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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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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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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 13

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

Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images

There were some stellar performance from players over the weekend but it is hard not to bring focus to the Detroit Red Wings for winning their 20th consecutive home game to tie the NHL record. It has been more than 3 months since the Wings have lost at the Joe as they join the 1929-30 Boston Bruins and 1975-76 Flyers as the only NHL clubs to ever string together this many victories on home ice in one season. Absolutely amazing, and somewhat ironic, as the win came in a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Wings will try and set a new NHL record tomorrow night against the Dallas Stars. Many feel the record will be broken, but only to lose Friday night against the Nashville Predators, a team that seems to always have Detroit’s number. However, number one netminder Jimmy Howard, who is injured with a broken index finger, looks to return Friday night against the Predators. If the Wings win against the Stars tomorrow night expect the media to be buzzing about Friday’s match-up.

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NHL Photo of the Day

Feb 8

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | 1 Comment

John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks got the scoring started against the equally red-hot Nashville Predators. The two teams fought hard, taking the game to a shootout. Six rounds in found Alexander Edler of the Canucks netting the game winning goal.

As stated, the two teams have been red-hot as of late. Both can be attributed to their netminders. Pekka Rinne of the Predators, who had a 11 game winning streak was, beat by Roberto Luongo who made 37 saves of 40 shots.

Seen above, Ryan Kesler of the Cancucks screens Pekka Rinne. I could be mistaken, but it looks like Kesler received his new Bauer Nexus 1000 hockey stick. Must be that new stick that picked him up the first goal. Is he wearing the Bauer Nexus 1000 ice hockey skates too?

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Nashville Predators need to show commitment to winning at trade deadline

Feb 1

Posted by Chris in Soap Box | No Comments

The Nashville Predators come into February at a bit of an impasse where they can either show how serious they are as contenders or they can show how committed they are to being a mediocre franchise content on losing in the first round of the playoffs every season.

Last week at the NHL All-Star Game, Nashville Predators defenseman and pending unrestricted free agent Ryan Suter came out and stated bluntly that he will not be signing a contract extension with the Predators before the trade deadline. This immediately caused speculation that Suter intends to jump ship once he’s a free agent. But this may not be the case.

Many players will opt not to engage in contract negotiations after a certain period in the season – especially if the team continues to stay in the playoff hunt. Suter may fall into this category where he simply doesn’t want negotiations to shadow his play as the Predators look to secure a playoff berth.

“I want to focus on playing for Nashville,” Suter said to clarify his earlier comments. “We’ve got a good team and if we can add a couple of pieces here and there I think we have a legitimate chance of going to win the Stanley Cup.”

Suter’s clarification on his previous comments could be more telling of his intentions for the future than the initial comments themselves. While many jumped on the notion that Suter was basically saying he wanted to test the open market as a free agent, his clarification insinuates a different notion – that he wants to see how dedicated to winning Nashville really is.

At 27-years-old, Suter could be one of the most sought-after free agents this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension. And surely his willingness to sign will depend on what Nashville does at the trade deadline later this month.

Coming into the trade deadline, the Predators possess more than $14 million in cap space. However, the Predators have been incredibly reluctant to spend significantly in the past on free agent talent. After all, this is the team that was rumored to be offering Shea Weber $4.5 million per season in contract negotiations last summer. While that number may have just been a rumor, Nashville has still been behind the eight ball when it comes to attracting highly talented free agents thanks to their reluctance to spend significantly on high-end talent.

Weber himself will be a restricted free agent this summer, and, like Suter, his future with Nashville seems in flux because both players want to know that Nashville is willing to take the necessary steps toward building a winner. Before re-signing with the Predators, each player wants to know that the team is moving in the right direction. Otherwise they may look to jump ship for a team willing to do what it takes to win.

Nashville currently sits fourth in the Western Conference with an impressive 9-1-0 record over their past 10 games. The losses of Joel Ward and Steve Sullivan to free agency last summer, a combined total of 20 goals and 51 points, hasn’t seemed to effect the Predators greatly as they still rank 11th in the NHL in goals scored per game. Still, Ryan Suter and Shea Weber remain vital parts of that team’s success and losing either of them could be a devastating blow.

It’s highly unlikely that either Suter or Weber gets traded at the trade deadline as some have speculated, but if Nashville intends to get serious about winning, this is the season to do it. The Predators are playing awesome hockey this season and are primed for a solid playoff run. Adding a talented scorer or maybe some scoring depth at the trade deadline could go a long way to help that cause. It could also go a long way toward convincing their own players how serious they are about winning both now, and in the future.

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Moving the Nashville Predators to the Eastern Conference makes sense for NHL

Jan 11

Posted by Chris in Soap Box | 2 Comments

With the NHL Players Association’s veto of the proposed realignment plan last Friday, the Board of Governors will now go back to the drawing board in the coming weeks and months to conceive a new schedule that will meet the demans of teams and players alike for the 2013-14 season. However, their options for a new realignment plan remain limited and they may be forced to go with the easiest solution – move one team East.

The original problem came about because the Atlanta Thrashers, an Eastern Conference team, moved to Winnipeg where they should be a Western Conference team. Thus, an easy solution for this problem would be to move one team East to replace Winnipeg. That’s likely the route that the Board of Governors will attempt to take with a new realignment plan. But which team should move East?

The Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars all expressed interest in switching conferences. Of all of these candidates, Dallas is the western-most team, which makes it unlikely that they will move to the Eastern Conference ahead of teams that are physically located further east than Dallas.

