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NHL will open 2010-2011 Season Oversees

Sep 7

Posted by EB in News | 1 Comment

The Phoenix Coyotes and Boston Bruins will travel oversees for the beginning of the 2010-2011 season playing at O2 Arena Prague, Czech Republic. Phoenix and Boston will play their two first games against each other on Saturday, October 9th and Sunday, October 10th.

The Carolina Hurricanes and the Minnesota Wild will face off at Hartwell Areena in Helsinki, Finland on Thursday, October 7th and Friday, October 8th.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and the San Jose Sharks compete in a conference square off in Stockholm, Sweden. The two teams will play both Friday, October 8th and Saturday, October 9th at Ericsson Globe Arena.

The oversees games are a continuing business move to increase fans across the globe. Last season, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Florida Panthers opened in Helsinki. Sales on Friday and Saturday broke the Hartwall Areena record for highest merchandise sales ever for a hockey game at that venue. Merchandise sales also saw and increase of 52% from the 2008 numbers.

Be it that you are for or oppose the NHL’s move to attract more fans, it seems it is here to say and for the right reason. The move increases global audience as some competitors such as the NFL already have.

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Comrie signs with Pittsburgh

Sep 3

Posted by Chris in News | 2 Comments

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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Hockey World Blog Season Previews 2010: Pittsburgh Penguins

Sep 3

Posted by Chris in Season Previews | 1 Comment

Key Offseason Losses: Bill Guerin, Sergei Gonchar

Key Offseason Additions: Paul Martin, Zbynek Michalek, Arron Asham

Last Season Ranking: 4th in East

Offense:

Boston+Bruins+v+Pittsburgh+Penguins+JQKJBWrNI-glThe Penguins will again be anchored by the offensive production of team captain Sidney Crosby and winger Evgeni Malkin with secondary scoring coming from Chris Kunitz and Jordan Staal. However, in the off season the Penguins again failed to address the pressing issue of finding a suitable right winger to play alongside Sidney Crosby, prompting many to believe that Malkin and Crosby could end up together on the top line this season. Such a move would extremely hinder the offensive depth of the Penguins. A more likely scenario will see Staal moving up to the second line where he will center Malkin, which should benefit both players immensely and put Malkin back up to 90-100 points this season. Players like Pascal Dupuis and Maxim Talbot may be called upon to help provide more offensive depth while players like Eric Tangradi will need to show that they deserve a consistent spot with the big club this season.

Whatever Pittsburgh lacks in offense they make up for with grit. Tough guy Arron Asham signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh where he will have good company in fellow tough guy Eric Goddard, who accumulated 76 penalty minutes in 45 games last season, and super pest Matt Cooke. Asham may even get an opportunity on the wing of Jordan Staal on Pittsburgh’s second line, which would be beneficial for Pittsburgh if Asham can create space for the other scorers.

Defense:

Pittsburgh lost a lot of skill on their power play with the departure of Sergei Gonchar, who was the team’s third-leading scorer with 50 points last season. But the team hopes that defenseman Alex Goligoski will help fill the void left on the point by Gonchar’s departure. The additions of Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek will also help solidify the Penguins’ blue line and make the team difficult to play against. Martin has twice been plus-20 or better in his past three seasons and could have career highs in points with a more offensive-minded team like the Penguins.

Goaltending:

Marc-Andre Fluery and Brent Johnson will again handle the workload in net. Fluery had a solid season last year with 37 wins and a 2.65 goals against average along with a .905 save percentage. Expect more of the same from Fluery this year as the Penguins will need to him to steal a few games along the way. While Fleury will handle the majority of the workload, Johnson is more than capable as a backup and could get himself 15-20 starts and around 10 wins again this year.

Season Outlook:

Any team that boasts the likes of both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin is dangerous offensively, but the Penguins will need to be good on defense this year too. The loss of Sergei Gonchar will hurt the team, especially on the power play, but the additions of Martin and Michalek will certainly help fortify the team’s blue line and make them tough to score on. Expect the Penguins to definitely be playoff contenders come next April.

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Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation 2010 – Left Wings

Aug 28

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: Left Wing

Left Wing has some very talented players, but be diligent in your drafting because these players go very quickly and very high in the draft – and you definitely do not want to lose out on some of these names.

If You Have a Top 3 Pick – Take Ovechkin. Don’t ask why, just do it.

If You Can’t Take Ovechkin – Then definitely consider Ilya Kovalchuk. Again, this is a no-brainer as Kovalchuk netted 40 or more goals in each of his past five NHL seasons and will probably continue that pace this year.

Phoenix+Coyotes+v+New+Jersey+Devils+rLtNBLrL2yZlThe Secret Is Out On – Zach Parise (pictured). Despite a breakout season in 2008-09 where Parise posted 94 points, he was still somewhat of a wild card. Well, his 84-point season last year showed that he isn’t a fluke and you can expect him to tally 30+ goals and 80 or more points this season as well.

Still Under the Radar Is – Simon Gagne. With potential to top the 70 point plateau, Gagne suffers from inconsistency and is somewhat injury-prone, which keeps him off the radar for many fantasy owners. With 40 points in 58 games last season, if Gagne can stay healthy he might shoot back up near 70 points if he plays on one of Tampa Bay’s top two lines centered by either Lecavalier or Stamkos.

Look for a Rebound Season From – Alex Tanguay. After a disappointing outing with Tampa Bay last season, Tanguay will return to Calgary where he did quite a bit of damage offensively in 2006-07 with 81 points. The Flames are hoping that Tanguay can recover that scoring touch and help boost the team’s struggling offense and will probably be given every opportunity to succeed.

