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NHL Photo of the Day

Mar 30

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Pacific Division continues to be one of the better divisions to watch coming down the stretch with 4 teams fighting for a potential 3 spots into the playoffs. The Phoenix Coyotes faced-off against the San Jose Sharks for what was a pretty darn good game. Low scoring but with a lot of shots, the Coyotes took the Sharks 2-0. The Coyotes were lead by returning from injury Radim Vrbata who picked up his 31st and 32nd goals on the season. The shut-out came to Mike Smith who continues to be the x-factor for the Coyotes; it was his 6th shut-out of the season. The win puts the desert dogs a point up on the Sharks taking over 7th seed and tied with the Dallas Stars for first within the division, but having an extra game played. The Los Angeles Kings hold the 8th seed currently, visiting the Edmonton Oilers tonight which after will put all 4 teams on even ground with 78 games played. The Stars visit the Vancouver Canucks tonight.

All things considered, who do you think will be the teams to make the playoffs and who will miss them for the Pacific Division?

Note: Phoenix Coyotes Derek Morris played in his 1,000th NHL career game last night and was honored with a plaque and a silver hockey stick.

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NHL Photo of the Day

Mar 21

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

a goal against the San Jose Sharks at Staples Center on March 20, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by

Winning their 5th game in a row and going 8-2-0 in their last ten games played, it seems the Los Angeles Kings have found their stride. Trade deadline pickup Jeff Carter has 6 goals and 3 assists in 12 games played since joining the team. Old teammate and under-performing Mike Richards picked a goal and two assists last night; the goal being shorthanded. Jonathan Quick picked up his 31st win of the season and continues to be solid. The usual suspects, Dustin Brown, Justin Williams and Anze Kopitar continue to be performing as the three of them lead the team in points. The 5 – 2 win over Pacific Division rival the San Jose Sharks have put them only 1 point out of the division leading Dallas Stars. The Pacific Division is going to be one of the better divisions to watch as the season comes to an end with a dog-fight between 4 teams all looking to make the playoffs.

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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 28

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators turned away 30 of 31 shots last night against the Los Angeles Kings to pick up his league leading 35th win. The Predators are for real this season, currently in 5th spot within the Western Conference with 81 points and a record of 37-19-7. The Predators also made some splashes yesterday in the trade deadline, one of which, reuniting Sergei Kostitsyn with brother Andrei. Predicted to be tough playoff competitors with last year’s first ever 1st round win, will the Nashville Predators go even farther this year?

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NHL Trade Deadline 2012 Wrap-Up

Feb 27

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

Rick Nash remained with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alexander Semin will lace up with the Washington Capitals for the rest of the season and Zach Parise will continue with the New Jersey Devils as well. After all was said and done and the smoke cleared shortly after 3 pm EST this afternoon, this year’s trade deadline produced 15 transactions with 31 players on the move along with 11 draft picks.

But none of the big names that were speculated to be in play at this year’s trade deadline ended up getting moved. Nash stayed with the Blue Jackets despite some serious solicitation from the New York Rangers. Ales Hemsky and Tuomo Ruutu were both nullified as trade candidates after signing extensions with their respective clubs before the deadline hit. And players like Steve Ott and Mike Ribeiro, who were thought to maybe be on the way out, ended up staying with the Dallas Stars.

Welcome to league-wide parity.

A quick look at the standings shows us why so few big names were moved – teams think they still have a shot at the playoffs. In the West, the 13th place Anaheim Ducks are only six points out of the 8th seed playoff spot. It’s the same in the East where the 12th place Buffalo Sabres find themselves six points out of a playoff spot as well. And teams like Edmonton, who are well out of the playoff picture, aren’t willing to part with their future superstars. Simply put, in a league where every team is so close in the standings, there are very few teams willing to throw in the towel.

The Nashville Predators were an active party at the deadline, kicking off trade deadline day by acquiring Andrei Kostitsyn from the Montreal Canadiens. This move will reunite the Kostitsyn brothers, who last played together in 2010 in Montreal before Sergei was traded to Nashville that same season. The Predators also acquired defenseman Hal Gill from the Canadiens earlier this month. The Predators finished their deadline spree with the addition of Paul Gaustad from the Buffalo Sabres, one of the best faceoff specialists in the NHL with a winning percentage of 56.8 percent.

Also busy at the deadline were the Vancouver Canucks, who added depth and grit on both offense and defense. The team picked up Zach Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani from Buffalo for Cody Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer, and also acquired Sami Pahlsson from Columbus for Taylor Ellington and two fourth round draft picks in 2012. The Canucks also nabbed Andrew Gordon from Anaheim for Sebastien Erixon.

