Around Good Goalie – Take Ryan Miller. Not only did Miller post excellent numbers last season, but he solidified himself as an All-Star goaltender with an amazing outing at the Olympics as the starting goaltender for Team USA. Miller will give you solid numbers all around.

The Secret is Out On – Ilya Bryzgalov. Forty-two wins last season and a career-best 2.29 goals against average, this guy is the real deal and so is Phoenix.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Chance On – Jimmy Howard (pictured). As long as Howard can make the saves that he is supposed to make, he will get a lot of help from a newly rejuvenated Red Wings squad. Expect Howard to be solid in all goalie stat categories this season.

Look for a Rebound Season From – Marty Turco. Now in Chicago, Turco will have a better defensive core in front of him that will surely help him reclaim his game.

Look for a Breakout Season From – Antero Nittymaki. Nittymaki had a good season last year with a subpar Tampa Bay squad where he posted 21 wins and a 2.87 goals against average. Any shortcomings as a net minder this season may be erased by San Jose’s potent offense. Expect 30 or more wins this season.

Keep An Eye On – Everyone. It’s so difficult to predict which goalies will thrive and which goalies will fail on any given night or during any given season. Remember that some of the best goaltenders in recent years probably went undrafted in most fantasy hockey drafts. I certainly don’t know anyone who drafted Antti Niemi, Tuuku Rask or Jimmy Howard out of the gate last season and all three of those players managed to stay at the top of the league in goalie stats.

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Phoenix Coyotes Win Game 7, Here’s Why

Apr 27

Posted by Matt in News | No Comments

Coyotes captain Shane Doan scares off opponents with the Doan face

Coyotes captain Shane Doan scares off opponents with the Doan face

While I’m not on the Phoenix Coyote bandwagon, like EB, and I root for my hometown Detroit Red Wings, I just don’t think they have what it takes to win Game 7 in Glendale tonight.

This series has been very well coached from the beginning. Some errors have been made here and there, but overall you have, arguably, the league’s best coach in Mike Babcock, going against a sure thing for coach of the year in Dave Tippett. The biggest difference I notice between the two, is how their respective players show up for every game. While the Coyotes are playing their hearts out every night, some Red Wings appear to only show up when they want to.

Mike Babcock often says he loves the playoffs because it keeps you honest. His team knows what they need to do, but lately its been a challenge for them to actually get on to the ice and do it. On the other hand, Dave Tippet’s squad knows how to bring it each and every game. They are playing high energy, physical, playoff style hockey. Plus, not only are they playing to keep their season alive, but they’re playing for their coach too. Somewhere along the line, this seems to have been lost for the Red Wings.

While coaching isn’t everything, some of the philosophies remain strong. Babcock is also a fan of telling the media that the Red Wings best players need to be their best players. This means guys like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Lidstrom, and so on, all need to step up. When the only guys showing any urgency are players like Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, and Miller, you have to question who is playing playoff hockey? They may not be all stars, but every shift they go out there and lay everything on the table. The same cannot be said about the Red Wings big names recently.

When it comes down to game time, the players decide everything. Right now, everything is going the way of the Phoenix Coyotes. Tonight’s home crowd is going to be rowdy, full of energy, and ready to celebrate a series clinching victory. Ilya Bryzgalov will be in a position to lead his team to victory. His all out effort, and save after save performance will give his players and the home crowd a giant boost from the get go. On top of that, the strong defense and penalty killing we saw in Game 6 will return tonight.

It’s not so much that Phoenix will be good enough to win, but more or less that Detroit will be bad enough to lose. Rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard faces a lot of controversy after calling the Coyotes latest victory “lucky.” In his first playoff series, and first game 7, I don’t think he has what it takes just yet. He has been shaky, at best, in four out of six games thus far. While he will come to play tonight, a soft goal or two will lead to the ultimate demise of the Red Wings Stanley Cup dreams.

Prediction: Ilya Bryzgalov outplays Jimmy Howard in a battle of the netminders, while the Coyotes defense and penalty kill will stifle the Red Wings once again. A close 3-2 game down the stretch will be sealed by an empty netter for the Coyotes, who will advance to play San Jose in round two. Final score, 4-2, and the Doan face haunts the Red Wings all summer.

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NHL Award Finalists Revealed

Apr 22

Posted by Eddie in News | 3 Comments

Starting this week and throughout the next week, the National Hockey League is revealing finalists for the year-end awards. The NHL Awards Show will be June 23 in Las Vegas. Here’s a preview of the award finalists already announced as well as my picks for who could take home the hardwood. More previews will hit Hockey World Blog as they are announced.

Tampa's Martin St. Louis joins Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards as finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy

Tampa's Martin St. Louis joins Pavel Datsyuk and Brad Richards as finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy

Lady Byng Trophy: Most Gentlemanly Player

Finalists:

  • Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
  • Brad Richards, Dallas
  • Martin St. Louis, Tampa

Datsyuk is the only player to have won the award in the post-lockout era. He has edged St. Louis each of the past three seasons. Datsyuk is near the opposite of his Russian counterpart Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin likes to play it rough and get his nose dirty while Datsyuk is more quiet, reserved and gets job done. Could this be the year Richards and St. Louis put their name on the hardware? Richards has won the award previously, in 2004.

My Pick: Richards

Frank Selke Trophy: Best Defensive Forward

  • Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
  • Ryan Kesler, Vancouver
  • Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh

Each one of these players is very deserving of the award. Datsyuk led the league in takeaways with 132 and finished with a plus-17 rating. Kesler’s career-high 19:32 averaged playing time helped play a role in the Canucks finished fourth this season in home penalty-killing. Stall finished second in the league in short-handed penalty minutes.

My Pick: Datsyuk

Calder Trophy: Rookie of the Year

  • Matt Duchene, Colorado
  • Tyler Myers, Buffalo
  • Jimmy Howard, Detroit
Jimmy Howard joins Matt Dunchene and Tyler Myers as finalists for the Calder Trophy

Jimmy Howard joins Matt Dunchene and Tyler Myers as finalists for the Calder Trophy

This is a solid group of candiates for the Calder Trophy. At the beginning of the season, you would expect someone like John Tavares to be in this position and not Jimmy Howard. Howard has stepped into the Detroit net and embraced it. He hopes to become the first Red Wing to win the Calder since Roger Crozier in 1965. Howard’s 2.26 GAA and a .924 SV% placed him in the top-five in the NHL in each category. Myers was one of four players to play in all 82 games and the only defenseman rookie to do so. He was very effective when his name was on the scoresheet, as Buffalo was 8-1-1 when he scored a goal and 29-7-1 when he recorded a point. Duchene had a  breakout season in Colorado. He played a role in the Avalanche qualifying for the playoffs, when he scored 24 goals and 31 assists this season. His 55 points was the second-highest total in Av’s history, only behind teammate Paul Stasny’s 78 in 2007. He also led all rookies in points and tied for first in goals with Tavares.

My Pick: Duchene

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