Look for a Breakout Season From – Ville Leino. After being traded to the Flyers at the trade deadline, Leino came alive when the pressure was on in the playoffs and tallied seven goals and 14 assists in 19 playoff games. Look for Leino to benefit from playing on a team that is deep and very talented offensively. Fifty points could be within reach if Leino works hard for it.

Keep An Eye On – Taylor Hall. As the number one overall selection in the 2010 Entry Draft, Hall will be given every opportunity to succeed in Edmonton. Chances are he will immediately land a spot on one of the top two lines and Hall is expected to score a lot of goals in an Oilers uniform. Keep an eye on him to see if those goals start coming as early as this season.

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Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation 2010 – Right Wings

Aug 27

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: Right Wing

Right wing may be the shallowest position in fantasy hockey. There is a big disparity between your top-tier guys and the second-tier talent, which makes it essential that you walk into draft day knowing who your best bets are. If you’re looking for a good right wing, consider taking one of the players listed below.

Coyotes Sharks Hockey If You Have a Top 3 Pick – Consider Dany Heatley (pictured). Twice a 50-goal scorer, Heatley has a knack for the net and will give you offense in the range of 80-90 points per season.

If You Can’t Take Heatley – Then look at Martin St. Louis – especially if you want consistency. More than 50 assists in each of his past four seasons and 25 or more goals in those seasons as well. Not to mention he has played in all 82 games every one of those four seasons, too.

The Secret Is Out On – Bobby Ryan. Being the second-overall draft selection behind Sidney Crosby isn’t bad, and neither are 35 goals last season. Bobby Ryan is on the upswing and looks to only be getting better.

Still Under the Radar Is – Nathan Horton. With 20 or more goals in each of his past five seasons, many say Horton has yet to reach his full potential as he spent most of his time with a subpar Florida Panthers organization. A move to Boston where he could end up alongside Marc Savard could really help boost his offensive production this year.

Look for a Rebound Season From – Brad Boyes. After scoring 43 goals and 33 goals in consecutive seasons, Boyes fell backward last year and notched only 14 tallies. Boyes has good hands and knows how to find the back of the net and could easily find himself back up to between 20 and 30 goals this season.

Look for a Breakout Season From – Peter Mueller. Mueller showed a lot of promise in Phoenix but seemingly failed to reach his full potential. After being traded to Colorado last season, Mueller posted 20 points in 15 games – including nine goals – and showed what he is capable of achieving.

Keep An Eye On – Joffrey Lupul. Here is a guy who consistently hovers around the 50-point marker. Lupul was off to an impressive pace last season before injuries limited him to only 23 games. If he gets off to a hot start again, snatch him up because he could put up some decent numbers in Anaheim.

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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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Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation 2010 – Centers

Aug 26

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: Center

The bad news is that not everyone can have Sidney Crosby on their team, but the good news is that Center is probably the deepest position in Fantasy Hockey, which means that there are plenty of other very talented Centers available to pick that will help your team thrive. While there is such a deep pool of talent at Center, here are a few names to consider when you’re making your draft preparations.

If You Have a Top 3 Pick – Take Crosby. While he may have dropped 20 or so assists from his previous season, he added those points back in goals. Crosby also tallied 78 penalty minutes and a plus-15, which makes him a very versatile player.

If You Can’t Take Crosby – Consider Joe Thornton. Twenty or more goals and 60 or more assists in each of his past five seasons. Thornton has also playearticle_29887_2d in all 82 games in three of his past four seasons. Just call him Mr. Consistent and take him without hesitation is he’s available.

The Secret Is Out On – Nicklas Backstrom (pictured). Thirty-three goals and 68 assists are impressive, but a plus-37 makes him a huge threat. Look to take Backstrom early, probably in the first round, because he won’t fall very far after his breakout campaign last season.

Still Under the Radar Is – Mikko Koivu. Koivu has steadily been increasing his production year after year and has become the new face of the Minnesota Wild. With 22 goals and 49 assists last season, Koivu still flies under the radar behind some bigger, meaner talent.

Look for a Rebound Season From – Jason Spezza. Okay, so 57 points in 60 games isn’t much of a drop off as much as it is bad luck with injuries, but Spezza is capable of 90+ points in a full injury-free season. With a puck-moving defenseman like Sergei Gonchar now on the point for Ottawa’s power play, expect Spezza to shine again.

Look for a Breakout Season From – Bryan Little. After a successful 50+ point campaign two years ago, Little suffered a bit from the dreaded sophomore slump. Expect Little to be a big part of Atlanta’s young offensive core this season as the team looks to stay competitive in a post-Ilya Kovalchuk era.

Keep An Eye On – Tyler Bozak. Bozak spent a lot of his time centering Phil Kessel on the top line last season and tallied eight goals and 19 assists in 37 games. Definitely put Bozak on your watch list and keep an eye out for good things to happen if he gets to play alongside Kessel for a full season.

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Hockey World Blog Presents: Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation

Aug 23

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.

That being said, Hockey World Blog is proud to present a six-part series that will look at each position and supply some of the names that you, as a fantasy hockey manager, might want to consider drafting to help build a winning team. For the final chapter in the series, we will offer some draft tips that may help give you the edge over your competition this season. The complete schedule for when each part of the series will be posted on hockeyworldblog.com can be found below. As always, make sure to keep checking in with Hockey World Blog for the latest in news, rumors and fantasy updates!

Hockey World Blog Presents: Fantasy Hockey Draft Preparation

  • Aug. 26 – Centers
  • Aug. 27 – Right Wings
  • Aug. 28 – Left Wings
  • Aug. 29 – Defenseman
  • Aug. 30 – Goaltenders
  • Aug. 31 – Tips for Successful Fantasy Hockey Drafting

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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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