The San Jose Sharks also added depth to their roster by acquiring TJ Galiardi and Daniel Winnik from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Jamie McGinn and two prospects. Both players give San Jose more depth and Winnik should help on the penalty kill where he averages three minutes of ice time her page.

The Bruins made some moves as well by acquiring Brian Rolston and defenseman Mike Mottau from the Islanders and defenseman Greg Zanon from the Minnestota Wild in exchange for defenseman Steven Kampfer.

The Chicago Blackhawks made a good defensive move by adding Johnny Oduya from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a second round draft pick and a third round draft pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Oduya has two goals and 11 assists on the season along with 98 blocked shots.

Other top clubs were also silent on trade deadline day. The Rangers made a small move for defenseman John Scott from Chicago in exchange for a fifth round draft pick while Detroit sent defenseman Mike Commodore to Tampa Bay in exchange for a conditional seventh round draft pick. After picking up defenseman Kyle Quincey late last week from Tampa Bay, Detroit had a log jam on defense, allowing them to trade Commodore to Tampa.

Some teams also opted to make their moves before the deadline, with Los Angeles likely making the biggest splash in the days leading up to the deadline by acquiring forward Jeff Carter from Columbus. The Philadelphia Flyers also added defensive depth by acquiring Nicklas Grossman from Dallas and Pavel Kubina from Tampa Bay.

Reports came out after the deadline had passed that Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash did ask management for a trade, but the price was steep, however, and nobody was willing to pull the trigger. For the time being, Nash will remain with the Jackets and this scenario will likely be revisited once again at the draft this summer.

Overall, the Predators probably made the biggest splash to show how serious they are to contend for the Stanley Cup this season. Vancouver also addressed their need to get grittier by adding several pieces like Kassian and Pahlsson, while the Bruins did solid work to add depth to their lineup as they look to repeat as the Stanley Cup Champions this year.

Who do you think faired the best and worst at this year’s trade deadline? Or was the best trade the decision not to make any at all? Share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment or keep the discussion going with Chris on Twitter @HWBChris!

 

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Columbus Blue Jackets trade Jeff Carter to Los Angeles Kings

Feb 24

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

The Sedin twins they are not, but Mike Richards and Jeff Carter have plenty of experience playing together, and their reunion in Los Angeles could spark the Kings’ struggling offense and help reinvigorate a team that was supposed to be a lock for the playoffs.

The Kings currently rank last in the NHL in goals scored per game, averaging just 2.05, and are barely outside the playoff picture – an unexpected twist for a team that boasts the likes of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Justin Williams, and added Mike Richards via trade last summer.

The Kings tried to rectify that stat last night with a blockbuster deal that sent defenseman Jack Johnson and a first-round draft pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Jeff Carter.

“I think it’s been fairly obvious this year that we’ve struggled with our offensive game and it’s something we’ve been looking at for quite a while, in a number of areas,” Kings general manager Dean Lombardi told the Kings website. “We had to give up a very good player here, but we think we have some depth on our back end coming — and Jeff brings a lot of things we’re looking for.”

The trade will reunite Carter and Richards, who played together in Philadelphia and then were broken up thanks to separate trades last summer that saw Richards go to Los Angeles for a package and players and Carter to Columbus. Both players have struggled to find their niche, although Carter has been limited to just 39 games this season thanks to injuries

“He’s big, fast and has that natural scoring instinct,” Lombard said. “Obviously we’re very familiar (with him) — John Stevens has coached him, Mike Richards was a teammate of his. These are tough deals to make, but it’s something we felt we had to do.”

The Blue Jackets also make out well in the deal by adding defensive depth in Jack Johnson, a player who went third overall in the same draft as Sidney Crosby. At 25-years-old, Johnson has a lot of upside to his game and will help provide a puck-moving presence on Columbus’ blue line.

“He’s a talented, skilled player with the puck, he’s a tremendous skater,” said Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson. “He’s got a lot of upside too – he’s only 25. If you look at the historical trend of defensemen, they usually don’t hit their prime until their late-20s. We talked and he was over-the-top excited about coming and joining the club.”

In 343 regular season games with the Kings, Johnson has 124 points, including 30 goals. Johnson is also signed through 2018, giving Columbus another long-term building block for a team that has several gaps to fill in their lineup.

“We’re excited about what we got – we think it puts us in a good position,” Howson said Thursday night after the trade. “No, we did not feel like we had to move Jeff Carter or anyone else before the deadline.  Again, if the opportunity was there, we were going to take, and if the return was right.”