Winnipeg would likely join the Central Division, meaning that Detroit, Nashville or Columbus would have to move to accommodate the Jets. Supposedly Detroit was promised a spot in the East if the opportunity came about. But with such a big fan base spread country-wide, several franchises in the West would be reluctant to lose Detroit and the fans they draw when they come to play. Much to the dismay of Detroit fans who have to endure late-night playoff games against Western Conference foe, Detroit probably will not move East any time soon.

This leaves Nashville and Columbus. If Columbus moves, it would make sense to put them in the Northeast Division or the Atlantic Division where they would be physically closer to their division opponents. But this move would create a chain reaction that displaces teams and causes each division in the East to realign until someone can fill the spot vacated by the Thrashers in the Southeast Division – most likely Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, two teams the NHL won’t want to split up thanks to their long standing, in-state rivalry.

The most likely option then would be to move the Nashville Predators directly into the Southeast Division. The Predators are currently the closest team to the other teams in the Southeast Division, and their travel to Florida to face the Lightning or Panthers wouldn’t be any worse than what Washington currently endures. The move would keep the two-conference, six-division format that the players are used to and would keep the same playoff format. Plus, this would be an easy implementation for the league by basically plugging Nashville into Winnipeg’s old spot. There’s no reason why this couldn’t be approved and implemented next season with the schedule makers basically swapping Nashville for Winnipeg on the schedule.

With a complete, league-wide realignment plan vetoed by the NHLPA, the Board of Governors will probably look to make a simple switch that brings one team East and moves Winnipeg West where they ought to be. In terms of travel and location, moving Nashville into the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference makes the most sense.

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Alexander Semin Trade Rumors Growing

Dec 6

Posted by Matt in News | 1 Comment

Alexander Semin and the Washington Capitals

Alexander Semin has been scrutinized a lot by the coaches in Washington this season, now the trade rumors are getting hot

As it turns out, Washington Capitals winger Alexander Semin does not have a shoulder injury. Instead, new coach Dale Hunter has told media sources that Semin has been a healthy scratch the past two games. Semin has been practicing with the team, so news of his scratches has put fuel on the Alexander Semin trade rumor fire that has existed for a while now.

One possible suitor for Alex Semin would be the Detroit Red Wings. Rumors have swirled in the past with Jiri Hudler or Dan Cleary being involved in a deal for Semin. Hudler has not been the same since his return from the KHL. His off-season training program this past summer has gotten him off to a better start than last year, but he’s still not quite the 60 point player the Wings had before he left. Cleary has been struggling this season as well, and could potentially need a change of scenery. His grit and work ethic would be a good addition to a Capitals club looking to build for the playoffs. This trade would suit the Red Wings nicely as it would give them a scoring threat with huge potential, in addition to being surrounded by a mature team with plenty of Stanley Cup experience. Semin could thrive playing alongside fellow countryman Pavel Datsyuk, and all he would have to do is find open ice and wait for the pass. Beyond this season, the Red Wings would have additional salary cap space free to either re-sign Semin, or pursue a bigger free agent such as Shea Weber or Zach Parise.

Another rumored landing spot is Los Angeles. The Kings, however, have much less cap space available currently. They would be forced to make a pretty bold trade in order to acquire Semin. Nashville has been included in rumors as well, and would add a great scoring threat to the team. They have plenty of cap space available. The New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes are being thrown into the mix too. The Islanders have a lot of young talent they could offer to the Capitals, but Washington is probably looking for players who can contribute to a long playoff run. The Hurricanes are in a similar spot with plenty of cap space, but not a lot in terms of trade bait.

While it seems the Caps would love to unload Semin sooner rather than later, his $6.7 million per season salary will make him difficult to trade. However, it is possible that the team could waive Semin in an attempt to remove his salary. If no other teams claim him, Semin would join the Hershey Bears in the AHL where his salary would not count against the big club.

Where do you think Semin will land? Leave us a note in the comments with your thoughts on his future.

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Ryan Miller run over by Jordan Tootoo in first game back

Dec 4

Posted by Chris in Media | No Comments

Ryan Miller returned to the lineup last night after missing a month of action thanks to a concussion sustained during his run-in with Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic. However, it appears as if open season on the Buffalo Sabres goalie may have continued into last night as Miller had yet another run in, this time with Nashville Predators forward Jordan Tootoo, who seemingly drives the net hard and then leaps into Miller. Miller responds quickly to the incident and climbs on top of Tootoo and throws a few good lefts at his head. The rest of the Sabres players on the ice come to the aid of their goalie and get involved in the scrum as well.

This video can be viewed two ways. First is the obvious conclusion. Tootoo, known for being a gritty player who plays on the edge, saw the opportunity to run Miller and took full advantage of it. The other view is that Tootoo simply couldn’t stop after being shoved from behind by Sabres defender Christian Ehrhoff and tried to leap over Miller and avoid contact.

Personally, I think it’s a bit of both. Tootoo sees the opportunity to drive the net hard and obviously takes it. He receives the shove from Ehrhoff and loses the puck and has enough time to pick up his head and see that he is about to collide with Miller. Tootoo leaving his feet seems to be a result of the collision with Miller, not a conscious effort to avoid Miller. In fact, looking at the slow motion replays in the video, there appears to be no effort to avoid the collision at all.

Tootoo was assessed with a game misconduct on the play. Miller stayed in the game and the Sabres ended up beating the Predators 3-2.

What do you think? Did Tootoo run Miller on purpose or was the collision purely a result of Tootoo being unable to avoid contact?

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