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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 24

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

So, the party animals reunite just on a bigger stage. Jeff Carter will rejoin former Philadelphia Flyer teammate Mike Richards for the Los Angeles Kings. Carter was traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenseman Jack Johnson.

Carter never really fit into Columbus who had much higher hopes for him (25 pts in 35 games, -11 rating). The team is struggling though, as rumors about trading their franchise player Rick Nash has been circulating. Could, however, this be a similar situation as in Philly? Is Carter a bad guy to have in the locker-room? Time will tell if Los Angeles begins to separate as a team or if they regain their scoring touch. From a fantasy perspective, it’s looking good for Carter owners, so ride it out or trade up quickly before his play determines his worth.

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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 23

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the struggling goal scoring Los Angeles Kings last night 4 to 1. The Kings, despite having one of the best goalies in the league currently, have lost 4 in a row. In Febraury, they have an average of 1.64 goals for a game. Ouch.

On the other end of the game last night, Avalanche’s Paul Stastny netted two goals to make him the team leader with 16. To date, Stastny has 39 points in 58 games played.

The Kings currently hold onto the 8th seed in the Western Conference while the Avalanche are now only two points out sitting in 11th spot. It was a big win for the Avalanche as they look to make a push for the playoffs while the struggling Kings look to fix their goal scoring woes and hold onto a playoff spot.

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Biggest NHL trades yet to come before deadline

Feb 22

Posted by Chris in Rumors | No Comments

With the NHL trade deadline just a handful of days away, teams continue to hold on to their biggest assets in hopes of landing the best deals possible when push comes to shove at the deadline.

Several smaller deals have taken place over the past several days with the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning doing most of the work, but the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings have also gotten into the mix. But the biggest deals are yet to come.  

Tampa Bay has been the most active, dealing defenseman Pavel Kubina to the Flyers, forward Dominic Moore to San Jose and forward Steve Downie to Colorado in exchange for defenseman Kyle Quincey, who they immediately flipped to the Detroit Red Wings for a first round draft pick and a minor league defenseman. Tampa Bay now has two first round draft picks and three second round draft picks in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft this summer. Tampa now has a lot of options with those picks if they want to use them or trade them for roster players either now or at the draft.

The Columbus Blue Jackets could end up making the biggest deals at the deadline with high-caliber goal scorers like Rick Nash and Jeff Carter available, but the team also has players like Kristian Huselius and Derek Brassard who could find themselves on the move. Huselius has been injured for most of the season but could still be a good depth addition for many teams while Brassard has mostly been a disappointment for Columbus, who could just look to unload his contract for picks or prospects.

With the emergence of Rick Nash rumors, Jeff Carter has taken a back seat in the rumor mill, although it’s likely he will still be moved by the deadline. The Toronto Maple Leafs could look to add Carter to their lineup, but the Los Angeles Kings are also rumored to be in the hunt for another goal scorer and have plenty of assets to offer, including goalie Jonathan Bernier and defenseman Jack Johnson.  

The Flyers appeared to be a front-runner for Nash, but their acquisitions of Grossman and Kubina on the blue line, coupled with the high asking price of Nash, could put them out of the running. The New York Rangers have long been linked to Nash, but the San Jose Sharks appear to be the current front runner in trade talks. According to Darren Dreger of TSN, Columbus reportedly asked for Logan Couture as part of a package, which was immediately rejected by Sharks GM Doug Wilson. Regardless, Columbus will likely want a roster player like Couture or Joe Pavelski in return, or maybe even Ryane Clowe to a lesser extent depending on what else is included in the package.

Once a highly sought after trade target, things have become a little foggier with Tuomo Ruutu in Carolina after a recent injury. The Hurricanes reportedly offered him a contract extension earlier this week with no word yet if it was accepted or rejected. If contract talks go sour, Carolina could still end up dealing him before the deadline.

Ales Hemsky still appears to be on the radar of several teams. Nearly any team looking to add scoring depth has been linked to Hemsky in recent weeks, including Detroit, Nashville and Los Angeles. However, the Oilers may wait until the last minute before dealing Hemsky to see what happens with Nash. If Nash gets dealt, teams may get desperate and open up their wallets a bit more to overpay for a player like Hemsky.

The Anaheim Ducks once apeared ready to make significant changes to their lineup, but a second-half resurgence has put those thoughts aside. That doesn’t mean that teams won’t inquire about players like Bobby Ryan or Ryan Getzlaf, but the asking price could now be higher with the Ducks six points out of a playoff spot. Defenseman Lubomir Visnovski could also be dealt at the deadline as well. 

And, like every trade deadline, the best trades are the ones nobody sees coming. With the playoff race being so tight, many teams are looking to make that final push to get the right pieces in place for a long playoff run. Players previously thought untouchable become available for the right price and teams do what they can to improve themselves either for this season or the next. Will Nashville actually trade Ryan Suter or Shea Weber? Could Teemu Selanne waive his no-trade clause for a chance at the cup? With less than a week until the trade deadline, look for the big dominoes to begin falling soon.

Interested in talking trade rumors or general hockey talk? Send Chris a tweet @HWBChris

 

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HWB Western Conference Playoff Spot Predictions

Feb 16

Posted by EB in Soap Box | No Comments

The second installment of a two-part series, here are the predictions of Western Conference teams to make the playoffs.

Central Division

The toughest division in the Western Conference and quite possibly the league, currently four of the five teams are holding down a playoff spot. Only three of those teams will be making the playoffs, leaving the slumping Chicago Blackhawks to miss the mark.

Daniel Ribar/NHLI via Getty Images

The Detroit Red Wings are breaking records at home and playing solid hockey. Currently leading the Western Conference by a slim margin of 2 points and a game up, the Wings need to focus on winning the division to set themselves up for the playoffs. A simple fact, home ice advantage will be deadly.

Head Coach Ken Hitchcock has his boys playing darn good hockey. It is nice to see the St. Louis Blues play well again. Going 6-3-1 in their last ten games and now adding some healthy names back to the roster, the Blues have a playoff spot locked down.

Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images

The only news coming from the Columbus Blue Jackets is the potential willingness to trade superstar Rick Nash. Everyone knows trade deadline is for depth players, not superstars, to avoid messing with chemistry going into the playoffs. Yet, if you’re the Montreal Canadiens looking to wholesale your team since you’re not in the playoffs, now might be a time to make a move. Then again, can you really believe any rumors that Nash is willing to play in Montreal? Like I said, the only thing being talked about in Columbus is the possible trade of Nash; the team is definitely out of the playoffs. Insert evil Ken Hitchcock laugh here.

No neck Barry Trotz is a superb Head Coach for the Nashville Predators who always has a competitive team. You never really hear much about them in the media but they are always winning. Last year the boys made it past the first round for the very first time; hopefully they can do the same this year. Netminder Pekka Rinne is playing superb and will be the backbone of the team. Easy slot for the playoffs.

Uh-oh Spaghetti O’s. The Chicago Blackhawks have gone 1-8-1 in their last 10 games and the free fall does not seem to have an end in sight. Goalie woes are upon them, perhaps a Ray Emery curse. Holding onto 6th spot in the conference, finger by finger begins to slip into the depths of the summertime golf swing. Insert “Chicago Sucks” chant here.

Northwest Division

Early on this division had promise, but much like the tortoise and the hare, the teams eventually lost the race. Only Vancouver is of playoff caliber, the rest, back to the drawing board.

Vancouver Canucks are a solid team once again. Playoff bound without a doubt, just like more riots when they lose come playoffs. Words of advice; make Cory Schneider a number one goalie and trade Roberto Luongo while some teams still think he is of value. Wouldn’t a Luongo-Nash trade be something to see trade deadline day?

Dear Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche, we expected more. The Avalanche had some injuries yet the Flames still seem to be missing one key piece. Fans want to continue to blame Captain Jarome Iginla but that is neither fair nor right. Think otherwise? Any NHL team would be happy for a trade. Colorado fans keep your head up; in the near future your team will be making playoffs with the talents of Ryan O’Reilly, Paul Stastny, Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene. My prediction, if players stay healthy, will be next year.

Dear Edmonton Oilers, what’s up? Some of the best young talent in the league jumped out to a great start and have fallen down slowly. Only 150 goals for so far this year which is middle of the pack, fans expected more; shame on you for disappointing the NHL fan base.

Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images

There is one team left in the Northwest Division, and yes, I left them for last: the Minnesota Wild. You mix a few lines and you get plastered for being a bad guy. You offer a wager of apology depending on if they make playoffs or not and they pass you up on it. Where are my Wild critics now?

The fact is the team is a good team and is under-performing. In part, injuries to Devin Setoguchi, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Guillaume Latendresse have left the team without the depth needed to win. A healthy Wild team is going to be scary, and hopefully next year that will happen. Throwing more craziness into the Nash mix, Dany Heatley and Setoguchi for Nash? What you think?

Pacific Division

With four spots remaining and only one division, three are easy to guess but who does the last one come down to? San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings and the Phoenix Coyotes all will make the playoffs, the wild card, the Anaheim Ducks.

The San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings both will be fighting for the division lead right down to the wire. Favored are of course the Sharks, yet if the Kings can learn how to score again, the Kings may take the crown. Let’s hope Captain Anze Kopitar refrains from any disgusting breaks towards the end of the season, providing the team with leadership and skill to make a stronger playoff push.

The Phoenix Coyotes, my second love. The continuous uncertainty of their future and still the team produces a quality product on the ice. Making the playoffs should be fine, with rather equal home and away records, but if they face the Detroit Red Wings in the first round, all hope is lost. The Wings have beat them 2 years in a row in the playoffs.

Dallas Stars’ fans should be worried as the division is continuing to be more and more competitive. The Stars, however, are not adding to the mix. Moments of brilliance on the ice are followed by moments of mediocre play. Captain Brenden Morrow trade rumors are never good, but Assistant Captain Loui Eriksson will be fine to fill his shoes, that is, if young 22 year-old and team point leader Jamie Benn doesn’t become the face of the franchise. The Stars are still a year out and one solid goalie away from a playoff spot.

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Save the best and wildest for last, the prediction that the Anaheim Ducks will make the playoffs. Coaching problems lead to potty mouth Bruce Boudreau to sign on after being relieved of his coaching duties of the Washington Capitals. Unlikely, but it would be amazing if the Ducks faced the Capitals in the finals. Still, it would be a real good story if the team was able to turn their year around under the new coach and make the playoffs. They have gone 6-2-2 in their last ten, led by veteran Teemu Selanne and young talented stars, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan. Goalie Jonas Hiller has been solid in the last month with 9 wins and only 2 losses with a .924 save percentage. The Ducks will make the playoffs.

There you have it, playoff spot predictors for the Western Conference. Let’s hear your whines and dislike of the picks. In case you missed the first installment, the Eastern Conference playoff spot predictions can be found here.

 

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Fantasy Hockey Friday

Jan 20

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

Two weeks ago, we brought you an in depth breakdown of team stats around the NHL that could help give a better indication on how your goalie may fare on any given night against any given opponent. This week we turn the tables a bit to analyze more team stats, but this time focus on the impact of these stats for forwards and defenseman.

A good Fantasy Hockey league setup has roster positions and bench positions so that on some nights, when most everyone on your team is playing, you have to make the tough decisions regarding who to bench and who to play. So as a Manager, how do you decide which players to play and which to sit?

Sometimes it comes down to a “hunch” or intuition. Obviously your star players will likely get spots because they are more likely to put points on the board. Players on hot streaks may also get the nod over someone that is slumping. Or you may choose to go by which team any given player is playing against that night.

For instance, if you’re trying to decide between two players, and one is playing against the New York Rangers while the other is playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning, you may want to consider playing your guy against Tampa Bay. Why? Because Tampa Bay averages 3.47 goals against per game while the Rangers average 1.98 goals against per game, meaning there is a greater probability that your player will score against Tampa Bay.

Here is a breakdown of the top five teams in the league with the lowest goals against averages per game:

New York Rangers (1.98)

St. Louis Blues (1.98)

Boston Bruins (2.02)

Los Angeles Kings (2.13)

San Jose Sharks (2.28)

Similarly, here are the worst five teams in the NHL with the highest goals against averages per game:

Tampa Bay Lightning (3.47)

Columbus Blue Jackets (3.22)

Carolina Hurricanes (3.17)

Ottawa Senators (3.08)

Toronto Maple Leafs (3.07)

The Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders also have averages of 3.00 goals against per game or better as well.

You can also get a good idea of how your players will fare by looking at which goalie he will face that night. And these numbers don’t always correlate with the team average.

Boston has a low enough team goals against per game average, but backup netminder Tuukka Rask actually has a lower goals against average than starter Tim Thomas. This means that your player is more likely to score on Thomas than on Rask, but the likelihood that he will score against Boston at all is slim.

Consider the Colorado Avalanche as well. As a whole, the team averages 2.85 goals allowed per game. However, goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere have basically split time, but Varlamov’s goals against average is much higher at 3.00 goals against per game than Giguere’s 2.12 goals against per game. So if Varlamov gets the start, play against him with confidence.

The Philadelphia Flyers have a similar issue with Ilya Bryzgalov (3.00) and Sergei Bobrovsky (2.42). Thankfully for Fantasy Managers, Bryzgalov gets the majority of the starts with 30 this season compared to Bobrovsky’s 14.

It doesn’t happen often when you have a full slate of games and have to make the tough choices as a manager on whom to bench and whom to play, but knowing the odds can help you make the right decision in the future. It’s not fool-proof by any means, but it’s a step in the right direction.

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